Tag Archives: england

Hoist an ale with Gandalf – The Middle Earth Beer Festival

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Middle Earth Beer FestivalIt’s really too bad I have no practical way to get to England this April. I love The Lord of the Rings and have read the books at least biannually since I was a teenager.

Ribble Valley to host ‘Middle Earth Beer Festival’

 The three-day festival, from April 2nd-4th, has been organised and sponsored by The Aspinall Arms, Mitton, and celebrates the Ribble Valley’s position as the official geographical centre of the United Kingdom.

It is thought Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien took inspiration for parts of his fictional “Middle Earth” – particularly the rural idyll of “The Shire” – from the countryside around Hurst Green.

Aspinall Arms landlord Simon Forester explained: “J.R.R. Tolkien was a frequent visitor to the Ribble Valley and his eldest son John studied at Stonyhurst College, Hurst Green. While Tolkien was here, he loved walking and roamed the Ribble Valley. The places he visited and their names often found their way into his books.”

More details at the Aspinall Arms website: The Middle Earth Beer Festival

Archaelogists find evidence of a medieval brewer

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I think archaelogy is cool. Not cool enough for me to kneel in the dirt and hot sun searching for artifacts with just a toothbrush, but I’m definitely fascinated by “lost” bits of civilization.

Medieval maltings found at famous brewer

But the unearthing of an expansive domed area and flue beyond the [Bury St Edmunds] Abbey’s boundary shows there was at least one other large-scale brewer in the town at the time – and that the town had a precursor to Greene King.

The structure is thought to be a medieval malting, which was used to process and then heat soaked barley.

Appropriately enough, the discovery was made beneath the North Yard of the town’s present day brewing giant Greene King, which invited in the archaeologists before clearing up the yard for building work nearby.

Head Brewer John Bexon stands alongside the discovery of medieval maltings ruins at the Greene King Brewery in Bury

Candy store: Utobeer, London, England

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(Another unsolicited candy store.)

At their eponymous blog Boak and Bailey have touted the virtues of Utobeer in the Borough Market multiple times.

In describing their first visit…Map to Borough Market

Beer heroes of the month (June) – Utobeer, London

We went there today, for the first time. Yes, the first time – I cannot believe I have never been here before. A mixture of laziness, and suspicion of Borough market (some great food, but boy, do they charge for it…) mean that we had never got our arses over there in the past.

It was definitely worth it – I have never seen such a fantastic range of porters and stouts in one place. Reasonably priced too – we came away with 10 beers we had never had before for just over £20.

Utobeer
Borough Market
Southwark Street
London, SE1 1TL
(Near London Bridge Station)

(We want to profile your “candy store”. Send us your enthusiastic comments and we’ll feature it here. Photos a plus.)