Issue 150 of Norfolk Nips & Cask Force

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E E R F & CA SK FO RC E No.150

Autumn 2009

Summer Boat Trip Madness!

Good Beer Guide 2011 Nominations

Food Safari at Grain’s Microbrewery

Norfolks True Heritage Pubs part three

Norwich Beer Festival 2009 PLUS NEWS AND REVIEWS

Newsletter of the Norfolk Branches of the Campaign for Real Ale

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Chris and Glynis invite you to the

Trafford Arms 17th Valentine Beer Festival

8th to 14th February 2010

“To drink or not to drink�

Raising money for the Hamlet Centre

61 Grove Road, Norwich 01603 628466 www.traffordarms.co.uk

email: mail@traffordarms.co.uk

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NORFOLK NIPS | Chairman’s Bits

The times they are a-changin? hey certainly are as our Norfolk Nips Editor Andrea Kirkby is moving on to pastures new. Well she says shes going on a pilgrimage around India, hopefully wearing more that just a loin cloth and sandals?

Andrea has been instrumental in creating the new format of the Norfolk Nips & Cask Force which has been well received by our readers. On behalf of both CAMRA Branches I would like to thank Andrea for her assistance and wish her well wherever she finally ends up.

So this has allowed a great opportunity for a new Norfolk Nips Editor. As the Advertising is outsourced the Editor only has to concentrate on the editorial content and co-ordinate the various articles. If you are interested in this exciting chance to help us please can

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you contact me to discuss the matter further. At present Warren and myself are acting as temporary Editors so we apologise if there are any omissions.

Last month I attended the Great British Beer Festival and was present when 2 of our Norfolk Breweries won awards.

Congratulations go to Humpty Dumpty for Little Sharpie 3.8%, Bronze in the Bitter category and Grain for Tamarind IPA 5.5%, Bronze in Strong Bitter. At the time I left they were well on their way to celebrating their success although some were having difficulty remaining vertical. Well done.

We yet again have our usual rollercoaster of Pub closures and re-openings and its hard to keep up to date. Please keep the information coming in as

its a great help.

We also receive a lot of enquiries about how to run a Beer Festival. Hopefully we have some idea and can give advice, but to assist in the future Martin Ward our Beer Festival Organiser has agreed to prepare an article for our next edition. Which leads nicely on to remind everybody of the 32nd Norwich Beer Festival which takes place in St Andrews & Blackfriars Halls from 26th until 31st October.

With the great choice on offer I'm sure you'll find something to your liking. I hope to see you there either as a volunteer or just enjoying a drink.

Graham Freeman Chairman Norwich & Norfolk CAMRA

Chairman Tim’s ramblings utumn is upon us already, where has the summer gone? Despite a damp July for many of us, August made it seem a long hot summer, good drinking weather! On my travels, sometimes with friends, or my son Joseph (or all!), wherever we happen to visit we seem to find time for an ale or two. I’d like to share with you, the reader, a few of these stops.

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Myself and Stig are Friends Of

Duxford, after going plane crazy we feel the need for a restorative pint, we used to go to the Six Bells at Fulbourne (just off the dual carriageway towards Newmarket), but lately (and just as close) is the Red Lion at Histon, an excellent pub I mentioned in an earlier article, from Duxford it is north of Cambridge off the A14. On one day out with Stig (him again!) and my son Joseph we visited the 390th Bomb Group Museum at Parham (very

good, a B17 base in WW2), Framlingham Castle (junior knight stormed the walls!), and finally into Southwold, bookending the trip with a stop at the Victoria in Earl Soham (wonderful pub selling it’s own brewery beers), and an early evening drink sat outside the Sole Bay Inn, nice after a wee paddle near the pier! Another day trip I took Joseph to the Iceni Village at Cockley Cley, which we both found interContinued Overleaf

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NORFOLK NIPS | Chairman’s Bits continued esting, decent museum too, followed that with lunch at the full-of-character Twenty Churchwardens. Although in the surrounding area there are other good pubs in Great Cressingham (Windmill), Foulden (White Hart), Hilborough (Swan), and the Crown Hotel (Mundford, near here is the Desert Rats memorial and forest walk). Myself and the boy also enjoy a day at the seaside, such as Hunstanton, you have the Ancient Mariner (next to the pitch & putt, fore!!!), or even the Fox & Hounds at Heacham down the road (though there is an age restriction in the bar for under 14’s, you can sit outside).

Joseph loves the Muckleburgh Collection at Weybourne (collection of military vehicles and weapons), and after here we usually head along to WellsNext-The-Sea, as well as the beach there is a good pint o be found at the floating Albatros on the quayside (where you can go crabbing!), or enjoy a refreshing cider at the Whin Hill tasting place/shop nearby.

We’re also, with Nige, Norwich City FC sufferers! So after a good kickabout (where dare I say we’re often more entertaining than the eleven on the pitch!), the Coach & Horses is a popular and busy stop pre or post game. Of course the city offers many other pubs to try around a game at Carrow Road, such as the Trafford arms, King’s Arms, Freemasons, Jubilee, or Rosary, not to in which to mention several others a bit further from

the ground in which to celebrate 3 points (or drown sorrows!).

I enjoy the cinema too, usually in Bury St Edmunds, here it’s either the Queens Head not far from the Abbey Gardens, or the superb brewpub that is the Old Cannon, two places you don’t run into Greene King in town.

These are just a few I’ve come across on my travels, more often than not I’m driving so just the one pint, but it is nice to break up the journey in a friendly pub. I’m sure anyone reading has similar tales to tell, or recommendations of their own, write and let us know.

Cheers!!!!!

Tim Spitzer Chairman West Norfolk CAMRA

Norwich & Norfolk Branch Chairman: Graham Freeman Tel: 01603 687495 Email: chairman@norwichcamra.org.uk Secretary: Carolyn Jones Tel: 01603 865505 Email: secretary@norwichcamra.org.uk Social Secretary: Tim MacDonald Tel. 01603 865505 Email: socialsecretary@norwichcamra.org.uk

West Norfolk Branch Chairman: Tim Spitzer Secretary: Ian Bailey Contact: Bruce Ward Tel: 01485 609107

Branch websites: www.norwichcamra.org.uk www.camra.org.uk/wnorfolk

Branch mailing list web page: groups.yahoo.com/group/ CAMRA_Norwich Published every 3 months by the Norwich, Norfolk & West Norfolk branches of the Campaign for Real Ale © N&N CAMRA 2009 Norfolk Nips is produced and distributed by members of the branch in their own time.

Edited by: Graham Freeman & Warren Wordsworth Email: chairman@norwichcamra.org.uk Chris Lucas Email: chris-stig@tiscali.co.uk

Got a short pint?

If you believe that you have been treated unfairly in a pub, club or bar, you should contact the Trading Standards service by writing to them at Norfolk Trading Standards Service, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, NR1 2UD or faxing them on 01603 222999.

A wide range of consumer information and advice is also available online from the Consumer Direct website at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk

Views expressed in Norfolk Nips are not necessarily those of the editor or of CAMRA Design & Production: Daniel Speed - Tamoko Design Email: dan@tamoko-design.co.uk Distribution: Norwich and Norfolk District : Tony Miles jabbamiles@gmail.com West Norfolk District : Ros Harre r.harre@btinternet.com Advertising: For advertising enquiries please contact Chris Shilling on: Tel: 01778 421 550 Mobile: 07736 635916 Email: chris@shillingmedia.co.uk

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Pub News

| NORFOLK NIPS

Pub News The ‘merry-go-round’ of pubs opening and closing continues:The good news is that the following recently closed pubs have been reported to have reopened:The Star in Fakenham which reopened in June. In August, The Dock Tavern in Gorleston, and The Haven Bridge in Gt Yarmouth, both reopened. Also during August two Norwich pubs reopened, The Rosary Tavern in Thorpe Hamlet, (which opened briefly in April then shut again) is now open again under the management of Steve O’Shea from The Nelson Pub. At time of going to press Coldham Hall, near Surlingham and The Steampacket in Norwich are scheduled to reopen in September.

The bad news is that a number of pubs are reported to have recently closed. These include, in Norwich:- The Reindeer, Dereham Road, The Leopard, Bull Close Road, The Cottage, Silver Road, Merchants of Colegate and the nearby Bakers Arms in St Leonards Road. In the county The Spreadeagle in Erpingham and The Old Feathers, Framingham Pigot are also reported to have closed.

An application to demolish and build housing on the site 6

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of The Elm Tavern, Magdalen Road, Norwich was approved in May and pub has now been demolished.

The Plasterers, Cowgate, Norwich is up for sale freehold with an asking price of £185,000.

After obtaining planning permission in March 2008 to redevelop The Ferryboat, in King Street, Greene King has done nothing about implementing their plans, allowing it to deteriorate even further. In August this site was put on the market. We can only hope that someone will purchase the site and reopen this former popular riverside pub!

Wetherspoons are no longer interested in purchasing The Phoenix Hotel in Dereham as has been reported in the media and previous NIPS. They do state however, that they are still interested in purchasing a pub in the Dereham area.

Bucking the trend of all the recent pub closures Coltishall has recently boasted a new pub, The Diplomat which opened in July on the site of the former RAF base. (For details of this pub see “Post Its”).

The Rumsey Wells plans to celebrate thier first year of opening and Norwich’s 32 second beer festival in true Rumsey Style. Being only a

stones throw from the main event the Rumsey will be embracing ale in every possible way and making it the first port of call when everyone gets thrown out inbetween sessions and after a long day supping.

There will be a good range of ales including guests, food served from the new winter menu all day and until late, live music on the Tuesday and the Thursday, the award winning Brays Cottage pork pies and scotch eggs on the bar.

Steve Hardimaan at The Bell at Salhouse is aiming to add another 2 hand pumps to his range, bringing the total real ales on offer to six. He is hoping to have Wychwood Hobgoblin in time for Halloween!

Brewery and Trade News Batemans, is launching a new lighter- coloured cask beer to its core range named G.H.A. G.H.A. with an ABV of 4.2% is a refreshing pale ale. Brewed with East Anglian Maris Otter barley, East Kent Goldings and Challenger hops the beer has a citrus taste and a lovely spicy aroma.

Stuart Bateman, Managing Director, says: “The name itself is a talking point as we made

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NORFOLK NIPS | Pub News the decision not to explain what G.H.A. stands for, some have guessed it is from our slogan ‘Good Honest Ales’.

We have received some interesting alternatives from our licensees though I’m afraid for risk of offending I cannot repeat these here!

problems mean that it will be a real challenge for any new owner. More surprising is the continued closure of the New Inn on Wootton Road in Kings Lynn, which has lots of houses close by, little competition and is also on a main road. Someone could make a success here.

“The design of the pump clip fits in well with our other wellknown core brands. Using the clover shape, easily recognised by consumers and only letters.

The name G.H.A. sits nicely between XB (3.7% ABV) and XXXB (4.8% ABV) both visually and with its 4.2% ABV. Early signs from our trials suggest that this beer will appeal to traditional Batemans drinkers as well as attracting those experimental drinkers wanting to try a lighter coloured ale.

Certainly those of our licensees who have had it to try have reported very favourable results.”

On the other hand, there are signs of life. The Compasses in Snettisham has reopened, and although it was very quiet when we popped in, this could be due to the fact that the kitchens were not yet ready. It was looking good and sold a decent pint. Another pub that reopened back in June is the Star in Fakenham. It is also encouraging to see that several pubs have been redecorated and look a lot more welcoming. I noticed the Fenman in Kings Lynn being repainted, and close by the Live And Let Live is also looking much better, as is the White Horse in Gaywood.

The Railway at Coltishall is going over completely to the Humpty Dumpty range of beers. Initially he’ll stock Little Sharpie, Reedcutter and Railway Sleeper

News from the West The number of closed pubs around in the area shows that life is still hard for landlords.

The Woolpack at Walpole Cross Keys is a sad sight and despite the fact that it is a long way to the next pub, and has real potential, the structural

I may be biased, but it seems that the key to a successful pub is good beer. I hear that the cask beer is so popular at the Stag at Westacre, that the keg has been removed due to lack of demand. Local beer festivals seem to be more numerous than ever. The well-established Stuart House Festival did very well this year, and sold out early, as did the ever-popular Angel festival at Larling.

This has to be good news for small breweries, and it is good to see that Brancaster Jolly Sailors is once again brewing, although at least for the

moment the beer is being produced off site.

Sometimes I am persuaded to attend events unconnected to beer and football, and recently I went to see Roy Strong talk in Downham church. As we were parked close by it seemed the ideal opportunity to pop into the Castle Hotel, for the first time in almost 30 years (since it had its own brewery). There is a pleasant front bar with lots of pictures of local interest and Greene King IPA to drink. It’s not cheap, though. Next I went across to the Maddermarket theatre in Norwich to see the Scottish Japanese taiko drummers Mugyenko. They are absolutely fabulous (and coming to Cromer in September - be there!). What made the evening even better was a superb pint of Adnams in the theatre bar. In Lynn, the place for culture and entertainment is the Arts Centre. Last month was David Starkey talking about Henry VIII, and in September the magnificent John Otway and Willie Barrett are appearing. In the past this would have meant a trip next door to the Ouse Amateur Sailing club, but I must admit that I am becoming increasingly drawn to the comfort and style of the Bank House. Mind you – I think they should make more of the fact that they sell Adnams. Its not obvious if you don’t know.

What do you think about Wetherspoons? I was never a great fan, but since I received my money saving vouchers

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NORFOLK NIPS | Pub News through CAMRA, I have made a bit or an effort. Every pint I have tried has been excellent, and what finally convinced me that they are a good thing was a Sunday in Heywood, Lancashire. The skies were slate grey, the rain coming down like stair rods. We had given up on the idea of going to a local cricket game and found ourselves in this deserted lifeless town near Rochdale.

As soon as you enter the Edwin Waugh Wetherspoons you are transported into a different world. Lads watching the football, families having Sunday lunch, old boys having a quiet pint, the whole world was here. No wonder the rest of town was dead. One of our local Wetherspoons is the Globe on Tuesday Market

Place in Kings Lynn and it is good to see them in the new Good Beer Guide for the first time. Congratulations to them and other local new entrants, one of them is the Wash and Tope in Hunstanton who made us very welcome for our September Branch meeting.

Since the new owners took over the sales of cask beer has risen and they were looking forward to their second beer festival. It is a much-improved pub and well worth a visit if you are in the area. The same could also be said of the George and Dragon at Newton by Castle Acre, another first time entry in the GBG. Don’t be put off if you can’t get through the front door – park in the large car park and use the side entrance.

Norwich’s oldest alehouse

Four Real Ales Aspalls Cider & over 50 Malt Whiskies.

Food served from 12noon-7pm Monday to Saturday. 12noon-5pm Sunday Overall Winner - Best Floral Public House Norwich In Bloom Awards

It’s a lovely old building and serves good food alongside the excellent ale.

Finally, thanks for the nice letters that I have received from new and old subscribers – Most of the comments about the new look magazine have been really positive and much credit goes to Chris at the West Norfolk end of the operation.

Jeff Hoyle West Norfolk Subscription

To receive the next four issues of Norfolk Nips and Cask Force, send ten 1st class stamps to Norfolk Nips, 91 Tennyson Road Kings Lynn Norfolk, PE30 5NG

The Mermaid Inn Church Street, Elsing Dereham,NR20 3EA Tel: 01362637640 Email: the.mermaid@zen.co.uk

Great Pub Food Menu Try our famous Steak and Kidney Roly Poly with thick beer gravy. We cook our own Ham in real ale, we can't cook it quick enough!

INFLATION BUSTER MON - FRI ONLY £4.95!

Freehouse, Freehouse, Real Real Ales, Ales, Real Real Food, Food, Real Real Welcome!

Welcome!

Look us up in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2009 or the CAMRA Good Pub Food Guide.

17 Bishopgate, Norwich NR3 1RZ 01603 667423

We have internet café facilities!

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Locks I n o t s e ld Locks Lane, Geldeston nn e G NR34 0HW Tel: 01508 518414

www.geldestonlocks.co.uk (also have myspace and facebook) Summer Hours until 31/10/09 Noon to close every day - Food 12-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm every day (except sunday evenings)

Winter Hours from 31/10/09 Monday and Tuesday CLOSED Wednesday - Thursday 5pm - 11pm Friday - Saturday - OPEN ALL DAY Sunday - 12-7pm

Friday Nights: Famous curries of the world Voted best music venue on the Broads!

Events coming up: LIVE MUSIC EVERY Thursday & Saturday night, Sunday Afternoon

WINTER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION See Website for details

THE TRIANGLE TAVERN 29 ST PETERS ST. LOWESTOFT NR32 1QA www.thetriangletavern.co.uk

With at least 6 Green Jack Ales and as many as 3 Guest Ales at any one time, this truly is Lowestofts year-long Real Ale Festival!

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NORFOLK NIPS | Pub Post Its

Pub Post-its As always, remember that these post-its are subjective and reflect the personal experience of our correspondents. Please feel free to email your post-its in to norfolknips@yahoo.co.uk - and if you really like the pub, why not nominate it for next year’s CAMRA Good Beer Guide?

Filby – Kings Head - You will be given a warm and friendly welcome by the landlady Laura and her partner Chris. There are always three real ales on and Timothy Taylor Landlord is on all the time. The other two pumps will have a changing selection of real ales from local breweries such as, Green Jack, Norfolk Square, Blackfriars, Winters, Humpty Dumpty and many more. They also have Old Rosie cider on straight from the cellar. They recently held their first beer festival in June which was excellent. Their food is very good also. Top marks to all the staff.

Norwich – Murderers - Good beer selection, and good quality. Service a bit slow, music a bit noisy for the middle of the afternoon.

Norwich – Champion - Excellent pint of Bateman’s GHA. Very welcoming.

Norwich – Whalebone - Excellent well kept beers, comfortable surroundings and quick service, in spite of being busy.

Norwich Duke of Wellington - Disappointed (not really) to only find 15 beers on, but still a great selection, and in great condition.

Lovely pub.

Norwich - Fat Cat - Large selection of beers, but not very exciting at the low strength end.

Is it really necessary to have 10 beers at 5% or higher, and another 5 at 4.6% + ? 6 of the lower strength beers could be considered common (Wherry, Adnams, Deuchars, Brewers Gold for example). Frankly disappointing when visiting a "real ale Mecca". Iceni Cranberry Wheat was a bit flat, Fat Cat Bitter was good, the Pork Pie was the highlight of the visit.

Norwich – Nelson - A good pint, but just the one. Seems to be a bit run down.

Norwich - King’s Head - A great pub, a real drinkers pub with no unnecessary frills. Also a great selection of Norfolk beers. 10/10 for selection, quality and ambience.

Norwich – Rosary – Great to see this pub is open again. The atmosphere and décor are much the same although lighting seems a lot brighter. Regular beers are Woodforde’s Wherry and Adnams Broadside. 2 to 3 guests available, Blacksheep Bitter, Humpty Dumpty Swallowtail and Hopback Summer Lighting were guests when I visited.

Berney Arms - Worth the walk (from the station - it was Sunday lunchtime). A wonderful peaceful location and very good beers from Humpty Dumpty and Blue Moon.

Dickleburgh - Crown – Long thin pub with lots of different areas. New landlords have turned the pub around and restored it to its former glory. Good selection of real ale when I visited including their first beer festival which was held in a separate building in the substantial garden. Worth a visit if you are in the area.

Coltishall – Diplomat - I recently visited the former RAF Coltishall and went into the newly opened Pub there called “The Diplomat”. It has two bars. The rear one is large and named appropriately after Sir Douglas Bader. The smaller front one has a T.V.. They serve two real ales. The one I tried was a special named for the pub apparently brewed Courage. The other was, rather fittingly, Shepherd Neame' "Spitfire".

Wymondham – Railway - I've been to the Railway in Wymondham several times recently for food. While the food is pretty good, sadly the beer isn’t always of the same quality. On three Continued Overleaf

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The King’s Head KEG FREE HOUSE

Open 12.00noon - 11.00pm Monday to Saturday 12.00noon - 10.30pm Sunday Run by enthusiastic drinkers and CAMRA members.

Keg Free Zone 14 Hand Pumps Norfolk Ales and Cider Mild always available Worldwide Bottled Beers Belgian Beers Bar Billiards Television-free

lk o f r o N A R CAM ear Y e h t f o b u P 8 2006 & 200 Dating from the 14th century, the pub has been restored to a Victorian style.

The Kings Head, 42 Magdalen Street, Norwich NR3 1JE Telephone: 01603 620468

www.kingsheadnorwich.com

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NORFOLK NIPS | Pub Post Its continued visits, a few weeks apart, I have had to return a beer. Nonetheless, the beer was eventually changed.

Horsey – Nelson Head – A charming rural pub located near the coast with lots of marshman’s implements on the walls. Woodforde’s Wherry and Nelsons Revenge are the real ales on offer.

Good quality home cooked food available.

Rackheath - -Racecourse - What a wonderful change and pleasure to walk into a modern pub and be greeted so warmly by young pleasant bar-staff.

The second bonus was the excellent condition of the Woodforde’s Wherry. Unlike my last visit a couple of years ago. Finally the icing on the cake was when Dean the barman found time to chat to me as one of the older generation. Top marks to all the staff.

Stag, West Acre Good news,, real ale has proved so popular that they have stopped selling the keg bitter.

Three Horseshoes, Roydon If you are passing The Three Horseshoes at Roydon it is worth stopping and taking a look. It is now selling IPA and an everchanging guest beer.

King William, Sedgeford The King William at Sedgeford is worth a visit, with good beer and food to go with it.

Railway, Docking The Railway at Docking was very busy when visited recently, the Buffy's Terrier was enjoyable.

Old White Bell, Southery On a recent visit to the Old White Bell in Southery, the Springhead Leveller was enjoyed.

Orange Tree, Thornham The new landlord at the Orange Tree must be doing something right. On a recent visit the locals were enjoying the hospitality and the IPA and Adnams Explorer which were availbable.

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NORFOLK NIPS | Words from the West Norfolk Editor

CAMRA in Norfolk his is the third edition of Norfolk Nips and Cask Force, produced by the two branches of CAMRA covering Norfolk. It seems that some who have noticed the change have assumed that the amalgamation of branch magazines has also happened between branches.

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My name is Chris Lucas and I compile the West Norfolk articles and information that appears within the magazine.

You will have read no doubt, that the Norwich & Norfolk branch has recently lost it's editor, the gap being filled at the moment by Warren & Graham in no order of importance.

I've used the branch names and they can be somewhat confusing. For instance, why is it that we are West Norfolk when it appears from the Norwich branches’ full name they already cover the whole county?

This issue makes it important to explain, if I can what the differences are in the branches, and which areas they really cover. I'm not going to go into statisticts, let's call it a thumbnail sketch.

Norwich branch is of course centred on the "Fine City" but also covers a large rural area, approximately two thirds of the county by area. The Northern boundary with our area is at Holkham, the Southern at

Garboldisham, if you then follow the Suffolk border East you arrive at the Eastern corner Hopton, Just South of Gt. Yarmouth. The boundary between branches is as twisty as the Great Wall of China, but much less solid! It has many more members than West Norfolk, and all the resources of a city to draw upon. The fact that this city is in my humble opinion the best real ale city in the country and hosts one of the longest running and most anticipated beer festivals, doesn't cause any jealousy at all as far as I'm concerned!

I think it is fair to say that even with these resources the rural area is hard for our city cousins to cover and great efforts including the formation of a Broadland based subbranch have gone into this.

West Norfolk covers an almost totally rural area with only King's Lynn, Swaffham and Downham Market being towns of any size. Our boundaries are Burnham in the North, Harling in the South, then West along the border to Terrington St. Clement, beyond which is Cambs. & Lincs.

distributing this magazine.

We sadly do not run a beer festival these days, although we used to.

Although the demographic of the branches is very different, we have always enjoyed good relations, supporting one anothers events and activities.

I'm sure you will meet a few West Norfolk people at Norwich Beer Festival helping out.

The combination of both publications has produced a magazine people seem to enjoy, Jeff Hoyle, who handles supscriptions tells me he has had very positive feedback.

If you like what we're doing here, or not, please let us know. If there are issues about local real ale pubs, or news about real ale or cider events get in touch. The more we have to discuss and report the more interesting Norfolk Nips and Cask Force will become!

Chris Lucas

Our branch compliment is small and active members a very small proportion of those ( If you read this come and join in, this goes for Norwich as well! ). Our branch meetings can involve 50 mile journeys for our members (each way!), of course this also applies to

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GBG 2011 nominations

| NORFOLK NIPS

Branch calendar 2 Oct – First Friday Five starts 8pm, Queen of Iceni, (Riverside), then over the new Lady Julian footbridge to the newly reopened Steampacket, Kings, Wild Man and finishing at Cinema City.

18 October Beer Festival panic meeting venue is White Lion (Oak St) 7.30pm.

Good Beer Guide 2011 nominations ollowing the last edition of NIPS where recommendations for the 2011GBG were invited I have received a number of new additions and the revised list is now as follows:-

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23 Ocober - Pre Festival Staff Get together in the White Lion at 8PM 25 October Setting up for Norwich Beer Festival –volunteers always needed at Blackfriars and St Andrews Hall.

26-31 October Norwich Beer Festival 6 November – First Friday Five.

TBA 17 November - Branch Meeting in The Jubilee. 8pm

The Banham Barrel Banham Dolphin Cromer Red Lion Cromer Oliver Twist Gt Yarmouth Earle Arms Heydon Kings Head Holt White Horse Kenninghall Arts Centre Norwich

20 November - Campaign Trip.

Coach - Normal pick up times and route. Area to visit- TBA

Franks Bar Norwich Micawbers Norwich

4 December – First Friday Five.

TBA 15 December - Branch Meeting.

The Railway, North Elmham. 8pm.

Coach, Normal pickup times and route.

19 Jan 2010 Branch Meeting, Lord Nelson, Reedham.

Murderers/Gardeners Norwich

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Nominations or comments can be submitted to me either

by E-mail to:pubsofficer@norwichcamra.org.uk Or by post to: Warren Wordsworth, (Pubs Officer) 16 Grove Avenue, Norwich NR1 2QD I look forward to hearing from you!

Warren Wordsworth

Plough Norwich The Rosary Tavern Norwich Rose (Queens Road)Norwich Vine Norwich The Crown Sheringham

For updates on the social calendar check www.norwichcamra.org.uk with the full branch events calendar.

You do not have to be a member to come on the Branch meetings, coach trips or the First Friday Five. If not a member why not attend any of these and if you enjoy them then perhaps you may wish to join!

Thanks to all of you who have contributed. Please keep the recommendations coming and feel free add to this list and/or visit any of the pubs listed above and give your opinions on whether you consider they are worthy contenders for inclusion in the National Good Beer Guide. Remember the deadline for nominations is 31st December 2009.

Pelican Tacolneston Greyhound Tibenham Edinburgh Hotel Wells-next-the-Sea Bird in Hand Wrenningham

West Norfolk Branch would also be pleased to hear of any pubs in their area which deserve a place in the Good Beer Guide, so if you come across a worthy pub in West Norfolk please contact Andrea Briers on e-mail : RD.EastAnglia@camra.org.uk or send the details to her via CAMRA HQ, 230 Hatfield Road, St.Albans, AL1 4LW.

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Heritage Pubs

| NORFOLK NIPS © Michael Croxford 2009

© Michael Croxford 2009

Norfolk’s True Heritage Pubs 3 The Norfolk Twister on the ceiling of the Wheel of Fortune, Alpington

The exterior of the Wheel of Fortune, Alpington n my previous two articles in Norfolk Nips I detailed the background to CAMRA’s National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors; I also explained that pubs with a reasonable amount of genuinely historic internal fabric and / or sufficient of the historic floor plan are eligible to be called one of East Anglia’s True Heritage Pubs. For the National List or ‘first division’ the emphasis is on pre-1939 interiors; for the regional list the interior should be little altered in the past 40 years.

It was in the mid-1960s that the orgy of pub refitting and opening out began which has seen so much of our historic

i

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pub interiors swept away. In Norfolk this destruction was largely carried out by Watney Mann who replaced a wide variety of pub fittings with identikit interiors.

a two-roomed thatched village pub which had a refit in the inter-war period followed by replacement of the bar fittings in the 1960s by Watneys. The Lounge / dining room on the right has an impressive 1930s brick fireplace incorporating two display cases and a counter that dates from the 1960s. The bar back is a typical 1960s bar back with Watneys in an illuminated panel at the top, glass shelves and mirrored

The typical 1960s Watneys bar back fitting

Most have since been replaced making 1960s intact interiors more rare than Victorian and inter-war ones! In Norfolk we have identified two little changed since the 1960s interiors and here we include one of them – the Wheel of Fortune, Alpington (the other being the West End Tavern, 1 Browne Street, Norwich) – unless readers of Norfolk Nips can trace any others? The Wheel of Fortune is © Michael Slaughter 2009

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NORFOLK NIPS | Heritage Pubs bar back. It is one of hundreds installed in pubs in Norfolk and elsewhere in the UK. The Public Bar on the left has another of the Watneys bar backs but the counter dates from 1980/90s and the fixed seating could well be of 1960s vintage. The room looks like it could have been two small rooms in the past but has been this size for many years It was on two levels for a number of years and when they added the inside toilets the floor was levelled. The aptly named Wheel of Fortune is one of only a handful still with the Norfolk pub game of Twister on the ceiling, which is sadly no longer used. It is like a roulette wheel being circular with twelve segments randomly numbered 1 to 12 and a spinner. The game was played for high or low stakes and further sightings in Norfolk have been made at Three

r back fitting at the Wheel of Fortune

The exterior of the Rose & Crown, Snettisham (courtesy of the Rose & Crown) Horseshoes, Warham, another of Norfolk’s True Heritage Pubs; The Feathers, Aylesham and the Alby Horseshoes Inn, Erpingham – please let us know if you spot further examples.

If readers are interested in traditional pub games I can thoroughly recommend a new book on the subject “Played in the Pub” by Arthur Taylor ISBN 978 1 905624 973 £14.99 and is part of English Heritage’s Played in Britain series of books.

The Wheel of Fortune is situated on Wheel Road, Alpington NR14 7NL and is open from 12 to 3; 5.30 to 11; 12 to 12 Sat, Sun. Food is served lunchtimes and evenings every day. Real ales on sale include Woodfordes Wherry, Adnams Broadside, Greene King IPA and possibly another. Phone number is 01508 492712. Licensees of 7 years standing Carl & Angela Wilkins have just bought the pub from Punch Taverns.

Across the county In North West Norfolk we can recommend a visit to see the original bars at the Rose & Crown, Snettisham, an attractive early 17th-century village inn with later extensions.

The star feature here is the small beamed front bar on the right with its uneven pammet / brick floor. It retains an ancient high backed settle, well worn fitted seating and a large old brick inglenook fireplace with a side oven. The bar counter appears to be formed from old wooden vessels and has been here for some time – bar counters were only introduced into public houses in the mid 19th century so draw your own conclusions.

To the left is the small bar with an old fireplace; the fixed seating and bar counter being Continued Overleaf

AUTUMN 2009 | 19

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Open all day every day, food is served:12-2 & 6-9 Tuesday to Sunday

Offering four real ales and quality home-cooked food we are sure you will have a great time.

17th Century timber beamed pub.

From Norwich & Acle head to Salhouse and at the mini roundabout follow the sign to Wroxham, we are 200yds on the right.

BT Openzone available

12-3 Sunday for plated home cooked Sunday lunches with homemade Yorkshire puddings and fresh vegetables. Booking advised if dining.

Wychwood Hobgoblin on throughout October Quiz Nights every Wednesday from 8.30pm A meat raffle is held every Sunday at 4:30 pm.

Tel: 01603 721141 www.salhousebell.co.uk 20

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NORFOLK NIPS | Heritage Pubs day. It offers accommodation in 16 rooms. Food is served lunchtimes and evenings every day and the real ales include Woodforde’s Wherry, Adnams Best Bitter, Broadside, Fullers London Pride and a guest beer.

Phone number is 01485 541382 and the website is www.roseandcrownsnettisham.co.uk

Text and photographs by Mick Slaughter of CAMRA’s Pub Heritage Group.

The ancient front bar of the Rose & Crown, Snettisham Ancient wall seating and oven at the Rose & Crown, Snettisham probably newer than those in the main bar. To the far left is a small dining room that has been brought into use in recent times. A tiled passage leads to the larger bare boarded rear bar with a splendid old brick fireplace, The panelled bar counter appears to have been fitted in the inter war years. Note the unusual barrel shaped seating, which has been here since post war times. About 30 years ago the pub was considerably extended to the rear to create a number of dining rooms. This is an excellent example of how to expand a village pub – retain the small rooms with old fittings and build new facilities without compromising the original pub.

The Rose & Crown is situated at Old Church Road PE31 7LX and open from 11am every

If you require photographs of your pub interior / exterior you can contact Mick on 01733 390598 or email m.slaughter45@ntlworld.com to discuss your requirements.

The rear bar of the Rose & Crown, Snettisham - note the inter-war counter and barrel seating.

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Norfolk POTY

| NORFOLK NIPS

The Artichoke, Broome Norfolk Pub of the Year tapped. Meanwhile two casks of Adnams Extra have been kept for a month so they'll be well mature when served.

There's also a range of food with regular pub grub including scampi, gammon, bangers and mash, and ploughmans, and specials which when I visited included Thai green curry, spicy parsnip soup, and chicken and ham pie.

ohn Craft was happy to win Norfolk Pub of the Year with the Artichoke, at Broome, in the south of the county. But it's a feeling he knows already, having won the award before with the King's Arms in Hall Road, Norwich.

J

I visited the Artichoke and asked John what the difference is between running a town pub and a country pub.

“None at all really,” he says.

“I like to think I've brought a town pub to the countryside.”

But he admits that country pubs do face more of a challenge getting customers across the threshold. “The footfall isn't as much as it is in town, so what you do, you have to do well,” he says. “They have to come because they want to.”

The big weapon is his armoury is an extensive beer range - up to 8 or 9 beers on 22

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draught at the weekend, both on gravity and on handpump.

He tries to run stocks down on Sunday evening, in order to clean the lines on Monday - so if you go early in the week the range won't be quite as extensive. Stronger beer comes in pins, rather than firkins, to ensure that turnover is fast enough to keep the beer in condition.

John has a good balance between local breweries and beers from elsewhere in the country. As well as Adnams (Oyster Stout was on when I visited), local brews include Spectrum, Brandon, Woodfordes, Fat Cat, Winter's, Norfolk Square and Blackfriars.

He's also not averse to maturing beer. One cask of Adnams' Tally ho barley wine apparently has a 'best before' date of January 2008, and will be three years old before it's

But John says the Artichoke isn't a food pub. Only a third of his turnover comes from food, and two thirds from beer. “We do pride ourselves on quality food,” he says, “but the beer is paramount.”

As for other attractions, the pub has no television, no fruit machines, and no jukebox. It's a place to come for a pint and a chat - not to watch the box.

And as John points out, fruit machines take up valuable drinking space.

The pub doesn't run events, other than a monthly quiz night. There's no beer festival “eight beers at weekends are enough anyway” - and no barbecues. But John says the pub does support the local community; local groups are welcome to hold meetings here, and he doesn't charge.

The pub also gives raffle prizes to local school fetes and other events.

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His regulars - who make up about 85 percent of his trade, come from Beccles, Bungay and Norwich, as well as from local villages. The pub is lucky in being on two bus routes, the 580 and 588 (the latter running from St Stephen's, Norwich). While the pub is in Broome, regulars from the village itself are in the minority, and John allows himself a moment of acerbity - “It's only when a pub or post office shuts that people discover they wanted it there.”

He believes that being open all day - unusual for a country pub - helps attract customers.

And though he serves food from 12-230 and 630-9 in the week (12-4 on Sundays), he's maintained the policy he started at the King's Arms of allowing customers to bring their own food. “If chaps have been in the cricket nets all evening or out fishing, and they get here after the kitchen closes, they can bring their fish and chips and have a pint.”

John is a long time CAMRA member and thinks CAMRA has done an excellent job getting people to drink real ale, and supporting breweries. But he says “I do think it sometimes loses its way. A full pint is not the big issue - tax, the place of the pubcos, and nanny state regulation is!” He believes CAMRA should have pursued the 'Axe the Beer Tax' campaign far more vigorously.

He was particularly glad to see the pubcos getting whacked by a House of Commons committee earlier this year. “The pubco tenancy model is all wrong for the pub business. High prices over the counter is just not going to get customers in.” While he applauds Adnams, Elgoods and Batemans for freezing beer prices, giving their tenants the chance to increase turnover, he says the big pubcos have done nothing for their publicans.

Fortunately local government has proved more benign than

central government. South Norfolk council has tried hard to help local pubs, starting a 'community pub of the year' award, and helping pubs get free advertising. The council has also helped local pubs apply for rural rate relief, which they can get if they're the only pub in the village. (Sadly, there’s talk that central government may abolish this relief - another nail in the coffin.)

After all this political talk I wondered if the smoking ban would come in for some stick but apparently it has had no impact at all on the pub. Some of that is down to a palatial smoking gazebo which cost several thousand pounds, admittedly. But the smokers haven't gone away - nor have any new customers appeared, though people are eating a bit more in the pub now it's a smoke-free environment.

Time to get back to the big question. How do you run an award winning pub? Beer quality is of course crucial, and I already had some evidence of that. Knowing your customers is another, John says - know them by name, and know what they drink. (In his case, 75 per cent of customers are ale drinkers , and to judge by the empties, he reckons that percentage is going up.)

But there's no secret formula.

“Every pub is different,” he says. “And the powers that be need to recognise this - and stop trying to regulate a country real ale pub to stop teenage binge drinkers on Riverside!”

Andrea Kirkby

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M T: AR E A W A COM EL W

• SALTHOUSE •

“THE COUNTRY PUB” - Real ales and open fire Comfortable atmosphere • Home cooked food Locally sourced, home cooked food including our local speciality Morton Mussels!

Parties and function catered for • Sheltered courtyard and garden • En-suite accommodation • Dogs welcome!

LIVE MUSIC - LAST SATURDAY EACH MONTH

QUIZ - FIRST WEDNESDAY EACH MONTH

Coast Rd, Salthouse, Norfolk NR25 7XA

ndlord, othy Taylors La m Ti rs ee B ar Regul Wherr y, bot, Woodforde Greene King Ab Adnams Bitter

Tel: 01263 740467

Award Winning Beers Beer for Christmas From Grain Brewery

Draught beers available in beer boxes for Christmas…

Oak - moreish session bitter 3.8%

Best Bitter - smooth and malty bitter 4.2% Harvest Moon 4.5% - Strong & hoppy Golden Pale Ale

Oak 18 Pints 36 Pints

Best Bitter Harvest Moon

£34.50 £36.50 £57.50 £61.00

£36.50 £61.00

Here’s how to order…

Award winning Beers From Grain Brewery 24

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email info@grainbrewery.co.uk phone 01986 788884 order online through the website below (prices may differ slightly online)

www.grainbrewery.co.uk

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NORFOLK NIPS | Coach Trip

July county coach trip Next it was a short walk across the village green to The Falcon, which tended to be a fairly young person’s orientated pub. A fair choice of real ales were on sale including Fullers London Pride, Shepherd Neame Spitfire and Greene King IPA.

O

ur July’s County Coach trip which visited south Norfolk had a strong campaigning theme.

Our first stop was at The Fox & Hounds, in the village of Great Moulton near Long Stratton. For nearly a year been this pub has been under threat of closure when last autumn a planning application was lodged to convert the 600 year old pub into a private residence. Fortunately the pub was saved by a group of local residents called “The Great Moulton Action Group” who in an effort to save the village’s last remaining pub arranged a 12 month lease agreement which was taken up by Mr Les Christman and his wife Pat. Local branch members took our branch banner and we made a photo stop outside the

pub to celebrate the return of this rural community pub. On offer in this delightful pub with its large open fireplace were a choice of Adnams Bitter and Woodforde’s Wherry.

Our next stop was to the historic village of Pulham Market where we had a choice of two pubs situated on either side of its picturesque village green. Firstly we visited The Crown. This large old building with its whitewashed walls, thatched roof and the Parish church located behind, is the quintessential English rural pub. Again Adnams Bitter and Woodforde’s Wherry were the real ales on sale here. Unfortunately we had arrived a day too early for the next day the pub was to host a mini beer festival for the weekend where a choice of around ten beers was to be available.

We then drove a few miles on to Tivetshall St Margaret where we visited The Railway Tavern. This large old Victorian pub which dates from the1850s was once known as “The Railway Hotel”. In the railway heyday Tivetshall had a station which was situated at the junction where the now long closed Waveney Valley line from Beccles merged with the main Norwich to London Line.

Fullers London Pride was the real ale available here.

Our final call of the night took us to The Greyhound at Tibenham. Many photos and paintings of US bombers adorn the walls of this pub reminding us that during World War Two Tibenham was host to a large United States air base. A good range of beers including Adnams Bitter and Broadside, Fullers London Pride and Tim Taylors Landlord were available to finish off a fine night’s drinking in South Norfolk.

Warren Wordsworth

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The London Tavern Free House Church St, Attleborough Tel :01953 457415

Great real ales, fine wines and spirits.

Traditional food served daily, pre-booked evening meals, Sunday roasts and Childrens menu. Meals for large parties up to 30 catered for in our funtion room, choice of set menu’s. Bookings only.

Parking, Disabled facilities, Smokers sheltered garden, and Beer garden.

Well behaved dogs on leads welcome.

CHRISTMAS BOOKINGS NOW BEING TAKEN FOR MEALS AND PARTIES

4th Annual Beer Festival 25th September onwards 26

| SUMMER 2009

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NORFOLK NIPS | National Committee Visit

PCC weekend t’s not very often that West Norfolk have the opportunity to show members of CAMRA’s national committees what we have to offer, so it made a change to be able to show those who look after our pub campaigns at national level what Kings Lynn and the surrounding district has to offer.

i

Our first visitor arrived on Friday evening so members of the local branch arranged for a tour of the excellent selection of local pubs in the south end of Lynn. The first stop was the Crossways, a Greene King house, where you can watch your favourite sports on the TV screens throughout the pub whilst you enjoy your pint.

Another Greene King pub was next on our tour, The London Porterhouse. The Porterhouse is a small street corner pub which has been sympathetically refurbished in recent years and regularly plays host to live music. We then moved on to the Lord Napier, this was the first of the three free houses on our list and had three real ales on offer. As well as the large screen for showing sport, the pub also organizes different events to keep their customers entertained. The next stop on the tour was the Live and Let Live which, as well as having four beers available also offers two real ciders. This was the only pub on our tour which has separate public and lounge bars, the lounge bar being smaller and cosier than the public bar. Out last port of call

for the evening was the Stuart House Hotel, a smart, cosy hotel bar which offers their customers three real ales. All the pubs we visited were enjoying a busy Friday night trade. It’s good to see in this day and age such a thriving pub scene on the edge of a town.

The Saturday arrived, and so did the rest of the committee.

Some arrived early enough to explore on the way to the Globe, where the meeting was to be held, and had enjoyed visits to some of the pubs nearby including the Tudor Rose, the Lattice House and the Crown and Mitre.

Once Saturday’s business was over a trip had been arranged to visit some pubs in the area surrounding King’s Lynn. A must was to visit the Dabbling Duck at Great Massingham, a pub which had come back to life after being close for 5 years.

The assistance offered by the Borough Council of Kings Lynn to save this pub for the local community is rare, if not unique. Councillor Mike Tilbury and Parish Councillor Jon Cole were on hand to explain how they had saved their local and there was also a good selection of real ales available.

The evening’s trip was rounded off with a visit to the West Norfolk Branch Pub of the Year, the Union Jack in Roydon.

This village pub is very different

to most in that it does not serve any food, relying on their wet sales. It was already busy when we arrived and some of the visitors took the opportunity to chat with the locals who were enjoying their evening out.

By now time was getting on so we headed back into Kings Lynn where arrangements had been made to sign some of the group into the Ouse Amateur Sailing Club to enjoy a couple before retiring to bed.

Bright and early (well probably not very bright but definitely early for Sunday) the meeting resumed but didn’t take too long and was over by lunchtime. Being a national committee many of those attending had long (some longer than usual due to engineering works) journeys home to make but a small group were able to stay on and enjoy Kings Lynn for a bit longer.

With the message from the weekend loud and clear that we need to promote and protect our pubs, we decided to visit a pub and, with the meeting being held in Mild Month, it seemed sensible to go to a pub selling a mild.

With this in mind we all headed through the park to the Live and Let Live, the only pub we had visited the previous evening which had been selling mild, where those remaining enjoyed a few pints before heading home.

Andrea Briers

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Beer & Music

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Music & Real Ale

TRADITIONAL JAZZ Acle Recreation Centre, Bridewell Lane, Acle Real Ales include Adnams Bitter, Theakstons and Tipples Redhead Friday 4th September – Barry Tyler’s Original Dixieland Jazz Band Friday 4th December – Gambit Jazzmen NB. Sessions are now taking place on Fridays instead of Tuesdays.

Tickets/enquiries – Brian Davis 01493 701880

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The Quality Hotel (Filby Suite), Bowthorpe, Norwich (off Dereham Road) Fat Cat Bitter is being laid on specially for the jazz sessions.

featuring Simon Nelson’s Dixie Mix in the courtyard at rear of pub (weather permitting) after a good summer of Sunday lunchtime jazz.

Tuesday 20th October – Sammy Rimington and his International Jazz Band

(Phone King’s Arms for more details - 01603 870345)

Tickets/enquiries – Rod Playford 01362 688269 King’s Arms, Market Place, Reepham Adnams Bitter, Elgoods Cambridge Bitter, Timothy Taylor Landlord, Woodforde’s Wherry and Abbot Ale Last session of the summer takes place on Sunday lunchtime 6th September,

King’s Head Hotel, Beccles, Suffolk Adnams Bitter and Broadside plus special house beer Matilda’s Revenge brewed by local brewery Opa Hays in honour of the resident ghost Every Sunday evening - Red Beans ‘n’ Rice New Orleans Jazz Band (NB. Special guest on Sunday 18th October features Norman Thatcher on Trumpet)

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NORFOLK NIPS | Beer & Music Feathers Hotel, Market Place, Holt Greene King Abbot Ale and IPA First Friday every month – Lumiere Rouge Ragtime BandMarsham Arms, nr Hevingham (B1149 Norwich-Holt Road) Adnams Bitter, plus alternating guests including Adnams Broadside and Woodforde’s Wherry Third Friday every month – Lumiere Rouge Ragtime Band Lord Nelson, Walsingham Road, Burnham Thorpe Greene King Abbot and Woodforde’s Wherry Thursday 10th September – Chris Wigley’s Dixieland Jazz Quartet Northrepps Cottage Country Hotel, Nut Lane, Northrepps (Nr Cromer) Greene King Abbot Ale and IPA Sundays 13th September, 11th October and 8th November (Jazz Carvery from 12.00 – 3.00 pm) – Chris Wigley’s Dixieland Jazz Quartet

Smiths Cask and guest beers

b.capocci123@ntlworld.com

Second and Fourth Thursdays every month – Black Bowler Hat Jazz Band

Dereham Jazz Society, Lakeside Country Club, Quarry Lane, Lyng (nr Dereham) Adnams beers plus guest beers on handpump

Saturday 26th September – Chris Wigley’s Dixieland Jazzmen Waterside Bar, Beach Terrace Road, Hunstanton Adnams Bitter and Greene King Old Speckled Hen Sunday 20th September (5.00 – 8.00 pm) - Chris Wigley’s Dixieland Jazz Quartet The Buck Inn, The Street, Flixton, Suffolk Woodforde’s Mardler’s, Morland Original and Adnams Bitter are the regulars at present, but in addition there are guest beers, and an increased selection in the summer months

Every Wednesday – Full programme consisting of various bands and musicians in varied styles, which usually includes one ‘traditional’ session each month.

NB. Closed for summer break from 2nd – 23rd September inclusive. Sessions resume Wednesday 30th September.

For further details phone 01328 863511 or 01362 696741 or visit website www.lakeside-jazz-club.co.uk Keith Chettleburgh

Every Thursday - Sole Bay Jazz Band

FOLK IN THE EAST (AND WEST)

MAINSTREAM / MODERN JAZZ

Well, was it a barbeque summer for you? More like the old expression ‘a curate’s egg’ (good in parts), but certainly lots of good music and plenty more on the horizon to carry through into the Autumn.

(Phone 01263 579202 for details) George and Dragon, Newton by Castle Acre Elgoods Cambridge plus local guest beers

Green Man, Wroxham Road, Rackheath Woodforde’s Wherry, Adnams Bitter and Broadside plus guests

Second Tuesday every month – Black Bowler Hat Jazz Band (Also folk music on first Thursday every month) Bell Inn, Hempton (Nr Fakenham) Woodforde’s Wherry, John

Every Tuesday – Full programme consisting of various bands and musicians.

For further details, phone Barbara Capocci on 01603 413443, or e-mail

Since the forthcoming guest listings don’t tend to coincide with the publication of this august journal these are the regular sessions that should be taking place this Autumn In the city there are weekly band and or singer appearContinued Overleaf

AUTUMN 2009 | 29

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THE ARTICHOKE FREEHOUSE at Broome

Up to 8 Real Ales (4 on gravity) 3 Belgian Fruit Beers Outstanding selection of Scottish malt & Irish Whisky Opening Hours 12pm to 11pm weekdays & Sunday 12pm to 12am Friday & Saturday Closed Mondays (Except Bank Holidays)

Lunchtime Meals

162 Yarmouth Road, Broome, Bungay NR35 2NZ Tel: 01986 893325

12pm to 2.30pm weekdays 12pm to 4pm Sundays

Evening Meals

On the 580 and 588 Anglia Bus routes

6.30pm to 9pm Weds to Sat (Booking is advisable)

NORFOLK CAMRA PUB OF THE YEAR 2009 Beer garden and ample parking

Queen’s Head and Waveney Brewing Company Traditional Village Pub with a brewery producing permanent and seasonal ales on site Large beer garden, traditional games, lunchtime menu and a good selection of real ale, spirits and soft drinks Listed in the Good Beer Guide every year since 2000.

Station Road, Earsham, Norfolk

Tel: (01986) 892623

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NORFOLK NIPS | Beer & Music ances at The Duke of Wellington Waterloo Road, von Krapp Family on Tuesday evenings. Micawbers, Pottergate, the Shufflewing sessions also on a Tuesday evening. On Wednesday the Nelson on Nelson Street has a More than Folk play/singaround from 20.30 while at the Cider Shed, Sprowston Road, also on Wednesday, you can find the Irish Session. Investigate Jurnets Bar at the Music House, King Street, on Fridays from 20:00 (with club m’ship available for regular visitors), this is an invited musicians evening that includes ,rather than being exclusivity, folk music. Just out of the city the Norwich Folk Club meets at the White Horse in Trowse on Friday nights; the only guest listed at the time of writing is Emily Smith on the 9th of October.

On Sunday afternoons from 14.30 it is worth checking out the Cider Shed for live music in many forms, including folk, while later-on there is another reason to visit the Nelson for the Sunday evening session from c.20.00.

One loss since the last issue is the Friday session in the York; the landlord has other plans for the room and at the time of writing a new venue has yet to be announced.

In the city & county there are a whole host of folk-based events typically taking place once (or twice) a month at pubs throughout our area of which the following is just a sample:Folk at the Railway (Mondays) at the Railway North

Elmham; the Wisbech Folk Club meet at the Angel Wisbech on Tuesdays; a session takes place at the Reedcutters at Cantley on the 1st Wednesday of the month, the 2nd Wednesday is the Burlington Hotel Sheringham, while at the Kings Head at Dereham, folk is on the 3rd Wednesday of the month. The Red Lion in Swaffham is the venue for the (former Castle Acre) Folk club on the last Wednesday of the month .The Alby Horseshoes is on the last Thursday of the month with the Cherry Tree at Wicklewood (the Buffy’s Brewery tap) and the Greyhound at Tibenham, both new to this column, at the same time and date. On the 2nd Sunday of the month in the afternoon try the Gatehouse on Dereham Road Norwich.

Down in the Waveney valley the Geldeston Locks have yet to publicise their Autumn programme, check-out their web-site for the latest details (www.geldestonlocks.co.uk) but, a word to the wise, if you are attending an evening session here make sure to take a torch as an impromptu swimming or mud-bathing event could put a damper on your evenings entertainment!

On the River Yare the Lord Nelson (www.lordnelsonpub.com) at Reedham runs folk evenings fronted by John Collerick on Wednesday & Sunday between June & October with a Friday & Saturday evening session with a 2 piece plus by the

name of Sylvan, feedback on this would be appreciated.

Returning to the city; Norwich Arts Centre on St. Benedicts, whose café bar usually has at least one beer from a local brewer on sale, is hosting the New Mexico based Hansome Family on Sunday 27th September, three of Norwich’s finest guitarists (Andy Kirkham, Tom Conway & Adrian Lever) on Tuesday 6th October with Balkan, Klezmer and African inspired music, the Unthanks (formerly Rachael Unthank and the Winterset) on Wednesday 14th October and on the 16th Devon Sproule + support with her faintly jazz influenced Appalachian folk. Jackie Oates on Thursday 22nd October (ex Winterset & Show of Hands) plus the unique Baka Beyond on the 12th of November will collectively make quite a hole in your compilers pocket money this Autumn. One last note; the Playhouse on St George’s (with their revamped bar) is the venue, on Sunday 29th of November, for Show of Hands on their County Towns tour which finishes in Truro on December 4th. If you have wondered why I (and many others) rabbit on about folk music, please, check out these two guys and a rather superb support, I may be slightly biased here but in my not so humble musical opinion they are worth an evening of anybodies time and if you disagree, well, I would stick to the Special Brew if I were you!

Jon Knight

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Norfolk Country Pubs

| NORFOLK NIPS

Food Safari doesn't it?) with malted barley which comes in big sacks.

This lets the heat release the natural sugars in the barley (which will later be turned to alcohol by yeast) in a big open barrel called a mash tun. The clever bit at this stage as we learned at Beer Academy is combining different types of malted barley: pale, crystal, chocolate in different proportions

arranged for Tim to visit Grain's microbrewery in Alburgh on the Norfolk/Suffolk border for a day learning how to brew beer. Well it was his birthday and thankfully he did bring a few bottles back and also agreed to blog his experience!

O

“I managed to get lost on the way to Alburgh but what a beautiful place! On the North side of the Waveney valley which runs along the Suffolk/Norfolk border this is unexpectedly rolling English countryside. When Phil Halls and Geoff Wright were looking for a home for their new brewery in 2006 they saw and rejected lots of potential sites including a range of different farm buildings and (thankfully) characterless premises on industrial estates at a much higher cost. When they found their current site at South Farm they knew it was right for what they wanted to do.

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What I learned between 9.30 and 4.00 is that the life of a craft brewer is physically demanding, full of sensory (particularly olfactory) stimulation and occasionally repetitive.

All brewers develop their own unique recipes. Today we were brewing Grain's session bitter Oak and throughout the process we referred to a sheet listing the precise weights of ingredients.

The first part of the brewing process is to combine hot water (called liquor in brewing terminology - it just sounds better

to create beers of very different flavours and colours. Oak majors on pale malt - Maris Otter to be precise.

The sweetest cup or two of the resulting 'wort' is discarded and then the rest is transferred to a copper tank where it is boiled with hops. Two types of hops are added in two stages: first bittering hops which add bitterness; and then at end of an hour or so aroma hops which ‘spice’ the brew adding a wonderful, heady aroma. These aroma hops are an expensive ingredient (by weight) but really contribute character and zing to a beer like Oak.

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NORFOLK NIPS | Norfolk Country Pubs short weeks and Phil is going to give us a call when it's ready!”

While the ‘boil’ takes place we get our hands and boots dirty shovelling the spent barley out of the mash tun (see opposite) - it’s oddly satisfying and we just finish in time for Jimmy the farmer to come and pick up the waste barley husks to feed to his sheep. How about that

for thrift and sustainability?

The brew is then transferred into a fermentation tank where it will, with the addition of yeast the following day, begin to become beer as we know it with the malt sugar converted to alcohol. The beer we brewed will be ready in a few

Beer Festival Diary 30 Sept-3 October St Albans Beer Festival 7-10 October Bedford Beer & Cider Festival 8-10 October Nottingham “Robin Hood” Beer & Cider Festival, at Nottingham Castle, an easy walk from Railway Station. Over 600 beers available.

29 September-4 October The White Lion, Oak Street, Norwich is holding its first anniversary beer festival.

We really like Grain's beers and are impressed with the way Phil and Geoff are working to bring their beer to new audiences : check out their classic session bitter Oak which has some lovely aromatic hops on the nose, the Ruby Porter which is full, sweet and creamy with that ‘Ovaltine’ flavour from crystal malt and the Strong Pale Ale which has quite a serious drink with a kick.

Tim Robinson From Foodsafari's blog. Food Safari is a Suffolk-based business which operates 'field to fork' events and experience days (foodsafari.co.uk)

5-8 November White Horse, Chedgrave, with a firework display on the opening night Thursday 5th November. Bus- Service X2 from Norwich stops outside The White Horse.

17-21 November Rochford Beer & Cider Festival 18 22 November Kings Arms Beer Festival, Norwich 1-5 December Pigs Ear Beer & Cider Festival. At The Ocean, Mare Street, Hackney, London E8. (Opp Town Hall, easy access by 15 buses+rail).

26-31 October Norwich Beer Festival (See separate article and advert for more details).

30 October-6 November Royal Oak, Poringland Beer Festival – bus 587/588 from Norwich will get you there.

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Beer Festival Sunday 4th October 12 - 7pm

St Peter’s Hall St. Peter South Elmham Nr Bungay NR35 1NQ just 5 mins from Bungay

St Peters Hall home of St Peters Brewery with ten guest ales , morris dancing and folk music Free Admission Free Brewery Tours for CAMRA members Sample different beers in the Great Hall of this historic 13th century building More info can be found on our website www.stpetershallsuffolk.co.uk or ring 01986 782288

The Kings Head North Lopham (Near Diss)

400 year old thatched country pub

Real Ales at sensible prices: Woodfordes Wherry & Adnams Bitter plus a rotating guest beer (4% ABV and above) PLUS Aspalls Cyder and a draught keg Mild

Home made food, freshly prepared with a selection of Vegetarian and gluten free meals (Served Wednesday to Saturday 12 - 2.30pm & 6pm - 8.30pm and Sunday Lunch 12 noon - 3pm)

Fire Real

Opening Times: Monday 5-11pm Tuesday / Wednesday 11.30am - 3pm and 5pm - 11pm Thursday / Friday 11.30am - 3pm and 5pm - 12midnight Saturday 11.30am - 12midnight Sunday 12noon - 10:30pm

The Kings Head, 16 The Street, North Lopham, Diss , Norfolk IP22 2NE Tel: 01379 688007 34

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Beer amp Garden & le Pa rkin g

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NORFOLK NIPS | Chairman’s Letter

John Innes 100 n its centenary year, Norwich’s John Innes Centre is producing a beer to celebrate its legacy to plant and microbial science. The Thornbridge Brewery in Bakewell, Derbyshire has used floormaltings from barley grown in Norfolk to produce an English style India Pale Ale (IPA) called John Innes 100. The beer is brewed using a traditional method, to reflect the historical nature of the beer, using Maris Otter barley; a variety with close links to the John Innes Centre’s historical work.

I

Maris Otter barley was developed at the Plant Breeding Institute (PBI), on Maris Lane, Trumpington, Cambridgeshire which was integrated into the John Innes Centre in 1987. In its 75 year history PBI developed over 10 crop varieties, and enabled the

UK to become self-sufficient in wheat and barley.

Maris Otter became the preferred barley variety because of its superior winter hardiness and went on to become one of the most enduring varieties in the history of modern cereal cultivation.

The traditional brewing method used by Thornbridge makes the most of the flavours of Maris Otter. A combination of gentle heating conditions in the process gives a nice bitterness of flavour and releases the natural anti-bacterial properties within the hops; an important feature in the past as it enabled the beer to stay fresh during its voyage on clipper boats overseas from England to India.

John Innes 100 is described as a light copper English IPA with aromas of fruit and berries, a gentle maltiness in the mouth and a wonderful citrus, and lemon-pith bitterness. It will

be available in a number of Norwich pubs, including The Trafford Arms and The Ribs of Beef. It will also be on sale at the Norwich Beer Festival so many opportunities for you to enjoy this special beer.

Today John Innes scientists are looking at how cereals use environmental cues to trigger germination and flowering, to help prepare farmers for the effects of climate change.

Warmer winters may mean that some varieties of winter barley may no longer receive the necessary cold weather to begin growing. By providing fundamental knowledge and resources for plant breeders, the John Innes is continuing the tradition of helping to ensure sustainable production and it is hoped that the John Innes 100 beer will epitomise how this has borne fruit over the last hundred years. For more information please visit www.jic.ac.uk/centenary.

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Festival roundups

| NORFOLK NIPS

Summer beer festivals

thousands attended. At the other end of the spectrum we had in Norwich during June The Vine public house and Thai restaurant, Norwich’s smallest pub holding it’s “Little Beer Festival with ten tiny breweries beers”.

Here are comments from a selection of some.

lthough beer festivals take place throughout the year the summer months are probably the more popular. This summer has been no exception and local CAMRA branch members have visited many, some close and some further away. They also vary very much in size. The largest visited was CAMRA’s Great British Beer Festival held at Earls Court in London in early August where several tens of

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Gt Yarmouth Beer & Cider Festival, Gt Yarmouth. This festival which took place in mid May was promoted jointly by Blackfriars Brewery, Yarmouth Borough Council and The Great Yarmouth Mercury in the historic Priory Centre of St Nicholas Parish Church.

Enjoying its third year in this charming setting, complete with medieval herb garden, there was a choice of over sixty real ales and a number a ciders most of which were supplied from local brewers.

On the same weekend at the nearby Mariners pub a Welsh Beer Festival was held with a range of around ten beers from the Principality.

Stowmarket Beer Festival.

Based and promoted by The East Anglian Rural Life Museum and supported by East Suffolk CAMRA, this festival took place in mid June. The festival has a tremendous atmosphere with

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NORFOLK NIPS | Festival roundups over the weekend.

the stillage being located in a large 14th century tithe barn where a large range of beers mostly from East Anglia were available. This is a great festival to visit and for those with plenty of time there is also an opportunity to visit this fascinating museum as well.

Dragon Hall Beer Festival, Norwich. In the first weekend in July, students from the Norwich Business School of the UEA hosted a small beer festival at the magnificent 15th century medieval merchant's hall in King Street Norwich.

There were real ales from around 13 local East Anglian brewers. Our branch helped the festival by providing advice and necessary equipment.

the region including real ciders.

Later that month saw The North Norfolk Railway host their annual Beer Festival on Platform 2 of Sheringham Railway Station. This festival which started off several years ago as a small event has grown in popularity. The combination of a steam railway trip combined with plenty of real ale attracts large numbers of visitors from all over East Anglia and beyond. There were more than 100 different brews from breweries from all over the country and well in excess of 8,000 pints were consumed

During Cromer Carnival week in mid August The Anglia Court Hotel held a small beer festival. Around a dozen real ales were available in a small marquee that was erected at the front of the hotel. This position, situated on Runton Road and at the top of the cliffs offers fine views of the North Sea and was ideal to watch The Red Arrows aerobatic team.

Later in August a party made an annual trip to Peterborough Beer Festival. Enroute we encountered Oakham Ales promoting their new award winning beer “Akhenaten�.

As you will see some of our members followed their procession into the festival site and not to The Peterborough Pyramids! This festival is reputed to be the largest regional festival in Great Britain with 350 draught real ales available and an excellent selection of ciders and perries.

The Broadland village of Reedham was the venue for another festival in July.

Promoted by local Humpty Dumpty Brewery and situated in the grounds of the local village hall. This festival was popular with day trippers from Norwich being located less than five minutes walk from Reedham railway station. On offer here were Humpty Dumpty Beers plus others from

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Angel Gardens Free House

Under same ownership for 21 years

Six reasonably priced Real Ales including three guest ales Home Cooked Food Live Music on Saturdays Beer Garden with heated smoking shelter

2 Bars (with one for Private Hire) Ample Car Parking 96 Angel Rd, Norwich NR3 3HT 01603 427490 email: ikwarren-angel@tiscali.co.uk www.norwichinns.com

He should have gone to the

EATON COTTAGE, UNTHANK RD, NORWICH 01603 453048

The Burston Crown Jonj, Frances, Bev and Steve welcome you to our 16th Century country pub.

We offer a fine range of gravity fed real ales, excellent bar and restuarant food every day and a welcoming, warm atmosphere. Every Thursday evening we have a busker’s night and host live music every alternate Sunday.

Fine Real Ales,lagers,wines and spirits All Sky Sports • A traditional pub Good covered outside areas • Doggies welcome

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ire festival BEER and bonfNo vember nday 1st

Su details See www.burstoncrown.com for

01379 741257 enquiries@burstoncrown.com

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BARRELIEF

MANAGEMENT Your local Bar Relief to cover for your Holidays or Sickness.

Personal Licence Holder.

Food Hygiene Certificated.

Please Call Brian Mayhew on 01603 301356 or 07714657752 to discuss your requirements email: brmpubservices@aol.com www.brmpubservices.co.uk

Earle Arms Heydon

Traditional Norfolk freehouse and restaurant Bookings now being taken for Christmas Availability on Christmas day

3 Real Ales always available Woodfordes Wherry, Adnams Bitter and One Guest

01263 587376 Satnav: NR11 6AD (Just off B1149 Holt - Norwich Rd)

Greyhound The• Tibenham • Alby HorseShoes Inn Freehouse Situated on the A140 Norwich/Cromer Road

4 Real Ales – Home cooked Food 5 STAR ESTABLISHMENT NNDC “Scores on the Doors” Margaret & Richard Rushmer look forward to meeting you

01263 761378 www.albyhorseshoes.co.uk

Four Real Ales, Four lagers, Guinness and Aspall Cyder served in a 300 year-old village pub, with a two acre paddock and children’s play area.

Ideal for rallies.

Wood fires and home cooked food from local sources.

Norwich NR16 1 PZ Tel: 01379 677676 E-mail d.hughes@tesco.net AUTUMN 2009 | 39

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REAL ALE SHOP BLOFIELD Visit the shop at Blofield Leisure Centre, 58 Yarmouth Road, Blofield, Norfolk, NR13 4LQ Or Visit our brewery shop at 7 Estcourt Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR30 4JQ

Now selling bottle conditioned beers from The Real Ale Shop in Wells Next The Sea tel 01328 710810

Contact us below for trade sales:

01603 279927

Tel: 01493 854484 email: beer@norfolksquarebrewery.co.uk www.norfolksquarebrewery.co.uk

john@oleslewfootbrewery.co.uk

3 Pollard Rd, Hainford, Norwich NR10 3BE

SURLINGHAM OPENING HOURS ALL DAY, ALL YEAR, EVERY DAY FROM 11am-CLOSE FOOD AVAILABLE ALL DAY, FROM 12 TILL 9pm Picturesque riverside walks, RSPB reserve, On Norwich’s doorstep. Moorings available. Open Fire, Real Ales.

Good traditional Home Cooked Food,

Main meals from £6.95 All Functions catered for. Live Music, Quiz Nights.

Small Children and Dog friendly.

You will receive a Warm and Friendly Welcome from Sonia, Andy and All at the Staff at The Ferry Ferry Road, Surlingham, Norwich, Norfolk. NR14 7AR Tel: 01508 538659 Email: surlinghamferry@googlemail.com

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NORFOLK NIPS | 32nd Norwich Beer Festival

It’s nearly here! nly two months to go, when St Andrew's and Blackfriars Hall's are transformed into one of the country's largest beer festivals.

As many of you know, planning has been under way for a number of months. It does take an awful lot of organising and planning , to present over 200 Real Ales, 25 + ciders/perries and many “continental style” beers for your enjoyment.

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The logo competition received many entries, but unfortunately there can be only one winner, but that is the kickoff point for the whole process, this year's winner is Paul Minns who submitted a striking design of a dragon overlooking the Norwich skyline.

After feedback from last year's festival, we have shifted the focus to some of the smaller micro breweries around the country, hopefully you will like the choice!. Trying to please all the people all of the time however just won't happen, but feedback is appreciated .

Last year after comments about the lack of “dark” beer, we beefed our order up on stouts, porters, barley wines and dark milds. Many comments were had, both bad and good about the range, especially at the latter part of the festival.

This year we have tried to go for a more balanced approach, with some more low gravity , golden style ales. However, we

will still have some of our old favourites and hopefully some specials as well. One which does deserve some mention and I know, (well 99% certain!) is the John Innes Centenary Beer brewed in conjunction with Thornbridge brewery, using traditional floor malted barley from Norfolk.

(Further details on page xx) This brings me round to the eternal plea for more volunteer's to help! We have over 1800 members in our local branch, of which I suspect a fair number actually come along and support us. But why stop there, how about giving up a small amount of the time you spend on one side of the bar to actually see what it is like on the other side! If you fancy being a steward, bar person, driver, or general all round good guy/gal, please get in touch with our staffing officer Mark Stimpson at bfstaff@live.co.uk, or check out our web site, www.norwichcamra.org.uk/fest ival where you can download further details.

the possible redevelopment of the complex being delayed, we should be at the venue for at least a further two years. Obviously this situation could change either way, but we as an organising committee will let you know as soon as we hear anything either way. We have had a look at some alternative venues, but in my opinion, “St Andrews is an unique venue” and deserves both our support and yours for many years to come.

Thanks for reading.

Martin Ward Norwich Beer Festival Organiser 2009

A number of people have asked me during the previous months, what the future is for the beer festival at St Andrews Hall. At the current time, with

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Six Real Ales Live Music Every Thursday Lounge & Garden Seasonal menu (formerley the St Andrews Tavern) 4 St Andrews Street, Norwich, NR2 4AF

01603 614858 Open Midday to Midnight 7 Days A Week Serving Food until 9pm Monday to Friday

The White Hart The Street, Rockland All Saints

Sally Ann & Binz bid you a warm welcome where our aim is to make your visit as pleasurable as possible with good food, fine drink and a friendly atmosphere!

Open Tuesday - Sunday 11am - 3pm & 6pm - 11pm Food Served Tuesday - Sunday 12pm - 2pm & 6.30pm - 9pm ECIAL SUNDAY LUNCH SP

1 course £7.95 & dessert) £10.95 2 courses (main Special Menu £6 Midweek Lunch

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NORFOLK NIPS | Reedham Riverside Beer Festival review

All Hands to the Pumps at the Lord Nelson break in the entertainment local musicians “Danny and Carl” would start playing acoustic sets that turned into some great jam sessions as other musicians joined in.

ell what a lucky local I am to live in Reedham on the bank of the River Yare. After a year as the landlord and landlady of the Lord Nelson, Bill and Ros decided to have their first “Reedham Riverside Beer Festival”. They opted for a four day event over the August Bank Holiday weekend, running from midday till midnight. There was a mix of beers from around the area including locally brewed “Humpty Dumpty”, “Green Jack” and “Wolf” mixed in with beers from further afield, some old favourites and some new.

Of the twenty-four beers on at any one time eighteen were served from the barrel and the remaining from hand pumps on the bar. Amongst the well received were the Humpty

W

Dumpty’s Reedcutter which sold a barrel in 40mins and the stronger Baltic Trader at 10.5% abv from the Green Jack Brewery which lasted the weekend. Bill had sourced a list of over fifty beers and ciders, forty of which were finished over the weekend.

This all coincided on the Sunday with the first “Reedham Duck Race” in support of the village school and the last tour date of “The Water Rats” jazz band on the Monday lunch time. This was by no means the only entertainment over the weekend, performances by local musicians such as the “Chuffinches”, “Jon Collorick”, “Sylvanne” and “The Bug Hunters” added a great party atmosphere to the weekend.

Still every time there was a

There were many local performers who popped over to support the event and some ended up playing short sets.

Singer/songwriter Vicky Grady a regular performer at the “Reedham Beer Festival” and at the “Railway Tavern” did a short impromptu solo session as did the young but equally talented Rachael Leech who was lent a guitar and jumped in.

I would personally like to thank Bill and Ros for reviving the tradition of a pub based beer festival in the village which supports both local brews and local musicians.

I would also like to say thanks and well done to the staff who had no idea what to expect at the beginning of the weekend but dealt with everything that came their way including the twelve hundred people in the village for the “Duck Race”.

In fact thank you to everyone who handed out a leaflet or passed on a link or emailed or text a friend. More info and pics are available at: www.lordnelsonpub.com Ben Hawkins

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DUKE of WELLINGTON TRADITIONAL REAL ALE HOUSE 14 REAL ALES GRAVITY SERVED available all year round from our glass fronted tap room

6 MORE ALES ON HAND PUMP CAMRA Good Beer Guide Listed CAMRA Norfolk Pub of the Year 2003

CHRISTMAS BEERS Available throughout December Come and enjoy our Tap Room Open Monday to Saturday 12noon to 11pm Sundays 12noon to 10.30pm

with a selection of Belgian bottled beers, Schneider Weiss, Erdinger and Dunkel.

wa l k s e t u 5 min Jus t 1 C i t y C e n t re f rom

91 - 93 WATERLOO ROAD | NORWICH | 01603 441182

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The Railway Freehouse Station Rd, North Elmham

01362 668300 In the current Good Beer Guide, CAMRA members and supporters of local microbrewers

REAL ALES • REAL FOOD REAL PUB Colin & Julie Smith look forward to seeing you!

The Shoulder of Mutton ~ Strumpshaw ~

Fine ales and good food served in a friendly atmosphere Real ales include Adnams Bitter and Broadside plus TWO guest ale (mainly from local breweries) Food served 12-2pm and 7-9pm (Mon-Sat), 12-2pm Sundays Pub games include Darts, Pool, Crib and Petanque!

Ian and Jenny look forward to welcoming you..

Norwich Rd, Strumpshaw, Norwich NR13 4NT

Tel 01603 712274

The Real Ale Shop Branthill Farm, Wells-next-the-Sea, NORFOLK NR23 1SB ON THE B1105 FAKENHAM- WELLS RD

Over 50 bottle conditioned real ales from 15 Norfolk brewers who all use Branthill Farms famous malted barley.

TEL: 01328 710810

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Simon and Karen welcome you all to their traditional family pub.

Great selection of real ales (new Guest ale every Friday) Fine dining and excellent company

Complimentary bottle of Wine with all table reservations (min 4 persons) Offer available until 30th November.

Wednesday Nov 4th - Monday Nov 9th up to 20 Real Ales and Ciders available with Live Music and Morris Dancing!

Thursday 5th November Hot Jacket Potatoes & fillings available

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NORFOLK NIPS | Summer Boat Trip 2009

Mucking About on the Yare heday started bright and full of promise, asour party of 50 CAMRA members and friends gathered on Elm Hill Quay, behind the Ribs of Beef, for our annual Summer Trip. We were awaiting the arrival of our charter boat from City Boats to take us on a trip down the Yare.

T

Our journey began at 11 o’clock and with everyone aboard we set off for the Station Quay to pick-up our exchairman. After waiting 10 minutes Des failed to appear.

However our new Chairman Graham did appear so without further ado we came about and began our adventure.

Thanks to Humpty Dumpty, who had brought along 2 polypins of their finest, Swallowtail and Cheltenham Flyer. We did not find the journey to our first stop over taxing. In fact, we were running on empty before we left the city. Emergency supply required. We stopped off at the Rushcutters for refreshment and Graham advised me to have our stock of ale replenished. The landlord was most helpful and duly obliged.

Back aboard I called ahead to our next point of call, Bramerton Woodsend, to give the landlord warning that we should be arriving in about half an hour and that we would require some sandwiches. The pub was quite busy, as you

would expect for a Saturday in summer. The landlord was surprised and somewhat perplexed to see us. The person I had spoken to had not informed him we were coming!

Ordering sarnies became quite a trial but we had Adnams beers to keep us going. We even found Des and set off again down river. Because of the delay at the Woodsend, I again called ahead with an order for lunch for people who had not eaten at our previous stop. I also warned that there were about 50 thirsty people about to descend on them in about 45 minutes.

We arrived at Reedham Ferry in a state of great anticipation.

I was still aboard when the landlord arrived in a somewhat agitated state, to ask me what is going on. He had no time to prepare for lunch for 50 and was very unhappy that I had not told him we were coming.

He was preparing for a large wedding that evening and had not enough staff to cope with us for lunch. After explaining that I had spoken to one of his

staff, who made it clear we would be most welcome.

I made it clear that we did not all require lunch he calmed down and became most helpful. He even allowed us to refill a polypin for our return journey.

I know that we all like our beer, but whilst resting at the Ferry we were surprised and amazed to see someone arrive at the pub in a wheelie bin coming downstream. What some will do for a decent pint of real ale.

Our journey home was less eventful, all the beer was finished in short time and most arrived back quite merry.

It was a really excellent day out and apart for our little problems with food everyone had a great time.

I would like to thank Humpty Dumpty for providing the beer and to the crew of City Boats for making this a memorable day.

Tim MacDonald

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Icelandinc Beer

| NORFOLK NIPS

Icelandic Beer Our world traveller Nigel has recently sent me this “soundbite” on the subject of recently tried Icelandic beers. I gain the impression he may have spent at least some of his time seeing the country as well!

t

Icelandic Beers Kaldi is a Black Lager brewed by an Icelandic microbrewery (Bruggsmidjan) close to the North West town of Akureyri.

The idea of the beer is to make a quality product with a great taste in contrast to the coun-

tries 2 chemical heavy brewers Thule and Viking .

There are several things that make Kaldi so different from traditional Icelandic beer. They only use the best quality raw materials; it is unpasteurized making it as healthy and fresh as possible and it is also brewed without any added sugar and no preservatives. The only ingredients used to make the beer are four kinds of malt (which is the best malt possible) three kinds of hops, yeast and water. All of these

raw materials are specially ordered from the Czech Republic, besides the Icelandic water of course which is drawn from a spring in Sólarfjall (Sunny mountain) in Eyjafjord.

It is actually the water that makes such a big part of making the beer so good (and I can testify it is good!!).

Anyway, you don‘t travel to Iceland for the beer, it‘s the beautiful scenery and clean air which will make you return!!

Nige

12 Beers of Christmas Beer Festival

Christmas Beers from around the UK. Friday 18th December - Monday 21st December 12 noon - 11pm Hot Food available at all sessions

Live music: Saturday 8pm “The Rum Brothers” Country and Irish Music Sunday 7pm “The Rocking Johnnies” Monday 7pm Bell Ringing Regular X1 Bus Service to/from Dereham and Norwich CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2008 & 2009

The Street, Hockering, Nr Dereham NR20 3HL 48

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Christm as Carols & Treas u Hunt fo re r the Kids!

01603 880507

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Cambridge Bitter 3.8%

Gold Award Champion Bitter of Britain 2006 Available all year round:

SEASONAL ALES Thin Ice 4.7% Jan/Feb Old Wagg 4.0% March/April Double Swan 4.5% May/June Mad Dog 4.4% July/Aug Barleymead 4.8% Sept/Oct Old Black Shuck 4.5% Nov Snickalmas 5.0% Wenceslas Winter Warmer 7.5% Dec

North Brink Brewery, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire

Tel: 01945 583160

Mark & Marie offer you a warm welcome to the

Fox and Hounds Heacham Home of The Fox Brewery We are a free house specialising in real ales. The first pub in Heacham to be in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.

Regular Quiz and Music nights.

Town Green, Wymondham Telephone: (01953) 605675

Freehouse listed in The Good Beer Guide Pub food 7 days a week served lunchtimes and evenings.

Function Room for parties or meetings.

Friday Oct 2nd Tony Edwards launches his NEW album at the Fox! Saturday Oct 17th Tipittina Saturday Nov 28th John Valby (Ex Steve Miller Band)

Other BIG news coming soon!

See website for details - www.foxbrewery.com

Large Car Park

Tel: 01485 570345

A warm welcome awaits you!

OPEN ALL DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK

22 Station Rd, Heacham, Norfolk PE31 7EX

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COAST ROAD, WALCOTT, NORFOLK NR12 OPE Telephone

(01692) 650371 FREE HOUSE

Proprietor since 1989: STEVE BULLIMORE

OPEN FOR FOOD & DRINKS ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, 11am - 11pm Food available all day until 10.30pm 10% off food and drink on production of CAMRA membership card

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01603 625891 www.thewigandpen.com

6 St Martins Palace Plain, Norwich NR3 1RN

This warm and friendly 17th century Freehouse is to the north side of Norwich cathedral. Owned by Craig & Lynne McLaren since 1993. ‘The Wig’ as its affectionately known, has built a reputation for fresh, fast, affordable British cuisine.

• Good Ale • Good Food • Heated smoking area Sky & ESPN Sports TV • Late Night Opening • Real Fire Look out for our Cask Marque Plaque.

This guarantees beer quality in the Wig & Pen and the opportunity to TRY BEFORE YOU BUY.

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For the 13th successive year, the Wig & Pen has been included in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide. We are very proud of this achievement.

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NORFOLK NIPS | Poetic Corner

On when to stop drinking Three pints of beer a prudent man may take, The First of these for constitution’s sake, The Second to the girl he loves the best, The Third and last to lull him to his rest, Then home to bed; but if a Fourth he pours, That is the pint of folly, and not ours, Loud noisy talking on the Fifth attends, The Sixth breeds feuds, and falling out of friends, Seven begets blows and faces stain'd with gore, Eight and the watch-patrole breaks open the door, Mad with the Ninth another pint goes round, And the swill'd sot drops senseless on the ground.

Adapted from EUBOULOS (c.405 – c.335 BC)

Ed

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The Gatehouse Pub 391 Dereham Road, Norwich NR5 8QJ 01603 620340

KINGS HEAD HOLT Six brilliantly kept local ales on offer.

The newly refurbished George’s bar where you can grab a cosy booth or just a stool at the bar while you drink your ale and put the world to rights.

Come and try our own real ale

FOUR REAL ALES Live Music, Friday & Saturday Large garden overlooking the River Wensum OPEN Mon - Thurs 12-11 Fri & Sat 12-12 • Sunday 12-11

‘King’s Ransom’ exclusive to the king’s head, brewed by Black Friars Brewery.

We have a Christmas menu running from the 1st of December to Christmas eve (pre-booked only) so come on down and celebrate Christmas properly with some fantastic food at a fantastic price, everything cooked from scratch and cooked fresh to order.

The pub has had extensive refurbishments over the last twelve months and we now boast three luxurious B&B rooms designed by top interior designer Annie Lambert exclusively for the King’s Head. To find out more, visit our website www.kingsheadholt.org.uk, call us on 01263 712543, or just come on down and give us a try, you won’t be disappointed!

A light and crisp beer brewed with East Anglian malted barley.

The presence of First Gold hops gives this summer beer a refreshing finish.

The pub with no bar, ales direct from cask.

Watch www.nelsonslocal.co.uk for forthcoming events.

Tongue twizzling food, and great value.

Check our website for Christmas Lunch - £49.00 and New Year’s Eve - £39.00 Live music every Thursday from 8.45pm.

All details on the website.

Real fires. Huge garden.

Come & visit Nelson’s local.

Walsingham Road, Burnham Thorpe Norfolk PE31 8HN

01328 738241 56

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The Kings Arms 22 Hall Rd Norwich NR1 3HQ

Tel: 01603 766361

5th Anniversary Beer Festival Wed 25th – Sun 29th November 09 Come and join us to celebrate our 5th anniversary here at The Kings Arms!

Over

40 Cask Ales personally selected from regional and microbreweries across the UK. All styles of beer will be available including many Dark Beers and Real Cider. Beers will be served on Hand pump at the bar or on Gravity from “The Shed of Dreams”.

Pig n Falcon - St Neots ALES TO DATE

LIVE MUSIC

140

WED FRI + SAT

FROM 9/4/09

Rock and Ale Weekends with up to 16 Ales & ciders From £2 per pint Open 10am (11am Sunday) til’ late Mon/Sun

www.PignFalcon.co.uk Tel 07951785678 – New St, St Neots – PE191AE 60

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The

Cottage

CROMER

Traditional Norfolk Free House

Four Real Ales always available including Woodfordes Wherry, Greene King IPA and two ever-changing guest ales

NORFOLK NIPS | Worf is coming!

“The Beer Drinker with Bite” Coming Soon. Worf’s Wanderings Tales of his visits to various Beer Festivals that will put Chaucer to shame.

You have been warned !

Sandwiches always available Function rooms for hire Open daily 11am-2.30pm & 5.30pm - 11pm

8 Louden Rd, Cromer NR27 9EF (Just 3 mins walk from the Sea)

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The Royal Oak at Poringland Come and enjoy Live Music on Friday 30th and Saturday 31st October at our

AUTUMN BEER FESTIVAL Range of 30+ Beers available

October 30th - November 6th

We Don’t Have a Big Screen TV, Food Or a Juke Box We do have 17 handpumps, with Real Ale from far and wide, 2 Real Ciders and 2 Real Ales From gravity, a large car park, large beer garden With heated smoking shelter, darts, pool, quizzes And crib.

We hold two beer festivals each year.

The Royal Oak lies at the heart of the community and new customers are always welcome. Come along and get a real welcome from a real pub selling real ale!!!!!!

Nick, Delia And The Team would love to see you soon.

Norwich And Norfolk Pub Of The Year 2007 Norfolk Pub Of The Year 2007 Good Beer Guide Listed A dream of a pub situated in the village of Poringland on the B1332 road to Bungay. The main bus route from Norwich stops right outside.

Contact us on

01508 493734 New email: theroyaloak@fsmail.net

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FREEMOUSE 49 West End Street, Norwich NR2 4NA 01603 624364

Beer Pub of the Year GOOD PUB GUIDE 2010 - Winner for the 4th time!

Two Times CAMRA National Pub Of The Year (1998 & 2004) Up to THIRTY real ales available all year round

FIFTY BOTTLED BEERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD featuring 25 countries, from Mexico to Mongolia, Jamaica to Japan and China to the Czech Republic

FIFTEEN DRAUGHT CONTINENTAL BEERS INCLUDING 5 FRUIT BEERS NOW IN OUR 20TH YEAR!

ROLLS STILL 60p Part of the Oakademy Scheme of Excellence

TAPPITS & POLYPINS AVAILABLE ALL YEAR! www.fatcatpub.co.uk

Fat Cat Brewery at the Cidershed, Norwich 98-100 Lawson Rd, Norwich NR3 4LF 01603 624364 UP TO 15 REAL ALES INCLUDING THE FAT CAT RANGE:

LIVE MUSIC & ARTS VENUE

01603 788508 www.cidershednorwich.net

Fat Cat Bitter Honey Ale Wild Cat Marmalade Cat Stout Cat

3.8% 4.3% 5.0% 5.5% 4.6%