Durham Brewery

Microbrewery in Bowburn, Durham, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Associated Venue: Durham Brewery

Established in 1994

Contact
Unit 6a, Bowburn North Industrial Estate, Bowburn, DH6 5PF, England
Description
The brewery was set up by former music teachers Steve and Christine Gibbs in 1994. The Durham Brewery produces a wide range of cask and bottle-conditioned ales. The brewery has a ten barrel plant but with a 20 barrel mash tun for the stronger ales, four 10-barrel fermenters and various conditioning tanks for bottled beer with a warm room for bottle conditioning. All production is onsite, including bottling, and it is company policy that there be no filtration and no pasteurisation. The brewery motto is “Perfected”. Despite all our years, this family owned brewery is still small, preferring to concentrate on perfecting beers rather than manufacturing volume.

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7
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Bottle 07-03-06 picked up at House of Fraser Birmingham. Dark ruby coloured beer not much of a head. Initially I have to say I was not overly fussed and wondered how it had won CAMRA champion beer in a bottle 2003 or whatever it stated on the label. But to be fair I found this to be a grower and really rather enjoyed it, I got some quite powerful and very dark chocolate flavours coming to the fore and some nice well balanced roasted maltiness as well. Interesting drinking this straight after a Benidictus which I must say I prefer but I would like to try this on cask.

Tried from Bottle on 08 Mar 2006 at 01:41


7.9
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Bottle 07-03-06 picked up at House of Fraser Birmingham. Cask Conditioned at Dudley Winter Alse Festival Nov 19th 2005. This has been a belter on both occasions I have had it though just a tiny bit better in cask format. Warm orangey brown colour, barely much of a head, this is a sweet and very fullsome barley wine dangerously drinkable, excellent.

Tried from Bottle on 08 Mar 2006 at 01:34


5.5
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

[Cask at GBBF 2005] A light yellow beer with a thin white head. The aroma is sweet slightly hoppy combined with slight citrus notes. The flavor is sweet hoppy with a bitter dry end.

Tried from Cask on 26 Dec 2005 at 17:48


8.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

(Bottle 50 cl) Very, very black - would’ve been opaque if it hadn’t been for a wee reddish glow. Creamy, light brown head that sticks to the glass. Roasted, vinous aroma with lots of prunes and distinct alcohol. Full-bodied with plenty of dried fruity notes - raisins in particular, raisins that almost appear soaked in port. Soft, distinctly sweet with marked notes of licorice and almost no bitterness. This I like a LOT - yummy, yummy. 211205

Tried from Bottle on 21 Dec 2005 at 15:08


7
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

An orange beer with an off-white head. The aroma is sweet fruity and very hoppy, but also slightly dusty - my guess is Goldings has been used. The flavor is sweet fruity with oranges and grapefruit coming thru, but also a dry end - again my guess is Goldings. A really nice thirst quencher - for a Dane, this could be a session beer.

Tried on 31 Oct 2005 at 23:00


6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

A hazy orange beer with a nice white head. The aroma is sweet spicy combined with notes of citrus as well hints of caramel. The flavor is very citrusy, malty, and spicy, but also with fruity notes of oranges, and with a lightly bitter end.

Tried on 09 Oct 2005 at 04:41


6.2
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

(Bottle 50 cl) Dark, orangey brown, hazy almost opaque with a handsome, creamy, beige and surprisingly stable head. Scent of caramel and hard roasted malt with the same characteristica in the flavour. Dry, bitter finish. Interesting. 050805

Tried from Bottle on 08 Aug 2005 at 07:03


7.4
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

Cask at GBBF 2005 First beer for me on the Thursday session. Pale gold, blond citrus hoppy but this is one of the best from an excellent brewery. The finishing hop flavour is more floral than most and the citrus flavours are excellent.

Tried from Cask on 05 Aug 2005 at 10:35


5.8
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

(Bottle 50 cl) Hazy, golden beer with a small, white head. Slightly tart, Brett-like nose. Malty, lightly sweet with a sharp, bitter finish. a bit too one-dimensional bitterness. 250705

Tried from Bottle on 31 Jul 2005 at 06:51


6.8
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

An orange beer with a thin white head. The aroma sweet yeasty combined oranges and peach. The flavor is sweet spicy with coriander standing out, but it also had notes of celery, leading to a dry end.

Tried on 30 Jul 2005 at 15:13