Castle Rock Quarter Issue 5 by Castle Rock Brewery

All the latest news, views and essential information from Castle Rock Brewery

No:5 Spring 2015

See pages 2 & 3

www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk

Welcome

News

Welcome to the first anniversary edition of the Castle Rock Quarter!

Looking back at the first four issues, it’s amazing to reflect on what filled the pages! We haven’t had a problem cramming this issue full either; in the pages that follow you’ll see what has kept us busy and what is coming up. Some highlights to pick out are the achievements of the Alexandra Hotel, awarded the title of Derby CAMRA Pub of the Year, and the Eagle which was voted Boston’s Best Pub by the readers of the Boston Standard. The Poppy and Pint in Lady Bay was also awarded third place in the Nottingham CAMRA Pub of the Year awards - another great achievement. Congratulations to Ralf and Anna, Jackie, and James on their respective awards. A further pat on the back goes to Adrian and his brewing team for adding even more awards to the Castle Rock “Hall of Fame”, this time for Midnight Owl and Red Riding Hood. Visitors to the New Barrack Tavern will see the recent revamp, providing more space on Sheffield Wednesday home games, and a high quality function room for events. We have also designed, built and opened a training facility above our new brewery yard, which you can learn more about right here. I pass on my thanks to Sarah and the team that completed this project in record time. Last but not least a warm welcome to all visitors to Nottingham who are here for the CAMRA AGM. We hope you enjoy your stay and find time to visit our pubs and enjoy Castle Rock beers when you are in and around the area. This spring, we’ll be working even harder to be deserving of your patronage. Thanks for your support.

Colin Wilde Managing Director @SheriffTipple If there are pub or beer industry related issues or any topic you issues you’d like us to cover in the coming issues then please let us know.

Castle Rock Brewery Queensbridge Road, Nottingham NG2 1NB

Tel: 0115 985 1615 General enquiries: admin@castlerockbrewery.co.uk Sales enquiries: lotte.sefton@castlerockbrewery.co.uk Recruitment: sarah.halpin@castlerockbrewery.co.uk Castle Rock

is designed by freerbutler limited www.freerbutler-gds.co.uk

In early 2014, Castle Rock’s training and development manager, Sarah Halpin, gained Castle Rock BII accreditation to train and test adults in alcohol retailing and hospitality. After months of hard work, the doors to Castle Rock’s ‘Beer School’ are officially open!

Sarah Halpin takes time out at Beer School Since gaining our accreditation with the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII), the Vat & Fiddle Visitors’ Centre has seen hundreds of trainees come and go, with an incredible 100% pass rate on personal license courses. With the walls of the Visitors’ Centre bursting at the seams and Castle Rock staff trained up, Sarah did what anyone would do… she built a beer school.

We know what you’re thinking: beer school sounds heavenly. This is the school you don’t want to be “out for summer”, these are classes where nobody is tardy, where bottomless beer is literally on tap and artificial air freshener is swapped for the scent of fresh hops… well, yeah, it is a bit like that. But the reality is that beer is still being mistreated or misunderstood, customers are not receiving beer of the best quality, and pubs are still closing. The Castle Rock Beer School aims to change that, offering any member of the public the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of this challenging trade. Sarah says: “I want to turn things around for the pub trade by providing stepping stones along the career path. Everything learnt in this school will benefit the course-goers for the rest of their lives, and in turn that will benefit the wider industry.” There are key elements to managing a cellar that simply shouldn’t be taught via diagrams or presentations, but rather in the thick of it. Our former operations director Steve Bramley has now seen one of his dreams come true, in the form of a training cellar. The custom built cellar has been created for the use of

New beers

School students only, where they can get stuck in and learn first-hand how to ‘keep’ beer, manage lines and maintain a high quality cellar. We asked Sarah about the importance of the training cellar. She said: “The first step to a perfect pint is using quality ingredients and brewing great beer, the second step is keeping it properly, and the third is pouring it correctly. If any one of those is below standard, then the beer being handed to your customer is below standard.” On writing this, Sarah has just received the news that the first group of Cellar Training students also received 100% pass rate; an amazing result for the new venture. Castle Rock’s ‘Beer School’, formally known as a Training Centre, is located on Queensbridge Road in Nottingham, only a minute or so stroll from the rail station, and situated beside the brewery and the Vat & Fiddle tap. At Castle Rock Beer School you can take courses on drug awareness, food safety, beer and cellar quality and conflict management. Anyone can sign up, so please get in touch by emailing biicourses@castlerockbrewery.co.uk Class is out!

Historical Brews This quarter brings three unique beers to our bars, each signifying very important events in history. We’re hugely proud of our history, and Nottinghamshire is a county very proud of its heritage. Though the traditional elements of brewing and inn-keeping remain at the forefront of Castle Rock (and always will), the industry is changing every week and we’re changing with it. We work upon a fine line. To one side is the history, the heritage and the tradition that we are so deeply proud of, and to the other is the contemporary, the creativity and the excitement of trying something new. Brewing historical beers is a great way to showcase that. While the importance stories behind the beer is historical, the recipes themselves are forward thinking and innovative. Last summer we launched the Commemoration Collection, a range of beers in commemoration of the First World War. With 10p from every pint donated to charity, the range will span five years of remembrance (2014-2019) to mark the centenary of the war. This May, the fourth beer of the range will be available. Named Zeppelin Raids, the German style smoked beer comes in at 4.8% and, with an oaky aroma and lingering sweetness, it’s a great way to escape the spring showers. The beer has been brewed to commemorate the strategic bombing from German airships; over 5000 bombs were dropped upon Britain’s towns and cities, with devastating loss of lives.

against the arbitrary use of power. We’re creating a beer, named Runnymede 800, in celebration of this hugely important anniversary. Please enjoy a pint, and raise a glass to equality. Last but not least, number 19 in the Nottinghamian Celebration Ales recognises the work of one of the most inspirational people in the county’s history. Victorian architect Watson Fothergill, and his astounding gothic-inspired architecture is celebrated this spring with a unique session mild at 4.2%. Watson Fothergill is brewed with Mosaic hops from the US. Referred to in the brewing world as ‘Citra on steroids’, Mosaic hops have rich notes of tropical fruit, stone fruit and earthy pine. The beer is a traditional mild enhanced by a moreish, fruity taste, and aromas of citrus and blackberry. Watch out on our website for details of a proposed ‘Watson Fothergill’ tour of local properties that he designed (example below).

The Magna Carta is considered one of the most famous documents in the history of human rights. Initially issued by King John of England in 1215, this June we celebrate 800 years since everybody, including the Monarch, became subject to the law. Transferred and adapted across nations and centuries, the document remains a cornerstone of our constitution in the modern era; an international stand

Welcome to Nottingham The CAMRA AGM is coming to town From 17th-19th April, Nottingham is hosting the National CAMRA AGM. The event is set to be huge, with thousands of people flocking to our fair city to vote on CAMRA policies and direction, and sample the great pubs and beer of Nottingham. Welcome to Nottingham, CAMRA members from near and far!

The Castle Rock Challenge d Open to all customers an CAMRA members a We figured nobody likes re mo than beer-themed challenge a CAMRA member, y card so we’ve created a loyalt . M… especially for the AG Vat & Pick yours up from the ck pub and Fiddle or any Castle Ro breakfast. complete it for 50% off

Nottingham has long been looking forward to this weekend, and at Castle Rock we are thrilled to know that our fine city is filled to bursting with real ale enthusiasts. Many of you will know that former CAMRA Chairman Chris Holmes founded Castle Rock, under the name Tynemill, back in 1977 - so it’s always been important for us to support the goals of CAMRA. For 38 years we have been working to offer friendly, welcoming pubs, and for 17 years brewing and serving our own innovative and consistently high quality beer. We hope this shines through if you find time to visit some of our Nottingham pubs during your stay. We look forward to welcoming all CAMRA members, both in Nottingham and further afield to our pubs during the AGM!

TWO brand new Castle Rock beers to enjoy! Members will be able to enjoy two brand new special beers during the event: a single hop IPA brewed with New Zealand hops ‘Idle Valley’ and a modern style mild ‘Watson Fothergill’. As with many things we do, both these beers have a local focus and we’re looking forward to showing CAMRA members across the UK what Nottingham has to offer both with its rich brewing heritage and history. On top of these specials our core range of eight beers will also be available – members will be able to enjoy two new additions to this range: “Red Riding Hood”, our traditional best bitter with a modern twist and “Sherwood Reserve”, a rich but balanced stout brewed with fresh Columbian coffee beans. A more comprehensive idea of what we will have on tap can be seen below!

CAMRA AGM Brewery Tours and Events Almost all of our fixed time tours are now fully subscribed, but if you are a CAMRA Young Member there are still some spaces left. Please contact Nottingham CAMRA’s Ray Kirby on raykirby@nottinghamcamra.org to book your place. There will also be plenty going on in our Nottingham pubs from live music and BBQs to special brewery nights and themed food evenings. Follow us on Twitter (@CRBrewery), like us on Facebook (Castle Rock Brewery) or visit our website (www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk) to find out more.

Drinks in Focus

Discover World Beers @DiscoverWBeers Follow us to stay in the loop with offers, events and news World beer buyer Wayne Harvey selects his favourites this spring from the Discover World Beers range Tuatara – Aotearoa Pale Ale This award winning pale ale from New Zealand recently landed in our bars’ fridges and has been an instant success. The beer takes inspiration from famous hopforward American pale ales but is made from indigenous ingredients. New Zealand malt and hops create a distinctive beer, light amber in colour with a spicy, grapefruit led aroma. This beer is well balanced and highly drinkable; it will keep you coming back for more! Boulevard - Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale Boulevard Brewery is based in Kansas City and is placed in ‘Top Brewers in the World’ on ratebeer.com. The company was recently acquired by Duvel, which has allowed Discover World Beers to start sourcing their amazing beers.

Tank 7 is a strong Saison, combining the refreshing dry character of the traditional Belgian style with real potency. It’s hopped with fruity US varieties (Amarillo, Bravo and Magnum to be exact) which gives it a real new world character but it still retains the typical bone dry nature of its Belgian forebears. St. Bernardus – Pater 6 The St. Bernardus brewery makes some of the best classic Abbey beers in Belgium. The Pater 6 could be considered their entry level Dubbel, at 6.7% it’s almost sessionable compared to the Prior 8 and the world renowned ABT 12. The reason why I’ve included this, rather than its bigger brothers, is because of its drinkability. It’s incredibly smooth, with flavours of raisins and caramel and that classic

estery, banana filled aroma - it isn’t a big, boozy monster that will knock you off your feet but it certainly packs a punch. Wild Beer Co. – Somerset Wild Wild Beer Co. is a boundary-pushing brewery from the South West. They experiment with odd ingredients, barrel ageing, blending and spontaneous fermentation. Somerset Wild is a refreshing sour ale brewed with wild, Somerset orchard yeasts and bacteria. The base beer is a Berliner Weisse so expect flavours of sharp lemon, almost like a fairly well-known brand of Limonata. There’s a lactic acidity reminiscent of tart, farmhouse cider too. Incredibly refreshing, maybe a little challenging for some but well worth a try if you have a penchant for sour flavours.

Castle Rock pub news The Alex doubles up The Alexandra Hotel in Derby has taken home two amazing titles: Best City Pub 2015 and Best Pub Overall 2015, by Derby CAMRA. The Alex was Derby CAMRA pub of the year in 1994, when it went on to win that year’s East Midlands title. Derby CAMRA judge pubs on quality, atmosphere, style and décor, service and welcome, community focus, sympathy with the aims of CAMRA and value for money. Anna & Ralf Dyson-Edge

The Alexandra can now go forwards for an opportunity to win ‘Derbyshire pub of the Year’. Congratulations go to landlord and landlady, Ralf and Anna Dyson-Edge.

The Eagle flies! It’s always great when one of our pubs gets recognised, and on this occasion it was the Eagle in Boston’s turn collect a just reward. Readers of the Lincolnshire weekly Boston Standard voted the Eagle the region’s best bar in 2014. The Eagle is just a short walk from Boston railway station on West Street and the pub has an air of activity about it. It’s light and airy, but even at lunchtimes a popular spot for a tipple or snack. The pub is the base camp for a number of local pool and darts teams and hosts regular quiz nights (the self-proclaimed “hardest quiz in Boston”!) folk, bingo and open mic nights. Suffice it to say there is always something happening at the Eagle, and the manager, Jackie Clarkson would have it no other way!

((l-r) Boston Standard’s Daniel Jaines with Eagle landlady, Jackie Clarkson, and staff Tom Rankin, Kerry Worthington, and Mel Riches

Aside from the steady stream of activity which makes the Eagle what it is, the pub is renowned for well-kept beer and indeed one of the only places in the area where Castle Rock brews are available. All in all, a huge well done to Jackie and her staff and to our customers: make sure you pop in if you’re in the area.

A third for the Poppy & Pint The Poppy & Pint in Lady Bay has taken third place in the Nottingham CAMRA Pub of the Year competition. Our congratulations go to James Halfpenny and his colleagues for their hard work in earning this prestigious award.

In Focus

New Barrack Tavern We are great believers in the role of the pub in the local community and few showcase this philosophy more than the New Barrack Tavern in Sheffield. The managers, Kev and Steph Woods, have been running the ‘NBT’ for 11 years, with Kev being in the pub trade for 15 years in total. Their wealth of experience and easy-going nature has made the New Barrack what it is today; a friendly local’s pub, welcoming to all visitors: “We love everything about the NBT, it’s home to us,” says Kev. Like many of our pubs, the warm feeling you get when walking in to the New Barrack Tavern is just the ticket amidst a landscape of anonymity in large and soulless pubs. With a wooden bar, curving out to showcase a row of real ale hand pulls, a pool table, a multi-award-winning beer garden and walls adorned in music memorabilia and photographs, there is something for all in this home away from home. Kev says: “We have a varied customer base across many different groups, and try hard to cater to everyone’s specific needs and want our customers to feel part of the family.” The NBT is extremely involved with the local community, running Sheffield Wednesday “away days”, chess club evenings, comedy nights and weekly live music nights.

There are a number of things that make a great pub, and having the right staff is crucial. Kev adds: “All our staff think of the Barrack’s as theirs – they call themselves ‘Team NBT!’” It’s cliché to suggest that this is the kind of pub where “everybody knows your name”, but the team at the NBT work hard to keep that personal touch that is often lost in today’s world. The combination of tradition and innovation is at the heart of what Castle Rock do, and the NBT is no stranger to this, having just completed the renovation of its garage into a fully equipped modern function room. “Our new function room is a very exciting addition for us...specifically as a meeting facility for local groups and businesses, but also the bar and catering facilities means it’s great for medium sized functions,” says Kev. The function room is already proving immensely popular, with bookings coming in for a range of events. Drop Kev and Steph an email at newbarracktavern@castlerockbrewery.co.uk to find out more about this great new space. So, excellent staff, customers and environment… what’s next? Beer of course! Over nine handpulls - you’ll find Castle Rock plus some popular local ales.

38 years young 1977 was a way back now It was a year of challenges for Britain: a bomb explosion in a London pub injured 14 people, Clough lost out to Ron Greenwood, T-Rex front man and leader of Glam Rock Marc Bolan died in a car accident, a huge firefighter strike put the public on green alert, and the Yorkshire Ripper was at large. But it was also the year that Fleetwood Mac released Rumours, the Sex Pistols released Never Mind the Bollocks (and were ditched by EMI), Star Wars was screened in the UK for the first time, the Queen celebrated her Silver Jubilee and gained a grandchild, and British television had its biggest ever viewing with The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show.

On top of traditional cider, fruit ciders and five lagers, is an increasing range of international bottled beer – responding to massively increased demand. The pub is just a five minute walk from Bamforth Street tram stop, and the number 53 bus stops yards away from the front door. Kev adds, “We are easy to find – and we like to think very difficult to forget.” Kev and Steph work hard to make the New Barrack Tavern the great pub it is, but know who they really have to thank, with Steph saying... “It’s the customers that make the NBT so special”. Follow the New Barrack Tavern at Twitter: @NewBarrack Facebook: New Barrack Tavern

core…even our MD, Colin Wilde, started out as PA to the Managing Director way back when. It is elements like this - of real and humble people at the heart of it all - that keeps Castle Rock so strong. This, and of course our customers, who are always supporting us, being honest with us, and drinking Castle Rock Beer in Castle Rock pubs. Every year we like to celebrate this, and give our customers a big ‘thank you’ on our birthday. Back in January we offered £1 off a pint for one night only, so our loyal customers and friends could kick back and relax.

So, it was a mixed bag. And in the midst of it, a flare wearing entrepreneur set up a company called ‘Tynemill’ and opened The Old King’s Arms in Newark. His aim was simple: Create a friendly, welcoming pub and serve high quality beer. 38 years on, the making of Castle Rock is still an amazing story. While many of the younger Castle Rock folk find themselves sifting through old photographs of a bygone era (think sepia stained, beards, platforms and wide legged trousers…pints held aloft), the reality is that those who sowed the seeds of this company are still very much present.

The offer applied to all of our beer, which was enjoyed (responsibly) in gallons across the bars. We received the gift of lager and cider from Heineken, Carlsberg and Stowford Press, so were able to offer the same deal on their products too. It’s fair to say that the night was another to remember, filled with live music, quiz nights, give-aways and great support.

Though the brewery and pub estate have both expanded at an incredible rate, Castle Rock remains a small company at its

There were no flares in sight, but still, we felt pretty nostalgic. Now it’s time to start planning the big four zero of 2017…

The 2015 Budget Save a Penny Following the Chancellor’s 2015 Budget announcement, the brewing industry was chuffed to hear that beer duty is being cut by 1p a pint for the third year running. We are giving the 1p saving back to our customers. Across Castle Rock bars you will see jars of pennies, for the taking of beer buyers! When you buy a pint of beer from our pubs, please claim back the beer duty and help yourself to a penny, or pop it in the charity box.

Lest you feel 1p is not worth the hassle, we think that if all customers donated their 1p, Castle Rock customers could raise thousands of pounds for charity. Save or spend a penny, it’s up to you. Cheers!

New beers Creating a Traffic Street Special Follow Dan’s brews on @Traffic_Street

Dan Gilliland, brewer of the Traffic Street Specials range, gives us the ins and outs of creating a beer to push the boundaries. Last year Castle Rock Brewery launched a new range of brews known as the ‘Traffic Street Specials’. Created in a small fermenting vessel, known as ‘The Tardis’, the beers are designed and produced by Castle Rock’s young brewer Dan Gilliland. Pushing boundaries and flavour profiles of conventional brewing, the range has so far seen an extra bitter, dry hopped West Coast IPA, a pale ale brewed with (lots of) herbs, and a dandelion and burdock beer. This spring sees the fourth in the range grace the bars of Nottinghamshire. ‘Little Bitch’ is an Imperial stout brewed with fresh coffee beans and two American hop varieties. At the time of writing, the beer is still fermenting, but this robust stout has flavours of dark fruit, coffee, chocolate and bonfire toffee, and will come in at an estimated 10% ABV. What’s happening down on Traffic Street? We’ve just got a new bit of kit a five barrel copper kettle. Essentially it means we are taking a step back in the brewing process which gives us more flexibility. There’s more room to experiment with higher ABVs and hopping rates and inputs.

What’s the idea process behind the stout? We’ve been testing the copper out for a few weeks and have used it to produce the fourth Traffic Street beer, a 10% ABV Imperial stout. The idea was to really push the boundaries on what we can achieve ABV wise.

So what’s in there? We started out with running high gravity wort off from Sherwood Reserve and diverting it into the copper, so sugar content was really high- about 60% the viscosity of syrup. Anyone who tried the beer prefermentation would tell you, it was so sweet and the glass was literally coated. Then we hopped it with loads of Liberty and Nugget hops. Liberty is flowery and spicy; it’s normally used as a finishing hop in German style beers like Bock and Kölsch, and gives it the dark fruit and cherry notes. Nugget has quite high acidity and is very herbal and bitter. After that we threw a load of Columbian coffee beans which are roasted by Stewarts [of Trent Bridge] just round the corner. Where did the name ‘Little Bitch’ come from? Most people won’t have noticed but the Traffic Street Specials beers are named after songs by the Specials. Little Bitch seemed pretty ironic for this beer - anyone who drinks it is far from that. What’s next then? I’m really excited to try a wine beer hybrid brew. The beer is fermented out and a grape must is added with more yeast, so you are brewing a wine within the beer. I also want to experiment with wild yeast further down the line. Expect bigger, better and stronger brews from Traffic Street.

Learn more about Stewarts Coffee on page 11.

On the bar Castle Rock announces changes to the Loyalty Card scheme Castle Rock Quarter looks at enhanced benefits for all of our customers Despite Castle Rock’s rapid growth into a medium sized brewer in the past four or five years, there has never been any doubt that the company’s success is down to our customers; particularly our regulars who frequently enjoy our pubs and love what we do. The Castle Rock loyalty scheme, previously known as “One over the Eight”, was introduced to thank you, our customers, for your support. Upon collecting eight stamps, customers would receive a free drink based on a list of qualifying products. Since its introduction, the scheme has become so successful, that it has outgrown our logistics and back office system! Some quite extreme rumours have been flying around and we want to assure you…there is no truth in those that we have heard!

After that date however, the loyalty scheme will be completely removed and no cards will be accepted.

However, we believe what we are introducing from the 1st May 2015 is far more rewarding for our customers Bigger savings Each of our pubs will see significant price cuts across a wide range of products, with reductions of up to 40p on key lines. Where stocked, our popular session bitter Sheriff’s Tipple will see the most attractive price change. This all means you can enjoy a wider range of products and experience savings, right there and then. We’ve also committed to a fixed price guarantee until 2016.

Redeem on merchandise & bottles This is what you need to know: Up to and including the 30th April, you can still collect stamps on qualifying products. We know many of you save up completed cards, so there is a ‘grace period’ during which time you can still redeem your card this runs from 1st-31st May.

For those who are sitting on a fair number of completed loyalty cards, we’ve got great deals on merchandise and bottles.

Visit our website to find out more.

Castle Rock Club We are also pleased to announce that we will continue to reward our loyal and regular customers through a reinvigorated Castle Rock Club Scheme, due to launch in autumn. This will give additional benefits to members and include vouchers for £20 savings per year.

CAMRA members CAMRA members can also enjoy the saving of 20p off a pint in many of our pubs, and Wetherspoons 50p off vouchers will continue to be accepted on our bars…

As we introduce new ways to reward our customers, we will keep you as updated as possible – please look out for updates on your local Castle Rock pub’s notice board, and of course check our Facebook and Twitter feeds.

Castle Rock Awards Beer of the Year 2014/15 Castle Rock’s Liv Auckland gives some insight into Beer of the Year behind the scenes! Rumour has it that Castle Rock’s annual Beer of the Year awards night used to be quite the wild one; all night parties followed by 5am breakfasts. These days, Beer of the Year is a slightly calmer affair, although there are still moments of madness I assure you. Still, we have a great time celebrating the vibrant brewing industry of the UK. Voting for Beer of the Year started just before Christmas but we didn’t see any numbers until the 17th January. It’s an exciting time at head office - suddenly a mountain of votes appears on my desk and the count begins! There are always some surprises, some which aren’t even a little surprising, and some forms filled in by right jovial customers… Only one award of the evening took a step away from brewing. Supplier of the Year was awarded to Santander, selected by Castle Rock for their amazing support over the last twelve months.

It has to be said that on the night there was one brewery which received an especially vigorous round of applause. Set up by Rob Witt after 6 years of home-brewing, we first featured Totally Brewed on our bars in May 2014. After taking home Midland Regional Gold at the Robin Hood Beer Festival for ‘4 Hopmen of the Apocalypse’, the brewery has begun to expand. It was with enormous pleasure that we awarded Totally Brewed with NewBrewery of the Year; Rob and his team show just how thriving and exciting this industry is. Bradfield Brewery, family-run and based on a farm in the Peak District, is permanently featured on the bar at the New Barrack Tavern in Sheffield, and its beers are probably just as popular there as our own (sob!). This year Bradfield took home LocAle Brewery of the Year, showcasing how important it is to build authentic relationships in an industry that is always changing.

Colin Wilde says: “Banks are often much maligned as a general rule of thumb these days, but we have nothing but praise for Santander and the relationship team headed by Jon Bennett. They have been supportive, flexible and proactive in helping our business develop and grow and these efforts certainly deserve our recognition.”

This year, Black Sheep’s ‘Black Sheep Ale’ took home third place in Beer of the Year. Brewed with more crystal malt than a usual best bitter gives the ale a rich flavour and darker colouring. Second place was awarded the Fuller’s Chiswick Bitter; a real ale which dates back to 1930. Light and refreshing, with biscuit malt and crisp, hoppy flavours this award demonstrates how, when you get a beer just right, it will stand its ground across many generations.

This year we introduced a new award: Cider of the Year. It’s no surprise that the first winner of this award is Cornwall based. Cornish Orchards ‘Vintage Dry’, at a powerful 7.2%, took home the award. If you’ve yet to delve into the world of real cider, give this ‘connoisseur’s cider’ a try: medium dry and matured over the winter months to bestow vintage qualities.

Back in November, we collaborated on a brew called ‘Flame Out’ with Alex and Nick of Black Iris Brewery. We’ve been friends with the guys for a long time, and it’s been really exciting to watch them become so established. Black Iris has already been awarded NewBrewery and LocAle Brewery in the past, and this year it was their ‘Citra Pale’ which took home first place Beer of the Year.

Since moving to Nottingham a few months ago, Alex and Nick changed their brews up a bit and (causing a slight panic here at head office) revealed that Citra Pale is no longer available. Luckily, one of their latest beers ‘Snake Eyes’ is very similar to Citra Pale, which we all enjoyed a cask of on the night. Still, well done boys, we are as thrilled as ever for you both. Each year the directors of Castle Rock select the brewery they have been most impressed with in the past year (if anyone is wondering how that looks, it’s a quiet room of frowns, chewed biros, and thumb twiddling). They take into account everything - the beers, the developments, the people, the ethics - and eventually come to an agreement. This year, North Yorkshire based Black Sheep Brewery was awarded the trophy. Castle Rock chairman Geoff Newton announced the award by noting “they’re great friends of ours at Castle Rock, and offered to donate some beer tonight before even knowing they had been shortlisted- so cheers for that.” Congratulations to you all and our special thanks go to Pip for the winning speech! If you missed out on your chance to vote, keep your ear to the ground at the end of the year…. Below: The award winners pictured with Castle Rock’s Geoff Newton and Liv Auckland

Beers Crafted coffee beans Earlier this year we added the delectable Sherwood Reserve to our permanent range of beers. Brewed with Columbian coffee beans, it is a rich, chocolatey stout at 4.5% ABV. The three kilos of Columbian coffee beans are roasted with love and attention by Stewarts of Trent Bridge, a ‘green’ micro-roaster located just down the road from the brewery. Stewarts Coffee is also served in many of our pubs, including the Poppy and Pint, the Canalhouse and the Stratford Haven. Let’s have a chat with the latest roaster recruit, Mark Roberts: Markybobs, How did you come to work at Stewarts? I fell into coffee roasting. I got really excited about coffee and just learned as much as possible. My experience in marketing combined with that passion gave me the opportunity to come and do both here at Stewarts.

What makes Stewarts coffee different? I import coffee from all over the world and then create the roast and blends here on site. Supermarket coffee is months old before you get it home. Here it's normally just a few days so it’s an incredibly fresh product. Our aim is to develop long term relationships with complementary industries and people throughout Nottingham as well. We want to be a brand that everyone knows for great coffee and for caring about the local area. What’s an average day like in the roaster? My average day is a mix between roasting, sampling and experimenting with our coffee, combined with sorting orders for customers. We try to be a very social company and use Twitter and Facebook to talk about coffee with our customers and coffee lovers. We also attend events and have people come down to visit to see a roast and grab some great coffee. Which blend is your favourite? Hmmm it’s a tough question. I think our Italian blend is a fantastic well rounded coffee. It ticks all the boxes and is great as an espresso, Americano or with milk. I do have a soft spot for our Mexican limited edition as that’s beautiful at home in my Moka pot.

Mark Roberts, Stewarts Coffee of Trent Bridge Any plans you can let us in on? We are always scheming on ways to bring our coffee to people. We are going big in video over the next month, releasing a series of “how to” videos helping home brewing. We’re also launching a new project called “The Roaster Sessions” where we have local artists come down and sing us a few songs. We are working with Acoustic Roots record label and hoping to work closely within the incredible Nottingham music scene.

More awards for Castle Rock beers For the second year running, Midnight Owl has won an award at a national level and vindicates its position as one of the best winter warming black IPAs in the East Midlands and beyond. This strong, dark and hoppy ale picked up a Bronze at the National Winter Ales Festival at the Roundhouse in Derby (Old Ales/Strong Milds category). It was another excellent event in the unique surroundings of the Roundhouse and we were only too pleased to collect an award for one of our most popular seasonal ales. At time of writing, Red Riding Hood has just been named one of the runners up in the Champion Beer of Nottinghamshire held by Nottingham CAMRA, and hosted at our lovely Canalhouse. Congratulations to Adrian and the brewery team for their continued hard work in making sure that Castle Rock’s beers are as good as they are.

Good Beer Guide editor, Roger Protz, and Derby 'Beer King' Les Baynton, with Castle Rock’s head brewer Adrian Redgrove and manager Pete Hopwell

Unique Partnerships

The John Van Geest Cancer Research Centre Back in 1994, Castle Rock acquired an unloved property in Beeston, Nottingham. Castle Rock director Neil Kelso (pictured right), has been closely involved with the development of Castle Rock pubs for decades, with a speciality for taking over derelict properties and ‘turning them into pubs’. He did just this with the Victoria Hotel - owned by Neil and his wife Linda since 2001. The Victoria Hotel is a traditional, real ale pub with an unwavering reputation in the Nottingham community. Many pubs strive to raise money for charity, but the work of Neil and Linda has made an overwhelming difference to one very local and truly worthy charity: the John Van Geest Cancer Research Centre.

Castle Rock’s Liv Auckland spent an afternoon at the world leading John Van Geest Cancer Research Centre, learning how the centre is working to ‘Crack the cancer code’. In 2010, I was studying for my Bachelor’s degree on Clifton Campus, Nottingham Trent University. It slipped past without my knowing, until recently, that a hugely important building was being constructed. It’s a campus I know well, but on visiting the centre, I found myself tucked away in a mysterious place where history is made. Sure, I may have almost fainted (in-front of actual scientists) at the sight of brain tumour cells, but what I was able to witness was truly astounding.

The Jon Van Geest Cancer Research Centre on Clifton Campus is a facility that all Professor Bob Rees, Director of John Van Geest Cancer Research Centre Nottinghamians and complain that our money is spent on should be supporting. The centre is world administration and wage costs. Quite frankly, leading, first class and filled with some of the the centre needs donations. A £10 donation brightest brains on this planet. The running could allow the centre to sequence a gene, cost of the centre is supported by the while £100 would pay for the costs of university, so 100% of all donations go screening tissue from 100 patients with directly into research. Many of us donate to breast cancer, and £1,000 could pay to test national and international cancer charities, the immune system of 100 patients with breast or prostate cancer.

“100% of all donations go directly into research”

The Victoria Hotel ‘VicFest’, a 16 day festival, has raised thousands for John Van Geest, and Neil and Linda can be assured that the money raised is spent where it is needed: on research. Sue Dewey, Head of Fundraising for the centre (and one of the most charismatic women I’ve ever met) says ‘They are a joy to work with and I wish we had more like them – so if anyone else out there wants to partner up with us to help raise money and profile for something that will affect very many of us, please get in touch. We have a lot of fun raising money for a serious cause… Please help us to crack the cancer code.” At Castle Rock we are laying plans to raise the profile of the centre, and will be raising money where we can. In the mean-time, take a moment to learn more and get involved at www.ntu.ac.uk/vangeest

Editor’s Picks Upcoming Events April 2015 Easter Weekend

Full listings on our website updated daily

May 2015

Forget ‘spring cleaning’ and cooking up a storm for the family; it’s time to celebrate the four day weekend with all sorts to enjoy… Full listings can be found at www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk/event Thur 2nd April

Mini Beer Festival: • The Bread & Bitter kick off the Easter celebrations at 6pm with a beer fest over five days, showcasing Champion Beers of Britain from the last decade with a total of 16 real ales, plus real ciders and craft beers. Thursday 2nd April-Monday 6th April Good Friday (Fri 3rd April) • Tuck into a ‘Mothership’ Pie & Pint for just £8 at the Swan in the Rushes. The Swan’s Easter themed competitions will kick off too, such as Name the Bunny & How Many Eggs…all proceeds go to charity. • Four piece rock band WalkWay take to the stage at the New Barrack Tavern, 9pm • Celebrate Belgian Beer Day at the Kean’s Head, with a special menu to match Saturday 4th April • Live music at the Fox & Crown from ‘U.S.’, a Nottingham based four piece

MILD IN MAY TRAIL Friday 1st - Sunday 31st May

Saturday 2nd May

National Civil War Centre The long awaited Civil War Centre in Newark is finally opening its doors to the public. Britain’s deadliest conflict will be marked this Bank holiday weekend with thousands spilling into the town for re-enactments and the official opening of the museum. The Fox & Crown is home to the Kings Lifeguard of Foote Regiment for the weekend, visit www.nationalcivilwarcentre.co.uk or www.kingslifeguard.co.uk to learn more and follow @TheFoxandCrown to keep in the loop. Friday 8th - Saturday 9th May

Mod & Punk Weekend Bringing back the seventies with live music from Forever Mod (9pm Friday) and Reasons to be Cheerful (9pm Saturday) at the home of Sheffield Wednesday. New Barrack Tavern, free

AMERICAN CRAFT BEER WEEK Monday 11th to Sunday 17th May The best brews for the USA available in bottles and keg across Castle Rock pubs. Many of the pubs will be showcasing All-American menus (burger in a Krispy Kreme, anyone?) with beers to match. Visit our website to find out more and be sure to follow @DiscoverWBeers to stay in the loop…

Easter Sunday (Sun 5th April) • All our pubs will be serving up their Sunday menus, from roasts to pizzas to salad. Book a table at your Castle Rock local and recharge • Adults Easter Egg Hunt at the Swan in the Rushes from 12pm, with Easter themed prizes • Live music from Beatles tribute the ‘Fab 2’ at the Lincolnshire Poacher, 9pm • Free chocolate egg with any kid’s meal at the Bread & Bitter and the Stratford Haven • Warm up with a free hot cross bun when you buy a hot drink at the Swan in the Rushes

The renowned Lady Bay Arts Festival is back for 2015 and better than ever. The Poppy & Pint once again is a host of the celebration, find out more at: www.ladybayarts.org.uk

GREAT BRITISH BEEF WEEK ++++

Monday 18th - Sunday 24th May

Tuesday 21st - Monday 27th Apri

Wednesday 29th April

Wine Tasting Enjoy a wine tasting evening, with a cold table buffet, including rustic breads and canapés. Golden Eagle, 7.30pm £15

Thursday 14th May

Poppy & Pint Birthday The Poppy is 4 years old! Celebrate in the best of Lady Bay with live music, drinks and food offers, and a charity raffle. Poppy & Pint, 5pm Saturday 16th - Sunday 17th May

Lady Bay Arts Festival

Sunday 24th May

Poacher Garden Party The newly refurbished garden will see a satellite bottle beer & cider bar, BBQ from 6-9pm, and live music from Harry and the Pedestrians (weather permitting, follow @lincpoacher to stay up to date). Lincolnshire Poacher, 12pm-11pm, free entry NATIONAL WINE DAY Monday 25th May

Monday 25th May (Bank Holiday)

Ladies Night Ladies Night in the Hop Loft is back for the bank holiday. Bubbly, Butlers in the Buff, the best of local beauty and entertainment from a Robbie Williams tribute…leave your worries at the door, ladies! Call 01509 214 017 to book your tickets. Swan in the Rushes, 7pm, £5 per ticket BRITISH CHEESE WEEK nday 1st June Tuesday 26th May - Mo

Wednesday 10th June

Poacher turns 26 26 years young! Join us in celebrating 26 years of our most beloved Poacher, with free cake, savings on Castle Rock beers and live music from the Old Nick Trading Company (9pm). Lincolnshire Poacher, from 5pm

June 2015 Saturday 13th June

NBT Charity Festival The 601 Club brings bands and DJs to the NBT, with two stages, a BBQ and more. All profits go to Western Park Cancer Hospital. New Barrack Tavern, 3pm Saturday 14th June

Father’s Day Festival Classic and modified cars and bikes show in the private car park. Whatever your thing, bring it along and show it off. Enjoy a burger from the flamin’ BBQ and bop to some music. A free gallon of ale goes to the owner of the highest voted vehicle. Golden Eagle, free entry

Vegetarian Week

Friday 26th - Sunday 28th June

Good, fresh, locally and ethically sourced veggie dishes created across Castle Rock pubs. The Bread & Bitter offer 50p off all veggie dishes, the Swan in the Rushes Veggie Pit & Pint is only £4.50 all week, and veggie dishes at the Lincolnshire Poacher include a free drink.

Summer Beer Festival Join in the summer festivities at the Golden Eagle’s annual mini beer fest. With twelve real ales in the garden, plus a BBQ and live music from 2pm (Sat & Sun), it’s a must for the whole family. Golden Eagle, free entry

FATHER’S DAY - Sunday 21st June Visit www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk/fathers-day • Gift Packs £8.95, Available from your Castle Rock local

www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk/event

Available at your Castle Rock local

Top comments

Ode to the Owl In the middle of the night ye may feel not quite right, Well what’s it matter to me, I dinna give a hoot! But the hoot’s from the Owl; And when the Owl begins to Screech; Oooooooooooooooooooooo! The spectre O the tree; Sends a shiver right through me; My glass is filled to the brim and I’m lost for speech; And the Owl begins to Screech! By Mike Higgins

Up & Coming Brews

Tweets... Thanks for all your tweets, retweets, follows, likes, and lovely comments. Keep them coming! “Excellent new Castle Rock Brewery pub at East Midlands airport. You’re spoiling us!” - @mr_shore “Delicious lunch at the Kean’s Head with @pixie1214 in Nottingham today. Cheers guys, awesome stuff!” - @iChef007 “Golden Eagle - Never fails to delight me” - @loftyimp

Here’s a look at what’s to come in the next three months.

APRIL - JUNE 2015

4.2% abv

4.8% abv

4.0% abv

4.5% abv

4.2% abv

Citrusy session mild, German-style smoked beer A mid-strength, full German-style wheat beer Golden bitter brewed with with hints of white local honey for a delicate brewed with Mosaic hops with an oaky aroma, notes flavoured bitter with fruity sweetness. from the USA. of dark fruits and a subtle, notes on the palate and a chocolate. Naturally cloudy smack of hops in the finish. Celebrating the life of the lingering sweetness. and vegan friendly. AVAILABLE FROM MAY AVAILABLE FROM JUNE AVAILABLE JUNE revered NottinghamshireAVAILABLE MAY born architect. AVAILABLE APRIL - JUNE

Annual Seasonal

One-off Seasonal

All of our beers contain Gluten from Malted Barley and Wheat. Some of our special and one-off beers may contain additional allergens, please check our website for further details

Castle Rock Pubs

All of our pubs follow the latest allergen legislation. Further details are available in each establishment.

ALEXANDRA HOTEL 203 Siddals Road, Derby DE1 2QE

BREAD AND BITTER

153-155 Woodthorpe Dr, Mapperley, NG3 5JL

CANALHOUSE

e-mail: alexandrahotel@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: Alexandra Hotel T: @Alex_Pub_Derby

e-mail: breadandbitter@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: Bread Bitter T: @breadandbitter

e-mail: canalhouse@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: Canal House T: @canalhousebar

Tel: 01332 293993

Tel: 0115 960 7541

48-52 Canal Street, Nottingham NG1 7EH

Tel: 0115 955 5060

CASTLE ROCK TAP ROOM & KITCHEN

DERBY TUP

387 Sheffield Rd, Chesterfield S41 8LS

EAGLE

e-mail: derbytup@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: The Derby Tup T: @TheDerbyTup

e-mail: eagle@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: The Eagle T: @TheEagleBoston

FOREST TAVERN/MAZE 257 Mansfield Road, Nottingham NG1 3FT

FOX AND CROWN

4-6 Appletongate, Newark, Notts NG24 1JY

GOLDEN EAGLE

email: info@themazerocks.com • web: www.themazerocks.com F: The Maze T: @themazenotts

e-mail: foxandcrown@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: The Fox & Crown Newark T: @TheFoxandCrown

e-mail: goldeneagle@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: The Golden Eagle Free House T: @GoldenEaglePub

First Floor Departure Lounge, East Midlands Airport

Tel: 0115 947 5650

144 West Street, Boston, Lincs PE21 8RE

Tel: 01246 454316

Tel: 01205 361116

Tel: 01636 605820

21 High Street, Lincoln LN5 8BD

Tel: 01522 521058

KEAN’S HEAD

46 St. Mary’s Gate, Nottingham NG1 1QA

161-163 Mansfield Road, Nott’m NG1 3FR

LINCOLNSHIRE POACHER

NEW BARRACK TAVERN

e-mail: keanshead@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: Kean’s Head T: @keanshead

e-mail: lincolnshirepoacher@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: Lincolnshire Poacher T: @lincpoacher

e-mail: newbarracktavern@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: New Barrack Tavern T: @NewBarrack

Tel: 0115 947 4052

Tel: 0115 941 1584

601 Penistone Road, Sheffield S6 2GA

Tel: 0114 234 9148

NEWSHOUSE

123 Canal Street, Nottingham NG1 7HB

POPPY AND PINT

Pierrepont Road, Lady Bay, Notts NG2 5DX

ROOK AND GASKILL

e-mail: newshouse@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: The Newshouse T: @NewshouseNotts

e-mail: poppyandpint@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: Poppy & Pint T: @PoppyandPint

e-mail: rookandgaskill@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: The Rook and Gaskill T: @RookGaskillYork

Tel: 0115 952 3061

Tel: 0115 981 9995

12 Lawrence Street, York YO10 3WP

Tel: 01904 655450

2 Stratford Rd, W. Bridgford, Nott’m NG2 6BA

SWAN IN THE RUSHES 21 The Rushes, Loughborough LE11 5BE

12-14 Queensbridge Rd, Nottingham NG2 1NB

e-mail: stratfordhaven@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: Stratford Haven T: @stratfordhaven

e-mail: swanintherushes@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: Swan Rushes T: @swanrushes

e-mail: vatandfiddle@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: Vat and Fiddle T: @VatandFiddle

Tel: 0115 982 5981

VICTORIA HOTEL

(Hands On Pub Company)

Tel: 01509 217014

VAT AND FIDDLE

(The Brewery Tap)

STRATFORD HAVEN

Tel: 0115 985 0611

Dovecote Lane, Beeston, Nott’m NG9 1JG

WETMORE WHISTLE

93 Wetmore Road, Burton on Trent, DE14 1SH

WILLOWBROOK

e-mail: vichotel@btconnect.com F: The-Victoria-Hotel T: @TheVicBeeston

e-mail: wetmorewhistle@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: The Wetmore Whistle T: @wetmorewhistle1

e-mail: willowbrook@castlerockbrewery.co.uk F: The Willowbrook T: @WillowbrookCRB

Tel: 0115 925 4049

Tel: 01283 541064

13 Main Rd, Gedling, Nottingham NG4 3HQ

Tel: 0115 987 8596

Core Castle Rock Beers 3.4%

Brewed to be a traditional session ale with a malty bitter taste.

F: Sheriff Tipple T: @SheriffTipple

3.8%

A national awardwinning blonde beer. American hops give a refreshingly crisp, citrus finish.

3.8%

A well balanced, award-winning dark mild with some bitterness. Full-bodied but not overly sweet.

4.3%

American-style red ale brewed with dark crystal malt, plus El Dorado and Kohatu hops.

4.4%

A full-bodied premium bitter of typical East Midlands character. Perfect bitter-sweet balance.

4.5%

Brewed with fresh Columbian coffee beans. Flavours of rich chocolate and coffee are in the nose, and the taste is smooth and lasting.

F: Castle Rock Brewery T: @CRBrewery

4.7%

5.5%

Blonde and beautiful single malt golden ale refreshing on the palate.

A national champion. Strong India Pale Ale. Lots of everything so proceed with caution.

F: Elsie Mo T: @Elsiemocrb

F: Screech Owl T: @ScreechOwlCRB

The next issue of Castle Rock Quarter is published in July The seasonal beers will include Watson Fothergill (April), Zeppelin Raids (May), Hemlock Bitter (May-Jul), Skylarks Reserve (June-Aug), Runnymede 800 (June) - for more information turn to Page 15