As 3B’s Returns, We Ask Ourselves… ‘What’s In A Beer?’

We talk about beer a lot, naturally. We’re a brewery, we make beer. Simple, right? Well, not really, and we’re not just talking about the technical aspects and ingredients here. If our Head Brewer, Jordan, was to stand up in our Taproom and shout out ‘What goes into a beer…?!’ then we’d get all of the right answers thrown back at us. Hops, water, yeast, malts, and there will be some more homebrewers and seriously clued-up beer lovers who could delve a bit deeper than that. However, as we started to reminisce about 3B’s when we planned its return, we spoke about how there is a lot more to it than just ingredients and processes and it led to a great discussion. We don’t just brew beer, we create experiences, stories, and moments, and that all starts with the beer's conception.
At its heart, 3B’s is a beautifully smooth Belgian-inspired IPA with incredible depth of flavour and, we’d argue, the perfect beer to usher in Spring. Juicy tropical fruit flavours that remind us of, and get us excited for, the summer emerging from spicy, rich notes that are reminiscent of the winter just gone. It represents seasonal experiences and is a fantastic example of how nature blends through the seasons. It’s a triumph, not just in style, but also in what it stands for here at UnBarred. ‘I love how rebreeding this beer brings back memories.’ Jordan adds, swishing a glass of 3B’s around to release a bouquet of beautiful aromas. ‘It has stood the test of time and needed zero adjustments to the recipe even though we’ve been brewing it for years. It's balanced with a fantastic aroma, depth of flavour, and a slightly bitter finish. Everything you need for classy IPA’.
It is, however, far more than a timeless, classy IPA. Many breweries have brewed similar styles (some of which are still brewed year after year), but there’s something that makes 3B’s very different, more than just the ingredients and the style. It represents Brighton, right from its core and its first brew. ‘The original brew of 3B’s, or Brighton Beach Belgian, was brewed right on the beach.’ explains Jordan. ‘We’re proud to be part of Brighton and we want each of our beers to draw inspiration and represent this amazing city. I got together with a good friend of mine Rob from Soundwaves Brewing and we set off to the beach with a metal pot, a gas burner, and all the ingredients and we produced the wort right there. To cool it down we poured the boiled wort into a sealable container and threw it out to sea. We tied to an empty cask so they could find it after a couple of beers on the beach and once cooled, the wort went back to the brewery to pitch fresh Belgian yeast!’ The resulting beer was incredible. Inspired by, and brewed using elements of Brighton, the beach, and Belgian beer, Brighton Beach Belgian was born. Shortly after that, it was scaled up to become the 3B’s we know and love today. ‘We couldn’t be more proud to bring back a beer that expresses who we are and the city we’re born of so succinctly. It’s so much more than just a beer and a collection of ingredients and you can taste that’
With Brighton and its beach ingrained into the beer, we wanted to do something special to mark its return, on the year of our 10th anniversary. Partnering with Shelter Hall, on Friday 15th March we’ll be hosting a big beach clean. The beach is so important to everyone here in the city, and so is its wellbeing and the wellbeing of everyone who enjoys it. If that’s something that resonates with you, we’re inviting you to join us and help give back to the city and the environment that has given us so much. In return, we’re offering you a FREE pint of 3B’s as a thank you. To find out more, and to sign up, please click the button at the bottom of the article.
If you cannot make the beach clean but would love to get expert guidance on the beer and hear more about why we love it, we’re hosting a tasting on Thursday 14th March. Tickets are limited and can be purchased again at the bottom of this article. Don’t hang around on these!
Whatever way you choose to celebrate the return of one of the most important beers of our 10 years, we hope you love it as much as we do and have an appreciation for what’s in a beer, after all, it’s so much more than just some ingredients.
For a little more background on previous 3B's versions check out Jordan on Brighton Beach a couple of year's ago chatting us through the story...
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