Swale Ale Summer 2013

Swale Ale The FREE magazine of the Swale branch of CAMRA The Campaign for Real Ale

Great British Beer - back to basics

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robably one of Britain’s added artificially. most iconic achievements Today some keg beers in the modern era is the much have a mixture of nitrogen and loved public house and the real carbon dioxide added; these are ale that flows from its hand known as nitro-keg beers. This pumps – whether this being in a includes Guinness (which is not busy high street or in a sleepy real ale). countryside location it is very Most lagers sold in the much part of the British way of UK are keg, although there are life. a few ‘real lagers’ that are This article aims to give served through hand pumps. you an insight into the The difference between a lager wonderful and exciting portfolio and ale is the type of yeast used. of the Great British pint Lagers use a ‘bottom fermenting covering the more regularly yeast’ and the fermentation found beer styles. takes place at colder The beer sold through a temperatures than ales, which hand pump is usually ‘real ale’. It use a ‘top fermenting yeast’. can also be called ‘caskDark Star Hophead Traditional lagers are conditioned beer’. Real ale is stored for many weeks, unpasteurised, unfiltered and is allowing the flavours to develop. Many UK a living product brewed from traditional produced lagers do not undergo long storage, ingredients: malt (malted barley), hops, water which is why they often lack the page 3  and yeast. Once brewed, it is put into a cask where it continues to ferment (secondary In this issue… fermentation); this develops the flavour and the natural carbonation and is served without added  Faversham Hop Festival guide carbon dioxide.

‘Keg beer’ undergoes the same  Pub and brewery news fermentation in the brewery as real ale but then  The quest for real Irish ale it is filtered and/or pasteurised. This kills off the yeast and so the beer cannot undergo  Thanet micropub trip fermentation in the cask. As the beer lacks the natural carbonation, carbon dioxide has to be

Summer Issue 2013

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THE BEAR Faversham The Bear Inn, 3 Market Place, Faversham, Kent ME13 7AG, Tel 01795 532668

Chris & Marie Annand and staff welcome you to this historic 15th Century inn in the heart of Faversham.

Immaculately kept Shepherd Neame beers Traditional home made lunches served every day Join us for our popular Quiz Night held on the last Wednesday of every month Find us on Facebook

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Summer Issue 2013

Great British Beer – back to basics depth of flavour associated with the best continental lagers.

Some background Over recent years, Britain has seen a growth in the number of small breweries and, consequently, an increase in the number of beers available and experimentation including more unusual ingredients such as elderflowers, ginger and chocolate! However, traditional beer styles are in plentiful supply. Most hand pumps will have a pump clip that will give not only the name of the beer but also the alcohol content, usually stated as ABV (alcohol by volume). In the case of the bitter style of beers, the different categories are defined by the alcohol content. If you are intending to try a few different beers, then it is advisable to start with the weakest as they tend to be more delicate in flavour. But be warned, some of the dark beer styles have strong flavours that can saturate the palate regardless of the alcohol strength. Many of the darker beers are only available in colder months and are normall badged winter beers.

Ingredients and flavours Like a good chef, brewers will decide which ingredients to use to get the end result they desire.

If the brewers want a strong beer, they will use a high level of malt, as it is the malt that provides the food for the yeast, which then produces the alcohol. Malt also gives the beer its sweetness and body as well most of its colour. A beer’s colour can range from very pale yellow to black, according to how long the malt is roasted for, and at what temperature. The malt gives toffee, biscuity and roast notes in a beer, including chocolate and coffee. Black malt can also give a burnt bitterness but hops are usually the main source of a beer’s bitterness. There is a huge range of hops and you will come across British beers using hops from all over Europe and America and further afield as well as Britain.

Hops are usually responsible for fruit notes; citrus, peach and pineapple are not unusual.

They can also give floral and peppery notes. In

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Shepherd Neame Mild stronger beers, the combination of the ingredients tends to give very complex flavours including caramelised fruit and you may also pick up the warming impact of the alcohol.

Beer Styles Milds Although an old style of beer, mild is not always widely available in Kent/London now with only a small number of pubs regularly stocking the style. There are two types of mild: light or dark and so the colour can be black to dark brown to pale amber. Both types are malty and sweet tones tend to dominate the flavour profile but there may be a light hop flavour or aroma.

Light milds may be slightly fruity and dark milds can have roast and caramel notes. Milds are not very bitter and are typically less than 4.3% ABV. To promote this style CAMRA page 11  3

Editorial

Swale Ale © Summer 2013 Published by the Swale Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale Ltd (CAMRA).

Circulation: 1,000 Editorial Committee and Contributors: Les Bailey, Derek Cole, Suzanne Collins, Gary Holness, Simon Ing, Andrew Kitney, Mick Lewis, Keir Stanley, Jeff Waller, Malcolm Winskill.

Print Liaison: Les Bailey Advertising: Gary Holness ——————————————–———— All correspondence to: Les Bailey 58 Wallers Road Faversham Kent ME13 7PL Email: swaleale@gmail.com Telephone: 01795 538824 ———————————————–——— Any opinions expressed within these pages are those of the individual authors only and do not represent those of CAMRA or any of its officials.

W

elcome to the summer edition of Swale Ale. As usual we have tried to cover a wide range of topics that will hopefully inform and entertain you about the wonderful world of beer and cider. Inside you will find articles that vary from beer economics to the quest for real Irish ale. Also there are reports on pubs and breweries in the area and articles on some of the social events that Swale CAMRA has undertaken. If you like the sound of these days out why not join CAMRA and come along to enjoy good company and a good pint or two.

(You’ll find a membership form inside).

Hopefully the inside of your glass will be the only dampness around as we enjoy a fantastic summer. So seek out a good pub that serves a good pint of what you like and enjoy.

The Editorial Team

Advertising rates: Half Page £25 Full A5 Page £50 Minimum circulation 800 Contact swaleale@gmail.com

The existence of this publication in a particular outlet does not imply an endorsement of it by Swale CAMRA .

———————————————–——— Printed by: Abbey Print, Faversham ———————————————–—— Branch Details Chairman: Simon Ing Secretary: Les Bailey Social Secretary: Steve Bennion Treasurer: Les Bailey

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Visit our award winning website at www.camra-swale.org.uk Summer Issue 2013

Chairman's Chat

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f we are lucky summer has by now returned, and you should be in the pub garden reading this. You will be sitting under an umbrella if last year was anything to go by, trying not to get too much rain in your beer. If by some miracle we do get some sunshine and no rain, so you can sit outside, where better to do it than at the pub.

In the last year the beer duty escalator was scrapped, but only the beer duty one. Cider still has one, as do other drinks. So no automatic duty rise on beer, but how much does you pint cost? In pubs there can be quite a range of prices; in some a pint can cost as little as ÂŁ2.50, in others near or even over ÂŁ4. Now CAMRA tries to price watch, but in order to do this we need to know the prices in many pubs regularly. You can help with this by letting CAMRA know what you paid and where it was.

At least that way when you go to a pub it won't come as a complete shock when you come to pay. Let us know and we will let others know.

Alcohol in the supermarkets is or can be sold very cheaply and this is not necessarily a good thing. Think about it - 10 or 12 cans of nasty fizz for less than a tenner. Cheap yes, but not good for real ale drinkers or pubs. We should be trying to educate people, a good pint, in a good pub, with good company, is much

better for you then sitting at home just drinking.

Real ale bought locally usually means money staying in the local economy, if you buy it in a pub doubly so. Most real ale drinkers don't get fighting drunk or vomit on the pavement, so less antisocial behaviour. Not everyone is a paragon, and yes we all sometimes drink more than we should and get drunk. But most of the time you have two or three drinks and then quietly go home. Most landladies/landlords and good bar staff won't let you get silly drunk, as they can lose their license if it keeps happening, especially if there is trouble and complaints. So go to your local pub, drink real ale, drink sensibly (we have to tell you that, it's the law or something like that) and let CAMRA know the price of your pint.

Finally, before you head back into the pub for another pint and maybe to dry off, Swale CAMRA will again have a beer stall at the Faversham Hop Festival on Saturday 31st August and Sunday 1st September. Come along and buy a beer or cider and maybe have a chat.

Oh yes I nearly forgot, this year we will have hard plastic reusable glasses for sale, so there is no danger of spilling your pint.

Simon Ing

Three Hats Swale Pub of the Year

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he Three Hats in Milton Regis has been awarded the title of Swale Pub of the Year for the first time.

Situated in historic Milton Regis the Three Hats (the only pub in the UK with that name) holds regular beer festivals which focus on beers from particular regions.

Licensee Malcolm Winskill, pictured opposite, has been a member of the CAMRA discount scheme for a number of years and has worked hard to encourage locals to join the Swale branch. Malcolm is also a regular contributor to Swale Ale. [KS]

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The White Lion Selling

Three course dinner menu served 6 to 7 Mon to Fri ÂŁ19.95 Sunday Roast 12 to 3 as well as all day menu serving fresh fish, steaks and pizzas White Lion quiz every 2nd Wednesday of the month Live music weekly Themed events Check website for seasonal opening times. www.whitelionselling.co.uk info@whitelionselling.co.uk 01227 752211

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Summer Issue 2013

Swale CAMRA Branch Diary Saturday 6th July 2013 BRANCH AGM: 7.30pm The Swan, London Road (A2), Teynham (10 minute walk from Teynham Railway Station – buffet provided) Saturday 10th August 2013 Social Event Mini coach trip to rural pubs in branch area (see website for further details in due course) Wednesday 14th August 2013 Branch Business Meeting: 8pm The Wheatsheaf Inn, Warden Road Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey

Wednesday 11th September 2013 Branch Business meeting: 8pm The Black Lion, Lynsted Wednesday 9th October 2013 Branch Business Meeting: 8pm The Elephant, The Mall, Faversham Wednesday 13th November 2013 Branch Business Meeting: 8pm The Three Hats, High Street, Milton Regis

Kent Pub and Brewery News Shepherd Neame The Cask Ale schedule for the remainder of 2013 is as follows: July: Samuel Adams Blonde Ambition (4.5% abv) & Goldings Summer Hop Ale (4.1% abv).

August: Queens Court Harvest Ale (4.5% abv). September: Brilliant Ale (4.0% abv) & Late Red Autumn Hop Ale (4.5% abv).

October: Green Hop Ale (4.5% abv)& Spooks Ale (4.7% abv). November: Porter (4.8% abv).

December: Christmas Ale (5.0% abv).

The branch Brewery Liaison Officer is Bob Thompson.

Hopdaemon Tonie Prins continues to brew at full capacity.

His bottled Leviathan won a recent SIBA silver award.

The branch Brewery Liaison Officer is Howard Gates.

Mad Cat Peter Meaney continues to brew a full range of

Summer Issue 2013

cask and bottled beers. Peter hopes to be able to host a Swale CAMRA Branch visit later this year.

The branch Brewery Liaison Officer is Doris Munday.

Faversham The Phoenix Tavern. As usual the Phoenix continues to offer a wide range of national and local beer. They now regularly serve six real ales on hand pump. Two pumps are now dedicated to Timothy Taylor’s beers and Harvey’s Sussex Best. The Phoenix will be hosting the first Timothy Taylor Appreciation Society International weekend 9 – 11th August, brewers coming from Barcelona and folk coming from US, Holland and France to take part.

The Elephant. For personal reasons the advertised opening hours may not always be strictly adhered to. Please phone 01795 590157 to check if you are travelling from some distance.

The Old Wine Vaults. Has a St Arnold’s Day 7

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Summer Issue 2013

Kent Pub and Brewery News Beer Festival from 5th – 7th July and is currently selling a selected range of beers at £2.50 a pint.

to a planning residential use.

The Bear regularly serves Shepherd Neame seasonal and pilot brewery beers including the excellent mild. The Bear has a general pub quiz on the last Wednesday of each month (booking essential) and also organises interesting themed food nights on the first Monday of each month.

For more information please access their facebook page.

The Red Lion, Bluetown was closed at time of going to press.

The Sun has now opened its additional bar/ coffee shop which is accessed via a door to the left of the main bar. They now offer the full range of Shepherd Neame Heritage Ales in bottles and have also started serving a breakfast menu until 9.30am each day.

Iwade The Woolpack now serves Sharp’s Doom Bar. Lower Halstow The Three Tuns now has Goacher’s Real Mild as a regular beer and will be holding a beer festival over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Milton Regis The Three Hats held a Norfolk Ales Beer Festival from 28th – 30th June. A further beer festival will be held from 13th – 15th September.

Recent beers include Purity Mad Goose, Otter Ale, Timothy Taylor’s Landlord and Golden Best, Marston's Single Hop Amerillo and Windsor & Eton - Knight of the Garter and Bath Ales - SPA. Minster The Prince of Waterloo is subject to a planning application to convert to residential use.

Sheerness: The Crown Hotel, High Street is currently closed.

application

to convert

to

Sittingbourne The Jenny Wren now regularly sells four real ales.

The Red Lion recently served Black Sheep Bitter along with their normal Doom Bar. According to their social network site they have introduced Fridays as Cask Ale Club Night.

Upchurch The Brown Jug. Currently serving four real ales including two from Harveys of Sussex. On our recent visit this pub was one of the only local pubs to be serving Harveys seasonal beers.

Beer Festivals SIBA South East Beer Festival, Tonbridge Juddians Rugby Club, 12th to 14th July 2013.

Kent Beer Festival: Merton Farm, Canterbury, 19th – 21st July 2013.

Three Hats Beer Festival: Milton Regis, 13th to 15th August 2013.

Great British Beer Festival (GBBF) 2013: Olympia, London, 13th – 17th August 2013.

The Three Tuns Kentish Beer and Cider Festival: Lower Halstow, near Sittingbourne, 24th - 26th August 2013.

SWALE CAMRA Real Ale Stall at the Faversham International Hop Festival, East Street, 31st August and 1st September 2013.

Kent Green Hop Beer Festival: Merlins, Leysdown, Isle of Sheppey, 12th October 2013.

The Blacksmiths Arms, Clyde Street is subject

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Great British Beer – back to basics  page 3 recently introduced ‘Mild in May’ where participating breweries and pubs stock a varied range of milds throughout this month. It has proven to be very popular and has certainly increased the ‘NEW’ mild awareness in recent years.

Bitters These beers are often described as session bitters as their alcohol content is below 4% ABV and, as they tend to have a light mouth feel, they are easy drinking. Bitters have a medium to strong bitterness and some malt character. Hops are evident and there is sometimes some fruit, often citrus. Colours vary from brown to amber but can be paler.

Best Bitters These are more robust than ordinary bitters with a richer, smoother mouth feel. They also have a stronger hop character and citrus notes can be present. The alcohol content is between 4% and 4.6% ABV. They are typically brown, tawny, copper, or amber but can be paler. They have medium to strong bitterness with a more evident residual maltiness.

Strong Bitters These are full bodied beers with alcohol content between 4.6% and 6.5% ABV. They have a strong hop character and a medium to strong bitterness. The malt character is usually more pronounced than a best bitter. They are typically brown, tawny, copper, or amber but can be paler. Fruitiness may be medium to strong and the aroma or flavour can reminiscent of flowers or fruits.

Golden Ales This is a relatively new beer style for Britain, which has become more prevalent in the last decade. Golden Ales differ from the bitter style in their fruitiness. They often use imported hops, with more intense fruit than Britain’s traditional hops. These beers are pale amber, gold, yellow or straw coloured. The aroma and flavour are usually strong with hops and fruit, often citrus, creating a refreshing character.

There is a little malt on the palate and a low to

Summer Issue 2013

strong bitterness. Alcohol content is up to 5.3% ABV and the mouth feel tends to reflect the strength; stronger beers having a medium body.

Porters This beer style was developed in London in the eighteenth century and named after the London Porters who worked on the docks and the City of London. It is thought to be the first global beer as, at one time, it was exported around the world. This is always a dark beer (black or dark brown), which comes from the use of dark malts. It is complex in flavour with a full mouth feel and a pronounced finish through bitter hopping. Usually 4% to 6.5% ABV. Stouts There is often confusion between stouts and porters. Stouts are typically black and are less hopped than porters. There are two types of stout: dry and sweet. Dry stouts have an initial malt and caramel flavour with distinctive dry roast bitterness in the finish. The dry roast character is achieved by use of roasted barley, which dominates the flavour profile, often preventing other flavours from appearing. Hop flavours tend to be lower than porters. Mouth feel is often rich. In comparison, sweet stouts are distinctively sweet in taste and aftertaste through the use of lactose and may have a cloying body. Stouts often contain roasted barley and sometimes oats (Oatmeal Stouts).

The alcohol content ranges from 4% to as high as 12% ABV. Barley Wines Amber to tawny in colour, these strong beers can either be sweet, owing to residual sugars, or alternatively can be fermented to dryness with the yeast given time to ferment the majority of the sugar from the malt, leaving only a little sweetness. They have lots of flavour with floral and fruity characteristics balanced by the bitterness. With their high alcohol content (6.5% to 12% ABV), barley wines are often warming. Barley wines are often stored and develop wine-like notes with age. page 12  11

Great British Beer – back to basics ď ´ page

11 Bottled versions have long shelf lives and can be kept for years before drinking.

Old Ales These beers are typically black or dark brown but can be paler and are usually available from Autumn to Spring. Old Ales are full bodied with a malty richness. Fruity, floral flavours are often present. The alcohol content is between 4.3% and 6.6% ABV. Strong Old Ales Strong old ales have similar characteristics but are fuller favoured. They are typically dark brown or black and may have a very rich malty character with light roast malt in aroma and taste. Typically 6.5% to 12% ABV. IPA IPA stands for India Pale Ale. The recipe is believed to originate from London but it was the Midland town of Burton on Trent that took the lead, exporting the beer around the world

including to India, hence the name. A true IPA is strong (6% ABV and 7% ABV are not uncommon) and very hoppy. The hops and alcohol were used to preserve the beer on the long journeys. However, you will sometimes see beers called IPAs with a much lower alcohol content, as low as 3.5% ABV. These are not true IPAs, rather they are bitters and certainly would not have survived the journey to India!

Speciality Beers There are a number of British cask beers that are produced using one or more novel ingredients including fruits, herbs, spices, honey, cereals other than malted barley and flowers as well as, or instead of, hops. This is not as unusual as it sounds. British beer only started using hops in the 15th century! Ginger and coriander are quite traditional beer flavourings and elderflower and honey are not unknown.

Some of these beers can be quite a challenge but take a risk and you could be delighted! [AK]

THE BOWL INN Find us on the top of the North Downs above Charing, in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Enjoy a pint of real ale or a glass of wine in our large beer garden or heated patio area.

Regular steak nights, curry nights, and live music.

Four Star Bed and Breakfast Accommodation We can also offer bed and breakfast accommodation with 4 en-suite bedrooms, and a garden room which offers full facilities for disabled guests.

We are a 'dog and horse friendly' Inn Alan and Sue Paine Egg Hill Road, Charing, Ashford, Kent TN27 OHG

Tel: 01233 712256 12

email info@bowl-inn.co.uk Summer Issue 2013

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Rate your beer

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ike many branches throughout the UK Swale CAMRA use the data compiled from beer scores, submitted by CAMRA members over the course of the year, to help choose which pubs go in the Good Beer Guide. Every branch member has the opportunity to contribute to GBG selection. The core group (it fluctuates, but there are about 15 of us) simply cannot make it to all the pubs often enough to give them a fair go.

To help us decide which pubs in our patch are worth considering for the CAMRA Good Beer Guide we utilise the CAMRA National Beer Scoring System (NBSS).

Importantly all CAMRA members are eligible to submit scores for any pubs they visit.

This system consists of a 6-point scale that rates a beer on quality. The emphasis on ‘quality’ is important and this the most challenging thing about the system. You need to judge whether the beer is in good form, not whether or not you happen to like the beer (in fact a beer worthy of a 5 could very well be one that you don’t like very much).

You need to consider whether or not the pub has kept and served its ale in good condition: is it clear (unless it’s marked otherwise), does it taste and smell fresh, does it have an appropriate level of carbonation?

Sometimes cask ale can taste and smell vinegary (oxidised, sometimes infected) or may be at the end of the cask - if it is particularly bad you should let the bar staff know!

Please note that NBSS scores do not form a ‘linear’ scale. Anything over 2 is good beer, just degrees of ‘goodness’. The CAMRA HQ website has some additional information on the NBSS at www.camra.org.uk/nbss. You can enter your scores online using the national website.

0: Undrinkable. No cask ale available or so poor you have to take it back or can’t finish it.

(Note that a ’0’ for ‘no cask ale’ and a ’0′ for ‘undrinkable’ are two different things and are recognised as such in the scoring.)

1: Poor. Beer that is anything from barely 14

drinkable to drinkable with considerable resentment. As with a score of 0, if a beer is actually this bad it is really worth having a chat with the staff. Sometimes it might be reaching the end of the barrel, or the staff may have forgotten to pull the line through for the first pint of the day. Give them the benefit of the doubt and the chance to make amends!

2: Average. Competently kept, drinkable pint but doesn’t inspire in any way, not worth moving to another pub but you drink the beer without really noticing.

3: Good. Good beer in good form. You may cancel plans to move to the next pub. You want to stay for another pint and may seek out the beer again.

4: Very Good. Excellent beer in excellent condition.

5: Perfect. Probably the best you are ever likely to find. A seasoned drinker will award this score very rarely.

In all of this it is always worth talking to the staff about beer quality, especially the landlady/landlord if around. Without direct feedback how can they improve? Compliment them on a great pint, certainly – but if you think things aren’t up to scratch it is worth talking about that too. Sometimes bar staff will take it badly and be confrontational about your opinions, grin and bear it. Of course, if the landlord or landlady looks like he or she is in a bad mood, it might not be a good idea to start telling them their beer isn’t good enough!

Use your judgement and offer feedback when you feel it may help. Be prepared to be told you’re wrong – and sometimes even learn that you are wrong! (Some unfined and specialty beers may be cloudy, for example.)

[AK]

Rate your beer online at www.camra.org.uk/nbss

Summer Issue 2013

Red Lion

Free House A selection of national and local real ales served Mon - Sat 11:30am - 11pm Sun 12 noon—11:30pm Restaurant Mon - Sat 12 noon - 2:30pm & 6pm - 9pm Sun 12 noon - 8pm Outstanding patio overlooking the church and village green and a well established pub garden

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The PHOENIX TAVERN Abbey Street, FAVERSHAM 01795 591462 REAL ALES from Around the UK and Local REAL FOOD prepared freshly daily on the premises REAL ATMOSPHERE lovely garden and open inglenook log fires REAL TRADITION - 14th century oak beamed pub Quality lagers and Quality Wine from Corney and Barrow

Good Beer Guide 2013

'Official home of the Timothy Taylor Appreciation Society'.

@Phoenixfav

The Phoenix Tavern Faversham

www.thephoenixtavernfaversham.co.uk ME13 7BH - 01795 591462 16

Summer Issue 2013

Beerconomics

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know economics is a heavy topic to consider whilst relaxing in the pub, however any legislation to bring in a minimum price per unit of alcohol would have a massive impact on the brewing and licenced trade.

We campaigned hard to remove the beer duty escalator, and so it would be easy to assume that all CAMRA members would say no to a law that makes it illegal to sell cheap beer.

Successive governments have used taxation as a way of persuading the public to follow a particular course of action. Cigarettes and alcohol are heavily taxed and the forces of supply and demand dictate that if the price of beer is increased then demand will be curtailed. Customers will either stop consuming these products or will transfer their spending to a substitute product.

This leaves us with the question how can a government halt planned increases in the price of alcohol and at the same time research the possibility of introducing a minimum price per unit?

The answer to this question is that it depends on the objective of each policy. The government might increase taxation as a way of enticing customers to consume healthier products, or it might tax in order to increase revenue. A minimum price per unit would not itself increase government coffers, however if the overall price of a pint increases, then their percentage share of that increase will also rise.

So would a minimum price for a unit of alcohol actually increase what you pay at the bar? The answer really depends on what you buy. A 4.4% pint of real ale contains 2.5 units of alcohol. If the government were to introduce a 50p per unit minimum (the current suggestions are anything from 40p - 50p with different rates possible in England and Scotland) then the minimum price of a that pint would be £1.25.

Now I know that you are all thinking a pint for £1.25 that would be nice. In which case a

Summer Issue 2013

minimum price of 50p per unit would have no impact on real ale drinkers. In which case what is the point?

There are calls for the government to do something to stop binge drinking. But if such a policy would have no impact on the price of a pint how would that be achieved?

It may be considered that a minimum price on a unit of alcohol would have a positive impact on the pubs. People would be unable to purchase subsidised alcohol from supermarkets and so would return to the pub.

Supermarkets are often blamed for under age drinking on the streets. It is argued that it is easier (and cheaper) for under 18s to purchase cheap booze and consume this wherever possible. Shops sell bottles of beer as cheap as £1.

With each bottle of 4% beer containing approximately 2 units of alcohol, then the supermarket is already just complying with the legislation.

What about stronger beer I hear you ask? Well a bottle of 6.5% premium ale would have a minimum price of £1.65 which is still not too extreme. In which case we may not actually see any impact on the real ale take home market and no positive impact on public houses.

It appears that the products that will be harshly hit by these plans are extremely cheap supermarket beers, spirits and wines.

As CAMRA members we have fought since the days of Red Barrel to improve the quality of beer, we could argue that minimum pricing actually helps our cause. As cheap products are removed from the shelves as they are no longer legal, consumers who can afford to drink may well select on quality rather than price.

One final point on this subject is does this new legislation actually mean that the poor can no longer afford drink? Is it a pseudo tax on the less well off? It will be interesting to see if this will this lead to an increase in homebrew or maybe fuel the black market?

[KS] 17

Thanet micropub trip

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ver the past few years Kent has seen an explosion (all be it a small one!!) of new micro-pubs. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept, the Micropub Association (www.micropubassociation.co.uk) describe them in the following manner: - “small, conversion of an existing premises, serving primarily real ale, NO lager whatsoever, lively banter and chat with no music.�

The Thirty Nine Steps, Broadstairs

Four Candles, Broadstairs As Thanet in particular is a hot-bed of this pub phenomenon it seemed too good an opportunity to miss, so a few gallant fellows from Swale CAMRA set out on the train one sunny Saturday to find out what all the fuss was about.

We started out in Broadstairs at the Four Candles, a short walk from the station. The pub is named after the famous sketch by the Two Ronnies and which is said to have been written by Ronnie Barker while on a visit to Broadstairs to see his comedy partner, Ronnie Corbett. Dogs and their well behaved owners are welcome.

From the Four Candles we then proceeded down Broadstairs High Street to The Thirty Nine Steps. The alehouse takes its name from John Buchan's 1915 novel of the same name written and partly based in Broadstairs.

The original steps that inspired the novel still 18

exist on the North Foreland. One of the more unusual features of this pub is that the ales are kept behind glass in a temperature controlled chiller cabinet.

From The Thirty Nine Steps it was but a short walk to The Chapel. The building has had various different uses. It was once a chapel, which is no surprise, however the visitor who likes a good read will be delighted to discover that its immediate past incarnation was as a bookshop and the entire stock remains for the drinker to browse and purchase if desired.

On leaving The Chapel we boarded the train back to Margate to visit The Lifeboat, situated in the old town near to the T u r n e r Contemporary Arts Centre and named after the nearby RNLI station. This pub has won many The Chapel

Summer Issue 2013

THE SONDES ARMS Free House

Ever Changing Guest Ale

Under New Ownership Food served Tuesday - Saturday 12 to 3 and 6 to 9 Sunday Lunch 12 to 4 Locally Sourced Home Made Food Booking Recommended Weekly Live Music Themed Events Contact for Catered Functions

Selling Road Selling Near Faversham ME13 9PL Tel: 01227 752517

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Thanet micropub trip awards including the Thanet Times Pub Oscars Best Real Ale Pub in Thanet and Kent CAMRA Cider Pub of the Year.

The next port of call was a short train ride to The Why Not in Westgate. It is about a ten minute walk from the station and although the origination of the pub’s name is a little fuzzy in my memory (probably because by then everything was a little fuzzy!!), I guess that it could have had something to do with the landlord being asked why he was opening a micro in a ex hairdressers to which he replied “Why Not!” I would be grateful to anyone who can clarify how the name came about.

The last pub of the trip was the Bake and Alehouse a very short walk from the station at Westgate, where we rounded off the trip before falling onto a train back home.

All in all, a most enjoyable afternoon

The Lifeboat, Margate

The Why Not, Westgate out. All of the pubs mentioned are easily accessible by train so no need for someone to sit supping lemonade while the rest enjoy the many different ales and ciders available. Talking of ales and ciders I have deliberately steered clear of listing everything we sampled for the simple reason that when you visit it is highly likely that the range will be different. Suffice to say that the range was varied with many beers from Kent and just as many from further afield. I would recommend a visit to the pub websites to see what is on before you visit or just go along and see what they have on at the time. I would be very surprised if you did not find something to your taste. A word to the wise before I go, check out the opening times as not all of the pubs are open all day.

[SB]

Since this Swale CAMRA visit a new micropub has opened on the harbour wall in Margate. The Harbour Arms is a tiny micropub that seats approximately 14 people inside, has an outside seating space and currently serves three national and local beers including Gadds’ and Dark Star.

If you have any news that you think might be of interest to Swale Ale readers please contact us at swaleale@googlemail.com. We are particularly interested new or re-opened pubs that are not yet on our radar and/or pubs that have started selling real ale again. Remember when visiting a pub it is always helpful to score their beer at http://whatpub.com/beerscoring/

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Summer Issue 2013

THE THREE HATS MILTON REGIS Ever changing selection of cask ales Large Beer Garden Mobile Bar and Catering Service Available for Weddings, Christenings and Birthdays No Function too big or small Call Malcolm on 07764 842478 Three Hats, 93 High Street, Milton Regis, Kent, ME10 2AR

SWALE CAMRA PUB OF THE YEAR 2013 Summer Issue 2013

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75 Preston Street, Faversham 01795 591817 The Old Wine Vaults is a 16th century pub set in the heart of historic Faversham.

FOUR Cask Ales TWO Cask Ciders Faversham Hop Festival, live music all weekend.

3 bars serving the largest selection of cask ales in Faversham. Hog Roast Saturday, food all weekend.

20p off nominated ale and cask cider with a valid CAMRA card The pub is open Mon-Sat 11am to 11pm and Sundays 12pm to 10.30pm.

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Summer Issue 2013

Faversham Hop Festival

S

wale CAMRA would like to welcome you to the 2013 Faversham International Hop Festival, taking place Saturday 31st August and Sunday 1st September. This small market town is blessed with a variety of pubs serving both local and national beers. In addition to these favourites you may stumble across a number of beers that are being brewed especially for this event.

Whilst visiting Faversham we recommend that you step outside of the main festival route to visit some of the other pubs that will also be holding beer festivals and staging live music during the weekend. We also recommend that you visit our own stall serving a variety of beers from our local area. You should also consider booking yourself onto one of Shepherd Neame’s brewery tours.

Albion

On the opposite side of Faversham Creek, just 4 minutes form the main town centre, this waterside pub offers a range of Shepherd Neame beers.

At festival time this pub often offers an outside bar, BBQ and live music.

During the rest of the year the pub provides a menu of Mexican and English food.

Anchor

At the opposite end of Abbey Street to the town centre, by the flourishing Standard Quay with its historic sailing barges, this 300 year old Shepherd Neame pub has a large garden which during festival time features live bands and a BBQ. A wide range of Shepherd Neame beers are served.

Bear

This historic Shepherd Neame pub which has recently been sympathetically renovated has three small bars off a small corridor, each with their own atmosphere. Three Shepherd Neame beers served including those from the pilot-brewery.

Brents Tavern

On the opposite side of the creek this local free house is just five minutes from the town centre. This pub serves a range of national and local real ales.

Bull

This oak-beamed Shepherd Neame pub was being built in 1409, and was visited by both Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. The pub boasts a large garden and at festival time often stages live bands.

Chimney Boy

Close to the railway station this Shepherd Neame house is located opposite the Preston Street music stage. A restaurant and beer garden are accessible to the rear.

Crown & Anchor

On the quieter side of the station, this Shepherd Neame local is accessible via the pedestrian underpass.

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Faversham International Hop Festival Pub G The Brents Free House The Albion Shepherd Neame Swan & Harlequin Free House The Bull Shepherd Neame The Sun Shepherd Neame The Three Tuns Shepherd Neame Old Wine Vaults Free House  The Chimney Boy Shepherd Neame The Elephant  Free House Crown & Anchor Shepherd Neame 24

Summer Issue 2013

Guide: 31st August and 1st September 2013 The Anchor Shepherd Neame The Phoenix  Free House The Bear  Shepherd Neame CAMRA Real Ale Stall

Faversham Homebrew Shop Market Inn Shepherd Neame Leading Light Wetherspoon

Open Street Map

Summer Issue 2013

The Railway Shepherd Neame 25

Elephant

As Swale CAMRA Pub of the year 2007 to 2012, this local free house is only a two minute walk from the station via the pedestrian underpass. The five ever-changing beers include many from local Kentish micro-breweries. In addition this pub also offers excellent real cider by hand pump. A beautiful walled garden is to the rear.

Leading Light

This Wetherspoon pub in Preston Street has a tradition for serving a wide range of beers, enhancing the chain’s normal range with many from local micros.

Market Inn

This lively Shepherd Neame pub on East Street offers a good range of Faversham brewed beers and excellent live music throughout the year. The Market Inn is just a 3 minute walk from the town centre.

Phoenix

This ancient pub on Abbey Street is only two minutes from the town centre. Offering six ever changing beers on hand pump and many more on gravity including Harveys Best Bitter, Timothy Taylor’s Landlord and other national favourites. At festival times live music is held in the garden.

The Old This town centre local serves up to four real ales on hand pump and two Wine Vaults real ciders all year round. At festival time they expand this range with an outside bar in the garden and live music.

Railway Hotel

A grand Shepherd Neame pub opposite the station with many original features. The Railway Hotel often has an extensive list of live music over the festival weekend.

The Sun

Close to the market square, this historic Shepherd Neame house has large sunny terrace on multiple levels.

Swan & Harlequin

With its lively music stage and a minimum of 12 real ales the Swan and Harlequin free house is just behind the Shepherd Neame brewery.

Three Tuns

Just five minutes from the Market Place this ancient Shepherd Neame pub is said to have been visited by Nelson. A large garden is to the rear.

CAMRA Stall

The CAMRA stall in East Street will be selling the products of several small East Kent breweries. We should have beers from the Hopdaemon, Ramsgate, Canterbury Brewers and Whitstable breweries, plus local cider and perry.

Key



Good Beer Guide 2013

The above information is intended as a guide and it is given in good faith. Since going to press it is likely that some items will have changed, especially the beers offered in each pub.

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Summer Issue 2013

****SWALE CAMRA PUB OF THE YEAR 2013****

The Three Hats Warwickshire Beer Festival 13th - 15th Sept 2013 Open from 11am - close

www.facebook.com/thethreehats

Three Hats Milton@Three_Hats1

93 High Street, Milton Regis, Sittingbourne. Kent ME10 2AR

For all enquiries call Malcolm on 07764 842 478 Summer Issue 2013

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Summer Issue 2013

A walk to the pub (or three!!)

Rose and Crown, Perry Wood

W

hat could be better than a walk on a fine, sunny spring afternoon through orchards and woods taking in a trio of pubs on the way? The walk started at Selling station and after a short stroll through the village headed

Summer Issue 2013

out on a footpath past poly-tunnels full of strawberries and raspberries all showing the promise of an abundance of summer fruit later in the year. Leaving the tunnels behind we walked through apple orchards laden with blossom with sheep and lambs grazing and past the idyllic looking cricket ground to arrive at our first pub, The White Lion, where we revived ourselves with a pint of Shepherd Neame Master Brew before heading on. The second leg of the walk took us past more orchards and into Perry Wood. Perry Wood covers about 150 acres with Chestnut, Scots Pine and abundant wildlife (we saw rabbits, pheasants and Red Admiral butterflies) all amid the rolling chalk of the North Downs. There are many woodland walks, a picnic site, and panoramic views across the Kent countryside and at the time we visited the woods were carpeted with Bluebells. Best of all is the Rose and Crown which nestles, hidden in the heart of this ancient woodland. Here we stopped for lunch and a couple of pints of Harveys Best before wandering back along the woodland trails to meet a lane that took us back to the final pub of the day, The Sondes Arms, where we had a further pint of Master Brew before walking the few yards back to Selling station.

[SB]

The White Lion, Selling

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The Brown jug Free house Upchurch Regularly stocking Greene King IPA, Harveys Sussex Best and/or Dark Mild and Mad Cat Platinum Blonde and Auburn Copper Ale Bar food served all day but with specials on Friday and Saturday night 7-9.30 and Sunday Lunch 1-6pm

Beer Garden Dog-friendly Horsham Lane, Upchurch ME9 7AP

01634 366543

Faversham’s hidden gem The Shipwright’s Arms, Hollowshore, Faversham

A 17th Century traditional creek side free house. Selling up to five real ales from Kentish brewers, and serving good food.

Take a trip back in time and savour the delights of a truly traditional pub.

Rated by Jamie Oliver as one of the top 100 traditional pubs in the country.

Please check website or phone to confirm hours of opening.

Tel: 01795 590088

Web: www.theshipwrightsarmspub.co.uk Directions: At Davington School turn into Ham Road and follow the signs across the marsh.

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Summer Issue 2013

Trouble with DORA and a Welshman

G

reetings gentle reader. Fear not the title of this issue’s piece may be leading you to think that it has turned into a salacious agony column. If you are disappointed at this point I respectfully suggest that you are reading the wrong publication!! The aforementioned DORA is the Defence of the Realm Act of 1914 and the Welshman is none other than David Lloyd George. Now I hear you cry what has any of this to do with beer, this is a CAMRA publication after all, but bear with Old Obadiah and all will be explained.

David Lloyd George, it could be argued, was one of the greatest statesmen that Britain ever had. He was the Prime Minister from 1916 to 1922, helping guide The Empire through the First World War, founder of the welfare state, an icon of 20th-century Liberalism and voted one of the top 100 greatest Britons in 2002 but for all this in my opinion he had one slight flaw.

Now, now, behave yourselves, it is nothing to do with him coming from West of Offa’s Dyke (having some the blood of the red dragon coursing through Obadiah’s veins I would never say that!!). It is just that he was fervently opposed to beer, well all alcohol in fact, being an avid teetotaler.

You have probably realised that we are at the start of the Great War and Lloyd George believed that beer was an evil influence. His pulpit like speeches contained lines such as ‘Drink is doing us more damage than all the German submarines put together’ and ‘We are fighting Germany, Austria and Drink; and as far as I can see the greatest of these deadly foes is drink!’ Hard hitting stuff I think you will agree.

To wind back a bit David Lloyd George had tried to introduce Bills into the House of Commons since 1888 to bring prohibition to Wales but had been blocked by the MPs (no doubt fearing for their seats at the next general election if they voted this through!). Lloyd George described this as ‘The brewers ring, that seems to govern England’, however with the implementation of DORA Lloyd George was able to get his revenge. DORA had

Summer Issue 2013

David Lloyd George sweeping powers that increased as the war progressed and the brewing and pub industry felt its full force.

In 1915 a Central Control Board was established which imposed strict opening hours on pubs in areas deemed to be of military importance. Opening was restricted to five and a half hours a day and pubs could only sell beer between noon and 2.30 in the afternoon and 6 o’clock and 9 o’clock in the evening. On Saturdays closing in the evening was an hour earlier at 8 o’clock. To add insult to injury for the poor old beer drinker, prices shot up as taxation was raised massively. The cost of a pint doubled from 2d to 4d between 1914 and 1916.

To compound the misery the average strength of beer was reduced from 1052 to 1030 over the duration of the war. Troubles always come in threes they say and the third hit on the beer drinker was that output was nearly halved from thirty nine million bulk barrels to nineteen

31

Trouble with DORA and a Welshman million bulk barrels so was not only beer expensive and weak, it was getting harder to get hold of. War is hell!! Not content with all these measures, the government actively discouraged buying your mate a beer (known as treating) although I know people who still take this seriously today!!

In 1917, Ernie Mayne, a popular music hall performer, recorded a song that satirised the changes to beer brought about under Lloyd George's premiership. Its lyrics summed up the thoughts of many.

Lloyd George's Beer We shall win the war, we shall win the war, As I said before, we shall win the war.

The Kaiser's in a dreadful fury, Now he knows we're making it at every brewery.

Have you read of it, seen what's said of it, In the Mirror and the Mail.

It's a substitute, and a pubstitute, And it's known as Government Ale (or otherwise).

Lloyd George's Beer, Lloyd George's Beer.

At the brewery, there's nothing doing, All the water works are brewing, Lloyd George's Beer, it isn't dear.

Oh they say it's a terrible war, oh law, And there never was a war like this before, But the worst thing that ever happened in this war Is Lloyd George's Beer.

Buy a lot of it, all they've got of it.

Dip your bread in it, Shove your head in it From January to October, And I'll bet a penny that you'll still be sober.

Get your cloth in it, make some broth in it, With a pair of mutton chops.

Drown your dogs in it, pop your clogs in it, And you'll see some wonderful sights (in that lovely stufo).

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Lloyd George's Beer, Lloyd George's Beer.

At the brewery, there's nothing doing, All the water works are brewing, Lloyd George's Beer, it isn't dear.

With Haig and Joffre when affairs look black, And you can't get at Jerry with his gas attack.

Just get your squirters out and we'll squirt the buggers back, With Lloyd George's Beer.

At this time America was moving towards prohibition and put pressure on Britain to go the same way. The US Food Administrator said that an increase in vital US grain exports to Britain would be difficult to secure without an end to brewing in Britain.

All these measures were designed to help the war effort and on the face of it may have had some degree of sense to them, but as I have mentioned before depriving an Englishman of his beer is a very dangerous game to play.

Ministers gradually began to realise this as rumours of strike action were beginning to circulate, so in July 1917 Sir George Cave, Home secretary, told the House of Commons – ‘The beer shortage is causing considerable unrest, and is interfering with the output of munitions and with the position of this country in the war. There is unrest, discontent, loss of time, loss of work and in some cases even strikes are threatened and indeed caused by the very fact that there is a shortage of beer’. I would like to think that the house resounded to choruses of ‘Here, Here’ and the waving of order papers at this statement.

Once the war ended the Central Control Board was abolished but the limiting of pub opening hours was not relaxed to all day opening until 1988.

So there you have it. Once again it is shown that beer is vital to the wellbeing of the Nation.

Obadiah Spillage I am indebted to Brian Glover and his excellent book Brewing for Victory.

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The Swan Inn Teynham

Two ‘LocAles’ including a Wantsum pump Award Winning ‘Dudda’s Tun’ Cider Sky Sports Free Quiz Sunday from 4.40pm Live music Saturdays at 9pm Karaoke Sundays and Tuesdays from 7pm

Sunday lunch 12 - 3.30 2 meals for £9

78 London Road, Teynham, Kent ME9 9QH 01795 521 218 34

Summer Issue 2013

The Quest for Real Irish Ale

N

ow as a pub landlord you don’t get many perks, people constantly coming into your front room, berating you about how bad their life is and how the dole has not paid them what they are due (note if you are receiving the dole and are in the pub all day you don’t get paid, you get donated to!), so imagine my surprise on mayday to open up a letter from Guinness, informing me I had won a trip for two to visit the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. Eagerly I rang the attached telephone number, enquiring what the package entailed. Luckily I had won return flights to Dublin, one nights’ accommodation at the Grafton Capital hotel and two tickets to the Guinness brewery at St James’s Gate.

Now being married to a colleen from the emerald isle and despite visiting Dublin on numerous occasions, I had never visited the Guinness factory. Here I should thank or not my erstwhile alcoholic customers who enabled me to win the trip.

After an early start leaving home at 5.45am we made good time to Gatwick after battling the M25, the worlds biggest car park, arriving just before 7am.

Fag, coffee, fag, security, all done!

Off for breakfast whilst watching the planes take off and land. Fantastic omelette, scrumptious freshly squeezed orange juice and a brilliant view, if you like that sort of thing.

Please go to gate 16, the screen informed us. With plenty of time we arrived at the designated gate, watching with amusement as the customers who had paid for priority boarding formed in a neat little queue. Sitting down we fastened our seat belts and awaited the in-flight version of agadoo (exits to the left, exits to the right etc... trust me if there was an emergency sod the women and children, it would be fat landlords first throwing screaming brats out the way)! Sitting patiently we waited in vain for our departure before, after an hour, our pilot in his best train platform announcer’s voice, informed us we couldn’t depart due to an indicator failure. Now don’t get me wrong I’m

Summer Issue 2013

The Guinness Brewery, Dublin all for safety when you’re 40000ft up in the air, but honestly who can see if you’re indicating to turn left or right?

Back to the departure lounge awaiting information on our 9.40am flight. 11am nothing, 12.30pm no news but a £3.50 voucher for food which equates to about a packet of crisps at Gatwick. At 1.30pm at last an email from the airline, unfortunately informing me they have a £15.99 flight sale and to book fast as the offer ends midnight Thursday, so still no news. At 2.30pm we eventually take off after a near five hour delay, but hey ho we were off on our jolly to explore the real ales of Dublin’s fair city.

Arriving in Dublin we jumped in a taxi to our hotel. Looking forward to the drive into the city with a knowledgeable local who could regale us with local history after swallowing the Blarney stone, imagine our disappointment 35

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Summer Issue 2013

The Quest for Real Irish Ale when Kevin our driver spoke revealing a broad were taken through the interesting history of North London accent.

Guinness and its innovative distribution Hotel, dump bags, pub. The Hairy processes using canal barges, internal steam Lemon, according to the locals, allegedly the trains on custom built tracks and their own most expensive pub in Dublin. Here we freighter ships. We ended our tour by pouring a discovered a strange new brew featuring an perfect pint of Guinness and receiving a almost black but actually ruby red body and certificate for our achievements, bit of a thick cream head. This brew was named busman’s holiday but a nice memento of our Guinness Mid-Strength. A new, weaker version tour. The tutor told us the water comes from of the world’s best selling stout. Feeling obliged I the Wicklow mountains and not the River Liffey had to try a blind tasting and found the Midas is the common mis-perception. The Strength at 3.9% more bitter and difference between Guinness in less smooth then its older brother Ireland and pints served in Great at 4.5%. After trying some Britain is not the stout but the Smithwicks bitter (with bubbles), gas. Over here we use 70% we headed off to a pub renowned nitrogen and 30% CO2, whereas for its ales, J W Sweetman, in Ireland they use 80% nitrogen formerly Messy Maguire’s. Here and 20% CO2. Finally we enjoyed we tried an in-house brewed Red our perfect pints in the sky bar Ale 4.6%, malty sweet and slightly which overlooks Dublin and has hoppy. Followed by Pale Ale 5.0%, great views of the Wicklow lightly hopped and light gold in Mountains and the city centre. colour. Next was a JWS pilsner Back into the city centre 5.0%, a lager styled craft ale, very we persevered on our quest for rich in hops. ale by revisiting the Porterhouse, To finish the night we but alas still no real ale! In for a sought out the Porterhouse on penny in for a pound. I tried a Blue Moon Parliament Street. When I googled Porterhouse Red 4.2%, fruity with ‘real ale Dublin’ this was the top and only result, caramel notes. so imagine my excitement when we entered and Having now given up on finding any real saw four hand pulls, unfortunately only two had ale in Dublin, we headed back to JW badges on, Oyster Stout 4.6% and Hophead Sweetman’s on Burgh Quay. Here I tried a 5.0%. Busy as the bar was, we were served Weiss Blue Moon, a traditional Bavarian style almost immediately - the bars in Dublin have got wheat beer, with citrus flavours 4.3%. This was service down to a fine art. I ordered a pint of an experience as it was my first time drinking both only to be told they had run out! Bloody ale with a slice of orange in it. However it typical. worked perfectly and was my favourite beer of Undeterred I ordered a pint of Hophead the trip. on keg, amber coloured and distinctly malty in Time for one more pint before heading character using centennial and cascade hops. in a taxi to the airport so we called into Kehoes The beer was rich and fruity with a wonderful Heritage Pub on South Anne Street where I rich, oily full mouth feel. And so to bed in the enjoyed a lovely pint of Smithwick’s Pale Ale. hope of better luck tomorrow.

Now don’t get me wrong I loved my Bright and early the next morning off we time in Dublin and had some fantastic craft beer headed to the Guinness Storehouse. Well and some good keg ale, but if you don’t like the worth a visit for any dedicated drinker. We gas, Dublin is still the place to go for a gas craic.

Slainte.

[MW]

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Homebrew’s ‘moving up’ in Faversham

F

aversham Homebrew is hopefully on the road to success when it moves to its new premises in August. Currently situated on the corner of East Street and Crescent Road the business, established nearly two years ago, is planning a move to bigger and brighter premises in St Mary’s Road, Faversham.

Proprietor Colin Shadbolt said “We are moving to our new premises at 52 St Mary’s Road sometime in August. Although our current location has served us in good stead, the new larger unit will allow us to expand further into selling new product lines and also enable us to open an on-line/mail order service. The new location should also be much better for customers with on the door step

parking.”

Mr Shadbolt added “Since opening the shop back in August 2011 the interest in home brewing has increased month on month, with the price of alcohol in pubs going through the roof and the state of the economy, people now realise it makes sense to make your own at a fraction of the price. Long gone are the days of awful home brew beers and wines, you can now make pub quality beer and wines from easy to make kits, ready to drink in under a month”.

If you are interested in making your own beers or wines, pop in and find out just how easy it is to make your own or call 07764363254.

Faversham Homebrew “For All Your Brewing Needs” 14A East Street Faversham Kent.

ME13 8AD Tel-01795-229073

Soon To Be At 52 St Mary’s Rd Faversham Mob-07764363253

www.homebrewkent.co.uk 38

Summer Issue 2013

CAMRA discovers 25 year old apple

I

n 1988, the world of real cider was completely different to the situation we have today. It was mainly looked on as an obscure drink that the majority of the drinking public never saw. It was usually found in the West Country, and if you didn’t know which pubs sold it, you had to go direct to a cider maker to buy it. The same applied to other cider making areas as well, for example Kent.

It was, of course, found at most CAMRA festivals, but often in very small quantities. In fact, real cider was in a similar position to that of real ale when CAMRA was formed in 1971. There was clearly a market for it, but finding it could be a real problem.

CAMRA had, by this time, published its first Good Cider Guide, but there was no official group within CAMRA to collate all of the knowledge that was floating about amongst its members, and certainly n ob o d y t o a c t u a l l y promote it. So I decided to do something about it, and in 1988, at CAMRA’s AGM, proposed a motion to get a national cider committee formed so that cider had a real voice within CAMRA. And 25 years later APPLE, as the committee is known, is still going strong. One of the first things that we did was to formulate a definition of what real cider is, compared to the fizzy concoctions still found in most pubs. We have modified this definition over the years, but we still have one and it can be found on CAMRA’s website.

We started CAMRA’s annual cider trip each October, where members visit two or three producers and see how it is made. These have become so successful that they are often sold out within weeks. It was only the very first

Summer Issue 2013

one that didn’t do too well financially. The organiser (who I won’t name) forgot about the VAT when doing the figures. And what’s his profession? An accountant! We also held four national cider festivals in London, all of which generated a lot of publicity as they were real novelties at the time, which is where we started the Cider and Perry of the Year awards, voted for by the staff and the customers.

These competitions continue to this day at regional competitions with judging panels, culminating in the finals which are held at Reading Beer and Cider Festival in May each year.

Over the years, we have supported and a d v is e d p r od u c e r s , compiled a database of all known producers, published several cider guides, introduced a window sticker scheme for pubs that sell real cider, run cider training courses for members, liaised with both cider associations and Members of Parliament, appointed regional cider co-ordinators for the whole of the UK, advised and helped CAMRA festivals, run cider bars at outside events, have a National Cider Pub of the Year competition, and use October as the month for promoting real cider and perry. And a whole lot more that I can’t think of at the moment. Oh, and drunk quite a lot of it as well!

So when you see or hear CAMRA banging on about real cider and perry, don’t think that we’ve taken the organisation away from real ale because we haven’t. CAMRA will always be about beer, but cider and perry as well. There may not be many of us on APPLE, but we make a bloody loud noise!

Mick Lewis 39

The Swan & Harlequin HOP FESTIVAL 30th August & 1st September

Largest Stage in Faversham Minimum 7 Top Bands on Saturday and Sunday

REAL ALE BAR Minimum 12 Real Ales Come and Join Us 40

Summer Issue 2013

Dudda’s Tun Cider

O

ne of the cider producers in the Swale area is Dudda’s Tun of Pine Trees Farm near Doddington Village, a few miles south of Faversham. Cider was first produced in 2009 by the farm’s owners, father and son team Kevin and Robert Paine. Robert had returned to work on the farm after attending university and as a way of increasing earnings for the farm they began to attend farmers markets selling their produce, which included apple juice for which they won a Taste of Kent award in 2008.

In 2009, after speaking to an experienced cider maker, Robert decided to try his hand at cider making and was mentored through his first year, but ever since has produced it on his own, experimenting with the fifteen varieties of apples grown on the farm.

Originally only a dry cider was produced but after looking at the market they decided to make other types of cider including sweet, medium and spiced, which is made with a spice mix to Robert’s own recipe. They now also make a perry called Pear O Duddas and a cherry flavoured cider Cheery Old Dudda. Next in the family of Dudda’s is to be a lightly sparkling cider called Dizzy Dudda.

The production of cider has doubled every year to try and meet demand, which has meant continued investment in equipment and storage to their current capacity, with plans for the future to upgrade production facilities to meet an expected growing demand for their cider and perry. This has been fuelled by a growing demand for all types of cider across the industry in recent years and the rediscovery by the general population of one of our once most popular drinks from years past. In bygone times farm labourers were part paid in cider for their work.

Summer Issue 2013

Another addition to their market sales was a purpose built cider bar, constructed by Robert and his father Kevin, which has been at numerous events recently. The bar has been sign written with their logo which was designed and painted by a local Doddington artist and which has been their brand label from the start. The character is a depiction of an 11th century person who has come to be known as Dudda.

So where did the name come from I hear you ask? Well the name Dudda’s Tun comes from the origin of the village name Doddington where the farm is. “Dudda” is thought to have been an 11th century person or tribe and “Tun” meaning farmstead or dwelling place.

Last year at the National Association of Cider Producers Awards (NACM) held at The National Fruit Collection, Brogdale, near Faversham, Dudda’s Tun were awarded 1st and 2nd place awards in two categories for their cider and perry (see Swale Ale Winter 2012 for an article on the NACM). This is quite an achievement considering that they have only been making cider for four years.

Robert says that his aim is to get people who say “I don’t like cider” to try it and from past experience a lot of people say “actually that’s really good”. With demand increasing he reckons that he must be doing something right.

Robert also has plans to increase business with production of Dudda’s Tun merchandise such as T-shirts and pint glasses in the future to sell online.

Robert also says that he wants to put Kentish cider on the map, not by imitating West Country cider or big commercial brands, but by using everything naturally given to them by the region and by the fruit grown on the farm.

[GH]

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Summer Issue 2013

Rose and Crown Perry Wood A proper country pub in outstanding surroundings

Log fire, cask ales Open all day weekends Best Quality English Pub Food Walkers, riders, runners, children on leads & well behaved dogs welcome.

Open Mon-Fri 11.30-15.00 18.30-23.00 Sat Sun all day (not Mon eves) Tel 01227 752214 Selling, Near Faversham, Kent, ME13 9RY

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THE FOUNTAIN SITTINGBOURNE

The Why Not

Thai Restaurant and Takeaway Tue to Sat 12 noon - 2:30pm & 5 - 10pm SHEPHERD NEAME ALES SERVED Mon - Sat 11am - 11pm Sun 12 - 8:30pm 37 Station Street, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 3ED 01795 228971

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Summer Issue 2013

Brilliant Ale Shines Again

B

ritain’s oldest brewer Shepherd Neame has launched Brilliant Ale (5.6% abv), a bright golden ale from the Classic Collection, inspired by an original mid-19th century recipe unearthed in the Faversham brewery’s archives.

Now available for the modern-day drinker to savour, Brilliant Ale follows hot on the heels of Double Stout and India Pale Ale, the first two beers from the Classic Collection released in October 2012. The original Brilliant Ale pre-dates Double Stout and India Pale Ale, brewed in 1868 and 1870 respectively, by several decades.

Brewery folklore has it that the bright golden straw-coloured hue of Brilliant Ale was inspired by the vision of the early morning sun

A Brilliant Ale sending its golden shafts of light through the brewhouse window. Historically this recipe was formulated with 100% pale malt and was bittered by the brewery’s signature East Kent Goldings hops, resulting in a golden, brilliantly bright, hoppy ale.

Says head brewer Richard Frost, “According to brewery records, Brilliant Ale was first brewed sometime between 1825 and 1855, making it our oldest Classic Collection beer to date. Although we’ve rejuvenated it by using modern hop variety Cascade, we’re staying true to the spirit of this great pale ale, which was hugely popular in its day.

Summer Issue 2013

Heritage Range “We’re very proud to be able to revitalise unique brews like Brilliant from bygone days to share with today’s beer drinkers. We’ll leave it to them to judge whether the brilliance of its colour is matched by its taste!”

In keeping with its historic credentials, Brilliant Ale is presented in a traditional amber glass bottle embellished with the brewery’s 19th century logo on the label, neck and crown.

The historic labels which inspired the new design and a Brilliant Ale poster printed on sugar paper, which is thought to be the brewery’s oldest surviving advertisement, are on display in the brewery. For more information on brewery tours www.shepherdneame.co.uk/ tours-functions.

Brilliant Ale is available in 500ml bottles from all good stockists and online www.shepherdneame.co.uk/shop.

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Kent Green Hop Beer Festival 12th Oct 2013 Merlins Entertainment Complex 47 Leysdown Road, Leysdown on Sea, ME12 4RB Variety of Green Hop Ales from Kent Micro Breweries *** Kent Ciders *** Meet the brewer *** CAMRA members first ½ pint free *** Families Welcome, Top Entertainment *** Food and snacks available ***

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Summer Issue 2013

The Grumpy Landlord on pub games and regulars

W

e’ve just been adopted by a Bat and Trap team, and I have to say that the rate those people knock back pints makes this grumpy old landlord unusually cheerful. (Don’t worry, it won’t last). It’s good to see these old pub games still going strong and what’s more attracting lots of young players.

To see twenty plus people enjoying themselves without the aid of any electronic devices is good, but at the same time they are helping to ensure the survival of those of us who are trying to keep the traditional pub alive and well.

Wide screen televisions, quiz machines and all the other paraphernalia to be found in the ‘trendy’ pubs may be all very well for those who like that sort of thing. Personally I prefer the quiet hum of conversation and the intimacy of the traditional local, (complete with farting cat, miserable landlord and regulars who throw a tantrum if somebody sits in ‘their’ seat).

I’m pleased to say that we still have a couple of regulars who come down most Friday nights to enjoy a few pints and a game of dominoes, a game which seems to be losing favour down here in the south.

Pubs have developed in many ways over the years, but it is interesting to see that in these times of economic downturn and pub closures, it is the more traditional, ‘old fashioned’ pubs that seem to be surviving.

Like most landlords I have a mixed bag of regulars, (some more regular than others).

You know you have become a regular at the Shipwright’s when you are allocated a nickname, most of which are complimentary but some aren’t and for obvious reasons are known only to the staff.

The names we can disclose feature ‘Dangerous’, ‘Railway Steve’, ‘Tony the Pole’ (before the complaints start rolling in it refers to the fact that he owns a scaffolding company) ‘The Vicar’ - (no he isn’t one) - and ‘The beanpoles’. We also have a ‘Beaver’ and the ‘Brothers Grimm’ (don’t ask).

Regulars make a pub unique and the landlord who doesn’t listen to their opinions charts a dangerous course in these straightened times.

What really sends me off on one are those ‘regulars’ who turn up once a year with their friends from London in tow, who invariably gaze wide eyed with wonder at this ancient monument of a pub with firkins of beer behind the bar and state how lucky their friends are to have such a place.

“Oh it’s our local you know,” state the once a year regulars, giving me a cheerful wave, (which is usually met with a frosty stare), “we come here all the time!!!”

Regards Derek, Grumpy Landlord of the Shipwright’s Arms at Hollowshore.

We enjoy receiving letters, rants and comments from readers of Swale Ale, landlords and local pub goers.

If you would like to make a comment about what you have read in Swale Ale please contact us at: swaleale@googlemail.com Summer Issue 2013

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