CAMRA ANGLE AUTUMN 2016

The Autumn edition of CAMRA Angle , the quarterly magazine of the Sunderland and South Tyneside branch of CAMRA, has  just been published. Copies will soon be distributed to real ale pubs throughout the area , and beyond. 

This is another  packed issue and well worth a read. 

This edition previews the forthcoming branch Octoberfest in Sunderland.

A regular section is a news update on pubs and breweries in the branch. A new feature lists the branch's Locale pubs and those that offer discounts. 

Building on the success of The Dun Cow,  Sunderland in the National Pub Design Awards, there was a presentation of the new edition of CAMRA's Britain's Best Real Heritage Pubs by the author; Geoff Brandwood.

There is two articles from our roving reporters in Barcelona and Australia. Once again  CAMRA Angle travels the world.  

The third pub walk features, this time  around Washington , ideal for an autumn stroll . There are 2 book reviews and a look at our newest brewery, Arbier. If that isn't enough, there is a Sunderland Real Ale Trail pull out centre section.

Issue 45 is rounded off by a  pub quiz and where am I.

If you cant find a copy, follow this link to download your own,  and for more branch news. .http://sst.camra.org.uk/

 

And remember, accept no imitations.  

WHAT A WEEK, BUT SOMEONE HAS TO DO IT.

TUESDAY

Well it's been a busy week for me. Last Tuesday was our usual quiz night in the Bridge Hotel , Durham . Came second and enjoyed 3 pints of Bombardier Gold, ideal for a warm summer evening.

THURSDAY

Next up was a book signing at the Dun Cow in Sunderland. This was to publicise the launch of the an updated version of the CAMRA Real Heritage Pub Guide.  When I was at the Great British Beer Festival earlier this month , whilst wandering around the bars in the vast Olympia in London, I spotted a lone gentleman sitting behind a pile of books. I sidled across for a nosy and discovered this was Geoff Brandwood, the author of the aforesaid book. We had a chat and agreed to met in the Dun Cow two weeks later. Confessing he had a poor memory for names I said I was Ken, and to look out for the local CAMRA T shirt.

Now back to the Dun Cow. Before Geoff arrived I ordered a pint of Chocolate Stout by local brewer, Two by Two. I was then given strict instructions to drink the Jakehead IPA next as there were only 2 pints left ( how can you tell ?), as Leeds Midnight Bell was due on.  Never heard of it, but decided to humour everyone and try it later.

Geoff arrived and the inevitable happened. He was getting served so I sidled over ( again) and saw this startled blank, who the hell is this clown look. " Er we met at GBBF, Im Ken"  The penny dropped and we soon enjoyed an interesting presentation about his book.

After the presentation the Midnight Bell came on and this then became the topic of    conversation. It looked like a Stout, had  the strength of a Stout but didnt taste like one. We were all intrigued till         someone Googled the brewery to find it was actually described as a mild. Fantastic beer which I discovered will feature at the next Sunderland Beer Festival.

FRIDAY

Next day Mrs Ken and I headed up the Northumberland coast to see the Tall Ships Regatta in Blyth. We had never been to Blyth town centre before ; I had read that Wetherspoons had converted on old Cinema, The Wallaw, into a magnificent pub a couple of years ago . The place was huge, with an old projector in the entrance and a fantastic mirrored display behind the bar. Above the main seating area the old cinema balcony was still intact complete with seats

FRIDAY EVENING ( still knackered from Blyth)

That evening saw a group of local CAMRA members getting together for a curry in South Shields. The customary meeting up point is the Marine Pub , which when it reopened had only one handpull. Tonight there were 3 and the Dark Star Espresso went down a treat. We had preordered some bottle beer, to drink in the curry house close by . Now last time we did this they put our bottles in the freezer. We spent half the meal defrosting the stuff. This time they went the other way and left them out of the fridge altogether, so the beer was warmer than the Curry.

 MONDAY

Well the only thing missing from all this now is a Beer Festival. So off I set on the Bank Holiday Monday on my bike to our local Arts Centre. They hold a festival twice a year, Easter and the Late August holiday weekend. 

This was the last day so there weren't many of the 32 planned beers left to try. Pale and Golden ales were prominent, as seems to be the case at their festivals. No stouts! A couple of porters had sold out. Does that tell you something ? If the dark beers go first, then surely there is a demand for more ? Although the ones I had were OK , not as memorable as the Midnight Bell in the Dun Cow. 

Note that I left having had a few beers but my bike still managed to find its way back home.

TODAY

As I complete this I am about to get ready to go out to the quiz again in Durham, so the cycle is complete.

It's all go these days.

BRIEF ENCOUNTER

You may recall a 1945 film starring Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson called "Brief Encounter". One famous scene is set in a railway station waiting room and on a platform with a steam train.

Yesterday we had a coach trip away from our local Wetherspoons  to the Whitby Regatta. On arrival we spotted a steam train ( North York Moors Railway - NYMR)  arriving in the nearby railway station. Dashing into the station building to get to the platforms I immediately screeched to halt for there, new since our visit last year, was a micropub called the Waiting Room. It was too early to be open so I got some train pictures ( another hobby)  then we headed into town for some touristy stuff, including a climb up the lighthouse , and a look round a classic car show on West Cliff.

Thirsty work all this , so headed back into town, not managing to pass The Granby Hotel and a wonderful pint of Old Peculier. Then it was downhill back to the station. Mrs Ken went off to look round the shops while I dived into the now open Waiting Room.

A folk group type sign song was in progress, including a rendition of " I Saw Her Standing There " There was about 6 Norwegians having  a great time, playing, singing and drinking excellent real ale from a choice of five  handpulls. The guy sitting next to me on one of the comfy sofas remarked this would be cheap beer for them. 

Mrs Ken arrived then the Norwegians left ( a coincidence I'm sure) , presumably to catch a longboat in Whitby Harbour back to the fjords. Soon the sound of alpine cow bells could be heard approaching the pub entrance. It was a small group of  Morris Dancers who had been performing on the quay side earlier . One of them , on arrival,  suddenly burst into song unaccompanied. It was very funny but I wish I could remember it. Too much beer.

Every one was having a great time. The landlord rang a bell when a train was due to depart and an NYMR guy stuck his head round the door to round up his missing passengers. I thought to myself, would this happen anywhere else in the world ? Steam trains, real ale, impromptu singing, good conversation. Whats not to like ?

Soon the empty bellies took over so we headed over the river to the Endeavour for some fish and chips . Readers of this blog last year may recall you can take your own fish and chips into the pub**. Sadly this time around the place was rammed and they even had a bouncer on the door at 3 o clock in the afternoon !

- I'm thinking maybe so many people read the blog it has proved too popular ( dream on pal- ed)- 

So after our fish and chips, but not in the Endeavour , a couple more beers from the Whitby Brewery in a very busy Wetherspoons, then back to the Waiting Room to wait for the bus back. There was a bouncer coming on shift when we left - a bouncer for a micropub ?        

There is a continuing rise in the number of micropubs opening around the country and this one does not disappoint. Pick a Saturday, more likely to be singing on.
 

**This is last years Whitby blog

A DAY AT THE GREAT BRITISH BEER FESTIVAL

Yesterday saw another marathon session reunion at the CAMRA Great British Beer Festival in Kensington Olympia, London.  I've worked out this is the 13th year I've been meeting up with friends and ex colleagues to catch up on things and basically take the piss out of each other.

As usual I got the most stick as I take my own food. The beer prices are bad enough, mostly over £4 a pint but I refuse to pay the rip off food prices.  So Mrs Ken always buys me a pack of out of date mini pork pies, ( pictured) , costing  a fraction of the cost the others paid for sarnies, chips etc.   

Anyhow, enough of the food ; the first beer to try ( I say "try" as enjoyed it many times) was Maxim Swedish Blonde. A great refreshing start to a long afternoon. 

Every year on the first day of the Festival the Champion Beer of Britain is announced, with an overall winner and beer category winners. Guess how many beers were selected from the North East . NONE. Disappointed is an understatement. 

Usually the overall winner has sold out by the time we get there. Heading for another bar,  of which there were several,  I  spotted a CAMRA guy holding a  pole with a sign, not unlike someone in ASDA holding a pointy finger showing a free queue at the checkouts. The sign said "Champion Beer Here" Sure enough, someone was frantically pulling pints / halves / thirds of Binghams Vanilla Stout

Now every year at the festival I bang on about speciality beers, such as Triple Chocoholic, Plum Porter etc and usually get a tut or a withered look for my troubles. Well, not this time guys. Finally a winner that's different.  Whilst it tasted nice, I have to say it didnt stand out above the rest to be honest. The Vanilla wasn't that prominent either. ( perhaps the pickle in the pies dulled the taste buds)

On the same bar I later tried an Oyster Stout . I haven't a  clue what an oyster tastes like, well you just swallow them whole don't you ? The beer had a stout taste but I think the oysters had clammed shut during the brewing process.

It was interesting the number of punters drinking London Pride , or Bombardier. National  drinks you can get anywhere. Try something you wouldn't normally drink !  ( well apart from the Swedish Blonde of course) 

Titanic Brewery had their own bar, with the ever present Plum Porter, so I tried something else. Raspberry Wheat - which was pink  ( "Ken, what on earth is that ?" ) and Cappuccino Stout - which  was black. ( Ken, what on earth is that smell ?) 

I have worked out I drank 13 beers, mostly thirds , which comes out at just over 4 pints overall. Doesn't sound much but you have to allow for walking to each bar as Olympia  is huge, queuing for beer and the gents ( yes, a queue in the gents !!) 

Nearly 6 hours later,  having started with a local beer, it was time to finish with one. Darwin Extinction. An appropriate name for this 8.3% Barley Wine which is dangerously drinkable. I feel asleep on the tube back to Kings Cross, waking up just in time. Didn't fancy a night in Cockfosters somehow. 

Already looking forward to next year

ITS HIS ROUND - GREAT BRITISH BEER FESTIVAL 2009

Well, its nearly that time of year. The annual trip to the Great British Beer Festival in London.  Ive been getting together with like minded boozers for the last 12 years so this will be number 13*. 

Travelling down from the North East and back in one day makes for a long day. In 2009 I stayed over on the way there , and back with a friend who lives in Nuneaton. A few weeks before the big day he announced his daughter had bought him an appropriate T Shirt from Asda, pictured. 
"Must get one of those"  so off went Mrs Ken shopping , coming back with the aforesaid apparel. 

We agreed we should get the others we would meet on the day to do the same so an email quickly went out to the rest of the guys.

On the day , our train from Nuneaton to London pulled into Rugby. There on the platform were 2 guys with the same T shirts. " Look at them two idiots". It was only when they got on that we realised they were meeting up with us, one of whom I hadn't seen for over 10 years.

This year the festival is at Olympia but back then it was held in Earls Court. As the afternoon wore on, more and more of us trickled in, all wearing the same. Not one guy bottled it, as you can see from the photograph below, taken by a bemused CAMRA steward. I think she got a fright as I'm the one with my fly open.


 

* Subject of next blog

MINICASKS

This post has been inspired by the visit of the Flying Scotsman ( the loco, not the beer) to Shildon Railway Museum. But first :--

In 2011 one of my mates hosted an indoor sports evening ( lads only) to help him drink two 9 pint minicasks he had just brought back from Fyne Ales Brewery.  As if we needed an excuse to help him drink it  but we thought it would be a fine ( sorry about the pun) way to enjoy the evening. With his family out of the way and dressed in various sports outfits, we participated in such strenuous activities as Wii Tennis, Jenga and Magnetic Darts ; - I am not making this up. 

Towards the end of the evening, with the beers and the contest in full flow, the front door opened and in walked one of his daughters. We all froze like rabbits caught in headlights as she paused in the hallway, looked around to take in the scene in front of her, 6 guys boozing and playing silly games, tutted briefly  then headed up the stairs without a word. We were pissing ourselves.

I found later that nearly all 18 pints of the beer had been consumed, leaving just the sediment for our host to enjoy the next day " You bastards drank the lot"  I believe was the expression used next time me met.

COPPY LANE STOUT

Since then I have enjoyed minicasks on an occasional basis. One Christmas I bought myself a cask of Coppy Lane Stout from the Stables Brewery in Beamish and earlier this year treated myself to a Maxim Coffee Porter.

COFFER PORTER

This Easter we visited our daughter , who works in Glasgow. We drove north along the western lochs towards  Loch Fyne, the car miraculously finding its way to the aforesaid Loch Fyne brewery. I bought myself a couple of bottle from the shop but daughter acquired a minicask of Highlander  , clutching it tightly as we headed back to the car. 

Now we are nearly up to date. For a weeks holiday she decided , with a group of mates, to stay in Aviemore. I emailed her some suggested pubs and subtly  mentioned the Cairngorm Brewery in the town.

So yesterday she drove down to come with us to see the Flying Scotsman at Shildon. On arrival, in she came, brandishing 3 bottles of Cairngorm beers and a minicask  of 5% Highland IPA!! 

HIGHLAND IPA

After our visit to Shildon and allowing the beer to settle, we tucked into the IPA. Now I usually prefer dark sweetish beers but this has very hoppy taste with a bitter finish, but it didnt take long before multiple visits into the kitchen were made for top ups.

As I type , there is still some left so will have to do it all again tonight. Hard work this beer drinking business.