Into the Brew...
Driftwood’s ‘Alfie’ is CAMRA’s Supreme Winter Beer of Britain for 2012
CORNWALL’S historic Driftwood Spars has won the prestigious Campaign for Real Ale award for Supreme Winter Beer of Britain 2012 with a strong, fruity number… named after a stuffed squirrel.
Alfie was a menacing stuffed red squirrel who used to watch over the bar at the Driftwood Spars pub at Trevaunance Cove, St Agnes – home to the Driftwood Brewery. Alfie, who has his own Facebook page, mysteriously disappeared several years ago - but his memory lingers and was captured when landlady Louise Treseder decided to create an ale in his honour. And on Wednesday (January 18) CAMRA judges voted Alfie’s Revenge the UK’s best ‘old ale’ and best overall winter beer for 2012 at the National Winter Ales Festival in Manchester. The 6.5% ABV old ale is described in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide 2012 as a ‘strong and fruity, well-balanced premium ale’.CAMRA votes on four ‘winter beer’ styles – porter, stout, barley wine and ‘old ale’, basically a stronger beer produced specifically for the winter.Alfie’s Revenge not only won Gold in the old ale category but was also voted supreme winner over all four categories.
Nik Antona, CAMRA director, praised the outstanding quality of the champion.He said: “The beer is well-balanced, highly drinkable, and certainly belies its strength. A worthy winner, I congratulate this thriving Cornish brewer on their success today.” Driftwood Brewery began in 2000 in the famous 17th-century pub, Driftwood Spars, where the team continue to brew and produce ten regular beers. Pete Martin, Driftwood head brewer, was taken aback when he heard about the brewery's success.He said: “We are thrilled to have won. It makes a big difference to us, and will put our brewery on the map, as well as Cornish breweries in general, as there are a lot of good brewers in the county.”
* On Thursday January 26 six of Cornwall’s favourite breweries have submitted a beer to a tasting night to be hosted by Roger Protz, editor of the Good Beer Guide and renowned beer and food writer.
The night at the Spars will include a talk, entertainment and a Cornish pasty – and beers from the Penzance Brewing Company, Tintagel, Hogswood, St Austell, Skinners and the Driftwood itself.
Driftwood landlady Louise Treseder said: “Beer is an entirely natural product and matches with food beautifully so its great to be able to get Roger along to help people learn more about it.Beer and the brewing industry is a crucial part of our heritage.”
Tickets cost £15 and are on sale behind the bar at the Driftwood Spars or by calling 01872 552428.
MINI BEER FESTIVAL
Friday 16th - Sunday 18th March 2012
DRIFTWOOD BEER FESTIVAL
Friday 4th - Monday 7th May 2012
ABOUT OUR BREWERY
Since meeting Pete the Brewer at the St Austell Brewery beer festival in 2007, we haven’t look back and our micro brewery is going from strength to strength. Pete has now developed nine different brews all of them individual and very tasty, so much so that from our first year of production, we doubled the amount of beer brewed in our second year and are continually increasing.
We have started bottling our beers which are available at the pub and also our own off licence ‘Into the Brew’.
We now serve have three of our beers on pump at the pub with a changing beer and supply barrels to go to beer festivals around the country and a few select local pubs. We’ve even shipped bottles of our beer to the British Embassy in Kuwait.
Working closely with the team at Cornwall Air Ambulance, Pete produced a new brew in 2010 called Red Mission. Proceeds from the sales of this beer go to the Air Ambulance which from October 2010 to March 2011 has raised nearly £560 for the charity.
Our beers
Lou's Brew 5%
Light, hoppy, citrus and grassy aromas. The Driftwood Landlady loves light hoppy beers, this was brewed for her and is now her favourite beer!
Bluehills 4%
Light session bitter with big hop flavour. Named after the Vintage car race ‘The Lands End’ trial which takes place on the ‘Bluehills’ behind the Driftwood Pub every Easter.
Bolster's Blood 4.8%
Rich, dark, chocolaty, malty with a slight bitter finish. Bolster was the tyrannical giant of the parish, he was slain by St Agnes who made him bleed to death into the sea.
Bawden Rocks 3.8%
A hoppy and clean flavoured bitter. Named after the Rocks located just beyond Trevaunance Cove.
Blackheads Mild 3.8%
Traditional mild with Smokey malt flavours and peppery after taste. The Blackheads are so called due to their motorcycle helmets. They are the locals who hang out at the Driftwood and ensure a warm and friendly welcome to bikers, walkers, dogs and others.
Badlands 4.8%
Strong malty bitter flavoured with ‘north down’ hops. The surfing beaches around ‘Aggie’ were once known as the ‘Badlands’ when strangers dropping in on locals' waves would soon regret their action. Luckily they've grown up now!
Alfie's Revenge 6.5%
Strong, tasty seasonal beer. Named after a popular character in the bar, a stuffed squirrel who even has his own page on Facebook. However, Alfie has been abducted and is suspected to be on a surf tour somewhere, hence his revenge.
Trouble & Strife 3.8%
A malty beer with a good hop bite. It is an amber ale made with 4 different malts; brown, chocolate, caramel and amber. Bitterness is provided by goldings and fuggles hops. Brewed to celebrate a plethora of weddings, this session ale is tasty, full of body but only 3.8%.
RED MISSION 4.0%
A rich red ale with hints of chocolate and caramel in the malt complimented by a slightly citrus hop finish. A proportion of the sales fromm this ale is given to Cornwall Air Ambulance for whom the beer was originally designed.
Dêk 3.8%
Cornish for ten to celebrate 10th different ale produced by the brewery.
A light coloured and heavily hopped ale with a base of crystal, amber and cara malts with a blend of Perle and Goldings hops to give a strong hop finish.
