Beer News

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How writers boosted beer's image

As the British Guild of Beer Writers prepares to hold its annual reception on the eve of the Great British Beer Festival, guild founder Roger Protz recalls its early days, its associations with the late Michael Jackson and the long struggle to get greater media support for Britain's historic drink

Added: Saturday, August 8th 2015

Guest Column

A beer I brewed with grave misgivings

Dave Bailey, who runs Hardknott Brewery in Cumbria, describes the thought that went into brewing Nuclear Sunset on the 70th anniversary of the dropping of the A-bomb on Hiroshima in Japan. Dave's brewery is close to Sellafield in Cumbria and he is acutely aware of the strong feelings aroused by proponents and opponents of the nuclear industry

Added: Wednesday, August 5th 2015

News

Round-up: GBBF trade session booms; new Black Sheep beer; Thornbridge heads to Holland; Ilkley Brewery bought

The trade session at this year's Great British Beer Festival (pictured) will see a much larger turnout of brewers as CAMRA opens a new facility for smaller producers. Black Sheep Brewery is launching a new keg pale ale, Pathmaker, to attract younger drinkers while Thornbridge Brewery is going into partnership with a top Dutch bar owner. Ilkley Brewery will expand production under new ownership

Added: Friday, July 31st 2015

News

Beer range grows, Lidl by Lidl

Discount supermarket chain Lidl has launched 48 new beers from regional breweries, with a price band of £1.17 to £1.69, undercutting those from Asda, Sainsbury's and Tesco. While a number of big brewers are featured, drinkers will also find beers from the likes of Kite, Leeds Brewery, Portobello and Tower

Added: Wednesday, July 8th 2015

News

Oddbins launches Belgian-style Saison

Nationwide drinks group Oddbins has launched No 5, the latest in its range of craft beers. It's a Saison, based on the style made famous in French-speaking Wallonia. It's brewed by Rocky Head Brewery, a new micro-plant in south London launched by Steve Daniels, a former Oddbins director

Added: Wednesday, July 8th 2015

News

U.S. cask beers head for Olympia fest

American craft beers in cask-conditioned form will be one of the highlights at the 2015 Great Brtish Beer Festival, to be staged at London Olympa from 11-15 August. The festival, which attracts up to 55,000 people, will also feature 900 real ales from around the UK, along with the announcement of the annual Champion Beer of Britain awards

Added: Friday, July 3rd 2015

News

Queen rock beer world with Bohemian pils

Legendary rock group Queen celebrate 40 years since they recorded Bohemian Rhapsody -- one of the best-selling records of all time -- with a Bohemian Pilsner brewed in the Czech Republic to the spirit of the original beer from Pilsen brewed there in the mid- 19th century. Bohemian Lager will be rocking and stocking shelves in the UK and then worldwide

Added: Thursday, July 2nd 2015

News

You'd be baamy to miss Black Sheep's ale

Rob and Jo Theakston have launched a new hoppy, golden pale ale, Hoptacular, at their brewery in Masham, North Yorkshire. Four hops are used to give the 3.6% beer a big bitter and fruity appeal, with much of the character coming from fermentation in traditional "Yorkshire Squares"

Added: Wednesday, July 1st 2015

Comment

Doom Bar: between Rock & a hard place

Molson Coors has admitted that the bottled version of its best-selling Doom Bar has been brewed for the past two years in Burton-on-Trent. Yet bottle labels announce in bold type ROCK CORNWALL. And an advertisement in Waitrose Weekend, illustrated with a bottle of Doom Bar, says Sharp's creates beer "alive with Cornish energy" at Rock. Other big brands, including Foster's, Kronenbourg and Stella Artois, also stress their places of origin but brew in Britain

Added: Monday, June 29th 2015

Feature

Magna Carta ales: a toast to liberty

As celebrations get underway to commemorate the signing of Magna Carta 800 years ago, breweries have produced special beers to mark the occasion. Some use medieval recipes to incorporate such ingredients as rosemary, yarrow and other herbs and spices added at a time when hops were not available or were unknown

Added: Sunday, June 14th 2015