– India Pale Ale / By John Clarke
India Pale Ale. Three short words and so much controversy. What’s all the fuss about? In a word, “authenticity”. From time to time the beer blogosphere, newsgroups and forums will be racked with argument about what makes an “authentic” IPA. So, what is an authentic IPA – and more to the point does it matter?
As a style, IPA has been around for over 200 years now. Books have been written about its origins but suffice it to say this was a beer originally designed to survive a six month sea voyage from the UK to the British colonies in India. It is one of this country’s greatest and enduring contributions to the world of beer and is now brewed across the globe in all manner of variations. Which brings us back to “authenticity”. (more…)
– Summer Wine Brewery visit / by Jonathan Heyes
Seeing as we’re having a little meet the brewer with our friends over at Summer Wine Brewery we thought we’d pop over and meet them on their own turf. Their own turf being the hills and valley of deepest, darkest Yorkshire, Holmfirth to be exact, ok so it wasn’t that dark but I’m a Lancashire lad so can’t pass up the opportunity to have a dig. So after a quick jaunt over snake pass and getting only slightly lost, we arrived as you so often do when visiting breweries at a slightly ramshackle industrial estate. (more…)
– PSBH & Common Day Out (part two) / by William France
At this point I feel the need to provide a little more background information about the brewery. A lot of you reading may already know all there is to know about Thornbridge but there are likely to be just as many who come to Port Street and Common who know little about them, so here goes. (more…)
– PSBH & Common Day Out (part one) / by John Paul Cassidy
Some of the more avid followers among you, may have noticed that last week, the lucky staff of both Port Street Beer House and our older, yet less grown up ‘sister bar’, Common, went on a bit of a staff jaunt to Thornbridge Brewery. Yes not only do we close our doors to such wonderfully loyal patrons on a Monday, but sometimes take it upon ourselves to do something thoroughly enjoyable in the name of staff bonding instead! (more…)