Best Before 1996!

[Wombat]

Ahhhh! Thanks Ina!

Nev

[Thurston Garden]

I fancy a tin of nice IPA next!

Isopropyl Alcohol?

Nev

Nev, Ina is quite right - India Pale Ale. Originally named after the beers that were exported to India for the troops.

My beer of choice is Deuchars India Pale Ale - the recipe was concocted by an Edinburgh chap who is well known in the pub trade there. I knew him whilst I managed an old man/flat cap bar in the West End after I left university. Deuchar was his mothers maiden name.

Deuchars is probably the best selling cask ale in Edinburgh and has been for probably 7 or 8 years now. Scottish & Newcastle 80/- or Heavy as it was known was THE top selling cask ale for yonks but was mucked about with by S&N to save cost in the 1990s. It had been brewed at Fountain Brewery in Edinburgh for decades, but in their wisdom, they shifted the brewing to Newcastle and then closed the brew plant in Edinburgh. 80/- sales fell and Deuchars took it's place (although the two brews are not in the least similar. 80/- is dark, sweet and strong at 4.5% whereas Deuchars is a lighter, very hoppy session beer at 3.7%). About 8 years ago, S&N stopped production of cask 80/- due to declining sales. They subsequently bought the Caledonian Brewery to whom the Deuchars rights were sold.

If I can find a hombrew kit which is similar to Deuchars, I will be a very happy, and drunk man....


http://www.caledonian-brewery.co.uk/ipa_home.html

[ina]

they shifted the brewing to Newcastle and then closed the brew plant in Edinburgh.

Was that the one that made way for the parliament?

What a fount of knowledge in beer history you are! Yep, I quite like Deuchars - even have one of their pint glasses which I acquired for drinking quite a lot of it in a pub... But I like to try all sorts of local real ale when I get the chance.

[Shirley]

Just trying a bottle of the local Brew Dog errrm lager.... had a pint or two of the Glenkindie's new IPA - Sentinal... brewery name is The Old Foreigner. Not bad at all.

The Brew Dog IPA - Punk is even better though :) Bought a bottle of that today. Well, we went to the farmers' market in Inverurie but missed it because I thought it finished at 2pm... it didn't... it finished at 1pm... so we went into Mitchells dairy and spotted a whole heap of good scottish beer... shetlander (INA!) and Orkney Raven amongst others.... bought one of each of a few of them and will post our tasting notes!

I should add that the Brew Dog lager isn't anything like the cheap mass produced stuff that is swilled down the necks of many young people every weekend... it's actually got some taste!

[Stonehead]

so...pressure barrels.

I think i'd rather keep it in a pressure barrel and bottle it when i'm likely to drink it (if that makes sense). Is this feasible?

Either bottle or barrel it once fermentation is complete (you add a little brewing sugar to pressurise the keg or bottle, but not too much). Don't try to bottle brews from a pressure vessel when it's under pressure!

We keep most of ours in kegs as it's much more convenient to draw off a single glass. We tend to bottle either because it's a brew that tastes best chilled rather than cool or because we're going to use it in trade (stout in particular gets us use of tractors, lambs butchered, etc).

Kegs should be kept in a cool dark place - stone floors over earth are best but if you have to move the keg to tap it, you should give it time to settle.

[Thurston Garden]

they shifted the brewing to Newcastle and then closed the brew plant in Edinburgh.

Was that the one that made way for the parliament?

Fountain Brewery was at Fountainbridge, the word Fountain came from the water supply to the brewery. I think the S&N building Holyrood was a Youngers brewery which later merged with S&N. Odd aint it that S&N were fervently against any form of Scottish Parliament, until th Holyrood site was one of the 3 location options.....

The whole of Fountainbridge is being redeveloped as the business district of Edinburgh extends up Lothian Road - the brewery was demolished to make way for offices at the new Fountain Quay development. http://www.edinburghquay.co.uk/edinburghquay.htm The saddest part was the closure of the 'Company Shop' at the brewery where S&N staff could buy cheap beer which was almost out of date. Not unheard of to get cases of beer (24*440ml cans) for a fiver!

[Wombat]

Thanks TG!

While I am not a beer drinker I used to work for Tooheys some 30 years ago in a plant next to Central Station in Sydney. The plant had been in operation for 100 years+ (A long time for us) and they have since moved all operations to the new plant in Auburn (Sydney). The site of the old plant is now the RTA (Roads and Traffic Authority) towers.

So there you go, everyone is into this moving thing!

Nev

[ina]

Fountain Brewery was at Fountainbridge, the word Fountain came from the water supply to the brewery. I think the S&N building Holyrood was a Youngers brewery which later merged with S&N. Odd aint it that S&N were fervently against any form of Scottish Parliament, until th Holyrood site was one of the 3 location options.....

Ah, thanks! Could only remember there used to be brewery, but not which one... Haven't been to Edinburgh in ages; the times I went there with coachloads of tourists are over, thank goodness!

[Thurston Garden]

Well, the 1996 Boots Bitter is now perfectly drinkable

The barrel is in the pantry so it's nice and cold - I need to get some CO2 bulbs for the top because I am not a fan of headless beer.

I had 3 pints on Saturday night and managed a mild sore head on Sunday, so it clearly works

[the.fee.fairy]

Excellent! Good beer.

I'm glad it came out well.

Thanks for your help guys, i'm going to invest in one of those beer making kits (but not til August payday!). Sounds like a good plan and it'll keep dad happy!

[red]

yeh I must get into making beer - handy as I like my ale flat. they have some good kits at my llocal homebrew shop - all malt and no sugar.. like the sound of that.. like a step in the right direction to the real thing. (dont think I shall ever be self sufficient in this area.. dont ahve enough land to grow grain for beer!)

[Thurston Garden]

Yep Red, me too. I fancy a wee run on the bus upto the HB shop in Edinburgh - it's a rainy day job, so I won't have to wait long!

[hoomin_erra]

Well once i have finally figured out where you are, i can quite easily deliver to you. I'm normally up that way every day for work. And next week is quite flexible, so i can drop in at Edina's for you if you want.

[ina]

And when's the party?

[Thurston Garden]

Ina - it's in 6 months once the pigs I am getting tomorrow are big enough to take to the butchers Watch for some piccies tomorrow night!