tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post5264610899115267252..comments2024-03-29T08:01:51.705+00:00Comments on The Pub Curmudgeon: Local BrewCurmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-28877462315803654602021-05-03T11:46:08.672+01:002021-05-03T11:46:08.672+01:00Mathew Brown was about price. I think S & N c...Mathew Brown was about price. I think S & N came back a couple of times before getting acceptances.<br /><br />Although retired now, I spent 35 years in investment management and I doubt if most investors were even aware of who the directors were. It's also possible that investors might have shares in both companies. Ian Wordennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-36095766210328762472021-04-30T13:05:28.689+01:002021-04-30T13:05:28.689+01:00Yes you are right Mr C ! Michael Gray of Grays in ...Yes you are right Mr C ! Michael Gray of Grays in addition to running the company used to do all the coopering too ! I loved Ridleys beer and often used to drive past the brewery and see all the wooden casks outside. Wonderful beer and a sad loss ! Sadly Wadworth seem to have gone into a decline now , selling pubs and the quality of the beer under the new Head Brewer is not what it was. They no longer brew Old Timer on cask either.Lucretius1https://www.blogger.com/profile/18213610249777895917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-51195081766525130112021-04-30T12:55:48.578+01:002021-04-30T12:55:48.578+01:00Yes, I've got that, although I've never do...Yes, I've got that, although I've never done a specific post about it. Even more of a time capsule, taking you back to a vanished, and in many ways better, world, where beer and locality were inextricably bound together. Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-53956953503131294542021-04-29T22:28:43.014+01:002021-04-29T22:28:43.014+01:00Looks like a cracker Mudgie - some great old beer ...Looks like a cracker Mudgie - some great old beer stuff out there if you look hard enoughBritain Beermathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06096636784719969464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-1131104314854902002021-04-29T22:05:30.060+01:002021-04-29T22:05:30.060+01:00The value of a whisky distillery is from global di...The value of a whisky distillery is from global distribution and the mystique of the individual brands. Breweries, not so much by any means. They just don't have the history.electricpicshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09144970068645280352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-43541470872843458832021-04-29T16:02:30.770+01:002021-04-29T16:02:30.770+01:00Anyone got 'The Beer Drinkers Companion' b...Anyone got 'The Beer Drinkers Companion' by Frank Baillie ? I treasure my copy and you can really wallow in nostalgia for really great breweries like Grays of Chelmsford whose beers were wonderful and all from wood as were the great beers of Yates and Jackson. I can still taste them now and no grapefruit hops either !!!Lucretius1https://www.blogger.com/profile/18213610249777895917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-1373909219788322722021-04-29T14:33:31.461+01:002021-04-29T14:33:31.461+01:00White smoke energing from a late-night government ...White smoke energing from a late-night government cabinet meeting last night has put a provisional date for the re-opening of Irish pubs at June 7th.<br />Outdoor only and no €9 minimum food spend as before.<br />For most wet-led pubs it means they will have been closed for nearly 470 days.<br />470 ... Professor Pie-Tinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-60005938259036368832021-04-29T12:26:54.942+01:002021-04-29T12:26:54.942+01:00By definition, a family brewer needs the continued...By definition, a family brewer needs the continued commitment of the owning family to survive. Once that is withdrawn, it's automatically "in play".<br /><br />However, as I've said in the past, multinational drinks companies seem to be able to maintain the distinctive identity and authenticity of Scotch malt whisky distilleries, so why can't they do the same for breweries? It remains to be seen what happens to the likes of Camden Town and Meantime in the longer term.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-23779392058308188122021-04-29T08:30:08.205+01:002021-04-29T08:30:08.205+01:00A hostile takeover is when a company is publicly h...A hostile takeover is when a company is publicly held and owned by a broad body of shareholders, who accept a takeover bid against the wishes and advice of the directors. That's what happened to Matthew Brown. Boddingtons was also subject to a hostile takeover bid from Allied Breweries before the CAMRA era. Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-13467241454275616632021-04-29T07:51:21.232+01:002021-04-29T07:51:21.232+01:00Never quite understood the concept of a 'hosti...Never quite understood the concept of a 'hostile takeover'. The idea is surely to push the price up until the sellers just can't resist. They aren't forced to take the money, even if the directors of the target might lose some fees and perks. There were studies that I recall from the 80s showing that many takeovers never delivered the promised results, although I would agree that buying a chain of pubs makes sense if you've gone and built a brewery that is far too large for what you can sell in existing outlets. Ian Wordennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-72760778388110180252021-04-28T14:05:32.377+01:002021-04-28T14:05:32.377+01:00I too have a copy of Mike Dunn’s “Local Brew” alon...I too have a copy of Mike Dunn’s “Local Brew” alongside his earlier Penguin Guide, and look back with nostalgia at the times when family brewers ruled the real ale “roost.” <br /><br />We’ve certainly lost a fair few of those family brewers, and not all of them due to hostile takeover by any means. Family feuds and people wanting to cash in their chips, all played a part, along with a lack of investment.<br /><br />Revered brewers, such as Morrells, Gales, King & Barnes, Ridleys, and even Young’s, to name but a few, are all examples of the above and illustrate greed, infighting, asset stripping and other unpleasant features of the human condition.<br />Paul Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09678639237696546268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-48826787416726593972021-04-28T10:36:30.583+01:002021-04-28T10:36:30.583+01:00Holts bitter was pale and hoppy and cheap? Sounds ...Holts bitter was pale and hoppy and cheap? Sounds like Boddies back in its heyday! I wonder which brewery imitated the other?Thom Farrellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08769973975420792914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-32805439118865040872021-04-28T08:18:49.886+01:002021-04-28T08:18:49.886+01:00Brains SA is one of my favourite beers and, pre-Co...Brains SA is one of my favourite beers and, pre-Covid, if travelling into North Wales I would sometimes stop off at the big ASDA at Queensferry to pick up a few bottles. I think that was stocked because it was a local Welsh product, though, rather than national distribution. I haven't seen it locally for a few years now.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-90940057427564482092021-04-27T23:11:12.700+01:002021-04-27T23:11:12.700+01:00Brains bottled beers appeared in Morrisons and oth...Brains bottled beers appeared in Morrisons and other shops a few years ago for a short time, then disappeared. That was the only time I've ever had Brains!Andynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-10214040105716881672021-04-27T21:20:52.781+01:002021-04-27T21:20:52.781+01:00Brains opened the new state of the art Dragon Brew...Brains opened the new state of the art Dragon Brewery in 2019. How long it lasts is anyone's guess but after the separation of Marston's brewery from the retail side I think it's got a better chance of staying open. electricpicshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09144970068645280352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-12009609905921559992021-04-27T18:33:28.467+01:002021-04-27T18:33:28.467+01:00I have this wonderful book and still regularly dri...I have this wonderful book and still regularly drink Bathams and Holdens. Wonderful beers still and Bathams are very smoker friendly as well. Terrific !Lucretius1https://www.blogger.com/profile/18213610249777895917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-56189702860315732702021-04-27T18:01:05.262+01:002021-04-27T18:01:05.262+01:00Burtonwood is currently owned by Molson Coors. Alt...Burtonwood is currently owned by Molson Coors. Although the site is now for sale and looks set to close later in the year unless a buyer is found. Interestingly the details show Sharps lager and keg brews are from here....Axholmerobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12675054936123613752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-48535376752493571522021-04-27T16:34:58.845+01:002021-04-27T16:34:58.845+01:00According to this tweet, Brains brewery is still i...According to <a href="https://twitter.com/brainsbrewery/status/1384545019458166786" rel="nofollow">this tweet</a>, Brains brewery is still in operation, although there has been talk of outsourcing production.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-14985114441049842702021-04-27T16:18:29.381+01:002021-04-27T16:18:29.381+01:00Brains have shut their brewery and leased all thei...Brains have shut their brewery and leased all their pubs to Marstonsjohn a lambnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-48379719268269622402021-04-27T15:48:19.933+01:002021-04-27T15:48:19.933+01:00Just realised I've never read that - luckily I...Just realised I've never read that - luckily I've also just realised I inherited a copy from Rhys Jones (in fact I seem to have inherited a copy of most beer and cider books imaginable from Rhys).John Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00132845616834779091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-48703777290543150602021-04-27T14:05:56.034+01:002021-04-27T14:05:56.034+01:00It says on the dust jacket that he "now lives...It says on the dust jacket that he "now lives in Brains country at Penarth". Brains are still clinging on.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-18923935402165288522021-04-27T14:00:18.489+01:002021-04-27T14:00:18.489+01:00Mike was living in Cardiff or Penarth last time I ...Mike was living in Cardiff or Penarth last time I saw himBrew Waleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05292297218879265192noreply@blogger.com