Kelham Island Brewery Saved!

Further to my recent blog about the closure of Kelham Island Brewery, well good news for once, as the brewery and its ales have been saved by a Sheffield-based consortium, so Pale Rider will be available again, reasonably soon, I presume. I've sent off a few messages, and will be in Sheffield very soon so can ask around whilst there, any further information I discover as to where it will be brewed etc, I shall share as it becomes know, nice one, cheers!

They still hold their facebook page and website, and I'll cut & paste the message on the facebook page that explains the news (below), and this page written by Pete Brown is great too!

Kelham Island Brewery lives!

With huge excitement and a real sense of responsibility we're delighted to announce that a group of like-minded Sheffield individuals have joined together to ensure that the beers of Kelham Island Brewery will live on.

When we first heard the news about the closure in May we were as shocked and saddened as everyone that such a key part of Shefflield’s brewing heritage was to disappear. We couldn't imagine a time when we wouldn't be able to pop into the Fat Cat in Kelham Island for a pint of Pale Rider.

James O'Hara, venue owner and Tramlines co-founder and his team have joined up with Thornbridge Brewery to ensure that this fantastic heritage lives on. Thornbridge have a rich history and relationship with Kelham Island Brewery, the first ever beers brewed at Thornbridge Hall were in fact Kelham Island beers and Dave Wickett, the founder of Kelham Island Brewery and hugely influential figure in the history of brewing in the UK was a key mentor to Simon and Jim when their journey began. We're also delighted that Ed Wickett, son of Dave and owner of the Fat Cat has given us his blessing and the Fat Cat will have the first pour of the new batch of Pale Rider on October 19th.

Keep your eyes peeled for more news dropping soon, Pale Rider will be back in its rightful place on tap down in Kelham at the Fat Cat before you know it.

Pale Rider rides again!

Elizabeth II - I had to say something...

I've been thinking about what I want to say, and whether I should say anything or not... Of course it's not beer-related, but the satirical site, NewsThump, published a piece that says much, and probably the only non-humorous piece I've ever read of their's (copied and pasted below), but pointedly, it reminds us of the gap left in our lives, whether monarchist or republican...

I remembered that she was the only remaining head of state who had served in World War II, when she volunteered, then Princess Elizabeth, to join the Auxiliary Territorial Service as a mechanic and driver (above). I also remember that, before I was born, my Grandad had danced with Queen Elizabeth II when my Grandma used to work as a cleaner at Buckingham Palace, and they used to have Staff Christmas Parties. In addition, Thursday was my birthday and it was a sad ending to the day, so I shall never forget the day that Elizabeth died.

Indeed, she was a constant and will be missed, R.I.P. 😔

From NewsThump: 

Few things in life are constants; there in the background, always, your entire life, creating a sense of continuity.

Even if you don’t really pay attention, figures in public life give a sense of time and place. As established norms and realities fracture and change and become new and different, or are burned in war and rebuilt, a durable figure’s presence acts as a reassurance – a lodestone against which change can be measured and a reassurance that the future need not be uncertain as you fear.

And then one day they’re gone and it’s only then you see the gap in their place.

Without the constants, the changes seem so much bigger and the challenges all the greater. It’s a moment of mental dislocation, a moment when certainties become uncertain.

From those early photos of an uncertain but hopeful mechanic fixing up lorries to carry troops and weapons to punch Hitler in the face, to sharing a cuppa with Paddington, the Queen was there, her face on banknotes with a slightly quizzical smile as if surprised to actually be there.

And it was there for your entire life. It’s easy to lose sight of how valuable that stability is, not just to individuals but to a sense of identity.

Of course, people will make jokes. That’s what they do when they’re saddened and afraid. If they upset you, forgive them and move on.

Indeed...

Be Prepared for Cost of Beer to Rise AND...

We've likely all been thinking similar, and I didn't really want to mention it, but the price of beer is going to rise substantially soon, and even more pubs are going to go out of business sadly. The Cost of Living Crisis, which is becoming another crisis, no two ways about it, means spiralling costs are already putting pressure on brewers. This article (Peterborough Telegraph) was what stimulated this blog, as one of my favourite breweries, Oakham Ales, is calling for Government action to help ease the effects of inflation and swiftly soaring energy costs, which are driving up the cost to brewers "of raw materials, production and distribution" and no doubt soon to be followed by the need for higher wages for employees! 

For me, the local public house isn't just a place to go and drink, it's a social hub, often a social service for more vulnerable locals, and they also raise significant money for charities, for example my local, the Dolphin Inn in Hastings recently gave £1,379.50 to the RNLI Lifeboat Station from their collection box (Steve on Hastings). It isn't just the brewers that are looking at problems related to rising prices, and wages, but public houses too, energy costs particularly, as the cost of heating and lighting throughout opening times go metaphorically through the roof. And not to forget that the loss of pubs would mean the loss of places to buy real ales, worrying indeed!

Sussex Vintage Cider Update!

In my blog last Saturday I suggested that the Hunts (website) Sussex Vintage Cider (8.4%) was soon to run out at the Rye Waterworks, the last of this 5 years old vintage cider, well, I wasn't quite correct. I visited again yesterday and had another pint of this rich gorgeous cider (photograph above), but there was only a little over a pint left, and being the gent I am I didn't drink anymore, good for someone else to finish it off, cheers!

Any further news about Hunts ciders at the Waterworks and I'll report as appropriate.

Rye Waterworks, Just In Time!

I hadn't been to the Rye Waterworks micropub, Tower Street, Rye TN31 7AT, for a while after having visited quite frequently, but a combination of rail strikes and ultra hot weather made it difficult, so I returned yesterday, just in time? I'll go into that further down. 😉 Anyway, I caught the number 100 bus from Hastings, which I came to regret, I should have caught the train in both directions, notably cooler on my return. Also a rather smelly passenger (BO) on the bus transferred to the seat immediately behind me when the certainly less smelly passenger previously sitting there got off. I did make a sneaky move towards the front nearer to Rye.

But to nicer things, I walked the 5 minutes from the bus stop to the Rye Waterworks on the corner of Rope Walk and Tower Street, and was hailed by the landlord David just before I took the photograph above, hi! I had to wait a couple of minutes before taking the image as it was quite busy in the road, but soon entered the bar space. I was welcomed again by David, and by Morgan, who was working behind the bar. Soon after, Lotte turned up to work behind the bar too, and David's wife Ulla nipped in and out with various supplies during the afternoon. Indeed, the only family member who didn't appear was Eddie, who is soon going abroad and worked his last session behind the bar the night before, I believe, good luck and best wishes Eddie!

To the drinking (list of beers and ciders above), and starting with the beers, of which I drank 2, plus ate a rather tasty Scotch Egg and locally homemade chutney. I had 2 of the pale session ales, starting with Tonbridge Brewery's (website) Easy Street Pale (3.9%), brewed with 3 different Kent grown hops, Northdown, Ernest and Fuggles. I have had this in a can recently too, and was surprised how good it was, and it lived up to the promise. A pale golden bitter with a light spicy and floral aroma, full of flavour, including subtle citrus fruits, and a sharp bitter finish.

I then drank the more fruity (citrus) Scaramanga 'Extra Pale' (3.9%) from Gun Brewery (website), another pale golden bitter. Scaramanga, named after a James Bond villain, is brewed with English and U.S. hops, Goldings and the significant citrus flavour and aroma comes from the US Chinook hops in fair quantity, I imagine. Another decent session ale, but of the two, Easy Street Pale was more to my taste.

And something that amused me, and Long Man Brewery (website) brew ales that stimulate my amusement. Quite a few years ago, probably close to 10 years, I was served up a pint of their 'old ale' Old Man by Laura at the Dolphin Inn in Hastings, I had a great image of it too, sadly lost, but I labelled it "Laura serving an Old Man" which I found serving an Old Man to an old (er) man amusing. 😁 Well, another young woman at the Waterworks, Morgan, who is tall (close to 6 foot tall), was serving a Long Blonde, okay, I'm easily amused, but amused me, cheers Morgan! 

Now to the ciders, I started with the weaker (😉), only 6.9% Double Vision, they sell 2 versions at the same strength, one a "crisp dry" cider, I think they're both dry, but this is the more dry. Anyway, I have written about this before (blog) and it remains pale, complex, and dry, almost sour, I should try the other version too, just so I can compare; research is demanding!

Oh yes, and the story I alluded to above, "just in time!" Well, the slightly strong 8.4% Sussex Vintage (in the glass photographed above) is near the end, indeed, by the time I finish writing this blog it may already have run out. David has taken great delight in his buying the last bottles of the Sussex Vintage, 5 years old, so nowhere else to be found, and he was placing the last bottles into the cooler as I watched him yesterday. I cannot believe I haven't written about this before, because I've had quite a few pints of it now, though not in one session!

OK, Sussex Vintage, 8.4% as I said above, a deeper reddish colour, presumably something to do with the colour of the apple skins (?), is full flavoured, as you'd expect, with a dry bitter finish. It looks like I've had my last pint of it, but they also sell the Sussex Strong straight from a pin, I believe, also 8.4%, so I shall have to review that next time I visit the Rye Waterworks. It's a demanding job, as I say above, but someone has to do it...

I have added the image above of the Doom Bar pump clip on the flush handle in the gents loo as it amuses me, I've had plenty of amusement lately, as you'll be aware if you've got this far down the page. 😁 This is just one part of why the Waterworks is such a great pub to visit, it has a real history, sells excellent drinks and snacks, sourced locally, and is soon to open its own brewery. Most importantly, you feel welcome as soon as you walk through the door, with friendly bar staff, and customers happily chatting to each other. With thanks to everyone for making my visit another delight, cheers to David, Ulla, Morgan and Lotte, and already missing you Eddie!

If you'd like to read more about the Rye Waterworks, I first went there soon after it opened 4 years ago, this blog was the result and describes its history and how unique it is, cheers!

2 Cracking IPAs, cheers to the Beer Wench!

When I celebrated IPA Day a couple of weeks ago, I gave thanks to Ashley Routson, the creator of that celebratory day, and said I had ordered a copy of her book (blog). I'm halfway through reading her book now, and she says an IPA started her "obsession with hops" and I had a couple of excellent IPAs today, so I thought I should share the experience! The first being from Kent Brewery (website), another single hopped ale from them, their 4.5% Huell Melon.

Huell Melon is a German hop which came out 10 years ago and is descended from Cascade, "noted to be intensely fruity with flavours and aromas of honeydew melon and strawberry" (Hopslist), and it's pretty damn good, if you like pale dry bitter ales as I do. On drinking the ale, I expected more to the aroma, however, I didn't really notice that much fruit, and it was subtle to the taste too, but a pale golden ale with a very dry and bitter finish, I loved it!

The second is a stronger IPA from East Sussex Three Acre Brewery (website), and their 5.0% India Pale Ale, which they state is "packed full of New World hops" and the aroma and taste are testament to that claim! This is another pale golden ale, but this time with a big fruity aroma and tropical and citrus fruits to the taste, plenty of body with a dry bitter finish, quality, although I admit to the Kent ale having the slight edge for me personally, both excellent ales though!

Now, before anyone accuses me of sexism because of the title of this blog, Ms Ashley Routson, who hails from the U.S. of A., calls herself "The" Beer Wench, that is, her book is called The Beer Wench's Guide to Beer, subtitled An Unpretentious Guide to Craft Beer, Quarto Publishing Group, 2015. "Wench" a term I only heard before when I lived in the West Country. Although only halfway through her book so far, her taste in beers, and knowledge, and some of her language for that matter (despite being from the other side of The Pond), have convinced me that we'd likely be good friends if we met, only good friends though, unless I was 20-30 years younger! 😉

Anyway, I look forward to reading the rest of her book, cheers to Ashley!

The ales I drank above were imbibed at the Dolphin Inn, 11-12 Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3DW (website).

A Fair Amount of Beer News!

I originally decided to write this blog after receiving the latest "Autumn 2022" edition of CAMRA's quarterly magazine BEER, but was stimulated further on receiving an email from Nicholson's this weekend that advised me The Falcon at Clapham Junction in London (website) is closing down today (7th August 2022) for refurbishment. If you don't know the pub, it is on the corner at the Junction; official address 2 St Johns Hill SW11 1RU, very handy for Clapham Junction railway station, and on many bus routes. Anyway, it is closed until the 1st of September 2022, so if you want a drink nearby, you'll need to walk a little further up St Johns Hill to number 36 and visit Greene King pub The Junction (website) 😏 Now I'm really Up the Junction (YouTube).

Well, much of the rest of my news may be a wee bit old to you, but some of it I had missed, as was the news that John Bryan, Brewing Director at Oakham Ales, one of my favourite breweries, has retired after 27 years working at the brewery (Oakham Ales). John is pretty famous for being the first Brit to bring back Citra hops from the USA in 2009, and, as regular readers will be well aware, Oakham Citra (4.2%) is one of my favourite ales, which I have written about many times. Well, John's not disappearing completely, as he's remaining a partner in the business, and, in the short-term at least, will still be making annual hop sourcing visits to the USA, cheers John!

In BEER, I also noticed a report of a group called Drinkers for Ukraine (website) who are raising money for Red Cross humanitarian relief in Ukraine, which appears to overlap with Brew for Ukraine, which I mentioned in addition to Dave Unpronounceable's article about his visit to Ukraine earlier this year, and which I reproduced in this blog, and which I've written about since too. Indeed, breweries around the world are brewing beers with profits going towards humanitarian relief for Ukraine, eg Steel City Brewing, who have since brewed another ale called Russian Warship, Go F*ck Yourself (blog). The BEER article also mentioned another Yorkshire brewery, Bridgehouse (website), brewing for Brew for Ukraine a 4.5% blonde ale called White Crow, which was sold in the Strangers' Bar at Westminster earlier this year.

In BEER, they also reproduced an article by John O'Donnell called Ask the expert - what is a pint of beer? (CAMRA) Again, regular readers will be well aware that I have strong views on beer being the only thing in Britain that can be sold at less volume than is advertised, that is, we rarely get what we pay for, a FULL pint, and much beer is wasted (above image, tut tut) because brim measured glasses are usually the norm... And, well you can read the rest of my arguments at this blog, if you haven't before, indeed, Fiddles, Waste and Duty: Full Pint or Not?!?

Finally, I recently heard the sad news that Caledonian Brewery (website) is being closed down by Heineken as it is 'no longer economically viable.' Heineken took over the Edinburgh brewery in 2008, and beer has been brewed there since 1869. Once closed, it is planned that Caledonian beers will be brewed by Greene King at the Belhaven brewery in Dunbar (Edinburgh News).

Not all good news then, whatever, raise a glass to brewers, and cheers!