From craft ales and bespoke spirits to designer winemaking machines, the world of creative alcohol trends continues to grow, develop, refine and be redefined at an inspiringly rapid rate. And since it’s already that time of the year when our minds naturally start wondering towards matters of glass and plate, it seemed the perfect time to launch our inaugural Protein Academy.
One part forum exploring the latest drink movements from behavioural to product trends; one part workshop focusing on craft and independent liquids; and one part awesome networking event with great food to match the killer cocktails and handmade beers.
The evening will be an exploration of the changing world of booze, focusing on the craft of DIY alcohol via artisans of modern craft beer, wine and spirit creation and we’d love you to come. It’s happening on the evening of 13th December and priced at £30 to cover materials, food and drinks
We are in the middle of a particularly English revolution. It’s very small, and rather quiet, but believe me, it is happening. Companies like Chase, English Whisky Co and Sipsmith led the way. Others such as Sacred, Adnams, Charles Martell and Ludlow have followed and there are others coming over the hill. I am talking about a wave of smaller-scale, artisan distilleries all pushing to see what has happened in America also happen over here. It’s almost the reverse of what happened with beer where the American craft brewers followed the rise of British micro-breweries.
Overall: A ‘good’ whisky. There’s one true test of whether a whisky is ‘good enough’, and that’s whether or not you’d reach for another glass. This is, and I did.
After the tasting, and in true game-show style, we were asked to guess the price of the two whiskies. I think my guesses, from memory were £55 for the 24yo, and £150 for the 40yo (and these prices would have been fiercely competitive). There were some genuinely astonished faces when it was revealed that the whiskies were to retail at £29.99 and £49.99 respectively.
Juniper being saved from extinction
Gin drinkers, raise your glasses – the juniper, with its fragrant fruit, has been revived in Britain. Juniper berries are the essential flavouring ingredient in that clear spirit, whose evil reputation once gave it the name of mother’s ruin, but which is now seen more benignly as the interesting part of a gin and tonic.
But the bushes that bear the aromatic berries have been disappearing across Britain, and in southern England have been in danger of extinction in the wild.
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