We’ve had a busy scene in 2017, no doubt – with some big events for me personally, the return of Twin Peaks to television screens and me managing to stay illness free for Indy Man. We've seen the Baltic Triangle area of Liverpool really pop lately, with the return of Higson's Brewing (along with a distilling arm) providing their own beer for the first time proper since 1990, Gibberish and Craft Minded opening their doors, with Glen Affric launching their tap room in Birkenhead. We have also seen 2,000 registered (though possibly all not individual premises or all necessarily active) breweries in the UK for the first time in decades. Loads has happened, both good and bad and I have had a little stab at rounding up some of the items that have taken my eye over the last 12 months, both through social media, conversations with other beer people and also from what I’ve read online or observed myself. #PINTGATE and #Marbleis20 Back in June, Manchester City Council received a complaint regarding Marble Brewery’s ‘Pint’ which is sold in 500ml cans for off sales. The complaint was recently (in the last month) upheld by the group sitting in on hearings and discussions and the group felt that a beer called ‘Pint’ sold in 500ml measures is misleading with regard to the Weights and Measures act and a probably breach of trading standards. The outline of the story is here: [https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2017/06/13/Manchester-brewery-reported-to-trading-standards-over-pint-cans] and last response (at time of writing) from Jan Rogers of Marble here: [https://twitter.com/jan_marble/status/943811087648088064]. One can only hope that the complainant doesn’t buy a can of Chocolate Marble and expect to find something other than stout inside or a Kernel Table beer and… you get the picture. On a more positive note for Marble, they reached their 20th Anniversary at the start of December and put on one hell of a party. I was lucky enough to attend through connections to the Ladies that Beer group and got to experience a brilliant procession, fireworks display and great beers. Thanks to all at Marble for a wonderful evening! A tiny rebellion crushed under a corporate boot? Also towards the end of 2017, another case of complaint preceded the Marble #Pintgate issue, with Tiny Rebel suffering some rather crushing news. A complaint was lodged to the Portman group (who are a trade group set up to advocate sensible drinking and a pseudo-regulatory forum, albeit one with a poor cross-section of representation in the industry i.e. top heavy to conglomerates and microbreweries) by single individual about the style of packaging on Tiny Rebel’s Cwtch. The crux of the argument is that the colourful packaging twinned with the presence of Tiny Rebel’s mascot bear would be an attractive lure to underage drinkers, there are lot of very reasonable arguments as to why this is nonsense, which Tiny Rebel made, but sadly the complaint was upheld to the tune of upwards of £30,000 in costs to the brewery. Full details can be seen here: [https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2017/12/12/Complaint-over-Tiny-Rebel-can-design-upheld] and Tiny Rebel’s lucid and classy response to the matter here: [https://www.tinyrebel.co.uk/news/cwtch-vs-portman-group-the-lowdown/]. It is not the first time a newer ‘craft’ brewery has butted heads with the Portman Group, for example Brewdog have rather (in)famously clashed with them in the whole #sorrynotsorry episode and labelling present on cans of Dead Pony Club. Another case involved Beavertown, where the complaint lodged with the Portman Group centred around ‘comic book stylings’ on the packaging of Gamma Ray – in a rather hilarious and baffling display of double standards, the Group decided that the word ‘Ale’ made it clear it was a product for those of drinking age (though apparently the word ‘Ale’ clearly on a can of Cwtch is not enough to save its appearance). The issue that should really be taken home from this, is the fact that the initial complaint was raised by an anonymous ‘individual’, which in itself raises suspicions that it might be some kind of industrial sabotage at worst and at best, someone with too much time on their hands and a poor grasp on the social nuances of newer beer package styles. Whether or not the Portman Group ruled in favour or against Tiny Rebel, surely now is the time for them to consider their make up and given the surge of smaller breweries, representation of these outfits is now a must in order for the Portman Group to be seen as fair and balanced. The second consideration is that surely complaints of the nature from the ‘anonymous’ party should be investigated for potential mischief from a competitor. Without wanted to get tied up in the web of legality posed by data protection, it cannot be unreasonable that there must be a function installed to prevent potential industrial sabotage. Especially where such matters escalate to hurtful levels for smaller breweries, who are walking a financial tightrope at the best of times. Hopefully in the two cases above, we won’t see much more of this pettiness going into 2018, but it could be that the floodgates are ripe to open for the abuse of complaints processes in the industry and the current set up and mindset of those in charge can only seem to exacerbate problems for small breweries. Buy outs There have been a few more buy outs of breweries in the UK and across the pond in the US. Here’s a handy site that I found during my research for those who are concerned about giving their money to ‘craft’ brewers who are in fact subsidiaries of AB InBev who have bought out well respected US outfit Wicked Weed this year: [https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/05/here-are-all-of-ab-inbevs-craft-brands.html]. Though this buyout caused quite a few ripples, it is not totally without president, given what happened with Ballast Point and with Lagunitas (also this year, selling the remaining 50% stake of the company to Heineken who bought the first half back in 2015). Another notable buyout was that of Anchor, which was bought by the 4th largest Japanese brewer in Sapporo Brewing. In the UK, there have been two notable purchases for different reasons, the first was the buy out of London Fields Brewing by Carlsberg following the founder’s ignominious prosecution for tax fraud: [https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jul/03/carslberg-buys-london-fields-brewery-craft-brewer]. It is said that the London business will be run in association with a distribution deal signed with Brooklyn Brewery in 2016. Possibly the largest and most notable investment of a larger company was that involving the Lake District’s Hawkshead Brewery and Halewood International, where the latter has taken a controlling stake in the business. This was the first foray of the Lambrini and Crabbies producer into the ‘proper’ beer market, though the deal will supposedly allow Hawkshead to maintain total creative and a high level of business independence. The deal has also allowed for brewery expansion at Hawkshead and greater distribution through other routes to market. More on the Hawkshead and Halewood International deal is here: [http://www.hawksheadbrewery.co.uk/news.aspx?search-terms=March-2017]. Finally, there was the partial buy out of Brixton Brewery by Heineken who have been expanding their portfolio of craft breweries for a while now, with more on the matter disseminated here: [http://www.brixtonbrewery.com/brewing-success-means-big-expansion-news/]. Though Brixton’s original crew will continue to hold the controlling stake in the company, the investment from Heineken has allowed a relatively large expansion of the business for new premises and larger brewery output. Sexism in Beer I’ve always maintained that beer is for everyone on these pages, I have on countless occasions had conversations with people about various pubs, great beers and the fact that if they think they don’t like beer (full stop) then they just haven’t found the right style that is for them. Let’s face it; beer is more diverse than wine in terms of what can be defined as such. Whenever I have suggested that beer isn’t just for blokes at a barbecue or in a pub watching football, it has met with everything from extreme derision to very mild dismissive behaviour. Thankfully this attitude (which is pervasive through all types of people and across generations) is starting to erode and attitudes are becoming a bit more receptive. This year has at least anecdotally seen a large number of complaints raised about everything from poor behaviour through to awful beer names and the perennial dreadful pump clip art, this in turn has generated a large number of articles on the subject too. Thanks to the work of many prominent writers on the scene, awareness on the subject is probably at an all time high and attitudes do seem to be changing. That said, there are still those who have old values instilled so deep into their make up and a stubborn attitude to boot, change is probably impossible for them and time will just move on leaving them behind. There is still much that needs to be done in combating sexism (not just towards women, as would be the obvious knee jerk assumption) and negative behaviours should be called out as they are seen. Things are steadily improving, thanks in the main to a number of both new and established beer writers, both female and male. One case in particular kicked things off this year, with Italian outfit Deep Beer displaying a breathtaking level of ignorance as to the effect of inappropriate labelling and naming of a beer. Twinning the name of a beer called ‘Deep Throat’ (okay, they’re called ‘Deep’ Beer – but why throat, given the connotations of that name?) and imagery depicting a cartoon female putting her mouth around a maize cob is never going to sit well. They were called out on this faux pas by the Ladies that Beer group and responded in doubling down on the ignorance with a sprinkling of arrogance too, by inferring that because people didn’t understand the back story of the beer and (rather insultingly) stating that because the complainants were English, didn’t grasp the satire of the situation. The storm that followed resulted in Deep Beer removing their Facebook page, though there is little evidence of any contrition from the brewery to date. Later on this year, Jaega Wise, brewer at London’s Wild Card Brewery spoke at the brewery congress in London to outline a number of ways in which sexism in the beer and brewing industry might be tackled. These in summary were to get SIBA to put feelers out for more information about females via questionnaires to establish firmer baseline information about females in the brewing industry, the introduction of a marketing code of practice and finally ban beers from SIBA and CAMRA festivals where they display sexist or demeaning imagery and names. We shall see over the next twelve months if any of these suggestions gets traction. The ElectroKemist's Top Ten Beers for 2017 Now, as most of you probably already know, I don't do the #GoldenPints thing, as I have a bit of a scatty approach to writing things down and keeping tabs on what I have tried over any given year, I find this is my favoured way to present some of the best beers for the year... so here, is my top ten for 2017 (in vague order of how much I enjoyed them... not a strict descending order): Brewer: Brass Castle Beer: Life’s a Beach Dispense: Cask A very, very summery wheat ale and a rather low abv meant something which saw me sink about 4 pints quite quickly. A super-drinkable cask beer with loads of fruit, which given that it is a wheat ale with mango, pineapple and coconut is about right! Many comments around this centred around it being ‘just like fruit juice’ which whilst not entirely inaccurate, is rather demeaning to a well made cask ale with subtle grain notes in the background and ultimately, it’s just great fun and a joy to drink. If you don’t like pina coladas (or getting caught in the rain), then this beer probably isn’t for you. It certainly was for me. Brewer: Tempest Brewing Co. Beer: Marmalade on Rye Dispense: Keg and Bottle An imperial or double IPA, depending on how you read the label and which website/beer app you believe! At 9% with tonnes of deep and burnt citrus notes along with a massively bready character, it’s easy to see how Tempest arrived at this name for the beer. It really is a warming beer with balance right across the structure; plenty of fruit and cereal aroma into toasted flavours along with deep fruit and a lovely mouthfeel before a bitterly dry, toasty and fruity finish. On the threshold of an IPA and a barleywine, Marmalade on Rye delivers what its name promises and more. Great bit of brewing and has been consistent all year from the Tempest MTB early in the year, right through to a bottle drunk in Autumn 2017. Brewer: Black Lodge Beer: Mohawk IPA Dispense: Keg (and now Bottle) Whilst a lot of the commentary on this has been of the flavour of “not really going far in the world of NEIPAs compared to other beers”, I really don’t agree. There is something restrained and enjoyable about Mohawk where other NEIPAs deliver a payload of fruit, it shows layers of savoury notes and less overt and clouding mango/passionfruit notes that usually drown everything out. The first of Black Lodge’s NEIPAs, this was followed up by Axial Tilt, which will possibly a more complete NEIPA, again, doesn’t display the stripped back and more interesting tones of Mohawk. Good, solid and nice bit of brewing to mark a new age for Black Lodge. Drinking this in the sunshine outside the brewery was quite a memorable highlight in the year. Brewer: Stone Brewing Beer: Xocoveza Dispense: Keg and Can Pretty much a cold and boozey hot chocolate, with some very clever brewing and a lovely well-judged use of winter spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla along with cocoa and coffee this Mexican hot chocolate inspired stout is an absolute joy to drink. First try this year came in Liverpool’s branch of The Head of Steam on keg, when a brand ambassador came to visit to introduce the beers for an evening. Stone took the recipe on, following the use of it by the winner of their annual homebrewing competition in 2014. The balance of spice, chocolate, coffee, bitterness and a rounded silky mouthfeel give something that works really well all year round and this year has really resonated with me. Put simply, it is a really great brew. Brewer: Neptune Brewery (with CASK Pub and Kitchen) Beer: Tamesis Oat IPA Dispense: Cask, Keg and Can Brewed by Neptune in collaboration with CASK for London Beer Week, this Oat IPA is a brilliantly brewed beer with plenty of aroma to back up an oat driven soft mouthfeel and enjoyable flavour. Using Falconer’s Flight, Mosaic and Cascade hops, the aroma is massively fruity and reminiscent of a NEIPA, but it retains a finish and flavour of something a bit more West Coast influenced. For me, this was the stand out beer from Neptune this year and big step up in what the brewer has shown they can do. On keg in Liverpool’s 23 Club, it was a go-to for the whole evening, with at least 4 being sunk. On cask it was in great condition, albeit a little less impressive than off keg dispense. In cans, it was again, massively enjoyable and has pinched the top spot in my Merseyside born beers for 2017. Bravo Neptune, bravo. Brewer: Siren Craft Beer: Proteus (II) IPA Dispense: Keg and Bottle This beer is part of the series of the Proteus IPAs, this was iteration 2, hopped with Mosaic, Chinook and Cascade to give the 6.9% 'shape shifting IPA'. This version of Proteus poured from the bottle a deep and hazy golden colour and the heavy carbonation provides plenty of head which stiffens up consideration following the pour. On Keg at Port Street Beer House it was in great condition too and a very easy IPA to sink earlier on in a session, though the bitterness might have made it more prohibitive to consume too much more later on once a palate is clouded. Lovely heavy bitterness and there was something really enjoyable about this IPA which pushed it into the forefront of my mind when selecting my top ten. Most likely the varied complexity of it, it really does shape shift down the glass with various fruit and cereal elements coming out at different moments and as the temperature of the beer slowly rises. Complex and rather enjoyable. Brewer: Lervig Beer: 3 Bean Stout Dispense: Keg and Bottle A big boy of a stout, at 13% and loaded with three types of bean (vanilla, cocoa and tonka) this is also loaded with flavour and a very classy mouthfeel and (not too) sweet finish. Oily, slick and a bit silky, this again caused ripples at the Liverpool Craft Beer Expo and again for me, when tucking into a bottle later in the year. The depth and complexity are quite something, though if you just want a beer to go with that chocolate pudding at the end of a meal, then you could not go wrong with this, with only hints of the booziness present, the finish really is sumptuous and I have really run out of superlatives to throw at how much I enjoyed this beer in 2017. Good skills Lervig, as ever. Brewer: Gipsy Hill vs. Deya Beer: Ramblers Dispense: Keg (Liverpool Craft Beer Expo) and Bottle A rather delightful Double IPA from a collaboration brew between Gipsy Hill and Deya, this little number caused some ripples at the Liverpool Craft Beer Expo on the first day as it went on. Word of mouth spread pretty quickly about how good it was and despite the strength, people sunk the keg in double quick time. The use of oats, Mosaic Azacca and El Dorado hops delivered a tonne of fruit both in the nose and structure, along with a brilliant lingering finish and silky mouthfeel. Dangerous for the smooth nature and 8% strength, the bottled version had (on this review blog) delivered pretty much spot on what the keg version had back in June. Ramblers was solid, decadent and enjoyable and massively worthy of a top ten spot. Brewer: Firestone Walker Beer: Parabola Dispense: Keg (Liverpool Craft Beer Expo) A super strong 14.5% imperial barrel aged stout with an incredible complexity. At this year’s Liverpool Craft Beer Expo, the keg went in pretty quick fashion, but not before I managed to grab a couple of glasses of this wonder. Big flavours of bourbon, charred wood, vanilla and chocolate were backed up with amazing subtle layers, which were so enjoyable regardless of the rather hot summer weather. The stand out surprise is how restrained and smooth this beer was too; worth seeking out just for the experience regardless of whether you are a fan of this style or not. Brewer: Lervig Beer: Orange Velvet Dispense: Keg (Indy Man) and Can A beer I think you can (and I did) return to, over and over again. I managed to grab quite a few glasses at Indy Man, in favour of searching out at least another two beers, which some may think is madness given the scope of the event; however this is testament to how much I enjoyed Orange Velvet. Quite possibly the most balanced beer I have tried all year, if not in the last 3 years, Orange Velvet is an IPA with lactose, oats and loads of hops to give something that the name lives up to. The mouthfeel is super silky and the aromas; structure and especially the finish just deliver on another level. Expect vanilla, lime, mango and other fruity notes to jump out at you from the first sniff and first mouthful. Orange Velvet is a superb bit of brewing and displays wonderful levels of restraint to keep the hopping to balance the beer right out. Other notable mentions that caused me headaches in developing and deciding this top ten: Omnipollo/Buxton – Maple Truffle Ice Cream Waffle and Texas Pecan Soft Serve Top Rope Brewing – Line in the Sand Northern Monk/Alefarm – Patrons Project 7.01 DDH Saison Thornbridge – Tart (Passionfruit and Blueberry Sour) Marble – Dobber IPA Siren Craft – Kentucky Tickle Monster Chapter Brewing & Fourpure - Roadside Picnic Celery Sour Finally, we come to the last segment of this article, where some of the industry’s luminaries and enthusiasts pass comment on 2017, good and bad, what beers they enjoyed and finally what they think 2018 will hold for us all…
This meant discussion of their extraordinary and imaginative beers reached a wide audience who may not have known that beer is such a diverse libation. Wild Beer Co is a big advocate for beer and food matching and so the recognition on Radio 4 means that more people now know that beer on the dining table is allowed!" What was the biggest downer during 2017 beer industry wise? “Two things – the continued business model for so many pubs where they are tied to selling a limited and usually dull range of beer brands and styles. This means that customers have no choice and little reason to take their custom to pubs when they can buy delicious beer from shops and drink at home. Seven out of ten drinks sold in a pub are beer but if the beer is not appealing enough then people will vote with their feet and stop going to the pub. Then pubs will close and be turned into flats or convenience shops. The other negative was the number of brewers and brand marketers who still think that using blokey, sexualised or misogynist images and language - usually about women, but sometimes about men too – is a way to market their beers. This is 2017 not 1917. It is changing though and in 2018 we will see less of that type of marketing thanks to Jaega Wise, head brewer of Wild Card Brewery who discussed it in a speech at a recent brewing conference. Her comments were all over social media and the Times newspaper covered the subject too. CAMRA and SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) released statements on the subject and even the Portman Group said they were considering adding sexist imagery and language to their list of no nos in drinks marketing.” What were your top 3 beers of the year? “Too many to list! These are three memorable ones though. First up is Britannia’s Brew, a collaboration with Brewster’s Brewing Company, Stu McKinley of Yeastie Boys, and me. Britannia’s Brew is the official beer of Beer Day Britain. (Britain’s national beer day annually on June 15th). I am the instigator of Beer Day Britain. This year Stu pimped the beer with Earl Grey Tea and New Zealand hops. The beer was already delicious but with Stu’s suggestions it was even better. We had a launch at the Rake pub in London’s Borough Market and it was heaven. It was served in a pint glass as cask ale. Next is Sheltering Sky by Siren, a magnificent Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Porter with Tamarind. I have yet to taste a beer from Siren that I have not really enjoyed. I tasted this one at the Rake too – there is a pattern emerging here! It had not yet been released at the time we tasted it and we had only one bottle shared between 5 people – just a few mouthfuls in a sample glass. It was sublime. Finally, Transmission IPA by North Brewing Company. A vibrant fruity-bitter beer served in a glass from a can. I was at the Beer & Cider Marketing Awards at Truman’s Old Brewery in London. I had just won an award for my work on Beer Day Britain – Outstanding Individual Achievement in Beer – so I was very happy and the beer lit up my palate and made me even more happy!” What are you looking forward to in 2018 on the beer scene? “Beer Day Britain 2018 is already shaping up to be the biggest one yet with some very sexy breweries and brands getting involved in brewing special beers (FourPure is one of them), and hosting events in their tap rooms and pubs. And I can’t wait to taste the next iteration of the pimped Britannia’s Brew!”
What was less welcome in 2017? “Unfortunately, 2017, for many independent bottles shops, has been challenging. I could write a lot about this and how I fear for their future, but for now, I just want to highlight one of the more absurd challenges. It is the obsession with only trying the very latest released beers once and never again, regardless of whether the beer was enjoyable or not. This mostly, but not always, has something to do with collecting Untappd badges and adding to Unique beer check-ins. I realise this isn’t a new thing, but this year it seems to have made much more of a negative impact. Great beers are being left to hurtle towards the BBE dates, which isn’t good for anyone. This wouldn’t have happened a year ago. If people thought a beer was great, they would look forward to trying it again. I guess beer drinkers were more radical back then, rubbing their hands in anticipation of an enjoyable night in with beers they already knew they loved. Those were the days.” What were your top 3 beers for 2017? “My top 3 beers of 2017 are as follows: 3. Little Earth Project - Hedgerow Sour (Meadowsweet 16) This beer is a truly masterful and big effervescent sour brew. It does everything I think a sour should do in terms of its flavour, the mouthfeel and the palate cleansing qualities. 2. Brew York and Vocation Brewery - Sellout Juice 11. This one is all about the mouthfeel for me. Sellout juice has this supreme fluffiness, something like a beer candyfloss and it really is incredible! The strength isn’t hidden though, which may not suit everyone. But overall, this beer really is pretty exquisite. 1. Siren - Bourbon Milkshake. I was completely blown away by this beer. I remember saying “wow!” after every sip. Divine.” A big 11% Imperial milk stout aged in bourbon barrels with vanilla, honey and muscovado sugar this was something very, very special. I really do hope Siren make a batch in the future, as it would be shame to leave it consigned to such a limited brew run. Having had so many different beers this year, the quality of which has been pretty high, it took something special to stick in my mind and Bourbon Milkshake was it!” What does 2018 hold for beer? “I’ve heard a lot of predictions for 2018, but I honestly believe the scene will still be dominated by the appetite for big hazy IPAs and Imperial Stouts. Personally, I’d love to see more affection for sours, olds and browns. Fingers crossed we will see a bit more diversity in styles and some newer takes on old classic styles to make them more prominent!”
I had a pint of Harvey’s Dark Mild in a pub right next to the brewery in Lewes, Sussex and it was so perfectly balanced I could only marvel at the brewer’s skill and expertise.” What did you really enjoy about 2017 from a beer perspective? “I like the way beer drinkers are becoming more savvy about beer and more knowledgeable about Best Before/ Bottled On dates. It helps to keep everyone on their toes. Beer quality is a big issue and while it’s getting better, there’s still room for improvement. I love seeing and feeling the enthusiasm for beer at festivals, MTB and TTOs, opening of new bottle shops and at industry gathering like the excellent Brewers Congress held recently in London. One of my highlights of the year was joining a Bottle Share which encapsulates all that is good about today’s beer scene. We’re a local ensemble of men and women from all walks of life bound together by a common love of good beer and meet monthly in a fantastic real ale pub, The Mitre in Richmond, to share the best beers we can find. It’s always such a fun night. Other highlights were the amazing beer and food matching media dinners by the Brewers Association in Paris and London. I’m involved with organising these events and, of course, have to go along myself! Representing the Brewers Association at Craft Beer Rising, Great British Beer Festival and the Irish Craft Beer Festival in Dublin were also incredible experiences. Gaining my Beer Sommelier accreditation was a huge personal milestone.” What was less than welcome in 2017? “The on-going closure of our pubs, now upto around 23 a week. It’s sad to see the very fabric of British society crumbling and one day we’ll look back and rue the day we ever let these bastions of British life fall by the wayside. Disgusting and offensive sexist beer labels and imagery really annoy me and it’s good to see the industry calling them out. ABI buying up breweries, raw ingredients and rating sites and strangling the small and independent craft brewer is never welcome in my book.” What are you looking forward to in 2018? “I’d like to see CAMRA embrace keg beer as well as real ale, and cans as well as bottles. CAMRA gets a lot of stick for being traditionalist but I believe there’s a place for both keg and cask in the hearts and minds of all but the most cynical beer drinkers. Women are making waves in the brewing industry but are still under-represented and it would be great to see more women, brewers in particular, coming to the fore in 2018. Of the 110 breweries in London there are only four female head brewers (I don’t have the national picture, sorry!). I would love to see more beer and food matching in pubs, diners and restaurants. In the States it’s a highly developed, sophisticated art form. The UK is still lagging some way behind. Finally, I’m super-excited to be attending the Craft Brewers Conference for the first time. This year it’s in Nashville, Tennessee 30th April – 3rd May and the World Beer Cup 2018 is taking place too. It’s going to be awesome! Here’s to a great year in beer! Cheers!”
What was not so good in beer in 2017? “Biggest downer: It’s a shame to see several scalps claimed by big beer companies. I certainly can’t blame the breweries for earning some money, but inevitable quality suffers. Also, what I’ll call ‘fake craft’ brands emerging and confusing the market. “ What were your top 3 beers for 2017? Top 3 Beers Going US heavy...but honestly some of the best beers I’ve ever had have been this year. I’ll also add that experience is as much a part of enjoyment for me, some great memories with these beverages. Bearded Iris Patina, at the brewery in Nashville; amazing and passionate people, and a fantastic taproom. They’re known for mega juice bombs, but this the beer that they drink after a day brewing. It was crisp, refreshing and fruity... Kolsch at its best! Keep your eyes peeled, they’re tipped for great things next year. Tired Hands Alien Church Warpigs brewed version at the brewpub in Copenhagen. A beer so good, I left the Mikkeller Beer Celebration early to grab some more. Fully saturated hop juice, dripping with tropical fruit flavours, uber haze and thick soft mouthfeel. Jean, the owner of TH, is a genius and will change the landscape of beer. Guarantee it! Finally, Track/Takk Brew Co Finca British Street Food Awards, GRUB Manchester. This is the coming together of two of my favourite companies in Manchester, I love Track Sonoma to death and Takk is my first pit stop when I hit Manchester. Perfectly balanced coffee stout, rich and thick, all the intensity and flavour of a perfectly served espresso, served cold and carbonated. Add to that an amazing event, venue and street food and I was in heaven.” What are you looking forward to in 2018 for beer? “I think this is the year that Hull really develops a fantastic beer scene. The City of Culture year has laid some fantastic foundations for new, young businesses to start in the city. The latter half of 2017 has seen the bar and restaurant scene explode, and lines of great beer are a frequent sight. Add to that the first Indy beer shop opening soon, a blossoming home brew scene, and the potential for a new Atom brewhouse in the city centre. Keep your eyes peeled, Hulls getting trendy these days.”
The industry is working with one another more and that creates a healthier environment for all. There have been grumblings of too many collaboration beers in 2017, but it represents a general atmosphere of camaraderie rather than rivalry. It represents the principles of “craft beer.”" What was less than welcome in 2017? "The biggest downer was, of course, the nastiness, sniping and bullying that seemed more prevalent in the industry this year than any other. In contrast to the collaborating business owners, the commentators weren’t as friendly with each other. Disagreements on various subjects are only going to increase the more that events occur and more people become involved in the industry. But this year it seemed that you couldn’t even have an opinion on a beer festival without it turning aggressive. A downside to the lack of facial expression and intonation behind Tweets and Blogs maybe, but some attempted character defamations went beyond any realm of debate. We all need to look at ourselves and take responsibility for our actions." What were your favourite beers for 2017? "This year I’ve drunk a lot of cask beer by the pint, in comparison to previous years. The two stand-outs have been Fyne Ale’s Jarl and Track Brew Co’s Sonoma – both on outstanding form when dispensed this way. Jarl I’ve had in bars in Edinburgh, Liverpool, Bakewell, Stalybridge and London, suggesting it’s travelling particularly well right now. My favourite Beer of the Year though came in bottle form from Torrside Brewing and their Rauchwine: a stunning Smoked Barleywine part-gyled to technical perfection." What do you think we will see on the beer scene in 2018? "Going into the New Year, I expect more in the cross-industry collaborations to happen. This in itself will lead a little to the standard Beer prediction everybody gives every year: more bitters, more lagers. The lager and bitter prediction is rolled out every year and has still not come to fruition. In terms of core range beers, I don’t expect this to change much. But, with different industries creating different demand, I expect those increases to occur there. The prime example is Magic Rock Brewing working with Huddersfield Town to create two beers. They were, of course, a bitter and a lager as that is where the demand for the club and its fans remains. Back within the bubble, I expect the IPA trend to continue with the newer breweries as that is where the sales will still be. Older hands, I feel, might return to Saison/Farmhouse style to stand out a little, with the more accomplished going further into the Sour market. There isn’t a great deal we can predict though as some said they expected 2017 to be the year of the lager and instead we got New England IPAs. A few more well-made stouts of reasonable strength – think Five Points Railway Porter – would be my preference, but as ever I look forward to whatever arrives." ----------------------------------
I think that’s more than enough for one article! Regardless of your outlook on how positive or negative you felt that 2017 was for the beer and brewing industry, it was a pretty colourful year in many regards and it’s likely that 2018 will follow suit. Special thanks go to the people who have contributed to this article with some insightful, entertaining and interesting comments on their thoughts on 2017 and into 2018. All the best for the New Year guys! Thanks too, to all the readers and people that encourage me to continue writing. All the best to you all and see you at some point in 2018! Pedro.
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We’re hurtling towards Christmas now… it’s all too close. But before you make too many plans for nights out and about around Liverpool city centre, have a little read of this. There are quite a few new places that are now open, or about to open their doors in time for a proper knees-up. Most of them are supplying more than a fair share of really good beer too! Scroll down and see if anything gets those festive thirsts tickled… Craft Minded Craft Minded is the brain-child of Gareth Kellett and friends, looking to bring a hefty slice of craft beer sensibility to the Cains Brewery site. Whilst there are some decent beers on offer at other locations, the Baltic Triangle is still rather patchy on what is available. The Baltic Fleet, Black Lodge, Constellations and to a slightly lesser extent Baltic Social, have been flying the flag for craft beer and real ale without much baseline support beyond the odd bottle of Mad Hatter finding its way into more coffee orientated establishments. Gareth’s background in the hospitality/service industry will no doubt stand him in good stead when it comes to the crunch time for Craft Minded. At time of initial writing, the venue was undergoing some serious interior works, with articulated seating areas, a six-line keg bar and an array of fridges around the bar area all slated to make an appearance. Throw into this the lean-to at the rear of the premises in the old boiler house of the brewery and there will be a kitchen area, storage and conveniences leaving room to free up more seating. The area around the old boiler house has also rather brilliantly been allocated to the plot, meaning potential for outdoor seating and expansion for Craft Minded. The full long term stock is yet to be confirmed for Craft Minded, but expect a mix of local craft beer in keg and bottle alongside some of the more nationally minded brands that have been making waves in the UK, thanks in part to the influence of Crosby Beer Bottle Shop on Gareth’s infectious enthusiasm for good beer. The launch saw the six keg lines taken by two local collaborations with Craft Minded, Wylam’s Jakehead IPA, Mad Hatter Fat Stout, Brass Castle’s Bad Kitty and Chapter/Fourpure’s Roadside Picnic sour. The bottle fridges were full of goodies from Vibrant Forest, Wild Beer, Wylam, Sweetwater and many many more. Craft Minded is now open, from 1pm on Saturdays until 1am, with other hours as per their website. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/craftmindedliverpool/ Gibberish The scene in Liverpool seems to move in a very jagged and erratic fashion, rather pertinently as this round up article shows (with five new significant locations for beer enthusiasts to get onto). The city can go through a relatively quiet period with little changing for a few months whilst a few rumours circulate and then things either go very quiet, or pop into life. This period is certainly the latter for Liverpool. Since Gareth Matthews announced on Twitter his intention to leave Mad Hatter Brewing Company to pursue a new project, Gibberish has managed to get some beers together ready for a launch sometime at the end of 2017 or possibly in January 2018. Gibberish is Gareth’s new project and will be taking off in the Baltic Triangle area of Liverpool. The former site of Mad Hatter’s operations on Caryl Street (before their shift to the Liverpool Waters area) will continue to host brewing by day and in the evenings, will become a fully-fledged brew tap. This tap will get on with selling cask and kegs beers, which Gaz can rule with a vice like grip to ensure the beers are served as he would want (given the shift away from cask by Mad Hatter a few years ago, simply due to being at the mercy of outlets). The remit of Gibberish is simply to make interesting beers based on ingredients with good provenance where possible. The name of the new one-stop-shop for beer is linked partially to the madness of Gareth’s brewing and also to some of the pretence that Gareth feel surrounds the scene at times. The brewing itself will likely be as it was in the early days of Mad Hatter, with a cornucopia of hoppy and strong pales, Belgian influenced yeast monsters and an array of sours and saisons, with a fair old space present Gareth is also considering room for a meadery in the corner of the brewing premises to offer further interesting facets to Gibberish’s output. The thinking behind Gareth’s new venture is that whilst Mad Hatter became successful on the back of the weird and wonderful, this brewing project can focus on smaller batches with more expensive ingredients and still work due to being sold on the premises. Gibberish is set to launch from the evening of Thursday 14th December, though there is no word on permanent opening hours at the moment. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GibberishPub/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/GibberishPub Glen Affric Taproom It may seem like quite a lonely and awkward location for a tap room, but the Lightbox units in Birkenhead are actually rather accessible by own vehicle, public transport and on foot. Located overlooking the Birkenhead Mersey Tunnel (The Queensway Tunnel), Glen Affric’s premises have grown ever more impressive as time has passed. A ten minute walk from the Wirral Line station, Hamilton Square, will get you there to sample some of their beers at a rather reasonable tariff. The Glen Affric Tap opened mid-November 2017 and is still in its relative infancy, but the work that has been put in really does make it seem that the team are quite an old hand at getting this kind of thing together. Well laid out seating areas, booths with USB ports, 8 keg lines (7 for Glen Affric’s own brews and one guest line) along with a couple of fridges for other stock are talking points for the tap room. Build in bespoke fashion, the whole installation is a testament to graft and upcycling of palettes of wood, reclaimed furniture with flourishes of newer elements and some obligatory brushed steel surfaces. Glen Affric are currently pushing their core range on the taps, but as time goes on, they intend on having some more diverse beers present coming through the lines. As well as their current kit, the brewery has a larger set up waiting to be plumbed in and also a smaller kit ready for pilot and experimental brews. Glen Affric will be looking to get up and running with off sales too in the new year, with a number of set backs on their own canning line kit, they will look for alternative solutions and likely have canned beer such as their Payload Pale, Highland Suntan and Lazy Haze good to go at some point in early 2018. The Glen Affric Tap opens on a Saturday from 4pm until 10pm, but they are opening up on further evenings in the run up to Christmas (at least Friday to Sunday) to enable patrons a chance to try some locally brewed craft keg beers. It is quite easy to lose a few hours in this tap, being strangely relaxing given its industrial setting outside and in proximity to very shiny brewing kit inside. Web: http://www.glenaffricbrewery.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlenAffricTap/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlenAffricTap Higson’s Brewery (aka H1780 Tap and Still) Since Stephen Crawley (formerly of the MD Caledonian Brewery) bought out Liverpool Craft Beers and acquired the Higson’s Brewery intellectual property, things went a little quiet in terms of what was actually going on with the two brands. Nuggets of information dropped out at the Liverpool Craft Beer Expo approximately 2-3 years ago, with a suggestion (now seemingly confirmed by the website branding) that Liverpool Craft would shift into its most famous moniker with ‘Love Lane’ (the site of the former Liverpool Craft Beer brewery premises) and the Higson’s brand would be coming back into the consciousness of the city it departed in 1990. Though the Higson’s brand came back briefly thanks to Liverpool Organic Brewery circa 2010-12, none of the beers such as ‘Double Top’ came back into mainstream production; only the best bitter and stout made the roster. Now it seems that the team behind Crawley are going to make the brand a force again in the city it once called home, along with a distillery (Ginsmiths) and the Love Lane brewing (a ‘craft beer’ arm to Higson’s) in the new Higson’s Brewhouse on Bridgewater Street in the Baltic Triangle. Bookings are being taken at the moment for tours and for tables (they are planning on doing food at the tap house too) and information is gradually trickling out all the time. A Twitter account for the H1780 brand and for the tap and still have come online recently, along with an announcement that the brewery will be open from 16th December to the public. Luckily, I had a few questions for new MD, Stephen Crawley that he kindly answered: Though this has been on the boil now for some time, what made the company think now was the time to bring Higson's back? Did they feel that there is a place for another 'traditional' brand given the shift in interest to newer and more innovative brewing? I genuinely believe the time has been right for some time! – BUT to try and rekindle this brand in a really positive way that looks forward and genuinely give it the best chance of success has sadly slightly longer than we hoped – but that is in the past now and we are really excited by the future! Liverpool is the UK’s 6th largest city and it does not have a brewer of a regional scale…. E.g. Manchester and its environs has JW Lees, Holts, Hyde’s and Robinson’s and some high profile craft brewers. We’re proud of the innovative past that Higson’s has and it does not preclude brewing modern drinkable brews that the city can be proud of! We do not see Liverpool as traditional, though there would be an opportunity if we did, as Liverpool does not have a traditional brewery – But I wanted to ground Higson’s in an urban setting and build something that could be seen as a real outpouring of confidence in the modern Liverpool and deliver 21st century beers! So, what was the thinking behind buying out Liverpool Craft Beer, when Higson's could have been a stand alone brand? It was going to take time to build the new brewery and the guys at TLCBC bought into the dream of building something that aspired to regional scale and they had a site they could not afford to develop in Bridgewater Street. It was going to be a much stronger proposition to add Higson’s to an existing business and it gave us time to plan whilst talking to pubs and drinkers about Liverpool and plan what we were going to create, get planning permission and so on. Higson’s we suspect will not be a big seller in the UK outside ‘Greater Liverpool’ whereas Love Lane will and does already sell further afield… I genuinely felt we would be a stronger business with the Love Lane and Higson’s! I notice that there is going to be a shift from Liverpool Craft Beer to 'Love Lane' for all the beers made by the former - does that mean Liverpool Craft Beer will be consigned to the past once that rebrand is completed? Not necessarily – but we have Love Lane, Higson’s, H1780 Tap & Still and The Ginsmiths of Liverpool to get moving and we feel that is enough for now – we will revisit TLCBC when the dust settles. Essentially though we have lots of positive traction with bars and drinkers with Love Lane over the past 12 months. Will any of the old Higson's beers be making their way back onto the market - e.g. beers like Double Top? Never say never – but as you asked earlier – is there an opportunity for Traditional? But who would have though Pabst lager could have become a retro sensation in USA amongst the craft beer phenomena. I noticed the first beer out of the traps is a lager - I assume that the Higson's Best and maybe the Liverpool Stout will also be coming back, but are there any other plans for developing a core range? We wanted to get the lager right – not easy to produce – and we are very happy with where we are with Higson’s Pilsner. The next two products will be cask and we are excited by the response we have had to the prospect of two new Higson’s cask beers that will be very drinkable and sit nicely on the bar as an alternative to National brands. Higson’s Best and Mild were beers that polarised opinion – we aim to make our first two cask beers that Liverpool can be really proud of. At the brewery/still - is the tap room going to be open all week, or is it just going to be a weekend? We have invested a considerable amount of money in our new home. The brewery, distillery and our offices will share the site of our Tap & Still and be called H1780 Tap & Stll – a nod to the past – but proud of the future. We have wanted to create an ‘urban home’, a home that could easily be on the east coast of America, a home that is not polished concrete, chipboard and grungy but timeless and well invested with lots of original brick – a colour scheme running throughout and lots of steel. We look forward to hearing peoples reaction – but we hope we have built something that is a real positive statement of modern Liverpool. So, are there going to be any other exciting interactive elements for the public with what Higson's are doing? I think a new home, new Higsons beers, Love Lane, new gins from The Ginsmiths of Liverpool, 3 bars, a well invested kitchen, a tasting room, tours, tastings and events are probably enough for now. We have lots of other ideas – but we will focus on the above for now! Another interesting development in the Baltic Triangle means, more than ever, the area is a draw for those seeking a night out, interesting venues and options for the discerning beer drinker. Web: http://www.h1780tapstill.co.uk/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/H1780-Tap-Still-122976508413774/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TapandStill Tank Room To my knowledge this is amongst the first ‘Tank Beer’ outlet in Liverpool and for the moment, the one of at least three (Porky’s Ski Hutte and Haus being others). Whilst most places that indulge in dispensing Tank Beer in Manchester and Leeds have gone with Czech brand ‘Pilsner Urquell’, Tank Room has selected the Slovak brand ‘Krusovice’ as its lager of choice. The bar is located on the site of the former Cain’s Brewery and is currently rubbing shoulders with the Dock Leaf and Bedouin at the rear of the main former brewery building, by the canning hall. As the site goes from strength to strength (with the food hall and its numerous pop ups and central bar, Ryde café, Alhambra, The Brewery Tap, Kiosk, Dock Leaf and other new addition the Old Gas Station at the North end of the site), competition is going to get quite fierce and only time will tell how each of these bars will play to their strengths. Tank Room is quite a sparsely kitted out space, rectangular in shape, with a bar at the top end away from the door, two tanks of lager above the bar (with blackboard stating date of tapping) and a heavy blue paint adorning all the walls it’s not the most warming of places. There is plenty of seating and standing room and if you’re not keen on lager, there are a few other beers and other beverages to satisfy one’s thirst. Maltsmiths and Lagunitas IPAs are present on draught, along with Orchard Thieves draught cider, Guiness and Amstel. The fridges are a bit more inspiringly stocked, with Yeastie Boys cans, Liefmans and Mongozo bottles also present. Curiously, they also stock the IPAs in bottles, which seems a little like a waste of space where there is room for some more diverse beers. There are also wines and spirits available for other drinkers; the gin selection looks reasonably competent at first glance, though it is likely that local brands will find their way onto the shelves at some point. Tank Room opened in November this year. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetankroomliverpool/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/tankroompool In other news… in the run up to Christmas There are a number of events and launches amongst those mentioned above, here are a few things to put into the calendar! Black Lodge Brewery – 2nd Birthday celebrations, Thursday 14th - Sunday 17th December from opening until late close. Expect loads of great one-off brews, music and plenty of food and good fun. Tap and Bottles Biscuit Brew Off – Saturday 16th December, from 5pm onwards. Local collaboration project with six new collaboration beers, flavoured themed on biscuits! Neptune, Chapter, Handyman and more making the beers! The Dead Good Bottle Society – Dead Crafty Beer Company, 7pm Monday 18th December. Top Rope Brewing’s Ben will be taking people through another selection of bottled brews. Tickets now available at Dead Crafty.
Dead Crafty Christmas Quiz – Wednesday 20th December, 7pm. £5 ticket for the quiz, includes a mince pie and a beer with great prizes to be won! Connoisseur Ales – Tap Openings. Every Saturday before Christmas from 12pm until 10pm, beers on cask draught and bottle packs available for off sales. ---------------- Pedro. Some of the images are used from the venue's/business's social media feed and with permission. The copyright remains with them. |
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