A Winter Ale Hymnal - Marble Meets The Knave (A #ISBFX Special)

“I was following the pack, all swallowed in their coats
With scarves of red tied 'round their throats
To keep their little heads from falling in the snow
And I turned 'round and there you go
And Michael, you would fall and turn the white snow red
As strawberries in the summertime.. “

“White Winter Hymnal” - Fleet Foxes

At ISBF, we're lucky. There are some lovely people in beer, who really get what we do. And why...

But it's not just about the beer - exceptional though that is - it's about the people.

People like Joe Ince, Carl Eccles, Paul Plowman and all the team at Marble Beers. And people like Henry Kirk, brewer at Harvey's - and under his own steam as Sunken Knave.

Over to Henry…..

Last Thursday I had the absolute pleasure and privilege of returning to brew at Marble for the first time since 2017! This time under my own Sunken Knave banner to once again make a beer for the wonderful 10th edition of the Independent Salford Beer Festival.

Speaking with Marble Joe, we both agreed to make a 6.1% Strong dark winter warming Burton Ale.

To be made with a 50/50 base malt blend of mild malt and best malt, with Vienna and Brown malt for colour and roasted malt flavour, then hopped with lashings of Ernest hop on the hot side, with a whirlpool and dry hop addition of Ernest and Amarillo to really amp up the marmalade citrussy notes.

Finally we had our falling out over sugar, I demanded invert they went with molasses- their house their rules and I am glad we did because the 50kg of molasses added a delicious richness and licorice flavour to the beer.

Marble's brew kit is an absolute dream.

Carl our brewer maestro for the day had already mashed out by the time I rocked up at half 9, Carl having mashed in at 6am like all true brewers and an early start is essential.

He kindly allowed me to add some hops for the socials while I enjoyed Marble's legendary hospitality and they truly make such glorious brilliantly executed beers in all styles! 

Once Carl had finished all the hard work, having hit all the gravity targets to ensure we hit 6.1% ABV after fermentation, I watched him skillfully add 3 buckets of Marbles house ale yeast to the FV before he chaffeured me to the perhaps Manchesters greatest pub - controversial I know! - where more food and beer was put on the Marble tab. They truly know how to look after a brewer. I hope one day I can repay them.

The beer is going into cask and can and I can't wait to hear people's feedback at ISBF on the 6th November and Sunken Knave and Marble will be having a southern launch at The Evening Star in Brighton on Friday 21st November see you there!

Thank you Henry. And Joe, Carl and the entire team at Marble. Can’t wait to taste this!

Do YOU fancy tasting this FIRST? Got your #ISBFX ticket? No?

Then click here. There really are very few left!

Back soon. Be kind to one another.

Jim x