FULLER’S NEWS
Reassuringly, under the ownership of Asahi, Fuller’s are still brewing some of their more distinctive beers. In early October they announced the launch of the 25th edition of Vintage Ale. Each year’s brew is unique and the 2021 version has an ABV of 8.5% and is brewed with Pale Ale, Caragold and DRC (double-roasted crystal) malts and Endeavour, Olicana and CF182 hops. The latter is experimental and is, as yet, unnamed. As before, there is only a limited number of bottles available and bottles are individually numbered.
Fuller’s have been involved in some controversy over the Plough in East Sheen (SW14 7AF). Using Section 20 of the Landlord & Tenant Act, they refused to grant the existing tenant a new lease because they wanted to take the pub into direct management. This is an increasingly frequent tactic being used by pub owning businesses. Fuller’s claim to have made it clear that this was their intention when they bought the pub ten years ago. Happily, the displaced tenant has already found himself another pub and has taken with him all the fixtures and fittings that he had paid for and, perhaps more importantly, the staff.
YOUNG’S NEWS
Young’s have reported that, for the half-year ended 27 September, sales income was down by just 1% on 2019 levels. A profit of £22.2 million is predicted for the year and this could see the reinstatement of dividend payments. Chief executive Patrick Dardis did however warn of a price increase in the New Year because of rising costs, as mentioned in the Introduction.
Mr Dardis also said that Young’s were continuing to look for new sites. In the meantime, it has been reported on social media that the company has acquired the freehold of the Grade II-listed Lamb in Lamb’s Conduit Street from the Governors of Rugby School.
WETHERSPOON’S NEWS
JDW’s preliminary results for the year ended 25 July 2021 reported sales income of £772.6 million, a reduction of 39% on the previous year. A loss before tax of £154.7 million was predicted. Despite that, during November, JDW were selling three different beers at 99p per pint. A report by the BBC on 10 November possibly provides an explanation. Since August, sales of cocktails and similar drinks had increased by 45% but sales of draught beer had fallen by 30%. Chairman Tim Martin ascribed this to fewer visits from older customers. He was however optimistic that, in due course, booster vaccinations and better weather in the spring would see sales improve. There was also a fall off in food sales, which was attributed to people working from home. Sales of coffee and breakfasts were particularly affected.
In order to protect what they call ‘the DNA of the business’, JDW are planning to create a number of worker directors from the ranks of their experienced area and pub managers. This is also intended to improve their corporate governance arrangements.
MORE REDCAT ACQUISITIONS
RedCat have acquired the Saint Arnold pub company which owned two pubs, the Five Bells in Colne Engaine and the Lion in Earls Colne, in East Anglia. Saint Arnold (who, incidentally, is the patron saint of beer) had been up for sale before the COVID lockdowns and had already disposed of two pubs. The owners of Saint Arnold, Darran and Caroline Lingley, have left the trade with Mr Lingley, a former British Institute of Innnkeeping Licensee of the Year, predicting that the pub trade was ‘going to face the biggest storm it has ever had’. RedCat continue to acquire pubs across the country and are well on their way to their 100 site target.
BRAINS PUT PUBS UP FOR SALE
Readers will recall that Cardiff brewer, Brains, leased out its pub estate to Marston’s nine months ago. It has now announced that 99 of these pubs, two-thirds of its estate, are up for sale. The asking price for the job lot, consisting of 93 freeholds and six leases, is £87.3 million. Given that all the pubs are on 25 year leases to Marston’s, it is surprising that Brains just didn’t do a private deal with them. It is hard to see the attraction of the deal to other operators if they are going to have to wait 25 years to take possession. As I understand it, Brains are still brewing the beers.
BREWDOG MEET THEIR WATERLOO
Described by co-founder James Watt as ‘quite simply one of the biggest things we have ever announced’, BrewDog are planning a bar with an in-house brewery across two floors on the site of the former Eurostar platforms at Waterloo Station. The development will also include a pop-up food truck, a cocktail bar, a coffee shop, workspaces and a bowling alley. At 26,500 square feet, it will be BrewDog’s biggest site in the world. A special feature will be a slide to move between the floors. I wonder what the Health & Safety people will think about that. Previously, the site had been identified as the possible location for a Time Out food market. BrewDog have also announced that their planned stock market flotation has been postponed. Mr Watt told the Daily Telegraph that the listing, either in London or New York, may not now happen until 2023.
HOGS BACK HOP TO IT
The Chelsea Flower Show was held late this year because of the pandemic. Happily, this gave the Hogs Back Brewery from Tongham in Surrey a chance to exhibit some of the hops that they had grown in their own hop garden. They were used to decorate the entrance gates of the Royal Hospital. The hops in question were the rare Farnham White Bine variety, which the brewery rescued from near extinction in 2014. Rupert Thompson, Hogs Back’s managing director, explained, “It was wonderful to see a magnificent display of an historic British hop variety at such a quintessentially British occasion as the Chelsea Flower Show. Hop bines are only just beginning to send up shoots in May so most years would not be much of a spectacle for visitors to Chelsea. This year, coinciding with the annual hop harvest at the start of autumn, is probably the only time the show will ever be able to feature such a bounteous display of aromatic hops.”
CHANGE OF DIRECTION
AB InBev have a new chief executive, Michel Doukeris, who plans to make changes, primarily intended to reduce their corporate debt. According to the ProBrewer Beverage Industry Weekly Summary (October 11), they are considering disposing of a number of German beer brands. The ones mentioned were Franziskaner Weissbier, Hasseroeder and Spaten. There will also be a greater focus on other product types, such as energy drinks, canned wine, canned cocktails and ‘hard seltzers’. Curiously, the report says that, according to European Commission figures, Germany brews 25% of Europe’s beer yet both the Netherlands and Belgium export more beer than Germany.
BEER’S ANSWER TO BAKE OFF
Prime Video has launched a new television series called Beer Masters in which teams from the UK and Europe, inspired by their beer history and culture, compete against each other to brew different styles of beer. There are five episodes and the first one was broadcast on 11 November. The programmes are hosted by Jaega Wise of Wild Card Brewery and singer and publican James Blunt. The competition will also include design and marketing skills and matching food with their particular beer. Winners could see their beers produced and sold commercially.
MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Further to last edition’s report on Camden’s Marmite beer, here are a couple of further gastronomic delights. You can now buy Guinness cooking paste. It is produced by the brand’s owners, Diageo in partnership with a company called the Flava People. It is a blend of Guinness with honey and soy.
There have been several brands of toast beer on sale for several years but how about Yorkshire pudding beer? It is brewed by the Malton Brewery in Malton, North Yorkshire, using puddings sourced from the Real Yorkshire Pudding Company. Described as ‘light, easy and soft on the palate’, the beer has an ABV of 3.6% and comes in 500ml bottles. Each bottle contains a quarter of a pudding. There is also a Yorkshire Pudding Pale Ale in cans at 3.8% ABV and the beer is also available in 5 litre mini-kegs. For more information, go here.