Three Amazing Local Offies

Now that I have come to leave Brum, as a parting shot I wanted to pay tribute to something unique in the beer scene that the city has to offer – three amazing local offies within roughly a square mile of each other – or more correctly, a triangle – around the Stirchley and Selly Oak/Bournbrook areas of South-West Birmingham. To find one 'local' (i.e. non-city centre) off licence stocking something a beer geek would consider interesting is rare enough, but to have three within walking distance of each other is pretty special. And now I've moved to other parts of the land where a decent bottle shop is nowhere to be found, I keenly miss the ability to walk in somewhere and spend a good while browsing what's new on the shelves, have a chat with knowledgeable owners on what's upcoming on the beer scene, and leave with arms groaning with great purchases and a shopping list for 'next time' already forming in my head. So if you get the chance to visit Birmingham and have the time for a short bus or train ride to the suburbs, make sure you take a large bag and an even larger budget, and get yourself to one of these gems:

Stirchley Wines & Spirits – 1535 Pershore Road, B30 2JH

http://www.stirchleywines.co.uk/ 

When I first moved to Birmingham, at the time more of a cider and wine drinker than ales (there being no real ale to be found in my previous Belfast haunts at the time to educate me), Stirchley Wines was the only place where 'interesting' beers could be found, signalled by the pink elephant of the Delirium Tremens sign outside the shop. Since then, Krishan and his father have worked to bring a constantly-updating selection of beers to Birmingham's thirsty punters, and the breadth of choice has skyrocketed in recent years. You will find a great selection of Belgian stalwarts – including Rochefort, Rodenbach, Cantillon, De Struise - and stars of the US scene such as Flying Dog, Uinta, Stone, Weyerbacher, Anderson Valley. You'll also find a great range from Nogne O, Brewfist, Elav, and other emerging craft scenes, and the full list of Oktoberfest biers in season. Up and coming UK breweries are also well represented, in particular a good range from Kernel, Hardknott, Thornbridge, Brewdog, Beavertown, Bristol Beer Factory and many more. And the local brewers get a look-in too, so it's a good source to find some Wye Valley, Purity, Beowulf, Titanic, Church End and Sadlers, among others. Not to mention the Japanese craft beers recently arrived from Hitachino Nest, a fair amount of bottled cider, and occasionally a 'beer bread' produced by local artisan baker @loafonline.

USP – a long-standing institution which now also has two draught keg taps dispensing deliciousness from the likes of Magic Rock, Harbor, Thornbridge, Mikkeller and others, to take away (smart-looking containers provided). And as well as getting involved in lots of community projects and pushing forward the beer festival scene in Birmingham (check out @birminghamcubed happening in July), Krishan will enthusiastically talk your ear off about beers of all kinds if you let him!

Cotteridge Wines – 1825 Pershore Road, B30 3DN

http://www.cotteridgewines.com/

Within a couple of years, the team of Jaz and Kal have managed to turn this local grocer and off licence into a beer nut's heaven – with what I believe to be the widest selection of craft beer available in the city. They were keen to engage with the growing beery community in Brum, asking for advice and suggestions on what to stock, what breweries you'd recommend, and offering trade lists to see if there were particular beers you were after. A few years ago, it was great to be offered a list of all German beers currently available to them, and be asked to 'take my pick' on what I'd want to buy next time we were in the shop – and the German range is still pretty amazing to see. Since then, they've made personal connections with many breweries up and down the country, leading to a recent collaboration brew with Brodies (called Bish's APA, to thank @the_bish for his help I believe), which should be hitting the market in coming weeks – if not already sold out in advance to the online beer geek community! On their groaning shelves, you'll find beers you're familiar with, beers you've heard of but not had the chance to try, and rarities and new releases you didn't even know you were desperate to drink yet! And if they aren't stocking it, chances are they can source it for you, so don't be afraid to ask. Last time I visited, there was a huge amount of choice, but in particular large ranges from Mallinsons, Arbor, Williams Bros, Fyne Ales (including one of my favourite beers, Jarl), Ska in cans, Maui, To Ol, Buxton, Red Willow, Evil Twin, Brodies, Odell, De Molen – and an absolutely jaw-dropping selection from Mikkeller.

USP – always something new and unusual 'just in', with competitive pricing and an ability to track down that 'rare' beer you might have been seeking (provided it's still being produced of course!) and ensure it's reserved for you to pick up. And soon – their own beer brewed with Brodies – perhaps more collaborations will be in the pipeline?

Wine Stop – 75 Raddlebarn Road, B29 7DA

Now this off licence is less 'beery' than the above two, and is in the studentville areas around Birmingham university, but is definitely worth seeking out. The proprietor, Hardeep, is a complete whisky (and whiskey) freak – it's clearly his passion and hobby as well as his business – and there are over 100 different whiskies available here with Hardeep happy to spend time talking you through several of them, working out what kind of thing you might like or explaining the characteristics of new whiskies he has acquired. He has even had a whisky produced for him by renowned distillery Caol Isla – named 'The Whisky Thieves', this is available from the shop in reasonably priced limited edition bottles, and has a spicy, peppery note, that smooths to a slightly sweet finish. It's very easy drinking but with enough complexity there to be interesting, and we've already restocked on a second bottle as a memento of Birmingham's great drinking scene. Hardeep will be happy to recommend several different bottles given your preferences and price range, but I'd also advise you look at his Indian and Japanese whisky offerings as I don't believe this selection can be bettered anywhere in Brum. On the beer side, although the selection may appear small, there is certainly enough of interest – they stock the legendary Bathams Bitter, alongside some Thornbridge, Cairngorm, Sam Smith's, Otley, Hook Norton, and Wye Valley, and other English and Scottish breweries, and a couple of different versions of Harviestoun's Ola Dubh, a rich whisky-cask aged dark beer (great with dark chocolate!).

USP – a whisky and whiskey selection that can't be beaten (plus Bathams in bottles!), and knowledge dispensed by a friendly proprietor as obsessed with the whisky scene as you may be with the beer scene, and happy to spend a while sharing his spirit recommendations or discussing beer while you browse the shelves. And the only “Birmingham” whisky – The Whisky Thieves – definitely worth picking up!

So although I write this smitten with a wry bitterness that these three amazing local offies are no longer local to me, I also feel immensely proud and delighted that Birmingham can offer such an amazing choice and service to beer and spirit fans – whether aficionados or newbies, they will find friendly faces happy to advise and converse in any of these three establishments, who are all moving the scene forward in their own unique ways. Visit, and enjoy!

Whisky Festival in Brum

Just as there are a growing band of Birmingham folks who are exploring craft beer, supporting our forward-looking off licences, keeping an eye on what real ales and bottled beers are available in city haunts, and hopefully witnessing the rise of the 'Craft Beer Quarter', there are other areas where the city's drinkers have seen progress in recent years – in a bloom of innovative cocktail bars, a gin parlour opening, and new ventures such as independent wine retailer and tasting room Loki Wine.

A whisky scene has also been developing in Birmingham over the past 12 months, almost single-handedly crafted by The Whisky Miss, Amy Seton, who decided at the end of 2011 that there weren't really any whisky-based events happening in the city at which to go and learn, so she set about starting up her own. This luckily coincided with a branch of The Whisky Shop opening in Great Western Arcade, and other interested individuals coming out to play.

Craig Mills & Amy Seton

To celebrate the first birthday of these events in December 2012, Amy had pushed the boat out by organising Birmingham's first ever whisky festival – bringing a one day celebration of the worldwide craft of whisky making to those keen to learn more. I arrived at the venue, the Old Joint Stock pub, to find a room already full of whisky explorers and exhibitors from various distilleries and merchants. There was just time to have an initial sample of Old Pulteney 12 with it's sea air aroma and a quick chat to the lasses who had come down from the distillery in the far north of Scotland, before heading to the parlour downstairs for a cheese and whisky masterclass, being led by Craig Mills from The Whisky Shop and David Capeling from Capeling and Co. cheesemongers.

 
It was exciting to be in a room full of people in Birmingham who were just as interested in food and drink exploring as I am, and there was a range of expertise from relative beginners like myself, to those who had many years of whisky learning behind them. Our samples were poured into Glencairn glasses which I'd first come across at a tasting in Herriot-Watt university, while David explained that there are no ground rules when it comes to matching whisky and cheese, leaving it an open field for exciting experimentation.




David had selected five fine cheeses for us to try, and Craig had then matched these with whiskies that complemented or contrasted:

Cheese: Pierre Roberts; Whisky: Benriach 12 Bourbon & Sherry Cask

This was a triple-cream, silky smooth, mild and light cheese, paired with the fruit driven, fresh and low acidity Benriach – the cheese brought out the sweetness at the end of the whisky, which in turn highlighted the savoury aspect of the cheese.

Cheese: Lincolnshire Poacher; Whisky: Glenfarclas 2003

This sweet and nutty non-typical cheddar was matched with rich flavours in the whisky – praline-like with a sweet and spicy finish.

Cheese: Isle of Mull; Whisky: Tobermory 10

Craig explained that this was a 'terroir' matching, in that the cows that provide the milk for this cheese, are fed the 'draff' – the spent mash from the Tobermory distillery. This was a strong, sharp, briney cheddar with a farmhousey aroma, and the whisky used peated water with a spicy mouth-tingling quality that becomes sweeter as it's consumed with the cheese.

Cheese: Bishop Kennedy; Whiskey: Writers Tears (from Ireland)

A single pot still whisky from the makers of Jameson, fairly pale in colour with light honey notes. The cheese was strong, sticky and pungent, with lots of yeasty, Marmite umami-ness, with a bitter note in the rind, in contrast to the easygoing nature of the whisky.

Cheese: Evenlode; Whisky: Glenmorangie 18

This was my favourite pairing of the day; a modern spongy-textured Scottish blue cheese with a salt tang pepping up it's creaminess. The Glenmorangie, finished in Bourbon barrels, brought an aged smoothness with hints of coconut and warmth, almost like a spiced rum at times; this held up well to the piquancy of the cheese.


The food matching was an excellent idea, and guidance from the experts helped us to examine what notes were being brought out from both sides and learn about what we were capable of picking out flavour-wise. My only gripe was that a few slices of baguette or plain bread would have helped with the cheese eating, and some paper plates and a knife each would have lessened the messiness a bit, but I certainly couldn't fault the selections made and the helpful dissection of flavours.


Then it was back to the main room to wander around chatting to whisky sellers and producers while sampling from the 50 different whiskies available to try. As I was with a few friends, we were happy to share our samples to make sure we tried as large a range as possible, as the selection on offer was pretty comprehensive – and with eager guidance from those manning the stalls, you could be sure to find several that suited your personal preferences.

 
Some highlights for me were:
Yamazaki 18 – a rich colour picked up from the Bourbon casks; sweet and fruitcakey.
Hibiki 17 – like an Olorosso sherry, and very moreish!
Dalmore Tay Dram – from a program whereby Dalmore contribute money back to restock Scottish rivers. This had great crème brulee and coffee flavours, and rich, sticky fruit.


Paul John Cask 161 – an entirely Indian-made product; the producers are experimenting with how the climate and conditions in India accelerate the wood ageing process, although about 10% is lost to the Angel's Share. This is gaining plaudits in the whisky world and has lots of tempered heat.
Scapa 16 – has a soft elegance, with lemon, honey and apricot giving a very modern lightness.
Aberlour A'Bunadh – this was at the other end of the spectrum, extremely rich and warming like nestling by a fireside.
Kilchoman – from an Islay distillery only opened in 2005; this had a lot going on aroma-wise for such a young whisky.

Everyone was invited to take part in a competition to collect whisky facts as we sampled, and at the end the winners were drawn - some entrants were lucky enough to end up with bottles of interesting whiskies to take home, and there were consolation prizes of distillery tours as well. In addition, there was a good offer to take advantage of - The Whisky Shop provided discounts for most of the whiskies exhibited, either to purchase on the day, or to order for later collection from the shop nearby.


The event was a great chance for some exploring of the many different aspects of uisce beatha and to chat to like-minded individuals, and encouraging that it represented a first for this type of gathering in Birmingham. Even better, then, that Amy has organised a larger scale festival, “Whisky Birmingham”, to take place on Saturday 2^nd March 2013. This promises to be a fantastic event with a return of Capeling and Co's cheese matching, and catering from Soul Food Project – more info and tickets can be found at http://www.whiskybirmingham.co.uk/ and I'd certainly urge both whisky beginners and experienced palates alike to check it out!

A Whisky Education

While visiting Edinburgh recently I was lucky enough to be invited to a meeting of the Whisky Society at Herriot-Watt Students Union. I was in the city to visit a friend of long standing, @HillstersBrew, who has just started an MSc course in Brewing & Distilling, and it seems the Union has many societies which cater for the eager learners' thirst for knowledge in a friendly, social environment.

Non-society members were welcome, so I caught the bus out to the campus, passing the Caledonian Brewery (do they do tours? Must check for my next visit), to join the queue of people making their way into the meeting room. More and more people turned up, and soon the room was packed out, extra chairs and glasses were being hauled in, and the society organisers were frantically scrawling up “Sold Out” on the noticeboard so we could get the sampling underway.

The format for these evenings is that three or four different whiskies will be tried; once everyone has a measure poured out in front of them, the tasting will be led by a member of the society organising team, who will give some background to the whisky, where it is made, the grain composition, any particularly unusual processes used, and then an analysis of the aromas and flavours to be found. This is very helpful if you're a bit of a newbie to whisky/whiskey, as it helps you to start recognising common flavour descriptors and aspects of the aroma, which it might at first be hard to describe on your own.

The first whisky tonight was Signatory 1997 from the North British Distillery based in Gorgie, Edinburgh, quite near the Caledonian brewery site. I was surprised to be told that the familiar smell that hangs over Edinburgh – which always seemed to be a mix of Scotch pie and Caley’s beer brewing – was actually from production at this distillery.

It was explained that this is one of the ‘new types’ of whisky, using 90% wheat grain, and 10% malted barley to make use of a particular enzyme. It’s known as a ‘grain whisky’ – which apparently everyone drank 100 years ago, until the late 19thC when people switched to malt whisky. Simple, uncomplicated, and very drinkable – and is therefore used in blends to bring about more easy drinking character. This had a very sweet nose, with vanilla, honey, and soft fruits. Flavour-wise as well as fruit and Madeira cake, it had a slight creamy, oaky character, and was surprisingly fumey for its’ sweet nose. The short finish made you ready for another mouthful, so I could see what was meant by ‘ease of drinkability’. This type of whisky is generally only kept for around 5 or 6 years in bottle – no long maturation process – so was a good one to start on as it wasn’t palate-clogging.


Next we had Adelphi Private Reserve Blend – Adelphi, based at Glenborrodale Castle, are bottlers and blenders of cask whiskies, but have just been granted permission to build their own distillery onsite, and hope to be distilling by the end of 2013. To me, this had a really floral nose, and I was picking up lavender and a small hint of honey. The blend of grain and single malt whisky together offered a bit of fruit and spice, but not a great deal of finish – it reminded me of the ‘drinking’ (not sipping) whisky produced by Bushmills or Johnnie Walker, to drink quickly or in a mix, rather than one to take your time over.
The Sheep Dip 2012 Amoroso Oloroso had the most interesting backstory – a blended malt produced in 1999 in Scotland, was then transported to Spain for sale. It was stored in sherry casks, but the distributor went bust, and it lay undiscovered in a warehouse for years until found by the new owner of the property. Sheep Dip then bought it back and found it’s sherry cask-aged character to be rather good!

This had lots going on in it, as you’d imagine – with rich aromas of rum, vanilla and chocolate, and smooth butterscotch. Although only three years old, apparently it matured faster than usual in Spain due to the hot, humid climate. It had a shorter finish than expected, with hints of bitter orange and burnt toffee. Will any more of this be produced, or is it’s unusual route to bottle a one-off?

 
Our last of the night was Longrow “Red” Cabernet Sauvignon Cask, from Springbank, Campbeltown. This is a single malt at cask strength – 52.1% - and had lots of complexity. Quite phenolic (that medicinal TCP note) and peaty, but with lots of vinous, raisin-y flavours coming through. The big flavour notes were really prominent upfront, but it has a persistent finish with a very smooth flourish. As fellow tastee Gareth exclaimed, “it’s a beast of a whisky!” and was, as you might have expected, our favourite of the very convivial and educational evening.



The Tasting Society’s evenings are sponsored by Royal Mile Whiskies, who provide the rather fine Glencairn sampling glasses – on top of this, they also offer a 10% discount in their shops to any member of the society, so there's no excuse to shy away from learning more about the world of whisky to supplement your studies!


After the main event, several students normally go for a pint or two in a craft beer bar or real ale pub towards the city centre, and I was secretly hoping they may stop at the Caley Sample Room as they had on their last meet-up as I hadn’t had a chance to visit there yet, but on this occasion after an abortive attempt to visit @Cloisters_Bar (too busy on a Friday night to cope with a sudden influx of thirsty students) they settled on a walk across the Meadows to The The Dagda Bar. For some unknown reason, I had missed this off my list of “23 pubs to visit while in Edinburgh”, so was a pleasant surprise to find myself swept in there and up to the bar. There I sampled three very fine ales indeed – Tryst Carronade IPA (a hoppy yet sessionable 4.2%), Tryst Raj IPA (a bit more weighty at 5.5%), and the very herbaceous, currant-leaf Cromarty Hit the Lip – at 3.8% a beer you could drink till the cask ran dry, which we promptly did!

A great end to the evening