Kingsdown based Arkell’s has unveiled its newest beer, an American Pale Ale, ‘Voyager’, now available in bottles.
Originally launched in a select few pubs on draft in 2020, the premium 5% American style pale ale, created by Head Brewer, Alex Arkell and his team have now added Voyager to their collection of bottled beers available during lockdown from their Grape & Grain Wine & Brewery Warehouse.
Commenting on the beer, Alex said: “After months of development with the whole team, it has been sad not to have this served behind the bars of our pubs from the keg, but I am excited that we’re able to unveil Voyager in bottles during the remaining winter months; 5% alcohol should keep everyone warm over the chilly season.”
The inspiration for the name Voyager was realised from the early story of John Arkell. Way back in the early 19th Century before John, founder of Arkell’s Brewery had selected his picturesque site to realise his passion and build a brewery, he was a farmer by trade.
Times were hard in British farming so he upped sticks and voyaged to the uninhabited plains of Canada to build a new farm and a new life.
In the brewery archive some fascinating letters were discovered written by John whilst in Canada, to his brother Thomas back home in England.
“You can tell Polly that we live like two old, long-bearded and grave old bachelors,”
He also writes “The general tormentors, the mosquitoes continue their blunder on the human frame throughout the whole summer”.
It is believed the mosquitos, Canadian climate and numerous wild animals, as well as the fact that his fiancée preferred to live in England, eventually brought him back to Swindon and the Arkells brewhouse followed.
Alex Arkell explains “Voyager is a tribute to John Arkell’s adventurous spirit. We’ve used American hops as a nod to his time across the Atlantic, giving the pale ale a mango fruity kick.”
The brewers used a slower, gradual, low temperature fermentation for a softer bodied beer. Then dry hopped with American Mosaic hop to build crisp flavours, subtle bitterness and a gentle floral, tropical mango fruit aroma.
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