Beer Around Ere - April - May 2014

pl

EE FR

Beer Around ’Ere

ea

se

ta

ke

on

e

Issue 176 | April / May 2014

See page 7 >

Also inside:

Pub News • Coalies on Tour!

Brewery News • Beer in Paris CAMRA Young Members & much more

Peterborough & District Branch of CAMRA | www.peterborough-camra.org.uk

Chairman’s Corner | 3

A

Chairman’s Corner

pril has once again been designated CAMRA’s Community Pubs Month and so I start this issue with a special message, nay a plea, to all our pub licensees!

The promotion is designed to encourage pubs to organise events that will appeal to their local community and to try new marketing initiatives, which will encourage more people into their pub.

We are asking all our pubs not to ignore this initiative, which seeks to raise the profile of pub going and increase the number of people popping out for a pint during the month. Participating pubs will have their event promoted by CAMRA using social media and email, providing we are informed of what they are planning! If we don’t know we can’t help. Pubs that sign up to this campaign will receive a free promotional pack from CAMRA. All pubs that are in the 2014 Good Beer Guide plus those that have shown interest in the Campaign’s previous initiatives, will automatically get a free promotional Community Pubs Month Pack.

The campaign is aimed at licensees, who may not be quite experienced in marketing, to encourage them to try a number of different principles to attract more trade. The promotional packs include campaign posters, empty belly posters and flyers to distribute locally. This year’s creative logo uses a chameleon and the slogan ‘Great Community Pubs – the perfect blend for everyone’.

Pubs that wish to participate should go to communitypubscampaign.org.uk. As I have stated, GBG pubs will be sent a pack automatically.

So, pub licensees, CAMRA has started the ball rolling; now it’s up to you to promote your pub.

CAMRA has once again run a vigorous campaign to persuade the Chancellor not to increase the tax or duty on beer. We applauded him last year for scrapping the Beer Duty Escalator and knocking a penny off the beer duty. We hope he will continue

supporting our pubs by not increasing taxes.

We have the full support of over 100 MPs who championed beer and pubs in the scrapping of the damaging tax.

With the coming of spring and, hopefully, warmer days, our local pubs will be once again be looking to hold beer festivals in their premises. There will inevitably be a few clashes but, by looking well ahead and planning, clashes with nearby events can be mostly be avoided, thus enabling a pub to run a very worthwhile and successful festival.

We, as discerning drinkers, can try and give these pubs as much support as possible.

It’s always good to report the re-opening of a pub rather than closure, which is unfortunately becoming more common place. Recently known as The Office, the Oundle Road pub, has had a new lease of life, as well as reverting to its original name, The New Inn. It is now under the stewardship of Liam Scanlon, who has been successfully running The Ostrich, in the city centre, for around four years. Three cask ales are on offer at the time of writing, with more if demand needs. Live music events will be featured and the games room has had a makeover along with the rest of the pub.

Sky sports will encourage sports fans to come and watch all the major games. We wish Liam good luck in his new venture.

Finally I remind our pub licensees to let us know if they’re planning an event during April to support the Community Pubs Month. We can’t give our support if we don’t know what you are doing!

Cheers Folks

David Murray Branch Chairman.

ARE YOU MISSING OUT? Only the beer-stained copy left?

Get Beer Around Ere delivered to your door!

For a year (6 issues) send a £3.30 for second class or £3.90 for 1st Class cheque/PO payable to “Peterborough CAMRA” and your address to:Daryl Ling, 19 Lidgate Close, Orton Longueville Peterborough PE2 7ZA

Pub News Around ‘Ere PUB NEWS April is Community Pubs Month, this month of action gives pubs the chance to try new promotions and marketing initiatives to attract more custom. It also gives you the perfect excuse to visit your local pubs in April and to keep your eyes open for pubs in your area hosting events and supporting the campaign.

Why not:• Join the emailing lists for pubs in your area • Encourage your local to sign up by visiting communitypubsmonth.org.uk • Share any events that you find out about with family, friends and via social media • Visit your community pubs whenever you can in April 26 pubs close every week. Get involved in Community Pubs Month this April and make sure your local isn’t next!

We have a new pub in the City!

Well a pub with a new name!

Actually it’s a pub that has reverted to its old name. The Office, now The New Inn, on Oundle Road has been taken over

by Liam from the Ostrich Inn, North Street, Peterborough, which was runner up in this year’s Pub of the Year Award. The New Inn has had a makeover inside and out. There are three hand pumps in use, Sharp’s Doombar being a permanent and two changing guest beers from the Enterprise range. Live music, pool table and Sky Sports are also available.

Staying on Oundle Road, work has started on the old Boys Head / Posh Pub turning it in to a supermarket!

The Hand & Heart in Millfield continues to be under threat. Paul Brammer, the licensee, is currently negotiating new terms with Enterprise to enable the pub to become a ‘free-of-tie’ house. Hopefully this will happen and go a long way to seeing this National Heritage

Pub, the only one in Cambridgeshire, remain open. In the mean time regulars and local CAMRA members are getting together to raise an ACV. What is an ACV I hear you ask?

Under the Localism Act 2011, people living in England can nominate a pub to be listed as an Asset of Community Value. Listing your local as an ACV provides communities with the power to stop the clock when faced with a pub going up for sale, earning valuable time to explore options for saving the pub.

Increasing numbers of local councils are taking into account Assets of Community Value when considering new planning applications against the pub. Listing a pub shows the value it has to the community.

Listing your local means property developers who are keen for a hassle-free purchase are less likely to show interest.

If a listed pub goes up for sale, its ACV status has the power to postpone the sale for up to six

months. That’s just enough time for pub campaigners to gather together a suitable bid to buy the pub and run it as community-owned.

If you believe your local is in any danger why not raise an ACV? More details can be found at www.camra.org.uk /listyourlocal or get in contact and as a local branch, we will be more than happy to help.

The Crown, New England is hosting a competition to find Peterborough and District Real Ale Expert 2014. This will involve “blind tasting” rounds to be held during April/ May. All first round winners being invited to the final which will be a quiz due to be held on Saturday 7th June.

Questions will be beerand-brewing related. The winner will receive an engraved shield. Further details will appear in local media.

In Stamford work has started on the new Wetherspoons pub, The Stamford Post, which is due to open on 27th May. The Black Bull in Whittlesey has reopened again after a short period of closure. The people from the New Crown have taken over the running of the pub.

Charters will be celebrating its Annual Easter Beer Festival from 5:00pm on Thursday 17th April to Monday 21st April 2014. The venue will be serving a selection of over 35 real ales and 15 ciders from inside the barge. The popular weekly Quiz Night will take place as usual on Thursday evening from 8:00pm with a selection of live music acts booked to perform over the weekend.

Children are welcome and the venue will be holding an Easter egg hunt for the younger customers throughout the festival weekend.

Entry to Charters Easter Beer Festival is free and the venue would like to extend a warm welcome to all.

Neil Holmes

From our Editor| 5

Editor’s Ramblings

Greetings! Short and sweet this issue, just want to say a big “thank you” to all contributors! I asked for input in last issue and it has been forthcoming.

I certainly enjoy reading reports on trips that have been undertaken and feel sure that they are of interest to “our readers”. Scarborough, last edition, Paris, Texas and Northern Mystery Tour this edition! Please keep them rolling in!

However it not all about trips, it’s the regular information articles as well that are of interest and highlight the CAMRA ethos.

One last thing, give thought to joining CAMRA, or, if already a member, how about encouraging friends or family members to join. Just take a look at all the benefits listed on page 19 in Membership Matters article! CAMRA has, and is, achieving reform via its campaigns and the more “active” members the greater the force behind these campaigns – CAMRA needs you!

Cheers

Calling All Young Members!

JB

Getting one over on your old man has got to be a fantastic feeling. So what better way than to get justice for all the curfews and his embarrassing ‘dad dancing’ in public by thrashing him at a selection of pub games. Well, on the 22nd April at 8pm, I am holding a Young Members v Old Gits Games Night at The Dragon, Werrrington. The pub games will include Darts, Pool, Shove Ha’penny & Bar Skittles. No prizes, but the smug look on your face when you’ve beaten the old gits at their own games, would be priceless! Get involved by emailing me at young-members@real-ale.org.uk Kara Jayne Williams - Young Members Contact.

Ploughman wins POTY 2014| 7

Ploughman Werrington wins Pub of the Year again!

On Saturday 15th February, Landlord, Andy Simmonds, of The Ploughman in Werrington, was presented with the Peterborough and District CAMRA Pub of the Year Award, 2014. The event was very well attended by both locals and CAMRA members alike. Everyone was in party mood! There was ale in abundance, 10 real ales and 2 ciders, plus a free buffet, which was kindly supplied by mine host! All in all an excellent evening.

This is the second time The Ploughman has been voted Peterborough and District CAMRA Pub of the Year. No mean feat for a pub that has had the threat of closure hanging over it! This achievement highlights the dedication and hard work of Andy and his team and that of his supporters.

Presentation picture and front cover image kindly supplied by Emma Bothamley at ESP magazine.

Peterborough Branch Website |www.real-ale.org.uk

Bexar County Brewery The brewery was represented at local winter ales festivals in Cambridge and Ely, with further appearances at Leicester and St Neots.

The beers have been appearing in pubs and bottle shops near and far, including the House of the Trembling Madness in York.

A special bitter was brewed for Pub of the Year Award at the Ploughman in Werrington and a specially commissioned birthday beer was s created for Malcolm, the most regular of regulars, at the Hand and Heart. A house beer for the Iron Horse Ranch House in Market Deeping marks the first “core” beer for the brewery and is called Prospect.

A recent ‘meet the brewer’ event at the Stamford Cheese Cellar provided an excellent opportunity to present the beers to a new audience. The shop is currently stocking 13 varieties of bottled beers from the brewery.

Bexar are pursuing a series of collaborations with other breweries including Xtreme Ales of Turves where beer was brewed on their plant.

Further ventures include Bartrams Brewery, Bury St Edmonds in early March, Hand Drawn Monkey of Huddersfield and Three Blind Mice a new brewery in Ely. The Brewery will continue to brew new and existing beers but will also begin to revisit old favourites. A wooden barrel-ageing program will also begin in March with a Strong Dark Beer being brewed and then aged in a hogshead for a year.

National press coverage was achieved in the new Craft Beer Rising magazine with a three page article.

Elgoods Spring Challenge is the new seasonal for March and April to replace Warrior. It will be a light Hoppy ale at 3.7%. www.real-ale.org.uk

The only other news is the Keg Irish Stout trialled recently is now a permanent feature.

Hopshackle Brewery - Market Deeping The third fermenter is now operational enabling an extra two brews per month. A new beer called ZEN 3.8% abv, a traditional English bitter, is now available. Hopshackle beers are being supplied regularly to The Vine, Market Deeping; The Willoughby Arms, Little Bytham; The Green Man, Jolly Brewer and Tobie Norris in Stamford; The Crown, Peterborough and The Blue Bell, Easton On The Hill.

The full selection of Hopshackle Bottled Beers are available permanently at The Stamford Cheese and Wine Cellar.

Hopshackle Brewery has a very good relationship with their new neighbours Simon and Tom at Star Brewing, regularly helping each other out. Maybe we can encourage an exciting collaboration brew!

Mile Tree Brewery Mile Tree Brewery are expecting a busy time as The Secret Garden Touring Park opened on the 1st March. A hop garden has been created in the Mile Tree Kitchen Garden, a new venture that is being run by Danny Seeley where a “hedgerow” variety of hop called First Gold has been planted with the view of producing green hop beer in the next few years. Strawberry Blonde and Wellstream beers are both back by popular demand and will be brewed throughout the spring and summer.

The 1850 Porter proved so successful in bottles that it will now be produced in cask. The brewery will be represented at the following:- Charters Easter Beer Festival, Cambridge Beer Festival and Ely Folk Festival and will also be present at Sacrewell Farm Spring Fayre, St Georges Day Festival, March, Midsummer Fayre, Chatteris and the Ely Eel Festival.

BLO Reports | 9

Nene Valley Brewery Nene Valley beers will now be a regular feature in the Talbot Inn, Oundle and have returned to the Ship, Oundle. Sales Director, John Blythin, is gradually making his way into pubs in the branch area looking to introduce himself to potential customers.

Brewing has been going on apace to replenish stocks which were depleted over Christmas.

Thursday 30th January saw the first Beer of the Month club of 2014 and some 30 plus souls braved the elements to savour two new brews as well as all of the regular brews. Big Bang Theory, a 5.2% golden beer, more heavily hopped than other Nene Valley brews, was well received with positive comments heard all evening. The other new brew was a variation on Jim’s Little Brother but brewed using a saison yeast. The spiciness was a revelation and proved an antidote to the inclement weather.

Nene Valley Brewery were enthusiastic exhibitors at Craft Beer Rising 2014 which took place at the old Truman Brewery, Ely’s Yard, 15 Hanbury St, London, from 21 to 23 February. In all they took with them 5 beers, Australian Pale (4.4%), DXB (4.6%), Big Bang Theory (5.3%), Starless & Bible Black (6.5% - bottle-strength) and Fenland Farmhouse Saison (7.2%), described as a “Mutant Belgian Blond Ale”.

Oakham Ales Oakham Belong to Glasgow! Oakham Ales recently won two ‘Battle of the Brewers’ competitions at the Hengler’s Circus, one of Glasgow’s eight Weatherspoon outlets, and from this were invited to have their own Glasgow Festival spread around all eight pubs, due to the popularity of the beers. They supplied each pub with ten different beers from their core and occasional range over a nine day period from 10th February selling a total of 120 firkins (9 gallon barrel), of beer.

An overnight stay in the city by the draymen meant the pubs received beer delivered directly from the brewery. This was well received by the company. The whole venture proved an overwhelming success. Oakham Ales now have five outlets in Scotland in The Oakademy scheme, one in Glasgow and four in Edinburgh. The total nationwide membership is now over 250.

A couple of new beers will be available during March and April with Don’t Panic 4.1% available for Oakademy pubs and Curmudgeon 4.5% the new second quarter seasonal offering.

As promised at the end of last year, Green Devil I.P.A. will soon be available again in bottles but the Real Ale in a Bottle version, in 660ml bottles is no more. It will now be a filtered beer in 500ml bottles like the rest of the bottled range. Quite simply, the supermarkets weren’t interested in the bigger version so downsizing it is. Put it at the top of the weekly shop.

Star Brewing Company Newly relocated Star brewery hit the ground running since taking up new premises in Market Deeping. Their first seasonal brew Astral 4.4% sold out within the first week. Their second seasonal ale Cosmos 3.9%, a dark hoppy bitter will be available shortly and is be followed in April with Dark Matter, a 4.4% stout.

All the stable beers have been brewed since they opened last month and have been flying out of the door faster than Simon can brew.

They have also been “doing their bit” for charity and have brewed and bottled a beer named after inspirational Head Teacher, Martin Bacon, who died of a brain tumour in May of last year. (see page 13).

continued on page 11 > Peterborough Branch Website |www.real-ale.org.uk

Brewery News Continued As we understand it 48 cases of this beer have already been produced, with proceeds going to Sue Ryder Hospice, Thorpe Hall, where Mr Bacon was treated before his death.

Tydd Steam The latest beer from Will is Learning to Fly which is 4.0% ABV, a golden, hoppy beer.

The first batch sold very well. Cock, a dark mild, has just been brewed and Stargazer will make another appearance in the near future.

Will supplied beer for the Ely Beer Festival which was held in February.

Xtreme Ales The brewery has been busy, with their festival special for the Ely Beer Festival “Etheldreda” selling out. In addition to their beer being sold in the Letter B in Whittlesey, the Vine at Coates will also be stocking Xtreme Ales.

The Cherry Tree 9 - 11 Oundle Road, Peterborough PE2 9PB Tel: 01733 703495

FOUR Real Ales available including Oakham Inferno,Timothy Tayor Landlord and two changing guest ales.

OPEN ALL DAY EVERYDAY Traditional Meals Served Mon - Fri and Sundays Private Function room holds up to 40 people Ideal for small meetings, weddings and parties Covered Smoking Area AMPLE PARKING • CAMRA GOLD AWARD

www.cherrytree-inn.co.uk

There are a number of beer festivals which will be stocking Xtreme beers including:Leicester Beer Festival.

A collaboration chocolate stout brewed with Bexar County called ‘Co Co Cuckoo’ at 6.7% and a festival special called ‘Ligore’ at 4.3% which is light and hoppy.

Iron Horse Ranch House Beer Festival.

Running between 11th and 13th April, this festival will launch the ‘Double Five’, a golden ale brewed with 5 different Malts and 5 different Hops.

Hand & Heart, St Georges Day Beer Festival.

There will be three pins, a 5% Chocolate Stout and two yet unnamed new beers.

Coalheavers Beer Festival.

There will be a light and hoppy festival special produced.

Peterborough Branch Website |www.real-ale.org.uk

Brewery News | 13

Brewing for Charity Friends of an ‘inspirational’ head teacher who died from a brain tumour last year have raised a toast in his memory by producing a beer named after him. Colleagues of Martin Bacon who led Nene Park Academy as principal have launched the drink entitled MBA Martin Bacon Ale. The beer which is being made at the Star Brewing Company in Market Deeping will raise funds for the Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, where Mr Bacon was treated before he died in May aged 46. The Brew was dreamt up and designed by his colleagues at Cambridgeshire Meridian Academies Trust (CMAT) who thought it would be a perfect tribute to Mr Bacon, who was a real ale fan.

Tom Marriott, joint owner of the Star Brewing Company said, “We were contacted by CMAT and thought it was a great idea, so we were happy to get involved. The first 400 bottles have already

sold out and we’re currently producing the second batch.” It’s a golden 4.4% best bitter which is quite hoppy and has been made using Australian and European Hops.

The tribute on the label reads, “Martin Bacon was a truly inspirational Teacher and leader who was passionate about education and about getting the very best out of every student. He was also a real ale fan who had many of his most innovative ideas after a couple of pints of the real stuff”.

The beer comes in boxes of 12 and costs £30. £10 per box goes to Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. To order contact Star Brewing Co on 01778 380480 or email Clive Paskell cpaskell@cmatrust.net Mike Blakesley Press Officer

An Unexpected Pleasure

14 | Beer in Paris

W

hen we recently visited Paris we expected to be met by the usual sea of Kronenbourg and Carling when we wanted to have a beer, but we were pleasantly surprised to find that the artisanal beer scene in Paris is starting to grow. The main object of our trip was to visit and catch up with our friends Kay and Josh Reid. They are former landlord and landlady of the award winning Fullers pub, The Chequers in Chipping Norton. Having retired from the trade they are now travelling round France in a Dutch Barge, but they moor up for the winter in Paris. We hadn’t set out with the intention of writing an article for BAE, but having found a couple of bars that serve a selection of artisanal beers, we thought we would share our memories for any of you who are planning a visit to Paris.

The first night we were led by our friends to a bar called Express de Lyon, which can be found at 1 Rue de Lyon, 75012 Paris, very close to Gare de Lyon Station. Here they have a selection of at least 12 “pression” artisanal beers from throughout Europe, together with a good selecwww.real-ale.org.uk

tion of bottled beers. Val was very impressed by the Wheat is the New Hops, a 6% very fruity wheat beer from Copenhagen, and I enjoyed a beer called Home. I have forgotten where it was brewed, but it was a fine 7.5% American IPA style beer.

On our second day, whilst walking from the Eiffel Tower towards the Arc de Triomphe we came across a bar advertising itself as having a microbrewery. So, being foot-sore and thirsty we decided to drop in for a rest and a beer. It was called Frog XVI and can be found at 110 bis, Avenue Kleber, 75016, Paris. It turns out to be one of a chain of six microbrewery pubs in Paris.

Their website is www.frogpubs.com. There they had a choice of six beers, all between 4.2% and 5.2%ABV, some with appropriate names such as Inseine, Dark de Triomphe and Parislytic.

It seemed too much of a choice really, but this was resolved when a very friendly barman gave us a sample tray of each of the beers. We both settled on a beer called Ginger Twist 4.2% with lots of ginger and a hint of orange.

Beer in Paris| 15

The last, but certainly the best bar we found was called Le Super Coin at 3 rue Baudelique, 75018, Paris, just north of Montmartre. (www.supercoin.net). It’s a tiny bar with basic furnishing, but with a fantastic atmosphere. We got there for happy hour, 17:00-20:00, some hour!

The place was heaving with young French people of both sexes, almost all of them tucking in to the beer.

All seemed very friendly and the young lady behind the bar was very helpful. Here they have only three pression taps, but an ever changing selection of between 50 and 60 bottled beers, mostly from France. To help you choose, they have a printed beer menu, but it is only in French.

On their pression pumps, when we were there, they had an 8% American IPA style beer called Frappadingue from Brasserie des Garrigues in the Gard region. This was the beer we both chose, and I have to say, it’s one of the best beers I have tried recently. On the other pumps they had a 6.5% chocolate flavoured stout called Fièvre de Cacao brewed by Brasserie Thiriez from the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region and a true pilsner type beer from the Czech Republic called Pivovar Kout Na Sumade. We only intended to stop for a “demi”, but ended up having an extra pint and a half.

The beers all cost between 6 and 10 euros for a pint, with the cheapest being at Le Super Coin, but when you are getting an 8% beer that’s not too bad. And don’t be put off by the myth that the French won’t talk English to you, we found that if we made the effort to talk to them in French, especially about beer, most were more than happy to carry on in English.

Finally, we found that Paris is to hold the International Paris Beerweek Festival from May 24 to June 1, 2014.

Leigh and Val Shepherd

www.real-ale.org.uk

Celebrating Fine Ale in the Fine City 2014

Norwich City of Ale | 17

Now in its fourth year, the Norwich City of Ale Festival which has become a firm favourite for ale lovers across the UK, will run from 22 May through to 1 June, 2014. Last year 42 Norwich pubs served 229 cask ales brewed by 36 local breweries during the ten-day festival. A total of 57,000 pints were enjoyed. Whilst all this evidence points to a highly successful festival, organisers are keen not to rest on their laurels, but to ensure that 2014 is better and packed with more brews and more events.

“Norwich and its Norfolk hinterland have so much going for them with a fine, historic city, compact enough to be walkable, lots of welcoming real ale pubs and over thirty local breweries producing a great range of ales from mainly local malts and grains,” Dawn Leeder, co-chair of City of Ale explained.

As well as the 229 cask ales last year’s festival offered 133 events ranging from beer tastings, mystery tours on the City of Ale bus, a pub treasure hunt and a local brewery pop-up shop.

More details at www.Cityofale.org.uk /2014.

Peterborough CAMRA Cricket: Canterbury and all that for 2014!

Once again Peterborough CAMRA Cricket will be having a summer packed full of competitive games, sandwich and cake based teas, and not forgetting beer. Below are the fixtures arranged to date, minus the mid-week league games, which will not be known until April. This year’s tour is to Canterbury & Kent during the first weekend of July, when we will be playing a 20/20 match on the Friday against Littlebourne, and either 40 over or timed games against Selling and Dover Cosmopolitan. For the third year we will be playing our home matches at Orton Park.

Spectators are welcome at all matches - just don’t expect a free tea!

If you feel up for a laugh, beer or even to seriously play cricket, drop Matt Mace an email on mattmace@hotmail.com or call him on 07809 629241. For further information on games and our social events please look us up on Facebook or the ECB Play Cricket website.

Matt Mace

Date 13/04/2014 20/04/2014 27/04/2014 04/05/2014 05/05/2014 11/05/2014 18/05/2014 25/05/2014 01/06/2014 08/06/2014 15/06/2014 22/06/2014 29/06/2014 04/07/2014 05/07/2014 06/07/2014 13/07/2014

Home Team Orton Park CC - Friendly XI Old Eastonians CC - Friendly XI Bourne Optomists - Friendly XI Upwood CC - Friendly XI Wansford in England - 1st XI Southwick Strokers - 1st XI Braybrooke CC - Braybrooke Elton Park - Friendly XI Rushden Wanderers - Friendly XI Welney Croft CC - 1st XI Motley Crew - Friendly XI Witham-on-the-Hill CC - Friendly XI Pytchley CC - 1st XI Littlebourne CC - Midweek XI Selling CC - Saturday XI Dover Cosmopolitans CC - 1st XI Elton Park - Friendly XI

Venue A A A A A A A A H A A A H A A A A

www.real-ale.org.uk

18 | Please support our advertisers

12 Highbury Street, Millfield, Peterborough PE1 3BE 01733 564653

www.thehandandheart.com

This backstreet local is a well kept secret just one mile from Peterborough City Centre! Citi One Stagecoach Bus stops on Lincoln Rd, just 200 yards from the pub.

The only pub within Cambridgeshire to be listed in CAMRA’s National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors.

St George’s Be er Festival Weds 23rd - Sun 27th April in aid of Help 4 Heroes.

Numerous Real Ales & Cidersials)

beers or fest spec (many from new breweries, new olux, Psycho Bombs, Retr Bands conf irmed: The Name, y Ukele Band, Chris Palm que, Opa s, arian Libr IgnitionThe Grumpy Waiters, The Reid e Numerous Real Ales & Ciders (many from Barrie, Nick Corney, Dav new breweries, new beers or fest specials) Fyzz Wallis and many more.

Well maintained, family friendly garden.

Well behaved dogs and walkers welcome.

Friends of the Hand & Heart

11 CONSECUTIVE YEARS

in the Good Beer Guide

Music sessions are Thurs 24th 9-close (in bar) e) Fri 25th 7 - 10:30pm (garden stag e) stag en (gard pm 10:30 7 Sat 26th e) Sun 27th 5 - 10:30pm (garden stag

Home cooked food at the weekend.

P

GO Ceterb W LD AMRoroug IN AW A h NE A R RD 20 13 Real traditional ale house in the heart of the city

5 Regularly Rotating Ales Opening Times :- Sunday to Thursday 12noon - 11pm Friday to Saturday 11am - 1.30am

Live Music Fridays and Saturdays ring or check facebook for details!

North Street, behind Westgate House, Peterborough Tel: 01733 746370 www.facebook.com/ostrichinn www.real-ale.org.uk

IN THE CAMRA GOOD BEER GUIDE 2013

Membership Matters

CAMRA Membership Information| 19

There are many reasons for joining CAMRA: campaigning to help save pubs and breweries which are under threat of closure; for the right to receive a Full Pint; lobbying Parliament to reduce duty on beer; reduced price or free entry to many of the CAMRA beer festivals around the country. These are very good reasons for joining CAMRA, but do you know what other benefits there are as a CAMRA member. Here is a brief description of most of the benefits which members enjoy. More details, and conditions applied, are available on the CAMRA website (www.camra.org.uk).

What’s Brewing CAMRA’s monthly newspaper containing beer and pub news and details of events and beer festivals around the country.

BEER Magazine A quarterly magazine which has features on pubs, beers and breweries Beer Festivals Free or discounted admission to the 160 + beer festivals that CAMRA organise, including the Great British Beer Festival and the National Winter Ales Festival.

Pub Discount Scheme Many pubs around the country offer CAMRA members money off real ales. Search the CAMRA database to see if there is a pub offering a discount near you.

Complimentary Clubs These clubs are exclusive to all CAMRA members and are free to join. They offer members a variety of promotions, competitions and up to date news from the participating breweries. Promotions and competitions that have already been offered to members include free pint vouchers, discounts at brewery shops and competitions to win VIP brewery trips and merchandise.

Current participating breweries are: Amber Ales, Banks’s, Brakspear, Cheddar Ales, Everards, Fuller's, Hogs Back, Hook Norton, Jennings, JW Lees, Marston’s, Ringwood, Robinsons, St Austell, WharfeBank, Woodforde’s, Wychwood, Wye Valley Members Investment Club The Members Investment Club have been investing in breweries since 1989. There are nearly 4,000 members in the Club and at the end of January 2014 the fund value stood at just under £17m with a unit value of just over £4.59. If you are a member of CAMRA you are eligible to join the CAMRA Members’ Investment Club.

JD Wetherspoon £20 worth of JD Wetherspoon real ale vouchers BeerHawk 10% off for CAMRA members Cotswold Outdoor 10% off non-sale and non-offer products cottages4you 10% off for CAMRA members Hoseasons 10% off for CAMRA members Merlin Group Alton Towers Resort – save up to 40% Chessington World of Adventures – save up to 37% THORPE PARK – save up to 40% LEGOLAND Windsor Resort – save up to 35% LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester – save up to 44% LEGOLAND Holidays - save 10% Blackpool Tower Attractions – save up to 50% Madame Tussauds – save up to 30% The Dungeons – save up to 30% SEA LIFE centres – save up to 40% Warwick Castle- save up to 50% National Express 15% off for CAMRA members Red Letter Days 20% off all brewery tours & brew a beer days Toprooms 10% off for CAMRA members UK Boat Hire 15% off for CAMRA members

Bob Melville Membership Secretary

A

20 | Steve Williams goes Stateside

chance to visit the USA is an offer I have trouble refusing, especially if one of the reasons is beer. As most will know we have a Texan brewer called Steve Saldana in Peterborough and his unusual and aggressive brews at Bexar County Brewery have caused quite a stir, not only locally, but also further afield. It was with this in mind that I thought it would be a good idea to find out where he gets his inspiration, and as the gent hails from San Antonio it seemed a perfect place to start.

Despite travelling around bits of the USA, Texas has remained a mystery to me. My idea of what it would look like was probably based upon a diet of horse operas featuring John Wayne speaking slowly while sitting on a horse or Jimmy Stewart speaking even slower, also on a horse. One thing was for certain, Texas is big and San Antonio likewise. The city is widely spread, is about three times the size of Rutland and its close proximity to the Mexican border makes for a blend of cultures with many residents being bi-lingual.

www.real-ale.org.uk

The microbrewery explosion While much of the US has seen the growth of microbreweries gather pace, Texas got off to a bit of a slow start but things are changing, and fast.

San Antonio has seen nine breweries start up in the last three years with two in the last six months. An early upstart was Ranger Creek who are providing some truly inspirational brews for the beer drinkers around the Lone Star State.

It was while visiting the brewery back in 2011 that Steve made the acquaintance of Rob Landerman, the head brewer, who no doubt introduced him to a few new ideas. (Rob has now moved on and started his own brewery in Boise, Idaho called Woodland Empire Ale Craft). The current crew at Ranger Creek made our trio of beer drinkers very welcome and several visits were arranged for the coming days. One of the reasons for our visit, apart from drinking all that lovely beer, was to give a presentation to a collection of local brewers, bar owners and home brewers later in the week. The subject of our talk was to be ‘Cask Conditioned Beers’ which some may think is a bit erroneous considering that the US of A doesn’t have any, but things are changing fast with a number of bars

Steve Williams goes Stateside| 21

now going out of their way to source one-off casks for their customers.

With a few days to spare before the presentation it was time to engage our auxiliary livers, hit the town and see what the city could offer in the way of beer and skittles or whatever the Texan equivalent was. I assumed that there’d be an absence of John Wayne films, so craft beer and excellent food would make suitable alternatives.

There are a wealth of new establishments starting up in the city including the aforementioned Ranger Creek, who have set a small area aside to function as a ‘Tap Room’. This appears to be the norm for small breweries as this saves the expense of setting up a separate pub or bar in another location. Our next port of call after Ranger Creek was Branchline Brewing which also has a tap room serving a wide range of homemade beers.

From my Belgian Style IPA soaked pages in my notebook I can just decipher that there were around 10 beers on offer, one of which was a blonde ale infused with mandarin and cranberries!

As I knew my request for a pint of bitter was going to be met with a blank stare I opted for their Woodcutter Rye IPA, as did my son Rob, whose enthusiasm for American beers was as unrestrained as only an 18 year old could be, when confronted with lots of strong beers being paid for

by Dad! Next on our list of breweries to visit was Busted Sandal who started in August 2013. Here we were met with a choice of El Robusto Stout, Headlights IPA and Slippery Rock IPA all of which were superb and comfortably sampled in their tap room (I knew the idea would catch on!).

It was here that we had an impromptu brewery

tour, guided by the brewer, before retiring back to the tap room where we were looked after by Seth, our barman for the evening.

There are also a number of specialist beer bars that were worth a visit including the ‘Cove’ which describes itself as a bar, restaurant, laundromat and carwash! It actually has two bars, one of which only served Texan beers which I though was a good a reason as any to prop it up for most of the evening!

Working on the idea that you should never eat on an empty stomach you should always have food after drinking beer. In San Antonio the choice is vast, diverse and tasty. A favourite with locals is a well used establishment called Freebird who will create a burrito to your personal requirements which can range in size from ‘small wimpy English guy size’ to something the size of a piano. Ideal for soaking up craft beers apparently. An abundance of BBQ restaurants can also be found around the city which serve beef in many guises and very large portions. I’m not sure how much meat is eaten in Texas but I’d bet the state line announces ‘Welcome to Texas, no vegetarian options available’.

Show time Our presentation was to be a game of two halves with Texas Steve providing the ‘how to brew’ part while yours truly would follow up the rear with ‘how to look after cask conditioned ales’. Young Rob would be on standby to drink beer just in case nobody turned up. You will of course be wondering how an 18 year old can drink when the official age for consuming alcoholic beverages is 21?

The answer is very simple. An exemption exists in

continued overleaf

TEXAS Three go mad in

www.real-ale.org.uk

22 | Please support our advertisers

Attention all Publicans • Cafés Hoteliers • Restaurateurs • Takeaways

COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES Up to 10 rat / mice bait stations and 3 quarterly refills.

DOMESTIC PROPERTIES 3 rat / mice bait stations and up to 3 visits.

• FREE ON DEMAND CALL OUTS •

1 wasp nest and up to 3 visits

lso We a l d ea er ot h with like t pes s aches ro cock

ONLY £90* ONLY £35* We guarantee to beat any genuine like-for-like quote! *within 25 mile radius of central Peterborough.

For properties outside this area or multiple outlets, please ask for a quote.

www.real-ale.org.uk

Steve Williams goes Stateside - continued | 23

Texas State Law which says that any youngster can prop up the bar and have a beer if accompanied by Mum or Dad and, of course, it also depends upon whether his homework has been completed beforehand.

But I digress. For the occasion we had pre-arranged to have some of Ranger Creek’s Oatmeal Pale Ale racked off into a cask some weeks prior to our arrival. Specific instructions were given regarding how to look after the casks, keeping the temperature at a steady 13 degrees C and not moving them about, venting and tapping the beers would be handled by ourselves. We had also arranged with Branchline Brewing, to produce their Woodcutter Rye IPA in cask version and deliver to Ranger Creek for sampling at the event.

We had visited Ranger Creek several times just to make sure all was going according to plan, and of course have a quick sample of their beers, purely for quality control reasons you understand.

About fifty or so interested people had gathered at the brewery for our gig and a wonderful buzz of enthusiasm and beer talk filled the air. We had sufficient time to sample a beer or two and chat to visitors from all over the city, some had even driven from a brewery near Austin about a 80 miles away just for the event.

Ranger Creek’s Head Brewer, Holland, gave an introduction and Steve launched into his lightly polished presentation about how he brews his beers in the UK and how the market differs from the US. The evening flowed along nicely with a full spectrum of intelligent questions from the gathered throng which was very encouraging. My ‘How to Look after Cask Beer’ went pleasingly well followed by a flurry of relevant questions, ranging from carbon dioxide levels to Race Spiles and Cask Breathers. There was also quite an interest in how the pub and brewery trade is carried out in the UK. Our talk concluded in good time and so

there was enough time to chat amongst the brewers and bar owners with promises to visit their establishments in the next few days.

Requests we were only too happy to comply with!

The idea of cask beers certainly raised some interest and many of the new breweries are already embracing innovative ideas to provide cask beer.

The use of casks provides a way of making additions to standard brews as breweries use a sealed system which moves beer from conditioning tanks straight to kegs under a low CO2 pressure making it difficult to modify part of the brew. Racking some off to a cask or two gives a great opportunity to come up with new themes for their beers and has already been adopted by a number of local breweries. Some of the additions used have ranged from additional hops and fruit to herbs and spices giving a whole new direction to their beers.

Cask beer in the US will continue to make appearances in specialist bars but it will remain a niche product and the chances of it appearing in mainstream bars is minimal. But then they did say that about real ale in Britain 35 years ago!

Our thanks to all of the brewers and bar owners for their hospitality during our short stay.

Hopefully we can revisit in the near future, and if they need volunteers to help run a cask beer festival we’ll be at Heathrow before you can say Oatmeal Pale Ale! Steve Williams

www.real-ale.org.uk

DIARY DATES APRIL Monday 7th Committee meeting.

Palmerson Arms, Oundle Road. 8.30pm.

All branch members welcome, please bring membership card.

Tuesday 22nd Young Members Night – Pub games night at The Dragon, Werrington between Young Members Section and the rest of the branch. Games will include Darts, Pool, Skittles and Shove Ha’penny. Please contact Young Members Contact, Kara Williams, if you would like to take part.

MAY Wednesday 7th Committee meeting. Venue to be confirmed.8.30pm.

All branch members welcome, please bring membership card Saturday 10th Mighty Micro’s 3. Star Brewery, Bexar County and Mile Tree.

Depart Brewery Tap 11.00 am return by 8pm.

Cost £10 (No food included in cost). To book contact Social Secretary, John Hunt.

Diary Dates and Festival Listings | 25

Wednesday 23rd Cock Inn, Werrington St Georges Day Beer Festival MAY Thursday 1st - Sunday 4th Coalheavers Spring Beer Festival. 50+ real ales, cider and perry. Jamaican BBQ on Sunday.

Thursday 22nd May - Sunday 1st June Norwich City of Ale (see advert opposite) Friday 23rd - Monday 26th Blue Bell, Easton on the Hill Beer Festival and Fete. 24+ local ales and ciders Thursday 29th May - Sunday 1st June Woolpack, Stanground - Beer Festival with 10 real ales and live music JUNE Saturday 7th Kings Head, Apethorpe - Bavarian Beer and Food Festival. Live music, real ale, and German Lagers, Hog Roast and German Food.

BEER FESTIVALS

APRIL Friday 11th - Sunday 13th Iron Horse Skool of Rock & Roll. Live music and beer festival weekend.

Thursday 17th - Tuesday 29th Pig and Hog Spring Beer Festival, split between the Pig and Falcon and Hog and Partridge in St Neots.

Thursday 17th - Wednesday 23rd Hand and Heart St Georges Beer Festival Friday 18th - Monday 21st Rose and Crown, March- Easter Beer Festival, 20+ real ales and ciders Sunday 20th Fun Day and Easter Beer Festival at Peterborough Conservative Club on Broadway. Food and music. Everyone welcome.

• Food Served Daily • 12-3pm Monday - Sunday 6-9pm Friday & Saturday Sky HD and BT showing Football and Rugby

t. 01780 755141 w. jollybrewer.com Foundry Road, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 2PP

26 | Please support our advertisers

Goodbye Sarge

Obituary - Malcolm Sargent | 27

the professional setting up of the festival. Never a man to shirk any task put before him, he would enthusiastically set to, making sure the job was done to his satisfaction. Whilst the festival was open he was part of the ‘crash force’ who sorted out any problems that arose during the festival with vigour. As a retired maintenance engineer his skills and know how came to the fore in solving many of these “problem” tasks.

It is with great sadness that we have to report the passing on of one of our most sincere members who helped us for many years at the Peterborough Beer Festival. Malcolm Sargent was a dedicated volunteer who was involved mainly in the building and maintenance of the PBF as part of the logistics and site team. Very often a friendly rivalry would be played out by Malcolm and ‘his crew’ against some of the other volunteers involved in

Last year we were aware that Malcolm was not in the best of health and could not spend as much time at the festival as he had done in the past. We learnt later in the year that he was admitted to hospital with serious problems. It was nevertheless still a shock to hear of his rapid deterioration and passing. We send our condolences to his wife and family for their sad loss. The photo alongside this report is a typical one showing Malcolm at his best doing what he loved to be involved in. We shall all miss ‘The Sarge’.

DM.

Coalheavers Mystery Tour

T

he latest leg of The Coalheavers Arms tour party`s quest for beer utopia was to be a mystery trip with only myself and the boss having any clue as to where we were going. Having concocted the trip about 3 months ago I wondered if I would be able to keep it a secret for such a long time. As it happened, no one had a clue until we were almost there.

Several days before we went I set up a sweepstake of 22 potential places we could feasibly get to in less than 2 hours 45 minutes for less than £24 and where there were plenty of good beer guide listed pubs. On arrival at the train station the crew were instructed to go to platform 5 for the 8.52 train. Everyone whose sweepstake destination involved a change at Birmingham were now getting excited thinking the prize money would be theirs and all those whose chosen destination was North looked decidedly crestfallen. Four minutes before the train was due I told them we were really going from platform 4 right down the far end. A very conniving move on my part I thought.

We were on the Leeds train but were we going to Leeds or would we change at Grantham or Retford or Doncaster? Still they did not know.

Arriving at Leeds we had a 40 minute wait so had www.real-ale.org.uk

a quick pint in the station’s Wetherspoons. It really wasn`t very good. Even at this point the group still had no clue as to where they were going. You can get anywhere from Leeds. I knew I couldn`t keep it from them much longer as we boarded the train that would terminate at Skipton. Were we going to Skipton or were we going to one of the stops en route such as Keighley, home to Timothy Taylor’s Brewery, or world heritage town Saltaire or even Shipley? As we passed by all of those stops it soon became clear that we were going to Skipton and I think everyone was more than happy with that as Skipton is great. It sounds like a small Yorkshire village but it is actually a fairly big town and has loads of pubs, even though we were only going to visit two of them. Part 2 of the mystery tour was where else would we be going?

First pub of the day was The Woolly Sheep which was a lovely old pub owned by Timothy Taylor’s Brewery. They carried the entire range of Taylor’s beers and also Saltaire Brewery’s Hopfen and Blonde. All of the Taylors beers were in immaculate condition. A chalkboard on the wall proclaimed the pub had sold 1487 pints of Tim Taylor’s beers last week. I had the Boltmakers Bitter which was as good a beer as we had all day.

Coalheavers on Tour | 29

The pub was quite busy even at 11.40 in the morning and had a great outdoor area that could probably seat 40 people and there was an outside bar, or “Baaa”, as it was called for the pubs beer festival. The pub was called Woolly Sheep after all!

Two minutes away down a small alleyway was pub number 2, the fantastic Narrowboat. On offer here were 8 beers such as Durham Columbus IPA and Cocoa Stout, Ilkley Mary Jane, Saltaire Hopfen, O`Kells Bitter and Copper Dragon Golden Pippin and once again all were in top form. We were there about 12.15 and it was getting quite busy but there were plenty of staff on duty, all of whom were very friendly, chatty and knowledgeable about their products. Something one or two Peterborough pubs I can think of should try.

The next stop was possibly the biggest hit of the day, Skipton Pie and Mash Shop. We always get a bit peckish after 2 or 3 pints, so 20 of us descended on the shop, though we did give them prior warning, and the food there was wonderful. £4.50 for a choice of about 8 pies including vegetarian, mash or chips, mushy peas and gravy or liquor. If you ever go to Skipton, do go to the Pie and Mash Shop.

Time now to get back on the train for Leeds, and it was a bit of a sprint for a few of the crew who cut it a bit fine. We were on the Leeds train but where were we going now? As it happens it was to be the world heritage site of Saltaire. Half of Saltaire was built by mill owner Titus Salt to house his workers. When he was alive he would not allow any pubs in the town as he didn`t agree with alcohol and didn’t want his workers performance diminished by the effects of beer. Luckily Tim Taylor’s Landlord was available along with Kelham Island Back to Black, Ossett Treacle Stout and Jester, Fernandes Gold and Kirkstall Pale and once again all were spot on even though they were scrunched out through a sparkler. There are a few pubs there now, the best of which is Fanny`s Ale and Cider House. Yes, it is as good as it sounds. Fanny`s is an old multi roomed pub still running on gaslight. There is a slight gassy smell

as you enter but you soon get used to it. It`s quite a dark but atmospheric pub though could do with a touch of re-decorating, but a really great place.

We all know that they would remove the sparkler if asked but sometimes it’s just easier to keep them on. When in Rome etc. It’s a North South divide that will never change.

My Google map reckoned the next pub was a 15 minute walk away but was nearer to 30. Good old Google maps! However, it did lead us to a great pub, The Junction at Baildon. Six times Bradford Pub of the Year in the last 10 years alone and home to The Junction Brewery. Yes, a brewpub in the middle of nowhere. It’s a large old building with 3 or 4 rooms and just a great atmosphere. All the regulars reckon it’s the best pub for miles around and they could well be right. This was made better by the fact they were showing the England v All Blacks on TV. Rugby Union up North!!!

Only one of their own beers was on, Junction Blonde along with local, for us, Oakham JHB and Elgoods Apocalypse Cow and also Fullers ESB, Saltaire Blonde and Rudgate Hagars Mash. Yet again, all good though nobody tried our own local beers. Why would we?

Last pub was the recently opened Fox just next to Shipley station. I believe it opened at the end of September and is owned by the former owner of the Salamander Brewery, and as such, there are normally 1 or 2 Salamander beers on. Other beers on during our visit were Wold Top Wold Gold, Saltaire Hazelnut Coffee Porter and Saddlers JPA. This is a small place, but handily only 30 seconds from the station. Yet again, the beers were good and they have an impressive selection of bottled beers from around the world. The 8% Guinness was superb. If all Guinness tasted that way I would drink it all the time.

Usually on our trips there will be a pub that is a bit weaker than others and we usually get at least one dodgy pint but not this time, all the pubs and all the beers were great, I would recommend it to anyone.

Dave Botton. www.real-ale.org.uk

30 | Please support our advertisers

New managers Shirlie and Fernando have recently moved to Helpston and refurbished this friendly characterful pub bringing a hint of Spain.

The Bluebell is now offering an extensive food menu combining the English dishes you love with a tasty Spanish twist. From haddock & chips to the social enjoyment of sharing authentic tapas.

The Ramblewood Inn ‘The pub in the woods’ The all day venue – Open for meals and snacks 12pm to 9pm daily A conservatory restaurant with food served all day, nooks and crannies in the old stables, outdoor seating and extensive parking, plus a selection of Real Ales.

Real food, Real ales, Real pub BEST WESTERN PLUS Orton Hall Hotel & Spa, The Village, Orton Longueville, Peterborough, PE2 7DN Tel: 01733 391111

50% OFF

All food purchased when you spend £25 or more

Name Email Postcode Terms and Conditions - Coupon valid only when £25 or more is spent on food, cannot be exchanged for cash, does not apply to spend on drinks cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion, not valid for parties in excess of 8 people. Valid until Saturday 31st May 2014. If you do not wish to receive further promotions please tick here.

For special offers, news and travel directions visit www.traditionalinns.co.uk www.real-ale.org.uk

Introducing our new I would like to introduce myself as the newly appointed LocAle Coordinator for Peterborough and District CAMRA. My name is Dave McLennan and I have recently taken over from John Rice, who has reluctantly resigned from the role due to ill health. He will certainly be a hard act to follow and I shall have difficulty in achieving his level of commitment and dedication, although I will try my hardest. I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my regards and thanks to John who has supported and assisted me during the commencement of my role.

Both my wife Tracy and I are keen real ale drinkers and CAMRA members. We have lived in Peterborough since 1997and were former landlord and landlady of three establishments in the area between 1997 and 2008 namely:The Carpenters Arms, Crowland, 1997-2002 The Golden Pheasant, Etton, 2002-2004 The Palmerston Arms, Peterborough, 2004-2008 We have now returned to our full time careers and are enjoying the industry from the other side of the bar!

Coordinator I have, with my wife’s help, embarked on a gradual tour of LocAle accredited establishments within the area to introduce myself to participating Licensees, provide latest promotional materials and to sample some of their fine wares. We are both enjoying this immensely. If you are a Licensee and have not, as yet, had a visit, one should be imminent.

If there are establishments in the area that are not yet involved and who would like to join or to receive information on the scheme, please do not hesitate to contact me. I will be more than happy to meet you at your premises and explain criteria necessary to become LocAle accredited.

I am also brewery Liaison Officer for Star Brewery, now of Market Deeping. I would like to wish both Simon and Tom success in their local venture and look forward to drinking their ales at establishments in our area.

David L McLennan Peterborough & District Locale Coordinator

LocAle Accreditation Presentation Nine intrepid CAMRA members ventured into the wilds of Lincolnshire, namely Market Deeping, on the night of the 24th February, in order to present a LocAle Accreditation Certificate, to an innovative Father and Daughter team.

The venue was the “Iron Horse Ranch House”, in the High Street, which is predominantly an American themed restaurant with an added edge.

Richard & Verity Swinscoe have managed to combine a varied menu of tasty, good value food, with the addition of four real ales, milk shakes, craft beers and the list goes on! What is particularly impressive is their dedication to LocAle, with normally 3 out of 4 beers qualifying for the LocAle scheme. They are planning a LocAle Beer Festival, for the weekend commencing 11th April 2014 which should be a fantastic event, so watch the diary dates or Peterborough CAMRA Facebook for updates.

There are also plans to have a permanent Bexar County Beer on sale, which I believe is exclusive to them.

The winning formula at the moment seems to be that all are welcome, beer lovers, diners, and young teenagers enjoying a milk shake.

A really good night was had by all, and as it was the first award made in my new role, I was pleased to have my predecessor alongside me for the evening. Thank you, John Rice, for your support.

Richard & Verity were kind enough to supply us all a complimentary pint of LocAle, and a fine spread of American style nibbles which were very tasty and welcome. I sincerely wish them the success they deserve, and am looking forward to a return visit.

David L McLennan Peterborough & District Locale Coordinator

32 | Please support our advertisers

The Rose & Crown in March

Easter Beerfest

Friday 18th April – Monday 21st April 2014

20+ Real Ales and Real Ciders

PUB OPENING HOURS Friday, Saturday & Sunday: 12noon-midnight Monday: 12noon-11pm Pub food served 12noon-8pm

41 St Peters Road, March, PE15 9NA

www.real-ale.org.uk

Tel: 01354 652077

LIVE MUSIC

(Sat & Sun Evenings)

www.theroseandcrownmarch.co.uk

Beer Scoring

Those CAMRA members who actually read What’s Brewing will have noticed regular references to ‘Beer Scoring’ over the last year or so. However, if I ask other members if they use it, the answer is invariably ‘No’. Most say they don’t because it’s too difficult and the rest seem to think it’s only for ‘tickers’.

Wrong on both counts.

Since the launch of “What Pub” it has become as easy as four taps on your mobile screen, just go to www.whatpub.com, in the search box start to type in the name of the pub you are in, a selection will usually be presented before you finish typing, pick the correct one from the list, then move the slider to the score you want, the date will be filled in automatically (it can be changed if required) you can then type in the brewery & beer, but both are optional (we would however prefer them to be entered as it helps give an idea of which beers are available throughout the area) and press submit. This should take about a minute to complete.

This can also be done on your PC at home. If you prefer to do this, the web address is the same. If you have no access to the internet and would like to score your beers then write them down and send them to me (postal BAE address) and I will add them on your behalf.

The main reason for beer scoring is to help select entries to the ‘Good Beer Guide’ as with the best will in the world it is impossible to regularly visit every pub in the branch, but there is likely to be at least 1 member in every pub regularly so it helps the committee to know what’s happening around the branch and can also highlight pubs off the beaten track doing excellent beer which would otherwise have escaped notice, or to point out a pub where standards are slipping.

The revised beer scores are:0. No real ale. No cask-conditioned ale available 1. Poor. Beer that is anything from barely drinkable to drinkable with considerable resentment.

Campaigning | 33

What it’s for and why every member should do it! 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.

4. Very Good. Excellent beer in excellent condition.

5. Perfect. Probably the best you are ever likely to find. A seasoned drinker will award this score very rarely. (I have personally never awarded this).

Additionally scores of 0.5, 1.5 etc can be used if required.

Daryl Ling

P.S. If you are a ‘ticker’ then this is a good way of remembering your beers for later as you can retrieve all your own scores whenever you like.

The Jolly Sailor, 43 Great Whyte, Ramsey PE26 1HH Tel 01487 813388

OPEN ALL DAY EVERY DAY FROM 11AM Five Real Ales on permanently

FOOD SERVED DAILY Monday to Friday: 12 to 2.30, 6 to 9pm Saturday: 12 to 9pm Sunday: 12 to 4pm

Our next beer festival will be: FRIDAY 23RD TO MONDAY 26TH MAY 2014

2. Average. Competently kept, drinkable pint but doesn’t inspire in any way, not worth moving to

www.real-ale.org.uk

Traditional East Anglian cider Handcrafted cider, perry and apple juices - made using local Huntingdonshire apples Available from selected local retailers and pubs, farmers’ markets and at local country fairs and events ‘O li ve rs C h o ic e ’

nglian Best East A er Bottled Cid A MR Cambridge CA 2009- 2010

‘O li ve rs C h o ic e ’

e Cider of th Festival

MRA Cambridge CA 2013

36 | Please support our advertisers

The Prince of Wales Feathers

Castor, Peterborough Tel: 01733 380222

29 North Street, Stanground PE2 8HR. 01733 753544

Up to 4 Real Ales available Friendly village pub with riverside mooring

Large Garden • Dogs Welcome

Now showing BT Sport Food Served: Tues to Sun 12 - 2.30pm Mon to Sat 6pm - 9pm

LIVE MUSIC Sun 13th April STEVE BEAN PLAYS CLASSICAL GUITAR

BEER FESTIVAL 29th May - 1st June • 10 REAL ALES AND CIDERS

Award winning village local in historic Castor.

Close to the Nene Valley Railway & Ferry Meadows

Serves 6 guest ales & craft beer. Walker & dog friendly.

Home cooked food lunchtime & midweek evenings

Beer Festival 8th -11th May

PALMERSTON ARMS 82 Oundle Rd www.palmerston-arms.co.uk

14 Ever-changing, gravity fed real ales Wood burner for winter QUIZ NIGHT STARTING 16TH FEB Every Sunday from 7.30pm Cash jackpot and a gallon of ale!

VINYL NIGHT Bring down your favourite records Check Facebook for next event

UKELELE NIGHT Every Thursday from 7.30pm

PHILOSOPHY NIGHT Check Facebook for next event

LAZY SUNDAYS from 3pm

www.real-ale.org.uk

Opening Times Mon - Thurs 3-12pm Fri and Sat 12 - midnight Sun 12-11.30pm For information on live entertainment go to Palmerston Arms

Contact Details | 37

Branch Committee Secretary: Dickie Bird 4 Cissbury Ring,Werrington Peterborough, PE4 6QH 01733 574226 (tel & fax) 07731 993896 info@real-ale.org.uk Chairman: David Murray 01733 560453 chairman@real-ale.org.uk Treasurer: Paul Beecham 01733 311981 07710 008693 0870 7620848 (fax) treasurer@real-ale.org.uk Vice Chair: Matthew Mace 07809 629241 vice-chair@real-ale.org.uk Social Sec: John Hunt 07923 489917 social-sec@real-ale.org.uk Pubs Officer: Neil Holmes 07474 758194 pubs-officer@real-ale.org.uk Press Officer: Mike Blakesley 01733 390828 (h) 07747 617527 (m) press-officer@real-ale.org.uk Young Members: Kara Williams young-members@real-ale.org.uk Membership: Bob Melville 07941 246693 membership@real-ale.org.uk Festival Org: Mike Lane 07850 334203 festival-organiser@real-ale.org.uk LocAle Officer: Dave McLennan 01733 346059 (h) 07854 642773 (m) locale@real-ale.org.uk Webmaster: Harry Morten webmaster@real-ale.org.uk

Beer Around ’Ere Editor: Jane Brown bae-editor@real-ale.org.uk Distribution: David Murray (See Chairman on the left) Advertising: Jane Michelson 01733 211410 jane@orchardhousemedia.co.uk Magazine & Production: Daniel Speed - 01733 211933 info@orchardhousemedia.co.uk Proofreader: Bob Melville See details below Brewery Liaison Officers Blue Bell: John Hunt 07923 489917 Bexar County Brewery & Mile Tree Brewery: Steve Williams 07756 066503 Castor Ales: Mike Lane 07850 334203 Digfield: Dave Waller 07821 912605 Elgoods: John Hunt 07923 489917 Hopshackle: Noel Ryland 07944 869656 Melbourn: Lew Clayton 01780 765063 Nene Valley: Bob Melville 07941 246693 Oakham Ales: Dave Allett 07966 344417 Tydd Steam: John Hunt 07923 489917 Star Brewing Company: Dave McLennan 07854 642773.

Xtreme Ales: Matt Mace 07809 629241 Trading Standards 08545 040506 www.consumerdirect.gov.uk Check out our website at: www.real-ale.org.uk

The next issue of BAE will be available on: 22nd May We must have your stories, news and advertisements by: 2nd May Late copy cannot be guaranteed entry.

Please contact Jane Michelson Tel: 01733 211410 Mobile: 07732 393621 jane@orchardhousemedia.co.uk for all of your advertising needs.

Neil Holmes pubs-officer@real-ale.org.uk or 07886 974977 is always looking for pub news.

Please send stories and other copy to bae-editor@real-ale.org.uk Beer Around ‘Ere is published by Peterborough & District Branch of CAMRA Copyright © 2014, The Campaign for Real Ale Ltd. Views or comments expressed in this publication may not necessarily be those of the Editor or of CAMRA.

Pub Merit Awards & Gold Awards Does your local pub have excellent beer, friendly staff, a great atmosphere/ community spirit, or have they introduced additional hand pumps? If so nominate them for Gold or Merit Award. The new Merit Award is for pubs that are continuously outstanding, so if you know of a deserving pub within the branch area, please complete the form below indicating Gold or Merit Award and post to the secretary or email nominations to info@real-ale.org.uk.

Pub name:

Pub address/town/village:

Reason for award:

Your name:

Your phone number or e-mail address:

Your membership number:

THE PLOUGHMAN Staniland Way, Werrington centre PE4 6NA Tel: 01733 327696 The Ploughman

THE DRAGON Hodgson Centre, Hodgson Ave PE4 5EG Tel: 01733 578088 Dragon-Werrington

Big kfasot 11am rB eSaat 8 t !

95 ry

ree At Least Th

, ry ve r r ca o e at f h e t m can o r f u lf se s yo r e u a ev lp yo uch e H as m

on

Real Ales!

.

5 £ ly

More than just a Carvery!

A great welcome awaits you at The Farmers, Yaxley.

We are famous for our fresh vegetables and great carvery meats, succulent and served with all the trimmings, then finished off with a tantalising hot or cold dessert!

Open Every Day 10am - 5.30pm All Day Menu & Coffee Midday - 2:30pm Carvery & Specials Menu 5:30pm - LATE Carvery & Grill Menu Sunday Open From 12 Noon - 9pm All Day Carvery

Check out our lunch time grill menus and our ever changing specials boards. Put it all together with three fine cask ales and you have the perfect place to enjoy dinner with friends or a family celebration. We have a self contained function suite which is ideal for parties, weddings and all of life’s celebrations.

So if you’ve not been before give us a try and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Introducing our new Green Room, available for parties and weddings.

We are now taking booking for 2014!

Taking bookings for Fathers Day 15th June Book early to avoid disappointment.

200 Broadway, Yaxley Tel: 01733 244885 Email: thefarmers@btconnect.com

www.thefarmersyaxley.co.uk