Talk ale with aletalk

A handy site to keep informed about all things aley

The Punchbowl is knocked out

Morrissey Fox hand keys back on Yorkshire pub made famous in Channel 4 documentary

Celebrity publicans and brewers Neil Morrissey and Richard Fox have given up the pub made famous in their Channel 4 TV series last year.

The lease on Ye Olde Punchbowl Inn in Marton-Cum-Grafton has now been handed back to the private freeholder just 18 months after it was opened in a blaze of publicity.

But the pair are refusing to give up on the pub industry and are now looking for freehouses in the Yorkshire area.

Fox blamed the closure on problems with bank funding, and a refusal from the landlord to negotiate on the rent at the site.

“It seems for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction: we create a fabulous, successful beer with sales on the up-and-up with loads more to come; and we have to close a pub, and join that ever increasing list of sad statistics,” he reflected.

“On the plus side, we did regenerate what was a very tired establishment facing imminent closure and manage to give it one hell of a make-over and breathe another year and a half of life into it. It’s a shame our other work commitments didn’t allow us to give it the extra attention we should have given it to help battle through such difficult circumstances.”

Fox said he would like to thank all the customers, staff and team who have supported the business. [Source: The Publican]

Crown's beer gems

The Crown brewery in Sheffield was started in 2000 in the cellar of the Hillsborough Hotel, with a 4 brl brew length and named after the original brewery that was across the road in the 30’s. In 2004 Edale Brewery bought the hotel along with the brewery and added another brewing name - Wellington Brewery, the reason behind this was that the Hillsborough Hotel was previously known as The Wellington. Additional beers were then produced along side the existing range of Crown beers. In 2006 Edale Brewery sold the hotel and brewery to Andrew and Helen Walker and they extended the opening hours which are now Midday – 11pm 7 days a week and introduced a permanent day time food menu. Brewing did not comence until July 2007 when Stuart Ross was employed, his experience at both Acorn Brewery and Kelham Island Brewery brought consistency to the original range.

New recepies were added and the first brew of Traditional Bitter 4% won Champion beer at Sheffield Beer festival in October 2007 along with Stannington Stout coming top of its category. Wheetie-Bits 4.4% and Primrose Pale Ale 4.2% are now also regular seasonal brews and we also produce one off monthly specials.

Some of our permanent range is available bottle conditioned as well as beers brewed especially for bottling such as Wheat Stout 6.6%, Ring of Fire 10.3% and Unpronounceable IPA 7% with more new and interesting beers on there way.

As Dr Ron summed up the Crown brews from a mixed case from several breweries "The Crown beers were great".
To try the range of interesting and unusual bottled ales for yourself order a Crown case.

Sambrook's Brewery Wandle Ale now available

Brewed using traditional methods and materials sourced locally from English producers. The brewer is proud to use Maris Otter malt from Warminster Maltings, one of the few remaining floor maltings in the country. There is a combination of traditional Fuggles and Goldings hops varieties, together with the more modern Boadicea hedgerow variety to flavour our beers. All of the hops used in the brewing process are whole leaf which give Wandle its distinctive hoppy taste and aroma.
A well balanced thirst quenching session ale. Try this new fine London bottled real ale.

Duncan's story

"City accountant to brewer in three months – a fairly radical shift? I guess on the face of it, it is, but if the truth be told this has been longer in the making than the time between finishing my career with Deloitte in August and sampling our first beer on 26th November 2008.

So where did it all start? Earls Court, Great British Beer Festival, 3rd August 2006.

Simon and Glen, two university friends, and I sat together searching the huge list of beers on offer for a beer brewed in London (other than in Chiswick). To our surprise there was not one to offer. So after (a few too many) beers that day we hatched a plan to bring brewing back to the heart of London. Six months later and still fresh with the novelty of our exciting new idea, I took my first step to becoming a brewer, purchasing three second-hand tanks of a five barrel brewing plant from an ex-brewer. That is when I learnt my first lesson and quickly discovered that three tanks do not make a brewery. Despite my best efforts to get this five barrel plant operational it never saw any brewing during its lifetime with me.

Twelve months on and I decided it was time to take this venture more seriously and found myself signing up for a week long course in Brewing Fundamentals at the University of Sunderland. It was an excellent week and despite the lecturers’ best endeavours to dissuade the class from venturing into the industry, I came out unperturbed and re-focused on what I needed to do – find myself premises.

It was while I was looking for premises that I had the opportunity to meet a successful brewer by the name of David Welsh, previously managing director of Ringwood Brewery. Having been brought up in Salisbury on a staple of Ringwood Best Bitter, the chance to meet him was priceless.

Shortly after our first meeting David dropped a bombshell; he was interested in being involved but only if the plant was four times the size! In retrospect it all made sense but at the time I didn’t quite know what to say...

... So I said yes and here we are, an unlikely partnership, with a fully operational twenty barrel plant in Battersea, marketing our first pint Wandle Ale.

I do hope that reading my story has interested you in our venture and that you will come along to visit us at the Brewery and become a part of bringing brewing back to the heart of London."

Cheddar on board

It's great to have met Jem - Head Brewer - at Cheddar Ales when I went to taste his brews. Nestling on the slopes of the Mendip Hills, within a stone's throw of the famous Cheddar Gorge, Cheddar Ales is a microbrewery producing premium quality real ales for you to enjoy at home as well as in the best pubs. Jem insists on using only the finest ingredients and time-honoured methods as old as the hills themselves to produce a range of beers for traditional and modern tastes alike, that are best described as Simply Gorgeous. It is a fine range of smooth quality beers. I'm not the only one to rate this brewer. As well as picking up awards Roger Protz has given deserved praise such as "A superb porter" to sum up Totty Pot and made 3 of these brews 'Beer of the Month' on Roger's site beer-pages.co.uk.
Currently the range comprises Goat's Leap: a contemporary IPA full-bodied, strong with a striking bitter finish, brimming with hop character. Gorge Best: intricate blend of hops for a distinguished Best Bitter with a clean bitter taste complementing warm malt flavours perfectly. Totty Pot: rich, dark porter with a deeply satisfying roasted malt character and subtle hop highlights. Brewed using the best quality Maris Otter, wheat and dark malts and hopped with a blend of English whole hops. And finally Potholer: an award winning golden ale, lively and refreshing with zesty fruit flavours, a rounded finish and bags of aroma. To buy a brewery mixed case try the Cheddar Ales Selection.