The sun is out (at least, it is as I write this; it seems to flit between burningly-hot sunshine and cold rain every five minutes) and the beer events are starting to flow like a refreshing IPA on a hot summer’s day.
On Friday (June 5) it’s Tyne Bank’s much-anticipated fourth birthday bash. After the success of the third birthday party last year it sounds like it’ll be back with a vengeance as the brewery fills with music, beer and great food.
I can’t quite believe that it’s four years since I wrote about Tyne Bank Brewery launching, but they’ve produced some amazing beers in that time and it’s well worth celebrating.
There’ll be a pop-up bar serving four cask ales and four keg beers - some Tyne Bank classics and also some one-off birthday beers. There’ll also be a range of bottled beers, real cider, soft drinks and Motueka hop gin. Tyne Bank have promised to keep prices as low as they can so customers can try as many beers as they like without breaking the bank.
There’ll also be live music, with Holy Moly &amp; The Crackers kicking off their summer tour and returning to the brewery for a headline set, supported by singer-songwriter Martha Wheatley. In terms of food, there’s plenty to match the great beer; there’s going to be a hog roast from Dropswell Farm, based in Trimdon.
It’s a rare opportunity to party in a brewery right next to the place where the beer you’re drinking is produced. In terms of food miles, you don’t get much more local than that unless you stuck your head under the fermenter. Which we’re most certainly not advising.
This weekend you’ve still got time to head over the the Bacchus on High Bridge, Newcastle, where they’re putting on seven spontaneously fermented beers, all available from keg and from some top breweries. There a sour infused with gin botanicals called Londoner Weiss (2.8%), a Beavertown / Dogfish Head collaboration; a barrel aged wild ale (6.0%) – Burning Sky Flanders Red; Chorlton Citra Sour, which is a dry hopped sour at 5.7%; Elgoods Berry Cool Ship, a fruit lambic (5.0%); a Fyne / Siren Saudade Berliner Weiss (3.2%); Hawkshead Solar Sour, another Berliner Weiss (3.3%); and Lervig Sour Suzy, a Berliner Weiss at 4.0%.
Later on in June, on the 18th, is the regular Tynedale Beer Festival, which is three days of great beer and entertainment at Tynedale Rugby Club. More on that soon, but head to the website for tickets.