After the drama of our Aberdeen Collabageddon adventure with Fierce Beer – trains cancelled, all night pies, and a storm named Amy – Part Two of our Collabageddon didn’t have any of the mild peril, but was no less exciting. This time, our head brewer Jon and I (Rachel from marketing) travelled south to Finchampstead, Berkshire, to brew with none other than Elusive Brewing – the brewery behind Collabageddon.
Founded by Andy Parker back in 2016, Elusive has always stood for what the project is all about: collaboration, creativity, and community. So, brewing on their home turf felt like a huge privilege.
Andy is a gamer in his free time (evidence of this is dotted through Elusive’s tap room) so it seems fitting that our beer for this round was inspired by the charming, nature-loving forest spirits from the game “Stardew Valley” – Junimos. Mischievous, colourful and slightly mysterious, they seemed like the perfect mascots for our second Collabageddon creation: a 6% Cold IPA brewed with juniper berries.
Cold IPAs bridge the gap between crisp lagers and hop-forward IPAs – clean fermentation, snappy bitterness and a bright, refreshing finish. We thought adding a cheeky hint of juniper into the mix would work perfectly.
The morning began with a blue sky. Jon and Andy got straight to work on the mash-in – we then headed to a café for a strong coffee, sausage cob and a catch-up.
Andy talked us through his brewery’s journey. A keen home brewer, in 2024 Andy won the top prize in the National Homebrewing Awards. He put his prize funds to good use – as a deposit on a professional brew kit and hasn’t looked back!
Above: A replica of the cheque presented to Andy takes pride of place in the brew house – it’s an ever-present reminder of where it all started.
One of the best things about Elusive’s location at Marino Way in Finchampstead is that Siren Craft Brew – another incredible brewery, also calls it home – and that spirit of collaboration runs deep.
Midway through the day, straight after Jon helped Andy and Rick mash-out, we were lucky enough to be whisked away for a whirlwind tour of Siren Craft Brew by their head brewer, Sean Knight. Just a stone’s throw from Elusive, Siren’s setup is impressive – a maze of stainless steel fermenting vessels and towers of cans. It was really cool to spot Castle Rock on the brewery wall of fame (we were last there in 2023)! It was a perfect reminder of how open and supportive the UK beer scene can be.
Back at Elusive, it was time to add the Nelson Sauvin hops, followed by juniper berries. Time to let the beer do it’s thing while we headed for some lunch. We grabbed a table in Siren’s taproom for freshly baked pizzas, washed down with a couple of their latest releases. The ideal refuel before heading back to Elusive to check on the brew and say our goodbyes! Junimo will be ready to roll out for Collabageddon – we can’t wait to try it!
It’s a beer that bridges styles and breweries, part modern IPA, part lager drinker’s dream. We’re looking forward to seeing it pouring alongside the other 12 beers at our very own Canalhouse’s tap takeover during Collabageddon Week. It all kicks off from Friday 21st November!
Two collaborations, two styles, and two memorable experiences. From malt-rich tradition in Aberdeen, to clean, crisp modernity in Berkshire. Collabageddon 2025 has taken us the length of the UK and back again, with plenty of stories along the way.
A huge thanks to Andy and everyone at Elusive Brewing for their warmth, creativity and hospitality – and to Sean and the team at Siren Craft Brew for the tour, the insight, and the pizza.
Junimos might be small, but this Junimo is gonna be mighty. See you at the bar for a pint, or two!
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