| Road trip! A first day-trip for the Collective to Newcastle-upon-Tyne was always going to be a highlight in the calendar in the run up to Liverpool Beer Week. We’d come across Box Social at the Liverpool Craft Beer Expo and as part of the incredible Northern Powerhouse collaboration, led by their Wylam mates, and through the Black Lodge Liverpool connection. |  |
Pedro, Ange and Ian had an early start to get on the M62: a reasonably clear Friday morning at the end of April. A stop at a slightly chilly Tebay services notwithstanding (breakfast coffee and lunchtime snacks were very necessary!), we made it to the Box Social brewery tap in time to mash-in around 9:30am. Shame it wasn’t the brewery – and thanks to a very friendly delivery driver, we were quickly put right that the “new” brewery was a couple of industrial estates further along…
It was great seeing the brewery already a hive of activity – Ross Holland was hard at work already mashing in the beer we’d designed (more on that later), Steve was with the canners at the back, transferring an FV into a sizeable pallet – the first of three planned that day. Boxes were being made, and moved, filled and sealed; Hectic might be one way of describing it – and needless to say we felt a little like we’d intruded a bit!
It was great seeing the brewery already a hive of activity – Ross Holland was hard at work already mashing in the beer we’d designed (more on that later), Steve was with the canners at the back, transferring an FV into a sizeable pallet – the first of three planned that day. Boxes were being made, and moved, filled and sealed; Hectic might be one way of describing it – and needless to say we felt a little like we’d intruded a bit!
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, CaliThe reason for that activity is simple: Box Social make a boat-load of really excellent beers. We tried pretty much everything they had, in all honesty (pun intended): Try Honesty a West Coast pale was first, Cry Agony – a smooth peanut bourbon milkshake pale, and Die Tragedy – a berry and marshmallow sour (tip of the cap to Lally @ Mad Hatter on that one) swiftly followed. Incredibly generously, they have donated a range of four-packs for inclusion in our charity raffle – be sure to pick up tickets before the draw at the end of Beer Week.
There wasn’t a great deal of time for standing around and drinking, however. All hands to the pump as the pressures of transferring beer, weighing cans, and monitoring the underback: We did our best to muck in where we could to help out with the regular brewery business. It was a real eye-opener for the pressures that microbrewers are under to produce and package beer consistently: Ross, Steve, Calum and co were incredibly calm under what was a highly pressured day. Definitely earned a beer themselves at the end of it – as did we, and we partook back at their City Centre tap, alongside some of the other crafty sights Newcastle had to offer.
There wasn’t a great deal of time for standing around and drinking, however. All hands to the pump as the pressures of transferring beer, weighing cans, and monitoring the underback: We did our best to muck in where we could to help out with the regular brewery business. It was a real eye-opener for the pressures that microbrewers are under to produce and package beer consistently: Ross, Steve, Calum and co were incredibly calm under what was a highly pressured day. Definitely earned a beer themselves at the end of it – as did we, and we partook back at their City Centre tap, alongside some of the other crafty sights Newcastle had to offer.
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We can’t wait to get Sirius B back West. Catch it at the Ship & Mitre A&H vs Box Social Black vs White IPA event on Friday 28th June and now in many good craft retail outlets. Box Social will be at the Liverpool Craft Beer Expo 27th-31st June.
Everyone, say hello to Sirius B - A 6% White IPA with tonnes of wheat, and hopped heavily with Idaho Seven and Idaho Gem to give it a great, juicy pineappley hit; A perfect pivot for the Anspach & Hobday Black IPA.
Everyone, say hello to Sirius B - A 6% White IPA with tonnes of wheat, and hopped heavily with Idaho Seven and Idaho Gem to give it a great, juicy pineappley hit; A perfect pivot for the Anspach & Hobday Black IPA.
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