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The popularity of cask beer seems to be going from strength to strength. If you need evidence of this look to the recent acquisition by beer behemoth Molson Coors of Cornwall's Sharps Brewery. Witness also Calrberg's sniffing around Tetley's with fiscal predatory intent. And, if further proof were needed then look no further than the latest attempt by Heineken UK to capitalise on the growing interest in well made, cask conditioned beers.
Heineken UK have just announced that, from June to August, they will be offering to it's freetrade customers the opportunity to stock over 40 popular regional and seasonal beers from UK brewers.
The event, if you can call it that, is labelled Cask Orders and will be running alongside 17 national and regional champion ales that are currently available in their pubs throughout the year. To coincide with Cask Orders, Heineken UK will will installing hand pumps and interchangeable pumpclips.
So far, so good.
However, they haven't released which beers are going to be part of Cask Orders. Perhaps, some marvellous Mallinsons, some heavenly Hard Knott, or maybe some tremendous Tempest? I'd like to think that whoever has put the beer list together has done so with a bit of imagination and flair and uses this as an opportunity to get a wide range of tasty beers into their pubs. But, I reckon, I shouldn't hold my breath.
You see, Heineken UK happen to own Edinburgh's Caledonian Brewery. Which is, in my opinion, one of the dullest and least exciting breweries in Scotland. I think they produce yawn inducing, underwhelmingly boring beers. What's the betting that Cask Orders will be a vehicle for Heineken to inflict on the public such bollocks beers as Caledonian's Idleweiss, Lipsmacker and my worst beer of all time, their Mexican Bandit?
It's great that more people are drinking cask conditioned beer but I'd rather their entry point into the wonderful world of beer was something more tasty than boring, bland generic beer such as Caledonian.
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Thursday, 23 June 2011
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
I am a craft brewer
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I'm not sure if this has been posted elsewhere.
If it has, it doesn't matter because it's pretty funny.
I am a craft brewer.
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I'm not sure if this has been posted elsewhere.
If it has, it doesn't matter because it's pretty funny.
I am a craft brewer.
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Thursday, 16 June 2011
Tempest goes down a storm at Scottish Beer Festival
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The Scottish real ale festival (SARF) kicks off today at the Adam House on Edinburgh's Chambers Street. I was lucky enough to secure an invite to the beery preview last night for a sneeky peek at some of the beers on offer.
I arrived just in time to see my favourite Scottish Beer, Jarl and my favourite Scottish brewery, Fyne Ales secure the overall Gold SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) award. The sheer delight on Fyne Ales' Tuggy's face as the result was announced was a joy to behold. In celebration of their victory, my first pint had to be Jarl. As always, it didn't disappoint. If I was a betting man, I'd put a fiver on Jarl being the Champion Beer of Britain at this year's Great British Beer Festival in that there London this August. If there is any beer justice in the beer world, that is.
Whilst at the SARF, I wanted to sample some of the sharpest and brightest breweries on the go in Scotland at the moment. That meant I dipped my toe into the likes of Kelburn, Fyne, Black Isle and Orkney. I was also keen to try a few beers from a brewery that is currently turning heads and wagging chins, The Tempest.
I was fortunate enough to get my beery paws on a few pints of Tempest's Emanation Pale Ale, Elemental Porter and their RyePA. The outstanding beer of the three was the Rye. It is a 5.5% IPA that is a blend of Rye and Maris Otter malt dry hopped with U.S. Columbus hops that is loaded full of tangy orange citrus hop flavour undercut with a sweet, caramel malt and subtle spiced pepper. It was an intriguing and very moreish pint and proof that Tempest brewery are definately one to watch.
If you are in Edinburgh over the next three days, then a trip to the SRAF might well be worth a visit.
Just make sure you get there early to get a taste of Tempest's beers before they run out. It's going to be sooner rather than later.
.
.
The Scottish real ale festival (SARF) kicks off today at the Adam House on Edinburgh's Chambers Street. I was lucky enough to secure an invite to the beery preview last night for a sneeky peek at some of the beers on offer.
I arrived just in time to see my favourite Scottish Beer, Jarl and my favourite Scottish brewery, Fyne Ales secure the overall Gold SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) award. The sheer delight on Fyne Ales' Tuggy's face as the result was announced was a joy to behold. In celebration of their victory, my first pint had to be Jarl. As always, it didn't disappoint. If I was a betting man, I'd put a fiver on Jarl being the Champion Beer of Britain at this year's Great British Beer Festival in that there London this August. If there is any beer justice in the beer world, that is.
Whilst at the SARF, I wanted to sample some of the sharpest and brightest breweries on the go in Scotland at the moment. That meant I dipped my toe into the likes of Kelburn, Fyne, Black Isle and Orkney. I was also keen to try a few beers from a brewery that is currently turning heads and wagging chins, The Tempest.
I was fortunate enough to get my beery paws on a few pints of Tempest's Emanation Pale Ale, Elemental Porter and their RyePA. The outstanding beer of the three was the Rye. It is a 5.5% IPA that is a blend of Rye and Maris Otter malt dry hopped with U.S. Columbus hops that is loaded full of tangy orange citrus hop flavour undercut with a sweet, caramel malt and subtle spiced pepper. It was an intriguing and very moreish pint and proof that Tempest brewery are definately one to watch.
If you are in Edinburgh over the next three days, then a trip to the SRAF might well be worth a visit.
Just make sure you get there early to get a taste of Tempest's beers before they run out. It's going to be sooner rather than later.
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Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Come Rain or Shine, We're Doing Fyne
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The damp, dreich west of Scotland weather didn't deter the many hundreds of eager drinkers from having a grand old time at this years Fyne Fest at Cairndow. The two day bash, near the site of the brewery, was twice as big as last year's and had pulled in imbibers from as far afield as London, Manchester and Cumbria.
No doubt, they had come for more than the beers but clearly a superb selection of Fyne's own as well as beers from some of the best breweries in the UK was a major draw for many who attended. Myself included.
The beer choice was superb, among them Marble, Thornbridge, Moor, Hawkshead, Otley, GreenJack and Oakham, Bristol Beer Factory. Beery highlights for me at the festival were Marble's Summer Marble, with it's crisp, sharp grapefruit notes and a lovely lingering dryness, it was a deliciously refreshing beer perfect for quenching your thirst on an arid summer's day. It is also great with the rain streaming down outside as you sit smugly in a dry marquee.
The Moor Brewery Revival was another cracker. It is exactly how I like my beer in the summer - light, hoppy and full of flavour which comes from the four varieties of malt, three types of American hops and an American yeast. It was bursting full of grassy, citrus aromas and an orange citrus taste undercut with some sweet malt that gave way to a charming cheeky bitterness.
Fyne Ales' Jarl, Hurricane Jack and Avalanche also hit the spot on many occasions over the weekend. These tended to be my boomerang beers - ones that I always return to. Well, with the Fyne Ales' beers up to their usual gorgeous standard, I'd be a fool not to.
Fyne Ales also used the event to showcase their new summer seasonal session beer, Fiddler's Gold. It's reminiscent of a happy marriage between Avalanche and Jarl but with the latter's grapefruit volume turned down a notch or two. It was what you would expect from a Fyne Ales golden session beer - hop aromas, citrus zing and a lovely hop bitterness. It's another great beer to add to their growing canon of great beers.
I also partook in a tour of the brewery, led by Fyne Ales' brewing wizard and the mastermind behind their stunning beers, Wil Wood. He is a modest and understated fellow but single minded in his quest to create fantastically tasty beer. This guy knows what he is doing and he brings his passion and immense brewing knowledge to the science and art that is beer making. Hats off to one of the best brewers at the moment in the UK.
The tour ended with Wil pointing us in the direction of some beery gems at the back of the brewery for us to sample. Waiting there was the last cask of Fyne Ales' Benleva IPA, a one off special from 2009. It was 5.7% when racked but will reckoned that it's strength had gone up to 5.9% since being laid down. It was lovely. It was smooth and creamy with it's strength superbly well hidden right until the swallow when it coated your throat in a warming butterscotch alcohol stir. It was, like the entire FyneFest weekend, really rather special.
Until, next year..............
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Thanks to Gary - The Three Judges' Regular for pics 1, 4 and 6
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The damp, dreich west of Scotland weather didn't deter the many hundreds of eager drinkers from having a grand old time at this years Fyne Fest at Cairndow. The two day bash, near the site of the brewery, was twice as big as last year's and had pulled in imbibers from as far afield as London, Manchester and Cumbria.
No doubt, they had come for more than the beers but clearly a superb selection of Fyne's own as well as beers from some of the best breweries in the UK was a major draw for many who attended. Myself included.
The beer choice was superb, among them Marble, Thornbridge, Moor, Hawkshead, Otley, GreenJack and Oakham, Bristol Beer Factory. Beery highlights for me at the festival were Marble's Summer Marble, with it's crisp, sharp grapefruit notes and a lovely lingering dryness, it was a deliciously refreshing beer perfect for quenching your thirst on an arid summer's day. It is also great with the rain streaming down outside as you sit smugly in a dry marquee.
The Moor Brewery Revival was another cracker. It is exactly how I like my beer in the summer - light, hoppy and full of flavour which comes from the four varieties of malt, three types of American hops and an American yeast. It was bursting full of grassy, citrus aromas and an orange citrus taste undercut with some sweet malt that gave way to a charming cheeky bitterness.
Fyne Ales' Jarl, Hurricane Jack and Avalanche also hit the spot on many occasions over the weekend. These tended to be my boomerang beers - ones that I always return to. Well, with the Fyne Ales' beers up to their usual gorgeous standard, I'd be a fool not to.
Fyne Ales also used the event to showcase their new summer seasonal session beer, Fiddler's Gold. It's reminiscent of a happy marriage between Avalanche and Jarl but with the latter's grapefruit volume turned down a notch or two. It was what you would expect from a Fyne Ales golden session beer - hop aromas, citrus zing and a lovely hop bitterness. It's another great beer to add to their growing canon of great beers.
 |
| One of the Best Brewers in the UK, Wil Wood |
I also partook in a tour of the brewery, led by Fyne Ales' brewing wizard and the mastermind behind their stunning beers, Wil Wood. He is a modest and understated fellow but single minded in his quest to create fantastically tasty beer. This guy knows what he is doing and he brings his passion and immense brewing knowledge to the science and art that is beer making. Hats off to one of the best brewers at the moment in the UK.
 |
| Wil (right) shoots the beer breeze |
The tour ended with Wil pointing us in the direction of some beery gems at the back of the brewery for us to sample. Waiting there was the last cask of Fyne Ales' Benleva IPA, a one off special from 2009. It was 5.7% when racked but will reckoned that it's strength had gone up to 5.9% since being laid down. It was lovely. It was smooth and creamy with it's strength superbly well hidden right until the swallow when it coated your throat in a warming butterscotch alcohol stir. It was, like the entire FyneFest weekend, really rather special.
Until, next year..............
.
Thanks to Gary - The Three Judges' Regular for pics 1, 4 and 6
Friday, 10 June 2011
BrewDog Neutered By Camra
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.
I see from their blog, that BrewDog plan to take out a dedicated stall at this year's Campaign for Real Ale's, Great British Beer Festival.
Oh, controversial.
Well, not really. It is probably the worst kept secret in the beer world of late that the enfant terribles of their own 'craft' beer world, BrewDog were eager, some might say desperate, to clinch a deal with Camra to have some sort of presence at the festival.
No doubt, BrewDog will claim their presence as a significant staging post and victory on the road to their self proclaimed 'craft' beer revolution. They will trumpet that it brings closer the day that Camra accept keg with extraneous CO2.
But, don't believe the hype.
The truth is somewhat different from what BrewDog want you to believe.
A close look at the facts shows that things are not what they seem.
BrewDog will be at the GBBF this August but only after they adhered to certain concrete conditions.
As GBBF organiser Mark Holmes says,
"CAMRA buys the beer from the brewery, CAMRA sells the beer to the public, Brewdog are paying for the privilege of having a dedicated bar.
The beer will be in 50l Keykegs. Unfortunately this will limit the amount we can order so it may run out.
The beer will conform to CAMRA's definition of real ale - unpasteurised, unfiltered and with enough viable yeast to allow secondary fermentation (don't worry, we'll be checking...).
It will be served using compressed air, as James says as per the foreign beers. At no point will the beer come into contact with extraneous CO2.
If James (Watt, BrewDog co-owner) wants to work behind the bar he can, as soon as he joins CAMRA, as per the terms of the contract."
It is also believed that "Brewdog have a paid a non-refundable deposit on a contract that requires them to supply cask conditioned ale". So, if BrewDog don't come up with the goods, as they have already done by not honouring their order for next week's Scottish Real Ale Festival, Camra will trouser a healthy deposit from those Aberdeenshire Ale Anarchists. Awesome!
But, on a wider reading, both parties are winners in this situation and you can expect Camra and BrewDog to claim such. Camra will say that they have neutered BrewDog by getting them to supply beer that conforms to Camra's definition of what real ale is. Camra apparatchiks will see BrewDog's compliance as confirmation of their, justifiably, rigid beer stance.
BrewDog will, no doubt, spin this as their storming the Beer Bastille moment and their well oiled media machine will go into overdrive. Their growing band of fan boys and girls will lap this up, screeeech yeeha and give the devil fingers salute. Awesome!
It seems that there is a bit of a symbiotic relationship between both parties, with each mutually benefitting from each others existence, but as this case ably demonstrates, BrewDog needs Camra more than Camra needs BrewDog.
.
.
I see from their blog, that BrewDog plan to take out a dedicated stall at this year's Campaign for Real Ale's, Great British Beer Festival.
Oh, controversial.
Well, not really. It is probably the worst kept secret in the beer world of late that the enfant terribles of their own 'craft' beer world, BrewDog were eager, some might say desperate, to clinch a deal with Camra to have some sort of presence at the festival.
No doubt, BrewDog will claim their presence as a significant staging post and victory on the road to their self proclaimed 'craft' beer revolution. They will trumpet that it brings closer the day that Camra accept keg with extraneous CO2.
But, don't believe the hype.
The truth is somewhat different from what BrewDog want you to believe.
A close look at the facts shows that things are not what they seem.
BrewDog will be at the GBBF this August but only after they adhered to certain concrete conditions.
As GBBF organiser Mark Holmes says,
"CAMRA buys the beer from the brewery, CAMRA sells the beer to the public, Brewdog are paying for the privilege of having a dedicated bar.
The beer will be in 50l Keykegs. Unfortunately this will limit the amount we can order so it may run out.
The beer will conform to CAMRA's definition of real ale - unpasteurised, unfiltered and with enough viable yeast to allow secondary fermentation (don't worry, we'll be checking...).
It will be served using compressed air, as James says as per the foreign beers. At no point will the beer come into contact with extraneous CO2.
If James (Watt, BrewDog co-owner) wants to work behind the bar he can, as soon as he joins CAMRA, as per the terms of the contract."
It is also believed that "Brewdog have a paid a non-refundable deposit on a contract that requires them to supply cask conditioned ale". So, if BrewDog don't come up with the goods, as they have already done by not honouring their order for next week's Scottish Real Ale Festival, Camra will trouser a healthy deposit from those Aberdeenshire Ale Anarchists. Awesome!
But, on a wider reading, both parties are winners in this situation and you can expect Camra and BrewDog to claim such. Camra will say that they have neutered BrewDog by getting them to supply beer that conforms to Camra's definition of what real ale is. Camra apparatchiks will see BrewDog's compliance as confirmation of their, justifiably, rigid beer stance.
BrewDog will, no doubt, spin this as their storming the Beer Bastille moment and their well oiled media machine will go into overdrive. Their growing band of fan boys and girls will lap this up, screeeech yeeha and give the devil fingers salute. Awesome!
It seems that there is a bit of a symbiotic relationship between both parties, with each mutually benefitting from each others existence, but as this case ably demonstrates, BrewDog needs Camra more than Camra needs BrewDog.
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A Fyne Weekend Ahead......
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.
The tent has been checked to make sure it's still all there, the pump for the inflatable mattress has been bought, a warm jumper for the evening has been looked out and the sun cream (I'm an optimist) has been purchased.
All that's now needed is glorious weather, great friends and some of the best beer in the country.
Yes, folks. It's the Fyne Ales Fest this weekend and it's going to be a cracker.
The folks at Fyne know how to throw a party and if last year's was anything to go by then this one will be special. There are so many great beers to look out for that my chops are slobbering at the thought.
I'm particularly looking forward to Fyne's new summer offering, Fiddler's Gold, their Jarl, Hawkshead's 5 Hop and great beers from the likes of Thornbridge, Bristol Beer Factory, Marble And Green Jack.
If you are going, I hope to see you there. If you are not going, you are seriously missing out.
Either way, expect a full report on the Fyne Fest once I return.
Have a nice weekend.
.
.
The tent has been checked to make sure it's still all there, the pump for the inflatable mattress has been bought, a warm jumper for the evening has been looked out and the sun cream (I'm an optimist) has been purchased.
All that's now needed is glorious weather, great friends and some of the best beer in the country.
Yes, folks. It's the Fyne Ales Fest this weekend and it's going to be a cracker.
The folks at Fyne know how to throw a party and if last year's was anything to go by then this one will be special. There are so many great beers to look out for that my chops are slobbering at the thought.
I'm particularly looking forward to Fyne's new summer offering, Fiddler's Gold, their Jarl, Hawkshead's 5 Hop and great beers from the likes of Thornbridge, Bristol Beer Factory, Marble And Green Jack.
If you are going, I hope to see you there. If you are not going, you are seriously missing out.
Either way, expect a full report on the Fyne Fest once I return.
Have a nice weekend.
.
Thursday, 9 June 2011
Madness....One Step Beyond
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When I was a spotty faced teenager in the early 1980's, I was a bit of a Rude Boy. Not rude in the sense that I would flick V's at pensioners on the number 45 bus. When I say Rude Boy, what I mean is that I was no stranger to Sta Press trousers, Bass weejun shoes, Fred Perry polos and fishtail parkas.
One of my favourite bands of mine at the time were Madness. As a thirteen year old, I thought they were great and, even now when I hear certain songs of theirs, it takes me straight back to the second year school disco and the intoxicated feeling you would get when three of us shared a can of Breaker Malt Liquor and a whiff of the Third Years' Vodka.
What has this nostalgic preamble into my past got to do with beer, I hear you say.
Well, it's simple. I used to revere those lovable Cockney roustabouts but my affection for them diminished today when I saw that thay have been selling their soul to the corporate beer devil by making this advert for Kronenbourg, owned by Carlsberg.
If I could be arsed, I'd be disappointed.
I guess I kind of gave up when Iggy Pop and John Lydon started flogging insurance and butter. Admittedly, It's not on the same bad taste scale as those two.
I just hope they got paid well.
.
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When I was a spotty faced teenager in the early 1980's, I was a bit of a Rude Boy. Not rude in the sense that I would flick V's at pensioners on the number 45 bus. When I say Rude Boy, what I mean is that I was no stranger to Sta Press trousers, Bass weejun shoes, Fred Perry polos and fishtail parkas.
One of my favourite bands of mine at the time were Madness. As a thirteen year old, I thought they were great and, even now when I hear certain songs of theirs, it takes me straight back to the second year school disco and the intoxicated feeling you would get when three of us shared a can of Breaker Malt Liquor and a whiff of the Third Years' Vodka.
What has this nostalgic preamble into my past got to do with beer, I hear you say.
Well, it's simple. I used to revere those lovable Cockney roustabouts but my affection for them diminished today when I saw that thay have been selling their soul to the corporate beer devil by making this advert for Kronenbourg, owned by Carlsberg.
I guess I kind of gave up when Iggy Pop and John Lydon started flogging insurance and butter. Admittedly, It's not on the same bad taste scale as those two.
I just hope they got paid well.
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Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Beer and the Media
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My local real ale pub, The Three Judges is currently staging a mini beer festival that got me thinking.
The mini-fest is called the 'Media Beer Festival' and features beers that have taken their inspiration from Films, TV or the written word. Included in the beer list are beers such as Thornbridge Kipling, Kelham Easy Rider, Church End Shakes Beer, Summer Wine Gambit, Hadrian Gladiator, Caledonian Rebus, some Titanic beers as well as Fyne Ales' Vital Spark and Highlander among others.
It's not a bad wee line up and it got me thinking about what beers I would include that referenced films, TV and books. The best I could come up with was Redemption Brewery's Alexei's Ale.
Can you think of any others?
There might be a beery prize for the best answer.
.
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My local real ale pub, The Three Judges is currently staging a mini beer festival that got me thinking.
The mini-fest is called the 'Media Beer Festival' and features beers that have taken their inspiration from Films, TV or the written word. Included in the beer list are beers such as Thornbridge Kipling, Kelham Easy Rider, Church End Shakes Beer, Summer Wine Gambit, Hadrian Gladiator, Caledonian Rebus, some Titanic beers as well as Fyne Ales' Vital Spark and Highlander among others.
It's not a bad wee line up and it got me thinking about what beers I would include that referenced films, TV and books. The best I could come up with was Redemption Brewery's Alexei's Ale.
Can you think of any others?
There might be a beery prize for the best answer.
.
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