straight to the pint - issue 3 - autumn 2015
DESCRIPTION
Take a look at the Brewery’s bi-annual magazine that has news, stories and updates about what’s been happening and brewing. It includes news about our beers, pubs estate, free trade sales, national and international sales.TRANSCRIPT
BEER SALES ROCKET
UP UP AND AWAY
TRIBUTE STRUTS HIS STUFF
SIGN OF QUALITY
ISSUE 3 | AUTUMN 2015
T H E M A G A Z I N E O F S T A U S T E L L B R E W E R Y
We celebrate hitting brewing milestone!
At the Bristol Balloon Fiesta
A catch up with Tribute the puppy
Research into the Brewery Logo
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PAGE 3BEER SALES ROCKET
PAGE 4A GREAT BRITISH PUB
PAGE 5UP, UP AND AWAY!
PAGE 6STAY IN THE HEART OF POLDARK’S CORNWALL
THE CHAIN LOCKER
PAGE 7BREWERY MAKES SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10
WORLD’S BEST BITTER
PAGE 8BACK TO THE FLOOR
PAGE 10KOREV AMBASSADOR RIDES WAVE OF SUCCESS
PAGE 11TRIBUTE STRUTS HIS STUFF
PAGE 12MENA DHU – THE NEW CORNISH STOUT
TOAST THE COAST
GRAN BECOMES ALE EXPERT
PAGE 13CORNISH STEAK AND MENA DHU STOUT PIE
PAGE 14ONE FOR THE ROAD
PAGE 16A FITTING TRIBUTE
PAGE 17A SIGN OF QUALITY
THE BREWERY LOGO – THE BEGINNINGS
PAGE 18IT’S PARTY TIME!
WALTER HICKS WINS ATTHE HARPERS AWARDS
PAGE 19BEER FACTS
BACK COVERTHREE FANTASTIC HOTEL OFFERS FOR A DELIGHTFUL AUTUMN / WINTER BREAK
IN THIS ISSUE
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AUTUMN 2015 | 3
ST AUSTELL BREWERY 63 Trevarthian Road, St Austell, Cornwall, PL25 4BYT. 0845 241 1122* E. [email protected]
*Calls cost 2p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.
A s the nights draw in and the days get cooler, this edition of Straight to the Pint looks
back on 2015 and the many events and achievements we’ve enjoyed so far in what is promising to be another record-breaking year. We celebrated booming beer sales with our sumptuous 100,000 barrels beach party, welcomed exciting new properties to the pub estate, earned awards, introduced the delicious Mena Dhu Cornish stout, and even flew in the skies above Somerset
as Tribute Ale became the headline sponsor of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.
This edition, we also take the opportunity to look back and explore more of St Austell Brewery’s unique and fascinating history as the restoration commences of Marilyn, the vintage St Austell Brewery dray which first delivered beer to Cornwall’s pubs back in 1946. We also share the story of Walter Gerald Hicks, our founder’s grandson whose life was lost tragically in the trenches during WWI.
So why not order your favourite drink, pull up a chair by the fireplace and take time to catch up with what’s been going on at St Austell Brewery. We hope you enjoy the read!
Jeremy MitchellMarketing & Communications [email protected]
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The Cornish coast was ablaze with colour when 600 employees, partners and
friends joined us for a special party to celebrate the phenomenal success of our flagship beers.
BEER SALES
ROCKETBrewery celebrates production milestone by throwing lavish fireworks party and paying
Tribute to hard-working staff.
Back in March we announced that St Austell had brewed and sold 100,000 brewers’ barrels of our own brand beers in just one year - the first time this milestone amount has been reached in the company’s 164 year history.
Own-brand brews include our multi award-winning Tribute pale ale, Proper Job IPA and Korev lager which have all enjoyed growing popularity.
To mark this major achievement we treated our hard-working staff and colleagues to a slap-up dinner in a luxurious marquee at Pentewan Sands, three miles from St Austell. This was followed by a spectacular firework display on the beach which lit up the coastline for miles around.
James Staughton, Managing Director of St Austell Brewery, thanked all those who had played such a key role in the company’s success. He told employees: “This achievement is nothing short of sensational and it gives me enormous pleasure on behalf of the directors to extend a very warm welcome to you all on this the formal celebration of the company reaching an historic milestone – the sales of 100,000 barrels of our own beer in a twelve-month period.
“You are truly our greatest asset. In a people business there is absolutely no disputing that. You are simply the best!”
He added: “Our own brand beers continue to grow in popularity both in pubs and in supermarkets throughout the UK, helped by all of you, our commitment to a quality product and fostering longstanding relationships.
“Our success is also a success for Cornwall as well with over 30 new jobs having been created in the last two years in brewing, sales, marketing, distribution, finance and the other support functions.”
Guests took full advantage of the free bars and the party continued into the early hours with live music and dancing. It was a spectacular night and one that we will remember for many years to come.
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No less than three of our pubs made it through to the national finals of The
Great British Pub Awards 2015 with The Victoria Inn, Salcombe, winning a prestigious national industry accolade.
The Devon watering hole was named Best Partnership Pub at a glittering national awards ceremony held in September at the exclusive Hilton Park Lane Hotel in London.
Other finalists included the Port Gaverne Hotel in Port Isaac and the Rashleigh Arms in Charlestown who had previously triumphed in the South West regional finals, winning Best Food Pub and Best Managed Pub respectively.
All three pubs went forward to the London finals to compete against winners from the five other UK regions for the overall national title.
The Victoria Inn was praised by judges for the work it has done with St Austell Brewery to build a business that remains viable for all 12 months of the year.
Judge Ali Carter said: “After eight years of steadily building
the trade at the Victoria Inn they initiated a capex development which was implemented jointly with the Brewery, each side listening to each other’s superior knowledge of what would work and resulting in a 45% increase in trade in the following year.
“Overwhelmingly the mutual respect and trust between St Austell Brewery
Partnership working between Brewery and tenants leads to top industry award for popular South West inn.
A GREAT BRITISH PUB
and Tim and Liz Hore [the tenants] is evident in everything they do. St Austell recognise Tim and Liz as ‘flagship tenants’ and they in turn continually help St Austell with innovative ideas.”
Adam Luck, Estate Director at St Austell Brewery, said: “We are enormously proud of these three fantastic pubs, which have long been very successful members of our estate stable, and increasingly popular venues in Devon and Cornwall.”
The Great British Pub Awards is a renowned industry event organised by The Publican’s Morning Advertiser, the industry’s best known trade publication.
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Congratulations to The Cornish Arms,
Tavistock, which retains its Michelin Bib Gourmand
for the second year running in the 2016 Michelin guide and is ranked among the Top 50
Gastro Pubs by the Publican’s Morning Advertiser. What a
fantastic achievement!
Liz & Tim Hore, centre
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The popularity of our award-winning beers has spread like wildfire across
the South West to major cities like Bristol and beyond.
Demand is so strong that we opened a distribution centre in Bristol to ensure customers there have a steady flow of their favourite beers including our Tribute pale ale, which is now one of Britain’s fastest growing beer brands.
So we were on cloud nine when we got the chance to sponsor this year’s Tribute Bristol International Balloon Fiesta and raise a glass with our customers in the city.
The event proved so successful that we have asked First Flight Balloons
UP, UP AND AWAY!We were delighted to sponsor this year’s Tribute Bristol International Balloon Fiesta
and celebrate the soaraway success of our flagship ale.
to manufacture our very own Tribute hot air balloon in time for next year’s fiesta.
It was an event to remember for our competition winner Andy Cleaver who won a balloon ride during a mass ascent to mark the start of the four-day festival at Ashton Court. The Bristol music teacher and his father, David, took to the skies with St Austell Brewery’s Managing Director James Staughton and others as thousands watched.
Also on board were customers Mark Wolff from Mr Wolffs in Bristol and his partner Sonya Rosen, David Brown from Brace & Browns, pilot Nigel Appleton and four lucky Brewery staff.
They soared high into the sky above Bristol and enjoyed spectacular views of famous city landmarks including the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the SS Great Britain.
James Staughton said: “We were proud to be the main title sponsor of this year’s Tribute Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. Following the success of the festival and the growing popularity of our award-winning beers in Bristol and beyond, we’ve decided to launch our very own Tribute balloon.
“So drinkers really will have something to raise a glass to when our balloon takes to the skies in the spring.”
Andy Cleaver with his father, David Cleaver, Mark Wolff from Mr Wolffs in Bristol with his partner Sonya Rosen, David Brown from Brace and Browns, pilot Nigel Appleton and and four lucky people from the Brewery.
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We are delighted to announce that we have acquired the lovely
T’Gallants guest house in the historic port of Charlestown.
The seven bedroom property will be run by Rob and Lucy Brewer,
STAY IN THE HEART OF POLDARK’S CORNWALL If you have been swept away by Poldark you can now stay in our charming guest house in the port where the hit TV series is set. It’s one of two landmark Cornish venues that we have
just added to our collection of great hotels and inns.
managers of the neighbouring Rashleigh Arms.
Guests staying at the Georgian property can enjoy sweeping views of the nearby historic Charlestown Harbour, setting for the popular TV series Poldark.
“We’re really excited about taking on T’Gallants,” said Lucy. “We have recently finished refurbishing the Rashleigh Arms and thanks to mild weather and the popularity of Poldark on television it’s looking like we’ll end the year on a record high.”
Each room at T’Gallants is being revamped with a bright, fresh, nautical feel that links with the theme running throughout the 150-year-old Rashleigh.
To find out more or to book your stay at Charlestown, go to www.rashleigharms.co.uk
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THE CHAIN LOCKER
We have also just bought the historic Chain Locker pub on Custom House Quay in Falmouth, which joins the Brewery’s 25-strong managed pub business.
Adam Luck, Estate Director for St Austell Brewery, said: “Established in 1660, the Chain Locker is the second oldest pub in Falmouth and an iconic venue known throughout our region.
“We are very proud to add this unique and charming pub to our estate. While retaining the charm and heritage of the Chain Locker, we aim to breathe new life into the adjoining redundant buildings which were formerly the Shipwrights and Marine Restaurant to make the most of their prime waterside position.”
The purchase of the Chain Locker takes the total number of pubs and inns owned by St Austell Brewery to 167 across the South West.
Quay St, Falmouth, CornwallTR11 3HH Tel: 01326 311 085
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St Austell Brewery has been named a ‘One to Watch’ business in the prestigious
Sunday Times ‘10 rising companies’ as part of its annual Top Track 250.
The accolade is awarded to companies that have achieved strong sales and/or profit growth and merit recognition alongside the 250 league table of leading firms.
BREWERY MAKES SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10
We have just been named a top 10 rising company by the Sunday Times while our popular Admiral’s Ale has been voted World’s Best Bitter. Things just can’t get any better!
The Brewery saw profits rise 15 per cent to £12.3m last year as we reached our landmark figure of 100,000 brewers’ barrels of our own brand beers brewed sold in a calendar year.
James Staughton said: “We are delighted to have been given this accolade by The Sunday Times in a table full of well-known national names.
“A huge thanks must go to the hundreds of customers who choose St Austell Brewery and are helping us to increase sales across our beers, our pubs and our wholesale services.
“This comes at a key time for us as we celebrate an exceptional year, achieving landmark production figures which we are on course to
surpass again this year with the brewing team forecasting over 110,000 barrels this year.”
Meanwhile, our popular Admiral’s Ale has won gold at the prestigious World Beer Awards, winning the World’s Best Bitter (4% - 5% category) 2015.
Admiral’s Ale wowed the judges on all aspects including aroma, flavour, appearance/condition and ‘mouthfeel’. They also praised our ale for its balance, character, complexity and quality.
The 5% extra special bitter is a premium bottle-conditioned ale, which has been uniquely brewed using Cornish Gold malt and locally
grown barley, giving it a spicy and full-bodied taste.
Our Brewing Director and Head Brewer, Roger Ryman, said: “Admiral’s Ale was created in 2005 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar and has become one of our most popular bottled beer ever since.
“This award is a great accolade and one to add to the collection for Admiral’s Ale, as well as some of our other beers winning silver and bronze at the awards, including Tribute, Big Job, Clouded Yellow, Tribute Extra and Tamar Creek.”
WORLD’S BEST BITTER
Why is it important that the boss spends a day on the shop floor?
I am a great believer in leading by example and I think it is important to have a real feel andappreciation of what we are expecting our employees to do day-to-day. Specialist skills aside, I try hard not to expect any member of the team to do something that I wouldn’t do myself.
What did you learn from the experience and did anything surprise you?
I learnt how complex the business is and how physically demanding the manual tasks are, and the concentration and mental demands made on the clerical support teams. Also the tremendous teamwork that is so evident. What surprised me was how much technology is now such a major part of our
work. The Wireless Picking system which enables efficient and correct picking of products and the Vehicle Tracking which provides environmentally sound vehicle load planning and routing were particular highlights. It is very clear to me that we should see technology as an opportunity to get competitive advantage and not a threat.
What sort of feedback did you get from staff and customers?
Very positive. I would like to think that they appreciated that I went to spend some quality time with them. I would like it to have been longer but I will certainly be repeating the exercise in other departments.
What would your great-great grandfather Walter Hicks make of the business he founded today?
BACK TO THE FLOORBrewery boss James Staughton left the boardroom to be a drayman when he went back to
the floor to talk to staff and customers. Here we chat to James about what he learned.
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James joins Matthew Iles and Richard Barrett delivering beer to the Housel Bay Hotel
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I hope he would be hugely proud of us all. Walter was a great innovator and evidently had great courage when it came to taking calculated risks. I still have to pinch myself to appreciate the size of the business today and how we have successfully built on Walter’s legacy.
How has the Brewery changed since you started your apprenticeship in 1980? What was your first job?
Customers are quite rightly more demanding on quality and consistency of service and products. Communication is so much more advanced now so they can let you know when you are not meeting their expectations! Beers have become more consistent in quality while pubs now have to serve food to survive. My first job was picking customer orders in the wine store.
The Brewery has certainly grown since you joined. What are your fondest memories and highlights?
When I look back on my apprenticeship in departments like the brewhouse I remember them with great affection. I built up friendships with guys who still work there. I’m pleased that a lot of the hard manual work has been made easier with modern brewing equipment. Cleaning out the mash tuns was the job I remember most. It was very hot in there and physically demanding. In those days you were allocated a beer afterwards to quench your thirst. How times have changed!
I also enjoyed working on the drays and very quickly learnt which pubs cooked the best breakfast. On the wet and cold winter morning deliveries the thought of a cooked breakfast, if time allowed, was very motivating! That work is also very physically demanding.
What has been the Brewery’s recipe for success?
A constant programme of investment in all areas of the
business – people, pubs, beers, distribution, sales and marketing. Through that we have been able to build a sustainable business model for future generations.
What are your plans for the future of the Brewery?
We already have a great reputation for our beers and pubs but it is important that we don’t take that for granted and rest on our laurels. I want to
with the happiest, smiling faces you would ever wish to see - on a permanent basis. So nothing too difficult! The memories of that night will stay with me forever.
What’s your favourite tipple and watering hole?
That keeps changing as we keep brewing such delicious new beers but the one I keep going back to is Admiral’s Ale. I don’t have a particular favourite restaurant or pub but local ones I enjoy calling in on are the New Inn at Tywardreath, the Jubilee Inn in Pelynt, The Ship Inn, Fowey and The Lugger Inn at Polruan.
What’s the best piece of advice you were given?
Together Everyone Achieves More (TEAM) and I have adopted it as my own vision.
create a reputation in all our pubs for delivering great, distinctive customer experiences while maintaining product and service excellence.
How do you relax in your spare time?
I relax by walking our two dogs. I do a bit of sailing in the summer and work the dogs on our local shoot in the winter. Both hobbies take me away from the phone and emails, and are a chance to recharge the batteries.
What do you love most about your job?
The contact with people and my pride in them and the company. I get a real buzz out of seeing people enjoying themselves and succeeding on their own chosen career path. Utopia for me would be recreating the scenario at our recent 100K barrel party - a marquee filled
Alfred and Iona Mesropians, owners of the Housel Bay Hotel, staff and James take five after the beer delivery.
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It’s been a busy summer of surfing for Luke, 20, who signed a special sponsorship deal with
Korev Cornish lager earlier this year and has been described as ‘one of the most exciting British surfers to emerge in the last 20 years’ having won every British junior title going since the age of nine.
The champion Cornish surfer won both his heats at the 2015
KOREV AMBASSADOR RIDES WAVE OF SUCCESSIt’s been a great summer for Cornwall’s rising surfing star and Korev lager ambassador Luke Dillon who celebrated a series of sporting successes. Way to go Dude!
Acer British Interclub Surf Championships on the golden sands of Perranporth, which was supported by Korev.
His Newquay Boardriders Team went on to win the Interclub Surf Championships trophy during a weekend of superb surfing action which saw 14 clubs compete for glory.
Luke also showed off his sporting prowess on land during the Korev Beach Flags competition, which saw teams put forward their quickest beach sprinter. Luke won his sprint and a case of Korev for the Newquay team.
Back in July Luke scored perfect marks at the UK Oakley Surf Session on his home wave of Fistral beach. Luke was one of 32 board riders taking part in the spectacular two-day contest, run in partnership with Newquay Boardriders’ Club.
Luke recently joined the world’s elite in Indonesia to ride some of the most powerful
waves of the past two decades. He was on a training trip to Nias Island when the
predicted storms brought huge waves of around 11ft. “I really enjoyed the challenge of
taking on these waves,” said Luke.
The confidence boosting win came at the perfect time for Luke who is enjoying his first season in the highly competitive men’s senior tour.
He believes the support of St Austell Brewery will be vital to his future career success and desire to become one of the world’s top ten surfers. He said: “Getting the backing of a big local brand like Korev is a massive boost, especially for me as a Newquay boy looking to make my way in the sport.”
Jeremy Mitchell, St Austell Brewery Marketing and Communications Director, said: “Following our recent agreement with Surfing GB for Korev to become its official beer, we’re delighted to also be supporting Luke a fantastic local talent who is leading the way in British surfing.”
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In the last issue of Straight to the Pint we introduced you to a playful little puppy called Tribute
who will soon help to transform someone’s life.
Thanks to a generous £10,000 donation from the St Austell Brewery Charitable Trust, the adorable pup is currently being trained by national charity Canine Partners to assist people with disabilities.
The now not so little Tribute, named in honour of our flagship ale, popped into the Brewery’s Visitor Centre with his puppy partner, Alice Sumption, to show us what he has learned so far. The plucky pup demonstrated his impressive social and obedience skills, as well as some basic sit and fetch techniques.
Tribute the puppy has been visiting our pubs and delighting customers as he trains to become a canine carer. Here we check on the lovable Labrador’s progress.
TRIBUTE STRUTS HIS STUFF
He has also been touring our pubs with Alice as part of his socialisation training and enjoying lots of pats and strokes. Staff and customers made a big fuss of Tribute during visits to the Albion in Clifton, Bristol and the Three Crowns on Dartmoor, where customers’ crisps disappeared mysteriously.
Landlord Ashley Millgate and the team at the Mill on the Exe in Exeter were also delighted to welcome Tribute and Alice for lunch at the beautiful riverside pub – the table was even booked in his name!
Tribute will be visiting some of our other pubs during autumn. Customers who spot him and send us a doggy selfie will win instant prizes. Post your selfies to our Facebook page www.facebook.com/StAustellBrewery or Twitter page www.twitter.com/StAustellBrew
Tribute was also the centre of attention when he visited the St Austell Brewery Charitable Trust Golf Day at Trevose. He behaved impeccably and resisted the temptation to chase after golf balls.
Tribute has a few more months to perfect his skills with Alice before he begins his advanced training. He will then
be able to assist disabled people with daily tasks so they can become more independent and enjoy a better quality of life.
Tribute has made great progress so far and we’re confident that he will make the grade and soon become a canine partner. Good boy Tribute!
To find out more about Canine Partners, go to www.caninepartners.org.uk
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Mena Dhu - its Celtic name meaning Black Hill in Cornish - is a unique blend created from six varieties of malt. The complex and flavoursome 4.5% stout will be available on draught and in 500ml bottles (bottle conditioned) initially in the South West, with the aim of making the new brew available nationally very soon.
Roger Ryman Brewing Director and Head Brewer for St Austell Brewery, said: “I am delighted to
THE NEW CORNISH STOUT MENA DHU
GRAN BECOMES ALE EXPERT
The first pint of Mena Dhu Six Malt Cornish Stout will be poured on International Stout Day, November 5th, at Samuel Jones Smoke & Ale House in Exeter.
St Austell grandmother Julie McFeat, who works in our sales team, has become one of the world’s top beer experts.
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launch the newest addition to our range of award-winning beers, Mena Dhu Six Malt Cornish Stout, on International Stout Day. It is also the first anniversary of Samuel Jones in Exeter, a venue which has had such a great year showcasing the most extensive range of craft beers in the West Country.”
Mena Dhu is a great match to a variety of food and here are some dishes that will be served at
the launch and later available at Samuel Jones.Quail Scotch Egg – sausage meat flavoured with Mena DhuBeef Hotpot – beef marinated in Mena Dhu for 24 hours Fresh Oysters – Pacific oysters, a classic matchCornish Beef Fillet – served with a salsa verdeMini Slider – mini Cornish burger
Julie was recently awarded the prestigious title of beer sommelier by the Beer Academy. She now joins an exclusive club of less than 100 beer sommeliers around the world, only 17 of who are women. Her achievement is all the more inspiring
In 1966 the Brewery helped to buy an important coastal headland called The Gribbin on the edge of St Austell Bay. The gift followed the launch in 1965 of the trust’s Neptune Coastline Campaign to save our beautiful coast from the threat of development.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of this gift, and as part of the trust’s 2015 Coastal Festival, we have created a
TOAST THE COASTBrewery and National Trust celebrate 50-year partnership with new brew
limited edition 4.3% English pale ale called The Gribbin, using all British ingredients. The beer will be on sale at over 200 National Trust outlets in the South West, St Austell Brewery pubs and also available from the Brewery’s website. Every pint or bottle sold will see 20p donated to the National Trust’s Neptune Coastline Campaign.
Nick Lawrence, National Trust Assistant Director, said: “We are delighted that St Austell Brewery
is once again supporting the South West’s coastal heritage. I personally couldn’t think of a better way to honour this partnership than creating a limited edition beer named after that beautiful stretch of coastline we were generously given in 1966.”
Gribbin Ale is available to order for home delivery at www.staustellbreweryshop.co.uk
as 58-year-old Julie didn’t think she liked beer before she began working for the Brewery in 2001. Now she’s part of St Austell Brewery’s tasting panel, supping beer to make sure each brew attains our exacting standards. Well done Julie!
GRAN BECOMES ALE EXPERT
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METHOD
1. For the pastry, add the flour, suet, butter and a pinch of salt into a bowl and use your fingertips to rub the fat into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the cold water, gently bringing it together. Wrap the pastry in cling film and place in the fridge for later.2. For the filling, drain the beef from the stout (keeping the liquid to one side) and pat dry with a clean towel, then mix the beef with the flour and some salt and pepper. 3. Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large pan up to a high heat, shake off the excess flour from the beef and keeping the chunks well-spaced fry until golden-brown. 4. Transfer the meat to a bowl, then add a splash of stout to the pan and scrape up any meaty bits. Tip the liquid into the bowl of meat. Wipe out the pan, then add a tablespoon of oil with the garlic, onions, mushrooms and herbs and fry to soften for a few minutes. 5. Put the beef back into the pan. Pour in the stout, then add the tomato purée and balsamic vinegar. If necessary, add a little hot water to ensure the meat is covered in liquid. Bring to the boil, skimming off any impurities, then cover and simmer the stew for 1-1½ hours until the beef is almost tender and the sauce has thickened.6. Set aside to cool, overnight if possible. 7. To make the pie, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Flour the work surface, then roll out the pastry until it’s roughly 1cm thick and a little larger than your pie dish. 8. Put the filling into a pie dish and brush the edges with a little water or beaten egg.9. Place the pastry on top by laying it over a rolling pin to lift it. Press down gently to seal. 10. Cut a couple of slits in the top of the pie to release steam. Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg. 11. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is golden-brown.
INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)FOR THE PASTRY300g plain flour, plus extra for rolling out100g unsalted Cornish butter cubed100g Atora suetPinch of salt125ml cold water
FOR THE FILLING750g/1lb 6oz Cornish braising steak/shin or skirt, cut into chunks 600ml/pint of St Austell’s Mena Dhu stout (soak the beef in the stout overnight)150g pancetta3 tbsp plain floursalt and freshly ground black pepper3 tbsp olive oil2 garlic cloves crushed200g whole baby onions1 fresh or dried bay leafhandful fresh thyme sprigs1 tbsp tomato purée 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar400g/14oz chestnut or white mushrooms cut into quarters
CORNISH STEAK
AND MENA DHU
STOUT PIE
NOTE: Add 100g of crumbled Cornish blue cheese to the top of the pie before placing the pastry lid for even more flavour.
Serve with a pint of our new MENA DHU stout.
Autumn is the season for long walks and returning home to the wonderful aroma of comforting food. So try our great recipe for a truly scrumptious steak and stout pie.
Photograph by Mike Searle
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On 1st July 1946, St Austell Brewery took delivery of one of the first post-war
commercial vehicles off the old ERF assembly line in Sandbach, Cheshire – a state-of-the-art C15 flatbed truck – and put it to work delivering our ale across Cornwall.
According to those who remember her, regular runs made by the truck in its heyday included a round trip from the Brewery up along the north coast to Bude and back. There were also return jaunts out west to the Hayle depot. The former journey was a two-day affair while the latter took a whole day.
The somewhat lengthy duration of these trips may not have been purely down to mechanical problems, according to those same sources.
Our old delivery truck Marilyn was the Brewery’s stalwart workhorse after the war. Now after decades rusting in a barn she will soon be back on the road,
writes Brewery archivist Chris Knight.
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ONE FOR THE ROAD
Many recall that both driver and mate were liberally ‘refreshed’ before they had even left the old Brewery gates, not to mention the generous additional offerings they received from thankful landlords and ladies on receipt of their much-needed stocks of St Austell’s finest. It’s a wonder they got back at all!
Nicknamed Marilyn, the truck
is a reminder of a bygone age; a time before health and safety in the workplace, where the roads were far emptier than they are today and a world buoyed by post war aspiration and the promise of the new.
Not only was she a stalwart workhorse for the Brewery for many years, Marilyn was also the very
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poster advertising The Seven Year Itch had adorned the back of the driver’s cab throughout the truck’s time at the Brewery and stayed there all the while it was on funfair business, transporting the penny arcade up and down the West Country.
We’ve adopted Marilyn as a working name for the time being, though we know that she was also known as ‘ERFie’ and we are keen to find out if she was known by any other names.
Marilyn should be back on the road – albeit on the back of a low-loader on the way back to St Austell – by
the end of October. She will then undergo a full restoration with the aim of getting her back on the road properly sometime after her 70th birthday next summer.
In the meantime, she will have her very own page on our website www.staustellbrewery.co.uk where you can find regular updates and opportunities to catch up with her in the coming months.
visible public face of the company, appearing as she did at local carnivals and events.
After over 25 years of service for St Austell Brewery, Marilyn ran away to the fair when she was sold to the Rowland Brothers and used as a show wagon through the 1970s and 1980s. She was then put out to pasture in a barn in Devon where she has spent the best part of 20 years hidden from view.
The story of how we found our sleeping beauty - registration number HCV 857 - is an archivist’s dream. Our search involved using the registration number to trawl through old documents, matching chassis numbers against official lists from the ERF archives, tracking down old photos and following up anecdotal stories and sightings and, inevitably, donning wellies for a walk down muddy lanes to find the object of the quest.
Since then and after negotiations with the Rowland family, we have now finally completed the exchange of documents and are looking to welcome Marilyn back home to the Brewery.
So how did she acquire the name Marilyn? According to Joey Rowland, the classic picture of Marilyn Monroe from the film
“She was then put out to pasture in a barn in Devon where she has spent the best part of 20 years hidden from view.”
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STRAIGHT
Born in 1893 Walter Gerald Hicks, who preferred to be known by his middle
name, looked set to pick up the reins of the family business when he came of age.
The only son of Walter Hicks Junior was not only a gifted student he was also something of a high spirited lad, having sat before a disciplinary committee on more than one occasion during his educational career.
This youthful verve and energy soon translated itself into membership of the local Officer Training Corps and, like so many of his peers, just over a week after war had been declared on Germany he headed to the volunteering stations, applying for a commission in the Royal Fusiliers on August 13th 1914.
We celebrate the short and colourful life of young Walter Gerald Hicks, only grandson of the Brewery’s founding father, who gave his life on the battlefields of Flanders during World War One.
A FITTING TRIBUTE
On August 26th Gerald gained a commission in the 8th battalion, formed in Hounslow just four days earlier to cope with the massive scale of volunteers for the war which, according to public opinion, would ‘all be over by Christmas’.
Had that been the case, young Gerald would no doubt have gone on to play a major role in the development of the Brewery back home in St Austell, filling the void left by his father, Walter Junior’s, untimely death in a motorcycle accident in 1911.
At Folkestone in May 1915, Gerald was photographed in his uniform and cap, while waiting for the ship that was to take his regiment to French shores on the 31st of that month.
For the next three weeks, his regiment marched north and east through the French countryside before reaching the frontline near the town of Houplines in Flanders.
Just seven weeks later, during this first tour of duty, the young, daring Second Lieutenant Walter Gerald Hicks was sent into No-Man’s Land to scout out enemy positions. On his return to his own trench, he was hit in the thigh by a German sniper’s bullet which severed his femoral artery.
News of his promotion to first lieutenant, awarded for his bravery
and devotion to his men, arrived at the frontline as Gerald lay mortally injured, while medics fought in vain to staunch the loss of blood from his wound.
A fellow officer wrote of him in De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour, “His men worshipped him and no
words of mine can describe to you what he did for them. He set a fine example of cool courage to us all – officers and men.”
Walter Gerald was buried at the Cité Bonjean cemetery at Armentières. The inscription reads: ‘Second Lieutenant W.G.Hicks, Royal Fusiliers, August 12th 1915.’ He was just 22 years old when he was killed.
By Chris Knight
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Our iconic Brewery logo has much greater appeal than those of many other beer
brands and best represents high quality ale according to new research which also reveals that our distinctive logo - is widely recognised by both consumers and trade customers.
The independent survey carried out by a Market Research company interviewed 500 consumers and publicans across Britain.
It shows that people across the country think our logo is attractive and eye-catching, represents high
quality and has a traditional, premium feel.
A whopping 77% of consumers questioned thought our logo stood out from other beer brands while 57% had seen it before. A total of 45.4% said they liked our logo and a further 38.1% liked it a lot.
When asked which of eight leading Brewery logos best represented good quality beer, we came out on top with 29.5% of respondents selecting ours. That figure was even higher among South West respondents (38.8%).
The survey also reveals widespread industry recognition of the St Austell Brewery logo. A massive 93% of trade respondents said they were aware of our logo while an equally impressive 92.3% agreed that we are renowned for good beer.
St Austell Brewery’s Marketing and Communication Director Jeremy Mitchell said: “The good news is that the researchers say there’s no need to redesign our logo which is a major asset to the Brewery. Of course we knew that all along but it’s nonetheless gratifying to have independent recognition of this.”
St Austell Brewery’s eye-catching logo has become a widely recognised symbol for top quality beer, say researchers. So tell us something we didn’t know!
A SIGN OF QUALITY
The striking castle turret is the stand-out element of our Brewery logo, according to research. But what does the image
represent and where does it come from?
The answer may lie in the Cornish church where Walter Hicks, the founder of St Austell Brewery, was baptised in 1829.
Lake’s Parochial History refers to an old memorial tablet in Luxulyan Parish Church (‘now nearly obliterated’) commemorating a Walter Hicks, gentleman of Menadue who died in July 1636, and bearing the arms of the Hicks family described as ‘Or, a castle triple towered between three battle axes sable’.
There is a modern replacement of the old memorial tablet in Luxulyan Parish Church which is within the Deanery of St Austell.
Tim Harvey, Walter Hicks’ great-grandson and trailblazer for the wine and
spirit side of the business during the 1950s remembers that ‘we were trying to set up a new identity, to attract the free trade and hotels and so on, and so when we produced our first promotional material we used elements of the family coat of arms on it.’
This was the first appearance of the ‘castle’ taken from the Hicks arms on the memorial tablet in Luxulyan church, which later came to represent the Brewery as a whole and is now such a strong and recognisable symbol of the company.
THE BREWERY LOGO – THE BEGINNINGS
Walter Hicks
STRAIGHT
18 | AUTUMN 2015
Ale enthusiasts from across the country will soon be descending on the Brewery’s
Victorian cellars for the biggest party of the year.
The 17th annual Celtic Beer Festival on Saturday 28th November will be a celebration of the very best of Cornish brewing and revellers can dance the night away to some great live bands.
Last year’s fundraising bash attracted a record 3,000-plus
Last year’s Celtic Beer Festival attracted more ale lovers than ever before and raised a record amount for charity. But with more than 130 brews on offer and some great live bands, we hope to do even better this year.
Our wine merchants Walter Hicks, have won the Best Regional Distributor/Wholesaler of the Year Award at the coveted Harpers Awards.
IT’S PARTY TIME!
WALTER HICKS WINS AT THE HARPERS AWARDS
revellers and raised more than £25,700 for the Brewery’s Charitable Trust, breaking all previous figures since the festival started.
Ian Blunt, Chairman of the St Austell Brewery Charitable Trust, said: “The amount that the festival raised last year was incredible. We are excited to showcase some of our specially brewed beers for people to enjoy in the unique atmosphere, and hopefully we can raise even more money for local charities this year.”
This year there will be more than 130 different ales, stouts and lagers available with a selection of our own award winning beers, including Tribute, Korev and Proper Job as well as a selection of limited edition beers brewed especially for the festival.
The music line up this year includes The Good Old Fashion Lover Boys, Almost Blues, Ten Bob Notes and JacKnife.
The festival doors will open from 11am – 11pm with tickets sold on the door at £10 per person. This includes a commemorative festival glass, two ½ pint beer tokens and a festival brochure with extra tokens available for purchase.
The prestigious ceremony was held on September 29th at London’s Vinopolis and Walter Hicks won the Best Regional
Distributor/Wholesaler Award, beating a host of familiar names in the wine industry. The award comes as Walter Hicks continues to expand and develop. James Fineman, Wine
Development Manager for Walter Hicks, said: “This award is true testament to the hard work the team puts in and the continued support of our clients who helped us get to this stage. We were up against some big named brands and we are delighted to be taking the award back to the South West.”
AUTUMN 2015 | 19
SATURDAY 28TH NOVEMBER
18 | AUTUMN 2015
THE COLOUR OF BEER The colour of a beer comes from the type of
malt used, and they have long been available in
a variety of roasts.
Today most associate stout with a distinctly
black colour but early porter and stout varied
much more considerably – a truly black beer
was not even an option until the invention of
black patent malt in 1817.
Prior to that, porter and stout were both typically made from brown
malt, though depending on the brewery and circumstances, amber and
pale malt was often employed as part of the grist bill as well.
DARK v CLEAR GLASS If you have ever wondered why our beer bottles are amber, the answer
is simple. The full spectrum of daylight can have undesirable effects on a
beer over a period of time. The ultraviolet portion of the spectrum
is especially harmful; promoting chemical reactions that produce ‘off
flavours’ that take the edge off the freshness of a beer. Light stuck
off flavours – described as ‘skunky’ result in interaction of UV light
with hop compounds. Dark glass greatly inhibits this photochemical
effect, whereas clear glass leaves the beer vulnerable to
being ‘light struck.’
BOTTLE-CONDITIONED BEERS
Beers that have been bottled unpasteurized, with a
significant amount of live yeast, are called “bottle-
conditioned” beers. The purpose of bottling beers in such
a manner is to give them the potential to age and develop
more complexity. Yeast inhibits
oxidation and contributes complex
flavours as it breaks down slowly in
the bottle. Many St Austell Brewery
beers are bottle conditioned, and
we produce more beer this way than
any other UK brewery.
PROPER POUR With bottle conditioned beers, you
might spot some yeast at the bottom of
the bottle. It’s the good stuff that keeps
it tasting fresh, bold and brilliant. Pour It
Proper to enjoy it best and here’s how:
1. Store bottle upright and keep it cool
2. Pour carefully to leave the last bit of beer and any
sediment in the bottle3. Enjoy the taste of real ale
It is believed that Pilgrims on
the Mayflower ship in the early 17th century stopped
at Plymouth Rock instead of continuing to Virginia because they ran out of beer.
BEER FACTS
SPOT THE DIFFERENCEFind 5 differences between these two photographs:
SPOT THE DIFFERENCE ANSWERS: Framed shirt, Tribute Logo, Tea/coffee sign, HSD beer pump clip, Shirt buttons
AUTUMN 2015 | 19
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