The Bowburn-based firm’s Cloister, Magus, White Stout, Bombay 106, St Cuthbert, Evensong, Redemption, Benedictus and Temptation have all made the 1,800 strong list in the eighth edition of the Campaign for Real Ale’s Good Bottled Beer Guide.

Author Jeff Evans said the book represents the “huge range” of beers now brewed in the UK – but only if they are bottle conditioned.

“The Good Bottled Beer Guide highlights the breadth of fantastic beer now being produced in the UK – as well as traditional British beer styles such as bitter and stout, we are now very lucky to have international beer styles such as American-style pale ales and German-inspired wheat beers being brewed on these shores.”

“From world famous brews such as Fuller’s Vintage Ale and Worthington’s White Shield, to beers that use hops from New Zealand and America such as Buxton Brewery’s Axe Edge IPA, the range of beers is so great that there’s never been a better time to be a beer drinker in the UK.

“The number of breweries producing bottle-conditioned beer, or ‘Real Ale in a Bottle’ has grown massively in recent years thanks to an explosion in microbreweries across the UK. With more and more small breweries looking to bottle their beers both for local sales and in order to reach further markets, the traditional method of bottle conditioning – where live yeast is used to give the beer light carbonation via a secondary fermentation in the bottle – is proving a popular approach.”

But that apparently leaves no room for other North East breweries in what Camra describe as their home “companion” to the Good Beer Guide.

We asked beer bloggers, brewers and our Twitter followers what they believe to be the top North East bottled beers at the moment – whether they are bottle conditioned or not – and you can see the results here.

So we asked the regions bloggers, brewers and beer lovers for what they think are currently the best bottled brews now, in May 2013, regardless of whether they are bottle conditioned – that is, that they undergo secondary fermentation in the bottle, like “real” ale in a cask – or not.

The top five are listed below – but feel free to agree, disagree or share your own recommendations in the comment section.

Allendale Brewery END 28 – Sauvin Saison

A clear favourite amongst the Newcastle beer bloggers, the 28th member of the South West Northumberland brewery’s experimental END series is a pale ale made using Nelson Sauvin hops for a white grape aroma and grapefruit characteristics, then fermented with French farmhouse yeast to give a dry and slightly sour flavour.

Some have suggested it is “probably the closest a beer can get to a white wine.”

Andrew Mitchell (@SheriffMitchell, author of Oh Beery Me / Tyne and Beer Metro) said the 6.5% beer was “an absolute blinder.”

“As tart as a slaggy receptionist, this vinous beauty needs to be stocked by sommeliers to showcase the saison style,” he said. “One of the best.”

Gary Taylor (@TheAleTrail) agreed. “The best bottled beer I’ve had from a North East brewery is easily the Allendale END series,” he said.

“Recently re-released and bottled in the brewery, rather than being sent to to the Ale Wreckers in Cumbria, the Sauvin Saison is a fantastic summer slurper, massively fresh and fruity with a great lingering sharpness.”

Truefitt Brewing Company Erimus Pale Ale

A bottle from one of the south of the region’s newer breweries – Middlesbrough’s Truefitt, which opened in May 2012 – Erimus Pale Ale appears at the suggestion of Andy Mogg (@BeerReviewsAndy / BeerReviews.co.uk)

“A cracking pale ale which really packs a punch for 3.9% ABV, with a really big bitter kick at the end that lasts ages,” he said.

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Tyne Bank Brewery Mocha Milk Stout

A dark and sweet beer with chocolate, coffee and vanilla flavours, Tyne Bank brewed its Mocha Milk Stout for the first time in 2012 after it was voted for by the local “Twiteratti.”

It is made using Daterra Bruzzi, a Brazilian coffee bean selected and roasted by Pumphreys of Newcastle, 100% pure cocoa powder and whole vanilla pods.

The resulting beer was launched at the Free Trade Inn, in Byker in February – and you can find out more about the beers origins by watching our video about it.

The beer – which has a bottle label styled to look like a cow – was also turned into truffles by Sunderland-based Jenny Penny Cakes.

“I would seriously urge you to hunt this Mocha Milk Stout out,” said Gary Taylor. “Tyne Bank Brewery have come up with a silky choc winner.”

Darwin Brewery Flag Porter

One of Roger Protz’s “300 beers to try before you die” Flag Porter was created by the clever people down at Brewlab in Sunderland using yeast found in bottles of Victorian beer found at the bottom of the sea.

“It uses yeast salvaged from 150 year old shipwreck and is made from Victorian recipe,” Sunderland and South Tyneside Camra tells us – which at the very least should peke a bit of interest.

As for the beer itself chocolate notes are said to abound, with a subtle, pleasant aroma of black forest cake batter and a more bitter, coffee taste.

Of the five beers on the list this is the only one we’ve never seen in a shop – so if anyone knows where to get one, then let us know in the comments below.

Durham Brewery Temptation

Just because it is one of the brewery’s nine ales to make Camra’s “good” book doesn’t mean Temptation isn’t a cracking bottled beer.

A 10% Imperial Russian Stout, the beer is not for the faint hearted.

“It’s quite thick and syrupy, a beer with genuine gravitas,” said Andrew Mitchell, when he reviewed it as part of his Beer 365 blog last year. “It’s loaded with coffee, liquorice and bag after bag of roasted malt.

“Uncapping is akin to lighting the fuse – your first sip sees the salvo of flavour connect, ripping over your taste buds.

“Sweet caramel spars with the piney, floral, bittering hops, which prickle on their way down.

“The warming alcohol imparts a port-like charm, which is very befitting of this high class brute.”

Honorable mention

The Allendale END Export Stout also received much love in our poll.

“The Allendale END Export Stout gives Kernel a run for their money in the bottled strong stout category,” said Gary Taylor. “Certainly one of the best in the UK and it comes from here.”

“Fuller figured, dark and decadent – this would be the perfect after dinner accompaniment,” said Andrew Mitchell. “Smokey and sublime.”

A collaboration with local unsigned band Rossi Noise, the beer first sneaked onto a bar at Newcastle Beer Festival in April.

But brewery owner Simon Miles said he was pleased at how the “hybrid pale” ale had now turned out in its keg form.

“The beer is the two malt, two hop beer we did for Newcastle Beer Festival,” he said. “And while it worked on cask, I think it’s better on keg as for me personally I prefer it colder.

“For anyone who’s not tried it they should expect aromas of apricot and pineapple, and a crisp dry finish – I think it’s very quaffable for a 5% beer.”

Simon said he believes the beer may catch many drinkers out as they try to work out exactly what style the beer is – thanks to its wheat beer characteristics.

“If we told people it was a wheat then many people wouldn’t try it. But it’s neither a pale ale or a wheat – we certainly didn’t use a yeast you would usually use for a wheat beer,” he said. “Hopefully it can be a ‘gateway’ beer, that can help educate people a little bit.”

The beer is named after local band Rossi Noise’s latest single Grin and Bear it, which was released on April 26.

The group – which are due to play Evolution Festival, as well as the brewery’s own Mash Up Festival in August – have close ties to the year and a half old company after playing its Christmas party back in December – then seeing lead singer Ross hired to work at the Morpeth-based firm.

Guitarist Neal Harrison, who was tasting the beer for the first time said it was “right up his alley.”

“It’s very fruity, very nice and refreshing,” the 30-year-old, from Newcastle, said.

Grin and Bear it is the first of two Anarchy Brew Co collaborations with Tyneside musicians, with a second “band beer,” Knuckledragger, set to be launched at BrewDog Newcastle on Bank Holiday Monday, May 27.

“Both cover different genres,” said Simon, “so hopefully we’ll get different musical followers.

“And hopefully as you never really see a hybrid beer it’ll get people talking. We just want to give people something different which you wouldn’t ordinarily see on a bar.”

A month after the Camra-organised festival owners Garry and Matthew Fawdon, head brewer Robert Millichamp and staff from the firm attended Lady Greys, on Shakespeare Street in Newcastle, to be presented with their prize for new brew X².

Rob said the beer had flown out since it was announced as the winner of the festival competition in April.

And he was delighted to see Mordue recognised for one of its “own brand” beers – as more of the firm’s recent praise has been directed towards it’s experimental Panda Frog brand.

Despite thousands of people turning out to enjoy the sunshine and music at Gateshead Rugby Club in Low Fell, even by the end of the three day event there was still scores of beers – including a number of North East brews – to tempt drinkers.

The festival’s record of not running out of booze was in part helped by reserve stocks brought in with the help of the Head of Steam chain, while when all 300 bottles of bubbly on the cava bar had been supped by Sunday afternoon festival organiser Andy Bourne went to Makro for extra supplies.

“A friend told me about it, and it sounded like something I want to do, so I just turned up. It’s been very nice,” said Chris, from South Shields.

Michael, from Jarrow, was also impressed, “I finished work at five, and came straight down, and it’s been really good so far.”

Lead Singer Andy, from The Lounge Lizards, was gutted not to be drinking alongside his fans, “What a thing to do,” he said, “come to a beer festival and beer a designated driver!

“Though I might have a Dusty Maiden, if that’s permitted,” he mused when asked which he would prefer.

“It was a brilliant day,” said organiser Jonathan Aslet. “We couldn’t change barrels fast enough.

“Fruit beers and blondes were particularly popular. Al Cherry Pet from Mordue went very quickly and Yorkshire Brewing Company Supernatural Blonde seemed to go off almost as soon as it came on – but that was true of all blondes.

“The numbers through the gates this year were bigger than last. We’re growing – though I’m not sure we can make it much bigger.

“What makes it work well is we’ve got the bar for people to sit and talk, you can sit in the lounge and chill, or you can go out to the marquee for the music.

“If you go bigger then the beer might be in the same room as the music and some people might not like that. Also, we’ve got a limited number of helpers and there is only so much you can ask people before they go ‘no’.”

Among the beers to sell out was Thornbridge’s Jaipur, which sold 1,152 half pints in less by 8pm on the Saturday.

Music included Daloro, the Beth Macari Band, Karnival Kids, Skylark Song, Jen Stevens and the Hiccups, Super Heat ft. Wendy Saint, and Dust Town Dogs.

And Jonathan thanked Tony Brookes and the Head of Steam chain for their support in helping to provide the extra barrels of beers needed to meet demand.

Hundreds of beer and cider lovers turned out for the start of the 4th annual festival, at Gateshead Rugby Club, with local brews like Mordue X2 and Gambling Man Ginger Joker going down a treat. From further afield Thornbridge Jaipur was proving popular.

While in the music tent visitors were treated to performances from North East musicians Jonny Boyle, Scratch the Surface, Nathan Newton and Chris Binding.

West Sussex ale-makers Dark Star travelled six hours north to the Brandling Villa in South Gosforth for a midweek meet the brewer event, bringing 14 of their brews  along for the ride.

And while drinkers were impressed by the beers on offer, head brewer Finn and marketing man James Cuthbertson were also delighted with the suburbian boozer.

“It’s an amazing pub with great people, great beer, great food,” said James.

Beers on the pubs 18 handpulls included Carafa Jade, The Art of Darkness, 1910 Porter, American Pale Ale, Revelation, Six Hop, Hophead, Espresso, Festival, Summer Meltdown, Sussex Extra Stout, Partridge Best Bitter, Sunburst and Dark Star Original.

What a night! Thanks @darkstarbrewco and of course @thecumby @thefreetradeinn @brandlingvilla twitter.com/TheAleTrail/st…

— @TheAleTrail (@TheAleTrail) May 3, 2013

The town’s annual celebration of beer – which still has some tickets available for today and Sunday, though Saturday is sold out – will see 140 beers grace the 50 hand pumps set up on the bar in Gateshead Rugby Club, on Eastwood Gardens, Low Fell.

For North East ale fans there are a host of offerings from local producers, including Allendale Brewery, Jarrow Brewery, Durham Brewery, Consett Ale Works, Cullercoats Brewery, Gambling Man Brewing Company, Anarchy Brew Co, Sonnet 43 Brew House, Out There Brewing Co, Black Paw Brewery, Wylam Brewery, Mordue Brewery & Big Lamp Brewery.

“It’s an enjoyable festival, everyone always seems to have a good time at it,” said organiser Phil Crawley. “It’s a nice community event, and always has a good spirit.”

Fellow organiser Jonathan Aslet said it was now a source of pride that now in it’s fourth year, the festival had never run out of beer by the end of Sunday.

“Our first year, we underestimated demand quite considerably, but we begged & borrowed and kept it going right until the end,” he said.
“We’ll make sure that the pumps are still going at the end of Sunday.”
“It’s hard work on Saturday, changing all of the barrels.”

The festival opens from 12pm on May 3, May 4 and May 5, with music – provided by local bands including Bessie and the Zinc Buckets, Dust Town Dogs, Jen Stevens and the Hiccups, The Lounge Lizards, Scratch the Surface, Superheat, Karnival Kids, The Beth Macari Band, Skylark Song, George Welch, Dalaro, and Jonny Boyle – starting at 4pm today and 12.45pm on Saturday and Sunday.

As well as the beer there will also be a cider bar with 25 different appley delights – including the Tempest and Thisley Cross collaboration Snakebite from Scotland – a Cava bar, and food in the form of paella, chips, curry and sausages from a local butcher featuring one of the ales.

Tickets, costing £5 for Friday and £8 for Sunday, are available from the festival website, with beer priced £1.50 a half pint and cider £1.80 a half pint after that.

The event – organised by brewers Simon and Dawn Miles and pub owner Terry Laybourne – saw scores of hungry beer fans turn out to see the Morpeth-based firm’s range of craft booze paired with tasty treats cooked up by head chef Chris Eagle.

Fantastic night with @anarchybrewco at The Broadchare. Some incredible beers and courses. Better paired than the Olsen Twins.

— sheriffmitchell (@sheriffmitchell) April 21, 2013

“”We discussed the beers first, what was available, what the brewery would like to show, and I came up with what I thought might be some reasonable food matches,” said Terry Laybourne, famous for his Cafe 21 restaurant on Newcastle Quayside.

Arriving at the pub for the £25 a head evening drinkers were given a glass of Crime Scene, the Whitehouse Farm Centre firm’s new “hybrid amber,” then it was up to the dining room for a starter of bar snacks – including pork pies, scotch eggs, radishes, deep fried monkfish cheeks and cauliflower fritters – and a glass of 6.6% IPA Quiet Riot.

Quiet Riot from @anarchybrewco – perfect compliment to bar snacks @_thebroadchare Beer & Food matching evening twitpic.com/cl01i7

— Amy W (@AmyTink86) April 21, 2013

Main came in the form of a roast suckling pig stuffed with kidneys, liver, red onions, red wine & bread, balanced with a fruity bottle of Anarchy lager.

Porky dreams @_thebroadchare @anarchybrewco food and beer night twitter.com/pollylouiser/s…

— Polly Randall (@pollylouiser) April 21, 2013

And diners were then treated to an “experimental” unnamed bitter amber rye – introduced by the waiters as Grin and Bear It, but it was not Anarchy’s recently released wheat hybrid brew.

Even before the pudding – a  18 month aged Montgomery cheddar paired with Sublime Chaos – some of those in attendance were feeling overwhelmed.

After that banquet at @_thebroadchare , if Tesco want to mince me up and sell me I’m about 30% pig.

— Matty Morland (@Matty_Morland) April 21, 2013

“The problem is we’ve had a large range of beers,” said one customer, Phil. “We’ve went from bitterness to hoppiness, I cannot describe them, we’ve just tasted so much.

“I thought it was fantastic.”

ANARCHY Brew Co have teamed up with Cafe 21′s Terry Laybourne for an evening of beer and food matching at The Broad Chare.

Matching beer with food is a growing trend as more and more chefs realise that beer can be just as good, if not better, an accompaniment for their dishes than wine.

And now some of the region’s top restaurants are starting to cotton on.

A spokesman for the Broad Chare said: ” When husband and wife brewing team Simon and Dawn Miles at Morpeth-based Anarchy Brew Co suggested a food and beer matching evening at The Broad Chare, we thought well, why not? It sounds a fun way to start the week.

“What could be better than matching proper food with craft beers?”

During the evening, on Sunday April 21, Simon will be joined by head brewer Andy Aitchinson to outline their brewing philosophy and explain about the different beers, which  Terry Laybourne and head chef Chris Eagle have designed a feasting menu for.

Unfortunately however if you don’t already have a table booked then you’ll just have to buy some of the brewery’s bottles and try your own matches at home as the evening is sold out.

And share your top North East beer and food matching tips in the comment section below.

THE MENU

Aperitif: Crime Scene, a hybrid American amber

 Starter: Broad Chare Bar Snacks, served with Quiet Riot, a cloudy South Pacific IPA

Main: Roast Suckling Pig with Apple, served with Anarchy, a strong continental-style lager

Trial beer: Bitter amber rye

Desert: Montgomery’s Cheddar, served with Sublime Chaos, a dark stout

The Licenced Trade International conference, which was officially opened at the Sage in Gateshead by MP Ian Mearns, aimed to help local businesses grow through networking with companies like Morpeth’s Anarchy Brew Co, Durham Brewery and Bourbon Cider, from West Allotment in Newcastle rubbing shoulders with major international drinks firms like Heineken and Molston Coors.

Among the highlights of the show was a Lamborghini sports car which had been cut in two and turned into a bar – though winners of the first ever LTI Benevolent Awards might disagree.

Durham Brewery was named Best Local Exporter of the Year and came runner up in the Beverage Manufacturer of the Year category to Hexham-based soft drinks maker Fentimans. The Bar of the Year prize went to No 28 on Nelson Street in Newcastle.

CIDER fans are urged to jump on the bus to make the most of a weekend of appley offerings in Newcastle.

And as Chris Palmer explains, buying a ticket to ride might just help you find something out of the norm.

“The “cider bus” rolls firmly into town this week with the opening of the annual Tyneside & Northumberland Camra Newcastle Beer & Cider Festival, a smaller festival at the campaign’s former regional cider pub of the year, the Cumberland Arms in Byker, and a number of pubs across the city putting cider on the bar.

“The 37^th Newcastle Beer and Cider Festival opens to the public at 6pm on Wednesday April 10 and runs until late Saturday. With an offering of 37 ciders, 11 perries and one pyder (a refreshing blend of cider and perry) the stars of the show are the Rosquijeau Cider from Brittany in France and for the first time a local producer, The Bourbon Cider Company, from West Allotment, near North Shields.

“The Cumberland Arms is an old fashioned pub and has been awarded Camra’s Regional Cider Pub of the Year three times.

“Their Spring Fest kicks off on Friday at 3pm with a selection of ciders from well outside the norm. Expect their 15 offerings to include Marshwood Vale, Solway, Brislington, Greyfields Farm, Ham Hill, Blackmore Vale, Twin Farms (Rogers) and Worleys.

“The Cumberland is in the Ouseburn Valley and can easily be reached by the Q2 bus service from Haymarket, Stagecoach services 12, 22, 39, 40, 62 or 63 from the City Centre.

“Also in the Ouseburn Valley is the renowned Head of Steam’s Cluny, which has three Westons ciders, The Tyne Bar, which offers Blaengawney Blindfold, and the current Tyneside Cider Pub of the Year, The Free Trade Inn, offering eight ciders including the likes of Dorset Nectar, Brislington, Greyfields Farm and Marshwood Vale.

“Central Newcastle also has plenty to choose from with The Pacific Bar serving Gwynt Y Ddraig, Lady Greys offering Richs and Marshwood Vale, Bacchus stocking Thistly Cross, the Duke of Wellington Westons, the Head of Steam Orchard Pig, and Centurion Bar Thatchers.

“All in all things are looking up for Britain’s oldest drink.”

Licensed Trade International aims to showcase the best of the region’s pubs, bars and breweries alongside major brands like Heineken, to try and boost the area’s economy and tourism.

Event director Dr Anthony Molloy said with the decline of the region’s manufacturing heritage it was time to find something new to show the world we are good at.

“What can we do in these troubled times to drive the region forward? Well, the answer is to consolidate and find strength in something that we are exceptional at doing.
“This is quite simply, our tourism, hospitality and leisure industry.
“Within Newcastle city centre there are some 255 licensed premises, making it one of the most populated drinking scenes in the UK. While the North East is still claimed to be in the top three for a good night out.
“It is claimed that the industry employs some 7,000 people with a combined turnover of over £250M in its licensed venues.
“The closure of the big breweries such as Vaux, Federation and Newcastle Breweries only adds to these troubled times. However, there are still some shining lights in the region – The microbreweries.
“The sales of craft ales are starting to take hold, not just in the UK but globally and these microbreweries are the foreseeable future of the region and its economy.”

Alongside the likes of Anarchy Brew Co and Durham Brewery visitors to the conference will find some of the big names in international brewing, including Heineken, Molson Coors and Carlsberg.

“Research tells us that there has only ever been one company from the North East that has been showcased at any of the other Licensed trade events in the UK over the past 5 years and that is Fentimans of Hexham,” said Dr Molloy.
“You will not find it strange to find out that of all the North Eastern beverage manufacturers, Fentimans is showing the greatest rate of growth.
“In terms of pure sales, they are constantly networking with the trade outside the region. Sales, growth and business development is all about face to face and relationship building, so holding a trade event creates the face to face, the familiarity, the trust and the possibilities for business’ to develop and grow.”

The show organisers claim it will feature a “one off, world’s first unveiling of something rather special,” alongside product launches and announcements.
“After hours of tough negotiations with hundreds of people, we have successfully brought London to the region for two days,” said Dr Molloy.

The two day event, starting on April 9, will also see cocktail and wine seminars with various big brand names and NYC mixologist Tim Cooper, and a “benevolent award ceremony” to celebrate the North East through prizes including best bar, best late night venue, best local beverage manufacturer, best mixologist and best restaurant.
“It’s a bit Saturday night TV, but it brings people together, creates rivalry and competition to raise standards,” said Dr Molloy.

“Everyone who votes will play a part in raising standards in the region. The awards will be given to the winners who have created something for the industry to follow and emulate.

“And to top it all off, we are also looking to hold a template event in Ontario Canada in 2014. This will allow North Eastern microbreweries to showcase their product ranges and services in the Northern American market. The two events in UK and Canada will run in tandem, to create stronger transatlantic trade agreements between the two countries.”

For more information and to vote in the awards visit www.licensedtradeinternational.com.

While The Steamboat, in South Shields, may have missed out on Sunderland and South Tyneside Camra’s Pub of the Year title in 2013 – it went instead to Sunderland’s Jarrow Brewery-owned Isis – it has continued it’s remarkable run of form within the group’s top three, with a second place this year.

Branch chairman Mick Wynne said the consistency was quite a feat.

“To have been in the top three for this competition for the last seven years is quite an achievement,” he told pub manager Kathleen Brain.

Within the last seven years The Steamboat was named SST Camra’s Pub of the Year three years in a row – going on to place second in the regional competition – then for the past two years it has been runner up.

The Hat and Feathers in Seaham, County Durham has opened after a £1.2m conversion, bringing 40 jobs to the seaside town.

Originally three shops, numbers 57 to 59 Church Street were a pawnbrokers, wardrobe dealer, and chemist and dentist during the 1890s.

Following the turn of the century they went on to become a milliners – hat makers – confectioners and drapers.

And then for almost 60 years, from 1923 to 1981, two of the shops were home to Doggarts family run department store, which sold furniture, clothes and fine hats with feathers – hence the name.

The Tale of Seaham Licensing Signs, 1902 (A “poem” supposedly listing 29 of the 49 pubs in the town at the time)

The fellows of the Royal Naval Reserve entered the Ship built of Royal Oak and sailed up to the Adam and Eve Gardens where they met with some Foresters who informed them that the Duke of Wellington leaving the Edinburgh Castle, had got into a Dray Cart. He was escorted by some noble Volunteers, all loyal to the Rose and Crown and headed by a Highlander playing on his pipes. They passed through Northumberland and on arriving at the Bridge they were met by Marlborough, Zetland and Braddyll who had just returned from Canterbury.

The assembled company here sat down to discuss various subjects, the merits of Shakespeare, the latest achievements of the Engineers and the industry of the Bottlemakers but were repeatedly interrupted by the chattering of the Parrot.

Then a party of Oddfellows suddenly entered the room and informed them that a Golden Lion had escaped from Noah’s Ark and was speeding by the Colliery to the Times Inn hotly pursued by Lord Seaham wearing a Hat and Feather and mounted on a Kicking Cuddy.

The new pub continues Seaham’s long history of hostelries – of the town’s first 133 buildings erected by 1831, 12 were said to be pubs – and includes history panels to tell drinkers about the stores it has replaced, along with photographs on the wall by local photographer Neil Boye.

STUDENTS were given hands on experience of creating North East beer with a series of brew days at Sonnet 43.

The trainees, from Brewlab in Sunderland, had the opportunity to get to grips with the County Durham firm’s 10 barrel plant – under the watchful eye of head brewer Michael Harker – as part of their course to learn the art of making English ales.

“We’re passionate about good beer and keen to support new brewers and Brewlab, which is a great brewing training provider that attracts students from all over the world,” said Michael, who used to work for High House Farm Brewery in Northumberland.

“They work they do in passing on brewing knowledge helps to keep the traditional practice going and so there’s more great beer out there to experience

“The students assisted on normal brew days to give them some practical experience of brewing, which is integral to anchor their theoretical learning.

“That entailed weighing of the malts, mashing, sparging and equipment cleaning as well as all the other aspects of a general brew day.”

“All the students were very eager and interested to learn as much as possible within the short time that they were with us and gave us a good helping hand.”

The beer, a four hop 4% light citrus flavoured pale ale had been due for the North East’s pubs – starting with Redhouse in Newcastle, where it was to be paired with a special edition lamb pie from Amble Butchers – back in January.

But after re-brewing the beer due to pre-launch aroma problems, it is finally arriving in time for Easter.

“Pacifica is a 4% hoppy ale,nicely balanced with Galaxy, Cascade, Summit and Pacifica hops,” said brewery managing director Julia Austin.

“Mark (McGarry, Tyne Bank’s head brewer) seems to have hit the nail right on the head if the first tasting in the brewery is anything to go by.  But we shall see what the feedback is.”

The beer, a 3.8% blonde brewed using Fawcett and Sons pale and light crystal malts, with British grown Bramling Cross and Cascade hops, saw it’s launch postponed due to a leaking fermenter at the Wallsend-based firm.

But with fair winds and following seas it is now making it’s way into the North East’s pubs – and even setting course for the Newcastle Beer Festival.

“Every landlord I’ve ever spoke to has said to me, ‘Bill, brew a blonde, and brew one at about 3.8% ABV,” said brewery owner Bill Scantlebury. “I’m one to follow advice, so I decided that I would be launching a blonde.

“It’s got a good malty flavour, and it’s very fruity.  It should make a very refreshing summery beer.”

Allendale Brewery’s APA took silver in the cask strong bitters and IPAs category at the Society of Independent Brewer’s BeerX conference in Sheffield, while Morpeth-based Anarchy Brew Co’s Anarchy lager took second place in the speciality beers section.

Anarchy co-owner Dawn Miles said she was very pleased to see her lager recognised on the national stage.

“It truly is a “special beer” and we believe its one of the best examples around,” she said. “And keg beer really gets our juices flowing.”

CONSIDERING what a major part of the British landscape pubs are it seems strange that they are not the subject of more art.

Think about it. Try naming a famous painting that shows the outside of a tavern or bar.

You could try and make a case for Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks, though that’s more a diner, and it’s American, but other than that it’s a struggle – there’s no Hay Wain for those more a fan of the inn down the road.

All of which just makes the work of Newcastle-based illustrator Ben Holland the more interesting.

“I just wanted to draw the world around me, the everyday places that play a big part in normal life,” said Ben, 32, a former finalist for the Biscuit Factory Foundation’s Young Artist of the Year prize.

“Pubs are the places people meet, go on first dates, split up, laugh, listen to music, celebrate the football and commiserate over relegation – They’re just a microcosm of everyday life and I love that.”

Growing up in Ormskirk, Lancashire, English literature graduate Ben moved to Newcastle in 2000, settling in Heaton and beginning to draw pen and ink portraits of his local area at night.

“I’ve always been drawing ever since I was a kid,” he said. “My mum and dad encouraged it and that’s the key really.

“I say you can’t be taught art and what I mean is, you can be taught the basic skills and tricks but you can’t be taught what to like or how to express the world as you see it.

“You just like what you like, I suppose. When I was going through college I got more from Canaletto painting than a Mark Rothko. Everyone’s different. I just like attention to detail and at the moment, pen and ink enables me to do that in my own work.”

Ben’s Low Moon Over High Town collection features a number of almost ethereal portraits of Tyneside pubs, from the Free Trade Inn, Cumberland Arms and Cluny in Ouseburn, to the Trent House, Bodega and Crown Posada in Newcastle city centre, and even the Cumberland Arms in Tynemouth.

“If a person likes one of these pubs, they generally like them all,” said Ben, who grew up in Ormskirk, Lancashire, and whose formative pub experiences involved drinking lager in the town’s Greyhound tavern while listening to Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd on the jukebox. “They are ‘proper’ pubs with character and atmosphere, rather than stainless steel bars.

“I take photographs of the pubs from all sorts of angles as if I sat outside to draw them I’d be like a skeleton – each drawing takes around 20 to 25 hours to complete.

“I generally photograph the venue in both day and night before I start so I can understand the detail in the daylight and where shadows fall or lights shine at night.

“From that I can draw something that is a mixture of the two giving, hopefully, a unique spin on the building.

“A lot of people buy the pub pictures because they mean something – they met their now husband or wife in the Trent, went to their first gig at The Cluny or always had a pint with their dad on a Sunday at the Crown Posada,” added Ben, who now seeks out Cullercoats and Wylam ales if he finds them on the bar.

“You could call them a bit nostalgic in that respect but other people buy prints as they just like the style of the drawings themselves, or just like to drink in the pubs of course.”

Many of Ben’s prints are currently on display at Pink Lane Coffee, near Newcastle Central Station – or you can see them all on his website, www.lowmoonoverhightown.com.

And next up, in April, he’s planning to release a range of greetings cards and tote bags with new illustrations on.

“I’m also a massive music fan and have got a project underway drawing legendary music venues and record shops,” he said.

“On top of that I’m also chipping away at a book illustration project and a couple of commissions for weddings and birthdays so there’s plenty going on.

“And I might even draw a couple more pubs too, you never know.”