Bournemouth restaurant and hotel group Urban Guild has launched its fifth exclusive craft ale– ‘Dr. Quartley’, and is extending an open invitation to any Guild of Beer Writers members interesting in tasting its beers and food.
Dr Quartley is the fifth in a series of pale ales, each focused on a local smuggler or pioneer from the 18th Century. Dr. Quartley was the Christchurch surgeon who was paid with a keg of brandy – left anonymously on his doorstep – for helping injured smugglers.
The latest of the themed ales has been produced by local brewery Eight Arch Brewing Company, Wimborne. Urban Guild owner Mark Cribb – said: “Since the launch of our first bottled ale, Tregonwell, in 2016, we have had fantastic feedback from our customers. They love the fact that they are drinking something exclusive to the venues and also that it’s locally brewed.
“The new ale will be available on draught and we will also be offering a limited edition of Dr. Quartley in 750 cans for the first customers who are keen to collect the first brews.
“There’s been a huge growth in local brewing in Dorset over the last few years and we’re thrilled to be part of it. We are passionate about introducing people to real beers, both ales and lagers, made by real people – not giant international brands. There’s better choice and bigger flavours now and we want people to discover this for themselves.”
Steve Farrell – owner and brewer at Eight Arch Brewing Company – said: “Dr Quartley is a classic tasting English pale, with a bit of grapefruit on the nose. The Urban Guild team have been a big supporter of ours since we started brewing in early 2015 and being a local Dorset brewery, we love the fact that the pale ales are named after local smugglers.”
The new ale will be available at all the Urban Guild venues in Bournemouth: Urban Beach Hotel, Urban Reef Restaurant and Jenkins & Sons.
Guild members interested in trying the beers should contact Chloe Grant at Urban Guild on chloe@urbanguild.co.uk
Other craft ales exclusive to Urban Guild in the smugglers collection are:
Tregonwell (Draught)
A hopped pale ale, brewed by Cocksure Brewing Co. Bristol, Tregonwell was a pioneer, a gent, a local legend. This beer embodies his spirit. It’s for free thinkers, forward facing optimists – people determined to carve their own path with a little bit of style.
Gulliver (Bottled)
Steve Farrell – owner and brewer at Eight Arch Brewing Company said: “Gulliver is a pale ale brewed with a combination of European, American & Southern Hemisphere hops combined for a fruity yet crisp finish, ideal to drink any time of year!’
Angel of the Marsh (Bottled)
A crisp amber beer, clear malt flavours with hints of fruit, leaving just the right amount of bitter flavour.
-ends –
Notes to editors
Dr Quartley, a local surgeon, was woken one night by a loud rapping on the door. He was greeted by a pair of horsemen, who needed urgent help and made him jump on a horse to follow them.
The surgeon wasn’t really given any choice, and followed the horsemen (who were soon joined by others) out of the town, and to Bransgore. There he was shown into a small cottage where lay a smuggler, severely wounded. The doctor quickly removed a musket ball from the man’s shoulder, and told companions of the injured man that he should not be moved, but should get some rest.
At this news, one of the uninjured smugglers turned to their groaning colleague and asked ‘Well, Tom! Whilst thee stay here and be hanged, or shall we tip thee into a cart?’ The lad preferred to die of his wound than at the end of the rope, and was duly carted off into the forest (where he later recovered) as the learned doctor was escorted back to Christchurch.
Dr Quartley’s reward was a keg of brandy left anonymously on the doorstep, chalked with the legend ‘Left there for the doctor’s fee.’ (Taken from Memoirs of an Ex-minister, by the 3rd earl of Malmesbury)
Further information:
Chloe Grant at Urban Guild on chloe@urbanguild.co.uk