Nicholson’s & Gipsy Hill join forces for Cask Ale Week

The limited-edition brew will be available at 80 Nicholson’s sites across the nation as part of the week, which runs from 21 September to 1 October.

Formed in the early noughties by Cask Marque, Cask Ale Week is supported by a number of trade organisations, brewers and pub groups as well as the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

Hepcat is usually a session IPA and features stone fruit and mandarin flavours, brewed with four different hops – Mosaic, Citra, Mouteka and Ekuanot.

Best British ales

Nicholson’s Pub Collection operations director Will Prideaux said: “We are staunch supporters of cask ale – a drink that sometimes sadly gets overlooked by punters in favour of lagers and IPAs.

“This partnership with Gipsy Hill Brewing Co is a really exciting way to shine a light on the beauty of cask ale, by turning one of their signature IPAs into a cask ale for a limited edition.

“Serving the very best British ales is at the heart of our ethos and so we are thrilled to be hosting this at our pubs for Cask Ale Week.

“This is a momentous occasion where we get to do what we do best and celebrate Britain’s national drink.”

Overlooked beer

As well as Hepcat, the pubs will also be serving Bandit from Gipsy Hill Brewing Co alongside Nicholson’s Pale Ale, which has been brewed by St Austell since 2012.

On the collaboration, Gipsy Hill Brewing Co managing director and co-founder Sam Meekin said: “We’re excited to turn our mainstay Hepcat into a cask ale especially for Cask Ale Week and exclusively with Nicholson’s Pubs.

“Our mission is to brew full-flavoured moreish beers and the cask ale version of Hepcat will be no exception.

“Joining Nicholson’s Pubs in this celebration of cask ale for Cask Ale Week is our way of supporting this much-loved but sometimes overlooked type of beer and share it nationwide.”