Brixton - beer, craft ale and brewery news and discussion
- Thread starter CH1
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CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
I happened upon a copy of Lewisham Ledger - a community newspaper which looks like The Times compared to Brixton Bugle's Metro.
A double-page spread called A Shirkers Paradise led me to this Deserter blog reviewing Wetherspoons in SE London
All SE London’s Wetherspoons… Ranked! – Deserter
As far as we in Brixton are concerned neighbouring Wetherspoons come in at
No12 Rockingham Arms - Elephant and Castle
No5 Kentish Drovers - Peckham
No2 Fox on the Hill - Denmark Hill
No1 The Capitol - Forest Hill
I also note that the Moon and Stars - Penge - was no3. Could be worth a stop trip from Brixton on SE Trains. Nearest station is Kent House.
A double-page spread called A Shirkers Paradise led me to this Deserter blog reviewing Wetherspoons in SE London
All SE London’s Wetherspoons… Ranked! – Deserter
As far as we in Brixton are concerned neighbouring Wetherspoons come in at
No12 Rockingham Arms - Elephant and Castle
No5 Kentish Drovers - Peckham
No2 Fox on the Hill - Denmark Hill
No1 The Capitol - Forest Hill
I also note that the Moon and Stars - Penge - was no3. Could be worth a stop trip from Brixton on SE Trains. Nearest station is Kent House.
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
Had a pint of this excellent ultra hoppy golden beer this evening in Peckham Wetherspoons
Actually it wasn't quite like that - the pump clip used in the Kentish Drovers in Peckham was a copper/gold colour and simply had in large text Twickenham Naked Ladies.
Appreciate this is all very non-pc, but Wikipedia reveals there is actually a sculpture of same name in Twickenham which no doubt inspired the brew.
Actually it wasn't quite like that - the pump clip used in the Kentish Drovers in Peckham was a copper/gold colour and simply had in large text Twickenham Naked Ladies.
Appreciate this is all very non-pc, but Wikipedia reveals there is actually a sculpture of same name in Twickenham which no doubt inspired the brew.
They are on Twickenham riverside The Naked Ladies - Wikipedia
And are only none PC if you think michalangelo’s David is obscene.
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
I was merely reminiscing about the row in the House of Commons bar about beers with such evocative names.
This might have all been in the mind of the editor of the Telegraph in coalition days of slow news before the world turned upside down
Leg-spreader and Slack Alice: The sexist beer names that will make you cringe
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
Anyone know what's going on with the Duke of Edinburgh lately?
I was in there for South London Drinks a few weeks ago and no sign of any Real Ale - but the there was surfeit of expensive "Craft" super cold fizzy beer, including Brixton Brewery beers. And Amstel.
The Evening Standard carried an article yesterday saying Heineken were under investigation for forcing their beers on pubs which whilst superficially being free houses were actually affiliated to Heineken in some way.
Going on the Duke of Edin burgh's selection it seemed that they might be one such pub. We know they had a problem back in 2009 when owners Pub n Bars went broke, then in 2013 when the pub's foreclosing bank sold the pub on to Solitaire.
Given that it currently behaves somewhat like a Punch Taverns or similar pub - are they actually on a "hidden tie" to Heineken?
Whatever the case they are hardly going to be welcoming pensioners or the unemployed at their prices!!!
Heineken faces claims of forcing beer on publicans
I was in there for South London Drinks a few weeks ago and no sign of any Real Ale - but the there was surfeit of expensive "Craft" super cold fizzy beer, including Brixton Brewery beers. And Amstel.
The Evening Standard carried an article yesterday saying Heineken were under investigation for forcing their beers on pubs which whilst superficially being free houses were actually affiliated to Heineken in some way.
Going on the Duke of Edin burgh's selection it seemed that they might be one such pub. We know they had a problem back in 2009 when owners Pub n Bars went broke, then in 2013 when the pub's foreclosing bank sold the pub on to Solitaire.
Given that it currently behaves somewhat like a Punch Taverns or similar pub - are they actually on a "hidden tie" to Heineken?
Whatever the case they are hardly going to be welcoming pensioners or the unemployed at their prices!!!
Heineken faces claims of forcing beer on publicans
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
The Albert is a Greene King pub. No doubt they have their own supply chain and won't pay fancy prices.
Even Wetherspoons, which take Fullers London Pride as a premium ale don't stock Brixton ales, as far as I know. I imagine Wetherspoons negotiate deals that cut profits to the bone, but some local breweries seem happy with that - Sam Brooks of Battersea to name one.
twistedAM
Left Of The Dial
Yeah, Heineken have set the price of Brixton beers at a ridiculous premium price, possibly the highest in their portfolio next to Lagunitas. They obviously thought it was a funky perhaps edgy name to buy. Never thought much off their brews anyway.
editor
hiraethified
I've honestly never liked a single one of their beers but as you say, they get a lot of mileage out of their heavily advertised Brixton connection.
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
I've had some Brixton ales out of fizz taps. Was OK. A bit like Sam Brooks out of fizz taps, but more variety.
These modern sp-called craft beers have much more interesting tastes than your old Stella etc.
But suoer-cooled beer under pressure is actually Keg not real ale.
twistedAM
Left Of The Dial
Like it out not that was a canny business move appropriating the name of one of London's best known communities. See also, Camden : they got snapped up by a multinational as well.
editor
hiraethified
Absolutely. They were quick to associate themselves with as many authentic iconic Brixton references as possible (despite three of the four owners being Canadian), although they pissed me off when they unveiled their Coldharbour Lager after we already had our Coldharbour Courage beer. And, unlike them, we gave all the profits from our beer to local charities.
twistedAM
Left Of The Dial
Funnily the first time anyone representing the Brixton brand was after the Heineken takeover. Some customers actually suggested stocking it but we went with Signature instead as they have supported live music and their brews are better.
editor
hiraethified
I think it's just a lazy choice for nu-businesses in Brixton looking to score cred points.
"Oh, let's stock Brixton beers and that way we appear like we're really Brixton we're supporting the local economy (aka Heineken International PLC)."
jezg
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure why 3 of us being Canadian has any bearing, aren't you Welsh!? And anyway my wife's from London but grew up in Canada. Coldharbour Lager was one of our brainstormed beer names from 2011. Oh and we've raised money for and supported local causes since we opened.
editor
hiraethified
Claiming to have 'brainstormed' an idea is a pretty meaningless boast really, but that's not the point anyway. You knew that the Brixton Buzz 'Coldharbour Courage' had been released long before you released your beer with a confusingly similar name, and we weren't the only people to remark upon it.
And I do personally feel it's a connection I was at liberty to make because I've lived on the street for over a quarter of a century.
And while I'm sure you've done great work for local causes, the ethos of the two beers couldn't be any more different. After all, if anything summed up the 'ethos' of a street famous for squats and activism, I would have thought a brew helping the homeless would be it.
We gave away ALL the money from the beer we brewed and didn't pay ourselves a single penny. And here it is on the front page of the SLP:
Anyway, I don't want to get into a slanging match with you. Your naming of that beer did piss me off, but that's all in the past now and your company seems to be even further away from the ethos of Brixton Buzz now, so no-one's likely to confuse us now when we bring out the next batch!
jezg
Well-Known Member
I think I've pointed out before London Beer Lab and Clarkshaws also have beers called Coldharbour Pils and Coldharbour Hell Yeah but you don't seem to have any issue with those for some reason?
Sounds like the recent charity beer we produced which has raised over £6k for charities.
editor
hiraethified
The London Beer Lab is a tiny operation compared to your Heineken-backed venture and, of course they helped produce the original Coldharbour Courage. I wish they hadn't used the name too, but there you go. At least they helped us in the past.
Every little bit helps, but if you're going to try to go down the virtue signalling route, I think you could do a bit better with the numbers. £6k is a truly microscopic percentage of your vast turnover.
jezg
Well-Known Member
I'm not virtue signalling, I'm illustrating your points about us are unbalanced at best and mendacious at worst. This particular beer raised £6k, we constantly support other causes too but don't tend to shout about it.
editor
hiraethified
What is 'mendacious' about my point that you used a very similar name to our beer two years after we launched, but as a wholly commercial enterprise instead of a charitable one? I know for a fact some people mistook your product for ours and that caused me some concern at the time, seeing as the ethos of the two beers were diametrically opposed.
And you are a Heineken backed venture, are you not?
aussw9
Well-Known Member
what the hell does it matter where someone emigrated from?
editor
hiraethified
Doesn't matter one single bit, but you don't think it's of interest when a corporate-backed company is trading so heavily on the name, history and heritage of a particular locality?
jezg
Well-Known Member
Ok so we released a beer with a similar name that we conceived 2 years before yours came out, as then did London Beer Lab and Clarkshaws which we have absolutely no issue with and you only have issue with ours. I'd say that's mendacious as are your other comments e.g. implying we don't give profits to charity.
I also struggle to see how the 2 beers were widely confused as they had very different branding, different names and styles but you clearly feel we benefitted from your efforts. I simply don't believe that has much or any merit.
Um, yes I've already posted about that earlier in the thread.
editor
hiraethified
Did you give ALL the profits from Coldharbour Lager to charity because that's what the post you've linked to clearly refers to.
And I certainly encountered many people who had drunk your Coldharbour Lager thinking it was ours, and who thought that all the profits were going to charity. You insist that there was no confusion, but I'm telling you there was.
Can you really not see why it might piss me off a bit? You make money, we give it all away. We couldn't be any more different, but some people thought we were the same entity.
Oh come on. This is piss weak stuff. It doesn't matter a jot what was going on in your head at some point in the past. Unless you actually released, promoted and marketed the stuff, it's a meaningless claim.
It's like me saying I thought of Facebook two years before they went online, therefore it's OK to use their name years after they'd launched.
I used to speak to Mike and Xochitl weekly when Brixton Brewery was in its infancy.
I got the impression that, although Canadian, they have an emotional link to the area. They really do seem to be good people. Mike certainly never seemed interested in the commercial / profit side of things when I discussed it with him.
I also believe, although may be wrong, that the sale of a stake to Heineken was because they could not cope with the demand and needed new premises within the boundaries of Brixton, rather than taking profit.
editor
hiraethified
Surely an appetite for aggressive expansion and forming partnerships with massive corporates to facilitate that desire can only be, ultimately, about creating bigger markets and maximising profits, no?
It's the capitalist blueprint after all but, happily, not every business or entity feels the need for endless growth.
Prior to hearing about a Heineken deal, which was publicised after I last saw anyone involved, Xochtil told me that they wanted bigger premises and were being hampered by the rise of smaller churches in Brixton being able to offer higher rents to suitable premises. My initial thought when I heard about the Heineken deal was that it was a route for them to get the premises they wanted.
The pints are about £6. Usually sold to people with more money than sense. Why not expand a business catering to people who feel good by buying your product? The demand is there. I guess the analogy would be that if more people want to hear you DJing, you get a bigger venue.
What if the corporate partnership means that each of the co-owners can work at it full time instead of only one? Or they can work in a premises with windows and a canteen instead of in a space limited railway arch where they bring a packed lunch? Or they can fulfill the dream of seeing their product in more places than before? Growth doesn't simply have to be about profits, although as a commercial organisation they are entitled to chase them. And any organisation which stagnates tends to shrink and ultimately die.
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