Brewhouse Beer Blog
by Richard Salsbury
A Little About Richard
I try to write on a broad variety of topics, but I have a particular interest in technology, society, and personal philosophy, which all sounds very grand, but I’m also deeply concerned with writing stuff that entertains. An element of humour and/or irony often creeps in.
Some of my favourite writers include David Mitchell, Scarlett Thomas, Jonathan Coe, Kurt Vonnegut, Graham Greene, Dickens, Shakespeare … I could go on.
All of my novels are based in the fictional town of Strathurst, on the border between Hampshire and Surrey.
In my previous jobs I have worked as a civil engineer, software engineer, training instructor and technical writer.
Old Dick Cask
Suthwyk Old Dick (cask, 3.8% ABV) The Southwick Brewhouse doesn’t just sell bottles. Ask Matt what he’s got on tap and you’ll be ushered into the back room where several casks lie in wait. It’s a bit like buying something a little naughty (or, err, so I’ve been told) except that it comes in a…
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Ilkley Brewery Mary Jane Export
Ilkley Brewery Mary Jane Export (330ml, 6.0%) “On Ilkla Moor Baht ‘at” is one of those classic folk songs that every seems to know at least a bit. It also has an educational aspect, in that it acquaints you with how Yorkshiremen don’t speak. Yes, it’s all good merry fun until you realise it’s…
Read More West Berkshire Brewery Dr Hexter’s Healer
West Berkshire Brewery Dr Hexter’s Healer (500ml, 5.0%) The West Berkshire Brewery started out in 1995, which makes them almost veterans of the new British beer scene. I’ve been sampling their beers for years because my sister-in-law lives very close to them, and frequently buys me bottles for my birthday. Lots of beers have…
Read More Oakleaf India Pale Ale
Oakleaf India Pale Ale (500ml, 5.5%) Picture the scene: summer, 2002. I’ve recently started dating a dark-haired woman who lives in the heart of Portsmouth. A couple of baking hot streets from her flat is the Winchester Arms, a pub serving beer from the Oakleaf Brewery, only established a couple of years prior. And…
Read More Vibrant Forest Metropolis
Vibrant Forest Metropolis (330ml, 6.0% ABV) Matt, the cheery shopkeeper at the Southwick Brewhouse, has a bit of crush on the Vibrant Forest Brewery. Just mention the name and he starts cooing like a lovelorn teenager. I can’t blame him – Vibrant Forest make a lot of good beers. In fact, they make a lot…
Read More And Union Summer Wheat Ale
And Union Summer Wheat Ale (500ml, 5.5% ABV) Modernism, eh? James Joyce and T S Eliot. Picasso and Stravinsky. Modernism is difficult. And Union brew modernist Bavarian craft beer. I know this because it says so on their web site. Putting my artistic hat on (which is very fetching, I assure you) it might be…
Read More Harvey’s Imperial Extra Double Stout
Harvey’s Imperial Extra Double Stout (275ml, 9.0%) “One moment, comrade. What is this you are trying to import into Russia? Beer, you say? But we already have vodka. What we need with beer? Hmm. Quite a name it has. Think it can live up to ‘Imperial’, ‘Extra’ and ‘Double’? Wait a moment. This bottle has…
Read More Export Dunkel
Export Dunkel (500ml, 5.4%) Bit of a mystery beer, this one. Their website is only in German, so no help there. Perhaps we can decipher the brewery’s name. ‘Gut’ is clearly ‘Good’, but ‘Forsting’.? The word is impervious to Google Translate and to my Collins Gem German Dictionary. Another problem is that the bottle labels appear…
Read More Suthwyk Ales Skew
Suthwyk Ales Skew (500ml, 4.6% ABV) Three things about Southwick: They stock good beer. They make good beer. They can’t spell. Suthwyk Ales Skew is a golden ale, a style revived (though not invented) in the 80s to combat the global rise of lager. Beers like Exmoor Gold and Hopback Summer Lightning did a great…
Read More D-Day revival update!
D-day revival weekend is only a week away! For anyone wanting to pick up draft beer that weekend I highly recommend phoning in your order and collecting on the Friday before! If you do decide to pop in please be aware The brewhouse car park will be off limits for the weekend. Alternate parking is available and will be well sign posted…
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Southwick Brewhouse, Southwick, PO176DX
Tel: 02392 201133 Email: [email protected]