Issue 158 of Norfolk Nips and Cask Force

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E E R F & CA SK FO RC E No.158

Autumn 2011

WHERRY WELL DONE!

Also inside: NORWICH IS THE CITY OF REAL ALE • PUB NEWS • POST ITS 34TH NORWICH BEER FESTIVAL • ANIMAL CRACKERS • CAMRA NEWS CIDER AND PERRY IN NORFOLK • THE FISHERMANS RETURN Newsletter of the Norfolk Branches of the Campaign for Real Ale

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Trafford Arms Photo by Mike Holmes

YOUR PUB, OUR COMMUNITY our nominated charity this year is the Downs Syndrome Society and Norwich Civic Charity Appeal 2011/12 - Big C

Chris and Glynis invite you to the Trafford Arms -

61 Grove Road, Norwich 01603 628466 www.traffordarms.co.uk

mail@traffordarms.co.uk

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Official – Norwich is THE City of Real Ale!

Norwich & Norfolk Branch

Photo by Mike Holmes

Chairman: Graham Freeman Tel: 01603 687495 Email: chairman@norwichcamra.org.uk Secretary: Warren Wordsworth Tel: 01603 665557 Email: w.wordsworth@ntlworld.com Social Secretary: Michael Philips Email: socialsecretary@norwichcamra.org.uk Pubs Officer: Mark Stimpson Email: pubsofficer@norwichcamra.org.uk

West Norfolk Branch Chairman: Phil Buffham Secretary: Ian Bailey Contact: Bruce Ward Tel: 01485 609107

Branch websites: www.norwichcamra.org.uk www.camra.org.uk/wnorfolk

Branch mailing list web page: groups.yahoo.com/group/ CAMRA_Norwich

It was a tough job, but someone had to do it. A team of willing volunteers visited 136 pubs in Norwich on Saturday 18th June, recording details of the Real Ales on sale and reporting their findings to Ian Stamp at Command HQ. aka The Murderers.

There were an incredible 215 different Real Ales available, which topped recent claims by Derby and Sheffield and made Norwich The UK City of Real Ale, per head of population.

A great achievement, but it’s not just the ales that give Norwich the accolade. We now have not one but two Beer Festivals, terrific Pubs, fantastic Breweries, enthusiastic CAMRA members, all of which make for a thriving real ale scene.

As Ian Stamp said, “ We expected to get over 150 ales, but 215 is fantastic and a great

tribute to the publicans and real ale drinkers across the whole City who demand and get an excellent range of real ales and ciders.”

So, job done – or is it? Stig raised a very valid point the other day. He reckoned that Norwich was already the City of Real Ale, and did we have to prove it? The answer to that has to be, yes we did, and now we have.

But he did have another point, and to prove it we must all look to the bigger picture: Is Norfolk The County of Real Ale? Front Cover: Princess Anne cuts the cake to celebrate Woodfordes 30th Birthday at The Royal Norfolk Show. The Princess Royal is watched by Mike Betts and Dennis Nudds.

Copyright: Woodfordes

Published every 3 months by the Norwich, Norfolk & West Norfolk branches of the Campaign for Real Ale © N&N CAMRA 2011 Norfolk Nips is produced and distributed by members of the branch in their own time.

Edited by: Mike Baldwin Email: michaelbaldwin8@gmail.com Chris Lucas Email: chris-stig@tiscali.co.uk Views expressed in Norfolk Nips are not necessarily those of the editor or of CAMRA Design & Production: Daniel Speed - Tamoko Design Email: dan@tamoko-design.co.uk Distribution: 12,000 copies / four times a year Norwich and Norfolk District: Tony Miles nips.distribution@gmail.com West Norfolk District : Ros Harre r.harre@btinternet.com Advertising: For advertising enquiries please contact Jane Michelson or Chris Shilling on: 01778 420888 / 421550 jane@shillingmedia.co.uk Ad space in NIPS is regularly booked up long before we go to press, so to avoid disappointment please get your ad space reserved at the earliest opportunity. The best way is to book a series of four ads – your message will then be visible all year round and you’ll enjoy a discount off the regular price

August 2011 | 3

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A great real ale pub in the centre of the City

Exceptionally good Thai Food lunchtimes and evenings

We are in it!

The ONLY Thai Restaurant for Norwich in THE GOOD FOOD GUIDE!

Now taking Christmas bookings

Visit our website www.vinethai.co.uk for menu and offers

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NORFOLK NIPS | Chairman’s Bits

Pubco’ - Good, Bad or Ugly What have the Pubcos ever done for us? On my travels during visiting the Pubs on the City of Ale Trail and others in the County, I had an opportunity to discuss this with our various Publicans. Our Pubs have been suffering from the effects of cheap alcohol sold by supermarkets, VAT rises, and with the Pubcos increases in rents and beer prices not helping.

I can only consider their strategy is to make it so difficult for the tenants that the Pub will eventually close. So many times have we seen the Pub being demolished or sold off as flats or shops. It is a short sighted practice and should be stopped. The Pub can be a viable proposition if supported by the Pubcos.

Some Pubcos even operate a restrictive covenant in the

Lease which prevents the Pub from being used as such after it has been sold. They restrict the Pub being sold to a competitor which guarantees it will close forever. Recently the Government have decided to review these restrictive covenants and we can only hope that in the end there is a ban on the deplorable practice.

I was encouraged to note that CAMRA is campaigning to re-introduce traditional Pub games into Pubs. Research has shown that a way of attracting under 25 year old drinkers is to offer free games that have been forgotten over the years.

Darts is now a major sport and nearly all the top players started to learn the game down the Pub. I can count on one hand the number of dartboards that are now in our local Pubs.

I always remember the enjoyment I had at coming down from Manchester to Norfolk and playing Ringing the Bull for the first time. I initially thought they said it was Ringing the Bell for last orders.

I would like to remind you that our 34th Norwich Beer Festival will be held on 24th to 29th October in the usual venues of St Andrews and Blackfriars Halls. This is staffed by volunteers and without their help we could not have the great Beer Festival that is known throughout the land. If you would like to help we will make you very welcome.

However there may be a downside in that you might find yourself working next to me.

Graham Freeman

A Ode to Buff Who is Buff, where is he?

Taken the pledge and drinking tea!

This seems a most unlikely fate As many drinkers, small and great.

Have seen Phil Buffham stand bestride, His foam topped kingdom far and wide.

They’ve heard his mantra come to pass, Where’s the handle on my glass?

Yet silence reigns, his mates regret, the awful lure of Easyjet.

But fear not beer folk, be elated, He’s just on hols, not emigrated!

He will return, so it is writ And with his brand of Norfolk wit, Regale us all with tales of grace, Just hold your breath and watch this space!

Stig

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Words from the Editors

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Words from The Stig Another issue is upon us. Much has happened since the spring including the excellent “City of Ale” campaign which was not only highly successful but very enjoyable as well! Congratulations to all concerned in organising the event and the pubs and breweries who so enthusiastically threw their weight behind it.

The event looks set to become an annual affair, to reinforce Norwich’s claim to the title. Of course those of us from Norfolk already know Norwich is the City of Ale, I contend however that Norfolk is the “County of Ale” with a staggering assortment of breweries and real ale pubs outside the environs of our only city. The next task is to establish this fact to the rest of the country!

Many of our rural and smaller town pubs also host excellent

beer festivals, some on an impressive scale. The difficulty in making the diversity of real ale venues more obvious to visitors to the county is the old bugbear transport. In fact it is possible to visit quite a large number of Norfolk pubs by bus or train, bicycles are also an option although there is the issue of whether you should drink and ride. Personally, the heart attack would probably get me first!

summer, there are plenty more festivals to come, one or two are listed in this very publication.

I’d like to extend the thanks of the West Norfolk branch to all at the Ancient Mariner in Old Hunstanton for allowing us to set up a recruitment point at their new festival and personally to thank Bruce and Buff for manning it single (double?) handed!

As an example, a large part of the North Norfolk coast is accessible from the appropriately named Coast Hopper bus service. So get out there and explore the “county of ale” while the weather holds.

Also thanks to Andrew Archibald at his new venue the Chalk and Cheese at Shouldham for hosting a Sunday lunch after our recent branch Sunday walk.

On another note the beer festival season is in full swing and many real ale enthusiasts will have been out and about all

Heresy!!!

Whilst in London for the Great British Beer Festival, I happened to seek out a very interesting pub which was award winning for its range of real ales but also stocked a large range of pasteurised keg beers most of which I had never heard of. Many were produced in Britain and some were of incredible strengths, one was like mocha with brandy in it. The young chap behind the bar held a very different view to many CAMRA members. He was of the opinion that as an organisation we ignore many quality products of small breweries simply because they are pressurised or served in what we consider a somewhat unnatural way.

I don’t really feel myself that these products, 6

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Good drinking, maybe I’ll see some of our readers at Norwich beer festival.

Cheers, Stig

which admittedly tasted good, are within the remit of CAMRA as I can’t see how you could differentiate between these artisanal keg beers and the mass produced stuff we’ve all spent years trying to re-educate drinking folk about.

Maybe there is a need for some kind of body to look after the interests of keg consumers but I feel many would just not be bothered enough to get involved as in a lot of cases choice is not needed, they drink the same thing everywhere!

It is fair to say that by no means all real ale drinkers are in CAMRA, but thank goodness enough are so we don’t end up with a standard three or four big brewery real ales on every bar, well at least not yet! What do you think about art house keg beers, are we all just luddites?

Stig (did someone say WITCH!)

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NORFOLK NIPS | Words from the Editors

The Ed’lines Welcome to the Autumn 2011 Edition. Since the decision was made to increase the size to 72 pages on a regular basis, any thoughts that we would be struggling for copy are totally unfounded. So much so, that yet again we are oversubscribed.

Many thanks go to all those who have contributed to this excellent publication and sincere apologies to those whose articles had to be left out. It was a difficult choice – it’s like trying to pick a team of eleven players from a squad of thirty.You are looking for a winning formula, but it must be fresh and balanced.

Talking of Contributors, with this Edition we say goodbye to

Keith Chettlburgh, our regular Jazz Correspondent. Keith’s first listings were for NIPS No.44!

Thanks Keith for all that you have done.A tough act to follow, but if anyone is up for the challenge, let me know.

That was the summer that was – or was it? Weather wise maybe not, but there was certainly plenty going on. The first City of Ale Festival kicked it off and the statistics just announced are very impressive. Good to hear that we can do it all again in 2012. Then there was the Summer Outing, venturing out to the North Norfolk Coast, great pubs, great beer, great company! And who could forget the visit to Mauldon’s Brewery?

Now we can all look forward to the 34th Norwich CAMRA Beer Festival, which this year will feature Tutored Tasting Sessions, hosted by experts at the lunchtime sessions. For only £10 per person, you get free entry into the Festival, and all samples.

You can choose from The Dark Side (Tuesday) milds, stouts, porters and black IPA, Introduction to Real Ale Styles (Wednesday) Apples and Pears (Thursday) and A Taste of Norfolk (Friday). See www.NorwichCAMRA.org.uk or write to BFTT, 45b Bethel Street, Norwich NR2 1NR for details or to book.

Enjoy!

NEWS from CAMRA HQ Norfolk NIPS and Cask Force will always let you know what is happening within the Branches.

However, we are part of a National Campaign, which is 40 years young this year.Therefore, you may be interested in the following items. Further details can be found in the CAMRA publication What’s Brewing or on the website www.camra.org.uk.

The Good Beer Guide 2012 – Released on 15th September 2011 (RRP £15.99) The Brewery section in the new edition has been extended by 20pp to incorporate 100 new real ale Brewers and now lists details of 900 Brewers!

4,500 of the best Real Ale Pubs in the UK are featured.

There are plans to launch an eBook edition later this year and the CAMRA Marketing Team are also working on a GBG eNewsletter for CAMRA Members and a Twitter Feed (@greatpubs) as well.

Pre-order from CAMRA www.camra.org.uk/shop or phone 01727 867201 to buy at the special online member price of £10.00, plus postage and packing.

Membership Survey What do you think to the current Membership Offer?

Would you pay more for increased benefits or less in return for a reduced benefits package? Or is it OK just

as it is? Go online to complete the survey and you could win one of three cases of bottled conditioned ales (12 bottles per case). The winners will be chosen at random.

Deadline is 30th September 2011.

National Cask Ale Week 2011, 1st – 9th October Cask Marque, with the support of CAMRA, will be running this event, aimed at encouraging more pubs to stock real ale and more people to try it.

Cask Marque will be urging it’s 7,500 licensees to promote a “Try Before You Buy” policy. CAMRA is encouraging all licensees to get involved in hosting events, such as Meet the Brewer, etc, to champion good beer and recruit new interest in Britain’s National Drink.

Autumn 2011 | 7

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Pub News Winter Ale Trail Returns Many will remember the Winter Ale Trails which the Norwich and Norfolk Branch ran for many years.

Good News! Sue and Pete Wells have resurrected this splendid idea and it can now be announced that we can all look forward to a Winter LocAle Trail in the cold, dark months ahead.Details are yet to be finalised, but it is expected that 60 LocAle Accredited pubs in the City and the County will take part.

Participants that qualify by visiting the required number of pubs will win a prize. It is hoped that this will benefit Pubs (particularly those in rural locations that struggle at this time of the year) and Local Breweries.

More Treasure!

Following the successful Treasure Hunt in Norwich in April, Rupert Eris has decided to run another one.

This will be in Great Yarmouth on 5th November. Meet at The Mariners Tavern, Howard Street South, at 1.30 for a 2pm start.

You can enter as a team of four, or teams can be made up on the day.

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There will be prizes for the winners. The entertaining format will be the same, but with probably fewer pubs this time.

Further details of both these events will be on the Branch Website and the next Edition of NIPS.

News from the West Victory, Clenchwarton, report in recent Lynn News that they expect to reopen on 20th August (still with Elgood’s).

White Hart, Foulden, looking uncared for, possibly not currently trading. Chris (& others) to keep an eye on.

Buffy’s other pub is reported in a similar state.Chequers, Feltwell (see July) is currently being redecorated with 18th August a likely date for reopening. Jolly Farmers, Southery, still advertised as reopening but no sign of action yet. Old White Bell, Southery, still trading whilst advertised for sale. Kings Arms, Swaffham has reopened and is currently advertising on KLFM. Fenman, Lynn has a new landlord, serving (typically) Bombardier & Hobgoblin at £2.00/pint.

Woolpack, Lynn, also a new landlord. Bateman’s XB on sale but not all the time.

Lord Nelson, Braddenham is now to be run as an ‘alehouse’.

The Woolpack at Walpole Cross Keys has been closed for

a while now, and has gradually been falling into disrepair.

It seems that it is in too poor a state to be worthwhile renovating, and a planning application has been made to develop the building and turn it into housing. This has not been popular with some of the locals, who would like to see a new pub on the site, and along with the local CAMRA branch, have lodged objections.

As always it is claimed that a pub here would be unviable.

Walpole is an expanding village with no amenities. It is just off the main A17 and managed to support a very successful pub, which featured in the Good Beer Guide no less that 18 times up to 2005. Not too far away is the Woolpack at Terrington St John, which spent a long time closed. When it was taken over by Lucille it was only a matter of weeks before the place was heaving every night.

I feel that if it is accepted that a good pub in a large expanding village with local demand cannot be viable, then we might as well dispense with planning and just close every rural pub in the country.

Next on the list for housing if the planners and developers have their way are the Red Hart at Three Holes, The Albert Victor in Castle Acre, The King William in Docking and The Jolly Farmers in South Lynn just for starters.

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Fortunately not everyone believes that rural pubs are doomed. Down in Shouldham, Andrew who was instrumental in starting the Railway Arms in Downham has just converted an old school house into a bar and restaurant. West Norfolk branch organised a Sunday stroll around Shouldham Warren and afterwards became one of the first parties to dine there. Despite the kitchen not yet being completed, they did us proud with an excellent roast. Soon the pizza oven will be up and running for those who like something different. There are beers from Elgood’s, comfortable sofas, Sunday papers along with a village shop and delicatessen and an antiques shop on site. The Chalk and Cheese also does accommodation – we had a look at one of the rooms, and they look extremely comfortable.

Opening hours for the bar are limited at the moment so check before you travel.

Not too far away in Tottenhill, Frank and Rachael have taken on the Dray and Horses.

There seems to be lots going on with live music Friday nights and Sunday lunchtime, and party nights on Saturday, food is served through the week and B&B and camping is also offered. Another pub that has reopened is the Crown at Middleton, which is now rebranded as a steakhouse and grill under chef Lucien Stinga.

No word on the beer at either of these two places yet.

At East Winch the Carpenters Arms does serve cask beer, and it is in the process of being refurbished. It is part of the same group as the Ffolkes Arms at Hillington so should be in good hands. Also doubling up are the team from the Retreat in Kings Lynn who, we hear, have also taken on the Three Horseshoes at Roydon. Still no news, though, on the future of the Victory at Clenchwarton or the Queens Arms in Kings Lynn. We hope that both these pubs will reopen, and indeed when I went past the Victory at the end of July it seemed as though work was being carried out at the premises.

As well as pubs, we have a large number of clubs in our area and many of these sell good beer. Back in May our branch meeting was in the Social Club at Runcton Holme and we were very impressed by both the welcome we received and the quality of the beer – I think that there were three available including one from Brains. I have also been to the Conservative clubs in Downham and Swaffham recently – to take part in or run quizzes, rather than for any political conviction I might add. The Downham club also had Brains alongside Spitfire and in Swaffham, Bombadier and Black Sheep were on offer. Just over the border in Santon Downham the Breckland Social Club in the forest was selling Adnams Broadside as a regular alongside the extra ones in its beer

NORFOLK NIPS | Pub News

festival, whilst even further away the excellent Selex club in Basildon also ran a beer festival where I thought the Yorkshire Terrier was the pick of the pack.

If you fancy a pub crawl with a difference why not walk the river bank between Downham and Lynn. I tagged along on a sponsored walk recently and as luck would have it the heavens opened just as we approached the Cock at Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalene, open despite the ‘To Let’ sign. There was just time for a very welcome pint of Courage Best before the rain stopped and we headed on the St German’s where lunch was taken at the Crown and Anchor, washed down by a pint of IPA. Better might be to reverse the route, add a stop at The Heron at Stow Bridge and wait for the return train to Lynn in the Railway on Downham station.

I didn’t make the Norwich City of Ale event but I did pick up one of the superb programmes. The number of breweries in Norfolk keeps on increasing and I was pleased to try some beer from the new Triangle brewery at the Stuart House beer festival. I also had a chat with the brewer who had just made a delivery to eight Norwich pubs. Look out for this excellent ale. My only disappointment with the programme was the perpetuation of the myth that Brancaster Jolly Sailors brew on site. We had a branch Continued Overleaf

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APOLLO TAVERN

The Apollo has been completly revamped nothing of the old interior remains.

We now have EIGHT cask ales and THREE cask ciders!

Open all day from 10am Good covered smoking area 10 mins walk from railway station Ales from ÂŁ2.00 a pint!

Apollo Tavern | Northgate Street | Great Yarmouth | NR30 1BP

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meeting at the pub recently – the beer was great, the food excellent and the staff really friendly, but please clear up this misconception.

Having lived in the area for over 30 years now, I thought that I knew of all the local pubs, but I was surprised to come across two that I was not aware of. In the back streets of Swaffham there is a shed like structure which calls itself the Black Horse and out on the Smeeth, between Wisbech and Lynn is a free house attached to a caravan site. I would be interested if anyone has any information about these places.

Just around the corner from the latter is the Marshland Arms, formerly England’s Hope.

When we went past it was looking splendid and advertising Real Ale. It is only open in the evenings, so I can’t comment on the quality, but why not go exploring and find out for yourself?

There are good and bad things about the summer. It’s nice that the weather is pleasant and there are lots of things happening. We went up to Bircham Windmill in May with a French teenager in tow.

Performing that day were the Kings Morris and he joined in the hanky waving with gusto.

As they came off, I overheard one of the professionals say to another ‘My word sir, you are dancing like a gazelle today’.

From there to the excellent Albatross in Wells, and then on to Sheringham and the steam railway, with just time to lose a game of pool to the

NORFOLK NIPS | Pub News continued

French lad in the Windham Arms. He must have an odd idea of England.

On the other hand it is football close season, which seems to last forever, but I have adapted quite well. Watching the England women beat Japan on a big screen whilst drinking wheat beer in a beer garden in Munich wasn’t bad, but Rugby League has really taken the strain. A couple of trips to Harlequins RL have been coupled with visiting some of the wonderful pubs around Twickenham. London Skolars are up in the north of the city, and has fewer decent pubs close by, but I did discover the wonders of Walthamstow.

Don’t mock – the old part is really nice. Most of the crowd at the thrilling Skolars v Keighley game were seduced by the sports centre bar, selling John Smiths for £1 a pint.

Behind me in the stands were a group of lads who clearly had had their money’s worth and spent most of the game trying to invent silly songs. My favourite was the chant of ‘We’re not scared of Ofstead’.

On a return visit a few weeks later, things had moved on.

The chant was now ‘Were in special measures, failing school, failing school’. My wife has not yet been persuaded to a game, even preferring to go and look at some old ruins whilst I saw Gateshead Thunder lose heavily to Oldham. With her birthday treat coming up I am going to offer her a choice between games at Batley and Hunslet and see if that does the trick.

Finally, it has been good to see increasing attendances and some new faces, at our meetings. Indeed, at the Grimston Bell we nearly drank the pub dry with only one of the three handpumps still standing at the end of the night. Why not come along and see if we can do better next time out?

Jeff

Nips By Post We have a growing number of subscribers to our magazine, and I would like to say thanks to those who have sent very nice letters along with their renewals.

If you would like to receive the next 4 issues of Norfolk Nips and Cask Force by post send 12 first class stamps to the address below.

Norfolk Nips and Cask Force 91 Tennyson Road Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE30 5NG

National Beer Scoring System If you are a CAMRA member why not log on to the National Beer Scoring System? This can be found through the CAMRA website or at the web address below.

It allows you to rate the quality of the beer when you visit a pub.

The scores are passed on to the local CAMRA branch who can then use them to monitor the pubs and this information may be helpful when deciding the entries for the Good Beer Guide.

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http://beerscoring.org.uk/

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Pub Post Its

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Pub Post-its As always, remember that these post-its are subjective and reflect the personal experience of our correspondents. Please feel free to email your post-its in to norfolknips@yahoo.co.uk - and if you really like the pub, why not nominate it for next year’s CAMRA Good Beer Guide?

We Three Kings..........

Kings Arms Fleggburgh (Burgh St Margaret). This community pub is now a genuine freehouse offering local beers on up to eight handpumps and four real ciders from pins, all at less than £3 a pint. The pub has undergone extensive renovation with a bar, floor and furniture of solid oak. There is a woodburner with tiled surround and underfloor heating in the ladies for the winter months. Rugby and cricket teams are sponsored and the darts board and pool table remain. Folk music takes place on Sundays. A restaurant with an open kitchen is coming soon.

Kings Head Filby. A visit following the reopening in May had three handpumps offering Humpty Dumpty, Woodfordes and Elgoods. The Little Sharpie at £3 was fine. The pub seems little changed from the previous hosts when the pub briefly gained GBG status.

There is still a public and a lounge bar, the latter laid out for diners. The beer garden is pleasant and there is free WiFi for those so inclined.

Kings Head Ormesby St Margaret. This has become an Indian Restaurant and with the Royal Oak long converted to accommodation the village has lost any regal connection.

Cottage, Louden Rd, Cromer.

For years I`ve mistakenly believed this was the local Conservative Club. That`s upstairs.

Probably a few Members downstairs too. But it is a proper pub. Very good Nelson’s Revenge and Wherry from Woodforde`s with Admiral’s Reserve and Sundew lying in wait.

Difficult to make conversation with anybody.

There was an informal Quiz going on at the bar but my deferential suggestion that the "toxic" acid in Rhubarb leaves was Oxalic was firmly ignored in favour of "assetick”. Would seem 12

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outsiders are not all that welcome by the Regulars. To think I was born and bred in this County.

1948. Hope they enjoyed their fish and chipswith assetick acid.

Racecourse - Rackheath Two years ago I was full of praise for this house, (Nips N0.150 Edition), with it's very busy Business Lunch trade, but sadly you can now only stand at the bar situated in the “Carvery”, with 40 to 50 diners clinking their cutlery and the various food smells drifting past your nose.

Although the Wherry at £2.90 pt. was in good condition I’m sure that the atmosphere would have turned the second pint flat. Furthermore there were no other “Drinkers” to chat with, and although the bar staff were friendly, they were far to busy dealing with food orders, so it was time to leave.

Sole & Heel - Rackheath Another pub that has changed hands within the last eighteen months, (but this time for the better), with a Landlord that has an interest in Real Ale. There are five constantly changing beers available, all of which come direct from the barrel in the cellar, (which keeps the Bar Staff fit), I chose one from the 'Blue Monkey' Brewery in Derbyshire, and an excellent choice it was at £3.00 pt. Thankfully the diners here were seperated in a different room, and I was able to chat with beer drinking customers at the Bar. Iron House, Maddermarket I just noticed that The Iron House (was the Ironmonger's - opposite Thorns on Maddermarket), while doing excellent coffee and cream scones, also has a range of Grain bottled beeers available (Best, Stout, Oak and Harvest Moon). Yet another place where you can have beer with a good meal (a very interesting menu including pigeon, Cromer crab, and fennel tarte tatin).

of and

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Beer advertising

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Time Considered As A Helix of Semi-Precious Stones When Samuel R. Delany wrote his Hugo and Nebula award winning short story with the above title back in the 60’s it is a fair bet that he did not have the lost and lamented brewer Stones of Sheffield on his mind. For me, though, the passage of time can be traced by reference to beer advertising. One of my earliest memories is being on holiday in Rhyl in North Wales. I remember the boarding house we stayed at each year, the little wooden chalet on the front, but most of all a pavilion on the promenade with a Guinness clock. It featured the famous Toucan, one of the many items based on the zoo theme, which used the line ‘My Goodness – My Guinness’, a campaign that was followed by other classics such as the ‘Bottle of Guinness’ tapestry and the Heath Robinson style calendar from the 70’s which featured imaginary scenes from the brewery.

Sometime in the early 60’s my father’s job transferred from Bury to Bolton. I guess because they had different holiday weeks we could no longer catch the Wakes Week North Wales Special so for a couple of years we went on holiday to the Isle of Man. This involved taking the ferry from Liverpool, and apart from sitting behind a stone wall on a sharp bend watching the TT racers scream around the corner on their motor bikes, my abiding memory is a large sign 14

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on the wall of a pub or hotel as we sailed into the harbour at Douglas advertising Double Diamond, with the words of the catchy little jingle ‘A Double Diamond works wonders, works wonders...’

In 1969 I went on holiday down in Bournemouth with my Grandparents – Fred used to work on the railways and so was entitled to a number of free tickets each year, some of which he used to take the grandchildren on holiday. As we neared our destination I remember being puzzled by the signs by the railway line which read ‘You are now entering the Strong country’ which I later found to be a reference to Strong’s brewery of Romsey, later taken over by Whitbread. Alas, being only 13 I was still far to young to try this mysterious beverage. It was around this age that I began to discover football, which back in Lancashire meant watching the Big Match at 2 o’clock on Sunday afternoon. Every week in the half time break there was an advert, again with a little jingle ‘Beer at home means Davenports’. The words came up on the screen and a little bottle jumped over them so you could sing along.

Although Davenports were a Birmingham brewery I guess that they had a home delivery operation in the North West.

At last I became old enough to try the products myself and my first sips were probably Whitbread keg beer. There were a couple of brands around at the time ‘Whitbread Trophy Bitter – the pint that thinks it’s a quart’ and ‘It’s

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NORFOLK NIPS | Tankard that helps you excel – after one you do anything well’. The latter had a series of beer mats featuring a wimp called Stanley who could do amazing things after drinking Tankard bitter.

Fortunately I soon became aware of the real thing and became involved with CAMRA. Back in the 70’s Watneys was not all bad. Up in the north they owned the Wilsons brewery in Manchester and we were invited along for a relaunch of one of their products. However before we got stuck into the tour and the samples the management showed us some of their new advertising campaign for Fosters lager.

These featured Paul Hogan who had just made it big in this country and no doubt you will remember some of them. My favourite was when he encounters a couple of Japanese tourists looking at a map who ask him ‘What’s the best way to Cockfosters’? ‘Serve it warm, mate’ comes the reply. On the evening they also showed us some that didn’t make the TV. One of them featured a traditional northern pub with the old boys playing dominoes in the corner. The camera pans round to show a bank of hand pumps as Hogan says ‘that’s very

thoughtful, they even provide somewhere for you to hang your hat.’

So which adverts will become the classics of today? For my money the Peter Kay ones for John Smiths are favourite. The ball juggling one where he launches it into the stratosphere accompanied by a cry of ‘ ‘Ave it!’ spawned many imitators both on the pitch and in the stands at Bury Games. The more recent series where he says something outrageous and sits there with a puzzled look on his face and says ‘What?’ for me capture northern life to perfection.

So what we learnt by this idiosyncratic trawl through the history of beer advertising? Much of the advertising from years ago would not be allowed today, suggesting as it does that drinking beer is somehow good for you. It strikes me that when I was a child and had no interest in beer, I remembered more from when I was in an unfamiliar place. I think that the jingles stick in my mind and finally I put to you my theory that the better the advertising, the worse the beer.

Jeff

4 Real Ales always on offer Pool • Darts • Jukebox Large Beer Garden with children’s play area.

Food served daily from 12-2pm & 6-9pm Tue - Sat 12 - 3pm Sunday Breakfast served 7am - 2pm Saturdays 1 Norwich Road, Framingham Earl, NR14 7AB

Tel: 01508 494811

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Norfolk’s True Heritage Pubs 11

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This series of articles highlight the pubs whose interiors have been little altered in the past 40 years or so. This issue features a seaside hotel selling a range of real ales and a true community pub.

Red Lion Hotel, Cromer

Orna Red

Š Michael Slaughter 2011

The public bar at the Red Lion Hotel, Cromer

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The Red Lion is a Victorian hotel overlooking the sea. The main bare boarded bar on the right retains many of its original fittings but there were major changes in the 1980s.

There is a corner Victorian vestibule entrance with two doors indicating there was a separate snug separated by a wood and glass partition - now removed. Also, what looks like an off-sales near the servery has been amalgamated into the bar. The counter is definitely the original Victorian one but the superstructure is a modern addition and the mirrored bar

back also has some modern additions. A second room has an old counter front and glazed screen reaching to the ceiling, and both rooms have 1930s brick fireplaces. Look for the decorative bell pushes from the days of table service which feature a stork. The left hand side of the pub was opened up in the mid 1980s and has a good Victorian colourful tiled floor but the counter here is modern. The panelling around the reception area dates from c.1985 rather than Victorian times.

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Phone number is 01263 514964. Website: www.redlion-cromer.co.uk;

Ornate bell push at the Red Lion Hotel, Cromer Red Lion Hotel, Brook Street, Cromer NR27 9HD is open from 10 am (11am Sat, Sun) to 11pm. Meals are served from 12 to 2.30; 6 to 9.30 Mon to Fri; 12 to 9.30 Sat, Sun.

NORFOLK NIPS |

Children welcome in the bar.

Hotel accommodation in 14 en-suite rooms. Real ales on sale are Adnams Best Bitter, Woodfordes Wherry and 4 changing real ales from Norfolk and Suffolk micro breweries usually including a dark beer.

Two beer festivals are held a year – in March and as part of Cromer Carnival week in August.

Function Room available.

The vestibule at the at the Red Lion Hotel, Cromer

Crown, New Costessey Built by Youngs, Crawshay & Youngs in 1931, it originally had an off-sales shop on the left, public bar, snug and lounge with a bowling green at the rear. The main entrance leads to the bar on the left which retains its original bar back, but the counter was replaced in the early 2000s.

The small area near the door

was a separate snug until the early 1980s - note the second original bar back. The small room on the left was the off-sales shop and retains an old counter and original brick fireplace. It was accessed via its own exterior door but in the 1980s this was blocked up and an opening created between the two rooms. The lounge on Continued Overleaf

Above: The bar back fitting at the Crown, New Costessey Right:The exterior of the Crown, New Costessey

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The King’s Head KEG FREE HOUSE

Open 12.00noon - 11.00pm Monday to Saturday 12.00noon - 10.30pm Sunday Run by enthusiastic drinkers and CAMRA members.

Keg Free Zone 14 Hand Pumps Norfolk Ales and Cider Mild always available Worldwide Bottled Beers Belgian Beers Television-free Bar Billiards www.norwichbarbilliards.co.uk

rfolk o N A R M A C ar e Y e h t f o b Pu 8 2006 & 200 Dating from the 14th century, the pub has been restored to a Victorian style.

The Kings Head, 42 Magdalen Street, Norwich NR3 1JE

www.kingsheadnorwich.com

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NORFOLK NIPS | Heritage Pubs 11 continued the right also has its original door blocked up and has been renovated at least twice in recent years but it still retains the original brick fireplace. This is a true community pub with the bowling green still in use, and is also the headquarters of the Costessey South Road Pigeon Racing Club, where local pigeon fanciers bring their birds to load onto the lorry.

The pub hosts an angling club, two football teams and two hockey teams as well.

Crown, 79 Norwich Road, New Costessey NR5 0EU is open from 12 noon (5pm Tue) to 11pm. No food is sold – just crisps and nuts! Phone 01603 742849. The Crown sells Woodfordes Wherry.

The snug (was the off sales) at the Crown, New Costessey

If you require photographs of your pub interior / exterior you can contact Mick on 01733 390598 or email m.slaughter45@ntlworld.com to discuss your requirements.

Calling all Young Members...

Were you at the Beer Festival last year? Did you have a good time? Will you be at the Beer Festival this year? If you answered “yes” to these questions, here is another one – “Where have you been?”

Nationally, CAMRA is trying to encourage Young Members (18 – 30’s) to get more involved and The Norwich and Norfolk Branch is helping the cause. At the last AGM, David (Pugs) Rackham was appointed as our Young Persons Rep and he wants to hear from you.

He has set up a page on Facebook and will be at the Freshers Week at The UEA in September.

The Branch has an extensive programme of events, but we realise that these are not to everyone’s taste. David wants to know what you would like to see happening, what type of events you would be interested in – A Young Persons First Friday Five ( no one over 30 allowed) or Introduction to Real Ale Tasting Sessions perhaps?

Let him know. Join the Facebook Group – www.facebook.com/groups/141049285967022 or just search for Norwich and Norfolk Young Members and get involved.

You know you will enjoy it!

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COACH & HORSES DERSINGHAM

A TRADITIONAL VILLAGE PUB

Homecooked Food, Great Beer Accommodation & Large Beer Garden Situated between King’s Lynn & Hunstanton one mile from the Royal Sandringham Estate

5th ANNUAL BEER FESTIVAL FRIDAY 7th - Sunday 9th OCTOBER 2011 20 REAL ALES & CIDERS LIVE MUSIC EVERYDAY

Selection of Traditional Hot Pies available All Weekend

FULL MENU & SPECIALS ALSO AVAILABLE Food Served Everyday12-2pm & 6-8.30pm, Sunday 12-3pm & 5-8pm. En Suite Rooms From £45 77 Manor Road, Dersingham 01485 540391 coach_and_horses@tiscali.co.uk

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NORFOLK NIPS | Award Winning Pub

The Adam and Eve Dancing which included Pedants’ Revolt, who feature elsewhere in this edition.

“No screens - No machines!” That was the message for the TV Satellite Salesman when he phoned The Adam and Eve recently. Landlady Rita McClusky added somewhat mischievously “We don’t do fun here!”

In truth, screens and machines would be an intrusion here, completely out of place. There is just a radio playing quietly somewhere. “Just a bit of white noise” Rita explained, “ Being close to The Law Courts, some conversations are not meant to be overheard.

I caught up with Rita after The City of Ale Festival, which had brought considerable success both to her and the pub. The many accolades received included the Best Event; Morris

Rita is justly proud of what she has achieved.

The Adam and Eve is unique and so it should be.

Rita says that no two pubs are identical. “It’s like cutting two loaves of bread” she explained, ”they will not be exactly the same.”

At this point I have to admit that I am an advocate of LocAle, but a visit to The Adam and Eve for me is not complete without a pint of Theakston’s Old Peculier, which is a regular here, as is Adnams Southwold Bitter and Wolf Straw Dog, which came in for The City of Ale and has been kept on.

Unusually, the Staff get to choose the Guest Ales, Robert selected St Peters Best, Lee went for Elgoods Black Dog Mild, and the Chef chose Humpty Dumpty’s Little Sharpie.

There are many reasons to visit this delightful pub, the River Walk is close by, the Ghost Walks start here, and in the summer, there are plenty of seats outside in front of the pub, which is a riot of colour – Rita is a keen supporter of Norwich in Bloom. Oh, and great food and top notch beers as well. Drop in next time you are in the area, you will get a warm welcome here.

Not funny...

Three pieces of string were desperate for a drink but the pub had a sign outside saying ‘String not served here’. Undeterred the first piece of string entered the bar but was soon back outside having been unsuccessful.

As is traditional in these tales, the second piece of string had a go, but with the same result.

Seeing this, the third piece of string hurled

himself onto the ground, rolled around vigorously and tied himself up.

He then went into the bar. The landlord eyed him suspiciously and asked him ‘Are you a piece of string?’ ‘ ‘Fraid not’ came the reply.

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Thurs 27th - Mon 31st October Come over to the dark side, a festival of all beers dark and delicious

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NORFOLK NIPS | Book review

Norwich Pubs and Breweries: Past and Present Frances and Michael Holmes | Norwich Heritage Projects £9.95 This new book, published by Norwich Heritage Projects, gives a fascinating insight into the way that Pubs and Breweries have so richly contributed to Norwich’s Heritage.

It’s not a Beer Guide, the authors (who are CAMRA members) leave that to the experts, but a well written, informative and humorous account of how we got to where we are today.

Section One looks at the history of Norwich Brewers no longer with us: Youngs, Crawshay and Youngs Ltd, Bullard & Sons, Steward and Pattison Ltd, Morgans Ltd, Watney Mann, and even Lacons of Great Yarmouth. Anecdotes, interviews and some brilliant photos all bring the history to life. History is then brought up to date with an in depth feature on Woodfordes, and a wonderful account by Derek Spanton, a “21st century Drayman”. You can also read here about the history of Beer Festivals in Norwich, from the first by The Bystanders Society in 1970 to The Norwich and Norfolk CAMRA Beer Festival and Pub Festivals, the first of which was at The Trafford Arms.

Section Two, Norwich Pubs, Inns and Taverns presented the authors with something of a dilemma, there was so much material! They have solved this brilliantly by using OS Maps for 1844/5 and dividing the City into 8 sections.

These show the names and locations of 450 hostelries! (Forget “a pub for every day of the year”). Ten common themes were discovered – Signs and Names, Artists, Entertainment, Coaching Inns, Sporting Links, Pub Games, Community and Clubs, Murder and Mayhem, Norwich Yards and The River. Where a particular theme is appropriate to a featured pub, a coloured icon indicates this.

Did you know that artists John Crome and Sir Alfred James Munnings painted signs for Pubs and Breweries? Or that John Moray-Smith (an Italian prisoner of war in WW1) produced the bas-relief for The Prince of Denmark?

Many of the pubs were no more than a single room, and the Landlord often had a “day job” to makes end meet. No wonder that the quality was variable, but if you lived in a hovel in one of the yards, it was your only escape from reality.

Too many pubs? Read here what impact the 1904 Compensation Act had.

And what modern day Beer Legends are now saying about Watneys. This is a great read, buy it as a Christmas present, buy it for yourself!

NIPS 158 Competition To win a signed copy of Frances and Michael Holmes amazing new book - Norwich Pubs and Breweries Past and Present – simply answer the following question:

The Pockthorpe Brewery was home to which Norwich Brewer?

Send your answers to: Norfolk NIPS 158 Competition 201 Kingswood Avenue Taverham, Norwich NR8 6GJ Or e-mail to norfolknips@yahoo.co.uk Entries must be received by Monday 21st November Please note: we do not collect names and addresses from competition entries for any purpose whatsoever, other than to verify entries and know where to send the prize!

Congratulations to Chris Raynor, who won the 18 pint Beerbox of Once Bittern, supplied by Woodfordes in the Summer 2011 Edition.

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Elephant and Castle

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Animal Crackers Here the English troops marched through the night to outflank the Scots and caught them by surprise. This trek involved the feet of the elephants being wrapped in sacking to muffle their steps, a difficult but worthwhile task as they played a decisive part in the conflict. However some of the elephants escaped in the course of the battle, and took to the nearby Cheviot Hills where they lived as a feral colony.

It’s a little known fact that when Hannibal’s army was defeated by Scipio’s, at the battle of Zama, the victorious Roman army captured some of the elephants that the Carthaginians famously employed in battle. The great Roman writer Livy records how some of these were taken from North Africa to other parts of the empire for use by the Roman Legions. These included forts on Hadrian’s wall and indeed the well preserved ruins at Chester’s fort, near Hexham contain buildings which some scholars believe once housed elephants. Amongst the artefacts in the small museum on site are fragments of ivory carved by bored soldiers posted to this far-flung part of the empire. When the Romans left some of the elephants remained behind and were later used in the defence of the many castles that protected the border from incursions by the Scottish tribes. You can see in the photograph the entrance to Norham castle, up on the River Tweed, near Coldstream. Even though it is in ruins it is easy to see how the gate had to be much bigger than a normal castle entrance to allow the passage of these great beasts. This is of course the origin of the pub name ‘Elephant and Castle’. The end for the use of elephants in warfare was the invention of gunpowder and the last great battle in which they played a significant part was at Flodden Field, close to Norham where the Scots were defeated in 1513.

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Over the many hundreds of years since their ancestors left Africa they have evolved. The grey skin of the African elephant filters out much of the strong sunlight in their native land, but in Britain the much weaker sun finds it difficult to penetrate, and therefore a lack of vitamin D, which is derived from sunlight, can lead to osteoporosis. Consequently the modern day elephants have a pink skin, which absorbs the sun’s rays much more easily. It is said by some that the last survivors perished in the harsh winter of 1963, but there are still some individuals who tell stories of leaving the pub late at night after a number of pints and seeing the pink elephants on their way home.

Lars Torders

Subscriptions To received the next four issues of Norfolk Nips and Cask Force send 12 1st class stamps to:Norfolk Nips and Cask Force, 91 Tennyson Road, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 5NG.

CA

Thanks to all those who have sent nice letters with their renewals.

Mon

ns

olk

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DUKE of WELLINGTON TRADITIONAL REAL ALE HOUSE 14 REAL ALES GRAVITY SERVED available all year round from our glass fronted tap room

6 MORE ALES Enjoy your favourite takeaway with a decent pint and decent company!

Just order your food to be delivered to the pub or bring it in and we provide plates, knives, forks and environment.

We even have the menu’s available Indian, Chinese, Fish and Chips etc.

CAMRA Good Beer Guide Listed

Open Monday to Saturday 12noon to 11pm Sundays 12noon to 10.30pm

ON HAND PUMP

BBQ Weekend IN THE BEER GARDEN

Come and enjoy our Tap Room with a selection of Belgian bottled beers, Budvar, Erdinger and Riegele all on Draught.

91 - 93 WATERLOO ROAD | NORWICH | 01603 441182

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Norwich Beer Festival

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34th Norwich Beer Festival Greetings to you all, hope you are having a good summer and drinking lots of quality beer.

Again preparation is underway for the 34th Norwich Beer festival which is scheduled to take place at it’s usual venue of St Andrews & Blackfriars Halls in the centre of Norwich in the last week of October. Which reminds me to say that we are very pleased to host the National AGM & Members weekend in 2013, more news on this next year.

As I write, the advanced tickets have gone on sale, and are going quickly, so get in fast if you want to guarantee entry in the evenings.

Beer and cider selection is ongoing and judging from the feedback that we received from last year’s visitors, I think we did very well in the choice of styles which has lead to some minor tweaking of the range, but hopefully, brewers willing, we should have our usual mix to titillate your palate, Including some very special specials (Thanks Ron & Roger) which are likely to go very quickly.

As you know costs have gone up, but we have done our best to minimise the increases and bring you a quality pint at a reasonable price.

The “souvenir” third pint glasses were exceptionally popular last year, so this time I have increased the amount available for sale.

The introduction of third of a pint measure was also well received, enabling our customers to sample more of their favourite beers. As a change this year we are going to offer half pint tankards instead of the traditional straight glass, I hope you will like it.

On the catering front we have secured the return of Natural Nosh to provide hot and cold snacks and meals for your consideration. Nosh are no strangers to the festival having been our partners a few years back. I would however like 26

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to thank Chameleon Catering for all their hard work over the last couple of years.

Finally a big thank you to all our volunteers and branch members who are helping out.

Of course if you feel like you help out please get in touch with us via our website www.norwichcamra.org.uk/festival or contact the staffing officer Mark Stimpson at bfstaff@live.co.uk And last but not least, big thanks to Alex at the Beehive, for hosting the staff summer barbecue, Take Five for our regular planning meetings, & the Staff/Customers at the Fat Cat, Cottage and Kings Head for inspiration and good beer.

Martin Ward Norwich Beer Festival Organiser 2011(again)

The pub with no bar, ales direct from cask.

Watch www.nelsonslocal.co.uk for forthcoming events.

Tongue twizzling food, and great value.

Huge garden • Summer barbecue

Victory Barn Function Room for Christmas Parties Come & visit Nelson’s local.

Walsingham Road, Burnham Thorpe Norfolk PE31 8HN

01328 738241

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COAST ROAD, WALCOTT, NORFOLK NR12 OPE

FREE HOUSE

Telephone

(01692) 650371

Proprietor since 1989: STEVE BULLIMORE

OPEN FOR FOOD & DRINKS ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, 11am - 11pm Food available all day until 10.30pm 10% off food and drink on production of CAMRA membership card

FOUR REAL ALES & CIDER www.lighthouseinn.co.uk 28

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Norwich Ale Survey

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City Pubs top the Real Ale Premier League!

However, pubs across the city contributed to the total with 56 pubs selling ales not available anywhere else, from the Maids Head in Catton (Flowers, IPA) to the Bread and Cheese, Adelaide Street (Wolf, Lupus Lupus) and from Otter Ale in the Birdcage to St Austell Tribute in the Cock at Lakenham.

The price of a pint of real ale ranged from £1.70 for a pint of Ruddles Best (3.7%) in the Queen of the Iceni to £3.60 for Adnams Tally Ho (7.2%) in the Fat Cat, with the average price still below the £3 mark at £2.95.

“We are going to need a bigger laptop”

A survey organised by the Norwich & Norfolk branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), and carried out in the city on Saturday (18th June 2011), found an amazing 215 different real ales available, topping recent claims from other cities to the title of UK Capital of Real Ale, per head of population.

A team of 26 volunteers visited 136 pubs, of which 113 (83%) offered a total of 489 real ales and 24 real ciders and perries. The total of 215 different ales beats the numbers achieved in similar surveys in Derby (161 ales, population 240,000) and Sheffield (240, 500,000 – which is a far larger population than Norwich).

Local ales from 22 of the county’s breweries were on sale with Woodforde’s Wherry taking the accolade of most popular ale, being available in 43 pubs. The Fat Cat had the most ales on the bar with 31, followed by the Whalebone (20), Duke of Wellington (16), Fat Cat Brewery Tap (15) and The Plasterers Arms (14).

A dozen pubs visited were serving 7 or more ales.

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Ian Stamp, Norwich CAMRA member and organiser of the survey said “This is an amazing result – we expected to get over 150 ales but 215 is fantastic and a great tribute to the publicans and real ale drinkers across the whole city who demand and get an excellent range of real ales and ciders”. Surely Norwich is the City of Ale!

Other statistics: - Total pubs surveyed: 136 - Total serving real ale: 113 (83%) - Total ales on sale: 498 (plus 24 ciders and perries), 186 from Norfolk Breweries - Unique ales on sale: 215 (18 ciders and perries - subject to verification) - Ales on sale in one pub only: 144 - Prices: £1.70 - £3.60, average £2.95 (Norfolk beers £2.92, non-Norfolk beers £2.97) - Breweries: 98 (22 from Norfolk) - Average ABV: 4.2% Most Popular Beers (with publicans!): 43 Woodfordes Wherry 28 Adnams Southwold Bitter

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23 Fullers London Pride 16 Greene King IPA 14 Greene King Abbott 13 Wolf Golden Jackal 12 Adnams Broadside Woodfordes Nelsons Revenge 6 Hop Back Summer Lightning Sharps Doombar Wells & Youngs Bombardier Oakham JHB Woodfordes Once Bittern Woodfordes Sundew

The Falcon Pulham Market, IP21 4SU

...a REAL pub

S

ince reopening 18 months ago The Falcon is building a good reputation for ales and ciders which are served straight from the barrels at cellar temprature.

Pubs with more than 2 unique ales: 17 Fat Cat 15 Whalebone 7 White Lion 6 Duke of Wellington Kings Head Plasterers 5 Bell Kings Arms 4 Fat Cat Brewery Tap Plough (out of 4!)

Trafford Arms 3 Coach & Horses, Thorpe Road Cottage, Silver road Micawbers Woolpack

Lou and her staff have been awarded a certificate of excellence from Cask Marque and a food hygiene rating of 5.

The Falcon is very much a traditional drinkers pub with stone floors and wood burners, pool table and darts board. There is a quiz night every Wednesday and live music every Saturday. Also on Wednesday evenings there is a meet for local motorcyclist from 7pm ( please contact the pub to check this as we approach winter.)

Bar food is served all day on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and is avaliable to eat in or takeaway.

Diary of Events October Sat 1st The Pure Floyd Show (tickets ÂŁ6 ) Sat 8th Rawedge (rock) Sat 15th Fourplay (classic rock) Sat 22nd Murphys Lore (folk) Fri 28th Halloween fancy dress party with Headspace

Pubs with most local Ales: 13 The Plasterers 12 Fat Cat 10 Kings Head, Magdalen Street 6 Ketts Tavern Coach and Horses,Thorpe Road 5 Beehive, Leopold Road Fat Cat Brewery Tap Rose, Queens Road 4 Coachmakers Jubilee Duke of Wellington Bell

November Sat 5th Egypt (blues/rock) Sat 12th Sun of Cash (johny cash) Sat 19th Andy Robinson band (rock/blues) Sat 26th After Hours Blues band (blues)

Tel: 01379 608897 Mob: 07534944242 facebook.com/falconpulham Ian Stamp

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NORFOLK NIPS | Colonial Craig

From Across the Pond (part 4) My fellow real ale drinkers, it is with great sadness that I write this chapter. When this goes to press I will already be far away from the land of great ale. I diligently tried to stay another year but my employer wouldn’t budge; I was even forced out three months earlier than I was promised! I have been banished to a small island in the middle of the Pacific with a pitiful (and expensive) selection of beer. Before you start to feel too sorry for me, I should mention that the island I am on now is Oahu. If you are scratching your head about the location, let me give you a hint…the Japanese made an unexpected visit here back in 1941. Yes, I know it is rough but just remember that I don’t have any real ales to sample; at least none that I have found just yet.

“We are experiencing quite a bit of culture shock now that we are back in the US. I have already noticed a big difference between English pubs and American bars.”

My lovely wife and I had a wonderful time in your awesome country. We really appreciate the great hospitality and friendships we made over the past few years. We are experiencing quite a bit of culture shock now that we are back in the US. I have already noticed a big difference between English pubs and American bars. The pubs are more of a home away from home.

There are many acquaintances at your friendly local pub and most of them you consider friends. This isn’t the norm in our bars. We typically bring our friends with us to the bar and chat only within our group. It is rare to find a place in the US that has the friendly atmosphere of a typical pub. As an outsider, I can really see the difference. Many of you probably don’t

realize how special your pubs really are. They serve the best beer, in a superb environment and you get to spend quality time with your pals and not just the ones you brought with you.

What more could you ask for? Please don’t take your local pub for granted. If you don’t support them they won’t be around forever. I plan on coming back to visit and I want to find the same great pubs, not a bunch of flat conversions!

I am not sure when I will get back to the Old Country but I have promised Stig that I would submit some articles on my travels and the beers I find. One highlight of my new job is that I will get to travel frequently. I should be able to drop you a line now and then about the beers I am sampling and the breweries I am visiting. I will be missing England and the real ales but at least I had the opportunity to live in your wonderful land for almost six years. Life is good!

Angel Gardens Free House

This independently run freehouse has been under the ownership of Ian Warren since 1988 and is situated on the north of the city near to Waterloo Park.

Homecooked and speciality meals Prepared by Ian - a qualified chef with years of experience.

Up to SEVEN reasonably priced Real Ales including THREE guest ales Monthly Quiz & Darts • Live Music on Saturdays

96 Angel Rd, Norwich NR3 3HT

01603 427490

email: ikwarren-angel@tiscali.co.uk

www.norwichinns.com

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Beer Tasting

| NORFOLK NIPS

Tasting Panel A well attended Tasting Panel was recently treated to a comprehensive tasting of bottled and draught ales at the Ketts Tavern, Ketts Hill, owned and run by Dawn and Kevin Hopkins.

The bottled ales were from Norfolk Square Brewery, whose owners, Carlos and Lesley Branquinho, kindly organised the evening, and performed the pouring and clearing duties we usually have to do for ourselves!

Carlos was the ideal host, as he also brews the Norwich Bear ales for the Ketts and its sister pub The Rose, at his brewery in Stokesby, while the new Norwich Bear brewery is installed at The Rose. Following the usual tasting panel procedure, we tasted each beer, discussed aroma, flavours and aftertaste, and rated it having been told only the ABV. Beer names were revealed - or confirmed - by Carlos after the marking was complete.

We started with Pi, a light hoppy golden beer of 3.7%, which was the first beer Norfolk Square brewed and very refershing, followed by Scroby, the brewery’s 4.2% pale ale, fullerflavoured (the name reflects the brewery's origins in Great Yarmouth). Sunshiny, a 4.5% ale flavored with a light touch of honey, completed a trio of golden amber ales on a sweeter note.

We also tasted B52, slightly stronger at 4.8%; Square Miled, as the name suggest a dark 4% mild which was very popular, and Winklepicker, Norfolk Square’s 5% porter, pretty much in the true style, although a little sweeter than some other brewers’ versions.

We would normally not taste more than six beers at a session - apart from most of us having to work in the morning, taste buds are usually somewhat jaded after so much work!

However, we were loath to turn down a free tasting with the brewer (and bottle tastings 34

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don’t usually involve more than 1/3 pint per beer!) so most of us took the opportunity to taste a little of each of the new Norwich Bear (as in “gis a point ‘a tha bear bor”!) brews: Classic, a 3.8% pale ale; Legend 4.3, slightly stronger and darker and reminiscent of London Pride; Platinum, a 5% golden ale; and NPA, a 4.7% 'Norfolk IPA’, which was probably most people’s favourite, although run a close second by the Legend.

A very pleasant evening - if later than usual! and our thanks to Carlos and Lesley, and the hard-working bar staff at the Ketts!

Telephone: 01379 898 445 Email: info@thebellrickinghall.co.uk www.thebellrickinghall.co.uk

The Bell Inn, The Street, Rickinghall, Norfolk IP22 1BN

The Bell Inn is a family owned and run Country Hotel with ample Free Parking and Patio Garden.

• 8 En-suited Bedrooms • The Chimes Restuarant seating up to 30 guests • Private Function Suite • Bespoke menus tailored to suit all functions • Warm & friendly atmosphere • Good selection of ales Whether you are visiting us for business or pleasure we will endeavour to ensure your stay with us will always exceed your expectations.

We are open all day every day Lunch 12:00 - 2:30 • Dinner 6:00 - 9:30 Sunday Lunch served all day 12:00 - 9:00

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CAMRA Calendar Norwich and North Norfolk Branch Thursday 15th September Visit to Elgood’s Brewery, Wisbech Spaces limited, contact Michael Philips Tuesday 20th September Branch Meeting At The Humpty Dumpty Brewery, Reedham. 8pm Friday 30th September Campaign Trip North of the City (Worstead area) Friday 7th October First Friday Five Visiting five pubs in Norwich.

Starts 8pm. Route TBA Sunday 9th October Inter Branch Social with West Norfolk Branch At Whitwell & Reepham Railway Station Beer Festival Tuesday 18th October Branch Meeting TBA Monday 24th – Saturday 29th October The 34th Norwich CAMRA Beer Festival At St Andrews and Blackfriars Halls.

Friday 4th November First Friday Five Visiting five pubs in Norwich Starts 8pm. Route TBA.

NORFOLK NIPS | CAMRA Calendar

Mariners. Howard Street at 1.30 for a 2pm start Saturday 12th November Visit to Adnams Brewery - Booking is essential with Michael Philips Tuesday 15th November Committee meeting at The Beehive, Leopold Road, Norwich 8pm Friday 25th November Campaign Trip South of the City - Wicklewood area

West Norfolk Branch Tuesday 20th September Albion, Thetford.

Good Beer guide launch/ social Sunday 9th October Whitwell & Reepham railway festival, joint social with Norwich Tuesday 11th October Windmill, Great Cressingham, AGM Tuesday 8th November Union Jack, Roydon Saturday 17th December.

Norwich Chrisrmas Crawl All branch meetings start at 8pm and include a social.

Saturday 5th November Treasure Hunt in Great Yarmouth. Meet at The

Got a short pint?

If you believe that you have been treated unfairly in a pub, club or bar, you should contact the Trading Standards service by writing to them at Norfolk Trading Standards Service, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, NR1 2UD or faxing them on 01603 222999.

A wide range of consumer information and advice is also available online from the Consumer Direct website at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk

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Lincoln Visit

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A “Flick” around Lincoln Those who know me will be aware that I am a complete aeroplane nut so upon hearing recently that the mighty hunter the Nimrod was about to make its last flights I headed into darkest Lincolnshire to witness its passing.

an impressive (12!) range of beers including of course their own Milestone’s beers.

Having left the 14th Century Dragon I headed for the Jolly Brewer with a sense of trepidation having been told they had suffered a break in the night before. The pub is close to the art school and has a Bohemian look before you even enter, it was open due to some hard work by the staff and proved to be the kind of no frills eccentric place I tend to like. Decorated by art students some years ago in an Art Deco style it has wonderful coloured windows one of which at the back of the pub had been broken in the

This event spanned two days at RAF Waddington which is just South of Lincoln so I decided to stay in the city overnight and explore its real ale drinking potential.

The original plan of attack was to get to the top of the hill upon which sit the Cathedral and castle the let gravity aid my return to my digs.

However when I got off the bus, I discovered that two of the pubs on my list were very close by. First was the Green Dragon which has a downstairs bar level with the river front serving 38

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Green Dragon

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NORFOLK NIPS |

break in, such a shame. The Brewer proved friendly and the beer quality superb with two excellent local beers on offer out of the six available, plus real perry and cider.

I moved on as they were setting up for live music, a bit later it must have been heaving.

A this point I had to climb up to the level of the hilltop I chose the stairs on the side of the hill rather than the rather obviously named street Steep Hill!

Art Deco styling in the Jolly Brewer

Time to return to my digs as I had to go back to Waddington fairly early, with enough beer guide pubs for a return visit, fairly soon I suspect. With a great array of differing pubs plus the medieval city, one to try for yourself.

n

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Flick off!

First was the Morning Star which proved to provide the reason for the title of this piece, inside I was greeted by the sight of a Subuteo tournament about to start. The league is called the Lincoln Flickers, and this is serious competition with players polishing the bases of their players before flick off, half the pub was taken up by the tables. You just can’t beat pub culture, just when you think you have seen everything…

The next ale house was the darkly named Strugglers, which is so called because when public hangings took place outside the castle gaol the condemned were taken in to the pub to get drunk so they didn’t struggle on the gallows (shudder). The beer range was again very good and it was standing room only, you couldn’t struggle much even if you tried!

Finally I visited the Bateman’s owned Victoria which wasn’t hard as it is right next door to the Strugglers.

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Norfolk Square Brewery opens Two Brewers Shop

Tucked away at the top of Magdalen Street, next to Two Brewers Yard in Norwich is Carlos Branquinho’s latest venture.

Wander through the front door and you realise that this is a cornucopia of bottled beers.

Rows and rows of bottles vie for your attention. You don’t know where to look first – the words “kid” and “sweetshop” come readily to mind.

Hardly surprising, there are at present 40 local beers and over 100 others from the UK and around the world, plus ciders and wines! Fortunately they are arranged in some order, Norfolk Beers, American Beers, Belgium Beers etc.

As one who dismally failed to discover the delights of the Italian Craft Beer scene when in Rome, I was delighted to readily find two specimens here; the Baladin Nora is definitely one for Christmas.

I spoke to Shop Manager Peter Darwood who was happy to show me around. He pointed out some rare delights, such as the Chinese Lucky Beer.

There is an ever changing window display which featured American Beers on my visit.

He told me that the shop will also hold “Meet the Brewer” events at regular intervals, check their facebook page for the latest news; Woodfordes is up next on 10th September, Not the easiest place to get to by car, but there is a large “loading only” bay opposite, and you would be loading, wouldn’t you?

DRINKING THE YORKSHIRE WAY or BY-ECK My wife and I plus the dog set off in our campervan to tour the Yorkshire Moors, a beautiful area which we have visited many times before.

Only this time we decided to break the journey from Norfolk and have an evening stop over near Selby, what a master stroke this turned out to be. Our camp site at Riccall, had a pub called the Greyhound Inn and this was our first port of call. Four ales to choose from and I went for Little Valley Moor, Well What The Heck at 5.5% ABV. The Wheatsheaf, a roadside pub in Burn was my next choice. I could not bring myself to sample the John Smith’s cask ale but I did try Goose Eye - Balmpot, Leed’s - Pale and Osset- Blond. NO Great Heck.

Next the George and Dragon at West Haddlesey (just down the road) had Golden Angel from Toad Brewery, Doncaster. Our last venue was again only a stones throw away, the Wadkin Arms at Osgodby. With Wensleydale Gold,and Brown Cow - White Dragon but no Great Heck.

We moved on to the Yorkshire moors the following day and can recommend the following pubs.

SUDDERBY’S at Malton (great bottled beer shop as well) BLACKSMITHS ARMS at Lastingham one of our all time favourites (brilliant food) NEW INN at Cropton which has its own brewery HORSESHOE HOTEL at Egerton Bridge STATION INN at Whitby SUN INN at Pickering CROWN Hutton-Le-Hole My next trip to the Yorkshire moors will definitely be broken at Selby but this time on the way there and back. Surely we must find some Great Heck beers then!

Bruce & Carol Ward

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ton Locks Inn s e d l e G Locks Lane, Geldeston NR34 0HW Tel: 01508 518414 Summer opening Hours up to 31st October Open all day every day 12 Noon - 11pm Food Served Monday to Friday 12 Noon - 2.30pm and 6pm - 9pm Saturday and Sunday 12 Noon all day through to 9pm Winter opening hours from 31st October Open urs, Fri, Sat 12 Noon – 11pm Food served urs, Fri, Sat 12 Noon – 2.30pm (Sunday 12 Noon - 5pm)

Go to www.geldestonlocks.co.uk for more information on our events, parties and music line-up

73 Oak Street, Norwich NR3 3AQ

01603 632333 An ever-changing selection of five Milton brews and three guest beers. Also serving a variety of fine malt whiskies, a range of Trappist and Fruit Belgian beers and a unique English lager brewed to a Czech recipe.

Food coming soon Come and have a tipple at the last of the Oak Street Alehouses www.individualpubs.co.uk/whitelion/ 42

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FREE WiFi

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NORFOLK NIPS | Interview with a Landlady

The Norfolk Beer Scene A to Z A is for: Aey Allen, Landlady of The Vine In the first of a new series which looks at what makes the Norfolk Beer Scene so special, I interviewed Aey. She celebrates three years at The Vine on 15th November and to mark the occasion is donating 10p per pint sold to Children in Need during the week 14th – 19th November.

Q. Nice selection of Ales, were they chosen with Thai food in mind?

A. Oh yes, especially JHB. Q. You are in The Good Beer Guide and The Good Food Guide, what is the secret of your success?

A. Good staff and fresh home cooked food, using local produce wherever possible. The beer lines are always flushed through, not just cleaned. The Oakham Brewery says that I serve the best pint of JHB. I’m a fussy person, I like everything to be neat. It’s altogether.

Q. What advice would you give to anyone thinking of taking on a pub?

A. Firstly, you must love your job, and practice your people skills. Take care of people and you will make customers your friends.

Q. The City of Ale Festival, how was it for you?

A. It was good. We had 12 firkins on, people asked how the smallest pub could have so many beers. It brought new customers in on the Bank Holiday Monday, which is usually quiet for us.

Q. If you could only have one drink and one meal, what would they be?

A. A pint of real ale, definitely - possibly Oakham Macaw and a dish of Gang Pha (Village Curry).

(This is No. 40 on the menu, which confirms that Aey loves this dish – Ed)

Q. Looking to the future, what is your biggest challenge/concern?

A. To keep finding something new. I try to make an improvement every three months. You can’t stand still.

Q. Finally, The Vine is a great place in which to unwind, but how do you chill out when you are not in the pub?

A. Oh, I love a good party!

NORFOLK ALE SHOP OVER 60 ALES

ALE SALE! EVERY WEEKEND 20% off ALL BOTTLES FIND US INSTORE AT THE GENERAL STORE 41, HIGH STREET, RINGSTEAD. PE36 5JU. NEAR HUNSTANTON. Telephone: 01485 525270 Email: generalstore41@aol.com.

OPEN SEVEN DAYS 8am -5.30pm.

EXCEPT MON/TUES/WED. CLOSING AT 1pm.

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Cider and Perry

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The birth of the East Anglian Cider Competition A few years ago, around the middle of the last decade, three members of CAMRA interested in promoting real cider and perry in East Anglia met in Cambridge, strangely enough in a bar which sold real cider. East Anglia cider was not being promoted much at the time and we wanted to find a way to let people know that cider is produced in the region, not just the West Country and the South East.

After much conversation (and a few ciders) we had come up with the idea of running a cider competition to select the best ciders and perries in the region. Any cider producer based in the region could enter as long as the product was not pasteurised or artificially carbonated and did not contain concentrate.

Norwich Beer Festival seemed the ideal location, regularly having the largest amount of East Anglia cider in one place at that time.

We started small, with around 15 products being judged in the first year which was not bad bearing in mind that we were only aware of around 20 producers in the region. Over the years, there have been a number of changes, the main things being the number of entries and, therefore, the number of judges required.

Entries have grown steadily and I am sure that we would never have imagined at the start that

we would be judging over 20 ciders and have enough perries to run a separate competition.

Even better there are now nearly 50 cider producers in the region.

Last year Norfolk did very well with Crones Owld Norfolk winning the cider competition and Whin Hill’s was judged to be the best perry. This year’s competition will be judged, as usual, on Tuesday 25th October at Norwich Beer Festival. If you would like to help with the judging, please contact either myself or Chris Rouse on chrisjrouse@yahoo.co.uk. You don’t have to be a cider expert, all you need to be able to do is appreciate and recognise good real cider and perry.

The winning products will go forward as regional entries into the National Cider and Perry Championships, which take place at Reading Beer and Cider Festival in May next year.

Andrea Briers

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NORFOLK NIPS | Cider and Perry

Cider And Perry In Norfolk Real cider is a long established traditional drink which is produced naturally from apples and is neither pasteurised nor carbonated. Perry is similar, produced from pears. In order to ensure that traditional cider and perry production continues in the face of serious competition from their heavily advertised keg competitors CAMRA is actively seeking to support cider and perry makers in the UK. Here in Norfolk we have a number of active and successful producers who are making drinks that differ in their nature from those produced in the West Country and Welsh Borders. N&N CAMRA will endeavour to inform the county about the choice of real cider and perry available by providing information on local cider makers and the outlets (pubs, festivals and farmers markets)where it can be obtained.

In our inaugural piece we will introduce the East Norfolk Trading Company based in Martham, and the only commercial cider maker in the Yarmouth area. The cider press is sited in an old agricultural shed on the outskirts of the village, as with so many micro-breweries these days, is well suited for the purpose with its roomy space, ambient temperatures and ease of drainage and cleaning. Russell Watson set up the enterprise two years ago and to date has produced a number of successful varieties.

Norfolk haymaker (6.5%) is a medium cider with a refreshing zesty flavour. Discovery (7.3%) is dry and uses 50% Discovery apples. The Oak Aged (7.5%) has been matured for four months in an oak barrel obtained from the malt whiskey industry and the result is a magnificent mix of apple with a smoky aftertaste.

Russell has also been experimenting with cider infused with his own elderflower cordial to produce sweet Elderflower (7%). All these ciders were sampled at the Cider Festival held recently in the Oliver Twist in Yarmouth over the Whitsun weekend. The Elderflower tasted fresh and flowery with a lingering sweet fruit on the tongue. And just for the festival, a delicious hot

cider with honey cinnamon and cloves sent everyone off to bed content.

At the moment Russell sources his apples from east anglian orchards but he has also planted 70 trees of his own. Outlets for the cider are confined to the east coast at the moment (try the Hickling Pleasure boat, the Horsey Nelson’s Head and of course the Oliver Twist in Yarmouth, all offer a choice of two) but he also supplies festivals and Stalham Farmer’s market.

And the Boy John is coming! It may be early days, but the signs are bright for cider with a Norfolk bite!

2nd Annual Beer Festival Thursday 10th - Sunday 13th November

12 Real Ales and 2 Ciders Fully licenced bar • Light snacks available SESSION TIMES: Thursday: 7.30 until late Friday: 6.00pm until late Saturday: 2.00pm until late Sunday: 12.00 noon until late.

ENTERTAINMENT: Thursday Eve - Live Music with The Blofield Heath Jammers Saturday Evening - Elvis Revisited Sunday Evening - Fun Quiz

Heathlands Community Centre, Woodbastwick Road, Blofield Heath, Norwich, NR13 4QH Tel: 01603 714164 Mob: 07818466473.

www.heathlandscommunitycentre.org.uk

Registered Charity: 303909

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NORFOLK NIPS | Festival Diary

Beer Festival Diary 28 September-1 October (WednesdaySaturday) St Albans Beer Festival Alban Arena, Civic Centre - short walk from St Albans City or Abbey rail stations Up to 350 real ales, plus cider perry, bottle-conditioned beers + large range of foreign beers from all over the world. Live musical entertainment with Co Jones plus John Otway on Saturday lunchtime with Nine Below Zero in the evening. Open: Wednesday 12-11pm; Thursday-Saturday 11-11pm. CAMRA members free at all times. Staff needed, email: staffing@hertsale.org.uk Other enquires to realales@yahoo.com (please put ‘SABF2011’ in subject line) or www.stalbansbeerfestival.com.

5-8 Oct (Wednesday-Saturday) 34th Bedford Beer & Cider Festival Corn Exchange, St Paul's Square, Bedford MK40 1SL. Town centre venue - 5 minutes from the bus station, 10 minutes from the railway station.

110 power-cooled real ales, 35 ciders + perries + a wide range of draught + bottled foreign beers. Open: Wednesday 4-11pm; Thursday-Saturday 11.30 -11pm.

Admission after 5pm: Wednesday £2, Thursday £3, Friday £5, Saturday £1, paid on door. Free before 5pm and to CAMRA members all times. No under 18s admitted. Press/trade preview Wed 3-4pm, invited guests and CAMRA members only. Hot/cold food and free soft drinks available at all sessions. Wheelchair access to all floors, evening pass-outs for smokers.

Live entertainers: Wednesday evening - Dr Busker, Saturday evening - Lost 4 Words. For more details call 01234 822698 or see www.northbedscamra.org.uk.

12-15 Oct (Wednesday-Saturday) 18th Concrete Pint (Milton Keynes) Beer Festival The Buszy, Elder Gate, Central Milton Keynes MK9 1LR (200yds from CMK railway station, above the old bus station; All bus routes into MK stop there) 60+ real ales plus cider/Perry. Hot/cold food at all sessions. Live entertainment Thursday - Saturday evenings. Admission £3 (free to card-carrying CAMRA members) Open: Wednesday 5 -11pm; All other days noon-11pm. Commemorative glass £2 (refundable) For more details see the website www.mkcamra.org.uk 13-15 Oct (Thursday-Saturday) Nottingham 'Robin Hood' Beer & Cider Festival Nottingham Castle, top of Friar Lane, Nottingham.

Located in the superb grounds of the castle, close to Old

Market Square and tram stop (short walk from railway station and Broadmarsh bus station).

Over 800 cask beers, plus wide selection of ciders and perries mainly sourced from the smaller producers.

All Day opening Thursday, Friday & Saturday 11 11pm. See website for details of admission prices and CAMRA discount.

Live music on Victorian Bandstand (separate from main beer marquee, which is music-free). Hot food available (except Sunday).

Contact Nottingham CAMRA on numbers 0785 111 2047 (General) or 0792 541 4726 (Staffing/volunteers) or 0115 929 7896 (Entertainment Answerphone available) or festival@nottinghamcamra.org.

24-29 Oct (Mon-Sat) 34th Norwich Beer Festival St Andrews & Blackfriars Hall, Norwich 200 + real ales (many local ales and specials), 30+ ciders and perries, (East Anglia Cider & Perry Competition Venue), Bottled beer from GB, Europe and further afield, plus draught foreign beer from mainland Europe.

Open: Monday 5.30-11pm; Tuesday-Thursday 11.30-2.30pm, then 5.30-11pm; Fri 11.30-3pm then 5.30-11pm, Saturday 11.30-3pm then 6.30-11pm.

Admission Prices Lunchtime: Tuesday-Thursday £1, Friday-Saturday £2. Evenings: Monday and Tuesday £4, Wednesday and Thursday £5, Friday and Saturday £6. CAMRA members FREE at all times, but please join queue and show valid membership card on entry.

Over 18s only, no children. Last admissions are 30minutes before closing time.

Volunteers needed - please email Mark Stimpson, bfstaff@norwichcamra.org.uk or write to Mark: Fest Staffing, 8 Pond Rd, Horsford, Norfolk NR10 3SW. Further information please see: www.norwichcamra.org.uk/festival/fest2011.htm or contact Festival Organiser Martin Ward on 07833 971894 (M) or macros_the_black@ntlworld.com.

30 Nov-3 Dec (Wed-Sat) 10th Harwich & Dovercourt Bay Winter Ales Festival Kingsway Hall, Dovercourt 50+ real ales, with an emphasis on dark and seasonal brews, also cider and bottled continental beers.

Open: 7-11 Wednesday, 11-11 Thursday-Saturday.

Admission £1.50, £2.50 after 6pm Friday, 2pm Saturday, free to card-carrying CAMRA members at all times. Souvenir 1/2pint tankards available. Further information please see www.tendringcamra.org.uk

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NORFOLK NIPS | Pub Beer Festivals

Local Beer Festivals As most people are aware by now that CAMRA organizes many beer festivals all over the U.K. Some branches run more than one each year (Summer & Winter). Locally we have large CAMRA beer festivals at Peterborough, Cambridge, Norwich, Ipswich & Bury St. Edmunds just to name a few.

However, there is a growing trend these days for pubs to run beer festivals of their own.

Among the pub festivals recently visited was the Stuart House, Kings Lynn(28th-30th July). This was their 14th year and very successful it was too.

Congratulations to Keith Barnes and his team at the Ancient Mariner’s (Old Hunstanton) for running their 1st beer festival. Also thanks for allowing West Norfolk CAMRA to be involved.

We hope this will be an annual event!

Not only pubs run beer festivals! The North Norfolk Railway ran a great event, despite really bad weather. This was their 10th year on the platform at Sheringham station and a rake of carriages provided some shelter for eager drinker's to dry out and not forgetting the health and safety aspect to stop drinker's falling from the platform on to the track!

You cannot write about beer festivals without mentioning the Angel at Larling. Their 18th festival had 67 ales & 4 ciders and was a complete sell out. Congratulations to Andrew Stammers and his team for making this year one of the best.

The Fox & Hounds at Heacham run several successful festivals each year. I was privileged to be able to do a pre-tasting of some of the 38 beers on offer for their July bash. Thanks Mark, they were all in good nick.

During September & October there are many more beer fests, which shows how popular real ale festivals have become amongst drinkers of all (legal) ages!

Listed below are just a few more local pubs and venues that regularly feature beer festivals.

Victoria, Hockering .

Coach & Horses, Dersingham (7th-9th Oct.) Elgoods Brewery, Wisbech (22nd-24th Sept.)

Dabbling Duck, Gt. Massingham Union Jack, Roydon.

Plus many more in and around Norwich including The Trafford Arms and The Murderers.

THE ANGEL INN FREEHOUSE

NORFOLK CAMRA PUB OF THE YEAR 2010!

Open all day every day Excellent home cooked meals available from our award winning kitchen Large Beer Garden with play area En-suite accommodation Camping and Caravanning available Larling, Norfolk, NR16 2QU (17th Century former coaching inn)

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NORFOLK NIPS | Why not visit...?

The Fishermans Return, Winterton If you fancy getting away for the weekend, there are three en-suite rooms available.

To the rear of the pub is the separate function room. Built in the 19th C, the Tin Ho’, or timbo as it is called, originally catered for day trippers from Great Yarmouth.

This is the second in a series where we look at pubs which are well worth a visit, but maybe in a remote location or just not on your radar.

The Fishermans Return in Winterton certainly fits the bill.

Darrin has only been there for 2 ½ years, having first seen it one Christmas – with the woodburners glowing, his first impression was “Wow!” This is a pub that has only had 4 Landlords in 100 years, so Darrin and Scott are obviously “new”. By all accounts the pub was a bit run down when they arrived, but it looks great now.

Popular with the locals, holiday makers, dog walkers and twitchers, it’s certainly worth a visit.

This 17th C. brick and flint built pub is in the 2011 Good Beer Guide and situated in the village, close to the Beach.

Described by Landlord Darrin Winter as a “Country Pub by the Sea”, it’s appeal is immediately obvious and was a welcoming sight when I arrived on a damp summer evening.

There were five Real Ales on handpumps, Woodforde’s Norfolk Nog and Wherry are always available, plus guests – Humpty Dumpty’s Cheltenham Flyer and Sharp’s Own at the time of my visit, plus their own House Beer, Skipper’s Tipple (a Greene King Beer brewed to a Hardy and Hanson recipe).

There were also three ciders, Old Rosie, Black Dragon and Cider Twist with Raspberry.

The Ales are not cheap, but were in fine fettle.

There is a good food menu, using local produce and daily deliveries of fresh fish from Lowestoft.

8 Keelan Close, Norwich NR6 6QZ

Tel. 01603 787820 sales@wintersbrewery.co.uk www.wintersbrewery.co.uk

Search Winter’s Brewery

@wintersbrewery

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Pedants’ Revolt

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Fancy Dress Drinking (aka Morris Dancing)

Pedants’ Revolt are a Norwichbased dance group, and we frequently get the opportunity to combine the noble arts of dancing and drinking. Here we are in Norwich outside the Adam and Eve. We “black up” for the same reason that many dancers did in the 19th C. – to avoid being recognised by friends or neighbours who might think that we were begging, or employers, who would view this as a poor excuse for being off work!

hot day, the Cheltenham Flyer and the Broadland Sunrise were given the vote as to the beers that refreshed most parts the best. The Swingbridge Stout, my personal favourite, was not on, so I tried the Black Buffle from Spectrum. A delicious brew, 4.5%, and named after the brewer's cat. However, there is one problem. You can’t do justice to the beer if you also need to dance, and vice versa. Fortunately, we find many opportunities to indulge in more dedicated drinking.

We visited Reedham recently, to perform at the Humpty Dumpty Beer Festival. The dancers sampled several of the brewery’s beers, and as it was a

Several of us attended the Warwick Folk Festival at the end of July, a three-day event featuring some of the country’s top folk bands. I think Show of

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Hands was my favourite act, followed by Spiers and Boden (two members of Bellowhead).

And of course there's the beer tent! I guess there were about fifty beers available over the weekend, some from the local Church End brewery - What the Foxes Hat, a golden beer with a soft hop flavour and finish was particularly refreshing in the heat of the day, and the Stout Coffin was a fine evening companion in the concert tent.

If you want to find out more about where we dance and drink, visit our website: http://littlebirdtoldme.info/Ped antsRevolt/ Jon Dimascio

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Open all day every day food is served:-

Offering four real ales A traditional 17th Century pub, how they used to be

From Norwich & Acle head to Salhouse and at the mini roundabout follow the sign to Wroxham, we are 200yds on the right.

12-2 & 6-9 Tuesday to Sunday 12-3 Sunday for plated home cooked Sunday lunches with homemade Yorkshire puddings and fresh vegetables. Booking advised if dining.

Superb food using fresh, local, seasonal produce Shoot dinners a speciality

Popular quiz every Wednesday from 8:30pm Meat raffle every Sunday at 4:30pm

Tel: 01603 721141 www.salhousebell.co.uk

01603 625891 www.thewigandpen.com

6 St Martins Palace Plain, Norwich NR3 1RN

This warm and friendly 17th century Freehouse is to the north side of Norwich cathedral. Owned by Craig & Lynne McLaren since 1993. ‘The Wig’ as its affectionately known, has built a reputation for fresh, fast, affordable British cuisine.

• Good Ale • Good Food • Heated smoking area • Comprehensive Outdoor Dining Area • Late Night Opening Look out for our Cask Marque Plaque.

This guarantees beer quality in the Wig & Pen and the opportunity to TRY BEFORE YOU BUY.

For the 15th successive year, the Wig & Pen has been included in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide. We are very proud of this achievement.

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Brewery Visit

| NORFOLK NIPS

Visit to Mauldons Brewery, Sudbury Steve demonstrated that Brewing in single pints didn't work

On Saturday 23rd July, we ventured into deepest Suffolk, heading for Mauldons Brewery in Sudbury. Armed with OS maps, GPS devices and the not unreasonable assumption that the coach driver knew where he was going, we were confident of arriving, which we duly did – early.

With the gates open, but no cars in the car park, we opted to park the coach and hope that someone was there to meet us. To immense relief all round, we were met by our host, Steve, who was later joined by his son-in-law James.

Three ales on gravity were also waiting for us, Mole Trap, Silver Adder and the new Blackberry Porter.

Steve gave a fascinating potted history of Mauldons, which started on a farm in the 18th Century, originally to export wine to Australia.

Greene King bought the farm and the Australian link continued when they brewed Fosters. Peter Mauldon was worried that it was not up to scratch, but the Fosters delegation reckoned that although it was nothing like Fosters back home in Australia, it was good enough for us!

they did not like “fruit” beers were impressed; Ribena will never be the same. If you get the chance to try this, then do so. James takes the credit for this, with his flair and enthusiasm you wonder what will be next.

Following the tour, it was off to The Brewery Tap, in Sudbury, which had a good selection of guest Ales in addition to the Mauldon’s range, available on handpump and gravity.

Having thanked our hosts we sadly departed, calling in at the Essex Branch’s Pub of the Year, The Bell Inn in Castle Hedingham, where we enjoyed a leisurely pint or two from the casks before calling in at The Angel, Larling on the way back to Norwich.

It is easy to see why Brewery Trips are so popular, great beer in great company and a chance to learn more about the Brewing Industry. If you have the opportunity to go on one, sign up: but as they say – Book early to avoid disappointment!

The Brewery was eventually bought out in March 2000 and has moved from the Addison Road site to the new premises that we were visiting. The kit is Canadian, and Steve admits that there were some teething problems at first, but it is much more efficient than what they had at Addison Road, so much so, that storage space is now a problem!

The ales that we supped were excellent; the award certificates that adorned the walls are testament to proven quality. However, it has to be said that the Blackberry Porter was in a league of its own. Even those who claimed that 56

| Autumn 2011

Graham watches out for The Suffolk Branch as we dash for the pub

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Simon and Karen welcome you all to their traditional family pub.

We are in

FREE Great selection of real ales and wines, along with fine dining and excellent company.

Trafalgar Beer Festival 20th-24th October

Free Fireworks Spectacular Sunday 30th October

www.whitehorsechedgrave.co.uk

The London Tavern Free House

Great real ales, fine wines and spirits.

A large Home-Made selection of traditional food served daily, Main meals, Set menu deals, Light lunches, Specials & Childrens menu. Roast Dinners Sundays 12-3pm Chilled bar rolls made daily only ÂŁ1.00

The Real Ale Shop is a unique off-licence offering over 50 bottle conditioned ales from 15 Norfolk brewers.

We are located on a beautiful arable farm close-by Wells-next-the-Sea, which provides much of the malt used in brewing the ales we sell.

The Real Ale Shop, Branthill Farm, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, NR23 1SB.

Tel: 01328 710810 58

| SUMMER 2011

Attleborough’s only current Good Beer Guide pub 2010 & 2011 Camra Discount Scheme & Local Ale Breckland Council Rating Level 5 Parking, Disabled facilities, Baby changing, Smokers sheltered garden, and Beer garden.

Well behaved dogs on leads welcome.

Christenings, Funerals, Intimate Weddings / Civil Ceremonies catered for

Church St, Attleborough Tel :01953 457415

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Queen’s Head and Waveney Brewing Company Traditional Village Pub with a brewery producing permanent and seasonal ales on site Large beer garden, traditional games, lunchtime menu and a good selection of real ale, spirits and soft drinks Listed in the Good Beer Guide every year since 2000.

Station Road, Earsham, Norfolk

Tel: (01986) 892623

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Michaela and Toni welcome you to

The Kings Arms 22 Hall Rd Norwich NR1 3HQ

Tel: 01603 766361

Everchanging 13 Real Ales, Cider and Mild.

Popular Quiz Night last Wednesday of every month Occasional live Music – see website or phone for details

Food served: Tuesday - Sunday 12noon - 2.30pm with Roast dinner every Sunday

Eat your takeaway in the pub - plates and cutlery provided!

See all of Norwich City’s matches (Home and Away!)

See

www.kingsarmsnorwich.co.uk for details

The Pavilion Wells Road, Hindringham, North Norfolk. NR21 0PL Telephone 01328 878487 Norfolk’s newest freehouse was officially opened on 28th August 2011 with North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb pulling the first pint to the delight of a packed bar.

The brand new freehouse has been built on the site of the old sports club thanks to a £200,000 fundraising drive in the village and is serving Two real ales, draft lager and Aspells cider.

The Pavilion is now open six days a week (closed on Mondays) and will offer a wide variety of food both for lunch and dinner and aims to be a community hub both for the village and the wider North Norfolk community.

Licencee Rob Eustace will run it alongside a team of local staff and said: “We have done it for the village and we want to put Hindringham back on the map.”

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| Autumn 2011

THE Three Horseshoes West End, Norwich Road, Briston, Norfolk. NR24 2JA

Telephone 01263 861621 Going back to the original name The Three Horseshoes (formally The Stracey Inn) will open within the next few weeks in Briston, North Norfolk’s largest village.

Internationally experienced Head Chef Gavin Mcquire aims to offer a new and exciting dining experience and owner’s Sue Ridgwell and Rob Eustace explained that the emphasis will be on traditional values, quality service and exceptional food. Opening seven days a week offering food all day from 12 Noon - 9pm.

The Three Horseshoes is a freehouse using Adnams brewery serving 3 real ales with guest beers, draft lager and 2 draft ciders.

3 ensuite rooms are available • Live music

H

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NORFOLK NIPS | The big question

Handpump v Gravity It’s a real ale icon, it’s what we look for when we go into a pub that we’ve never been in before.

The sight of one, or better still – several of them - can quicken the pulse and reassure us at the same time. It’s OK, we can get a decent pint here.

It ,of course, is the humble Handpump, a symbol of all we stand for. It is incorporated into the logo for the 34th Norwich CAMRA Beer Festival and I often wonder why CAMRA did not adopt it in 1971. But, it is under threat, the winds of change are blowing and you have to ask “Has the handpump had it's day?”

The competition it faces is not new, what is?

It’s just that more and more pubs are choosing to serve beers under gravity - straight from the wood, or temperature controlled aluminium cask more like it. The handpump has many things going for it. It is Point of Sale Marketing at it’s best, some pump clips are works of art and their design can keep Marketing, Design and Advertising people occupied for a long and expensive time. And, they are “customer facing” providing the ideal opportunity for a spot of banter between Bar Staff and customers. No need to to take the order and then turn your back on the customer or depart for the tap room, leaving the customer to hope that they get what they have ordered.

Visitors to The Royal Norfolk Show will have noticed that Woodfordes installed handpumps on their bar this year. You can get a lot of feedback whilst that pint is being pulled.

But at The Fur and Feathers, the Woodfordes Tap, there are three handpumps on the bar, but the beer is served under gravity from dummy barrel fronts behind the bar. There are reasons for this, not least of which is that they sell all their beer range at the same time and to do that with handpumps, they would need a bigger bar.

The Marsham Arms is similar, three handpumps

on the bar, but beer is served from the small tap room adjacent to the bar. The Pigs at Edgefield just has the barrel fronts, The Lord Nelson at Burnham Thorpe doesn't even have a bar!

So why is this? In my view, there are two very good reasons why gravity is becoming the method of dispense of choice – quality and money.

Firstly quality - I fully accept that some beer styles are best served by handpump and some by gravity, but in the case of the handpump, there are more variables involved -beer lines, swan necks, tight sparklers, etc. Each can have an effect on the quality of the freshly poured pint. In my view, the greater number of variables, the greater the risk of contamination, etc.

At The Wortwell Bell recently, Branch Members were queuing up not to be first when a new beer was put on to an existing line, even though a bucket load was pulled through first. (I had the first pint – and jolly good it was too!) Then there is the money – that bucket contained a good few pints and at around £3.00 per pint, that's no small beer. I don’t have a Degree in Difficult Sums, so I leave others to work out how much profit is lost in the beer lines at the end of the day or when the lines are cleaned. Less waste, more profit.

Regardless of how you serve it, nothing can beat good cellarmanship, some pubs get it right, some don’t. The chances are that we avoid the pubs that don’t, which could lead to them dispensing with real ale because there is no demand or even worse, closing. As part of our Campaign, we should all be willing and able to offer advice where it is needed – and welcome!

As for me? Well, I still reckon that Real Ale straight from the cask tastes best and can thank Sir Isaac Newton for inventing Gravity!

I still look for handpumps though ….....

Autumn 2011 | 61

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A no Nor gem

EATON COTTAGE UNTHANK RD, NORWICH Tel: 01603 453048

Fine Real Ales,lagers,wines and spirits All Sky Sports • A traditional pub Good covered outside areas Doggies welcome

“a festival of beers every day”

Earle Arms Heydon

Traditional Norfolk freehouse and restaurant

3 Real Ales always available from Woodfordes, Adnams and a changing Guest Ale.

01263 587376 Satnav: NR11 6AD (Just off B1149 Holt Norwich Rd) 62

| Autumn 2011

Issu 12t Adm for t Satu

Ente Ban Fifth

Tho wou

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From the Archives A nostalgic trawl through earlier editions of Norfolk NIPS has revealed the following gemsfrom 21 years ago: Issue No. 45, Oct/Nov 1989 was a Special 12th Norwich Beer Festival Edition.

Admission was 30p at lunchtime, rising to £1.50 for the evenings and a whopping £2.50 for the Saturday Party Night.

Guide to the Beer Festival. The Beer Selection process aimed to provide “a taste of beers not freely available in the area.” This was to encourage smaller Breweries, both local and national. Realising that “strange names” sell beer, Hop Back Summer Lightning was under consideration.

Entertainment featured The Jonathan Wyatt Big Band and also Lee Vasey; with Adrian Lucas and Fifth Avenue on Saturday Evening.

“Festivals Remembered” looked back at earlier events and ran a competition with the following questions: “Who pulled the first pint at the 1st Norwich Beer Festival and what type of beer was it?”

Those new to the Festival, or planet Earth, would have been reassured by The Hitchhikers

The prize was six bottles of Tolly Final Brew.

Any ideas?

Update Alby Aldborough Attleborough Bawsey Binham Catfield Clippesby Cley Cromer Cromer Dabbling Duck Drayton Downham Market Downham Market Earsham Filby Gorleston Gorleston Gt Yarmouth Gt Yarmouth Gt Yarmouth Heacham Hethersett Hopton Kenninghall Kings Lynn Ludham Lyng Newton by Castle Acre North Elmham

Horseshoes Black Boys London Tavern Sandboy The Chequers The Crown Muskett Arms The George and Dragon The Cottage Red Lion Great Massingham Bob Carter Leisure Centre Railway Arms White Hart Queens Head The Kings Head Dock Tavern Mariners Compass Mariners Red Herring St Johns Head Fox & Hounds The King’s Head White Hart Red Lion Live and Let Live The Dog Fox & Hounds George & Dragon Railway

This list is believed to be correct at the time of going to press,new entries in bold North Walsham Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Reedham Reedham Reedham Reepham Thurlton Tacolneston Sheringham Swardeston West Acre Wiveton Wroxham Wymondham Wymondham

Orchard Gardens Beehive Champion Cottage (Silver Road) Gardeners/Murderers Jubilee Ketts Tavern Kings Head Leopard Rose Take 5 The Ribs of Beef Trafford Arms Vine York Tavern Wig and Pen Ferry Lord Nelson Ship Kings Head The Queen’s Head Pelican Windham Arms Lakenham/Hewitt Rugby Club Stag The Wiveton Bell Brewery Tap Cross Keys Green Dragon

Autumn 2011 | 63

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l g al n i how e and s Now FC hom ames!

NC ay g aw

26 St Leonards Road Norwich NR1 4BL 01603 618734

A real gem, well worth a visit.

Eight real ales to choose from, two of which change regularly.

Lovely enclosed beer garden with large sheltered smoking area.

Two pooltables upstairs.

Only a ten minute walk from the train station and city centre.

Pork pies and other light snacks available all day.

Open all day from 12 noon everyday.

Hog roast available sundays.

Sky Sports and ESPN

ENJOY THE AUTUMN WITH A FINE ALE IN OUR BEER GARDEN 64

| Autumn 2011

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NORFOLK NIPS | Correspondence

Request from the Sheriff of Norwich Chris Higgins with his other hat

Dear Mike, I realise that in the present economic climate everyone is struggling and tightening their belts.

Asking for money is difficult but I know from nearly forty years of experience how generous and innovative the pub trade is at charity fund raising.

Having the honour to represent the trade in my Civic Office this year enables me to wear two hats. On the one hand I recognise the struggles we all face as publicans and brewers, and with the other I see the fantastic voluntary work done in the city supported by charitable donations from the very same people.

Please can I ask that all monies from fund raising events are sent to the City Hall by the end of January 2012.

All monies can be sent by cheque made payable to “Norwich Civic Charity Appeal� and sent to The City Hall, Norwich, and can I thank you all of from the bottom of my heart for whatever contribution you make.

With very best wishes Chris Higgins Landlord of the Trafford Arms Sheriff of Norwich

My role this year brings me into contact with the Civic Charity and this year it is Big C, and in particular the support unit based alongside the hospital which offers support and counselling to the people of Norwich and the wider community. Each year over 3000 people are diagnosed with cancer at the hospital and the Big C contributes a wonderful support network for both patients and families alike.

I am asking all you wonderful publicans and brewers out there if you could commit to just one effort of fund raising in this civic year to help me show just how fantastic our industry is at supporting and helping the community we serve. It does not matter how small the event, every little helps, and could you please contact Peter Walsh 772436 E-mail: peter.walsh@archant.co.uk at the Evening News, Norwich, so that he can compile a directory of participants and help promote your event.

Autumn 2011 | 65

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12 Ales of Christmas

m Festival fro 19th er b em ec D

Open All Day Every Day At Least 5 Local Real Ales Always On Tap Food Served Daily Large Function Room With Bar For Hire Catering For Weddings Birthdays Parties Ect

Bed And Breakfast And Camping

10% Discount For CAMRA Members Station Rd, North Elmham Tel: 01362 668300

The Gatehouse Pub 391 Dereham Road, Norwich NR5 8QJ 01603 620340

Mark & Marie offer you a warm welcome to the

Fox and Hounds Heacham Home of The Fox Brewery We are a free house specialising in real ales.

The first pub in Heacham to be in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.

Live Music Tuesday • Quiz Night Thursday

Modern British Menu now available

FOUR REAL ALES Live Music, Friday & Saturday Large garden overlooking the River Wensum OPEN Mon - Thurs 12-11 Fri & Sat 12-12 • Sunday 12-11 66

| Autumn 2011

Christmas bookings now being taken www.foxbrewery.com Tel: 01485 570345 22 Station Rd, Heacham, Norfolk PE31 7EX

OPEN ALL DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK

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NORFOLK NIPS | City of Ale Report

Norwich City of Ale - The First Festival They started with nothing – ground zero, a blank sheet of paper – and produced a Festival which grabbed the enthusiasm of Real Ale drinkers nationwide and had Beer Legend Roger Protz singing it’s praises and suggesting that others should follow their example.

Extensive coverage by national and local media certainly spread the word and helped to make the Festival the success it was.

launch and final parties were great networking opportunities with other pubs and brewers and 85% agreed that the ale trails worked well in getting people into pubs that they would not normally visit.

Next year? Wait and See!

The emphasis was local (including sponsorship) and LocAle, which made it even more remarkable. From the opening night bash at St Gregorys to the final awards ceremony at Dragon Hall, there was something for everybody. Many completed the Ale Trails and got the T- shirt.

Best Pub: The Adam and Eve Best Event: The Adam and Eve Best Food: The Adam and Eve Best Landlady/Landlord: Rita McClusky Beer of the Festival: Golden Triangle City Gold Best Mild: Fat Cat Meow Mild Best Golden/Blonde Ale: Golden Triangle City Gold Best Bitter/Best Bitter: Adnams Bitter Best Pale Ale/IPA: Grain IPA Best Old/Strong Ale: No award Best Porter/Stout: Panther Black Panther Best Fruit/Speciality: Not awarded Best Wheat Beer: Wolf Straw Dog Best Barley Wine: Opa Hay’s Harald Godwinson

The Festival Logo was everywhere, but for me the icon has to be the Eastern Transport Collection Bus which certainly caught the eye as it toured the City. It has whetted the appetite for The 34th Norwich and Norfolk CAMRA Festival in October.

But how successful was it? A post-event survey reveals that 80% of publicans sold more beer during the 10 day event, 82% agreed that the

Adam and Eve

Here are the results announced at the Final Bash:

17 Bishopgate, Norwich NR3 1RZ 01603 667423

Norwich’s oldest pub Multi award winner Open 11am -11 pm Mon to Sat 12 noon - 10.30pm Sun Food served 12 noon - 7pm Mon to Sat 12 noon - 5pm Sundays

Best Hous Public eA Nor w ward ic Bloom h in 2011

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Beer & Music

| NORFOLK NIPS

Music and Real Ale It is 22 years since I wrote my first jazz notes for Norfolk Nips. Amadeus Boldwickets Red Hot Peppers Jazz Band were about to embark on their second annual tour of the Norfolk Broads, and I sent what was intended to be a 'one-off' article to Nips to publicise this event. Not only did the article get published, but the Norwich Branch of CAMRA ran a coach trip to the Friday night event at the New Inn, Rockland St. Mary, and a good time was had by all. The editors asked me to write a follow up in the next edition and the rest, as they say, is history!

Over the years I have tried to publicise as many local jazz events as possible, and at the same time let people know what good real ales are available in some of the pubs. However, in the current economic climate, the number of jazz events has dwindled, and only some of the hardy regulars remain. At the risk of being repetitive by listing the same old regular venues each time, I have decided to call it a day, although I will try to inform the editor of any special events which come to my attention, hopefully for inclusion elsewhere in Nips.

So, for the last time, here are some of the individual events which I have heard of, together with some of the regular venues.

TRADITIONAL JAZZ Acle Recreation Centre Bridewell Lane, Acle Real Ales include Adnams Bitter, Theakstons and Tipples Redhead Friday 18th November Gambit Jazzmen with special guest from New Orleans, Chris Tyle, on trumpet Enquiries – Brian Davis 01493 701880 Brook Hotel, Bowthorpe, Norwich (off Dereham Road) No Real Ale at present Thursday 13th October Sammy Rimington’s International Jazz Band Tickets/Enquiries – Rod Playford 01362 667811 The Diplomat, Ormesby Road, Badersfield (Ex RAF Coltishall site Nr Coltishall) NR10 5JZ Real Ales include house beer ‘Six 68

| Autumn 2011

Squadron’ and a guest beer.

First Sunday of every month (1.00 – 3.30 pm) – Norfolk Dixieland Jazz Band Admission free, but lunch bookings advisable on 01603 738866.

Crown Inn, Banningham (Nr Aylsham) Adnams Broadside, Greene King IPA and Abbot Ale. Sunday 20th November (1.30 – 4.30 pm) – Norfolk Dixieland Jazz Band.

Admission free, but phone 01263 733534 for lunch reservations.

Fisher Theatre, Broad Street, Bungay, Suffolk Adnams Bitter no longer available on handpump as it has become difficult to keep in good condition in a venue which does not have constant turnover.

Every Sunday evening - Red

Beans ‘n’ Rice New Orleans Jazz Band Marsham Arms, nr Hevingham (B1149 Norwich-Holt Road) The pub has now re-opened after extensive refurbishment following a serious fire last year. A new tap room has been created, which stocks a good selection of real ales served straight from the barrel. The regular beers feature one each from the Adnams and Woodforde’s range, plus a selection of guest ales.

Lumiere Rouge Ragtime Band have now resumed their regular monthly sessions on the third Friday of each month, and there is a possibility of other jazz sessions being staged at other times.

Red Hart, Bodham (Nr Holt) Adnams Bitter and Broadside First Friday every month – Lumiere Rouge Ragtime Band

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Bell Inn, Hempton (Nr Fakenham) Woodforde’s Wherry, John Smiths Cask and guest beers Fourth Thursday every month – Chris Wigley’s Jazz Quartet The Buck Inn, The Street, Flixton, Suffolk Woodforde’s Mardler’s and Adnams Bitter are the regulars at present, plus a good selection of guest beers Every Thursday - Sole Bay Jazz Band George and Dragon, Newton by Castle Acre House beer Newton Bitter, brewed by Elgoods, plus local guest beers.

Whilst the music does not fall exactly within the Traditional Jazz category, a Jazz Trio will be performing fortnightly on Tuesday evenings, whilst a Swing Jazz Quartet will appear on the last Friday of every

month (Also folk music on first Thursday every month).

Further details from the pub on 01760 755046.

MAINSTREAM / MODERN JAZZ Green Man, Wroxham Road, Rackheath Woodforde’s Wherry, Adnams Bitter, Fuller’s London Pride plus guests.

Weekly sessions continue at the Green Man, with the resident trio now known as the Simon Brown Trio comprising Simon Brown (piano), Mike Harris (bass) and Brian McAllister (drums), who will be performing at many of the events with a special guest Every Tuesday – For further details of jazz sessions at the Green Man, contact Brian McAllister on 01603 614169,

macjazznorwich@aol.com or www.norwich1.com/jazz.green man.htm Dereham Jazz Society, Lakeside Country Club, Quarry Lane, Lyng (nr Dereham) Greene King IPA and Woodforde’s Wherry Every Wednesday – Full programme consisting of various bands and musicians in varied styles, which usually includes one ‘traditional’ session each month. Sessions now commence at 8.00 pm.

For further details phone 01328 863511 or 01362 696741 or visit website www.lakeside-jazz-club.co.uk

Well, that's it from me, so over and out, and keep jazzing (and drinking the real ale)!

Keith Chettleburgh

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of Two Halves

A Campaign

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Join CAMRA Today Complete the Direct Debit form below and you will receive 15 months membership for the price of 12 and a fantastic discount on your membership subscription.

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Alternatively you can send a cheque payable to CAMRA Ltd with your completed form, visit www.camra.org.uk/joinus or call 01727 867201.

All forms should be addressed to Membership Department, CAMRA, 230 Hatfield Road, St Albans, AL1 4LW. Your Details Title

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Join CAMRA today – www.camra.org.uk/joinus Instruction to your Bank or Building Society to pay by Direct Debit Please fill in the whole form using a ball point pen and send to: Campaign for Real Ale Ltd. 230 Hatfield Road, St.Albans, Herts AL1 4LW Name and full postal address of your Bank or Building Society Service User Number To the Manager

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Award Winning Real Ale Pub We Don’t Have a Big Screen TV, Food Or a Juke Box We do have 17 handpumps, with Real Ale from far and wide, 2 Real Ciders and 2 Real Ales From gravity, a large car park, large beer garden With heated smoking shelter, darts, pool, quizzes And crib.

We now serve morning coffee from 11am, children are welcome.

The Royal Oak lies at the heart of the community and new customers are always welcome. Come along and get a real welcome from a real pub selling real ale!!!!!!

Nick, Delia And The Team would love to see you soon.

Beer Festival 28 - 31st October Live Music:

Fri night Stuart Morrison Sat night - Tosh & Nick The Old Favourites A dream of a pub situated in the village of Poringland on the B1332 road to Bungay.

Norwich And Norfolk Pub Of The Year 2007 Norfolk Pub Of The Year 2007 13 years in the Good Beer Guide!

The main bus route from Norwich stops right outside.

44 The Street, Poringland, Norwich, Norfolk NR14 7JT

www.poringlandroyaloak.co.uk Tel: 01508 493734

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