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Oakham Ales Spring Newsletter – Riveting News
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The Albion wins CAMRA Best Pub in Bedfordshire two years running
The Albion in Ampthill, is celebrating winning the Bedfordshire CAMRA Pub of the Year award after fighting off tough local competition for the second year in a row.
The pub had already won the title of South Bedfordshire CAMRA Pub of the Year through public votes, and went up against the North and East Bedfordshire winners to gain the overall Bedfordshire title. Independent judges anonymously visited each contending pub to decide which alehouse should receive the sought after award.
The Albion is a Project William pub, an Everards initiative that joins local independent brewers with Everards to invest in once unloved pubs and transform them into successes. The Albion is a collaboration between Everards and local Bedfordshire brewery, Banks & Taylor, and offers 12 hand pulls. Alongside eight guest ales which change on a regular basis, the Albion has four permanent ales available which are Everards Tiger and three Banks & Taylor ales – Golden Fox, DragonSlayer and local ale Shefford Bitter.
Co-owner of the Banks & Taylor Brewery, Martin Ayres said: “The fantastic news came on Sunday lunchtime, three years to the day since the Albion opened, when a CAMRA representative came in to tell the news to our manager Russell. It’s a great way to celebrate our three year anniversary and a real achievement to receive this level of recognition twice in such a short space of time – hopefully it’s a winning streak that we can continue.”
The next stage of the competition sees the Albion go through to the East Anglia regional round against six other pubs. Should it be successful it will be put forward for the CAMRA National Pub of the Year where it could be up against another Everards and Banks & Taylor Brewery Project William pub, the Seven Stars, which recently also won its regional round and was crowned Rugby CAMRA Pub of the Year.
Martin continued: “It’s quite staggering that both Bank & Taylor’s project William pubs with Everards have made it through to such a high level in the competition in such short spaces of time. The Albion has only been open three years and won twice, and the Seven Stars hasn’t even been open a year – something quite unheard of for CAMRA winners. It would be fantastic if both pubs could make it through to the national final!”
A CAMRA representative will be attending the Albion in Ampthill to present Banks & Taylor Owners, Martin Ayres and Mike Desquesnes, with the award later this month.
New Sales Manager at Steiner Hops Ltd
Guy Perry has joined Steiner Hops Ltd as Sales Manager to help support the rapid growth of micro breweries in the UK and Europe.
Guy has over 20 years experience working as Head Brewer at Sarah Hughes Brewery, Black Country Ales and Stroud Brewery and is therefore well qualified to provide technical sales support.
Guy can be contacted as follows:
Epping office – +44 (0)1992 572331
Mobile – +44 (0)7885 969686
Oakham Ales Acquires Bellwether Wines
Warren Ball, Wine Director, Bellwether Wines
Warren Ball, who has over twenty years’ experience in the wine industry, has joined Oakham Ales as Wine Director and will run the new division. Oakham Ales has also appointed Michael Posnett, as Wine Co-ordinator. Michael has been involved with the Bellwether Wines business since its launch in 2009.
Adrian Posnett, Oakham Ales Managing Director says: “The acquisition of Bellwether Wines provides us with a fantastic opportunity to develop a wine portfolio alongside our ever increasing cask ale business”.
He continues: “Warren’s wealth of experience and expertise within the wine industry will enable us to offer the best possible range of wines tailored to suit the different needs or our customers. The acquisition will also give us the opportunity to talk to Bellwether’s clients about our fantastic range of ales”.
For further information visit: http://www.bellwetherwines.co.uk/ or http://oakhamales.com or follow Oakham Ales on Twitter and Facebook.
First Female Winner of Brewer of the Year
Sara Barton awarded top brewing prize by the British Guild of Beer Writers
Sara Barton of Brewster’s Brewery in Grantham, Lincolnshire has won the Brewer of the Year award at the influential British Guild of Beer Writers Awards Dinner held in London on 6th December. Brewster’s, which is the old term for female brewer, was set up by Sara in 1998 and this is the first time that a female brewer has won this award. Sara has a Master’s Degree in Brewing and Distilling from Heriot Watt University.
Brewster’s brews a wide range of core beers, as well two themed ranges of cask ales, WhimsicAle and Wicked Women, and has also recently started brewing some keg beers including the internationally-inspired Helles style lager and American Pale Ale. Helles, which was inspired by the malty lagers from Munich, has already won a Silver Prize at the 2012 National competition run by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) and the American Pale Ale won a Gold Medal at the International Beer Challenge in 2011.
Sara Barton said “I have been committed to brewing interesting and tasty beers since setting up the brewery 14 years ago and hope that this award puts female brewing at the heart of the brewing industry where it belongs.”
As well as running a brewery and producing some award-winning beers, Sara has been busy working with other women brewers having set up Project Venus in 2011 to collaborate on new brews and showcase the best of female brewing in the UK and Eire. Project Venus has now produced 8 beers from participating breweries around the UK and next one is scheduled for January 2013 at Offbeat Brewery in Crewe.
British Guild of Beer Writers chairman Tim Hampson said: “Sara isn’t just a great brewer, she is also changing the face of the brewing industry through her collaborative brews with other women.
“By sharing her experience and skills generously with these emerging brewsters, she is encouraging more of them to start brewing and returning an industry that has been dominated by men back to its roots, when beers were made, like bread, by the woman of the house.”
Sara Barton will be appearing on TV on December 27th in Jamie and Jimmy’s Food Fight Club on Channel 4. Sara and a select group of brewers accompanied Jamie and Jimmy to Brussels in a Britain versus Belgium Battle of the Beers. The American Pale Ale brewed by Sara will be up against some stiff opposition from Belgium in this competition to determine which country brews the best.
Southwold brewer Adnams calls for action to ease beer tax burden
Suffolk brewer Adnams is urging MPs across Norfolk and Suffolk to get behind the industry and help cut the tax burden facing the industry.
Next Thursday MPs will debate a measure urging the government to review its controversial ‘beer tax escalator’ policy, which has seen tax on beer rise by 42pc since it was introduced in March 2008.
Stephen Pugh, Adnams finance director, said the beer and pub industry plays a vital role in the economies of Suffolk and Norfolk and directly accounts for more than 46,500 jobs in the region including 21,329 people aged under 25.
The contribution to the region’s GDP is estimated to be £1.6m.
The average price of a pub pint of beer in the UK is £3.17, with the duty on a 5pc proof pint of beer currently about 55p.
British beer tax is nine times higher than that of France and 13 times higher than it is in Germany. But there are fears the tax burden is having a significant impact on the industry and is leading to pub closures and job losses.
“Brewing and pubs are absolutely vital to the local economy,” Mr Pugh said. “Duty and VAT on beer cost the typical pub around £66,000 per year. We have seen huge increases in our tax burden, and any further rises are just not sustainable.
“We want to be creating more local jobs and wealth in Suffolk and Norfolk, which is certainly possible without huge tax hikes, every year.
“I hope MPs in Suffolk and Norfolk will listen to these concerns, attend this important debate and support our regional brewing and pub trade by voting for a review of the beer duty escalator.”
Waveney MP Peter Aldous said he backed the call by Adnams.
Mr Aldous, who is already taking the government to task on anomalies in its progressive beer duty following warnings from Bungay-based St Peter’s Brewery that it may no longer be able afford to sell beer in this country, said it was vital the government acted to support the industry. “It’s a campaign I am thoroughly sympathetic with,” Mr Aldous said. “Across Suffolk, we have both very large and small breweries, but they all perform a very important role in the local economy and I think that the government needs to recognise that.
“It’s encouraging to see the growth in private sector jobs, but we need to keep things going and we have got to make it easier for these businesses to move forward and this is exactly one that falls into that category.”
This web article was found at www.edp24.co.uk
Gold Medals for Citra and Bishops Farewell at International Beer Challenge 2012
Oakham Ales were awarded gold medals for both its Citra and Bishops Farewell brands in the up to 5% A.B.V. category.
Citra was awarded the best ale in the category by the judges against the eight other gold medal winning ales.
Oakham Ales to Drive Distribution of Krombacher
SIBA East Region Beer Competition 2012
DATE OF JUDGING & ANNOUNCEMENT – 19th September 2012
Overall Champion of the Competition
Sponsored by Olympus Automation
| Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Oakham Ales | Green Devil IPA | 6.0 |
| Silver | Oakham Ales | Bishop’s Farewell | 4.6 |
| Bronze | Farmer’s Ales | Farmer’s Golden Boar | 5.0 |
To see the full results go to http://www.siba.co.uk/events/regional-competitions/east/2012-2
Photos available here
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