Cask Ale Week

National Cask Ale Week, now in its second year, is a week where those pubs and breweries and supporting campaign groups shout loudly about our favourite drink. We are all encouraged to join in with the big boys and put on events to persuade everyone to try Cask Ale.

At the BBF, (whilst not being great at being told what to do, and when to do it!) we have decided to give the good people of Bristol a couple of Cask Ale treats to show its versatility and hopefully to get you to try some styles of beer you otherwise might not.

Bristol Stout, our Cask Stout that often looks, but doesn't taste, like its come out of a nitro-keg, will be available with a loyalty card. Simply get 3 stamps on your card and get a 4th drink free! This will be available at participating pubs during Cask Ale Week, don't worry you don't have to drink it all in one sitting.


April 1st has been nominated as FemALE day, a day when we encourage women to try some beer. This time last year less than 16% of women had tried cask ale. A year on and that figure has risen to 30%, with many continuing to drink it.

The boys from the BBF will be hosting a Beer and Chocolate Tasting event at the Grain Barge to showcase the different flavours available in cask beer and how they can work with different foods. Limited numbers of tickets will be available for this event on a first come first saved basis.

The tasting starts at 8 o'clock with at least 6 different beer and chocolate combinations for you, for the measly price of £8.

Milk Stout Chocolates

Good news for all the Chocolate lovers! We have finally got round to having some Milk Stout Chocolate Truffles made by Guilberts in Bristol, and need less to say they are delicious.





Pints of the Chocolates will be going on sale very soon from the Grain Barge, our new website and plenty of other places besides.

With Cask Ale Week at the end of March who knows what kind of beery chocolaty fun could be going on!

Slow-Cooked Beef in Milk Stout

Cooking with beer and matching food and beer are two of our favourite things, and this weekend I've done a bit of both.

Some of my favourite meals are slow-roasts, be it lamb, pork or beef and I often marinate and cook with beer as it is such a great tenderiser. I often use Belgian beers that have a sweetness as it can accentuate a lot of the flavours in the meat. There is nothing new or revolutionary about putting beef and stout together, but I was interested to see if the sweetness in the milk stout would work in a similar way.

For my recipe I marinated a brisket of beef in Milk Stout with garlic, thyme and rosemary. The brisket joint was browned in a frying pan with a good glug of olive oil and plenty of salt and pepper. It then joined onions and more garlic in the roasting tin with the beer and more herbs. I roasted at 200C for about 30 mins before reducing the temperature to 130 c and covering the tin. 5 hours later a beautifully tender joint appeared and I made a delicious gravy with the beer, which had lost its sweetness but had a lovely oaty flavour. I served it up with horseradish mash and roasted carrots.

No. 7 with its rounded toffee malt flavour and moorish bitter finish was a great accompaniment to the tender beef.

Home Brew Competition

2 Bottles of your beer must be submitted to the Brewery with an entry form by the 1st April 2010.

For any queries and entry forms please contact the Brewery on 0117 902 6317.

Rules and Regulations!

• 2 bottles of your beer must be submitted to the BBF by April 1st 2010 with a completed entry form.
• Original Gravity no higher than 1055 or an ABV of no more than 5.2%
• All ingredients must be British or replicable in a commercial brew
• Extract or grain mashes are permitted
• Competition entrants must reside or work within 30 miles of the brewery
• There is no limit on the number of entries per person
• Judges will give feedback on all brews entered
• 5 beers will selected for the Final on 20th April to be held at the Visitors Centre at the BBF, to which all entrants will be invited
• The Brewer's Droop Homebrew Shop has generously offered a 10% discount on ingredients bought for the competition