tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78706419584076715732024-03-05T11:07:12.824-08:00Taking the beard out of beer!The online home of Melissa Cole - award-winning beer and food writer and author of Let Me Tell You About BeerMelissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.comBlogger242125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-13160653068545511792016-12-07T10:38:00.001-08:002016-12-21T02:03:25.624-08:00Let's Build and Brew It Right!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVfqSQ911JWHn41i1NphbXMSJlo-ZKcZ7AuuIOm7HZ0EIhTEQHHM6UyuPVxeij-24K3dDhqjKpt-wGqIz0DWKLEWHcPD7vzzrc4MkQ_g8seqp5NcdFcKwlE1NsEGDDOviJXno7x-wQVYj/s1600/wickes.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVfqSQ911JWHn41i1NphbXMSJlo-ZKcZ7AuuIOm7HZ0EIhTEQHHM6UyuPVxeij-24K3dDhqjKpt-wGqIz0DWKLEWHcPD7vzzrc4MkQ_g8seqp5NcdFcKwlE1NsEGDDOviJXno7x-wQVYj/s400/wickes.jpg" /></a><br />
So, recently me and my dad spent a couple of days building a super-simple home-brew set up with material supplied by Wickes (and a home-brew kit supplied by Home Brew Depot) and you can watch the video about how we built it <a href="https://youtu.be/jhv-bM7ZwH8">here on YouTube</a> and there's a bit of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OylG4fL41c">an emotional one here</a> about how lovely it was to do this with my dad.<br />
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There will be more to come soon, including the recipe for the DIY IPA that I made as my first solo home-brew, yes, you read that right, first solo home-brew - and it doesn't suck!<br />
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Creating something of your own is a deeply satisfying thing to do. Brewing might become a lifelong hobby, or just an excuse to hang out with your friends, sitting in a comfy chair in your shed, drinking a few brews whilst your beer kit bubbles away in the background. Either way, it’s well worth trying your hand at it.<br />
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Once you’ve watched this video and read the step-by-step guide, you’ll know just how fun and easy it is to transform your garden shed into your very own ‘beervana’. It gives advice on how to construct a two-tiered frame to support the mash tun and hot liquor tank, how to assemble the fermentation and maturation units as well as how to secure them safely within the brewing shed.</div>
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<b>Preparation & Planning</b><br />
Firstly, you need to decide on a suitable location to house your home brew. It should be somewhere dry where there is enough space to safely carry out the brewing process, so a garden shed, whether old or new, can offer the perfect spot.<br />
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Brewing tends to generate a lot of steam so if there isn’t much ventilation inside your shed then it’s best to waterproof it to help preserve the wood. You will also need to have access to a power source, we used an outdoor extension lead, but if you decide to put in a direct power source then it’s best to contact a qualified electrician.<br />
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We built our home brew to fit the available space within the 7X7 Wickes Barn Decorative Shed. However, you can adapt these principles and measurements to fit the space you have. Bear in mind that if you aren’t building your frames to the same size as ours then you will also need to find an alternative to the galvanised steel sheets, but be sure to use something sufficiently robust. If in doubt, consult Wickes staff in-store or via customer services.<br />
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<b>Aftercare:</b><br />
Once the build is complete you can add a padlock or an alarm to your shed to help keep your beery bounty safe.<br />
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It’s important to regularly clean and sanitise the brew shed and all the equipment, especially before and after use. </div>
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<b>Hints & Tips:</b>Making sure your measurements are accurate is key to ensuring that your frames are level. It’s best to mark the wood clearly before sawing so you have a guideline to follow, you can use the 90-degree guide marker on your saw or a set square to do this. Your two tiered frames also need to be structurally sound, as they will be supporting the weight of your hot liquor tank and mash tun, so it’s best to measure and mark out all pilot holes to ensure your fixings are as accurate so possible.</div>
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You can build your home brew on your own but it’s easier and much more fun with a helping hand, so ask a friend or family member if they can help out</div>
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<b>Safety:</b></div>
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Make sure you firmly secure the timber and take care when sawing, drilling or routing. When drilling it’s also best to wear safety glasses and when routing you should wear glasses a dust mask and ear defenders. Wearing gloves when handling the timber is also advised.<br />
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We have designed our brew shed with a two-tier frame to make the brewing process much less labour intensive by utilising gravity. Positioning the kitchen units only a short distance away also makes everything easier to reach and much safer to lift. If you aren’t following our design then bear these factors in mind when planning the layout of your home brew.<br />
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Offcuts of treated timber should never be burned, but need to be disposed of safely – your local recycling centre should be able to advise.</div>
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<b>STEP BY STEP: </b>PREPARING THE FRAME:<br />
We need to cut the wood for the two frames. The highest wooden frame is for your hot liquor tank (HLT) and the lower one is for your mash tun.</div>
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Take your first piece of 45x70x2400mm Wickes kiln dried timber and secure it in your workbench. Measure and mark out three 460mm sections and draw guidelines then saw. With the remaining section, measure out and cut a 600mm section. </div>
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<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/slLzujD9J9gJ7GEVnlTnr6ZsmI7gjC8vOthm3UPx-eusGzsK7lVkvKGdVatcU9n-ruC0EYri3TJF4g9IJvXzxCWMuYc0dy3YPQcJV9BSWebMbTtjthkRRGLBeVrFg0UrENx_8Cxrbfe3GtRqJQ" /><br />
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Write (in pencil) the length you have cut on each piece of wood and place together in a pile, do this for all the sections you prepare.<br />
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<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/DptasXQXxGdjY2QfrAAWfZoOESbqeCNkHvRH53_zN3dvnhCodMXaPLx5aQYV7KmWfE04DdSZLEWhzftVXNIZgfkAohZwamviqqBX4_0b-fbqOkErAsnVwgsmFnX9PwpPqHkOlApi2yW_tB5P_w" /></div>
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Take your second piece of 45x70x2400mm Wickes kiln dried timber and secure it in your workbench. Measure and mark out four 500mm. </div>
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<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/x-gxy-qvKfRqeUCRQqxcWuE1EzpkHf22pj0ar-JtKLzqNTgzfpKRptZIGHcu-POZR2VwqURJH0guFsTFf6aaBe71td7gNtcscu2isU8gQ0NXQMpIaDwM77f6bQ6Uf0TsDGbOC3mR6whvcvL5YQ" /><br />
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Take your third piece of 45x70x2400mm Wickes kiln dried timber and secure it in your workbench. Measure and mark out three 600mm sections and cut. With the remaining section measure out and cut a 460mm piece.</div>
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<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/RJOdfSORKt6iXOlF2BDEXRFkeZpwDD7Nvln47p5uQ0cOT7F1bnRhGmWJEPonfL9VhkfYZyRDi6nIV7MeoLmO5nPRtExH9RXZBsRyyvdwSE0QUShU5Wk8qv_m7QhKk4pXt6SDbXTLt7GmGly7Xw" /><br />
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Take your fourth piece of 45x70x2400mm Wickes kiln dried timber and secure it in your workbench. Measure, mark out and cut two 900mm sections. With the remaining section measure out and cut a 460mm piece. <br />
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<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/ihjZ4GuzQ3U5b9NyUiTHcDAY2KCJVA-1z0kwcU9VqipVd9Lziwc_iEmSqE8F8LasMC0Aa1v92wIHifGa77xYhvi9vbojjDvhZjz-tRbA0mcEQ6cdYihArvk-86fnlFGbh_4HzS3WPPSXr7zQNQ" /><br />
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Take your final piece of 45x70x2400mm Wickes kiln dried timber and secure it in your workbench. Measure, mark out and cut a further two 900mm sections and one more 460mm piece. You have now prepared all the timber sections for your frame. You should have 4 x 900mm sections, 4 x 500mm sections, 4 x 600mm sections and 6 x 460mm sections. <br />
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<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/aeAdFRaBFBFClAmhtQUHKDA9OKfPyZlYzmo-giIJXDbq5Nw3z_xLM9oWxjPAL5NmZ-JIg4lngKh0oQklBfC3mRQ9YVT3TcZRqt68lvl6wVamVY5a_CSR2cCl8wSAhgyyoLnXMRJEf2N1MTRHqw" /><br />
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<b>ROUTING THE FRAME </b>Fit your router with the 20mm bit. Then, set your parallel guide to a width of 20mm and a depth of 5.5mm. <br />
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<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Wm8saSaJ5UqYoNvpfnh0xGYfilOGHWCyRNKaqRbSNqxzNlRR_42PBUnUDaVWTMuP_gAvjgvEw6MG04yXdTMsCNP6a3o9f7zt1t1yIFQDsA63SHJwg13AXGHjGrsQ2QTxLTHAhzTuqe6SvrCphw" /><br />
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Secure one of your 460mm sections in your workbench with the 70mm side facing upwards. Rout all the way along the length of the wood. Repeat this for three more 460mm sections and the four 600mm sections. <br />
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<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Iqr5X2uNvfSktQMEJBZzYUdpkKW9pUKXVz2VnNYPaTk4R55hRrT2gQawaDW-JciagtkojoiHMp2QYoiIHCnzgzsTIwfsXz3BxD9EO5MMOrjKjAvOJW0AWTjBRPS7G_f8g2u7DkGwpBYAIVNPnQ" /><br />
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<b>ASSEMBLING THE TOP OF THE FRAMES</b>Take one of the 460mm sections. Measure in 15mm and draw a mark. Then measure and mark a pilot hole at 25mm in from the opposite side to your routed edge. Repeat this at the opposite end. <br />
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<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/cPlLeNocaGwNfWcb0Y29UaYEYLtwSZt6BBvxWNKBgQwoBlDmqdh8xqx5Gi5FPZlE0xe-wKu3s3Bc0zRW3iMNh6P__WhWPscrsF8UM0IiXw0QJnIo-SBBkTD1TMA-glkJklneGvgH" /><br />
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Drill your pilot holes. Then, take your countersink bit and create countersunk holes at each end. Repeat this process on another three of the 460mm sections. <br />
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<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/3-wE_748vgHBMk9SBY1mLInPmoxsAvOLkw4t_0s_PqvSw_xKkGZgHPs3k7vKApfw37TemwgyjN26kGwzT1iQ3o1YvI7w_h8rErvUt0GqSCKyLdgO3ndg5YXAw98W8c8xL5mrbvWBMonu63vU8w" /><br />
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11. Take one of the routed 600mm sections. On the routed area, measure in 25mm from the far end and mark. Drill a countersunk hole and then repeat this at both ends of all the 600mm sections. <br />
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<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/2DQNaOnBFBV3ONKy1NTq_xZpaGQgD6RbXv-5k5hqrwCGRcdaZYyoKeWEC77yyOJ50SN0nbYDfuCykzpvgo7mPxchTD8zmD6lJPEeJrixHO6zImOY4bhrKfA359mwQWehfd9djNqpF8Llv4nCSQ" /><br />
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12. On one of the 600mm sections, from the opposite side of the routed edge, measure and mark pilot holes at 15mm and 55mm for the end. Drill your pilot and countersunk holes and repeat at each end of all the 600mm sections. <br />
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<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/hnL49cfnPpLP0YxzLrjx-dj84AyaFBnQO-Cv6Q423qdpcjbn5zRFqm6dkD7rOfBS5OVmAKdg16qJ7TMNIa030GC3ozTK04WJ-ZAbTj-9M-WLvUkzzGcq150JC5OwsTqxUJxTqEU6gahnK1GBNg" /><br />
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Now it’s time to glue and screw your frames together. You might want to ask someone to help you with this step - it does make life a little easier but it’s not totally necessary. Make sure you’ve got an extra set of protective gear for them though, no one likes splinters!<br />
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Secure one of the 600mm sections onto a large level surface using clamps. <br />
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<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/BRvD9lp1FVHgD9JICyxOYsqET0pEcGhjjjVt_pvi5BJU8vxHWi0o4rLm3SIJUffBEq3wQ49mvq_yjMU7uU7HH1otxC8vLMnG8ypZ0UUpIObh5zMR_e2UEAP8wbU8PrtC3CHEU5n5ReX-k7tjHA" /><br />
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14. Take one of the 460mm sections and add wood glue to the end you will be attaching to the 600mm section. Make sure the routed edge will be facing inwards. <br />
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<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/0-YGsPg_hXKkzH2BV6Q5TrE1onD2B1If4ygeeYhhs-2k8dgEV6I_2AY2s-Mo389kBq-W2391bzS7bnZyw03ObaHIa1AjZ5iFi_OOIY8Scs68NfVYtYdYPJPpwr2QWhKrqi1ktEdnUGIZ4frKAw" /><br />
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Put the 460mm section into position, making sure the edges are flush and either ask someone to hold it or clamp it in place. Then, extend the pilot holes at 15mm and 55mm so they go through into the 460mm section. <br />
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<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/PPFZGtImEHFiPzYOlJ6gZSatmc_fNre9bIgO1IPWsjX-WnuMJjEkc2SsuE8l2nZTdYgiGUCreBJWagUkgSGi1Jel4PtQZd8gxphd3O69EtNfKtA7Fn6LW8wcG072XjXNBQ-XGf3Z82WvaYlj6A" /><br />
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16. Fit your drill with the screwdriver bit and 100mm screws and secure in both holes on each corner. Repeat this on the opposite side to create the top of your first frame. <br />
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<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/cqv8YSa5vznzGwAGnJ1rbJJTJVcdhc3CWxPRtmlQYWxRX5RMy_zoOzy8cHIS0HSgU2y5jFQt9QUJWcu1GUcyJ95ehxMXZsyvX4yehN6nfoEZlSa9mjAdjPxaaWGzp-_Y4FZV3ALaTzRWJ4XYMw" /><br />
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17. Take a 460mm length and add wood glue to each end. Then, place it exactly in the centre of the square frame and flush with the level of the routing. The 70mm side should be facing upwards. This piece of timber will act as extra support for the hot liquor tank and mash tun.<br />
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<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GdG3Wai-OSKpCrWOy5RHqyfIfZewIIUFl0Gu8FZUeg0_qimlGOaUfjCPfc3f0VIkj1BTbWd5m84lp8PEp7vW_sIp6x6rI6xalWuSGfLOc3WRAYS-hsF_DtHq2rmREPKBH0OpX-Ab7_b-q6OCkw" /><br />
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18. Secure this section by drilling a 5mm pilot hole and countersunk hole on each side before fixing in place with 100mm screws. Repeat the above steps to create the top of the second frame.<br />
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<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/B8kZYFDkvorEJK0EyAl35eT0mC_xqkPCsqR8OzfMQs6r9_X31r98DOe37OuKomtgToopJ_I8xrvKC3EYextyN-N2kzWqoM6i1B9yVUe9dPAPgQsrtc0oNpQCSlgniYk4eFTXWR6tbxm4hP2CWA" /><br />
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19. To attach the legs to your frame, turn the frame upside down and clamp. Move the edge of your frame off the side of the workbench, just enough so that you will be able to drill the legs in place. <br />
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<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/jmJ7INdGKw8SZYLcm_cJahzjPAhRWc_M8nJ-_flVNBo3NAZ3JcAwZHdL8mtTnn6aBGGmt4m4IAGBl9H_M-z8ye6D0mpdYvNK3JsRrp7VLPjGGV0AAb_7yu8XGvrFpLzp3Jd-SRGYAX-zedNNcQ" /><br />
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20. Glue the end of the legs that will attach to frame and put it into position, making sure someone is holding them firmly in place for you. Drill through the pilot holes into the leg before securing with two 100mm screws. Repeat this process until all legs are in place on both frames. <br />
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<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/pNY9BVwqJjJJlyGXITqbFqggfg3AOqw0wZdTHJZVb60Ffv8GALuW_u3VwQp0qyKHd0nyWKHK1JWBYmOG2x641GvRegqwJ3QjkeQBe2flMAH_4jEPoAIlcZWugRmPrZm6_zY-62mE2u_k5S-TAw" /><br />
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21. Turn the frames the right way up and further tighten the screws. <br />
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<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/S88FViAg6EA83xfeaV8fdYFg6dxuuL5cg64ZYHWKKrH6A0ztabhDcEba_kYIQEjZpJd5AKh7jPEtE-c1OiaPkduA6at1fn6V6z1vZ-W41ouuEh7weCcHoUN4-sfBcITptJBgY7Rg5RZbosZUeQ" /><br />
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<b>PREPARING THE BATTENING</b><br />
22. Take your first piece of 25X38X3600mm treated roof batten and secure it in your workbench. Measure and mark three 975mm sections and then saw. <br />
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<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/XW3JKhb9ffILo5FaqeG5pa5Atd2O5PUSY2CKgAOWA4KTq7rjJH2v7a5fm0d6mKQ25L3XBxSJyy6mDaHP3Z0eY4YgSdn7XudNbStxavIpbb_S6dZgByyZKCdjC_WoQX5BvZoKTlig" /><br />
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23. Take your second piece of 25X38X3600mm treated roof batten and secure it in your workbench. Measure and mark out another 975mm section and saw. <br />
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<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/uKAY7pOCb6hOcS9LY6xd5cRMGeankX9chevUM_aRFHVwaSVvaxaUYMttNHOR9H_nc5QiPtcMQOPJVVelUB8I52iRm9R0NU6LIY3cVBM6A11LkolLS2P4uHOzPqEy4NZV_kFnfnCr" /><br />
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24. From the remaining length of baton measure out and mark five 150mm sections. These will form the chocks that will give the batten extra support and make it easier to attach. <br />
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<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/H_T8mf2q6GtuR3PVrAJVHhi6U1fq3EO2E0armcH9SX1E3DGBY9i4HwAiqrCT14_nIlSir0y5tFZVZHNQdjOgm8f_IVdklUhbjjHgu60P1c__ultc5ZJSIKmvJIuc8GsOx1KppKtn" /><br />
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25. From the floor at the back left of your shed, measure 860mm up the inside of the shed’s vertical battening and clearly mark with a line. Then, repeat this on the middle vertical batten. <br />
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<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/9ihONADAbuhciHIXYaymA8IX0Gx7i-Nsjix8VG3VstkoaxTvitKw610Q5L7n6hFTFuB5yCj_aFjbmOSJ0QBoodpkGYQEGm1TG96mWT3XnlU1sZUPJBJnCatS2YMJ_9s7fY1evKAg" /><br />
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26. Measure and mark out 510mm up from the floor on the same two vertical battens. Then, repeat this on the front left vertical batten so that all 3 sections of batten on the left hand side of the shed are marked. <br />
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<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/CtsyM0A2ajvzS8tx7AWl3HTD9h0cWovHMhxvUFna8hLb3uE5QKY6zn4W7xuX8x3J5ItnrBuVenUZGbAjoRHpHUYr2G_EUfj1jVv-eXfU-qmjXT_lNcfVjURGJ3H9cG2dGg5QYgKr" /><br />
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<b>SECURING THE BATTENS</b></div>
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27. You will need to add chocks where it isn’t possible to drill directly through the vertical batten to secure the horizontal batten in place. In this case, we need to add 5 chocks. Start by measuring 50mm down from each end of the chock and drilling pilot holes with a 5mm drill bit. Then apply wood glue and line the chock up with the top of your pencil mark. Secure with two 80mm screws and repeat for the rest of the chocks. <br />
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<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/419-3Dpu5vJZbvzFMOBZxUhrOSfzKqlUAMGFReVNON2rcp_trljB2PMayCNFejmCQPfEiFAeU4Wrg9Wk8qfZAWXaIBwS81x2fjxyJRxoquUk5GlUUCqiUwgYahKjfbntseXecNMT" /><br />
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28. Place a 975mm section of batten onto the lower chocks and drill a pilot hole through the batten and into the chock, make sure that you do this off centre so as not to clash with other screws. It’s also best to countersink all screws throughout the battening process. Secure the baton to the chock with an 80mm screw. Repeat this for the other lower section. <br />
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<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/iMHo2jjLYvlsvZL5m3YOreRD9kfiXQLmRBHsrrRL8USqtCoX5zmw4bBb-n2d2wAS0rWOb8gHA0bDo1ZEv_JuoWlPP-5fLIwX0NQYplzSPq-xZEovil_RBFA5-Ult3I_0xk5MrDad" /><br />
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29. To attach the batten at 860mm, apply wood glue to the end that will not be resting on a chock, then, ask someone to hold the batten in place for you. Drill pilot and countersunk holes through the vertical batten and into the side of the horizontal batten. Secure with an 80mm screw.<br />
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<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/iqm6o8VlFgWQYe_AM02-BlMluz2EGgjrSNLswiPidkyxWAP9t0k-fo_DWo146XFLweSdcrS8F-SupMoZfUQ0bExfYalF8LERWh_BqRYmatHq_MhY8BWepYxSg1DoQJS1zeKPMEgX" /><br />
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30. Then, on the back right hand corner and centre right hand wall vertical battens mark a line 200mm below where the highest point of your cupboards will be. Then, add the last chock and secure your final section of 975mm batten as you did on the opposite side of the shed by drilling through the centre vertical batten to secure it. <br />
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<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/kvrLsJtn-lgi3oRqqvg-QNCBn-WBSUm2YX3kn3_LZrucZPB3q_eCxtTZ_EdeT9gaBUzYTGkZBVLaeXncH9ER6X9I2UobDOtLQDp5C-Zqx3higmyeI6t3Jbx1wLWx1WN0p6Y72JDS" /><br />
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<b>ATTACHING THE FRAMES</b><br />
31. Bring your frames into the shed and put them into position up against the batten. Use your 5mm drill bit to drill a pilot hole half way between the central support and the frame on both sides. <br />
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<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3_e2yl4W13NRDVg5eqljzTvzPS-NS_yygwSv5hoeFETdwacp3OlZCuSg7zgoCaFG-07XVTR0tFiuWpgmdtTf_Oo71Sw6FmfT2RPsBi7FuulnOptSeN8y26nxemqe0fg-YM5rRpG" /><br />
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32. Secure to the batten with an 80mm screws through each pilot hole. <br />
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<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/RE_Av-yEZdiJWnkyG26xeaCsEo8HapeAW3UmYQZ7kTWzx9brRMa_k1wW7TMxEUuYhA149dU14e74Xpc3Kbhq4sz-BQGR_DKYKq1_KFeSuJrwr1i_tXleb-pRBv1pJ_-Q3uIZtxlM" /><br />
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33. Once the frames are secure, put on your gloves before taking two of the galvanised sheets and placing them side-by-side into the large frame. <br />
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<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tnDB0KkWfJQVn0XUs2cT-nrXgVqqO85Zjk6mYMT1gNEQ2hZYwZQB9rAPqRyNBqrQfbncd1lL0XwoTiImxEdUBPWvlA8di_fcbJ_BjID0Fc-JZ7WOfMZwW0Mu4WQYztKCXWNI2lDs" /><br />
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34. Then take the second two sheets and lay them crossways on top. <br />
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<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/CsOs8WNT9ftpr_FiTjSCqd7U_uSxda96ga-SerN_kVIyZz6TxImda9Qp8nteYEK5snBZm4l7FHp95VejPk5DLotaHkWHv8nZygzFp4Um0LRz32t7Xe1tzqik8wWZWtyXiQypK6h2" /><br />
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35. Take the final two sheets and fit them in the same direction as the first two. Laying them like this will give extra support. <br />
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<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ONaS09o6WBUgLHEMb-1mnwTjSBw0IdBWt-3h-QqZAp9KYbSm9Wg9ShxT3tpqvCwV523CcapST_0FaWc8rgrE9bm435jXfqdDaEyKIu5xvuT5yWKcyQ_yGKi_4Bd-yAVT2Ngc2tEo" /><br />
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36. Repeat this process for the smaller frame. <br />
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<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ISQ03HEGHmvbWPWpsCDNrpA-EkFnWHJCsLvEkAoGwJrdbkppCPugmcJFxgukVnhZxgN5RRqCdoc79zJ8T1C-tVtwQfOl_FTs-oX57uvBdX5GAw8QS20sCGTkliD0zHhT8e1IzwNH" /><br />
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<b>ASSEMBLING THE KITCHEN UNIT</b><br />
37. Assemble your kitchen units on a firm surface and be sure to follow manufacturers instructions. It’s best not to join the cupboards together at this stage as it will make them easier to handle and to fit the insulation. <br />
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<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/t6PozZyR5OQtBkqiLmocbY8or6iNNL30vFbK-EEDJX5DIwTNL9p3zxsRl2eNuoZme63_ae-J-59trp0WOOLerPBWv09xxkVCoI_3suHmdakd4rZSr7Yf9_i-CzsEfFT964vw7ITl" /><br />
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38. Take one of your cupboards and measure all the interior surfaces, including the top which is currently not covered but will also need insulation. <br />
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<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/HpLIjgHD9pFTCzG_YR3hUIu5ay9vsbu3bMyXy2rxeGXM0mM1k9_6WbkmJntU1cS7hZS-2sO9p6CQ80dehtthPBxDT6FxQAmY5Dbqyo-bJ0hXTHl7NOh1fBYlXeKg-rlNEvv8VPCS" /><br />
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39. Using a Stanley knife, cut out the six pieces of insulation foil you need but make them slightly larger than each of the surfaces. This will allow a slight overlap to ensure there isn’t any gaps. <br />
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<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ytLJJ0FRMkc0pPYvp0UYl2-DjwUYXBHnZfECki1iCLG-5xEbyqeDBF0iC4--UUPb5VsguEzRNfjNHlseE1gaj0wxbBZl09KMqFTDVT2Y-3KSWbudHj9gR-T7MEf8CA5klnemmAlO" /><br />
<br />
40. Using a staple gun, staple the insulation foil into place on all the interior surfaces. <br />
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<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/I9ZpoTJAC13mmArVp8MXeF7b7nu89UG-bJE8FkHDE7XprbyS8-Kg7od2-5q9P2ioHJG_mBo933ePEsfVABJ80AI2faoKZigE3ADjeHaklSTZOZYey2fcYeXiJEjejXhxm5W62dPP" /><br />
<br />
41. Move the cabinets into position up against the back right hand wall of the shed and follow manufacturers instruction to attach the two kitchen cupboards together. Then, secure them to the batten using the provided attachments. <br />
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<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/wgew5t8UXMXXx6wOaFL5ahnYSX8P7v9rEdcmJnAChqv6g8p8OLz6Q4aUF04JEoMJaBzteMjw9dv4sNk7e0i9nqeyPPIFYZivTjnWVm8Oj4EFAv5nP2z5ZU_m1X-oqHlHARoikqXG" /><br />
<br />
<br />
42. Place your laminate worktop onto your workbench and clamp. Cut the worktop to 100mm longer than the width of the cabinets to allow for a slight overhang. Then, fit as per manufacturer's instructions and use provided edging tape to finish the cut end. </div>
<div>
<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/b0d6brYOC48Qx0Q4RqVd44ArJVDatrB-CG5gW7QeATOF3E9HVAhQH0xGNi6wWRN2nKggbnGnH5QMzQoMimZskEXpD5_OPwWpicjoZqXRAoZkeo1Fq3GSBG0CNVCnAk7TkQuj0P4a" /><br />
<br />
43. Finally, move your brewing kit into position and then that’s it, you are done and ready to brew!<br />
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<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/DYb1ZUEvX1cjShvN0K0YhujYV8NxY9teObs-R4-3tHZGfl6B16hJ5tsZZG0o9da2NbB4fFrLyezhx_dlQxz-e1SK0s2bPX22MrYZBGMpR4bDXUhzwpGlhgeOEuJ3NeiBgagjFCbG" /><br />
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This post is part of a job I did for Wickes <br />
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Melissa Cole - sommALEier & beer writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605464894214049411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-68637711443289541322016-11-09T04:42:00.000-08:002016-11-09T04:42:00.837-08:00To My Niece and Nephew, and Others of Their GenerationI'm so sorry, I don't know what else to say for the dangerous legacy being heaped upon generations to come.<div>
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I'm not sure when we lost our way so badly. </div>
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I'm not sure how, contrary to all scientific standards, we are managing to go backwards with our social evolution and I'm cannot fathom how we have got into the situation where hate, fear and protecting what's yours has become more important than protecting our society as a whole.<br /><br />Maybe it was because, somewhere along the way, we forgot just how damn good so many of us have it.</div>
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Do we find ourselves so far away from the awful wars that ripped the world apart in the 20th century, and situations like the Cuban missile crisis, that it seems a smart move to have a dangerously foolish and narcissistic man, surrounded by much more clever and malevolent interest parties, with his finger on the button.<br /><br />I am at a loss to see how in the US that so many intelligent and seasoned politicians seemed incapable of addressing the root cause of this issue.</div>
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How could they not sway the mentality of educated people who live in relative comfort or spectacular wealth that, somehow, helping raise the standards of those less well off is something to be feared is the cause of this - it's not the 'disenfranchised poor white man' you only have to look at the numbers of college educated, middle-class whites who voted Trump in the US elections to see that.<br /><br />There is no universe in which people like me and the much, much richer would be penalised unduly to raise up the lot of those who have next to nothing, how did we get to the point where in the US, a country I really love, where educated people with so little to lose decided that they wanted to vote for a man, and his cronies, who seem hell bent on destroying their whole country and taking the world with them.</div>
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And although, statistically, it was the reverse here with the Brexit vote, with those with less education and considered to be 'lower class', voted to leave, it was a direct echo of the US elections in that it was built on a tissue of lies and the cult of personality - albeit the morally repugnant ones of the likes of Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson, who have no need to worry about the consequences of their actions because they are rich and white and there will always be jobs for those kind of boys.</div>
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How have we allowed ourselves to slowly cave in to a world of post-factual debate, where that cult of personality has become more important than professional competency and where hate and fear have overtaken - and we find ourselves back to the points of history I made earlier all too neatly.<br /><br />It seems all too easy to say make blithe comparisons to Nazi Germany right now but I'm sure you've studied it in school and it must be on your mind that this sounds horribly familiar and all I can pray is that we aren't heading down that road, but it does feel like the start of it is far, far behind us.</div>
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How do we have people amongst us who aren't voting on principle or on a considered analysis but on some sort of 'they're going to take it all away from me'? And are so ashamed of their protectionist attitude towards their own position that they can't even admit it to pollsters, who don't even record their names.</div>
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And in everything that is going on, let's not forget that one of the most balanced and caring politicians we had in the UK was murdered during the Brexit campaign and the man accused will go on trial this month or that a man was able to sit outside a polling station in the US with a sign that said 'faggots vote Democrat' and a gun isn't going to even face prosecution.</div>
</div>
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Let alone the message that is sent to any victim of sexual violence, especially women, that a man who is accused of 11 counts of sexual assault, can be elected as 'the leader of the free world'.</div>
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So, I'm making this plea to you my darling niece and nephew, and to all of their generation - be better than us, </div>
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Lead us into an era of compassion and sense, lead us into a world where facts are more important than the frothing hatemongers hell-bent on feathering their own nests and where caring and embracing other cultures is more important than building walls; continue the work of breaking down barriers that has characterised so much of society in the last 50 years or so and, most importantly, love your fellow humans - we have more in common than we do separating us and that intelligent and thoughtful actions around caring, understanding and acceptance are the most important things you should open your hearts and minds to. </div>
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<br /></div>
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And always remember that I love you, you are our future, please make it a bright one.</div>
Melissa Cole - sommALEier & beer writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605464894214049411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-57459383635049646102016-08-24T07:29:00.003-07:002017-01-18T11:08:19.818-08:00Orange Beer Ice Cream<div class="MsoNormal">
On a damn hot day it seemed like a good time to publish this
– enjoy!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Makes about 1.5l ice cream<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I served mine with a doppelbock fondant tarte that I'll post the recipe for soon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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400ml whole milk (preferably Jersey as it’s got extra fat
content that will make up for the beer not having any)<o:p></o:p></div>
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75ml Orbit Peel or Earth Ales Spicy Weisse<o:p></o:p></div>
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300ml double cream<o:p></o:p></div>
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5 egg yolk</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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140g caster sugar (EDIT SEE *) <o:p></o:p></div>
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zest 2 oranges (blood if in season)<o:p></o:p></div>
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4tbsps of blood orange juice or juice of one orange<o:p></o:p></div>
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Method:</div>
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</div>
<ol>
<li>If you have time, freeze the orange juice</li>
<li>Gently heat milk, beer cream until it starts to just bubble</li>
<li>Whilst you’re keeping an eye on that, whisk together yolks
and sugar until it’s properly amalgamated and very pale</li>
<li>Get a damp towel under your bowl so
it doesn’t move around and then gradually whisk in the warm beer/milk/cream, do
not stop whisking or you’ll get lumps!</li>
<li>Return to pan, really gently heat and stir until thickened (I
find one of those silicone spatulas is best for this, it brings it off the base
of the saucepan best) DO NOT STOP STIRRING</li>
<li>When you can draw a firm line on the back of the spatula you are done</li>
<li>Allow to cool for a few moments and then stir in zest and
(frozen) juice, which will help bring the temperature down, pass through a fine
sieve in case you did scramble some egg and put in a metal bowl and allow to
get very cold in fridge</li>
<li>Churn in an ice cream maker or follow this method if you
don’t have one – enjoy!</li>
</ol>
<div>
*I've since been introduced to invertase for cooking, which is invert sugar which is used in brewing too and it makes much, much smoother ice cream and sorbets, use equivalent amounts if you can get it</div>
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Melissa Cole - sommALEier & beer writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605464894214049411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-74594211288075652972016-07-01T22:54:00.001-07:002017-01-09T08:43:21.112-08:00Simple Beer Bread RecipeI love sourdough, I do, it's great... but there are times when you just want simple bread.<br />
<br />
Just nothing complicated bread, still warm from the oven that you've made yourself and salivated over as it cools so you can cut off the crust, slather it in artery clogging levels of salty butter and sink <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit1J9_EOMwIOHzrwo2bJJanLTptKHkOVukLKn8TPVdMrYOyOgHp0AMxhyphenhyphenTR1I_jE0k3yIKkCBRQ2E8VrzbCaykFBSC-tiyUuQCDHAt-wilYl0PkLteAONk9nVkgnGrjRHa-4kgefIATLnu/s1600/beer+bread+final+loaf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit1J9_EOMwIOHzrwo2bJJanLTptKHkOVukLKn8TPVdMrYOyOgHp0AMxhyphenhyphenTR1I_jE0k3yIKkCBRQ2E8VrzbCaykFBSC-tiyUuQCDHAt-wilYl0PkLteAONk9nVkgnGrjRHa-4kgefIATLnu/s320/beer+bread+final+loaf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
your teeth into it... that's this bread.<br />
<br />
However, good bread - like good beer - doesn't just happen, it has to be approached with some consideration for a number of things - the main ones being the base ingredients and the fermentation temperatures.<br />
<br />
First off, let's discuss the beer.<br />
<br />
After I made this bread without beer a few times and it worked well, I then tried five different beers Williams Bros. Ebulum, Elgood's Black Dog, Waitrose own brand Dunkelweiss, Sierra Nevada Torpedo and Purity Saddle Black.<br />
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The Ebulum just shaded it (closely followed by the Black Dog & Dunkelweiss) because it genuinely brings something extra to the party, the elderberry gives a little fruity tang and I really like the added depth of a slight chocolatey sweetness it brings.<br />
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And you might notice there's a common theme with the beers I liked - they're sweeter malt-forward beers and low-hop and that, in my opinion, is what you want.<br />
<br />
Your choice of beer is important for a number of reasons but the main one is bitterness levels and you want to keep these low in bread in my book.<br />
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Now, don't get me wrong, when I drink a beer I like a good belt of bitterness, I love a good IPA, but that's not the point, it's about the appropriateness of the beer in the bread.<br />
<br />
In my personal opinion, and all these things are personal, I don't like highly bitter beers in bread. I find that bitter finish doesn't work, it doesn't harmonise with the sweetness of the wheat flour and there are also some other factors at play that can make it more intense than when you put it in.<br />
<br />
When you make bread you lose roughly 10-13% of its weight, the majority of which is evaporation in the proving, baking & cooling process, but why does that affect your beer choice?<br />
<br />
Well, it means tastes and flavours are going to be concentrated - which can prove particularly troublesome when it comes to intense bitterness, which only has to grow by small increments for it to go from pleasant to lingering to minging!<br />
<br />
If you'd like a simple example then just think about how that one small piece of burnt garlic can make a whole dish taste like the Springfield tyre pyre and you'll get what I mean.<br />
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So, make sure you know your beer and how bitter it is before you get carried away with the baking!<br />
<br />
Beer nailed, let's talk about the second part of how to get this bread bang on and that's fermentation temperatures.<br />
<br />
Temperature control in bread is as important as beer to get
the right results but it’s often one of those steps that’s kind of futzed when
you read recipes, so it’s taken me a while to figure out a good system to get
my dough to proof properly.<br />
<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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The missive you hear and read all the time on TV, the internet and in magazines and cookbooks is to leave your dough ‘somewhere warm’ - not terribly specific is it? It kind of implies gently balmy doesn’t it? Most people’s homes are ‘warm’ these
days anyway, that’s enough right?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Wrong.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unless you are basically a lizard (or me, I’m never warm) the average home is around 18C/64F but the best temperature I've found for getting good fermentation in my bread is about 80 degrees F or roughly 26 degrees C (I use Dove’s Farm Quick Yeast BTW).<o:p></o:p></div>
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But, how do you get that temperature? </div>
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<br /></div>
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Well, the simple route
is to get a proper oven thermometer and heat your oven to 26C/80F and pop your
dough in with a damp tea towel over the top, turn your oven off and use a temperature
probe in your dough to make sure it doesn’t get too hot or your yeast will die
and you’ll have less a loaf of bread and more a brick.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Or, if you’re a sad case for kitchen gadgets like me, you
can use a temperature-controlled sous vide/slow cooker for your proofing… yes,
I know, I need to order less things from the internet when I've been drinking!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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And that's it, just follow the recipe below and you should be knocking out luxurious loaves before you know it!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, just one final thing before I go, do have a play around
with your yeast’s source of sugar. I’ve found that using maple syrup provides
just a tad more richness and smoothness to my finished bread but find what
works for you.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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So, here's a very simple beer bread recipe after what was a somewhat complicated post! </div>
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<br /></div>
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Do send me pics on social media or post your results
below, look forward to hearing from you. Cheers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvb2aIu_1raMZFkadjHHujmNv0U5BGov4P89U_XbnGeArxTXDrIPomyGj4558YR6jqK5C8v2r40R54v4fS_TjUj445SRjW-gvCzywxcSZxT2-elESG_ENo_omwNu90wI2DdogtWlbyw6-_/s1600/Beer+Bread+crumb+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvb2aIu_1raMZFkadjHHujmNv0U5BGov4P89U_XbnGeArxTXDrIPomyGj4558YR6jqK5C8v2r40R54v4fS_TjUj445SRjW-gvCzywxcSZxT2-elESG_ENo_omwNu90wI2DdogtWlbyw6-_/s320/Beer+Bread+crumb+shot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b>
<b>Simple Beer Bread</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Makes 1 medium loaf</i></div>
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300g strong wholemeal flour</div>
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200g strong white flour</div>
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1tsp fine ground sea salt<br />
1tsp quick yeast</div>
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1.5tsp maple syrup</div>
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150ml boiling water</div>
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150ml cold Ebulum</div>
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1.5tsp ground nut oil (or another fairly neutral oil)</div>
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Half pint of tap water to hand for baking part</div>
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1tbsp linseeds</div>
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1tbsp sunflower seeds</div>
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<li>Pre heat your oven to 210C/190C fan</li>
<li>Put all dry ingredients in a bowl or mixer and mix together quickly</li>
<li>Add your maple syrup to your boiling water and stir until dissolved, then add the cold beer, this should give you the perfect temperature to add to the dough</li>
<li>Start your mixer or stir in half the liquid, then continue to add until your dough forms, you may not need all of it, you may need a bit more - every flour is different!</li>
<li>Need until smooth - mine takes about eight-10 minutes in a mixer</li>
<li>Turn out into a lightly-oiled bowl and cover with a damp tea cloth (or get one of <a href="http://www.lakeland.co.uk/18403/Lekue-Silicone-Bread-Maker">these </a>awesome little Lekue bread thingies) and leave somewhere at 26C/80F for 30-35 minutes</li>
<li>Pre-heat you oven to 220C/200C fan</li>
<li>Knock back your dough and leave to rise again for about 20 mins</li>
<li>Turn into a lightly-oiled bread tin (or leave in your Lekue) and get ready to move quickly!</li>
<li>Put your bread tin within grabbing distance and pick up your half pint of water, open your oven door and throw the water on the base of the oven, grab your dough and put it on the middle rack and close the door as quickly as possible - this helps form a good crust on your loaf</li>
<li>Turn your oven down by 20C after 15 minutes and bake for another 25-30 mins</li>
<li>Turn out onto a cooling rack and leave for at least 10 minutes - I know it's torture but that just completes the final bit of cooking in the middle and means you won't get a tummy ache from eating it!</li>
<li>Slather with salted butter (none of this unsalted crap and don't even talk to me about spreads or margarine) and enjoy</li>
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<br />Melissa Cole - sommALEier & beer writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605464894214049411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-89521173921133043592016-05-25T04:42:00.001-07:002016-05-26T03:10:43.877-07:00A Brief Commercial InterludeTonight I'm launching a beer I brewed with Jonny Park of Tap East and my dad for his 70th birthday.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6O3_FdC-pcI0BkGMgxI8CmtekChs9ksCLWit1gd2767Si9yPTC64Z8_clqd7-LgRUsNlcR_GxJ2Q0Dtxss49iTHphPoZUbReJqtjI1KfdhIt1p6QXOaH4z8I77zEMyKd5mLPVwOyrozBj/s1600/DAD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6O3_FdC-pcI0BkGMgxI8CmtekChs9ksCLWit1gd2767Si9yPTC64Z8_clqd7-LgRUsNlcR_GxJ2Q0Dtxss49iTHphPoZUbReJqtjI1KfdhIt1p6QXOaH4z8I77zEMyKd5mLPVwOyrozBj/s200/DAD.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mischief managed!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This, in case you are wondering, is what he looked like when he was about five years old - tie askew and clearly plotting something naughty for when he gets out of school.<br />
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And, if I'm really honest, I don't think he's changed much mentality-wise, he's just got better at getting away with stuff as he's got older!<br />
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I may also resemble this remark...<br />
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However, it would be wrong to say I'm just like my dad, I'm not, I am, without doubt, the sum of my mum and dad's personalities, with a little of 'just me' in there too.<br />
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I have my mum's blunt pragmatism, 'don't give a shit what you think' attitude and her moves on the dance floor.<br />
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The best way I can explain why I've picked out those three things as most resembling my mum, is also a story of one the funniest things I have EVER seen.<br />
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Let me set the scene: my bestie Christine has a fabulous loft apartment in Clerkenwell and it's the <i>perfect</i> party venue and she kindly offered it to me for my 30th birthday party, which was ace.<br />
<br />
So, there's about 40 of us having a great time apart form one person the girlfriend of a (now former) friend who I had explicitly asked him not to bring... nobody liked her as she was the judgiest person ev-ah!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhlGza2k6klXkIZlm0Q0J_9hI_VPsYSpGY57xR-dm4QVXYVM_MXn4o6j28Oy2YVgdhFeGHAtp1jduvZQYp9v4L75MlriMRn2slHP_bz4Ar3mq1YTjdBkU42DIOzRP9G_IYuyB9fXt5387/s1600/mum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhlGza2k6klXkIZlm0Q0J_9hI_VPsYSpGY57xR-dm4QVXYVM_MXn4o6j28Oy2YVgdhFeGHAtp1jduvZQYp9v4L75MlriMRn2slHP_bz4Ar3mq1YTjdBkU42DIOzRP9G_IYuyB9fXt5387/s200/mum.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that wicked grin!</td></tr>
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Anyway, mum & I were dancing away happily to my great mate Dave VJ spinning the tunes but he couldn't play music loud enough to drown out her chuntering away about how we were dancing and how 'inappropriate it was for a woman of Bernice's age' and so on and so on.<br />
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So, after two songs of this behaviour my mum, god love her, had had quite enough and straight-up slut dropped - waving her booty right in front of this judgy baggage's face!!! Stood up and said: "No, that's probably a little inappropriate for a woman my age but I don't give a shit what you think" before sashaying her way back over to where I was standing with my jaw on the floor before bursting into uncontrollable howls of glee at her actions.<br />
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Honest to god, in my eyes that evening, my mum wore a cape that fluttered in the non-existent wind as she stood there with her hands on her hips like a dance floor-owning, bitch-slapping goddess.<br />
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That's what I get from my mum and I love that side of me, and her.<br />
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However, there's no doubt I have more similarities to my dad as I grow older - which my mum & sister would tell you is not necessarily a good thing!<br />
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We go fishing together, we like to work with our hands, we are both story tellers (although I cannot tell jokes and my dad excels at it) and if you leave us alone together for long enough we're almost bound to get in trouble/break something/do something silly that will piss my mum off/be reduced to uncontrollable giggles at a joke only we understand... or all the above.<br />
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It was my dad that taught me that being selfish isn't necessarily a bad thing, as long as you don't hurt other people along the way. By 'selfish' I mean doing what you want to do, to achieve what you want to achieve or experience new things and gain new skills in life.<br />
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He was also my role model for striking out on my own and offered lots of advice and support to me as I did so.<br />
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However, the thing I love most is spending time on the river bank with him, nothing does my soul as much good as hanging out with my dad for the day, trying to catch trout and setting the world to rights.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhDHzU4eBInakwVMZ6dk124YKsFvStfibxhtBFBc8U6i26gjuaiHI3XAXXA_9BEr3IBsAFCBbrVly5qsqDTskj5pQn6Itp_eBoY0-JicYLagdaSn-zIXvFAd53P7St8ky57O1TuIT_brv/s1600/daddaughterbrew+melissa+%2526+dad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhDHzU4eBInakwVMZ6dk124YKsFvStfibxhtBFBc8U6i26gjuaiHI3XAXXA_9BEr3IBsAFCBbrVly5qsqDTskj5pQn6Itp_eBoY0-JicYLagdaSn-zIXvFAd53P7St8ky57O1TuIT_brv/s320/daddaughterbrew+melissa+%2526+dad.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smelling gooooood! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But brewing this beer came a close second.<br />
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Seeing dad recognise how much hard work and expertise goes into a brew, seeing me chatting with a brewer about how we were going to progress through the day, what we were looking to achieve and then getting stuck in was brilliant.<br />
<br />
Not so keen on the hurry up and wait aspect (he's also where I get my notorious lack of patience for things that aren't engaging me from) it's probably the most engaged I've seen him in a project that doesn't involve woodwork, springer spaniels, sailing or fishing.<br />
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And it's the personal nature of the brew that I'm thrilled with too - Commercial Road is named after the road in the East End of London that connected the East & West Indies Docks.<br />
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It's also happens to be where my grandparents lived until their house was bombed in WWII and they ended up in Englefield Green in Surrey, (a wonderland for naughty little boys to grow up, with Windsor Great Park just down the road!).<br />
<br />
So, between the connection to my dad's parents and the fact that the road joined the docks where IPA was shipped to the Indies, it seemed only natural to brew an English-style IPA.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwik-0i3KgHmws14NxBWcutggPfEj69oPR7CDkdDFWu1Ply2GY5pyQ2bJaKJyPR6074CyqjFWcYPbUrq_Xi5IO_V9hgFnpG4F4GWNYUGb9b5FhNmutVoZoBiYOy-0b0J-2xf9a9ArgGvdh/s1600/Commercial+rd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwik-0i3KgHmws14NxBWcutggPfEj69oPR7CDkdDFWu1Ply2GY5pyQ2bJaKJyPR6074CyqjFWcYPbUrq_Xi5IO_V9hgFnpG4F4GWNYUGb9b5FhNmutVoZoBiYOy-0b0J-2xf9a9ArgGvdh/s320/Commercial+rd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
However, right at this point in time I am more scared about a collab launch than I've ever been.<br />
I haven't been able to try it yet and I can only hope that we've created something that's half as memorable as the day of brewing it and that the fun we had making the beer somehow comes through.<br />
<br />
Whatever the outcome, it's a day that I'll never forget and one I hope was a nice present for my dad, who isn't in the least bit 70, he's still that tie-askew, wide-eyed-at-the-world, total hooligan you saw in that picture above and in that, and so many other things, he will always be my role model.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Quick thank you to Jim and the guys at Simply Hops, without me even asking, donated the hops for the day - we used Target for bittering and three additions of Warrior Queen and Endeavour and a dry hop of both too.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Big love goes to Jonny Park at Tap East who was unstinting with his time, knowledge and ability to cover me in wort on the day! And thanks to Mike Hill & Richard Dinwoodie for allowing us to go and play on the kit.</span></i><br />
<br />Melissa Cole - sommALEier & beer writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605464894214049411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-38293100645574229992016-05-11T22:38:00.002-07:002016-05-11T22:38:44.072-07:00London's Hopping To It<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i>(Just a quick note, I'm working with the London Brewers Alliance on this - mostly because it's AWESOME!)</i></div>
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With over three times the amount of pubs, bars & restaurants signed up to the London Brewers Alliance Hop Shoot Festival than last year, chefs are ready to cook up a storm with an ingredient considered the most expensive veg in the world<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="m_4791556753817903970__ftnref1" title=""><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">[1]</span></b></a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSJOrPPbDFMrga8x-y1h7-9LW_47LBC3-SD9KYxAQ1bT3n9w8CRFyPOAIpb_nLzS9EJhZsmap4W9aORNEYgYcPOVxksP0GcbogDLs-kCHbFRPOfpSxgKvzVAbCKU7JbdyJOTHhTQ2jIoE/s1600/hop+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSJOrPPbDFMrga8x-y1h7-9LW_47LBC3-SD9KYxAQ1bT3n9w8CRFyPOAIpb_nLzS9EJhZsmap4W9aORNEYgYcPOVxksP0GcbogDLs-kCHbFRPOfpSxgKvzVAbCKU7JbdyJOTHhTQ2jIoE/s320/hop+shoot.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
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Curious diners and beer lovers are set for a rare treat for just a few days from Thursday night as the London Brewer’s Alliance annual hop shoot pick comes around again.</div>
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Members of the Alliance, along with a few enthusiastic helpers, will be picking hop shoots, that would otherwise wither on the bine<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="m_4791556753817903970__ftnref2" title=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">[2]</span></a> as part of the cultivation process of the plant, and turning them into delicacies to put on a plate.</div>
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Among the big name restaurants rising to the challenge this year are St John, Duck & Waffle, Alyn Williams, The Manor, Pidgin, The Dairy, Quality Chop House and Paradise Garage – alongside other noted names as the Drapers Arms, The Empress in Victoria Park, Pitt Cue and the iconic Eagle gastropub – and a long list of other illustrious and award-winning venues across the capital.</div>
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Not only are the outlets challenged to use the hops, they are also challenged to think about pairing the dishes with a beer, which means consumers will have a chance to see the full journey of the plant in a very tasty and satisfying fashion.</div>
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Commenting on this year’s walk founder of the initiative, and London Brewers Alliance stalwart, Peter Haydon said: “It’s fantastic to see that not only is there a huge growth in breweries in the capital, there’s a huge growth in interest in the whole scene around beer, which includes these hop shoots.</div>
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“I’d just like to thank everyone who has got involved this time around and look forward to seeing what creative things the chefs come up with, and perhaps having a few beers with a few of the dishes myself!”</div>
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Award-winning beer & food writer Melissa Cole, who assists with project, said: “It was a high bar set by chefs last year who, when I delivered the produce, fell on them with huge enthusiasm and excitement – and I can’t see that changing this year, which means diners and drinkers are in for a huge treat.”</div>
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<b>Notes to editors</b></div>
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Social media account details:</div>
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Tw: @londonhop</div>
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FB: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en-GB&q=https://www.facebook.com/LondonHopShootFestival?fref%3Dts&source=gmail&ust=1463117717105000&usg=AFQjCNEhRSg6Z9eclxEfmBTwh78omMqOLA" href="https://www.facebook.com/LondonHopShootFestival?fref=ts" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>LondonHopShootFestival?fref=ts</a></div>
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IG: Londonhopshootfest </div>
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<b><i>For further information please contact:</i></b></div>
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Melissa Cole on <a href="tel:07798%20568400" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" value="+447798568400">07798 568400</a> or <a href="mailto:letmetellyouaboutbeer@gmail.com" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">letmetellyouaboutbeer@gmail.<wbr></wbr>com</a> or Peter Haydon on <a href="tel:07973%20465081" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" value="+447973465081">07973 465081</a> or <a href="mailto:aheadahat@gmail.com" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">aheadahat@gmail.com</a></div>
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Full list of venues:</div>
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Paradise Garage</div>
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Duck & Waffle</div>
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St John Smithfields</div>
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St John Bread & Wine</div>
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Quality Chop House</div>
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Alyn Williams</div>
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The Guinea</div>
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The Manor</div>
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The Dairy</div>
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Drapers Arms</div>
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Pidgin</div>
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The Marksman</div>
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Yard Sale Pizza</div>
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John the Unicorn</div>
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Fanny Nelson's</div>
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Lupollo Pizza</div>
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The Regent</div>
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The Lauriston</div>
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The Empress</div>
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Crooked Billet</div>
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The Hope</div>
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The Catford Constitutional Club</div>
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Knowles of Norwood</div>
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The Bull at Highgate</div>
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The Bohemia</div>
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Pitt Cue</div>
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The Bell Walthamstow</div>
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The Eagle (Farringdon)</div>
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Essex St</div>
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161 Food & Drink</div>
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ToastED</div>
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Terroirs</div>
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Palmerston</div>
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Canopy Tap room</div>
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Hops & Glory</div>
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Brewdog Soho</div>
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Hopstuff Taproom</div>
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King & Co.</div>
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Woolwich Equitable</div>
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The Florence</div>
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Flour to the People</div>
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Pub on the Park</div>
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The Lady Mildmay</div>
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Chai Ki</div>
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Zerodegrees Blackheath</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="m_4791556753817903970__ftn1" title=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">[1]</span></a> <span style="font-size: 9pt;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en-GB&q=http://www.visitflanders.com/en/themes/flemish-food/flemish-dishes-and-specialities/flemish-specialities/hop-shoots/index.jsp&source=gmail&ust=1463117717105000&usg=AFQjCNHkVU3kyWbW8mpDd1xmudeo_byG4g" href="http://www.visitflanders.com/en/themes/flemish-food/flemish-dishes-and-specialities/flemish-specialities/hop-shoots/index.jsp" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.visitflanders.com/<wbr></wbr>en/themes/flemish-food/<wbr></wbr>flemish-dishes-and-<wbr></wbr>specialities/flemish-<wbr></wbr>specialities/hop-shoots/index.<wbr></wbr>jsp</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="m_4791556753817903970__ftn2" title=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">[2]</span></a> <span style="font-size: 9pt;">Bine is the correct spelling for the climbing plant of the hop</span></div>
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Melissa Cole - sommALEier & beer writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605464894214049411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-25535855092111000162016-05-11T01:37:00.001-07:002016-05-11T02:06:23.063-07:00Beer News Round Up<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Random selection of beer news for you! </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-wIz0HTiGQ07aQRRFVPUXVxLukH7Xi1_TTccI-BhCBWxZkM8QBkepN1HPWvj9hkutCXullXAWxDSbQH0tPSgGoenQeKwGkcUJMf8UL-ePy43bVoBwqRFDd3_nlk4FipJRgekgB5xiYPj/s1600/VOTE_GROUP_WITH_BEER_MATS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-wIz0HTiGQ07aQRRFVPUXVxLukH7Xi1_TTccI-BhCBWxZkM8QBkepN1HPWvj9hkutCXullXAWxDSbQH0tPSgGoenQeKwGkcUJMf8UL-ePy43bVoBwqRFDd3_nlk4FipJRgekgB5xiYPj/s200/VOTE_GROUP_WITH_BEER_MATS.jpg" width="179" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://twitter.com/HiverBeers"><br /></a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://twitter.com/HiverBeers">@HiverBeers</a> is doing <a href="http://www.hiverbeers.com/bees-and-beekeepers/#hiver-experience">urban bee keeping and beer tasting sessions</a> in Kennington, which is brilliant, we need more bees and pollinating insects full stop - I have taken to randomly throwing cheap packets of wild flower seeds on barren ground to do my bit, but this seems like a much more sensible solution!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Secondly, @littlevalleyale has created <a href="http://newsroom.manifestcomms.co.uk/little-valley-brewery/brewery-creates-eu-beers-for-undecided-masses/">a range of beers to stimulate debate in the EU referendum</a> - whilst strongly stating they are voting IN - well done guys & gals.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also, I'm excited to announce that I'll be doing a beer & food event with <a href="https://twitter.com/Marble57TStreet">@marble57Tstreet</a> during <a href="http://www.mcrbeerweek.co.uk/">Manchester Beer Week</a> - we've already been working up a menu and beer pairings and it is shaping up to be a properly boozalicious afternoon with, I believe, a few unique beers you won't have seen before. Tickets available <a href="http://www.mcrbeerweek.co.uk/events/2016/6/12/an-afternoon-of-beer-and-food-with-melissa-cole">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's also <a href="http://www.londonbrewers.org/">London Brewers Alliance</a> hop pick tomorrow, we have two full minibuses and some AMAZING venues on the list including St John, Alyn Williams, Pitt Cue and Duck & Waffle - as well as a whole bunch of pubs like the Bohemia, the Bull at Highgate, Zerodegrees Blackheath and at taprooms like Hopstuff and Sambrook's. I'll have a full list up by this evening with any luck!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally, if you'd like to see the all the winners from the <a href="https://twitter.com/BrewersAssoc">@brewersassoc</a> World Beer Cup which I was judging at recently then you can find them <a href="http://www.worldbeercup.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/WBC-winners-2016.pdf">here</a>.</span>Melissa Cole - sommALEier & beer writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605464894214049411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-63577043682097385392016-05-10T03:49:00.000-07:002016-05-10T03:53:20.444-07:00Bavaria Gets Controlling Stake in Palm<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8DMUgCHAzzTlb4kNboB2FsmFYg9uSqUR2y42FWhXTf77TnPrYnpY2AmGe0oT6aAxSXySKm7a4VzFhBW8cpO8hpK7u5s8KzQ2RsA45PSQq1BWVTwArekeLJK_l5kEUJpTdM-nS0dDOIyX/s1600/bavaria+palm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8DMUgCHAzzTlb4kNboB2FsmFYg9uSqUR2y42FWhXTf77TnPrYnpY2AmGe0oT6aAxSXySKm7a4VzFhBW8cpO8hpK7u5s8KzQ2RsA45PSQq1BWVTwArekeLJK_l5kEUJpTdM-nS0dDOIyX/s200/bavaria+palm.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;"><span lang="NL" style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Bavaria NV has acquired a 60% majority stake in Belgian Palm Craft Brewers. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;"><span lang="NL" style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;"><span lang="NL" style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Palm Belgian Craft Brewers will thus from now part of Bavaria NV, with (it looks like from the translation) Bavaria taking 100% ownership by 2021 but I need to double check that.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;"><span lang="NL" style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;"><span lang="NL" style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I've been wondering what's going to happen to Palm for a while, the company's withdrawal from direct sales in the UK struck me as incredibly odd, the thirst for a number of its brands here was clear: Rodenbach & Boon couldn't be more loved.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;"><span lang="NL" style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><i>I'll add more as I get the UK translations! </i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;"><span lang="NL" style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;"><span lang="NL" style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><i>Thanks to @belgiansmaak for forwarding the releases to me - very kind.</i></span></span>Melissa Cole - sommALEier & beer writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605464894214049411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-7008287064654744922016-03-21T02:38:00.003-07:002016-03-21T02:38:32.166-07:00It'll All Be Back Soon!So, my lovely friend Andy has helped sort out the issues with my website and I've reverted back to my old Blogger home for now and, frankly, the foreseeable future.<br />
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I still need to upload all the old posts from the website, but I'll get round to that over the next few weeks but it feels good to be back!<br />
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Thanks to all of you who contacted me to let me know my old site had been hacked, I hope the person who did that was proud of themselves... go and do something useful like using your skills to MAKE things rather than destroy them.<br />
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<br />Melissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-80211666650196027552012-09-24T03:27:00.002-07:002012-09-24T03:27:47.129-07:00Hopping for a Heavenly Experience!<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px;">Morning beer lovers, I’m super-excited to announce details of my latest collab and how we are launching it.</span></h1>
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It’s called Green Goddess and I have once again teamed up with Ilkley to make a slightly bonkers, but hopefully belting, beer.</div>
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<a href="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/?attachment_id=2125" rel="attachment wp-att-2125" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #743399; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class=" wp-image-2125 " height="261" src="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/freshhops-cropped.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: none; margin: 5px 5px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="freshhops cropped" width="177" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #888888; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 5px 5px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Collecting the fresh Sovereign hops at the Charles Faram Hop Walk</div>
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The beer is named Green Goddess as an obvious reference to the green hops in the beer but also helps highlight the gloriously soft Yorkshire water the brewery uses, with a nod towards the Roman goddess Verbeia of the River Wharfe, which runs through Ilkley,</div>
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The process for making this beer started a little unusually, in that the day before brewing I found myself on a train to my second hop walk in a week*</div>
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Myself and a bevy of brewers, ate a truly delicious buffet lunch before listening to Mr Hop himself, Paul Corbett of Charles Faram about the UK harvest, which is actually looking surprisingly healthy, my new hero Dr Peter Darby of the Wye Hops research and development facility and the wonderfully passionate Alison Capper, who is subtly overhauling the British Hop Association – which was all very enlightening.</div>
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After this, and a mosey around to see the bines and some traditional hop stringing demonstrations, we jumped in the car and drove up to Ilkley (trying not to be lulled to sleep by the soporific effect of the hops) to brew the next day.</div>
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The lovely people at Ilkley had sourced some La Chouffe yeast and so, alongside the <a href="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/?attachment_id=2133" rel="attachment wp-att-2133" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #743399; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class=" wp-image-2133 alignleft" height="192" src="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Ilkley-Brewery_Origins_The-Green-Goddess_Pump-Clip_Final1.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: none; display: inline; float: left; margin: 4px 24px 12px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Ilkley Brewery_Origins_The Green Goddess_Pump Clip_Final" width="168" /></a>brewster Harriet, we set to work creating what I hope will be a truly heavenly beer.</div>
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As is usual with me, you won’t be surprised to hear that there are a few surprises in the beer, and this time I wanted to add some Szechuan peppercorns, to help underpin the spicy nature of the yeast and bring a little ‘oomph’ to proceedings and also Nigella seeds (also known as Roman coriander, which chimes nicely with the reference to the historic connection we’ve chosen for the name!), for their slightly bitter, lemony aspect.</div>
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So, where can you get it? Well, we’ll be launching it on October 3 in London and it will be sitting on the bar alongside my previous Ilkley collab, Siberia, and the brewery’s new, luscious but low ABV, golden beer called Dinner Ale, which is a celebratory brew of the beautiful Nelson Sauvin hop.</div>
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Details of the launch venues and timings we’ll be there, at which point Green Goddess will start pouring, are:</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.theredlionleytonstone.com/" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #743399; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank" title="Red Lion Leytonstone">Red Lion</a>, Leytonstone, E11 - 5.30pm- 6.30pm</strong><br /><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://uk.westfield.com/shop/stores/tapeast/stratfordcity?category_root=dining&retailer=45390" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #743399; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank" title="Tap East">Tap East</a>, Westfield, Stratford - 7pm-8pm</strong><br /><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://theoldredcow.com/" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #743399; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank" title="Old Red Cow">Old Red Cow</a>, Smithfield, EC1A - 8.30pm-9.30pm</strong><br /><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.utobeer.co.uk/aboutus_rake.html" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #743399; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank" title="The Rake">The Rake</a>, Borough Market, SE1 - 10pm until closing</strong></div>
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*The first hop walk being courtesy of Shepherd Neame, which I thank profusely for a lovely 24-hours of hospitality and you should check out the Kent Green Hop Beer Fortnight website <a href="http://kentgreenhopbeer.com/" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #743399; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">here</a> for more info on that very cool idea.</address>
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Melissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-76945976277000376672012-09-04T08:42:00.001-07:002012-09-04T09:13:46.753-07:00Never Was a Cornflake Girl<br />
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<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="color: #444444; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">You can just see how juicy this is, sorry about rubbish pics and general carnage of plate!</dd></dl>
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I am afraid that headline will only mean something to those of you of a ‘certain age’ but, hopefully, for those of you who get it it’s raised a nostalgic smile (for those who don’t understand the reference, hit iTunes and search for Tori Amos, if nothing else, the Armand Van Helden mix Professional Widow has stood the test of time immensely well...).</div>
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Anyway, I digress, back to cornflakes… they were never a favourite, even though my beloved granddad would feed them to me. I was always a Rice Krispies fan (loved that snap, crackle & pop) but when I heard of the concept of cornflake ‘fried’ chicken I was intrigued!</div>
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Ever since visiting <a data-mce-href="http://runchickenrun.com/" href="http://runchickenrun.com/" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;">Yardbird in Miami</a>, I’ve become a little obsessed with the whole fried chicken thing, so new variations on a super-crunchy outside had me hooked.</div>
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However, what I didn’t realise was that this was supposed to a healthy version of fried chicken cooked in the oven, which (naturally) I completely ignored, and went ahead and fried anyway!</div>
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I’m not going to lie, this is a multi-stage process but - oh my - is it worth it when you sit down to indulge! I am not saying you can’t oven cook this, I’m sure you probably can, I’m just one of those people that doesn’t bother with half measures.</div>
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To whit, I am going to offer some advice based on the no half measures mantra; making your own buttermilk using lemon juice or vinegar is simply not as effective as buying the proper stuff, I’ve tried on numerous occasions and, frankly, it’s rubbish in comparison.</div>
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I’m afraid that the pictures are of my first attempt and not the more successful second, because I was so excited to get in there and eat it, I forgot to take pictures of the finished article. But, no matter, because I’m pretty sure you guys are smart enough to get the general gist of things!</div>
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<span data-mce-style="color: #000000;" style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><strong style="line-height: 1.5;">Beer & Buttermilk Brined Fried Chicken w/Cornflake Crust</strong></span></div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="color: black; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/?attachment_id=2061" href="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/?attachment_id=2061" rel="attachment wp-att-2061" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-2061" data-mce-src="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/finished-chicken-300x224.jpg" height="224" src="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/finished-chicken-300x224.jpg" style="border: 0px none; color: #444444; height: auto; line-height: 1.5; margin: 5px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" title="finished chicken" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="color: #444444; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Another truly dreadful pic that makes it look burnt, it's really not! Sorry about my lack of camera skills!</dd></dl>
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<strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Equipment:</strong></div>
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Sharp knife<br />
Chopping boards<br />
Large non-metallic bowl (needs to hold about 3l of liquid)<br />
3 bowls suitable for flour, egg and bread crumbing your chicken<br />
Pestle & mortar<br />
Small frying pan<br />
Deep fat fryer or wok<br />
Large, deep saucepan<br />
Food processor<br />
Slotted spoon<br />
Tongs<br />
Cooking thermometer<br />
Whisk<br />
Cooling rack<br />
Baking tray<br />
Kitchen roll<br />
Cling film</div>
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<strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Ingredients - f<em style="border: none; color: #444444; line-height: 1.5;">or brine/cooking liquor:</em></strong></div>
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1 free-range chicken butchered into eighths or 8 sizeable chicken pieces, skin on<br />
600ml buttermilk (got mine at Sainsbury’s)<br />
2 bottles light summer ale, I used Bath Ales Wild Hare<br />
2 white onions<br />
4 celery sticks – roughly chopped<br />
2 carrots – roughly chopped<br />
4 garlic cloves – smashed<br />
Bunch of thyme – bruised with back of knife<br />
Bunch of oregano - bruised with back of knife<br />
1 jalapeño (or hotter chilli depending on preference) – pierced in several places<br />
5 tbsp Cajun seasoning (I used Bart’s)<br />
2 tbsp smoked paprika<br />
250ml brown chicken stock<br />
4tbsp sea salt<br />
Groundnut oil</div>
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<strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"> </strong><strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Stage 1:</strong></div>
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<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Warm pan to medium heat, soften onions, celery, carrot for a few minutes, then add garlic</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">After another minute add the Cajun seasoning and paprika, when they start to become nicely aromatic, deglaze pan with chicken stock and pour into the non-metallic bowl</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">When cooled slightly add beer, then buttermilk and whisk well, pop in freezer to cool</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Place chicken pieces into cooled mixture, cover with cling film and place in fridge overnight</li>
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<strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"> </strong><strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Stage 2:</strong></div>
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<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Take your bowl of chicken out of the fridge for at least half an hour</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Get a large pan, big enough to take the chicken and the liquid and pour it all in</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Bring to a temperature where bubbles just break the surface, cook for 15 minutes – check internal temp of chicken has reached 75 degrees C</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Allow to cool in cooking liquor</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">When just warm still, remove from liquor and place on some kitchen towel and return to fridge</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Discard liquor</li>
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<strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"> </strong><strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Ingredients - f<em style="border: none; color: #444444; line-height: 1.5;">or the frying stage:</em></strong></div>
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250g breadcrumbs (I use granary bread because I like the nutty crunch)<br />
75g cornflakes<br />
3tbsp Cajun powder<br />
1 tbsp finely-chopped thyme leaves<br />
2tbsp Chipotle hot sauce (I used the Wahaca one)<br />
2 large eggs<br />
100g cornflour<br />
1 litre of groundnut oil</div>
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<strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"> </strong><strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Stage 3:</strong></div>
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<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Using your thermometer in a deep frying pan or wok, heat your oil to 175 degrees C and turn your oven on to a low ‘keep warm’ heat</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Using a food processor, pulse the cornflakes until roughly chopped and mix with breadcrumbs, add 1tbsp of Cajun seasoning and set aside</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Mix the flour, thyme and remaining 2tbsp of Cajun seasoning</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Roll chicken pieces in just the seasoned flour and then gently lower into hot oil in batches</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Allow to just brown and remove immediately to fresh kitchen towel</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Whilst chicken is cooling slightly, whisk your hot sauce into your eggs</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Line a baking tray with kitchen towel & put a cooling rack over the top</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">When all your pieces are done and at a heat where you can hold them, re-roll in flour, then egg mix and finally breadcrumb/cornflake mix</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">As you crumb each piece, lower it immediately, gently and away from you, into the hot oil</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Cook one or two pieces at a time (depending on size of your pan) and then, when they are golden brown, put on cooling rack and pop in oven to keep warm/rest</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Repeat until all your chicken is cooked and in the oven resting/draining</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">I served this with corn on the cob (I first boiled, then dried, brushed with unsalted butter and then popped this in a dry pan to get a bit of smokiness on it) and home-made coleslaw but your sides are your business!</li>
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<strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"> </strong><strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">To Drink:</strong></div>
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It’s an American classic, so you can’t not have an American beer with it! I’d just been sent some Fordham to try and the Pale Ale wasn’t a bad accompaniment, but I did find myself wanting something a bit bigger, so an Odell IPA or a Bear Republic Racer 5 would go nicely.</div>
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<em style="border: none; line-height: 1.5;">p.s. My attention has just been drawn to what the song I referenced in the headline was about, I was completely ignorant of this and did not mean to be glib in any way, it was just a pop culture comment, will now be making a donation to a charity that fights this kind of ignorant practice post-haste!</em><br />
<em style="border: none; line-height: 1.5;"></em><br />
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<em style="border: none; line-height: 1.5;"><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">p.p.s Said donation now made to @OrchidProject</em></em></div>
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Melissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-45775107892450988642012-09-04T06:15:00.001-07:002012-09-04T06:15:35.857-07:00Eggstra, Eggstra!<br />
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As today I was able to announce that I’ll be compering the awesome Scotch Egg Challenge <a data-mce-href="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/?attachment_id=2045" href="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/?attachment_id=2045" rel="attachment wp-att-2045" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-2045" data-mce-src="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scotch-egg-challenge3-300x238.jpg" height="238" src="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scotch-egg-challenge3-300x238.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #444444; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; line-height: 1.5; margin: 4px 0px 12px 24px; max-width: 100%;" title="Scotch egg challenge" width="300" /></a>at <a data-mce-href="http://www.theship.co.uk/" href="http://www.theship.co.uk/" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">The Ship</a> on the banks of the Thames at Wandsworth on September 25, I thought I’d post my own modest offering.</div>
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I am, as they say, a bit of a bugger for a good Scotch Egg; when made fresh I think they are best served slightly warm and with a runny yolk, which is always a gamble when you can’t see what’s going on inside when you're frying it, but it’s worth a whirl nonetheless, and I think I’ve pretty much nailed it with this method.</div>
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Personally I like it with a good mustard mayonnaise or sauce to dip them in, but some people prefer some brown sauce - Daddies, HP or posher is, of course, down to you!</div>
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I do specify the type of black pudding in the recipe, but if you can’t get hold of Bury black pudding then try it with any other you can get your hands on, but do try and make sure it’s got a good ratio of chunky fat in it, it’ll help make your Scotch egg an unctuous thing of sheer beauty.</div>
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p.s. Sorry about lack of picture of my offering, some bugger has nicked my camera and that’s what the pictures of my gorgeous eggs were on :( So instead I shamelessly nicked this image from David Constable's blog <a data-mce-href="http://forevereggsploring.com/" href="http://forevereggsploring.com/" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank" title="Forever Eggsploring">Forever Eggsploring</a>, he's the curator behind this competition and had the hard job of whittling down the entries along with the Ship guys & gals!</div>
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<strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Equipment:</strong>Sharp knife<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />Large, non-metallic mixing bowl<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />Medium bowl<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />Small saucepan<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />Fine sieve<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />Kitchen roll<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />Slotted spoon<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />Cling film<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />Whisk<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />Medium frying pan<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />Deep pan suitable for frying, wok or deep-fat fryer<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />Dishes suitable for flour, egg & breadcrumb process<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />Pestle & mortar<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />Chopping board<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />Ice cubes (not strictly equipment but worth flagging up!)</div>
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<strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Ingredients:</strong></div>
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100g granary breadcrumbs<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />50g plain flour<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />3 medium eggs (at room temperature)<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />2 tbsp milk<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />100g room temperature sausage meat (I used Duchy Organics but a good pork sausage, skinned, should do it, or ask your butcher for your preferred type)<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />50g room temperature Bury black pudding, finely chopped<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />100ml traditional bitter, I used Black Sheep Ale (you may not use all of it)<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />½ red onion, very finely chopped<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />½ tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />½ tbsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />½ tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />½ tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />½ tsp ground chilli flakes, crushed further in pestle & mortar<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />1 ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />1litre of groundnut oil + a little for frying<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />Small knob of unsalted butter<br style="line-height: 1.5;" />At least two trays worth of ice</div>
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<strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Method:</strong></div>
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<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Put pan of water on to boil</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Meanwhile, very gently fry your onion, pepper, chilli & herbs until onion just softened in the butter with a little oil added</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Place in sieve over some kitchen towel to drain, put in freezer to cool</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Place two eggs in boiling water for five minutes and then plunge straight into bowl of iced water</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Take your onion and herb mix out of the freezer; rub your hands with a little groundnut oil and squidge into the black pudding and sausage meat (it’s joyously mucky this bit!) and slowly add your beer, making sure you don’t make too sloppy a paste and that there’s still bits of whole black pudding in the mix</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Pop in fridge for 10 minutes to mingle and become a touch firm</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Take a foot long piece of cling film and oil it lightly, place half your meat mixture on it, lightly flour your carefully peeled egg and then use the cling film to mould the mixture around the egg</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Repeat with other half and return to fridge for 10 minutes to firm up slightly</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Whisk together your egg & milk, put in a dish and, in two other separate dishes put your breadcrumbs and flour</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Heat your oil, in your large pan or deep-fat fryer to 170c</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Remove your ‘naked’ Scotch eggs from the fridge, unwrap and dip in flour, then egg/milk mix and then breadcrumbs, repeat the egg and breadcrumb steps at least once, I tend to triple dip mine as I like a really good crunchy coating</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Using your slotted spoon, lower the eggs gently into the oil and fry for approximately seven minutes, turning occasionally</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">When the eggs float they are done</li>
<li style="line-height: 1.5;">Place on kitchen towel to drain and as soon as you can handle them without searing your fingertips, cut in half and serve with your sauce of choice – or just by themselves, your choice!</li>
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<strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Beer Accompaniment:</strong>I am a big fan of a really good traditional pint of British bitter with these; I like the rest of the bottle of Black Sheep with them (if it lasts through the cooking process, which is unlikely) but have also found Fuller’s Chiswick, Young’s Bitter, Sambrook’s Wandle (in bottle that is, still not a huge fan of the cask) and have even found that a more robust ESB will go well. I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that a mild would also be a belting partner, something like Moorhouse’s Black Cat for example.</div>
Melissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-63617713513293014942012-08-21T06:38:00.001-07:002016-03-21T02:39:57.447-07:00An Open Letter To All Breweries About Branding<br />
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Dear Brewers, Brewsters, Marketing People and Art Departments,</div>
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I love our industry, I really do. I feel blessed every day to work in, what is undoubtedly, <a data-mce-href="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/?attachment_id=1969" href="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/?attachment_id=1969" rel="attachment wp-att-1969" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-1969" data-mce-src="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Jennnings-11.png" src="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Jennnings-11.png" height="210" style="border: 0px; color: #444444; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; line-height: 1.5; margin: 4px 0px 12px 24px; max-width: 100%;" title="Jennnings 1" width="198" /></a>the warmest, most welcoming and fun business in the known cosmos.</div>
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But I've got a bit of a bone to pick with you... in fact, I've got a whole skeleton's worth... and it's about the sexist imagery some of you use to promote your beers.</div>
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Just in case you haven't noticed, in the last few days there's been a bit of a furore about the issue of rape, some bloke called Julian, a mahoosively ill-informed American politician and some loud-mouthed idiot who has remarkably managed to manipulate a whole section of society into voting for him.</div>
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I'm not, for a single moment, saying that pump clips or bottle labels incite rape - that would be equally bone-headed - but you only have to look at the enormous backlash such idiotic comments have evoked to see that sexism has no place in modern society - so why do you still indulge in it?</div>
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As business people can you honestly not see that it does PRECISELY NOTHING to encourage intelligent people into drinking beer? And I'm not just speaking for women here, a brief comment on Twitter, and the resulting responses, shows that many men find it equally disturbing.</div>
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And just in case you're wondering whether this is merely an intellectual objection, I'd like to give you an example of why branding and sexism is a real issue. At the Great British Beer Festival this year I was happily minding my own business, waiting for a mate to return to the bar, when I was approached by a man who asked me what I thought of the pump clip next to me.</div>
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It was a nonsense 'slap & tickle' style image and I said I thought it was stupid. Cue said 'gentleman' launching into a full-scale rant at me that started with: 'Yeah, I know who you are. You're that joyless cow who complains about this all the bloody time. It's harmless fun, what's your f*cking problem.'</div>
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And much as I enjoy a spirited debate from time to time (for those of you who know me, feel free to snigger), I walked away. Why? Well, as a wise man once said to me: "Don't argue with idiots, they've had way more practice."</div>
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But I was targeted, in a very aggressive manner, by someone who wanted to use my stance on sexist marketing as a big stick to beat me with for being a woman in the beer industry - is this something you want to encourage or that you want your brand associated with?</div>
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And if that one anecdote, and sadly I have a number of them, doesn't do it for you, perhaps I could draw your attention to the fact that <a data-mce-href="http://www.bittersweetpartnership.com/wp-content/themes/BitterSweet/img/press/MEDIA%20REPORT%20FINAL%20USE.pdf" href="http://www.bittersweetpartnership.com/wp-content/themes/BitterSweet/img/press/MEDIA%20REPORT%20FINAL%20USE.pdf" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank" title="Bitter Sweet Partnership research">research by Molson Coors</a> shows that 42% of women are put off beer by the macho marketing...</div>
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From a professional standpoint I also get more than a bit ticked off when I seek to engage with you about this issues quietly and politely in the background (I'm looking at YOU Marstons) ignoring my efforts is pretty rude to be honest, so I'm going to say it publicly instead!</div>
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Some of your range of seasonal pump clips for the Wychwood and Jennings brands are <a data-mce-href="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/?attachment_id=1973" href="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/?attachment_id=1973" rel="attachment wp-att-1973" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-1973" data-mce-src="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Wychwood-bountiful3.jpg" src="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Wychwood-bountiful3.jpg" height="120" style="border: 0px; color: #444444; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; line-height: 1.5; margin: 4px 0px 12px 24px; max-width: 100%;" title="Wychwood bountiful" width="100" /></a>depressing at best and, at worst, simply puerile. Are you honestly proud that your products have joined the beer equivalent of the rogue's gallery over at <a data-mce-href="http://pumpclipparade.blogspot.com/" href="http://pumpclipparade.blogspot.com/" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank" title="Pumpclip Parade">Pumpclip Parade</a>? (BTW, kudos to <a data-mce-href="http://jeffpickthall.blogspot.com/" href="http://jeffpickthall.blogspot.com/" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank" title="Jeff Pickthall">Jeff Pickthall</a> for running this site.)</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
If smaller companies like <a data-mce-href="http://www.hartbreweryltd.co.uk/ales.htm" href="http://www.hartbreweryltd.co.uk/ales.htm" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank" title="Hart Brewing">Hart Brewing</a>, which has previously been a particularly bad offender, has recognised that it needs to change its ways, how come one of the largest regional brewers in the country seems incapable of doing so?</div>
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And can we just take a moment to look at the Slater's range and the frankly pathetic out-dated, out-moded and tragic pump clip for the equally tragically-named Top Totty that hit the headlines earlier in the year after being banned from the Strangers Bar in the House of Commons?</div>
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All else aside, from a purely aesthetic point of view, how can a successful and genuinely good brewery not see how appalling cheap, nasty and tacky it looks against the rest of the brands?<a data-mce-href="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/?attachment_id=1961" href="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/?attachment_id=1961" rel="attachment wp-att-1961" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-large wp-image-1961" data-mce-src="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/slaters-top-totty1-1024x274.png" src="http://letmetellyouaboutbeer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/slaters-top-totty1-1024x274.png" height="171" style="border: 0px; color: #444444; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; line-height: 1.5; margin: 4px 0px 12px 24px; max-width: 100%;" title="slaters top totty" width="640" /></a></div>
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These are sadly just a small selection of the awful dross out there which is damaging our industry's image and making life difficult for women to get into beer, let alone those of us who are already in, what I've said before and will say again, is a truly wonderful business.</div>
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You may think I'm making a fuss about nothing but, I'm a firm believer that any aspect of society that fosters intolerance is created of thousands of elements, none of which are too small to challenge, and this element should, most certainly, be called time on.</div>
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Melissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-61925397209803359802012-05-29T11:35:00.000-07:002012-05-29T11:51:34.258-07:00Sometimes Simple Pleasures Take Some Work<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxDSEhDtvElASxPJeZu-aGc_Xo_DZZ414TEdrn8gbz98d2Nm2xCiBrb7EPS6s-nf-q3mTc05vj9nYVhdo5IyyyQiA6b3brP3Uff6Tu1lFMs0EWDWh1fhcso55iQQeYGWeML19C10SHThh/s1600/IMG_1964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxDSEhDtvElASxPJeZu-aGc_Xo_DZZ414TEdrn8gbz98d2Nm2xCiBrb7EPS6s-nf-q3mTc05vj9nYVhdo5IyyyQiA6b3brP3Uff6Tu1lFMs0EWDWh1fhcso55iQQeYGWeML19C10SHThh/s320/IMG_1964.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simple & seasonal, with Jersey Royals & asparagus<br />
well worth the prep</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I don't know about you but I love roast chicken, I mean I really love roast chicken!<br />
<br />
The smell of it cooking, the juiciness of the wings when they are yanked off just after cooking as a naughty chef's treat and then, the main event, that glorious white meat (or in my case I prefer the brown meat) nestled amongst some greens and roast potatoes, the crackle of browned skin, the addictiveness of reduced pan gravy... I could go on but I'm making myself hungry and I've only just had lunch!<br />
<br />
However, there is always that between the crispy skin and juicy meat isn't there? Well, not any more! If you follow this recipe you'll have no dilemma, just gloriously juicy chicken AND crispy skin. And thank you Heston, once again, for inspiring this method of cooking.<br />
<br />
Firstly, you'll need to start the prep 24 hours in advance but it's so ridiculously simple to do that you'll not break a sweat, even in this lovely weather!<br />
<br />
Secondly, mix it up by all means, there's no real limit to what you can put in a brine in my experience, the only thing I do recommend is that you don't use aggressively hopped beers, they are just too bitter and counteract that delicious sweetness you want from the chicken and mess up the gravy.<br />
<br />
Thirdly, don't over-do it on the salt, the reason why this works is that it is on the lower end of brining and means you can not only use a small amount of the brining liquid in your gravy but also that you don't have to spend ages and, let's face it currently precious water, to rinse it for an age when it comes out of the brine.<br />
<br />
Finally, the great thing about this is, and I rarely hint at the healthy thing because, frankly, I'm more interested in flavour, but this does save stuffing a load of flavoured butter under the skin like I used to. (Although, if you don't have time for this method it's still a damn tasty way to go!)<br />
<br />
<b>Equipment:</b><br />
Frying pan<br />
Non-metallic bowl big enough to hold chicken<br />
Tongs<br />
Sharp knife<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwGWvFOs4y8_2Y3Sh52qmiDd_FarwA4Sx0s1H8Ec5RDWKEfxI3fXVDj73kWCordhi0uV3MRRD9d16Pvz1v4SW0qPb4AHfrXPAi3adQ8eI8UhTqqIlOys4L3Ct4w2LOk-zaIOXrIa6Dv69/s1600/IMG_1962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwGWvFOs4y8_2Y3Sh52qmiDd_FarwA4Sx0s1H8Ec5RDWKEfxI3fXVDj73kWCordhi0uV3MRRD9d16Pvz1v4SW0qPb4AHfrXPAi3adQ8eI8UhTqqIlOys4L3Ct4w2LOk-zaIOXrIa6Dv69/s200/IMG_1962.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brined and ready to go</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Chopping board<br />
Roasting pan with trivet big enough for chicken<br />
Meat thermometer<br />
Oven thermometer<br />
Kitchen towel<br />
Small saucepan<br />
Fine sieve/muslin<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients for Brine:</b><br />
1 bottle of Chimay<br />
Water<br />
Handful of coarse sea salt - crushed/milled<br />
Mild green chilli - pierced several times<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOwj3QZIOqTQdCANNwxDw1XHQ5LQJAUICoZsk8jTljdbwDoPsR6I6jRV_TKxr8StoWi7zS4sxKgrXGhojx4kM8tWO5DPPrYTU0vygNsaSwsSsZeYrC5eRDQ2WAQsQTFjKTULzazI1t6pc/s1600/IMG_1963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOwj3QZIOqTQdCANNwxDw1XHQ5LQJAUICoZsk8jTljdbwDoPsR6I6jRV_TKxr8StoWi7zS4sxKgrXGhojx4kM8tWO5DPPrYTU0vygNsaSwsSsZeYrC5eRDQ2WAQsQTFjKTULzazI1t6pc/s200/IMG_1963.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just out of oven <br />
(browner than it looks!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Bulb of garlic cut in half horizontally<br />
Onion roughly chopped<br />
2 bay leaves<br />
6 cracked peppercorns - dry pan fried quickly<br />
Handful of fresh thyme<br />
<br />
<b>Other Ingredients:</b><br />
1 free range (or organic) chicken<br />
1 lemon - pierced several times<br />
Garlic from brine<br />
1 pint of brown chicken stock<br />
1tbsp dried tarragon<br />
1 tsp sherry vinegar<br />
1/2 tsp honey<br />
Ladle full of brine<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Method:</b><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Give chicken a rinse, if it's trussed then untruss it and remove wishbone for easy carving</li>
<li>Put all brine ingredients into bowl, stir until salt dissolves</li>
<li>Place chicken in brine & then top up with enough water to cover, leave in fridge overnight</li>
<li>When ready to cook, heat oven to 90 degrees C</li>
<li>Whilst oven is heating take chicken out of brine, reserving a ladle full of liquid and the garlic and place the chicken on a plate on a bed of kitchen towel and also place some kitchen towel on top of skin to dry it, remove after a few minutes and allow chicken to come to room temp, around half an hour should do it</li>
<li>When chicken is no longer cold to the touch pop your lemon and the garlic from the brine in the cavity, place
on the trivet in your roasting tray in the middle of the oven and leave for around 3.5-4 hours depending on the size of your bird, keep an eye on the oven temperature every so often</li>
<li>Check internal temp after 3 hours and every 15 minutes or so from there, and when the thickest part of the breast has hit 60 degrees turn the oven off, leave the door open for five minutes and then allow to rest in the warm oven for around half an hour</li>
<li>By this stage I generally find my skin has crisped a bit, but if you want it browner take chicken out of oven and transfer to another baking dish/tray</li>
<li>Whack temperature up to 200 degrees C </li>
<li> Whilst your oven is heating up, put your baking tray on the hob and heat, then deglaze with some chicken stock, scrap all the gooey goodness out and then transfer to your saucepan, add your ladle of beer brine and the tarragon, reduce to your taste of thickness</li>
<li>When the chicken is browned, open oven door and leave to rest for 15</li>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<li>Strain off gravy through sieve to lose dried tarragon, add your honey and vinegar to taste for the gravy, whisk in, heat for a few more minutes and then carve, serve, enjoy!</li>
</ol>
<br />
<b>Drink Match:</b><br />
I am actually drinking the Thatcher's 2011 Vintage I planned to have with this as I type, but something light and fruity, soft and blonde would be perfect. A great quality lager, like Brooklyn, Freedom or Pilsner Urquell or a light ale like Adnams Explorer, Camden Wheat, St Austell Clouded Yellow or Little Creatures Pale Ale would be delightful.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Melissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-467442057416240762012-05-18T05:30:00.000-07:002012-05-21T12:11:21.975-07:00Final Ride<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbJJLoueWV7cPbOFzY-eUxwxqL_cQ8PmVgBWVrNOETLmgIJ9bBMITgjKU5kLrXCnYfEk9ojXGnnmeM1FvJeQUSQwI8rHa_iBxr-Cpk1DB2HTsEW2a20LOuc_GTMR-_3zUsbPr1bYrDQi9/s1600/cowboy-sunset-290x290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbJJLoueWV7cPbOFzY-eUxwxqL_cQ8PmVgBWVrNOETLmgIJ9bBMITgjKU5kLrXCnYfEk9ojXGnnmeM1FvJeQUSQwI8rHa_iBxr-Cpk1DB2HTsEW2a20LOuc_GTMR-_3zUsbPr1bYrDQi9/s1600/cowboy-sunset-290x290.jpg" /></a></div>
Whilst it's not unexpected, I am very, very sad to hear of the death of Dave Wickett, a true titan of the brewing world, after a long battle with cancer.<br />
<br />
Dave's brew, Kelham Island Pale Rider, was my epiphany beer - the beer that changed the course of my life you could say - and for that I will always be grateful to a wonderfully collegiate, intelligent and passionate man.<br />
<br />
<br />
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When I met Dave at the Great British Beer Festival for the first time, I couldn't have been more delighted that I really liked and admired the man who made it as well. </div>
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In
fact, I will freely admit that I behaved like a star-struck adolescent, stammering out ridiculous stories of how his beer was the one that made me sit up and take notice of real ale and, despite my burblings, he seemed genuinely interested in the impact his beer had on me and never stopped being interested, or interesting, during any of our subsequent conversations.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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And it’s not just me that had a bit of a crush on Dave
either, the whole UK brewing industry has a soft spot in their heart for him
and he gets much credit for inspiring a whole new generation of brewers in the
UK, not just through his own brewery but by helping other businesses like
Thornbridge get off the ground too.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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But where did he start? Well, it all happened when Wickett decided
to throw in his lecturing day job and opened the Kelham Island brewery in 1990
next door to the Fat Cat pub and he also threw his doors open to the public.<o:p></o:p></div>
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During the brewery tours that he gave he showed off raw
ingredients and he saw that men would really like the aroma from rubbing the
bittering hops but that women didn’t, they like the aroma hops and a similar
profile of behaviour happened when it came to the tastings.<o:p></o:p></div>
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However, he had no desire to make a lager, so he saddled up
for a brainstorming session and devised
a beer that was high in aroma and low in bitterness like a lager but with a
full, creamy body of an ale and Pale Rider was born.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The reports back were that the beer was flying out, being
enjoyed by men and women from all walks of life and within three months it was the
most popular beer the brewery has ever made and it’s not stopped winning awards
either, it took CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain award in 2004 and so many others
it’s hard to keep count.*<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dave, you are a huge loss to the brewing industry but I hope you know that your legacy is one of greatness, of innovation and of true leadership by example. RIP.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*this is a slight adaptation of what I wrote about Dave in my book, this is not an advert, just a clarification.</span></div>
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<br />Melissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-28845843087135678862012-04-03T10:52:00.001-07:002012-05-21T12:11:49.070-07:00Send Yourself to Siberia!Come and drink beer with me!<br />
<br />
Because today, Wednesday April 4, I shall be launching my collab beer with Ilkley Brewery, which is also a saison called Siberia, which has been made with Yorkshire forced rhubarb, vanilla, grains of paradise and orange peel - yep, another mental one from me!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOImOjVbVUz_te9svHhl6yV5CzUHlZ5KBwGXEopE82nUWtrIRGkyw_BVH_lo_FE7HrxDpsgM-lZioExxM4tMKaPY4Z4fa0aBSi2-VLDPxZW4Gak6FX5asYfclF34-DP_qhyphenhyphenmSccO839pks/s1600/siberia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOImOjVbVUz_te9svHhl6yV5CzUHlZ5KBwGXEopE82nUWtrIRGkyw_BVH_lo_FE7HrxDpsgM-lZioExxM4tMKaPY4Z4fa0aBSi2-VLDPxZW4Gak6FX5asYfclF34-DP_qhyphenhyphenmSccO839pks/s320/siberia.jpg" width="242" /></a>The Siberia is fab, I'm really pleased, it was spicy peach on the nose, a tiny bit sour, pleasingly spicy and orangey on the palate and absolutely bone dry, it's lush! :)<br />
<br />
Here's the agenda for the pub crawl we're embarking on, which could be dangerous as this beer has rocked out at 5.9%, eek!<br />
5.30pm: The Bull, Highgate<br />
6.45pm Southampton Arms<br />
8.15pm Draft House Tower Bridge<br />
9.30-close The Rake<br />
<br />
P.S. In case you're wondering why it's called Siberia, it's because rhubarb originates from Siberia, something I only found out when researching it - every day is, indeed, a school day! :)<br />
<br />
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<br />Melissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-75305565678647876032012-03-28T07:24:00.001-07:002012-05-21T12:12:30.005-07:00Upcoming Beer Events<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dIIwf9Tcm2zANOzjemkX2qMSXJiOZLzIw0B1UcKBfLry5jrxWOj0keiQopUWXlzUUMuMqsej15I8wha63hlcK2liPchqrRLkc8CwNKK1363dvSbdGVevmnnH0nXJXDDqwVNqEslZeXUg/s1600/rhubarb.jpg-large" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dIIwf9Tcm2zANOzjemkX2qMSXJiOZLzIw0B1UcKBfLry5jrxWOj0keiQopUWXlzUUMuMqsej15I8wha63hlcK2liPchqrRLkc8CwNKK1363dvSbdGVevmnnH0nXJXDDqwVNqEslZeXUg/s320/rhubarb.jpg-large" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Pan-toasted & ground grains of paradise </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">added to rhubarb & vanilla!!</span>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Hi everybody! How's tricks? Enjoying the sunshine? Well then
that means it's time for a beer then doesn't it?<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Tonight (March 28) my lovely fellow beer writer Pete Brown
(@petebrownbeer) will be launching his Ilkley Brewery (@ilkleybrewery)
collaboration Medina, which is a Moroccan inspired saison with some yummy
spices in it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Then on Monday April 2, I shall be hosting a <a href="http://www.oldbrewerygreenwich.com/misc/misc.asp?ItemID=76" target="_blank">Spring beer and foodextravaganza </a>at Meantime Old Brewery with head brewer Rod Jones, which I'm
really looking forward to - details <a href="http://www.oldbrewerygreenwich.com/uploads/Spring%20F%20%20B%20Menu.pdf" target="_blank">here</a> of full menu.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;">UPDATE: There are only a few tickets left to my Meantime Brewery event next week, get 'em whilst they are hot! :)</span></div>
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Then, on Tuesday April 3, if you have nothing better to do
you can come and laugh and point at me through the windows of the Tap East
brewery, as new head brewer Jim Wilson as we knock together a pale ale, launch
date of which is currently TBC.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, on Wednesday April 4, I shall be launching my
collab beer with Ilkley Brewery, which is also a saison called Siberia, which
has been made with Yorkshire forced rhubarb, vanilla, grains of paradise and
orange peel - yep, another mental one from me! I am getting to try it for the
first time tonight, so I'll give you an update after that, but the boys from
the north assure me it's tasting mighty fine! <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;">UPDATE: The Siberia is fab, I'm really pleased, it was spicy peach on the nose, a tiny bit sour, pleasingly spicy and orangey on the palate and absolutely bone dry, it's lush! :)</span></div>
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Here's the agenda for the pub crawl we're embarking on,
which could be dangerous as this beer has rocked out at 5.9%, eek!<o:p></o:p></div>
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5.30pm: The Bull, Highgate<o:p></o:p></div>
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6.45pm Southampton Arms<o:p></o:p></div>
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8.15pm Draft House Tower Bridge<o:p></o:p></div>
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9.30-close The Rake <o:p></o:p></div>
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P.S. In case you're wondering why it's called Siberia, it's
because rhubarb originates from Siberia, something I only found out when
researching it - every day is, indeed, a school day! :)<o:p></o:p></div>Melissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-53234827266416373282012-03-10T06:08:00.001-08:002012-05-21T10:07:03.540-07:00Pie - that is all!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HGjFtsAjl2JmC5fJcvQ2U_glvxUQACURRBnqCfcUUjh5n3ScPfHv_fwz9bWUXgABleXQputc2xv-dY7BUNxqsuT0uQ57IyM5Q-eWZCtocRZKl3lrYiDY7votLpJmCf_Q_gEcnkPQ8Crh/s1600/IMG_2050.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HGjFtsAjl2JmC5fJcvQ2U_glvxUQACURRBnqCfcUUjh5n3ScPfHv_fwz9bWUXgABleXQputc2xv-dY7BUNxqsuT0uQ57IyM5Q-eWZCtocRZKl3lrYiDY7votLpJmCf_Q_gEcnkPQ8Crh/s320/IMG_2050.JPG" /></a><br />
I don't know about you, but anything with the word pie in the title is enough to catch my attention, so I thought I'd save my terrible punning headlines for another day!<br />
<br />
In case you didn't know, it's National Pie Week...<span style="font-size: large;">WHOOP!</span><br />
<br />
And as I recently created a pie I was pretty proud of (and that my mate @cityjohn went back for seconds of) I thought I'd pop it on the blog!<br />
<br />
It's my take on a chicken and ham pie and my reason for making it was that I always find chicken and ham pie disappointing - it's generally claggy and bland and just, well, meh! So I wanted to make an updated version that had a little more to it - I think I've succeeded.<br />
<br />
I will hold my hands up that, on the occasion I made it, I used shop-bought shortcrust pastry for the base, but I was pushed for time and would normally make it myself, so I've included the recipe but you really don't have to use it but do follow blind baking instructions.<br />
<br />
Another cheat I used was some frozen leftover chicken gravy from a roast that I let down with a little bit of brown chicken stock, but if you buy a good-quality chicken gravy (Duchy's from Waitrose is not too shabby) or reduce some good chicken stock with a few unpeeled cloves of garlic, a bit of arrowroot/corn flour, a bay leaf and a few peppercorns (strain before using!) then you'll get pretty similar results I'm sure.<br />
<br />
As for puff pastry? Life's too damn short! Now you can get all-butter puff in the shops it's just not worth your while making it in my opinion - but if you're masochist enough then please feel free to go the whole hog!<br />
<br />
And whilst I'm here, I'm immensely excited that Carl Smith of <a href="http://www.windmillmayfair.co.uk/">the Windmill in Mayfair</a>, one of my oldest contacts in the trade, is giving away the secrets of his award-winning pies on YouTube - most especially my absolute favourite the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxD5mZctmVA">English Breakfast Pie</a>, it's awesome and I'm going to be making my own version of it next weekend with a few little beery (and possibly black pudding) tweaks for a bit of fun!<br />
<br />
So, without further ado, here it is...<br />
<b style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></b><br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Summer Lightning Chicken, Leek, Ham & Cornish Brie Pie</b></span><br />
<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZuH31In3qlxqTu6SO36dxWgpxnXYOQx7M_HTR20XVfLLTABfJ_419IbvBYicV_-bWaCEeu0M3uGAh1fSOkO5j-PKKK3rQpJgf7xlZjPgWv3AQIDeg39J8iJ07lSHHByGIyqhobC9U7dv/s1600/IMG_2051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZuH31In3qlxqTu6SO36dxWgpxnXYOQx7M_HTR20XVfLLTABfJ_419IbvBYicV_-bWaCEeu0M3uGAh1fSOkO5j-PKKK3rQpJgf7xlZjPgWv3AQIDeg39J8iJ07lSHHByGIyqhobC9U7dv/s320/IMG_2051.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
Serves 4 very hungry people, you don't need much more to accompany it than some samphire/greens/peas & carrots (the potatoes were a little much when I had mine!)<br />
<br />
<b>Equipment</b><br />
Sharp, decent sized knife<br />
Chopping board<br />
Mixing bowl<br />
Rolling pin<br />
Tongs<br />
Cooking spoon<br />
Rubber spatula<br />
Pastry brush<br />
Large heavy-based saucepan<br />
Large dish (I used an oval one that is 24cm long x 16cm wide x 5cm deep, but a false bottom/spring form would have been better to see the pie in all its glory!)<br />
<br />
<b>Sundry Ingredients</b><br />
375g All-butter puff pastry<br />
Egg<br />
<br />
<b>Make your shortcrust pastry:</b><br />
500g/1lb plain flour (plus some extra for rolling)<br />
125g/4oz unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing dish)<br />
125g/4oz lard<br />
pinch salt<br />
1 tsp cider vinegar<br />
1 egg, beaten<br />
Cold water<br />
<br />
1. Sift flour & salt into a large mixing bowl <br />
2. Rub the butter & lard into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs<br />
3. Add vinegar & enough cold water to bring mixture together into a smooth dough<br />
4. Wrap in cling film, chill in the fridge for 30 minutes<br />
<br />
<b>Filling</b><br />
500g skinless, boneless chicken thighs (free range)<br />
100g Jamon Iberico lardons (Waitrose) or smoked bacon lardons<br />
White onion, very finely chopped<br />
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or smushed<br />
Two good size leeks (trimmed, washed, cut into 3cm disks)<br />
200ml chicken gravy<br />
1 bottle of Summer Lightning (and more to drink with it!)<br />
1tbsp dried Tarragon<br />
100g Cornish brie (I used Llawnroc)<br />
Seasoning<br />
Groundnut oil<br />
<br />
1. Get a pan on a medium high heat<br />
2. Chop your chicken thighs into bite-size chunks<br />
3. Put oil in pan and add chicken<br />
4. When it’s golden brown on one side, turn over and then throw in onion & lardons<br />
5. When chicken is golden brown all over, onions should be softened and almost disappearing, lardons should be golden & crispy too<br />
6. Throw in your chicken gravy to deglaze pan then turn heat right down <br />
7. Add garlic and leeks, cook for a minute<br />
8. Add half your bottle of beer (other half is for the cook!), reduce at a gentle pace, it will take about 20-30 mins to reduce to a thickish sauce<br />
9. Put in fridge to cool<br />
<br />
<b>Assemble Your Pie</b><br />
1. Roll out shortcrust pastry and put in a suitable, lightly buttered, dish and leave some hanging over sides<br />
2. Fill with baking parchment (quick tip, scrunch up your baking parchment before trying to fit it in, makes it easier – as well as a satisfying noise!!), and fill with baking beans, or rice and blind bake for 15 minutes in 180 oven or until it’s just beginning to colour<br />
3. Once it’s set, remove baking beans and parchment, allow to cool for 10-15 minutes then trim the excess off the sides<br />
4. Put half your cooled filling in the pie, stud with torn off chunks of half your brie, repeat process with the rest of your filling & brie<br />
5. Roll out your puff pastry and put it over the top, crimping it to the shortcrust pastry base as you go, poke a hole in the middle to let the steam out & egg wash (tip: put remaining egg wash in a small plastic tub in freezer, very handy!)<br />
6. Bake in a 200 degree fan oven for about 25 mins or until the top is golden and the insides bubbling!<br />
<br />
<b>To Drink</b><br />
The Summer Lightning goes gloriously with this, of course, and really any spritzy, citrusy blonde ale will go well. I also thought that the Saison Dupont I had was also a good accompaniment too, take your pick!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<div>
</div>
</div>
</div>Melissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-13015542187991103452012-02-16T06:56:00.001-08:002012-05-21T10:07:16.101-07:00Ice, Ice Baby!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Hello troops! How you all doing? Hungry?</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Well, for those of you who follow me on Twitter I have recently been
tormenting you with pictures of a rather jolly ice cream I made, so I thought I
ought to post the recipe here so you can give it a whirl.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The recipe was born of one of my new
year's resolutions to cut down on food waste in my house, as I will hold my
hands up that I can be pretty shocking with wasting food - particularly fresh
fruit and veg. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I've always been happy to blame my
bonkers schedule, the unpredictability of self-employment or the fact that it's
too cold and I want to dodge a salad - but I had to be honest with myself and
say that, invariably, it was just because I'd not thought hard enough about the
appalling ease with which I just chucked stuff in the bin (I also like very
much what these guys are doing, @foodcycle, very worthwhile</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">).</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And there is something else good that
comes from this as well, thinking about what you've got kicking around forces
you to be creative, which is where this recipe came from.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now, I'm not going to pretend that this
is anything other than an utterly indulgent recipe made from some quasi-posh
ingredients - I'm pretty sure that having leftover Amaretti biscuits & 85%
cocoa solids chocolate falls firmly under the Twitter hashtag
#firstworldproblems - but my point is if I hadn't been thinking about limiting
waste, I might not have come up with this recipe and just chucked the biccies
in the bin when they got stale.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As a slight side point, one the things
I've been doing for a number of years now is to freeze any (very occasional)
bits of leftover beer. Generally I have a couple of tubs on the go that fall
broadly under the churches of stout/porter/mild and bitter/barley wine/ESB -
this keeps them around for chucking in stews and gravies and such like for a
bit of added richness - it's very handy.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Anyway, back to the ice cream, I've
chucked in a few variation suggestions at the end, as a result of some people
on Twitter expressing a dislike for nuts/amaretti etc. but I haven't tried
them, so if you give them a whirl please feed back how they worked out!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have got an ice cream maker but you
don't need one according to </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2007/07/making-ice-crea-1/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">David Lebovitz</span></a></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, a food writer I have a lot of time for,
however I can't recommend my </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cuisinart-ICE30-ice-cream-maker/dp/B001D650FA/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1329391471&sr=1-2" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Cuisinart</span></a></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> one
highly enough, the bowl freezes in six hours and makes the ice cream in about
25 mins, which is extremely exciting (WARNING: it is bloody noisy though!).</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Imperiously Nuts Ice Cream</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Just some quick parish notes, it might look like the Jersey milk &
extra thick cream are difficult ingredients to get but I bought them in
Sainsbury's, so they shouldn't be too tough for you to source, alternatively
use whole milk & double cream.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This recipe is a bit like brewing, it's all hurry up and wait! You will
need five hours or so overall to make it from start to finish, but most of the
time is taken up by cooling, so don't panic...</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Equipment</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">:</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ice cream machine</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Flexible spatula</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Mixing bowl</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Heatproof bowl</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">3 x saucepans</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Whisk (electric or balloon)</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ladle </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Sharp knife</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Chopping board</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Electronic scales</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Tubs for ice cream (makes just over a litre)</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ingredients for Ice Cream:</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">280g extra thick cream</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">300g Jersey milk </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">85g golden sugar</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4 large eggs</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">5 Amaretti biscuits, frozen for 15 minutes then chopped
roughly</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">50g <a href="http://www.drinkswell.co.uk/product/1772/Pisa_Nut_Liqueur.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Pisa</span></a> or Disarrano
liqueur</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">15g <a href="http://www.lakeland.co.uk/5650/Vanilla-Extract?src=gpkit&gclid=CODe6PW2oq4CFUcTfAodmB80RQ" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">vanilla extract</span></a> (not
flavouring, they are vastly different)</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">1 vanilla pod</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ingredients for Choc & Imperial Stout Swirl/Topping:</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">330g Imperial Stout (I used Dark Star)</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">100g 85% cocoa solids chocolate</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">1/2 gelatine leaf</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Method:</span></i></div>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Mix together milk and cream in a saucepan, split your vanilla pod down the middle and scrape out seeds and chuck it all (pod included) in pan with the milk-mix, add vanilla extract in and very gently warm</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, cream together your eggs and sugar, it's mixed properly when it goes very pale</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">When bubbles start to form around the edge of the milk & cream, take a ladle full and add it to the eggs whisking vigorously to prevent curdling, don't stop whisking until it's all incorporated</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Tip your egg mixture back into the saucepan, stir until it's all incorporated and then add your liqueur</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Keep heating slowly until it starts to thicken, a little patience may be required for this but I reckon once it's thick enough that you can leave a trail through the back of the spoon/spatula with your finger you're done!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Put in the fridge for three hours to cool</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Once it's cooled, fish out the vanilla pod and sprinkle in the chopped up Amaretti biscuits, then pop in your ice cream maker (or use above method for making without machine)</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Once this is churning, put your stout into a pan and slowly reduce by half, this takes about 20 mins on a very low heat, be patient or it'll go bitter</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">When the stout is nearly reduced, put your heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and break up the chocolate, allow to melt</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Soak your half leaf of gelatine in some cold water</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">By this time your ice cream should be ready, put into tub/tubs and then take pop in freezer for 10 minutes </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">When chocolate is melted whisk it into the stout and, when it's fully amalgamated, whisk in your gelatine</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Put in the fridge to cool slightly so it thickens but doesn't set, about 10 minutes</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Take ice cream out of freezer and make some channels in the ice cream, pour your chocolate stout mixture into channels and then pop back in freezer for 10 minutes or until ready to serve!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">There may be some choc mix left over, if you're feeling very poncey you can serve it as a small quenelle on the side! (ok, mine isn't the best quenelle in the world but my mate @cityjohn was sitting on the sofa salivating at the time and I needed to get it to him before he started shouting!)</span></li>
</ol>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbn3BnliiM7ahh8dV-o4nJG95-guEvkr_kOfbTgIc-rFccsA-WW2g6HTM0Oge0geomJOUGABHW-IWOa02BU2sa26INGjz1hQAyRU66sAjdfCMV7IVLMJhuuQYuLwD91LY1Qtlg3IdEt7Rm/s1600/IMG_2017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbn3BnliiM7ahh8dV-o4nJG95-guEvkr_kOfbTgIc-rFccsA-WW2g6HTM0Oge0geomJOUGABHW-IWOa02BU2sa26INGjz1hQAyRU66sAjdfCMV7IVLMJhuuQYuLwD91LY1Qtlg3IdEt7Rm/s200/IMG_2017.JPG" width="149" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxLQffhzI1Gh3tfhi0QLLTMKSYiXiHzkVEXoFn699U5uqLEES28DD9-ZC4kkninZeJzcwfE2FZ5cY3gN8gxBqxt1NgPrkXEwMvwDC6lvVlQ6Om9BfeiZeQvnI6vqVMLBPDFGsNDPxxNlU/s1600/IMG_2019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxLQffhzI1Gh3tfhi0QLLTMKSYiXiHzkVEXoFn699U5uqLEES28DD9-ZC4kkninZeJzcwfE2FZ5cY3gN8gxBqxt1NgPrkXEwMvwDC6lvVlQ6Om9BfeiZeQvnI6vqVMLBPDFGsNDPxxNlU/s200/IMG_2019.JPG" width="149" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTkViTkCsjQio1peujOOFVQPvdhcGNXzUQe9Ah8jICsE3LpxW7XDp8_svbVWYUTqaeq4HBVyKj_xFVsBwtGBswsGyO1DUZjPYpcUHnYYfnIYHeJcdUN0OFN512_TTlXtURK63dkaKTKZ6/s1600/IMG_2025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTkViTkCsjQio1peujOOFVQPvdhcGNXzUQe9Ah8jICsE3LpxW7XDp8_svbVWYUTqaeq4HBVyKj_xFVsBwtGBswsGyO1DUZjPYpcUHnYYfnIYHeJcdUN0OFN512_TTlXtURK63dkaKTKZ6/s200/IMG_2025.JPG" width="149" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcgjLJLkroxUN2ZkDUdUsSIWgA5kR45-DJ_2Z5HUsFb8_iw_i14yAtNplL0QJ7JgPj3D6SGSnbX1R8ztsSbK1Qq2A3XaWWrIN9rOMW6kps93B22FtmLfLP70n19l4830DTCzxipVmrD1F/s1600/IMG_2027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcgjLJLkroxUN2ZkDUdUsSIWgA5kR45-DJ_2Z5HUsFb8_iw_i14yAtNplL0QJ7JgPj3D6SGSnbX1R8ztsSbK1Qq2A3XaWWrIN9rOMW6kps93B22FtmLfLP70n19l4830DTCzxipVmrD1F/s200/IMG_2027.JPG" width="149" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggbQzeV_3N34wxy5LetBgpXWnEG8tiRzLQpbuxwXowvbrOYyz6KIJQgF7dTS_VNBmSLK5fJkqWQNRWGcHA-yVQEbZ8iy2luuOXlBQHeZIdur-OSOamlXypl8hdQETTCzcWjrf98UReIEIx/s1600/IMG_2052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggbQzeV_3N34wxy5LetBgpXWnEG8tiRzLQpbuxwXowvbrOYyz6KIJQgF7dTS_VNBmSLK5fJkqWQNRWGcHA-yVQEbZ8iy2luuOXlBQHeZIdur-OSOamlXypl8hdQETTCzcWjrf98UReIEIx/s200/IMG_2052.JPG" width="149" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcgjLJLkroxUN2ZkDUdUsSIWgA5kR45-DJ_2Z5HUsFb8_iw_i14yAtNplL0QJ7JgPj3D6SGSnbX1R8ztsSbK1Qq2A3XaWWrIN9rOMW6kps93B22FtmLfLP70n19l4830DTCzxipVmrD1F/s1600/IMG_2027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Suggested
alternatives:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If you
have a nut allergy, or just don't like them, then I reckon you could substitute
the nut liqueur for some orange liqueur and use Jaffa Cakes instead of Amaretti
or possibly some creme de mur and blackberries or, mega retro, some creme de
menthe (maybe using a little less so you don't end up with mouthwash ice cream)
and mint matchmakers!!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Beer
Match:</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I was
lucky enough to have some Southern Tier Crème B<span style="background-color: white;">rûlée<span style="color: #222222;"> </span></span>stout
in the house which was utterly decadent and wonderful with this. However, I
reckon the Dark Star Imperial, Fuller's Past Master's Double Stout or even
Bristol Beer Factory's Milk Stout would go equally well. If you were feeling a
little more adventurous then perhaps something barrel-aged would work like
Goose Island Bourbon County or even Ola Dubh - effectively surrender to the
dark side and see where it takes you!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>Melissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-55726031488943400142012-01-30T03:10:00.000-08:002012-01-30T05:09:46.156-08:00UK Brewing Industry Unfriendly? Really?!Over the weekend I caught up with some reading I've been meaning to do since I ordered, what can only be described as, a plethora of beer books.<br />
<br />
I finally got around to flicking through Jeff Evans' <a href="http://www.insidebeer.com/articles/20080331"><i>Book of Beer Knowledge</i></a>, which is a fun romp through a load of trivia which will assist me greatly in planning beer quizzes in future! And I also perused excitedly through Stan Hieronymous's <a href="http://www.brewlikeamonk.com/"><i>Brew Like a Monk</i></a> and Jeff Sparrow's <a href="http://www.brewerspublications.com/authors/jeff-sparrow/"><i>Wild Brews</i></a> - both of which definitely got my brewing blood racing!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnYpUOq8h4n1ROdjkmExyLQWEHTt9TWP9cGfUenlefJa-EggdngxkUmcjeG398uoSVCMcvsRutWP90WKKOt7H5jbjzBo3RHbL7mXvQpswU5sIxND0IaDG6zgD0faIDrWb3_tsbvu1qkrz/s1600/brewdog+unfriendly+EDIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnYpUOq8h4n1ROdjkmExyLQWEHTt9TWP9cGfUenlefJa-EggdngxkUmcjeG398uoSVCMcvsRutWP90WKKOt7H5jbjzBo3RHbL7mXvQpswU5sIxND0IaDG6zgD0faIDrWb3_tsbvu1qkrz/s640/brewdog+unfriendly+EDIT.jpg" width="542" /></a></div>
However, unfortunately, there was also something that made my blood pressure shoot up so high I'm surprised it didn't come spurting out of my ears - and that was Greg Koch and Matt Allyn's <i><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brewers-Apprentice-Insiders-Brewing-Masters/dp/1592537316">The Brewer's Apprentice</a></i>.<br />
<br />
Now, I should clarify here, it's actually not the book itself that's the problem, I like it, I like its content, I like its concept - in fact to get that many world class brewers in one book from Schneider to Lost Abbey, Dogfish Head to Cantillon and Russian River to Fuller's is a truly wondrous thing.<br />
<br />
But when I got to the BrewDog page I was so incensed by their comments I actually chucked the book down in disgust.<br />
<br />
I don't think I need to go into why BrewDog do what they do, I think we're all familiar with their shock tactic methods by now, but it's one thing to thumb your nose at authority and it's another to tell outright lies.<br />
<br />
The comment, photographed right, is simply outrageous, the UK brewing industry closed? Yeah, ok lads...<br />
<br />
If the UK brewing industry is so damn unfriendly why is it that Stuart Howe of Sharp's is going up to Sheffield this week to <a href="http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/brewery_raises_a_glass_to_city_real_ale_pioneer_dave_1_4185912#.TyUo5HubG8o.twitter">present a cheque for over £6,000 to a hospice</a> after the whole brewery staff gave up their weekend for free to help bottle and package a special charity beer called DW, brewed after Howe heard that fellow brewer and leged Dave Wickett was diagnosed with bone cancer?<br />
<br />
If it's so miserable and unsharing, how is it figures like John Keeling of Fuller's or Mark Tranter at Dark Star, amongst many others, are trotting around the country doing brews at small craft places like Marble or Magic Rock? And using their, much larger, PR machines to publicise it? Not to mention the amount of beer writers and bloggers to who are now welcomed through brewery doors to do collaboration brews.<br />
<br />
I also know for a fact that brewers all over the country regularly borrow raw ingredients off each other, seek advice on things that have gone wrong or just ring each other up for a natter about their next beer; I could go on but it would seem pointless in a way because I'm pretty sure it will fall on deaf doggy ears.<br />
<br />
What I will say is this though: this is utter, utter rubbish and I would implore you not to listen to it.<br />
<br />
The UK brewing industry is not only booming and forward-thinking, it is also fabulously friendly and I feel, quite strongly, that BrewDog owes the industry as a whole a bloody enormous apology.Melissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.com69tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-91257122631246196472012-01-17T03:06:00.000-08:002012-01-17T09:36:10.325-08:00No Female Beer for NZ Competition<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Wow! It's bad enough that rubbish like '<a href="http://girlsguidetobeer.blogspot.com/2011/07/back-to-snug-age.html">beers for the ladeez</a>' are foisted on women in the UK, but at least there isn't the archaic attitude recently demonstrated at a show in New Zealand where a woman wasn't allowed to enter a home brew competition because, well, she's a woman!</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The awesomely-named Rachel Beer was told that she could enter her beer but it wouldn't actually be judged because, wait for it, it was a blokes-only competition.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Initially I thought it was just one dinosaur who had put everyone else in a bad light... but then, oh then, I saw this bright idea from the show president Mike Smith in <a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10778407">this article</a> from the New Zealand Herald.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>He suggested Ms Beer put a proposal to his committee for a women's or mixed sex section next year.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">WTF? Are you kidding me? Is that supposed to make it all better? </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I actually find that more offensive than the outright sexism of the original exclusion because this fossil can't seem to recognise that it doesn't matter, as Ms Beer so bluntly and brilliantly put it, whether someone has balls or not - the entry should be judged on the quality of the brew!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">I am also cross at how badly this reflects on the NZ beer scene, because I've tried quite a few of the craft brews coming from that neck of the woods and they are excellent and I also know some of the brewers, most notably the boys at Epic, and couldn't find their attitude to be more diametrically opposed.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>Melissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-78702451442850002422011-12-11T07:00:00.001-08:002011-12-21T23:35:14.833-08:00Take Time to Smell the Beer<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14sG3Jcv2eLJg_yUdnyHfD7qF-99MAkQ4stGd1iyMzb4-omeTiWdqW86lPIShiFLyiQxpilIxkBdC2WuFM6fdJKlCeIcKWmUZEFYnOK1EpcdVBof7AqFWC8VBon6ODFqpGY7wCsFvwyk-/s1600/Granddad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14sG3Jcv2eLJg_yUdnyHfD7qF-99MAkQ4stGd1iyMzb4-omeTiWdqW86lPIShiFLyiQxpilIxkBdC2WuFM6fdJKlCeIcKWmUZEFYnOK1EpcdVBof7AqFWC8VBon6ODFqpGY7wCsFvwyk-/s400/Granddad.jpg" width="283" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I spend a lot of time during tutored tastings encouraging people to smell
their beer before drinking it, in order to get the maximum enjoyment, but today I had a powerful reminder that this isn't just about immediate gratification, but could one day give you a beautiful gift in the form of a very happy memory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Smell is the most powerful of the senses when it comes to recalling
memories and I certainly experienced that this morning, when the mere act of
opening a wooden box led to the unearthing of a memory that was so
happy, it bought tears to my eyes and a huge smile to my lips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was a memory of my Granddad, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Alf Cole, who was a man I loved dearly. In fact, I'd go as far to say idolised. He died when I was 12 and, to this day, I find it heartbreaking he didn't live to see me grow up; I hope he would have been proud of me but, if nothing else, he would have at least enjoyed some free beer, that's for sure!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">So when this box wafted its muted sandalwood scent at me, a tidal
wave of powerful memories was unleashed and I was transported back at least 30 years to a
bright summer's day in the Barley Mow pub garden on Englefield Green in Surrey and
my Granddad holding his pint glass to my lips for me to take an illicit sip, which I’m pretty sure is my
earliest beer-related memory - but it’s also so much more than that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">With that aroma came a host of
other remembered scents - over the pungent nuttiness of the beer, I could smell the smoke on his fingers, the
Brylcream in his hair and, throughout, the woody note from the Old Spice shaving cream that
he used, whisking it to a lather in its branded china pot with a badger hair brush.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">I then remembered how I would find him in the morning, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">c</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">arefully shaving in a mirror in the kitchen because it had the best light, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">wearing just his vest and trousers, with his braces flapping around the backs of his legs; </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">how he'd pretend I wasn't there as he carefully finished, then wiping any excess foam away before giving me a good morning kiss and making me my
breakfast, which was always a bowl of cornflakes followed by blackcurrant jam
on toast.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I am so pleased to have these precious memories gifted back to me for
the rest of my life by the simple act of opening a wooden box that I just want to encourage you all to do something that will
hopefully make you as happy one day as this did me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Stop and take the time, when you're out enjoying
yourself with friends or loved ones, to just inhale the aroma of your beer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Just take that few seconds to commit that smell to memory and, perhaps, one day you will be drinking that same beer and you will be back transported back to
that exact moment in time of joy and companionship - and I hope it brings a smile
to your lips as you take a salutary sip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>Melissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-56021795331219249712011-11-01T02:06:00.000-07:002011-11-01T02:11:45.614-07:00Party Time!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiB6HJ7uATAwy5fyiE6ut899MVJ0e5HWgblHv3HSAsS8MF7n9wvoVcNzHHT5csnQ0o8ygHS4f2zDYj3dC0koF0IcUTZamXjTRLYpLUsWVFuRl73nMe3d1XKWd03IvIns2khLOJfda2Gfav/s1600/9781862059146+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiB6HJ7uATAwy5fyiE6ut899MVJ0e5HWgblHv3HSAsS8MF7n9wvoVcNzHHT5csnQ0o8ygHS4f2zDYj3dC0koF0IcUTZamXjTRLYpLUsWVFuRl73nMe3d1XKWd03IvIns2khLOJfda2Gfav/s320/9781862059146+copy.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
Hey folks, as tonight is the official launch party for my book I just wanted to take this opportunity to say a big thank you for all the great feedback so far.<br />
<br />
I've been utterly overwhelmed by the positive reaction I've had to <i><a href="http://store.anovabooks.com/index.php/9781862059146-let-me-tell-you-about-beer.html">Let Me Tell You About Beer</a></i> and never, in my wildest dreams, did I think it would be so enjoyed by so many of you.<br />
<br />
There are myriad people I couldn't have done this without - many of whom are thanked in the back of the book and many of whom I just couldn't fit in - but what always strikes me the most is how amazingly warm and friendly the brewing industry is.<br />
<br />
I've always been given a great reception from beery people the world over, whether it's enquiring about their beers, offering feedback, writing about them or, even, going and brewing them.<br />
<br />
And, whilst some may have recently been quoted saying the UK brewing industry isn't friendly, I would just like to state for the record that I have never, ever found that to be the case... perhaps those people should look at themselves, and their own conduct, before pointing the finger at others.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I'll rant about that another time, because what I really wanted to use this post for was this...<br />
<br />
To everyone, both personally and professionally, who has shown me love, respect and support over the last 13 years (since I joined the Licensee & Morning Advertiser as a cub reporter), I thank you from the bottom of my heart for enabling me to have the greatest job in the world.<br />
<br />
Also, to all you lovely people who read my work, comment on it, show support or give me honest criticism, you are the heartbeat of what I do - if you didn't care there'd be no point.<br />
<br />
Cheers all!<br />
<br />
Melissa x<br />
<br />
p.s. if you're at the launch party tonight and I have a little weepy moment, please don't take pictures, just laugh and hand me a beer, I'll get it together eventually! : )Melissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-16381665284105378612011-10-24T07:51:00.000-07:002012-05-21T10:07:35.237-07:00Hummust Try This!Sorry, I just can't help myself sometimes, cheesy headlines make me happy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgf6kpA7P65TrlL1kWaUDCXQR0wuVH7l8049kgD9CptRLubuB_EaXEArbqCFauxA_AwDGrh5L2Nn7j8XcpX0ETHBGjdaSlRXXFW43i8eOm5bwvGuyibrVVDIOX7BXaMIFMJ0NHtxXR29cf/s1600/DSCN0466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgf6kpA7P65TrlL1kWaUDCXQR0wuVH7l8049kgD9CptRLubuB_EaXEArbqCFauxA_AwDGrh5L2Nn7j8XcpX0ETHBGjdaSlRXXFW43i8eOm5bwvGuyibrVVDIOX7BXaMIFMJ0NHtxXR29cf/s320/DSCN0466.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Anyway, I popped a picture of this home-made hummus on Twitter last night and there was a very positive response, so I thought I'd pop it on the blog for you.<br />
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Here we go!<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Harissa-Spiked Hummus</span></b><br />
<b><i>Equipment needed:</i></b><br />
Small frying pan<br />
Pestle & mortar<br />
Food processor<br />
Flexible spatula<br />
Measuring spoons<br />
Micro whisk/fork<br />
Chopstick<br />
Serving bowl<br />
Large plate<br />
<br />
<b><i>Ingredients:</i></b><br />
One can of chickpeas<br />
Good, grassy olive oil<br />
Tahini (sesame paste)<br />
2 tbsp Cider vinegar (or you could use pomegranate molasses and dispense with sugar/nectar below)<br />
2tbsp cumin seeds, freshly toasted & ground<br />
Juice of a lime<br />
Garlic (preferably roasted but not necessary)<br />
1tsp Sugar/agave nectar<br />
Salt & & freshly-ground pepper<br />
<br />
<b><i>For topping:</i></b><br />
A few reserved chickpeas<br />
Harissa paste let down with some olive oil<br />
Toasted sesame seeds<br />
Bit of green herb or some micro herbs or something pretty!<br />
<br />
<b><i>To serve:</i></b><br />
A large, thin flatbread<br />
Crudités<br />
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<b><i>Method:</i></b><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Drain and rinse your chickpeas</li>
<li>Pop in food processor with the garlic clove and a splash of water</li>
<li>Start blitzing for 30 seconds or so</li>
<li>Then add cumin, lime juice, sugar/nectar and tahini - blitz a bit more</li>
<li>Start adding olive oil very slowly so it emulsifies & becomes smooth</li>
<li>Taste for seasoning & acidity, add vinegar and salt as needed, it generally takes quite a bit of salt</li>
<li>Once you've blitzed in your balancing flavours, use your flexible spatula to scrape hummus out into serving bowl and smooth the top</li>
<li>Using your chopstick, drag a quite deep swirl pattern in the top of the the hummus</li>
<li>Whisk together your harissa with a splash of olive oil and carefully pour into the swirl pattern</li>
<li>Place chickpeas on top, garnish with whatever you're using and then sprinkle from a height with the sesame seeds</li>
<li>Crumple your flat bread and place on a plate then pop hummus in the middle of it and serve crudités on the side or sprinkled on the bread</li>
</ol>
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<b>Suggested beer match:</b></div>
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I actually was drinking a lovely NZ Villa Maria Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2010 to toast the Kiwi team's world cup win. With its huge gooseberry and elderflower notes it really reminded me of Oakham Citra, so that's my recommendation! Cheers and enjoy.Melissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7870641958407671573.post-90347123270639681572011-10-19T02:20:00.000-07:002011-10-19T02:20:51.164-07:00Something a Bit Silly!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><i>I don't care if this is true or not, it's an entertaining thought! </i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">If you had purchased £1,000 of shares in Delta Airlines one year ago, you would have £49.00 today. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ2K_WATg2_2MyWFPmkvdAXFUxspNiyHopK2LOAEIo8ETzjJsW0_oo-Qtgl8LN7lTZL7EzseMNgmPVcVXNgXCz0-0Yj0uV7cTiagqzQ_xXMVnT5fkhGUZCud06VuPxtR129UApD6-iQv-Y/s1600/union+jack+pound.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ2K_WATg2_2MyWFPmkvdAXFUxspNiyHopK2LOAEIo8ETzjJsW0_oo-Qtgl8LN7lTZL7EzseMNgmPVcVXNgXCz0-0Yj0uV7cTiagqzQ_xXMVnT5fkhGUZCud06VuPxtR129UApD6-iQv-Y/s1600/union+jack+pound.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<div class="yiv1268998662ecxmsonormal" style="display: block; font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br />If you had purchased £1,000 of shares in AIG one year ago, you would have £33.00 today.<br /><br />If you had purchased £1,000 of shares in Lehman Brothers one year ago, you would have £0.00 today.<br /><br />But, if you had purchased £1,000 worth of beer one year ago, drank all the beer, then turned in the aluminium cans for recycling refund, you would have received a £214.00.<br /><br />Based on the above, the best current investment plan is to drink heavily & recycle.<br /><br />A recent study found that the average Briton walks about 900 miles a year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Another study found that Britons drink, on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a year. That means that, on average, Britons get about 41 miles to the gallon!<br /><br />Makes you proud to be British, doesn't it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">(thanks to Howard Winn for emailing this to me)</span></div>
</span>Melissa Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13701889299756506857noreply@blogger.com8