It should have been me and my friend Tom sat there, dissecting Leeds United’s yo-yoing fortunes, laughing at the Howson Is Now blog and deliberating the creaminess of the Orval cheese whilst sat on the classroom chairs and the well leaned on tables.

But it’s my brother partnering this trip due to Tom’s tight schedule as a relatively new father, North being one place us siblings have a record of sharing together, along with a sense of adventure and an intuition for getting pissed. And brother Fletch is not going listen to me rabbit on about the brettanomyces qualities of the difference between yeast-in and yeast-out, or how the bitterness of this anti-quintessential Belgium beer cuts through the cheese (which it does) …

And so I’m drinking one of my favourite beers with a cheese I’d actually craved (made by the brewers) and I’m chatting about Leeds United’s yo-yoing fortunes, laughing at the Howson Is Now blog, and… generally forgetting about the beer and cheese North’s manager had so kindly put to one side for me because I couldn’t make Orval Day earlier in the month.

That North Bar had enough bottles of aged Orval to reserve some is very kind. That they could even get some of this coveted cheese let alone put some aside for me speaks of their customer service ethos. That I scribbled a hasty one liner on my smartphone as my only tasting note is just plain disrespectful to their efforts.

But here’s the thing. Sat in the dimly lit confines of North, veiled in conviviality and that twilight between sober and drunkenness, the yellow light of North illuminates a certain truth about beer.

So the two-year aged Orval tastes good, and is probably worth waiting to experience. So the cheese is rare and barely seen outside of Belgium. And not to mention the bread – so luxuriously soft and cleansing – which is to die for. So what? Is beer not meaningless if not enjoyed in a place that’s bright with conversation, buoyed with gesticulations, rich in the patchwork diversity of people, and splashed with beers of colours Yates or Lloyds or Scream could never imagine.

If an evening spent extolling the virtues of Ken Bates leadership of Leeds United could be improved in anyway, it’s surely by the creamy monastic cheese paired with the musty, peppery Orval and all its always-changing quirks of character. Does it matter that I thought the end of the bottle shared the same earthiness of the bottom of a well made mojito?

No, because it was a good night out with great beer. We saw the hygge, we tried aged Orval, we put the world to rights, and we liked it.

Cheese, beer, chat. Football optional.

Paul held a number of posts at Joshua Tetley (which was then producing in excess of 1m barrels of cask beer a year) before finally rising to Brewing Manager. During his time at Tetley, Paul qualified as a Diploma and then Master Brewer of the Institute of Brewing.

In 1997 he joined Brewery Group Denmark as Head Brewer of Robert Cain Brewery in Liverpool. Paul is now Production and Distribution Director of Hydes Brewery in Manchester and has recently set up his own micro brewing operation in Waunfawr, North Wales, which he runs in his spare time. Big Bog Brewing Company (Waunfawr translates as “Big Bog” from Welsh) is proving an exciting venture and along with his role at Hydes, allows him to do what he is passionate about – brew fantastic beer!”

The Beers

Paul, which 5 beers would you want to have with you if you were stranded on a desert island, and why?

1. Carmen Sutra (Bragdy Eryri – Snowdonia Brewery 4.4%)
   “This is a wonderful beer brewed by my great friend and lady Brewer, Carmen Pierce, over in Waunfawr, North Wales. It is a beautifully balanced ale (which more of later!) made from Otter malt and Challenger/Fuggles hops mix. It’s one of those classic premium ales that you can drink and drink. I also admire Carmen’s incredible passion for her beer so I would have to take this on the desert island to keep my spirits high and to remind me of the beauty of Eryri and our friendship.”
2. Golden Delicious (Burton Bridge Brewery – 3.8%)
   “Well I am a Burtonian! This is a fantastic brewery run by ex. Ind Coope employees Geoff and Bruce (I learnt my trade with Allied Breweries almost 25 years ago now). I love this beer. It is a light and well hopped beer using Styrian (I think!) as a late hop therefore giving it a distinct citrus character. I always make a bee line for the Bridge Brewery Tap when I go home to Burton to sample this beer and so I would have to take this with me as it would remind me of my home town and the Capital of Brewing!”
3. Tetley Bitter (Joshua Tetley & Son Ltd. – 3.8%)
   “Back to my theme of beers that are balanced as this to me is the epitome! I adore this beer. OK, so no doubt people will frown I have chosen a national over a niche product but come on! What is brewing all about if it’s not to produce a beer that is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people and at that, a beer that you can drink several pints of (responsibly) without palate fatigue?! I am making reference of course to some of those micro brewery beers that are so over hopped they are just the reverse of what they try to be. They are not “crafted” beers but uncrafted beers produced by amateurs! We should celebrate the great depth and success of our brewing heritage and there are few that have been more successful than Joshua Tetley. Sadly, many great beers and breweries have gone into terminal decline through being constantly knocked by consumer groups and interfered with by politicians. Why are there no great big British Brewers left? There should be. I remember the days when 2 million barrels a year of Tetley Bitter were being produced and a million of those with my help in Leeds. Why so much and obviously so successful? The answer is simple. It was a well produced, good honest pint of traditional ale. This would have to come onto the island with me to remind me of all the injustice in the world! Rant over…”
4. Meantime IPA (Meantime Brewery – 7.5%)
   “I am known for being pretty opinionated about beers styles and trying to keep them true to their type. Many breweries now “blur” styles almost to make them meaningless. An IPA should be at least 6% abv (preferably above) and have a huge bitterness. This beer has both and to me is a true IPA worthy of its name. It’s great with most food but above all I love this beer with a proper authentic curry.”
5. William Worthington’s White Shield (Molson Coors – 5.6%)
   “Burton again I’m afraid. Some of my first memories revolve around the crate of White Shield my grandfather always kept by the back door of his house in Stretton, Burton. Like my father, he worked for Bass and used his allowance to get a crate of this fine Pale Ale each month. I was discouraged from taking up the bad habit of drinking from an early age by being offered the yeast sediment from the bottle bottom. At that age this was quite a disgusting prospect and it did have the desired effect for a few years! White Shield is again a classic. A fantastic phenolic, nutty beer with oodles of character. A true Burton beer. It just resonates warmly with my heritage and personal history. Thanks granddad! “

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

“The beer that I regard most highly from above would be Worthington White Shield.”

White Shield Brewery

The Meal

You can also take one meal to go with your beers, what would it be and why? Is it a ‘last supper’ or a perfect pairing for one of the beers?

“My last supper would have to be a selection of cheeses with rye biscuits, celery and Branston (the village I was brought up in) Pickle. There is nothing more I like than this with a good strong bottled stout or glass of White Shield!”

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

“Got to be the Brewmasters Table as I love to experiment with beer and food combinations. It could be unwise of course as I wouldn’t be able to do this on the desert Island. How frustrating! I wouldn’t take the bible as I believe religion to be too divisive, so of course it would have to be Stephen Hawking’s “A Brief History of Time”. I might, after some time on the island, actually understand what it is going on about!! My final book (as I am generously allowed three) would be my friend Professor David Quain’s (and Chris Bolton – both commonly referred to as “B&Q”) book “Fermentation and Yeast”. It would help me sleep if nothing else! I will be in trouble for that remark no doubt.”

Paul Jefferies

The record

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

“I thought that I should be all “hip and trendy” here and pick a classic album that would only get me praise and well thought of – you know the sort of thing, Bob Marley, Joy Division or the likes. Well sorry, no. It would have to be the Best of the Pet Shop Boys! Great mix of tracks and one of my all time favourites, West End Girls.”

The Luxury Item

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

This would have to be my trusty hydrometer. There is a remote chance that I could try to start brewing my own beer on the island (from some source of sugar and wild yeast perhaps) and this would therefore come in very handy for measuring the strength!

…

Thanks Paul, and good luck with the desert island brewing! That’s a first and very apt appearance for Tetley Bitter on Desert Island Beers. Do you agree? If you’d like to be involved in our Desert Island Beers feature please contact us via twitter or email mark(at)real-ale-reviews.com

Cue bearded beer expert Zak Avery and now beery business owner, who stepped in with a joint management buy out to rescue the famous Beer Ritz from the brink of limbo.

For those who thought they’d never get to go again, and those who thought they’d never have the privilege, rejoice, because Beer Ritz is open and we hope it’s back for good!

Sing it from the mountain tops, Beer Ritz is back!

If Zak Avery made beer shops, then they'd...

...probably be the best beer shops in the world

Many of you have probably already heard this great news, but just in case anyone hasn’t, please spread the word! And make the pilgrimage to Beer Ritz and buy beer!!!

Leeds Beer Festival 2011

Leeds Beer Festival starts tomorrow, below is the programme of beers. Directions can be found on the festival website http://www.leedsbeerfestival.co.uk/getting-here/

Mark and Sam will be there at various time but please comment, tweet or email us if you fancy meeting up for a pint!

In the ten years following the Beerhouse Act the number of pubs in Leeds rose from 270 to 545 and it is thought that The Palace may be one of those along with the Eagle Tavern on North Street. The licensing laws were changed in 1869 and this had the effect of tightening the rules to apply for a licence. Originally outwith the Leeds boundary, being located just outside the East Bar, (the marking stone for which can be found just slightly higher up Kirkgate towards the city centre set into the boundary wall of Leeds Parish Church) as Leeds expanded it became a city centre pub.

The Palace and Leeds Parish Church

Seen better days? The bar at The Palace

Vintage pub livery at The Palace, Leeds

The pub had beer gardens that stretched right back to the Aire and Calder Navigation, a feature that was particularly useful to later landlord Henry Teal. Teal was also a boat-builder and is said to have had a tunnel built between the pub and the canal to make it easier to launch his boats. The Castelow family took over in 1874 and not only did they brew their own beer, but they also extended the pub to take in an adjacent cottage and a pawnbrokers (they can be found buried in St Peter’s churchyard adjacent to the pub).

The Palace is supposedly haunted by a “grey lady”, but the only known death on the premises is that of Michael Hall in 1848 at the age of 41. Hall was an actor, singer, poet and entertainer at a time when women were not allowed on the stage and female roles were played by young men and boys. The theory is that the “grey lady” may not be a lady at all, but a man in a woman’s clothes. Since then the Palace has been a Tetley house, a Melbourne house (evidence of which is still painted on the Western aspect of the pub) and a Festival Ale house with its current owners Nicholson (who also own The Scarborough Hotel and The Victoria Hotel in the city) taking over in 2010.

Today’s decor is the usual “classic pub” style of stripped boards, polished panelling, and lots of old prints (changed from the multi-roomed “West Riding” interior in the early 90’s) and the pub has one continuous drinking area which follows the shape of the bar leading to an area dominated by a great old clock and brick fireplace. The lighting is diverse and takes the form of electric candelabras, wall lights and mock street lamps. There’s seating a-plenty inside and even more seats can be found out front (tables and benches) and also to the rear – a small courtyard with covered smoking area containing seats amongst flowers and greenery.

“I always have Tetley’s and Bass, we almost always have a mild, and we usually have one beer from Rooster’s” explains the current landlord Terry Grayson. “The guest beers change all the time. We don’t end the week with the same ones we started with”.

On this evidence you would think I would be extolling the virtues of this real ale haven, a gem amongst the commercial fizzy pinted fleshpots of the city centre and maybe I should; but I just can’t bring myself to do so.

In the 12 or so years under its current landlord The Palace has seen a distinct change in clientele from the real ale seeker, the CAMRA buff and the hardy local (and yes the odd vicar or two from next door) to a younger altogether noisier, less discerning customer, not so much seeking out a fine pint of YPA or London Pride but a cheap deal on wine or sustenance after the night before – brought on in no small part by the influx of student accommodation and a cheap “pay by the hour” hotel in close proximity. If this was the only change I could put it down to my advancing years and perhaps enjoy an afternoon tipple whilst the generation of tomorrow slept it off. But alas, the food has gone from hearty Yorkshire fayre to “microwave meals in minutes” and the service is so appalling that you find yourself losing the will to live, whilst waiting 20 minutes to be served on the whole what is a poorly pulled and rather highly priced pint. If you think I am being rather harsh here it doesn’t take long for you to find enough reviews on various forums to realise this is far from an isolated incident but standard service.

Please do not just take my word for this as in all things in life you should go, experience it and make up your own mind. But in my opinion the well stocked and well kept cellar of the Duck & Drake seconds further up Kirkgate or the friendly atmosphere and fine Tetley’s of the Templar on Vicar Lane are better options for whiling away a lazy afternoon.

And why has Terry stayed so long when licensees seem to move round so regularly? He thinks for a moment and then admits: “Lack of imagination.”

Monday night, November. It’s wet, but mild. It’s one of the first really dark evenings, nature’s signal that the beautiful bit of autumn is over and that the trees are preparing for the onset of winter.

As the clock strikes 9.30pm there’s a forgotten errand to run and unexpectedly an opportunity presents itself. An opportunity for ‘me time‘.

My better half receives an overestimate on the ETA for the errand. It’s some ill luck on the way home – a queue at the self serve or some faulty traffic lights. Leeds is littered with road works, they even made the news. Gas repairs on Armley gyratory? Perfect, save for later.

Errand completed in double quick time and oh look, is that a pub? The real ale festival is on? It’d be rude not too… and in I slip.*

In typical Wetherspoon’s fashion Beckett’s Bank is an imposing building, though in the context of the surrounding buildings it doesn’t really impose itself on Park Row, Leeds. This is bank and financial institution territory after all, lots of grand buildings, and Beckett’s preserves the evidence. It’s huge high ceilings are ornately decorated, easily admired from the upstairs balcony seating. It’s a shame about the slightly sticky carpets.

My bar presence is negligible so it takes far too long to be served. Clearly I’m one of the only people ordering 3 thirds** despite plenty of customers clearly being on the real ale. I’m definitely the only visitor who had the foresight to bring my own reading material.

Young’s Ram Rod is all privet hedge and nettles. It’s earthy, like rocks, dry in the mouth with a toffee spine. Fruity hops, maybe. So hard to judge aroma in these 190ml glasses.

My book is on the table, I’ve got past the first page but that’s all. My eyes are reading but the brain isn’t registering. Arthur & George isn’t what I thought it would be, but at least the £1.99 went to Oxfam.

Beckett’s Brew*** is all white grapefruit in the finish. A citrus nose and very easy to drink. It’s wet and succulent and not at all like Beckett’s Bank (it’s clean for a start), unlike my uncleared table).

Students come and go around me, it’s obviously a cheap drinking night. Burly regulars look at my remaining third pint with nothing less than contempt, perhaps a slight discombobulation too. And then they clock the book…

Last up is Blonde Ambition. The aroma and first sip immediately conjure up images of husk and hop – fresh, oily, unprocessed. There’s a residual, natural sweetness that lingers alongside the bitter finish.

By the time the last of the thirds is sunk, I’ve barely taken in a word, despite re-reading the first 4 pages at least twice. I didn’t leave the house so that I could read, or to drink for that matter. It was an elaborate cover for ‘me time’. A few (relatively) peaceful moments alone, alone in the presence of strangers. Beckett’s Bank wasn’t the ideal location for this, it didn’t feel homely. But it was warm, it served good beer and it cost me less than the petrol I spent running my errand.

A quick text: ‘Home soon. Stuck at gas works. xxx’

*’In I slip’ will be reused soon. A pub within walking distance of my house is named the Slip Inn. Urban legend is that it’s named so because so many people used to slip in as they passed. Sneaky buggers, who would do that.

**An offer that shouldn’t be an offer, but you still think it’s good value. Economies of scale and all that, more is less, less is more. Equal is equal, that’s value for money!

***My notebook says Beckett’s Brew, but an internet search reveals no existence of said beer. Oops.

Beer information:
Beer: Ram Rod
Brewery: Young’s
Style: Bitter
ABV: 5%
Country: Lincolnshire, England

Beer information:
Beer: Blonde Ambition
Brewery: Sam Adam’s / Shepherd Neame
Style: Pale Bitter
ABV: 5.5%
Country: Scotland

Pub information:
Pub: Beckett’s Bank
Brewery/chain: Wetherspoons
Town/city: Leeds
Country: Yorkshire

From my spot curled up in the corner, half an eye on the arrivals board next to the television showing the football results come in, I have a panorama of Saturday evening life. It’s strangely reassuring to see the world pass on by without a care in the world as I’m contemplating the future (and the film we’re heading to see).

A tray of 3 beers sits in front of me, a sample of the real ale festival to keep me company whilst I wait for my film buddy to join me. The first is dark but the other too paler. After the first I lose track of which beer is which despite the helpful note that the alluring bar girl wrote for me.

On the first sip of Tom Woods Vanilla Orchid I get my bearings. Vanilla pod, oak barrels, coffee beans and involuntary memories of sneaking Boaters coffees into the staff canteen at Sainsbury’s circa Christmas 2002. This is scrumptious and perfectly carbonated, I can’t imagine it could be kept any better in another pub. God help the taste buds of the weary drinker if it can.

Which means that beer number 3 must be Flying Dutchman Junibier, which is less distinctive and less sweet than its predecessor. It’s pale and has more carbonisation that other ‘real ales’ I’ve tried recently, perhaps a funkier palate. A few sips in and the juniper takes over. The funk is the manifestation of wild, herbaceous berries. It must have been stirred with a druid’s wooden spoon, such are the overtones of wood and herbs.

But I keep coming back to the first 190ml beer of the evening. Brewdog Edge has a smoky, sweet aroma and taste, with hints of berries (not the same kind as Junibier – plumper, redder, fruitier berries). It’s reminiscent of a Marble Decadence without the decadence or the strength. There’s heaps of taste for the ABV and a bitter finish. It was the wrong beer to start with and I’ll probably not see it again. It’s utterly sublime in it’s delivery. And who said BrewDog don’t make good cask beer.

Actually that was me. I eat my words.

And as I do, so does the hen party. The blokes have lost interest and can’t fulfil the insatiable gregariousness of these brass, wobbling females, so the girls move on to the next drinking den and the next group of testosterone units. And then so do I. Leeds win away (a sublime Robert Snodgrass goal – must have been those Scottish beers?!) my companion arrives, and Wetherspoons does it’s job with distinction.

Beer information:
Beer: Vanilla Orchid
Brewery: Tom Woods
Style: Bitter
ABV: 4.8%
Country: Lincolnshire, England

Beer information:
Beer: Flying Dutchman Junibier
Brewery: Caledonian / Henk Oexman
Style: Bitter
ABV: 4.3%
Country: Scotland

Beer information:
Beer: Edge
Brewery: BrewDog
Style: Dark mild
ABV: 3.2%
Country: Scotland

Pub information:
Pub: Wetherspoons
Brewery/chain: Wetherspoons
Town/city: Leeds train statino
Country: Yorkshire

My long pour skills left a bit to be desired. Not to mention my baseball cap.

In the middle of the hustle and bustle of Leeds Waterfront Festival, tucked away in the corner of Brewery Wharf, something drew our merry group towards the oversized Havana Club banners. Even if we’d had to pay for the privilege I’d have jumped at the chance to make cocktails on a lazy Saturday afternoon. The fact it was free and we’d sunk a couple of cold Coors Lights meant we wasted no time in reserving a session at the stall.

Our lovely Scottish cocktail expert introduced us to the strange implements laid out like a surgeon’s table – the graters, knives and Hawthorn strainers – and forced a shot of Havana Club down our necks to ensure we could ‘appreciate’ the taste of the rum on it’s own.

We donned our uniform of pinnys (and for some reason baseball caps) and proceeded to create rum-based cocktails such as El Presidenté and the very Cuban La Bodequito del Medio Mojito. Fresh limes, mint (stalk ‘n all) and orange zest were thrown together in vigorous concoctions along with sparkling water, sugar, ice and various incarnations of Havana Club, from the standard Blanco and 3 year aged versions to the Añejo 7 Años, a darker more luxurious spirit with characteristics similar to oak aged beers, wines or whiskies –  a touch of vanilla and fruit in amongst the pang of the alcohol to make it slightly more bearable.

Havana Club cocktail making at Leeds Waterfront Festival

We were half-cut, drenched in sunshine and giddy enough to shake our stuff creating daiquiris all afternoon. We finished up with an inter-group competition to serve our delightful host with the perfect El Presidenté. I came second, ousted by a dubiously large amount of orange zest applied to the winning drink.

I’ve no idea why Havana Club chose to take a stall at Leeds Waterfront festival, or why they chose to give away free cocktail making sessions to the happy revellers. I’m glad they did though, as it turned out to be one of the highlights of the day, and we left with sunny and well lubricated dispositions just as the drizzle started to break up the al fresco party.

The merry band of cocktail makers

Rothwell Beer Festival 2010

Rothwell, home of the charming Rosebud and our very own Copper Dragon loving R’Sam, is holding a beer festival. 40 cask beers, plus bottles, cider, perry and food will all be available in aid of two local charities.

The organising committee have been working their socks off since January and the fruits of their labour (with some help from Wakefield CAMRA and Clark’s Brewery) will hopefully lead to another addition to West Yorkshire’s beer scene.

“We’re raising money for the local church roof which was stripped of lead just before the bad weather” says Paul Mann of the organising committee. “Additionally half the proceeds will got to Rothwell Lions who go a great amount of work in the local community”.

“The beer list is changing right up until the last minute but we’re hoping for a good crowd”.

The Leeds and Wakefield areas are spoilt for choice this weekend, with both Rothwell Beer Festival and LS6 Beer Festival so now it looks like a beer before and after this Saturday’s football.

For more details visits www.rothwellbeerfestival.co.uk

A day of bands, beer and sunshine (the latter not guaranteed) in Leeds’ eclectic Hyde Park is on paper, a bloomin’ brilliant idea. Take local musicians, regional breweries and pop them down into a stunning brand new arts centre within the former St Margaret of Antioch Church, and voilá!  On top of that potential the festival aims to raise money for West Yorkshire charity Village to Village, helping development projects in Africa.

I’ll be nipping by before and/or after the crunch match with MK Dons at Elland Rd. I’ll stick to Bovril at half time to save myself for some samples of these beers (which may or may not include a gallon-sized taster* of St Petersburg, mmmmmm).

Absolution – Abbeydale Brewery, Sheffield (5.6%)

Barnsley Bitter - Acorn Brewery, Barnsley (3.8%)

Dark Mild – Bank Top Brewery, Bolton (4.0%)

Daleside Bitter - Daleside Brewery, Harrogate (3.7%)

Beyond The Pale – Elland Brewery, West Yorkshire (4.2%)

Ginger Beer – Hadrian & Border Brewery, Newcastle (4.0%)

A over T – Hogs Back Brewery, Surrey (9.0%)

Mary Jane - Ilkley Brewery, West Yorkshire (3.5%)

Pale Rider - Kelham Island Brewery, Sheffield (5.2%)

Midnight Bell - Leeds Brewery, West Yorkshire (4.8%)

Leeds Pale - Leeds Brewery, West Yorkshire (3.8%)

Hebden’s Wheat - Little Valley, Hebden Bridge (4.5%)

Yorkshire Pale Ale (YPA) - Roosters, Knaresborough (4.3%)

Ruby Mild - Rudgate Brewery, Tockwith (4.4%)

Raspberry Blonde - Saltaire Brewery, West Yorkshire (4.0%)

Blackberry Cascade - Saltaire Brewery, West Yorkshire (4.8%)

Golden Chalice - Glastonbury Ales, Somerton (4.8%)

St Petersburg Stout – Thornbridge Brewery, Bakewell.

Kipling - Thornbridge Brewery, Bakewell (5.2%)

Yorkshire Terrier – York Brewery, York (4.2%)

Somerset Premium Perry - Broadoak Brewery, Clutton (7.5%)

Janet’s Jungle Juice - Westcroft Brewery, Somerset (6.5%)

*Of course I’ll be responsible and all that, so long as Leeds win!

LS6 Beer Festival