West Brewery Bar & Restaurant.
Templton Building, London Road, Glasgow, G40 1AW. Tel: 0141 550 0135.
The West Brewery Bar entrance. 2008.
It you like beer, then the West Brewery is a must. When you visit the premises you will be visited by one of the friendly bar staff. The place is steeped in history from the old Templeton Carpet factory, metal plates are the only thing that's left of the machinery that once wavered the carpets. The plates on the floor are flush with the old floor-boards so there's no chance of tripping over them. When I went to visit Mark Doswell the head brewer he showed me around the premises from top to bottom and explained who the brewery works in detail. Very interesting Mark.
I also got a taste of the finest beers brewed on the premises, just as well it was a sample as I was very thirsty that day and may have got a bit tipsy.
Mark is a gentleman, so when you are visiting the bar for the first time look out for him and give him my best regards.
Interior with the bar and gantry. 2008.
A Guide To Our Beers On Tap
Helles
Means bright / clear in German. Is a clear filtered lager with a pale straw colour. The majority of malt is pilsner to give it a crisp light colour, but also some munich malt is used to give it a nice malty aftertaste. The taste is pretty clean, with a slight lingering sweetness at the end.
Helles Light
Same deal as Helles, less alcohol. This is achieved by utilising the brewing process in a different way.
St. Mungo
Based on a Vienna styled lager. This means it has a ruby/amber colour and has more bitterness than a standard lager. Is naturally hazy. This is due to it being unfiltered so yeast and protein is still present in the beer. This provides the beer with additional body, mouthfeel and taste. The taste is initially sweet/caramel/ almost toffee with a crisp finish due to the noble hop usage.
Hefeweizen
Literally means yeast-wheat. Nilturally cloudy due to protein and yeast left in suspension, so again lots of protein, B vitamins and antioxidants. Made with 80% wheat for a fuller body. The colour is creamy opaque. Has a nice big nose of clove and banana, this is due to esters being made by the yeast during fermentation. Refreshing to drink and has a nice sharp/tart aftertaste., due to acidulated malt being used. Has little hop aroma, with a nice big creamy head.
Dunkelhefeweizen
Similar to the hefeweizen apart from being made with dark wheat malt and Carafa malts for a slightly more darker colour and complex body. Has a big nose of banana, clove and bubble gum - think hubba bubba! The taste has the bready weizen taste coupled with nice toasted caramel and toffee notes due to the malts that we use.
Dunkel
Gernan dark lager. More akin to a schwarzbeer (blackbeer), has a jet black colour to it. Nose is chocolate, toffee, coffee. Has a clean initial taste with a satisfying rich roasted tang for the aftertaste. This is due to intense use of special roasted malt. Is a favourite for coffee drinkers / Guinness drinkers - although this is not a stout!
West Brewery sign outside the premises. 2008.
The 2 copper Vats where all the beer is brewed on the premises. 2008.
The fomenting room in the basement.
Copper Vats 2008.
Another view of the interior. 2008.
The West Brewery Bar.
Three of the best pint you'll ever taste.
Exterior view of the Bar. 2008.
Head Brewer Mark Doswell pouring my pint of St Mungo's Beer. What a great pint, brewed on the premises.
Head Brewer Mark posing behind the bar. What a gentleman......
Another view of the interior.
Antlers display on one of the walls. 2008.
End.