Steel City
Like many brewers, Steel City had something of a hiatus during lockdown, being as draught accounts for 90% of our output. However, the opportunity was taken to increase small-pack production, with several bottles being released and more excitingly our first cans. The Shakespeare-led supercollab Collabracadabra was the first beer to be released in can, and sold out quickly, so much so a second batch is on its way, along with the barrel-aged version CollabracadaBA.
Brewing restarted on the day the pubs were allowed to reopen, with an old-skool Transatlantic Pale Ale named 106 Days Later to commemorate the pubs reopening (though for many of our favourites it was a few more days until they opened their doors). To continue the theme, the IBUs were set at 106, coupled with flame-out hops Centennial, Rakau, and Lemondrop, with Rakau and Lemondrop again for dry-hop. The bulk of the brew was casked and donated to regular customers, with a small amount being canned.
Also out very soon in small-pack are all three versions of the collaboration with Germany’s Freigeist brewery, appropriately enough all related to German metal band Rammstein. The base brew, Mein Herz Brennt is a Berliner Braunbier, resurrecting a near-extinct style. Reise Reise has the addition of cranberries and redcurrants, while Blitzkriek has been aged in a Bordeaux red wine barrel with cherries and redcurrants. Blitzkriek is in cans while the other two are bottled.