Top Tips for Buying Draught Beer this Christmas
Download our Top Tips for Draught Ale guide
Nothing impresses your party guests more than having your own barrel of fresh beer open, serving your favourite Hogs Back Beer to your friends. Whether you're having a small gathering with friends and family or wanting to roll in a barrel at your party, Hogs Back Brewery has you covered. Take a look at our Head Brewer, Miles Chesterman's guide to choosing your beer and how to set it up.
Also, depending on what time of the year you come in, we may have one of our special seasonal ales available. These range from England's Glory we make in February to support England in the Six Nations, the green-hopped variety of TEA, Green TEA and our Christmas beer, Advent Ale. Keep your eyes peeled to our social media to find out when new beers are available.
Just having a small gathering? We offer bright beer, kegged ale, lager and cider in 3 1/2, 5 1/2 & 9 pint PET bottles which can be bought from the Brewery Shop (not available online).
Going away for a weekend with friends? You can get bright/sedimented beer, kegged ale, lager and cider in 20 pint & 40 pint minipin boxes. These can be purchased in the brewery shop, bright beer can be pre-ordered online for later collection and sedimented beer can be posted out to you (please state in the order notes if you would like delivery delayed to a particular date).
Having a party? Our bright & sedimented beer is available in traditional 72 pint firkins. You can pre-order bright firkins online but we'd recommend calling the brewery shop on 01252 784495 in advance if you'd like to order a sedimented firkin so we can talk you through the options.
You can now order your beer for Christmas Day! See our recommended dates for how to make sure you have the best beer on 25th & 26th December and click 'Opening Times' to see our recommended dates for New Year's Eve.
If you are buying online make sure you tell us what day you would like it to be ready for collection or delivered to your home. With collection from the Brewery Shop (available on bright beer minipins, polypins and firkins) selected your collection date from the options whilst completing your purchase, taking note of our recommendations for Christmas. With home delivery (available on sedimented beer minipins & polypins) write into the order notes what day you would like it delivered so we can delay the delivery to your chosen date.
I hope this has helped you out! If you have any questions, my colleagues in the Brewery Shop are ready to help so come in and chat to them, drop them a line on shop@hogsback.co.uk or call 01252 784495.
1. Choosing the right beer
Choosing your favourite beer, lager or cider is always the best bit! In the brewery shop we always have the Hogs Back's full range of draught beers available meaning you can take home exactly the same beer that you would drink down the pub.Cask Ale
Kegged Ale, Cider & Lager
2. When do you want to drink your beer
To enjoy the beer, lager or cider at its best, I always recommend drinking it as fresh as possible. We offer our ales either sedimented or bright and depending on when you are buying it and when you intend to drink it determines which type I would recommend for you. If you'd like to store it and drink it later (up to a maximum of 3 weeks) I would recommend Sedimented Beer. Sedimented beer has tiny particles of yeast in to keep the beer fresh which will need to drop to the bottom before the beer is ready to serve. This means that you will need to leave the beer for 48 hours to settle once you have got it home or to your venue. Once opened I recommend you drink it within 3-4 days. If you are drinking your beer right away (within 72 hours), I'd recommend Bright Beer. This doesn't need time to settle as it doesn't contain yeast but does need consuming within 1-2 days of opening. If you are buying a Kegged Ale, Lager or Cider this needs to be consumed within 24 hours as these are carbonated products and will become flat if left for longer than this.3. How much beer do you want?
Just having a small gathering? We offer bright beer, kegged ale, lager and cider in 3 1/2, 5 1/2 & 9 pint PET bottles which can be bought from the Brewery Shop (not available online).
Going away for a weekend with friends? You can get bright/sedimented beer, kegged ale, lager and cider in 20 pint & 40 pint minipin boxes. These can be purchased in the brewery shop, bright beer can be pre-ordered online for later collection and sedimented beer can be posted out to you (please state in the order notes if you would like delivery delayed to a particular date).
Having a party? Our bright & sedimented beer is available in traditional 72 pint firkins. You can pre-order bright firkins online but we'd recommend calling the brewery shop on 01252 784495 in advance if you'd like to order a sedimented firkin so we can talk you through the options.
4. How to store & serve your beer
Bright and sedimented beer should be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight such as a garage or pantry and somewhere where spillage cannot damage surfaces like carpets. The Fridge would be a little too cold. Kegged ale, cider and lager should be served as cold as possible. A fridge or cold store is perfect as an ideal temperature for kegged ale is 5-8°C, lager 1-3°C and cider 5°C.Watch our helpful guide on how to set up your firkin:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8wpxO1_et8&index=1&list=UUyqKUyPR57yt4aetZ5r25VAhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DU8wpxO1_et8&index=1&list=UUyqKUyPR57yt4aetZ5r25VAOur recommended collection dates this Christmas
You can now order your beer for Christmas Day! See our recommended dates for how to make sure you have the best beer on 25th & 26th December and click 'Opening Times' to see our recommended dates for New Year's Eve.
If you are buying online make sure you tell us what day you would like it to be ready for collection or delivered to your home. With collection from the Brewery Shop (available on bright beer minipins, polypins and firkins) selected your collection date from the options whilst completing your purchase, taking note of our recommendations for Christmas. With home delivery (available on sedimented beer minipins & polypins) write into the order notes what day you would like it delivered so we can delay the delivery to your chosen date.
I hope this has helped you out! If you have any questions, my colleagues in the Brewery Shop are ready to help so come in and chat to them, drop them a line on shop@hogsback.co.uk or call 01252 784495.