REMOVE ALL CROP MARKS FOR PRODUCTION PRINTING 1 HERTFORDSHIRE’S Pints of View The bi -monthly p ublication for every discerning drinker June / July 2018 Circulation 8750 No. 289 HertsHerts && EssexEssex BordersBorders CAMRA’sCAMRA’s BestBest PubPub North Herts CAMRA’s most improved pub Summer’s here and it’s time to ramble South Herts CAMRA’s Pub of the Year Summer beer festivals planner - page 27 Plus: Land of Liberty Peace & Six of the best in years Another Resounding Plenty - Watford & District for 3 Brewers Brewery Success for 21 st Ware Real CAMRA’s Pub of the Year of St Albans Ale & Cider Festival 2 THE BITTER END REMOVE ALL CROP MARKS FOR PRODUCTION PRINTING Beer Industry News 3 Farr Brewery Wins Nationwide “Green Award” heathampstead based brewery Farr Brew Farr Wildlife Partnership have secured their first nationwide award - The Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust and local Wwhen they won the SIBA (the Society of brewer, Farr Brew of Wheathampstead will Independent Brewers Association) “Green Business” create a new beer which will go on sale later in th Award at the “Beer X” forum on the 14 March. the year to support the work of the Trust. In The sustainability message has always been at the addition to the special edition brew, the brewery core of all business decisions which clearly appealed will work with the Trust to ensure that the area to the judging panel who complimented the where they grow their hops is wildlife friendly. company on their ongoing commitment to choosing - Nick Farr said “Farr Brew’s principles are all the green path in all elements of the brewing process. about community and the environment we are These include the following…. part of, so partnering with the Trust is a natural - A Hop Collective with over 250 members decision. We believe that we should all keep the - A commitment to planet as green and direct re-use of the beautiful as possible vast majority of and we try to ensure waste, rather than that conservation is at purely to recycling the heart of any - Local sourcing of business decision we ingredients — Honey make. We’re proud produced on hives of our Hertfordshire within a few home and we’re hundred yards is delighted to be used in their working with the Trust to keep it wild!” CAMRA award winning Porter. This year sees the - Tim Hill, Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust’s production of hops on a field near the brewery. Conservation Manager, said: “ The brewery - Buying local — the company’s tap room is open shares our love of local wildlife and I look every Saturday and includes a selection of wine, forward to helping manage the land where they cider, spirits and other produce — all sourced grow their hops.” within a few miles of the brewery. - As part of its new partnership with Farr Brew, 2018 also sees the commitment to locality and Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust is running a sustainability grow further through the following competition to name the new beer. The winner endeavours…. will see their successful entry on the beer and - Farr Brew have linked up with The Herts and also receive a brewery tour for two at Farr Brew Middlesex Wildlife Trust to create a beer bearing and 12 bottles of Farr Brew beer. the famous badger logo. Proceeds will go - Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust (HMWT) is towards this great cause. People even have the the leading voice for wildlife conservation in chance to name the beer — please see page ??? or Hertfordshire and Middlesex. With over 40 www.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/news/2018/03/05/ nature reserves covering nearly 2,000 acres, from cheers-new-local-wildlife-partnership. The trust woodlands and wetlands to rare patches of heath will also be assisting Farr Brew in creating a and orchard, HMWT take practical action every wildlife meadow in the areas of the field not yet day to help wildlife flourish. used for hops. - For more information or to speak to a member of - Farr Brew are also bringing out a pale ale to raise Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust please money for the new St Albans Museum & Gallery contact Charlotte Hussey, Marketing and project Communications Officer, at - Farr Brew donate profits from their “Chief Jester” [email protected] or on 01727 858901 ale to the Rennie Grove Hospice. ext 228. - The company will also be producing a beer to support the St Albans Cathedral fund. - They will be heavily involved in the “St Albans Sustainability Week” 4 Beer Industry News 6 Good Years for the 3 Brewers of St Albans he prospect of a South Herts Branch afternoon (3.8% ABV), Special English Ale (4.8% ABV), IPA trip to 3 Brewers of St Albans brewery was (4.6% ABV) and, in 2017, Blonde Ale (4.2% ABV). Tenticing. The prospect of fine sunshine after a Mark took us on a tour of the brewing vessels week of miserable precipitation, sealed the feeling. explaining that brewing currently takes place twice a Our coach arrived just after midday to be week, the brewery working at two-thirds met by 3 Brewers’ Mark Fanner capacity. Carefully selected malt, and Matt Sutton along with to give body and character to the delicious pints of 3 Brewers Dark beers, is sourced from a maltings in Mild , Special English Ale and Stowmarket. Hops, providing Blonde Ale , all at cellar aroma and bitterness, range from temperature in the farmland English stalwarts such as brewery in central rural Whitbread Golding, Progress and Hertfordshire. Based in a former Brambling Cross to Cascade and potato shed on Symondshyde Farm, Mosaic from the US, Magnum from between St Albans and Hatfield, the Poland and New Zealand varieties. 3 setting is surely a surprise boon for all Brewers use Nottingham Ale Yeast. visitors after the long winding approach down Nick left the organisation after a year or so but Matt Symondshyde Lane. Sutton has now been with the 3 Brewers for 2½ years Mark previously worked in food and drink marketing as Head Brewer and is brewing a full range of including roles at Whitbread and Guinness. His tempting beers, from light to dark. Awards have business partner Pete Zivkovic, a cabinet maker, been forthcoming, 3 Brewers winning, in 2017, the worked in the building industry. Long-time friends, CAMRA Champion Beer of East Anglia with Special they both lived in St Albans for 20 or more years and English Ale. The brewery also produced two had a passion for real ale. In a moment of reflection heritage brews based on recipes found from the long about work and over a pint, Mark said to Pete “There dead Pryor Reid brewery of Hatfield. It was must be more to life than this!” and that is how interesting to see that there is a growing call for beer brewery ambitions were hatched. Founded in 2012, in pins (36 pints) as well as firkins. the 3 Brewers of St Albans was established by Mark and Pete, together with Pete’s brother Nick, all with a mission to produce fantastic ales for Hertfordshire people and beyond. Failing to find a good industrial unit site in which to set up business, Mark turned to agricultural opportunities and soon stumbled across Symondshyde Farm which had the benefit of a 100ft well tapping into high quality water. The team arrived in August 2012 and brewing equipment soon followed. A trawl through eBay had found what sounded like ideal brewing equipment at a defunct brewery in Hampshire. However on its arrival it was soon apparent that additions and modifications would be needed and with advice from a friend of Above: A thirsty throng of South Herts members, Pete’s in Peterborough, who had already set up a pictured above, enjoying 3 Brewers beers with micro-brewery, the 8-barrel brewery slowly took Mark Fanner (7 th from right) and Head Brewer Matt shape, being operational by December 2012 with Sutton (3rd from right) both hiding in the back row. test brewing commencing shortly after. The first brew Bottled beer is also an area of growth — brewed at 3 — Classic English Ale — a traditional bitter at 4.0% Brewers and transported to the Black Country for ABV — was ready in May 2013 and was despatched bottling by Holdens, the family brewer, in Dudley. to the Brocket Arms in Ayot St Lawrence. Word A recent development has been the use of keykegs. spread of its quality and It soon achieved broad 3 Brewers keykeg beers are unfiltered and appeal in wider Hertfordshire. Other brews soon unpasteurised but because they are often attached to followed including Golden English Ale lager dispense systems, additional hops are added to REMOVE ALL CROP MARKS FOR PRODUCTION PRINTING Beer Industry News 5 counter the loss of taste often prevalent in colder And so, the dispense. Keykegs are the subject of some afternoon controversy in CAMRA circles but intriguingly, Mark came to a said that a blind tasting of one of their beers in cask close. Many form versus keykeg had resulted in a 50:50 split of thanks to Mark those favouring one over the other. and Matt for Today, 3 Brewers beers can be found in around 100 their brilliant pubs from Cambridgeshire down to London and hospitality. Buckinghamshire into east Anglia. As well as being Now 6 years popular with local Free Houses they can be found in old as a company, it is good to see a Hertfordshire many Hertfordshire Wetherspoon outlets. Mark independent brewery doing very well. There will be often checks pub cellars with a view to ensuring continuing innovative beers but, first, the company quality in the 3 Brewers beers.