Christine Cryne and Liz Brodie in the Coffee House Soho

Brodie’s, the East London brewery, is brewing up a Brainwave! Expert brewers, brother and sister Jamie and Liz Brodie, have decided to brew a beer and give all the profits to children’s charity, Brainwave.

The beer, named after the Charity, is 3.1% alcohol content and is described by Jamie as “easy drinking, super light, hoppy beer flavored with lots of Columbus hops, which gives it a fruity aroma”.

Brainwave, established in 1982, works with families to deliver individual, home based therapy and exercises for children with disabilities and Development Delay to reach their full potential. This can be anything from walking to recognising numbers. The charity looks after a whole range of children with conditions including Cerebral Palsy, Down’s syndrome and Autism. Families from all over London visit its Centre in Witham, Essex, about 50 minutes out of Liverpool Street.

Christine Cryne, Brainwave’s Chief Executive Officer, said “Enquiries to Brainwave about our services have been growing at 30% a year and we have almost doubled the number of families on our Programmes in five years. We receive no funding from Government and so donations like this are invaluable to us. We are really grateful to Brodie’s for thinking of us and as a CAMRA member myself, I’m really looking forward to trying it. We hope too that this will help raise our awareness in London to get to the families who need our help”.

The beer will be available at the King Charles I, Northdown Street, N1, Wenlock, Wenlock Road, N1, Old Fountain, Baldwin Street EC1, Cross Keys in Covent Garden, the Old Coffee House in Soho, and, of course, their brewery tap, The William IV in Leyton; see www.brodiesbeers.co.uk.

Jamie and Liz Brodie and Christine Cryne are available for radio interviews.

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Chris Gill hardly has space to move when he brews his award-winning real ales.

His Ascot Ales brewery, a small unit on an anonymous industrial estate in Camberley, Surrey, is about the same size as a double garage.

With his brewing tanks beside one wall, and barrels on the floor, there isn’t much room to turn around.

Add the piled up sacks of malted barley and bags of pungent hops, and you really do have to watch your step.

Thankfully small seems to be beautiful for the 40-year-old’s growing band of customers.

Made entirely by hand, his range of real ales use only four natural ingredients - water, barley malt, hops and yeast.

To view the full article go to:  BBC news

By Will Smale

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Barnsley, South Yorkshire, December 8th, 2009 – InteliTap Limited today announced they would be the new contractor to Keg Watch Limited for the South East of England.

The service recovers ‘at risk’ kegs, casks and beer gas cylinders that have fallen outside of the owner’s distribution network and which are unlikely to return through the traditional returns route.  These containers are deemed to be ‘at risk’ of theft or misappropriation.   Over recent years, the on trade beer market has been hit hard by outside influences that have resulted in unparalleled levels of pub closures and significant increases in alternative routes to market. In turn, this has lead to increases in instances where containers fail to find a natural return to their beneficial owners and a need to further enhance the services provided to the Industry by Keg Watch. The containers are brought safely back to their rightful owners, who pay a small fee in return.

InteliTap are brewing supply chain experts. Their VisibiliTy container asset tracking solution, combined with deep domain expertise, is already helping clients such as Coors, Heineken and Sharps to understand their asset fleets, using information based on factors such as accurate population, cycle times, and losses, which helps them to support their business decisions that apply directly to the bottom line.

InteliTap will now manage the actual physical repatriation of lost, misappropriated or simply abandoned beer kegs and casks in the South East of the UK, working on behalf of the Brewing and Gas Supply Industries as a contractor to Keg Watch. This can offer brewers enhanced value and even deeper supply chain information if required, since containers are tracked and managed as they are received inbound.  In addition, this segment of the contract will offer a revolutionary business model, currently unavailable anywhere else in the UK.  

Speaking about the model, Andy Dorr, InteliTap’s General Manager told us: “I am delighted that Keg Watch have selected us for this contract. After many years experience of working with Keg Watch and dealing with these ongoing issues, it became a natural progression and a firm fit within our organization to extend our Supply Chain Security Services to include these elements.  I previously worked for Carlsberg, and the service was very valuable to us indeed.  At InteliTap, because we already have a very in-depth picture of the brewing supply chain, we believe we can offer a completely transparent service with a new commercial model, which is designed to save the industry money as a whole. A fundamental part of our VisibiliTy offering is traceability, and we’re combining this with a commercial structure that allows Keg Watch the transparency to understand and justify costs to their membership. We have stripped out unnecessary costs, and reduced risk. Our previous experience of asset ownership means we are easily able to do that, and any excess profit that is made will be distributed back to the brewers. This isn’t just a service, it is part of a blueprint for a complete industry solution.

Dave Hopwood, Chairman of Keg Watch said: “I am delighted at this decision to move forward with the agreement. We have always had a good relationship with InteliTap and we feel that they are ideal for this role as they have the industry pedigree and ethics to back it up. They know what the plague of the brewing industry is, and they know how they can make that less painful. Their ethos is to help the industry as a whole and this is already obvious through their other work.”

 Jon Quinn, InteliTap’s Chief Commercial Officer told us: “This venture fits perfectly as part of our overall strategy. One of our key skills is listening and responding directly to client needs on an individual basis, and blending this with knowledge and data to offer real value. This benefits industry as a whole, especially since we’re dealing with assets, which can be considered an industry commodity. The result is that everyone wins. We’ve applied this once again, and the result I am sure will be received positively by the marketplace. ”

Taken from:  http://www.pressport.co.uk/pressrelease/Beer-Keg-Cask-Tracking-and-Management-Leader-Taps-into-Repatriation-Business-8574.aspx

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Independent reviewers of real ales, beers and lagers from around the world, including reviews of beer, breweries, watering holes and real ale events

Kent

Click here to see great reviews on the following SIBA member beers

- Westerham Brewery’s Little Scotney IPA (4%)
- Hopdaemon Brewery’s Skrimshander IPA (4.5%)
- Whitstable Brewery’s Raspberry Wheat (5.2%)

Found on twitter

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From C2 Imports …

[November 25th, 2009] British brewers Cotleigh from Somerset, and Laverstoke Park from Hampshire shipped their first container of beers to the U.S. today with an expected arrival in late December to help usher in the New Year.

Both brewers are entering the U.S. market for the first time but are no strangers to beer lovers in their hometowns. Like all great craft brewers, both rely on high quality ingredients, skillful brewing techniques and the care that comes from ones personal passion for all things good! Likewise, both have made name for themselves in their locales in the U.K.

Cotleigh will be introducing its “Beers of Prey” 500ml bottles with a special 3-bottle gift pack providing a variety of tastes for beer connoisseurs. Golden Seahawk, Barn Owl and Tawny Owl beers are the 3 bests selling beers from Cotleigh and will be joined by their “Buzzard” dark ale in subsequent shipments. Cotleigh supports a number of charitable groups, most notably the Owl and Hawk Foundation, established to protect and help nurture these beautiful birds.

Laverstoke Park Farms located in Overton, Hampshire, England is one of the premier producers of organic and bio-dynamic products in the U.K. Providing beef, buffalo, poultry, pork, mozzarella cheese, beers and wines, Laverstoke Park products are a testament to the fact that all the best things we enjoy start with the soil. The company has invested in the latest biology and chemistry lab equipment to assist in producing their own barley and 19 acres of hops, some of which, date back to 1810. Owned by former Formula 1 World Champion Jody Scheckter, the farm is the culmination of his desire to provide only the best tasting , healthy foods and beverages to himself and his family, , and now consumers in the U.S.

For more information, contact any of us at C2 Imports LLC, or go to our web site  http://www.c2imports.com 

Taken from:  beeradvocate.com

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Twenty-four food producers from across England and Wales are celebrating this week having picked up a prestigious Fine Farm Produce Award from the National Trust, including Westerham Brewery, in Kent.

The awards, now in their fourth year, celebrate the breadth and quality of produce farmed, grown or processed on land owned or managed by the National Trust, including tenant farms, orchards and gardens. 

A total of 37 products – including beer, mushrooms, cheese, lamb, beef and onions – have received the award and will now be able to use the coveted Fine Farm Produce Award logo on their products.  The winning products were chosen from a very high standard of 46 separate entries.

To qualify for judging, products must meet strict criteria of provenance and environmental and animal welfare standards. Then, in order to win a coveted award, each product is subjected to a rigorous taste test by a panel of judges.

Westerham Brewery, based on the National Trust’s Grange Farm in Crockham Hill, near Edenbridge in Kent, was set up in 2004 by Robert Wicks.

He worked with the Trust and farmer Ian Strang to use hops from nearby Scotney Castle, and Little Scotney Pale Ale and Best Bitter were launched in July 2005.

The Little Scotney Best Bitter won last year, so this year it was the turn of the Little Scotney Pale Ale to impress judges. They described it as smooth on the palate and praised its ‘warm amber colour and good hoppy scent.’ 

The brewery is also committed to high environmental standards. “Whilst we use traditional brewing methods, we have modern equipment which allows us to be very water-efficient and use minimal amounts of chemicals,” said Robert.

“We use whole hops at the start of the brewing process for bitterness, at the end for flavour and aroma. Then, during maturation, it is dry hopped – a traditional technique where hops are suspended in the beer for seven days,” he explained.

A proportion of the profits from the Pale Ale and Best Bitter are reinvested back into the hop gardens at Scotney Castle, where a new organic hop area is being developed.

Around 16,000 bottles of the ale are sold every year through Trust properties, Waitrose in the South East, independent retailers and mail order.

Winning the award has huge benefits to the business, according to Robert: “From launch, the Pale Ale and Best Bitter sold one for one in the shops. But since winning an award for the bitter last year its sales have gone up 75 per cent.”

Rob Macklin, the National Trust’s head of agriculture, said:  “The awards are given to only the very best produce from the places looked after by the National Trust.

“More than 80 per cent of the land we care for in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is farmed, and we work closely with many of our tenants in helping them develop high quality products.

“Winning an award means that products have had to pass rigorous tests to ensure they are produced to the highest possible standards.

“Since 2006, over 80 products have received a Fine Farm Produce Award and this year’s winners will join a group of some of the very best producers that the country has to offer.”

This year the panel included Henrietta Green, a food writer, broadcaster and founder of FoodLoversBritain.com, who set the standards for the original Fine Farm Produce Awards, Richard McGeown, a restaurant owner who trained under Marco Pierre White, Gordon Ramsey and Raymond Blanc, and Rob Macklin, the National Trust’s head of agriculture.

Henrietta Green added: “The standards set by the National Trust for these awards are extremely high. 

“As someone who has pioneered the cause of the small British producer, it is so encouraging to see such fantastic regional British food delivering on quality, distinctiveness, provenance and taste.

“This year we tasted rare-breed pork, hill lamb, grass-fed beef, dried-cured bacon, daisy-fresh crabmeat, single-variety apple juices and blossom honey – to mention a few.”

The National Trust is passionate about using local and seasonal food in its 150 tearooms and cafes.  Many of this year’s Fine Farm Produce Award winners sell their produce either through their own farm shop or direct to customers. 

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Catherine Bearder MEP with Robert Wicks, holding a bottle of Westerham’s award winning William Wilberforce Freedom Ale.

Kent’s Euro MP Catherine Bearder

today blamed Labour’s failure to support local pubs and breweries for the increasing link between alcohol and anti-social behavior.

On Friday 16^th October Catherine visited Westerham Brewery in Kent and discussed many of the problems facing local breweries and pubs with manager Robert Wicks.

Catherine commented:

“Labour’s attempt to tackle binge drinking in the UK is failing. It needs to encourage responsible drinking, and the key to this is working with local pubs and breweries.”

“Much of the anti-social behavior caused by drinking happens when cheap supermarket alcohol is bought and consumed in streets or car parks. If we want safer drinking then we need to stop the sale of pitifully cheap alcohol in supermarkets and encourage people to drink in the responsible environment of their local pub.”

“Kent has some fantastic local breweries producing beers and ales that are known across the country. If people go into their local pub and drink a beer made in Kent then they’re not only helping to create jobs for their neighbours, they’ll be drinking in a more responsible way.”

“When it comes to EU funding, Kentish beer brewers are at a disadvantage compared to their competitors in the wine and spirit industries. We must make European funds fairer so breweries like Westerham are able to compete on a more even footing.”

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Beers of the World magazine recently held its award ceremony for its annual World Beer Awards at the Hurlingham Club in West London.  Lovibonds Brewery based in Henley-on-Thames was awarded Worlds Best Honey Beer for its 7.3% Lovibonds Gold Reserve.

An international panel of judges tasted their way through hundreds of entries from the United Kingdom, Europe, United States, Australia, Japan and beyond to find the winners of each style.  Lovibonds beers were very well received, with Lovibonds Gold Reserve beating two world class breweries, Samuel Adams and Fullers to take the award.  Lovibonds Henley Dark - a 4.8% Smoked Porter was also highly commended (equivalent of Silver medal) in the Smoked Beer category.  These were the only two beers that Lovibonds entered in this year’s awards.

Jeff Rosenmeier and Jason Stevenson from Lovibonds were on hand at the awards ceremony, receiving the award from British beer writer Roger Protz and Sally Toms, editor of Beers of the World magazine.  Upon hearing the news, Jeff, the Founder and Head Brewer at Lovibonds said, ‘It is great to get recognized for our efforts and innovation with these awards.  We could only afford to enter two beers into this year’s competition and we put forward what we thought was our best and we were awarded accordingly.’

When asked why he thought these beers were successful, Jeff said, ‘It’s a matter of offering something different, for instance our Gold Reserve is a bit on the extreme side, where we get over 20% of the fermentable sugar from honey.  This is a creation that the judges were not likely to have tasted before, and I think standing out is the most important thing to being successful in these type of competitions.’

Distribution of the 7.3% Lovibonds Gold Reserve is limited to the Lovibonds Brewery Shop in Henley, on the Lovibonds web-site, Beermerchants.com and a group of Lovibonds local independent customers.  Jeff stated, ‘We are hoping that these awards help us get the word out and allow us to expand production of these beers.’

Innovation doesn’t come cheap however, with 750ml bottles of the Lovibonds Gold Reserve starting at £9.00 a bottle.  Jeff explains, ‘This is a very expensive beer to make, from the honey we used, to the high class packaging to the duty and the time it tied up tank space.  We price all of our beers where they need to be in order to stand a chance as a business.  This is the sort of beer you share with a group a friends prior to a meal or as part of a desert, not something you have a session with.’

Sally Toms editor of Beer of the World, Jeff Rosenmeier Founder and Head Brewer, Lovibonds Brewery and Roger Protz

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Sussex brewer Dark Star is to increase its brewing capacity by 300% after agreeing a move to a new site

The new site is a 16,000 sq foot site in Partridge Green — 11 miles west of its current site near Haywards Heath. Dark Star started brewing beers such as Dark Star Original and American Pale Ale in the cellar of the Evening Star pub in Brighton in 1996.

“This is the biggest investment we’ve made to date and despite the current economic climate it reflects our confidence in the long term development of the real ale market,” said director Paul Reed.

“Our confidence is also boosted by the broad spectrum of people that are discovering real ale from across age and social groups.

“Anyone who thinks they can caricature the cask ale drinker does not understand the market.

“We consider ourselves lucky to be located among some of the best pubs in the country and competing with other great brewers, and for that reason we’ve chosen to stay in the mid Sussex area, or as we prefer to call it, the Heart of Sussex.”

The first brew from the new site is due to be released by the end of October 2009.

Dark Star’s American Pale Ale won gold at the Great British Beer Festival in the Golden Beer category and their coffee beer, Espresso, was crowned the World’s Best Speciality Beer.

Taken from:  http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/84112

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