Beer for Enthusiasts
Chosen By Enthusiasts

THE FINE ALE CLUB  NEWSLETTER
 

This genuinely untouched and unsolicited letter below is typical of the comments we receive from the members
about our Gluten Free Beer 'Against the Grain'

'David' is a club member who has a regular order and always gives
feedback, both good and bad, and has helped us keep 'Against the Grain' (ATG) the great beer that it is

Saturday 21st June 2008 Annual Food Awareness Day for Coeliacs
in Wellingore Memorial Hall, West St, Wellingore, Lincoln
With more than 300 people attending the event,  the Fine Ale stall was kept busy and sold out of Against the Grain and Gold Fassl leaving  some people to order cases to be delivered later. Many people were surprised to find that they could have a drink again after being diagnosed and seemed to enjoy both our premium bitter 'Against the Grain' and our imported Viennese style lager 'Gold Fassl'
I stayed overnight at the 'Marquis of Granby' in Wellingore, a very comfortable room with brass bedstead and ensuite shower, all freshly painted. For supper I tried the 'Good Ole Piggeldy Pie'  sausage, vegetables and potato topped with puff pastry  and extra veg and new potatoes.  I took a walk round the village which is very beautiful and admired all the well kept gardens, I was quite envious as my garden has got out of hand and more a weed plot.  Next morning I set myself up with a full English breakfast as I didn't know when I would have the chance to eat again, that was just as well because I hardly drew breath until the Fair closed at 2.00!
     

 Against the Grain

               
                 Wold Top Brewery         New label for new brew    Mash Tun and production line
 
            Gill Mellor, Sonja Haggett & Tom Mellor toast the new brew
The move to our new brewers at Hunmanby Grange was completed  in October of last year.
After trials and testing was completed the bottles were soon rolling off the bottling line.
 The gluten content has been reduced still further to 5.1ppm and the over lively head has been tamed.
 

More Against the Grain News.
In 2006 the Great British Beer Festival at Earls Court ordered a few cases for their new bottled beer bar, and by the 3rd day they had sold out! Last year  they have took the precaution of ordering a few more cases of bottles and 5 x 18 gallon casks. Apart from special occasions this lovely beer is getting more and more widely available. The Beer Box in Worthing  now has bottles on sale, as does Wine of Course in both their shops at High St, Ongar and Archway Rd, Highgate.
This years National Winner of Perfect Family Pub, the King's Head, Letheringsett, Norfolk, who already have gluten free items on their menu, have ordered their first delivery of bottles.  I am still endeavouring to find a partner in Ireland as well as in US of A to work with me but so far nothing has been finalised.

Newsletter May 07

 Is AGAINST THE GRAIN brain food?
Quiz nights at the Angel Inn, Dronfield in S.Yorkshire have now taken on a new meaning.
When 'Against the Grain' is on draught the teachers team sink a couple of pints of their favourite tipple and regularly win!!!
More pubs are adding cask Against the Grain to their guest ale list as well as bottles of the tastiest gluten free beer on offer (that is not my definition but that of several members who regularly place their orders)  One pub was contemplating adding a rival gf beer to his list to compliment their gf menu and were warned not to, but to get some Against the Grain in.  In many of the pubs that we supply with firkins of Against the Grain, the regulars are not even aware that it is gluten free they just like the taste.
As many of you know we have a thriving membership in Northern Cyprus led by our previous Chairman, Bernard Heaton. Even before the club was formed we have been shipping English beer out to the island on a regular basis with differing degrees of success.  The goalposts have been changed several times but we have managed to adapt to their varying regulations.  We now have new agents who seem to be keen to work with the club on a long term basis and the current shipment is being collated from 6 different brewers at the time of writing.
For more information about beer, how it is brewed, matching beer to food and the different types and origins of beer take a look at www.beerexpert.co.uk where you will find lots to interest you
                     

  River, Music and Beer Festival at
  Little Hallingbury Mill
Old Mill Lane, Gaston Green, Little Hallingbury  CM22 7QT
tel 01279 726 554

Saturday August 23rd - Bank Holiday Monday  from noon each day
21 draught Beers and Ciders from 8 different breweries
24 different bottled beers and ciders from  10 different breweries
Live Music from 50s & 60s on Sunday and Celtic rock on Monday
Yard of Ale challenge, leg wrestling, poetry competition, Tug of War,
Duck race and Hog roast among the many attractions at this beautifully situated venue
why not make a weekend of it and book in for 2 nights?
call Greg on 01279 726 554

Cheers

                                                                                                          Sonja Haggett

The Fine Ale Club, Layer Hall Farm, Layer de la Haye, Colchester, CO2 0ET
Tel: 01206 734372  | e-mail: finealeclub@onetel.com