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Week in pictures: 3 – 9 August 2024

09 August 2024 By James Evison

This week in pictures features Douglas Blyde with Carlsberg, Balvenie, and Fielden whisky, James Evison with the Brewers Association, and Michael Huband with Kiki Lounge.

Brewers Association

James Evison attended The Brewers Association’s, the US craft beer trade association, summer event at Brat x Climpson’s Arch in London Fields on Wednesday. A full write-up of the event can be found here.

Kiki Lounge

Kiki Lounge, the tropical island bar from the Isle of Man, continued its UK tour with a stop at London’s Coupette. The team brought a Manx flag, bubble machines and a disco ball helmet, as well as a punchy guest menu. Cocktails on offer ranged from the Queenie Martini – the classic reinvented using local Manx queenie scallops for a saline hit – to the Ernest + Rita 2.0, which showed off mezcal from Del Maguey, supporters of the tour. The third leg of the trip hits Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool in September.

Celebrating Fielden

Captured via drone, Fielden Whisky’s Lammas Day celebrations heralded the grain harvest at Butlers Marston, Warwickshire, coinciding with the first release of Harvest 2019 Rye. This vintage signifies the year the heritage grains were harvested, reflecting the influence of its weather patterns. According to master distiller, Chico Rosa, mild weather and summer rain resulted in a brighter, more delicate rye, with a semblance of zest and spice on the finish.

Fonio Beer

For one night only, Carlsberg joined forces with biological sciences graduate turned chef, Adejoké Bakare, and TV channel controller turned chef and restaurateur, Matt Paice, of Fitzrovia’s Michelin-starred West African restaurant, Chishuru to pair its new brew featuring the drought-resistant grain, fonio. Limited to 200 75cl bottles, the release was crafted in collaboration with Brooklyn Brewery at the Carlsberg Research Lab. The result bore delicate notes of white peach and green melon, evoking a cross between pét-nat and sake. It complemented five dishes, including goat tartare with sour cream, and fonio ice cream. The release is part of Brooklyn’s “Brewing For Impact” campaign, spearheaded by Brooklyn Brewmaster, Garrett Oliver to celebrate his 30-year tenure while spotlighting fonio, a grain which has thrived in West Africa for 5,000 years, and its hitherto untapped brewing potential. The label was created by Kevin Bongang, a muralist, designer, and painter born in Cameroon.

Balvenie 50

The Balvenie Fifty Collection was unveiled at Studio Frantzen at Harrods, marking “a collaboration with the past,” as noted by biological sciences graduate turned malt master, Kelsey McKechnie. Global ambassador, Charlie Metcalfe and UK brand ambassador, Sean Fennelly introduced the trilogy, limited to 125 bottles per edition, which will be released over three years. The First Edition, aged in a 1973 European oak refill butt (cask 8720), exudes aromas of antique mahogany, teak, followed by Demerara sugar crystals on the long-lived palate. This issue captures the essence of barley from the distillery’s own malting floor, offering honeyed and waxen notes reminiscent of a slightly charcoal-scented 1974 12-year-old survivor, which was shown alongside. Additionally, a 1992 distilled, 26-year-old sample of The Day of Dark Barley, being the work of a single shift, evoked cacao nibs. Encased in a presentation tube by Cumbria’s Croglin intended to evoke a warped helix of barrel staves, The Balvenie Fifty First Edition (RRP £42,500) will be displayed in Harrods’ windows until 27th August.

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