Best of the West Women and Beer Dinner with Dea Latis

On Thursday evening I went along to the 'Best of the West' Women and Beer dinner hosted by Dea Latis, who's goal is to get more women interested and trying beers. Held at The Albion in Bristol and supported by St Austell, this was Dea Latis' first time holding an event like this in the West Country. I found out about the event via an email sent out by The British Guild of Beer Writers of which I am a member of. Despite the fact my boyfriend works for St Austell/ Bath Ales, I paid full price for my ticket and I am not affiliated with the brewery. I went along to the dinner out of my own interest and to challenge myself with food and beer pairings.

Annabelle, beer sommelier and host for the dinner, guided us through the history of women's involvement in beer production. She was very quick to dispel any misconceptions women may feel about beer, i.e. the dreaded beer belly. The main focus of the evening, however, was to look into food and beer matches that we could try for ourselves at home. From a previous blog post you may remember that I struggle with trying new foods. I was struck with fear as I realised that two out of the five courses were foods I wasn't particularly keen on but I went into the dinner with the mentality that I had to try to eat these dishes to see how they matched with the beers. I may not have eaten everything on the plates but I gave them a good try! My highlights if the evening were a chicken liver parfait teamed with Leifmans Kriek Brut and a lemon posset with prosecco strawberry jelly matched with Bath Ales' Dark Side. These two courses stood out to me as they were so contrasting and the flavours were really complex on the palate. 

A really great thing I came away with from the experience was seeing everyone eating and enjoying beers, so much so that spare bottles were being passed up and down the table. Our group had a good mixture of frequent ale drinkers and women who were new beer. I even saw a couple of ladies, who thought that they had a definite beer type, try a new style of beer and really enjoy it. I believe that most of us who attended were challenged in different ways and have all learned something about our beer preferences.  

This was the first 'Best of the West' Women and Beer dinner and I hope to be able to go again. It would be great to see some new faces next time! 

3 Tap Rooms - 1 City

Following my pub crawl around Bristol my boyfriend and I decided to check out a few of the local brewery tap rooms. The Beer O'clock Show this week held a poll and discussed whether or not pubs would be taken over by tap rooms. It appeared that the results of this showed that whilst tap rooms are increasing in popularity, people still believe that there is a place for pubs in our British beer culture. I visited three tap rooms in Bristol last weekend: Lost & Grounded, Left Handed Giant and Moor, to see what they are all about.

Lost & Grounded was the furthest tap room from the city centre and therefore was not an easy walk. Typically breweries and their tap rooms are found in industrial estates so you really have to make a special trip out to drink there. Good job Bristol has a good network of taxis! We decided to go here first as we had heard about Lost & Grounded's Summer Brewhouse Sessions. The sessions were showcasing a range of beers from Lost & Grounded as well as from invited guest brewers. On this particular weekend Verdant were on the guest taps and we couldn't wait to get stuck in.

We tried a beer made by the hosts called Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy which was a collaboration with Pressure Drop and has to be one of my highlights of this trip. You definitely get the lemon flavours on the nose and in the taste. A great beer to start on as, likes it name, it was such and easy drinker! I also really enjoyed Verdant's I Played Bass on that Tune which had a smooth, hoppy and resinous flavour well suited to my palate and a good mouthfeel that made me keep going back for more. 

I couldn't help but notice how impressive the brewery is. Lost & Grounded's tap room is within the confines of the brewery and so you are able to see all of the equipment and some of the brewing processes. Considering the brewery has only been open since July 2016 they have some very impressive kit. I really enjoyed my first visit here but I just wish it was more easily accessible, especially after an afternoon Summer Session!

A hop back into the taxi and our next destination was Left Handed Giant's brewery and tap room. From my last blog you'll note that I have often been into Small Bar, who boasts LHG beers on their taps, but I have never been to the brewery itself. Again the brewery is in an industrial estate but there is more of a 'hidden garden' feel to it with trees and vines surrounding the site. The inside of the tap room was a mixture of rustic and industrial decor - something I notice is quite a popular theme amongst modern breweries. I immediately noticed that the main part of the brewery is blocked off in a separate room and that the space has been purposely made for a tap room. I was surprised to see only three beers available on tap but I opted for the Lactose Tolerant. A tasty milky sweetness with a deep underlying red wine flavour. Definitely a sipping beer in my opinion.

Within walking distance of LHG is Moor Brewery. More often then not I end up coming here as it is only a short walk from Temple Meads train station. The only problem is that it is in the opposite direction to the city centre so again you have to make a special effort to come here but it is worth it. Moor have 10 keg lines all dispensing their own beers as well as one cask. Claudia was my tipple of choice as I needed something to quench my thirst after our walk over. This beer has the familiar wheat flavours I expect of a Belgian style but if you get the chance, try their PMA - definitely one of my favourites! I have to confess that Moor has helped introduce me to a range of different styles of beers such as porters/stouts/wheat that I ordinarily would not have tried before. The decor in the tap room is very clean and white with their own branding embellishing the walls. Another example of a brewery who have kept their tap room separate from the main brewery. They have also made the most of their outside space by producing a nice urban beer garden.

I feel like Moor have a good example of a modern traditional tap room and beers that compliment that idea. You still get a bit of that 'pub feel' when you are there despite the minimal decor. Despite this I don't believe that the tap room can over take the services of the pub. Each has its own qualities and I will continue to keep drinking in both!  

A Beery Bristol Pub Crawl

I quite often come into Bristol and being only a short trip down the motorway or a quick train journey it’s as easy as popping into your local for a drink. Despite this I have never really done a proper ‘pub crawl’ in the city so last weekend I decided to do just that. Theres so many places to go for a drink in Bristol but I concentrated on King Street as it is central and one of my favourite areas. I was joined by my beer loving boyfriend who was happy to take on the challenge with me!

First stop was at Brewdog Bristol - just a short walk from the end of King Street. I don't think I have ever been in here and struggled for a beer choice. As ever there was a buzzing atmosphere and the delicious smell of pizza filling the room is enough to make anyone hungry! After scanning the boards I decided to try an Elderflower Sour by Chorlton Brewing Co. for my first beer. Normally I don't like elderflower but I do enjoy a sour so thought I’d give it a try and it did not disappoint. Slightly floral on the nose as you would expect but a punchy sourness on the tongue. I felt that the elderflower helped mellow out the astringent nature of the sour flavour which made it much more drinkable and perfect for a warm day. I could have stayed longer but there was more pubs to visit and more beer to drink.

Next we moved to the top of King Street which I would say is the busiest end of the pub crawl. Theres a few bars here I have never been into, one of which being our next destination - the King Street Brewhouse. We had to try some of this brewpub’s own beer so opted for the Simcoe Pale Ale. First impressions were not great as our beers were served in plastic cups and it smelt like a barnyard - but not in a saison kind of way. Unfortunately the flavour was not much better as it was thin and tasted like a poor home brew. I’ve been to the Bath Brewhouse, which is within the same pub group, a few times before but always order from the guest taps which I realise now is a wise decision.


Moving swiftly on we avoided The Llandoger Trow as it serves a majority with a steady flow of commercial fizzy lagers which are not on my radar. We also skipped past the Duke and Kongs, again because it didn't suit our beery needs. 

The Beer Emporium is one of my favourite stops in King Street. I like the concept of the bar being underground in the cellar with the low ceilings and archways giving the feeling of intimacy. First cask beer of the evening had to be from local brewery The Bristol Beer Factory with their Milk Stout. Dark and chocolatey with a milky sweetness, it tasted like the last drop of a hot chocolate. The bitter notes of this beer help keep the milk stout from tasting too sickly so is far too easy to drink! 

Just next door is the The Famous Royal Navy Volunteer which was our next stop. Last time I came to The Volly with my partner we had to walk out as there was nothing particularly jumping out to us from the beer list. On this day the boards aren't terribly inspiring but I went for a safe option, the Biere De Saison by The Kernel Brewery. To coin a phrase - “there’s no such thing as a bad Kernel beer” - and it is absolutely true! We didn't stay long here as whilst the beers available were good there was nothing radical on the taps. 



At the end of our King Street crawl was Small Bar. I feel like there is a gravitational pull here every time I come to Bristol. I really like how the beers are presented on the boards with sections for the different beer styles - pales, sours and lagers to name a few. I remember when I first started drinking beer that this made it so clear and easy to choose at the bar. There is even a list called Crazy Stuff if your feeling more adventurous! Small Bar has the closest thing to a permanent line of beers from local brewery Left Handed Giant and you’ll quite often see the LHG team helping out at the bar. I’ve come to Small Bar for the Rainbow Project launches as well as other tap takeovers. It’s a firm favourite of mine and I will continue to make this a definite stop every time I come to Bristol. What a great ending to my King Street pub crawl! 

Smoke Free Anniversary

This weekend marked 10 years since the smoking ban was placed on the 1st July 2007 in the UK. At the time there was some protest from publicans and punters alike who claimed that this would mark the decline of the Great British Pub. 

Campaign group Freedom Organisation for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco (F.O.R.E.S.T.) released a report highlighting it’s concerns for public houses since the ban was put into place. They state that over the last 10 years there are 11,383 fewer pubs in the UK which they believe to be contributed by legislation. Despite this many landlords believe that the ban has been one of the best things to happen to our pub culture, and I have to agree with them. 

Since I have been of legal drinking age the no smoking ban has been in place. As a child I remember going to the pub with my family for meals and sitting in a room surrounded by smokers. I remember leaving and the smell of stale smoke clinging on my clothes and in my hair. Now because of the no smoking ban you can see groups of people from all ages as well as families in pubs feeling more comfortable and enjoying the atmosphere. Those who do smoke will go outside and I think that in a lot of ways this has helped deter people from sparking up in the first place! 

This is of course what the government intended - a reduction in the numbers of people smoking. Cancer Research UK state that there are now 1.9 million fewer smokers in the UK with the proportion of young smokers dropping from 26% to 17%. 

So 10 years on since the smoking ban was introduced and in my opinion it can only be a good thing. I appreciate that in the beginning pubs may have lost some trade but I think as people’s perceptions towards smoking changes then pub culture will start to improve too!

Southampton Beer Festival 2017 - Highlights!

Drinking beer in football stadiums doesn’t happen that much these days with rules abut taking it into the stands but CAMRA proved that they can be good venues for a beer festival. My trips to Southampton usually involve me being dragged to the football by my partner (who is a Saints fanatic) so it makes a change to go to St. Mary’s for something I would enjoy too! The festival was held in the stadium’s concourse with ample seating and space to move about – so no overcrowding! The thick brick walls and open stairs up to the main ground helped keep the room temperature cool and the beers in good condition. I had already marked a few beers I wanted to try on the train journey over so I was eager to get started, here are a few of my festival highlights.

Wild Weather’s Sublime 3.8% sounded like a good place to start with its lower ABV. This blonde ale had a very clean and light mouthfeel balanced out with a hint of lime. This didn’t last me long but was a good way to ease myself into the festival. The next beer needed to be something a little bolder...

‘When in Rome’ as they say so my next beer needed to be more local. I was eager to try Dancing Man and Eight Arch’s collaborative beer – The Lime and The Coconut. This was very tropical and had a strong coconut flavour – which I don’t normally go for considering I don’t enjoy coconut! I wouldn't say that this beer is particularly sour but there was more of a lime hit than my first beer. If it wasn't for the fact I was at a festival I would have continued drinking this all afternoon!

I decided to try a beer that was named after the Southampton FC legend Matt Le Tissier, particularly as I was at their home ground. On Le Tiss by Brewhouse & Kitchen unfortunately did not live up to the expectation of it’s name. I was disappointed by the flavour as it wasn’t to my taste and in my opinion I felt that it lacked any real mouthfeel. I felt like this beer was a little gimmicky but looking at other reviews from the event I could see there was a mixed bag of people who liked it and those who didn’t. A marmite amongst beers I think.

My last highlight of the festival was Jakehead IPA from Wylam. After having a few ales already I was finding my palate was starting to feel numb. I needed something with a burst of flavour and the Jakehead was it. A hoppy IPA with some citrus and grapefruit notes - this beer was the perfect end to a great festival. 

All in all a great turn out to a fantastic venue. The space was used effectively and the beers were well conditioned which is crucial for a good traditional ale. Definitely one I recommend and would be more than happy to go again in the future!

Tr-ale-ing new things

"How do you know that you don't like it if you don't try it?" I used to hear this a lot as I was growing up when it came to food. I have always had problems with certain flavours and textures which made me feel 'weird', particularly when I went to other people's houses for dinner. As I grew up I tried to overcome these fears and began to start tasting new things. Now the list of foods I will eat is longer than that of foods I won't touch which feels like a personal feat for me. What I didn't anticipate was how much of a psychological problem this was for me. This also stretches into my choices of beers. 

When confronted with a large choice of beers on the bar I find at first it can be quite overwhelming. I feel a sense of panic as the bar tender looks at me waiting for my order. I find myself always choosing something I have had before, I know I like it and it means I won't be a cause of delay at the bar. When looking at a shelf of beers in a shop I will always look for my favourite styles: sours, fruity, pales. The problem with this is that some styles of beers I wouldn't usually choose may have qualities from the types I normally enjoy. One of the best examples of this is with IPAs. 

When I first started drinking beers I tried quite a few IPAs and the recurring problem I kept finding was that they all tasted to me like a bar of soap. This then gave me a fear of anything labelled as hoppy and so I avoided IPA beers as a result. My opinion changed as I was recently encouraged to try Hypnotist by Magic Rock and I was pleasantly surprised by how fruity and juicy it was, not even remotely soapy! Since then I have been more open to IPA styles and have even chosen them for myself over my usual favourites. 

This fear has also stopped me from drinking traditional real ales. I have always been a craft beer sort of person and so have never really found any cask beers that I've really enjoyed. On a trip to Cardiff my boyfriend said I needed to try a Brains SA. Admittedly a trip to Cardiff would not be complete without trying their famous beer but I had my reservations. "Can I have just a half?" I said, not knowing what to expect. "No, you have to have a pint, it's the only way to have this beer" he replies. Next thing I know I am looking at a pint of the amber coloured ale and I'm committed. After the first sip I was hit with the sweet malty caramel flavours associated with this beer. I found myself really enjoying it and before I knew it the pint was gone. Since then I have been more open to having a go at some traditional cask ales.

So it looks like my list of beer styles I will drink is longer than those I won't! 

Brewing Nostalgia

Nothing is better than a beer on a late, warm afternoon which is exactly how I ended up at the Mawson Arms next to Fullers Griffin Brewery. As I sat down with my half of Sticky Wicket I couldn't help but find myself people watching around the room. What struck me was that I noticed almost half the people at the bar wore the Fullers Brewery logo. I then noticed that more people entering the pub were also bearing the brewery’s emblem, and it got me thinking…

When did we stop enjoying the simpler things in life? Most of us spend long hours at desks, in front of computers, and when we ‘clock off’ we’re rushing home to cook dinner or to pick up the kids from school to name a few examples. These Fullers employees were finishing their shifts and coming in to their local to socialise together over a pint of beer they have helped to brew before heading off home. I felt like I really had stepped back in time to when this was the norm. It has inspired me to stop worrying about all the things I need to do when I get home. I don't need to rush off the gym everyday after work. I should call some friends and meet them in the pub garden or local bar for a catch up. I might even get home before it gets dark!