The percussion-led Falmouth Marine Band and the Skinner’s Sinner Singers are parading around the Olympia exhibition space in London, banging the drum for Celtic culture. It must be trade afternoon at the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) Great British Beer Festival (GBBF).
This year, due to pressure of work (wipes brow) I had only five hours there, but it was still enough to soak in the atmosphere, try some great beers and meet fascinating beer industry faces, old and new.
There were one or two fails, which I’ll mention first up. I met Rob Derbyshire, of Hopzine, early on, in the company of Real Ale Craft Beer’s Simon Martin and towing a suitcase, ready to stock up on interesting bottles. I did say I’d do an interview with Simon later, but I never caught up with him again. Sorry Simon — perhaps another time in Wales? Also, I said I’d speak to Sharp’s head of craft beer innovation, Stuart Howe, but got caught up taking a picture I needed to get and let him get away, too. It’s always a pleasure to chew the fat with this talanted, outgoing brewer. There were brief chats to with charming British Guild of Beer Writers chairman, Tim Hampson, and beer sommelier and writer, Sophie Atherton, like me on a dash to meet as many people as possible. You have to take advantage when such a large proportion of the British brewing industry is in one room at one time. Just what Jonny Garret from the Craft Beer Channel was doing, too. I met Jonny a while ago when he was filming in Cornwall — well worth subscribing to on YouTube.
In terms of beer drinking, I started the day as I meant to go on with a belting brew — Gordian Knot, a West Coast IPA collaboration between Brains and Hardknott Brewery. I was lucky enough to enjoy it was Hardknott brewer Dave Bailey, who was joined by his partner Ann Wedgwood and their production brewer Scott Larrabee (pictured above). Simcoe, Amarillo and Chinook give the hop signature in this 6% ABV special. Anne joked that it had taken them nine years to get a beer into GBBF and this year they had two (the other being Cool Fusion, on the Cumbrian beers stand, a zingy ginger and lemongrass brew).
In the two years since it was set up, Wild Beer Co, in Somerset, has gained an excellent reputation for not only the quality of its beers, but for its innovation in styles utilising wild yeast. It was a pleasure, therefore to chat to one of the founders, Californian Brett Ellis, former chef and Bristol Beer Factory team member. He has a philosophy that frowns upon wastage. If he’s given a rabbit, he wants to make a good meal from it, not burn the gift; likewise, he wants to make sure he treats all his ingredients with the respect they deserve to make great beers. He’s pictured (right, centre) with Harbour Brewing Co’s Eddie Lofthouse (who told me something I said I wouldn’t blog about the next stage of development for the growing Cornwall brewery) and Sophie Thompson, who handles sales at London brewer Fourpure, who have found lots of keen fans in just one year of operation.
A key part of my mission, of course, was to track down some of the brewers at the festival. At the weekend I had worked behind the bar at St Ives Brewery’s inaugural summer beer festival, and one of the stars of the show had been Padstow Brewing Co’s Mayday (5% ABV). This beer was featured (picture above) on the Cornwall bar. Also there was Coastal Brewery’s Summer Blonde (4.4%), which brewer and owner Alan Hinde is pictured (right) enjoying before making his way to the American beers bar for some serious hop therapy!
Driftwood Spars Hotel and Brewery owner Louise Treseder and brewer Pete Martin were enjoying trying a variety of beers, as well as their own Red Mission (4%) which they are pictured in front of. Today (Wednesday) they have been attending an event staged by UK Trade & Investment on how to export, with ‘meet the buyer’ sessions. These will bring together British brewers wishing to break into new export markets with beer importers from several major markets, such as Spain, Sweden, Brazil and China.
And finally… you can go ages without seeing a Mark Bishop then two turn up. Okay, the one on the right is a Marc, beer sommelier and trade marketing manager for St Austell Brewery, doing a stint on a very busy trade stand that was close to the festival entrance, with Big Job (the more hopped version of Proper Job, coming in at 7.2%) a big draw, as ever, among hopheads. Above, and on the right, is Mark Bishop who has just launched a ask and keg beer and cider wholesaling business, The Beer Man, in Cornwall. He is pictured with Dominic Smith, owner of Falmouth freehouse and book shop Beerwolf (well worth a visit if you’re in that part of the world).
