 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
home
about
features
A-Z
books
club
|
|
beer stories: news
|
| |
BEER NEWS - May 2008
London Pride Walk
|
|
The 90,000-strong Campaign for Real Ale has thrown its weight behind efforts to save the brewery museum in Burton-on-Trent. At its annual conference in Cardiff over the weekend of 18-20 April, Camra
members voted unanimously to support an emergency motion that called on Coors, owners of the former Bass Museum in Burton, to keep it open beyond the current deadline of June this year.
Coors, the American brewing group that bought the former Bass breweries and museum in 2002, says it costs �1 million a year to maintain the museum while attendances are falling.
|
A steering group has been set up by Burton MP Janet Dean to look into the possibility of turning the museum into a charitable trust that could apply for heritage lottery funding.
Moving the motion in Cardiff, Willard Clarke reported that Coors had now offered an annual investment of �100,000, a one-off payment of �200,000 to new owners and an annual peppercorn rent of �1.
But he argued it was essential to keep the museum open. "If it closes," he said, "it will quickly be forgotten and it would need additional investment to re-open it and hire new staff."
The motion called on all other British brewers to support the campaign while all Camra members were urged to contact Coors and ask for a stay of execution for the museum.
It's all go in Kent...
The Visitor Centre of Shepherd Neame brewery is at the heart of a summer full of events in and around its Faversham base this summer, including a Spring Beer and Food Evening on 9 May, and
the Faversham Classic Car and Bike Show on 18th May with Spitfire sausages and mash being served up. On Sunday 15 June a Father�s Day Tour and Lunch
includes a tutored tasting, whilst on Sunday 29 June the Faversham Medieval Fayre and Pageant arrives in town. Moving into July, the Flavours of Faversham food and drink festival will be held
on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 July, followed by the Faversham International Hop Festival on Saturday and Sunday 30 and 31 August.
Friday 26 September sees the brewery host an Autumn Beer and Food Evening, and on Friday 28 November there�s a Murder Mystery Evening.
For more details or to make a booking, call the centre on 01795 542285 or visit www.shepherdneame.co.uk.
|
|
|
Another chance for a rum do
|
|
Those who missed out on the cracking Innis & Gunn Limited Edition Rum Cask Finish before Christmas, have another chance to try it this summer, with a new release for Fathers Day
on Sunday June 17. Rum Cask finish is available in Sainsbury's throughout May and early June, priced at �2.09 and packaged in an elegant black box.
Owner and Managing Director Dougal Sharp comments: "We are delighted with how well this beer has matured in the Rum Casks. It has resulted in a deliciously rich, spicy brew with accompanying citrus, vanilla and
smoky notes. It has an exciting depth of flavours and aromas which go really well with spicy dishes and puddings, or on its own for evening ruminations."
|
Tesco award winners in store
Last year I helped judged the Scottish heats of tesco's annual beer awards. The award for the national and regional winning beers is a listing in Tesco stores, and the beers are now on the shelves as follows:
|
Harviestoun Secured
|
|
The independent future of Harviestoun Brewery Limited has been secured in the wake of this week�s outright acquisition of Caledonian Brewing Company by Scottish & Newcastle UK.
Until now Harviestoun Brewery was a wholly owned subsidiary of Caledonian Brewing Company. Founder shareholders in Caledonian Brewing Company, Sandy Orr & Donald MacDonald and long term shareholder Stephen T. Crawley, have bought Harviestoun Brewery from Caledonian, thereby preserving independent status for the award-winning micro-brewery.
|
Chris S. Miller, Commercial Director @ Harviestoun Brewery who has been appointed Managing Director stated: "It is very much business as usual here but obviously we are delighted with this turn of events.
Although we operated as an independent business this reinforcement of our status will be well-received by beer enthusiasts and opinion-formers everywhere. Our aim is simply to keep making exceptional
award winning beers that people enjoy drinking."
Fuller's out of puff
A team called 'Chef's on the Run', led by Michelin starred chef Michel Roux Jr, and on called 'London Pride' made up of Fuller's personnel competed in the Flora London Marathon last month.
Joining the other 34,000 runners who crossed the finishing line, both teams battled through the extremes of rain, sleet and glorious sunshine to see which would cross the finishing line in the quickest time.
The chefs pipped the brewers to the post, winning by just eleven minutes with an average time of 3 hours 36 minutes.
Team leader Michel Roux Jr commented: "I always enjoy the Flora London Marathon - the crowds are excellent - and as this was my 10th, I was delighted to get my personal time under 3 hours 30 minutes and not
only beat the brewers but also another well known chef!
|
|
|
"The team trained extremely hard for the event, so we're delighted that the hard work has paid off. Our average time was exceptional and we have
all managed to raise a lot of money for our chosen charities, which is fantastic."
The Fuller's team crossed the finishing line with an average time of 3 hours 47 minutes. Andy Bowen, team leader for Fuller's added: "The team put in a lot of training for this year's Marathon and I'm very proud of them.
The crowd were absolutely amazing, particularly at the official London Pride cheering points at Millwall Park and Marsh Plaza, and I'm sure they helped push the team along - but obviously not quite enough!"
|
|
home
about
features
A-Z
books
club
|