Ones to Watch 2015

From Commence

So how did my predictions made at the start of the year fare?

Partizan is now well established on the Bermondsey mile and continues to pump out beers apace including some more interesting variants. Pressure Drop too continue to produce solid beers, but seem to have been less visible this year. One brewery that has been growing is Brew By Numbers, who (with the support of Brewdog) have increased their capacity, begun releasing barrel aged beers and featuring in many people's Golden Pints this year.

Wiper and True have continued to impress and are beginning to be seen out and about but are still relatively small. Tiny Rebel and Celt between them are now the best regarded brewers in Wales, with Celt continuing to produce plenty of interesting collaborations.

Top Out are another brewery who are continuing solidly but (aside from featuring in a Beers 52 selection box) have been fairly quiet. The Hanging Bat certainly seem to be producing some beers, with a slew of collaborations appearing but no facilities built as far as I'm aware!

Kinsale and Brown Paper Bag both continued to excel this year and I look forward to more from them. Farmageddon make interesting beers but some have been affected at the packaging stage. The Gold on cask at Belfast Beer Festival was excellent however. Red Hand has been fairly quiet, struggling on with their pilot kit and hopefully scaling up over the next year or so.

So that's the review of 2014 predictions (a mixed bag perhaps?) "What are your tips for 2015?!" (aside from Golden Pints) I hear you ask, well read on dear readers!

If you've been paying attention you'll know I expect big things from Boundary (I am now a part-owner after all!) with plenty of collaborations and specials already on the cards. I'm also looking forward to Belfast Brewing, helmed by the North's only Brewster,Alex (Hilden excepted, which Ann has been Brewstering at since the start, though I think Owen now does most of the day to day brewing!) Alex's beers impressed in the samples I picked up earlier this year; so look forward to seeing how they pan out when made on a bigger scale!

Moving south of the border Chris at Galway Bay has had a fantastic 2014 so expect 2015 to be the year they finally break out of Ireland and perhaps set up a bar in Belfast (please?!) and have some spare beer to send to thirsty beer drinkers across the water (either direction!). Metalman have just installed a canning line (the first in Ireland!) so looking forward to trying their excellent pale in this format. (previously only available on draught).

 See also my Irish Golden Pints, Brews to watch out for and summary of 2014 brewery openings. 

Moving across to the mainland Burning Sky is another brewery that has had an excellent year (sneaking into my top five at the last minute with the tasty saison l'Ete). Mark formerly brewed at Dark Star and was recognised by the British Guild of Beer Writers this year; so grab the beer when you get a chance! I'm yet to find one I've not enjoyed.

Northern Alchemy really impressed on a recent trip to Newcastle, bringing interesting ingredient additions to conventional styles, the beers are solid and interesting, good stuff! Look out for their chocolate and mint saison plus their excellent hopped pilsner.

Elusive brewing should hopefully hit its stride in 2015. Helmed by Andy Parker (@tabamatu) (winner of 2014 Craft Beer Co home brew competition) you can expect lots of hop forward pales, Belgian ales and experimental weirdness if his previous releases and home brew blogs are anything to go by!

Aside from those above pretty much anything from Buxton, Siren, Wild Beer Co, Beavertown, Partizan, Brew By Numbers, Marble, Hawkshead, Magic Rock, Tiny Rebel, Wiper & True, Redchurch, Pressure Drop & The Kernel will see you in good stead.

No suggestions for Scotland this year I'm afraid, I've not had a chance to visit since January but Stewart, Fyne, Tempest and Pilot all continue to impress, seek them out!

Ones to Watch 2014

As you all emerge blinking into the daylight on New Year's Day here are a few brewers you should be trying to get hold of this year.

We begin in the capital which continues to expand in all things beery. 2013 has certainly been Partizan's year, showing no signs of stopping in 2014 as they approach their 100th brew. Pressure Drop and Brew By Numbers have also both impressed in 2013. And just outside of the capital Siren have produced plenty to be proud of with plenty more planed for 2014.

A brewery which really impressed on trips to Bristol was Wiper & True. Particularly during Bristol Beer Week with their "Beer and Burgers" event. To maintain such a high calibre of brewing across multiple different establishments is no mean feat. I certainly look forward to trying more of these in 2014.

Across the Bristol channel and into Wales we have Tiny Rebel, who recently opened their first bar in Cardiff and the Celt Experience in Caerphilly who have rally impressed with some excellent collaboration and one off brews recently.

Moving North to Scotland Top Out really impressed with their initial offerings and have since released a Christmas beer and wheat ale, both of which seem to be doing well. I wasn't quick enough off the mark and missed out on the Christmas beer however. Another newish place in Edingburgh is the Hanging Bat, already a fantastic bar, could 2014 be the year the brewery becomes big*? Intriguingly Chris Kay of Bristol beer Factory now has a hanging bat account...

Moving across the water to Ireland I look forward to further releases from Brown Paper Bag Project and Blacks Kinsale brewery. 2013 will be remembered as the year breweries really took off with black IPAs and Double IPAs appearing for the first time and the number of breweries approaching 40 with at least 10 more in the planning stages.

Northern Ireland too has not been passed by with new breweries springing up across the province taking the number to 10. Red Hand will begin selling to the public at the start of the year and Farmageddon should also finally become a real entity. A few new Belfast breweries in the works too; so we should be very healthy in 2014.

Of course firmly established breweries will continue to delight (Wild, Buxton,  Kernel, Beavertown, Moor, Thornbridge, Magic Rock, Summer Wine and more) and cause despair (shall remain nameless) in equal measure and we'll surely see more regional and old guard brewers set-up their own craft ranges as has been seen in 2014. I for one look forward to it! Let me know your own predictions for 2014 below, cheers all!

*Edit...confirmation today that the brewery is go

Best of 2011: One blogger's opinion (Golden Pints)

I've no doubt there will be a proliferation of similar posts but wanted to get my thoughts down in any case. I love lists; so this will take the form of some top threes. I was right! I started drafting this at the end of November and since then Beer Reviews announced the golden pint awards; which I'll pop my nominations up for scavenging from my original rankings.

Best UK Draught (Cask or Keg) Beer

Cask: Bristol Beer Factory Saison (@Euston Tap and Factoberfest)

Keg: Magic Rock - Dark Arts (@Craft beer co and Port Street Beer House )

Best UK Bottled or Canned Beer

1. Buxton Axe Edge

2. Hardknott Vitesse Noir

3. Bristol Beer Factory Indian Ink

 

Best Overseas Draught Beer

Cask: Flying Dog Oak Aged Gonzo Imperial Porter  (@ White Horse) see my post here

Keg: Mikkelelr Black (@ CASK )

Best Overseas Bottled or Canned Beer

Mikkeller Monk's Elixir

Runner Up: Struise Pannepot

 

Best Overall Beer

Going by ratebeer and memory it has to be Buxton Axe Edge

Best Pumpclip or Label

There are so many good designs out there as highlighted by The Beercast recently, but for me it has to be Bristol Beer Factory with their bold colours and instantly recognisable logo.

Best UK Brewery

Buxton-Great flavoursome beers and a mix of new and old styles.

Bristol Beer Factory - from not being on my radar to trying most of their beers this year. If you haven't yet tried them, go get yourself a mixed case. I reviewed their stouts here.

Summer Wine-I've managed to try three of their beers so far and have been impressed

Hardknott catering for both extremophiles and regular pub goers with some tasty special releases.

Kernel who could fail to be impressed with the proliferation of great beers from these guys.Magic Rock created some impressive beers with great results with first brews.

Best US Brewery

This is limited by the fact that finding American beers in Northern Ireland is nigh on impossible!

1.Flying Dog. I can still taste that oak-aged Gonzo.

2. Southern Tier have enjoyed the few beers I've managed to get hold of this year and look forward to finding even more in 2012.

3. Odell from the core range to the mor experimental brews Doug and team make some excellent beers. The artwork is ace too.

4. Great Divide- tasty IPAs  and Yeti-range

5.Left Hand- good solid range including black jack porter and milk stout.

Best Other Brewery

Has to be Mikkeller as I've been continually impressed by the range of innovative brews pumped out by essentially one crazy guy! Honourable mention to Revelation Cat, whose New Zealand Pale Ale was glorious.

Pub/Bar of the Year

Another toughie, and I've not really been in all that many this year! A last minute winner pits the cask in pimlico to the post... the recently opened York Tap. Visited twice within the list few days and loved it. More when I get back in front of a pc!

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Beer Festival of the Year

 Having only been to GBBF, Hilden and Belfast Beer Festival I'm going to have to pick Belfast as I had a chance to try some great beers and didn't have to use trains to get there each day!

Supermarket of the Year

The state of Northern Ireland beer is pretty dire and the best of a bad bunch supermarket wise has to be M&S who actually have a good range of own branded beers made at a range of different breweris.

Independent Retailer of the Year

This is a tricky one, having frequented a few establishments this year. Discovery of the year has to be The Vineyard, Belfast who have perhaps the best selection of bottled beers in Northern Ireland. Another off-licence I love and deserves a mention as it hasn't much in the way of online presence is Bitter Virtue, Southampton, well worth a visit if you're in that neck of the woods (bring reinforced bags...)

Online Retailer of the Year

Another toughie this, though for me it has to be Ales by Mail because both Paul and Karen are very friendly and I had beers reserevd for me for two months beforeI got around to paying for them!

Best Beer Book or Magazine

Another toughie as I only started buying beer books this year. Its got to be Pete Brown's Trilogy as they're what turned me on to beer blogging in the first place. Very much looking forward to the fourth (and fifth!). I got some other beery books for Christmas though; so they could take top spot next year!

Best Beer Blog or Website

1.Boak and Bailey

2. Mark Dredge-Pencil and Spoon

3. Martyn Cornell- Zythophile

Best Beer Twitterer

Has to be Dave @broadfordbrewer for his friendliness and retweeting skills. Honourable mention to Mike Crowbourne @okellsales as he has a knack of finding interesting beery news articles. But there's a whole host of friendly tweeps out there I could have mentioned!

Best Online Brewery presence

There's a big number of brewers embracing social media, but for me it has to be Hardknott who have the whole team, including mischievous Sooty tweeting and are quick to answer anything you may ask of them. They're friendly peolel too, having met them on #Twissup.

Food and Beer Pairing of the Year

Something I need to do more of in 2012 but my best cheese and beer pairing was the Bristol Beer Factory Hefe and Ragstone Goats cheese at Cheese School because it was so unexpectedly delicious.

In 2012 I’d Most Like To…

See my "New Beers Resolutions" post on Sunday!

Open Category: You Choose: Top 3 ones to Watch in 2012

In addition to the above there are some breweries that continue to innovate and impress.

1.Thornbridge through changes in brewer line up beer innovation and quality remains consistent, expect more from this great brewery next year.

2.BrewDog with funds successfully raised for their new brewery and plans to keep the old kit as a trial plant expect even more weird and wonderful ideas along with outre marketing tactics from these boys in 2012. Looking forward to seeing the other bars emerging too.

3. Ards only recently started out but I very much enjoyed their stout and look forward to what else may be forthcoming