Birds and Beers

Between the 24th - 26th January, the RSPB’s annual Big Garden Birdwatch is taking place, the largest garden wildlife survey to take place in this country, where enthusiasts are encouraged to record the number of each bird species in their gardens in order to paint an overall picture of how the various bird populations fair around the country. This scheme has been going strong since 1979, and during that time, breweries from around the country have also played their part in supporting and promoting the UK’s rich and varied range of avian species. An early supporter was Cotleigh Brewery, launched in the same year as the inaugural big garden bird watch, they started off with a 5-barrel beer plant at Cotleigh Farmhouse in Tiverton (hence the name), where they launched their first release Tawny Owl (3.8%) a traditional best bitter, its tawny colour was influenced by the brown/ buff plumage of its namesake and one of the UK’s most common owl species. The beer subsequently went onto become one of their benchmark products, and was later joined by the likes of Harrier (4.8%) in 1982, Barn Owl (4.5%) in 1994 and latterly Golden Seahawk (4.2%) in 2001, along with numerous other examples. A number of these bird themed beers over the years tend to be split into two camps, these include common birds that tend to reside in suburban and wetland areas like Robins, Blackbirds, Magpie’s, Robins, Ravens, Swans and Mallard Ducks, and conversely rare and elusive birds that are less common and tend to be located in rural and coastal areas like Red Kites, Oystercatchers, Golden Plovers, Little Terns, Nutcrackers, Bustards and Wrynecks for instance. Whilst many breweries may have one or two beers on their books with links to birds, some breweries have named their entire range after birds like Thames Side or From the Notebook for example. Indeed, a number of breweries tend to name their beers after local bird species, and some have even gone to the lengths of donating some of their proceeds to local wildlife charities and conservation groups. In their own way, breweries have played their part in supporting this county’s rich and diverse bird population.  

 

If you ever come across a beer named after a bird species, chances are its likely to be localized within 30 miles of the brewery’s vicinity. A notable example is Avocet (4.1%) by Exeter Brewery, one of their flagship regular releases first launched in 2008, it is a session bitter made with organic ingredients including several types of hops. The beer was named after the Avocet, a wading bird frequently seen in wetland areas, it is a common site in the Exe Esturary, just several miles south of the brewery. Meanwhile, the Red Kite is frequently seen soaring above the Chiltern Hills with its distinctive red-brown body, angled wings and forked tails that gives its name. This in turn influenced the likes of Vale Brewery (based in Brill) to produce Red Kite (4.3%) a chestnut-coloured bitter, made with three malt varieties (Pale Planet, Crystal and Roasted Barley) for body, along with Northdown and Brewers Gold hops for flavour, together they impart a distinct looking beer with a strong bitter aftertaste. Likewise, Black Isle and Grainstore have also produced beers under the same name, since these birds of prey can also be found around the Midlands, Wales and parts of Scotland. Grainstore have also developed Rutland Osprey (4%), a zesty light golden ale, it was influenced by the ongoing conservation efforts in Rutland Water since 2015, where there has been a drive to reestablish the first Osprey population in England for 150 years.  Coastal and upland birds have also featured in local brewery ranges, over in the Wirral, Brimcage Brewery was established by Neil Young (not the rock star) in 2006 to celebrate the area’s rich history. Two of their regular releases are named after birds that reside around the wetlands and sandbanks in the area including Sand Piper (3.6%), a light golden ale influenced by its namesake that resides in Wales, northern England and Scotland during the Summer months, and latterly Oyster Catcher (4.4%), an oyster stout that echoes the distinctive black and white plumage of the wading bird that is traditionally found in coastal areas, particularly during the Winter, although the population has gradually moved further inland due to overfishing of cockle beds. Over in the Pennines, Bowland Brewery similarly has named its regularly produced beers after its local wildlife population, including its rich array of birds of prey, including Hen Harrier (4%) a golden ale named after the bird due to its historic preference for hunting fowl, and Pheasant Plucker (3.7%) a session level bitter with a balanced malt/ hop ratio in aroma and flavours, a multi award winner it has become one of the brewery’s most noteworthy products, the pump clip features the likeliness of the male pheasant with its distinctive golden brown plumage, dark green head and red facial wattling. Meanwhile deep in the Norfolk broads, one of the county’s most prominent brewers Woodfordes has been noted for naming a number of its beers after historic Norfolk traditions and icons since first coming on the scene in 1981; seasonally during the Autumn months they release Once Bittern (4%), an beer with a terrifying brew of five malts (Maris Otter, Pale, Caramalt, Crystal and Red Crystal) and four hop varieties sourced from across the world (Goldings, Savinjskis, Mouteka and Nelson Sauvin) which impart a distinctive amber red colour and notes of citrus and spice. A tongue in cheek reference to Vampires, which are closely associated with Halloween, its name also has a double meaning as its named after the Bittern, an shy and elusive thickset heron who commonly reside around the reedbeds of Norfolk, particularly during the Winter period.  

 

To most individuals, many of the birds named and featured in these themed beers are on the whole obscure, unless you happen to be ornithologist. Most ordinary folk are more attuned to common garden birds like robins, magpies and blackbirds than the rare elusive species that are seldom known. Magpie Brewery based in Nottingham town centre has a number of garden birds appearing on their pump clips and brands, which is alas unsurprising given their name, which comes one of the UK’s most distinctive and widespread bird species with its notable ‘iridescent’ black and white plumage, it resides in 600,000 territories, only being absent from northern Scotland. Three of their beers are named after the Magpie, these include Best (4%), Hoppily Single (3.8%) and latterly Thieving Rogue (4.5%) which helps promote the ongoing myth that Magpies like stealing shiny things, first popularised by 1815 opera The Thieving Rogue by Rossini. Likewise they also have on their books, Raven Stout (4.4%) and its fruiter sister Cherry Raven (4.4%) named after the Common Raven, a frequent sight in suburbs and cites with 10,000 breeding pairs registered only in 2016, along with Jay IPA (5.2%), a golden traditional British style IPA with fruity and aromatic flavours, made with indigenous hops. Its colourful flavours help echo the equally viridescent appearance of its namesake, a member of the crow family, it is noted for its brown body and its blue, white and black tipped wings; seen in 170,000 territories across the country, though they tend to prefer woodland areas they can be occasionally seen in gardens. Moreover, the Goldfinch with its colourful markings has made its way onto numerous beers, like Goldfinch (3.4%) by Black Isle, a gluten free session IPA, its uses a kaleidoscope of ingredients to make up for its low strength using a five malt base and a bouquet of hops including Citra, Nelson Sauvin, Simcoe, Chinook, Cascade and Pacific Gem hops that give it a tropical fruity flavour along with a citrussy finish. The beer somewhat eerily echoes the appearance of a Goldfinch, despite its relatively small stature, it has a bright red face, buff and cream plumage along with yellow wing patches, helping it stand out from other common garden birds. Yet out of all the species of birds that has attracted the most attention from brewers happens to be the humble Robin; it is noted for being one of the country’s friendliest, favourite and commonly garden birds, appearing in around 6.7 million territories, their numbers are bolstered during the winter months with arrivals from northern Europe and Russia migrating to the UK; their frequency around this period and their notable red breasts, has helped made them the subject of thousands of Christmas cards over the decades. Similarly, around the festive season, a good number of breweries utilize the Robin as the emblem for their beers, for example Red Robin (4.1%) by Green Jack is annually released every December, based on a old Irish red ale recipe, it is produced with crystal malt that helps give its distinctive hue, rich, fruity and malty flavours; furthermore, it is topped up with cranberries to help give it some added depth. Similarly, there have been other examples like Rockin Robin (4.8%) by Staffordshire Brewery made in conjunction with Cottage Delight, Bobbin Robin (5.8%) a stout produced by 8 Sail and likewise Stout Robin (4.6%) by Basham, described as a dark Norfolk stout developed with a rich blend of British malt varieties and malt to give its distinctive bitter notes and rich berry aromas. Its name is derived from the term that stout is another word for strong or proud. The name also denotes the brave and friendly temperament of the Robin, which is frequently seen around gardens in the UK and are sometimes tame enough to be fed by hand.

 

Whilst a good clutch of bird themed beers are named after common garden birds, there are a good deal out there that are labelled to more obscure and elusive species that are harder to find. Hexham based brewer Allendale, has produced several beers that named after rare birds, and by coincidence are brewed to signify the distinctive appearances of these birds. For example, Black Grouse (4%), a smoked porter that is sold on a seasonal basis, easily echoes the distinctive black plumage of the grouse sub-species that is commonly found in rural parts of northern England, whilst Golden Plover (4%) is a multi-award-winning pale ale made with the unique combination of Hallertau Hersbrucker and Columbus hops that helps give its distinct aromatic and citrussy taste. It could be argued that its appearance was influenced by the bird’s notable golden and black plumage which it has during the Summer months. Meanwhile north of the border, Orkney Brewery based in Quoyloo in the heart of the Orkney Islands, has a number of beers on its books named after birds frequently seen in the area. These include the likes of Puffin Ale (4.5%) a best bitter made with Brambling Cross and Targets hops. It has a distinctive malty flavour with profound notes of spiciness on the back end and hints of dark fruits such as blackcurrant. Described as clowns of the sea or sea parrots due their comical appearance (which consists of bright orange legs, black-red eye markings and elongated bill), locally they are known as Tammie Norries; they are mainly seen in coastal areas, particularly around northern Scotland and the Orkneys. Likewise, the Corncrake is another rare and elusive bird that is seen in the islands where it migrates to during the Winter months, they featured on another of the brewery’s regular releases Corncrake (4.1%) a golden ale that uses a mixture of British and New World hops (Stryian and Goldings), that helps impart a biscuity yet fruity flavour with notes of citrus, apricot and peach. The RSPB currently list the Corncrake’s conservation status as red, and when the beer was first sold in bottle in 2012, the brewery donated part of the proceeds for the sale of each bottle towards the RSPB. Further south in Aviemore, Cairngorm Brewery has had the distinction of featuring one of the most elusive birds in the country on one of their beers. In 2011, the brewery marked 50 years since the ski runs in the Cairngorms were first established with the release of White Lady (4.7%). In a throwback to its Alpine links, it was produced as a Wheat Beer, with notes of roasted malt, orange peel and coriander which are closely associated with this style. The name has a double meaning, as the pump clips features the likeliness of the Ptarmigan, a grouse that develops white plumage during the Winter months. Suited to tundra and upland areas, it is often resident in the highlands of Scotland, particularly during the Winter, where it’s suited to the 'arctic landscape' around the area, where they also breed. The brewery wryly mentions in their publicity that the bird is known for its love of the high life. Yet sightings of this bird are rare, with only around 2000 breeding pairs accounted for and it is currently listed as red in its conservation status.

 

On the whole, most of the breweries previously mentioned have one or several beers named after birds in their ranges. Yet there are some out there, that have dedicated all (or most of) their entire range to these winged creatures. Thames Side Brewery based in Staines upon Thames is a good example of this; founded in 2015 by CAMRA member Andy Hayward, at the time it was noted for being the first brewery to open in the town for 80 years. Their links to its riverside location are deeply entrenched, even to point of recently relocating to larger brewing site at the Two Rivers Retail Park, which is equidistance between the Rivers Wraybury and Colne that encircle the complex, and only 0.4 miles from the River Thames. All of their regular and seasonal beers are named bird species that frequently located in wetland areas within the vicinity of the town. Their core range includes Egyptian Goose IPA (4.8%), a traditional English IPA that uses British hops (including Fuggles and Goldings) for flavour, these water birds get their name as they originally hail from sub–Saharan Africa; Heron Ale (3.7%) an easy drinking session bitter with a balance malty flavour, Herons prefer to reside in freshwater and coastal areas, they are a common site in the wetlands of Berkshire and Oxfordshire; and White Swan (4.2%), a new world IPA that is made with Chinook and Columbus hops that helps give it a distinctive citrus flavours, out of all the waterbirds within the region, the Swan is perhaps the most iconic of bird species in the local region; closely linked to the River Thames, not only are they protected by the crown, every year an annual ceremony called Swan Upping occurs where mute Swans are caught, tagged and marked as part of an annual census that monitors their population and overall health.  Meanwhile other seasonal examples have included Harrier Bitter (3.4%), a light session bitter, it is traditionally made with Fuggles and Goldings, then it is topped off with Cluster hops which are dry hopped and added to mix late in the brew, this helps give the beer some added lift and punchiness in its overall flavour, its pump clips notably feature the likeliness of the Marsh Harrier that is commonly seen around the reedbeds and marshlands of southern England; Wryneck Rye IPA (5.6%) a tongue in cheek reference to its name, it uses Rye malt along-side its hop mixture of Cascade, Nugget and (dry hopped) Chinook hops that helps give it a classic West Coast IPA flavour, named after a species of Woodpecker, it gets its moniker from its ability to turn its neck 180 degrees; and lastly Black Swan Porter (4.6%), a traditional London style Porter, made with brown, chocolate and crystal malts, that helps give it’s distinct roasted flavours along with hints of chocolate and coffee and a dash of Fuggles and Goldings hops for added bitternes; a multi award winner, its appearance echoes the large waterbird’s distinctive black plumage, peppered with white flight feathers and a red bill. Moreover, the likes of From the Notebook Brewery takes the distinction of being the most closely associated brewer with the various wildlife conservation charities and organisations. Established in Northumberland in 2012 by Graeme Denton and Chris Bowler, markedly Denton a former biologist and CAMRA member was inspired to set up a brewery that would feature beers based on the various wildlife found in the nearby Farne Islands. Together he worked with Bowler, a wildlife enthusiast to produce these beers. Their distinctive notebook branding style hails from the field sketches birdwatchers would frequently jot down in their notebooks, inspired the work of Stewart Sexton who donated some of his drawings to a number of their beers, whilst artist Steve Poole was tasked with designing their cans. Their regular range includes Eider (4.2%) a stout noted for its malty overtones and chocolaty finish, it is named after the UK’s heaviest and fastest Duck species, it mainly resides in coastal areas; Puffin (3.8%) a best bitter that uses US Pioneer hops to give it a sharp bitter taste followed by a mellow caramel background; Kittiwake (4%) a Pilsner style blonde ale that has a gentle flavour, the beer celebrates the bonding process of adult Kittiwakes at the start of the breeding season, they are common site in coastal areas around Northumberland and Tyneside for instance;  Arctic Tern (6%) a hoppy and feisty English IPA, Golden in colour,  its golden hue symbolizes the migration patterns of the Arctic Tern, which flies through areas which have greater hours of sunlight, and is known for travelling up to 70,000km per year; and its younger brother Little Tern (4%) a pale ale named after one the UK’s rarest birds and smallest member of the Tern family, who typically breed and reside around coastal edges in the early Summer months. All of their beers celebrate the beauty and diversity of nature, and rather unusually for a brewery, they extensively work with wildlife conservation charities and organisations; a portion of their proceeds go towards these groups, from 10p a bottle to 10% of the company’s total profits. Organisations like the Marine Conservation Society, The Little Tern Recovery Project, White Stork Project, British Trust for Ornithology and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust have benefited from their takings over the years.

 

Overall, there is a rich and varied array of beers out there produced by breweries based all over the country that celebrate the UK’s diverse range of avian species. A common theme that comes about is a good deal of these brewers tend focus on bird species found in the locality of the brewery, for instance the likes of Orkney, Bowland, Grainstore and Brimcage name all their bird themed beers after local birds, such as Rutland Osprey (4%) which is inspired by the Osprey conservation project in Rutland Water, and Puffin (4%) which is named after a common resident in the Orkney Islands. Meanwhile other breweries have turned to more common garden birds for inspiration, Robins particularly spring to mind and have featured on a number of seasonal ales released around the Christmas period like Stout Robin (4.6%) which celebrates the braveness of the one of the UK’s most-friendliest bird species. Although it seldom to find any brewery that would name most or their entire range after birds, inspired by Cotleigh’s pioneering efforts, there have been some brewers out there that have carried on the tradition, like Thames Side who name all their regular, seasonal and limited-edition releases after various species of birds that are found within wetland areas located within the vicinity of the brewery. Meanwhile, the likes of From the Notebook have gone even further, not only are their beers named birds (and other wildlife), they also feature sketches of the creatures in their artwork, and have gone to lengths of donating part of their proceeds to various charities and organisations in their ongoing efforts to support wildlife conservation. So, when you’re out in the garden this weekend, and have sat there for hours surveying your local bird population, the ideal tipple for the occasion following a long day’s toil would have to be a bird themed beer.