Beer around Ere issue 186

186 Peterborough & District Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale December 2015 / January 2016

ABSTRACT JUNGLE

KNOCK DOWN PUNK

AWARDS

Ex Blue Monkey opens new brewery in Peterborough

Nene Valley Brewery launch new creation at O2 Brooklyn Bowl

Bruce and Denise at the Letter B bag Cambridgeshire Cider Pub of the Year

ALSO INSIDE PUB & BREWERY NEWS

DIARY DATES

JOIN CAMRA

The Ploughman Staniland Way, Werrington Centre Tel: 01733 327696

The Dragon Hodgson Centre, Hodgson Ave PE4 5EG Tel: 01733 578088

Editor’s ramblings | 3

Greetings!

Well here we are again. It’ll soon be Christmas! Still looking for ideas for presents?

Why not buy CAMRA membership for that “has everything” person, who likes to partake of a real ale or two? You know it makes sense!

A date for your diaries: Tuesday 8th December is the Branch AGM 8.30pm at the Brewery Tap; all members are welcome; please bring your membership card. Please come along!

Beat the New Year blues with a trip to Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival 15th – 17th January. Apart from pubs with lots of real ale and ciders there’s something for the whole family to enjoy. For more information go to the Official Straw Bear Festival website www.strawbear.org.uk.

We are always on the lookout for ‘active’ members. As well as the prestigious Peterborough Beer Festival, there are social events throughout the year and all members are welcome on these trips.

So take a look at Diary Dates at the back of this publication or visit the branch website for details.

There may be something there or in future editions to take your fancy!

All that remains is to raise a glass and wish all readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2016!

Cheers!

Editor: Jane Brown bae-editor@real-ale.org.uk

Published by: Peterborough & District Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale.

Produced on behalf of CAMRA by: Orchard House Media Ltd Eventus Business Centre, Sunderland Rd, Market Deeping. Tel: 01778 382758

Magazine Design & Production: Daniel Speed daniel.speed@orchardhousemedia.co.uk

Advertising Sales Manager: Jane Michelson jane@orchardhousemedia.co.uk Tel: 01778 382718

IN THIS ISSUE Welcome from the editor 3 Chairman’s corner 5 Pub news 7–11 Brewery news 12–15 Death and life 17 Abstract Jungle 19 Awards 21 Castor Ales at GBBF 23 Get the Good Beer Guide 2016 25 Not Noah’s arc 28 Diary dates 29 Gig guide 29 Branch contacts 30 Join CAMRA 31

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For a year (6 issues) send £3.54 for second class or £4.08 for 1st Class or multiples thereof for multiple years. Please send a cheque/PO payable to “Peterborough CAMRA” and your address to:- Daryl Ling, 19 Lidgate Close, Peterborough PE2 7ZA

JB

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Circulation: 7,000 copies distributed to pubs, clubs and members throughout the Peterborough and District CAMRA Branch area. A digital version of this magazine is available to view and download at issuu.com

Cover Image: Duncan from Castor Ales with a group of supporters at this years Great British Beer Festival.

Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

Beer Around ‘Ere is published by the Peterborough & District Branch of CAMRA Copyright © 2015, The Campaign for Real Ale Ltd. Views or comments expressed in this publication may not necessarily be those of the Editor or of CAMRA. The next issue of Beer Around ‘Ere will be available on the 29th January.

We must have your stories, news and advertisements by 8th January Please send your stories and other copy to the editor, Jane Brown.

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Chairman’s corner |5

Chairman’s Corner Jingle, jingle, - not bells but, hopefully the tills of our local pubs over the festive season. The old cliché “a pub is not just for Christmas” springs to mind.

How many years have you gone down to your local for a pre-Christmas dinner pint, only to find the pub jam packed with total strangers from other parts of the country – and they have even been sitting in your favourite seat! Two hours later they have disappeared into the mist never to be seen again until possibly the next Christmas. Bah humbug, eh! Then again many a pub would welcome anybody if it meant a packed pub.

Our annual letter to our members is on its way as I write this. Please cast your votes for our POTY (Pub of the Year) and your selections for the 2017 Good Beer Guide. It is important that we get as many members to vote as possible. Application forms for our Christmas Social are also with the form. Note the closing date.

The debate on “craft beers” continues as to whether you are for ‘em or against ‘em. There are now a great many available in many of our pubs who seem quite happy for them to sit alongside their real ales. Recent experience tells me that some of these craft beers are quite tasty. The down side for me is, firstly, they come in tin cans or bottles, secondly, they tend to be more expensive than draught cask beers, and usually are served very chilled and fizzy. Nevertheless it would appear that this market is still growing as more micro craft brewers try their hand at producing them. We used to call our micros, micro brewers but, the craft revolution has come across the ‘pond’ from the good ole USA. I think the jury may still be out on this one, let’s see if it is still around in a few years!

As to the state of our ‘home brewers’ a few facts have emerged in detail within the new 2016 Good Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

Beer Guide. For the third year running British brewing of cask beer has grown by a whopping 10%. We now have 1,424 breweries in the UK. There are 204 new breweries featured in the Good Beer Guide 2016. Over 11,000 different real ales are now brewed. Around one in six pints sold in British pubs is now real ale. Good Beer Guide Editor Roger Protz says:” The great British beer revolution rolls on and appears to be unstoppable. More and more new breweries have been launched to keep up with the demand for full – bodied, fullflavoured beers. Britain now has more breweries per head than any other country and the range of beers on offer is the best in the world, ranging from the palest golden ale to the darkest, pitchblack stout.”

Another point to illustrate the growth of real ale is that when the Good Beer Guide was first published in 1975 only a third of pubs sold it. Now that figure has risen to a record 70%. The new spawning of the Micropub has also increased the rise in real ales (and craft beers) with almost 200 throughout the country.

So during this coming festive season raise a glass or two to our brewers for the hard work and effort that they have put into reviving our brewing heritage. By supporting them in one of our remaining pubs, you will be helping them to survive and helping them in turn to knock the global giants of the brewing industry into touch.

Compliments of the season to all our readers.

Thank you for your support over the last year.

David Murray Branch Chairman

DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 | BEER AROUND ERE

Pub News

In the absence of any feedback on my feature on the Nene Way in the last issue, I am assuming that either nobody read it, or that silence normally means assent. I have therefore taken the liberty of extending the sequence and suggesting the walk continues to Southwick. So those imagined readers waiting with bated breath in Nassington can now gird their loins and progress along the Nene Way to Woodnewton. For those, however, whose loins do not rule their head, I am proposing an alternative route from Warmington through the beautiful village of Fotheringhay.

The Nene Way The number 24 bus will take you from either Peterborough or Oundle to Warmington. I am starting the walk at the Red Lion, a pub I have previously reported on in Issue 184. In fact, if you do this walk in reverse, this is the perfect place to finish up in as the food here is excellent. Readers who have been bored to extremity by my previous route descriptions have my permission now to skip the next few paragraphs.

Fotheringhay Turning left out of the Red Lion, you take the first left. Pass through the gate, avoiding the path to the right, on to the Nene Way. Then through a tunnel and past the dovecote until you reach the mill. Turn right at the mill and then cross the bridge. Left at the gate and across another wooden bridge and head for the lock. As you enter the next field, the twin towers of the church are immediately visible on the horizon. Once sighted, the image of this imposing edifice sinks into the reflective mind like the mountain that shadowed the boy Wordsworth. Except that if, like myself, you are one of the redeemed, it augurs comfort rather than terror. The path from now on is well marked and runs diagonally across the field until you reach the mound of the castle. Now in ruins, you can look forward to seeing the original stone which was transported to rebuild the Talbot Inn in Oundle.

Turn right here into the village and right again to the Falcon, where you will find Digfield Fools Nook, London Pride and Greene King IPA. Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

Pub news |7

Turn left out of the Falcon and follow the road to a country lane on the right hand side that runs through a little copse. You pick up the public footpath along to the left, follow it diagonally across a field until you reach a gap in the hedge. Cross the road and through the arch of the hedge opposite, hug the wire fence until you reach a slatted wooden bridge. Turn left on to the track which loops around the fields until you pick up the footpath again on the right hand side. The path now runs diagonally across the field to a bridge across the stream. On to a lane and past the sewage works and into the Oundle Road. This leads to Main Street and on to the village.

Woodnewton Another charming, isolated village adorned by stone houses with thatched roofs, it has an excellent local in the White Swan which has reopened after a brief closure. This is an attractive brick built pub with a long bar and a restaurant area to your right. It was reopened by landlord Ian Simmons in March, after a refurbishment. Ian has stripped the wood panelled floor back to its original condition and relacquered it so, with the new lighting, there is an effect of clarity and continuity throughout. Claret is also apparent in the attractively redesigned entrance foyer which is now panelled with empty Bordeaux wine cases advertising Premier Grand Cru Pauillac and Pomerol.

Eat your heart out. The pub is well frequented by walking groups and Ian will adapt his menu to their requests if they order in advance. His regular beers are Woodforde’s Wherry, Doombar and one from the Nene Valley Brewery.

It is at times like these when that old demon, the romantic imagination, takes over and urges me to ruminate on the pub in its original condition.

Fortunately, a local was on hand to give me book, chapter and verse. The foyer and new toilet block has been built on to the original entrance. This was brick walled either side with a staircase leading up to the living area. Doors to the right and left led to two bars, one of which had a skittle alley.

I can imagine this as a place of recreation for a

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8 | Pub news - continued

robust, local farming community as this is the most strenuous pub game I have ever played. Pure nostalgia of course, for it is impossible to reconstruct pubs of this character. Or is it?

Turn right out of the pub and past the church until you come to an ornamental stone bridge crossing the stream. You then cross another bridge over a gently flowing brook and into the fields.

The route now is straight, well trodden and clear.

You will come to a pair of gate posts, through a wood and straight on to the path to another gate.

From the crest of the hill you descend until you reach a wooden slatted bridge. You are now entering an umbrageous glade which will take you to a wooden post forbidding horse riding. Turn right here onto the bridle path and then left at the twin posts into another wood of tall conifers casting their spiky shade to obscure the route.

Finally into a leafy lane which takes you to the exquisite St. Mary’s church in Southwick.

Southwick For the infirm there are seats along the way to ease the journey. I found a prop for my own infirmity at the Shuckburgh Arms, just to the right from the war memorial. This is an occasion when I do not have to expand on the area and its history as this is thoughtfully provided on the lintel above the bar. There is also an attractive mural illustrating local walks in the room to the left of the main bar.

Landlord Roger Gutteridge serves a selection of real ales in excellent condition from Brewsters, Church End, Woodforde’s and Nene Valley. This pub is yet another success story for the Plunkett foundation as it was saved from extinction and is now run by the local community. Roger tells me that the profits are channelled back into the pub, the church and the village hall.

Oundle It is a straight road that will take you back into Oundle to the George, at the top of the hill beyond the famous school. The route is easily negotiated but, as the grass verge is fairly uneven, will involve some road walking. Since Erin Barrett and her partner Steve have taken it over they have brightened up the bar considerably replacing the BEER AROUND ERE | DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

purple, black and red décor with sage green and ivory. Erin specializes in beers from the Oakham range and guests of a similar pale and hoppy style.

You can get back into Peterborough by the X4 or 24 bus, but if you wish to stay overnight there is the Talbot Hotel by the Market Square, which has a comfortably furnished main bar serving two real ales including some from Nene Valley Brewery and Digfield.

The wood panelling on the staircase is claimed to have been recovered from Fotheringhay Castle and the scratch marks which are still visible from Mary Queen of Scots as she was dragged to her death.

As the chronicles claim that she went to the block with dignity and reconciliation, I wonder which one of Elizabeth’s rackmasters was responsible for this hideous piece of propaganda.

Local news Liam Scanlon will be leaving the Ostrich in the city centre with the expiry of his lease. Liam has done a great job here and his infectious wit and good humour will be missed by regulars and occasionals alike. I have been informed that Marstons intend to sell the Anchor in Wimblington and that the locals have raised an ACV. Work is in progress at George’s in March. They have re-layed the floor in the main entertainment area and extended the beer range to four hand pumps. The Woolpack in Weldon is closed and has a ‘To Let’ sign outside, whilst the Hero of Aliwal in Whittlesey is on the market. This establishment would provide the perfect premises for a local micro brewer and I have referred this to a potential investor. Great news from the Elm Tree Inn in Elm. Seriously underperforming the last time I visited, it has been taken over by Neil Niquitta who is currently serving Lincoln Gold, Bomber Countyfrom Tom Woods and East Coast I P A from Greene King. Further plans include installing their own micro brewery on site for cask ales.

Meanwhile, over in Stamford, The Golden Fleece is undergoing a major resurrection as a traditional public house under the partnership of Mick Purvis and his daughter and son in law,

Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

Pub news - continued |9

Carol and Paul Frith. They are removing the stage to create more seating space, restoring the open fireplace and working on a new design for the exterior. Hopefully this will gel with the monument to the Kebab Stick which adorns the Sheepmarket; although some locals insist that this is a replication of one of the crosses which King Edward erected for his Queen Eleanor on his mournful journey home. Mick now serves Everards Tiger, has restored the Old Original and has Bishops Farewell as the guest.

Checking out Chatteris When I originally committed to visit even the darkest corners of the branch, I took some account of remoteness and none of accessibility. Citizens of Chatteris wishing to check out Peterborough can do the whole thing by bus there and back in a day, but for some reason you cannot do the reverse from Peterborough, such is the parlous state of our country bus services! I have finally made it, and a hard going I had of it too. Not the best time of the year to go travelling. The weather hot and the route devious. Queue for a ticket at the station twenty minutes. Train to March - twenty minutes.

Walk to Fountain Square - twenty minutes.

Number 35 bus to Chatteris - twenty minutes.

Well over an hour excluding waiting time. But I stand by this commitment.*

The town itself is now blessed with only five pubs, two of which were closed on a Saturday afternoon, so I hope they will pardon me for not reporting on them. This is a pleasant, unspoilt Fenland market town. The first pub that you meet as you enter is The Ship; a proper beer house with proper games: dominoes, crib and shove ha’penny. When I was a lad, nearly all of the pubs in London had a shove ha’penny board and several along the Wessex coastline where we used to spend our holidays. I still have my Dad’s board which I have kept in pristine condition, having never seen a wet cloth. This precise protocol appears to have been respected on the Ship’s board as I noticed that all of its contours are now firmly secreted with chalk dust to maintain the even flow of the ha’pennies and to enhance the glancing technique that us aficionados of the game Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

have perfected over the decades. The Ship has four hand pumps featuring two beers from Fullers and two from Greene King. It has an attractive, enclosed patio area to the rear with a wood burner providing warmth and comfort to smokers.

Having spent the previous day in London paying between £3.90 - £4.50 a pint, I was surprised to hear that the Sun newspaper (?) reported this as the first pub in England to charge £1 for a pint.

This was under the stewardship of one Harold Jessop and must have been in the late seventies to the early eighties, as just before decimilisation I was paying only half a crown!

The people of Chatteris are so friendly that I was offered lifts from pub to pub by people I had never met before. This was just as well, really, as my next stop was the Sportsman on Fairway, a large modern estate pub on the outskirts of town. It was originally built as a social club for the estate by the nearby Fairleeds Engineering Works and has been transformed into the perfect community pub. The bar was sparsely populated when I arrived but the barmaid reassured me that it would be thronging with customers when the two football teams that they sponsor arrived after their games had finished. They have started up a cycling club for all ages and customers raise funds by running marathons for charities such as MAGPAS and Autism. The pub has a large function room to the rear which was alive with the noise of boisterous and excited children at a birthday party. Sharp’s Doom Bar was available at £2.80 a pint.

The focal point of the town is the George Hotel on the High Street. Originally a coaching inn, this is a large friendly pub with a roomy L shaped bar leading to a mezzanine floor which is the restaurant area. It has Shepherd Neame Spitfire on hand pump and is popular for its good quality, traditional pub food served in generous portions.

If, on the way back through March you are in need of sustenance, you can do no worse than visit the Acre, just to the left off the High Street opposite Lloyds Bank. This is a pleasant, riverside Greene King pub serving IPA, Abbot and a

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guest, and one of the reasons I recommend it is its selection of char grilled steaks; £15 – £18 with all the trimmings; sirloins, T-Bones and fillets; a welcome refuge from the vegan tyranny.

Crowland chronicle This important historical document was written at the Benedictine Abbey of Crowland on and off between 655 and 1486. Unfortunately, diligent perusal of this document does not bear much fruit if you are searching for Inns and Taverns which are still trading. It does, however, mention one building which is just about intact, the Abbey itself, which was sacked by Parliamentary forces in 1643.

To celebrate this glorious event, they now perform an annual commemoration when several mature adults dress up as Cromwellian soldiers and reenact the scene on the weekend of 18th – 19th September. Dean Parker, new landlord of Ye Olde Abbey, seized this historical opportunity and organised a beer festival to celebrate the occasion offering 20 – 25 beers from micro brewers.

He has presided over a complete overhaul of what was a “dark and dingy” pub, now with three hand pumps, one of which is dedicated to a local micro.

Pub news - continued |11

yesterday. All with an extra shot.”

Or even:

“ Had a great night in last night. Got well lagered up watching the Eurovision Song Contest.

Can’t wait to add it to the box set.”

How can a night in the pub compete against this? *With apologies to Lancelot Andrewes.

JT

Send us your news!

Calling all landlords and landladies! Had a refurb? Got a great event on? Started selling a new range of ales or cider?

Let us know and we will add your news to these pages.

Just email John Temple at pubs-officer@real-ale.org.uk

Pub closures With the disappointing news that the Black Horse at Elton is yet another pub in the branch that is closing, I am becoming increasingly circumspect about the value of pub beer festivals to the trade. Not least because of all the usual suspects who turn up to them and then disappear to get seriously panda – popped at home until the next event. At the risk of sounding naïve, I should like to make the audacious suggestion that the only way to keep a pub open is to go into it on a regular basis. This serious apostasy is just one of several challenges to the pub trade by competition and alternative sources of recreation: supermarkets, coffee houses, home entertainment. And one can understand the excitement generated by such attractions. Just imagine the banter the next day at the supermarket checkout, that irreplaceable centre of convivial conversation:

“Don’t talk too loud. I’ve got a splitting headache. Sunk eight Lattes in Starbucks

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DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 | BEER AROUND ERE

12 |

Brewery News Bexar County Probably the most important development at Bexar County is the arrival of Mr. Simon King, former head brewer and then operations manager with Blue Monkey, proprietor of and head of everything at the brand new Abstract Jungle brewery. Simon will be sharing the space and equipment with Steve Saldana.

Between them they will be bringing in some new equipment such as a couple of fermenters, conditioning tanks and a new mash tun. No more risking life and death adding ingredients. They will be run as two separate ventures though there will be many collaborations I’m sure.

Bexar County has produced a new brown beer at around 3.7 to 3.9% abv, which is soured and then left in an oak cask for a couple of months. After which cherries will be added. It will be called Timanfaya and should have plenty of contrasting flavours.

The next beer to be available is a 6% abv light and very hoppy beer called Death in a Sea of Mediocrity.

There are now three core beers to be available year round. They are Papa Steve, Phantasmagorical and Un Poquito Pequeno, although this last one will be slightly different each time, each will have the same malt bill but the brewing times and temperatures and hops will differ for each brew.

There is to be a beer festival of sorts, in Melton Mowbray with a theme of Victorian beers and Bexar County will be producing an old Truman’s recipe at 7.6% abv though this one will only be 7.4% abv to keep under the strong beer tax threshold. It will be a black, very hoppy IPA type beer.

BEER AROUND ERE | DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

There will be two collaborations with Three Blind Mice in the near future. One beer will be a 10% + Imperial Russian Stout type beer and the other will be around 2.5 % abv but using the same ingredients, only the brewing times and temperatures will vary. You will be able to taste them side by side at Ely Winter Beer Festival. There will be other collaborations later, including one with Alphabet Brewing Co. Castor Ales Investment in the brewery infrastructure has continued, culminating this month with a new mallet.

Talking of investment, last month the Castor Ales management team, Duncan, was contacted by two London based financiers who were looking to invest in a micro-brewery. The pair had tasted the beer at the PBF and having tracked down the brewer were keen to discuss further investment.

Duncan, owner and brewer said, “Quite honestly the figures they were talking about were interesting, but at the end of the day the timing was not quite right. Besides, I would be losing overall control of the brewery-and that is something I just couldn’t face”. Rest assured, any fears that Hopping Toad would be doing a “Doom Bar” have now been put to bed, at least for the foreseeable future.

Durobrivae 3.7% abv, Hopping Toad 4.0% abv, Full Tilt 4.3% abv and Old Scarlet 4.6% abv continue to be brewed regularly, whilst Roman Gold is discontinued.

Seasonal brews include Castorware 4.4% abv and Dark Side of the Comet 4.5% abv and another two seasonal brews are making an appearance as we go to press. The new Imperial Palace Ale (IPA) 4.5% abv is in the fermenter and looking (and smelling) fantastic. This was last brewed a few years ago, but is back by popular demand and will soon be available in all the usual Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

outlets. As the name suggests, it is a pale ale, jammed full of Cascade, Amarillo and Comet hops, all courtesy of the new contracts signed with our suppliers.

Posh’s recent change in management and upturn in fortunes has prompted the reappearance of 12th Man 4.5% abv, to help give that final push for the rest of the season. It will be available on match days at the usual outlets.

To coincide with a college reunion weekend in Liverpool, we ensured that Hopping Toad made an appearance at the Belvedere pub in the Georgian Quarter, where it went down a storm, and was sold out in one session.

With less than two months to Christmas, it is a good job that the brewery has been brewing to capacity for the past month.

Seasonal greetings to everybody.

Digfield Ales The brewery are celebrating their 10th anniversary this November.

A special anniversary beer, the long awaited Old Crow Porter 4.3% abv, has now been brewed.

The feedback so far has been excellent and it will be available in their regular pubs, plus others, from November onwards.

Elgood’s Coolship Blonde has just won the Best Sour Lambic in Europe Award at the World Beer Awards.

Plum Porter has been re-released due to popular demand and North Brink Porter is now available.

A new beer called Hicka Thrift at 4.3% abv, with added ginger, has also been released. This beer is available in Weatherspoon’s, plus at both free and tied outlets and will be available during November and December.

Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

Brewery news |13

Hopshackle Brewery The new brewing plant is working well, and as designed, is allowing a lot of flexibility in the brewing schedule. This means batch sizes of 5bbl up to 10bbl can be made depending on the strength and demand of certain types and styles of beers.

Lots of bottling has been done over the last few weeks getting everything ready for Christmas.

Hopshackle beers will be available at Market Deeping Christmas Market on Sunday 29th November between 10am - 4.30pm, selling various gift packs of bottled beers. There will also be gift packs and festive mixed cases of 12 x 500ml bottles available directly from the brewery throughout December. Free local delivery is also being offered.

Hopshackle Christmas beer Jingle 5.2% abv is made with the addition of Christmas cake spices and fruit. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, plus orange and lemon peel have been used along with some black treacle. This has given a rich, malty, spicy beer with a lovely orange and lemon finish.

This beer will be available in cask and also in bottles.

Mile Tree Brewery Mile Tree beers are supplied to various local outlets and include The Swan on the River, Littleport, (cask beers), also Market Bistro, Kings Lynn and Nisa Store, Ely, who are both supplied with bottled beers.

If you are in Ely and looking for bottled 1850 Porter, this can be found in 3 at 3, Allgoods Deli and Nisa Store. It is also available at Market Bistro, Kings Lynn.

The brewery are pleased to announce that they have received another award for Larksong, this time, Gold, in the best bitter category at the recent Norwich Beer Festival!

Whittlesey Lions enjoyed a brewery tour and BBQ on 1st November to mark the end of the season for The Secret Garden Touring Park.

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Winter Ale is now available in bottles and is ready for the Christmas season. Mile Tree will be making appearances at the following Christmas Markets, where they will be selling their bottled beers:- March, Market Square, Sunday 6th December; Nene Park Trust, Ferry Meadows, Peterborough, Saturday 12th December and Wisbech, Sunday 13th December.

Nene Valley Brewery Nene Valley are now able to brew three times a week on a regular basis allowing the brewery to keep up with demand for their products.

At the Maris Otter 50 Festival Nene Valley took silver with their 7.4% abv brew, Mid-Week Bender. This rich dark brew is available on draught at the Tap & Kitchen and there are plans to bottle some of the remainder for Christmas.

Judging for the CAMRA East Midlands Best Bitter took place at the 8th Hinckley Beer Festival in midSeptember, and Nene Valley Bitter beat Castle Rock Elsie Mo and Belvoir Beaver to take the title.

On Friday 23rd October, Nene Valley's newest creation, a 4.4% abv lager called Knock Down Punk, was launched as the first house beer at the O2 Brooklyn Bowl. In keeping with the bowling theme of the venue, the tap is a bowling pin with a carnival punk doll design.

BEER AROUND ERE | DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

Dick Simpson, brewer and co-owner at Nene Valley said : “The Brooklyn Bowl team took a central role in developing the beer – testing and tasting and sampling until venue and brewery had something both were happy with. Together we’ve come up with a crisp, pale ale with enough body to satisfy but at 4.4% abv light enough to remain refreshing. We’ve used an array of hops designed to give great flavour, complexity and balance.”

Although Nene Valley have been bottling beers almost from the beginning, they are looking to start canning some of their brews in the near future.

Nene Valley were also celebrating at the Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2015/16 where the Tap & Kitchen was the winner in the Restaurant of the Year category.

Steelwork erection has commenced on the brewery site for the extension to create additional storage and office space with completion scheduled for early December.

Oakham Ales All Greek to Oakham!

Oakham Ales’ latest push for world domination took them to Greece during June as a first consignment of their bottled and keg beers landed. As a nation whose beer heritage doesn't exactly set the world alight they must have liked what they drank as August saw the second shipment arrive. It’s a shame cask beer gets sea sick if they’ve liked the keg they’d certainly like the cask beers. Hopefully Mrs. Merkel didn’t have to stump up a loan as payment!

Pub groups have embraced Oakham beers recently with Wetherspoon's taking a festival special, The Owl and the Pussycat 4.5% abv, as part of their recent autumn national beer festival. There will be a festive return for Raucous Reindeer 4% abv which will also be available in Oakham’s free trade outlets.

Punch Taverns have also extended listings for J.H.B. and Bishop’s Farewell. Citra was its biggest selling cask beer in the first quarter of 2015 giving the brewery further listings during November and December.

Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

A new beer The Car Thief 3.6% abv rich black beer with tonnes of roast malt will feature for November in The Oakadamy of Excellence. Yet another top award was won by Green Devil I.P.A. taking the title of Champion Beer of the Festival at the recent St. Albans Beer Festival.

Wonder if the Romans drank anything as good when they were there? Doubt it!

Star Brewing Company Beers being brewed in the next few weeks will include two core beers Comet 3.8% abv and Meteor 4.0% abv along with Final Frontier 4.3% abv. Also set to return are Dark Matter 4.4% abv, which is their seasonal stout and Lilith 4.3% abv, a chestnut coloured best bitter.

A new beer soon be produced will be a copper coloured hoppy ale at 4.2% abv, but so far unnamed.

Tydd Steam Cock has been brewed again, due to popular demand and Stjarnskadare has also been available recently.

Piston Bob will make a comeback from mid November, with Yooligan being brewed again for the Christmas period.

Shoulder of Mutton Brewery The brewery has acquired the premises of the former Copper Kettle craft brewery on the borders of Bedford and Northants. This is a 3.5 barrel plant with three fermenting vessels, temperature control and a bottling machine. All bottled beers will be bottle conditioned and the additional brewing capacity will allow them to sell externally.

Brewery news - continued |15

Xtreme Ales The brewery remains busy with beer festivals having a major impact on sales. They recently sent a wide variety of beer to Booze on the Ouse, Bedford, Hitchin, Nottingham and Melton Mowbray festivals. They were delighted to be told that Bodysnatcher, a beer brewed for Bram Brammers 57th Birthday had won a Silver award at Melton Mowbray, their first ever! The award was presented by John Arthur and a number of Melton stalwarts at a very pleasant evening at the Hand and Heart in October.

Sales to local pubs continue and a beer has been brewed for the Noel’s Arms Melton Mowbray beer festival 4th-6th December. Melton Mowbray are also holding a Victorian street market and the pub asked six local breweries to produce a special beer.

Xtreme’s offering is a winter warmer style beer at 6% abv. Early tastings indicate it is very good! Also looming on the horizon is Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival, with Dancing Pigeon and Goldilocks being available in the local pubs. A special commemorative Dancing Pigeon badge will also be available!

Festive Menu now available 1st December - 23rd December

£11.99 2 courses £13.99 3 courses We offer 3 star rated AA accommodation and a breakfast menu available 10am-11:45am.

Brewer Graham Moorhouse intends to retain the plant at the pub for test brews and they are considering a change of name to the Weldon Brewery.

He intends to develop a new range of beers, whilst retaining his best seller, Dragline.

The monthly special will be suspended during the transition period.

For further information or room reservations please call 01572 822302 19 High Street East, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9PY

Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 | BEER AROUND ERE

16 | Please support our advertisers

BEER AROUND ERE | DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

Save your local |17

A Case Study

The traditional English pub is dead. It has run its course. No longer fit for purpose. This is the continuous refrain you will hear from property developers lurking in the corridors of our precious assets. The reason is quite simple. There are huge profits to be made from converting pubs into flats.

Across our branch it is estate and roadside pubs that are in danger because of the substantial amount of land which surrounds them. But in London it is quite different. Most vulnerable are the glorious Victorian gin palaces which give many inner city areas their most valuable legacy. And many of them are in areas where housing is at a premium and the flats will fetch a high price. So the property developer is likely to tell you that the pub no longer serves the public in the way that it used to and is no longer sustainable.

There is something wrong with this reasoning.

It is difficult to deny that some pubs outlive their natural lives because of radical changes in the surrounding society which they have served. But if this was generally the case, why is it necessary for developers to resort to the clandestine methods to secure healthy pubs that many of them do. The pub would die naturally and the developer have access to the property on the open market.

Amongst these are the familiar tactics of raising the wholesale prices of the pub’s products, renegotiating insurance premiums to the point that they are unaffordable, sending the bailiffs in when the tenants default, anything which will prove the pub to be “unlawful, inflexible, unaccessible, unsafe, Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

insecure, inconvenient and unsustainable”. And what is it that makes a property developer or estate agent qualified to judge on these criteria?

These are the questions raised by Tom Lamont in his recent article in the Guardian newspaper: “The Death and Life of the Great British Pub”. This article meticulously documents the recent history of the Golden Lion in Camden and the challenges that its proprietors withstood in order to fend off their predators. Mr. Lamont goes on to expand on some very important facts regarding public awareness:

“It is a condition of development bids that documents submitted to the council may be uploaded to the internet for common scrutiny. It isn’t clear how much the public knows of this opportunity to read along as efforts are made to reshape the neighbourhoods around them.”

The article has some very incisive observations on the behaviour of these pub predators and the people who are determined to stand up against them. It is accessible on the Guardian website for the dates 13th -14th October. I am recommending it to all of our readers who are passionate about saving pubs. It does, however, carry a health warning. Because once you have read it you will so burn with resentment that you will need to adjourn to your local for a period of convalescence. That is if it is still open!

JT DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 | BEER AROUND ERE

18 | Please support our advertisers

Up to 4 Real Ales available • Friendly village pub with riverside mooring • Large garden • Dogs welcome

Food served: Tues to Sun 12 - 2.30pm, Mon to Sat 6pm - 8pm

LIVE MUSIC SUNDAY 13 DECEMBER

Steve Bean plays classical guitar - 4pm Til 6pm

CAMRA Gold Award 2015 Great selection of Real Ales Large Open Beer Garden BT and Sky Sports HD shown on the big screen

BEER AROUND ERE | DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

New brewery in the ‘borough |19

Nottinghamshire brewer opens brewery in Peterborough Abstract Jungle Brewery is the latest brewery to open in Peterborough.

Simon King (formerly of Blue Monkey Brewery Nottingham) is looking forward to developing his innovative brewing ideas and launching an exciting range of real ales from this 8 Barrel plant located in the Eastern Industry area of Peterborough.

Working closely with the established Bexar County Brewery, Simon and Steve will expand the existing facilities and increase the brewing capacity allowing BOTH breweries to optimise and share the equipment to full potential; in effect Abstract Jungle Brewery is not a “cuckoo” brewery, but a coming together of two breweries sharing the equipment and facilities of the one site.

This will allow each brewer to maintain their independence in terms of product and branding, but at the same time offer the opportunity to put their heads together and develop some more “interesting” brewing collaboration ideas in the future.

Simon will have the following beers available just as soon as possible following the start-up process at the beginning of November.

Pride - 3.9 abv Pale Ale Jackal - 4.2 abv Porter Restless - 4.5 abv Golden Casual - 4.6 abv Breakfast Stout Sturdy- 5.6 abv IPA

Tasting notes for the five beers will be available shortly, as will the website (currently in development), but in the meantime, please keep up to date with Abstract Jungle Brewery on Facebook.

For details on availability of the above and timescales do please contact Simon directly on 07481 849332

Presentations Saturday 17th October saw a group of local CAMRA stalwarts board a minibus to travel to Coates then onto Whittlesey. The reason for this excursion? Well apart from sampling a few excellent ales and/or ciders, it was to present awards to two deserving pubs. First stop was the Vine in Coates where a Gold Award was presented to Stuart and Toni Cross.

Second stop was at the Letter B, Whittlesey to witness Bruce and Denise Roan receive The Cambrdgeshire Cider Pub of the Year from Andy Shaw, CAMRA County Coordinator for Cambridgeshire. There are usually eight or more real ciders and perries available at the Letter B. Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

It was a most enjoyable evening; good ales, ciders and company, plus a tasty buffet provided by Bruce and Denise.

JB DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 | BEER AROUND ERE

3 real ales, 1 real cider and 6 draught beers Game room, Sky & BT sport Freshly prepared food Tuesday to Sunday.

Our garden, bars and restaurants are available for your Wedding, office or birthday party.

Festive Menu Available from the 1st of December

Three Courses ÂŁ21.00 Two Courses ÂŁ16.00 See website or call for details 9 High Street, Easton on the Hill, PE9 3LR. Tel: 01780 763003 Email: info@thebluebellpub.com Find us on Facebook: The Blue Bell

|21

Two new awards for Branch area pubs LocAle Pub of the Year We are pleased to announce the contenders for the “John Rice LocAle Pub of the Year” award.

The award is based on an outlet’s commitment to serving a variety of ales, brewed within a 30 mile radius of their premises. It is also based on their individual willingness to partake in this important CAMRA campaign, and display promotional materials which are available for this worthwhile cause.

The Hostelries under consideration for this award, are, in no particular order:- the Letter B Whittlesey, the Heron, the Palmerston Arms, the Ostrich, and Charters in Peterborough, the Ploughman, Werrington, the Jolly Brewer, Stamford, the Vine, Coates and the Shoulder of Mutton, Weldon.

The winner will be decided by the branch committee and will be announced at the Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 8th December 2015.

The Publican

Thanks to the Castle Tavern in Inverness where I saw it this summer. DM

A presentation evening will be arranged in the New Year.

Dave McLennan LocAle Officer Cider Pub of the Year Contenders for Peterborough and District Cider Pub of the Year Award are:The Letter B, Whittlesey, Charters, the Crown, Brewery Tap, the Drapers Arms and the Coalheavers Arms in Peterborough, plus the Ploughman, Werrington. These pubs permanently stock and promote real cider and perries.

The winner will be decided by the branch committee and will be announced at the Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 8th December 2015.

Arrangements will be made to present the award in the New Year.

Bernidette Gilbert Cider Officer

The publican stood at the Golden Gate His head was bent and low, And then he asked the roan of fate The way that he should go.

“What have you done”, St Peter cried “That you should enter here”?

“I kept a public house below For many and many a year.”

St Peter opened wide the gate “My son you have done well, Now come inside and choose your harp, YOU’VE HAD YOUR SHARE OF HELL!”

Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 | BEER AROUND ERE

22 | Please support our advertisers

PALMERSTON ARMS

The Jolly Sailor, 43 Great Whyte, Ramsey PE26 1HH

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

14 Ever-changing, gravity fed real ales Wood burner for winter

VINYL NIGHT Bring down your favourite records Last Friday of the month

UKELELE NIGHT Every Thursday from 7.30pm

Winter beer fest 2nd - 7th February

LIVE MUSIC WEEKLY Check Facebook & local gig guides

Opening Times Mon - Thurs 3-12pm Fri and Sat 12 - midnight Sun 12-11.30pm

For information on live entertainment go to:

Palmerston Arms

from 4pm

BEER AROUND ERE | DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

Tel 01487 813388

OPEN ALL DAY EVERY DAY FROM 11am Five Real Ales on permanently Karaoke 1st Sunday each month 8pm

FOOD SERVED DAILY Monday to Friday: 12 to 2.30, 6 to 9pm Saturday: 12 to 9pm Sunday: 12 to 4pm BOOKING NOW BEING TAKEN FOR: CHRISTMAS PARTY MENU £18.95 PER PERSON NEW YEARS EVE MENU £27.50 PER PERSON

Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

Castor Ales at the Great British Beer Festival |23

What a knob!

Ask any brewer, and it is a fair bet that their “100 things to do before you hang up your malt shovel” list includes being invited to showcase their beer at the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF). Duncan Vessey, owner and Head Brewer of Castor Ales, is no exception and getting the call to send beer to Olympia this year was another item ticked off the bucket list.

To mark the occasion, the marketing budget was stretched to bursting point, and some twenty plus friends and supporters descended upon Olympia resplendent in their Hopping Toad T shirts, as it was Hopping Toad that the good folk of Peterborough CAMRA wished to unleash on the unsuspecting public. (By the way, please don’t be offended by the title to the article since knob, knot, lump and nest are all recognised as collective nouns for toads.)

Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

Sadly, despite being the beer of choice throughout the day for the group, Hopping Toad failed to win an award; the ultimate accolade going to Tiny Rebel Brewery (and richly deserved too).

However, if there had been an award for sartorial elegance, it is a certainty that the unruly mob supporting Castor Ales would have swept the board.

It seemed bizarre, given there were over 500 beers to talk about, that the topic on most people’s lips seemed to be, “Where can I get one of those Hopping Toad T shirts?” Sadly they were in strictly limited supply, and yet remarkably, none have yet appeared on E-bay.

The GBBF proved to be a great day out, and as always, beer was the winner, with the T shirts coming a very close second.

DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 | BEER AROUND ERE

24 | CAMRA members weekend

Extra reasons to attend CAMRA’s Members’ Weekend 2016 There will be many more reasons to visit Liverpool in April for CAMRA’s Members’ Weekend, which includes the annual general meeting and conference.

This year you’ll get the chance to learn much more about campaign activity, developments and best practice across the organisation with up to 19 workshops planned to take place across the weekend.

And to help us plan how many workshops go ahead, we need you to let us know which you're interested in attending via our Workshop Survey (www.surveymonkey.com/r/liverpoolworkshops) and how you can contribute to make them as successful as possible.

A host of experienced volunteers and experts will be coming to Liverpool to host the workshops. The workshops will give practical advice and encourage attendees to make their views known on some of the issues vital to the success of the Campaign.

If you’ve got some great experience to share, or stories to tell about any of the subjects of the workshops, please let us know via the Workshop Survey: www.surveymonkey.com/r/liverpoolworkshops

Subjects range from making beer festivals more successful, to mounting successful campaigns to save pubs, to running branch websites. Make sure you secure your place on the workshops by registering to attend the Members’ Weekend by visiting camraagm.org.uk/register - we’ll be getting in contact with all those who have pre-registered over the next few months to give them the chance to pre-book places on the workshops.

BEER AROUND ERE | DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

The workshops will play a central part to what is planned to be an exciting and stimulating weekend of conference discussion and getting the chance to socialise with members from across the UK in the vibrant setting of Liverpool. See camraagm.org.uk for full details of the event, travel advice and guides to the city’s pubs and breweries.

Workshops 1. Making your beer festival more successful

2. Building relationships with local MPs & councilors

3. Branch magazines - sharing ideas and best practice

4. Assets of Community Value

5. Recruitment by branches

6. Fighting planning applications

7. GBG pub selection - sharing best practice

8. Community Pub Ownership

9. Branch communication tools

10. Social media - how to engage members

11. First time Members’ Weekend attendees

12. Member retention

13. Local pub guides and ale trails

14. Champion beer competitions - an alternative approach

15. Beer management at beer festivals

16. Promoting your local events

17. Running a branch website

18. Being an effective branch press officer

19. Campaigning in Europe

Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

Peterborough & District CAMRA Pub of the Year 2016 Nominees

These are the contenders for 2016 Peterborough and District Pub of the Year, with citations. All Branch members are eligible to vote (forms have been sent out to all members). Closing date for votes is 30th December 2015.

WOOLPACK 29 North Street, Stanground PE2 8HR The Woolpack, which received a gold award for ‘serving consistently good Real Ale, running a Beer Festival and being a great community local’, is a small village pub with a lovely large garden and riverside mooring on a busy river route. The Woolpack is well used by the community with three darts teams and a dominoes team, as well as boaters, cyclists and walkers visiting regularly.

HERON Southfields Drive, Stanground PE2 8QB ga The Heron, Stanground, received a Gold Award for ‘revivin estate This venue’.

Ale former Community Pub into a thriving Real table Pool unge. bar/lo large one pub opened in 1959 with laspecu ing Follow room. ion Funct area. and TVs. Patio into turned and lished demo be to was pub the that tion nt by a flats, it reopened in April 2014 after a refurbishme real ale loving team.

VINE 4 South Green, Coates PE7 2BJ The Vine, Coates received a Gold Award for ‘turning a pub into a “Free House” and having a great range of quality Real Ales’. Lively bar/lounge and separate restaurant (with bar). Large outdoor area with petanque court. The pub is now officially a free house having been signed over from Charles Wells with the backing of a private investor, and will undergo a £100k refurbishment.

SHOULDER OF MUTTON 12 Chapel Road, Weldon NN17 3HP Shoulder of Mutton, Weldon, who received a Gold Award for ‘increasing the variety of Real Ale and the addition of a LocAle refurBrewer y’. This large, friendly pub has recently been was bar front The bars. large bished providing two one, with originally three rooms which have been made into the onto an open fire at one end. The rear bar leads for enclosed outside area which is separated into areas okers. smokers and non-sm

28 | Music and Gigs

Not Noah’s arc You know how it is sometimes. There you are quite happy nursing a pint, thinking about the great result your team has had that day, and mine had done just that, but you want to prolong the merriment, you want to seek some entertainment to embrace your good mood and quaff some pints too.

So with my trusty drinking buddy in tow we upped sticks, and before long the taxi had duly dropped us off at a venue not known for hosting live music but certainly for pouring quality ale, and the aforementioned pint or in our case pints!

With this being their annual September beer festival, stepping through the door of The Coalheavers, still a somewhat hidden gem of a pub, meant we were greeted by a throng of people.

All of which were eagerly quaffing the delights of Xtreme’s Plum Mild, Bexar County's Phantasmagorical (try saying that after two) and a whole rake of superb ales and craft beers.

So from what is normally a haven for ale quaffing and chewing the proverbial fat, the “Coalies” became a musical hive of activity, and mightily enjoyable it was too.

I never did find out where the band’s name came from, but that's not important. What is, is the fact that as a first date Arc Nation can play, and play well.

As for the football result earlier in the day, well that will remain a season’s highlight, much like this cracking little beer festival.

Lez Wheeler

The evening’s crowd, which were equally as keen to see one of the three festival bands that Tom and Michelle hosted over the weekend, were expectant.

So step forward - Arc Nation.

I had heard of their name before but never had the chance to see them, something that wasn't to disappoint. The band play an eclectic mix of covers, everything from a northern soul classic Right Track, through to the Arctic Monkeys, whilst dipping into some Rolling Stones along the way.

Featuring Michael, Sam and the statuesque yet superb bass playing of Katie Bacca, this fine young band of twenty somethings relaxed and grew into their set.

Indeed with a heady mixture of fine songs, and others amongst the crowd enjoying the bands efforts, a night of good vibes and musical appreciation ensued.

BEER AROUND ERE | DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

Diary dates |29

Diary dates December

Tuesday 1st - Saturday 5th 32nd Pig’s Ear Beer Festival, Lower Clapton Rd, Hackney.

Over 230 Real Ales plus ciders,perries and bottled beers. www.pigsear.org.uk

Friday 4th Gold Award Presentation to Shoulder of Mutton, Weldon.

Mini bus will depart Brewery Tap at 6.30pm and return by 11pm. Cost £7. Please book places through Social Secretary, John Hunt.

Tuesday 8th 8.30pm.

Annual General Meeting of the Peterborough and District

CAMRA meetings, socials and beer festivals in the coming months

Branch of CAMRA will take place at Brewery Tap, PE1 2AA. All members welcome to attend, but please bring your membership card.

Saturday 12th from 7pm.

CAMRA Branch Christmas Party at the Heron, Stanground PE2 8QB.

Sunday 20th Mystery Tour. Depart Brewery Tap at 11.30am and return by 8pm. Cost £12.00 to include a light buffet at the last venue.

Please book places through Social Secretary, John Hunt.

January

Tuesday 5th at 8.30pm.

Branch monthly meeting at

Three Horseshoes, Werrington PE4 6QE. All members welcome to attend, but please bring your membership card.

Friday 15th - Sunday 17th Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival

Sunday 17th Sunday Lunch Social and Mini Pub crawl of Werrington Village.

Meet at the Blue Bell, Werrington at 12.00.

Please book places through Social Secretary, John Hunt, indicating whether or not you wish to have lunch in the Blue Bell. Sunday lunch prices range from £6.50 to £10.50

Gig guide December Thur 3rd Park Lane Cherry Tree, Woodston Fri 4th Soul Runners Charters, Peterborough Retrolux Cherry Tree, Woodston Sound Injectors G and A, Crowland Children of the Revolution Ploughman, Werrington

Sat 5th Gangsters Dragon, Werrington Lazoons Charters, Peterborough Tallawah Cock Inn, Werrington Sound Injectors Stage, Market Deeping Children of the Revolution Ploughman, Werrington

Overdubz Blue Boar, Eye Sun 6th CJ Hatt Charters, Peterborough Fri 11th Hooker Cherry Tree, Peterborough Returns Ploughman, Werrington Frankly My Dear Cock Inn, Werrington

Sat 12th Gone to the Dogs The Ship Inn, Oundle Velocity Cherry Tree, Peterborough White Spirit Cock Inn, Werrington The Guards Ploughman, Werrington Overdubz Dragon, Werrington Lizzie on the Loose Charters, Peterborough Thurs 17th One Eyed Cats Cherry Tree, Woodston Fri 18th Children of the Revolution Prince of Wales Feathers, Castor

707 Dragon, Werrington Miscellaneous Cock Inn, Werrington Rocket 57 Charters, Peterborough Crash and Burn Fayre Spot, Bretton Sat 19th C J Hatt Prince of Wales Feathers, Castor Groove Cartel Charters, Peterborough Electric Warriors Cock Inn, Werrington High Rollers Ploughman, Werrington Gone to the Dogs Ex-service and Social Club, King’s Cliffe

Visit our web site for up-to-date news: www.real-ale.org.uk

DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 | BEER AROUND ERE

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 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: John Temple 07905 051 312 pubs-officer@real-ale.org.uk

Press Officer: Mike Blakesley 01733 390828 (h) 07747 617527 (m) press-officer@real-ale.org.uk

Cider Officer: Bernidette Gilbert

cider@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

Brewery Liaison Officers Blue Bell: John Hunt 07923 489917 Bexar County Brewery: Dave Botton 01733 345475 Castor Ales: Mike Lane 07850 334203 Digfield: Dave Waller 07821 912605 Elgood’s: John Hunt 07923 489917

Hopshackle: Noel Ryland 07944 869656

Kings Cliffe Brewery: Mike Blakesley 07747 617527 Melbourn: Don Rudd 07806 731765

Mile Tree Brewery: Steve Williams 07756 066503

Nene Valley: Bob Melville 07941 246693

Oakham Ales: Dave Allett 07966 344417 Tydd Steam: John Hunt 07923 489917

Shoulder of Mutton Brewery: John Temple 07905 051 312 Star Brewing Company: Don Rudd 07806 731765 Xtreme Ales: Matt Mace 07809 629241

08545 040506 www.consumerdirect.gov.uk Check out our website at: www.real-ale.org.uk

Trading Standards

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:

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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 5:00pm - Late Carvery & Grill Menu Sunday Open From 12 Noon - 9pm All Day Carvery

Check out our lunch-time grill menus and our everchanging 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.

Planning a wedding or special family event?

We have lots of packages available including our new Green Room facility.

Please call for further details.

Now licensed to conduct Civil Marriage ceremonies on the premises

Now taking festive bookings

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

www.thefarmersyaxley.co.uk