Thursday 31 March 2011

The 2011 Booze 'n' Cues Beer Festival

Darlington Snooker Club booze and cues beer festival will have kicked off tonight. Would have liked to have got there, but I brewed and casked today and was just k'nackered. However, I am going out there on the Saturday night, on the 6.45pm last bus that runs from the village to Darlington. As well as great beers, and I don't just mean mine - Peter and his mum always put on good, very well priced food from a humble sandwich to a meal. Further details can be found on the link below http://www.darlocamra.org.uk/beerfestivals.html Enjoy

Monday 28 March 2011

APRIL FOOL IS OUT A FEW DAYS EARLY!


NO REST FOR THE BREWER, NO SOONER HAS ONE GONE OUT THEN THE NEXT IS FOLLOWING VERY QUICKLY IN IT'S FOOTSTEPS (WELL AS QUICK AS THE FOCUS GROUP - MYSELF AND C, CAN COME UP WITH A NAME). THE ONE THING THAT IS GOOD, IS THE LIGHT NIGHTS WHICH MEAN THAT I CAN SEE BETTER WHERE I AM DRIVING AND APPRECIATE THE COUNTRYSIDE


APRIL FOOL AT 4.2% HAS GONE OUT TO THE FOLLOWING FINE ESTABLISHMENTS:


THE SHIP INN AT MIDDLESTONE VILLAGE

THE BRIDGE AT MIDDLETON IN TEESDALE

THE BLACK BULL IN MELSONBY

THE GUISELY FACTORY WORKERS CLUB, WEST YORKS

THE MANOR HOUSE, MALTBY

THE SHOULDER OF MUTTON, KIRBY HILL

THE KINGS ARMS, SANDHUTTON

THE VANE ARMS, LONG NEWTON

THE OLD YARD TAPAS BAR IN DARLINGTON

THE WHITE SWAN AT GILLING WEST

Wednesday 23 March 2011

ARIES THE RAM - A PURPLE HAZE


PETER FROM DARLINGTON SNOOKER CLUB ASKED IF I COULD NAME A BEER THAT WOULD FIT IN WITH HIS ANIMAL THEMED BEER FESTIVAL. IT STARTS ON THURSDAY THE 31ST MARCH (MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW). MY BIRTHDAY IS COMING UP ON THE 4TH APRIL (HINT HINT, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) SO I DECIDED TO OPT FOR ARIES AS MY STAR SIGN.


THINK THIS RAM HAS BEEN LISTENING TO A BIT TOO MUCH HENDRIX.


IT IS 3.9% AND HAS BEEN DELIVERED OUT TO:


THE SHIP INN AT MIDDLESTONE VILLAGE

THE BRIDGE AT MIDDLETON IN TEESDALE

THE BLACK SWAN IN STAINDROP

THE BLACK BULL IN MELSONBY

THE QUAKERHOUSE IN DARLINGTON

THE A66 MOTEL IN SMALLWAYS

THE WHITE SWAN IN GILLING WEST

THE COUNTY AT AYCLIFFE VILLAGE

THE WHEATSHEAF IN BORROWBY

THE DARLINGTON SNOOKER CLUB

AND THE GRAND HOTEL IN BISHOP AUCKLAND

Folk 'n' Ale I Forgot To Put Down Where It All Went!

Apart from the recent Darlington CAMRA Spring Thing, Folk 'n Ale also went out to the following fine establishments:

The Ship Inn at Middlestone Village
The Bridge Inn At Middleton In Teesdale
The Old Yard Tapas Bar in Darlington
The Frog and Ferret In Spennymoor
The Star In Huddersfield - for their beer festival, kindly delivered by Yorkshire Dales Brewery
The Black Bull in Melsonby
The White Swan In Gilling West, and
The Old Well in Barnard Castle

Tuesday 15 March 2011

25th Darlington Spring Thing CAMRA Beer Festival, 17th -19th March


As well as brewing, myself and the Darlington CAMRA massive have been busy getting all the lovely little beers, ciders and perry ready for this weeks annual Spring Thing. The festival is open the following times and best of all admission is free:


Thursday 17th: 7pm - 11.30pm.
Friday 18th: Noon - 4pm.
Friday 18th: 6pm - 11.30pm.
Saturday 19th: 11.30am - 11.30pm.


I have enclosed the link if you want further information and also the beer list.




The Darlington Traditional Brewing Group will also be running a stall for tastings and advice over the festival. I am attending for pleasure and also manning at different times both CAMRA and brewing group stalls/pumps.


I have also brewed a special beer for the festival, 3.9% Folk 'n' Ale - with the design kindly supplied by Ian Jackson - both CAMRA colleague and head brewer at Captain Cook Brewery in Stokesley. Clip enclosed - hope you enjoy it and all the other ales on offer!

Sunday 13 March 2011

MAD MARCH HARE - GETTING HOPPY


WHAT WITH BIRTHDAY DO'S, AND BEER FESTIVALS IT'S BEEN QUITE A BUSY COUPLE OF WEEKS IN THE BREWERY (YEP I KNOW I NEED TO CATCH UP WITH MY HOUSEWORK, BLAH BLAH BLAH) AT 4.1% MAD MARCH HARE HAS BEEN DELIVERED OUT TO:

THE SHIP INN AT MIDDLESTONE VILLAGE

THE BRIDGE INN AT MIDDLETON IN TEESDALE

THE BLACK SWAN IN STAINDROP

THE WHEATSHEAF IN BORROWBY

THE QUAKERHOUSE IN DARLINGTON

THE WHITE SWAN IN GILLING WEST

THE BLACK BULL IN MELSONBY

THE BLACK HORSE, KIRKBY FLEETHAM

THE FROG AND FERRET IN SPENNYMOOR

THE SNOOKER CLUB IN DARLINGTON

AND ALSO TO PAUL'S 50TH BIRTHDAY PARTY IN EAGLESCLIFFE COMMUNITY CENTRE

NEVER WORK WITH CHILDREN OR ANIMALS


THIS HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WHATSOVER TO DO WITH BEER - BUT JUST A PICTURE OF OUR NEW STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER 'SIOUXSIE' WHO MOVED IN ON THE 6TH MARCH FROM THE DOGS TRUST IN DARLINGTON. AS YOU CAN SEE SHE HAS MADE HERSELF AT HOME!
NOW I HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO DOWNLOAD PHOTO'S - MY HOPE IS WILL BE ABLE TO DO THIS WITH THE PUMP CLIPS,

WOODEN SPOON - SCOTLAND POSSIBLY, BUT ENGLAND PLAYED POORLY TODAY

IN KEEPING WITH THE RUGBY THEME 'WOODEN SPOON' AT 3.9% WENT OUT TO THE FOLLOWING FINE ESTABLISHMENTS THE OTHER WEEK. FOR THOSE NOT AWARE, WHILST I AM AN ENGLANDER - THE OTHER INHABITANT OF MITHRIL TOWERS IS SCOTTISH. TO BE FAIR I DID SCOFF THAT I KNEW WHO THE LIKELY WINNERS OF AFORESAID WOODEN SPOON WOULD BE. BUT, IN ALL FAIRNESS GIVEN THE PERFORMANCE OF ENGLAND TODAY THE BETTER TEAM DID NOT WIN. HERE'S THE LIST BEFORE I BECOME MUCH MORE SYMPATHETIC:

THE SHIP INN AT MIDDLESTONE VILLAGE
THE BRIDGE AT MIDDLETON IN TEESDALE
HORSFORTH BEER FESTIVAL
THE QUAKERHOUSE DARLINGTON
THE WHITE SWAN AT GILLING WEST
THE WHEATSHEAF AT BORROWBY
THE GEORGE AT PIERCEBRIDGE
THE OLD YARD TAPAS IN DARLINGTON
THE STANWICK INN IN ALDBRO'
THE SNOOKER CLUB IN DARLINGTON

WE ALSO ENJOYED WOODEN SPOON AT EAGLESCLIFFE COMMUNITY CENTRE LAST NIGHT - HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAUL!

St Patricks Day Irish Sing Song Night @ Black Bull In Melsonby

Will be posting shortly about Darlington CAMRA Beer Festival - however unfortunately it means I can't attend various St Patrick's do's going on locally. The first is being held on Thursday the 17th this week at the Black Bull in Melsonby.

There is Irish Stew and Dumplings, followed by sweet, all for just £10.00 per head - phone
Sally on The Black Bull Melsonby Telephone 01325 718811. The Burns Night supper was great and the sing song even funnier - shame can't attend this one - but sure you will have a great time if you can

Enjoy!

Tuesday 1 March 2011

PARMO, PARMO, PARMO, PARMO

WHAT YOU WONDER AM I DOING PROMOTING THE JOYS OF PARMO ON MY BLOG?
AS SOME OF YOU MAY OR NOT KNOW I AM ALSO A MEMBER OF DARLINGTON TRADITIONAL BREWING GROUP. THIS IS WHERE MY LOVE OF BREWING WAS FIRST NURTURED. ALTHOUGH I AM NOW BREWING PROFESSIONALLY, I STILL INDULGE IN THE HISTORIC JOYS OF KITCHEN BREWING (PERHAPS NOT FOR THE BOSS) WHEN IT IS MY TURN TO HOLD A MEETING IN MY BAR.

FOOD ALSO PLAYS AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE MEETING. THIS CAN RANGE
FROM A MEAL BEING COOKED BY A CHEF ON ONE OCCASION, TO THE HALLOWED CORNED BEEF PIE THAT 'JOHN THE SHED' IS WELL KNOWN FOR. ALTHOUGH 'JEFF THE CHEF' IS THE WELL KNOWN PURVEYOR OF PARMO IN THE TEESSIDE AREA - I OPT FOR DON THE BUTCHER SITUATED IN NETTO, JUST OFF HAUGHTON ROAD. PRIME CHICKEN AND BREADCRUMBS THAT YOU CAN CUSTOMISE JUST AS YOU WOULD LIKE.

ANYWAY, IF YOU ARE INTERSTED IN BREWING REAL ALE YOURSELF POP ALONG TO

http://www.dtbg.co.uk/

I'M ALSO MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUERIES ETC YOU MAY HAVE ON GETTING STARTED A LA KITCHEN - JUST DON'T ASK ME TO NEGOTIATE BREWING RIGHTS WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD!

ROTHERHAM BEER FESTIVAL 2ND TO 5TH MARCH

SWEET CHARIOT AND ROUTE A66 HAS GONE DOWN FOR THE ROTHERHAM BEER FESTIVAL THIS WEEK. 220 PLUS REAL ALES, 25 PLUS WINES AND 30 CIDERS - I HAVE ENCLOSED THE LINK IF YOU WANT FURTHER DETAILS:

http://www.magnarealale.co.uk/

ENJOY!

HORSFORTH BEER FESTIVAL - 4TH AND 5TH MARCH

ROUTE A66 AND WOODEN SPOON ARE APPEARING AT THE 3RD HORSFORTH BEER FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND. OVER 70 DRAUGHT BEERS AND CIDERS ON, WITH LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND HOME COOKED FOOD AVAILABLE;

HAVE ENCLOSED THE LINK IF YOU WANT TO CHECK THE DETAILS AND GET DOWN TO THE FESTIVAL - ENJOY!

http://www.horsforthbeerfestival.co.uk/