Welcome to the seventh iteration of our showpiece stout, Empress Tonkoko.
When we first launched Imperial Tonkoko in 2017, it was celebrated across the beer world as an aspirational example of an indulgent and flavour-packed impy stout. In fact, it was soon winning awards and was even listed as one of the ‘top ten best stouts in the world’ by Rate Beer.
Now if you know Brew York, you’ll know we are not afraid of pushing ourselves or trying something new. We wanted to see what more we could do, so in 2018 we brewed again and basically dialled everything right up – coconut, vanilla, cacao and, of course, Tonka – and what a result! Empress Tonkoko was born.
Over the years we’ve very slightly tweaked and evolved Empress Tonkoko. It remains an indulgent and surprisingly easy drinking 10.6% stout with super-rich chocolate notes mixed with a fragrant headiness of Tonka and vanilla. Brewing techniques and technologies evolve all the time, and the latest hype beer may come and go, but Empress Tonkoko is now a part of the (annually reupholstered!) furniture in craft beer, and we remain incredibly proud of this brew.
We’ve brewed Empress Tonkoko every year since 2018, and every year we strive to brew the best version we’ve ever made. We’ll let you decide whether we’ve done it.
This year we are presenting Empress Tonkoko as part of our newly revamped REMASTER range alongside FOUR truly superb barrel-aged versions. Brewed and released just once a year, each barrel-aged Empress Tonkoko release spends at least 12 months in a unique selection of barrels.
This set is the makings of a tasting session you really do not want to miss out on.
The 2024 beers are:
EMPRESS TONKOKO // IMPERIAL MILK STOUT // 10.6% // KEG, CAN (330ml)
Coconut, cacao, tonka and vanilla, creating a creamy and decadent assault on the senses. Dangerously easy drinking but at a cockle-warming 10.6% you might want to pace your journey into ‘bounty-full’ heaven!
BA EMPRESS TONKOKO // HEAVEN HILL BA IMPERIAL MILK STOUT // 10.6% // KEG, CAN (330ml)
Heaven Hill Bourbon was selected to add a caramel sweetness, subtle rye spice, and rich oak.
BA EMPRESS TONKOKO // RUM BA IMPERIAL MILK STOUT // 10.6% // KEG, CAN (330ml)
Rum barrels were selected for their flavours of rich oak as well as warm molasses and rich burnt sugars.
BA EMPRESS TONKOKO // RYE WHISKEY BA IMPERIAL MILK STOUT // 10.6% // KEG, CAN (330ml)
Rye Whiskey was selected to add molasses, spice, and rich oak.
![](https://brewyork.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/BA_EmpressTonkoko_Highland_2024_BG.jpg)
BA EMPRESS TONKOKO // HIGHLAND WHISKY BA IMPERIAL MILK STOUT // 10.6% // KEG, CAN (330ml)
Highland Whisky was selected to add sweet notes of caramel, butterscotch, and rich oak.
So when and how can you get some?
- We’ll be opening pre-orders on our web store on Wednesday 3rd January
- Our venues across York and in Leeds will then pour the beers from 9th January
- A nationwide launch will take place from 17th January. We also have launch partners in Spain, Finland, and The Netherlands. All partners are shown on the map below and are listed by region underneath the map.
UK PARTNERS
NORTH EAST
- Hazy Daze, Whitley Bay
- Lost Robot, Sedgefield
- Tipsy Turtle, Stockton on Tees
- Hop Knocker, Durham
YORKSHIRE
- Beer Central, Sheffield
- Beer Paradise, York
- Bier Huis, Ossett
- Brew York New Briggate, Leeds
- Brew York Market Tap, Pocklington
- Brew York Walmgate Shop, York
- Brew York Main Web Shop
- Brew York Handley Tap, Osbaldwick
- Craft and Berry, Sheffield
- Craft Bar Scarborough
- Quayside Bar, Scarborough
- Raynvilles, Leeds
- Taylors of Acomb
- Tipsy Fox, Haxby
- Trembling Madness, York
- Turners Craft Beer, Sheffield
- Yorkshire Craft Beers, Castleford
- White Hart, Hull
- The Chapel, Middlesbrough
- Rita’s Pantry, Redcar
- Brass Monkey Boutique, Guisborough
NORTH WEST
- Brewdog Manchester
- Chester Tap, Chester
- Dexter and Jones, Knutsford
- Joule, Salford
- Left Field Beer, Solihull
- Priest Town Brewing, Preston
- T Wright Wine, Bolton
- The Hop Emporium, Warrington
- Bow-legged Beagle, New Brighton
MIDLANDS
- Cotteridge Wines, Birmingham
- RAD Beer Shropshire
- The Hop Vault Stourbridge
- Cotteridge Wines, Birmingham
- The Ship Aground, Stafford
- The Devil’s Bottlehouse, Stafford
- The Hideout, Leek
- Bottle Craft, Stoke-on-Trent
SOUTH
- Beer Shop Hitchin
- Leopard Pub Norwich
- Indie Beer London
- Premier Hop Milton Keynes
- Sips, Salisbury
- The Bottle House Leighton Buzzard
- Craft Beer Co Covent Garden, London
- Sips, Salisbury
- Seven Seasons Beer, London
- The Rake, London
- The Cockpit, Chislehurst
- The Slounge, Lowestoft
- Stormbird, London
- Kentish Belle, London
- 7000 Jars of Beer, Kingston upon Thames
- Shumë Bottle Emporium, St Neots
- Star & Garter, Bromley
WALES
- The Head of Steam, Cardiff
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS
- Beerdome, Netherlands
- Bierloods22, Netherlands
- Biermeisje, Netherlands
- Brother Beer, Netherlands
- De Biersalon, Netherlands
- De Biefliefhebber, Netherlands
- De Toog, Netherlands
- Hopland, Spain
- Hops & Hopes, Netherlands
- Hoptimaal, Netherlands
- Kolkrijst, Netherlands
- Marcel drankenspeciaalzaak, Netherlands
- Mitra Elst, Netherlands
- Mitra Gonichem, Netherlands
- Peeters Wehl, Netherlands
- Planet Of Beers, Netherlands
- Rebel Beer Cans, Netherlands
- Smaakhuis, Netherlands
- Speciaalbierpakket Leiden, Netherlands
- Una Mas Terwijde, Netherlands
- Unik, Netherlands
- Van Gils, Netherlands
- Van Moll, Netherlands
- Zinc Bar Vasa, Finland
A huge thank you to all our partner venues for working with us.