Producing the Goods

Beers

The revival of the small-scale 'micro' brewery since the 1970s is both fortunate and remarkable in the face of the bludgeoning ubiquity of global brands. The blandly corporate is increasingly being supplanted by small and not-so-small breweries rooted in a place and connecting with local barley and hop growers, independent maltings, their local water supply, local pubs, even local artists to provide distinctive labelling. Some use crops grown on their own farms, like Ramsbury brewery in Wiltshire, or work together with local farms (like the East Anglian Brewers Ltd co-operative). Some have used unique yeasts preserved for generations. Some are big business, with tied pubs and regional (sometimes national) distribution; others remain artisan affairs like Tigertops, based behind a private house in Wakefield. Some, like Wold Top (Yorkshire), connect with local folklore and heritage in the names and backgrounds of their brews. And many are only available within a few miles of the brewery, like Abbey Ales of Bath, or the famous Spingo, produced at and for the Blue Anchor Inn, Helston, and not sold anywhere else (you can now take a bottle home with you, though). Seeking out rare brews in unexpected corners can be a holiday in itself - not all are bottled so you have to be in the right place at the right time.

The season for barley and new ('green') hops is the end of Summer, September and October. Some brewers close to the hop gardens of Kent or Hereford and Worcestershire use hops within days of picking to create tasty red autumnal ales; Teme Valley in Worcestershire, and Gadds of Broadstairs, for example. Westerham Brewery's Little Scotney Bitter is brewed at hop harvest time and uses East Kent Goldings and Kent Target hops, the latter from the National Trust's hop farm at Scotney Castle. South Downs Harvest Ale from Harvey's of Lewes (Sussex) uses new hops freshly gathered, is only available for a short period and is bottled in September. Harveys pride themselves on their seasonal and locally distinctive ales, such as Bonfire Boy and Tom Paine. Their range benefits from attractively illustrated labels, which might prove good souvenirs in their own right.

Wold Top Brewery
Ramsbury Brewery
East Anglian Barley Malt
Harveys Brewery

More information:
<www.abbeyales.co.uk>
<myweb.tiscali.co.uk/bob.wallis/Tigertops.html>
<www.quaffale.org.uk>
<www.beermad.org.uk>