SpaceDog Journal

Entry # 41

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Welcome to a new year for SpaceDog and Rosemary and their pack of hounds, more commonly called sausage dogs here in the UK

SpaceDog will be taking his first exam this month.

Well

A trot in the snow.

Well these photos were taken on the 27th of December, but we needed something to start the new year. The photo of the bruise on Rosemary's thigh when she slipped down some stairs at Andy's house was not an option. {unless I get someone to request it by e-mail}

What do you call 2 daushunds on the same leash? Linked Sausages!

Rosemary with Fancy and Raskle at next to the canal near Godfrey's Pond

dogs in the snow
Dogs hate the snow. At least it's not deep.

EXAMS
End of January

SpaceDog will be taking his first qualification exam the last two weeks of January on Web Design at North Nottingham College. More will be posted on this in 2 weeks. Rosemary will also be taking an exam at the University of Nottingham as well.

Mystery Ride
21^st January

Saturday morning usually means SpaceDog gets up early and goes to The Computer Man's shop to help build and fix computers as part of the A+ computer maintenance and installation certification course he's taking at North Nottingham College. But on this day he was in for a surprise. While SpaceDog was waiting outside the shop waiting for Dave Hall, the owner, he saw Rosemary and Andy, one of SpaceDogs classmates, walking towards him. He had no clue what they were up to. Minutes later he discovered they had been planning a mystery ride to a brewery and an old abbey for his 52^nd birthday that was the prior Saturday. So after taking the dogs for a short, w a l k, and packing a few sandwiches for lunch on the road, they were on the road. SpaceDog still had no clue where they were going and he didn't even try to figure it out from the road signs.

Theakston Brewery
Masham, North Yorkshire
The following comes straight out of a handout from:

T&R Theakston Ltd.
The Brewery
Masham
North Yorkshire
HG4 4YD
contact phone +44 1765 680 000 or from their web site at www.theakstons.co.uk

A Peculiar Tale

Since its foundation by Robert Theakston in 1827, T&R Theakston Ltd, the quintessential English brewing company, has been dedicated to brewing distinctive and delicious beers, in a time-honoured tradition, using only natural ingredients.

Our distinguished history of over 175 years has seen many developments, no more so than the last twenty, when the brewery was owned by other, larger brewers. Now once again, the control has passed back to the direct descendents of Robert, thus enabling a great brewing tradition to continue.

The brewer's art and the unique Theakston beer recipes, have been honed over five generations of brewing in Masham, to give a range of beers that enjoy a legendary status among ale drinkers.

Entrance to brewery

Rosemary meets the ticket taker and out tour guide

After entering the building, we went past the supplies are brought in for making beer.

In the past, there was a steam engine that powered a pulley and lift that was used to hall all supplies up where the beer process begins. When beer is made, everything starts at the top and works down to the lower levels as the process continues.

Malt is storred and ground on site

by an electric generator.

Small containers show roasted barley of different types. Hops in flower form in wooden barrels for show. Hops plugs are added to malted barley for flavour.

Mechanism used to add and mix water, barley, and hops and keep at temperature between 60 and 66 C is mixed for over an hour and a half.

Tank bottom has a filter to separate hops and malted barley from water and then moved to next tank.

These boots are used when cleaning out hops sludge from the tank after the liquid is drained.

Ever wonder where the name Hopper came from? It's the bin where the sludge goes before being made into fertilizer.

This next tank is where the pre beer is cooked under pressure at over 90 C. This tank is fed by gravity and when emptied, is steam cleaned like all tanks.

From the tank above, pre-beer is fed into this tank by the large copper tube and then let to cool and settle.

At the end is a glass cylinder where they watch for clarity before being sent to the chillier.

When glass window on pipe is clear (below levers), the 2 levers are turned and pre-beer goes to the chillier.

The pre-beer liquid is chilled to fermenting acceptable temperatures.

Yeast is added and fermentation begins producing more yeast. This tank is 8 feet deep. Yeast is 1/2 inch.

For every part yeast added to the brew, 4 times more is made and part is saved for making more beer.

Note the brewery brass plaque added to the building

This old building on the left used to be part of the original farm and is considered a listed building.

Listed building can not be damaged, torn down or removed, and when repaired, must be exactly as when it was new.

The brewers needed a place to store the beer for aging prior to being placed in kegs. In order to place a steal storage tank in the building, they removed each stone, numbered them, and after placing the container in the building, they reassembled the stone wall.

Beer testing area. Each batch has a cask that must be tested for quality before being shipped to pubs.

The tanks above are where the beer is stored prior to being put in casks.

Final product in both wood and metal casks!

BEER NAME	ALCOHOL	DESCRIPTION
Old Peculier	ABV 5.7%	The beer that made Masham famous - rich, dark and smooth-tasting, with a character all its own. Old Peculier is their best known beer and has a large and enthusiastic following all over Britain and around the world.
Theakston Best Bitter	ABV 3.6%	The definitive English bitter. This fine, light-coloured beer has a full flavour that lingers pleasantly on the palate. It's a refreshing and very satisfying pint - noted for the aroma of its Fuggle hops.
Theakston XB	ABV 4.6%	This is their premium strength bitter, ruby coloured, with a rich flavour and full body. The balance between bitterness and sweetness, and XB's complex aroma make it a beer to savour.
Theakston Cool Cask	ABV 4.2%	A refreshing, cool, fruity smooth ale, specifically brewed for those who prefer drinking cask ale at a cooler temperature.
Theakston Traditional Mild	ABV 3.6%	A dark delicious beer with a dry palate and a full, rounded, hoppy flavour. Brewed using three different malts: pale malt for body, crystal malt for rich flavour, and black malt for texture and taste.
Black Bull Bitter	ABV 3.9%	A bright amber bitter, well attenuated to give a crisp, refreshing dry taste. The late and dry hopping with Golding hops ensures a pronounced citrus fruit flavour and aroma.
Hogshead Bitter	ABV 4.1%	This robust ale exhibits a maltiness with underlying tones of luscious cane sugars whilst the use of Bramling Cross dry hops contributes to the striking aroma and palate.
Masham Ale	ABV 6.6%	This deceptively smooth, full bodied, strong ale is tawny in colour and exhibits a beautifully rich balanced character of malt, fruit and Fuggle hops.
Lightfoot	ABV 4.3%	This is a very pale, straw coloured ale, that uses a special malt to produce a pronounced 'peach-like' element to the aroma and palate, which is complemented by a floral hop character.
Cooper's Butt	ABV 4.3%	A golden yellow, full bodied bitter in the classic IPA style. Robust in flavour, late and dry hopped with Golding hops to give a pronounced citrus taste and aroma.

Fountains Abbey
Ripon, North Yorkshire

After the Brewery and a quick look around the town centre of Masham where Rosemary found a great butcher and some interesting shops, Andy drove us to Ripon and A World Heritage Site that is part of The National Trust where monks once made beer.