Saturday, 12 November 2011

10th Egham Beer Festival 3rd-6th Nov 2011 report

This is a nice easy festival for me to get to, being 10 minutes walk from home. The usual great selection of beers from new brewerys and special beers from not so new ones. I worked at the outside bar on wednesday evening ( a preview session for club members), thursday and sunday evenings. I also visited friday afternoon but didn't work. I also manned the door for a couple of hours on sunday afternoon.

This was the state of play at thursday morning (with thanks to Bob Inman)

OUTSIDE `DARK' BAR
Ascot Ales - Last of the Blue Devils: Cassis – 8.0% – *Special*
Botanist - Night Porter – 5.0% – *New*
Brightside - Darkside Stout – 4.6% – *New*
Canterbury Brewers - Foundry Black – 4.0% – *New*
Kent - Coffee Porter – 5.5% - *New*
Old Dairy - Tsar Top – 8.0% - *New*
Vibrant Forest - Dark Castle Porter - 5.2% - *New*
Windsor & Eton - Conqueror 1075 – 7.4% - *Limited edition*

OUTSIDE STILLAGE
Ascot Ales - Single Hop Nelson Sauvin – 4.6% – *New* (corrected ABV)
Ascot Ales - Emporer Penguin – 7.0% – *Limited edition*
Binghams - Hop Harvest Best – 3.7% - *Limited edition*
Binghams - Hot Dog – 5.0% – *Special* Doodle Stout plus chilli
Botanist - Organic Pumpkin Ale – 5.4% – *New*
Brightside - Brightside Best Bitter – 4.3% – *New*
Brightside - Solstice Dry Hopped Golden Ale – 4.8% – *Limited edition*
By The Horns - Pale Ale– 3.8% – *New*
Camden Town - Showboat Brown Ale – 4.5% - *New*
Canterbury Brewers - Biggleston's Brown Ale – 3.8% - *New*
East London Brewing - Foundation Bitter - 4.2% – *New*
Havant - X-Rated – 4.2% - *Special* (Blackberry Milk Stout)
Kent Brewery - Chilli Ginger – 4.0% - *Special*
London Brewers Alliance - IPA - 5.8% - *Limited edition*
Longdog - Bunny Chaser - 3.6% - *New*
Moncada - Notting Hill Blonde - 4.2% - *New* (cask 1 of 2)
Moncada - Notting Hill Bitter – 4.3% - *New* (cask 1 of 2)
Old Dairy - Fresh Hop – 4.0% – *New*
Redchurch - Bethnal Pale Ale – 5.5% – *Special*
Vibrant Forest - Ginga Ninja 4.0% - *New*
Vibrant Forest - Mrs Miggins – 4.5% - *Special*
XT Brewing - X Egham Ten – 5.1% – *Special*

INSIDE BAR (non-festival beers)
Acorn – Moor Porter – 4.6%
Binghams – Coffee Stout – 5.0%
Binghams – Vanilla Stout – 5.0%
Havant – 7 Pointer – 7.0%
Rebellion – IPA – 3.8%
Rebellion – Decomposed – 4.2%

TAPPED IN CELLAR (Next on inside bar)
Hammerpot – Harvest Ale - 4.8% (non festival beer)
Binghams - Old Ale – 4.5% - *New* (cask 1 of 2)
London Fields Brewery - Love Not War – 4.2% - *New*
Moncada - Notting Hill Amber – 4.9% - *New*
Windsor & Eton - Irish Conqueror – 5.8% - *Special* bottle of Irish Whiskey
added (corrected ABV)
XT Brewing - XXXXX Sorachi Roast – 4.1% - *Special*

STILL TO COME
Ascot Ales - Single Hop Mount Hood – 4.6% – *New* (corrected ABV)
Ascot Ales - Last of the Blue Devils: Aniseed – 8.0% – *Special*
Binghams - Old Ale – 4.5% - *New* (cask 2 of 2)
Botanist - Humulus Lupulus Mk 2 – 4.6% – *New*
Botanist - Dunkel Berry – 4.8% - *New*
Botanist - Organic Pumpkin Ale – 5.4% – *New*
Brightside - Solstice Golden Ale – 4.5% – *New*
Brightside - Maverick IPA – 4.8% – *New* (correct ABV not 4.5%)
By The Horns - Pale Wheat – 4.0% – *New*
By The Horns - Red – 4.9% – *New*
Camden Town - Town Bitter – 3.8% - *New*
Canterbury Brewers - Scrumpkin - 4.6% – *Limited edition*
Canterbury Brewers - Foundry Steam – 5.4% – *New*
East London Brewing - Pale Ale – 4.0% – *New*
Havant - By A Nose – 4.0% – *Limited edition* (Ascot Racecourse Festival
Special)
Kent Brewery - Harvest Moon – 4.6% - *New*
London Fields Brewery - Hackney Hopster – 4.2% - *New*
Longdog - Lamplight Porter – 5.0% – *New*
Moncada - Notting Hill Blonde - 4.2% - *New* (cask 2 of 2)
Moncada - Notting Hill Bitter – 4.3% - *New* (cask 2 of 2)
Old Dairy - AK1911 – 4.0% - *New*
Old Dairy - Czech Mate - 5.0% – *New*
Vibrant Forest - Summerlands - 3.8% - *New*
Vibrant Forest - Stormbrew - 4.2% - *New*
Vibrant Forest - Wheatwave - 4.8% - *New*

NO SHOWS
Botanist - Three Nine One – 4.0% – *New*
Botanist - Kew Green – 4.8% – *New*
Slaters - Colombia Coffee Stout – 4.5% - *New*
Slaters - Western American Pale Ale – 5.0% - *New*

LATE DELIVERY (due tomorrow 3rd November)
Rectory Ales - St Michael's Bitter – 5.0% - *New*Unfortunately this beer didn't arrive due to logistical problems.
Outside casks
The outside bar
Inside the Club

We had visitors from far and wide. Sheffield, Stockport, Retford, Ipswich, Norwich, Swindon, Blackburn, Croydon, Tonbridge, Southampton, Woking, St Albans, London, amogst others, and not forgetting a lot of club members were enjoying the festival beers as well.

Happy drinkers inside

A few notes about some of the beers I sampled follows:

Ascot Ales website Emperor Penguin, aged for a year in a rum cask was amazing. Dark and rich tasting and very very enjoyable.
Windsor & Eton's website Conqueror 1075 was brilliant. A 7.4% version of their 5.0% Conqueror was much more smoother and a more even and balanced taste. They also did another special version Conqueror for the beer festival called Irish Conqueror at 5.8%, this had a bottle of Irish Whiskey added to the cask, which made a very interesting tasting beer. Well done and thank you to the brewers for this.
Brightside Brewerys (website) Maverick at 4.8% had good hop flavour and a well balaced overall taste.
Old Dairy (website) Czech Mate. a 5.0% lager style ale also stood out for me.
Binghams (website) Old Ale was good, very similar to the classic Harveys (website) Old Ale as a friend remarked.


On the saturday afternoon the club was visited by 4 representatives of the Irish Guards. Windsor and Eton brewery and the Egham United Services Club have been raising money for Ale4Forces website and were both very pleased to hand over cheques for the money raised.


4 Irish Guards plus mascot who has the rank of Lance Corporal



And finally some photos from sunday afternoon







When I left on sunday eveming, there were 12 beers left outside and a few inside. A great result. The festival was once again more successful than the previous. Big thanks to ALL the clubs staff and volunteers that make this festival what it is.

Another new London brewery and 2 new pubs

Wednesday 9th November saw the launch of London's latest brewery. Tap East is located in the bar of the same name in the Westfield shopping centre in Stratford. Nearest station is Stratford International (now also on the Docklands Light Railway so I got a new bit of line and a new station visit). Their first brew was called Extra Stout at 6.6% but to me tasted nearer a barley wine. Very pleasant drink though. I also had 2 other excellent ales: St Peters (website) Hop Harvest 4.0% and Arbor (website) Powerhouse Porter 4.0%. 6 handpumps available so you should find something you like there.

Tap East viewed from outside

Some happy beer tickers or scoopers and a pen tester

Bar
Bar
Brewery

Then I went to Canonbury station for the Snooty Fox. Located almost opposite the station, walk left as you exit the station. I had an excellent pint of Windsor and Eton's Knight of the Garter. Also on was Sambrook Wandle and Truman's Runner brewed at Nethergate and St Austell' Tribute.


Outside of Snooty Fox
 
Bar

I believe the Snooty Fox only sells real ales from independent brewerys.  It also has a vinyl jukebox with lots of 60's and 70's music. Very dark inside mind you, which doesn't appeal to me, but the beer was good and it was only a short visit.

Friday, 11 November 2011

The 19:57 from Euston

Something unusual on London Overground. Watch to the end.

With thanks to the Railway Eye blog.


Wednesday, 26 October 2011

Nottingham Beer Festival

From 13th - 15th October I worked at the Nottingham Robin Hood Beer Festival located in the grounds of Nottingham Castle. This was my first visit to this beer festival, the promise of over 900 different real ales helped me decide to give it a try. I was not dissappointed. An excellent location, friendly and helpful staff, and a great selection of ales including quite a lot from breweries I had not yet sampled.

I arrived at Nottingham station at about 2 o'clock on the 13th and decided to visit a couple of pubs I had been to on previous visits on my way to my hotel.

 The photo above is of the Canal House, complete with canal running through the middle of the pub. It is owned by Casle Rock brewery and I had a half of their Spyke Goldings Ale.
 The photo above is of the Salutation. A free house where I drunk a half of each of Clearwater - Proper Ansome, Abbeydale - Contraption and White Rose - Guaranteed Sunshine.

Then having booked in at my hotel, a 3 minute walk took me to the beer festival entrance and the sight below.

Pathway leading to marquee

 
First view of inside the massive main tent.
























I signed in at the staffing desk, asked which bar I would be working at and was told I could work at whichever bar I liked. I made my way to Bar A & B where I worked from 1530 to 2300.
Friday and saturday I worked on the bars 11-11. Long days, but good fun, plenty of breaks to keep me going plus drinking thirds of lots of new beers. I also found time to take some more photos.

Main beer tent

Main beer tent

A view looking out
A view looking out

A view looking out

Belly dancers at a beer festival!!!

Night time

Night time

Over the3 days I had beers from some great new brewerys. It is definately one of the best CAMRA beer festivals. I can't decide on my favourite though cos they are all different. Nottingham this year had great weather, the layout is well thought out, spacious, yet still cosy. I particularly like the fact that the music tent is separate from the main tent. The bar by the bandstand was a beer festival in its own right.

When I get some more time I will list some of the breweys featured here and some comments on the beers themselves.

So, will I be back next year. Of course I will. It takes some great organising to make these festivals work this showed. I'm glad to have been a small part of this festival team.


Before going home on the sunday I went for a little walk along the canal, near the station.


Nottingham railway station

Monday, 24 October 2011

10th Egham Beer Festival 3rd-6th Nov 2011

Blatant plug for my local. The 10th beer festival at the Egham United Services Club.
People come from far and wide to visit and sample some great beers. Lots of new beers and brewery's feature here and the latest draft of the beer list is shown below:

Ascot Ales, Camberley, Surrey (2007)

  • Single Hop Mount Hood - 5.0% *New*
  • Single Hop Nelson Sauvin - 5.0% *New*
  • Emperor Penguin  7.0+% - *Special* Penguin Porter aged for a year in bourbon casks
  • Last of the Blue Devils  Aniseed - 8% *Special*
  • Last of the Blue Devils  Cassis - 8% *Special*

Bingham, Ruscombe, Berks (2010)

  • Hop Harvest Best -  3.7% *New*
  • Chilli Doodle – 5%  *Special*
  • Old – 4.5%  *New*

Botanist Brewery & Kitchen, Kew Green, West London (2011)

  • Humulus Lupulus  – 3.8%  *New*
  • Three Nine One - 4.0%  *New*
  • OK Bitter – 4.2% *New*
  • Dunkel Berry - 4.8% *New*
  • Kew Green – 4.8%  *New*
  • Night Porter – 5.0%  *New*
  • Queen Charlotte - 5.2% – *New*

Brightside, Bury, Lancs (2011)

  • Brightside Best Bitter – 4.3% *New*
  • Solstice Special Dry Hop – 4.8% *New*
  • Solstice Golden Ale – 4.5% *New*
  • Maverick IPA  - 4.8% *New*
  • Darkside Stout – 4.6% *New*

By The Horns, Wimbledon, SW17 (2011)

  • Pale Ale – 3.9% *New*
  • Midnight Red - 4.8% *New*
  • South Wheat London - 4.1% *New*

Camden Town Brewery

  • Town Bitter – 3.8%
  • Showboat Brown Ale – 4.5% *New*

Canterbury Brewers, Canterbury, Kent (2011)

  • Biggleston’s Brown – 3.8 *New*
  • Black – 4.0 *New*
  • Pumpkin Ale – 4.6 *New*
  • Steam – 5.5 *New*

East London Brewing, London E10 (2011)

  • Pale Ale - 4.0% *New*
  • Foundation Bitter – 4.2% *New*

Havant, Cowplain, Hampshire (2009)

  • By A Nose – 4.0% *Special*
  • Blackberry Stout – 4.2% *Special*

Kent, Birling, Kent (2011)

  • Chilli Ginger - x.x% *Special*
  • Coffee Porter – x.x% *New*
  • Harvest Moon – 4.6% *New*

London Brewers Alliance

  • IPA – 5.8% *Limited Edition*

London Fields Brewery, London E8 (2011)

  • Hackney Hopstar - x.x% *New*
  • Love Not War - x.x% *New*
  • Session Ale - x.x% *New*
  • Ian’s Landlord - x.x% *New*
  • Galaxy Single Hop - x.x% *New*
  • Summit Single Hop - x.x% *New*
  • Wheat Beer - x.x% *New*
  • TBC - x.x% *New*

Longdog, Basingstoke (2011)

  • Bunny Chaser – 3.6% *New*
  • Lamplight Porter – 5.0% *New*

Moncada, London W10 (2011)

  • Notting Hill Blonde – 4.2% *New*
  • Notting Hill Bitter – 4.3% *New*
  • Notting Hill Amber – 4.9% *New*

Old Dairy, Rolvendon, Kent (2010)

  • Fresh Hop - 4.0% *New*
  • AK1911 - 4.0% *New*
  • Czech Mate – 5.0% *New*
  • Tsar Top - 8.0% *New*

Redchurch, London E2 (2011)

  • Pale (TBC) - x.x%  *Special*
  • Blonde (TBC) – x.x%  *Special*

Slaters, Stafford, Staffs (1995)

  • Colombia Coffee Stout - 4.5%  *New*
  • Western American Pale Ale – 5/0% *New*

Vibrant Forest, Totton, Hants (2011)

  • Summerlands 3.8% *New*
  • Ginga Ninja 4.0% *New*
  • Vibrant Best 4.2% *New*
  • Oat Stout 4.5% *New*
  • Wheatwave 4.8% *New*
  • Dark Castle Porter 5.2% *New*

Windsor & Eton, Windsor, Berks (2010)

  • 1075 - 7.4% *Limited Edition*
  • Irish Conqueror – 5.0% *Special*

XT Brewing, Long Crendon, Bucks (2011)

  • X Egham Ten - 5.1% *Special*
  • XXXXX Sorachi Roast – 4.1% *Special*
Further info from http://www.eghambeerfestival.co.uk/autumn-2011
 

Sunday, 23 October 2011

Pre blog stuff

Some photos taken over the last few months before I started blogging. Every picture tells a story or so they say.
To celebrate my birthday in May I arranged for a one off beer to be on sale in the Wenlock Arms in London. This excellent pub is unfortunately up for sale and may not be a pub for much longer.


Mighty Oak - Ian's beer

The pump clip

 The full name of this beer from Mighty Oak Brewery in Maldon in Essex was:
national_bus_man's 45th Birthday (note use of underscore, not hyphen).

One of my favourite railway stations (there is no such thing as a train station) is Surbiton. Art Deco brilliance in my opinion. I managed to get some photos during a quiet spell (most unusual)



Booking Hall, although modernised, it still is impressive

To The Trains. Simples!
A photo of Blackfriars station taken from the terrace of the Olde Thameside Inn near Borough Market that I liked .


Some shots around the Borough Market area near London Bridge station.

Market with 'The Shard' under construction in the background



The Market Porter pub

The Rake bar.




 From the London Eye on my first ever trip. Glorious weather gave some impressive views.






After the London Eye we went to a pub in Greenwich and I took this picture of the Dome.


 A Leyland National I did a little bit of help in restoring.



After the Alton Bus Rally in July, the staff retired to MHR platform 3 for a barbecue. The MHR had donated some beer for the helpers and decided to give the trolley the beer was sat on a name. Not my idea at all, I knew nothing about it beforehand.


Sunday, 2 October 2011

Recent and Future Beer Festival visits

Over the past few days I've been working at 2 CAMRA beer festivals. Wednesday and thursday afternoons were spent at St Albans Beer Festival. I was serving on the stage bar aka 'tickers' bar. I managed to find time to drink beer from a number of new brewery's to me. Black Paw, London Fields, London Brewing Co, Holsworthy, Mobberley and West Country.

The Stage Bar

The Stage Bar

A colourful train home
Friday and saturday was spent at Ascot Beer Festival, at Ascot Racecourse. For a change, I had volunteered to help with the CAMRA membership stand. However this was not to be. The organisers had decided that it would be better if individuals went round the festival as a sort of mobile recruitment stand. This sounded like a good challenge for me and I'm pleased to report that I recruited 16 new members to CAMRA over the 2 days. I did feel a bit like one of those 'chuggers' (1) you see on the high streets, but at least I didn't have to wear a brightly coloured vest. Beers were mostly from local brewers, but there was also a small Yorkshire bar.
You're welcome

Beers

More beers

Fullers Brewery dray

The spectacular grandstand at Ascot racecourse


And now for future beer festivals. I shall be making my first visit to the Nottingham Beer Festival (13th - 15th October) http://www.beerfestival.nottinghamcamra.org/

And a plug for my local beer festival at the Egham United Services Club (3rd - 6th November)
http://www.eghambeerfestival.co.uk/autumn-2011




(1) chugger = charity mugger http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=chugger