Comedy at 4th Hop & Barley Rally in aid of the NABD
MC Frankie Peoples elicits the crowd's appreciation for comedians Ryan O'Donoghue, Freddie Farrell, Si Chadwick, Lovdev Barpaga and Dave Dinsdale at the 4th Hop & Barley Rally in aid of the NABD, Shobnall Sports & Social Club, Derby
Hop Picking, Worcestershire, England.
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British hop farmers have reason to celebrate as a resurgence in craft and real ale brewing means demand for the little green flower, an essential ingredient in beer, has risen almost ten percent this year.
It’s the first time in 15 years that growers have had to increase the number of crops planted to meet demand.
The additional yield being harvested right now at one the UK’s biggest hop farms will go toward making an extra 3.7 million pints of beer – a great reason to raise a glass and celebrate the success of this traditional British crop.
And what’s more, it’s been a fantastic year for hops, despite a rather worrying and damp start to the growing season.
“We were definitely concerned earlier on,” said Ali Capper, who grows 108 acres of hops, “Because the bines, which are the long garlands of hops, hate wet weather.
“But the beautifully warm May together with the last few weeks of sunshine, have made it a bumper year.”
You would be forgiven for imagining that her family’s farm in Suckley, Worcestershire where they grow enough hops to make a dizzying 46 million pints of beer, would use the latest technology to harvest their crops.
But the machine that processes the hops at Stocks Farm, is a staggering 55 years old.
The giant Bruff Hop Picking Machine, which was built in the village in 1960, resembles a giant threshing machine that you might see on the pages of a history book.
Over the five-week harvest, the noisy machine processes around 80 tons of hop flowers.
The hops are separated from the leaves and stalks as they move around an elaborate system of pullies, conveyor belts and open spinning wheels, before being dried and bailed.
“It’s all very Heath Robinson”, said Ali, “But we prefer to use this old machine – it’s really quite gentle on the hops.
“Bruff machines, built here in Suckley, were shipped all over the world. They’re still in use today in farms as far afield as New Zealand,” she added.
But the increased harvest takes its toll on the machine, so as soon as harvest is over the team give it plenty of TLC to keep it in perfect working condition, stripping it back and basically rebuilding it in time for the following year.
“It often surprises people that each different variety has its own distinct flavour,” she said.
“All British hops share the same wonderful “terroir”– a word from the French wine-making industry which refers to the characteristic taste and flavour imparted by the environment in which it is produced.
“We have great soils and a mild maritime climate with even rainfall throughout the year, which give the hops delicate and complex aromas, resulting in some of the best beers in the world.”
“Right now we are growing nine different varieties on the farm, with one of the most popular for brewing being Bramling Cross, which has a blackcurrant, spicy lemon aroma.
“Another favourite is Jester, with grapefruit and tropical fruits hints, which makes a great American style IPA.
Hops are a perennial crop, the plants grow back the following year.
The plant starts to grow in March and by July the it is mature. In early August they come into “burr” and around three weeks later the hop flowers are fully grown.
Harvesting begins during the first week of September and hop picking tends to take around five weeks to complete.
Much of Britain's hop production is based in two traditional growing areas, the Midlands and the South East.
Ali explained: 'Herefordshire and Worcestershire grow the largest proportion of crops - just over half of the country's production. Kent and neighbouring counties produce the rest.
“The reason for those two areas is purely labour.
“Pre-mechanisation, from the 1950s back, all hops were hand-picked and that involved thousands of people.
“And they came on hop picking holidays from Birmingham and the Black Country factories and the factories of the East End of London.
“But now almost all our pickers come from Poland and they return year after year to help.
“Some of them have been coming for close to 20 years now, so they really understand the process and how to care for the hops to really bring out the flavour and intensity.”
MORE INFO
Hops are one of the basic ingredients in beer brewing along with grain, yeast, and water.
Although often referred to as a ‘vine’, hops are actually a ‘bine’, using a strong stem and stiff hairs to climb rather than tendrils and suckers.
It is the flower of the hop plant that is used in brewing.
Brewers can change the ratio of sweet maltiness to bitterness in the final beer by adjusting the type of hops used in the brewing.
The Watermans Arms in Eton, England - Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter & Watermans Arms Cask Ales in 4K
THE WATERMANS ARMS ETON
Real Ale, Cider & Champagne House
Up to 8 local and national real ales always on draught
Built in 1682. A Traditional Old English Pub
Built circa 1682, the deceptively large building has had a multitude of uses. It was originally the home of brewer Robert Style, and was formerly the Eton Parish workhouse, before becoming a watering hole for the Watermen and Lightermen.
The original Waterman's pub was next to a sawmill in Kings Stable Street, back then the street also housed Royal carriages and horses for Windsor Castle.
REAL ALES
We have been awarded the Cask Marque, the sign of a great pint. We have a wide selection of real ales, regularly featuring the Windsor and Eton Brewery, Hobgoblin, Skinners Cornish Knocker, Brakspear and many local and national independent breweries.
You should have no trouble finding the perfect pint to enjoy while you relax in our traditional bar or beer garden.
We regularly hold themed beer & cider festivals.
HARVEY'S SUSSEX BEST BITTER
ABV: 4%
Best Bitter is a superbly balanced bitter with a prominent hop character. It is our most famous and popular beer – it makes up over 90% of our total brewing capacity.
Tailored to the taste buds of the people of Sussex over many decades, this popular beer is brewed with the finest Maris Otter malted barley and a small percentage of roasted ‘Crystal’ malt. A blend of four different hops from local growers impart a distinctive character and a moreish quality.
Winner of the Champion Best Bitter of Britain title at CAMRA’s Great British Beers Festival in 2005 and 2006.
Windsor, England on a Rainy Day @ The Royal Oak - Meantime London Lager, W&E Knight of the Garter
MEANTIME LONDON LAGER
4.5% ABV
Meantime Brew Master, Alastair Hook, has spent 20 years planning the quintessential English lager. His reasoning is simple.The great European lager brewers use very soft water and neutral yeasts to ensure that only the flavours of their locally grown malt and hops come to the fore. East Anglia is home to the world’s finest malting barley and Kent is home to some of the world’s best hops. Midway between the two, London is ideally placed to bring them together in a straightforward, clean, long-matured, unpasteurised lager, where all you can taste is malt and hop.
FOOD PAIRING
The hops in Meantime London Lager enable it to stand up much better than most lagers to stronger flavours such as mature cheeses, hams and smoked meats, or oily fish.
WINDSOR & ETON BREWERY KNIGHT OF THE GARTER GOLDEN ALE
3.8% ABV
Originally launched in June to coincide with the annual Ceremony of the Garter held at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. This beer quickly proved so popular that it is now a favourite throughout the year.
A flaxen-coloured, easy drinking Golden Ale, brewed with American Amarillo whole leaf hops giving a distinctive fresh citrus aroma reminiscent of cut grapefruit.
The badge design features the emblem used at the ceremony to honour the Knights awarded this exclusive accolade. Our very own Knightclub is a little easier to gain membership of but no less sought after and a lot more fun (see Knightclub tab).
Cheshire Brewhouse - (Chevalier Edition) Govinda (Barrel Aged) 6.8%
Cheshire Brewhouse - (Chevalier Edition) Govinda (Barrel Aged) 6.8%
Brewed by Cheshire Brewhouse
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Congleton, England
Serve in Shaker, Tulip
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Cask and bottle, 500ml. This edition is made with Chevalier malts, and barrel aged for six months. It is the only beer in the UK to have been made with Chevalier in 2015.
Brewed with only Chevallier Malt, East Kent Golding Hops, Cheshire Water & our House strain of yeast, no additives or any fining’s added not even to the copper. Mashed for 3 hours & boiled with a Burton simmer for 3 hours, then barrel aged in 3 oak barrels for 6 months. Govinda Chevallier in bottle is the marriage of 3 barrel aged beers blended together, to give a very unique and complex beery experience.
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COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Cask & bottle conditioned; Occasonal.
Originally released to celebrate the brewery’s 100th brew as Govinda Centenary Gyle Head Brewers Reserve but has been brewed again since.
India Pale Ale
I am very happy to announce we have hit the 100th brew mark! To Celebrate I have brewed an old recipe for a traditional Burton upon Trent style IPA. Brewing it was no mean feat as it required a 3 hour mash and a 3 hour boil (normally only 1hr each for my standard brews) all added up to a 15hr brewday.
Brewed using only the finest British Pale Malt and a massive charge of the Finest East Kent Golding hops from the Garden of England. Govinda should showcase what an IPA should be about a decent strength and a very firm bitterness from English Whole Flower Hops. There will be a very ltd amount available in cask with the majority being released in bottle. It will pay to buy some to store for a year or so as Govinda will change and mature for the better and is brewed to stand the ravishes of time & a life on the High Seas exploring the Tropics!
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Chevallier Heritage Malt
Chevallier Barley
Chevallier revived: malt as new hops?
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Govinda
So Govinda ,Gopala means Cowherd or Protector of Cows, or one who gives pleasure to senses.
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Cheshire Brewhouse
Goostrey dance
Chesterfield Garland Dancers perform the dance Goostrey during Chesterfield's Chatsworth Road Festival in 2013.
Real Ale Of Britain - Woodforde's Brewery, Head Cracker 7%
Great strong Golden Beer
The Wincle Beer Company | Eccentric English Beer | Cheshire
Wincle Beer Co. was set up in 2008 from a redundant milking parlour, on a working farm set within the Peak District National Park.
Our whole ethos has always been about brewing the kind of beer that we love to drink ourselves.
Following an extensive 4 month course at Brewlab at the University of Sunderland, our first beer rolled off the production line in August 2008 after first being relentlessly critiqued by our ever-growing testing panel.
We enjoyed immediate success and encouragement at Tamworth beer festival where we won a silver medal.
Our original plan was to take life easy, do the odd brew and spend the rest of the time whittling. However, people loved our beer and we couldn't brew it fast enough.
We are now brewing flat out, 5 days a week and have now moved to a beautiful stone barn with a new state of the art 15 barrel plant, right in the heart of Wincle.
The Mitre Bar in Edinburgh, Scotland - Deuchars IPA & Wychwood Gold Hobgoblin Cask Ales
First day in Edinburgh, Scotland - first stop? The Mitre Bar, a Nicholson's Pub right on the Royal Mile!
THE MITRE BAR
131-133 High Street, Edinburgh, City Of Edinburgh, EH1 1SG
CALEDONIAN BREWERY DEUCHARS IPA
ABV 3.8%
Distinctive and long on refreshment. Solid gold in colour, remarkably aromatic, hints of fresh citrus, distinctive light malt and fresh floral flavours, refreshing zesty citric hop, for a mouth-watering finish.
Winner of over 40 awards, including CAMRA Supreme Champion Beer of Britain and World Champion Cask Ale.
Tasting notes
Distinctively radiant, deliciously refreshing, Deuchars is a fabulous balance of malt and hops. Discerning beer drinkers consider this to be the benchmark in quality cask beer and for those new to cask, it's the perfect introduction.
Food match
The obvious choice for this hoppy refreshing bitter is spicy food, such as a curry. However, it is also an excellent accompaniment to cheese, meat and shellfish.
WYCHWOOD BREWERY GOLD HOBGOBLIN
A hidden treasure has been unearthed in the Wychwood Brewery...and it's as pure and precious as it's forefather.
Hobgoblin Gold is the latest beer carrying the little fella's moniker, and while Gold might be lighter in colour, it's definitely no lightweight. A combination of hop varieties & an infusion of wheat and malted barley has resulted in the perfect golden beer - with a huge hop punch.
Guilt edged golden refreshment. Well what did you expect?
ABV - 4.2% (cask); 4.5% (bottle)
Hops: Pilgrim (UK), Nelson Sauvin (NZ), City (US) & Summit (US)
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CHARLES FARAM HOP PROCESSING TOUR
Take a tour around the Charles Faram & Co premises with MD Paul Corbett as he tells us how the hop is processed and packaged.
Electroshock Therapy, Tough Mudder 2012 North West UK Saturday
Stunned by a zap to the head and faceplanting
Dark Star Brewing Co - 2012 Imperial Export Strength Stout 10.5%
Dark Star Brewing Co - 2012 Imperial Export Strength Stout 10.5%
Brewed by Dark Star
Style: Imperial Stout
Horsham, England
Serve in Snifter
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Cask & Bottle Conditioned;
Imperial Stout is a truly special beer which harks back to the days when English brewers exported strong stouts and ports to the Baltics. Brewed with a high proportion of roasted barley and target hops, this is complex beer with a big flavour. Our bottle conditioned Imperial Stout has been aged at the brewery so you may enjoy it now, although it will continue to improve for many years.
Dark Star Brewing Co
My local beer ~Bathams Best Bitter~
Bathams Brewery:
Bathams are available at...
Good old traditional brewery from Black Country. They only brew Bitter, Mild and seasonal special ale (Christmas Ale).
I am so sorry for my poor review. I know it is awful so please take this opportunity for developing the skill of your imagination from such a small amount of information.
Despite the quality of my poor review, the beer is great. Guaranteed!
You have to drink it to believe it!
At Bathams brewery pub, you may feel you are an outsider unless you speak Black Country dialect but hey, that's a part of good old traditional pub experience!
Delph Locks and great Balti restaurants nearby the brewery.
Delph Locks:
Balti:
CHARLES FARAM ANNUAL HOP HARVEST
An introduction to the annual hops harvest at Charles Faram. See how the hops are harvested and bagged ready to be made into beer.
5 Basketball Players Who Did The NO-JUMP DUNKS
► Voiceover and subtitles narration by JimmyBallers20
► Visual special effects and video editing created with CyberLink PowerDirector 17 & Adobe Premiere Pro
► Videos, images and music used by JimmyBallers20 are granted with permissions, and are commercially licensed by StoryBlocks
???? Create your own custom BALLER!
►
These 5 basketball players are able to pull off a No-Jump Dunk, which means dunking without even hardly jumping. Through the 1970s, the slam dunk was standard fare by Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, David Thompson, Julius Erving, Darryl Dawkins, and others.
Make sure you have your life insurance, health insurance and sports medical insurance before attempting a no-jump dunk!
Facts about these 5 basketball players who did the no-jump dunks.
1) Kenny George is an American retired basketball player. He played for the University of North Carolina at Asheville Bulldogs from 2006 to 2008. Back in In October 2008, George had his right foot partly amputated due to a health issue called Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. George came back from retirement and recovery, and played in 4 games for the Tuři Svitavy team of the NBL of the Czech Republic, back in March 2011. There was a claim that he may have been the tallest player in the history of college basketball.
2) Mamadou N'Diaye who currently plays for University of California Irvine, and remained undrafted until now. He now plays for the Golden State Warriors Development League Team. He has been compared with NBA players such as Yao Ming, and Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert in terms of wingspan and flexibility.
After going undrafted in the 2016 NBA draft, N'Diaye joined the Golden State Warriors for the 2016 NBA Summer League. On October 22, 2016, he signed with the Detroit Pistons, but was waived later that afternoon. On October 30, he was acquired by the Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA Development League as an affiliate player of the Pistons. He was later waived by Grand Rapids on November 10, prior to the start of the regular season.
3) Sun Ming Ming is currently the tallest professional basketball player in the world, and was measured by the Guinness World Records as 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m) tall. He appeared in a fight scene in Rush Hour 3 alongside Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, playing his role as Kung-Fu Giant.
Sun Ming Ming came to the United States in early 2005 to train for a possible career in the NBA, and had a tryout with the Los Angeles Lakers, but was not selected in the draft. In 2005, Sun discovered that he had a benign brain tumor attached to his pituitary gland that was stimulating the over-production of growth hormone known as acromegaly. Because he had neither life insurance, medical insurance or health insurance nor enough money to pay for the more than $100,000 in medical bills, his agent started a fundraising loans/donation campaign, and the campaign was successful as lots of people donated. The tumor was successfully removed back on September 26, 2005.
Sun played with several American minor league teams such as the USBL team Dodge City Legend, the ABA team Maryland Nighthawks, and the IBL team Grand Rapids Flight. He was also drafted by the Harlem Globetrotters in 2007, being the tallest player in their history to be drafted by them, but he'd never play for them.
In 2009 he returned to China to play for the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), and became a member of the 2012 and 2014 CBA Finals championship winning teams.
4) Paul Sturgess is best known as Tiny in the Harlem Globetrotters team. He played for the Harlem Globetrotters from 2011-2013, and later signed with Texas Legends till 2014. He is currently playing professional basketball for Cheshire Phoenix of the British Basketball League.
On November 1 2013, Sturgess was selected by the Springfield Armor in the third round of the 2013 NBA Development League Draft. On 4 November 2013, he was traded to the Texas Legends where he played for the rest of the season. On November 19 2014, he was signed by Cheshire Phoenix of the British Basketball League.
5) Elhadji Tacko Sereigne Diop Fall, or best known as Tacko Fall currently plays for University of Central Florida, and hopes to enter into the NBA scene in 2 years time. He had previously lived with 2016 NBA Draft No.1 pick, Ben Simmons for a year in Houston, Texas. Tacko had trained with both Ben Simmons and Hakeem Olajuwon during his college days. In the 2019 NCAA March Madness tournament, Tacko Fall and his team UCF Knights fell short to Zion Williamson and the Duke Blue Devils. Tacko Fall currently plays for the Boston Celtics in 2019.
Born and raised in Dakar, Senegal, Tacko Fall moved from Senegal to the United States at age 16. Initially, he played soccer and had no interest in basketball. Tacko Fall has aspirations of becoming an engineer for electronic companies such as Siemens or Microsoft.
Growing a Better Beer in the Granite State
Audio from UNHCE's Growing a Better Beer in the Granite State program at the NH Farm & Forest Expo on Feb 4. 2012. Speakers include Gene L'Etoile of Four Stars Farm in Northfield, MA, who maintains a hop vineyard; Dorn Cox of Tuckaway Farm in Lee, NH, who grows small grains; and Nicole Carrier of Throwback Brewery in North Hampton NH, a local brewery that puts emphasis on brewing with locally-grown ingredients. Moderated by Cheshire County Ag. Resources Educator Carl Majewski.
Miller Homes Development Tour - Airedale Lea, Eastburn, Yorkshire
With its outstandingly attractive setting in Eastburn, a small community at the centre of a cluster of villages in the beautiful West Yorkshire countryside just four miles west of Keighley, Airedale Lea presents a very special opportunity to enjoy fresh air and wide horizons while maintaining easy access to urban amenities. Bordered by mature trees and hedgerows, this impressive new neighbourhood of energy-efficient two, three and four bedroom homes is destined to become one of the area's most desirable locations.
Find out more:
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Skipton, lies on the far reaches of the Western Yorkshire Dales and is known as the Gateway to the Dales.
A bustling market town on the banks of the Leeds/Liverpool Canal, Skipton has recently been voted the ‘Happiest Place to live in the UK’ thanks to its fantastic schools and quality lifestyle.
And, with homes in high demand in the area, we thought we’d take a little look at what makes it such a popular place.
HISTORY AND HERITAGE
Skipton is awash with history with perhaps its most famous attraction being its 900 year old castle which holds a commanding view down the town’s main street. Stunningly preserved it’s a great place to learn a little about the town and its history. The canal also played a significant part in the town’s heritage with many mills littering the canalside during the industrial revolution with a handful remaining today. These can be seen when walking around the town or from the water on one of the many canal boat trips that can be taken from the centre of town, a great way to appreciate what an important part the canal plays in the towns past, present and future.
SHOPPING AND SHEEP
A popular market is still held in the town several times a week showcasing local produce and essential items. Shopping in Skipton remains a delight with a fantastic selection of independent shops alongside high street favourites. Residents are also well catered for with butchers, bakers and other essential retailers and businesses operating in the town to ensure everyday life is facilitated with ease in this rural community. With Skipton literally translating into ‘sheep town’ from its Anglo Saxon name ‘Sceap tun’ it will come as no surprise to discover that each year ‘Sheep Day’ takes place celebrating the town’s heritage and providing a great day out for all the family.
EXPLORING NEARBY
In addition to the beautiful town, Skipton’s surrounding area also has much to offer. The Bolton Abbey Estate, home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, lies close by and is a wonderful place for walks, picnics and enjoying the great outdoors. And, for rail enthusiast, the Embsay and Bolton Steam Railway is a joy to behold as you hop aboard for a trip back in time. And, of course, there are endless views, walks and corners of the Yorkshire Dales to discover epitomising the beauty of England’s largest county.
FAMILIES AND THE FUTURE
For families choosing to make Skipton their home, there is a fantastic selection of primary and secondary schools. Indeed, some of the secondary schools are extremely high performing giving parent’s confidence in the security of their children’s future. And, as Skipton continues to be a thriving community and tourist attraction, we think that the future looks positive for this popular Yorkshire town, making it a great place to call home. Why not visit our Airedale Lea development in the village of Eastburn, just minutes’ drive from Skipton. A simply perfect place to be.
Banx Cafe Bar, 6-8 Fleet Street, Torquay, Devon TQ1 1DB
NEW INSTRUCTION - TORQUAY CAFE & BAR - FREEHOLD OR LEASEHOLD
#763 Robinsons Brewery | Wizard English Bitter 3.7%ABV (British Ale)
Brewery - Robinsons Brewery
Location-Stockport,Greater Manchester UK.
Beer - Wizard
Style - English Bitter
ABV - 3.7%
IBUs - Not Available.
Reviewed on - 20th October 2017.
Commercial Description - Drink of this and take thy fill, for the water falls by the Wizard's will.
This is the stuff of Cheshire legend (The Wizard of Alderley Edge), combined with 5 English hops, pale, wheat and magical crystal malts.
The result is Wizard, a mythical amber ale with a spell-binding fruity, zesty palate…and a tantalising hint of blackcurrant.
Contains: Malted BARLEY and WHEAT.
My British Real Ale Playlist below:
Robinsons Brewery:
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Purchased at Aldi UK in Ramsgate, Kent. #kentbeerreviews
Frodsham Brewery - Iron Man 4.5%
Brewed by Frodsham
Style: Bitter
Frodsham, England
Serve in English pint
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Cask; Regular.
Chestnut brown ale, nutty with a full hop flavour.
Frodsham Brewery