squaremeal.co.uk � 87

BEER + CIDER NEWS

BARS + DRINK

THE FIRST RULE OF BREW CLUB…

Keen home brewers have a new place to

learn how to make beer thanks to Brew

Club in east London. It provides the

opportunity to hire brew stations, order

ingredients and book a place on a beer

course. Complete novices can go for

the All Grain Beginner's Class (£100),

where a course in making IPA, bitter or

stout results in 40 bottles of your own

creation to take home. brewclub.uk.com

FIRST�CLASS FLIGHTS

If our article on Japanese drinks in London (p.108) inspires

you, head to Sexy Fish, where the bar team has launched a

collection of Japanese whisky flights. If you're just dipping

a toe, order the First Sip flight (£21), which features

four samples, including no-age-statement whiskies from

Yamazaki, Hakushu and Nikka. Those with deep pockets

and a keen interest in the category should go for While

it Lasts (£175), a flight of rare whiskies from Hanyu and

Karuizawa - two closed Japanese distilleries. Sexy Fish,

Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, W1J 6BR

A ripe old age

�ere's been much launched for the Queen's

90th, but this pair of 1986 Hine Cognacs, aged

in different places, takes some beating. EarlyLanded

went to Wickwar, near Bristol, while

the second stayed in Jarnac, the home of Hine.

Bernard Hine tell us that "the Jarnac-matured

Cognac has notes of white peach and hints of

spice" while Early-Landed has "floral aromas" and

"hints of cedar wood and mountain honey." Hine

1986 Jarnac-matured, £535, Fortnum & Mason;

Hine 1986 Early-Landed, £355, masterofmalt.com

ON THE SCENT

Trip around the world without leaving London, thanks to seven

new cocktails at The Donovan Bar at Brown's Hotel. Customers

smell cards that represent each continent, before their chosen

drink is mixed up in eyecatching

glassware. We

loved the floral Asia -

gin, cherry bitters, violet

liqueur and oolong tea

syrup. Brown's Hotel,

33 Albermarle Street,

W1S 4BP

GO DUTCH

An Amsterdam company is reviving an old

local brewing tradition of using botanicals in

beer. Lowlander Beer has created three brews

using the method, including a White Ale

made with curaçao orange, elderflower and

camomile and an IPA brewed with coriander

and white tea. From £2.64, masterofmalt.com

TIDDLY POMME

How's this for smart cider? Or

should we say 'cidre'? Sassy, made in

Normandy, comes in three flavours:

original, pear and rosé. Made with

100 per cent pure juice, it comes in

smaller single-serve bottles and largeformat

sharing ones too.

£3 for 330ml, £7 for 750ml;

maison-sassy.com