Craft brewers still doing well - despite all our troubles

Craft brewers are still bouncing along nicely, thanks, despite the dire state of economy, the decline in beer drinking generally, and damaging taxation.

The latest Local Brewing Industry Report 2011 from SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) revealed that volumes for independent brewers grew 9% in 2010. While the overall beer market suffered a 3.9% decline, volumes among SIBA members grew by 8.8%. And the sheer variety of local beer exploded with many brewers trying different styles and a few even diverting from cask conditioned ales into keg and lager.

Some amazing figures: SIBA members produce around 2,500 cask beer brands a year, 3,500 seasonal ales and 1,750 bottled brands. In 1976 it was just 300.

These days a fair bit of that ale finds its way into B&P pubs through the outstanding dedication displayed by the valiant beer buyers in each pub. Some venture boldly where others fear to tread, but overall, they get it right and it is great to see the diverse range we can enjoy.

Much of this burgeoning of the brewers is down to the good work that SIBA, now with some near 500 members, has performed over the years – most notably achieving Progressive Beer Duty under the Labour government. Since this tax relief system was introduced in 2002, the number of SIBA brewers has doubled, their sales have doubled and the number of people employed has doubled.

PBD – also known as Small Brewers’ Relief – offers a reduction of up to 50% on duty to brewers producing fewer than 60,000 (around 37,000 brewer's barrels) hectolitres per year. Last year brewers in receipt of duty relief used it to build a sustainable business – increasing brewery capacity, installing new equipment, marketing and recruitment. The report reveals that 60% of respondents said they believed their brewery would fail if PBD were withdrawn. But SIBA also warns of a real threat to the future of this thriving industry – the punitive duty charged on beer in the on-trade and has called on the government to become more ‘joined up’ up’ in its approach to taxation across the brewing and pubs industries.

SIBA chief executive Julian Grocock said: “Introducing a lower VAT rate across the hospitality sector, and scrapping the duty escalator, would help to bring customers back to into pubs – helping to keep them, and the local breweries, in business and providing jobs at a time when they are sorely needed.”

Grocock concluded: “ We urge the government to think long and hard before making any decisions which could jeopardise the prospects for our young, vibrant sector and of the pubs upon which it depends.”

We should all say hear, hear to that.

World acclaim for our favourite ales

Something has recently happened in the beer world for the first time in several years: the Brewing Industry International Awards took place in the UK. It all happened at the new National Brewing Museum in Burton-on-Trent.

The veritable ‘Oscars’ for brewing, they were last held a few years ago in Munich. These are the most prestigious brewing awards in the world covering every beer style on the planet (that we are aware of anyway) and judged by brewers themselves.

Around 800 beers entered the competition, from over 30 countries around the world including Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Norway and the USA, as well as the UK. Even Israel, Nambia and Cambodia were there!

The longest running international beer competition, first held in 1886, the awards were held first held in London, but moved to Burton-on-Trent Town Hall in the mid-1980s. Judges are the most highly respected brewers in the world. Uniquely, they are required to be currently working as brewers, ensuring that beers are assessed by experts with up to date industry knowledge.

Setting up the casks, kegs and bottles to be tasted took an amazing three days.Then over 3,000 glasses of beer were poured for tasting and almost 200 casks of ale tapped and sampled.

The awards are structured into nine categories, for different styles of beer – such as lager, strong ale, speciality beer – and then into 32 classes based on strength. All beers were tasted ‘blind’ and judges had no knowledge of which beers were competing until the winners were revealed. Gold, silver and bronze medal winners in each class were announced immediately after the competition, while the Championship Trophy winners in each category will be revealved at a London event in April (there is no overall winner).

These are the only major international awards to have a cask beer category. And some of B&P quaffer's favourite cask brews excelled there.

Moorhouse's Black Cat took the top gold award for beers up 2.9%abv to 3.8%. The Burnley boys have been dancing around the cauldron in delight ever since. This was the first big award for beer from the new brewery that was commissioned only at the end of last year. So a really terriffic start to their new year and 'new era'. Black Cat is a fantastic brew, one of those truly wonderful beers that punches way above its 3.4% weight in the taste stakes, with dark chocolate and coffee flavours combined with that moreish bitterness that instantly captures the tastebuds. You may have been lucky enough to catch it at the Harkers - one of several championship ales chosen for their sell out Pie Week.

Runner up on their section was Cumbria's impressive Hawkshead Windermere Pale. Often on parade around B&P pubs this is a splendid pale from the stable of ex TV foreign correspondent Alex Brodie and a great filip to his fast growing brewery - now based in Staveley and with a great beer hall to visit if you are in the Lakes.

Down in North Wales there was also a bit of celebrating going on - a bronze award going to Purple Moose for its Dark Side of the Moose in the dark beers category. As mentioned in the last blog this splendid beer comes from Lawrence Wasington in Porthmadog. Englishman Lawrence began brewing commercially only some five years ago, so will be very chuffed with this win as will his loyal following in North Wales.

Intriguingly, former Moorhouse's head brewer Ron Hill also saw an amazing success with two of his Highland Brewing Co beers pulling in accolades - Orkney IPA and Orkney Blast both won golds in their categories. Since Rob took his talents from Lancashire to the far North, we don't see much of his efforts south of the border these days.It will be interesting to see if any enterprising B&P beer buyer can get their hands on the stuff in the near future. Let's hope so.

There were several other deserving winners, including a gold for Jersey's Liberation Ale, which made brewer Paul Hurley very happy indeed (see photo below). Another brew we don't see anything off yet this sounds a delight - golden beer brewed with Maris Otter and lager malt, Goldings, Styrian Goldings and Hallertau Hersbrucker hops.

Here are the full results for the International Cask Ale Competition

Class 1 for Cask Ale 2.9% - 3.8% ABV AWARD
MOORHOUSE’S – BLACK CAT GOLD
HAWKSHEAD BREWERY- WINDERMERE PALE ALE SILVER
HOOK NORTON BREWERY – HOOKY DARK BRONZE

Class 2 for Cask Ale 3.9% - 4.3% ABV AWARD
LIBERATION BREWERY – LIBERATION ALE GOLD
ST AUSTELL BREWERY - TRIBUTE SILVER
EVAN-EVANS - CWRW BRONZE

Class 3 for Cask Ale 4.4% - 4.8% ABV AWARD
HIGHLAND BREWING CO LTD – ORKNEY IPA GOLD
OAKHAM ALES – BISHOPS FAREWELL SILVER
S A BRAIN – S A GOLD BRONZE

Class 4 for Cask Ale 4.9% - 6.9% ABV AWARD
HIGHLAND BREWING CO LTD – ORKNEY BLAST GOLD
WOODEFORDE’S – ADMIRAL’S RESERVE SILVER
JENNINGS – MARSTON’S PLC - SNECKLIFTER BRONZE

Hunting for the Moose in the mist

Last week I had a little trip into North Wales. At least I thought it was, but couldn't see a thing as a thick, grey blanket of Celtic mist clung obstinately to Snowdonia.

However I did eventually confirm I was in the right place - I found my way to the Purple Moose brewery in Porthmadog.

This is a five year old craft brewery created by lucky Englishman Lawrence Washington; lucky enough to turn his brewing hobby into a thriving business while also pursuing his second passion - steam trains.

While working as a volunteer on the harbour town’s Ffestiniog Railway, he spotted the market for some beautifully crafted cask ale to complement the magnificent landscape. Now he combines brewing award winning ales with playing trains and even drives the maintenance engines.

Armed with little more than the quirky name he dreamt up while full mash home brewing in Cheltenham, Lawrence put together a ten-barrel brewery, with plant purchased from the Harvieston Brewery, in a former farmer’s warehouse.



The brews that followed clearly reflected his infatuation with North Wales: Snowdonia Bitter (Cwrw Eryri), Glaslyn Ale (Cwrw Glaslyn), Madog's Ale (Cwrw Madog) are in the core portfolio while many specials have been named from the heritage of the National Park. For the past two years the brewery has been named Product Ambassador in the Gwynedd Taste & Talent Awards – last year for a beer series celebrating Porthmadog’s 19th century sailing ships.

Showing me around the spacious brewery in Madoc Street, complete with shop for bottled sales (about a third of total sales), the self effacing Lawrence told me it has all gone better than he expected when he took the plunge and sold his house.

He achieved 40 barrels a week output at an early stage. At the time there were only a couple of craft brewers in North Wales. Now there’s competition from a dozen or so.

Nevertheless, Purple Moose continues to prosper. Last summer output hit 80 barrels a week - ready for the rush of business with the tourist trade in July and August.This year it should be more.

For many B&P cask lovers, who may just have helped with sales a bit, this will come as no surprise. Purple Moose beers (see Beer Page notes) sell well around the B&P estate; they are regularly on at the Pen-y-Bryn, the Pant-yr-Ochain and also often appear in Harkers, the Grosvenor, Dysart and Armoury. At the Glasfryn, Snowdonia Ale (3.6%) is a real flyer.

Snowdonia is the brewery's top seller, it’s easy to see why. This is golden pale ale, crisp, gently citrus and tart - brewed with pale and crystal malts together with Pioneer, Styrian Goldings and the Polish Lubelski hops. It started life as a summer special but is now a regular brew. In June 2009 it claimed CAMRA Champion Beer of Wales accolade and has won gold and silver awards in 2009 and 2010 respectively in the International Beer Challenge.

Glaslyn Ale (4.2%) is the flagship brew and won the best bitters category at the both Champion Beer of Wales competition 2006 and at the Champion Beer of Britain 2007. Golden coloured, it is named after the 'mighty river' that flows from 'Yr Wyfdda - Mt Snowdon - into the Irish sea.

Lawrence steps outside the National Park inspired monikers to indulge himself with Dark Side of the Moose (Ochr Tywyll Y Mws 4.6%). Delicious dark bitter, it displays rich liquorice and chocolate notes then fruity, spicy bitterness from the Bramling Cross hops. It scooped gold in the Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2008.

Following the brewery visit, I tried Madog’s Ale (3.7%abv) at the very splendid Pen-y-Grwyd Hotel – a regular outlet for Lawrence.

This dark amber coloured beer – a tribute to the legendary Prince - is another low gravity quaffing joy. It was a finalist in the CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain Competition 2007.

There's nuttiness and dark fruit notes followed through with a tantalising dry bitter finish from Pioneer and Goldings hops. It just sings out traditional British cask ale – or Welsh if you like – at its best.

The Pen-y-Grwyd is the pub - more than 900ft above sea level - that Edmund Hilary and his team frequented as they ‘trained’ for the bold 1953 Everest expedition. Their signatures are still on the ceiling to prove it. I don’t know what they drank back then, but I can't help think that maybe if this had been around they may not have made it to the inhospitable Himalayas.

All four core beers will compete in the Brewing Industry International Awards this year. These are the real Oscars of the brewing industry, with beers only judged by other brewers. Good luck Lawrence.

The Brave New Beer World of 2011

As the hogmanay mist slowly cleared and the New Year quietly gathered pace I took a glance at what was on the go for early 2011.

First came the very worthy news that the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) will launch the first guide to Yorkshire’s heritage pubs on Friday 28 January. Yorkshire’s Real Heritage Pubs will include details of more than 120 pubs in Yorkshire and, curiously, northern Lincolnshire, that have internal features of historic significance. The book has been compiled by CAMRA volunteers and is edited by founding chairman of CAMRA’s Pubs Heritage Group Dave Gamston. It is launched on 28 January in Leeds.

Then, something that escaped my attention in the hurly burly of the run up to Christmas, was the news that global super brewer Molson Coors is getting behind cask ale with a £1m investment in a micro plant at the new National Brewery Centre in Burton-on-Trent - the spiritual home of British brewing.

The William Worthington’s Brewery, which has a brewing capacity of 22.5 brewer's barrels, will concentrate on producing well-known Worthington’s brands such as White Shield and Red Shield, as well as seasonal ales and limited edition brews such as the 8 per cent abv P2.

The new brewery has five times the capacity of Molson Coors’ other microbrewery site. Apparently production of beers that prove particularly popular at the new brewery could be shifted to the main brewery. No doubt this is a tribute to the sheer tenacity of the very talented master brewer Steve Wellington and it will be interesting to see if Steve and his team can come up with a new 'iconic' brand to put the 'Worthy' name back at the pinnacle of British beer. Does this mean that the mega brewer famous for the ubiquitous Carling lager has turned over a new leaf for 2011? Well, maybe not - but perhaps it's a start.

Further down country in Bury St Edmunds, Greene King, it appears, must have spent a little time last year thinking about they could improve sales for its often much maligned IPA. Hard on the heels of Tetley’s 5m spend in 2010 the new national brewer unveiled a £1m ad campaign for the brand with the tagline: "Man Deserves a Proper Pint".

The 'tongue-in-cheek' campaign that will run for several months focuses on how men feel they deserve a treat for carrying out "heroic" tasks - such as trapping spiders and, er, cleaning up dog mess. We are told the ads depict the brand's "proper" beer credentials with its natural ingredients and heritage.It is running across national newspapers and men's lifestyle magazines, to be seen by some 14m people.

Now to me this seems like a slightly weird way to sell beer these days, especially when all indicators point to growing cask ale sales among less traditional groups - such as young people and women. However, GK appears to have a lot of confidence in the creative genius. Dom South, marketing director for Greene King Brewing Company, says: “The new campaign focuses on modern man and the high regard in which he views his efforts around the house. It’s an amusing take on how even the smallest of mundane tasks can take on Olympic proportions. The eye-catching imagery is intended to provoke a self-knowing chuckle among men, but should also cause wry amusement among women, who will no doubt recognise the tendency among men to ‘big up’ the contribution to household chores.”

Mmmm! Well, most successful beer adverts use a bit of humour and it is very good news that serious investment is being made in promoting an ale brand. But beer and dog doo-doo eh? Would the French make this association for Bordeaux? Don't think so. It will be interesting to see the results.

Meanwhile the splendid Camra National Winter Ales Festival beckons, with more than 200 ales, foreign beers, ciders and perrys for our delectation. This is a great tribute to the variety and styles of strong seasonal ales in the heart of the north. It will serve to get us through the gloomy first month of the year. See you in Manchester's Sheridan Suite on Wednesday Jan 19th.

Christmas Ale Treats: What's in Santa's Hopsack? Some seaonal treats for happy festive quaffing

It's the time of year again when brewers get all flirty and fickle. Christmas means fun brews. And what a great choice there is this year. Time was when winter ales meant gloopy, heavy beasts that were akin to being hit by a loose reindeer on speed.

But nowadays there are many ales that have been brewed with fantastic ingenuity to deliver tasty tipples that won't make you feel like you have just been bulldozed by an errant Rudolph.

Popping into the Grosvenor the other day I was faced with a serious choice - no less than three seasonal beers. The one that really captured my attention - and tastebuds - for the first time, was, of course, the Phoenix Snowbound (4.3%).

Ideally suited for the present climate, this is a pale gold brew with grassy, tangerine notes on the aroma and then a touch of citrus with rich fruits and gentle spices on the palate. There's a more-ish bitter finish that makes you really, really wish the elements were forcing you to stay put. Sadly I had to move on, but not before trying a couple of others.

Standing shoulder to shoulder on the bar at the Grosvenor was Moorhouse’s Lap Prancer and Hawkshead’s Jingle Fells.

Appearing for only the second year since launch, Lap Prancer (4.2%) is a saucy, fruity amber brew packed with rich festive flavours. This Burnley brewer’s Christmas special certainly makes the taste buds gyrate with delight.

It’s brewed with a Bock style malt (Munich Malt), often associated with religious occasions - those naughty monks eh? - to give a rich, full malty flavour. Cascade and Fuggles hops kick in with a spicy/floral aroma and a long bitter finish. Great with game I should think.

Jingle Fells(4.5%)is a dark ruby red colour with roasted malt on the aroma that leads into dark chocolate and roast coffee in the mouth. With flavour aplenty, this is still a relatively modest strength - another great taste of Lakeland and perfect for mince pies.

Over at the Hand and Trumpet you may find another golden coloured cracker from Titanic. Deck The Halls offers a bitterness burst on the tongue from English Challenger Hops , balanced by sweet Maris Otter pale malt. Wheat malt then adds a biscuity dryness and Styrian Goldings provide a floral aroma and spicy finish that will stand up well to turkey and all the rich trimmings.

Also on the top of the tree is Salopian Firkin Freezin (4.1%), a moderate strength brew from Wilf Nelson’s Shrewsbury stable that hits you with the aromatic, floral, fruity citrus notes – do we detect Styrian Goldings here? - typical of the Shropshire brewer’s style.

And finally, the Harkers' boys tell me that the sturdy Derby White Xmas (5.5%) is well worth a punt. Pale full flavoured and hoppy, apparently this is so good it draws the dedicated Cheshire Cat followers away from their regular tipple. Now that does mean take some doing. After a few of these it could be a bit like meeting with that crazed Santa's beast, but never mind – it is Christmas. Enjoy

Witch beers set for new brewery magic

I have been close to Moorhouse’s for several years, so it was a real pleasure to attend a British Guild of Beer Writers' visit (pictured) there recently as a new 'tower' brewery got underway.

This is an terrific story of growth for a business in the back streets of Burnley that was originally founded by William Moorhouse in 1865. Then it simply sold mineral waters and low strength 'hop bitters' to the temperance market.

The switch to full strength cask ales came only in the 1970s - and for years the brewery fought a losing battle against the ubiquitous keg beers of that time.

So it was indeed pretty remarkable that last month (November) saw commercial brewing of the famous 'Pendle Witch' cask ales get fully under way in a new £1.8m brew house - part of a £4m plus investment under current owner Bill Parkinson.

Sadly, the final brewing in the neighbouring 19th century built home took place on October 28. Well, the building was in a poorly state - and they just couldn't squeeze in any more equipment.

Much awarded
Although a much awarded brewer for 20 years and more - Black Cat was Camra Champion Beer of Britain in 2000 - ten years ago only a dribble like 35 brewer's barrels (36 gallons= one barrel) a week were produced, compared to 300 plus in recent years. The new plant trebles production capacity to more than 1,000 barrels a week.

It will put the 145 year old business in with the big boy regional brewers.The final £4.2m complex will be completed in spring 2011. It includes a visitor centre with restaurant and training school, creating more jobs and, hopefully, helping to correct the decline of the once thriving Lancashire mill town.

During the first four weeks of brewing more than 1,600 brewer’s barrels were produced on the new plant. But, as can happen when you move from old technology (aka manual) to the new there were a few ‘teething issues’. These hit two of the brands - top selling Premier Bitter (3.7% abv) and Pride of Pendle (4.1% abv). A difficulty arose with the new fangled computerised programme; this resulted in stronger brews than desired. Modifications were made to the grist to achieve the correct abvs and taste matching carried out.


Feedback was invited from both trade customers and their regular drinkers. Managing director David Grant,who has driven the development, said: “We were grateful for the input. Everyone worked hard to match the brews to the correct taste profiles. We were determined that all the brews should be fully on-song for the festive season.”

"The old brewery performed valiantly until the end. But Halloween once again took us to the absolute limit of our capacity. We simply couldn’t sell any more. We are now anticipating a busy festive season, firing on all cylinders to deliver the very best quality beer.”

What a wonderful story. You will hear - and hopefully drink - a lot more of Moorhouse's in the not too distant future. You can toast that future with some of their brews at the Grosvenor over the next couple of weeks - Dave and Stru there are well and truly under its spell; Black Witch and festive fun special Lap Prancer are on there soon.

Perhaps even William Moorhouse would have been tempted to ditch temperance for a bit and celebrate this success with a glass or two himself. We'll never know, but cheers anyway William.

Is the future 'Anoraks with No Knickers'?

Last year the New Imbiber magazine recorded about 4,000 new craft beers. Plenty of choice, you may think. But in Aberdeenshire there’s a group of guys that have declared war on the British beer scene. Dubbed by a rival as ‘Anoraks with No Knickers’, the bad boys of Fraserburgh’s BrewDog regard the scene as bland (think lager) or just plain boring (fusty craft brewers).

Since 2007 they have both irritated and impressed with ‘extreme strong hoppy brews’ combined with maverick marketing. They have grown quickly - reaching a turnover £1.8m. Without doubt, the brews have scored a big hit with hardcore beer nuts who favour US craft brews and, unusually for a novice brewery, done well abroad (bottled). But their mantra, that there’s little decent British beer, quite irks me. To dismiss several hundred UK craft brewers and many excellent beers is, of course, downright rude. Should we take this seriously? Probably not. But it irks.

Recently judging at the SIBA North Beer Competition, fellow judge the ebullient Mayor of Burton-on-Trent damned one beer with the phrase ‘all brag and no sha….’ ahem, sorry ed, but let’s say he meant ‘follow through’.

So when a BrewDog came to Chester I went to see if they were ‘all brag'. The great and the good beards and bellies of the Cheshire beer world were amassed - this despite BrewDog condemning Camra as past its sell- by-date. And their own beers, they say. are best served as keg ( they have opened a bar serving only keg, err, just when cask ale is becoming ever more popular). ‘Hop head’ founders James Watt and Martin Dickie, both not yet thirty, were absent. However their youthful and very amiable Aussie brewer led the night and had brought some cask.

Now BrewDog’s marketing has attracted much media attention with ‘the world’s strongest (bottled) beer’ battle with German brewers. First came Tactical Nuclear Penguin at 32% before Sink the Bismarck at 41% abv. Finally they upped the stakes to ‘End of History’ at a stupendous 55% abv - packaged in a stuffed stoat and priced at a mere £500 a bottle! Achieving these outlandish strengths means using complicated brewing techniques that mere mortal drinkers know little of – freeze hopping plays a big part. I feared it would be a challenging night.

However, it started gently. I have always believed that a truly talented brewer shows his art best by brewing tasty ale at moderate strength. So I fell on the Edge mild ale at 3.2% with alacrity. We were disappointed. I don’t want to be too hard on this beer. It had roasted malt and slight coffee notes and a decent enough bitter finish. We all agreed it was pleasant. But it lacked depth. It was ‘thin’. I know of several other milds, not least a famous Lancashire brew, that knocks spots off this.

Floral fruit
Trashy Blonde came next, at a mere 4.1% abv. This is a floral fruit bomb on the aroma from the new world hops – Amarillo, Simcoe and Motueka. It drank well with lots of mellow fruits and teasing citrus – followed through with a sturdy moreish bitterness. However, since the tasting I have tackled this with a more rigorous ‘three pint test’ – it faltered after two due to that over-the-top kick back of dry bitterness.

Then onto 5am Saint (5%) described as ‘uber-hoppy red ale… dry hopped with Amarillo and centennial for citrus, orange and lychee flavours’. There are five malts thrashing around in there. If you love strong aromas bouncing out of the glass this will do the trick. At first I found it off-puttingly pungent....but, forcing myself, I fought through to discover easy drinking ale that did indeed deliver what it promised.

Moving up the Richter scale we hit Punk IPA, a 6% abv brew with an impressive 68 IBUs (international bittering units). This whacks you with New World hops – US Chinook and Simcoe and the Kiwi Ahtanum and Nelson Sauvin. There’s fruit and light caramel on the nose and lots of tropical fruits with gooseberry in the mouth. There’s a good bitter kick, yet the hops don’t come back to bite you in the same way as Blonde. Harkers’ hopheads devoured it on an appearance there.

Hardcore IPA was next, notching up a robust 9.25 strength combined with a staggering 150 IBUs. Hopped and then dry hopped with three American hops, they claim is it has more hops and bitterness than any other beer brewed in the UK. An impressive tipple – if you favour heavy barley wine type brews – but certainly not for pub quaffing.

Adventure
Up another notch to Paradox Smokehead Imperial Stout at 10% abv. Ale that ‘rests’ in whisky oak casks for six months before presenting an ‘unrivalled taste adventure’. For a young brewer from Wigan’s Allgates it was definitely an adventure too far. Rashly, he was struggling through a whole pint - and he was very much looking like he was already on board with a very hoppy hangover. The sort of ale for a post dinner tipple, I asked the French chef on hand to match a cheese - ‘smelly old goat’s’ was his considered response!

Ever onwards and upwards, it was onto Tokyo hitting a whopping 18.2% abv. With 90 IBUs Toyko is brewed with dark malts and, perhaps surprisingly, just the Galena hop. But it is then infused with jasmine and cranberries and aged on oak chips! Verdict from the discerning Scottish chef present; ‘this is nae beer’. Thereby is the rub. This is not beer for the British pub. A lot is sold in Scandinavia. I can understand that. One for home imbibing on a dark and stormy Norwegian night.

So were they all ‘brag’? No. They do some impressive ale. But many other brewers, not least those on the B&P beer page, can square up to them. There are lots of Imperial Stouts around to tackle Paradox while many IPAs, like those produced by innovative brewers Acorn and Thorn bridge, will happily take on the Punk. James Watt says they will be 'very disappointed if the UK beer scene is not totally different in 15 years'. A scene of strong beers served as keg? Is that what the British beer drinker desires? Doubt it. Good luck James - but Britain may not fall quite as easily as Norway.