North East Beer Review

I have tried quite a few different beers now from Beyond Belief Brewing and I absolutely appreciate their commitment to sustainable brewing. Famous for their use of surplus pasta in the brews, they have managed to create something quite unique and special. So when I saw their new release of the fondant fancies IPA called Fancy That, I had to pick up a can for a review. So during the course of this review I will cover the history of the brewery and provide information on Fancy That, present the pour and flavour profile as well as an overall verdict. Cheers

Repurposing more than just pasta

Beyond Belief Brewing Co (BBB) was founded by Freddie Ugo who is the great-grandson of Luigi Ugo whose family ran a London based pasta deli in the 1920’s. Freddie aimed to repurpose surplus pasta ,which ranges from misshapen spaghetti to offcuts, into beer.

After starting with homebrew experiments and overcoming technical challenges such as like pasta coagulating and clogging equipment, the brewery received an Innovate UK grant (~£350,000), enabling them to develop a facility in Hertfordshire and patent their method, which replaces up to 50% of base malt with surplus pasta/dough. Their process also saves up to 1.35 litres of water for every litre of beer brewed. Their brews are often found in the likes of Zizzi, Sainsburys and Waitrose with Zenith appearing to be their most popular.

BBB Fancy That is a double dry hopped IPA which is made using surplus fondant fancies straight from UK Manufacturers. It includes 20% surplus fondant fancies, 30% surplus pasta and 50% malted barley. As well as this, it is hopped with Citra, Cascade, Mandarina Bavaria and Magnum. Fancy That also carries an ABV of 6% and gives off aromas of citrus fruits and hoppy notes.

A West Coast type pour

Fancy That pours a hazy golden to amber colour which almost looks West Coast in style. A thick bubbly white head forms that lingers throughout the drinking experience. The carbonation is lively but still allowing the pour to be smooth. Overall, this is an inviting DDH pour with the slight haze.

A citrus led flavour profile

Aroma

On the nose, Fancy That presents an immediate citrus hit which is unmistakably lemon. This is followed by a slight tropical flavour of maybe pineapple. A herbal note is observed beneath the citrus aroma. A gentle malt sweetness is observed which is likely from the surplus ingredients. Overall, this is a sweet and citrusy pour which has hints of the surplus fondant fancies within.

Taste

The taste of Fancy That pretty much follows on from the aroma. Immediately, a sweet but still bitter citrus flavour opens which is followed by a delicate tropical fruit flavour I thought was perhaps pineapple. A clean malt undertone is observed which is quite bready with a hint of vanilla. Beneath the malt bill, a somewhat herbal and floral flavour adds pleasant bite to the beer. The finish is soft, dry and slightly bitter from hop nature. Overall, this beer is well balanced and cleverly crafted IPA.

Time for my verdict

Overall, I feel this a great use of left over ingredients from other cooking ventures. It is always nice to see a sustainable brewery that cares and I hope BBB carry this method of brewing into the future. I wasn’t always a fan of fondant fancies in all honesty but I am always open minded to experience new flavours and ways of brewing such as my Liquid Hop review. The beer was well balanced and showed a great level of craftsmanship. I rate this a solid 4 out of 5. Cheers

Where did I purchase this beer?

I bought this from Sainsburys, the British Supermarket.

Thank you so much for reading this review. If you enjoyed this review, you will love my review of Beyond Belief Brewing x Green Gold Space Hops.