The beginning of August saw the Farmer's Brewery Team at the Great British Beer Festival at Earls Court in support of Pucks Folly which made it to the final rounds of the Champion Beer of Britain Competition. We were beaten by Castle Rock's Harvest Pale which went on to become Supreme Champion. We were not dis-heartened and managed to celebrate the day tiewh the Annual Company GBBF Dinner at the Gun near Spitalfields - an excellent hostelry!

And today (September 5th) we all went on our annual hop picking trip. There are loads of wild hops around Maldon, if you know where to look and every year we pick a load to make KING GREEN BITTER, Most of the team were out and we picked sufficient hops for the brew in just over 2 hours. This hard work was, of course, rewarded by our annual Hop Picking Lunch at the Windmill, Chatham Green. Elaine's excellent Steak & Ale Pie was much enjoyed along with several pints of FARMER'S IPA. KING GREEN BITTER will be brewed this week and will be available towards the end of the month. WE will bottle more than usual for those of you who aren't quite quick enoough to catch it on draught.

Question: What do you get when you cross the roach with Farmer's Ales?

Answer: A bottle outlet in Southend!

We usually follow the witty headline with a picture of the establishment in question but this shop has a pink front which would clash horribly with the website background. So instead we have a picture of Blossom who would love to see you when you go to buy your Farmer's Ales from Blossom's Wines and Ales in Southend.       www.blossomswinesandales.co.uk

How many times have you been standing at the bar and heard someone ask for a pint of IPA? They are probably referring to a pint of tasteless mass-produced near-beer from a certain Suffolk brewery. If they are lucky enough to be in a Farmer's supplied house, they might be saved and served a pint of our new FARMERS IPA. At 3.6%, it's a bit light to be a true IPA, but its certainly hoppy and has been well received in early taste trials. There are reports of regular IPA drinkers switching from the Spawn of the Devil's IPA to Farmers IPA. There is hope yet for the world.

We shall be officially launching FARMERS IPA at the Blue Boar Beer Festival next week, so come along, give it a try and tell the brewers what you think of it. If you use the right words, they may even buy you a pint!

The brewers were sad to learn that the Black Lion at Althorne has called time for the last time. Landlord John did has best to get the indigenous of the Dengie to drink loads of Farmers but alas to no avail. He's thinking of flattening the pub car park for some flats instead. Anyway, thanks John for regularly buying Farmers over the years. It just won't be the same at the brewery without you.

When young brewer Fez dropped into Colchester Winter Beer Festival last Saturday, he got more than just a pint of Farmer's! To his great surprise (and mine), he was presented with a certificate for Champion Golden Ale in the Champion Beer of  East Anglia Competition 2009 for our Puck's Folly. We apparently beat off stiff competition from Oakham and Crouch Vale to clinch the top of the Golden Ale category.

The rest of the brewery missed the presentation at Colchester (well, someone had to fix the heat exchanger!) but we did have a very celebratory apres brew today (Tuesday) when the party was joined by Dave Sherman the competition organiser and our favourite BLO, Jerry. Much Pucks Folly was drunk as well as Golden Boar, Hotel Porter and Nelson's Blood which you will remember, won the Bitter Category in the same competition last year. In fact, the only beer not to have won anything in the Champion Beer of East of Anglia Competition is Golden Boar. So come on all you CAMRA tasting panels  - lets have an award for FGB next year!

We have been in discussions with our Friends at Calcott Hall Farm Shop about this year's Calcott fruit beer. Following a number of years of strawberry beers, we though it was time for a change. There has been an abundance of plums this year, so it's going to be a plum beer, about 5%, possibly spiced and a rich autumnal colour. The brewers are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the plums, muttering something about getting stoned. The beer should be ready for early November and will keep you all happily drinking Farmer's whilst wating for the return of the Christmas Stout.

No, not our waist lines, although that wouldn't be bad thing - we've got a new Office Manager! Julie has joined our happy band from another brewery, attacted by tales of beer drinking, having loads of fun and occasionally brewing award winning beer - not to mention her own office. We know that she will get our books into order, but will she manage to get the brewer's organised? 

Julie will be running our marketing department and we are sure that you will want to buy beer from her so why not ring her up and listen to her persuasive sales talk!

It's a sad fact that around 50 pubs a week are closing  but a rare has just occurred with the Norton at Cold Norton recenlty re-opening as a community pub. It's being run at present by a committee of villagers and volunteers and so far the signs are looking good. They've decided to stock only local real ales and we are pleased to say that Farmer's is there on the bar. The village has already enjoyed Nelson's Blood and Puck's Folly and we had to rush another firkin to Puck's out to them this week because to quote one of the volunteers on the subject of Puck's "They can't get enough" of it. 'nuff said.

The pub needs your support so get along there without delay. More details on their website:www.savethenorton.org

I can't believe that the Annual Maldon Oyster Festival is upon us again and that means Maldon Oyster Stout is now available. In spite of all the chaps wanting holiday, the brewers have squeezed in the first brew of MOS and the casks are now maturing in the cold room. It will be available in bottles from w/c 24th Aug but get in quickly because this is one of our most popular seasonals.

If you lilke eating oysters and then washing them down with Maldon Oyster Stout then the Maldon Oyster Festival on the 1st Septmeber is for you. Check out their website for more details.... www.maldonoysterfestival.com

But don't panic! It's only for one day (Tuesday August 4th) while the brewers, the boss and I make our annual pilgrimage to the GREAT BRITISH BEER FESTIVAL at Earls Court. Those lovely people at GBBF ordered loads of Nelsons Blood and so we're off to make sure it's up to scratch. And talking of scratchings we might just indulge in a large quantity of the amazing pork scratchings from The Crusty Pie Company not to mention one or two of the other beers there....

The brewers have been hard pushed recently with the great demand for Pucks Folly but they have managed to squeeze in a quick brew of Mr. Mussel. I know it's later than last year but we've just sampled it in the Back Bar and we think it's good - a little drier than last year but well up to the usual standard. Available in draught and bottles while stocks last.

We've discovered a new farm shop just north of Coggeshall - Blackwell's. They've not been going long but they know a good beer when they see one and so they are now stocking a range of Farmer's Ales. What's more, they've done a Sweeney Todd and put the Hotel Porter in their pies. Yum. Charlie the intinerant brewer says that their black pudding is to die for! Go along and support them but watch out for the butcher. More info at www.blackwellsfarmproduce.co.uk

Not to be out-brewed by all those other breweries who are producing a mild this month, the Brewers have been hard at it coming with a new mild to compete with the other excellent local milds around Maldon. The result is MALDON MILD, a 3.3%abv dark mild which is lightly hopped with a residual sweetness. Get your local landlord to get some in or, if you are desperate, we have it in bottles at the brewery.

There are some great pubs around Chelmsford especially those that sell our beers. The Compasses at Littley Green is one such pub. The pub is owned by Jocelyn Ridley, a direct descendant of the Ridley brewing family who has kept to the true values that a pub should offer. What's more, he now has A Drop of Nelson's Blood as one of his permanent beers. It's an excellent place to base a walk from (and to!) so check it out at www.compasseslittleygreen.co.uk

We have  done our little bit to save the planet and launched a new Ecological Beer-Bag. It's made of jute and is designed to carry 6 bottles of your Favourite Farmers from the brewery to home or to one of the many Christmas Parties that are coming up. 

The Bags are available at the Brewery for only £3.50 - a bargain I hear you say. And if you buy six bottles of your favourite Farmer's to put in it, there is a small discount on the total.

The Beer Bag (with or without bottles of Farmer's) will make a superb present for the Man who has everything or the woman who just wants another designer bag.

The Beer-Bag has an amazing feature -a removable gusset! Without its gusset, the bag has 101 other uses but they are mainly to do with shopping. Boring.