Author: Ian Webster

It can’t be just me thinking that it’s been a bloody long time since the first week of September. In a matter of weeks we’ve lost two Burton Ale Trail venues out of fifteen, but should we be worried for the future of the BAT, I think not.

The fate of The Alfred Ale House has probably been coming for a while, whilst The Brewery Tap was a real bolt from the blue, but I don’t foresee any of the remaining thirteen in imminent danger and that is in part thanks to your continuing support; I’m not saying the BAT is all that is keeping some pubs open but it certainly makes for an amazing weekend of trade every six months and it has led to a number of you becoming returning customers between the BATs. Every pint helps!

Historically pubs come and pubs go; for an extreme example you need only look at the list from 1914 at the end of this post for all the unfamiliar names, this is without those that came and went in the last 108 years and a few glaring omissions, but two in a month? That could well be unprecedented. 

The Brewery Tap and The Alfred Ale House are closing for different reasons, the first either a shortsighted decision from an uncaring multinational or the fault of the local council (delete as applicable, I choose the former) and The Alfred Ale House, well we can only but speculate but my guess is it is for similar reasons that did for the much missed Derby Inn, however one thing is certain with another period of difficult trading ahead this winter the pubs need you as much as ever.

The original idea for the BAT was for a one off post Lockdown shot in the arm for the local licensed trade but it outgrew this almost immediately with cries for a second event before the first had even started. With the fourth BAT in the planning stage, like it or love it it’s not going away. I’m not sure how long something has to exist to become an institution but we will keep doing this until we find out.

You’ll note that between events the Facebook group ticks over advertising gigs, tap takeovers and other such beery events and that’s because unlike your traditional here-one-weekend-gone-the-next beer festival, the pubs are open all year and rather than being staffed by volunteers, the people serving you do it for a living and are very grateful for your custom.

I’ve started to notice a few articles and social media posts where the phrase “… like they are doing in Burton upon Trent” or similar is being used, so yes there are other people and towns watching what we are all creating here: a network, a community, something that will guarantee the survival of our pubs. Burton Ale Trailers you can be proud of yourselves!

So who is off for a pint later?

If this week has shown one thing, it is that there is still a lot of pride in Burton regarding it’s brewing history. If you are reading this you will know this is a subject very close to my heart, unsurprisingly I have taken the news of the closure of the National Brewery Centre hard. I’m angry, I’ll even admit I’ve even lost sleep over this.

Although some of the reaction has been fueled by shameless political point scoring, Molson Coors could never have anticipated a backlash of this magnitude.

Keep your hands off our history!

The message is clear, the National Brewery Centre must stay open.

If Molson Coors are foolhardy enough to defy public opinion, then a replacement facility must be found quickly for the artefacts, vehicles and the beautiful horses that call the National Brewery Centre home.

I don’t think for a minute that the archive is in danger of being binned (as one scaremonger has suggested), I have total faith in Dr Harry White and the team at the National Brewery Heritage Trust that it will be looked after with the respect and care such a priceless collection deserves, although no doubt given the option, they’d be happier for the material to stay put. The proposed Bass House solution is the great unknown and I can’t see it being as good as the current facilities at the National Brewery Centre.

The loss of the Heritage Brewing Company will be keenly felt by beer drinkers, personally I am particularly fond of their Masterpiece and P2 Stout. The brewery has changed hands and names a few times in the last 40 odd years, it’s been known as the Museum Brewery and the White Shield Brewery. It doesn’t deserve such a cruel and sudden end; the beers are too good for that.

Another victim is the on-site pub The Brewery Tap which has been part of The Burton Ale Trail since its inception; it has been an integral part in the event’s success and future trails will feel that loss. It has been a pleasure to work with Sarah Tooley and her team, their enthusiasm will be greatly missed.

I don’t know what else to say really, this is awful moment for the town brought about by a company who really should be protecting and promoting history, not destroying it.

“Elated, surprised, gobsmacked … I didn’t think we were in the running at all … I can’t believe it, I just don’t know what to say,” says a genuinely surprised Julie Latham, Landlady of The Roebuck Inn on hearing the news that her pub has won ‘The Best Bass in Burton 2022’ competition, which was held last Saturday on ‘National Bass Day’.

After taking a few minutes to compose herself, Julie continues: “My staff and I are so pleased to have won this, I’d like to thank everyone behind the bar for their hard work on Saturday and of course the Judges for holding our Bass in such high esteem and recognising what our regulars have been telling us for years.”

A short list of six permanent Bass houses was drawn up following a vote on Social Media: The Constitutional Club, The Coopers Tavern, The Devonshire Arms, The Elms Inn, The Roebuck Inn and The Waterloo Inn all made it through for the chance to be scored by groups of independent Bass aficionados, to answer a question that has been debated countless times, who serves the best Bass in Burton? 

Out of all the Burton beers, Bass is the most historic and important. The link between Burton and Bass stretches back to 1777 and without Bass the town wouldn’t be what it is today. Very little is left of the Bass empire: two breweries on Station Street (one disused), Bass House on High Street, some offices, a few Maltings, the Water Tower next to the Washlands … not much to show for a company that once spanned the whole town.

Bass may have ceased as a brewer over 20 years ago but the beer Draught Bass is still produced in Burton by Marston’s under licence from owners AB-InBev.

“Yes the Bass of today isn’t exactly the same as I remember drinking in the 1980’s, but it is still one of my favourites,” reckons competition organiser Ian Webster. “Marston’s do a fantastic job, they have captured that nutty malty taste perfectly.”

The result was incredibly close, the margin between first and second being only a few marks.

“At one point I thought it was going to be a draw,” laughs Ian. “The standard of the Bass from all six pubs was incredibly high, I noticed slight variations in each pint which is down to the cellaring technique, the way that the beer is served and so on.”

The runners-up are The Devonshire Arms, the pub being a few hundred metres along Station Street from the winner.

“First of all we’d like to congratulate Julie and her team at The Roebuck Inn for the title of ‘The Best Bass in Burton 2022’, I’ve drank it a few times ‘up the road’ and it’s always top notch,” says a gracious Carl Stout, who along with his wife Nicki keeps The Devonshire Arms. “Secondly we’d like to thank everyone who took part and those who took the time to vote for us.

“In the three years since buying The Devvie, it is the most Bass we have sold in one day. On a personal note, to finish second in the Burton and South Derbyshire CAMRA Pub of the Year and now second in ‘The Best Bass in Burton 2022’ is an achievement we at The Devvie are very proud of.”

The competition is set to become an annual fixture for Bass fans.

Julie: “Now for the hard part, defending the title next year.”

The next ‘National Bass Day’ and ‘The Best Bass in Burton 2023’ will be held on Easter Saturday 8 April 2023, why not save the date and if you are a Bass lover why not come and join the Judges next time?

National Bass Day | Facebook

I went to the Constitutional Club in Burton upon Trent recently; it sits literally a stone’s throw along High Street from Bass House and was founded by monies from Lord Burton. It proudly serves one beer on draught, what else but Bass? Newly acquired Bass drip mats are on every table, the club printed them up themselves as they can’t get hold of the official versions. Now let that sink in for a minute, Bass is the tenth best selling cask ale in the country and the brewery do not produce drip mats! There are also no posters, adverts in the press, pump clips are hard to come by, the only item a publican can get hold of are pint glasses. There’s something wrong here.

Generally, I try to keep a cordial relationship with breweries, but I have given up with AB InBev who own Bass as I have never come across such apathy towards a brand. It’s not like its just any brand either, it is Bass for goodness sake! The Red Triangle! It is the most recognisable Trademark in the world! The label for Bass Pale Ale was trademark number one (the Red Triangle itself was number 913)! Bass was once the greatest brewer in the world and AB InBev really couldn’t give a toss. There’s something really wrong here.

Marston’s, once arch rivals of Bass have brewed the beer under contract since 2005 at their Albion Brewery on Shobnall Road; Lord Burton would have wept. Marston’s do an excellent job too; it has that malty nuttiness that I remember from when I first drank it in the late 1980’s. It’s not “Bass” Bass but it is Bass and a damn fine drink too. Many argue that it is better than Pedigree and they are right.

There’s another form of Bass, an imposter in a Bass bottle. It is brewed at the Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I Brewery at Salmesbury (aka Shamelessbury), Preston and pales (pun intended) in comparison to the Marston’s brew. The only time I’ve had it in the last ten years was on the cancelled 2020 National Bass Day when there was no Draught Bass in the world to be had. There’s something really really wrong here.

So today is the first National Bass Day, not a bright idea from the AB InBev Marketing Department, but of one man, a Burtonian now living Bakewell way called Ian Thurman and it’s developed a life of its own. Think about it, tenth best selling cask ale in the country and it is being promoted by a passionate amateur, one who gets no support from the owners? I’d be embarrassed, no wonder the triangle is red, it is blushing.

Hang your head in shame AB InBev. If you don’t want the brand, sell it.

I originally wrote this at speed a few weeks back, apart from the odd tweak here and there and the removal of a “fucking”, I stand by what I wrote, so here it is.

A man walks into a pub, buys a pint and no this isn’t a joke, the beer in question is Gates Burton Ale and it has just been bought by the chap who brewed it.

“I drink my own beer as I believe it’s the best in the pub,” says Stuart Gates, this may sound like a conceited statement but anyone who has met Stuart knows him to be a quietly modest chap. “It’s a quality beer, consistent and I know the passion that has gone in to making it.”

“I’ve said to him many a time that I feel awful charging him the full amount,” laughs Julie Latham, who has just served him.

Julie is the Landlady of The Roebuck Inn in Burton upon Trent and Stuart has returned to the pub to talk about the tenth anniversary of Gates Burton Brewery which is being celebrated this month. This may suggest that he has not been in here for years but in reality, Stuart is a regular and always drinks his own beers. Both the pub and Julie play a significant part in the brewery’s history as this was where the idea to turn a hobby into a commercial venture first came about.

Fresh from school Stuart started work at Allied Breweries which once sat directly opposite the Roebuck. He worked there for 40 years, witnessing the rebirth of Ind Coope Burton Brewery in 1981, the merger with Carlsberg in 1992, the Bass takeover in 1998, the 2000 sale to Interbrew and company buy out by Coors (later Molson Coors) in 2002 before he retired in 2010.

• 

“I started in the Porters,” recalls Stuart. “It was a massive site in those days and we had to deliver all the post. Every Manager and Executive had a secretary, so you can imagine how much there was, it was unbelievable! I think there were fourteen of us at any one time. We had to take the teas to the Directors in the morning and afternoon too.

“I did that for three years and progressed when I was eighteen, then you went in the brewery wherever you could or where you fancied; that’s where it all began. I worked in Packaging where I was a Team Leader in Canning for a while and in the brewery: Brewhouse, Filtration and in the satellite Labs too.”

For a man who spent his entire working life surrounded by beer, it may seem unusual to want to go home and brew in his spare time.

“It’s different when you do it yourself,” Stuart explains. “In the brewery you are just following a process. We all have hobbies, some like to play golf and I liked to come home and brew. I’ve always been passionate about cask beer, a friend of mine started making his own when I was seventeen. He hadn’t got much money as he’d just started a family. I’d go round his house and try to drink this beer, it was from one of those kits and err a very acquirred taste. I said to John, one day I’m going to make some beer but I’m going to do it the traditional way and that’s what I did.”

Back in the 1970’s there wasn’t a great deal of choice if you drank cask bitter in Burton, there was Draught Bass, Marston’s Pedigree and the relative new comer Ind Coope Draught Burton Ale.

“My Dad used to drink Bass and my Uncle Pedigree, if they went to a pub and it wasn’t on they wouldn’t drink the other. My Uncle would rather drink Guinness than Bass,” he recalls.

Today this would be unthinkable but this led Stuart to his vision: “I wanted to make a beer that would stand up against Pedigree and Bass, I hope I’ve done that; I’m pleased with the way it turned out,” he says in his typical understated fashion.

His first attempt at brewing is lost in the mist of time, but after some thought he recalls: “I started brewing around 27 years ago in the kitchen. I used a big pan and one day I burnt the work surface! I’ve never done a kit, always a full mash so it was suck it and see. There used to be a mess in the kitchen, malt everywhere, Valda used to clean up; another wife would have gone mad but Valda supported me.

“I’d brew for the kids’ birthday parties, Christmas, Easter, barbeques, dinner parties, Bonfire Night … I’d brew a lot through the year but it wasn’t every week and it’d get drunk every time. I’d always take notes on how it went; I was so proud when they’d come round and drink my beer.”

• 

In those early days Valda went as far to produce the first Gates’ Ales pump clip for their mythical pub the Reservoir Inn. It sits proudly in their conservatory along with three handpulls, although it is a sign of the popularity of Stuart’s beers that there isn’t a drop to be had. Something that Stuart apologises for with the offer of an invite in the future when there will be more than tea available.

There are a few funny stories that Stuart fondly remembers about his home brewing days where family ended up as willing taste subjects.

“I made one once and I took a sample into work, the Lab did a test for me. I knew it was bloody strong, they checked it and it was 7.3%! My brother-in-law Jerry worked in the Lab and he was coming round on the Friday night to drink it along with Valda’s brother. We had a dinner party and I set a handpull up in the kitchen. Sean said this is beautiful, how strong is it? I’d already primed Jerry before to not tell him it was 7.3%, I said it was 4.6%. We had three pints then served the soup out and his head went into it, he came round when we were serving pudding! Another day we’d had a barbeque and Jerry got in the taxi without his shoes as he’d had too many.”

As his interest and expertise increased, Stuart spotted some stainless-steel pipes at the brewery that nobody wanted.

“One of the Engineers cut it down for me, welded a bottom and put an element in so I’d got a boiler. I’d do a full mash in that, run off into a plastic bucket, clear all the mash out then pour it back in and do my boil, then add the hops. That would make a 36 pint pin, I did that for a long long time and that’s where I was when Julie had the first one in the Roebuck.”

TIME TO RETIRE?

In 2010 Stuart took early retirement from his job in the Filtration Department and decided there was only one place to have his send off.

“The Roebuck was the flagship for the brewery, so I’d spent a lot of time in there over the years,” laughs Stuart.

“You used to be able to spend your Beer Tokens in there,” adds Valda.

“I went in the Roebuck and spoke to Julie and said I want to have my leaving do in here, I’ll put some money behind the bar and I’d like to put a pin of beer on. She said yes! Valda did a pumpclip and it was called ‘One For The Lads’.”

“You asked would it be okay and can I bring some beer in? I said I’d put it through the handpull; it went down a storm,” says Julie. “Everyone just loved it, even the locals tried it.”

“I was a bit apprehensive of how it was going to go down,” confesses Stuart. “I knew it was a nice drink but I didn’t know how nice at that time. Julie said if you ever go commercial I’ll be the first to have it off you and she did, she hasn’t missed in ten years, apart from Lockdown obviously. She’s either had one or two a week.”

• 

When Julie Latham took over the tenancy of The Roebuck in 2007 it was a troubled pub. Since 2000 it had spent as much time closed for business as it had open.

“The only regular customers were the Bower brothers,” says Julie, the Bower family having been the Ind Coope signwriters. “They’d turn up every weekend and if it was closed they’d carry on round the corner to the Devonshire. Consequently, they were our hardest nut to crack as they were used to seeing tenants come and go. It was consistency that got us going and the introduction of various real ales. Stuart’s beer became more and more popular.”

“Julie has been great to me, she’s made it happen and I’ve told her many many times,” says an eternally grateful Stuart. “She said ‘Stuart this pub wouldn’t be the same without your beer in it, there are lots of people coming in asking for Reservoir or GBA and if it isn’t on they walk out.’”

‘One For The Lads’ would later be renamed Reservoir Premium, but the recipe remains unchanged to the present day.

AT A PREMIUM

It’s a little known fact that it nearly wasn’t Gates Burton Brewery at all: “We pondered calling it Reservoir Brewery as we are on Reservoir Road.”

“Over the years when I was first brewing I made beers that I never really named, but once I got the flavour of the Reservoir I thought I’m not changing that, same with the Damn. Reservoir was originally called Reservoir Premium because it is a premium ale at 4.6%. I thought Reservoir would be a catchier name. I looked at Carling which used to be Carling Black Label and I thought well it worked for them …”

• 

“We wanted to redesign the pump clips with a ribbon on and we had too much wording, it didn’t work,” observes Valda, so the Premium was dropped.

“People would go in to pubs and say have you got any Reservoir Premium? The current pump clip does however say Fine Premium Ale underneath Reservoir.”

The first pint of Gates Reservoir Premium sold in the Roebuck in June 2011, Julie even remembers the customer: “It was Phil Hutchinson, he sadly passed away three years ago.”

ANOTHER BEER OR TWO?

Stuart needed to build up a portfolio so Reservoir Premium was quickly joined by two more beers in late 2011. The first was Damn which according to the tasting notes is a “smooth drinking Ruby Ale with chocolate malt tones and delicately hopped with a subtle sweet finish.”

“When the nights get dark people ask for the Damn, it’s more of a ruby beer and it always sold well in the winter time.”

“I’ve been your biggest seller of Damn,” says Julie. “It’s always gone well here as it’s 5.0% and my core customers don’t like weaker beers. If I have something 3.8% I end up throwing most of it away.”

The second new beer was Reservoir Gold, again from the tasting notes “full bodied, amber in colour, finely balanced with roast barley and gently hopped. Sweet finish. Deceitfully smooth.”

“I started brewing this in December 2011, it’s a different recipe to the Reservoir, a high sugar content is needed to produce an alcohol of 7.5%. I brew it annually.”

“There was one bloke who used to love the Gold, so he’d mix it with either the GBA or the Reservoir to make it a bit less potent,” reckons Julie. “We had the Gold on one Christmas lunch time and another guy came in and had three pints, he didn’t get up until Boxing Day. He completely missed his Christmas dinner, it bowled him over!”

• 

WE’RE GOING TO NEED A BIGGER BREWERY

Business began to take off thanks mostly to Julie’s recommendations and before long Stuart was selling to other local pubs.

“I was supplying the Waterloo, then one or two others kicked in and I thought I can do this, that was the trigger really,” then something surprising happened that gave Stuart the confidence he needed. “There was a guy in the Black Horse that wanted to meet me as he’d seen the way my beer sold. He said money’s no issue with me, you build a brewery and I’ll pay for it. He didn’t care what it cost as it was worth investing in my beer. I came back home; would I take him up on it? No, I wouldn’t know where to begin, I’d still got my pin maker!”

As it was, Stuart had already got his eye on some old Dosing Tanks in the Blending Room back at Molson Coors and this would-be benefactor gave him the self-belief to invest in his business.

“They held a barrel and had been ripped out as they were having a new Blending Line. They were dumping them so I went to the Engineering Manager and said could I buy them? I paid £50 each. I bought three and made a fermenter, a mash tun and a copper. I could now brew two and a half firkins.”

The new brewery was built inside Stuart and Valda’s garage, although if the word garage conjures up images of a place of cobwebs and old newspapers, Gates Burton Brewery couldn’t be further from this.

“I had the roof changed, the joists covered up, it was all done clinically and a different floor put down. As soon as it kicked off and got busier I invested in another new three barrel brewery, so we converted it again six years ago; had the roof completely off put on a new pitched roof so it looks the part and I had to have a cold room as I’d nowhere to store twelve firkins at a time.”

• 

BURTON’S BEST KEPT SECRET?

One fact that might surprise you is that in ten years Stuart has never won a CAMRA award for his beer, this is understandably a sore point particularly as both he and Valda are loyal CAMRA members. What particularly irks him is that other beers with additives and flavourings get credited instead. Stuart thinks that these types of beer reduce the skill of the brewer as they disguise off flavours.

Another view point is that this lack of official recognition adds to the romance and legend of Gates Burton Brewery; you won’t find the beer outside a ten mile radius of Burton, it’s never been in a Wetherspoon’s and commercial bottling is also a none starter, although he has packaged a limited amount of Reservoir Gold in the past. Gates Burton Brewery is a true regional beer, a local secret as one Beer blogger discovered in 2013.

“There was a guy called The Beer Trotter that had come from London; he started at the Burton Bridge and he gave a story about each pub, ending up in the Roebuck where the Reservoir was on. He described it as ‘surprisingly well made, with a lovely fruit character balancing a nice malt sweetness making it more interesting than many regular bitters I’ve tasted over the years.’ This sort of thing makes you think you can do this; it gives you confidence.”

WHY DON’T YOU CALL IT GATES BURTON ALE?

2016 saw the introduction of Stuart’s fourth and up until now last addition to his beer range; GBA or Gates Burton Ale.

“Draught Burton Ale was my favourite drink and I used to try and replicate it as a Home Brewer. In the brewery it was well known what hops went into DBA, so I just played with the recipe. I used to have friends round who drank DBA and they’d say that’s not bad, well they never left any. I think I’ve got it spot on and a lot of people say it’s like the original.

“We used to go into the Roebuck on a Friday or a Saturday and drink the Reservoir or the Damn. Julie had what turned out to be the last ever cask of DBA, which was being brewed by J.W. Lees of Manchester at the time. I’d tried it but I didn’t drink it as it wasn’t the same as the original. When Julie told me they were finishing it completely she said why don’t you do it? I said I can’t even though I’d already got the recipe, I’d need a license to do it and I didn’t know how to go about it.

“There’s another guy who goes in the Roebuck who said why don’t you call it GBA or Gates Burton Ale instead? For the next month or so, every time I went into the pub they’d say why don’t you brew it? One night we came home late, we’d had a few, Valda found J.W. Lee’s email address and we put together an email that night between us. I told them that I know it sounds daft as we’re only a three barrel brewery but could I have the rights to brew DBA, because if it is going to die I’d like to keep it going. I said I can’t brew much but if I can have the recipe I could supply the Roebuck. There wasn’t places that had the DBA anymore, I think there was the Cross Keys at Tutbury too. I explained that the Roebuck is across the road from the brewery and it was their flagship pub. I said I wouldn’t pay for the recipe as it wouldn’t be worth it.

• 

“This marketing guy emailed back, he said I’m sorry Mr. Gates, I love where you are coming from but I can’t do anything about it as we brew it for Carlsberg under license, so it’s them you need to talk to and he gave me the address of this guy at Carlsberg, so we emailed him. I mean a three barrel brewery emailing Carlsberg?” Stuart laughs at the audacity of this, but Carlsberg sent a reply. “He was nice and said we have got to have Board Meetings about the DBA as we don’t know what to do with it yet, but you are right it is a very underestimated drink. He said he’d be in touch if anything happened but he never did.

“In the meantime the Burton Mail heard the rumour that I was going to brew DBA, they rang me up and asked if I was doing it? I said I’m not, I’ve just been in touch with Carlsberg to see if I can.”

Then the story took an unexpected turn: “Lo and behold two weeks later Burton Bridge brought their version out, I couldn’t believe it! There was a big CAMRA thing about it and I thought blooming hell I feel really bad, my heart sank. They had it in the Roebuck but it didn’t sell very well, so Julie said the Bridge have done it so why can’t you? I thought blow it and that’s what I did. The old guys who drank DBA liked mine, although it’s not as powerful in the hop as the original because you’ve got the dry hop and the longer it stands in the cask the stronger the flavour. I knocked them down a bit so it’s a smoother drink but you still get the hop flavour.”

DEMAND OUTSTRIPS SUPPLY

Currently Stuart regularly supplies the following: Roebuck Inn, Devonshire Arms, Waterloo Inn, The Brewery Tap, Marston’s Club, Brews of the World and The Last Heretic in Burton, Cask & Pottle at Tutbury, Black Lion at Blackfordby, Spread Eagle at Etwall, Mickleover Sports Club, Golden Cup at Yoxall, Stretton Club, Rolleston Club and the Dog and Partridge at Marchington.

“Demand is definitely outstripping supply; three quarters of my customers are regulars. Now they don’t just want one, they want three firkins at once and it’s hard to keep up really.

“I can’t see me getting many more customers as these are all local, that is unless I start delivering miles out of town. I can’t really expand more than this, I always said I’d only drive a ten mile radius. I get calls from Stoke and Stone but by the time you’ve driven there and back there’s not much money to be made on a firkin so it’s not worth it.”

Equipment wise the current set up is as follows: “I have just one fermenter, I could ramp it up and brew 24 firkins a week if I had another but I’d have to employ somebody. I brew as much as I can; it’s a lot of beer when you put it into pints, it’s about 43,000 a year. I’d have to knock the garage down and start again or move to a new unit,” something that Stuart appears to have no enthusiasm for.

The brewery is sited on a quiet side street in the Shobnall area, a stone’s throw from Marston’s. Fortunately his neighbours are very supportive about living next to a brewery: “Next door will say when are you brewing, I love the smell! They have a barbeque each year and I’ll take a pin round. If anyone did complain about the smell I’d say it’s not me, it’s coming from Marstons! The only tricky thing is the malt delivery, they send great big lorries sometimes and you never know when they are coming. I’m considerate too, I try to be quiet when I’m cleaning my casks.”

“I sell my beers at a reasonable price, I haven’t put mine up for ten years and the malt has got more expensive, I don’t spend £10 on a bag I pay £25 for mine; Warminster, it’s the best you can buy, it’s a floor malt. Obviously you need your knowledge and your passion, but what you put in is what you get out. Hops are from Charles Faram, they are the finest. I use tap water and Burtonise it and I add Calcium Chloride to bring out the flavour of the hops.”

As for the yeast, Stuart isn’t forthcoming with this information; every man has his secrets. He does however have one very important tip for would-be brewer.

“If you write your recipes down you can repeat them. Initially I didn’t do this as I thought I’d remember. You want consistency in a beer and that’s what the customers want too. They don’t want to walk in to the pub and ask what’s it like this week? It might be nice, it might not be.”

MEANWHILE BACK IN THE ‘BUCK …

When asked about his proudest moment, Stuart has a good answer.

“One night we went in the Roebuck and the Reservoir was in the middle of the two beers I was trying to compete with, Bass and Pedigree, and I thought I can’t believe I’ve done that and to top it all the firkin sold out in two hours.”

Julie remembers it slightly differently: “Wasn’t it the Damn that sold in two hours?”

Stuart is then asked to pose for a few photographs, he is obviously uncomfortable with this so to distract him he is asked what does he look for in a beer?

“I like a traditional full-bodied ale, a nice balance of hop and malt, it’s got to be bright and have a good tight head and nice lacing,” he then takes a mouthful of GBA and holds the glass up to the light doing an unconscious quality check, which it passes.

“It’s not just been selling it and getting your beer out there, through this I’ve met some nice people. I’d like to thank all the Landlords and Landladies, friends and family. Burton people have been fabulous supporting me and they still are. Like that bloke who set up the Facebook appreciation group Keith B. Large, I’ve never met him but when I do the beers are on me!”

“I don’t think Stuart really believes how good his beer is,” comments Julie. “I’ve never known anybody care so much, he treats his beer like a baby, he sets his alarm to get up in the night to it if he needs to.”

“Yes,” agrees Stuart. “I’ll get up at 2am to check the Present Gravity.”

“If we wanted to go on holiday, it’d be ‘… but I’ve got a brew going!’” laughs Valda. “We went somewhere for three nights, it was cheaper to go for four but he wanted to get home to brew.”

“It’s a labour of love, especially in the early days but even now you worry, making sure it’s okay don’t you,” Julie adds.

• 

“You have to,” nods Stuart. “If you want a quality product …”

Stuart has taken his business as far as he can, with minimal advertising, no support from CAMRA and without a tied house, although the Roebuck is his unofficial Brewery Tap. His success has hinged on the consistent quality of his beers, friendly customer service and most importantly personal recommendation. His beers are universally cherished by Burton cask beer drinkers, an accolade that far outweighs any award that he could win.

“Just think soon you’ll be able to go in nearly every pub in Burton and have a Gates pub crawl, that’s remarkable!” he says with a big grin. “It makes me proud to be the most popular Burton brewed guest ale in the town.”

www.gatesburtonbrewery.co.uk
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“I must be,” laughs Ash Ayling at the suggestion that he was crazy to have planned opening Burton’s newest pub Beeropolis during a pandemic.

Beeropolis will be Ash’s second venture after Bodell’s in Swadlincote and like Bodell’s this is in partnership with Pete Spittles from The Last Heretic. The pair took the lease of what was The Fuggle & Nugget on High Street in Burton upon Trent back in October 2020.

“We’ve completely refurbished the venue from the Fuggle & Nugget,” explains Ash. “I felt it was important to have a bar as a focal point, as during normal times its is the first place you walk up to in the pub. We’ve also removed the high seating to hopefully provide a more warmer and cosy feel.”

The pub decor is a celebration of Burton’s brewing history, with mirrors, labels and old pictures adorning the walls. The name is taken from a 1902 play on the word Metropolis which saw Burton described as “one vast brewery … a very City of Beer – Beeropolis.”

The pub promises to have a different approach to The Last Heretic.

“There will be more of a focus on craft keg than purely cask ale,” says Ash. “We’ve got twelve keg lines and a huge fridge full of some unusual cans: Amundsen, Brew York, Neon Raptor, Staggeringly Good and some other great craft breweries around the UK.”

For those with a more traditional taste don’t worry there’s plenty of Real Ale to be drunk.

“We have four handpulls, however expect to have around three Real Ales on at one time. If there’s sufficient demand, there will be four all the time; in Bodell’s we opened with eight cask lines, but sadly there doesn’t seem to sufficient demand to sustain them in Swadlincote. I hope the drinkers of Burton can prove otherwise,” laughs Ash. If there’s one thing Burton drinkers like, it’s a beer drinking challenge, especially against Swad!

Beeropolis opens to the general public this Thursday at 4pm although there is a soft opening for CAMRA members on Wednesday.

“Unfortunately due to the ongoing restrictions we’re limited with what we can do with regards a Grand Opening however we hope to have plenty of great and unusual beers to entice people down on our opening weekend.”

OPENING HOURS
Wed & Thu 1600-2200
Fri & Sat 1500-2230
Sun 1300-1900

https://www.facebook.com/BeeropolisBurton/

So you went to the pub last night and were asked to leave at 09:59pm, only to have the cold air hit your bladder and you had to beg to be let in again to use the toilet! Joking aside, what is the new 10pm Curfew all about, what are the Government trying to achieve and what will it do to local pubs?

“To be honest, I’ve been closing at 10pm the past few Fridays due to lack of trade,” admits Pete Spittles from The Last Heretic. “All in all I think it had to be done by the Government so as to keep the R number down.”

Richard Muir from The Weighbridge Inn isn’t so sure: “I really can’t understand what the 10pm Curfew is going to achieve? I have seen no evidence to show pubs are a big cause of the increase in cases. From what I have seen it is Care Homes and education settings that are the major contributors to this; what extra restrictions are in place there?”

“I believe our industry is being unfairly targeted,” agrees Mandy Addis from The Coopers Tavern. “Are they going to allow all takeaway shops to remain open after the 10pm curfew? You only need to walk down any street with one in to see people congregating without social distancing! Surely a 10pm Curfew will only encourage house parties?”

Carl Stout from the Devonshire Arms is worried about the impact on pub culture in general: “In the short term any restrictions will have a significant effect. Regular pub goers are creatures of habit and we have a lot of customers who enjoy a beer later in the evening, we just hope they will decide to visit the pub earlier in the evening. In the long term I worry that people will give up on pubs and some customers will not return even when we have a vaccine.”

“I also understand that the Government have to do something,” observes Lee Betts from the Derby Inn, “whatever that may be, it will always be wrong.”

“We were running on reduced hours anyway so hopefully the effect on trade should be minimal,” says Richard, something that is echoed by Lee, Pete and Mandy. “Having to enforce the rules won’t be fun but we will ensure we keep our pub as a safe and friendly environment as we always do.”

One thing is for certain, pubs need your custom and support as we enter what will be a long hard winter, just make sure that you’ve gone for a piss in good time before they ask you to leave.

Are Beer Festivals a thing of the past, well at least for the foreseeable future? With current restrictions a traditional event is out of the question obviously, even The Great British Beer Festival has gone virtual, however there is a Beer Festival happening in Tamworth starting this Thursday and running to Sunday, albeit with a twist.

One of the organisers of the Tamworth Town Beer Festival is Adam Randall who has been part of CAMRA for around 25 years. Adam is the Membership Secretary and magazine editor of the Lichfield, Sutton and Tamworth Branch; so a dedicated and long serving member of the campaign.

“Replace is a strong word, but essentially yes,” muses Adam on the purpose of this event. “We were keen to keep our normal festival in people’s minds even though we can’t do it and provide the usual extra footfall for the town’s pubs; the normal CAMRA festival draws in a lot of visitors and the pubs have a busy weekend. a win-win, if you will.”

The lead pubs are the Kings Ditch, the Sir Robert Peel and Tamworth Tap.

“We have approached others but really they’re struggling to do much meaningful; they’ve yet to properly bounce back post lockdown. The lead three always were the strongest contenders in town for both choice and quality and that really has helped them bounce back. Over the weekend there will be 40+ ales, 40+ ciders, though the ales won’t or can’t all be on at once.”

Although the CAMRA logo is on the poster, this is not an official CAMRA event, however it is endorsed by the local branch.

“This is about giving something back to the pubs who in normal years are significant financial supporters of the CAMRA festival with generous sponsorship and supply of ales,” observes Adam. “Truth be told, we didn’t even think of consulting CAMRA HQ, there’s no financial involvement by the branch.”

Unlike the months and months of work needed to organise a big beer festival, the whole event has come together at a remarkable speed.

“We had the conversations with the pubs about five weeks in advance of the event. It’s so quick because all of the usual infrastructure issues disappear such as venue, equipment, staffing, setup etc.”

To keep costs at a minimum, festival t-shirts, commemorative glasses and official programmes will not be available.

“Honest answer is, we never really thought about it,” admits Adam regarding the programme. “As we’re not in control of beer ordering or when they go on, it’s a minefield of likely inaccuracy and disappointment, quite apart from cost. We will look at what online info we can provide.”

As for glasses and t-shirts: “Nah! It would involve us getting too deeply embedded in the event. The idea was really just to provide publicity and then let the pubs largely get on with it! If it became on ongoing event then there’d be the motivation to do more, but it really is intended just as a stopgap.”

The local publicans were unsurprisingly very receptive to the idea.

“If we had to twist their arms then we’d maybe have just abandoned it, no point in pressing others to take risks they’re not happy with. We have a strong relationship with them and they’re always supportive, but also because of the normal footfall issue as above, it should work for them in terms of pound notes! The key thing was knowing that the places were already strong on COVID measures, this won’t turn into a glorified reputation destroying rave and all are recommending or requiring booking.”

Promotion has also been kept very simple.

“Other than a small number of posters displayed locally, it has been almost entirely by social media and surrounding branches. We’re also strong on regular communication with our 1300+ branch members, so they’ll get a couple of emails on it.

“Primarily it’s been such a breeze, I’d say it’s important not to twist arms, and also manage expectations. Should an event be a damp squib, it’s important that the pubs went into it with open eyes i.e. won’t blame CAMRA!”

Such an event has naturally attracted a few negative opinions.

“We’ve had a few critics, people who think we shouldn’t be doing this in a time of COVID but otherwise we’ve had a really good response. We’re happy that the pubs have the measures in place to provide a safe but enjoyable environment, and we’re pleased to be helping both pubs and pub-goers edge back to normality.”

If you can, head over to Tamworth and support the event; The King’s Ditch have eight ales, 20 ciders and three perries, the Tamworth Tap twenty ales including a Welsh selection and twenty ciders and The Sir Robert Peel 15 ales including pub favourites and some from Yorkshire as well as six ciders. Booking is strongly advised for all three pubs, contact details are on the poster.

In 2000, Belgium’s Interbrew (now Anheuser-Busch InBev or AB-InBev) purchased the brewing side of Bass; this was to be a short-lived acquisition as in 2002, following a ruling from the UK Government’s Competition Commission, they sold the brewery and the brands Carling and Worthington to Coors (now Molson Coors Brewing Company), however they were allowed to retain the rights to the Bass name.

Since 2005, Draught Bass has been contract brewed in Burton upon Trent by Marston’s and what a bloody fine job they make of it too, but that it where Marston’s role ends. The distribution and promotion of the Draught Bass brand is under the control of AB-InBev.

Back when it was a National Brand in the 1980’s, Draught Bass was served in 9,000 pubs, nowadays it is a permanent fixture in just over 500 (see thewickingman’s comprehensive list at https://thewickingman.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/bass-august-2020-2.pdf) Do not assume that a lack of outlets equates to a drop in quality, Draught Bass is still held in the highest regard by aficionados. There is The Honourable Order of Bass Drinkers, an organisation that predates CAMRA, who still make their annual pilgrimage to Burton upon Trent and then there was an aborted attempt at an independently run National Bass Day earlier this year. Those that drink Bass have a genuine love for the beer, myself included and like me many others are wondering what the hell AB-InBev are playing at?

When was the last time you saw an advertisement for Draught Bass or a bar towel / promotional item in a pub that hadn’t been sourced from eBay or found in the back of a cupboard? Why isn’t Draught Bass being pushed as a brand? These topics have been debated on Social Media and in pubs on thewickingman’s list.

Following a consultation with Bass enthusiasts on Facebook and Twitter I drew up a list of 21 interesting questions and I contacted AB-InBev to see if I could find someone willing to answer them. They agreed to take a look and I told them they be written up as an article on this blog. I was hopeful of an interesting reply, although I was expecting them to side step answers to the more contentious questions near the end:

1. Will Draught Bass be affected by the Marston’s / Carlsberg merger?
2. Why do Marston’s brew Draught Bass?
3. Do AB-InBev have access to the recipe books held at the National Brewery Centre and are there any plans to make other beers from Bass’ history, for example Bass No.1?
4. When was the decision made to brew American Bass with syrups and how long has this been the practice?
5. Why is Bass sold in ten gallon firkins instead of the traditional nine?
6. Is the recipe the same as when it was brewed by Bass?
7. Are there any plans for a Bass website? Bass.com redirects to anheuser-bush.com and when you click on brands, there is no mention of Bass!
8. Has the Bass recipe changed since 1945 and when did they stop aging it in wood?
9. Would AB-InBev be prepared to support pubs who stock Bass with more Point Of Sale, for example half pint glasses, beer towels, drip towels etc.
10. Will the Bass brand be applied to contemporary craft products to create a range of Bass craft beers?
11. In November 2018 AB-InBev announced that they were reintroducing Bass Pale Ale to the UK in 355ml bottles, did this actually happen?
12. Is Draught Bass available in Oak Casks?
13. How is Draught Bass brewed?
14. Why does Draught Bass and bottle Bass taste different to each other?
15. What was the iconic Bass signature changed on the new labels?
16. Will Bass ever be available bottle conditioned?
17. What are the plans for the future of the brand?
18. Why are there no adverts for Bass? Do AB-InBev have any interest in promoting the brand?
19. Has there been any consideration given to Draught Bass becoming either a profitable national brand or an even more revered niche product, with a marketing budget / policy to back this up?
20. Are there any plans to increase the distribution of Draught Bass?
21. Is the Bass brand up for sale and, if so, what is the price?

After I’d heard nothing for a week or so, I emailed again only to be told that at the moment they are not able to take part in the interview, with a promise to get in touch before 2021’s National Bass Day.

This was an ideal opportunity for them to speak directly to Bass drinkers but sorry, they couldn’t be bothered; how bitterly disappointing and underwhelming!

I considered making this paragraph a rant about how they really couldn’t give a toss about Draught Bass and no doubt Beer Writer Pete Brown would have done just that, but I didn’t see the point because if you have ever wondered what AB-InBev really really think about Draught Bass, you have your answer; silence.

Great stuff eh?