Delphic
We don’t often hear from this independent brewing company from Newbury, but they’ve just been given the go ahead to open a brewery and taproom in Newbury so the timing is good to take a closer look.
Founded in 2019 by Tom Broadbank, the brewery currently operates from a 30 sqm garage in Thatcham but now has permission for a new premises within the vacant Motorists Discount Centre on Mayors Lane, Newbury. On a visit in January the place was pretty much a shell but thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign the contractors are in place to start work in February and it’s hoped that the brewery and tap room will be up and running by April. The new site is aimed to be able to brew 75,000 and 125,000 litres of beer a year. Besides the brewkit, storage and office space, the plans also contain a taproom that will be open on Fridays and Saturdays.
Double-Barrelled
The first new release for 2024 was ‘Lessons’, a a sessionable, smooth and juicy hazy pale at 4.4% ABV. Simcoe and Simcoe Cryo hops feature, giving forest and citrus fruit aromas. Tart gooseberries and ripened passionfruits with freshly squeezed oranges also feature.
Regular events at the tap room continue, including bingo, quizzes and the Run Ding running club. Coming up on 28 March is the DB Creative Showcase, a modern take on an open mic night with free entry. A variety of performers could present anything from comedy, music and dance to poetry, juggling and magic. If you’d like to get involved, contact details are on their website.
Elusive
Elusive Brewing has been successful in the 2023 Champion Beer of Britain (CBoB) regional rounds. Their ‘Level Up’ was a gold winner in the Red Ales, Brown Ales, Old Ales, and Strong Milds category of the London & South East Competition. The final blind taste judging took place at the Ascot Beer Festival by a panel of trained tasters. This award doubled up as the Ascot Beer of the Festival for which owner Andy Parker was presented with his certificate by Mike Smith, the festival organiser.
Their Oregon Trail was also a winner, gaining the silver award in the IPAs (New World & British) category. The final blind taste judging took place at the Worthing Beer Festival by a panel of trained tasters.
The CBoB certificates were presented to Elusive Brewing on 20 January in a ceremony at the official launch of their new expanded taproom, just metres away from the old. The room was packed with well-wishers from CAMRA and the beer world, who all had an excellent time.
The new taproom first opened in December and offers more seating and video game screens, plus the drinks range has been extended a little to offer 8 keg beers. Wines from Stanlake Park Vineyard and spirits from The Essex Spirits Company are also available, plus a well-stocked beer fridge and bar snacks.
Not quite a brewery tour, but ‘Talk and Tasting’ sessions are now on sale. You get a welcome pint or soft drink, then head to the brewery for a sit-down talk and tutored tasting session with one of the Elusive team. Get tasters of at least six other Elusive beers and maybe one straight from the tank, plus a chance to learn more about the beers and the brewery. You also get a 10% discount on purchases made at the Taproom and shop for the rest of the day. Head to the website for tickets – the first session is on 24 February.
The first beer of 2024 was a new IPA ‘Checkpoint’. This modern West Coast IPA at 6% ABV uses lager malt to provide a pale base while Simcoe, Talus and Nelson Sauvin hops bring notes of pine, grapefruit and gooseberry.
Elusive’s annual International Women’s Day Collaboration Home Brew Project is back for 2024. They’ve teamed up with The Malt Miller and Burnt Mill, and will be brewing a West Coast Pale Ale which will be on sale at the beginning of March ready for International Women’s Day.
Hogs Back
For designated drivers or those wanting to take a break from drinking, Hogs Back’s Little Swine at 0.5% ABV is a full-bodied, flavourful pale ale. Brewed with speciality malts and three hop varieties including Cascade from Hogs Back’s hop garden, Little Swine offers all the taste of a full-strength beer without the alcohol. It’s available in 330ml bottles from the taproom or brewery shop at their site in Tongham.
The first Thursday of every month is a charity quiz night at the taproom, while you can also watch the Six Nations rugby live on the big screen throughout February and March. Check out which matches are available on their website (some prior bookings mean that not all can be shown), and look out for the traditional rugby ale ‘England’s Glory’ which makes a great accompaniment to the sporting action and wood fired pizzas.
Loddon
Proper Kitchen continue to provide the regular food offer on Tuesday to Saturday at the tap yard. On Sundays, from 4 February onwards, they are offering roast dinners.
Brewery tours take place every other month from 6.30-10pm. Enjoy an evening at the brewery and discover how the award-winning beers are made. Tours are led by head brewer Tara, with tickets costing £17.50 per person and including two free pints or four half pints.
Mysterious
A collaboration with Disruption is Brewing just before Christmas led to an 8.5% ABV West Coast 8.5% DIPA that was launched at the Narrowboat at Blake’s Lock (what used to be Bel and the Dragon).
Mysterious beers are now available in Vegivores – the plant-based restaurant in St Martin’s Precinct in Caversham.
Watch out for the brewery’s 1st birthday celebrations in April!
Phantom
After their regular post-new year shutdown, both Phantom’s sites reopened in January. Echoes in Henley was first on 10th, with the Reading taproom following on 19th. They celebrated with the return of ‘Feeling This’, the popular 5.0% ABV pale ale, and Echoes hosted two well-attended guided tasting and talk sessions to let people find out more about the beer and the brewery.
A new collaboration with South Street Arts Centre has produced ‘Treading The Boards’, a 5.3% ABV pale that will be available from the bar at South Street as well as Phantom’s own sites.
The Reading site is currently open Friday to Sunday every week, with Thursday opening planned to return in late February. Echoes is now open later on Wednesdays and Thursdays for post-work drinks, with the new hours of:
- Wednesday 5-10pm
- Thursday 5-10pm
- Friday 3-10pm
- Saturday 12-10pm
- Sunday 12-6pm
Rebellion
A roundup of stats from 2023, the 30th year of brewing at Rebellion:
- Number of brews: 481
- Pints produced: 4,985,000
- Pints sold in the tap yard: 120,070
- Deliveries made: 33,673
For 2024 the brewery staff have created the list of monthly specials by voting for their favourite beers from the last 30 years. The idea here is to offer a taste of nostalgia for long-time patrons and also introduce newer customers to the heritage and flavours that have contributed to the brewery’s legacy. It began with ‘Overdraft Ale’ in January, a 4.3% ABV amber and citrus offering. To be followed over the next few months by:
February – ‘Mutiny’, Red & Malty, 4.5% ABV
March – ‘Evolution’, Tawny & Fruity, 4.2% ABV
April – ‘Gold’, Golden & Hoppy, 4.4% ABV
Siren Craft
The first ever low alcohol beers from Siren were released in January. In their words, “We’ve had requests to brew a low alcohol beer for a very long time now, and your comments have not fallen on deaf ears. We could have done this a long time ago, but we always knew that we wanted to do it right. That’s why we’ve teamed up with low and no alcohol giants Mash Gang to bring you not one, but two incredible 0.5% beers.”
The first, ‘Call of the Void’, is a rich and moreish stout with specialty malts. A selection of rich dark grains combine with tonka bean, liquorice root, cacao nibs, coffee and vanilla for a complex amalgamation of flavours, and nitrogen makes for a classic creamy head.
The other, ‘Out of Nowhere’, is a West Coast Pilsner. With a traditional German lager base, Citra, Idaho7 and Nelson Sauvin are used in the dry hop for fruit cocktail aromas of pineapple, peach and white grape.
At the other end of the scale, ‘Shattered Dream Nitro’ at 9.6% ABV is an imperial take on the popular ‘Broken Dream’, loaded with coffee and chocolate flavours. In addition to the imperial strength and generous espresso hit, cacao nibs and vanilla are also added to make this beer even more luxurious than the original.
Watch out for ‘Guess The Hop’, a trilogy of hazy beers which each focus on one single hop. Prizes are on offer for those who correctly guess the hop used in each beer.
Two Flints
Is it really over a year since Two Flints began in an arch under Windsor & Eton Central station? They celebrated their 1st birthday weekend in December with guest beers, cocktails, pizza, DJs and live music. Special new brews Ribbons, Light Years and Cosmic Dance offered something hazy and delicious, with Sonic Muse giving a flavour of the west coast. Their new next door neighbours Indie Rabble make for a mini crawl, with the longer-established Windsor & Eton just a short walk away.
Windsor and Eton
‘Last Drop’, a 4% ABV rose red bitter, celebrated the Six Nations rugby. Rye and crystal & double roasted malt are used, and this year the hops are Mosaic and Simcoe to give a fruity and floral aroma.
Phil Gill
Published in Mine’s A Pint, issue 62
Mine's A Pint - Reading & Mid-Berks CAMRA 