Keeping it local

While 'local sourcing' might be the buzzword of the minute for everyone from global lager giants to national supermarkets, the real ale brewing industry has always had locally-sourced product at the heart of what it's all about. OK, a chunk of hops might be flown in from Eastern Europe and further afield but most of the barley and all of the water is locally sourced - and it's maybe something that small brewers should be making more fuss of when talking to consumers.
So it's great to see some small brewers across the country working a bit harder to a) source more barley locally and b) let the world know.

St Austell head brewer Roger Ryman (2nd left) in a
field of Maris Otter. With some farmers.

The biggest brewer in Cornwall, for example (St Austell) has announced that it intends to increase its use of Cornish sourced Maris Otter barley from 20% in 2009 to 60% by the end of this year (representing about 1,000 tonnes of the stuff). Up near Kidderminster, Hobson's Brewery contracts with a collective of 12 local farmers with the area given over to Maris Otter rocketing from 40 acres in 2008 to 90 in 2009. This year they are looking at 300 acres, all within 10 miles of the brewery. And being in prime hop-growing country, the brewery also sources hops locally.

What's not to like about lovingly crafted beer, made by people who care about the quality of their produce using ingredients sourced from within a few miles of the brewery? And this is the way it's always been done, not simply because local sourcing is now trendy.

Tasting notes: Hobson's choices

A wee squint around Oddbins in Glasgow city centre unearthed two new-to-me funky-labelled offerings from Shropshire brewer Hobsons (though the address on the website is Worcestershire - go figure). Founded in the early 1990s, the story behind the brewery appeals to me. Locally sourced materials, sustainable production methods and a commitment to "brewing beyond their weight". Take a look through the online almanac [http://www.hobsons-brewery.co.uk/media/8684/hobsons_almanac%202009.pdf] to find out what that means.
First up is Old Henry, a premium bitter named after Master Brewer Henry Hobson's hat, the coke - pronounced 'cook' - originally used as a hard hat by gamekeepers to provide basic protection against assault from disgruntled poachers. The other beer is Postman's Knock, a ruby porter honouring novelist Simon Evans who settled in Cleobury Mortimer (home of the brewery) after WWI and became a postman, as you do. His 18 mile post round gave him plenty of time to contemplate his navel and write clever stuff, apparently.

TASTING NOTES, AFTER A FASHION:
Old Henry, 5.2% abv, £2.09, Oddbins
More of an opaque reddy brown than a true chestnut as claimed on the bottle, the beer pours nicely though the bottle I tried was fairly lifeless in the glass with virtually no head. Definite sweet, fruity berry notes on the nose with some nice malt and a fair helping of spice too. Medium bodied and smooth, it lacks a little life in the mouth but lots going on flavour-wise. Sweet and fruity with plenty more spice and roasted malt in the background, tapering off quite quickly through orange peel and more spice into a lovely bitter, hoppy glow that was just a wee touch sour. Lovely drop and horrendously easy to drink.
Score: 3/5

Postman's Knock, Hobsons Brewery, 4.8% abv, £2.09, Oddbins
A totally different kettle of fish, this bottle conditioned dark, dark ruby porter pours nice and thick with a big deep head - though it didn't hang around for long. Lovely colour in the glass and typical porter aroma: chocolate, roasted malt, liquorice and, oddly enough, milky coffee, though I did read this in someone else's tasting notes so this may simply be the power of suggestion. [It's hard not to find things once somone standing next to you at a tasting mentions them.] Viscous and full in the mouth, the flavour is just as big and bold as the nose with bags of treacle and smoky, toasty malt and more coffee (no milk this time). Really well balanced, the finish is cracking, quite an aggressive hoppiness sorting out the sweetness in double time - just the way I like it. Right up my street, this one.
Score: 4/5

http://www.hobsons-brewery.co.uk/