Sorry for being away so long, I've been drinking coffee...

The Brew Girl is back. I promise this time!

I have missed blogging and have been badgered by many people to start up again, particularly with my oh-so-amusing disaster stories, and uber geek stuff. So here goes, blog 1 of 2012.

I'm going to start today with an easy one, and tell you about my January special at Welbeck Abbey brewery. This month I've brewed a 4.0% English Pale Ale called St. Simon. The recipe is simple using all English ingredients, as I like to do.

Challenger hops and a touch of roasted barley give soft but robust bitterness which mellows, and bucket loads of gorgeous Kentish Goldings hops are used for aroma after the boil which gives a classically British fresh, subtle, yet slightly spiced floral aroma.

Now, I'm very lucky and run a brewery on an estate with more history and stories than you can shake a proverbial stick at, so I am naming all my beers after Welbeck-y stuff. Racehorses were a huge doo for the 6th Duke of Portland in particular, and many of the buildings on the estate were built for the equestrian world; stables, a riding school etc. St. Simon was one of the most famous racehorses that ever there was, and it was owned by the Duke. I will be brewing a years series of special ales based on the racehorses at Welbeck which will lead up to the new exhibition at the Harley Gallery. If you follow Welbeck on Twitter and Facebook you'll learn about them as they pop up but I'll try and blog too.

Also, I was on the telly this Christmas! On ITV's Countrywise Kitchen, (yes, like actual channel 3) doing a spot of brewing. You'll also see some bits of Welbeck. You've got 18 days to watch it before it vanishes from ITV Player.... if you watch this you'll get the coffee bit...