Welcome to a new feature in MerseyAle. Starting with Dave Barker, from Rock The Boat Brewery, we will be asking our local brewers various questions to find out more about them.
What’s your favourite hop?
They are all good , depends which style of beer is to be brewed. The important thing for me is how they are used. There are the actual hop cones or pelletised or oils or cryo hop essences, each has a profound impact on the final product.
What’s your favourite beer?
Traditional English pale ale formerly known as a pint of bitter, now fast becoming a rare endangered species.
Settle Mainline (or a Bootle Bull!)
Favourite Food & Beer pairing?
Food and wine, ok! Beer I drink on it's own to hopefully savour the subtlety and complexity of flavours.
Favourite beer destination?
Italy has 1000+ breweries producing interesting beer styles. Liverpool city centre for the crack with the scousers.
Favourite pub in the UK?
Drunken Duck, Barngates sat under veranda with a pint of the house beer.
What’s the one item in the brewery you couldn’t live without?
Gloves
Favourite music to play during a brew day?
Northern Soul
If you weren’t in the brewing industry, what would you be doing?
Teaching mathematics
Who is your biggest inspiration in brewing?
The traditional family brewers of the UK. They made distinctive beers particular to their region.
What got you into brewing?
Landed first job with Scottish & Newcastle breweries, soon moved to Whitbread Blackburn. As well as drinking the beer I got interested in the production side, so started full mash home brewing.
What’s your favourite beer festival?
Bring back Father Graeme's in St Anthony's crypt.
What’s the last beer you brewed?
(Sittin' on) The Dock dark mild , it's still selling through covid.
What’s your favourite interest/hobby outside of brewing?
Northern Soul, a way of life.
Cycling.
Fuggles or Goldings?
Goldings
What’s next for the brewery?
Expand to larger premises, but covid has put that move on hold.
Dave Barker
Rock The Boat Brewery
Little Crosby Village
www.rocktheboatbrewery.co.uk
