Perfect Pints for Autumnal Nights: The Ultimate Guide to Our Beer This Season
With the arrival of September, autumn is finally upon us. After a scorching summer, perhaps the prospect of cooler days and longer nights ahead seems like a foreign concept. But whether you’re a devotee of crisp autumn leaves and cosy evenings wrapped up in your favourite jumper, or a summer lover already counting the days until you can get back to the beach, we’re here to help you embrace the new season with open arms. Here's our ultimate guide to Westerham Brewery’s finest beers to drink in autumn.
From creamy dark stouts to warming Kentish Strong ales, there’s a perfect pint of Westerham beer for everyone this season, including members of our very own Brew Crew, who took the time this week to pick out their personal favourites.
Wally Winker’s Death By Chocolate
Is there anything more comforting on Earth than chocolate?
How about chocolate tripled?
Wally Winker’s Death By Chocolate is our gloriously luscious, multi-award-winning triple chocolate stout. It’s brewed with chocolate malt, roasted cacao nibs and natural dark chocolate to give it a devilishly decadent flavour. Rich, velvety and with a hint of vanilla, it’s a perfectly grown-up treat for the chocoholics among us.
Grasshopper
Beer doesn’t get more Kentish than our Grasshopper Kentish Ale, with 100% of its hops grown right here in the Garden of England. Kentish Ale is even a Protected Food Name with Protected Geographical Indication. With its malty, toffee aroma and full bodied taste, it’s a perfect autumnal brew with a perfect autumnal hue. Our founder and Managing Director Robert likes to reach for a Grasshopper when the colder weather appears. It’s malty and reminiscent of a winter ale, he says, but has a low ABV.
1965
An old favourite – quite literally – 1965 is a rich Kentish Ale with a fruity aroma and full, warming flavour perfect for colder days. It was the last beer made by Westerham’s Black Eagle Brewery that closed in 1965 after over 230 years of brewing, and we’ve revived it with the original recipe and the same yeast from all those years ago. 1965 is a big hit with our Brew Crew – with Taproom & Shop Manager Jamie and Trade Account Manager Toby both awarding it the title of their favourite beer for autumn. Jamie says the caramel dried fruit flavours make it a very autumnal beverage, whilst Toby calls it a quintessential bitter. It goes with the weather, he says – the darker and colder the weather, the darker and richer the beer!
It’s a hit with all of you too, which is why its currently sold out. The good news is we’ll be brewing some more soon, so keep your eyes peeled for its reappearance and grab some before the Brew Crew get there first!
Audit Ale
Another Kent classic, Audit Ale is brewed with 100% Kentish hops and the same re-cultured yeast from the Black Eagle Brewery back in yesteryear. Kentish Strong Ale is another Protected Food Name with Protected Geographical Indication. Black Eagle brewed Audit Ale throughout the early 20th century to such acclaim that it was supplied to Clarence House at the beginning of the oyster season in September. If oysters aren’t your thing, not to worry – we’re sure you’ll still love the smooth, warming taste of complex fruits and mouth-watering aromas of port, raisins and molasses.
Viceroy
If you thought pale ales were off the cards this autumn, think again! IPA fans can enjoy the delightfully hoppy Viceroy, with its citrusy, honey taste and aromas of apricot and peaches to remind you of summers yet to come.
Nitro Stout
Perhaps the ultimate drink for cooler months, our Nitro Stout is as rich, smooth and creamy as they come. Nitrogenated for the perfect pour, with a hue as dark as the night you’ll be drinking it in, expect comforting aromas of chocolate, coffee and dried fruits, with a rounded, creamy taste reminiscent of mocha. Nitro Stout has plenty of fans among the Brew Crew, being the autumn beer of choice for Trade & Retail Manager Kit, Brewery Assistant Luke and Drayman Jim. Kit likes its robust flavour and calls it a cosy cold weather drink, whilst Luke particularly enjoys its creamy taste. Jim likes a stout in cooler weather and says Nitro Stout is both warming and hearty.
Only available in kegs or at the bar, you might have to pop into our cosy taproom to try this one. As if you needed another excuse...
Double Stout
Another dark and brew-dy option this autumn is the warming, chocolatey Double Stout, with its rich aroma of coffee and mature fruits and distinctive roasted flavour. The word ‘stout’ means ‘strong’, so there’s no surprise that Double Stout is stronger than it’s nitrogenated cousin mentioned above. Our brewer Nat likes something darker and richer in the colder months, which is why he chose a can of Double Stout as his beer of choice to enjoy at home after a chilly autumn dog walk.
British Bulldog
Ah, British Bulldog – our full-bodied Kentish Ale packed with local hops and heritage yeast from the Black Eagle Brewery, a recreation of the historic Westerham Ales once enjoyed by Sir Winston Churchill himself! With beautifully balanced flavours of toffee and rich fruits, this is the top pick for our Brewery Assistant, Frankie.
Bohemian Rhapsody
Perhaps you prefer your autumnal drinks to remind you of warmer climates. In that case, Bohemian Rhapsody could be for you, with aromas of vibrant tropical fruits. Dry, smooth and hoppy, perhaps our beloved Boho isn’t your typical autumn brew. But it’s our Production Manager Fraser’s pick – for me, he says, it’s our best beer any time of year!
