Jambu IPA Beer Review - Manchester, Born and Bred

March 6, 2023 Cameron Mackenzie

Squawk Brewing Co. is a brewing company born and raised in Manchester, founded by Oliver Turton in 2013. The company prides itself on quality, experimentation, sustainability and community. Their website pays its dues to Manchester’s artists, movers, shakers and general ‘independent spirit’, proud to call it home. Based in South East Manchester near Ardwick train station, these brewers are notorious for collaboration, gorgeous packaging, and for their large catalogue nailing everything from the standard, crisp lager (try the delicious Peng Lager), to even a gluten free IPA and a luxurious stout.

The strong spirit of craft collaboration alive within the culture of Squawk is first evident through their work with other brewing companies, bars, and craft beer stores to produce unique products which provide snapshots in time of Manchester’s thriving culture of beermaking and drinking. The juicy Jambu IPA is the product of Squawk’s work with Beatnikz Republic bar last summer. Beatnikz is a Northern Quarter-based craft beer bar that opened in 2018, a canteen-style venue of drinking tables with a bar at the apex showcasing a colourful keg list detailing a rotating cast of draught products. Brought on a private tour of Squawk’s brewery in summer 2022, Beatnikz helped to birth Jambu, now a staple hazy IPA of both Squawk’s online catalogue, and the stores and pubs the brewers have connections to. Aside from Beatnikz, Squawk has recently collaborated with Manchester venues such as Electric Bear, Café Beer Moth, Alphabet Brewing Co., Bundobust and The Epicurean craft beer shop. It was at the latter that I purchased my can of Jambu IPA, at the Burton Road location in West Didsbury. It only felt appropriate to purchase a beer made by a dedicated small brewing company collaborating with an independent Manchester bar from another small business, in with the spirit of shopping small and supporting innovation in the city.

The second indicator of a commitment to nurturing creativity within Squawk’s culture is their work with talented illustrator and artist Camille Smithwick (@cammysmiwthwick on Instagram). Camille is also active in the Manchester creative scene, having worked with venues such as the iconic Home Cinema, and the Northern Quarter’s Common Bar. All of Squawk’s can packaging boasts her beautiful bird-themed designs (inkeeping with the ‘Squawk’ brand), with Jambu’s being a genuine standout – a pensive bird sits atop a branch, surrounded with bright colours; the style is folkish, illustrative and current. Employing a local artist to enhance both beauty and brand recognition is surely another example of the positive impact collaboration between makers can have on a beer business.

The beer itself is a classic example of the hazy pale ale that the world of craft beer has come to know and love. Notes of grapefruit and yellow citrus tingle on the sides of the palate, with more delicate notes of blueberry and mango lingering under the surface. The finish is clean and crisp. The word ‘Jambu’ seems to be an archaic term originating from Sanskrit, still perhaps sparingly used in some modern languages today, the meaning relating to a fruit, a rose apple, or a black plum. The punchy phonetics of the word and the fitting semantics make it the perfect signifier to advertise Squawk’s tropical, hazy beer.

All in all, Jambu IPA is juicy, layered, and strong, coming in at 6.5% ABV. Not necessarily a session drink, it is instead perfect enjoyed in a dimly lit pub on a long Sunday afternoon, or on a lazy summer’s day outdoors. In the same vein as respecting the dedicated process of collaborating with small businesses and artists to create exciting products, this is a beer to be savoured. Despite the premium price point for Jambu (£5.75 per can both on Squawk’s website and in Burton Road’s The Epicurean), buying this beer as a self-treat or a token gift is a priceless way to feel a part of today’s culture of makers, collaborators, brewers, and artisans which make up the best of Manchester.

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