North East Beer Review

Another belter from Donzoko for today’s review. This time they have teamed up with Fourman Brewery to create Aussie/NZ hopped pale ale. Crowe is the name of the brew and it is brand new to Donzoko. Grabbing a can from the taproom, I thought this would be another tasty edition to the Donzoko lineup. It is one of those breweries where I don’t think I have had a bad brew. So what did I think of this one? To find out I will cover the history of Donzoko and Fourman aswell as this brew, the pour, the taste and aroma and finally my verdict.

A brew named after Russell Crowe

Donzoko Brewing Company was founded in 2017 by brewer Reece Hugill. Reece had aimed to bring together fermentation traditions from Germany with the modern creativity of UK and US based beers. The name Donzoko comes from the Japanese word meaning rock bottom which could indicate the down to earth nature. The brewery began life in Hartlepool, then spent some time in Edinburgh, and has since settled with a permanent brewery and taproom in Ouseburn, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Donzoko is known for its Northern spin on German style lagers such as the Northern Helles and the Big Foam Rustic lager which is immense. This involves cold fermentation and a crisp and clean character. Donzoko has also explored a wide range of styles such as Wheat beers, IPAs and also many collaborations with breweries such as Fell Brewery. Donzoko aims to combine respect for tradition with modern day craft beer inspired inspiration.

Fourman Brewery is an independent nanobrewery located at The Trevor Arms in Gylnde, East Sussex. Founded by Robin Head-Fourman, formerly head brewer at Beak Brewery, Fourman has quickly gained recognition for producing modern hop-forward beers that combine technical precision with a focus on ingredient quality. The brewery frequently showcases New Zealand hop varieties and contemporary pale ale styles, making it a natural partner for collaborative projects centred on Southern Hemisphere hop character.

Crowe is a 5.5% Australian and New Zealand hopped pale ale which was released around the end of May/ start of June. So pretty new. Crowe is brewed using Galaxy, Riwaka and Wai Iti hops as well as being fermented with a fruit forward yeast. Its malt base includes Pilsner Malts and Local Spelt. Reece from Donzoko named it Crowe after Russell Crowe as he stated “he is one of the goats as far as I’m concerned”.

A bright and expressive pour

Crowe pours a bright yellow to golden colour which is hazy due to its unfiltered nature. This brew was pretty lively and you could consistently see a steady stream of bubbles travelling up the glass. A fine foamy white head, a staple of Donzoko brews, forms and retains throughout much of the drinking. This left a fine ring of lacing down the glass. Overall, a bright and expressive pour which invites you take a sip. A great of example of a hazy pale ale.

An aromatic flavour profile

Aroma

The aroma of this Donzoko collaboration is bright and is led by the vibrant aromas associated with hops from down under. This is led by tropical flavours such as passionfruit, mango and citrus zests such as grapefruit. This is followed by a subtle dank edge most likely from the Riwaka hops. Beneath this is a subtle peach and floral aroma to round off the experience. Overall, the aromatics are just as expressive as the pour but I feel the hop editions help this feel like distinctly New Zealand based pour.

Taste

The flavour opens with fresh flavours of passionfruit, mango and pineapple, which is shortly followed by a note of grapefruit and lime. Mid palate, a taste of peach follows a slight mandarin flavour. A herbal dank edge follows with gives this brew a refreshing bite whilst the malt backbone gives it supporting sweetness. The finish is crisp and clean with a citrus led bitterness lingering. I would say this is medium bodied. Overall, a bright, expressive and refreshing pour. I feel the use of Southern Hemisphere hops gives this an interesting flavour which rounds off a fruit forward approach with a bright, citrus and dank feel. Top notch

Time for my verdict

To start this may be one of my favourite Donzoko brews yet and a cracking introduction to Fourman Brewery. This was full of flavour and perfectly balanced. As stated earlier I feel the hop selection of the Riwaka, Galaxy and Wai Iti give this interesting fruit forward but also a floral to dank nature which makes this a unique sipper. This is overall a top notch collaboration which cements my love of Donzoko and has introduced me to a new brewery in East Sussex. I rate this a brilliant 4.75 out of 5. Cheers

Where did I purchase this beer?

I bought this beer from the Donzoko taproom in Ouseburn.

Thanks for reading my review, if you enjoyed my review you will love my review of Donzoko Saloon Doors.