HAILS THE ALE

AN ALE-LOVER’S PARADISE Club Mirror’s Hail the Ale beer festival, now in its second year, was bigger and better than its inaugural event last year: more beers, more people and, to top it all, our own real ale!

The Club Awards are getting bigger and better as the years go by and the 2010 event was, as Tina Turner might have warbled, simply the best. The day kicked off with an excellent lunch - the Club Associations Lunch and Awards - and was followed by the Hail the Ale beer festival, an occasion that attracted a big crowd of real ale lovers including some serious connoisseurs from CAMRA. Club Mirror’s Hail the Ale festival followed hot on the heels of the recent SIBA Great Northern Beer Festival (see next month’s issue for more details) and was held in the same venue - the Palace Hotel, Manchester, home of the Club Awards.

There were some interesting real ales too. H B Clark & Co, for instance, was showing two ales: Classic Blond (3.9 per cent abv) and Firecrest (4.4 %abv). The former was described as a light-coloured ale with a citrus and hoppy flavour and a distinctive grapefruit aroma, not forgetting a dry finish. The latter was an amber ale with well-balanced malt flavours and a hoppy, fruity taste followed by a subtle, bitter aftertaste. H B Clark is an independent Yorkshire brewer based in Wakefield and originally founded in 1906. The brewery produces a wide range of beers including four core ales and (for 2010) a range of birthday-themed seasonal ales. November’s ale is called Grace Kelly (3.8 %abv) and, unlike the actress, is copper-coloured, clean, smooth and refreshing with a subtle hop aroma. The birthday-themed ales ran throughout the year and included beers named after Dustin Hoffman, Kirk Douglas, Cary Grant and Groucho Marks - one for the Groucho Club! • For further information on H B Clark, log on to www.hbclark.co.uk

H B CLARK & CO

The Dunham Massey Brewing Company was formed in 2006. Four years later it was at Club Mirror’s Hail the Ale Beer Festival exhibiting two interesting brews: Chocolate Cherry Mild (3.8 %abv) and Little Bollington Bitter (3.7 per cent abv).

Chocolate Cherry Mild has ‘a dry hint of cherry’ cutting through it; this dark ale is described as having ‘all the class of Dunham Dark, another Dunham Massey brew, and the nice thing about both of Dunham’s ales is their sessionable strengths.

The Little Bollington Bitter was originally a summer seasonable back in 2008, but its popularity was such that it became a regular offering. It is pale, light and easy to drink .

Big Tree Bitter (3.9 %abv) and Deer Beer (4.5 per cent abv) were his first brews and he’s never looked back since, adding Stamford Bitter (4.2 %abv) and a seasonal ale, Dunham Massey Winter Warmer (6.6 per cent abv).

Today there is an enviable list of brews ranging in strength from 3.7 %abv for Little Bollington right up to 6.6 %abv for the aforementioned Winter Warmer. In between, there are plenty of other beers, such as Green Hop Bitter (4.1 %abv), Ruby Sunset (4.1 per cent abv) and Summer Meadow (4.2 %abv), as well as some darker beers like Dunham Stout (4.2 %abv), Dunham Milk Stout (4.2 per cent) and Dunham Porter (5.2 %abv).

• For further information on Dunham Massey Brewing Co, log on to www.dunhammasseybrewing.co.uk

Formed in 2002, the Greenfield Real Ale was the dream of Peter Percival, who had been made redundant from the Saddleworth Brewery and decided to set up shop on his own. Peter chose to present Club Mirror readers with Icicle (4.4% abv) , and Bill O Jacks (5 % abv) a full-flavoured, light, golden, hoppy ale.

The brewery produces a number of ales such as Black Five (4 % abv) a full-flavoured dark bitter; Brassed Off (4.4 % abv) a light, golden bitter; Cattleshaw (4.2 % abv) another light, golden bitter; and Celebration (4 % abv) a light, golden bitter with hoppy undertones. Also available is Delph Donkey, Dobcross Bitter, Guys Cracker, Ice Breaker, Longwood Thump, Old Sag, Pride of England, Rudolph’s Tipple, Upper Mill Ale, Hopped and Stoned, Summer Ice and Winter Hop.

• Details of all Greenfield’s brews can be found on www.greenfieldrealale.co.uk

HAWKSHEAD BREWERY

Lake District-based Hawkshead Brewery was at the festival with Hawkshead Bitter (3.7 per cent abv) and the great Club Mirror Ale, brewed specially for the magazine and carrying a 4.2 % abv.

The Club Mirror Ale proved a popular choice for festival-goers and is described as a red ale with a bittersweet taste. First comes the sweetness of the dark crystal malt - which gives the beer its red colour - and then there’s a long, dry finish .

• Hawkshead is this month’s Brewer of the Month (for detailed information, go back to the home page and click on Brewer of the Month.). For more information from the company, log on to www.hawksheadbrewery.co.uk

HORNBEAM BREWERY

Hornbeam Black Coral Stout (4.5 per cent abv) and Buckley’s Best Bitter (4 per cent abv) were both available from the Hornbeam Brewery, based in Denton in Greater Manchester. This family-run craft microbrewery offers some award-winning cask ales. Its Dark Domination won CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Leeds back in 2008 while its Malt Mountain Mild won Champion Beer of Rugby in the same year.

Hornbeam’s core range includes Lemon Blossom (3.7 per cent abv); Hornbeam Bitter (3.8 per cent abv); Top Hop Best Bitter (4.2 per cent abv); and Black Coral Stout (4.5 per cent abv). Dark Domination (6 per cent abv) along with Malt Mountain Mild (3.6 per cent abv) and Winterlong Dark Ale are all seasonal ales (4.7 per cent abv). There are three ‘house beers’ in Bulls Head Bitter (4.2 per cent abv); Bulls Butt Bitter (3.8 per cent abv); and Ploughman’s Pint (4.2 per cent abv). • To find out more about the Hornbeam Brewery, go to www.hornbeambrewery.com

YORK BREWERY

If a light, sessionable beer is what you like most, you can’t beat a pint of Guzzler (3.6 per cent abv) from the York Brewery. This beer, along with the stronger Yorkshire Terrier (4.2 per cent abv) were available at Hail the Ale. Guzzler is described by the brewer as light, golden beer with well-balanced hops and malt against a background of fruitiness. It’s crisp, dry and refreshing and perfect for allyear- round drinking. Yorkshire Terrier is a golden-coloured premium bitter with a rich, creamy malt and full hop palate finish. Seasonal ales are also available, along with Constantine (3.9 per cent) and Centurion’s Ghost Ale (5.4 per cent).

The York Brewery was established in 1996 and supplies five of its own pubs in York and Leeds.

• For further information, go to www.york-brewery.co.uk

WHARFEBANK BREWERY

Another recent subject of Club Mirror’s Brewer of the Month, Wharfebank Brewery, founded by ex-Caledonian employee Martin Kellaway, offered festival-goers three excellent brews in CamFell Flame (4.4 per cent abv); Slingers Gold (3.9 per cent abv); and Tether Blond (4.1 per cent abv).

At the recent SIBA Great Northern Beer Festival, Wharfebank made available Nightshade (4.9 per cent abv), another excellent pint of beer from this brand new start-up micro brewer that has recently pulled in some big PubCo business.

CamFell Flame is a complex premium ale with a chestnut colouring and a strong, roasted flavour. Slingers Gold is a quaffable, golden ale brewed using Chinook, Cascade and Celeia hops for a floral aroma. Lastly, Tether Blond is an American hopped beer brewed using both Cascade and Simcoe hops and having a distinctive citrus feel to it.

•For more information visit www.wharfebankbrewery.co.uk

WOLD TOP BREWERY

On top of the Wold! Wold Top was offering its Mars Magic (4.6 per cent abv), a premium ale with a red glow, thanks to the use of dark crystal malt. This malty-flavoured, aromatic beer is made with Progress hops, which Wold Top claim are used for bittering and give drinkers a thoroughly warm feeling - a perfect winter brew.

The Wold Top Brewery, based in East Yorkshire, recently picked up a silver award for its Wold Gold (4.8 per cent abv) at the SIBA Great Northern Beer Festival a week or two before Club Mirror’s Hail the Ale event.

All-year-round offerings from Wold Top include Wold Top Bitter (3.7 per cent abv); Falling Stone (4.2 per cent abv) and described as a premium best bitter; the aforementioned Mars Magic and Wold Gold; Wolds Way (3.6 per cent abv), an uncomplicated pale ale; Centenary Way Mild (3.5 per cent abv) and a gluten-free beer called Against the Grain (4.5 per cent abv). There is also a range of limited edition ales. •For more details on Wold Top brews, log on to www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk

THE TAUNTON BREWERY

The Taunton Brewery in Somerset was established in 2006 and started brewing in the cellar of a pub before moving to premises at West Bagborough at the foot of the Quantocks

H’Ale Mary (4.5 per cent abv) and The Prince of Ales (3.8 per cent abv) were at our beer festival. H’Ale Mary has a fresh, golden colouring and a fresh, hoppy aftertaste, while the Prince of Ales’ boasts a zesty taste and crisp, bitter finish. In addition to cask ale, some of the beers from Taunton’s portfolio - Braunton in Steam (4.2 per cent abv); Taunton Castle (4.3 per cent); H’ale Mary (4.5 per cent abv) and Mayor (5 per cent abv) - are now available in 500ml bottles.

• More information on the Taunton Brewing Company can be found at www.tauntonbrewingcompany.co.uk

PROSPECT BREWERY

The Prospect Brewery offered festival goers a tawny, autumnal beer called Panned Out (4 per cent abv). The beer is part of Prospect’s seasonal beer range and is brewed in September and October. Also available was Silver Tally (3.7 per cent abv), a pale, golden beer billed as the brewer’s bestselling ale and part of its core range.

Based in Wigan in the North West of England, the Prospect Brewery won Gold for its Nutty Slack Mild (3.9 per cent abv). The brewer’s core ales having mining and prospecting themes and range in strength from 3.6 per cent abv through to 6.5 per cent for Propped Up, a strong, dark beer.

• For further information, log on to www.prospectbrewery.org.uk

NATIONAL AND REGIONAL BREWERS

Longterm sponsors of the Club Awards, Heineken UK and Marston’s Beer Company played an important part in the Beer Festival. John Smith’s cask ale went down a storm, while Marston’s Beer Company showcased its Fast Cask product using its Pedigree and Hobgoblin brands. Fast Cask involves a form of yeast treatment which allows beer to drop bright quickly. Tis means it can be served from upright casks which can be moved around at will.

Club Mirror will be rolling out more festivals in 2011. For more information contact: sean@clubmirror.com