Award Winning Beers At Bargain Prices.(20/94)
This time around we head off to Devon and Powderkeg Brewery. The random generator didn’t have much to go on in Devon, but maybe the fates aligned to point me in the right direction.
I ordered their Mega Mixed Case of 12 beers in a mixture of 330ml and 440ml cans with six varieties of beer. This cost £30, with a first time purchase 10% off and NO delivery fee meaning a grand total of £27 or £2.25 a beer.
In a little peak behind the scenes, what I typically do I drink the beers, make the notes as I go along and then write the beginning and the end of the blog. I had forgotten just how cheap these beers actually were, so the sheer level of quality displayed by Powderkeg to a price point ratio, well I genuinely don’t think another brewery will beat them in the rest of this journey. I normally hold off on recommendations until the end, but let me put this out there now, you need to buy some of these beers.
Five of the six were award winning and even the lowly sixth one (pfft no awards!), was a banger as well. There is some potential taste issues (as in liking the flavour profiles) but ultimately you owe yourself a favour to buy some of these and have a lovely time.
https://shop.powderkegbeer.co.uk/
In Their Own Words
POWDERKEG ARE FREEDOM-LOVING BEER OBSESSIVES CARVING OUR OWN PATH WITH CURIOSITY, CREATIVITY AND DEFIANCE; THIS IS FREE-THINKING BEER
But what is Free-Thinking Beer? We look beyond the established ideas and opinions to revolutionise a style to create something fresh, interesting and always outstanding. In Cut Loose, we re-imagine a classic German-style Pilsner by pepping it up with New Zealand hops; it’s a great example of how moving past traditional techniques can elevate a beer beyond expectations. For maximum accessibility our beers are also Gluten-Free and Vegan.
Taking influences from craft beer around the world and classic European brewing, we are on a mission to create flavour-packed, easy-drinking session beers that excite craft aficionados and the casual drinker alike. We’re a small, dedicated team who have spent years honing our skills, giving us the expert brewing knowledge to break the rules with a bit of style, making the beers that really satisfy our curiosity, creativity and thirst.
The results of our endeavours speak for themselves; over the last seven years we have collected several top national and international awards and received plaudits from all corners of the beer world. No doubt, the beer is gooood. But Free-Thinking Beer doesn’t rest on past success; we always strive to make the next brew the best one, constantly learning, tweaking, adapting and upgrading to make sure that the next PK in your hand is the best it can be.
Green Light – Quarter IPA – 1.2% - (World Beer Awards 2019 United Kingdom Winner, European Beer Challenge 2021, Gold)
Normally I’d look at a 1.2% beer and just be a little underwhelmed at the prospect. However, when I read the hops involved, I immediately took notice as Cascade, Amarillo and Azacca are right up there with my favourites, just missing a bit of Mosaic for the quad-fecta. Then of course you see the awards that this beer has garnered and suddenly underwhelmed has turned into quite excited to see what the first beer from Powderkeg throws up.
As with most beers of a low abv it poured very very lightly and didn’t maintain a head for long. The nose however is where the party starts and prompts the unwarranted, unplanned salivation in preparation of joy with playful citrus notes bouncing around the nose awaiting you to dive in.
Wow ok, there’s a lot going on here but I’m enjoying everything about it.
First off, it’s incredibly light as to be expected with how it poured, it’s at this point other low percentage beers would end there and just be a watery excuse for a beer, Green Light doesn’t do this.
Straight away you get a punch of bitterness formed from the double dry hops, a form not overly common with the hops used. As such after the initial burst you then get little flecks of citrus peeking out, as though checking it’s ok for them to make themselves known.
The bitter hops and the citrus then decide to combine in a near perfect harmony, to make you sit back and wonder where the drink has been all your life. Even after numerous mouthfuls the flavour dances around the palate, with neither bitter nor citrus being overpowering.
It’s incredibly easy to see why this beer has won the awards it did and all of a sudden drinking a 1.2% beer doesn’t seem like an issue in the slightest.
What a start from Powderkeg.
Cut Loose – Pilsner – 4.7% (SIBA Independent Beer Awards 2020 Gold. National Bottle/Can Winner Premium Lagers and Pilsners 4.5-6.4%.)
As we enter the world of Pilsner now, I’m always starkly aware that as I’ve moved more to the IPA’s and Stouts, I’m less and less qualified (not that I’m qualified at all) to talk about Pilsner’s as I can’t’ really discern the different hops used in the brewing process and there’s generally, less fluff you can write about.
This is going to feel a bit like filler, but I just noticed the can design and love the art on it.
The Pilsner poured really smoothly and formed a perfectly natural head which maintained for a reasonable amount of time. To the eye it has a lightness to it and quite high translucence. In fairness the nose does actually deliver a decent amount of sensation and does present itself as incredibly welcoming.
As I’ve been admiring the artwork, I’ve just noticed all the awards this beer has won and am now wondering if Powderkeg is some world-renowned brewery I’ve somehow never heard of.
Once again Powderkeg delivering a complex beer here, I often forget that a Pilsner is so much more than a lager and does have that bitterness in the background, except in this case there is a strange juxtaposition of fizz and bitterness which makes your brain wonder what is actually going on. The dry-hop is present once again in this Pilsner, which I’m now anticipating is going to be a trademark of theirs, which if it is I’m all aboard the train they’re on. The bitterness just lingers pleasantly on the palate, but is also all encompassing, where as some seem to cling to certain parts of the mouth, this is just a complete coating of flavour which makes you sit back and just enjoy the experience.
Like Green Light, this is inherently drinkable and keeps you coming back for more. These two beers are the sorts of beers that make you wonder how people can ever try to argue, “I don’t like beer”. You’ve just not found a good one yet.
Speak Easy – Pale Ale -4.3% (Great Taste 2020 3*)
Pale Ales hit the area where they’re just starting to hit the flavour profiles that I’ve come to love and looking at the hops present in this one (Azacca, Chinook and Citra) there is absolutely no reason that I shouldn’t absolutely love this beer.
The beer poured lightly with a quickly fading head and appears slightly darker than the previous beers, whilst maintaining a deep amber ochre like appearance.
The nose gives the hint of sweetness, freshness and the slightest hint of maltiness generating from the hops which at this moment in time I’m not sure will have the double dried quality of the previous two beers.
“Mmmm”.
As I uttered that involuntary mouth expulsion, I reclined back a little bit in the chair and closed my eyes, whether it’s been a long day at work or the beer is just that tasty, something overwhelmed me briefly for a second there.
First of you get the pang of citrus freshness with little pops of grapefruit like flavour across the palate, this quickly subsides however as the old faithful double dry hops with their bitter and malt notes move in for the kill. The more of this I drink however is the first time that I feel the balance may be slightly off and they’ve gone a bit too hard on the drying process.
Citra and Azacca are really flavoursome hops, which can make an Ale sing and be a truly joyful thing, but it feels a little like it’s been pushed too far. I’d equate it to a pancake that has stuck to the bottom of the pan and caught a little. It’s still good, very good in fact but the bitterness just slightly outstays its welcome this time round and pulls you out of that moment of enjoyment.
That initial burst of flavour which opens up the palate is quickly replaced by the overpowering bitterness which this time outstays it’s welcome a little too much.
Sixes and Sevens – West Coast Amber – 5.0%
Six malts and Seven hops seem like there is going to be an awful lot going on and might be a little too complex for its own good, however if it’s done properly (which based on how this brewery has been going it may well do) it could be a very good thing indeed, but balance is going to be of the utmost importance here.
As I poured the beer I was instantly hit with a lovely hoppy tang to the nose, which took me away for a second from just how appealing the beer was visually, with the rich amber beer forming a gentle head briefly before fading away leaving a still, almost gem like look to the beer.
Trying to pick apart the nose a little bit more I’m struggling to pick out one single thing in particular, which with the quantity of products is probably to be expected. There is a sweetness to it one second and then on the next smell and disrupting the beer a little bit it becomes something more maltier which will have a bigger impact.
I don’t really know what on earth is going on here, but I’m very sure I like it. Off the bat you’re hit with sweet notes which dance around, the next sip there’s a bitterness to the beer, the next there’s a caramel nature. It’s almost like a trifle in how all the flavours are layered with seemingly something a little different each time you have a sip.
Gun to my head if I had to pick a dominant flavour profile it would be a slightly bitter caramel but unlike the previous beer, the bitter notes do not overpower or overstay their welcome. The can states that this is delicious, disorderly and designed to leave the drinker joyfully discombobulated and whilst it’s a wonderful use of alliteration I’m inclined to agree with the description.
I don’t think I’ve ever tried to liken the layering of a beer to a trifle before (thinking out loud for a second how good would a trifle-based stout be) but there is so much going on here, but it’s all being done very well, I find it strange that this is the first beer I’ve tried of these that hasn’t won an award as it’s one of my favourites so far owing to its level of complexity and overall deliciousness.
This isn’t from a point of bias either as I’m not normally a super fan of West Coast style beers finding myself normally drawn more to NEIPA’s and their style, so to be won over as much as I have been is quite the revelation for myself. More please.
PKIPA – West Coast IPA – 6.0% (SIBA Independent Beer Awards 2021 Bronze Regional Bottle/Can Winner IPA (5.5% - 6.4%)
The strongest beer of those available from Powderkeg and once again we have an award winner and one that I’m very much looking forwards to, being typically drawn to stronger IPA’s. The beer poured beautifully maintaining a slight head before fizzing away leaving a lovely amber colour in the glass, almost gemstone like in colour and equally as inviting.
The nose takes me back to Ross’ happy place with a deep and rich citrus flavour that tickles the nostrils before becoming more all-enveloping of the senses. It has activated that time honoured indication of excitement the involuntary salivation.
Ok this is fantastic and bang up my alley.
First of all, this beer is thick in flavour, sure it slides down the through easy but somehow the flavour profile put forwards is thick and chunky like a marmalade and leaves a citrus hum across the mouth coating it’s insides.
Initially you get strong citrus vibes across the profile with a grapefruity stone fruit like profile and it just makes you salivate more and more and this in turn allows the bitter bite to sneak in. It isn’t oppressive or unwelcoming, instead it slowly takes over the flavour profile as though to strongly suggest.
“Hey, why not have a little bit more to drink”.
And you know what you do, you go in and refresh the cycle of beautiful citrus notes fading into bitterness. The only negative I can think of is at some point the beer will end and the cycle ends with it and I don’t really want that to be the case.
PowderKeg seemingly have converted me to the extra dried hop style of brewing, where in the past brewers I’ve experienced have been a bit to over the top with the bitter profiles Powderkeg, almost flawlessly has found that perfect balance to make it wonderful and welcoming.
Harmony - Helles Lager – 4.2% (SIBA Independent Beer Awards 2021 Silver Regional Bottle/Can Winner Session Lager/Pilsner up to 4.4%)
I’m realising at this point I may have made a faux pas in finishing with a lager, which I routinely state whilst enjoyable, are objectively hard to critique as such I anticipate that this may not be the most extensive of reviews.
The beer poured pleasantly enough, with a frothy head and a light consistency to the liquid which would be hard to differentiate visually apart from other lagers. The nose unfortunately did not reveal much a faint twang of hops but nothing overly discernible.
The flavour profile on the other hand is pretty impressive. Once again and for the final time the dried hop nature of Powderkeg shines through to leave a little bite at the end of the initial crispness. The lager itself hits the palate firstly with a light zing before fading away into the hoppy notes left in the background.
What is of note is that we have a session lager here that is packed full of flavour and actually makes you sit back, enjoy the beer and think about the experience, instead of mindless drinking.
Final Thoughts:
Powderkeg is a brewery that up until ordering I had never heard of and this surprises me based on just how many awards they brewery had won and how good the beer was. I expected some form of word of mouth to make its way to me.
They really leaned into the hop process embracing the bitterness, but also managing to balance it perfectly. As I mentioned in my pre-amble, if you have any interest in beer at all I would strongly recommend Powderkeg.
I was so despondent when the search of Devon only revealed two breweries that hit the blog criteria, to the point that I was tempted to give this one a free hit and argue that brewery twenty was some sort of landmark, as you can probably tell, I’m very glad that I didn’t.
If I had to compare Powderkeg to anything it’s one of those restaurant, where there is only a handful of items on the menu, where everything is crafted with love and attention, not wasting time on catering for absolutely everything. Instead focusing on just a few things lovingly crafted by experts of their trade.
What a brewery.
Next County: Warwickshire
