To Holmfirth and Beyond - A Chat With Summer Wine Brewery

Keeping it local (locale?) and staying in Holmfirth, I've had the pleasure of having a quick chat with James Farran, head brewer at Summer Wine Brewery. This little outfit have big ideas, and that's a quality I really like about new breweries - a sense of adventure. Whether it's creating a relatively large core range of nine beers rather than the usual three or four, or devoting this summer to IPA, there's a questing nature underneath underneath it all that certainly comes through in their beers, which take usual styles and simply make it their way. This sounds like the easiest thing in the world, but in my opinion, too many breweries tread the same path. Anyway, I'm rambling: I'll let James do the talking.

Leigh: Summer Wine - tell me how it started.
James: Good question. Well, I was set on the track as a brewer around 9 years ago when I had one of those beer epiphanies, you know when you drink a beer and it changes everything you thought you knew about beer. I was 18 and the beer was Fraoch Heather Ale from Williams Bros; it was malty, spicy, slightly sweet & extremely well balanced - it instantly changed my ideas of what beer could be.

To cut a long story short, I decided to start homebrewing – first, those dodgy syrup kits & eventually full grain mash. I brewed over & over honing my skills as I went, learning all the time about mash temps, pH, sparge temp, hopping, yeasts etc. & how they all can affect the finished product. Many brews followed. I then decided I wanted to brew commercially as what I was brewing was very well received. I wanted a brewery with a name that was synonymous with its location & as I lived close to Holmfirth what better than Summer Wine? So I incorporated Summer Wine Brewery Ltd & trademarked the company name.

I brewed on a small half barrel plant for two years, until I ran into Andy Baker (Summer Wine MD) & another one of our directors at our place of work. I wanted to take the brewery to the next level & Andy was looking for an opportunity to blood himself in the business world after he had graduated - and never one to shirk a challenge, he put his money where his mouth is and jumped in. Everything then moved very quickly we had premises and a working brewery within 6 months (would have been quicker if not for brewery equipment lead time.) Nearly 2 years on the brewery is in huge growth, the beers are well received far and wide & we have some exciting plans for expansion in the pipeline.

Who, or What is your motivation to brew? Where do you look for inspiration?
My motivation to brew comes from lots of sources. I have heard it said that ‘brewing is in your blood’ & when you’re in this industry brewing just feels right and when you have the passion for brewing you don’t feel like you have a job and it’s easy to get out of bed in the morning. Sometimes the motivation can come from drinking a great beer or opening and fresh pack of a new hop variety - or maybe even a blog debate (At least we're good for something - Leigh). Inspiration is everywhere.

My favourite SW beer is Helios - a fruity, spritzy blonde that's massively sessionable. Can you give me the lowdown on some more of your core range - and what's your favourite?
We believe choice is a right, not a privilege, and that is why we have a core range of nine ales. Our range carries all styles from Dambusters Dark Mild (3.5%abv) a true mild, Invictus Copper Ale (4.5% abv) our take on a Bitter with punch, up to Apache American Pale Ale (5.2% abv), my personal favorite is Teleporter (5.0% abv) our ten-grain porter that is subtly fruity & chocolatey, with real depth & class. It’s a really great dark ale.

What's your favourite non-SummerWine beer?
Oooh that’s a tough one, so many great beers in the UK & the world for that matter. I’m a great believer that there is no such thing as a great beer only great gyles, however my favourite cask ales being brewed at the moment would have to be Marble Pint & Thornbridge Jaipur - but I am also a huge fan of dark ale as a style. My favourite bottled beer would have to be the Brewdog/Stone collaboration, Bashah.

Project 6 - what's it all about and what can we expect? Project 6 is our new monthly released IPA at 6.6% abv. The first was released at the beginning of June and the start of every month thereafter. The 6 beers will all be Pale IPA’s that showcase the world’s best hops; six varieties in each brew, kettle, aroma & dry hopped to create intensely fruity beers that have real balance despite the huge amount of hops going into each brew,

You can expect each beer to be different from the last in that bitterness levels will change from brew to brew and some interesting dry hopping with some more unusual hops will give the beers an individual character. IPA’s are at the forefront of such an exciting brewing scene at the moment & it is really a pleasure to turn our hand to a series of them.

Apart from Project 6, what else is on the horizon in 2010?
We currently brew two monthly specials to accompany our nine core ales, which vary in style. We also have some very exciting ideas in the pipeline for this year and beyond; without revealing too much one project will include the fusion of two styles whilst another will involve some interesting aged beers.

And finally....You've got one day off this year - how do you spend it?
Probably spend the day sat in a old chesterfield reading some of the ever increasing pile of books waiting for me, mainly factual things regarding evolution, physics & cosmology whilst drinking a selection of the world’s finest bottled beers… heaven!

So there you go. Brewers by day, Science buffs by night. P6 Brew #1 certainly hit the spot: amber in colour, with a sweet, caramelly body, it delivered a green, grassy, slightly herbal hop bite thanks to a mix of Ahtanum, Willamette, Herkules and Liberty - and two secret hops - that increased on the sip. The balance between the body and the hops was spot on - although James warns that P6 Brew #2 is even better. Keep an eye out for it.

The Nook Brewhouse

...And so it was: Friday night meant getting oneself settled in the pub of your choice, with a few good mates, gearing up for a night of World Cup drama. Two days later, we reflect; drama, yes, but not of the good kind. More of the 'What the hell are we going to do now?' kind. Luckily, the best thing about watching games in the pub is that you've got an array of beers to provide ample distraction as you groan from another overhit cross failing to meet its mark.

As someone that drinks a fair old amount of beer, and attends a fair old amount of festivals and events, you'd think that I'd have pretty much lost that little buzz that happens when you spy a beer you've never had before -or even better - a brewery you've never tasted anything from before. But no - it's still there in spades- and at least this was the case on Friday. When I saw two new pumpclips, I was in there with speed and accuracy that our national team could only dream of right now.

The Nook Brewhouse is based at The Rose & Crown pub in Holmfirth; once known only for "Last of The Summer Wine", but now building up a rep for being a little brewing hotspot - including Summer Wine Brewery (more of whom to come shortly). Brewpubs are a rarity right now, but it's great seeing The Nook's beers making their way to Leeds. Even better that they were both wonderful.

Oat Stout (5.2%abv) does what it says on the tin; velvety smooth and loaded with slightly smoked, bittersweet flavours, with a big whiff of Liquorice and Bonfire Toffee on the nose. Deceptively easy to drink for its strength, this was an instant hit, with second pints being ordered. Fans of York's Centurion's Ghost and Leeds's classy Midnight Bell should give this a pop.

Something altogether lighter can in the form of Blond (4.5%abv), which again displayed The Nook's skill at making no-nonsense beers very well. Perfectly balanced, it was sweet and refreshing at the same time, with a hint of citrus on the nose. Not too much - this isn't a hop-fest, but just enough. Clean and crisp - lovely.

Dutch Wink: As Brewed By Beer Writers

...It might have been available since March, but I finally got around to ordering a pint of Cropton's Dutch Wink. This is of note due to the fact that it was overseen by esteemed beer writers Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham - presumably before they got into their Doner Kebab period.

Anyway - onto the beer. It's very good. Very good indeed. Super-pale, clean, and very smooth in the body. There's a load of citrus in the nose and that comes across right at the edge of the swallow with a lemon/lime kick - presumably from the Bobek Hops used. For a summery, easy-drinking pale, it's perfect stuff, and bang on for people's moods right now (ie, watching footy en masse in pubs.)

You can head here for the lowdown, and here for a cheeky little video on 'how they made it, innit'. It's on sale at Nicholson's pubs up and down the country, so if you're in Leeds, that's The Palace and The Vic.

Cinnamon Spirals and Hobson's Old Henry

Here's a little treat you can make yourself with leftover pastry, as I did last weekend. Perfect for sharing , these beauties take no time at all and their spices sit really well with a number of beers. Basically, you need a lump of shortcrust pastry - about the 150g's worth.

If you don't have any left over, you can make your own by taking 100g of Plain Flour, and cutting 25g of butter and 25g or lard into it. Add a pinch of salt, then rub it all together until it turns to breadcrumbs. Add lukewarm water a little at a time until it turns to dough. Cover in cling film, and rest it in the fridge for 15 minutes. Then, knead it again, and roll it out on a floured surface.

Ok, here's the fun part - over the pastry, sprinkle Muscovado or brown sugar, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and ground Almonds. You can put as much on there as you like. Roll the whole thing up so it's like a sausage, wrap in cling film and chill again for 30 minutes. You can use this time to preheat your oven - about 180c should do it.

When ready, using a sharp knife, slice into rounds and place on a greased baking tray. Brush the tops with Honey, and then bake for about 20 minutes until golden on top. I find you get good results if you baste with honey again ten minutes in. Leave to cool, and there you go. Little pastry treats, ready to be shared.

I enjoyed a few of these with a bottle of Hobson's Old Henry (5.2%abv). Old Henry is described as an 'Auburn Ale', which sounds good, I have to admit. It's a smooth, nutty ale, and deep amber in colour. There's not much in the way of hop profile apart from a pleasant bite at the end of the sip, but there is a fudgy, moreish richness in the body that fans of Courage Directors or Old Speckled Hen would like. This malt-led richness lends itself perfectly to the sweet but slightly spiced flavours in the Spirals.

Shropshire-based Hobson's are an interesting brewery - I would recommend a hop over to their site, where you can watch a decent clip detailing their involvement in saving The Sun Inn, the last parlour pub in the UK, and read about their eco-credentials, which are impressive. Kudos, Hobsons.

Burton Bridge's Stairway To Heaven

...Or a beer of the week, if you will. Seeing Burton Bridge's beers on tap in Leeds is great, and I try not to miss out wherever possible. Stairway To Heaven, sampled at Foley's on Friday was a brilliant case in point.

Light copper in colour, with a floral, almost juicy-fruit aroma hitting the nose, the first thing that strikes me after tasting it is just how well-balanced the whole thing is. At 5% abv it's not entirely sessionable, but the firm, biscuity, almondy body more than compensates for the mouthwatering, tongue-tingling bitter hop-hit at the end. For sheer flavour in a glass, it takes some beating, but it is a big, big beer.

In many ways it's an ideal representation of what I think of when I think of Burton Bridge in general; a brewer that courts tradition, with old-school pump-clips and history, yet often produces quite off-kilter beers. Off kilter in a good way. Take this example, for instance. My drinking buddy remarked it was like 'A regular amber bitter but amped up', and I have to agree. In a stroke in serendipity, I had a bottle of Empire Ale in the cellar, and enjoyed it in the baking sun yesterday afternoon. Crisp, dry as hell, strong and relentlessly citrussy, it's a classy IPA for all intents and purposes and a bloody good one at that. Extreme...but not, if you know what I mean. Wonderful.

Festival Round-Up

Ok, folks, just time for a quick beer festival round-up; just in case the World Cup isn't your cup of tea (or pint of beer). Clifford's first Beer festival takes place at the village hall on 19/06/10, and is raising funds for the hall and the local footy team - so it's all good. The beer range is a showcase for the region with Acorn, Elland, Saltaire, Abbeydale, Brown Cow, Great Heck, Hawkshead and Ilkley breweries all supplying for the festival. Clifford's a lovely part of Yorkshire, too.

Speaking of lovely parts of Yorkshire, The White Bear in Masham is holding their 9th annual Beer fest on the weekend of 25/06/10. Much bigger, and across the pennines, is Chorlton's Beer Festival on the 2nd and 3rd of July. With over 50 ales on offer, I'd expect the usual eclectic festival mix. Last year saw local heroes like Marble stack up against more travelled breweries such as Purple Moose, Dark Star and Dunham Massey.

For our friends north of the border (of which we have many, you lovely, lovely people), there's the big one - The Scottish Real Ale Festival 2010. Held on the 24th. 25th and 26th of June at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh, beers from Black Isle, Harviestoun, Sulwath and Williams Bros are likely to be amongst many on offer. And if in Wales - don't despair - there's one for you too: The Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival is taking place at Cardiff International Arena on the weekend of June 10th. There's plenty of great welsh beers on the list, too - Breconshire, Evan Evans, Otley and Vale Of Glamorgan to name a few.

So - support your local independent breweries and pubs as well as your team in the upcoming month.

Moonlighting

Well, that's the sunny weather pretty much done for, it seems. Still, it gave me the opportunity to crack open some of those summer beers that we all know and love - pale, zingy, crisp and refreshing, and perfect for al fresco drinking.

One surprise entry amongst last weekend's usual suspects - Thornbridge's Jaipur, Wensleydale's Coverdale Poacher, Copper Dragon's Golden Pippin and Ilkey's Mary Jane to name but a few - was Marks & Spencer's Essex Summer Ale, bought purely on a whim whilst buying food because (in a childish voice) it had a pwetty label.

Closer inspection reveals this little treat to be brewed by Crouch Vale, brewers of such fine beers as Brewer's Gold and Amarillo. Essex Summer Ale follows much in the same path, although more complex than Brewer's Gold - straw in colour, but with a real tropical/Juicy fruit aroma, and a real C-Hop hit on the tongue. A slightly grainy body is lifted with an ever-so-slight hint of minty grassiness at the end of the sip. I enjoyed it immensely, and would happily drink it again. So there you go. Moonlighting occasionally works.

Enjoy It

...It's really too nice outside to be sat inside blogging. Enjoy this picture of the excellent beer range for Spring/Summer at The Palace, Leeds, instead. I'm off to go enjoy some al fresco beers (and a certain likelihood of Grilled Meats). I hope you're doing the same - enjoy your weekend.

Cheers.

Stuffed Squid with Amber Lager

I know that squid divides people, but I can honestly say I'm firmly in rooted the 'obsessed with it' camp. Whether it's enjoying it tenderly stewed for hours on a Greek Island, or flinging some on the barbecue for an altogether more exciting option to burgers and sausages, Squid is a massively evocative food; sunshine, opulence and something new. Here's something that we did a few weeks ago - by no means original, but if its flavour you're after - look no further. Simplicity itself.

Firstly, you need to make a quick, basic Paella or Pilaf - if you have none to use as leftover (like we had). Risotto will work too. Anyway - This quick recipe will fill four moderately-sized squid. In a large pan, gently fry one onion and four (yep, four) cloves of Garlic until golden in a generous slug of Olive oil. Remove the garlic, and add one chopped red or green pepper. Again, sweat down until soft. To this, add chopped Chorizo and a little chopped chicken or prawns. I've not mentioned quantities because it's up to you - but do get at least two meats in there. When that lovely red-hued fat has leached from the Chorizo, add about 3 cups or rice - risotto (Aborio) rice will do if you like but its not essential - and coat with all the ingredients. Then slowly add chicken stock and stir until the rice has absorbed it all and is cooked. Season with a little black pepper, and some fresh Oregano, and leave to cool .

At this point, you should clean your Squid. It's easy - just pull off the head, and most of the insides will follow. Get your fingers in there and remove the plastic-looking sheath known as the Quill, and then run under cold water and scrape all the remaining innards out. Rinse again, and you have your squid tube ready to go.

Preheat a griddle pan to hot, and then simply stuff the Squid with your rice. Seal the ends with a cocktail stick , brush sparsely with Olive oil, and then lay on the griddle pan to cook. Turn once - they'll need about three minutes on each side - and you're ready to go. Serve with a crisp, fresh salad.

I enjoyed these ones with a couple of bottles of chilled Dos Equis. Although your instinct may be to go for a lager, summer ale or even a crisp Wheat beer, I find that something with a large dollop of Crystal Malt really brings out the sweetness in Squid. In the past, I've enjoyed Brooklyn Lager, Sam Adams Boston Lager, and good ol' Anchor Steam with grilled squid.

The Week In Beer

The increased amount of football action in the telly this week has meant one thing: an increased amount of times in pubs, drinking good beers with good mates and doing quite a lot of chuntering. The League Playoffs and Europa League final have been excellent this year, and Mr Capello's final unveiling of England's provisional World Cup Squad have provided a splendid backdrop to a torrent of beer-tinged analysis. Nerdy, I know, but that's how I roll, as they say. But this is a beer blog, so here's the beers that have really stood out for me this week.

Firstly, kudos to The Victoria for getting some Breconshire Red Dragon (4.7% abv) in. When you find Welsh beer in Leeds it tends to be the various permutations of Brains - so let's have some more. Red Dragon impressed me in the bottle and on draught it's slightly more restrained. However, those malty, slightly fruit-cakey flavours are there in spades and it remains a filling, moreish beer. Five Town's Callum's Best (4.6%abv) - another dark mild, but on the fruitier side, body-wise - is light and seriously quaffable. No nonsense, quality beer indeed.

More complex was Goff's Tradition (4.0%abv). My drinking buddies declared it '...Quite like TT Landlord' and I nodded in agreement - copper in colour, but with a sticky-toffee body and a distinctly floral nose that I think the Landlord comparison was borne of. This was my first Goff's beer, and If you like TTL (and who doesn't?) then , yeah, give this a whirl.

Another solid pale (and another brewery I hadn't tried before) was Bowland's Hen Harrier (4.0% abv). Paler still, with a dry, lemony finish, this brought a cheeky smile to my face. It was balanced pretty well and for a robust, straightahead Pale Ale was very flavourful indeed, yet remained drinkable to the end.

One oddity stuck out though - Caledonian's Flying Dutchman (4.3%abv). Advertised as a Wit, it's actually nothing of the sort if you're expecting a traditional Wit. Amber in colour, with a thick, juicy, biscuity/wheaty mouthfeel, it's a tough one to nail down. There's tonnes of biscuit in the body, but a distinctly gingery nose and dry, bitter finish. I couldn't decide whether I liked it or not, but I guess the fact that I'm writing about it means it stuck in my mind....one to try again, I think.

Thwaite's Very Nutty Black

Whilst in preparation for the madness at Elland Road yesterday, Friday night was very much one 'on the sofa' for me. Whilst taking stock of the cellar to find a suitable, low key accompaniment, I plumped for a bottle of Thwaite's Very Nutty Black.

Now, this is an idea I like. I'm a fan of Nutty Black - The Palace in Leeds stocks it all the time, and it's a popular beer for a dark mild. Whilst it does everything it promises, I do, however, personally find it a little thin in the body to be truly satisfying.

Therefore, it was a pleasant surprise to find that Thwaites were seemingly thinking the same thing, and had created a bottle-conditioned, 'Export Strength' version, Very Nutty Black (3.9% abv), which is also their first foray into bottle conditioning. The result? A smooth dark mild, with a much fuller, more rounded mouthfeel. Plenty of liquorice on the nose, and not much hop aroma. The pleasingly tan-shaded head lasts until the end, and there's a moreish, lactic creaminess underpinning everything.

In short, everything I'd been asking Nutty Black to be. I liked this a lot - hence the post - but the only problem I'm faced with now is this: Can I go back and drink regular Nutty Black? Time will tell - I understand it will only be available during May and June.

Oh, and if you're thinking that 3.9% abv doesn't sound like an export strength beer, you'd be right. An amusing little note is put on the label to explain - "...This stronger beer will now be leaving Lancashire and is destined for the Far East (Leeds), and even remote areas of the Southern Hemisphere (such as Watford). Made me chuckle, anyway.

Yep, Another Post About Milds

Sorry, Pete. Luckily I don't really consider myself a 'beer writer' (on account I've not published any books on the subject), so I thought I'd add to the hundreds of 'repetitive' posts about CAMRA's Mild Month out there.

Actually, the reason for this post isn't simply to wind up Pete. I was at work yesterday talking about beer (as often happens), and a quick poll revealed that more of my buddies knew what Wheat beer was, and could identify one at a bar (Erdinger being the ubiquitous one) than Mild. That's a shame - and it probably applies to other styles, too. As we've all said before, maybe it's a little silly to promote one beer during one month, but I think the campaign works, and anything that serves to promote and advertise the good work our breweries do is ok by me. That is, after all, the point of TGS.

Pubs in Leeds are doing their bit, without a doubt. But for the sake of all those casually curious people out there (I know you're there, hiding behind those emptying pint glasses, wondering whether to take the plunge or order another Tuborg), here's a quick rundown of some Milds being produced this month and throughout the year by (mostly northern) breweries:

If it's the stronger, darker end of the market that's your taste, then look no further than Leeds's Midnight Bell or York's Centurions Ghost. Both are loaded with dark chocolate and sweet smoke, and despite their moreishness (which is a trait of all good dark milds), both pack a hefty alcohol wallop. Rudgate's excellent Ruby Mild combines an even smokier taste with a hint of red fruits, as does Nottingham's wonderful Rock Mild. Abbeydale's Daily Bread is slightly paler, with a much more pronounced peppery hop nose and is one of those beers you could drink all day - as is Timothy Taylor's smooth, satisfying Dark Mild. Elland are also brewing Born To Be Mild this month.

Alongside regular Emley Moor Mild, Mallinson's are producing Denby Light Mild this month, and although I've not tried it yet, Mallinson's simply don't seem to make bad beer. Neither do Acorn, whose is Darkness is as suppable as their classic Yorkshire-style bitter. Cropton's Balmy Mild is another lighter-hued, slightly hoppier affair, and if it's a pub-brewed beer you're after, Fox Brewing's Clarendon Dark Mild is a really tasty affair, and available at The Fox & Newt Brewpub on Burley Road, Leeds.

All these locally-brewed gems are in addition to the more established beers popping up as well, such as Fuller's Hock and Festival Mild, Elgood's Black Dog, Thwaites Nutty Black, Harvey's Knots Of May, Hydes Light and Traditional Milds, Okell's Mild, Moorhouse's Black Cat and Cain's Dark Mild.

So - simply get out there, and try some. If you like a pint of mild, try something else from that brewery. Before you know it - you're a beer drinker. Huzzah!

Ossett Excelsior

...It seems that Ossett Brewery are having a surge of popularity in Leeds right now. Everyone's meeting in, talking about, and drinking at The Hop, which just goes to show how fast quality drinking dens in Leeds get support, and now their bottled output is popping up (and selling out) in various outlets across the region.

Excelsior seems to be the only one widely available (although the lush-sounding Treacle Stout is also being bottled), and I'm not complaining at all. Excelsior (5.2%abv) is their strong pale ale, and it's lovely. Stealthy in terms of alcohol, it's easy drinking with a full, rounded and undeniably smooth in the body. There's a cereal/malt undertone early on, which soon gets overpowered by a massively grapefruit/citrus hit courtesy of lashings of Cascade hops. This means a dry, bitter finish, but one that remains balanced. I've even drunk this chilled and can report that it serves as a (albeit strong) wonderful thirst quencher on the hotter days. All in all a great transition from a cask favourite to a bottled standard.

Ossett Brewery - if you're reading: can we have Big Red bottled next, please?

Sweet Potato-Topped Fish Pie with BD Atlantic IPA

It's been a while since I've posted a recipe/beermatch, so here's something moreish before (hopefully) the Sun decides to make more of a permanent presence....

You will need:

1 small Onion, thickly sliced -1 pint Milk -300ml double cream
Fish – 1 piece of Coley, 1 Salmon Fillet, 150g Raw King Prawns
100g Butter -45g Plain Flour - Chopped Parsley, Salt, White Pepper -3 Large Sweet Potatoes - A little torn Spinach -1 egg yolk

Firstly, put the onion slices in a large pan with half a pint of the of the milk, the cream, and the fish. Bring just to the boil and simmer gently for 10 about ten minutes. When that’s done, remove the fish and onions onto a plate and pour the milk into another pan or jug. When the fish has cooled a little, break it up and flake into your baking dish/Pie dish.

Melt a couple of knobs of your butter in a pan, add the flour and when slightly cooked, take the pan off the heat and gradually stir in the reserved milk. Return it to the heat and bring slowly to the boil, stirring all the time, making a thick, white sauce. Leave it to simmer gently for five minutes, stirring gently. When thick enough for you, stir in the parsley and season with a little salt, black pepper and a sprinkle of white pepper. Pour the sauce over the fish and leave to cool. Cover and chill in the fridge for 45 minutes or so.

In the meantime, peel and chop your sweet potato, and then boil until soft. Season lightly with black pepper, and mash with a little drop of olive oil. When the fish filling is cooled, spread the Spinach leaves on top, and mash ontop of that. Fork to make ridges, and brush a little some melted butter over the top. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200c for 40 minutes or until the top has turned nice and golden.

All done. Fish Pie's one of those dishes that everyone has their own version of. This is mine - I do occasionally like smoked fish in there too, but didn't want to overpower the sweetness of the topping on this occasion. And for goddsakes - use a fishmonger if you can. If in Leeds, there's no excuse not to get down to Kirkgate Market and see what's on offer.

I enjoyed this with an ever-so-slightly chilled bottle of BrewDog’s Atlantic IPA. It’s slightly oaky body gave a good, robust counterpart for the firm fish and sweet potato, and the bitterness that it carries cut through the cream nicely.

Skipton Beer Festival 2010

Yesterday - a lovely, sunny day in Skipton. Maybe not the best day do be sitting in a town hall, but there you go - when it comes to beer fests, only a few have precious outdoor seating. Plus, you often get pleasant surprise. Keighley & Craven CAMRA did well - the beers on offer were generally excellent, and, as hoped, did indeed contain a pleasant surprise.

Rodham's excellent IPA started things off. I wish I could get my hands on Rodham's beers more often, because I've yet to be let down by them. The IPA is pale, with a lovely malt backbone and tonnes of citrus hops dominating both the aroma and the taste. The hoppiness stays with you long after the sip, and along with my second choice of Marble's gloriously refreshing Pint, had me pining for a beer garden again.

Still, onwards and upwards. Triple FFF's ludicrously-named (It's a song by Cream) Pressed Rat & Warthog flew the flag for ruby-accented milds; a nice undercurrent of biscuit and a decent hop aroma amongst the fruit made this a moreish pint, and Dark Horse's Best (chosen because I'm such a fan of their Hetton Pale) didn't disappoint either - an eminently drinkable best with a slightly raisin-led flavour.

The real star of the show, however, was Nethergate's Umbel Magna. Basically their stalwart Old Growler with added coriander, I really didn't know what to expect. Given that my only experience of Coriander in beers are firmly in the Wit stable, this half of dark, creamy beer didn't fill me with excitement. But after one sniff - wow. What an aroma. Malt sweetness tempered with a massively rich burst of black pepper. I expected the beer to be astringent and harsh - in reality it was smooth, with a slightly creamy hint, and only the tiniest of heat from the coriander coming in late in the sip. The aroma, however, stuck with me. What a pleasure to try this genuinely unique and well-balanced beer. That's what beer festivals are for.

Later, we finished the day off with a few pints of Rudgate's Ruby Mild in the always - pleasant environs of The Narrowboat. Overall, a decent day, with plenty of beer. And to cap it off, Leeds won. The sun was shining, indeed.

Acorn's Old Moor Porter

I'd never tried Old Moor Porter (4.4%abv) in a bottle before, but cracked one open last night as the fancy for something moreish caught me - maybe I was suffering from some kind of withdrawal for the dark - as I've been supping Pales pretty much exclusively recently.

As to be expected from Acorn, it's an effortlessly classy pint, smooth as hell and with a hint of smoke on the nose. The body has a little more depth, where the usual hints of chocolate and coffee come through, and then finishes dry, with that familiar bite at the end. But it's all very balanced, and very understated. There's nothing loud about this porter at all, but that's not a bad thing. It's a great pint, and I should have really tried this award-winner at home before now.

Kirkstall Brewery Remembered

Although many Loiners are still mourning the loss of Tetley’s to the city, it’s easy to overlook the fact that we actually had another major brewery operating in Leeds up until 1983. There’s not much info out there about Kirkstall Brewery, and I in fact had to glean what little info I could about it the old-fashioned way: going to the library and reading.

The brewery started life in 1793 when two enterprising young men, Henry Cooper and Joseph Musgrave bought some land by the canal to start independent malting operations. In 1833, Musgrave’s business was bought by Hunslet-born Thomas Walker, who stopped malting and turned the two buildings into one brewery. He didn’t do a very good job of it, and died bankrupt. On his death, the brewery fell into the hands of Simeon Musgrave (Joseph’s eldest son), who promptly sold it to a chap called Benjamin Dawson. Dawson & Co obviously saw potential, and bought Cooper’s malting as well. A period of expansion followed; the land became the site for the brewery as it stands today.

Kirkstall Brewery Co bought the brewery when Dawson died. I’m not sure where they came from, or who was involved, but according to Dyson & Grady’s excellent Blue Plaques of Leeds, they churned out around 26,000 barrels of beer per year. It would seem that ales of all types – from Milds to Stouts to Pales – were brewed and exported in a healthy fashion; using the waterways. In my picture you can see the arched doorways by the waterline; this would be where the hogsheads would be rolled onto barges, and then transported up the Leeds-Liverpool Canal onto Goole. Here – and this is my favourite part of the story – they were loaded onto the SS Kirkstall and SS Charante and sailed around the world. Not much information exists about either boat, but according to Dyson and Grady they sailed as far as Australia and New Zealand - quite a feat!

In 1936 Dutton’s of Blackburn took over, but sold up to Whitbread’s of London in 1954. Whitbread’s overhauled the plant, increasing capacity to 62,000 – but I believe their main line was Mackeson’s Stout by this time. Another overhaul increased capacity again to 250,000 barrels per year, but the brewery closed for good in 1983. The brewery is now a Halls of Residence for Leeds Met University – although the trained eye, it’s clear what the building once was. At least the conversion has preserved the building - I wonder how many students get the irony of being housed within a brewery? If you want to see it, the brewery sits on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, straddling the border of Kirkstall and Bramley.

The excellent Leodis website has a number of pictures of wagons, and suggests the the nearby Bridge Inn was at one time a Kirsktall Brewery Pub. Please do head over there for some wonderful archive pictures to support this post.

I’d love to know more about Kirkstall Brewery. Sure, it has a blue plaque, but it’s hidden from view, about ten feet up in the air and off the main road outside it. Who were the Kirkstall Brewing Co? What did they brew - what beer, brewed here, ended up in Australia? If anyone can add to this story, please contact me.

Congrats, Roosters

It's not often I post in a reaction to another post, but Zak's congratulatory piece on Rooster's recent retention of Gold at the World Beer Cup for English Summer Ale with their magnificent Leghorn and YPA Beers really made me smile - and damn it, Zak - you're right. Congratulations are in order.

You see, Rooster's (and experimental arm Outlaw) are a brewery close to my heart, and I think, close to the hearts of many drinkers, especially in Yorkshire. YPA, Leghorn and Yankee are all beers that recall my formative months in drinking beer. Sean Franklin's uniformly pale, creamy-headed beers were simply the most unique beers I had smelt on the market back then, and they were truly special, no doubt. Notice I say smelt - I'm not exaggerating when I say that Yankee and Leghorn really did open open up a new world for me in terms of hops and aroma - an ingredient of beer that I did not know a great deal about back then.

...And it's been a pleasure to learn. When I decided that writing about beer seemed like a lark, I contacted Sean to provide an interview, expecting the usual radio silence in return. But he responded promptly and courteously, and it really made my day. Despite my naive questioning, it's still one of my favourite posts.

Ok, so this may seem like sheer fandom; and in a way it is. But what really makes me happy is this: Local guy done good. Simple as that. Look through that list at the WBC - there's some wonderful, innovative breweries on there; and I have no problem putting Rooster's up there too.

They deserve it - Sean and his team been making wonderful, aromatic beers - with a single-varietal hop mindset - since the early 90's; ploughing a singular furrow in his own quiet way, and has always sat slightly outside the mainstream. He's no stranger to awards, but I know he treats every one with pride. Thornbridge, BrewDog & Porterhouse were amongst the other well-known winners, but Rooster's are local. Well, to me, anyway.

So well done, guys. Deserved, as always.

If you really haven't tasted any Rooster's Beers, they are available at The Palace, North, The Cross Keys, Nation of Shopkeepers, The Maltings (York) and The Tap & Spile (Harrogate), to name a few. Thanks for flagging this award, Zak.

Marble W43

...Despite this only being the third beer from Marble that I've tried (the others being the legendary Pint and Tawny), the enigmatically-named W43 firmly catapults them into my 'Breweries Who Just Don't Seem To Brew Bad Beer' Club. Light copper in colour, with a ever-so-tan head, W43's aroma was simply divine - Strawberries, Lychees and Peaches all made for a fruit cocktail for the nose. This fruitiness comes through on the taste, but is quickly mopped up with a creamy malt backbone, and a dry, pleasantly bitter finish. Wonderful stuff; reminiscent of those first tastes of Rooster's Yankee all those years ago. Good Stuff, indeed; and kudos to North for getting Marble's beers in consistently now.

Easter Treats: Lamb, Twice...

Nothing complicated here, just loads of lush, springtime flavours. One leg of lamb, simply rubbed with smoked salt, fresh Thyme, garlic, Rosemary and black pepper. Drizzle with Olive oil. Slow roast for a couple of hours. Slice into generous hunks and with roasted sweet potato. Chimay Red perfectly matches the fresh herbs with it's full, smooth sweetness and dry finish.

And the leftover lamb? We baked a loaf this morning (always a pleasure) and decided on a Greek-styled open sandwich. Slice your cold lamb thinly, coat with a little paprika and saute in a little olive oil...

.....Chuck onto your home-made bread whilst still warm and top with Feta cheese, and mixed whole olives and eat whilst the sun makes an appearance. Mikkeller's Stateside IPA kicks all that salt from the olives and feta into touch with piney, grapefruity juiciness. Big flavours from the sandwich, big flavours from the beer.

Have a great Easter.