OUR HERITAGE RANGE BEERS
TYNE 9
3.9% ABV BLACK LAGER
A smooth drink, background pilsner maltiness and a hint of coffee, are balanced by restrained resinous hopping.
Tyne 9® is best served in its presentation glass to deliver a black and white beer sensation, and allow the drinker to celebrate the football heritage and theatre; from Gallagher and Milburn to Shearer and on to present day; of the magnificent Newcastle United Strikers’ shirt and number.
BLAYDON BRICK
3.8% ABV GOLDEN SESSION BEER
A WELL ROUNDED GOLDEN ALE; TOFFEE AND FRESH HOP ON THE NOSE; BISCUITY WITH SOME SPICE IN THE TASTE AND VERY REFRESHING.
Blaydon Brick” was the “nick-name” for the popular cloth capped 19th century MP for Newcastle, Joseph Cowen Jnr. A son of Blaydon; he was a friend to Garibaldi, Mazzini, the working man, and anyone at that time whose rights were suppressed!
TRADE STAR
4.2% ABV NZ Hopped Amber Pale Ale
TWO VARIETIES OF NEW ZEALAND HOPS ARE ADDED AT INTERVALS VERY LATE DURING THE BREWING OF THIS AMBER PALE ALE TO PRODUCE FLAVOURS OF TROPICAL FRUIT, LEMON, LIME, AND SPICE.
Our label shows a Thames Barge used extensively for shipping goods, including Firebricks, between the Rivers Tyne and Thames, in the 19C. From these ports, goods were transported around the world. Maybe some Firebricks even reached New Zealand! Today we can certainly get exotic hops from NZ to Newcastle, and have used plenty in the making of Trade Star, our tribute to the great days of trade on the Tyne.
STELLA SPARK
4.4% CITRUS HOPPED BLONDE BEER
STELLA SPARK USES LARGE AMOUNTS OF SOME OF THE BEST HOPS IN THE WORLD FROM THE AMERICAN WEST COAST AND COMBINES THEM LATE IN THE PROCESS WITH LIGHT MALTS TO CREATE A VERY REFRESHING GOLDEN CITRUS BEER.
Stella Power Station (south) was built on the former Estate of Stella Hall the birthplace of Joseph Cowen Jnr which was also on the route of the famous Blaydon Races. It was modern and efficient in its time using the very best of world leading technology and construction from local companies C.A. Parsons, A Reyrolle & Co. and Clark Chapmans.
Such heritage and the amalgamation of world beating technology to ensure a supply of light and power to the region was inspirational in our brewing of STELLA SPARK , a bright and zest filled beer.
TOON BROON
4.6% ABV A NEWCASTLE BROWN ALE
A DEEP AMBER BEER, MALTY SWEETNESS AND NUTTY LIQUORICE COMBINE WITH LIGHT TANNIN FOR THAT TRADITIONAL BROWN ALE BITE.
Firebrick Brewery in Blaydon is 400yds from the Tyne and under 5 miles from the centre of Newcastle. The label shows the old suspension “Chainbridge” from Chainbridge Road in Blaydon to Scotswood Road in Newcastle, opened in 1831 and mentioned specifically in the famous Newcastle Anthem “Blaydon Races”; eventually it was considered a bottle neck for traffic, and sadly, demolished in 1967 and replaced by Scotswood Road Bridge.
WEY-AYE P.A.
5.8% ABV USA HOPPED IPA
OUR ELEGANT IPA BENEFITS FROM LATE ADDITIONS OF CASCADE AND CENTENNIAL HOPS, THE GRAIN BILL IS ENHANCED WITH A LIGHT TOUCH OF MUNICH MALT.
Can there be anything more enjoyable and life affirming than hearing WEY-AYE, it’s more than “yes” it embraces “of course” it states complete support. It can be a response to an offer of a cup of tea or to a motion to proceed with a million pound development project; it can even be said alone, to boost spirits at any stage when constructing flat pack furniture. It definitely applies to the concept of introducing an IPA to the Firebrick line up.
In our picture, the seahorse “haurient” (check your heraldry!) is flanked by hops; seahorses appeared as “supporters” on the Newcastle City coat of arms in 1575 and subsequently on the NUFC badge, they denote Newcastle as a sea port. Hops are the main focus of an IPA, India Pale Ales were heavily hopped to either preserve the beer or disquise the souring after an extended journey by sea. So we have woven into one, the themes of hops, seahorses, and that wonderful Newcastle assertiveness in our WEY-AYE P.A.
ELDER STATESMAN
4.5% ABV ENGLISH PREMIUM BITTER
A SUBSTANTIAL BITTER, DARK AMBER IN COLOUR; GENEROUS HOPPING BALANCES RICH MALT, GIVING MALT BISCUIT, AND ORANGE FRUIT IN THE TASTE; ORANGE BLOSSOM AND SPICE ON THE NOSE.
It seemed correct to name our Best Bitter “Elder Statesman”, after 19th Century MP Sir Joseph Cowen Snr. Founder of the brickworks that gave our brewery its name; he was knighted for his work on the Tyne Commission, straightening and dredging that river, allowing shipping and industry to flourish in the area.
COALFACE
3.9% ABV A REFRESHING DARK MILD
A DARK SESSION BEER WITH A DELICATE BLACKCURRANT TASTE AND LIGHT COFFEE NOTES WITH NO HARSH BITTERNESS OR ASTRINGENT BITE; A TASTY REFRESHING PINT!
“Coalface” is a modern take on the Milds that washed coal dust from the throats of miners for generations.
GIUSEPPE LAGER
4.3% ABV GLUTEN FREE LAGER
A CONTINENTAL LAGER IN THE HELLES STYLE. GLUTEN FREE IS THE BONUS… THIS IS A GREAT LAGER.
Giuseppe Garibaldi the great popular hero of Italian Unification was already a living legend when he arrived in South Shields on 21st March 1854. An active revolutionary he had much in common with Blaydon’s Joseph Cowen with whom he became great friends, staying with him at his home, Stella House. Greeted enthusiastically by the people of Tyneside during his stay he was presented, on their behalf, by Cowen, with a golden sword; the inscription read ‘Presented to General Garibaldi by the People of Tyneside, Friends of European Freedom, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, April 1854’.
LITTLE BELGIUM ?
4.7% ABV TRADITIONAL WITBIER
GOLD AWARD WINNER AT THE CAMRA TYNESIDE & NORTHUMBERLAND BEER FESTIVAL 2018
LITTLE BELGIUM IS A TRIBUTE TO THE BIRTLEY BELGIANS.
The taste of our traditional Belgian beer matches its enticing aroma of spice, orange and fresh wheat; the light opaque body and soft texture complete the Witbier experience.
Our beer celebrates the role of injured Belgian soldiers moved to Birtley (now part of Gateshead), and the part they played in making shells for the war effort in the 1st World War. Including family they numbered 6000 and whilst in Birtley, lived in a Belgian enclave called Elizabethville, policed by Belgian Gendarmes and subject to Belgian rule, They are known as the Birtley Belgians, a little known but amazing story.
CUSHY BUTTERFIELD
5.2% ABV OATMEAL AND TONKA BEAN STOUT
Fantastic depth of dark chocolate over coffee and very light notes of vanilla, sour cherry and Cinnamon. Good body, mocha head, and a very pleasing sweet bitter balance.
Cushy Butterfield is the second adopted “Tyneside Anthem” after the Blaydon Races, and also by Geordie Ridley, his last song, circa 1862. It was the wonderful chorus that inspired the name for our first Stout.
It is really a lament by a Keelman over his unrequited love for a Whitening-stone Seller; the stone, made of baked clay or “yella clay” was used to clean and decorate the stone steps leading up to the front door of the many terrace houses in the area. Ridley had to leave for a while when the song initially caused consternation with the actual stone sellers. Here is the first verse and chorus (we’ve printed guitar chords beside the lyrics on our Cushy Butterfield bottles).
Aw’s a broken hearted keelman and Aw’s owerheed in luv
Wiv a yung lass in Gyetshead an’ aw caals her me duv;
Her nyem’s Cushy Butterfield, an’ she sells yella clay,
An’ her cusin is a muckman, an’ they caal him Tom Gray.
She’s a big lass an’ a bonny lass,
An’ she likes her beer;
An’ they caal her Cushy Butterfield,
An’ aw wish she was here.
SUGAR SPUN ?
5.2% ABV STOUT
GOLD AWARD WINNER AT THE CAMRA TYNESIDE & NORTHUMBERLAND BEER FESTIVAL 2019
Sister beer to CUSHY BUTTERFIELD with burnt sugar/candyfloss background notes.
PARSONS’ PORTER
6.2% ABV STOUT PORTER
Our Stout Porter at 6.2% ABV is brewed to the oldest tradition, using large volumes of brown and amber malts, without reliance on black patent malt for taste and colour.
Consequently it has a complex character; deep ruby in colour with a big chocolate nose; the palate is coffee, spice, rum and raison, and very gentle smoke.
His image is depicted on a commemorative Irish silver 15 Euro coin.
A memorial to him, in red terracotta stands opposite Fenwick on Blackett Street in Newcastle City Centre, disguises a Metro ventilation shaft, and goes largely unnoticed by passers by; yet his main invention affected every aspect of modern life and went into production on Tyneside.
Far more should be known and shared about this Irish adopted son of Tyneside…and if you wish, you can do that here.
The eventual sad demise of North East engineering, invention and excellence should not cast a shadow on the genius works and legacy of Charles Algernon Parsons, and at Firebrick Brewery we raise a symbolic toast to him in the shape of our Parsons’ Stout Porter.
Stout Porters, Double Porters and Extra Porters were a common drink in the 19C.
Stout, double, or extra, meant strong or dark.
Later during successive world wars, grain rationing led to a reduction in beer alcohol content and Stout Porters dropped from six or seven percent ABV to around four percent.
They kept their colour dropped the word “Porter”and became Stouts.
Single Porters lost their place to these Stouts and dropped out of fashion, until they were revived by the American craft beer movement in the 1970s.
OUR MYSTICAL RANGE BEERS
– FIREBRICK SEASONAL BEERS –
INSPIRED BY THE SEASONS, OUR MYSTICAL RANGE IS ILLUSTRATED BY ARTIST WYLIE BECKERT.
SPRING:
PAGAN QUEEN
4.0% ABV ALL BRITISH BLONDE BEER
ALL BRITISH INGREDIENTS INCLUDING BOADICEA HOPS HAVE CREATED A CLEAN AND CRISP BLONDE BEER WITH FRUIT IN THE NOSE AND TASTE.
For Pagan Queen we asked Wylie to depict Iceni Queen Boadicea; war ravaged and uncompromising, during the short lived “spring” of her victory over three Roman cities, now known as Colchester, London and St Albans – Great job Wylie!
ORIGINALLY A SEASONAL SPRING BEER, PAGAN QUEEN HAS BECOME A BEST SELLER AND IS NOW A PERMANENT FIREBRICK BREW.
SUMMER:
HEATWAVE
4.2% ABV BEER FOR SUMMER EVENINGS
HEATWAVE USES A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF ROASTED BARLEY FOR COLOUR, TO PORTRAY THE HORIZON WHERE HEAT SCORCHED EARTH MEETS SUNSET SKIES, AND FIVE TYPES OF HOPS, FROM TRADITIONAL ENGLISH, TO NEW AND FRUITY, PLUS AN ADDITION OF PREMIUM GRADE VANILLA BEANS; THE RESULT IS A WARM COLOURED SMOOTH SUMMER BEER WITH TASTES OF LIGHT ROAST MALT, SPICE, AND GENTLE FRUIT SWEETNESS.
For Heatwave we asked Wylie to imagine a “Wuthering Heights” type scene circa 1800 and depict a “Femme Fatale” pausing reflectively whilst harvesting; set against a backdrop of oppressive summer heat, and fields of ripened barley… we’ve no idea why we asked for that but are delighted with the result!
AUTUMN:
TORMIT HEED
4.4% ABV AGREEABLE AUTUMN ALE
A MALTY, FRUITY, DEEP AMBER BEER. A COMPLEX GRAIN BILL AND HOPPING GIVE A LONG PALATE AND MANY BACKGROUND FLAVOURS INCLUDING TOFFEE, AUTUMN FRUITS, WARM ORANGE, AND LIQUORICE.
The word Tormit came from 19th century northern dialect and meant Turnip. Our label shows Wylie’s fantastic “Turnip Keepers Lantern” and depicts the legend of Jack O’ Lantern, with an added bicycle to speed up Jack’s search!
Our rich warming beer should conjure up the excitement and smells of childhood autumn evenings, and Halloween.
WINTER:
FIREGLOW
4.1% SPICED WINTER ALE
A WARMING BEER, SWEET SPICED WITH CINNAMON BARK, ALLSPICE BERRIES AND BLACK CARDAMOM.
THE COMPLEX GRAIN BILL GIVES A WEALTH OF UNDERLYING MALT FLAVOURS; BRITISH, GERMAN, AND CZECH REPUBLIC HOPS ARE ADDED TO COMPLIMENT RATHER THAN OVERRIDE THE SPICE.
We gave Wylie quite a challenge with Fireglow. We asked for a strange traveller, maybe St Nicholas, but maybe not (we like that she gave him a sword, definately makes it a grey area); seeking rest and sanctuary from the mysteries of the night he opens an inn door allowing warmth and firelight to flood out. Think she nailed it!