There’s an old adage in beer: “Good things come to those who wait.” Unfortunately said adage is trademarked by the Diageo corporation, so let’s move swiftly on…
It does, however, feel like I’ve been waiting a lifetime for Weird Beard’s signature pale ale, Mariana Trench, to appear in cans. While other breweries have seemingly been desperate to throw their beer into sheaths of aluminium for some time, this West London stalwart has continued to rely on bottles.
There is nothing wrong with bottles of course. In fact, on paper, bottling technology is arguably more reliable than canning. It leaves your beer less susceptible to dissolved oxygen during packaging, which causes the beer to spoil more quickly. However, the undeniable convenience of cans cannot be ignored. They’re lighter, they get cold faster and they’re easier to dispose of. And (if you’re willing to ignore the impact of bauxite mining and its intensive refinement process), they’re supposedly much better for the environment. Plus they look much cooler on Instagram. And everyone knows that if a beer looks cool on Instagram, then it’s worth buying, right?
The good news is that it was definitely worth waiting for this beer to appear in cans. Mariana Trench has long been a favourite beer of mine since it first made an appearance in 2013. It effortlessly combines the citrus punch of North American hops with the earthy, yet tropical zing of New Zealand varieties, somehow producing something greater than the sum of its parts.
These contrasting fruit flavours are tempered thanks to a hint of residual malt sweetness, also allowing a not insignificant amount of bitterness to shine, without ever becoming overbearing. The finish is clean and classically West Coast in style. Something I often find myself longing for these days, and Mariana Trench continues to deliver. Here’s hoping we see lots more Weird Beard beers in cans very soon.
Matthew Curtis is a writer, photographer and editor of Pellicle Magazine. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @totalcurtis and @pelliclemag. Be first to read Matt’s columns when you sign up to our All Killer No Filler beer subscription box - along with Claire Bullen’s recipe and pairings, plus in-depth tasting notes, they’re included in every box.