It was our fastest selling beer at the Portrush Beer and Food Festival. Then it became our first beer to sell 2 kegs at a single tap room. Then its first run in bottles sold out in 4 days. And we've had twice as many messages asking us where to get some as any of our other releases.

It's back! And the van is on the road as I type.

If you haven't had it yet, 9 Rubies is a 5.5% Raspberry Citra Smoothie IPA. There's a plenty of raspberries, with a little bit of lactose to temper the sharpness. Oats give it a fuller, smooth body. And there's enough bitterness from the Citra and Mosaic hops that, in the words of one fan, "you still know it's a beer".

Three other beers are back again this month.

Eldersauer, was a simple pale ale, hopped with Eureka, and brewed with freshly picked Elderflowers. The wild yeasts from the flowers gave it a gentle sharpness, and we wondered how that might develop over time, so we kept some back until now. We think you'll like it.

Elephant Rock, packs in Amarillo hops to lead a bouquet of pineapple, passion fruit and orange. Then mandarin and caramel flavours meld with silky oats before a subtle ginger spiciness plays over the late bitter finish of this India Pale Ale.

Escudos, our Double-Dry-Hopped Pale with Amarillo, Simcoe, and Mosaic Hops, and New England Yeast, is a light and sessionable 4.5%.

ABV Fest is on Friday 31 August and Saturday 1 September in the former Carlisle Memorial Church, Belfast.

This year we have 2 very limited specials.

Up the Dunes is a 5.6% Sea Buckthorn Gose. It's kettle-soured, with a tart and slightly salty tang with a subtle sweetness from the golden berries. There's only one 30 litre keg.

Death Cab for Casky is a 6.8% Belgian Ale with Black Cherry and Honey. Two yeasts lend a little pepperiness to the flavour, complementing the cherry depths and offsetting the floral sweetness of the honey. That honey came from the hives of our head brewer, so despite the hard work of all the bees, we've only two 19 litre corny kegs.

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