Castle Rock Quarter Issue 2

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

No:2 Summer 2014

All-new magazine!

See pages 2 & 3

Another warmwelcome to CastleRock Quarter!

Welcome

We’re grateful for theamazing feedback yougave us about our launch

issue and I hope you enjoy our summerissue just as much. We’ve enjoyed puttingit together and it’s packed with news ofthe things we’ve just done and what’scoming up soon.

I can be fairly confident that by the timeyou read this the England football team willhave already been eliminated from theWorld Cup, but just in case my crystal ballwas having an off day when I penned thisintroduction, don’t forget that plenty ofour pubs will be showing the remaininggames; enjoy the social vibrancy ofwatching the later stage games in yourlocal Castle Rock pub. I’d also like tohighlight that, where facilities orenthusiasm preclude it, we have severalpubs declaring themselves World Cup FreeZones, so please take advantage of these ifyou want to avoid the hullabaloo in otherpubs. More details can be found on page 7.

With this being our July issue, and as ourfront page suggests, it’s the time of yearthat the hard work our pubs have put intohanging baskets, troughs and generalgarden areas finally blooms. We hope theweather is good enough for you to getoutside and enjoy the flowers at their best;we hope too that the water they needcomes from the tap and not the sky, butthat may prove to be a bit optimistic!

Thanks for reading and thank you asalways for your custom, we sincerelyappreciate it!

CheersColin WildeManaging Director

Castle Rock in

When the sun shines and summer finally arrives, there is no better way to while away an afternoon than in a pub garden. You knowhow we do it; sunglasses on, t-shirt sleeves rolled up, a cider over ice, a refreshing pint, or a bottle of chilled wine, and our friends for company. This year, everyone at Castle Rock hasbeen working hard to ensure we are the‘Best in Show’; painting decking in theearly hours, fixing up our furniture, andmost importantly dedicating some TLC toour hanging baskets and flower displays.We hope you appreciate the difference itmakes to enjoy beautiful flora and faunain our outdoor spaces.

We’ve teamed up with the NottinghamshireWildlife Trust to put on the most charmingfeast of colour and nectar, for bees and otheressential pollinators. Our good friend Erinfrom the Wildlife Trust explains ‘by choosingplants which are rich in nectar you can makeany garden, no matter how small, into ahaven for beneficial insects such as ladybirdsand hoverflies. If you haven’t got much spaceyou can create an oasis for ‘mini-beasts’ byplanting nectar-rich flowers such as alyssum,

verbena and sweet William. Visit nottinghamshirewildlife.org to learnmore.

Throughout May, Castle Rock’s managersbattled to be crowned as winner of our‘Outdoor Space’ competition. As always,things got pretty competitive and the resultswere outstanding. ‘Many of our pubs haveexcelled,’ says Vicki Saxby, OperationsDirector. ‘A visit to the New Barrack Tavern inSheffield is always a delight, and how anurban space has been transformed into atechnicolour dream garden is amazing.’ The New Barrack dedicates a lot of time tothe garden, building and restoring furniture,re-touching paintwork and lovingly wateringplants and flowers. The care and time givento outdoor projects is commendable, and it isfor that reason that Kev and Steph Woodswere crowned the winners.

Castle Rock BreweryQueensbridge Road, Nottingham NG2 1NB

Tel: 0115 985 1615General enquiries:

[email protected] enquiries:

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is produced by freerbutler limitedwww.freerbutler-gds.co.uk

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Castle Rock

In Focus

Although some of our pubs are restricted inwhat they can do with their outside area - acouple of them are adjacent to the pavement- they have still managed to make theirfrontage as attractive as possible. The DerbyTup and the Kean’s Head are fine examplesfor utilising what you have and running withit, plus, when the rain comes, they also offerexcellent shelter. And ‘running with’ is justwhat CRB does best. Ever the optimists,when a glimpse of sunshine appears, some ofour pubs fire up the barbecue to offer youthe complete summer experience. The Breadand Bitter and The Golden Eagle are alwaysready to grill up some grub to satisfy yourhunger.

We hope whatever you do this summer,you find those moments of calm andrelaxation that you seek in our outdoorspaces. They’re bloomin’ lovely after all.

Hot NewsThe Left always get it right

Tavern is tops for the third time'The New Barrack Tavern has been voted by members of Sheffield CAMRA as their Pubof the Month for July 2014, the third time this Castle Rock pub has received the honourunder the guidance of hosts Kev and Steph Woods.There’ll be a presentation event at the pub on Tuesday July 8th which as Steph pointsout is also World Cup Semi-final night, so if England are involved - and this wasobviously written well before the football competition began - it should be a ‘reetchampion night’ as they say in Yorkshire.The New Barrack Tavern is also to be featured in a book about historic pubs in Sheffield,being produced with the help of Sheffield CAMRA.

The Men’s team at Beeston Hockey Club, of which Castle Rock is a proudsponsor, was crowned NOW: Pensions Premier League - the top league in

England - Champions for the secondyear in succession after beating EastGrinstead in a shoot-out in April. Inaddition Sam Ward, Beeston’s topscorer, has raised over £12,000 forteammate Martin Scanlon who wasdiagnosed with Lymphoma cancer last

year. You can donate at www.justgiving.com/SamWard15

Wise after the event!

Other News

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We’ve just launched our Employee of the Quarter scheme, which has been instigated byChairman Geoff Newton and Canalhouse Assistant Manager Ruby Chapple. The firstwinners of Castle Rock’s first Employee of the Quarter are Tanya Moroz-Wilson from theBread & Bitter, Michael Brown from the New Barrack Tavern, and Nicole Pearce fromthe Swan in the Rushes. Congratulations to all of you!

Back in March, Operations Manager Steve Bramley stepped down from his role. Aftertwenty years with Castle Rock - and on celebrating his 55th birthday - Steve had aproper send-off with a gig from Surreal Panther. Although Steve is still a big part ofCastle Rock he is now very much ‘behind the scenes’ where only we office staff membersget to enjoy his ready wit and banter!

The first BII level 2 award for personal licence holders took place on Thursday 5th June.Good luck to the Castle Rock staff who took it!

Our second Nottinghamian Celebration Ale of 2014 was George Africanus, named afterNottingham’s first black entrepreneur. Working with the “George Africanus Project”(directed by the Belong Nottingham charity) the beer has helped to raise the profile ofthis previously unsung hero of Nottingham.

bloomEvery five years, colleagues atthe Left Hand BrewingCompany of Colorado in theUSA take a trip together, andCastle Rock pubs ended up asthe destination of choice forApril 2014! The Vat & Fiddleand The Canalhouse were onthe itinerary and the group(pictured right), cowboy hatsand all, took the pubs by storm.

Main Picture - The WillowbrookAbove (from top): New Barrack Tavern,

Canalhouse, Vat & Fiddle

News focusRobin Hood Beer andCider Festival 2014It’s the highlight of autumn andone of the biggest beer events inthe UK… Castle Rock gears upfor the Robin Hood Beer & CiderFestival 2014

Castle Rock Brewery has been a majorsponsor of the RHBCF for many yearsnow and we are proud to be involved withsuch a fantastic event. It is noteworthythat Castle Rock was fairly instrumentalin campaigning to have the festival movedfrom its original location in SneintonBaths to the Castle; certainly a decisionthat has resulted in the perfect site.

We have a lot of history with the RHBCF –and many great memories. Our core IPA,Screech Owl, was launched at the festivalback in 2008 where it became the SIBAMidlands Supreme Champion – followed byNational Champion Bitter.

Our flagship blonde beer, Harvest Pale alsodebuted at the festival - under the alias“Trammie Dodger” to celebrate theNottingham Tram – we don’t need to tell youthat the beer has been a huge success since!

With two bars (The “Castle Rock Tavern” andthe Main Bar) we certainly have a greatpresence at the festival, and use it as aspringboard to showcase both our corerange of beers and our diverse specials andseasonals. This year look out for our Notting-hamian Celebration Ale ‘Carl Froch’, which isa dark lager style cask ale, plus “Hedgehog”,a bonfire bitter with notes of caramel.

Ticket pre-purchase is essential – don’t bedisappointed! Buy your tickets now from theNottingham CAMRA website: www.beerfestival.nottinghamcamra.org

We look forward to seeing you again thisyear at the Robin Hood Beer and CiderFestival. With the record breaking number ofbeers, continental street-style food andexpansive cider and wine range – all to theclassic backdrop of the Nottingham Castle -there’s something for everyone!

The Festival runs between Wednesday 8thand Saturday 11th October 2014

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Pictured (l-r) 'Robin Hood' (Tim Pollard), Castle Rock's Sarah Halpin, LewisTownsend, Anthony Spalding, and Matthew Turner sup the first of the many

The Nottingham Post sent me to my firstbeer festival in 2003.

Nottingham CAMRA still held its annualfestival at Victoria Leisure Centre, and Iwalked into the sweaty little buildingcompletely clueless. I had moved toNottingham from Kansas City just twomonths earlier, and I knew nothing aboutEnglish beer. As in, somebody had to explainto me what a hand pump was.

In the subsequent decade, I filled in theknowledge gaps thanks to, ahem, tirelessresearch. By the time you read this, I’ll beback in America, my 11-year adventure inArthur Seaton country finished. If I sit downto think about my favourite memories andbest times, I inevitably come back to pubs.

It’s Aunit at the Dragon, smiling andsticking a pint glass under the Harvest Paleas soon as she sees me walk in. It’s a day offwork and spent at Trent Bridge, with a swiftlunchtime pint (OK, two) at the StratfordHaven with the old boys happily talkingabout how everything that happened in themorning session was absolute rubbish. It’sfinding myself in Mapperley, stopping intothe Bread and Bitter for definitely just theone, then hearing the familiar voice offormer BBC man and local legend Graham

Percy over my shoulder. It’s a walk from thecity centre up to my house in Forest Fieldsthat gets waylaid by the beery roadblocks ofMansfield Road. (“I was held up by apoacher,” I’ll tell my wife. “FromLincolnshire.”) And it’s the Vat and Fiddle.

My first flat sat on the edge of TheMeadows, just over the road from the Vat,which became my first local. I’d sit in there,supping a pint of what was then calledMeadows Gold, arguing with a workmateabout who’d win in a fight between a lion, atiger and a shark with lasers. (That friend isnow a high-ranking journalist on a nationalnewspaper. The correct answer is of course“a shark with lasers.”)

This would be a different kind of story if my11 years had involved trying to see howmuch beer I could get down my neck. It wasnever about that, and in my writings on beerfor the Post I always tried to save some ofmy angriest criticism for the places who keptthe beer freezing, the music loud and theseating minimal.

In 11 years I learned about beer, but alsoabout community. The Petersens are goingto travel the US a bit; the longer-term plan isto relocate to Seattle in the north-west. It’sone of the biggest cities in the surging USindependent beer scene, so I’ll still be able tofind a decent tipple.

But I will need more than that. I’ll need aplace that respects the product, and thatrespects the punters. A place that makes itscommunity better.

Wherever I land, I’ll need to find a Vat.

Erik Petersen - former journalist with theNottingham Post.

Wherever I lay my Vat....

Drinks in FocusDiscover World Beers

The Discover World Beers project hasbecome even bigger and better since ourlast issue. DWB has now been introducedinto the Willowbrook and the New BarrackTavern, alongside those at the Canalhouse,the Kean’s Head, the Lincolnshire Poacherand the Hop Loft.

Wayne has been busy training staff, sourcingthe best beers possible, and generally lustingover this exciting industry. He’s back thisissue to share his current favourites from theDWB range, but these beers are fleeting, sofollow us on Twitter to stay up-to-date.

Rodenbach – Grand CruThis Flanders red ale is tart with oaky, wine-like characteristics. Sour beer isn’t foreveryone but approach with an open mindand you’ll be pleasantly surprised.There are hints of cherry, redberries, oak, and balsamic vinegar.These flavours come together tocreate an extremely complex ale.Although vastly different from whatwe perceive to be traditional Englishbeer the blending and barrel-ageingtechniques used by the Rodenbachfamily were learned in England.

Founders – Breakfast StoutThis top-rated stout hails from Grand Rapids,Michigan and it really is something else.Brewed with 2 types of coffee andsweetened chocolate, it clocks in ata pretty impressive 8.3% abv, soit’s definitely one to be reckonedwith. The huge coffee and darkchocolate flavours completely maskits strength while the addition offlaked oats creates a smoothmouth-feel. Founder’s say thatthey’re not sure if ‘this is somekind of coffee cake or a beer’ – I would agree wholeheartedly.

The Kernel – India Pale AleOk, this isn’t from anywhere overlyexotic (Bermondsey, South Londonto be exact) but The Kernel’s ever-changing IPAs are world class.Inspired by American IPAs whilstworking in New York, head brewerEvin O’Riordain started to createhis own and eventually opened acommercial brewery underneath arailway arch in SE16.The focus for the IPA range is to harness thearomas and bitterness of big, pungent NewWorld hop varieties. Expect tropical fruit,pine resin and citrus aromas a-plenty.

Schneider Weisse ‘Tap 7’ OriginalSchneider & Sohns is one of thefinest weissbier breweries inGermany. The Tap 7 variety isincredibly complex and extremelyrefreshing. It pours a dark tancolour, cloudy and with a thickfoamy head. Aromas of banana,clove and nutmeg dominate.There’s a touch of bitterness and acitric tartness that refreshes yourpalate. The mouth feel is velvety whilst thecarbonation lifts all the flavours and sparkleson your tongue. This beer is perfect forlounging outside in the summer sun.

Wayne Harvey, Castle Rock’s world beer buyer, is back again, sharing his favourites this quarter from the Discover World Beer range

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@DiscoverWBeers

Our new website – NOW LIVE!

It has been designed and crafted withyou, our valued customers, in mind. Wewanted to make the website as useful,informative and simple to use as possible– as well as being attractive of course!

Along with many other things, the websiteoffers comprehensive information on ourbeers (including tasting notes) and pubs(including maps, opening times andfacilities).

There’s also a heritage section where youcan view the history to date of Castle Rock,as well as book a brewery tour or find outabout the brewing process. In addition to

this, the new website also features an areafor our customers in the trade – withdownloads, beer availability and more.

The sleek new website stands alongside ourFacebook and Twitter feeds to completeCastle Rock’s online presence; if you everwant to get in touch or find out more aboutCastle Rock then you have plenty of ways todo so! As with everything we do,constructive feedback about the newwebsite is most welcome.

As we progress through the first few monthsplease allow for teething issues as we makesome tweaks, however if you have any issues

or suggestions please email us([email protected]) or usethe form on the website.

Visit Castle Rock’s brand new website atwww.castlerockbrewery.co.uk

After eight months of development and consideration, our new website went live in May

‘I’d always been interested in beer, I didmy school work-experience at BurtonBridge Brewery, and I thought ‘Yeah, thisis cool, I could get into this.’ It went fromthere. I did a Culinary Arts Managementdegree in Birmingham, which was kind ofhalf ‘how to chop an onion’ and halfbusiness.’

After university, Ralf worked at the BrunswickInn, situated next to the Alex, and spent threeand a half years learning about the pub trade.After a few pushes from friends, he andpartner Anna decided to approach SteveBramley, Castle Rock’s then OperationsDirector. Steve recalls, ‘Anna was veryoutgoing and caring, and Ralf not only hadthe experience but was really active in thelocal CAMRA branch. For me, they ticked allthe boxes.’

The Alexandra Hotel has a rich history initself. Built around 1890, it was initially the‘Midland Coffee House’, serving the local

railway workers. After becoming a Shipstonestied house, the pub closed for demolition in1987. Luckily, a group of bright-eyed CastleRock folk came along and rescued thebuilding. Since then not only has the pubdeveloped into a beer lovers haven, it’s alsoprovided a home to a growing collection ofold railway memorabilia.

Above the bar hangs an enormous stationclock, the walls are adorned in railwayphotographs, and the garden features notonly National Rail benches but, as of summer2013, a 48-year-old diesel locomotive cab,with enormous local and cultural significance.

Speaking of outdoors, Ralf and his partnerAnna live onsite, in the accommodation abovethe pub. We had to ask ‘does it ever feel likeyou’re living in a bubble?’ Ralf assured us, onmost days he does venture out on to thepavement to put out the blackboard…

We talk about old and new pubs, and theimportance of holding on to tradition. Ralfexplains that people seem to enjoy the choicebetween historic cosiness and shinymodernism. The bar offering demonstrateshis thinking. Alongside traditional cider andseven or eight cask ales at any one time, theAlex offers craft keg beer and over 50 bottlesof world beer. And alongside the British pubclassic the pickled egg, is a selection of “coolkid” treats, like Merry Berry Chocolate. It’s apleasing mix of the timeless and these times.

Next time you visit Derby, take a short strollfrom the railway station and visit the Alex. Ifthe history of the place, the excellent drinksselection, the smiles and conversation fromRalf and Anna, or the memorabilia-embellished walls don’t charm you - Ambersure will. And just who is Amber?

Well, bring along a bag of carrots and see foryourself…

The Alexandra HotelIn Focus

Management coupleRalf and Anna tookover ‘the Alex’ in 2010.We chatted to Ralfabout how he came tobe running a CastleRock Pub at the relatively tender age ofjust twenty-five.

In the next issue we feature…the Eagle at Boston, Lincolnshire

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Above: At home behind the bar of the ‘Alex’ - birhplace of Derby CAMRAAnna and Ralf took over the reins at our Derby pub in 2010

Birthplace of Derby CAMRA in 1974, The Alexandra Hotelprides itself on being a ‘Real Ale Oasis’

EventsA Summer of Sports!Castle Rock pubs are ready to go, with everything you need to make the most of 2014’s Summer of Sports

When international cricket comes toNottingham it always brings with it anair of excitement. Visitors andNottinghamians alike are drawn to theevents at Trent Bridge (and CastleRock pubs) and a special vibe gripsthe city for the full five-day durationof the Test Match, or the one-dayinternational.

It only seems like yesterday that the RedArrows flew over the Castle Rock breweryand Trent Bridge to mark the opening day ofthe Ashes series last summer. That flyoverheralded five days of exceptional weatherwith cricket to match it, and all capped with a fitting result too!

What a difference a year makes; twelvemonths have passed with the Ashes both wonand lost. Trent Bridge again provides thecurtain raiser for a 2014 Test Match Seriesand this year India are the opponents.

Castle Rock is once again perfectly placed toadd to the occasion with special events, goodbeer, great food and excellent post-matchbanter. We hope with this mix we can get thecrowd to give the support England need toget off to another flying start!

Many Castle Rock pubs in the vicinity willopen their doors much earlier to provide ahearty breakfast for spectators and we arethere too for the lunches, teas, breaks in playand for the buzz of the aftermath foreveryone who gets drawn into theatmosphere that World Class cricket bringswith it. We hope you make the most of it!

The Poppy & Pint, 15 minutes from Trent BridgeStratford Haven5 minutes from Trent BridgeVat & Fiddle2 minutes from Nottingham Train StationCanalhouse2 minutes from Nottingham Train Station

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Test Match and ODI

The World Cup at Castle Rock

Pub Location Games Shown PLUSCanalhouse City Centre, Nottingham All England and other select games Food specialsFox & Crown Newark All A burger challenge is taking place throughoutGolden Eagle Lincoln All England plus final stages Food specials during matches

including BBQ, Chilli & Curry

The Maze Mansfield Road, Nottingham AllNew Barrack Tavern Sheffield All Themed food available during each matchPoppy & Pint Lady Bay, Nottingham All (time appropriate) Special food matching during selected gamesStratford Haven West Bridgford, Nottingham All (time appropriate) A burger challenge is taking place throughoutVat & Fiddle City Centre, Nottingham All World Cup Quiz (date TBC) plus BBQ

(during time appropriate matches!)

Willowbrook Gedling, Nottingham All World Cup themed menu

WORLD CUP FREE ZONESDon’t want anything to do with the World Cup? Seek solace at one of our World Cup free pubs and enjoy a football free environment! Pub LocationBread & Bitter Mapperley, Nottingham Kean’s Head Lace Market, NottinghamLincolnshire Poacher Mansfield Road, Nottingham

For more information, visit our website www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk

Tuesday 8th JulyGuest Speaker & Cricketing Legend

ALEC STEWARTChilli and Curry alongside jugs of Castle

Rock beer for each tableCharity Raffle

Tickets £20 available from thePoppy & Pint

Limited Availability!

Cricket EventsThere’ll be a specially created menu ofIndian Food paired with English Beer atthe Lincolnshire Poacher

Fish & Chips V Curry at the Bread &Bitter

Test Match breakfasts, lunch boxes andspecial dishes will be available at theStratford Haven

The Vat & Fiddle will be serving fullEnglish breakfasts at £5.95 from 9amfor every day of the July Test match andthe August One-Day International.Book ahead on 0115 985 0611Join us for breakfast and you’ll beentered into a daily raffle to WIN AGALLON OF CASTLE ROCK BEERThere’s also a BBQ from 6pm everyevening.

Please note that due to licensing restrictions some pubs will not be showing the later games - see table below for more details.

CanalhouseIn Focus

Back in 2006 I was running a bar inLincoln, when Castle Rock’s formerchairman Chris Holmes approached meabout a ‘new venture’ in Nottingham. Itwas intriguing, so I agreed to take a lookat this mysterious new pub. As soon as Iwalked into the building I fell in love withthe place and, back at work the next day, Ifound myself handing in my notice

I took over the Canalhousein the summer of 2006.The pub was establishedas a popular canal-side“watering hole” to peopleof Nottingham and visitorsalike, but there was still somuch exciting potential.With my wealth ofknowledge of the pubtrade and a fair share oftravelling around Englandrunning bars in the historiccities of Lincoln, York andBlackpool (famous in itsown right…), I wasdefinitely ready for a freshnew challenge: TheCanalhouse.

A former Canal museum,the Canalhouse occupiesthe bottom two of fourstoreys. Famous for actually having a canalbasin within the venue - home to two residentnarrow boats - it’s not often you have tomanoeuvre yourself over a bridge to get tothe bar! The large function room can caterfor up to 200 people and can be used for anyevents, from weddings to quiz nights tocorporate meetings. Last year we did overforty weddings alone…phew.

With its large outside space, the Canalhousegarden is a real “sun trap”. There’ssomething very European about being able to

eat and drink alfresco, which the people ofNottingham certainly do (in their masses!)when the clouds part.

About two years ago, we made some bigchanges to turn the Canalhouse into an all-year-round destination. Our range of 60Belgian beers were instantly popular and withthe Discover World Beers concept we wereable to increase our stocks and meet thedemand for something new. We extended thebar to fit in two more bottled beer fridgesand set about filling them with the best beersfrom around the world. Currently we stockover 180 different bottles in a beer list that isever-changing and we try to source examplesthat have never been seen in Nottinghambefore. Last year we installed ten craft beerlines and brought kegged craft beer to thebar, as well as utilising some of our new barspace for traditional cider. We now stockthirteen ‘trad’ ciders at any one time.

I also have to add that our bar staff are justas diverse as our drinks range: there is noother team as unique and spectacular as theCanalhouse Warriors - C.H.Ws, I salute you.

Hopefully you’ll like the changes we havemade but we are always open to new ideasand products – just let us know and, if wecan get it, we will stock it!

Manager Yvette Storey - nicknamed Y-bird by her team - speaks to usabout running one of the most uniqueand challenging pubs in Nottingham.

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Yvette Storey - our manager at the Canalhouse in Nottingham

Up & Coming BrewsAs Nottingham’s most prolific brewer, there is always something excitingavailable alongside our core range of classics. Whether it be our monthly beer insupport of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, quarterly beer to celebrateNottingham’s great heroes and heroines, specials to commemorate the FirstWorld War, or our one-off, seasonal and Traffic Street Special ranges.

We celebrate Digby Pearson’s continuing contribution to thelocal music scene – as well as the hardcore metal scene.

Digby’s beer is an American-style red ale, brewed with “New World” hops providing a powerful

tropical fruit and citrus character. 4.2%

JULY SKYLARK • No. 74b • 4.6% abvOur refreshing wheat beer for the year; naturally cloudy with an authentic German aroma – suitable for vegans!

AUGUST CRAYFISH • No. 123b • 6.0% abvThe immensely popular strong IPA returns – golden beer with citrus zest flavours and a distinct herbal bitterness.

SEPTEMBER BITTERN • No. 76b • 4.1% abvHoney in beer works so well and Bittern is a great example of it! Tawny in colour and brewed with local honey.

JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER

JULY - SEPTEMBER

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This year marks the centenary of the start of the First WorldWar. In commemoration, we are brewing a special range of

twelve beers over the next five years.

Tommy Atkins: A Call to ArmsThe second in our unique collection marking the centenary

of the First World War, Tommy Atkins is proudly atraditional English bitter. 4.2%

You can find out more about this range on page 14 With donations to Combat Stress

Also look out for...

In addition to our dynamic range of monthly, quarterly andseasonal beers, we are also releasing a range of small brewsdesigned to challenge a few conventions!

Each recipe has been carefully considered to produce aninteresting, unique or even extreme tasting beer - with theadded idiosyncrasy of being unfined (cloudy).

Each Traffic Street Special brew is very limited in amount,but will be coming thick and fast this year, so if you spot onebe sure to give it a try!

My favourite Castle Rock beer

Name: Daniel ClaytonLocal: Bread & BitterFavourite Beer: Screech Owl

“As my palate matures I have startedlooking for a different taste to thelagers on offer, of which you have a fineselection. After consulting Ben the barman at the Bread & BitterI was advised of a variety of beers suitable for a lagerdrinker. After tryingquite a few, Screech Owlwas definitely the one!It’s most refreshing, whichI didn't expect - and flavoursome too!”

We love to hear your feedback about our beers, and even more sowhen there is a story behind it! We’re on a quest over the next fewissues to find out what our customers’ favourite Castle Rock tipples are – and why!

Thanks for all your tweets,

retweets, follows, likes, and

lovely comments. Keep them coming!

Local Ducks with impeckable taste!#NiceWeatherforDucks@Nottswildlife @WestBridgfdWire@CRBrewery @ElsieMocrb(@Poppyand Pint)

Teatime@TheLionBasford

@CRBrewery Havest Pale in world

class condition @NottmCAMRAYM

@NNottsCAMRA @AmberValley-

Camra (@thepubpeople)

#ErinsBigBikeRide naturally included a visit to our WildlifeGuardian @CRBrewery Refreshedat the Fox & Crown!http://ow.ly/i/5vJS7 (nottswildlife)

“Enjoyed a cracking Black Gold at

The Parcel Yard Kings Cross

station.....cheers” (Nick Parrish –Facebook)

TOP COMMENTS

Screech Owl is our superblybalanced India Pale Ale at5.5%. Brewed with two

American hops, this citrussybeer is offset by a smooth

malt character.

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We are back in Brown!You can be forgiven for not understandingwhy the headline is important but you’llnotice from now onwards that yourfavourite bottled beer Harvest Pale will beback in brown bottles.

Our initial switch to clear glass was dictatedto us by the supermarket buyers who werelooking to only stock lines that were in clearglass. Their market research indicated thatcustomers want to see the colour of the beerthey are buying and, many brewers includingCastle Rock, gave in and complied. So whyhave we changed back to brown? Well, clearglass can be problematic; the contents areexposed to sunlight, which in turn triggers achemical reaction with the hop oils. Theresult can be “skunky” off flavours that,strangely, are similar to cardboard. This

phenomenon is known to brewers as‘Lightstrike’. Whilst these off flavours arenot harmful, they are clearly (pun intended)undesirable.

Colin Wilde, MD, explains, “In truth I’mperhaps a bit annoyed with myself forgetting talked into going into clear glass inthe first place, but I was responding directlyto what our customers were asking for……perhaps this shows that the customer isn’talways right,” he smiles. “Whilst the super-markets still want clear glass I’m afraidthey’ll be having Castle Rock’s beers inbrown glass from now onwards.”

“Great beer in great pubs is where ourpassion lies and whilst supermarket sales areuseful they are certainly not essential to us.

If people want to buy beer forconsumption at home then webelieve they should have beer thatis as good as it possibly can be,so we will no longer pander tothe supermarket buyer! Super-markets will now get our beer atits best whether they like it ornot! Remember, this isn’t justbeer, it is Castle Rock beer andwe hope you ‘taste the difference’because ‘every little helps’!”

DON’T FORGET TO LOOK OUT FOR OUR IN-PUB BOTTLE CASE DEALS AND DRAUGHTBEERS IN BULK FOR YOUR BBQ OR PARTY

To find out more about Lightstruck beer visitwww.beersensoryscience.wordpress.com

Screech Owl

Screech Owl once again proves popular with oneof our locals at the B&B!

No more Lightstrike for CRB

What’s Cooking?The Kean’s HeadA New Season, A New MenuSam Skinner-Watts, Manager of the Kean’s Headin the Lace Market, explains the process behindcreating his new Spring and Summer MenuFollowing Christmas 2013,we decided our food menuneeded a revamp. And so westarted the long process ofbreaking down exactly whatwe were offering, and whatwe should be offering.

The first step tackling theactual menu; we realised thatour menus needed to be on parwith the presentation of ourfood - just as well thought outand executed. Many hours ofresearch and customerfeedback were involved,including discussions with ourregulars as well as visitingother pubs and bars as farafield as Brussels. From all of this we wereable to discern what our customers want,and how we could best deliver it.

The solution was a new style of menupreviously unseen within Castle Rock pubs; a sleeker, easier to read and better presentedmenu. With a contemporary template inplace, we set to work on the fun part -creating the dishes! The Kean’s HeadSpring/Summer menu boasts a whole host ofnew creations as well as traditional favouritesfor all to enjoy.

The new menu encompasses the things webelieve to be fundamental to any thrivingpublic house with a love of food: Locality -we use local suppliers, seasonality - ourmenus change with the seasons, and finallysustainability - we believe a balanced dietand menu can be achieved without resortingto using forced farming methods and soyabased products.

The biggest innovation in our menu, andprobably the most enjoyable aspect for me, isour changing Cheeseboard. Having been toone of my favourite English country pubs, Idiscovered the joys of a locally-sourced andbeautifully presented cheeseboard. We tookthis idea, developed it and applied it theKean’s. The cheese, artisan crackers, boardsand even the knives are sourced from ourfriends at that awesome deli just down theroad.

These are just a few of the changes we hopethat you, the customer, being the most

important element in everything we do, willappreciate and will keep you coming backtime and time again. Many thanks for yourcontinued support and welcome to those thathave yet to stumble on the delights of ourfriendly little pub in the Lace Market.

FRIDAY 4th JULYEat, drink and celebrate American Independence Day• Belly-Busting Burgers & AmericanDesserts at the Bread & Bitter, 11am-close • Ultimate USA Menu and Beer of theHour at the Lincolnshire Poacher,11am-close• American Craft Beers & Burgers at thePoppy & Pint, with live music from theLittle Giants 11am-close

Rum & Bratwurst Day!We’ve combined the two celebrationswith a special menu - think rum, cocktailsand the mighty mighty Bratwurst!Kean’s Head, food served from midday

FRIDAY 22th - MONDAY 25th AUGUSTSummer BBQ WeekendIf the sun is shining, we are firing up thegrill! Bread & Bitter, 11am-closeWeather Permitting

SATURDAY 20th SEPTEMBER -SUNDAY 5TH OCTOBERBritish Food FortnightThe Best of British food, locally sourcedand freshly preparedSpecial menu with 2 courses for £11 or 3for £15 at The WillowbrookSpecial menu of Best of British at theStratford HavenSpecial Best of British menu at theCanalhouse paired with World Beers

MagpieThe CAMRA LocAle Schemepromotes pubs stockinglocally brewed real ale.Castle Rock is committedto supporting the scheme,offering diversity in ourguest beer range andgiving small breweries aroute to the consumermarket.

Another LocAle brewery greatly supportedby the Castle Rock pub estate is MagpieBrewery, a six barrel plant with a core rangeof seven beers.

Situated near the Notts County footballground (hence the name, Magpie breweryhas been on the Nottingham brewing scenesince 2005, when it was established bythree friends who had quit their ‘day jobs’.The brewery has a good presence in the cityof Nottingham – with a hugely enhancedprofile following the opening of their brewery tap, the Crafty Crow, near Nottingham Castle.

Magpie prides itself on using only Britishhops and malt. Utilising solely British hops isan admirable trait especially as many brewers are now choosing European and USvarieties over examples produced in Britain.

The brewery continue to prove that Englishhop varieties are just as diverse, unique andinteresting as their international counter-parts, and it’s great to see more and moreexperimental hops coming out of our fairisle. It’s this stance that sets Magpie apartfrom the crowd, and Castle Rock customersalways enjoy their beers when they appearat our pubs.

Look out for the distinct pump clips andbeer names across Nottingham (especiallyin Castle Rock pubs!) and join us in sup-porting local beer – something we feelvery strongly about. The more we supportour local brewers, the healthier the scenebecomes and the more diversity you willenjoy.

www.magpiebrewery.com

11

LocAle

Editor’s PicksUpcoming EventsFinishes Sunday 13th JulyWorld Cup Burger Challenge Put away the gigantic Wealth Burger in lessthan 30 minutes and enjoy a free pint ofHarvest Pale. Best times join the LeaderBoard to win a free gallon of CRB beer! The Fox & Crown and the StratfordHaven. Follow us to find out more!

Thursday 3rdMini Commonwealth GamesAn afternoon of traditional British gameswith prizes to be won. Including Egg & Spoonand Three-legged Race! Stratford Haven, 3pm

Saturday 5th - Sunday 6thMini Beer FestivalThe Poppy continues the US IndependenceDay Celebrations and combines it with TestMatch celebrations. An American and Indian Pale Ale Weekend! Poppy & Pint, follow @PoppyandPint tostay updated

Saturday 12th - Wednesday 16thGreat British Beer FestivalNot going to make it to GBBF? Enjoy themini beer fest at the Fox & Crown andenjoy 10% off British beer at the Hop Loft!

Sunday 13th Funhouse Comedy ClubEdinburgh Festival Preview (Part 1)A special comedy show in the beautiful beergarden. Six shows throughout the afternoon,watch as many as you like for just £6Food and pass-outs available all dayNew Barrack Tavern, 2-9pm

Thursday 17thCowboys & Indians!The Canalhouse celebrates its 8th birthdayCome down to the Saloon by the waterside! Free shot of Bourbon for any customer whodresses up.The Canalhouse, 6pm-close

Saturday 19thKean’s Turns TenWe turn back the clocks and put our caskbeer prices back by ten years.Hourly drinks specials, chosen as stafffavourites, from past and present.BAKE A CAKE AND WIN A MEAL FORTWOBake Us a Cake competition & we’ll treatthe winner to a slap-up dinner for two,including beer or wineKean’s Head, 11am-close

Sunday 20thFunhouse Comedy Club (Part 2)Edinburgh Festival PreviewA special comedy show in the beautiful beergarden. Six shows throughout the afternoon,watch as many as you like for just £6Food and pass-outs available all dayNew Barrack Tavern, 2-9pm

Monday 21st- Monday 28thBelgian WeekA special Belgian food menu paired with the best Belgian beers from Nottingham’sbiggest World Beer bar! The Canalhouse, 11am-close

Saturday 26thArts & Crafts Fair & Fete A Crafts Revival with BBQ on the terraceFamilies welcome!The Swan in the Rushes, 12pm

Saturday 26th - Sunday 27thOpen Mic WeekendWith food & kids’ games The Golden Eagle

Sunday 27thFunhouse Comedy Club (Part 3)Edinburgh Festival PreviewA special comedy show in the beautiful beergarden. Six shows throughout the afternoon,watch as many as you like for just £6Food and pass-outs available all dayNew Barrack Tavern, 2-9pm

Thursday 21st - Sunday 24thAugust Beer & Cider FestivalCelebrating the Great British Beer Festivalwith the best of British Beer & Cider.Lincolnshire Poacher & the Poppy &Pint, 11am-close

Friday 22ndLadies NightCocktails, butlers in the buff and beautyproducts.The Hoploft, £5, call to book now!

Friday 22nd - Sun 24th Ballin’ Music FestivalThe New Barrack and Balls to Cancer bringyou a weekend of music. Raffle with allproceedings going to Balls to Cancer.New Barrack Tavern, follow on Facebook to find out more.

Saturday 6th - Monday 8thIt ain’t Nothin’ but the Blues Celebrating Newark Blues Festival with live music all weekend.The Fox & Crown

Sunday 7th Halfway House Charity DayCharity Day Festival with Dog show. Localstalls, great food and Marquee Beer Fest.The Golden Eagle, 2pm

Tuesday 16thWe’re getting Hot & Spicy!Celebrating Mexican Independence Day with 2 for 1 Tequila shots and fiery Mexican dishes!Bread & Bitter, 11am-close

Sat 20th September-Sun 5th OctoberOktoberfest! It’s that time of year again - one of CastleRock’s favourite annual events. Celebrating German beer festivalOktoberfest in many Castle Rock Pubs We’ll source as many official Oktoberfestbeers as we can! You might even spot a fewhomemade pretzels, alongside homemadeGerman Sharing Platters. Follow @DiscoverWBeers to stay updated

Friday 26th - Sunday 28thApple Weekend Cider FestivalOutdoor cider festival with themed applegrub & live musicThe Golden Eagle, 2pm-close

Full listings onour website - updated daily

July 2014

August 2014

September 2014

The Canalhouse Acoustic Sessions, every Thursday from 6:30pm

September is Jack D

aniels’ Birthday m

onth! We are raising a glass to our ol’ favourite JD

with prom

otions throughout!

12 www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk

25th Sept- 5th October

Cask Ale WeekNo one gets more excited about Cask Ale

week than we do at Castle Rock. It’s what we do best. Think ale is not foryou? You just haven’t found ‘the one’ yet.Celebrate at your Castle Rock Local and

find the beer of your dreams!

Don’t Forget! - The Willowbrook Proudly Presents Ladies Night - Wed 30th Jul • Wed 27th August • Wed 24th September

Sunday 28thRunning the Robin Hood Marathon?

Get 20% off your total food bill at theStratford Haven • Enjoy your first pint for

free at the Bread & Bitter • Indulge with 10% off all food and drink at

the Canalhouse

Drinks in Focus

13

So what is Craft Beer?The whole world is talking about craft beer.But what is craft beer? What separates it fromthe rest? No one seems to be able to reach aconclusion, including us, but here are somepoints we think you should keep in mind…Is it about the size of the brewery?America links the definition to the ‘small’ sizeof the brewery. However, the differencebetween this and the British microbrewery isvast. An American ‘craft brewery’ can easilybe much larger than UK’s breweries likeMarston’s and Fullers. The ‘craft’ definitionhas been, to an extent, lost in the Atlantic.

Is it in cask or keg? Craft beer can be found in keg, cask, andbottles. Think of Oakham Ales and theirdelicious Green Devil IPA, which you canenjoy from any of the three. Why doespouring it from a keg make it more of a‘craft’?

Is it made by people who care aboutbeer?Of course, but that doesn’t separate it from the wider market. Even the globalbreweries have passionate brewers at theircore. Besides, any brewer that isn’tembracing consistency is pretty much“winging it”…

Is it about innovation? Absolutely, and it’s this innovation that isgetting people talking.

However innovation needs to be balancedwith preserving great tradition.

Is it about the beer itself?Yes, but is all craft beer good? No. Always beopen to trying new things and continue toexplore your beer drinking options - there areplenty of beer styles with unique character-istics for you to explore. Yet like everything inlife, it won’t always be right for you, andthere are some beers that are very extreme.

What do we think? We think craft beer is a state of mind; one ofdedication and adventure. It’s aboutrespecting customers, using the best availableingredients, being professional and enjoyingthe brewing industry.

Don’t Forget

Join the Club!In the previous edition of theCRQ we reminded you aboutour special members clubs –the Hop Loft Club and theCastle Rock Club. If you’d liketo know more about joining,ask at your Castle Rock localand at the Hop Loft.

MerchandiseCastle Rock sells a range of brandedmerchandise from t-shirtsto shorts to rugby shirts.You can find a limitedselection on our eBayshop, or you can orderfrom Castle Rock pubs.

Brewery ToursRemember you can find out where yourfavourite Castle Rock beer was made bybooking a brewery tour!

For more information, check our website,email [email protected] orcall the Vat & Fiddle on 0115 985 0611.

Come Fly With Us!Flying from East Midlands Airport thissummer? Don’t forget our Castle RockKitchen & Taproom is now open in thefirst floor departure lounge.

Remember - it’s never too early forHarvest Pale, the ideal breakfast beer!

Follow UsSocial Media

On The Bar

There’s always something happening in the CastleRock estate, and you can get even more involved,

learn of upcoming events and benefit from offers justby following our social media feeds!

Simply search for the below accounts on Facebook or Twitter and click “Like”, “Follow” or “Add Friend”

14

This special range of remembrance beerswill be brewed over the next five years,each one marking a significant event ofthe First World War.

We hope the Commemoration Collectiongives you an opportunity to re-ignite yourinterest in the events whichtook place ahundred years ago, and offers you achance to remember over a pint oflovingly brewed beer.

Everything in this range, as with all ourbeers, has been created with respect, consideration and dedication; we hope this isevident, from the hand-painted artwork, tothe beer names, to the charities we aredonating to.

Over the coming years, these beers andassociated events will be raising money forthree amazing charities: NottinghamshireRoyal British Legion, Combat Stress - the

Veterans’ Mental Health Charity,and Amnesty International UK.Our big fundraising event willtake place on 2nd August witha Peace Celebration Street Party,Find out the details on ourwebsite and please come along!

The second beer of the range will beavailable in August, and entitled ‘TommyAtkins: A Call to Arms’, in remembrance ofthe British men who set off for the‘adventure’ of the Great War.

The Commemoration Collection

Alexandra Hotel @Alex_Pub_Derby

Bread Bitter @breadandbitter

Canal House @canalhousebar

The Derby Tup @TheDerbyTup

The Eagle @EagleBoston

The Maze @themazenotts

The Fox & Crown, Newark @TheFoxandCrown

The Golden Eagle Free House @GoldenEaglePub

The Hop Loft @TheHopLoft

Kean’s Head @keanshead

Lincolnshire Poacher @lincpoacher

New Barrack Tavern @NewBarrack

The Newshouse @NewshouseNotts

Poppy & Pint @PoppyandPint

The Rook and Gaskill @RookGaskillYork

Stratford Haven @stratfordhaven

Swan Rushes @swanrushes

Vat Fiddle @VatandFiddle

The Wetmore Whistle @wetmorewhistle1

The Willowbrook @WillowbrookCRB

Castle Rock Brewery @CRBrewery

Our beers talk too!Elsie Mo @Elsiemocrb

Sheriff Tipple @SheriffTipple

Screech Owl @ScreechOwlCRB

Castle Rock is proud to introduce the Commemoration Collection, honouring the centenary of the Great War.

In FocusThe Willowbrook is officially open!

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A great new CastleRock pub at the heartof the communityOn 23rd April, after three exhaustingmonths of refurbishment, the ‘new’Willowbrook finally opened its doors! It felt like a lifetime of late nights, earlymornings, hammers and power tools,dusty air and design ‘discussions’, but itwas definitely worth it!

Before we get a little boastful about theresults, we’d like to say thank you to somepeople: First to John and Mike Harman andtheir team for months of hard work; toDirector Peter Brettell for his stridentsupport; and to Business DevelopmentManager Sarah Halpin for being the glue thatheld the entire project together. We’despecially like to thank Pete Hopwell,manager of the Willowbrook and his team,for working so hard and becoming invaluableFinally, we’d like to thank you; ourcustomers. We loved having you with usevery step of the way and appreciate yourpatience and loyalty during the chaoticmoments.

The official launch night was a huge success,with visits from Councillor Bob Collis, Mayorof Gedling Borough and the Lady Mayoress,Ann Collis, along with Nottingham’s officialRobin Hood, and a swarm of customers fromthe community showing their support.

If you were familiar with the Willowbrookprior to its refurbishment, then you will beastounded by the change.

Come down to the Willowbrook and see foryourself, we’d love to hear your thoughts!The bar has been extended, the main loungeopened up and the formal-dining roomturned into a soft furnished snug. Woodenflooring, art deco lighting, leather topped barstalls, and flecks of glitter in the bar top allcome together to create somethingharmonious and contemporary, with a nod toyesteryear.

If you’ve yet to try the food on offer, pleasedo! A fantastic new chef has joined the teamand the new food menu is delicious- we arestill working our way through it!

•Thanks to a successfulfundraising appeal, NWTnow has the required fundsto extend its popularSkylarks reserve, which is just a shortwalk from the Poppy & Pint.Situated on Adbolton Lane, just north ofthe National Watersports Centre, thereserve is a great place to see ducks andother water birds.

• Over the next two years the charity willtransform the adjacent Blott’s Pit to createan even wider range of habitats for wildlife.Guided walks around Blott’s Pit will takeplace on the 5th July and 9th August. Forfurther details visit www.ayupmiduck.com

• Back in May, NWT’s Head of Communi-cations, Erin McDaid successfully cycledbetween all 67 of Nottinghamshire WildlifeTrust’s Nature Reserves to raise funds forthe charity’s work in Sherwood Forest. Tolearn more about his journey or to sponsorhim visit www.justgiving.com/erin-mcdaid

Big developments for NottinghamshireWildlife Trust

• Family Friendly• Weekend Breakfasts• Sunday Roasts• Function Room• Castle Rock’s Core Range and Guest Ales

• Traditional Cider• World Beers• Wine List• Homemade Food • Two Beer Gardens

A national award-winninggolden beer. American hopsgive a refreshingly crisp,

citrus finish.

A well balanced, award-winning dark mild with somebitterness. Full-bodied but

not overly sweet.

A full-bodied premium bitterof typical East Midlandscharacter. Perfect bitter-

sweet balance.

3.8%3.8% 4.4%

Brewed to be a traditionalsession ale with a malty bitter

taste.

3.4%

Blonde and beautiful singlemalt golden ale refreshing on

the palate.

4.7%

A national champion. StrongIndia Pale Ale. Lots of

everything so proceed withcaution.

5.5%

Our Craft Keg beerA golden IPA, with allAmerican hops and dryhopped again at theend with Chinook

5.2%

Core Castle Rock Beers

Castle Rock PubsBREAD AND BITTER153-155 Woodthorpe Dr, Mapperley, NG3 5JL

Tel: 0115 960 7541e-mail: [email protected]

DERBY TUP387 Sheffield Rd, Chesterfield S41 8LS

Tel: 01246 454316e-mail: [email protected]

FOX AND CROWN4-6 Appletongate, Newark, Notts NG24 1JY


KEAN’S HEAD46 St. Mary’s Gate, Nottingham NG1 1QA

Tel: 0115 947 4052 e-mail: [email protected]

NEWSHOUSE123 Canal Street, Nottingham NG1 7HB


STRATFORD HAVEN2 Stratford Rd, W. Bridgford, Nott’m NG2 6BA


VICTORIA HOTELDovecote Lane, Beeston, Nott’m NG9 1JG


CANALHOUSE48-52 Canal Street, Nottingham NG1 7EH


EAGLE144 West Street, Boston, Lincs PE21 8RE


GOLDEN EAGLE21 High Street, Lincoln LN5 8BD


LINCOLNSHIRE POACHER161-163 Mansfield Road, Nott’m NG1 3FR


POPPY AND PINTPierrepont Road, Lady Bay, Notts NG2 5DX


SWAN IN THE RUSHES21 The Rushes, Loughborough LE11 5BE

Tel: 01509 217014 e-mail: [email protected]

WETMORE WHISTLE93 Wetmore Road, Burton on Trent, DE14 1SH


ALEXANDRA HOTEL203 Siddals Road, Derby DE1 2QE


CASTLE ROCK TAPROOM & KITCHENFirst Floor Departure Lounge, East Midlands Airport

FOREST TAVERN/MAZE257 Mansfield Road, Nottingham NG1 3FT

Tel: 0115 947 5650email: [email protected] • web: www.themazerocks.com

HOP LOFT21 The Rushes, Loughborough, LE11 5BE


NEW BARRACK TAVERN601 Penistone Road, Sheffield S6 2GA


ROOK AND GASKILL12 Lawrence Street, York YO10 3WP


VAT AND FIDDLE (The Brewery Tap)

12-14 Queensbridge Rd, Nottingham NG2 1NB


WILLOWBROOK13 Main Rd, Gedling, Nottingham NG4 3HQ


16Next issue.... published SeptemberNo:3 Autumn 2014

Castle Rock Quarter Issue 2

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Transcript of Castle Rock Quarter Issue 2