The Brewers Studio

Brewers Studio is one of the virtual studios for Chef's TV. Following on from creating The Chef's Studio in the early 1990's and with lessons learned from launching Vin TV in 2001 it was a logical step to create The Brewers Studio to bring together the skills of creative media and of brewing and distilling. A fusion of media, arts and crafts.

The problem with anything connected with alcohol is that many States welcome the revenue, but throw up major roadblocks to development of education and media that relates to alcoholic products.

Brewer's Studio treats the development of brewing as a traditional industry and essential craft. It treats the many variations of the finished product as an Art form. It highlights the value of brewing in the economy.

The rapid rise in Ethanol from Corn production has highlighted the commercial applications of a Brewers Skill, for without the brewing stage there would not be Ethanol. Same for the potable versions of Ethanol we know as Vodka, Gin, Rum and of course Whisky.

Join with us as we develop the Brewers Studio alongside the Chef's Studio.

The Disappearing British Pub

Growing up in the little mining village of Crigglestone in Yorkshire, England I became very familiar with the history of English Pubs, for my Grandfather, and a long line before him were landlords of several public houses across the Yorkshire landscape. That is from agricultural to smoke belching industrial.

The current Lord Nelson Pub in Crigglestone was once in the family, as was the Grove Inn, now demolished. Long before the legal drinking age I became a connoisseur of bitter, mild, stout and later lager. Stout and Guinness were available free of charge under the National Health Service for little old ladies, to boost their Iron deficiencies. Lager was usually mixed with lime to give it some taste, and often was drunk by the ladies. Don't tell that to the Americans for many of their domestic beers are weak enough to be given to children in Tea Rooms.

The Lord Nelson was a smoky, smelly haven of Miners after a grueling day underground. It served gallons and gallons of Melbourne Ales, later Tetley Ales drawn from barrels by hand pumps. If I remember there were two choices for most of the early years, Bitter or Mild. There were "Crisps", or as the Americans would call them "Potato Chips". If you wanted a Quiche Lorraine or Ploughman's Lunch you went home. Everyone knew everybody, and providing you slipped the local Policeman at the end of the bar a pint now and then, the closing time was flexible. By law it was "Last Orders" then 10 minutes to drink up and get out. Today these pubs are for Karaoke singing, eating Chicken in a Basket, and sipping over-fizzy imported lagers, at ridiculous prices. The Miners are long gone, and the huge coal mine dismantled, bulldozed and covered up with "Executive Residences". Looking around Britain the same fate awaits many of the traditional working class pubs.

Vin TV - Not in the USA!

At the now shelved VinExpo in New York we announced the launch of Vin TV, the new International Wine Channel in the United States. Sensing problems we launched online, and that turned out to be the best decision we ever made.

The resistance to Wine and alcohol took us by surprise, as did the anti-French sentiment in the more vocal elements of the US marketplace. Sadly we had to pull the plug on Vin TV and continue the wine research through Brewers Studio.

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