Chorleywood may well be as associated with beer in the future as it has been with bread in the past. Just three minutes from our village centre lies the HQ of the first and only Craft Beer Society in Britain.
From a timber clad office-come-tasting room piled high with branded glassware and bespoke pub paraphernalia, ex publican and financial wizard Mike Shaw heads up a business that supports and promotes the craft beer industry countrywide. He sees his role as educating the public, landlords and restaurateurs in appreciating craft beer by giving them the opportunity to train their palates to differentiate between the distinct characteristics of these and standard ales. He offers taste and rate sessions to society members and their guests as well as to corporate groups. The ultimate aim of it all he says is to elevate craft beer to the level it deserves.
Craft beer is generally made by small batch brewers and uses only the best ingredients and processes. The ABV is higher and it is not driven by price or mass market penetration,
“Craft beer is not just a matter of flavour”, says Mike, “it’s as much about the nose as the taste. While real ale is sold lat room temperature from casks, craft beer comes chilled and carbonated in kegs or bottles, it should be served in small tulip shaped glasses and savoured.
In Britain we have a long way to go in fully understanding what the term Craft Beer really means and especially how it should be served and experienced.
Having owned an English country Free House and travelled through the USA twice where craft beer is a massive industry I learned a lot about how it is different. It is best enjoyed from the bottle or a beer or in third of a pint glasses served in a beer flight – a purpose made wooden tray holding three glasses which we make specially.”
The best place to sample a selection of craft beers locally is at a dedicated beer shop like The Craft Beer Shop at Little Chalfont www.craftbeershops.co.uk or Red Squirrel Brewery Shops. You can buy it by the bottle, can, keg or as draft in a disposable plastic bottle or a purpose made glass bottle (growler) which can be refilled. There are countless beer varieties on sale with frequent new releases and seasonal specials added to the range. Some of our pubs already sell some decent craft beers but the best place
to sample a selection is a Beer Festival (at Land of Lib early summer and White Horse 29 Apr – 2 May)
Join The Craft Beer Society
Individual beer lovers, craft brewers, restaurants, pubs, landlords and associated businesses can join but will need to be sponsored by an existing member. Fee is £3 a month , Benefits include a range of incentives and gifts and free taste and rate sessions. Glasses, flights and growlers all available to buy Visit a member outlet like The Craft Beer Shop and join their Craft Beer Academy for starters/
Taste and Rate group/corporate sessions from £20 pp
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Taste and Rate session
We went along to a recent Craft Beer Society Taste and Rate session at Chorleywood hosted by Mike Shaw where a panel of six were served eight different craft beers ranging from 4 percent to over 8 per cent proof.
Each taster was given a ‘Shaping Form’ where they could mark the degree of various elements they tasted in each brew (Roasty, Hops, Fruity, Citrus, Herbs, Spices, Bitter, Malt, Sweet Sour, Yeast and Alcohol) and give it a star rating from1 to 5)
“There’s nothing scientific about this’ says Mike, “It’s to give us an idea of what flavours people perceive and is a bit of fun. Tasting craft beer is a real ‘Marmite’ scenario, some will hate brews that others love”
But the six were unanimous about their choice of top two favourites.. In first place came Summer Wine Mokko Milk Stout closely followed by William Brothers Double Joker IPA.
The two beers that caused most noses to wrinkle were Runaway Smoked Porter and Pope’s Yard Strong Dark Mild, which was a shame as it’s a Watford beer. The remaining four evoked various reactions although Wild Weather Shepherds Warning, which had a pronounced citrus edge, sparked most debate, with some really loving it and others disliking it intensely – just as Mike predicted.
Read more are www.thecraftbeersociety.uk
Craft Beer Tasters: Tim and Lou Dyer, Adam Clark and Rob Purbrick – all from Chorleywood, Wez Clark from Bovingdon and Eric ? from Surrey)
membership@thecraftbeersociety.uk
Taste and Rate Group/corporate sessions, from £20 a person
Photos © Purpix Photography