The Young and Hungry

In a recent report produced by the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, in partnership with CGA, findings show that young people aged 19-24 are binge drinking less and are in fact, favouring to spend their money on eating out.

With this generation rapidly becoming a foodie generation thanks to the influence of celebrity chefs and reality cooking programs, young consumers are eating out on average 5 to 6 times per month. And they aren’t just eating at the usual chains. Now conscious of things such as provenance, and calibre of ingredients, younger diners are choosing quality and are making the effort to support new local businesses.

Provenance is a buzz word that gets thrown about in many food and drink related articles these days, but what does it actually mean? Provenance, if you will, is the story of the food or drink you’re having; where did it come from? Who produced it? How far did it travel before it ended up on your plate or in your glass?

Why does this matter? Provenance not only impacts on freshness, which in turn impacts on nutrition  – who wants asparagus that has travelled 6000 miles from Peru and has sat in cold storage for weeks – but actively pursuing a product’s provenance gives consumers the power to support local farms and food producers. It also makes one conscious of seasonality, something we all should pay attention to more.

We are so used to having everything available all year that true seasonality is something a lot of people don’t understand. With the influx of imported fruit and veg, consumers are spoilt for choice, but may indeed be choosing things that are spoiled.

With key figures in the food and drink world driving the importance of seasonality and buying local, this is influencing young consumers and their food choices, which is a terrific thing.

Just because the rise of eating out is on the up, and nights of binge drinking are in decline, this is great for the drinks industry, as it means people are enjoying food and drink together and are becoming more interested in matching their food and drink. Their knowledge of what they are drinking is growing and palates are becoming more adventurous and discerning.

This is reflected in the rise of younger people returning to classic cocktails such as the martini and the old fashioned; gin and whisky were seen as old people’s drinks for decades, however, the reinvigoration of these markets is thanks to the young ditching vodka and its blandness and wanting drinks with flavour. The boom of gin producers over the last six years is certainly evidence of the demand for younger consumers preferring products with a story, products made by people and not companies and products made from quality ingredients.

Likewise the younger crowd has played a role in craft beer boom; London has so many wonderful small breweries and their open days are jam-packed with the under 30s enjoying their IPAs and oatmeal stouts – a drink that was vehemently out of vogue until recent times.

Education is why these changes are occurring. With information so readily available these days through the internet, social media and mainstream television and print media, consumers before they consume the actual food and drink, have consumed the knowledge and information behind it, and it is this digestion of facts that will better equip everyone, consumer and producer alike, to create a vibrant and thriving food and drink scene.

Classics Making a Comeback

Phil Harding’s thoughts on the beer scene’s next move…

‘I am a great believer that everything in life goes in cycles, and the world of beer is no exception. Over the past thirty years we have seen the rise and rise of a new wave of brewers. A new generation of breweries started in the US in the 1980s as a ripple, and this has now turned into a global tsunami, shaking up the whole industry, effecting traditional family owned breweries as well as the multi-national giants. This new generation of breweries took old English beer styles and gave them a make-over with an all out assault on the senses – stunning aroma hops to the fore.

These hoppy versions of English pale ales and IPAs have taken the beer world by storm and have introduced a whole fresh generation of people to the wonders of beer. It’s not just pale ales that have received attention, but stouts and porters have also seen a resurgence, as millenials fall in love with exciting flavours. New British, Belgian, Danish, Italian, Australian – the list goes on – breweries have sprung up in their hundreds, serving these interpretations of old styles, usually with a lot more personality and flavour than their forbears. Beers packed with flavour, however, do not necessarily translate into balanced tipples, and overly hopped brews can cover up a multitude of defects as can beers which have over-pitched yeast. There are many examples of beers that are brewed by exuberant characters who have not grasped the art of balance.

Although these issues may give the brewing revolution a slightly negative tone, the overall message is one of positivity, and here at BBB we are convinced that after working through some of the new generation brews, people will continue their beer journey to the absolute classics of the beer world. The styles of beer honed and refined over the years by Belgian brewers, like Westmalle, are jewels of the beer world and should be seen as our versions of the wine world’s French classics. Balance, drinkability, ability to be drunk nearer ambient temperature and effortless pairing with food, are signs of a beer that has great pedigree.

As the price of hops sky rockets due to demand out stripping supply, I am sure that we will see a lot of brewers being forced to brew beers that are less about hop-punch and more about balance and flavour. Classic beers like Belgian trappists have not seen the growth that some of their newer cousins have experienced in the past ten years, but I’m sure we will see an upsurge in demand for them in the coming decade.’

Island Records Session IPA

One of our most exciting collaborations has been the creation and release of Island Records Session IPA. We’ve loved working with Sound Waves and Two Tribes to deliver this remarkable beer.

Loaded with sunny hop aromas and vibrant tropical and citrus notes, this beer makes you think sun, sand and of course, music.

Inspired by the terrific talent Island Records is renowned for, this beer is”Best Served With Music” – so check out the Spotify code on the can and play the perfect soundtrack to enhance your drinking experience….

Awesome beer and music; if there’s a better combination, let us know…

Launched officially at Craft Beer Rising last week, we were overwhelmed by your response, and know this is going to be making noise in the drinks industry.

Get some now.

Sour Beers

Following on from the trend in the US, sour beers have become increasingly popular in the UK craft beer scene over the past couple of years. Breweries such as Wild Beer, Siren and Burning Ski have started producing some fantastic beers using yeast that imparts sour flavours. To the uneducated palate, these flavours might seem to taste off, but they are carefully crafted and aged to taste they way they do.

The Belgians have been producing sour beers for centuries in various forms and they have it down to a fine science.  With the craft beer revolution driving interest in niche styles of beers, Belgian Lambics and Flemish sour ales have had a renaissance recently. Despite this growth in interest within the US, UK and Belgium, sour beers are still seen to be brews for connoisseurs rather than mainstream drinkers.

Unlike our Belgian neighbours, we in the UK we are not used to the thought of sour beers. The flavour profile, however, is more akin to ciders or wines, which we certainly know how to drink, so therefore should go down well with people who don’t like big hoppy flavours.

Boutique Bar Brands is going to introduce some great Belgian sour beers to the UK soon with our launch of the Petrus range.  Petrus sour beers have a long history. Not only are they impeccably brewed and aged, but they are very accessible and will hopefully drive people to more exploration of the sour beer category.

One of Boutique Bar Brands main aims is to educate people to imbibe more interesting drinks, and with Petrus in our portfolio we have a great opportunity to introduce people to a very exciting area of beer.  Can we make sour beers mainstream the way that IPAs have become?  We are going to give it a damn good try – imagine being able to pick up an Aged Pale or an Oud Bruin from your local supermarket!

We will be launching Petrus into the UK market soon – watch this space for more news.

Whyanuary?

Dryanuary: a booze-free month. Whyanuary? And at what cost to our industry?

More than two million drinkers in the UK signed up to go without booze this month, and it has certainly impacted upon the licensed trade.

Although backed by Public Health England, it has been described as a nightmare for the industry. With beer being the main staple drink of pubs, if it doesn’t get consumed, it can often go to waste, which is costly for the venues, not to mention a complete waste of product and time and effort.

Pubs are currently struggling anyway without the added stress of campaigns like this. In 1980, there were around 69,000 pubs and fewer than 50,000 remain today. Dryanuary is certainly a cryanuary for some industry members.

What should be promoted, is the responsible consumption of alcohol, not fear-mongering.

In opposition to dryanuary, this month has been tryanuary for some, whereby an exploration of new drinks and venues has ensued. This is what we like to see. People leaving their Carling comfort zones and delving into the big, beautiful world of beers.

Tryanuary is trying to raise support for independent breweries, beers, bars and bottle shops. Tryanuary is not about drinking more, it’s about drinking differently. Participants are encouraged to share their findings and knowledge, which is a thing we love to see; sharing is caring, people.

With the month almost done, we proclaim the next month shall be known as Febrewary, and we encourage everyone to participate in the imbibing of delicious craft beers. We will certainly have a super selection of these at our new micro pub, Out Of Office in Battersea.

We look forward to sharing a drink with you.

 

 

Indian Street Food and Beer Pairing

Last week, a couple of blokes who know a lot about beer hosted an event at The King & Co in Clapham Common, that paired Indian Street Food from Rotli Crew with a bunch of delicious craft beers. Those blokes were none other than our very own Charlie Pountney and Philip Harding – a pair of master beer sommeliers and top-notch funny guys to boot.

Rotli Crew were resident at The King & Co and provided a modern Indian menu full of traditional flavours and surprises alike; the perfect fare to pair with a lovely array of interesting beers.

Like all beer and food matching it is important to think critically about why each match works – and that’s where Charlie and Philip come in – to help educate the patrons about what makes certain beers work with certain foods. These events are always very interactive which is the best way to learn and have fun. Plus, it’s always good to keep our hosts on their toes and to really test their knowledge!

Here’s a summary of what went on and perhaps some inspiration for your own pairings at home.

Stod Fold Gold uses the renowned Challenger hops (a variety bred in 1961 at Wye College, for its aroma and disease resistance) and Maris Otter barley in its malt (renowned for its low nitrogen and superior malting abilities). With this combination of key ingredients at play, the result is a lovely, light beer with a mild sweetness, perfectly matched to the Pani Puri filled with sweet potato, kala chana, tamarind ketchup and green chutney. This dish isn’t overly hot with spice, so needs a gentle beer to match the subtlety of its ingredients.

The second course was bite size nuggets of Masala Cod Cheeks in an IPA Batter which was paired with Nanban Kanpai Yuzu Wheat IPA. Anything deep-fried is always going to be a bit fatty, and therefore will require a sharp beer to cut through this fattiness. The notes of yuzu (a citrus fruit with a distinct tang to it) are ideal in balancing the richness of the batter and masala spice.

For something a little more substantial, the Kashmiri Mutton Curry (think rich and hearty) was paired with Brew By Numbers Brown Ale. The nuttiness and depth of this beer married in with the levels of flavour not only in the curry but of the flesh itself; mutton is a flavoursome flesh and needs to be paired with beers of heft.

The favourite pairing of the evening was next: Chickpea, kale and coconut curry with a Saison Lemongrass from Partizan Brewing. This curry was almost reminiscent of Thai cuisine in its flavour profile with the combination of coconut and kaffir lime. Saison Lemongrass was an outstanding match as its grassiness and bitter lemon notes cut through the creamy coconut and tied in with the fragrant citrus present in the curry. For those who are unfamiliar with saisons, they are simply pale ales with rustic fruity notes.

Dessert saw a decadent slice of Chilli Chocolate Brownie with Cardamom Ice-cream paired with a gorgeous Milk Stout from Bristol Beer Factory. The nuanced spice and heat from the dessert was welcomed by the full-bodied and slightly sweet stout. Stouts are often ideal for pairing with puddings as they balance out the sugar content from the dessert well and don’t cloy your palate.

We’d love to hear from you if you have any favourite beer and food pairings. Tweet us @BBBrandsUK

Price Point of Difference

Winston Churchill once said, “the price of greatness is responsibility”… well according to  this article, it’s £7.50. For an ‘eye watering’, £7.50, you can purchase your own little pool of greatness in the form of a pint of Gotlands blueberry IPA from the Singer Tavern, a lovely and very happening establishment in the City. Quite frankly, my eyes would certainly be watering if I followed another lead in that article and paid £3.50 for a Foster’s.

Comparing a craft beer with a mass-produced beer is simply silly. Why? Because you pay for what you get, or sometimes you even have the privelege of paying for things you don’t get, such as flavour or craftsmanship. There’s a huge hint in the name craft beer as to what you’re paying for… You are paying for supremely superior ingredients, small-batch production and love. Yes, I said it. You are paying for the love. So many craft beer producers start up because they have a love for creating something truly unique and special. And you can taste it.

So many people who’d balk at the price of a craft beer have perhaps not actually tried one, because beer is beer. Well beers, unlike the American men in the Declaration of Independence, are not created equal. Nopey nope nope… And I hold this truth to be self-evident.

When you bring a pint of craft beer to your nose, instantly you are hit with a giddy aroma of hops or malt or some other tantalising beast. When you pick up a mainstream beer, you are hit with notes of cardboard and soggy bathroom rug. But hey, it only cost £3.00, so that’s ok… Who wants to pay extra for someone to sing lullabys to the hops as they rest their weary buds as the sun sets? Or pay extra for someone to carefully label and bottle things by hand, hands that have been protected in kid gloves mind you… Surely that claw machine imparts just as much care? And you certainly don’t want to pay for something that is bursting with flavour and complexity! Remember the acronym KISS! Keep it simple stupid. Yep, forgive me for getting notions of grandeur in my pretty little head.

In fact, the Blueberry IPA from Gotlands can’t even honourably accept the accolade of most expensive in London. Why at The Ritz, one can indulge on a bottle of Heineken (you know that beer in the green bottle) for a very reasonable £9.50. And then there’ll be the service charge. Still, very reasonable.

Moroccan Chicken Salad

Sometimes it’s nice to change up your lunch repertoire. Weekends often get so busy that a day in the kitchen might seem laborious, however, this salad is simple to make and won’t take too long, so there will still be ample time to go about doing lovely weekendy things. It is also a great thing to take to work for lunch, especially if there are no heating facilities.

Ingredients – for 1 serve

• 1/4 preserved lemon wedge
• 1 cup couscous
• 1 chicken breast
• large wedge of pumpkin
• handful of sultanas
• handful of ripped mint, parsley and coriander
• tablespoon ras el hanout
• tablespoon of harissa
• 3 tablespoons natural yogurt

Method

1) In  a medium sized bowl, pour in couscous and cover with 1 cup warm water. Place the wedge of preserved lemon in. Try and keep the wedge whole as if it breaks up it makes the couscous really sharp, a little too sharp. Let the couscous do its thing, occasionally agitating it so the lemon gets around. Slutty lemon. 

2) Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cut the pumpkin into bite-sized cubes and drizzle with olive oil before roasting for about 20 minutes or until cooked through. When cooked, set aside to cool.

3) Slice the chicken breast up into strips or chunks, whichever you prefer, and sprinkle with the ras el hanout. Pan-fry in some olive oil until cooked through. Set aside. Be careful not to overcook the chicken; breast can dry out very quickly.

4) When everything is cool, mix the chicken and pumpkin through the couscous (remove the lemon) along with torn handfuls of the coriander, parsley and mint. Sprinkle on the sultanas. Dollop the harissa into the yoghurt and dress the salad just before eating. 

The chicken is mysterious with its fragrant spice and works well with the subtle tang of the couscous and the boisterous freshness of the herbs. This is all topped off by a splash of fire on top. The perfectly balanced dish. Any beer that has a bright hop to it will work with this dish, as you need something to cut through the spice. Gotlands Sleepy Bulldog Pale Ale is an ideal choice.

Punjabi Masala Lamb Cutlets

To celebrate National Curry Week, why not try your hand at this amazing recipe for Punjabi Masala Lamb Chops? A dish with a lot of intense flavour in every bite, as well as heat that will potentially send you into meltdown if you’re not the chilli-loving type. A perfect match for this dish would be our Bellerose as this dish needs a beer with plenty of flavour and hop, otherwise it would be overwhelmed by the curry’s potency.

Ingredients

8 lamb chops

3cm ginger, peeled and roughly choped

4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

1 red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 onions, peeled and finely chopped

2 teaspoons garam masala

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon mild chilli powder

800g plum tomatoes, chopped

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon sea salt

450ml natural yogurt (use less for a hotter result\)

coriander leaves to garnish

Method

1) Blitz in a food processor or blender the ginger, chilli and a tablesppon of water until a wet paste forms. You can also do this in a mortar and pestle if The elbow grease adds extra flavour.

2) Trim the excess fat from around the chops, but leave a thin even layer, and then season well.

3) Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wide, heavy-based pan and when you can feel a strong heat rising, add the lamb and fry for about 1 or 2 minutes on each side, until lightly coloured. Remove the chops from the pan and set aside.

4) Add the remaining oil to the pan and add the onions, garam masala, cumin, cayenne and chilli powder. Mix together and sauté gently for 3 or 4 minutes or until the onions have softened slightly and the spices are fragrant.

5) Add the ginger and garlic paste and cook for a further couple of minutes.

6) Increase the heat and add the browned chops, tomatoes, lemon juice and salt. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and partially cover the pan.

7) Simmer for 50-60 minutes, stirring occasionally or until the meat is tender and sauce thick.

8) Reduce the heat and gradually stir in the yogurt, and simmer for a few minutes more. Taste, and adjust the seasoning accordingly.

8) Arrange the chops on a warm platter and garnish with the coriander leaves. Serve immediately.

Porter Stew

As we descend into chilly autumnal evenings, nothing is better than coming home to a big bowl of hearty beef stew. Porter is a wonderful ingredient to use in stews, as it adds a gorgeous depth of flavour that really marries in well with beef. It also adds a sweetness that isn’t overpowering and there is no better porter to use than Andwell Brewing Co; rich and dark with notes of vanilla and coffee it makes the gravy absolutely lipsmacking.

Stew cannot be rushed. You need at least three hours. But what a wonderful way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon. It also keeps well for 3 days in the fridge and freezes well.

Ingredients

olive oil

2 brown onions, diced

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

250g mushrooms, sliced

4 carrots, diced

500g stewing beef, cut into chunks

bottle of Andwell Porter

300ml chicken stock

sprig rosemary, chopped

salt and pepper to season

Method

1. Splash some olive oil into a pan and add the onions and garlic. Sweat down for about 5 minutes and turn off the heat.

2. In a separate frying pan, sauté the carrots and mushrooms for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked through. Take off the heat and set aside.

3. Add the diced beef to the pot you cooked the onions in and add a splash of olive oil. Brown the meat to seal in the juices. When the meat is coloured add about 1/3 bottle of the Andwell Porter. Season well with salt and pepper.

4. Stir through and add 150ml of chicken stock to add more depth of flavour. Reduce the mixture by about half.

5. Add the vegetables you’ve set aside to the beef and another 1/3 of a bottle of the Porter and another 150ml of chicken stock. Sprinkle in the rosemary and stir thoroughly.

6. Preheat the oven 130°C.

7. Reduce again by about half and then place in the oven and cook for three or so hours. The meat needs to break down and become tender, so time is key here.

8. Serve with potato mash or dumplings.