This week sees the beginning of one of the more keenly anticipated ten-day periods in Edinburgh – the start of the Bow Bar’s annual winter beer festival. From Thursday the 26th the famed Aitken tall founts will be dispensing (via air-pressure) a range of specially invited cask ales, with several kegged beers also appearing. With very probably only a single barrel of each arriving, be sure to keep an eye out for the Bow’s (twitter feed) as new beers come on.
For the uninitiated, the Bow Bar is one of Scotland’s best pubs – a classic, one-room, mirror-lined drinking house. No music or other distractions (unless the rugby’s on), and with literally several hundred whiskies to go for if a nip towards oblivion is required – it’s simply a must-visit if you find yourself in the city. Even if you’re normally a fan of lively pubs with plenty going on, the Bow is all about the drink – and everyone can agree on that, surely?
So what to sample? Looking at the beer list, fans of the hair-curlingly strong stuff (i.e. BeerCasters) will be delighted – in no particular order there should be Highland Old Norway (9.0%), Brodies Superior London Porter (7.3%) and Hoxton IPA (6.6%), Magic Rock Cannonball (7.4%), Fyne Ales Sublime Stout (6.8%), Orkney Skull Splitter (8.5%), Williams Profanity Stout (7.0%) and Thornbridge Yule (7.4%). There’s an afternoon to savour.
Some rare Scottish beers that will certainly be interesting include Stewart Brewing’s Chilli Reekie (6.2%), Broughton Winter Fire (4.2%), and Cairngorm’s German-style rye beer Roggen (4.3%) – all are certainly worth a punt. Cairngorm’s new neighbours Loch Ness Brewing have three ales down on the list, so look out for those. Also it’s heartening to see that Demon Brew at the Prestongrange Gothenburg have resumed production after the tragic death of Roddy Beveridge, with their classic Porter.
From further afield, the new and unusual (which for me is always the best thing about beer festivals) include the Liverpool Craft Beer Co with their 3.8% pale ale Icon, Allendale’s Winter Dunkel (4.6%), and Box Steam’s Funnel Blower Vanilla Porter (4.5%). I’ll also be after Redemption’s kiwi hop-packed Big Chief (5.5%), and the style-bending Ossett Indian Winter Ale (5.0%).
Oh, and Highland brewing’s Bow-exclusive 3.9% citra beer – called simply Citra…
The Bow Bar’s winter festival runs from Thursday 26th January to Sunday 5th February 2012. Check their Twitter feed for up to date information, or their website for directions. We’ll be posting the best of the beers on offer after the festival ends (or maybe during, if there are that many)…
The first podcast of any year is always one to look forward to – as tradition dictates it’s our BeerCast Beer of the Year show. As highlighted in our recent preview, the four highest scoring beers we could find from the podcasts recorded in 2011 are re-sampled, and a winner picked. Previous winners are Anchor Christmas Ale 2006 (2007), Hop Back Summer Lightning (2008), Stone Ruination IPA (2009) and Odell Isolation Ale (last year), so whichever beer came out on top this time, it would be in good company. The four beers in our BOTY show were Rogue St Rogue Red Ale (5.2%), Kernel IPA Citra (7.2%), Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest (6.7%), and Thornbridge St Petersburg (7.7%). It’s always interesting to re-taste beers, as they can be very different a second time around…and so it was to prove. Our Beer of the Year panel consists of Shovels, MrB, Richard and Grooben…
1. Dry Hopped St. Rogue Red Ale (5.2%abv) 22oz glass bottle Rogue Ales, Newport, Oregon. BeerCast#58 scored 34/40 (85%) 15th February 2011
Originally tasted by Richard 8½; Grooben 8½; Shovels 8½; MrB 8½
What They Say – “Reddish copper in color, a roasty malt flavor with a hoppy sprucy finish.” [Official Website]
What We Say… Grooben – Really very malty, more than I remember MrB – Mine’s got floaters in it, did I like this? Richard – As close to an American session beer as you can get Shovels – Still like it, and I still love the aroma
2. Kernel IPA Citra (7.2%abv) 330ml glass bottle The Kernel Brewery, Bermondsey, London. BeerCast#59 scored 36½/40 (91%) 29th March 2011
Originally tasted by Richard 10; Stu 9½; Shovels 8½; Grooben 8½
What We Say… MrB – These bottles are six months old, it’s lost some aroma Grooben – Lost some of it’s Citra-yness impact on the shelf Richard – Back then it was absolutely great, though Shovels – Thin, with a hoppy aftertaste, then a musty yeastiness
3. Southern Hemisphere Harvest (6.7%abv) 22oz glass bottle Sierra Nevada Brewing Co, Chico, California. BeerCast#58 scored 34/40 (85%) 15th February 2011
Originally tasted by Richard 9; Shovels 8½; MrB 8½; Grooben 8;
What They Say – ” Robust hop character presents an intriguing floral-citrus aroma leading to layers of fresh-hop spiciness. Enjoy!” [Official Website]
What We Say… Shovels – Nice bit of malt backbone to it, I really like this Grooben – Difficult to distinguish from their standard beers MrB – I like it, but it’s no more tasty than other SN beers Richard – Maltier and more body than the Kernel, it’s a bit soapy
4. St Petersburg (7.7%abv) 500ml glass bottle Thornbridge Brewery, Bakewell, Derbyshire. BeerCast#64 scored 26/30 (87%) 20th October 2011
Originally tasted by Richard 9; Shovels 8½; Grooben 8½
What They Say – ” Rich and dark with smoke, subtle peatiness and the power of the dark malts. Molasses and liquorice and chocolate goodness all wrapped up in a smooth, warming liquid.” [Official Website]
What We Say… Grooben – Wonderful balance to it, with no harshness MrB – I’m not used to drinking stouts, it’s still very tasty Richard – Absolutely cracking beer Shovels – Lovely flavours, just a great beer
So those were the thoughts – or re-thoughts – of the panel during the tasting of the four beers that had made it through to the final. The next thing to do was go round the table and give our rankings from 1-4 on the night, plus a beer each that we enjoyed over 2011 and felt deserved a special mention…
Grooben “1. Thornbridge… 2. Kernel… 3. Sierra Nevada… 4. Rogue… My favourite beer I’ve had this year is St Petersburg, it’s fantastically smooth and brilliantly made.”
Shovels “First for me is the Rogue – I still liked it even though it had bits in, it had a great balance. Second – it’s a tough one, I’m going with the Kernel on memory, then St Petersburg, then Sierra Nevada. I can’t think of anything that’s really stood out for me this year – I’ve been too busy homebrewing.”
Richard “My first on the night and in general is St Petersburg – it’s just a fantastic beer, second is Kernel IPA Citra, which is my favourite beer I’ve had this year. That for me was the Kernel beer that really pulled everything together. Third is Rogue because I really like it still, and fourth is Sierra Nevada.”
MrB “Number 1 is St Petersburg, No 2 Sierra Nevada Harvest. I think I’ll have to go Kernel and then Rogue. But it’s not like any of them are bad. My favourite beer this year – 1000IBU from Mikkeller – which these days is where you have to go to make me go Mmmm. I spent 2-3hrs drinking a bottle in Ghent, and I loved it.”
So in the end there was a unanimous winner – Thornbridge St Petersburg becomes our fifth BeerCast Beer of the Year – and the first stout to take the Golden Mouthchart. Congratulations to all in Bakewell – yet another accolade to add to the pile! Second place – for the second year in a row – Kernel with IPA Citra. The two Americans were next, with Rogue’s St Rogue Red Ale picking up third, ahead of Sierra Nevada’s Southern Hemisphere Harvest. Four worthy beers, but one worthy winner.
But at this point we were only half-finished – our panel then tasted four more beers – the traditional ‘end of BOTY surprise’ involved four unusual adjunct-enhanced beers from Bières Bourganel in the south of France. Listen to our tasting after the BOTY voting, and check back to the website in a few days for a full review post on four very different beers. Many thanks to everyone who downloaded or subscribed to our podcasts in 2011 – we’ll be recording many more in 2012 – stay tuned..!
At the start of the year we predicted big things for a few UK brewers in 2012. Some were experienced players looking to make the next step – others complete beginners starting out. The new boys aside, we’d already sampled plenty of beers from the other producers – so can feel fairly confident in our predictions. One brewer we’ve never tried, however, are (or rather were) Henley’s Lovibonds. Having recently got hold of two bottles from a retailer in London, it was time to put them to the test – and see if our enthusiasm was well-founded…
Lovibonds Henley Dark
Paying homage to London porters of old, Henley Dark contains seven different malts – including one smoked with beech wood from the Chiltern hills. Coming in at 4.8% and 40IBU’s it actually looks like a Coke float – ruby red and highly effervescent. The aroma is fabulous – smoky chocolate, with fruit in there as well. Chocolate on the palate, it’s quite bitter and prickly – with noticeable smoke on the aftertaste. I wasn’t expecting that at all – it really brings a nice sub-flavour to the beer.
Lovibonds 69IPA
Part of the ‘new generation of IPAs’, 69 was produced using the Hopinator – which is either a turbo-powered dry hopping machine, or the best Gladiators name ever. Lovibonds founder and head brewer Jeff Rosenmeier hails from across the pond, so naturally wants to pound hops into everything, given the opportunity. 69IPA is full of those delicious piney, citric hop aromas that modern beer fans go all gooey over. Tropical on the taste, with more pine and a touch of alcohol – it’s completely wonderful, and so drinkable. One of the best British IPA’s I’ve ever tasted.
We’ll hopefully be getting more Lovibonds beers in the near future – so stay tuned for our reviews. Rumours are they’ll be appearing in Scotland with increased regularity…
Scotland is dominating the news agenda at the moment – so either the national team has just lost to San Marino, or it’s something to do with independence. The thorny I-word has appeared again, dragging itself onto the front pages like a mythical sea monster emerging from the Highlands. The SNP administration at Holyrood is locked in a battle with the Con-Dem coalition in Westminster. At stake – the future of the Union. Will the Scots people be given a referendum? Will the vote be Yes, or No?* And more importantly – what effect will Scottish independence have on beer?
If granted the chance to ‘run our own affairs’ (as the SNP mantra has been for the past thousand years) – this could have a critical impact on brewing north of the border. Recently we’ve been looking to the future – with our beery predictions for 2012, and then our list of breweries to look out for over the next twelve months. So delving even further into the BeerCast crystal ball – here’s what could happen to our beloved beverage if Scotland pulls away from the Union…
2012
Scottish First Minister Alec Salmond rejoices after David Cameron’s gamble backfires spectacularly. Given the referendum sooner rather than later, Salmond picks the date to co-incide with the Olympic track cycling. Chris Hoy wins another five gold medals, and Scotland votes for separation faster than a Branflake-powered knight of the realm. Salmond celebrates with a Punk IPA atop Edinburgh Castle, but mistakenly picks one brewed in London.
2013
The UK Government re-instates the 1725 Malt Tax, forcing Scottish brewers and distillers to become more creative. Keg beer production soars, Scott and Bruce Williams become leaders of a tartan-clad brewing underground movement, adding Tunnocks teacakes to every boil. Caledonian recalls all casks of Deuchars IPA from England – MolsonCoors step into the void, and Sharp’s Doom Bar appears in every pub south of the border. Their CEO gets a knighthood.
2014
President Salmond toasts the 700th anniversary of the battle of Bannockburn with a Scottish sauvignon blanc, global warming having really taken hold. Citizens of the People’s Republic of Scotland drink heather and juniper-infused wheatbeer on pavement cafés from Dunbar to Inverness. The SNP coax Rob Hill from his Orkney realm, and appoint him brewmaster laureate. BrewDog relocate to Wales in a fit of pique.
2015
The Labour party win a landslide in the UK general election, despite David Cameron banning Scots from voting. President Salmond congratulates Prime Minister Balls, sending him a keg of Black Isle 80/Euro. The new Labour administration removes anti-bootlegger barriers at the Scottish border. As a result, Scotland returns to the fold of the UK. Wales becomes independent. BrewDog relocate to the Isle of Man.
*Rumour has it Alec Salmond has requested ballot papers to list the options as AYE!!! or Naw.
As we head into the New Year, the UK brewing scene seems to be in great shape. The economic climate might be as bad as a Scottish hurricane, and the Government seems intent on sticking it to everybody in the industry (with a few, notable, exceptions) – but this is a fantastic time to be a beer drinker. Whether you like traditional foamy pints of cask ale, or tonsil-stripping keg beer in funny glassware – 2012 could be very good for British brewing. Why? Well, we think several breweries are going to have breakout years.* Here’s our list of the players who are about to step up – from both sides of the border…
SCOTLAND
Tempest Brewing Co
Considering what they did in 2011, this year could be when Kelso’s Tempest Brewing becomes a major name in UK brewing. Brewer Gavin Meiklejohn has already produced some astonishing beer from his plant in an abandoned dairy in the Scottish Borders. RyePA was one of our beers of the year – but any of half a dozen could have featured. Tempest are our tip to look for in 2012 when it comes to Scottish brewing.
Black Isle Brewery
If there’s one producer north of the border that seem rejuvenated, it’s Black Isle. A new sales and marketing team in 2011, coupled with a new head brewer (Colin Stronge, ex-Marble of Manchester) – and all of a sudden the 4% pale ales have been shunted aside by barrel-aged this and Imperial that. The session beers are still there (some having been gently tweaked) – but Black Isle aren’t so much on a roll as a Highland charge. Don’t believe us? Here’s what they have planned…
Luckie Ales
I’ve never been to Stuart McLuckie’s tiny brewery, located somewhere in the midst of the Fife countryside. I imagine there’s a small barn where you have to turn the second flowerpot on a certain shelf to gain access. The beers Stuart produces taste like they come from the chamber of an underground genius – delivered by hand to only a couple of Scottish outlets, they are as rare as beer gets. Look for great things from Luckie in 2012.
Stewart Brewing
The most anxiously-awaited signature in Edinburgh since that to cancel the trams has finally taken place (although the trams are still with us). Loanhead’s Stewart Brewing have finally received permission to relocate their facility to…Loanhead. Moving round the corner means more room for Steve, Jo and the team – already pushed to the limit. It also means a chance to experiment more, and to add to their lineup this year.
Loch Ness Brewery
The Benleva Hotel in Drumnadrochit gained a small two-barrel plant last year, and after a sensible amount of time getting ideas together – look out for the Loch Ness Brewery in 2012. Both their cask and bottling operations begin in earnest very soon, so for what is pretty much an entirely unknown quantity, hopefully good beer will be the result. There are a few recent start-ups in Scotland now, June’s Scottish Real Ale Festival could see plenty of new faces.
ENGLAND
Summer Wine
Being based in Edinburgh, we often find out about English brewing news second-hand – from some of our peers over the border. Holmfirth’s Summer Wine Brewery blazed a trail through the Yorkshire blogosphere last year – and they have the potential to go even bigger in 2012. Keen to experiment, and at that stage where anything seems possible, a new beer every other week could be the order of the day for many months.
Tyne Bank
We do stretch our legs sometimes, however, and in November we Twissup’d around Newcastle with many other beer fans. One of the day’s many highlights was a trip to Tyne Bank (another being their Cherry Stout). Having only begun in May 2011, they are clearly run the right way – by people with a genuine passion for beer. As their distribution network increases throughout 2012, they are definitely ones to watch over the near future.
RedWillow
The world loves an underdog, and in brewing there’s no bigger hill to climb than opening a brewery by yourself. Toby McKenzie took the plunge in late-2010, opening the RedWillow Brewery in an industrial unit in Macclesfield. His oyster stout – Fathomless – was one of our best new beers of last year, and his blog really brings home how hard it is to brew for a living. But with Toby’s determination, RedWillow will make it.
Lovibonds
Henley’s Lovibonds Brewery aren’t new on the scene – they were founded in 2005, following in the footsteps of their namesakes who traded in the town for just over 50yrs. Jeff Rosenmeier and his team make all kinds of beer, in all kinds of different ways. Three weeks ago several of their products reached Scotland for the first time – at the opening of Glasgow’s Bruadar Bar. If more follows, the secret could be out.
Mallinsons Brewing Co
Is there a harder working brewer in Britain than Tara Mallinson? Fans of hoppy golden ales in Huddersfield have been spoiled for choice over the last five years or so. Currently working on their 250th(ish) creation, Mallinson’s know what they do well, and stick to it. Every one of their beers I’ve tried has been incredibly drinkable – if they keep going at the same pace, global session dominance awaits.
So that’s our list – undoubtedly there will be plenty of other new UK breweries that will capture the attention over the next twelve months, and many more existing producers who will raise their games in 2012. We couldn’t fit them all on this post – which are you looking towards for great things this year?
RT @BlackIsleBeer We're now firming up our new warehouse in Edinburgh > If it's near the Gyle I'll be there on a daily basis with my growler 19 hours ago
@ZakAvery Ahh right, I can't remember where I saw it. @greatdividebrew That's a real shame, love Yeti. Ahh well... 21 hours ago
@greatdividebrew We heard a rumour the other day that you're pulling out of distributing to the UK - is that correct, or just speculation? 22 hours ago
