GREAT BRITISH BEER FESTIVAL EPISODE 1

No doubt CAMRA members out there will have seen emails about the forthcoming Great British Beer Festival ( GBBF). 

Ive got my train tickets so will be heading down to London on 13th August. I will be meeting up with ex colleagues and friends , most of whom I only get to see once a year ; so its in effect a ritual reunion,  as we have been doing it since 2004.

Now GBBF was first held in London in 1977. since then the event has been in Leeds, Birmingham , Brighton, settling in London from 1991. The present venue is Kensington Olympia. 

Recently CAMRA issued the real ale list, which can be found here. http://gbbf.org.uk/beers/beerfinder 

A quick scan reveals nine breweries from the North East represented which, out of 370 cask ales , seems to me to be on the low side.    

There will always be live music on and in 2004 we were treated to the North East band, Lindisfarne. Can you imagine, Lindisfarne !! Other bands over the years have included the Strawbs and an ABBA tribute band. For the latter, I have memories of a load of guys pressed up against the stage just oggling and drooling, and that was at just the two male performers !!

Click here for episode 2 :-  GBBF Episode 2

THOUGHTS OF A GRUMPY OLD MAN

Welcome to my Ebenezer Scrooge Bah Humbug post ; this is a very much tongue in cheek look at the  ten things that wind me up in a  pub,  ( and a beer festival).

1. Beer Prices You walk into the pub and look in vain for the cost of a pint. Some pubs do have then clearly visible  , some don't. Wetherspoons has prices on each pump clip. The Station Hotel in Whitby, for example,  has a large blackboard ( see picture ) with beer and prices for all to see. If you went into a supermarket and couldn't see the prices, you wouldn't  buy would you ?

2. Available Soon. The dreaded sign on the handpull "Available Soon" above the pump clip for a beer you really fancy. There's nothing worse than being tempted like this, Seeing a beer you cant have as its not ready. ! Why not just turn the pump clip round till the beer is ready ?

3. Warm Beer Actually there is something worse than number 2 - Warm Beer. Unless the Bar Person is wearing gloves, surely they can  feel through the glass they are holding that the beer is warm ? I have had this happen a few times to me in Good Beer Guide Pubs which really pisses me off. So hats off to the landlord of the Biddick Inn, Washington, who  does it properly. During the summer three of us were first in one lunchtime. There are 2 handpulls so he pulled both into an empty jug to get rid any warm beer left in the pipes from  the night before. What we drank was perfect.      

 4. Black IPA - To quote that well known beer writer Roger Protz from his book " 300 More Beers To Try Before You Die -" Just which part of India Pale Ale do these brewers not understand"  Here here. 

5. The dreaded busy bar.  Standing patiently waiting to get served, customers in front are clutching  their menus. You just know what's coming next; here are three possible scenarios  :-

Q1 Table Number ? - Hang on, back in a minute.

Q2 Peas or Mushy Peas ?- Just a sec, will go and ask.

Q3 Sorry , we've ran out of Fish and Chips - OK will go and ask for an alternative, back in a min.

Meanwhile I'm standing there with steam coming out of my ears, whimpering " all I want is a pint !". I think one day I'll wear noticable, such as fancy dress or even a mankini ***. That'll clear the bar !

6. CAMRA discounts - This is not a moan about discounts, I'm all for it. Its when the pubs who do offer it don't publicise it when you order a drink. With me its when Ive left I suddenly realise -  bugger I forgot . I should have been asked if i was a member, I could have had 10% off !!" Hats off to the Split Chimp Newcastle - I was in it for the first time a few weeks ago- as soon as I ordered my pint I was asked " are you are CAMRA member ?" Why can't they all do it ?  

7. Ordering a second drink with my meal - This happens to me all the time . Imagine Ive come to a pub to have a meal served at my table. The waiter/waitress takes my order for drinks followed by the food. The drinks arrive and then the food. So far so good. Ten minutes later they come back and say " Is everything all right with your meal"  Clutching your by now empty glass, you barely  have time to say yes thanks, and they've gone !!. "But I want another pint please" is ignored as they zoom off. Its difficult trying to eat and attract their attention at the same time , short of throwing a beer mat at them. I know, the mankini *** again ( will you stop this please - ED)

8.  The pub toilets 1 - Bursting for a pee, I head to the loo. Through a door, round a corner, up some stairs, through another door, along a corridor and into the gents. Trying to strike up a conversation with an occupant, someone else starts to dry their hands. The noise from the dryer sounds like a Tornado Jet taking off to bomb Syria, rendering all speech now impossible. 

9. The pub toilets 2 - Finishing my business and slowly regaining my hearing, I leave the loo trying to retrace my above steps. Now which way did I come from ? Was it left or right ? There are no signs showing you how to get back to the bar ! Well actually one pub I've been in, The Wharf in Manchester, has solved this. There is a sign next to the door outside the loos which says " you came from this way". Marvellous.

PS - Have you ever seen anyone use one of those condom machines in the loos ? Never seen one being filled or anyone buy anything. What's that all about ?

10 - Beer Festivals - Invariably when you see an advert  for a beer festival , its says  "only £5 entry - includes a commemorative festival glass to keep  !!" I don't want a festival glass to keep, Ive got 15 of the bloody things !

Merry Xmas

***  Apologies if this clothing vision has put you off Xmas lunch

MY FIRST STOUT

Usually when faced with a choice of real ales in a pub, if available I will go for a stout. Notable examples include Hambleton Nightmare, Youngs Double Chocolate, Hook Norton Double Stout and lately Maxim John Bull Stout. 

So where did this fixation come from ? Well remember the advertising slogan "looks good, tastes good and by golly it does you good!"? This was used from 1965 to advertise Mackeson Milk Stout. ( quiz question, name the actor in the adverts *)  I read somewhere Ena Sharples and her mates drank it in the Rovers Return in Coronation  Street.

Not trying to emulate the aforesaid Ms Sharples, I used to drink it in the early 70s in The Black Bush in Washington; first by itself from the bottle, then  in the form of "Sweet Stout Black Velvet" This was a bottle of Mackeson with a half pint cider poured over it. Its proper name was Poor Mans Black Velvet and I have absolutely no idea why I started drinking it. Maybe because the beer there was crap.

Mackeson started life in Kent in 1907 and since then its production has moved round the country, including locally at Castle Eden and Camerons. Since 2012 it has been brewed by ABInBev.  

Now I don't know why but I never drink beer out of cans. Probably an experience I had with a widget many years ago.  But I keep seeing this stout on supermarket shelves and as it brought back the above memories,   when  I was asked recently what I would like for my birthday, I replied "Some Mackeson Please!"  It appears to be only sold in cans and due to a family breakdown in communication I got 12 of them.

I  prefer stronger beers but this is only 2.8% so a bit of a culture shock then ! The stout was reduced from 3% by the current brewer so less duty would be paid. ( ?)

So what about taste ? Well its obviously weak, you can tell straight away. Being a Milk Stout the sweetness of the lactose  is still there though so overall not bad. Its just a shame its not stronger and more readily available. A stronger version (4.9%) is brewed in Trinidad - why not here ?? !!! I've never seen it in a pub for decades and certainly not on handpull. Probably never will. Still,  Ive got 5 cans left to enjoy over the festivities.

PS - So having successfully baked some Brown Ale bread the other week ( READ ABOUT IT HERE ) gave me idea that this would go nice in bread as well. It sure did. It came out a nice light texture brown colour as shown. Delicious.  

*Quiz Answer - Bernard Miles

HOW AN INNOCENT SHOPPING TRIP ENDED IN A BREWERY.

Now I have to admit , but although this is a local brewer, I have not had many Hill Island Brewery beers. Today I remedied this at the 2015 Durham Christmas Festival. 

In Durham, I got off the bus and headed up towards the Cathedral where the main Xmas Market stalls were. Walking up Silver Street I spied a sign which took my interest - see above  . Thinking "if I go there now I will never get away",  so kept on going towards the Cathedral. Outside was a large Marquee with an entry fee of £4. Bugger that. Straight into the Cathedral and the free entry food market in the cloisters. The place was rammed with like minded people not wishing to pay to walk into a tent. 

There were no beer stalls, mostly food and the Real Cider Company.  Buying some Christmas stuff, headed back downhill, calling into the Shakespeare Tavern on the way down. Great little pub but no imagination re the beers ; London Pride, Deuchars, Cumberland and Hobgoblin. Had a swift half then sought out the aforesaid Hill Island.

 
 The brewery itself is very small and its bar is smaller than a micropub. The place was quiet, only half a dozen punters. I thought this was a disappointing considered the crowds elsewhere. Nevermind, on offer were 6 ales ( see photo). The barmaid was a good salesperson and soon I had all 6 as thirds.

 

Soon the bar filled up - they must have followed me down.  Still it was still possible to have a friendly chat with everyone ( by this time there were 24 of us) , something you don't usually get in a pub. At one point after some more came in I nearly placed a a call to the Guinness Book of Records ! 

I  had brought with me some  of our CAMRA branch magazines and a  couple from Kent were pleased there was an article in this issue about Micropubs in.....Kent.

 

The brewer, Michael Griffin, made a brief appearance, on his birthday but soon disappeared.  

A good time was had by all, good beers and good company. Here's to the next one !

PS - forgot to mention , when I got of the bus I made a slight detour to see if Durham's first micropub had opened. The Station House, (See link here) just down from the Railway Station, is still being decorated but looks nearly ready. If the cameraderie in Hill Island is anything to go by, this place will be a winner.

CAMRA ANGLE SPRING 2016

The Spring 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 . It is noticeable that the front cover depicts a painting of the Steamboat in South Shields. 

A regular section is a news update on pubs and breweries in the branch.

There are pub features on The Stables in West Herrington, McConnell's Gin and Ale House in Jarrow  , and the Marine in South Shields. 

Mention is made of  the branch pub of the year results, and there is a report about SIBA ( The Society of Independent Brewers) with thanks to Maxim Brewery. 


There are articles by our roving reporters  visiting London and Russia. I kid you not.  


A new feature in the magazine is a pub walk suggestion  set  in the Herrington Country Park area of Sunderland and taking in 5 pubs ( so in theory a pub crawl)

Issue 43 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/

( note the download version comprises 2 documents, the magazine and the pub walk map).

And remember, accept no imitations.  

AN EVENING IN A BREWERY - WELL WHY NOT ?

You know you've had a good night when you wake up the morning after the night before feeling rough but satisfied. Such is my state today,  having managed to avoid any Black Friday nonsense in the perfect way. 

Last night was a get together between Houghton Le Spring Round Table and Sunderland & South Tyneside CAMRA branch at Maxim Brewery, in Houghton.

There were a about two dozen of us there enjoying the brewery's hospitality. They have a small bar with three handpulls; last nights offerings were Maximus, American Pride IPA and Hapi Christmas. 

Maximus is a strong (6%) , dangerously easy to drink dark ale.

American Pride IPA is a delicious 5.2% India Pale Ale, also dangerously easy to drink .@@

Hapi Christmas is as the name suggests, a seasonal 4.5% brew  in time for the festivities; this also went down well.

There was also a keg version of Swedish Blonde available.

To complement the beers, a fantastic spread was provided for us by the Smiths Arms pub ( about 3 miles away). In addition there was an optional brewery tour . I declined this,  having grafted , sorry,  worked there for a day in September  (Read about it here)

Maxim are members of SIBA ( Society of Independent Brewers). I was given some really useful information for an article I am preparing for the next branch magazine. You will have to wait till next year for that though.

The 3 hours there just flew by and a great night was had by all. A good start to the festive drinking  yet to come.

@@ Emphasis on Pale. Its not a black Pale Ale or a red Pale Ale, but a pale Pale Ale. There, that's got that of my chest

 

NEW INN CROPTON BEER FESTIVAL

Earlier this year, in May 2015,  Mrs Ken found on T'internet a special offer not to be sniffed at. Dinner, Bed and Breakfast at the New Inn Cropton, including a trip round their own brewery.

The  Great Yorkshire Brewery, perhaps better known as Cropton Brewery, is in the village of Cropton close to the North York Moors National Park and  near Pickering, . The New Inn is the Brewery tap. 


After our tour, we adjourned to the bar for some free sampling ( well why else do it ?) when one of the locals happened to mention that a Beer and Live Music Festival was being held in November. Apparently it has been held for the last 20 years. Given that the first night coincides with my birthday in November, it was a no brainer to book another overnighter to visit their 21^st festival. 

 

At the back of the pub a large marquee had been erected when we arrived mid afternoon. I managed to sneak in before proceedings started at 6pm. At one end was a small stage for the two bands that were to perform later , at the other end  was the beer. I immediately noticed something different. ( Have a close look at the picture below ) Well for a start the casks don't have any chillers, the principle reason being it

was bloody cold ( less than 7deg). Also note no piping to handpulls !. All beer was served by gravity. Chatting to the head brewer later that night, he said it saved a hell of a lot of time and effort just having stand alone casks. Every beer was in perfect condition , just the right temperature. One bonus was that as it was fairly dark later, the barmaids couldn't see the half pint line on my glass so every beer I asked for in the bottom row was served about half an inch above the line. Great !

Obviously the brewery itself showcased their own beers, eight in total being available in the pub's two bars. The brewery with the most beers ( in the marquee) was Wentworths ( South Yorks) with seven, three of which were stouts. One of these, Frambrozen Noir had an aroma and taste of sweet raspberrys. Gorgeous ! There was one North East representative , Camerons Gold Bullion. Having said that , there were choices from all over the UK. 

Now getting back to mine host the head brewer. He was helping out behind the bar while the first band was on ( cant recall their name but very good doing guitar based covers) He was also helping himself to the beers,  one in particular- Vocation Divide and Conquer - a 6.4% Black IPA. Now I don't do black Indian Pale Ale - emphasis on the words Black and  Pale- but everyone who came to his part of the bar was persuaded to try it, He kept saying it was the best beer at the festival, even better that the ones he brewed himself ! I had one just to shut him up. Saw him the next morning in the bar when we were checking out and he looked decidedly worse for wear, more so than me!

Now I believe I may have a Doppelganger ! After the first band had finished we moved into the pub conservatory and sat on a table opposite a couple. Hello she said, I remember you from last year's festival . Me :- Er I don't think so, this is our first time.   The look on her face was priceless. These people who drink to much. Shocking !


I would thoroughly recommend checking out this place to either stay over, visit the brewery or the beer festival or all three !  Its one of the best festivals I have ever been to. There was a cover charge of £3 which included a glass, and every pint was £3 , so good value. People we chatted to return regularly. Great birthday night  ; we will certainly go back next year .

.Check out Pub and Brewery here