Beer News

Feature

Hats off to British hops

A decade ago the English hop industry was on its knees as more and more brewers imported hops from abroad. But the revived British Hops Association has breathed life back into the market and has developed a new range of plants that deliver the rich, fruity aromas and flavours that craft brewers demand.

Added: Tuesday, October 6th 2020

News

Cask Ale Week bids to beat the blues

Cask Ale Week starts on 24 September and, despite the new restrictions on pub opening hours, it will encourage beer lovers to go to their locals and enjoy a style of beer that's unique to Britain. Dozens of breweries have activities planned for the week, including launching special beers for the occasion

Added: Thursday, September 24th 2020

News

New look tankard for Black Sheep ale

Black Sheep Brewery in the Yorkshire Dales is getting ready for Cask Ale Week with a new tankard for its draught beers in selected pubs in Yorkshire and North-east England. The brewery says cask beer is unique to Britain and it wants to boost its popularity with the powerful image of the tankard

Added: Tuesday, September 15th 2020

Wood Aged Beer

Why wood gives a magic touch

Ageing beer in oak casks is coming back into fashion as brewers discover the added aromas and flavours wood can give their beers. Alastair Simms is seen at the White Rose Cooperage in Yorkshire with a fine collection of oak casks. Classic lager brewers lined oaks casks with pitch to avoid woody flavours infecting the beer

Added: Thursday, September 10th 2020

News

River Cottage and Stroud join forces with beers for organic September

Stroud Brewery has joined forces with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and River Cottage to produce two beers to celebrate Organic September. The beers are Organic Stinger Golden Ale and Organic Rye PA. Stinger is brewed with the addition of organic nettles

Added: Friday, August 28th 2020

News

Whisky beer to aid Africa water campaign

Ardbeg's whisky distillery on Islay has joined forces with William Brothers' Brewery in Alloa to produce a smoky porter, using the distillery's own peated malt. The profits from the beer will be donated to build clean water wells in Malawi.

Added: Wednesday, August 12th 2020

Feature

Billy Tidy, fizz, fun and keg buster

Bill Tidy at the age of 86 has hung up his pens and sketch pads after years of tickling the nation's ribs with such strip cartoons as the Cloggies and the Fosdyke Saga. He created Kegbuster in the 1970s for CAMRA's What's Brewing newspaper where he lampooned the activities of the Grotny Hardmen and Twitbread and their lacklustre keg beers.

Added: Wednesday, July 29th 2020

News

Beer inspired by Nightingale backs NHS

Rudi Keyser, founder of Watling Street Brewery in North London, was so inspired by the work of the NHS in combating the coronavirus pandemic that he volunteered to work at the Nightingale Hospital in Docklands and also brewed a special pale Nighting Ale with £1 from every sale going to the Covid-19 appeal.

Added: Saturday, July 18th 2020

News

Hogs Back IPA celebrates return of pubs

Hogs Back Brewery in Surrey has launched an East Coast IPA to celebrate the re-opening of pubs on 4 July. Seven hops are used in the beer, including Cascade grown in the brewery's own garden. The hop garden covers 8.5 acres and supplies the brewery with 50% of its hops needs. A malt kiln will be added to dry hops within 24 hours of being picked.

Added: Monday, June 29th 2020

Comment

Carlsberg & cask: remember Burton Ale?

Carlsberg is the dominant partner in the new brewing group formed with Marston's -- and the Danish giant does not enjoy a good track record where cask ale is concerned. It closed the major Tetley Brewery in Leeds and axed the award-winning Draught Burton Ale and there are now concerns for the future of Draught Bass, which Marton's brews for AB InBev

Added: Tuesday, May 26th 2020