Wednesday 23 December 2009

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!


Although the snow is slowly disappearing, and I have now reached the stage where I am glad to see the back of it, whilst it was here it did seem to bring out the best in people. We live on quite a steep hill and, as the gritters never seem to include our road on their rounds, it was impossible to get the car off the drive. No matter it was quite fun for a while going down the town on foot, and bringing as much shopping back as on can carry. What struck me on my wanderings was the number of friends and neighbours I kept bumping into; often people I hadn't seen for ages. Everyone was in the same boat, but was making the best of it, and in most cases enjoying it.

The shops seemed to be doing a roaring trade, and so did many of the pubs. The snow added an appropriate festive touch; all that was missing were the stalls selling sugared almonds and Gluehwein!

Last night I managed to get the car out, and we went down to Sainsburys and bought our turkey, plus various other bits and pieces. I also managed to drive into work this morning; even though the roads were like skating rinks! I was glad to get behind the wheel again, as after two days of travelling in by train, during which the service provided was at best erratic, I'd had quite enough of public transport.

Tomorrow being Christmas Eve, we finish work early, and adjourn to the pub - in our case the Little Brown Jug in Chiddingstone Causeway. I'll be sticking to soft drinks, as apart from not wanting to train it in again I've promised to collect Eileen from the supermarket with the last of the shopping and the all important veg.

I haven't bought too much beer this Christmas as I'm off to Prague on Sunday. I was however, given a gallon jug of Harveys by a colleague today as an early Christmas present, and seeing as it's bright beer it will only keep for a few days. No matter, I'm enjoying a couple of pints of it now.

Have a good Christmas everyone.

Friday 18 December 2009

It's a Small World!





I had one of those really surreal moments today; something totally unexpected happened, but at the same time it was something that was perhaps bound to happen sooner or later, as I will shortly reveal..

The expected, and accurately forecast snow arrived last night. Almost right on cue it started snowing heavily around ten o'clock. By the time I went to bed there were a good couple of inches or more covering the ground. I set the alarm earlier than normal, prepared for a slightly longer journey into work, but when I looked out the window, just after six this morning, it was pretty obvious that I wouldn't be driving in. On top of that it was still snowing heavily. I turned on the radio and tuned in to BBC Radio Kent for an update on the travel situation. I was surprised to learn that South Eastern were planning to run trains into London, so I listened for further details, only to find my plans to let the train take the strain were thwarted by a broken down train blocking services between Tonbridge and Redhill. What made it worse was the stranded train had actually broken down at Penshurst - the exact same station I wished to journey to! I phoned a colleague who regularly travels into work by train. He had just returned from the station and related the same story. In fact he had been told that it could take several hours before the stranded train could be shifted.

After some toast I donned my winter attire (the same attire I am planing to take to Prague with me at the end of next week), and stepped outside to see what, if anything , was occurring. It was abundantly clear that I wouldn't be able to move the car off the drive. We live on a hill and so far as I could make out no motorised traffic had been either up, or down the road that morning. For want of a better plan I decided to walk down to the station and see for myself what was occurring.

Some traffic was moving out on the main road, but at a snail's pace, with most people choosing to make the journey on foot. En route to the station I made and received various phone calls to work colleagues, including my boss. It transpired that only those people living in the immediate vicinity had made it into work, which meant I would not be in the minority by failing to make it in. Conscience cleared, I did a bit of shopping (I don't think I have ever seen Sainsbury's so quiet on a Friday morning - certainly no the last one before Christmas). Having picked up suitable supplies I made my way home, in time to catch the last 5 minutes of Sir Terry Wogan's final breakfast show - a poignant moment if ever there was one.

Later on, after I had got a few bits down from the loft for my wife, I decided to go out again. The snow clouds had cleared leaving a beautiful bright and crisp sunny morning. so off I went with no clear cut plan, apart from picking up some Czech currency for my forthcoming trip. This accomplished, I made my way to Tonbridge's only independent book shop, MR Books, for a chat with owner Mark Richardson, and also to see if I could pick up a copy of Jaroslav Hasek's, satirical classic, The Good Soldier Svejk, ahead of my visit to Prague.

"You're not the first beer blogger in today", Mark informed me. "Oh", I replied, "who was the other?" "The Pencil & Spoon" blogger, I was told and he said he wants to meet you. "Mark Dredge" I said, slightly surprised, "in here? "Why not" said MR Books' proprietor, "he only lives across the road in one of the new flats". I responded that I too would like to meet Mark, so following a quick phone, call the winner of the British Guild of Beer Writers New Media Writer of the Year 2009 duly appeared in the shop.

I hadn't realised that Marl lived in Tonbridge; for some reason I assumed he lived in North Kent. It turned out that him and his girlfriend Lauren had recently moved into one of the newly-built flats that occupy the old market site, opposite MR Books shop. Of course, had I begun following Mark's blog earlier in the year, I would have known this, but there's nothing like the benefit of hindsight!

Mark couldn't stay long, as he was in the middle of preparing dinner, but we had a pleasant chat nonetheless. We both griped about the lack of a decent boozer in Tonbridge, and certainly the lack of anywhere selling the darker ales which ought to be about this time of year. MR Books suggested that I open a pub, but having run the Cask & Glass off-licence for five and a half years, I'd had more than enough of the licensed trade!

We parted company, promising to meet up soon for a drink. Before leaving the bookshop I had a strike of luck in finding a copy of the "Guide to the Wealdway". My friend Eric and I are considering this long distance footpath as our next venture, following the successful completion of the South Downs Way earlier this year. Guide books to the Wealdway are hard to come by; most being out of print, so picking up a copy of this hard-backed, Constable Guide was a further bonus for popping into MR Books.

On the way home I called into Wetherspoons. Mark had told me that he'd spotted a clip for Thornbridge Pioneer on the pumps, with one of JDW's "Available Soon" tags attached. My hopes that it might have been on were dashed, but were soon compensated by the sight of Hook Norton's Twelve Days. Now this is what I call a true Christmas beer, rich and dark with a reasonable strength of 5.5%. The first pint slipped down a treat, and I managed a couple more after being joined my son Matt, who'd just finished work, and by the aforementioned Eric.

It was getting dark by the time we left the pub, and the pavements had become treacherously icy. Still we made it home in one piece where a welcoming stew awaited us. All in all it was a most productive day, and certainly one worth missing work for.

Monday 14 December 2009

Some Pre-Christmas Thoughts




Not much to report at present, apart from frantically doing the rounds of Christmas shopping, card writing and other preparations ahead of the rapidly approaching deadline that is December 25th! Personally I hate all this running about, and will be glad when it's all over. What made things worse this year was over-running by several weeks on the decorating front. Time that could have been spent in a more relaxing build up to the festive season was instead spent sanding down woodwork, wall-papering, painting etc. Still it's done now, but every year I promise that next year will be different and I will be more organised. I would also like for us all to go away over Christmas, but both wife Eileen and son Matt normally have to work over this period, so unfortunately this rules out spending Christmas away from home.

I'll be glad then that come Christmas Eve it will be time to settle down and enjoy the company of friends and family, some good festive food and some equally good beers to wash it all down with. I'll be even happier when it's all over, as each year what is supposed to be a religious festival becomes more and more commercialised. Unfortunately, Christmas lost its true meaning for most people many years ago, and I don't think that's just me being cynical in my old age.

Oh well; I'd better get back to the card writing!

Wednesday 9 December 2009

Shep's Again



I had some more Shepherd Neame Monday night. Four pints of it to be precise! The occasion was our local CAMRA branch committee meeting, held this time at the Nelson Arms, a back-street local in Tonbridge.

Those of you who know me will appreciate Shep's is NOT my favourite beer, and that's an understatement. Still, needs must and as it's sometimes quite difficult finding a pub that is suitable for our meetings (for obvious reasons we don't want a place with a noisy sound-system or, worse, karaoke!), I just had to bite the bullet.

The Nelson had the seasonal Late Red on alongside the regular Master Brew, and I have to say it was in excellent nick. It's never going to be my favourite, but to give credit where it's due, this was a really tasty beer. The pub itself was nice and comfortable, with a welcoming open fire, and a section of the pub ideal for our meeting. The landlord too was pleased to see us, as the ten of us probably gave a most welcome boost to his takings on what would otherwise have been a quiet Monday night!

Wetherspons Vouchers


Has anyone else been caught out like a friend and I were at the weekend? En route home from our CAMRA Christmas Dinner, we made a brief detour into the Sennockian, JDW's Sevenoaks outlet. We both had some vouchers in our pockets, but on presenting them were told they were out of date. Looking on the rear of the vouchers showed this to be the case, as the ones for the final quarter of the year are valid from 1st October to the 4th December only!

We both felt slightly foolish, but we had both automatically assumed that the vouchers were valid until the end of the year. Wetherspoons staff are probably going to be too busy to accept the discount vouchers in the run up to Christmas, which is fair enough. It could also be said more fool the pair of us for not checking the dates more carefully. However, I don't recall the short-dated last quarter for the vouchers being widely publicised either.

I'm not really complaining, as I've more than had my money's worth from these vouchers; I just felt a bit of a fool really, and would like to know if other people have also made the same mistake??

Sunday 6 December 2009

West Kent CAMRA Christmas Meal




This year's West Kent CAMRA Christmas meal, held as in previous years at the award-winning Rose & Crown, Halstead was as good as ever, despite a slightly lower turnout than usual. This may have had something to do with a certain South-East London football team playing at home, (attendance was probably in double figures at the Valley!), but those of us who made the journey to Halstead enjoyed a huge turkey dinner, washed down with some fine local beers.

Representing local Kentish breweries were Larkins Traditional, Westerham British Bulldog and Whitstable East India Pale Ale. From further afield there was Moorhouse's excellent Black Cat mild, plus a seasonal offering from Lees, Christmas Cracker. The latter was the only beer I wasn't keen on, but then you can't win them all. Thanks once again to Bob and his team for looking after us so well.

ps. Having arrived in Hatstead by bus, we decided to call in at the village's other pub first. This was my first visit to the Cock, and I have to say I was quite impressed. There are two bars, with a collection of old jugs hanging from the beamed ceiling in the main one. The furthermost bar was hosting a group of cyclists (despite the steep hills, or perhaps because of them, this part of Kent seems popular with cycling clubs), but the main attraction (apart from the attractive barmaid), was the guest beer. Camerons Fireside was an unusual beer to find alongside the ubiquitous London Pride, and my only complaint was it was served a trifle too cold. Still, we only had time for the one pint, as there was a dinner waiting for us at the Rose & Crown.

All in all, another excellent day out, and a good start to the festive season.

Wednesday 2 December 2009

Bargain Brakspears



I was in Iceland earlier this evening, picking up some frozen pizzas for a quick meal tomorrow. It's not a place I shop in often, but as well as pizzas for just £1 each, I noticed on the way to the checkout that they were selling bottles of Brakspears Bitter, also priced at £1. I bought a couple, stuck them in the fridge for about 45 minutes, and am just enjoying the first one as I write.

It's only a 3.4% brew, but it certainly packs in a lot of flavour for its strength. It's a real bitter beer, but without the harshness of say Shepherd Neame. There's also an underlying malty complexity, that perfectly compliments the hoppiness. In short, it's an excellent beer, with that distinct Brakspear's taste that I remember from visits to the Thames Valley many years ago. At only a pound a bottle, the beer is even better value, and I may just have to polish off the second one before the evening is out!

Monday 30 November 2009

Almost Perfect





"Almost Perfect" is the title of an interesting article which features in the Winter edition of CAMRA's Beer Magazine. Written by renowned lens man, Mick Slaughter, the article attempts to explain why a number of what most people would regard as classic, unspoilt pubs, have just failed to make it into CAMRA's National Inventory of Heritage Pubs. The article describes 17 pubs which didn't quite make the grade, for reasons that most reasonable observers would describe as "nit-picking", but which Mr Slaughter and his friends in English Heritage have decided to rule out for a number of very dubious decisions.

For some strange reason the national criterion for inclusion is that the pub must have remained largely unaltered since 1939. Why this arbitrary date was chosen is not explained, but Mr Slaughter admits that there are some pubs "where there have been minor or few changes that, had they occurred prior to 1939, would have resulted in the pub being included." What sort of perverse logic is that?

Amongst the pubs excluded from the National Inventory are such well-known gems as the Coopers Tavern in Burton-on-Trent, the Case is Altered at Fiveways in Warwickshire and,closer to where I live, the Lewes Arms, in the town of the same name, and the Bear in Shepherd Neame's home town of Faversham. I know both these pubs quite well, and would certainly include them in any inventory of unspoilt, classic pubs.

CAMRA, yet again, is in danger of taking itself far too seriously. What the compilers of the National Inventory fail to recognise is that pubs change over the years, not always for the better I grant you, but pubs are living entities and NOT museum pieces! Whilst I agree that there is something special about these inventory pubs, we must not forget that they need to be run as viable businesses, and if it is necessary to extend them, or improve their facilities in a way that is sympathetic to the original, then so be it. The alternative of the pub closing, for want of a few basic improvements, is far worse, but perhaps our friends in CAMRA and English Heritage don't quite see it the same way!

Bah Humbug!



The inside back page of the latest edition of Beer Magazine (CAMRA's quarterly publication that is attempting to try and reach out to a new audience), carries a full page advertisement from JDW. The advert depicts pump clips for what it describes as the company's Christmas Ales. These will feature in Wetherspoons outlets throughout the Festive Season.

So far so good, except few to my mind qualify as genuine Christmas Ales. For a start only four of the 23 beers featured are above 5% abv, although I will grant you that both Batemans Rosey Nosey and Mauldon's offering, Bah Humbug are both just under at 4.9%. Back in the days when I had my Ale Shop, I received countless fliers (and phone calls), around this time of year from both regional indpendents and micro's promoting their seasonal offering. Inevitably the beer would be named with an awful pun - you know the sort of thing "Good 'Elf", "Sleighbells", "Christmas Cracker", ad nauseum, but most would fail to deliver in terms of taste. Very few were dark in colour, but instead were just some bog standard brown brewery bitter done up with a fancy name.

So far as I can make out, the selection that Wetherspoons are offering this year is very similar to what I have just described. The awful puns continue, including Elgoods "Snickalmas", Caledonian's "Escape Claus" and Nethergate's "Frank Incensed" - the pump clip for which features an angry looking bloke, with his sleeves rolled up chasing after Father Christmas. This really is scraping the bottom of the proverbial barrel! Smiles "Turkey's Delight", which weighs in at a feeble 3.8%, is also taking the biscuit!


The list does feature Hook Norton's excellent Twelve Days, and also Greene King's Abbot Reserve. The latter though, whilst delivering in terms of both strength and taste, is not a true Christmas Ale, although we should perhaps be thankful it too has not been given some fake festive name.

The one genuine Christmas Ale that really does it for me is the seasonal offering from Harveys. Simply titled Christmas Ale, this rich, warming, yet well-hopped beer certainly packs a punch at 8.2%. Furthermore it is brewed well in advance of Christmas, with real care and devotion. Proof of this is the beer is allowed to mature in a vat, over a bed of fresh Golding Hops. The final result is absolutely stunning and knocks spots off most of the fake, gimmicky, so-called Christmas Ales described above. If you are lucky enough to find yourself in a pub selling this stunning beer, treat yourself to a half and you will know what I mean.

Wednesday 25 November 2009

New Blog





I've started a New Blog, for anyone that's interested. Entitled Paul's Beer Travels, as its name suggests it's primarily about two of my passions; Beer and Travelling. It's early days yet, and I could have just re-cycled some of my earlier postings on the South Downs Way, or my visits this year to Tallinn, Cologne and Munich. That would be cheating, of course, so instead here's a couple of posts relating to beer and travelling, (plus a brief introduction). Check them out and let me know what you think.

Saturday 21 November 2009

Shepherd Neame Christmas Ale

Couldn't resist picking up a bottle of Shep's 2009 Christmas Ale whilst shopping in Lidl's this morning. What's even better about this 7% abv offering is that Lidl's are selling them at just £1.49 each, or four for £5; a fact I didn't realise at the time. (I'll be waiting outside for them to open tomorrow morning!)

As for the beer itself, the label describes it as "A glowing amber ale with a heady fruity nose. Crystallised winter fruits combine with festive spicy hops on a platform of smooth warming alcoholic notes, leaving a refreshing cleansing hop finish." Roger Protz couldn't have put it better himself!

The above is as good a description as it gets, and I'm certainly not going to try to better it. I would just describe it as a bloody good beer, which perhaps belies its 7% strength. It's certainly very moreish, and at four for £5, I'm definitely heading back down to Lidl's tomorrow morning!

Wednesday 18 November 2009

Matt's 18th

I haven't posted for a while as I've been busy and somewhat pre-occupied with other things of late. I haven't really been drinking that much beer or even been to the pub recently. Last night was different though. It was Matt's 18th birthday yesterday so I took him out for a pint. We strolled down the road to the Vauxhall, a large Chef & Brewer outlet that sometimes has an interesting beer on.

We were in luck last night, as the pub had Adnams Broadside on tap at £2.90 a pint; quite a bargain for Tonbridge. Matt let the side down rather by choosing first Strongbow and then Fosters. Still, it was his birthday and these were his first legal pints. He was a bit disappointed that the bar-staff didn't ask for ID (he had his passport with him, just in case).

We had a good chat, and my three pints of Broadside were most enjoyable. We have drunk beer together before, most noticeably in Germany, where the legal age for beer drinking is 16, but it still feels strange that he is now legally old enough to walk into a pub in this country and buy himself a beer! As for the Strongbow and Fosters, he'll no doubt come round to drinking the proper stuff in due course; otherwise I might just have to dis-own him!

ps. This post originally featured a photo of Matt enjoying a beer (legally) in Munich. However, like many of his age group he is not over-keen on having his photo taken, let alone it being posted online! To save him further embarrassment I have decided to remove it.

Friday 6 November 2009

Fireworks at the Beacon



I spent an excellent evening last night, enjoying the fireworks display at the Beacon, in Rusthall - a village that adjoins Tunbridge Wells. Situated at the end of the quaintly named, Tea Garden Lane, the Beacon looks out across an area known as "Happy Valley". During the summer, one can sit out on the terrace and admire the spectacular views towards Ashdown Forest, whilst during the winter one can sit in the large, comfortable bar of this hotel-cum-restaurant-cum-excellent watering hole. Harveys Best, Larkins Traditional and Taylors Landlord are the beers on offer, in this regular CAMRA Good Beer Guide entry, as well as some excellent food, cooked wherever possible from locally sourced ingredients.

Last night the place was absolutely heaving, owing to the spectacular fireworks display the Beacon was putting on. A number of us from West Kent CAMRA had decided that an evening sampling the Beacon's beers whilst watching the fireworks, would be a good idea. I got a lift over from Tonbridge with a friend of a friend. Fortunately our driver had the presence of mind to park on the edge of the village, as it was impossible to get near the place by car. We walked down the unlit lane, none of us having remembered to bring a torch, and then joined the throngs at the bar. We just managed to get served before the display began, rushing out onto the terrace to watch a really excellent pyrotechnic display.

Once the display was over, there was a predictable rush for the bar. However, quite a few people did start to drift away; especially those who had brought young children with them. After standing outside for a while to allow the queues to subside, we managed to grab some chairs and a table, and settled down to enjoy the excellent Taylors Landlord. All in all it was an excellent evening. The outside temperature was mild for the time of year and, more importantly, it stayed dry - ideal for watching the fireworks. Despite the hordes we managed to get served, and after the display had finished we spent an enjoyable couple of hours chatting amongst friends. Nights at the pub don't get much better than this, so it really was a case of Remember, remember the 5th of November!

Wednesday 4 November 2009

Remember the 5th of November

Nothing much to write about at the moment, as have been busy at home, getting ready to decorate the spare room in time for Christmas. I've acquired a few interesting Belgian beers via a work colleague, but apart from one I haven't started sampling then yet. Tomorrow night I'm off to the Beacon at Rusthall, to watch their firework display, and also enjoy a few pints of Landlord. Hopefully I'll make it down to our local Wetherspoons at the weekend to check out what's left at the beer festival.

Sunday 25 October 2009

Saturday's Bus Trip






Saturday's tour of some of the more remote pubs of West Kent and East Surrey was a great success. Despite the rain, our vintage coach turned up on time, and we were transported through the leafy lanes around Edenbridge and Lingfied to some splendid rural hostelries.

We started at the Rock, an unspoilt rural gem on high ground to the west of Penshurst. "Bandit country", was one comment heard on the coach as we climbed up through the woods, and then down through a cutting made in one of the sandstone outcrops that makes up this part of the High Weald. The tiny hamlet of Chiddingstone Hoath, where the Rock is situated, certainly is in the middle of nowhere, although the only "bandits" are the super-rich who inhabit many of the very attractive, upmarket, converted cottages and farmhouses in the vicinity.

I have written about the Rock before, with its floor of well-worn bare-bricks, and its unusual hexagonal wooden hand pulls on the bar, but it seems changes are afoot. For many years the pub has been tied to Larkins Brewery, but at the end of the month, the lease runs out and Larkins will not be re-newing it. We have been told that the pub will be closing for a while to allow renovation work to be carried out. These works include installing a new kitchen and upgrading the toilets (whatever that means!). It will the re-open as a free house. Hopefully not too much else will be altered, otherwise the Rock could lose its essential character.

We all managed to squeeze into the Rock, and sample both the Larkins Traditional and the stronger Best Bitter, before re-boarding the coach and heading off to our next destination. The Royal Oak, at Staffhurst Wood was a new pub for most of us. It is situated on the other side of Edenbridge, just over the border into Surrey. Although the rear of the pub is given over to dining, the Royal Oak is still very much a traditional country pub. The bar is sited at the front of the building, and alongside the regular beers of Harveys, Larkins and Westerham, perched up on the bar were three casks containing dark ales. These were Kings Old Ale, O' Hanlon's Port Stout and Dark Star Espresso. What made these beers even more attractive was their price of just £2.00 a pint. The landlord later revealed the strategy behind this promotion, the idea being to give his regulars something a bit different to try, at a price well below what he would normally charge. As he said to me, "at this price I know I will sell the cask(s)", (normally he has just one on). "If I sold them at the same price of my other beers, the danger is that I would end up having to pour half of the cask away". This "loss leader" is an excellent idea - other landlords please follow suite!

Most of us had pre-ordered a meal, and my Suffolk Pie (bacon, leeks, cheese, potatoes and mustard) was both filling and tasty. The rain had given over by the time we left the Royal Oak, and whilst the next pub was not that far as the crow flies, by road it took the best part of 30 minutes. The pub in question was the Wheatsheaf at Marsh Green, an old favourite of the branch and a perennial Good Beer Guide entry. Landord Neil, had laid on a good selection of beers for us, including Tripple fff Alton's Pride , O ' Hanlon's Firefly and two seasonals from Harveys - Old Ale and Star of Eastboune.

Continuing the dark theme, I was straight in on the Harveys Old - one of my all time favourite dark beers, and the first of the season so far as I was concerned. We didn't seem to have much time in the Wheatsheaf; either that or I was talking too much! I was just about to order myself a half of Star of Eastbourne, when our tour leader announced it was time to get back on the coach and head off for the final pub of the trip. There was just enough time to thank Neil for the excellent range of beers he had provided for us before we were off.

It wasn't far to Cowden Pound and the Queens Arms, aka "Elsies"; our last port of call that day. We just about managed to fit inside this unspoilt, CAMRA National Inventory-listed, time warp pub. Fortunately Elsie's helpers had opened the other, larger, but rarely used left-hand bar. For many of our MMK colleagues, this was their first experience of the Queen's Arms and they weren't disappointed. Elsie only sells the one draught beer, namely Adnams Bitter and of course no lager at all! She put in an appearance, sitting behind the bar whilst her two lady helpers coped admirably with keeping our glasses re-charged.

We finally arrived back in Tonbridge around 7pm. After saying farewell to our Maidstone colleagues, a few of us adjourned to the nearby Punch & Judy, which is fast becoming south Tonbridges's best watering hole. Harveys Best and Hobgoblin were the beers on offer. I only stayed for one, as it had been a rather long, but very enjoyable day out.

Thursday 22 October 2009

Vintage Bus Trip






I'm really looking forward to Saturday. West Kent CAMRA members have been invited along on a Vintage Bus Trip organised by our neighbours in Maidstone & Mid-Kent CAMRA. The bus will be calling at four pubs, three of which are in our branch area.

The Rock, at Chiddingstone Hoath will be our first port of call. This tucked-away rural gem is the only pub belonging to Larkins Brewery, but not for much longer it seems. We will then make our way across the border onto Surrey, to the Royal Oak at Staffhurst Wood for a lunchtime stop. This is the only pub not in our branch area. The Royal Oak has a good write-up in the current Good Beer Guide, so I am looking forward to visiting it.

Our third pub is an old favourite of the branch; the Wheatsheaf at Marsh Green. This excellent free house has been a consistent GBG entry for many years, and landlord Neil is bound to have an interesting selection of beers waiting for us.

The last pub is the legendary Queens Arms at Cowden Pound. Known locally as "Elsie's", after its octogenarian landlady, the Queens Arms really is like stepping back in time. Adnams Bitter is the only draught beer on sale, and Elsie even has a notice outside advertising the fact that "Lager is not Sold Here". I have written about the Queen's Arms in a previous posting, and it will be good to re-visit this CAMRA National Inventory-listed pub again. It will also be good to catch up with old friends from our neighbouring branch.

Tuesday 20 October 2009

Sennockian 10th Birthday

One of the three local Wetherspoons in our CAMRA branch area celebrated the 10th anniversary of its opening last weekend. The outlet in question was the Sennockian in Sevenoaks (Sennockian meaning someone who comes from, or lives in Sevenoaks). Yesterday (Monday), we were invited to a "meet the brewer" evening at the Sennockian, only the person in question wasn't a brewer, but the free-trade rep from Hogs Back Brewery. (Hogs Back employ a female brewer, so the evening would have had to be called "meet the brewster" had she turned up).

Anyway, the Sennockian was showcasing Hogs Back's products , with four of the company's beers on tap. These were TEA (re-badged for the evening), Hop, the seasonal Autumn Ale and OTT. They were on sale at the special promotional price of £1.79 a pint. and very good they were too. There was a free buffet, including birthday cake, and a raffle in aid of Clic Sargeant, Wetherspoon's own special charity.

The local press turned up for a photo-shoot, as did Wetherspoons own photographer. It was an excellent evening, with a good turnout from local CAMRA members. Our thanks to Sennockian manager Jo and her staff for organising the whole event.

Monday 12 October 2009

Brew Dog - Hardcore IPA

Finally managed to track down some Brew Dog at the weekend. Sainsburys in Tunbridge Wells had some on their shelves. Going straight in at the deep end I chose a bottle of Hardcore IPA. Only 9% abv said the bottle, with enough hops to "ensure your mouth is left feeling punished and puckering for more".

They weren't kidding either. Just opening the bottle released a strong hoppy aroma, which was further enhanced when I poured the beer into a glass. It reminded me of my home-brewing days, when the hop cones are added to the wort as it comes up to the boil; absolutely incredible! The uncompromising bitterness of the hops is balanced by the strong residual malt sugars present in this powerful brew. This really is extreme beer at its best!

33cl isn't normally enough for me, but in this case it was. Hardcore IPA is definitely not a beer for everyday drinking, but for special occasions it really hits the mark.

Thursday 8 October 2009

A Day in Winchester






Having arrived the previous evening in Winchester, following the successful completion of the South Downs Way, the narrative continues the following morning.

Despite being billeted on the second floor, garret room of a large imposing Victorian house, and despite Eric's best attempts to scare us half to death with tales of vampires, were-wolves and other undead creatures of the night, we slept soundly and awoke without any puncture marks on our necks, or without experiencing any other ghostly manifestations! We wandered down to breakfast where we joined the house's other guests, Helle and Ulla - two very pleasant and charming ladies from Denmark who were visiting Winchester for the weekend.

We enjoyed a most interesting conversation over breakfast about our common ancestry (Danish kings such as Canute, Viking place names and Norse words etc), before packing our bags and heading off into the city centre to explore Winchester. Our first stop was the Tourist Information Centre, housed in the imposing Victorian-Gothic-styled town hall. This is situated right at the bottom of the High Street almost opposite the statue of Winchester's most famous ruler, King Alfred the Great. We enquired as to where we could obtain our certificates for having completed the South Down;s Way, and were somewhat surprised to be presented with one each there and then. It was slightly disappointing that no actual proof of us having walked the 100-mile trail was required, meaning any old Tom. Dick or Harry could have walked in off the streets and requested one. However, we both know that we have completed the walk in its entirety, and as well as the photographic evidence have the scars on our feet to prove it!

I had read in the official National Trail Guide that a fitting way to end the South Downs Way is to walk to the Hospital of St Cross, a mile or so to the south of Winchester, knock on the door of the Porter's Lodge, and request the "Wayfarer's Dole". The latter consists of a small beaker of ale, plus a morsel of bread, and is said to be the oldest charity in England. Eric and I had been determined to do this, right from the start of our journey in Eastbourne, so we set off to to find the Hospital after first visiting Winchester's huge and imposing cathedral. Only we didn't actually go inside the cathedral, as it would have cost me £6.00 and Eric (being a pensioner) £4.80.

Now neither of us are cheapskates, but having to pay to enter a house of God seemed totally wrong to us. It appeared as though we weren't the only ones objecting to the entrance fee, as a group of tourists, just behind us, also made their objections known. Earlier in the year, I had stepped inside Cologne's huge cathedral, without having to pay a cent. I of course, put some money in one of the collecting boxes upon leaving, and both of us would gladly have done the same in Winchester had we been given the choice. After vague mutterings about the money lenders in the Temple, and Jesus's reaction to them, we decided to have a look around the thriving Farmer's Market, that is held in the cathedral precinct, instead. We were tempted to buy a take-away container of Itchen Valley beer, at £2.00 a pint, but didn't want to have to carry it around with us. Eric was also tempted by a watercress burger, but I managed to persuade him that it would not be a good idea!

We made our way south through the water meadows, alongside the River Itchen, towards the Hospital of St Cross. The sky was overcast and the temperature was much cooler as we made our way along the gravel path. It must have been a "country mile" as it seemed to take quite some time to reach our destination. The scenery was pleasant though, passing initially through the back of the college grounds, and then along a stretch of the river with exclusive fishing rights. To our left we could see St Catherine's Hill, another Iron Age Hill Fort, and one that is perhaps more deserving of the title "Old Winchester Hill", than the one in the Meon Valley.

Eventually we reached the "Hospital of St Cross & Almshouses of Noble Poverty". The Hospital was founded around 1134 by Henry de Blois, Bishop of Winchester and grandson of William the Conqueror. It is Britain's oldest charitable institution. Today it is home to a community of elderly gentlemen, who still wear the traditional black or red gowns, in accordance with the Hospital's monastic foundation. We made our way to the Porter's Lodge, which somewhat disappointingly has been converted into a gift shop. We knocked on the counter and the porter appeared from an office to the rear.

The Porter was a very pleasant lady with a strong local accent, and a very dry sense of humour. Apparently visitors have to actually request the "Wayfarer's Dole" before it can be given; not that we were slow in coming forward when it came to asking for beer! We were pleasantly surprised to witness it being poured from a mini-pin under the counter, as we had half expected it to be something awful like John Smiths Extra Smooth! The Porter told us the beer is specially brewed for the Hospital by Fullers, but as it was given to us in a pottery beaker we couldn't really see what colour it was. We enjoyed our small beaker of beer, plus the small square of white bread (only the best for the poor traveller, according to the organisation's founder), and had an interesting chat with our hostess about the Hospital, and also the South downs Way. It transpired that she had cycled the route herself several years ago, but was now planning to walk it, as we had done. We posed for the obligatory photo's as after all, for us, this was the real end of our walk.

Whilst we were chatting who should walk in but the two Danish ladies, Helle and Ulla whom we had breakfasted with earlier. They saw us enjoying our beaker of beer and asked for the dole themselves. Coming from Denmark they were no strangers to beer, and enjoyed it as much as we had done. The subject of lunch then came up. Eric asked the Porter if she could recommend a decent pub nearby. She suggested one called the Queen Inn, and gave us directions of how to find it. Hearing this the two Danish ladies asked if they could join us for lunch, to which of course we agreed. Thanking the Porter for her hospitality, we departed through the imposing gatehouse and made our way back towards the town centre, but this time by road as suggested.

We found the Queen Inn without too much trouble, and despite it being tied to Greene King, entered for further, and more substantial refreshment. We ordered pints of Abbot all round, before finding a table in the raised area to the left of the bar. I was impressed with the pub; it was bright and airy, having recently been decorated in an attractive cream colour scheme. There were posters advertising up and coming events, and the place had the feel of a real community local. Our companions also liked the pub, and we spent a very entertaining half- hour or so swapping tales and doing our bit to promote Anglo-Danish relations, before ordering lunch. Lunch called for more beer, which washed down well the home-made burger and chips that my friend and I had ordered. The two ladies had chosen sandwiches and were a bit taken aback by the size of them, until we explained that slices of bread that thick are known as "doorsteps" in England!

Our companions had booked a tour around the cathedral for 3pm. so we bade them farewell and thanked them for their very pleasant company. We departed a little bit later, with no clear intentions of what to do next apart from finding another pub. We walked back into the city centre, and then turned up the High Street so that Eric could find a bank. On the way we stopped to watch a very entertaining, and rather dangerous piece of street theatre, which involved a performer juggling a scimitar plus a chain saw! Don't try this at home folks!

We eventually found ourselves at the top end of the town and guided by the notes I had made from the latest Good Beer Guide, made our way along Hyde Street to the Hyde Tavern. This small, medieval, timider-framed pub specialises in beers from local breweries. The landlady informed us that there are normally seven on sale at weekends, but as they were holding a party that evening, there were eleven on sale that day! Some of the beers were on hand pump, whilst others were stillaged behind the bar. I couldn't resist the Hop Back Entire Stout to begin with, which I then followed with Goodens Gold from the Flowerpots Brewery.

The landlady told us how she had turned the pub's fortunes' around by concentrating on local beers and not stocking major lager brands. Conversation is the order of the day at the Hyde Tavern which makes a pleasant change from a lot of town pubs these days. We would both have liked to have stayed and sample more of the beers, but time was getting on and we thought we had best return to the B&B to collect our rucksacks, and then make our way to the station for the train home.

We were both very impressed with Winchester as a city, and thoroughly enjoyed our stay there. The pubs were excellent, the people we met were smashing and there were no signs of the moronic behaviour that seems to mar so many of out towns and cities these days. In short, Winchester couldn't have proved a more fitting place in which to have celebrated the completion of our walk.

A Night in Winchester





Arriving in Winchester last Friday evening, footsore and weary after finally completing the South Down's Way, our first thought was to find a pub, sit down and then study the town plan so we could find our way to our bed & breakfast accommodation. As I mentioned in my previous post, a lady dog-walker we'd met, kindly directed us to the Black Boy, an ancient old inn situated on Wharf Hill.

Although the pub seemed packed when we stepped inside (it was Friday evening after all), we managed to find a seat at a table in the furthermost room. My friend had ordered us a pint each of the well-hopped Flowerpots Bitter, which was just what the doctor ordered. The pub's clientele were mainly young, student types which of course meant there were some attractive young ladies to admire and help further brighten our evening. There appeared to be at least four rooms all leading off from the central bar. There were bare wooden floors, plus all manner of unusual objects adorning the walls and no music blaring out to distract people's conversation. There was even a log fire smouldering away in the grate next to the bar.

I would have liked to have stayed longer - after all we had something to celebrate having just completed the final stage of a 100 mile walk. This was my sort of pub for all the reasons listed above, plus the fact it specialised in selling beers from local breweries. However, it was getting dark and we thought we'd better find our accommodation before it got much later.

We reluctantly departed the Black Boy, and after crossing the River Itchen by a footbridge next to an old mill, we made our way past the ancient city walls, skirted the front of Winchester College before finally arriving in the centre of England's ancient capital. We located the bed & breakfast place without too much trouble, and after a quick wash enquired of the proprietor as to the best places to get something to eat. Our host suggested a pub called the William Walker, situated in the centre of town in a area known as the Square. We decided to give it a try.

En route we came across the Wykehan Arms, a Fullers pub that we had passed a short while before on our way to the B & B. We popped in for a quick drink, both choosing the Chiswick Bitter for its refreshing and thirst-quenching properties. The pub's clientele seemed to be drawn mainly from the nearby Winchester College. They weren't really our sort of people; to describe them as the "chattering classes" would be polite, but a few other less choice terms may have been slightly more accurate. As there was no chance of getting a bite to eat at the Wykeham, except in the rather posh and expensive restaurant, we drank up and left.

We walked through the cathedral precincts and quite by accident spotted the William Walker. There was a menu posted outside the pub, offering "pub grub" of the basic, down to earth sort of stuff that appealed to two hungry and weary walkers so we hurried inside and inquired from one of the attractive barmaids as to whether the pub had stopped serving food for the evening. We were just in time; another 5 minutes or so and we would have been too late. We ordered our food, plus a pint each (Deuchars IPA and Sharps Doom Bar), and seated ourselves at one of the high tables overlooking the bar.

The William Walker was that curious mix of an old building decorated in a modern contemporary style. Sometimes this works and other times it doesn't, but in this case it certainly, did and we were quite happy sitting on our high perches observing the goings on in the pub. We had both ordered steak in ale pie, complete with mash and peas - good hearty pub grub that was just the ticket after a hard day's walking. We had a couple more pints before deciding to call it a night and head back to the B & B for a good night's rest.

To be continued.................

Sunday 4 October 2009

South Downs Way - The Final Leg






My travelling companion and I arrived back late last night. We had spent the day in Winchester, visiting its historic sites, as well as some of its finest hostelries and generally just soaking up the atmosphere of this attractive old town. On arriving back in Tonbridge we called in to what is rapidly becoming the most improved, and up and coming pub - the Punch & Judy.

We had spent two invigorating days walking the final stretch of the South Downs Way, arriving in England's ancient capital just before 6pm on Friday evening. The weather had been glorious, the scenery and the views superb. We had visited some excellent pubs, drank some fine beers, eaten some good food and, most importantly, met some really interesting people.

Our walk had started at Buriton, an attractive, two-pub village close to Petersfield, where we re-joined the trail. We walked through the partly wooded Queen Elizabeth Country Park before ascending Butser Hill, one of the highest points on the South Downs. We stopped at the summit and ate our packed lunch, before continuing our walk. Our route took us past the now closed HMS Mercury, a land-based naval establishment, as well as the Sustainability Centre, where we stopped and had an interesting chat with the person manning the entrance.

We traversed the Iron-Age hill-fort of Old Winchester Hill, before beginning the long descent down into the Meon Valley. We had overnight accommodation booked at the Bucks Head in Meonstoke, but en-route we passed through the neighboring village of Exton. As it was approaching 6pm we made a bee-line for the strangely named Shoe; an imposing Wadworth's pub. Despite having seen two thirsty travellers waiting outside, mine-host wasn't that keen on opening on time, and when he did the welcome wasn't the warmest I've ever received. The Cask Marque accredited 6X was in fine form though, and made up somewhat for the indifference of the barman.

The welcome we received at the Bucks Head was far more friendly, and although the pub is tied to Greene King, the Old Speckled Hen was in tip-top condition. After a much needed shower and a change of clothing, we settled down for the evening to enjoy several more pints plus a hearty meal. We were both very impressed with the Bucks Head. It still functions as a true village pub, and what's more still has two separate bars. The local Young Farmers were holding a meeting in the Public Bar, so we stuck to the cosy and comfortable Saloon. The next morning, over breakfast, we looked on whilst the landlady provided coffee and bacon rolls for an early morning party of shooters, before they set off for their day's sport.

It was bright and sunny when we left Meonstoke, and by the time we had climbed out of the Meon Valley, via Beacon Hill, we were both quite hot and sweaty. A bit further on we made a most welcome lunchtime stop at the Milbury's Inn, near Beauwworth. I was expecting a somewhat up-market establishment, so was more than pleasantly surprised when we stepped inside a low-ceilinged old inn, complete with flagstone floors and a log fire burning away in the grate. Three cask ales were on sale, all drawn by gravity direct from the cask. We sampled the Goddards Ale of Wight plus the Palmers Copper Ale. The former was perhaps a little bit past its best, but the Palmers was in excellent condition.

The Milbury's is named after the nearby Mill Barrows, which are some Iron-Age burial mounds. It was formerly known as the Fox & Hounds, and one feature of its obvious antiquity is the 3o0 foot deep well, adjacent to the bar, that has been dug by hand down through the chalk. Next to the well is a large tread mill which, according to the guide book, was worked by a donkey to draw water up from the well. The bar-maid gave us some ice-cubes to drop through the grating at the top of the well. They took just over 4 seconds to make a splash in the water far below!

We had a light lunch, plus an interesting chat with the landlord and his some of his locals, before reluctantly departing to continue with our journey. We were both agreed though that the Milbury's had been not only the find of that stretch of the walk, but probably the best pub of the entire South Downs Way.

We were told at the pub that it was a three hour walk to Winchester. Although we could clearly see the city after this time, it took us another hour to reach the city centre. The weather, which up until now had been warm and sunny, started to cloud over. The wind got up and it began to feel a trifle chilly. We began the long descent from Cheesefoot Head, and then down through the village of Chilcomb. As we approached the footbridge over the noisy and extremely busy M3 motorway, we stopped for a chat with a woman who had been walking her dogs. She offered to show us a short cut into the city, and to direct us to a pub where we could rest our aching limbs, refresh ourselves with a pint or two of beer, and study the town map for directions to our bed and breakfast accommodation.

The pub turned out to be the Black Boy, a centuries old rambling old inn with a series of inter-connecting rooms. it was definitely one of Winchester's best alehouses. I will be posting a separate article on our stay in the city and describing some of the other excellent pubs that we visited.