Are SIBA having a laugh?

Some of you will be aware that I don't hold the Society of Independent Brewers with the greatest of esteem... I have accused them of hypocrisy in the past, but even they must see that they have surpassed themselves with this one. They have commissioned a couple of Hogarth-esque (he was the one who depicted the drunken violence of old London) - cartoons depicting the serene nature of Pubs against the rampant Off trade selling cheap booze which, they appear to suggest, is the only reason we have trouble on our streets. Can this be true? - The reason A&E departments up and down the land are full to bursting at 3am in the morning is due to ASDA, Bargain Booze and ourselves? Or is it the On Trade Knowingly breaking the law by serving people who are obviously under the influence of alcohol? Their attitude is all the more strange when they themselves are promoting ASDA as part of their Direct Delivery Schemes, furthermore, they themselves, in the recent past lauded a micro brewer on their own website for getting listed with a major chain, with the brewers beer being sold in that store at a discounted price..... Maybe SIBA should get together and have a meeting - then they could come up with a coherent and consistent policy. Rubbishing the Off trade without acknowledging the faults on both sides demeans their organisation and does nothing to further the responsible retail of alcohol - there, I feel better for that.

The new brewery.....

So we have sold our old brewing kit after making the decision to downsize.. Our new shop in Broughton Astley will be selling bottled beers and homebrewing supplies, alongside vinegars, oils and other lovely stuff, many of which we'll be making ourselves. The success of selling beer by the jug lead us to look at selling other liquid stuff in a similar way. Our customers can buy one of our bottles and fill it with whatever they fancy, when they've used it, wash the bottle out and fill it up again! - with this in mind, we decided that we needed smaller, more versatile brewing equipment, which can not only brew beers, but can produce a range of products.

The equipment should be with us next week, with the ability to produce small batches of beers, this means that our range can grow to encompass all manner of tastes and flavours. So we'll be having more fun into the bargain!