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.
