Harvest Time Richard Hough on Homegrown Hops Volunteer for The Festival! Hopes for First Community Owned Pub in the High Peak Pub of the Month: The New Inn Nominate Your Cider Pubs of the Year Plus all your local pub, club, brewery and festival news sheffieldcamra.org.uk Cover Story 3 EDITOR Andrew Cullen 07554 005 225 [email protected] Articles, letters and suggestions are most welcome so please send them in* DESIGN Robin [email protected] Harvest Time ADVERTISING Land of Hops and Glory Alan Gibbons 0114 266 4403 By Richard Hough 07760 308 766 [email protected] ate August and early September is tradition­ ally the time for hop­harvesting in the UK. Quarter Page £40 It is also, therefore, the time for the annual Half Page £60 LHop Walk organised by hop merchants Charles Full Page £90 Faram. Last year dozens of brewers and like­minded Back Cover £110 hop enthusiasts descended on Pridewood Farm in Discounts for regular placements Herefordshire to witness at first­hand the picking of the hops. PDFs or high­res (300 dpi) bitmaps only please The day's programme of events included a brief overview of the hop­growing year, an update on the Design from £30 progress of new developments in the industry Updates from £10 (disease and wilt resistance, new hedgerow varieties) and the hop­breeding programme. A generous buffet was enjoyed by all (including some NEXT COPY DEADLINE wonderful hop­rolled cheese), accompanied by a Friday 6 September number of beers showcasing some of the different hops that are currently available. Opinions expressed are those of the author and Thanks here must go to Julia and Martin Powell­ may not represent those of CAMRA, the local branch or editor. Beer Matters is © CAMRA Ltd. Tuck for their splendid hospitality accommodating us on what, for them, is one of the busiest and most *For legal reasons a full name and address must important days of the year. be provided with all contributions. (continued on next page) Cover Photograph by Ned Phillips 4 Cover Story (continued from previous page) Roadshow had arrived in Shef­ group (including Ali and Richard, field. The venue was (appro­ and Paul C) an impromptu tour The agenda of events also priately enough) The Hop. Paul of some of the best pubs in included a talk from another hop Corbett (MD of Charles Faram) Sheffield. A splendid evening grower, Ali Capper from just over had samples of a number of talking (and tasting) the wonder the border in Worcestershire. British hop varieties with him. of hops. She, with her husband Richard, The assembled brewers got to are part of a dwindling breed: she work to rub and sniff (technical) The following week I ordered informed us that there are now as and appreciate the variety of some British Admiral from few as 50 hop growers left in aromas forthcoming. The par­ Charles Faram. A confirmed New Britain; crisis point looms. If ticular stand­outs for me were World fan, I had always been a many more hop growers pull out, Endeavour, Admiral and UK little wary of UK hops. The results it is possible that the industry will Cascade. were a revelation. Here was a hop become unviable as the spec­ that hadn't travelled thousands ialised machinery and equipment of miles, that gave me the cannot be supported by such a flavours I was seeking ­ and small number of growers. cheaper than US Cascade! From that moment UK Admiral would Ali then came on strong with an become a mainstay in our hop impassioned plea to those pres­ portfolio. We are now proud to ent: Please don't neglect British proclaim that all our beers are hops! With the current trend for brewed with British hops. full­flavoured citrus hops from the New World, with the USA and In February of this year I bumped New Zealand leading the way, into one of the Thornbridge Ali's call to arms was simple: for brewers, Dom. He asked me what British brewers not to reject was new. I said 'Here, try this'. British hops outright. There are Blue Bee Parentheses, pale, now upwards of twenty hop hoppy, 4.2% ABV. 'That's fan­ varieties grown commercially in tastic' said Thornbridge Dom, this country, and Ali took us 'what is it?' 'All British, single through the wealth of flavours varietal' I replied. 'Admiral'. they may contribute to a beer. Also in attendance that day were The tide is turning; UK hops are Then followed a fascinating walk Ali and Richard Capper. Ali once on the rise again. There is a huge around Pridewood Farm to ex­ again gave us the impassioned wave of enthusiasm surrounding perience at close quarters the plea not to neglect British hops. home­grown hops at the mo­ harvesting, drying and baling of In addition there was a unique ment, and I, for one, am very the hops. The day concluded with opportunity to sample half a proud to be part of it. visitors able to buy both fresh dozen or so of the green­hopped hops to brew a green­hopped beers that had been produced by Richard is Director and Head­ beer, and hop bines to decorate brewers after the Hop Walk a Brewer of the award­winning their pubs/sample rooms. month earlier; some of the results Blue Bee Brewery in Sheffield. were excellent. When the Road­ For more on UK hops go to Fast­forward a month. The Hop show concluded I gave a select www.britishhops.org.uk. 6 Brewery News Kelham Island s we predicted King of the Rocket Men 4.5% flew out of our yard and Asold out to the trade within a few days and for the second year running it looks like it will become our fastest selling special ale. Another stalwart is returning in September with Night Rider 4.5% making a welcome return. It’s the smooth dark version of Pale Rider and utilises a quartet of dark malts which perfectly complements the fruity North American hops much loved in its pale cousin. It’s dark and complex with a satisfyingly lingering finish. Atomic Blondie 6% is another great beer from the Kelham Island recipe book. It’s the crazy sister of ‘Blondie’ and a really striking pale ale. This time we’ve used a plethora of North American hops, tipple aroma hopping for a huge explosion of mouth watering hop character. Music fans look out for the Kelham Brewery House Band – ‘Still the Rhythm’ who will be performing at the ‘Down by the Riverside Festival’ at Kelham Island Museum on Saturday 21 September. The Festival is a great family event and is on the Saturday from 11am until 10pm and Sunday 22nd from 11am until 5pm. Interesting stalls, great food, our beer tent and a full pro­ gramme of music on stage. ‘Still the Rhythm’ are a 5 piece covers band and are available for your wedding or party. 7 Agostino adding just a touch more pepper to the brew The beer brewed with Agostino was a 4.7% pale ale called Gallo Rooster's Italiano that had both black pepper (especially selected by Cheers to Charity! Agostino and shipped from Italy) ach year Rooster’s and lemongrass added during the Brewing Co. brews a boil and into the fermentation seasonal special for vessel. In keeping with the ethos EAugust called White Rose. It’s range of learning difficulties and of both breweries, it’s a beer with a beer that is made available with disabilities. a moderate level of bitterness for Yorkshire Day (August 1st) in its strength and delicate citrus mind and is also brewed in The beer, a 4%, session­strength fruit and spicy aromas. conjunction with a Yorkshire­ pale ale, was brewed using four based charity to help raise hops and soft Yorkshire water to Available as a limited edition cask awareness and funds. produce citrus aromas and a light beer (80 firkins only), Friends of and refreshing level of bitterness. Ham, Leeds, played host to a The money raised from this year’s In total, 7200 pints of White Rose Rooster’s & Birrificio tap takeover brew of White Rose has been were brewed and consumed, with on August 7th, to mark the launch donated to Henshaws Society for Rooster’s donating 10p for each of the beer, with Rooster’s Blind People, a charity that pro­ one to Henshaws, raising a total occupying all three hand pumps vides expert care, advice and of £720. (including Gallo Italiano), whilst training to anyone affected by several of Birrifcio Italiano’s sight loss, whilst also working beers were also on the bar. with people with other disa­ The Italian Job bilities. Wednesday August 7th saw the Gallo Italiano is the second launch of a brand new, one­off collaborative beer Rooster’s has One of the UK’s oldest charities, collaborative beer brewed be­ brewed with a brewer from Henshaws operates two sites tween Rooster’s Brewing Co. and foreign shores in the last year, close to the Brewery; Henshaws Agostino Arioli, the founding following on from the creation of Arts & Crafts Centre in Knares­ brewer of Birrificio Italiano. The Accomplice, an American­ borough provides vocational style IPA brewed with Doug training to people with disabil­ Based just north of Milan, Bir­ Odell, founding brewer of Odell ities, whilst Henshaws College in rificio Italiano was established in Brewing Co., which is based in Harrogate offers specialist 1996 and has built up a rep­ Fort Collins, Colorado.