PAGE TURNER : Beer collab - 'cene x Boutilliers
Pair look to champion Kent with partnership on new ‘Page Turner’ Helles Lager
Much talked about Kentish brewery Boutilliers, has collaborated with neighbouring media brand ‘cene to create a new beer aimed at championing the county.
Opting for a German-style Helles lager, Boutilliers have crafted the new ‘Page Turner' beer using Kentish ‘Progress’ hops from an independent local grower.
With an ABV of 4.2%, the beer is described as a ‘light, crisp and biscuity, with an ever so slight hint of lemon and soft bitterness from the hops’.
“The beer is built to be a no-frills, no messing around, pure brewing, thirst quencher,” said Boutilliers’ brewer Drew Harris.
“Because we were lowering the abv, we felt that a slightly more robust Helles style would retain body and bite. We've used a simple malt bill of Pilsner malt and a touch of Munich, which adds the biscuity character. We've used locally grown Progress hops, grown by a small, independent, grower, who we work very closely with. They have very few actual breweries as customers because their yields are so low but we get as much as we can from them because we believe it's important to support local business and make the best of what you have around you.”
Both Boutillliers and ‘cene originated in the famous brewery town of Faversham, with ‘cene using their award-winning magazine to promote up and coming talent from the local music, arts, fashion and, obviously, brewing scenes.
Editor of ‘cene magazine Joe Bill, said: “We have been massive fans of the beers that the Boutilliers team has been developing ever since we formed the magazine three years ago. In Kent, we are blessed with a pool of creative talent looking to do something different and Boutilliers’ unique and fun approach to its products meant that when the opportunity to collaborate came up, we wanted in!”
Illustration by @funnybumart / Instagram
Local illustrator and regular ‘cene contributor Daisy Watson (@funnybumart / Instagram) sealed the deal by creating the stunning “Page Turner’ artwork - local artists being a route that Boutilliers regularly tread to find their label designs, having previously utilised the work of local artists Camille Flavell, Rebecca Dennis and Will Hibbert.
Harris added: “We collaborated with 'cene for a great many reasons! The key one is that it's 'cene's birthday and making them a beer is more fun than buying them a cake! We also believe it's hugely important to support other local businesses and it's often easy to overlook, especially in the beer world, the media outlets that are giving you a stage to perform, it shouldn't just be a static relationship, especially if, like 'cene, they do it for the love of it.”
“Proceedings were helped by the fact that 'cene also has an excellent artist on board who brought the branding of this beer to life. We hope this is the first of many collaborations between us.”
As well as a number of national beer releases, Boutilliers has recently opened a new bottle shop and tap room at The Coachworks in Ashford, Kent.
2020 will also see Boutilliers’ Generation Craft festival - a festival which seeks to bring the best, newest and most talented brewers to Kent - extended to two editions after a successful first year.
One will be held at The Coachworks in Ashford on May 1st and 2nd and the other will be held at The Astor Theatre in Deal on August 21st and 22nd.
