Morning all,

just a quick update.
We have received back from the bottling company, 3200 bottles of Ouseburn Porter. Having gone through the task of product testing (it's a hard life being a brewer!), two bottles last night, I am delighted to announce that the Porter is superb from the bottle, losing none of the characteristics it possesses in the cask form. Smooth, creamy, coffee, liquorice, chocolate, mmm yum!!! Needless to say I had a good night's sleep.

We have also bought a unit on the Newburn Industrial Estate, it is just over twice the size of the one we currently rent in Byker. It is 5600sq. ft. We have bought this unit rather than renting, as business continues to be good, and hopefully will continue thus. It requires lots of work, as it is simply just a factory shell. We have extented our lease on the unit we currently occupy, so we can do the jobs and install any new equipment required correctly. The move should take place in the early part of next year.

We have done all of this without any help. Indeed the Ouseburn Regeneration committee have done NOTHING whatsoever to help us relocate and keep the brewery in the area. They are too busy doing whatever they actually do for others, facilitating new office and apartment developments (you see them all, standing empty!!!). Oh, the new Ouseburn Barrage, that is a good and practical thing. These people seem to have lost sight of the fact that historically, the Ouseburn was the industrial heartland of the Newcastle City. Never the less, they have nice warm offices down there.

We continue to enjoy good business in the free trade and the bottled beer markets. Hopefully, with your help, this will continue, our guest beers and monthly special brews have gone down very well this year. I am sure Gordon keeps you all well informed at the monthly meetings. He is a regular visitor now.

Anyway, must go now, the lastest batch of Farne Island is calling for attention. I shall endeavour to keep you all updated with our project and its progress as it goes on.

Cheers for now, Northern Brewer.