Cheers North East magazine #84 - October

cheers WWW.CHEERSNORTHEAST.CO.UK // OCTOBER 2018 // ISSUE 84

I T ’ S

A B O U T

P U B S ,

P E O P L E ,

B E E R

–

A N D

Y O U !

BRIDGE SPANS NINETY YEARS BEERS INSPIRED

BY TYNE ICON

AGE IRRELEVANT TO GEORDIE CRAFTER YOUNGEST MASTER IS BREWING STAR

FRESH START

TRADITIONAL VALUES MEET ORIGINAL THINKING

FREE PLEA

SE TAKE A COPY

FIND YOUR WAY TO REAL BEER

Original and Dry Hopped with Amarillo, Both Available.

COPYRIGHT WYLIE BECKERT, IMAGE UNDER LICENCE TO FIREBRICK BREWERY LTD.

WELCOME Autumn is a season to embrace – full of mists and mellow fruitfulness – and while it’s nice to look back on an astonishing summer of wall-to-wall sunshine, it didn’t suit everybody. Pubs with no outside area, pavement space or beer garden suffered as drinkers and diners adopted continental habits under shaded parasols.

We’ve heard quite a few town-centre publicans muttering “bring on winter”, so the steadily darkening evenings will come as a blessing.

There are some, however, who are attempting to claim this month for themselves – Sober October-istas. Sober October indeed – it’ll not be long before they’re crowing again over Dry January, boasting to friends how disciplined they are.

There’s nothing wrong with being sober; we’d never advocate anything else, but some sections of society seem to enjoy taking a stab at those of us who enjoy the company of fellow pub-goers and that it might be beneficial for our wellbeing to mix and mingle and laugh and debate.

The weekly quiz tests our grey matter, the burger specials give us a change of menu, and a tip-toe of music sends rhythm from head to foot. Factor in innovation and enterprise and top them with a heady layer of positivity and customer satisfaction and drink to what autumn is all about.

Cheers, Alastair Gilmour Editor, Cheers North East

EDITORIAL

Alastair Gilmour 07930 144 846 01661 844 115 alastair@cheersnortheast.co.uk @CheersPal www.cheersnortheast.co.uk Photography: Peter Skelton www.thepsp.net

CONTENTS 20

TEAMWORK IN ACTION

It’s taken a while to get one Northumberland pub up and running at full pelt, but now the Bird In Bush at Elson is at the point where its owners wanted it to be. It’s a dream come true for Steve Shaw and Katie Bland, but its also been about teamwork – from sawing and scraping to sampling and plastering.

The listed building sits at the heart of the local community; it promotes indigenous produce prepared by a French chef who takes inspiration from beer brewed at the back door. The team is ready to roll.

COVER: BIRD IN BUSH CHEF GUILLAUME “WILL” RIDEAU. PHOTO: PETER SKELTON

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH WHEN YOU’VE CREATED A NEW BEER IS WHEN YOU POUR THAT FIRST PINT MASTER BREWER ROSS O’HARA

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While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for omissions and errors. All material in this publication is strictly copyright and all rights reserved.

04 30 A GLASS GOING OWA OF PORTO 16 34 THE ROAD EXPORT BRIDGING 22 EXPERT 36 THE YEARS NEWCASTLE FUN WITH BEER WEEK 26 38 FUN STUFF LATEST NEWS

PUBLISHED BY: Publishers: Jane Pikett & Gary Ramsay Unit One, Bearl Farm Stocksfield Northumberland NE43 7AL Email: enquiries@offstonepublishing.co.uk Website: www.offstonepublishing.co.uk Twitter: @offstonepublish

When you have finished with this magazine please recycle it

YOUNG GUN DONE GOOD

CHEERS NORTH EAST

brings out the best in pubs and brewing that exists in the region. The magazine, published ten times a year, is distributed to almost 300 pubs, bottle shops and specialist outlets from the Borders to North Yorkshire and across to the fringes of Cumbria. It is packed with stories from them with suggestions on where to go and what you’ll find there. But most of all, Cheers is about people – after all, it’s people who make beer and people who make pubs what they are. And to be able to bring you more information, our A-Z pub guide can now be found at www.cheersnortheast.co.uk Tell them who sent you.

NEWS

CYCLIST HAS LOT OF BOTTLE Summit up: Bruce Renwick on top of Mont Ventoux and his tattoo below

Michael Wynne, chairman, Sunderland & South Shields Camra, with Matt Downs, Fitzgeralds

BOOK MARKS QUARTER CENTURY Fitzgeralds in Sunderland was chosen as the venue for the regional launch of the annual Campaign For Real Ale (Camra) Good Beer Guide, The city-centre pub has featured in it for 25 years, with current manager Matt Downs overseeing 18 of those.

Camra regional chairman Dave Brazier says: “Fitzgeralds is always a place where you are guaranteed a good pint of real ale. Some of Sunderland’s pubs from the 1980s when I first drank here have come and gone but the likes of Fitz’s, The Dun Cow and Ivy House have stayed on.

“As ever, this forty-sixth edition of the Good Beer Guide is produced by volunteers all over the country – 198,000 of them. Each branch in each region is involved in visiting and tasting the beer and we’re very proud that pubs and breweries are entered at no charge to them – but simply because of the quality of their beer. It’s not a perfect system but we try and improve it all the time. I’m extremely proud of what we do; it’s a fifty-two weeks of the year job.

“This is the twenty-fifth year that Fitzgeralds has been in the guide and it’s great to be able to present the pub with a certificate to mark the occasion.”

A Newcastle bottle-shop owner has let one of the Tour de France’s iconic mountain stages inflict pain on him once again.

Bruce Renwick, who runs CentreAle in Central Station, has fulfilled a long-held personal promise to have a tattoo done of Mont Ventoux, the mountain widely regarded as “a killer” and notable for being the hardest of all the Tour’s climbs.

Bruce, who has “previous” when it comes to pedalling form, says: “I rode Mont Ventoux three times in a fortnight in 2015.

It was solid climbing, no respite.

“That was when I was really fit – before we opened the shop. I cycled to work every day then for 20 years, rain, hail or shine.”

He has been searching for a decent image of the peak to be emblazon on his calf but eventually came up with a graphic illustration, right, that looks stunning.

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NEWS

DISCOUNT CLUB FOR EARLY BIRDS One of the rules of being admitted to the Camra Good Beer Guide is that a pub that changes management is disqualified from being included the following year.

Strange but true.

Oddfellows in North Shields first entered the “beer bible” in 2004 but does not feature in the recentlylaunched 2019 edition as Mark Hamill took over the reins earlier this year.

However, Oddies’ owner Graeme Oswald has launched a Cask Club that will ensure Camra members and those in the Society for the Preservation of Beer in Wood (SPBW) will benefit

from discounts at the bar.Mark Hamill says: “Oddfellows has always been committed to cask ale, serving up beer festivals, bottle conditioned ales, real ciders and pyders. We are determined to reclaim our Good Beer Guide entry at the earliest opportunity so on weekdays before 5.30pm all customers can take advantage of the Cask Club deal whereby every fourth pint will be on us. We have a close relationship with the local Three Kings Brewery and together we can also offer our specially brewed house beer, Hale Ale, at the exceptional price of £2.00 per pint during these times.”

REVOLUTION IN THE KITCHEN

A Dutch company has come to the aid of home brewers and those who enjoy a bit of high-tech with their glass of beer.

MiniBrew is a compact all-in-one craft beer brewing machine developed in Utrecht, Holland, which looks set to revolutionise home brewing with its app-controlled, all-in-one brewing regime.

The app controls everything from mixing ingredients and controlling temperature to managing the fermentation and cooling process – five litres at a time. Being wirelessly controlled, users can monitor its progress anywhere and receive notifications at each step.

It also allows users to rate and review brewers as well as discover new craft beers from all over the world.

MiniBrew uses app-based technology and wifi connectivity and along with its portable Smart Keg, manages every aspect of the beer brewing process, ensuring a professional quality craft beer – with the user being in complete control at all stages.

Users download the MiniBrew app, choose their beer from a list that includes craft pilsners, stouts and IPAs, and add it to their shopping cart. When the ingredient pack is delivered, it’s simply a case of scanning the QR code using the app, following the instructions and hitting the start button.

Brewing takes around four hours with fermentation lasting up to a week. MiniBrew cools the beer to the brewers’ recommended temperature so it can be tapped straight from the Smart Keg.

Food/Accommodation/ Live Music/Real Ale Elsdon, Northumberland NE19 1AA 01830 520 804 birdinbushinelsdon@gmail.com

@elsdonpub

Bookings being taken for Christmas

Food served Fri (5-9pm), Sat (12-9pm), Sun (12-6pm) www.cheersnortheast.co.uk / CHEERS / 5

NEWS

Oh brother: Jo, left, and Rob Theakston

BREWER PROFITS FROM INNOVATION Black Sheep Brewery plc has posted its first profit in five years, moving back into the black after reporting sustainable growth in turnover and a significant increase in operating profit.

Also at its AGM last month, Black Sheep’s legendary founder Paul Theakston stepped down from the board.

In its annual results, the Masham, North Yorkshire-based brewery announced: A 3.3% increase in turnover to £18.6m from £18m in 2017; A strong increase in operating profit of £697,000, from a £437,000 operating loss in 2017 to a £260,000 profit in 2018; A continued commitment to brewing innovation with the creation of seven new beer

www.bytheriverbrew.co 6 / CHEERS / www.cheersnortheast.co.uk

brands, including the launch of its first-ever lager, 54° North, plus Flying Circus and award-winning beers Venus & Mars and Choc & Orange Stout – brands and styles totalling 24% of production that hadn’t even been thought about two years ago.

In line with the company looking at every aspect of its operations, Black Sheep Best Bitter – “the engine room of the brewery” – has received a facelift with a striking new pump clip.

Despite the ever-changing cask ale market, it has remained committed to Best Bitter as a descriptor of its leading cask beer when other brewers have

moved way from using the term. Rob Theakston, Black Sheep’s managing director, said: “We have continued to diversify the Black Sheep brand with the development of several new products to the on- and off-trade that complements our existing core range. The launch of 54° North, our firstever lager, was one of many well-received new additions to the range.

“Our innovative brewing approach is helping to set Black Sheep up for the future as we continue to face a shrinking cask market, and this diversification will be crucial to our success.”

NEWS

HISTORIC PUB TO CELEBRATE ITS PAST

The Union Rooms in Newcastle is set for an extensive facelift.

The former JD Wetherspoon pub will eventually feature a pizza restaurant, garden room and sports bar under plans revealed by owners, Cyclone Newcastle Ltd. Dating back to 1877, The Union Rooms started life as a gentlemen’s club – The Union Club – and counted 19th Century

industrialist and engineer Lord Armstrong among its members. Its rich heritage will be celebrated as the Grade II listed building’s original features are retained and brought to further prominence.

The bar is closed for a few weeks during October, with completion due by mid-November.

Further developments are said to include hotel accommodation “and a few more top secret ideas”.

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CITY CENTRE IS LOTTERY WINNER A historic Newcastle bar has become the first in Newcastle city centre to tap into a Heritage Lottery Fund regeneration grant which aims to breathe new life into the area known for its nightlife.

The money will help Malhotra Group transform the frontage of the Grade II listed Pumphrey’s Bar and Cellar at the Bigg Market as part of an ongoing £3.2m regeneration programme.

Business Improvement District company, NE1 Ltd, received funding to work with businesses with premises in the Bigg Market and Cloth Market with a view to reversing decades of neglect and underinvestment.

Malhotra Group operations director Atul Malhotra says: “The project will involve new signage, cleaning up the exterior of the building, the installation of new window frames and just generally restoring the building to its former glory.

“Pumphrey’s started life as a coffee house and was one of the first premises in the area to be granted a licence to sell alcohol.”

Elsewhere, the Malhotra Group has closed its Three Mile Inn and Scalinis restaurant in Gosforth while extensive development work is taking place – opening some time in 2019.

Atul Malhotra says: “At that point we will relaunch the site with a new-look bar, restaurant and a 64-bedroomed hotel.”

BEN & LAURA WELCOME YOU TO DURHAM’S FIRST INDEPENDENT BOTTLE SHOP AND TAPS OPENING TIMES: WEDS & THURS 2pm - 8pm, FRI 2pm - 9pm, SAT 12pm - 9pm, SUN 12pm - 4pm

Follow the page on Facebook for events. We have tap takeovers with meet the brewer, bring your own vinyl, Mikkeller running club and much more.... @TheHopKnocker 32 Marshall Terrace, Durham, DH1 2HX

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PUB NEWS

SPARE MILLION ANYONE? One of Northumberland’s most popular restaurant/pubs has been put up for sale. The Pheasant Inn at Stannersburn has been run by the Kershaw family for 33 years but plans for retirement have now come to the fore.

A price tag of £900,000 has been put on the AA-rated four-star former coaching inn that sits in the middle of the Northumberland national Park and close to Kielder Water and Forest Park, together attracting an estimated 1.5 million visitors a year.

The traditional-style pub and restaurant features exposed stone walls with oak beams and eight en-suite bedrooms. It also has a lawned courtyard next to the bedrooms and a small private garden, as well as ample parking space.

A two-double bedroom apartment with a master en-suite, family bathroom, lounge and office on the first floor provides owner’s accommodation.

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ARTIST DRAWS ON PUB WALLS

Newcastle artist Jim Edwards reminded himself recently of some of the glorious pubs that sit in the city’s Ouseburn Valley where he has his studio – and the inspiration they give him for subject matter – so he put them together in a tweeted montage.

You might not catch them as colourful as they appear here (top right clockwise: Free Trade Inn, The Cluny, The Tyne Bar and the Cumberland Arms) but they are certainly colourful in any other sense of the word.

NEWS

RUNNERS HELP THEMSELVES TO A RECORD If you were one of the 57,000-plus runners in last month’s Great North Run you might have taken advantage of the Beer Stop at the 10.5-mile point of the half-marathon.

This has been organised for an astonishing 25 years by Newcastle Hash House Harriers, “a drinking club with a running problem”, which meets regularly to run between pubs, “hare-and-hound” style.

Organiser Keith Hudson paid tribute to the generosity of sponsors who donated beer for the occasion. These included breweries Twice Brewed, Hadrian Border, Brinkburn St, Anarchy, Durham, Hexhamshire, Sonnet 43, Tyne Bank and Camerons.

Keith says: “This year’s Beer Stop was the best and most successful ever and we know it couldn’t happen without the generosity of our contributing breweries. We exceeded last year’s record-breaking endeavour by handing out 4,200 beers to thirsty athletes – about one-eighth of a pint each – over a two-hour period. That works out at a beer every 1.7 seconds, or one every ten seconds by each of our volunteers.

“The television cameras also caught our

There he goes: Mo Farah disappearing from view at the Newcastle Hash House Harriers' beer stop position clearly as Sir Mo passed – sponsors’ banners prominently on show – and I found fame myself with an interview with Chronicle Live which went out on the Saturday.”

Keith Hudson also reports that Newcastle Hash House Harriers celebrated its 1,500th run at The Sill National Landscape Discovery

Centre at Twice Brewed, Northumberland, in late September.

“Drink and dressing as Romans was involved,” he says. “Thanks again for everyone’s help and support on the North Run – we look forward to seeing you next year.” www.nhhh.co.uk

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NEWS

THE STORIES BEHIND THE BREWS Cheers has invited The Chaps from Brew Stories to share recent experiences.

“Wow, what a summer it’s been, writes Dean Marriner. “Warm days and long nights; just right for exploring the best beer and hostelries our region has to offer.

“North East breweries continue to go from strength to strength with innovative new beers coming to market all the time.

“Newcastle has a raft of new places for the discerning beer drinker, many with a focus on food.

For instance, By The River Brew Co and Brinkburn St Brewery & Kitchen,

and there are exciting developments coming from Northern Alchemy at the Old Coal Yard – plus the guys from Mordue are working hard to bring Beeronomy to life. We can’t wait!

“In current Brew Stories episodes (www.brew-stories.com), we meet up with the good folks at Anarchy to find out their expansion plans; visit the region's largest independent brewers Camerons to learn more about their craft offer (Tooth & Claw) and brew our very own beer. And we pay a flying visit to Donzoko.

“For the love of beer.” www.brew-stories.com

GOING, GOING, HAS IT GONE?

The New Bridge pub in Newcastle – sold recently by the Sir John Fitzgerald group to a company called 857(NE) – is currently to let by Sanderson Wetherall for an annual fee of £40,000.

The block it occupies on Argyle Street/New Bridge Street formerly featured The Adelaide pub, which became Joe Wilson’s then the Stout Fiddler and later Kings Manor, and is now an estate agency called Let’s Live Here. Pub talk believes that such a price tag will deter any interest which, despite its promotion as “a leisure property”, will thwart any attempt to have it listed as an Asset Of Community Value – land or property of importance to a local community such as pubs.

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NEWS

ASKING FOR A FRIEND

Julie Campbell, joint owner of the Mean Eyed Friends and colleagues of a super-talented Cat pub in Newcastle, says: “The aim is to collect North East musician have been rallying at a as much money as possible to help a friend who, series of benefit events. Davy Patton and his wife Ailsa moved to Glasgow in 2017 but earlier until this devastating event, was a self-employed musician. Please help and let us know if you can this year their lives were shattered when he offer your support.” suffered a brain haemorrhage – actually while Details of how to help at on stage. facebook.com/meaneyedcatNCL/ Although Davy is showing positive signs in a slow recovery, he will need very intensive care with specialist therapies running alongside the superb treatment he is currently receiving from our wonderful NHS. A cycle ride from Newcastle to Rowlands Gill and an afternoon of terrific music at The Cluny, Newcastle, featuring some of the bands he played in, have gone a long way to reaching the target of £6,000. The final tally might be even more.

Further benefit gigs are scheduled for South Shields The Honey Bop Trio, one of the bands Davy Patton played in and Glasgow.

ALL FIRED UP FOR NEW BEGINNINGS Monday October 1 was a special day in the region’s beer calendar. It was the day that Anarchy Brew Co started brewing in its new premises at Benfield Road, Newcastle – having moved there from its long-term home in Morpeth.

Core brands such as Blonde Star, Citra Star, Urban Assault, Quiet Riot and Sublime Chaos are now being pushed through along with Anarchy’s renowned one-offs and specials. An official opening date has been set for Saturday October 27.

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GIGS & FESTIVALS

Gigs ’N’ Festivals OCTOBER 13

THE THINKING DRINKERS’ PUB CRAWL The Stand, High Bridge, Newcastle NE1 1EW A hilarious new tour with Tom Sandham and Ben McFarland is an intoxicating bar-hop through history, from the symposiums of Ancient Greece to the classic British boozer via Wild West saloons, Victorian gin palaces and the secret speakeasy. You’ll learn a lot, you’ll laugh a lot and you get five free drinks. Tel: 0844 693 3336.

OCTOBER 14-21

TYNESIDE IRISH FESTIVAL Tyneside Irish Centre, 41 Gallowgate, Newcastle NE1 4SG Artists are being booked and will be announced shortly and what you can expect is a terrific line-up of talent not only from Ireland but from around the world. City walks, culture, live music, dancing – it’s all there. Details: www.tynesideirish.com

OCTOBER 18-20

CRAFT BEER CALLING Wylam Brewery, Palace of Arts, Exhibition Park, Newcastle upon Tyne For one weekend only, an assembly of some of the world’s leading craft breweries under one roof, plus a gin palace, a wine cellar, great music, sumptuous street food and an artisan cider cellar. Interact with brewery staff and get to know so much more about their beer at Meet The Brewer sessions. Among those invited by Wylam Brewery are Beavertown, Siren, Verdant, Northern Monk, Magic Rock, Fourpure and Cloudwater.

Details: www.craftbeercalling.com

OCTOBER 19-21

AUTUMN BEER FESTIVAL Gateshead Fell Cricket Club, Eastwood Gardens, Gateshead NE9 5UB More than 50 beers and ciders, plus Prosecco and Gin Bar. A selection of food vendors including Scream for Pizza and Bombay Street Kitchen. Live music themed over the three days – Punk Friday, Rock’n’Roll Saturday, Soul Sunday with top North East DJs. Day ticket £7, weekend ticket £15. Details: 0191 420 0160.

FORGING GREAT REAL ALES Get in touch RUFUS (BREWERY) Tel : 01207 591 540

12 / CHEERS / www.cheersnortheast.co.uk

LYNN (SALES) Sales : 07730 896 766 consettaleworks.co.uk

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BREWERY NEWS

GETTING TOO HOT FOR LAMBIC? It is feared climate change is putting one of the world’s oldest beer varieties at risk. A study into temperatures in the Pajottenland region of Belgium has raised doubts over the future of the sour lambic beer produced exclusively in the region.

Lambic is fermented in the open air through exposure to wild yeasts and airborne native bacteria.

It relies on night-time temperatures of between -8ºC and 8ºC (18F-46F) for cooling and inoculation.

The lambic is then placed in barrels where it is exposed to microbes living on the wood. The perfect temperature for ageing lambic is below 25C, above which the risk rises of unwelcome bacteria spoiling the beer.

A joint project between climate scientists and Brussels brewery Cantillon found the fermentation period has shortened from 165 days in the early 1900s to about 140 now, as temperatures have risen globally.

It is feared the number of brewing days will shrink further, bringing the risk of a similar disaster to 2015, when beer had to be thrown away due to excessive temperatures.

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STANDING STILL IS NOT AN OPTION

The pub and brewing industry is moving fast, there is no doubt about that. Not so long ago we were content with pale ale, brown ale, bitter and stout with a few tasty stop-offs in between.

But look at the range and quality that’s around now in a family of double and triple IPAs, hazy beers, saisons and “juice bombs” poured fresh out of keg and can.

So, what happens when a well-established brewery unavoidably takes its eye off the ball and continues

on its merry cask ale way, all the while taking note of the changing marketplace but can’t find the invitation to the party? It stands still and marks time.

Completely unavoidably through illness, Mark Hird, managing director of Tavistock Hospitality, owners of Sonnet 43 Brew House, Poetic Licence gin distillery and a dozen bars, restaurants and hotels across the North East, has not been around very much over the past couple of years to oversee change and challenge. But now he’s back

BREWERY NEWS

at his desk and facing the future with a lot more positivity.

“I’m involved again,” says Mark. “We acknowledge that at Sonnet 43 Brew House we haven’t progressed at the speed we would have liked to – however, we have an impressive strategy plan in place for the next 12 months, allowing the brewery to remodel.

“We have so much planned that allows really exciting things to come from the brewery, such as appointing a new senior craft brewer from America who will start work with us once his work permit and visa have clearance.”

To add to this, brewer Michael Harker was off most of this year following a bad motorbike accident and has just returned in a part-time capacity.

Mark says: “Michael is fully behind the plan and will continue brewing – he’s a very good brewer and what we’ve needed but we now have to move on. We’re still 84% cask ale producers and we know we need to change that to keg and small pack to compete better – but it can’t happen all of a sudden.

“We have made little progress with our beers in the past two years while I have been

ill. We’re very proud of our range and the quality of the products but we’re not really at the cutting edge of craft like we’d like to be.

For example, Sonnet 43 hasn’t got the juicy IPAs in the range that we need.

“We haven’t had the capacity and equipment to do that and I totally accept that we need to change. It’s no longer a case of having a nice pumpclip saying something positive about the beer; you need to build up credibility.

“We’re investing in new equipment, doing everything in-house – kegging, canning and so on. This is a journey to re-establish ourselves in the marketplace.

“The new brewer is going to work hard at it over the next transitional year producing two really different beer styles a month – we’ve given him the free range to do that.

“We’ve had a good long conversations about the styles of beer and where he wants to be with them – although US brewers love British beer styles such as porters the way they brew them is totally different to ours and that’s what we want.”

Sonnet 43 is named after a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning who was born at Coxhoe Hall, County Durham, not far from where the brewery is situated. There may be no more poetry coming out of there but there’s no doubt it’s going to sing again.

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NEWS

WHAT WE LEARNED LAST MONTH Spirits from Iceland with a connection to television smashhit Game Of Thrones are being distributed in the North East.

The owner of the distillery that produces Mountain Vodka and Eagle Gin is none other than Hafthor “The Mountain” Björnsson, also known on screen as Gregor Clegane.

Mountain Vodka and Eagle Gin are handcrafted in Reykjavik with Icelandic water the key element in both.

The vodka is glutenfree and distilled seven times so it feels extra smooth while standing strong at 40% abv.

Eagle Gin (43% abv) combines botanicals such as juniper berries, ginger, angelica, coriander and orange and lemon peel. Both

16 / CHEERS / www.cheersnortheast.co.uk

are little short of amazing and worth toying with neat for extra sensuous pleasure.

The brands take their inspiration from mythological Icelandic spirits that were born in Viking times: the Eagle, the Mountain and Nautilus, a new rum product to be launched in early in 2019.

Hafthor Björnsson – all six foot nine of him – has almost two million followers across social media and rather than this just being a celebrity endorsement, he is actually one of the owners of the company and its brands.

Details: icelandicmountainvodka.is *Mountain Vodka and Eagle Gin sales in the North East are via www.partner-ships.com

PREACHING TO THE UNCONVERTED John Atkinson and Phil Walker from Hemelvaart Bier Café in Ayton, Berwickshire, spent a fruitful time meeting enthusiastic craft beer brewers in Porto. John takes up the story…

It’s the middle of summer in sunny Porto; the temperature is in the mid-twenties. The crowds are out after work, strolling through the Jardins Do Palacio De Cristal, glad to be out after a few days where rain was the order of the day.

They stop to sit at the tables and benches, eating tasty street food from an array of a dozen or so providers, listening to the music from the DJ on stage and chatting with friends. Some are sipping a beer from the 40odd stalls lined up around the tables.

This is the charming setting for the Porto Beer Fest 2018. But the atmosphere is different to the

usual beer festival; it’s so relaxed and for the most part, there’s no desperation to be trying as many different beers as possible.

It’s almost as if the beer is an afterthought.

Maybe this isn’t so surprising.

The craft beer scene is a very new, but fast growing phenomenon in Portugal. The first craft beer shop and bar in Porto – Catraio – only recently celebrated its third anniversary, and this is only the third Porto Beer Fest.

There’s no charge to enter the festival; it’s in a public park with access from all directions, so policing entry would be impossible.

Anyway, access for as many as possible is the aim, so that the

VIEW FROM ABROAD

range of beers on offer reaches the widest audience. As organiser, Octavio Costa, says: “There’s no beer culture in Portugal, so we have to work hard to get people to discover the variety of beers on offer. The street food and the music get people to stop and look around at what this is all about.”

It’s a message echoed by one of the leading breweries in Portugal, Mean Sardine, whose founder, Marcos Praça, told us last year that the brewery had decided not to invest €300,000 in a new brewery precisely because there was not yet the market for craft beer in Portugal. Instead, Mean Sardine outsource the brewing of some beers to Spain and The Netherlands, the better to meet increased demand and to be nearer appreciative markets.

And there certainly is a market for Portuguese beers, which through the efforts of the leading breweries in Portugal, are gaining a reputation at international festivals and in bars across Europe. From a position

where Super Bock and Sagres are responsible for 90% of all beer sales in Portugal, the country’s craft beer are an innovative and enthusiastic community engaged in making inroads in the market with their wide range of styles.

There’s so much more to beers in Mediterranean countries than lager, and while Italy may lead the way, Portugal is keen to close the gap. As elsewhere in the world, Belgium has been a major influence. There’s an abundance of wheat beers and dark strong Belgian ales of around 9.0%, abv which are generally impressive in their mouthfeel and in the balance between the sweetness, a residue of the malts necessary to provide the strength, and the rich spicy ingredients.

Then, there are the sour beers, which are a godsend in hot Mediterranean climes.

Barona does a particularly refreshing sour at only 3.8% abv, so it’s not an issue to down two or three to quench one’s thirst. Others add experimental fruits such as rhubarb and passion fruit as well as the classic Belgian additions, cherry and raspberry. Hops too are

everywhere, as in Luzia’s dry-hopped sour ale at 4.0% abv or Opo74’s X-hopped grisette, also 4.0% abv.

As befits a country famous for ageing wine in barrels, there is great interest in what barrel-ageing can bring to a beer. All the biggest breweries have a take on this: usually an imperial stout aged in whisky, bourbon or wine casks. Dois Corvos has Murder (10.8% abv), aged in bourbon barrels; Post Scriptum has another weighing in at 14% abv, while Burguesa ages its imperial porter in oak whisky casks at 10% abv. All are testament to the wonderful, almost mystical, work that ageing in casks has on beer, adding levels of complexity that result in an intriguing mix of tartness cutting through the sweet richness of the strong beer.

Letra, one of the biggest breweries in Portugal from just outside Porto, offers IMP5RIO, an imperial saison benefitting from resting in Muscatel barrels – a brilliant stroke resulting in an underlying tart saison softened with a sweetness without any cloying. Letra operates a beer tap in the city, Letraria, which

hosts a barbecue in its picturesque, restful beer garden full of stone furniture on the Sunday afternoon after the festival is over. Everyone who is anyone on the Porto craft beer scene is there bringing down the curtain on a memorable experience.

Antonio Lopes of Lupum Brewery epitomises this adventurous, creative proselytising spirit, as he brews only beers that he wants to drink: a fruity, hoppy American IPA at 7.2% abv, a classic Belgian Strong Dark Ale at 10.5% abv and Lupum Russian Imperial Stout (13.4% abv) with cocoa and coffee. He imports his malt from Simpson’s of Berwick. *Lucky drinkers were able to catch Lupum beers at Hemelvaart Bier Café over the August Bank Holiday along with examples from nine other Portuguese breweries – marking the first festival of its kind in the country. Also present was José Diogo Trindade whose Lindinha Lucas Session IPA (5.6% abv) is simply sensational. www.hemelvaart.co.uk www.cheersnortheast.co.uk / CHEERS / 17

GUEST WRITER: MATTHEW WEARS

THE SHIFT BEHIND THE BAR

It comes as no surprise that the social climate of Britain’s drinking culture is changing. There was a time when the local pub was the heart and soul of a community, but that now seems like a distant memory with gin bars and craft-ale houses popping up wherever there is free space.

I am from quiet Rowlands Gill, a village that had been without a proper pub for more than

18 / CHEERS / www.cheersnortheast.co.uk

fifteen years. Yes, it has a traditional social club, and during the summer the Gibside Estate nearby opens its doors for three hours on a weekend evening, but there wasn’t anything that could be classed as the beating heart of the village.

However, the summer of 2017 saw the opening of The Railway Tavern (above), a small but nonetheless exciting micropub. Serving everything from locally sourced ales to an array of

gins from further afield, the word quickly began to spread that Rowlands Gill had finally got its pub.

Railway Tavern owner Stephen Olver offered me a job behind the bar from where I was able to observe just how one of these contemporary micropubs functioned. I quickly realised that during the day the pub was quiet, attracting only a small number of locals – a sign perhaps of the changing times in which people now drink.

A quiet afternoon pint alone has now been replaced with a G&T with friends later in the evening. One day, at 5:30pm, a wave of customers began pouring through the door; a 35-strong army all demanding various craft beers and local ales. A “party bus” – had been travelling from one micropub to the next allowing its passengers to sample their delights.

It was truly fantastic to see people taking an active interest in the taste of what they were drinking and the atmosphere in which they drank it. As the communal acoustic guitar played various renditions of Fog On The Tyne, the customers just kept on ordering. They talked, laughed and sang their way to last orders and closing time. It was refreshing to see so many people out socialising in their local pub and it became apparent that although the role of the humble boozer had altered in recent years, its fundamental values certainly had not.

Matthew Wears

COVER STORY

FRESH START MADE FROM TEAMWORK A newly-refurbished Northumberland pub has original thinking in its traditional beams, writes Alastair Gilmour It’s common knowledge that if you walk into a pub anywhere, you’ll be greeted with an assemblage of characters, framed pictures, alcohol in all its forms, and a pig’s head. Actually, that’s not entirely true for every pub, but we did manage to come face to face with Porky at the Bird In Bush in Elsdon, Northumberland.

We’re not delving into strange practices here – this pub is a Thesaurus full of positive adjectives; brilliant, fantastic, excellent, wonderful. The pork is in the fridge, marinating in brine and ready to be converted into brawn. It’s a kitchen, it’s what happens behind those swinging doors.

The Bird In Bush is a Grade II-listed building that traces mid-1700s origins when Elsdon was the capital of Northumberland and drovers’ roads criss-crossed the rugged landscape lined with cattle en route to marts in Newcastle and Durham from The Borders and local hill farms.

It sits within the Northumberland National Park and has taken partners Katie Bland and Steve Shaw – plus a dedicated team of helpers – the thick end of three years to refurbish an ordinary pub into something special.

“We changed our plans all the time as the work evolved, working with the building,” says Steve Shaw. “Being a listed building we had to have approvals every step of the way.

Windows had to be the original sash style, the flooring correct and proper hardwood doors.”

Behind a dressed stone exterior and Welsh 20 / CHEERS / www.cheersnortheast.co.uk

tiled roof lies a two-roomed pub with three letting rooms (two doubles, a family) plus a bunkhouse for those cyclists and walkers who enjoy life’s bare necessities.

A huge fireplace dominates the lounge and one can only imagine how much heat was created for the room itself and those upstairs.

Underfloor heating fuelled by a biomass boiler has taken over that task today.

Adjoining the fireplace are a couple of higgledy-piggledy cupboards which take their line from the sloping beamed ceiling, suggesting they were actually built like that, rather than square. An aperture at the back shows that beer would have been passed through to “undesirables” (and perhaps even women) who were not welcome inside. Presumably, payment made the reverse trip.

A public library will function in the lounge, complete with computers and aided by The Pub Is The Hub scheme which helps places like the Bird In Bush to operate at the centre of community life, providing essential services beyond the usual drinks, food and entertainment.

The pub will be open during the day to enable locals to engage in distance learning with sustainability very much in mind – alongside gallery space for artists to show their work. A fresh supply of library books will rotate every three months.

Katie Bland says: “We also received a grant from the Princes Countryside Fund which is earmarked for innovative projects to provide a lasting legacy for communities. I don’t think

all of this would have been possible without it, so we’re very lucky.”

The majority of the pub’s beer comes from First & Last Brewery which occupies outbuildings at the rear – yet another example of local provenance. The bestselling Equinox Pale Ale (4.2% abv) and Reiver (4.2% abv) have sublime aromas and flavours. They are supported by Stell Stout (4.3% abv), Mad Jack Ha’ (3.8% abv), and

Bird watchers: Steve Shaw, Katie Bland, Sam Kellie, Kieran Pritchard, Will Rideau (also below) and David Shaw Photo: Peter Skelton

a range of innovative beers using chillies and indigenous ingredients such as water avens, elderflower and ground ivy.

“It’s all going really, really well,” says Sam Kellie who runs the brewery with his wife Red – undoubtedly one of the North East’s most creative brewers.

“Northumberland likes its session beers – 3.5% abv to 4.5% abv – which possibly wouldn’t sell that well in

Newcastle where more challenging beers around the 5.% abv mark are more the norm.

We’ve just brought out Mad Jack which went really well at The Town Mouse in Newcastle when we had a tap takeover.

“We want to keep our beers interesting.

Basically, beer is a science experiment you can drink.”

The pub’s large, superbly kitted kitchen – which looks as though it took up the vast majority of Katie and Steve’s budget – is the domain of French chef Guillaume “Will” Rideau, who had worked for 13 years at the Redesdale Arms at nearby Rochester.

Some serious food action is going on here with beer at the centre of it as an ingredient or as an accompaniment. All around are trays of the freshest vegetables, a collection

of mushrooms, a salmon prepared for curing, and that head – from a Hungarian Mangalitza pig raised by the Kellies and fed on brewery grains – now wallowing in herbs.

“There is no menu,” says Will. “It’s all about what’s available on the day, so when it’s gone it’s gone. I don’t go to the butcher’s or the greengrocers for the same things every day – I ask for what’s new, what’s in season and what is in really fresh condition.”

The Bird In Bush and similarly named pubs such as Bird In Hand have been popular descriptors since the 17th Century, derived from the saying, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”.

As an addition to the region’s rich pub culture, this Bird In Bush is sure to fly high.

Worth two of a lot of others, some might say. www.cheersnortheast.co.uk / CHEERS / 21

TRADEMARK PROTECTION

SELLING BEER TO CHINA

Late last year, a delegation of North East brewers – Box Social, Camerons and Hadrian Border breweries, along with Luke Smith from Poetic License gin distillery – travelled to China to assess the export market.

Continuing the dialogue, Richard Sice from Sunderland-based North East Business Innovation Centre, consulted legal experts in the country, including Ms Wenli Xie from Shanghai law firm T&S Law. She said: “China is the world’s most dynamic marketplace with a growing affluent population which has an increasing taste for British craft beer. In 2017, China imported £45.9m worth of beer ‘representing a remarkable 127% increase year-on-year’, according to www. thedrinksbusiness.com earlier this year.

“With growing awareness of the opportunity for UK brewers comes the need to be best prepared when selling to China, so a few questions need to be answered.”

Q. How can foreign enterprises protect their brands’ rights and interests in China?

22 / CHEERS / www.cheersnortheast.co.uk

A. If a UK brewer wants to trade with China, a trademark registration is a must. China applies the first to register a basis for trade protection.

This means that the legal owner of the brand mark is the first to file for protection regardless as to whether they own that mark of beer in the UK. If the UK brewer is prepared to fight this in relevant administrative departments in government and/or the law courts in China it can be expensive, time-consuming, and the results can not be guaranteed. However, it is straightforward and relatively inexpensive to protect your brand at the start of your trade with China. It is necessary to have this done by a law firm/agent with an official legal status and legitimate qualification in China.

Q. In addition to trademark registration protection, is there any other protection of brands?

A. Your copyright such as the artwork, design and unique appearance of your brand can be protected under copyright law. By getting both

copyright and trademark registration you will have double security of your brand and it is often more cost effective to have this done at the same time.

Q. Who can help a UK brewer protect its brands in China?

A. Choosing a professional law firm with a lot of

NEWS

ALL GRIST TO THE MILL

Affluent: Shanghai at its colourful best experience in intellectual protection rights is the best option. Lawyers are qualified to offer a range of legal risks prevention services in China which other parties can not. *Wenli Xie is the UK representative of

Shanghai T&S Law which has recently opened a new office in Edinburgh.

Contact Wenli Xie at xiewenli@xinhean. com For further information, please contact Richard Sice: richard.sice@ goingglobalskills.com, 07736 506077.

A group of Cheers readers came across this at the Water Mill Inn at Ings, Cumbria. An anonymous but kind connoisseur of literature had pinned September’s issue of the magazine to the lobby noticeboard for all to read (thank-you sir or madam). The Water Mill is a lovely pub – multi-roomed with separate areas for dining, drinking, and generally enjoying life away from the Lake District’s crammed honeypots. Beers are brewed on site (Westmoreland Brewery, formerly Water Mill Brewing Co) but they come with a warning: If you start your session on the sessionable Colly Wobbles, a 3.7% abv pale, well balanced thirst quencher, you’ll not stray far from it. All beers have dog-style names – Wruff Night (5.0% abv), Golden Retriever (4.3% abv) and the mighty-but-easy-todrink Shih Tzu Faced (7.0% abv).

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www.cheersnortheast.co.uk / CHEERS / 23

WINE AND FOOD

SAINT GOES MARCHING IN

Resize your wine list this Christmas

www.lanchesterwines.co.uk 24 / CHEERS / www.cheersnortheast.co.uk

The patron saint of winemakers has made a new home in Newcastle. Renowned chef and restaurateur Terry Laybourne recently closed his popular Italian restaurant Caffe Vivo, to create St Vincent, a new concept inspired by European traditions which taps into the current craft revolution in winemaking.

The space within the Live Theatre buildings on the city’s Quayside previously devoted to Caffe Vivo has undergone a major refit.

Terry Laybourne says: “St Vincent is a wine bar, inspired by the places I love to spend time in across Europe. This is our Broad Chare pub five years on, that’s gone European. It’s also a place where you can order as many dishes as you like, combined with a great selection of classic and new-style wines. A place to hang out and enjoy great food and great drinks with friends – and strangers.”

Wines are from small, independent winemakers, mainly

in France and Italy and there is a range of cocktail classics along with craft beers, cask ales and ciders. Served alongside these is a menu of “small plates” which Terry has designed to respond to the wine in particular.

“It’s wine bar food,” he says.

“Dishes are simple, producedriven, delicious and nutritious.

Many will be familiar, almost ‘retro’. As with the wines, the ingredients are carefully sourced and seasonally harvested with the chefs letting the ingredients speak for themselves.”

Oktoberfest is also being celebrated next door at Broad Chare. Until October 6, the pub celebrates the world’s biggest beer festival, going all Bavarian with hearty specials on the menu plus samples of this year’s Oktoberfest beers.

Terry Laybourne says: As you know we’re a proper pub and we love proper beer. We’ve even added themed snacks to our bar snack menu – you can’t beat having a delicious bratwurst in one hand and a beer in the other.”

WINE: COMMERCIAL FEATURE

IT’S TIME FOR RIOJA!

While grabbing onto the final memories of our Spanish summer holidays, we’re taking five to relax with a glass (or bottle) of Rioja with Lanchester Wines’ Lesley Cook: Rioja is Spain in a glass of red wine. When we take a sip of Rioja we’re transported back to sunny holidays and immediately picture Spain’s other famous culinary delights: beautiful slices of Jamon Serrano, salty chunks of Manchego cheese and a bowl full of ripe green olives. Delicious.

But, while many of us have drunk Rioja, it still remains rather misunderstood, so here’s a few facts you may not know about Rioja wine: RIOJA’S A PLACE, NOT THE WINE As with French wines (think Bordeaux, Burgundy, Beaujolais), Rioja wine is named after the area in which it’s grown rather than the grape itself. The Rioja wine region is classified as Denominación de Origen Calificada (D.O.Ca. "Qualified Designation of Origin") and spans the regions of La Rioja and Navarre, plus in the province of Álava in the Basque Country. Rioja is further subdivided into three zones: Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa The area can be found in the North of Spain spanning 61,645 hectares (152,328 acres) and home to close on 17,000 vineyards!

Winemaking in the Rioja region dates back to around the year 873 and, as you can imagine in a region steeped in such heritage, there are many festivals celebrating Rioja wines. One of the most famous is La Batalla del Vino de Haro or The Wine Fight of Haro (home to around 40% of Rioja vineyards) where, each June, locals throw wine at each other.

IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT TEMPRANILLO While Tempranillo is the predominate grape used for Rioja, it’s not the only grape used in production. In fact, Rioja is made from a blend of grape varieties, with Tempranillo the dominant grape. Garnacha is typically included in the blend to add some fruitiness while Mazuelo and Graciano may also be included.

Spain is very proud of its indigenous Tempranillo grape which has been made into wine for more than 2,000 years. Unlike other countries which have adopted grapes originally indigenous to France or Italy, Tempranillo was born and cultivated in Spain.

And it’s this Tempranillo grape which gives Rioja wine its distinctive aromas of dried red fruits and mellow spice that so many people know and love with varying blends of Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano added by winemakers to create unique blends.

RIOJA WINE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE RED While most of us know Rioja as red wine, white wine is also made in the region. White Rioja (Rioja Blanco), is made entirely with white grapes and there are six traditional Spanish grape varieties and three international grapes permitted in its production. The most important grape is Viura, which must be a minimum of 51% of the blend while the others include Garnacha Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco, Malvasia, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Verdejo.

White Rioja offers an elegant, easy drinking and crowd-pleasing white wine, despite making up just 10% of wine production in the Rioja

region in Northern Spain. There are two key styles of White Rioja: light, lemony-fresh tangy whites and full-bodied, rich and nutty whites.

THERE ARE FOUR MAIN CLASSIFICATIONS OF RIOJA WINE Rioja uses a system of qualifying wines to make it easy to find what you like. One of the primary qualifications between the different styles is oak-aging - the more oak, the higher the quality level. And this is strictly regulated by the Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja (the Rioja control board) • Rioja. Wines in their first or second year, which keep their primary freshness and fruitiness.

• Crianza (Cree-an-tha). A minimum of one year in casks and a few months in the bottle. For white wines, the minimum cask aging period is six months • Reserva. Selected wines of the best vintages with an excellent potential that have been aged for a minimum of three years, with at least one year in casks. For white wines, the minimum aging period is two years, with at least six months in casks.

• Gran Reserva. Selected wines from exceptional vintages which have spent at least two years in oak casks and three years in the bottle. For white wines, the minimum ageing period is four years, with at least one year in casks If you would like to learn more about Lanchester Wines and its Rioja range, please visit www.lanchesterwines.co.uk or ask your local bar staff. www.cheersnortheast.co.uk / CHEERS / 25

BEER NEWS

BEER INITIATIVE ARE FORCEFUL EVENTS

The annual Craft Beer Calling weekend descends on Newcastle this month at Wylam Brewery’s Palace of Arts in Exhibition Park. There are also plans for the city’s pubs to get involved with tap-takeovers and meet-the-brewer sessions to run concurrently with the October 18-20 event.

An initiative called Newcastle Beer Week is being driven by Mick Potts of The Free Trade Inn and Edinburgh-based New Wave Distribution.

“The idea is to have a bit of joined-up thinking across the beers and breweries involved in Craft Beer Calling,” says New Wave’s Oliver Catt. “We’ve been thinking about a Newcastle Beer Week for a while and now we’ve got eight breweries involved in a sort of fringe event; a chance for people who can’t get to all the Craft Beer Calling sessions to see what great beers are around.

“New Wave and Craft Beer Calling have a great working relationship anyway and we did a similar thing at the Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival, so it was a great excuse to do it here.

“The idea is that each venue has a brewery assigned to it and their brewers will be in town to visit and talk to customers and staff. Everyone has been really receptive and it’s about ideas coming from the pubs and the brewers themselves.”

As almost a fringe of a fringe event, The Cluny in the Ouseburn Valley is also involving one of the Craft Beer Calling breweries in a tap-takeover and meet-thebrewer session with London 26 / CHEERS / www.cheersnortheast.co.uk

creatives Fourpure – named most innovative brewery and business of the year at the 2017 Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) awards.

This starts on Friday October 19 (6pm)

with meet-the-brewer – the first the pub has ever done – with giveaways before the whole weekend guest take-over (The Cluny is providing some cracking entertainment too, as one would imagine).

Beers to look out for include Planet Simcoe (5.9% abv), Flat Iron American Red (4.7% abv), Juicebox Citrus IPA (5.9% abv) and a Homage Farmhouse Saison (5.5% abv) collaboration with Brasserie de la Seine.

Craft Beer Calling itself is amazingly into its fifth edition and continues moving forward, offering more and better and pushing the craft beer sector that little bit more.

“Craft Beer Calling can do that,” says Wylam Brewery director Dave Stone.

“We’re shuffling the pack a little bit this year with some smaller breweries from elsewhere in the country that haven’t had much exposure here in the North East.

“New this year are Box Car, Summer Wine, Burnt Mill and Track plus there’ll be some international ones, such as Brouwerij de Molen from The Netherlands and To Øl (Denmark). It marks the last party of the year’s beer festival season in the UK. The brewers love coming here and it’s an opportunity to offer good North East hospitality.

“I think the city-wide idea is a great thing. That way people get the chance to sample more great beers. With this and Craft Beer Calling, we’re trying to educate local people as to what great beer is available here and from elsewhere.”

Details and dates: www.craftbeercalling.com www.thecluny.com newwavebeer/

PUB NEWS

GIVE A DOG A BAD NAME

Despite 2018 being the Chinese Year of the Dog, the JD Wetherspoon pub chain has banned them from its near 1,000 venues. The pub giant said reasons behind their exclusion were concerns for the safety of children and hygiene issues. Animals, they say, can be “unpredictable” and that some customers, including children, may not like dogs.

Under the ban, the pets will also not be allowed in outside areas around the premises, such

The

as smoking areas and beer gardens.

In reality, the company has had a no-dogs policy since shortly after it was founded almost 40 years ago but has allowed “a few exceptions” in recent years. Before the ban was rolled out last month, announcements in pubs said the only pets to be exempt from the rule will be assistance dogs, which will be allowed both inside and outside.

Wetherspoons spokesman Eddie Gershon said that “even

Wire haired: The Red Lion, Bedlington. Photo: Dave Webb

well-behaved dogs can be unpredictable” and “we serve a lot of food and unfortunately not all owners are diligent over cleaning up dog mess”.

He added that the family chain

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is mindful that “younger children in particular can be unpredictable around dogs and many are scared of dogs”. In recent months, Wetherspoons owner Tim Martin and staunch EU-

PUB NEWS

Leave campaigner has dropped Champagne in favour of British sparkling wine in its pubs and has closed all its social media accounts, allegedly because of the amount of adverse comments

levelled at the company.

But not all is doggy n-go at Wetherspoons; a number of its bars offer BrewDog beers Punk IPA and Elvis Juice, while the Red Lion in Bedlington, Northumberland, is heavy on Bedlington Terrier connotation.

Framed photos of the handsome canine line the walls of this large corner-site pub while a bench outside plays homage and a wire sculpture by artist and former Jaws impersonator Gary Tiplady is a real conversation point.

The Bedlington Terrier is often described as looking like “a lamb on a leash”. The progenitor of the breed is said to be Old Flint, owned by Squire Trevelyan in the late 18th Century. It was originally known as the Rothbury or Rodbery Terrier and is now one of the most popular show dogs in America.

February 5 2019 marks the beginning of the Chinese Year of the Pig, so Wetherspoons could perhaps do us all a favour by banning the ubiquitous serving of pulled pork.

cheers WE’RE LOOKING FOR A...

MEDIA SALES PERSON Cheers is the authoritative voice of the North East pub and brewing sector.

Our advertising account manager is off to London after 5 successful years with us, so we are looking for someone who can further develop commercial opportunities both in print and online.

SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT GETS TO SPEND EVERY DAY DOWN THE PUB! ABOUT US - Offstone Publishing is a successful media company based in Stocksfield, Northumberland. We publish quality magazines and websites and need talented, driven people to join our sales team. We’re only 20 minutes from the centre of Newcastle and we’re offering a competitive salary, bonus potential, company car, 25 days holiday a year, and a great view. Apply now!

CHEERS ON TOUR Rachel (Rach) Charlton sent us these photos from a recent trip to Latvia. We continue to be amazed and delighted that folks take the time to carefully pack a copy of the magazine to flourish in mint condition from a bar, beach or mountain top somewhere in the world.

Thank you, it’s genuinely appreciated.

Rach writes: “My boyfriend Matt Benton and I went on a mini Baltic adventure this summer before we started back at medical school and took a copy of Cheers with us. Here it is at the Tallinn battlements and in a really lovely brewpub in Riga called Labietis.

"PS. Love the magazine!"

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PROFILE

WISE HEAD ON YOUNG SHOULDERS

There are currently 578 Master Brewers in the world and now a young man from Rowland’s Gill, Tyne & Wear, has joined them.

Best of all though, 28-year-old Ross O’Hara is the youngest of the lot.

Ross qualified from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) after studying for four years alongside his day-job at Greene King in Bury St Edmunds, Surrey, developing new products and overseeing the company’s apprentice brewers at its London microbrewery, Craft Academy.

Since joining Greene King in 2016, Ross has been responsible for the development of new brands that include the awardwinning Heritage range, Yardbird Pale Ale and Gluten-Free Old Speckled Hen, plus the Craft Academy range and the brewery’s

30 / CHEERS / www.cheersnortheast.co.uk

Young gun: Ross O'Hara, Greene King

PROFILE seasonal beers. Master Brewer is the highest level of brewing qualification offered by the IBD and is a measure of the level of a candidate’s competence in the technical management of the brewing processes. The qualification is made up of five modules – Raw Materials and Wort Production, Fermentation and Beer Processing, Packaging of Beer, Management and Regulatory Compliance and a Practical Project.

Ross says: “I had no idea I was the youngest doing the course. It’s been a lot of work to reach this level but well worth it. I’ve enjoyed the challenge and love to continue to develop my knowledge.

“Greene King has been hugely supportive of me studying for the qualification, encouraging me to run with ideas and to draw on the heritage of the brewery to develop interesting new beers.”

Greene King head of operations David Carr says: “This is a fantastic achievement and we are all proud of Ross’ dedication and commitment to reaching this level. He is passionate about brewing and has exceptional technical ability as well as flair and innovation.

“His enthusiasm shines through, particularly when he is training our apprentice brewers, developing a new recipe, or driving industry initiatives such as the new brewing apprenticeship scheme.”

Ross graduated from Heriot-Watt’s renowned brewing and distilling course in Edinburgh and has worked with Caledonian Brewery in the city as well with Heineken UK. He says creating new beers is “magical” and that it’s half science and half educated guesswork.

“There’s no better job; I love it,” he says. “I wouldn’t change it for the world.

The moment of truth when you’ve created a new beer is when you pour that first pint after a trial brew – we can normally have three or four trials.”

As well as its Westgate Brewery in Bury St Edmunds, Greene King – founded in 1799 – brews out of the historic Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar, near Edinburgh. Its portfolio includes Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen, Abbot Ale and Belhaven Best.

The company operates some 2,900 pubs, restaurants and hotels across the country under the Hungry Horse, Farmhouse Inns, Chef & Brewer and Greene King Local Pubs banner.

ANGEL EYES HOP WILT

Timothy Taylor’s Landlord is being promoted in the national press with rather a strange advert. Above some blurb about killer wilt virus decimating English Fuggles hops – with the problem solved in part by farmer Tom Spilsbury – is an adapted Angel of the North in recognition that his efforts deserve a statue. It’s good to know that our very own “Geordie Flasher” is appreciated as the symbol of all things powerful, particularly in the context of beer.

THE COUNTY

7 0 H I G H S T R E E T, G O S F O R T H , N E 3 1 H B

14 Cask Lines 5 Keg/Craft Lines 50+ Bottled and Canned Beers 60+ Gins 30+ Whiskys Beer Garden / Dog Friendly Snug available for Private Hire As featured in Camra’s Good Beer Guide 2019

THE GUIDE POST The Guidepost has long since been the beacon for the local community in Ryhope, a real pub from inside to out and offers a home from home to our locals. With a well-presented beer garden to the rear, complete with a children’s play area, The Guide Post welcomes the whole family.

Find us on Facebook

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GUIDE POST, RYHOPE, SUNDERLAND SR2 0RN

www.cheersnortheast.co.uk / CHEERS / 31

NEWS

MUSIC MAESTRO PLEASE Tracking tastes: Bartender Beth Cole at The Free Trade Photo: Peter Skelton

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One of The Free Trade Inn’s innumerable merits is the jukebox which has belted out some real class tunes – free – for as long as many of us can remember. It has been suffering a bit of a wobble of late which happily has now been remedied.

Now the award-winning Newcastle pub’s landlord Mick Potts has issued an appeal for CDs from pub regulars to bring the machine back up to its former tip-top tunery.

Mick says: “The jukebox is really old and it had a habit of chewing up CDs and generally damaging them. It was no good just refilling it so we thought we’d get it fixed and introduce some new music to the pub.

“We thought at first it wouldn’t be easy to fix but we found someone to do it and the problem turned out to be something pretty simple. Variety is the key to everything in the pub and we have some weird and wonderful music on there but I can honestly say how they got there I don’t know. Some of the stuff I’d never heard of before or ever again.”

So, here we go, an opportunity for the public to submit CDs – compilations are the best for variety – and with the best will in the world the pub can’t put everything on the jukebox, but there’s probably a lot that you folks can contribute.

NEWS

TOP PUBS GO FOR NATIONAL TITLE The region’s Camra branches have been busy deciding which of our fine pubs will go headto-head with others across the country to decide the consumer organisation’s national pub of the year.

Representing the North East is the Golden Smog, Stockton-onTees. The town’s first micropub is named after the environmental conditions that prevailed on Teesside at one time but have happily dissipated.

Four real ales and two real ciders are served alongside an impressive range of Belgian beers, all in their correct glassware. Thirdpint glasses and bespoke tasting tables are also available.

Cheers is cheering on the geographic north where, representing Yorkshire and Scotland are the George & Dragon at Hudswell, near Richmond, and the Volunteer Arms (Staggs) in Musselburgh (which also

represents Northern Ireland for some unfathomable reason).

Camra named the George & Dragon – a homely, two-roomed village inn – its National Pub of the Year in 2016. Rescued and refurbished in 2010 after a successful community buyout, it now features its own library, shop, allotments and other local facilities as well as great food and Yorkshire-brewed beers alongside a selection of nearly 90 whiskies. A large beer terrace at the rear offers stunning panoramic views over the Swale Valley.

The Volunteer Arms has been run by the same family since 1858.

The traditional bar and snug feature timber flooring and panelling punctuated by mirrors from defunct local breweries. Ales tend to be hoppy and pale with often a darker one for choice, all changing regularly.

Congratulations – and do us northerners proud!

DON’T ARGUE WITH THE BOSS Here’s a question brought up in the pub last month on Bruce Springsteen’s birthday (September 23). Did you know that in 1985 when he played two sell-out concerts at St James’ Park he donated $20,000 to the Durham Miners Support Group?

He handed this cheque over to provide muchneeded financial and moral support for striking miners and their families.

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PUB PROFILE

IT’S AL OWA THE PLACE

AND WHAT DO YOU BREW?

We produce lovely beer right across the region, that’s what. The Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Duchess of Northumberland, visited Hexham farmers’ market last month where they were introduced to – among others – Tom and Nicola Smith from Muckle Brewing.

“We were delighted to meet them,” says Nicola. “He chatted to us about our artisan real ales. He was presented with a hamper of the local produce available from that day’s market which included a bottle of King’s Crag APA from our brewery near Haltwhistle.”

34 / CHEERS / www.cheersnortheast.co.uk

place Owa The Road.

Swalwell, Gateshead, is “What we can offer between perhaps best known to most our two pubs is ten handpulls people as that place you and ten ciders – plus a regular pass through while going to beer from the wood which we’ll the Metrocentre or heading be sourcing locally,” says Dave for Lidl. And it only takes Cook, landlord of both. He seconds to pass through. intends to build trade at Granted, Swalwell has the new free-of-tie experienced better days and pub while his was not so long ago a thriving wife Sarah village with all the amenities concentrates that most communities once on the boasted, but somehow they Marstonshave slipped through its grasp. leased Sun. Now change is afoot, led “We’ve by pubs, beer, community spirit only been and the vision of long-term open for three Swalwell residents. A new pub weeks and it’s has opened in the former Cobeen great. I’ve op buildings on Market Lane, seen faces in here right across the street from the (Owa The Road) that I haven’t thriving Sun Inn. They are under seen for years – and it’s not the same ownership – in fact, it BS advert H128 X W93.5.qxp_Layout 1 hurting the business we have was a no-brainer to call the new

at The Sun at all; it’s holding its own. We’re getting Sun regulars and new customers all the time.

“We’d like to feature all local beers and perhaps have the occasional festival with beers from all over the country – again, between The Sun Inn and Owa The Road – as that could be really successful.”

Owa The Road (like The Sun Inn) is extremely tidy, well thoughtout and arranged to maximum advantage for customers and staff. Furniture, fixtures 27/09/2018 13:12 Page 1 and some fittings have come

PUB PROFILE

New pub: Dave Cook at Owa The Road from a defunct social club (there’s probably an academic study waiting to be written on the demise of “the cleub” via short-sightedness, dreadful stewardship, failure to adapt, and sheer cussedness, and the rise of craft beer, micropubs and microbreweries through simply tuning into contemporary demands.

Repurposed brass footrails have been engineered into handrails and a back bar gantry that shimmers with wow factor first impressions which Dave Cook is particularly proud of – him being a confirmed recycler. Beyond the bar is a separate lounge area which will surely evolve as ideas and

opinions are formed and firmed, plus an area further to one side which is simply crying out for a microbrewery.

Dave says: “We’re looking at that for next year – producing beers for ourselves with maybe one or two going out for swaps.

It’s really exciting. For now we’re

offering beers conditioned in the wood – wooden casks can give beer an extra dimension.”

Dave also reckons he has single-handedly introduced Swalwell to gin – he stocks 32 different brands.

“You wouldn’t believe the number of people who are drinking it,” he says. “I’m really pleased we’ve taken this on, but we are also looking after The Sun Inn. We’ve just replaced the upholstery which was getting on a bit, but now looks great. Running both places gives customers a chance to try two different pubs – if there’s a televised match or music session on at The Sun and people want a bit more peace and quiet – and good old-fashioned conversation – they can just pop over here. People are talking to each other again.

“Owa The Road is a real community pub and it keeps people in the village rather than them going elsewhere. Being free of tie, I can do a lot of things here I can’t do at The Sun, so they both complement each other really well.”

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BEER INSPIRATION BRIDGES THE DECADES

Ninety years ago on October 10, the first vehicle crossed the Tyne Bridge in an official capacity. Nestled inside were King George V and Queen Mary, along with a royal entourage of ladies-in-waiting, gentlemenat-arms, local council officers, bridgebuilding bosses, dignitaries and various interested parties.

Ever since, the structure has become a world-renowned icon of Newcastle upon Tyne; shorthand for strength, dignity and hardy working-class values. Millions of coffee mugs,

tee-shirts, tea towels etc, have been produced over the years as a display of civic pride.

North East brewers have also cottoned on to its association, not least because of the bridge’s instant recognisability but its shape which in silhouette in particular translates well into graphic forms – and none more so than Newcastle Brown Ale which incorporated it into its new “blue star” logo in 1928, a year after the beer was introduced to the market.

The five points of the star represented the five founding breweries of Newcastle. For the

TYNE BRIDGE @ 90

Montage: Peter Skelton

last decade or so, the Brown Ale label has featured the Gateshead Millennium Bridge prominently with the Tyne Bridge playing a supporting background role.

Newcastle Brown Ale was from its inception perceived in the UK as a working-man’s beer with a long association to heavy industry, an image it has never really shaken off. However, in export markets, it is seen as a trendy, premium import and is consumed predominantly by younger people.

The brand is now owned

by Heineken. A company spokesperson says: “We are incredibly proud of Newcastle Brown Ale’s roots in the North-East.

We also take great pride in the fact that our beer is as synonymous with the region as the Tyne Bridge or

the Gateshead Millennium Bridge.

These two iconic sites epitomise the strength of the region and so were a natural choice to feature on our labels throughout the ages.”

Hadrian Border Brewery has been using the Tyne Bridge on its Tyneside Blonde pumpclips and bottle labels since 2007 – first brought about by a challenge to sales staff to find out in the trade what style, strength and colour of beer was lacking in the brewery’s range and what landlords would buy.

“The answer came back as a 3.9% pale beer,” says Andy Burrows, Hadrian Border’s coowner (along with his wife Shona.

“The name didn’t take too much thinking about as at the time the brewery was only a couple of

hundred yards from the Tyne and just down-river from the iconic image you see on the badge.

“Tyneside Blonde very quickly became our best seller – and is still is with sometimes half of all production dedicated to it.”

The Tyne Bridge’s inspirational values weren’t lost on Julia Austin, either. The Tyne Bank Brewery she operates originally occupied Hadrian Border’s old premises in Byker, so the name alone didn’t really take much thinking about.

Two-and-a-half years ago, it moved a few hundred metres into a fabulous brewhouse, taproom and events space and a rebranding exercise also took the company and its beers onto another level.

The DNA “helix” has an uncanny resemblance to the Tyne Bridge and its arches, so Julia’s brief to designers was to incorporate the two, using letterforms and images to depict the view of the Tyne and its magnificent structures.

“Our tagline, It’s What’s Inside That Counts, also forms part of the DNA element of our branding,” says Julia.

A recent Newcastle Brown Ale development led The Strawberry pub on Newcastle’s Gallowgate to understand it was the only pub in the country to be offering “Geordie Champagne” in keg dispense. Landlord Michael Hill bought enough to see the pub into October. The beer flew out and at the time of writing there was only a 30-litre keg left. So, at time of reading it's gone. Heinken has confirmed that the keg version was a trial and that results are being analysed.

“Newcastle Brown Ale is the number one premium bottled ale in the UK – selling more than £40m worth every year,” says Heineken.. “Whilst many new beers have entered the market, it is always comforting to know that it remains a fabric of the UK beer market and continues to appeal to millions of drinkers across the country.”

THE TYNE BRIDGE OPENING DAY Information panels from Tyne Wear Museums and Archive read: 10th October 1928: The opening day has arrived. A guard of honour parades beside the covered stage from which King George V, accompanied by Queen Mary, performs the opening ceremony. It is a joyful, festive occasion.

As the royal party arrived “…the air was rent with the cheering of the people, above which were heard the shrieking of the sirens of the ships on the river all in carnival dress, the factory ‘buzzers’, the opening boom of the Royal Salute of 21 guns … and the drone of a Moth aeroplane as it flew low over the bridge.” Thus the RAF began the tradition of flypasts maintained so spectacularly today by the Red Arrows. *Quotes are from the Newcastle Daily Journal.

TYNE BRIDGE FACTS The Tyne Bridge was officially opened on October 10 1928 although work was not finally completed until the end of the year.

The total cost of the bridge, including associated road improvements, was £1.2m, of which about one third was for the purchase of land.

It contains more than 7,000 tons of steel and more than threequarters-of-a-million rivets (some of which can be examined through special viewing panels at the Bridge Tavern in Newcastle).

The Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Tyne Bridge were designed independently though they were built by the same contractor, Dorman, Long & Co. Ltd. of Middlesbrough.

The top of the bridge can be 200 feet above river level, depending on the tide. The minimum clearance for shipping is 84 feet 6 inches.

The span of the Tyne Bridge is 531 feet (the largest single span bridge in the country at the time of completion). www.cheersnortheast.co.uk / CHEERS / 37

FUN STUFF

SIGN OF THE TIMES Clever names that people dream up for their businesses get us every time. This punning company van and its crowning glory were spotted in Jesmond, Newcastle.

THE DIRTY DOZEN TWELVE QUESTIONS THAT DESPERATELY NEED ANSWERS

1 Lionel Messi scored three goals in a Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven last month. That made how may hat-tricks for Barcelona?

2 In pantomime, who is Aladdin’s father?

3 Whose horse was called Brigham?

4 What does a pluviometer measure?

5 How many dimples does a golf ball have?

A MAN WALKS INTO A BAR… …AND THE BARMAN SAYS: “DID I SEE YOU THE OTHER DAY IN TOWN SHOOTING SCENES WITH A FILM CREW? “YES,” SAYS THE MAN, “I’M INVOLVED IN A NEW MOVIE.” THE BARMAN SAYS: “THAT’S FANTASTIC, WHAT’S YOUR ROLE?” THE MAN SAYS: “I PLAY SOMEONE WHO’S BEEN MARRIED FOR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS.” THE BARMAN SAYS: “SO IT’S NOT A SPEAKING PART, THEN?”

6 What is a collection of ravens called?

7 Which game was originally trademarked in 1881 as Gossima?

8 Who were Nanker and Phelge?

9 What is a kukri?

10 What are the Western Roll and the Eastern Cutoff?

11 What did Boy George say he preferred to having sex?

12 What is the largest island in the Mediterranean?

13

EEH! NUMBERS

The Old Thirteenth Cheshire Astley Volunteer Rifleman Corps Inn at Stalybridge, Cheshire, is the longest-named pub in the country.

13 In the Roman Catholic Church, a traditional devotion called the Thirteen Tuesdays of St Anthony involves praying to the saint every Tuesday over a period of thirteen weeks.

13 Despite its reputation as an unlucky number, in Italy 13 is considered lucky. The expression fare tredici (“to do 13”) means to hit the jackpot (17 is considered an unlucky number instead)

QUOTE

“A BLIND TASTING IN PORTUGAL MEANS THAT YOU SAMPLE SO MUCH BEER YOU CAN’T SEE” JOSÉ DIOGO TRINDADE, PORTUGUESE BREWER (LINDINHA LUCAS) AND BEER DISTRIBUTOR AT MAJOR ROÇADAS

QUIZ ANSWERS: 1 Forty-eight. 2 Mustafa the tailor. 4 Buffalo Bill. 4 Rainfall. 5 336. 6 An unkindness. 7 Table tennis. 8 Mick Jagger and Keith Richards (one of their early song-writing pseudonyms). 9 A Gurkha knife. 10 High jump techniques. 11 A nice cup of tea. 12 Sicily.

38 / CHEERS / www.cheersnortheast.co.uk

AND YOU THOUGHT THERE WERE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS!

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