The last six, seven years have seen a veritable explosion in the (UK) world of craft beer. And producers and
consumers alike are all, as the Victorians would have said, ‘boiled owls having
a benjo!’
Perhaps the foremost brewery in the new beer revolution is
Soiled Monkey, but enough about them since they have occupied columns and
columns in press everywhere with news about their juice.
Naturally, as with any craft beer drinker, I have favourites. And, as a drunk-on-my-own-street-cred
supporter of the industry, I like NEW.
Here follows a selection of the latest and greatest craft beer artistes:
Hop Jocks
Hop Jocks was founded by two recovering smack addicts fresh
off the bonnie streets of Glasgow . They staple-gunned together their five barrel
brewing kit, and their first batches are certainly addictive, keeping punters
coming back for more and more and more and more (at least before they fall over
or nod off ). I particularly enjoyed ‘Brown Sugar’, a grainy, caramel flavoured
ale with a bloody strong body. Meanwhile, ‘Belt Up’, is a cracking Hells lager,
with plenty of bubbles making for an astonishingly light headed after
effect. Andy and Darren say they are
hoping to bring out a tribute beer to Lou Reed this autumn called ‘Perfect Day’
– look out for it!
Premature Wendy
Wendy Watkins was born six months before her birth mother’s
due date, hence the name of her start-up brewing company. She operates out of her parent’s garage in the
Lancashire hills. She has a two barrel setup and is small
enough to be able to crawl inside of both to ensure beer hygiene is kept to an
unrivaled standard. Her first brew, the
outstanding golden ale, ‘Stepladder’, won a silver medal at the Ramsbottom Beer
Fest 2014, and there are high hopes for her next attempt ‘Incubator’, according
to the press notes a warming winter stout with original placenta included in
the mash.
DLT Brew Co.
Who remembers Dave Lee Travis? And how do we remember Dave Lee Travis? The not-guilty ex-Radio Deejay has, along with
his son Leigh, began restoring his reputation as a decent and upstanding member
of society by opening his own holding company to brew beer. The debut offering from Dave and Leigh is
called ‘Absolution’, an APA that makes beguiling use of very young hops, and
has a mouthfeel that positively molests and arrests the senses. Well done Dave, and welcome back!
Slug and Lettuce
It is indicative of how prevalent the ‘craze’ for craft beer
has become that the Slug and Lettuce have diversified into a brewing
conglomerate. However, reserve your
judgement … and now read on …S and L’s first attempt at artisanal beer is
really (really!) quite something. ‘Snail
Trail’ is a German pilsner style beer that’s so good you will be pocketing
those slug pellets straight away, having a good glug, and heading right back
to the bar. I reviewed it on the Idiot
Box last weekend, said accurately (and so I still hold), that it is the ideal
drink after a hot day in the sun mowing the lawn, weeding the cabbages, or
culling badgers.
Sour Grapes
Last but by no means least Sour Grapes, the brainchild of Brian
Chalmers, sacked former executive at Majestic, makes the top (or should that be
hop!!) five. He is a personal friend, but rest assured there is no bias when I say
he was jolly unlucky to lose his job at Majestic, and the board (at Majestic)
patently have no clue as to the worth of their staff. Brian bleeds talent, sweats talent, coughs up
talent in giant fur balls (he has a hairy back), pisses talent, wanks off talent.. And I know any beer by him – when he is out of rehab and
brewing – will be fantastic.
Horace Woofer is a
craft beer writer and expert, former lecturer in pond life at the University of
Leeds, part-time back scrubber-cum-flesh remover, Leeds General
Hospital
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