Small and brewtiful
There are hundreds of small brewers that will benefit from the Budget duty cuts. Ben McFarland suggests just a few local tipples to stock up on. Small brewers were one of the very few groups within the drinks industry left with a smile on their faces following Gordon Brown's Budget speech last month.The Chancellor announced that, from June, beer duty is to be cut in half for brewers producing up to 500,000 litres (880,000 pints) and that duty savings worth more than £120,000 will be made for brewers producing up to three million litres (5.3m pints) of beer per year.While the decision was dismissed by many within the trade as a PR-spun half-measure, it was warmly welcomed by hundreds of small craft brewers up and down the country and can only aid them in their struggle to get their beers to market.Without the marketing clout of their regional and national counterparts, small brewers have had their hands tied when it comes to shouting about their beers. In spite of the hardened efforts of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA), a huge number of licensees and pub-goers are blissfully unaware of what they're missing in terms of choice.Whether the reduction in tax will be transferred to the consumer or swallowed up by the margin-chasing pub groups remains to be seen, but hopefully it will go some way to stem the flow of small brewers going out of business - currently estimated to be around one a week. So, in an effort to get more British beers on the bars of the nation's pubs and oil the wheels of communication between small brewers and licensees, The Publican Newspaper has teamed up with 16 of CAMRA's regional directors to recommend some great tasting beers from each of their respective areas. Each beer listed is produced by a brewer set to reap the benefits of Gordon Brown's generosity. An A-Z of all the small craft beers available in the UK was unfortunately rendered unfeasible due to the lack of space, so each regional director was asked to keep his or her suggestions to a maximum of five.Some chose their favourites, some chose the most popular and some chose one from each county in their region, but all were anxious to stress that the selection of beers below is by no means exhaustive.A complete list of craft beers, including tasting notes and how to get hold of them, can be found in the Good Beer Guide available from CAMRA on 01727 867201.
Central Southern |
Butts Brewery 01488 648133Blackguard, 4.5 per cent ABV |
Old Luxters 01491 638330Barn Ale Special, 4.5 per cent ABV |
Rebellion 01628 476594Smuggler, 4.1 per cent ABV |
Vale 01844 290008Notley Ale, 3.3 per cent ABV |
West Berkshire 01635 202968Magg's Magnificent Mild, 3.8 per cent ABV |
East Anglia |
B&T Brewery01462 815080 Edwin Taylor's Extra Stout, 4.5 per cent ABV |
Iceni Brewery, Norfolk 01842 878922 Fine Soft Day, 4 per cent ABV |
Mighty Oak Brewery 01621 843713 Burntwood Bitter, 4 per cent ABV |
Milton Brewery01223 226198Pegasus, 4.1 per cent ABV |
Old Chimneys01359 221411Swallow Tale IPA, 3.7 per cent ABV |
East Midlands |
Brewster's 01949 861868Hophead, 3.6 per cent ABV |
Broadstone Brewery 01777 719797Best Bitter, 3.8 per cent ABV |
Frog Island Brewery 01604 587772Natterjack, 4.8 per cent ABV |
Maypole Brewery 01623 871690Loxley, 4.2 per cent ABV |
Whim Ales 01298 84991Arbor Light, 3.6 per cent ABV |
Gtr Manchester |
Bank Top Brewery 01204 528865Gold Digger, 4 per cent ABV |
Marble 0161 6101073Uncut Amber, 4.7 per cent ABV |
Pictish Brewing Company 01706 522227Brewers Gold, 3.8 per cent ABV |
Porter Brewery 1706 214021Rossendale Ale, 4.2 per cent ABV |
Sarah's Hop House 01942 713759 Chocolate Stout, 4.7 per cent ABV |
Hampshire, Wiltshire and the Isle of Wight |
Beckett's 01256 472986Golden Grale, 4.5 per cent ABV |
Cheriton Brewery 01962 771166Village Elder, 3.8 per cent ABV |
Oakleaf Brewery 02382 513222Blake's Gosport Bitter, 5.2 per cent ABV |
Stonehenge Ales 01980 670631Great Dane (cask conditioned lager), 4.6 per cent ABV |
Ventnor Brewery 01983 856161Oyster Stout, 4.5 per cent ABV |
Kent |
Flagship Brewery 01634 832828Crow's Nest, 4.8 per cent ABV |
Goacher's 01622 682112Real Mild Ale, 3.4 per cent ABV |
Hopdaemon Brewing Company 01224 784962Golden Braid, 3.7 per cent ABV |
Larkins 01897 870328Traditional Ale, 3.4 per cent ABV |
Swale Brewery01795 426871Indian Summer Ale, 4.2 per cent ABV |
London |
Haggards Brewery, Chelsea020 7731 3845Imperial Bitter, 4.2 per cent ABV |
Meantime Brewery, Greenwich 020 8293 1111Union, 4.8 per cent ABV |
Pitfield Brewery020 7739 3701Eco Warrior, 4.5 per cent ABV |
Sweet William Brewery020 8556 2460 East London Mild, 3.6 per cent ABV |
Zerodegrees, Blackheath 020 8852 5619any of them |
Beartown Brewery 01260 299964Kodiak Gold, 4 per cent ABV |
Cains 01517 098734Traditional Bitter, 4 per cent ABV |
Coach House 01925 232800Gunpowder Strong Mild, 3.8 per cent ABV |
Plassey Brewery 01978 780922Cwrw Tudno, 5 per cent ABV |
Weetwood Ales 01829 752377Old Dog Bitter, 4.5 per cent ABV |
North East |
Big Lamp Brewery 0191 2671689Prince Bishop Ale 4.8 per cent ABV |
Durham Brewery 0191 3771991Magus, 3.8 per cent ABV |
Hadrian & Border Brewery 0191 2765302Legion Ale 4.2 per cent ABV |
Moredue Brewery 01912 961879Five Bridge Bitter, 3.8 per cent ABV |
Wylam Brewery 01661 853377Gold Tankard, 4 per cent ABV |
Scotland & N Ireland |
Harviestoun Brewery01259 742141Brooker's Bitter & Twisted, 3.8 per cent ABV |
Houston Brewery 01505 614528Peter's Well, 4.2 per cent ABV |
Inveralmond Brewery01738 449448Ossian's Ale, 4.1 per cent ABV |
Isle of Skye Brewery01470 542477Red Cuillin, 4.2 per cent ABV |
Orkney01856 841802Dark Island, 4.6 per cent ABV |
South & Mid Wales |
Bullmastiff Brewery 02920 665292Gold, 3.8 per cent ABV |
Cottage Spring Brewery 07803 466346Crow Valley Bitter, 4.2 per cent ABV |
Swansea Brewery 01792 232658Three Cliffs Gold, 4.7 per cent ABV |
Warcop 01633 680058Pit Prop, 3.8 per cent ABV |
White Hart (Carter's)01633 44 |
