Issue 164 of Norfolk Nips & Cask Force

No.164

* see pages 53 - 65

Special Festival section

F REE Spring 2013

Welcome to Norwich.

2013 CAMRA Members’ Weekend and AGM

Also inside: THE ANGEL POTY FOR WEST NORFOLK BEER FESTIVAL DIARY PUB AND TRADE NEWS AND MUCH MORE!

Trafford Arms Thank you to all our customers and our fantastic team of staff for making the 20th valentine beer festival a great success!

Great Beer, Great Food, Great Atmosphere situated in a Great City!

Raising money for for the Magdalene Group Jigsaw Project Chris and Glynis invite you to the Trafford Arms -

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

traffordarms@btconnect.com

Norwich & Norfolk Branch

Welcome to our Fine City The Halls are ready, the beers and ciders have been ordered, Pubs and Breweries are waiting to welcome new friends. Yes, the 2013 CAMRA Members’ Weekend and AGM is almost upon us and you can feel the excitement. At the time of writing, over 1,000 CAMRA Members have pre-registered and we are on course for a record attendance for this prestigious event, which takes place from Friday 19th – Sunday 21st April in Norwich.

Many will already have been here for the Norwich Beer Festivals, but the Halls will have a different feel about them this time. The entrance to the venue is via the doors to The Cloisters, where the Registration desk will be found. St Andrew’s Hall is the main Conference venue and will have tiered seating facing the stage, as it does for the regular concerts held there.

The Members’ Bar will be in Blackfriars’ Hall, tantalising drinkers with around sixty beers and eleven ciders and perries. The average strength will be about 4.5% in a variety of styles, so there will be something for everybody; all produced by local Breweries and Cider Makers. It will showcase the best that Norfolk and its environs have to offer. Soft drinks and tea and coffee will also be available, and the Caterers have produced a tasty

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: Ian Stamp Email: pubsofficer@norwichcamra.org.uk

West Norfolk Branch

menu. Blackfriars’ Hall is also where you will find the CAMRA merchandising stall, on the stage.

The Branch have organised six pub walks, which radiate from the Halls in all directions, visiting many of the City’s best loved real ale pubs. Printed leaflets with pub descriptions and directions will be at the Halls – you can also find details on the website. There is also a cider crawl which will visit four pubs, including the East Anglia Cider Pub of the Year 2012 – The White Lion. Brewery Trips are very popular and six have been laid on, three each on Friday and Saturday evenings.

They are sure to sell out, as will the Cider Trip which visits two popular Producers.

CAMRA Members have until 22nd March to pre-register with CAMRA for the weekend and get the Handbook in advance. If you are not a Member, then this is the perfect opportunity to sign up and join in the festivities!

For further information: www.agmnorwich2013.org.uk www.camraagm.org.uk

Chairman: Steve Barker email: steve.barker495@btinternet.com Secretary: Ian Bailey Contact: Ian Bailey Tel: 01553 766904

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

Twitter: Norfolk_nips

Facebook: West Norfolk: West-Norfolk-Camra

Branch mailing list web page: groups.yahoo.com/group/ CAMRA_Norwich Published every 3 months by the Norwich, Norfolk & West Norfolk branches of the Campaign for Real Ale © N&N CAMRA 2012 Norfolk Nips is produced and distributed by members of the branch in their own time. Views expressed in Norfolk Nips are not necessarily those of the editor or of CAMRA.

Edited by: Mike Baldwin Email: norfolknips2@gmail.com Chris Lucas Email: chris-stig@tiscali.co.uk Design & Production: Daniel Speed - Orchard House Media Email: info@orchardhousemedia.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

SPRING 2013 | 3

Chairman’s Bits

| NORFOLK NIPS

West Norfolk By the time you are reading this, spring will be here, hopefully with warmer weather. Very soon we should be enjoying our Ale alfresco, with all thoughts of the dark winter nights behind us.

It was very encouraging to see the turnout in December from all over the country marching on London to lobby Parliament. Jeff Hoyle from Kings Lynn was amongst those who travelled down and was fortunate enough to meet up with the local MP, Henry Bellingham MP, who subsequently paid tribute to CAMRA and Jeff in particular for lobbying MP’s to further the aims of CAMRA. As you are reading this magazine, the National AGM in Norwich in April is looming ever nearer. This is an event not to be missed as it is unlikely to be held as close to us again in the near future. Various trips and pub crawls have been arranged to entertain the CAMRA members in their free time.

In February, the Norfolk Liaison Meeting was held at the Stuart House Hotel Kings Lynn, who we thank for their hospitality. This event was well attended and a very useful forum for discussion of issues affecting the two County Branches and the part of Mid Anglia which falls in Norfolk. To finish, just leaves me to wish you all a Happy Easter and look forward to many happy hours of drinking Ale. Cheers, Steve Barker W.N. Chairman

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

NOW UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT Totally refurbished, retaining the traditional feel with a contemporary twist • 3 real ales available Fantastic food • Superb service “The best ambience in Norwich” 12 Farmers Ave, Norwich NR1 3JX Tel: 01603 611135 info@number12norwich.co.uk www.number12norwich.co.uk

Victory Inn Clenchwarton Main Road, Clenchwarton, Kings Lynn PE34 4AQ Tel: 01553 775668

Three Real Ales regularly available Fresh, home-made food served from Tuesday to Sunday Locally sourced ingredients We cater for all dietary requirements including Coeliac, Vegan and Vegetarian.

Pub Quiz

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NORFOLK NIPS | Chairman’s Bits

Another One Bites the Dust Sitting here in the Pub enjoying a good beer with the snow all around outside made me feel how welcoming and essential our local is to the Community.

In a rural County like Norfolk it was heartwarming to hear a local mention that a neighbour had fallen on the ice and another say he would go and visit to make sure everything was all right. Where could you do this if the local Pub has been closed. The Pub is a comfort for all walks of life and a place to meet your friends and make new ones. Mardling was something I had not heard about before but have since found it very enjoyable. Every week 13 Pubs close for various reasons and we must do all we can to prevent this happening.

In these austere times I appreciate we only have so much money to spend but I encourage you to spend as much as you can on beer and ciders in the Pub. Your custom just might be the help the Pub needs to keep the wolves from the door.

Now the weather is getting better please visit your local. But what about the Breweries? If the Pub closes where are they going to sell their beers that they spend so much time and dedication in brewing for us. I sometimes feel that as CAMRA we may not be focusing on the main issue of keeping the Pub open but getting distracted by other aspects like what is Real Ale, Beer Tax and those strange Craft Beers.

As mentioned previously, I did attend the mass lobby of Parliament on the 12th December and was able to discuss matters with my MP. I understand over 300 MPs were lobbied (or harassed) by 1200 CAMRA members and we received national media coverage. My highlight was having a pint in the Stranger's Bar. We then had a rally where various MPs spoke to the audience and we were privileged that the only publican invited to speak was our own Dawn Hopkins of the Kett's Tavern, Rose and Norwich Bear fame.

She did Norfolk proud. Talking of local Brewers

we had a great night at the Beers of the Norwich Festival awards. It was complimented by the awards for best Beer in a Bottle that had previously been cancelled due to the snow. It just showed what a great choice of beers we have on offer in Norfolk. And finally I would like to mention the forthcoming Members Weekend and National AGM which will be held in Norwich on the weekend 19th April in St Andrew’s and Blackfriar’s Halls. We already have over 1000 members pre-registered to attend which will be fantastic when they visit our local Pubs and Breweries. I know we will all celebrate the event and I look forward to seeing the many photos and hearing the stories of this historic occasion. Preferably when I have a pint in my hand.

Graham Freeman Norwich & Norfolk Chairman

4th Annual George’s Fest Friday 19th - Sunday 28th April OVER 50 ALES, CIDERS AND PERRIES ALSO

MUSIC FROM: Hard Rain, Roop Murphy, The Vagaband, Starbuck, We Ghosts & Lou and The Diamonds BBQ and Paella al fresco will be available!

9 SILVER RD, NORWICH NR3 4TB TEL: 01603 665535 SPRING 2013 | 5

NORFOLK NIPS | Words from the Editors

The Ed’lines

Extra copies of this magazine have been ordered, so there should be some available at St Andrew’s and Blackfriars’ Halls.

Welcome to the Spring 2013 Edition! In this bumper 72 page issue, we celebrate the vibrant real ale scene in Norfolk by highlighting some of the Spring Beer Festivals that are taking place throughout the County. You will find all the details in the Special Festival section on pages 53 onwards.

In April, Norwich welcomes CAMRA Members from all over the UK to the 2013 CAMRA Members’ Weekend and AGM.

I must start the year by saying thank you to Chris (Stig) Lucas for editing the Winter Edition, while we were recovering from the 35th Norwich Beer Festival.

It was a brilliant edition with an innovative front cover that certainly got people talking.

A tough act to follow, well done Chris!

I am looking forward to the Members’ Weekend & AGM. It will be the first that I have been

to and should be quite an experience. I will be there with the camera and notebook and a full report will appear in the Summer Edition. But we need your help! Please send in your photos, memories and experiences and we will publish a selection.

It has been a long time coming, starting with the Handover meeting at The Pineapple in London, when the baton was handed to us by the South Devon CAMRA Branch last year. It will finally end when we hand over to Scarborough for 2014.

Words from Stig I find that being original when you’ve edited a magazine for a few years become increasingly difficult. You can start with a seasonal reference or grab hold of the tail of a large sporting event but only so many times before it becomes robotic!

So let’s try something else, the national pastime, with a brief hiccough last year has been gloom and pessimism. So bad has it become that professional pessimists such as yours truly just can’t compete! Here are some reasons to be cheerful: The Asteroid missed us! (Please disregard if you live in parts of Russia). Unemployment is going down (Don’t

know how, then neither do the government). The A11 will be dualled before we all collect our pensions (at 85) and most important, real ale is about the only growing part of the drinks market. We have better quality beers in more diversity than ever before, new breweries seem to spring up like mushrooms from the forest floor!

Some of course have the same lifespan as a fungus, so get out there and try them.

The National AGM is in Norwich, which gives the County as a whole a chance to shine. I hope many of the delegates will make it out of

Norwich and visit some of the exceptional pubs in rural locations.

Jeff Hoyle’s lobbying of his MP has got him mentioned in Hansard, when his MP spoke in favour of the reduction of beer duty in the debate our petition achieved. So one or two reasons to take that half full glass and fill it right up.

Finally a little plug for our Branch Pub of the Year the Angel at Larling, ideal for a stopover en route to the AGM!

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Pub News The Vine in Hopton and The White Horse in Thelnetham have both just re-opened after a period of closure.

The Vine – Hopton Landlord Ivor Noble (& Zoe) ales will be Adnams Southwold Bitter, Woodforde's Wherry and an ale from a local micro brewery e.g. Old Chimneys, Wolf, Humpty Dumpty etc.

(When I visited on 31st December this pump had an excellent Adnams Old Ale on at £2.70) The White Horse, Thelnetham Landlady Dawn Abel has worked at the Old Brewery Hotel in Reepham and the Buck at Thwaite. Ales will be Adnams Southwold Bitter (excellent when visited), Woodforde's Wherry and the intention is to have a third, guest ale from local breweries.

The Railway Tavern, Holt The plan by owners Capricorn Estates Partnership to convert this pub has been deferred by North Norfolk District Council.

They wanted to create a ground floor shop with two flats above and two more in the yard. Planners decided to give tenant Tony Groom time to submit figures which would prove that this “working man’s pub” is viable.

The Millhouse, Thorpe St Andrew Poor investment is being 8

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blamed for the demise of this large pub. A recent poll for the Evening News showed that 79% of respondents would welcome the Co-op taking it over.

The Ram, Brundall.

Brundall Parish Council have started proceedings to have this pub listed as a community asset under the 2011 Localism Act. This would mean that Tesco’s plans to take over the site would be delayed. 200 villagers attended a recent meeting to discuss the plan.

1,700 had signed a petition which asked for views on Enterprise Inns plans to lease the building to Tesco, with 90% coming out against the supermarket.

The Brickmakers, Horsford changed hands in November last year, with the previous licensee moving to the Dog in the same village.

The Marquee, Norwich reopened in November serving Greene King beers. We visited the pub on the January First Friday Five and found a warm welcome and an excellent pint of Old Golden Hen. The landlord wants to extend the range of real ales, as well as adding bottled ales and possibly newstyle polypins.

The Wild Man, Norwich re-opened in December 2012 following a major refurb. On the January FFF we found a

much smarter pub than before, with wood-panelling and more comfortable seating and three or four real ales, although much of the old ‘character’ (‘characters’!?) has gone unfortunately.

The Earlham Arms, Norwich, has re-opened after a very nice refurb, under the ownership of Chris Coughborough, the ‘Flying Kiwi’. Up to eight ales are available, including (of course) Jo C’s Norfolk Kiwi and Bitter Old Bustard at very attractive prices, plus others from mostly local breweries, some on gravity in the cellar - a neat touch is that you can watch your beer being poured via a camera in the cellar linked up to a big screen behind the bar!

At our visit on the February FFF the food being served (with difficulty, there were about 40 of us) looked excellent, and the bar snacks / tapas were all very reasonably priced. No real cider at the time of going to press, but watch this space...!

The Mill, Saxlingham Thorpe had re-opened under an experienced landlord who was very welcoming when we visited as part of the November Campaign Trip.

The Bridge Tavern, Norwich (in the Riverside complex, previously Old Orleans) is offering Moongazer beers (from Norfolk Brewhouse) ast 10% off TO CAMRA

members. For details of offers from other pubs for CAMRA members, please see our Discounts List on p68.

The Cherry Tree, Dereham has re-opened after a long period of closure, and has Greene King ales on the bar. A little birdie tells us that the Railway, Framlingham Earl will be re-opening ‘soon’ (as of February), initially serving Greene King beers, but not tied so may increase the range as and when trade allows.

about pubs in Norfolk, please let me know at pubsofficer@ norwichcamra.org.uk. We have over 1000 pubs in the county, and as hard as we try, we can’t possibly keep tabs on all of them. So if a pub opens, re-opens, closes, starts or stops selling real ale, check our database, at norwichcamra.org.uk/ pubdb and if it’s out of date, please let us know!

De Dolle Brouwers Presentation

On to the bad news: Castlegates, Norwich has been sold and converted to a steak restaurant, the Griffin, Thorpe St Andrew and the Bear, Attleborough have closed, as has the Green Man, Rackheath, in November.

We also understand that the New Inn at Rockland St Mary has closed - this is a Punch pub, and even the excellent landlords there apparently couldn’t make it work.

And on the brewing front, Wilbur Wood, previously brewer at Oakham and Fyne Ales, is the new Head Brewer at the old Blackfriars Brewery, possibly soon to become Lacons, although the Wilbur Wood name has been seen recently on pumpclips. Trial beers have also been released under the Courtyard Brewery name.

Norwich Bear Brewery’s plant had been installed at The Rose, Norwich.

If you have any information

In December, Annie & I made the arduous trip to Belgium to visit friends, sample some beer and do some Christmas shopping. While we were over there, we made the trip to De Dolle Brouwers at Esen in West Flanders, to pick up some Stille Nacht (12% blonde Christmas beer) and to present them with the certificate for Foreign Beer of the 2012 Norwich Beer Festival for Arabier. We also had the chance to sample a version of the 2010 Stille Nacht that had been maturing in oak for 25 months - superb.

His 95 year old mother leads the brewery tours every Sunday and says that her health and long life are due to drinking a bottle of Arabier a day. You can't argue with that!

NORFOLK NIPS | Pub News

Keith Loney Foreign & Bottled Beers Manager

News from the West It has been a tough time for some of our pubs recently.

Bradleys wine bar on the South Quay in Kings Lynn has closed and I believe that it is up for sale. A couple of informants told me about the sudden closure of the Duck Inn (formerly the Crown) in Stanhoe, although we believe that it is likely to reopen.

Greene King seems to have a policy of selling off pubs in the area. In Kings Lynn the London Porterhouse has been up for sale. The tap room tittle tattle suggests that there is a buyer interested with plans to reinstate the racks behind the bar and once again serve beer by gravity. If this is true it could once again become a real gem of a pub. Also on the market is the famous Wenn's Hotel on Saturday Market in Lynn. About 18 months ago the area manager for Greene King came along to one of our meetings and told us of the exciting plans the company had for the pub, but these have not come to pass. Yet another Greene King pub on the market is the Chequers at Wimbotsham which, as I write, appears to be under offer.

Another former Greene King pub is to be found at the South Gates in Lynn. Once upon a time this was the Prince of Wales, but it has been through a number of different names Continued Overleaf

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| NORFOLK NIPS

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 96 Angel Rd, Norwich NR3 3HT

01603 427490

Monthly Quiz & Darts Live Music on Saturdays Beer Garden

email: ikwarren-angel@tiscali.co.uk

www.norwichinns.com We are part of the "Norwich City of Ale" ale trail and Woodfordes Summer Ale Trail

2 Bars (with one for Private Hire) Ample Car Parking

A warm welcome from Rob and Fawnda to...

E GREYHOUND TH• TIBENHAM NR16 1PZ • An old Fashioned, traditional country pub.

Serving a selection of Real Ales and Fine food.

Children’s play area and large car park.

Camping space & Electric hook ups for Caravans available

Dog Friendly Tel: 01379 677676 smithrjsmith@btinternetcom

OPENING TIMES

Mon: 12 - 3pm and 6.30pm - midnight Tues: 6.30 - midnight.

Weds and Thurs: 12 - 3pm and 6.30pm - midnight.

Friday: 12 - 3pm and 6.00pm - midnight.

Sat and Sun: 12 midday -12 midnight.

Carvery lunch Sunday afternoon 1pm - 3pm.

Booking advisable 01379 677676.

Carvery lunch Sunday afternoon 1pm - 3pm.

Booking advisable 01379 677676.

For up and coming events see or website

the-greyhound tibenham.co.uk 10

| SPRING 2013

and uses before opening as the Ciao international sports bar last autumn. This has proved to be a fleeting incarnation and it is again closed.

It is not all bad news. The House on the Green at North Wootton reopened around the end of January and is serving good beer from the likes of Adnams and Woodfordes, whilst the Winch at West Winch seems to have put the uncertainty behind it and to be open regularly. In Lynn both the Glendevon Hotel and Antonio’s Wine Bar have been sold and are undergoing refurbishment. The Glendevon is to remain as a hotel but to incorporate an Indian restaurant, whilst Antonio’s future is at the moment is unclear. For a clearer insight into what is available on the pub scene check out the property websites such as rightbiz or Fleurets. Many of the pubs for sale do not have names or detailed locations, but you might be surprised by how many you recognise.

Good news also on the brewing front. John, from West Norfolk’s newest brewery, Two Rivers at Denver, came along to one of our meetings with some samples of his beer which were met with universal approval. At the moment he is only producing bottled beer and it can be found at places such as Dent’s Farm Shop on the A10, the Chalk and Cheese in Shouldham and Worzals near Wisbech. There are plans to produce cask ale in the

NORFOLK NIPS | Pub News continued

future and a few possible outlets have been investigated so keep your eyes peeled. Over in Wisbech there is a new brewery called the Mile Tree brewery which has been brewing since October. I haven’t heard of any beers coming eastwards so far, but once again, be alert.

CAMRA has put a lot of effort into persuading the Chancellor of the Exchequer to scrap the beer duty escalator and this culminated in a mass lobby of parliament, where members from all over the country were encouraged to go down to parliament and arrange to meet with their M.P. and persuade him or her to work for the removal of the escalator.

I made the trip and was well received by Henry Bellingham, M.P. for West Norfolk, who took a lot of interest in the points I raised. I am pleased to say that he attended a debate on the issue of the unfair way that tenants of some large pub owning companies are treated.

Not only did he speak in the debate to praise the work of CAMRA, and to help to persuade Vince Cable to introduce legislation on the issue, but he also commented on the tax issue and asked to treasury to consider scrapping the escalator as it makes no money and is a big factor in making some pubs unviable.

On planning issues, once again an application has been made to change the use of the Albert Victor in Castle Acre to residential use. This was refused at a planning meeting I attended last year. I filed an

objection to the new plan. For my troubles, I have received a letter from Hutchinson’s planning and development consultants based in Kimbolton in Cambridgeshire, which is a touch tetchy in tone. It suggests for example, that my assertions are ‘clearly made with no knowledge of the community and what it can sustain’, that my comments ‘appear to be made as a general ‘knee jerk’ reaction to any proposed public house conversion wherever it may be’ and that ‘the emotive objections put forward…detract from the credibility of the organisation I purport to represent.’ Gosh. I remember when my photo adorned the wall of the nearby Ostrich presenting a certificate for being one of the few pubs to appear in every issue of the Good Beer Guide.

Now it seems that if I set foot in the village they might have to put the stocks back on Stock’s Green.

The consultants anticipate support from the Parish Council for the latest application, so it seems that yet another pub will bite the dust.

Subscriptions To receive the next 4 issues of Norfolk Nips and Cask Force by post please send either 10 first class stamps or a cheque for £6.50 payable to ‘West Norfolk CAMRA’ to Norfolk Nips and Cask Force 91 Tennyson Road, Kings Lynn Norfolk PE30 5NG

SPRING 2013 | 11

Beer Legends

| NORFOLK NIPS

Rita McCluskey For the second article in this series, where we interview people who have made the Norwich and Norfolk Beer scene what is today, I made my way to The Adam and Eve, to interview Rita McCluskey.

Rita is well known as the Landlady of this iconic Norwich Pub. She is also a supporter of City of Ale and won several prizes in the first year. The pub is always a riot of colour in the summer months with its impressive floral displays and I was not surprised to hear that she is now a Trustee of Norwich in Bloom.

But what of the early days? How did it all start?

Rita tells me that she has been in the trade for twenty three years. She worked in Catering at the West Norwich Hospital, “feeding the Doctors seemed a good idea”, she said, “you have to look after the men in white coats.”After that she worked at the Newsman’s Social Club for Eastern Counties Newspapers and then in many pubs and hotels, before taking on the Adam and Eve. It was the total uniqueness that attracted her to the pub, it’s a true one-off, she added, and you have to agree. The pub had already been modernised when she took over, the bars had been installed, but the catering side needed an upgrade. She installed the chillers and fridges and created the menu. Sipping my half of Old Peculier, I asked her what makes a decent real ale pub? Without hesitation, she listed perfectly kept beer, with a good choice of ales on offer, good glassware, branded if possible for that extra attention to detail. “You also need knowledgeable staff, and give a friendly warm welcome,” she smiled.

Running a pub is hard work and her advice to anyone contemplating doing so was to do the research, learn the trade and make sure that you want to make the commitment. “Have a plan and stick to it” she said firmly, “don’t overstretch.”

12

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“Everyone sells alcohol, but I don’t sell milk and eggs” is what she said in an interview with the Norwich Evening News when she was asked about the challenges facing pubs today. Competition from Supermarkets, the uncertain job security felt by customers, VAT and beer prices all have an effect on trade.

Rita was full of praise for the Norwich and Norfolk Branch of CAMRA. In addition, the Beer Festival in October always brought in regular visitors and she was looking forward to welcoming visitors for the CAMRA Members’ Weekend and AGM in April.

Rita, who claims that she has no plans to move on, and never leaves the pub, is clearly enthusiastic and passionate about the pub and the trade. “All surviving pubs need support,” she said firmly,” to preserve the unique nature of British Pubs!”

I couldn’t agree more.

Subscriptions and Branch information We have a growing number of postal subscribers to Norfolk Nips and Cask Force, and I would like to send my thanks for the kind comments and best wishes from those who have renewed their subscriptions recently. If you would like to join them in receiving the next 4 issues by post, send 12 first class stamps to Norfolk Nips and Cask Force, 91 Tennyson Road, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 5NG. I also send out occasional emails to members with details of forthcoming meetings and Branch events.

All are welcome at these meetings so if you wish to add your name to my mailing list, send your email address to jeffhoyle@btinternet.co.uk.

NORFOLK NIPS | West Norfolk Editorial

Beer in Hawaii Fellow real ale enthusiasts, I tried the first cask of real ale on the first day it was introduced to Oahu (13 Nov 2012). There is a new bar in Honolulu that specializes in good, peculiar, hard to find, etc. beers. They typically have 20 brews on tap with a huge selection of bottled beers as well. They serve a very eclectic selection of food too. For example, we had French fries fried in duck fat, buffalo chicken, deviled eggs and maple syrup cured American bacon. All three were pretty good but different.

They are really catering for a different experience. Here is their website, www.realgastropub.com/ they have a Facebook page too.

Back to the beer, the beer mostly rotates around so it is a great place to stop in because you can always find something new to sample. Their selection of beers can be almost as interesting as their food selection.

For example, they recently had the Belgian brew Delirium Tremens on draft or draught for you Brits.

Another interesting thing they do is have weeks where the full range of a brewery on at one time. When we went down to

try the first local real ale it was Sierra Nevada week. It made for a fun time. They also had a rep from the brewery there to answer questions, have a quiz and give out some prizes!

Now for the real ale, I talked with the head man who is in charge of beer ordering, etc.

He knew right away what CAMRA was and I didn't have to explain that part.

When I asked about a cask breather he understood that too. When I asked about the proper temps he was clear on that as well. So they are off to a good start. They had two casks on and I had a pint of each.

They were both very good, clear, the correct temperature and tasty! It is hard to explain, but I really miss the British real ales. The cold, fizzy stuff we have over here is good but it could be so much better.

However, American real ale is slowly catching on so there is hope. My concern with the real ale they are serving here is that they just put on a cask and serve it until it is gone.

They don't have a cellar or refrigerator to keep the temperature consistent. I pressed him about this and he was planning to get a smaller

reefer installed under the bar to hold his casks. However, this would still require him to move the casks from the main cooler to the small one under the bar.

His plan might be to move it early in the week, let it settle, and then tap it on a Friday for the weekend crowd.

I told him about the cooling jackets as an option. Obviously, it isn't an ideal setup but he is trying and is determined to provide real ale, at least on the weekends.

I'll just have to go down and support him in his endeavor!

My only complaint is the drive is about 25 minutes from the house and the traffic can be bad. Sandi has been a sweetheart and will drive me home if I drive there and back in to the parking stall.

I have one final complaint (That’s two Craig! Stig), the price of real ale was $8 or about £4.80. It could be less expensive!

I wish they took Wetherspoon's coupons.

Cheers from Craig in Hawaii

SPRING 2013 | 15

Norfolk’s True Heritage Pubs 16

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This series of articles highlight the pubs whose interiors have been little altered in the past 40 years or so. Here we feature a former CAMRA Norfolk Pub of the Year and the hotel bar that was a rare outlet for real ale in Norwich when CAMRA was formed in 1971.

© Michael Slaughter 2013

Angel, Larling

© Michael Crox

A 17th century former Coaching Inn on the former A11, this bypassed pub has been in the ownership of the Stammers family for most of the period since 1913. It retains a number of fittings from an inter-war refurbishment that took place in two of its four rooms. In the public bar on the left the 1930s bar back has some modern additions, the bar counter was replaced in 1983 and the 1930s brick fireplace has increased in size. The lounge on the right retains its 1930s wood panelled walls, bar back fitting, slatted bar counter, distinctive 1930s doorways and some fixed seating. The inner lobby still 16

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ford 2013

Above: Angel, Larling lounge Bar Left: Angel, Larling exterior

retains the off sales hatch. The small rear Dining Room and Breakfast Room have been brought into use and have no old fittings. The Angel was Norfolk Pub of the Year in 2010, holds one of the largest pub beer festivals in Norfolk in early August, and sells over 100 malt whiskies.

Angel, off A11, Larling NR16 2QU. It opens from 10 to Midnight Mon to Sat; 10 to 11

Sun. Meals are served from 12 to 9.30pm (Fri, Sat 10pm).

Phone number is 01953 717963. Website: www.angellarling.co.uk. Has a tent and caravan site. Real ales on sale are Adnams Best Bitter and four changing guest beers mostly from microbreweries.

Maids Head Hotel, Norwich

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.

© Michael Slaughter 2013

The snug is one of the oldest remaining parts of the hotel and was used as a reception in the past – look for the letters slot in the wall and note how the original hotel door from Wensum Street led into this area with a flagstone floor. The tiny snug has panelled walls which could be 300 or more years old, an old fireplace with Delft tiles, 3 bell pushes, and old fitted cabinets in the wall. A part glazed partition wall separates the snug from the bar and has two sliding windows now permanently open. The main bar has old wood panelled walls and the good carved wood surround and brick fireplace which also looks old, but the bar counter appears to be post war and the fine mirrored bar back fitting is a modern addition. Elsewhere in the hotel the Oak Room has fielded panelled walls from the 1930s, bell pushes around the room and 1930s brick fireplace. Look for the decorative plasterwork cornice throughout the hotel and there is a Tudor shaped stone fireplace in the lounge.

Maids Head Hotel, 20 Tombland, Norwich NR3 1LB. The Maids Head Bar is open to nonresidents from 10.30am to 11.30pm. Meals are served all day. Phone number is 01603 209955. Website www.maidsheadhotel.co.uk The real ales are on sale are currently Adnams Best Bitter and Woodfordes Wherry.

The snug at The Maids Head Hotel

© Michael Slaughter 2013

Dating back to at least the 16th century, the red brick exterior dates from the early 20th century. There are many old fittings to admire both in and around the public bar, which is situated at the rear of the hotel. There are two rooms – the bar itself and a snug which is often laid out for diners.

NORFOLK NIPS |

The bar at The Maids Head Hotel

SPRING 2013 | 17

“Take Cou 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” A short course at Easton Otley College Norwich

An Introduction to Micro Brewing This 10 week course will provide a comprehensive overview of the brewing process and examine the practicalities of establishing a micro brewery. By the end of the course participants will cover the following:-

• An examination of the theory relevant to the brewing process • Beer styles, recipe formulation and ingredients • Process of sitting up a microbrewery, consideration of plant, equipment premises and legal requirements

When I were but a lad growing up in the wilds of Northern Hampshire, my beer of choice was Courage Best Bitter. It was sold in the Courage pubs where I lived and also in Reading near The Berkshire College of Art, which I attended. It was everything I wanted in a beer and I lamented its demise and replacement with Courage Tavern, in pasteurised keg form. Never mind, there was always Inde Coope Double Diamond, Youngers Tartan Bitter and of course, Watneys Special. Ho hum…

The last time I had a pint of Courage Best was a couple of years ago in The Dog Inn in Horsford. Ah, I hear you ask, but did it taste just as good? Frankly, after 50 years I hadn’t a clue, but it was in fine knick and certainly drinkable. Of course, I could buy a bottle or two from my local supermarket and drink at my leisure anytime.

But something is not right. The Courage Best that I drank all those years ago was brewed in Reading, I know, I visited the Brewery and drank it in the Brewery Tap. Now, the brand is owned

by Wells and Youngs and no longer brewed in that Brewery in Reading.

The point is that the pump clip looks the same, the label on the bottle looks the same, except for the name and address on the back of the neck label.

But it is clever marketing, if it’s aimed at the likes of me. When I see the distinctive cockerel and the brand name it brings back memories of times long gone. It is however, misleading, it’s Courage Best Bitter in name only – and it is not the only beer affected in this way.

• Demonstration of quality control procedures •Visit to a Norfolk Micro Brewery, discussion with staff.

One evening a week (Wednesday) for ten weeks plus one Saturday session visiting a Micro Brewery.

Start Date: May 15th 2013

Cost £300.00

For further details contact: Tel: 01603 616209 introtobrewing1@virginmedia.com

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It is now common practice by many Brewers to use Brand names of beers formerly brewed elsewhere, usually in Breweries that they have closed. You could argue that this is a good thing – maintaining famous brands which otherwise would have been lost, but are these beers as close as possible to the originals or pale imitations, and does it matter?

NORFOLK NIPS | The Rant

rage” for example...

The Norwich and Norfolk Branch Committee certainly thinks so, and the following motion has been put forward for discussion at the 2013 CAMRA Members’ Weekend and AGM: “This Conference notes that some breweries are using brand names of closed or non-existent breweries on their pump-clips, while not naming the actual brewery, and that this misleading practice is also used by CAMRA in the Good Beer Guide, NBSS and other publications and databases.

This Conference instructs the NE to develop and publish a standard for naming of beers in CAMRA publications and databases which includes the commonly-known name of the brewery, and to set up a process by which disputes regarding beer names can be resolved.”

It should be an interesting debate, and CAMRA can take a lead in resolving this issue. You never know, I might chuck in my two penn’orth – I didn’t get where I am today without recognising a drum that wants beating when I see it!

It’s a common complaint that beers brewed away from their place of origin do not taste the same, and the usual given reason is the water.

But face facts, unless you brew with water from your own borehole, the quality of the water you use and where it comes from, is determined by your supplier.

Brewers have to constantly monitor and “doctor” the water to maintain consistent quality, and if you are doing that – why not treat it so that you can replicate water available elsewhere – soft water that is wanted to produce a beer that is now brewed in a hard water area and hard water that is wanted to produce a beer that is now brewed in a soft water area!

Does that make sense? (I think so, keep going, Ed).

So this practice will continue to happen, always has, always will. And the answer? In my view, it’s all down to the marketing again. Take that Courage Best pumpclip and bottle label for example. I want to see the cockerel and the name Best Bitter, so I know what it is.

But, if Wells and Youngs added the slogan – “Proudly brewed by Wells and Young to the original Courage recipe”, that, in my view, would do. It would tell me that Wells and Youngs have done their best, they have respected the beer’s heritage – and that they are proud to do so. Sounds simple, just going to need a bigger pump clip!

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| NORFOLK NIPS

Bars on Film One of the delights of Kings Lynn that I have rediscovered recently is the Majestic Cinema.

Not only is it centrally located, but it is also great value, and so it was that I recently went along to see Quentin Tarantino’s new film, ‘D’Jango Unchained’. Even when lost in a world of escapism, a small portion of my brain is still rooted in the real world, so imagine my surprise when I noticed that in a scene set in a saloon in pre-civil war Texas our heroes were helping themselves to beer from hand pumps on the bar. I have no idea if this is an authentic reconstruction – I suppose it is possible that hand pumps proliferated throughout the Confederate States and, like much of America’s brewing heritage, became victim to the rigours of prohibition.

It is far from the first scene to feature on either the big screen or TV. Some of the more famous pubs are sets constructed especially for the show, the Rovers Return in Coronation Street and the Queen Vic in East Enders being notable examples. Many, however, use real locations, but care must be taken in sorting fact from fiction. As a child, the bar wife lived in the house in Swaffham which was used in the TV series Kingdom. Unlike Stephen Fry, she could not see the sea when she looked out of the window. In the same way, a pub may be shown in a film from the outside, but the interior may be a studio set. An example is the City Barge in Chiswick, the exterior of which features in the Beatles film ‘Help’, whilst the interior was a mock up filmed at Twickenham Studios. One that was a real pub was the White Horse in Nottingham, scene of the drinking contest in the British New Wave film, Saturday Night, Sunday Morning. The building, out in Radford, is one of the few locations used in the film that still exist, but sadly it became an Indian Restaurant in 2011.

There are a large number of websites dedicated to film and TV locations, so I can reveal 20

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that The Angel Inn near Oldham was used in ‘Life On Mars’, the Wellington Inn in West Gorton in Manchester, which featured as the Jockey in ‘Shameless’ closed in 2010 and the Vick and Comet in Newcastle from the film ‘Get Carter’ is now an Irish theme bar called O’Neills.

Film location tourism pulls in the crowds for many years after the original production. Parts of North Yorkshire are still ‘Herriot Country’, whilst apparently Holmfirth is known as ‘Little Hollywood’ on account of it being the location for ‘Last of the Summer Wine’. It is surprising that Lynn is not billed as the home of ‘Revolution’.

“Murder one surly varmint in cold blood and find yourself banned from all the saloons in Texas. That would teach you.”

I am told that many fans like to act out their favourite scenes. A visit to the café used in the film ‘When Harry Met Sally’ could be an interesting experience if a coachload of fans were visiting at the time. For pubs, you might just about get away with a re-creation of Albert Finney’s drinking contest if you could find a pub selling enough pints of mild, but there is not a lot I would like to imitate from D’Jango. Indeed, I don’t ever recall a scene set in a saloon in the old west that turned out well. I am surprised that they don’t have bouncers on the door, or at least display stickers advertising their membership of the Saloon Watch scheme. Murder one surly varmint in cold blood and find yourself banned from all the saloons in Texas. That would teach you. bar.man@btinternet.com Read the bar man every Friday in the Lynn News or check out the website to see archived copies

© Michael Croxford 2013

West Norfolk Pub of the Year

I am pleased to reveal that West Norfolk CAMRA pub of the year is ………. (The Oscars are on the telly!) The Angel at Larling!

The Angel has been in and out (and in again) of the ownership of the Stammers family since the current landlord’s grandfather bought it almost exactly a hundred years ago.

The current landlord Andrew has run the pub for most of his working life, he has transformed it into a true real ale Nirvana, seizing it from the

jaws of Norwich brewery who had come to own the pub in the intervening years. A true lover of all things real ale, if ever there was a man in the perfect place Andrew is him. This is reflected in the quality and choice of beers at the Angel.

The Angel hosts an annual beer festival, every August, which is by far the largest in West Norfolk. The Angel retains a real feel of the rural farming community of which it is the heart.

Since being bypassed by the busy A11, it has gone from strength to strength, and is much easier to pull into!

The home made food is rightly famous and makes it harder to drive out again as you’ll struggle to fit behind the wheel…

When asked for his reaction to the news that he had won our branch award he “Was as pleased as punch”, and seemed keen to know which Norwich branch pub he was up against for Norfolk pub of the year! As I write this has not been revealed but good luck to both.

26 St Leonards Road Norwich NR1 4BL 01603 618734

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

A real gem, well worth a visit.

Lovely enclosed beer garden with large sheltered smoking area.

Two pooltables upstairs.

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

Hot pies,pasties and sausage rolls available all day.

Open all day from 12 noon everyday.

Sky Sports and ESPN

JOIN TIM IN CELEBRATING 20 YEARS AT THE JUBILEE! 22

| SPRING 2013

NORFOLK NIPS | Dragon Hall Beer Fest

Third Dragon Hall Beer Festival

Back for its third year, this has become one of Norfolk’s most popular and friendly beer festivals – as well as perhaps the most female friendly.

The Dragon Hall Beer Festival concentrates on celebrating the quality and diversity of Norfolk’s finest ales from independent brewers in the magnificent surroundings of one of Norwich’s best-loved historic buildings. The festival is supported by The Fat Cat, CAMRA and Tipples Brewery and features an impressive range of Norfolk ales and cask conditioned ciders. There is a discount on admission for CAMRA members. All profits will help towards the upkeep of Dragon Hall which is run by an independent charity.

The Dragon Hall Norfolk Beer Festival Friday 3 – Sunday 5 May Times: Friday 6 – 11pm, Saturday 12 – 3.30pm and 6 – 11pm, Sunday 12-3.30pm Admisson: Lunchtimes £5 (CAMRA members £4), Evenings £6 (CAMRA £5), includes £2 beer vouchers and souvenir glass.

Dragon Hall, 115-123 King St, Norwich NR1 1QE Tel: 01603 663 922

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CAMRA Lobby Day report

| NORFOLK NIPS

Norfolk Landlady makes a stand!

Dawn Hopkins, Landlady of The Kett’s Tavern and The Rose reports on her two visits to London: On Tuesday 5th February, I attended a Labour Party Round Table Conference.- I was one of around 20 publicans, plus representatives from SIBA (Julian Grocock & Nigel Sadler), CAMRA (Mike Benner & Jonathon Mail), The Publicans Morning Advertiser (Michelle Perrett), BII (Phil Dixon), ALMR and others, who met with Toby Perkins (Labour MP for Chesterfield) in The Thatcher Room at Portcullis House in Westminster to discuss pubco regulation. The debate was split into 3 groups and we were asked to choose two to join for 30 minutes each - the debates were 'Alternatives to the Free Of Tie option', 'Rent Reviews' and 'How adjudication should work'. I joined in the discussion on the FOT option and adjudication.

Not surprisingly, most tied lessees wanted to be given the choice of a Free of Tie option, to enable them to buy the beer they want at the market price, rather than be limited in choice and paying twice the price of freeholders. Therefore 24

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discussing alternatives proved quite difficult as many lessees see this as the way forward (and better for the consumer and small breweries too!).

The discussion centred around whether lessees could opt for part tied (i.e. just on soft drinks & wine if they wanted to specialise in ale) and how that would be workable within the pubco model.

As for adjudication it would seem that many lessees feel that they are ‘fobbed off’ by the pubco grievance procedures and that they take too long, so a time limit was called for. Most also seemed in favour of a panel of adjudicators that are not in the trade i.e. not working for pubcos or other companies with vested interests in the outcome. With Rent Reviews many were concerned that they did not get a fair outcome as the valuers were ‘recommended’ by the pubcos, so looked at ways to change this.

There is a real feeling of hope amongst lessees that something may actually change to help them run their pubs the way they would like to without being penalised for doing well and with a choice of what they want to sell. I was very pleased to see that these discussions were conducted with people at the sharp end of the industry,

and not just their so called representatives.

As for the BDE lobby in December, I was astonished and very pleased at the turnout and honoured to be invited to speak at the rally, alongside the likes of MPs Greg Mulholland, Andrew Griffiths, Hazel Blears as well as Colin Valentine from CAMRA and Duncan Sambrook of Sambrook Ales.

In my speech, I tried to convey that it was now a myth that only bad pubs were closing and only bad publicans were losing their livelihoods we have lost many great pubs and publicans (point in case for Norwich - The Rosary & Ian & Nina) and without a serious change this will continue - it's a hard life and it's getting harder! I also pointed out that with every price rise we face be it beer duty, rates, utilities that we as publicans have to pass this on to the consumer, as the alternative is to not be able to invest in our pubs, move forward, employ staff or in some cases even keep them open. And all of that comes before having anything for ourselves of course!

(I must have done alright because Greg Mulholland shook my hand and said it was a great speech afterwards, and he is a pub hero!)

NORFOLK NIPS |

77 Church Street Coltishall, Norwich NR12 7DW Tel: 01603 736644 www.redlion-coltishall.co.uk

The Red Lion is a traditional Norfolk Real Ale and Wine Freehouse Pub situated in the picturesque village of Coltishall on the Norfolk Broads. The pub dates back to the 17th Century and has recently undergone a major refurbishment. The interior now offers contemporary style décor with many original, period features that have been retained.

Several locally brewed real ales avaliable Selection of fine wines from Adnams

Opening Times Monday - Closed Tuesday to Thursday: 4pm - 11pm Friday to Saturday: 12noon - 11pm Sunday: 12noon - 6pm

Unique combination of seating areas to accommodate drinkers who like to stay at the bar, friends wishing to share a bottle of wine by the fire and a top bar where things can get lively whilst live sport is shown on the television!

Large Beer Garden • Ample Car Parking

The Red Lion is managed by Kevin and Sue Gardner who also run the King’s Head gastro pub down the road in the same village.

A traditional Free House owned by local people from the village offering you a warm welcome and enjoyable stay.

Try our Award Winning Norfolk Ales

The Wolf Brewery will soon be moving to:

Available All Year Round

Decoy Farm, Norwich Road, Available in bottles and 36 pint Besthorpe, Norfolk, NR17 2LA on-line at www.wolfbrewery.comor Telephone: 01953 457775 from our brewery shop E-mail: info@wolfbrewery.com

polyp

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Whin Hill Cider Trip

| NORFOLK NIPS

A farewell and a new beg The Coasthopper Bus, a good place to be on a cold Saturday morning such as the one before Norwich beer festival. It was certainly popular.

At Hunstanton Cliffs the driver had to check the number of passengers already standing before letting anyone else board. At Wells the weather was no better. It was running down the North Sea, across the harbour and driving up the narrow streets of the town. No matter, across the car park, Whin Hill’s Ciderworks beckoned with something special on offer.

machine its bearings were not at their best. Two varieties of apple were being pressed. The Brown’s Apples were large, soft and went through easily. The others, Michelins, were a different story, they were small and hard, being described as bullets; if too many were put through, the scratter stopped dead in your hands. Not much fun. Predictably, everybody through the gates was “offered” a chance to give a turn of the handle. Most didn’t keep it up long.

We wondered whether change was afoot. Jim Ferguson and Pete Lynn, Whin Hill’s founders had recently sold the cider company to Mark and Lisa Jarvis. The cider had always been pressed at their orchard near Stanhoe, however an ancient press had been a feature of their Stearman’s Yard premises for as long as I’d been going there. All I’d ever seen it used as was as a convenient ledge to put a cider glass down on a warm summer’s day when outside seems the best place to drink. This time was different, the press had been restored to working order (apparently with surprisingly less work than may have been anticipated) and was promised to be back in action for the first time in more years than anybody could remember.

“All I’d ever seen it used as was as a convenient ledge to put a cider glass down on a warm summer’s day when outside seems the best place to drink. This time was different, the press had been restored to working order...”

On arrival, having partaken of a particularly welcome glass of freshly mulled cider, it became clear what was afoot. Apples from the orchard were being put through a scratter of similarly ancient vintage. A scratter is the equipment used to break the fruit up into a coarse pulp. This is done between toothed and flat rollers, hence the term cider mill. The scratter was fitted with a belt wheel on the side to drive it; indeed a reproduction Victorian poster on the wall advertising a similar machine was promoting it as being suitable for steam or horse power (and could be conveniently operated by two boys).

On this occasion, it was being hand cranked. It was hard work. This being an old and well used 26

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From there the pulp was taken to the press where another surprise awaited. Instead of using conventional nylon ‘horsehairs’ (the porous cloths used to hold the pomace as the juice drains away), the more traditional straw was being used. This is a very traditional process whereby each layer of straw used to build the cheese (successive layers of pulp and filtration medium) is put together by hand, a laborious process. A recent visit to one of the last straw pressers remaining in the West Country suggested that the last straw, so to speak, was the introduction of the combine harvester which, apparently, leaves straw too short to be useful for pressing. Back at Wells, the apple juice gushing from the press was, having had a few surreptitious tasters, agreeably tasty. Jim reckoned that considerably less juice was being

NORFOLK NIPS |

inning at Whin Hill Cider produced than Whin Hill’s modern belt press would make from the same apples although the slower process today was allowing more oxidation giving a greater depth of colour.

The juice was then transferred to an oak cask to ferment naturally through the winter. On the day, bottles were being sold in advance to raise funds for Wells Community Hospital. Afterwards there was time for an agreeable lunch at The Edinburgh and a visit to some of the town’s pleasing variety of independently owned shops.

Following a return to Whin Hill for goodbyes (and another drop of cider), a wait for the next bus home allowed a first visit to The Albatross, a Good Beer Guide listed pub in the hold of a working sailing ship. An interesting location but not for those who have trouble with the

The Harte

awkward steps down to the hold.

A worthwhile visit seeing the elderly equipment restored and in use, if only for special occasions. The resultant cider is much anticipated, this being the only straw pressed cider I am aware of having been produced commercially in the Eastern Counties for many years.

Ian Bailey

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

Old Costessey, Norwich, NR8 5BS Tel: 01603 742755

FREE

FOUR REAL ALES

Freshly cooked locally sourced food.

Wednesday Irish Folk Music Thursday Folk Mixed Music Friday & Saturday Live Music Sunday Celtic Folk Music

Child friendly, large beer garden, pool table, easy access from A47, ample parking and on 23A bus route from the city centre.

Large garden overlooking the River Wensum

Visit www.thehartenorwich.co.uk to check out the menu and opening times

OPEN: Mon - Thurs 12-11 Fri & Sat 12-12 • Sunday 12-11

ACCESS

Privately owned freehouse and restaurant with a wide selection of real ales, lagers and ciders.

SPRING 2013 | 27

NORFOLK NIPS | CAMRA News

Converted Hardware Store Judged Britain’s Best Pub!

The Baum, Rochdale, Lancashire has been crowned the best pub in Britain by CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale. CAMRA’s National Pub of the Year competition recognises all the criteria that make a great pub, including atmosphere, decor, welcome, service, value for money, customer mix, but most importantly, the quality of the beer. The building, which sits next door to the Pioneers Museum, which is the original Co-op store, has only been a pub for around 30 years and was converted from Morris’s Hardware Store in the 1980’s.

Simon Crompton, one of the owners, started work in The Baum in 1993 and became manager in 1994. In 2005, Simon and his wife Heidi, who co-owns the business, bought the pub just two days after having their first child.

On hearing the news, Heidi Crompton said, “We were ecstatic to hear that we had been voted CAMRA’s National Pub of the Year. We are very proud of the team that have played an important role in The Baum’s success and it is a testament to their hard work that the consumers have recognised our pub with this prestigious award.”

Heidi continued, “We are a family run pub with our values influencing every aspect of the business in relationships with our staff and suppliers. We are dedicated to the ‘buy local, shop local’ initiative, always willing to support independent businesses. The support from the regular customers and local CAMRA members is valued and we would like to thank everyone for their continued support.”

CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide 2013 describes the pub as “A split-level hostelry with old world charm next door to the world’s first co-operative store.

The Baum has eight handpumps, one dedicated to cider, and a large variety of continental bottled beers. Excellent food includes vegetarian dishes, with a tapas menu available throughout the week.

There is an upstairs dining / function room. The large rear garden, over looked by a conservatory, contains two fullsize pétanque pistes.”

The other finalists were: Bridge End Inn, Ruabon, Wales – winner of CAMRA’s National Pub of the Year last year and the first Welsh winner of this award. Taken over by the McGivern family in 2009, it sells five different real ales.

Conqueror Alehouse, Ramsgate, Kent – Ramsgate’s smallest free house, where ale and cider are served straight from barrels. It offers a quiet, music and TV free atmosphere in which to enjoy a pint or two.

Tom Cobley Tavern, Spreyton, Devon – a former CAMRA National Pub of the Year in 2006, it sells 14 different real ales every week, plus 20 ciders in a pub that is ‘part of the community life’.

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Norfolk A - Z

| NORFOLK NIPS

G is for…

Two places in Norfolk which perhaps show the wonderful diversity in the County.

The first is Great Yarmouth, the County’s largest seaside resort, where you can breathe in deeply the bracing air and have some fun. Like most places in Norfolk though, it takes some getting to. Yes there is the rail link and yes, there is an express bus service, but if driving you have to contend with the Acle Straight – the only road on which I have been stuck in traffic and overtaken by a sailing boat on the nearby river! It’s an ancient town, which relied on the fishing industry before it became a seaside resort. You

can catch a glimpse of it’s heritage at The Time and Tide Museum, housed in a former Victorian Herring Curing House, which brings the atmosphere of a 1950’s fish wharf.

Great Yarmouth still has a busy commercial harbour on the river and there is the new outer harbour, built for commerce that has yet to materialise. Between the

harbour and the wide expansive sea front with its miles of golden sandy beaches and piers, lies the heart of the town and the Heritage Quarter. Part of the medieval town remains with some of the old houses crammed in narrow alleys, which were called rows in Great Yarmouth. Modern delights include the Sea Life Centre, the Funfair and the Merivale Model Village, all on the Promenade.

Earle Arms Heydon

Traditional Norfolk freehouse and restaurant

Three Real Ales always available Good Food • Real Fires

01263 587376 Satnav: NR11 6AD (Just off B1149 Holt Norwich Rd) 30

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NORFOLK NIPS | By now, you are ready for a drink! There is a Wetherspoons here, The Troll Cart (NR30 2AF) in Regent Road and no less than three pubs in the 2013 Good Beer Guide. The Mariners Tavern (NR30 1LN) in Howard Street South was the Branch Pub of the Year, in 2010. A bit hard to find, but this former Lacons pub has up to eight real ales and ciders and perries on offer. The Oliver Twist (NR30 2DX) in North Market Road is even harder to find, tucked away in a cosy back street. The St John’s Head (NR30 1JB) in North Quay, one of the oldest parts of the town is reputed to be built on land confiscated from monks of The Carmelite Order.

Many of the pubs were owned by Lacons Brewery and it easy to spot their distinctive style, with flint walls, decorated windows and the Lacons Falcon Crest embedded in the walls.

The other “G” is Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse (NR20 4DR). This “house of industry” for the poor was built on farmland in 1776. The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 saw it converted into a Workhouse.

Not much fun here then. Costs were kept low by making life for the paupers so hard and unpleasant that they didn’t want to be there. Men, women and children were separated and were given menial tasks.

They did get Health Care and Education though!

Incredibly, the Workhouse did not close until as late as 1948,

and it opened as a Museum in 1976. The farm still remains and you can have cart rides around it, whilst the house has been converted into Galleries, celebrating the lives of those who lived and worked on the land. You can see a 1950’s room, the Land Girls and Lumber Jills Gallery, the Engine Rooms, the Transport Gallery and the Workhouse Corridor.

In the grounds you will find the lovely 1930’s Cherry Tree Cottage, the Village Row, with the Smithy, Grocer and Postmaster and the Panhard et Levassor Motor House, where Charles Roll’s 1899 vintage Panhard motor car has been lovingly retored.

Time for a pint! Dereham is just to the South. It has one Good Beer Guide Pub, The Romany Rye (NR19 1DL) a typical Wetherspoons, in Church Street. Other pubs are available, as they say on the BBC. Alternatively, head north on the B1146 to the crossroads and turn right. Drive through the village and you will find The Brisley Bell (NR20 5DW) set back from the road, apparently miles and miles from anywhere! Carry on to the crossroads and you have The Kings Head (NR20 5JB) in front of you.

But if you are looking for a Good Beer Guide pub, then head east on the B1145. Just after the railway crossing (The Mid Norfolk Railway will eventually have trains running here from Dereham) The Railway

Freehouse (NR20 5HH) is on your right. This is a popular rural community pub which hosts the Norwich and Norfolk Branch December Meeting and Christmas Quiz every year.

Attleborough Heritage Group The Attleborough Heritage Group is holding an Illustrated Talk on the History of Public Houses in Attleborough and the Surrounding Area.

Believe it or not, there were around twenty two pubs in Attleborough, four or five in Besthorpe, five or six in Old Buckenham and seven in New Buckingham. In addition, research is going on into the six in Great and Little Ellingham and the six in Rocklands.

And there may have been more. The Group are looking for anyone with memories or old photos to build up an archive and incorporate into the presentation. They want to know about the pubs themselves, their Landlords and Landladies, their customers and the beers and ciders that they drank.

If you can help, then please get in touch. Please call 01953 455877 or e-mail attleboroughheritage@tiscali.co.uk The talk will be on Saturday 23rd March, 19.00 for 19.30 at St Mary’s Church Hall, Attleborough

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The London Tavern Free House

Great real ales, fine wines and spirits.

The Real Ale Shop is a unique off-licence offering over 60 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.

Food Served: Monday- Friday 11am - 5pm Saturdays 11am - 3pm Sundays 11am - 3pm Evening meals on request Roast Dinners Sundays 12-3pm Chilled bar rolls made daily only £1.00

Attleborough’s only Good Beer Guide pub 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013 Camra Discount Scheme & Local Ale

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

Parking, Disabled facilities, Baby changing, Smokers sheltered garden, and Beer garden.

Well behaved dogs on leads welcome.

Tel: 01328 710810

Church St, Attleborough Tel :01953 457415 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 32

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NORFOLK NIPS | CAMRA News and LocAle

Yorkshire Brewery bags repeat winter beer award Elland Brewery 1872 Porter, at 6.5 per cent ABV, was crowned CAMRA's Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2013 by a panel of judges at the National Winter Ales Festival in Manchester.

The West Yorkshire brewery first scooped the country’s top winter beer award in 2010.

The winning beer is described in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide 2013 as a creamy, full flavoured porter, with rich liquorice flavours and more than a hint of chocolate.

Nik Antona, CAMRA Director, praised the outstanding quality of the champion. He said: “Porters should not be

Update Alby, Horseshoes Aldborough, Black Boys Attleborough, London Tavern Binham, Chequers Broome, Artichoke Cantley, Reedcutter Catfield, Crown Cley, George & Dragon Clenchwarton, Victory Clippesby, Muskett Arms Cromer, Cottage Cromer, Red Lion Drayton, Bob Carter Leisure Centre Downham Market, Railway Downham Market , White Hart Earsham, Queens Head Filby, Kings Head Geldeston, Ferry Inn Geldeston, Locks Inn Gorleston, Dock Tavern Gorleston, Mariners Compass Great Yarmouth, Barking Smack Great Yarmouth, Mariners Great Yarmouth, Red Herring Great Yarmouth, St Johns Head Great Massingham, Dabbling Duck Heacham, Fox & Hounds Hethersett, Kings Head

regarded as endangered beers, they are beers for today’s discerning drinkers. And on a cold day, 1872 Porter is a perfect winter warming beer.

“Elland Brewery 1872 Porter is a fine example of a modern day interpretation of one of this country’s classic beer styles. It’s gorgeous, drinkable, likeable and is highly recommended.”

Here is a current list of all the pubs in Norfolk which are part of the CAMRA LocAle scheme.

New entries are in Bold.

Hickling, Pleasure Boat Hilborough, Swan Holt, Kings Head Holt, Railway Tavern Hopton, White Hart Kenninghall, Red Lion Kings Lynn, Live and Let Live Loddon, Swan Inn Ludham, Dog Newton by Castle Acre, George & Dragon North Elmham, Railway North Walsham, Orchard Gardens Norwich, Beehive (Leopold Road) Norwich, Bell Hotel Norwich, Champion Norwich, Cottage (Silver Road) Norwich, Duke of Wellington Norwich, Fat Cat Norwich, Fat Cat & Canary Norwich, Fat Cat Tap Norwich, Jubilee Norwich, Ketts Tavern Norwich, Kings Head Norwich, Lord Rosebery Norwich, Murderers Norwich, Red Lion Norwich, Reindeer

Norwich, Ribs of Beef Norwich, Rose Norwich, Take 5 Norwich, Trafford Arms Norwich, Vine Norwich, Wig and Pen Norwich, York Tavern Poringland, Royal Oak Reedham, Ferry Reedham, Lord Nelson Reedham, Ship Reepham, Kings Arms Rockland St Mary, New Inn Sheringham, Lobster Sheringham, Windham Arms Surlingham, Ferry House Swardeston, Lakenham/Hewitt Rugby Club Tacolneston, Pelican Thorpe Market, Gunton Arms Thurlton, Queens Head Watton, Willow House West Acre, Stag Wiveton, Bell Wroxham, Brewery Tap Wymondham, Cross Keys Wymondham, Green Dragon

SPRING 2013 | 33

est Voted b & olk rf o N b u p CAMRA h ic rw No ter ale 2012 win trail

“The Country Pub On The Edge of Town” Bacton Road, North Walsham NR28 0RA FREE

ACCESS

OPEN ALL DAY FIVE REAL ALES

Telephone: 01692 580128 Serving a good selection of local real ales

Meals Served

Also serving home cooked food

12noon to 2.30pm and in the evening 6.30 to 9.30pm

Parties catered for

Bookings 01692 404800

34

The Street, Catfield, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR29 5AA

| SPRING 2013

Open 7 days a week

Awards Night|

NORFOLK NIPS

Awards Night at The Cottage On Thursday 24th January, the Norwich and Norfolk Branch celebrated the 35th Norwich Beer Festival by presenting the awards to the winning Breweries. The Category Winners were announced in the Winter Edition of NIPS and most gathered at The Cottage in Silver Road, Norwich to collect their Certificates.

The Nominated Charity of the Festival, NorLSAR - Norfolk Lowland Search and Rescue, were also on hand to collect their cheque for ÂŁ3,500 from Branch Chairman, Graham Freeman. They were clearly delighted to receive such an amount. Chairman Paul Chamberlain said that the money would go to useful equipment, such as radios, tents, and display boards for events, because awareness of who they are and what they do is as important as raising money.

Already it has been a busy year for them. One night they were training near Thetford when they got a callout to look for a missing person in Gimmingham, the other side of the County!

Fortunately, the missing person turned up safe and sound. They provide this service to the Police 365 days a year and so far have had 2 call outs and 5 stand byes and it’s not even February.

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| SPRING 2013

Awards were also made on the night to winners of Norfolk Real Ale in a bottle.

The overall Champion was India Pale Ale from the Grain Brewery which was the winner of the Strong Bitter Category and Runner up was The Squirrels Nuts from the Beeston Brewery which won the Mild Category.

2700 me mb ers 1934 ma le 763 fem ale

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CAMRA Members’ Weekend and AGM 2013 When: Friday 19th to Sunday 21st April Where: St Andrew’s and Blackfriars’ Halls, Norwich What time: Registration desk opens 16.00 on Friday, 09.00 on Saturday and Sunday.

See www.agmnorwich2013.org.uk for full details Members can pre-register with CAMRA before 22nd March 2013

rfolk Branch o N d n a h ic Norw ral Meeting Annual Gene

13 y 21st May 20 ich (in When: Tuesda ombland, Norw T , 5 e ak T e: Wher irs).

Room upsta the Function pm nly!

What time: 8 A Members o R M A C g in ry Card car

The Summ er issue of Norfolk Nips will be available : 3rd June

Deadline f or Editoria l copy is 1s t M ay

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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BBPA Challenges Cambridge’s City of Ale Update Pubs Protection Policy Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group Greg Mulholland has, during Community and Local Government questions on the floor of the House of Commons, condemned the British Beer and Pub Associations (BBPA) decision to pursue judicial review against Cambridge City Council’s supplementary planning policy for pubs.

The BBPA have announced that they will pursue judicial review of Cambridge City Council’s supplementary planning policy, which was introduced by the Council in 2012 to give pubs greater protection in planning law including ensuring that local communities have a say over the future of their local pubs, rather than allowing the large unaccountable pubcos to sell off their pubs, even when they are viable, simply to pay off their debt or to appease shareholders and creditors, despite this meaning the loss of a pub valued by local people.

Greg Mulholland said: “The decision by the BBPA to pursue a judicial review into Cambridge City Council’s ground breaking pubs protection policy is both extraordinary but also disgraceful. The democratically elected Council have done exactly what Ministers envisaged in the Localism Bill, which is to build on the National Planning Policy Framework and introduce local policies to suit local needs, in this case to give

greater protection to pubs and to give local communities a say over their future.

“The fact that the BBPA, the so called ‘British Beer and Pub Association’ are seeking to overturn this, despite it being introduced by a democratically elected council, exposes the BBPA for who they really are, which is the Big Brewers’ and Pubco Association who, pretend to campaign for pubs whilst they really simply lobby on behalf of their pubco paymasters.

“The BBPA are now prepared to spend thousands of pounds to defend the indefensible right of some of their members to continue to sell viable, wanted pubs and asset strip pubs without letting the community have a say, which is appalling.

This stance is anti pub, anti small business and anti community”.

“It is time that Councils and the Government saw through the claims of the BBPA to speak for pubs, they do not, they speak for the large pub owning companies who often pursue an agenda that is directly damaging to pubs. It is time that we had better pro pub leadership in the pub industry and time for non pubco members to consider their position and to evaluate whether the BBPA are really advancing their interests and the interest of the Great British pub”.

Planning for the 3rd Festival is already under way and the Organisers are hoping to build on the successes of the first two events.

The new logo has been launched as has the website which will be updated.

Louisa Griffith-Jones MCIPR, Director, LGJ Public Relations has been appointed as the PR supremo for City of Ale 2013.

Louisa will be promoting Norwich far and wide with an engaging and informative bimonthly email newsletter which will go out to trade and consumer journalists, beerbloggers, CAMRA members and real ale lovers. Pubs and breweries are encouraged to submit stories for inclusion.

Each edition will also feature a beer-writer's take on City of Ale plus news of new pubs, breweries and beers and other real ale related stories. The intention is to cement Norwich's reputation as the UK's City of Ale and make it a must-visit destination for beer lovers everywhere.

Email: louisa@lgjpr.co.uk with any news item for inclusion in the newsletter!

SPRING 2013 | 39

Beer Sommelier

| NORFOLK NIPS

Being a Beer Academy Sommelier by Nigel Sadler “You’re a what?” “A beer sommelier” I reply. That’s how conversations usually start when I chat to people these days.

And continue along the lines of “What’s a beer sommelier?” or “What do you actually do then?”

So what is a Beer Sommelier? Well the definition on Wikipedia, admittedly not always the most reliable source but in this case quite succinct, is: “A beer sommelier, (sometimes known as a 'cicerone') is a professional who works in the alcoholic beverage industry specializing in the service and knowledge of beer. This knowledge includes an understanding of styles, brewing, ingredients, history of beer and brewing, glassware, beer service, draught systems and food pairings. The profession is relatively new but growing.” (abridged) I chose to become a Beer Academy Sommelier 18 months ago to further my knowledge on food and beer pairing, an area of particular interest to me and one that is becoming more and more common at many venues from local pubs to some more established restaurants.

Many people are choosing beer to accompany meals for a variety of reasons such as; lower alcohol levels, price against wine and finally because, very often, it works better with some foods than wine.

Over the past few years we’ve all seen the many changes and challenges that face the brewing industry. We are still seeing pubs close, albeit at a slower rate than previously, supermarkets seemingly have an ever growing share of the market and the population has changed its drinking habits. However, all is not lost and there are many positive notes, which we must consider, as to where growth lies. One of which is that more and more licensees are looking to develop their cask ale sales, this sector has seen 40

| SPRING 2013

strong growth in recent years. In addition undoubtedly one of the ways forward is to offer beer, of all styles, as a worthy companion to the food menu. Indeed “beer cards” and chalk boards with beer details are becoming more common sights in pubs.

My own interest in food and beer pairing started back in 2002 when in Bruges on a business trip. I realised that the drink I had enjoyed for so long was in fact a far better match for some of the dishes on the menu than anything from the wine list. Over the following months I experimented (enthusiastically!) using a couple of different beer styles with one particular dish at a time. Wheat beers in particular were a great success I seem to remember and proved very versatile.

The role of the Beer Academy Sommelier is varied; we offer advice and guidance to both outlet and consumer by helping pair menu items with beers available at the venue. We are ambassadors for the industry helping to promote beer, in all its forms from cask ale to bottled lager and encourage the public to try various styles. We are all knowledgeable people with experience in the trade whether, like myself, as a brewer or a beer judge or beer writer. Above all we have a passion for the product which we’re keen to pass on and communicate to others. After all beer is our national drink in many ways and there’s so much more to it than a pint glass on a Friday or Saturday night. The Beer Academy was set up to offer a range of short courses that would provide education to anyone and everyone who wished

to learn more about beer. These build up knowledge over a range of levels thus helping the attendee gain from a step by step approach. The title of “Beer Academy Sommelier” being the pinnacle of achievement and final course in the series.

So how do you get there and what’s on offer?

First of all there are 90 minute tasting events, usually themed such as Belgian or American beers. These short sessions are the starting point of the journey so to speak. They offer guidance on the brewing process, different styles and highlight tastes and flavours.

There are then 2 different half day courses on offer. The first “How to Judge Beer” is essential for the route to the Sommeliership. This is designed to help professionals, enthusiasts and beginners understand how to assess and judge the quality and style of a beer. The second half day course “Beer and Food Matching”, though suited to all, is aimed at retailers who are looking to generate sales by inspiring and guiding customers to choose a well thought out and highlighted beer and food option. This course would help staff, from bar to kitchen, in offering advice and preparing menus.

Moving on from these there is the One Day Foundation Course, which incidentally is City & Guilds Accredited to Level 1and therefore gives a qualification on successful completion. This again is perfect for staff training perhaps alongside the BII ABCQ Certificate. It provides a sound knowledge of brewing ingredients and their impact on flavour, the basics of food and beer pairing and introduction to beer style characteristics. This course is to be recommended for anyone looking to build a career in the beer/hospitality trade.

The Two Day Advanced Course builds significantly on the aspects of the Foundation Course.

The range of styles sampled and detailed by candidates is increased to some 50 beers. It also introduces the art of beer tasting and beer assessment. Finally it builds further on the beer

NORFOLK NIPS | Beer Sommelier

and food matching element. This course will not only equip candidates with the skills to communicate knowledgeably about beer with customers and consumers but will enhance their professional status in the beer sector.

Finally we reach the Sommelier accreditation the - ultimate award. Having completed the Advanced Course and How to Judge Beer Course you are eligible to go forward for this title. You will have developed menus, hosted beer and food events by now in your own right.

These are submitted for scrutiny by the chief examiner followed by a 90 minute interview and assessment The journey with the Beer Academy nears the end but the role as a Beer Academy Sommelier continues out in the wide world, which I mentioned at the beginning of this article, as an ambassador with the knowledge, experience and communication skills to inspire people. It’s a great feeling to be able to get people to rediscover beer, to encourage those who have never tried it and even be able to start people off on the same journey I’ve made over the past 18 months.

So if you’re looking to improve your own or the knowledge of your staff and want to be trained by experts look at www.beeracademy.co.uk or call 020 7499 8144 for further details.

Biog Nigel Sadler is Commercial Manager of Wibblers Brewery and owns the craft brewing school Learn2brew Ltd. He qualified as Beer Academy Sommelier in 2011 and was voted APPBG Beer Sommelier of the Year 2012.

He is Vice-Chairman of the Society of Independent brewers (SIBA) and has written blogs for the BBC Food & Drink website. He is a member of the Chelmsford and Mid-Essex branch of CAMRA,

SPRING 2013 | 41

We are in it!

THE BANNINGHAM CROWN FREE HOUSE Traditional Country Pub and Restaurant

•5 Real Ales• •Great Food• •Sheltered Gardens & Patio• Colby Road, Banningham, Aylsham, NR11 7DY 01263 733534 www.banninghamcrown.co.uk

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NORFOLK NIPS | Appeal for our heroes

Calling all Publicans – can you help the Normandy Veterans Association?

“There are 28,000 British dead in Normandy: We have no right to forget” so said Corporal Eric Gunton (1903 – 1978).

Normandy Veterans never forget, they have been making their way back to visit their fallen comrades in the many War Grave Cemeteries ever since.

Since 1984, the 40th anniversary of the landings, there has been a series of “Final” pilgrimages, celebrating the 45th, 50th, 55th, 60th and the 65th anniversary, which was thought to be the last one possible.

But, in 2014, there will be another final organised pilgrimage to celebrate the 70th anniversary. The Norwich and District Branch plan to take part, but need your help.

The 65th anniversary was funded by a Government Initiative called Heroes Return, this time they must fund themselves.

With each Veteran being over 90 years of age, the Insurance cost is astronomical, plus they will need carers, first-aiders and other helpers. The total cost is

estimated at around £20,000.

The horrors of the D-Day Landings have been well documented. These veterans have never received counselling, just left to get on with their lives, and for many, those horrors that they witnessed have come back to haunt them.

So, how can you help?

The Veterans have launched the 70th Anniversary Appeal – The Teddy Bear Fund Raiser. They are looking for pubs to take a pack, which includes a Teddy Bear, a Poster, and a book of Raffle tickets. Then sell the raffle tickets at £1 per ticket, make the draw and award the winner the prize bear and then send the proceeds to the NVA Norwich Branch. All funds raised will go to fund this final, final pilgrimage. “The veterans of Normandy deserve nothing less.”

Please contact Jack Woods on 01603 627706 or e-mail him at jack.aylsham50@virgin.net

SPRING 2013 | 43

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 and children’s play area.

Shooting parties, lunch & dinner menus available

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

Walsingham Road, Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk PE31 8HN

01328 738241

Drop in and enjoy the warm, friendly, informal atmosphere.

The Burston Serving tasty food and superb ale.

Our food is all homemade, some traditional, some inspired and locally sourced where possible. The portions are best described as hearty -you certainly won’t leave hungry!

We serve Adnams and Greene King Abbot from the cask and two guest local Ales.

We have a beer festival, live music, Steak nights, Buskers nights and lots more going on throughout the year.

Please take a look at our website:

www.burstoncrown.com

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or call 01379 741257

NORFOLK NIPS | Dates for your diary

CAMRA Calendar Norwich and North Norfolk Branch Tuesday 19th March Branch Meeting The Grange Hotel and Freehouse, Ormseby, NR29 3QG. Voting for the Branch Pub of the Year at this meeting 8 – 10 pm Saturday 23rd March Visit to The Green Jack Brewery and tour of pubs in Lowestoft. Coach departs from John Lewis at 12.30 Friday 29th March Campaign Coach Trip Visiting pubs to the East of Norwich Friday 5th April First Friday Five A pub walk visiting five pubs in Norwich Route to be advised Tuesday 16th April Branch Meeting 8 – 10pm Venue to be confirmed Friday 19th – Sunday 21st April National CAMRA Members’ Weekend and AGM St Andrews and Blackfriars Halls Pre-register on the CAMRA website Card carrying CAMRA Members only Friday 26th April Campaign Coach Trip Visiting county pubs to the North of Norwich Friday 3rd May First Friday Five A pub walk visiting five pubs in Norwich

The Branch Annual General Meeting Take 5, Tombland, Norwich 8 – 10pm For events outside Norwich, a coach will be provided. This is free for Branch Meetings with a charge of £5 for Members and £7 for Nonmembers for other events.

Coach pick-ups: 6.47 p.m. junc. Southwell Rd./Grove Rd.; 6.55 junc. Old Palace Rd./West End St.; 7.02 junc. Mile Cross La./Eversley Rd.; 7.06 Sprowston Fire Stn.; 7.10 Heartsease (Harvey Lane bus stop); 7.15 Norwich Railway Stn. (Thorpe Rd. bus stops).

Please contact Michael Philips, our Social Secretary to obtain further details or to book a seat on the coach on 07851 923 554 or socialsecretary@norwichcamra.org.uk.

CAMRA Members who have registered their e-mail address with the Branch will receive a monthly update on this list. If you would like to take advantage of this service, or have not received the latest e-mail, please contact the Membership Secretary, David Rackham, at pugs1985@googlemail.com All Branch Meetings start at 8pm.

West Norfolk Branch Branch meetings (All include social) Tuesday 12th March Ship, Brandon Creek Tuesday 9th April William IV, Sedgeford Tuesday 14th May Angel, Larling

Tuesday 21st May

SPRING 2013 | 45

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A unique Country Pub & Restaurant near Dereham, featuring a fine selection of real ales: Adnams Broadside & Best, Beeston Afternoon Delight and Woodforde’s Wherry, plus guest ales, all served directly from the cask.

Our menu is changed regularly and offers an irresistible selection of fresh, locally-sourced seasonal fare.

Darby’s Freehouse, Elsing Road, Swanton Morley, Dereham, Norfolk, NR20 4NY Tel: 01362 637647

Opening Times Mon - Thurs 11.30am to 3pm and 6pm to 11pm

Email: info@darbysfreehouse.com

Fri & Sat 11am to 11pm

Web: www.darbysfreehouse.com

(offer ends 30/04/13)

Sunday 12noon - 10.30pm SPRING 2013 | 47

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.

E WE AR IN IT!

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 r a e Y e h t f o Pub 8 2006 & 200 The Kings Head, 42 Magdalen Street, Norwich NR3 1JE

www.kingsheadnorwich.com

NORFOLK NIPS |

From the Archives Issue No. 48 April/May 1990 On the 6th - 8th April 1990, CAMRA’s National Conference and AGM, as it was then, came to Norwich for the first time, and issue No.48 heralded the event. Members were promised the chance to sample over 30 East Anglian Real Ales in Blackfriars’ Hall. City pubs were getting in on the act – The Rosary was having Pitfield and Premier beers, The St Andrews Tavern was having a Welsh Weekend, and the Reindeer were going to have the full range of their homebrewed beers, including the return of their excellent stout and a special new mild.

A selection of Manchester beers was available at The Bystanders Club. They had just had a successful Beer Festival in February with beers from Ash Vine, Martin, Oakhills, Malton, Moles and Whitby Breweries, not normally seen in Norwich. All beers were £1.00 per pint and it was hoped to make this a regular event. The Club had recently changed its Constitution to recognise its long association with CAMRA, so that CAMRA members were now associate members of the Bystanders, entitling them to all the benefits of full membership.

Bateman’s of Wainfleet had organised a pub trail for the weekend. Batemans Mild was available at The Reindeer, White Lion, Pottergate Tavern, St Andrews Tavern, Ribs of Beef and the Bystanders Society. XXXB was at the Rosary and The Jubilee. Members were invited to get their entry forms stamped and answer questions about these pubs, to be in with a chance of winning the prize – a night in Wainfleet and a tour of the Brewery!

Issue No. 49 reported that the event was a success for Norwich as member delegates were “impressed with the welcome afforded them in the pubs, the efficiency of the staff of St Andrews Hall and the many attractions of our fine City.” A quarter of the beer ordered was Mild, as it was known that members would go for low gravity beers. This was borne out as the best-selling beers were Reepham Dark Mild, Woodfordes New Broadsman and Batemans Dark Mild.

It was noted that members were not the same as Beer Festival drinkers as they were polite and prepared to wait patiently to be served at busy periods, knew what they wanted and said please and thank you.

As for the Conference debates, it was thought that Whitbread would be worried, and anyone with an interest in cask-breathers would be happier.

So CAMRA said thank you and bade farewell and set off for Sheffield and then Bristol.

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NORFOLK NIPS | Competiton

NIPS 164 Competition By popular request - The Mystery Prize is back!

As part of the CAMRA Members’ Weekend and AGM, Members will be exploring the City’s Pubs on six Pub Walks.

Some of the Pubs on the Walks are listed on the right, in anagram form. In order to win the Mystery Prize, all you have to do is solve the anagrams and name the pubs.

E-mail your entries to norfolknips2@gmail.com or post to Norfolk NIPS 164 Competion, 201 Kingswood Avenue, Taverham, Norwich NR8 6GJ. Entries must be received by Friday 3rd May. Please note that we do not collect readers’ details for any purpose whatsoever, other than to know where to send the prize!

KENT VEST ART VEIN DING SHAKE FARM FOR DARTS GET COAT LARGEST DON RE STAPLERS TOIL WHINE HUGE SO EAT BANKING MOLE

SPRING 2013 | 51

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als 3 stiv er 201 r Fe Summ Bee Spring /

Norfolk Pub Beer Festivals - Spring / Summer 2013

Over the next three months, a celebration of real ale is taking place in pubs and other venues across the county.

Norfolk is rapidly becoming centre stage for real ale in the UK. With Norwich holding the CAMRA AGM in April when over 1,000 CAMRA members will descend on the city and surrounding area, inbibing the beery best our county can provide, along with spreading the joys of real ale and supporting our pubs.

Then in June the ‘Norwich City of Ale’ event returns for its third year. Many pubs in the city have teamed up with Norfolk’s finest breweries to offer up some of the best real ale in the country. Also a huge range of events throughout Norwich is organised. ‘Norwich City of Ale’ is becoming a major event in the city and beyond, attracting visitors from all over the country and from abroad!

During the summer months there are dozens of beer festivals being held in pubs throughout Norfolk. Some of these festivals are well established and some are new this year. Some of these festivals run over a few days and others go on for a week or more!

There are a wealth of attractions at these beer festivals, including beer and food pairing, hog roasts, live music, children’s entertainment, bouncy castles and even a funfair, many of these festivals are raising money for charity.

With there never being so many micro-breweries in the UK, not only will you get the chance to sample a variety of real ales you may never have tried before - including those brewed specially for the occasion - you’ll be able to try your hand at traditional pub games, take part in an ‘ale-trails’ and history walks and learn how this great tasting drink is brewed.

In the following pages is a selection of pubs which have advertised their beer festivals with us. We have also included a diary which lists all of these events and any others we have been made aware of. To get an idea of location, there is also a map included. The numbers on the map correspond to the numbers next to the diary listings.

A well-run pub can cater for all ages, offering a place where friendships can be formed and provides a convenient stopping point for a family enjoying a bike ride on a sunny day. To help you plan your travel to and from these events we have also included a brief guide to bus and train travel and where to find further information and timetables.

So whether you want a quick pint after work, a night out with your friends or a family day out with the kids; look in at the local, you won’t regret it.

SPRING 2013 | 53

A Beer Festival is near you!

1 29 March - 1 April

Old Bell Easter Beer Festival Saham Toney 8 Ales, 2 Cider and Entertainment

2 29 March - 1 April

11 22 - 27 May Dove Street Inn Beer Festival St Helen’s St, Ipswich

12 21 - 23 June

20 26 - 28 July Worstead Music & Beer Festival White Lady, Worstead NR28 9RW Over 50 Real Ales and live music

Norfolk Real Ales Beer 21 9 - 11 August Festival Jolly Sailors, Brancaster Saithe PE31 4th Ranworth Beer Festival Village Hall, NR13 6HS 8BJ Over 20 Ales and Ciders 13 27 - 28 June Charity Biker Rally & Beer 3 30 March - 1 April Festival Pie and Ale Festival The White Lady, Worstead NR28 These festivals were listed Rickinghall Village Hall, Hinderclay 9RW at the last minute so are Road IP22 1HD Union Jack Easter Beer Festival Union Jack, Roydon 8 Ales, 2 Ciders and entertainment

STOP PRESS!!

4 29 March - 2 April

5

6

7

8

9

10

14 24 - 29 June

out of date order sorry!

‘Small but perfectly formed’ Easter Beer Festival 22 16 - 21 July beer festival Royal Oak, Poringland NR14 7JT Heathland Community Beer The Vine, Dove Street, Norwich Music all weekend Festival Heathlands Community Centre, 4 7 July 15 5 - 7 April NR13 4QH The Beehive Beer Beer Beer and Bike Show 12 Real Ales, 2 Ciders and loads of Festival and BBQ Railway, North Elmham entertainment Leopold Rd, Norwich NR4 7PJ 15 - 21 April over 30 Ales 23 22 - 24 March The Mad Moose Beer Festival Fakenham Beer Festival 16 19 - 21 July 2 Warwick St, Norwich NR2 3LD 20 plus local ales and entertainCrusaders RFC Beer Festival ment Beckhithe, Little Melton NR9 3NP 18 - 21 April Best of Norfolk Ales Beer 20 Ales and Cider from Local 24 29 March -1 April Fest Breweries. Camping and Caravan- Reedham Riverside Beer The Murderers, 2-8 Timber Hill, ning available Festival Norwich 20 plus ales and live music 17 25 - 28 July 19 - 28 April Fox and Hounds Beer 25 24 - 27 May Cottage George’s Fest Festival May Bank Holiday Beer Fest The Cottage, Norwich NR3 4TB Fox and Hounds, Heacham Green Dragon, Wymondham Over 50 ales, ciders and perries NR18 0PH 18 26 - 28 July Live music every day 3 - 5 May Humpty Dumpty Reedham Dragon Hall Norfolk Beer Beer Festival 26 20 - 24 June Festival Reedham Village Hall & Field, NR13 13th Solstice Beer Festival 115 - 123 King Street, Norwich 3HL The Hill House Inn, Happisburgh NR1 1QE Real Ales, Ciders, Live Music, BBQ NR12 0PW & entertainment. A family friendly 4 - 6 May event The Oliver Twist Bank Holiday Cider Festival 19 27 July North Market Road, Great Mattishall Beer Festival Yarmouth South Green Park, Mattishall, Over 20 Real Ciders and enter23 May - 2 June Dereham NR20 3JY tainment 3rd Norwich City of Ale Over 50 Ales, entertainment and Festival Hog Roast Throughout Norwich

OTHER BEER FESTIVALS

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A beer festival is near you!

The numbers on the map match the numbers next to the events described on page 54. This map is to show yo

12

17

Brancaster Staithe

Little Walsi

23

2

Gt. Massingham

5

Roydon

1 West Acre

1 Feltwell

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Beer Festivals section

ou the general area and is not to scale!

ingham

26 Heydon

13 20

9

21

15 16 25

6

22

7 9 14 8

10

18 24

Reedham

4 Poringland

Tacolneston

Geldeston North Lopham

11 3

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THE MAD MOOSE

REAL ALE FESTIVAL 15th to 21st April 2013 A week long festival celebrating the great taste of British Real Ale. Come and enjoy our fabulous food and great atmosphere with a pint or two of proper beer!

We hope to see you soon.

ÂŁ5.0e0s

lunch le availab

The Mad Moose 2 Warwick Street Norwich NR2 3LD T: (01603) 627687 madmoose@animalinns.co.uk

www.animalinns.co.uk

Y HAPPR U - Fri HpO M m on 4-7

F 30% O

F

Beer Festivals section

Travelling around Norfolk The Coasthopper route sets off from Kings Lynn and covers Hunstanton - Wells Weybourne - Sheringham - Cromer and many of the smaller villages in between.

Norfolk is well served by train and bus services between all the major towns, villages and out of Norfolk via Kings Lynn and Norwich. There are also many cycle and walking routes available for the more adventerous beer hunter or those with families looking for a full day out with some excercise thrown in.

Other services include X8 covering Kings Lynn to Fakenham and Heacham.

Greater Anglia and East Midlands Trains Services run everyday into Norfolk from Ely, Peterborough, Cambridge and Ipswich.

X5 and X6 services from Fakenham to Norwich covering many villages including Little Snoring, Erpingham. Aylsham and Mile Cross.

All services pass through Norwich where you can then go on to the coastal Norfolk towns of Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Cromer and Sheringham.

There is a large map of the routes available for download at: www.norfolkgreen.co.uk

Go to www.greateranglia.co.uk or www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk to check times

Heritage Train services Mid Norfolk Railway Travelling between Dereham - Yaxham Thuxton - Kimberley Park - Wymondham Abbey This volunteer run railway has a variety of locomotives including a fleet of heritage diesels.

Go to www.mnr.org.uk to check times.

The North Norfolk Railway Travelling between Sheringham - Weybourne Kelling Heath Park - Holt The North Norfolk Railway offers a 10.5 mile round trip by steam train (vintage diesel trains on some journeys) through a delightful area of North Norfolk designated as being of outstanding natural beauty.

Go to www.nnrailway.co.uk/timetable.php to check times.

The X1 First group service runs into Norfolk from Peterborough passing through Kings Lynn, Narborough, Swaffham and several other villages to Norwich. The service then runs on through Acle and Great Yarmouth.

Cycling Norfolk has hundreds of miles of quiet country lanes and roads to explore. To help you, East of England Tourism has developed a range of Free circular Cycling Discovery Maps.

These are available at: http://www.visiteastofengland.com/ things-to-do/Cycling.aspx The Sustrans National Cycle Network passes through Norfolk and is designed to make cycling fun, safe and simple as you cover huge stretches of the UK. One third of the Network is completely free from motor traffic, using old railway paths, forest tracks, country parks and bridleways, and the rest uses quiet minor roads and traffic-calmed streets in towns and cities. so if your having a drink - get out of the car and on yer bike!

Bus Services Norfolk Green run a number of Bus services into and around Norfolk.

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

SUMMER FAIR & BEER FESTIVAL TUESDAY 16TH TO SUNDAY 21ST JULY

12 REAL ALES & 2 CIDERS SESSION TIMES

Entertainment:

Thurs: Blofield Heath Jammers Fri: KC’s Karaoke & Video Disco Tues 16th - Thurs 18th: Sat: The Rob Holmes Band, on the 7.30pm until late field, (weather permitting) from 9pm.

Friday 19th: Sunday: Summer Fair - 12 Noon 5pm until late Saturday 20th: 2pm until late

Fully Licenced Bar Light Snacks available

Sunday 21st: 12 noon until late.

Kindly supported by Greenjack Brewery, Lowestoft.

www.heathlandscommunitycentre.org.uk

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Registered Charity: 303909

Proud to be providing publishing services to CAMRA Print Management Magazine Publishing Services Digital Marketing Web Sites and Hosting Graphic Design Illustration Search Orchard House Media

Beer Festivals section r me tival July m Su Fes 7th s! r n r Bee h - Su bee t s 4 r 30 r u Th Ove

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4th Norfolk Ale & Music Festival

21,22 & 23 June 2013 Norfolk real ales • Live music all weekend Beer marquee • Freshly cooked pub food

Introducing the 5th

29th March (Good Friday) to Monday April 1st 20+ Ales on every session Live music every night • All ales locally sourced

Date for your Diary

August Bank Holiday Beer Fest 23rd - 26th August 2013 Live Music from ‘The Water Rats’ on Bank Holiday Monday

For further information please call:

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Exclusively available at the Fat Cat during the CAMRA Members’ Weekend

For all your bar requirements please phone Julie on 07816 070658

d an ow l i er Sh Apr e B ke 7th Bi h 5t

THE WHITE LADY • WORSTEAD Proprietor DENNIS GILLIGAN

A freehouse in the heart of Worstead Open 11 Till Late 7 days a week

CHARITY BIKER RALLY MUSIC AND BEER FESTIVAL JUNE 27th - 28th REAL ALE , FOOD, BIKES AND MUSIC!

Newly refurbished bar with up to 9 Real Ales Large New Restaurant Serving Food 7 Days A Week 5 Luxury Bed And Breakfast All En Suite Function Room Available To Hire For Weddings

26th - 28th July

Folk And Quiz Nights check web site for details

Live music and over 50 real ales over 3 days OPEN ALL DAY

www.thewhitelady.co.uk 64

WORSTEAD MUSIC & BEER FESTIVAL

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NR28 9RW (01692) 535391

Beer Festivals section

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The Smallest Pub in Norwich • Open Monday - Saturday • Families welcome

A great real ale pub in the centre of the City Exceptionally good Thai Food lunchtimes and evenings

We are in the Good Beer Guide 2013 The ONLY Thai Restaurant for Norwich in THE GOOD FOOD GUIDE!

www.vinethai.co.uk We are part of the “Norwich City of Ale” ale trail

Sunday 21st April CAMRA AGM, we will be open from 12 to 6pm.

Food served all day

Small but Perfectly formed Summer

Beer Fest 24th - 29th June 2013.

NORFOLK NIPS | Obituaries

Mick Watts

Roger Jeckells

Terry Walpole writes: “‘Tis with a heavy heart but I must announce the passing of Mick Watts after a long illness. . . I know Mick and his daughter Emma were involved with Norwich and Norfolk CAMRA and especially involved in the beer festivals in October over a long period of time , but not necessarily in the last few years.

I remember back in the day when the music was all week and a ticket only on the Saturday . “

Roger Jeckells, formerly of Norwich, passed away peacefully in Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire, on the 4th February 2013. Roger was a member of Norwich and Norfolk CAMRA branch for many years, distributing Norfolk Nips to outposts in the north of the county until he moved south with his wife in 2010. A regular in The Fat Cat, Roger could generally be found there in the late afternoon with his group of friends and a pint of strong ale. Having moved to Hampshire, Roger preached with missionary zeal to anyone who would listen about the wonder of the pubs in his ‘Fine City’. He will be greatly missed.

Mick, and his brother Nigel were involved with the Norwich Beer Festival for many years.

Nigel was in charge of overall security and Mick was always on the door. Mick was very well known, mostly to the folks that he and his brother barred from entering the Halls!

He also provided some musical entertainment on the decks occasionally, before retiring owing to ill health.

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Spring Fair at Gressenhall Farm Bank Holiday Monday 1st April Gressenhall Farm & Workhouse hold an Apple Day event every year in October which is very well attended and popular. It is an autumn themed event that includes music and dancing, crafts people and cider drinking as well as other apple related activities. The Spring Fair in April is the Spring version of Apple Day and this year they plan to add a mini beer festival to the event. Local microbreweries are being invited to celebrate the great number of small breweries in Norfolk.

It will be a colourful and fun event for all the family including: music from Klezmerized; molly dancing with the Ouse Washes Molly Dancers; crafts people demonstrating; a marquee full of stalls-food, gifts, etc; a chapelful of local brewers; circus workshops; Punch and Judy shows; an April Fools Parade; traditional games; and an inflatable obstacle course.

The Plasterers, Cowgate, Norwich: 10% off all real ales (available to all customers on Mondays) The Red Lion, Drayton: 10p off a half, 20p off a pint real ale London Tavern, Attleborough: 10% off all real ales Cherry Tree, Wicklewood: 30p off a pint of Buffy’s (see wicklewoodcherrytree.co.uk/what.php) If your pub or business offers a discount to CAMRA, but isn’t on this list, please contact pubsofficer@norwichcamra.org.uk and let us know the details (including any restrictions)!

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Please note: We believe this is correct at the time of going to press, however pubs may withdraw or change offers at any time!

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Hill House Inn - Happisburgh For 2013: FIVE DAYS

Thursday 20th June to Monday 24th June inclusive The

Over 100 Beers & Ciders 13th (and the odd perry) from far and wide, at competitive pub prices.

LIVE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT inc. Rock, Traditional Jazz, Rockabilly, Skiffle, Folk and much more.

Family Friendly

CAMPING AVAILABLE One Off Entry payment of ÂŁ5.00 to festival valid for the whole weekend. (Numbered wristband).

FREE PRINTED FESTIVAL GLASS AND TASTING NOTES. Food served all day inc BBQ & our NEW IN Coffee shop and Carvery Festival T-Shirts available

Come and join us at the independent festival by the sea.

Celebrate the 13th Solstice festival and 4 centuries of the Hill House.

For more details contact:- Clive and Sue Stockton, The Hill House Inn, Happisburgh, Norfolk NR12 OPW Tel/Fax 01692 650004 Web www.hillhouseinn.co.uk

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.

EASTER BEER FESTIVAL Friday 29th March to Tuesday 2nd April 2013 Music all weekend with Tosh and Friends 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 14 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