Marks & Spencer champions bottle-conditioned ales.
You know, there's something special about Marks & Spencer -- it is indeed no ordinary British retailer; since 1884 it has stood alone in Britain's high
streets, providing the very finest in goods and foods. Until recently, it only dealt with products made in Britain, but has since reluctantly looked at other
countries for inspiration. M & S has, however, remained true to its original credo in that it only sells items carrying its own brand name. And there's
nowt wrong with that ! If something carries the M & S name, then you know you've got a quality product.
A typical M & S food hall is a culinary delight -- where else might you find a lunch and salad dish featuring "Loch Muir salmon with juicy prawns and
wilted spinach, in a creamy white wine sauce, wrapped in a crisp puff pastry" and "Rice, Lentil and Roast Aubergine (eggplant) Salad: a medley of
white and wild rice with lightly roasted chopped aubergines, red peppers and lentils in a garlic dressing". Or how about a nice hot bowl of Aberdeen
Angus Beef and Dorset Ale Casserole: tender pieces of Aberdeen Angus beef in a rich Dorset ale sauce served with chunky leeks, carrots and
potato gratin ? Mmmmm, smashing -- just what we like at Roberts Manor on a cold winter's day !
A Christmassy Marks & Spencer in London
Lady Debby is in love with M & S food. On our last visit back to the UK in 2003, we visited M & S four times -- three times to the Cheltenham store
and once to their Worcester branch. At Marks & Spencer in Worcester (according to my journal) we bought for lunch Salmon from Orkney with a
roasted honey glaze, an avocado & spinach sandwich, with - for desert - a strawberry and white chocolate smoothie. We took the whole lot down to
the banks of the River Severn, beautifully situated by Worcester Cathedral, where we sat, enjoying our tucker, watching Mum and Dad swans with
their cygnets swimming past.
Lovely -- so what does any of this have to do beer, I hear you ask. Well, in fine fashion, M & S has made a bold leap into the world of beer by
promoting and selling under their own name no less than four bottle-conditioned beers.
There are supermarkets that have embraced the small brewers; in particular, Waitrose, and Tesco's, both of which have splendidly supported the
independent beer scene, but this is the first time that a retailer has gone one step further and promoted bottle-conditioned beer -- even more
remarkable when you consider that M & S is renowned for its wine selection. Indeed, their wines constantly win awards. But then, that's your typical
Marks & Spencer: always ready to make a bold move.
Their beer "team" traveled throughout Britain, visiting breweries until they found four that could brew distinctive, regional bottle-conditioned brews
good enough to carry the M & S name. The tasting notes below are not mine: they are provided by CAMRA's Roger Protz. Hats off to Marks &
Spencer for a fine initiative ! And as an extra bonus, following the tasting notes are a selection of YouTube Marks & Spencer TV food
advertisements, with a couple of fabulous "spoof" M & S ads.
Cheers !
Buckinghamshire Ale (Vale Brewery, 4.6%)
Copper-red beer with a yeasty, bready nose and raisin fruit and spicy hops.
Tart fruit, biscuity malt and bitter hop resins fill the mouth.
The finish is dry and bitter with rich, juicy malt, burnt fruit and peppery hops.
Norfolk Bitter (Woodforde Brewery, 5%)
Sulphur on the nose gives way to biscuity malt, tart fruit and hop resins.
The palate is a fine balance of juicy malt, floral hop and sultana fruit,
followed by a long finish that is intensely bitter with floral and spicy hops,
biscuity malt and dark burnt fruit.
Organic Scottish Ale (Black Isle Brewery, 4.5%)
Spicy and peppery aroma with floral and herbal notes from hops and
sweet gale, with some tart fruit. A tangy, herbal palate is balanced by
sappy malt and light hop notes. The finish is quenching and
bittersweet with spicy, herbal notes.
Yorkshire Bitter (Cropton Brewery, 4.6%)
A big sulphury nose with strong undertones of floral and spicy hops
and tart fruit. Tangy fruit dominates the palate with sappy malt and
spicy hops. Hop bitterness and tart fruit dominate the finish with
light malt notes; it becomes increasingly dry.
M & S Christmas ad 2006 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHFKE6PD_6U
M & S scrumptious food ad - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Csf6eIS6vuc
M & S spoof - classic ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz8APfry0Q4
M & S spoof made by a Marketing Manager for Asda/Walmart -- classic !http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHWDWV0bXhU
M & S clothes ad, featuring Twiggy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHoov4vVLuQ
You know, there's something special about Marks & Spencer -- it is indeed no ordinary British retailer; since 1884 it has stood alone in Britain's high
streets, providing the very finest in goods and foods. Until recently, it only dealt with products made in Britain, but has since reluctantly looked at other
countries for inspiration. M & S has, however, remained true to its original credo in that it only sells items carrying its own brand name. And there's
nowt wrong with that ! If something carries the M & S name, then you know you've got a quality product.
A typical M & S food hall is a culinary delight -- where else might you find a lunch and salad dish featuring "Loch Muir salmon with juicy prawns and
wilted spinach, in a creamy white wine sauce, wrapped in a crisp puff pastry" and "Rice, Lentil and Roast Aubergine (eggplant) Salad: a medley of
white and wild rice with lightly roasted chopped aubergines, red peppers and lentils in a garlic dressing". Or how about a nice hot bowl of Aberdeen
Angus Beef and Dorset Ale Casserole: tender pieces of Aberdeen Angus beef in a rich Dorset ale sauce served with chunky leeks, carrots and
potato gratin ? Mmmmm, smashing -- just what we like at Roberts Manor on a cold winter's day !
A Christmassy Marks & Spencer in London
Lady Debby is in love with M & S food. On our last visit back to the UK in 2003, we visited M & S four times -- three times to the Cheltenham store
and once to their Worcester branch. At Marks & Spencer in Worcester (according to my journal) we bought for lunch Salmon from Orkney with a
roasted honey glaze, an avocado & spinach sandwich, with - for desert - a strawberry and white chocolate smoothie. We took the whole lot down to
the banks of the River Severn, beautifully situated by Worcester Cathedral, where we sat, enjoying our tucker, watching Mum and Dad swans with
their cygnets swimming past.
Lovely -- so what does any of this have to do beer, I hear you ask. Well, in fine fashion, M & S has made a bold leap into the world of beer by
promoting and selling under their own name no less than four bottle-conditioned beers.
There are supermarkets that have embraced the small brewers; in particular, Waitrose, and Tesco's, both of which have splendidly supported the
independent beer scene, but this is the first time that a retailer has gone one step further and promoted bottle-conditioned beer -- even more
remarkable when you consider that M & S is renowned for its wine selection. Indeed, their wines constantly win awards. But then, that's your typical
Marks & Spencer: always ready to make a bold move.
Their beer "team" traveled throughout Britain, visiting breweries until they found four that could brew distinctive, regional bottle-conditioned brews
good enough to carry the M & S name. The tasting notes below are not mine: they are provided by CAMRA's Roger Protz. Hats off to Marks &
Spencer for a fine initiative ! And as an extra bonus, following the tasting notes are a selection of YouTube Marks & Spencer TV food
advertisements, with a couple of fabulous "spoof" M & S ads.
Cheers !
Buckinghamshire Ale (Vale Brewery, 4.6%)
Copper-red beer with a yeasty, bready nose and raisin fruit and spicy hops.
Tart fruit, biscuity malt and bitter hop resins fill the mouth.
The finish is dry and bitter with rich, juicy malt, burnt fruit and peppery hops.
Norfolk Bitter (Woodforde Brewery, 5%)
Sulphur on the nose gives way to biscuity malt, tart fruit and hop resins.
The palate is a fine balance of juicy malt, floral hop and sultana fruit,
followed by a long finish that is intensely bitter with floral and spicy hops,
biscuity malt and dark burnt fruit.
Organic Scottish Ale (Black Isle Brewery, 4.5%)
Spicy and peppery aroma with floral and herbal notes from hops and
sweet gale, with some tart fruit. A tangy, herbal palate is balanced by
sappy malt and light hop notes. The finish is quenching and
bittersweet with spicy, herbal notes.
Yorkshire Bitter (Cropton Brewery, 4.6%)
A big sulphury nose with strong undertones of floral and spicy hops
and tart fruit. Tangy fruit dominates the palate with sappy malt and
spicy hops. Hop bitterness and tart fruit dominate the finish with
light malt notes; it becomes increasingly dry.
M & S Christmas ad 2006 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHFKE6PD_6U
M & S scrumptious food ad - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Csf6eIS6vuc
M & S spoof - classic ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz8APfry0Q4
M & S spoof made by a Marketing Manager for Asda/Walmart -- classic !http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHWDWV0bXhU
M & S clothes ad, featuring Twiggy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHoov4vVLuQ
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