This year’s judging was again lead by Roger Protz.
Gold, Wylam Hickey The Rake.
Silver, Three Kings True North.
Bronze, Yorkshire Brewing Company Mutiny.
Judging of Champion Beer in the Wood of Britain today
The judging of the second Champion Beer of the Wood will be taking place at North Shields today. The judges will be making their selection from beers across the country and deciding which one has most benefited from being served from a wooden barrel. Last year’s champion beer ‘Haymaker’ from Hook Norton brewery is again in the running but with even more brewers submitting an entry it will be a highly competitive competition. Once again the judges will be led by prominent beer writer and expert Roger Protz
| BREWERY | BEER | REGION | ABV | STYLE |
| ANIMAL | LION | BUCKINGHAMSHIRE | 4.60% | PORTER |
| BAD SEED | CHOC-O-PEEL | YORKSHIRE | 3.90% | MILD |
| BIG LAMP | PRINCE BISHOP | NORTH EAST | 4.80% | GOLDEN ALE |
| BIG LAMP | KEELMAN BROWN | NORTH EAST | 5.70% | BROWN ALE |
| BINGLEY | INDIAN BROWN ALE | YORKSHIRE | 5.50% | BROWN ALE |
| BLACKJACK | KING OF CLUBS | MANCHESTER | 7% | STOUT |
| BOX SOCIAL | GENTLEMAN’S NECTAR | NORTH EAST | 4.20% | PALE ALE |
| BOX SOCIAL | CAMPFIRE PORTER | NORTH EAST | 7% | PORTER |
| BREW YORK | TONKOKO | YORKSHIRE | 4.30% | MILK STOUT |
| CAMERONS | STRONGARM | NORTH EAST | 4.00% | RUBY |
| CAMERONS | ROAD CREW | NORTH EAST | 4.50% | PALE ALE |
| CULLERCOATS | GRACE DARLING GOLD | NORTH EAST | 5.00% | GOLDEN ALE |
| DOG AND RABBIT | FOO DOG OATMEAL STOUT | NORTH EAST | 6% | STOUT |
| DOG AND RABBIT | SKIFLEDOG | NORTH EAST | 4.60% | BROWN ALE |
| DURHAM | KARMA CITRA | NORTH EAST | 4.30% | IPA |
| ELLAND | NETTLETHRASHER | YORKSHIRE | 4.40% | COPPER ALE |
| ELLAND | 1872 PORTER | YORKSHIRE | 6.50% | PORTER |
| EXMOOR | BEAST | SOMERSET | 6.60% | STRONG DARK |
| FIVE TOWNS | CRANACHAN | YORKSHIRE | 5.50% | SPECIALIST |
| FIVE TOWNS | NEULKON | YORKSHIRE | 6% | PORTER |
| FERNANDES | MALT SHOVEL MILD | YORKSHIRE | 3.80% | MILD |
| GIPSY HILL | HEPCAT IPA | LONDON | 4.60% | IPA |
| GIPSY HILL/DURATION COLLAB | BARNSTORMER | LONDON | 4.70% | SPECIALIST |
| GIPSY HILL | HEAVY FUEL OIL | LONDON | 9.50% | IMP STOUT |
| HADRIAN BORDER | TYNESIDE BROON | NORTH EAST | 4.70% | BROWN ALE |
| HADRIAN BORDER | OUSEBURN PORTER | NORTH EAST | 5.20% | PORTER |
| HADRIAN BORDER | BLACK I.P.A | NORTH EAST | 5.50% | I.P.A |
| HALF MOON | DARK MAQUERADE | YORKSHIRE | 3.60% | MILD |
| HARROGATE | BEECHING AXE | YORKSHIRE | 5.20% | APA |
| HARROGATE | PUMP ROOM | YORKSHIRE | 5.60% | STRONG DARK |
| HEXHAMSHIRE | NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY IPA | NORTH EAST | 4.50% | IPA |
| HOOK NORTON | HOOKY MILD | OXFORDSHIRE | 2.80% | MILD |
| HOOK NORTON | HAYMAKER | OXFORDSHIRE | 5.00% | PALE ALE |
| KIRKSTALL | DISSOLUTION I.P.A | YORKSHIRE | 5.00% | I.P.A |
| KIRKSTALL | BLACK BAND PORTER | YORKSHIRE | 5.50% | PORTER |
| JAMES AND KIRKMAN | EMPRESS OF INDIA | YORKSHIRE | 6.00% | IPA |
| LEIGHTON BUZZARD | NARROW GAUGE | BUCKINGHAMSHIRE | 3.90% | GOLDEN ALE |
| LEIGHTON BUZZARD | BLACK BUZZARD | BUCKINGHAMSHIRE | 5.80% | PORTER |
| MAXIM | DOUBLE MAXIM | NORTH EAST | 4.70% | BROWN ALE |
| MAXIM | MAXIMUS | NORTH EAST | 6.00% | DARK ALE |
| MAXIM | TIME LORD | NORTH EAST | 4.00% | PALE ALE |
| MONTY’S | DARK SECRET (GF) | WALES | 5.60% | STOUT |
| NORTHERN WHISPER | OPPENCHOPS | LANCASHIRE | 4.00% | GOLDEN ALE |
| NORTHERN WHISPER | BELTIE | LANCASHIRE | 4.80% | STOUT |
| OSSETT | ENGLISH ROSE | YORKSHIRE | 4.00% | GOLDEN ALE |
| PHIPPS | PHIPPS IPA | NORTHAMPTON | 4.30% | IPA |
| PHIPPS | CASCADIA | NORTHAMPTON | 5.00% | PALE ALE |
| PURPLE MOOSE | MADOG’S | WALES | 3.70% | AMBER BITTER |
| PURPLE MOOSE | GLASLYN | WALES | 4.20% | PALE ALE |
| PURPLE MOOSE | DARKSIDE OF THE MOOSE | WALES | 4.60% | DARK ALE |
| RAT | KING RAT | YORKSHIRE | 5.00% | I.P.A |
| RIVERHEAD | REDBROOK PREMIUM | YORKSHIRE | 5.50% | RUBY |
| ROUNDHILL | BROWN ALE | NORTH EAST | 4.90% | BROWN ALE |
| ROUNDHILL | MOSAIC | NORTH EAST | ||
| STANCIL | BARNSLEY BITTER | YORKSHIRE | 3.80% | BITTER |
| STANCIL | BLONDE | YORKSHIRE | 3.90% | BLONDE |
| STEAM MACHINE | COCONUT CHOCOLATE PORTER | NORTH EAST | 7.30% | PORTER |
| SUNBEAM | WHITE CHOCOLATE PALE MILD | YORKSHIRE | 4.20% | MILD |
| THREE KINGS | TRUE NORTH | NORTH EAST | 4.90% | BROWN ALE |
| THREE KINGS | DARKSIDE OF THE TOON | NORTH EAST | 4.10% | STOUT |
| THREE KINGS | SILVER DARLING | NORTH EAST | 5.60% | STRONG PALE |
| TREBOOM | BARON SATURDAY XS | YORKSHIRE | 6.00% | PORTER |
| TURNING POINT | DISCO KING | YORKSHIRE | 5.10% | APA |
| WETHERBY | HIBERNATOR | YORKSHIRE | 5.10% | STRONG DARK |
| WORKING HAND | MOGUL | NORTH EAST | 4.50% | BLACK IPA |
| WORKING HAND | I.P.A | NORTH EAST | 5.90% | I.P.A |
| WYLAM | HICKEY THE RAKE | NORTH EAST | 4.20% | PALE ALE |
| WYLAM | JAKEHEAD IPA | NORTH EAST | 6.30% | IPA |
| WYLAM | PLEASURES IN DARKNESS | NORTH EAST | 11% | IMP STOUT |
| XT | 13 | BUCKINGHAMSHIRE | 4.50% | RUBY |
| YARD OF ALE | ONE FOOT IN THE YARD | NORTH EAST | 4.50% | GOLDEN ALE |
| YORK | BRITANNIA | YORKSHIRE | 4.20% | MILK STOUT |
| YORK | CENTURIONS GHOST ALE | YORKSHIRE | 5.40% | STRONG DARK |
| YORKSHIRE BREWING COMPANY | MUTINY | YORKSHIRE | 4.20% | PORTER |
| YORKSHIRE BREWING COMPANY | WAVERIDER IPA | YORKSHIRE | 5.20% | IPA |
GOLD, WYLAM HICKEY THE RAKE.
SILVER, THREE KINGS TRUE NORTH.
BRONZE, YORKSHIRE BREWING COMPANY MUTINY.
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Beers From The Wood and Logfire Pizzas
The York branch of SPBW is an active branch that has been at the forefront of developing innovative approaches to introducing people to the delights of Beers from the Wood.
Over the past few months that have teamed up with BISTRO GUY on Gillygate York which is in the shadow of the York City Walls to hold mini beer festivals at which Pizzas are also available.
At each event they have paired some of the best Yorkshires micro brewed beers which are matured in wooden barrels with logfire pizzas.
Included in the line-up have been Elland 1872 Porter CAMRA’s winner the best Beer of Britain 2015 and SIBA North East Winner Keras from Brew York
Details of goods in the shop available online soon.
Enamel badges (SPBW logo or Woodfest)
£5.50 Tie Clips
Ties Windsor purple only £13.00
T-shirts £14.00
Sweatshirts £21.50
Polo Shirts £19.00
Polo Shirts with pocket £20.00
Hats Acrylic knitted £7.50
Baseball Caps (SPBW logo) £10.70
Baseball Caps (WoodFest logo) £15.20
All prices include post and packing. For colours and sizes please refer to the online shop. Ts, polos and sweatshirts usually come in X, XL and XXL. If you want something smaller or larger, please contact Bill, rather than use the shop. We also have rugby shirts, fleeces, bottle openers, key rings and sew-on badges.
Massive Expansion in Beers Being Available in Wooden Casks
Over the past few years SPBW has been tracking the expansion of beers that are now served from wood.
In the North East, at Whitley Bay, the Dog and Rabbit have a wood Wednesday evening every week where there is a different beer from the wood (bftw). In North Shields the Exchange the location for the second National Woodfest in July 2018 and regularly have a bftw. Many other pubs in that area regularly do bftw and the breweries that have wooden casks include Three Kings, Maxim, Hadrian Border, Wylam, Hexhamshire, Box Social, Dog and Rabbit, Big Lamp, Working Hand, Errant and Credence.
The Yorkshire area has quite a few breweries using wood regularly too York, Brew York, Half Moon, Ossett, Black Sheep, Theakstons, Sam Smiths James and Kirkman, Saltaire, Five Towns, Wishbone and Elland to name but a few.
In the south there are casks at Gipsy Hill, Hook Norton, XT. Further north Leighton buzzard, Phipps and Montys in Wales. In the lakes you have Tarn Hows Brewery who have around 50 wooden casks and a nice bottle shop in Ambleside which also serves beer from the wood.
With regards to where to find BFTW, this is probably best answered by Garry Wiles who is the SPBW Wood Officer.
Beers from the Wood Available in London
After a successful Woodfest 2017 the NEC decided that it was time to purchase some wooden firkins for use in and around the London area for National events and beer festivals etc. Master Cooper Alastair Simms was commissioned to make the two casks. Park (Kingston) and Gipsy Hill breweries were selected to look after the casks on behalf of the society.
There was a visit to the latter’s Brewery Tap, the Douglas Fir near Crystal Palace Station, in early December. The Douglas Fir is an excellent conversion of a former shop and we were warmly greeted with a special 11.5% Belgian style Dubbel which had been brewed by Gipsy Hill and was being served from our wooden firkin in the cellar and… wait for it… free of charge to SPBW members! A great gesture by Michael, Simon and Co at the brewery. The beer as you can imagine was strong so only halves and thirds were consumed! We were joined by some more members and stayed till around tea time before heading off. Our sincere thanks to everyone at Gipsy Hill Brewery and The Douglas Fir.
The Junction at Castleford on the Beer Bucket List
The Junction pub in Castleford, sometimes known as the Home of Beers from the Wood, is now officially one of the 150 unmissable beer experiences in the world as featured on The Beer Bucket List.
Documenting some of the greatest beers, bars, breweries and events, Mark Dredge’s new book is the ultimate bucket list for every beer lover.
Combining travel, city guides, food and history, The Beer Bucket List takes you around the globe, via traditional old British pubs, quirky Belgian bars, brilliant Bavarian brauhauses, spots to enjoy delicious food and beer, the hop gardens of New Zealand, Southeast Asia’s buzzing streets, amazing beer festivals, unique beer styles, pioneering breweries and the best new craft brewers.
On The Junction, Dredge says it is “one of those wonderful beer anomalies. It’s a place where the vision of its owners is dedicated to something that they genuinely believe in and they’ve created an extraordinary experience.”
Published by Dog ’n’ Bone, it is available 10th April 2018, £16.99
