#ISBF5 : Collaborations Pt 1 (And more Breweries!)

We’re BACK!

Hello again! To what – if this carries on – will become a weekly update.

Since year 2, one of the things that has been most commented upon about this event is the number of collaboration brews we get involved with. Directly or otherwise. It’s an absolute given that the month before the event is busy. Very busy.

#ISBF5 is different. It’s going to be busier. Much busier. At one point, I had brewdays scheduled on 4 consecutive days. FIVE brewdays on FOUR consecutive days.

Like I said. Busier.

Some of these brewdays have now been inked in to schedules. And I’m getting slightly tingly (maybe that’s the blood pressure spiking.....)

The fun starts 21st October. At the home of 3x Beer of the Festival winner. Five Towns. And this first brew will be a collaboration with Sean from Sheffield’s marvellous Beer Central beer emporium. Malcolm’s exotica tends to fly out almost before it hits the shelves. And this beer promises to be no different.

“Candidate” promises to be a rather big Breakfast Stout. Full of rich, creamy, roasty goodness. Coffee, oats....... Malcolm’s “Blackout” Stout has entered local legend (“The Stoutiest Stout ever”was one comment!) This promises to be special. And anyone who knows Malcolm, knows that he’s an enormous Bowie fan. So keep “Candidate” in mind. There’s a Bowie trilogy coming...

Next comes 2 days later, with a more local brewday, with Stockport’s fabulous Thirst Class.

I’m an unashamed fanboy of the beery output of Richard Conway and his North Reddish kit. In fact – a little known fact – my favourite ISBF collab – was brewed by Richard (in collab with Stuart Neilson of North Riding Brewery) “War of the Raspberries” was a turbo charged version of Richard’s own Stocky Oatmeal Stout, with an addition of 18kg of Yorkshire raspberries. In both keg and cask it was stunning. And then I had a bottle almost 18 months later. It was ASTONISHINGLY good.

I have absolutely no idea what Richard is thinking with this beer, but I can’t WAIT to start digging.

The NEXT DAY, sees a return to Five Towns. This time with a collab planned 6 months earlier. With Rivington. The return leg of a brewday we had for East West Fest last April. “Citra Ra Ra... “ was a murky juicebomb of a DIPA. Stunning in cask at The Red Shed. To top it would be difficult. But Ben & Malcolm love a challenge.

“Sweet Thing (Reprise)” (Bowie fans. Do you see where this is going?) will be an Imperial Fruited Milkshake IPA (Permission to smack your lips is granted!)

Three Days later, we’re (With Bowie nerd Jock!) back at Five Towns for the second #ISBF5 / Five Towns collab (It’s written into the ISBF Founding Charter!). “Sweet Thing” is going to be a Melon infused hoppy Pale hopped with Huell Melon hops.

And...... Relax? No.

Don’t be alarmed. The ABVs are purely for illustration!

The next day, I catch a train to Scarbados. For..... Something a bit different.

A 4 handed double brewday collab. WHAT? OK. Let me try to explain.

North Riding Brewery. Elusive Brewing. Five Towns. And #ISBF5 (in the svelte forms of YT and the #EvilKegFilth Overlord, Chris) Two simultaneous brews. One at North Riding Brewery. One at The North Riding Brewpub. One of the beers *could* be an India Porter. Hopped with my “catnip de jour” Centennial (and Columbus). I’m an unabashed North Riding fanboy. My favourite cask beer of 2018 was a US Session drunk in the Brewpub during a rather special collab brewday in April. It was – quite simply – ASTONISHINGLY good. I’ve had some good beer this year, but that just rocked my world.

That very beer!

And think about it. My favourite cask brewery (North Riding) combined with the only two breweries to win beer of the Festival at ISBF? All bets are off on this year’s winner! Maybe.....

Maybe? Because there are 95 beers from some of the best breweries in the UK. Coming to Hemsley House at the end of November. And - now confirmed in that list are Nottingham stars Neon Raptor & Liquid Light! And from Portrush on the North coast of Northern Ireland, we have Lacada!

if you love beer and haven’t got a ticket, why the hell not?

If so, click this link. And spoil yourself. You won’t regret it! (I keep my promises)

More teasing next week?