Beer of the Week

[Farway]

Been on the wagon last week, so no beer of week, just tea

However there is hope yet, weather permitting I will be down Southsea for a meeting in the Bold Forester http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/13964/ which is a Greene King desert with keg & lager

However, time permitting I intend to at last sample the "Sir Loin of Beef"

Watch this space & hope it does not rain on Saturday

Failed in my quest to visit the Sir Loin, however did get into 3 others as well as Bold Forester

All had hand pulls, but just can't name any one as my Beer of Week, not 'cos they were rubbish, but I have a cold and all taste much the same at the moment

[oldboots]

Three beers stood out for me this week, not including the bottle of Owd Roger I'm drinking at the moment - cheers whoever mentioned it and reminded me to get a bottle definitely as good as I remember it but not quite as good as the cask version.

Anyway the three beers were,
Inveralmond Independence from Perth in Scotland,
Acorn Barnsley Bitter from guess where
and
Daleside Bitter (from Harrogate) in the best condition I've ever found it and only £2.35 a pint.

Daleside gets my prize as I could hardly drag myself away.

[arwkrite]

I did ask the tenant in my local [wont name it just in case], answer was honest, the youngsters drink the Fosters etc and expect to pay more, they assume price = quality, the higher lager price supports lower real ale price [2.60 a pint]

Suits me as an ale drinker

Went for a drink with the stepson who was overjoyed to find my local sold Foster's lager. I could have forgiven him by reason of youth but in his case he is middle aged. Anything but Fosters or Carling or Creme de Menthe.

[oldboots]

Went for a drink with the stepson who was overjoyed to find my local sold Foster's lager. I could have forgiven him by reason of youth but in his case he is middle aged. Anything but Fosters or Carling or Creme de Menthe.

That Paul Hogan's got a lot to answer for,..... doesn't the Pope drink Creme de Menthe according to Billy Connolly?

[Conrad]

Ed,

A couple of times now you have mentioned setting up a micro brewery. I am quite interested in what ways you expect this to help your business? Obviously you will have the benefit of something a little different (and tastier) than most other pubs. But do you also expect to be able to sell it on? Or improve your negotiating position with the breweries?

Quite interested in this on the back of the Wetherspoons conversation, as their pricing benefits clearly comes from the insanely strong negotiating position they hold over their various suppliers.

[aleandhearty]

Surprisingly, both my BOTW were dark this week. Most of the time, I like my beer pale and very hoppy. However, on a decent night out I'll ring the changes.

Saturday night in my beloved Fernandes Tap, Wakefield I had:

Fernandes 'Newc'y Black' (6.0%? If not 5.0%) Beautiful dry Yorkshire stout.
East Coast 'Moodie's Mild' (6.0%) Very much in the mould of Sarah Hughes. 'Soupy' you'd have loved it.

[Eddie86]

Ed,

A couple of times now you have mentioned setting up a micro brewery. I am quite interested in what ways you expect this to help your business? Obviously you will have the benefit of something a little different (and tastier) than most other pubs. But do you also expect to be able to sell it on? Or improve your negotiating position with the breweries?

Quite interested in this on the back of the Wetherspoons conversation, as their pricing benefits clearly comes from the insanely strong negotiating position they hold over their various suppliers.

Excuse me for using marketing speak, but I actually find it easier to speak that other ways now. I'll translate later if needs be!

The idea behind the micro brewery has several benefits to the business.

1) Increase profits - it is cheaper to produce your own than to buy in. Depending on how I find the sales mix it may well be that the own-brewed beers create enough profit to lower other ales prices (or allow me to buy ales that at present are too expensive for me (TT Landlord springs to mind).

2) Increase footfall - it is reasonable to expect more real ale drinkers to find us out - and also easier for people to talk about us (Do you remember that pub in Hay? - which one? - the one with the micro brewery...) We'll also hope to attract more green thinking customers, this is based on the success of us advertising our sunday roast as 'from the field behind us' - local seems to be in fashion at the moment. We'll also happily give tours (although there's not much to see - think of about 6 large domestic boilers (the things wrapped in red)) and have it listed on the towns site as a tourist attraction

3) Increase staff knowledge - all the staff that work the bar will be invited and encouraged to spend time brewing and understanding more about ale. I've converted a fair few people to ale by knowing my stuff - I ask ladies what wine they like and them offer them a sample of a beer. If it's wrong, at least I know what they DONT like If I can get all my staff to be able to do this, it increases customer confidence and in turn customer spend per head

4) Increase awareness of us - eventually I'll sell to other pubs. Whilst not the main aim of the venture, it would be foolish to turn down business should demand arise. There will be brews done for beer festivals - if I can get a beer into the Hereford CAMRA festival with a bit of text in the program about the pub and brewery, every single drinker there will have heard of us in one way or another. And that's a direct target audience!

5) It means I'll be able to afford a drink at the bar every now and then, and thats always a plus

I'm in a bit of a rush, locals birthday tonight, but when I get home i'll dig out my first copy of the business plan I've drafted and see if I've missed anything

Cheers

[Conrad]

Thanks for that, I find it really interesting stuff. And hadn't appreciated all the aspects. Keep us informed of your progress on it!

[aleandhearty]

I find it really interesting stuff. Keep us informed of your progress on it!

I'll second that. Sounds like you've really done your homework. All the best Eddie.

[Conrad]

Sorry, I was knackered last night so just made a brief reply. To follow up though, the idea of tours never occurred to me, and I know if I was there I would be interested even though it is just to look at a big container wrapped in red.

Also gratifying to hear it being used as an opportunity to increase staff knowledge, it is nice to hear it becoming part of the culture of the pub.

It all sounds really good stuff, and a defining personality to your pub. I know I will be looking to try out the Kilvert's Klear Knight pale ale (please ignore the acronym ).