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Andrew Liddle
Guest Writer
1:38 AM 28th May 2020
lifestyle

The Wednesday Wallop: Ilkley Brewery Offers Hope To Slake Summer Thirst

 
There is good news coming out of Ilkley Brewery this week with their announcement of the arrival of two new topical ales, perfect for the Wednesday Wallop to get you though the week and, indeed, through the current strife.

Hope (ABV 4 %) is billed as a ‘hoptimistic Pale, perfect for lifting spirits and bringing a smile when it's needed’. The accent is clearly on the word ‘hop’ and I’m told this is a hoppy oat ale, pale, crisp and juicy, combining choice hops sourced from around the world.

Slake (4.5%) is a brand-new lager, brewed in classic manner, 'lagering' patiently for a full 7 weeks before dry-hopping. You might say that this is definitivel ‘a lock-down lager’, patiently staying home getting ready to come out.

If you don't want to wait till then to slake your thirst, both ales can be purchased in bottle-form on-line from the brewery's shop, from 29th of May onwards.

Drinkers of Ilkley Brewery’s splendid beers will remember Hope in the past as a popular Spring seasonal but in cask only. Now with almost total production being switched, during the pandemic, to bottles the brewery judge it the right time to resurrect it as something Hopeful!

Slake is normally only brewed for the pub trade, on draft. Luke Raven, director of the brewery, says: ‘With a summer ahead which is sure to be one which has never been experienced before, we are offering something for everyone, catering for people who want something tasty and independent rather than bland and mass-produced - but for whom ale or other craft beers are perhaps a step too far. This approachable lager should tick everyone’s boxes this summer!’

Readers may remember that this brewery’s best-selling session ale, Mary Jane, was recently featured in my weekly beer column in this newspaper and certainly ticked all of my boxes.