Host Magazine Spring 2012

hostspring 2012

Hairy Bikers Interview

Stella Tenants

Everybody Out

Olympian Profi ts

for the independent licensee

host magazine spring 2012

ww

w.thehostm

agazine.co.uk

NOT BITTER.JUST TWISTED.

Follow us on twitter @BabickaBrothers or find out more at www.babickavodka.com

20 Men And Motors Stephen Milton meets and chats with The Hairy Bikers

22 Shaken And Stirred Nigel Huddlestone recommends increasing your spirit sales by serving cocktails

28 Ending A Meal The history of post dinner liquers

30 Heading South Pete Brown recommends his favourite breweries in London and the south east

38 Everybody Out Tips to boost your profits in the great outdoors

44 A Dead Cert Why dont we hold secular funerals in public houses?

48 Olympian Profits Be a winner and cash in on the upcoming olympics

49 Eat John Porter looks at barbecues, seafood dishes and the perfect cheeseboard

5 My Shout Martyn Cornell on his most troublesome customers

7 Upfronts Tips, people, advice and myths

13 Trade Opinion Nick Bish talks about ALMRs Outlook Campaign

14 Inn Stock Ben Newman recommends his spring and summer must haves

16 Pulling Power Ben Newmans favourite beers and breweries

66 The Corker Jamie Goode on the lighter side of wines

contentsfeatures

regulars

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spring 12

68 Six Of The Best Kitchen blenders

70 Bar Essentials The latest and best products and services

75 The Biz Graeme Cushion answers your legal questions

89 Legal Q and A Taking on a tenancy, human resources and pub profi le

90 Celebrity Questionnaire Celebrity chef James Martin is put in the hot seat.

contentsregulars

Editor: Ben NewmanContributing Editor: Richard Berndes

Editorial Assistant: Carol KenyonAdvertisement Manager: Tim Morris

Sales Executives: Lee Morgan, Mellisa HayesArt Direction: onelittlestudio.com

Accounts: Julie HewittContributors: Jamie Goode, Phil Mellows, John Porter, Martyn

Cornell, Pete Brown, Sonya Hook and Nigel Huddlestone Host is published quarterly by

Plum Publications Limited

27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1 3XXtel: 0845 604 6331

email: [email protected] web: www.thehostmagazine.co.uk

The editor and publishers do not necessarily agree with the views expressed by

contributors nor do they accept responsibility for any errors in the transmission of the subject matter in this publication. In all matters the editors decision is fi nal.

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Stannah Lifts

Microlifts Advert12pg portrait H265 x W92 mm

Publication

Issue

S/O No.

The Host Magazine

April 2012

21225

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e

my shout

Customers cant be doing without them, cant be doing with them. Martyn Cornell lists his least favourite punters.

Life would be far easier if it were only possible to make a living without any customers at all

Even the most customer-friendly of operations, the bar most dedicated to making the punters feel happy and welcome, sometimes feels that life would be far easier if it were only possible to make a living without any customers at all. Heres a list, put together from conversations around the industry, of those customers you hate the most.The ones who cant handle their entertainment. Even the best-run establishment gets them, people who have imbibed too deeply at the well of merriment: and generally, to make it worse, the scene of their imbibing too deeply has been somewhere else earlier in the evening, meaning the place where they cause trouble is not the place where they spent all their money.The ones who snap their fingers/whistle/call out/bang the bar to get your attention. Theyll be served in order. And that applies to their friends. Why do some people, in a crowded bar, after paying for their own order, ask, Can you serve my mate next, please? Do they think you really want to hack off the half-dozen or more people who should rightfully be served before their pal gets his?The ones who dont place the whole order at once. Especially the ones who order two pints of Guinness right at the end, or six different shots. OK, theyre not to know you have a preferred sequence of making up a round that cuts down on the time it takes to serve and the amount of moving around you have to do, but surely they have enough short-term memory to be able to rattle out the whole list of drinks they want to buy in one go.The ones who answer their phone while placing their order. No, no, its fine, your server and the rest of the bar are happy to wait while that important conversation gets finished.The ones who think its the bar staffs fault because the pub doesnt stock the brand they want. And slag the bar staff off over it. In a blind tasting, they wouldnt be able to tell the difference between the brand they want and the one the pub stocks anyway.The ones who cant control their functions. If you

had wanted a job where you had to clear up bodily wastes inappropriately deposited, youd have gone into nursing. Enough said.The ones who dont have their money ready when the order has been completed. The ones who want to pay for one drink with a credit card. The ones who order a big round and then ask to pay for each drink separately. And the ones who ask to start a tab, hand over a credit card, then at the end of the evening either say, Its the blue one just give your name, dummy or disappear leaving their card behind theyll be back or turn out not to have enough money on their card to pay the bill. Its surprising how often they manage to find a way of paying somehow.The ones who try to tell barstaff how to pour/serve a drink and what drinks the pub ought to be stocking that it doesnt have. If theyre the expert, why arent they running their own pub?The bores. Generally in their late 50s, taken early retirement, the wife has thrown them out of the house, its sit in the public library or the pub, and they can talk in the pub and how they can talk. If talking were an Olympic sport, theyd be carrying the Union Jack round the track at the opening ceremony. Bar staff pray for more customers to come in, in order to be able to wrench themselves away from the bore.The ones who want a discount because Im a regular/Ill be bringing all my mates in/Im a member of (insert organisation here).The ones who steal everything that isnt nailed down. As someone said, its a pub, not a self-service souvenir shop.The ones who wont leave. The old landlords last orders cry, Aint you got no homes to go to?, appears to be true with this bunch, judging by their reluctance to depart the premises: you could stack the chairs around them, throw towels over all the pumps, spray the tables with cleaner, even turn out the lights, and they still dont make a move for the door. Do they hang around their own workplaces long after everyone else has gone? Maybe they do but why do they expect you to?


Ice Hand - HOST.indd 1 18/04/2012 10:59


Russia DetergentThe average Russian is said to chug between 50 and 90 half-litre bottles of vodka a year, but many also slake their thirst for liquor by glugging on perfume, disinfectant or brake fl uid. A bottle of vodka costs around 60 roubles in the shops (1.36), whereas Esculape disinfectant, say - made from 90 per cent proof alcohol - comes in at a price - busting 30 roubles. the real cost of this initiative swigging is high, however. in july 2001, a small woodcutters party in the Siberian forest ended when ten people died from swallowing an explosive concoction of 90 per cent proof alcohol diluted with brake fl uid.

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The longest recorded champagne cork fl ight, four feet from the ground at Woodbury Vineyards in New York State.

up front

Number Crunching

177 & 17

Not everyone that drinks is a poet.

Some of us drink because were not

poets.Dudley Moore


Man with a van

During the mid 2000s the phenomena that is pop up restaurants began. These were a new way to eat food that was good and economi-cal but the twist was it was usually based in someones home. It even spawned a TV show genre that included Come Dine With Me and Dinner Dates.Where food is, drink is not far behind and the pop up bar is now being witnessed around the country and the leading light in the fi eld is Mr Frothy. As the name suggests its homage to the 1970s ice cream van that kids chased for a summer time treat. But this time, form an orderly queue and the team behind the Fiat 850 van in which the bar is based will happily supply you with a fi ne bevies or three. But just because its a retro looking vehicle dont ask for a can of Long Life or a Hofmeister. Its manned by the people from the award winning North Bar in Leeds. They only provide top quality drinks and they stake their reputation on that.So next time youre at a garden fete and looking for something refreshing that is not a cup of tea, that ice cream van bell you hear across the fi eld might not be stocking 99s!

Drinking red wine is good

for you

True. According to danish researcher dr. Morton Gronbaek, Wine drinkers experience a lower all-cause mortal-ity. red wine in particular is high in antoxidants, which have been proven to play a role in the preven-tion of heart disease.

Pub myths

Ice Hand - HOST.indd 1 18/04/2012 10:59


Premium Celtic Ale

Since 1850, Okells has brewed the finest ales in accordance with the Isle of Mans unique brewing purity laws.To find out more about Okells pure brewing visit: www.okells.co.uk

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up front

ActorAny guy who gets kicked out of prep school as a teenager for patronizing a cathouse cant be half bad. In the years that followed, Barrymore chased women about as much as he chased the bottle, and was unapologetic for either vice. During one nights festivities, he drunkenly wandered into a ladies toilet, substituted a potted plant for the missing urinal. When a female re-minded him it was for ladies only, he whipped around -- while still whipped out -- and answered: So, madam, is this. But every now and again, Im compelled to run a little water through it. In addition to such impromptu performances, his professional career spanned decades with dozens of fi lms and hundreds of stage performances. Friends; Errol Flynn and Raoul Walsh went out drinking to remem-ber Barrymore, Walsh slipped away from the crowd, liberated Barrymores body from the funeral home and propped it in a chair in Flynns living room.

Great drinkers of the pastJohn Barrymore

Cherry B was one of those drinks from the 1960s and 1970s that was supposed to tell people that the drinker was a person of class and sophistication.It was a small beautifully designed bottle of cherry wine and it came in at an eye watering 11.5 alcohol volume. Its sweet, desert like taste meant that it was drunk rather quickly and with the obvious affects that something of that potency would have.The fi ve inch high stubby bottle, is a typical olde worlde type bottle, being that it is simple green glass with a few knobbles on it and with a foil around the neck. The taste, well it certainly smells of

cherries and that hits you as soon as you manage to remove the top. The colour as you might expect is a very dark red or could even be describes as dark cherry. If you have sweet tooth then this is the drink for you. I mean what would you expect from a cherry wine?Today its a rarity in shops, but recently there were lots of internet rumours about the brand being seen and sold on the shelves of Asda and Morrisons.

Some authors have suggested that Aunt Sally goes back at least as far as the 17th Century. The vague assertion is that it may have been introduced by Royalist soldiers during the English Civil. An alternative theory ascribes Aunt Sally as a development of a game which was essentially a humane version of a barbaric blood sport called throwing at cocks. In this horrible pastime a cock was tied by one leg to a stake in the ground and the participants would then pay for a turn at throwing a cok-steles (small club) at the bird. Joseph Strutt noted in 1801 that humane versions of this had been seen as fairground amusements wherein the cock was replaced by a wooden replica and people paid a small sum to attempt to hit it. What is known for sure is that Aunt Sally rose to general popularity in Victorian times as a vulgar misogynist fair-ground pursuit. The doll used to be dressed up to resemble an old maid and no doubt it was thought to be an amusing to chuck sticks at the ugly looking Aunt Sally doll. The fi gure was painted black - the game was both mysogynist and racist.

Pub GamesAunt Sally

In wine there is wisdom. In beer there

is freedom. In water there is bacteria.

Benjamin Franklin

Whatever happened to....

In wine there is wisdom. In beer there

is freedom. In water there is bacteria.

Benjamin Franklin

Cherry B


If you are looking for the ultimate male night out then head off in the direction of New Jersey and ask for the Ba da Big Bar.Its a roomy establishment with a central bar in the middle and instead of optics behind the bartenders head you see a dance fl oor, some poles and some of New Jerseys fi nest artistic dancers putting on a show for you that you can enhance by adding a signifi cant value dollar bill to their garter.

The place is run by a man called Silvio Dante, a dour looking man with a magnifi cent quiff. He runs a tight ship and will you tell you that the name was inspired from a line from his favourite fi lm The Godfather. Its at this point that you should ask yourself what sort of man fi nds gangland murder inspiring.If you get invited for a drink out at the back you should consider yourself lucky and potentially in risk of your life

all at the same time! Its in the back offi ce youll meet the main man himself Tony Soprano. Hes a big guy, strong a bit receding but unmistakeable.He might want to discuss business with you or offer you a construction opportunity on

the Newark waterfront. You should choose what you say carefully. If the penny hasnt dropped yet, perhaps you should start making for the exit and the fi rst plane out of Newark International Airport!

The White Hart

The livery badge of King Richard II of England. It became so popular as an inn sign in his reign that it was adopted by many later inns and taverns. Richard II introduced legislation compelling public houses to display a sign, and at one time the White Hart was so ubiquitous as to become almost generic, in the same way that we often call a vacuum cleaner a Hoover today.

up front

The Ba Da Bing bar The Sopranos

Famous fi ctitious boozers

For years the British boozer was dominated by strong female bar staff, Bet Lynch and Angie Watts and Kat Slater to name but a few. These days youre more likely to encounter Ivanka from eastern europe!Ivanka is a lovely girl. Shes on a 12 month working visa from her home land and is determined to make the most of her time

in the UK. But that means earning some cash to fund those trips to nightclubs, Glastonbury and the occasional trip around the rest of Europe.Shes a dab hand at pulling a pint and has a very becoming and welcoming smile that can trick a tipsy punter into thinking that he has the green light to chat her up. Needles to say that Ivanka is too used to these clumsy approaches and dismisses them with the contempt they deserve but in a manner that leaves the punter still feeling good about himself. Its a rare gift! Where you fi nd Ivanka, after awhile you might well fi nd that the bar staff is becoming more like a gathering of the United Nations on a weekly basis. A foreign smile and an alluring accent work wonders to pull in the punters even if the pulling of the pints leaves the head on the beer somewhat on the generous side. But if the punters keep coming in to enjoy the international bar staff and they arent complaining about the measures, what landlord in his or her right mind would issue a staff warning to such a valuable employee?

Whats in a name? Whats in a name? Whats in a name?

LAGER

Bar Types: Ivanka the Barmaid


Appi Some Host recommended apps to add to your mobile devicestalk

CarluccioCook with Antonio and share his passion for food with simple, delicious recipes, together with his top tips for choosing and preparing ingredients. Ev-ery recipe and tip includes an easy to follow video.

Shazam Is the name of that song on the tip of your tongue ? Use the phones mic to gather a snipet of music. Its compared against a central data-base for a match. If a match is found, informa-tion such as the artist, song title, and album are displayed.

INRIX Traffi cWe all know the feeling of being stuck in traffi c, with no idea where the problem is or how long you will be stuck. To avoid getting stuck in a jam, use INRIX Traffi c to check traffi c conditions ahead of setting off.

SpotifyThink of Spotify as your new music collection. Wherever you go, your music follows you, and because the music plays live, theres no need to wait for downloads and no big dent in your hard drive.

LogMeInIt works with LogMeIns fl agship free remote ac-cess offering, LogMeIn Free, giving iOS users un-limited free mobile access to their remote comput-ers, anywhere with an internet connection. Oh, and its free.

CAMRAA list of over 4,500 pubs and Breweries all at your fi nger tips and rated by CAMRA!. So, where ever you are in the country and in need a restbite theres no excuse not to sample some of the countries best liquid refreshment.


t

trade opinion

The ALMRs Outlook Campaign is seeking to allow all of us who work in the industry the opportunity to describe how what we do for a living makes a difference directly to those who govern our affairs in Westminster and Whitehall. The aim (this time) will be to educate and inform politicians rather than bully and berate them. In doing so, we hope to change the terms of the political and media debate away from, at times, a relentless focus on pub closures and 24-hour drinking and towards celebrating how dynamic and diverse our modern licensed hospitality businesses are. For too long, some in our industry talk about how we are on the brink of disaster and will vanish from the landscape. But the truth is we have always had to innovate and we have always survived. So why is now a good time to tell our story? Because now, more than ever before, it is simply not credible or helpful for politicians and the media to pigeon hole what we do. The pub that caters for a particular clientele during in the late night economy on the high street also serves a different clientele during the daytime economy. The village pub in its bucolic, rural setting doesnt just support the local economy by helping attract tourists; it also operates as an integral part of the local community. FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD Food led pubs are now the market leader in our sector and almost all pubs (87%) serve food at

most, if not all, times of the day. Increasingly they offer breakfast, coffee and a modern hospitality experience which attracts families, older people and their custom in the daytime and early evening. In fact we often act as a magnet encouraging others to invest locally and serve as a support structure for other retail businesses already operating on the high street. We meet a need for those people who want to pop in and out for a quick bite to eat or to socialise over a drink with friends and family while out shopping. These stories are to be found in every constituency up and down the country. Together they provide

politicians with reasons to believe in our industry and invest political capital in us rather than treat us as an ailing patient with a chronic illness. MAKING A POINT If we succeed in telling our side of the story, then maybe, just maybe, we can start to rebalance the debate and ultimately

encourage politicians to reassess the projected 10x increase in licensing fees we face over the next 12 months as a result of the measures contained in last years Police Reform Act; encourage them to reassess an out of date planning regime that does not allow for hybrid casual dining ventures that attract people to the high street; and reassess the value our businesses provide as responsible welcoming places to drink rather than the unsupervised environment at home where measures arent measured and consumption is fuelled by the easy availability and pocket money prices charged by the supermarkets. What have we got to lose?

Nick Bish of the ALMR says that if something is worth doing its worth doing yourself. Its often born out of

a frustration to make a break through and change something for the better.

It is not credible or helpful for politicians and the media to pigeon hole what we do

The truth is we have always had to

innovate and we have always survived


Over the following pages editor Ben Newman recommends his essentials to stock behind the bar during the spring months.

inn stock

Angostura 1919 is a specially blended multiple award winning rum, which celebrates a very particular date in the development of the rum industry in Trinidad & Tobago, as well as the Caribbean.After a fire in 1932, which destroyed the Government Rum Bond, the master blender of Fernandes Distillers, J.B. Fernandes, bought the charred casks, only to discover they had been filled in the year 1919.The prized rum was skillfully blended and called 1919.For more details; Tel: 01355 260999

Angostura

As summer approaches which is typically peak season for cocktail consumption, the trend of sharing serves in the category is gaining more prominence. Funkins 1 Litre Strawberry Daiquiri Cocktail Mixer is ideal to make the most of this demand. As strawberries are the typical summer fruit and with each 1 litre mixer making up to 10 cocktails this is the ideal product for any bar looking to serve pitchers or single cocktails at minimal cost. Funkin mixers are made with 100% natural ingredients and contain no alcohol.For more details; Tel: 020 7328 4440 or visit: www.funkin.co.uk

Jagermeister

Since 1879 The Glenrothes has had a reputation among master blenders as a top class malt, distinguished by its complexity, balance and above all its flavour. Select Reserve was created to be the House Style of The Glenrothes; instantly recognisable from its distinctive bottle, it is laden with ripe fruits, citrus, vanilla and hints of spice. The key to appreciating The Glenrothes is to have an understanding of the difference between age, a number, and maturity, which is about the development of ripeness. It has, according to Jim Murray in his Whisky Bible, one of the softest deliveries on Speyside.For more details, Tel: 01786 430 500

Glenrothes

Jgermeister is the 8th best selling premium spirit brand in the world, and the 9th in the UK. Made using a secret blend of 56 different herbs, blossoms, roots and fruits, the recipe has not changed since it was developed by Curt Mast in 1934.Best served as an Ice Cold shot, this represents the biggest growth opportunity in the on-trade, as consumers look to try new and interesting drinks as part of their regular drinking repertoire.Jgermeister Tap Machines with capacity for three bottles are available for sale which provide impactful standout on the back bar. Outlets that have installed Jgermeister Tap Machines have, on average, seen sales of Jgermeister triple as a result. For more details; Tel: 01283 217703 or visit: www.cellartrends.co.uk

Funkin


Folkingtons

Blue Keld

Brothers, the Original Pear Cider is the fastest growing major cider brand. The Brothers are always looking at ways to grow the market and recently introduced their first draught product a font which can dispense four different flavours. The font dispenses Pear cider and syrups which can be added to create Strawberry, Toffee Apple and Tutti Frutti flavours. For more details; Tel: 01749 344446 or visit: www.matthewclark.co.uk

Brothers

Passion Shed offer a range of tasty nuts mixes. Honey Heaven is a blend of whole jumbo hazelnuts, Californian almonds and jumbo peanuts drizzled and roasted with the sweetest of South American honey.High Seas is a mix of sweet jumbo cashews, Californian almonds, jumbo hazelnuts & peanuts coated with the finest Italian extra virgin olive oil and a light sprinkling of sea salt and Tellicherry Pepper ,uses Whole Cashews, Californian Almonds & Jumbo Peanuts sprinkled with the finest cracked black pepper.For more details; Tel: 0151 522 2355 or visit: www.passionshed.com

Passion Shed

Folkingtons range of high quality gourmet fruit juices are made from selected fruit varieties grown in carefully selected parts of England and across the world. From Sussex and Kent come the Russet apples, from Sicily come the Femminello lemons, from Quebec the Stevens cranberries, from Valencia the Valencia Late oranges, from Kent and the Three Counties come the Conference and Comice pears and from Navarra, Spain come the tomatoes. The range is made entirely with not from concentrated juices.For more details; Tel: 01323 482437 or visit: www.folkingtons.com

Blue Keld Springs have launched a new bottle for the premium drinks market. The stunning aquamarine bottle holds 750ml of Artesian natural mineral water, drawn from an ancient artesian well at the foot of the Yorkshire Wolds. The crystal clear waters are filtered natural over many years resulting in the water being high in calcium and low in sodium.For more details; Tel: 01377 271207 or visit: www.bluekeld.co.uk


Increase your ale sales with Ben Newmans favourite ales and breweries. Hop to it.

Pulling Power

Purple Moose Brewery of Porthmadog is launching a brand new speciality beer packed full of the floral aromas of elderflower. At 4.0% ABV Ysgawen (Welsh for elderflower) is a particularly pale ale brewed using a combination of Cascade hops and dried elderflowers to give a complex of distinctive and complementary aromas and flavours to the beer.The Cascade hop variety, grown in the states of Washington and Oregon, at the foot of the Cascade Mountains, is renowned for its powerful citrus and floral properties. Mixed carefully with the dried British elderflowers and added to the beer towards the end of the boiling process the resulting aromatic finish will have you coming back for more.For more details; Tel: 01766 515571 or visit www.purplemoose.co.uk.

Purple MooseBox Steam Brewery

Box Steam Brewery was founded in 2004 in Colerne, Wiltshire with a 10 BBL brew plant and just two fermenting vessels. To keep up with demand, production increased year on year, and in November 2011 the opportunity was seized to relocate to new, much larger premises in nearby Holt. At a stroke, this move boosted the brewerys capacity from 65 hectolitres to a maximum of 400 hectolitres. Following a deal struck with Carlsberg UK distribution, the brewerys beers are now available throughout the UK, including its flag ship bitter Tunnel Vision For more details ; Tel:01225 782700 or visit:www.boxsteambrewery.com

Consumer interest across the country in cask ales has seen the Masham-based company brewing more beer than it has done for many years, with a strong selection of seasonal ales and year-round availability for the popular Lightfoot Ale.Simon Theakston, Executive Director, says: Increasing production to meet demand is paying dividends and our on-trade customers are benefiting from a great range of quality ales. We will continue to support the British pub trade through increased trade and consumer advertising this year.For more details; Tel: 01765 680 000 or visit: www.theakstons.co.uk

T&R Theakston



Rudgate use the finest malted barley. Pearl being their main base grist , their brews include other malts such as wheat, lager, crystal, chocolate, caramalt, roasted barley and brown malts. Hops are sourced from around the globe., from countries as far afield as England, America, New Zealand, Slovenia and Germany. Originally sourced from The Cannon Brewery Sheffield, the Stones ale yeast works extremely well for all their beers. Rudgates brewers choice range makes up the other two seasonals which are paler beers using hops rather than malts for flavour and character.For more details; Tel: 01423 358382 or visit: www.rudgatebrewery.co.uk

Rudgate

Mc Mullen cask is inspired from over 180 years of brewing at The Whole Hop Brewery. Styrian Goldings added to English Fuggle hops achieve a refreshingly well-balanced combination. The subtle biscuity flavour comes from pale ale and amber malts. Mixed with the citrus flavours of these hops, this creates a light and refreshing ale that all generations of ale drinkers will enjoy. For more details; Tel: 01992 584911 or visit: www.mcmullens.co.uk

Hawkshead

Since 1928 Taylor`s beers have won over 70 prestigious awards with Landlord, the company`s nationally renowned pale ale that was once described by pop icon Madonna as the Champagne of Ales, winning more prizes than any other beer. This includes the unique distinction of being four times CAMRA Supreme Champion Beer of the Year and four times Champion at the Brewers International Exhibition. Landlord is recognised as a refreshingly reliable, full drinking English ale with a distinctive hoppy aroma. It has real Pulling Power and stands out on any bar. This year, along with the Queen, Landlord is also celebrating its Diamond Jubilee, having first been brewed in 1952. For more details; Tel: 01535 691599 or visit: www.timothytaylor.co.uk

Taylors

Hawkshead Brewery has been brewing traditional beers with a modern twist in the English Lake District since 2002 and at its present site at Staveley, Cumbria since 2006. It is one of the new wave of independent breweries which have revitalised British beer. The brewery recently expanded for the second time in its ten year life and can now brew 8,000 barrels (1.3 million litres) per year.For more details; Tel: 01539 822644 or visit: www.hawksheadbrewery.co.uk

McMullen



www.boxsteambrewery.com

At Box Steam Brewery we believe in the exacting standards of yesteryear. Like the expertise and attention to detail that created age-defyingengineering marvels like Brunels Box Tunnel.

Our own quality control and meticulous methods mean that every pint of our handcrafted beers is as flavoursome and characterful as the first one. So your delight in them will last a lifetime.

2701 BOX_Generic_Ad_G_90x130_Layout 1 12/03/2012 11:50 Page 1


Amber Ales

Okells

The Black Sheep Brewery was established in 1992 by Paul Theakston. Black Sheep has always worked hard to consistently produce high quality beer, only using the best raw materials: crystal clear dales water from their own well, Maris Otter malted barley for extra fl avour, some wheat to fortify the beers natural head, a little roasted malt for colour and fl avour, and generous amounts of whole English hops to make the beer really refreshing.For more details; Tel: 01765 689227 or visit: www.blacksheepbrewery.co.uk

Black Sheep

As the only beer from Royal Windsor to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee, Kohinoor will be in big demand. Its an IPA with a twist brewed with jaggery, jasmine and some cracking New World hops explained top-rated Windsor & Eton Brewerys master brewer Paddy Johnson, Itll be a great-drinking beer for summer events after all theyll be serving it at Royal Ascot.For more details: 01753 854075 or visit: www.webrew.co.uk

Windsor

Pulling Power

1850. It was the best of timeswhile Charles Dickens was busy promoting his newly published book David Copper eld, Dr. William Okell opened his Steam Brewery in the Isle of Man which set a new standard for innovation. It is a standard that Okells Head Brewer, Dr. Mike Cowbourne, continues today, along with another great Manx traditionPurity.This started with the Isle of Man Brewing Purity Law in 1874, forbidding the use of any ingredients other than malt, sugar, hops, yeast and water. Today that standard, combined with Dr Mikes secret recipes, mean that Okells is a byword for pure pleasure.For more details, Tel: 01624 699 400 or visit: www.okells.co.uk


As the only beer from Royal Windsor to commemorate

brewer Paddy Johnson, Itll be a great-drinking beer for summer events after all theyll be serving it at Royal Ascot.

1850. It was the best of timeswhile Charles Dickens was busy promoting his newly published book David Copper eld, Dr. William Okell opened his Steam Brewery in the Isle of Man which set a new standard for innovation. It is a standard that Okells Head Brewer, Dr. Mike Cowbourne, continues today, along with another great Manx traditionPurity.This started with the Isle of Man Brewing Purity Law in 1874, forbidding the use of any ingredients other than malt, sugar, hops, yeast and water. Today that standard, combined with Dr Mikes secret recipes, mean that Okells is a byword for pure pleasure.For more details, Tel: 01624 699 400 or visit: www.okells.co.uk

Amber Ales is a small micro-brewery putting Derbyshires Amber Valley on the map both locally and nationally with a wide range of award winning beers. Based in the historic village of Pentrich, near Ripley, the brewery was established ve years ago by Peter & Jayn Hounsell to create classic style real ales with a modern twist. Their most lauded beer Chocolate Orange is certainly that, a dark stout created from a unique blend of ve malts, imbued with vanilla and

orange and aged in the cask for three months. Chocolate Orange has been placed in the prestigious CAMRA Champion Speciality Beer of Britain every year since 2009.For more details, Tel:01773 512864 or visit: www.amberales.co.uk

20 / spring 2012 / host20 / spring 2012 / host

interview

menmotors&

Si and Dave were both working on a fi lm set - Si as location man-ager, Dave as prosthetics make-up artistwhen they fi rst met. It was on a lunchtime break at The Egypt Cottage pub in Newcastle that an enduring romance was born. That place was the initial landscape of our friendship, Si chuckles. We bonded over our love of the pub grub and a good pint, while the rest of the crew were sipping mineral water and nibbling on their sandwiches.Aye, Dave chips in, the Egypts where it all began. I used to come in and see Si lashing into a chicken curry, with poppadoms and chutney and Id just say, Ill have what hes having. That was a great old spot.Fortunately for the rest of us, the pair decided it would be cruel to keep private their adoration for all things culinary. Combine that with a fondness for two wheelers, the open road and a right place, right time encounter with a BBC exec, and the result was The Hairy Bikers, a sleeper hit phenomenon that the state broadcaster never expected to make past the fi rst pilot episode.After fi nding success with the initial show the duo founded a cult fol-lowing with spin-off versions, all presented in a style that leant on the effortless patter of the dearly departed Keith Floyd. And most recently, theyve been back on the road with Bakeation, which saw the pair hop on their bikes and roar through the highways and byways of Central

Europe, stopping off for a little baking action on the way, as you do...We wanted to go on a big road trip, Si explains. For a number of years we hadnt been able to do that and we wanted to combine the old Bikers with the best of the new.

FAVOURITE SPOTSSo where were some of their favourite spots on the tour? Norway, where we started the trip, was totally fantastic, Dave says. And because we hadnt been before, it was new for both of us. Apart from the great motorcycling; the food was brilliant and the baking, fantas-tic. Austria and Germany were amazing, great food, cracking beer, and ruddy good fun.We did the Hairy Bakers show a few years ago, Si adds. That was only four half-hour programmes and a Christmas special, but it per-formed very well, so I guess we had some unfi nished baking business.Naturally the hirsute twosome must have stopped in some fi ne water-ing holes on the journey. Some fantastic spots in Germany, up around Bavaria naturally, where you get the giant beer glasses, Dave says. There are some wonderful pubs along the Med in Italy and Spain, but to be honest, none could match the wonder of a home brewer.Were proper British pub afi cionados, laughs Si, a hearty chortle accompanying his bold statement. We didnt get enough time on the


host / spring 2012 / 21 host / spring 2012 / 21

interview

The moment their eyes met over a chicken curry in a crowded pub, it was love at fi rst sight for Dave Myers and Si King. Stephen Milton meets and chats with The Hairy Bikers

trip anyway and you need meandering hours and space to fully ap-preciate the splendour of the pub.So where would be a Hairy hangout for the lads? Mines the Prince of Wales in Foxfi eld, Dave says. Its a great spot near to me, and one of those places thats as simple as they come - great ale, a dog snoozing by the fi re, and a mellow atmosphere for a bit of chat and solidarity.Si jumps in: Thats exactly what Im after too when I go to a pub. Somewhere you can have a sit down and a proper conversation with real beer - nothing beats it. Theyre the pubs that are doing well these days. Seemingly, less is more. People are coming back to a simpler pub and the age of the fancy bar is drawing to an end. Serving a good range of local and continental beers is again becoming the most im-portant thing... maybe a bit of nice grub, but I dont think foods that important really, and thats coming from a chef! At the end of the day, people want a pub with an atmosphere where you can just sit down and drink beer, without having to be constantly told how apparently cool the place is. And my favourite is The Fox and Hounds, near Greenside. Ive been going there for years now - its the home away from home.Thats a great place, Si, Dave chimes in, hes taken me there a few times.

TOP TIPPLESAnd whats the favourite tipple to whet the whistles of this tradition-alist pairing? You cant go wrong with a good beer, Dave says. Im up in Cumbria and there are 20 odd breweries, so the choice is radical. Some brews are good, some are bad but there are plenty of crackers.If I havent said it often enough, mine would be Working Ticket, Si offers, which is from the Jennings Brothers up in Cockermouth, Cum-bria. Its a lovely, hoppy, fruity infusion. You cant beat it.Theres another in Cumbria called the Hard Knott brewery, Dave says, and they make Infra Red. Thats top notch.So an appreciation of beer is qualifi ed, but how do the duo feel the modern pub can improve and stay competitive in these challenging economic times? Like I said earlier, Si states, pare in down, make it simple. Its completely coming back to the traditional pub. These fancy bars arent even doing well in the cities, let alone the country, so just them and get back to the traditional mould.Couldnt agree more, Dave adds. It all needs to get back to basics really. Oh, and always allow dogs in the pub. No dog, no atmosphere. I always need some canine presence in my watering hole!



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The thought of conjuring up cocktails on a regular basis can be a daunting prospect for licenses and staff in the pub trade but its probably easier than it fi rst appears, says Nigel Huddlestone

Want to offer your clientele a range of cocktails? Well for a start, theres no need for all that juggling and throwing of bottles and shakers, which is purely for Tom Cruise in the fi lm Cocktail and show-offs in the less refi ned style bars.Theres also little need to invest in lots of specialist equipment. A line-up of attractive and tasty long, mixed, spirit-based drinks can be created with minimal use of shakers, strainers and cocktail spoons if you want it that way.Arguably the most common cocktail on on-trade menus at the moment is the Mojito, which requires gently smashing and grinding together mint leaves, sugar and lime juice with an implement known as a muddler.

IN THE MIXReady-made cocktail mixes such as the Funkin range allow busy pubs to bypass those sorts of time-consuming processes by simply adding the mix to the relevant spirit.If you are feeling more adventurous and want to make your own mixes, pures and syrups for cocktails you can save service time by prepping these up in advance, just as you might for aspects of the food menu in the kitchen.If even this sounds like it could stretch you, there are plenty of simple spirit mixer serves with a twist which can be marketed as cocktails for extra margin. The only proviso is that they have to look and taste the part, to justify the price.This means using quality spirits, juices, mixers and fruit and serving drinks with attractive garnishes, plenty of ice as required and good-looking glassware.Mark Collins, marketing controller for breakout brands at First Drinks, whose portfolio includes Disaronno, Sailor Jerry rum and Monkey Shoulder whisky, says: A lot of the growth in cocktails is being driven by women consumers who are getting a little bit tired of wine and moving on.

Its fi ltering down into pubs and high street bars and it a great way of driving incremental spend.Collins says the key is keeping it simple and listing drinks that you know staff can produce well.You also need to publicise your offering either with a list on the table or with a very basic chalkboard, he advises.We know that a lot of people dont have any idea what theyre going to order when they go into a pub and up to the bar so attracting their attention with a cocktail list can drive extra spend.

SIMPLE SERVECollins suggests a simple serve such as the Monkey Buck, which is 30ml of Monkey Shoulder whisky, 10ml of lime juice, ginger ale and a splash of Angostura bitters, with a couple of lime wedges.Its a drink that will give you something a little bit different form the competition but which isnt over-complicated for staff.We provide staff training which can help outlets make the most of the opportunity and we have online resources with lots of ideas for cocktails, as do many of our competitors.Marblehead Brand Development has worked on simple serves for both its Kraken spiced rum and Zubrowka Polish vodka.The pub industry needs to focus on a few simple signature serves to get people to trade-up, says Steward. The diffi cult thing with cocktails in pubs is to make sure you get consistency, either time-after-time in the same pub, or for the same drink from pub-to-pub. Even if customers are willing to pay a little bit more to try a cocktail, they wont be prepared to do the same a second time if its no good.He adds: A lot of pubs are also a bit worried about the word cocktail so if they are they should just call it a long drink cocktails dont need to be called cocktails as long as the are served well and justify the extra margin.

SHAKEN


Cristos UK LtdTel: 020 8951 [email protected]


Babicka BlushBabicka Blush40mls Babicka Wormwood Vodka20ml Cassis20ml Lime Juice Mix ingredients together and top up with Prosseco.Garnish with berries, orange, limes and grapefruit zest.

Earl Grey Martini6 Earl Grey tea bags 180ml Babicka Wormwood Vodka 8 ice cubes 4 large lemons , 3 juiced, 1 cut into wedges 120ml sugar syrup Steep the tea bags in the Babicka Wormwood Vodka for 10 minutes. Strain and put in a cocktail shaker on top of the ice cubes. Pour in the lemon juice and 120ml of syrup. Shake and pour into 2 cocktail glasses, rub the edge of the glass with a lemon wedge.

Babicka Breeze 50mls Babicka Wormwood Vodka60 mls Cranberry Juice.30 mls Apple Juice.Elderflower Cordial dash. Build ingredients over ice intoa highball glass.Garnsih with2 lime wedges.

Breakfast Martini 30mls Babicka Wormwood Vodka10mls Cointreau.60mls Grapefruit juice.20mls Fresh Orange juice.1 barspoon of marmalade. Shake/Strain very well and strainand garnish with an orange twist.

The Host Cocktail ListThe only challenge when it comes to cocktails is quality, Ben Newman recommend his favourite cocktails for the summer months.

{ }The Drinks


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In fact, weve won so many awards were

finding it difficult to close the door

on the Trophy Cabinet at The House of Angostura. The most

recent addition to our ever growing collection is seven Gold medals which we picked up at this years Spirits Business Rum Masters 2012 and, to celebrate, were going to buy a new, bigger, trophy cabinet.

These awards, which are judged by a panel of leading spirits experts and bar profes-sionals are internationally recognised and attract entries from some of the worlds most respected global brands.

Angosturas international rum range won five gold medals for the unique, smooth taste of our rums. We won an additional two gold medals for our beautiful new packaging for 1919 and 1824. A new icon in rum packaging? Well let you decide.


Vodka Gimlet1 tsp fresh lime juice, plus 2 pieces lime zest50ml/2fl oz Babicka Wormwood Vodka 50ml/2fl oz lime cordial

Place the lime juice and zest, vodka and lime cordial into a mixing glass and add a handful of ice. Stir well and strain the cocktail into a Martini glass.

Perfect Manhattan2 oz Ben Nevis whisky oz sweet vermouth oz dry vermouth2 dashes of orange bittersLemon twist, for garnish. Stir the liquid ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the twist.

Old Fashioned 1 sugar cube3 dashes Angostura bittersclub soda2 ounces Ben Nevis whisky Place the sugar cube (or 1/2 teaspoon loose sugar) in an Old-Fashioned glass. Wet it down with 2 or 3 dashes of Angostura bitters and a short splash of water or club soda. Crush the sugar with a wooden muddler, chopstick, strong spoon, lipstick, cartridge case, whatever. Rotate the glass so that the sugar grains and bitters give it a lining. Add a large ice cube. Pour in whisky.Serve with a stirring rod.

Sore Loser 1 oz Ben Nevis whisky1 oz creme de peche .75 oz Amontillado sherry1 tsp Pernod1 dash Angostura bitters Stir ingredients together with ice and strain over fresh, large ice cubes in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a large orange twist.

Twisted Whisky Sour45ml Tennessee Whisky20ml lime juice15ml Sugar syrup30ml Orange juice2/3 drops of Aromatic Bitters Take a mixing tin filled 3/4th with ice, add whisky, lime juice, sugar syrup, orange juice, bitters. Shake. Serve in a champagne tulip. Garnish with a slice of orange or a cherry.

Angostura Storm1 oz Angostura Rum3/4 oz fresh lime juice1/2 oz double strength ginger syrup3 oz club soda Shake Rum, lime juice, and ginger syrup.Strain over fresh ice in a collins glass, top with club soda, stir, and garnish with lime.

Angostura Rum Mojito 1.5 oz Angostura Rum12 fresh mint leaves1/2 lime7 oz club soda2 tbsp. simple syrup(or 4 tsp. sugar) In a tall glass muddle mint with the sugar / syrup, then pour in rum and soda. Top up with lime.

Tropical Highball 1 1/2 oz Angostura rum2 - 3 dashes Angostura bitters4 oz ginger ale Build over ice in a highball glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge, and serve.

Margarita 2 measures of Tequila1 measure of Cointreau measure Lime juice Prepare the cocktail glass by rubbing lime juice all the way around the edge of the glass and place on a saucer of salt to achieve the salted rim effect. Then add the Tequila, Cointreau and lime juice into a cocktail shaker full of ice and shake well together. Strain into the cocktail glass.

Gin Bloody Mary2 oz GinDash of Lemon juice (or lime)dash of Worcestershire sauce2 or 3 drops Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce Over ice in a tall glass add tomato juice, Wortershire, lemon juice, then Gin.Fill with Tomato juice & Stir, Garnish with Celery stick & Lime wedge. If youre feeling like making your cocktail a bit more substantial, garnish with a shrimp!!


THE PERFECT WAY For many people, the perfect way to end a meal is a liqueur. Richard Berndes looks at some of the classic and also some of the more extravagant ways to enjoy a post meal aperitif and includes a few post dinner facts that are fun to share with your guests.

AmarettoAmaretto has artistic origins - In 1525, a Saronno church commissioned artist Ber-nardino Luini, one of Leonardo da Vincis pupils, to paint their sanctuary. As the church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Luini needed to depict the Madonna, but was in need of a model. He found his in-spiration in a young widowed innkeeper, who became his model. Out of gratitude the woman wished to give him a gift. Her simple means did not permit much, so she steeped apricot kernels in brandy and presented the resulting concoction, the forefather of Amaretto, to Luini

ChartreuseChartreuse is an herbal liqueur produced by Carthusian monks in the French Alps. With almost 400 years of history, Chartreuse is one of the oldest and most mysterious spirits still avail-able. Only three monks from the order know the secret recipe, each hold one third of that recipe and all have taken a vow of silence, so the secret recipe is kept safely. The liqueur was originally created as an Elixir of Long Life in 1605 by Peres Chartreux. The formula was perfected over the years and by 1737 the liqueur was released to the world in a form that is close to what we drink today.

CointreauCointreau was created by the brothers Adolphe and Edouard-Jean Cointreau in 1849. It is a triple sec famous for its or-ange fl avour which comes form its unique blend of sweet and bitter oranges. In fact the fi rm sources its oranges from places all around the world including Spain, Brazil and Haiti and GhanaOver 13 million bottles are sold every year and over 90% are exported from France. IN fact Cointreau makes up 25% of the French liqueur market. The production methods and recipe are a family secret, but tours of the distillery are open to the public. Photography is restricted in many areas to protect the production process from being copied. Its a little known fact that the family go to great lengths to protect the secret recipe. Only 3 members of the Cointreau family know the recipe and the 3 of them never travel together so if disaster struck the brand can continue!

to end a meal???


THE PERFECT WAY

ChambordChambord is a premium, all-natural black raspberry liqueur produced in the Loire Valley, south of Paris, France. It is rich, lush and sweet made fl a-vored with raspberries and blackber-ries in a Cognac and other French spirits base. The bottle has the look of a royal orb with a crown on the top. This goes back to the legend that it was intro-duced to Louis XIV and became his favourite after dinner drink.

Crme De MentheCrme de menthe is a mint-fl avored liqueur that is very sweet and is avail-able in both white and green versions. Like other crme liqueurs, it is not creamy like cream liqueurs, but crme refers to a higher amount of sugar that is used. Its fl avor is primarily derived from Corsican mint.In Ian Flemings Thunderball, a crme de menthe frapp (with a maraschino cherry on top) is Emilio Largos favorite drink.

DrambuieDrambuie s origins have royal pedigree. After the Battle of Culloden in 1746, Prince Charles Edward Stuart fl ed to the island of Skye. There, he was given sanctuary by Captain John MacKinnon of Clan MacKinnon. According to family legend, after staying with the captain, the prince rewarded him with this prized drink recipe. The legend holds that the recipe was then given in the late 19th century by Clan MacKinnon to James Ross. Ross ran the Broadford Hotel on Skye, where he developed and improved the recipe, initially for his friends and then later to patrons in the 1870s. It was one of these friends who coined the name. Ross then sold it further afi eld, eventually to France and the United States.

GoldschlagerGoldschlger is a Swiss cinnamon schnapps, a liqueur with very thin, yet visible fl akes of gold leaf fl oating in it. The actual amount of gold is extremely small and could be considered novelty: there is currently less than a tenth of a gram (0.1 g) of gold fl akes in a 750 mL bottle of Goldschlger, which, as of November 23, 2011, amounts to about 5.97 USD on the international gold market.[Despite being fi rst produced in Switzerland during the 1990s, Goldschlger is a product of Italy and the brand is owned by Diageo. The German word Goldschlger designates the profession of gold leaf makers, who beat bars of gold into micrometre-thin sheets.

Goldschlager

to end a meal???KahluaKahla is a Mexican coffee-fl avored rum-based liqueur. It is dense and sweet, with the distinct taste of cof-fee, from which it is made. Kahla also contains sugar, corn syrup and vanilla bean.The name found worldwide fame when it was quoted as the essential ingredient in a White Russian cock-tail in the fi lm The Bog Lebowski.


HeadingSouth


Some people still perceive real ale drinkers as having a northern, working class, flat cap and whippet stereotype. But the truth is, as Pete Brown points out ,more cask ale gets drunk in London and the southeast than any other region.


LLondon has always been full of real ale pubs, but until very recently the number of brewers in the city was something of an embarrassment we were down to merely two at one point an incomprehensible state of affairs for the biggest city in the country. But one good thing about the credit crunch (perhaps the only one) is that commercial property became cheaper just as the craft brewing scene was taking off. There are now more than twenty breweries in the capital alone, and we could quite easily spend the whole of this piece just talking about London. But that would miss out some legendary and exciting up and coming brewers in East Anglia, Kent, Sussex, and Berkshire.

Capital GainsBut London is a good place to start. Arguably the regions best-known brewer is Fullers, Londons oldest brewer now Youngs has departed. In many ways Fullers is the model for how a reasonably sized regional should behave. Their core range of Chiswick (3.5%), London Pride (4.1%), Discovery (3.9%) and ESB (5.6%) is perfect each beer has a role within the portfolio, each complementing the other. And beyond that, the stronger and more esoteric bottled range offers beers that are genuinely different, in many ways rivalling the most experimental microbrewers, but also bringing the professional attitude of a large, long-established brewer to such experiments as ageing beers in whisky and rum barrels (Brewers Reserve) and creating Vintage Ales that now have an unbroken 15 year lineage,

allowing us to explore how beer changes over time.After Youngs left London in 2006, the only real rival to Fullers inside the M25 was Meantime, down in Greenwich. Such is the recent pace of growth in London brewing that a brewery that was only founded in 1999 now feels like an old timer. Head brewer Alastair Hook trained in Germany and is Britains foremost expert on real lagers. Meantime has a range of these, among which Helles (4.4%) is particularly worth checking out. But beyond that, Meantime were the pioneers of this years hottest beer conversation: a format thats been termed, for better or worse, craft keg. Meantime have been making non-cask conditioned quality beers for years. Styles such as their faithful recreations of London Porter (6.5%) and India Pale Ale (7.4%) arguably work better in this format than they would on cask, and are outstanding in bottle. On the bar, London Pale Ale (4.3%) is a fresh, premium, fl avourful alternative to tired old smoothfl ow brands and mainstream standard lagers.Following in Meantimes footsteps is Camden Town Brewery. Founded in 2010, their keg beers have proved so popular that demand long since outstripped supply, to such an extent that Camden can now only brew enough beer to supply long-standing accounts. Its worth getting your name on the waiting list though. Their Hells Lager (4.8%) Wheat Beer (5%) and particularly the Pale Ale (4.5%) are crisp, refreshing and fl avourful, each a great example of the style and a dizzying smack in the kisser for anyone who thinks great beer can only be in cask.

Heading OutFinally heading out of the capital on the M4, we fi nd Windsor & Eton Brewery. Once again founded in 2010, this is a very different animal from the hip micros founded by ambitious home brewers and young hipsters. There are years of industry experience here, and it shows theres seemingly nothing this brewery cant do brilliantly. Regular beers such as Knight of the Garter, a golden ale at 3.8%, and Guardsman (4.2%), a traditional best bitter, rub shoulders with experimental beers such as Conqueror, a 5% Black IPA that perplexes beer style purists but delights those who just enjoy fantastic-tasting

beers. Then, in a recent side-by-side tasting I attended, Republika (4.8% ABV), the brewerys fi rst lager, stomped all over a couple

of quite respectable German imports.With so many exciting new breweries, its important not to

forget some more established names in the region. Suffolk may not be everyones idea of the southeast, but Im a northerner and anything below the Wash is southeast to me. And Suffolk is home to Adnams, one of Britains best-loved brewers. From Southwold Bitter (3.7%) to the legendary Broadside (4.7%) the core range covers all bases. But the seasonal beers such as summers wonderful Regatta (4.3%) and winters Old Ale (4.1%), brewed to a recipe from 1890, mean theres always something new to look forward to. On top of that, head brewer Fergus Fitzgerald has been stretching the range with bold new ideas since he took over in 2009. Solebay Celebratory Beer (10%), brewed in 2009 and then aged for a year to commemorate 350 years of brewing in Southwold, is beer doing champagne better than champagne can.

Sussex Success Being a northerner, I often get Suffolk and Sussex mixed

up, which is always annoying for people who live there. But happily, each has a legendary old brewery still turning

out beers that inspire. In Suffolk sorry, I mean Sussex


HepworthsHorshams brewery for eleven years, are proud of their range of ales in keg, cask and bottle. They emphasise the quality of ingredients, sourcing within Sussex . Organic barley is grown to our specifi cations says Andy Hepworth and our hops are award winners in their own right. Just add the 100 years of brewing experience within our team and you cant go wrong!Hepworths have won numerous awards for their ales: Sussex 3.5%, Pullman 4.2%, Iron Horse 4.8%, Prospect 4.5%, Supreme Champion stout Conqueror, 4.5%. and organic lager Blonde 5%Its a fi ne range says Andy and dont forget the seasonals...!For more details Tel 01403 269696 or visit www.hepworthbrewery.co.uk

Curious Beers Beers made with a winemaking twist by winemakers and brewers with a real passion for beers with taste.Curious Brew A small batch crafted beer brewed made with care, precision and passion. The result is more fragrant, less gassy, cleaner, easier drinking, drier and more refreshing than any other beer we have tried. Available in 33cl bottles or on draft in 30 litre kegs.Curious IPA We have blended three great hops to create a classic IPA, bottled conditioned at 5.6abv its a big, beautifully balanced beer.Curious Porter A beautiful nutty black beer, bottle conditioned at 5.0% abv, its a dark deliciously drinkable but distinctive brew. Contact Patrick Thompson on tel: 01580 763033 or [email protected] for more details

Hepworths

Curious Beers

that brewery is Harveys of Lewes. The brewery defi nes the town, sitting on the river that runs through it and creating a tasty tourist attraction. Like all the other brewers featured here, Harveys brews a wide and intriguing range of beers. But with the space available I have to eulogise just one of them Harveys Sussex Best Bitter (4.0%). On paper its a straightforward best bitter, brewed with the same quality hops and barley as countless other examples of the style. But this is one that seems to hold a special place in drinkers hearts. Like Timothy Taylor Landlord further north and Bathams in the Midlands, it attracts fanatical devotion it just seems to rise above the style and the sum of its parts to provide a truly special drinking experience that devotees will swap pubs for.

Levels Of DevotionJust down the road in Horsham is a brewery that attracts similar levels of devotion, albeit with a highly contrasting approach. Dark Star was one of the fi rst breweries in the UK to take on some of the ideas (and hops) being championed by craft breweries in the US. Their lead brand Hophead (3.8%) is approaching the same divine status as Harveys Best, combining a tingling hoppy punch with sublime sessionability. Its the kind of beer you start a session with, intending to switch, but end up staying with all evening. And if you like its hoppy character, youll just love new launch Revelation (5.7%), a far more muscular version which is simply a hymn to the hop.This is fi tting really, given that Dark Star is just a short drive from the hop garden of England. But smack in the centre of Kents fabled garden is Westerham. This small micro has really made a name for itself since setting up shop in 2004, brewing a range of award-winning traditional Kentish bitters such as British Bulldog, a full-bodied best bitter at 4.3%, and golden ale Summer Perle (3.8%). The brewery has also done a great deal to preserve and revive hop cultivation in the county.Back down the road in Horsham, Dark Stars neighbours Hepworths are following the theme of diversifying from a core portfolio of reliable cask ales. Conqueror Sussex Stout (4.5%) was recently named Champion Craft Beer in Keg at the National SIBA awards, and provides a more fl avourful, luxurious alternative to Guinness. At the other end of the spectrum, Sussex Blonde (5%) is an English lager (brewed with English barley and hops, but German lager yeast). Its a refreshing, citrusy alternative for those who actually like their lager to taste of something.Our fi nal southeast brewer is somewhat better known as a wine maker. Chapel Down wines in Kent have overturned the notion that British wine has to be ropey, and should be gracing the top end of every British pubs wine list. But the companys CEO, Frazer Thompson, had a long career in beer before he took over the reins, and has been unable to leave it completely behind. Curious Brew is a range of three beers from the winery, each of which has the touch of a wine makers infl uence. Cobb IPA (5.6%) and Admiral Porter (5%) are only available in bottles, but those bottles look as classy as any modern wine. Curious Brew Brut (5%) is also available on draught. A lager fermented with French wine yeast, it has a softer, mousse-like fi zz than other lagers, and a look, feel and taste that screams premiumness in an increasingly commoditised corner of the beer market.

Flavoursome AlternativesIve focused quite heavily in this regional review on craft keg ales and British lagers. Thats not to say there arent some amazing traditional cask ales here there are more than we could possibly fi t into this piece. But brewers in the south east are pushing the frontiers of what we think of as quality British beers, and are capable of providing every type of beer you need on the bar and in the fridge, not just on the handpumps. In and around the nations capital, theres never been a better time to explore the local brew.


www.chapeldown.com

A range of three original and distinctive bottled beers and one premium

draught lager from Chapel Down;Englands leading winemaker.

For further information contactPatrick Thompson on 01580 763033or email [email protected]

SupremeChampion!

The Beer Station, The Railway Yard, Nightingale Road, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 2NW

tel: 01403 269696 | email: [email protected]

Fine cask ales still brewed in the traditional, time honoured way.

TIMOTHY TAYLORCHAMPIONSHIP BEERS

Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd, Knowle Spring Brewery, Keighley, West Yorkshire BD21 1AW. Tel: 01535 603139 Fax: 01535 691167

www.timothytaylor.co.uk

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Jesus GreenCambridge

Thurrock Beer Festival

Tuesday 22/05/2012 to Saturday 26/05/2012 Thurrock Civic Hall

Blackshots LaneGrays

Harwich JuberleeThursday 31/05/2012 to

Saturday 02/06/2012 Kingsway Hall

Dovercourt

13th Chappel Cider Festival

Friday 01/06/2012 to Sunday 03/06/2012

Chappel & Wakes Colne Station

Essex

4th Gibberd Garden Beer

FestivalSaturday 16/06/2012 to

Sunday 17/06/2012 The Gibberd Garden

Marsh LaneOld Harlow

2nd Beckenham Beer & Cider

FestivalThursday 07/06/2012 to

Saturday 09/06/2012 Beckenham Rugby Club

Balmoral AvenueBeckenham

Meantime Brewing is throwing open the doors of the biggest new brewery to open in London since 1936 to the public to share Londons brewing history, give visitors a behind-the-scenes view of beer-making and offering an opportunity to taste a variety of beers, all made on-site in Greenwich.The new Meantime Brewery Visitors Centre and Tasting Room will offer daily tutored tastings to offer the public a taste of Meantimes fi nest brews. There will also be an opportunity to sample a selection of beers alongside a tasting menu of matched dishes made on-site from locally-sourced produce.Daily tours of the brewery by professional guides will take visitors behind-the-scenes of beer-making, show the different kinds of beers available and demonstrate how they are made from refreshing lagers and Pilsners to Wheat beers and Stouts to deep Amber Ales and London Porter.Guides will talk about how the combination of different hop varieties and malted grains can produce such a wide range of beer-styles and go through the whole beer-making process, from the arrival of the raw materials to tapping a pint in the on-site bar. Classic Brewery TourWhen: Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 6.30 pm. Saturday at 2.00 pmCost: 15 in advance, 18 on the day

Tour Duration: 2.5 hours with 3 sampled half pints Pie and a Pint NightWhen: Fridays at 6.30 pm (also available as a pre-booked group tour on Thursday and Saturdays)Cost: 30 per personTour Duration: 2.5 hours with 3 half pints sampled during the tourFood: the tour is followed by a Meantime Pie and mash with a paired pint of Meantime beer Bespoke Food Tasting ToursWhen: Thursdays and Saturdays at 6.30 pm (other times available upon request)Cost: 30 per personTour Duration: 2.5 hours with 3 sampled half pints during the tourFood: the tour is followed by either a three course menu matched with samples of Meantime Beers or a fi ve-canap tasting menu, each matched with a Meantime Beer The Meantime Brewery is located on Blackwall Lane, Greenwich, London, SE10 0ARTo book a brewery tour and tutored tasting, go to www.meantimebrewing.com/tours or call 020 8293 1111 or email enquiries to [email protected]

Tours of new brewery will take public behind the scenes of beer-making and offer tutored tastings to explore the brave new world of craft brewing

Meantime opens the doors on Londons best new beer-based attraction


LottaBen Newman recommends his six favourite bottled beers

JaipurA winner of 100+ national and international

awards in cask, keg and bottle Jaipurs medals mark this out as something special. The

immediate impression is soft and smooth but building to a crescendo of massive hoppiness

accentuated by honey. A dangerously drinkable wonderful IPA.

For more details; Tel: 01629 64 1000

Affligem

The Affligem Abbey was founded in 1074 by 6 knights determined to adopt a monastic lifestyle. Though the Affligem range is now brewed outside

the Abbey grounds in nearby Opwijk, a deep respect for nearly 1000 years of beer-making tradition still remains. Affligem Blond (6.8% ABV) is light gold

in colour with a lively, welcoming nose and lemony, hoppy and even some spicy undertones on the

palate. Group For more details; Tel: 0845 070 4310

Bitter & Twisted

Harviestouns B&T has a superb hop profile combining aromatic Hallertau Hersbrcker with spicy Challenger, finished by late hopping with Styrian Goldings giving

sharpness like the twist of a lemon.B&T has won awards home and abroad, bottled with less

carbon dioxide results in a more natural tasting beer. For more details; Tel: 01259 769100

Bottle


Paradox JuraParadox Jura, a 15% imperial stout, pours a rich black colour with a light brown head. On the nose there are roasted malts, bitter chocolate, coffee and some peat aromas,

imparted from the Jura casks. The flavour is full bodied and deep, with sweetness that is in a direct paradox with the peat and oak form the cask. The long finish has hints of bitter chocolate and roasted malts, with a fantastic blend of stout and soothing heat

from the alcohol.For more details; Tel: 01346 519 009

Brains Dark

With powerful credentials founded on more than a century of Welsh brewing, Dark is treacle-coloured

with a creamy contrasting head. A velvety smooth pint brewed with chocolate malts to provide a clean palate

with hints of liquorice and freshly ground coffee. For more details; Tel: 0845 6217990

Bitburger Pilsner

Brewed in Bitburg, Germany since 1817, tradition and perfection are what make this

Premium lager so special. At 4.8% Abv, Bitburger is bursting with refreshment and

flavour. In accordance with the German Purity Law of 1516, Bitburgers unsurpassable quality, unique flavour and natural freshness come from only the finest four ingredients carefully selected spring barley, pure, crystal clear water of the Eifel, and the finest locally grown dry hops and yeast from

their own pure culture sources.For more details; Tel: 01502 727200


When the sun decides to emerge and the grey skies of winter become scarce, summertime with a glass of beer in a pub garden is the height of sensory pleasure. Adrian Tierney Jones looks at ways to boost your profits in the great outdoors.

WWhether the soundtrack is the soft murmur of conversation interspersed with the occasional giggles of children (well-behaved of course) enjoying lunch with mum and dad or a musical combo offering up merry melodies adjacent to the flower-beds, a pub with an outside area and garden can make a good living when the sun puts its hat on. For many licensees its a real financial windfall, as Kenny McDonald, landlord of the Bridge in the Exmoor town of Dulverton, relates: On a hot summer day the outside area can account for 90% of our takings. Over at the Red Lion in the pretty Wiltshire town of Cricklade, landlord Tom Gee murmurs his agreement: A good outdoor environment doubles your turnover and so proportionately increases your profitability.

All this means its a no brainer to make the outdoor area as welcoming and inviting to customers as much as possible. However, its not as simple as putting out a few tables and chairs along with the odd branded umbrella. After the drabness of winter, the outdoor area needs to be spruced up while thoughts should be given to what sort of customers you want to see relaxing outside. Whose branded umbrellas do you want? What about outdoor heaters for cool evenings and maybe the kiddies play area needs a bit of a spring clean? Flower-beds cry out for a touch of the Alan Titchmarsh, while you must decide what sort of food offerings will bring the crowds in barbecues, paella cook-outs or maybe a beer festival with spit-roast suckling pig. Whatever you choose, get it right and youll see that wonderful equation: people + the outdoor area = profit.



First impressionsThe front of the pub is the first thing a customer sees and a bit of good-quality furniture can help with first impressions, says Nick Barnicoat from Tabula (www.tabula.co.uk), a company that specialises in outdoor furniture for the pub industry. We have a number of clients who have found that putting a pair of tables, together with good-quality parasols, makes a big difference and can really lift the look of a pub. Secondly, it is worth thinking about the relatively small cost of equipping a garden with furniture against the high price of interior refurbishment. If you get well-built outdoor furniture, a few weeks of good weather will see it paid for and it will increase your capacity for a small investment.For the Red Lions Tom Gee getting the outdoor area right its a case

of looking around and seeing what sort of wear and tear the winter has left him to deal with. I always ensure that the garden is looking its best and renovate the lawn area ready for the stampede. We use a contractor who comes once a month to keep on top of it; it would be very easy to forget about the gardening however it is a very visual point of the business. We also check all furniture for weather damage and repair as necessary.Being situated in a rural area and a town that has won plaudits from Britain in Bloom has obviously helped the Red Lion with its outdoor visual appeal. But what if you are in a city? Whether its London, Sheffield or Manchester, this doesnt mean that you cannot create an outdoor area that briefly transports the customer for their city environment.



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Host Magazine Spring 2012.pdf 1 2012-04-22 23:32:28

The Caterers Choice...

Steve Cullums Spit Roast Machines01472 485 981 [email protected] www.spitroast1.com

Finance

Available

Will comfortably cook a 90kg pigFeed up to 300 people in one servingPerfect CracklingDual viewing windows for Chef & GuestsBoth Spit & Hog Roast versions available

Customer TestimonialsHaving bought my first machine, trailer and accessories earlier this year

I can recommend the Elite range without reservationLars Zollinger - Manchester

The after sales service by Steve and his team is unrivalledJohn Hurst - Guernsey

Spit Roaster

Hog Tray

Exclusive innovative designExclusive innovative designExclusive innovative design Easy and convenient to use

Poultry Rack

Trailer with Winchand Ramps

Perfect Potatoes

Carving Stand

My machine cooks perfectly and is a delight to use everyone comments on the visual spectacle and the superb crackling

James White - Driffield

The Caterers Choice...

Poultry Rack

Carving Stand

Hog Tray

Request your FREE

Onsite Demonstration

NEW Potato Oven LidBake 70 Potatoesat the same time as your Pig!

Barbecue Hot Plate


The style of your establishment neednt be a worry either. Modern, Retro, Country or Themed, these styles can all be accompanied by an outdoor space in a similar style. Andy Thornton (www.andythornton.com) has been supplying furniture and accessories for over 35 years and can supply everything from benches and garden furniture to fountains, garden antiques, gazebos and sculptures. No matter what budget or size of outdoor space you have, a few well chosen accessories can turn your outdoor space into a practical and extra revenue generating area. Check out Andy Thorntons outdoor furniture range for 2012.Over at the award-winning Bricklayers Arms in Putney, landlady Rebecca Newman makes sure that her pub garden is right for summer. For a start, I start hassling breweries to take away their empties so I have a little space to set out my tables. I have a garden paved with lovely York stone so I tend to go for robust benches/tables/chairs that can withstand the wobble factor. I have a beautiful honeysuckle and the fragrance is just gorgeous on those warm summer nights. I also planted passionfl ower and clematis for their glorious blue. The talking point in the garden, however, is undoubtedly the bird boxes that I have on the west wall of the pub. The customers love watching the comings and goings of the fl edglings.Newman shows foresight in the way she blends in a sense of nature with a sound approach towards her furniture. The latter is something else the licensee must get right and once more its about what sort of customers to attract. If you get more families, then there is a need to make sure that they feel their children are safe, though it also has to be impressed on them that the outdoor area is not a playground.

AL FRESCOGet the environment right and people will want to linger. When people linger, they get hungry and it goes without saying that getting the right sort of food is an essential aspect of pub al-fresco life. First of all theres the barbeque. No pub garden on a sunny weekend afternoon is complete without that that mouth-watering char-grilled aroma. One such company, Cinders Barbecues (www.cindersbarbecues.co.uk), knows all about how to make people hungry: they have been providing equipment for the pub trade since 1984. Outdoor areas can provide an attractive alternative for customers to dine al-fresco and a Cinders barbecue gives the chef an opportunity to extend menu choices, says the companys Marketing Manager Brenda Lavelle. Customers can also watch the food being cooked and an artistic chef can indulge in the showmanship that goes with cooking for an audience. Our Caterer TG160 and Cavalier SG80 have been hand built to operate from dawn to dusk without problems. High volume and fast throughput of food is the recipe to make money, so it makes sense to utilise outdoor areas to extend any other dining space indoors.Pubs that have the outdoor space plus a reputation for their beer also organise regular beer festivals during the warm months. Its a lot of work but it can pay great dividends. Burgers and sausage baps are much loved by those wishing to soak up the odd pint or two, but the last few

Andy ThorntonAndy Thornton has launched a fantastic outdoor furniture range for 2012 .As one of the largest suppliers of contract furniture for pubs, bars and hotels Andy Thornton is well placed to provide all outdoor as well as interior furniture requirements. The company offers a comprehensive range of outdoor furniture for terraces, pub gardens and pavement drinking/dining areas and has extended its already expansive range of outdoor furniture by adding a number of new collections this year.Completely new is the Vintage Cafe Collection of Parisian-style pavement cafe furniture, offered in natural pewter or a choice of powder coated colours and antique fi nishes. This versatile range includes cafe side chairs bar stools and low stools which will match a number of metal table bases and laminate topsThey have also launched the Wave Collection of lightweight aluminium framed furniture in a stunning two-tone bronze synthetic weave. This includes a choice of armchairs, a sofa and a variety of tables with elegant glass tops.Perfect for terraces and gardens the new Hardy Collection of acacia furniture, comprises an armchair, bench and series of tables offered in hardwood in a choice of natural weathered or oiled fi nish and is from FSC certifi ed sources. Whether you are looking to provide furniture for a new outside area or replacing existing furniture to rejuvenate established areas, Andy Thornton can offer the complete range of high quality, durable outdoor furniture that will last for many, many seasons.For more details; Tel: 01422 376000 or visit: www.andythornton.com



years has also seen pig roasts grow in popularity. Over at Steve Cullums Spit Roast Machines (www.spitroast1.com), the company is proud of its new Elite Hog Roasting machine. In addition to cooking up to a 90kg pig, says company spokesman John Stockdale, it has the ability to roast a variety of meats and poultry. For example, up to sixty chickens can be ready for serving in just two hours, as landlords can provide an indoor and outdoor table service guaranteed to create the right atmosphere and a focal talking point for diners. New innovations also include an in-built jacket potato cooking system that can bake up to 70 jacket potatoes to perfection as the meat is cooking, both maximising the hog roasters effi ciency and giving customers a more varied menu. Tasty Trotter (www.tastytrotter.com) goes the whole hog (so to speak) by providing hog roasts as well as pizza ovens. We do a hog roast machine that can feed 300 people for as little as 50p a head, says the companys Managing Director Bruce Hunter, while we have also had great success with our pizza oven, which can produce two pizzas in 90 seconds. We feel we have made the machines more affordable they make it easy to feed people and you can also do roast spuds in them when the meat is turning.Summer is coming and we all hope for a lot more sun than weve had in recent years. So it goes without saying that now is the time to get the outdoors right and reap the benefi ts.

EliteThe Elite Range of hog roasting equipment is much more than just a hog roasting machine and is proving very popular with publicans wishing to offer their customers a much more varied menu selection.Apart from simply cooking a pig, up to 40 chickens can be accommodated using the large size poultry rackand this same accessory can be used for joints of meat too.Alternatively a mini poultry rack (20 x chicken capacity) can be used in conjunction with their carousel system, enabling poultry to be cooked to perfection at the same time as other cuts of meat, typically sausages, burgers or spare ribs without cross contamination.Our latest edition to the range is our jacket potato lid and again this enables a pig or chickens to be cooked while up to 70 jacket potatoes can be cooked at the same time, using the same heat and labour, creating better bottom-line profi ts for the operator and creating a visual wow-factor with the customers.For more details; Tel: 07807 067248 or visit: www.spitroast1.com

CindersMaking use of your outdoor areas will increase the capacity of your venue and barbecues are a great way of generating profi ts and impressing diners. The Caterer TG160 gives the

chef 7312 sq cms of long presentation frontage with which to demonstrate his skills and create cooking theatre.Accessories give greater versatility to the catering operation. The Universal

Griddle converts one side of the TG160 to a fl at cooking surface and the Pan Support takes two holding containers for hot and cold food.Cinders barbecues are hand built to operate from dawn to dusk without problems, heat up in fi ve minutes and self clean when cooking is fi nished. For more details; Tel:0800 0182 984 or visit: www.cindersbarbecues.co.uk

Tasty TrotterTasty Trotters Hog Roast machine is ideal for hog roast catering, bbq, weddings, parties or anywhere people need feeding. The Tasty Trotter hog roast machine is your perfect Hog Roast oven. They are dedicated to offering a premium Hog Roast oven for a modest price. Thats why their professional spit roasting oven offers a list of features equal to Hog Roast Machines twice the price. With sales in over 15 countries you can be assured that our machine has proven to be the ideal catering companionFor more details; Tel: 012346 866 800 or visit: www.tastytrotter.com



~Ara

|~Hardy

~Caf

Documents

Host Magazine Spring 2012