CAMRA - National Pub of the Year and Southwark pub crawl

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/album.php?aid=283006&id=256056404862

Definitely included this pub on a couple of our London pub crawls in the past, just round the corner from the Chandos (Museum Ale) if my memory serves me correctly. I'm sure its a worthy winner!

If its London pubs then these days I always seem to end up around the Southwark area. The list of decent real ale pubs is really worth considering:

I add the Royal Oak mainly because of the food I had there, Roast Rabbit with mash, but the beer was excellent too.

The best pubs here would probably be:

Market Porter: Excellent pub always with at least 6-8 real ales on, which they constantly change!

George Inn: For it history ... and its beer!

Westerham Brewery

http://www.westerhambrewery.co.uk/

Possibly the nearest brewery to my home. The Crown in Old Oxted always seems to have one of theirs on tap.
On Friday night it was the SPA, which a bit light on taste, but still pleasant none-the-less, I had two pints of it so I must've approved to a degree! Funnily enough the SPA is another light citrus tasting beer, not normally what I go for, but there you go!


From the website:
SPA: A hoppy, citrus flavoured golden ale made with hops from the Scotney and Finchcocks' hop gardens of West Kent.


Personally i've always liked the British Bulldog “BB” 4.3% Best Bitter

Again from the website:A rich, full bodied best bitter in the traditional Kent style. Finest Maris Otter pale ale malt and crystal malt for colour and richness. Hopped with local Kent Northdown and Finchcocks' Whitbread Golding Variety hops for a full flavour and aroma.

Chef and Brewer pubs - Cask Ale Festival - 6 Weeks. 22 Ales

Week 1
http://www.chefandbrewer.com/chefandbrewer/events/cask-ale-festival/week-1/c

Some fairly big companies in this festival not giving it quite the same appeal as, say, a Wetherspoons beer festival which is a bit of a shame, but some independent brewers can be found for example during the first week
Brains - Bread of Heaven (4.0% ABV) and the Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted (3.8% ABV)

Both of these not on in the Old Bell Oxted on Friday night ... humph ... had the Hobgoblin, which isn't one of my favourites!

Badger - bottled beers

From Hall and Woodhouse

Golden beers are not my favourite, and this one follows suite, it says on the back brewed with Elderflower and thats very apparent in the taste. I'l stick with the Fursty Ferret from now on I think!

Badger - Golden ChampionStrength: 5.0%
Colour: Light almost golden
Taste: Fragrant aroma!
Other brewery alternatives: Badger First Gold, Tanglefoot, Poachers Choice, Golden Glory, Englands Gold
Other Seasonal alternatives: Fursty Ferret

Panther Brewery

http://www.pantherbrewery.co.uk/

Had to comment on this new brewery (opened 2010). I've never had the beer, as it only been around for a short while, but I think I might order some! However, I really am taken by their branding. Whilst they've kept a traditional look and feel, that'll work well as both a beer mat and hand pump sign, they've also made it look really modern and eye-catching. I approve. So well done to both the brewery and to whoever designed it. I hope the beer is as good. I'll let you know!

Valentines Day

http://www.barnsleybeercompany.co.uk/html/beer.php?id=104

Not had this myself, was emailed a link via a friend, but couldn't resist a little plug for them, today of all days!

Sole Bay Inn the pub opposite Adnams Brewery

Do you know I can't be exacty sure what pint this was now, shame on me! All I definitely know is it wasn't Broadside or the Bitter. It was six years ago now. The picture is very pleasant though!

Streatham - Greyhound

Showing my age again!
Now I've not been to the Greyhound for many many years, it may be a great pub, but that's not why I'm discussing it. (FYI - http://web.beerintheevening.com/ - BITE - give it 5.8 out of 10 rated by 20 users)

No why I'm bringing up the pub is that many years ago, it used to brew its own beer on site. And a fine beer it was, i'm talking of Dynamite. I first had a pint of Streatham Dynamite in central London just off Picadilly Circus in the Glassblowers in Glasshouse Street.

Then, I and friends used to make regular trips to Streatham just for a pint of Dynamite, I remember it being a dark fulled bodied beer with plenty of taste.

The reason why I was reminded of this was because I was trying to think of the strongest beer I've ever drunk, and maybe it was one of theirs - XXXmas ale. They only served it in half pints and asked us if any of us were driving as we'd be over the limit on that half alone. I believe it was 11%, but I could be wrong. I think it was a bit sickly ... but it had to be done!

Can't find out much about the brewery on the web, I think it closed around about the 90's. Shame.

Bluebell Railway Real Ale trip

Bluebell Railway run a very successful rail ale trip, the next one being on 15th April. Now, I'm no steam fanatic by any sorts, but honestly, who can resist a few pints of real ale and a trip on an old steam train... !?

I went two years ago, it was a good night out. A couple of beers on the train down to Sheffield Park, pie and chips and a few more beers in the Bessemer Arms, another beer on the return trip as far as Horsted Keynes then a bar and a jazz band there. All this in the dark which, only adds to the atmosphere (so says my friend Andy ... now he does like trains!).

http://www.bluebell-railway.com/event/rail-ale-evenings/

I'd enjoyed it proven by the fact i'm going again.

This weekend i've drunk ...

Joseph Holt - 1849: which was bottled and made for a very fresh friday night relax! Morrisons sell this, and its worth searching out, I think it was in the £1.69 bracket, so not their cheapest range, but still on a deal.
http://www.joseph-holt.com/

Young's - Bitter: also bottled, this followed the 1849 and was a little weaker in comparison. In a Young's pub I'd always go for a half of Special with a half of Ram Rod ... hmm Ram and Special, so its no surprise the ordinary isn't quite enough for me!
Wells - Bombardier: which I regularly have if I see it in pubs, had a fine pint of this in the Bell in Old Oxted. With a free lunch courtesy of Tesco Clubcards. Wells and Youngs are of course one company now. Bit of shame Youngs had to close their brewery in Wandsworth, I used to have to drive past on the way to work and was regularly held up by the draymen delivering beer to the local pubs by horse drawn carts, somehow it didn't seem to matter, however late I was, or perhaps thats rose tinted specs shining through after all these years! http://www.bombardier.co.uk/#

Saturday lunchtime I found another new brewery to me -
Ramsbury Brewery, I had a pint of Kennet Valley Ramsbury. http://www.ramsburybrewery.com/index.html
I had it in the Wetherspoons outside Norwood Junction. It's quite a bitter bitter, but it went down smooth enough and I'd give it another shot if I came across it!