by Laura Grassulini, Account Executive
Last week saw crowds of beer lovers from all over the UK – and Italy in my case – flock to the 2017 edition of Craft Beer Rising (CBR) in London. Working with HEINEKEN and being a massive beer fan myself, I was excited to meet up with leading beer writers including Ferment Magazine’s Richard Croasdale, Fraser Doherty and Nick Moyle to try the amazing array of craft beers on show and see how the festival is contributing to a cause we care very much about: raising the profile of our beloved beer!
Rather than tasting the full 700 beers available, we went on a trend-spotting tour, to spot trends and emerging products with Rich Croasdale, editor of Ferment. The first port of call was, of course, to try the newest beer brand launched by HEINEKEN, Maltsmiths Brewing. Developed by Alex Brandon-Davies and Sarah Bartels at the historic Caledonian Brewery in Edinburgh, the two beers pleased my palate with their freshness and balance of aromas. In particular, I enjoyed the fact Sarah and Alex showcased samples of the hops and malts used for both the pilsner and IPA variants, allowing visitors to compare the smell of the primary ingredients with the taste of the finalised product, helping visitors to recognise and describe the flavours in the beers.
Another highlight of the day was the workshop hosted by the award-winning beer writers and comedians, Thinking Drinkers. The duo entertained a table of spectators through fascinating anecdotes about beer and whiskey, ending with a whiskey and beer tasting pairing. There are worse ways to spend an afternoon….
What I loved about CBR – and what I generally love about the many beer events that have sprung up – is that they have undoubtedly contributed to showcasing the variety, quality and ARTISTRY behind what once was only thought of as a manly and cheap drink. Today the beer scene has changed – “beer is not just being drunk; it’s being celebrated as never before” as Pete Brown wrote in the latest issue of Ferment – a beer-dedicated magazine and the official media partner for CBR. Now is beer’s time – long may its rise continue!
Read everything about CBR ’17 on https://www.fermentmagazine.com/#cbr-17
