Contents
p5
As England and Wales brace themselves for the much hyped 24 hour drinking laws, Dominic Roskrow argues it need not lead to onslaught of drunken behaviour
It’s not often that you get to be part of history. But as we went to press with this issue England and Wales were taking the monumental step of joining the rest of the civilised world and allowing its...
By Dominic Roskrow in the section
From the Editor
p7
There’s lager and lager – and Michael Jackson has discovered a gem
When Jack the Lad asks for Stella, is it the barmaid he’s after, or the beer? Come to that, how many lager-drinkers notice that their favourite beer has a girl’s name – or wonder why?
If you are a ge...
By Michael Jackson in the section
The Beer Hunter
p13
A selection of postings from our forum www.beers-of-the-world.com
Big Ell Panda Bear
Subject: Restaurants
Does anybody know of a decent restaurant where I can turn up and not be affronted by a myriad of wine glasses trying to tempt me on the table. It never work...
By Dominic Roskrow in the section
The Beer Forum
p14
The sharp-eyed among you may have noticed that Wiltshire didn’t appear in our South West feature in the last issue. Printing gremlins were responsible, so here Andrew Tierney-Jones tries once more to get to grips with the county
The sharp-eyed among you may have noticed that Wiltshire was mysteriously removed from our South West feature in the second issue of Beers of the World.
Printing gremlins were responsible, so here is...
By Andrew Tierney-Jones in the section
Spotlight
p16
The United States is the greatest beer show in town. Ben McFarland goes ga-ga at the Great American Beer Festival
Where in the world can you find the most vibrant and exciting beer scene? In Britain where a real ale renaissance is gathering pace? No. Germany – land of lush lagers and wonderful weizens? Nein, Herr...
By Ben McFarland in the section
Spotlight
p20
More and more people are taking the Eurostar train to Belgium to sample its beers at first hand. So how do you make sense of its many styles? Lewis Eckett reports
How did it happen? When did it all go right for Belgium’s beer makers? When did the beer world Cinderella get to go to the ball, dressed to the nines, leaving the sneers of ugly sister France in its w...
By Lewis Eckett in the section
International Focus
p24
Few breweries dominate their locality the way Adnams does in Southwold. Adrian Tierney-Jones visited it
Early morning in Southwold and a massive plume of white steam pours from a tall chimney at Adnams. The first brew of the day is underway, supervised by head brewer Mike Powell- Evans and assistant Fer...
By Adrian Tierney-Jones in the section
Brewery Focus
p28
Tim Webb compiled, wrote and edited the Good Beer Guide to Belgium. Rob Allanson spoke to him
Taking the plunge into another country’s beers, especially one with an array of strange styles, is often an exciting and daunting prospect.
Thankfully for those beer lovers looking to expand their ta...
By Rob Allanson in the section
Spotlight
p30
The North-West of England is still a healthy area for quality beer. Andrew Catchpole picks out the best buys
Howls of protest greeted the closure of Boddington’s historic Strangeways Brewery last year and the later buy-outs of both Jennings and Burtonwood by Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries further upset a...
By Andrew Catchpole in the section
Regional Focus
p36
Portland, Oregon, is a beer mecca and one of its key players is the Rogue Brewery. Ben McFarland visited it
Undulating, drizzly and a little bit funky, Portland, Oregon, is unlike any other town in America.
It may not have the endless hours of sunshine that brighten-up other cities on America’s West Coast ...
By Ben McFarland in the section
International Brewery
p40
Cheese is far more compatible with beer than wine, so why don’t we serve the two together more? Ben McFarland goes on a road test
Wine and cheese parties were all the rage in the 70s. That’s when wine and cheese first really got together. For years the two were joined at the hip and happening social gatherings. Back then, they s...
By Ben McFarland in the section
Beer and Food
p43
Relaxing with a few beers – oh, and maybe a chicken – is part of the Bavarian way of life for men and women, young and old. Andrew Burnyeat reports
Imagine a public park filled with row upon row of tables and benches. Now imagine those benches heaving under the weight of the collective backside of the local populace.
The weather is bright and su...
By Andrew Burnyeat in the section
Beer Journeys
p46
The Boston Beer Company pioneered the current revolution in American beers, and spearheaded the growth of smaller brewers. But who was Samuel Adams?
The idea of these ‘beer legends’ pages is to champion someone who made an important contribution to the world of beer. So why are we writing about someone who was a rotten brewer and a poor businessma...
By in the section
Beer Legends
p48
Nigel Huddleston investigates how brewers get the perfect pint from the brewery to the discerning beer lover
No matter how carefully the brewer exercises his craft, you are not going to get a decent pint or bottle of beer unless it arrives in front of you in tip-top condition.
But how many beer drinkers kno...
By Nigel Huddleston in the section
Beer Issues
p51
St Peter’s Brewery is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary but it’s up for sale. What’s going on? Dominic Roskrow reports
It’s a success story with the buttons stuck in fast forward mode. From nought to the end of the 90s in record time, picking up awards on the way, St Peter’s Brewery has been on a white knuckle ride fr...
By Dominic Roskrow in the section
Spotlight
p52
Two Fat Cats – one a long time real ale mecca, the other CAMRA’s champion pub of Great Britain and the only pub to win the honour twice. Nigel Huddleston reports from Sheffield, Rob Allanson from Norwich
The night when the Fat Cat first opened its doors in 1981 there were people queuing outside to get in.
The Sheffield public had been fed a diet of keg Stone’s and Ward’s by two of what were then the ...
By Nigel Huddleston in the section
Spotlight
p54
What a difference a year can make!
In the past year Everards Brewery has seen major make overs of its main brands and the launch of a new campaign ‘Support Your Local’.
The pace of change looks set ...
By Dominic Roskrow in the section
Beer Matters
p55
The world of marketing and promotions is littered with spectacular own goals, particularly when the ad men start messing around with foreign languages.
So what will become of Nissan’s latest offering...
By Dominic Roskrow in the section
Beer Matters
p55
Fancy brewing your own but can’t face the effort? Help, it seems, is at hand.
The Beer Machine is a selfcontained, single-step brewer that makes brewing your own fresh premium naturally made beer as ...
By Dominic Roskrow in the section
Beer Matters
p55
A Cumbrian landlord has been crowned the World’s Biggest Liar, an international competition to find the person who can tell the most outrageous whoppers.
Beating competition from around the world, 49...
By Dominic Roskrow in the section
Beer Matters
p56
Could a 150-year-old socialist ideal help keep small breweries and rural communities afloat? Alastair Gilmour thinks so
You’re sitting in the only pub in the village. The next-door micro-brewery is about to throw in the towel. The pub gets its beer from the micro. The nearest city is 12 miles away and the bus runs only...
By Alastair Gilmour in the section
Spotlight
p58
In the latest in his series on the ingredients of beer Nigel Huddleston looks at the role of malted barley
What is malt?
Malt is shorthand for barley that has undergone a process called malting. Malted barley is the main cereal used in brewing beer and the only one that falls within the German purity laws...
By Nigel Huddleston in the section
Beer Production
p61
Some global brands have their own following – and Guinness is among them. It even has its own collectors’ club. Andrew Burnyeat reports
Guinness is possibly the best known beer brand across the world. And it’s by far the most distinctive-looking pint.
Its Irish heritage and a long history of smash hit advertising have helped to creat...
By Andrew Burnyeat in the section
Collecting Beer
