Brewing in 2012

Barley to Beer - an example of Poppyland beer in a field of Maris Otter barley on Branthill Farm (2012). That's local.

What the customers said:

"It's a treat, a real treat. You open a bottle with some reverence. It's serious stuff." My neighbour, a senior dental practitioner, Cromer.

"It's taken me a month to find the right time to try your Seafood Lovers' Saison. It will rate as one of my perfect beers in my forthcoming book. Bloody good job mate!" Andy Hamilton, author

"Now drinking a superb On The Edge Dry Hopped Saison by Poppyland Brewery. Great hoppy Saison. Tx to Martin." René van den Oort, Beautiful Beers

"Poppyland in Cromer. Fantastic beers." @AlcofrolicChap

"Sounds great. Are they still cuckoo-brewing or in-house now? Good writing too http://www.poppylandbeer.com" @BrewDogBarJonny

"Glorious" H.M., Stevenage

"Sitting in front of the Bathhouse enjoying our beer wishing we had one each." A.R.

"Am drifting down the Bure in my canoe, enjoying the peace, watching the Mayflies rise and sipping "Flowers of the Field". Wonderful. Well done." Dr D.H., Leicester

"I recently purchased a bottle of "Flowers of the Field" from the Cromer Farm shop whilst holidaying over the bank holiday. Absolutely fantastic!!! Will you eventually be doing mail order as I would like to share it with friends?" S.S.

"Now drinking Over The Hill American Style IPA. Aromatic hoppy dark amber beer. Really nice. Must try." René van den Oort, Beautiful Beers

"My family and I have been working our way through another mixed case of bottled beers from Eddie at The Real Ale Shop. In this case was a couple of bottles of beer we had not come across before: Seafood Lovers' Ale/Out of the Blue. This is delicious, full of flavour and easily drinkable - what a delight to discover a really fresh tasting bottle-conditioned beer! It is very much the favourite of the case." Dr R.K.A., Clackmannanshire

"Currently drinking some of your beers and really enjoying them. Absolutely loving the depth of flavours."

"Just dropping you a line to say how much I'm enjoying your beers. I was in Cromer for a couple of days earlier in the week and picked up a few bottles of the Saisons and IPA from the shop on Tucker Street. Kicking myself I didn't get in touch to have a look at the brewery on West Street. I shall check your blog for future releases. I live in Leicester, but I know someone that visits Cromer every few months, so I shall be asking them to look out for your bottles to bring home." @AlcofrolicChap

"I picked up the Seafood Lover's Ale, Over The Hill (Summit dry-hopped) and Flowers Of the Field. I've drank the Seafood and the IPA and they are spot on in my opinion. All the characteristics anyone would expect from a Belgian farmhouse ale and US IPA. In fact, I've drank US IPAs of higher abv with less flavour than yours. There's certainly some great beer being brewed in Cromer and North Walsham." J.K., Leicester

How do you enjoy yours? Tell me about your experience.

Progress at the brewery

All work completed, except for delivery of brewing equipment from Iceni Brewery.

Have been brewing with a borrowed Russian Doll kit in order to get some ale for Christmas. Brewing on the dark side, with a smoked porter (3.9%), a robust porter (5.7%), a black IPA (5.7%) and a Baltic Porter (7.5%). Sadly that Russian Doll has had a structural failure, so I am not sure how the brewing will proceed at the beginning of 2013. We shall see. Either back to gypsy brewing, or get some proper kit.

Advice for beer label collectors

My printer up the road in Holt Road (Cheverton and Son) uses a self adhesive paper called 'Communique'. If you try to soak off the label in water you will find that the paper disintegrates and the adhesive doesn't dissolve. The technique is to keep the label dry but very slowly and carefully fill the bottle with very hot or near boiling water, shaking to ensure that the heat is dissipated to avoid thermal shock and breakage. You will then find that you can peel one corner up and by slowly and steadily pulling at it the whole label will gradually come off, with some of the adhesive on the back and some still on the bottle.

Catalogue of brews in 2012

• Poppyland Pilot : American IPA : release date 30.6.2012 : SOLD OUT
• Out of the Blue : saison : release date 28.7.2012: SOLD OUT
• Seafood Lovers' Ale : saison : release date 4.8.2012 : SOLD OUT
• Flowers of the Field : saison : release date 12.8.2012 : SOLD OUT
• Over the Hill: American IPA : release date 18.8.2012 : SOLD OUT
• On the Edge: Saison : release date 13.10.2012 : running low.
• Smokehouse Porter : smoked porter : release date 5.12.2012 : SOLD OUT brewing again July 2013, ready later August.
• Winston's Temper: Black IPA : release date 15.12.2012 : SOLD OUT