I don’t normally write this kind of article. I don’t normally swear when I write either (unless it *really* is warranted). This time I do both.
I normally reserve my words for the factual rather than the emotive or sociological facets of the beer scene, but something struck a chord recently where I noticed some very unpleasant parallels from an earlier chapter in my life and felt like I might be able to put some words down to maybe help me make sense of it, but also to maybe try and make a difference for other people. The current beer scene is fizzingly alive at the moment, not just from the perspectives of Twitter and Facebook, but in pubs, bars, microbreweries, bottle shops and other forums. People love discussing the ins and outs of new beers, new or rediscovered styles and events that can be made from them where we get to meet likeminded people and thus fuel the proliferation of the thing we love. There is much to be proud about up and down the UK and indeed in other cities across the world where brewing has caught the imagination of some brilliant people, talented people who get the magic yeast workforce to perform for them. It doesn’t stop there, there are people out there who contribute through their insightful natures, manipulation of the written and spoken word and there are those that are just really decent people who form the foundation of all of this, drinking, talking and encouraging. There is, however a caveat to all of the above. As with any other scene, social movement or ‘thing’ which generates opinion and emotional response, it gets contaminated with a hefty dose of humanity. It’s trick, nay, impossible to not be human and with that comes some baggage which invariably itself can contain negativity. Making sense of things is not easy at the best of times via social media, with inordinate threads coming away from initial posts tracking down and understanding every piece of information would be tricky. However, following some minor storms recently, a variety of put-downs (it’s the internet, these things are tricky to read without hearing tone or seeing other cues) through to mud-flinging, he-said-she-said and people becoming pretty upset. These things happen and they will probably continue to happen wherever people’s opinions are involved. For a scene which (to my mind) has been quite progressive with a lot of writers posting in a startling candid fashion about their own personal struggles with mental health, writing vividly and heartbreakingly educationally at times, there has been a growing undercurrent seeded and propagated in some circles and beery corners of the internet with an unpleasant ‘elitist’ tang to it. To mildly veer back to a reference earlier in this post, this is what brought things to align with prior experiences over a decade ago. I have always been into beer, since I was old enough to sneak a mouthful of my Dad’s can of Stone’s Bitter, pull a face at his homebrew attempts or drink a bitter shandy when out of a pub meal, later on seeking out pubs with nifty new beers or at least a few cask lines. But there was a period in the late 1990s and a few years after where music and clubbing were at the forefront of my social consciousness. For a few years, it was vibrant, with the advent of message boards and various other forums, likeminded people could interact on a daily basis and arrange to meet up – people could actually go out to a nightclub on their own, meet new and friendly people and make new friends to share the fun with. It was great. However, a combination of factors eventually kicked in and as with many scenes and social circles, familiarity can breed contempt. Some people and newer members of the group were not made to feel as welcome as others, this in turn grew to be active persecution and ostracization of some less ‘savvy’ individuals, those not deemed to be as ‘cool’ or ‘knowledgeable’ about the scene they were out to enjoy and share. It was frankly horrible and witnessing people (and then falling foul of it myself) being treated so badly for no real reason made me fall out of love of the scene for a few years. Bullying, no matter what form it takes is a shithouses’ trick. The coincidence of this memory being piqued during what is supposed to be #AntiBullyingWeek is not lost on me either. Fast forward back to a night earlier in 2017 and I found myself coming away from a small brewer event after taking photos and having a great chat, pitching up at another drinking establishment to have a few beers before catching my bus back home. I started to engage in conversation with some people at the bar and before too long I felt myself being dragged into a pissing contest about what beers I had tried. Nothing was overtly stated (albeit neither was it too subtle), but I found myself feeling like I had to defend why I hadn’t tried Beer [X] and Beer [Y] to the people I was talking to (the usual being up early for day job/demanding day job/funds stretching so far/etc). Being one of the few pretty active beer writers (and a comment was made on such) on Merseyside meant I got some extra sneer. It is highly likely that the pair didn’t mean to be insulting or rude, but after a few beers, it wasn’t exactly pleasant. I finished the beer I was on and moved along feeling pretty peeved about the whole thing, as it wasn’t the first time this kind of thing had happened to me; ‘But you’re a beer writer/blogger – SURELY you’ve tried this one’ [subtext – if you’ve not tried it, you’re not REALLY an enthusiast are you?!]. I’ve brushed it off before and this sort of stuff won’t stop me writing or being involved in the scene, as I’ve also had worse from some of Liverpool’s ‘old guard’ when I first started writing with some heavy-duty patronising shit (people looking at my fresh notebook, for example and going ‘Awwww’, commenting on the blank pages it contained at length and told that I’d find cask is best whatever I try). We’ve seen some real progress over the last few years in terms of less of the sexist pump clips, more people calling out unacceptable behaviour, especially sexist and homophobic stuff. For all the times I’ve heard the adage ‘Beer people are good people’, I still can’t really agree on the back of some of the observations I have made lately – it’s almost the same as most other cross sections of society. There are some wonderful, brilliant people out there, people who I would go as far as to say are much better human beings than I. But at the end of the day, the scene is made up of human beings, all of whom have their faults and some of whom are in varying quantities sometimes insecure, aggressively opinionated, egotistical and arrogant, of course all in measure with many better qualities of which we are all capable. It is something that we are probably just going to have to accept as more people come round to the beer scene that these things will become apparent within the beer scene and on associated social media. There really is room enough for everyone on the beer scene, it should be something seen as open, enjoyable and for all. Beer isn’t seen on the same level as for example, wine, where some people who have never really had the curiosity (or in some cases, sadly indulge in inverse snobbery) to consider how things work believe it to be some form of impenetrable alchemy where a whole new language is pervasive. Surely this can be used to beer’s advantage, as it has a more accessible slant to it to begin with? Whilst things will probably never be perfect and harmonious, there is definitely no reason for them to get any worse and the responsibility for ensuring that lies with all of us. Pedro.
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The second event held in the relatively new branch of Head of Steam in Liverpool saw wares from Stone Brewing hit the keg lines in October. Following on from the launch of the venue and the Neptune Brewery Meet the Brewer event, Arrogant Beers (a brewing arm that split from Stone Brewing in 2015) came to the Head of Steam to promote four of their rather powerful beers. The beers range from the Little Bastard (a 4.7%), the seminal Arrogant Bastard (7.2%), to the Double Bastard (11%) along with an 8.1% spiced milk stout, Xocoveza, but more on that in a bit. The Little Bastard is a toned down version of the (in)famous beer that Greg Koch and Steve Wagner stumbled upon in the mid 1990s, although only 4.7%, it does carry a lot of the character that has made Arrogant Bastard the milestone beer that has spawned many tributes and inspired many a homebrewer to take the plunge into the professional pursuit of brewing their perfect beers. Just as with Arrogant Bastard, this little Brother has plenty of caramel and resinous character of the American Strong Ale; it isn't an easy drinking session beer as there is still a high level of complexity and depth, plus a big residual finish doesn't lend itself too well to a chugger of a beer! The bigger brother, Double Bastard, is much in the same vein as it's lower abv counterparts; lots of big flavours, lots of complexity and a huge malt character along with the big alcohol presence; loads of nutty notes, pine and dark dried fruit along with the caramel notes mean this is a proper after dinner sipper. Xocoveza is frankly, the most elegant beer of this lot and for me, the most accomplished. Anyone who can make a spiced beer palatable on the level of Xocoveza knows exactly what they are trying to achieve and how to do it. Allegedly at 50 IBUs, it is much more bitter than most beers in the style of a mocha stout would be, but the residual sweetness from the lactose and spicing means things are incredibly round with this beer, not only in mouthfeel, but in the finish and early structure too. Notes of vanilla, nutmeg, chilli and cinnamon meld incredibly well with the chocolate and coffee notes present in the beer and this really is something to savour, especially on a cold winter's evening with a dessert. After the tasting, I managed to catch Brand Ambassador, Will France for a quick chat about Stone's presence in Europe and about their impressive beers: Hi Will, can you shed a bit of light on why Stone chose Head of Steam to push out their range? Stone Brewing Berlin has been working with a whole cross section of bars across the U.K. since January 2017 to host our events and tastings, from Scotland to London and everything in between. It's been a lot of fun! The tap takeover with Greg at the Three Johns was a highlight as well as the Berliner launch at Port Street. We also did an event at the Tate which was AMAZING! The event at Head of Steam was in support of their new great outlet in Liverpool city centre. We have a great relationship with all their venues across the UK so wanted to give something back by running a tasting. So, how come there's been a bit of change of branding from the usual Stone Brewing to 'Arrogant Beers' for these events and for the beers on Untappd etc? Good question the Arrogant beers now fall under “Arrogant brewing”. The Arrogant Bastard has a personality and mind of his own and a cult following, so it was only right to give the Arrogant range its own platform to develop separate from the Stone Brewing range. We brew Arrogant Bastard Ale and Little Bastard Ale in Berlin and we also make available alimited amount of other beers in the Arrogant range from the US such as Double Bastard &Arrogant Bastard Bourbon Barrel Aged. We decided to use the Arrogant beers at the event at Head of Steam as they are quite a rarity here in the UK and it’s fun to explore the different Arrogant beers side by side. Bearing in mind they've had a launch in Liverpool now, will Stone look to engage a bit more with the local craft beer scenes in each UK city; and linked to the next question, is there a danger of Stone being seen as 'too mainstream' to be stocked now in these places? So far we've been working with local bars and retailers in most of the major cities in the U.K.,including some amazing festivals we've been lucky to be part of such as the recent Beavertown Extravaganza and upcoming Edinburgh beer festival, but yes we'll be continuing to do this, and have lots of exciting stuff planned across the country over the next few months. A big part of our plan for next year is to get involved with the local events in each city. Stone Brewing has been at the forefront of craft beer since 1996, focusing on quality andinnovation and challenging style guidelines. Our heritage and reputation means we appeal to a whole range of bars and retailers, and we have an amazing range to choose from, from our classic west coast IPAs to our collaboration and experimental beers from our 10HL brew plant in Berlin, as well as rarities shipped directly over from the US. With Stone Brewing making inroads via Brewdog bars and now being present in many UK supermarkets, do they think they'll become ever more mainstream in UK pubs, becoming maybe as ubiquitous as Heineken, Stella Artois and Carling etc? We don’t have a masterplan to become as ubiquitous as the macro brewers, but we do plan to grow organically and work with a whole variety of bars and pubs we know care about beer and will serve it in the best condition possible. Ultimately craft beer is becoming more widely available to consumers, meaning more people can get hold of better beer which has to be a good thing. On a more political note, how is the general feeling with the guys at Stone about the UK market, since they opened the Berlin site prior to Brexit? The U.K. market will continue to be a focus and an important part of our European plan, butobviously brexit has presented a lot of unknowns. Brexit or not: The UK deserves fresh big bold character beer, same as mainland Europe. Are there many more dates across the UK where these tastings and MTB events are going ahead? Yes we have loads of great events coming up, in Liverpool on the 28th of October we have aHalloween party with our friends at Dead Crafty and more events lined up nationally at amazing places like Cafe Beermoth Manchester and Arcade Beers Huddersfield with some more London dates to follow. Watch this space through @stonebrewinguk on Twitter to get the latest. Whilst this is a good to get a range of styles to contrast the cask lines, Belgian brews and macro lagers present on the bar at the head of Steam, it might be a bit of a challenge to push them out to some of the Head of Steam clientele so far - it has yet to fully click with the local craft beer enthusiasts. Time will tell, but there are many more events coming up at the Head of Steam which may entice a broader spectrum of drinker in, so it is best to keep an eye on their social media streams for information. Go forth and seek out these and see if you are worthy! Pedro. The Abbey, most recently, then before that it was called the 'Old Monk' augmented by it's dancefloor 'Monastery of Sound' at the back. Since the middle of September, the venue on Hanover Street has been taken by Liverpool's second iteration of the Head of Steam pub. Those with a good recent memory will remember Head of Steam being located in what is now is Wetherspoon's the Great Northern on Lime Street, immediately next to Lime Street Station. The first Head of Steam gradually dissipated from Liverpool in 2015 and was replaced by the Wetherspoons newest addition to the city, though the Head of Steam pub was at a pretty low ebb for a few years before this. Poorly kept cask beers and very limited choice became its nadir following a patch where it was one of the better cask outlets in the city. This new version has opened with a much more promising remit dipping both into waters familiar to CAMRA enthusiasts and craft drinkers alike; numerous cask lines are bolstered by a solid Belgian and US craft selection with a few extra keg lines also present. The new slant is apparently based on the success that Head of Steam have experienced with their Sheffield branch. Upon the opening, the bar was already prepared for local brewery, Neptune Brewery, to come down on the following Friday evening and host a Meet the Brewer event in the back bar area. Plenty of Neptune beers were present, but also other locals were represented including the likes of Mad Hatter, Rock the Boat and Chapter present in bottle and cask. Mad Hatter were slated for a Meet the Brewer evening in early November following the presence of Arrogant Beers (Stone Brewing) and Belgian powerhouse Chimay, so things have started with intent. I managed to grab Simon Ritson from Cameron’s Brewery for a quick chat about how things will go with the new Head of Steam in Liverpool… What made HoS feel the time was right to come back to Liverpool and why the site on Hanover Street? The old HOS site and part of original HOS group was hard to manage due to being so far from Newcastle and why it was run as a tenancy until being sold. With Cameron’s expansion and plan to open 6 bars a year for the next 5 years, Liverpool was always on the map and the Hanover street site was similar to our Sheffield site in size. How much of a focus will there be on supporting local brewers? As with all our bars we strongly support local breweries and HOS Liverpool will showcase the best of these from the area. How often will you be running MTB events and will they always be free, or will some events be ticketed? The first ones were free to showcase the bar, we will continue with free ones but some due to cost of the beers and some cases food will have a cover charge but these will include rare and special beers or spirits. They will most likely be every 3-4 weeks depending on brewery or ambassador availability as we don’t want to do events for the sake of doing them and more take interesting opportunities. How much of the keg line is planned to be open to 'craft' beers? Will more lines ever be opened up to more craft as opposed the macro brewed stuff? Liverpool has 5 rotational lines and the 4 in the tasting room. The other lines offer a selection of drinks to suit all tastes being a city centre bar. We don’t promote these products but don’t want to eliminate non-craft drinkers. So with the cask lines too that's 19 available lines for Cask & Craft beers as well as the Chimay, Delirium, Brooklyn fonts. Here's raising a glass to better longevity and a solid contribution to the Liverpool scene from Head of Steam, they've started well, hopefully some tinkering and some improvements can be made and then more success garnered for their stay and for the Liverpool beer drinker.
Pedro. |
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