Our latest blog offers suggestions for the best places to see off your post-holiday blues with a mouth-watering selection of craft beers and ales. Whether you prefer to stock up and toast with family and friends in your own home, catch some live music in an atmospheric bar, or soak up your drinks with some fine cuisine, this blog has you covered. This month we feature fine establishments in Manchester, Bray, Reading and London, so do stop by and tell them we sent you. Right, I’m off now to break a new years resolution by going to the gym.
The Epicurean
226 Burton Rd, Manchester M20 2LW
www.theepicureanbeers.co.uk
This fantastic independent craft beer and cider bottle shop offers a huge range of the best brews from all around the world. Its selection of American beer brands has been hand picked from the very finest sources. The Epicurian’s proprietors note how far the American brewing industry has come in the last few years. With over 2000 breweries in operation, the US now competes ably with established markets such as Britain and Belgium.
As reflected in its glowing online reviews The Epicurian offers great variety and value, with a friendly and knowledgeable staff on hand to help navigate you to your ideal beer selection. Located just to the south of the city centre many loyal customers make regular pilgrimages to seek out the latest and best craft beverages, and for some helpful advice and tips.
Our own Tailgate beers, in shape of Peanut Butter Milk Stout, Watermelon Wheat and Grapefruit IPA are on offer, and we’re pleased to announce they’ve recently added Fordham Crash Zone to their selection. This India Pale Lager is brewed using unique hops and oak chips to give it a complex roasted bitterness.
NB: Our stock isn’t listed on their website yet, but if you drop them a line here they’ll sort you out. They also promise to take requests, so do let them know what you’d like to try from our range or elsewhere.
www.facebook.com/epicurean226
www.twitter.com/EpicureanThe
www.instagram.com/the_epicurean_beers
The Hinds Head
High St, Bray SL6 2AB
www.hindsheadbray.com
The Hinds Head in the beautiful town of Bray has been serving visitors since the 1400s. Located in Berkshire its Michelin starred restaurant offers seasonal menus created especially by Heston Blumenthal and his expert team of chefs. The food features dishes with modern twists on the traditional British menu, such as Roast Cod, Goats Cheese Royale, Rib-eye steak and a mouth-watering Scotch Egg.
The Royal Lounge bar evokes the ambience of a traditional English club, a place for enjoying the finer things in life – good company, quality drinks and a bit of peace and quiet to reflect upon the events of the day. It serves cocktails and small batch gin alongside a champagne and wine list curated by ‘Fat Duck’ sommeliers.
A hand-picked selection of craft beers and ales are available, including our own Route 1. Originally brewed in the US by Fordham and Dominion Brewing, the Route 1 recipe has been developed further in the UK by the Castle Eden brewery. Route 1 is a classic American IPA, golden in colour with a subtle malt presence topped off by grapefruit and pine aromas. A fine craft ale for a quality establishment.
www.facebook.com/hindsheadbray
www.twitter.com/hindsheadbray
www.instagram.com/theHindsHeadBray
www.linkedin.com/company/8814204
The Thirsty Bear
110 King's Rd, Reading RG1 3BY
www.thirsty-bear.com
If you like great New York style pizza and live near Reading (or have the ability to travel there) then The Thirsty Bear is for you. This pizzeria and bar prides itself on being able to make the perfect pizza, time and time again. It uses a secret pizza dough recipe, home-made tomato sauce with 12 fresh herbs, and 60-day aged mozzarella brought in regularly from an award-winning Italian farm. It’s abundantly clear that great care is taken over its pizzas.
And the same goes for it’s selection of beverages, with our own Copperhead and Dilated Pupilz craft beverages available by the bottle, both brewed in America by Fordham and Dominion. Copperhead is a tasty amber ale, brewed in the style of a German altbier. Dilated Pupilz is a golden pilsner with a distinct hop nose and malty flavour finished off with a floral bitterness.
The Thirsty Bear offers seasonal specials including (recently) Brussel sprouts and turkey Pizzas. Yum? As well as an extensive range of slightly more normal pizzas, they also offer pasta, light bites and salads.
If you’re in the mood for some music they also host regular acoustic nights. Follow them on social media to find out when the next one is.
www.facebook.com/thirstybearreading
www.twitter.com/Thirsty_Bear1
www.instagram.com/the_thirsty_bear
The Porterhouse, London
21-22 Maiden Ln, London WC2E 7NA
www.porterhouse.london
This award-winning bar, one of the largest in London, is tastefully spread over several floors, with various nooks and crannies offering quiet escape from the hustle and bustle of London’s Covent Garden. This is no typical Irish bar littered with Shamrocks and playing The Pogues on loop. Instead it keeps it’s focus firmly on catering to the whims of it’s clientele, whether than be watching live sports on big screens, catching a band playing in the basement or just enjoying quality drinks.
It features a whisky bar, a selection of drinks from it’s own brewery in Ireland, and a cocktail bar where guests can sign up for cocktail making lessons. On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays live music can be heard emanating from the basement, but there are plenty spaces for quiet refuge for those who don’t want their important conversations drowned out.
It’s extensive beer menu features beers and ales from the world over, including our own Backyard Session IPA and Singapore IPA from the Saugatuck Brewing Company, plus our range of Tailgate beers. Backyard is a refreshing IPA, light-bodied with a hoppy burst of flavour. Tailgate beers include our ever-popular Peanut Butter Milk Stout, Watermelon Wheat and Grapefruit IPA beverages.
www.facebook.com/porterhouselondon
www.twitter.com/PorterhouseLDN
www.instagram.com/porterhouselondon
www.facebook.com/thirstybearreading
Modern American Steak House (MASH)
77 Brewer St, Soho, London W1F 9ZN
http://www.mashsteak.co.uk
Stepping into MASH is like stepping back in time. In an elegant, art deco kind of way. With red leather and booth seating it feels like an extremely upmarket American diner. The MASH menu features an exotic array of steaks made from quality beef imported from the world over. Uruguayan rib eye or Japanese Wagyu, dry-aged Danish or American corn-fed beef are all on offer. Its beer selection has been carefully selected to complement its impressive array of steaks. And that’s where we come in.
With our Peanut Butter Milk Stout and Neapolitan Milk Stout beverages, MASH offers the perfect stout accompaniment to its great meat selection. Saugatuck’s Neapolitan Milk Stout miraculously combines subtle hints of strawberry, vanilla and chocolate flavours and is so good it has previously been crowned the National Grand Champion for Stout at the US Beer Tasting Championships. Tailgate’s Peanut Butter Milk Stout also continues to win friends this side of the pond with its rich, creamy, velvety and delicious flavour.
www.facebook.com/mashrestaurant
www.twitter.com/mashsteaklondon
www.instagram.com/mashsteak
The Woods
55-59 Portland Rd, Worthing BN11 1QG
www.thewoodsburgerkitchen.com
If you go down to The Woods today... you’ll probably get an awesome burger. Priding itself on fresh ingredients and a long family history in kitchens, The Woods owners have designed a truly special menu featuring a tantalising selection of burgers. This relaxed and informal restaurant has a great atmosphere with friendly and attentive staff. Cocktails, thick shakes and artisan coffee complement the food menu, alongside a hand-picked selection of delicious beers and ales to accompany your food.
The Woods has now succumbed to the allure of our TailGate Beer range with three types in stock for your drinking pleasure. Saugatuck’s Oval Beach Blonde is now available in bottles as well. Jesal the owner recommends trying any of them with their Col. Nathan Jessop Burger, or their colossal 4xpatty burger The Mountain if you’ve really got the hunger!
www.facebook.com/TheWoodsBurgerKitchen
www.instagram.com/thewoodsburgerkitchen
www.uk.pinterest.com/TheWoodsBK
Run a bar or restaurant and keen to learn more about stocking any products in our portfolio? Get in touch at info@heathwick.com or tweet us @HeathwickUK and one of the team will be happy to help.