I am a beer drinker myself, but of what is available Cristal is my favourite bottled beer - a crisp pils made by Super Bock. The two major breweries you mention now make a much wider range of bottled beers available in supermarkets. Both make a Preto (stout) and a stronger fruitier lager now. One of the exhibitors at the beer festival is a brewery from Mafra called The Mean Sardine, which I know nothing about, so I am looking forward trying their wares...
I'm currently working my way through Roger Protz' book 300 beers to try before you die (I've had 68 so far). I'm trying to locate a Brazilian called Xingu Black Beer. I thought my best bet was to look on their website for a lead. On there, there is a world map showing suppliers. I zoomed in on South East England and saw that the map had been marked with eight little beer bottle icons, six in London and two in Essex. I clicked on one at random and guess what it said: Charlton Athletic Football Club.
Is someone having a joke with me? Does the internet think that I have no interest in things that aren't labelled "Charlton"? Or perhaps, is Xingu available at the Club? Has anyone ever seen it in one of the suites?
Sounds a good book that Stig. I'll look that up. I generally get to about four or five beer festivals each year if I can. Great days out.
Just been to Santorini. Two breweries there. Vulkan does a poor lager and a good porter. Donkey does Yellow Donkey and Red Donkey (both 5% ales) and Crazy Donkey (8% - I think - IPA). All three are bottled unfiltered and unpasteurised and all are great.
The Hopstuff Brewery is a new microbrewery which has just opened on the Arsenal Development. I think you can now get there beers in a few Greenwich pubs.
Is anyone else on here angry with Fullers for taking over Gales then closing down their Horndean brewery?
No, I find it difficult to be angry about stuff that happened years ago. Besides, they still brew HSB and for me it's one of the best beers in their range. Ultimately I can't be angry with anyone that brews Fullers Vintage Ale, my all time favourite beer - if only I could afford to drink it!
Was first introduced to Fullers London Pride at the RoD when I attended my first game at the Valley (April 2012)....As soon as I returned to Canada, I headed for our local retail outlet and secured a few cans....then happened to sample Fuller's ESB & London Porter - both excellent!!! Just found out though that in Ontario, Fuller's ESB has been discontinued.....shame ;o( - Glad I stocked up on all things Fuller's prior and still have some Pride, ESB & Porter in the fridge..!!! Stig: Is Fuller's HSB new, i.e. a replacement for their ESB?? I cannot find a listing for it over 'ere...... Cheers.....
Oh, oh......update to previous post: All Fuller's products are now discontinued in Ontario...now I will be looking for a new British replacement - ...have tried Old Speckled Hen, Wychwood products, Bombardier, Spitfire, Abbott....but they are not Fuller's....thx for any suggestions.
All I know, #rileyaddick67 is that they were making it when I visited Fullers brewery last year. It sounded to me as though production had been continuous since they'd bought Gales out, but I'm not certain of that.
As the world's newest qualified Beer Sommelier, fell free to check me out on Twitter:@BosburyBrewer (I could do with a few more followers!) I recommend a beer of the week every week from beers I've been drinking. I'm also about to start brewing some limited edition beers with Hillside Brewery in Gloucestershire. If you Google "Beer Academy" you can see my bio in the Beer Sommelier section. Other than that I hope we sign a striker soon.
Re: Fullers and Gales - I think Greene King did the same thing to The Moreland brewery fifteen years ago. Shame because the brew never tastes quite the same, even when the recipe is retained.
My mate brought me back a copy of the excellent CAMERA magazine "Beer" last week, really worth a read if you like real beer - and he brought me a bottle of Ridleys Old Bob, what a splendid chap!
Was first introduced to Fullers London Pride at the RoD when I attended my first game at the Valley (April 2012)....As soon as I returned to Canada, I headed for our local retail outlet and secured a few cans....then happened to sample Fuller's ESB & London Porter - both excellent!!! Just found out though that in Ontario, Fuller's ESB has been discontinued.....shame ;o( - Glad I stocked up on all things Fuller's prior and still have some Pride, ESB & Porter in the fridge..!!! Stig: Is Fuller's HSB new, i.e. a replacement for their ESB?? I cannot find a listing for it over 'ere...... Cheers.....
As far as I know, Fuller's continue to brew Gale's HSB (Horndean Special Bitter) - 4.8% on draught and distinctly malty. ESB (Extra Special Bitter) is Fuller's long-established premium brew - 5.5%, and a delicious balance of malt and hops.
Don't forget the Pilot, a Fuller's tied house, for soothing sherbets after games at The Valley - it's only a twenty-minute walk along the river towards the Dome.
Re: Fullers and Gales - I think Greene King did the same thing to The Moreland brewery fifteen years ago. Shame because the brew never tastes quite the same, even when the recipe is retained.
My mate brought me back a copy of the excellent CAMERA magazine "Beer" last week, really worth a read if you like real beer - and he brought me a bottle of Ridleys Old Bob, what a splendid chap!
Greene King did indeed buy and then close the Morland brewery. They did the same with Ruddles, Ridley's, Belhaven, and Hardy & Hansons, though they continue to brew a few of the old brands.
Is anyone else on here angry with Fullers for taking over Gales then closing down their Horndean brewery?
No, I find it difficult to be angry about stuff that happened years ago. Besides, they still brew HSB and for me it's one of the best beers in their range. Ultimately I can't be angry with anyone that brews Fullers Vintage Ale, my all time favourite beer - if only I could afford to drink it!
Stig I agree that the Fullers brewed HSB is still a great pint but somehow it seems not quite the same as the Horndean beer of old.
Whitbread were the arch assassins of many a fine ale during the 1980s. The list includes Brickwood Pompey Royal, Strong's Country Bitter, Fremlins Best Bitter and Tusker. Any I've missed out?
I used to work at Fremlins, on the other side of Faversham High St from Shepherd Neame. Fremlins was a lovely drop, brewed with East Kent Goldings hops. We also used to brew English Ale (sold in bottles) anyone remember that? For a 21st party we put some in a cask at a higher alcohol content than normal...it was amazingly good. Whitbread had more presence in the South so they had more impact locally in terms of brewery closures, but all the "big six" at the time were equally guilty. I did part of my pupillage at Wethereds at Marlow, also a lovely brewery.
Is anyone else on here angry with Fullers for taking over Gales then closing down their Horndean brewery?
I'd rather someone like Fullers took over Gales and ensured that their key brews were maintained. Have to say Gales Seafarer's Ale is truly magnificent when delivered via well kept hand pump.
Currently there are many brewers going to the wall (as there are indeed pubs) so it's good that ales and brands can be maintained by those better placed in the marketplace if they take them over.
Is anyone else on here angry with Fullers for taking over Gales then closing down their Horndean brewery?
I'd rather someone like Fullers took over Gales and ensured that their key brews were maintained. Have to say Gales Seafarer's Ale is truly magnificent when delivered via well kept hand pump.
Currently there are many brewers going to the wall (as there are indeed pubs) so it's good that ales and brands can be maintained by those better placed in the marketplace if they take them over.
Yep agree. Just a pity they had to close the brewery.
I used to work at Fremlins, on the other side of Faversham High St from Shepherd Neame. Fremlins was a lovely drop, brewed with East Kent Goldings hops. We also used to brew English Ale (sold in bottles) anyone remember that? For a 21st party we put some in a cask at a higher alcohol content than normal...it was amazingly good. Whitbread had more presence in the South so they had more impact locally in terms of brewery closures, but all the "big six" at the time were equally guilty. I did part of my pupillage at Wethereds at Marlow, also a lovely brewery.
Remember a pint of Wethereds Bitter - when I was working in London in the 70s and early 80s, several pubs in the West End served it on handpump.
I've still got a Fremlins Elephant Beers ashtray.
And a Ruddles Fine Ales one also.
Good thread by the way. What chance have we got of educating philistines like AFKA ..... ?
Comments
Stig: Is Fuller's HSB new, i.e. a replacement for their ESB?? I cannot find a listing for it over 'ere......
Cheers.....
My mate brought me back a copy of the excellent CAMERA magazine "Beer" last week, really worth a read if you like real beer - and he brought me a bottle of Ridleys Old Bob, what a splendid chap!
Could you talk to Fullers about importing some beer? Don't know what sort of quantity you'd need to order.
Don't forget the Pilot, a Fuller's tied house, for soothing sherbets after games at The Valley - it's only a twenty-minute walk along the river towards the Dome.
Currently there are many brewers going to the wall (as there are indeed pubs) so it's good that ales and brands can be maintained by those better placed in the marketplace if they take them over.
I've still got a Fremlins Elephant Beers ashtray.
And a Ruddles Fine Ales one also.
Good thread by the way. What chance have we got of educating philistines like AFKA ..... ?