THE BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE FROM BREWDOG
#33
W ABOVE: ISSUE 32 OF HOP PROPAGANDA
ELCOME TO ISSUE 33 OF HOP PROPAGANDA – THE ONLINE AND PRINT MAGAZINE FROM BREWDOG!
single-handedly building a brewery from the ground up; and we also catch up with Craig Middleton at Cromarty on what the last whirlwind year was like for his brewery.
Last time out was the first of this new-look format, and we were thrilled with how it looked. If you’d like to have your say, you can get in touch with us via the methods below - we’d love to hear what you think!
Elsewhere, our usual features include two beers to enjoy at different times from Fyne Ales, an uncovering of the joys of saison yeast, and just how special beer can be with a simple addition of a small stone fruit. We also feature our awesome Equity Punk brewday, and if you’ve ever seen any 8 Wired beers in our BrewDog bars, turn to page 12 to find out the secret behind this hugely exciting New Zealand brewer.
In the meantime, Hop Propaganda 33 features more bespoke and choice content from BrewDog. In this edition, we open the doors to our latest European bar, in that amazing city of culture that is Barcelona. In another similar city, Newcastle, we meet a man who is
Hop Propaganda – going global!
LIKE WHAT YOU READ, OR WHERE YOU ARE READING IT? HERE’S HOW TO LET US KNOW! HOPPROPAGANDA
HOPPROPAGANDA@BREWDOG.COM
FANTASTIC FOUR: BREWDOG
4
FANTASTIC FOUR: GUESTS
5
BEATNIK BREWING COLLECTIVE BREWDAY PERFECT PAIRING: PUNK IPA
6-8 9
C IS FOR CHERRIES
10-11
FOCUS ON: 8 WIRED
12-13
MUCHO GUSTO: INSIDE BREWDOG BARCELONA 14-15 A YEAR IN CROMARTY
16-17
INFOGRAPHIC: BEER GEOGRAPHY 101
18-19
ON THE HORIZON: NEW CITY LOOKOUT
20-21
ONE MAN BRAND: ALMASTY BREWING CO
22-25
NOW:NEXT 26 THE FIRST TIME... YEAST FEAST: SAISON YEAST
27 28-29
LIKE PUNK IPA? WHY NOT BREW IT YOURSELF? 30-31 THE LAST WORD NEXT UP: HP 34
32-33 34
FANTASTIC FOUR
OUR LATEST RELEASES, IN OUR BARS RIGHT NOW FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT. FORM AN ORDERLY QUEUE…
VAGABOND PALE ALE
STEREO WOLF
A SHIMMERING PACIFIC COAST SUNSET; OUR TRAILBLAZING GLUTEN-FREE BEER
A HOPPED-UP BADASS OF A DARKLY ROASTY AND INTENSE STOUT
STYLE: PALE ALE
4.5%
IBU: 55
A BEER FOR: INCLUSION
SPECIAL MOVE: AMARILLO FLASHFIRE
5.2%
RESTORATIVE BEVERAGE FOR INVALIDS AND CONVALESCENTS AMPED-UP HISTORIC INDIA PALE ALE; STRONG PALE AND DRY STYLE: IPA
8.7%
IBU: 100
A BEER FOR: TRANSFUSION
SPECIAL SKILL: DOCTOR’S ORDERS
STYLE: STOUT
IBU: 55
A BEER FOR: COLLUSION
SPECIAL SKILL: CITRUS JAWCLAMP
ABSTRAKT AB:18 TWO-YEAR-AGED DECADENT IMPERIAL BROWN ALE WITH BERRIES STYLE: BROWN ALE
11.8% HOP PROPAGANDA –4– ISSUE 33
IBU: 100
A BEER FOR: SECLUSION
SPECIAL SKILL: BERRY SMASH
FANTASTIC FOUR
WE CONSTANTLY STRIVE TO BRING YOU THE BEST SELECTION OF OVERSEAS BEERS WE CAN GET OUR HANDS ON. HERE ARE JUST SOME OF THOSE LATEST ADDITIONS…
GAMMA RAY
OUDE GEUZE
HUGELY TROPICAL MULTI-HOPPED LONDON BARNSTORMER
TART, REFRESHING GEUZE THAT IS QUINTESSENTIALLY BELGIAN
STYLE: US PALE ALE
5.4%
FROM: BEAVER TOWN
A BEER FOR: HUSTLING
IN A NUTSHELL: JUICY BANGER
STYLE: LAMBIC
7%
FROM: BOON
A BEER FOR: RUSTLING
IN A NUTSHELL: WINDBORNE WRECKING BALL
RUINATION IPA
MONK’S ELIXIR
SUPERCALIHOPBALLISTICEXPORTIPA -FEROCIOUS
AS CLOSE TO A TRAPPIST MASTERPIECE AS YOU CAN GET
STYLE: IPA
8.2%
FROM: STONE IN A NUTSHELL: HOP BOMB
A BEER FOR: MUSCLING
STYLE: QUADRUPEL
10% HOP PROPAGANDA –5– ISSUE 33
FROM: MIKKELLER
A BEER FOR: TUSSLING
IN A NUTSHELL: BULLETPROEF MONK
HOP PROPAGANDA –6– ISSUE 33
BILLY, EQUITY PUNK
“I’M NOT A CORPORATE STOOGE. I DIDN’T JUST BECOME A SHAREHOLDER FOR THE INVESTMENT. I DID IT FOR DAYS LIKE THIS – TO MEET THE PEOPLE MAKING THE BEER AND FEEL A PART OF IT.” HOP PROPAGANDA –7– ISSUE 33
RYAN, EQUITY PUNK
“I INVESTED BECAUSE I WANTED TO BELIEVE IN A BREWERY AND MAKE IT LAST. HOW MANY OTHERS CAN YOU COME TO AND MAKE A BEER?”
ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR YEAR TOOK PLACE ON A CHILLY, DARK WEEKEND IN EARLY FEBRUARY; THE ANNUAL EQUITY PUNK BREWDAY AT OUR ELLON HQ. OUR AMAZING SHAREHOLDERS TURNED UP IN THEIR DROVES TO HELP US PUT TOGETHER A VERY SPECIAL BEER INDEED. The first release from newly monikered Beatnik Brewing Collective, the style and recipe was duked out in our legendary Equity Punks forum, being democratically selected at each stage. The outcome of that week-long debate was a smooth, roasty 6.5% Milk Stout, brewed with cacao nibs and coconut chips, and singlehopped with Galena. Christened ‘The Bounty Hunter’, the debut Beatnik beer is available now – but as it was their creation, it’s an exclusive to our cardcarrying Equity Punks! (or those who are friendly with one, perhaps…) It was great to welcome so many of our investors in person, as they wandered around the brewery they helped fund with their investment. We wouldn’t be BrewDog without them, it’s that simple!
HOP PROPAGANDA –8– ISSUE 33
Lusty imperials, tart sours, power-forward IPA’s; there’s a beer for any and every dish. Yet what about that most classic of pub foods? And our headlining beer? Surely they wouldn’t go…oh, they do?
BEER AND FOOD GO TOGETHER BETTER THAN ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN EAT AND DRINK AT THE SAME TIME. WINE CLAIMS THE HIGHGROUND, BUT BEER HAS SUCH A WEIGHT OF VARIETY BEHIND IT.
Go into most any pub in the land that does food and the words Beer N’ Burger probably won’t be too far from your line of sight. Rightly so, it’s a classic. So when it comes to choosing a beer to go with your meat and bread we reckon there’s no better brewski than OUR postmodern classic, Punk IPA. Whether beef, chicken or kangaroo burger, we think Punk IPA provides the perfect partner for that patty. The assertiveness and fruitiness of the hops give a whole new meaning to the words “taste sensation” when they mingle with the meaty goodness of the king of pub grub. But the gastro-magic doesn’t end there, with Punk’s biscuity malt adding new layers of intricacy to those buns. It even goes well with the gherkins (assuming you’re one of those gherkin lovers, there ain’t no shame in it!) So there you have it, next time you need a pint to go with that burger, reach out for a Punk IPA. You can’t go far wrong with our flagship!
...mmm!
HOP PROPAGANDA –9– ISSUE 33
A
S AN ADDITION, BEER FEATURED FRUIT WELL BEFORE THE PROPERTIES OF HOPS WERE DISCOVERED. WITH EARLY IMPORTANCE PLACED ON BEERS AS AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, MADE BY AND FOR FARMWORKERS, IT DOESN’T TAKE A HUGE LEAP OF FAITH TO IMAGINE EARLY BREWERS LEANING ON MASH PADDLES AND SUDDENLY DECIDING TO SET OFF INTO THAT NEARBY ORCHARD ON THE HUNT FOR FLAVOURFUL EXTRAS.
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Whole or crushed, the fruit is added into oak barrels.
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Once-dormant yeasts and bacteria flood back into life with the influx of fruit sugar.
Oak barrels contain Lambic that has been ageing for over a year.
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The beer froths and spumes once more, filling the air with a wonderful tart, pungent aroma. HOP PROPAGANDA – 10 – ISSUE 33
When it comes to that particular brief, the small stone-containing rouges of the genera Prunus are surely one of the most instantly-recognisable. Cherries have long been cultivated in the traditional brewing heartlands of Europe, but like many other things, they first came to the UK with the Romans; legend has it the preponderance of cherry trees next to Roman roads is due to the legionnaires spitting out the stones as they marched. But it was another group of people who likely made that initial link between small stone-fruit and our favourite beverage. Although the sweet cherry is endemic, other varieties in Europe have long been cultivated by monasteries, and it is the monastic orders of Britain who historically propagated the first cherries here, following their appearance via the conquering legions. As everyone knows, monks love a good beer – after all, you only have to look at the most fruit-beer loving nation on earth to see also the preponderance of monastic beers there. Or, in their local terminology; Abbey and Trappist beers. Yes, whereas all historical roads lead to Rome, the beery ones invariably point at Belgium. And it is there that the world’s most famed cherry beer was created – Kriek. In Flanders, kriek means both ‘cherry’ and the beer style that now bears its name, so although any beer with cherries added can be technically called a kriek (as an ingredient), the majority of actual Krieks derive from a single shared style; the lambic.
KRIEK FREAK
BOON OUDE KRIEK
CHERRIES MAKE THESE BEERS AMAZING.
LIQUID CHERRY JAM WITH 400G OF WILD CHERRIES PER LITRE
6.5%
CANTILLON KRIEK 100% LAMBIC NEW GLARUS WISCONSIN BELGIAN RED SWEET AND DELICIOUS, AMERICA’S FINEST FRUIT BEER
4%
TYNE BANK IMPERIAL CHERRY HISTORY, PROVENANCE, AND A PERFECT BALANCE OF TARTNESS
5%
NOT A KRIEK, BUT SWEET AND SOUR CHERRIES GIVE HUGE CONTRAST.
12%
These tart, effervescent beers are traditionally augmented by local raspberries to create framboise, or cherries, to produce Kriek. Whole or crushed, the fruit is added into oak barrels containing lambic that has been ageing for over a year. And the effect is startling. Once-dormant yeasts and bacteria flood back into life with this influx of fruit sugar, and the beer froths and spumes once more, filling the air of the brewery with a wonderful tart, pungent aroma. Within the Brussels area, the most famed of these lambic producers is undoubtedly Cantillon. There, the foams that bubble out of the wooden barrels have a tell-tale pink hue when there are Krieks fermenting; the near-endgame of a delivery, up to a year ago, of a 4,000kg shipment of fresh Kellery cherries. Other cherry beers – and cherry styles of beers – are available, but there’s something almost magical about the Cantillon Kriek lambic. It’s such a complex beer, both in the flavour and creation – yet when you visit the brewery it’s as medieval as brewing gets (and that is meant as the highest of compliments). Cherries might be small and ubiquitous, but the beers they go into are amongst the most amazing combinations of flavours you can experience…
Images reproduced with permission of Brasserie Cantillon
“KRIEK IS A VERY THIRST-QUENCHING BEER WHICH TASTES DELICIOUSLY WITH A BIG SLICE OF BROWN BREAD WITH WHITE CHEESE, RADISHES, ONIONS AND CHIVES.” CANTILLON PAIRING ADVICE.
HOP PROPAGANDA – 11 – ISSUE 33
8 WIRED
Christmas. Back then, the Eriksens were living in Perth, Western Australia, but a relocation to New Zealand surrounded Soren with the ingredients – particularly the wonderfully vinous NZ hops – to turn his hobby into something more than just all-grain tinkering. But how to pay for that new brewery?
Y
OU DON’T NEED TO GO A LONG WAY THESE DAYS TO FIND AMAZING BEER – THE WAY THE WORLD HAS CHANGED, BREWERIES ARE SPRINGING UP IN EVERY OTHER POSTAL CODE. BUT, IF YOU DID FIND YOURSELF JOURNEYING AS FAR FROM OUR ABERDEENSHIRE DOORSTEP AS YOU COULD, EVENTUALLY YOU WOULD ARRIVE – AFTER SEVERAL CHANGES OF TRANSPORT – AT THE FINGER-LIKE NORTHERN TIP OF NEW ZEALAND, JUTTING OUT INTO THE TASMAN SEA AS IF POINTING BACK TO WHERE YOUR JOURNEY HAD STARTED. HERE, JUST NORTH OF AUCKLAND ON THE KOWHAI COAST, YOU’LL FIND THE SMALL VILLAGE OF WARKWORTH (POPULATION 4,000), AND 8 WIRED BREWING CO. For 8 Wired, their journey has been almost as arduous. Their brewery in Warkworth produced its first beer – an 8% double Red IPA – only last month, but the road for Danish-born founder Soren Eriksen began ten years earlier, when his wife Monique gave him a homebrew kit for
Well, it turns out that aside from his talent as a brewer, Soren has another rather useful gift. In 2009 and 2010, he was crowned back-toback winner of New Zealand’s national poker championships, yielding a highly expedient source of funds. The next piece of the ‘brewery boardgame’ was then experience – and this was promptly taken care of in the form of a job at Renaissance Brewing Co in Blenheim, deep in the heart of Marlborough wine (and hop) country. After working for Renaissance for a while, the next fork in the road appeared, in the form of how to go it alone with 8 Wired. The original idea was to establish a coastal brewpub; somewhere near the water where Soren and Monique could dish out amazing beer and food to thirsty people enjoying the amazing scenery. But practicalities reared their collectively ugly heads (as they are wont to do), and so the Eriksens instead decided to go down the other path, and contract brew. Of course, the fact that Soren was already working at a scene-leading craft brewery (by this time he had been offered the role of head brewer) made that choice – hard though it must have been – more straightforward. The journey wasn’t to end there, of course; the success of both breweries (one running within
HOP PROPAGANDA – 12 – ISSUE 33
the other) inevitably led to capacity issues. So 8 Wired went on the road once again, moving some production to the neighbouring island, contracting at the Steam Brewing Company in Auckland. Whilst up there, the couple decided to stay in the area for good – hence the end of the road at Warkworth, and their finally establishing a bespoke brewery (whilst also retaining the contracts at both other facilities). So the much-travelled Eriksens have finally put down roots, yet there’s one – or rather two hundred – reasons to remain at Blenheim as well. That’s apparently the number of ex-wine barrels that Soren has acquired over the years at Renaissance, and his first employee Jason Bathgate (job title: Yeast Wrangler and Barrel Shepherd) oversees 8 Wired’s newly-legendary barrel-ageing programme, still retained 800km to the south of the new brewery. Beers such as Saeson – a spellchecker-challenging Chardonnay-aged Bretted saison are testament to the wonders that wood can convey; with a ready supply of nearby wineries in Marlborough, they make perfect sense.
AND WHEN WE SAY AMAZING – WE CERTAINLY MEAN IT…
iSTOUT RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT
NZ-hopped behemoth with stunning depth of complexity.
MIGHTY IMPERIAL IMPERIAL STOUT
Oak-aged, heavily hopped and with a touch of Manuka smoke.
10%
11%
THE BIG SMOKE
HOPWIRED
THE ORIGINAL IDEA WAS TO ESTABLISH A COASTAL BREWPUB; SOMEWHERE NEAR THE WATER WHERE SOREN AND MONIQUE COULD DISH OUT AMAZING BEER AND FOOD TO THIRSTY PEOPLE ENJOYING THE AMAZING SCENERY. And what of the name? 8 Wired are proud to be a Kiwi brewery, and take the term from a near-ubiquitous product of the country – number 8 wire (it was apparently the eighth listed in the wire catalogue); a specific gauge used for electric fencing. It has since become an almost cult product for its many and varied uses throughout New Zealand; an indispensable cornerstone of life in the country, like – these days – amazing craft beer.
SMOKED PORTER
Bamberg rauchmalt comes to the fore in this nigh-on perfect porter.
6.2%
IPA
A home-grown hit; all NZ-grown malt and hops in this kiwi classic.
7.3%
INSIDE BREWDOG BARCELONA WE HAD A FANTASTIC TIME IN 2014, WORKING HARD TO OPEN AS MANY NEW BARS AS WE COULD FOR YOU LEGIONS OF THIRSTY CRAFT BEER FANS – AND WE’RE STARTING OFF THIS YEAR WITH JUST AS MUCH ENTHUSIASM AND DETERMINATION! THE DOORS HAVE NOW BEEN THROWN OPEN AT OUR LATEST AND MUCH AWAITED NEW EUROPEAN BAR – BREWDOG BARCELONA.
HOP PROPAGANDA – 14 – ISSUE 33
IN TRUE BREWDOG STYLE, THE BUILDING HAS AN INTERESTING HISTORY. CONSTRUCTED IN 1915, IT HAS SHOWCASES MADE FROM BULLETPROOF GLASS.
One of Europe’s great cities of culture, Barcelona has been on our list from the moment we put one together, so we are extremely proud – and excited – to finally have a bar open there. BrewDog Barcelona is located at Carrer de Casanova 69, serving the freshest craft beer from ourselves and curated guests from twenty taps (and fridges). In true BrewDog style, the building has an interesting history. Constructed in 1915, it used to be a bank office – aside from the high ceilings and pillars, there can be few other bars that have showcases fashioned of bulletproof glass. We know that the thirsty craft beer fans of Barcelona have taken it to heart already! Manager Christian and his hand-picked team are looking forward to highlighting some of the amazing new craft breweries that are currently springing up in Spain – the industry there is growing more exciting by the year. We are so pleased to be a part of this, having opened the doors to our amazing new European bar. Barcelona! Who’s thirsty?
HOP PROPAGANDA – 15 – ISSUE 33
TO BEER FANS IN THE KNOW, CROMARTY BREWING CO NEED NO INTRODUCTION. THE RANGE AND QUALITY OF BEERS PRODUCED BY CRAIG MIDDLETON ON HIS BREWERY AT THE FAR TIP OF THE BLACK ISLE HAVE GAINED HIM FANS UP AND DOWN THE COUNTRY (AND OVERSEAS). THIS LAST TWELVE MONTHS HAVE BEEN QUITE SOMETHING FOR CRAIG, SO WE CAUGHT UP WITH MR HAPPY CHAPPY TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT IT HAS BEEN LIKE, HIS FUTURE PLANS, AND WHAT HIS FAVOURITE BEER FOOD IS…
HOP PROPAGANDA – 16 – ISSUE 33
Q&A Hop Propaganda: So Craig, you’ve just celebrated your third anniversary, what are you working on at the moment? Craig Middleton: We had that double IPA out that went well [Man Overboard]. We’re trying to sort the place out at the moment, we’re looking at bottling line, so expanding that side of things. Hopefully getting a brewer in as well… HP: I don’t think you’ll have a shortage of applicants!
HP: What did you find out there? CM: Lots of breweries [laughs]. It was a good trip, like. We were down in San Diego, there’s a lot of good ones down there all producing some nice stuff. I remember going up to Modern Times, they were doing a lot of nice interesting stuff; ageing coffee – that was novel. We also went to San Francisco beer week; that was mental. All these breweries on industrial estates just mobbed with people. HP: Did it make you jealous?
CM: Hopefully not, no [laughs]
CM: Yeah, kind of. People there are just desperate for beer. It’s a good culture, like.
HP: With the Man Overboard, did you finally think it was time for a double IPA? CM: Yeah, well we kind of wanted to do one, so I just went ahead, you know? I’ll tweak it a bit next time. I’m swithering as to whether to keep it in the range or not, I’m not sure yet. One thing after the next. I’m sure it’ll appear back though.
HP: Did going there make you want to brew more hop-forward beers, or go down a different path? CM: I don’t know – hops are getting harder and harder to get hold of. I think I’ll carry on – I love hops, you know – but there are so many other ways to get flavour into beers, we’ll definitely be exploring them, like.
HP: What else are you up to? CM: We’re trying to take stuff out of barrels, we’ve got a red wine barrel which has had Ghost Town in it for quite a while. We’ve also got Wee Stoater, the beer we did with BrewDog Aberdeen, that’s sitting in a whisky barrel, so that should be interesting when we get that out.
HP: So looking back, how was last year for you? CM: Steady growth. We just ordered more tanks, it’s the days of the week that are getting less – we need to get that addressed before it’s too late! But last year was great! HP: What does the rest of this year hold? CM: Well, online shop and bottling line, and expansion and getting more staff. The office needs more people too, my wife’s finally been roped in. The keg stuff seems to be kicking off. It would be nice to do the odd weekend here, with people in and a barbecue and so on. That’s one of the things about the US, we were in Lagunitas, it’s just basically a hang-out zone with live music and nachos and stuff.
HP: Are you still surprised by how much of a phenomenon AKA IPA has been? CM: [Laughs] Yeah, it went down well, eh? I guess. It seems to be going well with everyone. HP: It always comes up in conversations people have about IPA, these days, seemingly. CM: I just took what they are making in the US and brought it here, kind of thing. I actually had a trip in California there a couple of weeks ago, that was interesting.
HP: Well, you can’t go wrong with nachos.
HOP PROPAGANDA – 17 – ISSUE 33
CM: Haha, oh man, they were good!
AS ALL GEOGRAPHY GRADUATES WILL BE QUICK TO POINT OUT, YOU HAVE TO BEGIN WITH T A JOURNEY ALONG THE BASELINES — THE CITIES THAT HAVE HAD A PARTICULAR AND LA PLZEN POPULATION
165,000
BEER CONTRIBUTION With the combination of some mischievous monks smuggling yeast into the region and the abundance of brillaint beer resources in the lands of Plzen — a new beer style was born. This little golden beer went on to revolutionise the beer world!
BURTON FAMED BEER STYLE Pilsner
BEER FACT In the late 13th century, King Václav II granted over 260 Plzen burghers the exclusive right to brew beer.
POPULATION
60,000
MUNICH POPULATION 1.4 MILLON
BEER CONTRIBUTION The monks of Munich (awesome band name) took the bounty of one of the best barley-grown regions in the world and turned it into a whole host of glorious beers. This laid down a fantastic groundwork for many of the European beers that followed.
BELGIUM FAMED BEER STYLE Dunkel, Helles, Märzen
BEER FACT In 2014, 6.5 million litres of beer were consumed at Oktoberfest. Enough to fill two and a half Olympic-sized swimming pools.
POPULATION
11 MILLON
COPENHAGEN POPULATION
570,000
BEER CONTRIBUTION In one of the ‘eureka’ moments for beer, Emil Christian Hansen isolated a pure cell of yeast, heralding a new understanding of what made beer, beer! His discovery allowed beer makers worldwide to craft beer in new and wonderful ways.
BEER CONTRIBUTIO This town in the Engli Midlands was once the brewing capital o the world. The hard water of the region allowed Messrs Bass an Worthington to send their India Pale Ales around the globe and redefine beer in the process.
FAMED BEER STYLE Lager
BEER CONTRIBUTIO Arguably the countr most synonymous wit the word beer — thi country changed the perception of what ma people envisage bee tastes like. As they com in all shapes and style from sours to stouts variation is the legacy Belgian beer.
LONDON BEER FACT In 1973, King Christian I of Denmark ordered hops to be grown in Denmark to stem German imports. Successors followed and by 1687 there were over 140 breweries in Copenhagen.
POPULATION
8.6 MILLION
BEER CONTRIBUTIO In the 18th century, London was pumping o something much more delicious than smog; porter-mania had take over! Quenching the th of the working man if th Empire, It was the first beer made on an indust scale, changing the face beer production forev
THE FUNDAMENTALS. TO STUDY THE CONTOURS OF THE BEER WORLD, YOU NEED TO CHART ASTING IMPACT ON BEER DRINKERS EVERYWHERE. WELCOME TO BEER GEOGRAPHY 101. SAN FRANCISCO
N UPON TRENT
ON ish
FAMED BEER STYLE Burton IPA
of d n nd d s
BEER FACT Catherine the Great was said to be ‘immoderately fond’ of Burton Ale.
POPULATION
837,000
n
M
ON ry th is e any er me es s, y of
en hirst he st trial e of ver.
FAMED BEER STYLE California Common
BEER FACT Steam beer is (likely) socalled as it was fermentated on San Francisco’s rooftops, the warm brewing pans gently steaming in the cool night air.
SAN DIEGO FAMED BEER STYLE Trappist, Abbey, Lambic, Saison... we could go on!
BEER FACT Bruges will soon see the opening of an undeground beer pipeline, capable of transporting 6,000 litres of beer per hour under the streets of the city.
POPULATION
1.35 MILLON
BEER CONTRIBUTION In the mid-1990’s the breweries of San Diego doubled up everything about IPA’s and added as much hoppy goodness as they could. The influence these Double IPA’s had by pushing the enveope can be seen in the hoptacular beers pouring out of craft beer bar taps today.
FAMED BEER STYLE Double IPA
BEER FACT There are over 92 breweries in San Diego County. This constitutes nearly 25% of California’s total beery output.
THE YAKIMA VALLEY
N
ON , out e
BEER CONTRIBUTION Founded in 1896, the Anchor brewery was rescued from closure in 1965 by Fritz Maytag. He developed the iconic modern version of Anchor Steam, a ground-breaking beer that fermented lager yeast at warmer ‘ale’ temperatures and spawned an entire style.
FAMED BEER STYLE Porter
BEER FACT In 1814, a ruptured at caused over 1.47 million litres of beer to flood through the streets of London.
POPULATION
900,000
BEER CONTRIBUTION All things hoppy. Without the hops grown in the Yakima Valley, a large number of the beers we know and love would not exist in the same form as they do. It is the land of the highalpha, the kings of resin...
FAMED BEER STYLE Anything that contains US hops!
BEER FACT The Yakima Valley contains approximatly 75% of the total United States hop acreage.
W
E’RE CONSTANTLY ON THE LOOKOUT FOR AMAZING LOCATIONS FOR OUR BREWDOG BARS, AND HAVE A NUMBER OF HUGELY EXCITING PROJECTS ON THE GO AT THE MOMENT. BUT EVERY VOYAGER KNOWS TO CAST THEIR GAZE TOWARDS THE FAR HORIZON, AND SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COOL CITIES WHERE WE’D LOVE TO OPEN A BREWDOG BAR. AND TO REACH THAT HORIZON* WE NEED YOUR HELP…
*Yes, we know this is technically impossible. But the metaphor had to go somewhere… Our craggy and sinewed bar hunter, Steve Hogan (no relation) is our point of contact for potential new UK bars. He’s always on the lookout for ideal sites in which we could potentially open up, and has a list with this in mind written on a browning piece of parchment. Despite his travels, he can’t be everywhere at once, though, so if you see somewhere you could see yourself drinking Punk IPA in, get in touch!
Steve says the best way is often to keep eyes peeled for For Sale/To Let boards, or keep ears peeled for any local gossip about sites becoming available. It’s that easy! If you want to get really involved, for a bar we need a site that ideally is 2,500 – 5,000 square feet, with the majority of that space at ground level. External areas are an added bonus! Corner units are even better – we do love corner units – but by no means a requirement. In technical terms, ideally the site would have A4 class use and a Premises Licence for bar use. It just makes getting the bar open easier, having existing consent, and means we can be in and serving amazing beer in that city in as little time as possible. One other thing to bear in mind is the BrewDog style – we prefer our bars to be off-pitch; so don’t worry if the sites aren’t slap bang in a city centre. The rewards? Well, aside from the fairly exciting fact that we would convert the location you pinpoint into a cutting-edge BrewDog hideout, how about a £1,000 finders’ fee into the bargain? If your suggestion is converted into a BrewDog bar, Simcoe’s pawprint is ready and waiting to sign his chequebook!
HOP PROPAGANDA – 20 – ISSUE 33
SO – WHAT ARE THE CITIES WE’D LOVE TO OPEN A BAR IN? HOW ABOUT PREFIXING ‘BREWDOG’ TO THESE…?
ST. ANDREWS STIRLING
YORK CAMBRIDGE OXFORD LONDON
(KINGS CROSS, SOHO, CAMBERWELL, BRIXTON)
EXETER
PORTSMOUTH
PLYMOUTH
SO GET OUT YOUR PITH HELMETS AND MAGNIFYING GLASSES AND HAPPY HUNTING! KNOW OF A PERFECT SITE FOR US IN ANY OF THESE CITIES? OR ANY OTHER COOL PLACES? HERE’S HOW TO LET STEVE KNOW! @BREWDOGSTEVEH
STEVEH@BREWDOG.COM
HOP PROPAGANDA – 21 – ISSUE 33
D
OUBTS. EVERYONE HAS THEM; THEY ARE PART OF HUMAN NATURE. IF YOU’RE STARTING UP A BUSINESS ON YOUR OWN, THEY CAN BECOME SIGNIFICANT TO THE POINT OF SEEMING OVERWHELMING. TAKE ESTABLISHING A BREWERY, FOR INSTANCE. IRRESPECTIVE OF THE RESERVATIONS ABOUT ACQUIRING AND SETTING UP THE KIT, MANAGING THE WORKLOAD AND CREATING THE BEERS, IT CULMINATES IN THE MOST IMPORTANT, ALL-PERVADING FEAR OF ALL, AS MARK MCGARRY OF ALMASTY BREWING CO KNOWS ONLY TOO WELL. NAMELY “ARE THESE GOING TO SELL?”
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“I mean, everyone’s going to get a good ride for the first couple of months – but it’s whether they come back,” he says, looking out over the small unit in the north-east of Newcastle that he has converted into a brewery. It’s an understandable reservation – there’d be little point in even starting the undertaking if nobody wanted to buy the beer at the end, and like it enough to then order more. But of course, if nobody buys it, there won’t be any more. As it turned out, the ‘new-brewery paradox’ need not have overly concerned Mark at all. Over the course of one evening last August – at his ‘soft’ brewery launch – the patrons of the Free Trade Inn got through over 200 pints of the brand-new Almasty beer in a single night. Sell, they certainly did. But then, Mark has a reputation – he has to be one of the brightest brewing talents to go it alone for some time.
LONE WOLF BREWERIES AREN’T NEW, OF COURSE, NOR ARE THEY THAT UNCOMMON, BUT YOU RARELY MEET A 10-BARREL BREWER LIKE MARK WHO DOESN’T AT LEAST HAVE A FINANCIAL PARTNER, OR A BREWING ASSISTANT.
And that’s the pertinent point – he is, literally, on his own. Since giving notice at Tyne Bank at the start of 2014, he’s worked tirelessly to establish Almasty Brewing Co; finding the unit in Shiremoor in the spring of last year. After the planning and installation, he now works the 10BBL brewkit single-handedly, designing and brewing recipes whilst also covering sales, delivering the beer and picking up empties – it’s all him. Multiple, fifteen-hour shifts of it. Lone wolf breweries aren’t new, of course, nor are they that uncommon, but you rarely meet a 10-barrel brewer like Mark who doesn’t at least have a financial partner, or a brewing assistant. Or someone to do dray runs. Only very recently has his sister come on board, to help out with the accounts side of the business – “I had no experience of that,” Mark says. “I was rushing through the brewing and the selling, I just had no time for paperwork. It was piling up.” There’s a pressure to this life that beer fans just don’t (or can’t) appreciate. For each tap-busting new brewery launch, there’s a staggering amount of work behind the scenes. Leading up to the Free Trade debut, Mark pulled a twelve-hour brewday on the kit (a 4% Session IPA) after designing and cutting the drainage channels himself. His unit used to belong to a joinery business, which was far from ideal. “There was an inch of dust over everything, even the ceiling rails,” he points upwards. “I had to jetwash the entire unit before I could use it.” HOP PROPAGANDA – 23 – ISSUE 33
LONE WOLF BREWERIES AREN’T NEW, OF COURSE, NOR ARE THEY THAT UNCOMMON, BUT YOU RARELY MEET A 10-BARREL BREWER LIKE MARK WHO DOESN’T AT LEAST HAVE A FINANCIAL PARTNER, OR A BREWING ASSISTANT.
Mark also has a young family and, to make matters worse, is recovering from dislocating a shoulder whilst out surfing. Yet despite all of this, he looks perfectly happy; there’s a sense of freedom about what he is putting together at Almasty. On the floor, a cylindrical smoker used to hand-smoke malt for a porter. Upstairs, his surfboards and wetsuit, hanging up. And the most immediately noticeable aspect of his individuality are scattered everywhere. Each Almasty pump clip is a cut slice of wood, with the beer name screen-printed on. No two are the same. Some brewers work at the same brewery for their entire careers. But others, like Mark, have a different goal – they want to work for themselves, whatever it takes. These are the kinds of beermakers who end up with pump clips that require to be hand sawn and sanded individually, it seems. It’s along the same lines of restaurant
owners only hiring chefs who want to eventually open their own places; even if they end up leaving, it’s the driven people that are the most creative. In beermaking terms, these are the brewers that turn up every day, and put the hours in. And it’s because, despite the modern hype that accompanies the new, the original and the interesting, it remains an up and down process, establishing a brewery the size of Almasty on your own, and making it a success. The legacy of the ‘single-brewer’ is that for every tap takeover or freedom to explore new styles, there remains an inevitable come-down moment to remind you how difficult brewing for yourself can be. As Mark says, “You go to an event [as host] and you’re buzzing. And then you get back and have to get on with actual work and you think
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SUCCEEDING AS A LONE-WOLF; MARK’S ADVICE FOR SOLO BREWERS 1 DEALING WITH NEW THINGS IS KEY. YOU HAVE TO BE READY FOR ANYTHING.
2 THERE ARE SO MANY ASPECTS TO OWNING A BREWERY, YOU NEED TOTAL KNOWLEDGE OF AT LEAST ONE. SO; BREWING, FINANCE OR SALES.
3 ‘is this what it’s going to be like?’ But then you daydream and start planning new beers; get wrapped up in dreamland. And then you have to clean the FV and come crashing down [again].” One example of that rollercoaster; his new programme of sour beers – great fun to create, but with a few exceptions they are a ‘hard-sell’ in the North-East of England. “They’re not too keen on sours,” he says, simply. “They want cask.” Although you get the impression that this isn’t an unduly worrisome problem for Mark. The beauty of the modern UK beer scene is that someone, somewhere will want sours, and if you have the creativity, and the freedom to brew limited only by that creativity, then you can really make a go of it. The only issue is the fifteen-hour days. If you can get over that – then a brewery like Almasty is really one to look for. No doubt about it.
MAKE A FIVE-YEAR PLAN FOR GROWTH AND STICK TO IT.
4 ALTERNATE BETWEEN BUSY AND QUIET WEEKS, IF YOU CAN.
5 DETERMINATION. YOU’VE JUST GOT TO BE UTTERLY DETERMINED.
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WITH ALL THIS AMAZING BEER AROUND, HOW CAN YOU DEAL WITH THEM ALL? WELL, IT’S TOUGH, BUT THE ‘DIVIDE AND CONQUER’ STRATEGY CAN HELP. TAKE THESE TWO AMAZING NEW BEERS FROM FYNE ALES; ONE CAN BE ACCOUNTED FOR STRAIGHT AWAY, WHILST THE OTHER CAN BE CELLARED ALLOWING YOU TO SEEK OUT YET MORE ALTERNATIVES. IT’LL BE WAITING FOR YOU WHEN YOU HAVE TIME LATER ON… DRINK THIS NOW:
LANDSLIDE (6.0%) Named after an occupational hazard for those venturing along the stunning A83 to Loch Fyne, this beer calls on a multitude of different histories – all of which are best consumed in the immediate. A US interpretation of a classic British Brown Ale, containing Pacific hops, Landslide is a true world-beater. The Sorachi Ace, Bravo, El Dorado and Motueka yield a jam-like edge to the nutty, malt-forward digestive biscuit backbone. The former of those listed hops also adds a coconut element, with toffee-apple in there as well. This is a complex, confident beer – and so one best suited to immediate enjoyment.
DRINK THIS NEXT:
MILLS AND HILLS (9.5%) On the other hand, some complex beers truly come into their own when left to age. Imperial Stouts are the poster boys for ageing, mellowing over time and yielding a more resonant, balanced bed of flavours. Mills and Hills is perfect for this; a rich, thick, mouth-coating stout like none around at the moment. That viscosity will relinquish a little over time, to be replaced by complementary roastiness and raisin fruit. Mills and Hills was a collaboration between Fyne Ales and De Molen (hence the Mills), and has such a depth of character, ageing will truly let every element come to the fore.
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F
OLLOWING THAT FIRST TIME BEING SUCCESSFULLY SERVED, SURELY THE MOST RIGHT-OFPASSAGE OF ALL DRINKING MOMENTS IS THE FIRST HANGOVER (THEY ARE OFTEN RELATED, OF COURSE). THE OCCASION THAT FOLLOWS THAT NIGHT WHEN YOU INEVITABLY TAKE THINGS TOO FAR COMES AS SUCH A SHOCK, WHEN THE CRUSHING REALISATION HITS THAT YOU AREN’T IMMUNE TO SUFFERING THE CONSEQUENCES. THAT SOUPED-UP, ‘ISN’T-EVERYTHING-AMAZING’ FEELING SURE COMES AT A COST. The negative effects of having one too many street-corner ciders is the flip side of the coin nobody wants to see. But it’s part of life. It’s also science, a punishment, it happens to us all and most troublesome of all – it’s extremely hard to hide from the parents. You can frantically chew all the Wrigley ’s Extra you possess (or for a previous generation, Polo Mints), and if you pass for physically sober, go to bed unscathed – but the products of the next morning are impossible to hide.
transpired the previous evening, striking you like an elephant trunkslap to the cerebral cortex. The bed (if that’s where you awoke) begins to pitch and yaw like an Atlantic racing yacht. Everything happens at once, and none of it good. The only option is to lie there under the duvet and wait for every negative element to pass, whimpering and internally stating that you’ll never, ever, under any circumstances, touch alcohol ever again. So how did that work out for you? The First Time is our series revolving around the many moments that drinking beer lead to. Do you remember your First Hangover? Or are those memories repressed and distant, unable to be recounted? How long did it take for you to get back on that beery horse? Tell us your stories via email or Twitter below – and also if you’d like to be included in Issue 34, we’ll be featuring an oft-related question. Do you remember your First IPA?
On waking, the sensation of a few, blissful seconds is suddenly interrupted by the realisation of what HOP PROPAGANDA – 27 – ISSUE 33
HOPPROPAGANDA HOPPROPAGANDA@BREWDOG.COM
T
O FULLY UNDERSTAND SAISON YEAST, FIRST YOU NEED TO APPRECIATE THE STYLE (ALTHOUGH THIS POINT IS VERY MUCH A CHICKEN/ EGG KIND OF DEAL). Saisons are effectively beery time capsules – taking brewing right back to its agro-industrial roots. ‘Saisonniers’ were migrant French-speaking farmhands, arriving in summer to the fields of the Low Countries, looking for work. Once employed, these labourers would need refreshment, having spent long days sweating in dusty fields. So to this end, the farms would provide them with beer. These beers were light in body, yet brewed in winter so were sturdy enough to survive until the workers arrived half a year
away. In addition, the farms utilised whatever ingredients they had to hand – these beers were for migrant workers, after all – so used barley, rye, wheat, herbs, spices and/or fruit. As a result, the yeast that ferments these beers needs to be able to handle pretty much anything!
SAISON YEAST PRODUCES FRUITY ESTERS REMINISCENT OF LEMON AND ORANGE CITRUS NOTES. THEY OFTEN PRODUCE A SLIGHTLY PEPPERY AROMA ALSO. That means that there are very few hard and fast rules about brewing saisons – they are a blank canvas due to the sheer versatility of their yeast. But just because it is easy-going HOP PROPAGANDA – 28 – ISSUE 33
and can take a wide range of featured ingredients, doesn’t mean saison yeast lacks notable characteristics of its own – far from it, in fact. Here’s Senior Brewer Ciarán to fill us in on its very particular personality: Saison yeast produces fruity esters reminiscent of lemon and orange citrus notes. They often produce a slightly peppery aroma also. Some of the modern ones tend to produce small amounts of isoamyl acetate, which is the banana/bubble-gum flavour found in wheat beers. This ester production will increase with the amount of wheat malt used in the recipe. So let’s take a look at some of our saison yeast-containing brews and see what effect the yeast has on the beers’ final aroma and flavour…
LET’S HEAR IT FOR SAISON YEAST! ELECTRIC INDIA First brewed in 2013, this hoppedup saison has yeasty citrus esters which work really well with the spicy notes evident from the black peppercorns. These pointed flavours are then rounded out by heather honey for a truly fascinating brew.
BLACK JACQUES An imperial black saison aged in red wine barrels for nine months resulted in a near-endless combination of chocolate, mint, spice, brandy and cola flavours. If ever a beer proved the versatility of saison yeast, it is this one – even before the myriad of flavours generated by barrel-ageing are accounted for!
EVERYDAY ANARCHY Another imperial saison (only one brewed without Jacque’s black malt), it was then aged in wine barrels – which had previously held white wine. With apricot, spice, toffee and redcurrant notes – it’s yet another example of the sheer flavour onslaught that saison yeast can accept.
So, in summary we love saison yeast because of its versatility and its effervescent flavour profile. Whether used for an authentically historic farmhouse-style beer, or something as thunderous
as Black Jacques, it’s a vital component in any brewers’ arsenal. What are your favourite saisons? And if you homebrew, what effects do you see from using saison yeast?
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LOVE PUNK? WHY NOT BREW IT YOURSELF?
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WE FEEL A BIG AFFINITY WITH HOMEBREWERS – MANY OF OUR TEAM STARTED OUT THAT WAY. SO WE HAVE JOINED FORCES WITH THE HOMEBREWING ADVOCATES AT BROOKLYN BREW SHOP AND CREATED A COOL, RE-USABLE KIT TO RECREATE OUR FLAGSHIP PUNK IPA IN YOUR VERY OWN HOME.
Contained within, all the key brewing equipment you’ll need alongside the recipe and ingredients. All you need to add is a large pot, funnel and strainer, and then a bottle capper and some empty Punk IPA bottles! But then, chances are you have a few of those lying around already. The kit is easy to use, and after your brewday, in about fourteen days you’ll have a gallon (just under four litres) of fresh, faithfully-replicated Punk IPA. As the experts at the Brooklyn Brew Shop say – “…if you can make oatmeal, you can make beer.” If you’re an experienced homebrewer, as the Punk recipe has been scaled down exactly, the kit provides a chance to get your teeth into our IPA; recreate it faithfully, or add a twist – it’s up to you. If you’ve never homebrewed before, why not give it a go? We started with Punk – you could too! THE PUNK IPA BEER MAKING KITS COST £40 AND ARE AVAILABLE TO BUY IN ALL BREWDOG BARS, BOTTLEDOG, AND OUR ONLINE SHOP.
TAKEN A BEER PIC GOOD ENOUGH TO FEATURE IN THE PAGES OF HOP PROPAGANDA? EMAIL A HIGH-RES COPY TO HOPPROPAGANDA@BREWDOG.COM AND FIND OUT!
LOOK OUT FOR IT, COMING IN JUNE AN EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK INSIDE MAGIC ROCK’S NEW BREWERY AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK UNDERNEATH HENLEY’S ONLY BREWERY A CRACKING PROBLEM – N IS FOR NUTS HOW TO SURVIVE THE BERMONDSEY BEER MILE THE IPA THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR YOU THE LATEST NEWS FROM BREWDOG, THE WIDER WORLD OF CRAFT BEER, AND MORE!
WE’D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS ABOUT THIS NEW-LOOK MAGAZINE. PLEASE GET IN TOUCH USING THE METHODS BELOW. AND UNTIL NEXT TIME, ENJOY YOUR BEER! HOPPROPAGANDA
HOPPROPAGANDA@BREWDOG.COM
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