Berkshire South East Campaign for Real Ale
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Issue 73, Winter 2023
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Chair’s Welcome
Welcome to this 73rd edition of Mad Cow…
I am sad to report that the average number of national pub closures has risen to a staggering 77 per month during the period April to June this year. It seems more people are drinking at home to save money due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. On a positive note, however, our local CAMRA branch held another excellent Beer Festival at Ascot during the first week of October, which was very well attended. We also held a launch event for the 2024 Good Beer Guide at the Crispin pub in Wokingham. Locally We have supported the following campaigns and promotions: • LocAle - to encourage our pubs to stock locally-brewed, high quality real ale • Pub of the Year (PoTY) – both within our branch area and regionally • Promoting CAMRA Membership in the local area • Promoting Beer Festivals both within and outside of our region • Champion Beer of Britain (CBoB) voting and promoting • Providing beer mats to local pubs supporting the ‘Summer of Pubs’ campaign • Providing regular updates to WhatPub App MERRY CHRISTMAS! Kevin Lenton Branch Chair
CAMRA Berkshire South East Branch Contacts BRANCH CHAIR Kevin Lenton chair@seberks.camra.org.uk BRANCH CONTACT David Richards contact@seberks.camra.org.uk MAD COW EDITOR Mike Rathge madcow@seberks.camra.org.uk MAD COW DISTRIBUTION Kevin Lenton madcow@seberks.camra.org.uk PUB PROTECTION OFFICER Peter Lucey pubprotection@seberks.camra.org.uk SOCIAL MEDIA CONTACT Mike Dixon socialmedia@seberks.camra.org.uk
Issue 73, Winter 2023
WEBSITE seberks.camra.org.uk
@CamraBSE @Ascot_Beer_Fest Berkshire South-East CAMRA Trading Standards Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline 0808 223 1133 citizensadvice.org.uk
© Berkshire South East CAMRA 2023 Mad Cow Circulation: 2,300 Copies
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Plough & Harrow, Warfield
Victoria Arms, Binfield The Plough & Harrow re-opened on the 8th October. The new landlord is Fabio, he is related to Giovanni, the landlord at The Boot in Park Road, Bracknell. When we visited (9th Oct) the kitchen hadn’t opened yet but it was expected to be open in a week or so. At the time of our visit the only real ale available was St. Austell Tribute. Fabio said he would like to stock local real ales in future. The parking spaces for horses remain. A new tenant, Bobby Jukums, took over at the Victoria Arms on the 27th September. This is his second pub in the area as he is already the tenant at The Prince Arthur in Windsor. The regular beers at the Victoria Arms will remain as ESB, London Pride and Dark Star Hophead. Bobby plans to have a guest from the Fuller’s portfolio. He is also giving a CAMRA discount on his real ales of 20p/pint outside of Happy Hour discounts. A new food menu has been introduced with a strong emphasis on home-made recipes and local suppliers. When we visited recently (13th Oct) the Hophead was very good and the fish and chips were excellent.
Pheasant, Winnersh The Pheasant in Winnersh has closed. It looks very sad, boarded-up with concrete blocks across the entrances L
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Emmbrook Inn, Wokingham The licensees of the Emmbrook Inn are moving the pub in a different direction. The excellent Thai food is no more (although still available at sister pub the Jolly Farmer in Hurst). Instead, new managers Claire and Ed have been brought in to make the pub more of a community local. The kitchen is concentrating on traditional pub food including English Breakfasts and Sunday Roasts. Lots of events are being arranged such as quiz nights, senior citizen luncheons, live music, comedy nights and DJ nights.
Bull, Barkham The Bull at Barkham is currently closed and is looking for a new Landlord.
Issue 73, Winter 2023
seberks.camra.org.uk
Good Beer Guide 2024 Launch The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Good Beer Guide is the UK’s best-selling beer and pub guide and it continues to represent the best of the best in the brewing and hospitality industry. The latest version was launched locally at The Crispin pub in Wokingham in September. Publicans Ange and Aid have seen their pub appear in the guide for several years. With 4500 pubs, bars, and clubs selected by unpaid volunteers up and down the country, this is the best guide for pubgoers interested in being served a good pint of real ale, as well as those who wish to find a local near them that is welcoming and offers many other appealing benefits. Kevin Lenton
Issue 73, Winter 2023
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Hops in the Headlines Ruth Mitchell
Elusive Brewing Managing Director
Beer hit the headlines again recently, not for the usual reasons of duty increases or a politician trying to pour or awkwardly drink a pint to look like they are a regular pub goer. This time climate change and its impact on hops was at the fore, as new research revealed that the yield of hops in Europe could decline by 4-18% by 2050. This is based on a moderate global warming scenario, leading to a significant increase in the price of these varieties with a decrease in the amount of alpha acids found in the hops also having an impact on flavour. Although hops make up a relatively small percentage of the ingredients that go into each pint of beer, they pack a big punch in terms of both flavour and price, meaning that changes to harvests and a decreasing availability of some varieties could have a significant impact. This change isn’t just being seen in Europe. While global beer production
Issue 73, Winter 2023
increased from 2021 to 2022 by 1.3%, global hop production fell by over 18.5%, meaning breweries will have to fight harder, and pay more, to get hold of the hops they want. Not only that, a decrease in Alpha Acids will mean that brewers need to use more hops to create the level of flavour and bitterness that drinkers crave. Sarah Goddard who works for Barth Haas X, one of the world’s major hop growers and distributers, comments, “Climate change is having a huge effect on the whole supply chain for hops. The 2022 crop was down by 19% year on year with the 2023 crop looking much the same. The harvest total for the Alpha Acid of the 2022 harvest was over 3,300 metric tonnes down too.” Brewing can be a very energy and ingredient intense industry which in turn can have negative effects on the environment. In recent years many breweries have taken steps to reduce this with natural water filtration systems, naturally temperature regulated warehouses and carbon offsetting becoming more common. Another way that brewers can reduce their carbon footprint is by buying more hops locally, using varieties that grow in the UK rather than looking to the US or New Zealand. Typically, UK hops haven’t had the bold, citrus driven flavour profile that many modern drinkers are looking for but that is now starting to change.
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Jon Stringer is Sales Manager for Charles Faram, another hop grower and distributor, who’s hop development program focusses on developing new UK grown hop varieties. Jon said, “Many breweries have focused their attention on sustainability since the Covid pandemic. Buying local raw materials does reduce the brewers’ CO2 footprint and keeps money in the British economy.” Jon continues “With the explosion of craft beer and craft beer styles in the last 10 to 15 years, many consumers have developed a taste for hoppy beer with tropical and citrus fruit profiles. These flavours have not been typical of traditional British hop varieties, such as Goldings and Fuggles. Hop breeding programmes, such as the Charles Faram and British Hop Association programmes, are trying to address this with new British varieties such as Harlequin®, Jester®, Olicana® and Ernest, to enable British brewers to not rely on hops from overseas when making modern hop-forward beer styles.” So good things are happening in the UK hop growing scene which will hopefully
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lead to the growth of an industry which has shrunk significantly over the last few decades, however that doesn’t mean that UK brewers will stop using imported hops. In 2020 UK breweries used 1,973 metric tonnes of US hops verses 924 metric tonnes of hops grown in the UK. This trend doesn’t look like it’s set to slow any time soon, with more UK breweries focusing on modern beer styles with higher and higher hopping rates and bigger players continuing to push their own “craft” ranges which typically use imported hops, and more of them. As climate change continues it looks clear that the price of a well brewed pint is set to increase, so it will be more important than ever to support local breweries as they compete for hops in a global market place where availability is declining. Ruth Mitchell is a qualified Beer Sommelier and Certified Cicerone. She is Managing Director of Elusive Brewing and has worked in the beer industry for over 13 years.
Issue 73, Winter 2023
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Landlord’s Witter By Barry Fenton
made it to the interview stage. We got the job! After a week of training, we took over in November 2022. That was just before Christmas and the football world cup, a very busy time. We had no chef and not enough staff, so it was exhausting for all of us. Q. What do you most like about the pub trade?
An interview with a licensee from a local pub. This time I welcome Jacki Curthoys, who with husband Ed and daughter Caitlin run the Rose & Crown, a Punch Tavern, in Sandhurst High Street. This is the third time that I have interviewed here. In 2016 it was Michele & Peter Cozens and in 2020 Charlotte Langstone. The pub is a previous winner of our branch pub of the year. Q. Jacki, how did you get into the pub business and how long have you been in the Rose & Crown? A. I’m from South Africa and have been in the UK for 12 years. We lived nearby and our daughter, Caitlin worked at the Rose & Crown, our local pub. Ed and I worked in the corporate world, in sales and customer service and had what you might call a mid-life crisis. When Caitlin told us that the pub was becoming vacant, we asked her to find out how to go about applying for it. We spoke to the, then landlady, made the application and
Issue 73, Winter 2023
A. Chatting to people, getting to know locals. Previously we had been four years in the area, and we didn’t know many people. Now we feel like we are part of the community, all through the pub. Q. And the least? A. Getting used to the hours. I miss my Saturdays off, but I’m getting used to the new way of life. I’ve adapted and evolved. Q. What real ales are you selling today? A. Timothy Taylor Landlord (4.3%), Fullers London Pride (4.7%), and Greene King Abbott Ale (5.0%). Q. And how will these change over the coming weeks and months? A. Landlord is a fixture, we choose two others from the SIBA list. Next on is Loddon’s Hoppit. Customers give suggestions and I know what has been successful in the past. Q. How important are real ales to your pub? A. Very important. We are aware of the history of the pub having been CAMRA BSE ‘pub of the year’ in the past. I’m in charge in the cellar, with help from Ed
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and Caitlin. We do all that is necessary to ensure the perfect pint is served with on-the-job training, through regularly cleaning our lines and making sure that the glasses are new. And we offer a 50p a pint discount every Monday & Tuesday. Q. What plans have you got for your pub in the next year? A. We intend to build on our success: we are very pleased with how things are going now. We have had excellent feedback from our customers and reviews in TripAdvisor. We have built up a good team, in the bar and in the kitchen. They enjoy their work and want to be here. We will celebrate our first anniversary next month. (November.) We will soon be upgrading the exterior at the front of the pub making it more inviting, welcoming and attractive. Next summer, I intend doing more South African Braais. (BBQs.) Q. What would you like to get over to our readers to encourage them to come into your pub?
in the area, and we’ve become a meeting place for them and other likeminded folk. Q. What about the economic prospects this winter? How will this impact your pub and your customers’ spending? A. We survived last winter, so I’m confident about this one. We offer a warm haven. If you’re cold at home, just pop in - read a book if that’s what you want to do. We will continue with our usual drink and food offers, to help. Q. What is the price now of a pint of real ale and what do you think that it might be in 12 months? A. I really don’t like to guess, but whatever it is I’m sure that it will taste splendid and be worth it. Landlord is now £4.50, if pressed I will say £4.95. I should point out that Pride is now £4.10. Q. What wrong would you most like to put right in the pub trade? A. The high amount of tax and unfair competition from the supermarkets.
A. All are welcome, we are an “everyone” pub, all year round, for the whole community.
Q. Which celebrity would you most like to work behind your bar and why?
I’m proud of my Sunday roasts which are popular. We have a lovely lunch menu and various offers on food and drinks which vary daily.
A. Tom Cruise. He knew what to do behind the bar in the movie, Cocktail. He is easy on the eye, and I will help him with the pouring!
Live music most Saturdays and Karaoke on the last Friday of the month.
Thanks, for the chat Jacki.
Since moving in, I’ve found that there are several other South African people
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Cheers, Barry Fenton
Issue 73, Winter 2023
seberks.camra.org.uk
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Issue Page 73, 6 Winter 2023
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Page2023 11 Issue 73, Winter
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A Festival of Cider at Ascot The CAMRA Ascot Beer & Cider Festival was held over the first Friday & Saturday in early October 6th & 7th. A day of quality racing at Ascot Racecourse was coupled with our CAMRA Beer & Cider Festival, which was well attended. This was due to the good weather and more favourable strike and engineering timetables on the railways that enabled better attendance than in previous years. The very popular Cider Bar had 24 different Ciders available. To determine the Cider of the Festival, a Cider Bar team conducted a blind tasting of the best local ciders to es-tablish the Cider of the Festival.
• • •
First was Second was Third was
Tutts Clump Mr Whitehead’s Tutts Clump
Rum Cask Devil’s Device Tutts Clumper
Congratulations to Tim Wale and his team at Tutts Clump for providing the winning Cider. We will be presenting the Cider of the Festival Certificate to Tim, later this year. Mike Lee, CAMRA Cider Rep – Berks’ South East - cider@seberks.camra.org.uk
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Issue 73, Winter 2023
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Ascot Beer Fes+val 2023 Thank you to all our volunteers who made this year’s event a big success!
Issue 73, Winter 2023
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BREWERY NEWS Rebellion Beer Co.
As with any naturally fermented artisan beer, it would not be unusual for historic IPA brews to vary in ABV. Consequently, you would have drunk IPA at 3.4% on many occasions and hence our confidence in making this minor adjustment. Will it taste the same?
In line with the recent government duty changes aimed at promoting lower strength products, Rebellion Beer have decided to marginally reduce the strength of their IPA down to 3.4% from 3.7% with effect from the 2nd October 2023. 12 months ago, they tasked their brewers with the job of achieving this minor change with the sole objective being that it had to taste the same and as good as it has always done. With extensive trials internally and significant blind tastings, on regular IPA drinkers, they have now announced that they are confident they have successfully mirrored the 3.7% IPA.
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Yes, Rebellion Beer have been trialling it for over 12 months and they are absolutely confident that it tastes the same. The minor variance in ABV is well within the spec of the 3.7% IPA and on many occasions, IPA would have been produced at 3.4% historically. This is why we are sure that the changeover will be seamless. Why is the ABV changing? The government's recent duty changes and particular directive to promote lower strength beers plus cost increases are affecting the whole industry. This minor change will help Rebellion Beer Co. align with the governmental preferred alcohol policies and negate some of these costs.
Issue 73, Winter 2023
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Elusive Brewing
"Hopefully the beer we create and sell will sustain us in the long run and when I think back to that first training session, where I met our first trainee Matthew, I remember his whole face lit up and he told me it was life-changing.” Courtesy of Kate Waple, BBC News
The Outhouse Brewery The Count-Me-In Collective is a group of disabled and non-disabled people in Reading who have been brewing their own beer. It was founded by Becky and John Whinnerah, inspired by their own children who have complex needs. Becky Whinnerah said it was her "ultimate dream to help disabled adults gain work skills”. The charity recently partnered with the Elusive Brewery in Wokingham, and held two training days that resulted in two beers being developed - called “Count-Me-In” and “Stand-Up-and-Be Counted”. Becky and John, who have run pubs in the past, now want to set up the Count Me In Collective's own brewery offering training in beer-making, and ultimately employment opportunities. Fewer than 22% of autistic adults are presently employed in the UK, dropping to about 5% for those with learning disabilities, according to the Office for National Statistics. A crowdfunding appeal was launched to allow the charity to buy the equipment it would need to set-up its own brewery. Becky Whinnerah said:
Issue 73, Winter 2023
The Outhouse Brewery are now offering coffees on Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays, 8am-noon.
For the Ascot Beer Festival, the Outhouse Brewery brewed a festival special called The Hoof Express - a 5.2% English Stout. For World Clean-up Day on Saturday 23rd September, they held a litter-pick of the local area, filling 7 bags of litter and all volunteers got a free drink!
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For Wokingham Heritage Day, Sat 9th Sept, they brewed a collaboration beer with Elusive Brewing called Kick Up The Fire - a 4.8% red ale. Every other Wednesday, they are holding a Quiz Night starting at 7:30pm. It is popular, so advisable to book a table. The Outhouse Brewery, Southgate House, Alexandra Court, Wokingham, RG40 2SL See theouthousebrewery.com for further details.
Bond Brews Bond Brews has continued with its outdoor Tap Yard events, which have been held monthly throughout the spring and summer. The final event for this year was held on 9th September with around 70 people attending in the very pleasant weather. The autumn seasonal Wheat-ABier (4.4% ABV) has been brewed and is now available. This year's batch of Night Screamer (4.2% ABV) which is a classic Dry Stout, will be brewed for the Halloween and Guy Fawkes firework season.
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In November, Dean will be brewing a new batch of Wild Tiger (4.3% ABV), which is a variant of Bengal Tiger with the addition of locallyharvested wild hedgerow hops. This gives it extra dimensions of earthy aromas and a fresh, fruity hoppiness on top of the already complex IPA style, making it a very tasty and enjoyable beer. For further details and current beer availability, visit www.bondbrews.co.uk.
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Issue 73, Winter 2023
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The Beer Festival Guide By Simon Grist
Updates on our website. Go to bit.ly/MCbeerfests 2nd– 4th November 2023: Teddington Beer Festival teddingtonbeerfestival.co.uk A second beer festival at this location after a successful first running last year. Easily accessible by bus or train from Twickenham. Over 60 real ales and 15 ciders are expected. 9th – 11th November 2023: Egham Beer Festival eghambeerfestival.co.uk The traditional November festival at Egham United Services Club, raising money for charity. Expect over 40 carefully selected real ales, plus a good selection of ciders & perries. Reduced entry for CAMRA members. A short walk from Egham station.
9th – 11th November 2023: Oxford CAMRA Beer Festival oxfordbeerfestival.camra.org.uk A traditional CAMRA beer festival held in a beautiful town hall in the delightful surrounds of Oxford. Expect around 100 real ales and 20 ciders & perries. There are likely to be free beer tokens for CAMRA members. 16th– 18th November 2023: Twickenham CAMRA Beer Festival facebook.com/TwickenhamBeerFestival Run by Richmond & Hounslow CAMRA, this festival is expected to feature around 35 real ales and 8 ciders & perries. It is located close to St Margarets station (along the Reading to Waterloo line). Reduced entry for CAMRA members is anticipated. 5th – 6th January 2024: Westy Beer Festival westendcentre.co.uk/event/westy-beer-festival-2024 2024 kicks-off with the 10th anniversary beer festival at the West End Centre, which is located a short walk from Aldershot station. Expected to feature around 40 real ales and 10 ciders. 12th – 14th January 2024: Perseverance, Wraysbury the-perseverance.co.uk The infamous Percy Pie and Porter Festival is always a January highlight. Expect around 8 seasonal porters to wash down delicious homemade pies of various flavours. The Percy is easily accessible from Wraysbury station (change at Staines on the Waterloo line from our area).
Issue 73, Winter 2023
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Younger Drinkers Seek out Cask Beers Timothy Hampson
Peak District brewer Thornbridge says demand for its cask beer remains strong despite media reports of young people preferring other styles. The company says it is seeing real demand for cask ale and 500ml bottle-conditioned beer, as people seek beer with provenance, quality and consistency. CEO Simon Webster said: “Jaipur, our flagship beer, was initially brewed 18 years ago as a cask beer and despite its ABV, demand for it has rocketed since Covid as it has for all our cask ales to the tune of over 30 per cent growth. “Licensees and consumers seem to be happy to pay more for products they have reassurance in from a quality perspective and for beer styles that are relevant.” According to the company, there is a shift towards hazy, vegan cask beer as younger drinkers seek out a style of beer they are familiar with, but one that also fits with their ethical stance on eating and drinking. This has allowed Thornbridge to be experimental with styles and flavours usually associated with can and keg, but to adapt them to cask. Production director Rob Lovatt says Thornbridge’s approach to producing cask ale is why it is seeing such success. He said: “I believe some of the reasons we stand shoulder to shoulder with the best cask breweries in the country are down to ingredients and processes. “We only use Maris Otter malt which is a heritage variety and more expensive than other types but worth it, we use a hopback meaning we use whole flower hops rather than pellets or extracts and we also use our very own house yeast strain which gives a real depth of flavour. “Furthermore, we prime all our casks with a dextrose solution before filling them to ensure the condition of our cask beer is superb, from the first to the last pint, resulting in a better experience for the consumer and hopefully a better rate of sale and yield for the licensee.” On the back of the demand for modern, hazy styles of cask ale, Thornbridge will launch its highly hazy session IPA, Green Mountain, 4.3 per cent ABV, on cask in 2024.
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The Windsor Beer Mile By Mike Dixon
You may have heard of the Bermondsey Beer Mile – a collection of breweries and tap rooms along a stretch of railway arches in South London. Well now we have another option nearer to home: with three breweries within walking distance there is now also the Windsor Beer Mile! This route takes in 5 different venues and is a bit under a mile in distance, though depending on where you start and end you are likely to cover 2 to 2.5 miles. If you want to extend the walk there are plenty of other pubs to choose from in Windsor and Eton; a couple worth considering include The Swan in Clewer village and the Corner House on Sheet Street. Getting to Windsor: there are various travel options from our branch area. There are 2 train stations: Windsor & Eton Central, which is a short journey from Slough (Paddington line) and Windsor & Eton Riverside, reached from Staines (Waterloo line). There are also busses from Bracknell (Greenline 703) and Ascot / Sunningdale (White Bus 1). It is worth checking the current opening times on the different venue’s websites / social media before you travel. The newer brewery taprooms have more limited hours; the best times to visit are usually Thursday or Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and evening, or Sunday afternoon. If you are looking for food then Windsor & Eton Brewery has an on-site kitchen, there is normally a food truck from a rotating selection of vendors outside Two Flints, while The Trooper does food on weekdays. There is also a large choice of other eating venues in Windsor! Map © OpenStreetMap Contributors (https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright).
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seberks.camra.org.uk 1.
Windsor & Eton Brewery. This is oldest of the breweries in Windsor, located in Vansittart
2.
Indie Rabbie Brewery. This is the newest brewery in Windsor, opening in August 2023. At the time of writing, they were still getting the brewery up and running however the taproom had opened, serving collaboration beers produced prior to launch. They have 12 keg lines as well as 2 cask hand pumps, with the plan to produce some of their beers on cask (the one available at launch was a stout produced with Stardust which had sold out quickly!). When you have sampled all the beers from Indie Rabble the next brewery is right next door.
3.
Two Flints Brewery. This brewery is slightly
Estate, off Duke St. The brewery opened in 2010 and originally had a small tap room and shop. In 2021 they had a major expansion opening the Unit 4 Brewery Tap: a multi levelled tap room and kitchen. They have up to 8 cask ales as well as 20 beers on the tap wall. These are primarily from their own range, but normally includes a couple of guest beers and a cider. They also have regular events from live music, to quizzes and comedy nights. After finishing at the brewery exit to the left then turn right, following the line of the railway arches until reaching Alma Road. Here go under the railway, and then continue along now with the arches on your right. Here you get some views of Winsor Castle ahead of you. Continue for about 200m then the next brewery is on your right.
older than Indie Rabble, having opened in December 2022. They are currently keg only, with up to 12 beers on at a time. These are typically a mix of their own (which focus on lighter, hoppy style), and guest beers. After finishing at these breweries continue along the Arches, through the gate at the end then turn right through the tunnel and along Goswell Road. Cross the roundabout and continue along Charles Street. Just before the end of the road cross the zebra crossing and turn left into Clarence Road. Go a short distance until reaching the end of the pedestrianised Peascod St, here turn right on to St Leonards Road. The next venue is a short distance on the left.
Note the above is the simplest / most direct route. If you want to see more of Windsor you can take the steps opposite the last brewery, cross the footbridge, and turn left which will brings you into the Windsor Royal Station shopping area. From here you can walk up to Castle Hill and then back down Peascod St.
4.
A Hoppy Place. This is a family run craft beer establishment which opened in 2019. They have a large selection of cans and bottles, a number of beers on tap and several small seating areas, including a garden out the back. They have up to 11 keg beers as well as 2 real ales (these have CAMRA discount – ask for details), and up to 5 real ciders. After finishing at the Hoppy Place continue along St Leonards for about 350m (passing 4 roads on the left) to reach the final venue.. 5. The Windsor Trooper. This 18th century pub and inn makes a nice contrast to the previous venues. As well as around 5 cask ales (CAMRA discount vouchers accepted) they specialise in real cider; with up to 10 traditional ciders available. As well as a small bar at the front there is additional seating, a function room and beer garden at the rear, making the pub larger than it first appears, and overall, a pleasant way to end the Windsor Beer Mile!
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The biggest selling beer in the world (which you have probably never heard of!) If you were asked what is the biggest selling beer in the world you may have answered Budweiser or Heineken or possibly Carlsberg but you would be wrong. Selling an incredible 17 billion pints a year it is Snow Beer produced by CR Snow (part of China Resources Enterprises trading as China Resources Snow Breweries) of Shenyang, China.
First created in 1993 it was formerly a joint venture by SAB Miller and China Enterprise Resources but when SAB Miller was taken over by Anhauser Busch, the brand became wholly Chinese owned. Heineken took a stake in 2018 with a 40% share in order to get a part of the huge Chinese market where three of the world’s top selling beers are based. Brewed at 5% ABV it has been likened to a version of Bud Lite and in China may be served ice cold or warm (???). In 2017 Molson Coors signed an exclusive deal with China Resources Snow Breweries to sell the beer in the UK but to date it has not taken a significant amount of the bottled and canned beer market. Phil Whitehead, managing director of Molson Coors UK and Ireland, said in 2017: “Consumers’ tastes are continuing to diversify which makes the beer market more exciting than ever. As drinkers become increasingly knowledgeable about beer, they demand greater choice to allow them to explore a range of flavours and styles. At Molson Coors, we believe this is a reflection of the general societal shift towards spending on experiences and, in part, the continued food revolution that has been taking place in the UK over the past 10-15 years”.
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ADVERT THE GOOD BEER GUIDE FULL PAGE
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Issue 73, Winter 2023
seberks.camra.org.uk
Guinness one of the great beers of the world! by Anthony Springall
a London brewer Nathaniel Chivers to brew porter in a similar way as the mainland.
Guinness Brewery, St James Gate, Dublin
If you ask anyone to name a beer from Ireland then at least 95% will immediately say Guinness. First brewed at the St James Brewery in Dublin by Arthur Guinness in 1759, it was one of over sixty breweries on the banks of the River Liffey in the Irish capital but it soon dwarfed it's competitors. The brewery he bought with a £100 legacy was in a poor state of affairs so he agreed a 9000 year lease with the city council and the water being supplied for free. Later this was changed, much to his annoyance so the water bill imposed was £10 per year. The brewery grew and in 1799 he made the key decision to phase out brewing ale and instead focus upon porters and stouts in an attempt (along with rivals Beamish & Crawford) to counter the imports of London porters. He recruited
Issue 73, Winter 2023
Arthur Guinness became the supplier to the British government in Dublin and became the Master of the Brewers Guild. He took full advantage of the canal system by sending immature porter out on barges and the beer would reach maturity during the voyage, ready to be drunk either on draught or to be bottled locally. The “stout porter” was brewed for export whilst locally he brewed “plain porter”. Arthur Guinness died in 1803 and left the modest sum of £10,000 (£1.3m equivalent today) and the business was taken over by his son, Arthur Guinness jnr who was destined to become the Governor of the Bank of Ireland but took a great deal of interest in the business. He decided to use roasted unmalted barley to reduce the tax burden and this gave the drink a dry finish as well as brewing a very strong version for export to the colonies
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following the example of Burton brewers who were exporting India Pale Ale. With the Irish potato famine the brewery was forced to export the majority of its beer and this reached over 80% of production in the 1840s. The brewery grew after the potato famine and in the 25 years between 1855 and 1880 its production of porter grew by 1600% and by the end of the 19th Century it had control of three quarters of the Irish market and was by far the largest brewer in Europe. By the end of the Great War in1918 it had grown to be the largest brewery in the world.
“Guinness is good for you” and “Guinness gives you strength”. It was accompanied by a series of cartoons by John Gilray often depicting animals in weird and wonderful situations.
It's progress had been helped by the British governments restrictions on strength and malting during the war but the regulations were far less rigorously applied in Ireland. In the 1930's the company built a new brewery at Park Royal, London, partly to meet local demand and partly to side step high tariffs imposed on Irish exports. The famous John Gilray Toucan cartoon
Park Royal Brewery, London
The amazing success of the business was helped by an innovative advertising campaign run by the SH Benson agency with such slogans as
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With the focus upon health the drink was no longer given in hospitals to invalids and nursing mothers and the slogan was changed to “My Goodness, My Guinness”. The exports of Guinness have been helped by the decision to allow it to be brewed under licence and there are now over 15 varieties of Guinness brewed in more than 40 countries. 40% of Guinness sales are made in Africa where a particularly potent version is produced called “Foreign Extra Stout”
Issue 73, Winter 2023
seberks.camra.org.uk
People-Power Saving Hundreds of Pubs By Timothy Hampson intelligence to farming and culture to data, there are co-ops." It is 10 years since the George in Wickham Market, Suffolk (pictured left) was almost destroyed by fire and eight years since a group of volunteers got together to save this historic Grade IIlisted building.
People power is helping save scores of pubs across the country with community ownership increasing by more than 60 per cent over the last five years, according to new research. Analysis by Co-Operatives UK has found that the number of communityowned pubs has increased by 62.6 per cent over the last five years. This figure shows impressive growth, considering the backdrop of record closures in the wider industry. Community pubs involve people coming together to form a new democratic business, with supporters owning a stake and the business is run for the benefit of its locality. Co-operatives UK CEO Rose Marley said: "As we enter the fourth industrial revolution, we really are coming full circle, with co-operation at the heart of economic growth. Everywhere in modern business, from artificial
Issue 73, Winter 2023
The road to success was not easy. In November 2021, the National Lottery Heritage Fund awarded the George a £988,200 Heritage Enterprise grant which alongside shareholder funds and other grants was thought to be enough to complete the renovation. However, when tenders were received for the building work, inflation had taken its toll and costs were shown to be far higher than original projections. A spokesman for the George committee said: “Without the success of this project this important Grade IIlisted building would have been demolished and lost forever. “We can now ensure that the George will be saved to serve many generations to come. As an inclusive, friendly place to meet and eat with friends and family it will be the people's pub and the heartbeat of a thriving village.” A new phase of Scottish Community Pubs Partnership is providing business support and grant funding to safeguard pubs in rural parts of the country.
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In addition to bespoke business support, the programme offers the opportunity for early-stage pub projects in rural Scotland to apply for small grants of up to £2,000 to help with initial costs and feasibility work. Plunkett Foundation head of community business Claire Spendley said: “Across the UK, we’ve seen firsthand the benefits that communityowned pubs can bring by creating
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innovative, inclusive spaces that make a real impact in their communities. “From hosting dementia cafes, food banks, junk food projects and cooking courses to implementing environmentally sustainable initiatives such as e-bike charging, solar panels and repair cafes, we’ve seen community pubs go above and beyond to meet the needs of their local communities.”
Issue 73, Winter 2023
seberks.camra.org.uk
Branch Social Diary
Visit our branch website for the latest diary updates. We welcome your suggestions for a future social visit. Contact our social secretary, Clive Doran at: social@seberks.camra.org.uk
Friday 10th
NOVEMBER
CAMRA BSE Social – Egham Real Ale & Cider Festival, 111 Spring Rise, Egham. TW20 9PE. Meet from 1:00pm.
Wednesday 15th
Wobbly Wednesday Minibus Trip (West of Branch). Proposed List of Pubs: Queens Oak, Tally Ho, Walter Arms and Emmbrook Inn.
Thursday 16th
Thursday 21st
CAMRA BSE Christmas Social - Queens Head, 23 The Terrace, Wokingham. RG 40 1BP, Meet from 7:30pm.
JANUARY
Thursday 11th
CAMRA BSE Social – Cannie Man, 1–2 Bywood, Bracknell. RG12 7RP. Meet from 7:30pm.
Saturday 13th
Afternoon Social with the U3A Beer Appreciation Group Meeting – Venue to be confirmed. Meet from 1pm.
CAMRA BSE/SWM Social – Perseverance Pie and Porter Festival, 2 High Street, Wraysbury, TW19 5DB. Meet from 7:30pm.
Monday 27th
Thursday 18th
Lunchtime Social with the BRATS (Bracknell Real Ale Tipplers) at Old Manor, Grenville Place, Bracknell. RG12 1PB. Meet from 12 noon.
Thursday 30th
CAMRA BSE Social – Victoria Arms, Terrace Road North, Binfield. RG42 5JA. Meet from 7:30pm.
Afternoon Social with the U3A Beer Appreciation Group – Venue to be confirmed. Meet from 1pm.
Monday 22nd
Lunchtime Social with the BRATS (Bracknell Real Ale Tipplers) at Old Manor, Grenville Place, Bracknell. RG12 1PB. Meet from 12 noon.
Thursday 25th
DECEMBER
CAMRA BSE Social - Ship Inn, 104 Peach Street, Wokingham. RG40 1XH (Also visiting Broad Street Tavern). Meet from 7.30pm.
CAMRA SWM Annual Windsor Christmas Pub Walk – Carpenters Arms. Meet from 1.00pm. More details can be found on swm.camra.org.uk.
CAMRA Central Southern Regional London Pub Crawl. More details to follow.
Saturday 2nd
Wednesday 6th
CAMRA BSE Open Meeting, Old Manor, Grenville Place, Bracknell. RG12 1PB. Commences at 8.00pm. Members only.
Saturday 16th
Christmas Tour of Kingston Pubs. K&L CAMRA. See kandl.camra.org.uk. Meet from 12 Noon.
Monday 18th
Lunchtime Social with the BRATS (Bracknell Real Ale Tipplers) at Old Manor, Grenville Place, Bracknell. RG12 1PB. Meet from 12 noon.
Thursday 21st
Afternoon Social with the U3A Beer Appreciation Group Meeting – Venue TBC. Meet from 1pm.
Issue 73, Winter 2023
Saturday 27th
Wednesday 31st
CAMRA BSE Open Meeting, Old Manor, Grenville Place, Bracknell. RG12 1PB. Commences at 8.00pm. Members only.
Mad Cow Advertising Rates Quarter page Half page Full page Full page premium
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Next Edition Deadline No 74 (Feb ’24–Apr ’24 Edition) 5thJan ’24
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Whatever Happened to the Off Licence? By Anthony Springall Anyone of a certain age will immediately recall names such as Threshers, Unwins, Victoria Wine, Peter Dominic, Wine Rack, Bottoms Up etc with the off licence having a presence on every high street in the land. In recent years they have disappeared as people's buying habits changed and supermarkets accounted for a far greater proportion of the drinking at home market. Off licences first appeared as parts of pubs where a separate door allowed anyone to enter and they could buy alcoholic drinks, bottled beers or draught ales in a suitable container without entering the licensed premises hence the name. In the 19th Century shops developed which were separate from public houses and where drink was sold for consumption off the premises. Looking at one company in Unwins, we find a family firm started in 1843 in Kent which slowly expanded to cover much of London and the South East. Its coverage was quite limited but it still managed to build up a chain of 381 shops but as drinking habits changed it suffered from “booze cruises”, cheap supermarket deals and mail order wine buying. Eventually the chain was sold in March 2005 when it was sold to a private equity company for £32 million. The business went into administration in December 2005 which meant the immediately closure of 181 shops but the remaining shops were sold to the First Quench Group that owned Threshers (itself an amalgamation of Whitbread's Threshers chain and Allied Domecq Victoria Wine) and the shops were converted to Threshers. The chain had over 2000 shops including Victoria Wine, Threshers, The Local, Bottoms Up and Wine Rack but the respite was a short one as in March 2009 the First Quench Group entered administration with the closure of all shops.
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Issue 73, Winter 2023
seberks.camra.org.uk
Mad Cow on Tour By Kevin Lenton
and Norwegian-American ethnic population. On the drive to the brewery, we saw several Norwegian flags and troll statues. There was a good choice of craft beers to be had. We were restricted by time, so only had the following two pints which were of good quality, and made me feel I was home, enjoying a beer at the Hive in Crowthorne or the Outhouse in Wokingham. 1. Northern English Style Brown Ale.
I was visiting relations in the state of Wisconsin and took the opportunity to visit the Grumpy Troll brewery and tap room in the Mount Horeb district of Madison. Originally a creamery when built in 1916, the pub name comes from this little town’s Scandinavian inherited obsession with trolls, as the area has a large Norwegian
Issue 73, Winter 2023
Brewed with a wide assortment of malted barley and choice English hops (Abv. 5.4%). 2.
Norwegian Wood
The first IPA ever brewed at the Grumpy Troll featuring Marris Otter barley and EKG and Fuggles hops (Abv 5.0%). Cheers, or as the Norwegians say Ha Det! Kevin Lenton
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seberks.camra.org.uk seberks.camra.org.uk
National National Beer Beer Scoring Scoring System System
Have Haveyou you ever everwondered wonderedhow howpubs pubsare areselected selected for for the the CAMRA CAMRA Good GoodBeer Beer Guide? Guide? Scoring Scoringbeer beerin in pubs pubsis isreally reallyeasy! easy!
The TheNational NationalBeer BeerScoring ScoringSystem System (NBSS) (NBSS)isisaa0-5-point 0–5-pointscale scalefor forjudging judging beer beerquality qualityininpubs. pubs. ItItisisan aneasy-to-use easy-to-usesystem systemthat thathas hasbeen beendesigned designedto to assist assist CAMRA CAMRA branches branches inin selecting selecting pubs pubs for for the the Good Good Beer Beer Guide Guide and and also alsomonitor monitorbeer beerquality qualityby byencouraging encouragingCAMRA CAMRA members members from from any anypart part of ofthe theworld worldto toreport reportbeer beerquality qualityon onany anypub pubininthe the UK. UK. IfIfyou you are are aa CAMRA CAMRA member, member, we we want wantyou you to to tell tell us us about about the the quality quality of of beer beerininthe thepubs pubsyou youvisit. visit. IfIfyou you are arenot not aamember, member,why whynot notjoin join Europe's Europe's most mostsuccessful successfulconsumer consumer organisation? organisation? As Asan anincentive, incentive,when whenyou youscore score aabeer beeryou youget getentered enteredinto intoaaprize prizedraw drawto towin winfree free CAMRA CAMRAbooks! books!
How Howdo do I Iscore scoremy mybeer? beer?
You Youcan canscore scoreyour yourbeer beeronline onlineat athome homeor orififyou youhave haveaasmart smartphone phoneininthe thepub! pub! To Tosubmit submityour yourscores scoresjust justvisit visitwhatpub.com. whatpub.com. Log Loginto intothe thesite siteusing usingyour yourCAMRA CAMRAmembership membershipnumber numberand andpassword. password.Once Onceyou youhave haveagreed agreedto tothe the terms termsand andconditions conditionsand andfound foundaapub pubon onthe thesite, site,you youcan canstart startscoring. scoring. You Youcan canfind findout outmore morehere herewhatpub.com/beerscoring whatpub.com/beerscoring
What Whatdo do I Ineed needto torecord? record?
•• The Thelocation locationand andname nameof ofthe thepub pub (WhatPub (WhatPubmobile mobilecan can work workthis thisout). out). •• The Thedate dateyou youvisited visitedthe thepub pub •• AAscore scoreout outof of55 •• The Thename nameof ofthe thebeer beer •• We Wewill willalso alsoneed needyour yourname nameand andmembership membership number, number, but but once once you you have have registered registered these these are arerecorded recordedautomatically automaticallyininWhatPub WhatPub
What What do do the the scores scores mean? mean?
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Beer Beer that that isis anything anything from from barely barely drinkable drinkable to to drinkable drinkable with withconsiderable considerableresentment. resentment.
2. 2.Average Average
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What Whatifif I Ican't can't decide decideon onaascore? score?
The TheNBSS NBSSallows allowsyou youto toenter enterhalf halfscores scores
How Howdo do I Iedit editmy myscores? scores?
To Toedit edityour yourscores, scores,go goto to data. beerscoring .org. uk. data.beerscoring.org.uk.
�WHAT?UB RE:��LE
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4. 4.Very Very Good Good Excellent Excellent beer beer in in excellent excellent condition. condition.
5. 5. Perfect Perfect
Probably Probablythe thebest bestyou youare areever ever likely likely to to find. find. AA seasoned seasoned drinker drinker will will award award this this score score very veryrarely. rarely.
How Howis isthe theinformation informationbeing beingcollated? collated?
Once Oncebeer beerscores scoreshave havebeen beensubmitted submittedonline, online,CAMRA CAMRAbranches branchescan candownload downloadthem themand anduse usethem themto to help helpininthe theCAMRA CAMRAGood Good Beer BeerGuide Guide selection selectionprocess. process. For Formore moreinformation, information,CAMRA CAMRAmembers memberscan cango goto: to: members.camra.org.uk/group/branch-nbss-coordinator/dashboard members.camra.org.uk/group/branch-nbss-coordinator/dashboard
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Issue Autumn Issue72,73, Winter2023 2023
seberks.camra.org.uk Your CAMRA Branch would love to receive your comments about the pubs you visit either by email to: madcow@seberks.camra.org.uk
alternatively submit an update at: www.whatpub.com LocAle is a nationwide CAMRA campaign to encourage pubs to stock at least one locallybrewed real ale, of acceptable quality. Here in Berkshire South-East, we have a number of breweries which, although not right on our doorstep, we can easily classify as local. For our branch purposes, we have defined “local” to mean within 25 miles driving distance from the centre of our branch in Bracknell. We now have an increasing number of pubs in our area regularly selling beers from these local brewers. But there are still plenty more yet to participate in the LocAle campaign.
Accredited LocAle Outlets Ascot Barkham Binfield Bracknell Eversley Finchampstead Sandhurst Winkfield Wokingham
Royal Foresters Thatched Tavern Bull Stag & Hounds Cannie Man Newtown Pippin Old Manor Tally Ho Elusive Brewing Tap White Swan White Hart Crispin Emmbrook Inn Hope and Anchor Lord Raglan Ye Olde Leathern Bottel The Outhouse Brewery * Queen’s Head Rifle Volunteer Station Tap
LocAle Breweries
(Within 25 miles of Bracknell)
Andwell (Andwell, Hampshire) Ascot Brewing (Camberley, Surrey) Big Smoke Brew Co. (Esher, Surrey) Bond Brews (Wokingham, Berks) Brightwater (Claygate, Surrey) Craft Brews (Frensham, Surrey) Elusive Brewing (Finchampstead) Hedgedog Brewing (Stroude) Hogs Back (Tongham, Surrey) Indie Rabble Brewing Co (Windsor) Little London (Tadley, Hampshire) Loddon (Dunsden Green, Oxon) Longdog (Basingstoke, Hants) Malt the Brewery (Prestwood, Bucks) MoogBrew (Taplow, Bucks) Mysterious Brewing (Silchester) The Outhouse Brewery (Wokingham) * New Wharf (Maidenhead, Berks) Park Brewery (Kingston Upon Thames) Phantom Brewing (Reading, Berks) * Rebellion Beer (Marlow, Bucks) Renegade Brewery (Yattendon) Sherfield Village (Sherfield, Hants) Siren Craft (Finchampstead, Berks) South Oxfordshire Brewery (Ipsden) Stardust Brewery (White Waltham) Thames Side Brewery (Staines, Middx) Thurstons Brewery (Horsell, Surrey) Tillingbourne Brewery (Shere, Surrey) Twickenham Fine Ales (Twickenham) Windsor & Eton (Windsor, Berks) Zero Degrees (Reading, Berks)
19 9 20 5 22 20 9 10 16 10 21 13 25 22 10 19 6 13 22 13 15 24 19 9 22 6 12 12 21 21 10 13
* Supplied in KeyKeg Only
We wish to accredit more pubs under the LocAle scheme that are selling locally-brewed beers, of good quality. We want to help promote LocAle, by campaigning for pubs to stock a local beer, and to provide point of sale material in support of this. But it is also down to you, the drinker, to make your voice known about local beers. Ask the licensee at your local to try and obtain a beer from one of the breweries listed on this page – many will be very pleased to supply if they are allowed! And, if your local pub DOES put one of these fine ales on, please let us know. The best way to do this is to contact the Branch LocAle Coordinator. We can then publicise it on our website and in this branch magazine.
Issue 73, Winter 2023
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The Newtown Pippin harmans water
ed ecook Food
Hom
We are a family run pub in Harmans Water. Two years on and what changes we have made, In October of last year we landed ourselves the CAMRA Newcomer award which for a pub that "will never sell ale" was quite an achievement and 5 months later we have Branch Pub Of The Year! We are now the main hive in our community with weekly quiz nights, fortnightly acoustic cafe music nights, charity events, raffles, parties, christenings, wakes, anniversarys, baby showers, Wi meetings and many many more events. Our new patio has been finished and hosts Simon Bowers & his guitar on Sundays and Summer Sessions Saturdays throughout the Summer. In addition to the above we do some amazing homecooked food, you may need to wait a while but it's definitely worth it and we will always have new ales to try to keep you occupied. Lastly don't forget we are dog friendly and we are taking entries for our charity dog calendar! And be warned, our pub dog Alfie can't control his licker!!