Castle Rock Quarter Issue 3

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

No:3 Autumn 2014

www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk

New beer, new liverySee Page 2

WelcomeWelcome for a third time to our Castle Rock Quarter, an aide memoire

to whatwe’ve beenup to andalso a greatchance for usto let youknow what’scoming upnext.

This autumn iscertainlypacked full ofexciting

initiatives and ideas that our managers,tenants and brewers have been working onto serve you, to excite you and to titillateyour taste buds as the nights draw in.

In this issue you’ll find news about ourDiscover World Beers collector passportand the inside story on our Traffic StreetSpecials project from Castle Rock’s brewingalchemist himself. We’ll give you a peek atthe recent upgrades at the world-renownedLincolnshire Poacher, and we travel out tothe Eagle in Boston (Lincs) to give you aview into the world of our tenanted pubs.

So with Hallowe’en, Movember, Christmasmenus, merchandise gift ideas, brewerytours, takeaway beer deals and more, wethink we have everything this side of 2015covered for you!

The next issue of CRQ is not out untilJanuary 2015 so, although it may seem abit premature at my time of writing, thismay be my only proper chance...I wish you all a very Merry Christmas andthank you for your support in 2014.

CheersColin WildeManaging Director

Castle Rock BreweryQueensbridge Road, Nottingham NG2 1NB

Tel: 0115 985 1615General enquiries:

[email protected] enquiries:

[email protected]:

[email protected]

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

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Castle Rock

New brandingCastle Rock: Always As a company we’vealways taken pride inbeing progressive andengendering passion in allthat we do, from thedrinks and food we servein our pubs to the beer webrew. Without abandoningthe tried and trusted, westrive to be a little bitbetter every day.

So, earlier on this year, we decidedthe time was right to evolve ourimage, and it is just another part ofthe Castle Rock journey that you, ourcustomers, are very much involvedwith. We believe our new livery isstrong, vibrant and contemporarywhile retaining nods to our heritage.If you are wondering why we decidedto re-craft our look, the simpleanswer is that we always want to bethe best at what we do.

Hundreds of breweries have opened since weredesigned our logo back in 2008, and wewanted to make a statement that we arehere to stay, and just as prolific andinnovative as always.

Who is Red Riding Hood?Launching our new image is an ideal time to

try some new things on the beer front too.In line with our improved designs,at the 2014 Robin Hood Beer &Cider Festival we will launch a newbeer which will sit alongside oursix classic beers.

The American-style red ale is called“Red Riding Hood.” Brewed with DarkCrystal malt, plus El Dorado andKohatu hops, the beer is sure to bepopular amongst beer lovers, with arobust malt body, balanced bitternessand a fruity aroma of apricot andpeaches. We wanted fierce andmysterious imagery to accompany thebeer, and no, we will not be giving awaythe identity of the hooded figure!

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Robin HoodBeer & CiderFestival 2014

Dates: Thursday October 9th to Sunday October 12thVenue: Nottingham CastleAs with every year, all of us atCastle Rock are hugely excitedabout one of the biggest events onthe brewing calendar: the RobinHood Beer & Cider Festival, takingplace between the 8th and 11thOctober at Nottingham Castle.

It is there we are officially revealing ournew livery, which includes our new logoand pump clips, and as mentioned, ourlatest core beer, Red Riding Hood.Castle Rock will once again beshowcasing our beers in the main tentand also in our very own coveredmarquee called the Castle Rock Tavern(right next to the bandstand).

The beers available across both areaswill include: Harvest Pale (3.8%),Sheriff’s Tipple (3.4%), Preservation(4.4%) Black Gold (3.8%), Screech Owl(5.5%), Elsie Mo (4.7%) , Red RidingHood (4.3%), Hedgehog (3.8%), CarlFroch (4.2%), Most Haunted (4.4%),Midnight Owl (5.5%), Tommy Atkins: ACall to Arms (4.2%), and some specialsfrom the Traffic Street range.

We look forward to seeing you all there!

There is never a dull moment at CastleRock!

Though it is essential to produceconsistently high quality and diversebeers, and to ensure our pubs areproving a friendly environment whileserving perfectly-kept drinks, we alsocare immensely about how we presentour products, people and premises.

We hope our new look demonstrates this, and you enjoyeverything that is ‘skilfullycrafted’ by Castle Rock.

Skilfully Crafted

Colin Wilde, Managing Director says, “RedRiding Hood began as part of our Notts WLTNatural Selection series as ‘Lincoln Red’. Thebrew was so popular that we wanted tooffer it permanently to our customers, whileavoiding any confusion with our friends overat Lincoln Green brewery! Red Riding Hoodperfectly links to the red colour of the brew,gives reference to the medieval history ofNottingham, and is very visual. Weimmediately knew what we wanted with ourartwork to capture all these elements.”

Red Riding Hood will be available from thebeer festival onwards, look out for it at theCastle Rock Tavern and let us know yourverdict!

EventsHot NewsLots of Earache!

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Hockley Hustle isback for 2014Day festival the Hockley Hustle isback for 2014, and this time, theKean’s Head is in on the fun!”

On 19th October, the Kean’s Head willbe one of 40+ venues, showcasing400+ acts, where one wristband getsyou entry into the entire Hustle. Between 2006-2010,the event raised over £65,000 for charitable causes, andthis year is set to be the best yet.

Brought to Nottingham by ‘I’m Not From London’, thesame team behind the legendary Waterfront Festival, theHockley Hustle is jam-packed with the best music in theEast Midlands.

We are sponsoring the event with a specially brewedbeer, so you can sup on the Hockley Hustle brew whileenjoying the bustle!

Tickets are only £10 for the day, with all proceedsdonated to charity. Learn more and buy yours now atwww.hockleyhustle.co.uk

Castle Rock & theFestival Fringe Saturday 4th October- Sunday 19th October

Known as the ‘triple F’, the CAMRA Festival FringeFortnight edges the Robin Hood Beer & CiderFestival in weeks of celebration. With a focus on FineAle & Fine Food, Castle Rock pubs have (of course)met the criteria to be included in the festival.

The Bread & Bitter,the Canalhouse, theKean’s Head, theLincolnshire Poacher,the Poppy & Pint, theStratford Haven, theVat & Fiddle and the Willowbrook will all be joining inthe festivities. They will be putting on two weeks ofmouth-watering dishes cooked with real ale and cider,offering taster trays from just £6.50 and pairing theirmenus with beer so you can experience the ultimatetaste sensation.

Our brewery tap the Vat & Fiddle will have up to 10 realciders or perries available at any one time, offeringtaster trays at just £7.50. As the weather cools enjoyAutumnal stews and soups, cooked using cider, beer orbrandy, and served with beer baked bread.

Alongside fine ale and fine food, you can enjoy variousevents including live music and quiz nights. There will beso much going on in those two weeks that we can’tpossibly list it all here, but we can certainly wet yourtaste buds… visit www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk/FFF tosee the full listing of events.

We hope to see you down at a Castle Rock pub for theFFF, whether it’s to soak up the many pints consumed atthe Robin Hood Beer Festival with homemade dishes, orto try some incredible beer in a slightly calmer setting!

The 16th beer in our Nottinghamian range, Digby Pearson, waslaunched at a special event held at the Maze. The collaborationwith Earache Records (established by Pearson in 1985) saw a hotsummer night filled with hardcore and grindcore metal, andfinished with many pints of the special brew. Pictured below areSavage Messiah performing at the Maze (copyright Earache Records).

Other NewsWe’ve chosen our latest ‘Employees of the Quarter’, selected for theiroutstanding performance in such a challenging and competitive industry!Congratulations to Dan Gilliland in the brewery for his work on TrafficStreet Specials; to Damian Brandon at the Vat & Fiddle for his continuedhard work and support, and to Adam Hands for his enthusiasm and workin the Bread & Bitter kitchen.

Derby’s 2014 City Charter Beer Festival has once again acclaimed CastleRock for our delicious brews. Back in July we took home four majorregional and local CAMRA awards: two golds and two silvers! Thank you toDerby CAMRA for your continued support and positive feedback.

We wanted to take this opportunity to say a heartfelt ‘Farewell & GoodLuck’ to Sam Skinner-Watts, who has left his position as manager at theKean’s Head to begin a new adventure. Sam was the spark behindDiscover World Beers, with an incredible passion for beer, whisky and food,and ran a fantastic team at the Kean’s. You’ll be missed by us all Sam, butluckily our favourite Lace Market hideaway will now be nurtured by NickOrton! Meet Nick on page 11.

Castle Rock provided the beer to our good friends at Fraser Brown for avery special golf day. In memory of Claire Lowe, the event raised over£5,000 for MacMillan and Breakthrough Breast Cancer. We were honouredto be part of the day.

Derby CAMRA recently celebrated forty years since it was founded, withinthe walls of Castle Rock’s Alexandra Hotel in Derby. Back in 1974, ourformer MD Chris Holmes was chairman of Nottingham CAMRA when theinaugural meeting took place.

BREAKING NEWS: You know when someone tells you they have really exciting news but theycan’t tell you what it is? We’re that someone right now. All we can say isthere are plans in the pipeline for a small but exciting project, in closeproximity to the brewery, which of course involves beer! Hopefully by the next edition we can reveal all!

Drinks in FocusDiscover World Beers

OrvalOrval is a Trappist alebut is remarkablydifferent to theDubbels and Tripelsfrom the likes ofWestmalle andChimay. The beer isdry-hopped duringconditioning so it hasa brilliant floral aromawith a good deal of bitterness. The mostinteresting aspect of Orval is that it is bottleconditioned with Brettanomyces – a yeaststrain that over time creates earthy, dry andslightly tart flavours. This beer is perfect forageing, the dry-hop aroma dials back as itages with complex Brett characteristicscoming to the fore. This essentially meansOrval is almost a completely different beer bythe time it gets to a year old. Check thebottling date on the label to see how old yourOrval is!

Victory – DirtWolf Double IPAVictory released this beer aroundthis time last year in the U.S. andrecently it has made its way to ourshores. It’s a very modern, boldIPA brewed with 4 great Americanhop varieties - Chinook, Citra,Mosaic and Simcoe. All these hopvarieties combine to createpungent citrus fruit, floral and pinearomas. The beer rocks in at 8.7%so there is a bit of warmth from

the alcohol but it belies its ABV.It’s extremely drinkable anddespite the intense hop bitternessthere is a little malt sweetness tobalance it out.

Anchor – Old FoghornOld Foghorn was the first modernbarley wine to be brewed in theU.S. all the way back in 1975. Ithas now come to define the style,

not only for American brewers but alsoworldwide. This beer is based on thetraditional British style but is given anAmerican twist by the addition of Cascadehops. There are flavours of dark fruit,caramel and some slight booziness. Anchorsay it is ‘to beer what port is to wine’ – fairlydecadent, refined and definitely a sipper.

Erdinger - PikantusPikantus is a ‘Weizenbock’ that isbrewed to be enjoyed during thecolder months. It’s dark, strongand complex. Expect flavours ofspice (nutmeg, clove), toffee,raisins, stone fruit and banana. It’sslightly sweet but not cloying, theeffervescence lifts the beer off yourtongue to create quite a smoothmouth feel. This is a rich beer so itpairs well with equally rich dishes -venison, mature cheeses andChristmas pudding being good examples.

World beer buyer, Wayne Harvey, selects his favouritesthis quarter from the Discover World Beers range.

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@DiscoverWBeersFollow us to stay in loop with offers, events and news

Discover World BeersFestival 2014…continues!This summer has been an exciting time for Discover World Beers, with our first-ever festival. Discover World Beers Fest 2014 ran forfour weeks over three venues, withspecial menus, discounts, never-before-stocked beers and tap takeovers aplenty.Missed out on the fun? No need to feeldisheartened, read on for the best of thebest news…

From 20th July to 17th August three ofour Nottingham pubs put on the first everDWB Festival. The Canalhouse, the Kean’sHead and the Lincolnshire Poacher offeredworld beer lovers four weeks of beerrelated offers, events and food. The festivalkicked off with Belgian week, offeringspeciality dishes like Moules and Stooflveesalongside beers from the likes of Brazzeriede la Senne and Dupont. Other focusesincluded Scandinavian week, the Brits Do ItBest and American beers & burgers galore.

The DWBFest2014 ‘Passport’, however,was the most popular and enjoyable part ofthe festival. Customers were invited to‘explore’ the beer world via a specialloyalty booklet called the passport, tryingvarious beers from each venue in order toreceive a stamp.

Once full, the passport was redeemed foran exclusive t-shirt & tulip shaped glass.This element, the DWBFest2014 Passport,we are super-excited to announce, will becontinuing throughout 2014!

Following great feedback from ourcustomers, we’ve decided to extend thisoffer until 31st December 2014.

Ignore the original end date, you’ve gotmonths left!

For those of you that haven’t given it a go,pop down to one of the three pubs tocollect your passport: it’s time to getexploring! For those of you who havealready completed and redeemed your firstpassport, take a second hop aboard toachieve the ‘DWBFest2014 Gold Badge’.Simply complete a second passport andwear your t-shirt when you claim yourbadge.

I could instantly tell that the pub wasrelaxed and friendly; people were dottedaround and the atmosphere waspunctuated by the chatter of customers. I was greeted by our tenant, Jackie, whohas now been working at the Eagle foralmost three years and lives on-site.Immediately obvious is the great relationship Jackie has with hercustomers: the perfect combination ofbanter, laughter and mutual respect.

The Eagle is a pub steeped in history;opening for business in 1855 as “The EagleHotel” and attracting locals and travellers onthe Great Northern Railway. A large sepiadocument in the lounge area states “Thoughmost nineteenth century public housesbrewed their own beer, the Eagle Hotel didnot. A wide choice of ale was available fromsome 18 common local brewers. Prices keen,quality good; very different from unskilledretail brewers who’s product, usually a darkmild, varied considerably from brew tobrew”. This notion has clearly not changedfor the Eagle, or indeed Castle Rock.

Fast forwarding over150 years and manydifferent licenseesbrings us to now. Thepub has a delightfulairiness to it; brightand characterful – full of photos, vintagebottles of beer and various trinkets andornaments. Recently, customers from the pubtook part in the Boston Dragon Boat race,raising money for Cancer Research, provingthat The Eagle is a staple community pub aswell as one that welcomes visitors andnewcomers.

The more we chat the more it becomes clearthat something is always going on at theEagle. On Thursdays, the notorious QuizNight takes place. But this isn’t just a pubquiz, this is university challenge style. Jackieexplains “it’s the hardest quiz in town. I did itthe other day and spilled my drink onquestion 46, because I actually knew theanswer!” Between the various pub gamesand quiz leagues the pub is usually busy attea-time with those popping in for a drink ortwo from work. It’s comforting that thetradition of going to the pub when you ‘clockoff’ is still very much alive.

The Boston area has a strong CAMRApresence (Fenland), and the Eagle features inthe Good Beer Guide 2014 for its well-keptand diverse range of beer. Talking about herrange, Jackie told me that when she (rarely)gets out to other pubs, she often finds thebeer offerings repetitive and dull: “I like toget beers that no-one else has. Of course,there isn’t too much Castle Rock around hereso that’s great.”

Just an hour and a half train ride fromNottingham and Newark alike, make sureto visit the Eagle and find out why itcontinues to be so popular

In Focus

In the next issue we feature the Victoria Hotel

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The Eagle

Al Smith retiresOn September 5th 2014, our malt andhop store manager, Al Smith, retiredafter five years with Castle Rock.

Al is a strong character, and workedextremely hard to ensure traceability of themalt and hops we use in our beer to helpidentify disparities and also ensureconsistency in our brews: “’if a job is worthdoing, it’s worth doing well’” says

managing director ColinWilde “To me that shortphrase describes Al’sapproach to his work, andhe can hang up his bootsknowing he’s made adifference at Castle Rock.I’d like to thank him on

behalf of the company and wish him a longand happy retirement.”

Adrian Redgrove, head brewer at Castle Rock says that Al has been a valuedmember of the brew staff for the last fiveyears, and adds, “After humble beginnings,Al worked his way to the top of his field tobecome Hopmeister Extraordinaire andChief Executive Malt Officer, a role in whichhe has excelled. He will be sadly missed.”

Al is, as most of us are, a big fan of“proper” beer, so a special ale was brewedto say thanks for all his efforts with CastleRock – and we all wish him a wonderfulretirement and are confident he will fill itwith lots of travelling, catching up withfriends and family - and beer of course!

On a sunny day in late August,Castle Rock’s Lewis Townsendwent to the historic Lincolnshiremarket town of Boston to visit the group’s most easterly outpost,the Eagle, which sits just aminute’s walk from the railwayand bus station on West Street.

EventsThings take a Spooky Turn

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Okay, okay, we don’t often hit the dancefloor, we’re pub lovers of course, but welike to have a good time. That’s why thisyear we are throwing ourselves into allthings Hallowe’en.

Last year we introduced our delectable‘Most Haunted’, a dark and mysteriousporter at 4.4% ABV, with aromas ofchocolate and spice, particularly nutmegand pumpkin, with a rich and smoothfinish. After festival-goers drank us dry of

Most Haunted at RHBCF 2013, we’vebrought it back again as a seasonal special.Perfectly matched for fruity puddings suchas blackberry and apple crumble, as well aspumpkin pies, the ale also cooks well inhomemade dishes such as game casseroleand seasonal pie. It’s all very Autumnal,which means no Hallowe’en event iscomplete without a pint of Most Haunted inhand!

Our pubs will be getting in the spooky

spirit, and considering Hallowe’en falls on aFriday this year, there’s no reason to notcome down and celebrate with Castle Rock.

Visit our website at www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk/halloweento find out what your favourite CRB local isup to. Be warned, there could be fancydress, eerie music, creepy quizzes, ghoulishtreats, chilling cocktails and great beer inabundance (alongside, of course, pumpkincarving competitions and trick or treat)!

Meet the brewer ofTraffic Street SpecialsMeet Dan Gilliland, brewer at Castle Rock andthe man behind the Traffic Street Specials range“We’ve already brewed three beers, butthe TSS range is still embryonic. Thesebeers are designed to shake things up a bitfrom the traditional long-standing styles,and I feel privileged to have been given theexciting opportunity to get involved;Castle Rock’s brief for this project waspretty much “do what you want – as longas you mix it up!”.”

The changes in the industry mean it’s anexciting time for beer geeks, and it’s great tobe producing something more experimental,influenced by all the amazing beers we’veseen from the USA. This has essentiallyinspired a worldwide shake up of what I used

to think of as tried, tested, decidedand approved beer styles.

A few years ago, I started brewing athome and then occasionally on afriend’s six-barrel plant. I loved theprocess and unlocking the secrets ofbrewing. I take a great deal of pleasurein gathering more and more informationabout anything to do with beer.

One of the best things about this sceneis its powerfully ability to stir the

industry to wake up and pay attention. Muchof the market in which we operate yearns fornew, exciting developments and won’t acceptstagnation. It has a feeling of a rebel alliancebacked by small furry creatures bringing theempire to its knees. That is why thisemerging scene is often referred to as arevolution. Castle Rock Brewery, while one ofthe largest breweries in Nottingham, is still asmall fish in a big pond in a craft beer sense.

The range started out with #1 Stereotype - a strong hoppy American style IPA stackedwith 80 IBUs. This was followed by #2Concrete Jungle - a herbal infused pale ale,and Double Barrel – a dandelion and burdockflavoured red ale, brewed with German malt.

I’m really looking forward to the next beer - a full-bodied and full-flavoured imperial stout which will crack 10% ABV and will belaunched at the Robin Hood Beer Festival inOctober. From there on it’s onwards to asmany exciting possibilities as we can imagine.

You can follow the Traffic Street Specialson Twitter and keep up to date with theprogress of the range @Traffic_Street

It might be considered a very ‘Americanised’tradition these days but at Castle Rock we useany excuse to have a party, hang up our high-vis dungarees/office attire/staff wear and hit the dance floor

The Lincolnshire PoacherIn Focus

Ollie was working at the Bread & Bitterwhen Castle Rock offered him a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity - to manage his ownpub.

Steve Bramley, then operations director,recalls, “Although relatively new to thecompany, Ollie had a huge passion for beer inall its forms and enough ‘bonhomie’ for twolandlords! I knew he would be perfect at thePoacher.”

The Poacher, previously the Old Grey NagsHead which was closed by Shipstone’s, wasthen re-opened by Castle Rock and GeorgeBateman & Sons. With a sturdy position inNottingham’s real ale drinking scene, thePoacher is renowned for its quality and variedchoice of ale. This element remains as robustas ever; where customers are welcomed by asingle line of 13 hand pulls, and a mind-blowing offering of 70 whiskies.

A pub with a strong heritage and reputationwould be a challenge to an experiencedmanager. Ollie is our youngest ever managersince Andy Hambleton who ran the Swan inthe Rushes at 20. He admits the prospectwas terrifying…” “It was hell. I wasn’tconfident in what I was doing and felt disori-entated. But as soon as I got chatting to theregulars I felt better.” When we ask what thebiggest learning curve was, he stalls a fewtimes before explaining. “Realising I was theboss, the doorman, the one that everyonecomes to when there’s an issue. But it’sgreat, I love it. There are a lot of personalitiesin this place.”

Probably the biggest change to take place atthe Poacher since Ollie’s arrival is the recentrefurbishment. The front half of the pubremains much the same because, as Olliewords it, “It’s the Poacher isn’t it?”

Retaining what everyone loves about the pubwas paramount in the refurbishment, and thecharacter is still there in abundance. Thedramatic change comes when you walkthrough to the conservatory, where tileshave been replaced with smart woodenflooring, and wooden tables and chairsswapped for tartan reupholsteredseating. It’s light, comfy, and the perfectplace to get a view of the new garden.

The walled-in garden is undoubtedly an oasisin the city. With wooden booths, sheltereddecking, and even beach huts to hang out in,the space has become usable, characterful,and perfect for any time of year.

Ollie grins. “I appreciate it’s a massive changebut it’s definitely a good one. I can’t wait forthe winter so we can deck the place in lights,huddle inside the beach huts and watch thesnow fall.”

Okay, so he’s still a bit of a kid, but wecan envision it too…

In 2012, 23-year-old Ollie Eddison was promoted to Manager of the Lincolnshire Poacher in Nottingham. Over two years on, we chat to Ollie about takingon a pub with such a strong reputation, and coping with the pub’s refurbishment this summer.

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Cricket Commentator David Lloyd,known as ‘Bumble’, is a regular of thePoacher. Ollie gloats ‘Bumble loves theplace. He came in last Friday for some

booze and we hung out.’ Ollie also notesthat ‘David seems to know quite a lot

about ale too.’ Both are pictured (right)

Garden Launch Party, Monday 6th October from 7pm

Up & Coming BrewsThere is always something exciting available alongside our core range of classics.Whether it be our monthly beer in support of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust,quarterly beer to celebrate Nottingham’s great heroes and heroines, specials tocommemorate the First World War, or our one-off, seasonal and Traffic StreetSpecial ranges.

OCTOBER

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Also look out for...

3.8% abvBonfire bitter with areddish tint given by

adding caramel to the copper

4.2% abvDark ‘lager style’

cask ale.Dedicated to

Nottingham’s WorldChampion boxer.

4.4% abvDark and mysterious

porter; essential for any Hallowe'en

event.

4.3% abvAmerican-style red ale

brewed with darkcrystal malt, plus

El Dorado and Kohatuhops.A robust malt

body, balancedbitterness and a fruity aroma of

apricot and peaches.

5.5% abvRich, warming

winter ale with a distinctive hop &

caramel finish.

5.5% abvRich, warming

winter ale with a distinctive hop &

caramel finish.

5.5% abvRich, warming winterale with a distinctivehop & caramel finish.

4.4% abvBlack stout with

aromas of roastedmalt and chocolate;roasted start leading

to coffee leaving alingering toasty note




4.0% abvAmber beer with gentle bitterness,

which gives way to along zesty finish.

Dedicated to men’shealth.

4.2% abvA very well-balanced

beer; smooth to drink with wide

customer appeal.

4.2% abvA very well-balanced

beer; smooth to drink with wide

customer appeal.

5.2% abvDark, strong & fruity

pudding ale




4.4% abvLight brown fireside bitter with

festive fruit flavours.

4.5% abvChocolate orange stout

DECEMBER

NOVEMBER

Drinks in Focus

Back in June, we launched the Commemoration Collection, a new andlimited-edition range of twelve beers to bebrewed between June 2014 and June2019, to honour the Centenary of the FirstWorld War. An estimated 20p from eachpint will be donated to charity, so nexttime you are at the bar, take a moment toremember and absorb that the beer notonly tastes good, it does good too!

The range however is not just significanthistorically, but important in the present andfor the future of two great charities. Beersales and related events will see five years offundraising, with donations being made tothe Royal British Legion and Amnesty International UK. The two charities, alongwith guests and real ale enthusiasts, joinedCastle Rock on Saturday 9th August, where

the Street Party kept therain at bay (for one dayonly…)

The afternoon was filledwith festivities, real ale,remembrance andmusic. Carlton BrassBand graced partygoerswith classics like‘Jerusalem’, ‘Land ofHope and Glory’ andFirst World War classic‘Pack up your Troubles’.Comedy act TheRaymond and Mr

Timpkins Revue had the crowd in a heap ofgiggles (including our MD Colin Wilde) with ashow of cheeky slapstick, and renownedNottingham DJ ‘Swingbox’ filled theafternoon with an eclectic array of swing andelectronica. Nottingham born-and-bred AlexaHawksworth calmed the crowd with dreamymelodies and dragged Castle Rock’s LivAuckland on stage to sing.

More fun and frolics came from Stunt GirlProductions, who buzzed about the crowd inmulti-coloured fancy dress, entertainingchildren and adults alike, and CreatureCaboodle, a pet display specialising in exoticanimals.

Always however, was the reminder of whatthe Street Party was about, from theapproachable and informative stalls of thecharities, to the ‘writing wall’ wheremessages, poems and letters were writtenand displayed.

Liv, who is the project leaderfor the CommemorationCollection and related events,said; “The atmosphere wasjust as we’d hoped, friendly,fun and peaceful. Now wehave seen the potential withour new grounds, we’vedecided to book in anotherstreet party for 2015!

“Next time it will be biggerand better, but for now,we’re over the moon. Ourthanks go to everyone whovolunteered, performed, andsupported the charities. Especially to BenBrettell and the team at the Maze, and to thewonderful charities.”

This event is the first of many variousfundraising activities, big and small, that willbe taking place over the next five years. Keepan eye on the ‘What’s On’ page of ourwebsite to join us at our next fundraiser.

Above: Royal BritishLegion chat topartygoers

“Christmas Truce’,the 3rd beer from the CommemorationCollection, isavailable in December.

Commemorative Street PartyWe kicked off five years of dedicated fundraising in commemoration of theGreat War with a colourful, carnival feast. The Peace Celebration Street Party,held on our new grounds beside the brewery, raised £742.07 for charity.

Totally BrewedThe CAMRA LocAle Scheme promotespubs stocking locally brewed real ale.Castle Rock is committed to supportingthe scheme, offering diversity in ourguest beer range and giving smallbreweries a route to the consumermarket. .

If you’ve been spending time inCastle Rock pubs this summer,it’s unlikely you’ve missed thewaves created by ‘TotallyBrewed’. With eclectic, colourful pump clipartwork, they are certainlysome of the most eye-catching designs on our barsthis year. Throw into the mixsome bold and comical namessuch as ‘Punch in the Face IPA’,‘Captain Hop Beard’ and (ourfavourite) ‘Papa Jangles Voodoo Stout’, andthere are few who can resist trying a pint.

Totally Brewed beer has become immenselypopular, with artfully-crafted flavours and a

diverse range developing over time. Robert Witt, an ex-landscape gardener setup Totally Brewed after 6 years of home-brewing. With an MA in microbiology and atrained beer taster, Rob describes his beersas ‘modern, hop forward and not shy on theingredients’. Rob is also a father to, at the

time of writing, a 7-week-oldboy named Enzo Hendrix,making him all the more an inspiring brewer.

Elin Callow, Castle Rock’s Customer Service & Procurement Manager explains, ‘We featured them asour May NewBrew, and thepubs have been ordering eversince as part of the LocAlescheme. I think they will definitely be a contender for

taking home a trophy at the Castle RockBeer of the Year Awards 2014-2015.’

Watch this space, we think Totally Brewed are set for big things!

LocAle

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Vintage Party-goers

We believe no other brewer supports thelocal brewing scene more than Castle Rock

Whether you like to wrap yourself intwinkly lights and tinsel, scrooge yourway through all things Christmas, orspend hours dedicated to (avoiding) the high street, there’s no denying theone thing we LOVE about this time ofyear.

Yep, it’s all about stuffing yourself like aturkey and washing it down with abeverage!

Each of our pubs offers a unique Christmas menu, in a unique venue. Castle Rock pubs are once again offeringdelicious Chrismas menus, and gettingwell and truly into the festive spirit, with avariety of events such as quizzes, livemusic, carol singing and more.

You can view the pubs’ menus, openinghours and Christmas & New Year plans at www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk/christmas

Welcome Nickand Jordan

We thought we’d take this chance tointroduce you to our newest (and at 23our youngest) Manager, Nick Orton.

Formerly Assistant Manager at theLincolnshire Poacher, Nick has recentlytaken over the Kean’s Head in the LaceMarket. With an amazing team,especially Head Chef Jordan Spencer, the Kean’s Head is all set for festive fun.

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Castle Rock is also bringing you a range offestive and seasonal beers to enjoy.

‘Mistletoe’, our December brew for theNottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, is a dark,strong and fruity pudding ale. For pale ale lovers. try ‘Snowhite’ (available

November-February), a distinctively hoppyand refreshing malt beer. Our cheeky firesidebitter ‘First Mo-El’ is back by populardemand, and two very special brews are inthe pipeline: Traffic Street Specials will bring you aunique take on Christmas brews, and

‘Christmas Truce’, an indulgent chocolateorange stout, will be available in December,with 20p per pint donated to charity.

For more information about these beers, see the panel on the right of Page 9 of thisissue of Castle Rock Quarter.

Pair your Christmas dinner with a festive beer

Take a look at this delicious menu (above), and call 0115 947 4052 to book your ChristmasParty at the Kean’s Head, Lace Market, Nottingham.

Visit www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk/christmas for more information about our other pubs.

The Kean’s Head Christmas Menu

The most wonderful time of theyear is just around the corner

Editor’s PicksUpcoming Events13th-19th October National Curry WeekMany of our pubs will be offering specialcurry menus and dining offers. At the Fox & Crown enjoy a curry with apint for just £9.95, and at the Poppy & Pint your curry will bematched with an IPA for maximum flavourand enjoyment. The Kean’s Head will once again be sharingtheir amazing homemade dishes with a ThaliPlatter at only £12.

14th OctoberNorth Italian Wine TastingRoger Halfpenny of Big Wines brings you anevening of North Italian Wine Tasting pairedwith Italian dishes. Poppy & Pint7:30pm, £25

16th-19th OctoberLocAle WeekendAs part of Festival Fringe Fortnight, the Breadbrings you a LocAle weekend showcasing thebest of beer brewed locally, kicking things offwith live music on Thursday night.Bread & Bitter5pm, free

18th October New Barrack Birthday The New Barrack celebrates its 11th yearunder the Castle Rock banner, and will bejoined by 7-piece blues and soul band (with atwinge of funk) ‘Highway Child’. Join in thebirthday fun for free!New Barrack Tavern6pm

23rd OctoberThe Swan Challenge The Guinness Book of Records Day will raisemoney for local charityStudents come along, take part & try tobreak world records at up to 6 stations Swan in the Rushes2pm, £1

30th OctoberHalloween at the VatCome down the brewery tap for goulishdrinks & devilish burgersBloody Mary relish and mouldy cheese?mmm!Vat & Fiddle,6pm, freeVisit our website What’s On page for full Halloween Listings

3rd-9th NovemberSausage WeekWho doesn’t love a hotdog, a bratwurst, achorizo or even a Snorker?! The Canalhouse do Sausage week with atwist, offering a range of unique sausages foryou to enjoy. At the Fox & Crown, wolfdown sausage & mash with a pint for just£9.95, and the Kean’s Head commissionBarnsdales to make sausages using theirlocal beer. Smoked Porter & Stilton anyone?

“Lest We Forget”9th NovemberRemembrance SundayTake the time to remember with a special 2 and 3 course menu, with a free bottle ofwine for parties of 4 or more.Stratford Haven, from Midday

“Lest We Forget”10th NovemberPoppy Appeal QuizRaising funds for the Legion’s annual PoppyAppeal.Join the Bread for a charity quiz withprizes including beer, food & cash!The Bread & Bitter 6pm

Poppy & Pint30th NovemberSt. Andrew’s DayCelebrating in Scottish style, the Poacheroffers Haggis (plus a Scottish veggie dish)and deals on their selection of 70 whiskies The Lincolnshire Poacher

2nd DecemberBread & Bitter BirthdayCelebrate the Bread’s birthday with Meetthe Brewer, double stamps on loyalty cards,Movember shave off and live musicBread & Bitter, 5pm, free

21st DecemberKid’s Christmas Party Party food, games and a visit from FatherChristmas Golden Eagle, 2pm, £5

21st DecemberChristmas Carol ServicePerformed by St John’s Church, OwlertonNew Barrack Tavern, 9pm, free

Visit our website to view the full listing ofevents this quarter, including Halloweenparties, Movember challenge and what not tomiss this New Year’s Eve! For full details of Festive Season events visitwww.castlerockbrewery.co.uk/christmas

Mondays • Curry & Quiz night at the Bread & Bitter,

from 5pm • Pie & Harvest Pale Night at the Kean’s Head,

from 5pm • Curry Night at the Stratford Haven, from 5pmTuesdays • Curry & Quiz night at the Poppy & Pint, from 5pm• Pie Night at the Stratford Haven from 5pm• Quiz Night at the Willowbrook from 8.30pm• Quiz Night (with free chips!) at the Vat & Fiddle

from 7.30pmWednesdays • Curry Night at the Swan in the Rushes, 5pm • Live Music from the Old Nick Trading Company at the

Lincolnshire Poacher, from 9pm Thursdays • Curry Night at the Vat & Fiddle from 5pm• Acoustic Sessions from 6.30pm at the Canalhouse Sundays • Loyalty Card Madness, with stamps on all drinks, at the

Golden EagleLast Friday of each month • Pie Day & Night at the Fox & Crown, and

Open Mic Night at the Swan in the RushesMatch Day BBQs• The Vat & Fiddle, just 1 minute from Nottingham

train station, fires up the BBQ for all Notts County and Nottingham Forest home games, from 11.30am-2.30pm

Ladies Night• Two courses & a cocktail only £9.95

On the last Wednesday of each monthWillowbrook (book on 0115 987 8596)

Full listings onour website - updated daily

October 2014 November 2014 December 2014

Regulars

12 www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk/event

Drinks in Focus

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October is Cider and Perry monthCAMRA Cider and Perry month takes place every October to celebrate and recognisethe production, history and skills associated with real cider and perry making.

Castle Rockmerchandise

20% OFFMERCHANDISEWe’ve got a selection of Castle Rock merchandise up for grabs, with a generous 20% discount!

There’s plenty to choosefrom, so drop into the Vat & Fiddle to ‘buy itnow’ or place an order in your Castle Rock local.

All-new designs coming soon...

The trend for real cider is growing in linewith that of real ale. There are over 300cider makers operational throughout theUK, 50% more than in 2005, and manycider makers are reporting a high increasein demand for their products. Jez Hand,Assistant Manager of the Canalhouse(which stocks up to 13 real ciders at anyone time) and Castle Rock’s ‘Cider Guru’,offers insight into the time-honouredtradition of cider making.

“Cidermakers have matured cider inwooden vessels for centuries. The naturalproperties of the wood, combined with an

element of oxidation, allows the cider tobreathe. There are many flavours inspiredby this process and it depends on the caskstock and the intention of the Cidermaker.At its best, after an extended period oftime, the cider can develop a rounded, full-bodied flavour, with a soft feel. However,the time spent in the wood also increasesthe potential for other, more questionablecharacteristics.”

“Castle Rock will be showcasing over 100traditional cider and perries throughout itspubs during October. We have always beendedicated to showcasing new and

interesting products, and this year is noexception. We’ll be working extra hard tobring our customers a diverse, exciting andflavourful range of real cider and perry. AsFringe Festival Fortnight falls between 4thand the 19th October, they’ll be plenty ofopportunities to enjoy a cider matched withyour meal, special dishes cooked with ciderand, for those wanting to learn more, tastertrays on offer so you can experience the fullrange.”

For a full list of ciders availablethroughout the month, please visit ourwebsite.

Black Gold’s a winnerat CAMRA GBBF 2014

On 12th August 2014, a few folks fromCastle Rock Brewery took the annualpilgrimage to Olympia in London for theGreat British Beer Festival.

Representing the brewery were managingdirector Colin Wilde, chairman Geoff Newton,head brewer Adrian Redgrove, brewer DanGilliland, world beer buyer Wayne Harvey,commercial & IT support manager LewisTownsend, and hop & malt store manager AlSmith.

Upon arrival, the first task was to test BlackGold, which was on Bar B15, to check the beerwas up-to-scratch (which of course it was!) Thegroup then dispersed to explore, trying variousbeers and taking in the atmosphere at one ofthe biggest events in the brewing calendar.

Announced at 3:30pm by Iron Maidenfrontman, Bruce Dickinson, we were excep-tionally proud to hear that Black Gold had wonBronze in the Mild category.

That now means four different Castle Rockbeers have won at a national level, includingHarvest Pale’s Supreme Champion Beer ofBritain of 2010.

Black Gold is a well-balanced dark mild ale. At3.8%, the beer has a slight sweetness, which iscounteracted by a distinct hop aroma andbitterness, and is available permanently at manyCastle Rock pubs.

Congratulations to Adrian and his hard-working brewing team for anotherwonderful accolade!

My favourite Castle Rock beer

Name: Richard WhitbreadLocal: Several Castle Rock pubsFavourite Beer: Elsie Mo“My favourite beer has to be Elsie Mo. She is aperfect blonde, bright and bubbly with attitude.And has a cheeky aftertaste. CHEERS!”

We love to hear your feedback about our beers, and even more so when there is astory behind it! We’re on a quest over the next few issues to find out what ourcustomers’ favourite Castle Rock tipples are – and why!

Thanks for all your tweets,

retweets, follows, likes, and

lovely comments. Keep them coming!

“Just writing to say how much I enjoyyour beers and to say what anexcellent pub the Swan in the Rushes(Loughborough) is. There are so many themed / chainpubs selling mediocre beers that it isvery refreshing to find an unassuming,friendly down to earth pub withexcellently kept ales and good,reasonably priced food. Elsie Mo is an excellent beer and veryconsistent. The staff, owners andbrewery deserve congratulations forkeeping up a dying tradition. Keep itup and thank you.”Dave Johnson, local to the Swan in the Rushes

TOP COMMENTS Elsie Mo

If you’re a fan of Elsie, and we know many of you are, keep an eye out on the streets of Nottingham and beyond! Our CRB vans are about to get a rather eye-catching makeover, and those spotting Elsie out on theroad will be in on a chance to win tasty goodies.

Follow Elsie on @Elsiemocrb“I recommend Castle Rock Brewery’s Elsie Mo - satisfying with somegreat fruity notes - currently my favourite!” (@OssianH_)

Follow us! There’s always something happening in the Castle Rock estate, and you can get even more

involved, learn of upcoming events and benefit from offersjust by following our social media feeds!

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

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Alexandra Hotel @Alex_Pub_Derby

Bread Bitter @breadandbitter

Canal House @canalhousebar

The Derby Tup @TheDerbyTup

The Eagle @TheEagleBoston

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 and 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

@Traffic_Street

A national award-winning golden beer.American hops give a

refreshingly crisp, citrusfinish.

A well balanced, award-winning dark mild with

some bitterness. Full-bodied but not

overly sweet.

A full-bodied premiumbitter of typical EastMidlands character.Perfect bitter-sweet

balance.

3.8%3.8% 4.4%

Brewed to be atraditional session ale

with a malty bittertaste.

3.4%

Blonde and beautifulsingle malt golden ale

refreshing on thepalate.

4.7%

A national champion.Strong India Pale Ale.Lots of everything soproceed with caution.

5.5%

American-style red alebrewed with darkcrystal malt, plus

El Dorado and Kohatuhops.

4.3%

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 HOTEL Dovecote 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 WHISTLE 93 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


WILLOWBROOK 13 Main Rd, Gedling, Nottingham NG4 3HQ


(Hands On Pub Company)

See you in 2015...when even more will be revealedThe seasonal beers Snowhite & Midnight Owl are available from January to March: PLUS we’re re-launching our Natural Selection…

Castle Rock Quarter Issue 3

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Transcript of Castle Rock Quarter Issue 3