Stonch lives in London, where he runs a pub.Ascot Ales - clearing all hurdles
Yesterday, I boarded a train at Waterloo bound for the Surrey-Berkshire borders. I'd been invited to Ascot Ales by it's proud new owner, my pal Chris Gill.
The four barrel plant is housed in a spacious industrial unit with a high ceiling. Casks fill the centre of the room, with the brew kit neatly arranged to one side. A spare steel fermenter lies prone along the floor. During my visit, the mash was in process for Ascot's first weissbier. As the smell of malted wheat and barley filled the room, we sampled the full range of beers while I learned more about the operation.
Ascot Ales was founded by in early 2007 by American Jerry Farrell. A former homebrewer, Jerry brought US-style brewing to the English Home Counties, with recipes that use exclusively New World hops. Jerry has moved on and passed the baton to Australian Tim Meyer. Tim moved to the UK last year and immediately found his skills in demand. His background is also in non-commercial brewing, having operated a two barrel set up with a group of mates back home.
The brewery's flagship is Posh Pooch (4.2% abv), a golden beer in the style of an American Pale Ale. It's heavily hopped with Chinook and Cascade, and consequently bursts upon the palate like a good APA should. Alligator Ale at 4.8% abv is a step up in terms of strength, but uses a simpler recipe, with only two malts and a single hop variety: Cascade, unsurprisingly. With a creamier palate than its weaker brethren, it's a wonderfully balanced beer with a very full body. For session beer fans, Party 8 - so-called in a nod to Watney's and 70s nostalgia - is just 3.7% abv and a much fruitier, gentle ale, but again the American hops are out in force.
Moving away from the core range, we tried the brewery's darkest beer. Owner Chris is ecstatic about Anastasia's Exile Stout (5% abv), named after the executed Russian princess. If you think a touch of Cascade works in a dark, roasty beer, you'll be in hog heaven here. The citrus aroma is alarming, but in terms of flavour it manages to blend in with bitter chocolate and coffee to produce a pleasing, if challenging, experience.
Finally, the winter warmer: Santa's Reserve (5.2% abv). Chris is considering rebadging it next year, as a beer this good shouldn't just be for Christmas. The sample I tasted was spiced with cinnamon and coriander seed, while ginger was also added to a second batch. This certainly isn't subtle, but it was smooth and moreish. I liked it a lot.
In terms of recipes, Ascot Ales isn't a traditional English brewery. These aggressively hopped, US-style beers will certainly stand out in the UK. Nonetheless, it's all real ale: they don't filter, pasteurise or artificially carbonate anything. Don't be surprised if you see Posh Pooch or Party 8 appearing on a handpump near you.
Information:
- Ascot Ales is based in Camberley, Surrey (website). Ascot beers are available in 5l mini kegs and bottle conditioned from selected Waitrose outlets and other retailers in Surrey and Berkshire. Londoners can buy them at Spitalfields Market from Quaffs. A number of local pubs are supplied, but so far the brewery doesn't have a regular on-trade presence in the capital.
- For the avoidance of doubt, Princess Anastasia did not survive Ekaterinburg. But Elvis is alive and well, and Mohammed Fayed speaks nothing but the truth.
18 comments:
"If you think a touch of Cascade works in a dark, roasty beer, you'll be in hog heaven here."
I personally don't. You can get an approximation of the effect by mixing espresso with grapefruit juice.
American hops have their place. Just not in Stouts.
It's interesting - while some get "grapefruit and coffee" (which I agree would be disgusting) - i tend to get dark chocolate orange...
Grapefruit is one of the few flavours I dislike so I find it easy to detect.
ah finally! good to see you back on the brewery trail, stonch!
The citrus effect of the US hops can run the range. Ithaca Beer makes a brown ale where there is a consistent lime aspect. Neustadt west of me by about a three hour drive uses NZ hops that do have an odd kiwi fruit thing to them. It think it is the skill of the particular brewer in selection and that can coax orange or tangerine rather than the white grapefruit pith but in too many cases the extent of the skill being applied is just the opening of another pack of hops for pouring in, giving the dreaded sour puss.
As Boak suggests, the effect of the Cascade in the Anastasia is more choccy orange than grapefruit. Also I'd stress it's quite restrained. Nonetheless, there's a debate to be had on whether even that is desirable in a stout. We know what Ronbo thinks!
I've been hoping for some time you'd start writing about DRINKING beers again. These ales sound very distinctive and I'll be looking out for them.
I agree with Ron - cascade has no place in dark ales. Now Fuggles are a different matter.....
I've brewed a robust porter that used cascade, and I've also had Seirra Nevada's porter and stout, both with (I believe) cascade. Wonderful beers all. The trick is balance, you have to be careful and specific about the amount of hops and their interplay with the malt. Thats the only way to get well melded pleasing and complimentary flavours as opposed to overwhelming citrus.
Welcome back Stonch.
Looks like you had an excellent day there Stonch. I've seen how the big boys at Theakstons do things but would be interested to see how things were done at a smaller brewery.
As an aside drinking beer made with Cascade hops (Commercial and Home Brewed) has been a real eye opening experience. I find their aroma absolutely stunning. I've never tried them in a dark ale to my knowledge though, the concept is now on my "to try" list.
I had a similar epiphany after sampling a Hersbrucker Mittelfruh only brew by a fellow home brewer in town.
and while you're out in that neck of the woods, don't miss the hogs back brewery in tongham. they have an impressive selection of bottles and the waft of grain is lovely, reminiscent of my shit kicking days-o-youth.
I never expected this much controversy. I must say the stout is not a grapefruit bomb, it has only got a hint of cascade, put in at just the right point to leave a bit of piney/orangey aroma. It certainly gives it a point of difference, and I believe works quite well.
Cascade (and a lot of other hops) most certainly belong in dark beers. There are some great dark ales/browns/porters and stouts with a cascade. Try a Little Creatures Rogers and you will understand.
We are just happy to keep providing something a little different, done well.
I guess cascades are alright in a Stout if you can't really taste them. I've had several Stouts where you could smell grapefruit at 20 paces. Not pleasant.
I'm Ascot Ales BLO for CAMRA. A great role as I love Tim's beers. The stout is my fav which happened to win Stout of the Festival at Woking Beer Fest. Anyone living in/visiting the area can often find an Ascot Ales beer available at the wonderful Prince of Wales, near Farnborough North railway station.
Well if anything this is going to encourage a lot of folk to try Ascot Stout and see for themselves!
Tim from Ascot, as we discussed when we met, there are scores of British breweries producing broadly similar beers. Although many of them do so very well, they'd never provoke any sort of discussion at all. The fact people are so intrigued by what you're doing at Ascot is a sign of success.
Steve, yes, quite.
Modern chefs at the top of their industry strive to create well balanced 'fusions' of flavours, combining tradition with fresh influence. Ascot and T. Meyer should be commended for having created a succesful fusion.
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