Richard Mackney

Creative Technologist

Beer

Garage Brewery Kit

It's been a long time since I've mentioned brewing so here's an update showing some of the improvements Martin and I have made to our garage brewery (Pacific Way Brewery). After taking our previous brew in a bag setup (BIAB) to the next level by designing and commissioning a gravity fed brew tree we moved from Pacific Way (Martin's house) and into my garage. We've been adjusting and upgrading … [Read more...] about Garage Brewery Kit

A pilgrimage to find the World’s best beer

I have a reoccurring daydream that I elaborate on each time I think of it. I find myself walking around an ancient village with cobbled streets and wooden framed buildings, there is the hustle and bustle of people trading from the fronts of the buildings and a mass of people moving from store to store browsing the wares on offer. I ask one of the shopkeepers if he could direct me to a store where … [Read more...] about A pilgrimage to find the World’s best beer

Testing The Grainfather – All Grain Brewing System

In July I noticed an all-in-one brewing system being tested for the UK market by James Kemp, I was curious as this product resembled the Still Spirits Turbo 500 boiler that Martin and I started all-grain brewing with a year ago. A quick search confirmed that Imake Ltd the parent company for Still Spirits based in New Zealand had launched a new product - taking the Turbo 500 as a base boiler and … [Read more...] about Testing The Grainfather – All Grain Brewing System

Tap A Draft conditioning and serving beer

After attending the Twissup in Burton Upon Trent (2010) I was sent a demonstration of the Tap A Draft Coors Home Draft system (see the post by Andy) and at the time we speculated that this would be great for homebrew if the CO2 canister could be replaced. However, this particular Coors system was designed to be recycled and it is manufactured for single use only. Just before Christmas I started … [Read more...] about Tap A Draft conditioning and serving beer

Adventures in HomeBrew

It all started in 2009 when I was discovering the different styles of beer and exploring micro breweries in my area (Derbyshire, UK) I was invited to Nutbrook Brewery to learn about the process of making beer. These guys were making beer from water, grain and hops (as you do) in their garage and I realised that this was something I wanted to do myself. In 2010 I went with Twissup to visit … [Read more...] about Adventures in HomeBrew

Derby City Bimble #RIPScoop

I'm lucky to live in an area where real ale is in abundance. I'm also lucky that in 2009 I met a Master that has taught me a great load about beer. Sometimes I get invited to all day events that involve learning about beer, drinking beer, meeting people who appreciate good beer and generally having a SMASHING time. Saturday 18th May 2013 was just one of those days and it was all thanks to … [Read more...] about Derby City Bimble #RIPScoop

Real Ale Pubs in Derbyshire

Using the Foursquare list functions I started listing pubs that I found serve good beer in Derbyshire*. The map is embedded below but if you are on a mobile device and are currently searching for pubs to visit in Derbyshire, then have a look at the list directly on the Foursquare App and check in to a few! ... https://foursquare.com/richardmackney/list/real-ale-pubs-in-derbyshire *pub list … [Read more...] about Real Ale Pubs in Derbyshire

Design a Beer – Brewday

Two years ago I went to Nutbrook Brewery in West Hallam, Derbyshire and recorded a series of videos on my iPhone documenting the process of making beer. I was told about a special 'Brewing Experience' where you can design your own beer using the brewery's bespoke software. I was lucky enough to have been given this as a gift for my 40th Birthday and this weekend I spent a day at their one … [Read more...] about Design a Beer – Brewday

Thornbridge Hall Garden Party 2011

Today we went the the Thornbridge Hall Garden Party. Emma and Jim (I don't know them, but I pretend I do) really know how to throw a charity event! The grounds were full of children's activities from pony rides to archery and for the adults there was live music, a craft fair and lashings and lashings of beer from the Thornbridge brewery. I thought it was great last year, but this year it … [Read more...] about Thornbridge Hall Garden Party 2011

World’s First Personal Brewery

This is what happens when you combine the five thousand year old process of making beer with technology! The WilliamsWarn is an all-in-one brewing machine capable of creating commercial-quality beer in as little as seven days I don't know about the taste, but it certainly looks good! I'd even consider moving my Classic Mini Cooper out of the garage to make room for it ;) After … [Read more...] about World’s First Personal Brewery

My Essential Stout Selection

Treat someone with a special Beer this Christmas, here is my Essential Stout Selection (in no particular order): BrewDog Paradox Smokehead 10% (Fraserburgh, Scotland) Samuel Smiths Imperial Stout 7% (Tadcaster, England) Marble Brewery Chocolate Marble 5.5% (Manchester, England) Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 10.6% (Brooklyn, New York, USA) Spire Brewery SGT. Pepper Stout 5.5% … [Read more...] about My Essential Stout Selection

Experiencing Rochefort 10

Rochefort Trappist Brewery have been making beer since 1595. Tonight I've had a chance to try their Rochefort 10 (blue cap) for the first time in my life. The house is deadly silent apart from the rain against the window, and the first slow sip of this dark thick foamy ale instantly conjures thoughts of the 15 Trappist monks appreciating their creation in silence. I think this ale was designed … [Read more...] about Experiencing Rochefort 10

Experiencing Pauwel Kwak

Pauwel Kwak isn't an actual style of beer but it holds a special place in my heart as the first continental ale I experienced. I purchased the signature Kwak glass in Paris in 1992 as a present for my Dad and couldn't resist trying my first bottle of Kwak at the time. Strong (8.4%), sweet, malty, boozy distinctive amber Belgian ale - when I smell it now, it instantly brings back memories of … [Read more...] about Experiencing Pauwel Kwak

Experiencing Saison Dupont

For the next instalment of my 'Experiencing Beer' series - tonight I tried the Saison style of beer for the first time. Saison was the name given to beers brewed in farmhouses from the French speaking region of Belgium. They were light and low in alcohol and perfect for the farmers to drink during a hard days harvesting. Modern Saisons are generally over 5% abv and this Saison Dupont from The … [Read more...] about Experiencing Saison Dupont

Experiencing Trappist Tripel

Once you start learning about beer - different brewing styles, regions, hops malts and everything in-between there start to appear recommended or well regarded breweries and brews that stand out above the rest. Trappist beer is brewed by Trappist Monks and is among some of the most famous styles available. This is my first Westmalle Tripel (9.5%) which is said to be the founding beer of the … [Read more...] about Experiencing Trappist Tripel

The Derby #Twissup

Here are a few pics from the Derby #Twissup that I took part in yesterday. The itinerary and list of pubs can be found on the Tweetvite page ... http://twvt.us/twissup It started at 10am and finished after 11pm, we traveled by public transport for the whole day and I had a great time with a great bunch of beer appreciators or #Twissartists. The #Twissup … [Read more...] about The Derby #Twissup

His Masters Choice (of beer)

This is what you get when you ask a professional beermonger (It's like a fishmonger, but with beer) to educate your taste buds. I asked Simon Johnson (@reluctantscoop) if he would do the honours and pick out a range of international beers that he felt would be a good selection of tasty beers that I may not of had before. The above picture shows the result in all their glory. This is Simon … [Read more...] about His Masters Choice (of beer)

Thornbridge Hall Garden Party 2010

Yesterday I took the family to the Thornbridge Hall Charity Garden Party in Ashford in the Water, Derbyshire. Now, some reading this (does anyone read this?) may be thinking that this was in fact a selfish act, as we all know Thornbridge also have a superb brewery ... well, I didn’t have a drop of beer .... actually, that’s a massive lie, but the family did have a lot of fun and plenty of money … [Read more...] about Thornbridge Hall Garden Party 2010

ALL BEER EXPERIENCE

This is the All Beer Experience pack that I got for Fathers day. What a great gift for anyone wanting to learn about the different styles and flavours of beer. You get a glass, some malt sachets and a nice thick spiral bound book detailing everything you need to know about beer! It's very cool. It currently costs £19.95 plus £3.95 postage, but you can grab a £4 discount if you use the code … [Read more...] about ALL BEER EXPERIENCE

Home pulled English beer

I suppose you could call this 'Home Draft' and it's not to be confused with the recent launch of the Molson Coors Home Draft system. This is THE WAY to enjoy 32 pints of beer with your mates, at home using a traditional hand pump. If you are lucky enough to live near a microbrewery and are having a party or BBQ, then maybe you should think about giving them a ring, having a sample of their beers … [Read more...] about Home pulled English beer

My Twist on #Twissup – Brewing in Burton Upon Trent

These are my thoughts on the recent #Twissup in Burton Upon Trent. This was an event arranged through twitter and was organised in the main by three people; Andy Mogg, Mark Dredge and Kristy McCready. #Twissup followed on from #Beerswap, another initiative arrange by the gruesome twosome Andy Mogg and Mark Dredge and as I was involved in the first #beerswap I was interested in attending … [Read more...] about My Twist on #Twissup – Brewing in Burton Upon Trent

Twissup

Today (May 15th 2010) is #twissup You can read all about #twissup here Here is a list of handy URL's to get me through the day: http://twitter.com/twissup - The official twitter account http://twitter.com/Twissup/twissup-burton-upon-trent - The twitter attendance list http://gowalla.com/trips/6178 - Gowalla trip bit.ly/twissup - A Google map of the points View #Twissup in a … [Read more...] about Twissup

Wizard Ales Brewery

A couple of years ago a bottle of beer caught my eye in a specialist drink shop in Braunton, Devon. It was called 'Druids Fluid' and was produced by a local brewery called Wizard Ales based in Ilfracombe. I purchased a bottle, took it back to the campsite and predictably sent a picture of it to Twitter. When returning to the area in April this year I was pleasantly suprised to see a couple of … [Read more...] about Wizard Ales Brewery

Good Bottled Beer shops in Derbyshire

One of these lucky retailers will be getting my custom this weekend so that I can stock up on some lovely ale for Christmas day. I've always been on the hunt for bottled beer shops and aim to update this post whenever new shops appear. The map below shows the locations using the Foursquare app which should make it easy for you to find good bottled beer shops in Derbyshire when you are out and … [Read more...] about Good Bottled Beer shops in Derbyshire

Innis and Gunn IPA Perfect Pour

Slight change of format tonight ... a bit of a vlog. Don’t worry it’s not going to happen very often, at the moment I prefer photo’s, text and a bit of video when it’s required to capture something not involving me. It was quite nice however, to set up the iPhone 3GS on a tripod, hit record, talk, hit stop and send to YouTube direct from the phone without much fuss. Anyway, onto the subject … [Read more...] about Innis and Gunn IPA Perfect Pour

Jaipur India Pale Ale

This evening my wife was nipping across the road to our hyperlocal Tesco Express and asked if I wanted any beer - "Of course" was my cry, "what have they got on at the moment?" What came next still makes me chuckle - "Mad Goose, Old Intentional, Harvester Pale and a beer from India called Jaipur" Surely she must know by now that our Tesco is stocking 'local' beer and that the beer 'from … [Read more...] about Jaipur India Pale Ale

Punkdog Label Designer

Head on over to http://www.punkdog.com/label-designer and have a go at creating your own customised beer label and order a few bottles ... Great as a gift, for a party or for Christmas! You can order as little as a 6 pack for £18.99. The online interface is quite nice, allowing you to name the beer and upload an image. Now who wouldn't want to drink from a bottle with my face on? ..... … [Read more...] about Punkdog Label Designer

BeerSwap – Buy, Send, Drink then Blog

OK, so you may of picked up on the fact that I'm involved in a little thing called BeerSwap. It's one of the reasons for researching local Microbrewery beers for the past few months (honestly, it's all in the name of blogging and not about drinking beer) and today the list was published showing all the blogger/tweeters involved in the swap. I'm quite surprised at the size of the list and how … [Read more...] about BeerSwap – Buy, Send, Drink then Blog

Brewing Beer at Nutbrook Brewery

Once upon a time I bought a selection of local beers and made some Stout Cakes with a stout called 'Midnight' by Nutbrook Brewery. As per the usual, I blogged about it and took a couple of snaps. The guys at Nutbrook Brewery in West Hallam, Derbyshire got in touch to say that they loved the blog post and asked if I would like to come down for the day and watch the brewing process ... well, … [Read more...] about Brewing Beer at Nutbrook Brewery

Mission to sample local Breweries

The map you see before you is my one man mission to sample local brewery beer ... Click on a icon to see the brewery details. View Breweries near me in Amber Valley in a larger map Amber Ales Amber Ales Ltd PO Box 7277 Ripley Derbyshire DE5 4AP UK Leadmill Brewery Ltd Leadmill Brewery Ltd Unit 1 Park Hall Farm Park Hall Road Denby Ripley DE5 8PX … [Read more...] about Mission to sample local Breweries

Stout Cakes

Yesterday I bought a selection of local beers, one of them was called Midnight by Nutbrook brewery, West Hallam, Derbyshire. This evening I made Stout Cakes with my son. The Stout was so good, I almost regretted using half of it in the cake ... This is what 'I used' and how 'I did it' (follow at your own risk ;) ... Stout Cakes Recipe A good Stout 250ml Margarine 250g Cocoa … [Read more...] about Stout Cakes

BEER from BEERmerchants.com

Today I had a package of BEER delivered by BEERmerchants.com. We filmed the opening! and here is the raw unedited 720p - straight from SD card footage. (Sorry for the out of focus camera work, the auto focus is just tooooo slow on this HITACHI DZ-HV564E when using the 5x Optical zoom!) This pack was selected and arranged by @beermerchants on twitter - THANK YOU. As I open each bottle I will … [Read more...] about BEER from BEERmerchants.com