Gadds' Beer Shop

Too Many (Duff) Bloggers?

2011-12-29T13:59:00.003Z

(with thanks to Tandleman for the idea)

When we welcomed the explosion of beer writers brought about by Blogger, did we imagine we’d end up with so many of them? Did we imagine them all to be good? Is it as though just Blogger has caused this, or is it that ratebeer (RB) has lead to an increasing (or decreasing) number of opinions on a beer? Do some bloggers exist solely in order that their opinions reach a wider audience than the RB faithful? Are some of these opinions rather desperate in the extreme, harsh and cruel towards their subject matter simply in order to get noticed in the crowd? I talk to quite a few of them, and they all pretty much agree – it’s a desperate cycle of tasting ever more beers to keep their RB numbers ahead of the game, so much so that valid opinion is heavily discounted along the way, along with any literary quality.

Of course, the other side of the coin is that there are some beer writers out there making excellent judgement calls, writing really well and getting read widely. These bloggers have no need to write harshly about this beer or that, such is their reputation. Here we are talking about the Dredge’s & the Chunk’s of this world, but for many it is a relentless slog, attempting to string a decent sentence or two together, to get noticed amongst the throng of fellow bloggers.

Are there half arsed bloggers about? Of course there are. Why don’t they shut up? Well, does anyone listen to them anyway? Anyone?

I have a list of bloggers I avoid. It is small.

Essence of Stout

2011-12-23T13:00:00.004Z

On sale from next week & perfect for the impending cold spell.

A stout is brewed with plenty of coloured malt to lend a pitch black colour, a full body and a roasty, toasty, chocolate mocca flavour. Oats give it a real smooth texture and this year I'm adding a teeny, tiny bit of vanilla pod, for roundness.

Hops would spoil all this, so we only use them for bittering. If we did use them for flavour it would become an oatmeal porter which is entirely different but worth trying.

80 Shilling Days

2011-12-20T13:13:00.004Z

I'm brewing it today, even as I write. Well, I've done the hard part, Clive & Strings are busy cleaning up after me.

Everyone drinks hoppy, pale ales these days, and who can blame them? It is a fine and refreshing beer style after all, and the breadth of different sub-styles within the genre is enough to keep anyone interested for, well, quite a long time. However, and I dare not utter this out loud, I'm bored of them, bored bored bored bored bored. So it is with enthusiastic gusto that I'm brewing the very antithesis to IPA - Scottish Export, or 80 /- (shilling) ale.

This one is all about malt, and lots of it. Crystal malt provides a nutty, sweet red background, chocolate malt brings, well, a touch of silky smooth chocolate. Oats for smooth, wholesome goodness; melanoidin for sweet aroma & some amber to dry the palate, lest the sweetness becomes cloying. Oh, and, of course, a minute twist of heavily, heavenly Bruichladdich peated malt to drag us up onto Rannoch Moor once again.

I put a few hops in too, just for balance, and nothing else.

It's cold and damp outside, warm & cosy in. These days are not IPA days, these days are 80/- days.

Yule approaching.

2011-11-28T14:21:00.005Z

It's fruity (though there's no fruit in it) & a little spicy (and there's none of that in it either) with a good rounded body & a pleasant hoppy flavour. I have attempted to craft a festive character without the usual nuts, fruits & spices (just the usual malted barley, rye & hops) and I think I've done ok. Judge for yourself: the Yule Special is available on draught in good pubs throughout east Kent and direct, from the brewery, for the entire month of December & early January.

Brewing Betrayed

2011-10-17T16:34:00.007+01:00

The government reviewed alcohol taxation policy late last year, inviting interested parties to attend discussions at the Treasury and to submit reports accordingly. We were asked what tweaks might be made that would result in lower levels of alcohol abuse.

The BBPA publish a statistical handbook each year which details all kinds of facts and figures. OK, it isn't entirely independent but it must remain credible or it's a waste of resources. So they don't publish bull shit. My mate Wicksie, a man who likes playing with figures, extracted the following:

Data: Since 1997 consumption in litres per head
Beer down 28%
Cider up 60%
Wine up 39%
Spirits up 21%

You'll note that beer, the lowest strength alcoholic drink, is in sharp decline whilst stronger drink consumption is growing er, strongly. So, after consultation, what did the government come up with? High Strength Beer Duty (HSBD). Yup, tax the hell out of Tennants Stupid and don't worry about collateral damage. So beer at 9% abv is now taxed at a higher rate than a 15% wine.

Justine Greening MP, recent incumbent in the Treasury, tells me she doesn't want to penalise the majority of (responsible) drinkers, ie, those fetching bottles of wine from the supermarkets in middle England, returning home to pass out on the couch, far from the Sunday newspaper photographers.

I think this is a class issue and that the government know full well what must be done, but are unwilling to do it.

Meanwhile the poor die. And our indigenous manufacturing industry that is brewing, together with the retail arm that is the pub trade, employing a million people in the UK, is collapsing. My MP doesn't seem to get it, does yours?

Rye PA

2011-09-02T14:04:00.004+01:00

I've been saying it for a couple of years, but GADDS' Rye PA is a very delicious beer. Fresh, dry and spicy with a fruity, bitter finish. It's Friday, the suns shining and it's, erm, late enough. Get me one please?

hop harvest update*

2011-09-02T13:45:00.002+01:00

An oast house is a great big kiln, with associated packing and storage areas, used for drying hops. They have to be dried or they very quickly begin to degrade, compost and, in documented cases, spontaineously combust. Humphrey's oasts are heated by natural gas burners. The gas supply company got the delivery date wrong, turned up in a hurry and forgot a length of pipe, a very necessary length of pipe that is lost somewhere, anywhere, in the UK. Humphrey can't pick his hops until the oasts are running. Hops ripen on the bine and, if picked over-ripe, are no good.

This isn't an ideal situation. For once, just once, I'm hoping the weather will cool down, cloud over, and even drizzle a bit.

GHD ought to still go ahead, since we don't need the dryer. The question is, will Humphrey be in a charitable enough mood to fire up the picker, or will we be picking by hand?

Yay! Green Hop Day!

2011-08-30T14:19:00.005+01:00

These little devils are very nearly just right.

Remember what fun we had with Green Hop Day 2010? Well, this year it's double trouble: 2500 litres of GHA brewed here, on GHD1, followed, 24 hours later (GHD2), by 5000 litres of GHA brewed with my friend Big M at his rather flash place in the Dutch countryside.

Once Humphrey the Hop Grower has decided the exact day he's beginning the harvest (anytime between tomorrow & Monday next), and the exact order (some varieties must be caught at the right moment, others are more forgiving) then we'll know the date of GHD1. My guess is Tuesday the 6th, one week from now.

For those of you snoozing during last year's lecture allow me to recap: hops are normally dried to preserve them. They are harvested in early September and grow in the Kent countryside, some of the finest barely 7 miles from here. So, each year we tank it over to the picking shed at dawn and rob Humphrey the Hop Grower of 50 kg of fresh, bright green un-dried hops. Then tank it back to the brewhouse and chuck the lot into the copper: the place smells divine, I have a weep and we all drink beer. Ten days later we're sat in any decent East Kent pub pulling on foaming pints of what is probably the freshest beer in the world. Just because we can.

Only this year, after my annual weep, I'll tank it right back to the picking shed, stuff the back of the pick-up with 100 kgs of bright green, fresh wet hops, and head for the Chunnel. Quick kip through the Manche and up the road to Rotterdam and beyond. Another quick kip at chez Olivier & we're up early to brew twice. That's probably another two weeps too. Then a restorative glass of ale, a kip, and the drive home.

More on that later.

DoppelHop

2011-08-22T17:09:00.007+01:00

Steins, Fräuleins, Football & Frankfurters - my favourite album of all time. It captures the very essence of life, all the necessities, all the luxuries, and the entire cultural cannon required to keep the soul satisfied. And that's just the title, which is just as well because the music is crap.

Anyhow, it'll be Oktoberfest in Munich in just a few weeks time, where many thousands will gather to celebrate this simple sentiment and, since we're all stuck in East Kent, we've brewed a beer so that you & I can be there in spirit, if not body.

Our DoppelHop is a pale Bock Bier brewed, of course, in full accordance with the Bavarian purity law (the Reinheitsgebot - actually pretty much all our beer is brewed in accordance with this anyway) whereby the only ingredients allowed are water, yeast, malt & hops. As with many Oktoberfest Biers it is slightly on the strong side. But unlike most it is dryish, and very hoppy. We've used proper imported Bavarian Pilsner, Vienna & Munich malts to give the beer a full body, allowing us to hop on the 'refreshing' side. Mittelfrüh & Brewers Gold varieties, grown in the Bavarian hop region of Hallertau, are joined, in a very big way, by the mighty, noble, Saaz hop. A long, cool fermentation combined with an even longer, cooler lagering period will result in a gorgeously balanced, strong, pale amber, hoppy caricature of a lager.

Prost!

Serving Suggestion.

I'm not really using this artwork, it's just too sexist, she's too damn cute and people various would, quite rightly, not let me get away with it. I probably shouldn't get away with using it here, truth be told.

last word.....

2011-08-18T07:50:00.003+01:00

OK, let's clear up a few lose threads from our KeyCask/KeyKeg experiences.

1. We re-did the cask vs KeyCask with yet another beer (costing me a fortune in ale this is), but this time aged for only 3 weeks, the average age our beer would be if you drank it in East Kent. The difference was minimal, if there at all. I conclude from this that we will not be swapping our stainless steel casks for KeyCasks for use in our local market, anytime soon. Costs of ownership & cleaning our casks are half the costs of the KeyCasks.

2. We re-did the test at the GBBF and held a taste trial in the Volunteer Arms, the staff-only bar. Three samples were blind pulled: regular KeyCask, cask and KeyCask with a semi-permeable bag, designed to allow a small amount of oxidation during serving, such as is deemed important by many an expert. The beer was 3.8%, hoppy & 7 weeks old. Here's me right, a lover of fresh stuff, feeding CAMRA's most faithful with old beer, at their premier event. And I put my name on it. I must be mad. But I digress, where were we? Oh, the test. I nailed it from 2" inches above each glass. But I don't know how the rest did, as I haven't seen the results (there was some bloke giving 'clarity' a 2 out of 5 - the beer was absolutely gin bright so I reckon his glasses were a bit greasy).

So, KeyKegs can be used effectively as casks and will keep beer fresh for longer, both during storage and dispense. Costs preclude it from replacing stainless casks in the local market, however, they are ideal for wider distribution.

There's a few competitors out there now so look for continued innovation in the beer container market.

And another thing.....

2011-08-12T13:24:00.002+01:00

So Bert wanted us to test his invention. He maintained that his KeyKeg could be used as a cask and would be just as good. He even began calling it a KeyCask. We were game, if sceptical.

Casks and KeyCasks were filled with the same beer, direct from racking tank, as is usual. Rather than send them out the following week for you lot to enjoy we tucked them away in the corner and allowed their shelf life to expire (8 weeks). This was done with two beers, one a 2.8% tiddler, the other, Seasider. Now we run a clean gaff here (I just got the latest, spotless lab results back) so I would not expect the beer to 'spoil' in anyway - it is sitting in sterile, hermetically sealed containers at a low temperature (12ºC). I would, however, expect a diminution of hop aroma and a lack of zinging freshness on the nose.

Prior to test day the vessels were vented for 48 hours and the casks tapped. I hooked them up in the cellar to two, freshly cleaned beer lines. Bert poured samples in the bar, not knowing which was which. It was a 'double blind' test. The moment had arrived - I was presented with three glasses of beer and challenged to sniff the odd one out. "Look, I'm happy to do this for you, but I will not offer an opinion on which is best, if there is a difference" I said to the Dutch genius. Immediately I sniffed the samples I changed my mind - I snorted the odd one out a mile away, plain as my nose. We repeated the exercise with the Seasider and again, there was a massive difference.

The cask versions were just a little tired on the nose, lacking bright, fresh zip, the individual components melded into one.

The KeyCask version was a different prospect entirely - bags of freshness, as if it were a week old, in youthful its prime.

There you go then, a vessel designed as a keg, used as a cask and superior to a cask in terms of retaining beer quality.

Put that in your pipe ans smoke it.

More keg debate

2011-08-08T19:47:00.003+01:00

Sometimes, for one reason or another, we brewers send our beer beyond its natural homeland (20 miles for us). And in some cases we want to remain fresh and tasty beyond its natural youthful and tasty lifespan (6 weeks for most of our gear). Traditional 'cask' packaging does a job in these circumstances, but could there be something better? Well, I came across an alternative and decided to find out.....

KeyKeg: I've been using these little babies for over a year now, filling them with West Coast IPA and sending them down to Italy for the pleasure of the SPQR. We fill an impermeable bag contained inside a rigid plastic sphere with beer and off it goes. I confess that in this case the containers are filled with beer that hasn't been allowed to fully vent during fermentation and so has an elevated carbonation level. There remains a lowish level of yeast in it (0.1 million cells per ml) and a little residual fermentable sugar for secondary fermentation. It's a 'fully hopped' style of beer, served cold, fizzy and delicious. And it remains tremendously fresh throughout its 3 month lifespan, thanks, in great part, to the packaging. Make no mistake now, West Coast IPA served from KeyKeg is "real ale":

Real ale is a beer brewed from traditional ingredients (malted barley, hops water and yeast), matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed, and served without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide.

Here is a 'keg' being used to package, transport and serve delicious, fresh and tasty ale and doing it better, in the circumstances, than the cask.

Come on, lay right into me. But beware, I'm not stupid enough not have more up my sleeve.

Keg debate?

2011-08-07T14:54:00.004+01:00

You know me, I like my beer fresh. It's tastier that way. Luckily I own a brewery and have 24/7 access to as much of the stuff as I could drink in a lifetime. That's me sorted then, but what about you? I want you too to enjoy the daily experience of bright, gorgeous flavours. But you don't work here, so how do I get it to you without it turning old, oxidised and stale?

Well, if we keep live yeast in the beer it will keep it in good nick for a few weeks, so long as we exclude oxygen from every part of the process (saving, of course, at the very beginning of fermentation when the yeast uses the stuff the create sterols for growth). Oxygen, you see, is my arch enemy: it forms the precursors to staling and thus shortens the time I have available to get my lovely fresh ale to you, for you to enjoy.

Keep yeast in, keep oxygen out. That's about it. Oh, except keeping the light out. Well, certain wavelengths of light. But that's another story and not strictly relevant to this discussion. So, no oxygen, plenty of lovely yeast. That's pretty much all. And I can rely on packaging to provide these. Doesn't matter what packaging, so long as it does the business.

As it happens, for economic reasons, I use stainless steel casks. They can be cleaned and sterilised with ease, filled quickly, sealed up and rolled down the road to the pub, where the landlord recognises the format and knows how to get the beer out. Great.

There are other options available. There are kegs. These are no different to casks, within our terms of reference as explained above. They keep oxygen out and let me include yeast with my beer.

But, for some reason, they have the added, and unusual, ability to make people angry.

I don't understand.

Can anyone explain?

Festiv'Ale season

2011-06-20T13:52:00.003+01:00

The sun's out, the temperature is on the increase and the Summer Solstice is imminent - time then for a decent, tasty thirst quencher. Festiv'Ale ticks all the right boxes: a pale, light malty body hides below a hop blanket of blackcurrant, mint, grapefruit and passion fruit. A sharp, crisp aftertaste finishes things off nicely.

Available throughout the summer, in every decent pub and at every decent festival in East Kent.

First up is the Hop Farm, followed quickly by Lounge on the Farm.

Gadding about

2011-06-16T11:52:00.003+01:00

Wading in to great keg debate

2011-06-08T15:38:00.004+01:00

Roger doesn't like them, nor does Peter but Mark does and so does Stefano. So what is it about 'keg' that so sharply divides some of the greatest players in the craft beer revolution?

I don't know, I won't get involved (lord knows I've wound some of them up enough in the past). But I have been carrying out some experiments for my Dutch mates Bert & Menno who, respectively, invent and sell Keykegs®. As a result I can tell you now that there is a time and a place for keg, in fact, there is a time when keg is better.

Crikey, I think I just joined in. Oh well, in for a penny, in for a euro. Let's make some keg beer!

After Party!

2011-04-17T13:47:00.004+01:00

Not content with one beer festival next weekend I had the stupid notion of laying on an after party for you. Andrew from the Bottle Shop is just as idiotic as me and by the time we hooked with Toby from Age & Sons it was a done deal. So rather than relax after Planet Thanet finishes I've just found several days hard work to do instead.

Age & Sons is a rather upmarket, down to earth restaurant in the middle of Ramsgate with a fine vaulted basement perfect for a mini gathering of beery boys & girls. Toby trained under Heston and produces innovative and tasty grub, a perfect match for the innovative and tasty beers we're serving next weekend. Don't expect the usual though - Andrew and I have sourced some weird and wonderful brews from the UK and abroad.

Kick off time is 9pm, just as Planet Thanet has wound down, and we'll be serving until 2am the following morning. Then it's all day Sunday in sun. This will be a relaxed, intimate affair, quite possibly descending into chaos if I don't get some organising down in the next day or two. Do come along, it'll be fun.

Low & Behold!

2011-04-12T19:42:00.002+01:00

Our protest brew (the world's first I reckon, though I'm probably wrong) is now in the cask and after a snifter this morning I'm beginning to feel relief, of a sort. Brewed last Tuesday with Wantsum James, Gray the Dray & Little Ruth (safe there - she don't read this) it began its journey to life in traumatic circumstances: unproven malt recipe, way out mash temperature, psychotic temperature probe and untested hopping rates all conspired to dump our baby into a decidedly unpredictable fermentation environment. I've been a little bi-polar all week as a result but I reckon we might just get away with this one.

Come to Planet Thanet Easter Beer Festival, taste the results and tell me I'm wrong.

And if you're a ratebeer rater, rate it, please!

Low & Behold!

2011-04-04T13:36:00.003+01:00

OK, beers at 2.8% are not renown for their depth of flavour and complexity. Nor are they famous for being stunningly satisfying. 'Refreshing' is about the best it gets. Me and my mate Wantsum James are setting out to challenge these notions - we've been cocky enough to circulate a rumour suggesting that we already know a thing or two, and that Planet Thanet Easter Beer Festival is in for a treat.

The sad truth is far from it though: we began test brewing two months ago using ass brewer Mr Stow's garden shed set up to challenge ideas and techniques. It began well and by version 2.83 we were nearing our target of a tasty low strength beer. However, versions 2.84, 2.85 and 2.86 veered off on a tangent and left us further from the bullseye than our starting point. We've run out of time now and have to make a few leaps of faith, cross our fingers and give it a whirl.

I've spoken to various brewers across the country looking for tips and techniques as yet undiscovered. Thornbridge advised on water treatment (crucial in such a delicate beer), Brew Wharf on high temperature mashing (this helps create non-fermentable sugars essential for body) and Redemption on hops (a major player in the flavour game). It's all helped give us direction, and it's great to chat, but we're on our own from 7:30am tomorrow.

Will it work? I don't know - one or two of our test brews almost did, and one or two really did not. I'll know for sure, one way or another, in ten days time and you, dear reader, will know on Friday 22nd April when you hit the festival.

Look out for 'Low & Behold' - it's got to be worth a go, if only to see me fail.

I keep doing this, setting myself stupid challenges in some kind of effort to push boundaries. Truth is it just gets me stressed out. I might have to stop and return to brewing brown bitter, though even that's stressful sometimes. I need a holiday.

Les Voyageurs Audacieux

2011-03-11T10:23:00.006Z

You'll remember our brewday with former GADDS' brewer, Iain Shuell? Well, the poor lad had to leave these shores before getting a chance to try any of our efforts, so we bottled some and sent it out to him at the Molson Coors brewery in Toronto, his latest workplace.

Ten out of 12 of the intrepid little Voyageurs made it intact, the remaining two had accidents and made a bit of a mess, by all accounts.

Iain was delighted and described the beer thus:

Great head retention. Love it. Expected more maple at the start and hops and the end but found the reverse. Definite maple on the nose but only trace lingering. Can't comment too much on the body because I haven't gave any time to let it settle. As I write this there is half the glass left and a cm of head. I'm so happy. Lovely belgian ale esters. I think the Saaz put this beer in the catagory of continental ale. Am I right? Ok I gotta stop this in fear of being one of those beer geek critics who bleet on the web. Worth every second. Including the late November death rally from York. I'm off for a wee cry to myself.

Bless him.

2.8% - the health case

2011-03-08T16:25:00.009Z

My doctor knows what's best for me and he reckons 28 units of alcohol, spread evenly over a week, is about right.

A unit of alcohol is defined as 10 millilitres of ethanol in the UK*.

Our 2.8% beer contains 2.8% alcohol by volume, meaning that in 1 litre (1000 ml) I have 28 ml of the evil stuff. Since 10 ml constitutes a unit I have 2.8 units. That's easy, isn't it? And I'm allowed 28 per week, which is fully 10 whole litres.

10 litres = 2.2 gallons.

2.2 gallons = 17.6 pints.

That, spookily enough, works out at 2.5 pints per day. My regular 'go to' beer is 4.4%, and I'm only allowed 1.6 pints of that per day.

But I'm lucky, I drink beer. It's much lower in alcohol than the alternatives of cider (average 5.03%), wine (12.58%) and spirits (40%). Here's a picture illustrating how much of each you and I are allowed to sup in a day - a measure of safety, if you like.

It's a no brainer isn't it?

*The Aussies get more, they're allowed 12.5 and that can't be fair, can it? It sounds random to me.

Proud of Beer

2011-03-07T12:52:00.008Z

Dear reader, just in case you haven't already seen it, I've embedded a video we brewers made recently. We're pretty fed up with the 'duty escalator' whereby the level of excise tax levied upon our beer is increased by 2% above inflation every year. It's really beginning to hurt us and we want it stopped. We need it stopped, we all need it stopped!

I'll follow this up with more information for you to use when talking to your elected representatives.

2.8% - the financial case

2011-02-23T11:50:00.003Z

The current UK duty rate is £17.32/hl%

You'll recognise that first bit, it's 17 pounds and 32 great british pennies. The second bit (/hl%) is per hectolitre percent. That is, for every 100 litres at 1% abv, £17.32 is payable to the HMR&C (along with a further 20% in vat).

The duty payable on a hectolitre of 2.8% beer is therefore £48.496 (2.8 x 17.32).

There are almost precisely 176 pints in 100 litres, and so the duty, per pint, is 28 pence (48.496/176).

The on-trade works on a gross profit margin (%), typically around 50 to 60%. We'll take the lower end, because it's a nice easy number and we won't get accused of bigging it up. That means a publican doubles the price he pays before selling it to you (that might sound a lot, but it's his gross profit - he pays his rent, bills and wages out of that and is lucky to end up with 10%).

So, if the Chancellor decides to reduce the duty on beers not stronger than 2.8% to zero, we might expect a pint over the bar to be 56 pence cheaper as a result. Actually, taking vat into account we can add a further 11 pence saving to our pint, bringing the grand total to 67 pence.

If we say the average price of a low abv pint is £2.20 over the bar, under the bright new coalition future you may be paying as little as £1.53 (2.20-0.67).

Is that enough to tempt you?

It's a bit more complicated for us small brewers I'm afraid - directive 92/83/EEC, which allows for this reduced rate, appears to contain an anomaly that the UK treasury has interpreted as 'this does not apply to small brewers'. Fear not though, I'm going to the treas' next week and will seek clarification.

2.8% - worth the effort?

2011-02-22T13:08:00.001Z

The treasury revealed the results of its review of alcohol taxation in the UK back in November, and they concluded that strong beer (7.5% and above) ought to attract a special extra duty rate, and that weak beer (2.8% and below) would benefit from a special lower duty rate. This will discourage winos, teenage preloaders and alcoholic middle class mothers from drinking evil, strong, craft beer and encourage sensible brewers, like me, to make beer that doesn't make you feel a bit squishy after your 2 daily pints.

The sceptics greeted this announcement with derision, citing Asda British Bitter as about the only brand at below 2.8%, and who admits to drinking that? A quick trawl through ratebeer.com seems to indicate that beers of such low abv are universally unpopular, amongst we geeks at any rate. Take Carlsberg (Sverige), for example, it has amassed a score of 2. That's 2 out of 100. One taster describes it as "quite nasty actually". There's plenty more underperformers too: Schwaben Brau Pilsner (RB score 3), Risingsbo 1856 (RB score 4) and Tuborg Pilsner (RB score 6) for starters.

Perhaps the cynics are right?

But wait, look here, Weltons appear to have fared better with Pride & Joy, a pale, hoppy little brew that scores a more respectable 36. And they're not alone, Harveys of Sussex weigh in with Sweet Sussex at 19, whilst Brew Wharf astonish the audience with ABC at a mighty 85, though, to be fair, it is 3% and therefore doesn't count. I'm reliably informed that Sapphire, from Thornbridge, was indeed a hoppy little wonder too but hasn't been 'rated' enough times to score.

Top rated appears to be Grassroots Den Lil IPA, a Danish offering notching up a huge 89 and attracting some reasonably complimentary comments.

So it appears that it is indeed possible to craft a tasty brew at sub 3%, but that it isn't done very often. Given the coalition's encouragement, I think I'd like to have a go myself. The challenge is, therefore, to brew a 2.8%er, get enough ratings to score on RB and finally, dreamily, to beat Grassroots and be king of the low abv brigade.

As it happens I'm teaming up with my mate James at Wantsum and my two mates in the local CAMRA branch to collaborate on this project in time for Planet Thanet Easter Ale Festival. So, that's where you'll find the beer, and that's where you can let us know what a dreadful waste of time it is, or not.

Right, time for a double IPA I think.

*(It was decided to ignore the fact that the strongest beers are weaker than the weakest spirits and wines, possibly because the SWA send out free bottles of top quality malt whisky to key decision makers whilst its members sell industrial white spirits, at great profit, to kids and tramps. Maybe.)

Bock!

2011-02-18T18:18:00.005Z

Do you remember that we brewed a dunkele bock back in December? You do? Well, after a lengthy lagering period at sub zero temperatures, followed by cask conditioning, the beer is finally ready to drink. Our resident German Bier Prinzessin dropped by today to assess our work and I'm pleased, and relieved, to report that it was declared ausgezeichnet.

It's very dark with a tight, light tan head and an aroma of aromatic and roasted malts. Grassy, spicy Saaz hops hit the palate, linger for a while before giving way to a rich, satisfying maltiness that dissipates slowly. Just as you think it's all over a feint sweetness tickles the tongue, inviting you back for more. It's indubitably Teutonic and reminds me of dirndls, which is dangerous.

And it's out on sale direct from the brewery, and in all East Kent pubs of discerning bent.

Adnams Broadside

2011-01-31T16:44:00.004Z

Curiously the latest musings from Adnams finance director, Stephen Pugh, published in the Morning Advertiser last Friday (29/01/2011) have yet to appear on the MA's web-site. Perhaps he asked for it not to be, in order that only the brewing and pub industry gets access to it and you, dear normal consumer, remain blissfully unaware of his campaign. For if he and his friends get their way the world of UK craft brewing will be decimated.

In 2002 Gordon Brown announced the introduction of a 50% beer duty break for the smallest brewers, in order to stimulate local business. It worked, so well in fact that the number of small brewers has mushroomed across the country. This, in turn, has stimulated great interest from the ordinary consumer, leading to a small revolution in the brewing industry of this country. Cask ale sales have gone from decline to growth, strong growth, so much so that Molson Coors, one of our multi-nationals, has decided to get involved and has bought out Sharps, a cask ale brewer. This would have been unheard of a few years ago as the national brewers were falling over themselves to 'get out' of cask.

But Stephen, et al, doesn't like this, he wants my tax break reduced to less than 10% of its current level. That would result in two redundancies here (50% of the full time work force), zero investment, zero growth and me working many, many hours for very, very little. I would close down, immediately - unlike Stephen, I suspect, I have been there and done that, spending years brewing for pleasure and little else. I'm older now, and I have a family, so I need to earn a modest living, at the least.

Now Adnams turns over around £50m per year, resulting in post tax profits of around 2 to £3m. The directors are well remunerated, the shareholders get their dividend and the company marches on. So why the f%^k do they want to take my living away from me? And what the f5^k has it got to do with them anyway?

Whilst the rest of the brewing industry is working together to get the 'duty escalator' removed, for the benefit of all, some remain intent on attacking their younger, and significantly weaker, cousins.

Stephen likes to dress his arguments up as being in the best interest of the industry - now they may be in the best interest of *some* in the industry, they aren't in the best interest of the majority and they certainly aren't in the best interest of you, dear consumer.

Bear that in mind next time you come across a Broadside.

I went to Southwold to speak directly to Stephen and his boss Andy, they fed me a great lunch and promised they weren't in the business of putting anyone out of business. But they haven't changed their tack.

Lucky Ed

2010-12-30T16:50:00.006Z

Amongst the language I learnt as a kid was the phrase 'scabby git' which, if directed at you, meant only one thing, that you'd been lucky. Perhaps you'd pulled off that tabletop without getting hurt, passed a French test or been given some tickets for the Pleasure Beach. Either way, you were a 'scabby git' in our book and we'd let you know, just in case you thought personal skill or charm played any part in your good fortune.

Well, in 1994, 6 months after starting my brewing apprenticeship, I was one scabby git. A great, big, fat, hairy one with nobs on: I won a bronze medal at the International Brewing Industry Awards. A cask of 'Firkin Dogbolter' I brewed at the Ferret in Lotts Road, Chelsea, was judged to be the third best strong cask ale in the World. Well, not including the many that didn't enter, but including the 62 that did.

Obviously I was pretty pleased with myself, and thankfully there were no Blackpudlians to point out that it was luck, not skill, what won it. But a couple of years later the senior brewer, Nick the Hat, confessed that he'd doctored my beer - he'd opened up the cask, didn't think much of the contents so put a handful of Styrian Goldings (hops) in for good measure. So afraid was he that I'd blame him for only getting a bronze (silver and gold were both taken by Shepherd Neame with Bishop's Finger and Spitfire respectively, incidentally) that he kept quiet about his genius little tinkering for two years, until, twisted by a guilty conscience and 8 pints of Dogbolter, he 'fessed up one night, spewing his adulterous little tale to me between sobs.

Now I know only too well that it was his intervention that stunned the judges and forced them, for the first time in the competition's then 109 year history, to award an award to a micro-brewery. And that forced our director to put his hand in his pocket and pay for a table of us to attend the awards ceremony, where beer and food were free and Firkin brewers made the most of them. I duly presented myself on stage at the appointed moment to rapturous applause and cheering from an audience that really, really loved seeing a little guy win.

Now I've lost the medal they gave me, and the certificate, but I'll never ever forget being one scabby git.

The IBIA is back this year and we're entering West Coast IPA. Fingers crossed for a gold this time.

Bock!

2010-12-20T09:43:00.005Z

As you all gear up to celebrate the passing of another year we brewers are busy crafting beer for drinking in 2011. One of those will be a German style Dunkel Bock, brewed right here by me and Mark (if he can get through the snow) tomorrow.

This dark, strong lager is commonly bereft of a noticeable hop influence, but we're not common, so we're breaking with that tradition and lugging a bale of Hallertau's finest spicy Saaz hops in the copper (and, knowing Mark, I'd hazard a guess that he will feel the beer needs more than that, so who knows what pungent variety he'll turn up with).

Fermentation will be long and cool with an eight week lagering period at -1° C on another bed of hops. Then I think we'll keg most, cask some and bottle the rest ready for supping in the spring.

Fantastically expensive, imported German speciality malts will provide some wonderful aroma and flavour.

Taste of Kent Awards 2010

2010-12-13T15:56:00.003Z

Forget X Factor, that's over, now it's the Taste of Kent Awards voting time. Click here to vote for your favourite producers and retailers of Kentish food and drink.

You'll remember back in 2007 when we won Best Kent Brewery? And you'll also remember 2008 when, after the organisers changed the category title, we won Best Kentish Beer with GADDS' Number 3 Premium Kent Pale Ale? We won it in 2009 too, for the same beer.

Well, this year the organisers appear to have reverted to the "Best Kentish Brewery" category. Perhaps, kind reader, if I shut up you'll have time to follow the link and vote for your favourite Kentish Brewery (please, pick one that uses predominately Kent grown hops). The top three, according t0 public opinion, go forward to a judging panel where the real battle commences.

There's a lot of new breweries in Kent these days so I imagine the battle could be bloody, and fierce.

Le Voyageur

2010-11-28T11:58:00.006Z

Canadian brewer Iain Shuell is leaving for his homeland next week after a 7 year spell here in Blighty. To me he has been, variously: a colleague, an employee and a close friend for around 15 years now, here and abroad. And I'm going to miss him, so we're brewing a farewell beer together.

On Iain's insistence we're keeping the styling English on a brown ale, but with a distinctly Canadian twist: maple syrup. So it's all about crystal malt for sweetness, with roasted barley and chocolate malt to lend some toffee notes and colour, oats to smooth it out and a twist of wheat for the head. Kent grown fuggles in the boil for a very light bitterness and, late on, for an earthy touch. We ferment with a gentle ale yeast, adding a flagon of maple syrup early on, and another just before casking. Mature for 3 weeks and send it out for New Year.

Oh, and there will be tears in there too.

The story of the voyageurs is pretty cool and very Canadian - look.

Bare faced cheek!

2010-11-23T06:42:00.004Z

You may not know that every brewery in the country receives dozens of requests for paraphernalia every week, but they do. People collect not only beer mats but bottle tops, labels, badges, towels, umbrellas and anything else with the company logo on it. Such is the volume of these pleas that, were we to accede to them all, we'd have no time left for brewing and no money left to run the business.

Thus, it is only in rare circumstance that I reply, I'm afraid. However, I'm tempted by the sheer over the top audacity of the below application:

Good afternoon. I am the director of the company "Beer na ves' mir" in Russia. My name is Arthur ******. At on 11/10/2010 in Moscow there was a beer festival. One man allowed to all to try your drink. I and my assistant have been very surprised, at your beer very unusual and pleasant taste. I would like to have your beer in the menu of my restaurants. Accept to me please your advertising materials, a price sheet for 2010-2011. And there are some souvenirs for our visitors.... Ball pens, supports under glasses, samples of covers from bottles, keychains, notebooks with your symbolics. We have a tradition to give to their good clients. Big to you thanks. I hope that we will co- operate with you. Our legal address: Russia, ******, Moscow, st. Volgogradskiy prospect ***-*-** Always with you: Arthur ******

Name and address supplied, but not revealed (for my own personal health).

The Conkerer

2010-11-17T16:33:00.003Z

There's a new one-man, micro-pub on Grange Road, Ramsgate. Colin the Mad Man opened the doors for the first time last night. The inspiration came from Martin the Lunatic who established the Butcher's Arms in Herne Village a few years back. This is the thinking:

1. Drinking ale often only accounts for a seventh of a pub's business.
2. Cut out fruit machines, food, pool tables and pretty much anything else apart from ale (including the bar) and you don't really need much room.
3. Not much room = cheap to run.
4. Cheap to run means you don't need a great turnover to make a living.

Cracking idea.

Take a look for yourself.

Good luck to Colin. They say most businesses started in a recession do well; let's hope his does.

Bye Kelly

2010-11-08T12:10:00.002Z

Thornbridge Brewery manager Kelly Ryan is leaving for New Zealand. No idea why, but he is.

Cheers Kelly, have fun.

Eddie

Chilled

2010-10-22T13:11:00.003+01:00

Our new glycol chiller just arrived, several weeks early.

When we installed the new (old) brewery in February I didn't have the budget to upgrade the cooling required for the fermentations, relying instead on pub lager coolers sitting in a wooden shed. It worked though and, surprisingly, we sailed through the summer without a hitch.

Now we've got some smart cellar tanks ready to install and I want the holding temperature down to -1° C for the bottled beer: cold storage (or lagering) improves flavour and flavour stability; the colder the quicker. So it's the right time to invest in cooling.

When I get back off a week's holiday Gray will have installed most of the new pipework and we'll be ready to shut the shed down, ship it out and install the new.

This kind of thing makes me very happy - everyone feels like this about cooling, don't they?

IMHO

2010-10-16T09:39:00.003+01:00

The UK beer and pub industry is in terminal decline with sales falling rapidly. It started in the early nineties, at a time when operators all but turned their backs on the great British brewing industry (the only one in the world to have perfected the art of brewing tasty beer below 5%), preferring instead to heavily promote Australian lager and Irish stout (highly profitable beer of minimal taste). And whilst this decline appears to have accelerated in the past few years, a surprising hero is emerging: cask ale. Form is temporary but class is permanent and cask is class (ask *any* brewer).

Fresh, tasty cask ale is beer that we are worthy of and, across the country, across the sexes and across the generations we're beginning to learn this. The surest way of getting a pint of fresh, tasty cask ale is in a local pub from a local brewery: this kind of beer does not suit extended supply chains and therefore does not suit centralised production.

The shape of the industry is changing, shifting towards the lower end, to the smaller producer, and for very good reason: the consumers' best interest. As with any rate of change though, it's too fast for some; regional producers, fat on the tied house system, have become too big, their supply chains too complicated and their beer ubiquitous and uninteresting to the growing band of enthusiastic cask ale converts. These producers will resist the change rather than embrace it and you, the consumer, will persuade them otherwise, eventually.

So come on Mr & Mrs Regional Brewer, look at your business model, accept it needs to change and get on and do it, for your own sake. The people are finding fresh beer and loving it and you can't put that Genie back in the bottle.

Oatmeal Stout

2010-10-14T08:02:00.004+01:00

Dark beer alert.

Roasted barley lends a near pitch black quality along with notes of coffee and chocolate; brown malt brings a slight grainy texture and an earthy character; mellow, silky smoothness is found with the addition of generous amounts of wholesome malted oats while Kent grown Fuggles hops impart a deep, satisfying bitterness.

Serving suggestion: oysters, chocolate ice cream (with rosemary) or all alone.

Intractable

2010-09-28T21:27:00.004+01:00

The shape of the UK brewing industry has forever been in a state of flux: government legislation, beer duty and consumer preference constantly moulding the trading environment. In the last few years, with the introduction of Progressive Beer Duty (PBD - whereby the smallest brewers with the lowest output pay reduced tax), and the increased interest in localism, there's been a massive increase in the number of small brewers. This new influx of producers punches above it's weight: the total increase in UK production capacity hasn't significantly changed despite 370 new entrants (the vast majority of whom are tiny) yet the cask ale sector has changed from a state of stagnation (at best) to one of real vibrancy. The innovation and enthusiasm from the small brewers has struck a chord with the public (you and me) and everyone who produces great, tasty beer is benefiting, whether large or small.

You can read all about it here.

Fantastic! you'd think. But it ain't that rosey in this garden of UK brewers. You see, to those longer established players the increase in numbers looks pretty scary - 400 eight years ago, 770 now. Nevermind that the entire production of the small, PBD entitled section of the industry produces less beer than just one of their number, that appears not to have sunk in. What has piqued the interest of these more conservative brewers is simply the numbers (c'mon, 370 is a big number), and some anecdotal evidence/excuse given them by their free trade sales reps' struggling to sell: 'more micro-brewers, undercutting us'.

The upshot is that there is a growing group of larger brewers being cajoled into briefing against the small guys, and they're redoubling efforts to lobby this new government for change. We've tried negotiation - we want industry unity, *I* want it desperately - but, this evening, it looks like they simply want rid of us.

Have no fear, they won't get their way. I just wanted to let you know that I had a shit day today trying, and failing, to reconcile. There is a reasonable possibility that you'll hear more about this in the future, unfortunately.

Press release

2010-09-20T18:59:00.006+01:00

My friend Kiki wrote the following, and sent it to the press:

Local microbrewery makes a dash for the green hop.

A new trend is emerging amongst microbrewers, and its one with which Ramsgate brewery, GADDS’, is leading the way.

Owner, Eddie Gadd, explains, “I was intrigued to discover what kind of beer green hops would make. So this year, as soon as the hops were harvested, I was at the farm with a very large sack, to collect the East Kent Goldings before they were taken on to the drying bins, so that we could use them immediately, while they were still fresh and green.”

The brewery was able to do this because it is uniquely situated near the hop farm, Brook Farm in Shatterling. Eddie likens it to the race for Beaujolais Nouveau, a wine made with the first output from each harvest, which started as a celebration of the end of the harvest and to thank wine growers and workers, but then caught the imagination of wine drinkers around the world.

Eddie is delighted with the product of his experiment, which has captured the essence of the East Kent harvest, and fits in with the brewery’s ‘fresh, local and tasty’ ethos. “The beer is a celebration of the harvest, golden in colour, with a citrus, honey and blackcurrant aroma and a fresh, vibrant flavour of biscuity malt and spicy hops,” he says.

Called 'Green Hop Ale', it is the official ale for the Broadstairs Food Festival, which will take place on 1-3 October. During that period, it will be available in the town’s restaurants and bars, at the food fair in Victoria Gardens and at the Bottleneck. However for those who can’t wait to taste this amber nectar, it is available from Friday 17 September in pubs throughout East Kent, as well as direct from the brewery, though stocks are limited.

- ends -

For further information, please contact Lois Gadd on 01843 868453.

www.ramsgatebrewery.co.uk

www.gaddsbeershop.blogspot.com

Note to Editors

1. Traditionally, hops are picked and dried, then pressed into large sausage shaped sacks known as ‘pockets’. This allows them to be stored safely for use throughout the year. By using the hops fresh, and un-dried, the brewer is looking to create a beer with a uniquely fresh, crisp character showing off the world renowned East Kent Golding variety of hops at its best.

2. GADDS’ Ramsgate Brewery is at 1 Hornet Close, Pyson’s Road Industrial Estate, Broadstairs, Kent CT10 2YD.

3. The Brewery Shop is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm, and Saturday from 10am to 1pm.

4. GADDS’ is an award-winning brewery:

Taste of Kent Awards

Best Kent Brewery, 2007

Best Kentish Beer, 2008

Best Kentish Beer, 2009

Great Taste Awards, Double Gold, 2009 & 2010

17 September 2010

Press releases scare me. No idea why.

My friend Stewart

2010-09-16T13:03:00.003+01:00

Stewart is a M. Brew, it says so after his name. If I were to aspire to any post-nominal it would be to this one, for it identifies the holder as a Master Brewer, the highest academic brewing qualification available in our industry. He must have worked very hard indeed to get that; I, on the other hand, dropped out of brew-school long before I achieved anything. And it isn't just a scholastic gulf that divides us: Stewart's career followed the classic route through national and regional breweries whilst I fell into a Firkin pub one night and wasn't thrown out until I'd learnt how to brew, how to manage a brewery and how to manage a pub. And while Stewart is now Senior Brewer at Britain's oldest brewery, I'm Head Brewer at a pip-squeak upstart rival down the road. But this is the UK brewing industry and, as such, we get on like a house on fire. That's the way it has always been in our trade: collaboration and cooperation, altruism and benevolence. They tell me it doesn't happen in other industries, how sad.

Stewart and I brewed a special yesterday on his 4 barrel pilot plant, in preparation for the harvest lunch at Coldred, the village he lives in. Between us we're presenting 4 different beers, matched to each of the four courses, to the entire village in a barn made over for the purpose. 'Delta', the beer we brewed yesterday, is a simple pale ale flavoured with a new variety of American grown hop called 'Delta' (see what we did there?) whose parentage is Fuggles and Casade. We're expecting an earthy, fresh aroma with a strong, well balanced, juicy and hoppy flavour, though, to be honest, we've no real evidence upon which to base this; our joint brewer's intuition has filled in the knowledge gaps and come up with a fruitless speculation, again.

It's my turn next time and I'm looking forward to knocking out a somewhat larger collaboration brew with this Master Brewer sometime next year. Any suggestions?

To be sure, this doesn't mean I've gone soft - the PBD defence operation continues apace.

Operation Green Hop - bottling

2010-09-12T12:28:00.002+01:00

Whilst casking Green Hop Ale on Friday we diverted 400 litres to cellar tank, for the weekend, ready for bottling on Monday morning. A secondary fermentation in the bottle will add a decent, smooth carbonation over the following fortnight and with luck (well, not luck, skill) the bottles will be ready to drink just in time for the Broadstairs Food Festival. There ought to be 65 cases and, since most have been sold already, I'll be hiding a few for my own pleasure.

I'll have a few casks on the stillage in the brewery so pop up from Friday onwards and collect a gallon or two, whilst it's lovely and fresh.

Operation Green Hop 2010, part IV - brewing.

2010-09-07T14:55:00.002+01:00

GHA has completed primary fermentation on time and the cooling has been engaged, reducing the temperature from 22°C to 2°C by Friday (we don't often go this cold, 7°C is more normal but we're bottling some of this, which makes a difference that I haven't time to explain).

Alongside the pungent, almost dry hop nose sits a distinct chardonnay character at the moment - quite particular it is. Of course, that may not survive through to the glass and there's no point in speculating (like I am) as only time will tell.

We're casking 2000 litres on Friday and transferring the remaining 400 to cellar tank for the weekend, where it will rest before bottling on Monday. The casks will be ready for delivery on Wednesday the 15th, and for serving on Friday the 17th. The bottles, however, will take an extra week to condition but if all goes according to plan they'll be ready for drinking at the Broadstairs Food Festival's Gala Dinner on the 28th.

We're hoping to arrange some kind of ceremonial tapping and drinking of the first cask - be ready.

Operation Green Hop 2010, part III - picking.

2010-09-03T14:01:00.007+01:00

07:00 - picking starts.

07:09 - glorious morning.

07:12 - the harvest line advancing.

45 kg of fresh, green East Kent Goldings - picked today, used today.

I'd have taken more photos but the pickers are shy and the farmer fierce.

Operation Green Hop 2010, part II - the recipe.

2010-09-02T14:20:00.004+01:00

This is cutting edge, live blogging: we brew our Green Hop Ale tomorrow for the first time, we've pre-sold a shed load of it and I haven't had time to thunk up a recipe. In fact, as far as I've got is deciding the strength, the 'abv': I fancied something on the robust side of 5% to handle the hop load but I'm conscious of a broader interest and have plumbed for a gentler 4.8%. Don't want to frighten anyone this time.

Hops:

We're using East Kent Goldings, freshly picked early tomorrow morning, added late in the boil. That's a given. And we're going for 50kg (or 60 if I can get them in the pick-up truck, and later into the copper). These will provide the majority of the flavour - let's hope it's been a good season and aroma levels are high - we never do know what to expect until the brewing. It's all about the hops though, this particular beer is; fresh, green undried little beauties, freshly picked, creating a wonderfully fresh, crisp ale with all the fresh flavour of the season.

Malt grist:

What malts shall we use to back up these hops? Hmm, let's keep it simple and let the lupulin shine through: Marris Otter Pale Ale Malt, say 90%; malted rye - I want to use this in large amounts as its crisp, spicy dryness would accentuate the crisp hop flavour I'm after, but I already used this technique on our Autumn Rye Pale Ale, and it would be wrong to over egg it, so I'll limit the rye influence to the background (but enough that I know it's there), say 2.5 g/l. In complete contrast Munich malt adds a little colour and residual malt sweetness so we'll bung some of that in the mash, say 10g/l, not very much really. Lastly, I can't resist the sacks of deliciously fruity, toffee-like caragold malt - they're begging to be opened so that's just what we'll do, we'll have some of that at 10g/l too.

There, that's the malt grist:

MOPA 375 kg
Caragold 10 g/l
Malted rye 6.3 g/l
Munich malt 10 g/l

Bittering:

We're after full, late hop character yet we don't want over powering bitterness: something fairly mellow and mild, say around the 28 IBU mark (that means it isn't very bitter), and I think we ought to use some hops grown locally, in Canterbury perhaps: the Redsell Cascades from last year for bitterness it is then. Right, plug the required mg/litre of alpha acid (bittering stuff - 84 in this case) into the old spreadsheet, along with varietal details and hey presto! 3.52 kgs into the copper at the start of the boil. Make it so Mr Stow.

Great, we've got a skeleton recipe, thanks for the help. We'll make the rest up on the day, it'll be more fun that way.

We're brewing this not just as our own hoppy harvest celebration but for the Broadstairs Food Fair in early October. It'll be going into bottles and I don't have a single day to spare, so if it rains tonight, we're up the creek.

Operation Green Hop 2010

2010-08-26T13:36:00.005+01:00

Out here in East Kent the hop harvest is due to begin on Tuesday: the bines are cut down and schlepped to the picking shed by trailer where they're hoisted on a rail and dragged through a series of nasty, dangerous agricultural cutters and thrashers. Two pairs of human hands remove the last remaining leaves and strigs from the final conveyor before it discharges it's sticky, pungent load into a high sided trailer. These gorgeous, bright green hop cones are hauled over to the oast and tipped into 10 foot high wooden bins, craftily manufactured to allow hot air from great gas burners to rise up through the bed of flowers within. The high moisture content (80%) needs to be reduced (10%) to avoid moulds growing during storage and it's the oasties responsibility to judge this, switch the burners off and begin discharging the hops to the pressing machine, where they're forced into tightly packed pockets or bales. After analysis and repacking into handy, vacuum packed mini-bales we finally get our hands on them around the end of November.

From Hop Gardens

But this year we're trying something different. Next Friday morning, at sunrise, Skinny and I will head out to the hop gardens with a very large sack. Our mission is to intercept the East Kent Goldings before they're sent to the drying bins; we want 50kg of bright green, tacky and highly aromatic hoppy goodness to brew a gorgeously fresh beer with that very same day. It's our own little harvest celebration.

More on that adventure later, when I have a recipe.

Brewery Update

2010-08-23T15:50:00.005+01:00

It's 'hanging on by our fingertips' season and beer appears to be pouring itself, in great volume, out the door as fast as Clive, Skinny and I can possibly brew it. It wasn't supposed to be like this; once we expanded and could brew 2500 litres in a shift, we mapped out an easy summer for ourselves, looking forward to lazing around whilst the sales and delivery crew grafted (for a change) to keep up.

And that's as much of an update as I can muster in the time allocated. Thanks.

Kent Hop Update

2010-08-12T15:52:00.004+01:00

It has remained seriously dry in Kent throughout July and whilst yields might be expected to be low as a consequence, pests and disease have been thin on the ground too, suggesting decent quality. Humphrey the hop grower is even more bullish about quality than last year, when he was even more bullish than the year before, when he was even more bullish than the year before that - in fact, he can't possibly get any more bullish next year or he'll be attracting unwanted attentions from his herds. "An inch [rain] would do it" he tells me, bullishly. We're in negotiations over the 40kg of freshly picked, undried East Kent Goldings I want to collect from him during harvest, in early September. They're to go in a fresh 'green' hop ale of, as yet, undecided recipe. Naturally it isn't him that brings up the weight subject, you see, undried hops weigh eight times more than dried.

"I'm not after buying water" I say.

"Why not?" says Humphrey "what you sell is mainly water, isn't it?"

Touché.

That isn't Humphrey's hand in the picture, his are gnarled and knotted like farmer's.

Pint of the local

2010-08-04T09:22:00.005+01:00

I went to Southwold last week, home of the legendary Adnams Brewery. I drank the local beer in the local pub and the experience reinforced my belief in localism; this beer was utterly, superbly devine: wonderfully fresh and tasty, an absolute joy. I regret not booking into a B&B and gorging myself on the stuff (but I am going back for more).

There are two pre-conditions to delivering good cask ale: a short, swift supply chain and a rapid turnover rate. Local beer is the best way of achieving this and is therefore the best pint on the bar.

That's all I have to say about this.

You wish. This is just the start of a tirade against the wide distribution of cask beer.

Kent Hop Update

2010-07-27T16:13:00.001+01:00

Late July and the flowers are just starting to show.

Great Taste Awards 2010

2010-07-24T11:54:00.003+01:00

GADDS' Number 3 Kent Pale Ale was awarded a double gold for the second year in succession.

Yipee!

Erm, OK, hearty congratulations to Thornbridge who topped that with a triple gold for Jaipur - nice one boys.

Mr Angry won't go away.

2010-07-22T12:44:00.006+01:00

You love your local beer, right? We all do; we like it tasty and we like it fresh. We like a little variety too, it's the spice of life, after all.

Well here's the truth: you're very lucky you can get local beer; economies of scale within manufacturing in general, and brewing in particular, provide a huge force towards centralised production and it is only balanced by two opposing forces: consumer demand (well done CAMRA) and a tax break for small brewers called Progressive Beer Duty (well done Gordon Brown, really). Without consumer demand there would be little point in brewing locally and without PBD there would be no economic possibility of brewing locally (well, not whilst making anything approaching a reasonable and fair income).

I rely on these two forces to keep my business afloat and I try to take care of them: if I don't brew consistently tasty, fresh beer local demand will fall away and if I lose my PBD I lose too any chance of bringing my beer to market at a realistic price.

You'll forgive me, therefore, if I feel a touch protective over PBD - it's vital for the survival of our business and gives us the chance, if we're good enough at what we do, to flourish and to enjoy the fruits of our not inconsiderable labour. For the moment, at least, you have the opportunity to enjoy tasty fresh ale and we have the opportunity to earn an honest living, working hard and working well for it.

But there are those that appear to be jealous of our cosy relationship and would seek to undermine it. They lobby against PBD, vociferously, in the hope it will be scrapped or reduced and in the short sighted, small minded belief that they will benefit from our downfall. Those that are large enough to enjoy the economies of scale do not need PBD but it doesn't seem to stop them from wanting to take it away from those of us that do need it. It's deeply ironic that the whole cask ale sector is enjoying a revival as a direct result of the quality, consistency and diversity that the new wave of breweries has been able to bring to the market since the introduction of PBD.

I doubt very much that the tone of this piece captures my feelings accurately for, were I to attempt to convey those feelings in writing, this post would be unreadable. I'm angry. I'm as angry as I would be if an adult were to pinch my 5 year old's football or deliberately frighten my 10 year old. And I'm as angry as I would be were someone to threaten my ability to put bread on my kids' table and shoes on their feet.

Next week there's a meeting between a few interested parties concerning this very subject and I will be present, along with some of the most influential figures in our little industry. They will discuss the pros and cons of the PBD system and seek to smooth out their little differences and reach a consensus so a united front can approach the Treasury with a plan. I, however, will be the only person in the room whose future is directly and inextricably linked to their discussion. I don't know how this came about, how we end up with a situation whereby I'm fighting for the right to continue making a living against people I have nothing whatsoever to do with otherwise, people who I have never had the least effect on, people I wouldn't know from Adam. I won't tell you who they are, not yet, not until I confirm their intentions and the effect it will have on me, my family and my friends. Then I'll tell you, I'll tell everyone the sordid little bully-boy story of petty jealousy and the vindictive use of power. And I'll tell it loud and I'll tell it wide and people will listen and they'll be appalled.

But hey, maybe I won't have to tell you. Maybe they've seen the light, changed their minds and elected to leave me, and others like me, alone to continue building little futures for ourselves. If they have, we'll be good friends, if they haven't, we certainly won't.

Hi guys! See you next week. Oh, and sorry if I might have described your intentions in the worst possible light - that's just the way it feels to be on the receiving end, so to speak. I'd been meaning to tell you but I was too busy being reasonable. We can get down to the nub of matter now.

Sam's Ram

2010-07-21T13:42:00.001+01:00

If the owner of this spectacular piece of art would like to make themselves known, there's a polypin of ale here with their name on it.

Rewards

2010-07-20T09:57:00.003+01:00

GADDS' Number 3 Pale Ale won another double gold at this year's Great Taste Awards - the judges reckoned that the hoppiness made it a 'stand out' beer. Well done them.

GADDS' faithful Dogbolter won gold at the South East SIBA Beer Competition this weekend and so goes forward to the national finals next year.

Hurrah.

Madman opens pub in Ramsgate

2010-07-12T15:20:00.003+01:00

Rumour has it that despite the current economic situation a suspect has been spotted viewing properties, filling in planning applications and attending licensing courses. Police believe it is entirely possible that a man is involved and he intends to open a small pub.

Nutter.

Good luck mate.

Summer's Day

2010-07-01T06:30:00.003+01:00

Pale, hoppy ales are all the rage in these summer months and justifiably so: they do have a knack of refreshing the parts during the warm weather and our own seasonal offerings sell ridiculously well. But down here by the sea the summer months stretch away for half a year, from start to finish, and we look to break up the monotony with something to contest the notion that only gold works in the heat. We re-write the rule book, casting aside conformity and received wisdom in search of progress and enlightenment. Into the mash tun goes Munich malt to create body and sweet fullness. In too goes crystalised rye and with it colour and juicy, red berry flavours. As for the hops, well it's easy to gain thirst slaking quality from high bitterness so we avoid that, choosing instead a level of hop addition to balance the malt sweetness rather than smother it. And for hop flavour we look to varieties that will deliver a little citrus and a lot of lychee, gooseberry and white grape. The consequence is a full amber ale, replete with the flavour of summer and fashioned for contemplation at the end of another long, hot day on the beach.

On July the 25th ten summers ago, my first kid was born and my life changed in the most profound way possible (believe me, that's no understatement, ask my Mum). We called her Summer and I brought sunflowers in the morning.

Kent Hop Update

2010-06-30T14:44:00.005+01:00

The bines have reached the top of the strings, 14 feet above the ground, (they'll continue to try to climb upwards for a few weeks yet, inevitably flopping over and growing back down a few feet). The ground is parched and we could do with a little rain to help nutrient uptake during this intensive growing phase (it's on the cards for next week). But this soil is clean, the ground managing to avoid the infections that decimated many Kent gardens in the 30's; verticillium wilt is unheard of round here and will remain so as long as visitors are few and respect the rules (never wear anything you've worn in another hop garden). Aspect is important and these East Kent Goldings are in hopheaven here - south-south-east facing in the south east of England; plenty of ripening sun and relatively long days. The cool on-shore winds have low humidity, keeping disease at bay, but on occasion can carry clouds of spider mite or aphid with them from lord knows where (the poor French often get the blame). It can be strong too, this wind, and that has a tendency to bash the flowers against each other, causing a little unsightly bruising. But all-in-all the terroir is, as ever, mixed: many good points, a few bad. We'll take it though, it's local and it's ours.

Flowers generally start to appear in the third week of July round here and in the first week of August lupulin production begins. Synthesis is almost complete by September but it's the final few days that really count - we need late summer sun shine and warmth to fully ripen the cones and keep 'em fit until harvest. There will be flowers next time I visit, and I'll show you them. And come September, on or about the 12th, we'll pop down early, bag ourselves 20 kilos straight off the picker and rush home to brew 'GADDS' Green Hop Ale'. I love the summer in East Kent.

We brew a lot of beer with the hops grown on this land and they lend a gently astringent bitterness and a humble but cultured floral, citrus aroma. It's unique to us and, for better or for worse, good times or bad, we're wedded to them.

It's nearly the weekend

2010-06-29T13:34:00.004+01:00

Well it's the very height of summer down here at the seaside and only a cool onshore breeze is keeping profound madness at bay. I can't possibly imagine how the inlanders manage in this oppressive heat (perhaps they don't and they are loon) but I'm going to find out this weekend: I'll be leading (astray) a crack contingent of GADDS on a mission tens of miles into mainland England, to provide technical support to Vince Power and his Hop Farm Festival. We're sending several tonnes of cool Kentish ale to service the three beer tents and it is wholly necessary for me, and my friends and family, to be on hand to dispense advice to the bar staff. In order to be in a position to carry out our duties effectively we clearly need the right equipment, such as a crew bus, back stage camping and access all areas passes.

Should madness strike any one of us the emergency drill is only too well practiced: cease working, sit (or lie) down, get something cool to drink and try to focus on some music.

Blag? Yup.

UPDATE

I've got some 10 litre polypins of Festiv'Ale on special offer at £20 each (while stocks last). So if you didn't get a ticket, get a polypin, don't wash for three days and listen to the radio from your neighbours garden for that authentic stay-at-home festival experience.

2010-06-22T16:38:00.001+01:00

BBC display inability to read

2010-06-21T11:29:00.005+01:00

As a lifelong fan of the beeb I'm a tad disappointed by this reply I received to the complaint I made recently:

Dear Mr Gadd

Reference 117656

Thanks for your e-mail regarding the 'BBC News at Six' on BBC One.

I understand you felt it was inapprorpiate (sic) to use footage of beer being served in a pub during an item on a minimum price for alcohol on 2 June.

While we appreciate your views, a minimum price will cause an effect on the cost of alcohol in all environments, be it a pub or a supermarket. Other news reports have used images of supermarket shelves, or individuals enjoying themselves on the street. An example of a different image can be seen at the BBC Online link below:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/10207827.stm

We don't believe the report's images was misrepresenting the findings but please be assured that your complaint will be added to our audience log, a daily report of audience feedback that's circulated to many BBC staff, including members of the BBC Executive Board, channel controllers and other senior managers.

The audience logs are seen as important documents that can help shape decisions about future programming and content.

Thanks again for taking the time to contact us.

Kind Regards

Andrew Hannah

Dear Andrew,

I thought I pointed out that the suggested minimum price would affect a very tiny proportion of real beer served in pubs which is a very tiny proportion of alcohol sales across......oh never mind. I did. Read the bastard letter will you?

Warmest Regards

Eddie

Festiv'Ale

2010-06-20T13:41:00.007+01:00

In a couple of weeks' time Van, Bob, Debbie and many of their friends are having a bit of a knees up down at the hop farm and they've asked for a cask or two of the good (and local) stuff to help things go with a swing. We'll be taking some Seasider and GADDS' Number 5 Best Bitter but the main offering will be Festiv'Ale, our pale, hoppy, fruity thirst slaker brewed to be enjoyed while dancing on grass in the sunshine. Or moonshine.

Obviously technical support is all part of the deal and, in a rare show of leadership, I've decided to do it myself - well it *is* on a weekend. I'm taking the Coyote and his camper van; he's very excited because blue-grass style Mumford & Sons will be there.

Recipe Formulation Day

2010-06-11T11:57:00.004+01:00

Next week we're brewing Festiv'Ale, a pale, fruity little 3.8er for those on a session at this year's Hop Farm Festival up in Paddock Wood. We've brewed it before; we find an excuse to slip it in most years but we don't necessarily use the same recipe every year. Proper beer drinkers think it sacrilegious alter a beer's formulation but the truth is it happens a great deal more than they suspect, to a great many more beers. I can't speak for others but there are a few reasons we change and alter things: a change of raw materials available necessitating a tweak, a change in drinker preference (or a change in drinker), to improve the flavour of a beer or simply to try something a little different. No one has drunk Festiv'Ale since sitting in a field last year and I doubt even those that took notes can recall the exact nuances involved so I feel free, to a certain extent, to revisit the brewsheets, check the malt store, check the hop store and work out a recipe. I call it 'freshening up'.

So, the malt was simply pale Marris Otter and some Caragold (body and mouthfeel) at 11%, the hops were Canterbury grown Cascades for a middling bitterness and juicy flavour with a twist of fruity Nelson Sauvin hops at the end. All fermented with a soft ale yeast to a sweeter-than-usual finish, (which will have balanced that gentle bitterness).

I don't think much needs changing there then. Up the hops, as always, but nothing else.

Well, that was an easier day than I thought it would be - as the Coyote says "some days you eat the bear, some days the bear eats you" (these Canadians are an odd lot).

Points of View

2010-06-03T12:55:00.002+01:00

BBC website complaints form

Sir/Madam,

Why oh why oh why do the beeb continue to use footage of traditional beer being served in the pleasant and convivial surroundings of a pub to illustrate the problems of binge drinking (BBC News at Six, 2^nd June)?

The story in question related to the NICE recommendation that a minimum price be fixed on alcohol – that price has been recommended at 50 pence per unit. Beer served in pubs costs more than twice as much as that at its cheapest. And traditional beer accounts for just 7% of the total UK beer market and less than 2% of the alcoholic drinks market. Furthermore, the pub is a regulated environment. What place does traditional beer, served in a pub, have in a story about the minimum price of alcohol? It’s akin to using footage of a sub-post mistress on a story about the global banking crisis.

If good old Auntie continues to misrepresent our fine brewing and pub industry in this way I’ll be forced to withhold my licence fee (and watch on-line instead).

Regards

Eddie Gadd

PS Apart from that it was a very decent, well balanced piece.

Early summer ales

2010-05-31T15:03:00.006+01:00

Crack some coriander seeds and they release a pungent, spicy aroma with surprising citrus notes of orange, lemon and lime. Add some dried orange peel (careful now, the pith is bitter) and chuck the lot in the copper just as you're finishing the boil on a pale wort (a wort containing 30% malted wheat and hopped to a low bitterness level). Throw armfuls of soft, fruity Perle hops in afterwards (perhaps some Saaz hops too), cool and ferment warm with an ale yeast.

Cask condition the beer and enjoy it, served cool, on warm, sultry afternoons when you should be at work. Watch the world go by. Relax.

Feel better?

Good.

SHESELLS SEASHELLS, with its pale straw colour and clean (Northern Brewer) bitterness, starts as if it might be a lager style beer. But then the zesty, juicy Cascade hops kick in and you know you've got a thirst quenching summer ale in your hand. And a straightforward, easy drinking one at that.

Obviously local weather conditions ensure these beers are suitable most of the year and we only stick to form for the sake of our poor customers who live inland, where it's cold and raining for much of the year.

Fresh Stuff

2010-05-29T12:00:00.005+01:00

We've new stock from our mates in Sussex, Somerset & London Town. It's classy stuff you know.

We've picked these up along the way so there's no transport costs, or middlemen, or any other unnecessary premium on the price; they're terribly good value.

********update**********

This week's promotion runs until 1pm Saturday, the 5th of June. Moor, Dark Star & Kernel - 4 for the price of 3 (least expensive free). It's the perfect chance to get acquainted with these micro-heroes.

The politics of size

2010-05-18T10:29:00.004+01:00

Microeconomics is no small beer - Financial Times Letters
Published: May 18 2010 03:00 | Last updated: May 18 2010 03:00
From Mr Stephen Pugh.

Sir, Martin Wolf argues that the former prime minister was less to blame than some have suggested for the UK’s economic plight (“The economic legacy of Mr Brown”, May 14). It is quite plausible that another administration might have done little better. Mr Wolf’s focus is on macroeconomic failure, but I believe that it is in microeconomics where Gordon Brown failed where others might not have done.

The undeniable truth that markets do not always create an optimal outcome was taken by Mr Brown as an excuse to regulate and tinker to an unprecedented extent, often with unforeseen consequences.

An example from my own industry is the introduction of “small breweries’ relief” in 2002. The taxpayer now provides a small brewer producing around 5,000 hectolitres of beer with an annual duty subsidy of about £170,000 (and even more for those brewing stronger beers). The relief is so highly tailored to the small brewer that those brewing slightly more are likely to be in the position that even if they could brew their beer for nothing, their duty bill would still make them more expensive than a microbrewer.

I hope that the incoming government is less prone to believe that microeconomic changes will inevitably improve the operation of markets and if George Osborne is looking for some savings I have a suggestion ...

Stephen Pugh,
Finance Director,
Adnams PLC,
Sole Bay Brewery,
Southwold, Suffolk, UK

********************************************************
Dear Stephen,

“The relief is so highly tailored to the small brewer that those brewing slightly more are likely to be in the position that even if they could brew their beer for nothing, their duty bill would still make them more expensive than a microbrewer.”

That suggests a micro-brewer is capable of brewing beer with a non-duty cost of brewing below £55 per barrel. It simply isn’t possible, not from where I’m sitting.

I’m not close minded to the various arguments but there is a distinct lack of data from which to work. If you’d like to suggest to SIBA that we form a working group to look analytically at the situation I’d fully support it and push to be involved. We can’t continue throwing the debate backwards and forwards without evidence.

Let’s hope George Osborne chooses not to take up your advice in the meantime for it will result in the closing of a bright, successful local business (in an area that is desperately short of such) and the loss of 4 full time jobs.

Regards

Eddie

Eddie Gadd
The Ramsgate Brewery Ltd
1 Hornet Close
Pyson's Road Ind Est
Broadstairs
Kent CT10 2YD
01843 868453
07967 660060

Be a Judge

2010-05-16T09:50:00.002+01:00

Blind tasting and judging at a well organised beer competition is great fun. Six to eight of you sit round a table assessing samples of beer one at a time, discussing fairly straightforward attributes such as clarity and aroma, and subsequently marking them according to your own judgement. It isn't difficult, you don't need to be an expert, just keen and intelligent enough to be fair minded. Judges are drawn from a diverse pool, ensuring a spectrum from expert to novice is present at each table - the experts explaining the process and the rest just getting on with it and having a laugh. There's plenty of room within that spectrum for beer bloggers too.

The South East Society of Independent Brewers is holding its annual Beer Competition at the South East Beer Festival in Tonbridge, Kent, on Friday the 16th of July this summer. In a marquee on the local sports ground (the Juddians Rugby Club) around 120 beers, from 30 or so breweries based in the South East, will be judged during lunchtime by about 100 keen assessors. Following the judging, which takes a couple of hours, and whilst the scores on the doors are totalled up behind the scenes, the judges mill around enjoying the free beer and lunch they so rightly deserve. The festival opens gates at 5pm and the results are announced about an hour later.

There's some room available for new judges and it's about time more came from the blogging community. If you're interested, get in touch with me, it'll be fun, I promise.

I love this beer....

2010-05-10T22:59:00.006+01:00

I get asked 'what's your favourite beer' on a regular basis and, over recent years, I've developed an answer: my favourite beer is the one in my hand. I'm not being flippant, just faithful, easily faithful - it comes naturally. Look, if I fancy a beer I'll scan around at what's on offer, choose according to my mood and devote my beery attention to it, and to no other. Where's the enjoyment in drinking one beer and thinking about another, a different one, one you're not drinking?

Warminster Malting

2010-05-08T12:00:00.000+01:00

I visited Chris Garrett at Warminster Maltings a couple of weeks ago - we've been using his malted barley to brew our beer for around 5 years now and have developed a close and beneficial working relationship. I like to know the materials I'm brewing with; malt and hops vary quite naturally from season to season, year to year, and it's a brewer's responsibility to take account of this irregularity and produce beer with acceptable consistency. Now, as a *small* brewer, with little purchasing clout, I'm not in a position to draw up demanding specifications for my supplies, and, even if I could, I'd be unable to verify them with the limited lab checks available to me. So ours' is a world slightly more intuitive than that of our bigger cousins and the better our understanding of the whole chain of supply, the better that intuition works. So I like to track back, through the chain, to the field, talking to the key (and not so key) people along the way in an attempt to pass understanding between us.

Chris and I, along with Piers from Nelson, Phil from Goachers, and James from Wantsum, have been discussing how we might get our barley grown locally, here in the Garden of England. There are many varieties of barley available to the farmer with new ones, bred for ever increasing growing efficiency, emerging all the time, but we smaller brewers tend to favour a rather old fashioned one, Marris Otter, for its superior flavour and brewhouse performance. 'Otter' was bred back in the 60s and its agronomic performance is way below today's standards, so it's no easy task to persuade Giles to struggle away with it when he could be growing something else, something with less risk and greater yields ('doesn't stand up' is farmers' vernacular for 'difficult to grow'). Brewers are fussy too about nitrogen levels in the grain - too little and our precious yeast is uncomfortable, too much and we get haze problems (in the beer). Generally, suitable soils for growing malting barley are the less fertile ones and, *very* generally, these are in East Anglia not in Kent. That said, Kent isn't completely devoid of fields of barley, there are isolated pockets but, at the moment, it is completely devoid of fields of Marris Otter barley.

So getting locally grown barley is by no means straightforward but, thanks to Warminster Malting, it is going to happen: the first acres are to be planted up later this year, the first grains harvested next spring and the malt on-line and in-beer next summer. And I'll be able to witness, first hand, the whole process from planting to drinking. It'll be a great year.

I must tell you more about Chris Garrett and his Warminster Maltings one day - it's one of those businesses that is sooo well run it makes you laugh out loud. I get most of my hops my Humphrey and most of my malt from Chris and that isn't going to change anytime soon.

Why the World Cup is bad for pubs

2010-05-07T12:04:00.004+01:00

In the short term it won't be, well, not if the pub has a large screen and an eager audience. But the long term doesn't look so good and events such as the World Cup have a negative effect. And here's why: beer sales are in decline across the UK (because you're drinking poncy wine) and sales are shifting from pub to supermarket. These supermarkets are well run, they know how to play suppliers off against one another and they therefore get beer at low prices. These low prices, in turn, drive up volumes which, in turn, gives the brewers greater incentive to be involved, which, in turn, gives the supermarket better bargaining power, which, in turn, lowers prices. Do you see where all this is going? Course you do, rock bottom give away price land, that's where.

But how, you ask, does this affect the pub? Obviously because it's cheaper to drink at home. But it always has been and this isn't the whole truth, there's more going on. You see the prices the brewers get for their supermarket cans and bottles doesn't necessarily cover production costs or make a profit. The brewers' profit comes from the beer it sells to the pub. So, as supermarket prices go down, pub prices go up. Up and up to rip-off central and beyond - we're in a declining market and yet the wholesale price of draught beer continues to rise above inflation and above duty increases defying, at first glance, economics. What goes through your mind when you're charged £3.60 for a pint of beer that you know very well would cost you a pound a can? "Rip-off" you think. And you'd be right. Get this: I have just been quoted, quite reasonably, £93.11 for a 50 litre tub of Stella, ex-vat. That, with vat, works out at £1.24 per 568ml serving, which is the size of a large Stella can. The same large Stella can that costs £1.10 today at a major UK supermarket.

That's right, despite all the costs of the cans, the 'secondary' cardboard packaging and the extra time and machinery costs associated with a canning line versus the far quicker, simpler bulk beer kegging line, and despite the cans having a retail margin on top, versus my wholesale industry trade quote, the canned beer is still cheaper than the keg. Retailed 'small pack' beer is now cheaper than trade draught beer.

And it's set to get cheaper during the World Cup. You know who's expected to fund that now don't you?

Point your finger at the supermarkets if you like but point it too at the big brewers going down the pan, desperately hanging on to market share and dragging the pub industry down with it. The small minded, bonus-greedy, little shits.

Sorry about the swearing: I don't do it lightly though.

Sorry

2010-05-01T08:30:00.004+01:00

Yesterday's post was awful wasn't it? I *know* that nothing so becomes a man as modest stillness and humility and I *know* too that pride is a rather dangerous feeling, best avoided, or at least saved for the rarest occasions, such as watching your daughter come third in the first heat of the 60m dash on sports day. But I'm weak and susceptible to over-excitement, prone to forgetting the point of it all: to just brew it, as best I possibly can, and leave the rest to others.

I want to make it up to you - come up to the brewery today, before 1pm, and I'll stand you a pint (or two if your constitution is up to it). Then you won't need me to tell you whether or not you like the beer, you can decide for yourself.

Brewing is a great leveller - the better you think you're doing the more self critical you become in order to avoid as much dillusion as possible.

I love it when a plan comes together

2010-04-30T15:54:00.006+01:00

I wrote a little about GADDS' Thoroughly Modern Mild a couple of weeks ago, after brewing it. The basic challenge we faced was to brew a mild ale (for it *is* Mild Month) that would sell very well. We've tried the traditional dark, sweet and weak route over the years but, despite a core of enlightened followers, it simply lacks a wide enough appeal to move quickly; beer that hangs around in a pub for a few days, especially beer fortified with little hop goodness, starts to taste poor pretty quickly.
So we hatched a plan to modernise the style, drag it into the 21st century, give it a right kick in the pants. A wide variety of tasty malts were employed alongside a more modern American grown hop variety, used only for flavour. We brewed it pretty strong, strong enough that two pints satisfies. And we didn't want it to be overly fruity, since we had no bitterness to balance that, so we fermented the ale under 1.5 bars of pressure. The beer was produced pretty quickly, to retain freshness and vitality.

Pomegranate, the designer, has a thing about irony, and duck tails.

Steve brought a cellar sample up to the office this morning and he bore a grin that said only one thing - we'd f^^&&&g nailed it. And he's right, it's a damn tasty brew and I can't wait to nip out for lasties, one night next week, and get a pint in some East Kent hostelry of (ill) repute.

Curses! That jpeg above is from the draft version; the real one says 'deep, golden mild' which is both far more accurate and grammatically fun.

Judgement Day

2010-04-22T14:20:00.002+01:00

I'm on a train heading South West to the Tuckers Malting Beer Festival with the excuse of 'judging' at the Society of Independent Brewers SW regional beer competition. Around 100 breweries will have entered over 350 beers between them, each hoping to be judged 'best in class' or, better still, 'best in competition'. There'll be around 40 judges drawn mainly from the biz with a sprinkling of the worthy added in; we'll be divided into groups, each with its own guiding chair and a category to assess. Blind tasting will ensue with much sniffing, swirling and swilling and marks given for such attributes as clarity, aroma, and flavour. All the entered beers will be subjected to this scrutiny, the lucky few going forward to a national final competition next year and the winners of *that* will gain bragging rights over the entire craft beer movement of England, Scotland and Wales (I imagine it's only the pesky Irish sea that precludes Northern Ireland from our association, though it may be a lack of breweries). In this highly competitive industry such awards are generally considered to help out the sales department enormously and, to an extent, this is true: the process of selecting the winners is extremely vigorous, spanning over a year, and the assessment of as many as 20 independent scrutineers - you don't get lucky in this competition - the badge of merit is just that, a mark of true quality. All this helps the cream rise to the top where you, who just seeks a tasty beer, will be able to spot it and select it. The beer award world is, like most such influential awards, flawed. Of course it is, but it isn't damaged to such an extent that it ceases to work, no, no it works very well in fact.

But I feel uncomfortable about it all, I always have done. Beer 'competition'? Beer can't compete; nothing so profound is completely measurable. I can argue that the appreciation of a beer is subjective, that we have differing preferences, and I'd be partly right. You could counter by arguing that it's objective, that the vast majority of us can tell a rotten beer from a decent one. And you'd be partly right too. We could get bogged down in this (Pirsig stuff) for some time and not actually reach a conclusion, but we needn't, because it's superfluous to my point and that is this: beer is not a simple, stand alone object in the same way that, say, an eraser is. An erasure looks and works like one pretty much wherever it is and whoever is using it. There are no discernible outside influences altering the users perception and performance of the erasure, it's the same as it was, albeit possibly a little more worn, in a previous time and place. Not so beer though - beer is beer, and mood, and place, and company. Context is everything in beer - what's right one day, in one place and with certain people is not necessarily as good the next day, in a different place, all alone. I need only one example, a single anecdote, to illustrate my point: the best beer I ever had? I usually shy away, mumbling something about the one in my hand but that's a cover-up: truly, the very best beer I ever had (well, it's up there) was a bottle of Amstel, the Amsterdam brewed pilsner. I can't tell you about the malt profile, or the blend of hops used to create this masterpiece, mainly because the experience was over 20 years ago, but I can give you an idea of the circumstance: the beer was ice cold, fresh from a large catering fridge in the kitchen of a quayside taverna on the rocky Ithaca in the Ionian Sea. There were perhaps ten of us, girls and boys on our summer break from University, prime of our lives and having the time of our lives. There was more than one bottle too - enough to quench the thirst and lubricate social interaction for a number of weeks. Yes, Amstel lager certainly did it for me that summer. Back home, and before the season completely finished, I chose a warm West London day to treat my mate to a couple of chilled down Amstels I'd secreted in the union bar ice machine. And though it tasted good, it wasn't the same, not at all the same. It never could be the same.

So though it is possible to 'judge' the merit of beer it feels entirely inappropriate to do so. An act of sacrilege would be putting it too strongly, perhaps, but it is wrong. Wrong wrong wrong. But since my trip is an excuse to enjoy a little travel, meeting old friends and making new ones whilst supping a couple of pints of the local, I'll forgive myself.

Brewing a decent cuppa

2010-04-19T16:33:00.002+01:00

We run on tea here and gallons of the stuff are drunk each day. As you might expect, we're not bad at brewing it (except, of course Coyote, whose hot 'drink' offerings are met with such muted enthusiasm - it's very difficult to know whether the drink before you was supposed to be tea or coffee and mostly it utterly fails to satisfy in any way - that he's pretty much banned from brewing up). Anyway, you all know about boiling water and bringing the pot to the kettle but here's a top tip about chlorine:

Chlorine is put in the water supply by the water suppliers to keep the water potable, free from contamination. It works very well but it can make the water taste pretty bad when levels of this additive are high - tea in particular will taste more than faintly of TCP and it can do serious damage to pasta. Install a carbon filter to your drinking and cooking water supply and you'll no longer have a problem. Or, and this is the top tip, keep an open jug of water in the fridge over night: the chlorine evaporates, the water tastes better and the tea is always spot on!

Extensive trials have been carried out here in the Brewery in order to come to the above conclusions. We present the results here for free.

Year in Beer 2010 - Thoroughly Modern Mild

2010-04-12T10:52:00.004+01:00

Where I grew up the men drank bitter: proper Boddington's for the Dad's and Wilson's Fizzy Keg Chaz and Dave Bitter for us lads. Mild was enjoyed too but not in the legendary volumes of folklore, rather as an occasional alternative. The style is typified by low alcohol, low hop flavour and low bitterness. The only highs being roasted, coloured malts and sweetness. If it doesn't sound exciting that's because it isn't, well not in the volumes we drink today. To properly enjoy mild of olde one needs to sample far more of the stuff in a single sitting than is currently acceptable simply because, in order to really *get* it, one needs to tune into its very raison d'etre, that is, to slake the thirsts of parched miners and mill workers as they return home from a hard days graft. The stuff is brewed to be enjoyed by the gallon and so a few sips here and there isn't going to cut it.

So it follows that since the reason for drinking mild has disappeared, so too have the sales and thus the brewing of it. Anything going out of fashion like that is red rag to a bull where our friends, CAMRA, are concerned and so, yearly, May becomes 'Mild Month' and we're all cajoled into brewing and drinking the stuff completely out of context. We spend a less than physically gruelling day at our desks, returning first to home to play our parental roles and have dinner, then to the pub for lasties, a satisfying couple at most, and you want us to drink a 3% beer that hasn't got any hops in it? No way.

We did try and join in. For several years GADDS' Dark Mild was wheeled out during May, and pretty good it was too: Best Mild in the SE and finalist in the Champion Winter Beer of Britain. But it failed to excite the modern beer drinker in East Kent and just got harder to sell as the years went by. So I dropped it and, realising 'tradition' was not going to keep my brewery busy, I dropped any further pretence of *being* traditional. Besides, what's the point when Britain's Oldest Beer is brewed nearby?

Back in the olde days, to before the days of heavy industry, to when my Lancashire was still green, mild and bitter were brewed to varying strengths. Essentially, 'mild' meant young and lowly hopped, not bitter. There was 'mild' and 'bitter' of varying strengths and styles to suit most pockets and occasions. And so, the term 'mild' has never, necessarily, meant dark, weak and fairly bland. It meant, and means, *not bitter*.

So, with that in mind, we now brew a Thoroughly Modern Mild, a beer to speak for every East Kent office worker in need of satisfying sustenance during May, on a school night, with limited time available. It's brimming with delicious malt flavours: sweet crystal rye, toasty amber, aromatic melanoidin and juicy caragold, all smothered with a grassy, slightly resinous and earthy Willamette hop. There's no bitterness to this beer, but it is stacked with full flavour and a massive 2 pint satisfaction rating absolutely guaranteed.

I'm brewing it tomorrow (if I can fire the boiler up) and you'll be drinking it in May.

No use for good advice

2010-04-11T14:20:00.002+01:00

"Don't run out of diesel son: apart from fuelling the burners, it lubricates the pump bearings", the departing words of Jim the Boil fell on largely deaf ears, my capacity to absorb instructions diminished not only by fatigue and excitement but by minutiae-overkill too. I'd heard far too many menial little dos and don'ts over the previous 3 days, I just wanted the keys and to be left alone to put the boiler through it's paces, so go on, see ya later. But I had recognised this advice as wisdom, I had filtered it from the general white noise and labelled it 'important', yet all along I knew I'd ignore it.

Four weeks graft and the new (second hand) brewery is bedding in very nicely, a total dream to run. And it's a fair bit busier than forecast, which is the second contributory factor to my downfall this weekend: the boiler won't fire. The boiler won't fire and so it won't boil water. And since it won't boil water it won't produce steam, so I can't heat my brewing liquor for tomorrow and I can't boil my wort tomorrow. Which means I can't brew tomorrow.

Clive checked the diesel: it's low, but not empty.

My hope is that the low level has caused a disruption to the feed and once I've filled the tank up (they send a tanker out, I'm not kidding, a real tanker) head pressure will be restored and the old boiler will be firing on all (one) cylinders by lunchtime.

My fear is that I've seized the pump bearings and it'll take a couple of days or more to fix.

Grrr, wisdomfail. Still, it distracts me from an imminent and pesky HM Revenue and Customs visit this week.

Lobbying, a reply.

2010-04-01T10:42:00.006+01:00

Dear Mr Gadd,

I had not actually seen the Telegraph article that prompted you to send me a bottle of Dogbolter. I have to confess that I usually drink draft bitter, but I greatly enjoyed a bottle of your porter. I will continue to look out for Dogbolter when I get a chance.

I shall certainly resist all the efforts of latter-day prohibitionists to impose ever more restrictions and cost on beer lovers like ourselves and the many other members of the public who enjoy relaxing over a pint.

Yours sincerely,

The Rt. Hon. Kenneth Clarke, QC, MP

See, beer creates consensus across the political divide - here here.

Nice one Ken, much appreciated. I knew you were a decent type.

Dragon's Blood ESB

2010-04-01T06:30:00.001+01:00

ESB - eh? what's that all about?

Well........

Easy really: Extra Special Bitter, that's what it's all about. A bitter for special occasions, though brewed with the usual extra high quality ingredients and with the usual extra special attention to detail, this one is Special, and Bitter, in an Extra sort of way. It's for people who like their bitter trad': brown, balanced malt sweetness with tangy hoppy bitterness. Only, because this is ESB, it's a bit maltier, a bit tangier, a bit hoppier and far more bitter. It's Special alright.

This is Great Great Grandfather George's Special Recipe (he was an early advocate of the metric system):

(serves 3,400)

Crushed Pale Malt - 290kg
Crushed Crystal Malt - 28kg
Crushed Malted Wheat - 8kg
Twists of Roast Barley and Chocolate Malts
East Kent Golding Hops - 3.5kg
Kent Fuggles Hops - 3kg
Kent Northdown Hops - 2.5kg
3000 litres hot liquor (75 degrees Celsius)
1 kg Brewer's Yeast

Method:
Splash 150 litres of the liquor into a large pan with a false bottom and leave to warm for 5 minutes, splashing a further 1000 litres in along with all the malts. Mix well, but don't over do it. Leave to stand for 90 minutes, then drain the 'sweet wort' from the base of the pan and collect it in another large pan. Sprinkle the remaining hot liquor over the malt grains, collecting sweet wort from the base as you go along. Once the second large pan has 1900 litres of wort in it add half the hops and bring to a rolling boil for an hour. Add the remainder of hops, holding back the Fuggles, and switch off the heat. Cool through a heat exchanger and collect in a large bath. Add the Brewer's Yeast and leave for a week. Add those Fuggles, put a lid on and cool for another week.

Then ask your mates round for the evening and drink the lot. If that's too much effort, simply nip down to your local East Kent Hostelry and order up a flaggon of GADDS' "Dragon's Blood, ESB".

It's Bloody Special.

Lets Have a Beer @ The Chequer Inn

2010-03-31T16:30:00.003+01:00

This is a brand new concept, dreamed up on the hoof all of 10 minutes ago: me and the miscreants go to the pub for a beer. That sounds mundane, everyday even, and so it is. Only, this time, perhaps once a month or so, we tell you which pub and what time, giving you all ample time to change your plans to ensure you aren't caught in the same place, at the same time, as a bunch of boring idiots who just want to talk about beer to you.

The first such event is posted on our 'Events' wall on our FB page.

Lets Have a Beer @ The Chequer Inn, tomorrow, April 1st, from 07:30pm.

Really, it isn't a joke, I've yet to think of one of those. Anyway, should you be stuck at the bar with me just mention Blackpool and I'll buy you a pint.

National Cask Ale Week

2010-03-26T11:51:00.004Z

..starts on Monday next, the 29th of March and runs for, yes, a week. It's been an annual for a few years now but as with most such 'National this and that week' no one really knows what to do during them, neither organisers, vested interests nor public. However, the cask ale industry has breweries and it has pubs, both splendid places to visit. 'Tis pure coincidence though that we're opening our doors tomorrow for Kent's Big Out Day Open Day tomorrow (as heard this morning on the BBC, all welcome 10 'til 3) and that we're 'launching' (I hope that *isn't* the right word) GADDS' Uberhop Traditional Lager Ale at next weekend's Thanet Ale Planet Fest at Margate Winter Gardens (I believe I may have mentioned that before but it bears repeating).

So, remember, celebrate National Cask Ale Week by drinking good beer, in a good pub. Or at our gaff. Or in Margate Winter Gardens.

talk talk

2010-03-25T15:30:00.004Z

Now that I've got a more proper job, you know, one where I sit at desk finding stuff to pretend to do for half the week as opposed to making stuff everyday, it's time to move on to the next project. The idea that I'm in someway skilled in the esoteric art of communications and information management can be adequately, and rapidly, quashed to dirt by the vaguest surftrip through our on-line presence, but I fully intend to learn, to improve and to triumph! My goal is to use such tools as are (freely) available and generally used, to talk to you, in a more or less one way manner, from dawn 'til dusk (when my local opens and when I can go and talk to someone else) about beer.

With that in mind, my first fumbling attempts at cyber-intercourse can be found here and here.

As you can, I've a long way to go.....

I've got no fans, as is advertised on my FB 'badge' in the sidebar. But you know what? I'm too old to care.

Lobbying

2010-03-23T16:16:00.006Z

Ken Clarke MP
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA

Tuesday March 23rd, 2010

Dear Mr Clarke,

I read recently of your taste for a decent pint of beer and that you particularly liked 'Dogbolter' (A Pint of Dogbolter shouldn't be beyond our Ken, Telegraph January 19th). I used to brew that beer as an employee of the Firkin Brewery and after they closed down I set up shop with my wife here in sunny East Kent. We resurrected the beer and now distribute it throughout the local area. It may have changed a little, grown up a bit, perhaps mellowed somewhat but it remains a dark and heady brew, one to hit the spot.

As a socialist type of chap I experienced mixed emotions upon reading that a member of the Tory party shared a liking for this particular brew, but my Dad always liked you and so too do I (you're a Europhile, that's a good start). So please find enclosed a bottle to enjoy late one night after a particularly gruelling day in opposition (where long may you remain, no offence intended). I ask nothing in return except that you do something about those neo-prohibitionists intent on making our lives a complete misery. Do, please, shut them up.

Yours etc etc etc

Big Kent's Day Out

2010-03-23T14:02:00.003Z

The good Mrs Gadds'beershop is a hospitable soul, happy to welcome all manner of visitors to both brewery and home. I'm not. I'm the very counterpoint to her generosity (I'll stop there I think). Anyway, via Kent's Big Day Out she'll be entertaining all manner of curious folk on Saturday from ten in the morning until three in the afternoon. You too are invited. It doesn't cost anything, you get to see the new brewery, to sup a little ale and you can even ask questions.

Yes, ask away, for I won't be around to answer them. I'm going football.

Justification, a statement.

2010-03-21T17:19:00.004Z

I expanded our little brewery recently, trebling available capacity. You may have heard me mention it. Along the way it became obvious that one question pervades amongst a reasonable portion of the population I come across: why expand? On occasion I became slightly uncomfortable fielding questions along the lines of 'how's world domination coming along?' and the like. It got me thinking, and I've been meaning to do that thinking out loud for a while now.

So, why expand a small brewery? (I didn't know any of this when I started brewing).

Firstly, some context: we had a teeny, tiny, mini capacity before, and now we have a small one. We were probably about 650th of 700, now we might be up to 350th. We were, and still are, far smaller than most think. Just so you know.

Anyway, reasons to grow:

1. Technical - the bigger the vessels, the more justification there is for adding bells and whistles. Now B & W's of themselves are (normally) a useless waste of money, but well designed ones, ones the brewer wants and can use, are a real boon. Yes, I can make a decent batch of beer in a bucket but doing it day in, day out is more difficult. So there's a natural desire for a brewer to want to grow, simply to get better spec toys to play with to brew better spec beer, more often.

2. Fear - if there is demand, and if you don't meet that demand, someone else will. And then they'll come after the rest of your business. There appears to be no plateau - just a slope, and most of us don't want to slide down, so we crawl up. Not a pretty picture. But if you get in a stride it's serene and almost beautiful.

3. Fun - gotta keep life interesting. It's taken too many years to gain a root hold in this rocky ground not to make the most of it.

4. Duty - with a family to provide for, and mates needing work, given the opportunity to grow and create a more secure future for those around you, it would be churlish to wimp out.

5. Cold, hard cash - I'll settle for a salary and a pension, thanks.

In summary: one never finishes building a brewery, there's always something to work on, to improve. Without that mentality you aren't leaving the starting blocks. So, given that, the path ahead is set and if you find yourself in the right place, at the right time, you too will be expanding capacity (and plotting to rule the world).

I hope that clears that up. Now, when I am in charge, tangerine will become, by decree, the colour of choice.

2010 Year in Beer - Uberhop Traditional Lagerale

2010-03-16T18:50:00.007Z

My buddies in Thanet Camra run a beer festival each year in Margate Winter Gardens. This Easter weekend will be their fifth bash and they thought it might be fun to get a beer specially brewed, to mark (and drink on) the occasion. We came up with the idea of brewing a pale beer utilising Germany's finest noble hops, the kind they use to flavour lager.

Anyway, we got a loads of flashy Teutonic hops from the Hallertau region of Bavaria and knocked up a pale Lagerale with them, storing the finished brew for 6 weeks at 1 degree Celsius before casking, and a further 2 weeks storage after. It's pretty good: crisp and properly refreshing, moorish too.

The first you'll see of this is at Planet Thanet Easter Beer Festival, 2nd April. Although......... I do have a pin ready for tasting at the Big Kent Open Day, on the 27th. But don't tell anyone that please.

Finishing touches

2010-03-11T07:53:00.005Z

My mate Fat Andy: (Trumpet & Ale)* gave me a couple of flash Bose sound monitors about 12 years ago. I promised I'd find somewhere to use them, and now I have.

It looks like it's balancing on those (very hot) pipes, but it isn't.

'Bout time you visited mate (I'll protect you from the kids).

*I'm not calling him rude names, this is the way he's identified on the album cover of Live at the Hive.

Job done?

2010-03-07T10:44:00.003Z

My minor epic is close to done and dusted. The new (second hand) brewery was put through its paces on Friday and Saturday, crafting batches of GADDS' #7 & GADDS' #5 respectively. It performed wildly better than I could ever have imagined and to be honest, I struggled to keep control of it for a bit. Finishing touches have already begun: a temperature probe here, a hook there, Bose music monitors in the corners, all the usual stuff one finds one needs shortly after the first brew.

So, back up and running; beer in the system and ready to deliver in 8 days time. Stock left from the brewathon? Erm, little really. Just enough to squeeze us through for the next 5 days. A quick look at my original schedule........damn! 4 days late, but that could have been worse. And budget.........double damn! £10k over. That's a vast miscalculation on my part down to the known unknown of the Emmanuel the Boiler, but the money isn't wasted: we're the proud owners of one hell of a high pressure steam system.

So, pats on backs and beers all round.

Though I promised a blow by blow account I never really delivered one. It felt a bit weird to publish accounts of events that those with malicious intent could use against me. Not that they read this. Not that anyone reads this really. But you never know, you know?

Who's the f**&ing Daddy?

2010-03-04T21:23:00.003Z

We shut down 4 weeks and 5 days ago, ripped out the old system, rebuilt services, rebuilt malt store, cold room, brewhouse and hop store, installed new (second hand) plant, installed a high pressure boiler, commissioned the lot and are ready, willing and able to brew tomorrow. And we didn't let our regular customers run out of beer.

We're the f**&ing Daddy, that's who.

Pride comes before a fall and brewers know this better than most. However, I just can't contain my excitement. Besides, f%$k superstition: human ingenuity, hardwork and dedication usually renders it irrelevant.

Steam heating 1.0

2010-03-03T09:54:00.004Z

Our new (third hand) boiler is almost ready to go: all associated tanks, vents, flues and drains are done and there remains only a few yards (these pipe fitters are old school) of return mains to pipe in. We'll be testing the lot later today.

In the past we've used vessels with great big electrical elements in them to heat brewing water and boil the wort, but we're on a different scale now and there are more efficient ways available to us. High pressure steam, costly on installation - cheap to run, gives excellent light touch control and a wonderfully clean heat transfer through stainless steel coils, eliminating burnt or caramel flavours that can otherwise arise from this area.

The boiler delivers steam at about 80 psi (15 is atmospheric pressure) and 160 degrees Celsius through an inch and a quarter diameter 'black iron' (steel) pipe to a 2 inch diameter stainless steel coil (total length 5 meters - apologies for mixing my units: I'm quite comfortable doing it, I hope you are reading it). It's here that the steam gives up its heat (well, energetic enthalpy really, 2000 kJ/kg) to the wort, subsequently condensing, whereupon it's forced through a funky gate (the steam trap) to a three quarter inch return main, at atmospheric pressure, returning to the boiler for a repeat performance.

Thermodynamics is the subject - this time it's practical so I may just, finally, get it.

We haven't named the boiler yet - feel free to make any suggestions. The lucky winner gets to have their photo taken next to the big fellow.

Year in Beer 2010 - Common Conspiracy

2010-03-01T06:30:00.003Z

Students of style will already have accessed the various databanks and followed the blogs that detail the history and specifications for every beer under the sun, including Californian Common Ale. For *my* reader however, I'll summate, from memory, the salient points necessary to pass muster in the pub this month.

Gold rush days, West Coast United States. It's the mid-nineteenth century and California is teeming with prospectors and associated traders, including of course, brewers. Many involved are recent immigrants from Europe and bring with them their brewing yeasts and techniques developed in cooler climes where facilities are suited to the production of the new fangled, bottom fermented pale beers stored (lagered) in caves to the point of delicious maturity.

But this climate is warmer and ice a rare and prohibitively expensive commodity. What to do? By building broad and shallow fermenting vessels the cunning brewers allow the heat of fermentation to dissipate quickly and, though temperatures are more akin to top fermenting ale regimes, tasty and consistent beer is produced. This lager/ale cross-over is brewed extremely quickly and drunk fresh before ambient temperatures cause spoilage.

Today's Common Ale is typified by the use of German 'Northern Brewer' hops to impart a straightforward, crisp and clean bitterness with flavours of fresh grass, mint and a little wood. We used some German grains for fun (and for a juicy amber maltiness) and chucked in a small amount of West Coast grown citrusy hops for balance.

Pale amber, unapologetically bitter and deliciously drinkable.
Available in the usual quality licensed establishments across East Kent from today. While stocks last.

Taste of Kent

2010-02-27T16:10:00.001Z

Congratulations to the Taste of Kent Award Winners, announced at a slap up binge in the Fairfax Hall at Leeds Castle last night to the congregated Kent Artisanocracy and associated hangers-on. Before I go any further, yes, GADDS' remains the Best Kentish Beer, and that's still official.

Anyway, specific shout out and 'spect to Eddie Gilbert's of Ramsgate who took top gong for fish retailing. They sell GADDS' too, which must have helped in the final judging. 'Spect too to the Haywain Countryside Boozer, now the best pub in Kent. They also sell GADDS'. And to Macknade's Fine Food Emporium, the reigning Local Food Retailer of the Year. And a GADDS' stockist. Congratulations too to Biddenden Vineyards for their peerless Ortega, Kent's finest wine. They sell GADDS' as well. Finally, and with great fondness, much congrats to the Chai Stop, Food Producer of the Year. No, they don't sell GADDS', they don't sell any beer, they make delicious curries using local produce, including beef from Dunn's herd, fattened on the spent grains from, yes, you guessed it, GADDS' Ramsgate Brewery.

We were sat next to a charming, friendly couple who, it turned out, were a dab hand at award presentation, as we found out later on. No wonder really, they do it for a living.

Good-news bad-news joke.

2010-02-20T17:58:00.004Z

After a 'challenging' start to the week, progress on-site has gone smoothly, however, by Friday afternoon we were closer to crying than laughing.

Construction of the dry and capacious new malt store was started on Monday and finished by Wednesday, bang on schedule. The cold, dry and capacious new cold cellar is nearly finished and all brewery pipework and cleaning systems have been completed, with commissioning well underway (commissioning = checking it works). Installation of the high-pressure steam boiler, with its associated pipework, is the one remaining major task and, since this is the only way we can raise water and wort temperature, it's pretty fundamental to producing beer. This has always been the great known unknown: the boiler is an old one requiring a costly and time consuming rebuild in order to prepare it for insurance certification. The engineer in charge isn't quite as old but, due to a life of hard graft, has himself required a certain amount of rebuilding in order to walk, having trapped nerves in his back during the project. On Friday afternoon he gave me the good-news bad-news talk: the boiler is great but the timescale is three weeks longer than our beer stocks have allowed for. Calamity. No end-of-week laughing matter.

I emphasised the gravity of this situation and Jim the Boil rang back at 5pm to say that he, Lou the Flue and the Two Robins would descend, mob handed, in ten days time to knock the job out, leaving me not a single day's worth of stock to spare before production re-starts.

So I was laughing in the end.

I love building breweries - I've done a few in my time. But now this, the largest and sexiest so far, has started to take shape and display its ergonomic and technological beauty, I'm itching to get the wellies on and put it through its paces.

Least wanted Monday morning surprises #6

2010-02-15T07:48:00.002Z

A flat tyre on the 3.5t Transit, roadside at 6am, with ice on the ground.

Well if that's the worst the week holds for us we'll be laughing by Friday.

Unknown unknowns #1 reveals its truth

2010-02-09T21:48:00.003Z

Not only is the steel frame that supports the 1 tonne hot liquor tank constructed of irregular length legs, it is structurally weak when out of plumb and likely to attempt to shed its load if disturbed.

That's the truth we found out to our cost today. And cost it did: a full day's work for myself, Rob the Build and Tom the Boy getting the whole structure, and its piggy backing stainless lump of mass, back in place, safe and sound. All manner of skills, techniques and technologies were hurled at the 'issue', the trusty old (and knacked) forklift truck reluctantly providing the finishing touch.

We're still on schedule. And on budget. But the next unknown unknown could change all that.

"That was the scariest day of my life" hissed the rookie Boy through a stress dissipating drag on his fag when it was all over. We guffawed, in experience, though I suspect we might have found more common ground on this point than we cared to admit.

Spot the difference

2010-02-08T16:01:00.006Z

We got 'em in with inches to spare. Well, two, but that was enough.

Now then, just got to try and remember how they fit together.

T minus 2 hrs

2010-02-08T07:08:00.003Z

Last week was frankly pretty dull: knocking stuff down, building walls and pouring concrete. Taxing only mildly in logistics and cost; the engineer could have managed it from the pub.

This morning, however, the fun re-starts as Lofty Paul and the Very Capables (promotion) arrive before elevenses, fully laden with 6 tonnes of GADDS' brewhouse aboard three 'outsize load' articulates. I ought to be smiling again by teatime.

Special thanks to Anon of Concernedville but I ain't tired and the change of plan was a quality decision.

A history of mankind

2010-02-05T10:02:00.005Z

(BBC's History of the World in 100 objects)

3000 BC and writing was very much in its infancy. This early example is a record of workers' beer rations, their remuneration for a hard day's graft. Beer has been integral to human society for millennia so when next you read some old neoprohibitionist spout forth his or her blatant propagandist lies claiming that we're headed for hell in a handbag if we drink more than half a pint a week just smile, and remember your ancestors.

Then go to the pub and drink a half gallon, just because you can, whatever they say.

Phase 3? Well, the next bit anyway.

2010-02-02T21:21:00.002Z

New (10 yr old) plant decommissioned and uplifted from its former home - check.

Fermenters installed at Hornet Close (that's our place) - check.

Brewathon to create enough stock to shut down for four weeks - check.

That all sounds like things are on track, progressing nicely, according to a plan doesn't it? I'll reluctantly agree that it is a reasonable perception. However, now we're into the messy bit where all manner of known, and unknown, unknowns lurk. We must make suitable preparations to receive the brewhouse vessels on Monday next - some demolition (done today), a little concrete pouring for these new vessels to sit on (tomorrow, but a breeze for an ex-civil engineer who's poured more of the stuff than he cares to care about) and some fibre-glass floor finishing (a complete left field change of plan encouraged, nay, dreamed up, by Rob the Builder - *he* reckons it'll work but wtf does he know about brewhouses? Why do I listen? Am I easily led? Or is this intuition?).

And I don't even want to mention the steam boiler. Doh, I just did.

If I only think a few days ahead I can ignore next week's worries, and the worries of the week after. And the stock. And the cash flow. Jeez, does anyone actually *do* this for a living?

2010 Year in Beer - East Kent IPA

2010-02-01T07:04:00.006Z

A quick look at our Year in Beer calendar (pdf) tells me it's time to wheel out the IPA I brewed a few weeks ago. Much has been written about this historic, pale, hoppy beer style in the past few years and it would be futile to attempt to bring any new understanding to the forum. Therefore, for those with the time, I'll direct you to my friends at Meantime, who have had the time to compend a web page on the subject. I commend the entire cannon to anyone interested in the modern history of the Western world.

Enough! Right, our IPA is a pale beer stuffed to bursting with subtle, classy East Kent Goldings hops grown right here in, er, East Kent. They display gentle citrus notes, with lemon dominating, and a little exotic fruit. Curry was invented to go with this beer, really it was.

The subtlety of the beer is mirrored by the down-played design and muted colour of the pump clip.

Availability is limited but you'll find it on Friday night at the excellent Festival of Winter Ales in Dover. I'll be the one in the corner eating curry.

Alright, not the bestest post ever but it's Monday morning and 8 degrees Celsius in the office, thanks to me making popping noises with the wiring yesterday. No idea how Shackleton et al managed to keep decent diaries.

Brewathon 10 and 11 of 11

2010-01-30T19:57:00.002Z

Done. And with lots of hops too.

Beer.

Sleep.

With a smile, just a little one though.

Brewathon, 7, 8 & 9 of 11

2010-01-28T20:59:00.001Z

'You're not my Mum, I don't want you' said Stan, 4, as I get home a little earlier than of late. We haven't played football in the kitchen, made paper aeroplanes, watched X-Men or wasted any Runners for at least 4 days so he's forgotten I'm his Dad. To be fair, he hasn't actually seen me since Sunday but still, I thought we'd spawned something with a longer memory than a goldfish.

But only two days of brewmania left: we finish off some Common Conspiracy (tell you later) tomorrow morning and then a triple brew of Überhop Traditional Lagerale, a special brew for my be-sandled friends to be showcased at the East Kent Beer Lovers Highlight of the Year Weekender.

I enjoy the work, but I do miss football with the lad.

Brewathon, 6 of 11

2010-01-25T17:35:00.003Z

Ah, money fer old rope this double brewing lark is - get up early, work like a horse, drink beer, go to bed early. Repeat ad mortem.

So we're into week two and halfway there. Fermentations from week one have proceeded exceptionally well and the cooling has performed far better than we initially suspected it would. We're on time now and I can't see a reason why we won't have canned 10,000 litres of top East Kent Ale by Saturday evening.

Except that any brewer will tell you the moment you think things are going well something trips you up. It isn't superstition, it's observation.

Gadds' Beer Shop

Too Many (Duff) Bloggers?

Essence of Stout

80 Shilling Days

Yule approaching.

Brewing Betrayed

Rye PA

********hop harvest update*********

Yay! Green Hop Day!

DoppelHop

last word.....

And another thing.....

More keg debate

Keg debate?

Festiv'Ale season

Gadding about

Wading in to great keg debate

After Party!

Low & Behold!

Low & Behold!

Les Voyageurs Audacieux

2.8% - the health case

Proud of Beer

2.8% - the financial case

2.8% - worth the effort?

Bock!

Adnams Broadside

Lucky Ed

Bock!

Taste of Kent Awards 2010

Le Voyageur

Bare faced cheek!

The Conkerer

Bye Kelly

Chilled

IMHO

Oatmeal Stout

Intractable

Press release

My friend Stewart

Operation Green Hop - bottling

Operation Green Hop 2010, part IV - brewing.

Operation Green Hop 2010, part III - picking.

Operation Green Hop 2010, part II - the recipe.

Operation Green Hop 2010

Brewery Update

Kent Hop Update

Pint of the local

Kent Hop Update

Great Taste Awards 2010

Mr Angry won't go away.

Sam's Ram

Rewards

Madman opens pub in Ramsgate

Summer's Day

Kent Hop Update

It's nearly the weekend

BBC display inability to read

Festiv'Ale

Recipe Formulation Day

Points of View

Early summer ales

Fresh Stuff

This week's promotion runs until 1pm Saturday, the 5th of June. Moor, Dark Star & Kernel - 4 for the price of 3 (least expensive free). It's the perfect chance to get acquainted with these micro-heroes.

The politics of size

Be a Judge

I love *this* beer....

Warminster Malting

Why the World Cup is bad for pubs

Sorry

I love it when a plan comes together

Judgement Day

Brewing a decent cuppa

Year in Beer 2010 - Thoroughly Modern Mild

No use for good advice

Lobbying, a reply.

Dragon's Blood ESB

Lets Have a Beer @ The Chequer Inn

National Cask Ale Week

talk talk

hop harvest update*

I love this beer....