Tesco has teamed up with a Derbyshire craft beer brewer and a Worcestershire hop grower to “re-popularise” British hops through a series of beer launches.
A growing thirst for craft beer has led to British hops falling out of fashion for use in beers after a shift towards craft beer and fruitier tasting New World hops from America, Australia and New Zealand began around 20 years ago. However, Tesco is now looking to help reverse the decline.
The first in the series, Brithop, made by Buxton Brewery, launched exclusively at Tesco last week. Text on the label describes the beers as “an all British-grown IPA, showcasing some of the most exciting and aromatic new hops to be developed by British hop growers”.
Tesco craft beer buyer Luke O’Connor said: “There’s a bitter irony here because IPAs, made with New World hops, which are helping fuel the craft beer boom, were originally created in Britain with British hops 200 years ago.
“Now, thanks to the exciting development of new, fruitier tasting British hop varieties, we believe it won’t be long before our homegrown varieties are back in vogue again.
“We hope that the launch of this refreshing and modern tasting new British hopped ale could help kickstart that revival.”
