Bee Bee See Newzzz July saw BBC Radio Stoke and BBC Midlands Today record footage of the Lymestone bees and interview Brad and Lee (the Bee) For July and August Lymestone’s Stone Cutter 3.7% is on JDW’s national guest beer list. July will see new beer Lymestone Cowboy 4.2% introduced. July 2010 Weaklings abd bees In June and July we brewed Seven Stone Weakling 4.7% - a direct reference to Charles Atlas – the original “Seven Stone Weakling”. The beer – Tan coloured with a perfect body has been well received and is much in demand. In June the Lymestone Brewery increased its capacity by 33%. Lee the Bee – Lymestone’s Bee keeping expert and I placed two beehives on the roof of the Lymestone Brewery (one for him, one for us). At the end of June we fetched two nucleus’s (bees in a box) from Maisemore Apiaries in Gloucester. Upon inspection, it was clear that one of our two hives already had occupants and that we had “caught” a swarm of bees. We quickly assembled a third hive and now have three thriving colonies up on the roof. We also have two yr 10 work placement students for a week, Brandon from Alleyne’s and Annabel from Graham Balfour in Stafford.   June 2010 Cobble Stone and more competitions In May we brewed Cobble Stone 4.7% for JD Wetherspoons Beer of the Potteries – a charity fundraising competition decided by customer contribution - which we won and have the Tankard to prove it. This signalled the start of a seasonal brewing programme  introducing new beers to the range. Brad also made a guest appearance on the BBC Radio Stoke outside broadcast from Stone Town Centre discussing the positive aspects of business life in Stone. Moomin spent two days at Maltsters Thos Fawcetts learning all about how malt is made. Moomin and Viv also passed their Fork Lift Truck test. We also reached the semi-final of a competition run by The Cotton Bale (Hyde nr Stockport). Their innovative FA cup style knockout tournament was great fun and a big hit with the customers. Brad attended and finished last in the Titanic Brewery Golf day – his first ever game of golf!   May 2010 Win for ACES Real Ale of the Year Award April saw us take our first award the ACES Real Ale of the Year 2009. Aces are a local campaign group interested in every aspect of life in North Staffordshire. This is the first time a local beer has won the award. Previous winners were national or regional producers. April also saw Viv Bradford join Lymestone full time. Viv does everything from selling the beer to delivering it! April also saw Lymestone present its first award to Maddie Parkin, a 6th form student at Alleyne’s High School in Stone. Maddie’s achievement award – a china tankard – was for social and academic achievement. Well done Maddie and good luck for the future.  Also at Alleyne’s, Gill Sheenan’s 6th Form class completed their Applied Science coursework by successfully brewing a 2.8% bottled mild ale. April 2010 Meet the brewers Brad attended the SIBA Conference at Stratford and was congratulated on his win at the SIBA Business Awards in the follow up presentation. March 2010 Brewer Creating a Buzz... February had us place an advance order for a nucleus of bees. It is planned to site a bee-hive on the roof of the brewery. Feb 2010 JDW's guest beer list Way back in January we were on JDW’s guest beer list and sold a massive 575 firkins of Ein Stein through East west Ales. To help spread the load I employed James “Moomin” Mouland as a trainee brewery operative. Jan 2010 Wetherspoons Mash-in Listen to my mum (and the Lymewstone Brewer) on Radio Stoke's Breakfast Show tomorrow morning (Wednesday 8th December) between 07.00 and 08.00 .............................. On Tuesday 1st December, licensee’s from local J D Wetherspoons outlets will help Lymestone Head Brewer Ian Bradford “mash-in” the first of many brews of their best selling Ein Stein beer which is destined for national Wetherspoons outlets over the coming months. The 5.0% hoppy, continental style pale ale which has consistently re-written Lymestone’s sales records will be featured in JD Wetherspoon public houses across the land between January and March. “National exposure at this stage is key to Lymestone’s development.” says Ian Bradford. “As a micro-brewery we see local sales as our priority however it’s great to feature on the national stage with only a year under our belts. Hopefully we will be able to use this as a stepping stone to bigger and greater things.” The licensee’s will be in at 07.00 to see that the first brew gets off to a good start. Once the mash is in, a breakfast of bacon butties and mugs of tea will be enjoyed around the brewery’s unique log burning stove. Once refreshed, it will be back to the Grindstone for all concerned.   Lymestone Brewery is in Stone Staffordshire. We promote our town by using the word Stone in the title of each Lymestone brew; Stone Cutter (3.7%), Stone Faced (4.0%), Foundation Stone (4.5%) and Stone the Crows (5.4%). Ein Stein (5.0%) is full of German hops which has given rise to the German “Ein Stein” which of course means One Stone. 27th November 2009 Saturday 30th October 2009 Yet another “Day of Tours” Saturday 30th October 2009... Due to the overwhelming success of our previous events, we have a final Day of Tours planned for 2009 26th September 2009 Peterborough Beer Festival Update Queuing in the rain (for just a few minutes) didn’t dampen Ron’s enthusiasm for his first visit to Britain’s largest regional Real Ale Festival. The Lymestone beers, Foundation Stone (4.5%) and Stone the Crows (5.4%) were both served in superb condition and Ron sampled both (QA!) before moving on to mingle with the growing crowds. Several customers, old and new, made themselves known and the visit seems to have been a commercial success as well as a pleasant one. 26th August 2009 23rd Chappel Beer Festival 8th-12th September, East Anglian Railway Museum, Essex Orders have been placed for all five of the Lymestone range. Stone Cutter 3.7% Stone Faced 4.0% Foundation Stone 4.5% Ein Stein 5.0% And Stone the Crows 5.4% will all be on sale at some point over the Festival. Brad is trying to get to this one... wait and see! 26th August 2009 Stoke Beer Festival 21st – 24th October 2009 Kings Hall, Stoke Orders have been placed for ALL FIVE Lymestone beers at the forthcoming Potteries Real Ale Festival. Stone Cutter 3.7% Stone Faced 4.0% Foundation Stone 4.5% Ein Stein 5.0% And Stone the Crows 5.4% will all be on sale at some point over the Festival. Brad and Ron will be present for the start of the trade session on Wednesday afternoon to answer questions and pursue trade enquiries. No doubt Brad will still be there later too, he just won’t make as much sense!   26th August 2009 Halloween Brewery Tour A spooktacularly different tour in celebration of our first year of trading. As it just happens to be Halloween...   Lymestone Beers receive Cyclops accreditation Almost all of the Lymestone range has received accreditation under SIBA’s Cyclops scheme. Stone Cutter (3.7%), Stone Faced (4.0%), Foundation Stone (4.5%) and Stone the Crows (5.4%) all underwent testing and tasting at Everards Brewery for the Society of Independent Brewers Cyclops scheme. Each beer is classified according to appearance, taste and aroma using an eye, a nose and a mouth to signify the beers characteristics. Ein Stein (5.0%), the newest addition to the Lymestone range, will receive the Cyclops treatment in the coming weeks.    10th August 2009 Peterborough Beer Festival 25th August 2009 Look out for our two best selling beers at CAMRA’s Peterborough Beer Festival later this month as both Foundation Stone (4.5%) and Stone the Crows (5.4%) are featured at Britain’s largest regional beer festival. Brad will have his “nose to the grindstone” back at the brewery but no doubt Ron will lay his liver on the line as he attends his first Peterborough festival. 10th August 2009 Good Time had at the GBBF We had a great day at the GBBF and there was “no stone left unturned” in the cause of market research... By the first public session Stone the Crows (5.4%) was selling well and we received rave reviews from the Volunteer Arms where Stone Cutter (3.7%) was making a welcome yet very brief appearance. 10th August 2009 Lymestone Brewery at the GBBF Stone the Crows will be available at the Great British Beer Festival at Earls Court from 4th - 8th August 2009. If you're there, give it a try.  Your support is very much appreciated. The brewery staff will be in attendance on Tuesday the 4th, so if you see us about, please come and say hi. For more details on attending the GBBF go to the CAMRA website 6th July 2009 Lymestone Brewery Introduces Ein Stein 5.0% ABV Lymestone would like to introduce the arrival of their new beer Ein Stein.  Brewed in June, following the brew of new beer, Stone Cutter in May. Tasting notes can be found on the beers page 5th July 2009 Lymestone Brewery announce a day of Brewery tours   Saturday 9th of May 2009 Saturday 20th June 2009 Saturday 25th July 2009 16th March 2009 Lymestone new arrival Lymestone Brewery proudly announce the arrival of Stoney Broke 3.2% ABV 11th January 2009 Brewing makes a comeback in Stone BREWING has returned to a site famous for its ale as far back as the 1900s.  Lymestone Brewery, on Mount Road, Stone, was officially opened yesterday. 31st October 2008 New Brewery is ‘Set in Stone’ Company Directors Ian Bradford and Ron Makins are delighted to announce that brewing will once again return to the historic town of Stone in Staffordshire. 31st July 2008