Author: Ian Webster

Apart from the blindingly obvious, what do Gates Reservoir and Burton Bridge Bitter have in common? Both started out life as a home brew; Reservoir in Stuart Gates’ kitchen and the recipe for Burton Bridge Bitter was finalised by Bruce Wilkinson using Boots Home Brew Kits.

Outwoods Home Brewing Club (OHBC) launches at Outwoods Brewing Company on Thursday 3rd October 6.30pm until 8.00pm (and the first Thursday of each month thereafter) and aims to be of interest to home brewers of all abilities, promoting discussion about all aspects of the hobby. This isn’t the first home brewing club held in the town, Marston’s founded one in 2016 in their DE14 Nanobrewery and it was thriving nicely until COVID arrived, hopefully the OHBC will be able to generate the same level of interest.

“My wife Sam and I began homebrewing some years back, starting with a Nutbrown Ale; we paused for a while, but over the last year or so we have really gotten back into it again,” says Chris Murphy co-founder of the OHBC. “From wines to beers, it’s an amazing and rewarding hobby creating your own brews, the same as people who have allotments and grow their own vegetables.”

“I still think of myself as a home brewer at heart, cask is my new learning curve which I’m loving!” says Colin Trowell of the Outwoods Brewing Company who opened in July. “I still use a lot of the same equipment I did back in my garage, the same suppliers for my ingredients and kegs, same recipes, just the volume has changed and the selling point.”

Chris: “We met Colin the day Outwoods opened, we absolutely fell in love with the place and the beers he produces. He is a very approachable young man, with an amazing aptitude for brewing. Having spoken to Colin about the OHBC, Sam and I knew this was the right place, person and time to start the club.

“Being novices Sam and I had the thought to start the club to gain more knowledge about brewing. Being able to talk to other homebrewers and holding the club at the Outwoods Brewery will engage the brewing community in Burton and surrounding area. With Colin’s wealth of knowledge and experience and having the brewery on site, it will make the club one of the best.”

Colin: “The format will evolve over time, like one meeting will be about different hops and I will have 40 on show that people can smell and talk about the hop profile and which recipes I use them in etc. I’ll do the same with malt, but that is less fun. I will do technical demos on my old little kit, as it’s the same process as how I brew now. The ideas I have for OHBC are insane!”

Sam will be organising trips, club events, guest speakers etc. and is keen to promote an all-inclusive atmosphere at the OHBC.

“Anyone interested is welcome to join, even if they don’t homebrew yet but are thinking about it. All sexes and ages are welcome, the more people we can engage, the better the club will be,” says Chris excitedly. “All three of us have a passion for beer, brewing and all things related to Burton on Trent, the history of brewing in Burton and the industry of brewing throughout.”

Chris: “The OHBC is set up to bring together like-minded home-brewery fanatics who want to get together to drink each other’s brews and chat about all things beer and provide an excellent resource for learning. Most of all make it fun and not too serious!”

Outwoods Home Brewing Club will be held at Outwoods Brewing Company on Thursday 3rd October 6.30pm until 8.00pm.

In late August CAMRA released a statement to the effect that the long-standing National Chairman Nik Antona would be standing down with immediate effect, due to being diagnosed with a serious medical condition. Following a vote by the National Executive over the weekend, Ash Corbett-Collins. who has held the position of Vice-Chairman since November was elected as Nik’s successor.

“I want to thank Nik for all of his support over the last six years together on the National Executive,” says Ash respectfully. “He was also one of the first people I met in CAMRA when I went to my first branch meeting almost a decade ago and he’s been a friend ever since. His knowledge, skills and experience have been invaluable to supporting me in the various roles I’ve had over the years.”

Ash was interviewed in the early days of The Beertonian in 2018, just after he had been elected to the CAMRA National Executive (link here).

“When we last spoke, I’d not long moved from Swadlincote to Birmingham. Since then I’ve gotten married (in 2021) and I’m now in the process of buying my first house in Sutton Coldfield. My wife and I also adopted our dog Vinnie, a Bedlington Terrier crossed with a Lurcher, he now accompanies us on our trips to pubs and brewery taps across the country.”

How have things changed with CAMRA in that time?

“Obviously the last few years CAMRA has faced major challenges, like all membership organisations. The pandemic and lockdowns meant that we couldn’t run our usual festivals and many are still finding their feet. It’s a credit to the volunteers locally that Burton was able to stage the Great British Beer Festival Winter, which has been major boost to our profile and generated a surplus that we can put towards our campaigning activities.

“Another major change is in how we work; the pandemic forced us to quickly adopt a remote/online approach. Of course running meetings online doesn’t have the same social benefits as meeting in a pub but it has allowed us to work faster and more efficiently. Whereas national working groups used to meet quarterly, we now often meet once a month for shorter, more focused sessions.”

What are the main challenges facing the organisation in 2024?

“CAMRA today is facing a number of challenges: while our retention rate remains incredibly high at almost 89% year on year, we aren’t attracting new members at the rate we used to. A lot of this is down to the cost of living crisis, we know that similar organisations are struggling with recruitment as people tighten their belts. That’s why it’s so important to support festivals across the country as they are our main source of recruitment. We’re looking at how we can boost this nationally but at a local level we’re encouraging members to sign up their friends and drinking buddies; people they already know support our aims of protecting and promoting real ale and the Great British pub. If everyone signed up just one friend over the next 12 months we’d double our membership!

“We’re also still seeing an ageing active membership, while we’re eternally grateful to the hard work that volunteers do, we have to be realistic about the fact that we can’t rely on the same people forever. That’s especially true of physically demanding tasks such as the set up and takedown of festival equipment. Many people ask me how we get more young people involved in CAMRA but I think that’s a difficult ask when so many of them simply don’t have the spare time, energy or money when they are starting their careers and families themselves. We need to be encouraging our members who are at the next stage in their life, maybe their kids are becoming independent, their careers are settled or they are recently retired. These members are more likely to have the time and energy to get involved in the Campaign.”

What does the role of National Chairman entail?

“It is still a voluntary role so I’ll be continuing do this alongside my day job, I’m a Bid Manager for a connectivity company, which has taught me the importance of time management and team building, skills that lend themselves to my new role in CAMRA. I’m also involved in my local branch, where I’m the Good Beer Guide, NBSS and Pubs Database Coordinator. I also run the Pub and Club of the Year competitions. It’s a lot to juggle but I have to be smart with prioritising and also be honest and hold my hand up when I don’t have the time to do something. At the end of the day, we’re all volunteers and we respect that people’s family, friends and work come first, but CAMRA is a huge passion of mine and I’m privileged to be able to part of the team stewarding it towards its next fifty years.

“The role of National Chairman is multi-faceted: on paper the primary duty is to lead the National Executive, the twelve national directors elected by our membership at AGM, but it’s also about setting the strategy and vision for the Campaign and working side by side with the Chief Executive, who is responsible for our paid staff, to deliver it. The National Chairman is also expected to be a figurehead for the Campaign and I’ll be talking directly with colleagues across the industry as well as with decision-makers in Government to drive CAMRA’s message.”

Ash is a proud Burtonian, what does he think of the current pub scene in Burton and why does it appear to be bucking the trend of pub and brewery closures?

“My Mum and my Nan both still live in Burton so I’m often visiting, which is always a great excuse to visit the pubs, brewery taps and clubs across the branch. It’s great to see so many thriving and new openings such as The Arches, it’s already on my list for next time I visit. I think Burton benefits from still being known nationally as the Home of Brewing and people come from across the country to visit. There’s also a great community around the pubs locally and events like the Burton Ale Trail have encouraged people to get out and try new ones, and the Burton Ale Trail attracts visitors from as far as Scotland, but we can’t take it for granted.

“The publicans and brewers are still struggling and that’s why CAMRA is calling on the Government to reduce VAT for hospitality businesses, reduce the duty paid on draught beer and reform business rates. These three core asks are vital to safeguarding the sector over the next few years. The new Government is keen to get Britain growing and to do that it needs to support our pubs and clubs. They already contribute £34bn to the economy and provide over a million jobs but with 50 pubs a month closing that is in danger. No matter whether someone is a CAMRA member or not, we’re urging them to contact their local MP and ask them to support our Great British pubs before it’s too late.”

I’ve never understood why CAMRA issues Wetherspoon vouchers. If the campaign is about protecting the British pub why offer an incentive to visit a chain that sells so cheaply that other pubs cannot compete?

“CAMRA is a consumer organisation and we know that over half of Brits already think that the cost of a pint is unaffordable, the CAMRA voucher scheme provides up to £30 off over a calendar year and it can be used in a number of different pub chains to help drinkers make their pint more affordable. Thousands of pubs also choose to offer CAMRA members a discount on their beer simply by showing their membership card.

“I believe it’s important that there is a broad range of pubs that cater to the varying needs of all drinkers, it’s just as important that there are specialist bars serving weird and wonderful beers that excite some drinkers as it is that there are pubs offering affordable beers to those are mindful of the rising cost of a pint. It is also important to remember that the reason so many pubs are closing isn’t competition but because of the rising cost of doing business that we are urging the Government to address.”

How will you measure your success in the role and where do you see CAMRA being in five years?

“For me, success as National Chairman is about ensuring CAMRA is a thriving organisation at every level, that people want to be a member, understand how we are making a difference and are excited to volunteer to be a part of that. In five years, we’ll be coming to the end of this Parliament and I hope to see that our core asks of this Government have been enacted to help support our pubs and breweries. We’re going to continue working with partners across the industry to do that and be backed up by our army of thousands and thousands of volunteers.”

At first glance Inn-Uendo’s, Burton’s new Micro Pub / Bar looks like a classy joint; the jazzy green wallpaper and massive clock centrepiece suggests an upmarket Wine Bar but look closer at the pictures on the wall and you’ll spot the saucy seaside postcards, “Carry On …” film posters and the name will begin to make sense. And that’s before you’ve read the risqué cock-tail menu!

“I wanted a continental vibe, I’ve spent a lot of time in Benidorm so have loads of idea from visiting the bars over there.” Yes, Inn-Uendo’s is different and reflects the personality of owner Richard Peace, who is also known as Dicky to some of his friends.

“People can expect lots of laughter and a friendly environment, we are well known for making people feel very welcome. Maybe that’s why we’re so popular in town,” he says, the last part is probably tongue in cheek, or tongue somewhere else.

‘We’ refers to Richard and his partner Jason, who started their career at Blush in the town centre in 2009. Following its closure in 2015 Richard worked at the Devonshire Arms and latterly at the Burton Bridge Inn. He is well known around town and has a face that you’ve probably come across, so to speak.

“I spent a good five years at Burton Bridge Inn but once the brewery sold it was time to move on. My vision for the last couple of years was to open my own place again, many people have said to me and Jason since leaving Blush that we are missed, and we really need to do something to create the fun atmosphere we are known for.”

Richard spotted the empty unit early 2024 and immediately knew he found the place he could slide in and make his own.

“The location and size was bang on, we finally got the keys in March and it’s been a long and stressful process having to go through planning permission but I knew it’d be worth it in the end.”

Along with the cock-tails, lagers, ciders and premium spirits, Richard has two handpulls and is fully committed to serving real ale.

“It is important to me to be offering real ale as this is what people know me for from working at the Devi and the Bridge. I’ve gained the experience to know how to keep a good pint and what people want. I won The Best Beer on the Burton Ale Trail in March 2022 when we launched the Ruby Red for Burton Bridge’s 40th anniversary, this is something I’m very proud of. We are not tied to any brewery so I can have anything on the pumps that I choose and what the punters request.”

Inn-Uendo’s is on Station Street between Sainsbury’s and the Gurkha Lounge and opens this Saturday at 5pm. Why not slip in for a cheeky one?

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If enthusiasm and passion can be used as a measure of success, then expect great things of Burton’s newest brewery and pub venture. It’s been nigh on a decade since the town centre welcomed a new brewer, so the foundation of the Outwoods Brewing Company and the adjacent tap room is cause for celebration.

The chap behind this is Colin Trowell, who has been a keen home brewer since May 2020; here is a man chasing his dreams and he is prepared to make massive sacrifices to realise them. Since taking on the lease in early March he has been working seven days a week to convert two derelict railway arches into his brewery and pub.

“What I want to do is make a unique experience,” says Colin sitting in the partially finished bar, “so it’s not a brewery which has a pub, it’s a pub that has a brewery. I’ve got a lot of ideas in the pipeline, but I need a starting block to get going. Ideally, I want to get more into brewing, but I had to put a pub in so I can make revenue because the free trade market doesn’t exist anymore. Unless you’ve got a ten-barrel system, which is going to cost a fortune, the big breweries just dominate it.

“This is my market, my own pub, there’s no way I could sell to third parties. I’ve looked at the pricing and it doesn’t work unless you’re making 100 Firkins with fifteen quid profit on each, if you’re making ten it’s not a lot, but if you’re like me making two like me …”

Colin is operating on the smallest scale possible, a nano brewery: “I brew half a barrel which is 54 litres, which produces 90 pints per batch. I can take risks and if it doesn’t work out, I’ve only spent 15kg worth of grain and hops. I want to do a lot of collaborations with other brewers because I’ve got such a small system, we can just play about with it especially experimenting with newly released hops. They can go back to their bigger breweries and brew on a grander scale. This is a pilot system, so breweries can come down and take a gamble.”

In the last few years Colin has built up a wide range of recipes to choose from.

“As it’s such small batches, I can do anything, I can have five beers fermenting per week so in a month I can technically brew twenty different beers.”

That said, the plan is to eventually have a core range, but this is very much still to be decided, and this will be decided by customer feedback.

“I’m my worst critic, a perfectionist,” admits Colin. “If I won’t drink it, I wouldn’t expect anyone else to. I used to be a Stock Auditor, then I kind of decided to start home brewing. I spent a good six months planning it all out initially but didn’t start off in plastic barrels, I went stainless steel all the way. The first brew was really good, second one too. I’ve had six failures out of 250 batches but I know why, it was the yeast. That being said now I have my core yeast strain which hasn’t failed me yet.”

When asked what he thinks will sell well, he is the first to admit that he doesn’t know.

“Redwood Original, a 5% American Red,” he suggests immediately, before describing a citra beer he’s recently brewed that isn’t quite on point and needs a few tweaks.

“Until customers come in,” he paused. “I can’t make up my mind. I could suggest beers, but it’d be completely wrong, everyone’s taste is different which is one the best things about beer.”

Outwoods Brewing Company will be producing both cask and keg beers, but also intend to explore the area that bridges between the two.

“I’ll be doing cask when the cold room is up and running, keg is a lot safer because it is a sealed vessel, it’s a bit like a bottle conditioned beer. It’s got yeast in it and it’s lively and active, but you’re not losing it to oxygen, it’ll keep for six months. What I want to do is fill the gap in between keg and cask. They aren’t hazy beers everything’s got to be clear, clean flavours, not wacky prices or ABV. It’s just normal beer but it’s in keg, it’s just how I dispense it.

“Most of my beers are around the 4% mark, I’ll have three handpulls and eight taps but the pricing is pretty much going to be the same, probably looking at about four quid a pint for up to 5%, if it’s 5.5% it may be £4.50.”

Colin isn’t a fan of the high prices charged for keg beers and he intends to challenge this head-on: “The craft market is coming down now, I think people are fed up paying astronomical prices. My keg is nearly cask, but the price isn’t keg, I’m not going to stick another quid or quid fifty on the price. It’s a little bit colder than cask it’s not over carbonated, it’s a new market.”

In practical terms Colin doesn’t see himself being able to brew enough beer to meet demand so will be serving guest beers.

“I’ll always have Tower Bitter on,” he says, John Mills from Tower Brewery has helped Colin out a lot in realising his ambitions this far. “Dancing Duck, Ashover, Shiny, Abbeydale, Muirhouse if they want to …”

The tap room, which will probably be known as The Arches, will open the first week of July:

Tuesday to Thursday 15:00 – 20:00
Friday & Saturday 12:00 – 2200
Sunday 13:00 – 18:00

Unit 21-22, Station Street Yard, Burton upon Trent, DE14 1AZ.

facebook.com/outwoodsbrewco

Burton Union Systems may be expensive to run, outdated, maintenance heavy and inefficient, but the recent decision by Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) to retire the remaining four sets at their Albion Brewery on Shobnall Road in Burton upon Trent has been steeped in controversy, as it marks the end of a chapter in Burton’s brewing history that stretches back to the mid-1800s.

In simplistic terms the Burton Union System is a method of fermentation that takes place in an interconnected series of paired barrels, swan neck pipes allow the yeast to feed into a trough above where it is retained, and clear beer can run back into the barrels. It was once the predominant method of fermentation in Burton in the 1880s and 1890s, back when it was the Brewing Capital of the World: Bass had them, as did all the other big breweries: Allsopp, Truman, Hanbury & Buxton, Worthington, Ind Coope, Eadie, Andrew Barclay Walker … and of course The Trustees of the Late Peter Walker on Clarence Street, the man that history records as inventing, or at least patenting, an early version of the Burton Union System in 1838.

Over the years the Burton Union System was deemed no longer viable and confined to the scrap heap, or in the case of Bass, the carpark of the now defunct National Brewery Centre on Guild Street. Ind Coope and Allsopp decommissioned theirs in 1959, Trumans closed their Burton brewery in 1971 and with it went their Unions. The last mash took place at Bass No.2 Brewery (formerly the New Brewery) on 16th August 1982, the Union System was then abandoned, leaving one brewer committed to their use Marston, Thompson & Evershed.

Ever since then the various incarnations of Marston’s have been proud of their Union Room, calling it the “Cathedral of Brewing.” In 1991 their commitment expanded with the installation of more Unions. “No Burton Union. No Pedigree. End of.” Not my words but those on marstonsbrewery.co.uk.

Marston’s premium bitter Pedigree has had a long association with the Burton Unions. Originally called P or P Quality, a competition took place in 1952 to rename the beer and the moniker Pedigree was chosen. By the 1980s it was marketed as “The King of Bitters” albeit one that ruled locally as Pedigree was a notoriously bad traveller, I remember being told that if it’s journey was broken up more than twice the flavour would be affected. I started drinking Pedigree in the mid-80s (it was my first legal pint) when it possessed the Burton Snatch, a massive sulphurous smell that was popular in Burton but not so suited for the rest of the country. Pedigree was marketed on TV in 1995 and the brand became a national concern but with this the recipe was toned down for the wider palette and the beer was never quite the same again. But it was still brewed in Burton Unions.

The last decent pint I had was in the summer of 2016, by which time it had been rebranded from a Pale to an Amber Ale. I’d been shown around the brewery as I was writing a book and ended up in the now closed Visitors’ Centre for refreshment. I was assured at the time every single drop of cask Pedigree was Union brewed but since then, I couldn’t say. For research purposes I tried a Pedigree a few days ago and it was that bland I left half of it. Since the formation of CMBC in 2020 I’ve read comments that I cannot substantiate that Pedigree has been brewed at Wolverhampton and that the cask version has been blended with beer brewed in Squares, all I know is it isn’t the beer I used to love so maybe it’ll be impossible to tell that it’s not Union brewed.

Why the fuss about the retiring of the Burton Union System at Marston’s? These are not just any old Burton Union Sets, these are the last working sets not only in Burton, but the world. Now let that sink in for a moment. We are talking about a pivotal moment in world brewing history; if the Burton Union System was an animal, it would have been protected under law.

Over the last decade I have grown tired of using the word “tragically” when referring to Burton’s brewing history and it hasn’t escaped me that I am writing in what will probably be the end times. In the last eighteen months we’ve lost the National Brewery Centre, Worthington White Shield and now this and that is the problem when foreign companies buy into our industry, they may pay lip service to the importance of our history but ultimately it isn’t theirs and money talks louder. Granted there are easier ways to brew than the Burton Union System, but for the sake of tradition it should continue, I see no sense in stopping a process that is the last remaining example in the entire world, surely this should be a cherished asset and not something to be disposed of because the accountants deem it poor value for money. This is so short-sighted that I’m contemplating booking CMBC an eye test.

Having been at Ind Coope when Carlberg merged with Allied Breweries, I witnessed their treatment of Ind Coope Draught Burton Ale, which had won CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain in 1990. Their attempt to sideline the brand and persuade drinkers that Carlsberg’s products were preferable showed a lack of understanding of the real ale market and it’s a worrying sign that nearly 30 years on, little appears to have changed. The unique selling point of Pedigree was it being the only beer to still be Burton Union brewed, take that away and the brand will likely see sales decline further before being quietly withdrawn, but hey at least we can drink Carlsberg Lager instead.

History will record that the Burton Union System was ended by CMBC and that’s not “Probably …”

There’s been something special about Burton upon Trent and beer that stretches back centuries and if the present climate is seeing breweries closing, Burton is showing signs of bucking that trend with certainly two and possibly three companies either actively searching for premises in or planning to move to the town in the near future. When picking Burton as a base, it’s not just a case of “opening a brewery”, they are choosing to add another page to the town’s unique history that has seen over 100 commercial endeavours in the last 300 odd years.

One of these hopefuls is G3 Brewery who launched their first beer at Brews of the World last weekend, it is the passion of Daryl Hollier.

“I was born in Burton Hospital and I’m still here!” says the proud Burtonian. “As far back as I can remember I’ve known Burton is a brewing town, I’ve always been very interested in the town’s heritage. Up until now I have only ever been a passionate homebrewer.”

This changed when Daryl bumped into an old friend George, fittingly in Brews of the World, and they got talking: “We both use to be drummers of local bands in Burton. George is the owner and brewer at Bluntrock in Padstow, and we spoke about my brewery plans and decided to do a collab for my first beer. I went down to Bluntrock for the brew day with George and six weeks later here we are launching G3 with an event at Brews of the World, along with a Bluntrock tap takeover and live music from local band Dirty Bomb.”

The first G3 beer is Spacetime and is described as a 5.6% New Zealand hazy craft beer but with one big difference, it is Gluten Free.

“Around ten years ago I started to develop Gluten Intolerance, which was a bummer as I’m a beer enthusiast,” confesses Daryl. Finding there was very little choice for Craft Beer he has decided to make it his mission to change that. ”I’d usually have to settle for a cider when drinking out although things have improved recently and you’re starting to see more Gluten Free beers around. Even still statistics show that only one third of pubs offer Gluten Free beer and they’re usually lagers.”

With millions of people on the UK alone living with Gluten Intolerance, it is an important issue, particularly for those who are undiagnosed.

“With intolerances it’s usually a quantity thing, I can usually get away with one normal beer without getting too many symptoms, these can vary from person to person: some minor, like bloating, indigestion, and fatigue but can also be more severe, similar to food poisoning!”

The brewing process for Gluten Free beers has improved in recent years, as Daryl explains: “It was nearly always brewed with grain alternatives, like sorghum syrup. In recent years, it has become possible to brew using the standard all-grain methods but strip the gluten out of the beer at the end of the process. This has drastically improved Gluten Free beers, making them almost indistinguishable.”

Spacetime has been brewed with all the grain you would get in a standard beer and then had the gluten removed during the brewing process. 

“It isn’t easy to find good Gluten Free craft beer. I plan on changing this by bringing hoppy and hazy Gluten Free craft beer to the market with no compromises on taste and quality.”

Anyone who drank Spacetime at Brews of the World would have been hard pressed to differentiate it from the other Hazy IPA Craft Beers on sale, so mission accomplished!

G3 will continue as a Cuckoo brewery for the time being, but there are plans to find a permanent home: “For the next beer I’m looking at either a Pale Ale or a West Coast IPA, I’m starting with collaborations and contracting, but the goal is to open my own brewery in Burton when the time is right.”

Spacetime is available in keg and you can buy cans from the web site www.g3brewery.com

The National Brewery Heritage Trust has appointed Laura Waters as Collections Officer to help them oversee the protection and preservation of the archives and artefacts which make up the National Brewery Collection, based in Burton upon Trent.

Laura has decades of experience at museums and heritage sites across the UK, including Buxton Museum and Art Gallery and the National Trust. Her immediate priorities will be overseeing the relocation of the collection, and working with East Staffordshire Borough Council (ESBC) and other stakeholders as together they shape the future vision for the National Brewery Collection. 

As part of the role, which is being funded by Molson Coors, Laura will support a team of volunteers currently working to catalogue and carefully pack all the archives before they are moved to their temporary new home, on Station Street in Burton. 

The volunteers include amateur archivists and engineers from the local area, many of whom have years of experience in maintaining historic artefacts, vehicles and brewery equipment, alongside employee volunteers from Molson Coors. 

The painstaking process of creating a comprehensive inventory of all the documents and exhibits held within the Collection has uncovered some rare items of historical interest, including volumes of journals documenting experimental brews, a photo archive including hundreds of images of Charrington & Co. pubs and a video archive of Carling TV ads.

Laura Waters said “I’m excited to be joining the National Brewery Heritage Trust at such an important time. As well as the vital work of relocating the Collection and securing its future, I’ll be working with the volunteers to ensure everything continues to be safe and well maintained. I’ll also be ensuring that the archives are accessible to the public, initially online, but then very much in person when they’re safely relocated into their temporary home in Station Street.”

Harry White, Chair of the National Brewery Heritage Trust, said: “Our charity exists to protect and preserve our unique brewing heritage. We are currently working hard on securing the future of the archives and artefacts which together make up the National Brewery Collection. We are delighted to welcome Laura to the team. She brings a level of professionalism and expertise that will be hugely valuable in the months and years ahead as we ensure the collection remains intact, in Burton and accessible to the public.”

The Trust is ensuring that the archives and artefacts are moved in line with relevant national standards.  Once packed, the items will be stored in a temporary centre being created by ESBC in Station Street, before moving to the proposed new Heritage Centre in High Street, Burton. The collection is being moved to enable the current building to be converted into a new Head Office site for Molson Coors, while its current office site is redeveloped as part of ESBC’s plans for Burton town centre.

Phil Whitehead, Managing Director for Western Europe at Molson Coors said: “We are pleased to be able to support the continued great and important work of volunteers.  We look forward to working with Laura and the National Brewery Heritage Trust and ESBC to help create a great new home for the archives and artefacts, one which celebrates our industry and which visitors from across the UK will be able to enjoy.”

The annual quest to find The Best Bass in Burton was held over the Easter weekend, with The Devonshire Arms and The Roebuck Inn being joint winners, The Constitutional Club were runners up. Last year’s event was also very close with The Roebuck Inn narrowly beating The Devonshire Arms, so it seems fitting that this time that the honours were shared.

Organiser Ian Webster was not at all surprised at the result: “Personally I couldn’t decide between The Devonshire Arms, The Roebuck Inn or The Constitutional Club! All three served what I thought was an amazing pint, true perfection in a glass. This shows not only the excellent standard of the beer, which is brewed by Carlsberg Marston’s, but also the passion and skill that goes into cellaring and serving.”

“I was convinced it’d be between The Constitutional Club and The Devonshire Arms, so I’m more flabbergasted than last time,” says Julie Latham, landlady of The Roebuck Inn. “Retaining the title means more than winning in 2022 and I’m really pleased to be able to share it with The Devonshire Arms. I’d like to thank everyone who voted for us and to congratulate The Devonshire Arms.”

“Julie, Martin and their staff at The Roebuck Inn keep a great pint of Bass,” observes Carl Stout of The Devonshire Arms, who are also Burton & South Derbyshire CAMRA Pub of the Year. “We knew that if we could match their quality, we’d be in with a chance of competing for top spot. We’d like to thank everyone that’s voted for us in The Best Bass in Burton competition. Throughout the town there’s some great Bass served and to finish joint top is a great honour. Bass is a great British institution, and it’s quite right that it should be celebrated throughout the country on National Bass Day. Thanks also to Ian Webster for organising the competition, cheers!”

Ian would like to thank all the volunteer judges who took the time to go around each of the finalists: “It was reassuring to see a wide range of scores being submitted, this truly reflected the differences in drinkers’ tastes. Bass has been part of the identity of Burton for nearly 250 years and it is heart-warming to see so many places giving Draught Bass the love and attention that it richly deserves. I may be biased but I think it is the greatest traditional British beer available and I am proud as a Burtonian to say that the standard is incredibly high in its hometown. 

Congratulations to Carl, Nicki, Julie, Martin and their staff; you have done yourselves, Bass and Burton proud.

The competition for The Best Bass in Burton returns for a second year on 7th and 8th April. The inaugural event was won by the Roebuck Inn.

“At the Roebuck Inn we put a lot of effort into making sure our beers are in the best possible condition, but I was shocked when I found out we had won The Best Bass in Burton last year. I was speechless in fact and thought Ian Webster was joking!” Laughs Julie Latham, landlady of the Roebuck Inn.

Organiser Ian Webster: “It was so close last year, there was only a few points between the Roebuck and second place the Devonshire Arms. This year the competition is being held over two days, there was a lot of feedback that the Judges wanted longer to enjoy the Bass so this time it runs over Good Friday and Saturday, the Saturday is of course National Bass Day.”

Following a Facebook poll that ran for the whole of March, the following venues made it to the final and will have their Bass scored by a group of independent volunteer Judges: Blacksmith’s Arms, The Burton Constitutional Club, Coopers Tavern, Devonshire Arms, The Gate, Roebuck Inn, Uxbridge Arms and Waterloo.

“Last year I appealed for Bass lovers to volunteer as judges and the response was overwhelming with nearly 40 drinkers committing to sample the Bass in each venue,” says Ian. “Taking part couldn’t be easier, no specialist beer tasting knowledge is required, just the ability to recognise fantastic Bass. There is no need to pre-register, just turn up at one of the eight venues on either 7th or 8th April (or both) and ask for an information pack; Judges will be given a Scoring Sheet and a list of instructions or you can download them from the following link The Best Bass in Burton Judges Information – THE BEERTONIAN”

Trevor and Alison Mellor went judging last year and had this to say.

Trevor: “It fantastic to still see Bass being served in the Burton area on draught, as well as straight from the cask. This gave me a great chance to try Bass in numerous pubs in the area not just the ones I normally drink in and choose the best Bass on that day. It’s a great day out, you also meet other people and chat about beers in general.”

Alison: “A great opportunity to meet people in pubs I don’t usually go to and see how popular a Burton classic is.”

Taking part couldn’t be simpler; go on a pub crawl and sign in behind the bar at every venue, drink the Bass and give it a score. Judges will of course have to pay for their beer, The Best Bass in Burton and National Bass Day is all about supporting Bass pubs after all.

“Although this is designed to be a bit of fun, there’s a fair bit of friendly rivalry between the pubs and I’m sure all of them would like to win,” observes Ian. “There’s no prize for first place, but the kudos of selling the best Bass in its hometown will undoubtably bring in new customers for the successful venue. There are three new contenders this year, I really wouldn’t want to predict who will win.”

“There are a lot of other pubs in Burton who also serve amazing Bass so the competition will be close,” thinks Julie Latham. “Would the Roebuck Inn like to win it again? Of course, but it would also be nice for another pub to take the accolade.”

May the best Bass win!

When the announcement came on Monday 12 September that the National Brewery Centre was to close at the end of October, there was an instant public backlash. A Facebook group “Save our National Brewery Centre” was made, a petition created  that at last count had over 8,000 signatures and there was a protest march through the town on Sunday. One person who didn’t attend the march was Dr Harry White, the Chairman of the National Brewery Heritage Trust. In this exclusive interview Harry speaks  openly and honestly on the closure and his hopes for the future of the archives and artefacts that make up Burton’s unique brewing collection.

“I can understand and sympathise with the marchers wanting to express their personal feelings and sadness about the closure of the National Brewery Centre and for them to want to show solidarity with one another and be seen to be doing  something, but ultimately going on a march is not going to solve the need to find a permanent safe home for the NBC collection,” states Harry before adding realistically. “The NBC closure is going to happen, so best to focus efforts on how to keep the collection  together, in Burton and safeguard it for the future.

“I think a lot of the emotion being generated is because people want instant answers to some complex questions which are going to take a while to be resolved,” he adds.

What Is Happening Currently?

There are a lot of talks taking place to secure the future for the archives and artefacts.

“I believe Molson Coors, East Staffordshire Borough Council and the National Brewery Heritage Trust all share a common purpose of trying to find a best-fit solution for the collection in Burton,” says an optimistic Harry.

So how much dialogue currently is there between MCBC, ESBC and yourselves? Do you agree that there appears to be a lot of confusing information coming out?

“A lot of discussions are taking place between all three parties, and no I’m not aware of any confusing information being circulated by any of us. As soon as there are clearer plans in place I’m sure these will be shared.”

The Public Reaction

Was the scale of the public outcry surprising?

“Yes, and in many ways that is to be welcomed, but I feel a lot of it has been an instant gut reaction rather than serious thought as to the underlying reasons why.”

 There has been a noticeable rise in Facebook posts showing people visiting the NBC since the announcement of the closure, this may be regulars going for one last look around, but no doubt others are taking the opportunity to visit for the first time before it is too late. 

“We’re all sad to see the NBC site close and feel extremely sorry for employees and volunteers who are losing their jobs, but the decision to close the site has to be viewed within the broader context of the current economic climate, and  in particular the difficulties facing the hospitality industry.” 

Harry doesn’t sound like he was too surprised.

“No, I wasn’t,” he reveals. “The NBC has been very reliant on hospitality and events activities and of course COVID meant the site was closed for the best part of two years.”

How long had discussions been taking place between MCBC and PSL and when were the NBHT informed of the decision?

“I was officially told of the plans for closure in September, after the agreement between PSL and MCBC was signed. However, I was made aware during August that discussions between PSL and MCBC were taking place.” 

On the recent march the chants were very much aimed at MCBC, although ESBC have taken a lot of criticism in the media.

“ESBC are spear-heading a major initiative to regenerate Burton town centre and attract visitors to the town. Their intended purchase of the Old Bass High Street site offers them huge scope and potential to re-orientate the town centre  and create something special both for Burtonians and visitors alike,” compliments Harry. “They have offered and are keen to rehouse not only the archives but also the important brewing artefacts displayed at the NBC as part of their overall plans for the High Street site.”

 
The Archive and the NBHT

“The NBHT are a registered charity made up of volunteers whose objectives are to protect and preserve the archives and artefacts, ensure they stay together in Burton and encourage greater public awareness and accessibility. For over a decade  the Trust has operated independently of PSL, who have operated the site and MCBC who own the site and most of the collection.”

Most of the archive is not on public display, so many people will not understand the range of materials that the NBHT look after, can you explain what there is and their current storage requirements?

“The brewing artefacts on the NBC site include items of malting and brewing equipment from Victorian time onwards, together with ancillary plant such as a huge steam engine and various forms of road and rail transport for both raw materials  and finished beer.

“In addition to raising funds through membership subscriptions and donations for repair and refurbishment of some of the artefacts stored and displayed at the NBC, the Trust’s main activities in recent years has been to increase public  awareness and accessibility to the vast array of brewing industry archives stored in the attics in the NBC. To help realise this goal a small team of volunteers have been working on producing a digital catalogue of the archives and publishing this via a public  access website: http://nbcarchives.co.uk/“

The archives consist of approximately half a million items, embracing breweries, brewing companies and public houses across the UK, and date from the mid-1700s to the present day. They include brewing records, personnel records, engineering  plans, sales records, and photos as well as audio visual material.

“The archives are unique and because they cover such a breadth and depth, should be considered the crown jewels of the collection. It is intended that they will form a key part of the proposed new museum in High Street. The archive collection  is currently stored in a space that is less than 200 square metres in size and so there will be enough room at the new museum to house these effectively.”

The Immediate Future

What can we expect to happen in the next few weeks?

“I understand that the NBC site will close to the public at the end of October and PSL will vacate the site by the end of November. Sometime in the new year MCBC proposes to begin the sensitive redevelopment of the site focused on the main  building. The building known as the Joiner’s Shop, which was the home of the original Bass Museum, and a number of other areas are not, as I understand, part of MCBC’s immediate development plans for the site, and so these buildings can be used to continue  to store the collection. 

“The Joiners’ Shop and its contents will remain as is in the interim, as will a number of the vehicles in the yard, including the Robey steam engine, unless the owners request their return. The immediate priority will be to find appropriate  temporary storage for the various items of malting and brewing equipment currently on display in the Gallery area of the NBC.” 

The proposed use of shipping containers has been the subject of a recent rather controversial article on social media.

“That article ignored the context within which the use of such containers were mentioned. They wouldn’t be used for items for which they weren’t suitable,” says a frustrated Harry.

Will the paper archives be stored in the Joiners Shop?

“No, it is intended that the long-term permanent home for the archives will be as part of the new museum in the town on High Street. For the interim the Trust and ESBC are working together to find a safe and secure location in Burton that  actually improves access and availability to residents and tourists.”

The Long-Term Future

“ESBC passed a resolution at its meeting in late September to work with the Trust and MCBC on maintaining a space for celebrating Burton’s brewing heritage. The High Street site is a central feature of the Town Development Plan, proposals  which were published in 2021. A core aim of this is the transformation of Burton into a major tourist destination. Hopefully the relocation of the important brewing artefacts displayed at the NBC will support and help realise this ambition. With respect to  the artefacts, the Trust believes that first and foremost they should be kept in Burton.”

Will the High Street solution work with regards to capacity and accessibility, who would be best suited to run this facility? Where will the money come from?

“The High Street site far exceeds the NBC in terms of size and depending on what the final overall plan for the site is, public access should not be an issue. How the site will operate, who will be responsible and how it will be funded  are issues currently under discussion. In terms of funding, although the initial set up costs could potentially be covered by government grants, I believe a key ambition for the site is that it should be self-funding in terms of covering its operating costs.  To do that it will need to be multi-purpose as opposed to simply a museum.”

Do you think that the Heritage Centre on High Street could work better than the NBC?

“Because the archives are mostly paper and/or card they need to be stored in a humidity and temperature-controlled environment, which the current NBC doesn’t lend itself to easily,” reveals Harry. “So yes, I think the proposed new museum  on High Street, assuming it is properly set up and financed, offers a far better environment for the archives, and artefacts, and should ensure their safety and security for future generations to come. There is also an opportunity to look at how a modern museum  could operate, linking the existing offer of the NBC with new, immersive technologies that could encourage more visitors.”

What can the public do to help secure the future of the archive?

Anyone who, like us, cares about preserving the town’s brewing archives and artefacts, should consider joining the Trust and supporting our work. Find out more by visiting our website http://www.breweryheritage.com/“