Welcome I’d like to welcome you to our first Castle Rock Quarter of 2019 by wishing you a very Happy New Year! I hope it brings you all that you hope for. Since the last time of writing, we’ve received a few external awards which we are very proud of. I’m delighted to kick this update off with a congratulations to Mick and the team at the Cricketers Rest for their inclusion in the latest Good Beer Guide…at the first time of asking! It’s a competitive environment and we never take anything for granted; not the hard work of our pub teams nor the rewards they receive, and certainly not least, customer loyalty. Congratulations too to Wayne and the team at the Canalhouse, which was crowned Tourism Pub of the Year in Visit Nottingham’s Stars Awards, and Pete McWilliam, who brought home the Sustainable Tourism Award on the same night. You can read about the awards on page 14 and find out more about Wayne and Pete on page 15. I’d also like to mention Sarah Halpin, who runs the Castle Rock Training Centre and was recently shortlisted for honours in the prestigious British Institute of Innkeeping National Innovation and Training Awards. No mean feat in the first year of some new training projects, set out to build the skills needed to provide our customers with an exceptional pub experience. I am also very pleased to say our year closed out with a tap takeover at the Pilcrow in Manchester. To hear them say ‘as long as your beers are as good at this, we will continue to support you’ was a great feeling. The Pilcrow is a very well-respected craft beer bar and their support is testament to the amount of planning and technical skills that goes into brewing our next generation beers. I’m very proud of everyone who has been involved in ensuring that Castle Rock is continuing to build on strong foundations of quality and innovation, flooring us up a few levels in this fascinating facet of the brewing world. We’ll be taking all of this with us when we make our inaugural visit to Craft Beer Rising in February. The story continues! Find out about our beers for this quarter on pages six and seven, and as always, we welcome your feedback. Throughout 2019 and thereafter, we’ll continue to work hard on reducing our environmental impact and will strive to reduce waste and energy use. We make a commitment to food waste on page 20. To close, I think it’s appropriate to reflect on the hundredth anniversary of the end of the First World War. At the time of writing, the centenary of Armistice has only just passed, and the centenary of the Treaty of Versailles is still seven months away. Our Commemoration Collection tracked many of the local, national and international events which took place during the war, and did much to make sure we don’t forget the sacrifices made. I would like to thank Liv Auckland who coordinated the entire series and worked tirelessly on the project, which culminated with our charitable donations of £5,000 to the Royal British Legion and Amnesty International. She reflects on the project over on page eight. Well, that’s enough from me. Thank you, as always, for your support. We will always strive to do it justice.
Cheers
Colin Wilde Managing Director @SheriffTipple colin.wilde@castlerockbrewery.co.uk
Queensbridge Road, Nottingham NG2 1NB
Telephone: 0115 985 1615 www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk
General enquiries and recruitment: admin@castlerockbrewery.co.uk Sales enquiries: lotte.sefton@castlerockbrewery.co.uk Advertising enquiries: marketing@castlerockbrewery.co.uk
CRQ is edited by Liv Auckland and designed & produced by freerbutler limited • www.freerbutler-gds.co.uk
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Try January
What does your local mean to you? This January we are campaigning to remind everyone why the Great British Pub is worth protecting. This January, pubs yet again face the toughest month of the year. Undoubtedly, January is the toughest month for most of us. Our bank balances are dire, our waistbands are tight, the pavements turn to ice rinks, and we’ve made promises to ourselves that this year we will achieve those elusive New Year resolutions. Furthermore, Alcohol Concern’s Dry January campaign continues to grow, contributing to the reported 15.9% decline in pub sales during the month. To be clear: if you want to go dry this January, by all means do. But we humbly ask the nation to recognise that Dry January is at the literal expense of the pub industry. And it doesn’t need to be. For pubs, the difficulty of January goes deeper than dreary weather or alcohol abstinence. The doors don’t swing, the tills don’t ring, and ultimately pubs continue to face closure. 431 pubs closed across England between January and June 2018. Four hundred and thirty-one pubs. In six months. Pubs that were part of an industry which contributes over £23 billion to the UK economy. Pubs which create jobs and careers and contribute to our overall tax revenues. Say each of those had a tiny team of just four. That’s 1,724 people out of work. Kaput. Alcohol still makes up the largest component in the market, and for breweries and pub groups like ourselves, that makes January even more challenging. But we all know that pubs are far more than just a place to have a pint. To quote CAMRA, ‘pubs provide a wealth of social benefits to individuals and communities’. Ironically, in what’s considered the most miserable month of the year, when our mental health is most at need, we stop visiting a place which can help counteract the blues. So, what can we do to protect our pubs this January? During the past few Januarys, two similar campaigns called Try January and Tryanuary spread through the pub and bar industry. The former focusses on encouraging people to try new food and drinks in
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pubs, bars and restaurants, rather than stay indoors or stick to their usual. The latter focusses on encouraging support for the beer industry during January, with their emphasis on trying new beers in cask, keg, bottle and can. We’re on board with both campaigns, and (as always) we will be showcasing new and exciting products in our pubs. If you fancy making January a month of exploration, join us at your Castle Rock local and take a risk with those tastebuds. There’s no reason why you can’t go dry and try something new. (We should also remember however, that some pubs – especially those struggling – don’t necessarily have the facilities, space or money to serve food, or offer a broad range of non-alcoholic products. These pubs need your support, too.) This year, we decided to ask our customers what their local is to them so we can remind everyone why the Great British Pub is worth protecting. What does it mean to you? What does it bring to your life? We took our bets that alcohol plays only a small part in our love of pubs, and it seems you agree. Students reported that their local gives them a place to do uni work, meet friends and bring family when they visit. Others said it is about friendship, about keeping old friendships alive and forging new ones. More than a handful described their local as a home away from home. One said it’s where they de-stress, and that they’d be lost without it. We loved your messages so much, that for this edition we decided to collate some of our favourites and create a poster for you. Flip to the centrefold for yours. During January, we’ll be doing all we can to make our pubs the social hubs you desire. Visit our website to see what events we have taking place and use #mylocalis on social media to join the conversation. We urge you to gather your loved ones and hit your local this January. There really is nowhere like it.
CASTLE ROCK BEERS
BEERS TO LOOK Bursting into 2019 with five brand new beers Have a peek at what’s lined up for the first few months of 2019, featuring five new beers and two seasonals. Don’t forget our beloved core beers, and be sure to look out for Session IPA – now available in 440ml cans.
Snowhite 4.2%
Arthur Skill 4.2%
(Cask)
(Cask)
Available until February
Available until March
This traditional pale ale is brewed with English and Slovenian hops for a pleasantly crisp and balanced beer. Aromas of floral and citrus, a soft clean mouthfeel, and a refreshing drop. All the proof you need that pale ales aren’t just for summer. Available until about February.
We’ve brewed a warming stout with fresh coffee to celebrate Arthur Skill, founder of Skills Motor Coaches (nowadays just known as Skills). 2019 marks its 100th year as a business. The Skills service, which started out to carry manual labourers to and from work, has since grown into a well-loved tours and holidays business, and is known up and down the country.
Midnight Owl 5.5%
It’s stood the test of time and become a real Nottingham institution, and we’re proud that Arthur Skill joins the long list of wonderful local people that we are celebrating for having made a positive contribution to Nottingham, its people and the wider community.
(Cask) Available until March Screech Owl’s moody cousin is back in town. Midnight Owl is a classic black IPA, with upfront US hop character combining with a hint of caramel. A rich ale that packs a punch and remains one of our most popular seasonal beers for its fresh, hoppy and complex taste. Pair it with barbecue ribs for the ultimate winter feast.
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This stout is brewed with local coffee from Stewarts. We’ve gone for a low-roast malt bill to provide a canvas for the coffee to come into its own and really shine through, and there’s a touch of lactose in the brew as well to give a pronounced mouthfeel. We’re launching this exclusively at the Alexandra Hotel as part of a planned mini-pub crawl in January. Tickets are available from Eventbrite.co.uk
OUT FOR
Computer World 4.3%
(Cask & Keg)
(Cask)
Available until March
Available until February We’re kicking off the new year with a brand new dry-hopped session pale ale. This time it’s single hop Simcoe cryo, with this unique variety giving complex notes of citrus, passionfruit and pine, balancing nicely with a pleasant pale malt blend. Brewed with nostalgia in mind, as we move further and further away from the wonder of the computer age. Plus, our marketing team like Kraftwerk.
SIPA v1 4.2% (Cask & Keg) Available until February A brand-new iterative series of Session IPAs that aim to showcase different hopping processes against a lower ABV canvas. On this occasion, we’ve gone for a combination of Citra and Mosaic T90/cryo dry-hop. These blend well to give big, upfront juicy notes – such as the whole spectrum of citrus along with tropical fruit.
Fruit v2 4.5% Our second Fruit iteration, this time showcasing the fresh delights of seasonal citrus. These beers are all about the fruit, so we’ve carefully selected a blend of purees, juice and zest and put them front and centre to give a refreshing, juicy and tasty brew that, well, just makes you happy.
IPA v2 5.7% (Cask & Keg) Available until March The second IPA in our developmental range involves a few hopping process tweaks following on from IPA v1. We’ll be using a combination of T90 and cryo hop pellets at dry hop stage, in this case a blend of Loral and Ekuanot. The Loral providing a lovely floral and herbal base, allowing for the more upfront citrus and tropical fruit profile of Ekuanot to come through. Brewed with Castle Rock’s house yeast.
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The Goings On
GOODBYE TO ALL THAT
THE COMMEMORATION COLLECTION COMES TO A CLOSE On the centenary of the Armistice, we launched the 11th and final beer in the Commemoration Collection. Castle Rockians gathered with service and ex-service people and their families at the Kean’s Head, and were overjoyed to be able to donate £2,500 to both the Royal British Legion and Amnesty International. Here, Liv Auckland, project co-ordinator for the range, reflects on the thoughts and messages behind the Commemoration Collection. In late 2013, I had just started working at Castle Rock’s offices when I was given a very special and very important project. The centenary of the First World War was coming up, and Castle Rock wanted to commemorate the anniversary with a range of charity beers. It would be tricky. We were concerned that some might find the range offensive, seeing us as trying to capitalise on the suffering of millions. The truth is that we have a big heart. Yes, we’re ultimately a business, but behind that we are a group of normal people who want to make their work matter in more ways than one. The Commemoration Collection was not a profit-making project. We wanted our efforts to show in the amount we could donate to charity. It was simple: the more beer we sold, the more we could donate. In that sense, we have the vast number of publicans and wholesalers who ordered the beers for making this range a success. I chose the Royal British Legion and Amnesty International as the beneficiaries of the range. These two charities might, at
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first thought, seem very different to one another. At their core however, they are both devoted to the same thing - to caring for each other, to keeping each other safe. Supporting the Royal British Legion was essential. Formed in response to the First World War, the Legion works to help members of the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, veterans, and their families. From support like debt advice to dementia care, the RBL forms a vital platform that allows Service and ex-Service people to have their voices heard. The latter – choosing Amnesty International – was probably a bit of a curveball to many, but to me it was clear. Modern warfare comes in many forms, and it is not just those serving who face the harsh reality of conflict, but also citizens, reporters, and political activists. Amnesty is a global movement of an astounding seven million people, working together to protect human rights. Global is a key word here. We don’t exist in isolation, and nor did the people of the First World War. continued opposite
I was just 24 when we gathered with representatives from both charities to lay wreaths at Nottingham Castle. It was 100 years since Britain joined the war, and we were launching the Commemoration Collection. Back then, it felt like the range would stretch on forever. But of course, those four years have flown by, and I am grateful that they did. They have flown by because I have been able to lead a relatively normal life. We seem to view that as a failing – big dreams that haven’t come into fruition, settling for less than – but really, to be able to lead a normal life is a wonderful thing. Largely, we’ve been okay, and the times that we weren’t were haunting reminders of how daily life could be. Today, right now, others face their own devastating realities; armed conflicts and civil wars, brutal violations of human rights, the disastrous ramifications of climate change, and rhetorics which spread anger and division. There are those without the privilege of a normal, albeit predictable, life. With the devastation of the First World War, a chance at a normal life too was stripped away. For millions, life altogether was stripped away. When the range began, I had considered myself pretty clued up on the events of the war, but through working on this project I uncovered stories that both warmed my heart and shook me to my bones. Learning more about the sacrifices our ancestors made has been a journey for all of us, and bringing conversations about their world to our pubs has been an honour for Castle Rock. The final beer in the range, Goodbye to All That, may just still be pouring when you read this. If you spot it somewhere, take a moment to reflect and remember. One last thing…100 years on, there are so many lessons we can learn from the First World War. And there are great teachings in the work of both charities. It has been a real honour to play even the smallest part in their efforts.
CRAFT BEER RISING 2019
A NOBLE BEER FOR NOBEL LAUREATE Our final Nottinghamian beer of 2018 was brewed to celebrate the life and work of Sir Peter Mansfield, the Nottingham-based MRI pioneer and Nobel laureate. We brewed the traditional five-malt bitter in collaboration with Matt Davies, a graduate of the University of Nottingham’s International Centre for Brewing Science. The beer launch, which took place at the Vat and Fiddle, was attended by Sir Peter’s family and friends, former colleagues of the UoN MRI research team, and brewing science lecturers.
We’re super excited to announce that this year we’ll be showcasing our wares at Craft Beer Rising for the very first time. This annual event is a seminal craft beer festival for beer lovers not only in the UK, but from far corners of the world too. We’re looking forward to taking some brand-new beers down to show everyone, and if you’re attending yourself, drop by and say hello! Craft Beer Rising takes place between 21-13 February at the Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London.
Pictured above are Lady Mansfield and Professor Peter Morris CBE
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The Goings On FAREWELL TO KOUKOU
ROBIN HOOD BEER & CIDER FEST The 2018 Robin Hood Beer and Cider Fest saw a new era for the beery folk of Notts, as we relocated from Nottingham Castle to the Motorpoint Arena. Though met by some with slight trepidation, CAMRA members and brewers united to ensure that nothing would be lost from the overall experience, and this was done wholeheartedly and triumphantly.
In the last edition of the Quarter, we announced that our beloved mosaic robin “KouKou” (part of the Hoodwinked Wild in Art Trail) had been voted the people’s favourite. We celebrated with a giveaway, where two lucky selfietakers won executive tickets to see Blue Planet II live at the Motorpoint Arena. Since then, the Hoodwinked robins have collectively raised a staggering £133,000 at auction for the Nottinghamshire Hospice. The auction, hosted by Bargain Hunt’s Charles Hanson, took place at St. Mary’s Church in the Lace Market, where hundreds of local business folk and residents geared up to bid on their favourites. After a nervous wait, our very own KouKou went under the hammer. KouKou had been given prime spot near the auction block and was undoubtedly the star of the show. The room buzzed and within ten seconds a bidding war had kicked off. Before we knew it, the bids had shot past our highest price! KouKou wouldn’t be staying in the Castle Rock family, but the buzz surrounding him was quite spectacular. In the end, he went for a wild £5,800 – the biggest sale of the night by £400.
Castle Rock’s pub, brewery and H/O staff took turns to man the bar and explore the new grounds which were crowded with over 1000 different beers, a cider cave, food stalls and funny jellyfish hats which bobbed above the crowd of festival-goers. Over at the Castle Rock Tavern, we served seasonal favourites, shoulder to shoulder with new one-off brews. And for the first time ever, we were even able to sell keg beers. Heaven. These included Guzzgog, our first kettle sour (collaboratively brewed with Leftlion and clear as crystal), and Mint Choc Chip (the ‘After Eight’-scented whispers were true…). A massive thank you to everyone who came along, and of course to all the volunteers for another fantastic festival, despite all the changes. Here’s to RHBCF19!
Well done KouKou, you did us proud.
IN DE WILDEMAN COLLABORATION 2019 marks a whole THIRTY years since the Lincolnshire Poacher twinned with the In De Wildeman pub in Amsterdam, and we’re doing something pretty special to celebrate. At the time of writing details are embryonic, but we will say: collaboration brew, launched in two countries on the same day, and if you want to join us, you can. Keep your eyes peeled for details.
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NOTTINGHAM COMEDY FESTIVAL Nottingham Comedy Festival was back again this autumn, and in its 10th year no less! We were once again proud sponsors of NCF, which brought eight days of fun and frolics to the city. This year the festival included two new venues from the Castle Rock family: the Old Cold Store (at the Vat and Fiddle) and the Barley Twist. As always, the Canalhouse was home to the £1 Comedy Night ‘New Act of the Year’, and many more shows besides. Congrats to our friends over at NCF for another year of delightful chortles. It was a blast.
BEER OF THE YEAR
DO THE HUSTLE
In November, we announced the winners of our 2018-19 Beer of the Year awards, as voted for by customers in our pubs. We’ve been running these awards now for over a decade, and we’re really proud to have it continue. Not only is it a great way for you to give feedback about our beer offerings, it’s also a great accolade for the winning breweries, who know that their award is entirely by customer vote. Congratulations to all the winners: North Riding, Overall Brewery of the Year; Black Iris, Local Brewery of the Year; Liquid Light, New Brewery of the Year; Abstract Jungle, Mocha 47 – Beer of the Year; Seacider, Cidermaker of the Year; and Gwyntt y Draig, Black Dragon Cider of the Year. To celebrate, and to thank our customers for voting, we decided to showcase all the winners in our pubs between November 2018 and February 2019. Jan and Feb brings a re-brew of Abstract Jungle’s Mocha 47 (which was a collab with the Cricketers Rest), some brand new winter goodies from Black Iris, and a fresh batch of beers from North Riding. So, if you’ve picked this up hot off the press, you got lucky.
In October, the streets of Nottingham’s Hockley area were chock-a-block with festival-goers for the annual Hockley Hustle.
Be sure to follow our pubs on Untappd and Facebook to keep up to date with their beer boards.
The one-day charity event pulls together the best musicians, performers, art and food and packs it all into the creative hub of the city. This year, we were chuffed to be sponsors of the Hockley Hustle, which included brewing a one-off juicy pale ale. Over 300 acts performed over 35 venues, which featured our very own Fox & Grapes and the Kean’s Head.
Pictured: Abstract Jungle’s Mocha 47, voted Beer of the Year 2018-19. Isn’t it beautiful?
The event raised money for Emmanuel House, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum, Rethink Mental Health, Zephyr’s Appeal and Equation.
CASTLE ROCK AT THE PILCROW On 22nd November 2018, a few of us rocked up to the Pilcrow in Manchester for their Castle Rock showcase! We took Fruit v1, Session IPA and Guzzgog in keg, along with the last Mint Choc Chip cask in existence! Plus, on the night we launched Mango Milkshake IPA in keg. A huge thanks to the Pilcrow for their lovely support, and for the opportunity to talk to the folks of Manchester about what we’ve been doing and how we’ve approached brewing these beers. More to come in 2019!
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The Goings On DOUBLE WIN AT THE NOTTINGHAM STARS AWARDS The STARS Awards are a celebration of Nottinghamshire and everything it has to offer. Held annually by the tourist board Visit Nottingham (a division of Visit England that works tirelessly to keep Nottingham on the map), the awards range from celebrating the best food in Nottingham to the most inclusive business.
Dressed to impress, we sent them off to the awards ceremony at Nottingham’s Crown Plaza Hotel, where they were greeted with a drinks reception and a three course gala meal. Keeping in mind the hundreds of attendees and the swanky atmosphere, it’s understandable that our own two stars were quite nervous as the awards ceremony got underway.
In Visit Nottingham’s own words, the STARS Awards are a nod to the people who work so hard to ensure this city is a great place to visit. It was with that in mind that our brand and communications manager Liv Auckland entered the Canalhouse into the Tourism Pub of the Year category, and Castle Rock Brewery into the Sustainable Tourism category.
The Canalhouse had been shortlisted alongside three marvellous pubs, each one deserving of the title (including Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, a strong tourist attraction and major contender). Wayne reflects that, in that moment, he was just happy to have been shortlisted. But before he knew it, the Canalhouse had been announced Tourism Pub of the Year. A few minutes later it was time for the Sustainable Tourism award, and with a round of applause and the presentation of a beautiful glass trophy, Pete McWilliam was called to the stage.
In the past, we haven’t shouted too much about our sustainability efforts, but they’re something we’ve been working hard at and are proud of. For many years we have implemented systems and processes which minimise our ecological footprint. Our Green accreditation with Investors in the Environment meant we were able to include our most recent audit documents in our application, which includes evidence of a 15% reduction in carbon emissions. Wahey! As for the Canalhouse, we felt it ticked all the boxes. The city’s beloved canal-side watering hole combines unique and historical premises with destination-venue status, a heavy focus on craft beer, and an active social calendar (it’s host to Nottingham Comedy Festival’s famous £1 Comedy Night and the Nottingham Waterfront Festival). Plus, the canal basin inside the pub continues to cause a ruckus on sites like TripAdvisor and draws in tourists and visitors daily. We were chuffed to learn that we were shortlisted in both categories, and to be able to show Pete McWilliam (who heads up our green efforts) and Wayne Harvey (manager of the Canalhouse) how appreciative we are of their dedication.
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On our staff Facebook page, the news of our boys bagging a double win was shared and celebrated immediately. So, thanks to modern technology, we were all there in spirit. Afterwards, we’re told neither of our humble pair thought they would win, and both required nudging and encouragement from the other to get on stage and accept their awards. Congrats to our fellow STARS Award winners, and our sincerest thanks to Visit Notts for putting on such a great shindig. Our biggest congratulations to Wayne and the Canalhouse team, and to Pete McWilliam, our Green King. We decided both deserved to step out from behind the scenes and be featured in our Meet [some of] the Team feature. Enjoy learning more about them on the opposite page. Looking forward, we’ll continue to work hard to bring you great pubs and great beer, and to look after our planet while we do so.
People
MEET (SOME OF) THE TEAM NAME: WAYNE (Harvey) ROLE: General Manager, Canalhouse. YEARS AT CASTLE ROCK: 8 Likes: Photography, cool trainers, Millwall football club, halloumi. Dislikes: The cold. Reformed chicken. What’s your favourite thing about your job? Meeting all sorts of people which is fun, the job satisfaction that comes with chatting about beer and getting to make people happy. Drink of choice: [Long pause] I’m going to say a well-made modern IPA… What’s your background? I’m from South-London, a secondgeneration Greek Cypriot, with a degree in photography. Who’s your idol? I don’t really have an idol. David Bowie was cool and went to the same school as me. Where’s your favourite place? Home, Cyprus maybe, London. Which quality do you value most in others? Empathy. What’s your biggest fear? I can’t float so something to do with that. Actually, being stuck in a small place and not being able to move. What’s your favourite book, film or podcast? Fargo – the series and film. 1984 by George Orwell. Any nicknames? Wayno. Tell us one thing left on your bucket list? I’m not a bucket list sort of person… What would your super power be? Fixy fingers – I could point and fix. Give us one word to describe you: Hairy.
NAME: PETE (McWilliam) ROLE: Head of Maintenance, Technical Services and Utilities. YEARS AT CASTLE ROCK: 18 Likes: Beer, kite buggying and sailing, skiing and snow kiting. Dislikes: Marmite, hangovers, grumpy people. What’s your favourite thing about your job? No two days are the same. Drink of choice: Session IPA or Sherwood Reserve. What’s your background? I have a degree in engineering. Before that I worked for many years with civil engineers. My most obscure job was window cleaning. Who’s your idol? Richard Branson. Where’s your favourite place? The beach, any beach, no matter the weather. Which quality do you value most in others? Honesty, sincerity. What’s your biggest fear? Premature ill-health. What’s your favourite book, film or podcast? The original Star Wars. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a close second. Any nicknames? McFly, MC Will.i.am. (At this point, we inform Pete that we call him McWilly.) Tell us one thing left on your bucket list? Master the art of kite surfing. Or ski in Canada and Japan. What would your super power be? To teleport to any beach or any snowy mountain. Give us one word to describe you: Old-school.
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Pub In Focus
BARLEY TWIST The Barley Twist, our craft beer bar and wine cellar on Nottingham’s Carrington Street, has been open and serving the thirsty public since December 2017. Now under the stewardship of Dave James, we decided it was time to fill you in on what he’s got lined up for the future. Dave James, former manager of the Kean’s Head and renowned beer geek, took his seat as manager of the Barley Twist back in October. Appointing Dave as manager was a no brainer for Castle Rock. He’s beloved for his friendliness, his willingness to crack on with any challenge, and his immense knowledge of beer and the industry overall. During our chat he is, as always, forthcoming and insightful. How have you found things so far? I’m still finding my feet but it’s great. Despite it being a small pub, the Twist has unique complexities which I’m figuring out as time goes on. Luckily, I get to work with a very small but very dedicated team. The Twist has a bit of a metropolitan feel to it, because it’s young and in the bottle-neck of a bustling city. Is it harder to build a base of regulars here? We do have some regulars, but they are usually people working in the city. When you become manager of an established pub, you’re walking into somewhere which already has ownership. There’s a group of regulars, some of which have been around for years, and you walk into this ambience which they have created. With the Twist, it feels like we’re in the early stages of building those relationships. People are still finding out about us, and then it’s up to us to make them feel at home here. So what other differences have you found between running a long-established pub, versus running a new venue? In some ways there’s more freedom, because you can push things in a certain direction. And you can respond more freely to the way things are progressing organically. But at the same time, you feel a great responsibility. I definitely think both myself and the Barley Twist will be evolving together over the coming months. One of the interesting challenges for me is improving my wine knowledge, especially when I’m known for my beer knowledge. But I’m happy to embrace a new challenge. I recently went to a natural wine tasting which was a real eyeopener. The wines are made using non-cultured, naturally occurring yeast and are vegan friendly. For me, it helps to see the similarities with natural beers like Gueze and Lambic. The purity of the processes and ingredients is fascinating. Hopefully we’ll be stocking some natural wines by the time this edition hits the pubs!
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While we’re on it, what other plans do you have for the product range at the Twist? We started off focussing on UK craft beers, but our wine offering was from all over the world. The balance was off for me, so we have recently expanded our bottles and cans to include some of the finest beers from all over the globe. Some of these will be showcased in the ticketed events that we have planned. The idea is to make some of these limited and occasionally prohibitively expensive beers available to as many people as possible. We’re also planning a slight re-shuffle of the bar. We’ll be replacing the current fonts [the tap systems which keg beer is dispensed through] with different shaped ones, which will allow us to fit in another cask beer handpull. Walking past the Twist, you’d have no idea there are two floors. What are your plans with the wine cellar? We want to make the most of the cosy intimate space we have downstairs. The first step is to make sure people know it’s there. Second is to plan events like previously mentioned, plus a fun quiz night which will be different to any other quiz in the city centre. We’re also looking at acoustic music sessions which will start in the very near future. This is a lovely venue with a lovely feel to it, and we want everyone to enjoy it. Finally, what messages do you want to put out there for anyone who hasn’t visited the Twist yet? Watch this space. We’re still new, we’re constantly learning, evolving and improving, and figuring out what works best here and what our customers really want. And we’ll always keep doing that. We’ll always work to be relevant and to offer exciting product ranges – you’ll never find us resting on our laurels. Thank you, Dave. We hope your first full year at the Twist is a real adventure. To our readers: you heard the man. Watch this space!
Facebook: Barley Twist Twitter: @barley_twist Instagram: @barley_twist
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Opinion
Castle Rock’s Lewis Townsend ponders the flavour demands of the current craft market. In 2017, we started to paddle in new waters of beer production. Up until around 18 months ago, our audience was not necessarily a craft beer one, so it’s been useful and enlightening to get stuck in with online debate and find out what people are talking about when it comes to beer, and what “good” looks like to them.. When you couple an age of rapid and prolific communication with an extremely active community of craft beer drinkers, there’s a lot of information out there, a lot of viewpoints, reviews, blogs and ramblings. It’s made me think a little about what some drinkers are looking for, and whether we need to take our foot off the gas with the constant strive for big flavour. The craft brewing community is a small but growing segment of the market. It’s got influence and has made waves that have rocked the boats of even the largest brewing conglomerates. As Castle Rock has moved into the periphery of this market, it’s been clear that it is dynamic, thriving, loadsa fun and ‘Th eM full of incredible beer and creative folks. UK brewers us are developing deserved reputations for quality, Ca ing stl s o experimentation and flavour. It’s a scene full e of passionate people and drinkers in Ro f ’ is mi cki a s prepared to pay for quality (more e fee nd t ans. ries important now than ever). It’s h A db at o ac w s yo f m breathed life back into beer k a e a u us and for that we are grateful nd cti rea ing co vel d o s p to be part of it. m y n e
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me inv , ke nne nt ite ep d b . y
On the flipside, the scene can be quite demanding and unrelenting. Sometimes, it’s for the right reasons, but it puts pressure on many corners of the market. It’s a market which appears to continually demand the new, and the big; it wants fresh as you get, or it wants aged. It puts immense pressure on brewers to keep the momentum up, on newcomers to bring something standout, and on pubs and bars to constantly chop and change their ranges in efforts to keep up with “what’s new”. It often wants big hops, big body, big fruit, big everything. Sometimes it doesn’t even want beer to taste like beer. If a beer says it’s hoppy, it needs to be slap-in-the-face hoppy. If a beer says it contains chilli, it needs to blow your socks off. If a beer says it’s sour, it needs to make your tabs laugh. Fruit additions need to be dominative, not supplementary. IPAs are good, but DIPAs are better. Stouts are good, but imperial stouts are better. There’s a good chunk of me that loves this, but I do have concerns. My worry is that maybe the pace needs to be slowed down, and maybe the demands need to be tempered. Sometimes I question whether there’s any room left for subtlety, or whether it’s all a race to the top. The consequences mean anything less than big, and anything less than brand-new isn’t deemed good enough. continued opposite
continued from opposite page You can see this kind of influence permeate more and more corners of the industry. One small example is we often get asked if we are going to change the recipe for Harvest Pale to bring it line with what’s expected of a modern pale ale. To give context, Harvest Pale’s overall hopping rate is approximately 8grams per litre, at least ten times less than what you’d expect in modern pales and IPAs. But are we going to change it? No, of course not. Harvest Pale is Harvest Pale. It’s consistent, reliable, well-brewed, complex, sessionable, as hoppy as it was always intended to be, and it has subtlety. Just because the goalposts changed doesn’t mean something ceases to be something. There’s no integrity in changing the makeup of a perfectly good beer to make it fit a new market – it feels crass, almost disrespectful. Plus, there’s another market that still loves it! So, is the race for big flavour really sustainable? I ask this because, as a beer drinker and brewery worker, I desperately want this scene to survive and thrive. I want the insane beers to continue, I want the seasonal hop and fruit showcases to continue, and for breweries to experiment. I love all of it. However, the beer industry in its present climate is a pretty relentless place, where price is a race to the bottom and flavour is a race to the top (I’m paraphrasing Tiny Rebel here). Could it be argued that all of this is shaping an expectation of
flavour and of proliferation that undermines how we should really be benchmarking good brewers and beer (i.e. not the dispense, hype, hop rate or adjunct, but the approach, technique, process, meticulousness, reliability, consistency, people, attitude). Is the market at risk of putting higher and higher barriers up in its relentless charge for big flavour and what’s new, and might it lose sight of some of the fundamentally important measures of what good looks like? I’d be interested to know any and all thoughts about this – so please do drop us an email (lewis.townsend@castlerockbrewery.co.uk). I don’t know what the answer is per se, this is just me on a soapbox having a bit of a ponder. The game plan at Castle Rock is to keep trying to offer a bit of everything (as chaotic and challenging as that can be). We’re really excited for 2019, not least because we’re going to be showcasing our wares at Craft Beer Rising for the first time ever. In terms of beer, we’ve got all sorts planned – some of it is business as usual, some of it is extremely exciting, some of it is just us continuing to try and always improve – whether that be with making the most out of all the ingredients or tweaking processes. Look out for modern, traditional, big, little and experimental – as much as we love saturating the hell out of a beer with mango puree, there’ll still be plenty of balanced, subtle and delicate beer too – even if it means we lose a few points on Untappd!
PLEASE NOTE THAT CASTLE ROCK MANAGED PUBS ARE CLOSED ON MONDAY 7TH JANUARY
WATCH OUR DIRECTORS HARD AT WORK ON THURSDAY 21ST MARCH
Each year, we like to bring together all Castle Rockians – from brewers to pub staff to office staff to chefs – for a good old shindig. Our company-wide staff day takes place in early January, combining a belated Christmas party, a New Year celebration and a mini funfair.
Each year we kick things off with a competition between our pubs (we weren’t joking, we’re really competitive). Each pub is set a sales target to reach throughout January and February, and the winning pub team gets a reward most have only dreams of: the Castle Rock directors run their pub for a night, while they are sent out for dinner, drinks and celebrations.
It gives us a chance to all come together, catch up and celebrate each other’s efforts over the past year. The highlight is our Employee of the Year awards (nothing fancy here, we are in the midst of winter after all). Each pub and department nominates a fellow colleague, who receives a certificate and a big ol’ round of applause. The big awards, the MD’s Merit (chosen by our MD Colin Wilde) and the Chris Holmes Award (for manager of the year, voted for by fellow managers) close out the awards. Afterwards, we all spill into the yard for food, drinks and games. Always the competitive bunch, we are divided into teams, facing various tasks and challenges taking place throughout the day to tot up our points. Last year Jon Edger, our brewery operations manager, led the Silver team to victory. Let’s see who can knock them off their throne this year… Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding, and for coping without us for a day. We’ll see you again, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, on Tuesday 8th January!
Since the competition’s inception two years ago, the winning pubs have been the Golden Eagle and the Fox and Crown. Both are charming small pubs facing the difficult trading patterns of the new year, and both succeeded in not just maintaining but increasing their footfall compared to the previous year. The best part of the January/February Sales Competition is of course the opportunity for staff and customers to watch the directors hard at work. A pint pulled by our chairman? Why ever not! We’re secretly hoping, this year, that one of our biggest pubs takes the win…what a sight to see! Pop the date in your diary and check our social media feed – the winner will be announced in early March.
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ENVIRONMENT
FOOD WASTE: our collective responsibility After receiving the Sustainable Tourism Award 2018 in the Nottingham STARS Hospitality Awards, we decided it was time to turn our efforts to a pressing issue in our pubs, our society and across the world. We all waste food and we all have excuses for it…a little bit here and there won’t make much difference, there isn’t enough leftover to make leftovers, my eyes are bigger than my stomach, I forgot we had it. But, as we all know, small mistakes add up. A third of the world’s food is wasted – generating 3.3billion tonnes of greenhouse gases. The staggering numbers go on. Our global food system is responsible for approximately 60% of terrestrial biodiversity loss, 24% of greenhouse gas emissions and 33% of degraded soils. Food waste uses up 1.4billion hectares of land. In 2015, a third of the world’s fish stocks were overfished, but in Scotland alone we wasted 10million fish the following year. Swill-feeding (feeding livestock our food waste) was banned in 2001 following the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, in the same year that Japan introduced the opposite policy. Now, counties including Japan and South Korea recycle around 40% of their food waste as animal feed, and UK campaigning calls on a lift on the ban, with the implementation of a safe and regulated new system. Our livestock production model is the least efficient process in our food system, with losses of 78%. While 36% of the world’s crops and 40% of the world’s grain harvest are fed to livestock, livestock (meat and dairy) only delivers about 12% of the world’s food calories. Lastly, but vitally, reducing food waste is the third most effective way to tackle climate change. There are small changes we can all make, as individuals and as businesses, to change our personal, local and global food waste systems. What we’re doing l We’ve been tracking food waste in our pubs, auditing our systems and monitoring what (and how much) is coming back to our kitchens on a regular basis. l We’ve been changing systems in our kitchens to minimise the waste created during the food prep stage, like potato peelings. l We’re improving the menu-planning stage of our food service, including our ordering procedures. l We’re now able to change our portion sizes in response to what the average customer is consuming.
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l We’re omitting unnecessary extras that are regularly untouched, like a salad garnish. l We’re introducing more lighter dishes, and are looking at ways to give you more freedom to personalise your meals. l We’re continuing to donate our spent grains from our brewery to a local farmer, for livestock feed. l As much as possible, we’re buying our produce from local farmers and wholesalers, in order to minimise the number of steps from ground to plate. What you can do l Think of the larger picture and try to buy local produce. Each food item uses the world’s natural resources throughout its life, from growing, processing, packaging, transporting and storing. That’s before it’s even made it into our own home. The further along the chain the food loss occurs, the more carbon intensive the wastage is. l Try Olio, an app for food-sharing, which connects those with surplus food to those who need/want food! Free leftovers from the local bakery? Yes please! l Buy wonky. Ever spy those rejected broken carrots in the bottom of the box? They may not look as pretty, but they can taste just as good. Buying wonky veg – the rejects of the veg realm if you will – is a really easy way to stop good food going to waste. l Think of the money! If the waste alone doesn’t set you into action, just think of any food waste as money in the bin. Every little adds up. Plus, it’s estimated that half of the food we chuck is actually edible. l Get creative in the kitchen. Turn leftover porridge into pancakes or sour milk into soda bread. Everything from limp lettuce to beetroot tops can be used. Google some recipes and get going. l Visit lovefoodhatewaste.com for loads of handy tips. Simple changes like getting the correct fridge setting or using a portion calculator can have impressive results for your pockets and the planet. If you have any ideas or feedback you’d like to give us regarding food waste, get in touch on social media or use the contact form on our website.
Upcoming Events
Beat the January Blues January LocAle TAKEOVER ALL MONTH LONG @ Vat & Fiddle The Vat’s bar will be showcasing the best of local brewing all month long, with twelve cask and five keg beers brewed within 20 miles of the pub. Plus, they’ll have six ciders from the East Mids.
A-Z WHISKY ALL MONTH LONG @ Lincolnshire Poacher Each day of January the Poacher will be knocking off 20% off each of their whiskies beginning with a certain letter, as they work their way through the alphabet. Once they’ve completed it, for the last 5 days of the month you’ll be treated to a discount on ALL 70+ of their whiskies. Please enjoy responsibly!
PIZZA MONTH WED 2ND- THU 31ST JAN @ Yarn Gone dry for Jan? No worries. Soft drinks are free with any pizza, between midday-9pm every day. Official pizza month is in October, but who cares. We make the rules and we say every year should start with pizza.
MOVIE NIGHT THU 3RD JAN, 8pm @ Fox and Crown Get out of the house for a night and join the Fox team for a classic horror movie night. Entry is free.
BACK TO WORK BLUES TUE 8TH – FRI 11TH JAN, 5-8PM @ Fox and Crown Be kind to yourself and your wallet and join the Fox between Thursday-Friday, 5-8pm, for 20% off all food and drinks.
WINTER WARMERS WED 9TH JAN (AND EVERY WED UNTIL THE END OF FEB) @ Bread and Bitter Enjoy hearty winter meals at the Bread for just £9.95, which includes a drink up to the value of £3.00 – or simply pay the difference! Be sure to book by calling 0115 960 7541.
All of our pubs are working to help you fight the January blues this year, check out our What’s On page for the full list, but here’s a few to get you started…
VINYL NIGHT
THE OUTRIDERS
SUN 20TH JAN, 8pm @ Bread and Bitter Every third Sunday of the month is Vinyl Night. Kicking off on Sun 20th for the first time of 2019, pick out your records and bring them for spin. Every song that gets played is added to the special Spotify playlist, to be enjoyed throughout the rest of the month.
SAT 26th JAN LIVE @ The Embankment, 8pm The thunderous slap of bass, the razor-sharp slices of guitar, the captivating swagger of the vocals. The Outriders are sure to bring the house down. Entry is free!
AR-TEA POP-UP SUN 20TH JAN, 11am-2pm @ The Old Cold Store (Vat and Fiddle) Peruse a pop-up art gallery featuring local artists, tea, cakes and sandwiches with a private bar serving everything from craft beer to deals on prosecco.
CHARITY CRICKET SUN 26TH JAN, midday @ Forest Rec & the Lincolnshire Poacher Watch the Poacher cricket team up at the Forest Rec where they’ll be playing a match to raise money for local charity Maggie’s. Then join them back at the pub for a BBQ, from 3pm.
PORT TASTING EVENING CASTLE ROCK TAP TAKEOVER MON 21ST JAN @ Kean’s Head - Willowbrook To celebrate our birthday, the Kean’s Head are letting us take over the bar with at least four casks and two kegs. Over in Gedling at the Willowbrook, it’s 50p off all pints of Castle Rock cask. Best make a night of it.
REBEL REBEL FRI 25TH JAN, 8pm doors LIVE @ The Old Cold Store (Vat and Fiddle) Join us in celebrating possibly (most definitely) the coolest person who ever lived: David Bowie. Doors open at 8pm, entry is free. You can be heroes, just for one day.
BURNS NIGHT FRI 25TH JAN @ Bread and Bitter – The Embankment – Fox & Crown – Lincolnshire Poacher See what your local is doing to celebrate this Burns Night, with chefs cooking up traditional Scottish feasts of haggis, neeps and tatties and various drinks deals, too! Visit our What’s On page for all the details.
THU 31ST JAN, 7.30pm @ Golden Eagle Enjoy a selection of five ports accompanied by an English tapas-style food offering. Tickets are £30pp. Contact the team at goldeneagle@castlerockbrewery.co.uk to book yours, or call 01522 521058.
Please note Castle Rock managed pubs are closed on Monday 7th January
NEW THIS JANUARY: ACOUSTIC SUNDAYS FIRST SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH* @ The Embankment, 3.30pm-5pm Chilled enough for Nan to fall asleep to, chirpy enough to distract Auntie Carol. Bring the whole family down for a slap-up Sunday Roast and some charming tunes. * Please double-check our website, as alternative events may take place on occasion..
Full listings can be found at www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk/event
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Upcoming Events
What’s On in February & March February GIN TASTING - MASONS SAT 9TH FEB, 7-9pm, @ Yarn Learn about the history of Masons, how to build the perfect G&T, and which garnishes to use. Taste all three flavours of Masons gin (along with a pint or a glass of wine on arrival), and tuck into a special veggie or meat board, with extra gin-infused dishes to try. Tickets are £29pp. Book yours by calling Yarn on 0115 939 5569.
FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE AND CURIOSITY WED 20TH FEB, 7.30pm @ Bread and Bitter A talk from the British Science Association is taking place at our beloved Bread. Come down and learn about what they’ve been up to during the festival (explained in layman’s terms for the scientifically challenged). At the time of writing, it looks like there are
more details to come, so pop by the What’s On page and see what’s up.
March BRITISH PIE WEEK MON 4TH- SUN 10TH MAR @ Bread and Bitter – Kean’s Head – Lincolnshire Poacher – Stratford Haven Celebrate British Pie Week with some fabulous deals on your favourite pie dishes. Visit our website for the full pieeyed low down.
MAKERS’ MARKET SUN 24TH MAR @ The Embankment Gathering together Nottingham’s best creative folk for a showcase of art, crafts and making. Drop by for a spot of lunch and pick yourself up something special. Remember, when you shop from a small business, the owner does a little happy dance…
MOTHER’S DAY SUN 31ST MAR @ The Embankment – Stratford Haven – Willowbrook – Yarn Treat mum this Mother’s Day. Deals include free prosecco for mum, mum eats free, and three course meals for just £18. Check out our website for pub-specific details.
TAP TAKEOVERS We’ve got tons of tap takeovers and beery events taking place this quarter (and forever after). Visit our website and follow us on social media to be the first in the know. Happy tapdancing.
HEY BIG SAVER
THIRSTY WORK
MONDAY:
And savings on drinks, if you so choose to give January a Try… T&Cs apply
Offers and deals for a weekday night out under a tenner! (T&Cs apply to all.) This is only a small handful of our offers – check the website for more.
Bread and Bitter Curry Night. £8.95 for a curry and a drink, 5-9pm Stratford Haven Curry Night. £7.95 for a curry and a drink, 5-9pm Willowbrook Pie Night. £8.95 for a pie and a drink, midday-9pm
TUESDAY: Bread and Bitter Pizza Night. 2 for 1 on pizzas, 3-9pm Poppy and Pint Curry Night. £9.95 for a curry and a drink, 5-9pm Stratford Haven Pie Night. £9.95 for a pie and a drink, 5-9pm Vat and Fiddle Curry Tuesdays. £8.95 for a curry and a drink, midday-8pm
WEDNESDAY: The Embankment Pizza Night. 2 for 1 on pizzas, 5-9pm Lincolnshire Poacher Pie Night. £8.95 for a pie and a drink, 5-9pm Poppy and Pint Burger Night. £9.95 for a burger and a drink, 5-9pm Willowbrook Pizza Wednesdays. 2 for 1 on pizzas from midday, midday-9pm
THURSDAY: Stratford Haven Burger Night. £9.95 for a burger and a drink, 5-9pm Willowbrook Curry Thursdays. £9.95 for a curry and a drink, midday-9pm
FRIDAY: Willowbrook Fish Friday. £15 for two large fish and chips, 5-9pm
**Don’t forget our Sunday Roasts**
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Every Day: l 30% discount on bottles and cans to take away from the Barley Twist l 33% discount on bottles and cans to take away from the Canalhouse l £1 off a selected craft beer bottle or can every day at the Willowbrook Selected Days: l 10% off Harvest Pale and other house drinks, Monday-Friday, 5-7pm l 10% off 500ml carafes at the Barley Twist, Monday-Thursday, 4-8pm l Bread and Bitter Prosecco Wednesdays. Half price on Bosco Prosecco
Castle Rock Tenanted pubs Alexandra Hotel
Derby Tup
Eagle
203 Siddals Road, Derby DE1 2QE
387 Sheffield Rd, Chesterfield S41 8LS
144 West Street, Boston PE21 8RE
Tel: 01332 293993 e-mail: alexandrahotel@castlerockbrewery.co.uk
Tel: 01246 269835 e-mail: derbytup@castlerockbrewery.co.uk
Tel: 01205 361116 e-mail: eagle@castlerockbrewery.co.uk
Alexandra Hotel @Alex_Pub_Derby
The Derby Tup @TheDerbyTup
The Eagle @TheEagleBoston
Forest Tavern/Maze
New Barrack Tavern
Newshouse
257 Mansfield Road, Nottingham NG1 3FT
601 Penistone Road, Sheffield S6 2GA
123 Canal Street, Nottingham NG1 7HB
Tel: 0115 874 7792 e-mail: info@themazerocks.com
Tel: 0114 232 4225 e-mail: newbarracktavern@castlerockbrewery.co.uk
Tel: 0115 952 3061 e-mail: newshouse@castlerockbrewery.co.uk
web: www.themazerocks.com The Maze @themazenotts themazenotts
New Barrack Tavern new_barrack_tavern
@NewBarrack
Rook and Gaskill
Yarn
12 Lawrence Street, York YO10 3WP
Theatre Square Nottingham NG1 5ND
Tel: 01904 655450 e-mail: rookandgaskill@castlerockbrewery.co.uk
Tel: 0115 989 5569 e-mail: yarn@castlerockbrewery.co.uk
The Rook and Gaskill @RookGaskillYork
In partnership with CGC Event Caterers and the Theatre Royal & Concert Hall
web: www.yarnbar.co.uk Yarn bar @Yarn_Bar @yarnbarnottingham
The Newshouse @NewshouseNotts
Castle Rock Tap Room and Kitchen First Floor Departure Lounge, East Midlands Airport Operated by Autogrill
All of our pubs follow the latest allergen legislation. Further details are available in each establishment. Lady Bay Inns: operators of the Poppy and Pint / The Beer Consortium Ltd.: operators of the Barley Twist, Cricketers Rest, the Embankment, Fox & Grapes and Horse and Plough / Breakthrough Point Ltd.: operators of the Canalhouse.
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Castle Rock MANAGed pubs Barley Twist
Bread and Bitter
Canalhouse
Cricketers Rest
91 Carrington Street, Nottingham NG1 7FE Tel: 0115 950 5456 e-mail: barleytwist@
153-155 Woodthorpe Drive, Mapperley, Nottingham NG3 5JL Tel: 0115 960 7541 e-mail: breadandbitter@
48-52 Canal Street, Nottingham NG1 7EH Tel: 0115 955 5060 e-mail: canalhouse@
4 Chapel Street, Kimberley, Nottinghamshire NG16 2NP Tel: 0115 938 3105 e-mail: cricketersrest@
Barley Twist @barley_twist @barley_twist
Bread Bitter @breadandbitter breadandbitter
Canalhouse Bar @canalhousebar canalhousebar
Cricketers Rest @cricketersrest Cricketersrest
The Embankment
The Fox and Crown
Fox & Grapes
Golden Eagle
282-284 Arkwright St, Nottingham NG2 2GR Tel: 0115 986 4502 e-mail: embankment@
4-6 Appleton Gate, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG24 1JY Tel: 01636 605820 e-mail: foxandcrown@
21 Southwell Road, Sneinton, Nottingham NG1 1DL Tel: 0115 841 8970 e-mail: foxandgrapes@
21 High Street, Lincoln LN5 8BD Tel: 01522 521058 e-mail: goldeneagle@
Embankment Pub & Kitchen @EmbankmentNottm embankment pub
The Fox Pub & Bottle Shop @TheFoxandCrown foxandcrown
Fox & Grapes @FoxandGrapesCRB FoxandGrapes_Notts
The Golden Eagle Free House @goldeneagle001 goldeneaglepub
Horse and Plough
Kean’s Head
Lincolnshire Poacher Poppy and Pint
25 Long Acre, Bingham, Nottinghamshire NG13 8AF Tel: 01949 839313 e-mail: horseandplough@
46 St. Mary’s Gate, Nottingham NG1 1QA Tel: 0115 947 4052 e-mail: keanshead@
161-163 Mansfield Road, Nottingham NG1 3FR Tel: 0115 941 1584 e-mail: lincolnshirepoacher@
Horse and Plough @HorseandPlough horseandplough
Kean’s Head @keanshead keanshead
Lincolnshire Poacher @lincpoacher lincolnshirepoacher
Stratford Haven
The Swan in the Rushes Vat and Fiddle
2 Stratford Rd, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 6BA Tel: 0115 982 5981 e-mail: stratfordhaven@
21 The Rushes, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 5BE Tel: 01509 217014 e-mail: swanintherushes@
Stratford Haven @stratfordhaven stratfordhaven
Swan InThe Rushes @SwanRushes swanintherushes
(The Brewery Tap)
12-14 Queensbridge Rd, Nottingham NG2 1NB Tel: 0115 985 0611 e-mail: vatandfiddle@
Vat and Fiddle @VatandFiddle vatfiddle
Pierrepont Road, Lady Bay, Nottinghamshire NG2 5DX Tel: 0115 981 9995 e-mail: poppyandpint@
Poppy & Pint @PoppyandPint poppyandpint
Willowbrook 13 Main Rd, Gedling, Nottingham NG4 3HQ Tel: 0115 987 8596 e-mail: willowbrook@
The Willowbrook @WillowbrookCRB willowbrookpub
email addresses - pubname@castlerockbrewery.co.uk
All of our pubs follow the latest allergen legislation. Further details are available in each establishment.