Sunderland and South Shields breweries launch new beer together - here's how to order some

The Darkest of Dark Nights is a collaboration brew concocted by Sunderland’s Darwin Brewery, South Shields’s One More Than Two Brew brewery and Darlington’s Little Quaker Distillery.

It is also the first bottled beer produced by One More Than Two Brew, based in Portberry Street, since it opened in September.

Owner Chris Donovan said: “It is an incredible moment for us as a new brewery only open for three months and it is great that it is going to be out in time for Christmas.”

The Darkest of Dark Nights is brewed and bottled at Darwin Brewery, at West Quay Court, close to Sunderland’s Queen Alexandra Bridge, and is a 5% stout containing Christmas spices plus a twist of Little Quaker’s Black Diamond Rum.

Paul Colman, joint owner of Little Quaker, which will shortly lose its unofficial title of Europe’s smallest distillery when it moves from a family wash room to larger premises, said: “It is the first time we have ventured into beers and it is a really exciting cross over project for us.”

Gav Sutherland, the brewing and development manager at Darwin Brewery, which is the sister business of brewing expert Brewlab, believes further collaboration beers could follow, adding: “I am impressed by what Chris has done so far and collaborating was a good idea.”

There were, however, playful disagreements over the stout’s name given that One More Than Two Brew’s beers typically have lengthy titles such as You Don’t Walk Past A £10 Monkey And Not Buy It.

Chris said: “I jokingly said it needs to have at least seven words. There are already beers with names like The Dark Night so The Darkest of Dark Nights just developed from there.”

Bottles are available from Monday, November 23, from One More Than Two Brew’s bottle shop, which is still open during lockdown, with the stout also served on cask from the brewery’s tap room once restrictions ease.

It is also available from One More Than Two Brew as part of Christmas hampers of North-East produce. Further details are available from its Facebook page.

Sunderland drinkers can obtain bottles via Darwin’s collect and delivery services at www.darwinbrewery.com or by ringing (0191) 5499450.

Orders can also be made via www.littlequakerdistillery.co.uk.

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