tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80534772672988209672024-03-06T00:22:56.965+00:00Beer JusticeSteve's Beer BlogThe Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.comBlogger425125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-78306978422038789252015-04-20T18:14:00.000+01:002015-04-20T18:14:29.685+01:00Reasons to be (Beer) Blogging - Part 8 - to acknowledge when breweries send beerAs I became established as a beer blogger my name moved up the list of respected industry commentators (if there is such a thing) and I started receiving occasional goodies through the post. Usually breweries with a new beer seeking a shout-out to a targeted audience. I always tried to share my opinions on-line - particularly if I liked the beer or its presentation. I would always try to share my opinion with the brewery if I did not.
As my blogging lapsed my name quickly dropped off the lists - as new bloggers came on the scene and after all it is expensive to mail out beer samples if all you are going to see is a couple of 140 character tweets to a couple of thousand maximum audience which was all I could really offer.<br />
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Now my blogging mojo is back, hopefully I can share my opinion on new beers as and when they cross my path.
Windsor & Eton Brewery and Shepherd Neame have stayed loyal to me and continue to send me great beers.<br />
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One favourite from last year was from "son of" <a href="http://www.webrew.co.uk">Windsor & Eton</a> that is <a href="http://www.uprisingbrewery.co.uk/">Uprising Brewery</a> set up by Kieran Johnson (son of W&E Paddy). Kieran, who works at W&E, showing the spontaneity of youth, wanted to push the boundaries of brewing, and has been given the opportunity by the oldies at W&E to set up another brewery brand and spend a few hours of his week coming up with something a little more edgy and different to the core Windsor beers.<br />
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The first beer, Treason, a 5/8% West Coast IPA, landed on my doorstep with no elaborate packaging at all, simply a plastic bottle of decanted keg beer, mailed out in the usual cardboard tube.<br />
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The bottle lay on my doorstep for the best part of a day and in my fridge for the best part of the following week. I suppose I was less than enthusiastic.<br />
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However once opened and poured into a pint glass, after savouring the powerful aroma of tropical fruits, it really did not touch the sides. It was one of the most memorable beers of last year. Mighty tasty !
I was fortunate enough to bump into Kieran at the recent London Brewers Market at Spitalfields and it was good to see that Treason was still being brewed and that it was just as enjoyable as that first plastic bottle. I believe it is now packaged in bottle and keg.<br />
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There are exciting things in store for Uprising Brewery, a summer offering coming soon and some exciting plans for an unbelievable Christmas trial (honestly, as "edgy" as craft beer can get) which I am very much looking forward to. Hopefully more soon !The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-38109855988005861792015-03-27T12:10:00.000+00:002015-03-27T12:24:00.757+00:00Reasons to be (Beer) Blogging - Part 7 - to promote a worthy causeThe wise man mentioned a<a href="http://www.beerjustice.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/reasons-to-be-beer-blogging-part-5-to.html" target="_blank"> couple of posts ago</a> was a gentleman called Yaser Martini who, at the time, was a partner at pub and restaurant estate agents, Fleurets.<br />
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Since then, and more recently, Yaser and his family have been through a dreadful time. In late 2013 their 14 month old daughter, Margot, was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer and urgently needed a bone marrow transplant. The beer and pub industry supported a widespread, social media driven publicity campaign kicked off by Yaser to raise awareness for Margot and generally encourage people to join the register of bone marrow donors. A partial match was found and Margot received her stem cell transplant in early 2014. So often these sort of stories have a happy ending but in this case it was not to be. Despite encouraging improvements in her condition at times, it was so sad that Margot died in late 2014.<br />
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Since then, and to provide a lasting legacy to the memory of Margot, the Martini family have thrown themselves into publicising the fact that there remains an urgent need for people to become potential stem cell / bone marrow donors. Please take a few moments to have a look at the new charity, <a href="http://www.teammargot.com/" target="_blank">Team Margot, website</a> and consider whether you might be interested in joining that growing list.<br />
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It is simple and easy to put yourself on the register. Take a look <a href="http://www.teammargot.com/how-to-register" target="_blank">here</a> - there is a simple registration, you will be sent a 'do-it-yourself' swab kit in the post, rub the cotton bud on your cheek, post it back and you are on the UK register. As I understand it, if you are lucky enough to be selected as a match, the procedure is a simple one, slightly more invasive than giving blood and you are left with the overwhelming feeling that you have hopefully saved a life.<br />
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<a href="http://www.teammargot.com/how-to-register/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeO4yY_J77uMuBTxskgHEf4OaOOj1eB8DSFgYYFCILyLVsVVztkvnUFt2uks-PEXAX5oouZcqYHCw8nAkDiF8q6ANPvIqT0Hlr8XXPp1sdeywqK8124ohb8DWlQJneoxYhMRt3Rjpapkjs/s1600/REGISTER+HERE.png" height="320" width="310" /></a></div>
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There is no charge for registration though the charities who maintain the registers obviously rely mainly upon charitable donations. I am today sending a donation of £120 to Delete Blood Cancer to cover a handful of people who might wish to join the register on the strength of this blog posting.<br />
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This is my contribution for the @Tryanuary campaign - more about this in a future post.<br />
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<br />The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-42387244237587000912015-03-26T11:26:00.001+00:002015-03-26T11:26:54.061+00:00Reasons to be (Beer) Blogging - Part 6 - to publicise beery events<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A blog is a fine way to shout out about future beer events. Luckily nowadays there is plenty to do on the beer scene in London and always somewhere good to go to seek out good beer.</div>
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This blog generally promotes those places where I'll be going or events that I wish I could be at.</div>
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This Saturday, part of my weekend will be spent at the next <a href="http://www.londonbrewersmarket.com/" target="_blank">London Brewers' Market</a> at the <a href="http://www.oldspitalfieldsmarket.com/" target="_blank">Old Spitalfields Market</a> place in E1. The market provides an opportunity to meet some of London's leading and most talked about brewers and to sample their wares either buying beer to drink around the market or filling your bags to take home. </div>
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The day is organised by <a href="http://www.fivepointsbrewing.co.uk/" target="_blank">Five Points Brewery </a>who have encouraged at least 20+ other breweries to participate.</div>
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Oh, and it's also the <a href="http://www.independentlabelmarket.com/" target="_blank">Independent Label Market</a> if music and/or vinyl is your thing.</div>
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Those confirmed to take part so far are <a href="http://www.hopstuffbrewery.com/" target="_blank">Hop Stuff</a>, <a href="http://www.theredchurchbrewery.com/" target="_blank">Redchurch</a>, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/rockyheadbrewery/" target="_blank">Rocky Head</a>, <a href="http://www.webrew.co.uk/" target="_blank">Windsor & Eton</a>, <a href="http://www.uprisingbrewery.co.uk/" target="_blank">Uprising</a>, <a href="http://www.thelondonbeerfactory.com/" target="_blank">London Beer Factory</a>, <a href="http://www.beavertownbrewery.co.uk/" target="_blank">Beavertown</a>, <a href="http://www.fivepointsbrewing.co.uk/" target="_blank">Five Points</a>, <a href="http://www.partizanbrewing.co.uk/" target="_blank">Partizan</a>, <a href="http://www.redemptionbrewing.co.uk/" target="_blank">Redemption</a>, <a href="http://www.the-white-hart.co.uk/microbrewery" target="_blank">One Mile End</a>, <a href="http://www.clarkshaws.co.uk/" target="_blank">Clarkshaws</a>, <a href="http://www.signaturebrew.co.uk/" target="_blank">Signature</a>, <a href="http://www.camdentownbrewery.com/" target="_blank">Camden Town</a>, <a href="http://www.orbitbeers.com/" target="_blank">Orbit</a>, <a href="http://www.gipsyhillbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Gypsy Hill</a>, <a href="http://www.hackneybrewery.co.uk/" target="_blank">Hackney</a>, <a href="http://www.fourpure.com/" target="_blank">Fourpure</a>, <a href="http://www.wildcardbrewery.co.uk/" target="_blank">Wild Card</a> and <a href="http://www.sambrooksbrewery.co.uk/" target="_blank">Sambrook's</a>.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Declaring my past interest, I was the secretary of the London Brewers' Alliance until the end of 2013 and I was the winner of the London Ale Taster competition hosted by Old Spitalfields Market in 2010.</span></i></div>
The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-82732732324565667712015-03-12T14:00:00.000+00:002015-03-12T14:00:04.361+00:00Reasons to be (Beer) Blogging - Part 5 - to be a Beer MavenA while ago, a very wise man asked me to come to a meeting as he thought I was an "influencer" on the London beer scene. He had been reading a book called the Tipping Point - How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell and was trying to implement some of its teachings.<br />
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Since then the phrase Tipping Point has entered common usage to mean "that moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point". However the book itself seeks to explain in more detail how "ideas and products and messages and behaviours spread like viruses do". Gladwell describes The Tipping Point as "that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behaviour crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire".<br />
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The important section of the book from the perspective of this blog post is what Gladwell calls the Law of the Few, described as one of the agents of change in the tipping points of epidemics.<br />
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He suggests that the "success of any kind of social epidemic is heavily dependent on the involvement of people with a particular and rare set of social gifts". These people are described as follows :<br />
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<b><i>Connectors</i></b> - are the people in the community who know large numbers of people and who are in the habit of making introductions.<br />
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<i><b>Mavens</b></i> - are the information specialists, the people we rely on to connect us with new information. They accumulate knowledge, especially about the marketplace, and know how to share it with others. "Mavens start word-of-mouth epidemics due to their knowledge, social skills, and ability to communicate. They are really information brokers, sharing and trading what they know".<br />
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<i><b>Salesmen </b>- </i>are the "persuaders", charismatic people with powerful negotiation skills.<br />
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The book itself goes into much more detail about how these groups of people can help influence markets and move towards that threshold moment. If you wish to dig out some further detail, you can <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Tipping-Point-Little-Difference/dp/0349113467" target="_blank">buy</a> the book or at least read the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tipping_Point" target="_blank">wikipedia page</a> where I lifted most of this from or check out the <a href="http://gladwell.com/the-tipping-point/" target="_blank">Gladwell Tipping Point website</a>.<br />
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I continue to aspire to be a Beer Maven and a blog helps me in that development.<br />
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<br />The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-17190752977621055332015-03-11T14:44:00.000+00:002015-03-11T14:44:00.733+00:00Reasons to be (Beer) Blogging - Part 4 - to slag off CAMRAThe next reason to be beer blogging is to have a pop at <a href="http://www.camra.org.uk/" target="_blank">CAMRA</a>. This is something that every blogger must come back to at least once a year - if only to drive some traffic to the blog and comments. With my CAMRA activist background in the 2000's, the best I can do is the following piece which I wrote recently (winter 2014 issue) for <a href="http://www.chelmsfordcamra.org.uk/thirstytimes" target="_blank">CAMRA's Chelmsford branch newsletter</a> in response to previous articles by Tim Webb about Craft beer.<br />
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HAVE TO TALK ABOUT CRAFT BEER …</div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I admire the efforts of Tim Webb in the
<a href="http://www.chelmsfordcamra.org.uk/thirstytimes" target="_blank">last couple of issues of Thirsty Times</a> to raise the profile of “Craft Beer” on
the CAMRA agenda. It remains
embarrassing that CAMRA persistently champions any number of side issues, some
of which are not even relevant to beer, yet continually fails to recognize
good, tasty, British brewed beer, albeit served using modern (perhaps imported)
storage and dispense methods.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">However, we are not the Campaign for good and
tasty beer. We are the niche within a
niche that is the Campaign for REAL ALE and it is my honestly held belief that
we should be concentrating with added focus on our founding principles. Our message as a single-issue campaigning
voice would be much louder as a group of almost 200,000 real ale drinkers
shouting a simple message without the fog of other “campaigns”. Over time, our campaigning message has become
diluted by the decision to support a huge number of these related issues, from
cider to historic pubs, from public transport to foreign beer, from complaining
about short measures to moaning about levels of alcohol taxation and that’s
before I have a poke at so called Real Ale in a Bottle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Marking CAMRA’s 40<sup>th</sup> anniversary
in 2011, one of the Campaign’s founding fathers, Michael Hardman MBE, said “we
are the Campaign for Real Ale – we set out to safeguard that type of beer. If people think that pressurized or processed
beer is threatened, they can go away and set up the campaign for genuine
Australian lager brewed in Scunthorpe.
None of these beers needs any protection.” (Reference : Will Hawkes –
The Independent – blogs 23/9/11).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">If we are interested in traditional brewery
buildings, we can join the <a href="http://www.breweryhistory.com/" target="_blank">Brewery History Society</a>. If we like old pubs, there is the Pub History
Society. CAMAL used to be the Campaign
for Authentic Lager; the <a href="http://www.spbw.com/" target="_blank">Society of Preservation of Beer from the Wood</a> (SPBW) is
still going, and there are member groups of the <a href="http://www.ebcu.org/" target="_blank">European Beer Consumers Union</a> (EBCU)
that are active in most EC beer loving countries. The <a href="http://www.camrgb.org/" target="_blank">Campaign for Really Good Beer</a> (CamRGB) was
formed specifically to embrace all good beer.
APPLE is for cider drinkers (oh, hang on, that is a group within CAMRA
but you get my point). All are begging
for new members and all are interesting and worthy groups.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">But they have hardly any members and zero
influence, I hear you cry. Exactly my point! As CAMRA has grown it has transitioned from
being the voice of the real ale drinker to become the voice of the beer drinker,
nay the alcohol drinker in the recent face of neo-prohibitionists, solely
because it is the biggest, most successful, closely relevant, consumer group.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The message to promote fresh, tasty,
locally brewed real ale, in a variety of styles, served with a natural sparkle
at cellar temperature through a hand pump in a pub at a reasonable price is a
simple one that we are losing in the mist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Most members join CAMRA to campaign for
real ale – and don’t think that simply paying a subscription and supping the stuff
doesn’t count as campaigning – it does. Real
ale remains the type of beer that needs to be safeguarded. We might regularly drink craft keg beer or
take the occasional cider, we might often travel abroad on the quest for good foreign
beer, we may read a lot about beer, we all like pubs - old pubs, new pubs,
craft beer bars and brewpubs, we drink bottled beer and we pay our taxes. Perhaps we like red wine, gin and the odd whisky;
we may prefer good cheese, meat and bread.
Art or politics may be subjects that stimulate us or being sympathetic
to any number of charities and other worthy causes but our individual
campaigning – and the issue that still gets me most excited and passionate - is
for real ale – and real ale alone.
Simples !<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Quoting Hardman again, this time from the
pages of the Campaign newspaper, What’s Brewing, in December 2011 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">“ I’m still happy that the core idea is
there but I’m a bit concerned that the Campaign is becoming a bit too
diversified. Everybody says single-issue
idea campaigns do not work, this is one that did work and why we should change
tactics I don’t know. Distractions like
the full pint campaign, for example, are irrelevant.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Perhaps you are not with me on this and you
may think that this particular horse has bolted. If so, and CAMRA is stuck with all of the
other hangers-on, then you may say we must avoid further embarrassment and
embrace so-called “Craft Beer”. It is
ridiculous to support a beer from Czechoslovakia or Germany and not give a
shout-out to nearly identical, good and tasty beers brewed in <a href="http://www.camdentownbrewery.com/" target="_blank">Camden</a>,
<a href="http://www.meantimebrewing.com/" target="_blank">Greenwich</a>, <a href="http://www.redwellbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Norwich</a>, <a href="http://www.lovibonds.com/" target="_blank">Henley</a> or dare I say, <a href="http://www.brewdog.com/" target="_blank">Aberdeenshire</a>. A niche within a niche within a niche. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">CAMRA’s policy making and your influence on
its future strategy and campaigning is an open book and a most transparent
process. If you agree with anything or
nothing that Tim or I have to say then I urge you to join the debate. It is a simple procedure to take a motion to
<a href="http://www.camraagm.org.uk/" target="_blank">conference</a> in Nottingham next April and let 800+ of the hardest of hardcore campaigners
debate the merits of proposed policy changes.
Alternatively, just rock up to conference, drink some great beers, meet
good like-minded people, join the debate and assert YOUR influence on YOUR
Campaign.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Cheers !<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-64563083384068506062015-03-10T14:23:00.000+00:002015-03-10T14:23:56.520+00:00Reasons to be (Beer) Blogging - Part 3 - to slag off BrewdogOne thing that epitomises the rise in on-line beer writing is the way that some fresh-thinking brewing companies have harnessed the support of the on-line community to help to grow their business.<br />
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The natural life of this fanbase creation is that there is an initial stage where everyone is climbing on the bandwagon saying everything from such and such a brewery is great and fine and dandy. Then a secondary phase as the mist clears and some of the actions by said company intended to stimulate debate, comment and outrage become over the top and folk start to be more critical. There follows a third stage where everyone realises that on balance most things the company does are for the greater good of the beer enthusiast.<br />
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A little simple perhaps, and by no means a detailed critique of the <a href="http://www.brewdog.com/" target="_blank">Brewdog</a> business model but on the right track for me personally.<br />
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I first came across the Brewdog fellas at Beer Exposed, a "before its time" craft beer tasting session held in London in 2008 - a year or so after Brewdog kicked off their journey.<br />
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I liked the guys, they were young, edgy and ambitious and making beers in a far off land that were slightly off the wall either packed with hops or aged in whisky casks. <br />
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I climbed on the band wagon, followed the beers, visited the bars as they opened, and bought shares in the first round of fanboy fund raising - now known as crowd funding.<br />
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I was never a real hardcore (sic) follower and there were some mishaps along the way. Notably a spat with CAMRA over attendance at GBBF, fallings out with the alcohol marketing watchdog, Portman Group and a firestorm with Diageo over a withdrawn award - all perfectly executed as far as Brewdog were concerned for optimum publicity - good or bad, it's all free marketing.<br />
<br />
I was also disappointed that Martin was not Mother Theresa but that is a different story that I can only pass on verbally. (Ask me if you see me).<br />
<br />
Personally I was also disappointed that the company stopped brewing cask ale as perhaps the most memorable of their beers in my opinion were the hard-to-find real ales - a cask Hardcore IPA in the Rake and an Alice Porter in the Falcon are particularly vivid in the great beers memory bank.<br />
<br />
Nowadays, I am firmly back in the fanboy camp - two bars have opened one bus ride away for me at Clapham Junction and Shepherds Bush - the home of my footie team too.<br />
<br />
The Brewdog beers are still of the moment and they now import some of the best beers in the world as well as showcasing some of London's finest. I will even take a pint of This Is Lager in a Wetherspoons.<br />
<br />
So, I can't quite bring myself to slag them off big time as was the so-called theme of this post. All I can say today is that I enjoyed a lovely Brewdog beer at the weekend, 8.7% full bodied, straw coloured, crisp, clean and dry, double IPA packed with Citra, Amarillo and Centennial hops. Very drinkable and moreish. A delight to take my mind off another poor result for the Superhoops.<br />
<br />
A fabulous beer and the only thing that offends me is its deliberately provocative name :<br />
<b><a href="http://www.brewdog.com/blog-article/a-restorative-beverage-for-invalids-and-convalescsents" target="_blank">Restorative Beverage for Invalids and Convalescents</a></b>. <br />
<br />
Come on fellas, it's not big and it's not clever ! You are (now) better than this.<br />
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<br />The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-39656633009378870272015-03-04T16:37:00.000+00:002015-03-04T16:37:41.735+00:00Reasons to be (Beer) Blogging - Part 2 - The British Guild of Beer WritersI like being a member of the <a href="http://www.beerguild.co.uk/" target="_blank">Guild</a> and would like to remain a member. For the sake of an annual membership fee of £40 it brings many privileges for the beer writer.<br />
<br />
As a member one receives many invitations to launch events, books to review and sometimes beer simply lands on one's doorstep. The camaraderie among members is excellent particularly given the fact that the competition for any professional rather than not-for-profit work is strong.<br />
<br />
The annual awards dinner has become the industry event of the year and there are other Guild events during each year designed to either improve one's writing standards or extend beer knowledge.<br />
<br />
I have been a member for a while, since the days when the learned scribes sneered over their quills at those who wrote online and for fun rather than food. I secured an invitation to join not for my blogging efforts but rather that I had some sort of overall responsibility for <a href="http://www.london.camra.org.uk/londondrinker" target="_blank">London Drinker magazine</a> (circulation 60,000+) as CAMRA's chair of London branches committee.<br />
<br />
Membership has since opened up to all of the country's beer media experts - journalists, authors, producers, cartoonists, web designers, photographers, illustrators or PR people and, dare I suggest, bloggers - "all share one thing in common, a love of beer and a desire to see its virtues communicated more effectively."<br />
<br />
Indeed, membership is now open to anyone who can show that they strive to meet the Guild's aims : "The <a href="http://www.beerguild.co.uk/" target="_blank">British Guild of Beer Writers</a> exists to improve standards of beer and pub communicating and to extend the public knowledge of, interest in, and support for, beer and pubs."<br />
<br />
I want to satisfy that requirement rather than be seen as a hanger on, a leech, a fanboy, freeloader or someone who would attend the opening of an envelope (which I would).<br />
<br />
Membership has recently changed to include entry level Associate membership maturing to Full membership as any new writer builds experience and a body of work.<br />
<br />
Although I have full membership as an existing member, I am keen to be seen as a full member and fully contribute to the system that rewards me so richly in the way of improved beer knowledge and appreciation.<br />
<br />
All Hail the Guild !<br />
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<br />The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-87843686541982943582015-02-28T11:24:00.000+00:002015-02-28T11:24:20.297+00:00Reasons to be (Beer) Blogging - Part 1 - The Beer Bloggers ConferenceWell, here goes. I am back in Blogshire and already feeling more worthy. It is nearly three years since my last post and although there are plenty of reasons why I lapsed, there are even more reasons why I am seeking to re-engage and I'm hoping to elaborate on those in the coming days. I am grateful to the 47 people who looked at my introductory post the other day and it will clearly be a long road back to the heady days of my prime (if indeed there ever were any).<br />
<br />
Firstly, and it gives me no real pleasure to admit it, but I must confess that the true catalyst for starting up the blog again is the <a href="http://www.beerbloggersconference.org/europe" target="_blank">European Beer Bloggers Conference</a> to be held in Brussels in August.<br />
<br />
The early booking window is closing on 28 February, I am really keen to attend and without the blog the doors are pretty much closed.<br />
<br />
The Beer Bloggers Conference is an initiative by <a href="http://www.zephyradventures.com/" target="_blank">Zephyr Adventures</a>, a travel company based in the USA, and the first event was held in London in May 2011. The 2-3 days of conference sprinkled with parties, pub crawls and beer tastings was predominantly great fun but also helped me see the influence that the beer blogger could have on the industry and really demonstrated to me the fact that breweries around the world were keen to build a better dialogue with influential consumers using the growing power of social media.<br />
<br />
The second year conference was held in Leeds. Just as much fun, enjoyed the conference part a little less, but a great social gathering. 2013 was held in Edinburgh and 2014 in Dublin both of which held less attraction for me being logistically more difficult to attend but I had also visited both cities in the recent past and I was less interested in the Scottish and Irish "Craft" scene (It's me fellas, not you !) - plus my blog had lapsed and I was out-of-the-game for a while, drinking less beer, staying in more and generally fed up.<br />
<br />
Then it was announced that the 2015 event would be held in Brussels and my attention was pricked. I am a Belgophile - love the country, love the beer and all that comes with it. I visit (usually with <a href="http://www.podgebeer.co.uk/" target="_blank">Podge's Beer Tours</a>) 2-3 times each year but have only scratched the surface of a small country. Each visit brings more - usually in the way of beer appreciation and knowledge.<br />
<br />
Take a look at the <a href="http://www.beerbloggersconference.org/europe" target="_blank">agenda, the additional excursions and the parties and pub crawls</a> and I defy you not to want to be a part of it. It has the makings of another memorable weekend and has the added bonus for me that I am back on the circuit feeling energised and bursting to go.<br />
<br />
So there you are. A little dull but a start. Going mobile with Ipad and iPhone may have killed my blog but the 2015 Beer Bloggers Conference has provided a big enough stimulus to get going again. The good thing about the conference is that it is not held until the end of August so there will be strong pressure to continue blogging for at least 6 month over which time I will hopefully start to get the hang again of what's hot and what's not.<br />
<br />
My original intention was to make this a longer post as part of <a href="http://www.boakandbailey.com/" target="_blank">Boak & Bailey's</a> #Beerylongreads project but I failed to remember how difficult and time consuming this game is so this will form part of a short series of "Reasons to be Blogging" posts over the next week or two. I hope you will find something you recognise within.<br />
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Cheers all !<br />
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<br />The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-73677508117918883832015-02-25T21:11:00.001+00:002015-02-25T21:11:04.602+00:00Am I a beer writer ?Does 140 characters count as beer writing ? This is currently the extent of my efforts and has been for some time - aside from a one-off 1,000 word piece in the latest Chelmsford CAMRA magazine spelling out my views (half in jest) on CAMRA and "Craft".<div><br></div><div>There are at least half a dozen reasons why that has to change which I intend to elaborate upon once I determine that this all actually still works.</div><div><br></div><div>In the meantime, forewarned is forearmed, I'm back in the game !</div><div><br></div><div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-49586441286530790522012-04-18T22:38:00.002+01:002015-02-28T12:06:55.191+00:00London City of Beer - CAMRATonight saw the launch of CAMRA's London City of Beer initiative celebrating London's pubs and beers with a beer and food matching event hosted by Roger Protz at the City, fullers pub , the Red Herring.<br />
<br />
During a summer when we are not allowed to mention the O word, the GM words or the LTT words for fear of offending the H word, we are left with promoting London as a City of Beer to celebrate the range of London brewed beers to visitors this summer.<br />
<br />
Luckily we now have over 24 breweries in London with a few more to come in the coming weeks. Hopefully there will be plenty of beer events to enjoy in the coming weeks.<br />
<br />
Check out www.<a href="http://www.londoncityofbeer.org.uk/">londoncityofbeer</a>.org.uk and www.<a href="http://www.londonbrewers.org/">londonbrewers</a>.org for more details.<br />
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Live blogging again, so forgive the typos, spelling, grammar,and formatting.<br />
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The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-89096987962206175852012-03-05T08:28:00.001+00:002015-02-28T12:07:59.398+00:00Podge Beer Tour - Live BloggingDay 5<br />
<br />
We are about to head off for home which is welcome as it has just started snowing in Aalst. However, before we reach the Eurotunnel for our 8pm train, we have much to cram in.<br />
<br />
First stop at 11 am will be the Rodenbach Brewery for a guided tour of the historic brewery and a tasting of their beers.<br />
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Second stop of the day is the In de Vrede cafe, home of the beers from the Westvleteren Abbey opposite. Rightly or wrongly, the Westvleteren 12 remains the top beer worldwide in the Ratebeer.com rankings and this cafe is pretty much the only place in the world you can try it. Better try the 8 and the blonde just to be sure too. <br />
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Final stop of the trip will be the Sint Bernadus Brewery whose beers have been compared favourably to those from Westvleteren and are more available. We will have a brewery tour and a full tasting in their picturesque tasting room overlooking their own hop fields.<br />
<br />
ETA Chelmsford is about 9.30pm for a final pint of best English ale and another night in the Travelodge before setting off for home tomorrow morning for a well earned rest.<br />
<br />
Hopefully I have provided a taster for how good the Podge's Beer Tours are. Well organised, efficient, friendly, good company, plenty of beer, bars and breweries in hard to find places, on the go for five full days.<br />
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Recommended ? Oh Yes !<br />
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The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-14669888657270113372012-03-05T08:06:00.001+00:002012-03-05T08:06:49.410+00:00Podge Beer Tour - Live BloggingDay 4<br />
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Day 3 ended rather messily, three more bars in the centre of Aalst, finishing with a sing song of ye olde English folk songs at midnight in the same bar I started the day in.<br />
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This resulted in day 4 beginning slowly with the hangover from hell.<br />
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Quick walk round the town and on the bus at 10am for the customary visit to the beer warehouse. Complimentary beers and buy as much as a grown man can reasonably carry.<br />
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Back on the bus for a ride to the Haacht Brewery Tap for a drop of the unfiltered yeast beer and away again to lunch at the Het Anker Brewery tap for a few of their beers including the liquorice infused Paasbeer, their Easter seasonal. Alas no brewery tours today as most are closed on Sunday.<br />
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Sustained we are on the bus again to another excellent beer cafe, In de Linde , with a beer list strong on Lambics and Geuze. <br />
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Final stop of the day is the specialist Lambic cafe, In de Verzekering Tegen de Grote Dorst who opened specially for our group. They are normally only open on Sunday lunchtimes but if you have never visited this place it is vital you get it on your list of places to visit if you like sour beer. <br />
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Their list of lambics, gueuze and krieks is as comprehensive as I have ever seen. Bring plenty of money if you want to try any of the long closed breweries aged beers though, they are as rare as hens teeth and priced accordingly.<br />
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As the 5 or 6 krieks that I tried over the course of the day blended and matured, my belly was spontaneously fermenting so I turned in early as we reached the hotel at about 9.30 while plenty of my travelling companions hit the town - again.<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBf0Xt7863Ekjh-hqPd4qpci90WDokurgTdWY4KYef6XcgwkMyMhPQT1f4WAbUXFtmDyxSr8OdVm9O52UGFbcXNpptjuCQpEwqgU0SgqxoeuEd0FWI5W2ujl127lSAMOHsY-QjVzfSqvk5/s640/blogger-image--2091541504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBf0Xt7863Ekjh-hqPd4qpci90WDokurgTdWY4KYef6XcgwkMyMhPQT1f4WAbUXFtmDyxSr8OdVm9O52UGFbcXNpptjuCQpEwqgU0SgqxoeuEd0FWI5W2ujl127lSAMOHsY-QjVzfSqvk5/s640/blogger-image--2091541504.jpg" /></a></div>The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-39839166951716135132012-03-03T06:45:00.001+00:002012-03-03T06:45:04.097+00:00Podge Beer Tour - Live BloggingDay 3<br />
<br />
Up bright and early to be ready for the bus at 9.30 to secure an early tour at the Cantillon Open Brewing Day followed by a chance to catch up with beer geeks from around the world at the Alvinne Craft Beer Festival.<br />
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The late afternoon and evening will see us travelling to three more bars/breweries visiting the Brouwerij Gaverhopke to try their Brun 12 followed by the brewery tap at Verhaege Brewery and lastly the unpretentious Cafe Casino, the tap for Cnudde Brewery planning to get back to Aalst at about 9pm in time to enjoy a couple of pubs on the town square.<br />
<br />
But first I have a date with a custard croissant followed by a sharpener in the Kastanjehof pub round the corner from the hotel which opens at the crack of dawn on a Saturday to refresh market traders and visitors. If you don't embrace these customs they will disappear and we will be left saying "remember when that pub used to open on a Saturday at 7am ?)." <br />
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I am doing my best to keep such quirky traditions alive.<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj60p0SzAuw_boswVxsPTWco8-Cl_Qt-owceHBD2rueVQ3bEUJLx_C1wxTLi2k5eOWwOpbsaMSFC3pjcDyt-aOAHoUfo06K5PDK_wA28zmw55qAr0p6FeeZk_P-j-x_s5wCM0Ra3lt05AcO/s640/blogger-image-204422565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj60p0SzAuw_boswVxsPTWco8-Cl_Qt-owceHBD2rueVQ3bEUJLx_C1wxTLi2k5eOWwOpbsaMSFC3pjcDyt-aOAHoUfo06K5PDK_wA28zmw55qAr0p6FeeZk_P-j-x_s5wCM0Ra3lt05AcO/s640/blogger-image-204422565.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtggiVVKjYyESb-65oipYSVwtVAfxhe_b98uhWK19R1vSi6A8hCMeh9EDwJHRPHWeqIk-4KjrrYlyPa8LZnswd1-lt0EJz2k0EIAismGVRPT24u9xn2rc_tcI_p-jLZaUnX4i7d4v2Ct8/s640/blogger-image--1703850842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtggiVVKjYyESb-65oipYSVwtVAfxhe_b98uhWK19R1vSi6A8hCMeh9EDwJHRPHWeqIk-4KjrrYlyPa8LZnswd1-lt0EJz2k0EIAismGVRPT24u9xn2rc_tcI_p-jLZaUnX4i7d4v2Ct8/s640/blogger-image--1703850842.jpg" /></a></div>The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-74510869429950144022012-03-02T22:19:00.001+00:002012-03-02T22:19:27.656+00:00Podge Beer Tour - Live BloggingDay 2<br />
<br />
Strewth, massive day of beer !<br />
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Custard croissant - always a good start to a day in Belgium and on the bus at 10 towards Dupont Brewery for 11.30.<br />
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A history of the brewery followed by a tour of the new brewery, a couple of beers, Moinette blond and brun, both 8.5% just to get us going. A quick Dupont Saison on draught or a bottle of their rare stout at the Caves Dupont pub over the road and back on the bus to get to Dubuisson Brewery for 1.45pm.<br />
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A meal complete with prunes in the beef stew,always a good sign, a pint (sorry 50 cl) of Wit from their Troll microbrewery followed by a brewery tour and tasting of another five beers,including the 12% Bush beer that the brewery is famous for and the Prestige,an equally strong beer aged in cognac barrels.<br />
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Long session here but back on the bus to reach Quintine Brasserie for 6.30.<br />
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A tasting platter of four beers here including the excellent Hercules Stout. There is a chance you will find a picture of me enjoying myself on Facebook though my notes from here on are patchy.<br />
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Final stop, 8pm is Brasserie Slagmuylder (sp?) for more beef stew, and a glass of the Dubbel and the Trippel (Pater Witcap) before turning<br />
in for the night.<br />
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Hotel for 10.30, though again the hard liners are on a late night bar crawl.<br />
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I am settling down early anticipating another big day tomorrow.<br />
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The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-83288011988329854772012-03-01T20:52:00.001+00:002012-03-01T21:04:46.759+00:00Podges Tour - Live BloggingDay 1<br />
<br />
6.15am start from the Woolpack. Stop for a coffee at the terminal and on the 9.20 Chunnel. <br />
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First stop at noon is Struise Brewery. An old school house where Urbain and his team give brewing talks and have a trial brew plant; the main brewery being a few miles down the road. A quick Struise Witte and, thanks to me asking too many questions, not really enough time to try the Pannepot or the other big beers that have given Struise an international reputation so quickly.<br />
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Back on the bus for a 1.30pm lunch at t'Rusteel a cafe with 300 strong beer list but now with Gulden Spoor Brewery next door. A steak and a home brewed IPA beer but the highlight is my eagle eyed spot the Boskeun from de Dolle Brewery, their Easter beer, blonde, tasty but a mighty 10%.<br />
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Back on the bus and a short ride for a 4.30pm visit to a bar with a 400 strong list, Heeren van Liederkercke. The list is pretty strong on sour beers, so my choices were a Cantillon Lambic on draught and a Hanssens Oedbeitje, a strawberry steeped lambic.<br />
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Quick check in to the Keizershof Hotel in Aalst at around and round the corner at ten past to the local pub, Kastenjehof. A straightforward, fairly small beer list but a Rodenbach Grand Cru, an Affligem Paters Vat and one of the Worlds greatest beers, Rochefort 10, at an unbeatable €3 set off the day perfectly.<br />
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I am sure some of the travellers are giving it large at bars in the main square or the hotel bar. For me that is something for another night as I am turning in early to write this blog.<br />
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Bring on day 2.<br />
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I am just about to embark on my fourth Podge Beer Tour and a few people have asked recently whether the trips are good. Short answer : yes. Long answer follows over the next five days.<br />
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Best of Belgian is a five day trip, four nights. The cost is £420 plus a single supplement of £120 if you have no companion and prefer not to share.<br />
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The biggest logistical problem (for me at least) is that the tours leave at 6.15am from Chelmsford. (there are collection points at Colchester, Ipswich and Folkestone but if you are not an Essex Boy it necessitates a stop over . Luckily there is a £19 a night Travelodge five minutes from the departure place (and a twenty minute walk from the station). ( I generally take another night at the end of the trip too. Although the intended time back into Chelmsford is about 9.30pm in good time for a train back to London, an extra Travelodge night gives a leisurely journey home the next morning).<br />
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It is only £13 return (with a network card discount)from Liverpool Street to Chelmsford but this off peak ticket does not allow travel between 4.30 and 6.30pm. I prefer to travel early, get a few pints in and a bite, and an early night in anticipation of the early start.<br />
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I am writing this post from the Queens Head, Crouch Vale Brewery's only pub and about 15 minutes walk from the hotel. Great beers (3 CV and 3 guests), the crackle of a real fire and a warm welcome. The 3.6% Essex Boys Bitter is a great start to the weekend but I feel that twice CBOB winner, Brewers Gold, is calling. (no evening food here).<br />
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On the night before the trip, it is important to acquaint myself again with the Woolpack as this Greene King pub (with guest ales) is tomorrow's 6.15am departure point but only a five minute walk from the Travelodge.<br />
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The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-48591258440316698712012-02-29T12:12:00.012+00:002012-02-29T12:51:20.941+00:00European Beer Bloggers Conference 2012There had to come a time when I dipped my toe back into the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">blogosphere</span> and escape from a self imposed winter hibernation to start posting here more regularly.<br /><br />The eagle eyed among readers (assuming anyone is still dropping by after a three month hiatus) will have noticed that I have recently included a participant badge for the <a href="http://beerbloggersconference.org/europe/">European Beer <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Bloggers</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Conference</span> 2012</a>.<br /><br />The 2011 conference held in London really was one of the stand-out beer events of the year. Re-read some of the details that I wrote at the time <a href="http://beerjustice.blogspot.com/2011/06/beer-bloggers-conference-pilsner.html">here</a>, <a href="http://beerjustice.blogspot.com/2011/06/beer-bloggers-conference-molson-coors.html">here</a>, <a href="http://beerjustice.blogspot.com/2011/06/beer-bloggers-conference-wells-youngs.html">here</a>, and <a href="http://beerjustice.blogspot.com/2011/06/beer-bloggers-conference-fullers.html">here</a> . Fantastic !<br /><br />The 2012 event will be held in Leeds from 18 - 20 May (That is Yorkshire, aka God's Own - though I am trying to leave my prejudices in London. Remember, it is I who thinks that the "North" starts at Hammersmith Bridge !)<br /><br />The conference fee is paid (£100 or so, which can be recoverable under the <a href="http://beerbloggersconference.org/europe/scholarship-ebbc-leeds/">Molson Coors Scholarship</a> )<br /><br />Hotel is booked. Internet rate is about £50 a night at the Met Hotel, Leeds where the conference is being held. Delegate rate at same hotel is slightly higher but includes breakfast and is cancellable. Other hotels nearby range from about £35 per night upwards.<br /><br />Cheap train tickets are coming on line. I booked London to Leeds for about a tenner and am waiting for the return advance fares to be released.<br /><br />If this event reaches anywhere near the heights of last year's conference, I cannot recommend it highly enough.<br /><br />Whether you blog in 140 characters or 1,000 words and pictures daily, this is for you. Everyone is welcome !<br /><br />To my mind the three days and nights are mainly social; if we learn anything about blogging or bloggers that will be a bonus.<br /><br />I look forward to seeing old friends and new in the frozen North - Oops :)The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-26558126107927976742011-12-02T10:02:00.012+00:002011-12-02T10:57:58.521+00:00London Beer - A Tipping PointThe London beer scene reached a tipping point last night as pretty much every award at the <a href="http://www.beerwriters.co.uk/">British Guild of Beer Writers </a>dinner was scooped by a London based journalist or beer writer.<br /><br />After a marvellous beer matched dinner the evening started its nod towards the Capital when it was announced that Evin O'Riordain from <a href="http://thekernelbrewery.com/">Kernel Brewery </a>was named the Beer Writers, Brewer of the Year. Evin launched his brewery in the railway arches of Bermondsey about two years ago and has never looked back, picking up award after award. His bottled IPAs, stouts and porters are unbeatable and the recognition is well deserved.<br /><br />A few moments later, as <a href="http://desdemoor.co.uk/">Des de Moor </a>picked up the next award for his London's Best Beer, Pubs and Bars Guide, it was becoming clear that it was going to be a night for London and I was on my feet leading a chorus of "maybe it's because I'm a Londoner !"<br /><em>Those around me might say I was not leading a chorus, merely shouting incoherently like a drunk on the tube. I couldn't comment. Suffice to say my delight was becoming boisterous</em><br /><br />There quickly followed prizes for <a href="http://www.pencilandspoon.com/">Mark Dredge </a>for his work on beer and food, the corporate communications award went to honorary cockney, <a href="http://petebrown.blogspot.com/">Pete Brown</a>, Mark Charlwood (sp ?) won silver in the on-line category for his <a href="http://www.beerbirrabier.com/">beerbirrabier blog </a>and the gold was scooped by <a href="http://zythophile.wordpress.com/">Martyn Cornell</a>, London's eminent beer historian. <a href="http://www.retailinsider.com/">Glynn Davis </a>won an award for trade press and the Beer Writer of the Year was once again, <a href="http://www.dwink.com/">Ben McFarland</a>.<br /><br /><strong>A clean sweep for London !<br /></strong><br />(Not quite true as <a href="http://www.beerbeauty.co.uk/">Marverine Cole </a>took a gong for regional work and <a href="http://maltworms.blogspot.com/">Adrian Tierney Jones </a>took a prize for his work on national newspaper reviews. I hope they will both allow me to gloss over their achievements as I relish the fact that London is back.)<br /><br />Only a couple of years ago, the London beer scene was on its knees. Our breweries were closing, flats were replacing pubs and cities like Derby and Sheffield were leading the vanguard of the microbrewery and craft beer scene. Beer lovers in London were forlorn and the rest of the nation was puzzled as we took comfort in championing each new micro that opened. Every one was a winner, Sambrook's, Redemption, Kernel, Camden Town et al. Every one well received.<br /><br />A few pubs started changing, Cask, Craft, Rake, Southampton, Butcher. I don't have to name them all. Each and every one becoming a destination boozer.<br /><br />My latest list of London brewpubs, micros, craft and family brewers now numbers 28 operating or coming very soon.<br /><br />The London beer scene is back and vibrant and I am chuffed as punch !<br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">(Apologies if I have any of the names or awards incorrect, or if I have missed anybody. My delight for London was only matched by my love for the great beers provided by the sponsors, <strong>Molson Coors, Fullers, Adnams, Brains, Thwaites, Shepherd Neame and Budweiser</strong>. My recollection and random notes are not 100% clear)</span></em><br /><br />Thanks also to <a href="http://www.blacksheepbrewery.com/">Black Sheep Brewery </a>who invited me to the event as their guest and for their warming Black Sheep Imperial Russian Stout which was supposed to be taken home but never got beyond the coffee - delicious.The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-21237290990760142872011-11-29T09:25:00.006+00:002011-11-29T09:48:06.771+00:00Christmas Star Award - Ales by MailI have been asked by the senior elf at Ales by Mail to give a shout out for their latest imaginative way to put something back in at this busiest time of the year :<br /><br /><em><strong>Nominate your Christmas Star</strong><br /><br />As 2011 will soon be drawing to a close, Ales By Mail would like to take this opportunity to recognise that a lot of people have had a hard year - be it from unemployment, financial problems, sickness and so on.<br /><br />Despite this however, the people of the UK shine through, volunteering for charities, working hard to support their families well, or maybe just being there for a friend in need.<br /><br />We'd like to hear your stories about people who've done something this year that deserves a special treat (it will be ale, naturally, so no under 18's please!<br /><br />Visit <a href="http://www.alesbymail.com/stars">www.alesbymail.com/stars </a>and fill in the form with details of your nominee. <br /><br />You can nominate anyone you like (except yourself!), a friend, relative, co-worker, or anyone you think deserves a surprise, and would appreciate real ale of course.<br /><br />If your nominee is chosen, we'll get in touch with you for delivery details of your nominee, and a surprise package will make its way direct to them in time for Christmas!<br /><br />Nominate your Christmas Star now! <a href="http://www.alesbymail.com/stars">www.alesbymail.com/stars</a></em>The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-64660897958029289242011-11-16T11:30:00.003+00:002011-11-16T11:42:10.823+00:00Foraging with a BadgerWhen you're a delinquent blogger who hasn't posted for weeks there is always something nagging your conscience to make sure the blog is not consigned to history -be it a great day out, a memorable beer or a new book to tell people about.<br /><br />As long ago as the middle of September I was invited for a day of foraging with the lovely folk at <a href="http://www.hall-woodhouse.co.uk/">Hall and Woodhouse Brewery</a>. I was unsure what relevance this had to beer and as it turned out very little but a good time was had by all.<br /><br />Here are some of the things I learnt on that day :<br /><br />The day began at Weymouth, Chesil Beach with a glass of Forager's Nip and a chocolate brownie made with <a href="http://www.badgerales.com/">Badger</a>, Poacher's Choice beer. A heady start to a the day.<br /><br /><em>{Forager's Nip : fill a jar with blackberries, top up to half way with sugar, fill with whisky, shake once a day for a week, store in a dark place for a year. Simples !}<br /><br /></em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVG1UQJcXMscldbVTfkgbH5sXKs6pTs5_64gNMrtWWPgFWcl01H7z3Nv-iClhSGST3q3ooH1otk866YjnhLbjMytmyHsUeOvki18qqJ_8Qv2r8etLzQ8wqvMHbZ52QBLO9NVgP90AK2hYA/s1600/20110915badgerforage009.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675539003829773586" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVG1UQJcXMscldbVTfkgbH5sXKs6pTs5_64gNMrtWWPgFWcl01H7z3Nv-iClhSGST3q3ooH1otk866YjnhLbjMytmyHsUeOvki18qqJ_8Qv2r8etLzQ8wqvMHbZ52QBLO9NVgP90AK2hYA/s320/20110915badgerforage009.jpg" border="0" /></a> Armed with a pair of scissors and a tub of salt you can gather a feast by the seashore.<br /><br />It pays to be with an expert and we were accompanied by <a href="http://www.wild-food.net/page/home">John Wright </a>who is the country's leading authority on wild food.<br /><br />Check out his book, Edible Seashore, which is part of the River Cottage Handbook series - a practical guide to foraging for the rich pickings to be found on Britain's seashore.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcjkpJuP4ptN8QKY2kpXiyQsSkvDHbMXGNbie95OdxJDNl7km5vQvpp7LUKW8BeaLm0gb1-g9Ux93tSJ-Rjg7vGL6ST5patzovDMxuP_zu1kFyH4-2eJwDmjLOfMoO_BNdW7bsH2bmL0NG/s1600/20110915badgerforage029.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675540618433231282" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcjkpJuP4ptN8QKY2kpXiyQsSkvDHbMXGNbie95OdxJDNl7km5vQvpp7LUKW8BeaLm0gb1-g9Ux93tSJ-Rjg7vGL6ST5patzovDMxuP_zu1kFyH4-2eJwDmjLOfMoO_BNdW7bsH2bmL0NG/s320/20110915badgerforage029.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After a morning gathering Marsh Samphire, Wild Thyme, Sea Beet and Wormwood it was time for lunch.<br /><br />On the strength this quick lunch the food at the <a href="http://www.crabhousecafe.co.uk/">Crab House Cafe </a>now has my hearty approval and a mental note is made to revisit sometime.<br /><br /><br />Badger England's Own with its white grape and elderflower flavors was a delicious accompaniment to the meal - going especially well with a fresh raw oyster farmed on-site.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNG7ywfEKJ8qzl2DPZd_uhycv2wZzolJVdNheIMHHjRbJRxoDkwXr1qEQfIufYNabJovldFn7FLHHGHT_ElIgsv11KT6vAW9Mqe3ugIfDrz5M2rUFiREe0QV7I1Yew-OCrLyZV0BLlv1c8/s1600/20110915badgerforage060.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675545439324007362" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNG7ywfEKJ8qzl2DPZd_uhycv2wZzolJVdNheIMHHjRbJRxoDkwXr1qEQfIufYNabJovldFn7FLHHGHT_ElIgsv11KT6vAW9Mqe3ugIfDrz5M2rUFiREe0QV7I1Yew-OCrLyZV0BLlv1c8/s320/20110915badgerforage060.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Included for aesthetic purposes only. You can take the boy out of West London .....<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mwuscQyggEWAJE3ZV8j7aIdChMzDMNdJJch3LNshVVEYPJxYbOtAeM7_OI1wKrjJpp4tyqBquI0bcbaSvqyqU-6744iBga0ED2XsHql0OXezYjuo1j9GZTce5WCe5JwwQ__R6yywYFkg/s1600/20110915badgerforage062.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675546541749241682" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mwuscQyggEWAJE3ZV8j7aIdChMzDMNdJJch3LNshVVEYPJxYbOtAeM7_OI1wKrjJpp4tyqBquI0bcbaSvqyqU-6744iBga0ED2XsHql0OXezYjuo1j9GZTce5WCe5JwwQ__R6yywYFkg/s320/20110915badgerforage062.jpg" border="0" /></a>To forage for razor clams visit the tidal waters as the tide is coming in, look for two small holes in the sand, pour in some table salt and the clam will poke his head up.<br /><br />Grab the head, hold and he will release himself from the sand.<br /><br />Put him in your pot for your feast later.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-610Reti1Rgbg-XqTZ3_fSDfZhAkqhV5GvW0h5gDTK2ULuWHO7B3RefBY_7pUBrzRUfsTfFziaV6TA-feJn5yEMvknqxYewxLdoggpl91juGinPSf4v2U7i7zrZJQel3wsAl0aAiL2V4/s1600/20110915badgerforage137.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675548275115004738" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-610Reti1Rgbg-XqTZ3_fSDfZhAkqhV5GvW0h5gDTK2ULuWHO7B3RefBY_7pUBrzRUfsTfFziaV6TA-feJn5yEMvknqxYewxLdoggpl91juGinPSf4v2U7i7zrZJQel3wsAl0aAiL2V4/s320/20110915badgerforage137.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />If you rely on your foraging efforts for sustenance you are going to be hungry.<br /><br />Even the lone crab found in the pots that John had previously set in the waters did not really make a meal for eight though it was great fun getting the stove out and cooking it all up on the beach. No beer to go with it unfortunately (#PRfail)<br /><br />This proved to be a good starter before the delicious meal that had been laid on at our hotel <a href="http://www.thebullhotel.co.uk/">The Bull in Bridport</a> - <em>again this place has my recommendation and I hope to revisit sometime</em>.<br /><br />Copious amounts of Badger beers in the splendid company of Mark Woodhouse and his brewing team made a perfect end to the day.<br /><br /><br />Now, here's some of the really important stuff I discovered on the day :<br /><br />Hall & Woodhouse have just invested almost £5 million in a new brewery, largely funded by the sale of some land to the side of a pub in Horsham. The brewery is just about finished and will be brewing the range of badger beers imminently. A significant once-in-a-lifetime investment and demonstrable proof of a family's continued commitment to the UK brewing industry.<br /><br />I am often confused by the range of <a href="http://www.badgerales.com/">Badger beers </a>so now I have an aide-memoir. Here is yours :<br /><br />First Gold (best bitter, malty, orange and spicy)<br />Tanglefoot (stronger with hints of melon and pear character)<br />Fursty Ferret (tawny, amber ale with delicate hop)<br />England's Own (white grape and elderflower)<br />Golden Glory (peach and melon)<br />Golden Champion (hint of elderflower)<br />Hopping Hare (refreshing, hoppy and well balanced)<br />Blandford Flyer (ginger)<br />Poacher's Choice (dark with licorice and damson)<br /><br />Thanks to <a href="http://www.jamespeat.co.uk/">James Peat </a>for the photography.<br /><br />Thanks to all at Badger for their hospitality.The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-18249445476434068132011-11-01T08:30:00.003+00:002011-11-01T08:40:50.720+00:00London Beers come to Egham<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXoA8y7tTYVf_13rXxZr3-m8H-fax2eLe9JIhWVoghbvzZ6T8OjSLIbjA7SwnJAtG-YsCPz2OGunqjnnNOMfY6aFS1SLoL4FrNyODADrP3dGU9RhsFPCma4gTIrVL3H20z76TNA9lGsFe/s1600/DSC_6816beermonsterssmall.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669938609350907810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXoA8y7tTYVf_13rXxZr3-m8H-fax2eLe9JIhWVoghbvzZ6T8OjSLIbjA7SwnJAtG-YsCPz2OGunqjnnNOMfY6aFS1SLoL4FrNyODADrP3dGU9RhsFPCma4gTIrVL3H20z76TNA9lGsFe/s400/DSC_6816beermonsterssmall.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I received a polite bollocking recently from Bob (the Binman) Inman, one of the organisers of the Egham United Services Club Beer Festival because I had failed to give a shout-out for their last beer festival in the Summer.<br /><br />The truth was that I generally don't publicise an event if I am not planning to attend. Apart from a jam packed diary that week, personally I had also found the beer list a little too focused on new breweries and pandering to the beer ticker community who love finding beers from new breweries.<br /><br />Now I have nothing against the beer ticker, honestly some of my best friends tick beers, it's just that I find, with a handful of notable exceptions, that new breweries take a while to bed-in and I generally prefer beers from the tried and tested.<br /><br />Fresh out of their Brewlab courses and after the stresses and strains of actually getting the brewery commissioned, it takes a few recipes, a lot of customer and pub feedback, practice with the equipment, and choices of ingredients before the beer really hits the spot. Some of the brewed-on-a-farm-in-a-bucket brigade never get there but most new brewers will quickly be brewing some good tasty distinctive beers.<br /><br />I have just taken a look at the list for this week's event and confirm that I am on the case and am keen to recommend a visit to others. Two of my favourite breweries appear again. There are Five beers from Ascot Ales including two from their 8% Last of the Blue Devils range - a cassis and an aniseed. Two special beers appear from Windsor & Eton, a version of the Conqueror dark IPA, this one with added Whiskey plus the very last cask of the special 7.5% version of the same beer. I am not going to miss these.<br /><br />However, the main reason for attending, and notwithstanding my comments above, is to try again the range of beers from many of London's newest breweries.<br /><br />Research, research, research !<br /><br />The bars will have the very newest London beers, from The Botanist brewpub on Kew Green (7 beers), By the Horns Brewery in Wimbledon (3), Camden Town's latest offerings (2), beer from East London Brewing (1), London Fields Brewery (2), Moncada Brewery (3) and Redchurch (1). All this plus the London Brewers Alliance collaboration IPA the brewing of which I was lucky enough to take part in.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHEgwq2QRU2Cf3CHdpaNDwLCLt6c4Wl7M9kKKjJRCH_DYjcDNLVWJKq60hvfy01EAajHmP3hqJH_jIj2VDymzvy_yOYYfdglI03tE6JbVGauJ57YvkQEGdkZbvzjbxpY74yY-E56hiumG/s1600/DSC_6788SteveWilliamsemptysqsmall.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669938888923775586" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHEgwq2QRU2Cf3CHdpaNDwLCLt6c4Wl7M9kKKjJRCH_DYjcDNLVWJKq60hvfy01EAajHmP3hqJH_jIj2VDymzvy_yOYYfdglI03tE6JbVGauJ57YvkQEGdkZbvzjbxpY74yY-E56hiumG/s320/DSC_6788SteveWilliamsemptysqsmall.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Finally, and probably the most important reason to attend any event, Bob has reminded me with this photo record that I have a great time every time I visit Egham Club beer festivals.<br /><br />A warm welcome, fantastic hospitality and great beers. What more do you want on an unseasonably warm November eve.<br /><br />The festival happens from 3rd to 6th from 11am daily. More info <a href="http://www.eghambeerfestival.co.uk/autumn-2011">here</a>.<br /><br />See you there !The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-60783071346121415652011-10-11T11:48:00.001+01:002011-10-11T11:50:47.457+01:00Fuller's Vintage Ale - Vertical Tasting<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ERvJ21wVnv3fffty6-u2IyvxFwDssYpDbEb4MJjPGq7R6pwnQdCAbKCxkcwGXVDtvzIRi5CzzDotSiyoEKoaBo7fLo0nLVjZAfb905xz_tIJ7vgeP36aNibefPDfGD4VYpHnPGz844Os/s1600/CIMG2552.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662175295769029458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ERvJ21wVnv3fffty6-u2IyvxFwDssYpDbEb4MJjPGq7R6pwnQdCAbKCxkcwGXVDtvzIRi5CzzDotSiyoEKoaBo7fLo0nLVjZAfb905xz_tIJ7vgeP36aNibefPDfGD4VYpHnPGz844Os/s400/CIMG2552.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />There is plenty that I should be blogging about from recent beer drinking ahead of last night's event but I have to get this written down while it is fresh in my memory.<br /><br />A memorable evening spent in the company of the great and the good of the beer world, hosted by Fuller's senior executives in their Hock Cellar at the brewery, tasting all fifteen of the Vintage Ales from 1997 to the newly released 2011.<br /><br />This will be the last time that all Vintages are tasted in one sitting, partly because 15 beers (of 8.5%) in one evening is a stretch for most people but also some of the older Vintages are becoming really scarce. There are only forty bottles left of the 1998. It does not appear in my collection so if you have a bottle left you have a real collectors item.<br /><br />My beer cupboard : I know what I like ! (Missing 1998, 2001 and 2002)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8c2_3U5XyKs36efFIPRYbBDn82wlAvG6g4FNMsHd1NbpZR19dsDOXrO0hfcyR1EifPniiHXMMrpwtp8Y1ZeR6WDYiHaVll6hNzJNQRkfiHYkxJUIKalm17v82iHXfbbBjqbmDKw6K9z_S/s1600/CIMG2557.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662175289338071602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8c2_3U5XyKs36efFIPRYbBDn82wlAvG6g4FNMsHd1NbpZR19dsDOXrO0hfcyR1EifPniiHXMMrpwtp8Y1ZeR6WDYiHaVll6hNzJNQRkfiHYkxJUIKalm17v82iHXfbbBjqbmDKw6K9z_S/s400/CIMG2557.JPG" border="0" /></a> The scarce 1998 now has a savoury character with notes of chocolate and liqueur. it is very smooth with hint of calvados. This was the 14th beer we tasted and my notes are less coherent => "still really good" says it all for me.<br /><br />My favourite was the 2008 : less oxidised notes, a hint of cherry aroma, slightly more carbonated, still some fresh orange character and a really lovely smooth mouthful.<br /><br />It was a hard evening. Everyone seemed to have a different favourite but the consensus is that this is a beer that ages very well, from six months to fifteen years there is a a full range of flavour profiles and different ageing characteristics.<br /><br />Across the piece, each beer was identifiable as a Fuller's Vintage, largely due to the Fuller's yeast bringing its orange marmalade flavours to each beer. The ageing process brought something special to each beer. It is clear that ageing is not a linear process, peaking and then deteriorating; ageing changes the beers in a variable cycle over time. A beer that perhaps is a bit dull after say seven of eight years, can smooth out over the next two or three bringing back a sweetness and fruitiness that is part of the chemical change brought on by time alone. It was interesting to note that each beer still has a viable yeast count and a spritzy carbonation dispelling the myth that the yeast quickly dies in a bottle conditioned beer.<br /><br />It was enlightening to hear beer discussed in the same serious way that is evident at a vertical vintage wine tasting. This is one of the world's greatest beers and deserves its place at the top table being honoured and revered by beer lovers worldwide.<br /><br /><em>Fuller's Vintage is brewed each year using the finest ingredients from that vintage. It is based on the recipe for Golden Pride but is bottle conditioned in a numbered limited edition. Once in the bottle the flavours continue to develop over time. Many vintages are always available at the Fuller's Brewery shop and the current edition is usually on the shelf at Waitrose at around £3.50 a bottle. (Approx 50% is sold during each year and the remaining 50% bought in future year by collectors and enthusiasts).</em><br /><br />I must give a big thank you to Fuller's for their hospitality. The philosophy, standards and values of the company were at their most evident last night and fully deserve to be shouted about.<br /><br />Finally in the interest of open disclosure, I am now <a href="http://www.camra.org.uk/">CAMRA</a>'s Brewery Liaison Officer for Fuller's Brewery. It is no secret that I am a fan of Fuller's beers, being the nearest brewery to my home. Don't therefore be surprised to read more about them here in future.The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-48634731098615991562011-09-28T10:35:00.008+01:002011-09-28T10:42:58.873+01:00New beer videos - Carlsberg & CAMRAI came across two new beer videos this week. Both are really good and worthy of your attention.<br /><br />Firstly a new take on the "angry Hitler" video, this one is "angry CAMRA". First saw this on Reluctant Scooper blog so the link is to Simon Johnson's site : <a href="http://www.reluctantscooper.co.uk/2011/09/camra-downfall.html">www.reluctantscooper.co.uk</a><br /><br />The only thing missing here is "and they only joined because we gave them Wetherspoon vouchers !"<br /><br />Secondly this new Carlsberg advert has had over 2.5 million views in 5 days. It is viral marketing at its very, very best :<br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RS3iB47nQ6E?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-58105741196915419052011-09-21T08:30:00.001+01:002011-09-21T08:30:01.945+01:00Art By Offenders - Koestler Trust<strong></strong><br /><strong>Spoiler Alert : Not beer related</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUp5s-waNPIOoiscroLKXxkzsN-ksFMnNjnsy11i_Udhnj7JUNwABdrkExMdQNM0_tycUbj-jsxvPN0eM5-xF8vQ3zgJWiucL6K5iVE5mx5MjdnlBdtGnkfii4zP1QYpz4n-CjQhf3ttv/s1600/ktlogo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654368407486230754" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 272px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 95px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUp5s-waNPIOoiscroLKXxkzsN-ksFMnNjnsy11i_Udhnj7JUNwABdrkExMdQNM0_tycUbj-jsxvPN0eM5-xF8vQ3zgJWiucL6K5iVE5mx5MjdnlBdtGnkfii4zP1QYpz4n-CjQhf3ttv/s400/ktlogo.jpg" border="0" /></a>Earlier in the summer, I was chosen as one of the JP volunteer curators of this year's Koestler Trust annual exhibition showcasing Art by Offenders.<br /><br /><br />Each year the <a href="http://www.koestlertrust.org.uk/">Koestler Trust </a>hosts an awards competition of visual arts, film, music and writing by prisoners and others in secure settings.<br /><br />This year the competition attracted entries from UK prisons, secure hospitals, immigration detention centres, youth offending services, probation and British prisoners serving overseas. The total entry was over 7,000 pieces.<br /><br />My part in the process was to spend three weeks selecting about 150 pieces worthy of display from a total entry of visual arts of about 5,000. It was a real test of group decision making and selection by committee but I am really proud of the end result which is now available for all to see.<br /><br />The exhibition opens today at 1pm (21 September) in the basement space (Spirit Level) of the Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank, SE1 8XX. It is free to get in and runs until 20 November. Opening hours are 10am to 10pm. More details at <a href="http://www.koestlertrust.org.uk/">www.KoestlerTrust.org.uk</a><br /><br />Please drop in for a few minutes if you are passing through Central London or make a special visit. I know I am a bit biased but I guarantee you will be glad that you did.<br /><br />If anyone would like me to join their visit to give a curator's perspective, let me know. I would be glad to come if my diary is free - daytime or evenings.<br /><br />Finally, I can't resist putting a beer spin on this : Meantime bottles are available at the Royal Festival Hall bars and the Harp, CAMRA's national pub of the year is about a fifteen minute walk across the river. There is also a pretty good pub walk to be done nowadays along the Strand.The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8053477267298820967.post-10357124544121398772011-09-20T09:50:00.000+01:002011-09-20T09:55:05.722+01:00National Honey Show - Beer Category - Call for Entries<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyglaSgzwjZgT4gbZ7rRgXf8ydCAUVPRZP72DqnK2NyQSl6NUztzjCaF4KOyCjMxt1OIFY4oBbaCVpnVID7zPIpoOcpP5oqjurwJGh9epzZXvHcUhPA6MgHj9ttix8bXzH4wabxzhNPhfl/s1600/nationalhoneyshow.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654356236366347106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyglaSgzwjZgT4gbZ7rRgXf8ydCAUVPRZP72DqnK2NyQSl6NUztzjCaF4KOyCjMxt1OIFY4oBbaCVpnVID7zPIpoOcpP5oqjurwJGh9epzZXvHcUhPA6MgHj9ttix8bXzH4wabxzhNPhfl/s400/nationalhoneyshow.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The <a href="http://www.honeyshow.co.uk/">National Honey Show </a>will again be held at St George's College, Weybridge on 27th-29th October. There are over two hundred judging categories in the show from Jars of Honey (2) to Beeswax Candles (3) to Mead (Dry) and Honey Fruit Cake.<br /><br />For the last two years I have been one of the judges in the <strong>Honey Beer category</strong> and my reason for this post is to invite more brewers (and now home brewers) to consider entering the competition. Each year the competition has attracted between six and eight entries, so there is an excellent chance of scooping the Leslie Thorne Trophy.<br /><br />The only criteria for entry to the beer category (class 41) is that the <strong>beer shall be commercially available and honey must be an ingredient</strong>. The entry is 3 bottles or cans and the fee is £20.<br /><br />This year there is a new class for home and non-commercial brewers (class 42), <strong>Honey beer, any style, 2 bottles, minimum 330ml, not commercially available. Honey must be an ingredient</strong>. Entry fee is 50p.<br /><br />The committee at the National Honey show are all lovely people, as passionate about beekeeping as we are about beer. They would be delighted to increase the number of entries to further justify their inclusion of a (honey) beer category.<br /><br />My fellow judges, John Porter (left) and Tim Hampson (right) will also be delighted if the number of beers to taste increases !<br /><br />Melissa Cole is the fourth judge which is rather apt as Mel is the latin word for honey.<br /><br />For further details, entry forms and details of logistics of entering the competition, please contact John Hendrie, the entries secretary at <a href="http://www.honeyshow.co.uk/contact_entries_secretary.shtml">http://www.honeyshow.co.uk/contact_entries_secretary.shtml</a>The Beer Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14418201851697711865noreply@blogger.com1