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The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has calculated that the new tier system revealed by the prime minister yesterday will cost wet-let pubs £47,000 each for the month of December alone.

According to the trade association, if all wet-led pubs in the UK were to be subject to the restrictions in tiers two and three, this would cost the sector £1.5 billion, or £47,000 for each wet-led pub. Some £680 million of this would be from lost beer sales — the equivalent of 180 million pints — meaning the restrictions will also hugely damage Britain’s brewers.

The BBPA says this will destroy thousands of pubs and breweries across the country, forcing them to close for good unless the government provides grant support pubs and brewers urgently need. It has written to the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, empasising this point.

It has urged him to deliver emergency grants to pubs in line with those in the first lockdown, as 90% of pubs placed under the new tier 2 and tier 3 restrictions will operate at a loss, leading to financial ruin without support. The current support grants range from just £1,300 to £3,000 per month — not anywhere near compensating for lost revenue and ongoing fixed costsm say the BBPA.   

In the letter, Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the BBPA, said: “I cannot overstate how serious the situation facing our brewers and pubs is at this stage. It would be utterly heart-breaking if, having survived through the last nine months, pubs now face ruin with the end of the pandemic in sight.”

Acetic Acid…..A common acid produced by a variety of yeasts and bacteria. A major spoilage flavour resulting from the growth of acetic acid bacteria in beer and detectable by a vinegar like aroma and taste. Production by acetic acid bacteria involves the oxidation of ethanol to acetic acid.

Alcohol By Volume (ABV)…..A measure of the strength of a beer by the level of alcohol it contains. If measured by volume the units would be millilitres of alcohol per 100 grams of beer. Beer ABV ranges from 3% in weak ales and milds to 10% in strong ales and barley wines.

Barley…..The principle cereal grain used in brewing. Two species,Hordium vulgare and Hordium distichon are most commonly grown and many varieties exist some of which are planted in the spring others in the winter. The grains of barley are quite large and contain high levels of starch and also of digestive enzymes. Two row barleys are larger than six or four row barleys due to the selection of two rows of grains down the stem rather than the wild type six rows.

Barley Wine…..A classic strong ale with an ABV between 6.5 and 11,a bitterness between 20 and 50 and a wide range of colour. Flavours are generally pungent and alcohol,ester and hoppy and taste moderately bitter with a thick and smooth mouthfeel.

Beer engine…..A hydraulic pump used to pull beer from a cellar to the bar for dispense. Designed like a simple water pump it contains one way valves in a chamber to prevent backflow of the beer. Beer, pulled into the chamber through a rubber flap on the piston, is dispensed out through a spout which may be extended to reach the bottom of the glass and minimise turbulence. The long pulling handle is the characteristic emblem of cask ales which are typically dispensed using beer engines.

Beer stone…..A deposit of mineral and organic materials in the fermenter due to the precipitation of calcium salts and proteins. May be difficult to remove and can shield contaminating bacteria so posing a hygiene hazard.

Brown Ale…..A distinctive type of British beer characterised by a moderate bitterness and strong malt character. Taste is malty and sweet with a full body and light hop and fruit. ABV is between 4.5 and 5.0% and colour up to 70EBC.

Calandria…..The surface of a heating element in contact with wort. May be internal to the copper or external so as to heat wort which is pumped over it in a recirculation loop.

Casks…..Vessels for dispensing beer. Traditionally made from wood but today stainless steel,or less frequently, aluminium. Typical shape is cylindrical with a belly to keep settled yeast away from the tap. When stillaged the tap has a shive bung which is opened to allow air or gas into the cask. Beer is drawn from a tap inserted into the keystone bung in the side.

Copper…..A boiling vessel for wort.Boiling kills residual microorganisms extracted from malt during mashing, stabilises flavours and converts a acid into iso a acids so making wort bitter. It is an essential stabilisation stage in brewing.

Fermentation…..The dominant reaction of yeast metabolism which produces ethanol and carbon dioxide from glucose. Energy is also produced and used by the cell for growth and multiplication.

Ferulic acid…..A phenolic compound released by malt and converted to spicy flavours such as vinyl guaiacol by wild yeast. This may be perceived as an off flavour in standard beers but is an important feature of authentic wheat beers.

Foam…..The froth produced on the top of beer dispensed with agitation. Composed of a mixture of protein, polysaccharides and iso humulones it forms a layer of liquid around gas bubbles released from the beer. This layer drains slowly so retaining the bubble shape. Antifoaming materials such as lipids reduce the integrity of the layer and collapse the foam. High levels of protein and bitterness in beer will increase foam levels and foam stability.

Fuggles…..One of the first identified varieties of hops. Developed in 1875 by Richard Fuggle it remains an important variety used in traditional British beers.

Infusion mashing…..A traditional mashing process involving keeping the mash at a single temperature during the mash period. This is typically between 60 and 70 C where amylase activity is maximal. Infusion mashes are usually employed for UK beers produced using well modified malt which has incurred extensive protein and b glucan digestion during malting.

Priming Sugar…..Sugar added to the beer after fermentation to restart yeast activity and fermentation. Important in some cask ales and bottle conditioned beers where a secondary fermentation is necessary to produce additional carbonation. Sucrose would commonly be used but malt gives a better flavour profile.

Worts……A wort is how all beers start out. Wort is the liquid resulting from the mashing of the malted barley at the start of the brew process. For beer,hops and yeasts are added to the wort prior fermentation,the hop choice from the brewer are what takes it to the next level with their preferred flavourings. The yeast is added after the liquid is boiled steadily for around an hour and allowed to cool, this will transform the sugar in the wort into alcohol and produce the CO2 that render beer sparkle.

A new report published by the Society of Independent Brewers (Siba) on 12th March 2020 found that 23% of 18 to 24 year olds do not drink alcohol, marking a 6% increase over the last 12 months.Meanwhile the research showed a 30% increase in sales of no or low alcohol beverages since 2016.The interest for no or low alcohol beverages has gained prominence in the drinks market.A spokesperson for Siba said that the popularity of drinking no or low alcohol beers is showing no signs of wavering.

In December, it was reported that a third of millennials in the UK were planning on hosting a teetotal Christmas.

After you’ve ordered your drink and its poured and allowed to settle do you look closely at the amount of liquid in the glass?Sometimes its well short of the correct amount and you then have the decision to make of do i shout the server who has now gone to the next customer to top up the glass?or do I just accept it and move away from the bar?Well in my case I always ask for the glass to be topped up to the required level,and so should anybody without embarrassment.

I have witnessed many a short measure in my time and it really shouldn’t happen.Having said all that there are many pubs with a well trained staff that will top up your drink without asking,and the minority seems to give every other a bad press.Whats the solution to this age old problem?Maybe better training for the staff.I had a chat recently with the landlord of our local about this problem and his response was quite interesting “As a business that makes very small profit on the sale of alcohol because of sky high taxes and rent we can’t afford to pay much more than minimum wage and certainly can’t afford expensive training courses for our staff,which in turn leads to a high turnover of staff and also many of them are just doing the job whilst studying at university so are not really interested in a career in the pub industry.

So the circle continues, lack of money,poor training opportunities, low wages,no particular interest in the industry. Wow didn’t realise i was getting so deep into a small problem and at this point I will leave it for now.If any of you fine people have encountered the same problem please let me know.

Beer sales in 2019 grew to over 8 billion pints (8,059,495,997),this was an increase of 1.1% from the previous year.A very impressive increase as 2018 had shown the biggest increase in sales for 45 years.The increase in 2019 equates to 87 million extra pints being sold versus 2018.

The then Chancellor Philip Hammond had froze the beer duty in the budget back in October 2018 and this appears to be instrumental in the growth of beer sales as the freeze came into effect in February 2019.

Firecatcher from Wychwood brewery in Witney Oxfordshire.When poured it was clear and golden with a small white head (the head didn’t last too long).There was hints of citrus,hops and a grassy aroma.Tastes of a sweet caramel malt with a hint of lemon also has a slight spicey feel to it.At 3.5% its very much a session ale,but for me it was uninspiring and probably wouldn’t buy this again.2/5

This is from the Wychwood website:-Pale,crisp and lightly aromatic.Firecatcher brings together the best of British barley and wheat.Warming hints of honeyed nectar spark the intense and sharp gooseberry flames.Light in body but pleasingly quenching. Catch one and put out the fire.

Finally got round to finding out some information about this ale that I enjoyed on our recent visit to Much Wenlock.The ale was on offer in all the pubs bar one in Much Wenlock, the exception only due to the lockdown restrictions and didn’t receive their original quota.

Brewed by Wye Valley Brewery.www.wyevalleybrewery.co.uk.First brewed in 1987 and has an alcohol content of 4% so very much a session ale.The brewery only started in 1987,so the HPA was a newish ale for the newly established brewery.In this period the general public were drinking more lagers than ales so the HPA came about to rival the lagers,so the brewery created a pale golden ale of its own.It is now Wye Valley Breweries best selling ale.

A citrus and floral hop aroma leads to a great quenching flavour on the palette, with hints of grapefruit and lime before a long refreshing finish.

Sneck Lifter was first brewed in 1990 as a winter beer,a strong dark ale at 5.1% from Jennings brewery in Cumbria,Cockermouth to be exact. www.jenningsbrewery.co.uk.When poured it has a reddish appearance with a steady off white head.Aroma of hops and malt give it a nice balance on the nose.Flavour of biscuits and chocolate from the malt and peppery,citrus from the Golding and Fuggle hops.Its been a while between drinking this ale not had one for a few years,but well worth the wait.3.5/5(should have been a 4 but the head faded pretty quick).

Shropshire lad is from the Wood brewery in Wistanstow Shropshire.woodbrewery.co.uk.This is what it says on the bottle”Well rounded malt flavour,sweetish overtones followed by a subtle bitterness and fruity notes from the infusion of traditional hops,from the neighbouring hop fields of Herefordshire and Worcestershire”.Another beer from Morrisons at just £1.25.

First brewed in 1996 to celebrate the centenary of the first publication of a Shropshire lad by A E Housman.

The beer poured a dark amber colour which cleared to a nice foamy white head.Aroma of caramel but not overpowering.The ale was smooth on the palette with a malty and hint of chocolate flavour,slightly citrus due to the hops used.At 4.5% it could be drunk as a session bitter but on this occasion only one bottle was consumed. Overall a nice beer,that I will be having again, 4/5.

“A memorable and deceptively easy drinking IPA.This is an authentic recreation of the beer style created for and enjoyed throughout the Empire.Goldings,Fuggles and American Cascade hops combine to give a crisp citrus hop aroma,with a balanced, bittersweet finish.”That’s what is written on the bottle.I had this at the weekend and at 5.7% is a pretty strong beer,although when tasted you wouldn’t think it.When poured it’s clear and golden with a slightly off white head.Aroma is lightly hoppy,perhaps more of a lager smell with a hint of citrus.The taste is not quite IPA enough for me,hinting towards a bitter,easy drinking beer from Marstons brewery.Purchased from Morissons for just £1.25 (500ml).I would rate this as more of a winter beer,it had that feel of drinking in front of a roaring fire in a country pub.Overall an easy drinking, strong IPA,but nothing exciting about it to score it highly.3/5.