Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2011 | Page 112

FOOD

Hops bring
cheers!
Staff and volunteers recently
joined forces at Ventnor
Botanic Garden for the annual
hop picking to ensure there will
be another special beer on offer
in a year’s time.
This was the third year of
hop picking, and the hops
picked 12 months ago have
now been converted by the
Island’s Yates’ Brewery into a
fine 5 per cent ABV cask brew,
which is appropriately known
as Tropic-Ale. It is on sale at the
Botanic Gardens’ Royal Garden
Cafe, and is also available at
several pubs across the Island.
Chris Kidd, Garden Manager
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at Ventnor Botanic Garden,
said: “Volunteers who came
along to help with the hop
picking were rewarded with
a free sample of the new beer
made using last year’s crop.
The bitter beer is a rich golden
colour with the unmistakable
aroma and taste of hops.
“New for this year, Tropic-Ale
is also available in bottles,
which can be purchased at
the Gift Shop at the Botanic
Garden, and online at www.
botanic.co.uk “