The 2012 Newcastle CAMRA beer festival is fast approaching (18-21st April).  We have come a long way since our first appearance there last year.  This year we have been invited to join in battle of the beers, a single malt beer with no hop limitations with an ABV between 4 and 5%.  Well we put our thinking caps on and we came up with Treble C, so called after the Crystal, Cluster and Centennial hops used.  It is brewed to 4% with 100% Munich Malt which gives a slight sweetness and copper colour with an orange hue.  Hops used are the oldest US commercially grown hop, Cluster alongside the most widely used hop in America Crystal.  These low alpha hops give a smooth yet noticeable bitterness and bags of citrus orange flavours yet a distinctive New World type aroma.  The pump clip is inspired by the festival colours and the orange flavours of the beer.  Treble C will also be available to trade from the 19th April.

Thanks to those that joined us last night for the first tasting of Piccolo Black through a hand pull in the Free Trade. First impressions, lovely smooth bitterness with the lime coming through from the coffee, another week conditioning in the cask and it will be perfectly balanced.  All the effort of correct grind size, coffee contact time and temperature was definitely worth it.  Thanks to John from Piccolo Coffee who also brought along along some coffee so we could taste the two side by side.  As the night progressed and the alcohol flowed we will all have differing opinions of wether it was best to drink warmer or with the coffee, I'd tell you more but around that point things get a little bit hazy.

Piccolo Black will be available throughout the North East in February.