Here’s the full lineup for the March 2015 Vault Reserve box. I hope you, our members, are really excited by the beers this month and can’t wait to try them. I really enjoy everyone sharing with us on social media your opening of the box and the beers, so get in touch!
With our Vault Reserve box we always strive to showcase the very best of the of the UK beer scene. We’ll throw imports in there to keep things exciting, and to allow us to genuinely showcase a rounded selection of the very best beers in the world to our members, but ultimately it’s UK beers that really get us going. So it’s with some great excitement I can talk you folks through this month’s selection.
Wild Beer Tom Yum Gose – 4.5% – 750ml
Tom Yum Gose is an intercontinental amalgamation of flavours, travelling from Europe to Asia to escape the restrictions of the reinheitsgebot, but finally settling down in rural Somerset, England.
Wild Beer have taken a beer style revived from 16th century Germany and added to it’s base of coriander and salt, an array of floral, citrus fruity and spicy flavours from Thailand. These work together to create a deliciously crisp and refreshing 4.2% ABV amber wheat beer, with carefully balanced spices, reminiscent of a Tom Yum soup (but definitely best served cold).
The base of this beer was initially fermented using local wild yeasts and bacteria from our local environment, creating it’s initial sour notes. Which are complimented by the tart citrus of lime, and followed by the floral aroma of lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and galangal. The finish is pepper and spice from the Thai ginger and a heat from birds eye chillies which slowly builds in the back of the throat, yet doesn’t overwhelm the overall flavours.
Camden India Helles Lager – 7.2% – 660ml
First up we have Camden Town, one of the country’s most well established craft breweries, with their Barrel Aged version of their India Helles Lager. IHL is a beer that I was blown away by when I first tasted it. A beautiful combination of crisp and drinkable, with the hop hit of an IPA. The barrel aged version does not disappoint. Aged with Tequila and Bourbon, the beer has tropical fruits backed by smooth, sweet vanilla. This beer will age further with the notes from the barrels coming through even more as the hops dissipate, but I’d recommend getting tucked into this now at it’s freshest.
Moor Fusion – 8% – 660ml
Last up is possibly my proudest inclusion to date for the Vault Reserve. Moor Beer have long been among my favorite breweries worldwide and, of all their beers, Fusion has always stood above others (JJJ is another favorite). Each year when it comes round I take great pleasure in enjoying bottles of it’s Christmas puddingy (!) yumminess.
Aged in Somerset Cider Brandy Barrels this Old Ale is recognised as a beer of world renown, the older the batch the better it gets. I have raided my own personal cellar to bring these bottles to you, and saved only one for myself. They have been cellaring now for over 2 years, and will be getting better and better with time. Open it now and enjoy the sweet desserty goodness, or delay pleasure and the beer will only improve with age. I’ll be cracking mine open this weekend. You can find our social media details below, so I look forward to hearing how you have enjoyed yours!