– Port Street Beer House / Three Wine Men – Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd December
On Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd December we will be taking Portable Street Beer House down to the Three Wine Men event at MOSI, Manchester
If you dont’t know what or who Three Wine Men are, then you can read plenty more about them via their website. Basically it’s a big wine tasting event run by Olly Smith, Oz Clarke and Tim Atkin, the event is a first for us, but should be a lot of fun. Tickets are £20 for each session and can be purchased here.
Throughout the ‘Three Wine Men’ event, we will be showcasing three of our favourite breweries on ‘Portable Street Beer House’ which is a portable version of our fabulous venue. Featuring six taps serving the freshest beer around. We will be hosting beers from the following breweries…
Magic Rock, Huddersfield
“Magic Rock Brewing Co. is the result of three peoples passion for beer. Brothers Richard and Jonny Burhouse* aided by head brewer Stuart Ross were inspired to start the brewery by their love of great beer and the burgeoning U.S craft beer scene in particular. Driven by a desire to bring exciting characterful beers to their local market and beyond, brewing commenced mid 2011. (*Jonny sold his shareholding to Richard in late 2011).
Initial reaction to the beers exceeded expectations and a fantastic first six months culminated in the brewery being named ’2nd best new brewery in the world 2012′ on the independent ratings site Rate Beer. To meet demand capacity was increased twice in the first year with additional 16bbl fermenting vessels added in October 2011 and again in January 2012. Due to the strength of demand for keg products from both home and abroad two 6bbl conditioning tanks were also modified to meet demand. Current production stands at around 35bbl per week with more expansion due late 2012.
At Magic Rock we are committed to making a full range of modern, flavourful, hop forward & ‘big’ beers using the best available ingredients and techniques for drinkers unwilling to compromise on flavour. This uncompromising attitude runs through all our beers, where we seek flavour and complexity whilst striving for balance and drink-ability. We intend to deliver a taste experience to our customers which is magically removed from the mundane. To excite and enthral and to educate people to the flavour possibilities of beer. We understand that you don’t have time for bland, flavourless beers because neither have we.
Our beers are available in cask and keg because we think that different dispense suits different beers. We also bottle our beers because we like drinking them at home.
We make beer the same but different, conjured for flavour; beer which will inspire and delight but above all taste great.. Welcome to the Magic.”
http://www.magicrockbrewing.com/
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Summer Wine Brewery, Holmfirth
“Summer Wine Brewery was started in the Autumn of 2008 by Managing Director Andy Baker, Head Brewer James Farran & Meyrick Kirk.
Since our inception four years ago we have evolved immeasurably and now produce a vast range of beers in Keg, Cask and Bottle and export to several countries around the globe.
We are a brewery with an extreme passion, a strong identity and a desire to experiment. We are unapologetic in producing beers that are flavour forward, laden with the best ingredients and occasionally push the boundaries of what is possible when brewing beer.
Our beers range from Barista – an espresso laden stout through to Maelstrom Double IPA packed full of the finest US hops. In between, you will find Cohort – a Double Black IPA brewed with rye malt and Belgian yeast and our flagship pales ales Oregon Pale Ale and Diablo IPA, complimented by Teleporter a 10 malt porter and Rouge Hop – a slightly sweet and hoppy red ale
Our past experimental brews have included KopiKat Imperial Stout brewed with Kopi Luwak, Blue Mountain & Kenyan Peaberry Coffee & Madagascan Vanilla Pods. Dr Paracelsus Bombastic Elixir brewed with Turkish Pepper, Liquorice Root, Black Cardamoms & Fresh Blackcurrants. Calico Jack Imperial Jamaican Stout brewed with Root Ginger, Cacao Powder and Hemp.”
http://www.summerwinebrewery.co.uk/
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RedWillow, Macclesfield
“RedWillow Brewery was started by Toby and Caroline in late 2010. Toby started brewing as a hobby, which rapidly developed into an obsession and then a business. We have a simple aim, to brew the types of beer that we like to drink and have fun doing so. Along side our mainstay of hoppy, well balanced and drinkable beers, our love of flavour and food occasionally manifests itself with a rather eclectic choice of ingredients:
– An Oyster Stout brewed with hundreds of freshly shucked Oysters
– A Smoked Porter made with Mexican Chipotles
– A Chocolate Stout made with 85% Coca single origin Columbia Chocolate
To indulge our whimsical side we have the experimental Faithless range of beers which have included:
– A Thai Wheat Beer with Lemon Grass, Galangal, Coriander, Tamarind and a hint of Chilli
– A ‘Gin and Tonic’ Saison with Lemon grass and Juniper Berries
– A Lambic Sour Cherry Chocolate Stout currently ageing in Rioja Barrels
Since we started we have been honoured to have won Champion Beer of Cheshire 2011, SIBA North Gold 2011 in Premium Bitters, SIBA National Gold 2012 in Premium Bitters, SIBA National Silver in Overall Supreme Champion 2012 and most recently we were shortlisted for the BBC Radio 4 Food and Farming awards in the best drinks producer category.
Our philosophy is simple, share your passion, take would you do seriously, but never yourself.”
– Review: Evil Twin – Mad Dog Pale Ale by Niall Lecoustre
As the craft beer revolution gathers pace more and more good beer is reaching British shores from Scandinavia. Mikkeller set down the benchmark for quality craft beer from the region releasing ground breaking beers such as Beer Geek Breakfast, an exceptional Oatmeal stout. Others followed such as Nogne and Haandbryggeriet from Norway and Hornbeer and Evil Twin from Denmark. Some of these breweries are really hard to come by in the UK but thankfully Port Street are sourcing more and more gems from the area.
Evil Twin comes from particularly good beer stock being the brainchild of the brother of the man behind Mikkeller. Like Mikkeller, Evil Twin is a gypsy brewer, brewing his beers at such luminaries of the beer world as De Molen and Brewdog. Evil Twin states that his mission is to disturb, cause disorder and enlighten drinkers with his beers. I would go further and say Evil Twin are making beer fun with such ridiculously named beers as ‘The Talented Mr Orangutan’ and ‘Christmas Eve in a New York City Hotel Room’.
Despite the crazily named beers Evil Twin shouldn’t be dismissed and considered a novelty brewer as he is making great stuff. Probably the most interesting Evil Twin beer to date has been the Imperial Taiji, (recently renamed simply as Yin and Yang) a combination of Yin, an exceptional imperial stout and Yang a super hopped double IPA. The combination of the two beers created a moreish hoppy stout which works incredibly well. Both beers were brewed at Brewdog like the latest Evil Twin offering at Port Street, Mad Dog Pale Ale.
Mad Dog is an easy drinking offering from Evil Twin and is a good introduction to the brewery. It doesn’t have the high ABV of Ying and Yang but is still packed with flavour and is unique in its own right. It pours pale amber and has a nice slightly frothy white head. The aroma is light and hoppy with both floral and fruit notes which hint at the tastes to come. Upon tasting, first the sweetness comes to the fore and there are clear hints of citrus fruits and spices. When the sweetness subsides it is replaced by a long, bitter finish which will definitely meet with the approval of hop heads. Mad Dog doesn’t fit the stereotype of the typical American Pale Ale and is surprisingly bitter for such a low strength beer. It is a nice starting point for exploring the Evil Twin Range before trying the big hitters such as Yin and Yang and some of the magnificent imperial stouts which the brewery is producing. I have tried some of the breweries stouts and haven’t been disappointed yet. Even More Jesus, the latest Imperial Stout from the brewery is definitely on my to-drink list next time I’m in Port Street.
If you haven’t tried any offerings from Evil Twin, give them a go. You will not be disappointed.
Brewer: Evil Twin
Brew: Mad Dog Pale Ale
Style: Pale Ale
ABV: 4.7 %
– Independent Manchester Beer Convention – videos
October 2012 saw the launch of our very our ‘beer event’ called the Independent Manchester Beer Convention. We had such fun putting it all together, so much so we couldn’t actually absorb all the goings on over the weekend, so we comissioned our good friends Asta Films to document it for us. Here are two short films including the main discussion on Frdiay night ‘What the hell is craft beer?’
– What The HELL Is Craft Beer? A Blog.
As an idealist I went into this discussion thinking we would sort this issue out once and for all, alas as I am beginning to learn the idealist is oft disappointed. I say disappointed, however this is a gross exaggeration, it was a real privilege to take this discussion out of the internet and into the real world, a lively and animated discussion amongst esteemed members of the beer community, what more could I have asked for? Our panel comprised of John Clarke (south Manchester CAMRA), Toby Mckenzie (Head Brewer, Redwillow Brewery), Zac Avery (Blogger and owner of Beer Paradise), Peter Alexander (CAMRA type, NWAF organiser) and James Watt (Head Honcho, Brewdog), we attempted to make the panel as balanced as possible with some pro-craft and those with a more traditional CAMRA perspective. There were certainly flaws in the event, chiefly among them a lack of women on the panel, this was highlighted by the very mixed demographic of the crowd in attendance, perhaps an imbalance in the panel, we possibly needed another staunch craft perspective. We live and learn, if you have any comments as to flaws or possible improvements in the format then please let us know.
As the compere for the evening my brief was to keep the discussion going, stimulate discussion and to try and keep my opinions to myself. Each member of the panel was given 3 minutes to state their case, a very brief run down of some of the live tweets from the talk:
“Trying to define it (craft beer) I don’t think we’re going to get anywhere” – John Clarke (CAMRA)
“A really powerful thing is how you define yourself ” – Zak Avery
“we need the definition, to protect it from the multi corporate bastards” James Watt (Brewdog)
“I don’t think we can define craft beer” – Tandleman
“we should not follow the USA in relation to their definition of craft beer” – Tandleman
“You’ve got your own palates! We brew beer you like it, you drink it. You don’t like it, you don’t drink it.” – Toby Mckenzie
“It’s about education. Information for the consumer is key to drink better beer.” – James Watt (BrewDog)
“Not everyone can drink expensive beer” – Zak Avery
“We don’t need a definition. Summer Wine, RedWillow, Thornbridge, Quantum are growing – does it matter?” – James (SWB)
“Be wary of selling things. Don’t push people out. Keep the prices low.” – Tandleman
Well that gives you a flavour of the discussion, the only person who really advocated a tighter definition of craft beer was James Watt, stating size, independence and something else, a broadly similar to the American Brewers Association definition. I was surprised that more people didn’t really support this type of motion, personal I think there is some sense in it.
Do we really need a definition at all? I would argue that maybe we don’t, the US have a constitution set in stone the UK do not, is there a parallel to be drawn here, do us Brits need strict rules to judge these things by and even if we did would we still argue about them anyway? I would say that maybe we need a set of aspirations so that consumers can judge for themselves what is and isn’t craft, some guidance through the world of beer particularly for the uninitiated. I think some of the proposal containing in Tandleman’s blog are very sensible, to develop a broad qualitative definition, maybe using size, independence, ethos and other such wooly terms, at least this gives people a framework by which to make up their own minds.
In terms of ‘craft beer’ being derided as a marketing term, what is the problem with it being a marketing term? Real ale has become a marketing term and plenty of brewers have hung their hat on that, why not have a marketing term which could help small brewers, pubs and customers a like in the same way real ale has done so far.
I think it’s fair to say outwardly we may not have come to a conclusion, however I think it was good to get the discussion out in the open and it has maybe thrown up a few possible discussion points for future events such as:
What future for CAMRA? Beer is an exciting and dynamic industry with a changing demographic, young people, women, previous non-beer drinkers of all ages are getting interested. Can CAMRA keep pace? Is it interested in moving forward? Is it too late? Has the campaign(for real ale) been won already?
Why are PROFIT and MARKETING dirty words in the beer industry? Two words which are vital to the success of any small business or industry as a whole so why do so many get so worked up a bout them?
Words By Jonathan Heyes
