BACKLIST
Glaschu
Sups
Real ale amber nectar is brewing up a tasty storm in a pint pot in Glasgow. Jonathan Trew flexes his throat muscles and
investigates.
The days when every pub was tied to a multinational brewery and sold nothing other than over-carbonated ersatz beer are. thankfuliy, finished. CAMRA has played a major part in furthering the cause ofreal ale leading to a revival in the numbers of small breweries producing individual and unique ales. One such establishment is the Glaschu Brewery which opened last August. The people behind the enterprise are brother and sister Duncan and Maureen McGregor who also run the Uisge Beatha pub next door to the brewery and the quirky lnveraman Hotel at the top of Loch Lomond. Duncan was prompted to open a real ale brewery after listening to numerous people complaining about ‘chemical beer‘. There were no micro or mini breweries
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in’Glasgow and since everybody’s dream must be to own a brewery. he seized the thistle and went ahead and Opened one.
Careful preparation went into the brewing process, with CAMRA members being invited in at various stages to taste. test and suggest ways of improving the brews. Half a year later the Glaschu Brewery is producing two brews a week. each brew consisting of 1600 pints. The brewery offers three beers - the Best Bracken at 4 per cent ABV; the Pride of the Clyde at 5 per cent ABV and the formidable Double Whammy at 6 per cent ABV. The Pride
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Maureen reckons ‘it’s a bit on the sweet side. but Glaswegians are well known for their sweet tooth so that's fine.’ The beer is available at 80p a pint for the Best Bracken up to £l.l0 a pint for the Double Whammy and can be bought in quantities from two pints up to 36 pints from the brewery. The brewery has had regular customers from day one who pop in for their pinta. ‘Real ale is just like milk.‘ says Maureen. ‘lt'll last for four days in the fridge. You just give it a wee shake and
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cca
cafe/ha r
350 Sauchienall Street, Glasgow (32 3J0 tele ~ 041 332 7864
8pm
pour it out.’
mum! EDINBURGH
I The Basement lOa—l2a Broughton Street. 557 0097. Broughton Street salutes a new refreshment stop on the site of The Broughton Joug. Lurking downstairs is a veritable palace of epicurean and bibulous delights dedicated to filling your tum in as pleasing a way as possible.
The brother and sister team of Richard and Lynn Forbes took over the premises late last year and have had the interior transformed using funky. eye-catching design. The colour of the walls has to be seen to be believed although iridescent lrn Bru comes close. The assorted rnetalwork decorating the bar and seating areas comes courtesy of Alex Wright. formerly of the Mutoid Waste Company. Julie McCann and the briefly monikered Rat. lfyou liked Mad Max and love cannibalised automobile parts. this will be your cup of tea in the interior design stakes.
The siblings have set themselves a wide remit regarding the purpose of The Basement — all things
to all people. neither a bar or a restaurant but both. To these ends they are offering a two-course lunch Monday—Friday at
v £4.50. featuring dishes
such as peperonata with crusty bread. bouillabaisse Marseillaise. the Basement game pie and
. pecan pie. The menu
changes daily. lfyou miss lunch, the snack menu is available until late all week. Nachos with chilli con came cost £3.45; grilled goat‘s cheese and bread, balsamic vinegar and side salad weigh in at £3.90 and oak smoked salmon costs £3.80. Come the weekend. Richard becomes Rick and The Basement becomes Rick's Mexican Cantina boasting his grandma’s secret Mexican
Crankshaft: and cocktails at the Basement
recipes. All the usual south of the border suspects are on offer with a maximum cost of £4 per dish. Handy for that Saturday afternoon hangover
On the bar front. a full range of cask ales are available along with an intriguing wine list complete with tasting notes such as ‘it‘s like Ribena with attitude'. Alternatively. spoil yourself and go for the bubbly - champagne. not sparkling wine. is only £10 a bottle every Friday from 5pm—7pm.
One final word of advice: don’t ask Richard why the staff wear Hawaiian shirts. They're the uniform and an excuse for Richard to inform you where he went on holiday.
41 west nicolson street
edinburgh EH8 9DB
(near university and festival theatre)
(0131) 667 6676
for opening times and reservations
simple good taste
VIVA MEXICQW
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EVENINGS - 6—11pm (last orders 10.30pm)
10, anchor close, Cockburn Street
EDINBURGH 226 5145 50, east fountelnbrldge
EDINBURGH 228 4005
The List 13—26 January 1995 83
LUNCH — 12-—2.30pm
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