...To make it, Peter uses wonderful Challenger hops (the same variety that gives that striking floral hop aroma to his Bluebird Bitter), but then adds a very new hop, Boadicea, in the late boiling stage. Peter says that the Boadicea is perfect as a ‘late copper’ bittering hop, as it lends a terrific spicy hop quality to the beer. To be sure it comes out right, Peter personally selects the Boadicea hops that go into Ridgeway Bitter not only from a specific farm, but from a particular patch of ground on the farm. (Small details in soil composition, exposure to the sun, and more, determine the character of the hops on the vine.) Also in the mix is Maris Otter malt, the favored hop of English craft brewers. The result is perfect balance: a wholesome, slightly sweet, bready maltiness offset by a strong but subtle hop bitterness in the nose and on the palate.
