The Apprentice

The battle of the yeasts has been raging fiercely over the bank holiday weekend. The brewhouse floor is littered with the casualties of what has been a brutal encounter. The aroma of the beer is very fruity but then it always is at this stage. No one characteristic seems to be predominating. One more day should see the FV go into cooling. I won’t know which yeast has prevailed until I get a sneak preview when I cask rack it on Friday.


Monday saw the arrival of my apprentice for three weeks. Ed Wickett is the son of GBBF supreme champion and micro brewing legend Dave Wickett of Kelham Island brewery in Sheffield. I can only assume that Dave has sent him down here to put him off being a brewer. Either that or Dave wants him to learn how to be a calm, level-headed boss like me when he takes over the reins at the Island. Ed is a thoroughly good bloke and will spend this week searching the brewery for a bucket of steam, a glass hammer and popping out to Jewson’s to ask for a long weight.

Finally and most excitingly the top secret Project Pater is now looking very promising and could be realised very soon. This is mainly due to the god in human guise that is Phil Lowry. Hopefully all will be revealed soon.