MORE ON THE BURTON UNIONS
Thornbridge Brewery have decided to use their recently acquired Burton Union set for a dedicated beer called Union IPA (6% ABV). It is brewed with Maris Otter, Munich and crystal malts and Goldings and Northdown hops. Some invert sugar is used and the water has sulphates added to replicate the calcium and magnesium rich water of the Trent Valley. There will also be a bottle conditioned version at 7% ABV. Thornbridge hope that this will fill the gap left by Molson Coors’ decision to discontinue Worthington White Shield. MC acquired the WWS brand in 2000 but stopped brewing it last year and refuse to sell it to another brewer.
Another Burton Union set has recently been rehomed, this time to Scotland. It has gone to Epochal Barrel Fermented Ales in Glasgow. The set was supplied as a gift in an arrangement organised by Garrett Oliver, the renowned brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery.
SUCCESS FOR WINDSOR & ETON BREWERY
W&EB’s recent crowdfunding campaign proved to be a great success, with the original target of £200,000 being achieved in just 24 hours and finishing on around £220,000, raised from 80 investors. W&EB are looking to use £100,000 of the investment to acquire a further pub. They already operate four bars in Windsor. They are also looking to expand the capacity of the brewery. This was their second crowdfunding campaign, having previously raised nearly £763,000 in 2021.
A WOMEN’S DAY AT THE MALTINGS
According to Dea Latis, the voluntary organisation which supports women who work in the beer and pub sector and generally encourages women’s interest in beer, women are under-represented in managerial and brewing roles in the industry, with fewer than 25% of positions held by women. This was confirmed by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) who report that 30% of brewery employees are women, with just 3% being in brewing roles. Crisp Malt recently invited the organisation Women in Beer UK to its maltings in Great Ryburgh, Norfolk for ‘a day of all things barley and malt’. It was part of the company’s commitment to supporting Women in Beer UK’s mentorship programme which pairs those starting their careers with more experienced women already working in the industry.
ALLSOPPS OPEN PUB
The recently re-established Allsopp’s Brewery is opening its first pub. They are refurbishing and reopening the former Kensington Wine Rooms (once a Whitbread pub) in Kensington Church Street. It is not far from the Churchill Arms. The pub will be named the Blue Stoops, in honour of the site in Burton-on-Trent where the family began brewing in 1730. Samuel Allsopp is often said to be the creator of the India Pale Ale style. The project is the work of Samuel’s seven times grandson, Jamie, assisted by Charlie McVeigh, the founder of the Draft House chain. The Blue Stoops is due to open in September. The beer is currently contract brewed but their own brewery is in their plans.
ADNAMS’ TROUBLES CONTINUE
The company AGM at the end of June was somewhat fractious. More than a third of the shareholders voted against the re-election of both chairman Jonathan Adnams and the company’s senior independent director, Steven Sharp. In this instance the complaint was not so much the company’s financial ills but that both men were standing again, having been in post for longer than the nine years recommended under the corporate governance code. Both have now agreed to stand down before next year’s AGM despite being re-elected for a three year period. In the meantime, it was reported that progress was being made with the review of future financing options and the board were ‘evaluating certain indicative and non-binding proposals’.
NEW ENGLISH TRAPPIST BEER
The Mount St Bernard brewery, England’s Trappist outpost, has added a second beer to complement its Tynt Meadow dark ale (7.4% ABV). According to Peter Grady, the brewery manager at the abbey in Leicestershire, the new beer, Tynt Meadow Blond (5% ABV), ‘carefully balances vanilla, mandarin and lemon with gentle hints of orange and sherbet’. Both beers are sold in 330ml amber glass bottles. Mr Grady pointed out that, although they put an expiry date of three years on the labels, the beer will last indefinitely if kept in the correct conditions. The flavour of the dark ale does however does change after three years. Mount Saint Bernard are now brewing more than 1,000 hectolitres per annum and are rated as one of the more established Trappist breweries.
WIMBLEDON CHAMPAGNE
Just in time for the tennis championships, Wimbledon Distillers, the sister company of Wimbledon Brewery, launched a champagne, Wimbledon White Grand Cru. It is produced in partnership with the established champagne house Maison Herbert and is a mix of 35% Chardonnay and 65% Pinot Noir grapes. This is not Wimbledon’s first venture into diversification; they also produce Garden Gin, Wimbledon Pink (rose) wine and Wimbledon Pink NV sparkling wine. The wines come from grapes grown in Surrey. The beers are still top notch as well.