Duplication Isn't Always Bad!

I spent over an hour last night typing up the brewer interview from Marble.

This morning I discovered I did actually type it up about a week later!  So it I now have a duplicate transcript!  Duplication isn't always bad.  A year later I can look back on it and also comment on events and progresses since, such as the release of the subsequent beers in the "Marble Metal Series". The four beers in this series are Damage Plan, Built To Fall, Your Betrayal and Into The Void.  It also gets out fresh to my readership.

Cyber Beer

Mable Beers Interview - Damage Plan Launch (19/02/16)

On February 19th 2016, after seeing a notification on Facebook, I went to The Marble Arch in Manchester for the launch of Marble Brewery Damage Plan, which became the first in the "Marble Metal" series.  Afterwards I spoke for a few minutes with head brewer J.K.

CB: Interview with J.K. Marble Beers on Damage Plan
CB: Why did you decide to do such a strong beer?
JK: It's not strong.  Erm.  7.1%, its a nice cheeky IPA strength I#d say.  As the years have progressed with American brewing being the driving force behind most of the brewing in the world, beers have got stronger and we're just going what we need to do the stay current with the market really.  It's a simple one.
CB: It's weak compared to Belgian beers
JK: It's a good session strength, You can drink schooners of it and you're okay.  You don't have to dink pints an pints of it, its not that sort of beer.
CB:  It's a more European style, a casual beer
JK: Yeah, exactly.  You can drink it with food,
CB: How did you come up with the name?
JK:  Ah, yeah.  You see, I'm a massive metal fan and my favourite guitarist is Dimebag Darrell and Dimebag split away from Pantera with his brother and started Damage Plan and now he's dead it my kind of homage to Dimebag.
CB: What kind of hops do you use?
JK:  Summit, Equinox and Mosaic are the three main hops we've used in this for aroma and flavour.
CB: And what kind of malt?
JK: Low colour Maris Otter.  That's it.  We used a few acidulated malts to change the PH of the mash and that's it really.  Just very simple matls, it all about the hops really.
CB: What's your target audience for this beer?
JK: Erm....
CB: It's a difficult question!
JK: Yeah, I mean, I brew beers that I like to and want to drink, so when I'm thinking of a beer to brew, it's something I'll like and I hope everyone else does really!
CB: Is this your fist foray into "craft beer"?
JK: No. No. No.  I used to work for Thornbridge,   I've brewed for Thornbridge, I've brewed for Fullers, I was the head brewer at Buxton for a couple of years and I've home brewed since I was about 15.
CB: And you're done a few Marble "craft style" beers?
JK: Oh yeah, yeah.  I did a beer with James when he was here.  I did a couple of beers with Matt.  My ex-assistant brewer at Buxton was Joe, who's mum owns Marble.  I've known everyone for years, we've been inextricably linked.
CB:  I see you have a schooner in your hand, which answers my next question, have you tried it yet?
JK:  Yes, yes, yes
CB: Your opinion as a brewer of your beer?
JK: It's good.  I'm actually really pleased.  Usually there's always something wrong with the beer you brew.  It needs a touch more carbonation, but that's it.  I'm well pleased with it.
CB: Well that's it
JK: No worries, mate,

I concluded the interview by saying I'd get it typed up in the next few days, it's actually taken me a year!  Sorry J.K.!

I wasn't expecting such a detailed answer to my question on J.K.'s brewing history, the question in my mind had been about specifically at Marble.  I meant to ask "Is this Marble's first foray in craft beer?" but I got a better and more insightful answer than I had hoped for!  And I refined it to Marble with my impromptu next question.

Leeds CAMRA Beer Festival Ditches Halves (And Jokes About It!)

According to the website for LeedsCAMRA this year's LeedscBeer Festival (Which is actually in Pudsey!) will no do half pints.  They even make a joke of it.  The website states, about three quarters of the way down "*Glasses lined at one third and two thirds only - no half measures!"

I can only assume this is a cost cutting measure so they don't have to have two sets of glasses.  One of the traditional ale drinkers and one for the craft ale drinkers.  I still don't understand why a half line couldn't have also been included.  Maybe they thought four lines on a glass would be too confusing!  Who knows?  It does, however, suggest that Leeds, along with several other CAMRA beer festival, will be including Key-Keg craft beer.  It's nice to see so many local branch beer festivals embracing craft beer despite CAMRA's official stance on keg beer.

As a ticker and blogger, I tend to only drink halves at beer festivals (unless its something I know I love) so the removal of the half line is a big turn off for me. I haven't attended Leeds Beer Festival since 2004 and this change does not encourage me to return!

I hope this isn't a trend that will catch on.  I will be a very sad day when a half is no longer considered a standard measure!