Well, it has been a long time coming but it is time to start Mashing it Up again at Team Moon Gazer.

In fact, it has been so long we thought we’d better remind you of how this particular brew came about.

Now, when I say ‘particular brew’ I use the words advisedly since it is actually many brews as although it is graced many a bar, on many occasions its never the same brew twice. If you think you enjoyed a lush ruby red IPA Mash Up do not expect it to be the same beer next time that you order, it may well have morphed into a hazy New England IPA or a smooth golden ale, or a rich best bitter.

You see, the thing it Mash Up is when we have a bit of a clear out in the Moon Gazer hop and malt store.

Its not so much waste, but great hops and malts which we ordered for a brew, but we do not always use in nice, neat quantities, so if, for example, we feel that a recipe demands 4kg of fruity American hop Azzacca we will be left with 1kg waiting for the next brew, and so on.

So, rather than wait for the next brew, when we can see the makings of the balanced beer with a variety of hops and malts sitting patiently in the dry store – then that is when it is time to mash it up.

The one thing you can be sure of, is it will always be 4.4% abv in strength.

This time round we had a few lighter malts, oats and Vienna laagering malts staring at us along with some great US and UK hops which added a fruity touch to some one-off IPAs and Pale Ales we had recently brewed.

Combined it had straw coloured session IPA written all over it. So, time to set Steve on the case to create something soft yet robust, fruity, and moreish. A Mash Up to enjoy on a sunny night as the sun comes down on summer and autumn approaches.

Enjoy….