Tonbridge Beer Weekend 2022

Tonbridge Beer Weekend 2022, is in full swing at the moment, with seven local pubs participating in an event designed to showcase the best in local beers and, of course, local pubs. Seven pubs and bars in the town are participating, and the selection includes a couple of newcomers, as well as familiar places such as the Beer Seller, Fuggles, the Nelson, and the Humphrey Bean. New to the party are the Ivy House, Verdigris, and the Constellation Brewery Taphouse.

Each outlet will feature beers from a particular brewery, with Fuggles, for example focussing on the excellent Time & Tide Brewery, from East Kent, and the Beer Seller stocking O.W.L. beers, (I can’t find this one online). The event is slightly ad-hoc, and it’s not entirely clear who the organisers are, but it promises to a good opportunity to sample beers that aren’t often available locally, as well as supporting local pubs and bars.

With a busy weekend ahead, and not being completely footloose and fancy free, I took a walk down to the Nelson Arms last night, as I knew from their website that they had beers from Sheffield-based, Abbeydale Brewery on tap. My visit was a rare act of spontaneity, as usually my evenings out are planned in advance, but seeing the line-up of beers, along with messages on the various beer-related WhatsApp groups, nipping out to the Nelson seemed the logical thing to do.

I met up with a friend who I hadn’t seen since last November. It turned out he’d been even busier than me, with what sounds like a punishing work schedule. He too was taking the opportunity of a break, as well as sampling the extensive range of beers that landlord Matt, had laid on, and with a couple of beers from Kent Brewery complementing the Abbeydale one, it could have turned into a dangerous night!

The pub was quite crowded when I walked in, and I recognised a few familiar faces, including our local Green Party councillor, who as chairman of the local residents’ association, played an instrumental part in getting the Nelson listed as an ACV, thereby helping to save it from unwanted development.

I acknowledged him from across the bar, and then made my way towards the rear of the pub, where I found my friend sitting in a small alcove, reading the paper. We exchanged greetings along with beer recommendations before I headed back to the bar and ordered a pint of Abbeydale Absolution. Before doing so, I asked my friend if he wanted a top-up, but he said he wouldn’t be staying too much longer, as he’d arrived much earlier than I had, and needed a clear head for the following morning.

The Absolution was a fine, straw-coloured, pale ale, with a good balance between hop and fruit flavours, but my second pint came from a source, much closer to home. Chocolate Orange Porter, from Kent Brewery, did exactly what it said on the tin and was an interesting blend of bitter oranges and dark chocolate. It was back to Abbeydale for the final beer of the evening, and as it was a strong one, I just had a half. Black Mass, with an appropriate devilish strength of 6.66%, was similar, in some respects, to the Chocolate Orange, but with cherry and raisin flavours replacing the oranges.

I wasn’t just there for the beer though, as it was good to catch up with my friend, and also with Matt the landlord, who stopped by for a quick chat. I left the pub shortly before 10.30pm, the strong beers helping to fortify me against the cold, on the walk home.

I’m not sure whether I’ll be able to make it to any of the other participating pubs, this weekend, as today I was working on a project in the garden and tomorrow morning, I’m off on a hike– North Downs Way again, but from what I’ve seen, and heard, Tonbridge Beer Weekend seems to have been a rip-roaring success.