host magazine winter 2012

hostwinter 2012

Al Murray Interview

Whisky Nations

The Soft Option

Twittering On

for the independent licensee

host magazine w

inter 2012w

ww

.thehostmagazine.co.uk

Anymomentnow.

SavourEvery

Moment.

The moment the Theakyons arrives at the topof the glass, its head forming moments later. Themoment your customer puts pint to lips. And letsout a satisfying Ahhh! The moment the generalpub hubbub goes up a decibel or three asthe Theakyons goes down. These are themoments your customers come to savour.Its all part of the Theakyons brewersart, defined by nearly 185 years oftradition. (since 1827 to be precise.)Were reminding your cuyomersof these, and other great pubmoments, in a new advertisingcampaign yarting this autumn.Visit www.theakstons.co.uk or emailus at [email protected] andmake sure that youre ready.The Theakyons drinkers willbe along any momentnow. [ [ [ [

Host Mag_AnyMoment_TRADE_Nov11 23/11/11 10:42 Page 1

20 The Pub Landlord Al Murray talks exclusively to Host magazine

22 Whisky Nations Increase your whisky sales with a little help from the six nations rugby tournament

28 PullingThe Pints Footballers and their love of the pub

37 Great Gringos Stock up on the best tequilas

38 Mission EPOSsible Phil Mellows looks at the latest EPOS technology

44 The Soft Option Perk up your soft drink sales

48 Crisp World Cup Which fl avour of crisps will win?

53 Eat John Porter looks at easy to prepare dishes, winter warmers and pasta dishes

75 The Biz Phil Mellows on twittering and how to cash in on the coming Olympics

5 My Shout Martyn Cornell on snugs, divisions and partitions

7 Upfronts Tips, people, advice and myths

13 Trade Opinion Richard Thomas shares his views on external seating

14 Inn Stock Ben Newman recommends his spring must haves

17 Pulling Power Ben Newmans favourite ales and breweries

66 The Corker Jamie Goode on the emergence of natural wines

contentsfeatures

regulars

P20

host

host / winter 2012 / 3

P22

P48

GARY LINEKER

ENGLAND

winter 12

P28

68 Six Of The Best Ice Machines

70 Bar Essentials The latest and best products and services

81 Legal Q and A Graeme Cushion answers your legal questions

82 Celebrity Questionnaire Opera singer Alfie Boe is put in the hot seat

contentsregulars

Editor: Ben NewmanContributing Editor: Richard Berndes

Editorial Assistant: Carol KenyonAdvertisement Manager: Tim Morris

Sales Executives: Lee Morgan, Mellisa HayesArt Direction: onelittlestudio.com

Accounts: Julie HewittContributors: Jamie Goode, Phil Mellows, John Porter, Martyn

Cornell, Pete Brown, Sonya Hook and Dominic Roskrow Host is published quarterly by

Plum Publications Limited

27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1 3XXtel: 0845 604 6331

email: [email protected] web: www.thehostmagazine.co.uk

The editor and publishers do not necessarily agree with the views expressed by

contributors nor do they accept responsibility for any errors in the transmission of the subject matter in this publication. In all matters the editors decision is final.

P54

4 / winter 2012 / host

The WorldsBesT Gin

Winner of the 2010Ultimate Spirits Challenge

UK Distributor: Lanchester Wine Cellars 01207 521 234www.brokersgin.com

Please drink responsibly


tmy shout

Customers have always had the wish for a cosy, private environment in their pub, and perhaps suggests Martyn Cornell more might be encouraged out of their homes if pubs once again began to respond to this desire.

The trend to one-bar pubs was aided by the collapse of the social divisions

There is a pub on the edge of Dublin, close to Phoenix Park, called Ryans of Parkgate Street. Its one of a large number of excellent turn-of-the-last-century boozers in the Irish capital, all mahogany, mirrors and tiles, with a big U-shaped bar, and very much worth a visit. What is particularly worth seeing at Ryans is the tiny, secret snug at the top left-hand side of the U. There is room for just one table, the engraved glass makes it impossible to see inside, and the door can only be unlatched from behind the bar. It was a place for priests to pop in and enjoy a jar of stout or three without being spotted or bothered by parishioners, and for women who didnt want their neighbours to see them gossiping over a couple of Babychams. A nod to the barman as you entered the pub, and you could quickly be in your own private mini-bar.The little Ryans snug dates from a time when it was still recognised that drinkers in public houses often desired some privacy. The supreme surviving example of this is the Crown bar in Belfast, with its 10 little booths or snugs down one wall, each with its own door and, inside, one table, two wooden benches and an antiquated bell-push to alert the barstaff when the occupants wanted another round brought in. But other Irish pubs often still retain the tall wooden dividers down the bar itself, so that even those engaged in vertical drinking can be given a small sense of privacy, a feeling that their conversation with their fellow drinker(s) will not be overheard by the people a few feet further up or down the bar.

SNOB SCREENSThere was a time when many British pubs had these little snugs and divisions and partitions. The snob screen, for example, has almost vanished (though theres a fine example at the Lamb in Lambs Conduit Street, near Euston Station in London). This was a row of small centrally swivelling little opaque windows along the top of the bar at head height, found in the saloon bar or snug: they were closed when patrons did not want to be seen by hoi polloi in the public bar or taproom, who might otherwise have a view across the behind-bar serving space of their social superiors, but which could be opened when it was time to attract the barmaids attention to order another drink.

What, mostly, killed the multi-bar pub was the desire of the police to be able to pop their heads in through the door and see at a glance who was in that night, and who they were with. The police put pressure on the then licensing magistrates to favour new or redeveloped pubs that had as few bars as possible, and no screens behind which villains could shield their faces from the eyes of the law.

SOCIAL DIVISIONSThe trend to one-bar pubs with cavernous interiors was also aided by the collapse of those social divisions that once kept the world (or at least Britain) divided into habitus of the saloon bar, and denizens of the public bar. Until as late as the 1950s, if you were working class, you simply did not go into the (carpeted) saloon bar of your local, where your boss would be drinking bitter: you stuck with your mates in the (bare boards) public bar, drinking mild, at a price a couple of pence cheaper than the saloon bar sold it. The middle classes might slum it in the public bar occasionally for a game of darts, but otherwise they too stayed in their own room.Once those social rules collapsed, pub owners realised they could knock the public and saloon bars into one and instantly save money on staff, since it was no longer necessary to have a server each for two separate rooms. The people, of course, were never consulted: if they had been, they would probably have expressed a desire for the multi-room pubs of yore. At the Princess Louise in High Holborn, London, after it was taken over by the Yorkshire brewer Samuel Smith, around 2006 it was restored to just the way it would have been in the 1890s, complete with bar doors separating the open space into smaller drinking areas. The refurbishment won the hearts of the Camra pub design awards judges in 2008, who gave it joint first prize, commenting that it reflects both its incarnation of over a century ago and the modern customers wish to drink and chat in a cosy, quiet and private environment.In fact, customers, or at least a fair proportion of them, have always had the wish for a cosy, private environment in their pub, and perhaps more might be encouraged out of their homes if pubs once again began to respond to this desire.


Cristos UK LtdTel: 020 8951 [email protected]

s Follow us on twitter: twitter.com/BabickaBrother or nd out more online: www.babickavodka.com

NOT BITTER, JUST TWISTED.

BabickaAd-HalfPage_1.0.indd 1 31/10/2011 16:56


USA EverclearManufactured by the Luxco corporation of St. Louis, Missuuri, Everclear is a neutral grain based spirit that is produced in two head-crunching strengths of 75.5 ABV and 95.6 ABV. The later is more or lessjust about as strong as can be possibly be distilled using standard practices. The higher strength Everclear is banned in large parts of the U.S. but is available in California where it has acult following on west coast university campuses.

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The amount of years a person can be sent to jail for merely sending a bottle of beer, wine or spirits as a gift to a friend in Kentucky

up front

Number Crunching

5

Give me a woman who loves beer and I will conquer the world

Kaiser Wilhelm


Urine-controlled video games Going to the loo has never been more fun, after the worlds fi rst urine-controlled video game is installed in a London bar. Visitors at the The Ex-hibit Bar in Balham can play one of three games every time they use a urinal.The video game has been trialled in a bar in Cambridge since mid-July and it has proved to be both popular and profi table. One of the games co-founders, Gordon MacSween, was not sure how the public would react to the game initially. But as soon he saw the game on trial at a bar in Cambridge he knew he was on to something good.The game was designed to create a valuable media opportunity from the 55 seconds the average male spends while he pees just staring at a blank wall. There is an advert played before and after the game promoting a drink you can buy at the bar.At the end of the game, players are encouraged to post their scores via mobile to Twitter and to a live leader board so they can compete with their friends.The units will be rolled-out in selected venues across the UK in early 2012.

Pub myths

Drinking water after a night on Pernod gets

you drunk again

False. Aniseed loving French-men might swear that Pernod crystalises in the stomach, and that a glass of water magically reactivates the

grog hours later. But as our stomachs are continually awash with liquid anyway, this is patent rubbish.


YOUR CHOICE

YOUR TIME

YOUR BESPOKETOFFEE VODKA TOFFOC

BUY ON-LINE AT WWW.TOFFOC.COM

Call us direct for prompt delivery trade prices on 01248 852379


up front

Pro wrestler/actorIt took more than a couple rounds of drinks for Andr Ren Roussimoff to catch a buzz. But thats what hap-pens when youre around 7 feet tall and weigh 500 pounds. For Andre the Giant, it was all about living large before that phrase even existed. As for his legendary drinker status, blame it on Broadway. Specifi cally, Andre wanted to see a Broadway show just once, but realized the seats were too small and that hed block peoples view. His plan B was to go to bars, the rest is fuzzy his-tory and urban legend. It is believed Andre could drain 119 beers in six hours and take in up to 7,000 calories of alcohol daily.

Great drinkers of the pastAndre The GiantCastlemaine lager

hails from Milton and is produced by Queensland brewers Castlemaine Perkins. It was fi rst introduced to the market in 1924 by the Castlemaine Brewers and named after the town of Castlemaine in Victoria where the company was born in 1897. The XXXX tagline is used as a marketing tool to describe the strength of the beerThe brand has always used its advertising creatively. They have a cartoon character called Mr Fourex who wears a suit and a straw boater hat. There are two theories on the origins of the idea. One is that he is based on a local man called Paddy Fitzgerald and the other is that he

is based on a well known dwarf who sold newspapers near the brewery. They also ran a notorious advertising campaign in the early 1980s about a local road worker who could drink almost a gallon of beer in under a minute. Government pressure forced the company to withdraw this advert.In the UK ads carried the notorious tagline Castlemaine. Australians couldnt give a XXXX for anything else. During the Vietnam War is got the nickname barbed wire as the

soldiers returning from the war said the XXXX reminded them of the barbed wire seen in the combat zone.It was withdrawn from the UK in June 2009 when its licence agreement with AB Inv. The reason quoted by the company was challenging market conditions.

Hood Skittles is a miniaturised version of Old English Skittles (please see the Alley Skittles page for more information on this venerable game) in which cheeses are thrown at pins on a table about 8 feet away. It is extremely popular Northamptonshire and well known in Leicestershire, Bedfordshire and surrounding counties. Confusingly, in the East Midlands, the came is always referred to as Table Skittles while outside this area, it is not well known and Table Skittles tends to mean the smaller game described in the previous section. The surrounding leather bound and cushioned sides of the table offer the option to bounce the cheese off them before hitting the pins thus obtaining angles not pos-sible in other games while the hood prevents wayward cheeses and pins fl ying off into other parts of the pub. Most people whove played, consider Hood Skittles to be one of the most enjoyable English pub games around so it would be well worth popping into a pub featuring the game if you ever have the chance.....

Pub GamesHood Skittles

The problem with the world is that

everyone is a few drinks behind

Humphrey Bogart

Whatever happened to....

The problem with the world is that

everyone is a few drinks behind

Humphrey Bogart

Castlemaine XXXX


Irish theme pubs can be found in almost every city in the world, while sports bars and Starbucks are just as numerous. But if you want something a little different, then head into the East End of London because Samoan Joes could be just what you are looking for!The exotic tastes of the Pacifi c Ocean are not something that you would normally expect to fi nd in an East End pub. Perhaps thats why Samoan Joes is a true one off. But if its cocktails, loud decoration and plenty of parrots that you are looking for, then perhaps Samoan Joes is the boozer for you.Take a stroll down the cobbled street and youll fi nd it on the corner. From the outside it looks like a traditional London pub. Frosted glass windows, well polished brass handles on the doors and that gentle

sound of conversation drifting out of an open window. But when you get inside the decoration will certainly tell you that youve arrived in the South Pacifi c. Loud orange wallpaper is complemented by stuffed parrots on each wall. Around the central bar, youll fi nd it decorated with plastic pineapples just to add to the ambiance. The panelling on side of the bar has some rather nice palm tree leaf decoration. And of course the bar man, Somoan Joe, will be wearing one the best examples of a Hawaiian shirt you are ever likely to see.But this welcoming atmosphere is not forthcoming from all the punters in the bar. Watch out for a Rory Breaker, a small black man with a big afro. Someone once had the audacity to ask him to turn down the television while he was watching the

football. What was the result? He spat lighter fl uid on the man and set him alight! When Rory is watching the football, as the barman will adviseyou, Id leave him well alone!The drinks are not quite what you might expect in a pub either. If you looking for a beer or a gin and tonic, they maybe you should head elsewhere. This is a Samoan pub and its exotic cocktails that are the order of the day. They can be ordered in any shade of colour and come with enough fruit accompanying them to count as all fi ve of your fi ve a dayOne punter ordered a drink, but when his Samoan special

arrived, he yelled at the barman top of his voice. I asked you to give me a refreshing drink. I wasnt expecting a rainforest! You could fall in love with an orangutan in that! But as Somoan Joe replied If you want a pint, go to the pub, this is a Samoan pub!

The SwanThe Swan is both a royal bird, and a common feature on heraldic symbols.King Henry IVs mother, Mary de Bohun, had a swan on her coat-of-arms, and the Lancastrian Kings adopted the swan as one of their symbols.The Swan was also used by the Earl of Warwick, and the Duke of Buckingham, among others.There are 451 Swan pubs in England, and others with the word in their names, such as Black Swan and Swan With Two Necks

up front

Samoan Joes Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

Famous fi ctitious boozers

You need to bring in the punters on a Tuesday night , to increase sales, and somebody suggests a pub quiz! The idea sounds perfect,but after

two weeks, your pub is populated with people like Patrick.Tweed jacket, leather patches on the elbows, crisp white shirt with a regimental tie. No 5 pints of real ale or a bottle of red wine to keep himself lubricated through the quiz, its just one half of alcohol free cider all night! And compared to his fellow team members hes the one thats drinking! The other three members of his team have either fruit juice or a mineral water. They then proceed to win the quiz every week, sniggering at the other teams and remarking loudly that was an easy one. This was supposed to be fun and bring in the punters. Whats your next idea?.

Whats in a name? Whats in a name? Whats in a name? Bar Types: Patrick The Pub Quiz Bore


s

trade opinion

Summer may seem a long way off, but the debate about outside seating areas is as hot as ever. The current approach to the valuation of outside seating areas is fraught with inconsistencies. In some leisure schemes, Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth and the Oracle in Reading for instance, tenants do not pay for their outside seating, in many others they do. Whereas high street restaurants and bars can be expected to pay anything from 0.00 per annum to 15,000-20,000 per annum for their external seating areas. I call on the industry to address eight key issues to bring clarity and transparency to the situation:Why is there inconsistency in the license fees charged by different London Boroughs?There doesnt appear to be a specific logic or pattern between the amounts local authorities charge for outside seating. For instance, there are varying rates between neighbouring boroughs within London (based on 16 chairs):Westminster - 1,260 p.a.Kensington & Chelsea - 790 p.a. (flat fee for external areas)Camden - 720 p.a.

These rates generally reflect the quality and underlying property values within the Borough, however they are slightly inconsistent in the way they are calculated i.e. Westminster charges based upon a multiple of the number of chairs against the hours and days of use, whereas Kensington & Chelsea charge a flat fee regardless of the number of tables and chairs occupied and the hours of use.Albeit, the rates are much cheaper than those charged by private landlords, who (based on 16 chairs) would charge between 2,000 and 6,000 depending on the scheme.

OF GREAT VALUEWhy do Landlords often fail to understand how they should value external areas or appreciate that they have the ability to do so? This can simply be down to the fact that they do not fully appreciate the extent of their ownership. For instance landlords might own the strip of land in front of their buildings, as it has not been adopted as a public highway and this area will be typically occupied by the tenant. However, the landlord often assumes that it s occupied under a pavement licence from the local authority and makes no charge.How can you address tenants concern over the possibility of their use of the external areas being revoked?

Typically pavement licences are renewed annually and Local Authorities are imposing stricter policies on the number of people who can use these areas often with strict behind the rope policies. There are some influential pressure groups in the Capital who are against the idea of external drinking and smoking so it is vitally important that licensees adhere closely to the guidelines set out in the license and ensure they dont give these groups the opportunity to raise a complaint, resulting in the matter being reviewed by the local authority.Do restaurants and bars, without outside seating areas, suffer as a result and is this being reflected in the rents that they pay? Theres no doubt that bars and restaurants suffer if they lack outside seating. Those with outside space (certainly south facing ones) enjoy significant increases in turnover on sunny days. In most cases additional rent is paid for external space. Although units with no external space do not have their rent reduced retrospectively, despite being significantly disadvantaged.

ON THE STREET Should restaurants and bars, which are let with external areas, be worth more than those which are dependant on obtaining pavement licences from the Local Authority?Local authority licenses are certainly cheaper but private agreements offer greater security with the ability to obtain longer terms. With so many complaints from locals over the use of external areas, are operators putting their liquor licences in jeopardy? Misuse of external areas certainly brings a lot of attention from local residents and pressure groups. Ultimately this type of pressure will increase the likelihood of an operators licence being reviewed. Is it right that external areas should be valued at a quarter of the prevailing rate applied to the main trading area which is the emerging practice? I would argue that during bouts of warm weather tenants get more than a quarter of a years use out of the space. Perhaps a fairer calculation would be based on the number of chairs and tables used over a period of time.Will there ever be a common approach to the valuation of these external areas in future? The smoking ban has only been in place since July 2007, and the value of these areas to both landlords and tenants is certainly being more readily realised. With this in mind I call for a universal approach.

Richard Thomas, Head of Pubs, at Shelley Sandzer is of the opinion that when it comes to external seating areas The rule is........There is no rule

Will there ever be a common approach to the valuation of external areas?


Over the following pages editor Ben Newman recommends his essentials to stock behind the bar during the winter months.

inn stock

Inspired by Africa and created in England, Whitley Neill is a London Dry Gin containing 9 botanicals, including African inspired aromatic Cape Gooseberries and the citrus fruit of the Baobab tree. Handcrafted in an antique copper pot still, the gin is small-batched distilled in order to achieve a unique taste with an elegant smooth finish. For more details, Tel: 0870 243 2525 or visit whitleyneill.com

Whitely Neill

If there were to be an Olympic event for beers Hercules would be a very strong contender in the lager category against all the mass produced beers. Its smooth, its strong, hand crafted and kicks arse. Hercules Premium lager is craft brewed in small batches by master brewers. Every pound of malt every whole hop is weighed and added by hand. The result is a distinctive sparkling lager with a delicate citrus nose. For more details, Tel: 01322 662377 or visit www.pierhead.uk.com.

Lambs Spiced Rum

Cristos UK Ltd presents Ron Santafe 4yo. This Rum from Colombia is aged in American oak barrels in the Cundinamarca region Bogota.Located in the mountains of the Andes at almost 9,000ft above sea level. Evaporation in the barrels is minimal, which results in a smooth, fruity, vanilla rich Rum with a truly authentic character. Ron Santafe works brilliantly in cocktails or even over ice with a slice of lime. Indulge your palate. For more details, Tel: 0208 951 4884 or visit www.cristosgroup.co.uk

Ron Santafe

Lambs Rum was created by Alfred Lamb in 1849 who sourced the finest Caribbean rums and aged them for four years in barrels stored under the Thames. Lambs Spiced Rum is an expertly blended Golden Caribbean Rum with natural flavours of vanilla, cinnamon and lime. It can be sipped neat but also try with cloudy apple juice for a long refreshing drink.For more details, Tel: 0870 243 2525 or visit www.lambsspicedrum.com

Hercules


La Fee

Cubanero

Cerveceria Bucanero S.A. is the producer of world class Cuban beer. The brewery being constructed in the 1980s based in Holguin has gone from strength to strength. Strong and full-fl avoured, Cubanero Fuerte is made from the most natural and freshest ingredients, with superior malt and blended with just a touch of Cubas fi nest sugars. 100% original Cuban beer. Full fl avoured with subtle malt undertones whilst maintaining refreshing sweet notes. Bronze winner of this years International Beer Awards. For more details, Tel: 01322 662377 or visit: www.pierhead.uk.com

Monin has been making authentic, natural syrups at its Bourges headquarters since 1912 and celebrates its centenary this year. Distributed in the UK by Opies, Monin syrups and fruit purees are used in bars, hotels and pubs to create cocktails, shots, non-alcoholic cocktails and speciality coffees. From the must-haves like Grenadine and Sweet and Sour, to the more unusual Macaroon and Violet, Monin is a market leader in fl avourings and has a portfolio of over 100 fl avours in 100 countries worldwide. For more details, Tel:01795 476154 or visit: www.syrupsandstuff.co.uk.

Monin

Canadas oldest, and only remaining major independent brewery has a history that spans over one hundred years back to 1867. Since that time, the strong, resilient and highly creative Olands have been able to keep the tradition alive despite fi res, takeover bids, prohibition, the depression, two world wars and destruction in the 1917 Halifax explosion. Moosehead lager is a 5.0% alcohol by volume golden lager that is light in body and highly refreshing. Offering a fi ne balance between malt sweetness and hop bitterness. For more details, Tel: 01322 662377 or visit: www.pierhead.uk.com

Moosehead

Since 2000 La Fe has pioneered the renaissance of the absinthe category, with La Fe Absinthe Parisienne being the fi rst traditional absinthe distilled in France since the 1915 ban. This premium absinthe boasts unrivalled provenance, authenticity and quality - endorsed by the French Absinthe Museum. Uniquely, each distillation is personally approved by MarieClaude Delahaye - world renowned absinthe expert and historian. La Fe is enjoying growth across her folio: Parisienne now comes with a stainless steel absinthe spoon as standard (with every 70cl bottle) - and the premium-mainstream NV Absinthe Verte is proving very popular when served with Red Bull, for which on-trade support is available to promote this serve.For more details , Tel: 01992 511 445 or visit www.lafeeabsinthe.com


Premium Celtic Ale

Since 1850, Okells has brewed the finest ales in accordance with the Isle of Mans unique brewing purity laws.To find out more about Okells pure brewing visit: www.okells.co.uk

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Host-OkellsSaison190x130.pdf 7/10/11 10:14:54


Increase your ale sales with Ben Newmans favourite ales and breweries. Hop to it.

Pulling Power

1850. It was the best of timeswhile Charles Dickens was busy promoting his newly published book David Copperfield, Dr. William Okell opened his Steam Brewery in the Isle of Man which set a new standard for innovation. It is a standard that Okells Head Brewer, Dr. Mike Cowbourne, continues today, along with another great Manx traditionPurity.This started with the Isle of Man Brewing Purity Law in 1874, forbidding the use of any ingredients other than malt, sugar, hops, yeast and water. Today that standard, combined with Dr Mikes secret recipes, mean that Okells is a byword for Pure Pleasure.For more details, Tel: 01624 699 400 or visit: www.okells.co.uk

Okells

The Governor is an all-malt British beer created by MarcoPierre White and JW Lees Brewery, named after Marcosfamily greyhound that his father rescued. He started hisracing career as Fearless but, having broken track recordsat Halifax, Keighley and Pontefract, was re-named The Governor.He went on to win 28 out of the 32 races that he started onflapping tracks in Northern England. Raise your glass to TheGovernor and in the words of Captain Smith of The TitanicBe British.For more details, Tel: 0161 643 2487 or visit: www.jwlees.co.uk

Green Jack

Based in the harbour town of Porthmadog, Purple Moose Brewery holds a fantastic reputation for high quality flavoursome beers. This is supported by numerous national and international accolades which have been awarded to the whole range of beers, in both cask and bottled versions.Whether your tastes are for light or dark beers, full bodied or delicately flavoured, Purple Moose have something for everyone.For more details, Tel: 01766 515571 or visit: www.purplemoose.co.uk

Purple Moose

With 18 years of brewing history behind them Green Jack put their own contemporary take on traditional styles of English beer as well as experimenting with new ingredients to come up with new award winning beers like their Elderflower beer Summer Dream, Orange Wheat beer and their latest brew using smoked German malt Red Herring.Green Jack use plenty of English hops blended with the best hops from around the world. All their barley is locally grown and malted in Norfolk and Suffolk, which shows in the quality of their beer and

the brewing competitions that they have won. For more details,Tel: 01502562863or visit :www.green-jack.com

JW Lees



Rudgate use the finest malted barley. Pearl being their main base grist , their brews include other malts such as Wheat, Lager, Crystal, Chocolate, Caramalt, Roasted barley and brown malts. Hops are sourced from around the globe., from countries as far afield as England, America, New Zealand, Slovenia and Germany. Originally sourced from The Cannon Brewery Sheffield, the Stones ale yeast works extremely well for all their beers. Rudgates brewers choice range makes up the

other two seasonals which are paler beers using hops rather than malts for flavour and character.For more details; Tel: 01423 358382 or visit: www.rudgatebrewery.co.uk

Rudgate

Purity Brewing Co

T&R Theakston will be starting the New Year with a spring in their step after a very successful 2011. Growing national consumer interest in cask ales from well-established brewers with strong regional provenance and national reach has seen the Masham-based company brewing more beer than it has done for many years.Simon Theakston, Executive Director, says: This is great for the brewery and great for the pub trade. Our decision five years ago to invest in increased production to meet expected demand is paying dividends. We continue to support the British pub trade through increased consumer advertising across the country.tel: 01765 680 000 or www.theakstons.co.uk

T&R Theakston

The Black Sheep Brewery was established in 1992 by Paul Theakston. Black Sheep has always worked hard to consistently produce high quality beer, only using the best raw materials: crystal clear dales water from their own well, Maris Otter malted barley for extra flavour, some wheat to fortify the beers natural head, a little roasted malt for colour and flavour, and generous amounts of whole English hops to make the beer really refreshing. Such a material bill is more expensive than the average, but its well worth the extra.For more details, Tel: 01765 680101 or visit www.blacksheepbrewery.com

The Black Sheep

Pulling Power

Purity Brewing Co crafts its beers with a conscience. Its three premium beers: Pure Gold, Mad Goose and Pure UBU are award-winning and contain only the finest natural ingredients. Located in the heart of Warwickshire, Purity is keen to protect its rural surroundings. It uses a unique wetland system, which attracts a diverse range of wildlife, to naturally filter liquid waste back to the watercourse. Keen to connect with its community, Purity pours its heart and soul into supporting local arts events. It is a champion of beer and food pairing. For more information contact the brewery on 01789 488007.



interview

The UlTimaTe.... ...Pub Landlord?


I

interview

Its so rare to see Al Murray sans his Pub Landlord guise and, at the same time, extremely easy to meld the two together, a fate hes only too aware of. The 43 year-olds posh private school upbringing in Buckinghamshire and Oxbridge is a world away from his legendary xenophobic publi-can persona, but Murray admits the public often fails to separate the two and believe he himself harbours the views of a token BNP enthusiast.

Comic Creation There are some people out there who think the Pub Landlord actually shares the same views and has the same characteristics as me, he tells The Host. Im always staggered when I read or hear of those comparisons. They just dont seem to understand that its a character I created. Honestly, there are those out there who havent grasped the concept of satire, God bless them.The award-winning comedian fi rst created the character in 1994 when Murray was the tour support act for Harry Hill. At that time, he was part of a comedy collective that went by the title of The Pub Band Interna-tional in which he played the drums. After trying out a succession of largely unsuc-cessful characters, Murray created the Pub Landlord one year on the eve of performing at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival. He sub-sequently went down a storm with critics and comedy goers alike.And with classic one-liners such as If we had no rules where would we be? France! And if we had too many rules where would we be? Germany! Murrays character grew quickly. Indeed, the confusion over where Murray ends and the Pub Landlord begins stands testament to the quality of his performance as the staunch right-wing republican who is so believable that he must have based him on a real encounter.The Pub Landlord isnt based on anyone, he confesses. I suppose there is the per-sona of the landlord being a brash no-non-sense type, with his ear to the ground and a wide appreciation of societys more pungent issues. And actually, thats true. Thats also a very British thing, and something that we

should be immensely proud of.You wouldnt wander into a bar in Paris and fi nd the barman switching conversa-tion pieces between dockland regeneration and arable farming methods. Like nowhere else on the planet, British pubs represent an absolute cross-section of society, so it follows that landlords are utterly unique in their personas.Of course, that provokes nationalistic opin-ion, and the Pub Landlord is an extreme of that, because hes your clichd right-wing British nationalist, and much of his charac-ter is constructed of his love for Britain and dislike of anywhere overseas. Weve all come across a character like that at one point or another.

Sad DemiseWith the traditional pub under increasing threat as a result of tighter profi t margins and societys call to stamp out a supposed binge-drinking culture, Murray admits hes sad to witness the demise of the local inn.It is a real shame to see so many public houses closing. I have done some work with CAMRA and they told me something like six pubs are closing every day in the UK. Thats not only very sad, but incredibly shocking six every day!He adds: Theres no doubt that pubs get a rough ride from the government as far as the taxation on alcohol goes. The obvious aim is to cut out the type of booze-fuelled scenes we get in British cities up and down the country every weekend, but equally it must be remembered there are many more people who just enjoy a pint or two, plus

those who go to the pub to do something other than drink.Considering his own livelihood is inter-twined with the fate of the local pub, Mur-ray acknowledges the power of the average punter and why each and every one of us can make a difference.Id like to see people taking action at grass roots level, he says, and going along to support their pub by popping in one evening, pulling up a stool and enjoying a few drinks. Its the best and most effective way you can show your support and not the most diffi cult thing in the world to do. We need to do something.

The LocalThough surely for a man whose career is based on being a pint-pulling pillar of the community, one would assume the local pub is the last place where hed want to indulge his free time? Aghast by the notion however, Murray admits much of his inspi-ration for the popular character comes from his frequent trips to his favourite local.I feel an affi nity with pubs having written the character, and because I have a love for pubs in general. The public house, accord-ing to the Pub Landlord, is the parliament where all people can stand together. Princes can stand with paupers, dustmen can drink with astronauts and all are equal. And all are going to have to drink white wine. And Id share that view too, apart from the bit about the white wine.So where is Murrays own local parlia-ment, as it were? The Globe on Chiswick High Road is my favourite pub. Its a chilled out place and a good base to meet up with fellow comedians. That said, there are quite a few pubs in the area that I love to spend time in. Many act as real hubs for writ-ers and comedians you can get a lot of inspiration from loosening up in a boozer! We get together, talk rubbish, and one way or another seem to come up with some material for our shows!

Why comedian and author Al Murray is happy to let someone else do the serving

in his native west London pub.

British landlords are utterly unique in their personas


To the passionate whisky enthusiast the words I dont like whisky have about as much meaning as the words I dont like food.Actually, you do, you just dont know it. Of course you do, because there are so many different stylers and tastes of whisky it would be impossible to dislike them all. Its just you havent tasted the ones youll like. Almost certainly you have been put off by a negative experience in the past, such as downing a cheap blend as a teenager after a few pints and being violently sick.The challenge for the pub licensee, then, is to find the whisky that the customer will like. And how can you do that when many of your customers will already have made up their minds about whisky and how little they like it?One of the best ways is to tie whisky drinking in with a fun and/or themed event. and what better way to do that than rugby? The Six Nations competition starting soon is the perfect excuse for stirring up there passion and pouring a dram or two. The tournament, held over several weekends and played on both Saturday and Sunday, brings together two of the great whisky nations in Scotland and Ireland. But did you know that France, Wales and England all produce whisky now, and with a bit of cheating, Italy does too. And between them these countries cover a whole range of different whisky flavours.Andrew Nelstrop, managing director of the English Whisky Company, which owns the St Georges Distillery in Norfolk, says that rugby and whisky are made for each other.The Six Nations is played in the depths of winter when a nice drop of whisky is the perfect tipple, he says. The whisky hip flask has long been a staple of hardy rugby fans braving the elements to watch their favourite teams. Why not make it part of watching the game in the pub too?

Once youve involved your customers and they have experienced the diversity of tastes, you may even be able to expand the tasting idea in time for the Olympics. But lets not get ahead of ourselves!

Stage a whisky-themed rugby eventStaging a whisky themed rugby event is very easy. Why not charge your customers 10 to take part? Before the game participants receive two glasses of whisky representing the two nations taking part in the game. Ask them to choose a team to support. If its likely theyll all choose the same team, make them draw one of the teams from a pot, so that each team has an equal number of followers. Those following the team winning at half time receive a measure of either of the two whisies. And at the end followers of both teams get a whisky to celebrate or commiserate, with the followers of the winning team getting first choice.Overall it means that some customers will have four whiskies and some three. With 28 measures in a bottle, thats a return of 70 and 93.25 respectively - a healthy profit in both cases on a 30-35 bottle of whisky.Why not offer a themed lunch before the game, tied in to the ticket price? You could offer Welsh Rarebit, French toast or crepes (thin pancakes), Irish Stew, Italian pasta, Haggis, neeps and tatties, and fish and chips or steak and chips.

The whiskies So what can you offer whisky-wise? Clearly its more difficult to offer whisky from France or Italy, but you can cheat

One of the toughest challenges facing pub licensees when it comes to whisky is getting customers to even try it. But, argues Dominic

Roskrow, the Rugby Union Six Nations competition can help

NatioNs


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SCOTLAND

There are hundreds of malt whiskies in Scotland but rugby union is most played in the border regions. In whisky terms that means serving a Lowlands whisky, which by happy coincidence tend to be the easiest Scotch single malts to drink. The Lowland style may be described as light and fl oral. You can pick between three options.

BruichladdichAnd for an island whisky option, why not look to the island of Islay, where all the great peated whiskies come from? But Islay isnt just about peated smoky whiskies, and a distillery such as Bruichladdich offers the best of both worlds, with zesty, sherberty and fruity malts as well as big, earthy Highland and intense peaty ones.

Auchentoshan Pronounced Ok-en-tosh-en, Auchentoshan is a distillery by the Erskine Bridge on the outskirts of Glasgow and it is the only distillery in Scotland which triple distils all its malt. This makes for smoother, lighter whisky and once it has matured for 12 years it takes on a mellow, pleasantly fruity malt which can be served as an aperitif. Its made by Morrison Bowmore so its pretty easy to fi nd.

Glenkinchie Glenkinchie is owned by drinks giant Diageo and is the closest distillery to Edinburgh. Its another easy oner to fi nd because its one of the original whiskies in the Classic Malts range. It has a slightly gingery, spicy taste and is again quite light in style.

BladnochPronounced Blad-knock, Bladnoch is sited in Wigtown, home of the world famous book festival over towards Scotlands west coast. Across the water is Ireland, and in many ways Bladnoch, owned by Irishman Raymond Armstrong, is the missing link between Scottish whisky and Irish whiskey. It is a very apple-y whisky and some the distillerys output has a light peaty/smoky note to it.

IRELAND

Ireland has four companies producing whiskey so weve selected one whiskey from each of them. Irish whiskey is typically triple distilled making for a light, sweet and very fruity whiskey which many people fi nd easier to drink than Scotch.

JamesonThe biggest selling whiskey in the world is relatively inexpensive and tells you all you need to know about blended Irish whiskey. Its made by Irish Distillers who also make Redbreast, which is an altogether more challenging whiskey made in a style unique to Ireland, called Pot Still. Many rate Redbreast as one of the worlds best whiskeys so if youre feeling daring

BushmillsBushmills is now owned by Diageo and is unusual because although it used to be part of the Southern-based Irish Distillers, its in Northern Ireland. The distillery also stands apart because it makes single malt whiskey as well as blends such as Blackbush.

GreenoreGreenore is a sweet grain whiskey and is made at eight, 15 and 18 years old. It is harder to fi nd than the other choices here because it

comes from the small independent distillery Cooley. But grain whiskey is a distinct and vanilla-rich whiskey which will surprise people who consider whisky is harsh and fi rey.

Tullamore DewOne to watch in 2012. Tullamore Dew is now owned by Scottish whisky company William Grant & Sons, and is being repackaged in 2012 and given a major marketing push. Its another easy to drink fruity sweet and smooth whiskey not unlike Jameson and may offer a more interesting alternative to your standard Irish offering.

WALES

Wales only has one distillery so the choice here is easy. Penderyn is a unique whisky and doesnt conform to the production methods or tastes of Scotch at all. The whiskey is made on a special still and the whisky is matured in three different types of cask - Madeira, bourbon and casks which previously contained non-peated Scottish single malt. The resulting whisky is

light, sweet, and almost liqueur-like and distinctive. If ever a whisky was going to appeal to a non whisky drinker, this is it.

ENGLAND

There are four places making whisky in England but only two are bottling it and one of those has pretty much sold out. So that leaves St Georges in Norfolk. The distillery uses a strange policy of naming its whiskies by Chapter number. The standard offering is Chapter Six, theres a peaked version known as Chapter Nine, and a heavily peated version called Chapter 11, which comes in two forms - a cask strength

one and one with a strength of 46% ABV.

FRANCE

France makes good whisky in Brittany, where there are three distilleries, Glann ar Mor, Eddu, and Distilerie Warenghem. Obviously its not easy to get hold of French whisky so you can cheat and get a whisky owned by French giants Pernod Ricard.Its distilleries include Glenlivet, Aberlour,

Strasthisla, Longmorn, and Scapa, and its blends include Chivas Regal, Ballantines and Royal Salute. But in keeping with the idea of offering a range of taste fl avours from your whisky, try and get Glenlivet 15 year old, which is spicy, Glenlivet 16 year old Nadurra, which is packed with vanilla ice cream notes, or Aberlour ABunadh (-A-boon-er) which is a big red berry and orange cask strength monster.

ITALY

We have to cheat again because they dont make whisky in Italy. So unless youre offering grappa, youre going to have to go for a distillery owned by the Italians. And there is one! Glen Grant in Speyside is an easy drinking fruity sweet Speyside whisky owned by Campari.

So youre good to go - Turn the telly on, get the whisky fl owing, and may the best team win. As long as it isnt England.


All square at the eighteenth tee

.

My adversarys question:

May he wed my daughter?

Ian Walker

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GlenrothesSince 1879 The Glenrothes has had a reputation among master blenders as a top class malt, distinguished by its complexity, balance and above all its flavour. Select Reserve was created to be the House Style of The Glenrothes; instantly recognisable from its distinctive bottle, it is laden with ripe fruits, citrus, vanilla and hints of spice. The key to appreciating The Glenrothes is to have an understanding of the difference between age, a number, and maturity, which is about the development of ripeness. It has, according to Jim Murray in his Whisky Bible, one of the softest deliveries on Speyside. For more details, Tel: 01786 430 500

CooleyLocated in the scenic backdrop of the Cooley Mountains in Co. Louth, Cooley Distillery is Irelands only independent Irish whiskey distillery. With a clear vision to revive many of the historical brands and a focus on restoring the ancient distilling techniques of Irish whiskey, Cooley has developed a portfolio of award winning whiskeys which have won over 135 Gold Medals during the last 10 years. Cooley Distillery has been honoured as the IWSC European Distiller of the year for four years running. Their complementary portfolio of whiskey brands allows you to enjoy the full spectrum of tastes available from Irish whiskey.For more details, Tel: 01833 2833

PenderynPenderyn is an award winning Single Malt Welsh Whisky which is unique, smooth & light in character. Penderyn has received a number of International Award & has recently won the European Cask of the year in Jim Murrays Whisky Bible. Our flagship brand the Madeira finish expression has a classic freshness, with aromas of toffee, vanilla & raisins. The distillery produces one cask a day, which makes Penderyn as precious as Welsh Gold. The Faraday single copper pot still is unique, efficient & removes certain impurities to allow us to produce the smoothest Wysgi on earth.

WemyssBoutique Scotch whisky company Wemyss Malts is an independent bottler based in Edinburgh. The Wemyss range has names inspired by each whiskys natural flavours and aromas so that the consumer can easily understand the style of whisky being purchased. In its award-winning blended malts range, Peat Chimney is named after its smokiness and The Hive is named after the honeyed sweetness found on the palate. Similarly, the single malt single cask bottling range from across the Speyside, Highlands and Islay regions reflect the depth and variety of styles that Scotlands distilleries have to offer, from Lemon Grove to Honey Spice. For more details, Tel: 0131 226 3445

BruichladdichThe barley for Bruichladdichs bottling was grown organically on three seperate Scottish terroirs. After harvesting and being distilled separately, the three spirits were matured apart for several years in American oak casks. Then, as with the Grand Vin of Bordeaux, they were skilfully assembled together prior to bottling to produce the ultimate in complexity and purity.Naturally bottled on Islay at 46%, non chill-filtered and caramel-free,this is a new single malt concept producing a very specific character: extraordinary definition, amazing intensity and sensual purity of flavour, with a persistence that lasts for ages. For more details, Tel: 01496 850 190

ahoyBen Newmans favourite whiskies

Ben NevisIt was about 12 years ago that Ben Nevis distillery introduced their 10 years old single malt to the consumer.This whisky is bottled, non chill-filtered, at 46% abv. allowing the full flavour of this full-bodied whisky to be appreciated. With flavours of oak, dried fruits, christmas cake, chocolate, spices and the subtlest peaty note this is a whisky to be savoured. For more details; Tel: 01397 702 476


JACK CHARLTON

ENGLAND

BOBBY MOORE

ENGLAND

VINNY SAMWAYS

ENGLAND

LEE CHAPMAN

ENGLAND

GARY LINEKER

ENGLAND

ROBERTO DI MATTEO

ITALY

BOBBY MOOREBobby Moore is an icon in this country. A man who personi ed the 1960s and it regarded as the best captains of England and one of the worlds nest players.But Bobby, along with many of his 1960s contemporaries, liked to go to the pub. He even made an advert about local pubs with Martin Peters called look in at your local. Its a hidden gem on You Tube that is worth looking at for!Bobby took his love of the local a step further when he bought several pubs in East London. One he called Morros and another was called the Salmon and Compass. Both were on his old stamping ground of the East End of London. Its an uncon rmed rumour that a notorious lap dancing club has now made over one of these pubs!

JACK CHARLTONMaybe its something about being a 1966 World Cup winner, but Bobbys Moores partner in central defence, Jack Charlton, has also dipped his toe into the pub business.Jack, along with his son, John refurbished the Buccaneer pub in Cambois near Blyth and named it Charltons. Its been a huge hit with the locals and is also especially popular for weddings. But one of its most unusual requests was when the ex-singer of the band Lindisfarne used the function room to record a new album!

GARY LINEKERA trip to any one of the leading night life resorts around the Mediteranean and you will no doubt nd a Linekers Bar. Set up by Gary Linekers brother Wayne in 1988, Linekers Bar can be found in around 15 locations. The venues are famous for having a classic blend of sports and a party atmosphere. Gary himself is known to make the odd appearance from time tot time!

VINNY SAMWAYSVinny Samways was a Spurs player who had a delicate touch and ne range of passing. The problem was that he played for the club at time when its mid eld was dominated by one Paul Gascoigne.He left Spurs to go to Everton and eventually ended up playing for various Spanish clubs including Las Palmas, Seville and Algeciras, He also earned a reputation as fearless tackler with an unenviable red card record. Since retiring he has set up Samways Bar in Puerto Banus not far from Linekers Bar!

LEE CHAPMANLee Chapman was a big, strapping centre forward who played for Leeds United when they won the league championship and other clubs including Arsenal and Lyon. Married to actress Leslie Ash he was always tempted by the celebrity lifestyle and a love for good food and drink. He owned the celebrity hang out Teatro in the heart of Londons Soho 1990s but crippling rents and ckle nger of fashion meant it was time to move on. Lee is now concentrating his efforts of his trendy Clapham bar So:uk.

ROBERTO DI MATTEORoberto Di Matteo was one of the most cultured footballers that joined the Premier League during the late 1990s. His family had all had a passion for cooking. It was an important part of Italian life. When he joined Chelsea he was single and a mutual friend suggested creating somewhere where they hang out with friends and drink what they wanted. Today Roberto has Baraonda and Friends both popular with food lovers and with footballers.


Footballers have been associated with pubs for many years. Most players liked a drink or two, but some of them have taken that love of the pub a step further by becoming a landlord themselves. Richard Berndes looks at some of the stars of the pitch who could pull in the crowds and then went on to pull a pint

Pulling The

SIR ALEX FERGUSON

SCOTLAND

ARSENE WENGER

FRANCE

FRANK LAMPARD

ENGLAND

Pulling In The Crowds

From

To

Pints

SIR ALEX FERGUSON In 1978 as his playing career was coming to an end Alex Ferguson bought a pub in Govan near Glasgows docklands. He had already tried football management, with brief spells at East Stirling and St Mirren, but a combination of run-ins with directors and rows over fees had left him seeking solace in one of Glasgows biggest cultural phenomenons: pubs. He renamed the bar Fergies; the downstairs lounge he christened Elbow Room in honour of his own habit of unsettling defenders with ailing limbs. The place was rundown but Ferguson, who was born into a working-class family in Govan, knew all about the city and its working men, and set about his business with vigour, organising cribbage nights, darts and dominoes. Takings picked up. But the clientele did not change much. Fights were common; police had to be called when a man with a shotgun threatened the staff.

ARSENE WENGERWhile the Arsenal manager has never owned a pub himself he does claim that growing up in one made him the football man that he is today. The Arsenal managers parents owned a bistro called La Croix dOr in the French village of Duttlenheim, and the young Wenger spent hours in the company of the football-loving customers.There is no better psychological education than growing up in a pub because when you are ve or six years old you meet all different people and hear how cruel they can be to each other. he is quoted as sayingFrom an early age, you get a practical psychological education into the minds of people. I even learned about tactics from the people talking about football in the pub... who plays on the left wing and who should be in the team.

FRANK LAMPARDFrank Lampard has recently scored on the pub front when along with his namesake father bought the Pigs ear pub in Chelsea. Located between the Kings Road and Fulham Road is has a ne reputation as a pub and gartropub and is handy for Chelseas home games. A source said: The Chelsea lads will love it and the rst rounds on Frank. Prince William and girlfriend Kate Middleton, both 26, often pop in for a meal at their favourite corner table. The source added: Whether Wills will be so keen if it becomes a haunt of soccer stars remains to be seen. The Chelsea lads will want big-screen football on. Lamps, who earns 150,000 a week, and his dad, now employed by Watford FC, are said to see the pub as a property investment.


The MidlandsM6TheMenM

MiddleMy choice of the Midlands may come as a surprise for those who think of Yorkshire as the place where the best real ales are brewed (and as a Yorkshireman I do of course think that) and if you were to do a survey of beer drinkers today, they would probably argue that Cornwall now gives it a good run for its money. But the Midlands is where youll find the town that is still, to those in the know, the home of British brewing. Today, Burton-on-Trent still finds itself at the absolute heart of British brewing (approximately 15% of all beer in the UK is still brewed here) even if its global fame as a brewing no longer resonates. Its home to MolsonCoors and their flagship brand Carling, the UKs biggest beer brand. But Burton is home to so much more too. And beyond Burton, there are noteworthy brewers wherever you look, providing an intriguing variety of beers that mixes in old favourites with compelling new arrivals.

Gone for a BurtonStarting in Burton itself then, MolsonCoors may not be the first name that springs to the lips of anyone who appreciates beer that tastes of something, but increasingly theres a case that it should be. When Coors bought Bass in 2000 they had to sell on the

Bass brand itself, but kept Worthingtons, then known as a smoothflow standard bitter, and a fond memory as an almost extinct bottle conditioned beer. Over the last decade that beer, Worthington White Shield (5.6% ABV), has been carefully revived and nurtured, largely below MolsonCoors corporate radar. But when the ancient (and tiny) White Shield brewery could no longer cope with demand, the giant lager brewer broke ranks with its contemporaries and invested over 1 million in a new state-of-the-art ale brewery and jumped back into cask ale in a serious way. White Shield is gaining ever-increasing distribution and is worth stocking and promoting in pubs as the perfect example of the delights of a living, evolving, bottle conditioned ale. Its also increasingly available on draught, along with Red Shield (4.2% ABV) a light, golden ale that uses American hops judiciously for a nice balance of flavour and refreshment. Seasonal and limited edition beers, all under variations of the Shield name, are also now being brewed.The other great surviving Burton brewer is Marstons. Based in both Burton and Wolverhampton following a 1999 merger with Wolverhampton & Dudley, Marstons broader portfolio showcase two distinct styles that once defined this region:


The MidlandsM6

one in the east Midlands, one in the west.Its less pronounced now than it was, says Marstons Director of Brewing, Richard Westwood, but the west Midlands was once defined by heavy industry, and there was huge demand for beer that was light and refreshing and could be drunk in significant quantities. Mild malty and slightly sweet used to dominate the area.Bankss Mild (3.5% ABV) and Bankss Bitter (3.8% ABV), now part of the Marstons portfolio, are almost the last survivors of this style and have found new life as interest in traditional beer styles revives among new generations. Over to the east, Marstons Pedigree (4.5% ABV), Burton Bitter (3.8 % ABV) and Old Empire (5.7% ABV) represent the east Midlands tradition out of Burton and these beers are almost at the other end of the scale. Burton water is high in gypsum, says Westwood, and that means the beers it produces are light, sparkling, quite dry, not nearly as sweet as the west Midlands style.Such was Burtons dominance during the last golden age of British brewing (you could argue were entering another one now) that brewers from as far afield as London used to have to come and open breweries in the town to get at that perfect brewing water.

A more local brewer who followed suit was Everards, founded in Leicester in 1849, and still run by the direct descendants of the founder, William Everard. The brewery moved to Burton in 1892, but thanks to advances in technology was able to go back home in 1979, where the famous water could now be reproduced. Everards is now the beating heart of Leicester, as famous within the city as any national beer brand. Tiger (4.2% ABV) is the flagship, a decent, deep-golden session bitter. Beacon is lighter and drier at 3.8% ABV, while Original (5.2% ABV) is what its many fans refer to as a proper drinkers drink. Pubs within the Everards estate fight fiercely for the reputation as the one that keeps it the best. The other pillar of the core range is Sunchaser (4% ABV), an ale brewed with a heavy lager influence that is sold colder than standard real ales in many Everards pubs, and plays a great role pulling in novice drinkers to ale.Further south in an area that may or may not be in the Midlands depending on your point of view, but is for the purposes of this feature we find Hook Norton in Oxfordshire. This is one of those rare breweries: about as dyed-in-the-wool traditional as you can get, its beers still gain huge respect from the new wave of hop-hungry beer

Middle

If you were to pick one region in the UK as the most important place for traditional British beers, Pete Brown suggests it would have to be the Midlands.


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geeks who can more normally be found rhapsodising over hip new micros. Hooky Bitter (3.6% ABV) is mothers milk to the locals, but the stronger Old Hooky (4.6% ABV) combines balance with assertiveness and is one of those rare beers that seems to receive unanimous acclaim. With a comprehensive and thoughtful range of seasonals and special beers, plus the golden, zesty Hooky Gold (4.1% ABV) and the intriguing Hooky Dark (3.2% ABV) in their core offering, Hook Norton has a formidably complete range.

Pillars of traditionWorthington, Martsons and Everards are the pillars of traditional Midlands ale brewing, all with histories dating back to the nineteenth century, but all doing genuinely interesting things today, combining that tradition with a forward-thinking outlook.But when you look around, you realise they have to do that theyre surrounded by a wealth of smaller, newer breweries who make the local scene one of the most vibrant in the country.Old by microbrew standards if not in comparison to the brewers above, Castle Rock was founded in 1977 by former CAMRA chairman Chris Holmes, and has since made itself Nottinghams favourite brewer. Harvest Pale (3.8%ABV) was Champion Beer of Britain in 2010, deservedly so if you ask any fan of fine blond ales. As newer, smaller micros go hop-crazy, this beer again shows that American hops used carefully can give a satisfying, zingy fruit profile to a beer that remains balanced and refreshing. When it comes to awards though, Castle Rock is faces new competition on its doorstep in the form of Blue Monkey, founded late in 2008. Boasting traditional beers with a modern twist, their BG Sips pale ale (4% ABV) and Guerrilla stout (4.9% ABV) are already filling the trophy shelves. And surely we need a new best monkey themed beer name award just so we can give 99 Red Baboons (4.2% ABV) the recognition it deserves. After all this ale, we should also point out that the Midlands is home to one of Britains most respected lager brewers. Freedom in Staffordshire brews continental-style lager with as much care, attention and flair as any ale brewer. The range includes a traditional Pilsner (5% ABV), Organic (4.8% ABV) and Organic Dark Lager (4.8% ABV). These beers are a challenge to both the ale traditionalist who thinks lager always equals poor beer, and to any landlord who believes you have to stick to bland, super-chilled mainstream lagers in order to shift volume.

Ales wellThere are so many great, award-winning beers in the Midlands, there really isnt space to do justice to them all. But it would be a travesty to write this without mentioning Purity in Warwickshire, whose whole range of classy, hoppy ales is excellent (my favourite being the 4.5% ABV Pure UBU) and Titanic up in Stoke, within whose broad and balanced range the stout (4.5% ABV) and Mild (3.5% ABV) are particular favourites.There are also small newcomers such as Wellbeck, latest venture from beer legend Dave Wickett of Sheffields Kelham Island Brewery, and Ripleys Amber Ales, whose range of strong, hoppy IPAs is excellent. Both will be turning heads within the very near future.In doing so, theyll be following one of the UKs most exciting brewery launches of the last decade. Thornbridge in Bakewell, Derbyshire, plays the Beatles to Scottish Bad Boys Brew Dog, who could be seen as beers answer to the Rolling Stones.

Brew Dogs head brewer, Martin Dickie, started at Thornbridge before heading home to stir up controversy in the beer world with creations that are sometimes over the top, occasionally silly, often brilliant, but never the same old same old.Back in Derbyshire, from a common root, Thornbridge have followed a path thats just as challenging to the mainstream (their slogan is Never Ordinary) but with beers that are more elegant and approachable than brash and in your face. Youve probably heard of Jaipur (5.9% ABV), which has won more awards since the brewery was founded in 2005 than any other beer. It is quite simply both a modern classic, and a perfect argument for the two thirds of a pint measure.But Jaipurs success sometimes eclipses other beers that are just as worthy of attention. Kipling (5.2% ABV) comes alive with the flavour of zingy New Zealand hops, while Wild Swan at 3.5% ABV shows the brewery is not just about muscle. The last year has seen Kipling and Jaipur appearing on bars in quality keg formats as well as cask, creating an interesting comparison in styles and challenging the orthodox view that cask is always best and keg must, by necessity, be inferior.When it comes to beer, the Midlands really does have something for everyone: unimpeachable brewing tradition and heritage, the boldest of experimental innovation, and every point between. With interest in old styles re-emerging, and brand news ones being created, theres never been a better time to check it out.

Worthingtons, Tel: 01283 511000 www.molsoncoors.co.uk

Marstons, Tel: 01902 711811 www.marstons.co.uk

Banks, Tel: 01902 711811 www.banksbeer.co.uk

Everards, Tel: 0116 2014100 www.everards.co.uk

Castle Rock, Tel: 0115 985 1615 www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk

Blue Monkey, Tel: 0800 028 0329 www.bluemonkeybrewery.com

Freedom, Tel: 01283 840721 www.freedombeer.com

Purity, Tel: 01789 488 007 www.puritybrewing.com

Welbeck, Tel: 01909 512 539 www.welbeckabbeybrewery.co.uk

Kelham Island, Tel: 01142 494 804 www.kelhambrewery.co.ukRipleys, Tel: 01773 512 864

www.amberales.co.uk

Thornbridge, Tel: 01629 641 000 www.thornbridgebrewery.co.uk

Hook Norton, Tel: 01608 737210 www.hooknortonbrewery.co.uk

CONTACTS:


Hook Norton is a local brewer, which has an international reputation for the quality of its handcrafted draught and bottled beers there is one for every occasion.

Its award winning beers, which include the acclaimed Old Hooky and the thirst quenching Hooky Bitter, are all designed to appeal a broad range of drinkers.

The brewery offers a core range of 5 draught beers; Old Hooky, Hooky Bitter, Hooky Gold, Hooky dark and Hooky Stout.

Great real ales at your local!

Visit www.hooky.co.uk | 01608 737210

Four common ingredients. One very rare.

Speak to Pete and find out what

lengths we go to.

CAMRA Champion Specialty Beer of BritainTriple-medal winner 2009, 2010, 2011.

T: 01773 512864 www.amberales.co.uk

Water.Malt.Hops.Yeast.

And one perfectionist.

www.chilternbrewery.co.ukT. 01296 613647 E. [email protected]


Hook NortonHook Nortons range of award winning beers includes the acclaimed Old Hooky and the thirst quenching Hooky Bitter, are all designed to appeal a broad range of drinkers. The look is modern and smart while retaining provenance and heritage.The brewery offers a core range of fi ve draught beers, Old Hooky, Hooky Bitter, Hooky Gold, Hooky Dark and Hooky Stout this is supported by a fi ve seasonals - First Light, Haymaker, Flagship, Summer Haze and Twelve Days there is something for everyone.For more details, Tel: 01608 737210 or visit: www.hooky.co.uk

Amber AlesAmber Ales is a small micro-brewery putting Derbyshires Amber Valley on the map both locally and nationally with a wide range of award winning beers. Based in the historic village of Pentrich, near Ripley, the brewery was established fi ve years ago by Peter & Jayn Hounsell to create classic style real ales with a modern twist. Their most lauded beer Chocolate Orange is certainly that, a dark stout created from a unique blend of fi ve malts, imbued with vanilla and orange and aged in the cask for three months. Chocolate Orange has been placed in the prestigious CAMRA Champion Speciality Beer of Britain every year since 2009.For more details, Tel:01773 512864 or visit: www.amberales.co.uk

Welbeck AbbeyWelbeck Abbey is a traditional, wood-clad brewery, housed in a converted barn on the Welbeck country estate in North Nottinghamshire. Its part of a larger network of artisan food producers at Welbeck. Their Brewster,Claire, was taught to brew at Kelham Island Brewery, and now hand crafts 6,000 pints a week which are distributed to pubs between Sheffi eld, Lincoln and Nottingham.Welbecks core range of beers are Henrietta , a 3.6%ABV golden bitter; Ernest George, a 4.2% ruby ale , and Portland Black a 4.5% black beer. They also brew a special beer each month which is available both in cask and bottles. For more details,Tel: 01909 512539 or visit: www.welbeckabbeybrewery.blogspot.com

Chiltern BreweryThe Chiltern Brewery produce fi ne English ales of pure, wholesome quality. Nestled at the foot of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, they are a family business with over 30 years of brewing heritage and are one of the oldest independent craft breweries in the country. Chiltern use 100% British, natural ingredients to produce a superb range of award winning draught and bottled beers. With traditional methods at the heart of their business they are also renowned innovators and specialize in a wide range of permanent, seasonal and limited edition ales.For more details, Tel: 01296 613647 or visit: www.chilternbrewery.co.uk

Stock up on these marvels from the kingdom of Mercia

CENTRAL Certainties


The HIGH SPIRITof JALISCO

THE INTERNATIONAL MULTI-AWARD WINNING CHAMPION

www.sierratequila.com www.thedrinkscompany.co.uk

ANZ_SIERRA_210x148_V2.indd 1 30.05.11 09:35

Le Fruit de Monin is a range of high quality fruit purees for use in cocktails. The premium products can be used as ingredients to save mixologists time without stifling their creativity. The purees are available in eight different flavours strawberry, raspberry, red berries, peach, mango, passion fruit, banana and coconut allowing bartenders to create cocktails quickly and efficiently.

Imported into the UK by Opies. Contact [email protected] or 01795 476154. Available from www.syrupsandstuff.co.uk.


Sierra ReposadoTrophy winning Sierra Reposado Tequila is renowned for its superior taste and quality. Rested for a minimum of three months in oak barrels, this warm, golden Tequila is noted for its full and mellow taste with hints of fruity agave and spicy caramel sweetness. Excellent on its own or as a base for a whole range of cocktails. Sierra Reposado Tequila has consistently won gold medals in national and international competitions, yet remains an affordable and eye-catching addition to the back bar with its striking gold sombrero cap. Available in a range of sizes from 4cl to 1 litre.For more details, Tel: 01403 273807

Olmeca AltosOlmeca Altos is a super-premium 100% Agave Tequila, born out of a unique partnership between world-renowned UK bartenders Henry Besant and Dre Masso, alongside Olmecas own Master Distiller Jess Hernndez. Produced in the Los Altos region of Jalisco Mexico, this authentic Tequila is double distilled in traditional copper pot stills and aged in small American oak barrels. The Olmeca Altos range comprises, Olmeca Altos Plata (un-aged) and Olmeca Altos Reposado (aged for up to 8 months). For more details,Tel: 0800 376 5550

Maestro DobelA handcrafted blend of Reposado, Anejo and Extra-Anejo tequilas, Maestro Dobel is the creation of Juan-Domingo Dobel Beckmann, the sixth generation director of the worlds most prominent tequila producing family.The huge popularity of silver tequilas in the US inspired Beckmann to create a clear tequila from carefully selected aged tequilas which did not compromise on quality or fl avour. The result is unique, luxurious clear tequila with the complexity of an aged cognac and the crispness of luxury vodkas.For more details, Tel: 07415384926

CazadoresThe highland deer on every bottle of Cazadores symbolizes its origins in the Los Altos highlands of Mexico. Cazadores is an exceptionally smooth tequila created using only 100% highland agave giving it a rich, fruity, naturally sweet taste. Available as Cazadores Blanco, Cazadores Reposado (aged for over two months) and Cazadores Aejo (aged for over 12 months). For more details; Tel: 01962 762100

El JimadorNamed after the proud men that harvest the fi nest agave plants, El Jimador Tequila was introduced in 1994 as an100% agave tequila. Since 2000, El Jimador is Mexicos number one selling tequila and is produced by one of the oldest and most respected producers of tequila since 1870 Tequila Herradura.The sophisticated process used, of cooking the agave in clay ovens and fermenting naturally with wild yeast, delivers a rich, smooth and unexpected taste.For more details, Tel: 0208 551 4966

There are currently plenty of tequilas on the market. But which ones are the best to stock?Ben Newman chooses his favourites


t

EPoS has brought huge benefits for pubs and bars, but,says Phil Mellows what if it breaks down? A new

early-warning system, being launched in February, aims to make sure operators can keep the tills ringing

Mission

t

Epos siblE

Tills have come a long way from a simple drawer under the bar and the finger-chopping mechanical cash registers that Ronnie Barker battled with on Open All Hours, to the first electronic machines developed by NCR in the 1980s and todays all-singing, all-dancing electronic point of sale systems.EPoS is, indeed, much more than a till, and for most operators it performs a series of vital functions, linking the money taken over the bar and at table to a back office computer that manages accounts, cashflow, stock control and staffing. Modern publicans have, at their fingertips, greater controls over their businesses than ever before just at the time when those controls are ever-more important to survival and success.

THE RIGHT SYSTEMChoosing the right system is the trick. After all, for the independent pub trade EPoS represents a substantial investment. And you certainly dont want to be seduced by fancy software gimmickry at the expense of the kind of hardware thats going to do a reliable job for you.Pubs and bars are hostile environments for computer equipment. Just think of the bashing that tills endure on a busy weekend night. Just think of all that liquid splashing about, just waiting for gravity to take its course.So EPoS for pubs requires particularly robust, specialist kit. Failure is not an option. If your tills break down service can grind to a halt. Customers are disappointed and so is your accountant.


Insurance for Licensed Trades Our new specialist insurance for pubs and clubs includes a number of updated risk assessment tools. These are designed to help you reduce the risk of a claim, and avoid yearly premium increases.

To make the most of these tools, our experienced Client Managers are on hand to ensure you get the policy that best suits your needs.

Speak to one of our Client Managers today0845 564 3245licensedtrades.aon.co.uk

Opening hours Monday Friday, 9am 5pm. Maximum call charge from a BT landline is 3p per minute. Calls from other networks may vary. Calls may be recorded. Aon Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in respect of insurance mediation activities. Aon Limited Registered Office, 8 Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4PL. Registered No. 210725. FP6849.10.2011

No half measures.Aon Risk Solutions

25266_Aon_Licensed_Ad_thePublicans_300x230_AW.indd 1 21/11/11 10:21:11


Yet according to Richard Heitmann, UK sales director for EPoS hardware manufacturer J2 Retail Systems, across the industry as many as 6% of machines fail in a year at an average cost of 350 a day in lost business, not to mention all the problems involved in the loss of sales data.Its a figure that J2 has dedicated itself to improving, and with some success. Heitmann claims that the failure rate if a J2 terminal is a mere 0.7%.We have the best rate in the world, he says. Were very careful how we build our machines. But although they are very reliable we still want to go further and lower the cost of ownership for operators.In recent years design improvements have included a true flat screen which resists the build-up of spilt liquids, and a steady-state drive with no moving parts, and therefore less to go wrong.As well as finding hardware that supports the software they need, having reliable machines is now the most important factor for pub and bar operators, and all these things are very high on peoples attention, says J2 business manager Paul Hudson. Its not just the cost of equipment that counts, its the total cost of ownership, including the reliability and serviceability of the machines.

REMOTE MONITORINGNow the company is about to launch the next innovation in till reliability remote monitoring. In effect this will mean that J2 will know when one of its machines is about to break down and take action to keep it functioning or replace it before the pub business suffers any downtime.How does it work? Briefly, the system, which has come through extensive trials, monitors the performance of the till across various measures, and if it varies from certain parameters by more than 10% an alert is automatically emailed to J2s helpdesk, showing up as a red cross on a control dashboard. When that appears the machine rebooted, and if the problem persists an engineer will be sent out.Actually, the steady-state drive means there are very few things that can go wrong, says Richard Heitmann. Our machines rarely fail or corrupt. So mostly the problem comes from outside and is usually power-related, causing the mother-board to fail.Now remote monitoring will tell us before that kind of failure occurs and we can pre-empt it. We believe its a world first!

A new breed of entrepreneurial pub operator is keeping the EPoS industry on its toes, demanding till systems that not only give them tighter controls over small, multiple estates and are easy for staff to use, but monitors that look good on the bar, too, to suit a high quality environment.So while J2 Retail Systems is currently in negotiations to supply a couple of major pub groups, deals with small multiple chains that have emerged from the break-up of industry giants have brought it year-on-year growth since an initial crash following the 2008 credit crunch.We were 12% up last year, says the companys Richard Heitmann. Im a great believer in the entrepreneurial skills we have in this country, and we are seeing so many new retailers cropping up we expect that to continue.

Case study - Epernay Champagne & Cocktail BarsWhen his first EPoS system, then his second, failed, entrepreneur Geoff Thornton was wondering whether hed ever find the right technology for his Epernay Champagne Bars.Launched in Leeds in 2005, the concept aims to provide affordable champagne in a modern cocktail bar setting, and is now also found in Manchester city centre and Terminal One of Manchester Airport.Thorntons problems were solved when he contacted Newt Touch Solutions, a specialist supplier of touchscreen EPoS to the hospitality industry.Newt Touchs Marc Newton created a completely new package for the operator using tried-and-tested elements from his software and hardware partners, including terminals from J2 backed by a three-year parts and labour warranty. The solution combined ICRTouch software with J2s 560 touchscreen till to give Epernay Leeds a full point-of-sale system including time and attendance management and stock control in the back office, and features such as a drinks tab system in the bar. Without Marc we would still be struggling with the wrong system, says Thornton.The software is versatile and the user interfaces excellent. Weve found it useful to be able to programme in the exact specifications of our cocktails and to cascade this to other systems, such as the back office software.In comparison with the hardware Epernay previously used, described as small and ugly by Thornton, the team reacted positively to the J2 equipment. We immediately liked the contemporary feel of the flat screen. Together with the units compact footprint, it makes for a pleasing look that fits in well in the bar.The tills have also proved to be very reliable and are ideal for a busy bar environment, Thornton continues. Unlike the old days, when equipment had to been sealed with silicon, the new J2 tills are splash-proof and need no additional protection from bumps and spills.And even the less confident among Epernays staff find the J2 560s fast and simple to use, a critical factor on busy weekend nights.

Insurance for Licensed Trades Our new specialist insurance for pubs and clubs includes a number of updated risk assessment tools. These are designed to help you reduce the risk of a claim, and avoid yearly premium increases.

To make the most of these tools, our experienced Client Managers are on hand to ensure you get the policy that best suits your needs.

Speak to one of our Client Managers today0845 564 3245licensedtrades.aon.co.uk

Opening hours Monday Friday, 9am 5pm. Maximum call charge from a BT landline is 3p per minute. Calls from other networks may vary. Calls may be recorded. Aon Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in respect of insurance mediation activities. Aon Limited Registered Office, 8 Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4PL. Registered No. 210725. FP6849.10.2011

No half measures.Aon Risk Solutions

25266_Aon_Licensed_Ad_thePublicans_300x230_AW.indd 1 21/11/11 10:21:11


Hospitality operators are increasingly aware of the importance of TCO when investing in new EPoS. Focus has moved from the purchase price alone to take into account lifecycle costs including environmental, reliability and serviceability, which together can amount to 3-5 times theinitial investment.

PC-based touchscreen EPoS manufacturer, J2 Retail Systems, haspioneered lower TCO-oriented technology and introduced innovationsthat signi cantly drive down lifecycle costs.

Virtually maintenance-free terminals Touchscreen technologies (Resistive, SAW, Infra-Red & PCT) for hightouch situations Fanless operation increases reliability, especially in greasy environments User-upgradeable processors, including pull-out motherboards Solid state storage eliminates hard drive failures All in the head design provides a cable-free system Numerous power-saving features New backwards-compatible processor to extend unit life

Says J2s Moray Boyd: Maximising EPoS reliability and performance, whilst minimising lifecycle costs, are the goals that drive our busines

host magazine winter 2012

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