The Ale Archive

The brewery: "Our story began in 1851 when founder Walter Hicks mortgaged his farm for £1,500 to set up a new family business in St Austell.....Walter started out as a modest wine merchant and maltster before buying the local Seven Stars Inn in 1863. Nestled on East Hill in St Austell, it was here where he learned the art of brewing. The business rapidly outgrew its original site, leading to relocation on Tregonissey Lane in 1893, where St Austell Brewery remains to this day. There have been many alterations and improvements over the years, but the essential brewhouse of 1893 still sits firmly at the heart of it all." The beer: "The spirit of independence and strength is what unites the people of Cornwall and the pint of Cornwall. Tribute – from the proudly Cornish and independent family brewery of over 150 years – is a tribute to these people, their spirit, and their unique approach to life."

The brewery: "Sprig + Fern Brewing Co. is an acclaimed brewery based on Beach Road, Richmond, in the Tasman district of New Zealand." The beer: "This velvety dark ale brings tantalising layers of chocolate, coffee and liquorice together in a rich, full-bodied and classically elegant way. For the ultimate flavour and finish, let it warm to 6-8°C." January 2024. 5.0% A.B.V.

The brewery: "Coopers is a brewing family. Its in our blood. For six generations we've been custodians of a proud legacy that began in 1862 when Thomas Cooper brewed his first batch of ale. Our passion for brewing has kept us together and helped us through economic recessions, wars, government imposts, changing tastes, and the occasional hostile takeover bid." The beer: "Now here's a beer with punch. Coopers Best Extra Stout is a beacon for lovers of a hearty brew. With its robust blend of fruit and chocolate flavours and bitter hop notes, it's everything a stout should be. An all malt brew that's naturally conditioned in the bottle, Coopers Best Extra Stout's unique rich, dark texture comes from our liberal use of specially roasted black malt. No additives. No preservatives." December 2023. 6.2% A.B.V

The brewery: " Breweries big and small regularly win international awards, and Kiwi beer lovers are spoilt for choice. This wasn’t the case in 1981. Back then, the word craft was only used was to describe the crocheted socks your nana churned out for the church fair. Then, in 1981, a man called Terry changed all that. He was a publican, and didn’t think much of the beer he could get for his pub, so he thought: ‘What if I brewed some myself?’. No-one had applied for a brewing license for 50 years, and no-one could even remember what forms you had to fill out. But he persevered, and he got his forms, and he got his license, and he brewed his beer, and what he brewed was Mac’s." The beer: "Black Mac is a smooth Porter with hints of caramel, liquorice & chocolate. Earnestly made from a combo of 5 different malts, topped with Fuggle hops. Black Mac swims with dark undercurrents of caramel, liquorice and chocolate, topped off with the unique aroma of the Fuggles. Yes, they...

The brewery: " Emerson’s Brewery was founded by Richard Emerson in 1992. A Dunedin institution offering a vibrant atmosphere and outdoor beer garden, matched with delicious craft beer and a menu that caters for all tastes." The beer: " Porter is the oldest commercially brewed style and London Porter was Emerson’s first beer. Dark, dry and mellow with some hoppy characteristics, pours a deep brown colour with reddish tints. The aroma is toasty, with a hint of sweetness and some earthy hop notes. Firm-bodied but not heavy, with a creamy texture, the dryish palate is full of roasted malt, coffeeish notes and a sustained bitterness." January 2024

The brewery: "1876 - James Speight, Charles Greenslade and William Dawson hand in their notices at Well Park Brewery to establish their own brewery in Dunedin’s Rattray St. Dawson is the brewer, Greenslade the maltster and Speight the businessman." The beer: "5 malt old dark was introduced into the Speight's range in 1992 to meet consumer demands for the classic 'dark' beer. No prizes for guessing why it got its name. By carefully selecting, roasting and matching 5 separate malts we have crafted a dark beer that gives rich, creamy, chocolate fudge flavours swiftly followed by coffee overtones. Perfect for warming the cockles on a stormy night."

The brewery:  "Moa Brewing Company is an independent, family owned and multi-award winning brewery from Marlborough, New Zealand.......Founded in 2003, Moa is one of the pioneers of craft beer in NZ and continue to produce a broad range of beers and ciders from the original brew site on Jackson’s Road, just outside of Blenheim." The beer: "Moa Imperial Stout is a very strong, upfront and rich beer hopped to over 100 IBUs. Aged with French oak, this beer not only displays coffee, mocha and smoked cedar characters but also some sweet and savoury notes unique to Moa Imperial Stout. A great beer to cellar and age." January 2024. 10.2% A.B.V

 The brewery: (from Wikipedia) "Monteith's Brewery Company was originally a family-owned brewing company until it was bought by DB Breweries. It continued to brew its beers on the West Coast of New Zealand until DB decided that the cost of keeping production there was no longer viable. The Greymouth brewery was closed on 22 March 2001, but reopened four days later following a public outcry. The beers are now produced in Auckland, and Timaru as well as Greymouth.  The beer: "Crafted from a blend of five premium malts to create a complex depth of flavours with dominant coffee notes......Crisper than sweet darks and smoother than harsh stouts. Perfect for the moment when you step in from the cold." December 2023. 5.2% A.B.V.

The brewery: (from Wikipedia) "Panhead Custom Ales is a brewery located in Upper Hutt, New Zealand. It is a boutique brewery that offers a range of craft beers, including ales, lagers, and seasonal releases. The brewery is known for its unique and creative beer styles, as well as its industrial-chic atmosphere. The beer: "A highly approachable matte-black monster. Sharper tools will enjoy its notes of tiramisu. The rest will just love that it matches their jeans." December 2023. 5.5% A.B.V.

The brewery:  "The process of brewing beer hasn’t changed much since we started back in 1777. And neither has our unique approach to crafting characterful beer. But our equipment most certainly has. Our state-of-the-art, independent, family-owned brewery now stands proudly alongside our old brewery on the banks of the River Stour in Blandford, Dorset. Using the finest ingredients and over 240 years of expertise, our brewers create beer that brims with flavour." The beer: "Enigmatic, rich and full-bodied, this ruby ale hoards a cache of complex flavour with notes of wild fruits, liquorice and chocolate malt." December 2023. Related entries

The brewery: "Daleside Brewery was founded in the mid 1980s by a family with a brewing tradition stretching back more than 600 years. Based in Harrogate on the edge of the beautiful Yorkshire Dales National Park, our beers have repeatedly won regional, national and international awards." The beer: "A powerful strong ale, deep chestnut in colour. Spicy, vibrant and fruity aromas precede a rich malt backbone with spicy hop overtone and a smooth warming finish The official beer of the UK Foo Fighters" December 2023. Related entries