Take to the Hills

Looking towards Westerham

I undertook another walk recently, a week prior to the one I described in a previous post. This wasn’t a CAMRA organised event; just a small group of friends out for a stroll through the beautiful Kent country side.

The area chosen for our outing was the Greensand Ridge, between the village of Brasted and the small town of Westerham. The latter of course, is famous for its proximity to Chartwell; the home of wartime Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. The Greensand Ridge is a range of sandstone hills which runs parallel with, but to the south of the North Downs, in a line stretching from west to east across the counties of West Sussex, Surrey and Kent. The ridge takes its name from the underlying, green-tinted sandstone rock strata; the green colour being due to the presence of glauconite, and other clay-minerals in the rock. The ridge rises to a height of 294 m (965 ft), at Leith Hill; the highest point in south-east England, before gradually falling off, and eventually petering out, as it runs through Kent. We were walking close to Toy’s Hill, which is the highest point in Kent.

In order to get to our starting point, my companions and I boarded the 401 Go-Coach service which runs between Tonbridge and Westerham. This is the same service bus which we normally use for visits to the Windmill at Weald, and our plan was to call in at this excellent pub on the way back. However, we were thwarted in this aim due to reasons that will become apparent, later in the narrative.

We alighted from the bus in the centre of Brasted; a pleasant linear village, straddling the busy A25, but a place with far too many antique shops for our liking. Two of the village’s three pubs have now closed (thanks Shep’s), leaving just the rather food-oriented White Hart. (Perhaps the local have spent all their beer money on antiques?). The White Hart’s claim to fame is its patronage by fighter pilots based at nearby Biggin Hill airfield during the Battle of Britain. Some of their signatures are displayed in a glass case on the wall, but alas I’ve never ventured inside to see them for myself.

Our walk began with a long climb  onto the ridge, up what is technically known as the “dip slope”. Much of the way was undercover, beneath a dense canopy of laurel bushes. The canopy was so dense in fact that the sunlight had not been able to penetrate and dry out the underlying ground. The result was some pretty muddy going in places; ironic really when one considers there had been no meaningful rain during the previous few weeks!

Village sign, Crockham Hill

We eventually reached the summit and came out into the open, at last. After being under the tree canopy for so long the chilly wind that was blowing was quite noticeable, but it wasn’t that long before our route brought us once again under the trees. Fortunately they were beech trees this time, and the leaf cover wasn’t quite as dense as earlier. Passing through a remote settlement, known as French Street, we descended towards the rear entrance to Chartwell, amazed at just how busy the place was. Cars were queueing up to get in, and we noticed stewards directing motorists to a field which served as an over-spill car park.

We were glad to leave this tourist hot spot behind, and continuing in a westerly direction, through more beech woods, along part of the Greensand Way long-distance footpath, we eventually reached a clearing where several footpaths branched off at once. Here we began a long descent, down the “scarp slope”, towards the village of Crockham Hill and our first port of call, the Royal Oak. Here a well-earned pint of Westerham beer awaited us, for the Oak is one of just two pubs tied to Westerham Brewery.

A welcome pint

The pub was busy; it was Father’s Day after all. Also, the pub’s layout is a bit strange, in so much that the door to both bar areas opens into what is probably the narrowest part of the pub. Because of the lack of space we went out to the garden to drink our beer. The Royal Oak is a former Shep’s tied house, and was the first pub to be bought by Westerham. It sells quite a range of their beers, but being in need of something pale and cool, I opted for the brewery’s Summer Perle; a 3.8%, seasonal, golden ale, brewed using Hallertauer Perle Hops from Germany.

We only stayed for the one pint, as time was pressing on, and we wanted to be at out next pub for a spot of lunch. The pub in question was the General Wolfe, in the nearby town of Westerham; a journey of several miles. It was a case of drink up and then commence the long climb up, out of Crockham Hill, having broken one of the cardinal rules of rambling – having gained height, try not to lose it!

Actually the climb wasn’t as bad as feared, and before long we were at the summit and once again, deep in woodland, which eventually gave way to pasture and a pleasant green valley. There was a large herd of cows grazing, but apart from giving us a few curious looks they weren’t particularly perturbed by our presence. Apart from one more short uphill section, it was downhill all the way, and slightly later than planned we found ourselves in the small, pleasant town of Westerham.

General Wolfe, Westerham

As stated earlier, we were making for the General Wolfe; a small white-pained weather-boarded pub on the western edge of the town. The pub was formerly the tap for the Black Eagle Brewery of Bushell, Watkins & Smith; otherwise known as Westerham Ales. Until their takeover and absorption into what eventually became Allied Breweries, the company were quite a large concern, and their beers had a good reputation locally. The Black Eagle Brewery ceased production in 1965, but for some years after the site continued to be used as a depot for Ind Coope. A mixture of modern houses and offices now occupies the area where the brewery once stood.

I have fond personal memories of the General Wolfe, as I remember calling in there with my father, back in the mid-1970’s. We were on our way back to East Kent from Southampton, having dropped my sister and her friend at the airport there for a flight across to the Channel Isles. I had spotted the pub in the first CAMRA Good Beer Guide, and had marked it as a convenient place to stop on the way home. In the days before the opening of the M25, the A25, which runs through Westerham, formed one of the main east-west routes to the south of London, so our route home took us past the pub. As my companions and I approached the pub, we remarked on how much traffic the A25 used to cope with, 40 or so years ago. It seems hard to imagine given the volume which now passes along the adjacent motorway.

When my father and I stopped there in 1974, the only cask beer sold at the General Wolfe, was Ind Coope Bitter. This itself was something of a rarity in un-pressurised cask form. Today, the pub is owned by Greene King but, like many of their houses, is allowed to sell cask beers from other brewers as well. When we called in there were a couple of beers on alongside the usual Greene King offerings. I opted for the Whitstable Native, a pleasant, low gravity, but well-hopped ale.

Bargain-priced cod and chips

I have returned to the General Wolfe several times since that first visit. It doesn’t seem to have changed much over the years, with a timeless interior of dark wood, low ceilings and welcoming log fires in winter, and although it’s very much a locals’ pub, visitors are still made welcome. Despite the late hour, we also ordered some food. My cod, chips and mushy peas was really tasty and excellent value at just under eight quid! It’s a pity more local pubs don’t follow suit, rather than charge exorbitant prices for posh sounding, “beer battered cod” and “hand-cut chips”.

We only intended to stay for one at the General Wolfe, as the idea was to catch the 16:35 bus back towards Tonbridge. As this particular bus was the penultimate service of the day, the plan was to alight at Sevenoaks Weald and call in for a couple at the Windmill, before catching the last bus home. The Windmill is our West Kent CAMRA Pub of the Year, so we wanted to spend a bit of time there.

That was the theory, but alas, the best laid plans go astray and despite leaving ample time to walk to the bus stop, right by the green in the centre of Westerham, it was evident that the bus had been early and had gone without us. We deduced this after waiting at the stop for over 20 minutes, with no sign of it. There was nothing for it but to find a place for another drink, and then make damn certain we were back at the bus stop at least 10 minutes before the stated departure time.

There are three pubs in the centre of Westerham; the Kings Arms Hotel, the George & Dragon and the Grasshopper on the Green. The first two are both former coaching inns, reflecting Westerham’s importance on the east-west highway which eventually became the A25. I had been in the King’s Head once before, but that was 20 years or so ago, and it was even longer since I last set foot inside the Grasshopper. As for the George & Dragon, well I had never been in the place, but all that was to change.

Grasshopper on the Green,  Westerham

We chose the Grasshopper to begin with, simply because it was nearer. It is an old building, with lots of exposed beams, low ceilings etc, but it has been divided into two halves, both of which are rather narrow. There is also a larger bar at the rear. In spite of this we managed to find a seat. There were quite a few beers on, but I only remember two of  them; Taylor’s Landlord and Westerham Spirit of Kent. The latter especially was in fine form, and is one of my favourite beers from the Westerham stable. Being a pleasant summer’s evening there were quite a few people sitting outside, facing the green, and whilst we were tempted to stay we decided to give the George & Dragon a try.

We were pleasantly surprised with what we found; an old, heavily-beamed, former coaching inn, given a contemporary make-over. Pride of place went to the large, comfortable sofas next to the fireplace. The pub also seemed popular with diners; there is plenty of space, with a separate area set aside for this, and with Kevin’s favourite beer on tap – Gales HSB, we were certainly glad that we called in.

We made certain we were at the bus stop in plenty of time for the last bus, and whilst it wasn’t early it did go sailing on past one hapless passenger who was waiting at a stop just outside Tonbridge! They say every cloud has a silver lining, and missing the penultimate bus did at least give us a chance to try a couple of pubs we don’t normally get out to, and gave us a different perspective on the popular tourist town of Westerham.

First Night in Dublin

Beer selection at Sweetman's

I arrived in Dublin shortly before 5pm on the day before the start of the European Beer Bloggers Conference, having caught the 3pm flight out of Gatwick. Although the flight was full and our departure delayed by about half an hour, it didn’t take long to go through border control and, as I was only carrying hand baggage, I was straight out of the terminal and on to the comfortable air coach, which dropped me right in the centre of Dublin.

It took me significantly longer to find my hotel. They were digging Parnell Street up, to make way for a new tram system I believe, and because of the fenced off sections of roadway I didn’t spot the name Gate Hotel on the facia of the black-painted pub which I walked past several times! A phone call to reception soon put me on track, but I had lost precious time. There was an introductory crawl of some of the city’s best craft beer pubs setting off from the conference centre at 6.45pm, but by the time I’d checked in, dumped my bag and freshened up there was no way I was going to make that deadline.

A further delay to find a cash-point and withdraw some Euros and it was way past 7pm when I arrived at The Church, the superbly resorted 18^th Century former church which was the venue for the European Beer Bloggers Conference.

As I feared the pub-crawl participants had already departed, but fortunately I had printed off a copy of the itinerary. The Church’s friendly and helpful manager pointed me in the direction of The Brew Dock; the first pub on the list, but said it was quite a walk. I decided to head the group off at the pass, so to speak, by making for the second pub on the crawl which, as the manager explained, was closer to the city centre and the rest of the pubs on the route.

J.W. Sweetman - overlooking the River Liffey

I therefore made my way to Sweetman’s, a famous and historic, multi-floored pub, just across the River Liffey and waited there for the rest of the group. They must have been having a good time at Brew Dock as it seemed an age before they turned up. In the meantime I sampled a couple of Sweetman’s five house-brewed beers, produced in a micro-plant recently installed at the front of the pub. The pub brews a Pale and a Red Ale, a Porter, a Kölsch plus a Weiss Bier. I enjoyed the well-hopped pale, plus the smooth, chocolate-tasting porter.

I asked the barman whether the pub was expecting a group in later, which would be led by Reuben Gray; the Dublin-based blogger who writes The Tale of The Ale blog. Reuben was also the person responsible for securing The Church as the conference venue, thereby bringing the event to Dublin. The barman replied that they were expecting the group in soon and he would let me know when they arrived.

As it happened the barman didn’t need to point the group out, as a party of beer enthusiasts look virtually the same the world over. What’s more I recognised one of their number in Pencil & Spoon blogger, Mark Dredge. After introductions were effected, we moved up two flights of stairs to the bar on the second floor, where some “finger food” had been laid on for us.

Sweetman’s was my first introduction to Dublin pubs and Irish Craft Beer, and I liked what I saw, but as there were several more pubs to get round, it was soon time to move on. Next on the list was the Norseman, situated in Dublin’s legendary party area of Temple Bar. The Norseman has recently reverted to its original name, following a spell of being called Farrington’s, and is one of  a growing number of  Dublin’pubs offering a wide range of beer. Like most of these new breed of beerhouses, the choice is mainly craft keg, but none the worse for that. The notes I took at the time indicate I sampled the IPA and the Stout from O’Hara’s, plus the Hornet 8’s Nest, an extremely well-hopped “White IPA”, brewed as collaboration between Eight Degrees Brewing and By the Horns. Many of the group decamped to an upstairs area, so I joined them and as the atmosphere was slightly less hectic, and certainly more relaxed than at Sweetman’s. I was introduced to several more Bloggers, including Steve Lamond, writer of the Beers I've Known blog, Bryan Betts, who blogs under the name of the Beer Viking, and the already mentioned tour leader, Reuben Gray.

The Norseman - Temple Bar

The Norseman   in the city. After yet more “finger food” we set off through the by now pouring rain, passing the original Porterhouse en route due to time constraints, (I visited it a couple of days later), and ended up in the Bull & Castle. Again it was upstairs here, something which seems a real feature of Dublin pubs and bars, but something which would probably cause Fire Safety Officers back home to have fits of apoplexy! The bar we were in is known as the Butcher's Bar and, as its name suggests specialises in steaks and various other meats.

My sampling was slightly more restrained at the Bull & Castle, as I was mindful of not wanting to wake with a sore head the following morning. The Windjammer, a 4.8% Amber Ale from Metalman Brewery was rather nice though.

Final port of call - the Black Sheep

We finished the crawl at the Black Sheep, a contemporary-themed pub just a short hop from the conference centre. The pub is one of  several pubs owned by the Galway Bay Brewery; not to be confused with the separate Galway Hooker Brewery. The numbers on the crawl seemed to have thinned out slightly, and the pub wasn’t quite as busy as the ones we’d visited earlier. I sampled Galway Bay’s Buried at Sea, a 4.5% Chocolate Milk Stout, plus the aptly named Of Foam and Fury, an 8.5% Imperial Double IPA.

The latter was bought for me, plus those remaining on the crawl, by Niall Walsh, one of the two partners behind Galway Bay. We stayed quite late at the Black Sheep, chatting to Niall and others still present, then I vaguely remember walking back to the hotel in the company of Bryan, who was also staying at the Gate. At least the rain had eased off, but my shoes were soaked through, so much so that I had to try drying them with the hairdryer the following morning.

It had been a good night out, and an excellent introduction to Dublin, so special thanks to Reuben for putting the tour together, and to the management of the various pubs and bars for their hospitality.

Party and Dublin Bar Tour With Pilsner Urquell

Party Invitation

I mentioned in the previous post that there were a significant number of industry players and other organisations sponsoring  EBBC 2014. Without the generosity of these sponsors the conference would not have gone ahead in the form that it did. Many of these sponsors were brewery companies based in Ireland, but one from much further a field, and one who particularly shone out, was Czech heritage brewer, Pilsner Urquell.

We were grateful for their generosity on two separate occasions, but both were events designed to showcase their sole product; the delicious and delectable Pilsner Urquell – the world’s first golden lager, and the beer which gave birth to the style known today, the world over, as “pilsner”.

The first event took place on Friday evening, and followed hot on the heels of a visit to the home of Dublin’s most famous beer; the Guinness Brewery, at St James’s Gate. I intend to cover this visit in greater detail, in a later post, but for now I just want to say the visit included a brief tour of the plant, followed by an excellent beer and food pairing session. We were all feeling pretty full of both beer and food, from the latter, but there were further delights to come.

Waiting for the thirsty hordes

 The Guinness sponsored event drew to a close at around 9pm, and after saying goodbye to our hosts we were divided up into a number of groups, and whisked off in a couple of coaches. We drove the short distance back to the city centre, to just off the famous Temple Bar area in fact. I was in the first group, and we were shown to the Candle Bar, a comfortable upstairs room above Kelly’s Hotel. There, sitting perched up on the bar, were two very new-looking, wooden casks, quite clearly marked out as belonging to Pilsner Urquell.

On our trip around Guinness I had noticed that we had been joined by several new faces. One newcomer in particular, was very jocular looking, and had received a special welcome from Guinness Master Brewer Fergal Murray, so when I noticed his company jacket I realise his identity was none other than Vaclav Berka, Head Brewmaster at Pilsner Urquell. He was over to introduce us to the delights of un-filtered Pilsner Urquell; dispensed straight from a traditional wooden cask. I have seen these events advertised on the company’s website. Virtually all of them have taken place in London, on different dates and in a variety of different pubs. Unfortunately due to work and other commitments I managed to miss them all, but now, right before my very eyes I was about to witness the tapping of one of these casks and, what’s more I would get to taste the beer from within!

Vaclav in action

Obviously the whole operation was quite theatrical, and even to those of us used to tapping a cask, it was quite something to see Vaclav drive in the wooden tap, with a large mallet and then dispense glass after glass of the very lively and well-conditioned beer. Perhaps it was all too theatrical though, as after all the eager anticipation I found the beer slightly disappointing. I know I am being a philistine here, but sometimes more modern methods of both storage and dispense are preferable to the older and more traditional ones. For a start the unfiltered beer wasn’t quite cold enough for my liking; the casks had obviously had warmed up during their lengthy journey over from Pilsen. In addition, it also had a slight woody taste. I commented on this at the time, but was told it was impossible, as the insides of the cask are lined with pitch; a protective coating designed to prevent the wood having any effect on the taste of the beer. The pitch lining is replaced each time a cask is used; a costly, and potentially dangerous process. This small gripe aside, it was a unique experience, and something I feel privileged to have witnessed and taken part in.

Not content with plenty of beer to drink, the catering staff at the Candle Bar brought out yet more food. I was feeling rather full after the beer and food pairing event at Guinness, but the pulled pork sandwiches placed in front of us, really were food to die for. I managed a couple over the course of the evening, but skipped on the chips; they would have been just too much!

The idea was for our group to move on, to make way for the next party, who would, of course, be just as keen as we were to watch the second cask being tapped. One of our guides from Pilsner Urquell led us up another flight of stairs, before descending into what was obviously another bar. It was absolutely rammed, but being Dublin on a Friday night, this was hardly surprising. Although we managed to get served, (our generous hosts had provided us with tokens for more Pilsner Urquell), there was nowhere to sit, and precious little room to stand. There was music playing loudly in the foreground, making conversation extremely difficult. One by one we drifted away from the bar. I went for a wander round, observing that the number of women greatly outnumbered the number of men; great if you are a single lad out on the pull or, like me, a more mature bloke gladdened by the sight of some of the pretty and attractive young ladies which Dublin is famous for. I hope that last sentence doesn’t make me out to be something of a letch, as it was more of an observation, and was meant in the nicest possible way!

There was yet another adjoining bar, and after looking at the printed itinerary our hosts had given us, I discovered that the first bar was called "Hogans", and the second the “No Name Bar”. Eventually I made my way back to the Candle Bar, where I managed to grab a seat, some more un-filtered Pilsner Urquell and, joy of joy, no loud music blasting in my ears. I stayed until just before midnight, chatting to fellow bloggers and members of Pilsner Urquell’s PR team. First and foremost amongst these was award-winning Pencil & Spoon blogger, and author, Mark Dredge who now works for the Czech brewers, and was one of the principle organisers of the night’s event.

I thanked Mark before I left, and then navigated my way back to the hotel, through the crowded streets of the Temple Bar district, across the River Liffey and then eventually to my waiting bed. It had been an evening full of superlatives, and I slept like a log that night. However, there was more to come the following day, including more excellent food, and more Pilsner Urquell, so I will continue this narrative in a further post.

European Beer Bloggers Conference 2014 - Overview

Introduction to Irish Craft Beers

I returned late last night, after four excellent days in Dublin; two of which were spent attending the 2014 European Beer Bloggers Conference. It was my first such event, and also my first time in both Ireland and its capital. I had a great time, both at the conference, and in exploring Dublin itself; visiting some of the city’s many unspoilt pubs, and doing the cultural bit as well. There is much I want to write about; so where to start?

Well an overview of the conference itself is as good a place as any, so what exactly went on over the two day period? Fellow blogger, Tandleman, who has been to one of these events before, made the following comment on my pre-conference post: “You will be pissed from dawn till dusk. Or have the opportunity to be. Trust me on that one.”

Lunchtime in the courtyard

He was right of course, with the proviso of “the opportunity to be”, such was the amount, and variety of beer available that, had I chosen to, I really would have been legless from sunrise to sunset. However, sensible fellow that I am (or so I like to think), I did try and pace myself, putting variety and quality above quantity. That was the theory, but as both choice and high standards were present in equally large amounts, it was very difficult to restrict one’s sampling to a sensible and moderate level.

So far as the business agenda of the conference was concerned, there were around 70 delegates in attendance. We were a mix of what the organisers have termed “Citizen Bloggers”, media representatives, people from within the brewing industry and various conference sponsors. Also there were Allan Wright, President of  Zephyr Adventures, and his colleague, Cindy Molchany.  Zephyr are the American based organisers of the event, and they  have arranged all the previous conferences. For the past four years, the Beers Bloggers Conferences have taken place annually in both the United States, and in Britain. The Dublin one was therefore the first European event to have been held outside of the UK.

"The Church"

"The Church"

The venue chosen could not have been better for both its central location, plus the facilities it had to offer. “The Church” is, as its name might suggest, a converted and beautifully restored, former 18^th Century church. Today it functions as a café, bar, restaurant and nightclub, as well as a place which can hosts meetings and small conferences, such as the EBBC 2014. 

It is billed as one of Dublin’s top tourist attractions, and it is easy to see why. The staff that looked after us during our say, operated to the highest standards of professionalism, and ensured that the whole event ran without a hitch. Special mention should be made of Head Chef, Simon and his team who cooked and served up an excellent barbecue lunch on the Saturday, and then prepared an equally sumptuous four-course meal the same evening for the end of conference dinner. The latter was held in conjunction with Franciscan Well Brewery, of Cork, who provided five individual craft beers to accompany the meal; a different one for each course.

Un-filtered Pilsner Urquell -from the wood

Franciscan Well were just one of a dozen or so sponsors, without who’s help the conference could not have gone ahead. Premier amongst the event sponsors, were Molson Coors, Pilsner Urquell, Guinness, Carlow Brewing Company (O’Hara’s), Beer Ireland (an organisation formed to represent the interests of the growing number of independent craft brewers in the country), Fǎite Ireland (the National Tourism Development Authority), Vanguard Beer Collective, and the company which hosts many a blog worldwide, Word Press.com.

A little light lunch

Over the course of the next few posts I hope to convey something of what went on at the conference, on both the business and social side of things, and also to mention some of the many individual Bloggers, and characters I met during my time at EBBC 2014.

To Dublin for EBBC 2014

Like around 60 or so other Beer Bloggers, I’m off to Dublin tomorrow for the 2014 European Beer Bloggers Conference. It’s my first such event, and also my first trip across the Irish Sea; (OK, I’ve been halfway across to the Isle of Man, but that doesn’t really count!).

The conference takes place on the 27^th and 28^th of June and, whilst this is the fourth such event, the 2014 EBBC will be the first to be held outside the UK. Ireland is in the beginning of a craft beer boom with new breweries popping up every year, so this is an exciting time to be visiting the country.

The Beer Bloggers Conference will be a good opportunity to put faces to some of the many names and characters that inhabit the “blogosphere” and to spend some time with them in an unfamiliar town, enjoying a few beers together in a great pub or two,  exchanging information and generally getting to know them better.

Needless to say I’m really looking forward to what promises to be a festival of great beer, good food, and some unspoilt pubs, plus the chance to make useful contacts and new friends. 

There will a full report when I get back.

Off the Beaten Track

I’ve been quite active recently, with two hikes through the Kent countryside having been undertaken on consecutive weekends. The fact that these walks also involved stopping off at some of our best countryside pubs made the physical exertion involved all the more better.

I’ve gone down on record, on several past occasions, stating how lucky we are to have such lovely scenery, along with such attractive pubs in this part of the country, and whilst the second of the two walks re-visited three of the pubs I have written about before, the first explored some relatively new territory, and took in pubs I last visited during my late 20’s.

The most recent walk was a joint CAMRA social arranged between ourselves (West Kent), and our neighbours from Maidstone & Mid-Kent branch. We met in the excellent, National-Inventory listed, Old House at Ightham Common, where there was a good choice of well-kept beers on offer. Betty Stoggs Brazilian, from Skinners plus Old Father Thames from West Berkshire were both particularly good.

This timeless old 17^th Century rural inn is bang up to date so far as modern communications go though, which was especially useful for me seeing as our home phone-line (and hence Broadband connection), was out of action at the time. The Old House’s free Wi-Fi connection therefore proved extremely valuable in allowing me to pick up the emails and other messages which form such a part of 21^st Century life. There are few other concessions to modernity at the pub, and certainly no food is available, apart from nuts and crisps, but landlord Nick, was quite happy for us to eat our sandwiches out in the small, tree-shaded garden at the side of the pub.

We left at around 2.20pm to walk to the next unspoilt rural idyll on our list; the Golding Hop, at Sheet Hill, just outside Plaxtol. Our route was mainly along quiet country lanes, but there was a stretch which led us through some orchards. The Golding Hop is another classic country pub. Not as old as the Old House, but nevertheless an isolated white-painted building, possibly dating from the early 19^th Century, and set in its own secluded valley.

The front of the pub is a real sun-trap, and I have spent many a happy hour sitting out on the small terrace, over-looking the garden, enjoying a pint or three! On this occasion we walked over to the garden, on the other side of the lane, commenting on the sawn-up remains of a huge tree which, until recently, had stood guarding the entrance to the car park. Landlord, Eddie, told us it had come crashing down during last winter’s storms, but fortunately had caused little damage. There will certainly now be an ample stock of fire-wood  for the pub’s open fires in the coming winters!

Adnams Lighthouse was my beer of choice here served, like at the previous pub, on gravity from a room behind the bar. Other members of the group sampled the Whitstable Native, plus Wadworth 6X; the latter being a beer we don’t see that often in this part of Kent anymore.

Onwards and upwards, and definitely the latter, we ascended the lane leading up Sheet Hill (Steep Hill would be a more accurate name!), and into the picturesque village of Plaxtol. Passing the long-closed Rorty Crankle pub (an outpost for Bateman’s beers back in the 1980’s), we traversed the village before turning off in a south-easterly direction, across the fields, to our final port of call, the Kentish Rifleman in the hamlet of Dunk’s Green. This part of Kent is known as the Bourne Valley; named after the stream which flows through its midst, and was formerly a centre for paper-making, on a pre-industrial scale. One of these former hives of activity, Roughway, Mill is close by, and a pub in the centre of Plaxtol commemorates this industry in its name; the Papermaker’s Arms.

The Kentish Rifleman is another attractive old building, which has been well-restored following a disastrous fire back in 2007 which almost completely destroyed the roof, and caused extensive damage to the rest of the building. Apart from the photo’s hanging in the public bar, showing the fire at its height, you wouldn’t know that such a catastrophe had befallen the pub.

We sat out in the secluded garden behind the pub, but there were quite a few locals, and their dogs, sitting out at the front of the building watching the world go by (OK, there’s probably not a lot going by in such a quiet rural retreat, but being nearer to the bar, they seemed to like where they were sitting.) There was a good choice, beer-wise, with Tonbridge Rustic, Whitstable Native (again) and Tolly Cobbold English Ale complementing local favourite, Harvey’s Best. The Tolly English Ale appears to be a regular beer at the Rifleman, as I have drunk it here on several past occasions. For a 2.8% beer it certainly packs in plenty of flavour, and makes perfect sense as a “must stock” beer in such an isolated pub, where the car is often the only means of getting there, particularly in the evenings when the bus ceases running.

No problems for us with the bus, or there wouldn’t normally have been, but road repairs had meant a diversion from the normal route. We were well aware of this, as the driver had pointed it out on the outward journey. A short walk, back along the lanes took us to a point where we could pick up the last bus back to Tonbridge, and with 16 or so of us boarding the bus was much fuller than it normally is.

Our Maidstone colleagues left us in Tonbridge to catch a bus back to Maidstone, although a few joined some of us for a final pint in the Humphrey Bean, our local JDW outlet). I wimped out though, resisting the lure of the Thornbridge Jaipur, and sensibly opting for a large coffee instead. My clear head the following morning and general feeling of well-being told me I made the right decision!

Old Family Brewers of Britain. Part Five - Young & Co of Wandsworth

As most beer enthusiasts will recall, Young & Co. of Wandsworth were a staunchly traditional company which stood virtually alone, during the late 1960's and early 1970's, against the keg tide which threatened to engulf the capital’s pubs. Young’s houses stood out as bastions of good beer and traditional values, when all around them other brewers were busy tearing the heart and soul out of their pubs, and replacing cask ales with fizzy and insipid keg versions.

Young’s persistence with traditional values paid off though, and drinkers began to actively seek out their pubs and their beers. They were eventually forced into the enviable position of having to re-build their brewery in order to meet the increased demand for their beers. So in mid 2006, why on earth did the company announced the closure of their historic brewery in Wandsworth, and the formation of a joint venture with Bedford brewers, Charles Wells; a move which, incidentally, left industry analysts and ordinary drinkers somewhat dumbfounded.

Young’s claimed the closure move was forced on them by plans announced by Wandsworth Council to redevelop the town centre, but their decision to act so swiftly, and throw their lot in with Charles Wells  did not tie in with what the company had been saying just a few months prior to the closure announcement. Their position back then was that they had entered into talks with Wandsworth Council, but were at pains to point that there were no immediate plans to relocate the brewery, and that a feasibility study was in place that may take years to complete. This suggests that the council were in no hurry to eject Young’s from their historic Ram Brewery site, and were certainly not about to issue a compulsory purchase order!

Young’s claimed that the Wandsworth site was too small to allow the expansion they required, and that no suitable alternative site was available in the London area. This was complete and utter nonsense as, from what I remember of the brewery site, there was plenty of room for growth. The tie up with Young’s may have made sense for Charles Wells, as their Bedford brewery was reported to be running only at 50% capacity. However, there was little in the deal for Young’s, unless they valued the development potential of the brewery site, right in the centre of Wandsworth, above that of a heritage which stretched back for several centuries.

Up until the deal was announced, Young’s seemed to be doing perfectly well. They were retaining a healthy respect for their roots without being afraid to move with the times. This was evidenced by a wide-ranging portfolio of beers which included two lagers of their own, an Oatmeal Stout, a Wheat Beer, available for the summer months, plus the introduction of their rather splendid Young’s Double Chocolate Stout. As its name suggests, the beer contained a high percentage of chocolate malt, and was also rumoured to contain some actual chocolate as well. It tasted superb, and was available in both draught and bottled form  Their range of cask beers had also been expanded, with the appearance of Ram Rod, which was formerly a high strength bottled, pale ale, in cask form, along with a number of seasonal specials as well.

I’m not going to try and explain what made the company abandon their heritage, and sell the family silver, but I wouldn’t mind betting money played a major role in their decision. I do wonder though whether they had lost their passion for brewing, even before the closure was announced, as to my mind at least, both their Ordinary and Special Bitters seemed to have lost quite a bit of character. Certainly they weren’t the distinctive beers they once were. What I want to do instead is describe my introduction to Young’s, and my experiences of drinking their beers during the mid to late 1970’s when, I feel, they were at their peak.

My acquaintance with the brewery, and its products, goes back to my late sixth form days. This was when I first sampled Young’s beers at the now sadly closed, Three Horseshoes pub at Lower Hardres, near Canterbury. I had been taken there by a school friend, who knew a lot more about beer than I did. When he first mentioned Young’s, I assumed that he was referring to Younger’s - the Scottish brewers well known at the time for their Tartan keg bitter. Myself, plus a group of other friends, thought that the latter was the beer to drink, but my friend Roy obviously knew better.

Another friend who owned a car, (or rather a Reliant Robin to be precise!), was persuaded to drive us the fifteen or so miles to Lower Hardres. I am not quite sure how Roy got to hear about the Three Horseshoes, but on arrival we found an unspoilt country inn, boasting a traditional public bar, plus a comfortable saloon. However, it was the beer that was the main reason for our visit, and I was soon initiated into the delights of Young’s.

Roy’s family came originally from south London, which was why he was so familiar with Young's ales. I had never heard of them myself, but soon got stuck into the delectable Ordinary (PA as it was called in those days), plus the equally delightful, but stronger Special. Both beers were served direct from wooden casks, kept behind the bar, by a landlord who was very proud of his beers. He even had some membership leaflets on display for an organisation called CAMRA! My friend joined on the spot, but I was slightly more sceptical about handing over 50p for something I had never heard of before. After all, 50p represented the price of nearly four pints of beer back in 1973!

It was to be a couple of years later that I got the chance to sup Young’s beers on a regular basis. This was when I started dating a girl whom I met at university. She hailed from the Wandsworth area, so visits to her parents’ house, during vacation time, gave me ample opportunity to sample Young’s Ales on their home patch. It also afforded the chance to enjoy the beers in some excellent and unspoilt pubs. The Leather Bottle, in Garratt Lane, Earlsfield was a particularly fine pub, and a favourite spot for a Sunday lunchtime drink, but I also have fond memories of the Crane and the Grapes; both in Wandsworth itself.

During these visits I sampled the company's Winter Warmer, (a beer with a truly apt name) for the first time, but on most occasions I was drinking either Young’s Ordinary or their Special Bitter. It was often difficult to decide which of these two beers to go for, as it tended to vary according to my mood, the time and also the place. I found that the Ordinary Bitter was a fine refreshing drink at lunchtime or in a pub garden on a hot summer's evening; whereas the Special was a beer to be enjoyed on other occasions, or to round off a session on the Ordinary. The latter occasion, of course, also applied to the Winter Warmer (when in season). This full bodied, dark ale was not so strong that it made you fall over; instead it was a fine, mellow beer, just right for supping as the autumnal gales heralded the approach of winter. It was also equally welcome as the cold March winds continued to blow, and one was beginning to feel that spring is never going to come.

Now, of course, all that is gone. Young’s beers are brewed by Charles Wells, at their Bedford plant, and are all the poorer for it. On the odd occasion I try a pint I am invariably left feeling disappointed, so unless there’s no other choice then I leave the company’s beers well alone. Probably the only good thing to come out of the brewery closure is that Young’s have invested much of the money they got from the sale of the Wandsworth site into improving their pubs, and to acquiring new ones.  Many of their London pubs now have a vibrant and contemporary feel to them, and are very pleasant places in which to drink. Fortunately, for the beer lover, quite a few of them now offer a beer from Sambrook’s; a Wandsworth based micro that have taken up Young’s mantle and run with it. Their beers are well seeking out, being full of both flavour and character, and are living proof that something good and well worth drinking, is still coming out of Wandsworth!