SWALE ALE SUMMER 2016
THE FREE MAGAZINE OF SWALE CAMRA
A Summery Saison Return of the Swale Beer Festival Folk Songs and John Barleycorn
BEER WITH THE
BISHOP!
CHAIRMAN’S CHOW Welcome to the latest edition of Swale Ale. Exciting times for the branch as we are in full planning mode for our beer festival on 28/29 October and we hope to have around 30 beers and ciders - so keep an eye on social media and our website. We have also presented our Pub of the Year award to the Paper Mill in Sittingbourne and our runner-up award to the Three Hats, Milton Regis. A highly commended award has been presented to the Three Tuns in Lower Halstow. Congratulations to all the pubs in our top six. Now is a good time to start visiting pubs for the next competition and do let us know if you find any particular favourites – www. whatpub.com is a particularly useful tool in this respect. Many of you will have taken part in CAMRA’s revitalisation project either online or by attending one of the revitalisation events. The
exercise will shape the future direction of the campaign so I would encourage members who haven’t attended an event to attend one of the remaining ones. Speaking to many members across the branch it is clear that there is a range of views about the future direction of CAMRA. With the summer months upon us why not visit our country pubs, many of which have excellent beer gardens. There is also the Great British Beer Festival to look forward to in August and Faversham Hop Festival in early September where we will have our usual joint Swale/Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay branches beer tent (near Iceland supermarket). As ever, I hope to see many of our local members either at meetings, events or just in a local pub. Enjoy the summer and all the very best. Paul Irving
KEEP IN TOUCH Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to be sure that you don’t miss any of the latest news, events and goings-on in Swale.
CAMRAswale
Swale Ale © Summer 2016 Published by the Swale Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale Ltd (CAMRA). Circulation: 2000 Editorial Committee and Contributors: Les Bailey, Gary Holness, Bob Gates, Paul Irving, Matt Deller, Steve Bennion, Tony Tippins Advertising: Matt Deller All correspondence to: Les Bailey, 58 Wallers Road, Faversham, Kent, ME13 7PL Email: swaleale@gmail.com www.camra-swale.org.uk www.issuu.com/swaleale Twitter: @CAMRAswale Facebook: CAMRAswale Telephone: 01795 538824
Any opinions expressed within these pages are those of the individual authors only and do not represent those of CAMRA or any of its officials. The existence of this publication in a particular outlet does not imply an endorsement of it by Swale CAMRA. Design & Layout: Ascent Creative Printed by: Abbey Print, Faversham Branch Details Chairman: Paul Irving Secretary: Linda Gates Social Secretary: Howard Gates Treasurer: Les Bailey Pubs Officer: Harvey Melia Press and Publicity Officer: Matt Deller Membership Officer: Alex Earl
SWALE BREWERY NEWS SHEPHERD NEAME Spitfire Gold (4.1%) has been a good seller and is now available in bottles and cans. Kent’s Best (4.1%) is still regularly brewed for cask and bottle. Whitstable Bay Pale Ale (3.9%) has had a 20% increase in sales in cask form during 2015. It is 4.0% in the bottle. The limited edition ten hop beer 4-4-2 (4%) has been given a new look in time for the summer of sporting excitement ahead. Named after the popular football formation, the seasonal ale was originally conceived in Shepherd Neame’s pilot brewery, and due to its popularity is now among the collection of No.18 Yard Brewhouse beers available nationwide. A pale gold beer, it has its own special lineup in the form of 10 different hop varieties included in the brew. These are Kent-grown Fuggles, Admiral, First Gold, Challenger, Cascade and East Kent Goldings; Germany’s Halletau Hersbrucker, Herkules and Halletau
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Mittelfruh; and Saaz from the Czech Republic. They are melded with crystal and ale malt to create a delicious, full bodied pale ale with spicy bitterness, boasting pine, spice and herbal aromas. Samuel Adams Blonde Ambition (4.5%) has been spotted in a number of branch pubs including at the June open branch meeting at the Three Horseshoes. It is also likely that there will be some special brews for pubowning companies. Goldings Ale (4.1%) will be available during July and August. Finally, 900 bottles of HMQ have been brewed to celebrate the Queen’s official 90th birthday. It is unfiltered and unpasteurized and will be available from the brewery shop.
BOUTILLIERS A successful brewery open day was held on the 14th May, cask beers included Rye Pale Ale (4.8%); India Brown Ale (6.8%); Golden Ale (4.6%). Also being featured in bottles were a Smoked Oatmeal Stout (4.7%) and Wheat Beer (5.7%). Beers have also featured recently at the Furlongs, Faversham, Past & Present, Gillingham and during the Faversham Transport Weekend. They are producing limited edition beers such as Passion Fruit Wheat and an Elderflower Stout. Both are limited to no more than 300 bottles each, and will only be available through their online store.
To book your place, email swaleale@gmail.com
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www.camra-swale.org.uk
swaleale@gmail.com
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HIP HOPS The Beer Card Game Fun, fast & easy to learn Buy now from hiphopscards.com Free delivery with offer code SWALE
400,000 years in the making
THE THREE HATS T HEMILTON T HREE HAT S REGIS MI LTON REGI S ales Ever changing selection of cask
Largeselection Beer Garden Ever changing of cask ales
Mobile Bar and Catering Service Available for Beer Garden Weddings,Large Christenings and Birthdays Mobile Bar and vicebig Available for Weddings, No Catering functionSertoo or small Christenings and Birthdays
CallNoMalcolm 07764 842478 Function ton oo big or small The Three Hats, High Street, Call Malcolm on 93 07764 842478 Kent, ME10 2ARME10 2AR T hree Hats, Milton 93 High Regis, Street, Milton Regis, Kent,
SWALE CAM RA PUB OF T HE YEAR 2013
SWALE CAMRA PUB OF THE YEAR 2014 38
NATIONAL
CAMRA’S
ANNOUNCED
WINTER BEER OF BRITAIN
CHAMPION
PUB OF THE YEAR
A Gloucestershire pub has been named winner of CAMRA’s National Pub of the Year 2015. The Sandford Park Ale House in Cheltenham was formerly a nightclub and opened only three years ago, regulars describe it as a friendly and stylish old-and-new pub. The Good Beer Guide listed pub has ten hand pumps for cask conditioned beers plus one for cider and boasts an annual cider and cheese festival. Organiser of the competition, Paul Ainsworth commented: “The Sandford Park impressed the judges on every level, but especially the quality and choice of its real ales where the scores were among the highest ever recorded in the contest.”
CAMRA’s National Winter Ales Festival was held at the Roundhouse, Derby in February. As always, the highlight of the event was the judging for CAMRA’s Champion Winter Beer of Britain. The winner this year was Chocolate Marble stout (5.5% ABV) from Manchester’s Marble Brewery. The final judging panel said, “The Chocolate Marble had a lovely chocolaty aroma, with flavour of marmalade, mocha and raisins. The chocolate notes perfectly underlaid the mocha character and made a second drink a must”. The Silver award went to old favourite Elland’s 1872 Porter (6.5% ABV) while Plain Ales Inncognito Stout (4.8% ABV) took the Bronze award. A full list of the category winners can be found on the CAMRA website. The category winners will all go forward to the main Champion Beer of Britain competition to be held at the Great British Beer Festival at Olympia in August.
FESTIVALS & PUB EVENTS Kent CAMRA Beer Festival 21-23 July Merton Farm, Canterbury, Kent CT4 7BA Great British Beer Festival 9-13 August Olympia, Lower West Hall, Olympia Way, London W14 8UX. Further details: gbbf.org.uk Plough Inn Beer Festival 27-29 August Stalisfield Green, Faversham, Kent ME13 0HY Three Tuns Kentish Beer & Cider Festival 27-29 August Three Tuns, Lower Halstow ME9 7DY Faversham Hop Festival 3-4 September
www.camra-swale.org.uk
This was the event’s third and last year at Derby. The 2017 festival will be held in the historic 16th Century Blackfriars Hall in Norwich and will stay there in 2018 and 2019.
BRANCH DIARY Wed 10 August 2016 8pm – 9.30pm Black Lion, Lynsted Wed 14 September 2016 8pm – 9.30pm Three Tuns, Lower Halstow Wed 12 October 2016 8pm – 9.30pm The Castle, Oare Wed 9 November 2016 8pm – 9.30pm Blacksmiths Arms, Wormshill Wed 14 December 2016 8pm – 9.30pm Park Tavern, Sittingbourne
swaleale@gmail.com
CAMRAswale
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w w w. s p i t f i r e a l e . c o . u k
/s p i t f i r e a l e
4.3%
Now available at
WA I T R O S E
SWALE PUB NEWS DODDINGTON
HALFWAY
The Chequers Inn - a recent branch meeting found the Shepherd Neame Masterbrew on good form and they have also been stocking occasional guest ales.
The Heritage has re-opened after some refurbishment. A range of national and local ales continue to be served.
HOLLOWSHORE
EASTCHURCH
Shipwrights Arms continues to serve a good selection of Kentish ales.
The Wheatsheaf has re-opened.
EASTLING Carpenters Arms hold a curry night on the last Saturday of each month. Regular beers are Spitfire Gold & Kent’s Best with Masterbrew as an occasional guest.
FAVERSHAM The Albion and The Limes are to become managed Shepherd Neame pubs after previously being run under tenancy by a separate pub company. The Elephant continues to offer a good range of local and national beers. Dark Star Six Hop was particularly popular. Furlongs Ale House have recently stocked Boutilliers beers including the excellent 6.8% India Brown Ale. They have also had a number of national beers from microbreweries such as Marble (Manchester), Salopian (Shrewsbury) and Gipsy Hill (London). They continue to offer a CAMRA discount on ale and cider. The Phoenix continues to organise regular events (check the website for details) and a range of enterprise beers are served. The Vaults Cask & Kitchen held their regular cider festival in May with some interesting offerings from Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. They also had an interesting ginger cider from Scotland. CAMRA discount continues to be offered on local ale and cider.
LOWER HALSTOW The Three Tuns held an excellent craft and produce fair on the late May bank holiday weekend. A number of ales, including some from Brentwood Brewery, were on offer. A charity race night and an 80’s disco also proved popular.
LYNSTED The Black Lion has amended their opening hours – check www.whatpub.com for details.
MILTON REGIS The Three Hats continues to serve up to four beers. Regular themed food evenings, including a Thai evening, are proving popular. It recently hosted a beer stall at the Saffron Festival.
MILSTEAD The Red Lion is still up for sale.
NEWNHAM The George continues to serve a choice of Shepherd Neame beers and regular events are scheduled throughout the spring.
QUEENBOROUGH
GRAVENEY The Freewheel continues to draw in many cyclists and is offering workshops, cycle charity rides and quizzes.
Marston’s have opened a new build pub. The Five Bridges is in the style of their other food orientated pubs. Up to five real ales from the Marston’s range are available. Continued overleaf...
www.camra-swale.org.uk
swaleale@gmail.com
CAMRAswale
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SITTINGBOURNE
STAPLESTREET
The Golden Hope continues to serve a good selection of local and national ales and recently took part in the Spring Weatherspoon’s Beer Festival.
Three Horseshoes – at a recent meeting we found two well-kept Shepherd Neame beers including Blonde Ambition. This country pub is well worth a visit, particularly en route to Mount Ephraim Gardens.
The Paper Mill continues to offer a wide range of national and local beers. A recent Tiny Rebel tap takeover proved popular with the Champion Beer of Britain – Cwtch – available. A collaboration cider with Hogan’s also proved popular. Some very tasty Salopian beers have been available and the pub supported Mild in May month with a discount on Goachers Mild (£2.50 a pint). The Summoner remains closed with no news on its future and The Bull also remains closed (although on the market). The Ypres Tavern is serving two guest beers from national breweries.
TEYNHAM The Swan continues to serve local beers.
WORMSHILL A recent visit found two ales available at the Blacksmith’s Arms, Both were on good form. Lots of further detail on Swale pubs can be found on www.whatpub.com. If you notice anything that is out of date or have any pub news please let us know.
STALISFIELD The Plough Stalisfield is hosting a Beer Festival over the August Bank Holiday Weekend, see website for details.
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Watergate Bay, Cornwall
CONTEMPORARY PUB AND EATING HOUSE With log fires, comfy arm chairs, restaurant & private dining room, courtyard & garden. Set in Conyer which is part of the fabulous Swale walking area with the Saxon Shore Way and Swale Heritage Trail. Dogs & children welcome.
Great Cuisine from our light lunch menu to dining Ă la Carte with a wide selection of dishes prepared by our chef from locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. Always ask if you have any special diet requirements. Awarded 5 stars for food hygiene.
Food served daily ~ see our website for times, menus, Special set menu days, jazz & blues evenings, etc Weekend breakfast menu ~ served 10am to 12:30pm
FREE HOUSE with good range of cask ales, lagers & wines including Adnams, Masterbrew, Old Dairy Red Top, Guest Ales Read about us in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. CASK MARQUE www.shipinnconyer.co.uk email enquiries@shipinnconyer.co.uk TABLE BOOKINGS t 01795 520881
The Ship Inn Conyer Conyer Quay, Teynham Kent ME9 9HR
SWALE PUB OF THE YEAR
THE PAPER MILL Our Pub of the Year for 2016 is The Paper Mill in Charlotte Street, Sittingbourne. This well-deserved award recognised the quality and variety of ale, the community focus and the support for CAMRA’s campaigns. Swale’s first Micropub, which opened in October 2013, won from over 80 Swale pubs that serve real ale. Owners Marianne and Harvey Melia were joined by many of their regulars to receive the award at a celebration event on 14th May, which featured a wide selection of popular ales. Commenting on their success, Harvey said: “To win this prestigious award two years in a row is amazing, it’s a very proud day for us all.” “Our thanks to all the CAMRA members that voted for us and the support we have had from all of our customers and regulars that have made the pub as successful as it is.” The other finalists in our local competition were The Elephant in Faversham, The Three
Runner Up The Three Hats
Hats in Milton Regis, The Three Tuns in Lower Halstow, The Furlongs, Faversham and The Shipwrights Arms in Hollowshore. The Paper Mill went forward to battle it out in the regional heats where it was narrowly beaten by The Yard Of Ale, a National finalist in 2015. Matt Deller
Highly Commended The Three Tuns
Swale is one of nine CAMRA branches in Kent. Each branch has now announced their Pub of the Year. The other eight pubs are: Ashford, Folkestone & Romney Marsh: The Bell Inn, Ivychurch Canterbury, Herne Bay & Whitstable: The Tankerton Arms, Tankerton Deal, Dover, Sandwich & District: The Wrong Turn, Barfrestone Gravesend & Darent Valley: The Cock, Luddesdown
www.camra-swale.org.uk
Maidstone & Mid Kent: The Rifle Volunteers, Maidstone Medway: The Kings Arms, Upper Upnor Thanet: The Yard of Ale, Broadstairs West Kent: The Windmill, Sevenoaks Weald
swaleale@gmail.com
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Great Crisps, Great Beer, Great Pub
Winners of 23 Gold Great Taste Awards since 2007
@Piperscrisps Piperscrisps www.piperscrisps.com
Voted for by the readers of Fine Food Digest
BELGIUM TRAPPIST BEER AND THE INTERNET A revelation in packing for International Shipping After many years of working with a colleague from Belgium who extolled the virtues of their many classic beers, much to her partner’s amusement (he’s from Whitby), I decided to try some of these heady brews. Okay I bought too many tokens at a beer festival and didn’t want to admit it! So, I bought my first Trappist Beer, not real ale but a great taste nonetheless and a kick that was rather nice. I translated my remaining tokens into a few bottles of Abbaye de Rocheford 10 and thus this odyssey began. Being a bit of a novice at online beer shopping I went to the usual websites and found my beer. Great I thought until I discovered the cost of my order - £96.22 for 24 bottles! Another dream shattered and this tale would have ended here except for a French booze cruise to stock up on wine. The hypermarket had a good selection of Belgium beers; they even had the Rocheford 10 at only €3.25. So I grabbed all 16 bottles they had on the shelf along with a few other Trappist beers and a small quantity of Leffe beers that I hadn’t seen in the UK. All this was nice but how often could I get to France to purchase more beer whilst keeping the cost low. Well it was clear this would not be happening again for some time so back I went to the internet to do some more research. It was at this point I discovered a site called “belgiuminabox.com” which was, of course, loaded to the gunnels with Belgium beers. The cost of the beers was calculated by the bottle with discounts for bigger quantities bought, then I found the section for beer by the case, well Rocheford 10 was €59.99 or €2.50 a bottle so this went straight into the shopping basket, ignoring a hint of things to come as I saw a mention of free delivery so I was off and running. Well first trip up, I needed to fill out online membership, set up card payments, delivery address – “BUMP”. Okay now there’s a delivery charge, it wasn’t there a moment ago, oh wait a minute, I’d missed the “we’ll hold Continued overleaf www.camra-swale.org.uk
swaleale@gmail.com
CAMRAswale
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your order for you to collect” notice. The delivery cost was €15.00 so I sat back and thought for a couple of days then ordered 1 case of Rocheford 10, 1 case of La Trappe Quadrupel, 1 case of Hercule (Belgium’s only stout) and a mixed case of Achel Blond and Bruin and a total Delivery charge of €45.00. Total was around €320.00 including tracked delivery within the next eight days. Upon delivery I was greeted with three large boxes so time to start unwrapping. First surprise was a nice collection of Belgium Beer promotional material – AKA Beer Mats. Plus my first puzzle – What’s in the Blue Tube – Beer!!! First sight of Hercule, two bottles to a Tube! Hercule the only Belgium stout (or so they keep telling me). Under these, and another layer of polystyrene thus appeared my Rocheford 10, the heavy duty case was protected by polystyrene on all sides. Every bottle had been isolated within the case, the no chinking or rattling of bottles is now explained, starting to see what I thought were slightly high packing
extensive
quality
real ales and international
beers under one roof
So any mistakes…. Only by me, the €15.00 per case packing fee is by weight and because of this I’ve realised that I could’ve added another 6Kg of beer to my order, probably another 6 – 8 bottles, at no further shipping costs. So I could’ve ordered one case and added some bottles to try before doing this big order. What of the the plastic crates that transported the beer, well they are to be repurposed into gardening aids. And finally the header image that earned me the Upchurch’s First Micro Bottle Shop tag, thank you Swale CAMRA Members. Tony Tippins
exciting
come and experience an collection of
cost may actually be a love of the product. Packed by someone who’s passionate about getting great beer to the customer in perfect condition. One wonders if there’s a school for bottle beer shippers in Belgium, if so my mystery packer got his First with full honours (BAP – Batchelor of the Art of Packaging).
of
live
choice
food
music and entertainment all in a fun
friendly
festival
atmosphere
0844 412 4640 BOOK YOUR www.gbbf.org.uk/tickets TICKETS NOW @GBBF GreatBritishBeerFestival swaleale@gmail.com 16 www.camra-swale.org.uk
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VICTORY FOR THE
BLACK PRINCE Black Prince, our mild Kent ale, has won gold in the SIBA regional awards. There’s no stopping him now.
WANTSUM. THE REBEL BREWERY OF KENT Fighting the good fight for real ale, made from the finest ingredients
LONDON BREWERY TOURS ESTABLISHED 2014
WIN A BREWERY TOUR FOR 2 Enter here: londonbrewerytour.com/swale
Visit multiple microbreweries in one day on our award winning Bermondsey & East London Tours. Check out our street art & craft beer tour in Peckham, or come on one of our real ale brewery tours in the capital.
GIFT VOUCHERS AVAILABLE Over 18’s only • Valid email required to enter • Winner receives a 12 month gift voucher for 2 • Offer ends 31 July 2016
FAVERSHAM TRANSPORT WEEKEND This was our sixth year attending the car show in Faversham and for the first time in our attendance the event was unlucky with the weather. But the rain showers did little to dampen the spirits of the enthusiasts for cars or for ale. As you may know, CAMRA promotes mild ales in May to help highlight a style of ale that almost died out in the late 70’s early 80’s but was maintained by a small number of breweries large and small and is now making a comeback. With this in mind we stocked our bar with four milds, each with their own interpretation of this classic ale. Wantsum Brewery produces Black Prince Mild 3.9% which is full bodied and rich, and as the name suggests a black mild almost bordering on a stout. Whitstable Brewery’s Renaissance Ruby Mild 3.8% is a deep red colour with a gentle roast malt aroma which gives it a
nutty taste and a slight sweetness. Mad Cat Brewery’s Mild Disobedience 4.0% is a dark brown ale that also has a slight sweetness to its taste and was the lightest of our selection. Our final choice was Goacher’s Mild 3.4% which is a dark ale with a full flavour that belies its ABV. To complement these fine ales we also had another couple of beers, one from Whitstable Brewery - their award winning East India Pale Ale, and Wantsum Brewery’s Montgomery. This is named after the S.S. Richard Montgomery, a transport ship that lies wrecked just off Sheerness and still contains its cargo of wartime explosives! So with this selection of fine milds and bitters on offer, plus three ciders we hoped to have something to suit most people’s tastes. After setting up early on Sunday morning we had a little time to watch the cars arriving and enjoy some breakfast while the good people of Faversham began to venture out to view the assembled automotive delights. The branch would like to thank those businesses that kindly sponsored some of the beers and ciders on offer and were, The Three Hats, Milton Regis, The Three Tuns (Lower Halstow), and Furlongs Ale House. Here’s hoping that we have better weather for next year’s event, but rain or shine the ales just fine.
www.camra-swale.org.uk
swaleale@gmail.com
Gary Holness
CAMRAswale
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SWALE AUTUMN BEER FESTIVAL To commemorate the 40th anniversary of our branch we are delighted to be hosting a CAMRA beer festival in October. The event will see over 25 real ales and a selection of ciders available from across the UK. Live music will feature on both days and there will hot and cold food available alongside some local produce stalls. The Festival will be manned by CAMRA members who are all volunteers and who give up their time to build, run and take down the Festival - for fun! Our opening times are Friday 28th October 5pm to 11pm and Saturday 29th 11am to 11pm (or until the beer runs out). Admission is free to valid card-presenting CAMRA members at all times. To all others entrance is £3 on both days. Please note that there is limited parking at the village hall and surrounding streets. Fortunately, the venue is served by a number of local buses which stop outside close to the entrance and Kemsley railway station is a short walk.
28-29 October 2016 Kemsley Village Hall, Ridham Avenue, Kemsley ME10 2SF Our website will be updated regularly; please visit for the latest information using the QR code or web address at the end of this article. By the time this edition of Swale Ale hits the pubs, the festival will be about 3 months away, so please put the dates in your diaries now! Visit www.camra-swale.org.uk for details on how you can get involved there are both volunteer and sponsorship opportunities. Matt Deller
Scan this code with your QR Reader App on your smartphone for more information
TRADING
STANDARDS
If you believe that you have been treated unfairly in a local pub or bar you should contact your local trading standards department. Trading standards exists to ensure that customers are treated fairly and neither cheated nor mislead by traders. The Trading Standards organisation in Swale is entitled ‘Environmental and Consumer Protection’ and can be contacted on: Telephone: 01233 898825 Email:
www.camra-swale.org.uk
trading.standardseast@kent.gov.uk
swaleale@gmail.com
CAMRAswale
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www.camra-swale.org.uk
SWALE ALE
BACK IN TIME 15 years ago, our summer issue was dominated with brewery news.
We kicked off sharing some sad news as it was reported that The Kent Garden Brewery in Oare had brewed its last beer. Three years earlier the future had looked much brighter after the lease had been taken on the former gunpowder store overlooking a lake in Bysing Wood. The early days were somewhat experimental as Jim the brewer got to grips with Kent’s hard water! First beers to be brewed were Happy Major (4%), Corn Rose (3.6%) and Blue Rocket (4.5%). But the bad news was tempered by some good as we welcomed a new brewery in the shape of Hop Daemon which had taken up residence in two former Second World War huts near Canterbury. Even before it had made its mark it was reported that it had acquired a prestigious contract to produce a bottled British Museum Ale (5%) and contracts to supply the catering outlet at Southwalk Cathedral. Very impressive indeed! Swale Ale won the CAMRA “Newsletter of the Year 2000” award in the Most Improved category with Chairman Bob Thompson collecting the award at the National AGM in Newcastle. The Swale CAMRA Pub of the Year had been won by The Shipwrights Arms, Hollowshore who held a celebration in June 2001, serving a range of Hop Daemon ales complimented with live music from Watershed and Black Horse Morris. Open branch meetings also took place in The Elephant, Long Hop, Castle, Rose & Crown and Red Lion, Sheerness, all of which thankfully are still operating today.
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www.camra-swale.org.uk
swaleale@gmail.com
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THE BEAR Faversham
The Bear Inn, 3 Market Place, Faversham, Kent ME13 7AG, Tel 01795 532668
Chris & Marie Annand and staff welcome you to this historic 15th Century inn in the heart of Faversham. Immaculately kept Shepherd Neame beers Traditional home made lunches served every day Join us for our popular Quiz Night held on the last Wednesday of every month Find us on Facebook
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THE BERRY WALMER Multi-award Winning Pub Where You Will Find: Real Ale, Real Cider and a Real Fire! Up to 11 Cask Ales Plus 6 Key Keg Ales. Always 6 Ciders Available Also serving “Si’s Pies,” Delicious Hand Made Pork Pies and Scotch Eggs Follow us on Facebook and Twitter www.theberrywalmer.co.uk Tel: 01304362411 23 Canada Road, Walmer, Kent CT14 7EQ
10 years at the Berry! Upcoming Events You are invited to our Quiz Nights: 2nd Friday of each month Opening Times: Mon: 11:00 - 23:30 Tues: 14:00 - 23:30 Wed: 11:00 - 23:30 Thurs: 12:00 - 23:30 Fri-Sat: 11:00 - 23:30 Sun: 11:30 - 23:00
WHATPUB.COM, BEER SCORING AND THE GOOD BEER GUIDE The Swale CAMRA Branch, along with other branches around the UK, uses scores submitted by CAMRA members via WhatPub. com to help select which pubs are included in the Good Beer Guide. Branches are allocated a fixed number of entries for their area – in our case we can have up to 16 entries yet we have over 80 outlets in our area. Some good pubs regrettably have to be left out. If you’ve ever wondered why your favourite pub isn’t in the Guide, then it may well be because you, and others, haven’t entered enough scores rating the quality of beer there. Or if enough scores have been submitted, the average may be too low for an outlet to be considered. So, by beer scoring, you can contribute to the process of selecting our best pubs that go in the Good Beer Guide, whilst showing support for your publican’s efforts in supplying real ale.
If every branch member were to drink just one beer a month and log a score for it, we would increase our pub scores dramatically. So why not set yourself a challenge to visit some different pubs in the area. And if you do, don’t forget to rate the beer. Matt Deller
Over the past year 73 people have submitted 733 beer scores but only 17 were branch members (and we currently have over 500 members). Of these 17 only a few are true ambassadors scoring over 100 beers. But, we need more scores to make it more relevant.
THANKS FOR HAVING US We offer our thanks to the following for hosting our last four Branch meetings: Chequers Inn, Doddington, Minster Working Mens Club, Isle of Sheppey, Brents Tavern, Faversham The Three Horseshoes, Staplestreet.
www.camra-swale.org.uk
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BERMONDSEY REVISITED: A GUIDE TO THE BERMONDSEY BEER MILE Despite the closure of Kernel Brewery’s tap room last year, Bermondsey’s beer scene continues to grow and thrive. With the addition of the new-ish Eebria Tap Room there are still 8 stops on the ‘Bermondsey Beer Mile’ – 6 brewery taps and 2 bottle shop/ tap rooms. Another welcome trend is the widening of opening hours beyond Saturday, providing more opportunities to visit when quieter.
[http://www.beerguideldn.com/pubs.213]. Eebria is an online beer shop that prides itself on sourcing the freshest possible beer, delivered directly from leading breweries. Their tap room showcases beers from around the country, providing something a little different in Bermondsey as it’s the only stop which doesn’t focus on Bermondsey brewed beers. It’s a nice space too and well worth checking out.
The only day you can visit all venues is Saturday, but Friday evening and Sunday opening is starting to spread across the mile. Check each Guide entry via the links below for up to date opening hours and days.
Just a few arches away at No 8 you’ll find the next stop, Partizan Brewing [http://www.beerguideldn.com/pubs.58]. There isn’t much space here so you may have to stand, but Partizan’s beers continue to be exceptionally good so it’s an essential stop on the crawl, and if going on from Eebria to the northern part of Bermondsey you’ll literally be passing in any case.
This suggested route starts at Fourpure Brewing Co near South Bermondsey station. Fourpure [http://www.beerguideldn.com/ pubs.149] is right next to South Bermondsey station, but quite well hidden. From the station, go onto Rotherhithe New Road and turn right. Take a right into the industrial estate at its main entrance and follow the road round to the left inside the estate, under the railway. You’ll eventually see Fourpure ahead of you at No 22. Fourpure are brewing some consistently excellent beer, including numerous specials, and their IPA is particularly recommended.. They now offer around 14 draft beers at their spacious and airy tap room but third pint pours are available to help you sample more of the range. From Fourpure return to the main road and turn right. Go under the railway bridge and immediately turn left up Raymouth Road. Shortly after the junction with Nelldale Road on the right, you’ll find a cut through leading back under the railway to your left. This leads to Almond Road, where you will find the next stop at No 15 – the relatively new Eebria Tap Room
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The Kernel Brewery still operates a bottle shop for off sales only on Saturdays from 9am to 2pm. If you’d like to visit on the way to the next brewery tap return to Southwark Park Road staying on the same side of the railway. Take the second right into Blue Anchor Lane and follow it until you get to the main road (St James’s Road) which you need to cross over. Keeping the railway to your right go down Lucey Road, tucked in between a housing estate (on the left) and the railway (on your right). At the end you will come out more or less right in front of Kernel - in total between 5 and 10 minutes’ walk from Partizan. The next stop is Brew By Numbers [http://www.beerguideldn.com/pubs.57]. Turn right out of Kernel and keep hugging the railway to your right. When you hit Spa Road, go left and immediately right onto Enid Street, and you’ll find Brew By Numbers at Arch 79 on the right - just 2 - 3 minutes from Kernel. Brew by Numbers is another superb
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THE PHOENIX TAVERN Founders and home of The Timothy Taylor Appreciation Society
Always a great selection of real ales on the six hand pumps, five lagers, cider and wines from Corney and Barrow. Food served every day lunch and evening, all day Friday and Saturday and Sunday to 4.30pm. All prepared on the premises with care and skill by our team of chefs.
A S, F, K M B
Inglenook fires in winter and lovely garden in summer Cask Marque Accredited
01795 591462 • www.thephoenixtavernfaversham.co.uk
brewery offering a great range of beer, the quality and variety of which continues to grow and develop all the time. From Brew By Numbers, turn right out of the brewery and again keep the railway on your right. Turn right and go under the railway when you hit Abbey Street. Take the first right, Old Jamaica Road, and the next stop U Brew [http://beerguideldn.com/pubs.191] - can be found on your right at Arches 29- 30, No 24 Old Jamaica Road. This is London’s first ‘open brewery’, where members can brew their own beer. The tap room aims to offer around 10 draft beers each week, plus around 60 bottles. This includes some of their own beers, some guest beers and some brewed by their members, many of whom are now brewing commercially in their own right. U Brew is a very different type of brewery, with friendly and welcoming staff and they are already doing very well.
of innovative and high quality beers from these prolific and increasingly accomplished brewers.
Turning left out of Anspach & Hobday you’ll find the final stop about 300m further down Druid Street. Uniquely in Bermondsey, Southwark Brewing Co [http://www. beerguideldn.com/pubs.180] focuses mainly on cask beer (though they are now starting to dabble in keg beer too), so the brewery tap provides a welcome alternative with some solid beers being produced. From Southwark Brewing Co it’s a 10 minute walk back to London Bridge or a slightly shorter distance to Bermondsey station on the Jubilee line.
Return to Abbey Street and turn left, back towards the railway line. Cross the road before you come to the railway and go down Druid Street, which hugs the railway line and is home to the last three stops on the crawl. Firstly, Bottle Shop [http://www. beerguideldn.com/pubs.158]. As the name suggests, here you can buy bottles to take home. You can also drink on site, and there is a sizeable seating area on the mezzanine level. You can choose from any of the 300+ bottles and drink them here, or choose one of the ever changing drafts. With regular tap takeovers and ‘meet the brewer’ events with some of the country’s best breweries and an outstanding selection of bottles, you are sure to find something of interest here.
The Bermondsey Beer Mile is now so full of great beer venues it’s tough to do it justice all in one day. Use the new wider opening hours to spread your visits, take your time and enjoy one of London’s best beer experiences in more relaxed fashion. Written by Jezza, SW London (Twitter = @ bonsvoeux1). Jezza’s Guide to London pubs and breweries is online at www.beerguideldn. com The site contains full details of all the venues featured in this article – including opening times, which you should check carefully before setting off. Follow @beerguidelondon for frequent updates on the beer scene in London. Earlier versions of this article were published by Chelmsford and Mid-Essex CAMRA’s ‘Thirsty Times’.
Anspach & Hobday [http://www.beerguideldn.com/pubs.150] is just 5 doors away at No 118 Druid Street. This busy tap room offers an excellent range
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CAMRAswale
Fai r on dea b tax eer l now !
A Campaign
of Two Halves
7EZI &VMXEMR W 4YFW
Join CAMRA Today Complete the Direct Debit form and you will receive 15 months membership for the price of 12 and a fantastic discount on your membership subscription. Alternatively you can send a cheque payable to CAMRA Ltd with your completed form, visit www.camra.org.uk/joinus or call 01727 867201. All forms should be addressed to the: Membership Department, CAMRA, 230 Hatfield Road, St Albans, AL1 4LW.
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ASSETS OF COMMUNITY VALUE One of the key areas of CAMRA’s work is campaigning for the protection of pubs, particularly those with a historical or symbolic importance (such as the last pub in a village). Although we have seen new pubs opening in Swale, we have also seen many closures over recent years. Across the country though, times are changing. New legislation introduced in the 2011 Localism Act allows individuals, voluntary and community organisations to nominate pubs as Assets of Community Value (ACVs) – buildings which contribute to the social or cultural well-being of the community concerned. When a listed asset comes to be sold, a moratorium on the sale of up to six months may be invoked to enable community groups to raise finance, develop a business plan and make a bid to buy the asset on the open market. This can help communities to keep much-loved sites in public use and part of local life.
All local authorities are required to consider ACV bids, although the ease of submitting an application varies. Nationally CAMRA has been a major player in listing pubs as ACVs and has built a good level of knowledge. This has allowed some branches to list all their pubs as ACVs. Swale CAMRA branch has started engaging in this process and I hope over the next year we can see many Swale pubs listed. If you have a particular pub you think is at threat, please let us know. Paul Irving
N O I T A U L VA
E E R
F
Due to the success of this service last year and having seen a rise in house prices, one of our senior negotiators will be valuing properties in your area next week. If you would like to find out how much your home is worth, all you need to do is book a time for them to come round. They will be able to give you a free, no-obligation valuation of your home. Once you know what your property might sell or rent for, you can start to think about your next move. They have carried out hundreds of valuations in your area and will use their extensive local knowledge and many years of experience of the property market to arrive at the best pricing strategy for you.
Good news The good news is we are currently experiencing a lack of supply of property to the market which has created far greater demand and an increase in property values.
The best thing There’s no fuss. There’s no hard sell. It only takes twenty minutes and it’s free.
Call now to book your
FREE VALUATION tel 01795 507 111
faversham@milesandbarr.co.uk
BEER WITH THE
BISHOP!
Shortly after being named Swale Pub of the Year, The Paper Mill Micro pub in Sittingbourne welcomed a very special guest. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, spent Holy Week visiting churches, youth and community projects and schools across the Sittingbourne area but found a couple of hours in his schedule to pop in for a pint. Along with local vicar Mike Resch and pub regulars he enjoyed a pint of locally brewed Goachers Imperial Stout, sharing stories and even taking a moment to read the latest copy of Swale Ale. Speaking of the visit, owners Marianne and Harvey Melia commented “we were surprised the Church of England’s most powerful cleric chose our pub to unwind. It’s the first time we’ve ever had anyone of that prestige in the pub before. I was a little shocked when they asked if he could come but it really says a lot about us if people want to bring the Archbishop in.” Mr Melia said the archbishop seemed happy to give the pub his blessing but declined to join in a game of cribbage.
“I think he was enjoying himself. He was chatting to anyone who wanted to meet him. “I’d like to think it was our friendly atmosphere and real ale that brought him here rather than divine intervention.” Matt Deller
DON’T GO TO ICELAND!
That is unless you have very odd tastes. To mark the Icelandic midwinter month of Thorri, the Stedji Brewery produced a beer which was flavoured with minced whale testicles that had been smoked in sheep dung. Brewers of Swale, please don’t take this as a challenge. Reproduced from London Drinker (Apr/May Issue)
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CAMRAswale
“There’s more in the barrel”
KENT BEERS!!
Musket Brewery is an independent, Maidstone-based Micro Brewery located at Loddington Farm, Linton, brewing premium REAL ALE at realistic prices. The Musket brewers are CAMRA members, who provide these carefully brewed ales for your enjoyment.
MUZZLELOADER 4.5% Kentish Ale
TRIGGER 3.6% Pale Ale
FLINTLOCK 4.2% Best Bitter
FIFE & DRUM 3.8% Golden Ale
POWDER BURN 5.0% Kentish Porter
MATCHLOCK 3.8% KENTISH MILD
(Autumn/Winter brew!)
Musket Brewery offers a significant promotion campaign on initial orders, to help increase turnover for the licensed trade. Musket has earned a well-deserved reputation for providing GREAT beers, supported by exemplary customer service!
Contact Musket Brewery to find out more!!
079671 27 27 8 or 01622 – 749931 info@musketbrewery.co.uk
“There’s more in the barrel” at
DDS Scheme
www.musketbrewery.co.uk
Rochester’s First Micropub
Opening time: Tues, Wed., Thurs.: 12 to 3.00pm/ 5.00pm to 9.00pm Fri., Sat.:12.30 to 11.00pm Sunday: 12.30 to 7.00pm
Local Drinks
Local Food Local real ales, ciders and juices. Home cooked, locally sourced cuisine from our resident microchef
/KentinCrepe/
/TheFlippin_Frog
THE CHEQUERS INN The Street, Doddington, ME9 0BG - 01795 886366 A warm welcome awaits at this charming 14th Century listed Coaching Inn. This historic pub has recently been refurbished and with its oak beams and mullion windows is an inviting place to eat. There is also a large family garden for those warmer days. Food is served Tuesday to Friday: 12 - 2.30pm, 6 - 9pm, Saturdays 12 - 9pm and Sundays 12 - 4.30pm. Sunday Lunch Menu: 1 Course £9.95 / 2 Courses £12.95 (Cheeseboard: £1.50 supplement) Child’s roast (includes ice cream dessert): £4.95 We serve roast topside of beef or roast free range chicken from our award-winning local butcher. Vegetarian and gluten free options are also available, please specify any dietary requirements when booking. The full menu is also available on a Sunday. Lunchtime is often busy so advance booking is advisable.
info@chequersinndoddington.co.uk
rochestermicropub@virginmedia.com
SAY WHAT? SAISON! Ever heard of saison beer? Or ever tried one? I’ve had a number of saison beers over the years, mostly from Belgium and US breweries but it is a style that we are increasingly seeing British brewers use. There are significant variations in both style and strength. At the recent Bexley CAMRA Beer Festival I tried the Kent Brewery Saison which was excellent. At 4.9% it is a very drinkable beer and particularly refreshing on a hot day. Canterbury Brewers have also brewed a number of saison beers of varying strength, again these have been very tasty and can often be found either on draft or in bottles at the Foundry in Canterbury. Well worth seeking out next time you visit the city. Having tried a number of saison beers, I was keen to find out a bit more about the history of the style. The saison style of beer is widely reported as originating from the Walloon area
www.camra-swale.org.uk
of Belgium (the French speaking part) and was originally brewed for farm workers. There doesn’t seem to be a particular rule about what sort of ingredients make a saison but pilsner malt forms a major part of the recipe. The distinguishing ingredient seems to be the use of unique strains of yeast and moderate use of hops such as Styrian and Goldings. Occasionally other ingredients such as spices may be used to generate distinct taste. Given the origin it is hardly surprising that many of the most popular saisons can be found in Belgium and have a typical ABV of around 7%. Some of the Belgium saisons can be a bit too sour tasting for me but I know some people enjoy that style of beer. Overall though it provides a nice balance between sweet, hoppy and sour tastes and well worth a tipple next time you see one available.
swaleale@gmail.com
Paul Irving
CAMRAswale
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Furlong's Ale House
www.thethreetunsrestaurant.co.uk
Kentish Beer & Cider Festival August Bank Holiday 27th, 28th & 29th Over 19 Kentish Ales & Ciders. The Street, Lower Halstow, Sittingbourne, Kent. ME9 7DY 01795 842840 info@thethreetunsrestaurant.co.uk
DEATH, REBIRTH AND DRINKING Greetings Gentle Reader and welcome to my regular delve into some of the dustier corners of the world of beer. You may be wondering from the title of this piece where death and rebirth come into the tale of ale. We are not talking here of the effects of imbibing too much Futtocks Old Horizontal because that would be ‘drinking’ (that bit we are all familiar with), ‘death’ (the feeling next morning, still familiar) and ‘rebirth’ (when you are eventually feeling better after taking solemn oaths never to do it again!) I want to take you on a trip into the misty world of folklore and folk music. I am afraid there may be outbreaks of ‘finger in the ear’ and ‘hanky waving’ and ghastly descriptions of horrors enacted. So may I advise those of a nervous disposition perhaps better turn to a different article. ‘Come on Spillage’ I hear you cry ‘get to the bloody point and tell us what you are rambling on about in this time’. Well O Patient Peruser of the Printed Pamphlet today I am going to investigate a certain gentleman who
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is indispensable when it comes to the making of beer but goes through some horrible atrocities to bring us our favourite tipple. Namely; buried alive, cut down with sharp blades, flayed skin from bone and boiled to release his goodness. I am talking of course about ‘John Barleycorn’. As one of the essential ingredients of beer it not surprising that folklore has grown up around its production and where you get folklore you get folk songs but more of that later. I want to first talk about the origins of the folklore surrounding said gentleman. Barley has been grown for thousands of years and has been associated with the cycles of nature. Of growth, flowering, death and rebirth that mark the seasons of the year and so as a vital food source for early people the failure of the crop would be disastrous. As a result pagan people would try to ensure a good harvest by weaving the last stalks of the crop into what we now know as a corn dolly, keeping it safe over winter to be ploughed
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Harveys, the Sussex Brewers, are quintessentially local. Distribution is restricted to within sixty miles of Lewes and their beers have evolved over the past two centuries to accommodate the preference of beer drinkers within its native and adjoining counties. Fundamental to this is the procurement of local hops to produce a well balanced beer with a bitterness derived from traditional aroma varieties. It is the brewery’s proud boast that it brews from 40% Sussex, 40% Kent and 20% Surrey hops, a balance which approximates the volume of their beers sold within these counties. Supply is guaranteed by means of long term contracts, affording security for brewer and grower alike.
When you are drinking Harvey’s beer you are seldom far from a hop garden that has helped craft this time honoured brew. Moreover, it is Harvey’s belief that the wide range of new domestic hop varieties present every opportunity for enhancement and innovation. Central to this wealth of heritage, the brewery continues to perpetuate the age old interaction between local rural and urban economies to the benefit of all.
Local Beer brewed with Local Hops
Hops growing at Parsonage Farm, Salehurst, Sussex. “The parish of Salehurst is supposed to have the best plantation of hops in the county, the land being kindly for them, especially about the church, where it is rich.” - Arthur Young’s ‘Agriculture of Sussex’ (1813)
www.harveys.org.uk
back into the field the following autumn to release the spirit of the Barleycorn back into the soil which they believed dwelt in the last cut of the harvest thus ensuring a good harvest to come. Today an echo of this ritual can be seen when the last sheaf of corn from the harvest is taken to the church for the harvest festival to be blessed. ‘Finger in the ear’ alert as we now to come to the folky bit. John Barleycorn has been celebrated in song since around the middle of the 1500s. The great collector of folk songs Cecil Sharp found that there are over 100 versions from many different English counties. Variants have been produced by such diverse people as Robert Burns the Scottish Poet and Steve Winwood’s band Traffic in the 1970’s along with Folk/Rock giants Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and Jethro Tull and many others. In more recent times Paul Weller, ex of the Jam, has recorded a version with folk legend Martin Carthy. Across the centuries the substance of the song has remained the same and the lyrics below are an amalgamation of a couple of different versions. The first verse deals with the death of John Barleycorn. It is thought that the ‘Three Men’ refer to the three winter months, responsible for his death when he is buried (they harrowed him in) in the autumn. They ‘Come out of the West’ as the West was thought to represent death being where the sun sets each day thus symbolising the death of the day. Verse two sees the rebirth of Barleycorn and his progression to ‘manhood’ as the crop grows in the field and the barley ripens (looks both pale and wan) and grows a ‘beard’ of awns. (And so became a man) Verse three refers to the harvest where scythes were used to reap the crop which was then tied into stooks to keep dry before being loaded onto carts to be taken to the farm. Verse four sees the grains separated from the chaff which was done by hitting the heads of grain with staves that splits out the grains (..to cut him skin from bone) The last two verses sees the rebirth of our hero as he is reincarnated as beer (and they call him home brewed ale) and better still he has the last laugh as it is intimated that beer is needed in order for huntsmen and tinkers to carry out their chosen pursuits.
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John Barleycorn There was three men came out of the west, Their fortunes for to try, And these three men made a solemn vow, John Barleycorn should die. They ploughed, they sowed, they harrowed him in, Thrown clods upon his head, And these three man made a solemn vow, John Barleycorn was dead. Then they let him lie for a very long time Till the rain from heaven did fall, Then little Sir John sprung up his head, And soon amazed them all. They let him stand till midsummer Till he looked both pale and wan, And little Sir John he has grown a long, long beard And so became a man. They hired men with the scythes so sharp To cut him off at the knee, They rolled him and tied him by the waist, And served him most barbarously. They hired men with the sharp pitchforks Who pricked him to the heart, And the loader he served him worse than that, For he bound him to the cart. They wheeled him round and round the field Till they came unto a barn, And there they made a solemn mow of poor John Barleycorn. They hired men with the crab-tree sticks To cut him skin from bone, And then they served him worse than that, For they’ve bunged him in a vat. They have worked their will on John Barleycorn But he lived to tell the tale, For they pour him out of an old brown jug And they call him home brewed ale. And the huntsman he can’t hunt the fox, Nor so loudly blow his horn, And the tinker he can’t mend his pots Without a little bit of Barleycorn So there you have it gentle reader, a gruesome tale to chill the blood of the stoutest drinker or indeed stout drinker. Talking of which I’m off to the bar for a pint. ‘til next time, toodle pip.
swaleale@gmail.com
Obaddiah Spillage
CAMRAswale