Did you know that beer used to be served to children in schools? It was known as small beer (less than 2% ABV); basically it was safer to drink than water!

July 1944, a Spitfire crossing the English Channel

What’s in those tanks under the wings?

 We are a group that studies and tastes the brews now available from various breweries (and even some homebrew).

Beer has four main ingredients i.e. water, malted barley, hops and yeast

The brewing process involves burtonisation of the water, mashing, boiling, fermentation, conditioning and finally carbonisation before serving.

The beer brewing process (Image courtesy of Micet Craft)

The exact nature of the ingredients and how each step in the process is carried out means that there is in all practical senses an infinite number of tastes and styles of beer.

This group, open to all Sandbach & District u3a members, is run all year round on the third Friday evening of the month between 7.00pm and 9.30 pm in rotation at group members’ houses who act as the host for that month. If you are not able to host an evening that's fine, you are still welcome to join the group. The group meets each month except for August and December.

The host will buy beers focussing on a particular theme e.g. Porters, French beers or brews from a particular brewery. Members attending reimburse the host for the cost of the beers enjoyed

A shared taxi service if required is arranged, so everyone gets home safely.

External trips will also be organised to locations linked to this study. We undertake regular brewery tours.

New members will be warmly welcomed and don't worry, you don't need to have any previous experience of beer drinking!

Our group enjoying a brewery tour at the Pied Bull in Chester

If you are interestedplease contact Ken Talbot by emailing brewing.appreciation@sandbachu3a.org.uk