To relaunch the Loud Shirt Blog, and as part of our new ‘Meet the Team’ series; we thought you’d like to learn a bit more about who’s behind the brews. So we pinned down our brewing dream team – Elias and Rich – to grab some answers to the questions on everyone’s lips:
Q: What’s your favourite Loud Shirt beer, and why?
ELIAS: It’s tough to answer this, as so much thought and planning goes into every one of our beers – I find myself drinking a different beer each time I pour one! Our flagship brew, Hazed & Confused, is the first beer I brewed at Loud Shirt and is, in a way, my baby; so you might expect that Hazed would be the answer to this question. It’s powerful and punchy but really sessionable, but sneaking past many drinkers’ gaze though, is our El Dorado APA; the balance between malty and bitter also makes it a super easy drinker and the ABV (5.5%) puts it firmly in the category of sessionable. So, I would put this as my ‘brewer’s favourite’.
RICH: It’s hard to pinpoint a favourite but I really enjoy the EXP range. It’s fun to use a similar
grain bill and play with changing up the hops and yeast. For instance, we used whole leaf hops in the mash for EXP08 and more recently used Spectrum (liquid yeast) for EXP13 and 14. Each one is unique and it’s good to experiment!
Q: And your favourite NON-Loud Shirt beer?
ELIAS: Am I allowed to say Kingfisher? It’s definitely a bit of nostalgia over technique. On the craft side, though, I’m a big fan of Chicken Riggies by Other Half – an 8.5% imperial IPA.
RICH: It’s very difficult to pick a favourite as so many factors come into the “drinking experience” but I’d say when I was in Croatia I pretty much just drank Rohus Pilsners and Augustiner Helles – ideally paired with a side of double bourbon! I also enjoyed Unbarreds barrel-aged Stoutzilla a while back. What’s nice about the high ABV beers is that it becomes an occasion – something to share and savour, like wine – but it’s not something I would reach for everyday; there’s definitely a time and a place. Essentially, I enjoy many different styles depending on where I am. And, if in doubt go for a Guinness: you can’t go wrong!
Q: Loud Shirt is known for its collabs with other craft co’s. Do you have a dream brewery collaboration? And what about non-brewery collabs?
ELIAS: ‘Other Half’ on the beer side (get in touch; let’s make it happen!) but I would also love to do a food/drink pairing with South Asian food. The flavours in the cuisine blend so well with beer and it would give us an opportunity to play with techniques to extract different flavour profiles or combinations.
RICH: I want to collab with a brewery in New York as I really want a reason to go there!
Q: And finally, what’s the perfect place to drink a beer?
ELIAS:On a boat. Cold beer; hot day; on the water (at least one of those is available close to the brewery!)
RICH: In Brighton, I’m happiest in the Hand In Hand, with our pals at BRZN, or at The Farm Tavern or The Jolly Brewers. Outside of a pub setting though, I’ve always wanted to drink a beer on the back of a horse. Not sure why; it just sounds fun!
To try Hazed & Confused, El Dorado and the EXP Series for yourself, head on down to the Loud Shirt Taproom, or order for home delivery from our webshop. Cheers!