Welcome to the Best of British Beer Home of the curated beer case Whether you are looking to buy a present for someone or just fancy treating yourself you can be sure all our beers are lovingly crafted by this country’s best independent producers using only the finest ingredients. We have worked directly with over 500 microbreweries from Scotland to Cornwall giving you the widest possible choice of beer styles from hoppy pale ales to dark winter warmers. All our beers have been judged by our independent tasting panel and come from breweries that have won industry recognition. We want you to enjoy your shopping experience with us and hope you have fun perusing our brews. We’ve tried to make buying the right beer as easy as possible. Our curated cases give you the maximum possible choice with the least possible hassle. We’ve preselected some brilliant brews and grouped them in strength, style, colour, taste and even by geographic location.
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Established in 2011, we’ve outgrown our previous warehouses and have moved to a brand-new unit on the Staffordshire/ South Cheshire border just between junctions 15 and 16 on the M6. In addition to the extra space for the online business, we’re now able to welcome customers who want to pop down and choose their own beers from our stock of over 30,000 bottles. We also launched our ‘Click & Collect’ service, so you can place your order online, save the delivery charges and spend the extra on more beer! For details of how this works and to see where we are, visit the website for more details.
Cheers! Will Sherwin Managing Director bestofbritishbeer.co.uk
Contents Classic Beer Styles
3
Monthly Beer Subscriptions
4
Brewery Introductions and Tasting
5
Beer Tasting
10
Best of British Beer Quiz
11
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This is a really popular way of adding a little extra to your next special event. We've created some brilliant personalised labels for a whole range of occasions. We've even run pop-up shops in Selfridges for personalised Father's Day and Christmas gifts. Birthday Gifts Wedding Favours Christmas Hampers Corporate Events Retirement Presents
We believe that our ‘Beer For a Year’ and ‘Monthly Beer Club’ subscription schemes are the finest in the country as our policy is simple. You choose the kind of beer you want to drink, tell us when you want them and we make sure it gets to you on time. It's a pretty simple philosophy, but one that ensures up to 2000 cases of beer are shipped to our customers every week.
All you need to do is choose your preferred style of beer, send us the message you want, attach a photograph or logo, then leave the rest to us.
We constantly scour the country for new and exciting beers (it's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it) and bring them together for our regular subscribers. You choose your style from the preferred options, then let us know when you want the delivery and if you wanted it to coincide with a birthday, anniversary, Father’s Day or just the same time every month.
We don’t just do beer though, we’ve increased our range and we now offer cider, wine, Champagne and a fantastic 8 year old whisky too.
Each order includes 12 different 500ml bottles of quality ale, tasting notes and a pub quiz. When you join either scheme you will also receive our branded Best of British Beer glass as a welcome gift.
For further details and more examples of our most popular images, visit www.bestofbritishbeer.co.uk
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The Stars of the Show We would be nowhere without the help and support of our fantastic brewery partners, so we thought we would take time out to introduce a few of them to you. We have put together a great selection for our subscription customers and the beers
Lymestone Brewery
Monty’s Brewery
The only brewery in the picturesque Welsh county of Situated in the grand surroundings of the old Victorian Montgomeryshire, Monty’s is owned and run by Pam brewery Bents, owners Brad and Viv, ably supported by Honeyman, one of Britain’s few female brewers, or to give their trusty spaniel Sparky have a combined 25 years them their proper title, a Brewster. In addition to producing brewing experience between them. They produce a great an ever expanding choice of draught beers, Monty’s also range of beers including Stone Brood which is infused bottle 8 of their most popular brews and we’re delighted to with honey from bees that live on their roof. stock their range. Ein Stein
5.0%
A fantastically light, pale continental style beer. Guaranteed to enlighten the palate.
Sunshine
4.2% tang. Taste & SIBA Award Winner.
Stone Faced
4.0%
The perfect blend of hops and malts give brilliant pine and citrus hits.
Mischief
5.0%
A strong, golden bitter with punches of hops on the pallet. Very quaffable.
Stone the Crows
5.4%
Pours a lovely rich, deep brown colour with a nose of burnt treacle. Medium bodied with soft carbonation and a caramel finish. One to savour.
Old Jailhouse
3.9%
This nut brown ale has a strong malty character with a nice hop bitterness.
Sambrooks
In 2006, if you had told owner Duncan Sambrook that he would be brewing beer at the oldest continually brewing site in the country (since 1533!) and as London’s oldest independent brewery (established in 2008), he would probably have laughed. If you get the chance, you must visit the newly developed Sambrook’s Tap at the Ram Quarter in the heart of Wandsworth. Pumphouse Pale
4.2%
A classic English style Pale Ale, slightly sweet and late hopped with Wakatu to give a light, floral aroma.
Wandle
3.8%
Named after the river that flows past the brewery and their first ever beer, this is a multi-award winning Best Bitter.
Junction
4.5%
Wandles bigger brother, with a higher ABV and a gentle sweetness, this Premium Bitter is brewed with Goldings and Challenger hops.
Williams Bros.
Launched in1988, this breweryhas gone from strength
recipe and the range has since expanded to include some classic beer styles and some brilliant innovations. To this day they have stuck to their guns & keep using the best local ingredients, malt & water to create high quality beers with true Scottish character. Fraoch
5.0%
Brewed in Scotland since 2000 BC, this traditional peaty aroma. You are drinking a 4000 year old legend!
March of the Penguins
4.9%
A creamy dark stout, deep chocolate in colour with a nose of roast malts. We picked up hints of orange zest in the finish
Joker IPA
5.0%
Golden in the glass and fruity on the nose, this is a cedar.
Call: 0845 475 8332 • www.bestofbritishbeer.co.uk Best of Beer 2014 Brochure v3.indd 5
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Redcastle
Set on high ground overlooking Scotland’s rugged north east coast, Redcastle was established by local farmer and award-winning Clydesdale Horse Breeder, John Anderson in 2016 to create a range of classic British ales. The team at Redcastle keep the whole production process inhouse; frombrewing to bottling and labeling, everything is done by hand. Red Lady
4.0%
Windsor & Eton
At Best of British Beer, we are continually adding to our list of brewery partners and we’re delighted to be working with Paddy and the team at W&E. Established in 2010 and situated just yards from the famous castle, they have revived a brewing tradition in the town that had seen a gap of 79 years since the closure of Burge’s Brewery. Their local deliveries are still made by Tommy and Major, two wonderful Shire Horses.
Pouring a deep ruby red, this traditional Scottish ale has a wonderfully malty taste with Victoria sponge and red berry flavours.
Cannonball
4.5%
A lively IPA with a lot of fruity fun going on. Expect a profile of gentle citrus flavours with the sweetness of tropical fruit.
Crusader
4.0%
There’s a lovely natural haze on this golden ale created by the bottle conditioning. We could taste digestive biscuits and Highland toffee.
Guardsman
4.2%
A classic English best bitter. A copper coloured session ale with a tangy taste.
Knight of the Garter
3.8%
Flaxen ale brewed with American Amarillo whole leaf hops with a citrus hit.
Conqueror
5.0%
Rich, complex and very distinctive, but appearances can be deceptive. It looks like a stout but packs a massive hoppy hit to balance the roasted malt flavours.
Keltek Brewery
Glamorgan
The award winning ales are a tribute to the heritage and history of the beautiful county of Cornwall. From humble beginnings in a small stable, Keltek is now based in Redruth and boasts its own bottling facility and estate of public houses. The family owned brewery remains committed to the age old traditions of brewing by hand with care and craftsmanship using whole hop flowers, British malts and hand-pitched yeast.
Based a coin’s toss from The Royal Mint in Llantrisant, we came across Glamorgan brewery while attending an event at the Celtic Manor resort and as soon as we tasted Jemima’s Pitchfork, we were hooked on their beers. They recently picked up six medals at the SIBA awards 2020.
Magik
4.0%
A previous winner of the SIBA South West Champion Best Bitter award. A classic English ale, brewed with the perfect balance of hops and malt to create a truly satisfying beer.
Even Keel
3.4%
Pours a wonderful amber colour with slight citrus hints on the nose and a surprisingly long finish for a beer of this strength.
King
5.1%
A multi award winning premium ale. Medium amber in colour, it boasts an intensely hoppy aroma with a wonderful bitter feel.
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Jemima’s Pitchfork
4.4%
A beautiful golden straw colour with an aroma of honey, melon and pear. Very fridge friendly, slightly dry and refreshing.
Welsh Cake Stout
4.3%
This is a dark beer with a real difference. The addition of oats and raisins to the brew gives a wonderful, rich, chewy flavour.
Cwrw Gorslas
4.3%
A traditional chestnut brown Best Bitter with a rich, buttery biscuit flavour and notes of caramel, toffee and dried fruits.
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Long Man
The beautiful Sussex South Downs village of Litlington, famous for its chalk horse is also home to a multi-award winning brewery. Set in a converted flint barn, the team at Long Man brew with barley grown on the farm and feed the cattle with the spent grains. The majority of hops used are from local growers and the water comes from an aquifer beneath the chalk downs.
Woodforde’s
The Brewery was founded in Norfolk in 1981 and named in honour of Parson James Woodforde, an 18th Century clergyman who wrote lovingly of his passion for good food and great beer. Then Woodforde’s began life as a partnership between two home brewers and has grown into the award-winning it is today.
Best Bitter
4.0%
A three time winner of the World Beer Awards, this is a classic English Best Bitter with all the multi, earthy taste you’d expect and a long, deep finish.
Nog
4.6%
A supreme Champion Beer of Britain winner. It’s a deep ruby red ale with aromas of caramel, toffee and berry fruits. Medium to full bodied.
Old Man
4.3%
A beautiful chocolate brown ale with a host of trophies in the cabinet. Incredibly well balanced with hints of cranberry, caramel and coffee in the mouth.
Volt
4.5%
A great session IPA packed with US hops. A clean, clear amber body with a thin white head. Expect a mix of floral and pine aromas and a citrus mouthfeel.
Long Blonde
3.8%
The perfect session ale; a light, golden ale with a distinctive hoppy aroma. The use of locally grown Cascade hops give a lovely citrus flavour.
Wherry
3.8%
The proud holder of seven different CAMRA awards, this is a classic English Best Bitter. Clearamber, with a frothy head and an earthy bitterness.
Leek Brewery
Nestling high up in the Staffordshire moorlands, Adrian and the team not only create great ales, they also bottle beers for a number of micro-breweries. The names of the to stock the whole range on our website. The beers are sparkle and characteristic taste. Danebridge IPA
4.5%
Hoppy Bitter
4.2%
Rudyard Ruby
4.8%
A mid strength traditional style Indian Pale Ale – aromatic and vibrant.
Great in winter this ruby red ale has a warming malty backdrop, very smooth. Look out for hints of coffee and raisin.
Stonehouse Brewery
Created by husband and wife team Shane and Alison Parr in the picturesque town of Oswestry on the Welsh border, this brewery produces a variety of bottle conditioned ales. Aussie Shane has developed a keen interest in British cask beer and has won a whole host of SIBA awards. Their beers are always very popular at The Ludlow Spring Festival. Station Bitter
3.9%
A traditional amber coloured bitter, very quaffable with a perfect balance of malt and hops. Multiple SIBA award winner.
Ballast
4.4%
This Porter pours a deep dark brown with a lovely tanned crown on top. Expect lots of chocolate and vanilla notes with hints of mocha and a sweet finish.
Cambrian Gold
4.2%
Named after the railway line the brewery is on. A deep golden fruity beer with a subtle dry finish. One of their most popular session ales.
Call: 0845 475 8332 • www.bestofbritishbeer.co.uk Best of Beer 2014 Brochure v3.indd 7
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Lancaster Brewery
Launched in 2005, thus creating an end to the city being ‘dry’ this isn’t just any old brewery. Having moved to wonderful new premises 2 years ago, they don’t only brew award winning beers, they offer a visitor centre, guided tours of the brewery a restaurant and function room. Their labelling is very smart, with simple descriptions of their beer replacing characterful names. Black
4.5%
Red
4.9%
Blonde
4.1%
The epitome of a classic Victorian British stout. A rich, smooth ale that combines all theusual coffee and malty flavours with a crisp, fruity spiciness
Coach House
Established in 1991 following the closure of the nearby Greenall Whitley plant, Warrington’s brewing heritage has been maintained by Head Brewer Neil Chantrell and the team. With over 100 years of brewing experience between them and a whole load of SIBA and CAMRA Awards, the future of real beer in this part of Cheshire is guaranteed.
Cheshire Gold
4.1%
A great session beer with a citrus hop kick
Blueberry Bitter
5.0%
One of our most popular speciality beers. The addition of fresh fruit gives a distinctive aroma and slightly sweet taste.
Gunpowder Mild
3.8%
Very dark in colour with a robust full bodied, slightly sweet palate. Multiple SIBA award winner.
Another SIBA medal winner, it’s a robust ale with a malt dominated body and spicy, fruity nose.
and a delicate biscuit overtone. The use of 4 hops gives it a lovely clean taste.
Backyard Brew House
Billing themselves as ‘The Best Brewery in Walsall’ doesn’t really do justice to the beers that Austen and Mike produce from their base in The Black Country. These 2 young artisans continually push the traditional brewer’s boundaries with some innovative recipes and a clutch of awards to their name. Using the English Halcyon malt as a base for their recipes, the addition of American, Slovenian and New Zealand hops add the variety. Blonde
Jigger Stout
IPA
4.1%
4.8%
5.0%
A platinum blonde bitter with a dry, hoppy, crisp taste. Very moreish.
Cheddar Ales
Opened in 2006 and nestling on the slopes of the beautiful Mendip Hills, just a stone’s throw from Cheddar Gorge, this microbrewery is going from strength to strength. Owner and Head Brewer Jem Ham insists methods to produce a range of beers that will please both modern and traditional tastes alike. His beers are best described as ‘Simply Gorgeous’.
Gorge Best
4.2%
This bottle conditioned best bitter has a distinguished malty taste.
Very dark brown beer with a bubbly tan head and a toasted malt nose. The mouthfeel is rich and creamy with a lovely milk chocolate flavour. Gently carbonated.
Bitter Bully
4.0%
A New World style bottle conditioned pale ale with a big citrus hop character.
The aroma is gentle citrus and tangerine.
Totty Pot
4.5%
Very dark brown in colour with a foamy tan head. There’s chocolate, fruit cake and coffee on the nose while the mouthfeel is moderately bitter. Bottle conditioned for extra flavour.
a hint of malt. Light bodied with average carbonation. A cracking IPA.
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Lakeland Brewhouse
Allsopp’s
The Lakelands Brewhouse, formerly Stringer’s Beer is based in the South Cumbrian market town of Ulverston. Originally launched by Head Brewer Jon Kyme, the business is now owned by entrepreneur Kirsty Ridge and the beers can be enjoyed in her chain of traditional pubs. Committed to sustainability, the brewery is powered by 100% renewable energy and the carbon footprint of all the employees is offset.
In 1730, Samuel Allsopp was one of the first to brew the now world-famous IPA in Burton-on-Trent. Legend has it, that he created his very first batch in a teapot. From those humble beginnings Allsopp’s and Indian Pale Ale became synonymous, travelling all over the globe. It’s only fitting then that some 300 years later, Jamie Allsopp, seven times grandson of Samuel would bring the brand back to life.
Turbine Porter
5.1%
Not as thick as a stout, but every bit as black! There’s a lot of chocolate and coffee flavour along with hints of fruit and nut.
IPA
5.5%
With a hefty ABV, this IPA is true to the original style. The initial citrus tones are gradually enveloped by a gentle sweetness.
Bitter
4.2%
A proper Northern Best Bitter. Pours clear copperwith a thin white head and a light caramel flavour. Great with your Sunday lunch.
Little Valley
Nestled high on the hills overlooking the picturesque West Yorkshire market town of Hebden Bridge, Little Valley is the brainchild of husband and wife team Sue and Wim. They met whilst cycling in Nepal and quickly realised that creating brilliant beer was a shared passion. Most of their beers are bottle conditioned which adds an extra dimension to their taste.
IPA
5.6%
Brewed to the original recipe and designed to withstand the long journey from Burton to India, it’s the epitome of a traditional IPA.
Pale Ale
4.4%
The red hand symbol was a guarantee of fresh, quality ale and this is a very drinkable pale beer, based on a 300 year old recipe.
Lager
5.0%
In 1880, Allsopp’s were one of the first British breweries to make a German lager bier. Talk about being ahead of your time, we think it was worth the wait.
Stewart Brewing
Voted Scottish Brewer of the Year in both 2018 and 2019, they have come a long way since the company was founded in 2004 by Jo and Steve Stewart. Laying claim to be Edinburgh’s original craft brewery, they have created a brilliant line up of award winning beers. The custom built brewhouse offers a unique ‘Brew it Yourself’ craft beer kitchen – the first in Britain. 80/-
4.4%
Originally brewed for ‘Diggers’, a legendary pub in the city, it’s a modern day Scottish classic. Rich auburn in colour with a slightly sweet finish
A lovely spice aroma of roasted malt and coffee lead to a delicious chocolate mouthfeel with hints of liquorice.
Hollyrood
5.0%
Based on their IPA recipe, this beer is bolstered by the American Amarillo hop giving it a light body with citrus undertones. Perfect with grilled meat and vegetable dishes
A proper, no-nonsense Yorkshire Best Bitter. Dark mahogany in colour with lots of toffee apple and caramel flavours.
Edinburgh Gold
4.8%
Bottle conditioned for that authentic cask flavour, the aroma is citrus and soft fruit while the flavour is opal fruits balanced with sweet malt.
Withen’s Pale
4.2%
Bright yellow in colour with a lovely frothy head and a nose of wheat, straw and flowers. Light, crisp and slightly bitter.
Dark Vale
4.5%
Cragg Bitter
4.2%
Call: 0845 475 8332 • www.bestofbritishbeer.co.uk Best of Beer 2014 Brochure v3.indd 9
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Beer Tasting A key part of any beer festival is the choosing of the award winners; an independent tasting panel will go through a standardised procedure to judge each beer. During the process, the experts look for a number of key factors– clarity, colour, smell and taste. Here are some hints to help you get the most out of your selection.
“The variety and high quality of these beers has made me think I should always have a stock of them at home”
The Pour Tilt the side of your glass to the bottle and pour in one steady movement
The Appearance head dense or thin? The Swirl Gently swirl your beer around the glass and take a few good sniffs. Can you smell the ingredients you are supposed to and does the smell encourage you to take a drink? The Mouthfeel
The Swallow
—Mr. D. Wilson
The Style It is not an exact science and you should not worry if you cannot detect and always refresh your palate between brews. Some beers are bottle conditioned which means that there is a small amount of yeast added to the beer. This is perfectly natural and enhances your enjoyment of the product. Let these beers stand upright for a while before drinking and when pouring leave a small amount of liquid in the bottle.
Most light ales are best served cool, while winter beers are traditionally should be, so feel free to drink them how you wish.
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Which was the first area of Great Britain to be designated as a National Park? What colour feet does Liquorice Allsorts man Bertie Basset have? Which of the UK’s patron saints’ days is celebrated earliest in the calendar year? Lady Godiva rode naked through the streets of which city? The Menai Strait separates mainland Britain from which island? When listed alphabetically, which English football league team comes first? What part of the body would a Scotsman refer to as your ‘bahookie’? In which English seaside resort was the classic TV sitcom Fawlty Towers set? Which beer based drink is mentioned in George Ezra’s Number One single ‘Shotgun’? Which famous English holiday landmark building has the post code FY1 4BJ? In which month is the Edinburgh Festival held? The Queen’s country retreat of Sandringham House is in which county? How many pints of beer are there in a standard 9 gallon cask? Which London establishment had the first escalators installed in the UK in 1898? “I look like Kiss but without the make-up” is a line from which 1997 Robbie Williams single? What’s the most popular pub name in the UK? In 1949, Albert II was the first monkey to do what? Where in the British Isles is Parkhurst prison? London Zoo is situated in which of the city’s parks? Henry VIII introduced a rather sexist tax on what in 1535?
17) Go into Space, 18) Isle of Wight, 19) Regent’s Park, 20) Beards. 9) Lager Tops, 10) Blackpool Tower, 11) August, 12) Norfolk, 13) 72, 14) Harrod’s, 15) Strong, 16) The Red Lion, ANSWERS Blue, 1) The Peak District, 2) Blue, 3) St. David, 4) Coventry, 5) Anglesey, 6) Accrington Stanley, 7) Backside, 8) Torquay, Best of Beer 2014 Brochure v3.indd 11
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Although originally launched as a limited edition, this selection has proven incredibly popular and is our best-selling gift. We see it as a showcase for the cream of British brewing with over 60 regional, national and international awards including recognition from CAMRA, SIBA and The World Beer Awards. We've chosen a mixture of styles from rich dark stouts to mega hopped IPAs - you're sure to find something to suit your taste. The selection is completed with the addition of a FREE Best of British Beer glass.
