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BEER NEWS - September 2011
Home Brew Challenge 2011
Craft brewing has had a resurgence across the world during the past few years with over 750 breweries now operating in the UK. Some of these beers are brewed by those that have developed skills through brewing
at home. This reflects the tradition of brewing beer in the UK which until the advent of commercial breweries was in the main done at home. Recognising this tradition, Thornbridge
brewery and Nicholson's pubs have announced The Great British Home Brew Challenge 2011 aimed at identifying the best home brewed beer. Simon Webster from Thornbridge explains "A considerable number of
home brewers develop great quality beers that can never be appreciated by a larger drinking public. The Home Brew Challenge 2011 will provide home brewers with an opportunity to match their beers
against those of other enthusiasts, and have them tasted by a panel of expert beer judges". The winner will see their brew recipe transformed into a production brew by Thornbridge Brewery and made
available through Nicholson's 100 pubs across the UK. See www.gbhomebrew.co.uk for entry details.
The Oxford Companion to Beer
Claimed to be "the most comprehensive reference book ever published on the subject of the most popular and diverse fermented beverage in the world," beer now get's its own 'Oxford Companion', the
acclaimed series of reference books from the Oxford University Press that already includes Wine and Classical music amongst others, and is a similarly weighty tome. Editor and brewer Garrett Oliver
has assembled and edited the research and
knowledge of 160 beer experts from a dozen countries. The result is a full compendium of the world of beer, comprising more than 1,100 entries that "covers virtually every subject
of interest to the enthusiast, brewer, or food and beverage professional." They also promise "The reader will find orthodoxies challenged, histories illuminated, and mysteries meticulously untangled." As an
example of the books thorough approach there are more than 100 entries on hops, covering their histories, genealogical lineages, growing habits, flavours, and uses. Some entries reach back to the beginnings
of human society and others bring us right up to the moment, with information about the new use of wild yeast strains by craft brewers. They promise "From large-scale brewing to the world of nano-brewers, the reader will find beer covered
here as it has never been covered before." The price of the book is �35, and its release date is October 27th. It can be pre-ordered for �21 now from
Amazon UK.
Innis & Gunn Steak Out
Scotland�s Innis & Gunn is celebrating the wonders of Scottish beef and beer with two 'Steak Out' dinners taking place at the Malmaison Hotel in Aberdeen on Wednesday 22nd September and Hotel du Vin in
Edinburgh on Wednesday 12th October. Innis & Gunn are teaming up with Aberdeenshire's steak supplier and Royal Warrant holder, Donald Russell, to bring diners a "flavour-filled
night." Innis & Gunn believe the vanilla characters derived from the oak ageing of their beers make them a perfect match with steak. Each dinner will begin at 6.30pm with a demonstration, taking guests
through the range of steak cuts as they enjoy beer and canap�s. This will be followed by a short introduction from Innis & Gunn founder and Brewer Dougal Sharp, who will present
the beers as guests tuck in to the steak matching menu. Each dinner costs �45 per person. Please contact the hotels directly for information or bookings.
Bierfest in London
From 5-7 October 2011 The London Bierfest returns to Billingsgate market, a "stein-fuelled three day celebration of fantastic food, spectacular entertainment and of course, premium quality beer," according to the
blurb. The Old Billingsgate Market will be transformed into a traditional Bavarian Bier Hall, and packages of tables of ten are on sale now from londonbierfest.com.
Now in its ninth year, the festival has hosted more than 40,000 guests since it began. Tables are served by "Heidis, Helgas and Helmuts," in traditional
Bavarian dress, with beer supplied by Bitburger, including their Premium Beer, Licher Weizen, Kostritzer Schwarzbier and Bitburger Drive. A traditional Oompah band
will be accompany "an authentic spread of German cuisine and unlimited steins of beer." Tickets on sale now from www.londonbierfest.com.
and don't foget Staffordshire
Slightly less kitsch (hopefully), The Stone Food & Drink Festival is now in its seventh year but 2011 sees the launch of a brand new event for beer-lovers - The Titanic Brewery 'Best of Staffordshire Beer
Festival'. With over a dozen Staffordshire brewers taking part, including Blythe, Enville, Burton Bridge - and of course, Titanic - this new addition to the Festival joins and established gastronomic line-up.
Dave Bott, Director at Titanic Brewery, said: "We have always thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the festival, but this year we decided that we wanted to look at the bigger picture and invite other
brewers to come and get involved." The festival runs from Friday 30th September - Sunday 2nd October. More info from stonefooddrink.org.uk.
And finally: N...ice Beer
The Bunch of Grapes gastro-pub in Pontypridd has added a range of beer flavoured ice-creams and sorbets to its menu. The pub is run by Nick Otley from the Otley Brewing Company, and has created
an O-Garden sorbet, a Thai-Bo sorbet and Dark-O ripple ice-cream which are already proving popular. "O-Garden is a clear wheat beer flavoured with cloves, coriander and roasted orange peel which complements the
light texture of sorbet, while the coffee and chocolate rich Dark-O ale works well with the thicker texture of ice cream," apparently. Head chef at the Bunch of Grapes, Sebastian Vanoni, said:
"We always like to experiment with food and beer by using our own ale in our dishes and through food matching events. We're excited to be
offering something truly unique using quality local ingredients."
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