Marsh Mash Spring 2013

The FREE Magazine of the Ashford, Folkestone & Romney Marsh Branch of CAMRA - Spring 2013

Kent & East Sussex RailwayTenterden Town Station, Kent

Beer, Cider and Steam

Friday 14th and Saturday 15th JuneSee pages 24 - 25 for full details

Marsh Mash Spring 2013

Advertisers Page No.Bell Inn, Ivychurch 4

Black Horse, Monks Horton 9

Bowl Inn, Hastingleigh 31

Chambers, Folkestone 31

Chubby Chicken Company 9

Cinque Ports, New Romney 37

Colsan Services, Woodchurch 36

Drum, Stanford 35

Farriers Arms, Mersham 34

George, Bethersden 22

Hop Fuzz Brewery, West Hythe 7

Lifeboat Inn, Folkestone 37

Old Dairy Brewery, Rolvenden 33

OneOneTwo Wines, Hythe 8

Red Lion, Snargate 14

Robin Hood, Icklesham 23

Shepherd and Crook, Burmarsh 32

Six Bells, Woodchurch 4

Star Inn, St Mary in the Marsh 40

Three Mariners, Hythe 14

White Hart, Hythe 29

White Hart, Newenden 37

Contents Page No.Editorial 2

What’s On 3

Pub of the Year 5

Beer and Cheese 6

Canadian Trail 10

Book Review 15

Shirley’s Recipe 16

Half a Year at Shepherd Neame 19

Sandgate Beer Tasting 21

Spencers Brewery 22

Kent & East Sussex Railway Beer Festival 24

Pub News 26

Staying in Pubs 28

Micropubs 32

Local Brewery News 33

Old Forge Brewery 34

Branch Logo Competition 38

Marsh Mash Update 38

LocAle Pubs 38

Branch Information 39

Welcome to the Spring edition of Marsh Mash. With the Winter behind us and hopefully, the Summer ahead of us, we can look forward to the many Beer Festivals that are held in our local pubs, plus our own festival at the Kent & East Sussex Railway at Tenterden. Other CAMRA Festivals are the Kent Festival at Canterbury in July and the Great British Beer Festival at London Olympia in August. Additionally there is a wide variety of country pubs that have gardens to while away a pint or two of local ale on a fine afternoon or early evening. Further details of opening hours and

Editorialfacilities can be found on the Online Pub Guide section of the branch website.

Once again we have increased the number of pages and added a few more articles for your enjoyment. Nigel, our Social Secretary has arranged some interesting trips during the Summer months, please keep an eye on the website events page for new or changes to the programme. I look forward to seeing you on some of our trips and at Tenterden in June. Enjoy your summer drinking.

Bob (Chairman)


Other Beer Festivals

CAMRA Beer FestivalsSocial Events - All Welcome

Branch Meetings

What’s On

Thursday 4 April - Bus trip, meet 12.10 Folkestone bus station to catch 12.20 to Lyminge, 12.45 Coach & Horses, then Elham Friday 12 April - Folkestone. Micro Crawl Meet Samuel Peto 6pm and then on to Guildhall 7pm and British Lion 8pm Friday 1 May - Early morning social in London Saturday 4 May - Day trip to Icklesham and Rye Thursday 9 May - 11.33 train from Ashford to Paddock Wood, taxi to Halfway House at Brenchley, £10 each way Tuesday 14 May 4pm - Bus to Dymchurch and New Romney Friday 24 May 4pm - Walk around Folkestone Harbour Saturday 1 June - Eurostar to Lille Wednesday 5 June - Micro-crawl in Maidstone

Planet Thanet Beer Festival, MargateFriday 29 - Saturday 30 March 2013

K&ESR Beer Festival, TenterdenFriday 14 - Saturday 15 June 2013

Kent Beer Festival, CanterburyThursday 19 - Saturday 21 July 2013

Great British Beer Festival, LondonTuesday 13 - Saturday 17 August 2013

Chambers, FolkestoneThursday 28 March - Monday 1 AprilCinque Ports, New RomneyFriday 26 - Sunday 28 AprilHomegrown Custom ‘N’ Classic Show at the Star Inn, St Mary in the Marsh Friday 10 - Sunday 12 MaySix Bells WoodchurchFriday 17 - Sunday 19 MayThe Bell Inn, IvychurchFriday 5 - Sunday 7 JulyFarriers Arms, MershamFriday 26 - Sunday 28 JulyWhite Hart, NewendenSaturday 27 - Sunday 28 July

Friday 7 June - Folkestone Air Show, guided pub tours of Folkestone Sunday 9 June - Folkestone Air Show, guided pub tours of Folkestone and nearby rural pubs

Visit our website for more informationwww.camra-afrm.org.uk

Social Events - Continued

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

Branch Meetings start at 19:30

16 April - Earl of Clarendon, Sandgate

14 June - Tenterden Station, K&ESR

17 July - Branch AGM, Pullman, Folkestone


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 17 to Sunday 19 May 2013

CAMRA AF&RMPub of the Year 2013

--- Runner Up ---

www.6-bells.co.uk


In November last year, a well-attended meeting took place in the County Hotel, Ashford to select the potential pubs for the 2013 Pub of the Year (POTY).

This year, six pubs were nominated for POTY and several CAMRA members visited them all and submitted their scores either by post, e-mail or on the voting page of the Branch website. Scores were based on the following:

• Quality of the Beer/Cider/Perry• Atmosphere/Style/Décor• Service Welcome• Community Focus• Sympathy to CAMRA Aims• Good Value

The six shortlisted pubs were:

The Bell Inn, Ivychurch, offers a choice of five National and sometimes local beers and draught cider. Also on offer is a good selection of wholesome pub food at meal times, hot snacks during the afternoon.

The Bowl Inn, Hastingleigh, has regularly been in the Good Beer Guide since 2007, serving 3 Kentish cask ales

and draught cider. Wholesome sandwiches and baguettes are available at weekends.

The Star Inn, St Mary in the Marsh, a consistently reliable pub for fine beer from around the country, good value food and a typical village local. Another regular in the Good Beer Guide.

The Six Bells, Woodchurch, run by Ray and Angie, who used to run the Swan at Wittersham. They 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.

The Three Mariners, Hythe, a back street ‘locals’ pub which does not

provide any food, only good beer, friendly company and good conversation. This pub has become a Mecca for cask ale,

with a choice of up to 8 cask beers and a draught cider. It has been in the GBG since 2010.

The White Hart, Newenden, yet another GBG regular, is located on the western boundary of the Branch area and considered as the "brewery tap" for Rother Valley beers. Ivan maintains this periodic pub in good traditional form, whilst keeping a local pub atmosphere.

This year's winners were Wink and Vanda at the Bell, with Ray and Angie at the Six Bells coming a close second, look out for the presentation dates which will be posted on the Branch website www.camra-afrm.org.uk

Note:Unfortunately only 13 members submitted their scores, which were based upon a maximum of 150 points per member. The result was a score ranging between 1318 and 1525, hopefully more members will take the time and effort next year!!!

Branch Pub of the Year 2013


And now for something completely different a Beer and Cheese Tasting Evening...

Most people normally think of cheese and wine parties, however the Black Horse Public House at Monks Horton has different ideas and held a very successful beer and cheese tasting event, on a wild, wet and windy January evening. Putting the weather aside, there were a good 20 plus of us who braved the elements and enjoyed the evening.

The Black Horse is currently being run by the owning Italian Pomponio family - Mother, Father and their two daughters, Rita and Gabby. The pub and restaurant have seen major improvements in the quality of the cask ales, usually a Kentish local, Greene King IPA and London Pride, (still some work to do there) and also improvements in the quality of the food.

The evening was run by George Ward from the ‘Cheesemakers of Canterbury’ (who supplied all of the cheeses) and Daryl Stanford (Head Brewer) from the Hop Fuzz Brewery (who supplied all of the beers) and Martin (Daryl’s Business Partner who handed out the beer samples).

George opened the interesting evening by explaining the resurgence of British cheeses and cheesemakers in recent years. Artesan cheese making almost ceased in England due to milk rationing during the Second World War and then the influx of mainly French cheeses which were promoted in the 1960’s to accompany French wine. A trip

to a specialist cheese shop, local farmers market or a good supermarket will enlighten you to the wide variety and styles of English cheeses that are now available. A trip to the Goods Shed, Canterbury or Neal’s Yard at London Bridge are both well worth a visit if you enjoy a good selection of cheese. Then it was over to Daryl for his bit on the brewery – we even had live yeast ‘working’ in bowls on the table, hops and malts to try/sniff/feel or eat (ummm, maybe not the yeast or hops!!). With a sizable sample of each cheese at the ready, George then went on to describe the five different styles of cheeses he had brought with him to accompany Daryl’s beers. Then Daryl provided a decent sample of a beer he thought would do the cheese justice:-

So what did we try?

The first cheese up was Bosworth Field, which is an unpasteurised cheese being made by David and Jo Clarke on their Sparkenhoe Farm on the Leicestershire/Warwickshire border where their cows graze on the site of the Battle of Bosworth. This cheese is similar in taste, but slightly sweeter, and texture to both Wensleydale and Caerphilly cheeses and is allowed to ripen over a 2 – 3 month period. This was

tried with Hop Fuzz Martello (3.8%), Hop Fuzz’s latest American ale, brewed with some of the fruitiest American hops and rich


caramel malts, this results in a light bodied and pineapple tasting IPA.

Next it was Canterbury Cobble, made in Kent at Dargate, is a semi-hard unpasteurised cheese that matures for about 3 months and has a soft texture with an initial sweet taste but develops mild tang on the tongue with time. The edible rind gives a nice contrasting crunch. This cheese is loved by both adults and children (they like the sweet taste). This was paired up with Hop Fuzz Goldsmith (4%), which is a light refreshing golden ale brewed using a single hop chosen for its delicate pine flavour. Unfortunately this ale is to be replaced in the future with one called Tomahawk (5%) – no other details as yet, so watch this space... Then we tried Bowyers Brie, which is made by ‘Cheesemakers of Canterbury’ at their soft cheese dairy at Hastingleigh. It is a rich, sweet, creamy, beautifully soft, brie style of pasteurised cheese and perfectly ready to eat – we loved it! This cheese is best served

young and firm for breakfast, or riper and racier in the evening. Daryl paired this cheese with Hop Fuzz Veteran (4.2%), an English IPA – being a golden coloured, traditional tasting ale, lifting its flavour from the East Kent Golding’s hops that go in to it. This ale is a well balanced beer that leaves a smooth mouth feel and pleasant malt taste. Our next cheese was Ashmore Farmhouse which is an unpasteurised cheddar style cheese, has a natural rind and a deep flavour that stays on the palate (it did as well!!) This cheese contrasts nicely with the sharp, fresh smack of an Isle of Mull Cheddar and is made at Dargate using milk from a herd of British Friesian cows at Petham and is matured for 5 months, being turned on a

S P E P W A Y , K E N T

TOMAHAWK - OUR FIRST 5.0% BEER

APPEARING ON TAP NOW!

• CASKS, BOTTLES, CIDER

• WE SUPPLY FESTIVALS


daily basis. Daryl complimented this cheese with Hop Fuzz English (4%) - well rounded

malty bitter amber ale, lifting its flavour from the malts blended into the recipe. The finest English hops balance out the sweet barley, achieving a mild yet pleasant taste.

Daryl also provided some of his latest brew

Veteran an IPA style beer which gently cut through the fat in the Ashmore cheese to provide a very pleasant after taste that you don’t get with either a wine or port when drunk with cheese. Having previously been drinking Hop Fuzz English, comparing the two beers with the cheese, I preferred the Veteran with this cheese.

Finally, we tried the Blue Dunsyre, which is made by the Errington family in Lanarkshire. Humphrey Errington is one of the champions of unpasteurised cheeses and has spent significant time and money in attempting to stop the EU from banning yet another British traditional food style. This blue cheese is creamy and spicier than Stilton. Daryl served this cheese with a bottle conditioned Hop Fuzz APA (4%), an unconditioned American Pale Ale. This beer is made using a unique blend of American hops and sweet malts, creating a hoppy, zesty flavour that lingers nicely on the tongue. Light in colour with a medium body, this pale ale has hints of melon and a slightly piny aroma. Martello could also be drunk with this cheese, as the smoothness of the beer balances well with the sharpness of this blue cheese.

Why unpasteurised?

With the exception of one of the cheeses available, they were all made from unpasteurised milk. Pasteurisation kills the bacteria that give the artesian cheese their subtle flavours that are not found in bland mass-produced cheeses. Remember Yakult promotes good bacteria, so keep them for good cheeses and with the strict hygiene conditions on farms and dairies, unpasteurised cheese is both safe and tastier.

So there you have it - all in all we believe that everybody enjoyed the evening and came away a little wiser after drinking beer brewed in West Hythe and cheese from Hastingleigh – some of us just had to purchase cheeses and beers to take away. Food and Beer miles can’t get much less!!!

Written by Bob (Chairman) and Shirley (Branch Member)

oneonetwo wines

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

We stock over 20 Kentish Beersfor when you can’t get to your local!

Mix & Match any 12 bottledAles and get 15% off

And for the cider lovers amongst you, 'Double Vision' is now in stock in a

handy take-home litre size!"

We are delighted to add three beers from Goody Ales of Herne to our range

'Goldsmith' from Hythe's own Hopfuzz Brewery is now available in bottle

"New Year, New Beer!


Black HorseThe

Traditional oak-beamed country pub-restaurantIdyllic rural setting

Ample parkingDecking area

and family gardenLight 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

Make a change from sandwiches at Darts matches !TRY OUR……..

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Freshly Delivered Weekly

Other catering meat products available. Please phone us for details and prices

Chubby Chicken Co Ltd Haymakers, Swamp Road Old Romney, TN29 9SQPhone : 01797 366 377 Text : 07544 501 687


offer, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of other breweries that were providing local beers and set about exploring as many as possible - well it would have been a mistake not to. A word of caution, the majority of Canadian beers are in excess of 5% abv and cost around £6.00/pint (18 fluid ounces) and on my return home I identified some 100 different microbreweries, although I believe we would call some of them Regional Breweries.

VancouverThe stay in Vancouver included a tour of Stanley Island, a rail trip to Whistler and free day touring the city on a hop on hop off bus. There were pink Routemaster buses travelling around Vancouver on tourist routes, which made me regret the demise of them in London and some are still doing sterling service after 55 years. My drinking involved, as you would expect, various bars and restaurants, I did partake in solids occasionally, but we were unable to find any unique Canadian food in Vancouver other than “sweet potato fries”, but did sample several beers from four of the twenty-five Columbian Breweries. The most common was Kokanee Gold brewed by the Fernie Brewery, a subsidiary of AB Inbev, usually cold and not that inspiring. The Whistler Brewery’s produces a wide range of beers but I only had the opportunity to try three, Jack Ale, Glacier Ale and Paradise Valley Grapefruit Ale all in bottles and all enjoyable. Whilst drinking the Grapefruit Ale I thought of the discussions of adding fruit to cider in the UK, the grapefruit had been added to the ale to enhance the citrus flavours. Stanley Park has its own brewery, Stanley Island and their pilsner on tap was OK and not too gassy, but Granville Island which has its brewery in downtown Vancouver provided me with beers throughout my

Various people have asked whether I was going to write about my recent holiday that took me by train from Vancouver to Halifax, well I’ve given in.After arriving early afternoon in Vancouver and a quick orientation tour of Stanley Park, the next day I took my daughter and myself on the Rocky Mountaineer train (Canada’s answer to the British Pullman but not so ostentatious) on a trip to Whistler. Our second rail journey was from Vancouver overnight to Jasper for a two day break, followed by three nights on the train to Toronto, where it was pointed out that we

had now travelled half way back to London. How you can be fooled by school atlases!! After two days recuperation in Toronto we travelled by train to Quebec on the ex-Eurostar night coaches that were deemed redundant by a Government who were against rail travel overnight to Europe. A couple of days exploring Quebec and we continued overnight to Halifax on more ex-Eurostar sleeping coaches and then home. I think I have outgrown sleeping on trains and prefer the comfort of a hotel bed, but still I survived, if a little tired when I arrived back in Kent. Not anticipating Canada to be a beer drinking paradise with only Coors Molson’s Canadian and AB Inbev’s Labatt Blue on


Canadian travels. On my final afternoon in Vancouver and doing the tourist bit in the Gastown district, we found a brew pub, Steamworks which had a wide range of interesting beers that would have kept me longer if I did not have a train to catch. I tried Steamworks Nirvana, Nut Brown Ale, and Oatmeal Stout. There were several more beers that I fancied but time did not permit although I did enjoy excellent fish and chips with my beers. I was given advice on where to drink in Toronto by a local customer.

To the Rockies

The train journey to Jasper was not very eventful, an overnight sleep after dinner on the train and a lecture on “beer tasting” by one of the stewardesses. Three beers were sampled, Granville Island’s Honey Lager, English Ale and Molson Canadian. It was interesting to hear that Canadians like to drink their bottled beer served straight from the fridge into a very cold glass. My beer was served in a glass with a frozen base and a lump of ice inside, presumably because it was put into the fridge when still wet. As you can imagine, the beers had next to no flavour and the stewardess claimed that this is the way Canadians like to drink their beer and seemed to disapprove of me warming the glass to bring the beer to something near to room temperature. Having successfully warmed the beers, the two beers from Granville Island were quite reasonable and far better than those on

most English trains. The Canadian was very bland so I stuck to the Granville Island beers and arranged for a glass to be kept out of the fridge for the duration of the journey. Customer Power!! Granville Island Brewery was Canada’s first microbrewery established in 1984 and appears to have expanded into what we would call a Regional Brewery providing a wide range of some 20 different beers; I tried only the two, IPA and Honey Lager that were available on the train.

JasperJasper is now a holiday resort and consists primarily of two parallel shopping streets, a brewery and several bars, but was once a major railway town. The Jasper Brewing Company is a brewpub as we know them but producing keg beer except at weekends when a barrel is dispensed via a hand pump, this sells out very quickly so I didn’t get chance to sample any. So had to drink their keg beers, Liftline Cream Ale, Honey Bear Pilsner and Rockhopper IPA, all with taste and not too cold!! Other beers that I had the opportunity to drink were in the De’d Dog Bar and Grill they were Big Rock brewery’s Traditional Ale, Honey Brown and their Grasshopper Wheat Ale and Alexander Keith Kelly Brewery’s Red and IPA, another subsidiary of AB-Inbev. There’s not a lot to do except look for wildlife, I didn’t find either a bear or moose although I was assured they reside locally, but I did take the “Tramway” to the top of a large mountain and look down from a great height on Jasper before returning for more beer.


The scenery around Jasper is very beautiful and I had the opportunity to try some non-European food, elk steak and “sliders” mini burgers that had meat and flavour, just right with a pint of beer at lunchtime.

On to TorontoThree nights and three days on the same train became a little tiring, but the beer selection was a little better than that on the train from Vancouver, with some Fort Garry beers supplementing the Granville Island bottle beers, the Fort Garry beers are brewed in Winnipeg and their Dark Ale and Pale Ale both 5% abv were very similar to our Brown Ale and Light Ale in bottles.

TorontoThe recommendation made in Vancouver was to visit Beerbistro and C’Est What.

Having taken a city tour, I asked the guide when we stopped for lunch in the Distillery district for directions to the two bars and he recommended a third, Mill Street Brewery, just around the corner. What a pleasant surprise, a wide array of hand pumps and choice of beers. I chose to have a sampler, 4 half pints served in a rack which was a good choice. The beers were Tankhouse, Cobblestone Stout, IPA and Stock Ale all very tasty. I chatted with another chap at the bar, as one does, and mentioned that I was due to go to the annual Harvey Hopper meeting in Lewes on the Saturday of my return and, coincidentally he also had an invite but had decided not to return to the UK for the event. What a small world. I found the Beerbistro in the evening and at a rough guess I was old enough to be the grandfather of most of the clientele so we went and found C’Est

What. I would recommend any one visiting Toronto to find the C’Est What which is in the basement of a building in Front Street and has a choice of 35 different ales and lagers to choose from, all from Canadian brewers, including some brewed especially for the pub. Another brewery in Toronto that I visited was the Steam Whistle which is located in the roundhouse associated with the railway museum near to the CN tower. Unfortunately they only brew one beer which is a malty and refreshing lager which was far better than most of the lagers I’ve drunk in the UK. The hotel that I stayed in had a large shopping mall underneath it and on one evening we discovered a restaurant called Pipers, and upon entering was surprised to find draught beers available so I tried Upper Canada Dark Ale, now brewed by Sleeman’s in Guelph, Ontario. The other beer on offer was Mill Street Springer specially brewed for Pipers, both were excellent and so was the food. Upper Canada Brewery was formed by Frank Heaps in 1985 and eventually sold to Sleeman’s

Breweries in 1996. Frank’s son Cameron then founded the Steam Whistle Brewery with his father’s profits.

Niagara When in Canada and in particular Toronto for the first time, a trip to Niagara Falls is a must, but for a beer drinking experience not worth the effort. As we went on an organised trip it also included a stop in the small town of Niagara on the Lake. Wandering around the town we found the Olde Angel Inn which was established in


1789, destroyed by fire in the 1812-14 war and rebuilt in 1816. It is an English style pub with low beams and several drinking areas offering a good selection of Canadian beers. I tried Angel Inn Red, Angel Inn Bicentennial, brewed for the pub by Mill Street Brewery and Moosehead lager. In all there were 16 Canadian draughts beer on offer, and as I was paying, I noticed a handpump on the other side of the bar. On inspection I found that in addition to Old Speckled Hen and Hobgoblin in keg form, the hand pump was offering Fullers London Pride. When I returned to the coach I mentioned this to one of the others who had tried it and said that it tasted OK but was too cold!! During my travels I had seen most of the range of Fullers bottled beers but was pleasantly surprised to find draught London Pride is also exported to Canada.

Quebec After a day on the train from Toronto, which was using carriages built for use on the Eurostar night services, typically of English design they appear very small compared with the size and gauge of other Canadian coaches. Freight trains in Canada are typically 2 miles long and sea containers are stacked two high. Quebec is totally different to the other Canadian cities that we visited with a very French feel in some areas. The hotel was basically accommodation only, but across the road from my bedroom window was a bar, the Pub St Alexandre, what luck. There was a good selection of draught Canadian beers available and during my two day stay in Quebec I tried most of them, Blanche

de Chambly, St-Ambroise Pale Ale, Griffon Rousse, and Boreale Rousse. There were draught beers from both Belgium and Ireland that I avoided and also in excess of 100 bottled beers from around the world, including China and Japan. Most of the other bars that I tried in Quebec were not that inspiring. Doing our tourist bit, we went to the “Citadels du Quebec” the home of the 22nd Regiment of the Canadian Army, originally formed of French Canadians and, from the exhibits in their museum have over the years had many links with Kent. I suspect Shorncliffe camp and the “Road of Remembrance” in Folkestone during 1915 and during World War II. Also we took a bus trip to Montmorency to visit the falls, which are higher than Niagara and there were far fewer tourists. There is a fine hotel bar overlooking the falls which served Boreale Cuvee wild blueberry beer which went down well with a selection of Canadian cheeses at lunchtime.

HalifaxAfter an overnight train journey on more ex Eurostar coaches, we checked in to our hotel in Halifax in the early evening. A wander along the waterfront where the majority of Scottish settlers arrived, we found Murphey’s Seafood restaurant and their own brew Captain Murphey’s Ale, nothing like the Irish Stout of AB Inbev notoriety, which I enjoyed with local crab cakes and sweet curry sauce. On the tourist trail again, we enjoyed a coach trip around Nova Scotia which included Peggy’s Cove, Lunenburg and

Mahone Bay. The lunch stop was in Lunenburg, and not wanting to stay and dine with the rest of the party we escaped, with the help of a local girl who directed us to a small locals pub on the


outskirts on the town. I enjoyed an excellent bowl of fish chowder and the house beer brewed by the Propeller Brewing Company.Whilst I think there are now more routemaster buses in Canada than there are left in England, they don’t look quite the same painted pink and doors cut into the “offside” to facilitate passenger access (the Canadians drive on the right hand side of the road).

We had my farewell evening meal in a pub, Henry’s House in the company of a multitude of handpumps serving good quality beers from the Granite Brewery. An establishment well worth seeking out if ever in Halifax and again serves beers in a sampler rack. I tried the Best Bitter, Best Bitter Special, Peculiar, Keefe Irish Stout, Ringwood (not the UK variety) and IPA. My daughter sampled the Cider, Apricot Wheat Ale, Pale Ale, Cream Ale and Oatmeal Stout and we both enjoyed a final fish meal before leaving for the airport and home.

The Red Lion, Snargate

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

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 to Saturday 12 - 3pm & 7 - 11pm Closed Monday evenings

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

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.Tuesdays – Sunday 12pm till close.Mondays 4pm 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

-- “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


Marsh Mash PieMy inspiration for this recipe came from living on Romney Marsh for nearly 20 years and seeing our famous Romney Marsh Sheep enjoying life in the fields on the Marsh. The pastures of Romney Marsh provide ideal grazing, developing a large framed, hardy sheep, which is docile, good at foraging, is resistant to foot rot and produces a delicate tasting meat – even in older lambs. My choice of beer is in the name and the fact that it began being bottled in 1993, the same year I came to Romney Marsh. Finally, the naming is dedicated to Marsh Mash, which was first produced in the Spring of 1999.

Ingredients:

700g (1lb 8oz) Lamb (I used boneless shoulder) cut up into cubes (2.5cm/1”)2 x tablespoons Vegetable Oil (for frying)1 x 500ml Bottle of Black Sheep Ale (4.4%)1 x Lamb Stock Cube225g (8oz) each of diced Onions, Swede, Carrots55g (2oz) Butter (or any spread suitable for frying)1 tablespoon Dried Mint (or 3 sprigs about 4”/10cm long, chopped, of fresh mint when available)Salt & Pepper700g (1lb 8oz) Potatoes (old potatoes and suitable for mashing)55g (2oz) Butter/spread, seasoning and milk (for potato topping)

Note: You may wish to have 2 bottles of the beer, giving you one for the recipe and the other to drink!!

Method:

1. Open your first bottle of beer, pour into a glass and enjoy a few sips.2. Heat the oil in a large oven proof stainless steel stock pot (ideally with a lid) or something which can be used both on the hob and then put into the oven, add the lamb and brown, stirring all the time - if you do not have a stock pot, use a large frying pan and large casserole dish with a lid. Remove pot/pan from the heat and allow mixture to cool for 5 minutes.3. Open the other beer and gently pour it over the meat, crumble the stock cube over the top, add the mint and heat the mixture over a medium heat until it begins to steam, stirring


all the time - place to one side.4. Gently melt the butter in a frying pan and add the onions, turn heat up and fry for a couple of minutes, then add the swede and carrots , stir well and fry for a couple more minutes. Turn the heat out.5. Add the fried vegetables to the meat, add salt and pepper to taste and stir well (if using a casserole dish, pour meat mixture in first, then the vegetables, salt and pepper and stir carefully to mix). Cover pot with a lid and place into a pre heated oven at 160 degrees C (325 degrees F or gas mark 3) for 1.5 hours. Note: if you do not have a lid, use a double thickness layer of tin foil, making sure it covers the pot completely. One hour into the cooking time prepare the mashed potato topping. 6. Peel and cut up the old potatoes, place in a pan, cover with water (add salt if you wish) and a lid, then bring them to the boil. Turn heat down and simmer gently until potatoes are soft.7. Strain, add the butter and seasoning, stir well and mash with a potato masher (add a little milk if very thick – not too much though as it will be ‘sloppy’ and the top will not brown under the grill).8. Leave the mashed potatoes in the pan and keep covered with the lid.

To Serve:

1. Remove meat mixture from the oven and carefully stir it. You can either spoon the meat mixture into a large casserole dish or divide it up into individual dishes for serving (if you have cooked it in a casserole dish, you can leave it in there).2.Turn on the grill to high.3. Carefully cover the meat mixture with a layer of mashed potato, then using a fork, draw patterns on the top. Place dish under a hot grill and gently brown the top for about 10 minutes or as required.

NOTE: If you find you have a lot of sauce with the meat mixture, reserve about ¼ - ½ pint (150/250ml) of it and serve on the side, with the finished pie.

Enjoy the pie with friends/family, either on its own or with vegetables and a beer of your choice.

Try this as an alternative:Replace the mint with rosemary and add 3 beaten egg yolks to the mashed potato to give a glazed, toasty brown top. Serve with mint sauce.

Shirley JohnsonAFRM CAMRA Member


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Half a Year of SHEPHERD NEAME BeersDuring the 2000’s Shepherd Neame expanded its range of seasonal and permanent beers, both cask-conditioned and bottled. As CAMRA’s rep for the company, or correctly, Brewery Liaison Officer, I handle a number of questions from the branches about their pubs and beer. A lot of them were in the nature of requests for information on when they were going to brew a favourite beer that hadn’t been seen for a while.

In 2007 there was a further and very important development when the company installed a four barrel Pilot Brewery. This micro-brewery was installed with the express intention of developing new beers and for experimental purposes such as testing the vast amount of hops from all over the world that are now available. Of course, the spin-off was that these beers also appeared in pubs, albeit in small amounts, as this little brewing plant can only provide seventeen nine-gallon firkins at a time. Please see photograph.

I was very lucky to assist with the making of the first commercial brew. It was a 3.5% abv mild called Old Faversham Dark, a name I thought might attract non-mild drinkers as well as the devotees of the style. It also mentioned the name of the town of its birth. However, despite this very welcome development there was still one major problem. Although we heard about these beers just before they left the brewery we didn’t know which pubs they were destined for, so I was unable to alert members as to where they could try them.The solution arrived when the company installed a very sophisticated computer system that covered virtually every aspect of their operations. This had become an absolute necessity when their distribution and warehousing activities were moved to Oare. Now it was possible to tell CAMRA members where they could try these beers and I started an E-Newsletter to inform. It is still published and should any readers want to be on the Emailing list please contact me at [email protected] .

So, to give an idea of what is produced, let me take you through the last half of 2012, month by month, I actually start in June because most of the beers brewed in December were also produced in November.

June... During this “Summer of Sport” there were a number of special brews from the Main Brewery. However the first had a royal connection and was Diamond Jubilee Commemorative Ale 1952-2012. It was a 3.8% bitter and one of its hops was Faversham-grown Cascades, a variety normally imported from the USA. This was followed by 4-4-2 (4.0%), a beer first brewed for the World Cup two years earlier, now for the Euro Championships. Apart from being a formation, the numbers add up to ten, which is the number of different hop varieties used. Later that month there was


Samuel Adams Blonde Ambition (4.5%), a golden ale that used 50% English and 50% American hops. Samuel Adams Boston Lager is brewed under licence by Shepherd Neame but this is the first excursion into cask ale under that name. The two summer seasonal beers from the Main Brewery were out. They were the familiar names of Canterbury Jack (3.5%) and Whitstable Bay (4.1%). From the Pilot plant came Champion Ale (4.0%), a football-themed beer that was commissioned by just three pubs, two in Canterbury and one in Faversham. It was followed by a “Four Tenants’ Ale” for four pubs in and around Canterbury. This is where four licensees get together with Stewart Main, who is the Senior Brewer in charge of the Pilot Brewery, and they collectively design a beer and specify the strength.

July... From the Pilot Brewery there was Torchbearer Ale (4.5%) a refreshing beer that was supplied to Shepherd Neame pubs along the Torch’s route through Kent. At the end of the month there was the Whitstable Oyster Festival and Whitstable Oyster Stout (3.7%) was produced for pubs in and around Whitstable although some others took it. It used real oysters in the mash.

August... The first brew off the Pilot Brewery was First Gold (3.9%) for general distribution using 100% First Gold hops. Bearded Lady (4.8%) was next and was destined for the Broadstairs Folk Festival. Two complete brews (34 firkins) all went to one pub, the Royal Albion, who unbelievably, shift this amount of beer during the week of the Festival. Double Stout (5.2%) was found in selected pubs at the end of the month and was the first of the “Historic British Ales” series.

September... Although it was brewed in August, the first beer from the Pilot Brewery was Platform 5 (3.8%), a classic English bitter brewed exclusively for the Railway Hotel, Faversham for the Hop Festival weekend. One week later the Museum of Kent Life, near Maidstone were selling Cobtree Old Ale (4.0%) at their Hops ‘n’ Harvest Festival. This beer

used typically Kentish hops, Fuggles and Goldings, grown at the museum. The Hop Festival was also the destination for Queen Court Harvest Ale (4.5%) produced on the Main Brewery. This beer used hops from Shepherd Neame’s own farm at Ospringe. Also the latest autumn and winter seasonal ale, Late Red (4.3%) was now available.

October... This was an extremely busy month with the Main Brewery turning out Spook’s Ale (4.7%), a special for October and specifically Halloween. Two beers were made for the Wetherspoon’s Autumn

Beer Festival. The first was a collaboration with Svyturys Brewery of Klaipeda in Lithuania called Baltijos Red Ale (5.5%) and the other Red Sails (3.9%), a light bitter ale. The first Kent Festival of Green Hop Ales took place at the Canterbury Food and Drink Festival and Oast Dodger (5.5%) was made on the Pilot plant with hops picked on the same day as brewing. There were many more beers from the Pilot Brewery. Maple Jack (4.5%) was a private commission for a wedding


but the surplus went to pubs. It used real Canadian maple syrup. Next was India Pale Ale (6.1%) a classic IPA made to an old recipe, true history in action! Brilliant Pale Ale (5.6%) was another blast from the past, and was in the pubs later in the month. Salutation Ale (4.0%) was brewed to commemorate a 100 years of the house of that name in Sandwich. Gothic Ale (6.0%) was a Barley Wine produced for the Le Gothique Beer Festival at Wandsworth, London over the last weekend of the month.

Deal Storm Warrior (4.0%) was a bitter intended for pubs in that area but in reality ended up all over the tied estate.

November... A “Four Tenants’ Ale” (4.0%) for pubs around Hastings was brewed on the Pilot plant at the end of October. It had American Cascade hops added in three stages. Special Strong Bitter (6.0%), another “Historic British Ale”, was brewed in October for sale in November. A second “Four Tenants’ Ale” was brewed for London pubs. It was a 4.2% English bitter. Christmas Ale (5.0%), a light coloured beer, yet with a festive flavour was available from mid November and throughout December. Rudolph’s Reward (3.7%) was brewed in November and December for Wetherspoon’s and the M&B Pub Co.

December... On the Pilot Brewery yet another “Four Tenants’ Ale” (3.9%) was brewed at the end of November for sale in December with First Gold as the main hop and Cascades as the bittering hop. It went to pubs in the Faversham area. From the Main Brewery Porter (4.8%) made a welcome reappearance. It had been brewed in small quantities on the Pilot Brewery in previous years. The other beers were the same as November.

So, it isn’t just continuous Masterbrew and Spitfire that comes out of the Faversham Brewery. Already, the 2013 special and seasonal beer programme is just as extensive. I hope you come across these fascinating beers in your local Shepherd Neame pub.

Bob Thompson

At the end of January a few of us CAMRA members held a blind beer tasting at The Ship in Sandgate. Unfortunately only six people turned up to what was a very interesting and entertaining evening.

Eight different draught beers were sampled and all six of us correctly identified Greene King IPA, four of us identified Hopdaemon Incubus and Dark Star Hophead. Not

surprisingly, no-one recognised Long Man Blonde or Greene King Yardbird, which are not usually available in this part of Kent.

Scoring the quality of the beers available in the bar on the evening, the highest scoring beers went to Dark Star Hophead, Long Man Old Man Blonde and Hopback Summer Lightning.

Sandgate Beer Tasting


SPENCER’S - A New Brewery for Ashford

After the unexpected closure of Abigale Brewery in Ashford at the end of 2012, Spencer’s started brewing in Ashford in the New Year (2013) to continue the tradition of brewing in Ashford.

Founded by a rocket engineer with family roots in the brewing industry (after celebrating a successful career in the aerospace industry), launched a new real ale named Galaxy.

Dr Brian Spencer, 67, set up the new Spencer’s Brewery in Ashford to create fine cask and bottled beers from a range of Kentish, American and Australian hops.His great‐grandfather, Walter Spencer, is first recorded in 1874 as a brewer of alcoholic ginger ale and lemonade and a known supplier of mineral waters in Halifax, West Yorkshire. Both his grandfather and father were also employed at W.Spencer’s Brewery, until it closed in 1950.

Today, Dr Spencer has re-awakened the family tradition at Cobbs Wood Industrial Estate, Ashford, with help from his wife, Leah and languages graduate son, James Spencer.As well as the new aptly named Galaxy

Golden Ale on offer to South East pub goers and fine diners, there is also a Copper Bronze Bitter made from selected American hops and a light golden ale called ‘Blonde’ made

from traditional Kent hops.

During his long international career in the aerospace industry, Dr Spencer developed highly specialised fuel tanks for rockets and other notable galactic equipment used by the ESA (European Space Agency) and other leading space organisations.

Brian claims he has never forgotten his family ties with the brewing industry and as a child remembered being proudly shown the old stoneware ginger ale bottles with the W.Spencer name and logo stamped upon them.

Dr Spencer’s son James is the brewery’s sales director and says trial runs of Galaxy, plus the Bitter and the Blonde, have successfully orbited the taste buds of real ale fans at a dozen local pubs, including The Firkin Alehouse in Folkestone.

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

St George’s Day Beer Festival19th to 21st April

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


The Robin HoodMain Road, Icklesham, East Sussex, TN36 4BD

Multi Award Winning Pub in Sussex includingCAMRA Local Pub of the Year 2012

No passport required just cross the Kent-Sussex borderPlease note no duty free but with our prices you won't need it!!

Bar opening timesMonday - Thursday 11am - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm

Friday & Saturday 11am - 11pmSunday 12pm - 4pm, 7pm - 10.30pm

Excellent homemade and home cooked foodMonday night steak night, Wednesday night curry night

Fresh local fish served Thursday - Saturday Traditional Sunday roasts

Lunchtime specials 2 course meal served Monday - Thursday exc. Bank holidays

Please ring for food times, specials and bookings - Tel: 01424 814277

D'Arcy, Sue, Lorna, Carly & Staff welcome you to the Robin Hood

6 real ales including local beers and 3 real cidersAlways a real ale at £2.50 per pint

Large car park, large garden with fantastic viewsOpen log fire, pool table, boot sales, beer festivals, and a Boules Piste


Kent & East Sussex Railway Beer & Cider FestivalFriday 14th and Saturday 15th June 2013

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Ashford, Folkestone & Romney Marsh Branch in conjunction with the Kent & East Sussex Railway are proud to announce the 5th Annual Beer and Cider Festival to be held at Tenterden Town Station on 14th and 15th June 2013. Beers and a cider will also be available on some trains departing Tenterden Town Station from 10.40am on the Saturday. Festival Opening TimesFriday - 6pm to 10.30pmSaturday - 11am to 10.30pm (or until the beer runs out) Admission DetailsFriday - £2, Free entry is available to card carrying CAMRA and K&ESR members.Saturday - if you wish to attend the festival only, you will need to purchase a platform ticket at £2. Free entry is available to card carrying CAMRA and K&ESR members, in addition card carrying CAMRA members can purchase a rover ticket on the day at a discount. FoodAvailable on Friday evening and on Saturday afternoon and into the evening. Entertainment at the FestivalFriday - quiet evening, no musicSaturday - Live music on Saturday afternoon and into the evening, along with Morris Dancers. Full details will be available on our website at www.camra-afrm.org.uk

Camping at the FestivalLimited camping available but MUST be booked in advance, £5.00 per pitch per night (no camp fires) – to book a pitch phone the Railway on 01580 765155. Families Welcome Local AccommodationDetails of local accommodation can be found on the Official Tenterden Town website www.tenterdentown.co.uk Getting to the Festival by Public TransportService buses operate to Tenterden from: Ashford (2 or 295), Maidstone (12), Tunbridge Wells (297), Hastings (340). Late service buses operate to Ashford (2) and Maidstone (12). Full bus timetables available on www.traveline.org.uk Helping at the FestivalOur beer festival is organised and run by unpaid volunteers and we are always looking for more volunteers, old and new to join us. So if you would like to help out, whether for a few hours one evening or throughout the beer festival, you will be made most welcome. Don’t worry, you do not need any experience. The only condition for being a volunteer is that you are a CAMRA member. If you can help, please complete the form on page 25, you can also download a form from our website where further information is available.

Remember, without Volunteers there would be no Beer Festival

For festival info telephone: 01580 240104or email: [email protected]

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


Kent & East Sussex Railway Beer and Cider Festival 2013 Friday, 14th June – Saturday, 15th June

Our Beer Festival is organised and run by unpaid Volunteers and we are always looking for more Volunteers, old and new, to join us. So if you'dlike to help out, whether it’s just for a few hours, one evening or throughout the Beer Festival, you will be made most welcome. Don't worry you don’t need 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! Contact Details: Name: Address:

Tel No: Mob No: Email: CAMRA Membership No:

When can you work? Wednesday 12 June - Setup 12pm-5pm

Thursday 13 June - Setup 10am-5pm

Friday 14 June - Setup 2pm-5pm

Friday 14 June 6pm-8pm 8-10.30pm

Saturday 15 June

10.30am- 12.30pm

12.30pm-2.30pm

2.30pm-4.30pm

4.30pm-6.30pm

6.30pm-8.30pm

8.30pm-10.30pm

Sunday 16 June - Take Down 9.30am-1pm

If you would like to volunteer please complete and return this form to :- Festival, The Cottage, The Green, Saltwood, Kent CT21 4PS or telephone 01580 240104, or e-mail availability to [email protected]

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


Pub NewsAshford Oranges was vacated on 3rd January and was still firmly boarded up when I passed later in March. At this present time its future as a pub is uncertain. As previously mentioned the cause of the last landlady handing in the keys was that her music minded customers had moved to Platform Five. Due to suspected underage drinking, their licence has been amended to customers over 20 years of age, but still no reports of this once popular Kent Arms selling cask ale.

BethersdenIn addition to the normal regular 3 ales, Brakespear’s Bitter, Harvey’s Sussex Best and Greene King Old Speckled Hen at the George, the guest ale pump has recently featured beers from the local Old Dairy but also from Mole’s brewery and Plain Ales from Wiltshire.

CharingThe Oak, normally has two regular beers Masterbrew and Doom Bar, but recently was been offering a local beer, on a recent visit this was Whitstable East India Pale Ale.

EtchinghillA recent visit to the New Inn found Green King IPA and Twaites Original on offer. Whilst you may find this village pub more like a restaurant, the food is very good and reasonably priced, I was assured that

customers could visit the bar for a quiet drink without having a meal. Kevin, the owner changes his draught ales regularly with

usually two available during the week and

three at weekends. Well worth a visit and conveniently situated on the No 17 bus route between Folkestone and Canterbury.

ElhamThe Rose and Crown was closed in February by Shepherd Neame. After the brewery had spent a significant sum in redeveloping this pub with accommodation in recent years, it begs belief why the pub was shut.

Folkestone It is with regret that we learnt of the death in December of Pat Rowling after a sudden illness. Pat was the popular landlady of the Raglan pub from 1995, she will be sadly missed by all the regulars and visitors in this part of town.The Black Bull, Canterbury Road was firmly boarded up in February and it is rumoured the pub is to be converted into a pub / diner. Thankfully not a supermarket or block of flats and another community pub will be lost forever.

HytheFive CAMRA members wandered around Hythe in January visiting several pubs. Old Dairy Red Top was in excellent condition in the Red Lion, Goacher’s at the Three Mariners and Old Dairy Blue Top at White Hart, the Master Brew at King’s Head was acceptable. At the Globe with a good pint of Masterbrew in hand an interesting game of bar billiards was played to the enjoyment of all. The Prince of Wales, has a new landlord and we wish him well for the future.

IvychurchThe Bell, this year’s branch Pub of the Year (POTY) has been raising money for charity, £4,297 for the “Elimination of Leukaemia Fund” during the past year.


Lydd on Sea After a significant time, Shepway District Council have refused planning permission to demolish the Ship and build 4 dwelling houses, on the grounds that it has not been demonstrated that the business was unviable and would be a loss to the local community. Not to be outdone, the developers have resubmitted the application. View Planning Application Y13/0187/SH if you wish to object to losing a local amenity.

LymingeAfter the last edition of Marsh Mash where one of our members visited the Brewery near Exeter, I suggested that you should get your landlord to order some. As I was delivering the last edition I found Otter Ale in excellent condition at the Coach and Horses as a guest ale.

MershamThe regular customers of the Royal Oak, should be rightly proud of themselves having raised almost £20,000 for the Pilgrims Hospice in Ashford, congratulations, but it is with regret that June will be leaving the pub in May. I hope that the new tenants will continue to run this multi-room pub as the village local and social centre.

New RomneyThe Plough closed its doors unexpectedly early in February. Does anyone have any more information or news of the future of this Enterprise owned pub?Shepherd Neame have completed a major refurbishment of the Warren in February with changes to the bar area and general redecorations.

SandgateBar Vasa, closed early in February, whilst more of a restaurant and young person’s club it persevered with Young’s Special in reasonable condition until it closed. Currently its future is unknown.

ShadoxhurstThe Shepherd Neame owned Kings Head has been having some interesting beers

in recent weeks, Titanic’s White Star, Broughton Merlin Ale, and Acorn Barnsley Bitter have all been reported as being on offer.

TenterdenAs we go to press, the William Caxton is reported to be under new management and the White Lion has a new Bar Manager. We wish them both well and would welcome more information for the next edition.

WoodchurchThe Six Bells, runner up in this year’s branch POTY, held a successful beer festival in February with a choice of 17 beers ranging from 3.5% to 6.6% abv, plus 6 ciders.

WyeThe Kings Head reopened in March after major refurbishment to the bar area and accommodation, this was jointly carried out by Shepherd Neame and the consortium who will be running this old historic coaching inn in the future.

If there is anything interesting, however small about your local pub, please let us know and thanks to all those who have sent me their local pub news or updated NBSS (CAMRA’s National Beer Scoring System), please keep it up, as it makes my life a lot easier in compiling this report.

Bob the Beer


Preface – (Get-Out Clause)

It is not my intention to write a “Good…..” guide. There are plenty of these in the shops all with some bias towards one or more aspects of the listed Inn/pub/hotel. With this in mind, I will not mention any establishment by name, although some generic and obviously invented names will be used. Some readers may feel that they recognise a particular establishment but, should they ask, I will neither confirm nor deny their suspicions. The purpose of this article is to help you find the right pub and ask the right questions when you book. It is based on many years experience of sometimes asking the wrong questions.

CAMRA have published guides called “Beer, Bed and Breakfast” but only every few years. This means that, like many other “Good ….. Guides” it is out of date by the time it is published. With the fluctuating state of the country’s economy, changes in Health and Safety regulations and many other causes, a year old copy of these books is only useful as a starting point and many disappointing ‘phone calls may be the result.The best way to update your information, is to ask the local CAMRA branch contact for their recommendations. If you particularly want to stay in a certain town or village, but the pub is fully booked, they will probably have a few tame B&B establishments within staggering distance. It’s not quite the same but…

Terms used:-Pub. Licensed Premises – sometimes with accommodationInn. Licensed Premises designed to provide accommodation (but not always supplying it.)Hotel. Accommodation – sometimes with an integral or attached bar.

BUT – Names may stay the same over the centuries but modern health concerns may change the buildings’ use; so do not assume that the “George Inn” has any accommodation just because it’s called an Inn. It may have proved impossible to upgrade the guest’s privy at the bottom of the garden which was perfectly acceptable when the place was built and named.

My personal views on staying in pubs are based on these requirements:-1. A good evening meal and some proper beer to wash it down.2. Someone to talk with over a couple of pints.3. A comfy room.4. A hearty breakfast.

Popular Misconceptions 1 – Price

Pubs are not necessarily cheap places in which to stay.When I started staying in pubs in the 1970s, most establishments looked upon the accommodation side of the business as a bit of pin money for the landlord’s wife – the real business was serving beer to the locals. At this time, pub accommodation was relatively cheap, but it was also relatively basic compared to what we see now. The room then had a bed, a cupboard/wardrobe and sometimes a chair. The (one) bathroom was along a corridor and shared with the rest of the guests and sometimes the licensee’s family. Fire precautions were a bucket of sand in the corridor (which I always tripped over en route to the bathroom) and tea making facilities were in the Temperance Tea-Rooms at the other end of the High Street. Since then, the car, bicycle and walking boot has improved the quality of pub accommodation, at least in rural areas, by leaps and bounds. Landlords have to tread

Staying in Pubs, some ideas and warnings


a cautious path, however, as the cost of decorating and equipping a room to the required standards will take many years to recoup.

In towns and cities, it seems that there are fewer and fewer pubs with accommodation – the market being led by the chain motels which seem to spring up in the area between the motorway and the city. The advent of the “pubco” has also brought about changes. In some cases, the accommodation side of the business is “outsourced” to a separate company which may or may not be on amicable terms with the pub itself.

Noise

One of the problems with staying in pubs is their unpredictability. One example of this I remember from a pub in the remoteness of Norfolk. The first night was fine – a good meal, a few pints and a chat with the locals

followed by the landlord closing early and a good nights sleep. The next night was much the same until 10pm when a coach of rugby players turned up and virtually took over until 2 am. In these cases your bedroom is always directly over the bar area.

Another problem is piped music. To maximise the bar area, the loudspeakers are often mounted near the ceiling – i.e. just underneath your bed. There is a particularly pernicious type of juke box that has a sulking/attention-seeking circuit. This plays extracts from its repertoire every few minutes when no-one is feeding it money and always picks the most penetrating noise that it has available.

Most reputable pub guides give some indication of the type of pub and whether recorded or live music is regularly played. The Good Beer Guide has a “Q” (Quiet) mark applied to some listed pubs that are “free from piped music, jukeboxes, electronic


Booking your room:-

If the chosen pub has a website, a lot of background information can be found anonymously, but I’ve found that the best way to actually make the booking is by phone. If you call at about 9-30 pm, you’ll often get a good idea of the “ambience” (that’s posh for “noise level”). If you are concerned about the “occasional live music” mentioned in the GBG description, the first thing to ask is “Have you got any music on next Wednesday (or whatever)” as if you were an aficionado of local amateur bands. If the reply is “You’re in luck mate, Depleted Uranium Stoats are on all evening”, then mumble Great, Groovy or Cool and hang up, (unless you have a liking for such entertainment of course).Once you have found a (possibly quieter) pub…….

Other Things to ask:-

1. …That includes breakfast, does it? Buy me a pint sometime and I’ll explain this one.2. Are you open all day? Arrival time 3-30, opening time 6-30, result misery.3. Do I need to book a table for a meal (on the day of arrival)?4. What time is breakfast? – driving to your next location on an empty stomach is not to be recommended.5. Any CAMRA discount? Some pubs give a discount on the accommodation as well as the beer.

I hope that this will give you some ideas for the summer hols – let us know of your adventures but please remember the libel laws.

Peter Chamberlain - our roving member

games and tvs”. Even this should be treated with care as the guide completes the “Q” description with “(at least one room)”. This could be sorted out during the booking process if you particularly want an early night. This would seem to be the modern equivalent of asking the maitre d’ for “a couple of seats well away from the band”. More pubs are now using out-buildings – stable blocks etc – for accommodation which would seem to avoid the noise problem; but guess where the carpark is !

Popular Misconceptions 2 – Closing Times

There used to be a concept of a “bone fide traveller” who was apparently permitted to bypass many of the licensing laws then in force. As long as he could prove that he was not from the local parish, he could gain admittance to an Inn outside of opening hours, to eat and drink. I encountered these concepts only once, in deepest Herefordshire. I was about to go to my room after a long drive, when a couple of the locals came over and said…“You’re not going up yet are you….?”“Only as long as you’re here, he’s got to carry on serving”“…you being a boney fidey traveller an’ all…”“ and us only just got ‘ere in time ‘cos the tractor broke”The answer to this type of conversation will depend on several factors:-1. The look in the landlord’s eye during the conversation.2. How many days you had planned to stay.3. The expected size of next morning’s breakfast.Number 1 is the decider – If the landlord wants to go to bed, your breakfast may be smaller than expected. However, if hours do get extended, the quality rather than the quantity of the breakfast may well suffer.


Micropubs

Martyn Hillier not only started the trend when he opened the Butchers Arms, but has assisted many others in helping them start a micropub. There is now a micropub association with 15 members, visit www.micropubassociation.co.uk.

A micropub can be basically defined as a small, usually ex shop, that only sells cask ale and basic food with possibly wine available for the ladies. No lager, spirits or plated food and is open basic pub hours, lunchtimes and evenings.

Since the opening of the Butchers Arms (Nov 2005) the majority of micropubs can be

found in Kent, the Conqueror (Nov 2010) in Ramsgate, Bake and Ale House (Apr 2011) in Westgate on Sea, Just Reproach (Dec 2011) in Deal, Four Candles Alehouse (Aug 2012), The Thirty-Nine Steps (Nov 2012) and the Why Not (Dec 2012) in Broadstairs plus our local micropub , the Firkin Alehouse (Nov 2012) in Folkestone.

It is rumoured that a further 8 micropubs will have opened in Kent by the time you read this Marsh Mash.

In addition to the Kent micropubs they can also be found across the country from Hartlepool, The Rat and Ale House (Nov 2009) Newark the Just Beer (Aug 2010), Heanor Derbyshire the Marpool Brewery Alehouse (Sep 2010), Carnforth, the Snug(Aug 2012), Little Chester Alehouse (Nov 2012) Derby, the Bank (Dec 2012) Willingham in Cambridgeshire, and the Doctors Orders (Dec 2012) in Nottingham.

Did anyone spot the mistake in the last edition. The Lifeboat at Margate was not the first micropub, the Butcher’s Arms in Herne between Canterbury and Herne Bay was opened in November 2005. A pub well worth a visit on the No 4 bus route.

The Butcher’s Arms, Herne Image courtesy of

Bob Thompson

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

Adnams bitter, guest ales and traditional cider

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: 11am - 2.30pm & 6.30 - 9.00pmSunday 11am - 4pm

no food served Sunday or Tuesday evenings

Dogs welcome

Opening times: 11am – 11pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday , Saturday

11am - 4pm Tuesday and Sunday

The Shepherd & CrookShear Way, Burmarsh, TN29 0JJ

Tel: 01303 872336


Hop FuzzThe brewery has teamed up with a Kent distributor, Firkin Ale Ltd, which will enable more resources to be directed at brewing. The current range of Cask Ales are:-Martello 3.8%, their latest American ale, brewed with the fruitiest American hops and rich caramel malts, this results in a light bodied and pineapple tasting IPA.English 4%, an amber bitter is a well rounded malty ale, lifting its flavour from malts the blended into the recipe. The finest English hops balance the sweet barley, achieving a mild but pleasant taste.APA 4% made using a unique blend of American hops and sweet malts, creating a hoppy zesty flavour that nicely lingers on the tongue. Light in colour with a medium body this pale ale has hints of melon and a slightly piny aroma.Steam Beer 4.4% an historic beer associated with the west coast of the USA is brewed with a lager yeast without refrigeration and provides a very malty taste with subtle hoppy notes.

Veteran 4.2%, a golden coloured traditional tasting English IPA, lifting its flavour from East Kent Golding’s hops. A well balanced beer that leaves a smooth mouth feel and pleasant malt taste.

Old DairyThe brewery has added an additional 5,000 unitank and a new bottling plant which enables them to fill as many bottles in an hour as they used to do in a day. I’m sure that the off-licences will be pleased with the addition capacity with Red Top now being available in local Morrison’s supermarkets.Red Top 3.8%, Gold Top 4.3% and Blue Top 4.8% continue to be the regular beers supplemented with seasonal beers such as Sun Top 3.6% in the Summer and Snow Top 6% in the Winter. In addition Copper Top 4.1% along with Silver Top 4.5% Cream Stout look like becoming regular offerings as I have seen them at various times in pubs recently.The distribution of Old Dairy’s beers is increasing with a report that 4 of their beers, Scallop Top, Red Top, Snow Top and Murder a Crow, were all available in the Hundred Crows Rising in Islington, North London.

Local Brewery News


A new addition to our popular real ales Brewed on the premises 01233 720444

In March The Old Forge Brewery at The Farriers Arms, Mersham (the brewery built with the help of the LEADER/SEEDA organisation) was in its 30th month of operation, and has recently been up-rated to 6-barrel capacity rather than at the installed 5-barrel per brew. This expansion has affected the economics favourably and brewing is now a little less frequent.

However, the brewery still does not sell outside the Farriers’ own premises so there’s just the one place to sample these excellent beers, other than at the occasional festival.

The 1606 ale ‘made it’ into the top 3 ales at the Taste of Kent competition last year; but this year we were unfortunately too late to

enter - too busy brewing and drinking. Next time though ... Our best-selling and thus our flagship beer is ‘Farriers 1606 - a quaffable ale of 3.7% ABV, blended from 3 malts and traditional Kent Hops giving the Aroma of Lemon and Grass with the familiar soft roasted malts, plus full maltiness in the mouth with a delicate fruity not-too-bitter flavour that leaves a fresh lingering toffee after taste. There have been 6 other seasonal beers brewed, the strongest of which was the formidable 6.4 %ABV ‘Hot Iron’ that was introduced at last year’s Canterbury Beer Festival and then continued-over into The Farriers’ own July Beerfest.

Old Forge Brewery at The Farriers Arms


The most recent additions (now on tap) are ‘Blacksmith’s Best’ (reflecting the side-line work of the early farrier) and ‘Blind Pig’! In the case of the latter, you may wonder “why?”- and here’s the answer: John Epps (who lived till 1816) worked the forge until 1802 and then arranged for his son John (Junior) to succeed him. In April 1806 John (Junior) married Mary Ransley, who was sister to William and James Ransley, both of whom had been hanged at Maidstone, in 1800 , for highway robbery: she was also cousin to George Ransley who later led the infamous Aldington gang of smugglers. So possibly some disrepute (or fame) was brought upon the business, by association. Both John Epps Senior and his son were known to have dabbled in the brewing of ales, and at one time the house was likely to have been an unlicensed “tap” or “Blind Pig” - as in those days locals often referred to such places. In

1828, John Epps Junior sold both house and forge to one William Prebble (farrier and common beer seller), who promptly applied for, and in 1829 was granted, a licence to sell ales and ciders from his recently-acquired premises at Mersham. He called these premises the “Farriers Arms.”

So, there’s the connection, that can be cemented further when you partake of the fine ales.

Landlord Mike Baker and his wife Ilena are now well into their second year of running the pub; and despite a host of many and varied monthly events, they are already preparing for this year’s 26 - 28 July Beerfest and the 3 - 4 August Forties/Fifties Extravaganza, both with camping facilities, much music, food, charity stalls and other entertainment - and of course a positive wealth of beers.

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

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

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 6DN

Tel: 01303 812125 - email: [email protected] - web: www.thedruminn.com


Colsan is a family run business which prides itself on giving the customer a more personal service, to meet specific requirements and budgets.

Colsan Instrument Services has been working in the dairy, food and beverage industry since 1979, both in the supply and maintenance of related equipment and instrumentation, and calibration.

They have in the past few years, become more involved in the manufacture and supply of brewery equipment, mainly using redundant, and re-manufactured equipment from their large stock of tanks, pumps, plate packs, pipework and valves.

Whether you need a 10 barrel, copper clad micro brewery for a pub/restaurant, or a 1 barrel system for an up scaling home brewer, Colsan would be pleased to discuss your requirements.

They manufacture equipment to the customers individual specifications, and also supply new equipment manufactured in this country, or if preferred, imported.

Colsan also supply, temperature recorders, probes and controllers etc, suitable for the dairy and food industry, and the service department can provide UKAS test certification of instrumentation.

Colsan Instrument Services Ltd

Colsan Instrument Services can supply tanks, pumps, pipework etc, either individually or assembled as required for all your brewery needs

Colsan Instrument Services LtdBower Farm, Brook StreetWoodchurch, Nr AshfordKent, TN26 3SYTel: 01233 860760E-mail: [email protected]

Local Brewery Equipment Supplier


THELIFEBOAT

INN 42 North StreetFolkestone, CT19 6AF

Selection Of Fine Real AlesAnd Good Hot Meals Served

Also Sunday Roasts

Beer Garden & Harbour ViewsTelephone: 01303 252877

Just off Folkestone Harbour

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 2013Sat 27 & Sun 28 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 2013 Good Beer GuideSee TripAdvisor for reviews

Facebook - The White Hart, Newenden

Everyone made very welcome

CINQUE PORTS ARMS - Freehouse

www.cinqueportsarms.co.uk - [email protected] High Street, New Romney, Kent TN28 8BU - Tel: 01797 361894

Next Beer Festival, Friday 26 - Sunday 28 April food including hog roast and lots of live music

Experience our new unique outdoor kitchen

and watch the food being prepared for you by our own Goan Chef

Real ales, great food& large attractive enclosed garden

Open from midday, all day, every day

Traditional English food also available


East Brabourne Five Bells

Elham Kings Arms

Folkestone Chambers

Folkestone Firkin Ale House

Hastingleigh Bowl

Hythe Britannia

Hythe Globe Inn

Hythe Three Mariners

Hythe White Hart

Kennington Old Mill

Mersham Farriers Arms

Newenden White Hart

Pluckley Dering Arms

Rolvenden Star

Sandgate Ship

Shadoxhurst Kings Arms

Snargate Red Lion

Stowting Tiger

Wittersham Swan

Woodchurch Six Bells

Wye New Flying Horse

As with many organisations image is paramount. Ashford, Folkestone and Romney Marsh to use our full title for the Branch in the eyes of CAMRA HQ, is as you will agree, a bit of a mouthful and we locally have abbreviated the name to AFRM which is reflected in our website www.CAMRA-AFRM.org.uk. The branch magazine that you are currently reading, I think reflects some of the local area by being entitled “Marsh Mash” although the branch area covers most of Shepway and Ashford District Councils.

We now think the time is right to design a unique Branch logo that can be used on our website, magazine and correspondence and hence we are looking for designs to be considered for our exclusive use.

If you are a budding Graphic Designer who would like to submit a design for our use, please send it to AFRM Branch Logo, The Cottage, The Green, Saltwood, Kent CT214PS or e-mail it to [email protected]

Branch Logo Competition

Bar Billiards Since the last Marsh Mash I have been informed that the Earl of Clarendon also has a bar billiard table.

Off Licences with “Real Ale in the Bottle”Following our article on off licences that sell real ale in the bottle we have heard from a local CAMRA member that Liquid Pleasure in Tenterden High Street are very good for Old Dairy and other breweries’ bottle-conditioned beers.

Marsh Mash Updates

Below is the list of current pubs known to regularly serve beers brewed within 30 miles of the pub.

If your local pub regularly serves beers brewed within 30 miles of your pub, please let us know and we will consider them for LocAle accreditation and help with the environment by reducing the “beer miles” between brewery and pub.


Marsh Mash InformationProduced by the Ashford, Folkestone and Romney Marsh Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale Ltd. (CAMRA)

Circulation 2500Editors: 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, Justin Nelson and Bob Thompson.

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 E-mail: [email protected]

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.

Branch Contacts

Chairman: Bob Martin Treasurer: Stephen Rawlings Secretary: Michael Line Membership Secretary: Virginia HodgeBranch Contact: Stephen Rawlings Telephone: 07885 218972 Branch Webmaster: Keith Johnson Pubs Officer: Justin Nelson Advertising: Bob Martin Website: www.camra-afrm.org.ukYahoo Group : For all branch members http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/AFRM_Camra

CAMRA230 Hatfield Road, St Albans AL1 4LW Telephone: 01727 867201

© Campaign for Real Ale 2013

Advertising Rates

¼ page £35.00½ page £60.00Full page £100.00

Keep up to date with what is going on Beer Festivals, Social Events, Local Beer, News, CAMRA Activities by visiting our website:www.camra-afrm.org.uk or by joining our Yahoo email group - members only.

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

Pub open all day every day 12 noon to 23:00Restaurant open every day 12 noon to 15:00Last orders 14:30

The Star Inn, St Mary in the Marsh

Brian and Barbs McManus o�er a warm welcome at the Star InnCome in and enjoy our house real ales and 2 ever changing guest beers

Freshly made rolls are normally available throughout the day for £1.50 eachRomney Marsh, Kent TN29 0BX

Tel: 01797 362139

Gates open 4pm Friday, Show starts 12pm Saturday. For more info see UK Association SE Facebook page

A SHOW PUT ON FOR PETROL HEADS BY PETROL HEADS

HOME GROWN CUSTOM ‘N’ CLASSIC SHOWat The Star Inn, St Mary in the Marsh, Kent TN29 0BX

With Live Music from the legendary RHYTHM DOCTORS who will be headlining Friday

night and the top rockabilly trio the MEMPHIS FLYERS

headlining Saturday night

Trophies for the best Custom Bike, Classic Bike, Custom Car,

Classic Car, Custom Truck, Classic Truck, Cafe Racer, Scooter, Trike & Best Rat

ALL PROFITS FROM THIS EVENT WILL BE DONATED TO CHARITY

Friday 10th, Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th May 2013

Breakfastwill be available

BBQ, Real Ales& Ciders

www.thestarinn-themarsh.co.uk Email: [email protected]

Marsh Mash Spring 2013

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Transcript of Marsh Mash Spring 2013