2018 marked four years since we first started brewing in Merz Court and what a year it has been. Stu Brew gave over 40 different people the opportunity to experience a brew day, brewing 33 full scale brews and 13 different prototypes. Highlights include trebling capacity and going into cans. 22,000 pints later, here’s a recap of what we’ve been busy with the year:
January:
- Our first brew of the year was during exam season, students were hard at work but that didn’t stop Paulius and four sabbatical officers knocking up a prototype.
- To celebrate end of exams we ran a pop up bar in the SU.
February:
- One of our first February brews was an adaptation on VMS, creating 9:00AM Lecture, to celebrate the Town Mouse’s first birthday.
March:
- First brewery bash of the year with the food delights of Sghetti Monster.
- First pub quiz of the year at Errant Brewery.
- Celebrated St Patrick’s Day with green Lab Session.
April:
- Chris headed over to Flash House and brewed the ‘About Time’ collaboration.
- Additionally, collabed with Errant to make ‘Combustible Lemons’.
- Second pub quiz of the year held in Luther’s after our AGM.
- AGM and new committee elected.
May:
- First brewery bash held by the new team. Sylvia provided some gorgeous Gyros to accompany the beer.
- The team won the Community Impact Sustainability award from NUSU.
- Emily and Jack gave a Pint of Science talk about ‘Yeast in Brewing’.
- We packed up the 400l kit and TRIPLED in size!!
- Ran a pop-up bar outside the Student’s Union.
June:
- Won ‘The Siemens Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sustainability and the Environment’ at the ‘Pride of Newcastle University Awards’.
- We got a swanky new electric delivery van.
- Another brewery bash saw the big revealed of the new kit.
July:
- Ran a Graduation 2018 bar and launched our newest Saison in the Graduation Saison series.
August:
- Shot some footage with Thumb Design for our nomination for the 2018 Green Gown awards.
September:
- Finally put beer on Eebria Trade.
- Teamed up with Tyn CAMRA and made a cider.
- Fresher’s Week stall and bar.
- Pizza and Pint night at Newcastle Tap.
October:
- First brewery bash of the academic year.
- Launch of Core Curriculum at the Town Mouse, followed by a bar crawl showing the new students the Newcastle scene.
- Our first batch of cans arrived!
November:
- Green Gown Awards – finalist in enterprise category.
- Final brewery bash of the year.
- Second batch of cans arrived.
- Collaboration with Rob from Two by Two.
December:
- Last pub quiz of the year, at Errant Brewery.
- Return of our third batch of cans.
- Our final brew of the year is something not destined to be a beer. Keep an eye out in 2019 for more details!
We’ve had a blast this year and hope you’ve enjoyed it too. All the best to our customers, pubs, brewing friends and members this New Year.
Cheers,
The Stu Brew Team x