feature | CELEBRITY GOLDEN BROWN ALE ‘Golden Brown’ by The Stranglers hit number two in the UK charts in 1982. Now, 30 years on, the brewer who named a brew after the song is weaning the band onto his beer. Liz Boden visited Butts brewery in Berkshire to meet brewer Chris Butt and Jet Black – drummer and founding member of The Stranglers – who share an appreciation of each other’s crafts When the drummer of one of his late Dave Price (aka Sidney). Sidney with a motorbike and sidecar. “I’d come favourite bands appeared at Butts was an artistic, quirky character who up with ideas for beers. And Sidney used brewery out of the blue, owner Chris helped with various aspects of the to doodle,” says Chris. “He knew I was a Butt was flabbergasted. business, including doing deliveries Stranglers fan and ‘Golden Brown’ was “He just turned up,” says Chris. “I was just shouting out to be a beer.” sat at my desk when a voice said, ‘Can I get some beer?’ I asked what sort he Chris had been a huge Stranglers was after and he said, ‘Golden Brown’. supporter since his teens: “I lived in I got to the door, saw who it was, and a little village in Somerset. There was said, ‘You’re the Stranglers drummer!’ a bloke down the road whose parents “It’s lucky I was here ’cos being a had retired from London. He got me one- man- band I’m often not.” into all sorts of weird stuff I’d never Jet Black had stumbled across Butts heard of: The Tubes, Devo, The New Golden Brown (5 per cent ABV) on York Dolls – and The Stranglers. Then the internet. He saw the pump clip that I discovered a friend at school was illustrated the song lyric with the maid even more into them and had pretty “on her ship tied to the mast” and tucked much everything. Soon after that, so x FEATURES E it away in his subconscious memory. He did I. They were my first favourite subsequently read about Butts brewery band. I now have three of which The HoUTEN/R and some months later thought: “‘I need Stranglers are one – the others being VAN to check this out.’ So I came down here Radiohead and Pink Floyd. They’re to meet Chris and try the beer.” all completely different.” RIGHT: In tune – Jet Black (right) and Chris established Butts in 1994. In Butts brewery founder Chris Butts are In the brewery, as he and Sidney DAVID VINTINER; LJ DAVID the early years, he was assisted by the both fans of each other’s creations pondered on the artwork for their 28 BEER WINTER 2012 28-33 Celebrity.indd 28 08/10/2012 14:06 28-33 Celebrity.indd 29 08/10/2012 14:07 CELEBRITY | feature ‘Once he knew he would be supplying Stranglers fans Chris brewed Jet Black porter. Jet was suitably chuffed – an eponymous brew being the ultimate flattery’ new Stranglers brew, Chris thought back at www.stranglers.net). Jet asked if the flattery. “I loved the idea,” he says. But to the song’s video: “I said to Sidney, brewery was likely to create any more it was not purely an ego thing: “In my ‘I seem to remember it was all camels Stranglers-related beers and Chris said: opinion there isn’t enough dark beer on and pyramids and stuff.’ But he dismissed “I’ve always thought Jet Black would be the market. Whereas when I was a kid that. So I mentioned the lyrics…” a bloody good name for a porter.” every pub had dark beer. It was far more They opted for a drawing of the girl After a couple more meetings, Jet ubiquitous than it is today.” “on her ship tied to the mast”. Chris asked Chris to sell his ales at the 2011 says: “Sidney got his missus to pose at the Stranglers Weekendinblack Convention So what does he think of Butts tribute bottom of the banister and that’s how he in November. As Jet puts it: “The porter? “I love Jet Black. And I’m not did it. If you were a Stranglers fan you average person who comes to our shows just saying that just ’cos my name’s on could make the connection. We tried quite enjoys a drink. Chris’s beers were the bottle – although that would be a to smarten her up on the bottle – put so well received. They thought, ‘a good enough reason, I suppose. I really some clothes on her to get her into the Stranglers gig and real ale – brilliant!’” like Golden Brown. It’s the perfect supermarkets. But it didn’t work.” Once he knew he would be supplying balance for a bitter type of bitter. But a captive audience of staunch Stranglers I actually prefer Jet Black. Those are Once Jet had tried Golden Brown and fans Chris went ahead and brewed Jet my two favourite Butts beers – though other Butts brews, in a significant break Black porter specifically for the event. I enjoy all of Chris’s brews.” with convention, he interviewed Chris Jet was suitably chuffed – an Since 2002, Butts brewery has for The Stranglers website (see Features eponymous brew being the ultimate been completely organic – a point WINTER 2012 BEER 31 28-33 Celebrity.indd 31 08/10/2012 14:07 CELEBRITY | feature of principle with Chris: “Most microbreweries’ beer is pretty much chemical-free. But I wanted to go organic because intensive farming is ruining the countryside.” But eco-ethics can come at a cost and Chris says: “The raw materials are quite a lot more. And there’s the certification.” Jet admires the brewery’s organic status: “I’m in sympathy generally with the organic, green movement. But a lot of the green agenda seems unachievable. However, if someone can produce a good organic beer, and stay solvent, that’s great.” In his pre- Stranglers days, back in the 1960s, Jet was into wine- making and dabbled a little with brewing, too. His interest coincided with the effective legalisation of home brewing – when the then chancellor of the exchequer, Reginald Maudling, abolished the rate of duty on home brews. “I suddenly saw a business opportunity,” says Jet. “I was one of the first people to enter the domestic brewing market when it became legal. “The touring musician is a boozy individual. Most are I had the time and resources to do it.” He opened a shop selling domestic brewing well- oiled when they go on stage. I went on blind drunk equipment and it quickly expanded into for years. But I don’t drink at all when I’m working now” an international wholesale business. But, eventually, the musician in “Gigs are wonderful,” he says. “Very guitar when I was about 15, which I used him grew restless. He had done a lot hard work, but really invigorating. When to bash about on. But it had a 100-watt of gigging around the country in his you’re touring, it can be tricky getting speaker and an old Vox AC50 amp and youth and yearned to be back playing a decent pint, but getting a decent meal it used to make my bedroom vibrate, so in a band. In 1974, the drummer started is much more of a problem – places are I didn’t really get to use it much. advertising for fellow musicians and out never open when you want to eat. “As soon as I was old enough to get of that The Stranglers were born. “By and large the touring musician is a motorbike I’m afraid I flogged the Are the rest of the band real ale a pretty boozy individual. Most musicians guitar and bought a motorbike instead. aficionados? “Dave (Greenfield – are well- oiled when they go on stage – But ever since I’ve wanted to buy keyboards) is the only big beer drinker,” as indeed I used to be. I went on stage an acoustic bass guitar again. says Jet. “But he also drinks a lot of blind drunk for many years. But I don’t “I’m trying to hook JJ on the beer lager out of convenience. And he drink at all when I’m working now. and hope if I give him enough he loves Le Butts (a Butts 5 per cent I’ve become more responsible.” might give me one. But he’s not cask-conditioned lager). Baz (Warne – very good at drinking apparently.” guitar and vocals) is a man of moderate Chris is looking forward to seeing The consumption. JJ (Jean-Jacques Burnel – Stranglers at their Bristol gig. At the The Stranglers’ latest album, Giants, bass and vocals) is a wine man.” time of writing he was hoping to work was released in the spring. For more When we meet, Jet is gearing up on bassist JJ to help him fulfil a lifelong information, see www.stranglers.net for a two- month Stranglers tour. ambition to play bass. “I bought a bass and www.buttsbrewery.com WINTER 2012 BEER 33 28-33 Celebrity.indd 33 08/10/2012 14:07.