Brewery News

Beer Tasting at Library – New Date

09 Nov 2018

Following a highly enjoyable evening at Harold Wood Library’s Beer Tasting event, which Brentwood Brewery was invited to run as part of Havering Library Festival, Havering Libraries have invited us back. This time the Beer Tasting event is at Elm Park Library on Thursday 15^th November at 7.30pm.

Debbie and Roland Kannor at Harold Wood Library Beer Tasting

Tickets for the Elm Park Library Beer Tasting, costing £10 each, are available from Eventbrite or local libraries. Here’s the Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/brentwood-brewery-tasting-event-tickets-49984461871

Elm Park Library, 12 Saint Nicholas Avenue, Hornchurch, RM12 4PT.

Attendees Enjoying Some Brentwood Beer at Havering Libraries’ Recent Beer Tasting Event at Harold Wood Library

There’ll be a good range of different Brentwood-brewed beers to taste. Hope you can join Roland and team for a fun night out.

Love Beer, Love Brentwood

Gold Wins Gold at SIBA East

12 Oct 2018

No comments

Tweet this

by Wendy

Brentwood Gold has won the Gold award in its class at SIBA East’s Beer Competition. It came top in the Bottled British Bitter (up to 4.4%) award and is the East of England region’s champion beer in this category. The Society of Independent Brewers East (region) Beer Competition was held at Elgoods Brewery in Wisbech earlier this month (September).

The brewery is so delighted that Roland and Bill, with a little help from Ethan, have made a short video in celebration:

It means that Brentwood Gold goes through to the national beer competition at SIBA Beer X which will be held in Liverpool next March where the eight regional Gold winners will battle it out for the national title.

Brentwood Brewing Company MD Roland Kannor said: “We’re very pleased to win a gold award for one of our most popular beers and one of my personal favourites; Brentwood Gold. On to the finals in Liverpool!”

Love Beer, Love Brentwood

Festival Went Fine & Dandy

09 Oct 2018

No comments

Tweet this

by Wendy

Visitors to our recent Beer & Sausage Festival really seemed to enjoy the occasion. As well as a varied beer menu of Brentwood and Elephant School beers, all brewed on site in Brentwood, guests were entertained by jazz band Fine and Dandy.

Photo by Ricci Fothergill

Sausages from prestigious local butchers proved to be so popular that extra supplies had to be speedily bought in on the day. Our suppliers included Bert’s Butchers, Broad Oak Farm, Oliver’s Butchers and Neil S Risdon based next door at Calcott Hall Farm Shop. Rest assured, there was never any chance that the brewery would run out of beer.

Photo by Ricci Fothergill

Collection pots were strategically perched on both bars to encourage donations for Warley-based charity SNAP (Special Needs and Parents).

Photo by Ricci Fothergill

Brentwood Brewery’s MD Roland Kannor said: “It was another great, fun event at Brentwood Brewery. If you were unlucky enough to miss it, maybe you’d like to come along to our next Beer Festival events.

“To celebrate National Curry Week and Yorkshire Pudding Day we’re holding a Beer & Curry in a Yorkshire festival which we’re calling Chicken Bathia Day this Saturday (13th October). Planning ahead, another one to pencil in your diary is our Christmas Beer Festival on Saturday 8th December.”

Love Beer, Love Brentwood

Getting Arty with Craft Brewers

10 Sep 2018

No comments

Tweet this

by Wendy

Among the many bottles and barrels at Brentwood Brewery, members of Ongar Art Society found inspiration for some sketching practise, transforming the brewery into a temporary art studio one Saturday morning recently.

The society’s membership secretary, Nicola Rhodes, said: “We like to go to different places on sketch days. In the past we’ve been to Greensted Church, Epping & Ongar Railway, Hylands Park and very often we go to our members’ gardens. It’s the first time we’ve been to the brewery.

“It’s good because it really gets you looking at different shapes and textures and you’re practising your skills”

The brewery environment certainly provided the group with some different and interesting, if somewhat challenging, subject matter to work with. All the artists agreed that beer barrels were the trickiest of shapes to tackle.

Ongar Art Society Chairman Beverley Hughes said: “New members are always welcome. You don’t have to be an artist to join, you just need to have an interest in art and some enthusiasm. Our members have a wide range of artistic experience and backgrounds.”

Relaxing in The Tap Room

After toiling over their sketchbooks, some members of the group relaxed in the brewery’s onsite Tap Room, sampling some Brentwood-brewed, draught BBC1 which is just 1.5% ABV but just as flavoursome as higher ABV beers.

Brewery MD Roland Kannor said: “We’re proud to serve, help and play an active part in our community. In the dozen years we’ve been trading we always aim to help the local community where we can.

“Whilst it’s always a pleasure to be of assistance, we always end up having fun and enjoying ourselves at the same time.”

We would like to thank all the artists (Nicola, Beverley, Loueen Morrison, Hugh Rayner and Fred Ambrose) who kindly allowed their work to be photographed and shared with our beer fans and readers of the brewery’s monthly newsletter The Beery News. Thanks also go to Hugh Rayner from Blackmore for donating his pencil sketch to the brewery.

The brewery and our Tap Room are open six days a week. See our home page for opening times, more details about the brewery or to sign up for The Beery News (www.brentwoodbrewing.co.uk).

Ongar Art Society

Ongar Art Society meets regularly on the second Thursday evening of each month (except August) at High Ongar Village Hall. The group is holding its Winter Art Sale at The Budworth Hall in Ongar on Saturday 10th November.

Love Beer, Love Brentwood

The Best July Fest

02 Aug 2018

No comments

Tweet this

by Wendy

Celebrating Brentwood Town Twinning

Brewery visitors joined Brentwood Town Twinning Association supporters to enjoy a little taste of German Oktoberfest in July. Held to celebrate the town’s links with Landkreis Roth in Germany, July Fest, complete with Oom-Pah music, took place at Brentwood Brewery on Saturday (28th).

Special Guests at Brentwood Brewery for July Fest. Photo by Wendy Pike

Photo by Wendy Pike of NewsWoozle: Special guests at Brentwood Brewery for July Fest (L-R) Cllr Tom McLaren, Fei He, Cllr Jon Cloke, The Mayor of Brentwood Cllr Sheila Murphy, Alex Burghart MP for Brentwood & Ongar, Roland Kannor MD Brentwood Brewing Company and Cllr Andy Wiles

Sausage and a Beer for Town’s MP

Among the guests was Alex Burghart MP for Brentwood and Ongar. He said: “We built up some really close friendships with our sister town in Germany over the years and this is a wonderful way of celebrating that relationship and everyone having the chance for a beer and a sausage.”

Mayor of Brentwood Joins the Fun

Once again the brewery was delighted to welcome the Mayor of Brentwood Cllr Sheila Murphy. Talking about the benefits to Brentwood of town twinning, she said: “It’s something traditionally we’ve always done very, very well and as people get older we need to bring the younger people in to join us and continue it.

“It’s still very important regardless of where we are in Europe, we are still European, we need keep these ties up and running they bring benefits. They’re valuable and shouldn’t be lost.”

Cazza Simms and Alan Sparke Enjoying July Fest at Brentwood Brewery

Photo by Wendy Pike of NewsWoozle: Cazza Simms from Hornchurch and Alan Sparke from Upminster enjoying some German bier at Brentwood Brewery’s July Fest

Along with the dozen cask and draught Brentwood and Elephant School beers on offer there were five different bottled beers on the bar from the Pyraser Landbrauerei in Thalmässing, Bavaria which is in the Landkreis Roth area.

To organise July Fest, Brentwood Brewery worked in partnership with Brentwood/Landkreis Roth Town Twinning Association.

Brentwood Town Twinning Association

Photo by Wendy Pike of NewsWoozle: Brentwood Mayor Cllr Sheila Murphy with Brentwood Brewing Company MD Roland Kannor and Brentwood Town Twinning members Cllr Jon Cloke and John and Elizabeth Scannell

Cllr Jon Cloke of Brentwood Town Twinning Association said: “I had to drive out to Germany in June. We were invited as VIPs to the 950th anniversary of the foundation of the place where we stay in Germany. While we there we popped into the Pyraser Brewery and picked up six cases of German Bier for July Fest.”

“I’ve been involved with the town twinning association for about ten years. As well as the business and education partnerships made through the association, on a personal level it’s a very sociable thing to do. You strike up friendships which is always good whether you’re an EU supporter or not.”

Authentic Pyraser Bier at July Fest at Brentwood Brewery

Bottles of German Bier from Pyraser Landbrauerei (Photo: Wendy Pike)

Last year, a new friendship was struck up between Brentwood Brewery and Pyraser Landbrauerei.

Roland Looks Forward to Visit to Germany

Roland Kannor, MD Brentwood Brewing Company: “Thanks to Brentwood’s German twin town links, we’ve made friends with the Pyraser Brewery in Landkreis Roth. Last year they came along to Oktoberfest at Brentwood Brewery, bringing with them some authentic German bier. When they returned they took with them some Brentwood Beer to share with their colleagues in Germany.

“We plan to visit the Pyraser Brewery sometime soon and would like to organise a coach trip, which will be open to readers of our newsletter the Beery News.”

“Some of our friends at Pyraser are hoping to come over for another visit this year. They hope to join us at Brentwood Brewery for our next event on Saturday 29th September. We’re looking forward to welcoming them and enjoying a few beers together.”

Scouts

Something the town twinning association and the Mayor of Brentwood are hoping for is the blossoming of further future friendships. “My friend Sarah Parish is Deputy District Commissioner for Brentwood Scouts and she’s in the middle of planning a trip to Landkreis Roth in Summer 2021, hoping to take 50 to 100 young people.

“I think the Scout’s involvement (Brentwood Scouts is one of my charities this year) would be a good way to introduce young people to Town Twinning via the Scouts,” said the Mayor of Brentwood, Cllr Sheila Murphy.

Photo by Ricci Fothergill of RMC Photography Ltd

Love Beer, Love Brentwood

Our Ale Refreshes Festivalgoers & Stars

23 Jul 2018

No comments

Tweet this

by Wendy

On the hottest of nights at this year’s three-day Brentwood Festival it was Brentwood Beer that helped to refresh and hydrate thousands of festival-goers as well as Sunday’s headline acts, Toploader and Scouting for Girls. A bottle of Brentwood Gold was raised to toast the crowds as Scouting for Girls’ frontman Roy Stride paid tribute to the audience and the beer, having supped the ale onstage during the performance.

Roland

“It’s always wonderful to get such positive feedback about our beer. Of course, we’re very proud of what we brew and do. To get such appreciation is always very pleasing.

“Toploader and Scouting for Girls are fantastic entertainers and we all had such a great time with them at the festival on Sunday. There was a great atmosphere – a night to remember.

“The bands are a big hit with us and it’s nice to learn that our beer seems to be a hit with them too,” said Roland Kannor, MD of Brentwood Brewing Company.

Private Beer Tasting

At a private Beer Tasting backstage in the Green Room, ahead of their appearance, Roy Stride said: “I love beer. Too much! I love real ales. I love lager. I love craft lager as well. I love supporting small independent breweries especially when it’s something quite community driven. It’s really nice to know.

“I now live in a little village in Sussex and there’s a brewer there and that brewery puts on nights in the brewery. It’s got like it’s own little pub. We go and drink there.”

Scouting for Girls

Both bands were invited to their own private Beer Tasting session with Headbrewer, Ethan Kannor, who admits he was more than a little starstruck. He said: “I was a bit nervous as I’m such a big fan. I’ve seen Scouting for Girls many times and I know all the words to their songs! But I needn’t have worried as both bands were really relaxed and easy to get along with. They all seemed to like beer and chatting about it.”

Members of Toploader and Scouting for Girls each sampled small tasters of half a dozen different Brentwood and Elephant School beers, including the brewery’s luxury Champagned beer, Van Kannor. They were guided through the styles, flavours and characters of the beers by Ethan who also gave a short explanation of brewing processes.

Toploader

To Chill or Not to Chill

Among the topics of conversation with Joe (Washbourn), Dan (Hipgrave) and Rob (Green) of Toploader was the debate about whether or not to chill ale before drinking it. On such a hot day, chilling was definitely the preferred option.

Frontman Joe Washbourn said: “Ale is actually on our rider. In the summer it’s nice to have it chilled.”

“If you’re going somewhere I’ll always go to the pipes and try different ones. It’s not about drinking five pints of the strongest beer anymore. It’s about the flavour and what food you’re eating.”

Lead guitarist Dan said: “The Gold is what I would choose. It’s nice and cold. I don’t know what the etiquette is with the temperature of beer is but I’ll always get a gold ale and stick it in the fridge, have it freezing cold like a lager and I think it tastes nice like that. Having said that when it’s slightly less cold, you do get a bit more flavour probably.”

Beer & Food Flavour Matching

The Toploader gang was also very knowledgeable about matching food and beer flavours, suggesting the foods they’d choose to go with each of the beers. As for beer styles, light and golden ones were favoured by Joe and Dan, whilst Rob much preferred lower ABV ales and was interested to learn about the brewery’s BBC1 at 1.5%.

So, how does Toploader normally spend the time before a gig? Drummer Rob Green said: “Not normally with somebody turning up with so many bottles of beer!

“We don’t normally arrive this early actually but we’ve just played a couple of nights, last night and the night before, so we were literally a couple of hours up the road so we thought we’d come here and we might watch the World Cup final. We’ve got a few meet and greets to do and a chance to warm up then we’ll hit the stage, running.”

Scouting for Girls

Scouting for Girls’ Roy (Stride), Pete (Ellard – drums) and Greg (Churchouse – bass guitar) agreed with their friends from Toploader that a Beer Tasting was highly unusual preparation for a gig but their pre-show schedule usually does feature ale somewhere.

Pete: ‘We do generally have a few beers.’

Roy: ‘We like a few beers. That’s it really. Yeah.’

Greg: ‘Like this. It’s lovely. You can just sit about really and listen to other bands.’

Ethan and Scouting for Girls talked about beer and brewing as well as the band’s love of life on the road and a hectic but enjoyable summer festival schedule. They found they had something in common with Ethan as they swapped experiences and anecdotes about running a full marathon for charity. Scouting for Girls for Alzheimers’ Society and Ethan for Fragile X Society. They unanimously agreed it was a tough challenge.

Confession

The brewery also confessed that, for one day only, they had cheekily changed the names of some of the regular beers for the occasion with She’s So Love-Aley and Stouting for Girls on the bar. Also, Hoploader. To the brewery’s relief the boys from Scouting for Girls were amused and approved of the temporary beer names.

Community Champions

Brentwood Brewery, which won the Society of Independent Brewers’ (SIBA) Brewers in the Community 2018 national award recently, was delighted to once again sponsor the Brentwood Festival. Held in aid of Cancer Research UK with headline acts including Scouting for Girls, Toploader, Squeeze and Heather Small, the festival attracted thousands of people from across Essex and beyond to enjoy three days of music, food and drink.

Festival Director Jason Jopson said: “We want to thank everyone who gave so generously to Cancer Research UK, whose pioneering research is aiming to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.”

Festival Co-ordinator Laurie Edmonds added: “It’s fantastic how the festival really pulls Brentwood together for a fun weekend.

“The crowd was so relaxed. It was lovely seeing families enjoying the music and activities on offer.”

ENDS

From Mash Tun to Glass

12 Jul 2018

No comments

Tweet this

by Wendy

We are delighted to share with you Brentwood Brewery’s new promotional video which illustrates the brewing process in super-quick time.

In just about 30 seconds the film charts the journey of a pint of Brentwood Beer from Mash Tun to glass. The video will get its first public outing during the ad breaks at The Brentwood Festival this weekend.

Thanks Harry of Rebelflux Ltd

The Brewery Team would like to thank the talented videographer Harry Hughes of Rebelflux Ltd for his creative genius and diligent work in putting together the video for us. For more details about Rebelflux Ltd see www.rebelflux.com.

Thanks Hoppily

We’d also like to thank our friends at Hoppily (www.hoppily.co.uk) for helping out with this production and starring in the video. Cheers Hoppily.

(Featured footage supplied by Rebelflux Ltd)

Here’s the video:

Love Beer, Love Brentwood

We Are SIBA’s Brewer in the Community 2018

29 Jun 2018

No comments

Tweet this

by Wendy

Brentwood Brewery is ‘surprised but delighted’ to have won the Society of Independent Brewers’ (SIBA) Brewers in the Community Award 2018. This national accolade recognises ‘the fantastic but often under-appreciated work British independent craft breweries do for charity, local people and for community causes’.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR BEING COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS

Brentwood Brewing Company’s MD Roland Kannor said: “It is an honour to receive this award. We’re proud to serve, help and play an active part in our community. In the dozen years we’ve been trading we always aim to help the local community where we can.

“Whilst it’s always a pleasure to be of assistance, we always end up having fun and enjoying ourselves at the same time.”

Judges were ‘bowled over’ by the brewery’s connection to the local community as well as the range of activities they undertake supporting local charities, elderly residents and local businesses.

“Despite the high standard of entries, it was Brentwood Brewery that stood out from the rest. Their passion for finding innovative ways to support so many causes from a local pre-school to the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire was truly inspiring. Congratulations to everyone at the brewery!” said SIBA”s Tony Jerome.

SIBA representatives and The Mayor of Brentwood, Cllr Sheila Murphy, joined many brewery friends for the award presentation by Brentwood and Ongar MP Alex Burghart, appropriately, on Beer Day Britain (June 15). He said: “This is excellent news for Brentwood Brewing Company, excellent news for Brentwood and excellent news for beer. Under Brentwood Brewing Company, local ale goes from strength to strength.”

Some of the many and varied charitable fund raising activities undertaken by the brewery team have included running the Brighton Marathon in aid of The Fragile X Society, supporting an elephant conservation charity through Colchester Zoo and supporting a local primary school with a collaboration brew generating a donation to the PTA for every pint sold. (Chipping Ongar Primary School Association COPSA).

The brewery is supporting three main charities this year. They are: Special Needs and Parents (SNAP charity) based in Warley (they support families across Essex), The Fragile X Society based in Great Dunmow (supporting families in Essex, a national charity) and Little Doves Pre-School in Navestock.

“SIBA’s Brewers in the Community Award judges were amazed by the quality of entries. These examples illustrate the varied and important roles British independent craft breweries play. In many cases, brewers play just as integral a part in their communities as the local pub. Raising funds, donating prizes, offering space for events, creating employment or just opening a small brewery tap are just some of the ways craft breweries support their communities,” added Tony Jerome.

Roland Completed Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) UK Programme

Brentwood Brewing Company’s ambition and potential for further growth led to its participation in the prestigious Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) UK programme in 2017. The fully-funded programme helps to support growth-orientated small businesses and is designed by business education experts and run in partnership with leading UK universities and business schools.

Brentwood Beer is Gluten-Free

Roland Kannor said: “It was an extremely valuable experience because we had so many ideas about how to grow the business and while we have always worked with the community, it was an opportunity to plan how we could develop that relationship even further by using tools such as social media.

“It also gave me the confidence to make the decision to work towards becoming a gluten-free brewery which has led to export opportunities with Sweden.”

Brentwood Brewery is an award-winning micro brewery in Essex run by a family with a passion for making and drinking the finest craft beer. It is among just 2% of UK breweries to hold the quality accreditation Safe and Local Supplier Approval (SALSA) plus Beer certification. It is home to the Brentwood and Elephant School Brewing beer brands.

SIBA is a trade association representing more than 800 independent craft breweries.

**SIBA’s Brewers in the Community Report**

SIBA has compiled a new report, Brewers in the Community, which highlights new research illustrating how important independent breweries are to communities across Britain. www.siba.co.uk. Key findings:

82% of independent breweries have supported a charity in the last 12 months

84% of independent breweries said their relationship with their community was ‘important’ or ‘extremely important’ to their business

45% of the breweries donating money to good causes chose to support a local or village charity

1 in 4 breweries raised over £1,000

A third of independent breweries now have a Tap Room, which has helped to replace a closed village pub in many instances.

Love Beer, Love Brentwood

Beer for School’s 50th Anniversary

29 Jun 2018

No comments

Tweet this

by Wendy

Brentwood Brewery is once again proud to be supporting Chipping Ongar Primary School Association (COPSA) Dads in their quest to raise money for the school. COPSA Gold is the second collaboration beer brewed to raise money for the school association. It’s one of many projects that has contributed to the brewery winning national recognition for supporting the local community as Brentwood Brewery was recently announced as winner of the Society of Independent Brewers’ (SIBA) Brewers in the Community Award 2018.

Beer for Chipping Ongar Primary School’s Golden Year

COPSA Gold 4.1%, also celebrates the school’s 50th anniversary and was on sale at COPSA’s grand school fete following Ongar Carnival, which was organised by Ongar Round Table (Sunday 24th June). The fund raising Brentwood Beer is now available on draught at The Cock Tavern in Ongar High Street and a donation of 10p for every pint sold will go to COPSA.

Steve Reynolds of COPSA Dads said: “Last year’s beer, Chipping Chirper, was such a success, we were keen to work on another collaboration brew, especially in the school’s 50th anniversary year.

“We sold 90 pints of COPSA Gold at the fete and everyone loved it. Hopefully, customers at The Cock Tavern will sample some more and at the same time help to raise funds for the school association.”

Community Support

Ongar Estate Agent and fellow community supporter John Sear sponsored the beer for the school fete which means that all the money from those beer sales goes straight towards helping the school via COPSA. John Sear also sponsored the school’s balloon race which saw 300 ozone-friendly, biodegradable balloons, launched at the fete.

Roland Says Please Drink Generously

Brentwood Brewery MD Roland Kannor said: “In the dozen years we’ve been trading we always try to help the local community where we can. As ever, it is always good to work with local groups, supporting local causes, like COPSA Dads in Ongar who are raising money for the school.

“It’s a great, local cause, so please drink generously and support The Cock Tavern at the same time.”

Roland Kannor MD of Brentwood Brewery, Steve Reynolds of COPSA Dads and The Cock Tavern Landlord Rob Price sampling some fund raising COPSA Gold at The Cock Tavern in Ongar High Street. (Jolly bearded chap is photo bombing.)

The money raised by COPSA is being earmarked for updating the school’s playground equipment.

Everyone who bought a pint of COPSA Gold at the school fete was entered into a free, prize draw to win a Brewery Tour for two at Brentwood Brewery.

Love Beer, Love Brentwood

Community Champions

25 Jun 2018

No comments

Tweet this

by Wendy

We are the brewery with the biggest heart in the land. That’s official. We’ve just won SIBA’s Brewers in the Community Award 2018, a national award from the Society of Independent Brewers. The accolade recognises ‘the fantastic but often under-appreciated work British independent craft breweries do for charity, local people and for community causes’.

Brentwood Brewing Company’s MD Roland Kannor said: “We’re proud to serve, help and be an active part of the community. It is an honour to receive this award. We’re firmly committed to helping our local community.

“Whilst it’s always a pleasure to be of assistance, we always end up having fun and enjoying ourselves at the same time.”

With SIBA representatives, The Mayor of Brentwood, Cllr Sheila Murphy, and the brewery’s CAMRA liaison officer Beryl joining lots of brewery friends for celebrations at the brewery, the award was presented to Roland by Brentwood and Ongar MP Alex Burghart, appropriately, on Beer Day Britain. He said: “This is excellent news for Brentwood Brewing Company, excellent news for Brentwood and excellent news for beer. Under Brentwood Brewing Company, local ale goes from strength to strength.”

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) is a trade association which represents 835 independent craft breweries. The judging panel was ‘bowled over’ by the brewery’s connection to the local community as well as the range of activities we get involved in. They were also impressed by the brewery’s commitment to local charities, elderly residents, sustainability and to supporting local businesses.

Tony Jerome, SIBA’s Director of Membership and Marketing, said: “Despite the high standard of entries, it was Brentwood Brewery that stood out from the rest. Their passion for finding innovative ways to support so many causes from a local pre-school to the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire was truly inspiring. Congratulations to everyone at the brewery!”

The brewery’s main charities this year are: Little Doves Pre-School, The Fragile X Society and SNAP (Special Needs and Parents).

SIBA’s Tony Jerome added: “Our judges were amazed by the quality of entries which illustrate the varied and important roles British independent craft breweries play. In many cases, brewers play just as integral a part in their communities as the local pub. Raising funds, donating prizes, offering space for events, creating employment or just opening a small brewery tap are just some of the ways craft breweries support their communities.”

Love Beer, Love Brentwood