SIBA South East Beer Festival 2015 - Report

This weekend’s SIBA South East Beer Festival, held at Tonbridge Juddians Rugby Club, was the best to date. This annual event seems to get better each year and apart from the 2012 event, which had to be cancelled due to some rather un-seasonal flooding, the festival has gone from strength to strength. It is therefore no exaggeration to say that the event has now become one of the highlights in the Tonbridge’s social calendar.

This year’s event was the 9^th, and the 7^th which the rugby club have hosted; the first two having taken place at the former Whitbread Hop Farm near Paddock Wood, although this attraction is now known as the Hop Farm Country Park. Before the festival throws its doors open to the public, some serious judging of the various beers takes place. A glance at the SIBA website shows the numerous categories, but whilst the results obviously matter to the brewers concerned, they make little difference to me, in exactly the same way as the GBBF results don’t either. If you are at all interested in which beers won which awards, then click on th link above.

Opening Time - Saturday

My lack of interest in the competition results does not mean there weren’t some cracking beers available; and I will highlight some of them later For me, the best aspect was the family nature of the festival, with the club’s large marquee opening out onto a couple of the pitches, giving plenty of room for people to sit out and soak up the sun, along with the beer. An extended family group, which included my wife and I, my wife’s two nieces and their respective partners, plus a few friends, visited on Saturday afternoon, and we all brought various items of food to enjoy with the beer.

Soaking up the sun

It was one of those quintessentially English summer days, made all the better by our cricket team beating the Aussies in the first test. There was even a vintage 1940’s aircraft which flew low, doing several circuits over the Sportsground, which got everyone’s attention and added to the atmosphere. Not being a plane buff, I am unable to categorically say whether the aircraft was a Spitfire or a Hurricane, but given the profile of its wings, my money’s on the latter! However, its presence certainly sparked a lot of debate amongst all who saw it.

There were around 170 cask beers on sale, all priced at £3.20 a pint; paid for by means of tokens. All the beers were entries in the SIBA South East Competition, and were sourced from brewers in the counties of Berkshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, London, Surrey and West Sussex which, together, make up the South East Region. My favourites were the two offerings from Burning Sky (Plateau 3.8% & Aurora 5.6%), the three beers from Franklins (English Garden 3.8%, Smoked Porter 5.0% & Citra IPA 5.5 %.), Flack Catcher 4.4% from Flack Manor and Knight of the Garter 3.8%, from Windsor & Eton. Also scoring highly were Summer 3.7% and Mosaic Pale 4.1%, from Hammerpot, plus Thirty Three 3.3% from Brighton Bier.

Inside the marquee

I understand there were a few duds, but fortunately I had been alerted to these by friends and neighbours, the previous evening, so knew which to avoid! Not on sale were the “craft keg” beers, which were there just to take part in the competition (separate category, of course). According to a couple of friends who took part in the judging, the beers were very good, but there were problems with gas-lines and with over-lively beer (fobbing). Logistical problems also meant it was not possible to make these beers available to the public; but who knows what might happen in future years.

The only downside to this festival was the fact my American brother-in-law, who was supposed to be spending a fortnight with us, and who was looking forward to the festival, had to cancel his trip over from the US, due to work commitments. If you’re reading this Ernie, the beer was excellent and we certainly had a few on your behalf!

9th SIBA South East Beer Festival

Well it’s the big one this weekend, as the 9^th SIBA South East Regional Beer Competition kicks off tomorrow on my home patch. As in previous years, the event is being hosted by Tonbridge Juddians Rugby Club, and is housed in a large marquee behind TJ’s clubhouse.

The festival features 170 cask beers from the region’s finest independent brewers, and this year, for the first time the event will also feature “craft keg” beers produced by SIBA members from across the whole of the SIBA South Region.

The event opens to the public at 5pm Friday 10^th July, but prior to that the serious business of tasting and judging the beers takes place. There are umpteen different categories, and from tomorrow evening the results will be available on the SIBA website. The festival then continues right through Saturday and into Sunday.

Entry is free, but you will need to purchase a glass at £2.00. A token system is in operation, with all beers priced at £3.20 a pint; regardless of strength. A range of ciders and perrys will also be available, along with a B-B-Q. On Saturday, the Acoustic Reverb Collection will provide the musical entertainment, introducing a number of up and coming local musicians.

I am planning to attend tomorrow evening (Friday), and also on Saturday, when a family group of us will be having a picnic out on the grass in front of the marquee. A full report on the festival will follow in due course.

Update:

I have been asked by one of the festival organisers, to point out that the “craft keg” beers mentioned are reserved for the SIBA competition, and will not be on sale to the public at the festival itself, so apologies for any confusion.

This is because of all the extra cooling and dispense equipment necessary for this type of beer. However, with 170 cask beers, plus 21 different ciders, there will still be more than enough to satisfy even the most hardened and fastidious of beer connoisseurs (Higgsbosun – are you reading this!!).

As for myself, I can’t wait to get stuck into the mountain of delicious pale ales, IPA’s, porters, stouts and special beers which will be on sale. Cheers, Prost, zum Wohl, a votre santé and all that!

From the Archives - A Visit to Crouch Vale Brewery, 1994

What follows below is an article I originally wrote for my local CAMRA branch magazine, back in the mid 1990’s, about a trip the branch made to Crouch Vale Brewery, just across the water from us over in Essex. The article was far too long, so was never published; although the branch’s social secretary at the time did produce a considerably shorter article, which was more to the point and therefore much more suitable for the magazine.

I’ve updated the article slightly, and embellished it in places, having come across it whilst looking back at some old files on my computer. As it provides a bit of an insight into some fairly recent brewery history, I thought it should see the light of day. The article also highlights an excellent pub, which is well worth a visit, should you find yourself in that part of Essex.

Whilst I have enjoyed visiting many of the new micro-breweries which have sprung up in recent years, I find that they do not have quite the same appeal and attraction attached to them as their more established counterparts. This is not to say that there is anything wrong with the beer they produce. On the contrary, I have found that much of it compares well with the products of the established breweries. Some of it is even better. What I am getting at, is more to do with the architectural designs of the buildings rather than the products produced in them.

The older, established breweries are invariably housed in purpose built structures, which are both attractive in appearance and functional in design  This form of industrial architecture reached its peak with the classic Victorian  tower brewery, where gravity is put to good use, allowing the flow of ingredients from one stage of the brewing process to another. In addition, such breweries often tend to be home to all sorts of interesting pieces of plant and equipment, ranging from teak-clad mash tuns, to functioning steam engines.

With a small number of exceptions, none of this applies to the new breed of micro-breweries. Although I can think of micro-breweries that occupy old barns, converted farm buildings, and redundant railway stations, new breweries, in the main, tend to be housed in modern, light industrial units, of the type which are commonplace throughout the length and breadth of the kingdom. Such buildings are functional, relatively cheap to construct, and easy to maintain. Unfortunately they have none of the embellishments, or indeed character, of their Victorian predecessors.

Crouch Vale Amarillo

Crouch Vale Brewery, at South Woodham Ferrers in Essex, was no exception to this rule, and it was outside just such a unit that a dozen or so fellow CAMRA members and I found ourselves on a sunny February morning, back in 1994. This was the prelude to a trip round this small, but well respected micro-brewery. However, if the outside of the building looked plain and functional, the inside was anything but.

We were met by Colin Bocking, one of the two original partners who had set up the brewery in 1981. Realising that we would be thirsty after our mini-bus trip up from Kent, we were each given a pint of Crouch Vale Millennium Gold, before beginning the tour. As its name suggests, this particular beer is gold in colour, and is a well-hopped brew of 4.2% ABV. Whilst we were enjoying our beer, our host gave us a very interesting talk on the brewing process in general, followed by details of how it was carried out at Crouch Vale. He also gave us a potted history of the company, and described how it was just entering into a period of expansion, thanks largely to the “guest beer” rule. All this was interspersed with amusing anecdotes, underscored by Colin's very dry sense of humour.

It is always encouraging to hear of success stories, and that of Crouch Vale certainly fitted the bill. As stated earlier, the brewery was founded in 1981 by Colin and his partner, Rob Walster and after steady, but unspectacular expansion had reached a stage where it was ticking over nicely. Then along came the 1989 Beer Orders, which opened up the guest beer market to the new breed of micros, and the company has never looked back. Rob Walster left, to set up his own beer agency and concentrate on the wholesaling side of the trade. He also bought his own pub - more about that later. Today, Crouch Vale supplies over 100 free trade outlets, as well as its own tied house. At the time of our visit this was the award winning Cap and Feathers at Tillingham, but the pub has since been sold and another purchased – the Queen’s Head in Chelmsford.

The talk was followed by a look around the brewery itself. Every available square foot of the unit seemed to be pressed into use. Most interesting was the brewing copper, sited on a mezzanine floor above our heads, and fired from below by direct gas flame.

Cap & Feathers - Tillingham

After a further pint of Millennium Gold, it was time to leave our host to get on with the brewing, and depart for the next stop on our day out. This was to be lunch at the aforementioned Cap and Feathers. The pub took a fair bit of finding, despite having been given directions from Colin, but the perseverance of our driver, and the map reading skills of the navigator within our party brought about our eventual success. So after a pleasant half hour's drive through the winding lanes of this lesser-known part of Essex, we arrived in the picturesque village of Tillingham, and parked outside the Cap and Feathers.

The Cap and Feathers was everything a village pub should be, with old oak beams, open fires, traditional pub games and a quiet, unspoilt atmosphere, enjoyed by a varied and appreciative clientele. Not only did we enjoy lunch here - courtesy of the brewery, but we were also able to sample several more beers from the Crouch Vale portfolio. These included Woodham IPA, Best Bitter and, for the braver souls amongst us, the head-banging 6.4% ABV Willie Warmer, described by the Good Beer Guide, at the time, as "a meal in a mug".

It was therefore, with some reluctance that we left, come closing time, at 3pm. Included amongst our party, was Dave Aucutt, director of the East-West Ales Beer Agency and branch chairman at the time. Dave knew the area well and was able to guide us to the third stop on our itinerary, the Prince of Wales, in the tiny hamlet of Stow Maries.

I must admit that before we arrived at the Prince of Wales, the beer was beginning to catch up with me, and the prospect of drinking yet more starting to appeal less and less. However, once we reached the pub all such thoughts vanished, for housed in a white-painted, weather boarded building, constructed in typical local style, was one of the best pubs I have been in. The Good Beer Guide described the Prince of Wales as a rural gem, and it was therefore hard to believe that only a few years previous the building had been more or less derelict. It had been beautifully restored by its then owner, who turned out to be none other than Rob Walster- the former partner in Crouch Vale, whom I mentioned earlier.

Prince of Wales - Stow Maries

What I particularly liked about the Prince of Wales was the way in which it had been divided up into a number of separate, but inter-connected rooms. There was an open fire burning in one and, from what I recall, a stove in one of the others. The decoration was provided by a number of old brewery advertisements, some of them from long defunct concerns. The floor was part wooden and part quarry tiled, and on a cold February afternoon, the pub seemed to possess a marvellous, yet tranquil atmosphere.

There was no piped or other recorded music to disturb one, or to detract from the gentle hub-bub of conversation. Moments such as these are to be cherished, especially when one is in good company, and whilst it is easy to romanticise when one has enjoyed a considerable number of pints, I have extremely fond memories of that Saturday afternoon in the Prince of Wales.

We spent a couple of hours in this wonderful pub, sampling several of the different ales that were on offer. All were in good condition, and it was with considerable reluctance that we took our leave. The journey back to Kent was uneventful; I fell asleep, and missed my first trip across the then recently opened Queen Elizabeth II Bridge at the Dartford Crossing.  So ended an excellent day out; just the thing to lift one’s spirits at, what can often be, a depressing time of the year. I kept promising myself a return visit to the Prince of Wales, but to date the opportunity hasn’t arisen.

As for Crouch Vale, they are now the longest-established brewery in the county of Essex. They have won countless awards, moved to larger premises, built a new brewery and remain independent and privately, family owned, with Colin Bocking still in charge. Rob Walster still runs the aforementioned Prince of Wales, at Stow Maries. That’s not bad going for a couple of beer enthusiasts who followed their dream and started a brewery using various second-hand items of plant and equipment.

Footnote: No photos from the original trip, I’m afraid. Back then I didn’t possess a mobile phone, let alone one with a camera! I’m not sure they were around, anyway. I did have a pretty decent SLR 35mm film camera, but that was far too big and cumbersome to take on a brewery trip!

Border Country

My recent visit to the Brecknock Arms at Bells Yew Green brought back memories of my first visit to this Victorian village local, which took place nearly 30 years ago. I was working in the village of Lamberhurst at the time, and had volunteered on behalf of my local CAMRA branch, to survey the Brecknock for possible inclusion in the Good Beer Guide.

A look at the map showed that Bells Yew Green was roughly five miles away, so a visit during my lunch hour would be perfectly feasible. The map also showed that part of the route along the B2169 was along a long straight section of road, known locally as the "Bayham Straight". After a 10-15 minute journey I arrived at the Brecknock and, after noting that the pub had two bars, ventured into the saloon.

The landlord, whose name I later learned was Martin, was happy to answer my questions and I had soon gathered all the information I required. Over the course of the next couple of years, whilst I was still working in Lamberhurst, I would make occasional visits to the Brecknock, bombing along the Bayham Straight at what seemed like warp factor nine!

Elephant's Head - Hook Green

I quickly realised there were several other pubs in the area, and during my time in that particular job I managed to visit most of them. I returned to one in particular several times, as it was one of the closest to my workplace. The pub in question is the Elephant’s Head, situated in the tiny settlement of Hook Green. Today the pub is tied to Harvey’s, but back then it was free house belonging to the nearby Bayham Estate. I had visited this historic timbered, former Wealden Farmhouse on a couple of previous occasions, the first being when I had cycled there from Paddock Wood. Back then the Elephant’s Head was about as traditional as you can get, with bare stone walls, flagstone floors and a public and saloon bar, and although the bars were eventually knocked into one, and some modifications made to the internal layout, the pub remains a fine old country pub.

I’m not certain when Harvey’s acquired it, but apart from adding a conservatory at the rear, which provided some much needed space particularly for diners, they left the pub pretty much as it was. The Elephant’s Head normally sells Harvey’s seasonal ales, alongside the regular brews. I haven’t eaten there for many a year, although the food does look good. There are open fires in winter, plus a large garden at the rear for the summer months. The only drawback is the pub is virtually impossible to reach by public transport. I have walked there in the past, with friends, taking a route from Wadhurst station, which is part cross country and part along country lanes, but cycling would probably be the best option.

Returning to Bells Yew Green for a while; the village is served by Frant station, on the London-Tunbridge Wells-Hastings railway line, making a visit to the Brecknock by train, pretty easy. The last train back is at 23.33, so a long evening in the pub is perfectly feasible. Frant village though is a mile and a half along the lane which leads off to the right of the Brecknock, and the village is home to two pubs, plus an old brewery.

The Brewery Business Centre - Frant

The latter is the former premises of George Ware & Sons and was designed by the famous brewery architect William Bradford. Bradford’s best known surviving works today are the breweries of Harvey’s and Hook Norton. Ware's brewery, on the Frant - Bells Yew Green road, was constructed in 1893. After George Ware’s death, the firm continued to be run by his sons, and was incorporated as a limited company in 1925. The company and its 12 pubs was taken over by the Tunbridge Wells brewers, E & H Kelsey Ltd in 1950, who themselves were acquired by J.W. Green of Luton. The latter then changed their name to Flower’s Brewery Ltd, after taking over the Stratford upon Avon brewery of the same name. Whitbread, ended up as eventual owners and Kelsey’s Culverden Brewery, in St John’s Road Tunbridge Wells, was closed and eventually demolished. As mentioned earlier, George Ware’s brewery is still standing, but today the building is known as The Brewery Business Centre and is home to a number of small businesses.

Abergavenny Arms - Frant

As well as a fine old brewery, albeit no longer brewing, Frant has the two pubs mentioned earlier. The first and largest of these pubs is the Abergavenny Arms Pub & Restaurant, which occupies a prominent position overlooking the main A267 Tunbridge Wells- Eastbourne road. The pub is a former coaching inn, which dates back to the 15^th Century. Inside there are two large, heavily-beamed bars; one of which acts as a restaurant-cum-function room.

The beer choice today is limited to Harvey’s Sussex Best or Young’s Bitter, but at one time it was much more extensive. It is many years since I last set foot in the Abergavenny; primarily because Frant isn’t a place I visit that often, despite is proximity to Bells Yew Green. The village’s other pub, the George Inn, is also old, dating back to 1750. Harvey’s Sussex Best and Sharp’s Doom Bar are the regular beers here, although according to Whatpub, Harvey’s Old Ale is often available during the winter.

George Inn - Frant

To my eternal shame I have only visited the George once, and that was so long ago I remember little about the place. As I mentioned above, Frant is just a mile and a half in distance from Bells Yew Green, and Frant station, so a train rid,  followed by a short walk to Frant village offers the opportunity of trying both pubs. If one is still feeling thirsty, then there’s the opportunity of calling in at the Brecknock on the way back to the station.

Also well worth doing is to stay on the train one stop further down the line towards Hastings, and alight at Wadhurst station. The Rock Robin Inn, next to the station, has long been demolished to make way for housing, and the Cross Keys on the hill leading up into the village, has also been closed a long time. This pub was an early pioneering brew-pub, but on the few occasions I tasted the beer there it left a lot to be desired.

I digress; the purpose of leaving the train at Wadhurst is to walk to Hook’s Green and the Elephant’s Head. The walker will need a good map as there is a maze of small lanes in this area, and it is easy to become lost. It is probably best to stick to the lanes; they are not very busy, and there is no obvious direct foot path.

Vineyard - Lamberhurst Down

If time allows, it is worth continuing the short distance along the B2169 in the direction of Lamberhurst. At Lamberhurst Down the thirsty pub explorer will find the Vineyard, a restored 17^th Century inn, close to the entrance to the local vineyards. When I worked in nearby Lamberhurst, the pub was called the Swan. I haven’t been in since the change of name, but the Vineyard is one of six pubs belonging to the Elite Pub Group; a company which describes itself as “A small family of dining pubs”.The clue is in the name, but whilst the emphasis is obviously on food, the pub does have a comfortable bar area for those who just wish to drink. Beers from Harvey’s and Westerham are the choice here.

Before wrapping up this article, I wanted to end with a brief mention of my former workplace in Lamberhurst. The village was home to Crown Chemicals, a privately-owned pharmaceutical company which specialised in veterinary medicines. I mention this because part of Crown’s village centre site was formerly the brewery and offices of Smith & Company. Smith & Co ceased brewing in 1921, when most of the firm’s 68 pubs were sold at auction. The brewery buildings were acquired the following year, by the Dartford Brewery Co Ltd.

Crown Chemicals moved to Lamberhurst during the 1940’s, after their London premises were destroyed by bombing. The laboratory building, where I worked, plus the adjoining office block, were part of the original brewery, but leading of into the side of the hill, were a couple of tunnels which had been used to store casks of beer back in the day. Unfortunately the tunnels had been sealed off (for safety reasons?), and staff were not permitted to enter them. The company relocated to the Irish Republic in the late 1980’s and the site was then sold for housing.

If you have stayed the course this far you will appreciate the rich pub and brewery heritage of this attractive border area between West Kent and East Sussex. As I have indicated, there are a number of excellent pubs here which are well worth visiting; although to appreciate them properly and make the most of any visit, a little forward planning will be necessary. 

Keeping It Local

What with two foreign trips in as many months, I haven’t done that much drinking on home turf. I’ve enjoyed numerous bottles of Pilsner Urquell in the comfort of my own home, especially as the beer is invariably on offer at one supermarket chain or another, but actual drinking in local pubs has been a little thin on the ground. However, the few trips I have made to the pub recently have been enjoyable, due largely, but not exclusively to the company  I have been with; but there have also been some good beers along the way.

A fortnight ago, my local CAMRA Branch held a social in nearby Sevenoaks, which took in three closely grouped together pubs. I arrived slightly late for the event, as a presentation I attended after work ran over time. This led to me missing the middle pub, the Black Boy, but as the latter is a Shepherd Neame pub, this was not a great loss as far as I was concerned!  On the plus side, I got to have a meal in the Sennockian; Sevenoaks’ JDW outlet, and the one which is reported as being up for sale, (see previous post).

As many Spoon’s aficionados will confirm, Thursday is Curry Night and my Chicken Balti tasted all the better for being washed down with a pint of Golden Perch; a 4.4% Golden Ale, brewed at Wadworth’s in Devizes, Wiltshire. This was my first pint of cask ale since returning from Germany, and very nice it was too.

Oak Tree, Sevenoaks

I caught up with my CAMRA colleagues at the Oak Tree; a large pub close to the Bligh’s Meadow shopping area. The Oak Tree underwent a change of ownership in February 2014, following its former owners, Bramwell Pubs & Bars going into administration. The pub is now owned by a company called Faucet Inns; a small chain of around 20 outlets, mainly in the London area. Although dating back to Tudor times, the Oak Tree now describes itself as “A contemporary take on the British Chop House, offering fresh British food and an extensive collection of beer and ales.”

The contemporary take was fine, as the pub had been given an extensive makeover, with a bright and airy feel which provided a very pleasant drinking environment. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the extensive collection of beer and ales did include some unusual (for the UK) foreign beers, such as Kozel and Palm. Cask-wise they appeared to be just two on offer, and following my colleagues’ recommendations, I opted for the Market Porter from Portobello Brewing of West London. The beer was in fine form, but at a jaw-dropping £4.10 a pint I just had the one!

Most of the group moved on whilst I was enjoying my beer, but a friend gallantly squeezed in an additional half whilst keeping me company. We decided to catch up with the others at the Black Boy, but by the time we arrived, they were just leaving. I didn’t mind that, given the beer in sale there, although I have to report the pub itself has been fitted out very nicely and is obviously doing something right given that it was pretty busy for a weekday evening.

Anchor,  Sevenoaks

The next, and final port of call was the aptly named Anchor; one of the vanishing breed of traditional town boozers. Ably run by Barry Dennis, Sevenoaks’ longest serving, and most jovial licensee with over 30 years behind the bar, the Anchor has Doom Bar and Harvey’s Sussex as its regular beers, plus an ever-changing guest ale. On the night of our visit this was Old Dairy Blue Top, one of my favourite beers from this small Kentish brewery, based in the pretty Wealden town of Tenterden, close to Romney Marsh. At 4.8% ABV, Blue Top is a satisfying and well-hopped India Pale Ale, which slipped down a treat.

We met up with a couple of other CAMRA members at the Anchor; both of whom treat the pub as their local. The pub was very busy, and most evenings Barry lays on a variety of different themed evenings, such as quiz nights, poker evenings and live music. Barry is also very generous with his food, and brought out a selection of sandwiches and pizza slices for us to enjoy.

Just over a week later, I met up with my old friend and former walking partner, Eric for a trip out to the Brecknock Arms at Bells Yew Green, just over the border into Sussex, and a short train ride from where we both live in Tonbridge.

We were both aware that this small, Victorian village local had been through a bit of a rough patch during the last few years, with a succession of different licensees. The concern was that the pub’s owning brewery, Harvey’s of Lewes, might have even put the place on the market.

Brecknock Arms, Bells Yew Green

Fortunately the Brecknock’s new licensees, Sally and David Fawcett, appear to have made their mark on the pub, and it is definitely now on its uppers. The former public bar, which was always the larger of the two bars, has been tastefully decorated and furnished with a number of large and comfortable leather sofas. We grabbed the one nearest the bar, and settled in for the evening; determined to enjoy a few pints of Sussex’s finest and to catch up with what we had both been doing.

I was slightly disappointed to find no seasonal ale on offer, but the classic and traditional combination of XX Dark Mild, IPA and Sussex Best was as good an offering as one is likely to find locally, and the Sussex especially was in really good form. There was a steady stream of customers coming into the pub, whilst we were there. Some, like us, were just there for the beer, but there were quite a few diners as well. The food looked plentiful and well presented, so an earlier visit with time for a bite to eat, would be a good option for future visits. It is good to see the Brecknock in good hands again, and it was obvious from our visit that the new tenants are doing something right.

Bedford, Tunbridge Wells

We left the Brecknock in time to catch the 21.33 train, but we broke our journey at Tunbridge Wells in order to grab a beer or two there. The Bedford, right opposite the station, was the obvious choice, and we were pleased to find the pub pleasantly busy, but not heaving. Also, the music which is sometimes played rather loud was at a much more civilised level. As expected, there was a good range of beers on, but being a warm evening we opted for something refreshing and light. Daytripper, a 4.2% Pale Ale from Downlands Brewery fitted the bill, being just the right strength and with oodles of flavour.

One of many things I really like about the Bedford is that beers are priced according to strength, and with three different pricing bands you can also choose a beer to suit both your taste and your pocket. We sat at the bar, chatting and enjoying our beer and whilst I was offered a taste of the new “Summer Porter” from local artisan brewers, Pig& Porter, I stuck with the Daytripper for my second pint; as did my companion. We left shortly before 11pm and caught the train back to Tonbridge. 

I enjoyed these two excursions to a couple of our neighbouring towns; with both reminding me that I really do need to get out more. So here’s to the next trip.

JD Wetherspoon Place 20 Pubs on the Market

A short article published in today’s Morning Advertiser, reports that J D Wetherspoon have placed 20 of their pubs on the market. The pubs concerned are all leasehold properties which, whilst mainly situated in London and the south, also include a handful in the Midlands, plus one in Scotland.

 

The sale is being handled by CBRE, who claim to be “the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm”, and the properties are being considered for sale individually, in small packages or as a group. I have not, so far, seen an explanation as to why Wetherspoon’s are disposing of these outlets, although no doubt the company will issue a statement in the next few days.

Sennockian - Sevenoaks

One of these pubs, the Sennockian, is in nearby Sevenoaks. I am not familiar with any of the other pubs, but obviously know the Sennockian quite well. The pub is a shop conversion of what was previously a furniture shop. It is not one of Wetherspoon’s bigger outlets, but whilst it always seemed reasonably busy, I don’t think I have ever seen it heaving.

It will be a shame to see it go though as the Sennockian is definitely a cut above some other Spoon’s outlets; hardly surprising given its situation in one of the most affluent and upmarket towns in the south-east. It has also been quite innovative in its time, with several successful “meet the brewer” evenings, along with a number of “tap takeovers”.

My thoughts are with the staff of all these JDW outlets, who must obviously be concerned about their job security and future prospects.

Full details of the 20 pubs on the list can be found by clicking on this link to the Morning Advertiser.

Bamberg Revisited

Schlenkerla Rauchbier

On the final day of my visit to Nuremberg I had the choice of either going along to the Fränkisches Bierfest beer festival again, or venturing somewhere further a field. As I had bought an all zones Tages Ticket Plus the previous day, and it being the weekend, the ticket was still valid. It therefore seemed daft not to take advantage of the ticket.

Bamberg was the logical choice as it would have been unforgivable for me not to have visited this beer lovers’ city whilst staying in the region. This would be my fifth visit to this lovely, compact baroque gem of a city, even though it would be a relatively short one. So after checking out of my hotel, leaving my suitcase in one of the left luggage lockers at Nuremberg station, I boarded a train heading off to Bamberg.

After the slow train I’d been on the previous day, it was nice to be on the Regio-Express, which stopped at just a handful of stations. Consequently, some 45 minutes later, the train was puling into Bamberg. After overnight thunder and rain, the sky had started to clear, but it was still quite muggy out. I exited the station and headed into town, with just one destination in mind; the world renowned Schlenkerla Tavern right in the heart of the old city.

Bamberg was, as expected, busy with tourists, but for some reason there weren’t many of them in Schlenkerla; in fact there was room in the left-hand bar, which being the haunt of regulars and locals, is normally packed. I sat at the end of one of the long tables close to the window, and after attracting the attention of the Kellnerin, ordered myself a Seidla (half litre glass) of Schlenkerla’s famous smoke (Rauch) Märzen beer. One mouthful was sufficient for me to renew my acquaintance with this world classic beer. Coal black in appearance and topped with a delicate white lacy head, but most important of all it had that wonderful smokiness which people either love or hate. Fortunately I love it; as do many other people, not just from within Bamberg, or indeed Franconia, but from all over the world.

Bierstubla Schlenkerla

 Some beer enthusiasts have accused the brewery recently of “dumbing down” the beer, as many first-time drinkers were rumoured to find the characteristic smokiness just too intense. I disagree, and even though it is nearly five years since I last drank the draught version, I found the beer as full of character as ever, with an intense smoky character imparted by the beech wood-kilned malt. Possibly the aroma may not have been as intense as it once was, but the distinctive taste was definitely there.

Hotel Alt Ringlein

My intention was to just have the one beer at Schlenkerla before moving on; perhaps out to the nearby suburb of  Wunderburg for some Mahr’s beer, and then to end up at Café Abseits – conveniently close to the station and the train back to Nuremberg. I modified this plan when I noticed, through the open window, the Hotel Alt Ringlein just across the street from where I was sitting. A sign outside indicated that Mahrs Ungespundetes was on sale there, meaning a bus ride out to Wunderburg would not be necessary.

A substantial lunch

However, as I sat there enjoying my excellent Märzen, I realised it would be a shame just to have the one. Besides, it was lunchtime and with an evening flight home, there would be precious little opportunity to grab some thing to eat later on. Consequently I ordered a dish of roast pork with Knodl (potato dumpling), plus Wirsing (puréed green cabbage-tastes much better than it looks or sounds!), plus of course, another Rauchbier.

It was very pleasant sitting in the taproom of the centuries old Schlenkerla Tavern, watching the world go by through the open window, but also enjoying the timeless atmosphere inside the pub. There were a couple of locals sitting at the Stammtisch. They obviously knew the waitress, as she went and sat with them whilst taking a break for her lunch. There were also two Chinese ladies tucking in to a substantial lunch themselves. They smiled and waved at me, as I took a few general photos.

Enjoying lunch and a Rauchbier

I could easily have stayed for a third beer, but time was getting on and I wanted to squeeze in a visit to Café Abseits whilst still allowing plenty of time to get back to Nuremberg, retrieve my luggage and then get to the airport. Consequently I made my way back to Bamberg station, and crossed beneath the tracks via the underpass, before making my way to Abseits. It was a similar hot day back in 2013, when my son and I had first visited Bamberg’s premier beer pub, and like then I ended up in the small, shady beer garden behind the pub.

Café Abseits

I found myself an empty table and after perusing the substantial beer menu, ordered myself a beer. Huppendorfer Vollbier was my first choice; an amber coloured draught beer, which slipped down really well. I followed it with a bottled Hummel Kellerbier which, although good, was perhaps not quite as enjoyable as the first beer.

Now I don’t know why I didn’t look at the back pages of the beer menu, as it wasn’t until I was getting ready to leave, with the aim of catching the 17:00 train that I saw there were several bottles beers brewed at the world-famous Weyermann Maltings, just a short distance away from the pub. The beers included a Rauchbier, plus a Porter, and it was a shame I missed them. It was also a shame I didn’t get the chance to introduce myself to Gerhard Schoolman, Café Abseits’ proprietor.

I am friends with Gerhard on Facebook, but then so are countless other beer lovers from around the world, so I wouldn't expect him to know me from Adam. I did see him on several occasions, bringing various things down from the kitchen, but he looked rather busy and a little flustered. A better time would perhaps have been early evening, in the pub itself, whist things are still quiet. So there are two things to be done on my next visit; try some of the Weyermann beers, plus say hello and introduce myself to Gerhard Schoolman

Huppendorfer Vollbier

I left the pub and walked the short distance back to the station. I had misread the timetable, and the train I’d planned to catch didn’t run on Sundays. I didn’t have too long to wait for one though, and after a 45 minute journey, through the pleasant Franconian countryside, I was back in Nuremberg.

After retrieving my case from the left luggage lockers, I made my way to the airport, arriving in plenty of time to catch my flight. I could probably have stayed for a few more beers at Café Abseits, but it was better to arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare, than to be stuck somewhere wondering whether I would make the flight or not. And as for Bamberg, it is still as lovely as ever and didn’t appear completely over-run with tourists.