My how the last 10 years have flown by and how the world has changed.

When we started the only canned beer you could get was cooking lager or very mass produced smooth bitter. There was only 1,000 breweries in the UK and that number has now doubled. Beers such as double dry hopped IPA, gueuzes and peanut butter and jelly brews were virtually unheard of and I don't think anyone was paying upwards £5 for a bottled or canned beer. I'd never even heard of a micropub never mind having one as my local. 

The options we have now for beer at home, independent pubs and tap rooms has definitely brightened our beer adventures. We've come a long way from using our shed as a store room to employing 14 people. We've bought beer from 358 breweries so we still have a lot to do ! 

Here is a llittle video of our journey so far

Each month we select new beers for our Monthly Beer Club and like to shine a light on 1 particular brewery. This month it's the turn of Kirkstall Brewery. We were really impressed with the quality of the beer and loved the vibrant label designs. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do. If you fancy receiving 12 new beers each month or quarter, then please check out our Beer Subscription Page. If you would like to see the other beers we have included in April, then we've linked to it at the bottom of the page

Leeds based Kirkstall Brewery has a brewing heritage stretching back to the 12th century when Cistercian monks founded an abbey on the banks of the River Aire, just a few miles to the north west of the city. Brewing of Abbey beer started soon after. The original Kirkstall Brewery was closed by Whitbread in 1983 after 150 years of worldwide recognition.
The Kirkstall name was revived in 2011 and the brewery sited just along the canal from the original. The brewery moved to its new site on Kirkstall Road in 2017.
Kirkstall’s founder, Steve Holt, kickstarted the nascent British Craft scene when he introduced beers like Sierra Nevada to the UK from 2003. Since then, alongside the expansion of the brewery they have added iconic pubs to their portfolio winning many
awards for restoration and the beer quality along the way.
The brewery development reflects that history and craft tradition. With a range that celebrates the best in craft beer and innovates rather than following trends, Kirkstall look to follow a path of quality craft brewing and great places to drink.
Their brands include Virtuous, a gluten free and vegan session IPA that won Britain’s Best Gluten Free Beer in 2019 and Providence a best-selling New England IPA. Celebrated cask offerings include Dissolution, an American style IPA that recalls the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII and Three Swords, an extra pale ale whose design reflects the coat of arms of Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds.

April Pub Quiz and Tasting Notes 

Missing your regular session down the pub or are you just fed up of missing too many get togethers? 

Holding your own virtual beer festival is a great excuse to catch up and have a few beers with friends and with Zoom Bar- our new beer tasting product it's really easy to set up. Virtually no organising at all. 

in just a few simple steps you could have it all done and all you need to do is choose the date. 

1. Purchase as many Zoom Bar cases as you need

2. Download the spreadsheet and fill in the names and addresses 

3. Send it to hello@bestofbritishbeer.co.uk with the order number

4. We'll send the beers out within 1 working day or choose your own date if you don't trust your fellow zoomers to have any restraint! 

5. All the cases will then have the same contents

So what else do you need for a virtual beer tasting? 

Well, you're going to be on the call for quite a while, so we think some snacks and some entertainment is a must. Your Zoom Bar will include a pub quiz, snack, bottle opener, beer mats and a glass for that complete Pub at Home experience but you might need more snacks to keep you going. 

We'd recommend some sort of scoring system to get people talking about what they can smell and taste, which of their beers are their favourites etc. 

At a beer festival, the judges rate each beer on its:

Appearance

Is the beer clear? Is it meant to be? Lots of beers have a lovely haze now as they're unfiltered

Is the colour true to description?

A good thick head?

Swirl

Gently swirl in glass and take a good sniff. Is there a pleasant aroma?

What can you smell?

Mouthfeel

Savour the flavour! Can you taste fruit, floral or biscuit notes?

Swallow

Pleasant lingering aftertaste? Developing in the back of your mouth?

Credibility

Would you consider changing your usual beer to this?

Give your beer a score out of 10 and we'd love your feedback on which beers came out tops.

Ultimately, the best thing about a beer tasting and why it's so superior to wine tasting, is the fact you need to swallow beer to appreciate its many flavours. 

I think it’s fair to say that most people would stand up for their home town in any debate about the quality of British cities. Since starting work, I’ve lived in 22 different houses from Aberdeen to Hampshire, but I’m still very (blindly) proud of my birthplace Stoke on Trent.

Established in 1981, the brewery was first located in the village of Drayton, but moved to their forever home, just outside Norwich in the village of Woodbastwick in 1989. The company has since become the largest brewery in Norfolk. On site is the brewery tap and shop where you can find the full range of beers.

If you're looking for an unusual gift for a cider lover you want it to be special. Something created by a craftsman using high quality ingredient; rather than a few bottles you'd pop in the trolley with the weekly shop.

Click on our Beer Club tasting notes below to find out a bit more about Beer Brothers Brewery, who else made it into the club and our monthly pub quiz

There are so many reasons why a beer gift is the perfect choice this Christmas... well, certainly for people who like beer!

When you buy someone a beer you're not only suggesting to them that they take some time out, relax and maybe even share it with someone; you're also supporting the British economy and loads of small businesses.

There are so many fun and gift subscriptions out there, but we believe a beer club must be one of the most useful.

No need to lug a case of beer home from the supermarket every month, discover new breweries and beers without leaving your sofa and more importantly, a well stocked beer cellar for your friends to envy.

The team at Best of British Beer have spent the last couple of weeks fulfilling the role of ambassadors for Holmes Mill.
For those of you that haven’t heard about it, you don’t know what you’ve been missing.