X Ale

The beer comes as part of Yeastie Boys’ ongoing ‘YeastieX’ project

Oxfordshire brewery Hook Norton has partnered with New Zealand brand Yeastie Boys for a new one-off craft ale.

The 4.8% brew, called X Ale, was “a contemporary re-imagining of a 100-year-old recipe with a dose of artistic licence”, said Hook Norton, “pale gold with aromas of zesty lime, satsuma and passion fruit and a dark fruit taste with a hint of spicy lemon zest”.

It has launched into the on-trade in casks, with a 330ml can set for off-trade launch in September.

“We love to push the boundaries and have a play around with people’s perceptions of what beer Hooky makes,” said Hook Norton MD James Clarke. “This is not the usual brew people would expect to come out of our cellar but we are always looking to offer something new and different and this certainly fits the bill.”

It comes as part of Yeastie Boys’ ongoing ‘YeastieX’ project, a series of 10 one-off, unique beers to celebrate the brand’s 10th anniversary.

Craft on top of the world: Beer & Cider Category Report 2018