**** Official middle-aged man's Craft Beer thread ****

[Questions]

So, are they going to change the name to Unbarred Taproom and throw out all the Holler Boys Glassware ?

No idea but they make good beer everyone tells me. I’ve probably had it but I can’t recall it.

 

[vegster]

No idea but they make good beer everyone tells me. I’ve probably had it but I can’t recall it.

They do a range of cans in The Bottle and Jug Dept, by the railway crossing, had the Mango Pale ale and that was scrummy, The Joosey Pale, very nice too, I recall a collaboration beer I think that was a Peaches and Cream fruit pale which went down well. Only had a couple of their cask beers but they do the standard DIPA/NEPA type stuff plus others. So, not a total disaster.

 

[Questions]

They do a range of cans in The Bottle and Jug Dept, by the railway crossing, had the Mango Pale ale and that was scrummy, The Joosey Pale, very nice too, I recall a collaboration beer I think that was a Peaches and Cream fruit pale which went down well. Only had a couple of their cask beers but they do the standard DIPA/NEPA type stuff plus others. So, not a total disaster.

I do hope that place stays solid because it’s one of our strong haunts before matches. I will miss Hollers ‘Juicy Pale’ though.

 

[Pickles]

They do a range of cans in The Bottle and Jug Dept, by the railway crossing, had the Mango Pale ale and that was scrummy, The Joosey Pale, very nice too, I recall a collaboration beer I think that was a Peaches and Cream fruit pale which went down well. Only had a couple of their cask beers but they do the standard DIPA/NEPA type stuff plus others. So, not a total disaster.

Veg,what are the prices like in there?

The website doesn't appear to show them,unless I mis clicked......

 

[vegster]

I do hope that place stays solid because it’s one of our strong haunts before matches. I will miss Hollers ‘Juicy Pale’ though.

Unbarred's Joosey Pale will make a more than adequate substitute, trust me !

 

[vegster]

Veg,what are the prices like in there?

The website doesn't appear to show them,unless I mis clicked......

They tend NOT to show the prices online, A couple of large ( 400ml) cans will tuck you up for £9 but they are nice. I'd suggest getting a couple of cans for openers and then by the time your taste buds have been anesthetised, move on to Punk. They did a special on some British Organic White Wine the other day, sure it was very nice but you could get 12 bottles of Oxford Landing on the Dover - Dunkirk ferry and have change for one of them.

 

[CheeseRolls]

From Berlin to the North Laine tonight.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

From Berlin to the North Laine tonight.

View attachment 115209

Nice one. These two lads are good. They don’t seem to venture beyond IPAs but what they do, they do very well. Previous brewers at Beavortown and Chicago’s Half Acre, They went from nothing to being sold in Mikkeller within 6 months. A friend was one of the first to sell their stuff over here; they rocked up at his pizza joint on a cold call, offered him a sample....he bought the keg immediately.

What better way to celebrate a victory against Burnley than with a huge Citra hopped DIPA. See you there

 

[Steve in Japan]

I got my first fanzine from Brewdog yesterday - 3 cans of new beer come every month. One of them I drank last night and can only describe as revolting (and I will drink pretty much anything). Unless you like the idea of a chocolate stout, steer clear of Confectionist Perfectionist.

It is, however, a very effective alternative to an enema.

Anybody else tried it?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I got my first fanzine from Brewdog yesterday - 3 cans of new beer come every month. One of them I drank last night and can only describe as revolting (and I will drink pretty much anything). Unless you like the idea of a chocolate stout, steer clear of Confectionist Perfectionist.

It is, however, a very effective alternative to an enema.

Anybody else tried it?

Is it chocolate stouts you don’t like, or this particular version?

As an aside it’s Brewdog CollabFest today. Anyone going to one?

 

[Springal]

I got my first fanzine from Brewdog yesterday - 3 cans of new beer come every month. One of them I drank last night and can only describe as revolting (and I will drink pretty much anything). Unless you like the idea of a chocolate stout, steer clear of Confectionist Perfectionist.

It is, however, a very effective alternative to an enema.

Anybody else tried it?

I love a chocolate stout !! Got the fanzine in the fridge but off the beer for a few weeks

 

[Steve in Japan]

Is it chocolate stouts you don’t like, or this particular version?

Until last night, I was a chocolate stout virgin. And now I feel I should have remained so. I feel colonically irrigated.

 

[zefarelly]

I tried a choc stout about 20 years ago, horrible.

Dark Star revelation last night YUM!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Until last night, I was a chocolate stout virgin. And now I feel I should have remained so. I feel colonically irrigated.

Fair enough. I like them, especially now the weather has turned. But, I dislike the entire milkshake IPA genre.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

Brooklyn Brewery are doing their bit for the Craft Beer scene in NYC. I really like the Defender IPA and am quite partial to the Bel Air Sour when I'm in the mood for something a bit different. Curious if sour ales have started to appear in the UK yet.

 

[Questions]

Brooklyn Brewery are doing their bit for the Craft Beer scene in NYC. I really like the Defender IPA and am quite partial to the Bel Air Sour when I'm in the mood for something a bit different. Curious if sour ales have started to appear in the UK yet.

View attachment 116269

View attachment 116270

Yes sour beers are pretty popular over here. Any of the craft beer pubs will feature them regularly and it’s pretty easy to get them in supermarkets now

 

[daveinplzen]

The rise of craft beer bars in Zizkov following my one year exile in Plzen has been phenomenal. I'll take some pics of the one opposite my place when I get the chance. Fridges full of beer I've never heard of and very, very decent beer from the pumps

 

[Sussex Nomad]

New micro pub opening in East Preston by Christmas

 

[Cian]

There is a Brewdog opening near my office - I can actually see it from the window.

It is, however, on the other side of the sodding river and itself the other side of another bloody river (tributary) from the nearest bridge over it; so its a one mile walk to somewhere close enough to see the logo on the sign.

I doubt I'll be in much!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

They can market them as AF but not as alcohol free. You have to make the assumption what AF stands for.

Mainly it's due to the tax levy, as 0.5% will not get you over the limit as you body will process it before it takes affect. It does make a difference to people intolerant to alcohol.

The industry is seeing this as a huge growth area with all the major players bringing out their versions. I have been involved in introducing our 0.0% beers into the country and we will be introducing a mainstream product later this year on draught. The issue is not to replicate an existing brand but to relate the name to a new one. Due to the process used, whether it be by heating or reverse osmosis, the flavour is compromised, usually giving an unwanted after taste. Serving temperature is critical.

Interestingly the trends are showing the consumption of beer is diverging, the premium beers with a higher abv% and low/non alcohol beer are both growth areas. Your session beers such as Carling Fosters etc are declining year on year. Craft is only about 4% of the alcohol market.

The drinking demographic has changed culturally with people tending to incorporate their drinking as part of another activity such as a meal where traditionally in this country we have just gone down the pub to get drunk! Also people are becoming more selective to where they consume their alcohol, bars are far more popular than the traditional pub. These bars do generally accommodate people better where there's less pressure on the need to drink alcohol compared to a "pub".

Interesting times in the brewery game.

I switched to this thread as this is an interesting discussion and it might derail the other thread.

It seems you can market beers as alcohol free and above 0.05 Waitrose has
(https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/erdinger-weissbrau-alkohol-frei-germany/821331-281019-281020) and Brewdog are using the term Alcohol Free on their cans and packaging (https://www.brewdog.com/uk/punk-af-4-x-cans).

Your point about introducing new brands as opposed to creating AF versions of existing brands is a good one. Brewdog have not done this; they have created an AF version of their full core range. It sets you up to fail though, as one immediately compares the AF beer to its alcoholic version as opposed to judging it on its own merits. Well, I did when I went to a Punk AF tasting session. Time will tell if this approach works.

I totally get the bars as opposed to pub thing. And one thing it’s done it made alcohol establishments more gender democratic which can only be a good thing; a welcome bonus is the eye candy in my local Mikkeller and Brewdog bars is excellent.