Beery Christmas Day 2 : Northern Monk Eternal Whiteout
Beery Christmas : Northern Monk Eternal Whiteout
Northern Monk is a brewery that began its history in 2008, when founder Russ Bisset participated in a competition for young entrepreneurs to start his brewery. If it does not see the light of day right away, he will take advantage of this time to perfect his network, as he will meet the master brewer Brian Dickson at a beer festival. There, they realized that they shared many things in common, such as the desire to start a Nordic brewery.
Over time, Russ and Brian would brew beers in a garage, as is often the case with beginning brewers, and sell them at local markets.
Soon they were raising enough money to open their facility in 2014. This will take place in Holbeck, in the spiritual heart of the industrial revolution, in the Leeds district. There is the Old Flax Store, a renovated former mill that now includes their brewery and taproom, the Northern Monk Refectory.
If in 2015 they brew Faith which will be one of the first NEIPA in the UK, they will see the consecration the following year in 2016, winning a gold medal in the IPA category at the World Beer Cup with Eternal.
In April 2017, followed the opening of their second brewery, this time bigger, still in Holbeck on Sydenhma Road, allowing them to brew 18 beers at the same time! There and since 2018, there is also the canning machine that allows the filling of 6000 cans per hour.
Over the years, Northern Monk has expanded its lineup, offering lager, dark beer and more, with styles ranging from simple lager to very complex imperial stout.
Northern Monk is an independent brewery focused on creating the best beer experiences in the world, which has grown from two to over a hundred, making it one of the fastest growing beer companies in the North. The most important thing for them is to share passions and values, to enjoy beers in a friendly way.
Today, for the tenth edition of our Beery Christmas Advent Calendar, the British brewery has set out to make Eternal Whiteout, a light and thirst-quenching NEIPA that will make your taste buds tingle.
Northern Monk - Eternal Whiteout
Eternal Whiteout by Northern Monk is a light and refreshing New England Pale Ale. Once poured into a glass, it reveals a pale, hazy straw yellow color, topped with a fluffy white head.
The blend of hops used gives this beer a concentrated fruity aroma. There is a great range of fruity notes from citrus fruits like orange, grapefruit and tangerine, followed by a hint of strawberry. This is followed by an explosion of tropical fruity aromas with mango, lychee, pineapple, pink guava and papaya. There is also a floral touch of rose petals and a slight woody resinous note. The aroma is very intense, which is quite satisfying considering this is a 4% beer. Take your time and smell the beer at different temperatures to discover its different nuances.
One has the impression that this is a very sessionable beer, meaning accessible and thirst-quenching, with the alcohol almost unnoticeable. It is indeed a very hoppy dominant flavor, with citrus notes of orange, grapefruit, mango and pineapple. The hop bitterness is very restrained, true to the style. On the grain side, the wheat and oats add a smooth, full texture to the beer, bringing sweetness and voluptuousness. The malt base gives the beer a biscuit-like crispness.
The body is smooth with low carbonation, finishing with a long, pleasantly fruity note from the hops. At 4%, this beer is very easy to drink. Norther Monk takes us on a new hop pilgrimage with this modern Hazy Pale Ale.
It's best enjoyed at 6°C with crispy falafel balls, eggs Benedict, a toasted bagel with an egg, or fish and salsa.
