Once upon a time….. In a land far, far away…
In an effort to do something different, I find myself open - very open indeed - to suggestion. The most recent Webpost - read that here - being the most visible evidence of that.
But sometimes - by complete coincidence - stuff arrives in my inbox which rings my bell. One such was from a young man - based in Salford - called Rob Holder who was set up as a beer distributor. I've had a number of approaches from specialist (as in geography) Beer distributors and kind of rejected them all (if only for #ISBF6) as they didn't fit. However, what Rob mentioned did. It chimed.
The coincidence was - let me say - uncanny.
Obviously, ISBF has a core premise - so far as beer is concerned. And that is fairly simple. “Has this beer been on a bar in the Manchester area before?”
Simples eh? Well, no. It's not actually. Especially when this beer (& brewery) may be imported.
So. Ideally, the equation shifts. Has this BREWERY been in the Mcr area before?
So. This is another “thing” about beer from outside the UK.
And given the “fit” with what you already know, it made perfect sense.
Remember. #ISBF1 only had beer from Lancashire and Yorkshire?
Well. These beers are coming from slightly further afield.
New Zealand.
We have beers from the following Independent breweries appearing at our humble “little” bash
Cassels & Sons - Christchurch : Starting with a wood fired copper in 2009, this independent brewery now operates two breweries in Christchurch. The original 200L wood fired (now installed at their brewery / restaurant) and a modern 25hl kit in another facility in Christchurch.
Funk Estate - Tauranga (NE Coast - North Island)
Starting with a Black IPA in 2012 (isn't that THE way to start a brewery Andy?), these guys moved onto their own kit in 2015 and - following a curtailed lease, now share room with another brewery (Mount Brewing) since 2017.
North End Brewery - Waikanae, Tauranga
These guys have been brewing since 2013 and knock out an adventurous range of beers. They have a novel way of using their spent grain….. To bake bread in their own bakery!
We've evolved this event in ways I could never have dreamed of back in 2014. But I (Jim) can honestly say that I've never been more excited to put on an ISBF.
Exceptional beers from the UK, Europe (Yes, plural more in another post) AND the Southern Hemisphere??? What's not to love???
(And I'll try to double these up. To give everyone a chance)
Massive thanks to Rob for making this happen!
Grab tickets here. While you can.
Back (very) soon!
Be kind to one another.
Jim x