Beer & Music

Apart from our love of beer, here at BBF we are all pretty passionate about music. The majority of us play instruments with over half of us either still playing in bands or having done so in the past.
So to give you an idea of what makes us tick, here's a brief insight

Name             Favourite Band(s)          First Single bought                         Best Gig
Simon            Lynyrd Skynyrd           You're the one that I want              JJ Cale
                      Stevie Ray Vaughn       John Travolta/Olivia NJ                Hammersmith Odeon
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Mark             Beatles, Yes,                 See my Baby Jive                          Frank Zappa - NEC
                      Steely Dan                    Roy Wood
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Sam              Pearl Jam                       Final Countdown, Europe             Pearl Jam - O2
                     Guns n Roses
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Chris            The Pixies                     This Ole House                              The Cure
                     Julian Cope, Rush         Shakin' Stevens                            Glastonbury 1990
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Robin           Sterophonics                  In the Middle of the Night            Stereophonics  
                     Travis                            BillyJoel                                       Millenium 2001
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Dan            Cinematic Orchestra     Pulp, Comman People                  Sigur Ros
                   Flying Lotus                                                                        Edingburgh    
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Jonny          Peter Green                   Gorillaz 19-2000                           Radiohead
                    John Martyn                                                                        Reading Festival
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Steve         Super Furry Animals      Make Love like a man                Faith No More
                  Pantera                            Def Leppard                               Olympia Dublin
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Not sure which is more embarrasing to admit to - buying Final Coutdown by Europe, Shakin Stevens or Olivia Newton-John......

We do have our dislikes too and a selection of people who you won't hear if you come the brewery are - Kylie Minogue, Bruce Springstein (last person who played some of his music was sacked on the spot), any Rap, Queen, any Stock Aitken & Waterman, Robbie Williams, Pete Doherty.......actually this is quite a long list so I'll just put a selection down!

BEER & MUSIC...........you don't need much more in life...do you!

Southern Conspiracy

Our collaboration brew (Southern Conspiracy) with Mark from Dark Star has now been racked with a special 500ltrs put into white wine casks with the addition of whole gooseberries ready for bottling in a month or so.
The first tastings of the beer during racking were just amazing - i know we would say that 'cause we have to sell it, but this really is something else - if you ever wanted a refreshing summer beer this is it. The lime and grapefuit flavous derived from the NZ hops are just stunning. I could go on but best you taste it yourselves. A pint of Southern Conspiracy sat on top of the Grain Barge in Bristol Harbour, watching the sun go down (because it looks as though its going to make an appearance) - you could not want for more.

Here's proof that the Southern Conspiracy aged in white wine casks, sat on gooseberries is not just a dream (see photo). When we filled the casks, the combination of aromas from the oak/wine/goosberries and NZ hops was just a pleasure. It is times like these that you realise why you work in the craft beer industry!
We are hoping to get approx 80 cases (12 x 500ml) of this bottled - can't say when exactly as it'll be ready .....when its ready but hopefully within a couple of months.

There isn't a great deal of this beer to go round so keep a look out at all the usual stockists of our beer.

Caught on film- craft brewers fighting over spent grain

During a great fun and very successful day at the brewery last weekend a couple of well respected craft brewers were caught on film playing tug of war over a bin of spent grain.....if they had only asked we would have given them one each!!

Mark (Dark Star) & Justin (Moor Beer) very kindly came to the brewery to join us in a collaboration brew (name yet to be decided) last weekend and added a bit of muscle & knowledge. We are planning to put the majority of the brew into cask, with part being aged in wooden casks for bottling at a later date.

Here's a few more photos to give you an idea of how it may taste......

Chris adding hops

Justin adding 'Moor' hops



Mark adding............hops!

We'll be shouting about it when its ready to be released into the trade so keep yer noses in the air - there'll be a hoppy aroma coming your way soon!!
Thanks Mark & Justin - a great day.

Apollo II has landed

....squeezed another one in! Apollo II our second 25brl conical FV was delivered last week and put into position by some skilled use of a forklift, chain block and a few blocks of wood.

We are really really pleased with the results we have been getting from our first 25brl FV so will be getting this second one on stream as soon as possible.