It’s always difficult to know what to buy a parent as a present, slippers and pipe are really not my style. So a year ago, my kids gave me the chance to be brewer for a day at Brewhouse and Kitchen in Portsmouth.
Why has it taken so long to tell all?
Well the day was brilliant but after getting home I promptly lost all the photos I had taken! But recently I had a rummage down the back of the sofa (metaphorically speaking) and YUS! I found ’em.
So finally I can share my day.
Of course you can’t brew beer on an empty stomach so we start with a bacon roll. Suitably sustained we head for the microbrewery.
Getting hands-on
Brewhouse and Kitchen runs a chain of pubs and restaurants across the UK which match food with a wide range of beers.
They serve bottled and draught beers and lagers including varieties for vegan and gluten-free diets.
The day I was there Oli Kutylowski was in charge, dishing out instructions, sharing expertise and helping us get hands on straight away.
First malt is added to very hot water in the huge vat called the mash tun.
Every grain has to come into contact with the hot water to break down the carbohydrates and release the sugars.
Right! that’s the science bit out of the way.
Stirring was the first job to make sure it was thoroughly mixed.
A pretty good workout with the added bonus of a rich malty smell, something I don’t get at my local gym.
Tasting session
This step takes some time so we adjourn back to the bar to enjoy a tasting session of some of the chain’s best sellers.
I’m an IPA type of guy and there were several great tasting tipples to try.
Back in the microbrewery the magic is beginning to happen and it’s time to filter out any grains stuck to the bottom by siphoning off the liquid into a giant jug and returning it to the tun to make the spent grains float to the top.
A sip at this stage proves interesting. It isn’t like beer but a very sweet and malty drink – like Horlicks on speed!
More water is added and the mix is transferred to the copper where it’s heated up steadily til it reaches 100 degrees centigrade.
This too takes some time so we head back to the restaurant for a hearty meal and some more sampling.
Time to get messy
After lunch we have the messy job of clearing out the sticky grains left behind in the mash tun. Not an easy task but every trace must be removed before the next brew can begin.
By now the original brew is at the right temperature for the hops to be added. This is essential to give ales their characteristic bitter tang, the hoppier the better.
Next the liquid is transferred from copper to fermenter and yeast is added to get to work on the sugars and turn them into alcohol.
This process takes several days, but our day’s work isn’t yet over.
Everything now has to be scrubbed and sterilized till it’s sparkling, ready for the next brew day. Okay so Oli does most of the work, but I lend a hand.
And the reward for this punishing routine?
Apart from the great tasting samples throughout the day there’s a 5 litre mini-keg of my choice to bring home.
More information about being brewer for a day
From start to finish, you’re looking at about 7 hours in the brewery, and I can think of many worse ways of spending a day! There are many brewing experiences to choose from around the country. Most breweries seem to offer something similar, with prices starting from £95, depending on how big a keg you get to take away!
I went independently to Brewhouse and Kitchen in Portsmouth, courtesy of a gift card from my kids. It makes a great fun day out for a beer loving person, but do remember that to get the most out of it, take public transport or a driver!
Cheers kids.
Where to next?
• Crumbs Brewing
• Longman Brewery
• Defying Gravity