We kicked off the month with an in-person New Brew event before celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary with a trip to Malta that included visits to Valletta, Mdina and Gozo. We made the most of the great value local wines, but also managed to try a few different brews and find a lovely craft beer bar. And as always, we had a good few new brews at home as well as while we were out and about.
Here’s a rundown of our favourite new brews for October 2025.
Transpacific by Arbor (Bristol, UK)
IPA 6%
We’ve had a couple of Arbor beers and they’ve all been pretty good. This 6% IPA was no exception. Lovely body and flavour.
Brewer’s note: Full flavoured IPA brewed with American and Antipodean hops.
Brewer’s website: Arbor Ales
Snapshot by Duration Brewing (Norfolk, UK)
IPA 4.5%
We’ve never tried beers from Duration before, but Alex spotted this one in M&S and grabbed us a couple of cans. It was a very good beer. Considering the ABV wasn’t particularly high, it had lots of flavour. We’ll certainly be on the lookout for more of their brews.
Brewer’s note: Snapshot is a deliciously juicy and tropical Session IPA bursting with notes of mango and peach with a splash of zest from the Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe hops. A rounded malt bill and a wonderful 4.5% strength make this a balanced and refreshing drop. Take a few Snapshots along the way to make each moment memorable.
Brewer’s website: Duration Brewing
Green Hop IPA by Simonds Farsons Cisk (Birkirkara, Malta)
IPA 5.7%
We tried quite a few of the Farsons beers during our Malta trip, including the double red strong, blue label and milk stout (plus lots of Cisk). This was our favourite and was a lovely hoppy brew.
Brewer’s note: An all malt India Pale Ale brewed using a Pale Ale malted barley variety to give this ale its distinctive amber colour. Farsons Green Hop IPA is hopped using a special blend of five different hop varieties which together give this beer its characteristic and unique hoppy flavour profile. The beer is hopped twice during the 4-5 week-long brewing process, first in the Brewhouse and later in the Fermentation tank during the maturation stage where carefully selected special aroma hops are added to give this beer its distinct flavour and aroma.
Brewer’s website: Farsons Brewery Malta | Cisk Beer
Tank Petrol (V3) by Northern Monk (Leeds, UK)
IPA 6.5%
We’ve previously tried V1 and V2 and enjoyed both so it made sense to try this latest version. It was a lovely brew and we have high hopes for V4 (if they do one).
Brewer’s note: Each can sold of this beer includes a donation to faith in futures. Northern Monk was set up with a £5,000 gift from a grandparent. Inspired by this generous donation allowing our dreams to come true, faith in futures has partnered with three northern causes, restoring Hardknott Forest, Pyramid and Holbeck together. We’re aiming to donate £150,000 by the end of 2025.
Brewer’s website: Northern Monk Craft Beers
BEER OF THE MONTH
Plum Provision by Burning Sky (Sussex, UK)
Farmhouse Ale 6.7%
We’ve had a few Burning Sky beers now, and they never disappoint. This Plum Provision was yet another excellent brew with lovely flavour and tartness.
Brewer’s note: Our benchmark mixed fermentation saison was aged for six months in oak to develop it’s distinctive flavour profile. The beer then spent a further three months on fresh Victoria and Marjorie plums. The sweet, yellow flesh gives a deep richness of flavour, whilst the dark skins lend colour and a balanced tartness to the beer.
Brewer’s website: Burning Sky
Honourable mention
These new brews didn’t quite make it into our top five, but we still feel they are worth a mention.
Prickly Pear Juicy IPA by Lord Chambray (Gozo, Malta)
IPA 7%
Not sure we’ve ever had a prickly pear beer before so we couldn’t resist trying this one during our visit to 67 Kapitali (definitely worth popping in if you’re in Valetta). This was a lovely brew and very juicy.
Brewer’s note: Beautifully balanced, infused with big hop aromas of fresh tropical limes, guava, peach and orange marmalade goodness, paired with a velvety, smooth mouthfeel. Oh, and to make this hazy ipa even juicier we brewed it with a bounty of gozitan prickly pears! Yummy!
Brewer’s website: Lord Chambray Craft Beer Brewery Malta
Mörker Schwarzbier by Vanvåg Artisan Ales (Sweden)
Schwarzbier 4.4%
This was one of a selection of beers given to us by a friend. It had lovely treacle flavours and the roasted malts really came through. A tasty little beer.
Brewer’s note: Delicious, refreshing and unexpected, Schwarzbier is the Cinderella at the craft beer ball; tragically left behind while other, lesser styles whoop it up. Dark and clear, it has a lightly roasty, malt-forward character with surprisingly low bitterness, and hints of caramel and coffee. Fresh and smooth with a lively carbonation, this bubbly brew is the belle of the ball.
Revisited
Not a new brew but a beer we’ve revisited recently because it’s one of our favourites.
Tetley’s by Joshua Telley & Son (subsidiary of Carlsberg UK)
Bitter 3.7%
It’s not the best beer in the world, but as our most recent in-person new brew event took place at The Tetley, it seems a shame not to give it a mention. It’s synonomous with Yorkshire - just a shame it got absorbed into Carlsberg (but at least they retained the brand).
