[Archived] Real Ale

[old darwen blue]

Hartley's XB, yumm!

[PAFELL]

I went on a trip yesterday to a few pubs in Lewes in East Sussex with a few folk from CAMRA. We went into one pub called the Snowdrop. A very very nice pub, some decent beers on. I then looked at the price list and got a shock.

They were selling a beer by Harveys called PRINCE OF DENMARK 7.4%. Which is not a bad beer. I did not have one, because I was not willing to pay £4.00 for HALF a pint or £2.60 for a third or £8.00 a pint. How anybody can justify such a price is beyond me. I tried this beer at the Sussex beer festival last friday - they wanted £4.30 for a pint. Whch to me is also bad, but considering its strength, in some ways, as a pint of ale is often around the £3.30 mark in the Sussex area, understandable. If this beer was on sale in the club I work at, we would sell the beer, and still make a profit on it, for £2.60 a pint. But that is club world for you.

Lewes is where Harveys are based. You would have thought they would encourage local pubs in their town to sell a beer at a reasonable price.

[Hanks]

I was in a pub in Uppsala Sweden last year and while looking through their Beer menu came across a beer called Sink the Bismarck http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1354411/Worlds-strongest-beer-Sink-The-Bismarck-goes-sale-55-bottle.html. Being in Sweden It worked out at a lot more than the £55 a pint quoted in the article.

[PAFELL]

I was in a pub in Uppsala Sweden last year and while looking through their Beer menu came across a beer called Sink the Bismarck http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1354411/Worlds-strongest-beer-Sink-The-Bismarck-goes-sale-55-bottle.html. Being in Sweden It worked out at a lot more than the £55 a pint quoted in the article.

Wow. Would I try it, yes.

Would I be willing to buy or sell it, no.

[Robin]

From what ive been told they are not particular proud of that beer.

I think they had some kinda competition with some german brewery who could brew the strongest beer.

[Hanks]

It would appear to have been a willy waving contest between the Edinburgh Brewery and the Germans. Also it worked out at £95 POUND A PINT not £55 as I previously posted. I cannot quite remember but in Sweden I think it was 1,500 Krona for the 300 ml Bottle.(£173)

http://www.brewdog.com/blog-article/251

[PAFELL]

It would appear to have been a willy waving contest between the Edinburgh Brewery and the Germans. Also it worked out at £95 POUND A PINT not £55 as I previously posted. I cannot quite remember but in Sweden I think it was 1,500 Krona for the 300 ml Bottle.(£173)

http://www.brewdog.com/blog-article/251

Daft really for any brewry to make a beer of this strength, that very few would or could drink.

[Dreyski]

Even dafter to serve it in non-resealable bottles, given that you're not going to drink it all in one go!

[Hanks]

Even dafter to serve it in non-resealable bottles, given that you're not going to drink it all in one go!

I think it is a screw top bottle.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Whoever's responsible for Brew Dog should be in jail.

[PAFELL]

Whoever's responsible for Brew Dog should be in jail.

I see where you are coming from. But it is NOT illegal to brew or sell such a beer. But if consumers do not buy it, they will not make it.

I like my stronge beers, but think this is way over the top.

When I go to a beer festival. I always start with the strongest beer and work down. Only because this one will sell out the fastest. But in a pub or club, I start with the lowest and work up.

Had more than a few pints of Franklins Citra tonight - 5.5%. Very nice beer. But as I am friends with the brewer and have had more free beers at the brewry, than I have bought - I could be slightly biased . Keep an eye out for this beer, extremely nice.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I've had several of the Brew Dog beers both in my local and Manchester bars. Over priced and not a particularly good drink in my opinion.

[PAFELL]

I've had several of the Brew Dog beers both in my local and Manchester bars. Over priced and not a particularly good drink in my opinion.

I lke and am used to drinking strong beers. But imo 7.4% is more than sufficient. Though I did try a 10.5% by Magic Rock called bearded lady recently, which was pretty good.

But in many places the stronger the beer, the more they charge for a pint. Which then gets riddiculas.

[Doug]

Just read through recent posts. In case people were not aware, please note that the 'duty' that is paid on beer is directly linked to the ABV. Hence, it costs more to brew stronger beer as you need to produce more fermentables,(by increasing the ingredients) and the brewery pays more duty because it's stronger. This is then passed on to the consumer.

[Mike Graham]

Hartley's XB, yumm!

Is Hartleys Brewery still going odb?

[PAFELL]

Just read through recent posts. In case people were not aware, please note that the 'duty' that is paid on beer is directly linked to the ABV. Hence, it costs more to brew stronger beer as you need to produce more fermentables,(by increasing the ingredients) and the brewery pays more duty because it's stronger. This is then passed on to the consumer.

Correct. We have been able to sell our beers no matter the ABV for the same price. Which evens itself out at times. Also our profit margins, as we are a club, are not as big as other places. After all before anybody buys a drink, they have a membership fee to pay. We also allow CAMRA members in for £1.00 - which ironically they insisted we charged, as the love the club and our beer.

[old darwen blue]

Is Hartleys Brewery still going odb?

Not sure pal to be honest. I just have these fond memories of days walking around Ambleside and drinking such ambrosia in The Golden Rule in the village.......Sigh

[Mike Graham]

Not sure pal to be honest. I just have these fond memories of days walking around Ambleside and drinking such ambrosia in The Golden Rule in the village.......Sigh

taken over by Robinsons of Stockport in 1982 (decent brewers themselves) who still use the hartleys name! I do recall the old Hartleys of Ulverston, we used to joke that it came complete with flies on top of the pint.

I rather like Jennings of Cockermouth myself.....it always goes down well after a few hours up on the fells. Also a big fan of Thwaites; I used to go for the Mild (Nutty Black) but it alweays gives me a good dose of the keans 2 or 3 hours later

[old darwen blue]

Your locals not so bad either if I remember correctly

[Neil Weaver]

Aha, a mild fan. There's not many of us left PB. If you see Moorhouse's Black Cat around (it's on in the Postal Order in Blackburn a few times every year so must get elsewhere), I'd recommend giving it a try.

[old darwen blue]

When I worked in a pub all the slop trays used to back into the mild barrel as the dark colour hid it!

[PAFELL]

When I worked in a pub all the slop trays used to back into the mild barrel as the dark colour hid it!

I don't think either of the clubs, I work for would allow me to do that. Not sure I would want to. (I am willing to stand corrected on this, but not even sure if it is legal to do that these days anyway) I would prefer to keep the beer as the brewer intended it to be.

We have a local veg grower who often asks us for the slops to water his pumpkins with!!!

[PAFELL]

Good to know the beer tax escalator has been scrapped, which CAMRA have been campaigning about. But sadly too late for many pubs. 1p off a beer won't make much difference - but better than nowt I suppose.

[thenodrog]

Good to know the beer tax escalator has been scrapped, which CAMRA have been campaigning about. But sadly too late for many pubs. 1p off a beer won't make much difference - but better than nowt I suppose.

It won't make the slightest difference..... in fact imo it's a very naive move cos the breweries will grab that 1p quicker that you can say Jack Robinson.

[colin]

It won't make the slightest difference..... in fact imo it's a very naive move cos the breweries will grab that 1p quicker that you can say Jack Robinson.

Too true, 1p off a pint makes very little difference to anything: what on earth does The Government think that will change? Off subject. Apologies