Hi Tony. Of course it was a good evening, spent in an old pub/hotel that used to be one of the last staging posts to London on the Canterbury / Dover roads.
oast houses have been converted into ultra-expensive homes alas !
More money in that than beer these day's, I'm afraid, twix.
There is an old brewery not to far away from me that there is talk of being converted into apartments ( closed down a few years ago ), shame really they used to brew the best mild in the country imo ( Highgate ). But it's a big building in the right part of town where property prices are high.
One of my close friends is a properly apprenticeship trained coppersmith, now officially retired. He used to have to go to one of the breweries in Burton upon Trent regularly to be re-certified in his welding techniques. He also rebuilt / refurbished the copper vessels at the Adnams brewery in Southwold; this is now a dying art/trade.
One of my close friends is a properly apprenticeship trained coppersmith
This is going to be a major problem in a few years time, twix. No proper replacements for the highly skilled tradesmen that are retired or not far away from retiring. I see it all the time in engineering.
Instead of properly hand beaten, in situ, copper, brewing vessels most likely will be robotically welded stainless steel pre-fabricated units, taking away the rustic charm, and probably the unique taste, from within the brewing industry.