Late Knights, Hairy Dog

Very black pour this one from Late Knights. The mildest of hop profiles here against burnt coffee bitterness. A different, south London take on a BIPA (as compared, say, to the citrusy elements of the US style), more like a rough and raw stout perhaps. Had this on cask a few times, the smoothness suited it slightly better than the carbonation in the bottle for me (the cask flow smoothness balancing out the almost biting nature of the coffee bitterness here).

Late Knights, Worm Catcher IPA

Finally: Late Knights in a bottle!

I had the pleasure of chatting to Steve when I photographed him for this article. A super genuine and hard working individual who has paid his pub management + beer brewing dues and whose beer now seems to be fast becoming a regular feature anywhere that good beer is sold. What I think has been key to his success (amongst other things) has been his consolidating his rep in local South London (where I am - so I am biased a bit I suppose...!): trying to get a license sorted at the Mr Lawrence Crofton Park premises (a place destined to be mentioned in the beer history books?), a lovely little spot (extended pop-up bar that has really chimed with the locals) in Gypsy Hill and of course the brewery itself in Mr. Lawrence's old lock-up down in Penge (pronounced 'pawn-je', I'm reliably informed).

This IPA comes in at 5% with an orange pour and a light body. Minimal carbonation, the taste was Fanta at first, then the pine sap began to dominate thereafter. A sessionable IPA for sure. I had the bottled Hairy Dog at The Flying Pig last weekend too - I think I prefer the IPA in a bottle, but the Hairy Dog on cask in a pint. (The real star from Late Knights though is their Hop O' The Morning....I could drink that for days.)

I should obviously mention that the labels (designed by Bethany Warren) are spot on branding-wise and also very cool indeed.