CAMRA ANGLE AUTUMN 2015

The autumn edition of CAMRA Angle , the quarterly magazine of the Sunderland and South Tyneside branch of CAMRA, has  just been published. Copies are now being distributed to real ale pubs throughout the area , and beyond *. 

The forthcoming beer festival, Octoberfest , in Sunderland is featured, as well as news on pubs, breweries, and beers. There is also an update on the revamped branch website.

There are reports by our roving reporters  from Dumfries, Carlisle, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Cropton ( N Yorks). The partial Scottish theme is rounded off by a pub quiz. 

An excellent article about cider is also included.

   

 * A copy of Angle has quickly made its way to Melbourne Australia, with the following review :-

"Very nice newsletter, a good read and just enough entertainment –vs- information"

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

Accept no imitations !!

ON THE SUBJECT OF HANGOVER RESEARCH.

There was report in the media over the weekend about a group of scientists with nothing else to do, who had surveyed over 800 subjects and came up with the result that a hangover is caused by too much alcohol. The conclusion was reached, no alcohol, no hangover !  They could have saved their money and rang me up, I could have told them that.

Several cures for a hangover were dismissed as a waste of time. One was drinking a lot of water. Now I've tried this one. Taking a pint of water to bed after a few doesn't work for me for the following reasons :-

1. I fall asleep after having two gulps.

2. I wake up during the night bursting for a pee as a result of item 1.

3. As a result of 2, I reach out to grab my specs and knock the remains of the glass of water over, thus spending the next ten minutes , under muttered oaths,wiping up the mess and praying I didnt wake Mrs Ken, and that the mobile didn't take a hit.

Now because I drink mostly real ale , I usually don't wake up with a headache these days  just a bit tired after items 2 and 3 above. 

NOSTALGIA AT TAN HILL INN

We recently had a day out in Wensleydale in North Yorkshire, spending a couple of hours at the scenic Aysgarth Falls.  Rather than have a drink in one of the local pubs we decided to drive up  onto the moors and call in  to the Tan Hill Inn some 22 miles away.

 
Now this 17th century inn is  famous for being the highest pub in the UK. It is literally in the middle of nowhere. It has also featured in a national double glazing advertisement campaign, and was snowed in a couple of winters ago causing , I imagine, one hell of a lock in !

What isn't widely known is an event that happened in 1973 that I will always remember. 

Back then I used to go fell walking about once a month with some mates. Typically, we would drive to a point about 2 hours from a pub, park up, walk to the pub, have a few beers then stagger back to the car. On this fateful day we decided to walk part of the Pennine Way, covering about 8 miles from Bowes in County Durham  to the Tan Hill Inn.

Now you have to appreciate in those days, there  was no internet, social media, mobile phones and only three TV channels with limited news output. These were also the days of restricted opening hours, with pubs generally closing at 3pm and reopening at 6pm.

We timed it to get to the pub for about noon, and had the foresight to pack sandwiches. There is always a sense of anticipation when nearing a pub, something that stays with me to this day. So following the map, we trudged over the moors towards Tan Hill. The nearer we got the more alarmed we became as we couldn't see it anywhere. Then we rounded a rocky outcrop and the truth dawned. The bloody thing had BURNT DOWN !!.

We flopped down against a dry stone wall , utterly despondent and swearing profusely. We had no choice but to eat our sarnies and headed back to the car, sober !!

Fast forward to the present. Driving up from Wensleydale you cross the wild moors of Buttertubs Pass and Stonesdale till the pub comes into view on the horizon. Although sunny and warm, nothing prepared us for the howling gale when we opened the car doors.The Inn sign was swinging and creaking like a scene from Jamaica Inn or Poldark. 

There are several rooms inside either side of the central bar. Six handpulls are normally in use, mostly serving beers from Theakstons    ( Lightfoot and Old Peculier ) and Black Sheep ( Riggwelter and Black Sheep Special ). I went straight for the Old Peculier.

There is something deeply satisfying about sitting in an old comfortable armchair in this old inn, drinking this famous old ale.

Several photographs adorn the walls, mostly about the pub's links to the mining days, and the snow drifts. Actually on the latter, the pub has its own snow mobile, with the words Old Peculier emblazoned across the front. I noticed there was no reference to the 1973 fire. The guy behind the bar was too busy to ask and besides,  too young to remember.

After trying some Black Sheep Special Ale , we reluctantly got up to leave.    " Mind the step" said Mrs Ken , so I immediately  banged my head on the low doorway.

When we arrived home I checked the fire event on the pub' s website....nothing. There is only a brief mention in an old Yorkshire Post article which can be seen by scrolling halfway down the attached article.

 http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/yorkshire-living/health-family/pub-that-set-the-bar-high-1-6066255

The pub has a customer feedback form so that's getting filled in after I've posted this.

One final thing. The pub were pushing a new beer by Theakstons called Peculier IPA. I quickly discovered it was keg so didn't bother. Have just checked , its a dark pale ale. Work that one out.

 

THE CARLISLE STATE MANAGEMENT SCHEME

Mrs Ken and myself had a recent day trip to Carlisle. We parked up in a large car park located between the Castle and the West Coast Main Line. Glancing across to the line in the hope of spotting a train going passed, I noticed a long two story brick building with the words THE CARLISLE OLD BREWERY COMPANY LIMITED displayed on it. 

"Look at that " I exclaimed, "its the old Theakstons brewery". Blank look from Mrs Ken. " You know, the Carlisle State Management Scheme ?"   This time a look like I had grown a second head. 

Never mind,  it was time to refresh my memory as to when and how this scheme started and ended. So this is a brief history.

During the first World War there were large munitions factories in Gretna just over the Scottish border  As beer for Gretna was brewed in Carlisle, to discourage the workers there from drinking too much, in 1916 the UK Government took over the brewing, distribution and sale of all booze in the Carlisle area. Two other parts of the UK were affected, Enfield and Cromarty Firth. Carlisle was the largest and is the most well known.

Included in the scheme was restricted opening hours, the forbidding of buying a round of drinks and the refurbishment ( and sometimes demolition) of pubs in the area. There was even a style of pub designed which affected the design of pubs in UK.

In 1971 the then Government decided to privatise the scheme, with Theakstons buying the brewery. This lasted until 1987 when the it closed due to financial reasons, with production being transferred to Newcastle.

The Old Carlisle Brewery complex is now student accommodation.

Every pub still open in Carlisle that is over 30 years old was in the scheme. In fact the first I ever visited in the city, back in the 90's,  was a former state management pub, the Milbourne Arms.

A few years ago, on a pub crawl, we enjoyed the beer and the surroundings of  the Kings Head in the centre  and The Boardroom next to the cathedral.  

Now, a splendid initiative called THE STATE MANAGEMENT STORY has been launched , the link of which can be found here. http://thestatemanagementstory.org/ 

As well as a comprehensive history, there are details of  a pub trail, the impact the scheme had on the rest of the UK,  and other useful information. They are asking if anyone has more information to contact them via the website.

THE MOO BAR IN CARLISLE

Mrs Ken and I visited Carlisle recently for a day out.  We did some touristy stuff first such as viewing a steam train in the station , and the inevitable retail therapy. This was all thirsty work so guess what ? - time for a pub. 

Since it opened last year I have always wanted to go to the Moo Bar in the city centre. Why ? Well because this bar opened at the end of 2014 with a blaze of publicity stating they would be selling 40 beers, 24 cask and 16 keg, as well has a large selection of bottled beers.

I was expecting a heaving mass of drinkers attracted to try so many beers, but no ! There were only two customers present when we walked into this converted shop, passing the barman having a fag in the doorway.
.

Being midweek, there were "only"  9 handpulls in use so ordered a pint of an American Wheat Beer from Ilkley Brewery , called Damn Good Threshing. Sipping this 5.1% , slightly cloudy beer, I realised it must be stronger than I thought. because from my seat I could only see 18 handpulls. Counted them twice, yep still only 18 ! I asked mine host about the other 6. "Oh we took them off earlier this year  as just not selling". This is despite the fact the Moo Bar  website, pub literature and CAMRA Whatpub all say 24. Hmmph !

Still 18 is still a good number to have , the most I believe I have ever seen in a bar.  

You are probably thinking Ive lost it now but another interesting feature are their nuts. I asked for some dry roasted and the barman pulled out from under the bar a large glass jar full of them and proceeded to pour a large pile into a cardboard container ( see photo of my nuts). Only £1, a bargain..

The odd punter wandered in during this ( it was  mid afternoon). There is no TV, gaming machines or piped music. Just a quiet pub.

So if you are Carlisle, call in, try the beers, count the handpulls and get some nuts.

When we parked the car I spotted  the old Carlisle Brewery , but that's another story.

TO BE CONTINUED.............

THE MOST PERFECT PUB IN UK ?

I think I may have found the UK's most perfect pub.

We recently visited Whitby in North Yorkshire on a pub coach trip for the Whitby Regatta. It was August and the weather was sunny and warm. Now I've never been regattaing before but pubbing, drinking and seaside fish and chips is something else entirely.

We have been to Whitby many times and there are several real ale pubs in the town. One that has eluded me till now is The Endeavour. This has been recommended to me more than once so during some online research, I discovered the pub does not provide hot food but you can take in your own fish and chips. To top this there is a fish and chip shop, Mister Chips, only  25 yards away.

So on arrival in the town the first thing to do was to head to the station for some photographs of a North York Moors Railway steam train just pulling in. Having got that out of my system, it was across the street to the Station Inn for a pint to start the ball rolling. The local Whitby Brewery makes a beer called Platform 3 only for the pub, and set me up for doing some tourist stuff to build up an appetite for the afternoons big event.

Taking in a classic car show on West Cliff then a walk along the beach, watching some competitive rowing out at sea, then back through the crowds to the bridge over the harbour. The Endeavour can be found by crossing this bridge then turning right. Usually tourists turn left and walk along the pedestrianised street to reach the 199 steps up to Whitby Abbey. The Mister Chips fish and chip shop comes first then just after it is the pub. 

Securing a table and a pint of Marstons King of Swing in a proper dimpled glass, we sat down to listen to a group of musicians in the back of the pub belting out some foot tapping folk tunes. There were four handpulls on the bar, including a real cider, and the beer was in excellent condition.

While yours truly kept the seats, Mrs Ken went off to get the fish and chips with the discovery that Mister Chips had been visited by Jeremy Clarkson and James May.

While tucking into our meal one of the barmen came over and, without us having to ask,  left us salt, vinegar and some paper towels. Unbelievable service. 

After completion of our meals, the manager, who was dressed in an RNLI tee shirt and knee length shorts came over and asked if we had finished. He then took our by now empty boxes, went out side, crossed the busy road and chucked them in the skip for us!  Fantastic!  Time for another pint,  Salopian Hoptwister, and time to digest our food and listen to the music still raising the roof in the back.

After this amazing experience, we reluctantly had to tear ourselves away as wanted to go up to Whitby Abbey overlooking the town. After a fruitless search for Count Dracula's gravestone in St Marys Church, we descended the aforesaid 199 steps and decided to pop into one of oldest pubs in Whitby, The Black Horse for a final pint. 

Standing outside was the Endeavour manager in the RNLI tee shirt and knee length shorts! It reminded me of those old films set on a Scottish Island (eg Whiskey Galore), where the same person had multiple jobs, like the postman, policeman and publican. He either ran both pubs or he was sussing out the opposition.

The pub was fairly quiet so settled down with a pint of Black Dog Rhatas  and reminded ourselves of the last time we were in 2 years ago...........

It was a hot sunny summers day and I was gasping for a pint. The front room of he Black Horse  looked crowded so found a small bar to the left with a couple of spare stools. I'd just ordered a pint of Workie Ticket when this guy at the other end of the small bar suddenly burst into song. At first I thought it was the local nutter then realised nearly half the inhabitants of the bar joined in. We had walked into an impromptu budding Steeleye Span folk music session.

When the singer stopped, there was a brief applause then someone else started, accompanied by a guitarist strumming away.The bar was filling up, with all seats and stools taken, and punters lining the small staircase towards the back of the bar listening to the music.

By now the beer was Workieing its way through so said to the barman "Your going to tell me the loos are up there aren't you ?", pointing through the throng up the small staircase.

"I'm afraid so sir".

So mid song I had to push myself through the singing crowd, who were well into this sea shanty by now. I managed to plough through without knocking anyone over and got to the gents just in time......

Back to the present, sadly we had to finish our drinks and head back to the town centre for our coach back home. There are a lot of fish and chip shops in Whitby, many of which had long queues outside. Most people seem to spend their time eating on the move, or perched on a sea wall being harassed by seagulls. It's the Endeavour every time from now on. 

MEMORIES

There was an article in a recent weekend newspaper supplement about memory loss. A study had concluded that middle aged men who drink the equivalent of two and a half pints of beer a day risk speeding up memory loss by six years.

Well I try to limit myself to 9 or 10 pints a week, so that's me in the clear then , or am I ? Sometimes, especially if I order a pint of a beer I've not had before, I'll sit down and think, what the hell is this again ? Writing it down or taking a picture of the handpull seem to be the only way these days.

Invariably on a pub crawl , and being Master of the Coin * I will forget to order one of the guys pint. Having said that,   on our last outing -  to Edinburgh, I forgot to order my own !

I can usually remember pubs Ive been in many years ago, but not the recent price of any foodstuff. Well its a question of priorities, isn't it?

Do you not think its somewhat ironic that we can remember events where we forget things ?

Now where's that publish button ?

* As in Game of Thrones