Born and raised in a small town just south of Stockholm, Mattias started brewing at home when he was 16 years old. He quickly became fascinated with the chemistry and biology of beer and this led him to apply to a degree course in Brewing and Distilling at the International Center for Brewing and Distilling at Herriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Once in Edinburgh, he completely immersed himself in everything surrounding beer and whisky. As treasurer of The Water of Life Society, he started holding tastings, organising distillery trips and arranging talks by distillers and blenders from around Scotland. He also took up employment at Royal Mile Whiskies.

After graduating with a BSc(Hons), he secured a job at Munton’s Malt in Suffolk where he was involved with malt extract production, followed by a position at Scottish & Newcastle at their brewery in Reading. Working in the Quality department he was a regular member on their taste panel before he became a shift leader in the brew house.

Having wanted to set up his own brewery since he started as a home brewer, he got his chance in March 2009 when made redundant from the Scottish & Newcastle brewery due to its announced closure. Compass Brewery had been on Mattias’s mind for years and he set up the company in April 2009, first focusing on holding tastings in Oxford, and then launching the first brew, Baltic Night Stout, in November 2009.

In October 2011 the company doubled its staff — with Mattias plus one new partner now working full time in the brewery! Having initially set up as a cuckoo brewery, Compass is currently going through an expansion phase and obtaining their own premises and equipment.

As for the brewery name; Mattias says the compass is a simple tool that has been pointing people in the right direction since the 8th century, so what better name for a brewery that is dedicated to guiding you through the maze of beer flavours!

Mattias

Duvel...again!

Baltic Night

Deuchars - on cask!

The Beers

So Tomme, thanks for joining us on the desert island! Which five beers will you be taking with you, and most importantly, why?

1. Compass Brewery – Baltic Night (Oxford, England – 4.8%)
   “Compass Baltic Night is a very light bodied stout with lots of flavours that would work equally well on a chilly night as on a warm evening. And it works well with shellfish, which would come in handy.”
2. Brasserie Dupont – Saison Dupont Vieille Provision ( Tourpes-Leuze, Belgium – 6.5%)
   “The flavours in this beer make it work both as a beer nerd’s dream and as an enjoyable easy drink. The malt balanced with funky yeast flavours — awesome!”
3. Caledonian Brewery – Deuchars IPA, Cask! (Edinburgh, Scotland – 4.4%)
   “This was the first British beer that I really fell in love with as a student in Edinburgh: a well balanced, not overly hoppy IPA. Unfortunately the casks don’t travel that well so it is hard to find a good one down south. So can I ask that we sort out some sort of wormhole to get the beer to the island in top condition, thank you.”
4. Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle – Westmalle Dubbel (Malle, Belgium – 7.0%)
   “This is a standard on many of my beer tasting dinners. Its sweet full flavours make it a great beer to have with sausage and meat, and on its own it does not let you down.”
5. Paulaner Brauerei (Schörghuber) – Paulaner Hefe-Weissbier (Munich, Germany – 5.6%)
   “Sitting on a sun-drenched beach I can’t think of anything more refreshing then a wheat beer, and Paulaner does a great one.”

And which beer (of those selected) do you regard most highly?

“The Dupont Saison. This blond beer is complex yet very drinkable. It offers challenge and relaxation at the same time.”

The Meal

You can also take one meal to go with your beers, what would it be?

“Hoping that I could hunt some meat on the island, I would instead bring a large selection of sushi: simple food that is surprisingly difficult to get right yourself. And it works rather nicely with the Saison.”

The Books

You might be waiting a long time on your lonesome on the desert island, so we will automatically allow you a few books to keep your mind busy. You can pick between two beer books and two tomes: ‘The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food’ by Garrett Oliver, or ‘Beer’ by Michael Jackson; plus The Bible, or another appropriate religious or philosophical work

“Rules are made to be broken: having already read both beer books above extensively, I am going to instead select Mr Oliver’s new book, ‘The Oxford Companion to Beer’, that I am currently making a dent in.

The philosophical work that probably has inspired me most is ‘The Blind Watchmaker’ by Richard Dawkins. His explanations of evolution can be applied to many fields including beer and especially NPD.”
And a non-beery book?

“It would have to be the complete 5 volumes of ‘The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy’ by Douglas Adams — one of the few books that makes me laugh out loud.”

The record

You have a CD/mp3/long player but you can only take one album. Choose wisely!

“Something a bit rock, a bit folk and a bit relaxing. Mumford and Sons, Sigh No More.”

The Luxury Item

And finally, what luxury item would help make your stay on the island bearable?

“Being a trained diver it would have to be some dive gear, including a dive knife (sure to come in handy).”

For more on Doug and New Zealand Hops Limited check out their website .

Thanks Mattias. For more information on Compass’s beers see their website or to see what Mattias is up to follow him on Twitter.

This article is a collaboration with All Gates Brewery as part of our Desert Island Beer series.

Doug says he has always had beer around him, growing up, beer was what his family drank, although usually only with meals and apart from the occasional bottle of fortified wine or a Christmas treat of whiskey or brandy, it was only ever beer in their house.

He can’t remember how old he was when he first tasted beer but as with many others, it was a sip of froth offered from his fathers’ glass at a fairly young age. What he does remember is that he was spontaneously intrigued and has remained so to this day. His work life started in kitchens and around food and after leaving a cooking apprenticeship he moved out of food and into beverage, starting as a cellar-man for Millers Hotels in Sydney after acquiring some basic cellar training at Resch’s brewery in Sydney.

With his brother Matt he started home brewing around the same time and then moved into pub and restaurant management amongst other things until 1986 when Matt convinced him they should tour the USA. Whilst not going there for the beer, that’s exactly what they found, and Doug says their lives were changed forever.

Doug hard at work

Devilishly good

Sniffing hops!

Captain Cooker

On their return their home brewing efforts stepped up a notch and everything was then about beer and they set their sights on Europe, and next stop Germany. They had an extended motoring tour and nothing could have prepared them for Belgium so they returned to Sydney literally besotted by beer and eventually found themselves studying Food Science at Sydney Technical College and driving Taxis at night to support the construction of a 50 litre brewery in their garage and would occasionally buy food!

This lead to a position for both at the Hahn Brewing Company, Sydney in the early nineties. Chuck Hahn had given them both a start, Matt first and then Doug a few months later. Their plan all along was to learn as much as they could and then start their own brewery… Matt actually did this and still runs his own brewery, the St Peters Brewing Company in Sydney’s inner west. But Doug went down the company road in various positions, mostly new product and packaging development with Lion-Nathan after their acquisition of the Hahn Brewing Company.

The Hahn Brewery eventually ended up re-branded as the Malt Shovel Brewery as a start up business in 1998 and Doug was appointed Head Brewer and along with a great team developed the James Squire brand family which included the James Squire Brewhouses, which were themed brewpubs in Melbourne and Sydney.

After eight years in that role an opportunity presented Doug to take up the position of Chief Executive Officer of New Zealand Hops in 2006. So as Doug says he didn’t actually leave brewing, more to the point he now finds himself totally surrounded by it.

The Beers

So Tomme, thanks for joining us on the desert island! Which five beers will you be taking with you, and most importantly, why?

1. Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat – Duvel – ( Breendonk-Puurs, Belgium – 8.5%)
   “I love Belgian beer and could have selected all five desert island beers without wondering too far from Antwerp or Leuven. Duvel was an easy beer for me to single out of a Belgian line up as it is an all time favourite of mine…put quite simply it’s just really clever and I don’t think anything touches it.”
2. The Mussel Inn – Captain Cooker Manuka Beer – (Onekaka, Golden Bay, New Zealand – 4.0%)
   “Unique and just wonderful to drink….another clever beer which incorporates fresh green Manuka tips, Leptospermum scoparium (Tea tree) to the boil. This creates another level of flavours and aromas atop the balanced malt and hops including an odd likeness to rosewater and Turkish delight. It is what it is…..just brilliant.”
3. Malt Shovel Brewery (Lion Nathan Co.) – James Squire Four Wives Pilsener – (Sydney, Australia 5.0%)
   “On its day there is not much that can top this Pilsener and I don’t say that just because I was party to its creation. It’s a real show stopper… Its upfront biscuity malt sweetness is tempered by a solid, balanced bitterness and spicy Saaz top notes, it’s the standout of Australian Lagers, and by design developed to be consumed icy cold…..and that’s just how I like it !”
4. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company – Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest – (Chico, California U.S.A – 6.7%)
   “I have an extremely zealous view of American Pale Ales and of this brewer in particular, a view formed in 1986 in an epiphany during a brewery visit while based in Chico. At that time I was introduced to what we now call American Pale Ale, a style that changed not only my but the world’s beer drinking habits forever. I have chosen the Southern Harvest IPA as for me it is an honour to be associated with this brewer and supply them with freshly kilned hops for this big fruity beer.”
5. Paulaner Brauerei (Schörghuber) – Hacker-Pschorr Dunkle Weisse – (Munich, Germany – 5.3%)
   “This brewery creates great beer and because I’m limited to five I wanted to get something dark and wheat driven into the mix as I run out of choices. The Hacker-Pschorr range is magnificent and when last in Munich I was in a bar that carried a huge Hacker-Pschorr range including fest beers and seasonals….I worked my way through the greater portion, (read all) one evening and didn’t have one disappoint me, all faultless and fantastic!”

   “(I’m sure by now many of the Brits will be disappointed that something of theirs didn’t make the five. Had I been able to increase it to six then Worthington White Shield would have been next on my list).”

And which beer (of those selected) do you regard most highly?

““Duvel is the beer I most highly regard and it goes with my food match.”

The Meal

You can also take one meal to go with your beers, what would it be?

“My meal is a last supper selection. Char grilled pepper sirloin with pomme frits and a veal stock reduction, a simple side of rocket and reggiano salad served with Ciabatta, fresh extra virgin olive oil and a real deal balsamic. This would be as close to a favourite meal as I’d get; its simplicity contrasts the Duvel’s complexity, which is exactly what makes it such a great dining beer.”

The Books

You might be waiting a long time on your lonesome on the desert island, so we will automatically allow you a few books to keep your mind busy. You can pick between two beer books and two tomes: ‘The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food’ by Garrett Oliver, or ‘Beer’ by Michael Jackson; plus The Bible, or another appropriate religious or philosophical work

“The Bible: No need to pack this, I didn’t like it the first time round, it actually put me off historical fiction for quite some time, at least until I read Forresters’ Hornblower series so would take Larousse Gastronomique: My favourite book, albeit that the well worn edition in my possession does include a rather comical French description of how beer is made; and secondly The Practical Brewer (MBAA): This text has been within reach throughout my career and a copy is permanently housed on my desk.”

And a non-beery book?

“Robinson Crusoe: What else needs to be said?”

The record

You have a CD/mp3/long player but you can only take one album. Choose wisely!

“The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, “It’ll Shine when it shines”. The idea that I could single out one album was inconceivable for me so I just closed my eyes and picked an album at random out of my vinyl collection and up popped the Ozark’s …cool.”

The Luxury Item

And finally, what luxury item would help make your stay on the island bearable?

“My Ukulele”

For more on Doug and New Zealand Hops Limited check out their website .

This article is a collaboration with All Gates Brewery as part of our Desert Island Beer series.

A professional brewer for more than 15 years, he is widely regarded as one of the leaders of the American Craft brewing renaissance. Tomme lives in San Diego County with his wife and two daughters. A native San Diegan, Tomme returned home to San Diego in 1995 after earning his Bachelor of Arts in English from Northern Arizona University where he cultivated his passion for brewing.

In 1996, he began his professional brewing career at the now defunct Cervecerias La Cruda (The Hangover Brewery) in downtown San Diego. After La Cruda closed its doors in March 1997, Tomme went to work for White Labs in San Diego where he spent his days selling yeast and developing product as he waited patiently for the right brewing job to become available. In 1997 he was hired by Pizza Port in Solana Beach where he remained Head Brewer until June 2005 when he was named Director of Brewery Operations.

Tomme Arthur

No ordinary pils

Orval

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

In addition to promoting San Diego as a great beer city, Tomme is known for his bold experimentation and willingness to blur the boundaries between beer, wine and spirits; with his flavor-forward brews having inspired a new generation of brewers and consumers to re-think their notions of what a beer could and should be.

During the 8 or so years that Tomme was Head Brewer at Pizza Port the brewery won 13 Great American Beer Festival Medals, numerous medals at the Chicago Real Ale Festival as well as other regional and national competitions. And after joining Port Brewing in 2006, Tomme kept up his winning ways as in 2007 Port Brewing was named Great American Beer Festival, Small Brewery of the Year, and Tomme Small Brewer of the Year.

To cap it all in 2008 he and Port Brewing were then named World Champion Small Brewer and Brewery at the International World Beer Cup. Since then he’s taken home a raft of further medals and been consistently noted as one of the world’s top brewers.

The Beers

So Tomme, thanks for joining us on the desert island! Which five beers will you be taking with you, and most importantly, why?

1. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company – Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – (California, U.S.A. 5.6%)
   “There are beers that I never tire of drinking and then there are beers that taste good no matter what mood I am in. This is one of the few beers out there which I could drink on any occasion.”
2. Alpine Beer Company- Nelson IPA – (California, U.S.A. – 7.0%)
   “While Pat, Val and Sean make a host of amazing IPA styled offerings my favorite is the Nelson. Assuming that I can’t have any Sauvignon Blanc on this Desert Isle, I would most assuredly want to have access to some of those same flavors. Nelson packs a whole bunch of New Zealand love in every bottle.”
3. Brasserie d’Orval – Orval – (Florenville, Belgium – 6.2%)
   “Notice the trend here? Hoppy and dry beers are the norm. The cool thing about Orval is that with a Brettanomyces component, the beer has great evolution in the bottle. Not all beers can say that but certainly this one can.”
4. Victory Brewing Company- Victory Prima Pils – (Downingtown, Pennsylvania U.SA. – 5.3%)
   “Prima Pils would have to make the list. I would want something very easy to drink for when other castaways came to visit my island. Over the years, I have found all sorts of great beers to put on my list but I would never have a list that didn’t include at least one Pils styled beer.”
5. Cantillon – Cantillon Saint Lamvinus – (Brussels, Belgium – 5.0%)
   “This would be the bridge beer between wine and beer world. I imagine how exceptional it would taste on a hot day and even a cold night. As sour beers go, this one has it all.”

And which beer (of those selected) do you regard most highly?

“For everything the beer stands for and what the company has achieved in being a founding member of the Craft Beer Movement in the United States, my vote has to go to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

The Meal

You can also take one meal to go with your beers, what would it be?

“Give me an In and Out Double Double with a side of Animal Fries and I think I’d be just fine. Pretty much all of the beers on my list would be just as easily consumed with this burger so not a perfect paring but pretty much a great way to be stranded.”

The Books

You might be waiting a long time on your lonesome on the desert island, so we will automatically allow you a few books to keep your mind busy. You can pick between two beer books and two tomes: ‘The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food’ by Garrett Oliver, or ‘Beer’ by Michael Jackson; plus The Bible, or another appropriate religious or philosophical work

“Beer and the Bible”.

And a non-beery book?

“I’d probably opt for The Entire Works of William Shakespeare. This way I’d get sonnets as well as plays. If I got bored, I could read the plays aloud and if I went bonkers on the Island I could channel my inner King Lear.”

The record

You have a CD/mp3/long player but you can only take one album. Choose wisely!

“Ah Via Musicom by Eric Johnson- There are three instrumental tracks on the album that continue to amaze me every time I hear them. While I can’t play the guitar myself, I can appreciate his music and it’s always with me.”

The Luxury Item

And finally, what luxury item would help make your stay on the island bearable?

“My 9”6 Long Board. There would be hope that the waters around this island might provide surf from time to time and as such it would be a perfect luxury item.”

Thanks Tomme. For more information on Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey beers see their website or to see what Tomme is up to follow him on Twitter and also The Lost Abbey on Twitter.

This article is a collaboration with All Gates Brewery as part of our Desert Island Beer series.

Born in London and brought up in sunny Kent, he has had an interest in ale since he could convince a barman he was 18 – but his real conversion to good beer came after a year spent living in Southern California in 1999-2000, when the craft beer revolution was just beginning to take effect.

He also loves cricket and writes about the county game. He lives in South London with his wife and eight-month-old son.

Will Hawkes

Brooklyn Lager

Kernel Brewery

Gadds No 3

The Beers

Hi Will, thanks for joining us on the desert island! Which five beers will you be taking with you, and most importantly, why?

1. Brooklyn Brewery Co – Brooklyn Lager – (Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A. – 5.2%)
   “Brooklyn Lager is so drinkable; you’d have to be a total anti-beer zealot not to like it. When I first tasted it six or seven years ago I found it really (pleasantly) bitter, but now I’m just impressed by how balanced it is.”
2. The Ramsgate Brewery Ltd – Gadds No 3 – (Ramsgate, England – 5.0%)
   “Bitter but not aggressively so. I’m from Kent and this is my favourite beer from my home county: English hops need more brewers like Eddie Gadd.”
3. The Kernel Brewery -The Kernel Export Stout London 1890 – (Bermondsey, London SE16 – 7.1%)
   “This is really satisfying – its got an intense espresso flavour, you can tell it’s a strong beer without it necessarily tasting of alcohol. I admire what Evin and Co. are doing, I don’t think I’ve made any secret of that.”
4. Moor Beer Company Ltd – Moor Revival – (Pitney, Somerset, England – 3.8%)
   “Given that it’s about 4 per cent, Revival is a really full-flavored beer. I’ve drunk a lot of really disappointing, insipid pale ales at that strength but this one is great.”
5. Brasserie Dupont – Saison Dupont – (Tourpes-Leuze, Belgium – 6.5%)
   “A bit of an obvious choice, maybe, but I love it. It’s deceptively complex and its goes well with a lot of different food, particularly goats cheese.”

And which beer (of those selected) do you regard most highly?

“Hard to say: it probably changes from day to day!”

The Meal

You can also take one meal to go with your beers, what would it be?

“Deviled kidneys are easy to make and they taste great. A lot of people are a bit sniffy about offal – but one big advantage of being on a desert island is that there would be no one there to turn their nose up. It would go well with The Kernel’s 1890 Stout.”

The Books

You might be waiting a long time on your lonesome on the desert island, so we will automatically allow you a few books to keep your mind busy. You can pick between two beer books and two tomes: ‘The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food’ by Garrett Oliver, or ‘Beer’ by Michael Jackson; plus The Bible, or another appropriate religious or philosophical work

“The Brewmaster’s Table. Really approachable, not just for beer experts!”

“Beyond a Boundary by CLR James. It just about qualifies as a philosophical work (“What do they know of cricket who only cricket know?”). It certainly left an impression on me, and you don’t have to like cricket or the Caribbean to enjoy it.”

And a non-beery book?

“Parisians by Graham Robb. I love Paris and this book is as elegant as the city. Robb is a superb writer.”

The record

You have a CD/mp3/long player but you can only take one album. Choose wisely!

“The Rolling Stones – Exile on Main Street. I must listen to this at least once a month, I love it. It feels a little bit thrown together but it works, it‘s got an incredibly louche feel.”

The Luxury Item

And finally, what luxury item would help make your stay on the island bearable?

“A comfy bed. I really like sleeping.”

Thanks Will! You can read Will’s beer bog for the Independent here and follow him on Twitter.

Have you tried Will’s favourite beers? Let us know and a massive thank you to Will for taking part in Desert Island Beers and being our castaway for the week.

This article is a collaboration with All Gates Brewery as part of our Desert Island Beer series.

Though now working at Leeds University, Simon still writes the Taverner column for the paper and in 2010 he won Best Writing in the UK Regional Press for his contribution to beer. It was an award which ultimately led to the deserved crown of Beer Writer of the Year, and the ominous duties of representing the beer industry (not to mention writing a speech for the following years awards do!)

In his spare time Simon follows both Leeds United and Oxford United fan and has recently penned his first book, The Great Leeds Pub Crawl, a ramble around the history and character of every type of pub the city has to offer.

Near the Negev Desert

Jaipur IPA

Pint of Landlord...

...just as good bottled

The Beers

Simon, welcome to the island! Which five beers will you be taking with you, and most importantly, why?

1. Greene King Strong Suffolk Ale (Suffolk, UK – 6%)
   “There may be some who wouldn’t touch anything from Greene King – and I certainly have issues with a company which has grown its business through buying up rivals and switching production wholesale to Bury St Edmunds. But this is a genuine classic, and is a genuine GK beer, a blend of an undistinguished pale ale with the super-strong Old 5X, which is matured for two years in giant wooden vessels in a dark corner of the brewery. Strong Suffolk has bags of firm, wine-like intense fruity flavour – and a rich, soothing refreshing nature.”
2. Timothy Taylor Landlord (Keighley, West Yorkshire – 4.3%)
   “I may suffer from a mild form of Tourette’s. The kind which often makes me say “”a pint of Landlord please”, whatever competing attractions are facing me across the bar. It’s a refreshing, earthy, fairly unsophisticated pint of perfect Yorkshire ale – and a classic whether in the bottle or the cask. And it’s a little tart, which may be why Madonna likes it so much.”
3. Budweiser Budvar (Czech Republic – 5%)
   “That two so vastly different products should carry the name “”Budweiser”" is a quirk of history, geography, commerce and law. No doubt the trade dispute between Czech Budvar and American Anheuser Busch – which rumbles periodically around the courtrooms of the world – has helped to keep Budvar in the public eye, and gained for them a ready sympathy which would not be afforded to, let’s say, Pilsner Urquell. But this Czech original lager would be the perfect pick-me-up after a long day building my log cabin in my new island home. Can I have a fridge please, too?”
4. Thornbridge Jaipur (Derbyshire, UK – 5.9%)
   “A desert island would be the perfect place to escape the swamp of learned debate and name-calling which surrounds the past, present and future of India Pale Ale. Sitting under my palm tree I could happily content myself with the thought that whether the recent crafty crop of new IPAs is faithful to the genre is an absolute irrelevance particularly when I am drinking this beautiful, tangy, passion fruity IPA from Thornbridge in Derbyshire.”
5. Liefman’s Kriek (UK – 4.3%)
   “I have a lager, an IPA, an easy-drinking bitter and a lovely strong English ale. So my final choice is something a little different – this sweet, intense cherry lambic from Belgium, which would offer colour and variety amid the intense boredom of island life.”

And which beer (of those selected) do you regard most highly?

“It would have to be the Strong Suffolk, simply because it is a beer for all occasions.  It would be as much at home in my cabin on a raw winter’s night as it would be beside my barbecue at the height of summer. If I could only take one beer, it would be this –  but I’d like rather a lot of it please.”

The Meal

You can also take one meal to go with your beers, what would it be?

“My meal is more of a last supper, and is so rich and full-flavoured that I would most likely pair it with the Strong Suffolk ale.

I’m a sucker for black pudding, so my starter would be a green salad in a mustardy dressing, dashed with slithers of smoked bacon, and maybe some chunks of grilled chicken – and three big fat juicy discs of fabulous black pudding. From Bury.

The main course would be a big smoked haddock fillet with creamy mashed potato and spinach, all topped with a runny poached egg – and perhaps a small drizzle of a thin, slightly cheesy sauce. A one-plate festival of colour and flavour.

I’m not big on desserts, but on my desert island my just desserts would be to indulge myself with something chocolatey, or an old-school crumble or toffee pudding. Mind you, after all that full-flavoured fish, maybe a palate-cleansing raspberry sorbet would be just what I need.

Cheese and biscuits would follow – Camembert, Stilton, Wensleydale, Castelo Branco and really mature Cheddar – plus a double espresso of heroic strength. Dark chocolate, and a long satisfied sleep.”

The Books

You might be waiting a long time on your lonesome on the desert island, so we will automatically allow you a few books to keep your mind busy. You can pick between two beer books and two tomes: ‘The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food’ by Garrett Oliver, or ‘Beer’ by Michael Jackson; plus The Bible, or another appropriate religious or philosophical work

“Beer by Michael Jackson”

And a non-beery book?

“I would like to give Stephen Hawking’s “Big Bang to Black Holes” another try. I lost patience with my own slowness when I tried to read it last time. The relative infinities of time with nothing to do on a desert island should afford me the space I need to plod my way through it again. And I’m told Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca is very good. I am 19 pages in and enjoying it so far; so that can be my non-philosophical pleasure.”

The record

You have a CD/mp3/long player but you can only take one album. Choose wisely!

“One record. This is perverse. I’d rather have three records and three beers.

“Clearly it is going to have to be a double album – though whichever I chose it would drive me nuts after hearing it, and nothing else – for months on end.

“So after debating the relative merits of The Turin Brakes, The Beatles, Steely Dan, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Everything But the Girl, LedZeppelin, Cat Stevens, U2, REM, Mike Oldfield, Muse – I have eventually settled on a great double live album which has the twin additional benefits that I was at the concert (so it will bring back great memories) and my son is pictured on the cover (albeit as part of the crowd shot). It is the Blur Live at Hyde Park 2009 album.”

(And that’s two albums!)

The Luxury Item

And finally, what luxury item would help make your stay on the island bearable?

“Kate Beckinsale” (We thought you wanted a fridge Simon?!)

Thanks Simon! You can read Simon’s weekly Taverner column online and in the Yorkshire Evening Post. His book ‘The Great Leeds Pub Crawl’ is available on Amazon.

Have you tried Simon’ favourite beers? Let us know and many thanks to him for taking part and being our castaway for the week.
This article syndicated with All Gates Brewery blog as part of our Desert Island Beers collaboration.

James was educated in New Zealand and ended up working for their Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. He then moved back to the UK after a few years where he worked for Fuller Smith & Turner PLC in the Quality Control department. He then upped sticks & moved back to NZ and worked again for the government writing animal product importation policy for bio-Security New Zealand; and in the meantime was crowned NZ National Home-brew Champion (2008).

James says he originally got into brewing at the tender age of 14, under an arrangement with his Dad; James brewed it and his Dad drank it!

Finally deciding that he’d had enough of government policy work and fancying brewing beer for a living he packed his bags once again and moved back to the UK, firstly brewing at Thornbridge Brewery and then in 2010 moving on to become Head Brewer at Buxton Brewery.

The Beers

Hi James; welcome to our Desert Island. Which 5 beers would you want to have with you if you were stranded on a desert island, and why?

1. Emersons Brewing Company – Emersons Pilsner – (Dunedin, New Zealand – 4.4%)
   “New Zealand brewers are the absolute kings of the New World pilsner and this one in my opinion is the best of them all, so crisp, so fruity, so refreshing. This is one beer that I do really miss living in the UK and easily one of my top 5 of all time.”
2. Fuller Smith & Turner PLC – Fullers 1845 – (Chiswick, London – 6.3%)
   “This is just a fine example of classy brewing and a lesson on how to use amber malt in a beer, I love it, it always puts a smile on my face. It’s my ‘go to beer’ whenever I’m depressed by the rubbish quality of some bottled beers, it’s just so tasty!”
3. AleSmith Brewing Company – AleSmith IPA (San Diego, California USA – 7.25%)
   “Once upon a time when living in NZ I had a friend in San Francisco who very kindly went out of his way to buy me this beer and airfreight it over to me…cost me about $60 but was worth every cent! AleSmith are awesome, ex home brewers making it big and making the best IPA in the world, fantastic.”
4. Hair of the Dog Brewing Company – Hair of the Dog Adam – (Portland, Oregon USA -10%)
   “I was blown away by this beer, I’ve only ever had it once but I can’t get it out of my mind. A big 10% mass of complexity with a good hit of smokiness…divine!”
5. Buxton Brewery Company Limited – Imperial Black IPA – (Buxton, Derbyshire, U.K. -7.5%)
   ”I’ve been wrestling with my last pick, I wanted to include one of my own beers but I thought that it would be a bit egotistical…then I thought dammit, this is my list so my number 5 pick is Buxton Imperial Black IPA. A nice sessionable strength at 7.5%, elegant malt bill, grapefruit and Seville orange flavours and it has an aroma reminiscent of a tropical fruit salad that has gone for a light jog round the block. Yum!”

And which beer (of those selected) do you regard most highly?

“The beer I regard most highly is probably Emersons Pilsner because it’s just so damned tasty, perfection in a bottle and everything I want from a beer and a pilsner. It’s an iconic beer in New Zealand.”

The Meal

You can also take one meal to go with your beers, what would it be?
“Definitely a last supper for me; a good curry would be great, a lamb bhuna with a cart load of poppadoms. Any type of curry is my favourite food so what better thing to have as a last meal!”

The Books

You might be waiting a long time on your lonesome on the desert island, so we will automatically allow you a few books to keep your mind busy. You can pick between two beer books and two tomes: ‘The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food’ by Garrett Oliver, or ‘Beer’ by Michael Jackson; plus The Bible, or another appropriate religious or philosophical work

“1. Beer by Michael Jackson”
“2. You know what, I think I’ll just stick to the one book; I have zero interest in fairy-tales.”

You can also take a something a little less taxing on the brain, what would that be?

“Dune by Frank Herbert.”

The record

You have a CD/mp3/long player but you can only take one album. Choose wisely!

“Hmmm tricky one, I have so many albums that I love…I was going to go a bit crazy and say Avenged Sevenfold but I think I’ll stick to a classic and say Live After Death by Iron Maiden.”

The Luxury Item

And finally, what luxury item would help make your stay on the island bearable?

“You know what, I’m going to be cheesy and say my family, they would make my stay bearable!”

Sorry James but the luxury item must be inanimate so you will have to come up with something else!

Thanks James. For more information on Buxton Brewery beers see their website or to see what James is up to follow him on Twitter and also BuxtonBrewery on Twitter.

Have you tried James’s favourite beers? Let us know and many thanks to him for taking part and being our castaway for the week.

This article is syndicated with Allgates Brewery as part of our ‘Desert Island Beers’ collaboration.

Xavier started brewing at Ventnor Brewery just before his 18th Birthday. He was lucky to be taught the traditional methods and dark arts by Fred Martin retired Head Brewer of King & Barnes of Horsham. He had been brewing for 13 years or thereabouts at Ventnor when the brewery closed.

Afterward Xavier says he had some fantastic times and memories, traveling as far as Japan & Singapore, creating some great beers, some he would like to revitalise one day and meeting lots of great people. On the Interbrewery Regatta he also met Tim O’Rourke, who’s family used to own the original Burts Brewery on the Ventnor site, with Tim subsequently becoming a good friend and brewing influence. A brief spell then followed working for Molson Coors as Account Manager.

Xavier then took the position as Head Brewer of a new Brewery in Ireland and after 2 weeks of meeting the owners found himself on the most westerly tip of Europe; the sunny Dingle Peninsula in SW Ireland. That was April 2011. The Dingle Brewery is going from strength to strength with Creans now flowing in Dublin, Kildare, Cork and of course on the Dingle Peninsula.

The brewery is based in an old creamery and Xavier says it feels humbling to think that it is back at the heart of the community. The Brewery is already working on expansion plans to keep up with the overwhelming response of Creans and this Autumn a distillery should be commissioned producing Shackletons Whiskey!!

Xavier Baker

Dingle Brewery

Thornbridge Jaipur

Betty Stogs

The Beers

So Xavier, which five beers would you want to have with you if you were stranded on a desert island, and why?

1. Dingle Brewing Company – Tom Crean’s Lager 18/35 (Dingle, Ireland – 4.6%)
   “It has to be Crean’s Lager. Dingle Brewing Company’s one and only Premium Irish Lager. A fresh, light and easy drinking lager brewed with Dingle Spring Water. We have been Brewing for 7 Months now. The Dingle Brewery team have had great fun, getting the Brewery up and running and fine tuning Crean’s. Crean’s was created to suit the Irish palate and also beer explorer. It is brewed in honour of the late Tom Crean a local Kerry man, who made three expeditions to the Antartic with Shackleton and Scott. He later retired back to Dingle and opened a pub appropiately named the South Pole Inn. The first pint of Creans was sold in there on his birthday 20th July.”
2. William Worthington’s (MolsonCoors) – Worthington White Shield – Cask (Burton, U.K. 5.6%)
   “A good all round hearty pint. I have found memories of being on a tasting at the White Horse, Parsons Green in December a couple of years ago. I knew downstairs, they had White Shield on. After the tasting, I got my pint of White Shield. Roaring fire, good company, good beer and then it started snowing outside. Perfect!”
3. Skinners Brewery – Betty Stogs (Cask) – (Cornwall – 4.6%)
   “The most famous Cornish Beauty; Betty Stogs. Again memories! So many great times surfing and exploring Cornwall, with my good Lady Lesley, friends and family. Have enjoyed too many pints of Stogs. A truly well balanced, session beer, beautifully hopped with Styrian Goldings. Look forward to the next!”
4. Thornbridge Brewery – Jaipur (Bakewell – 5.9%)
   “I do like a true IPA. I think Jaipur is overwelmingly hopped, yet, perfectly balanced in aroma and bitterness. At 5.9%ABV, Jaipur does not drink to this strength. I found this out!”If only I could put in my 10 Favs!
5. Innis & Gunn Brewed at Belhaven (Greene King) – Innis & Gunn Rum Cask Oak Aged Beer (Scotland – 7.4%)
   “Fifth is going to have to be Innis & Gunn Oak Aged in a Rum Cask. I am a fan of Innis and Gunn anyway and rather partial to a glug of rum. Then I was given a bottle of the Rum Cask Beer. I waited until the moment was right which turned out to be early one Sunday evening, wet and windy outside. Well! What an absolute pleasure to drink. A gem of a beer. Now looking forward to Spiced Rum Cask. Does life get much better…

And which beer (of those selected) do you regard most highly?

“It would have to be Crean’s! After all the effort and passion from everyone involved in the Brewery. Apart from being of course a fantastic pint! Today (15th March) was the 60th Brew of Crean’s.”

The Meal

You can also take one meal to go with your beers, what would it be?

“This is not going to help my Gout. But, it would have to be an ultimate feast of ‘Fruits de Mer’. Living here in Dingle, South West Ireland we are spoilt with fresh Atlantic Seafood. I would spend all afternoon gorging myself accompanied with a refreshing pint of Creans!”

The Books

You might be waiting a long time on your lonesome on the desert island, so we will automatically allow you a few books to keep your mind busy. You can pick between two beer books and two tomes: ‘The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food’ by Garrett Oliver, or ‘Beer’ by Michael Jackson; plus The Bible, or another appropriate religious or philosophical work

”The Beermasters Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Reel Beer and Food. To be honest I had not heard of this book. It looks like I need to do some catching up. What better place to sit back read and dream of Beer and Food.”

“A Beer A Day- 366 beers to help you get through the year’ by Jeff Evans. A fun informative book, to salivate over. After reading about 366 Beers. Also I get a mention!”

You can also take a something a little less taxing on the brain, what would that be?

‘Super Shrimp’ by Shane Acton. This is the story or log of an ex marine during the 70’s who sailed from England around the World over 7 Years in an 18ft Caprice Yacht called Super Shrimp. Some fantastic stories and adventures as you can imagine.”

The record

You have a CD/mp3/long player but you can only take one album. Choose wisely!

“A difficult one. After a great deal of thought I am going to take with me Groove Armada’s Vertigo. Would be good with a Sunset.”

The Luxury Item

And finally, what luxury item would help make your stay on the island bearable?

“An easy one. My Longboard Surf Board.”

“An easy one. My Longboard Surf Board.”

For more on Xavier and The Dingle Brewing Co. check out their website here and follow Xavier on Twitter.

Have you tried Xavier’s favourite beers? Let us know and many thanks to him for taking part and being our castaway for the week.

This article is syndicated with Allgates Brewery as part of our ‘Desert Island Beers’ collaboration.

Jamie was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, which he says (is not exactly the center of the brewing world) and growing up had the best German teacher during Middle and High School. This far sighted lady, Frau Griffith encouraged him to study in Germany, so he went as an exchange student at 16 and again at 18, and finally finished his University education in Munich.

Jamie says he tasted his first better beer while in Munich at 16, culminating in a host family visit to “the Holy Mountain” at the Monastery Andechs…..Doppelbock at 16….and his fate was sealed! I’m not sure Frau Griffith had beer in mind when recommending Germany to him!!

After working summers in the Organic Chemistry Labs at Eli Lilly and Co. and attending brewing school in 1987, as one of only two independent students in April 1988, he was hired as Brewmaster at Full Sail Brewing Co. in the Columbia River Gorge….a massive change of scenery for Jamie from the flat mid-west!

Jamie has since worked in every job in the brewery from grain to glass including, occasionally, minding the brew pub.

In the last 25 years, Full Sail has grown from the 4 original employees to a brewery with 100 employees. It is the only Oregon brewery to be named both “One of the Best Companies to Work for in Oregon” and “One of the Most Sustainable American Breweries”. In 1999, Jamie and his work colleagues succeeded in making Full Sail an employee-owned company saving the brewery from a corporate buy-out. And Jamie says that having everyone intimately involved in the brewing process is a big part of the brewery culture, because it is the attention to detail, all the way through by every employee, which turns a great recipe into their great beers.

Based upon beer sales volume, Full Sail is now the ninth largest craft brewery in the United States.

Jamie loves beer!

Full Sail Beers

The Beers

Hi Jamie and welcome! Which five beers would you want to have with you if you were stranded on a desert island, and why?

1. Klosterbrauerei Andechs – Andechser Doppelbock Dunkel (Germany – 7.1%)
   “ The Monks have a way with Doppelbock…..what can I say? Rich, dark, and delicious, it may be a bit much for a warm desert island, but it surely would help you forget that you’re stranded. When I studied in Munich, I drank at the monastery religiously…”
2. Budweiser Budvar Ceske Budejovice – Budweiser Budvar (Czech Republic – 5.0%)
   “A lovely golden strong lager (no confusion with its American (distant) cousin), with crisp hopping, is a perfect summer desert island beer for me. Rich, creamy, with a lovely hop bite….perfection…..”
3. Wells & Young’s – Young’s Special London Ale (U.K. – 6.4%)
   “One of the first ales I ever enjoyed, and I still drink this beer when I can find it. A great balance of malt and hops, refined and elegant.”
4. Augustiner-Bräu – Augustiner Lagerbier Hell (Germany – 5.2%)
   “I love lagers of all types, and Augustiner is the benchmark for me for a proper Helles. It has to be in my desert island ‘fridge.”
5. Full Sail Brewing Company- Full Sail Amber Ale (U.S.A. – 5.5%)
   “A great NW amber, redolent with Cascade hops balanced with caramel undertones, our brewery was built on this beer. Great with food across a broad spectrum, especially fresh island-caught seafood.”

And which beer (of those selected) do you regard most highly?

“For me, it is Full Sail Amber. It has been at the core of my entire brewing career that now approaches 25 years, and I know how all our employee owners pour their hearts into it every day.”

The Meal

You can also take one meal to go with your beers, what would it be?

“For me, Pizza in Teglia like one from the Pizzarium in Rome, paired with an Arugula salad, and Pistachio gelato for desert, finished with a nice single malt and Cuban cigar.”

The Books

You might be waiting a long time on your lonesome on the desert island, so we will automatically allow you a few books to keep your mind busy. You can pick between two beer books and two tomes: ‘The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food’ by Garrett Oliver, or ‘Beer’ by Michael Jackson; plus The Bible, or another appropriate religious or philosophical work

” Can I pick Abriss der Bierbrauerei by Ludwig Narziss? Helps me brush up on my German and my brewing skills and The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, Charles Darwin.” (And that’s two).

You can also take a something a little less taxing on the brain, what would that be?

“The Complete Sherlock Holmes.”

The record

You have a CD/mp3/long player but you can only take one album. Choose wisely!

“Just one??!! How about one in a few genres? Please?” OK James we will allow it; just for this once!

“Rock: Talking Heads – The Name of This Band is the Talking Heads
Jazz: The Modern Jazz Quartet – Blues at Carnegie Hall
Classical: Andrés Segovia – The Segovia Collection
Reggae: Scientist – King of Dub
Ska: The Beat – Special Beat Service
Electronica: Thievery Corporation – The Richest Man in Babylon”

The Luxury Item

And finally, what luxury item would help make your stay on the island bearable?

“My wife, she’s Cuban and that makes her a luxury item in my book plus she started the brewery so her priorities are definitely in the right place….If not that, how about a bicycle to ride.” Sorry Jamie but the luxury item must be inanimate so you will have to make do with the cycle.

Thanks Jamie! For more information on Jamie and Full Sail Brewing Co.’s beers visit their website .

This article is syndicated with Real Ale Reviews as part of our ‘Desert Island Beers’ collaboration.

This article is syndicated with Allgates Brewery as part of our ‘Desert Island Beers’ collaboration.

After staying in Great Langdale, Hayley says she cried all the way down the M6 during the journey home because she had enjoyed having a wonderful holiday in the best county in England so much and she vowed then that she would go back to Cumbria to live at some time in the future.

After completing a BA in Textile Design, Hayley started working behind the bar at the Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater in 2006, where Matt Webster was already brewing. Hayley says she used to sneak down into the brew room, using any excuse (usually it was to take Matt a cuppa) because she was so interested in everything going on in the Loweswater Brewery, which was no bigger than an average sized garage at that time. She started helping Matt with cleaning barrels, brewery paperwork & designing pump clips for the different beers that he was brewing exclusively for the Kirkstile bar.

Before long Hayley found herself on a brewing course & Matt taught her how to brew. It was 2008 when she brewed her first beer “Melbreak Bitter” and in 2009 she jumped at the chance of being able to brew in the purpose built Cumbrian Legendary Ales Brewery recently acquired by Roger & Helen Humphreys and where David Newham patiently showed her the ropes.

Hayley says it is an absolute delight to brew in such a fabulous location, (on the shores of Esthwaite Water) and was overwhelmed to discover that the brewery had won Champion Golden Ale of Britain at the GBBF in summer ’11 with Loweswater Gold. And that she absolutely loves brewing & brewing is a lifestyle choice if you’re going to do it properly.

Hayley Barton

Matt & Hayley

Loweswater Gold

Schiehallion

The Beers

Hi Hayley and welcome! Which five beers would you want to have with you if you were stranded on a desert island, and why?

1. Adnams PLC – Broadside (Southwold, Suffolk U.K. – 4.7%)
   “Dark, rich, malty, soothing, deepness that’s fantastic on a Friday night in front of a roaring fire!”
2. Harviestoun Brewery – Schiehallion (cask)(Alva, Scotland – 4.8%)
   “Beautifully delicate, nicely crafted. A little bit fruity, but balanced with good malty base – like a good cheesecake, but better than cheesecake! Always welcome, cold windy, rainy winter or hot summers day. I always want another!”
3. Uley Brewery Ltd – Old Ric. (Uley, Dursley Gloucestershire U.K. – 4.5%)
   “A special beer produced exclusively for The Old Spot Inn, Dursley, Gloucestershire (not so long ago CAMRA Pub of the Year) – where I grew up & learned to drink pints of this. Well balanced, but just a touch on the malty side – this beer definitely taught me about balance and all the different flavours I associate with a good malt base. I used to imagine that there were sultanas in a pint of Old Ric, but that was probably just my young & imaginative taste buds talking!”
4. Beckstones Brewery – Leat (Millom, Cumbria – 3.6%)
   “A wonderful light ale, but very complex – a test for the taste buds. I don’t know how Dave manages it, lots of flavours created, but some how all on different levels, like tasting the universe, but all miraculously very well balanced. I would however have a hard task on my hands trying to persuade Dave that I could take one of his barrels to a desert Island, I might have to get him to fill one of my own (best get buying some quick)!”
5. Cumbrian Legendary Ales – Langdale or Loweswater Gold (Hawkshead, Cumbria – 4% – 4.3%)
   “This last one is a bit tricky for me (some will say that this is a bit of a cop-out) but I have great difficulty in choosing between Cumbrian Legendary Ales Langdale & Loweswater Gold, I’ll explain why… It’s the yeast you see, I love our wonderful yeast with all my heart (and I sing to it, the poor guys that work for me will testify that!) The flavor it imparts on our beers tastes amazingly zingy and fresh, slightly fruity, but most importantly, ‘clean’. Our yeastie beastie seems to excel at brewing lighter coloured, hoppy ales, they compliment each other beautifully. So it’s the yeast taste that I value highly, the older I get, the more intolerant I become about drinking beers with a dreary, dull, non-exciting effect on the tongue, like chewing wet cardboard.”

And which beer (of those selected) do you regard most highly?

“I’m sorry, it’s going to have to be the Loweswater Gold or Langdale!”

The Meal

You can also take one meal to go with your beers, what would it be?

“It’s going to have to be cheese & biscuits – can’t beat a good bit of cheese & a few oatcakes. Mature, yet velvety on the tongue Stilton & nice creamy Camembert are my favorites!”

The Books

You might be waiting a long time on your lonesome on the desert island, so we will automatically allow you a few books to keep your mind busy. You can pick between two beer books and two tomes: ‘The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food’ by Garrett Oliver, or ‘Beer’ by Michael Jackson; plus The Bible, or another appropriate religious or philosophical work

“The Brewmaster’s Table, Garrett Oliver.”

And a non-beery book?

“A pictorial guide to the Lakeland Fells (set of 1-7 please!) by A. Wainwright.”

The record

You have a CD/mp3/long player but you can only take one album. Choose wisely!

“Led Zeppelin 2?”

The Luxury Item

And finally, what luxury item would help make your stay on the island bearable?

“Soap please (I always set a good example to the yeast – stay clean!)”

Have you tried Hayley’s favourite beers? Let us know and many thanks to her for taking part and being our castaway for the week.

This article is syndicated with Allgates Brewery as part of our ‘Desert Island Beers’ collaboration.

Lisa is a regular columnist for CraftBeer.com, Beer Advocate and Celebrator Beer News and is the first and still only female contributor to “Beer Talk” in the national magazine, All About Beer. She was chosen as one of the three original recipients — and the first female recipient — of the Beer Journalism Awards, presented by the U.S. Brewers Association, for a column she wrote about the benefits and traditions of serving beer instead of wine at the Thanksgiving table.

In hope of reaching out to more potential craft beer fans, Lisa conducts numerous classes about beer, from seminars on pairing beer with food for the national convention of the Women’s Chefs and Restaurateurs Association to a demonstration at the Mondial de la Biere festival in Montreal, Canada and countless “Beer 101? classes for women.

As a way of giving back to the beer community and to raise the awareness about craft beer within the general public, Lisa organises a number of non-profit beer-related events, including the annual FredFest, a beer tasting for the octogenarian Portland-based beer writer, Fred Eckhard, which has raised close to $100,000 for local charities.

When she is not writing or talking about beer, Lisa and her husband, Mark, enjoy traveling with their Samoyed dog, Yeti, seeking great beer all over the world.

The mash tun goddess

Yeti the dog...

...Yeti the beer

The Beer Duchesse

The Beers

Hi Lisa! Welcome to our beer lovers desert island! Which five beers would you want to have with you if you were stranded on a desert island, and why?

1. Great Divide Brewing Company – Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout (U.S.A. -9.5%)
   “My dog is named Yeti (I can supply a photo if you’d like so you can see why; she is a big, white, fluffy Samoyed). She was partially named Yeti because of her looks, but also because I love the beer. It was a double whammy! I love the dog more than I love the beer. But only when she’s not barking. If I couldn’t take my Yeti with me at least I’d have the beer!
2. Brouwerij Verhaeghe – Duchesse De Bourgogne (Belgium – 6.0%)
   “A stellar beer that goes so well with so many different foods. I love the color, too. I could stare at it for a long time, which might be a good thing since I would probably have a lot of time on my hands as a castaway on a desert island.”
3. Hair of the Dog Brewing Company – Hair of the Dog Fred (Portland U.S.A. – 10.0%)
   “Named for “the Dean of American Beer Writers,” Fred Eckhardt. Fred is a personal friend and, at 84, an inspiration. It would be almost like he was there with me.”
4. Fort George Brewery – Fort George Vortex IPA (Oregon U.S.A. – 7.5%)
   ”One of my favorite IPAs from one of my favorite towns, Astoria, Oregon. Plus, it comes in a can, which gives me some metal — yet one more tool in my arsenal to help me get my arse off this island!”
5. Alpine Beer Company – Pure Hoppiness (Alpine, California U.S.A. – 8.0%)
   “I’ve only had the pleasure of enjoying this beer on draft a few glorious times but, hey, this is my fantasy island and I can have it flowing out of coconuts if I want!”

And which beer (of those selected) do you regard most highly?

“The Duchesse. She is very complex, extremely elegant, dignified and yet mingles just as well with a hot dog as prime rib dinner.”

The Meal

You can also take one meal to go with your beers, what would it be?

“A true New Orleans-style seafood boil, complete with mountains of spicy crawfish, corn, potatoes, and ouille sausage, crab and lots of fresh French bread to sop up all that yummy broth.”

The Books

You might be waiting a long time on your lonesome on the desert island, so we will automatically allow you a few books to keep your mind busy. You can pick between two beer books and two tomes: ‘The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food’ by Garrett Oliver, or ‘Beer’ by Michael Jackson; plus The Bible, or another appropriate religious or philosophical work

“Beer by Michael Jackson — that’s MY Bible!”

And a non-beery book?

And my book: Craft Beers of the Pacific Northwest (I can work on the latest updated edition!) or if that doesn’t count (because it is beery) then David Sedaris’ Holidays on Ice, which is hilarious any time of the year.”

The record

You have a CD/mp3/long player but you can only take one album. Choose wisely!

“Bruce Cockburn’s The Charity of Night. Just a beautiful album (of many beautiful albums) by this highly underrated musician, guitarist and poet.”

(And that’s two albums!)

The Luxury Item

And finally, what luxury item would help make your stay on the island bearable?

“My other Yeti, the canine version.”

Thanks Lisa (and Yeti!). To see what Lisa’s been writing follow her blog The Beer Goddess. Her Craft Beer radio show is broadcast on Saturdays 3-4 p.m. Pacific Time on 101 FM in Portland, Oregon, livestreamed on KXL.com and podcast on iTunes.

Have you tried Lisa’s favourite beers? Let us know and a massive thank you to Lisa for taking part in Desert Island Beers and being our castaway for the week. This article syndicated with All Gates Brewery blog as part of our Desert Island Beers series.