Official middle-aged man's Craft Beer thread

Yes Chef · Feb 11, 2019

To report back on The Hornet beer festival, the Cloudwater brews available were the Brewed All Season Pale, served in Cask at 4%, and a One Off Dry Hopped Belgian Ale, 5.5% on keg.

The pale was beautiful, like a passion fruit irrigated by beer. I have to admit I think I prefer the 'sharper' flavour you get from a keg, but it's a minor issue.

The Belgian Ale tasted as authentic as anything you'd get at the Gent Wavelgem after party, and I enjoyed it despite an uneasy relationship with Belgian beer. Nothing wrong with the beer mind, just my own over indulgence in the past.

Top beers for me was a Great Rift Milk Stout 6% by Wander Beyond Brewing, and a collab between Harbour and Beavertown called Puppy Porter 4.6%. Always nice to have a dark beer during a cold snap, and the porter had a depth of flavour that can sometimes be elusive in that style of beer.

Dirk Lehmann's Python · Feb 11, 2019

The Brunswick festival was sensational. Not seen a Craft CASK list quite like that anywhere.

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Springal · Mar 7, 2019

Anyone off to the Brighton Craft Beer festival ?

I was gonna swerve it but announced breweries so far, look good

http://www.brightoncraftbeerfestival.co.uk/

Marty___Mcfly · Mar 8, 2019

Springal said:
Anyone off to the Brighton Craft Beer festival ?

I was gonna swerve it but announced breweries so far, look good

http://www.brightoncraftbeerfestival.co.uk/

Unusual pricing model for a beer festival- it costs about £50 to get in to a session then you can drink as much as you want without paying any more?

I can see that putting lots of people off as you need to shell out £50 up front then need to drink enough to get your money’s worth. I imagine many people will drink £50’s worth of beer, anyone who doesn’t will be out of pocket and everyone has to stump up £50 in advance to get through the door...

Springal · Mar 8, 2019

Marty___Mcfly said:
Unusual pricing model for a beer festival- it costs about £50 to get in to a session then you can drink as much as you want without paying any more?

I can see that putting lots of people off as you need to shell out £50 up front then need to drink enough to get your money’s worth. I imagine many people will drink £50’s worth of beer, anyone who doesn’t will be out of pocket and everyone has to stump up £50 in advance to get through the door...

View attachment 105456

It’s actually pretty standard pricing model now and works well. No tokens, no messing around paying. Everyone gets a standard measure and each brewery gets an equal split. Also the entertainment is pretty decent at these things.

Cloudwater in Manchester last weekend was the same and 1000 per session.
London CBF in August has pretty much sold out all sessions for the last few years too at similar pricing

Marty___Mcfly · Mar 8, 2019

Springal said:
It’s actually pretty standard pricing model now and works well. No tokens, no messing around paying. Everyone gets a standard measure and each brewery gets an equal split. Also the entertainment is pretty decent at these things.

Cloudwater in Manchester last weekend was the same and 1000 per session.
London CBF in August has pretty much sold out all sessions for the last few years too at similar pricing

So can you drink as much as you want or just one ‘measure’ from each brewery?

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Springal · Mar 8, 2019

Marty___Mcfly said:
So can you drink as much as you want or just one ‘measure’ from each brewery?

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Drink as much as you want

Herr Tubthumper · Mar 8, 2019

Rohan Ince's Python said:
The Brunswick festival was sensational. Not seen a Craft CASK list quite like that anywhere.

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**** me. That’s awesome

pishhead · Mar 8, 2019

Haus on the hill (formerly the Southover/pub with no name) are having a beer festival next weekend.
Looks well worth a visit.

Trufflehound · Mar 8, 2019

Springal said:
Drink as much as you want

Still seems expensive though. Haven't been to a beer festival in the UK for about 8 years. But I do go to around 25-30 festivals a year in the Netherlands, always paying with tokens, and I rarely come anywhere close to spending that much. And I have been known to knock back a few on occasion...

And craft beer ain't cheap here ether...

Dirk Lehmann's Python · Mar 8, 2019

Herr Tubthumper said:
**** me. That’s awesome

It really was. Don't think anything was more than £3.80 a pint either which is absolutely bonkers.

I am not a Keg snob by any means but as it's becoming easier to find Keg craft beer i find it more interesting to try Cask stuff from the big brewers like Cloudwater.

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pishhead · Mar 8, 2019

Rohan Ince's Python said:
It really was. Don't think anything was more than £3.80 a pint either which is absolutely bonkers.

I am not a Keg snob by any means but as it's becoming easier to find Keg craft beer i find it more interesting to try Cask stuff from the big brewers like Cloudwater.

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I too like to try cask from the decent craft breweries but I think there is a reluctance to put vast resources into a product that can easily be messed up by the person serving it up to the public.

Dirk Lehmann's Python · Mar 8, 2019

pishhead said:
I too like to try cask from the decent craft breweries but I think there is a reluctance to put vast resources into a product that can easily be messed up by the person serving it up to the public.

Fair. That's why it's nice to find one. The Northern Monk in the Brunswicke was a delight

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pishhead · Mar 8, 2019

Also Brighton Bier are opening another site where the reservoir used to be. With an emphasis on cider, as well as their usual good selection of craft.

Herr Tubthumper · Apr 5, 2019

&#55357;&#56485;&#55357;&#56485; Punks, grave a chair and sit down. This news will knock you out... we're almost bursting with joy, because soon we will be part of the German beer community that we love so much. Welcome our first European brewery outside of Scotland in Berlin! Curious about it? Here's more hot info: https://www.brewdog.com/blog/post/brewdog-take-stewardship-of-stone-berlin-bv/ &#55357;&#56485;&#55357;&#56485;

Brewdog have bought the Stone Brewery Complex in Berlin. Didn’t see this coming.

Yes Chef · Apr 5, 2019

Herr Tubthumper said:
�� Punks, grave a chair and sit down. This news will knock you out... we're almost bursting with joy, because soon we will be part of the German beer community that we love so much. Welcome our first European brewery outside of Scotland in Berlin! Curious about it? Here's more hot info: https://www.brewdog.com/blog/post/brewdog-take-stewardship-of-stone-berlin-bv/ ��

Brewdog have bought the Stone Brewery Complex in Berlin. Didn’t see this coming.

I never thanked you properly for your Berlin advice, it was a grand old weekend, so much obliged for that.

We spent the Saturday afternoon in the Mariendorf venue and to a man I think we were very impressed, so much so that I was hoping to go back. Do you think Stone will continue to have a presence there? I love Brewdog naturally, it's just that when I go to Germany, I like to try German beer.

Incidentally, we ended up watching the Millwall Cup game in The Lir. Initially there was the 5 of us watching on a small screen at the bar, but when the locals realised Duffy was playing everyone started supporting the Albion. There was a group of Derry City supporters that we shared a couple of rounds with, they were good lads. Gutted for us when we drew City!

Also made it to Kaschk, from your list, for a bit of a Monday chill out. Thanks very much again!

Herr Tubthumper · Apr 5, 2019

Yes Chef said:
I never thanked you properly for your Berlin advice, it was a grand old weekend, so much obliged for that.

We spent the Saturday afternoon in the Mariendorf venue and to a man I think we were very impressed, so much so that I was hoping to go back. Do you think Stone will continue to have a presence there? I love Brewdog naturally, it's just that when I go to Germany, I like to try German beer.

Incidentally, we ended up watching the Millwall Cup game in The Lir. Initially there was the 5 of us watching on a small screen at the bar, but when the locals realised Duffy was playing everyone started supporting the Albion. There was a group of Derry City supporters that we shared a couple of rounds with, they were good lads. Gutted for us when we drew City!

Also made it to Kaschk, from your list, for a bit of a Monday chill out. Thanks very much again!

A pleasure to help you guys out. Sounds like you had fun!

The Mariendorf venue is crazy isn’t it? It’s just so big, and with a number of different elements to it. And 75 taps. I’ll miss it when it switches to Brewdog. I understand Stone are keeping their bar in Prenzlauer Berg; they’ll still have a presence but greatly diminished and they won’t be brewing in Berlin any more.

Springal · Apr 12, 2019

Herr Tubthumper said:
understand Stone are keeping their bar in Prenzlauer Berg; they’ll still have a presence but greatly diminished and they won’t be brewing in Berlin any more.

I think Brewdog will contract brew for Stone in the short-mid term so will still be some beers brewed locally while Brewdog scale up

pishhead · Apr 12, 2019

Springal said:
I think Brewdog will contract brew for Stone in the short-mid term so will still be some beers brewed locally while Brewdog scale up

You would think so, my understanding was that they plotted up in Berlin so they could brew for the European market, perhaps they will be based elsewhere or the numbers weren't quite what they expected.

Herr Tubthumper · Apr 12, 2019

Springal said:
I think Brewdog will contract brew for Stone in the short-mid term so will still be some beers brewed locally while Brewdog scale up

You’re correct.

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Official middle-aged man's Craft Beer thread