BREWSKIISSUE THREE

FRINGEWATERING THE FRINGE • NOVICE TASTINGS • MY BAR MY HOME • REVIEWS

SPECIAL

C R E D I T S c o n t e n t s

E D I T O RD a v i d V a l l a n c e

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A R T D I R E C T O RL a u r a H u r s t

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E D I T O R I A L

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A D V E R T I S I N G

a d @ t h e b r e w s k i . c o . u k

T H A N K S T O

F l o o d l i n e B r e w i n g C o

F y n e A l e s

W i l l i a m s B r o s .

B l a c k f r i a r s

T h e G u i l d f o r d A r m s

A i l s a , C a r a , D o u g & M a r k

F r o m t h e E d i t o r

N o v i c e T a s t i n g

P i l s n e r s

W a t e r i n g t h e F r i n g e

M y B a r , M y H o m e

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Here’s to

C O M M U N I T YIf you went by hearsay, you’d think the craft beer scene is a snivelling mass of facial hair, unquietly judging everyone with pint of Carlsberg or can of Stella. However, if you’ve been to any beer festival, you know we’re anything but.

Brewers want people to enjoy their beer. They want to share their beer. They want to talk about their beer. They bring barrels upon barrels of the stuff and dole out free samples with the gusto of a soup kitchen on speed. You don’t walk past a brewery’s stall without a ten minute chat and a fresh glass of something hoppy.

Empty glasses just aren’t a thing.

That sort of attitude is infectious and it trickles down to the people who actually drink the beer. What it creates is a scene with an inclusive and communal feel peculiar to it alone.

That we get to interact with such a community on a regular basis is an absolute pleasure and one that I hope to never stop appreciating.

So here’s to beer and here’s to you, the beer drinkers.

novice

Tastingbrewski finds some willing non-beer drinkers and plies

them with some of the country’s best beer

There are people in this world who don’t like beer. Yes, it’s weird but we’ve come to terms with it. For some the taste of beer just doesn’t work. Their taste buds just jingle in the wrong way .

However, what we’re less laissez-faire about is people who don’t like the idea of beer.

We don’t like that and neither should you.Beer is awesome. It can be smoky. It can be sweet. It can

be bitter. It can be comforting. It can be abrasive. It’s such a varied tipple there’s something for almost everyone. You just have to be willing to try and find it.

We rounded up a few friends of the Brewski who count themselves as beer sceptics and plied them with ginger Wensleydale, Jalapeno focaccia and some of our favourite beers from all around Scotland. Here’s what they thought of them.

DougThe Wine

Buff

MarkThe White Russian

Enthusiast

CaraThe Gin

Connoisseur

AilsaThe Prosecco

Patron

Floodline Brewing Co. is one of Glasgow’s new breed of micro-gypsies. “What’s a micro-gypsy?” you may ask. Well, let me tell you. A micro-gypsy is a teeny, tiny brewery without any actual brewing equipment of its own.

Led by a quintet of University of Glasgow graduates, Floodline hasn’t let the lack of actual kit slow them down. Their core offerings - a hopped wheat ale and a punchy India Pale Ale - are cooked up in equipment rented from Drygate. They bottle their brews and sell to bottle shops and bars across the city.

Floodline offered up a couple of their finest bottles hot off the fermentation tank for our budding tasters to sample.

F L O O D L I N E

HertaWheat Ale

DOUG Tropical fruits and citrus fruits. No spice at all. Just mango and lots of carbonation.

CARA I can’t describe it. I can tell the flavour’s in there. It’s not very interesting. It lingers at the back of the throat.

AILSA I like that. It’s really flavoursome at first but then falls away a bit.

MARK It’s quite strange. You drink it and it suddenly all evaporates and tingles.

Fearless NadiaIndia Pale Ale

DOUG Quite hoppy. Not nearly as citrusy as Fyne’s Superior IPA. There’s a super strong pine flavour. It’s too hoppy for me though. It’s a bit like Orange Fanta that just got dumped.

CARA I like it. I’m struggling to find things to compare it to though. I think I would like it more if there were more fruity or floral flavours.

AILSA It’s a nice cloudy honey colour. I love the fresh flavour - sharp, citrusy and hoppy.

MARK I thought it was quite watery on the first taste. I mean, I didn’t find it’s that strong until you swallow it. When you swallow it it hits you with bitterness.

Fyne Ales was founded close to fifteen years ago by Jonny and Tuggy Delap with the goal of bringing quality beer back to a part of Scotland where it was seriously lacking.

Fyne’s current success is based on the popularity of their first bunch of brews: Highlander, Maverick and Piper’s Gold. In fact, if you visit their brand new brewery, you stand in the success of those first three beers.

f y n e a l e s

Mills and HillsImperial Stout

DOUG Mmm, beer and cocoa powder. There’s a weird mushroom smell though.

CARA I think I’m a bad judge because I generally don’t like dark beer. To me it tastes of burned toast. I don’t really like it.

AILSA Is there coffee? I think it’s a bit coffee-ish. I want to say it smells dirty too. I like it though. It’s nice and bitter on the back of the tongue.

MARK It looks like chocolate. This is the sort of thing I like but I’d be unable to drink any more than one.

Superior IPAIPA

DOUG In a foreign country, if you could get hold of this beer, it would be awesome on a hot summer day. It’s got quite a long finish. It’s like with Ardbeg, you drink it and you can still taste it half an hour later.

CARA The smell! I like that. It’s buttery. I’m not sure about the aftertaste - it’s a bit too tangy, a bit too far for me.

AILSA It’s chewy. Quite syrupy. It’s light at first but it gets bigger as it goes along.

MARK It’s quite gentle at first. I like the bitterness initially but the aftertaste is too bitter for me. It lingers for ages.

After humble beginnings as the homebrewing project of brothers Bruce and Scott, WIlliams Bros. Brewing Co. has developed into a proper Scottish beer icon.

And while the pair have come a long way way since they brewed their first batch of Fraoch in their miniscule five-barrel brewery in Taynuilt, they’re retained their core characteristics: a flair for innovation and a love of the traditional.

We pinched a couple of WIlliams’ best brews to tantalise the tastebuds of our novice tasters.

w i l l i a m s

SEVEN GIRAFFESIndia Pale Ale

DOUG It smells quite grainy. It’s definitely not a lager, it’s very crisp and refreshing

CARA It’s pleasant and easy to drink, not very strong but with a really light floral taste.

AILSA It goes down very nicely. Very smooth! I like the bitterness but it’s not overpowering.

MARK It’s really golden, smells a little sour and tastes like bitter pine.

CeilidhLager

DOUG It’s better than Tennent’s, that’s for sure. You have to compare it what you’d normally drink as a lager. I mean, it’s got a lot more flavour than most British lagers.

CARA Trying to describe what you smell and taste in it is difficult. I liked it but it could have a bit more flavour to it. I mean, to me it doesn’t taste special.

AILSA Fresh and slightly fizzy. Nice, fresh. I’m struggling to get any aftertaste.

MARK I really like this. It’s light without being boring. I’d definitely drink it again.

P I L S N E RThink of pilsners as lager without the bad reputation. The refreshing taste without the midnight brawl.

Sadly underated in Scotland, the pilsner was first brewed about one hundred and fifty years ago in its namesake town of Plzeň in what is now the Czech Republic.

Maturing beer was a problem for all early brewers with warm conditions encouraging the growth of nasty bacterias alongside yeast. Plzeň’s brewers - like many around the world - became intimately familiar with the the acrid smell of rancid beer.

However, change was on the horizon. Legend has it that in the early 1840s a Bohemian monk travelled to Bavaria and acquired some of their precious lager yeast. Now, lager yeasts work at lower temperatures and that makes it easier to brew without risking contamination.

Plzeň‘s brewers quickly adopted the new yeast, combining it with pale partially malted barley, naturally soft water and a good sprinkling of local Saaz hops.

The process produced a crystal clear beer with a sharp hoppy taste. Refreshing yet flavoursome, the pilsner was born. Unsurprisingly it was an instant success and has defined the region’s beer identity ever since.

fr i ngewater i ng

T H E

Edinburgh in August is a unique sort of place. Satirical puppets run riot in Victorian theatres, poets roam the castle walls and mimes unleash ungodly horrors upon the world.

Craft beer wankers, we’re home.This year we decided to send a delegation through

to the capital to see what was going on. The Brewski’s advance scouting party arrived on a suspiciously dry Sunday morning, Princes Street already abuzz with people.

We threaded our way through twisty cobbled streets, flanked on one side by drag artists and second rate Derren Browns on the other.

We followed a map drawn up in collaboration with a panel of cool Edinburgh-based hipster-types. Across the map we had scrawled big red X’s, marking the location of the best boozers, bars and pubs Edinburgh had to offer.

We spent the day putting each bar through the ringer, testing every element of their operation. Are the bar staff suitably miserable? Is craft a placeholder for absurdly marked up? Is the decor unironically from the wrong side of the seventies?

Eventually we whittled down the list to seven outstanding offerings. Here they are.

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T he Camb ridge Bar20 Young St reet , Ed inburg h EH2 4J B

The Cambridge Bar is one of those rare bars where the staff and punters seem to have a genuine passion for beer. There’s no chat about what is and isn’t real ale or whether Blue Moon’s craft or not. They just like beer and want to share that passion with you.

The Cambridge Bar is a little like an old man’s pub that got cool accidentally. The beer list spans an entire wall, featuring several rotating guests beers on tap and whatever’s currently in the chockablock fridges along the back wall.

The Hanging Bat133 Lot h ia n R oa d, Ed in burg h EH3 9AB

The Hanging Bat’s bar is a forest of twenty chrome taps connected to six casks and fourteen kegs down in the cellar.

Past the bar is the Bat’s 50 litre brewkit, designed and built the States. The kit is always manned by an in-house brewer and so far all have been selected from the Brewing and Distilling course at Heriot-Watt University.

A true Edinburgh icon and a must visit for any hophead in the city.

Clo ist e r s Bar26 Br ougham St reet , Ed in burg h EH3 9J H

Built into the shell of an old parsonage, Cloisters in a unashamed real ale pub. Abandon all kegs, ye who enter here.

With nine casks and seventy whiskies on offer, Cloisters offers a good taste of Scotland’s liquid heritage. They tend to source their beers from along the east coast so expect to see a lot from the likes of Deeside, Eden, St Andrews and Natural Selection.

The Pot t ing Shed32-34 Potterr ow, Ed inburg h EH8 9BT

In a restaurant adorned with rusty hoes, cracked lanterns and patchwork armchairs, the extensive guest beer board beside the bar does come as a bit of surprise.

And what a beer board it is.The Potting Shed has some of the best beers from across country

all collected into one place. Carbon Smith, Thornbridge, Siren, Camden, Pilot and so much more.

Holyr ood 9a9A Holyr o od R oa d, Ed in burg h EH8 8AE

Holyrood 9a toes a fine line between accessibility and style. However, as soon as you walk in a humongous beer board and an even bigger wall of spirits hint at what side they’ve come down on.

Hailed as one of Edinburgh’s original beer bars, Holyrood 9a goes about its business with a professionalism developed through years of graft. Everything about the place is crisp and that perfectly matches the super sharp hop-forward brews from Sonnet 43 they have on guest.

The G u i ldf o rd Arms1 W Reg ister St reet , Ed inburg h EH2 2AA

There are few places in Edinburgh where you can drink a heavily hopped ale surrounded by decadent Victorian architecture. The Guildford Arms, however, is one of them. A horseshoe bar dominates the lower floor and pumps are scattered around the wooden countertops.

With a regular contingent of five brews and an extra four rotating guests, the bar is the perfect watering hole for discerning drinkers in the city. The Guildford Arms hosts monthly tap takeovers too where all four guest taps are given to a single brewery.

MYBARMYHOME

Blackfriars57-61 Blackfriars StreetEdinburghEH1 1NB

“It ended up being us, the guys from Hanging Bat and a guy called Tim Anderson who won MasterChef a few years ago.”

Names clang to the floor in a surprisingly subdued Blackfriars Bar and Restaurant, dropped seconds before by bar manager Wes Gordon Hall. I’ve managed to grab Wes during a rare moment of peace, the hordes of Fringe goers obviously all busy enjoying the gigs, shows and exhibitions on elsewhere in the city.

Wes leans across the short wooden bar, flanked on one side by chrome taps and homemade pork pies on the other. He waves at a couple who come into the bar and returns to his story.

“We wanted to do something a little

different so me and Andrew [Macdonald] went down to Bristol to Wild Beer Co’s brewery and actually brewed a beer with the guys.”

Wes reaches into one of the small fridges and pulls out a large black bottle topped with a huge wax seal. A white label wraps around the bottom third with the iconic deer head logo of Wild Beer positioned dead centre. Above the deer are the three Japanese symbols which make up the word Yadōkai, the beer’s name.

“It’s a sake inspired rice beer,” explains Wes. “It’s got yuzu, sea buckthorn and two different types of seaweed. The sea buckthorn was actually foraged up here. It was our contribution.”

Wes is obviously someone with a real passion for beer and his enthusiasm has spread to every corner of Blackfriars. Working with Blackfriars co-founder Georgie Binder, Wes curates the drinks list for the bar and restaurant.

There’s five keg lines and four are on a permanent rotation. This week there’s a pale ale from the Kernel, a gose from Wild Beer, a farmhouse ale from Boulevard Brewing and a blonde from Pilot. The fifth - Williams Draught - is a permanent feature, offering an easy-going, easy-drinking alternative.

“I try and have something for everyone on there but the scene is changing,” explains Wes. “The number of people coming in and asking for sour beer was virtually nonexistent when we started and now there’s people who come in specifically because they know they can get one.

“I think people are up for trying something blac

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new and not just going for a lager or even a pale ale. We’ve got people coming in and asking for sours and saisons and IPAs and double IPAs. People are just a lot more adventurous.”

Wes is right. There’s a revolution going on in Edinburgh and Blackfriars is one of the bars at the very front of the vanguard.

Beer is on the move. It’s no longer merely the liquid accompaniment to sport but a genuine player in the culinary scene.

While Blackfriars is a bar and a restaurant, it operates as a cohesive whole. Beer and food fit together rather than sit apart. In his short three-year tenure at Blackfriars, Wes has already run a series of events in collaboration with various breweries exploring how beer can be paired with food for best effect.

He counts them out on his fingers. “Two dinners with Wild Beer Co, one dinner with Kernel, two dinners with Red Church and one with Almasty.” It’s a selective affair and Wes is clearly keen to keep it that way.

“A lot of brewers don’t necessarily make beer to be matched with food,” he says. “And we simply wouldn’t bring someone up if we weren’t interested in how their beer pairs with our food.”

I ask if there’s anyone in particular Wes has in mind for his next event. “We’re trying to get August out the way,” he says, smiling wryly. “Then we’re closed for the first ten days of September to recover.”

The street outside is getting busier again as the show start to finish. As if on cue, a group of tourists walk through the door.

They head straight to the bar and start quizzing Wes on what he’s got available. He runs through the five options, scattering recommendations and explanations throughout. Everyone opts for something other than the pale lager from Williams.

As I leave, I catch a glimpse of Wes smiling as he places another farmhouse ale out for a customer. The scene is definitely changing and Blackfriars is leading the way.

reviewsA round-up of all the latest beer from around scotland - and some oldies just for good measure

Fresh from Tempest’s new brewery in Galashiels comes Unforgiven Red Rye Ale, a brooding brute of a beer packed with smoke, barbecues and yet more smoke.

The beer pours a dark amber and what little head forms disintegrates very quickly. As soon as it’s out of the bottle and into the glass, the smoky scents start to flutter up. It’s not just a garden variety smoke though. This is rich and deep. It’s meaty and salty and sweet. It’s exactly like teriyaki.

The taste more than lives up the billing from the nose. A beautiful harmony of flavours erupt from the first sip. Peppery pricks and omnipresent smoke lead the way and a savoury sweetness following shortly after.

The finish is interesting too. The sweetness fades and leaves behind a soured bitterness to tingle the taste buds. Just as it’s about to disappear completely, the hops deliver a final floral flourish. Perfection in a bottle.

Unforgiven Red Rye - 5.4% - Tempest

Citra Burst IPA is one of Alechemy’s core range of brews, packed full of punchy bitterness and backed up with enough interesting notes to keep you coming back time and time again.

The beer pours a crystal clear orange with just a scattering of bubbles throughout. A frothy white head sits on top.

The aroma is surprisingly

subdued. A malty base underpins some interesting tropical fruit scents and a prickly bitterness hints of interesting flavours to come.

The taste is where the beer truly comes alive with big bursts of citrus and pine. It’s like drinking in the smell of a pine forest. A brilliantly sharp resin - fresh, punchy and ready to pinch your cheeks.

Citra Burst IPA - 5.4% - Alechemy

From Ayr Brewing Company comes Towzie Tyke. Built on a blend of Marris Otter and Crystal Malts, the beer has a well formed malty base. It’s still a ways off being called biscuity but there’s a comforting caramel flavour that runs throughout.

On top of the malts the brewers

have layered some fresh outdoorsy textures. Grass is the leading flavour and it pairs particularly well with the sharp citrus from the hops.

The beer finishes quickly with the bitterness fading to reveal a nice nice orange peel flavour underneath. A great beer for close summer evenings.

Towzie Tyke - 4.6% - Ayr Brewing Co

Chew Chew is a salt caramel milk stout with a deeply dark body and a nose of sickly sweet chocolate. While both body and nose hint at what’s to come, neither can prepare you for the first sip - or bite - of the brew.

Chew Chew starts of relatively simply but quickly adds to its foundation of chocolatey malts. Every sip of the velvety smooth beer brings new tastes of treacle, vanilla

and dark berries. It’s complex and comforting all at the same time.

The finish delivers a subtle bitterness which plays off nicely against the predominantly sweet body. As the bitterness fades, the characteristic saltiness from the salt caramel is particularly noticeable and acts as a brilliant finale to a brilliant beer.

Chew Chew - 6% - Fallen Brewing

Burgundy Union pours a wonderful cloudy orange topped with an irregular white head. There’s a strange nose. It’s sharp and has the slightest hint of metal. Maybe copper or iron. Beneath that is an oaky sweetness and more rounded earthy musk.

The first sip is an odd experience.

There’s definitely hints of the oak barrel in which it was aged but it’s far more muted than the nose. Some new floral notes appear alongside a decent hoppy bitterness. The beer has a quick finish and fades to a gentle bitter pang before leaving you with a lingering soft earthy texture. A little like chewing moss.

Burgundy Union - 5% - Cromarty Brewing