Beer News From Liverpool 04/04/18

Beer News

23 Club / Clove Hitch

It is with a heavy heart that I tell you that Liverpool's first craft beer bar, The 23 Club in the basement of 23 Hope Street, has closed its doors for good along with The Clove Hitch bar and restaurant that occupied the rest of the building.  I am lead to believe it has something to do with the condition of the building.

The 23 Club basement bar has had problems over the last year, the most significant lead to it being closed for about 13 weeks last summer. 

There may be some light as I have heard a rumour that a company from Manchester is interested in buying the building.

Liverpool Organic Brewery

I have recently heard that Liverpool Organic Brewery has called in the receivers and are currently looking to sell the business off as a going concern.  I hope a buyer can be found and we won't lose such great beers as Kitty Wilkinson.

This is purely the brewery.  Real Ale Events is unaffected.

Problems on Android devices

It has recently been brought to my attention that certain formatting aspects of the Blogger API do not work on the default Android web browser!  A friend has been having issues using is Android phone.  My soloution to the problem would be an immediate upgrade to an iOS device!!!!

I'm kidding guys!  I love all my readers, whatever OS you use. 

My honest solution would be to install an industry-standard browser such as Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome.  It confuses me why Google don't just bundle Chrome with Android.

As an iOS and PC user, the blog has been viewed on the mobile versions of Safari (default iOS browser), Chrome, Firefox,  Edge and Amazon's Silk browser on the Fire tablet. as well as on the desktop versions of  Chrome, Firefox and Edge.

I have encountered no issues with formatting.  Obviously the formatting for mobile devices greatly differs from their desktop counterparts, but that goes without saying. 

Taking The High Rope To Success

In 2014 two guys met at Liverpool's Home Brew Club.  Finding a shared interest in wrestling and beer, Neil and Ben collaborated on a beer for a home brew competition against their Manchester counterparts.  Liverpool Home Brew Club emerged victorious.  This winning beer would go on to become Top Rope's Overkill IPA.

In early 2015 the pair made the decision (most likely over a beer or two) to start their own microbrewery. Equipment and ingredients were ordered, recipes were concocted and Top Rope Brewing appeared in a shed at the end of a garden in Liverpool!

Shortly afterwards, Neil and Ben won 3 out of 5 categories in a homebrew competition run my BrewDog Liverpool.  This served as both a test for future recipes and an amazing sendoff from the homebrew world.

With a brewkit, recipes, artwork and obscure wrestling references in place, this wrestling-obsessed duo were ready to make beer the professional way!



Fast forward to 2018....

Business has been a success, the beer is flying out faster than the garden shed can handle.  It been a good base for these guys, but its time to move up.

And in spectacular style, they have purchased the now defunct Deva Craft Brewery at Sandycroft between Shotton an Chester.

While fans of Deva will be sad to see it go, it is a great site for the expanding Top Rope Brewing.

I wish Neil and Ben all the best in their new venture and success for 2018.

I can't wait to see what you guys come up with next.  I ma always looking forward to you next brew.

A little time off.

Given my Beer Advent in December and my over indulgence on New Year’s Eve, it’s probably best a take a break for a bit!  Have no fear, I will be seeking out new and interesting beers for #tryanuary, just not for a week or so!  I will be attending +Manchester Beer & Cider Festival (@mancbeerfest) at the end of January.

2017 New Year's Eve in Chester

For the first time in a few years I attended a free New Year’s Eve event.

For the last two years I have paid £5 to go to my local, this year I fancied

something different.

I attend one of only three free events I could find in Chester at a pub I am a regular

at.  The pub always a good and wide selection of beers and they had a DJ,

free food (well a pie each, but they do usually cost £3 and there were about 60

people there) and a free glass of bubbly at midnight.

The best new year I’ve had in a long time.

I started my NYE celebrations at The Deva Tap at about 3:30pm.   I walked in the

rain,getting totally lost along the way, and wound up at the Goat and Munch at

6:05pm, 5 mins after they closed! 

Knowing time was pressing on, I skipped Telfords Warehouse and went straight to

The Pied Bull for some dinner. I left there, after eating, and got to The Cellar

(my final destination) at 6:30pm.

I also had the cost of accommodation for the night, but it was definitely worth it.

Cyber Beer Plans for Two Thousand And Eighteen

I have big plans for 2018!  Much travel will be involved.

As I wish to travel elsewhere in 2018, I plan on giving Isle Of Man Beer Festival a miss.

However.....  I am planning on attending beer festivals in Copenhagen, Budapest, Wroclaw, Minsk and Warsaw as well as a two week trip to the US taking in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles!
The US trip is not entirely beer related, but I'm sure I'll find some decent craft beer bars and may decent craft beers on my travels! 

So 2018 will be a pretty packed year.  I will also be taking a family holiday and possibly another holiday, but we'll see about that!

With all the travelling, as with 2017, maybe 2018 won't be the year I invest in my outside bar or nanobrewing kit, or start up the beer import business I thought of a year ago and started putting a business plan together for in the first days of 2017, but the beer festival travelling means making more contacts for if I do try and get that off the ground.

For up to date beer news and reviews follow me on Twitter and Instagram @cyber_beer, on Periscope and Untappd @cyberbeer and on YouTube +Cyber Beer TV .

I wish you a happy new year and all the best for 2018.  May you try many new beers.

Cyber Beer

Two Days Without Beer!

This year I did a "Beer Advent"!  At least one beer a day in December!  I was, however drinking a few days before that too, putting me on at least one beer a day for a month!  

Damn do I feel rough!

So, two days off beer now!  December 27th and 28th have been beer free!  

I am meeting up with friends  on Fri 29th for a few drinks in the afternoon.  

On Saturday 30th I am attending the New Year's Eve Eve party at Dead Craft Beer Company in Liverpool.

New Year's Eve will take me to Chester, where I am booked into a hotel overnight.  After visting a few pubs in the afternoon I will be heading to The Cellar for the main celebrations.

Then...... Bring on Tryanuary!  How many new beers and beers from small breweries can I get in Tryanuary 2018?!