Verdant Putty IPA & the Society of the Spectacle
Noting a post from @boakandbailey.bsky.social on 27th February 2025 reminded that I was planning a brief post on Verdant Putty and Puttty 2025. Boak and Bailey pondered why the annual release of these beers is such a thing. There are after all other double and triple IPAs out there and in a taste test one might struggle to identify which was which (depending on the hops used). Comments also focused on the price.
Putty which is an 8% double IPA was released on 22nd January 2025 and cost £7 a can direct from Verdant (plus carriage)
Puttty its 10% triple IPA relative was released on 19th February 2025 and cost £10.50 a can direct from Verdant (plus carriage)
I’ve drunk and enjoyed both. Murky, hoppy, dangerously drinkable.
I’ve also enjoyed thirds of both Putty and Puttty on draught at Cardiff’s State of Love and Trust. The latter, a third cost £6.95, seemed to me rather more tasty than the can. However taste is an imponderable thing, depending on time, context etc
Of course if you’re not at home during the day during the week (I work mostly from home) buying direct from a brewery can be awkward. The bottle shop is an alternative but their prices will be higher because after all, no normal profit no bottle shop.
The beers are expensive but allowing for inflation and duty changes I don’t think the price has actually increased at least in the last couple of years. Putty was originally brewed for Hop City at Northern Monk in 2017 and what it cost then I don’t have to hand.
While the beer is good the general buzz around it can I think be explained by an understanding of the Society of the Spectacle. A theory developed by the Situationists in the 1960s it argued that market capitalism had developed in a way that meant advertising and image were the most important representations of material reality.
They marched in an anti-Vietnam War protest in London in 1968 chanting ‘hot chocolate, drinking chocolate’.
In this sense Putty can be understood as a reified object. That is while it is not human (clearly) it takes on human qualities. Its enjoyable, fun to be with, and generally a positive thing.
I doubt those drinking Putty, myself included, quite saw it like that but there is a related way of explaining things. Both Putty and Puttty are released early in the calendar year. The weather is miserable, and there isn’t a huge amount going on beer wise for the most part.
As above both Putty and Puttty are reassuringly expensive. That is for those who can afford the price in a continuing cost of living crisis. You can certainly get beers that are quite like Putty at rather low strengths (say 7-7.5%) more cheaply. Check Lidl.
Its a division that also exists in wine and whisky. Its a feature of market capitalism but you can start to over theorise..
Putty is both a brand and an event.
To be honest as an example of both its possible to think of much worse. And it remains very drinkable
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