Clarence & Frederick's create a truly local beer using Croydon's wild growing hops
Hops foraged from plants growing wild in gardens and pavements in central Croydon will be turned into a truly local beer by brewers at Clarence & Frederick’s Brewing Co next week.
Members of the public were invited to join deputy head brewer, Michaela White, on Monday 29 Sept as she picked the hops growing wild in the streets around the brewery on Neville Road, Croydon.
And on Tuesday, fellow foragers can visit the brewery to watch Michaela as she uses the hops to brew her recipe for Croydon Wild Hop Ale.
The beer, which will be a best bitter-style ale, will be ready to drink in local pubs a few weeks later.
Michaela said: “I noticed the hop plants growing wild in the streets around the brewery as I walked to work one day and it made perfect sense for a local brewery to create a beer from locally growing hops.
“Some of the plants are growing in paving cracks, some of the plants are growing in people’s gardens.
“I’ve dropped notes through people’s doors asking them to join the project because it’s a great chance for the local community to get involved in creating a beer which is truly local.”
The Croydon Wild Hop Ale is being brewed as part of Cask Ale Week which celebrates and promotes Britain’s real ales and the pubs which serve them.
The local project comes just weeks before Clarence & Frederick’s goes international. Casks of Oud Bruin and Croydon Community Porter will be served at the New England Real Ale Exhibition in Haverhill, Massachusetts , USA in November.
Anyone who wishes to watch the hops go through the brewing process can come to the brewery between 10am and 4pm on Tuesday 30 September.
Clarence & Fredericks is based at 35a Neville Road, Croydon, CR0 2DS.
You can follow us on twitter @cfbrewing and on facebook/brewingcf
For more information on the hop forage and the brew, please call Michaela on 07518 363 692
