Dark Star news

[PaulOfHorsham]

I know that this item from the Dark Star Blog will be of interest to some: Time for change… (http://darkstarbrewing.co.uk/time-for-change/) The post begins "Well, it’s been one hell of a ride but I’ve decided it’s time to move on from Dark Star." And, yes, these are Mark's words.

I just hope that recent recruits to the brewing team will be as sensibly creative. Which is to say that, to me, just about everything that comes out of the brewery is good quality, interesting, in some cases educational, but never too off the all to have me thinking 'what the hell are you thinking of with this one?' Be interesting to see how things develop in the coming months and years.

[Mobyduck]

I know that this item from the Dark Star Blog will be of interest to some: Time for change… (http://darkstarbrewing.co.uk/time-for-change/) The post begins "Well, it’s been one hell of a ride but I’ve decided it’s time to move on from Dark Star." And, yes, these are Mark's words.

I just hope that recent recruits to the brewing team will be as sensibly creative. Which is to say that, to me, just about everything that comes out of the brewery is good quality, interesting, in some cases educational, but never too off the all to have me thinking 'what the hell are you thinking of with this one?' Be interesting to see how things develop in the coming months and years.
Not good news to hear , but life goes on, hopefully the quality an innovation can be maintained.

[Bucking Fastard]

Thanks for posting that Paul,it does sound like potentially bad news.I suppose a lot depends on the skill of the brewing team left behind,but Dark Star has been so innovative up to this point ;it must be a tough act to follow.Dark Star have also consistently produced top quality ale ,lets hope that standards dont slip either.IMHO they are currently right at the top of the brewers "Premiership",so maybe to get out at the top is understandable .

[Brewguru]

Its been interesting to note comment on Thornbridge from some of us recently saying its not been as good as usual - stems from Kelly Ryan (mentioned in the blog article) going back to New Zealand maybe?

[london calling]

Rob Jones the owner of Darkstar is also leaving to set up a micro brewery at the Duke of Wellington Shoreham.

[Aqualung]

Rob Jones the owner of Darkstar is also leaving to set up a micro brewery at the Duke of Wellington Shoreham.

I was going to post the question "what happened to the bloke from Pitfield?".

I worry that great micro brewers seem to go downhill when they become effectively major regional brewers and the founding brewer takes a back seat. In my experience Hopback beers are not as good as they were when John Gilbert started up in the mid 80s.

I only have two recent experiences of Dark Star beers, the Winter Meltdown which didn't bowl me over and the Brodie's collaboration which I enjoyed.

The one Dark Star brew that really did make an impact on me some years ago was the Expresso Stout which I thought was incredible and unlike anything I had tried before.

[hondo]

https://twitter.com/theanchortap

[hondo]

The Lockhart Tavern

[Aqualung]

The Lockhart Tavern

Have you added it to the site? As far as I know it was originally a Restaurant called La Strada at 41 the Broadway RH16 3AS.

[hondo]

Have you added it to the site? As far as I know it was originally a Restaurant called La Strada at 41 the Broadway RH16 3AS.

pending
http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/newpubs/29345/

[Aqualung]

pending
http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/newpubs/29345/

Thanks,
I get the impression that they initially intended to open this before the Horsham Anchor Tap, their early 2016 ETA is past its sell by date now.

[hondo]

http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Drinks/Beer/Sussex-brewer-Dark-Star-to-open-fifth-site

[hondo]

session
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Drinks/Beer/Sussex-brewer-Dark-Star-launches-new-session-IPA

[aleandhearty]

session
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Drinks/Beer/Sussex-brewer-Dark-Star-launches-new-session-IPA

Oooh, I like the sound of that. Unfortunately, Dark Star beers are still quite rare in the North.

[Wittenden]

Oooh, I like the sound of that. Unfortunately, Dark Star beers are still quite rare in the North.

Sounds good, though I don't think 4.2% is sessionable now days.I' m more of a session PA man meself. Currently Kent Session PA and good old Hophead are battling it out,with Kent in the box seat.

[Aqualung]

Unfortunately, Dark Star beers are still quite rare in the North.

Hophead is a permanent fixture on the JDW guest ale list.

[aleandhearty]

Hophead is a permanent fixture on the JDW guest ale list.

Thanks for the tip, I didn't know that. Unfortunately, I'm not really a JDW man. Popped into my local one a couple of weeks ago and worked out it was nearly two years since I was last there!

[london calling]

Hophead is a permanent fixture on the JDW guest ale list.

Now that is a surprise.Never seen it around West London which is a shame as I particularly like it.I have found that Mcspoons managers seem to stick to breweries that they know rather than trying new stuff. Hardly call Hophead new stuff but know what I mean.

[london calling]

I know that this item from the Dark Star Blog will be of interest to some: Time for change… (http://darkstarbrewing.co.uk/time-for-change/) The post begins "Well, it’s been one hell of a ride but I’ve decided it’s time to move on from Dark Star." And, yes, these are Mark's words.

I just hope that recent recruits to the brewing team will be as sensibly creative. Which is to say that, to me, just about everything that comes out of the brewery is good quality, interesting, in some cases educational, but never too off the all to have me thinking 'what the hell are you thinking of with this one?' Be interesting to see how things develop in the coming months and years.

I actually think they have become better.Had lots of very good new beers from them since he left and the quality of their regular beers has been amazing.

[Bucking Fastard]

I actually think they have become better.Had lots of very good new beers from them since he left and the quality of their regular beers has been amazing.

I second that emotion :cool:

[Aqualung]

Now that is a surprise.Never seen it around West London which is a shame as I particularly like it.I have found that Mcspoons managers seem to stick to breweries that they know rather than trying new stuff. Hardly call Hophead new stuff but know what I mean.

One problem is that they have to charge a premium guest price for it which would put some managers and punters off. There are some Spoons around that have Hophead as a semi permanent guest or rotate it with Pale Rider or Jaipur which are also permanent fixtures.
Did you know that the Hamilton Hall does 500ml bottles of Redemption Big Chief for £3.65? This is much better value than the guest ales.

Sometimes you get a dickhead of an area manager sticking their oar in and telling managers to stock only guest ales that are cheap. I believe that may be happening in my area at the moment. The Leytonstone one recently had Westerham guests in rather than ELB or Hopstuff. I rarely go to local JDWs at the moment.

[Mobyduck]

I actually think they have become better.Had lots of very good new beers from them since he left and the quality of their regular beers has been amazing.
Personally I think Hophead is a shadow of its former self, they claim not to have changed the recipe but my theory is they may be using british grown hops instead of the original American ones, whatever they are doing it tastes totally different than it did a couple of years ago.

[Wittenden]

Sometimes you get a dickhead of an area manager sticking their oar in and telling managers to stock only guest ales that are cheap. I believe that may be happening in my area at the moment. The Leytonstone one recently had Westerham guests in rather than ELB or Hopstuff. I rarely go to local JDWs at the moment.

Never thought of Westerham as particularily cheap.

[Wittenden]

Personally I think Hophead is a shadow of its former self, they claim not to have changed the recipe but my theory is they may be using british grown hops instead of the original American ones, whatever they are doing it tastes totally different than it did a couple of years ago.

Not sure about that, but it is up against stiff competition in the sub 4% abv pale ale sector from the likes of Burning Sky Plateau, Bedlam Phoenix and Kent Session PA .Thinking about it, many of the personnel of these breweries are alumni of DS.

[Aqualung]

Personally I think Hophead is a shadow of its former self, they claim not to have changed the recipe but my theory is they may be using british grown hops instead of the original American ones, whatever they are doing it tastes totally different than it did a couple of years ago.

That's exactly what went through my mind when I last tried it in their Haywards Heath pub. The shortage of American hops has been well documented.

[Aqualung]

Never thought of Westerham as particularily cheap.

You probably know the brewery better than I do but by "cheap" I really meant old school low ABV beers where they are careful not to use too many hops. It's a false economy as if the beer is dull then the sales go down and it gets into the vicious circle of falling sales meaning falling quality. I have to admit I'm not a fan of what I've tried of Westerham but do like ELB and Hopstuff.

[Mobyduck]

Not sure about that, but it is up against stiff competition in the sub 4% abv pale ale sector from the likes of Burning Sky Plateau, Bedlam Phoenix and Kent Session PA .Thinking about it, many of the personnel of these breweries are alumni of DS.

Yes all ex Dark Star I believe, though not sure about Phoenix.

[london calling]

One problem is that they have to charge a premium guest price for it which would put some managers and punters off. There are some Spoons around that have Hophead as a semi permanent guest or rotate it with Pale Rider or Jaipur which are also permanent fixtures.
Did you know that the Hamilton Hall does 500ml bottles of Redemption Big Chief for £3.65? This is much better value than the guest ales.

Sometimes you get a dickhead of an area manager sticking their oar in and telling managers to stock only guest ales that are cheap. I believe that may be happening in my area at the moment. The Leytonstone one recently had Westerham guests in rather than ELB or Hopstuff. I rarely go to local JDWs at the moment.

According to a couple of pub owners I have spoken to Dark Star are one of the cheaper breweries to buy from.Agree about Westerham they seem to have dumbed their beers down but still have a couple of good ones.I usually avoid the brewery now. That's a great price for Big Chief.The Hamilton Hall has a particularly boring beer selection every time I visit.

[london calling]

I used to use the Knights Templar on a regular basis when I first started ticking.They always had new beers but from some of the worst breweries imo.Cottage,Northumberland,Itchen Valley and Springhead come to mind.I was puzzled how they could pick such bad beers and asked to speak to the guy who ordered them.He said I know nothing about beer so I just ask the warehouse to pick some good uns and send them.I was gobsmacked and had intended to tell him what I thought of his choices but what was the point.The beers that others didn't want were dumped on him I imagine.
Yes I used to drink them. Sad but through adversity you gain knowledge.Well that's my excuse.

[london calling]

Personally I think Hophead is a shadow of its former self, they claim not to have changed the recipe but my theory is they may be using british grown hops instead of the original American ones, whatever they are doing it tastes totally different than it did a couple of years ago.

Strangly enough I think its one of the few beers that taste as it did when I first drank it.Its the old cask problem. I have had some superb pints of it recently but the odd one where I though it seemed less hoppy and quite astringent.

[Mobyduck]

Strangly enough I think its one of the few beers that taste as it did when I first drank it.Its the old cask problem. I have had some superb pints of it recently but the odd one where I though it seemed less hoppy and quite astringent.
For want of a better word, for me it's lost it's zing. That said I don't get to drink it as much as I did a year ago.