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With temperatures in the 30s, it may seem odd to choose a beer for August that 15% alcohol and is based on a style developed for Arctic explorers. But this is an exceptional beer and one you can lay down for the colder months. And, despite its strength, it's wonderfully refreshing.
The beer is brewed by Jon Pilling, a former Firkin brewpub brewer, who took over the 10-barrel plant at Ditchford Farm, Stretton on Fosse, in Warwickshire in 2005. Jon specialises in strong, dark beer but he has threatened to blow the brewing Richter scale with Arctic Warmer. It's based on a 19th century Bass recipe, which Jon has tweaked, using his own experience. Several brewers, including Allsopps, another Burton brewer, produced Arctic Ales in Victorian times to aid explorations in the snowy wastes. Beers of such strength not only kept the cold out but were also a useful supply of protein and, with large amounts of B vitamins, kept explorers free from scurvy.
North Cotswold Brewery, Global Arctic Warmer (Eng) 
This version is made from Maris Otter malt, crystal malt, wheat malt, chocolate malt and roasted barley. The hops are Northdown and Bramling Cross. It uses a secret yeast for both primary fermentation and
bottle fermentation:possibly a wine or champagne yeast, as brewer's yeast is unable to work at more than 12% alcohol. Jon Pilling has to rouse the yeast twice during fermentation, to stop it �going to sleep� as a result
of the high level of alcohol it has produced. The beer has a dark brown/black colour with a massive aroma of bitter chocolate, espresso coffee, roasted grain and burnt fruit on the nose. The palate is rich and velvet-smooth,
with raisin and sultana fruit, chocolate, coffee and a solid underpinning of peppery hops. The finish starts sweet but dryness and hop bitterness develop with further notes of roast grain, coffee and burnt fruit. Malt: high. Fruit:
high. Hops: moderate. NOTE: The label has an erratum: Arctic is spelt �Artic�. This will be corrected but bottles with the misspelling could become a collectors' item. 15.0% ABV, 50cl, �7.00, brewery website.
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