Rick Sheepshanks (right), MD of Stokes Sauces, and Colin Cordy MD of St Peters Brewery

A real ale relish produced by award-winning Suffolk company, Stokes Sauces, could soon be satisfying the tastebuds of food lovers in the US.

Such has been the success of Stokes Sauces’ collaboration with fellow East Anglian company, St Peter’s Brewery, talks are now under way to export the popular Suffolk Mud Real Ale Chutney across the Atlantic.

Made with St Peter’s Best Bitter, the chutney is one of several relishes produced by Stokes Sauces under its Suffolk Mad brand. The company also has an extensive product range of preserves and savoury sauces.

The chutney has proved such a successful brand since its creation last year and is now the subject of significant export conversations.

Rick Sheepshanks, managing director of Stokes Sauces, said: “We are enormously proud of our collaboration with St Peter’s Brewery – which has given way to the creation of both our real ale chutney and our wholegrain mustard with St Peter’s Brewery Honey Porter.

Leading supermarkets are now also beginning to stock key lines from the Stokes brand.

Suffolk Mud Farmhouse Chutney with St Peter’s Best Bitter has an RRP of £2.98 and is available in all good Farm Shops and Delis.

Click here to read the full story. Article Taken from Business Weekly.

Oakham Ales, based in Peterborough, brewed its first seasonal ale for M&S this summer – named ‘Cambridgeshire Summer Ale’.  It won a gold medal at the *International Beer Festival – the first one the retailer has won at these awards – and has been so popular with customers that M&S is keeping the beer as part of its permanent range and re-naming it ‘Cambridgeshire Golden Ale’.

The 4.2% A.B.V bottled beer will be sold in 279 southern-based stores as well as in and around the Peterborough area and nationally in larger M&S outlets.   The new bottle carries the gold medal win on the label and it will be priced at approximately £2.19 per bottle.

Adrian Posnett, Oakham Ales Managing Director says: “We are thrilled that M&S will be introducing Cambridgeshire Golden Ale as part of its core range.  The on-going exposure in such a high profile retailer is very good news for the business and the rest of the Oakham Ales range”.

Oakham Ales produce exceptional full flavoured hoppy beers with its core range winning multiple awards.  The Brewery strives to source the best possible ingredients by developing personal relationships with growers, farmers and all those they deal with in the sector.

Oakham Ales, the acclaimed innovative ale brewery based in the East Midlands, is the only brewer worldwide to have access to the Baby Belma hop. The beer is a result of the Brewery’s Production Director, John Bryan, being introduced to the hop on his annual research trip to the USA.

Grown in the North West of USA in the lower Yakima Valley, John’s good working relationship with the growers, built up over the years, has enabled him to have first option on the Baby Belma crop when he sampled them earlier this year. He has enough for one brew only.

The 4.1% A.B.V ale is light copper in colour with a subtle orange fruit aroma. The initial taste is a fresh fruit zestiness which softens to reveal some sweetness from the malt combining with orange peel flavours giving a delicate dry finish.

John Bryan, Oakham Ales Production Director said: “I love to experiment with new hops and it is a privilege to be entrusted with the Baby Belma crop by the growers. I’m confident that our new Baby Belma will do justice to that expectation”.

Baby Belma will be available on draught nationally while stocks last through the free trade and via selected distributors. For further sales information contact Oakham Ales on telephone: 01733 370500 or e-mail: sales@oakhamales.com

Oakham Ales, the acclaimed innovative ale brewery based in the East Midlands, has appointed Steve Fuller as an Area Sales Manager for the ‘East Region’. The sales team has grown from three to five since 2010, reflecting the strong sales growth for the Oakham Ales range of draught and bottled beers.

Steve Fuller, who previously worked for Middleton Wholesale, will cover an area to include Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, North-East Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and East Riding of Yorkshire. He will be responsible for developing Oakham’s direct supplied free-trade customers as well distributor and wholesaler supplied outlets within this area.

Adrian Posnett, Oakham Ales Managing Director comments: “It’s great to have Steve on board. With a rapidly growing number (currently 208) of ‘Oakademy of Excellence’ member outlets nationally – that’s venues that serve Oakham Ales on a permanent basis – as well as an increasing number of regular stockists of our beers supplied through our network of distributors, we needed to strengthen our sales team to meet this growing demand. Steve brings with him a wealth of experience in the trade and his genial manner will make him a great asset to our team”

Congratulations to Wibblers who have taken the title of  Best Drink  product in the Essex Food and Drink Awards.

Nigel Sadler will be speaking to BBC Essex Radio at 3.30 today. To listen to the interview tune in to listen to the Etholle George Program  click here

You can view all the winners of the Essex Food and Drink Awards here

Congratulations to all winners.  To view the full results click here

DATE OF JUDGING                                         21st September 2011

Beers available at the festival this weekend.  yourround BeerCAM

Overall Champion of the Competition Sponsored by Crisp Malting Group Ltd

Richard and Pauline Smith aboard their new narrow boat – Bishops Farewell

When Pauline and Richard Smith of Yaxley, Peterborough, purchased their first boat they were considering what to name it. The fifty-two foot narrow boat, based in Yarwell, will be regularly cruising the River Nene. Richard said: “We have three beautiful grand-daughters, the name of any one of which would look really good on the side of the cabin – but how could we possibly pay homage to one without offending the sensibilities of the others?” As Pauline and Richard are both enthusiastic consumers of the beers of the local brewer – Oakham Ales – they settled upon one of their favourite beer’s and decided to name their boat – ‘Bishops Farewell’.

Richard continues: “I’m a great believer in supporting local businesses but this isn’t the reason we always return to Oakham’s products – in our opinion they really do stand head and shoulders above their rivals. Bishops Farewell has a strong link to Peterborough, something else I like to promote whenever anyone will listen (we’ve both lived here all our lives) and we also love the Brewery Tap as a place to chill out at the weekend – it’s ever so slightly quirky and the staff are quite exceptional.

Richard continues: “It does bring a smile to the face of those that cotton-on when they see it for the first time. But as often as not it causes some quizzical looks among passing boaters and you can see them thinking, “I wonder what…..” I’m sure some of them think I’m a retired clergyman! So in the quieter moments, such as when we are waiting to go through a lock, we take great pride in bringing some enlightenment to the curious.”

Adrian Posnett, managing director of Oakham Ales comments: “We feel honoured that Richard and Pauline chose one of our ales to name their narrow boat. The team at Oakham wish them many hours of happy boating and I will keep my eyes peeled for our ‘namesake’ next time I’m passing the River”.

The team at Oakham Ales has developed quite a reputation for ‘living’ the launch of the beer that is unveiled at the Peterborough Beer Festival (23rd-27th August). This year, the introduction of Dreamcatcher, a deep paprika red beer, bursting with blackberry, blackcurrant and black cherry flavours and a hearty 6.9% A.B.V. has led to the Oakham Ales office-based team dressing up as Native Americans. The Squaws walked from Europe’s largest brew pub – the Brewery Tap – to the Peterborough Beer Festival, with guests of the Brewery hard on their trail.

Adrian Posnett, Oakham Ales Managing Director comments: “We have developed quite a reputation for creating an atmosphere for the launch of our festival beer, and this year visitors won’t be disappointed. Our head brewer Alex Kean, came up with the name, and the team in the office have been working hard creating their Native American outfits. Dreamcatcher is a lovely smooth beer that I’m confident will be a festival favourite.”

Dreamcatcher will be available on draught from the 23rd August through the free trade and via selected distributors. For further sales information contact Oakham Ales on telephone: 01733 370500 or e-mail: sales@oakhamales.com