Ayrshire and Wigtownshire CAMRA Branch
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Autumn 2014 *** 2014 MOST IMPROVED CAMRA BRANCH MAGAZINE IN THE UK ***
Best Fest in the West Troon: 2nd - 4th October
See page 15 for details
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Autumn 2014
Family run village inn located on the harbour in the picturesque fishing village of Isle of Whithorn
nner Wi
BAR OPEN:
Every day from 11am–11pm
Timothy Taylor Landlord plus five guest ales 1/3 pint beer taster platters now available for same price as a pint Outside seating area on the harbourside Children and Dogs Welcome
Lunches 12-2pm. Evening Meals 6.30-9pm. Sunday Carvery, 12-3pm: 3 Courses £12 ward ial A c e Thursday Steak Night: Galloway Sirloin £12 Sp Selection of local seafood dishes always available
Wigtown shir CAMRA e
Pub of th e Ye 2013 ar
All food freshly prepared on the premises. Daily chef ’s specials using the finest fresh produce and local seafood.
ACCOMMODATION
Comfortable en suite accommodation overlooking the harbour From £30 pppn B&B. Special accommodation offers to CAMRA members.
For bookings: visit our website, or call Alastair on 01988 500334 e-mail steampacketinn@btconnect.com
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www.steampacketinn.biz
www.awcamra.org.uk
NEWS
Volume 16, Issue 3
Local Breweries Win Top Scottish Awards At CAMRA’s Scottish Real Ale Festival (SRAF) held in Edinburgh in July, the three winners in the Champion Beer of Scotland competition all came from south and west Scotland. Overall Champion Beer of Scotland was won by Kelburn Brewery’s Dark Moor, a 4.5% ale described as a beautifully balanced dark fruity ale with undertones of liquorice and blackcurrant. A worthy champion, it also won the Gold Medal in the Old Ales category at the Champion Beer of Britain competition in 2013, and was overall Bronze medal in the Champion Winter Beer of 2013. It’s the second time that Kelburn has picked up the Champion Beer of Scotland award, after its Cart Blanche took the accolade back in 2006. Congratulations to Derek Moore and his staff.
Ayrshire and Wigtownshire CAMRA Branch Chairman: Lindsay Grant Email: chair@awcamra.org.uk Secretary: Clare Scott Email: secretary@awcamra.org.uk Minutes of Branch Meetings are available to members from the Secretary. Editor: Stuart McMahon, 93 Montfode Drive, Ardrossan KA22 7PH Tel: 01294 603848 Email: fullpints@awcamra.org.uk Advertising: Bob Wallace, Tel: 07929 990972 Email: advertising@awcamra.org.uk Advertising Rates (from Jan 2014): Full Page: £60 1/2 Page: £35 Websites: www.awcamra.org.uk www.ayrshirebeerfestival.co.uk @awcamra; @troonbeerfest
Ayrshire & Wigtownshire CAMRA Ayrshire Real Ale Festival Kelburn’s young Brewer, Mark Allan, showing off the winning ale.
Full Pints is designed by Montfode Design, www.md93.co.uk and printed by Brown Brothers Printers, Irvine, www.brown-bros.com. 3,000 copies are published every 3 months and distributed to all Real Ale outlets in our region. The views expressed in this publication are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the editor or of the Campaign for Real Ale Ltd. © Campaign for Real Ale Ltd
In second place was Ayr Brewing’s Rabbie’s Porter which will be familiar to most of us within the branch. Rabbie’s is a 4.3% porter brewed using only UK Challenger and Pioneer hops with crystal and chocolate malts giving a rich flavour. Congratulations to Anthony Valenti on the award.
The next edition will be of published in Dec 2014.
In third place was last year’s winner, Fyne Ales’ Jarl. Again, another worthy award rounding off a remarkable year of awards for Jarl and the Fyne Ales team.
Articles, photos and contributions should be sent to the editor no later than Friday 14th November, 2014. 3
Autumn 2014
NEWS
‘Long Service’ Certificate Presentations
Our Branch has recently presented some certificates to pubs in our area which have appeared in at least 20 editions of the Good Beer Guide.
The Steam Packet Inn, Isle of Whithorn; the Creebridge House Hotel, Newton Stewart; the Harbour Bar, Troon; the Chestnuts Hotel, Ayr; the Catacol Bay Hotel, Isle of Arran and the Ormidale Hotel, Brodick, Isle of Arran have all received certificates. The Ormidale has appeared in no less than 35 out of 40 editions of the Good Beer Guide! Congratulations to all the pubs and their owners for maintaining the standard of real ale over the years.
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Champion Beer of Britain At the Great British Beer Festival held in Olympia, Timothy Taylor’s Boltmaker was named as the 2014 Supreme Champion Beer of Britain. The silver medal went to Oakham’s Citra, whilst the bronze medal went to Salopian Darwin’s Origin. Boltmaker also won the gold medal in the Bitter category. The 4% ABV ale is described as a well-balanced, genuine Yorkshire Bitter, with a full measure of maltiness and hoppy aroma and is named after one of the brewery’s favourite pubs - The Boltmakers! It was previously runner up to the Champion beer of Britain back in 1993/94. The only Scottish beer to win an award at the festival was Loch Ness HoppyNESS (5% ABV) which won a bronze medal in the Strong Bitters category. 1. Lindsay Grant presenting the certificate to the Creebridge House Hotel bar manager, Kenny 2. Mick Lee with Dave Ashcroft at the Catacol Bay Hotel 3. Lindsay Grant at the Steam Packet Inn with Alastair Scoular 4. Tommy Gilmore and Mick Lee at the Ormidale Hotel, Brodick. 5. Lindsay presenting Jonny Morton at the Harbour Bar, Troon 6. Caroline Munro with bar manager, Alan Colville at The Chestnuts Hotel, Ayr.
www.awcamra.org.uk
NEWS
Sulwath launches new ale Sulwath Brewery based in Castle Douglas has launched a new sports-themed ale, encouraged by the recent success of the Commonwealth Games. Tri-Ball Tribute, 3.9% ABV, has been brewed to celebrate three of the various racket sports, which we enjoy today - Tennis, Badminton and Squash. Whether or not you take part or support these activities at all the various levels, they hope drinkers will enjoy this thirst quenching beer. Three hop varieties are blended with wheat & pale malts to give a fresh, crisp, blonde beer with plenty of character, which leaves you with a pleasant yet bitter aftertaste with a hint of grapefruit. DID YOU KNOW? The name “Sulwath” is the ancient name for the Solway Estuary. The nearby region is dominated by a couple of large nature reserves with huge numbers of wintering geese and a granite based mountain called “Criffel” hence many of their logos featuring two flying geese against its background.
CAMRA Super Regional Conference comes to Troon in October Come and find out what CAMRA is doing and have your say. CAMRA appreciates that not everyone can get to the national Members’ Weekend. With a view to engaging as many CAMRA members from as many backgrounds as possible, six Super Regional Conferences are once again being run around the country. Members may attend any that they like; neither do you have to be an active member of a branch or even consider yourself as active to come along. Everyone is welcome these events. This is a great opportunity for members to ask questions and challenge what they have heard, in addition to gaining a better understanding about CAMRA and its aims and objectives. The agenda includes how CAMRA is structured and where you can get help, an update on CAMRA’s key campaigns and the choice of two afternoon sessions on saving pubs or activating members. The Scottish Conference, which is free, is taking place in the South Beach Hotel, Troon on Saturday 25th October from 11.45am till around 5pm. The venue is just a short walk from Troon Station and will have extra supplies of beer for the afternoon. Soup and sandwiches will be provided at lunchtime. To attend the conference, you must register in advance in order that catering numbers are known. After the conference there will be the opportunity to visit some real ale outlets in Troon. You can view the agenda and register online at www.camra.org.uk/superregionalconferences and select the Super Regional Conference(s) that you wish to attend. For any enquiries please contact Lauren Anderson, lauren.anderson@camra.org.uk, Tel: 01727 867201. 5
Welcoming Family Atmosphere Autumn 2014
Traditional Family Fayre with something for everyone... ...where a great meal doesn’t cost the earth.
Open every day Children welcome until 10pm Special Menu
12noon - 2pm: Mon-Fri, 3pm Sat/Sun 5.00-6.30pm: all week Main course: £8.95; Two courses: £10.95; Three courses: £12.95
Evening Dinner Menu also served from 5pm Friday Night Steak Night 8oz Sirloin with choice of sauce for £10 Add bottle of Merlot or Sauvignon Blanc for £10
Ayrshire & Wigtownshire CAMRA Pub of the Year 2012
Best Pub Grub 2013 Scottish Entertainment Awards
WINNER
RUNNER UP
2 REAL ALES USUALLY AVAILABLE
AMPLE FREE PARKING Special Occasion coming up? Ensure everything goes smoothly by letting us entertain your guests in either our inviting, yet intimate, Fife Room, or in our bright and welcoming conservatory
Coming Soon:
• Winter Weekend Meal Deals • Sunday Roast Menu Check website for details Quiz Night every Tuesday Outside al-fresco dining area / beer garden FREE
WiFi
UPPER DECK HOLIDAY FLAT For availability see our website: www.holidayflatfairlie.co.uk
Check our website for our entertainment programmes
46 Bay Street, Fairlie. Tel: 01475 568432 www.villageinnfairlie.co.uk 6
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www.awcamra.org.uk
NEWS
Yet another new brewery
Hot on the heels of the recent openings of the Drygate and Jaw Breweries in Glasgow, another new brewery has opened ‘Doon the Watter’. The Bute Brew Co. has opened in Rothesay and owner/brewer and biologist by training, Aidan Canavan is now supplying The Black Bull in Rothesay and the Kingarth Hotel with his first beer - Bute Red. The Bute Brew Co. is based in a building on the corner of Columshill Street and Ladeside Street in Rothesay formerly occupied by Bute Island Foods. Three beers are initially being offered - Red, IPA and Blonde. We wish Aidan well with the brewery and look forward to seeing his ales on the mainland soon. More info at www.butebrewco.co.uk.
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JAW Brewery Jaw’s first beers, Jaw Drift and Jaw Drop, debuted at the Glasgow Real Ale Festival and quickly ran out as customers eagerly tasted the new offerings. Extra casks were quickly supplied by owner Mark Hazell from his Hillington base and enjoyed by attendees, although an extra couple of weeks’ conditioning would have improved them. After the rush for getting beers to GRAF, Mark is now settling down and focussing on getting the beers in tip top condition. We’ll hopefully have some at the Troon Festival. They have also appeared recently in Glasgow’s Bon Accord. More info at www.jawbrewery.co.uk.
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Autumn 2014
The Village Inn, Dunlop
The Village Inn, 2-6 Stewarton Road, KA3 4AA. Dunlop Tel: 01560 483130 2-6Just Stewarton Road, Tel: 01560 483130 a two-minute walkKA3 from4AA. railway station
Lounge available for Parties, Meetings etc.facebook E-mail : villageinn98@live.com/ Dogs Welcome “Two minute walk from railway station�
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Dogs Welcome
www.awcamra.org.uk
NEWS
Arran Brewery doubles its workforce in three months At the end of Arran Brewery plc’s first quarter, after its first round of crowdfunding it reported having doubled its workforce from 15 to 30 staff and is well on its way to opening a second brewery, “The Loch Earn Brewery” in one of the most picturesque sites in Scotland, in St Fillans at the East end of Loch Earn. Managing Director Gerald Michaluk said: “Taking on so many staff and developing on all fronts is making this a frenetic place to work. We have three bars open at the moment and a café, with a restaurant and Bistro to open shortly, this means everyone in the team is working flat out. The crowdfunding has meant we are able to invest in the staff and infrastructure we need to catch up with others in the Craft Brewing arena, but more investment is required and a second round of funding is likely to be needed towards the end of the year”. “New rules for crowdfunded offers mean that investors need to pre-register and complete a short questionnaire before we can offer them shares in the next round. Given the development and increase in potential new shares will be likely to be offered at a premium over the first round share price”. Arran Brewery plc raised a total of £260,000 in its first round of funding and has retained its target of achieving £4m in total. The process of crowdfunding takes several rounds to reach enough investors and with a successful first round behind them Arran Brewery is following in the footsteps of other Scottish Brewers in forging ahead in the market.
It’s a Boy! Congratulations to Clare and Tony Scott on the birth of their son, Alfie, on 8th July, weighing in at a healthy 7lb 11oz. Clare is our Branch Secretary, and Tony is the Troon Beer Festival Beer Manager (and joiner extraordinaire!). Rumour has it that Bob Wallace, our Membership Secretary, has already signed Alfie up for a special junior CAMRA membership! And he’s already attended his first beer festival at Prestwick!!!
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Autumn 2014
CART NOIR 4.8%
CART BLANCHE 5.0%
Cham pi
2014 nd
RED SMIDDY 4.1%
GOLDIHOPS 3.8%
PIVO ESTIVO 3.9%
r of Scot Bee la on
DARK MOOR 4.5%
MISTY LAW 4.0%
REGNITZ 4.4%
JAGUAR 4.5%
Many more event and seasonal ales also available KILDERKINS • FIRKINS • PINS • POLY-PINS • MINI-CASKS 48 REGIONAL AND NATIONAL INDUSTRY AWARDS TO DATE Kelburn Brewery, Muriel Lane, Barrhead Telephone: 0141 881 2138
www.kelburnbrewery.com 10
www.awcamra.org.uk
NEWS SNIPPETS Scottish Pub of the Year This award will be announced in the next few weeks, just after is published. Our Branch Pub of the Year, The Steam Packet Inn in the Isle of Whithorn has made the final shortlist, along with the Bandstand Bar / Braeval Hotel in Nairn, and the Commercial Inn in Dunfermline. Best of luck to all the entrants.
The Auld Brig, Irvine
New CAMRA subscription rates From January 2015 Subscription rates for CAMRA members will be increased slightly on 1st January 2015, the first increase for two and a half years. The new single rates for individual members will start at £24, just an increase of £1, still remarkable value when you consider that you get £20 of Wetherspoon vouchers to use throughout the year. Concession rates will start at £16.50. Why not give a partner the gift of a membership this coming Christmas before the increase takes place? Alternatively, you can join up online, or sign up at the Ayrshire Real Ale Festival (where you’ll also get some extra perks and the chance to win an overnight’s stay at a real ale pub/ hotel). Where possible CAMRA will be emailing notification of the increase to Direct Debit payers. Members are encouraged to check their details online to ensure their contact information is up-to-date.
Christmas is coming! Since it opened on 12th July, Wetherspoon’s The Auld Brig in Irvine has been run off its feet with an unprecedented number of customers visiting the outlet. With 12 handpumps available (some dedicated to selling real cider), the pub has seen large queues forming and over 45-minute waits for tables, as the good weather in early July brought folk out. The Auld Brig is a welcome addition to the area – the Ship Inn was the only other outlet in Irvine but word is reaching that The Carrick may now have real ale available. Our branch will be holding a social night at The Auld Brig on Thursday 18th September from 8pm. All welcome to attend - bring along some friends as well!
Before you rapidly tear this page up with the dreaded mention of Christmas, a quick ‘heads up’ of two Branch events to put in your diaries. This year our Branch Festive Crawl will take place in Ayr on Monday 29th December. There will also be a Branch Dinner, venue TBC, on 10th January for which names will be required. More details in the next edition of .
CBoB Voting Watch out for details coming soon on how to vote for next year’s Champion Beer of Britain competition - votes need to be submitted by 30th Nov. Nominations for our Branch’s Area Pubs of the Year need to be given to your Area Social Organiser before the end of December.
5,000th member for SNIB At the Scottish Real Ale Festival in Edinburgh, the 5,000th member for the Scotland and Northern Ireland Branches was signed up. National Chairman, Colin Valentine, is pictured here handing over the latest Good Beer Guide to Justine and her mother, Shirley, who both signed up at the same time. The reason that is worth inclusion on this page is that, to Bob Wallace’s great delight, they are both Killie fans! 11
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Fyne Ales – Branch Beer of the Year Presentation at Fynefest by Mike Tomlinson (Photos: courtesy Fyne Ales)
At the AGM back in March, our Branch members voted Fyne Ales’ Jarl to be their ‘Beer of the Year’ (BoTY). As I appeared to be the only branch member attending Fynefest (13-15th June), I was asked to present the certificate on behalf of the Branch... a weekend of camping, with over 100 ales to sample and over 20 bands to hear with a selection of local food to eat... an onerous task, but someone has to suffer for the cause - but when would I find the time to make the presentation?! As it turned out, Jamie Delap of Fyne Ales was so busy over the weekend, we only managed a quick 15 mins at Sunday lunchtime for the presentation, soaked from the only rain of the weekend, and with a good hangover from Saturday’s sampling (hence the soaked inside and outside look in the photo!) The Glasgow CAMRA Branch were also there so we made a joint presentation with their award for ‘Brewer of the Year’. Jamie was delighted with our award and has invited the Branch to arrange a visit to see the new brewery which will greatly extend their capacity and will be operational in the autumn. The weekend itself? I would recommend everyone to attend Fynfest. It takes place in a field behind the brewery in a spectacular setting surrounded by hills and Loch Fyne and it’s less than two hour’s drive from Ayrshire. The weather was fine (excuse the pun) and camping isn’t really too bad just for two nights enjoying a lovely selection of beers and music.
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www.awcamra.org.uk
I managed over 25 different ales over the weekend (half pint measures), ranging from Rune (3.5%) a summer ale, to 48 Miles Later Double Chilli(6%), as well as a number of others from Fyne Ales’ 24 ales. There were also ales from England, Italy, Belgium and Germany, some cask, some keg. Prices were reasonable at £3.20 a pint. My standout favourites were – dark beers: Hawkshead’s Damson Stout (4.5%); light beers: Burning Sky’s Aurora (5.6%, strong pale and fruity). My prize for the wildest beer, which I didn’t dare try, was Magic Rock’s Bearded Lady (10.5% stout aged in sherry casks). Altogether a great selection of beers. Food-wise, there was also a great selection: Loch Fyne seafood (oysters, paella and hot salmon salad rolls to die for); venison burgers; pulled pork; pasta; vegetarian etc. The music was as eclectic as the beer, generally starting with folk/acoustic early evening, moving through some indie then rock and reggae/ska later. The best bands for me were The Banjo Lounge4 (classic covers, but done differently); iFoundation (laid back reggae) on Friday. On Saturday, Bombskare were an outstanding ska band from Edinburgh, supported earlier by Dr Hip & The Blues Operation (R&B),and The Hazey Janes (Indie, from Dundee). The downsides to Fynefest were queues for beer on Sat night (as the capacity of 2,000 thirsty souls arrived), and the showers (who needs a shower when there’s a river?), but these were more than outweighed by the scenery, beers and music together with a pub quiz, brewery trips, yoga and local walks to a remote ale bar up the valley, complementing the whole weekend event. A few other bizarre events completed it: paper plane competitions with beer programmes; a guy with a T-shirt printed ‘I caught crabs in Kishorn’; four guys from Aberdeen wearing fez’s and t-shirts printed ‘This guy needs a beer’. As my wife said at the end of a full Saturday session of beers and music : ‘That’s another Fynefest you’ve got me into!’ And, yes, I was proud to eventually present the Beer of the Year Award for Jarl on behalf of our Branch. 13
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40 Years of CAMRA in Scotland September 2014 sees the 40th Anniversary of CAMRA in Scotland, following the initial meeting in the Golf Inn, Bishopton back in 1974. To mark the event a special Scotland-wide meeting is being held in Callums, Johnstone on Saturday 13th September as it is one of the closest outlets to the now closed Golf Inn. All CAMRA members are invited to this celebration, which starts at 2pm. Additionally, a special 40th Anniversary 48-page booklet has been produced with contributions from every CAMRA branch in Scotland, along with memories by some CAMRA members. A digital copy was emailed out to members for whom we have an email address, but it can be read online at www.snib-camra.org.uk.
Celeb ra 40 yea ting of C AMrs in Scot RA land 1974
Cheer s!
- 2014
Printed copies are available for all our members and can be posted out on request.
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To minimise postage costs though, they will be available at all Branch meetings and social events, as well as the Troon Beer Festival. So, why not come along to a meeting and pick up one of the booklets - it’s well worth the read. Details of forthcoming events can be found on page 17.
FRASERS BAR Millport
Find us just up the road from the pier
Quality Cask Ales Served All Year Meals Served Every Day 12 noon - 2.30pm / 5.30pm -7.30pm 7 Cardiff Street, Millport, Isle of Cumbrae KA28 0AS Tel: 01475 530518 14
North Ay rsh CAMRA ire
Pub of th e Ye 2013 ar
www.awcamra.org.uk
AYRSHIRE REAL ALE FESTIVAL The Best Fest in the West – our own Ayrshire Real Ale Festival – will run from Thursday 2nd - Saturday 4th October in Troon Concert Hall and will attended by around 3,000 people. This year we are celebrating 40 years of CAMRA in Scotland, as well as the 30th Anniversary of our CAMRA Branch. To mark this occasion we will have a second bar in the adjacent Walker Hall on the Friday and Saturday featuring around 30 former Champion Beers of Britain and Scotland, in addition to the main bar in the Concert Hall featuring our usual varied range of over 120 quality ales from around the UK. As usual, we will have entertainment on Friday and Saturday. Festival favourites “Wildcard” will be playing on Friday evening, whilst Saturday sees the Troon Blackrock Pipe Band play throughout the afternoon, and in the evening “Chitterybite”, a Scottish folk / ceilidh band will entertain us. We will be running Tutored Tastings again this year – times still to be confirmed – but we need more support for these if they are to continue. They are good value and a great way to learn about the styles and flavourings of beers. You can view plenty of photos from our past festivals here on the festival website, www.ayrshirebeerfestival.co.uk and on our Facebook page – please sign up to it for regular updates. We’ll have our twitter feed again this year – @troonbeerfest using the hashtag #troonbeer The festival is manned by CAMRA volunteers, without whom we couldn’t run the festival. If you are CAMRA member then you’re eligible to help out – previous experience isn’t necessary and there’s a wide range of duties available to help with, from helping to set up or take down the festival stillage, to manning the doors, stewarding duties, and of course helping out on the bar - go to either the festival website or main branch website, www.awcamra.org.uk, and click on the Staffing form link and send it to us. Everyone who volunteers at the festival will also have the opportunity to attend a “thank you” outing to the recently expanded Fyne Ales brewery.
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Main Festival Sponsor Autumn 2014
ersary v i n n A 40th A Scotland CAMR
30th Anniv CAMRA Br ersary anch
2 0 14
15th Ayrshire REAL ALE Festival
2nd - 4th October Troon Concert Hall
ENTERTAINMENT Fri evening: WILDCARD Sat afternoon: TROON PIPE BAND Sat evening: CHITTERYBITE OPENING TIMES Thurs 2nd: 12 noon (CAMRA members’ preview) 2pm – 11pm (Public) Fri 3rd / Sat 4th: 11am – 11pm 2014
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Over 140 Real Ales PLUS Cider & Perry FRI/SAT: Second bar featuring former Champion Beers of Britain and Scotland Food available at all sessions
Admission (over 18s only)
Public: £5, CAMRA: £3
(includes glass and programme)
www.awcamra.org.uk
BRANCH SOCIAL ACTIVITIES Our Branch has Social Groups covering North, South and East Ayrshire, and Wigtownshire. All CAMRA members are encouraged to attend these informal events, but non-CAMRA members are equally welcome. For more information, please contact the area coordinators listed below: North Ayrshire - usually meets 3rd Thursday of every month. Contact Ian Middleditch. Email: vicechair1@awcamra.org.uk South Ayrshire - contact Caroline Munro for details. Email: lou-72@hotmail.co.uk East Ayrshire - meets last Wednesday of every month. Contact Bob Wallace. Email: membership@awcamra.org.uk
Winning a pack of beer on our recent Broughton Brewery trip Additionally, the Branch also holds social outings and trips on a regular basis – see www. awcamra.org.uk for details or contact social secretary Donald Clark at social@awcamra.org.uk
Wigtownshire - contact Malcolm McNeil for details. Email: wigtownshire@awcamra.org.uk
OUTLETS NEWS AUTUMN DIARY DATES
The following changes in outlets have occurred since the last edition of . New Outlets:
Mon 8th Sept, Committee Meeting, J G Sharps, Largs, 8pm Sat 13th Sept, CAMRA 40th Anniversary Meeting, Callums, 26 High Street, Johnstone, from 2pm. Thurs 18th Sept, Branch Social night in The Auld Brig, Irvine, 8pm. The Auld Brig, Irvine New Wetherspoon’s pub Fri 19th Sept, Wigtownshire Social, The Grapes, Stranraer, from 5pm with 12 handpumps (some with real cider). Wed 24th Sept, East Ayrshire Social, Goldberry Arms, Kilmarnock, Three Reasons, Largs: One handpump 7.30pm. available Sat 27th Sept, Cove & Kilcreggan Real Ale Festival (non-CAMRA) Losses: Thurs 2nd - Sat 4th Oct, Ayrshire Real Ale Festival, Troon Concert Hall Roxy, Girvan: no longer selling real ale. Downshire Arms, Portpatrick: no longer Thurs 16th Oct, North Ayrshire Social, The Waterside, Largs, 8pm selling real ale (was only available briefly). Sat 25th Oct, CAMRA Super Regional Conference, South Beach Hotel, Other news: Troon, 11.45am - 5pm. The Three Reasons, formerly Charlie Smith’s, Wed 29th Oct, East Ayrshire Social, Auld Hoose, Dunlop, 7.30pm has re-opened and has one handpump, but real Sat 1st Nov, Beer Festival Staff Outing to Fyne Ales ale has not always been available. The Kenmuir Arms, New Luce now keeps winter Tues 11th Nov, South Ayrshire Social, Wellingtons Bar, 7pm hours all the year round, opening only in the Thurs 20th Nov, North Ayrshire Social, The Salt Cot, Saltcoats, 8pm evenings except for Thurdsay lunchtime. Wed 26th Nov, East Ayrshire Social, Brass & Granite, Kilmarnock The Carrick, Irvine is reported to be selling 7.30pm Belhaven IPA, but this has still to be confirmed. Sun 14th Dec, South Ayrshire Social, Lunch at Prestwick Pioneer, 2pm. Names to Caroline Munro by 7th Dec please. Please check www.awcamra.org.uk for up-to-date details of all Branch news, meetings and social nights. 17
Autumn 2014
give me strength and light...
...that will do nicely
Craigmill Brewery, Strathaven ML10 6PB tel: 01357 520419 email: info@strathavenales.com www.strathavenales.com 18
www.awcamra.org.uk
YORK – Community Pubs off the Tourist Trail by Ian Middleditch
The Phoenix
Every year for the last 20+ years I have made a visit to the ancient City of York. As you probably know York is a historic city with very well preserved buildings, ancient streets and iconic churches surrounded by a fortified wall. The City manages to blend Roman, Saxon and Viking features with more modern building to make an interesting mix. I discover something new every visit. As a holiday destination the city boasts many places of interest and plenty of museums and even shops to visit if the weather is inclement! For the Real Ale enthusiast there are 70+ pubs inside the walled city, and lots more just outside it, making it an everyday beer festival. Over my many visits I have managed to visit most, but not all, yet! However on my most recent visit I decided to sample some of the pubs which are not on the Tourist trail and could be described as community pubs. This little article is the result of my foraging!
The Phoenix, George Street www.thephoenixinnyork.co.uk This independently run pub lies just inside the walls but surrounded by terraced housing. It is open between the hours of 6pm and 11pm with earlier opening at the weekend. It is quite ordinary from the outside but inside it is an unspoiled traditional pub with bench 19
Autumn 2014
seating around small tables in the public bar. Cask ale takes centre stage on the bar with 5 ales from 5 different breweries. I enjoyed the Salamander Bright Black Porter and Copper Dragon Golden Pippin but there was also Taylors Landlord, Wold Top Bitter and Bleddyn 1075. On the evening I was in there were a few folk in the public bar but the lounge through the back was full of ‘Skeptics’. The York Skeptics comprise people from all walks of life and all ages who meet together to discuss matters of mutual interest. The topics range widely but discussion is instigated by a guest speaker and then laid open to group participation all enlivened by a few beers. From what I could gather a thoroughly good time was being had by all!
was one of disappointment as the bare floored bar only had the usual shiny keg fonts and a few bar stools with very few drinkers. However there was a door to another room from which a babble of voices emanated. This ‘family room, was carpeted, had nice tables and chairs and was almost full of families of all ages. The bar in here sported 6 hand pulls with among others Wold Top Big Sky, Leeds Pale, Taylors Landlord, Ilkley Gold and Dales Square Rigger. I tried the Big Sky which was fine but a wee bit too hoppy for my palate but the Landlord was just right. I had visited this pub some years before but at that time it was purely a sports bar with only John Smiths cask on offer. It has recently been taken over by Inglenook Inns who have done a grand job in refurbishing it and it is now an obvious community asset which the locals are supporting.
The pub also organises live jazz, quiz nights and other activities with traditional pub games Golden Ball, Cromwell Road, Bishophill available to enliven the pub experience. www.goldenballyork.co.uk Situated in the residential Bishophill district within the walls is a Victorian street corner local. Clad in glazed brick it was refurbished by John Smiths in 1929 and is listed by CAMRA as a real Heritage pub. However when we approached the pub, in the evening, we were not impressed by the exterior which did not look very inviting. The closed outer door, obscured windows and tatty sign were a little The Knavesmire, Albemarle Road www.theknavesmire.co.uk This is a large multi-room pub outside the walls but close to York Racecourse and completely surrounded by housing and student flats. Unless you go looking for it, it is not at all obvious. It occupies a corner site and is quite an imposing red brick building. I was on my own when I visited and must admit to thinking twice before plucking up enough courage to negotiate the massed smokers around the door. My initial reaction once in 20
www.awcamra.org.uk
off putting. In fact we walked passed a couple of times before venturing in. I’m very pleased we did so! Inside is very different with 4 rooms clustered round a small bar. It was open mic night and there were ‘turns’ of all types on in the largest room but we couldn’t get a seat so we tried one of the other rooms. What a haven with nice comfortable seating, a thick, patterned carpet and two tables of middle aged ladies, one lot concentrating on their cribbage, accompanied by pints of ale I might add, and the others discussing curtains and assorted soft furnishings. The performers next door were suitably muffled but added to the atmosphere. I enjoyed a very nice pint of Moorhouse Black Cat Mild from the 7 ales on offer. I took time to look around the other areas and found that in the smaller room there was a group organising a local event and in the outside smokers area a chap was enjoying his
book. While waiting on my 2nd pint, Treboom Drum Beat I scanned the community notice board where there were all sorts of local announcements and items for sale. The local CAMRA branch had its own little area with copies of the local magazine, ‘Ouse Boozer’, and a diary of events clearly displayed. The locals were very friendly and interested and were keen to point out that the pub is definitely their pub as it is now run by a community cooperative. There we are, Three ‘local’ pubs very much part of the community and not dependent on the tourist trade. I noted that the price of a pint in all three was noticeably lower than in the more Tourist centred pubs and that Real Ale, mostly from local breweries, was right at the centre of the business. If you are lucky to visit York do try the pubs in the tourist areas but venture out a wee bit to where the locals drink and you will be rewarded.
The Golden Ball is a Community Pub which means they have to put their profits back into the Community. They host lots of live music events and have a calendar of eclectic events, from Ukelele to Choir singing. On Saturday’s, they sell beautiful artisan bread, baked by local baker The Blue Bird Bakery and one of the City’s best-kept secrets can be found in their sunny beer garden.
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Houston
Largs Millport
Gateside
Lochranza Catacol Arran
Fairlie Beith Ardrossan Kilmaurs
Lugton Dunlop Stewarton
Strathaven
Kilmarnock
Saltcoats Brodick Irvine Troon Lamlash
Blackwaterfoot
Kelburn
Craigie Failford
Prestwick
Sorn
Ayr Stair
Ayr
Kirkmichael Kirkoswald Barr
Bargrennan Kirkcolm Stranraer
Sulwath
New Luce Glenluce
Portpatrick
Sandhead
Newton Stewart Wigtown Bladnoch
Reproduced from Ordnance Survey map data by permission of the Ordnance Survey Š Crown Copyright 2014
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Drummore
Isle of Whithorn
www.awcamra.org.uk
AYRSHIRE & WIGTOWNSHIRE REAL ALE OUTLETS ISLE OF ARRAN
SOUTH AYRSHIRE
EAST AYRSHIRE
BLACKWATERFOOT Blackwaterfoot Lodge* Kinloch Hotel
DUNLOP Auld Hoose Village Inn
LAMLASH Drift Inn
AYR Abbotsford Hotel Ayrshire & Galloway Chestnuts Hotel Geordie’s Byre Glen Park Hotel Harry’s Bar Newton Arms Tam O’ Shanter Twa Dugs Wellingtons Bar West Kirk
LOCHRANZA Lochranza Hotel
BARR Kings Arms Hotel
WIGTOWNSHIRE
NORTH AYRSHIRE
CRAIGIE Craigie Inn
BRODICK Brodick Bar Ormidale Hotel Wine Port CATACOL Catacol Bay Hotel
ARDROSSAN Ardrossan Rugby Club* (weekends) Lauriston Hotel BEITH Saracen’s Head FAIRLIE Village Inn GATESIDE Gateside Inn IRVINE Ship Inn The Auld Brig The Carrick LARGS J G Sharps Largs Sailing Club (weekends) Lounge MacAulays McCabes Three Reasons Waterside LUGTON Canny Man § MILLPORT Fraser’s Bar SALTCOATS Salt Cot
FAILFORD Failford Inn KIRKMICHAEL Kirkmichael Arms KIRKOSWALD Souter’s Inn PRESTWICK Eagle Tavern Prestwick Pioneer TROON Bruce’s Well Fullartons Harbour Bar Lonsdale Bar* McKay’s Marr Rugby Club (weekends) South Beach Hotel
KILMARNOCK Brass & Granite Fanny by Gaslight First Edition Goldberry Arms Wheatsheaf Inn
BARGRENNAN House O’ Hill Hotel BLADNOCH Bladnoch Inn
KILMAURS Weston Tavern SORN Sorn Inn STAIR Stair Inn STEWARTON Millhouse Hotel Stewarton Arms
NEWTON STEWART Creebridge House Hotel Galloway Arms Hotel
DRUMMORE Clashwhannon
PORTPATRICK Crown Hotel Harbour House Hotel
GLENLUCE Kelvin House Hotel
SANDHEAD Tigh-na-Mara Hotel
ISLE OF WHITHORN Steam Packet Inn §
STRANRAER Grapes § Ruddicot Hotel
KIRKCOLM Blue Peter Hotel NEW LUCE Kenmuir Arms Hotel
WIGTOWN Wigtown Ploughman
Every CAMRA member can score ales they drink in their local pub using the WhatPub app and website, www.whatpub.com. But what are the benefits? Well, all scores go towards whether an outlet is considered for inclusion in the Good Beer Guide, and, if there is a trend of low scores for any outlet, it can alert the committee to possible problems.
Scores are continually required for the whole Branch area but, * CAMRA members have noted that real ale is not in particular, Arran and outlying pubs in East and South Ayrshire always available at these receive very few scores - why not take a few moments to score pubs. § Special offers for card-carrying CAMRA members
your beers on whatpub.com if you visit them? A guide to scoring beers is shown on page xx.
Do you know of a pub that sells real ale and isn’t listed? Please let us know. 23
Autumn 2014
The Waterside Bath Street, Largs Tel: 01475 672224
Two Real Ales available throughout the summer
Tuesdays - Quiz Night Wednesdays - Poker Saturdays - Live Music Fridays - Karaoke Sundays - Open Mic Night
Food available every day except Monday
• • • •
Great rooms Fantastic food Ever changing real ales Function suites
4 DEAN STREET, STEWARTON, KA3 5EQ Tel: 01560 482255
www.millhousehotelayrshire.co.uk
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BRANCH SOCIAL TRIP TO FRASERS BAR, MILLPORT Around 20 folk made the overseas trip to the Costa del Clyde on Saturday 26th July. A warm welcome was given by new Largs outlet McCabes at the start of the trip, who generously provided some free food for the assembled group. The good weather meant that Millport was extremely busy, as was Frasers Bar itself. However, the North Ayrshire CAMRA Pub of the Year provided some excellent ales before the short bus journey and ferry back to Largs.
Black Country Ale Tairsters The June North Ayrshire Social was held in the Saltcot, Saltcoats and was extremely well attended with Skye Brewery also hosting a “Meet the Brewer� night and giving out samples of their ales. However, the pub was also being visited by some of the Black Country Ale Tairsters (BATS), a group set up in 1984 who have challenged themselves to have a pint in every pub in the country, and in doing so they have appeared in the Guinness Book of Records and have raised thousands of pounds for various charities. The Saltcot was the 17,674th pub they have visited in the 30 years since being founded! Their trip north of the border had taken them to Greenock, Millport, Largs and Arran. Pictured above are (l-r): North Ayrshire Social Secretary Ian Middleditch, with Tairsters Peter, Roy and Mac.
Just for Fun
How many words of 4 letters or more can you make from: I LOVE BEER? There is one 8-letter word. 20: Easy 30: Not bad 40: Good 50: Very Good 60: Expert 80+: Wordsmith 25
P
ROUND Y’S U A R
RAY’S ROUND UP by Ray Turpie Over the summer, I enjoyed my visits to the Glasgow Real Ale Festival (GRAF) at the Briggait, and also to the Scottish Real Ale Festival (SRAF) at the Corn Exchange, Edinburgh. I was invited to be a judge for the Champion Beer of Scotland (CBOS) at the latter and was delighted to oblige. Not only do you get to sample many good beers but you get to meet some interesting people. Once the judging was out of the way, I helped Bob out at the membership stall and signed up a local while he was busy with a group, over especially for the festival, from the Ural mountains of Russia of all places. Ever the salesman, he signed up Igor and Andrey, so we now have at least two new members from the Urals. It turned out that one of them ran the Brewery Barinoff and they pride themselves in producing a Scottish 80/- type beer called Brash Vul’f at 4.5%, (complete with a very dodgy beermat!) You can find them at www.facebook.com/ PivoBarinoff if you are interested.
Igor and Andrey from the Urals 26
Another interesting person I met over the summer was Geoff Mumford from the Burton Bridge Brewery in Burton-onTrent. By an odd coincidence, I had enjoyed a pint of his Golden Delicious in the Byre a few days earlier so I was quite keen to try it at the brewery tap. Not surprisingly, it was even better there. He takes a back seat now, however, indulging his passion for vintage cars, but he keeps a keen eye on things. His favourite was his Bridge Bitter and he kindly bought us a pint. What a nice man. There have been so many major sporting events this summer it was hard to keep up. I saw most of the World Cup football, some of the tennis at Wimbledon, the Open Golf Championship, some of the Commonwealth Games and last but not least the Tour de France, or should I say the Tour de Yorkshire. The crowds and enthusiasm for this were fantastic and a credit to the organisers. There were yellow bikes everywhere and the bunting was made from small hand-knitted yellow, green and polka dot jerseys. Any excuse to holiday in Yorkshire is an easy decision for me. We based ourselves outside
Otley Tap House
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The White Swan, Otley Leeds and bussed in for the Grand Depart but it was too busy for us, so as soon as they set off, we headed for Otley. The bus arrived in time for us to walk down to the main street to see the peloton go past moments later. So it was off to the White Swan to watch the rest of the race over a few pints of Black Sheep Bitter. One of the interesting things to see in Otley, by the way, is the John Wesley Methodist Church where he did most of his preaching. We had managed a visit to Harrogate earlier but gave it a miss for the race. What a wonderful place it is The Montpellier with beautiful gardens and some wonderful pubs. Betty’s Tea Room and Montpellier Hill are two of the most well known places. We liked the Old Bell and Hales Bar, in particular, but could have spent more time touring around. I can definitely feel a return visit coming on. The next day we headed for Huddersfield early so we could pick a spot near the bus station to catch the race. It was a long wait but well worth it to see the razzmatazz and
the peloton which zoomed past in around ten seconds total. On the way back we stopped off in Durham and dropped in to the Dun Cow for a pint of Castle Eden Ale, now brewed at Camerons in Hartlepool. The summer passes too quickly. I started off with beer festivals so I will finish with our own 15th Ayrshire Real Ayrshire The Dun Cow festival which runs from the 2nd-4th October in the Concert Hall, Troon. This promises to be even better this year with the addition of a Champions Bar in the Walker Hall. Also, if you have not already got a copy of our 40th Anniversary of Scottish Branches Booklet, you will be able to pick one up at the product stall. See you there. And do not forget to pencil in the Super Regional Conference in the South Beach Hotel, Troon on Saturday 25th October. You can register for this on the National CAMRA website by going to www.camra.org.uk/ superregionalconferences. Come along and have your say in the affairs of CAMRA. It is aimed at those who did not manage to get to the national conference in Scarborough. 27
Autumn 2014
REAL ALES SERVED HERE Meals Served Daily 12-2pm and 6-9pm Traditional Roast Served every Sunday Extensive Bar Menu Award-winning Table D’Hôte and À La Carte Dining Available
Telephone: 01671 402121 Fax: 01671 403258
www.creebridge.co.uk Email: info@creebridge.co.uk
Creebridge House Hotel, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire DG8 6NP
Great food and local Real Ales from Arran, Houston and Kelburn breweries Sundays – Ceilidh band sessions
Tel: 01505 850510 www.thecannyman.co.uk
Find us on the A736 Irvine to Barrhead Road, at Lugton 28
www.awcamra.org.uk
CAMRA is still campaigning
by Colin Valentine CAMRA National Chairman
Last year CAMRA put a lot of effort into the campaign to scrap the (hated) Beer Duty Escalator, a campaign that was so successful that, not only was the escalator scrapped, but a penny was taken off of beer duty. This year we aimed for a freeze in beer duty – a bit less ambitious perhaps, but something that was eminently winnable. Well, as you know, the Chancellor wrong footed us again, but in a very good way, when he lopped another penny off of beer duty. Many people wonder what the point was as they haven’t seen the price of a pint go down, indeed it has gone up. However, what shouldn’t be forgotten is that we would be paying another 20 pence a pint in duty and VAT if beer duty had kept pace with inflation, bringing the £4.00 pint in Edinburgh or Glasgow ever closer, notwithstanding that some rip off merchants are already doing just that – you know who you are. Last winter I encouraged CAMRA members to put pressure on the Business, Innovations and Skills Minister, Vince Cable, to introduce statutory codes for pub owning companies and an announcement was made on legislation in the Queens Speech in June. I certainly made that point in a private conversation with the Secretary of State at CAMRA’s annual Westminster reception in February. Whilst he was somewhat non-committal, as you would expect from such a senior minister and wily politician, there were signs that he knew we were right and the frantic lobbying of one of his ministerial team by someone on the side of the pubcos backed that up. We were delighted to win this one to ensure that hard pressed tenants of the large pub owning companies get the opportunity to unleash their inner entrepreneur without their landlord clawing back every penny they make in the form of higher rents and beer prices. With the beer duty cut and the pubco statutory regulation we can only hope that it goes some way to redressing the disparity between on trade prices, where most of the publican’s income comes from the beer they sell, and off trade prices, where supermarkets absorb price increases and adopt the immoral practise of using a controlled substance as a loss leader to drive footfall in their stores. Thirty years ago, beer in the pub cost about three times as much as it did in the off trade and now that differential is six times. These reforms should lessen the differential between the on and off trade and, hopefully, get more people drinking in the relaxed atmosphere of their local pub, rather than on the sofa at home, along or on a park bench. Pie in the sky? Perhaps, but that is also what I was told when I suggested a petition to scrap the beer duty escalator and it is also what CAMRA’s founders were told over forty years ago when they started the battle to regain our national drink. Tilting at windmills is what CAMRA was set up to do because sometimes, just sometimes, it works. 29
Autumn 2014
What Pub, Beer Scoring and the Good Beer Guide You are probably aware of the ‘Good Beer Guide’, CAMRA’s flagship publication which lists the best pubs in the UK. But what you may not know is how those pubs are selected to appear in the Guide. The answer is that it is largely via beer scores submitted by CAMRA members from all over the country. So if you are a CAMRA member you can send in beer scores. If you’ve ever wondered why your favourite pub isn’t in the Guide, this may well be because you, and others, haven’t entered scores rating the quality of beer there. By beer scoring, you can contribute to the process of selection of pubs that go in the Good Beer Guide. SO HOW DO I SCORE THE QUALITY OF THE BEER? You don’t have to be an ‘expert’ to begin scoring your beer. However, it is not about your personal favourite beer receiving the highest scores! You may try a beer that isn’t to your normal taste but what you need to consider is the quality of that beer, how well the pub has kept it and served it, and score it according to the general guide below. It is a simple system of a ten point range from 0 to 5, with half points being used if your opinion of the beer falls between two categories. 0. No cask ale available 1. Poor. Beer is anything from barely drinkable to drinkable with considerable resentment. 2. Average. Competently kept, drinkable pint but doesn’t inspire in any way, not worth moving to another pub but you drink the beer without really noticing. 3. Good. Good beer in good form. You may cancel plans to move to the next pub. You want to stay for another pint and may seek out the beer again
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4. Very Good. Excellent beer in excellent condition. You stay put!
4. Simply fill in the date and your score then as you begin typing the brewery name should automatically appear underneath 5. Perfect. Probably the best where you are typing. You do not you are ever likely to find. have to enter the name of the beer A seasoned drinker will your are drinking but if you wish to award this score very do so once you have entered the rarely. brewery name you should be able to click on the arrow in the Beer HOW DO I SUBMIT MY SCORES? box and a drop down list of that In order to submit your scores you brewery’s beers should appear. need to login to CAMRA’s online In some cases the beer you are pub guide www.whatpub.com drinking may be new or a one off either on a computer or by smart by the Brewery so may not appear phone. Here you will find a list of on the list, if this is the case you over 35,800 real ale pubs from all can simply type in the beer name. over the UK; these are not all Good Select the correct one click ‘submit Beer Guide pubs, merely pubs score’ and your score will be that serve real ale. In order to start entered into the database. submitting scores you need to: It is as simple as that. An added 1. Login to What Pub with your bonus is that it will keep a record membership number and your of your scores so you can look back CAMRA password. to see what beers you have had 2. You can then search for your pub and how you rated them if you by name or by town. Searching want. by town and then by pub avoids This article by Sonia James-Henry searching through many pubs in originally appeared in Mersey Ale. the country which share the same Thanks to Sonia and magazine name. The What Pub smart phone editor John Armstrong for giving web page also gives you the permission for it to be used by other option to search for real ale pubs branches. If you have any questions nearby, very useful if you are in an about beer scoring, please speak to unfamiliar town your branch committee or visit 3. Once you have found your pub www.camra.org.uk/nbss or contact a ‘Submit Beer Scores’ box will brett.laniosh@camra.org.uk appear on the screen.
www.awcamra.org.uk
GETTING AROUND
Listed below are some useful contact details for transport providers in our Branch area.
Stagecoach West Scotland www.stagecoachbus.com
Tel: 01292 613500 / 01294 607007 / Disability Helpdesk 07736 892253
James King Bus Services (Stranraer Area) www.kingscoachhire.com Tel: 01671 830284 ScotRail - www.scotrail.co.uk
Other Useful Numbers
Trading Standards Offices for issues such as consistent short measures or no visible price lists Ayr: 01292 616060 Kilmarnock: 01563 521502 Irvine: 01294 324900 Stranraer: 01776 703260 Email addresses can be found on your local authority website.
BEER FARTS Just for Fun Know the difference!
Tel: 0845 601 5929
Caledonian MacBrayne www.calmac.co.uk Tel: 0800 066 5000
Traveline Scotland www.travelinescotland.com Best Bitter
Lite
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Trip to Broughton Brewery - 5th July Around 25 folk participated in the outing to the Broughton Brewery, near to Biggar on Sat 5th July. We were greeted by Bret in some glorious sunshine at midday who immediately handed us bottles of their new organic lager to ‘cleanse the palette’, before we headed inside for a guided tour of the facilities, formerly an old abattoir, which was expertly given by the young and enthusiastic Marc. Three ales were on handpump for us – Merlin Ale, Dark Dunter and a new one – Elder Power, a 4.7% refreshing elderflower infused summer ale. A selection of locally baked pies were also provided and proved to be very tasty. A horse time-trial competition in the fields beside the brewery gave some added interest for those supping their beers outside. On leaving the brewery we stopped off in Biggar and visited the Elphinstone Hotel, a new real ale outlet wasn’t listed in WhatPub. Three ales were available including one from Broughton and An Teallach Crofters Pale. A couple of folk also visited The Crown and were rewarded with a further three ales including Williams The Juniper Tree, albeit somewhat pricey at £3.55. Overall a great day out, and thanks to the brewery staff for their hospitality.
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FESTIVAL ROUND-UPS Glasgow A great summer of festivals started with the Village Inn, Fairlie beer festival at the end of May (see Summer 2014). June’s festival of choice was the reincarnation of the Glasgow Real Ale Festival (GRAF), held in the Old Fishmarket at the Briggait for the first time in over 20 years. Fears over how many (or how few) drinkers would attend were soon dispelled and the first night saw over 500 folk attend, yet the venue remained airy and spacious. There was a good attendance of our branch members at the Thursday social, although we were spread around the limited seating in the hall. Our own Andy Cooper and Ian Martin got into the spirit of fancy dress – it was an unusual sight seeing two giraffes serving a giraffe, and that was before the beer took effect! The selection of ales was very good, but if a criticism has to be made, then it was that there were far too many of the far-travelled ales from England not on tap on Friday much to drinkers’ frustrations. The catering was also disappointing, relying only on the German sausage stall that is used at Paisley Beer Festival. However, despite these niggles, the Glasgow festival committee did a good job, and have a great success under their first belt. Roll on 2015.
Edinburgh – SRAF
The Scottish Real Ale festival was held once again the Corn Exchange, Slateford, Edinburgh in mid July, and our Branch held a social at it, which was attended by around a dozen members, on the Friday afternoon. Over 150 Scottish Ales were showcased. This year there was a small seating area outside which proved very popular given the good weather. A great, enjoyable afternoon.
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Prestwick Cricket Club - Aug 1st /2nd This was the second year that the cricket club have run a small festival. There were only 10 ales and 4 ciders available, but they were all in very good condition and included some unusual English ales - Allendale Pennine Pale (4%), Bays Devon Dumpling (5.1%), Buffy’s Norwich Terrier (3.6%), Cullercoat Rocket Brigade IPA (5.5%), Dartmoor Jail Ale (4.8%) and Ilkley Symmer (4%). Of the remaining Scottish Ales, Highland Scapa Special (4.2%) was a particular favourite. A disappointingly low number of branch members turned out, although our youngest member, Alfie, put in a well behaved appearance at just 3½ weeks old (see page 9)! Did anyone visit the Kinloch Hotel, Blackwaterfoot, Arran for their one-day festival in July, or the Kings Arms, Barr in August for their beer festival weekend? We’d love to hear a report from them, or any other festival you’ve maybe visited over the summer. Email fullpints@awcamra.org.uk.
FORTHCOMING FESTIVALS
Sat 27th September sees the Cove and Kilcreggan Real Ale Festival (non CAMRA) take place with 22 ales on tap, with the theme of “Going for Gold” featuring gold-medal winning beers. Just a short hop and walk from the Gourock - Kilcreggan ferry with proceeds going towards the village hall. www.facebook.com/groups/456780557669136. And, of course, the following weekend 2nd-4th October is our own Ayrshire Real Festival in Troon. See page 15 for details.
WIGTOWNSHIRE NEWS by Malcolm McNeill
There will be a Wigtownshire Social in The Grapes, Stranraer on Friday 19th September from 5pm – normal Friday Night music in the public bar until 8pm and a chance to celebrate/drown sorrows after the referendum result. The Stranraer Beer Festival held at the end of May seems to have been a great success with all 8 casks sold by the end of the Saturday afternoon session. The event was well reported in the local paper with most of the focus and pictures highlighting the high standard of musical entertainment on offer. On 19th July, ten members visited Portpatrick (pictured above) on a really wet afternoon even by south west Scotland standards. Eight of us started in The Grapes around noon (Orkney Meridian) and finally found our way to Portpatrick about 2hours later once the rain relented. Some of us then ate in Harbour House (Harvieston Schiehallion and Greene King Old Speckled Hen) and some later in The Crown (Courage Director’s Bitter and Greene King Old Golden Hen). The beers were all of a good standard. 35
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• Real Food • Real Beer • Real Atmosphere 27 Main Street, Kilmaurs, KA3 2RQ Tel: 01563 538805 www.westontavern.co.uk
Saracen’s Head Hotel GOOD FOOD : GOOD BEER Outside Bars and Catering 2 Real Ales usually available SPECIAL OFFER: Mon-Thurs: only £2.50/pint Search for: SariBarBeith
10-12 Eglinton Street, Beith KA15 1AQ Tel: 01505 502329 36
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KILMARNOCK’S OLD BREWERIES by Frank Beattie Considering that until fairly recently Kilmarnock was something of a real ale desert, it may come as a surprise that a little more than 100 years ago the town had two thriving breweries. And further back in time there were even more. When Richard Franck visited the town in 1658, he recorded that “Kilmarnock is an antient Corporation crowded with mechanicks and The Kilmarnock Brewery in Grange Street. This brewhouses” illustration is from Sketches of Old Kilmarnock by Thomas Smellie (1898).
Ah, crowded with breweries… if only. Of course in those days it was safer to drink low strength the ale ‘brisk on draught’ no matter how long ale, or yil, as it was called in Ayrshire, than to the cask was partly full. drink water. The choice for those who took a cask was In the grounds of Richardland House there Indian Pale Ale, XXX stout or sweet ale, which was Paxton’s Brewery, also known as the was the most expensive at eight shillings for Richardland Brewery. It was on a large site, five gallons. Eight shillings then is 40 pence bounded by the River Irvine to the east, today. Bentinck Street to the west and with access to the site from East Shaw Street and, But nothing lasts for ever and Paxton’s Brewery appropriately, Brewery Road. was closed in 1904 not long after marking a centenary of producing ales and stouts. George Paxton established the Richardland Brewery in 1803, but there was a brewery on Paxton’s great rival in the town was the or near the site before then as in 1798 the Kilmarnock Brewery. It was established in 1780 property of James Wallace was put up for in Grange Street by the Greenshields family. sale. He lived in that area of town and the Thomas Greenshields was befriended by sale included houses, yard, brewery, offices Robert Burns who often visited the brewery and malt kiln. The sale probably came about when he was in Kilmarnock. Well, who wouldn’t because James Wallace, of William Wallace and visit a friend who ran a brewery? The poet Company wanted to concentrate on their core often dined with Mr Greenshields. He was a business interests … whisky. town bailie from 1789-90 and again from 179394. The Kilmarnock Brewery lasted until 1912 The business flourished and by 1820 George when the property was sold to the Scottish Paxton had built a mansion in the grounds. It Co-op. Today the site is occupied by the DWP. was called Richardland House. Paxton was an innovator and he invented a ‘Hydro-pneumatic I wonder if anyone has been able to keep a tap.’ This allowed him to produce five gallon bottle, or a label or any other memorabilia from casks for customers to take home and it kept either of those two breweries? 37
YOU'RE DUE A CHANGE
Autumn 2014
EDINBURGH’S ORIGINAL PALE ALE www.edinburghbrewing.co.uk
NEW BEERS IN BOTTLE!
UPCOMING SEASONAL BREWS
WHERE REAL SCOTS CRAFT REAL ALE 38
WWW.BROUGHTONALES.CO.UK Tel: +44 (0)1899 830 345 Email: beer@broughtonales.co.uk
Home of the famous Old Jock Ale
www.awcamra.org.uk
My Name in Real Ale DEUCHARS Caledonian OSCAR WILDE MILD, Mighty Oak UMBEL ALE, Nethergate /Growler GOLDIHOPS, Kelburn LEEZIE LUNDIE, Ayr AMARILLO, Crouch Vale SCHIEHALLION, Harviestoun GOLDEN BEST, Timothy Taylor RADGIE GADGIE, Mordue ALTON’S PRIDE, Triple fff HOPHEAD, Dark Star ARIZONA, Phoenix MAVERICK, Fyne Ales
by Douglas Graham Ayrshire Beer Festival Organiser
Have you ever thought about drinking your name in ale? Our festival organiser Douglas Graham has done just that over a few years. This is how he did it. First of all I must start with Deuchars from Caledonian, one of the first ales I drank regularly and still hard to beat when you get it in excellent condition. Oscar Wilde Mild, the 2011 Champion Beer of Britain from Mighty Oak is my next choice – we even managed to get it to our festival shortly after it was named CBOB. Nethergate Umbel Ale, our beer of the festival in 2011 follows – what a great weekend we had when we went to present the winning certificate. The visit coincided with Chelmsford winter beer festival which is always well worth a visit!
Goldihops from Kelburn is my next choice another decent beer which appears around Ayrshire on a regular basis. Leezie Lundie the only beer I have ever helped to brew – a great beer from Ayr Brewing Company; Anthony definitely knows how to brew a good beer. Next comes Amarillo from Crouch Vale, another award winning beer. It was always on in the Queen’s Head in Chelmsford when I visited. Schiehallion is named after the mountain that is famous for having the mass of the earth calculated from it due to its conical shape, again a great beer from Harviestoun. Golden Best from Timothy Taylor starts my surname with a fantastic brew which is seldom seen north of the border. Radgie Gadgie from the Mordue brewery always reminds me of my numerous visits to Newcastle for the beer festival. The next beer, Alton’s Pride from the Triple fff Brewery, always brings up the argument on how many F’s there are in its name, I reckon its nine but you may disagree. Hophead from the Dark Star Brewery reminds me of my visit to The Harp Pub in Covent Garden London which was the winner of CAMRA pub of the year in 2011. I could of course go for another pint of Amarillo for my second last pint, but I will go for an Arizona from the Phoenix Brewery. Finally we finish with Maverick from Fyne Ales who are located near to Loch Fyne – all their beers remind me of the beautiful scenery in the area and indeed the west coast of Scotland – what a great part of the country to live in. That’s my name in real ale – try it for yourself. 39
Autumn 2014
Wigtownshire CAMRA
Pub of the Year 2012
Now offering 20p discount on a pint of real ale for card-carrying CAMRA members.
KELBURN If you are ever in Stranraer, a visit to The Grapes is one you won’t regret. The Grapes was originally a coaching inn which was erected in 1862. The gantry in the bar is over 100 years old and the bar still has an original working bell-box for the pub. The present owners, Billy and Sally, are only the 5th in line since the pub was built. The bar has a warm, friendly and welcoming atmosphere and has had visits from people from various parts of the world. Upstairs the pub divides into two rooms - the quiet room which was said to be the first cocktail lounge in Stranraer is now the ladies powder room, and on the other side is a lounge and snug room which has been refurbished with the 1940’s style of the pub. • Accordion band most Fridays from 5 – 8pm • Real ale on draught • Over 40 malt whiskies - one for each region in Scotland • Occasional Live Music
The Grapes, 4-6 Bridge Street, Stranraer Tel: 01776 703386 www.thegrapesbar.co.uk
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www.awcamra.org.uk
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Autumn 2014
Our range of Award-winning Real Ales includes:
Hand Crafted, Award Winning, Traditional Cask Conditioned Ale Brewed in the Heart of Burns Country All ales are available in Firkins (72 Pints), Pins (36 Pints) and Mini Casks (8.8 Pints) Ayr Brewing Company, 5 Racecourse Road, Ayr KA7 2DG Telephone: 01292 263891 Fax: 01292 830450 Mobile: 07834 922142 www.ayrbrewingcompany.com 42
www.awcamra.org.uk
Mr Beer Surfer is connected, some would say wired, to the internet and enjoys nothing better than drinking his bottled conditioned ales in front of his computer. However, Mr Beer Surfer has been spending far too much time at beer festivals over recent months instead of browsing through the beery world of the internet. Fear not though, for he still has a veritable feast of firkin fun for you to follow. Boak & Bailey (www.boakandbailey.com) describe themselves as geeks in general, but especially about beer and pubs. They write under the names Jessica Boak and Ray Bailey, live in Cornwall in the UK and have been blogging about beer since 2007.
AUTUMN AMBER ALE
Their blog is well researched, well written and topical. Most recently though they’ve published a book Brew Britannia – The Strange Rebirth of British Beer, which has been receiving rave reviews for its thoroughness. Mr BS hasn’t got his copy yet, but you can find it on Amazon, Waterstone’s and other good retailers! The last couple of editions have each featured a Scottish beer blogger, so take a look at thisbeerblog.wordpress.com, run by Magnus Mckay in Aberdeen. Recently he’s been more frequent on twitter, but some good articles from a north east Scotland perspective. For a good read about beer, and people behind the beers, a visit to beerbattered.com is recommended. Connor Murphy is based in Manchester and has frequent updates. Finally, after sitting in the pub corner reading Brew Britannia, or the above blogs on your tablet, some light hearted relief can be found on Pumpclip Parade, which features aesthetic atrocities from the world of beer. Buxom beauties, dodgy artwork and suggestive beer names abound. Anyone for a Wychwood Full Brazilian, Brewery Vivant’s Big Red Coq or Jennings Sheep Thrills . . . .
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At Sulwath Brewers we give you the chance to see the craft of brewing in action, and to taste our speciality ales at our fully licensed brewery tap visitor centre.
Open Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm Off-sales also available
The Brewery, King Street Castle Douglas, DG7 1DT www.sulwathbrewers.co.uk
Telephone: 01556 504525