BEER NEWS - July 2009

Meantime cask covers all the bases

After nearly 10 years of focusing on brewery conditioned and bottled beers, London based Meantime Brewing have finally taken the plunge and entered the cask ale market. London Pale Ale, 4.3%, (rated one of the 'World's 50 Best Beers' at the 2007 International Beer Challenge), is the first Meantime beer to be continuously available in cask fashion. Being Meantime, however, this is not a straightforward cask ale. All Meantime beers are always subject to at least 28 days brewery conditioning. Unlike most cask ales, which are young beers by historic brewing standards, London Pale Ale is fully matured before it is racked. It is then re-conditioned in cask. This maturation period also gives Meantime's brewers extra opportunities to "achieve unparalleled depth of hop character on the beer." In fact, Meantime uses a very intricate hopping regime; "as complex as any to be found in the world. We aroma hop using a traditional German technique at first runnings (Goldings); bitter hop at the start of the boil (Cascade); late hop through the Whirlpool (Cluster) dry hop in the fermenter (Cascade) and again in the maturation vessel using the Meantime 'Hop Alien' - a specially patented device for very late aroma hoping of finished beer - (Cascade and Willamette). Finally, we add an additional dry-hopping into cask (Willamette)."

The Yanks are coming

The award winning North Bar in Leeds and Further North in Chapel Allerton are "celebrating the demise of �Dubya� and the rise of Obama" by delving into the experimental world of American beer by hosting a USA beer festival from July 4th - 11th. Over the last 12 years North says it has "pioneered the introduction of brands like Sierra Nevada, Anchor, Brooklyn and Goose Island to the UK," and now they�re bringing cask and draught selections from the likes of Dogfish Head (Delaware), Flying Dog (Maryland) and Victory (Pennsylvania) Breweries to the north. They also have some exclusive brews from Brooklyn and Anchor and some special treats in bottles such as both versions of the Schneider/Brooklyn collaboration beer. They also say "Of course you can�t have beer without some sort of sausagey goodness so we'll be doing hot dogs with jalapenos, BBQ sauce or mustard... Or all three! Also keep a lookout for their 'alternative American heroes'competition!" For opening times and directions, visit www.northbar.com. For more information call North Bar on 0113 2424540

Brew Us a Flavour

It�s surely every pub-goer�s dream: to help create a great beer with the country�s top craft brewers and to see their name �in lights� in pubs across the country�. Suffolk brewer Greene King has launched the search for a lucky member of the public to name and help create their very own cask beer, which will be available in pubs throughout Britain. The competition was launched by rugby star Lawrence Dallaglio, who has recently been involved with Greene King in the creation of a new beer � Dallaglio�s Heroes. The winning beer will go on sale in pubs from 20th October and the successful �brewer� will see their name on pump clips in bars throughout the country. Lawrence Dallaglio says: �It was fantastic to be involved in the creation of my very own beer and �Brew Us a Flavour� is a great opportunity for the nation�s would be brewers and I wish them luck!� Entry forms will be available in Greene King pubs throughout July.

Bavaria or Bavaria?

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has upheld the right for Dutch brewers, Bavaria NV, to produce and market their 'Bavaria' beer despite the fact that Bavarian beer enjoys geographical protection as to where it is made. The Dutch brewers have been at the centre of an eight-year trade mark dispute with Bayerischer Brauerbund, a German association of Bavarian brewers. Its Bayerisches Bier (�Bavarian beer�) has been granted geographical protection, yet the ruling determined that these later rights could not be used to stop the Dutch brewers� use of the Bavaria name, which it has been doing since 1925.

Shin-Goo