Common People invite you on a European trip with a trio beers: one Czech, one German, and one Belgian.
First stop is the Czech Republic, where we’ll find Sound Czech Pilsner and its blend of chilled-out refreshment and complex flavours. Steady underlay of sweet bready malt? Check. Saaz bringing the signature spicy taste of old world hops? Check. A lively carbonation and solid bitterness to keep the mouth wanting more? Check. Traditional style of lager? Czech.
Next we’ll scoot across the border to Germany for another lager: Das Bock. This one’s submerged in darkness, though what appears deep brown becomes almost blood red when you hold it up to the light. It’s low in alcohol for a bock, but you can still expose those lovely malty characters: some sticky prune on the nose leads into a smooth toastiness with a little toffee in the mouth, and the finish is quite nutty.
Our tour ends in Belgium, where Common People’s bar manager was born. Sarah worked with the brew team to bring Werewolf into the light.
It’s a howler – seriously, you can hear it fizzing from a mile away – with a lithe body keeps that 8.5 percent ABV carefully hidden away lest the villagers see it. Subtle banana gives way to dry, bitey orange peel, and there’s an aggressive bitterness holding onto a hint of clove.
Belgian monks would brew their tripels during the full moon, and there are still brewers who’ll swear that a full moon has a direct effect on the fermentation of their beer. But I’m pretty sure at Common People they just like the story.
Or hey, maybe Sarah’s a werewolf. I haven’t pried into her personal life...
Mick Wüst
Published Today 2024-11-07 00:00:00
