The Beer Drinker's Guide to Munich

The first couple of times I went to Munich, I contented myself with visiting the better known beer gardens and hostelries. These included Augustiner Grossgaststatte and Keller, Lowenbrau Keller, Chinesischer Turm, Seehaus and of course the Hofbrauhaus. I did make a few trips to places outside the city such as Weihenstephan, Aying and of course, Kloster Andechs, but it wasn't until I logged on to a website entitled "The Beer Drinkers Guide to Munich" that I realised just what I had been missing in terms of traditional beer gardens that are off the normal tourist trail, and only known to locals.

Although having a presence on the web, "The Beer Drinkers Guide to Munich" is primarily a hard-copy publication; in fact it is exactly what it describes itself as, namely a fully illustrated, 240 page guide to drinking in the Bavarian capital. Now in its Sixth Edition, the BDG2M, as it likes to abbreviate itself, is the labour of love of American author Larry Hawthorne. Larry has devoted the last 30 years to both researching, and continually updating this indispensable guide, which is not only packed with details of over 50 of the best of Munich's beer gardens and taverns, but also contains essential information on how to reach them by public transport, sections on Munich Breweries, German beer styles, drinking etiquette as well as how to get around this fun-loving, easy going city. The comment on the back cover, sums up the guide. It reads "Enjoy Munich like a Munchener".

The BDG2M retails at $16.95, and can be purchased from the website. I bought my copy via Amazon, that way not only did I buy it at a discount, but I also saved on the shipping costs from the US. An added bonus is the inclusion at the back of the guide of a number of vouchers that entitle the bearer to a free litre of beer at selected "Five Beer Mug -Rated" establishments, when you purchase a beer at the regular price. (Essentially this is a "BOGOF" offer).

When the guide arrived through the post I found it hard to put it down. Most weekends this summer would find me sitting out in the garden for an hour or so, perusing the pages and selecting those beer gardens we especially wanted to visit on our forthcoming trip. When it came to actually using the guide in the field, so to speak, it proved to be worth every penny. There were places we would never have found un-aided, and yet by following the concise directions that accompany each entry, we were able to visit some real hidden gems. Getting to some of these establishments often involved a combination of train, bus and tram, but the only time we got a bit lost (and then not disastrously so), was when walking from Menterschwaige to Waldwirstschaft, a fantastic walk that took us right over the secluded Isar Valley, via a high-level pedestrian bridge.

If you are contemplating a trip to Munich, then I thoroughly recommend you get yourself a copy of this invaluable guide and no, before you ask, I am not on commission from the author!

ps. I almost forgot to mention that the BDG2M also includes details of six, out of town trips to places like Kloster Andechs, Tegernsee, Weihenstephan and even Augustiner Brau in Salzburg.

Munich - Some Highs and the Odd Low

The eight days my son and I spent in Munich were mainly, but not exclusively devoted to beer sampling. There was of course the odd bit of sight-seeing, some shopping and just generally chilling out, but the real highs were sampling the excellent products of Forschungsbrauerei, our day trip to Tegernsee in its glorious mountain lakeside setting, plus a return visit to Kloster Andechs.

The lows, were not really lows but slight disappointments. Arriving in Holzkirchen only to find that it was a Ruhetag (rest day) at Brauerei Gasthof Oberbrau and not being able to sample Holzkirchen Oberbrau; no real worry here, we travelled on to Tegernsee instead. The other disappointment was travelling to Geltendorf, at the far end of S-Bahn Line 8, and discovering that buses to Kaltenberg (home of Prinz Luitpold of Bavaria, as well as his castle-cum-brewery), only seemed to run when there was an "r" in the month. Small matter, we travelled back into Munich and visited Maisacher Brauerei instead.

I must expand a bit more here about Forschungsbrauerei. We visited on a Saturday, which was the only rainy day of our trip. A moderate S-Bahn ride to Perlach station, followed by a short walk, through the rain, saw us arriving at this renowned brewery shortly after 4pm. The biergarten was obviously closed, due to the inclement weather, so we made our way inside the cosy Braustuberl. After being shown to a vacant table we ordered a half litre each of Pilsissimus, the brewery's everyday 5.2% lager bier, only to have it pointed out to us that after 4pm beer is only served in litre mugs! No matter, we settled for a mass each of this tasty brew, it arriving at our table in traditional, stone-ware mugs which have the advantage of keeping the beer cooler for longer on hot days (not that it mattered that day!) The place began to slowly fill up, by which time I at least, although my son chickened out, decided to try Forschung's other product, the legendary St Jakobus Bock. This is a beer that doesn't take any prisoners, and at 7.5% is not really a beer to be drank in litre quantities. Having said that though this brew ranks amongst the finest beers I have ever drank, being intensely malty with a well-balanced hoppiness. The Pilsissimus was also a superb drink, with a wonderful, almost peppery bite from the whole-leaf hops used. Both beers were by far the best we sampled on the entire trip, and looking back I regret not making a return visit later on in the week.

A word of advice if you are planning to visit Forschungsbrauerei; it is closed on Mondays, and only opens for seven months of the year, from March to mid-October. During the other five months brewer Stefan Jakob and his uncle Sigmund Steinbeisser concentrate their skills on brewing research for other breweries. This is still a real family-run enterprise, and I cannot emphasise enough how, despite my somewhat limited German, we were made to feel really welcome, and left feeling we had sampled a true taste of Bavarian hospitality.

That's all for now; more about Tegernsee, Kloster Andechs, plus a bit about some of Munich's hidden beer gardens in future posts.

First Reflections on Returning from Munich

Well we got back from Munich earlier today, somewhat tired after eight days travelling in and around the Bavarian Capital. When we were last there in 2007, the so-called "credit crunch" was just starting to unwind. In fact, at the time CNN (the only English language TV station available in our hotel) were making dire predictions about what would happen if the banks were to stop lending money to one another, as well as to the likes of businesses and private individuals.

Now two years on, I am pleased to report that Munich, along with the rest of the western world, seems to have survived the worst of the economic downturn. The city was perhaps looking a tiny bit shabby in places, but there seems to be a lot of construction and also renovation projects in progress - always a good sign.

We were blessed with glorious weather, with only one day of rain. We visited some fantastic beer gardens, and sampled some excellent beers. The best of these though, came from outside the city, with the honourable exception of Forschungs - whose beers must rank amongst some of the finest I have ever tasted. Of Munich's "big Six" brewers, Augustiner rose way above the rest, especially when served direct from large wooden barrels, as in the Hirschgarten. Hofbrau was also quite drinkable, but the likes of Lowenbrau, Spaten, Hacker-Pschorr and Paulaner, whilst pleasant enough thirst quenchers on a hot summer's day, were not what I would call particularly "challenging".

This small gripe aside, we were really impressed by the popularity of the city's beer gardens. They attract people of all ages and from all walks of life. They act as great social levellers, and are places where people can go to relax after a hard days work, or to meet up with friends. At the weekends they are heaving, and are particularly popular with family groups.

Over the next week or so, I will be posting details of some of the best of these gardens, so look out for these.

Munich

Tomorrow my son and I are off to enjoy the beery delights of Munich; capital of the Free State of Bavaria and Germany's third largest city. It will be my third visit and I am really looking forward to it. We'll be there for nine days, hoping the sample the wares of all the city's breweries, as well as some from further afield.

This trip we're going armed with a copy of the "Beer Drinkers Guide to Munich", a well-researched guide to the best of the city's beer gardens and beer halls, written by Larry Hawthorne, an American author who seems to have devoted the past 20 years to producing the guide, which is now in its sixth edition.

I don't have a lap top (and I don't think my wife will lend me hers), so I won't be posting for a while, but I'll be taking notes and plenty of photo's to report back on my return.

I'll sign off now then as we've got an early morning flight, and I need my beauty sleep. Auf wiedersehen and Prost!

An Own Goal?

For the past two or three years I have subscribed to an excellent magazine entitled "Beers of the World". This full colour, glossy magazine does exactly what it says on the cover, namely it carries features and articles on beers from both around the world, as well as those from the UK. It is published once every couple of months, and my only real criticism is the way the publishers send out reminders for renewal of subscriptions several months before they are actually due.

This aside, Beers of the World is a really interesting read, and features contributions from several well-known and distinguished writers, including Roger Protz, Jeff Evans, Des de Moor and Zak Avery. Its pedigree therefore is second to none, and I always look forward to its arrival on my doormat. Imagine my shock then when the August/September issue arrived a couple of weekends ago, and what looked like a flyer fell out. I nearly threw it away, but on reading it I was informed that the current issue would be the last, as the magazine will in future only be available on line. Readers were offered either the choice of changing their subscriptions over to the magazine's sister publication, "Whisky of the World", or a refund on any money remaining.

I phoned their helpline and chose the latter, but not before I'd vented my strong disapproval at the publisher's decision. (Apparently I wasn't the only caller to do so!) Unfortunately the poor girl on the other end of the line knew precious little about why this decision had been taken, but I suspect it's probably due to falling advertising revenues and the high costs of printing and distribution. I was talking about this to some colleagues the other day, and it transpires that several other magazines have gone down the same road; all have sunk without a trace! The main conclusion we all reached though, and one that the publishers so far seem to have missed, is that people primarily read magazines to relax. Sitting in one's favourite armchair, with a cup of coffee, or better still glass of beer, whilst flicking through the pages of an interesting magazine, is both calming and restful. Trying to do the same thing hunched over a computer screen just isn't the same! OK I know that these days you can carry a small lap-top around with you, but sitting on a train, or waiting for a bus what is easier? messing around with a computer, or just pulling a magazine out of ones bag or back pocket? I know what I'd rather do.

On a closing note I feel particularly sorry for Beers of the World editor, Sally Toms, who along with her editorial team has done an excellent job with this magazine. She writes in her last editorial about how she has been with the publication right from the start, and how much she has enjoyed visiting breweries, sampling new beers, judging at competitions, and above all just meeting the really nice people that, on the whole, work in the brewing industry. I wish you well Sally, in whatever venture you are up to next, and if our paths ever cross it would be nice to enjoy a couple of beers together.

So Much to do so Little Time!

Just sitting here enjoying a glass of Pivovar Herold, an excellent Black Lager from the Czech Republic. Have just finished moving 30 two foot square paving slabs from the front of my house to the rear. Did the same thing yesterday, having had 60 delivered in total. They should have been here last week but B & Q cocked up. When laid they'll form the new patio and the base for our new summerhouse-cum-brewery.

Have plenty to write about at the moment, but just don't have the time. We've got our official pub guide launch on Saturday, and I've also got to pack ready for Munich, grab some Euros, get a haircut and a thousand and one other things! Never mind; it's better than sitting here twiddling my thumbs!

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.

GBBF Day One

Tuesday, my one and only visit to Earls Court this year. It's more than a few years since I last attended GBBF for the Trade Session. Although strictly speaking I'm no longer actively involved with the licensed trade, I still have quite a few contacts, so it was quite easy getting hold of a couple of tickets. I travelled up with a friend from work, but once inside the hall we soon met up with a number of other West Kent CAMRA members who'd had the foresight to grab a table. We made this our base for the rest of the day, and there were enough of us to ensure the table wasn't left totally unoccupied whilst the remainder of us went off foraging for whichever beers (and food) took our fancy.

My strategy this year was to start off with a few milds and weaker bitters, before moving on to the porters and stouts. Having done this, I would then move across to the imported beers on the Biers sans Frontieres stand. The inter-active beer lists on the GBBF website, which allow one to select and save those beers which take your fancy, and then come back and edit it later on, were a great innovation. How much easier it was to produce one's own "wish list" at the click of a mouse, without having to print off and copy out great chunks of text.

The strategy got off to a poor start, with several of the beers I wanted to sample not available. No problem, I had brought a reserve list, which just happened to be the first one I had knocked up. As this contained over 50 entries, I had sensibly whittled it down somewhat, but in the end it came in handy. The other really good innovation about this year's festival was the use of colourful "chalk-boards", displaying lists of all the beers on sale at each bar - full marks to the person(s) behind this idea.

We missed the announcement of the Champion Beer of Britain (CBOB) results, but whilst I wouldn't want to take anything away from the winners, Rudgate Mild doesn't really strike me as Supreme CBOB. I met up with plenty of old friends, including several members of Maidstone & Mid-Kent Branch. I also had a brief chat with Phil and Debbie Goacher, plus their brewer Simon and his girlfriend.

For lunch I enjoyed a pasty from the Crusty Pie Company, followed by a mature cheddar roll from the Traditional Cheese Company. Much later on, and plenty of beer later, I had an excellent red Thai curry, courtesy of Nuch's Kitchen. I have to say that my two favourite beers of the festival were both from the Czech Republic, and both from the same brewery. Brewed in the Moravian town of Humpolec, Bernard Brewery's excellent Cerne Pivo (dark) and Sveltly Pivo (light), both unpasteurised, and in the case of the latter, unfiltered as well, really hit the spot so far as I was concerned, and have whetted my appetite for a long overdue return visit to the Czech Republic. The best home-produced beers I sampled were Yates Fever Pitch, a 3.9% bitter, Grain Tamarind, a really tasty 5.1% IPA and the Bristol Beer Factory's 4.5% Milk Stout, who's name speaks for itself!

I have been looking at comments posted on other blogs, including those of the festival organisers. Several have drawn attention to the large percentage of female visitors, estimated at around 40%. Whilst I too noticed this phenomenon last year, as an ordinary punter, Trade Day seemed much more of a male preserve, reinforcing my admittedly somewhat prejudiced view of it as a glorified "publicans outing". Nevertheless it was an extremely enjoyable day out, and from CAMRA's point of view a highly successful one, with numbers significantly up on last year. The organisers and all the hard working volunteers should be congratulated for the truly professional event that the Great British Beer Festival is today.

Footnote: now that I've had a couple of days to recover I'm sorry that I won't be attending the festival again tomorrow (Friday). Unfortunately, with a holiday in Bavaria fast approaching I don't really feel justified in spending another full day at Earls Court, much as I would like to. However, I'm extremely heartened by what I experienced, and by all the positive feedback about the event that I've read to date. Well done, CAMRA!

Shoreham Pub Crawl

I can't think of many better ways of spending a wet and windy July evening than visiting a pub. Last Wednesday's CAMRA social surpassed this by taking in not one but four pubs. The village of Shoreham is situated in the picturesque Darenth Valley, between Sevenoaks and Swanley, and only a few miles from the M25. It is however, a world away from the frantic pace of the country's busiest motorway, ranking as one of the most attractive and prettiest villages in this part of Kent. With small, narrow streets, stone-built and half-timbered cottages and the River Darent running through its centre, it is hard to believe that London is less than 30 miles away.

Shoreham is readily accessible by train, so it proved the ideal venue for a crawl around its four pubs. There used to be five pubs in the village, but the Royal Oak, which many CAMRA members regarded as the best pub in Shoreham, unfortunately closed its doors for the last time several years ago. Still, four pubs in a village this size isn't bad going, especially in today's economic climate, and I am glad to report that on the night of our visit, all four were pulling in a reasonable trade.

This was the first time I have visited Shoreham in daylight, as previous pub crawls here have always been held either earlier or later in the year. It was good therefore to be able to walk down from the station along the unlit country lane without needing a torch! As we entered the vilage we passed Ye Olde George Inne, the first of Shoreham’s four pubs. The plan was to head for the furthest pub and then work our way back here, leaving ourselves handily situated for the short walk back up the hill to the station. Crossing over the fast-flowing Darent, and passing both the Kings Arms and the Two Brewers, we made our way to the Crown for our first pint of the night.

The Crown is a rambling old building with low ceilings and plenty of exposed beams. Somewhat unusually in this day and age it still has two separate bars. We chose the lower, and larger of these, and after discarding our wet weather gear, settled down to enjoy a beer or two. Greene King Abbot and Westerham Summer Perle were the beers on offer. Most of us opted for the latter, finding it an ideal summer pint; the only thing missing was summer itself!

From the Crown it was back to the Two Brewers. This pub, with its one large L-shaped bar, open-plan layout and red and gold wall-paper reminds me more of a restaurant than an actual pub. It was certainly quite busy with diners when we called in. Sheperd Neame Spitfire and Greene King IPA were the beers on tap. I am not a great fan of either of these beers, but opted for the IPA over the Sheps.

We then moved on to the white weather boarded, 16th Century Kings Arms; an altogether smaller, and perhaps more intimate pub. Although some of the internal walls have been removed, the pub effectively still has two bars. The Harveys Best was the beer of choice here, and to my mind was probably the best pint of the evening. All too soon though it was time to brave the rain again and move on to the final pub on our crawl, Ye Olde George.

The George had been closed on my previous two visits to Shoreham, as for some reason the previous licensee had kept strange, and rather erratic opening hours. Happily this is no longer the case following a change of ownership that has given the pub a new lease of life. Ye Olde George Inne lives up to its name, with low-beamed ceilings, and uneven floors, but what we found most attractive was the Batemans XB on sale. Although the brewery's stronger XXXB is occasionally seen in this neck of the woods, its weaker, but by no means less tasty stablemate is a real rarity. It was something of a pity then that we had to leave before last orders in order to catch the last train back to Sevenoaks.

So ended what had been a most enjoyable, but somewhat hectic tour of one of Kent’s prettiest villages.

War & Peace

No, not the lengthy novel by Count Leo Tolstoy, but the world's largest military vehicle and World War II re-enactment event. Held at the former Whitbread Hop Farm, over at nearby Paddock Wood, the "War & Peace Show" attracts thousands of visitors, and exhibitors from all over the world.

I was in Paddock Wood for most of last week, taking part in a First Aid Course, and throughout the week the numbers of vintage military vehicles driving up and down the High Street, and the numbers of uniformed personnel dressed in appropriate military costume, steadily increased. Some friends of mine, most of whom are members of Maidstone & Mid-Kent CAMRA, belong to one such re-enactment society; in their case the Home Guard. Every year they set up camp, alongside hundreds of other exhibitors, over at the Hop Farm, and spend the week under canvas living the sort of life that servicemen would have done sixty or so years ago, (without the danger from real bombs and bullets of course).

My wife thinks it's all a bit sad, but they enjoy it and they're not doing anyone any harm. In the case of those enthusiasts who turn up with a fully restored Tiger or T-34 tank, then it really is an example of "boys and their toys"! My son likes going to the show though, so this year like several others before, we joined the thousands of visitors thronging the Hop Farm on a sunny and very warm Saturday. We watched a couple of re-enactments taking place in the large arena at the top of the farm. The gun shots and explosions were both noisy and realistic, as were the battle scenes that were taking place.

Afterwards we wandered up and down the aisles perusing the dozens of stalls selling everything from army surplus to spare parts for your 1945 Willy's Jeep, plus everything in between. There were stall holders from all over Europe, and even a few places beyond. We dropped in on the Maidstone Home Guard re-enactment group, knowing that they usually have a couple of casks of decent ale tapped in their mess-tent. Unfortunately we caught them at a busy time, and they were unable to break off from guard duty (collecting on behalf of the RAF Benevolent Fund) to stop an offer us a beer. No problem we thought, we'll check out the beer tent, but not holding out too much hope of a decent pint. Sure enough there was the usual fizzy rubbish on sale - Fosters, John Smiths and the like. Not wishing to lower my standards, despite a raging thirst, I headed for the nearby Vegetarian Stall which I remembered last year was selling bottled Belgian beers. This year a small blackboard next to the stand was advertising the presence of "real ale". Not seeing much evidence of this on the stall itself I made further enquiries and was shown to an adjoining display of Bottle-Conditioned beers, specially brewed for the event under their own Bi-Veg label. I chose the 3 Strikes London Chocolate Porter, which at 5% abv, was just right. The bottle was nicely chilled, and although I had to pour it into a plastic glass, it slipped down a treat. £3.30 for a 500ml, hand-crafted BCA at a show like this wasn't bad. Unfortunately I wasn't able to ascertain who had brewed this interesting range of beer, which also included an Organic Pilsner and an IPA, but the beer I had was outstandingly good.

All this set me thinking, why do us Brits put up with such appaling mass-swill at these sort of events? Surely there is room for a few more entrepeneurs here, like the Bi-Veg crew, to offer something different and more distinctive. I can't imagine shows and events taking place in Germany, for example, without a decent drop of local beer on tap, so why not here?

First Aider

I only spent one day at work this week; the other four were spent attending a First Aid at Work Course run by the British Red Cross. Today (Friday) was our assessment, and I'm pleased to report that we all passed. There were only seven of us on the course, but they were a nice bunch of people, from very different and diverse backgrounds and it was good to mix with people I perhaps wouldn't have done otherwise . The best bit, of course, is that we've all been trained in the basics of First Aid, and if push came to the shove would be able to step in and help people when they're injured or taken ill. I hope none of us are ever put in an extreme situation, but who knows one day we may even go that stage further and end up saving someones life!

Spa Valley Railway

I've been out and about again today, trying to persuade outlets to take our new pub guide. I must say I'm glad I don't earn my living as a salesman as I'm not naturally a pushy person.

This morning I visited the Spa Valley Railway in Tunbridge Wells, as our CAMRA committee thought this prime tourist attraction might be interested in stocking the guide in their shop. They are, in principle, but it has to be done through the right channels. This means a formal written approach through their commercial director. OK I can understand where they're coming from, but why does everything have to be so dam complicated these days?

Speaking of which, I was talking to a couple of the staff in the railway's well-stocked shop, and asked them how the extension of the line down to Eridge was progressing. Well, nearly everything's in place now they told me; the infrastructure's all there, but because their newly-laid section of track runs alongside that of Network Rail. and because they are leasing one of the bay platforms at Eridge station from said organisation, the bureaucracy and red-tape is seriously delaying things. The railway had hoped to be running trains from Tunbridge Wells right through to Eridge, thereby connecting with the national rail network, by spring this year. It now looks as though this will not happen until October, just when things are starting to run down at the end of the tourist season and we head into winter. I really felt for the people who run this attraction. Like most heritage railways they rely almost exclusively on an army of unpaid volunteers. Despite all their hard work, it now looks like they will miss the all-important summer season, through no fault of their own. I wish them well; I don't want to sound like an anorak but if I ever win the lottery and can afford to retire early, I will go down and volunteer myself, as projects like this one really do deserve to succeed!

As a bit of background, the line from Tunbridge Wells West to Eridge only closed in 1985; a victim of the Thatcher government's obsession of trying to make British Rail turn in a profit. Although the West Station was originally constructed as a terminus, a short length of line was laid in the late 19th Century linking it with the town's other station, which used to be called Tunbridge Wells Central. When the line from Tonbridge down to Hastings was electrified in the early 1980's, BR used this as an excuse to sever the connection to the West Station and proposed closing the rest of the line. A severe backlog of maintenance on the Eridge line didn't exactly help either, but many cynics, myself included, believed that the main reason for closure was the substantial area of land occupied by the West Station. Sure enough this land was sold to developers following the line's closure, and a large Sainsbury Superstore now occupies much of the site.

As is so often the case, there was strong local opposition to the closure, but this counted for nothing so far as the then Transport Secretary, Nicholas Ridley was concerned, and he duly approved the closure order. Now, after a gap of over twenty years, trains will soon be running again all the way down to Eridge. This means that local CAMRA members will once again be able to travel by train to the Huntsman pub, next to the station. This former King & Barnes is well worth a visit, especially as Badger Beers are quite rare in this part of the country. It is also worth noting that the Spa Valley run special "real ale" trains, similar to those on the Keighly and Worth Valley Railway, alongside their "fish and chip" specials. The Crown at Groombridge is another fine pub, that is well worth travelling to by train, as is the High Rocks, set in its own spectacular location just outside Tunbridge Wells.

If you are in the area then, it is well worth checking out the Spa Valley Railway.

A Typical Saturday in Tonbridge

I've been out and about a bit today. I was supposed to be out trying to sell copies of our newly published "Gateway to Kent" pub guide. I did manage to sell a few, one to a friend who I met up with in our local Wetherspoons, plus several to the owner of MR Books, a fascinating and slightly quirky independent bookshop, tucked away just off the High Street, near the old market quarter of Tonbridge. I was glad I popped into the bookshop; not only did I have a lengthy and very interesting chat with owner Mark Richardson, but I also managed to pick up a copy of a book I had been looking for for ages. (Now I've got something interesting to read on holiday!)

As well as running his bookshop, Mark is also the author of the Tonbridge Blog, which is a very useful source of gossip regarding what's going on in the town. The comments and feedback also make for interesting reading, especially if they're a bit controversial. Being a former small-business owner myself, we compared notes and swapped a few tales - mainly regarding the incredibly long hours worked by most small-business owners, for very little financial reward.

I was going to pop into the Ivy House afterwards, but decided against it it in the end. The Ivy, as it is known locally, is an attractive old pub, at the top end of the town, that has recently re-opened after an extensive re-fit. It used to be a good "drinkers" pub, but now mainly caters for diners. As I still haven't been in there since the pub re-opened I don't really feel qualified to comment too much, except that I'd heard they are charging £3.50 a pint for their guest beer, and that the food prices are also a "little on the dear side". Quite what Tonbridge will make of the place remains to be seen, but it is either extremely brave or extremely foolhardy to be opening such an upmarket establishment in the middle of a recession. Nevertheless I am pleased that the pub has re-opened and wish the new owners well with their venture.

My main reason for not visiting the Ivy House though, was not one of tightness, rather the fact I'd already had a couple of pints in Wetherspoons. As I knew I would be driving later in the day, I did not wish to imbibe further, for obvious reasons. Having had to endure some of the clientele in Wetherspoons though, I can perhaps understand the Ivy House's new owners policy of charging higher prices; if it keeps the riff-raff, DSS (sorry, taxpayer)-funded underclasses out, then perhaps it is well worth paying the extra! This may sound rather elitist, but my friend and I had to queue for what seemed like forever at the bar to get served in Wetherspoons, as there were not enough staff behind the bar. This is nothing new for mid-morning on a Saturday, and may explain why Spoons manage to keep their prices so low. I can live with that, and the short measure pint I was eventually served with, but I can do without some of the more obnoxious characters that seem to be a permanent, all-day fixture. In the end though, like so many things in life, it boils down to paying your money and taking your choice.

Larkins Brewery

I nipped over to Larkins Brewery yesterday. It's only a short drive from where I work and I wanted to deliver in person the brewery's Trade Tickets for the Great British Beer Festival. Owner and brewer, Bob Dockerty was pleased with the tickets, but doubts he'll be able to spare the time to go. He told me that Larkins have just recorded their best June ever in terms of beer sales, and on top of the pub trade he has been kept busy supplying local beer festivals. The recent SIBA Festival, held in Tonbridge featured four of the company's beers, and Mick the drayman had been over to Canterbury the day before, delivering beer to the Kent Festival.

It is worth recording that this is the 35th such festival to take place under this name, making the Kent Beer Festival the second oldest such event in the country. As far as I am aware, Gill Keay has been the organiser for all 35 festivals, which is a pretty remarkable achievement! Unfortunately, due to family commitments, I will be unable to attend, but the festival, which is held on a farm just outside Canterbury, is one of the most popular and best attended beer bashes in the calendar.

Larkins will also be supplying their beer to the Great British Beer Festival; this year it is their Traditional Ale that has been selected. This 3.4% session beer packs in a taste way above its modest gravity. Bob poured me a pint which I enjoyed whilst we sat and chatted. He has recommenced growing his own hops; the harvest will not be particularly large this season as this is the first year that the bines will have produced a crop. The dry weather has not helped, and Bob told me he was out watering the hop garden the previous evening - by hand!

I love calling in at the brewery, as it is such a laid-back, easy going place. Office Manager, Guy's dog, Humphrey can often be found curled up asleep on a chair in the office, whilst Bob's desk always seems to be buried beneath a pile of well-thumbed Morning Advertisers and other such publications. Being a warm day when I visited, Bob had the rear door of the brewery open, affording a view right across the valley of the aptly named River Eden. This truly is a rural idyll if ever there was one.

Larkins, unfortunately, do not have a website, but the CAMRA Good Beer Guide gives full details of their range of beers. As they carry out their own distribution and do not use wholesalers, their beers are restricted to within a thirty mile radius of the brewery. This means you will have to visit this very pleasant corner of the Garden of England if you want to try them then. If I have tempted any of you, then drop me an e-mail and we can meet up for a pint or two of "Kent's Best Real Ale"!

Gateway to Kent Pub Guide

I had thought that there wasn't much to post about at the moment, but on reflection there's been quite a bit happening behind the scenes. Had a quiet weekend after the rather hectic one the week before. Attended a CAMRA committee meeting last night, held at the Sennockian - Wetherspoons outlet in Sevenoaks. The pub was packed, mainly with youngsters celebrating the end of their exams, but looking at some of the girls in particular. we had to wonder how many of them were of legal drinking age! Having said that, there was no trouble and no real signs of over-intoxication.

The meeting went on longer than intended, but we had a lot of business to get through. It's been an exciting time for the West Kent Branch with the publication of our new "Gateway to Kent" pub guide. Produced in conjunction with our neighbours from Maidstone & Mid-Kent CAMRA, the guide lists 500 real ale pubs across the region, with dozens of full-colour photographs. The guide is not just aimed at CAMRA members, but at the many tourists that visit the area - hence the name "Gateway to Kent".

To assist with this aim, there are articles on walking and cycling in the area - which happen to take in a choice selection of good pubs. Another article concentrates on travelling to the pub by bus or train, plus of course the usual campaigning articles about CAMRA, real ale and real pubs. At just £4.99 it represents terrific value for money.

My contribution to the guide was rather modest; consisting of carrying out some pub surveys and writing a couple of articles, but after the hard work put in by the editorial team and the guide committee, the equally hard task of selling the guide now has to be undertaken. Some members are off to Canterbury this coming weekend, where the 35th Kent Beer Festival is taking place. I will be visiting the Spa Valley Railway, in Tunbridge Wells, to try and sell some copies to this preserved Heritage Railway. That's apart from getting on with decorating the spare room, and finishing the preparation for our new patio - you know, all the domestic, but very necessary stuff that still needs doing!

By the way, copies of the guide will be available from CAMRA Headquarters, and will be on sale at the Great British Beer Festival. Copies can also be ordered through the branch.

Three Beer Festivals and a Trip North

It's been a very hectic seven days. Last week saw me making a whistle stop business trip to West Yorkshire, whilst back home there were three local beer festivals on over the weekend. This coupled with the long awaited publication of the "Gateway to Kent Pub Guide", meant that my feet have hardly touched the ground recently. Now that I've had time to catch my breath, it's worth looking back over these events.

I didn't get much chance for some serious ale-supping in Yorkshire. The two business colleagues I travelled up with are not really cask-beer drinkers, and by the time we found our hotel in the small pleasant town of Brighouse, checked in and enjoyed an excellent Italian meal in the adjoining restaurant, there wasn't much of the evening left. The local Wetherspoons though was quite a revelation, being a conversion of a Grade II listed, former Methodist Chapel. If you are ever in the area, then check out the Richard Oastler. They had a good range of local ales on sale, including offerings from Goose Eye and Elland Breweries. There just wasn't the time to sample as many of them as I would have liked! Our business visit the following morning, to nearby Elland, was also successful, and was well worth making the 500 mile round trip for.

As mentioned earlier, there were three beer festivals taking place back home. The first was the 3rd SIBA South East of England Beer Festival which this year was hosted by Tonbridge Juddians Rugby Club. The previous two events were held at the former Whitbread Hop Farm (now known as the Hop Farm Country Park), near Paddock Wood. Tonbridge, with its excellent rail connections is a much better place to hold such an event and whilst not actively invovled with the organisation of the festival, West Kent CAMRA were invited along to assist, where necessary, and to run a stall promoting both the campaign and our newly launched pub guide.

I was there on the Friday evening, which was perhaps a bit quiet for the opening night, but there was a good atmosphere and some cracking beers on offer. For the number of people who attended over the 3 days there were far too many beers (100 + from 30 different breweries) but it is worth remembering that these SIBA events are primarily run as competitions for their members, and with some eight different categories of beer to be judged many breweries will supply quite a range of beers in order to enter as many categories as possible. The beers are also supplied at the brewer's own expense, so any financial losses to SIBA, and the host organisation, are kept to a minimum. Even so, for a beer lover like myself it is heart-breaking to see so much unsold beer left over at the end of an event.

On Saturday, a number of us did a similar spell at a beer festival in nearby Sevenoaks. This event was organised by the local Lions Club, as part of the Sevenoaks Festival and, with just 30 firkins of beer, was a far more modest affair. As a CAMRA branch we had tried to disuade the organisers of this festival from holding their event over the same weekend as the Tonbridge one, but their hands were tied by the dates of the town festival. and the availability of the venue. As their first attempt at such an event though it was quite successful, and I understand is likely to be repeated.

A local pub was also holding a festival; the Beacon at Rusthall, just outside Tunbridge Wells ran their own, slightly more modest event. A couple of branch members were present at this do as well, once again promoting CAMRA and selling our new guide.

The three events did stretch our resources to the limit though, and I think in the end worked against each other by spreading the attendance of drinkers too thinly. We were quite pleased though in having sold around 100 of our guides, but next year please can the organisers of these events try and avoid clashing if at all possible?

Another Friday, Another Ramble, Another Pub

I've had one more day's leave to use up, and fancying another long weekend booked last Friday off. I arranged to meet up with two companions who I'd done the walk to Plaxtol with the previous week. The plan this time was less ambitious; we would walk across country, to the Dovecote at Capel.

There had been thunder overnight and the air was still very warm and humid when we set off. We walked up through the Somerhill Estate, crossing the bridge overlooking the ornamental lake, and then on through the park and up the hill towards Somerhill House. For non-local readers, the Somerhill Estate is the former manor house and surrounding parkland, which up until comparatively recent times, was the principal manorial estate, controlling a large part of both south Tonbridge and the nearby village of Tudeley. Today the imposing stone-built, Jacobean-style country house is home to a private school, but as various footpaths criss-cross the area, much of the estate is open to the public.

We passed the school by means of a sunken pathway, lined on both sides by a high stone wall. One of my friends told me that this type of structure was constructed to prevent livestock gaining access to the grounds of the house, without spoiling the landowner's view with a wall or fence. It seemed a pretty expensive means of keeping tabs on your cattle to me, but when you're Lord of the Manor, then I suppose money's no object! We passed through some woods and an orchard before crossing a field of ripening barley. We swore that we could detect a malty smell in the air, which may have been due to the effect of the high temperature and humidity on the maturing grain. It certainly had us anticipating the pint awaiting at the end of our journey!

We stopped en route at the tiny All Saints Church in Tudeley, to admire the contemporary stained glass windows which are the work of Russian emigre artist, Marc Chagall. The windows were originally commissioned by the then owners of Somerhill House, Sir Henry and Lady d'Avigdor Goldsmid, in memory of their daughter Sarah, who died tragically in 1963 as the result of a sailing accident. She was only 21.

The church was being decorated for a wedding, and it was nice and cool inside. We were tempted to linger, but the thought of that pint drove us on and we continued across another barley field, and then through a paddock. We crossed the busy B2017 road close to the George & Dragon, an attractive old weather- boarded inn. We would have popped in if the pub had been open, but as there were still some minutes to go until opening time we carried on. We walked through another churchyard, this time that of St Thomas a Becket at Capel. The church is no longer in regular use, although occasional services, such as weddings and funerals are conducted there.

Eventually we reached our goal, and passed inside for a welcoming pint. The Dovecote is not that much to look at from the outside. I was going to take a photo for the blog, but the pub's sign is currently being re-painted, and without this feature there is little to suggest that this row of white-painted cottages is home to one of the best pubs in this part of Kent.

The Dovecote serves its cask beers by gravity. The casks are housed in a temperature-controlled room behind the bar, and the special long cask taps pass through the wall into false wooden barrel fronts, mounted on the wall. The result is a perfectly served pint, kept at the ideal temperature. Harveys Best, Young's Bitter, Taylor's Landlord and Gales HSB were the beers on sale that day. I started with the Youngs before moving on to the Landlord. One member of our party stuck on the HSB for the whole session, but I find this beer a bit too malty for my taste.

We sat outside on the partially covered patio, at the rear of the pub, soaking up the hazy sunshine whilst enjoying our pints. We treated ourselves to a light lunch; my prawn baguette with chips was especially nice. The pub was bustling with a good mix of both diners and drinkers, proving that even in a recession pubs offering the right mix of good beer, good food and good service will continue to do well.

We walked back by a slightly different route, climbing up through orchards and then into woodland. Some of the sweet chestnuts had been copppiced recently, and we came across a workshop in a clearing, where the poles were being made into fencing posts and other useful items. Eventually we picked up the path again through the back of the Somerhill Estate. We noted, with some amusement, the wooden shelter built to protect the little darlings from the elements whilst they wait for mummy or daddy to collect them after school in the family Mercedes, or "Chelsea Tractor", but all joking aside I am glad the former manor house is being put to good use. (Just think, it could have become the headquarters of a religious cult, or a training camp for fundamentalist extremists!).

A short while later we were back in Tonbridge. Although it had only been a relatively short walk ( seven or eight miles at most), the high levels of humidity had made it seam a lot longer. It is a walk however, that I intend to repeat in the not too distant future.

A Good End to the Week

I managed to get away from work last Friday and enjoyed a glorious day's rambling in the Kent countryside. Four of us did the walk, travelling by bus to the village of Mereworth, and then climbing up through the woods that are named after the village. Despite having lived in this part of Kent for thirty odd years, this was the first time I had walked up through the woods which cover this section of the Greensand Ridge. What was particularly appealing was the number of isolated dwellings, set down narrow side roads seemingly miles from anywhere, that we came across. We were especially taken with the aptly named Keeper's Cottage, set in a clearing all on its own - like something out of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale.

Eventually we left the shelter of the trees passing through orchards instead. This small area of the county is the centre of the Kent Cobnut growing industry and it was good to see the trees already laden with small, immature nuts indicating a good harvest come September. Our destination was the Golding Hop, a wonderfully unspoilt pub, in an idyllic rural setting, which lies on the opposite side of the Bourne Valley. We reached our goal shortly before one o'clock, and entered keen to sample one or more of the gravity-drawn beers.

The choice that Friday included Adnams Bitter, Thwaites Nutty Slack Mild, Marstons Ashes, plus a beer from Springhead Brewery, who's name escapes me. For those not in the know, the Golding Hop is run by Eddie and his wife Sonia, and has been for the past twenty five years or so. The pub itself is built into the side of a hill, overlooking a narrow lane, and is over 300 years old. As mentioned earlier, the beers are served by gravity from casks stillaged in a room behind the bar. The Golding Hop is also famed for its cider, and as well as varieties like Westons the pub produces its own "rough cider", from a recipe that has been handed down over the years from one licensee to the next.

We sat outside on the small terrace in front of the pub, enjoying the late spring sunshine, but in winter the interior of the pub, with its low beamed ceilings and wood-burning stove is equally appealling. On the other side of the lane is an extensive garden, complete with swings and climbing frame for the kids, plus a large car-park; such is the popularity of the Golding Hop on summer weekends. A small, limited menu offers basic pub-grub of the chips and baked beans with everything variety. The food is good value though, as are the beers. The most expensive were the Adnams and the Marstons at £2.60 a pint; the Thwaites was the cheapest at just £2.20, with the Springhead somewhere in between. With these prices it is hard to believe towns like Sevenoaks are just a short distance away, whilst London itself can't be more than thirty miles distant!

We reluctantly said goodbye to the Golding Hop just after the 3pm closing time, and set off to walk into the nearby village of Plaxtol. On the way we passed some very attractive and expensive looking properties, and before entering the village were rewarded with some spectacular views across the Bourne Valley. Plaxtol itself is quite a large village but without an obvious centre. We passed the former Rorty Crankle pub, now sadly a private dwelling, before coming upon the Papermakers Arms.

We hadn't intended to stop for another pint at this stage, but the pub was open and looked very inviting. It is probably getting on for thirty years since I last had a pint in the Papermakers so a return visit was long overdue. Internally the pub has one large bar, divided into two distinct halves. The servery is to the right, whilst to the left is a carpeted area, complete with a red-beige pool table, plus some comfortable sofas. Leading off from here is the pub's dining area. Two cask ales were on offer, Harveys Best - dispensed from a cask behind the bar, plus Timothy Taylors Landlord. We opted for the latter, price £3.10 a pint, and in excellent condition.

We were the only customers in the pub that afternoon, but we had an interesting chat with the landlady, who told us she was planing to switch over to gravity dispense, using a system similar to that of the Halfway House at Brenchley. The food menu at the Papermakers looked good and reasonably priced, with fish cooked in beer batter their speciality. At the rear of the pub is an attractive and well-laid out garden area, with a" play cottage" for the kids. We were all impressed with the pub, and were glad we called in.

It was onwards, and in this case, downwards to our final destination, the Swan on the Green at West Peckhham. First we had to get there though, so we descended down towards the valley of the River Bourne. which in reality is nothing more than a stream. We were joined on this section of the walk by a mother and her two boys, plus the family dog, who were making their way home from school. The mother confirmed we were on the right path, and we walked with them towards their family home. When we parted company, we all thought how refreshing (and unusual) in this day and age of molly-coddling children, to walk home with them, across the fields through some very attractive countryside, instead of turning up at the school gate to whisk them home in the family 4x4!

Climbing up the other side of the River Bourne, we made our way along the Greensand Way, which follows the line of the ridge of the same name. We passed fields of both strawberries and raspberries, the latter ripening under large poly-tunnels. This is a renowned soft fruit growing area, being ideally suited with warm south-facing slopes and easy draining soils. Eventually, just before 6 o'clock opening time, we reached the tiny village of West Peckham. This really is a settlement on the road to nowhere; a turning off the Mereworth-Plaxtol road leads into the village and stops abruptly at the attractive village green. The latter has a cricket pitch, and is overlooked by the small church plus, of course, the village pub.

The Swan in the Green is a brew-pub, and has been so since the start of the millennium. A range of 10 different beers are brewed in the small micro-brewery at the rear of the pub, including a mild, a porter and a lager, which complement the various bitters and pale ales that are the pub's mainstay. What's more, the beers are all realistically priced. Having consumed a fair amount of beer already that day, I sensibly stuck to the weakest beer on offer the Fuggles, which as its name suggests is a well-hoped session beer at 3.6%, costing a very reasonable £2.50 a pint. My companions tried a couple of the stronger bitters, which included Cygnet at 4.2% and Bewick at 5.3%. The latter was still good value at £2.90. I can thoroughly recommend the Swan; despite having an accent on food at one end of the pub, it still functions as a village local. Drinkers are every bit as welcome as diners, and the pub-brewed beers are well worth sampling.

We left the Swan whilst it was still light, and walked back along the road to Mereworth. Here we were just in time for the 8.40pm bus back to Tonbridge, although we nearly boarded a bus taking a group of weary fruit-pickers back to their accommodation by mistake. It had been a truly excellent day out, and one that had taken us through some magnificent countryside. The fact that such unspoilt rural vistas are virtually on our doorstep made us realise just how lucky we are living in this part of the country. That there are still some wonderfully unspoilt and thriving pubs around, selling good beer at reasonable prices makes me feel that well-run rural pubs still have a future. I could go on to contrast the prices we found on our walk with those encountered just a couple of days previously, and only a dozen or so miles away, but I appreciate I have waffled on long enough. Thank-you for your patience; I hope you have enjoyed my description of our walk through the Garden of England.