Darwen microbrewery scoops silver award for its stout (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Darwen microbrewery scoops silver award for its stout
6:30pm Thursday 31st March 2011 in Darwen
‘FANTASTIC’ Barry Tyson, left, receives the award from CAMRA national chairman Colin Valentine
A DARWEN microbrewery which started in a garage has beaten the big boys to scoop a top award for its stout.
Smokey Joes Black Beer, produced by Hopstar Brewery, was voted the second best stout in Britain by CAMRA.
It is the brainchild of Barry Tyson who first set up the brewery in the garage of his home in Pole Lane in 2004.
He handed the business over to daughter Natalie, 22, three years ago, but continues as head brewer now the company has moved to premises in Grimshaw Street.
Barry said: "What makes our beer good is the quality ingredients and the attention to detail.
“I can be sat in the pub having a pint and I’ll ring Natalie to tell her to mix the ingredients slightly differently in the next batch.
“Our beers are craft-brewed by hand and that’s the difference. When big companies do it in bulk, they start to miss things.”
Barry worked for the Blackburn Beer Company and Rossendale Brewery before deciding to go it alone.
He said: “It’s been a lifelong hobby and passion that’s turned into something much more.
“Winning this award goes to show that the little microbreweries can show the big boys how it’s done.”
The brewery produces 50 barrels of beer each week - 3,600 pints - from two fermenting tanks.
Up to nine different beers are sold in pubs throughout East Lancashire, Manchester, Preston and Bolton each week, and it is also supplied to festivals throughout the country.
Smokey Joes has also scooped awards at the Cambridge Beer Festival, Salisbury Beer Festival, Edgworth Beer Festival and Leeds Beer Festival.
It is made of three malts and four different types of hops, and is described as a black beer with a smokey flavour, with hints of chocolate and rum.
Hop Back Brewery of Wiltshire won the title of best stout for its entry, Entire Stout.
Jon Howard, CAMRA spokesperson, said: “Smokey Joes is a truly fantastic stout and rightly deserves its title as one of the best in Britain."
Comments(12)
madmurphy
says...
7:20pm Thu 31 Mar 11
Murphy is almost wetting himself with exitement here.
happycyclist
says...
7:52pm Thu 31 Mar 11
Chris P Bacon
says...
8:52pm Thu 31 Mar 11
madmurphy wrote:No, but I've heard you are attempting to drink Ireland out of Guinness.
Well I never!!! I have to try this for myself. Where can I get a pint of this, as I wont drink guinness out of Ireland.
Murphy is almost wetting himself with exitement here.
amusant1
says...
9:20pm Thu 31 Mar 11
BlueSkies
says...
10:20pm Thu 31 Mar 11
.
Long live the micro breweries, support local businesses.
.
Lager? Better left in Europe....
Good call
says...
11:01pm Thu 31 Mar 11
BlueSkies wrote:Na mate I like both Lager and real ale.Good on Hopstar for Producing Brilliant Beers keep up the good work.
Great news, I'm heading to the Royal in Tockholes tomorrow night. . Long live the micro breweries, support local businesses. . Lager? Better left in Europe....
Good call
says...
11:11pm Thu 31 Mar 11
madmurphy
says...
12:18am Fri 1 Apr 11
Chris P Bacon wrote:He he and have the crack.
madmurphy wrote:No, but I've heard you are attempting to drink Ireland out of Guinness.
Well I never!!! I have to try this for myself. Where can I get a pint of this, as I wont drink guinness out of Ireland.
Murphy is almost wetting himself with exitement here.
I will be 5hitting black iron ore ha ha.
Drink ireland dry i say.... Yehar
Excluded again
says...
7:28am Fri 1 Apr 11
Atticman
says...
12:41pm Fri 1 Apr 11
Another good reason to be a proud Darrener.
It is a fact that guiness doesn't travel well so best drunk in the Emerald Isle.
hopstar
says...
5:55pm Fri 1 Apr 11
Other Hopstar Ales are available in the following Darwen outlets -
Bridge Street Sports & Social Club
Prince of Wales
Number 39 (Bridge Street)
The Bridgewater
Victoria
Spinners
The Punch at Chapels
More info - www.hopstarbrewery.c
o.uk
happycyclist says...
6:49pm Thu 31 Mar 11