All the latest news, views and essential information from Castle Rock Brewery
No:8 Winter 2015/6
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www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk Welcome Beer News
At the dawn of 2016 I’d like to wish all of our customers a very Beers of 2016 Happy New Year and say a big thank We have spent the last three months making sure you for your support in 2015. 2016 would be another great beer year. Our head I’d also like to thank you for brewer Adrian and the rest of the team have picking up our latest edition of the Castle Rock Quarter. created our best range yet, so read on and see
Keeping regulars and visitors both warm what’s in the pipeline for those taste buds… and nourished during the shorter winter Another year has rolled around and could be enjoying yourself? days has long been a key function of the suddenly we find ourselves facing the There’s much fun to be had with great British hostelry. I’m sure you’ll all icy winter and only a distant hope of your friends, family and colleagues. know Castle Rock take this tradition spring. The purse strings are tight Whether you’re a real foodie and seriously – we’ll keep your cockles warm! after Christmas celebrations, the need time away from the stove, a With plenty of wholesome comfort dishes, seasonal brews, and real open fires, this excitement of New Year’s Eve is a social butterfly in search of a good is a time of year that rewards the blurry memory, and quite frankly night out, looking to unwind with a optimistic; this is a time of year to cherish! everyone feels a bit fat. Of course quiet drink, or need to boost your we’re then told this is the perfect lunchbreak with a glass of prosecco, I hope this issue gives you a chance to kick time to re-make ourselves, with there are plenty of ways your local back with a pint and have a good read. adverts spouting ‘New Year, New Castle Rock pub can ease the pain. There’s plenty enclosed, including our You’, and on we trundle with our And don’t forget independent brewing plans for the coming months, impractical or unrealistic resolutions. businesses are at their most behind the scenes looks at our pubs, and What will it be this time? Lose vulnerable this time of year, so if upcoming events for those dusting off the weight? Watch less television? Spend you’re going to treat yourself, treat pine needles and rallying for the new year. within your means? Or ‘go dry’ for yourself right. January? It seems to us, what you Support your local pub this New Year, There will be lots going on in your need – what we all need – this time and remember everything in Castle Rock local this year, so keep your of year, is a little kindness. moderation is usually better for you eye out for each issue of CRQ, visit our website and join the chatter on the social Why waste these chilly three months than nothing at all… media feeds. in a sorrowful hibernation when you #TryJanuary
Good luck with your resolutions and we hope to see you many times in the coming Seasonal Beers for Winter 2016 year. Snowhite Attenborough Reserve Cheers 4.2% (Available January-February) 4.0% (Available January-February) Colin Wilde Managing Director @SheriffTipple Our ice maiden Attenborough is a [email protected] Snowhite is available pilsner-style pale ale throughout January with a floral, grassy for those partial to aroma and a spicy, Queensbridge Road, pale ale. Snowhite is delicately sweet Nottingham NG2 1NB a very pale and finish. The fourth refreshing brew beer of 2016 to Telephone: with a floral citrus support the aroma, and a very Nottinghamshire 0115 985 1615 crisp finish. Wildlife Trust. General enquiries: Pair with: Chicken Pair with: Fish, pasta, [email protected] salad, white fish Thai food Sales enquiries: [email protected] Midnight Owl Recruitment: 5.5% (Available January-March) [email protected] This hoppy black IPA is a true winter warmer. Dark ruby in colour with caramel and citrus on CRQ is designed and produced by the nose, the finish is complex and bitter-sweet. freerbutler limited Pair with: BBQ Ribs www.freerbutler-gds.co.uk 2 Nottinghamian Celebration Ales We’ve been brewing Nottinghamian Celebration Ales since 2010. Each beers gives us, and you, the chance to explore Nottinghamshire’s past and celebrate local people. While varied in style and flavour, all the Nottinghamian beers are brewed to a sessionable 4.2% Colin Slater created a moreish expect lots of juicy hops with a clean taste nutty mild with UK and fairly high bitterness. (January-March) 4.2% hops. Dark brown Pair with: rich spicy curry or mild blue cheese The first Nottinghamian Celebration Ale of in colour with 2016 has been hazelnuts on the Florence Boot created for MBE nose, Lawrence is and football a perfectly 4.2% (October-December) journalist Colin balanced brew. The final Nottinghamian Celebration Ale of Slater, who has Pair with: 2016, but by no means least, is Florence been writing about Game meats, pies, Boot. Equal founder of Boots the chemist, Notts County FC mild cheddar Boot was a business woman and since 1959 and benefactor. She was dedicated to staff commentating on Andy Turner welfare, particularly BBC Radio with female Nottingham since 4.2% (July-September) members of staff. 1968. This dark Alongside the run up to Rio 2016, we are Writing a letter to ruby porter has delighted to be brewing an Andy Turner the women in 1906, aromas of roast malt and beer. Andy is a Boot promised ‘in coffee, with a rich chocolatey flavour. multi-medal winning any time of serious Pair with: Coffee cake, dark chocolate track and field difficulty or trouble, athlete from I will always be D.H. Lawrence Nottingham, having your sincere won medals at friend.’ This amber 4.2% (April-June) Commonwealth, coloured ale has Spring 2016 brings to bars a beer for European and been brewed with literary icon D.H. Lawrence. Novelist, world experimental hop variety CF127, giving the storywriter, critic, poet and painter, championship beer an aroma of tangerine and orange, Lawrence is one of Nottinghamshire’s most level. His with a malty citrus finish. beloved sons. To celebrate the life and namesake beer is a Pair with: Grilled meat, sausage works of this 20th century icon, we’ve session IPA, so
In 2014, nations across the world came together to commemorate the centenary of the First World War. 100 years after war was declared, we launched a special range of beers: the Commemoration Collection. Brewed to mark events and figures of the war, each beer has been created with dedication and respect. Donations from each pint sold are made to Amnesty International UK and the Royal British Legion, to support those facing warfare today.
Pilot’s Wings: 13 Squadron Baptism of Fire: The Somme 4.4% (February-April) 4.8% (July-September) Pilot’s Wings is brewed to Named after the military phrase remember Nottingham fighter for a soldier’s first experience of pilot Albert Ball, who gained his combat conditions, Baptism of Pilot’s Wings 100 years ago. Fire is brewed in remembrance of those who fought and fell in the Ball joined the No. 13 Squadron in Battle of the Somme. January 1916 and went on to record 44 victories against As one of the bloodiest battles in Germany. Pilot’s Wings signifies military history, we have created the natural talent, determination and bravery of Albert this beer to commemorate the Ball, and remembers those who flew before, beside, battle 100 years on. It’s an amber ale, and after him. This pale and hoppy ale has an upfront infused with ginger for a fiery, bitterness and aromas of pine. warming finish.
Pair with: Burgers, Tex-Mex, medium cheddar Pair with: Korean BBQ, Jerk chicken 3 Pubs in focus The Embankment A new lease of life Our biggest project in recent months has been the Embankment, by Trent Bridge. In the summer edition of the Quarter, we announced the former Boots social club had finally been welcomed into the Castle Rock family. Since then, we’ve been working to building, so on visiting you’ll find many of the We’ve put the windows back in and turned restore and refurbish the three floor fittings still in place. However with some TLC the room into an ideal real ale and craft beer venue into an excellent pub for and vision, the Embankment now houses a venue, with décor inspired by the early 1900s visitors, sports fans and the local breath-taking function room, a dining room pharmaceutical industry. with a nod to the history of the area, and the community. Dispensary bar. We’ve been so pleased to see the reactions of On 12th November we reopened the doors The Dispensary is the biggest change at the our customers, especially those who used to after refurbishments, and had an amazing site: once a Boots chemist, this room had frequent the Embankment. If you’ve yet to night celebrating in the venue. We’ve been been bricked up and set apart from the rest pop by, please do – it’s time to make some keen to maintain the charm and history of the of the venue. new memories!
Drinks in focus Real cider Cider Guru Alex McKenzie selects his favourite real ciders produced in the East Midlands. Follow Alex on Twitter to have a chat @CiderGuruCRB The cider industry is consistently growing, with new producers springing up all over the country. Those who have loved real cider for a long time have been joined by newcomers, moving from flavoured, carbonated cider to the real deal. We’ve been sourcing real cider for a long while now, and the range you’ll find on our bars is always changing and expanding. The East Midlands has a thriving cider industry, as highlighted by these three producers who are based just over the Nottinghamshire-Leicestershire border. Charnwood Cider, Leicestershire Bottle Kicking Cider Co., Leicestershire Gladstone Cider, Loughborough A sustainable and environmentally friendly Bottle Kicking Cider Co. is named after the The small team at Gladstone pride cider maker, who bottle kicking game which takes place once a themselves on producing have just started year in the village of Hallaton, Leicestershire. 100% natural cider, with growing their own Scrambler also gets its no added sugars or water, apples. My favourite name from the game and to adhere to CAMRA’s is Disco Cox, a is a delicious medium dry definition of ‘real cider’. delightfully fruity cider produced from 101 is an easy drinking and medium dry cider. At locally grown apples. At refreshing cider, pressed from a selection of 5.6% ABV it’s fairly 7% it’s not for the faint cider apples. A six month natural sessionable compared hearted, much like the fermentation period gives this cider its dry to most real ciders… bottle kicking itself! taste, weighing in at around 6% 4 In focus: Poppy & Pint Siblings at your Service Meet the Poppy & Pint’s brother and sister team: James Halfpenny, manager, and Vanessa McGuire, head chef.
It will be five years in May since the vegetables, when there are so many fresh former British Legion became the seasonal goodies in the UK. As a nation we Poppy and Pint. In the pub world, the are definitely becoming more interested in Poppy is still very young - many of our cooking with healthy, ethical ingredients. If nothing else, it makes the food a lot more pubs were passed through generations flavourful. of families, brewers and pub groups, before being taken on by Castle Rock. You were on the television last night No matter how established a pub is, James. Can you summarise what you were there is always work to be done, so being interviewed about? how do you start from scratch? I was talking to Notts TV about family friendly pubs. From the very start we wanted How do you create something new, in an everyone and anyone to feel welcome here. industry grown from tradition? Castle Rock’s I think we’ve ticked every box – all the Liv Auckland spent a morning with James and generations are under one roof, from bumps Vanessa to find out how and why the Poppy to golden oldies. And there’s plenty of space We were the first Castle Rock pub to run the became, and remains, a firm favourite in the whether you want a quiet dinner or to have a LocAle scheme, so showcasing beer from Lady Bay and West Bridgford community. laugh with your friends. local brewers is really important to us. There are four kegged beers on tap and a good The Poppy is loved for your food, Vanessa. Let’s talk about the function room selection of bottled beers as part of the What are your aims with the menu here? upstairs. If I were a fly on the wall, I think Discover World Beers initiative… I spent ten years working in a French I’d witness pretty much every event restaurant and it really influenced my possible going on up there. …and everything in between? cooking. A lot of the food at the Poppy is in We have weekly classes up there from adult Pretty much. Our wine is sourced from our the style of a French bistro – it’s all about ballet lessons to Chinese health groups. It’s a dad who hosts wine tasting nights here, and creating dishes that are full of flavour, really spacious room [with capacity of up to our spirits are all carefully selected. There are colour, and texture. 150 people] so it’s popular for private events plenty of soft drinks and the café bar is great We want to cater for everyone. Veggies for too, like weddings, christenings, children’s for a cup of tea and a piece of cake. example are lucky to get a risotto in some parties, charity events. The function room is pubs, but I love creating vegetarian dishes, often hired for conference meetings and team What’s next for the Poppy then James? especially when meat eaters enjoy it too. away days. Because we’re nestled in the We just keep going and aim to get a bit better The first step to creating tasty dishes is suburbs, I think the Poppy offers them a each day. At the end of the day our focus will embracing the seasons. There’s no point quiet escape from the city centre. Plus we’ll always be the same: for this to be a friendly using air miles to fly over fruit and cater for anything you need. There’s the pub where everyone feels welcome, to serve conservatory downstairs which can also be up excellent food and drinks, to deliver events hired for smaller events, like gathering your tailored to the customers’ needs and wants. friends and family for a birthday meal. And the coffee is really good. Thank you siblings, it’s been a treat.
What about a tasty tipple? What’s on the The Poppy & Pint serves food from 9.30am- bar to quench the thirst? 9pm Monday-Sat, 10am-8pm on Sunday Obviously we’ve got Castle Rock’s regular • Twitter: beers on the bar alongside the seasonal and @PoppyandPint special brews. Facebook: Poppy & Pint
5 2015 on record What a difference a year makes In the tough times you find out what you’re made of, in the happy times you realise what a great industry this is, and in the blurry times you discover who your true pals are. Here’s to the highlights of 2015, another year in the memory book…
so hop on up Mansfield Road for an excellent pint JANUARY JUNE of local beer. l We launched Sherwood l Former Boots social club the Embankment Reserve, the first stout to join became a Castle Rock pub! l Crafty Flanker, brewed for the Rugby World Cup, flew out so fast we had to brew it three our range of regular beers. times! Crafty was so popular that it’s back Brewed with coffee and l 800 years since the sealing of the Magna Carta was internationally celebrated. We brought you throughout the 6 Nations 2016. roasted malt, in aid of the Runnymede 800, a golden ale brewed with local Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. honey, to mark the occasion. l Over in Sheffield, the New Barrack Tavern The Reserves managed by became a tenanted Castle Rock pub, with trusted Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust l Colin Brown, managers Kev and Steph becoming the new became the focus of four new former Shipstone’s tenants of the venue. beers. The range is continuing Brewer, joined us in 2016, with a tweak to each at Castle Rock to recipe. brew a very special OCTOBER Nottinghamian l The doors to Beer School opened! Our BII l What training centre was launched to teach the ins and Celebration Ale: else?! outs of the licensed trade. James Shipstone, the It was of first to pioneer a scientific approach to brewing. course the l Our fastest ever selling Nottinghamian beer, Robin Brian Clough, sold out in under two weeks. l Nottingham became the first city outside of Hood Beer Luckily, Cloughie will be back in 2016. London to hold a Craft Beer Week. and Cider Festival, l In Boston, the Eagle was voted Best Bar in the region, by readers of the Lincolnshire Weekly. held at JULY Nottingham Castle. It was another fantastic l Just 3 months after the fire, the Willowbrook festival…every year it somehow gets better. FEBRUARY was back on form and the doors were opened to happy customers. Coincidentally, the opening night l Cider came to the brewery as we became the Beer of the Year winners were announced. New l fell on the hottest day of the year… grateful receivers of local apples from the Brewery of the Year went to Totally Brewed, first allotment holders of St Ann’s and other place Beer of the Year to Black Iris, and Brewery of l The Canalhouse once again hosted the SIBA Keg supporters. We’ve been pressing and, at the time the Year was awarded to Black Sheep Brewery. festival where over 100 Northern brewers of writing, our first go is nearly ready for competed for the coveted crown. consumption! l The Alexandra Hotel in Derby had a double win, crowned as best city pub and best pub overall. l Bob’s BlundaBus, a double decker comedy AUGUST venue, parked up in the brewery yard for Nottingham Comedy Festival. MARCH l It was another incredible Waterfront Festival at the Canalhouse, the one day event which brings The Horse & Plough in Bingham joined the l the best musicians from Nottinghamshire to one Castle Rock family! NOVEMBER venue. l We launched BROvember, APRIL l We sponsored Macmillan Festival for the first a month of fundraising for time, in support of headlining band Evil Scarecrow. the John van Geest Cancer l Our year-old pub, the Research Centre. A Willowbrook in Gedling, l Yeastie Boys of New Zealand joined us at the brewery to create collaboration beer ‘Enz to Enz’. wonderful £3,554.14 was suffered a severe fire, to our raised and donated to devastation. SEPTEMBER prostate cancer research. l The life and works of l After possibly the most architect Watson Fothergill l Women of Castle Rock and the Nottingham impressive refurbishment we’ve ever managed, was celebrated in our 19th Women’s History Group came together to help the Embankment officially reopened as a Nottinghamian beer. brew ‘Munitionettes’, a brew created in homage to Castle Rock pub. Lord Mayor Jackie Collins the women’s cut the ribbon, and the opening night saw the MAY workforce of beautiful venue packed with friends, the First World family and colleagues. l Zeppelin Raids, a German style smoked beer, War. was launched to commemorate the raids of the First World War. l The Lincolnshire DECEMBER l Castle Rock was bestowed with the ‘feather in Poacher won a It was Christmas of course. your cap’ award for our celebrations of the well-deserved award: LocAle Pub of the Year, At the time of writing, it’s still a few weeks off, legendary Robin Hood. thanks to Nottingham CAMRA. It’s a real ale oasis, but we’re fairly confident it was a good one… 6 Discover World Beers Sour Power @DiscoverWBeers Follow us to stay in the loop with offers, events and news Discover World Beers buyer Wayne Harvey selects his favourite beers this autumn. Follow Wayne on The term ‘sour’ when talking about beer styles. Wild fermentation takes space and for this kind of Twitte has typically been used as a negative time, something not many UK brewers brewery r to stay descriptor in the UK. It indicated the beer necessarily have in abundance. demonstrates the up-to-date! was off and past its best. In the last two massive turnaround years we have seen an explosion of British There are some exceptions: Burning Sky of in attitude. brewers intentionally making sour styles Sussex has a blending programme, producing and it has been widely well received. a Flanders Red style and a Cuvee of oak-aged I see people - who aren’t regular beer So why has our attitude to this once Saison, and imported Belgian Lambic. drinkers - pick up a glass of Belriner Weisse derided flavour changed? Elgoods of Wisbech in Cambridgeshire have or Gose and enjoy it. Because they have no their own wild fermentation programme too, preconceptions of how beer should taste, Firstly we start in the heartland of sour beer, recommissioning a coolship (a shallow, open they are much more open to relatively Belgium, where sour styles are as traditional fermenter) in order to create their own take extreme flavours. The acidity reflects that of as brown ale and porter are here. Lambic is on Lambic (they refer to it as Cambic). Wild white wine or cider, so the flavours when an ancient beer, spontaneously fermented by Beer Co. in Somerset are just starting to put replicated in beer should not be balked at but wild yeasts and infected by the natural out some of their fully wild fermented beers delved into and enjoyed. bacterias of the Zenne Valley. The beer tends and Cloudwater, less than a year into their to be blended and then it is termed as founding, have announced their intention of The beer scene in the UK is constantly ‘Gueuze’. Although some modern variants creating their own wild styles. We now have evolving, wildly and seemingly spontaneously are sweetened, traditionally the beer is tart producers such as Chorlton, a 100% sour –we should allow our conceptions to evolve and dry with varying degrees of ‘funk’ – brewery. That there is a place in the market too. similar to that of farmhouse cider. Traditional producers, such as Cantillon, create variants by adding sour cherries (locally known as Sour beers you Cantillon – Kriek), raspberries and even elderflower. Vigneronne 5.0% These beers are still sour unlike some of the Cantillon is the quintessential sweet syrup counterparts. should try: Lambic producer and makes some of the most sought- The interest in Gueuze has blown up interna - Magic Rock – Salty Kiss 4.1% after beers in the world. tionally; many smaller producers cannot keep Salty Kiss is a modern This is one of them. up with demand. The biggest market for take on the Gose style This is a gueuze blended with Lambic outside of Belgium is the USA. And it that originated in Leipzig, white wine grapes and is makes sense. The US has had its own beer Germany. It has an intensely sour. renaissance, influenced by old world styles addition of gooseberries in Think Granny Smith apples, such as IPA, Stout and now Lambic. order to enhance the lactic acidic white wine and lemon. tang of the base beer, American producers have started to replicate Available at The Kean’s Head while the salt acts as a the style from Jester King in Texas to counterpoint. Incredibly Allagash in Maine. Of course Lambic is not thirst-quenching and a Rodenbach Grand Cru 6.0% the only sour beer style. Oud Bruin and great palate cleanser. Rodenbach produces Flemish Red style Flanders Red are dark ales with a lactic tang, beers, aged in oak vats and blended to picking up bacteria from the inside of oak Available at – The Canalhouse, create a perfect balance of sweet and sour. vats over a period of eighteen months and The Kean’s Head, Embankment Perhaps surprisingly the Rodenbach family then blended with younger, sweeter beer. learned this technique in England. From Germany, there are sour Wheat beers Burning Sky – Flavours of balsamic such as salty and tart Gose and the acidic vinegar, oak and red Berliner Weisse. These are all styles US Monolith 8% fruit. Incredibly breweries have replicated and popularised Burning Sky is at the complex, and a within their domestic markets. forefront of wild great alternative to fermentation in the UK. This red wine. And this is where we get back to the UK. is a black beer aged in red Breweries such as Buxton and The Kernel wine casks with wild yeast Available at have taken plenty of influence from the US and lactic bacteria. The Canalhouse, and have produced their own sours. Berliner Dry, oaky with flavours of The Kean’s Head Weisse and Gose are popular styles to chocolate and red berries. (and others) produce, as they can be created with the Available at The Canalhouse same brewing equipment as most other beer 7 The Goings On We’ve been rather a busy bunch as per usual! It was an amazing autumn of frolics with friends, experiments and events, comedy, Christmas parties and a trip to Bitburg, Germany. Robin Hood Beer Supporting the Fest is best again! Castle Trust The Robin Hood Beer and Cider We’re excited to announce a new Festival was another fantastic success. partnership with the Nottingham Castle Held at Nottingham Castle from 7th- Trust . Our support will help unlock 10th October, the festival reportedly funding used to create a world class showcased the largest range of cask ale visitors’ centre at Nottingham Castle. in the world. It was the 40th birthday of The attractions will include opening the RHBCF with over 1,100 real ales and medieval caves that are cut into the 300+ real ciders. We had three bars ancient sandstone Castle Rock, and over the grounds: the Tavern by the adding in a feature glass elevator to band stand, the Main Bar in the top tent, provide an outstanding view of the south and for the first time ever the Traffic of Nottingham. It will also bring high Street Trailer. The vibe this year was grade art collections to the city, adding incredible, with groups of friends to Nottingham’s reputation as a cultural drinking, dancing and generally having a haven; the first of these exhibitions will great time. A huge success for everyone run from July 2016, and will include ten involved. See you at RHBCF16! Leonardo da Vinci drawings. We’re proud to be involved and to invest back into the fabric of the city - more to come in the First Impressions next edition! Working with St. Anns Allotment holders in Nottingham, we gathered Comedy at Castle Rock Brewery 450kg of apples to make a local, organic Since the Nottingham Comedy Festival throughout the festival. Hosting an array cider. As October is CAMRA cider and started up in 2009, Castle Rock has been of comedy shows, from child-friendly perry month, and with so many excess sponsoring the event. This year it was comedy to (very risqué) late night apples at the allotments that might bigger and better than ever, with the performances, the BlundaBus was a otherwise go to waste, we decided it was addition of a new comedy venue: Bob unique and hilarious addition to NCF. time to dabble. Slayer’s BlundaBus! The double decker Above: Bob Slayer’s BlundaBus, a new bus, complete with a bar selling Harvest venue for Nottingham comedy courtesy of Pale, parked up in the brewery yard Castle Rock Brewery
Welcome to Castle Rock City We were thrilled when Rock City , Nottingham’s favourite music venue, approached us about providing beer for the ‘Indie All Dayer’ in October; an event to celebrate 35 years of live music at the venue. The music filled Saturday saw the likes of Echo and Bunnymen hit the stage, and happy festival goers drank the bar dry of Harvest Pale, Red Riding Hood and a special beer: Rock City Ale. We’ve long been supporters of real cider, It’s rare to see real ale in the venue, so so it’s been great to learn more about we were pretty chuffed to be involved. the process. At the time of writing, the apples have been pressed and simply left Since then, we’ve supplied the beer to ferment. We’re hoping it will be ready for another event at Rock City, and we’re hoping the for a taste in spring! collaborations will continue…keep an eye out! 8 Barley-Moo Emma Taylor, manager of the Bread & Bitter, fundraising assistant Becky Tolputt and Professor Graham Pockley of In 2015 Castle Rock was thrilled to gain the John van Geest Cancer Research Centre Silver accreditation from Investors in the Environment , a sustainability company working to tackle fuel poverty, reduce carbon emissions and improve resource efficiency. Along with many other efforts to ‘go green’, one of our processes to reduce waste is passing on our spent grains to a local farmer. Our spent barley, made sugar free as part of the brewing process, provides a steady supply of food for contented beef cattle. We thought we’d introduce you to nine- year-old Felicity, an eager farmer-to-be whose family own Farnsfield farm and another in Bramcote. With the help of grandad Richard, and parents Frank and Tania, Felicity oversees feeding time for the cattle. Below she is pictured with Richard, BROvember - Cracking the Cancer Code serving up a hearty breakfast. In the last edition of the Quarter we made an announcement that our November fundraising efforts were to be re-focussed. After a few years of supporting an international charity, we decided to return home in support of a very worthy charity: the John van Geest Cancer Research Centre . Castle Rock director Neil Kelso and wife Linda, owners of the Victoria Hotel in Beeston, have been long-term supporters of the centre. Each year they host VicFest, a sixteen day festival which raises thousands of pounds for the centre. We decided to follow suit! The running cost of the centre is funded by the John and Lucille van Geest Foundation and Nottingham Trent University, so 100% of donations received go directly to cancer research. Prostate cancer is one of the key areas of focus for the centre, so our original aim to support men’s health remains. Over the month of November, we brewed up Walrus, a lip-smacking charity beer with 20p per pint sold donated to the charity. Our pubs got involved with special BROvember dishes on the menus, raffles and quiz nights, and together A trip to Bitburg you helped us raise an amazing £3,554.14. A gang of happy Castle Rock managers Thank you so much for your support. Here’s to Cracking the Cancer Code! were invited by Adnams and Bitburger to hop on over to Bitburg ‘for a drink’…we know, we know, we weren’t A visit from TV’s Mike Dilger jealous either. The third beer in the 2015 Wildlife Reserves range is Attenborough, a So over to Germany they indeed Reserve range, Trent Vale Reserve, was pilsner-style pale ale, which is available hopped, for a couple of days meeting launched with the help of a familiar face. through to February. friends old and new. Here’s Phil, Ecologist, ornithologist and television manager of the Swan in the Rushes, presenter Mike Dilger – best known as Tom, manager of the Stratford Haven, The One Show’s wildlife reporter- visited and James, manager of the Poppy & the brewery to learn more about the Pint, enjoying a drink in Bitburg. beers, which raise money for the work of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust . As Honourary Vice President of the Trust, Mike joined us to try Trent Vale, a traditional East Midlands style best bitter. Mike is pictured right with our very own Lewis Townsend (centre) and Isabel Badger, mascot for the Notting - hamshire Wildlife Trust. The latest beer in the Wildlife 9 Traffic Street Specials
Traffic Street Tour and a “New Era” Dan Gilliland Firstly, a huge ‘thank you’ to everyone who visited the Traffic Street Trailer at the Robin Hood Beer & Cider Festival. It was wonderful to meet so many new people, see those of you we knew already, and give the low down on what the Traffic Street Specials are all about.
Although the Traffic Street range is The beer began to take a new form when Pinot “Traffic Street Tour” brewed within the walls of Grigio grape juice was added. It’s an assertively of England’s major Castle Rock Brewery, the head brewer dry beer with grape and hop battling it out on cities and suburbs, Dan Gilliland describes himself as a bit the palate, the result being an explosion of starting with fresh citrus, gooseberry, stone fruit and a little Castle Rock pubs of a thorn in Castle Rock’s side; his bite in the finish. then moving on to relentless pursuit of experimentation is Leeds, Manchester, a stressful but welcome addition to the As always, we love to hear your feedback, so Birmingham, brew day. look out for New Era in Castle Rock pubs and Sheffield and let us know what you think. (Remember all London. The tour To be honest, it’s great to leave Dan to his own Traffic Street beers are very limited edition!) will feature a series devices without interference. In Dan not only of tap takeovers and meet the brewer do we have a great brewer but also someone On to 2016 and we’re keeping the momentum evenings, so you can chat with Dan and who is invested in, and dedicated to, the cause up. With seven beers to date, we’re together we can celebrate great beer. of incredible beer. There’s no point researching some exciting flavours and styles: experimenting “within reason”, so we’re more you can look forward to a new saison as well We are officially launching New Era at the than happy for Dan to be free and as, hopefully, a Kombucha tea beer brewed Canalhouse on Thursday 21st January, from uncompromising. with our very own SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture 5pm. There will be giveaways and discounts, of Bacteria and Yeast). Sounds interesting, with Dan on hand for any questions. In December 2015, the newest beer in the right? All are welcome! range “New Era” was released. New Era is a 7.7% ABV beer/wine hybrid and started out as Alongside the beer, we’re also planning to put You can also follow @Traffic_Street on a pale ale wort with tasty Yakima Valley hops. the Traffic Street Specials on the map with a Twitter for Traffic Street updates . 10 In focus The Derby Tup Nestled on the northern outskirts of Chesterfield, the Derby Tup is an award-winning pub acquired by Castle Rock in 1990. Over the years, the Derby Tup has won multiple awards and developed a remarkable reputation as a result. Since we last featured the Derby Tup in The developments in the brewing and pub the Castle Rock Quarter, new licensee industry over recent years has been exciting to Ade Cole has arrived on the scene and see, with US-style café bars, industrial settled in well. We caught up with Ade drinking spaces and modern, minimalist bars popping up all over the UK. The Tup, however, Project Brunswick Ales… A small brewing to talk about this beer haven: ‘The Tup has remained quintessentially English. It’s still plant is currently being installed in the kitchen has a deep association with the real ale very much a classic ‘local’; a quiet place in of the pub, selling exclusive one off ales for movements, and it’s one of the longest which to seek shelter. As Ade puts it ‘there are the pub. Ade tells us the venture has been standing pubs in the Good Beer Guide.’ no gimmicks; just great ale and a warm named ‘Project Brunswich Ales’ after the (In 2014, the Derby Tup received a atmosphere.’ Derby Tup’s previous name, the Brunswick rare honour from Chesterfield and Hotel. District CAMRA after thirty consecutive years of inclusion in the Despite a reputation as a real ale staple in Good Beer Guide.) the Chesterfield area, the Tup isn’t resting on its laurels. The pub recently underwent some improvement works with re-decoration and the installation of new heating and toilets. The back bar area has also had some remodelling, and at the rear of the pub a micro-beer garden has been created. All of which, it’s important to mention, has been done with a compassionate eye – nothing much needs to be changed. As Roger Protz Ade has been licensee at the Derby Tup since once said, the Derby Tup is among the few February 2015. As a craft brewer and owner remaining pubs which form the ‘backbone of of small commercial brewery ‘Pigeon Fishers Britain’s traditional pub stock.’ Craft Brewery’, his knowledge of beer and the brewing process make him an expert As is common at many Castle Rock pubs, the behind the bar. Some of the Pigeon Fishers Tup boasts an excellent range of gins, whiskies beers are permanent fixtures to the real ale and quality wines. Naturally, beer lovers are offering at the Tup, which means every night well looked after with three Castle Rock ales is a ‘Meet the Brewer’ night. on at all times as well as up to seven guest ales which change almost daily. Couple this with a Ade’s passion for beer combined with the decent range of world bottled beers and you long standing reputation of the Tup is a have yourself a great place to settle down for winning combination, which brings us to a drink or two.
*** The Tup is a popular pub with locals, but is easily accessible for visitors to the area; with a taxi from Chesterfield railway station costing around £4 and the area well served by buses. If you are yet to visit this wonderfully traditional pub, we’d encourage you to do so and see why it’s been in the Good Beer Guide for 30 years and counting! 11 Bon appétit The Bread & Bitter’s winter menu is here and it is b-e-a-utiful… On Mapperley Top you’ll find the Bread & Bitter, a multi-room pub loved for being a real ale oasis. With manager Emma joining Castle Rock a few months back, we decided it was time to pop on over, have a chat and spend an afternoon sampling dishes from the new winter menu...for your benefit of course!
Head chef Matthew was with the fruit and vegetables they’ll create something unable to join us on our that are in season. Our especially – an offer like visit, so we were lucky specials board is where the that is hard to beat. enough to be wined and chefs get to experiment. Matthew has really switched And for the sweet tooth, dined by Adam (pictured things up since he joined the how about a panna righte) . Adam started out team’. And blimey, has he cotta with rum-soaked in Castle Rock running a switched it up good. strawberries or a summer BBQ. Training rosemary and thyme manager Sarah spotted For those in favour of a crème brûlée? Are you his natural talent, and traditional meal, the steak feeling light-headed yet? the young enthusiast is and ale pie is for you. There’s It’s okay, we all are. now producing some of Harvest Pale in the shortcrust the most delicious dishes pastry, Preservation ale in the If you can only swing by pie, and a side of stilton mash for a quick breakfast, your we’ve ever tasted. and vegetables which are taste buds with be just as blanched and seared. satisfied. Alongside breakfast The new menu at the Bread is Our favourite dish was ciabattas and hearty ideal for a locavore, with all probably the fillet steak with porridge, there’s the chance the ingredients sourced anchovy butter, served with for ultimate indulgence: locally (the beef only travels 6 barrel-aged feta and truffle Toasted banana bread served miles from a Hucknall farm!) oil mash potato, and balsamic with maple syrup, Nearly everything on your glazed shallots. All topped caramelised banana, vanilla plate is homemade too, from with crispy prosciutto and a mascarpone and fresh the gnocchi to the rich veal jus. strawberries…now that’s the honeycomb to the caramel way to start your day. sauce. Veggies can dig into homemade mushroom Food at the Bread & Bitter Emma explained that ‘food at gnocchi, and sea food is served from Monday – the Bread is more evolution fanatics into the most Saturday 10.30am – 9pm, than revolution. Classic dishes colourful prawn tagliatelle. Sunday 12pm – 7pm. will always stay, but we’ll If you’re vegan or gluten free, Sunday lunch is booked up keep tweaking them to work the chefs assure us that fast, so give the pub a call to reserve your table.
12 Editor’s picks Full listings on our website Upcoming Events - events in Castle Rock January 2016 pubs are updated dail y Thursday 21st – Sunday 24th January Tuesday 9th February March 2016 Beermuda Triangle Shrove Tuesday Sunday 6th March Beer Festival It’s pancake day! Get your flippin’ fix at the Bread & Bitter with breakfast Mother’s Day The Fox and Crown is a featured pub pancakes, traditional lemon and sugar on this unique beer trail which is It’s time to celebrate the most special pancakes, or gooey Nutella pancakes. lady of all: mum. Mothering Sunday has organised by PINT (Pubs in Newark We’ll also be serving up mouth-watering Together). The festival takes place over hurried around again and we’ve got stacks at the Lincolnshire Poacher , the plenty for Ma to enjoy. The Fox & four days with more than 80 beers Stratford Haven and the Willowbrook . across seven pubs in Newark. Crown are offering free drinks for dining mums, and at the Lincolnshire Thursday 21st January February 2016 Poacher two people can enjoy a three course meal and a bottle of wine for just A Titter at Tea Tuesday 9th February £29.95. At the Willowbrook mums can Enjoy a three course meal at the Horse enjoy a free glass of prosecco with a two & Plough followed by an evening of French Wine Tasting or three course meal, and there’s a comedians hosted by Funhouse Comedy An evening for lovers of the vine; this tasting evening at the Poppy & Pint is special Sunday Roast menu at the Club for just £29.95 a head. Comedians Stratford Have n with free desserts. include Paddy Lennox and John Mann, hosted by Roger Halfpenny and includes with compere Spiky Mike. the sampling of wine from the main Friday 18th – Sunday 20th March regions of France, alongside a tasting Thursday 21st January menu created by chef Vanessa McGuire. Sport Relief Fundraiser Tickets are only £25, so call the Poppy There will be a series of sponsored The 39 Steps to book yours: 0115 981 9995 events taking place at the Golden It’s time to celebrate Castle Rock’s 39th Eagle including a cycle ride, walk, crib and darts to raise Monday for Sport birthday! There will be drink & food Sunday 14th February offers at various Castle Rock pubs, as Relief, with offers on food for everyone well as special events. Roll back the Valentine’s Day taking part. years at the Vat & Fiddle with free Valentine’s haters look away! Cupid is canapes and live music from Pesky back in town and we’ve got that fuzzy Regulars Alligators; The Lincolnshire Poacher feeling… Celebrate this Valentine’s Day are ready to feed you up with free with half price prosecco at the Bread & MONDAYS birthday cake and offers on Castle Rock Bitter , a special Valentine’s supper at Bread & Bitter: Curry & Quiz Night. Curry, rice, naan and a drink for just £8.95, from 5pm. beer; Over in Gedling the Willowbrook the Willowbrook , a Valentine’s Roast NEW: Horse & Plough: Burger and Beer Night, £9.90 will have live music from Mispent Youth, at the Stratford Haven including a from 5pm offers on Castle Rock beer and a unique bottle of wine, and a free rose at the Kean’s Head: Homemade Pie & Pint Night. £10.95 curry/beer tasting; The Poppy & Pint Golden Eagle when you buy two pints from 5pm will have live music from Just Ben, plus of Castle Rock beer. That’s a win-win. Stratford Haven: Curry & Pie Night, £7.95 from 5pm discounts and a fundraising raffle; and at Willowbrook: Pie & Pint Night, £10 from 5pm. the Stratford Haven there’s live music, Monday 29th February – TUESDAYS discounts on beer and burger night Saturday 5th March Poppy & Pint: Curry & Quiz Night, £7.95 from 5pm (Quiz £1 from 9pm) offers. British Pie Week Stratford Haven: Pie & Pint Night, £9.95 from 5pm There’s not much the British folk love NEW: Vat & Fiddle: Curry & Pint Tuesdays, £7.95 Monday 25th January from 12noon-8pm more than good pie! Willowbrook: Quiz Night from 9pm, free. Burns’ Night The Bread & Bitter are making a Enjoy a taste of Scotland at Castle Rock WEDNESDAYS: different pie each day cooked with NEW: Embankment: Pizza Night, 2 pizzas and a bottle pubs with offers on malt whiskies with Castle Rock beers, and all pies at the of house wine, £24.95 from 5pm. (Live acoustic music complementary neeps and tatties at the Lincolnshire Poacher will include a from 7pm) Vat & Fiddle and the Lincolnshire free pint of Harvest Pale throughout the NEW: Stratford Haven: Steak & Blues Night, a new Poacher . At the Golden Eagle there week for just £9.95. menu each week (with veggies catered for) and live will be themed beers, whisky offers, and Blues on the first Wednesday of each month. At the Willowbrook there are sweet From 5pm. a little bit’a Scottish reeling, and the and savoury pies and the Stratford Haven have offers on drinks Stratford Haven celebrates with THURSDAYS plus a menu of traditional Scotch dishes. NEW: Burger & Beer Night, £9.95 from 5pm. Pie & Pint offers. Swan in the Rushes: Charnwood Brewery Tap Or join us at the Willowbrook for a 2 or If you’re in Loughborough, be sure to Takeover on the last Thursday of the month, and 3 course Scottish-inspired supper for just visit the Swan in the Rushes and go Funhouse Comedy on the first Thursday of the month £13.95 or £16.95 including a whisky. pie-eyed for Pieminister Pies. Willowbrook: Curry & Pint Night, £10 from 5pm. www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk/event 13
Beer news The Dark Side Stout and Porter Stroll, MARCH 2016
2016 will mark the 12th Nottingham Porter Stroll, so look out for it CAMRA Stout and Porter Stroll, which on Castle Rock bars and takes place throughout March. This beyond. initiative encourages the sampling of Also look out for Colin Slater, two of the oldest beer styles still the first Nottinghamian enjoyed in Britain today. Celebration Ale of 2016 (and the 22nd overall). To celebrate At Castle Rock we’ve always been fans of the Notts County commentator these styles, brewing many as part of the legend we’re brewing a ‘Natural Selection’ beers which raised deliciously warming porter, money for the Nottinghamshire Wildlife which will be available between Trust. A while back now we noticed the January and March. demand for stouts was gathering momentum, down to initiatives like the Our guest ale lines will of Stout & Porter Stroll and beer drinkers course showcase stouts and experimenting with more diverse styles. So porters from both local and a year ago we added a stout to our core national breweries, so if there’s range of beers: Sherwood Reserve, brewed a particular beer you’d like to with fresh coffee beans. Sherwood is see, get in touch. You can smooth and well-balanced, with aromas of contact us on our website, or coffee and chocolate. We’ll be highlighting send us a message on this great beer throughout the Stout and Facebook or Twitter.
15 Castle Rock Pubs
ALEXANDRA HOTEL BREAD AND BITTER CANALHOUSE Breakthroughpoint Ltd 203 Siddals Road, Derby DE1 2QE 153-155 Woodthorpe Dr, Mapperley, NG3 5JL 48-52 Canal Street, Nottingham NG1 7EH Tel: 01332 293993 T Tel: 0115 960 7541 Tel: 0115 955 5060 e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] F: Alexandra Hotel T: @Alex_Pub_Derby F: Bread Bitter T: @breadandbitter F: Canal House T: @canalhousebar CASTLE ROCK TAP DERBY TUP EAGLE ROOM & KITCHEN 387 Sheffield Rd, Chesterfield S41 8LS 144 West Street, Boston, Lincs PE21 8RE Tel: 01246 454316 T Tel: 01205 361116 T First Floor Departure Lounge, East Midlands Airport e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] Operated by Autogrill F: The Derby Tup T: @TheDerbyTup F: The Eagle T: @TheEagleBoston
EMBANKMENT Beer Consortium FOREST TAVERN/MAZE FOX AND CROWN 282-284 Arkwright St, Nottingham NG2 2GR 257 Mansfield Road, Nottingham NG1 3FT 4-6 Appletongate, Newark, Notts NG24 1JY Tel: 0115 986 4502 Tel: 0115 947 5650 T Tel: 01636 605820 e-mail: [email protected] email: [email protected] • web: www.themazerocks.com e-mail: [email protected] F: Embankment Pub & Kitchen T: @ EmbankmentNottm F: The Maze T: @themazenotts F: The Fox & Crown Newark T: @TheFoxandCrown
Beer GOLDEN EAGLE HORSE AND PLOUGH Consortium KEAN’S HEAD 21 High Street, Lincoln LN5 8BD 25 Long Acre, Bingham, Notts NG13 8AF 46 St. Mary’s Gate, Nottingham NG1 1QA Tel: 01522 521058 Tel: 01949 839313 Tel: 0115 947 4052 e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] F: The Golden Eagle Free House T: @GoldenEaglePub F: Horse and Plough T: @HorseandPlough F: Kean’s Head T: @keanshead LINCOLNSHIRE POACHER NEW BARRACK TAVERN NEWSHOUSE 161-163 Mansfield Road, Nott’m NG1 3FR 601 Penistone Road, Sheffield S6 2GA 123 Canal Street, Nottingham NG1 7HB Tel: 0115 941 1584 Tel: 0114 234 9148 T Tel: 0115 952 3061 T e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] F: Lincolnshire Poacher T: @lincpoacher F: New Barrack Tavern T: @NewBarrack F: The Newshouse T: @NewshouseNotts
POPPY AND PINT Lady Bay Inns ROOK AND GASKILL STRATFORD HAVEN Pierrepont Road, Lady Bay, Notts NG2 5DX 12 Lawrence Street, York YO10 3WP 2 Stratford Rd, W. Bridgford, Nott’m NG2 6BA Tel: 0115 981 9995 Tel: 01904 655450 T Tel: 0115 982 5981 e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] F: Poppy & Pint T: @PoppyandPint F: The Rook and Gaskill T: @RookGaskillYork F: Stratford Haven T: @stratfordhaven
SWAN IN THE RUSHES VAT AND FIDDLE (The Brewery Tap) WILLOWBROOK 21 The Rushes, Loughborough LE11 5BE 12-14 Queensbridge Rd, Nottingham NG2 1NB 13 Main Rd, Gedling, Nottingham NG4 3HQ Tel: 01509 217014 Tel: 0115 985 0611 Tel: 0115 987 8596 e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] F: Swan Rushes T: @swanrushes F: Vat and Fiddle T: @VatandFiddle F: The Willowbrook T: @WillowbrookCRB
All of our pubs follow the latest allergen legislation. Further details are available in each establishment. T Tenanted pub
F: Castle Rock Brewery Core Castle Rock Beers T: @CRBrewery
3.4% 3.8% 3.8% 4.3% 4.4% 4.5% 4.7% 5.5% Brewed to be a A national A well balanced, American-style red ale A full-bodied Brewed with fresh Blonde and beautiful A national champion. traditional session ale award-winning blonde award-winning dark brewed with dark premium bitter of Columbian coffee single malt golden ale Strong India Pale Ale. with a malty bitter beer. American hops mild with some crystal malt, plus typical East Midlands beans. Flavours of rich refreshing on the Lots of everything so taste. give a refreshingly bitterness. El Dorado and Kohatu character. Perfect chocolate and coffee palate. proceed with caution. crisp, citrus finish. Full-bodied but not hops. bitter-sweet balance. are in the nose, and F: Sheriff Tipple overly sweet. the taste is smooth F: Elsie Mo F: Screech Owl T: @RedRidingHoodCR and lasting. T: @SheriffTipple T: @Elsiemocrb T: @ScreechOwlCRB For details of upcoming and future seasonal beers please see pages 2 & 3 in this issue The next issue of Castle Rock Quarter is published in April