Friday, 13 November 2009

22nd October - Burton - Coopers Tavern Autumn Beer Festival

My first visit to one of the beer festivals that take place at this wonderful venue and the choice didn't let me down.

Beers available included :

* Sarah Hughes Ruby Mild
* Blue Monkey Guerilla
* Thornbridge St Peterburg
* Tower Black Stout and Fros Brook
* Mallinson Oat Meal Stout
* Brown Cow Bowlocks Stout (sip)
* Milltown Mild
* Bass Bitter
* Woodlands Mild
* Bristol Beer Factory Sunrise
* Enville Ginger and Dragons Den
* Teme Valley Blond and North Down
* Oakham Baja 1000 and Xterminator
* Wem Cherry Bomb (not on)
* Leatherbritches Ginger Spice (sip - Lemon Grass Beer)
* Brewdog Hardcore
* High House Matten Magpie Ale
* Quartz Grun Gold
* Thornbridge Jaipur (sip) and Halcyon Epic
* Castle Rock Warbler
* Hopback English Hop Medley

The biggest challenge however wasn't deciding which beer to have next, rather it was deciding when was safe so we could dodge the flying blades used by the Ryknild Rabble rapper (sword and clog dancing) ensemble.

21st October - Burton Civic Society Talk - "Taste of Brewing"

Along with a small group from the Burton Beer Circle I joined some 30 interested people for a talk, hosted by the Burton Civic Society, by Dr Paul Hegarty who is the Head of Communications for Molsun Coors here in the UK.

Paul's talk covered :
  • how beer is made -he included a tale that the company received complaints after they started emphasising that they only used 100% British grain in their beers despite the fact they always had. He noted that areas where grain for beer making is grown are carefully chosen to be where there are low levels of rain fall as this help prevent problems during growing and harvesting. We were then offered round samples of different malts to get our teeth into to show the different types of grain (how they varied in colour, taste, etc) that are commonly used in British beers. Paul mentioned the brewing grew up in areas with good local water suppies e.g. Burton where the high levels of gypsum adds to the flavour associated with Burton and gave a water suited to brewing ales (as against soft water on the continent which is good for lager , etc.) Interesting that the water drawn from the wells around Burton originates in rain falling in the Matlock area and is estimated to take 20 years to find itas way to Burton. despite Burton being upon Trent they use well water and so were unaffected by the recent poison scare in the river.
  • tasting beer / health benefits- many of the different flavours we get in beers are down to the yeast that is chosen. Beer is likened to liquid bread and some interesting statistics are to be found on Milksucks.com including that 1l of beer provides 10% of daily protein requirements, 20% ish of the fibre. As ABV increases so do the calories but an average beer is only 19o calories as against 300 for a packet of crisps for example. It isn't the beer that make you fat, it what you eat with it (Ed's note - why does it make you hungry?)
On to tasting some of the beers Paul had brought along :
  • Coors Light - an American light ale
  • Golsch - a continental lager
  • Kasteel Cru Rose - an Alsace lager made with champagne and flavoured with Elderflower and Elderberries
  • White Shield - their classic IPA
  • Blue Moon - an Amercian craft beer (wheat beer) produced by The Blue Moon Brewing Company
Further bits of trivia - Carling originated in Canada.

In Elizabethen times there was an allowance of 2 gallons of beers per day for a woman.

Finally that whilst the duty on beer and whisky increases as the strength does this is not true for e.g. cider or wine.

After the talk, our party moved to the Coopers in a failed attamept to try some of the beers due on for the festival starting the next day but alas to no avail (except one!). Sampled there were Milton Mild from Howard Town brewery, as well as Guerilla from Blue Monkey.

17th October - Burton Auction and Bottle Swap

This was the inaugural get together for a subset of fellow members of the Midlands CBA. Early meetings of the CBA had included a chance to swap bottles but this practice was discontinued due to a range of issues not least of which was carrying them around the various pubs after the meeting. Whilst we do taste beers at the CBA meetings, it is often difficult to get an overall impression based on a small sample and it was felt better to experience a full pint and report back. Also taking the beers away for later sampling removes the problem of others' comments affecting one's own judgement. More details on the beers I'm judging (if that's the word - its not a competition after all) will follow in later entries.

On to the rest of the day.

The main reason for choosing this date was that it coincided with the national breweriana auction. I chose to arrive even earlier and sample the breakfast in Big Macs café. Choosing the Brunch option at £4 plus a large mug of tea at 70p appeared the best option and indeed filled the gap well (must try the monster option at some stage.)

On to the auction arriving shortly before viewing was due to commence and a quick tour in exchange for the £2.50 catalogue was in order. A large range of lots was on offer but nothing that fitted the joint requirements of (1) being desirable and (2) easily transportable on the train.

Time to meet up and arriving shortly before opening at the Devonshire I was met by Mike and thence the others. Inside beers sampled were Burton Bridge Porter (makes a change for me in Burton!) followed by their Golden Delicious.

We also discussed various beer related matters (see to do section at end.)

We then moved on to the Coopers where I had time to sample Tatttnang Red from
Downton.

I off-loaded (sold) the auction catalogue to a colleague and time to go to start the process of watching some paint dry.

To do

1) Ernie - what's the name of the olde worlde pub near Ashbourne - Answer Yew Tree At Cauldon (ST10 3EJ)

2) Also for Ernie - list of pubs in Walking distance of Burton railway station.

3) Identify dates for similar event in February (Saturday) for Greg

14th October - Burton Beer Circle

The would turn out to be the first of four beer related trips to Burton in just over 1 week, and on this occasion was for the October get together of the Burton Beer Circle. Traditions went out of the window with the Devonshire not doing food so I found myself on a bench near the college eating some rather wonderful fish and chips.

Meeting up in the Coopers I went for Hopback Entire Stout. Other beers available that night included Bass, Oakham Bishops Farewell, Worthington E and Red Shield but the rest of the evening was taken up with samples of the member's attempts at cloning Thornbridge Jaipur most of which were wonderful beers but all so different.

SH who was chairing advised us that there was a talk the next week on the tastes of brewing so some of us decided we would attend (see later entry.)

On the way back to the station, there was time for a shift half of Burton Ale in the Roebuck (Burton Ale House.)

9th October - New Real Ale venues around Birmingham City Centre

"I'll save time" I thought on arrival at New Street Station and purchase a Centro Day ticket to enable me to join the rest on their trip to Tipton - should have (re-)read the e-mail as...

... on arrival at the Fox by Birmingham's Chinese Quarter GP informs me that they were staying around Birmingham (in line with the email) to sample beers in some pubs that have recently improved in the real ale stakes (but at least he was kind enough to buy the ticket off me.) In the Fox it was two halves of the guest beers (they also had St Austall Tribute which although an excellent beer isn't that uncommon.) This enabled a side by side comparison of Backyard Brewhouse's Hobs Hole at 4.2% against Churchyard Bob from Warwickshire which although stronger at 4.9% didn't taste like it.

Next onto the Victoria in John Bright Street. Although they had Hook Norton's Hooky Bitter, Ridley's Witch Finder and Purity's Mad Goose I spied and went for Butty Bach from Wye Valley.

Now for one of the most interesting pubs, Baccus Bar near New Street Station, the décor has to be seen to be belived (which is my way for saying I'm not sure how to describe it but think Castle in the Elizabethan style with a gothic twist and you won't be far wrong). One real ale available (although I nearly went for the Erdinger Wheat beer) so we opted for Timothy Taylor's Golden Best which is that rare offering these days of the Yorkshire Light Mild.

Further up the road to the Yard of Ale (one of the pubs that suffered in the 1974 pub bombings then known as the Tavern in the Town.) These days it’s a typical city centre pub that in keeping with other places in the area you have to descend a flight of stairs to get in. There were three real ales available with Jennings Little Gem being my choice (other options were Ringwood 49er , and Banks's Bitter.)

Onwards to the (in the style of Wetherspoon's) Crown near Aston University where the beer of choice was Morrisey Fox Spooky. The taste cause a lot of debate, just what was it it? Then JF hit the nail on the head describing it as American Cream Soda.

Round the corner to Jekyll and Hyde where Wye Valley HPA was on offer. The poster on the wall of a Haynes manual style drawing of an old VW Camper got me thinking back to a time when I was younger and wanted to be a draughtsman.

Into Edmunds in Edmund Street for a swift half of Wye Valley HPA and finally Church Street next for a pub previously known as the Cathedral Tavern , but now called Utopia where Enville's Honey Ale was selected and just before the homeward trek there was the posh appearing Pub du Vin also in Edmund Street. Purity Mad Goose was the choice (other options included Sharpes Doom Bar, Kinver Light Railway a pleasant touch (I suppose) was the freely available dry roast nuts nibbled whilst we gazed at the impressive drinks cabinet.

I'm too old for this many pubs!! but a great night all the same - nice one GP and more next time please!