Used to turn up every now and again in Reading but not seen it here for about 4 years. I always quite liked it though it did seem to have an issue with going flat very quickly. Visited the brewery with North Surrey CAMRA and it was a good trip.Originally Posted by london calling
I wouldn't expect anything else from a Southern beer!
I read an article in the free London morning paper that there are now 2000 breweries in the UK.A figure way above what Camra have indicated. I have suspected it must be around 2000 as I get info about new breweries every week so Ballards will probably go unnoticed. Unsustainable imo.
Will's review of The Station Inn reminded me that Copper Dragon has endured a rocky ride of late-Google seems confused, and the GBG doesn't list them. The admittedly southern focussed beer rating site I use showed that a pint of Golden Pippin was enjoyed somewhere in York last month.
We're off to God's own county tomorrow, and I always rated their beers-mainly as a change from the Masham mafia.
"At that moment I would have given a kingdom, not for champagne or hock and soda, or hot coffee but for a glass of beer" Marquess Curzon of Kedlestone, Viceroy of India.
You can still see Copper Dragon pump clips in use usually Golden Pippin, but it's a bit of a mystery whither it is Golden Pippin or who brews it and indeed who has the rights to the names. I heard there was some financial slight of hand involved with the original Copper Dragon but no one is sure. Greyhawk (in administration) certainly came out of the ashes of Copper Dragon ( the one that was dissolved possibly not the current Copper Dragon) and Recoil is making similar claims, there appears to be some other outfit called Copper Dragon and possibly making the beers. It's a complete can of worms and it doesn't help that the same people have been involved in various similarly named enterprises as a bit of trawling round the Companies House website will show.
The landlord of the Phoenix in York told me that Beer Monkeys was also claiming to be using Copper Dragon recipes. Their pump clip is the opposite of eye-catching (see photo taken in the Phoenix - theirs is the greenish, muddy one, two from the right) and though the beer was very good, I don't think it was much like Copper Dragon Best. (It was called Bitter Revival 3.9%.)
Come On You Hatters!
Hardknott brewery to cease production
Come On You Hatters!
Having read between the lines in the last few months this doesn't surprise me, shame though, a decent brewer.
"Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer."
-W.C.Fields
Have followed his blog for about 10 years. Agree decent beer but he is in the middle of nowhere so transport must be a big cost. Also heard that Stringers brewery a few miles from Hardknott will close also. Yates brewery also local closed late last year so not a great area to brew in.
The few times I saw and tried his cask down south I was never madly impressed. Would it be harsh to say that actually the Hardknott name was more driven by the noteriety of his blog postings than the consistency of brewery output?
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