Pheasantry

28/04/2021 by Teresa Cottam 1 Comment

High Brecks Farm, East Markham, Nottinghamshire

About the brewery

Mary Easterbrook comes from old Nottinghamshire farming family who still farm at Babworth. In 2008, Mary and her husband Mark bought High Brecks Farm in East Markham. The Grade II listed farmhouse was derelict and the farm needed extensive renovations. The outbuildings were listed and couldn’t be demolished but were no longer suitable for the needs of modern farming. The Easterbrooks therefore decided the best way forward was to diversify and use the buildings as a cafe (now a wedding venue) and microbrewery. The brewery took its name from the cottage next door, which had historically been used for breeding and rearing game birds.

This was not the first time High Brecks farm had been involved in the brewing trade. It had previously been the site of a brew house that produced beer for the personal use of the Kirke family, who owned the farm from the late 17th century onwards. According to a farm sale brochure (1943) one of the fields near the current brewery gardens was called The Hopyard, and wild hops still grow in the nearby hedges, as in many parts of North Nottinghamshire.

The first beers produced by the new Pheasantry Brewery were Best Bitter, a 3.8% ABV traditional bitter, a 4.0% Pale Ale and a 4.2% Dark Ale.

The brewery has had considerable success in the bottled market, supplying supermarkets. In 2019, it opened a new bottling line that can produce up to 2,000 bottles an hour which was opened by Robert Jenrick MP and was part-funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. This investment also enables the brewery to offer a bottling service to other breweries, cider, water and soft drink manufacturers.

East Markham is an Anglo-Saxon place name meaning the settlement (‘ham’) near the boundary (‘mearc’). Mearc developed into the modern English word ‘mark’ or ‘marker’. This suggests that the village was on the boundary between two areas – possibly between two Ancient British kingdoms. This boundary may be the the southernmost extent of the area known as Bernetseatte, a kingdom that remained substantially British even after the Anglo-Saxon settlement. Bernetseatte (Burnt Land) became Bernesedelaue and eventually Bassetlaw.

Regular beers

Best Bitter (ABV 3.8%) is a copper coloured beer with fruity highlights and a hoppy finish. It was voted Champion Bitter of Britain in 2015.

Black Pheasant (ABV 4.2%) is a dark ale with malty flavours and a velvety texture.

Dancing Dragonfly (ABV 5.0%) a pale golden ale packed with exotic fruit flavours.

Excitra (ABV 4.5%) is a golden ale with a bright almost orange appearance and a citrous punch from the judicious use of citra hops.

Lincoln Tank Ale (ABV 4.2%) is a classic amber ale – malty, hoppy and soft – that was designed to raise money for the Lincoln Tank Memorial.

Pale Ale (ABV 4.0%) is a dry pale ale with a vanilla and floral aroma.

Ringneck Amber Ale (ABV 4.1%) is an amber ale with a hint of caramel made with Fuggles, First Gold, Progress and Slovenian aroma hops.

Regular seasonal beers and specials

Pheasantry have a seasonal calendar of beers released every month.

Almost Dry January (ABV 3.0%) a malty amber ale that has a biscuity, malty and herby aroma. Available in January.

American Pale Ale (ABV 4.3%) a pale floral and citrus ale. Available in August.

Aurora (ABV 4.8%) a golden ale with hints of lemon, tangerine and gooseberry and a spiced finish. Available in June and November.

Beer Humbug (ABV 4.5%) a dark Christmas ale with chocolate and malty flavours and a sweet fruity edge. Available in December.

Best Christmas (ABV 3.8%) a copper coloured session ale with a fruit taste and spicy aroma. Available in December.

Black Dragonfly (ABV 4.5%) a pale ale with roasted flavours. Available in November.

Christmas IPA (ABV 5.9%) a strong ale with a herbal taste and earthy bitterness. Available in December.

First Gold (ABV 4.7%) a pale golden ale that balances bitterness with lemongrass. Available in July.

Harvest Ale (ABV 3.6%) a light-coloured session summer ale. Available in July.

HBA (ABV 4.3%) a brown ale with a toasty flavour combined with a dark malty sweetness and lots of hops. Available in October.

Light Dragonfly (ABV 3.9%) a session golden ale – a lighter version of Dancing Dragonfly. Available in March and August.

Magnipheasant 7 (ABV 4.3%) an amber ale with citrus hops. Available in February and September.

Mikado (ABV 5.0%) a strong dark mild. Available in May.

Munich Helles (ABV 4.8%) a hoppy lager style beer. Available in October.

New Zealand Pale (ABV 4.6%) a pale ale with hints of tropical fruits and crushed gooseberries. Available in May.

Orange Pheasant (ABV 6.0%) a strong golden beer which tastes of orange marmalade with a hint of grapefruit. Available in September.

Ruby Red (ABV 4.7%) a dark ruby red ale with malty overtones and stone fruit flavours. Available in February.

S1ngle Hop Willamette (ABV 4.5%) a pale ale that uses the Willamette hop to add a herbal and spicy flavour with a touch of pine. Available in April.

Scottish 80/- Export (ABV 4.7%) a traditional strong Scottish ale with a rich, dark and malty flavour. Available in January.

S1ngle Hop El Dorado (ABV 4.4%) a pale ale with tropical flavours. Available in June.

Spring Ale (ABV 3.8%) a pale ale with lemon grass flavours and floral notes. Available in April.

Stout (4.8% ABV) a coffee-chocolate stout. Available in March.

In 2020 Pheasantry produced Pilgrim to celebrate the 400^th anniversary of the Pilgrim Fathers sailing off on the Mayflower.

Fancy a pint?

Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Co-ops stock Pheasantry’s bottled beers.

Pubs that stock Pheasantry’s beers include the Magna Carta in Lincoln and The Idle Valley in Retford.

Tours and takeaways

The onsite shop sells bottles, 5l mini kegs (9 pints), 36 pint pins and 72 pint casks. Unusually, the brewery is licensed as a wedding venue and for other corporate and family events.

Idle Brewery

28/04/2021 by Teresa Cottam Leave a comment

Main Street, West Stockwith, Nottinghamshire

Website: Idle Brewery

About the brewery

The Idle Brewery is situated in a converted outbuilding behind The White Hart Inn in West Stockwith, next to where the River Idle flows into the Trent. It was established in 2007 with the first brew being Idle Landlord. In 2012 Brian Cooper and his wife Elaine took over the White Hart pub and the Idle Brewery.

*West Stockwith*, showing the Trent and the White Hart in the distance

West Stockwith is where the Chesterfield Canal and the River Idle meet the River Trent. It’s the start of the Cuckoo Way, a 46 mile walk along the Chesterfield Canal that takes you through the North Nottinghamshire countryside all the way to Chesterfield, with regular pubs along the way and overnight accommodation in Retford and Worksop. West Stockwith itself is well worth a visit with a pretty church opposite the White Hart and a lively boating scene.

West Stockwith takes it name from the Old Norse ‘wath’ meaning ‘river crossing’ (also found in Wath-upon-Dearne). The first element of the name probably comes from the Old English ‘stoc’ meaning village (also found in Stoke-on-Trent and Stoke Poges). It is called ‘West’ Stockwith because it lies on the Western, Nottinghamshire side of the Trent. Across the Trent is East Stockwith on the Lincolnshire side.

Regular beers

Black Abbot (ABV 4.5%) is a dark stout with roasted notes.

Black & Tan (ABV 4.3%) is an old fashioned ale.

Golden Crown (ABV 3.8%) is a golden ale that uses First Gold Hops.

Idle Bodger (ABV 4.0%) is an easy drinking tan coloured bitter.

Idle Dog (ABV 4.2%) is a copper-coloured bitter which is moderately hoppy.

Idle Landlord (ABV 4.6%) is a dark brown bitter with a malty, caramel and coffee flavour.

Idle Sod (ABV 4.2%) is a light golden ale with a fruit aroma flavoured with Cluster Hops.

Idle Tongue (ABV 4.3%) is a blonde and citrusy ale.

*The White Hart, behind which is the Idle Brewery*

Regular seasonal and specials

Idle Boggin (ABV 3.8%) is a traditional ale with a full flavour and dry finish.

Idle Guy (ABV 4.5%) is a pale amber ale that uses Fuggles Hops.

Idle Santa (ABV 4.5%) is a rich golden ale with refreshing notes.

Fancy a pint?

The brewery tap is the adjacent White Hart Inn which usually stocks a range of beers from the brewery plus guests.

Tours and Take Aways

Brewery tours are offered that last an hour and include four complimentary ales in the White Hart Inn. Brewing days offer the opportunity to learn about the brewing process, to brew ale with head brewer Brian Cooper and to sample some of the ales produced. The Brewery supplies 9 gallon kegs (72 pints) for private events, as well as 5 litre mini kegs (8.8 pints) to take away.

Goacher’s Maidstone Ales

19/04/2021 by Colin Mann Leave a comment

Unit 8, Tovil Green Business Park, Maidstone

Website: Goacher’s Maidstone Ales

About the brewery

When real ale enthusiasts Phil and Debbie Goacher started brewing in 1983 at a former paper mill in the Loose Valley on the outskirts of Maidstone, using a home-built seven-barrel kit, it marked the return of commercial brewing to Kent’s County Town for the first time since 1972.

Goacher’s dray outside the Rifle
Volunteers, 2021

Growing success saw a move to new premises on a small industrial estate at Tovil, also on Maidstone’s outskirts, where it remains to this day, serving two (soon to be three) tied houses and a healthy free trade throughout Kent.

The modern brewing plant was purpose-built and constructed along classical lines, allowing for full-mash brewing and open fermentation in stainless steel vessels. All the ales are produced from 100% malted barley and whole Kentish hops, without the addition of sugars or artificial colouring.

“We believe that our commitment to excellence and traditional methods produces ales of distinction and character much sought-after in this increasingly-standardised world,” says the brewery.

*Goacher’s tied house: The Rifle Volunteers, Maidstone*

Regular beers

Best Dark (ABV 4.1%) is the brewery’s original ale, initially dubbed ‘Maidstone Ale’ and renamed ‘Dark’ as further brews were produced. This is a rich, complex, full-bodied ale with high proportions of crystal malt and East Kent Golding hops.

Crown Imperial Stout (ABV 4.5%) is Goacher’s version of a true, bottled Irish stout. Brewed with roasted barley and high levels of Kent Fuggles hops.

Fine Light Ale (ABV 3.7%) is Goacher’s best selling pale amber bitter, which has a floral hop character deriving from WGV and East Kent Golding hops.

Gold Star Ale (ABV 5.1%) is a true draught pale ale made with floor-malted low-colour Maris Otter malted barley and hopped with the finest East Kent aroma hops.

Real Mild Ale (ABV 3.4%) is a full-flavoured dark mild, brewed with chocolate and black malts and hopped with Kent Fuggles. It was originally produced to celebrate Goacher’s 5th anniversary.

Regular seasonal beers and specials

*Goacher’s tied house: The Royal Paper Mill, Tovil*

House Ale (ABV 3.8%) was originally produced as a blend of Goacher’s Fine Light and Best Dark ales as a special for a local pub, but is now brewed and supplied to several houses.

Old 1066 Ale (ABV 6.7%) is a fruity rich barley wine named after the original gravity of the brew. Old has been produced in small quantities every winter since 1983.

Silver Star Ale (ABV 4.2%) is Goacher’s palest ale, first produced in 2008 to celebrate its 25th anniversary. This summer ale is hopped with Kent Fuggles producing a crisp, clean taste with a light, satisfying dry finish.

Fancy a pint?

Goacher’s has two tied houses: The Rifle Volunteers in Maidstone and The Royal Paper Mill in Tovil, less than a mile away from the brewery. In 2019, Goacher’s bought another pub – The Little Gem in Aylesford – which is currently undergoing renovation and expected to open in 2021.

Tours and takeaways

Takeaways are available from Goacher’s tied houses. Please enquire for details.

Reviewed by Kentish Mann 2021.

Welbeck Abbey Brewery

18/04/2021 by Teresa Cottam 1 Comment

Brewery Yard, Welbeck Abbey, Worksop, Nottinghamshire

Website: Welbeck Abbey Brewery

About the brewery

Not far from Nottinghamshire’s legendary Sherwood Forest you will find Welbeck Abbey Brewery, situated within the historic 800-year-old estate of Grade I listed Welbeck Abbey, the traditional residence of the Dukes of Newcastle and later the Dukes of Portland. The estate has an interesting and varied history, most recently the kitchen block was used as an army hospital during the First World War (1914 to 1919) and the house let to the Ministry of Defence between 1945 and 2005 and used as an army training college. After the death of the eldest daughter of the 7th Duke, Lady Alexandra Margaret Anne Cavendish-Bentinck in 2008, the 17,000 acre estate and house passed to William Henry Marcello Parente, the son of her younger sister, who has lived there since the Ministry of Defence moved out.

Interesting Fact: The First World War started when the Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, but just months beforehand, he was almost killed in a shooting accident while a guest at Welbeck. Had catastrophe not been averted, an even greater catastrophe may never have happened.

The estate – like many country estates – has had to diversify in order to survive and prosper. The Welbeck Estates Company and the charitable Harley Foundation have opened a number of new ventures such as the Dukeries Garden Centre, the School of Artisan Food, the Harley Gallery and Foundation, and the Welbeck Farm Shop. There is also a range of craft workshops.

The brewery is a joint venture between the Welbeck Estate and the Kelham Island Brewery in Sheffield. Kelham Island had spare equipment and the know-how to establish the venture, and helped recruit the first head brewer – Claire Monk. Claire, who was originally from Suffolk, moved to Sheffield to study microbiology at Sheffield University. She had a weeklong placement at Kelham Island Brewery in January 2010 and the brewery offered her a job once she graduated. The job turned out to be setting up the new Welbeck Abbey Brewery in 2011 which was to be housed in a listed barn on the estate. At the time, at the tender age of 23, she was the youngest female brewer (or brewster) in the country.

Claire oversaw the successful launch and development of the brewery, producing ales that use the estate’s own mineral-rich spring water and a unique strain of yeast. No sugar or additives are used during the brewing process, although the brewery has recently begun using unusual ingredients as part of its commitment to a greener brewing process. This commitment means using on-site water from the estate’s borehole, reducing the amount of water used in the brewing process (reducing the amount of water from 5.5 pints to 3.5 pints per pint of ale), adopting a one-stage fermentation process to reduce the need for cleaning (thereby reducing use of chemicals and water), saving and reusing pallets, recovering heat and reducing electricity usage, and even changing the beer mats to biodegradable ones with vegetable inks (printed just down the road).

Interesting Fact: Welbeck Abbey Brewery originally housed another brewery, True North, from 2012 until it opened its own premises in Sheffield in 2015

One of the brewery’s most interesting initiatives was its Foraged and Found Range introduced in 2019, which saw it team up with the local artisan food producers on the estate to reuse left overs. This resulted in waste bread produced by students at The School of Artisan Food used in a beer called Breaking Bread; whey from the Stichelton Dairy used in Out of the Blue Porter; and coffee ground from The Harley Cafe used to create Wake up and Smell the Coffee Porter. The team has also foraged the estate for unusual ingredients – creating a pale ale containing nettles called No Pain No Gain. Other beers in the range included a rhubarb saison May the Forced be With You and a pale ale brewed with orange rind from the cafe’s orange squeezer, called Take it Squeezy.

Claire is still with the brewery, but is now the general manager, with James Gladman heading up brewing. The brewery supplies local pubs and exports to over 70 countries.

Regular beers

Cavendish (ABV 5.0%) is a blonde ale named after the House of Cavendish who owned the Abbey. It has crisp, zingy grapefruit flavours.

Harley (ABV 4.3%) this honey-coloured ale has a zesty, fresh flavour with notes of orange blossom and a subtle sweetness. It uses American and German hops and is named after ‘The Great Collector’ Edward Harley, who built a huge collection of books and art.

Henrietta (ABV 3.6%) is a golden ale named after two famous Henriettas in the Welbeck family lineage: Henrietta Cavendish-Holles and Henrietta Scott. It’s a clean-tasting, delicate golden ale with notes of honeysuckle and fresh hay. Brewed with German Hallertau Brewers Gold.

Kaiser (ABV 4.1%) this extra pale beer uses premium German lager hops to deliver a biscuity-sweet but refreshingly herbaceous flavour.

Portland Black (ABV 4.5%) a rich porter named after the Duke and Duchess of Portland. It has a subtle smoked taste with chocolate, coffee and vanilla flavours.

Red Feather (ABV 3.9%) is a robust auburn ale with a rich colour and walnut flavours combined with bitter sweet caramel. It takes its name from the emblem of Welbeck.

Regular seasonal beers and specials

In 2013, a group of female brewers got together to produce Venus Red (ABV 4.6%) at Welbeck Brewery, to celebrate women brewers.
In 2020, Welbeck Brewery partnered with Age UK to support its Men in Sheds project that helps older men escape isolation and find support and friendship. Men In Sheds is a true ABV 4.8% English IPA that uses Cascade and Jester hops. 10p from each pint sold is donated to the project.
The Hall Cross in Doncaster commissions its own beer, Stocks, from the Welbeck Abbey brewery, using the recipe from the old Doncaster Stocks brewery.

Fancy a pint?

Welbeck Abbey ales can be found in pubs in South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire and North Lincolnshire. Its bottled beers are available in local shops (not in supermarkets) and it sells directly to the public from its website (bottles, mini kegs and beer-in-a-box).

Tours and take aways

There are few breweries more worthy of a trip than Welbeck Abbey – particularly for couples where one partner is not so enthusiastic about beer. Brewing enthusiasts can take the brewery tour, which includes a look around the brewhouse, insight into the ingredients, and an overview of the brewing process. Tours last approximately 1.5 hours and finish with a refreshing complimentary pint of Welbeck ale. (Those interested should email Welbeck Brewery) But the venue has so much more to offer for those who prefer the product to the process and aren’t excited by a brewery tour. This includes the Harley Gallery, the setting itself and the Garden Centre. For those wanting to make a weekend of it, there are good and inexpensive hotels locally and plenty more to see including Clumber Park (National Trust), Rufford Abbey, Newstead Abbey and Creswell Crags. And, most importantly, some fantastic local pubs! For more information see our Abbeys, Parks and Crags Tour.

The brewery also runs classes in ale production.