Beer Review May 2018

I tried four new beers over the Bank Holiday weekend. Here are my thoughts on all four.

Windhoek Lager 4.0% abv
Packaged in a green bottle which always makes light strike susceptible (the dreaded Becks aroma!), I'm glad to say this beer was clean with no evidence of the said off flavour. It was actually a pretty good 4% lager, easily out performing the bigger standard brands of similar abv (you know who your are Mr Fosters etc). The nose was very clean and the flavour quite full and malty with a bit of biscuit and slight hop bitter finish. I would not describe it as crisp as the malt flavours came to the fore, but I'd gladly enjoy another

Really liked the embossing on the rear of the bottle and the label suggested a beer of tradition and quality which the beer backed up. The brewery (Windhoek) is based in Namibia so a first for me to drink a beer from this country, they date back to 1920 and are of German heritage and use traditional ingredients to produce a first class beer. They are now part of the Heineken stable, which means their beers may become more accessible and there will be further importance based on quality and consistency. A good beer, I'd certainly drink again.

Pelforth Blonde 5.8% abv
Having visited northern France a few times (an easy trip living in Plymouth), I can confirm I'm a bit of a fan of some of the French beers of this region and the Pelforth beer did not disappoint. A bit spicy perfume on the nose, the palate was quite delicate with a hint of a Belgium style beer about it. Perhaps a bit peppery with an understated sweetness followed by a dry finish. I liked the beer and would drink again.

The branding is bit fussy and confusing to a non-Frenchman but maybe that's part of the charm, it certainly had shelf standout. The bottle shape too was unusual, the tapered body narrowing to the base is not something we see a lot of in the UK.

The name Pelforth is derived from the word Pelican which was once a popular dance and the Pelican brewery was established in 1914. Production ceased during World War Two but began again in 1950. Pelican was changed to Pelforth over time and it too is now part of the Heineken stable of beers.

Quilmes Beer 4.9% abv
Perhaps my favourite of the beers I tried here, this beer originates from Argentina. It as quite dry which I like and helps with drinkability. Clean, crisp with just the hint of honey and at 4.9% offered enough abv to make it interesting. A good beer and one I would drink again.

The brewer was founded in 1888 from German heritage, it is now established as a huge brewer in its homeland with a market share in excess of 70%. Perhaps that makes it less interesting to some but the beer I tasted was pretty good so I'd be happy to drink again. The branding has a flamboyant touch to it and perhaps not something that's going to help if it wants to crack the UK market. The name too does not flow of the tongue, unlike the beer which clearly did!

Krombacher Low Alcohol Pilsner 0.5% abv
A beer of less than 0.5% abv is not something I reach for that often and my expectations were not high. It was ok, a bit worty both on the aroma and the palate. Reminded me a grain store smell. Quite sweet but not the fullest, it has a hint of lager and lime about it. The brewery, Krombacher brews to the Reinheitsgebot and is a brewer of tradition and quality.

Its difficult to be objective about these beers so one has to put aside the natural desire for an alcoholic beer. In Germany all the bigger brewers will have a low abv offering and they'll be popular beers in their own right. This beer was certainly on a par with some of the beer non-alcoholic beers such as San Miguel 0.0. Perhaps that's as  far as I can go with this one!

Beers of the Bird Table

The early spring is a fine time to observe garden birds and their feeding habits around the bird table and feeders. Different bird species have individual characters just like beers, so for fun I've listed an analogy of birds and the more popular ales. Hopefully I won't offend anyone, either bird fanciers or beer enthusiasts with my comments, it's just for fun!


Black Cap & Brewdog Punk IPA
The Black Cap is a recent interloper on many garden bird feeders and something of the bird table bully. He does not care about other birds, he is unconventional, does it his way and takes what he wants when he wants. However as a new visitor he is a welcome addition to any bird table despite his selfish habits.

As a beer analogy, that just has to be Brewdog. A recent arrival in the beer market and totally unconventional, they do the opposite to what other brewers do and are happy to step on a few traditional toes! None-the-less the beer is still pretty good and a welcome option on many bars and supermarket shelves.

House Sparrow & Doombar
An unremarkable grey/brown bird and ten-a-penny on many bird tables. They are always there, normally arriving in small flocks, they ascend the table for a short while then disappear. Perhaps the most frequent of all birds on the table, its easy to take them for granted but without them the table would be a lot less busy and by their very brown nature, they allow the brighter marked birds to strand out from the crowd. So in many ways, they provide the essential background for the other birds to shine. If we have no sparrows, we'd surely miss them.

The beer equivalent would be Doombar. An unremarkable but inoffensive brown beer its everywhere. but, just like the sparrow, without Doom to set the playing field, how would we know the other beers are so good? Some might be pleased if we had no Doombar, but there have always been big volume if somewhat bland beers that dominate the market i.e. Courage Best etc. They are essential as often drinkability is what required most and that means a beer that's easily available with a non descript but accessible flavour.

Bullfinch & Proper Job
The Bullfinch is a shy but common bird. When you see him its always a thrill. Superbly marked, Mr Bullfinch is unmistakable and certainly stands out from the crowd. Mrs B is not that bad looking either and its common to see pairs rather than single birds. However they are a reserved couple, never the first to the party and often heard rather than seen. If you get Bullfinches cherish them and encourage them to stay, they are one of the stars of the bird table.

Proper Job is the Bullfinch of the beer world. On draught it's common but not often seen. A frequent visitor as part of many a guest ale programme, its still not easy to find. However once you have it, then it's unmistakable rich citrus hop and bitter backbone, combined with the sharp golden straw colour make it a welcome guest and a beer to encourage the licensee to keep.

Chaffinch & Old Speckled Hen
The Chaffinch is a handsome looking bird. When first seen the male in particular is a good looking fella, but then you come across other more striking birds, the fore-mentioned Bullfinch, the Goldfinch or the Great Tit, all birds that arguably challenge the place of the Chaffinch in terms of looks. However, the Chaffinch is a staple and frequent visitor to garden bird tables, its just they are not quite the stars.

A beer analogy would be Old Speckled Hen. Once the beer of choice of many, its a good beer but not quite a great beer and has been surpassed by many new more interesting arrivals to the bar. The Old Speckled Un as it was originally known, was the forerunner of guest beers from the late 1980's and set the playing field for later arrivals. Its easily dismissed now by beer enthusiasts and those who don't appreciate the commitment to the beer market of the brand owners Greene King. A bit like the Chaffinch, a little under appreciated.

Magpie  & Hobgoblin
The Magpie is a big noisy bird, strikingly marked, its also a very loyal bird as couples bond for life. Their reputation for thieving and bullying smaller birds is probably warranted. When it visits the bird table everything else disappears, including our cats! They muscle in, will empty a meal worm feeder in less than an hour then pose as if to say, come on, I'm not frightened of anything. You cant help admiring the Magpie, for all its cheek and bravado.

The beer analogy would be Hobgoblin. Just like the Magpie, it has a band of loyal enthusiasts and it shouts from the shelves with its quirky label design. Its a big bold beer as well, not subtle, its full flavoured, raisins and toffee the marked flavours. Hobgoblin always stands proud on the shelves and bars, nothing to hide, as if to say, that's who I am, if you don't like me I don't really care, I'm here stay. There are better beers out there with far more complexity of flavour, but none-the-less, Hobgoblin will be a regular part of many a BBQ or party over the summer months.

I hope you enjoyed my ramblings here, its just for fun and not mean't to upset anyone. Other suggested garden bird and analogy beer combinations would be as follows.

Raven & Guinness
Goldfinch & Thornbridge Jaipur
Blue Tit & Fursty Ferret
Blackbird & Fullers London Porter
Robin & Adnams Ghostship

CAMRA - the winds of change

So at last the day is here and members of CAMRA are being asked to vote on the biggest fundamental change to their objectives since their inception in the early 1970's. CAMRA has done a fantastic job over the years to help preserve cask ale, breweries and pubs but the market is changing so its only right that CAMRA itself considers change.

I am a member of CAMRA and have been so for many years in full agreement of their beliefs, but my view now is that CAMRA needs to move with the times, looking to the future to be around as an effective body supporting the beer industry for many years ahead. Therefore, I for one will be voting for change and I'd urge other CAMRA members to have their say and cast a vote likewise.

The biggest change for me is the move away from being totally committed to preserve and promote cask ale to a body that now speaks for all beer, cider and perry drinkers. This includes beers that are in keg or can format served with a sediment or cloudy. I applaud this move but would challenge and ask why they do not extend this to all keg, can and bottled beer, whether its a sediment or clear beer? The consumer wants to enjoy good quality beer and are they really worried how the CO2 is delivered in their beer or how its dispensed?

I also think the old adage, keep your friends close and your enemies even closer is a good one - its easier to influence something if you are part of it rather than trying to do it from the outside, so to promote all good quality beer, including all formats of keg, can or bottle would seem right to me. If CAMRA want to preserve cask, then they really need to fully embrace the keg format as well. The danger of ignoring the craft world is that it will happen without them and the rise of craft beer festivals, where beers are seen as exciting and innovative will have more appeal than the traditional CAMRA run events.

There are other changes. To promote and protect pubs and clubs as social centres and part of the UK's cultural heritage is admirable. Last week we saw the "Beast from the East" overpower the UK's normal weather patterns and snow fell across most of the country. Where did everyone head too? Strangely, many pubs were full as communities came together, to share the experience of the unusual conditions together. Without pubs and clubs this would not have been possible. Its a small example, but relevant to the time of year.

Another change is to increase the recognition of responsible and moderate social drinking which makes perfect sense. There is quite a threat here to the future of beer and cider. Everyday we hear of the health issues, both positive and negative of drinking beer. The danger is that beer becomes like cigarettes and we see a rise in taxes and other restrictions on the market. This may drive prices higher and make it harder for brewers to promote their brands. It is good that CAMRA have recognised this concern and are promoting the benefits of moderate drinking and representing those people who enjoy alcohol at this level.

So, my thoughts are that CAMRA members must vote for change, without them the movement risks becoming stale and no longer relevant. Of course the enjoyment of cask ale will always be foremost in many members thoughts and there is nothing wrong that, its great that cask ale still has many champions to preserve it. Finally, I don't expect the changes to be welcomed by everyone if they do get voted through, but please all do try to make them work, CAMRA is too good to lose and that could be what's at risk.



 

Profit before pleasure?

Disappearing from bars?

A lifetime spent working for within marketing for regional brewers has given me a unique insight into world of pubs and beer. I appreciate the different objectives of the business from brewing and wholesaling to pub retailing. A common goal is to brew, sell and serve excellent cask beer creating wealth for the business. However has the drive for profit in extracting every last pint from a cask begun to challenge these goals resulting is less cask beer being available in pubs?



Cask filter pan

The drive for profit from cask beer is nothing new, its been going on for years. I recall in the early 1980's as a young lad working behind the bar in a managed house. On my first day at the end of the night all the slops for a cask were collected and put in a bucket in the cellar and left overnight with a used tea towel covering the top. The following morning this was then filtered back in the cask via a filter pan, (known as filtering back) - no wonder the pub in question had a poor beer reputation and sadly this appalling practice only contributed to the demise of cask beer.

Not that I see this unhygienic method going on at the moment. No, its more mathematical than that. Now the drive is all about "yield" driven by how many pints you can get out of a cask or keg as measured by the till system. An extra pint each week per cask equals 52 pints a year, at retail its worth £200 per year. Multiply that by the number of casks a pub might do per annum and you can see the attraction. So how is this achieved?

In my view, how it should be done is through proper cellar practices and well trained bar staff. A cask should be vented, allowing it to rest and condition properly so the beer is perfect and not over conditioned or green. The cask should be stillaged on its belly (as the cask was designed to do) allowing any sediment to remain in the belly and not be pulled through the lines. Each pint should be served to hold at least 95% beer and 5% froth. That's the legal minimum acceptable!

How its done now could be as follows:

• Stock craft keg or lager instead of cask - the growth of craft keg and lager brands offer 100%+ yield from its keg. There is no sediment so no beer left behind to throw away. A cask holds 72 pints but you would expect up to two pints here to be sediment/spoiled beer. An 11 gallon keg holds 88 pints, you would expect to get at least 88 pints plus from this. So craft keg and lager is attractive not only to the consumer, but also the retailer and pub operator, it generates more profit!
• Serve under measure pints - a practice that's been going on for years sometimes contributed to by the beer sparkler as fitted on swan neck beer engines, its a relic of the 1990's and no longer relevant for todays drinker. CAMRA are quite right in their views on this, consumers have a right to expect a full pint.
• Stock unbreakable beers - what might this be? A good example is Doombar where much of the sediment is removed before putting into cask. It makes for a very user friendly beer and no issues for the licensee. Hats off to them, its not a very interesting beer but tastes ok and for the licensee it generates the required profit.
• Use the float dispense system - a relatively new method of extracting cask beer from a cask, it draws from the top of the cask rather than the bottom. In theory it draws only pristine beer with no wastage and can be used from when the beer is first delivered, no need to vent and rest, an attraction for licensees for events or who have cash flow concerns and need to use the beer on the day of delivery. It should also not draw sediment especially if used with an unbreakable beer as above. 
• Pub operator pressure - the expectation for the retailer is to get more than 100% from the cask, so that's more than the 72 pints it contains. The pressure is for the pub manager to achieve this and some are commercially pressured into using a combination of the above.

My question would be, is cask beer is being squeezed off the bar by the pressure of commercial business?

There are various reasons why a cask beer line may be removed from a bar, but in my view the clamour to get every last drop out of a cask has begun to outweigh the desire to serve consistently top quality beer.  So yes, I do believe the issue of yield is a contributor to why cask beer is disappearing off bars. Perhaps its time for pub groups and retailers to recognise and accept that cask beer comes with a sediment that is essential for serving the beer in top quality condition. Cask without this is not the real deal!

Wonderful Wonderful Copenhagen

War Pigs beer list

A recent three-day break in Copenhagen is barely enough time to form a strong view of the cities beer scene, but it certainly left an impression on me for a number of reasons.

As one would expect, Carlsberg is the dominant brewer and very high profile. The main brewery is no longer on the outskirts of the city but there is still a very well run visitor centre where the brewery once produced thousands of barrels of beer and a micro brewery that specialises in the excellent Jacobson beers. The main production plant is now in Fredericia on the Jutland peninsular, but more of Carlsberg later.

In Copenhagen we visited Vesterbro, the old meat packing district. This has become the fashionable and vibrant place for new restaurants, nightclubs and art galleries to establish themselves. Its also a great place for a craft brewery and WarPigs is a brilliant buzzing brew pub. Targeting the younger drinker with a thirst for zany beers that challenge both the palate and traditional beer styles, they brew some interesting beers both in name and flavour. We only visited the once and tried a couple of beers, First Resort IPA and Iron Dice Weiss bier, both were very good. They have upwards of twenty taps and all beers are unfiltered and if the other beers match up to the two I tried then no wonder this place is so popular.



War Pigs Brew Pub

The food offer here was all around large chunks of meat, potato salad, beans and slaw. Kept very simple it was satisfying and tasty and fitted like a glove when paired with the strong robust beers on offer. The décor suited as well, it reminded me of a canteen from a British Leyland car factory of the late 1970's from where I began my working life - uniform, simple, unpretentious but functional. However, the surroundings were the picture frame that allowed the artist to shine with the beer and food offering.

So if WarPigs is a good example of the craft beer scene then it certainly looks like that is well catered for. Another interesting visit was to Charlie's Bar. This is a well known haunt that specialises in cask ales from the UK. I was delighted to find some fine beers on show including two St Austell Brewery small batch beers. The beer was in good condition and served at the correct temperature. The bar is small, narrow but cosy and has a certain charm about it harmonises with the beer. There were some English voices to be heard but also Danish and it was clear the bar is not just an outpost for Brit's missing their favourite beers.

So, back to Carlsberg, from where my latest rambling began. A much respected multi-national company they brew and own some very big brands. As a Brit, one tends to think of the UK Carlsberg Green that's brewed to 3.8% abv, a standard lager, it performs a role but is still a big powerful brand. However the Carlsberg beers in Denmark are different, they are not dull, they are not insipid, they are polished, crisp and very drinkable stunning beers. I enjoyed Carlsberg and Tuborg lagers and all were excellent. Carlsberg is clearly a brand the Danish are very proud of and rightly so, it was great to see their branding in Copenhagen is confidently visible and part of the fabric of the city. They may not be cutting edge fashionable craft beers, but they are beers people enjoy drinking and of reputable quality.

So if you do visit Copenhagen and I would recommend it, especially at Christmas time, do visit Tivoli, its for tourists but a night time visit is quite charming. If you are into your beers search out the local craft offerings and if you have time, Charlie's Bar is well worth a visit. However I would finish by saying, do try the beers from the Carlsberg stable, just because they are the large dominant brewer does not mean they are characterless, it means they are fine beers and people have enjoyed drinking them for generations. Skal!

Reflections on Swindon Beer Festival 2017

The Steam Museum

Another year passes at Swindon Beer Festival set in the fabulous Steam venue, the railway museum in Swindon. For me, the venue is part of the attraction. Compared to its near neighbours Oxford and Bath, Swindon has a limited heritage, but the railway museum and the great workshop buildings that surround it, would once of harboured a momentous industry supplying railroad stock and engines to the railways in the South West. So at Steam, you are within touching distance of the towns industrial past.

As for the festival, well done to Swindon CAMRA for putting on yet another great event. Most CAMRA run beer festivals are well oiled machines and everyone knows what they are doing and this was no different. I was also delighted to meet many old friends from the branch who all made me feel most welcome. Swindon seems to have a solid core of enthusiastic volunteers all of whom are intent on making sure both they and their festival goers have a good time.

The beer festival itself is an event for showcasing the best beers, with some music featuring in a supporting role rather than one of the main protagonists. There are over 100 beers plus ciders on show attracting in excess of 2,000 visitors across the three-day event. What Swindon do well is to limit the glass size to the half pint (lined at a third). This promotes trial of lots of different beers rather than pint glasses which can lead to problems associated with over indulgence!

The festival has changed little over the years, bar an extended food area. Yes, it would be great if they could showcase keg/craft beers as well, but I am realistic enough to know the latter bring a technical services challenge that the volunteers wont have the necessary skills or equipment to overcome. I think for many regional beer festivals, showcasing craft keg is a step too far without the support of CAMRA head office.

I attended with my day job as St Austell Brewery and we are always popular guests. Our beers for the event included well known brands like Tribute and Proper Job, along with the perennial favourite at this event, Bucket of Blood - it is Halloween of course! We always try to feature a couple of new beers and were delighted to have a wonderful beer called Dear Boy, brewed to commemorate St Austell's BLO from Cornwall, Gerry Bazin, who sadly passed away earlier this year. Dear Boy, as Gerry would refer to people, sold very well indeed and there were many requests for St Austell to bottle this or make it a permanent part of the portfolio.

Swindon CAMRA logo

We also had Mocha Choca Lotta, a 6% milk stout. This split the room, some loved it, others less sure. Not a beer for me, the coffee flavour was a little dominant. However there is always a place for beers that challenge the conventional at beer festivals, it should be an environment where customers can taste beers that they would just not see in their local pub.

I'd say to anyone thinking of attending a beer festival, please go along and give it a try. By there very nature, a lot of small brewers benefit as there are fewer well known brands on show so you are supporting grass roots brewing and business. Swindon CAMRA and Steam set a high bench mark with their organisation so if other regional events can match that you would be in for an enjoyable visit.

More than just a new suit!

 

Classic view of Salisbury from the racecourse

We recently spent a few days in the lovely cathedral city of Salisbury, primarily to visit the races for my part and for my wife, a trip to the shops with new outfits to be perused and purchased. The days racing was as good as ever and I can thoroughly recommend a visit to Salisbury racetrack, a small regional course but with bags of character and good quality flat racing. The day at the shops promised less interest for me but this is where my next blog begins.....

After an arduous morning of my wife trying on various outfits only relieved by a short Costa stop, lunchtime was fast approaching so I felt being in the heart of Badger Ales country, it was time to search out a decent pint of Tanglefoot. This is a classic beer and those that know their regional brewers will appreciate finding a perfectly served Tanglefoot is quite a treat. I was in luck, the New Inn was just around the corner and the beer was very good. Once refreshed we ventured out and that's where we discovered Regent Tailoring and the subject of my blog.

Regent Tailoring shop window

An exquisite gentleman's and ladies tailors with its focus on classic British clothing, this was a shop for me. We met the owner, Jason Regent whose grandfather was butler to Ian Fleming, writer of the iconic James Bond novels. Jason clearly has a passion for the 1960's, and quality tailoring, but he is also wise enough to realise his business will do better by looking outside of clothing sales alone, so he is branching out and has launched the Regent Liquor Club.

The shop itself is on three floors and made up of numerous small rooms with many terrific tailoring treasures to be unearthed as well as some gems of other items you would not expect to find in a normal clothes retailer. The business targets an affluent customer with style and taste, but also a customer that is ready made for the craft gin, rum and beer market, as well as some exclusive wines. It struck me what a good idea this was because although his customers are not huge in number, they do spend time in the shop, so up-selling into areas of interest that are not just focused on clothing makes sense. He does not need to carry a huge range, just enough to make it interesting with brands that are either exclusive, local or not available in the major retailers in the city.

The cost is just a premises license, the marketing of the club and the stock, so potentially a low risk venture assuming he does not over order with stock. I'm sure it will take time to get the liquor offer up and running but in terms of thinking out of the box and trying to grow his business in other ways, it seems a good idea.

As for the beers on offer, these were limited to the one brewer at my time of the visit, Downton Brewery, a local brewer. Jason gave me a bottle of the New Forest Ale to try, which was a robust 4% bitter and easy to drink. Showcasing local beers that are not easily available is a solid starting offer, so long as the beers are good and consistent. In time, as his reputation for craft and distinctive liquor builds he might be able to grow into offering some of the more eclectic craft beers from further afield.

Good luck to him, both for the main business of clothing and the liquor venture. As for me, I did make a few purchases on the day, a classic waistcoat made from material that Jason had discovered from the 1960's and a couple of cigars to enjoy as a treat. As we tend to go racing at Salisbury each year, I will at least have one shop to look forward to visiting as well.

For anyone interested in Regent Tailoring or the racecourse the links are below:

http://www.regenttailoring.co.uk/
http://www.salisburyracecourse.co.uk/salisburyracecourse.html