Brewery News

September sees the launch of Breakwater, Bays Brewery’s first American IPA.

Black Tor’s Blonde 3.8% abv was a guest ale at The Stranger’s Bar in the Houses of Parliament recently. Jonathon met with local MP Mel Stride to share a pint and fly the flag for Devon ales. Raven 4.2% abv best bitter and Blonde 3.8% abv were served at GBBF in London. A new beer Tap Tackle 4% abv was launched for the rugby world cup, a malty, fruity amber ale brewed with Bramling Cross hops. Black Tor’s popular festive ruby red ale Advent 4.8% abv, which is fortified with special reserve port, returns in cask and also bottles for the first time in October. Recent investments at the brewery have increased capacity as the brewery continues to grow including a semi-automated 3-head cask washer, another van and drayman.

Increased production at Bridgetown Brewery due to increased demand for its beers, means that brewer George "Ed" Langabeer has also been entrusted (!!) with driving the brewery van to aid deliveries. Recent collaborations - "Kozbest" - a malty best bitter - and "Cheeky Phil", an IPA brewed to commemorate the late landlord of the Nowhere Inn, were great successes. The brewery is also in the process of joining SIBA to help in showcasing its beers to a wider audience. Dartmoor Brewery has a new Managing Director. Head brewer Ian Cobham has taken over at the top of the Devon brewery.

Devon Earth are brewing Lost In The Woods and Devon Earth for both Abbfest and Falmouth Beer festivals. The Edgemoor Hotel just outside Bovey Tracey has been taking their ale along with Arthur at Avalon Wholesale & Brewing who has been sending the beers to various beer festivals across the country.

It’s been 10 years since Otter dug down and constructed the UK’s first eco cellar. Constructed over two years, half of it sits half underground and is built from honeycomb clay blocks more commonly used in the Alps. From concept to completion, by trapping the sun’s light and heat and building down rather than up, it’s a testament to intelligent eco-design in the 21st century.

Crowning the upper level is a living sedum roof which recycles rain water. The earth’s core temperature is used to cool the lower level area to 12°C – the ideal storage temperature for cask ale. This replaces the need to have 8 chillers and compressors running 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, all of which saves over 6½ tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. Just one of a long list of green initiatives across the brewery.

Salcombe Brewery is showing its support for the England rugby team throughout the Rugby World Cup with the launch in September of its very special limited edition Red Rose beer, which will be available from the brewery in bag-in-boxes via the shop and online, and on draught in pubs across the country.

Brewer, Sam Beaman comments: “We are huge rugby fans here at Salcombe Brewery so we were very excited at the prospect of creating a beer to celebrate the World Cup. Just like the competition, Red Rose brings together some of the best ingredients from across the globe with hops from Britain, New Zealand and the New World. We like to think that the result is a world class beer and we hope that England will be coming out at the top of the table too!” Red Rose (ABV 4.0%) is a mahogany malty beer that has a spiced caramel and toffee malt base with a balanced bitterness followed by a smooth fruity finish. Created using a range of both British, New World and New Zealand hops the result is a flavoursome beer that is both subtle and complex. Sam continues: “Red Rose is the ideal beer to enjoy throughout the World Cup season. I plan to team mine up with a steak and ale pie for the perfect match day combination and hope to be raising a glass or two to toast England’s success in the competition.”