2022 – What was supposed to be a year of hope (post-pandemic), has morphed into the opposite for the Independent Beer sector. From the bastards of the SBDRC getting their way – getting the Government to lower duty relief to small micros – to the recent spate of brewery closures.

Yes. This “bubble burst” has been forecast for over a decade. And – until this winter – has never materialised. Covid, post-covid reluctance, tanked economy, vastly increased costs (energy/raw materials), SBDRC bastardry. These all add up to one hell of an onslaught on the Microbrewery sector. That light at the end of the tunnel might well be an oncoming train.

It’s difficult to focus on the positives. But there have been many. And – by nature – I’m an optimist. So…… To appropriate Doreen’s hashtag #LetsBeerPositive!

Beer of the Year – Cask : Redwillow Brewery – Double Heritage Porter (White Port Cask). For those that don’t know, I organise 1 beer festival (Independent Salford Beer Festival) and help out another (@EastWestFest). For the latter, I approach the best I can find, West of the Pennines, to supply a cask (we also had a keg beer this year). When I approached Teg at Redwillow, he offered the DHP. Supremely rich. Marvellously roasty. Light bitterness, with a gentle winey tang. At 8.8% I should have been sensible. I wasn’t. I don’t remember getting back to the hotel……. It was magnificent.

Beer of the Year – Keg : Marble – Decadence – Made venturing into Manchester on a cool December evening SO worthwhile. Rich, dark, vinous, warming. Brilliant with cheese. Simply stunning. (Quite magnificent on cask too)

BOTY – Small Pack : “Goddess of Delicious” (Tomato & Basil Sour) – Northern Alchemy – Earlier this year, The Boss fancied a weekend away. She loved our trip to Newcastle back in 2019, so off we trotted. Whilst there, I heard a tale of a beer which sounded odd enough to be intriguing. I was offered a taster in mighty The Free Inn, but oddly demurred.

Moving onto The Cumberland (aka The Cumby), I bumped into Andy from Northern Alchemy. The same beer was on keg there and Andy encouraged me to try it. CHRIST ON A BIKE it blew me away. So much so, that next morning, I trudged up the hill from the hotel on the Quayside to the brewery to buy a bagful for people back in Mcr.

The can was even better. All the elements were there, like drinking carbonated Tomato water with a really subtle, yet distinct, lift of Basil at the end with a mouth watering tartness. The beer amazed me.

With this category, I have 4 “honorable mentions”. Because this year, I’ve had some simply exceptional beers in small pack. They are : Mallinsons – “Centennial” (Single Hop Pale). The beer that defined Centennial as my favourite hop; North Riding Brewery – “Sun Machine” (IPA). On cask at ISBF it was gorgeous. In bottle, simply STUpendous. I’ve still got some. I’m a lucky fella

Pastore Brewing – “Il Crumble” (I’m starting to appreciate Sours!) This was like drinking a liquidised fruit crumble. But sour. It was simply amazing. And (as above) Redwillow – Double Heritage Porter. Again, simply stunning in can. Even without the White. Port Barrel!

Brewtap of The Year – Tom’s Tap (Crewe) This is for a number of reasons. Exceptional Beer? Check. Warm welcome? Check. Quirky as hell? Check. Sense of Community? Check again. Sean & Jacqui Ayling have done a simply phenomenal job of creating an inclusive, all-embracing beer community, focused on their little taproom on Thomas Street in Crewe.

With their frequent hook ups with the rock station Primordial Radio, the regular, sublime, online cheese tasting nights. It’s just brilliant. Go to Crewe. See for yourself. You can thank me afterwards.

Pub of the Year – (A split award) The Marble Arch / North Riding Brewpub : Two of my Holy Trinity of pubs (the other being The Nags Head in Reading). The Arch is simply a beautiful pub with superb Marble beers and exceptional pub food that will rival many a restaurant (we regularly go for Sunday Dinner). Just a beautiful place.

North Riding Brewpub (North Marine Road, Scarborough) – Because of head exceptional cask beer from the best cask brewery in the UK (spoiler alert!). Because it has at least one – frequently more – beer from Kernel on keg. Because it’s got simply magnificent cellar keeping (the lovely – and bloody talented – Karen). It is yards from the stunning North Bay beaches. And there are rooms upstairs. What else do you want?

Best Beer Event – East West Fest (Wakefield) Simply, the finest, most bonkers of beer events. This is the place where my friends and I go for the weekend (we’ve already booked our hotel rooms for next May!), to drink exceptional cask beer. To laugh. Cry. Just have the simplest of fun. The brainchild of Malcolm Bastow (Ex of Five Towns) it is an event in his image.

We love it. It’s small. Intimate. Friendly. I get the crap torn out of me but a bunch of Yorkshire folk. I just love it. Did I mention it’s held in a Red Shed?

Brewery of the Year (Cask) : North Riding Brewery – Quite simply the best cask conditioned beer. I happily travel for it whenever I see it on cask. Exceptional Session hoppy Pales. Some of the best West Coast IPA you’ll b get anywhere. And superlative, lush Stouts and Imperials. I simply don’t know what else to say.

Brewery of the Year (Keg) – The Kernel. If you don’t love beers from this Bermondsey pathfinder, then you’re dead to me. From Table Beers, through Pales, IPAs to Stouts, Porters and blended beers and Saisons. Everything exceptional.

I remember a conversation with Stuart Neilson (North Riding) about canning hours Pales. His response? “When Kernel start canning, I will“ When I was struggling with keg lines at ISBF, a quick phone call to Bermondsey and Ric (sales) sorted me out. With fresh brews of London Brick (Red Rye) & Imperial Brown. I may have necked a few on the Sunday night.

Brewery of the Year (overall) – Black Jack Beers : The Tap nights are a Manchester institution. What has crept up on some it’s quite how magnificent the beers have been since they took the plunge and installed their new Brewhouse. During the Pandemic.

Risky? Damn straight. But the beers are simply gorgeous. Across a range of styles. Keg & cask. This award generally reflects what I’ve drunk the most of on draught. And that’s Black Jack. They don’t hype, they just make bloody good beer that more people ought to be trying. It doesn’t hurt that they’re a simply lovely bunch of people too. (nudge……. Bring back Dragon’s Tears!)

“We’re gonna move it slow, when lights are low
When you move it slow, it sounds like more
And it’s all right, whoa, it’s all right
Now, listen to the beat, kinda pat your feet
You got soul and everybody knows
That it’s all right, whoa, it’s all right…. ”

“You got soul and everybody knows….” That’s Curtis Mayfield, right there, with a one liner. Perfectly describing Runaway Brewery. A brewery with soul, in the heart of Manchester.

Well. They WERE in the heart of Manchester. Until last night. Because that purposely built mezzanine tap space is no more. The tap has moved. To Stockport.

Last night saw the first opening of the new premises (Right on the bank of the Mersey on Astley Street), a three floored space which is – quite simply – stunning.

Mark (Welsby, Owner) took some of us on a mini tour of the building…….At basement level is a large space to be devoted to resting beers. Wooden barrel ageing, funky stuff. To have a dedicated space for this is a step change for the brewery. No need to cram. This new premises is flexible enough to allow room to breathe. Grow, organically. Mark has, on many occasions, said that brewery is at its size. Not chasing growth in brew length. This new space will give the team all the room they need. And more.

Heading two floors up, the hard work of recent times was evident. Scrubbed floors, huge space, gradually being renewed, all in-house. This space could be a future space for the tap room, could be anything, plans are fluid. Mark looked simultaneously proud and shattered. This last few months must have been a grind. But – to these eyes – totally worthwhile.

Outside, Honest Crust were doing their thing in the expansive outdoor space. Some of which Runaway have had to borrow previously at Dantzic Street.

But no longer. It’s theirs. And will be HUGE in summer.

As for the beer – a not unimportant consideration for a taproom – it’s Runaway. Therefore consistently exceptional. From the Pale on keg (possibly my favourite keg beer), through American Brown (an all-time favourite) through to 2 cask lines (new to the Brewtap) of Autumn Bitter and the Sublime yearly Gingerbread Stout, the beers were all stunning.

From others, such words trip from the tongue and keyboard all too easily. Not from here. I’m a Fanboy of few, but I am of Runaway.

Before I got there, I wondered why they’d move from Manchester. On entry (and following the short tour) that became obvious. The current premises felt constricting by comparison. In this place, there’ll be breathing room. Room to dedicate space, to give the larger and funkier beers space and time to do their thing.

The full move (with the brew kit in place and operational) should be finalised in early Spring next year, giving Mark and team time to make the place completely theirs. All done without fanfare. Without fuss. Without hype. Something I’ve always loved about them. Quietly doing their thing. Making bloody good beer. Exceptional beer in fact. Some of the best around.

Runaway Brewery. Mancunian Sensibility in their new Stopfordian Circumstance. The journey – both theirs and yours – couldn’t be more worth it.

Go. And thank me later.

Be kind to one another. JCx

It takes SOMETHING these days to wake this blog up. I was seriously contemplating sacking it off. I was out of things I wanted to say. Things that I cared about.

Then, last night, on an NFL Beer Twitter Fantasy Football group I was lucky enough to be invited onto, something got mentioned about “Beer Twitter” being agitated.

After the doors closed – for me – on Hemsley House on Tuesday lunch, I don’t pay any attention. But then, this morning, the above bit of marketing flashed by my eyes. Like a turd floating by, close to the riverbank.

And it stank. I wrinkled my nostrils. And my piss boiled (sorry Elaine! I know you’ve trademarked that!)

I’m in the comedown phase of The Independent Salford Beer Festival. Paying invoices. Wanting to put this in the rear view mirror, maybe for good. Stick that proverbial fork in me. I’m done.

This event is – in my mind – directly linked to the small independent retail beer sector. Those little bottle shops (as they were in 2012 (only the Macros had canning lines back then). Places like Bierhuis (in Ossett), Micro Bar in the Arndale, The Liquor Shop in Prestwich, Beer Central in Sheffield, Otters Tears in Burslem. .lLatterly, Craft Brewtique in Urmston, Stirchley Wines in Birmingham, House of Hops in Swinton, Northern Type in Eccles.

These places – for a fledgling Beer Blogger, were places of wonder, places of beer discovery. I got to sample breweries like Five Towns, North Riding, Revolutions, Brass Castle, Bad Seed. And wrote about what I tasted. In faltering, hesitant words. Amateurish? I would say so. But I drank these wonderful beers. And gradually built up a following.

These places, some gone, many still here, are the very foundation stones upon which the success of SO MANY BREWERIES – was built. Without places like these, there likely wouldn’t be the “scene” you now take for granted.

This blog led to me being asked – in early 2014 – to organise a beer festival to help fund a local community centre. So. Directly. The Independent Salford Beer Festival owes its “success” to those small independent retailers. Those places that introduced me to a different world of taste. Those places where you can chat with knowledgeable people like David (Bierhuis), Damian (Ale Man – now Heaton Hops). People who know their stuff. Can guide, help to to find the good stuff. Tim and Krishan at Stirchley do the same. Jay at Craft Brewtique the same.

Then. You see these businesses being royally shat on. By an interloper. Whose very existence owes a debt to those very small independent outlets that were the pathfinders. The vanguard of small pack craft beer.

Utterly despicable.

“Shithousery” was a word that cropped up on the socials repeatedly.

The blowback was fierce. From people who cared about those small outlets. Struggling like everybody else in the industry. People with families to feed. Staff to pay. Livelihoods on the line. Being shat on by a company operating like a small pack Wetherspoons. Peddling at the lowest prices. And boasting about it.

Blame it on a marketing agency blunder. But this fault lies with the business itself.

The Independent Salford Beer Festival owes an enormous debt to these small outlets. It stands in the shoulders of these Giants.

I can’t thank them enough. And they don’t deserve such shit from a company scrabbling for fucking market share in times like this.

Beer 52 can get in the sea.

“If I was young, I’d flee this town, I’d bury my dreams underground. As did I, we drink to die, we drink tonight….” “Elephant Gun” – Beirut

Love. It feels strange to me to talk about love in relation to beer. I’m careful with words. In the words of the mighty General Public, “… words, like conviction, can turn into a sentence…” But I am in love with something beery.

And that something is East West Fest.

It’s an event that stirs my soul. An event where I can get together with some truly lovely people. People who trusted me enough to travel from as far as Somerset. To a Red Shed. In Wakefield. To drink beer.

Wakefield Labour Club (aka The Red Shed) is – for me – the place where my fondest (non family) memories have been made. Laughs have been prolonged and from the depths of me. I’ve cried, both with laughter and otherwise. Some of the silliest, daftest memories.

Those memories are lodged. They’ll never fade. All because of a little beer event. And the friends I share it with. It’s always about who you share these things with. Beer without friends is just liquid. With friends it is so much more.

Myself and my dear friend Jaz have been coming to Wakefield since Year 1. In 2015. And year after year those memories keep stacking up.

Who said that drinking an “Anti Imperialist Double IPA” for 3 hours straight was clever? Nobody. But it was ludicrously good. And I never forgot that. Nor the year that my friends trusted me enough to come over for a night (ever since, they’ve stayed the whole weekend). For the beer, yes (more on that later), but – again – for the simple pleasures of drinking great beer. With friends. Beer that becomes greater – in the memory – because of experiencing it with those lovely people.

I digress…..

I’ve always been immensely flattered to remember Malcolm (the evil genius behind East West) saying that the first ISBF inspired him to start his own event. For charity. (Yes. ALL profits go to charity). To get beer from the best breweries from both East and West of the Pennines. In Cask. Abv no barrier. Just flavour.

East West has – I imagine – one of the higher average abv line ups. Malcolm likes it that way. The Yorkshire breweries come up with some belters. For Malcolm. I source the beers from the West. And we do get some quite bonkers things in Cask. (Pretty sure we had an Elderflower Imperial Blond one year from this side – can you guess who from?)

East West is fairly unique. Nobody else would DARE do what Malcolm does.

It’s where my beery heart lies. ISBF doesn’t come close. This is where I can let me be me. Let my “hair” down. No need to wear a certain t-shirt. No need to advertise. Just enjoying 3 days of bacchanalia.

This years event starts on Thursday 5th May. Next Thursday. My buddies and I booked our rooms the moment Malcolm said it was a goer (we *may*have nudged him a bit!)

There is a rather exceptional beer list.

And it’s all taking place in a little Red Shed.

Come and join us. Who knows. After 10pm – on any given night – I might spill some ISBF secrets. This one might get a little emotional….

Here’s the list.

East

Mallinsons – Dirty Electro – NEIPA – 5.5%

Five Towns – Its No Game Pt 1 – Centennial IPA – 6.7%

North Riding – Extra Special Mild – 6%

Blue Bee – US 5 Hop v53 – Pale – 4.3%

Turning Point – Thinking Through Soup – South Pacific Pale – 5.3%

Tigertops – Barley Wine – 10%

Fernandes – Memory of A Free Festival – Pale – 4.7%

Chin Chin – Stout – 4.5%

Revolutions – Fight The Power – Rye Altbier – 4.5%

Keg

Wilde Child – Flow Rider – Key Lime Cheesecake Sour – 4.9%

West

Marble x Brewsmith – Birthday Beer #1 – Oatmeal Pale – 4.3%

Redwillow – Double Heritage Porter (White Port Cask) – 8.8%

Black Jack – West Coast Pale       – WC Pale – 5.6%

Steelfish – TBC – Belgian BLOND – 7%

Torrside – Hogarth’s Junction – Botanical Imperial Stout – 9%

Pictish – El Dorado – Single Hop Pale – 4.4%

Tom’s Tap – Chevalier Victorian Mild – 5%

Runaway – Kolsch – Kolsch Style Lager – 4.8%

Neptune – Lorelei – German Pale – 3.5%

Keg

Rivington – Double Fog – DIPA – 8%

“Tell me what do you say (tell me what do you say)
Tell me what do you say, I tell you
Life begins at the hop, boys and girls….” XTC – Life Begins At The Hop

It must have been over 10 years ago, when the mighty Jaz introduced me to Mallinsons’ beers. Fresh, clean, hoppy, bitter. Hooked, I never wanted throwing back in the river.

My introduction to SMASH (Single Malt and Single Hop) beers. Before SMASH beers were a thing. Ahead of the curve. With beers that lured me like a Siren onto hoppy rocks. Beers that you could drink repeatedly and never want to stop.

Women in a (supposedly) “Man’s World”. Beating the men at their own game, setting new rules for flavour in Session beers. When most others were playing with twigs. I’m a fan. To put it mildly.

I can’t remember when I first met the ladies that I now call “The Cocktail Twins”, but they made an impression and no mistake. As did their beers.

Beers that could be used as a reference point for the flavours of the hops that they use. Using (mostly) a Pilsner Malt base, if you want to know what Centennial, Chinook, Citra hops are supposed to taste like, grab a pint – or a bottle – and buckle up while they take you on a trip to flavourville.

Whilst they do – occasionally – up the abv ante, sometimes e even venturing into the Dark Side, these superlative Pales generally land somewhere firmly in “Session Beer” territory. In that sweet spot between 3.7% and 4.2% abv. You want a “Crushable” Beer? Then look no further.

There’s a reason why they’ve had a beer on the bar at each and every ISBF. Because they’re bloody marvellous. Tara, Elaine & Nick make some of my favourite beers. Including the best Single Hop Centennial Pale I’ve had. My Catnip hop. Singing like a lupuloid soprano. Made in Huddersfield.. Here are some beers….

Citra – 3.9%abv

Pours beautifully. Light golden, almost straw coloured, nice head retention with aromas of mango prominent at first sniff.

At first taste, the mango is certainly up there front and centre, soon joined by tart grapefruit, both fruity flavours matching off against each other in the mouth, the sweet tropicality of the mango duelling with the tart astringency of the grapefruit.

At 3.9%, this incredibly sessionable beer is absolutely bang in the middle of what I call the Mallinsons sweet spot. Session beers between 3.7 to 4.2%.

Further mouthfuls highlight that duel fruitiness, with the balance slightly favouring the grapefruit as that slight tartness leads to a very dry finish with pronounced bitterness – another characteristic of these Huddersfield beers.

Again. An examplar of what Citra is. A reference beer, given its SMASH credentials, with a clean, Pilsner malt base overlaid with this most aromatic of US hops.

A beauty.

Motueka – 4%

Another beautiful pour, with medium carbonation providing an ensuring soft white head, initial aromas of citrus, with a light yet distinctive lemon sherbet, with maybe a little orange in there somewhere.

First mouthful, and that orangey note on the nose is replaced in the mouth by more of a lime citrus sharpness with just a little initial lemon on first taste. The light Pilsner malt provides a perfect canvas for the hops to paint their colours of yellow and green.

The mouthfuls get larger. This beautiful Session Pale just slides down too easily. Incredibly refreshing, the citrus fruitiness leading to a punchy dry bitter finish.

Yet another Mallinsons lesson in highlighting the hop.

So light. So refreshing.

Party On – 4.1%

Ramping up the abv to a huge 4.1%, I’m now on one of the Mallinsons multi hop beers. This one features new UK hop CF182 for the bitterness, with (my personal catnip hop) Centennial and Chinook for aroma and flavour.

Again, a beautiful pour. It’s characteristic of Mallinsons bottles to have exceptional condition.

First nose? Not sure about the Chinook, I only have a nose for Centennial and the characteristic lemon sherbet tingle is there in full effect. Yum.

That first mouthful brings moderate carbonation for a lovely smooth mouthfeel leading you to the hop punch, initial sharp lemon then a good touch of grapefruit from the Chinook, the dryness on the finish just makes my hand reach for the glass for more.

This is beautiful. The typical very light, slightly biscuity, malt base providing a perfect platform for the hops to do their thing, tart citrus loveliness from the C hops. That fruitiness leading to a typical Mallinsons dry and bitter finish. Leaving you wanting more.

Just classic pale ales. It’s what this trio of brewers do. And – for me – they are the best in the country in lowish abv Session Pales.

Beer that tastes of beer. And is all the better for it.

You can find Mallinsons beautiful beers in most of the best Independent beer shops. Me? I looked at their website and saw something that I’d never considered before. A subscription.

6 different beers. 2 of each. £32. Delivered.

Yes. You read that right. The website is here

However you get your Mallinsons, just go treat your tastebuds. It makes sense. (And you can thank me later!)

Hello WordPress. It’s been a while…..

It takes something to wake this blog from it’s regular hibernation. And today, I saw such a thing…

Closely followed by this body blow….

Shane Swindells. Engineer. Exceptional Brewer. Man of many opinions. All passionately held and expressed. To experience Shane in full flow is one of the Wonders of The Beer World. A man with whom no conversation was brief. As I’ll relate later.

I first met Shane at Manchester Beer and Cider Festival (I think). When it was located at the Velodrome – Possibly its first year there. I was introduced by young Mr Heggs, design genius. I grabbed myself a beer and – shy character that I am – prepared to haltingly talk to someone whose beers I had admired (and blogged about) for some time.

It is no exaggeration to say, that that conversation changed my world. Changed the way that I thought about myself. And the thing that I did – shambolically – as a hobby. Blogging about beer.

He said – I clearly recall – that he thought that had great tastebuds. That my descriptions nailed his beer’s flavours and aromas. I was shaken. That this – as I then knew – bear of a man, a man who had become a bit of a hero to this fledgling Blogger, say such complementary things about me..I struggle with people saying nice things to me. Never have coped with that. As anyone who has been nice to me at numerous ISBFs can testify.

That conversation gave me confidence to carry on. To blog more. Build a following. All of which – ultimately – led to The Independent Salford Beer Festival. And making so many friends, some of whom are now really close. And rather dear to me.

Back to Captain Haddock…. Shane is one of the best technical brewers I’ve met. And I’ve met a lot. Brewing a core range of beers – exceptionally well – for his local (Cheshire) market, whilst getting jiggy with hops and getting beers into Manchester. The Lupy As A Toucan series were an absolute delight. Balanced, sessionable beers, bursting with fruity hoppy flavours. Making Bitters like Engine Vein and Best Bitters like DBA (named after his beloved Draught Burton Ale – he used to work in Burton, engineering for Coors), consistent, full flavoured beers. Whilst The Crafterati were chasing the hype train, Shane was brewing classics. His Lindow Stout was to die for too.

And then. We get to Govinda.

A Heritage Beer. Before Heritage Beers seemed a thing. A big, bold English IPA. Before big, bold, English IPAs were trending on Beer Twitter. And an Absolute. Stone. Cold. Classic. So good, it was my #GoldenPints Beer of the Year in 2014. It rocked my slipper socks right off.

One seriously special beer. If you missed it, you weren’t listening to me in 2014. Nor to a certain Beer Writer of my acquaintance…. (the Sugar Pie Honeybunch that is) Melissa Cole wrote glowingly about Govinda. And demand soared! (Bloody influencers 🤣🤣🤣)

We could go on. Gibraltar Porter. Another classic “Heritage Beer”. Shane brewed some “Jimbo Catnip” which was his #VISBF beer (Amarillo DIPA…… Mmmmmmmmm…. Amarillo…. 🤤🤤🤤) Which tasted like a Paddington wet dream. All that spicy orange marmalade…… Astonishingly good.

I rocked up at the brewery in Congleton, before he created his brewery tap. And met this little fella. Jack.

He was much smaller then. A pup. And he was in the delivery van. But when I approached Shane, he went batshit! Launching himself at the window, the mini mauler tried to eat through the window. He made an impression alright. I certainly didn’t require the toilet for a while!

Like I said earlier, Shane is a man of strong opinions, passionately expressed. I particularly remember starting a phone call about packaging in can which started before I jumped the train home at Manchester Airport and finished as I got through the barrier at Bolton! It’s a given, you don’t have a “quick chat” with Shane!

Passionate. Opinionated. Generous. Kind. An absolute font of knowledge, freely shared. There’s a lot of good people in this here beer industry. And Shane is as good as any. Bizarrely, he’s been a bit of a secret. If you knew, you knew.

If he really is packing the game in, I – for one – am gonna miss him. And if you never got to try the likes of Govinda or Gibraltar Porter, you missed something special.

The beer industry will be all the poorer.

Back soon. Jx

With thanks to Boak & Bailey for the nudge (and allowing use of the image above), I’ve loosely based this list upon theirs – without the International beery aspect.

2021 has been another year where one took one’s beery pleasures where one could. There was the odd weekend trip, a number of pubs visited, but with my professional role being one where I couldn’t work from home, my trips out of an evening kind of ceased for long periods, public transport making me nervous of an evening – pre-outings LFT tests became a familiar ritual. Anyway. Here goes my best shot….

Beer of the Year (Draught) : Black IPA (Black Jack Beers) This award is spectacularly tricky. Like many, I haven’t drunk a vast amount in pubs. But one evening I had to wander out. I was going to my first concert (I’m old fashioned) since 2019. Caribou (as you’re asking). I stopped off in The Smithfield. For some cask Black Jack. And my eyes lit upon the Black IPA. It blew me away. Just rich enough. Superbly roasty. The hops were singing an aria. The bitterness was deliciously bracing. The beers coming from the kit that was installed earlier this year have been universally superb. I eagerly anticipated the new stuff. Look out for their beer in 2022, they’ll be going from strength to…. er…. strength.

Beer of the Year (Small Pack) : North Riding Brewery – Citra Pale. This award however, is anything but tricky. Straight outta Snainton (a small village just outside of Scarborough) come – for my money – some of the best beers in the UK. As good as the dark beers – brewed by the unassuming Stuart Neilson – are (You NEED Fudge Brownie Stout in your life), for me, it’s the Session Pales that bring me back, time and again. Mosaic & Cascade are both lovely things (award worthy themselves), but the Citra just….. I’m drooling just writing this. Sharp, beautifully citrussy and with a perfectly balanced bitterness. I adore Session Pales. And Stuart Neilson, quietly, is a bit of a master of them. (Divine on cask at the North Riding Brewpub this summer too!) [Try Also – Centennial – Mallinsons Brewery – Quite simply the most lovely demonstration of the lemony sherbet character of this most beautiful of hops. (Can’t get enough of it!)]

Pub of the Year : The Marble Arch – I’m not sure what can be said about “The Arch” that hasn’t already been said. Yes, it’s simply a beautiful edifice. Yes, there is beautiful beer within. Yes, the food is excellent (regular family Sunday Dinners…..). The staff are friendly. It just has everything I could possibly want in a pub. Apart from one minor detail. It isn’t next door to my house. Meeting my friends in The Arch is just the most natural thing in the world.

Brewery of the Year : Marble Brewery – This (as in every year other than last) comes down to whose beers have I drunk most. And that’s Marble. Great session Pales (Arm Bar was a revelation), the mighty Lagonda, Stout (which I have been much enamoured with this year) up to the magnificent Annual Releases (had a full 660ml bottle of delicious Decadence 2021 on Xmas eve – Sharing bottle my ass – simply beautiful beers. Consistently so. And rarely an adjunct in sight. (Runner Up – Black Jack Beers : Big things expected in 2022)

Best Taproom : Double Barrelled – Quite simply, just beautifully done, from conception to execution. Great beer, in great surroundings. And managed to get here with friends (2 for the first time – they loved it too). Mike & Luci should take a well deserved bow. Reading, when combined with visits to Elusive & Siren at Finchampstead – as we did – makes for a great beery weekend. Go try.

Best Collaboration Beer : Antigoon – Neepsend x Blue Bee Brewery – Possibly my favourite beer from #VISBF2. A beautifully rich, roasty and dry Farmhouse Stout, fermented with Saison yeast. I was determined to have both these breweries involved and was chuffed when they agreed to collaborate. This beer ticked all of my beer boxes. Simply outstanding. And not a grain of lactose in sight. Trust me, both breweries will be at #ISBF7 next year!

Er.. That’s it. Brief and to the point. And therefore so very unlike me.

Here’s looking forward to seeing some of you in pubs during 2022. And keep your eyes peeled for announcements re #ISBF7 and further #ISBFHeroes events – coming soon!

Be kind to one another. Jim x

This week, I’ve buried a colleague. I’ve also lost a friend. The latter to Covid. So I crave your forgiveness if I get a little emotional. But some things can not pass without comment.

Now then. We all have opinions. Mine are certainly no more valid than most. And I completely ‘get’ that his business depends on pubs staying open. And as ‘unrestricted’ as possible. I’m not unaware of the struggles of the hospitality sector. But – of all breweries in the North, Lees are hardly poverty stricken.

https://beersmanchester.co.uk/index.php/2018/04/03/the-vultures-are-circling/I might have a modicum of sympathy for Mr Lees if he wasn’t an active member of the SBDRC, looking to reduce the tax relief to small breweries, to reduce the competition by lobbying the Government via several interlinked cabals (SBDRC, BBPA etc). (Multiple blog posts on this site, here, here, here, here, here & here) Jesus may weep. But I won’t.

Posturing. Pandering to the burning torch ‘anti-everything’ brigade. By symbolically ‘barring’ people who will never appear within a hundred yards of a Lees pub. To amuse Lockdown sceptics. Covidiots. “Freedom” Warriors. It’s pathetic. Sickening. Gives succour to the mask dodgers. Legitimacy to habitual naysayers.

During. A. Public. Health. Crisis.

Are these the actions of a responsible man?

As a drinker, as an individual, if you deal with this company, I’m out.

Stay safe. Have a lovely festive season. Jx

“…..I’ve learnt today, while falling apart,
The most eloquent way, to speak or to pray,
Is straight from the heart.

Oh but to shine like Joan of Arc,
You must be prepared to burn.” Green Isaac – Prefab Sprout

I’ll be the first in line when it comes to criticising Breweries and Pubs with regard to their communication. Both with emails and social media. To be frank, the majority are quite, quite shit at it. I know. I “organise” a beer festival. And can wait weeks for a reply.

So. It’s refreshing when a hospitality business gets things right. In terms of clarity of message. Like below.

What this position does, is stepping ahead of – “fluid” and that’s being kind – Government policy. Which is not really anything. Pushing the responsibility onto Jo Public. Personal responsibility. Which, in light of the multiple violations of Lockdown by Government and their direct public servants – carry little weight.

So. The Marble Arch. One of the best pubs in the UK (IMO obviously). The management decided to revert to the policy they had following the last Lockdown. Face coverings on entry and when when moving about the pub. Reverting to – rather excellent – table service.

Cue the rabid “Freedom Warriors”. Many of whom didn’t even seem to be from the Manchester area. Ranting. Raging. Moaning.

Now. The good thing was that they were in the minority. The vast majority of the responses praised the actions of the pub. But some, a few…… I despair.

Now then. If you choose NOT to wear a face covering. If you don’t like that policy, you have the (precious) freedom to not frequent that venue. There are lots of pubs in Manchester. Many of which may not adopt such a policy. But, at a time when hiring staff in hospitality is – to put it mildly – difficult, I think that to protect your staff is, quite simply, responsible. It’s just COMMON SENSE. Especially if those staff are working their backs out. Stressed. Which brings me to the real kicker……

One of the staff put a post on her personal twitter account. That she was struggling. Potential nervous breakdown was mentioned. Echoing the feelings of many in hospitality. That they are struggling. Working under pressure. Not knowing if they are even going to be working soon – given Government indecision and toadying to their lunatic fringes.

Then a response was posted. I won’t publish the account. It would only give that “person” the oxygen of publicity (apologies for the Thatcher quote). But that post, referring to Mental Breakdown, commented “Hurry Up”.

Is this where we are at? That there are some sick bastards who think that the anonymity of a SM account means that they can say something so potentially harmful?

Not in my world. That’s simply beyond the pale.

I’m no shrinking violet. My hide is fairly tough. It has had to be over the last few years. I challenge this shit. And the strange thing is, they rarely come back. They are shithouses. Keyboard Warriors. Not a shred of empathy. Morally bankrupt.

And don’t get me started about Covidiots wanting a business to go bankrupt. (Yes. There was more than one of those.)

These people have families. Bills to pay. Feed themselves. Employees that depend upon them. The least they can ask is to not be subject to abuse. To be shouted at across the bar.

Grow up.

You have your politics. Your precious idea of “freedom”. Your whacked out opinions. With zero scientific basis. Keep them to yourself. Or your little closed circuit of mutual permanent disgruntlement.

The rest of us will continue to treat people with respect. Like decent humans do.

Empathy. Get some.

“Welcome to the garden of earthly delights.
Welcome to a billion Arabian Nights.
This is your life and you do what you want to do,
This is your life and you spend it all.
This is your life and you do what you want to do,
Just don’t hurt nobody,
And the big reward’s here,
In the garden of earthly delights. “XTC – “Garden of Earthly Delights” (For Les OG)

Foresight. Perseverance. Bravery. All qualities that I admire in people. Especially in the beer industry. In particular at the retail, “on sale” side of “the game”.

One of the things that has been most pleasing – personally – is the opening of micro bars outside of Manchester, within “easy” reach from my location. Think Bunbury’s, Northern Type, House of Hops & – most pertinently for this piece – The Nook & Cranny in Bromley Cross. All warm and welcoming. All with exceptionally good beer. All, very much, a community venue. Justly popular. Pulling in a devoted local following. Very much proof of the maxim “If you build it, they will come”.

It has been a delight to see these venues come through to the other side of Pandemic restrictions, flexing, doing what was necessary just to get by. And deepening their local ties, strengthening their connections to their local following.

What was a surprise to hear – confidentially – some months ago, was of a possibility of an addition to The Nook & Cranny outlet. The identification of a possible outlet in Harwood was exciting. And incredibly bold and brave from owners Craig & Jimmy. Faith in the concept of what they do. A classy little bar is The Nook.

I was also invested in this.

When asking for Beer & Cider Sponsors for #VISBF2, Jimmy floated the idea of Glassware Sponsorship. I was delighted. When you look at the lineage of sponsors of the Glassware since ISBF2 (Heaton Hops, The Brink, Torrside, Northern Type & House of Hops) the fit was obvious. And I loved the – for me – local link.

I was also thrilled that they wanted the Glassware for the new bar. Which told me – firmly – that this bar was going to happen. Just needed to get through the licensing application process. Not always that simple

I saw the above piece in the local paper. And messaged my congratulations via DM. I’ve been in regular communication with the fellas recently with regards to those pretty glasses. And was hugely looking forward to grab a draught beer in one! I was told opening was planned for 3rd December.

I was VERY pleasantly surprised to find myself and my dear friend (and Nook & Cranny devotee) Mike, outside the bar the night before. Having a little shufty. And a beer. Surrounded by family and friends of Craig & Jimmy. Just a little test run.

It’s safe to say that they have hit an absolute HOME RUN with this place.

It’s a much larger space that the original iteration of the Bromley Cross bar. A really decent space. A single room, cleverly sub divided into distinct areas with a variety of seating options. High seating, lower seating, bench seating in diagonally opposite corners.

It’s just…. So classy. In keeping with both the location and what Craig & Jimmy embody. What they themselves like. Comfortable, warm tones, good beer (initially 14 keg lines with three cask – and plenty of room to expand that offering as they move forward. A spacious “cellar” being evidence of that), REALLY friendly and welcoming staff too. And – I know this might sound weird – the loveliest pub toilets I’ve been in for YEARS!

The beers that I had were lovely. A Wily Fox Porter on cask was extremely well kept, in great condition and very tasty indeed. Personal highlights were Hibernation Pale Ale from Abbeydale and (same brewery) in particular the Salvation, Sea Salt & Caramel Stout on keg. Safe to say that I had more than one of that Stout. It was absolutely delicious. Rich, creamy, a lick of salt. It was like a liquidised Cadbury’s Caramel chocolate bar. Yum.

In no way does it surprise me that Craig & Jimmy have nailed this place. If you’ve ever been to its sister bar in Bromley Cross, you’d know what to expect. I’m just excited to see this bar develop. To witness the possibilities of this bigger space. (That elevated space with the Xmas Tree simply SCREAMS performing space)

The Nook coming to Harwood gives Harwood two or three places worthy of a visit. (The close by “House Without A Name” is a lovely pub itself.)

But – and it’s safe to say this – this bar is a major addition to the area. And is more than worth jumping the 273 or 507 bus from Bolton Interchange.

Fellas. You done good. Damn good. Take a bow.

I’ll be back. That’s for certain.

Back soon. Be nice to one another. Jx