Author: lycee23

The entry deadline for the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) Business Awards 2021 has been extended to 28th February.

The awards are open to entries from independent breweries, retailers, pubs, bars, restaurants, and suppliers, and this year’s awards include two new categories recognising the extraordinary resilience shown by the beer and brewing industry in the face of the covid lockdown and social distancing measures.

The new categories — covid brewery initiative and covid supplier initiative — seek to highlight those businesses making the best of a very tough situation, and the communities they support.

The awards seek to congratulate excellence in the brewing industry across a variety of categories, from pumpclip, can, and bottle design, to efforts taken by brewers to make their business more eco-friendly, innovative or successful. They also seek ro name the UK’s best bars, restaurants, and retailers of craft beer from independent breweries. The award for UK’s best independent craft beer taproom will return following its introduction last year.

Chair of judges, Neil Walker, said: “The last year has been the toughest on record for independent breweries, but what has been hugely impressive has been the ability of businesses to adapt and overcome the pressures of covid, and the many obstacles that have been thrown at them.

“Through these awards we want to champion businesses in the independent brewing sector and in the supply chain they are a part of, and given the current challenges lockdown presents we have allowed more time this year, until the end of February, for businesses to get their entries in.”

The SIBA Business Awards are unique in being both free to enter and judged by a panel of independent beer industry experts. The craft beer retailing, restaurant, and bar categories highlight the fantastic work being done to promote British independent craft beer, and are open for entry by businesses across the UK. 

As part of its 50th anniversary celebrations, the Campaign for Real Ale has launched its Golden Awards.

These will celebrate the people, pubs, clubs, breweries, and cider producers who have changed the face of their industry over the last 50 years.

CAMRA members and non-members alike are being invited to make a nomination for a series of awards to be announced throughout 2021.

A total of 50 recipients will be recognised for their valuable contribution to the world of beer, cider, pubs, and clubs, and their dedication to improving consumer choice since CAMRA was founded. 

Awards organiser, Lynn Atack, said: “As we look to celebrate 50 years of campaigning, it is worth reflecting on how far the beer and pubs industry has come since the organisation was launched in 1971.

“When CAMRA was founded, the market was dominated by just six regional brewers pushing tasteless, kegged beers onto consumers because they were easier to store and serve. 

“CAMRA was founded to demand something better and to give a voice to the consumer. As a result, we have 2,000 brewers across the country today.”

Lynn added: “The last year has been incredibly difficult for both the beer and pubs industries, and we are already seeing both in decline because of forced closures, restrictions, and curfews. To see such massive changes, in such a short period of time, demonstrates how relevant an organisation like CAMRA still is today. 

“That’s why it’s more important than ever before to shout about the last 50 years of campaigning to demonstrate just what can be achieved when we come together in support of the beer and pubs industry. The Golden Awards aim to do just that by honouring the people, groups, breweries, cider producers, pubs and clubs that have really made a difference to the beer world since 1971.”

Catorgies include:

• Pints: a brewery or cider/perry producer which has gone above and beyond in delivering excellence or innovation over the years
• Pubs: a pub or club which has stood the test of time, convivial, characterful, community-focused, and consistently pouring great pints. 
• People: an individual, or group of individuals, who have made a significant contribution to the achievement the campaign’s aims. 

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced one-off grants of up to £9,000 for businesses in the hospitality, leisure, and retail sectors.

The total cost of the measure will be £4bn, with a further £594m to be distributed by councils to businesses not covered by these new grants.

But the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) is angry that its members are not guaranteed to get the funding, and have also been dealt a hammer blow by the decision to ban take-aways of alcohol from licensed premises.

Chief executive, James Calder, said: “This is a simply the next blow after months of struggle for England’s community pubs and small breweries. For the first time in lockdown, the government intends to ban take-away alcohol sales, which have been a lifeline to these small businesses. 
 
“Sales through take-away, click and collect, and drive through have enabled many to just about survive up to now. This reversal in policy directly discriminates against small businesses while allowing supermarkets to continue to sell beer from global breweries. 
 
“Small breweries lose 80% of their sales when the pubs close and throughout the crisis have not had access to the same level of support as the wider hospitality sector, including business rates holidays. Yet again, there is no guarantee they will have access to the latest round of funding and will have to rely on the mercy of discretionary funding, which has not always been forthcoming for these struggling businesses.

“This is increasingly at odds with the support provided by the devolved administrations — Scotland is introducing a direct package of support for brewers and Northern Ireland has extended business rates holidays. 
 
“Small breweries and community pubs need an urgent guarantee they can continue to offer take-away, click and collect, and drive through sales, and that there is a proper package of support to help small breweries before it is too late.”

I really can’t get my head around people’s attitude towards social distancing when out and about doing our daily local exercise or is it that they don’t understand what 2 metres is. Don’t get me wrong most people are very curtious and move over or wait in a gap and I will do the same and then smile with a thank you very much.

Out walking today with my wife along the local canal towpath, I lost count of couples walking towards us holding hands walking 2 abreast with absolutely no intention of un hitching from one another to maybe walk single file for a few seconds as me and my wife do every time we encounter walkers. Now the towpaths in parts are very narrow and a little bit of common sense is needed at times to work out what’s the best strategy, but even when we move over and go single file a few ignorant people decide they are more important than anyone else in the world and come marching through without even making eye contact.

UK Hospitality has warned of an industry ‘bloodbath’ as new tier restrictions come into force around England.

Chief executive, Kate Nicholls — made an OBE in the New Year’s Honours list —, said: “We have consistently pleaded for the government to reassure hospitality businesses, and allow them to plan for survival, by announcing an extension to the 5% VAT rate and to the business rates holiday, and to urgently detail new support grants. Without these steps, businesses cannot plan for any future at all, meaning hundreds of thousands of job losses.

“With the vast majority of the country’s hospitality now unable to trade, we cannot deliver this message to government loudly enough. The sector has suffered more than any other under covid, and without urgent action we will witness a hospitality bloodbath, losing thousands of venues for good.”

The Campaign for Pubs slammed the government for leaving it so late to announce the forced closure of virtually every pub in England, giving less than nine hours for many to close, the day before New Year’s Eve, when many pubs in tier 2 areas had purchased stock believing they would be allowed to open.

Campaign director, Greg Mulholland, said: “Pubs and publicans accept the need to tackle covid, but ordering hospitality to close and cancelling New Year’s Eve with less than nine hours’ notice, having allowed pubs and restaurants to buy stock, is disgraceful. It is also deeply damaging to the mental health of tens of thousands of people whose livelihoods are dependent on pubs and hospitality.

“The way the government keeps changing its mind is disastrous for pubs and the government must now announce an adequate package of support through the winter and do so quickly, or many pubs will close and many families will face hardship.”

Campaign vice-chair, Dawn Hopkins, added: “Current levels of support are significantly less than during the first lockdown, yet our costs remain the same, and without an increase in financial support many pubs will not be opening their doors again.

“The government must stop ignoring us, stop ignoring our suppliers, stop ignoring our customers, or face the fact that our wonderful pub industry may never recover.”

Sol has announced that it is now brewed with solar energy, after the installation of 4,000 solar panels at its brewery in Tadcaster and 9,212 solar panels at its brewery in Zoeterwoude.

Since April 2020, all bottles brewed at both sites have been produced using renewable energy from solar power. The move marks an important step towards reducing the brand’s carbon footprint, as part of Heineken UK’s broader commitment to sustainability.

From October 2020, all primary and secondary packaging will include the new tagline, ‘Brewed with Solar Energy’, to mark the achievement and demonstrate to shoppers the changes the brand has made. Driving standout on shelf, the tagline complements the bottle’s new design, which dials up the iconic sun symbol and bright brand colours to reaffirm Sol’s aim to connect people to the positive energy from the sun.

Matt Saltzstein, Premium Beer Unit Brand Director at Heineken UK said: “At Heineken UK, we’ve challenged ourselves to innovate sustainably and as a result, we’re proud to share that the Sol brand is now brewed by solar energy. As its name suggests, Sol is all about the sun and our new tagline, ‘Brewed with Solar Energy’, reinforces our authentic, longstanding connection to it, whilst also showcasing our goal of becoming more carbon neutral to our sustainability-minded shoppers.”

Brewing Sol with solar power supports Heineken’s sustainable development strategy, Brewing a Better World, which aims to increase the share of renewable energy in production to 70% by 2030.

Brewing alcohol is subject to quite extensive unavoidable legislation. There’s a lot of red tape to go through.

If you produce beer commercially, and its strength exceeds 1.2% ABV you are required to pay Beer Duty, and must register as a brewer with HMRC to receive a certificate to brew. However, as a small brewer – producing no more than 60,000 hectolitres of beer a year – you will most likely be entitled to a reduced duty rate, as part of the Small Breweries’ Relief scheme. The rates are on a sliding scale, starting at 50% for production of 5,000 hectolitres or less, and decreasing for larger production volumes.

When you apply for registration you are required to give a reasonable estimate of how much beer you expect to produce in a calendar year, which should be recorded in a Beer Production Account.

Additionally, if you are planning to sell direct to the public on premises you’ll need a premises licence, as well as a personal licence. You’ll also need planning permission for the site.

There are a number of associations and bodies you could join which represent the political and public interests of the industry, and can offer networking opportunities and training.

An excellent organisation to join when first starting out is the London Amateur Brewers, which hosts monthly meetings where you can meet with likeminded beginners and experts. Attendees are encouraged to critique each other’s beers openly and honestly to help each other improve.

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) – as its name suggests – represents the interests of the UK’s independent breweries. It was SIBA that campaigned alone for 21 years for a progressive beer duty system, which was finally adopted under Gordon Brown. The organisation aims to ensure that its members brew a high quality product, with membership on the condition that you adhere to its code of practice and by-laws.

SIBA also runs the Direct Delivery Scheme (DDS), which involves the organisation buying draught and bottled beer from its 520 participating brewers, and selling them to 18 national pub companies. This helps microbreweries access potentially lucrative trade opportunities that would otherwise be difficult to arrange.

A cross party group of MPs, including former Pubs Minister Andrew Percy, are today calling on the Chancellor to reconsider changes to a scheme which many believe has transformed the small brewing sector in the UK. 
 
In a letter signed by 103 MPs, they argue that altering Small Breweries’ Relief (SBR) will put “a great British success story” under threat at a time when many businesses are struggling to survive.
 
SBR has provided the basis for growth and innovation in the brewing sector and means there is a small brewery in nearly every constituency, employing 6,000 full time jobs and contributing £270 million to GDP each year. 

The letter has been signed by Members of Parliament from across the political divide – including a significant number of Conservative MPs who see local brewers as key parts of their local communities and crucial to the levelling-up agenda. 15 MPs went to the House of Commons in November to speak in a debate on the subject, while more than 50,000 people from across the UK have signed a petition calling for the Government to reverse the decision.
 
Former Pubs Minister Andrew Percy MP, who organised the letter, said: “Small breweries have been at the heart of the craft beer revolution and exist in every part of the UK. They’re often led by entrepreneurial young people, whose innovations in brewing are helping expand choice for the increasingly discerning British drinker.

“Small Breweries’ Relief is key to the success of our small breweries that are leading innovation, creating jobs in our communities and helping to bring people together. The brewing sector has been hurt badly by Covid and needs Treasury support to thrive. Now is not the time for the Government to turn its back on our small breweries by introducing potentially damaging changes to SBR”.

Under the current system, small breweries pay a proportionate amount of tax on the small amount of beer they produce compared to the global companies that dominate the industry. Up to 5,000 hectolitres – which is about 900,000 pints – they pay 50% of beer duty to the Treasury. 

Plans announced by the Treasury in July will see the 50% threshold reduced from 5,000 hl to 2,100hl – meaning that over 150 small breweries will have to pay more tax. At the same time, those larger in size will pay the same amount of tax or less. The Treasury also proposes converting the relief to a ‘cash basis’ which could see support for all brewers receiving SBR being eroded away.

Chief Executive of the Society of Independent Brewers, James Calder said: “SBR has been a great success, revolutionising brewing in the UK and allowing more brewers to start up and compete against the global companies that dominate beer in our country. The Chancellor is forcing destructive changes on small breweries, which we have not asked for and do not support. The Treasury needs to urgently reverse course, not reduce the 50% threshold below 5,000hl and give the industry something to cheer about.”
 
This letter comes as the Treasury announces plans to plough ahead with the changes and has launched a technical consultation to consider how to implement them. 
 
Small breweries have been amongst the hardest hit during the Covid crisis, losing 80% of their sales during the lockdowns when the pubs have closed without the same Government support package as the hospitality sector. 

Ingredients

• 800g beef brisket, cut into 2 inch chunks
• 50ml sunflower oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 sticks celery, peeled and chopped
• 20g plain flour
• 300ml Belgian ale (Duvel, for example)
• 400ml beef stock
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• few sprigs thyme

Method

1. Heat the sunflower oil in a large, heavy-based casserole dish over a moderate heat. Season the beef, then sear in batches until golden brown in colour all over. Remove from the dish, then add the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf and thyme sprigs and sweat the vegetables for 6-8 mins, stirring occasionally until just softened.
2. Sprinkle the beef with the flour to coat, then add back to the dish. Increase the heat and deglaze the dish with the beer, stirring the base well to loosen any debris.
3. Pour in the stock and bring the mixture to the boil. Stir in the tomato puree, then cover the dish and reduce to a simmer. Cook gently for 2 hrs, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove from the heat after 2 hrs and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Make sure you discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs before serving.

Ingredients

• 2 spring onions , green and white parts separated, both finely chopped
• 25g butter
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 100ml beer
• 1 large egg , beaten
• 50g fresh breadcrumb
• 250g extra-mature cheddar or vegetarian alternative, grated
• 8 crumpets

Method

• STEP 1…In a small pan, soften the white parts of the spring onion in the butter, then stir in the flour for 1 min. Very gradually, stir in the beer to make a thick sauce (like when making a white sauce). Take off the heat and stir in green parts of the spring onion, the egg, breadcrumbs and cheddar. Season and chill until you’re ready to use.
• STEP 2…Lightly toast crumpets, and heat grill to high. Arrange crumpets on a baking sheet, pile rarebit mixture on top and grill for a few mins until piping hot and golden brown.