BOOZE NEWS
Brighton BrewDog bar offers pound a pint beers
Source – Brighton Argus
A national bar chain is selling £1 pints of beer in Brighton and Hove until Friday.
BrewDog, the multinational brewery and pub chain, is offering the heavily discounted drinks to help combat ‘Blue Monday’ – reportedly the most depressing day of the year.
In a press release, BrewDog said: “We’re saying F*** Blue Monday the only way we know how – with crazily cheap beer.
“Get down to your local BrewDog between January 20 and 24, ask for a pint of Punk IPA or AF using the special phrases below and we’ll charge you £1.”
How a local cricket club is brewing its own beer
Source – The Guardian
The link between cricket clubs and beer is long and not always frothy. Some have held real ale festivals on site, others have split over bitter disputes around bar takings, many more are kept in business by the thirst of their patrons. But very few – if any – grow their own hops. Step into the ring, East Rainton CC.
Set in an ex-mining village between Sunderland and Durham, East Rainton (formerly known as Hazard Colliery CC) dug in their first hops plant last year against the sunny south-facing wall of their clubhouse, in collaboration with the local nano-brewery Wear Beer. That name may be familiar from when the brewery hit the headlines 15 months ago, after being served a legal letter by Mercedes-Benz, which objected to its logo – featuring the Lambton worm wrapped around a three-pointed red star.
It seemed unlikely that punters would muddle up the badge of a tiny brewery set up in the cellar of the Ship Isis pub in Sunderland with a huge luxury car brand, but the man behind it all, Julio Romero Johnson, wasn’t taking any risks – despite his logo being inspired by the international brigades who fought in the Spanish civil war. He stepped away from registering the badge, but kept the logo and kept making the beer, with the dream of producing local beer out of locally grown hops.
Last summer he was approached by Rob Kitching, the volunteer secretary and groundsman at East Rainton, and a train driver for the Tyne and Wear metro in his non-cricketing life. Kitching had been one of the driving forces behind the club becoming a greener organisation, and the idea of being able to grow and drink homegrown beer appealed to him greatly.
“We’d tried to do all the normal things: recycling, trying to car share to matches, adding solar panels on the roof,” he says. “Another thing was to try and source our drinks as locally as possible.”
The club already stock local beers (very popular with members) and had a collaboration with the local cider company Elvet to press the apples that grew alongside the medieval hawthorn hedgerow in the northern corner of the ground. Those went into a local blend alongside other donated apples and crab apples in the area. To add beer to the menu seemed a logical next step, although members will have to wait until the hops are gathered in September before they are able to taste the first brew to include the fruits of their own labour.
East Rainton gained a bar only two years ago – it is run by Kitching’s mum – and the addition of the solar panels, which charge on to a battery in the building, has made a huge difference. Before then, the club had been off grid. “We were limited to daylight before,” Kitching says. “We have the bar now open to the local community. There wasn’t a non-religious space in the village before either. We have community open days, founded a women’s team, all who have space to meet.” Does he have to go around pursuing people who leave the lights on like a frustrated parent? “They’re all on timers and have centralised switches so people can’t leave them on.”
The idea of sourcing things locally has proved very popular, in fact the whole process of trying to exist more sustainably as a club has been fairly trouble-free.
“To be honest, once we’d summoned up the idea, everyone was very keen on it. Half the battle is that people think it is such a chore, we’re trying to prove that it really isn’t.
“As a sport, cricket is played outdoors at the hands of the weather, why not do the best we can? We’ve got an electric mower that is charged by the solar panels, areas we’ve left wild at either side of the ground, which is a total no brainer as there is less to cut. We recycle and the different bins are well used. We’re quite a rural setting, deer come in, buzzards fly over, and we’ll be doing the bird survey [RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch] this weekend.”
Alcohol-free Guinness coming to Irish pubs soon
Non-alcoholic stout Guinness 0.0 is to be available in Irish pubs this summer.
Diageo, the company which owns the Guinness brand, announced the launch of Guinness 0.0 into the Irish market from mid-July.
The new drink comes with the slogan ‘The Guinness with everything, except alcohol’, and claims to boast the same “beautifully smooth taste, perfectly balanced flavor, and unique dark color of Guinness, without the alcohol”.
They have also said the stout will be in supermarkets and off-licenses in Ireland from the end of August.
Guinness 0.0 first appeared in the UK market in late 2020, however, the product was recalled following concerns of microbiological contamination in some cans. Following this, a planned Irish launch was subsequently postponed.
“Guinness has always maintained the upmost commitment to quality. We are 100 per cent confident that consumers’ expectations of our quality standards will be met with our new non-alcoholic Guinness 0.0,” said Alan McAleenan, marketing director.
Top 10 supermarket whiskies: a beginner’s guide
By Steve Thompson
There are no two ways about it, whisky can be an intimidating thing.
There are so many different types, brands and even spellings of the word, that things can get very confusing very quickly.
So, to make things a little bit easier here is a quick list of the top ten whiskies that you can buy while on your weekly panic buying induced pilgrimage to your supermarket of choice.
We snobs sit around and talk about the how the whisky (or whiskey if it’s Irish) tastes and what happens in our mouths when we swallow it.
We refer to these as the nose, palate and finish. We’ve included a brief description of these in here so the next time you talk to one of your friends you can wow them with your new found knowledge.
1. Ardbeg 10 Year – 46%
Islay, Scotland
From the Scottish island of Islay (pronounced ‘eye-la’) which is synonymous with the smokey scotch you’ve heard so much about, Ardbeg 10 year is arguably the best entry level peated Scotch out there.
Nose: Lots of that wonderful peat with deep dried fruits.
Palate: Vanilla with citrus, nuts and a lovely oily mouthfeel. Ardbeg has a signature oily peat smell and feel which runs throughout this whisky.
Finish: A long finish with the feeling campfire in your mouth.
Tesco: £47
Asda: X
Sainsburys: £47
Morrisons: £47
2. Talisker 10 Year – 45.8%
Isle Of Skye, Scotland
With the distillery located on the isolated, Isle Of Skye in the far north of Scotland they bring a unique saltiness from the fresh sea air that enters their grounds, a great organisation all round.
If you’re tempted by peat but think Islay scotch may be a bit too much for you then Talisker 10 is a great place to start.
Nose: Light peat with the signature sea salt and a dash of citrus.
Palate: Rich dried fruits, a lot of malt and some spicy pepper at the back of the mouth.
Finish: The peat dies down giving a sweet and pleasant finish.
Tesco: £44
Asda: £44
Sainsburys: £44
Morrisons: X
3. The Balvenie 12 Year Doublewood – 40%
Speyside, Scotland
Into less smokey scotch territories here. Speyside based whiskies will generally have no peat in them but are still scotch.
The double oak gets its name from the fact that it is aged in two types of barrel, refill American oak casks and then Oloroso sherry.
If you fancy a bit more adventurous dram then The Balvenie 14 Year Caribbean Cask, which is aged in rum casks is available at Tesco for £42
Nose: Light and fresh with honey glazed fruits and soft spices.
Palate: Sweet, light spices with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon.
Finish: Spicy, dry and sweet.
Tesco: £39
Asda: £41
Sainsburys: £39
Morrisons: £41
4. Bunnahabhain Stiùireadair – 46.3%
Islay, Scotland
Unlike many of the other scotch you will find from Islay, the majority of Bunnahabhain’s produce is unpeated, the Stiùireadair (stew-rahdur) is no different.
You can’t go wrong with anything from Bunnahabhain really and even though the 12 year is equally as available at most supermarkets for a similar price, this is bit more of an interesting pour.
Nose: Lots of brine from the sea air, honey and toasted sugar.
Palate: Spicy, cloves with a big hit of brine.
Finish: Tastebuds feel like popping candy with the spice and a dark chocolate outro.
Tesco: £31
Asda: X
Sainsburys: £32
Morrisons: £32
5. Glenmorangie 10 Year – 40%
Highlands, Scotland
No matter what bottle you reach from, if its from Glenmorangie its going to have a floral presence. If you drink gin and avoid the floral ones then this may not be for you.
Nose: Vanilla, sweet honey and floral notes.
Palate: Honey and malty sweet spices.
Finish: As the honey fades it leaves a clean finish.
Tesco: £36
Asda: £37
Sainsburys: X
Morrisons: £36
6. Wild Turkey 101 – 50.5%
Kentucky, USA
This bourbon is barrel proof which essentially means in the distillation process they don’t dilute the liquid or do so to a lesser extent than usual.
This will give you a higher proof or higher-level percentage of alcohol.
Nose: Despite the high ABV it’s surprisingly soft with lots of toffee.
Palate: Sweet caramel with notes of pepper and honey and a feeling of butter in your mouth.
Finish: Lots of spice going on, and on, and on.
Tesco: £31
Asda: X
Sainsburys: X
Morrisons: X
7. Buffalo Trace – 40%
Kentucky USA
From the iconic Buffalo Trace Distillery this is a versatile bourbon. Have it neat, on the rocks or with a mixer and you won’t be disappointed.
It also makes a superb Old Fashioned at a budget price.
Nose: Sweet caramel, cream with a hint of spice.
Palate: Brown sugar and caramel with hints of oak.
Finish: Not too long but sweet spices follow throughout.
Tesco: £23
Asda: X
Sainsburys: £23
Morrisons: £23
8. Jameson Caskmates – 40%
Cork, Ireland
A twist on the classic blackout inducer.
Aged in stout casks from the local Cork brewery, Franciscan Well, hence the name ‘caskmates’.
Nose: Crisp fresh fruits, light and inviting.
Palate: Cocoa beans and coffee with charred oak.
Finish: Long, sweet and a load of butterscotch.
Tesco: X
Asda: £27
Sainsburys: £27
Morrisons: £26.50
9. Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey – 40%
County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Formed in 1784 making The Old Bushmills Distillery the oldest in the world and the oldest continuous distillery having been in production since 1885.
A quintessentially Irish whiskey and perfect to test the waters in what the original nation of whiskey distilling has to offer.
Nose: Fresh grass and sweet aromatics.
Palate: Fruity, butter, sweet vanilla and cream.
Finish: Very malty with a slight pinch of ginger.
Tesco: £20
Asda: X
Sainsburys: £20
Morrisons: £21
10. Suntory Toki – 43%
Osaka, Japan
From the legendary Suntory distillery in Osaka Japan, Toki is neither the best nor the worst Japanese whiskey out there.
It is however a great and affordable way to get a taste of what the country is all about.
Nose: Grainy, with overwhelming vanilla and a backdrop of fresh green apples.
Palate: Vanilla, honey and toasted almonds.
Finish: Spicy finish with some short legs.
Tesco: X
Asda: £35
Sainsburys: £35
Morrisons: X
So, there you have it.
These are obviously just ten of the hundreds of different bottles stocked on supermarket shelves across the country.
Hopefully that’s a little taster to what is available out there in the wide and versatile world of whiskey.
One hot tip would be to try a few different ones from different parts of the world/country.
When you find out what and often more importantly, where you like, have a little browse at other distilleries in that region and start exploring.
Be warned though, once you get into whisky, you’re here for life.
Indoor dining to be banned in New York again amid fresh Covid fears
EATING and drinking indoors will once again be barred in New York City restaurants, the city’s governor Andrew Cuomo has revealed.
The move comes as officials try to halt the escalation of a second wave of the coronavirus and avoid a broader shutdown.
The decision is a crushing blow to the city’s struggling restaurant industry.
Cuomo acknowledged the hardship his decision was likely to cause and once more called on federal lawmakers to provide relief to the hospitality industry.
Congressional leaders have so far failed to reach an agreement on a new economic stimulus package.
Cuomo has warned that an anticipated surge in cases this winter threatens to overwhelm the medical system.
Over the last month, while preparations have begun to distribute the first doses of a vaccine, virus-related hospitalisations in the state have more than tripled.
Bubble trouble – Prosseco gives the “worst hangovers”
HERE’S a Christmas warning to revellers – Prosecco can give you the worst hangovers EVER!
Club Vino’s co-founder and sommelier Marco Castelanelli found that the bubbles in drinkers’ favourite tipple actually alter how the liquid flows through the blood stream.
Wine expert Marco revealed: “If you find that you get the worst headache ever after a glass or two of Prosecco, then quite simply, blame it on the bubbles.
“Once in the bloodstream, the Co2 competes with oxygen which is why you might feel a little woozy and rather drunk rather quickly, leading to an exaggerated hangover in the form of a pounding head.”
He did offer one niblet of advice to party goers – don’t drink Prosecco on an empty stomach and try to sip it slowly.
Pub landlords’ plea to Boris: “Let us open later”
JUST a fifth of Britain’s pubs could open this Christmas, with frustrated landlords begging the Government to ease the restrictions.
The tough rules in the run-up to the festive season may mean nearly 10,000 boozers will shut for good, with as many as 290,000 jobs lost.
To make matters worse, Britain’s top scientist Sir Patrick Vallance has admitted there is “no hard evidence” the 10pm pubs curfew worked.
And a study elsewhere has also revealed closing pubs and restaurants has had virtually zero effect on the spread of the virus.
Yet just 19,000 of Britain’s 47,000 pubs were able to open last weekend due to Covid rules.
As many as 9,375 in England alone, 25 per cent, could shut for good by the spring if things do not change, the British Beer and Pub Association says.
The curfew was designed to stop boozy revellers mixing indoors together, Sir Patrick said.
How beer and crisps are tackling climate change
BRITAIN’S beloved beer and crisps will be used to tackle climate change.
Walkers – our biggest crisp maker – says it will slash CO2 emissions from its manufacturing process by 70%.
Technology will use CO2 captured from beer fermentation in a brewery, which is then mixed with potato waste and turned into fertiliser.
It will then be spread on UK fields to feed the following year’s potato crop.
Creating fertiliser normally produces high CO2 emissions, but the technology adopted by Walkers makes fertiliser without generating CO2.
So, the beer-and-crisps combination performs a dual function.
It stops the emission of brewery CO2 into the atmosphere – and it saves on the CO2 normally generated by fertiliser manufacture.
Walkers developed the process through a grant from the UK government by a 14-employee start-up called CCm.
Eggs-cellent – how drinkers can get round Tier 2 restrictions
ORDERING a Scotch egg in a pub counts as having a “substantial meal”, a Cabinet minister has said.
Environment Secretary George Eustice was laughed at by punters when he said it could let them get around the Tier 2 restrictions in England.
From Wednesday when the national lockdown ends, booze can only be served with food in pubs and restaurants in the middle tier.
More than 57% of the population is covered by Tier 2, which includes London, Liverpool and York.
Mr Eustice insisted the “substantial meal” provision was “understood very much by the restaurant trade”.
He said: ”I think a Scotch egg probably would count as a substantial meal if there were table service.”
MISERY FOR PUB GOERS
DRINKERS still face a miserable time even though the Lockdown has ended.
England has returned to a tiered system of coronavirus restrictions after its second national lockdown ended.
Pubs and restaurants are now allowed to reopen in tier one and two areas, although in tier two alcohol can only be served with a “substantial meal”.
The tougher new system came into force on Wednesday after being approved by MPs in a Commons vote on Tuesday.
The government said the move would help “safeguard the gains made during the past month”, despite 55 Tories voting against PM Boris Johnson’s plan.
More than 55 million people are in the strictest two tiers and cannot mix indoors with those in other households.
Non-essential shops and other businesses, including personal care services such as hairdressers and beauty salons, can now reopen for the first time in four weeks.
Drinkers may have it bad but many shop workers face a miserable Christmas. We have recently seen the collapse of Topshop owner Arcadia group and the failure of department store chain Debenhams to secure a buyer – putting 25,000 jobs at risk.
The new restrictions are tougher than the previous tier system, which was in place before the lockdown was introduced in November.