Gnarly, Purity brewery

Purity Gnarly

This is a limited edition – 1,000 bottles produced – strong black beer that has been aged for six months in oak whisky casks. Purity is based on a farm at Great Alne in Warwickshire and has grown considerably since it was founded in converted barns in 2005. It delivers to more than 500 free trade accounts and has developed an environmentally-friendly wetlands treatment system at the brewery.

Gnarly, 6.5%, takes its name from an extreme sporting tradition in the area in the 1970s. People who took part in mountain biking, surfing and other activities considered dangerous but exhilarating called their sports “gnarly”.

Paul Halsey, founder and managing director of Purity, says his beer is equally exhilarating and challenging. It’s brewed with Maris Otter pale malt, crystal rye, smoked and black malts and is hopped with Northern Brewer, Cascade and Chinook varieties. The beer is finished with a Champagne yeast culture to give it a tight carbonation.

The black/brown beer has a billowing head of foam with fresh wood and vanilla on the nose, caramelised fruits, coriander and pepper. Spices, burnt fruit, dark roasted grain and bitter hops fill the mouth with vanilla and oak. The finish is long and complex, with creamy malt, vanilla, oak, spicy hops, coriander and bitter oranges.

Gnarly comes in 750ml corked and cradled bottles and costs £14.95. It can be bought from the brewery shop at Upper Spernall Farm, Great Alne, Warwickshire B49 6JF. It can be bought online at www.bottleshack.uk or www.puritybrewing.com