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Going to the pub has changed: you can’t prop up the bar, move the furniture, stand up or wander around. It’s all about dedicated entry and exit doors, washing your hands and there’s hazard tape everywhere! Thankfully drink and social interaction are still in good supply.

Many people thought (myself included) that the public would be only too happy to return to the pubs on 4 July, but this hasn’t been the case for many places. Pubs are now not just places for a pint, they have to feel safe and give off an air of reassurance to instill a confidence in drinkers that the nastiest thing they are likely to pick up is a thick head the following morning.

Take Burton & South Derbyshire CAMRA’s Pub Of The Year The Devonshire Arms as a prime example. As you walk in the side door you are greeted with Hand Sanitiser (Tasting Notes: slightly runny, alcohol on the nose, very pale, negligible hop aroma) and a friendly smile from Landlord Carl Stout, he shows you to your table and asks what you’d like to drink? Bass, it has to be of course. It is delivered to the table by Barmaid Liz.

“The fear was that the pub wouldn’t be sustainable moving forward,” confesses Carl when asked what was worrying him most about reopening. “You’ve got to be able to make a profit to operate.”

Carl was cautious about reopening, waiting until a few days after 4 July.

“Some pubs were very busy and some were disappointed in the trade on 4 July,” he observes. “For us we’d been closed for just over 100 days and we didn’t feel quite ready. In my experience you’d never go into a new opening on a Saturday. Things were totally new to us and to the customers and we didn’t want to get off to a bad start; we had an awful lot to lose and not much to gain. Okay we were down a Saturday’s takings but it pales into insignificance with how much trade we’ve lost. I didn’t want to damage our reputation for one chaotic weekend.”

The Roebuck and The Coopers Tavern adopted the same approach, both are now open and this is good news for all of the surrounding businesses.

“We’ve got the Station Street community with the Roebuck, The Coopers, The Last Heretic and the Balti Restaurants and it works very well, we all bounce off each other.” That was pre-Lockdown of course; Carl has noticed a change in drinking habits. “Once customers are settled and they are reassured and feel secure in that premises, they seem comfortable to sit there all night.”

“It’s been a big learning curve for us because the way we operate in the pub is totally different than before, it’s very European although we are missing the weather they get in the South of France! That’d make a huge difference.” Carl laughs, we are sat in the newly refurbished Beer Garden, coats are on but it is pleasantly sheltered. “We’ve got five tables here; we also have the option to take over part of the Car Park too with six or seven tables. We want to get the service levels right and when the weather is okay we will give it a go, that’ll give us more flexibility with capacity as we are limited to fourteen tables inside.”

“The footprint of the pub itself is licensed, the Car Park isn’t but providing we take the transactions on the licensed premises then we can serve drinks in there. The government should be encouraging pubs to spill out into Market Squares, like they’ve done in Prague,” reckons Carl, a few days after our chat the sun is out and Car Park is filled with tables and chairs.

The drop in trade has necessitated a few changes to the number of beers being served.

“We’ve slightly reduced our range because the turnover isn’t quite there yet, we can justify having five beers on and we can sell them within three days but if we have to reduce it down to four to maintain the quality then we will. I’ve not got a dark beer on now, we only used to sell it in pins anyway. I didn’t want to take one of my five off for a dark, so I’ve gone for a bottle of Porter or Bramble Stout as a compromise. It’s striking a balance between getting the quality right and the range right.”

Carl’s best seller is Bass, after a national drought it is back on the bar to the relief of his regulars.

“I’ve used the same supplier for years, they tried to order 160 tubs of Bass and couldn’t get any!” Carl exclaims. “I think with the bigger brewers there has been an issue with the Supply Chain. We got hold of some Bass last week but I decided not to put it on, we kept it in the cellar for five or six days, I’m not one for rushing it, it’s all about the quality.”

I can vouch for that, a cracking pint as always.

“There is plenty in the cellar and the more we sell the better it will be. My regular supplier had no Bass for two weeks but some pubs in town had it on, I was scratching my head how they’d got it and then I got a tip off about a supplier in Derbyshire and before you know it we’ve three Nines of Bass on the way.”

Like many pubs you can book a table at The Devvie, and this is advised at busy times, but the rest of the week Carl is happy to accommodate you on an ad-hoc basis.

“We don’t want to disappoint people who turn up on a Saturday, as we may have to turn them away. There were a couple of times in the first days of trading where we came close to that, but as a general rule during the week we will adopt a walk-in approach.”

It is still early days and Carl is the first to admit that he and the staff are learning as they go along, but he remains optimistic.

“We’ve adopted a cautious approach to capacity, following all the Government guidelines, all of our tables are a metre apart, in some cases more, we have the Sanitiser Stations, cleaning as we go … but the important thing is giving people confidence that it is nice and safe and that they feel comfortable.”

I’m certainly happy sat here, can I have another Bass please? I could get used to this table service …

Below is a series of interviews with a number of local Landlords written during the run up to reopening. To get a slightly different angle, the CAMRA Commercial & Communications Director Ash Corbett-Collins also offered his views on what has been an unprecedented time of difficulties for every pub in the country. I have also spoken to a few local drinkers who share their thoughts on what they’ve missed about pubs and whether they will be going back.

Enjoy their unique insights into how they have faced the last few months; from the pubs who shut the door on 20 March to those who kept the town going through innovative takeaway schemes. Please support your pubs, visit them and treat the hardworking staff with kindness and understanding as they seek to adapt to their new normal. Maybe I’ll see you for a Socially Distanced pint in the very near future.

ASH CORBETT-COLLINS (CAMRA COMMERCIAL & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR)

Generally how do you think the Government have handled the crisis in relation to the closing and reopening of pubs? What have they got right, what have they got wrong? It was a difficult, but necessary, decision to close pubs. The announcement of financial support and the furlough programme gave a lot of hope that the government would be there to support pubs through this crisis, but the actions since have left many publicans confused and angry. There has been a lack of clarity around how and when pubs can reopen that has meant licensees have had to guess if and when they can welcome drinkers back.

In what way have CAMRA supported pubs during this unprecedentedly difficult time? It’s been a strange and difficult time supporting pubs during this pandemic. Usually, thousands of volunteers across the country would be out there fighting to protect and promote our fantastic pubs – and putting plenty of money in the till. But our members have been fantastic in rallying together in new ways to help pubs. At the start of the lockdown, we launched our Red OnLion platform – a virtual pub where members can still get together and share a drink. This was followed by our #PullingTogether initiative, where our army of volunteers have collated a list of all the pubs and breweries across the country that are still selling food and drinks to takeaway. Then, our latest venture is Brew2You, an app for pubs and breweries to connect directly with customers. It’s free to download and means you can order your favourite beer from the comfort of your own home.

The advice appears to be to use an app for ordering, now this is well and good for Spoon and the larger brewers and pub companies, but how are freehouses and micros supposed to do this? Theoretically, an app would solve a lot of the issues pubs face when they reopen. But I’m not sure how practical it is. We’ve already seen many other venues reopen and make it work with the traditional method of ordering face-to-face, albeit with a facemask on. I’d wager that many pubs will either offer table service or have strict rules for queuing to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Have CAMRA considered writing a free app that could be used in the micros? I think it would be great if any of our volunteers with these skills and expertise are able to support their local pubs by developing something and we’d be happy to promote it if it benefitted pubs.

On a personal note, how likely are you to start using pubs again and how have your drinking habits changed during lockdown? I’ve recently moved and I’m fortunate that my new local has a big beer garden. If pubs are open in time for my upcoming birthday then I’ll definitely try and enjoy a refreshing pint of real ale, especially if the weather continues to be glorious. During the lockdown, I’ve been lucky enough that my nearest brewery, Two Towers, has continued to brew excellent beer and deliver directly to my door, so I’ve been able to enjoy a good pint even if I can’t do it in the pub. Now I live in south Birmingham and we’ve got some great breweries and pubs nearby so I can continue to drink good beer until I can get back in the pub.

BODELL’S

How relieved are you at the news you can reopen? Very relieved, and we’re looking forward to welcoming back customers in the safest way possible.

Generally how do you think the Government have handled the crisis in relation to the reopening of pubs? What have they got right, what have they got wrong? They initially gave the date of July 4th at the very earliest, and have stuck to it which is reassuring. As an independent however, we had no visibility of the guidance (even if it’s draft form) until Wednesday morning. Luckily a lot of it is very much common sense and the measures which we had already implemented in anticipation.

Have you had enough time to make the necessary changes to your premises? If not, how much longer would you have liked? We have already made some changes in anticipation of the announcement (i.e. investing in signage, Perspex screens across the bar, hand sanitiser, etc.) however it would now appear that table service is a must for indoors. For big chains with the infrastructure in place to already offer this and visibility of the guidance in its draft for a number of weeks has certainly given them a big head start over the likes of Bodell’s.

I also have great concerns over the proposal of collecting names and contact details for customers too. Again, this is something that the big players can do with ease, however with a team of two we don’t have an IT department or a legal department to advise on any GDPR and Data Protection issues.

Prior to last week, have you had any contact from the Government over restrictions? Nothing whatsoever, the biggest source has been press releases from the big players and newspaper articles.

What changes can we expect to see at your pub? Perspex screens, sanitising stations, one-way systems and floor markings.

Have you been offering takeaways/deliveries and if so how well has this worked? We’ve been offering deliveries through www.cask2couch.beer which has worked out very well in the time period we’ve been closed.

The Government have suggested that pubs use an app to process orders, surely this is out of the reach of many freehouses and micropubs, how are you planning on facing this? Is texting your order and contactless payment the best option? I am currently working on an online system that will allow customers to order drinks for collection at the bar or delivered to their table in order to minimise contact and avoid queuing.

What support have you had from the brewery/pub company since you closed? We are an independent free house however our suppliers have been great as we’ve still been buying beer to support deliveries.

What are the main challenges in restarting a pub from scratch? The lines have been preserved so we should be almost ready to go in that respect, and beer is already on order for the opening weekend. The entire venue will be subject to a deep clean in advance and staff trained on the measures we are putting in place.

Do you think you will face any supply issues? Will the hasty reopen mean you will have a reduced range of products on sale? We still hope to offer our full range of products when we re-open.

DERBY INN

How relieved are you at the news you can reopen? Like everyone else we can’t wait to open!

Generally how do you think the Government have handled the crisis in relation to the reopening of pubs? What have they got right, what have they got wrong? Unfortunately I try not to get political but I think they have done ok.

Have you had enough time to make the necessary changes to your premises? If not, how much longer would you have liked? We have had more than enough time since 20th March.

Prior to last week, have you had any contact from the Government over restrictions? No

What changes can we expect to see at your pub? We will have appropriate signage and sanitiser available we don’t serve children so we won’t treat people like that.

Have you been offering takeaways/deliveries and if so how well has this worked? We did takeaways until we ran out of beer.

The Government have suggested that pubs use an app to process orders, surely this is out of the reach of many freehouses and micropubs, how are you planning on facing this? Is texting your order and contactless payment the best option? As far as this goes the social distance will be down to a metre by then there won’t be apps. Order over the bar pay cash or card we don’t mind.

What support have you had from the brewery/pub company since you closed? Admiral Taverns have been great with us lots of support.

What are the main challenges in restarting a pub from scratch? The main challenge I think will be getting people back in the pub.

Do you think you will face any supply issues? Will the hasty reopen mean you will have a reduced range of products on sale? There has been a reduced beer range to start with but hopefully back to normal soon.

THE DEVONSHIRE ARMS

Because of our limited capacity, we have had to make a few changes within the pub to fall in line with the government guidelines.

Bookings – We strongly advice that you book a table for your visit to The Devonshire. Inside the pub we will have 10 tables of up to 4 people. In the beer garden, we have 5 tables of up to 4 people. We will also be using additional outside space during anticipated busy periods. Walk ins will be accommodated wherever possible. You can book a table via DM on Facebook/Twitter or by calling/texting (phone number) Your table will be confirmed once you receive a reply from us. At the time of booking, we will require your name and contact number, plus the number of people in your party and arrival time.

Sanitising Stations – We are putting sanitising stations in place throughout the pub and we ask all of our guests to help us by using these on arrival and regularly throughout your visit.

Table service – All orders will be taken at your table, drinks will then be served at the table and payment taken. We encourage contactless payments but cash will be accepted.

General – All of our tables will be situated to maintain the social distancing measures. We will maintain regular and thorough cleaning throughout the premises, including touch points, toilets, tables and chairs. We will be operating with one entrance door and one exit door. Doors and windows will be kept open, when appropriate, to aide with ventilation throughout the premises.

Opening times – In the short term, there will be some slight changes to our opening hours. They are as follows:

Monday – closed
Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday – 4-11pm
Friday/Saturday/Sunday – 12-11pm

Tuesday Food Nights – These will be commencing in the very near future. Watch this space for our announcement of dates etc!!

THE DOG

How relieved are you at the news you can reopen? It’s fantastic news for the whole hospitality sector, the public and the drinkers of Burton but it’s doesn’t come without its issues and complications.

Generally how do you think the Government have handled the crisis in relation to the reopening of pubs? What have they got right, what have they got wrong? It’s such a hard decision in such unprecedented times it’s hard to say at the moment considering we haven’t yet heard what, if any stipulations we will have to work to with regards to capacities, times, distancing etc but the reduction to 1meter + was a huge hurdle for many pubs.

Have you had enough time to make the necessary changes to your premises? If not, how much longer would you have liked? We are getting there, we have had plenty of time to think about what may have to be done once we are allowed to reopen and put things in place but the main sticking point was the reduction of the 2 meter rule. We may not have been able to viably reopen. In an ideal world they would have told us months ago but in a situation that seems to change day by day almost 2 weeks should be enough of a window to get everything finished off we need too. We have seen the ways and measures plenty of essential business have put it place which gave us a great headstart.

Prior to last week, have you had any contact from the Government over restrictions? No… not a word. I’d heard more news about the hospitality sector from Coors and Marstons than I have Boris and his pals.

What changes can we expect to see at your pub? Still TBC as things have changed now this distance has been reduced to a degree but as before we were locked down we had implemented PPE for staff, regular cleaning and sanitising, the “Dog Drive Through” service and removed bar stools from the bar, this will still be in place. New changes I expect to have perspex partitions on certain tables and areas, new sanitising points through out the pub, table service and collection points (no queue bar service) slightly different table lay out, higher ventilation and various other precautionary tweaks.

Have you been offering takeaways/deliveries and if so how well has this worked? We have offered various different take away options over the last few months with a great take up but this had to be put on hold for 2 months due to cellar equipment failure.

The Government have suggested that pubs use an app to process orders, surely this is out of the reach of many freehouses and micropubs, how are you planning on facing this? Is texting your order and contactless payment the best option? Until I get some clarification off Black Country Ales I’m not 100% if we will have an app based service but I’m in a lucky enough spot where I can quite easily verbally communicate to most tables in the pub without have to leave the bar. We don’t serve food so we have 2 large beer menu tv screens and a large chalk board that can be seen from everywhere in the pub to convey what beers we have on sale. Contactless payment will be preferred (but we will be taking cash) and the PDQ machines will be supplied at either the customers table or the specific collection point for payment.

What support have you had from the brewery/pub company since you closed? BCA have been great during lock down by offering various COVID training courses, legal and employment advice, financial assistance and various other personal, private and moral boosting support! Just on Monday they sent all the landlords a small token of their appreciation by way of a Gourmet Chocolate Pizza from a company in Nottingham, but I don’t need to put on any more lbs at the moment.

What are the main challenges in restarting a pub from scratch? As far as I’m concerned we’re not starting from scratch but this crazy situation has certainly given us food for thought:

Staff and Public safety
Public confidence (will people feel safe coming out)
New ways of working and operation
Beer supplies
Turnover
The list goes on …

Do you think you will face any supply issues? Will the hasty reopen mean you will have a reduced range of products on sale? There has been rumblings in the industry for the last 2-3 weeks that unless there was any major changes it would be 4th July reopening so some breweries have gambled and restarted production then, Some breweries never stopped as they were doing a delivery service or take aways. I’ve heard from some breweries they’ve been busier than ever! I’m guessing there may be a slight issues when every landlord and his dog starts reordering Beer but I’ve got every confidence the British Brewing Industry will be able to catch up super quickly. Just today for example I’ve taken delivery for 14 freshly brewed casks and another delivery scheduled for in for next Wednesday so I’m pretty confident we won’t be running dry at The Dog.

THE LAST HERETIC

How relieved are you at the news you can reopen? Always thought it was going to be the 4th July, not that relieved as our online and takeout sales are going well.

Generally how do you think the Government have handled the crisis in relation to the reopening of pubs? What have they got right, what have they got wrong? Can’t really answer that until pubs have been open a while.

Have you had enough time to make the necessary changes to your premises? If not, how much longer would you have liked? Everyone has had since 23 March to gear themselves up this.

Prior to last week, have you had any contact from the Government over restrictions? No.

What changes can we expect to see at your pub? PPE protective screen at the bar (already installed at Heretic and Bodells), if pubs aren’t doing this then I’d be very surprised !!, hand sanitizer at two points in the pub, safe distancing notices throughout, a one way in and out system in operation at both pubs.

Have you been offering takeaways/deliveries and if so how well has this worked? Both, both have gone extremely well, its amazed me that pubs close by haven’t done this as well, my regulars have supported me thru this period by still buying ale and I’ve supported them by making deliveries to them free of charge.

The Government have suggested that pubs use an app to process orders, surely this is out of the reach of many freehouses and micropubs, how are you planning on facing this? Is texting your order and contactless payment the best option? I won’t be using an app, I won’t be taking text orders as people may not turn up to the pub, I’ll be offering contactless and cash options for payment.

What are the main challenges in restarting a pub from scratch? Not enough people coming out to warrant opening, I can see an initial rush the 1st two weekends, but if people aren’t coming out Tue-Thur as well I really don’t see the point in opening midweek.

Do you think you will face any supply issues? Will the hasty reopen mean you will have a reduced range of products on sale? No I don’t think so, breweries have been up and brewing these past few weeks, I’ve already placed orders today and gave plenty of beer in as I’ve been doing a deliver service on www.cask2couch.beer and takeout thru The Last Heretic

STRETTON SOCIAL CLUB

How relieved are you at the news you can reopen? Difficult one, reopening will be great, the restrictions not so. The risks to many of our older members will be difficult for them to cope with. A socially distanced social club, difficult to see.

Generally how do you think the Government have handled the crisis in relation to the reopening of pubs? What have they got right, what have they got wrong? I give them credit for housing the homeless, the Furlough scheme, the business grants and the apparent way Universal Credit claims were handled so well. Local government has worked brilliantly to deliver new services and work so closely with local volunteers. I cannot say what I feel that has not gone well, it will take me far too long and I will get far too angry, see the stats, do the math.

Have you had enough time to make the necessary changes to your premises? If not, how much longer would you have liked? No, we have been undergoing some refurbishments and we have not been able to do much else whilst they were going on. It was also difficult to plan as selective leaking was giving different and contradictory advice. You only had to see the amount of changes in advice schools had to endure to understand the chaos.

Prior to last week, have you had any contact from the Government over restrictions? No.

What changes can we expect to see at your club? Difficult to be sure, but socially distanced tables, reduced opening to begin with, no pub games and no music, entertainment or noise.

Have you been offering takeaways/deliveries and if so how well has this worked? No.

The Government have suggested that pubs use an app to process orders, surely this is out of the reach of many freehouses and micropubs, how are you planning on facing this? Is texting your order and contactless payment the best option? Bar ordering seems the most likely still.

What support have you had from the brewery/pub company since you closed? Assisting with refurb and new cellar (hopefully)

What are the main challenges in restarting a club from scratch? Different for us because of the refurb and need to commission a new cellar, a deep clean, signage and tape everywhere.

Do you think you will face any supply issues? Will the hasty reopen mean you will have a reduced range of products on sale? Very likely breweries will probably concentrate on their tied houses and Pubcos, we’ll see. Reduced range will only be temporary.

THE WEIGHBRIDGE INN

How relieved are you at the news you can reopen? Slightly relieved but this is the beginning, things aren’t back to normal. I don’t know how well it’s going to work.

Generally how do you think the Government have handled the crisis in relation to the reopening of pubs? What have they got right, what have they got wrong? Peoples’ health come first but the Government were told by the trade we needed plenty of notice and they haven’t given it.

Have you had enough time to make the necessary changes to your premises? If not, how much longer would you have liked? I haven’t even seen what we have to do yet!!! We had already started planning what we think will work.

Prior to last week, have you had any contact from the Government over restrictions? Nothing at all.

What changes can we expect to see at your pub? We are looking at table service only and introducing a one-way system as we’ve opened another door. There will be hand washing stations at the doors but the rest is still being planned

Have you been offering takeaways/deliveries and if so how well has this worked? Yes the delivery service has worked really well we didn’t waste any beer at the brewery and have been back brewing for weeks.

The Government have suggested that pubs use an app to process orders, surely this is out of the reach of many freehouses and micropubs, how are you planning on facing this? Is texting your order and contactless payment the best option? It won’t be via an app.

What support have you had from the brewery/pub company since you closed? We’ve not yet tried to order our lager so can’t comment on that one. Obviously owing the brewery and the pub has its advantages for the home delivery service.

What are the main challenges in restarting a pub from scratch? Not knowing who is going to return. Not everyone is happy yet about coming out but fingers crossed that all our regulars will be there from 11.30?

Do you think you will face any supply issues? Will the hasty reopen mean you will have a reduced range of products on sale? Fingers crossed that with what we offer we shouldn’t have any problems, but because we like to change things I’m sure we will be ok.

THE VIEW FROM THE BAR

Local drinkers share what have they have missed most about pubs and thoughts about going back.

The taste of a freshly poured beer. Carry outs are great but by the time they are home, they don’t taste the same. I’ll go back as soon as it is safe for someone with low immune system and safe for people to go without the worry of spreading the virus so we don’t get a second wave. (Liam Murkin)

Lockdown hasn’t changed my drinking habits that much, though I have missed being able to go to the pub. The most annoying thing was the cancellation of National Bass Day. Not sure I’ll be rushing to the pub when they reopen, I’m likely to see what happens first. (Andy Jackson)

I am looking forward to getting back to the pub and feel that it is important to support our local as much as we can in these difficult times. The sun is shining so the pub beer garden will be an excellent space to spend some spare time. Lockdown drinking has been maintained by beer boxes from local microbreweries and homebrew. (Stewart Gibson)

Got through nine firkins of real ale since lockdown! Sick of being a cellar man, ready for our local pubs to do it for me. I didn’t drink it all, the lads left their potties and tubs on the wall and I filled them kept everyone happy. I’ll be first at the pub on the 4th July. Bring it on and support our lovely local pubs. (Mark Broughton)

The main things I have missed about pubs are the people, the conversations, meeting friends and somewhere convivial to wait for trains and buses. I now drink Real Ale at home.  I will certainly return to pubs but I will be wary about entering crowded  establishments unless there is an effective vaccine for Covid 19. (Jim Ward)

A common thing that you hear a lot regardless of being an ale, lager or cider drinker etc. is nothing ever replaces a proper pint! Like the saying goes, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. Most definitely looking to go back asap. (Stuart Garner)

I miss being able to socialise with friends properly whilst enjoying a good pint. Drinking at home from a bottle is ok if that’s all you got, but a proper pint is what I hanker for. The lock down has been a necessity but once it’s safe to do so I will be back in a pub like a rat up a drainpipe (but stress…. when it is deemed safe to do so). I’ve missed The Roebuck – Gates Burton Ale (GBA) Reservoir, Reservoir Gold or Dam, whichever Gates Ales they have on, and I always sample a few working at the Tower Brewery on a Friday night … a pint or two of Bass and Joules along the way. (Steve Gardner)

The full boddied flavour of a hand pulled pint of Peddi. (Paul Skitrall)

Can’t wait to have the Tower Brewery open on a Friday again!! Nowhere else in Burton like it for fresh brewed, flavour packed, silky IPA. (Leslie Ball)

I miss the friendship at Stapenhill Institute. Hope to be back soon. (Joy Chester)

I fully expect this Saturday to be a day of national madness. Remember what happened on Friday 20th March when Boris Johnson announced that the pubs would close later that night? The general public went down the pub for one last hurrah. That’s the British for you. Look at the beaches during the recent hot weather or reports of illegal raves, virus or no virus, we generally don’t like doing what we are told if we think we can get away with it. Give us a third and we will take a pint. This may stem from an inherent national rebellious streak or we could just be following the bad example of the cummings and goings of those in power.

A recent survey on the CAMRA Facebook group showed about a quarter of drinkers are not planning to return to pubs just yet, which will be a blessing in disguise, but one thing is for sure, if the sun is shining on 4th July pubs are going to be very busy and they will struggle to cope. The question isn’t if there will be a queue outside every single ‘Spoon’s come opening time, but if it stretches into the next postcode.

In the long term it is all about altering drinkers’ attitudes; not being able to get in to a pub because it is heaving is nothing new, but imagine being turned away because the place is “full”, even though it looks relatively empty? As a nation we have always enjoyed dropping in for a pint on a whim, as the Prime Minister described it: “The inalienable free-born right of people born in England to go to the pub” but that has now changed, for a while at least.

No matter how prepared the pubs may be they still face a massive challenge as they adapt to a very different world. Rumours were that the big pub chains were given draft guidelines weeks back, but for the smaller pub estates and independents there was only silence until last Wednesday; to be blunt there hasn’t been time for them to read, digest and act accordingly. Yes, some of the recommendations are common sense but what about those that require extra thought and planning? Let’s hope that the general public will be understanding and patient, even after the fifth pint.

The big question however is why a Saturday? Why not mid-week, say Wednesday 1st July? That way the new measures could be trialed before the inevitable massive piss up at the weekend, who in their right mind thought that date was a good idea?

With the immediate future looking like booking tables in advance or queuing outside like we are panic buying toilet rolls, things are going to be strange but given time the pub trade and the drinkers will adapt. We’ve shown that we are bloody good at that these last few months, but for the time being is it any wonder that some places are choosing to remain closed? Those who have that luxury of being able to watch and wait are making a wise decision, even if they hold off for a week or two it’ll allow the novelty to wear off and for the new normal to sink in. Like a dog isn’t just for Christmas, a pub isn’t just for 4th July.

Inevitably some places will be forced to open; those that have struggled financially through Lockdown will have to grin and bear it through what is likely to be a collective release of pent up frustration and l wish them all the luck in the world. Out of everybody it’ll be the hardworking publicans and their staff who will really deserve a drink this Saturday.

As the nation’s pubs wait patiently for a decision from the Government as to when and how they can reopen, one place that is in no hurry to return to normal is Burton upon Trent’s Brews Of The World. Unlike the other pubs in town, BOTW have managed to stay open, after a fashion, throughout Lockdown.

“We lost a week’s trading at the end of March when the restrictions were first applied but reopened as soon as the Government announced that off-licences were on the list of essential businesses. Can’t argue with that!” Laughs Chris McCormack. “We are at about 50-60% of our usual takings which is higher than we thought, considering that we have reduced our current opening hours by more than half. Being open seven days a week definitely helps, we could continue in this manner indefinitely; all bills, invoices etc. are getting paid and we are still ordering new stock on a regular basis. The £10,000 grant from the Government has helped as well, however it would be great to get back to how we were sooner rather than later; many regulars have become more than just customers, they have become friends.”

As for allowing restricted drinking in the shop?

“The thought of a table booking scheme …” muses Chris, shaking his head. “… timed drinking slots … kind of flies in the face of what social drinking is all about; peaceful relaxation downtime to enjoy a great beer, not having a bald bugger standing over you whilst tapping his watch in your direction!”

“Our stand point is all or nothing; so whilst it is nothing we can’t contemplate opening back up to the masses by excluding 80% of our loyal drinkers to accommodate 20% of a select few. We certainly would not wish to alienate our valued customers that we have worked so hard to please in the past two and a half years of being in business.”

Brews Of The World first opened in 2017 exclusively as a Bottle Shop before expanding into a successful pub specialising in Craft Beers and Lagers last year.

“It was not uncommon for us to have over forty people in on a weekend evening; besides, we would have to turn more people away than could actually drink inside whilst the Two Metre Rule is in place. I know that there are many other places to drink but folk do travel from out of town to try our more unusual stuff. Wasted journeys could lose customers rather than attract them. Could you imagine going out for a beer not knowing whether or not you might be allowed in once you got there?”

The biggest hurdle Chris and co-owner Robin Ludlow face is that of the shop layout which, like much of the rest of the world, was not designed with Social Distancing in mind.

“We would find it difficult to accommodate drinkers whilst maintaining Social Distancing guidelines,” Chris observes. “We have just the one room with limited ventilation opportunities, unless the door is kept open and then you have the constant stationary traffic at the lights to contend with, which isn’t pleasant. Our toilets are at the back of the shop down a narrow corridor and there is no option for a one-way system due to one door in the middle of the frontage. All things considered our decision at the moment is to continue as an Off-License until restrictions are more suited to our premises.”

With so much emphasis placed on the importance of the NHS during the COVID-19 crisis, BOTW worked in collaboration with Carl Stout from the Devonshire Arms and Mandy Addis from The Coopers Tavern to raise money for the local hospital.

“Carl dropped in and suggested that we could take some of his short-dated or out of date casks to sell for charity; he would have had to dispose of the beer otherwise. We took four casks: Burton Bridge Bitter (4.2%), Ashover Waimea (Pale, 4.6%), Church End Goats Milk (Pale, 2017 Champion Beer of Britain, 3.8%) and Church End Fallen Angel (Bitter, 5%). These four ales were very well received by our customers at £2 per pint and we raised £150 for the Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity. We also took a number of bottles of Guinness Original and Brothers Cider from Mandy; they were also coming to the end of their shelf lives and needed selling. These went for £1.50 each and raised another £50 for Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity. We’re also currently offering a 10% discount for NHS staff with all purchases on production of ID.”

BOTW’s biggest and most consistent seller is White Shield, they’ve sold around 2,600 bottle in total or about a week, however Lockdown has meant that the supply has dried up!

“We will have wait another week or so to get that back in! We sold out of the Amundsen specials that we had in about four days, the German lagers and wheat beers move through quite quick and we’ve sold out of Tynt Meadow a couple of times …”

Chris and Robin have had to adapt by limiting stock levels and reducing opening hours, as an independent shop that do not have corporate backing, but at all times the health and safety of both themselves and their customers have been at the front of their minds.

“The situation is starting to improve, we are delighted that The Dog has reopened and are encouraged by the way that Cask2Couch is working for the Last Heretic,” says a hopeful Chris. “I’m sure that our customers will be willing to return once safe to do so. It will be one hell of a party when we can, I’m sure of that!”

A large group of beer aficionados met at Marston’s Sports & Social Club on Monday night to mark the 150th Anniversary of the brewing of Bass, Ratcliff & Gretton’s Ratcliff Ale, which is recognised as the oldest still drinkable beer in the world.

Ratcliff Ale was brewed on 16 December 1869 at the now demolished Bass Old Brewery on High Street. Produced to mark the birth of Richard Henry “Harry” Ratcliff, the son of company Director Richard Ratcliff, it was designed to be consumed on Harry’s 21st birthday.

Along with Ratcliff Ale, numerous bottles of the other five Bass Commemorative Ales, or Bass Corkers, were opened including three bottles of the exceptionally rare 1929 Prince’s Ale, all in aid of the National Brewery Heritage Trust and Cancer Research UK.

“Overall the evening was a huge success,” said Harry. “Approximately ninety people being given the opportunity to taste a unique and very special collection of beers, spanning one hundred and fifty years.”

Gary Summerfield took charge of the job of uncorking the beer along with Netty Webster and Andy Jackson.

“It is rare to have Bass Corkers with complete seals, as over the years the wax becomes very brittle,” observed Gary. “When we chipped the wax off, it was interesting that the lead sealed King’s Ale had the red wax underneath confirming that these were originals. What was surprising was that the older bottle corks came out pretty much intact whilst the later tended to crumble, maybe the corks were better quality back then?”

The assembled enthusiasts enjoyed talks from local Brewing Historian Ian Webster and National Brewery Heritage Trust Chairman / ex-Bass Director Dr Harry White, whilst the unique tasting session was led by renowned International Beer Writer Roger Protz, who along with a panel of Tony Duckworth and Martin Thomas both ex-Directors at Bass, Beer Writer Pete Brown, Harry White and Ian Webster, described the old ales in great detail.

 “It was a fascinating and rewarding event, tasting beers from a century or more ago and finding them in perfect drinking condition,” said Roger Protz who had never tried Ratcliff Ale before. “The most memorable was the Ratcliff Ale, 150 years old. There was a frisson of excitement in the room when this beer was sampled. It was clear in the glass and was amazingly complex, as fruity as sherry or Madeira but with a delicate balance of hops.”

“Ratcliff Ale was an over-stamped label of a standard beer of that time: Bass & Co’s, No. 1 Strong Ale, a precursor of what is nowadays called a barley wine,” explains Harry. “That it was still sound in terms of both taste and appearance is a huge testament to the brewing skills and expertise employed in Burton at that time. An era when despite the demand for Burton’s beers worldwide, brewing could still only be carried out during the winter months, because no-one understood the true nature of the fermentation process or was even aware of the existence of micro-organisms!”

“And I was very worried that we wouldn’t have enough beer to go around!” exclaimed a relieved Ian Webster. “As it turned out every bottle we opened was drinkable and each person got to try all six. It was magical to be able to toast with Ratcliff Ale and watch everyone drink it! Afterwards I had people telling me they’d never forgot tonight; it was a unique experience for an amazing beer.”

And as for the 200th Anniversary?

“I doubt I’ll be around to see that one,” laughs Ian. “But if I am, I hope someone invites me to the party.”

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Roger Protz’s Tasting Notes

1982 Prince’s Ale a.k.a. Celebration Ale
Marmite, toffee, spicy hops on the nose, rich malty palate with vinous fruit and hops developing. A lot of Marmite notes in the finish with tart fruit and peppery hops. 

1978 Princess Ale
Chestnut colour, good condition, sherry and hops aroma. Bittersweet in the mouth with tart fruit and peppery hops. The finish is dry with rich fruit and some hop bitterness.

1977 Jubilee Strong Ale
Herbal note on the nose — coriander? Earthy note on the palate from English hops, dry and fruity like old blood oranges, some hops notes. Tart fruity finish ending bitter.

1929 Prince’s Ale
Oak on the nose — was this aged in wood? Raisins and sultana fruit. Tart fruit in the mouth with hop bitterness. Finish has more tart fruit, oak notes and light hop bitterness.

1902 King’s Ale
Dry vinous fruit on the aroma with toasted malt and a touch of acidity. Rich, ripe fruit dominate the palate — Dundee Cake fruitiness and ripe malt. Long, bittersweet finish dominated by fruit and rich malt notes with gentle bitterness.

1869 Ratcliff Ale
Bright chestnut colour, Massive fruit on the nose — raisins, sultanas, plums. Bitter and slightly acidic in the mouth with burnt fruit. Bitter finish with dark fruit and rich malt. Amazingly complex.

On 16 December a unique evening was held where all of the Bass Corkers were opened and tasted to mark the 150th Anniversary of the brewing of Bass’ Ratcliff Ale. The panel was led by international Beer Writer and beer tasting expert Roger Protz and here for your reading pleasure are Roger’s tasting notes from all six beers.

1982 Prince’s Ale a.k.a. Celebration Ale

Marmite, toffee, spicy hops on the nose, rich malty palate with vinous fruit and hops developing. A lot of Marmite notes in the finish with tart fruit and peppery hops. 

1978 Princess Ale

Chestnut colour, good condition, sherry and hops aroma. Bittersweet in the mouth with tart fruit and peppery hops. The finish is dry with rich fruit and some hop bitterness.

1977 Jubilee Strong Ale

Herbal note on the nose — coriander? Earthy note on the palate from English hops, dry and fruity like old blood oranges, some hops notes. Tart fruity finish ending bitter.

1929 Prince’s Ale

Oak on the nose — was this aged in wood? Raisins and sultana fruit. Tart fruit in the mouth with hop bitterness. Finish has more tart fruit, oak notes and light hop bitterness.

1902 King’s Ale

Dry vinous fruit on the aroma with toasted malt and a touch of acidity. Rich, ripe fruit dominate the palate — Dundee Cake fruitiness and ripe malt. Long, bittersweet finish dominated by fruit and rich malt notes with gentle bitterness.

1869 Ratcliff Ale

Bright chestnut colour, Massive fruit on the nose — raisins, sultanas, plums. Bitter and slightly acidiic in the mouth with burnt fruit. Bitter finish with drak fruit and rich malt. Amazingly complex.

What was the first British Trade Mark? The Red Triangle of Bass? Well yes and no. Trade Mark Number One was a beer label for Bass & Co.s Pale Ale.

Although it is a generally accepted and much repeated “fact” that the Red Triangle was the first Trade Mark, it was in fact the 914^th; so to be precise and somewhat pedantic, as historians have a habit of being, the Red Triangle formed part of the first Trademark. Bass also registered numbers two and three on the same day. In 2013 Bass Pale Ale was relaunched as Bass Trademark Number One. If the current owners of Trade Mark Number One AB In-Bev cannot get their facts straight, what chance does anyone else have?

In late 1875 Parliament finally passed a long campaigned for Trade Mark Act 1875 which came into force on 1 January 1876. This superseded the 1862 Merchandise Marks Act which had offered only limited protection for companies like Bass; since 1862 it was illegal to use another’s mark with intent to defraud but it wasn’t until the 1875 Act that companies could legally register their actual Trade Marks.

The 1862 Act wasn’t without legal power and was used to convict people in the courts; an example being in 1866 when one John Yeomans, a Brewer’s Agent was successfully prosecuted in Brighton for applying the Trade Mark of Bass to bottles not containing Bass’s Ale. He was sentenced to six months in prison.

The Registration process was done at the Trade Mark Office on Fleet Street in London and the story goes that to ensure that Bass was the first company to register their Trade Marks an employee camped out overnight on New Year’s Eve outside. To prove this here is a drawing of the unnamed Victorian Gentleman.

Now if I was this person who stayed up all night on a cold London street, I’d be a little annoyed that my name is not recorded in the annals of history! Add to this that this drawing dates back to the 1960s and not the 1860s led historian Martyn Cornell to suggest that this tale may be fabricated. Nice story though!

What is known is that Bass registered three Trade Marks that day, these were labels for: Bass & Co’s Pale Ale with the Red Triangle, Bass & Co’s Burton Ale (as seen on Ratcliff Ale and the other five Bass Corkers) with the Red Diamond and Bass & Co’s Extra Stout with the Brown Diamond. Along with Bass’ three registrations another 50 or so Trade Marks were registered by other companies that day. It wasn’t until 16 days later on 17 January 1876 that the actual Red Triangle, Red Diamond and Brown Diamond Trade Marks were registered, numbers 914, 915 and 916.

When did Bass start to use the Red Triangle? There is evidence to show that they had been around since the late 1830’s. In 1877 the Manager of Bass’ London Stores a Mr F. J. Thompson commented that the Red Triangle had been used as a mark on casks for forty years, dating this to 1837, note this is on casks not bottles. Following the opening of Bass Middle Brewery in 1853 casks brewed here had a White Triangle to distinguish them from those brewed at the original High Street premises and when the New Brewery opened in 1863 these had a Blue Triangle.

Cask branding was common practice and certainly Bass’ great rival Benjamin Wilson was doing this on casks of Burton Ale that he was exporting to the Baltic in the early 1800’s. I’ll come back to an interesting Benjamin Wilson story shortly …

Although it was registered on 1 January 1876, this wasn’t when Bass started using the Trade Mark Number One label, the Bass Pale Ale label was designed by George Curzon, a Burtonian, in 1855. Curzon came up with the ring of Stafford Knots, the background design and incorporated the signature and Red Triangle. Here is the label that Bass used prior to Curzon’s, as you can see it is for East India Pale Ale and has the Bass & Co. signature but no Red Triangle. The design was simple and therefore easy to copy.

Bass announced their new label with a letter In February 1855 a letter, with an accompanying a copy of the label and it is worth a read.

We beg respectively to call your attention to the annexed fac-simile of a label that we have adopted as the distinguishing mark of the identity of our PALE ALE.

The general imitation of our old label for all sorts of Pale Ale has rather assisted than prevented deception. We trust the one we have now adopted – the figure of which belongs to us as our Trade Mark – will be a means of securing us and the public against the fraud that has been so long and so greatly complained of.

We are, Sir

Your most obedient Servants,

Bass & Co.

Bass hoped that Curzon’s label would be difficult to mimic, but this was not the case as it was noted that when the 1862 Merchandise Mark Acts was passed that the label was already being copied all over the world, the company holding examples from Glasgow, Liverpool, France, Germany and even as far as Melbourne in Australia! The fake labels copied the shape, the Stafford Knot, the Red Triangle or a close approximation was used like a bell. One even went as far as calling themselves Baass & Co! At one time the company claimed to have nearly 2,000 examples of fraudulent labels on file!

Bass famously used to pursue such fraudsters through the courts post 1876 and there are many examples of them doing just this to be found in newspapers and brewing journals, be it publicans using old Bass bottles and filling them with different ale or brewers making near copies of the Bass label.

This unscrupulous business practice of passing one’s beer off as a rival’s was something that Michael Thomas Bass Senior, the father of the then current Chairman, also called Michael Thomas Bass had firsthand experience of. In 1803 he provided 30 unmarked casks of Burton Ale to a Baltic customer along with a metal brand marked “B. Wilson” so that these could be fraudulently sold as Wilson’s ale.

In a letter to the merchant he stated “I should not like any person to know of it.” I bet he didn’t, however it isn’t recorded if Benjamin Wilson ever became aware of Bass’ underhanded practice. I am sure Bass had his reasons for doing this; as I explained in my first talk Wilson at the time was the number one brewer in Burton and Bass wanted to break Wilson’s grip on the market, from the evidence here even if that meant playing dirty.

So back to Bass: now with the Red Triangle Pale Ale label in use, in early 1857 they started to use the Red Diamond label and the Brown Diamond followed in 1864.

I’d like to clear up some confusion that Trade Mark Number One and the beer Bass No.1, are the same; they are not. Trade Mark Number One was for Bass Pale Ale only and Bass No.1 was their premium Barley Wine which was Trademark Number Two. During the 1860’s Bass adopted a numbering system for their beers, with No.1 being the strongest, No.2 slightly weaker etc., with Ratcliff Ale being Bass No. 1.

To confuse matters the stouts with the Brown Diamond were called P2, P3, P4 and P5. There was no P1, could this have been to avoid confusion with Bass No.1, but why P and not S for Stout? It appears that the P stood for Porter and that the terms Stout and Porter were interchangeable back in the 1860s.

Today the Red Triangle is owned by AB In-Bev, making it the longest running Trademark in British history and I think it can claim to be the most famous Trademark in history and was famously painted by Manet in Un bar aux Folies Bergère in 1886.

My blog logo bears no resemblance to the Bass logo, although just to be on the safe side I did write to AB In-Bev and was given their blessing to use it.

Talk originally presented at the Ratcliff Ale 150th Anniversary evening 16 December 2019.

Which one is the odd one out?

• Phil Seaman 1926-1972 Jazz Drummer
• Stanley Clarke 1933-2004 Property Developer
• William Bass c.1717-1787 Brewer
• Joe Jackson 1954-date Musician
• Paddy Considine 1973-date Actor & Film maker

The answer is William Bass, as all the others are famous Burtonians. Bass was born around 1717 in Hinckley, Leics, 21 miles away from the town that his name would be forever linked to. He was the second son of John Bass, a Plumber and Glazier. The family also had a farm, which included a Brewhouse.

John Bass died when William was fifteen, his elder brother, also John, kept on the business and supplied cider locally which William would pick up Birmingham, he would also bring in supplies for brewing which presumably was done by his Mother.

In 1752 William and John set up carrying business between Manchester & London. They bought textiles in Manchester and travelled to London, stopping at Ashbourne before pressing on to Burton to load up on … hats! Although there was a brewing industry in Burton at that time, it was no more important than Hatting, the town was also famed for Alabaster carving.

Bass began to transport Burton Ale to London and Manchester. Burton Ale was a dark, very strong and sweet style that is not brewed today, the closest modern approximation is Marston’s Owd Roger. Despite its name Ind Coope’s Draught Burton Ale, was not a Burton Ale, but a Pale Ale.

William bought his brother out of the business in 1755 and married Mary Gibbons the following year, who was the daughter of Michael Gibbons who ran the Red Lion on Grey’s Lane in London. The couple settled at Nether Hall in Wetmore, Burton.

Bass bought increasing amounts of Burton Ale from brewers such as Leeson, Musgrave, Clay, Evans and Lovatt and may have even started to brew himself, which means that Bass was brewing in Burton before the accepted date of 1777. In 1765 Bass advertised in the Derby Mercury “a handsome new-built house” on the east side of High Street complete with a Brewhouse, unfortunately the actual location for this house has been lost to time, but it shows that Bass was brewing in Burton at least 12 years before 1777

At the age of around 60, when most of us are thinking of retirement, Bass paid £1,050 for brewery on the east side of High Street which had stood empty for two years. He didn’t choose Burton for the water as it would be 45 years before these unique properties for the production of Pale Ale were known, he picked Burton as it was central between London and Manchester, it was a growing town, it was linked via the Grand Trunk Canal to Liverpool and Hull. He also chose Burton because he lived in the town!

The business would provide a future for his two sons Michael Thomas and William jr and the premises stretched from High Street to the Hay, sandwiched between what would become his greatest rivals William Worthington and Benjamin Wilson. The breweries of Henry Evans and John Walker Wilson sat opposite. He also purchased additional land off William Yeomans and it is likely that he relied on Yeoman’s to run the brewing side.

Early on William Bass had three distinct markets; local innkeepers, innkeepers in London and Manchester and Merchants in the Baltic to whom many of the early Burton Brewers dealt with.

Ten years after establishing his brewery William Bass passed away leaving a growing business to Michael Thomas and William jr. The latter showed little interest in brewing and sold his half to his brother. Michael Thomas Bass was a businessman with ambition, he wanted to be more successful than Benjamin Wilson who was the biggest brewer in Burton.

He visited London and Manchester, successfully gaining more customers and then started to export to the Baltic directly, cutting out the Hull Merchants thereby making greater profit, but by 1790 his Baltic exports totalled just 211 barrels, Benjamin Wilson was sending ten times that amount, even John Walker Wilson, Benjamin’s brother was sending over 1,000 barrels.

After Wilson expanded his business by purchasing the Sketchley Brewery on Horninglow Street, his capacity increased to 4,500 barrels per annum. At this point Bass was only the 8th largest brewer in town, so he entered into a partnership with James Musgrave 1791.

Musgrave’s Brewery was on Bridge Street, and could trace its roots back to Benjamin Printon the twon’s first Common Brewer. Musgrave had added three Maltings on Anderstaff Lane (now Wetmore Road) and had been trying to sell his business for six yrs. He introduced Bass to new customers and in four years they were producing 3,000 barrels, with about two thirds for export.

Political unrest between Britain & France meant that ships to the Baltic had to travel in convoy, but despite this it was still possible to export. They also saw local sales increase, in Burton alone they had 81 customers, these were reached by wagon or for those out of town, canal.

The Bass Musgrave business was typical for brewers of their day and they were known as Common Brewers who also traded in such commodities as timber and linen. In 1792 John Ratcliff started working for the company as a Clerk, he would be taken on as a partner in 1796 and such was the trust this wasn’t legally finalised for another thirteen years!

The Bass Musgrave partnership ended abruptly, Musgrave entering into an agreement with John Greaves. Why this happened it not recorded, it could have been because Musgrave disagreed with making Ratcliff a partner.

John Ratcliff’s role changed to that of a Commercial Traveller for the new company that was called Bass & Ratcliff. The High Street brewery was expanded with a new Brewhouse in operation for the start of the 1797 brewing season.

The first years of Bass & Ratcliff were difficult, due to the Baltic conditions although in 1799 a new market opened up when five casks went to America via Liverpool. Bass & Ratcliff were excellent business men, chasing debts vigilantly and employing Agents in major cities, however despite their best efforts they were unable to break Wilsons hold on the Baltic.

In 1804 Bass & Ratcliff sent 900 barrels of their finest and strongest ale to the Baltic before receiving orders; the plan was it would to arrive before Wilson’s. However Wilson had undercut him, so they had to reduce the price even further and merchants exploited what was a flooded market.

If 1804 was a bad year, 1805 was worse still and it appeared that Wilson had won the battle of the Baltic, Bass & Ratcliff fell back on dealing in timber and making casks, some of which were exchanged for Porter, but then there was a political twist in 1806 when Napoleon blockaded the Baltic Ports and the elaborate trade that existed between Hull, London and Danzig came to an end within a few months.

Due to Wilson’s reliance on the Baltic trade he was harder hit than Bass & Ratcliff, he soon sold his brewery to his nephew Samuel Allsopp. Due to their larger local customer base Bass & Ratcliff were more resilient. They still tried to send ale to the Baltic but with limited success, they also exported to Ireland, N America, the W Indies and even Australia.

Over half their trade was to local pubs, suggesting that Bass & Ratcliff owned the inns, this was an early example of a tied estate that became more important later in the 19th century.

In real terms how big was Bass & Ratcliff? Although Burton had a reputation for ales enjoyed the world over, the entire output of the town was equal to a mere third of one of the large London brewers. Bass & Ratcliff employed just 25 men and the brewery was powered by men/horses. Like many other brewers, Bass & Ratcliff were unable to produce a consistent product due to a lack of understanding of the science behind brewing.

The 1810’s saw the business grow, with the Baltic Trade replaced by the North American, West Indian and Australian market, this was made possible by the good keeping qualities of Burton Ale. At home they enjoyed good sales in Lancashire and London and by 1820 a long held ambition was realised and they became the largest brewers in Burton, owning at least six local pubs.

Another market was soon to open up that would see Bass become the greatest brewery in the world; India! This would see Bass and other Burton brewers such as Allsopp, Salt, Marston, Ind Coope and Worthington become dominant forces in the world of brewing. Within a few decades Bass went from the biggest Brewer in Burton to the biggest Brewer in the world!

Talk originally presented at the Ratcliff Ale 150th Anniversary evening 16 December 2019.

A Celebration of the 150th Anniversary of Bass’ Ratcliff Ale

Monday 16 December, 19:30 at Marston’s Sports & Social Club

A unique event is happening on 16 December 2019 at Marston’s Sports & Social Club; a chance for you to try Bass’ Ratcliff Ale exactly 150 years to the day from when it was brewed on 16 December 1869. A number of the other Bass commemorative ales, affectionately known as “Bass Corkers”, will also be opened.

Burton upon Trent Brewing Historian and local author Ian Webster will speak about aspects of the history of Bass Brewery before the tasting session commences led by none other than the International Beer Writer Roger Protz.

Ian says: “To have the support of Roger Protz; author, blogger and a man renowned for his expert beer knowledge shows just how important an event this is. I am also hoping to get some other knowledgeable people to give opinions on the ales too.”

“Ratcliff Ale is recognised as one the oldest beer in Britain and was the first of the Bass Corkers, I have been lucky enough to be given a few bottles of it to open and share, there are also stocks of the 1902 King’s Ale, 1977 Jubilee Ale, 1978 Princess Ale and the 1982 Prince’s Ale all ready and waiting to be uncorked.”

There is however one missing from this list, the 1929 Prince’s Ale; although Ratcliff and King’s are older, the 1929 Prince’s was brewed in smaller amounts and is therefore scarcer, it has a yellow label and should not be confused with the 1982 Prince’s Ale which has a white label.

“If anyone has a bottle they’d like to donate, it would make the event complete,” says Ian hopefully. “To be able to open and sample all six Bass Corkers on the same night would be a dream come true and in itself would be a historic event.”

“There is of course no guarantee that these beers will be drinkable, even the youngest one is 37 years old, but I have opened a few old bottles before and the results have always been interesting.”

The event is in aid of Cancer Research and the National Brewery Heritage Trust which looks after the vast archive at the National Brewery Centre.

Come and drink in the history on Monday 16 December 2019, 19:30 at Marston’s Sports & Social Club on Shobnall Road, Burton upon Trent.

Tickets are £10 and can be purchased either from Ian Webster tel. 0795 6075044, The Devonshire Arms or Brews Of The World which both on Station Street in Burton upon Trent.

For further information / interviews please contact Ian Webster

www.thebeertonian.com ianjohnwebster@gmail.com

It is 10am on a sunny crisp September Wednesday and I am in the Visitors’ Centre at Marston’s with a slight sense of disbelief. Around the table sit a number of esteemed beer writers: Martyn Cornell (multiple award winner, author and blogger of the “Zythophile” fame), Adrian Tierney-Jones (another multiple award winner, writer for The Daily Star, Daily Telegraph, The Times, editor of “1001 Beers: You Must Try Before You Die” and blogger), Colston Crawford (the Derby Telegraph’s “Beerhunter”) and Stephen Pratt (writer for many CAMRA publications) and I am desperately hoping that no one asks me to justify my presense!

The reason for this incredible collection of brewing knowledge (and me) is this is the launch of a 7.4% Imperial Stout which will be bottled as No.2 Horninglow. You may have spotted that “Street” has now been omitted, but that’s not why I am here at all. This morning is all about one thing; the beer!

Head Brewer Pat McGinty serves us from a mini-keg and explains that it is still in a raw state; however the general opinion is that it is vinous (I had to look this up, it means wine like) but will mature into a fine Imperial Stout. Marston’s have brewed it with Pale Ale Malt, Roasted Barley, Chocolate Malt, Malted Oats and Malted Wheat, along with Challenger Hops, the Burton Union yeast stain and that all important ingredient; Burton water. The local water with its high Gypsum and low Chloride content is not particularly suited for stouts, hence the Malted Oats for that extra smoothness and velvety feel. No.2 tastes really good now and will improve further in a few months; should you be able to cellar it for a year it’ll be better still due to the bottle conditioning. Earlier this year Burton was treated to Heritage Brewing Company’s version of Bass P2, could No.2 Horninglow even trump that? Only time will tell.

Like No.1 before it, No.2 was developed on the DE14 Nanobrewery kit before being ramped up for the main Brewhouse. The fermentation was in two stages, starting in standard vessels before being transferred to one of Marston’s iconic Union Sets. Pat remarks that to his knowledge this is the first Union Set brewed Imperial Stout ever produced in the town, I am not going to argue. This is a glass of history.

Breakfast is then served, along with more No.2 Horninglow and it slips down even better with food; despite what some may think we Burtonians are not regular consumers of Imperial Stout at this time of day. Whilst this is happening the conversation moves to the aromas drifting from the DE14 Nanobrewery kit, this is the second trial of what will later become No.3 Horninglow, a double dry-hopped IPA, again 7.4% but any further details are a closely guarded secret for now. It smells wonderful though.

No.2 Horninglow will be available exclusively in Waitrose and the Marston’s Staff Shop on Shobnall Road. It is limited to 32,000 individually numbered bottles and expected to be on sale late October.