The price is right?

This post was originally written as a rather lengthy comment on James Beeson’s Beeson on Beer site. It was in response to James’s take on Cloudwater Brewery’s decision to discontinue cask beer.

Now the matter of what some see as a pivotal moment in the modern brewing world, but the more down to earth amongst us see as little more than a storm in a tea cup (beer glass?), has been done to death by several noted bloggers and beer writers. There has been much navel gazing, pontificating and head scratching, which at times bordered on the absurd. I threw in my own four penneth worth, which appeared to upset a few people who disagreed with me trying to put the whole thing into perspective, so I’ve little else that I wish to add on that particular issue.

My comment over at James’s place was primarily in response to his suggestion; one which was also raised by Matthew Curtis at Total Ales, that cask beer is seriously under-priced. The argument is that cask beer is a premium product and should be treated, and priced, accordingly. A retail value of £4 + a pint was mooted, with comparisons being made with many craft beers which hit the £5 or even £6 bracket!

Both James and Matthew, along with several others, view this as the answer to a maiden’s prayer; whereas I see it as both unworkable and something which will price cask beer out of many pubs. My response should also be viewed against claims that CAMRA are partly to blame for the under-pricing of cask beer; something I will set out to dismiss as a fallacy, even though I agree with several of the other things being said about the Campaign in relation to this.

Before we get started, I am a CAMRA member, of over 40 years standing, so I was around not long after the start of the Campaign, back in the “bad old days”. This was when so-called “real ale” was hard to come by; certainly in some parts of the country, but by no means all. Before going any further, I prefer the industry term “cask-conditioned” beer rather than “real ale”, especially as there are many fine beers around which, whilst not meeting CAMRA’s rather dogmatic definition, are “real” in every other sense of the word, and are beers I am quite happy to drink.

There is no need here to go over again how CAMRA was successful in saving cask-ale from extinction and how the Campaign spurned what became a tidal wave of new brewery start-ups, as well as sparking a huge and still growing fascination with beer in all its many styles. This interest in beer turned in to a global phenomenon, and there are now few places on the planet where it is not possible to find decent beer.

Having largely achieved its aims, CAMRA rather lost its way. This was despite a huge increase in membership which some would argue, was partly down to its decision to jump into bed with major pub chain, Wetherspoon’s and offer 50p a pint discount vouchers, as part of the membership package.

Despite a much vaunted “revitalisation project”, aimed at establishing a new direction for CAMRA and attempting to inject new life, nothing much has changed. The project’s findings have been published, although they are yet to be debated and scrutinised by the membership, but at first glance they appear to be little more than just tinkering around the edges. It increasingly looks as though the Campaign has lost a golden opportunity to reinvent itself, and we are left with a typical British “fudge”, but we will have to see how things pan out –a bit like “Brexit” really!

I mentioned the JDW vouchers earlier, and many have questioned CAMRA’s rather too cosy relationship with the pub chain. There have been accusations of poor cellar-practices at some Wetherspoon’s outlets, but as someone who rarely uses his Spoon’s discount vouchers, I may not be the best person to comment on this. I do think though, it is time for CAMRA, which is a supposedly independent consumer organisation, to cut its ties with Wetherspoon’s, in order to leave itself totally free from accusations of bias or, indeed, cronyism.

The subject of Spoons leads on nicely to the thorny issue of pricing, and here it was pointed out that when CAMRA started its campaigning, back in the 1970’s, cask-conditioned beer was normally cheaper than the heavily promoted “keg beers” which the Big Brewers were pushing at the time. The protagonists went on to argue that for historic reasons, CAMRA was keen for the price of a pint of cask to remain low; forgetting, or rather not knowing, the historical reasons why cask was cheaper than “keg” in the first place.

Back in the transition period of the late 1960’s – early 1970’s cask-ale was still pretty much the norm in most pubs. It had been the way draught beers had been packaged, conditioned and dispensed for decades, and the introduction of keg beers would, if anything, ensure that cask remained the cheaper option.

Keg beer requires additional equipment, in the form of in-line chillers, gas dispense systems (including CO2 cylinders and associated regulators), plus fancy illuminated boxes on the bar, in order to serve it. Someone had to pay for this; and that someone was the drinker, but it didn’t end there. The fact that keg beers received heavy promotion, often in the form of expensive TV advertising, meant additional costs which were also passed on to the consumer.

At first people were often prepared to pay extra for the consistency which keg beers brought with them; but unfortunately that consistency came at a price, and as someone unlucky enough to have drunk the likes of Courage Tavern, Whitbread Tankard, Watney’s Red and Younger’s Tartan, I can vouch for the fact they were consistently AWFUL! 

They weren’t flat, oxidised or even vinegary, as badly-kept cask ale could be, and unfortunately sometimes still is; they were dull, incredibly bland and totally devoid of character. In fact you could be forgiven for thinking that most heavily-promoted keg beers hadn’t been anywhere near a barley field or a hop-garden!

The major brewers loved them for their consistency and profitability, particularly given that cheaper and often inferior ingredients were used in their production. Also by being filtered and often pasteurised, they were stable, with a much longer shelf-life once broached, and there was normally very little wastage.

Fast-forward four decades and we now have keg beers which are brewed from some of the finest quality ingredients available, by brewers dedicated to their craft, leading to some truly excellent beers appearing in the market. Unfortunately this is an area CAMRA has totally failed to recognise, and this is my main bone of contention with the organisation. I am sure many other beer lovers feel the same way.

It is also true to say, of course, that there are many breweries turning out cask ales with the same dedication, and the same careful selection of ingredients, and there are some equally fine cask ales out there, but unfortunately there are also some pretty dreadful beers being turned out as well.

Brewers of poor, or indifferent cask beer, get around this by charging rock-bottom prices, and it seems that there are pubs fully prepared to compromise in quality, so long as the price is right. It is equally true there are many drinkers content to drink such swill, because it suits their pockets, but is raising the price of cask beer, as several writers have suggested, the answer?

My thinking is that it would require a massive sea change in the way both the brewing industry and consumers think about beer, and in the current financial climate that’s just not going to happen. Peoples’ disposable incomes are usually finite, and whilst in the longer term some might be prepared to pay a little extra, it’s unlikely to be the £4+ premium that many commentators are demanding.

Now let’s say that some drinkers are prepared to pay more; especially when they’re getting a beer brewed from the finest floor-malted barely, and bittered with the finest aroma hops money can buy. If the beer is cask, WHO will guarantee that this carefully crafted dream pint will not be screwed up by careless handling, sloppy cellar practices, dirty lines (this applies equally to keg beers btw), or by being left on sale when it is obviously past its best.

The simple answer is that with cask beer you CANNOT guarantee this, and this was, still is and always will be the Achilles heel with so-called “real ale”. So good luck trying to tell someone that because cask is a “premium” product, you have to pay more for it; especially when that someone is on a limited budget, or is a pensioner or a worker on a low income, because it just won’t wash.

By insisting on charging substantially more for cask, because of the extra handling it receives, or because of allegedly superior ingredients, smacks of elitism in a manner akin to wine-snobbery. I fully accept that those brewers who do brew decent cask, and there are many of them around, deserve to be properly financially compensated for their efforts, and certain brewers may be able to get away with this. However, when other factors like wholesalers and the distribution chain in general are thrown into the equation, margins begin to get squeezed at other points, so if anything there are pressures on brewers to reduce prices rather than raise them.

For example, I don’t know how many people noticed that Enterprise Inns are pressing SIBA for a reduction of £3 per firkin for beers supplied by its members to Enterprise pubs. This come on top of a £5 a firkin reduction already “negotiated” back in November.

When large pub companies can apply this much clout, what chance is there of small “boutique” craft brewers getting a fair and honest price for their products? Talk therefore of charging a “premium” price for cask definitely remains as pie in the sky; as does talk of “educating the drinker about the value in paying more for his carefully-crafted  pint”.

I can see that suggestion going down really well at the Dog & Pheasant. Goodnight!

A day at the seaside

(Spoiler Alert – this post is not about beer and doesn’t even mention the stuff).

View from the dunes at Greatstone

After 10 days off work, and the same number of days over-indulging; especially on the food front, it was time to get out of the house and get some fresh air plus a change of scenery. I had, in fact, been out on a ramble, prior to New Year, and had also made a number of forays down to the town, but New Year’s Day was dull and dreary, and as I was to discover later, there were not many shops open either.

My wife and I had discussed the possibility of a drive down to the coast, and we agreed we would do this on the Bank Holiday Monday, providing the weather was good. Fortunately the sun was shining when we woke up that morning; a complete contrast to the previous day, so after a light breakfast we set off to drive down to the coast, for a day at the seaside.

We live in West Kent, close to the border with Sussex, and whilst we are approximately an hour’s drive away from the sea, we have a choice of destinations depending on which route we decide to take. For example, if we head due south, we will be in Hastings, whereas heading south-east would take us towards Romney Marsh and the beaches of Dymchurch or Greatstone.

Dungeness

We decided on the latter, with the other-worldly shingle spit of Dungeness as our final destination, so headed up towards West Malling first to pick up the M20 motorway towards Folkestone. Apart from the stretch to the north of Maidstone, the motorway was fairly quiet, and we made good progress.

We turned off just east of Ashford and made our way onto the A2070; a fairly new road which leads down onto Romney Marsh.  I know this area well, having lived and grown up just outside Ashford, when trips to the seaside, across the Marsh, were a fairly regular family occurrence. Eileen and I have also been fairly frequent visitors to the area; although these visits were normally made from the other direction. In fact when our son was small, we rented a couple of different properties in the Rye-Winchlesea area, and enjoyed some really good family holidays.

On this occasion, we drove into New Romney; a pleasant enough coastal town which once had its own harbour; as befitting of a member of the Cinque Ports. Nowadays, the town is a mile or so from the sea, and it was the road down to the seafront that we followed, emerging at Littlestone of Sea. This small settlement was a favourite place to visit, during my childhood, as it has an extensive sandy beach which leads right along the coast; to Dymchurch and St Mary’s Bay in one direction and to Greatstone and Dungeness in the other.

The art-deco Jolly Fisherman at Greatstone

We followed the road to the right, along to Greatstone, which was another favourite spot from my childhood. The main thing which has changed since those days is the loss of the once extensive sand dunes. Back in the 1960’s these extended on both sides of the road, and on the seaward side formed a high barrier over-looking the sea. Apart from a short stretch adjacent to the public car park, these have all but disappeared, whilst on the other side of the road they have vanished completely, to be replaced by housing. The large sandy ridges and dips in between, where my sister and I played as children are, alas no more, along with the welcome shelter these dunes provided when a strong onshore wind made conditions on the beach cold and uncomfortable.

Nuclear power on the Kent Coast

We carried on towards Dungeness, passing on the way the Pilot; a seaward facing pub famed for its fish and chips, and the place we planned to stop for lunch at on the way back. Dungeness is one of the largest expanses of shingle in Europe, and is also an important sanctuary for wildlife. There are two nuclear power stations at Dungeness, designated by the letters A and B. Dungeness A opened in 1965 whilst B became operational in 1983. The older power station closed in 2006, while the newer one has had its licence extended to 2028.

Dungeness is also home to two lighthouses; the oldest of which was first lit in 1904. It is no longer in use as a lighthouse but is open as a visitor attraction. With the sea gradually receding, the need to construct a new lighthouse became more apparent; especially following the construction of the power station, when the light of the 1904 lighthouse became even more obscured.  The current, fully automatic structure, built as a replacement, became operational in 1961.

In addition to the power station and lighthouse, there are a number of dwellings, most of which are of wooden construction. Many are owned and occupied by fishermen, whose boats lie on the beach. Fresh seafood can be purchased from some of these dwelling. Several of the houses have been constructed around old railway coaches, which gives them a characteristic appearance.

Old lighthouse, Dungeness with the new one in the distance

Perhaps the most famous of these houses is the black-painted Prospect Cottage, formerly owned by the late artist and film director Derek Jarman. The garden which is made of pebbles, driftwood, scrap metal and a few hardy plants is the main attraction here; reflecting the bleak, windswept landscape of the peninsula.

We parked up adjacent to the entrance to Dungeness A Nuclear Power Station, just a short hop from the Britannia; Dungeness’s other pub, a concrete structure which has been gradually extended over the years. It was a short walk from the car park, up a steep shingle bank, to the sea. We stopped and passed the time of day with two heavily armed policemen, who were probably glad to relieve the boredom of their patrol around the power station perimeter.

There were a few hardy souls fishing off the beach; due to its steeply shelving shingle, Dungeness is popular with beach fishermen, and I remember fishing there myself, back in my youth. What made the visit interesting for me, was that standing on top of the steep shingle bank, constructed to afford some additional protection to the nuclear plant in the event of a storm surge, it was possible to see both side of the promontory which is Dungeness. I had previously only seen this from the air.

Eileen was however, keen to get back to the car and out of the wind, so once back in the warmth I started the engine and we headed back long the coastal road to the Pilot. We noticed there were even more vehicles in the car park than there had been earlier, and despite managing to find a parking spot it was pretty obvious that the pub was heaving inside, and there we would face a long wait for our fish and chips.

Best fish & chips on this stretch of coast

Undeterred we jumped back in the car and drove the short distance along to Greatstone, where we knew there was a decent fish and chip shop, in the form of Greatstone Fish Bar. Our cod and chips were cooked freshly to order, and were excellent value at just over a fiver each. A plastic cup full of scalding hot tea each, followed by parking up opposite, in the shadow of the dunes, allowed us to dine like royalty, eating our ample and tasty lunch, straight out of the paper.

Once we’d finished our meal, I scrambled to the top of the dunes to take a look at the beach. The tide was in, and the sea looked rough, but there were still a few dog walkers taking strolling along just below the seaward signs of the dunes. Eileen, rather wisely, remained in the car.

We drove back to Tonbridge via Camber and Rye. We were tempted to stop off at the latter, but we will save the delights of that lovely old town for another day; especially as we will be able to travel there by train (assuming the crazy strike affecting Southern Trains is over soon).

Journeying back inland through such delightful places as Northiam, Newenden and Hawkhurst, reminded us of how lucky we are to live in this idyllic corner of the South East. It was still light when we arrived home, but the light was beginning to fade, so once indoors, it was a question of lighting the fire, and pouring ourselves a nice stiff drink, after what had been an excellent day out.

2016 - The Year in Beer

After the beery and travel excesses of 2015; a year which saw me celebrating my 60^th birthday in style, 2016 was rather tame in comparison. Five overseas trips which took in four different countries, was always going to take some beating and 2016 saw other events either clashing or taking preference.

At the end of each year I like to look back at what I have achieved in various areas of my life. With just four and a half years before I reach thee state retirement age, there is still much to do before I can swap the nine to five with something different, and potentially more rewarding. Part of my strategy is to complete the outstanding work on the house and pay off the mortgage.

The latter is probably progressing at a faster rate than the former, due to the inability of the great British workman to turn up when he’s supposed to, and do the work he’s being paid to do. This seems to be a common complaint amongst friends and acquaintances at the moment, so perhaps I need to find an East European builder quickly, before our illustrious leader has them all deported.

A family wedding put paid to mid-summer travel plans, along with a major audit at work. The latter put most of June out of the running, but on the plus side we passed the audit, and can continue selling our products in the United States. I also made a number of trips up to Norfolk to visit my father, and to assist my sister in clearing out my parent’s bungalow. The last of these trips was pretty manic, as the property had just been sold and the new owners were pushing for vacant possession.

Earlier in the year, I managed a long weekend in Barcelona; ostensibly for the Barcelona Beer Festival but also to spend some time exploring the Catalan capital and just generally chilling out. The weather was kind, with wall to wall sunshine, and whilst the locals were still parading around in coats and scarves, I was walking around in a T-shirt and a hoody. I can certainly recommend Barcelona as a great place to visit, and also a city where the interest in beer is rising exponentially.

August is often an unsettled month, as far as the weather is concerned, and my trip to Amsterdam for the EBBC certainly proved this to be true. After a fantastic day exploring the countryside around the southern Dutch city of Den Bosch, the rest of my visit was marred by rain, which turned out to be torrential at times. I did, however, renew my acquaintance with the lovely laid-back city of Amsterdam; a place I last visited 40 years ago.

The reverse was true, weather-wise, of our family holiday to Regensburg. This took place at the end of September, and sunny days, with temperatures in the mid twenties, combined with warm evenings, proved the perfect introduction for my wife to the delights of a holiday in southern Germany. I managed to drink reasonable amount of beer there as well.

Of course no look back at 2016 can ignore the year’s major political bombshell of June 23^rd. By allowing itself to be dumped out of the European Union following a reckless political stunt by the then Prime Minister, the United Kingdom has shot itself in the foot, in a big way. It borders on the absurd that the future of the entire country can be decided on the strength of a simple yes/no answer on a ballot paper.

What’s even worse is that “Call me Dave” didn’t have the remotest inkling that the vote might go against him and, as we soon found out, had no plan and no idea of how to enact “the will of the people”. You really couldn’t make this sort of thing up; it’s like deciding one’s whole future on the toss of a coin!

The surprise election of the Donald, as President of the United States, could also have dire consequences for global prosperity or, even worse, world peace. We shall see, of course, but if anything these populist uprisings have only hastened my resolve to get working on something different and to get out of the rat race whilst the going is still good.

That’s enough of the doom and gloom; instead let’s talk about happier things and look back at the beery events of 2016.

Best Brewery Visits

Unfortunately I missed out on the trip organised by my local CAMRA Branch to Bedlam and Dark Star breweries, as it clashed with one of the aforementioned “bungalow clearing” visits to Norfolk. As if by way of compensation, I managed to visit three breweries in the Netherlands, as part of my attendance at the European Beer Bloggers Conference in Amsterdam.

The breweries concerned were, in chronological order: Abbey of Koningshoeven at Berkel-Enschot (La Trappe), Jopen Brewery in Haarlem, and De Molen Brewery in Bodegraven.

The highlight was without doubt, De Molen; no surprises there, but La Trappe at Koningshoeven came a close second, even though it was totally different and rather more commercialised.  As you can imagine, the peaceful setting of an Abbey, with its well-kept grounds and atmosphere of peaceful contemplation, takes a lot of beating. For sheer technical brilliance and innovation though, plus the setting of the bar and restaurant in an attractive old windmill, De Molen were worthy winners, and even getting soaked to the skin whilst walking down to the station, in order to catch the train to Boedegraven, could not detract from a fantastic experience.

Jopen’s original brewery, in a converted church in central Haarlem, was also worth seeing; as was the Jopenkerk itself. We also enjoyed an excellent barbecue, plus a sampling of Jopen beers at the company’s new, hi-tech brewery situated on an industrial estate on the outskirts of Haarlem.

Best Beer Festivals

I only attended three beer festivals last year, so again it’s worth mentioning them all.

Great British Beer Festival. The grand-daddy of all home-grown beer festivals, GBBF continues to be a spectacular success, and acts as a showcase for all that is best in British cask-conditioned beers. Obviously with the rise of craft-beer, GBBF is probably missing out on a few tricks, but as the Campaign for Real Ale’s flagship event, you could hardly expect it to focus on other types of beer; or could you?

Unfortunately the festival itself was far too crowded for my liking. There is nothing worse than having people three deep at the bar, and then finding the person in front of you is not only getting a round in, but wants a beer from the other end of the bar!

The increased numbers are great for CAMRA, as this means most of the beer gets sold and the festival makes a profit. However, I can’t help thinking that the event has now become a victim of its own success, and if visitors start to feel the same as me, then it is time for a re-think. This certainly applies to the chaotic layout. Not all of us are fans of cryptic crosswords; and many of us don’t do lateral thinking either. Please simplify the bar layouts and make it easier to find the beers we want.

Kent Green Hop Beer Festival. Organised as part of the Kent Food & Drink Festival, this annual event takes place in Canterbury’s Dane John Garden, in the shadow of the city’s historic stone walls. The festival aims to feature every Green Hop Beer produced by Kent breweries, and it usually succeeds with this aim.

The festival is an open air event, which is a huge plus in my book, and although fine weather must obviously be factored in here, September is usually a time when conditions are more settled than at other times of the year. The sun certainly shone this year, and it was great just chilling out, with friends, listening to some live music whilst enjoying a few of Kent’s finest Green Hop Beers. Without a shadow of doubt, the Kent Food & Drink Festival was my favourite by far, of the three events I attended.

Spa ValleyRailway Real Ale & Cider Festival. This is the event which my own (West Kent) CAMRA Branch organises, in conjunction with the preserved Heritage Railway, which runs from Tunbridge Wells down to Eridge. The festival has grown year on year, since it first started back in 2011, but has probably now reached its limit. The concept of having different beers available at the stations up and down the line, as well as on the trains themselves, is a great idea, but can be a logistical nightmare.

Working at the festival, as well as being one of the organisers in previous years, means I don’t get to enjoy the event as much as I would if was an ordinary punter; but its undoubted success is good for both the railway and for CAMRA. If you enjoy preserved railways, as well as beer, then I highly recommend this festival.

Best Beer on Home Turf

Harvey’s Sussex Best. For everyday drinking, no beer comes close to beating; a real classic and one of the best examples of a full-bodied and well-hopped southern bitter. If I could only choose one cask beer to drink for the rest of my days, then this would be it.

There were two best seasonal beers; both of which are dark ales.

Harvey’s XXXX Old Ale, a fine mellow, traditional old ale, reminiscent of a strong mild.

Larkin’s Porter, is stronger and packs in masses of flavour. Despite the relatively mild winter so far, I have drunk more Larkin’s Porter this year, than I have in previous years.

Best Beers Abroad

La Trappe Dubbel and Isid’or; both in the peaceful setting of the grounds of the Abbey of Koningshoeven, in the south of the Netherlands.

Brouwerij De Prael, whose 6.5% ABV, true to style India Pale Ale was, without doubt the best beer of last August’s visit to the Netherlands. Enjoyed at the brewery tap; a modern multi-level bar housed in a much older building,  tucked away down a very narrow side street, on the edge of Amsterdam’s Red Light District.

Bucket List

I didn’t manage to knock anything of note off my bucket list (the one which isn’t written down and which changes on a fairly regular basis!). My return visit to Amsterdam was a minor desire fulfilled, as was the return to Regensburg combined with my visit to the brewing nuns at Kloster Mallersdorf, (see below).

Best Locations to Enjoy a Beer

In the UK

Tattershall Castle.  A converted, former river ferry, moored just off Victoria Embankment on the River Thames, which can be hired out for functions. The boat acted as the venue for this year’s British Guild of Beer Writers’ pre-GBBF party, and sitting out on the top deck, set against the backdrop of the river, whilst enjoying some excellent beers, sourced from several of London’s many up and coming breweries, made for a fantastic evening.

Further afield

Spitalgarten Regensburg, Bavaria.  My all time favourite beer garden, set besides the River Danube, with views across to the old city and its towering medieval cathedral. Combine that with warm late autumn sunshine, excellent beer brewed next door, hearty Bavarian food, plus the company of my family, and what more could I want.

Black Lab Brew-House & Kitchen, Barcelona. Just a stone’s throw from the city’s bustling marina, and situated in a block of old warehouses which has now been converted into a series of shops, restaurants and bars. The pub interior is bright and modern-looking, and at the rear, behind some glass screens, are a series of fermenting vessels. The actual brew-kit is housed in another part of the pub. This was a great place to enjoy a few of Black Lab’s excellent house-brewed beers, along with a spot of lunch.

De Wilde Mann, Amsterdam. On a grey and rainy day, this unspoilt, traditional Dutch pub was the perfect place to escape both the crowds and the weather. Combine that with friendly and knowledgeable staff, an interior which can’t have changed in decades, plus the chance to talk to fellow pub and beer enthusiasts, and it definitely made for the best place to drink in Amsterdam.

Best Days Out

Two days stand out here, although there have been several others which would be worth mentioning in a longer post.

First: the EBBC pre-conference stop-over, in the lovely southern Dutch city of Den Bosch. A day of superlatives, which not only included the aforementioned visit to the La Trappe Brewery at Koningshoeven Abbey, but an hour long cycle ride through a forest and then along the banks of a canal to the village of  Oirschot, which has its own micro-brewery.

As if that wasn’t enough, once back in Den Bosch, we were given a boat ride along the network of canals which ring the city. Some of these canals were defensive, and some were used to bring goods right into the city. Others were used mainly as open sewers, and nearly all the canals pass through underground tunnels at some point. This was a great way to discover a hidden part of Den Bosch, and on a hot summer afternoon, the perfect way to relax.

Second: my visit to Kloster Mallersdorf; the only remaining nunnery in Europe where the Holy Sisters brew their own beer.  The convent is perched on a hill over-looking the village of Mallersdorf-Pfaffenberg. My train journey from Regensburg; took me through the picturesque Bavarian countryside, which was looking particularly good in the late September sunshine; with fields of ripened sunflowers, waiting to be harvested, formed a memorable sight against the backdrop of the steadily rising hills.

Once at the abbey, I sat in the small garden area, of the privately-owned and family run Klosterbräustüberl, adjacent to the convent gates. It was a glorious late September day, and I enjoyed a couple of mugs of the cool, refreshing beer brewed opposite. Afterwards, I called at the abbey and bought a couple of bottles, from one of the nuns, to take home with me.

Biggest disappointment

This year’s EuropeanBeer Bloggers’ Conference in Amsterdam being the final one. After a run of six conferences, the North American organisers, Zephyr Adventures blamed falling numbers, plus the difficulties of finding suitable host cities and sufficient sponsors, to make these events viable. Hence their decision to cull the event in its current form.

Although I have only attended three conferences, I got to know many bloggers and writers drawn from countries all over Europe; as well as several from North America. Quite a few attendees have become friends, and as each conference was announced I looked forward to catching up with them, and the excitement of meeting up in a different location each year, only added to the enjoyment of the occasion. For me the social aspects of the conference were every bit as important, if not more so, than the conference proceedings themselves.

I could go on, but that’s probably more than enough to be going on with, and besides, so let’s see what 2017 brings

Happy New Year

So another year dawns, and it’s out with the old and in with the new. Whilst there have been some obvious highlights, 2016 was overshadowed by political events at home and abroad; events which we only begin to feel the consequences of as the coming year unfolds.

Tonight is not the time to reflect on these events, although I may touch upon some of them briefly when I present this year’s “Year in Beer”; my annual look back at the year just gone. So as the year draws to a close I would like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you a Prosperous, Creative, Fulfilling, Healthy, and above all Happy New Year.

Man of Kent - Tonbridge

I have a soft spot for the Man of Kent; an attractive weather-boarded pub tucked away down a side road, just off Tonbridge High Street, as it was the first pub I ever popped into for a drink after I began working in the town. This would have been back in 1979 - thirty-seven years ago; a frightening thought if ever there was one!

I was living in Maidstone at the time, having moved to the county town from London, some three months earlier. My then wife and I had bought our first house there; a two-up two down terrace which, whilst habitable, required a lot of renovation and quite a bit of tlc. Although when planning our move to the country, we had both factored in the cost of commuting into London, where we both had jobs, my wife was finding it a lot easier, financially, than I was. She was working for HM Government which was far more lucrative than my job in the private sector, so I consequently started looking around for something closer to home. This is where the position in Tonbridge came in.

The Man of Kent was listed in that year’s CAMRA Good Beer Guide; a good enough reason for a visit, especially as most of Tonbridge’s pubs appeared tied to either Courage or Whitbread. I was still commuting by train back then, as it would be a few more years before a car became affordable, and my route into work from Tonbridge station, took me past the Man of Kent.

The Man of Kent under Bass Charrington ownership

During my first week in the new job I waited for Friday to come along, and popped in at lunchtime. The pub had two bars back then and I am pretty sure that it was the right hand bar I entered. This would have been the saloon bar, so I was following that age old, but now lost, logic which dictates that a stranger would feel more welcome and less uncomfortable in the saloon, than he would in the public bar; as the latter would more likely be where the regulars hung out. Public bars were also viewed as places where the “rougher” element could be found.

My choice of bar was the right one, and I found myself in a pleasant room with a low ceiling, complete with old beams, and an open fire burning at one end. There was bench seating running along part of the front exterior wall, and  it was here that I plonked myself down; having first obtained a pint.  The Man of Kent was owned by Bass Charrington at the time and sold Charrington’s IPA and Draught Bass; both on hand-pump.

I opted for a pint of the latter as it was (and still is, when I can get it), a favourite of mine. I made it a habit of calling into the Man of Kent on Friday lunchtimes and even managed to entice my co-worker, a young lad of similar age to me, away from his regular haunt of the Castle. The latter was a Courage pub, but as my colleague Ray was a Guinness drinker, he wasn’t too bothered, although I think he missed the chance to ogle the girls from the accounts department, who tended to frequent the Castle.

I spent six years working for the Tonbridge-based firm and during that time I continued to use the Man of Kent, but I also discovered a number of other pubs at the south end of the town. Towards the end of my time there, I moved to Tonbridge, having fallen for one of the girls from the said accounts department! After divorcing my first wife, I later married the company accounts manager, and 30 years later we are still together.

The company didn’t last anywhere near as long though, as in 1985 a substantial part of the business was sold off to a competitor, and most of the workforce was made redundant. I was one of the people who last their jobs, but my wife was kept on by the much smaller company which emerged. I ended up working in a variety of different places, for companies which were either taken over or sold on, but eventually I secured a job back in Tonbridge, only for that to disappear six years later, when the firm went bust.

There had been substantial changes in the beer market by the mid 90’s, when I started work in the town for the second time, but I do remember drinking in the Man of Kent, on a number of occasions and enjoying the Draught Bass. The pub had changed during this time, first with the two bar being knocked through into one, and then with the provision of a raised separate drinking area, behind the serving area at the rear of the pub.

Some time around the start of the new millennium, the Man of Kent was sold on. Bass had retreated from brewing primarily because the government of the time refused to countenance a merger with Burton-based Allied Breweries. Bass’s brewing interests were bought by North American giant, Molson Coors, and the pubs ended up in the hands of either Enterprise or Punch. Draught Bass did a vanishing act from much of southern England, but locally Harvey’s Sussex Best began appearing on the bars of former Bass Charrington pubs. Recently the Harvey’s has been joined on the bar of the Man of Kent by a rotating beer from Tonbridge Brewery.

Son Matt and I received an invitation on the day after Boxing Day to join his cousin and her partner for a few drinks at the Man of Kent. The reason the couple had chosen the pub was they have two dogs and the Man of Kent is one of the few “dog friendly” pubs in the town. We therefore strolled down to meet them, arriving at the pub shortly after 7.30pm.

We found them, complete with hounds, at a table in the raised area of the pub, so after grabbing ourselves a drink, sat down and joined them. There was no Tonbridge beer available, but the Harvey’s was in excellent form. It was so good that I scored it as a 4.0 NBSS. Heidi and Phil also thought the beer exceptionally good, which was praise indeed as neither of them are Harvey’s fans. The ingredients for a good evening were all there, and I was looking forward to an evening spent chatting whilst sinking a few more pints, when the spoiler came in the form of the landlord, who appeared round the corner to inform us the pub would be closing in half an hour! His reasons were that the pub had been open until 1am that morning and he was tired; but there was also a bit, which I didn’t properly catch, about him and some of the regulars disappearing off somewhere in a taxi. (Publican’s outing?)

I didn’t say anything to our less than genial host, as I didn’t want to spoil future trips out with the dogs for Heidi and Phil. Also, having worked in the licensed trade, I respect the right of any landlord to some time off; or to close early, but some advanced notice (a note on the door?), would have been appreciated. There wasn’t really time to get another round in, especially as none of us wanted to rush, so we drank up and left, and the evening ended on a downer.

We said our goodbyes outside the pub and Heidi and Phil walked home with their charges. Matt and I called in at the recently reopened Gatehouse, just around the corner. As this Stonegate Pub Company Inn is very much food-oriented, it was unlikely to welcome dogs anyway, so I didn’t bother asking. The pub was quite quiet, and the Taylor’s Landlord, whilst drinkable, was nowhere near as good as the Harvey’s we had been forced to leave behind.

I’m not sure there is a moral to this tale, but whilst I’m obviously pleased that the Man of Kent is still trading, it didn’t quite provide the enjoyable evening out it had promised when we first stepped through the door.

A late December walk to the Windmill

My three walking companions

Boxing Day is the traditional day for going out for a walk and trying to shift some of the excess calories consumed over the Christmas period. A walk in the country to a nice rural pub therefore had an obvious appeal, but having checked beforehand as to what people’s family and other social commitments would be over the extended seasonal break, December 29^th came up as the best day for most people within our circle of friends. Even so, a number of them were already back at work but we managed to muster four of us for a walk out to the Windmill at Weald; an old favourite amongst West Kent CAMRA branch members.

Wealden scenery

Two of us caught the train to Hildenborough; just one stop from Tonbridge, where we met up with two more fellow walkers. After the fog and gloom of the previous few days, Thursday morning had dawned bright and sunny, but very frosty; so much so that I nearly slipped over on several occasions on the way down to the station. This was despite wearing a decent pair of walking boots!  We followed our usual route, partially along roads, and partially over the fields. Fortunately the frosty weather, combined with the lack of rain, meant that conditions underfoot were firm, making the going nice and easy once we set off across open country.

Village sign

With hardly a cloud in the sky the countryside was looking its best in the winter sunshine. We passed several people out walking their dogs, but as we got closer to Weald village, it dawned on us that we would arrive at the pub a good twenty minutes or so before opening time. We therefore decided on adding an additional loop to the walk, which led us through a pleasant area of rolling countryside which I hadn’t seen before.

We arrived at the Windmill just after midday. There were a few customers there already, but an enquiry about a table for lunch brought the response that the pub was pretty full so far as pre-bookings were concerned, but they would be able to squeeze us in. As usual there was a good range of beers on offer, which included a couple of welcome surprises. Strangely enough, given the choice on offer, I opted for a pint of Adnam’s Southwold to start with. Not only was this the weakest beer on offer, it is also a personal favourite of mine. Southwold is also an Adnam's beer which we don’t see that often in these parts, despite the stronger Broadside being a regular feature on the bar of our local Wetherspoon’s.

Also on sale at the Windmill were beers from Kent Brewery, Rockin Robin, Springhead and Big Smoke. At the strong end of the range was Tally-Ho, a 7.4% dark barley wine from Adnam’s. I have a bottle of this beer sitting in my cupboard at home, but I had never tried the draught version before. I sensibly made Tally-Ho my last beer of the afternoon, but between the two Adnam’s beers I enjoyed the Pale Ale from Kent Brewery and Sunshower Extra Pale Rye 4.6% ABV, from Big Smoke Brewery. The latter company specialise in un-fined and un-filtered beers.

Some 90 minutes after our arrival, three other members of our circle turned up. They had driven over from Tunbridge Wells, for a spot of lunch, having gained news of our visit to the Windmill via WhatsApp; talk about the power of social media! We joined them for lunch; a last minute cancellation having left a large table free. I opted for the fish pie and found the Sunshower Extra Pale Rye to be the perfect accompaniment. 

As well as “pub-talk”, the main topic of conversation over dinner was the inordinately large number of famous people (I detest the word “celebrity”), who have passed away this year. With typical British “gallows humour” and, it must be said, in extremely bad taste, we drew up various short-lists from the worlds of film, entertainment, music and sport as to who would be the next to go. Matt the landlord came over and joined us for a while, as this was subject close to his heart. In his previous pub, a number of the regulars had run a book along the very same lines, with people paying in and betting on a certain person, from the worlds already mentioned, as being the next to depart. We know another pub where a similar ghoulish “book” called “Dead Pool” is kept by the regulars. Subscribers must have had a field day this year!

Moving on to happier and less controversial things, the Adnam’s Tally-Ho was excellent. Mellow, slightly sweet and with plenty of chocolate and coffee notes, it was the perfect beer to end on. Some brave individuals opted for pints, and seeing as the beer was on sale at just £3.50 a pint, it was tremendous value (the other beers were also keenly priced at £3.40). 

That would have been the end of our session had Matt not brought us over each a glass of the next beer due to go on. Arbour – The Devil Made Me Brew It, was a 5.5% “Dry-Hopped Stout”, which divided opinion amongst our party. Some thought it was that real abomination – a Black IPA, whilst others thought it was “as described.” I have to agree with the protagonist of the former viewpoint that the pronounced citrus hop aroma did make tick many of the boxes for a Black IPA, but another friend thought that as it lacked that harsh roast aftertaste, often associated with the style, it wasn’t a true Black IPA.

Both individuals left much of their complimentary glasses in favour of more Tally-Ho, so I ended up finishing what was left. The party from Tunbridge Wells had already left, and as we sat there watching the sunlight, reflected on the building opposite, starting to fade, thoughts turned to the homeward journey. One friend, who lives in Hadlow – a bus ride away from Tonbridge, phoned his wife, who agreed to come and collect him. He offered the remaining three of us a lift as well, and whilst we had come fully equipped with torches for a walk back in the fading light, we decided to take him up on this kind offer. With all of us squashed into his wife’s car, we were treated to some fantastic red-sky vistas as we headed roughly due south along, it must be said, some rather narrow roads.

The fog was starting to come down, along with a corresponding drop in temperature. It was more or less dark by the time we arrived back in Tonbridge, and the pavements were even icier than they had been that morning. I consequently made my way home carefully and managed to arrive back without slipping over. Despite the ice at both ends of the day, we had been extremely lucky with the weather. 

As I look out my window, exactly 24 hours after I’d set off the previous day, the contrast could not be greater. In place of blue skies and bright sunshine, all I can see is a dense wall of fog. I have already been out this morning, in order to drop my wife off at work. Fortunately the roads are quiet, so once I have picked her up, in  a few hours time, and we’ve done a bit of shopping, it will be time to light the log-burner, and curl up in front of the fire with a good book and a drop of something warming.

Shepherd Neame Christmas Ale

Regular readers of this blog will be only too aware that I am no fan of Shepherd Neame beers. I will qualify that statement though by saying I am not at all keen on most of their regular offerings. Sheps have been known though to turn out some quite decent bottled beers, which include an IPA and a Stout based on some old recipes found in the archives. They also brew a pretty mean Christmas Ale, but so they should, as they have a long and distinguished history of coming up with something good and warming for the festive season; a tradition which is longer than that of most UK breweries.

I remember Shepherd Neame producing a Christmas Ale back in the early 1970’s. I was still at school back then, but in the sixth form. However, during my time in the lower sixth and for my first two terms in the upper sixth, I wasn’t legally old enough to drink.  No-one seemed to bat an eyelid back then, as long as you behaved yourself; which of course we did. Every year Shep’s would make their Christmas Ale available to their tied estate, and of course if my friends and I were feeling brave we would try a bottle. Half pint bottles (275 ml), were pretty much standard measure back then; certainly in the on-trade. But at the time a half pint was sufficient. I’ve no idea how strong the beer was, as there was no legal requirement in those days to declare the strength of most alcoholic drinks, but the beer, which was a well-hopped pale ale, certainly had a kick to it – particularly for a 17 year old not that used to drinking. The beer was packaged with an attractive label showing a group of suitable attired carollers gathered beneath a lantern.

It should be said that whilst the tradition of producing a strong satisfying beer for the festive season dates back a long way, in many cases it had virtually died out. Changing tastes, plus the privations of two world wars had combined to ensure that all but a handful of the country’s breweries had stopped producing any beers which were remotely seasonal, let alone Christmassy. Sheps were thus unusual in this respect, as were Sussex brewers Harvey’s – although I was not aware of the latter brewery at the time.

Shep’s continued brewing their Christmas Ale on an annual basis, although they started to mix things up a bit by introducing fruits and spices, meaning that the recipe of the beer changed from year to year. Rather confusingly in recent years, they also brought out a much lower strength Christmas Ale for sale in discount supermarkets, such as Lidl, but with an ABV of below 4.0% this version wasn’t worth serious consideration.

It was with some pleasure then that I spotted some bottles of the proper strength, full-fat version on sale at a branch of Roy’s of Wroxham of all places. This was on my last visit to Norfolk, back at the beginning of November. I opened the beer appropriately over the Christmas season, and what follows are my impressions of it.

The first thing to note is the strength, which at 7.0% ABV is just right. The beer pours with a nice, bright amber colour, topped with a fluffy head. There are fruit notes in both the aroma and taste, and these are complimented by a spiciness which combines well with the refreshing hop finish. The relatively high alcohol content helps give the beer a smooth and rich mouth-feel, as well as providing a rewarding warming to the drink.

If proof were needed that Shepherd Neame can, if they put their mind to it, produce beers full of character that are well worth seeking out. It is also good to see the company continuing the tradition of brewing a “proper” Christmas Ale; a tradition they upheld right through the dark days of the late 1960’s-early 1970’s – a time when other brewers were abandoning such things in favour of standardisation. 

I am regretting now not buying another bottle, but I will certainly be looking out for this beer next year.