Conceived in 2013, brewing since 2014 in the Guildhall Brewhouse & Kitchen before opening their own Dino extravaganza Brewery in Fratton in 2015 – Staggeringly Good has gone from strength to strength. And what a joy it’s been to see them grow!
“We make beer for people who love to ride Dinosaurs!”
It’s a noble cause, the Staggeringly Good mission, but one we can all get behind. The usual lineup of staggering staple beers which are also unfined and vegan with some of the best label designs around offering a variety of styles, there’s truly a beer for everyone in their lineup. Long-standing members of the dino-tribe include ‘Little Arms, Big Ambitions’. ‘StaggerSaurus IPA’, ‘Reptile Dysfunction’ and ‘VelociRapture’ American IPA. You’ll also find limited or special editions including beautifully smooth porters, with my current favourite – Ultimate Punch (featuring artwork from local creator Ooberla) and collaborations with other independent breweries like Vibrant Forest and Neon Raptor. Not only have they collab’d on beer but products including a beer bread, pies and chilli sauces have come about with local businesses working together.
The brewery is functional but doesn’t feel unfriendly, it’s a place you want to hang out with personal touches bringing the Jurassic into the present. Toy dinosaurs, merch, signage and dino-heads all sit alongside huge vats of beer-in-progress and sacks full of ingredients. You sit alongside the brewing action and when I went in winter it was cosy, lit with candles and heat lamps keeping you toasty whether you were watching the music or playing retro arcade games. I asked Paul about the brewing process and he happily talked me through it, pointing out the various bits of equipment. For brew enthusiasts, it’s a real treat to sit amongst the action.
The guys at Staggeringly Good never seem to slow down.
From Hive Aid to WarriorFest, tap takeovers to intimate gig nights, they’re always involved in something that sounds fun. WarriorFest is probably their biggest event, now in its third year, a beer festival on the HMS Warrior which promised to be, “ultimate Paleo-Pirate-Party!” From all accounts and the sold-out tickets … it was! Keep an eye on their social media for gigs, Halloween open mic, regular open mics, pop-ups, soul nights and much, much more.
Earlier this year the business launched an investment scheme to support the expansion of the brewery into the huge unit next door. On updating this little blog post, I can happily say it was successful and shiny new equipment has been Tetris’d into the new space successfully! I can’t wait to see what’s next and have no doubt that the iconic TriCeraTap (a rideable, beer dispensing triceratops trike) and epic crowdfunding video contributed to reaching their goal; letting their personality shine through.
Over the Summer I made it down to Glastonbrewery at Staggeringly Good to enjoy the atmosphere whilst waiting for some friends. I felt totally comfortable on my own in a sunny spot outside, enjoying the buzz of families, friends hanging out, music and food whilst sipping on a nice cold Ultimate Punch (a 5.8% strawberry and raspberry collaboration with Little Monster Brewery) and eyeing up the hotdogs I spied from a small van around the corner: This turned out to be Roots Vegan Food who do some DELICIOUS dogs and burgers as well as sweet treats. It was a blazingly hot day and the guys were cooking up a storm with big smiles, introducing the unsuspecting brewery-goers to plant-based foods with a lot of success. They’re here regularly as far as I can tell so you won’t go hungry. The Staggeringly Good crew were all on good form too despite the heat and numbers of people. They’re always on hand to recommend something you might like, give you a taster if you can’t decide or simply have a chat about all things beer or dinosaur-related when they’re not running around staying on top of everything. They had a special edition mead on which was incredible, I think it came via Brewdog? You’d have to ask them, all I know is it tasted superb.
The House of Rapture was also open and I hadn’t managed to see it yet, so I popped in to have a nosey, appreciating that it was nice and cool with another big-screen showing Glasto. Hay bales bringing the festival vibe, the light-up Velociraptor head, and stained glass windows, as well as the huge crucifix on the wall, are all brilliant touches to this unique venue – yeah, a Dinosaur Church that doubles as a music/drinking venue. Why? Why not?! The House of Rapture offers a few spirits as far as I’m aware if you’re not a beer drinker, but honestly, I urge you to try their brews even if you “Don’t like beer.”
Glastonbury 2020 sold out in 34 minutes.
Fortunately, Glastonbrewery 2020 looks set to return and entry is free.
So all the money you’ve saved on tickets can go towards a couple of taxis/trains, some delicious, locally made brews, real toilets, great atmosphere and big screens filled with music.
Good stuff.
Follow the Therapod enthusiasts on all the usual social media channels for the latest news and events info
As a bonus, here’s the Roots Vegan Street Food Instagram; @rootsvegan
[I’m still waiting for a shameless Jeff Goldblum beer guys, but can’t imagine the copyright nightmare that might cause!]By Danny
Feature Photo – Carrie Lavers for SF
Brewery Photo – Staggeringly Good
Beer can Photo – Danny Alexander
