One of my favorite parts about making stuff is that nervous excitement you get, waiting for the end result. Have you created a surprisingly epic dish or will you suffer disappointment, fit only to better inform your next attempt? Sarah and I recently spent the day at Hillside Brewery near Longhope brewing “Don’t Stop”, the winning entry in their home brew competition, created by Rob from the excellent Beer Revolution shop in Hay-on-Wye. How did it turn out you ask? Read on…
Hillside Brewery at Stroud Farmers’ Market
We’d intended to pop back to Hillside Brewery to pick up some Don’t Stop when it was ready, but fortunately we bumped into Paul at Stroud Farmer’s Market whilst buying a ridiculous amount of delicious bread and cakes from Dom at the Salt Bakehouse pop up.
After a quick sample on the stall first impressions were good, but we hadn’t even had breakfast by that point so neither of us were quite ready to get properly stuck in. We bought a couple to take home though where we could give them the attention they deserved.
Looking at the labelling, Don’t Stop is pretty funky and definitely stands out from the core Hillside range. The prominent orange slice on the front gives a strong hint of the flavour profile to come; popping the cap and pouring, I wasn’t disappointed as a deep sniff reveals a strong floral and tangerine aroma.
Having carried and stirred in some of the sacks, my back can confirm that Don’t Stop is jam packed with simcoe, centennial and mosaic hops which shine through to give a refreshing, fruity taste, perfect for an evening or Sunday afternoon session.
In conclusion, if you’re after a hop laden American Pale Ale, you can’t go wrong with this beauty. Fingers crossed it will sell well and maybe get a second brewing!