European Beer News (Issue 22)
by Carolyn Smagalski
Glenn Payne (1954-2015)
Discerning beer consultant and former commercial beer buyer Glenn Payne of Carmarthenshire, Wales, passed away due to “unexplained circumstances” on Llanelli Beach in southwest Wales on December 6, 2015. He was 61. As a former senior buyer for Safeway and founding investor of Meantime Brewery, Mr. Payne became known as a maven of beer on four continents. He further developed his expansive knowledge of craft beer as proprietor of Beer2Love and was an internationally respected beer judge for the World Beer Cup and GABF, International Beer Competition, SIBA finals, Quality Food and Drink Awards, and more.
Chinese New Year Monkey Business
It seems China’s demand of India Pale Ale has gone viral since photos of Prime Minister David Cameron and President Xi Jinping shared a pint of Greene King IPA over the airwaves. Just in time for 2016, the Year of the Red Fire Monkey, Rooney Arand, Chief Executive of Greene King’s Export Team, plans to fulfill China’s order for 50,000 cases of IPA for the February 8th celebration.
Music to their Ears
Can Celtic music make yeast happy? Drygate Brewing Company of Glasgow thinks it’s possible. In collaboration with Celtic Connections, Drygate crafted Festival Brew, a Farmhouse Saison hopped-up with Aramis and Strisselspalt hops from France. Celtic piper John Mulhearn and acoustic guitarist Findlay Napier drenched the air with live music on brew day, followed by a continuous infusion of sound delivered through speakers inside fermentation tanks during two weeks of maturation. Festival Brew will be available during the Celtic Connections Programme celebrated at venues throughout Europe from January 14-31, 2016.
Top Photo Courtesy: Carolyn Smagalski, Bottom: Greene King Brewing