The Society for the Preservation of Beer from the Wood (SPBW) allows member to nominate their favorite pubs London pubs for their annual Pub of the Year competition.
Here are the 14 pubs nominated for 2010 :
Blythe Hill Tavern, Catford
Calthorpe arms, Clerkenwell
Cask Pub & Kitchen, Pimlico
Cleveland Arms, Paddington
Dog and Bell, Deptford
Eleanor Arms, Bow
Harp, Covent Garden
Hope, Carshalton
Jerusalem Tavern, Clerkenwell
Old Fountain, City Road
Royal Oak, Borough
Southampton Arms, Kentish Town
Wenlock Arms, Hoxton
Ye Olde Mitre, Holborn
Some old favourites including four past winners but six first time nominations.
As they (we ?) have such a small membership the decision making chain is much shorter than CAMRA for instance and this has the effect that pubs new to the scene or those that have improved greatly in recent months get to the top of the Pub of the Year tree much sooner.
The judging panel are on their mission and the result will be announced in the next few weeks.
Showing posts with label pub of the year. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pub of the year. Show all posts
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Thursday, 18 March 2010
Sheffield Tap
Last week, I was talking about breakthrough bars in London and I was reminded about this on a short trip to Sheffield at the weekend. Surely the greatest and quickest breakthrough bar lately is the Sheffield Tap on platform one of the station.
The bar opened in December and was quickly flagged as must-visit notably by leading beer writer and Yorkshireman, Pete Brown. The pub has quickly become something of a weekend destination bar with capacity being reached by early evening. This is not your bog-standard station buffet !
They are now running brewery showcase months and on my visit last month there were four Brewdog pumpclips alongside the regular four from Thornbridge. This month they are bringing Dark Star beers to the beer lovers of South Yorkshire.
Of course, if you are not taken with this choice of casks there is a list of over 200 bottles and plenty of tasty kegs from around the world.
A major achievement happened last month as they announced that they had broken through 6,000 pints sold in a week - some breakthrough bar and definitely recommended.
A couple of other points about Sheffield. If you are in the area for a few days with a car, take a copy of Bob Steel's Peak District Pub Walks - a life saver (should that be thirst-quencher ?) when seeking to take in some decent beer among the fabulous scenery in the area.
I'm glad to see Thornbridge Jaipur advertised as being available at Student Union Bars - who said yoof was not interested in fine beer ?
I also note that the Kelham Island Tavern is CAMRA's national pub of the year for 2008 and 2009; Yorkshire pub of the year for 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2009 and Sheffield pub of the year for 2004,2005,2006,2007, 2008 and 2009. A remarkable feat given the number of good pubs in the city they call beer mecca.
The bar opened in December and was quickly flagged as must-visit notably by leading beer writer and Yorkshireman, Pete Brown. The pub has quickly become something of a weekend destination bar with capacity being reached by early evening. This is not your bog-standard station buffet !
They are now running brewery showcase months and on my visit last month there were four Brewdog pumpclips alongside the regular four from Thornbridge. This month they are bringing Dark Star beers to the beer lovers of South Yorkshire.
Of course, if you are not taken with this choice of casks there is a list of over 200 bottles and plenty of tasty kegs from around the world.
A major achievement happened last month as they announced that they had broken through 6,000 pints sold in a week - some breakthrough bar and definitely recommended.
A couple of other points about Sheffield. If you are in the area for a few days with a car, take a copy of Bob Steel's Peak District Pub Walks - a life saver (should that be thirst-quencher ?) when seeking to take in some decent beer among the fabulous scenery in the area.
I'm glad to see Thornbridge Jaipur advertised as being available at Student Union Bars - who said yoof was not interested in fine beer ?
I also note that the Kelham Island Tavern is CAMRA's national pub of the year for 2008 and 2009; Yorkshire pub of the year for 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2009 and Sheffield pub of the year for 2004,2005,2006,2007, 2008 and 2009. A remarkable feat given the number of good pubs in the city they call beer mecca.
Tuesday, 2 March 2010
Cask Pub and Kitchen
Every now and then a pub or bar breaks through the mediocrity of London's pub scene to offer something generally accepted as out of the ordinary.
The last exceptional newcomer was probably the Bricklayers Arms in Putney which resurfaced five years ago offering the full range of beer from Timothy Taylor Brewery in Yorkshire - it is rare to find their complete range in Yorkshire let alone London. The Bricklayers Arms has gone from strength to strength over time expanding the offering to include guest ales from microbreweries and hosting regular beer festivals. They have been twice winners of the CAMRA Greater London Pub of the Year and their latest beer festival last week must have been the best pub beer festival ever hosted in London with 140 beers from 67 Yorkshire breweries.
Last year, my favourite breakthrough pub was the Bull at Horton Kirby - not really London but close enough for a regular visit to their brewery showcase weekends with special beers from special breweries. The Bull went on to be CAMRA's Kent Pub of the Year for 2009.
In 2010, I have high hopes that the next pub to surge to the attention of London's beer drinkers will be the Cask Pub and Kitchen in Pimlico a 7-8 minute walk south of Victoria. It has been advertising in London Drinker for a few months and I was impressed with the beer, the choice and the enthusiastic attitude of the bar staff when I visited for the first time just before Christmas.
On my second visit a couple of week ago I was greeted with a second bank of handpumps (now 8, previously 5) serving three beers from Thornbridge Brewery and two from Dark Star. The other pumps also carried beers from microbreweries rarely seen in London. I sampled the Thornbridge Vienna IPA and the Thornbridge Exposed and they were both excellent as you might expect, the latter being a rare stout brewed with strawberry and pink peppercorns. The popular food match working beautifully in a beer with the strawberry and pepper complimenting each other but not too overpowering to spoil the roasted flavours of the stout.
The cask ale is complimented with some German, Czech and British lagers and a bottle list of at least 30 Belgian and over 100 German for those who like to go continental.
I am by no means the first to sing their praises and you can be sure I will not be the last. Boak and Bailey have written about it here and here.
The pub is situated at 6 Charlwood Street, SW1V 2EE and I recommend a visit.
The last exceptional newcomer was probably the Bricklayers Arms in Putney which resurfaced five years ago offering the full range of beer from Timothy Taylor Brewery in Yorkshire - it is rare to find their complete range in Yorkshire let alone London. The Bricklayers Arms has gone from strength to strength over time expanding the offering to include guest ales from microbreweries and hosting regular beer festivals. They have been twice winners of the CAMRA Greater London Pub of the Year and their latest beer festival last week must have been the best pub beer festival ever hosted in London with 140 beers from 67 Yorkshire breweries.
Last year, my favourite breakthrough pub was the Bull at Horton Kirby - not really London but close enough for a regular visit to their brewery showcase weekends with special beers from special breweries. The Bull went on to be CAMRA's Kent Pub of the Year for 2009.
In 2010, I have high hopes that the next pub to surge to the attention of London's beer drinkers will be the Cask Pub and Kitchen in Pimlico a 7-8 minute walk south of Victoria. It has been advertising in London Drinker for a few months and I was impressed with the beer, the choice and the enthusiastic attitude of the bar staff when I visited for the first time just before Christmas.
On my second visit a couple of week ago I was greeted with a second bank of handpumps (now 8, previously 5) serving three beers from Thornbridge Brewery and two from Dark Star. The other pumps also carried beers from microbreweries rarely seen in London. I sampled the Thornbridge Vienna IPA and the Thornbridge Exposed and they were both excellent as you might expect, the latter being a rare stout brewed with strawberry and pink peppercorns. The popular food match working beautifully in a beer with the strawberry and pepper complimenting each other but not too overpowering to spoil the roasted flavours of the stout.
The cask ale is complimented with some German, Czech and British lagers and a bottle list of at least 30 Belgian and over 100 German for those who like to go continental.
I am by no means the first to sing their praises and you can be sure I will not be the last. Boak and Bailey have written about it here and here.
The pub is situated at 6 Charlwood Street, SW1V 2EE and I recommend a visit.
Friday, 27 November 2009
Portsmouth Pubs
I seem to be a bit off the pace at the moment having spent much of the last two weeks out-of-town and away from my desk.
Last week saw us spend a couple of days in Portsmouth where my favourite son is studying. Hit the tourist trails and experienced the usual ups and downs of the local pubs.
Gun Wharf Quays is the newest, most recently spruced up part of Portsmouth. It is a re-development of bars, restaurants, nightclub, outlet shopping and apartments. It is a happening place with some good vibes. It is common that the traditional pub in places like this is an All Bar One or a Yates. Here we find the Old Custom House a large Fuller's pub converted from old naval office building. Gales brewery was a backward company in many ways but this is an example of the vision and ambition that could have saved the company as an independent outfit. Fuller's have inherited a great pub here. It is large and multi-roomed but still bright and inviting. The staff give the impression that they are there to make sure your visit is as enjoyable as possible. We have enjoyed a meal here on a couple of visits. It is a pub where you get the impression that people are trying hard. The wide range of Fuller's beers is an add-on for me and the beer has been good on all three visits. I think the pub has had problems with consistency in the past and as such does not appear in the Good beer Guide.
The next pub, venturing towards Southsea, is The Hole in the Wall, Portsmouth CAMRA pub of the year, and the home of Oakleaf Hole Hearted beer. I enjoyed a pint of porter here and my wife and son had the Weston's perry - both good. I was concerned to see most people drinking pints of squash - lemon and orange. On further research, the orange proved to be Cheddar Valley cider, a brighter cider you will not see and the lemon was alcoholic ginger beer. Unfortunately I tried neither as we were hot footing it to the next place.
The Florence Arms, further into Southsea is a friendly pub that focuses on cider. A list of about forty bottled and cask ciders was offered. Whitehead perry was chosen by the lightweights, I had a lovely pint of an Oakleaf seasonal beer - a long name that I cannot remember (and does not appear on their website - was I dreaming ?).
Onwards and upwards to the Fifth Hants Volunteer Arms on the main Southsea drinking stretch, Albert Road, a cosmopolitan, vibrant if slightly scruffy street. I was expecting a Fuller's pub from the Good Beer Guide description. I was surprised as we approached because it must be one of the only Fuller's pubs that has not received the post Gales makeover. When we entered it was clear that this pub was in dire need of some tender loving care and attention. The furniture and carpets were filthy, the welcome non-existent and the beer, like the rest of the pub, tired. This small pub has probably suffered in this long, deep recession and really does need, what I think is now commonly called in the trade, "tenant support". I hope it gets a leg up soon because this is a small, traditional, street corner community pub that is fast becoming lost in this country. I know tenants have obligations under their leases but this sort of run-down ambiance does nothing good for a company as widely regarded as Fullers. A Good Beer Guide pub for many years on the evidence of many certificates on show but it must be in serious danger of being omitted in future unless it pulls its socks up.
The evening ended watching the football in the Leopold, a modern pub also on Albert Road. Excellent pints of Oakleaf Hole Hearted made the Thierry Henry handball even more funny.
So there you have it, a trot around the pubs of Pompey. Some highs and some lows. Mainly good beer, great choice of local beers and cider and reasonable prices.
Last week saw us spend a couple of days in Portsmouth where my favourite son is studying. Hit the tourist trails and experienced the usual ups and downs of the local pubs.
Gun Wharf Quays is the newest, most recently spruced up part of Portsmouth. It is a re-development of bars, restaurants, nightclub, outlet shopping and apartments. It is a happening place with some good vibes. It is common that the traditional pub in places like this is an All Bar One or a Yates. Here we find the Old Custom House a large Fuller's pub converted from old naval office building. Gales brewery was a backward company in many ways but this is an example of the vision and ambition that could have saved the company as an independent outfit. Fuller's have inherited a great pub here. It is large and multi-roomed but still bright and inviting. The staff give the impression that they are there to make sure your visit is as enjoyable as possible. We have enjoyed a meal here on a couple of visits. It is a pub where you get the impression that people are trying hard. The wide range of Fuller's beers is an add-on for me and the beer has been good on all three visits. I think the pub has had problems with consistency in the past and as such does not appear in the Good beer Guide.
The next pub, venturing towards Southsea, is The Hole in the Wall, Portsmouth CAMRA pub of the year, and the home of Oakleaf Hole Hearted beer. I enjoyed a pint of porter here and my wife and son had the Weston's perry - both good. I was concerned to see most people drinking pints of squash - lemon and orange. On further research, the orange proved to be Cheddar Valley cider, a brighter cider you will not see and the lemon was alcoholic ginger beer. Unfortunately I tried neither as we were hot footing it to the next place.
The Florence Arms, further into Southsea is a friendly pub that focuses on cider. A list of about forty bottled and cask ciders was offered. Whitehead perry was chosen by the lightweights, I had a lovely pint of an Oakleaf seasonal beer - a long name that I cannot remember (and does not appear on their website - was I dreaming ?).
Onwards and upwards to the Fifth Hants Volunteer Arms on the main Southsea drinking stretch, Albert Road, a cosmopolitan, vibrant if slightly scruffy street. I was expecting a Fuller's pub from the Good Beer Guide description. I was surprised as we approached because it must be one of the only Fuller's pubs that has not received the post Gales makeover. When we entered it was clear that this pub was in dire need of some tender loving care and attention. The furniture and carpets were filthy, the welcome non-existent and the beer, like the rest of the pub, tired. This small pub has probably suffered in this long, deep recession and really does need, what I think is now commonly called in the trade, "tenant support". I hope it gets a leg up soon because this is a small, traditional, street corner community pub that is fast becoming lost in this country. I know tenants have obligations under their leases but this sort of run-down ambiance does nothing good for a company as widely regarded as Fullers. A Good Beer Guide pub for many years on the evidence of many certificates on show but it must be in serious danger of being omitted in future unless it pulls its socks up.
The evening ended watching the football in the Leopold, a modern pub also on Albert Road. Excellent pints of Oakleaf Hole Hearted made the Thierry Henry handball even more funny.
So there you have it, a trot around the pubs of Pompey. Some highs and some lows. Mainly good beer, great choice of local beers and cider and reasonable prices.
Sunday, 22 November 2009
Double Beer Festival
On Saturday there was a joint beer festival between the Bull at Horton Kirby, Kent's CAMRA pub of the year and the Dartford Working Mens' Club, the Club of the year for Kent.
Both bars had twenty or so beers available and transport was laid on between the two - a ride of twenty minutes or so - an excellent idea that should be applauded and supported.
I enjoyed three pints of Gales Seafarers at the Fullers results presentation at breakfast on Friday morning and decided to hot foot it down to Kent for the beer festival.
Idiot ! I did not check my diary - or my London Drinker - for if I had I would have realised that the beer festival was only on the Saturday.
Nevertheless I enjoyed three pints of great beer at the Dartford Working Mens' Club at £2.05 a pint - the Marble Pint and York Centurion's Ghost were both excellent choices. My plan was then to get the bus to HK but I ran out of steam and headed for home with my tail betweeen my legs. A lesson learned the hard way.
Both bars had twenty or so beers available and transport was laid on between the two - a ride of twenty minutes or so - an excellent idea that should be applauded and supported.
I enjoyed three pints of Gales Seafarers at the Fullers results presentation at breakfast on Friday morning and decided to hot foot it down to Kent for the beer festival.
Idiot ! I did not check my diary - or my London Drinker - for if I had I would have realised that the beer festival was only on the Saturday.
Nevertheless I enjoyed three pints of great beer at the Dartford Working Mens' Club at £2.05 a pint - the Marble Pint and York Centurion's Ghost were both excellent choices. My plan was then to get the bus to HK but I ran out of steam and headed for home with my tail betweeen my legs. A lesson learned the hard way.
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
CAMRA's Peak District Pub Walks
Open Letter to Bob Steel,
author of CAMRA's Peak District Pub Walks
Dear Bob
I am writing to thank you for the part you played in a short break that my wife and I spent out of town recently.
It was on the strength of your previous work, CAMRA's London Pub Walks, that I purchased your later effort on the Peak District.
The London book is without doubt the best book of pub walks in London that has ever been published and is an essential buy for anyone with an interest in London's pubs and their history.
Walking in Derbyshire is more of a stretch than a trot around three or four pubs in the Capital but my appetite was whetted when I saw that the British Guild of Beer Writers were hosting a seminar on Barley Wine at Thornbridge Hall, right in the middle of the Peak. Using your book as a guide we planned our visit.
Your book led us to our first stopover at the Old Poets' Corner in Ashover, a real find and surely one of the best real ale destination pubs in the country. One night here was not really enough but I was on a barley wine mission.
From here we drove into the heart of the National Park to our next stop The Monsal Head Hotel, which lies a mile or two from Thornbridge Hall. You describe the walk in this area as the best one in the book. We were not disappointed; riverside paths, a railway viaduct, open views and natural and industrial history; a ten mile walk pausing halfway at the Red Lion, a lovely pub on the village green, and finishing back at the hotel bar, a converted stables, which provides 5 real ales including local offerings from the brilliant Thornbridge Brewery. The hotel has slipped from the 2010 Good Beer Guide but I can vouch for the choice, service and beer quality - all excellent. The food served in the bar is the same menu as that offered in the hotel restaurant and proved to be first class. The hotel itself cannot be beaten for location and sits high on the hill overlooking the disused railway viaduct over the picturesque River Wye. Another real find that we will return to.
Bob, we had an absolutely excellent few days which would not have been nearly as good without your steer towards the best pubs and walks in the area. I will definitely be recommending CAMRA's Peak District Pub Walks to others. Thanks again.
By the way, I was hoping to attach the photo that should appear on page 66, the one in the book being use of "creative licence" but all the same a "red herring". Unfortunately, my camera was lost on a recent beer trip so that photo is also lost.
Best regards
Steve
Monday, 19 October 2009
The Old Poets' Corner
In 1946, George Orwell described a hypothetical favourite pub that he called The Moon Under Water. Read it here. I am about to do the same, less eloquently but you'll get the message. For arguments sake, let's call the pub The Old Poets' Corner.
What am I looking for in a great pub ?
I want 9 or 10 handpumps
I want local beers from local micro-breweries
I want beer from breweries I have never heard of
I want to see support for CAMRA's Locale scheme
I want the most local beer to be brewed in a garage at the back of the pub
I want national beers such as London Pride or Greene King Abbott
I want a dark beer, I want a strong beer, I want a golden beer, I want a mild
I want the beer to be as cheap as £2.20 a pint and no more expensive than £2.85
I want the beer to be so clear that it literally sparkles in the light
I want regular beer festivals
I want Belgian bottled beers
I want four ciders served directly from the cellar
I want two perries
I want the pub open all day
I want efficient staff and a friendly welcome
I want home cooked food
I want a carvery on Sunday
I want Sunday night to be curry night
I want a range of local sausages
I want food served throughout the day
I want locally sourced meat and vegetables
I want live music
I want quiz night
I want the local CAMRA newsletter
I want a friendly pub
I want people to make space for me to sit if the pub is busy
I want to engage in conversation with strangers
I want a dog friendly pub
I want a pub where the locals feel comfortable bringing in their harrier hawks on their arms after a day's falconry
I want a real fire in Winter
I want somewhere to sit outside in Summer with views of the surrounding countryside
I want reasonably priced bed and breakfast with a discount for CAMRA members
I want black pudding
I want to interrupt my beer drinking with walks in the local countryside
I want those walks to be downloadable from the web-site
I want the pub to win CAMRA awards
I want the president of SIBA to be sitting in the corner
I want the clientele to include a member of CAMRA's National Executive and the GBBF beer orderer
(I cannot guarantee these customers on every visit but hilarious to bump into them when I thought I was on a quiet break with my wife)
Unlike Orwell's, Moon Under Water, The Old Poets' Corner does exist. It is situated in the village of Ashover, Derbyshire on the edge of the Peak District.
I cannot praise this pub highly enough. A real find and an absolute credit to Kim and Jackie Beresford, the owners who work their socks off to make sure the customer is satisfied. Seek them out if you are in the area.
What am I looking for in a great pub ?
I want 9 or 10 handpumps
I want local beers from local micro-breweries
I want beer from breweries I have never heard of
I want to see support for CAMRA's Locale scheme
I want the most local beer to be brewed in a garage at the back of the pub
I want national beers such as London Pride or Greene King Abbott
I want a dark beer, I want a strong beer, I want a golden beer, I want a mild
I want the beer to be as cheap as £2.20 a pint and no more expensive than £2.85
I want the beer to be so clear that it literally sparkles in the light
I want regular beer festivals
I want Belgian bottled beers
I want four ciders served directly from the cellar
I want two perries
I want the pub open all day
I want efficient staff and a friendly welcome
I want home cooked food
I want a carvery on Sunday
I want Sunday night to be curry night
I want a range of local sausages
I want food served throughout the day
I want locally sourced meat and vegetables
I want live music
I want quiz night
I want the local CAMRA newsletter
I want a friendly pub
I want people to make space for me to sit if the pub is busy
I want to engage in conversation with strangers
I want a dog friendly pub
I want a pub where the locals feel comfortable bringing in their harrier hawks on their arms after a day's falconry
I want a real fire in Winter
I want somewhere to sit outside in Summer with views of the surrounding countryside
I want reasonably priced bed and breakfast with a discount for CAMRA members
I want black pudding
I want to interrupt my beer drinking with walks in the local countryside
I want those walks to be downloadable from the web-site
I want the pub to win CAMRA awards
I want the president of SIBA to be sitting in the corner
I want the clientele to include a member of CAMRA's National Executive and the GBBF beer orderer
(I cannot guarantee these customers on every visit but hilarious to bump into them when I thought I was on a quiet break with my wife)
Unlike Orwell's, Moon Under Water, The Old Poets' Corner does exist. It is situated in the village of Ashover, Derbyshire on the edge of the Peak District.
I cannot praise this pub highly enough. A real find and an absolute credit to Kim and Jackie Beresford, the owners who work their socks off to make sure the customer is satisfied. Seek them out if you are in the area.
Saturday, 12 September 2009
Pub of the Year
The launch of the Good Beer Guide for 2010 brings the next phase of CAMRA's Pub of the Year competition with the announcement of the winning pub from each region.
London's winner this year is The Bricklayers Arms in Putney - still selling a good range of beers from Timothy Taylor Brewery but also now has two or three handpumps dedicated to smaller breweries with Sambrook's Wandle Ale a permanent fixture.
Their autumn beer festival is next week, Thursday 16th to Sunday 20th - the theme is beers from Devon and Cornwall and the list of 80 beers from 40 breweries is here.
The winning pub for Kent is The Bull at Horton Kirby. Readers here will be well aware of this great pub that hit my radar when they started advertising their monthly brewery showcases in London Drinker magazine. I have visited a number of times through the year and love everything about it. Nuff said from me but if you want to read far more eloquent and thorough reviews then take a look at Mark Dredge's Pencil and Spoon Blog.
Winner from Surrey and Sussex is again The Royal Oak in Friday Street, Rusper. This was the winner at this stage of the competition last year and you can read about my visit here. The pub was pipped at the final stage by overall winner The Kelham Island Tavern. Can they go one stage further this year ?
The pub of the year for East Anglia is The Wheatsheaf at Whittle, Essex. This is not a pub known to me but is described on their web-site as a traditional English Pub with possibly the finest Greene King IPA, in the area.
Those four pubs are now judged by the four CAMRA regional directors for the region and a winner is put through to the final.
The other winning regional pubs are :
Central Southern - Royal Oak Inn, Wantage, Oxon, OX12 8DF
East Midlands - Old Oak Inn, Horsley Woodhouse, Derbyshire, DE7 6AW
Greater Manchester - Crown Hotel, Worthington, Gtr Manchester, WN1 2XF
Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales - Golden Lion Inn, Llangynhafal, LL16 4LN
North East - Boathouse Inn, Wylam, Northumberland, NE41 8HR
Scotland and NI - Albert Tavern, Freuchie, Fife, KY15 7EX
South and Mid Wales - Severn Arms, Penybont, LD1 5UA
South West - Old Spot, Dursley, Gloucestershire, GL11 4JQ
Wessex - Prince of Wales, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 8AL
West Midlands - Cock Hotel, Wellington, Shropshire, TF1 2DL
West Pennines - Taps, Lytham, Lancashire, FY8 5LE
Yorkshire - Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield, S3 8RW
Some old favourites and some unknown to me but I dare say all great pubs and worthy of a visit.
London's winner this year is The Bricklayers Arms in Putney - still selling a good range of beers from Timothy Taylor Brewery but also now has two or three handpumps dedicated to smaller breweries with Sambrook's Wandle Ale a permanent fixture.
Their autumn beer festival is next week, Thursday 16th to Sunday 20th - the theme is beers from Devon and Cornwall and the list of 80 beers from 40 breweries is here.
The winning pub for Kent is The Bull at Horton Kirby. Readers here will be well aware of this great pub that hit my radar when they started advertising their monthly brewery showcases in London Drinker magazine. I have visited a number of times through the year and love everything about it. Nuff said from me but if you want to read far more eloquent and thorough reviews then take a look at Mark Dredge's Pencil and Spoon Blog.
Winner from Surrey and Sussex is again The Royal Oak in Friday Street, Rusper. This was the winner at this stage of the competition last year and you can read about my visit here. The pub was pipped at the final stage by overall winner The Kelham Island Tavern. Can they go one stage further this year ?
The pub of the year for East Anglia is The Wheatsheaf at Whittle, Essex. This is not a pub known to me but is described on their web-site as a traditional English Pub with possibly the finest Greene King IPA, in the area.
Those four pubs are now judged by the four CAMRA regional directors for the region and a winner is put through to the final.
The other winning regional pubs are :
Central Southern - Royal Oak Inn, Wantage, Oxon, OX12 8DF
East Midlands - Old Oak Inn, Horsley Woodhouse, Derbyshire, DE7 6AW
Greater Manchester - Crown Hotel, Worthington, Gtr Manchester, WN1 2XF
Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales - Golden Lion Inn, Llangynhafal, LL16 4LN
North East - Boathouse Inn, Wylam, Northumberland, NE41 8HR
Scotland and NI - Albert Tavern, Freuchie, Fife, KY15 7EX
South and Mid Wales - Severn Arms, Penybont, LD1 5UA
South West - Old Spot, Dursley, Gloucestershire, GL11 4JQ
Wessex - Prince of Wales, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 8AL
West Midlands - Cock Hotel, Wellington, Shropshire, TF1 2DL
West Pennines - Taps, Lytham, Lancashire, FY8 5LE
Yorkshire - Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield, S3 8RW
Some old favourites and some unknown to me but I dare say all great pubs and worthy of a visit.
Friday, 11 September 2009
Good Beer Guide 2010
The Good Beer Guide for 2010 was launched yesterday. I can tell you nothing about it as my copy has yet to arrive. I know the post in London is piling up at the sorting office but as my direct debit has not gone through my bank, I think my on-line application to receive an early copy at CAMRA's keenest price of £10 including postage has failed.
I will now have to go to Amazon where copies are for sale at a cheapest ever price of £7.99 with free postage. CAMRA must make very little out of this deal but I would guess that Amazon may be making even less at this price. If I am reluctant to rely on the post, I will have to take a trip to Surrey Stationers where it is on sale for £9.99. The consumer is king.
I assume the book is similar to previous years; c4,500 of the best places to find good real ale together with the details of every brewery in the country and their beers. With such a large number of pubs covered, all chosen by CAMRA branches, there are bound to be some short comings in the choice of pubs, often made worse by the time lag between selection and publication. However, the book is still the bible for the beer drinker and a generally trustworthy pointer towards the best beer.
At least the embargo on publicity for CAMRA's regional pubs of the year is now lifted and I am again free to comment on the country's winning pubs.
Sunday, 23 August 2009
Pub of the Year
You may have noticed that I have not disclosed the winner of the CAMRA Pub of the Year for the London region. That news is embargoed until mid September to coincide with the launch of The Good Beer Guide in order to gain maximum publicity for the Guide and the regional winning pubs. It is not necessarily an embargo that I personally agree with but I have had sufficient bollockings from CAMRA's leadership to observe it. You can probably discover the winner elsewhere on the web but I am pleased to say that, for once, I am in line with the CAMRA directors' preferred way of doing things.
Given that I am no longer a judge of the next phase of the competition I may even refrain from commenting on the pubs in the super regional competition for fear of being accused of prejudicing one pub against another (and another scolding) - I cannot promise though.
Something I can disclose is the short list for the SPBW London Pub of the Year :
Bree Louise, Euston
Bricklayers Arms, Putney
Calthorpe Arms, Clerkenwell
Crosse Keys, Bishopsgate
Duke of Hamilton, Hampstead
Old Fountain, Old Street
Old Monk Exchange, Victoria
Pembury Tavern, Hackney
Red Lion, Ealing
Royal Oak, Borough
Wenlock Arms, Hoxton
Willoughby Arms, Kingston
Judging will occur in September and October.
Given that I am no longer a judge of the next phase of the competition I may even refrain from commenting on the pubs in the super regional competition for fear of being accused of prejudicing one pub against another (and another scolding) - I cannot promise though.
Something I can disclose is the short list for the SPBW London Pub of the Year :
Bree Louise, Euston
Bricklayers Arms, Putney
Calthorpe Arms, Clerkenwell
Crosse Keys, Bishopsgate
Duke of Hamilton, Hampstead
Old Fountain, Old Street
Old Monk Exchange, Victoria
Pembury Tavern, Hackney
Red Lion, Ealing
Royal Oak, Borough
Wenlock Arms, Hoxton
Willoughby Arms, Kingston
Judging will occur in September and October.
Friday, 24 April 2009
Pub of the Year
CAMRA branches in London are presently judging the twelve branch pub of the year to determine the winner for 2009 for the Greater London region.
The finalists in the London area are as follows :
The Dispensary, Aldgate East (East London and City branch)
The Bree Louise, Euston (North London branch)
The Bricklayers Arms, Putney (South West London branch)
The White Horse, Parsons Green (West London branch)
The Willoughby Arms, Kingston (Kingston and Leatherhead branch)
The Roebuck, Hampton (Richmond and Hounslow branch)
The Dog and Bell, Deptford (South East London branch)
The Brittania, Barking (South West Essex branch)
The Red Lion, Ealing (West Middlesex branch)
The Beehive, Edmonton (Enfield & Barnet branch)
The Robin Hood and Little John, Bexley (Bexley branch)
and
The Claret Free House, Addiscombe (Croydon and Sutton branch)
The finalists in the London area are as follows :
The Dispensary, Aldgate East (East London and City branch)
The Bree Louise, Euston (North London branch)
The Bricklayers Arms, Putney (South West London branch)
The White Horse, Parsons Green (West London branch)
The Willoughby Arms, Kingston (Kingston and Leatherhead branch)
The Roebuck, Hampton (Richmond and Hounslow branch)
The Dog and Bell, Deptford (South East London branch)
The Brittania, Barking (South West Essex branch)
The Red Lion, Ealing (West Middlesex branch)
The Beehive, Edmonton (Enfield & Barnet branch)
The Robin Hood and Little John, Bexley (Bexley branch)
and
The Claret Free House, Addiscombe (Croydon and Sutton branch)
Thursday, 23 April 2009
St George's Day
Our national day, and where better to drink a toast to the old dragon slayer than the Willoughby Arms in Kingston which is hosting its annual St George's Day Beer Festival - on now until Saturday.
Get there today from 7pm to see the Ewell St Mary Morris Men in action.
Downton Chocolate Orange Dark Delight is sadly not on the list so hopefully it will make for a slightly less messy afternoon. Although Fullers Golden Pride appears as a rarity in cask so anything is possible.
The Willoughby Arms is Kingston CAMRA branch pub of the year for 2009 - a deserved winner in an area of Kingston that is blessed with good drinking holes.
Other events in my locality where I may appear later in the week are The Ailsa Tavern in Twickenham (well, St Margarets really) and The Andover Arms in Hammersmith (well, Ravenscourt Park really) - both hosting small beer festivals from today to Saturday.
Drink up and celebrate all things that make this country great.
Get there today from 7pm to see the Ewell St Mary Morris Men in action.
Downton Chocolate Orange Dark Delight is sadly not on the list so hopefully it will make for a slightly less messy afternoon. Although Fullers Golden Pride appears as a rarity in cask so anything is possible.
The Willoughby Arms is Kingston CAMRA branch pub of the year for 2009 - a deserved winner in an area of Kingston that is blessed with good drinking holes.
Other events in my locality where I may appear later in the week are The Ailsa Tavern in Twickenham (well, St Margarets really) and The Andover Arms in Hammersmith (well, Ravenscourt Park really) - both hosting small beer festivals from today to Saturday.
Drink up and celebrate all things that make this country great.
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Pub of the Year
CAMRA branches in London have all decided their best pub for 2009 and each of the twelve branches now provides a judge (or a team of judges) to visit each winning pub. The votes are then cast at the end of June to decide which pub is the Greater London Pub of the Year to go forward to the regional final stages.
The winner in London last year was The Trafalgar in South Wimbledon. This was then defeated at the super regional stage by Sussex's best pub, The Royal Oak at Rusper Street which in turn lost out in the final stage to The Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield, CAMRA's National Pub of the Year for 2008.
What makes a great pub is often a matter of personal choice and sometimes the beer led CAMRA criteria give rise to some winners that may not be universally agreed. However, anyone who has ever been to the Kelham Island Tavern could not deny it is a great pub.
In the coming week, I intend to elaborate on London's twelve local choices for 2009.
The winner in London last year was The Trafalgar in South Wimbledon. This was then defeated at the super regional stage by Sussex's best pub, The Royal Oak at Rusper Street which in turn lost out in the final stage to The Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield, CAMRA's National Pub of the Year for 2008.
What makes a great pub is often a matter of personal choice and sometimes the beer led CAMRA criteria give rise to some winners that may not be universally agreed. However, anyone who has ever been to the Kelham Island Tavern could not deny it is a great pub.
In the coming week, I intend to elaborate on London's twelve local choices for 2009.
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
Beer Festivals
Worthy of a wider circulation this week :
The Bricklayers Arms, Putney - last week voted SW London Pub of the Year - this week hosts its 3rd annual Yorkshire beer festival.
More details and beer list here.
The Rake, Borough Market celebrates all things Welsh kicking off on Sunday, St David's Day.
Alas, I have little further information but their email is info@utobeer.co.uk
Also remember next week, The Pembury Tavern beer festival, 4th to 8th March.
The Bricklayers Arms, Putney - last week voted SW London Pub of the Year - this week hosts its 3rd annual Yorkshire beer festival.
More details and beer list here.
The Rake, Borough Market celebrates all things Welsh kicking off on Sunday, St David's Day.
Alas, I have little further information but their email is info@utobeer.co.uk
Also remember next week, The Pembury Tavern beer festival, 4th to 8th March.
Friday, 20 February 2009
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
Pub of the Year
Camra's Pub of the Year will be announced at the end of the week. The four finalists are :
Crown, Stockport
Tom Cobley Tavern, Spreyton, Devon
Royal Oak, Rusper, West Sussex
Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield
The final judges have made their decision and the presentation will be widely publicised on Friday.
I played my part in the judging process by chairing the London regional panel and also judging the super regional pubs for the South East. I was recently hauled up for giving a misleading comment on this blog that I had knocked off marks because a certain pub did not do food. Although I had made it clear that food is not part of the judging, and that this was absolutely untrue, I removed the wording that caused offence.
The four pubs in the final have over 50 hand pumps between them which in itself has also received some comment. Being fairly close to the process, I trust the judges and the judging process completely. If anything, it is the judging criteria that people should study. However, let's remember we are the Campaign for Real Ale and the book is called The Good Beer Guide. It is little surprise that pubs with a well kept, wider cask ale offering float to the top in our competitions.
I will bring you the winner at midnight on Thursday.
Crown, Stockport
Tom Cobley Tavern, Spreyton, Devon
Royal Oak, Rusper, West Sussex
Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield
The final judges have made their decision and the presentation will be widely publicised on Friday.
I played my part in the judging process by chairing the London regional panel and also judging the super regional pubs for the South East. I was recently hauled up for giving a misleading comment on this blog that I had knocked off marks because a certain pub did not do food. Although I had made it clear that food is not part of the judging, and that this was absolutely untrue, I removed the wording that caused offence.
The four pubs in the final have over 50 hand pumps between them which in itself has also received some comment. Being fairly close to the process, I trust the judges and the judging process completely. If anything, it is the judging criteria that people should study. However, let's remember we are the Campaign for Real Ale and the book is called The Good Beer Guide. It is little surprise that pubs with a well kept, wider cask ale offering float to the top in our competitions.
I will bring you the winner at midnight on Thursday.
Friday, 23 January 2009
South West London
The South West London branch of CAMRA is blessed with a number of very good pubs and have recently announced their short list of the eight best pubs for this year. The winner will be announced at Battersea Beer Festival on Thursday 12 February 2009 following a ballot of all branch members. They are all well worth a visit.
The following descriptions are lifted from the SW London branch website where you can also find more details of Battersea Beer Festival.
Priory Arms, 83 Lansdowne Way, Stockwell SW8 2PB
The Priory Arms, a frequent previous winner, is an independent freehouse in Stockwell, to the south of the Wandsworth Road. Popular with regulars and students the pub serves four changing guest beers, often from microbreweries, alongside Hopback Summer Lightning.
Beehive, 197 St Johns Hill, Battersea SW11 1TH
An excellent local on St John's Hill, serving London Pride, ESB and a changing guest. The beer is always on superb form and the quiet, friendly atmosphere makes for a pleasant experience.
Eagle Ale House, 104 Chatham Road, Battersea SW11 6HG
A dog friendly haven in a side street off fashionable Northcote Road, serving a range of changing guest beers, often including one or more from the Westerham Brewery in Kent.
Falcon, 2 St Johns Hill, Battersea SW11 1RU
A landmark pub close to the main exit from Clapham Junction with historic interior features, now offering a wide choice of real ales from the M&B list, including for example Harvey's and Beartown.
Nightingale, 97 Nightingale Lane, Balham SW12 8NX
The ‘bird’ is like a country pub in London and easily the best in the Balham area. It is very well looked after by people who really care for their Young’s beers, and also raises huge sums for charity with its famous annual walk. There is a family conservatory at the back and you are always assured of a warm welcome.
Bricklayer’s Arms, 32 Waterman Street, Putney SW15 1DD
Our 2006 winner and the 2007 Greater London CAMRA Pub of the Year, this is a homely, family owned independent freehouse in Putney, a community local offering the full range of Timothy Taylor’s beers, guests from microbreweries and a real cider or perry.
Grapes, 39 Fairfield Street, Wandsworth SW18 1DX
Our 2005 Pub of the Year winner is an old, traditional, compact, community local, with a small patio leading to a delightful enclosed garden. Friendly and welcoming licensees look after the pub, the customers and the beers: Young’s Bitter and Special always in excellent condition.
Sultan, 78 Norman Road, South Wimbledon SW19 1BT
A previous South West London and Greater London award winner renowned for the quality of its Hop Back beers and others, is more of a village pub than back street boozer, with engaging bar staff and a warm and friendly atmosphere.
The following descriptions are lifted from the SW London branch website where you can also find more details of Battersea Beer Festival.
Priory Arms, 83 Lansdowne Way, Stockwell SW8 2PB
The Priory Arms, a frequent previous winner, is an independent freehouse in Stockwell, to the south of the Wandsworth Road. Popular with regulars and students the pub serves four changing guest beers, often from microbreweries, alongside Hopback Summer Lightning.
Beehive, 197 St Johns Hill, Battersea SW11 1TH
An excellent local on St John's Hill, serving London Pride, ESB and a changing guest. The beer is always on superb form and the quiet, friendly atmosphere makes for a pleasant experience.
Eagle Ale House, 104 Chatham Road, Battersea SW11 6HG
A dog friendly haven in a side street off fashionable Northcote Road, serving a range of changing guest beers, often including one or more from the Westerham Brewery in Kent.
Falcon, 2 St Johns Hill, Battersea SW11 1RU
A landmark pub close to the main exit from Clapham Junction with historic interior features, now offering a wide choice of real ales from the M&B list, including for example Harvey's and Beartown.
Nightingale, 97 Nightingale Lane, Balham SW12 8NX
The ‘bird’ is like a country pub in London and easily the best in the Balham area. It is very well looked after by people who really care for their Young’s beers, and also raises huge sums for charity with its famous annual walk. There is a family conservatory at the back and you are always assured of a warm welcome.
Bricklayer’s Arms, 32 Waterman Street, Putney SW15 1DD
Our 2006 winner and the 2007 Greater London CAMRA Pub of the Year, this is a homely, family owned independent freehouse in Putney, a community local offering the full range of Timothy Taylor’s beers, guests from microbreweries and a real cider or perry.
Grapes, 39 Fairfield Street, Wandsworth SW18 1DX
Our 2005 Pub of the Year winner is an old, traditional, compact, community local, with a small patio leading to a delightful enclosed garden. Friendly and welcoming licensees look after the pub, the customers and the beers: Young’s Bitter and Special always in excellent condition.
Sultan, 78 Norman Road, South Wimbledon SW19 1BT
A previous South West London and Greater London award winner renowned for the quality of its Hop Back beers and others, is more of a village pub than back street boozer, with engaging bar staff and a warm and friendly atmosphere.
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
Dog and Bell
The SPBW have announced that their pub of the year for 2008 is the Dog and Bell in Deptford.
In a close vote, it just pipped the The Sultan, The Bricklayers, The Royal Oak, The Bree Louise and The Pembury.
When checking the website, I found another SPBW here.
The Society for the Protection of British Woodlands whose mission is the promotion of outdoor activities within British woodlands whilst protecting and preserving them from misuses and abuse.
In a close vote, it just pipped the The Sultan, The Bricklayers, The Royal Oak, The Bree Louise and The Pembury.
When checking the website, I found another SPBW here.
The Society for the Protection of British Woodlands whose mission is the promotion of outdoor activities within British woodlands whilst protecting and preserving them from misuses and abuse.
Sunday, 19 October 2008
Royal Oak
On Thursday I visited the Royal Oak in Friday Street near Rusper, West Sussex. A drive of about an hour, and fairly inaccessible by train, so I persuaded my wife to drive on the promise of lunch. She and I were not disappointed.
The main bar is narrow with stools at the bar and separate rooms at either end. The room we sat in has a real fire that was much welcome on a cool October day. We were welcomed not only by very friendly staff but also by a bank of 8 handpumps - displaying a range of beers from local micros - Surrey Hills, Dark Star and Twickenham beers were all very enjoyable. There is a mild available permanently, Surrey Hills Hammer Mild, and a bank of 5 further handpumps for ciders and perries.
This was the only pub of the four in the regional semi-final that had a significant food offering. A basic menu of omelette's, ham and chips etc complemented by 3 daily specials - fish pie, partridge and chilli all at a reasonable £7.50.
I enjoyed the partridge (notably not including lead shot) and my wife had a very large fish pie both of which were excellent, although none of CAMRA judging criteria include the scoring of food.
All together this is a real gem of a pub and deserves to do well. I have not cast my scores for all four pubs yet but I guess this will be my winner by a point or two with the Butchers Arms a very close second.
The main bar is narrow with stools at the bar and separate rooms at either end. The room we sat in has a real fire that was much welcome on a cool October day. We were welcomed not only by very friendly staff but also by a bank of 8 handpumps - displaying a range of beers from local micros - Surrey Hills, Dark Star and Twickenham beers were all very enjoyable. There is a mild available permanently, Surrey Hills Hammer Mild, and a bank of 5 further handpumps for ciders and perries.
This was the only pub of the four in the regional semi-final that had a significant food offering. A basic menu of omelette's, ham and chips etc complemented by 3 daily specials - fish pie, partridge and chilli all at a reasonable £7.50.
I enjoyed the partridge (notably not including lead shot) and my wife had a very large fish pie both of which were excellent, although none of CAMRA judging criteria include the scoring of food.
All together this is a real gem of a pub and deserves to do well. I have not cast my scores for all four pubs yet but I guess this will be my winner by a point or two with the Butchers Arms a very close second.
Friday, 17 October 2008
Butchers Arms
On Wednesday I visited the third out of four regional pubs of the year, The Butchers Arms in Herne, Kent.
Jet lagged, I overslept and was chasing the lunchtime session so forgot camera and alas no photos. The pub is only open from 12 to 1.30 (and 5 to 9) so I was in trouble if I missed it. Train from Waterloo, change at Sturry for a 10 minute bus ride to Herne.
This pub is a real curiosity. It may not tick all the boxes that you need for a community pub but it is an absolute "must-visit". (There are three other pubs in this village of which two are also listed in the current Good Beer Guide.)
Described as a micro pub, it was converted from a florists in 2005 and was previously a butchers shop. It has one room at the front, which seats about 12 people. It can only hold 18 people comfortably, though the record is 33. It is decorated with much brewery paraphanalia but also has various decor according to its past life as a butcher; 2 of the tables are old butchers blocks.
It is beer only though if you really want something else there is white wine or lemonade. The beer is served straight from the cask from a cooled room at the back. The toilet is reached via the "cellar".
Dark Star Hop Head, Harveys Sussex, Fullers HSB and ESB are all served in top form from £2.25 to £2.99 a pint. It is the custom that you pay on leaving. The "NFL" etched in the front window stands for No Lager.
In a way it would be shame for this pub to go further in the competition as there is not really room for too many more visitors that more publicity would bring. It is a local secret and would probably benefit from staying that way. That said, I absolutely would recommend anyone visit this pub. It has a unique place in England's pub culture.
Jet lagged, I overslept and was chasing the lunchtime session so forgot camera and alas no photos. The pub is only open from 12 to 1.30 (and 5 to 9) so I was in trouble if I missed it. Train from Waterloo, change at Sturry for a 10 minute bus ride to Herne.
This pub is a real curiosity. It may not tick all the boxes that you need for a community pub but it is an absolute "must-visit". (There are three other pubs in this village of which two are also listed in the current Good Beer Guide.)
Described as a micro pub, it was converted from a florists in 2005 and was previously a butchers shop. It has one room at the front, which seats about 12 people. It can only hold 18 people comfortably, though the record is 33. It is decorated with much brewery paraphanalia but also has various decor according to its past life as a butcher; 2 of the tables are old butchers blocks.
It is beer only though if you really want something else there is white wine or lemonade. The beer is served straight from the cask from a cooled room at the back. The toilet is reached via the "cellar".
Dark Star Hop Head, Harveys Sussex, Fullers HSB and ESB are all served in top form from £2.25 to £2.99 a pint. It is the custom that you pay on leaving. The "NFL" etched in the front window stands for No Lager.
In a way it would be shame for this pub to go further in the competition as there is not really room for too many more visitors that more publicity would bring. It is a local secret and would probably benefit from staying that way. That said, I absolutely would recommend anyone visit this pub. It has a unique place in England's pub culture.
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