The BeerCast

We’re back with another BeerCast heralding the majesty of British beer (as we’ll be doing throughout all of our podcasts in 2012). This time, we turn our attention to four highly promising IPA’s. The style we gave to the world has developed in every possible way since it soothed the palates of thirsty ex-pats – but today we concentrate on the ‘modern British IPA’. These days more than a few brewers are piling in the hops, which is something we tend to agree with. On the podcast today – Ilkley Lotus IPA (5.7%), Bristol Beer Factory Southville Hop (6.5%), Roosters Serlo de Burgh (6.0%) and Buxton Axe Edge Double IPA (6.8%). Three of these originate in famous English spa towns, conveniently giving us a podcast title. On the panel this time – Richard, Shovels, Grooben and Stu.




1. Lotus IPA (5.7%abv)
Ilkley Brewery, Ilkley, West Yorkshire.
500ml glass bottle

The first working production facility in the town for almost a hundred years, the Ilkley Brewery began in 2009 on an industrial estate in the Yorkshire spa town. It’s precursor had become one of the largest in the county, supplying their trademark ‘Olicana’ brand beer (named after the old Roman name for Ilkley). It was taken over by Hammond’s in 1923 – but the modern-day version has restored a beery presence to the town, which is famed for the folk song “On Ikla Moor Baht ‘at”. Native Yorkshireman Shovels conveniently has forgotten how this song goes.

What They Say -
“A gold coloured genuine India Pale Ale with hoppy, lemon and citrus aromas. This ale is complex, but well balanced and full of flavour.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard – Lemon and lots of apricot, biscuit at the end 8
Shovels – Peachy on the nose, it’s an absolute cracker 8
Grooben – Not as bitterly hopped as some but none the worse for it 7½
Stu – A nice fruity session IPA 7½

2. Southville Hop (6.5%abv)
Bristol Beer Factory, Bristol.
500ml glass bottle

Another historic tradition revived, the Bristol Beer Factory operate inside the city’s Ashton Gate Brewery – which had closed in 1933 following nearly two hundred years of production. The labour of love of George Ferguson, the BBF emerged in 2005 and were getting their beer onto local markets within six month of opening (trading then as the Bristol Brewing Co). With a ten-barrel plant, they own an old grain barge in Bristol dock which has been converted to a brewery tap (we paid it a visit back in 2009). Bristol may not be a spa town, but is a short train journey from arguably the UK’s most famous example – Bath.

What They Say -
“Inspired by the amazing hoppy beers being brewed by American craft brewers this beer is heavily hopped, packing it with tropical fruit flavours and aromas.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard – Smells like a Kernel beer, classic grapefruit bitterness 7
Shovels – The citrusy hops really come though 7
Grooben – Aggressive bitterness, needs sweetness to balance it 7
Stu – It’s a good beer but a bit too harsh for my liking 7

3. Serlo de Burgh (6.0%abv)
Roosters Brewery, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.
500ml glass bottle

There can’t be too many breweries named after characters from Westerns. Sean Franklin once said he named his new Knaresborough business (in part) after Rooster Cogburn from True Grit. Sean – who has since retired – was one of the vanguards of Yorkshire brewing, having established Franklin’s Brewery in the 1960′s – delivering the beer himself in a taxi he drove as a second job. In April 2011 he sold up to Knaresborough businessman Ian Fozard – and Rooster’s is currently run by Ian’s sons Oliver and Tom. Serlo de Burgh was the first Lord (or ‘Honour’) of Knaresborough, and commissioned the building of the [spa] town’s castle. The beer brewed in his name is amazingly rare, as only 57 bottles were ever produced (would that I had known that when I placed my order).

What They Say -
“A big presence with a cornucopia of fruit flavoursharnessed from a blend of American, Australian, New Zealand and Slovenian hops. Serlo de Burgh is sure to conquer your tastebuds and leave a long lasting impression.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Shovels – Awesomely balanced, light hoppy beer. I think it’s amazing 9½
Richard – We talk about balance – this has it, it’s lovely 9
Stu – That’s a grand cup 8½
Grooben – Classic tropical fruit smell and flavour 8

4. Axe Edge Double IPA (6.8%abv)
Buxton Brewery, Buxton, Derbyshire.
500ml glass bottle

Our final spa town is Buxton in Derbyshire – which boasts a geothermal spring bubbling up at a constant 28°C. In the summer of 2009, Buxton brewery began, using the equipment of Derby’s Wild Walker. They then moved the equipment to their new home, and began putting out their own range of Buxton beer. Their head brewer is former Thornbridge man James Kemp (Bakewell being only a dozen miles away) – and recently their beers have become much more prominent, with (and this must only be a co-incidence) a series of strong hoppy numbers and a mighty 9.5% imperial stout – the very highly rated Buxton Tsar. Today we taste their double IPA Axe Edge…

What They Say -
“Hopped with Amarillo, Citra and Nelson Sauvin, this beer has a pale straw-amber body, and pours with a full creamy head. Its complex flavours include mandarin orange, schnapps, pineapple, and juicy tropical fruits. It is warmingly alcoholic with a dry finish.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard – Passion fruit, mango and orange – a great DIPA 8½
Shovels – It would maybe sit on you a bit after a while 8
Grooben – Very nice, although the flavour doesn’t back up the smell 8
Stu – Again, I like it but it’s maybe a bit sweet and a tad heavy 7½

Panellists – (clockwise from top left) Richard, Shovels, Stuart, Grooben

BeerCast panel verdict
Roosters Serlo de Burgh 35/40
Buxton Axe Edge Double IPA 32/40
Ilkley Lotus IPA 31/40
Bristol Beer Factory Southville Hop 28/40

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Please keep those comments and emails coming in, and check back in a couple of weeks for our next podcast. BeerCaster MrB returns from several weeks working in New England, and if he manages to bring something back we may stray – just slightly – from our British theme for the next episode. Otherwise, I’ve got a cupboard brimming with homegrown Black IPA’s to get through…

The concept of seasonality is now one of the hallmarks of modern cooking, pushed to the general public by the ranks of TV chefs and foodie magazines. Everything has a ‘time of year’, whether it’s the British asparagus, salty samphire, or humble mackerel (as one BeerCaster asked for in a fancy Edinburgh fishmonger’s, only to be embarrassed in front of a queue of shoppers when told there were none in the sea at that time of year). But can this approach be transferred to beer? Hops are seasonal, certainly, but after the harvest they can be dried and used at any time. It’s down to the styles and types of beer that can be varied depending on what the calendar says.

Now that Autumn is on us, it’s time to change the attitude and go for something different. The long summer (or in our case, short summer) is over, so the time for light hoppy pale ales is over. No need for urgent, tingling refreshment on a hot day now the clocks have gone back (or forward, as I put mine by mistake). Autumn brings crunchy leaves, darker nights, cool windy afternoons – and should be celebrated by the glorious British bitter. There can’t be another brewing nation on earth that can put out a finer nutty, foaming brown ale than us Brits – and now’s the time to partake.

So until the winter arrives and we all move on to warming stouts and porters, and then Christmas beers with alcohol and spice (before celebrating the return of Spring with zesty golden ales), take time out for a fruity, toffee-ish best bitter. Let the rich mouthfeel and malt characteristics reward you after that long Autumnal walk, or spot of Christmas Shopping (it’s never to early – and most breweries have online stores). Here are five choice Scottish beers for the season – Bitters, Ruby Ales, ESB’s, Amber Ales – all styles are well suited to this time of year. As we head towards November – have a seasonal beer on us.

1. Maverick (4.2%abv)
Fyne Ales, Cairndow, Argyll.
Classic fruity mahogany ale from BeerCast favourites Fyne Ales.

2. Red Kite (4.2%abv)
Black Isle Brewery, Munlochy, Black Isle.
Technically an amber ale, organically brewed north of Inverness.

3. Red Squirrel (3.9%abv)
Arran Brewery, Brodick, Isle of Arran.
Nutty, malty beer that donates to Red Squirrel charities on Arran.

4. St Magnus Ale (4.5%abv)
Highland Brewing Company, Swannay, Orkney.
Another nutty one, but with more roast than the Red Squirrel.

5. Red MacGregor (4.0%abv)
Sinclair Orkney Brewery, Quoyloo, Orkney.
Fruity ruby ale, current silver medal Champion Beer of Scotland.

(looking slightly further afield, five English beers that would go down very well on an Autumn evening are Bath Ales Barnstormer, York’s Yorkshire Terrier, Bristol Beer Factory No.7, Fuller’s ESB, and Daleside Old Leg Over).

Pubs come in many shapes and sizes, and are to be found in many unusual and varied locations. I’ve been to several great pubs near water, but never actually visited one on water before – until I set foot aboard the Grain Barge in Bristol, that is. As the name suggests, it used to ply a trade ferrying barley and wheat from Bristol to Cardiff across the Severn Estuary – being towed, as a ‘dumb’ barge it had no engine of its own. Built in 1936, it used to be moored in the Hotwells area of the city adjacent to a more famous rival – Brunel’s SS Great Britain. In 2007 the derelict hulk was bought by the Bristol Beer Factory and converted into a floating pub, with a dining bar above and a function room below. Nudged over to the other bank to a permanent mooring, it now overlooks Brunel’s marine masterpiece.

The Grain Barge is no gimmick; it was voted best bar in Bristol within a year of opening. The real ales on offer are all supplied by the Bristol Beer Factory, who are based in nearby Ashton. They began life in 2003 when a local architect bought the 100-year-old Ashton Gate Brewery and decided to resurrect production on the site. They have five core beers with a few seasonals, one of which (a 5.2% ESB called Exhibition) was on the night I visited the barge. Their regulars are Bristol Gold, Bristol Red, Milk Stout, No7, and Sunrise. The Milk Stout is multi-award-winning, but sadly wasn’t around when I was (although their Bristol Stout was) – with a tough choice I went for the Autumnal flavours of the No7 bitter and then the Bristol Red.

No7 (4.2%) is a premium best bitter – surely the most British of beer styles, and one which is perfect for a slightly chilly October evening. The BBF website states it goes brilliantly with food – and the £7 ‘pie and a pint’ deal was too good to pass up. Unfortunately the No7 was poured totally flat, the lovely dark chestnut colour untroubled by any trace of a head. That said, it was quite fantastic – the classic Fuggles aroma paired very well with the Challenger hops on the palate, and with the slight traces of ripe fruit, vanilla and toffee in the aftertaste, it was seriously drinkable, at a perfect session strength.

Bristol Red – or just Red (3.8%) was, as expected, darker ruby in colour than the bitter, and a bit spicier. Personally, I usually prefer bitters to red ales – and these two were no exception – but the Red was also very drinkable (and unlike the previous beer retained a decent head). It was sweet and caramelly, but with none of the cloying edges that some 80/- beers from up here in Scotland sometimes contain. Bramling Cross give the aroma to this one, instead of Fuggles, and I think impart a nicer smell as a result. Sadly after this second beer, it was time to leave – but if I ever find myself back in Bristol I’ll re-board the barge to try some more.

The Grain Barge, Bristol
Bristol Beer Factory