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Chapel Down is one of England's biggest and best wine producers, but this Kent winery also has a brewing partnership with The Beer Station in West Sussex, producing beers under the 'Curious Brew' label. Winemaker
Frazer Thompson and brewer Andy Hepworth collaborate on a small range of beers, some using wine techniques such as barrel fermentation and inocculation with Champagne yeats, to produce terrific brews. Admiral Porter is
a fine, liquoricy dark beer, but I have chosen this IPA, brewed using only native Kentish Cobb hops, which are increasingly rare but give this beer a wonderful bite.
Curious Brew, Cobb IPA (England) 
This beer is brewed with a rare
Kent hop called Cobb, known for its aromatic qualities, and is hopped at four stages of the brewing process. It pours a dark golden amber colour with a thick, pillowing cappuccino-coloured head. The nose is tantalising
and delightful: a really deep-set marmalade and honey character, with plenty of fudge-like depths and vinous, red fruit notes beneath. On teh palate it is thick and smooth, with a fine bitterness immediately taking charge.
There's a raciness to the acidity in this beer, and a weight and breadth of chocolaty, caramel flavours on the mid-palate. A certain sweetness is present too, but it is the chicory and endive-like bite of the hops that wins
in the end in a fine beer. 5.6% ABV, 33cl, �1.49, brewery website, Onlyfinebeer.  |  |
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