Beer-related travel, at home and abroad, exploring and indulging my passion for beer.
Saturday 31 August 2013
Another Success Story
Wednesday 5 April 2017
Changing times; changing habits
Man of Kent, Tonbridge - scene of many a lunchtime pint, back in the day |
Harvey's Brewery Shop - Lewes |
Sunday 9 August 2009
Sunday in the High Weald
Having done all the domestic things on Saturday, including the shopping and mowing the grass, Sunday dawned warm and bright - just perfect for a walk in the country. In common with other West Kent CAMRA members I've volunteered to hawk our recently published "Gateway to Kent" around a few of the local hostelries. Apart from the town ones (Tonbridge), the rural ones I've selected are all within easy driving distance from where I work, meaning I can cover them at lunchtime. Well most of them; the Kentish Horse, in the small hamlet of Mark Beech was just that bit too far for a lunchtime visit, so I decided a weekend walk in the country, taking in the aforementioned pub would be a better solution.
I travelled out by train to the small, pleasant town of Edenbridge, alighting at the top station. I then made my way to Edenbridge's other station; Edenbridge Town. Like several towns in this part of the country Edenbridge has two stations, a relic from the days of different, competing companies who originally built the railways. From the Town station there were just two stops to my final destination of Cowden. I'm ashamed to say that in the twenty-five years or so that I've lived in this part of Kent I have never travelled, until now, on what is known as the Uckfield Line. I am doubly ashamed of this fact, as for the past 15 years I've been a member of the Wealden Line Campaign - an organisation campaigning to restore rail services from Uckfield (where the line is currently truncated), through to Lewes. The link was originally cut in the late 1960's to make way for a mis-guided relief road scheme in Lewes, thereby transforming what was a useful through route into nothing more than a branch line to nowhere. Despite the obvious benefits of restoring just 8 miles of track, successive governments and railway management, have shamefully buried their heads in the sand and have poured cold water on all proposed re-opening schemes. East Sussex County Council must be singled out here for particular criticism, as it was their road scheme that led to the cutting of the line in the first place, and it has largely been their intransigence that has prevented the line re-opening. I digress, but it's something I feel rather passionate about, having worked for three years in Lewes. It always niggled me that apart from the long way via Redhill, I was denied the opportunity of direct travel by train from my home town of Tonbridge; something that was quite straight forward, prior to 1969.
Cowden station is pretty and very rural in its location, but like many others in this part of the world is some distance from the actual village itself. My route to the Kentish Horse lay through some woodland alongside the tracks. From here it was a short walk over the top of Cowden tunnel to Mark Beech itself. It was cool and very peaceful walking through the woods, and apart from the noise of the up-train, nothing disturbed the solitude. Imagine my surprise then when I stumbled upon a small, but attractive looking house in a clearing, right in the middle of the woods. It was like something out of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, and I half expected to see an old lady, dressed in black, in a tall pointed hat, leaning on her broom-stick by the front door. I later found out that the house is a holiday let, that can be reached by car via a narrow track - so much for romantic illusions!
Leaving the shade of the woods behind me, I was soon exposed to the full heat of the midday sun. Once again though, apart from the noise of the planes departing from Gatwick, no man-made sounds disturbed the quiet of the countryside. I could see the spire of Mark Beech church in the distance, and made my way towards it. The path led trough the churchyard, and the Sunday service having just finished, I was invited in for a look by a member of the congregation. The church is mid-Victorian, and quite attractive in its own way. It was certainly nice and cool inside.
However, I had a pint waiting for me, and a king-sized thirst to match, so I passed out of the churchyard and into the rear garden of the Kentish Horse. It is several years since I last had the pleasure of visiting this pub, and I was not disappointed with what I saw when I stepped inside. The pub has a bright and airy feel to it, which complements its obvious antiquity. Harveys Best and Larkins Traditional were the beers on offer; I opted for a pint of the latter. The landlady was pleased to take some guides off me. I too was pleased as it meant I would not have to carry them back with me.
The pub was starting to fill up nicely, no doubt in part due to the excellence of the menu. I took my second pint outside and sat there enjoying the sunshine and watching the world go by. I decided to make my next stop at the legendary Queens Arms, at Cowden Pound. A visit to this CAMRA National Inventory-listed pub really is like stepping back in time, as nothing much has changed in this simple country ale-house since the 1930's! Known locally as "Elsie's", after its delightful and quick-witted landlady, the Queen's Arms is one of a small number of fast vanishing, unspoilt, heritage pubs. Elsie was born in the pub, and her mother ran the place before her. No-one is quite sure exactly how old she is, and no-one would certainly dare ask her. However, Elsie has not been too good recently and apart from Sunday lunchtimes, the pub is now only open during the evenings.
The Queen's Arms' other claim to fame is the fact that it does not sell lager, in any shape or form. A sign outside proclaims to to the outside world "Lager not Sold Here". One single draught beer is sold; currently Adnams Bitter, but back in the days when the pub was tied to Whitbread, Fremlins, and then Flowers were the beers sold A bank of three hand pumps adorns the bar, apart from that there is nothing else; no fancy chilled cabinets, and only three optics. In the old days, Elsie did not sell vodka either, but has relented since the collapse of communism! She used to serve simple bread and cheese lunches, in ample portions, but unfortunately has had to stop since her health took a turn for the worse. The pub still has two bars, but the larger saloon is only used for special occasions, like the regular folk evenings. The public bar is very basic, with a lino floor, and bare wooden bench seating around the outside walls. A welcoming coal fire provides the heat during the winter months. The Adnams is served in over sized, lined glasses, and costs just £2.70 pint. If you don't like Adnams, gin, whisky or vodka, there is a choice of bottled Guinness, Ramrod or Strongbow!
I had just missed Elsie when I called in. The chap looking after the bar for her told me that she had gone out the back for her Sunday lunch. This was a real shame, as she is quite a character. She is one of the very few people I know who still speaks with the soft burr of a proper Kentish accent. Unfortunately, the county's proximity to London has meant that the much harsher "Estuary English" is now the "lingua Franca" in these parts. As I mentioned earlier, no food is available at the Queens Arms, apart from plain crisps that is! However, some of the regulars have taken to bringing in their own, and there were some cheese and crackers on counter that I was invited to share.
Pubs like this are a dying breed and one has to fear for the future of the Elsie's once she is no longer capable of running the place. I left happy and contented after a couple of pints of Adnams. I made my way to Hever station and caught the train back to Edenbridge. I was going to stop for a pint in the town, but after the experience of the Queens Arms, anything Edenbridge had to offer would have seemed a poor second best! If you are ever in this part of Kent, then call in at Elsie's, before this marvellous piece of living history vanishes for ever.
Sunday 12 November 2023
Will the Harvey's at the Boar's Head, last the weekend?
The Boar’s Head Inn at Eridge, is an unspoilt 17th Century inn, just off the main A26 road, a mile or so to the north of Crowborough. It is a low beamed pub with a cosy interior, featuring two inglenook fireplaces. There is outside seating with good views, although when I called in on Saturday, it wasn’t exactly a day for sitting outside. For those who are hardier than me, it’s worth noting, that to the north of the pub, there is a steep wide valley that is traversed by the A26, where twin streams flow along a valley floor flanked by thickly wooded slopes. The railway between Ashurst and Crowborough makes its way along this valley before journeying to the end of the line at Uckfield.
So, what was I doing at the Boar’s Head? A pub I’d last visited over 30 years ago, and one that I got to know just a few years after moving to Tonbridge. It was my involvement with the local CAMRA branch, which was then known as Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells CAMRA that took me to the Boar’s Head, as back then the branch covered a small area of neighbouring East Sussex, that included Crowborough.
I remember the place as an unspoilt old inn that belonged to Whitbread, and as such served a decent drop of Faversham-brewed, Fremlin’s Bitter. A decade or so later, and a change of employer, led to me commuting, by car, every day between Tonbridge and Lewes, so I often drove by on my journey to and from work. I say “often” because sometimes I would take the scenic route across Ashdown Forest, thereby avoiding the traffic bottlenecks of Tunbridge Wells and Crowborough. I was prompted to make a long overdue visit to the Boar’s Head after driving to Crowborough the day before. Mrs PBT’s, and I had visited a medical centre in the town, in order to obtain our COVID booster vaccinations, but the drive through the town is one we take quite often, as Eileen’s sister, and niece live in nearby Uckfield. Despite this familiarity, I hadn’t given too much notice to the Boar’s Head as it is now set back from the main A26 road. When I worked in Lewes, work was underway to straighten and widen what was a notorious stretch of road between Eridge and Crowborough, which is why the pub is now, mercifully separated from the A26. The Boar’s Head is also on the No. 29 bus route between operated by Brighton & Hove Buses, which runs every half-hour on weekdays and Saturdays, between Brighton and Tunbridge Wells. It is a well-used service, and for those with a bus pass, the ideal way to travel between Kent and Sussex. With a bus stop, virtually outside the pub, it’s an ideal way to visit the Boar’s Head, without having to drive. Having clocked the position of the bus stops, on both sides of the road, as we drove passed on Friday, the following day I decided to hop on the bus from Tunbridge Wells and check out the Boar’s Head for myself. It has to be at least 30 years since I last set foot in the pub, and I’m pleased to report that very little had changed. Arriving shortly after 2 pm, I found the pub pleasantly busy, without being overcrowded. Here were several groups of diners, but also a group of drinkers either propping up the bar or sitting at it. I joined the latter group, as I had no real plans to eat, and faced with a choice of Harvey’s Best or London Pride, I opted for the former. It cost me a fiver, which seems to be the going rate for Harvey’s, these days. The Lewes-based company have always been a little on the dear side when it comes to the prices of their beers, but given their quality, it’s a price I don’t mind paying. Harvey’s also became the matter of some debate at the bar, as two of the fellas sat there were expressing their concerns that the current cask was unlikely to last the weekend. According to the two girls behind the bar who, incidentally, were doing a sterling job, the cask of Sussex Best on sale was the LAST ONE. From what I could gather, the pub’s licensees were on holiday, and there had been a mix-up with the order from Harvey’s. The next delivery was scheduled for Tuesday, and at the current rate, what was left in the cellar was unlikely to last until then. One worried drinker questioned how many pints had been sold since the last cask went on sale. One of the girls estimated at least twenty, which begged the question, would the Harvey’s last out until Tuesday? As serial pub explorer, and prolific blogger, Retired Martin would point out, it’s debates such as this one which make pubs such interesting places. It’s all about the detail, even if that often includes the trivial as well, because at the end of the day whilst such things appear unimportant to the majority of us, to some they represent almost life and death situations. So, as Martin would say, it’s seemingly unimportant incidents like the Harvey’s running out, that make pub going so interesting and enjoyable.Final point, I was unlucky with the bus timings on Saturday, and after missing one in Tonbridge, right at the start of my journey, the knock-on effect was narrowly missing the No. 29 bus in Tunbridge Wells, as well. The return journey was marred by a late running service, so after making my way to the stop, nearly 10 minutes before the bus was due to arrive, I ended up waiting an additional 15 minutes before it eventually turned up. It wasn’t raining or anything, so wasn’t a huge deal, but it was chilly, and certainly cold enough to remind me that the insulating properties of denim aren’t particularly good!
Saturday 29 July 2023
Gales HSB - another blast from the past
Back in April I wrote a post about Walter Hicks Special Draught – HSD, a beer brewed by Cornish brewers, St Austell. It’s a beer that many drinkers thought had disappeared, and without beating about the bush, it’s a real, old fashioned strong best bitter, of the type we don’t see much of today. The article was sparked by the appearance of HSD in a well-known Tonbridge pub – the Nelson Arms, and it is the Nelson again where another strong, best bitter, complete with a proper traditional taste and feel, has featured on a couple occasions recently.
The beer I’m talking about has a similar three letter acronym to HSD and is called HSB. This strong, English bitter, is russet in colour and is packed full of rich, soft-fruit flavours, which are definitely not citrus in nature! Its full name is Horndean Special Bitter, Horndean being a small village 8 miles north of Portsmouth, on the main A3 road from London.
Until 2006, Horndean was the home of George Gale & Co Ltd, a brewery with a distinctive range of traditional, bitter ales. It was founded in 1847 but found itself on the market when a member of the owning family decided to cash in his share of the business. Gales was bought by well-known, London brewers, Fuller, Smith & Turner in 2005, for £92 million, and closed the following year, after which production transferred was to Chiswick. In the years leading up to the takeover, Gale’s beers – primarily HSB, were often seen in the free trade, and were stocked locally, until quite recently, at the Dovecote Inn at Capel, near Paddock Wood. During the early years of my association with West Kent CAMRA, HSB sometimes featured as a guest ale, at the Little Brown Jug at Chiddingstone Causeway, but apart from those two outlets, I haven’t come across the beer in ages. Several days ago I did, and enjoyed my first pint in years of HSB at the Nelson. It was every bit as good as I remember it. Then, the following day I noticed it on sale again, this time at the famous Lewes Arms, a wonderful unspoilt pub at the top of the Sussex county town, in the shadow of Lewes’s imposing castle. Some might call it serendipity, whilst others will just dismiss it as coincidence, but it’s worth noting the care that new owners, Fuller's put into this beer, as HSB is still brewed with the same Gales yeast that gave it its famous flavour.I first enjoyed Gale’s beers on a visit to a small village in Surrey. This would have been in the mid-1970’s, whilst I was a student, at Salford University. A friend of mine had access to a small cottage, in the equally tiny village of Eashing, near Godalming. The property belonged to his mother, and her partner, and having borrowed the keys (with permission), my friend Nick and I, along with our respective girlfriends, headed down into deepest Surrey, to enjoy a long and relaxing weekend in the Surrey countryside. The four of us met at Waterloo station, and boarded a train to Godalming, but not before enjoying a few pints of Brakspear’s, at the Hole in the Wall opposite.
The latter was a well-known free house, occupied a railway arch opposite the station, and was renowned for offering a good selection of cask ales. This was the first opportunity any of us had to sample a few pints of Henley’s finest, so we made the most of it, before catching our train. Without a car at our disposal, we walked from Godalming station to Eashing, and it was getting dark by the time we reached Nick’s mother’s cottage. There was an Ind Coope pub in Eashing, serving top-pressure Ind Coope Special Draught, but little else of interest to budding beer enthusiasts, like ourselves. Fortunately, our host had done his homework and knew, from previous visits, there was a Gales pub in Milford, the next village to the south, situated just off the busy A3 trunk road.
There were a couple of bikes at the cottage, so the following day Nick and I cycled to the pub, leaving the girls to their own devices. Whilst there, we enjoyed Gale’s Light Mild, Bitter plus of course, HSB. I’ve been trying to identify the pub itself, as none are listed on What Pub under Milford, but a look at a website for closed pubs indicates that the village had two pubs, both named after lions, one red and the other white. Looking at the photos, I’ve a feeling it was the Red Lion, situated on the Portsmouth Road, that we visited. The pub closed in 2009 and is now used as a Tesco Express. The White Lion fared slightly better, by managing to hang on until 2015.Going back to the takeover of Gales, for a moment, the brewery at Horndean, had suffered from years of under-investment, and whilst Fuller’s had intended on keeping it open, the costs of the work required to bring it up to modern standards, would have made this uneconomical. This is the reason why the plant closed when it did. As I mentioned earlier, Fuller’s managed to save Gale’s unique strain of yeast, and as well as HSB, they produce another former Gale’s beer, this being the unique Prize Old Ale, an extremely strong, old ale, that is matured in oak casks, prior to bottling. The bottles were originally sealed with a cork, but I understand more conventional crown caps are now used instead.
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