After a long battle with HM Customs & Excise, London brewer Fuller’s finally launched a whisky-beer hybrid last night.

Brewer’s Reserve is the result of four years work by head brewer John Keeling create an ale that could assume some of the characteristics of a single malt.

It has been matured for more than 500 days in 30-year-old scotch whisky casks. The whisky used is under wraps.

Much of that time has been taken up in negotiations with HMC&E which was quibbling over whether the drink would count as a beer or a spirit for duty purposes.

Now officially a beer, though weighing in at a hefty 7.7% abv, Brewer’s Reserve is available in 25,000 individually numbered bottles and presentation box.

“The idea of ageing beer in whisky casks sounds simple but we hard to work hard to make sure we were in line with Customs,” said Keeling.

“We tried many different recipes. The one we selected has rich, tangy marmalade flavours along with vanilla notes from the oak and a wonderful hint of whisky.”

Brewers Reserve is first in a series of special beers from Fuller’s which will be released annually.

_{Article by: Nicola Collenette
http://www.offlicencenews.co.uk}

Scotch Whisky, Quickies | Comments Off

As most whisky aficionados know at least two per cent of each cask evaporates through the oak after the distilling process. This is known as ‘the angels share’.

If you envisage the financial amount this equates to across thousands of barrels and over the years you can see why drink producers would look at limiting the process. Giants Diageo- who produce such brands as Lagavuliin and Talisker - have conducted experiments using plastic wrap to cover each barrel. This simple process could stop the evaporation.

The cling film test have “astounded” scientists at the distilleries. Crucially it is not thought to affect the taste of the whisky but research continues but there are critics:

“That lost Angel’s Share allows a particular atmosphere to develop in the warehouse and facilitates a molecular exchange between the air and the spirit. Without this subtle and magical interaction it is doubtful if the whisky would be able to attain its true flavoursome potential.”

^{Article by Andrew Barrow - The Spirit World}

Trivia, Quickies | Comments Off

An Orange liquor outlet in central western New South Wales has pleaded guilty to selling bogus Scotch whisky.

The New South Wales Food Authority found a company known as Fernbrew, trading as D’Aquino Bond Wholesalers, was selling Scotch whisky which was not made in Scotland.

It also had an alcohol content of 38.6 per cent instead of the required 40 per cent.

The food authority seized nearly 300 bottles of the Old McTavish Scotch Whisky from the D’Aquino outlet in Orange and ordered it to pay a $30,000 fine and $80,000 in costs.

Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald says the Government is putting retailers on notice.

“This is quite a serious bogus booze effort and scam and the Government was quite clear in its view that we won’t tolerate this type of rip-off,” he said.

^{(Orange is the name of the town, BTW)} 

Scotch Whisky, Australian Whisky, General, Quickies | Comments Off

Speyside Malt Trail

A new fully-signposted whisky trail has been established in the Speyside region.

Most Northerley Distillery

This title used to be held by Highland Park. Here’s a new distillery being built on the Shetland Islands

Glengoyne’s new in-depth tours

This announcement appeared in Scottish Food & Drink

Whisky, candles and health

Spotted this article from The Guardian’s Improbable Research section

First Distillery for Scottish Borders?

Read the article from BBC News - this seems rather strange to me as The Whisky Portal lists about a dozen distilleries in the general area - all are now closed but some were operating up to 1937 but with no indication of whether they were producing malt spirit or grain spirit.

Extension to Edradour?

Read the article from This is North Scotland

Islay Fuel Situation

Reported by Mark Reynier from Bruichladdich on 12/12/06 - fuel situation now resolved.

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