The way breweries and wider hospitality have adapted during this annus horribilis is extraordinary. As we look forward to a better 2021, here is a (very brief) snapshot of the beers that Tim Sheahan, editor of The Brewers Journal, has enjoyed during the last 12 months.

To paraphrase the United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld: “There are known knowns; there are things we know we know.

“We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don’t know we don’t know.”

In this most unusual/unprecedented/crazy* of years (delete as you see fit), it seems that those famous words could all be applicable in our lives at certain junctures during 2020.

We’ve all had to learn to adapt to new ways of living and working pretty quickly during the last year, and in some instances only had weeks to prepare and adjust.

But as 2020 drew to a close, and especially where hospitality is concerned, some decisions have had to be made in days, sometimes even hours.

These changes have obviously impacted the viability of many businesses during a traditionally buoyant time of year, alongside the countless members of staff that would neither know if they’re coming or going.

Hospitality has been unfairly targeted during this pandemic. For the sane of mind, that’s a known known. But it’s also something that would take up the whole of this edition if we were to continue discussing that particular dialogue.

Instead, at this moment, I think it’s important to take a step back and appreciate simply how well the industry has performed in this past year.

In the most challenging and uncertain of circumstances, another known known is that the quality being produced by our breweries has been simply awe-inspiring. So here are some that have stood out in recent months. It’s by no means definitive but simply a brief glance at some memorable beers.

It took me until July to try my first beer from South London’s Drop Project in the form of Cruiser, an American Pale Ale. A beautifully soft showcase of Citra and Simcoe. I had one and then another.

I then also returned to it later that month at the start of a sickening day where the Premier League status of my beloved Aston Villa Football Club hung in the balance.

The hostelry where I watched Villa hang on to top flight status (thanks to a 1-1 draw away at West Ham) unfortunately didn’t offer such delights so a lengthy session on pints of Estrella, coupled with an empty stomach, would result in an almighty hangover. Still, UTV.

It would have been a different affair had Exeter’s Utopian Brewing been on tap. For a brewery still in their formative years, they’ve become a byword of quality thanks to the expertise of head brewer Jeremy Swainson.

Reliability in a brewery’s output is a real quality and Utopian’s lagers have that in spades.

That level of consistency is also something Cloudwater boast. They have been incredibly prolific, complementing a superb range of hop-forward beers from pales to TIPAs, with delicate lagers and decadent, rich imperial stouts. Of the latter, My Continuous Improvement #4 – Chocolate Orange, was the liquid equivalent of a Terry’s Chocolate Orange. Oily, viscous, joyous.

Brick Brewery of London knocked out countless excellent sours, Double IPAs, American brown ales and every style in-between with such a casual approach it should be outlawed. Seriously, check out their latest releases if you haven’t yet.

Lost and Grounded Brewers of Bristol showed once again why consumers trust their output, regardless of the type of beer put out. Autumn Protagonist, a 4.4% bitter, Oktoberfest bier The Forest Drift and Big Thaw 2, an IPA collaboration with Burnt Mill showcased their aptness at brewing what they want, when they want, to stunning effect.

The same can be said for Reece Hugill and Donzoko. His Northern Helles is much-loved but in 2020, additions such as Endless Graft, Garden Bier and a number of mixed ferm saisons have demonstrated his outstanding brewing ability.

One initiative, a movement, that transcends beer is Black is Beautiful. Started by Marcus Baskerville, the founder of San Antonio, Texas-based Weathered Souls Brewing Co, it’s a collaborative effort amongst the brewing community and its customers, which attempts to bring awareness to the injustices that many people of colour face daily.

At the end of 2020, nearly 1,200 breweries have been involved across 22 countries globally. One such brewery is Mondo Brewing Company of Battersea. Their take on the 10% imperial stout was conditioned on cacao nibs and coffee beans, resulting in a thick, luxuriant brew.

Elsewhere in London, Tottenham’s Pressure Drop also turn their hands to a raft of styles and the team’s forte is in soft, pillowy pales and IPAs. Welcome To The Internet, an 8.5% DIPA brewed exclusively with Mosaic, is a truly excellent beverage.

Geographically close, but at the other end of the alcohol spectrum, Beavertown’s Lazer Crush is the brewery’s foray into no and low. At 0.3% it lacks the booze but it’s full of flavour. Lovely!

10 minutes up the road are Signature Brew who continue to excite, with Studio Lager tasting better than ever. Their work with, and support of, the hospitality industry during a testing 2020 should be applauded, too.

In Finchampstead, Siren’s rate of output astounds. Producing, give or take, a 100 beers across the style spectrum this year, their lagers has really impressed as have their California IPAs. It looked as if they would sign off on 2020 with the popular annual Caribbean Chocolate Cake launch. But no, just a trio of beautiful BA milk stouts followed to boot. Relentless!

Visiting Verdant in Falmouth during summer offered up a semblance of normality and trying their latest releases in the team’s impressive new home was a real pleasure. However, it was the enthusiasm of head brewer James Heffron towards their classic Headband pale ale that stuck with me and I’ve continued to seek it out as much as possible.

A more recent release, Degrees, is a collaboration with Deya of Cheltenham. A most excellent DIPA, offering up Amarillo, Loral, Citra and Simcoe that could easily be a desert island beer.

And like Verdant, Deya have a fantastic new brewery to call their own. The cover stars of our upcoming issue, they’ve gone from strength-to-strength with hop-forward pales and IPAs as well as lagers and mixed ferm releases. But it’s Steady Rolling Man that is a comfort blanket like few others. An exceptional expression of a hazy, hoppy pale ale.  

Something the team at North Brewing in Leeds know a lot about too, with recent NZ IPAs such as the the 7.0% Somehow Lose Glass and the punchier NZ DIPA with Parrotdog both stopping me in my tracks. Excellent brewing and an exciting 2021 ahead as the outfit settle in to their new home in Springwell.

Another business that will have a new home next year is Hackney Brewery. With their first taproom, patrons will be able to enjoy beers such as Millions of Cherries, a cherry and lemon thyme sour. Wonderful stuff.

Special thanks also to Marius Andrici, owner of West London-based bottleshop A Pint of Hops, where many of these beautiful beers were imbibed.

I wish everyone a prosperous new year and can’t wait to see where the brilliant world of brewing goes next.