London beer week is go!

The 2016 London Beer Week is well underway now. It's hubbed at the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane, where Craft Beer Rising also takes place on Friday and Saturday. I'll be over there this afternoon to see what's happening - apparently there's various pop-up bars, including one from headline sponsor Sharp's and another for Guinness's crafty The Brewers Project micro-brand.

There's a whole bunch of other LBW16 activity taking place around the city too. Some of this needs a £10 wristband which you can buy at the OTB hub and elsewhere. To quote the organisers, it gets you access to the "self-guided Beer Tours", that’s £3 speciality beers and £5 boilermakers (AKA a beer and a shot) in more than 100 of the best beer bars and breweries in London. 

They go on to list several of the beers created especially for LBW16:

Oatmeal Cookie Stout: A rich, chocolatey brew with roasted nuts and caramel created by Brew by Numbers. Available at Hawksmoor Spitalfields Bar – 157b Commercial Street, EC1 6BJ

Chilli Oyster Stout: A tasty collaboration between Well & Bucket pub and brewers Anspach & Hobday. Available at the Well & Bucket – 143 Bethnal Green Road, E2 7DG

DrinkUp.London Session IPA: Tropical fruited scents, with a hint of brown sugar and a dry fresh finish. Created by Melissa Cole and 40ft at Cotswold Brewing Co. Available at The DrinkUp.London Boilermaker Bar, The Old Truman Brewery, E1 6QL

LBW Tropical Hopjuice: Rich exotic tropical flavours to taste, an incredibly light and refreshing brew. Created by Durham Atkinson of Hops and Glory, and available at The DrinkUp.London Boilermaker Bar (Saturday only), The Old Truman Brewery, E1 6QL

Mizzen Stout: A dark, strong stout with hints of chocolate, coffee and malt sweetness. Brewed by Sharp’s Brewery’s 2015 Brewing Adventure Winner, Dylan Jones. Available at the Sharp’s Brewery London Beer Week Hub, Ely’s Yard, The Old Truman Brewery, E1 6QL

They are also promoting “hoptails” or beer cocktails, at £5 for wristband wearers, for example:

Kernow Gigglemug: Sharp’s Chalky’s Bite, gin, roasted fennel seed syrup, citrus and caramelized kosovar juniper foam. Complex and fresh. Available at Worship Street Whistling Shop – 63 Worship Street, EC2A 2DU

M-ale Tai: A traditional Tiki rework made using Brewdog Punk IPA and Scotch. Punchy and reviving. Available at Craft Cocktail Company – Arch 253, Paradise Row, E2 9LE

Peroni Sour: Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Calvados, lemon juice and bergamot reduction. Autumnal, elegant flavours. Available at Union Street Cafe – 47-51 Great Suffolk St, SE1 0BS

The Tank Old Fashioned: Pilsner Tank Beer, Woodford Reserve Bourbon, beer sugar and orange bitters. Rich and aromatic. Available at The Duck and Rice – 90 Berwick St, W1F 0QB

Apri-Hop Sour: Bulleit bourbon, lemon juice, apricot liqueur, Hop House 13 Lager.  Smooth and warming. Available at Hop House 13 LDN (LBW pop-up) – 7 Dray Walk, Old Truman Brewery, E1 6QL

Huggalicious: A specially created hoptail made using Big Hug ale, tequila, lime juice and agave syrup. Available at all London Cocktail Club venues.

Have you tried a beer cocktail? What did you think? I've not had one in years.