The Swan delivers on all fronts, including the best Christmas Ale of the season!

After that unsuccessful visit to Swan on the Green at West Peckham, back in October – the one where I nearly got roped in as an extra, on a TV series, I thought I’d try for better luck second time around. So, after boarding the No. 7 bus, from Tonbridge, I alighted at the nearby village of Mereworth, in order to walk to the Swan.

The temperatures were about 10 degrees colder than my previous visit, the leaves were now all missing from the trees, and there were clumps of mistletoe hanging high up in the branches of one in particular. Apart from that, little seemed to have changed, as I made my way towards West Peckham.  Entering the village, I passed the Old Post Office that, on my previous visit, was being used as filming location for the Larkin’s TV series. With the church on my right, and the village green straight ahead, I rounded the corner.

I made a beeline for the Swan, although for one heart-stopping moment I thought it was shut. Fortunately, I could see lights inside, so I was very relieved when I turned handle and pushed door open. There was a small number of people inside, and in between looking around and taking in the scene, I approached the bar.

I was greeted by a bank of hand pulls showing the range of the pub’s home-brewed beers. I opted for the weakest to start with – Fuggles Pale, 3.6% ABV. I had a brief chat with the barman about trade and the effect of the filming that had closed the pub on my last visit. He said that trade was quite buoyant, and the series had provided a welcome boost.

I walked over to the far right of pub, and sat myself down at a vacant table, near to the roaring log fire, but not too close to it. Not long after, a couple of fellas came in. They looked a similar age to me, and from their conversation with the people behind the bar, they were obviously regulars. They ordered a pint each of the Swan’s Christmas Ale; a beer I had already clocked at 6.8% ABV.

I was surprised to see how dark it was – similar in colour to Harvey’s Old, but obviously quite a bit stronger. Watching the pair getting stuck into their pints with relish, persuaded me give it a try once I had finished my pale ale. I picked up a copy of the local CAMRA branch magazine, from the stack, next to the fireplace. It was Draught Copy, written and published by Maidstone & Mid-Kent CAMRA. I was pleased to see it was still going strong, as, 35 years ago, I was the editor of this illustrious publication, although it was just a folded, four-page news-sheet back then.

With the prospect of Christmas Ale occupying my thoughts, I decided it would be wise to grab something to eat first. I didn’t want anything too heavy, so I opted for soup of the day, parsnip as it turned out and served with some thick crusty bread and butter. In the meantime, several more people arrived, including a couple with their dog. They asked if they could sit at the same table as me, which was fine, as it was large enough table and with plenty of room.

The dog made itself at home, on the floor beneath, but not before as its owners pointed out, doing a quick recce for crumbs, or other pieces of dropped food. There wasn’t any, but I exchanged pleasantries with the couple as they made themselves comfortable in front of the fire. They were heading out on circular walk, along part of Greensand Ridge that runs nearby, but had called in at the Swan for quick a drink first.

By this time, I was tucking into my soup, which was tasty and nice and warming. I ordered a pint of Christmas Ale, before finishing lunch, and quickly got into that as well. The beer was excellent, being rich, dark, and warming.  I can safely say that hand on heart it was by far the best Christmas ale I have had over the entire festive season.

Others in the pub obviously thought the same, as one of the two blokes opposite, went for a second, whilst one of the other recent arrivals also ordered a pint. With a potency of 6.8%, the Swan’s Christmas Ale is obviously a beer to be treated with respect, despite its apparent popularity. But if, like me, you’ve arrived on foot and don’t need to drive, later in the day, then you can sink a couple with impunity. I imagine this applies to many who live in West Peckham, as they are in effect, a captive audience.

The pub is easy to walk to, and as the village is on road to nowhere, there is not much traffic about, making walking relatively safe. This was evident when I left the Swan, to walk the mile and a half back to Mereworth, and the bus home. I reflected on leaving about how good it was to see a thriving village local, and one that is not wholly dependent on the food trade.

It’s also worth noting that the Swan has been brewing its own beers for over 20 years now, so they are well-established and obviously popular with the locals. They also continue to attract visiting cask aficionadas like me, along with CAMRA members from both West Kent and Maidstone branches.

I reached the bus stop, opposite Mereworth school, in time to catch the 15.08 service back to Tonbridge. After calling in at the building society, I walked along to Matthew’s shop. He was knocking off at 4pm, so I waited for him to finish, and we walked home together. Looking at my Smart Watch later, I had clocked up just under 14,000 steps, which wasn’t bad for a day’s walk.

Looking back through the archives, I visited the Swan, back in 2018 – almost three year’s exactly to the day. Clicking on the link here, will allow you to read about that visit, along with a detailed history of the pub and its highly successful, on-site brewery.