Craft brewer makes a P45 fun and tasty

Northern Irish craft brewery Bullhouse has launched a new IPA to be known as P45 ale.

The small brewery, based at Newtownards in county Down was launched last year by brewmaster William Mayne who chose the name of the new beer to mark his decision to concentrate on brewing on a full time basis. He gave up his career as account manager with a Japanese technology company in Northern Ireland, a business which exports to 55 countries.

"I decided to quit the post and to focus all my attention and energies full time on developing and marketing my existing and planned beers," he says.

Bullhouse is based on a family farm and is the only craft brewery in Northern Ireland to concentrate on ales in cans, cask and keg, now on sale in Northern Ireland. He aims to grow sales of his products outside Northern Ireland and opted for 330ml cans for ease of distribution.

"The new IPA (4.8ABV) is a British Pale Malt and Belgian Crystal Malt. These provide a strong malt backbone. There's also good quantity of US hops for the boil balance. The malt backbone has a refreshing bitterness. Ingredients also include Amarillo hops," Mr Mayne adds.

The small brewery, housed in an old barn on the farm, has also created the first toasted coconut porter beer, Koko (5.5ABV), in cans. The brewing equipment was converted from steel tanks in the dairy parlour.

The small business, based in Newtownards, county Down, was established last year by sales specialist William Mayne and is the only brewery in Northern Ireland producing all its beers in cans. The cans are retailed at around £2.30. Another beer he has developed blends hand roasted coffee beans from Guatemala supplied by Belfast Coffee Company.

The beers are all now being distributed in Northern Ireland by Harland Wines. He admits to having a problem naming the new IPA. "It took a while to come up with the right name," he continues. "I wanted something quirky, a bit of fun that would give drinkers a laugh while they enjoy the beer. Eventually I came up with P45 to celebrate my decision to leave the company I worked for."

"My focus is brewing beers that people can enjoy; beers without compromise in terms of ingredients or time," he adds.