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

No:5 Spring 2015

See pages 2 & 3

www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk

WelcomeWelcome to the first anniversaryedition of the Castle Rock Quarter!

Looking back at the firstfour issues, it’s amazingto reflect on what filledthe pages! We haven’thad a problem crammingthis issue full either; inthe pages that followyou’ll see what has keptus busy and what iscoming up.

Some highlights to pick out are theachievements of the Alexandra Hotel, awardedthe title of Derby CAMRA Pub of the Year, andthe Eagle which was voted Boston’s Best Pubby the readers of the Boston Standard. ThePoppy and Pint in Lady Bay was also awardedthird place in the Nottingham CAMRA Pub ofthe Year awards - another great achievement.Congratulations to Ralf and Anna, Jackie, andJames on their respective awards. A furtherpat on the back goes to Adrian and hisbrewing team for adding even more awards tothe Castle Rock “Hall of Fame”, this time forMidnight Owl and Red Riding Hood.

Visitors to the New Barrack Tavern will see therecent revamp, providing more space onSheffield Wednesday home games, and a highquality function room for events. We have also designed, built and opened atraining facility above our new brewery yard,which you can learn more about right here. I pass on my thanks to Sarah and the teamthat completed this project in record time.Last but not least a warm welcome to allvisitors to Nottingham who are here for theCAMRA AGM. We hope you enjoy your stayand find time to visit our pubs and enjoyCastle Rock beers when you are in and aroundthe area.

This spring, we’ll be working even harder tobe deserving of your patronage.

Thanks for your support. Colin WildeManaging Director @SheriffTipple

If there are pub or beer industry related issues orany topic you issues you’d like us to cover in thecoming issues then please let us know.

Castle Rock BreweryQueensbridge Road, Nottingham NG2 1NB

Tel: 0115 985 1615General enquiries:

admin@castlerockbrewery.co.ukSales enquiries:

lotte.sefton@castlerockbrewery.co.ukRecruitment:

sarah.halpin@castlerockbrewery.co.uk

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

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Since gaining our accreditation with theBritish Institute of Innkeeping (BII), the Vat & Fiddle Visitors’ Centre has seenhundreds of trainees come and go, with anincredible 100% pass rate on personallicense courses. With the walls of theVisitors’ Centre bursting at the seams andCastle Rock staff trained up, Sarah didwhat anyone would do… she built a beerschool.

We know what you’re thinking: beer schoolsounds heavenly. This is the school you don’twant to be “out for summer”, these areclasses where nobody is tardy, wherebottomless beer is literally on tap andartificial air freshener is swapped for thescent of fresh hops… well, yeah, it is a bitlike that. But the reality is that beer is stillbeing mistreated or misunderstood,customers are not receiving beer of the bestquality, and pubs are still closing.

The Castle Rock Beer School aims to changethat, offering any member of the public theopportunity to learn the ins and outs of thischallenging trade. Sarah says: “I want to turnthings around for the pub trade by providingstepping stones along the career path.Everything learnt in this school will benefitthe course-goers for the rest of their lives,and in turn that will benefit the widerindustry.”

There are key elements to managing a cellarthat simply shouldn’t be taught via diagramsor presentations, but rather in the thick of it.Our former operations director Steve Bramleyhas now seen one of his dreams come true, inthe form of a training cellar. The custom builtcellar has been created for the use of

In early 2014, Castle Rock’s training anddevelopment manager, Sarah Halpin, gainedCastle Rock BII accreditation to train and testadults in alcohol retailing and hospitality. After months of hard work, the doors to Castle Rock’s ‘Beer School’ are officially open!

Sarah Halpintakes time outat Beer School

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We’re hugely proud of our history, andNottinghamshire is a county very proud ofits heritage. Though the traditionalelements of brewing and inn-keepingremain at the forefront of Castle Rock(and always will), the industry is changingevery week and we’re changing with it. We work upon a fine line. To one side is the history, the heritage andthe tradition that we are so deeply proudof, and to the other is the contemporary,the creativity and the excitement of tryingsomething new.

Brewing historical beers is a great way toshowcase that. While the importance storiesbehind the beer is historical, the recipesthemselves are forward thinking andinnovative.

Last summer we launched the Commemoration Collection, a range ofbeers in commemoration of the First WorldWar. With 10p from every pint donated to

charity, therange will spanfive years ofremembrance(2014-2019)to mark thecentenary ofthe war. ThisMay, the fourthbeer of therange will beavailable. NamedZeppelin Raids,the German style

smoked beer comes in at 4.8% and, with anoaky aroma and lingering sweetness, it’s agreat way to escape the spring showers. The beer has been brewed to commemoratethe strategic bombing from German airships;over 5000 bombs were dropped uponBritain’s towns and cities, with devastatingloss of lives.

The Magna Carta is considered one of themost famous documents in the history ofhuman rights.Initially issued by King John of England in1215, this June we celebrate 800 years sinceeverybody, including the Monarch, becamesubject to the law. Transferred and adaptedacross nations and centuries, the documentremains a cornerstone of our constitution inthe modern era; an international stand

against thearbitrary use ofpower. We’recreating a beer,namedRunnymede800, incelebration ofthis hugelyimportantanniversary.Please enjoy apint, and raise aglass to equality.

Last but not least, number 19 in theNottinghamian Celebration Ales recognisesthe work of one of the most inspirationalpeople in the county’s history. Victorian architect Watson Fothergill,and his astoundinggothic-inspiredarchitecture iscelebrated thisspring with aunique session mildat 4.2%. WatsonFothergill isbrewed withMosaic hops fromthe US. Referredto in the brewingworld as ‘Citra onsteroids’, Mosaic hops have rich notes oftropical fruit, stone fruit and earthy pine. Thebeer is a traditional mild enhanced by amoreish, fruity taste, and aromas of citrusand blackberry. Watch out on our website for details of aproposed ‘Watson Fothergill’ tour of localproperties that he designed (example below).

New beersHistorical Brews This quarter brings three unique beers to our bars, each signifying very important eventsin history.

students only, where they can get stuck inand learn first-hand how to ‘keep’ beer,manage lines and maintain a high qualitycellar. We asked Sarah about the importanceof the training cellar. She said: “The first stepto a perfect pint is using quality ingredientsand brewing great beer, the second step iskeeping it properly, and the third is pouringit correctly. If any one of those is belowstandard, then the beer being handed toyour customer is below standard.”

On writing this, Sarah has just received thenews that the first group of Cellar Trainingstudents also received 100% pass rate; anamazing result for the new venture.

Castle Rock’s ‘Beer School’, formally knownas a Training Centre, is located on Queensbridge Road in Nottingham, only aminute or so stroll from the rail station, andsituated beside the brewery and the Vat &Fiddle tap. At Castle Rock Beer School youcan take courses on drug awareness, foodsafety, beer and cellar quality and conflictmanagement.

Anyone can sign up, so please get intouch by emailing biicourses@castlerockbrewery.co.uk Class is out!

School

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The CAMRA AGM is coming to townWelcome to Nottingham

Welcome to Nottingham, CAMRAmembers from near and far!

Nottingham has long been lookingforward to this weekend, and at CastleRock we are thrilled to know that ourfine city is filled to bursting with realale enthusiasts.

Many of you will know that formerCAMRA Chairman Chris Holmes foundedCastle Rock, under the name Tynemill,back in 1977 - so it’s always beenimportant for us to support the goals ofCAMRA. For 38 years we have beenworking to offer friendly, welcomingpubs, and for 17 years brewing andserving our own innovative and consistently high quality beer. We hopethis shines through if you find time tovisit some of our Nottingham pubsduring your stay.

We look forward to welcoming allCAMRA members, both in Nottinghamand further afield to our pubs duringthe AGM!

From 17th-19th April, Nottingham is hosting theNational CAMRA AGM. The event is set to be huge,with thousands of people flocking to our fair cityto vote on CAMRA policies and direction, andsample the great pubs and beer of Nottingham.

CAMRA AGMBrewery Tours andEvents

Almost all of ourfixed time toursare now fullysubscribed, but ifyou are a CAMRAYoung Memberthere are stillsome spaces left.Please contactNottinghamCAMRA’s Ray Kirby onraykirby@nottinghamcamra.org tobook your place.

There will also be plenty going on in ourNottingham pubs from live music andBBQs to special brewery nights andthemed food evenings.

Follow us on Twitter (@CRBrewery), like us on Facebook (Castle Rock Brewery) or visit our website (www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk) to find out more.

The Castle RockChallenge

Open to all customers and

CAMRA members

We figured nobody likes a

beer-themed challenge more than

a CAMRA member,

so we’ve created a loyalty card

especially for the AGM….

Pick yours up from the Vat &

Fiddle or any Castle Rock pub and

complete it for 50% off breakfast.

TWO brand new Castle Rock beers to enjoy!Members will be able to enjoy two brand newspecial beers during the event: a single hop IPAbrewed with New Zealand hops ‘Idle Valley’ and amodern style mild ‘Watson Fothergill’.

As with many things we do, both these beers have alocal focus and we’re looking forward to showingCAMRA members across the UK what Nottinghamhas to offer both with its rich brewing heritage andhistory. On top of these specials our core range ofeight beers will also be available – members will be able to enjoy two new additions tothis range: “Red Riding Hood”, our traditional best bitter with a modern twist and“Sherwood Reserve”, a rich but balanced stout brewed with fresh Columbian coffeebeans. A more comprehensive idea of what we will have on tap can be seen below!

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Drinks in FocusDiscover World Beers

Tuatara – Aotearoa Pale Ale

This award winning pale ale fromNew Zealand recently landed in ourbars’ fridges and has been aninstant success. The beer takesinspiration from famous hop-forward American pale ales but ismade from indigenous ingredients.New Zealand malt and hops createa distinctive beer, light amber incolour with a spicy, grapefruit ledaroma.This beer is well balanced and highlydrinkable; it will keep you coming back formore!

Boulevard - Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale

Boulevard Brewery is based in Kansas Cityand is placed in ‘Top Brewers in the World’on ratebeer.com. The company was recentlyacquired by Duvel, which has allowedDiscover World Beers to start sourcing theiramazing beers.

Tank 7 is a strong Saison, combiningthe refreshing dry character of thetraditional Belgian style with realpotency. It’s hopped with fruity USvarieties (Amarillo, Bravo andMagnum to be exact) which gives it areal new world character but it stillretains the typical bone dry nature ofits Belgian forebears.

St. Bernardus – Pater 6

The St. Bernardus brewery makessome of the best classic Abbeybeers in Belgium. The Pater 6 couldbe considered their entry levelDubbel, at 6.7% it’s almostsessionable compared to the Prior8 and the world renowned ABT 12. The reason why I’ve included this,rather than its bigger brothers, isbecause of its drinkability. It’sincredibly smooth, with flavours ofraisins and caramel and that classic

estery, banana filledaroma - it isn’t a big, boozymonster that will knock youoff your feet but it certainly packs a punch.

Wild Beer Co. – Somerset Wild

Wild Beer Co. is a boundary-pushing breweryfrom the South West. They experiment withodd ingredients, barrel ageing, blending andspontaneous fermentation. Somerset Wild is arefreshing sour ale brewed withwild, Somerset orchard yeasts andbacteria.The base beer is a Berliner Weisseso expect flavours of sharp lemon,almost like a fairly well-knownbrand of Limonata. There’s a lacticacidity reminiscent of tart,farmhouse cider too. Incrediblyrefreshing, maybe a littlechallenging for some but wellworth a try if you have a penchantfor sour flavours.

@DiscoverWBeersFollow us to stay in the loop with offers, events and newsWorld beer buyer Wayne Harvey selects his favouritesthis spring from the Discover World Beers range

The Alex doubles upThe Alexandra Hotel in Derby has takenhome two amazing titles: Best City Pub2015 and Best Pub Overall 2015, byDerby CAMRA. The Alex was DerbyCAMRA pub of the year in 1994, when itwent on to win that year’s East Midlands title.Derby CAMRA judge pubs on quality,atmosphere, style and décor, service andwelcome, community focus, sympathy withthe aims of CAMRA and value for money.

The Alexandra can now go forwards for an opportunity to win ‘Derbyshire pub of the Year’. Congratulations go to landlord andlandlady, Ralf and Anna Dyson-Edge.

The Eagle flies!It’s always great when one of our pubsgets recognised, and on this occasion itwas the Eagle in Boston’s turn collect ajust reward. Readers of the Lincolnshireweekly Boston Standard voted the Eaglethe region’s best bar in 2014. The Eagle is just a short walk from Bostonrailway station on West Street and the pubhas an air of activity about it. It’s light andairy, but even at lunchtimes a popular spotfor a tipple or snack. The pub is the basecamp for a number of local pool and dartsteams and hosts regular quiz nights (theself-proclaimed “hardest quiz in Boston”!)folk, bingo and open mic nights. Suffice itto say there is always somethinghappening at the Eagle, and the manager,Jackie Clarkson would have it no otherway!

Aside from the steady stream of activitywhich makes the Eagle what it is, the pubis renowned for well-kept beer and indeedone of the only places in the area whereCastle Rock brews are available. All in all, a huge well done to Jackie andher staff and to our customers: make sureyou pop in if you’re in the area.

A third for the Poppy & PintThe Poppy & Pint in Lady Bay has takenthird place in the Nottingham CAMRA Pub of the Year competition. Our congratulations go to James Halfpennyand his colleagues for their hard work inearning this prestigious award.

Castle Rock pub news

Anna & RalfDyson-Edge

((l-r) Boston Standard’s Daniel Jaines with Eaglelandlady, Jackie Clarkson, and staff Tom Rankin,

Kerry Worthington, and Mel Riches

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The managers, Kev and Steph Woods, havebeen running the ‘NBT’ for 11 years, withKev being in the pub trade for 15 years intotal. Their wealth of experience and easy-going nature has made the New Barrack what it is today; a friendlylocal’s pub, welcoming to all visitors: “We love everything about the NBT, it’shome to us,” says Kev.

Like many of our pubs, the warm feeling youget when walking in to the New BarrackTavern is just the ticket amidst a landscape ofanonymity in large and soulless pubs. With a wooden bar, curving out to showcasea row of real ale hand pulls, a pool table, a multi-award-winning beer garden and wallsadorned in music memorabilia andphotographs, there is something for all in thishome away from home.

Kev says: “We have a variedcustomer base across many differentgroups, and try hard to cater toeveryone’s specific needs and wantour customers to feel part of thefamily.”

The NBT is extremely involved withthe local community, runningSheffield Wednesday “away days”,chess club evenings, comedy nightsand weekly live music nights.

There are a number of things that make agreat pub, and having the right staff iscrucial. Kev adds: “All our staff think of theBarrack’s as theirs – they call themselves‘Team NBT!’”

It’s cliché to suggest that this is the kind ofpub where “everybody knows your name”,but the team at the NBT work hard to keepthat personal touch that is often lost intoday’s world.

The combination of tradition and innovationis at the heart of what Castle Rock do, andthe NBT is no stranger to this, having justcompleted the renovation of its garage into afully equipped modern function room. “Our new function room is a very excitingaddition for us...specifically as a meetingfacility for local groups and businesses, butalso the bar and catering facilities means it’sgreat for medium sized functions,” says Kev.The function room is already provingimmensely popular, with bookings coming infor a range of events.

Drop Kev and Steph an email at newbarracktavern@castlerockbrewery.co.ukto find out more about this great new space.

So, excellent staff, customers andenvironment… what’s next? Beer of course!Over nine handpulls - you’ll find Castle Rockplus some popular local ales.

In FocusNew Barrack Tavern We are great believers in the role of the pub in the local community and fewshowcase this philosophy more than the New Barrack Tavern in Sheffield.

38 years young

The 2015 Budget

1977 was a way back now

Save a Penny

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But it was also the year that FleetwoodMac released Rumours, the Sex Pistolsreleased Never Mind the Bollocks (andwere ditched by EMI), Star Wars wasscreened in the UK for the first time, theQueen celebrated her Silver Jubilee andgained a grandchild, andBritish television had itsbiggest ever viewingwith The Morecambeand Wise ChristmasShow.

So, it was a mixed bag.And in the midst of it, aflare wearing entrepreneurset up a company called‘Tynemill’ and opened TheOld King’s Arms in Newark.His aim was simple: Createa friendly, welcoming puband serve high quality beer. 38 years on, the making ofCastle Rock is still anamazing story. While manyof the younger Castle Rockfolk find themselves siftingthrough old photographs of abygone era (think sepiastained, beards, platformsand wide leggedtrousers…pints held aloft),the reality is that those who sowed the seedsof this company are still very much present.

Though the brewery and pub estate haveboth expanded at an incredible rate, CastleRock remains a small company at its

core…even our MD, Colin Wilde, started outas PA to the Managing Director way backwhen. It is elements like this - of real andhumble people at the heart of it all - thatkeeps Castle Rock so strong. This, and of

course our customers, who arealways supporting us, beinghonest with us, and drinkingCastle Rock Beer in CastleRock pubs.

Every year we like to celebratethis, and give our customers abig ‘thank you’ on ourbirthday. Back in January weoffered £1 off a pint for onenight only, so our loyalcustomers and friends couldkick back and relax.

The offer applied to all of ourbeer, which was enjoyed(responsibly) in gallonsacross the bars. We receivedthe gift of lager and ciderfrom Heineken, Carlsbergand Stowford Press, sowere able to offer the samedeal on their products too.It’s fair to say that thenight was another toremember, filled with live

music, quiz nights, give-aways and greatsupport.

There were no flares in sight, but still, wefelt pretty nostalgic. Now it’s time tostart planning the big four zero of 2017…

On top of traditional cider, fruit ciders andfive lagers, is an increasing range of international bottled beer – responding tomassively increased demand.

The pub is just a five minute walk fromBamforth Street tram stop, and the number53 bus stops yards away from the frontdoor. Kev adds, “We are easy to find – andwe like to think very difficult to forget.”

Kev and Steph work hard to make the New Barrack Tavern the great pub it is, butknow who they really have to thank, withSteph saying... “It’s the customers that makethe NBT so special”.

Follow the New Barrack Tavern at Twitter: @NewBarrack Facebook: New Barrack Tavern

It was a year of challenges for Britain: a bomb explosion in aLondon pub injured 14 people, Clough lost out to RonGreenwood, T-Rex front man and leader of Glam Rock MarcBolan died in a car accident, a huge firefighter strike put thepublic on green alert, and the Yorkshire Ripper was at large.

Following the Chancellor’s 2015 Budgetannouncement, the brewing industry waschuffed to hear that beer duty is being cutby 1p a pint for the third year running.

We are giving the 1p saving back to ourcustomers. Across Castle Rock bars you will seejars of pennies, for the taking of beer buyers!

When you buy a pint of beer from our pubs,please claim back the beer duty and helpyourself to a penny, or pop it in the charity box.

Lest you feel 1pis not worth thehassle, we thinkthat if allcustomersdonated their 1p,Castle Rockcustomers could raisethousands of pounds for charity.

Save or spend a penny, it’s up to you.Cheers!

Creating a Traffic Street SpecialNew beers

Last year Castle Rock Brewery launched anew range of brews known as the ‘Traffic Street Specials’. Created in a small fermenting vessel,known as ‘The Tardis’, the beers aredesigned and produced by Castle Rock’syoung brewer Dan Gilliland. Pushing boundaries and flavourprofiles of conventionalbrewing, the range has so farseen an extra bitter, dry hoppedWest Coast IPA, a pale alebrewed with (lots of) herbs, anda dandelion and burdock beer.

This spring sees the fourth in therange grace the bars of Nottinghamshire. ‘Little Bitch’ isan Imperial stout brewed withfresh coffeebeans and twoAmerican hopvarieties. At thetime of writing,the beer is stillfermenting, butthis robust stouthas flavours ofdark fruit,coffee, chocolateand bonfiretoffee, and willcome in at anestimated 10%ABV.

What’s happening down onTraffic Street?We’ve just got a new bit of kit - a five barrel copper kettle.Essentially it means we are takinga step back in the brewing processwhich gives us more flexibility.There’s more room to experimentwith higher ABVs and hoppingrates and inputs.

What’s the idea process behind the stout?We’ve been testing the copper out for a fewweeks and have used it to produce the fourthTraffic Street beer, a 10% ABV Imperial stout.The idea was to really push the boundaries onwhat we can achieve ABV wise.

So what’s in there? We started out with running high gravitywort off from Sherwood Reserve anddiverting it into the copper, so sugar contentwas really high- about 60% the viscosity ofsyrup. Anyone who tried the beer pre-

fermentation would tell you, it was sosweet and the glass was literallycoated. Then we hopped it with loadsof Liberty and Nugget hops. Liberty isflowery and spicy; it’s normally usedas a finishing hop in German stylebeers like Bock and Kölsch, and givesit the dark fruit and cherry notes.Nugget has quite high acidity and isvery herbal and bitter. After that wethrew a load of Columbian coffeebeans which are roasted by Stewarts[of Trent Bridge] just round thecorner.

Where did the name ‘Little Bitch’come from?Most people won’t have noticed butthe Traffic Street Specials beers arenamed after songs by the Specials.Little Bitch seemed pretty ironic forthis beer - anyone who drinks it is farfrom that.

What’s next then? I’m really excited to try a wine beerhybrid brew. The beer is fermentedout and a grape must is added withmore yeast, so you are brewing a winewithin the beer. I also want toexperiment with wild yeast furtherdown the line.

Expect bigger, better and strongerbrews from Traffic Street.

Learn more about Stewarts Coffee

on page 11.

Dan Gilliland, brewer of the Traffic Street Specials range, gives us the ins and outs of creating a beer to push the boundaries.

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Follow Dan’s brews on @Traffic_Street

Despite Castle Rock’s rapid growthinto a medium sized brewer in the pastfour or five years, there has never beenany doubt that the company’s successis down to our customers; particularlyour regulars who frequently enjoy ourpubs and love what we do.

The Castle Rock loyalty scheme, previouslyknown as “One over the Eight”, wasintroduced to thank you, our customers, foryour support. Upon collecting eight stamps,customers would receive a free drink basedon a list of qualifying products.

Since its introduction, the scheme hasbecome so successful, that it has outgrownour logistics and back office system! Somequite extreme rumours have been flyingaround and we want to assure you…there isno truth in those that we have heard!

This is what you need to know: Up to and including the 30th April, you canstill collect stamps on qualifying products. Weknow many of you save up completed cards,so there is a ‘grace period’ during which timeyou can still redeem your card - this runs from 1st-31st May.

After that date however, the loyalty schemewill be completely removed and no cardswill be accepted.

However, we believe what we areintroducing from the 1st May 2015 is far more rewarding for ourcustomers

Bigger savingsEach of our pubs will see significant pricecuts across a wide range of products, withreductions of up to 40p on key lines. Where stocked, our popular session bitterSheriff’s Tipple will see the most attractiveprice change. This all means you can enjoy awider range of products and experiencesavings, right there and then. We’ve alsocommitted to a fixed price guarantee until2016.

Redeem on merchandise & bottles For those who are sitting on a fair number ofcompleted loyalty cards, we’ve got greatdeals on merchandise and bottles.

Visit our website to findout more.

Castle Rock ClubWe are also pleased to announce that we willcontinue to reward our loyal and regularcustomers through a reinvigorated CastleRockClubScheme,due tolaunch inautumn.This willgiveadditional benefits to members and includevouchers for £20 savings per year.

CAMRA membersCAMRA members can also enjoy the saving of20p off a pint in many of our pubs, andWetherspoons 50p off vouchers will continueto be accepted on our bars…

As we introduce new ways to rewardour customers, we will keep you asupdated as possible – please look out for updates on yourlocal Castle Rock pub’s notice board,and of course check our Facebook andTwitter feeds.

On the bar

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Castle Rock announces changes tothe Loyalty Card schemeCastle Rock Quarter looks at enhanced benefits for all of our customers

Castle Rock Awards

Castle Rock’s Liv Auckland gives some insightinto Beer of the Year behind the scenes!

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Rumour has it that Castle Rock’sannual Beer of the Year awards nightused to be quite the wild one; all nightparties followed by 5am breakfasts.

These days, Beer of the Year is a slightlycalmer affair, although there are still momentsof madness I assure you. Still, we have a greattime celebrating the vibrant brewing industryof the UK.

Voting for Beer of the Year started just beforeChristmas but we didn’t see any numbers untilthe 17th January. It’s an exciting time at headoffice - suddenly a mountain of votes appearson my desk and the count begins! There arealways some surprises, some which aren’teven a little surprising, and some forms filledin by right jovial customers…

Only one award of the evening took a stepaway from brewing. Supplier of the Year wasawarded to Santander, selected by Castle Rockfor their amazing support over the last twelvemonths.

Colin Wilde says: “Banks are often muchmaligned as a general rule of thumb thesedays, but we have nothing but praise forSantander and the relationship team headedby Jon Bennett. They have been supportive,flexible and proactive in helping our businessdevelop and grow and these efforts certainlydeserve our recognition.”

This year we introduced a new award: Cider ofthe Year. It’s no surprise that the first winnerof this award is Cornwall based. CornishOrchards ‘Vintage Dry’, at a powerful 7.2%,took home the award. If you’ve yet to delveinto the world of real cider, give this‘connoisseur’s cider’ a try: medium dry andmatured over the winter months to bestowvintage qualities.

It has to be said that on the night there wasone brewery which received an especiallyvigorous round of applause. Set up by RobWitt after 6 years of home-brewing, we firstfeatured Totally Brewed on our bars in May2014. After taking home Midland RegionalGold at the Robin Hood Beer Festival for ‘4 Hopmen of the Apocalypse’, the breweryhas begun to expand. It was with enormouspleasure that we awarded Totally Brewed withNewBrewery of the Year; Rob and his teamshow just how thriving and exciting thisindustry is.

Bradfield Brewery, family-run and based on afarm in the Peak District, is permanentlyfeatured on the bar at the New Barrack Tavernin Sheffield, and its beers are probably just aspopular there as our own (sob!). This yearBradfield took home LocAle Brewery of theYear, showcasing how important it is to buildauthentic relationships in an industry that isalways changing.

This year, Black Sheep’s ‘Black Sheep Ale’ tookhome third place in Beer of the Year. Brewedwith more crystal malt than a usual best bittergives the ale a rich flavour and darkercolouring. Second place was awarded theFuller’s Chiswick Bitter; a real ale which datesback to 1930. Light and refreshing, withbiscuit malt and crisp, hoppy flavours - this award demonstrates how, when you get abeer just right, it will stand its ground acrossmany generations.

Back in November, we collaborated on a brewcalled ‘Flame Out’ with Alex and Nick of BlackIris Brewery. We’ve been friends with the guysfor a long time, and it’s been really exciting towatch them become so established. Black Irishas already been awarded NewBrewery andLocAle Brewery in the past, and this year itwas their ‘Citra Pale’ which took home firstplace Beer of the Year.

Since moving to Nottingham a few monthsago, Alex and Nick changed their brews up abit and (causing a slight panic here at headoffice) revealed that Citra Pale is no longeravailable. Luckily, one of their latest beers‘Snake Eyes’ is very similar to Citra Pale, whichwe all enjoyed a cask of on the night. Still, well done boys, we are as thrilled as everfor you both.

Each year the directors of Castle Rock selectthe brewery they have been most impressedwith in the past year (if anyone is wonderinghow that looks, it’s a quiet room of frowns,chewed biros, and thumb twiddling). Theytake into account everything - the beers, thedevelopments, the people, the ethics - andeventually come to an agreement.

This year, North Yorkshire based Black SheepBrewery was awarded the trophy. Castle Rockchairman Geoff Newton announced the awardby noting “they’re great friends of ours atCastle Rock, and offered to donate some beertonight before even knowing they had beenshortlisted- so cheers for that.”Congratulations to you all and our specialthanks go to Pip for the winning speech!

If you missed out on your chance to vote,keep your ear to the ground at the end ofthe year….

Below: The award winners pictured with Castle Rock’s Geoff Newton and Liv Auckland

Beer of the Year 2014/15

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The three kilos of Columbian coffeebeans are roasted with love andattention by Stewarts of Trent Bridge,a ‘green’ micro-roaster located justdown the road from the brewery.Stewarts Coffee is also served in manyof our pubs, including the Poppy and Pint, the Canalhouse andthe Stratford Haven.

Let’s have a chat with the latest roasterrecruit, Mark Roberts:

Markybobs, How did you come to work atStewarts? I fell into coffee roasting. I got really excitedabout coffee and just learned as much aspossible. My experience in marketing combined withthat passion gave me the opportunity tocome and do both here at Stewarts.

What makes Stewarts coffee different? I import coffee from all over the world andthen create the roast and blends here on site.Supermarket coffee is months old before youget it home. Here it's normally just a few daysso it’s an incredibly fresh product. Our aim isto develop long term relationships withcomplementary industries and peoplethroughout Nottingham as well. We want tobe a brand that everyone knows for greatcoffee and for caring about the local area.

What’s an average day like in the roaster? My average day is a mix between roasting,sampling and experimenting with our coffee,combined with sorting orders for customers.We try to be a very social company and useTwitter and Facebook to talk about coffeewith our customers and coffee lovers. We also attend events and have people comedown to visit to see a roast and grab somegreat coffee.

Which blend is your favourite? Hmmm it’s a tough question. I think our Italian blend is afantastic well rounded coffee.It ticks all the boxes and is greatas an espresso, Americano orwith milk. I do have a soft spot for ourMexican limited edition as that’s beautiful at home in myMoka pot.

Any plans you can let us in on? We are always scheming on ways to bring ourcoffee to people. We are going big in videoover the next month, releasing a series of“how to” videos helping home brewing.We’re also launching a new project called“The Roaster Sessions” where we have localartists come down and sing us a few songs.We are working with Acoustic Roots recordlabel and hoping to work closely within theincredible Nottingham music scene.

Beers Crafted coffee beansEarlier this year we added the delectable Sherwood Reserve to our permanent range of beers. Brewed with Columbian coffee beans, it is a rich,chocolatey stout at 4.5% ABV.

More awards for Castle Rock beersFor the second year running, Midnight Owl has won an award ata national level and vindicates its position as one of the bestwinter warming black IPAs in the East Midlands and beyond.

This strong, dark and hoppy ale picked up a Bronze at the NationalWinter Ales Festival at the Roundhouse in Derby (Old Ales/StrongMilds category). It was another excellent event in the uniquesurroundings of the Roundhouse and we were only too pleased tocollect an award for one of our most popular seasonal ales.

At time of writing, Red Riding Hood has just been named one ofthe runners up in the Champion Beer of Nottinghamshire held byNottingham CAMRA, and hosted at our lovely Canalhouse.

Congratulations to Adrian and the brewery team for theircontinued hard work in making sure that Castle Rock’s beers areas good as they are.

Good Beer Guide editor, Roger Protz, and Derby 'Beer King' Les Baynton,with Castle Rock’s head brewer Adrian Redgrove and

manager Pete Hopwell

Mark Roberts, Stewarts Coffee of Trent Bridge

Unique PartnershipsThe John Van Geest CancerResearch Centre

Castle Rock’s Liv Auckland spent anafternoon at the world leading JohnVan Geest Cancer Research Centre,learning how the centre is workingto ‘Crack the cancer code’.

Back in 1994, Castle Rock acquired an unloved property in Beeston, Nottingham. Castle Rock director Neil Kelso (pictured right), has been closely involved with thedevelopment of Castle Rock pubs for decades, with a speciality for taking over derelictproperties and ‘turning them into pubs’. He did just this with the Victoria Hotel - ownedby Neil and his wife Linda since 2001. The Victoria Hotel is a traditional, real ale pubwith an unwavering reputation in the Nottingham community. Many pubs strive to raisemoney for charity, but the work of Neil and Linda has made an overwhelming differenceto one very local and truly worthy charity: the John Van Geest Cancer Research Centre.

In 2010, I was studying for my Bachelor’sdegree on Clifton Campus, Nottingham TrentUniversity. It slipped past without myknowing, until recently, that a hugelyimportant building was being constructed.

It’s a campus I know well, but on visiting thecentre, I found myself tucked away in amysterious place where history is made. Sure,I may have almost fainted (in-front of actualscientists) at the sight of brain tumour cells,but what I was able to witness was trulyastounding.

The Jon Van GeestCancer ResearchCentre on CliftonCampus is a facility that allNottinghamiansshould be supporting. The centre is worldleading, first class and filled with some of thebrightest brains on this planet. The runningcost of the centre is supported by theuniversity, so 100% of all donations godirectly into research. Many of us donate tonational and international cancer charities,

and complain that our money is spent on administration and wage costs. Quite frankly,the centre needs donations. A £10 donationcould allow the centre to sequence a gene,while £100 would pay for the costs ofscreening tissue from 100 patients withbreast cancer, and £1,000 could pay to testthe immune system of 100 patients withbreast or prostate cancer.

The Victoria Hotel ‘VicFest’, a 16 day festival,has raised thousands for John Van Geest, andNeil and Linda can be assured that the moneyraised is spent where it is needed: onresearch. Sue Dewey, Head of Fundraising forthe centre (and one of the most charismaticwomen I’ve ever met) says ‘They are a joy towork with and I wish we had more like them– so if anyone else out there wants to partnerup with us to help raise money and profile forsomething that will affect very many of us,please get in touch. We have a lot of funraising money for a serious cause… Please help us to crack the cancer code.”

At Castle Rock we are laying plans to raisethe profile of the centre, and will be raisingmoney where we can. In the mean-time, takea moment to learn more and get involved atwww.ntu.ac.uk/vangeest

“100% of all donations godirectly into research”

Professor Bob Rees, Director of John Van Geest Cancer Research Centre

12

13

Editor’s Picks

Easter WeekendForget ‘spring cleaning’ and cookingup a storm for the family; it’s timeto celebrate the four day weekendwith all sorts to enjoy… Full listings can be found at www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk/event

Thur 2nd AprilMini Beer Festival:• The Bread & Bitter kick off the Easter celebrations at 6pm with a beer fest over fivedays, showcasing Champion Beers of Britainfrom the last decade with a total of 16 realales, plus real ciders and craft beers.Thursday 2nd April-Monday 6th April

Good Friday (Fri 3rd April) • Tuck into a ‘Mothership’ Pie & Pint for just£8 at the Swan in the Rushes. The Swan’sEaster themed competitions will kick off too,such as Name the Bunny & How ManyEggs…all proceeds go to charity. • Four piece rock band WalkWay take to thestage at the New Barrack Tavern, 9pm • Celebrate Belgian Beer Day at the Kean’s Head, with a special menu to match

Saturday 4th April • Live music at the Fox & Crown from‘U.S.’, a Nottingham based four piece

Easter Sunday (Sun 5th April)• All our pubs will be serving up theirSunday menus, from roasts to pizzas tosalad. Book a table at your Castle Rock localand recharge • Adults Easter Egg Hunt at the Swan in the Rushes from 12pm, withEaster themed prizes • Live music from Beatles tribute the ‘Fab 2’at the Lincolnshire Poacher, 9pm• Free chocolate egg with any kid’s meal atthe Bread & Bitter and the Stratford Haven• Warm up with a free hot cross bun whenyou buy a hot drink at the Swan in the Rushes

++++

Wednesday 29th AprilWine TastingEnjoy a wine tasting evening, with a coldtable buffet, including rustic breads andcanapés. Golden Eagle, 7.30pm £15

Saturday 2nd MayNational Civil War CentreThe long awaited Civil War Centre in Newark isfinally opening its doors to the public. Britain’sdeadliest conflict will be marked this Bankholiday weekend with thousands spilling into thetown for re-enactments and the official openingof the museum. The Fox & Crown is home to theKings Lifeguard of Foote Regiment for theweekend, visit www.nationalcivilwarcentre.co.ukor www.kingslifeguard.co.uk to learn more andfollow @TheFoxandCrown to keep in the loop.

Friday 8th - Saturday 9th MayMod & Punk WeekendBringing back the seventies with live musicfrom Forever Mod (9pm Friday) and Reasonsto be Cheerful (9pm Saturday) at the homeof Sheffield Wednesday.New Barrack Tavern, free

Thursday 14th MayPoppy & Pint BirthdayThe Poppy is 4 years old! Celebrate in thebest of Lady Bay with live music, drinks andfood offers, and a charity raffle.Poppy & Pint, 5pm

Saturday 16th - Sunday 17th MayLady Bay Arts FestivalThe renowned Lady Bay Arts Festival is backfor 2015 and better than ever. The Poppy & Pint once again is a host of thecelebration, find out more at:www.ladybayarts.org.uk

Monday 18th - Sunday 24th MayVegetarian WeekGood, fresh, locally and ethically sourcedveggie dishes created across Castle Rockpubs. The Bread & Bitter offer 50p off allveggie dishes, the Swan in the RushesVeggie Pit & Pint is only £4.50 all week, andveggie dishes at the Lincolnshire Poacherinclude a free drink.

Sunday 24th MayPoacher Garden PartyThe newly refurbished garden will see asatellite bottle beer & cider bar, BBQ from 6-9pm, and live music from Harry and thePedestrians (weather permitting, follow@lincpoacher to stay up to date). Lincolnshire Poacher, 12pm-11pm,free entry

Monday 25th May (Bank Holiday)Ladies NightLadies Night in the Hop Loft is back for thebank holiday. Bubbly, Butlers in the Buff, thebest of local beauty and entertainment froma Robbie Williams tribute…leave yourworries at the door, ladies! Call 01509 214 017 to book your tickets.Swan in the Rushes, 7pm, £5 per ticket

Wednesday 10th JunePoacher turns 2626 years young! Join us in celebrating 26 yearsof our most beloved Poacher, with free cake,savings on Castle Rock beers and live musicfrom the Old Nick Trading Company (9pm). Lincolnshire Poacher, from 5pm

Saturday 13th JuneNBT Charity FestivalThe 601 Club brings bands and DJs to theNBT, with two stages, a BBQ and more. Allprofits go to Western Park Cancer Hospital.New Barrack Tavern, 3pm

Saturday 14th JuneFather’s Day FestivalClassic and modified cars and bikes show inthe private car park. Whatever your thing,bring it along and show it off. Enjoy a burgerfrom the flamin’ BBQ and bop to somemusic. A free gallon of ale goes to the ownerof the highest voted vehicle.Golden Eagle, free entry

Friday 26th - Sunday 28th JuneSummer Beer FestivalJoin in the summer festivities at the GoldenEagle’s annual mini beer fest. With twelvereal ales in the garden, plus a BBQ and livemusic from 2pm (Sat & Sun), it’s a must forthe whole family. Golden Eagle, free entry

Full listings on our website - updated daily

April 2015 May 2015

June 2015

www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk/event

AMERICAN CRAFT BEER WEEKMonday 11th to Sunday 17th MayThe best brews for the USA available inbottles and keg across Castle Rock pubs.Many of the pubs will be showcasing

All-American menus (burger in a KrispyKreme, anyone?) with beers to match.

Visit our website to find out more and be sure tofollow @DiscoverWBeers to stay in the loop…

MILD IN MAY TRAIL

Friday 1st - Sunday 31st May

BRITISH CHEESE WEEK

Tuesday 26th May - Monday 1st June

NATIONAL WINE DAYMonday 25th May

FATHER’S DAY - Sunday 21st JuneVisit www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk/fathers-day • Gift Packs £8.95, Available from your Castle Rock local

GREAT BRITISH BEEF WEEKTuesday 21st - Monday 27th April

Upcoming Events

Available at your Castle Rock local

15

Top comments Ode to the Owl In the middle of the night ye may feel not quite right,

Well what’s it matter to me, I dinna give a hoot!But the hoot’s from the Owl;

And when the Owl begins to Screech;Oooooooooooooooooooooo!

The spectre O the tree;Sends a shiver

right through me;My glass is filled to the brim

and I’m lost for speech;And the Owl begins to Screech!

By Mike Higgins

Up & Coming BrewsHere’s a look at what’s to come in the next three months.

4.2% abvCitrusy session mild,

brewed with Mosaic hopsfrom the USA.

Celebrating the life of therevered Nottinghamshire-

born architect.AVAILABLE APRIL - JUNE

4.8% abvGerman-style smoked beerwith an oaky aroma, notesof dark fruits and a subtle,

lingering sweetness.

AVAILABLE MAY

4.0% abvA mid-strength, full

flavoured bitter with fruitynotes on the palate and asmack of hops in the finish.

AVAILABLE FROM MAY

4.5% abvGerman-style wheat beer

with hints of whitechocolate. Naturally cloudy

and vegan friendly.AVAILABLE FROM JUNE

4.2% abvGolden bitter brewed withlocal honey for a delicate

sweetness.

AVAILABLE JUNE

APRIL - JUNE 2015

All of our beers contain Gluten from Malted Barley and Wheat. Some of our special and one-off beers may contain additional allergens, please check our website for further details

Thanks for all your tweets,

retweets, follows, likes, and

lovely comments. Keep them coming!

“Excellent new Castle RockBrewery pub at East Midlands airport. You’respoiling us!” - @mr_shore

“Golden Eagle - Never failsto delight me” - @loftyimp

“Delicious lunch at the

Kean’s Head with@pixie1214 in Nottingham

today. Cheers guys,

awesome stuff!” - @iChef007

Tweets...

Annual Seasonal

One-off Seasonal

A national award-winning blonde beer.American hops give arefreshingly crisp,

citrus finish.

A well balanced,award-winning dark

mild with somebitterness.

Full-bodied but notoverly sweet.

A full-bodiedpremium bitter of

typical East Midlandscharacter. Perfect

bitter-sweet balance.

3.8%3.8% 4.4%

Brewed to be atraditional session alewith a malty bitter

taste.

3.4%

Brewed with freshColumbian coffee

beans. Flavours of richchocolate and coffeeare in the nose, andthe taste is smooth

and lasting.

4.5% 5.5%

American-style red alebrewed with darkcrystal malt, plus

El Dorado and Kohatuhops.

4.3%

Core Castle Rock Beers

Castle Rock PubsALEXANDRA HOTEL203 Siddals Road, Derby DE1 2QETel: 01332 293993e-mail: alexandrahotel@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: Alexandra Hotel T: @Alex_Pub_Derby

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

FOREST TAVERN/MAZE257 Mansfield Road, Nottingham NG1 3FTTel: 0115 947 5650email: info@themazerocks.com • web: www.themazerocks.comF: The Maze T: @themazenotts

KEAN’S HEAD46 St. Mary’s Gate, Nottingham NG1 1QATel: 0115 947 4052 e-mail: keanshead@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: Kean’s Head T: @keanshead

NEWSHOUSE123 Canal Street, Nottingham NG1 7HBTel: 0115 952 3061e-mail: newshouse@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: The Newshouse T: @NewshouseNotts

STRATFORD HAVEN2 Stratford Rd, W. Bridgford, Nott’m NG2 6BATel: 0115 982 5981 e-mail: stratfordhaven@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: Stratford Haven T: @stratfordhaven

VICTORIA HOTEL Dovecote Lane, Beeston, Nott’m NG9 1JGTel: 0115 925 4049 e-mail: vichotel@btconnect.com F: The-Victoria-Hotel T: @TheVicBeeston

BREAD AND BITTER153-155 Woodthorpe Dr, Mapperley, NG3 5JLTel: 0115 960 7541e-mail: breadandbitter@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: Bread Bitter T: @breadandbitter

DERBY TUP387 Sheffield Rd, Chesterfield S41 8LSTel: 01246 454316e-mail: derbytup@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: The Derby Tup T: @TheDerbyTup

FOX AND CROWN4-6 Appletongate, Newark, Notts NG24 1JYTel: 01636 605820e-mail: foxandcrown@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: The Fox & Crown Newark T: @TheFoxandCrown

LINCOLNSHIRE POACHER161-163 Mansfield Road, Nott’m NG1 3FRTel: 0115 941 1584e-mail: lincolnshirepoacher@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: Lincolnshire Poacher T: @lincpoacher

POPPY AND PINTPierrepont Road, Lady Bay, Notts NG2 5DXTel: 0115 981 9995e-mail: poppyandpint@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: Poppy & Pint T: @PoppyandPint

SWAN IN THE RUSHES21 The Rushes, Loughborough LE11 5BETel: 01509 217014 e-mail: swanintherushes@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: Swan Rushes T: @swanrushes

WETMORE WHISTLE 93 Wetmore Road, Burton on Trent, DE14 1SHTel: 01283 541064 e-mail: wetmorewhistle@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: The Wetmore Whistle T: @wetmorewhistle1

WILLOWBROOK 13 Main Rd, Gedling, Nottingham NG4 3HQTel: 0115 987 8596 e-mail: willowbrook@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: The Willowbrook T: @WillowbrookCRB

CANALHOUSE48-52 Canal Street, Nottingham NG1 7EHTel: 0115 955 5060e-mail: canalhouse@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: Canal House T: @canalhousebar

EAGLE144 West Street, Boston, Lincs PE21 8RETel: 01205 361116e-mail: eagle@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: The Eagle T: @TheEagleBoston

GOLDEN EAGLE21 High Street, Lincoln LN5 8BDTel: 01522 521058e-mail: goldeneagle@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: The Golden Eagle Free House T: @GoldenEaglePub

NEW BARRACK TAVERN601 Penistone Road, Sheffield S6 2GATel: 0114 234 9148e-mail: newbarracktavern@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: New Barrack Tavern T: @NewBarrack

ROOK AND GASKILL12 Lawrence Street, York YO10 3WPTel: 01904 655450e-mail: rookandgaskill@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: The Rook and Gaskill T: @RookGaskillYork

VAT AND FIDDLE (The Brewery Tap)

12-14 Queensbridge Rd, Nottingham NG2 1NBTel: 0115 985 0611 e-mail: vatandfiddle@castlerockbrewery.co.ukF: Vat and Fiddle T: @VatandFiddle

All of our pubs follow the latest allergen legislation.

Further details are available in eachestablishment.

(Hands On Pub Company)

The next issue of Castle Rock Quarter is published in JulyThe seasonal beers will include Watson Fothergill (April), Zeppelin Raids (May), Hemlock Bitter (May-Jul), Skylarks Reserve (June-Aug),

Runnymede 800 (June) - for more information turn to Page 15

F: Sheriff TippleT: @SheriffTipple

Blonde and beautifulsingle malt golden ale

refreshing on thepalate.

4.7%

F: Elsie MoT: @Elsiemocrb

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

F: Screech OwlT: @ScreechOwlCRB

F: Castle Rock Brewery

T: @CRBrewery