Meantime captures ‘flavour’ of London

London brewery Meantime has released a beer made with hops grown on the banks of the river Thames.

Thames Hop IPA is produced from a hop farm located directly on the Greenwich Meridian Line. Having planted the 48 hop roots in 12 wooden planters earlier this year on a site next to the O2 arena, Meantime has claimed that the venture represents London’s first permanent hop farm in over 100 years.

Reporting a “bumper harvest” thanks to the UK’s warm, dry summer, Meantime used the hops freshly picked rather than dried. It described the resulting style as offering: “a grassy aroma that gives way to a strong hoppy taste on the palate, with slight bitter notes.”

The farm venture marks the latest move by Meantime to spark public interest in London’s brewing history and follows last year’s initiative to make a crowd-sourced beer from hops grown by different people around London. The name Thames Hop IPA was chosen from suggestions offered by the brand’s Twitter and Facebook audience.

Describing London as “an exciting place to be a brewer right now”, Meantime marketing director Rich Myers, explained: “The variety of ingredients at our disposal is huge and it allows us to pack flavour into our beer.

“More than ever the public are interested in ingredients and their origins, and our farm has really engaged people to discuss and take interest in how their beer is brewed and the ingredients that are used.”

Thames Hop IPA is available now from a selection of on-trade outlets across London, as well as Meantime’s own brewery shop, and will shortly appear via its online outlet with an RRP of £24.99 per 12-bottle case.