Marsh Mash Spring 2014

The FREE Magazine of the Ashford, Folkestone & Romney Marsh Branch of CAMRA - Spring 2014

Kent & East Sussex RailwayTenterden Town Station, Kent

Friday 13th and Saturday 14th June

Beer, Cider and Steam

· 1974

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14 ·

K&ESR

Marsh Mash Spring 2014 Page 2

EditorialWelcome to this edition of Marsh Mash and apologies for not producing a Winter edition. This was mainly due to Keith and I having medical problems between October and January As we both produce this on a voluntary basis we have to do our best when we can and neither of us is getting any younger. If you fancy yourself as an editor or publisher we would be pleased to hear from you to assist us with a view that we can think about taking a back seat in the future.

On the plus side, we have acquired additional articles prepared since the last edition to enable us to increase the size of this one to 40 pages. If sufficient members continue to provide items or see something in other Branch’s magazines that may be of interest to us we will continue with 40 pages, so please keep sending in your suggestions.

After the rain and wind of recent months we can hopefully look forward to a fine Spring, if only to mow the lawn and enjoy some good beer in pub gardens, including our Beer Festival in June.

Our social calendar is printed elsewhere in the magazine with more events to follow, these will be announced on our website when dates and times are agreed.

WhatPub, the Campaign for Real Ale’s online pub guide regularly updated by CAMRA members, has now gone live with over 35,000 pubs listed across the country, well worth a visit if you are going away on holiday or business. www.whatpub.com

We have made changes to the way we will select our 2015 POTY winner by awarding four seasonal pub awards throughout the year, the winners will then go forward to the 2015 POTY selection. In addition to the

usual criteria, described elsewhere in the magazine, consideration will be given to best Summer garden display, supporting CAMRA’s “Mild in May Month”, support to local charities and sponsoring community events.

The number of pubs regularly offering local beers brewed within a 30 mile radius of the pub is increasing, a list appears towards the back of the magazine. If we have left a pub off the list please let us know.

I wish you all a good Summer season and may hopefully meet some of you at one of the local pub beer festivals, our CAMRA / K&ESR Beer Festival, one of our social events or in one of the many excellent and varied pubs within the branch.

Bob - Chairman

P.S. Old Dairy Brewery is moving to new premises in Tenterden this year. Due to the amount of time that Will and his team have spent in planning the move, in addition to brewing their excellent beers throughout the year, it has not been possible yet to arrange the presentation of their certificate for winning “Champion Beer of the Festival” for last year with “Over the Moo”. We hope this beer will be available again at this year’s festival. The presentation will therefore be made at the CAMRA / K&ESR Beer Festival on Saturday 14th June. Do join us.

A day without beer is a day without sunshine

A fine is a tax on doing something wrong

A tax is a fine for doing something right

I’m off to the pub for a quiet pint, followed by 15 noisy ones!!! Gareth Chalcott


Contents Page No.Editorial 2

Future Events 4

Community Pubs Month 5

Pub of The Year 6

LocAle 7

Shirley’s Recipe 8

Real Ale Reporter 9

Whitbread Pub Signs 10

What’s Your Real Ale Name 12

Grumpy Old Man Recalls 13

Drink Free January 17

Behind the Mashtun 18

Wales Ales 21

Half Pint Discrimination 23

Pub News 24

Kent & East Sussex Railway Beer Festival 28

Bamburg Brewery Trip 30

List Your Local 36

Marsh Mash and Branch Information 38

Family run free house with a warm, friendly atmosphere o�ering a choice of well kept ales:

Adnams bitter, guest ales and traditional cider

Tel: 01303 872336

Good food served daily featuring traditional English dishes, tasty vegetarian options and bar snacks

Freshness, quality and value for money with our ingredients sourced from local farmers and grocers, where possible

Cooking times: 11:30am - 2.30pm & 6.30 - 9.00pmSunday 11:30am - 4pm

no food served Sunday or Tuesday evenings

Dogs Welcome

Opening times: 11:30am - 10pm Monday & Wednesday

11:30am - 4pm Tuesday11:30am - 11pm Thursday, Friday, Saturday

11:30am - 6pm Sunday

The Shepherd & CrookShear Way, Burmarsh

Kent, TN29 0JJ

Split into two distinct sections, the book first takes an in-depth look at over 900 beers produced by the country’s diverse array of brewers – from global giants to equipment sharing proto-brewers. Each brewer is presented with full contact details and given a rating out of 5 for quality, while each beer is also given a star rating out of 5.

Then, having acquainted the reader with what to drink, the guide turns to the tricky question of where to drink it. Over 500 bars, cafés, bistros and beer shops are hand-picked by Tim and Joe from the ultra modern to the incomparably traditional. Organised into regional listings, each bar entry includes full address information, details of size & range of the venues beer list and key dos and don’ts for visitors.

CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide Belgium published, 27 March 2014 (CAMRA Member Price £12.99) and is available from CAMRA at www.camra.org.uk/shop and all other good bookshops.


Other Beer Festivals

CAMRA Beer Festivals

Social Events - All Welcome

Branch Meetings

Future EventsVisit our website for more information ------- www.camra-afrm.org.uk

7 April at 20:00 - POTY 2014 WinnerPresentation to Firkin Alehouse, Folkestone

TBA - POTY 2014 Runner-upPresentation to Red Lion, Snargate

29 April - Bar Billiards Evening at Earl of Clarendon, Sandgate, 19:00

17 May - Visit to Hastings, 11:33 Marsh Link train from Ashford

8 June - Cycle Trip (optional) and Ringing the Bull afternoon at Shepherd & Crook, Burmarsh, 12:00

9 August - Fun Day at The Britannia Inn, Hythe

21 September - Day trip to Poperinge’s Triennial Hopfest, contact Kevin on Telephone: 01303 266301or - [email protected]

Planet Thanet Easter Beer Festival Friday 18 & Saturday 19 April

Bexley Beer FestivalThursday 15 to Saturday 17 May Kent & East Sussex Railway Friday 13 & Saturday 14 June

Kent Beer FestivalThursday 17 to Saturday 19 July

Great British Beer FestivalTuesday 12 to Saturday 16 August East Malling Beer Festival Saturday 6 September

Spa Valley Railway Beer FestivalFriday 24 to Sunday 26 October

Chambers, FolkestoneThursday 17 - Monday 21 April

George, BethersdenFriday 18 - Monday 21 April

Six Bells, Woodchurch Friday 16 - Sunday 18 May and Friday 8 - Sunday 10 August

The Bell Inn, IvychurchFriday 4 - Sunday 6 July

The Farriers Arms, Mersham Friday 25 - Sunday 27 July

The White Hart, NewendenSaturday 26 - Sunday 27 July

The Bowl Inn, HastingleighMonday 25 August

For further details on meetings, socials and beer festivals check out WHAT’S BREWING, visit our branch website or join our Yahoo Group (members only).

Branch Meetings start at 19:30

15 May - George, Bethersden

10 July - Branch AGM, British Volunteer, Ashford

11 September - Kipps Alehouse, Folkestone


Trio sink a pint in every pub in WalesA group of drinkers celebrated after visiting all 3,905 pubs in Wales. Peter Hill, 57, his father Joe, 82, and their friend John Drew, 49, of West Bromwich, West Midlands, downed more than 11,000 pints over seven years of visits to Wales, rounding off a quest started in 1984 in which they sampled 17,310 pubs in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. The trio, who raised £11,000 for charity, toasted their feat at the Sand Martin pub in Cardiff.

I wonder how many of the 17,310 pubs are still open.

CAMRA will again be organising Community Pubs Month in April following the success of 2013’s event. This month of action gives pubs a campaign to focus promotions around and try some new marketing initiatives to attract more custom.

We encourage pubs take part by organising some fun events for the local community to enjoy in April and to try a variety of different communication methods of informing the locals of what is planned including press releases, social media such as Facebook & Twitter, website, collecting local email addresses and sending regular e-newsletters, leaflet drops, adverts in other local amenities etc.

26 pubs close every week, do you want this situation to get worse, please encourage your friends (especially those that do not

visit pubs regularly) to have a night out in one of your local pubs in April to show your support. Imagine if your local was one of the 26 to close!

CAMRA have produced some free promotional packs for pubs to use that will remind people how great pubs are.

All pubs that feature in the Good Beer Guide 2014 have been sent a promotional pack. Other pubs can order one by visiting www.communitypubsmonth.org.uk.

CAMRA’s National Press Office will also issue a number of press releases to raise the profile of pub-going. We will aim to publish some of the events if details and photographs are sent to us in time for the next edition, which will provide additional publicity for your local.


AF&RM Branch Pub of the Year 2014This year, eight pubs were shortlisted as the best pubs in the branch area for:

• Quality of cask ale, cider or perry• Atmosphere/Style/Décor• Service/ Welcome• Community focus• Sympathy with CAMRA objectives• and good value for money

The eight pubs nominated were:

Bell Inn, Ivychurch, and a regular GBG entry the Bell offers a choice of five real ales and draught cider. A good selection of wholesome pub food

at meal times and hot snacks during the afternoon, it was a previous POTY winner.

Bowl Inn, Hastingleigh, this difficult pub to find is a jewel and a regular GBG entry since 2007. With quiz evenings and other

local events, Ron and Annie serve 3 Kentish cask ales, draught cider and provide wholesome

sandwiches / baguettes at weekends, also a previous POTY winner.

The Ferry, Stone in Oxney, a recent entry in the GBG. This 17th century listed Inn is

beside a river, which centuries ago was over 200 yards wide and from where a ferry once operated to Appledore. Offering three cask ales, inglenook fireplace and fine food, this is a well-deserved finalist.

The Firkin Alehouse, Folkestone, was the first micropub within the branch and offers

4 beers by gravity, no lager, keg beers or spirits. There is no music or pub

games and only basic bar snacks which encourages good conversation and a friendly environment to drink in.

The Guildhall, Folkestone, has been under the same stewardship since 2000 and a

GBG entry since 2004. A welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of the town centre to

enjoy good ale. Good value food is served at lunchtimes and occasionally evenings, if pre-booked.

The Red Lion, Snargate, is an unspoilt, multi-room, 16th century pub and

continuous GBG entry since 1981.Has been in the same family for over 100 years. Universally

known as Doris's, it is decorated with posters from the 1940’s and the Women’s Land Army.


It has been identified by CAMRA as one of Britain's Real Heritage Pubs, serving beers from small breweries direct from the cask.

Six Bells, Woodchurch, run by Ray and Angie (who used to run the Swan at Wittersham) have changed the fortunes of this village pub and along

with good regular beer festivals and support to local organisations, provide a good range of beers and fine pub food.

White Hart, Newenden, located on the boundary of the branch area, can be

considered as the "brewery tap" for Rother Valley beers. Yet another GBG regular, Ivan and

staff maintain this periodic pub in good traditional form with a local pub atmosphere.

The scores this year were very close by those who visited all eight pubs and voted with only four points separating the top four. The winner being The Firkin Alehouse with an average of 113 points and the Red Lion, runner up with 112.33 points. Congratulations to all the eight pubs and certificates will be presented to the winner and runner up, visit our website www.camra-afrm.org.uk for the dates.

The Firkin Alehouse will now be judged against the other branch finalists in Kent over the next few weeks. The Kent finalist will be put forward to the National POTY which last year was the Swan with Two Necks, Pendleton, Lancastershire.

Location NameEast Brabourne Five Bells

Elham Kings Arms

Folkestone Chambers

Folkestone County Fayre

Folkestone Firkin Alehouse

Folkestone Kipp’s Alehouse

Folkestone Lifeboat

Folkestone Master Brewer

Folkestone Nailbox

Hastingleigh Bowl

Hawkinge White Horse

Hythe Britannia

Hythe Globe Inn

Hythe oneonetwo wines

Hythe Three Mariners

Hythe White Hart

Kennington Old Mill

Mersham Farriers Arms

Monks Horton Black Horse

Newenden White Hart

Pluckley Dering Arms

Rolvenden Bull Inn

Rolvenden Star

Sandgate Ship

Shadoxhurst Kings Arms

Snargate Red Lion

Stowting Tiger

Tenterden White Lion Hotel

Warehorne Worlds Wonder

Woodchurch Six Bells

Wye New Flying Horse


Shirleys Recipe Page - Beery Cookies

Makes about 30 single cookies or 15 if sandwiched together.

You will need a 500ml bottle of sweet, flavoursome beer – I used Shepherd Neame Bishops Finger.

Cookies:

3½oz (100g) sultanas6½fl oz (200ml) beer8oz (225g) unsalted butter, softened5oz (140g) caster sugar1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten10oz (280g) plain flour, siftedPinch of salt

Soak sultanas in the beer for 4-6 hours –keep the rest of the beer for later.

When you are ready to make cookies, drain the sultanas and keep the remaining beer. Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5. Line 2 large baking sheets with greaseproof paper.

Note: if all the beer is absorbed by the fruit, you will need a further 6 tea spoons of beer for this recipe.

Cream the butter and sugar together, beat in the egg yolk and 3 tea spoons of the saved beer (or from the bottle). Add the flour and salt, stir well (note: the mixture will be quite stiff), add sultanas and stir until combined. Roll mixture in to balls, flatten gently and put them on the prepared baking sheets spaced well apart as they will spread – you

may need to bake in batches, depending on the size of your baking sheets. Bake for 15-20 minutes until light golden brown. Leave to cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes then carefully transfer them on to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Filling (optional):

6oz (175g) icing sugar3oz (85g) unsalted butter, softened2 tsp finely grated orange peel2 tsp beer

To make filling:

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, add butter,orange rind and 3 tea spoons of the savedbeer (or from the bottle) and beat well until

smooth. Spread filling over half ofthe cookies and sandwich together withremaining cookies.

Pour the remaining beer from the bottle intoa glass and enjoy it with the cookies.


Thousands of pubsat your fingertips!

Information updated by thousands of CAMRA volunteers

Over 96% of Britain’s

real ale pubs featured

Created by CAMRA who produce the

UK’s best beer & pub guidewhatpub.com

Featuring over 35,000 real ale pubs

Have you ever been in a pub and had the perfect pint – a drink so good, you want to tell other people to try it? Well CAMRA has a system which lets you give marks to a beer – and if enough people provide scores, it gives us all a way to judge how good a pub is at serving real ale.

The CAMRA National Beer Scoring System (NBSS) has been running for some time and has now been integrated into our new online pub guide WhatPub (www.whatpub.com).The NBSS helps the committee to select what pubs go forward into the GBG each year, so score beers when you visit a pub, (even if it is not in our branch). Other branches appreciate scores from members from other areas just like we do.

Scoring is simple and has appeared in previous editions and with technology moving on, it now has a greater significance than in previous years, SO START SCORING. Scoring is simple and easy to use with a 0 – 5 scale as follows:-

• 0 No Real Ale • 1 Poor• 2 Average• 3 Good• 4 Very Good• 5 Perfect

(If you feel the beer falls between two scores then ½ marks are permitted, e.g. 3.5, 4.5).To be able to influence the GBG selection and enter scores you need to be a CAMRA member, there is an application form towards the rear of the magazine.

Real Ale Reporter


What has happened to the pubs commemorated by the Whitbread miniature Inn Signs?

In 1949 Whitbread, then a local brewer issued their first series of miniature inn signs. The second series followed in 1950, the third series in 1951. All of these miniatures were printed on aluminium. The third series was subsequently reprinted on card with a fourth series in 1953 and finally the fifth series in 1955. A special set was issued in 1951 with subsequent odd miniature signs (including one that was to commemorate a Whitbread constructed pub as part of the World’s Fair in Brussels) during 1958.

After a break of some 18 years Whitbread, then one of the big six issued a range of regional signs. One set being in Kent and subsequently

there was a set commemorating maritime signs. To promote Whitbread’s rebranding of some of its historical pubs as Wayside Inns, a further set was issued in 1987 mainly of Kent pubs.

Having spent my formative years collecting the first five series aided by my father and East Kent buses, I managed to collect a copy of the miniatures. After gaining an interest in the opposite sex, I did not take a great deal of interest in my collection until 1973 when I visited a pub and was offered a regional miniature sign that rekindled my interest, I set about obtaining all the regional signs, including the maritime series. When the Wayside Inns series was issued I was living in Hertfordshire, with one of the signs being in Middlesex, I managed to obtain several sets of these signs on my many travels between home and my family

on Romney Marsh.

The only sign I did not collect was the Britannia in Brussels, because as a family we did not travel far in 1958.

With the launch of WhatPub, the CAMRA online pub guide and “Inn behind the Signs” by David J.R. Harper published in 2005, I decided to search out what had happened to the pubs in the Ashford Folkestone and Romney Marsh area. Of the 524 miniature signs issued over the years, only 50 pubs in our branch were represented.

With the press claiming that some 25 odd pubs are closing each week, 33 of the 50 Whitbread local pubs featured since the initial issue in 1949 are still trading as pubs. Of the 17 that are not trading, 3 have been demolished; the Welcome Stranger, Court at Street is now a small housing estate, the Gun Tavern was demolished for the Folkestone ring road and the Star, Newington to make way for the A20 diversion (as part of building

the Channel Tunnel Termina).

4 have been changed into residential use,

the Swan at Appledore, Martello and George at Folkestone and the Royal Oak, Bonnington. Another 4 have been changed to restaurants, Man of Kent at St.


Michaels, Ancient Boro’ Tenterden, Nelson’s Head, Hythe and the original Guildhall in Folkestone.

The Cinque Port Arms, Hythe and the Royal Oak, Newingreen have been converted into offices whilst the Gate at Rhodes Minnis is now a cattery and the Bouverie Arms, Folkestone a children’s nursery. The Two Bells and the Odd Fellows, Folkestone, are currently closed with future unknown.

4 pubs have had name changes since 1949, the Anchor at Stowting, the Clarendon Inn Sandgate, the Jubilee, Folkestone and the Man of Kent, Ashford.

Shepherd Neame now run 7 of the pubs including the Black Horse at Tenterden, which was renamed by Whitbread to William Caxton in 1951. 11 pubs are free of tie and the remainder owned by various Pubco’s including Enterprise Inns and Punch Taverns.


TOUR 70 LEUVEN & ANTWERP 26-30 April 2014

TOUR 71 BEER & BATTLEFIELDS 22-26 May 2014

TOUR 72 HOPS & POPS 18-22 Sept 2014www.podgebeer.co.uk

Ring 01245 354677 for detailsDriving people to drink since 1994

Your Mum’s First Initial Your First Name Your Birth Month Your Last Initial A Ostler’s A Golden Jan Badger A Plucker B Cobbler’s B Ruby Feb Cow B Worner C Chandler’s C Dark Mar Toad C Botherer D Clerk’s D Nutty Apr Rabbit D Beater E Groom’s E Sweet May Pheasant E Fighter F Tinker’s F Best Jun Cock F Wobbler G Shepherd’s G Old Jul Ferret G Teaser H Peeler’s H Strong Aug Donkey H Dodger I Farmer’s I Hoppy Sep Goat I Muncher J Fisher’s J Pale Oct Lobster J Snapper K Waggoner’s K Heavy Nov Rat K Licker L Mason’s L Amber Dec Spaniel L Slurper M Weaver’s M Vintage M Fancier N Squire’s N Special N Choker O Hooper’s O Warm O Chaser P Fletcher’s P Zesty P Biter Q Carpenter’s Q Rustic Q Sniffer R Cooper’s R Fruity R Tickler S Turner’s S Smooth S Lifter T Founder’s T Bitter T Shagger U Bodger’s U Smokey U Fiddler V Clogger’s V Velvet V Hunter W Slater’s W Oatmeal W Tosser X Digger’s X Tangy X Fixer Y Drover’s Y Malty Y Kisser Z Ghillie’s Z Blonde Z Puller

What’s Your Real Ale Name?


likely lads to realise that a packet of soap powder in the waterfall would close the pub! Other themed pubs followed, including one near to Heathrow Airport done out as the cockpit of an aeroplane equipped with all the controls. Another had a massive air balloon complete with basket and ropes. Fortunately, these themes have disappeared, but others have followed including Irish themed pubs. Let’s be clear they are about as Irish as Joseph Stalin. Obviously, they are all given an Irish name like Finnegan’s and decked out with shamrocks, leprechauns, enormous and very silly over-sized green hats and anything else to give the impression of Irishness. One had a signpost with an arm pointing to Cork at 450 miles. I would have added an additional arm pointing to the exit being only 20 yards! It is of course a classical piece of stereotyping to portray the Irish as fun loving, but I have met many a miserable Irish person and what about fun lovers in Italy or Spain and why do they not get their own themed bars. The ‘Irish thing’ culminates in St. Patrick’s night which is an enormously important cultural occasion for them, but has been hijacked by the marketing people to sell more Guinness and to ‘manufacture’ fun by wearing those stupid oversized green hats. To cap it all last time I passed an Irish pub they were drinking that well known Irish beverage called Budweiser!

Pubs started to have their interior walls knocked out and we saw the appearance of the one bar pub. They then proceeded to break up space by adding nooks and crannies to create the image of separate bar areas. There is definitely an irony in there somewhere. You can now enter these pubs and you will be faced with a variety of ‘clutter’. Top of the list is the chalk menu board which is often the first thing you see and can be very dominating posing the question as to whether this is a pub or

Grumpy Old Man recallsHaving been to Greece recently it was obvious that over there, eating and drinking in bars was a very straightforward and uncomplicated experience. Layout and structure were always simple with ouzo, wine and a limited range of beers on offer. Once upon a time going to the pub in this country was a similar experience and you knew exactly what to expect. Pubs had sensible names like the Red Lion and there were generally at least two bars including a public and a saloon. The beers would be mild, bitter and sometimes a special or old in winter, with a limited range of bottle beers; usually brown or light ale plus a very small number of soft drinks. Often the only food was likely to be the Smith’s crisps with the twist of salt.

Enter stage right Watneys. I can recall vividly, the treatment given to one of its pubs when the outside was monstrously covered completely in diagonal red and black stripes, and was just about the epitome of all bad taste and garishness imaginable. At least they kept the Coach and Horses name, but with a complete disregard for history as it had obviously once been a proud coaching inn on the route to London. That is the point of pub names in that they do mean something in historical terms which is more than you can say for Slug and Lettuce or Spacesuit and Monkey or the Elephant and Kangaroo. They are all manufactured names that ignore history having been dreamt up by a marketing department and in the case of the latter the animals are not even to be found on the same continent! If I thought that the outside of the Coach and Horses was bad enough then the inside was arguably worse. It was the first themed pub I had encountered and was done out as an Alpine scene with mountains painted on the walls and ceilings, a waterfall and stream crossed by little bridges and overall was just crass. It did not take long for some


a restaurant. Food has moved on a lot in pubs and I have seen reference to kangaroo, ostrich, crocodile and recently bison; I foresee endangered species such as polar bear or panda on the menu in the near future. All of this is a far cry from the solitary packet of crisps of ancient yore. (Incidentally, they did provide some amusement as you were left guessing whether there would be any salt twists at all or several or, and worse still, one twist with damp salt which could hardly be shaken over the crisps).

To add to the clutter there is usually an area for cutlery, sauces and napkins etc. but not one for children who now seem to get everywhere and are largely responsible for the pervading smell of chips. There are also the table menus which are often so big as to almost hide anybody sitting opposite. I had promised not to say anything more about menus, but I can’t resist. A Greek menu described a Greek Salad as feta cheese, tomatoes, olives, onions and cucumber which was simplicity in itself. I nearly called over the waiter to tell him that he was missing a trick or two and what he really meant was ‘feta from specially bred and hand reared goats from the luxuriant slopes of Mount Olympus accompanied by succulent handpicked….’ That I am afraid to say would be very close to the British equivalent.

Some pubs now create their own individuality with collections of ties, postcards, horse brasses, banknotes, stuffed birds or aquaria. In addition there are always notices advertising quiz night, karaoke, live music or up-coming sporting events. The South Devon mid-week group recently encountered a pub with 3 televisions all featuring a different sport. You could have sat in the middle of the room and watched golf whilst listening to tennis with your left ear and horse racing with your right! There was a trend not so long ago for pubs to crowd in bookshelves and their associated

books. Did anybody actually read more than the titles? I very much doubt it as the titles clearly displayed their origin from house clearance. I remember a time when I actually perused the titles but decided against picking up a copy of Handy Tips for Plastering and Wall Papering or the programme for the Daily Mail’s Ideal Home Exhibition for 1959. Is there any space left? Yes actually, for fruit machines, juke boxes and even cash machines which probably reflect the cost of buying a round these days!

I have not yet mentioned the proliferation of different types of drink. In my very early days lager and cider were unknown, but now feature in a ‘T’ font dispensing several keg varieties and being heavily branded and are relatively expensive. Ignoring what we might think about the quality, or price of these products, have you noticed how that ‘T’ font always seems to get in the way and is effectively dead bar area for serving let alone seeing the bar staff behind them to attract their attention for service! Similarly, brown and light ale have given away to many other bottled beers from various parts of the World or made under licence in the UK. On a recent visit to a pub a true cornucopia of United Nations’ beers were available from India, Singapore, China, Australia, Poland, Germany, the USA and Turkey. Why do they all seem to taste of slightly alcoholic washing up liquid? The word insipid really comes in to its own. A friend of mine once described these beers as ‘inoffensive’ which is probably about right in that they are designed to capture the essence of ordinariness and the common denominator for the mystical average drinker to maximise sales. Then there are the numerous cocktail style drinks with their vivid colours such as orange and turquoise and with their intense sweetness that would put you in the fast lane to diabetes. In addition there are shots. Now, if we want to be serious about controlling alcohol excesses we really need to get to grips with these drinks. As far as


I can tell their sole purpose is to induce intoxication for why else would you pour down your throat in seconds something that you don’t bother with the nicety of tasting first! If I could have been fast forwarded to 2013 from my early pub days there is a real possibility of shock and confusion at the plethora of choices involved. I am not a strong believer in too much choice or in free will as I see it manipulated by the world of advertising and large corporations to inject their values into our psyche. A meeting between an American President and his Russian opposite number summed it up exactly. American President. “In the USA we believe in choice”. Russian reply “I agree, as it is always useful to be able to choose between 57 flavours of crisps”. He was right; choice has to be meaningful and not mere confusion or obfuscation. Bring back the simplicity of earlier days.

Bob Southwell AKA the Grumpy Old ManCAMRA South Devon Branch

Mick and Suzi Bushell Welcome You toTHE DRUM INN

Pub, Restaurant, Camping & Caravanning Site ~ Stone Street, Stanford North, TN25 6DN

We Don't Have• Fruit Machines• Juke Box• Television in the Main Bar• Pool Table• Game Machines

We Do Have• Up to four Real Ales at any one time• Home Cooked Food at Reasonable Prices• Large Beer Garden• Small Function Room• Occasional Live Music • Camp Site with Facilities• Bike Club on Tuesday• Folk Club on Thursday

The Drum Inn is a three hundred year old building with many of its original features,

including two working �re places that makes for a relaxing atmosphere. Serving an ever changing supply of Award Winning Guest Ales to sample, as well as Traditional Fresh

Cooked Pub Food seven days a week. All Clubs and Societies welcome.

Westernhanger Railway Station is less than one mile away.

See our website for forthcoming events.Food Served: Monday to Saturday 12 - 2:30 & 6 - 9pm, Sundays 12 - 4pm & 6 - 8pm, Booking Advisable

The Drum Inn, Stone Street, Stanford North, Ashford, Kent TN25 6DNTel: 01303 812125 - email: [email protected] - web: www.thedruminn.com

The Red Lion, Snargate

Situated on the B2080 1 mile from Appledore Station on bus route 11B

A classic, unspoilt pub specialising in beers from small independent breweries dispensed by gravity

Local cider is always available, no food!Real �res, marble-topped bar & bare �oorboardsUnusual pub games and a spacious beer garden

Run by the same family for over 100 yearsListed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide since 1985

Open Monday 12 - 3pmTuesday to Saturday 12 - 3pm & 7 - 11pm

Sunday 12 - 3pm & 7 - 10.30pmProprietor: Doris Jemison


THELIFEBOAT

INN 42 North StreetFolkestone, CT19 6AF

Selection of Fine Local and Regional Real Ales

Good Hot Meals Servedalso Sunday Roasts

Beer Garden & Harbour ViewsTelephone: 01303 255310

Just off Folkestone Harbour

Under New Management


Did you do drink-free January - it may have harmed your health?After the excesses of December, you may have decided to cleanse the system with a New Year’s resolution of a month without booze and woken up at the beginning of February feeling smug – not to mention slightly richer – after successfully negotiating the whole month without a drink.

However, the increasingly popular practice of detoxing the body during ‘Dry January’ may do more harm than good. One expert claims that having a regular tipple throughout the post-New Year period would have been more likely to improve health than giving up alcohol completely.

Professor Charles Bamforth, of the University of California, said: “Many people don’t realise that drinking in moderation has significant health benefits and that moderate drinkers have a longer life expectancy than non-drinkers. Regular moderate intake of alcohol is good for the heart and blood circulation.”

The author of Beer, Health and Nutrition said drinking to excess can cause serious problems, but added: “the key is a little and often”. You are seriously mistaken if you think that having a month without drinking will protect you from the effects of excessive drinking for the rest of the year. ‘The best advice is to drink moderately throughout the year.’

Professor Bamforth said beer, in particular real ale, contains many nutrients that are important for a healthy body.

He said: ‘The great thing about beer is that it is low in alcohol and brewed from natural raw materials, so it’s a good source of important nutrients such as antioxidants, B vitamins and dietary silicon that promotes strong bones. Indeed, beer used to be known as liquid bread.’

The Campaign for Real Ale welcomed his comments, suggesting older people could see particular benefits.

Chairman Colin Valentine said: “The health benefits of moderate drinking may explain why you meet so many people enjoying a healthy retirement who still like going for a pint of real ale in their local.

The evidence also shows that sociability has significant benefits to health and well being. You are far better off sharing a beer with friends in a pub than sitting at home drinking by yourself.”

Based on an article first published in the Daily Mail.

TGIF used to be“Thank God it’s Friday”

Now it’s“Thank God it’s February”


View From Behind The MashtunI was thinking the other day about how the brewing and pub industries have changed in the last 20 or so years. If you had suggested back then that the likes of Ansell’s, Bass, Courage, Watney’s, Whitbread’s and so on would not own thousands of pubs each and moreover, not even be brewing companies anymore, I think the men in white coats would not be far away. Predict that smoking would be banned in all pubs, or that giant pub companies would spring up and buy vast swathes of the pubs in this country and all on borrowed money and the laughter would be deafening. I could go on, but you get my drift.

So I thought it might be interesting to consult the tea leaves and see what twenty years hence will look like. Unfortunately my used tea bags didn’t seem to convey much other than lots of little square, brown pillows, so I thought it might be more appropriate to peer into the spent hops left behind in the brewing copper and what a revelation.

The pub scene will have changed just as much as the previous twenty years with the dreaded Pubco’s now all gone bust through not being able to service their debts. Although quite a few will have been turned into houses, supermarkets, aromatherapy centres, Polish restaurants and thousands of other things, many will have been bought by the old established brewers like Fullers, Shepherd Neame, Thwaites and St Austell. A

lot will have also been purchased by the (not so) micro-breweries, now starting to build up tied estates. The new nationals like Marston’s and Greene King will have just about walked away from local pubs, concentrating instead on chain themed pubs like Hungry Horse, Tavern Table and so on, making far more money from food than beer. Wetherspoon’s, having passed the two thousand pub mark and pretty much saturated that particular market, will be looking to get into hotels in a

much bigger way, but also looking at little locals, in much the same way as the big supermarkets are getting into local shops. Some of the lost pubs, of which there will be many, will be to some extent indirectly replaced by the rapidly growing micro pub movement. Minimum pricing legislation will have slowed down

the trend of buying cheap booze to drink at home instead of going to the pub, but only to a point. Successive governments will have backed off increasing this by much, through accusations of hitting the less well off, with MPs constantly looking at the vulnerability of their seats at the next election. The big supermarkets will also have found inventive ways of circumnavigating these rules anyhow.

The brewing industry will also have changed enormously. The number of new micro-breweries coming on stream will have slowed down to a trickle, since the point has been reached where the sheer number


all trying to get their beer on to the same bars had reached critical mass. The main growth area will be in brew-pubs, of which most towns and cities will have dozens. Enterprising people will have bought pubs from the failing Pubco’s and installed breweries at the back. Watching the success of the micro-brewery boom, the big multi-national companies will have been buying up micros and even building their own, to get a piece of the action. Craft keg will have pretty much ousted the big brand bland keg lagers of old in pubs. These will largely be confined to being piled high in supermarkets.

The meteoric rise of cider will eventually slow down, but will enjoy a much larger share of the market than at present. Sadly the term Perry will have all but disappeared except at beer festivals where the unwary will be totally confused as to why pear cider is being called by a strange name. It’s amazing what you can see in a load of old soggy hops if you just look. Or maybe not.

Paul Hamblett (Coventry Branch)

A charming 470 year old pub always o�ering 4 real alesDelicious Home Cooked Food served 7 days a weekBed & Breakfast - 6 en suite rooms - Large Garden

Beer & Music Festival 2014Sat 26 & Sun 27 July

The White Hart, Rye Road, Newenden, Kent TN18 5PNTelephone: 01797 252166Email: [email protected]: www.thewhitehartnewenden.co.uk

The White Hart

Find us in the CAMRA 2014 Good Beer GuideSee TripAdvisor for reviews

Facebook - The White Hart, Newenden

Everyone made very welcome


The Three Mariners, HytheTraditional Free House, Offering up to Seven

Ever Changing Ales and Ciders from around our CountyLive acoustic music every Sunday evening.

Hanks Open mic, last Sunday of each month

Traditional music; sing-along’ ‘play- along’ last Tuesday of every month.

Fun Quiz night first Tuesday of every month. Opening times.Mondays 4pm till close.Tuesdays – Sunday 12pm till close.

No FoodNo Juke BoxNo Fruit MachinesNo Pool TableNo Distractions other than Good Beer, Cider and our award winning barmaids!!

Good Beer Guide 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

-- “Runner up”

CAMRA Regional pub of the year 2010, 2011

-- Facebook Group:

The Three Mariners, Hythe

37 Windmill Street, Hythe, Kent CT21 6BH - Telephone: 01303 260406

Suppliers of Quality Chicken & Meat

Tel: 01797 361722 www.chubbychicken.co.uk

Marinated Chicken a speciality

Orders


There is a character in the fourth book of Douglas Adam’s “Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” trilogy called Rob McKenna. He is a lorry driver and drives around the country under a permanent rain cloud. He has recorded two hundred and thirty-one different types of rain. I know how he felt.

The rain caught up with me near Wantage and kept me company all the way to Brecon. By the time I reached my destination, it had moderated somewhat but was threatening to make my stay in South Wales “interesting”. On entering the bar that evening, I forgot all about the rain, and most other things.A row of fourteen hand-pumps greeted me – ok, three were ciders, but we can forgive the occasional oversight. Well I don’t know about you, but considering that I was there for a week, I took this as a challenge. Unlike

some CAMRA members, I do not record these things diligently in a notebook, but I do remember the memorable ones – well most of them, Maypole Midge and Dartmoor Jail Ale on Monday Evening.

The pub was “The Ancient Briton” at Pen-y-Cae – about half way between Brecon and Swansea. When I found it in the GBG, I noted that it had a large number of hand pumps, it was near the Brecon Beacons, and there was a bus service.

First Impressions No. 1.In Wales, all bus routes are run by separate

companies. No bus company talks to any other company, so no bus company accepts day/week saver tickets from any other bus company.

The rain, having misplaced me for a while, turned up again overnight making the planned walking route a mud slide. I caught the bus to Pontypridd and had intended to lead a crawl there in the following week but both of the GBG pubs were disappointing so early back to Pen-y-Cae for a good meal and Wye Valley Butty Bach.

It rained again on Wednesday, so more of my beer money was spent on bus tickets. Remember paying bus fares? Two GBG pubs in Abergavenny sold Rhymney bitter. One at £3.40 was very tired and barely drinkable, the other at £2.90 was splendid. I know where to go next time. Back to Brecon where several versions of who was brewing what and at which brewery unfolded over a couple of pints. A strange smell which I had previously blamed on someone’s lunch on the bus was explained; there is a garlic-processing factory just west of Brecon.

Thursday started fine, so on with the boots to visit the local waterfalls and riverside paths (muddy as expected). Met John Skinner from Neath/Port Talbot CAMRA and swapped pubs during an evening of Dorothy Goodbody, and Jail Ale. NB Dorothy Goodbody is also a beer from Wye Valley Brewery, just in case you were thinking!!!!

First Impressions No 2. In Wales, most pubs described as “interesting” or “must visit” are at the top of hills unserved by public transport except on Thursday afternoons when the bus runs but the pub is closed.

Friday was climatically iffy again so took the bus to Swansea to walk and drink in

WALES ALES – “Summer 2013” in South WalesAnother report from our wandering and singing member


the steps of Dylan Thomas. Most impressed with Swansea – a bit like the new Exeter and Cardiff – good beer in the Queens Hotel (Cotleigh Seahawk) and the No Sign bar – both reputed to be Dylan Thomas haunts. He wrote of “Warm, Weak, Welsh Bitter Beer” It has improved no end since then.

Saturday saw a duty recce of Cardiff to prepare for our singing week at Llandaff. All was much as I remembered it from two years ago – The Cottage, The Goat Major and the City Arms were roughly where they were last time. Bus guides and maps for the choir obtained and new plans made for our day off pub crawl.

On Sunday it rained. Bus to Hay on Wye – no pubs of interest – bought books instead. More pub and cinema chat with John Skinner – He threatens to visit Kent soon to photograph retired cinemas.

First Impressions No 3.Consider two people waiting at a bus-stop and talking to each other. They board the bus. There is apparently a regulation which stops them sitting next to each other and continuing their conversation. They sit on opposite sides of the (fairly empty) bus, a row or two apart, and continue their conversation by shouting above the engine noises and rattling of the bus. Is this how Dylan Thomas got all the gossip for his paper?

Our week of singing in Llandaff Cathedral began at 14.30 on the Monday so plenty of time to recce the four pubs in Llandaff:-Black Lion – Plenty of Brains including one of their “craft brewery” (= experimental) brews “Terry’s”.Butchers Arms – Wye Valley HPA, Hancock’s HB and Bass.The Maltsters – poor first impression, 10 mins of no service at the bar (4 Brains pumps) made time for a visit toThe Haycock – Two large bars, no-one else

present (14.00). HPA somewhat tired- as were the rest of the clientele?

Once the rest arrived, it was decided that the Black Lion would be the pint twixt evensong and dinner, and the Butchers for subsequent pints as it had a garden for the smokers.Now that we’d found a waterproof cathedral, digs and pubs within a few hundred yards of each other, IT STOPPED RAINING – except for a few hours at night. The Maltsters came into its own at the end of the week as it was the only pub where we could hear ourselves drink.

Our day off on the Thursday saw a mini ale trail on the bus. First stop at Gwaelod-y-Garth for lunch (large portions and good value) and a pint of Gwaelod Sunshine from their own brewery. Then came a tricky walk across the River Taff (footbridge) to “Fagin’s Ale and Chop House” at Glan-y-Llyn where I had the most memorable beer of the lot – One of Tiny Rebel’s range “Hank” – a splendid hoppy, fresh tasting brew and all for 4% ABV and £2.80/pint. Bus to Treforest to sample the Otley range in the Otley Arms and Rickards Arms, a goodly selection of the range in the first but only one in the second. Bus back to Cardiff for food in the Zero Degrees – not my cup of tea (which might have been preferable) then on to the City Arms for a nightcap or several before very nearly missing the last bus back to Llandaff. (By this time it had started raining just to remind us what it was like).

I can see why Dylan Thomas liked the area so much – no mention of buses in his works.


Half Pint DiscriminationIn a recent edition of the “London Drinker” there was a letter by Roger Warhurst which touched a chord as I’ve heard the practice also takes place in our branch area.

For reasons of income, health, variety or staying below the driving limit, many cask ale drinkers prefer half pint measures. For all my drinking life, the price of a half has been half that of a full pint, give or take 5p. On a recent visit with a friend to a central London pub operated by Dorset family brewer, Hall and Woodhouse, we were charged £4.20 for two halves of average strength (4.5%) cask ale, apparently priced a £3.85 for a pint. The beer was not shown on the tiny hidden away price list but a similar mark up of 35p was also being charged for the other cask ales.On inquiry, the justification from the brewer was that there was less profit in smaller drinks since there was a fixed cost of approximately £1 to serve an empty glass to a customer taking into account of glassware, labour to store and serve and cleaning. Beer pricing had been brought in line with wine and soft drinks.Such increases by stealth make a mockery of the Chancellor’s much lauded discriminate 1p per pint reduction in the beer tax and discriminates against responsible drinkers who choose to drink half pints. Perhaps we should bring our own glasses and ask for a £1 discount.

London Drinkers Editor’s note: - This is the first report of it being put into effect in London. My information is that it only applies to managed houses so it does not affect all H & W houses. My understanding is that so long as it is clearly advertised the practice is legal. This does not however make it acceptable. This is a case where I would suggest voting with your feet (or wallet) should apply. Editor’s Note: - As I believe that this practice exists within our branch, perhaps we should name and shame them so please provide us with details where you find excessive price hikes on half pints is rife?

The number 2 bus route between Ashfordand Tenterden stops at The George Bus Stop!

Jo and Dave welcome you to the George InnA traditional two-bar village local serving

�ne ales and good home cooked food

The George Inn

Beer Festival18 to 21 April

The George InnThe Street, Bethersden, near AshfordKent, TN26 3AG Tel: 01233 820235

oneonetwo wines

112 High Street, Hythe, CT21 5LE Telephone: 01303 266301

Your Local Stockist for over 20 Kentish Ales, including CAMRA-approved

and Bottle Conditioned Beers

And Don’t ForgetSelect any 12 bottledAles and get 15% off

What’s This? Dutch Bitter?Call in now for De Molens

“Live Long & Prosper”

New In!Goody Ales’ “Genesis”,

Awarded “Best Hopped Ale in Kent” 2013


Pub NewsAshfordOn one of my rare visits to Ashford, I found Robinson’s Trooper in the John Wallis at £2.75/pint in considerably better condition than on a previous visit. Greene King Abbot Ale and Old Speckled Hen were also available but I did not have time to sample them.

I was disappointed to find a very limited range at the County Hotel, all the 3 beers on offer being over 4.5%Abv and the other pumps “Available Soon”.

Folkestone Stuart and Gilly have decided to retire in October and will be leaving the Guildhall after 40 years in the trade. They have had entries in the GBG since 1980 when they were running the Raglan. Their skill of selling a good pint continued when they ran the bar at the sports club form 1988 to 2000 before taking over the Guildhall. We wish them well in their retirement and hopefully they will be replaced with like minded tenants who will continue to run the pub as a friendly local just off the main shopping area in Folkestone.

Shortly after we published the previous edition where we reported that the Raglan had ceased to provide cask ale, and a loss to the eastern part of Folkestone, we were informed that this was incorrect. We apologise to Elaine who informed us that the landlady hopes to continue selling one real ale all year round. Unfortunately on a visit in February no cask ale was on offer and we were informed by the barman that the pub no longer sells real ale.

The GBG listed Pullman closed suddenly at the beginning of November. In March there appears to be workmen in the building doing internal structural work with the bar is still in situ. Hopefully the Pullman will reopen shortly.

Kipps’ Alehouse opened in October offering several beers on stillage, one of which is from a local brewery.

The Royal Cheriton has installed 2 hand pumps and is now offering changing beers from National breweries.

Chambers have increased the number of hand pumps and were offering Ripple Steam Black IPA from Dover, Adnam’s Lighthouse

and three others on a visit in February plus 2 draught ciders.

For those who like draught Bass, the Clifton Hotel is often overlooked when listing cask ale outlets in Folkestone. Whilst mainly thought of as a hotel, the bar is open to non-residents and well worth a visit.

The Lifeboat has a new landlady Annette, who took over in December and is serving beers from Kent and Sussex. Those available early in the year included Harvey’s Sussex bitter, Kent Cobnut and Pale Ale, Hop Fuzz Old American Pale and English, Goody’s Genesis and Goacher’s Dark. We wish her well and hope that she continues to sell LocAle.

The Cherry Pickers which we announced in the last edition had been saved from the bulldozer and was under new management,.It appears still to be at risk with rumours of it being demolished and replaced with another pub and housing which will reduce the parking facilities in a busy area of Cheriton.

Having walked past many lost and closed


pubs in Cheriton, the Nailbox still continues to serve Master Brew, Spitfire and Shepherd Neame‘s seasonal beer all in good condition. In the east of Folkestone the Royal Standard, Canterbury Road has been offering Wychwood Hobgoblin and the Richmond Tavern three beers from Shepherd Neame. A hand pump with Sharp’s Doom Bar has appeared at the Royal George and the East Kent Arms has been serving Wells Bombardier and Sharp’s Doom Bar. Some new additions to the cask ale scene in Folkestone. What a shame that more pubs in Ashford don’t follow suite and introduce cask ale!!! A Saturday afternoon social in conjunction with the Dover branch commenced with lunch at the Samuel Peto, accompanied by a variety of beers including a tasty “Work in Progress” from Elland brewery. Lunch was followed by a stroll to Kipps’ Alehouse to sample of Gadd’s No. 7, Dogbolter and Growler Augustinian which were available along with three ciders and interesting combinations of port/Stilton and sherry/almonds snacks. Down the hill to the Lifeboat and then on to the East Cliff Tavern (Ripple Steam IPA and Hopdaemon Dominator) before climbing back up to the Bayle where we sampled Greene King Abbot at the British Lion before moving to the Guildhall for Winter Season Best from the Prescott brewery. Finally visiting Cheriton Place to find Time & Tide Spratwaffler amongst four other beers at Chambers and finally to the Firkin Alehouse for Goacher’s Light amongst another four beers before our colleagues from Dover went round the corner for their bus back to Dover. Shame there are no toilets on Stagecoach buses!!!

HastingleighThe Bowl Inn at Hastingleigh raised £300 for the Macmillan Nurses at the August Beer Festival.

High HaldenThe Chequers has reopened and is called the Chequers on the Green, now owned by Village Green Restaurants who also own the Old Mill in Kennington. Currently the beer range includes 1648 and Harvey’s beers from Sussex and Old Dairy Red Top. Monks HortonCustomers at the Black Horse raised £570 for

the Pilgrims Hospice at their Chilli event last September. This is planned to become an

annual event with prize chillies being judged and chilli flavoured beer being available, It made a change from chocolate beer!!!.

NewendenThe White Hart (which is convenient for Northiam Station on the Kent & East Sussex Railway and the Mill Toy & Pedal Car Museum), continues to offer Rother Valley Level Best alongside Doombar and Harvey’s Sussex Best when I last visited.

New RomneyThe Plough has reopened and after refurbishment and is serving a range of cask ales with the house beer at £2.00/pint.

LadeShepway Council, who we thought had a policy of supporting local amenities, have approved the demolition of the Ship to enable the erection of 4 dwellings which leaves the community without a local pub.

RolvendenThe Bull has started to offer Rother Valley beers on a trial basis alongside Old Dairy Red Top & Harvey’s Sussex Best. If sales of the other local breweries beers go well, they will also become regular offerings.


Also the Ewe & Lamb is selling Weston’s Rosie’s cider at 4.8%ABV and a guest ale at weekends. Recent offers have included Purity Mad Goose and Black Sheep Bitter.

The Star’s regular beers are currently Old Dairy Red Top and Greene King IPA with guest beers usually from Harvey’s, Goody’s, and Rother Valley.

RuckingeThe Blue Anchor, has just welcomed a new landlord in the shape of Paul Branchett, his first venture into the licenced trade. He is very keen to become an integral part of the Ruckinge community, encouraging local groups and organisations to use the pub as a village hub. Currently offering Sharp’s Doom Bar and Harvey's Sussex Bitter as regular beers with guest ales at weekends.

SandgateBar Vasa, which closed early in February 2013, reopened during the Summer and closed again in November, it is now being refurbished.

The Ship Inn continues to offer beers from Hopdaemon, Hop Back, Greene King, Dark Star and Long Man breweries. The Earl of Clarendon continues to regularly change the range, in February they were AK 1911 and Blue Top from Old Dairy, and one each from Goody’s and Cottage. Whilst the Royal Norfolk Hotel sells Adnam’s Lighthouse.

ShadoxhurstThe Kings Head which has been run by Ian and Julie for the last 11 years reopened in August after a major refurbishment.

This included Shepherd Neame extending the bar and kitchen area, it now has more cask ales on offer, not only from their Faversham Brewery.

St Michaels, TenterdenThe Fat Ox has a new licensee with a five year lease. The landlord is a keen real ale fan and takes ales from the Shepherd Neame ’s micro-brewery as well as from the normal portfolio. The beer was found to be excellent and the pub is once again a proper local pub serving the community. Good luck to him.

TenterdenThe White Lion has been refurbish and reopened as a Revere Hotel, but still part of the Marstons group of companies, which gives the local management the option of offering beers from outside the Group. At the launch three beers from Old Dairy, Red Top, Blue Top and Gold Top were available along with Wychwood Lionheart and Ringwood Forty-Niner from Marston’s.

The William Caxton has been closed since early in January, whilst Mike and Alex Goodman (who previously ran the Royal Oak at Whatlington, East Sussex) prepared for re-opening in February. The range of real ales is limited to Master Brew, Spitfire and Whitstable Bay on draught. Mike and Alex will be providing “pub grub” and are set on keeping the Willie as “the only real pub in Tenterden”.

WarehorneThe Woolpack has ceased trading with a notice in the window inviting offers for interested parties last September. Any further information would be gratefully received.

The current tenants of the Britannia Hythe, the Wheel Westwell, the Plough Brabourne Lees and the Royal Oak Mersham, are leaving after Shepherd Neame yet again increased their rents unreasonably.

Thanks to all who have sent me information since the last edition, hopefully not all of it is out of date due to our editorial problems.

Happy Summer drinking - Bob the Beer


Black HorseTheTraditional oak-beamed country pub-restaurant

Idyllic rural settingAmple parkingDecking area

and family gardenFunctions catered forLight bites from £3.50

Sunday lunchtime roastscarved especially for you £8.95

For lunch or dinner reservations call 01303 812182The Black Horse, Fiddling Lane, Monks Horton

Ashford, Kent TN25 6APwww.theblackhorse.uk.com

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The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Ashford, Folkestone & Romney Marsh Branch in conjunction with the Kent & East Sussex Railway, are proud to announce the Annual Beer and Cider Festival to be held at Tenterden Station on 13th and 14th June 2014. Some ciders and beers will be available on trains departing Tenterden Station from 10.40am on 14th June.

Festival Opening TimesFriday 6.00pm to 10.30pmSaturday 11.00am to 10.30pm (or until the beer runs out)

AdmissionBeer Festival only by purchasing a K&ESR Platform Ticket(CAMRA Members by presentation of Membership card).CAMRA Members also receive discounted rail travel on Saturday.

AccommodationCamping: Pre booked limited camping facilities available £5.00 per pitch per night (no fires) from K&ESR 01580 765155

Hotels and B & B: Lists available from Tenterden Information Office or via usual on-line booking agencies.

Public TransportTo & from Ashford: routes 2 and 2A and for connection with rail servicesTo & from Maidstone: route 12To & from Tunbridge Wells: route 297To & from Hastings: route 340To & from Headcorn: route 12 and for connection with rail servicesLate services operate to Ashford (2)Headcorn (12) and Maidstone (12)

Kent & East Sussex Railway Beer & Cider FestivalFriday 13th and Saturday 14th June 2014

Additional informationFull bus timetables available on www.traveline.org.uk

EntertainmentFriday: Quiet evening no musicSaturday: Live music Saturday afternoon and into the evening plus Morris Dancers

Beer of the FestivalPresentation to last years winner will take place during Saturday afternoon.

Our beer festival is organised and run by unpaid volunteers and we are always looking for volunteers, old and new, to join us. So if you’d like to kelp out, whether it’s just for a few hours one evening or throughout the beer festival, you will be made more than welcome. Don’t worry that you don’t have any experience. The only condition for being a volunteer is that you are a CAMRA Member.

Remember…. without Volunteers there would be no Beer Festival

Further festival information available on our website at www.camra-afrm.org.uk, e-mail: [email protected]

Scan this QR code to take you directly to the Beer Festival page on our website.


The Kent & East Sussex RailwayTenterden Town StationStation RoadTenterdenKent, TN30 6HE

Telephone 01580 765155

Scan this QR code to take you to the Kent & East Sussex Railway website. www.kesr.org.uk


This was day 1 of our visit to the famous brewing city, and World Heritage Site, of Bamberg, located in Franconia (Frankenland), an ancient province and now an administrative area of Bavaria (Bayern) in southern Germany. Malzerei Weyermann is the best known name in the world when it comes to speciality brewing malts. With over 70 different varieties sold in around 115 countries, exporting about 60% of the production, you’ll find their distinctive white sacks in many a brewery. Yet, not only do they malt grain, they also have a small brewery, which we visited on this tour. I was at the maltings with a party from the Brewery History Society, along with two members of CAMRA Ashford: Bob Martin, Chairman, and Chris Excel, Pubs Officer.

We were met by Christian Kestel, the firm’s Archivist/Historian, who guided us around. He explained that the company was founded in 1879 by Johann Baptist Weyermann. Before the tour Christian took us to what I can only describe as a hospitality room. The walls were covered with enamelled metal signs from the many breweries that are supplied by

Weyermann, I have never seen so many. Many German and Czech pubs have displays in a similar vein but the sheer quantity displayed here was staggering. This room also contained a small bar. We then visited the on-site brewery. Here we met Dominik Maldoner, brewer. He told us the equipment was installed in 2003 to brew experimental brews using the 80+ malts produced on site. Dominik explained that the Fan Shop (Gift Shop) on site normally held stock of 9 or 10 different

beers from the plant, for sale to the public.

We tasted three beers, served from flip-top (Bügelflaschen) bottles and what an eclectic bunch they were! First up was Crazy Coriander, a Belgian-style wheat beer (3.5%). This was followed by the consumption of Pumpernickel Porter (6.8%) which used 3% Pumpernickel bread as part of the fermentation. Well, I couldn’t taste that, but it was a reasonable beer with a peppery taste. Dominick said it utilised Green Bullet hops from New Zealand. The final tasting was of Schlotfergerla (5.2%), their take on the traditional Bamberg Rauchbier (Smoked Beer) style. It wasn’t too smoky in taste and had a slightly sweet aftertaste.

After the tour we had little time to reach our next stop, Brauerei Greifenklau; luckily Weyermann’s helped out by providing transport for us. This venerable pub and brewery is to be found in the Kaulberg district on the road south from the centre of the city. It’s about one kilometre from the middle of the old city and is located at the top of a rather steep hill. We were met by Sigmund Brockard, now the fourth generation of the owning family. It is an interesting fact that all four heads of the current owning family were named Sigmund. I supposed it saves money changing the stone-carved name over the front door! As we started our tour Sigmund mentioned that the brew house we were visiting was constructed in the

The famous breweries of Bamberg seen from the inside


mid-sixties (see right). Sigmund mentioned that a new Keller Pils was soon to be introduced. He also explained that he is now brewing a series of seasonal beers, and would have a Rauch Bier (smoked beer) available from the following week. The current seasonal beer was Laurenzi, a dark unfiltered Kellerbier. He also told us that the Weizen (wheat beer) (5.2%) was brewed at another brewery to his specification. He is creating a small (300 litre) brewery

for special and seasonal brews. He showed us the first part that had been constructed and thought the project would be finished soon. So, it looks like Greifenklau is going to be a pub to visit in the future. The mainstay of the brewery, and the biggest seller in the pub and biergarten, is a Lagerbier, known as Greifenklaubier (4.9%). We thanked Sigmund profusely for his hospitality and repaired to the pub for lunch. The menu came highly recommended and the consensus of opinion after the meal was that it was completely justified.

We then took a stroll down the hill looking at the various brewing-related buildings en route. Before our next official visit I made a splinter move to visit Ambrausium, the newest brewery in the city. It opened in 2004 and is located in a beautiful building that is said to date from 1267. There

are three regular beers, Hell (Light), Dunkel (Dark) and Bersteinweizen (Amber Wheat). Sometimes there are specials.

I didn’t have to go far to meet up with the rest of the party as Schlenkerla was but two doors away. We were met by Matthias Trum, the CEO of the family company and he gave us a talk on the history of the venerable pub and the brewery that supplies it. Of course, the first thing that occurred was that we were served a glass of Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier. This translates as Original Schlenkerla Smoked Beer in the Franconian dialect. Naturally, Schlenkerla has been around a very long time and it is thought to have been established in 1405. The ownership continued through several generations of the Heller family until 1877 when it was taken over by Andreas Graser and he provides the lineage through to present day Trum family. This gentleman had a distinctive limp and in old German someone with an uneven walk was a Schlenkern, so Schlenkerla was “the place of the person with the uneven walk”. We were dining in a small room in this part of the pub and Matthias pointed out a fireplace that had been recovered when they were decorating it for public use. The main room of this part of the pub is known as the “Dominikanerklause” and has a simply beautiful vaulted ceiling that dates from 1310, please see the photograph right. It is a stunningly beautiful pub and before 12.00 and mid-afternoon are the best times to visit as you can have a look around and soak up the splendid atmosphere.


It dawned sunny the following day, and our first visit was to Klosterbräu. This brewery claims to be the oldest existing in Bamberg and that is probably correct. It is in a beautiful setting,

right down on the bank of the fast-flowing River Regnitz. The brewery is first mentioned in records in 1333. The land and brewery was purchased by Fürstbischöfe (Prince-Bishop) Georg Schenk von Limpurg. The next mention of it occurs in 1533 when Fürstbischöfe Weigand von Redwitz erected the brewery and titled it “Fürstbischöfer Braunbierhaus” (Prince Bishop’s Brown Beer House). Twenty-two Prince-Bishops reigned between 1533 and 1790 and the brewery supplied them all. We were met by Christian, and he took us directly to

the brew house which was installed in 1911. The most notable aspect of the equipment here is the copper, which is still fired by coal and wood, a remarkable survivor and there is a steam boiler heated the same way. Christian explained that all of the beers on sale at the pub are unpasteurised and use 100% Nitrogen as the dispense system. Beers in small casks and bottles for home consumption are also untreated. Their wheat beer is produced at another brewery.

There are four beers in the standard range: Klosterbräu Gold-Pils (4.9%), Schwärzla (4.9%) (dark beer), Braunbier (5.7%), (mid-brown beer) and Braun’s Weisse (4.9%) (wheat beer). There are three types of Bock beer: Bockbier (7.0%) (light coloured version of the style, on sale from October onwards); Schwärzlabock (7.0%) (very dark, available for the Christmas holiday period) and Maibock (7.0%) (in the traditional light brown style available in April and May. We visited the Beer Garden, known here as the Biergärtla (Little Beer Garden in the Franconian dialect). It has a beautiful view of the River Regnitz and I guess it is very popular in good weather.

There was a break in activities so I decided to do a quick trip out of town to visit a small country brewery. I hopped on the 912 bus for a fifteen minute ride. Debring is a very small village on the road from Bamberg to Wurzburg and is about 5 kms from the city centre. The brewery is said to have been founded in 1699. However there is another date quoted and that is 1783. The building looks as if it dates from about then or later, as it is large. One thing

that can be concluded is that it once accommodated travellers. In 1872 the Müller family purchased the brewery and tavern, giving it its present-day name, and they have been in control ever since.

There was a choice of four beers: Debringer Pilsner (5.2%), Dunkles Vollbier (5.2%) (dark lager), Micherla (5.2%) (unfiltered Zwickl-type beer) and Weissbier (5.2%) (wheat beer). There is one further beer brewed in the

winter months and that is Bock (7.5%). All the beers now have the generic title of Debringer which prefixes the name. I started with the dark Vollbier and must say I was very impressed,


as it had just the right of malt taste contrasting with a well-balanced hop flavour. I really liked the Pilsner as well. The brew house is separate from the main building and can be seen on the right of the photo. There is a full menu including many Franconian dishes but the real speciality of the house is carp which is served in many different ways. This is reflected in the outside sign which displays an image of that fish.

Back in the city, I walked up the hill to Brauerei Heller. The previous evening we had dinner at the world-famous Schlenkerla tavern, now we were to see where the beer comes from. We met owner and Managing Director of the company, Matthias Trum for a second time. The location had started off as the storage cellar (keller) for beer maturation. As far as this actual brewery is concerned the history begins with Johann Wolfgang Heller, who purchased the company in 1767 and gave it the name that stays with us today. Over many years from the end of the 19th and into the 20th century the brewery was moved from the Schlenkerla location to Stephansberg. After assembling outside the brewery, Matthias met us and took us inside. He explained that the initial brewing process was by decoction and not infusion.

The copper was originally fired by wood, then oil, and now, gas. From Monday to Thursday there were three brews per day (24 hours). Probably the most significant aspect of brewing that sets this brewery apart from most others is that they smoke their own malt. If you have tasted Schlenkerla Rauchbier, you will know that it possesses an intense smoke taste, more so than others. This is not a problem; witness the fact that it is the biggest selling smoked beer in the world. This is achieved by the brewers (maltsters?) being in control of the malt they are to use later. It was a real privilege to see the furnace in action and the stacks of beech wood waiting to be fed to the flames. This is a double process as not only is the malt dried but it is infused with the smoke to provide its unique flavouring properties. We then went down into the caves under the Stephansberg . It was here that I and

the other members experienced a rather surreal moment as Matthias served us all a glass of Schlenkerla Rauchbier direct from one of the fermentation vessels. It was wonderful beer in optimum condition, simply superb!

Naturally, most drinkers know of the company’s main product, Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen (5.1%). This is found throughout the world. However, that is not the only beer coming out of this brewery. Schlenkerla Rauchweizen (5.2%) is brewed and for sale all year round. It is only found in bottles but the beer is bottle-conditioned. Helles Schlenkerla Lager (4.3%) is another beer brewed and available all year and is interesting as it is the only beer they make that doesn’t use barley malt kilned and smoked in-house. Because it uses the same brewing vessels and yeast as the other beers it picks up a residual taste of smoke during the process. There are also a number of seasonal beers. One is Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier


Urbock (6.5%) which is available from October to early January (The coming of the Three Kings). The smoke taste is also not as powerful as the Märzen. Also at Christmas time you can sample Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Eiche (8.0%) which is only on sale over the holiday itself. This powerful beer utilises malt smoked with oak rather than the normal beech.

Another two beers for specific times of the year are Aecht Schlenkerla Fastenbier (5.5%), available from Ash Wednesday to the Easter weekend. It is a ruby red colour with a natural haziness and has a slight bitter aftertaste. Finally, for the summer months is Aecht Schlenkerla Kräusen (4.5%). As indicated in the name it is a krausened (English verb) beer. This is a beer when it is almost ready to leave the brewery, has an amount of newly fermenting beer added and this is Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen that has only just commenced its maturation.

As we were so close, we winded down the day at the city’s two largest biergartens. Just a few hundred metres from the brewery is the entrance to the Spezial Keller, a biergarten that, as indicated by its name, sells the beers of the Brauerei zum Spezial. There was a further climb up a path around a meadow of wildflowers to get to the top of the hill. Here

they sell Spezial Rauchbier Märzen (5.3%) served directly from a wooden barrel. It has the best view of the city you can find and that is from anywhere, so we are so lucky it is from a biergarten. You can see three beautiful churches and the cathedral yet it is well shaded, thanks to the many plane trees.

Our final visit of a long day was to the Wilde Rose Keller. It is adjacent to the Spezial Keller and there was once a gate connecting the two but this has now been closed. So it was back down the path, turning left at the Brauerei Heller, and up the hill again. The Wilde Rose brewery is no longer in existence, yet its biergarten and beers live on. On the occasion of our visit there were six draught beers available. Three were sold under the Wilde Rose title; Kellerbier, Pils (5.2%) and Weizen. I have read on a well-known beer website that the beers come from the Keesmann brewery yet that causes a conundrum as that brewery does not produce Kellerbier or Weizen in its standard range. The other three beers were Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen (5.1%), Keesmann Herren Pils (4.6%) and a Maibock, strength and provenance unknown.

So, that was the end of our first two thoroughly enjoyable days in Bamberg, and the next two days will be covered in a future edition of Marsh Mash. Much more information along with lots more photographs can be found on the website www.beervists.eu

Bob Thompson


Angie and Ray o�er a warm welcome at their CAMRA award winning village pub. Currently o�ering six real ales with more to come and

freshly prepared Traditional English Food

Bethersden Road, Woodchurch, Kent, TN26 3QQ - Tel: 01233 860246

The Six Bells, Woodchurch

The Six Bells is open all day every day from 12.00 midday, ‘til mid-night

Beer Festival - Friday 16 to Sunday 18 May 2014

CAMRA AF&RMPub of the Year 2013

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List Your LocalThe local pub is at the heart of many communities, acting as a meeting place where local residents of all ages can mix, a hub for local sports teams and a meeting place for community groups. But for many communities, in recent years simply having a successful well used pub is not always enough to guarantee its survival.

A loophole in planning law has meant that pubs have become prime targets for the big supermarkets who can convert a pub without planning permission meaning the first locals even know about it is when the pub has been sold and the shop fitters are in. The other threat to pubs comes from private developers who seek to convert pubs into residential homes or offices and sell them on for a profit.

Thankfully, thanks to new legislation that came into force early in 2013, there is something communities can do to help protect their local pub from this twin threat. The 2011 Localisation Act gives local people the right to ask their local council to list their local pub as an Asset of Community Value (ACV).

Listing stops the sale of pubs behind the back of communities and acts as a marker that the pub is important to the local community. Listing your local means property developers who are keen for a hassle free purchase are less likely to show interest. More importantly, if the owner decides to sell the pub off, the community has to be informed and can trigger a moratorium on the sale for up to six months, giving the community valuable time to get

together a suitable bid for the pub.

Your pub may not appear under threat now, but the Railway Bell at Folkestone, Gate at Hythe, Railway at Appledore and the Ship at Lade have recently been lost, or other pubs which are currently trading could be vulnerable. If you value your local community pub, you may want to consider applying to your council to list it as an Asset of Community Value. Even if your pub has recently closed, you can still make an application for pubs which

have been closed for up to six months, deterring would-be developers from demolishing it and forcing owners to think again at keeping it as a pub.

To make an application you need the support of 21 local people, who are resident in the local community or an adjacent area. For most community pubs, finding 21 people willing to support it should not be difficult but if finding those last few willing signatories is

proving difficult, contact a member of the Branch Committee as we will have members more than happy to support your campaign.

Either Ashford or Shepway Council should have forms available which you can request, or standard forms which have been prepared by CAMRA, can be downloaded from www.camra.org.uk/listyourlocal.

If you have any questions on nominating ACVs, please call the Government-funded Locality advice line on 0845 345 4564 or email CAMRA’s Campaigns Team on [email protected].


For just £23* a year, that’s less than a pint a month, you can join CAMRA and enjoy the following benefits:

■ A quarterly copy of our magazine BEER which is packed with features on pubs, beers and breweries.

■ Our monthly newspaper, ‘What’s Brewing’, informing you on beer and pub news and detailing events and beer festivals around the country.

■ Reduced entry to over 160 national,regional and local beer festivals.

■ Socials and brewery trips, with national,regional and local groups.

■ The opportunity to campaign to savepubs and breweries under threat of closure.

■ The chance to join CAMRA / BreweryComplimentary Clubs that are exclusive to CAMRA members. These clubs offer a variety of promotions including free pint vouchers, brewery trips, competitions, and merchandise offers.

■ Discounts on all CAMRA books includingthe Good Beer Guide.

For more on your CAMRA Membership Benefits please visit www.camra.org.uk/benefits* This price is based on the Direct Debit discount. ** Joint CAMRA memberships will receive one set of vouchers to share. CAMRA reserves the right to withdraw any offer at any time without warning and members should check CAMRA website for updated and details of current offers.

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Marsh Mash InformationProduced by the Ashford, Folkestone and Romney Marsh Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale Ltd. (CAMRA) Editors: Bob Martin & Keith JohnsonEmail: [email protected] Telephone: 0845 388 1062

Contributors: Bob Martin, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Excel, Michael Line, Shirley Johnson, Keith Johnson, Stephen Rawlings, Nigel North, Bob Thompson. 2500 copies are distributed to pubs locally. Marsh Mash is also available to download in PDF format from our website.

Contributions, letters, pub reports and news are always welcome. Please write to Marsh Mash at: The Cottage, The Green, Saltwood, Hythe, Kent CT21 4PS, or email: [email protected]

CAMRA - 230 Hatfield Road, St Albans AL1 4LW - Telephone: 01727 867201© Campaign for Real Ale 2014

Advertising Rates

¼ page £35.00½ page £60.00Full page £100.00

The above prices apply for suitable adverts that are provided to us in pdf, ai, png or jpg format. Design services can be provided for a one off charge of £50 per advert. For more information please visit: www.camra-afrm.org.uk/marsh-mash/marsh-mash-advert-information

AF&RM Branch Contact DetailsBranch Contact: Stephen Rawlings [email protected]

Tel: 07885 218972Chairman Bob Martin chairman @camra-afrm.org.uk Secretary Michael Line [email protected] Stephen Rawlings [email protected] Festival Organiser Graham Hodge [email protected] Officer Chris Excel [email protected] Ginny Hodge [email protected] Secretary Nigel North [email protected] Editors Keith Johnson, Bob Martin [email protected] Keith Johnson [email protected] Bob Martin [email protected]: www.camra-afrm.org.uk Postal Address CAMRA, The Cottage, The Green, Saltwood, Kent CT21 4PSYahoo Group for branch members: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/AFRM_Camra

Public Transport Contacts

National Rail Enquiries 0845 748 4950For local bus, rail information in the Ashford, Folkestone and Romney Marsh area contact Traveline 0871 200 2233

Views expressed are not necessary those of the Editors, CAMRA Ltd. or the Branch. The existence of this publication in a particular outlet does not imply an endorsement of it by AF&RM CAMRA.


Documents

Marsh Mash Spring 2014