marks alehouse NORTHERN IRELAND, Index Page

INFORMATION PAGE

This is all the information from Hilden, kept up to date by Jenny Hanna

THE HILDEN PAGE.

THE BREWING PROCESS.

ALES BREWED.

TAP ROOM BAR, RESTAURANT AND MUSEUM

HILDEN OUTLETS - A POTTED HISTORY - 1982

THE BREWING PROCESS
MALT Malt is derived from selected varieties of barley. At Hilden Brewing Co. we use three varieties of malt:
	Pale Ale Malt Crystal Malt Black Malt

The barley is converted into malt at the Maltings by allowing it to germinate under controlled conditions. In a floor maltings the grain is spread out by shovels and turned at regular intervals. Drying off in the kiln halts germination and the temperature of the kiln determines the colour of the malt.
HOT LIQUOR BACK		MASHING In the brewery the malt is milled and mashed with hot water. Naturally occurring enzymes, activated by the mashing, convert the starch in the grain to fermentable sugars. The fermentable sugars are dissolved in the hot water producing a warm malty liquor called sweet wort.	MASH TUN (left) & HOP BACK
HOPS At Hilden Brewing Co. we use several varieties of hops: Kentish Goldings Bavarian Hallertau Northdown from Kilkenny However these can vary depending on availability and harvest.
BOILING Hops are added to the sweet wort in the brewing copper. It is brought to the boil and boiled for over an hour.
COPPER, FERMENTING VESSELS & STORAGE TANKS	DURING THE BOIL i) The hops infuse the brew with their bitter flavour. ii) Volume reduces through evaporation. iii) Hot break protein precipitates iv) The wort is sterilized		CLOSE UP OF COPPER

COOLING/ YEAST/ FERMENTATION
The hopped wort is cooled to between 18 C and 20 C and collected in a fermenting vessel.

Live brewers yeast is pitched into the hopped wort. The yeast grows on the sugars and converts them into CO2 and alcohol. This process is known as fermentation.

The hopped wort for Hilden Ale has a specific gravity of 1040. This means that there are 40 degrees of fermentable sugars in solution. This is the original gravity of the beer.

RACKING AND FINING
When fermentation is almost complete cooling the brew stops it. The green beer is then run into casks.

The green beer in the cask still has a good charge of yeast in it and one to two degrees of fermentable sugars. Natural finings are added which encourage the yeast cells to clump and settle to the bottom of the cask. This still allows a slow secondary fermentation to occur which keeps the beer live in the cask. This also protects the beer from infection.

Tools of the trade
YEAST SCOOP (left) AND MASHING RAKE

CONDITIONING AND DISPENSE
When the beer is delivered into a pub it is allowed to settle for 24 hours.

The cellar man breaches the cask by knocking a spile into the shive and then tapping the cask.

The good cellar man knows his beers and is skilled in bringing them to perfect condition before serving.

When he is satisfied that the beer is well settled and has come to good condition he connects the beer line to the tap.

The beer is now ready to pump to the bar using a traditional hand pump.

BOTTLING PLANT

REAL ALES BREWED
	MOLLY MALONE PORTER 4.6% A dark ruby red porter brewed in the Hilden Tradition. Complex flavours of hop bitterness and chocolate malt to distinguish this unique beer.	SCULLION's IRISH 4.6% A bright amber ale, smooth initially with a slight taste of honey which is balanced by a long dry aftertaste which lingers on the palate. Scullion's Irish was judged the "best Irish Cask Beer" and "Supreme Champion Beer" at the Irish Independent Brewers Festival in Dublin, March 2000 by Michael Jackson.
	HILDEN ALE 4.0% A fine full drinking Irish ale, refreshingly clean on the palate. It has a pronounced hoppiness which arrives at the end of the taste which makes the second pint even more desirable than the first. Champion Beer, Belfast Beer Festival 2004.	SILVER 4.2% A pale ale, light and refreshing on the palate but with a satisfying mellow hop character, derived from a judicious blend of aromatic Saaz hops.
	HILDEN HALT 4.0% A premium traditional Irish red ale with a malty, mild hop flavour. This special reserve derives its name from the local train stop which used to service the local linen mill.
Remember these ales? Great Northern Porter (4%); Special Reserve (4.6%); Hildenbrau; Butler; Linenhall Special; Winter Reserve.

TAP ROOM BAR, RESTAURANT AND MUSEUM
Ann Scullion at the bar	"Ale Sacks" to take home	Inside the restaurant
The Hilden Visitor Centre		Overlooking the Visitor Centre
Lunch is served in the Tap Room Restaurant from 12 until 2.30pm from Tuesday to Saturday. A great place for a summer lunch but make sure you have lots of time as you will want to stay on in the relaxing atmosphere. Also make sure no one is driving! Keep an eye out for special events like the wine tasting & meal evenings. Check out their WEBSITE.

HILDEN OUTLETS - A POTTED HISTORY - 1982
BELFAST	Botanic Inn Carlton Bar Linenhall Bar Roddy's Bar	Co. ANTRIM	Bailiewick - Antrim House of McDonnell - Ballycastle Montgomery's - Ballymena Dobbin's Inn - Carrickfergus Crown and Shamrock - Glengormley Coachman's Bar - Lisburn Down Royal - Lisburn Maghaberry Arms - Maghaberry Harbour Bar - Portrush
Co. Down	Cavern Bar - Bangor North Down House - Comber The Stables - Groomsport Hillside - Hillsborough Seaside Tavern - Holywood Old Cross - Newtownards Casey's Bar - Newry McGinnety's - Newry White Horse - Saintfield	Co. Londonderry	Fairley's Bar - Coleriane Finvola Hotel - Dungiven Gweedore - Londonderry Townsman - Londonderry Cashlandoo Inn - Portstewart
Co Armagh	Crown - Portadown Gary's Bar- Portadown

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