Jubilant Ron

The presentation to Ron and Annie Blown of the Bowl, who won the AF&RM Branch Pub of the Year 2012 award. This unique village pub which has now featured in the last 6 editions of the Good Beer Guide having been converted from a run down establishment into a thriving village community hub and a Mecca for Kentish Ales.

Contents Page No. Editorial Editorial 2 I hope that you all had an enjoyable, if a little damp What’s On 3 summer, visiting the wide variety of pubs in our area Pub Catering 4 and trying the local ales that are readily available Pub News 6 throughout the region. can now boast of 25 Nimbys Continue to Object 9 breweries in addition to Shepherd Neame. Our previous chairman, Paul Meredith has now Another Local Brewery Success 10 retired and moved to Portugal. I’m not aware of any Tour of TN25 and TN26 Pubs 12 cask ale outlets out there so he will have to survive Shirley’s Recipe 14 on his favourite tipple, cider. He was also the Kent Real Ale For Beginners 16 Cider representative, a position that is now vacant. Brewery History Society 18 Thanks for all the effort Paul put into reviving Marsh Mash and steering us for the last 5 years. K&ESR Beer Festival 21 At the last Branch AGM I was elected as Chairman Beer Tax 22 with Michael Line replacing me as Secretary, full Support Your Local Lifeboats 22 details appear elsewhere in this edition of Marsh Heads Up 24 Mash. Coming Soon 25 One of Paul’s last jobs was with Graham, Ginny and Stephen to plan and implement the successful beer CAMRA Investment Club 26 festival at the Kent & East Sussex Railway in June, Green Hop Beer 28 where there was ample beer and cider for all those Hop Fuzz Interview 30 who attended on a bright but damp day. Whilst I’m of the opinion of the old adage of “if it Advertisers Page No. ain’t broke don’t fix it” we could do with some more willing members to attend our functions and Bowl Inn, 11 to that end our Social Secretary, Nigel North, has Bowl Inn, Hastingleigh 29 planned a wide range of visits both within our Chambers, Folkestone 32 branch area and elsewhere, look at the list on the social page and come along and meet other like Cinque Ports, New Romney 17 minded fellows. Drum, Stanford 25 Nigel has also planned some new venues for socials Farriers Arms, 20 and has a few more embryo ideas including a beer Folkestone Rowing Club 5 and curry evening, more mini bus trips to remote George Inn, 20 pubs and possible to France of Belgium, pub visits by Stagecoach bus or train. These will be added to our Hoodeners Horse, 20 website www.camra-afrm.org.uk and to those Hop Fuzz Brewery, West Hythe 10 members who have signed up to the branch Yahoo Lifeboat Inn, Folkestone 9 group direct notification will be sent. Old Dairy Brewery, 15 Keith our Webmaster, due to other commitments, Oneonetwo wines, Hythe 11 has decided that this will be his last Marsh Mash as joint Editor so we are looking for someone to fill his Podge’s Belgium Beer Tours 24 roll before the next edition, hopefully before Red Lion, Hythe 27 Christmas, so if you are familiar with desktop Red Lion, Snargate 4 publishing please get in touch to ensure that we Shepherd & Crook, Burmarsh 11 continue with Marsh Mash. Star Inn, St Mary in the Marsh 5 In this edition of Marsh Mash, we have added some Three Mariners, Hythe 7 different articles in addition to regular pub news which we hope that you find of interest. White Hart, Hythe 29 Finally we cannot produce Marsh Mash without help White Hart, 9 from you, the branch has 433 members, but only about 10 attend our socials and provide information and articles to produce the text to support our Going somewhere new? advertisers. Why not join us on our social evenings, Seek guidance from GBG if the days are inconvenient please let us know and and avoid duff pubs we will arrange events on other days of the week.

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What’s On

Branch Meetings CAMRA Festivals

For further details on meetings, socials and If you know of any event that beer festivals check out WHAT’S BREWING, might be of interest for the visit our branch website or join our Yahoo notice board, please contact Group (members only). the editorial team, details on Branch Meetings start at 19:30 page 31.

5th September, Three Mariners, Hythe Spa Valley Railway Beer Festival Saturday 20 - Sunday 21 October 10th October, Guildhall Folkestone White Cliffs Winter Festival 14th November, GBG Nominations County Friday 1 and Saturday 2 February 2013 Hotel Ashford (CAMRA members only) Thanet Beer Festival Social Events All welcome Friday 29 and Saturday 30 March 2013

Saturday 22nd September, Old Dairy Brewery. Meet 12:15 outside Bull Rolvenden. Booking essential via Michael Line, email: [email protected]

Tuesday 2nd October, Stagecoach Explorer. Meet Folkestone bus station at 15:00.

Sunday 14th October, Deal pub crawl - meet midday at the Just Reproach

Thursday 25th October, Sandgate historical pub crawl visiting past and present pubs. Meet 18:00 at the Ship. Other Beer Festivals Tuesday 6th November, South Ashford pub East Cliff Tavern, Folkestone crawl, meet at the Locomotive 18:30. Saturday 25 - Monday 27 August Thursday 29th November, Pre-Advent pub Ship, Sandgate crawl in London, see website for details. Saturday 25 - Monday 27 August Saturday 15th December, Day trip to Folkestone Rowing Club Lewes, see website for details. Friday 12 - Sunday 14 October Saturday 29th December, Christmas Social Six Bells, Woodchurch at the Foundry, Canterbury, booking essential Friday 19 - Sunday 21 October via email: [email protected]

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Pub Catering HOME-COOKED & HALF-BAKED Marketing-speak doesn’t appear to be only an affliction of the multi-nationals By our Herefordshire Licensing Twaddle correspondent There is much to commend pubs that serve good equally be made from local ingredients or from old-fashioned home-made food. Eschewing the mass ingredients bought via the internet from a pizza -produced mainstream offerings from national food factory in Slough. So, what is the difference? None, wholesalers, more and more pubs are preparing we would suggest. meals from first principles, and they often use fresh local produce too. It’s all good stuff, especially when combined with Locale beers and locally-made ciders. Meals on Wheels Many pubs in the latest CAMRA Herefordshire Pubs Digital Urinals guide can boast at least some home-made food. The Emperor’s clothes come to mind here. How However, one phrase you will not find to describe a much longer is this specious marketing-speak to pub’s food in the guide is the rather bizarre term persist before someone asks the obvious question: “home-cooked”. what does it mean? Where will we end up if the term “home-cooking” continues to be used Think about it for a moment. What precisely does it unchallenged - pubs advertising organic car parks; mean? What process is involved that makes a pub digital water features or bi-lingual urinals, perhaps? meal “home-cooked” as opposed to being cooked at the pub? Is the food brought-in pre-cooked in foil It’s all complete home-cooked rhubarb. containers from the licensee’s home in a van – This article might well be tongue-in-cheek, but surely that’s Meals on Wheels? Or maybe a pub nonetheless an appeal goes to pubs for 2012: Let’s doesn’t have a commercial kitchen, and meals are please get a grip and ditch the half-baked nonsense. cooked on a domestic cooker on the premises? A meal cooked on a Baby Belling cooker might help explain one or two lengthy waits for a pub meal in the past! Lavatorial tandoori One pub (thankfully not in Herefordshire) is even quoted in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide as offering Kitchen-cooked meals. Duh! Where else would they be cooked? On the roof, or perhaps in a tandoori oven in the ladies loo? What is for sure, is the term “home-cooked” gives absolutely no assurance as to the provenance of the ingredients in a meal. A so-called “home- cooked” meal can

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Pub News

Harvey's Best Bitter as regulars and a Ashford Area frequently revolving range of guest beers such Utopia in Ashford has new owners and as Butcombe “Going for Gold” and changed its name to Horton’s and is reported Wadworth’s offering “Red, White and Brew." to provide a good “full Monty breakfast” for Also the Clifton Hotel continues to serve an less than £5 in addition to the changing cask excellent pint of Bass, scoring very high on the ales. Sharp’s Doom Bar and Woodforde’s NBSS CAMRA Scoring system. I wonder who Wherry were available during June. brews it these days!! The County Hotel, Wetherspoons, which is Sandgate residents are spoilt for choice with listed in the 2012 GBG, continues to supply a four changing beers at the Earl of Clarendon, wide range of good beers at reasonable prices. including one from Gadd’s at Ramsgate; and The Locomotive continues to sell Abigale two ciders and six beers at the Ship from beers, either Ridgeway or Samphire, alongside various breweries including Hopdaemon, Master Brew. Being in close proximity of the Hopback and Dark Star. brewery perhaps the pub should become A joint walk with the Dover branch started at renamed the “Brewery Tap” the Valiant Sailor where Adnam's Lighthouse The George, Bethersden continues to stock and Greene King’s London Glory were very its 3 regular ales, Brakspears Bitter, Harvey’s acceptable at 11 a.m. A breezy stroll along the Sussex and the recent guest ale was Rudgate Downs took us to the Cat & Custard Pot at Viking. Paddlesworth where we had lunch accompanied by Master Brew and Sharp's The Golden Ball, Kennington, after major Special, the latter being the best beer of the building work and battles with the planning walk. Returning to Hawkinge for the bus home, authorities, has recently reopened as the Old we found Marston’s EPA and Hobgoblin at the Mill, now only offers Kentish beers, with Mayfly and Canterbury Jack at the White Abigale being a regular. Horse. Whilst not in our area Alan and Sue at the A Friday daytime in July the British Lion had Bowl, Charing have just celebrated 20 years its usual 2 regular beers plus 2 guests which in charge of the pub. Well worth a visit to included Purity Wild Goose PA at 4.2% abv and congratulate them and enjoy their excellent the Pullman had 3 beers on including Dark range of beers and sandwiches. Star Revelation at 5.7% for those using public transport. Folkestone Area The Castle now shows ‘Sold at Auction’ and is Folkestone continues to be the best town closed, but appears untouched with an within the branch for choice of beers. Recent unknown future, please let us know if you have research discovered Exmoor Gold at Sam any further news? Peto's, three cask beers at the Mariner's on the Stade including Queen Bee from Jennings, Hythe Area four beers at the Lifeboat including Greene The White Hart, whilst is has gained an King IPA Gold, and Hopdaemon Skimshander. excellent reputation for its food continues to The East Cliff Tavern which celebrated its sell ever changing local Kentish beers in th 150 anniversary at the end of August excellent condition. Ben and his family are also continues to offer Kentish beers on a regular slowly, as business permits, restoring the old basis. The Guildhall has Greene King IPA and coaching inn back to its original glory but with

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modern facilities. bus route and renowned for its fish and chips The Red Lion has recently been selling local has recently been Cask Marque accredited and beers, on a recent visit Old Dairy Red Top was selling Adnams Broadside, Harvey’s Best alongside Greene King IPA and Bombardier. Bitter and Rudgate Ruby Mild on a recent visit. The Three Mariners continues to go from The Seahorse, Greatstone, was boarded up strength to strength, with always six beers in August, further information would be available, and turning their beers over too appreciated. quickly. When I hear what is available it is The Plough in New Romney has recently usually sold out by the time I arrive. reopened and was offering Brain’s Rev James in The Marsh and the Hills June, whilst the Prince of Wales has had its planning permission for conversion to The Good Intent, Aldington Frith, which residential agreed by Shepway Council. closed in April due to drainage problems, The Cinque Ports has just had its second remains closed. Any further information into successful annual beer festival and continues to the pubs future would be welcome. offer a good range of ever changing beers. The Grade II listed Star, Lydd, is currently closed and up for sale, hopefully Lydd is not The Downs about to loose another pub after loosing the banks. The Plough, Lees, has a new The Pilot, Dungeness, at the end of the 102 landlord, Mick Mills who was busy picking up

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the pieces from the previous manager and extensively refurbished. The new operators are trying to return the pub to its old self. Mick Rob and Caroline Cowan, who also run a wedding venue at their small farm in High has run several pubs before in North Kent and Halden. On a visit in June, Timothy Taylor Hertfordshire; good luck in his endeavour and Golden Best was in excellent condition and it hope that the pub returns to its old glory as a was claimed that Harvey’s Sussex bitter village local. accounted for over 50% of beer sales including lagers. Adnam’s Broadside being the other The Farriers Arms, Mersham, is currently beer. There was also an empty stillage on the producing 3 of their own beers, namely Farriers bar which had previously been reported to 1606 - their 3.7% house bitter, Summer Gold at have had a barrel of Old Dairy on it. People in 4.1% their summer ale and Hot Iron, a porter have good taste!! clocking in at 6.5% which was brewed for their beer festival at the end of August which may In addition to the re-opening of the Woolpack still be available. a new real outlet, the Wine Kitchen now run by Christian who used to manage the White Also in Mersham it has been reported that Lion and the Mayfly, Hawkinge, has recently the Royal Oak has been selling Samuel Adams been selling a cask ale from the Old Dairy Blond Ambition in cask form which sold out Brewery as an alternative to Marston’s EPA. quickly. Will this be a regular in the Shepherd Neame stable? The White Lion also in Tenterden has installed a further two hand pumps, making 6 in Graham at the Dukes Head, Sellinge, was all. Over the Jubilee weekend, it held a mini offering Hop Fuzz American Ale in June, which beer festival, with 10 beers outside to is a promising change from the usual National supplement the 6 inside (with some overlap) – brews that are usually on offer in the pub. all beers from the Marston’s group, of course. Alicja at the Coach and Horses, Lyminge Emma has left the Crown, St Michaels, and it has been selling London Pride, Harvey’s Best, is reported that she is moving back to the and Exmoor Gold, whilst the Kings Arms Swan, . Let’s hope that she re- Elham has excellent Golden Braid , Harvey’s establishes the character and trade that has Best, and Skimshander pubs are open all day been missing in recent months. and within easy walking distance of the Stagecoach no. 17 bus route. The Swan, , has new landlords, Mark and Debbie and family and renamed the The Rose & Crown Elham broke away from pub The Swan Revived offering Masterbrew, the usual Shepherd Neame range and held a Spitfire, and Doombar, all in good condition mini beer festival offering about 16 ales, many plus good pub food at affordable prices. from Kent. Something I missed as we were not informed of the event or noticed any publicity The Bull Inn, Rolvenden, now appears to be in the local press. offering beers from Old Dairy which is obviously keeping the beer miles to a minimum Harry has left the LocAle and Apple listed with the brewery being just across the field. Black Horse at Monks Horton and after a short closure has reopened under the If there is anything interesting, particularly in stewardship of the owner. It is reported that the Ashford, Folkestone and Romney Marsh several improvements to the facilities are being Area, however small about your local pubs, undertaken, more information in the next issue. please let us know and thanks to all those who have sent me their local pub news or updated Tenterden area NBSS (CAMRA’s National Beer Scoring System), please keep it up, as it makes my life a The Woolpack, Tenterden has reopened lot easier in compiling this report. after being closed for over a year and been Bob the Beer Marsh Mash Summer 2012 Page 8

The NIMBYS Continue to Object

A recent applicant in the South-East has recently had an appeal rejected for his application to convert a redundant Motor Spares shop into a micro-pub, he was attempting to follow in the footsteps of Kent’s successful micro-pubs, namely the Butcher’s Arms Herne, the Lifeboat Ale and Cider House Margate, the Conqueror Ramsgate, the Just Reproach Deal and the Bake and Alehouse Westgate.

The site was located in a neighbourhood which comprised two short shopping parades facing each other, with flats above. The customer area of the pub would have occupied the front ground floor room, with storage at the rear in a similar manner to existing micro-pubs and had proposed to offer a carefully selected but limited range of beers that attract the more discerning customers, who enjoy quiet conversation with their drink and not the kind of behaviour associated with larger town centre drinking establishments. The appealant’s intended closing time was 9pm on Tuesday to Thursday, 10pm on Friday and Saturday, 3pm on Sunday and closed on Monday.

The inspector, having observed that other businesses in the centre, including two takeaways, stayed open until quite late at night considered that it would be unreasonable to allow further undue intensification of evening activities that would intrude into the residents’ quiet enjoyment of their homes. He acknowledged that the small size of the front room would limit numbers but nonetheless found that there would be an increase in evening comings and goings. In addition, there was no outside space for customers wishing to smoke; perhaps the government should modify its total smoking ban in line with other European countries that permit smoking in some bars. The inspector did not doubt the appellant’s intentions regarding how the micro-pub would be run but pointed out that the style of management could change in the future. The police and council have powers to curtail this with the existing licensing legislation. He concluded that the negative aspects of the proposal outweighed the benefit of introducing a new form of use that would bring the premises back and preferred that the shop that had been empty for 2 years should remain empty and support the residents objections although they are happy with the litter and noise in the evenings created by customers of takeaways. Another success for the nimbys!!!

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Another Local Brewery Success

The Maidstone and Mid Kent CAMRA Branch held one of their beer festivals at the East Malling Research Station last September. Their fastest selling beer was Abigale’s Ridgeway Pale, brewed in Ashford. Chris Excell, one of our branch members, was given the honour to present James Wraith, Brewer and Owner of the Abigale Brewery with his certificate whilst he and a group of bus enthusiasts were touring East Kent in a vintage East Kent Road Car Company bus.

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New things in Marsh Mash Beery news in Haiku form Do not be left out

Palate and taste buds Note which beers you try Were they good, bad, or iffy? Tell the Editor

Hop varieties Give each beer a unique taste Did they hail from Wye?

The Readers Digest Tried to improve word power Not much about beer Marsh Mash reaches parts that Readers Digest doesn't

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A Tour of TN25 and TN26 Pubs

On a dull and damp Saturday afternoon, as an pubs offering good value sandwiches. Taking alternative to being glued to the one eyed fish inflation into account perhaps we should have a bowl watching the Cup Final, nine escapees campaign to find pubs selling sandwiches under travelled by coach to several remote pubs £4.00!! across the Marsh an the hills behind. Another detour was then made from our Upon leaving Ashford Station we had a 20- planned route to the Ferry Inn at Stone in minute journey to the first port of call the Star Oxney where we found a good selection of at St Mary in the Marsh, adjacent to Noel beers from local breweries, in excellent Coward’s cottage. Arriving just on opening condition, including one each from Westerham time we found the pub already filling up with and Old Dairy. regular customers. The Star is a regular in the Back on track again we arrived at the historic CAMRA Good Beer guide and the quality of Woolpack, where the pub was the beers available did not let us down. decidedly quiet. It had been re-painted since Our next pub, the Royal Oak, Brookland was my last visit and was now very bright and out disappointing with only two draught beers of keeping with this historic building. Harvey’s Sussex Best and Woodforde’s Wherry so after a quick stop we left and We then made the Blue Anchor, our next stop for a quick pint. A pub not travelled to our next pub, the Woolpack, also in Brookland where some of us had reasonable visited by several of our travellers in recent times. Only a couple of beers, both in good prices sandwiches to accompany our drink. The Shepherd Neame owned Woolpack is a condition were available as Steve and Julia are trying to develop the business of this old multi-roomed old smuggling inn and still retains many historic features and was busy with smuggling pub having re-opened it last customers mainly dining when we arrived, well October. worth visiting when travelling between Ashford A little further up the road we arrived at the and Rye. White Horse, , now run by the Now running ahead of our original program the previous landlord of the Blue Anchor, where we found a good selection of ales from around majority wanted to divert form the agreed route and bribed the driver to make a the country. diversion to visit Doris at the Red Lion The next planned visit was to have been the Snargate, where as usual there was a good Good Intent, Aldington Frith, but it was selection of ales on stillage and busy with local closed due to drainage problems so we and visiting drinkers before we descended for a continued on to the Royal Oak, Mersham to couple of drinks each. introduce ourselves to June who had recently Back on to our original route the next port of taken over the Shepherd Neame village pub. We found the usual friendly welcome when we call was the Black Lion at Appledore, a pub not regularly featured in Marsh Mash but well arrived and found all of the beers in excellent condition before returning to Ashford Station worth the visit. Their web site implies that it is more of a restaurant than a pub and we were for us all to find our respective ways home. pleasantly surprised by the range of cask ales For those who couldn’t make the trip they and also bar snacks sandwiches from £3.75. As missed visits to some excellent historical pubs one of our members pointed out, after a and good beers and a day away from the previous article that appeared in Marsh Mash television since the weather was not fit for on the £3.00 sandwich there are still some gardening or any other outside pursuit.

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Autumn Cider & Apple Trifle

Ingredients:

 4 x Trifle Sponges, 8 Sponge Fingers or 6 x 1”(2.5 cm) squares of sponge cake  1 x 135g (4¾ oz) Slab Raspberry or Blackcurrant Jelly (I used Blackcurrant)  170ml (6 fl oz) Water  Approximately 300ml (11fl oz) Medium Cider (use sweet if you have a sweet tooth) taken from a 1ltr (1¾ pint) bottle – put the rest aside to drink  1 Green Dessert Apple, cored and cut into small pieces (leave the skin on to give a splash of colour)  1 pint (568ml) Milk  3 tbsp (54g/2oz) Custard Powder  1 tbsp (18g/¾ oz) Sugar  1 Packet Birds Dream Topping (33g)  150ml (¼ pint) Milk  Sugar Strands/Bobbles or Fruit (Raspberries/Blackcurrants/Apple Slices)

Or for a real treat, use 300ml (10fl oz) Whipping Cream for the topping

Method: - Pour yourself a glass of cider from the bottle – leaving enough for this recipe!!

Jelly Layer (makes approximately 1 pint (568ml);

 Break the jelly slab up into a microwavable jug and add 170ml (6 fl oz) water, stir, heat up in the microwave for approx 1 minute (based on 750W oven), stirring every 15 seconds until cubes have dissolved (if you do not have a microwave, add the same amount of boiling water to the cubes and stir until dissolved). Make up to 1pint (568ml) with cider. Set to one side to cool a little.  Place sponges in glass dish (approx 3 pint/1¾ litre) and cover with chopped apple, pour over jelly, push apples pieces under jelly surface to make sure they are covered in jelly and set to one side to cool for about 30 minutes, cover with cling film and place in fridge to set for several hours.

Custard Layer (makes approximately 1 pint (568ml);

 Once jelly has set, make up the custard. Put custard powder into a glass jug or basin (approx 2 pint/1170ml capacity), add 3tbs of sugar and 2 tbsp of milk from the pint measured and mix to a paste.  Put the rest of milk in a saucepan (non-stick if possible) and warm up on the hob/cooker top for about 3 minutes, stirring regularly – do not allow it to boil. Stir custard paste again and carefully add half of the warmed milk a little at a time, stirring well between each addition. Once mixed, pour custard back in to the rest of the warm milk and heat through, stirring all the time, until thick – do not leave unattended or allow to boil. Turn heat off, remove pan and allow custard to cool until cold – stir every few minutes to prevent a skin forming (custard thickens during cooling, this is normal).  When completely cold, stir custard and carefully pour over the jelly and put in to fridge for about 30 minutes to allow the custard to set - cover dish with cling film to prevent skin from forming.

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Topping Layer (makes approximately ½ pint (300ml);

 Pour 150ml (¼ pint) milk into a mixing bowl or jug and sprinkle on contents of Dream Topping packet. Whisk hard for about 2 minutes (preferably with an electric whisk) until topping is light and fluffy. Pour over custard, cover with cling film and put in fridge until ready to serve.

If using cream, whip until it holds its shape, pour over the custard and place in the fridge until ready to serve.

To serve;

Decorate with Sugar Strands/Bobbles or Fruit. Best served in individual glass dishes, shared with friends and a glass or two of Cider!

Shirley Johnson AF&RM CAMRA Branch Member

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Real Ale for Beginners

...in the pub It’s on a hand pump. You can see the bar person physically pulling the beer to serve it. You may occasionally see beer served direct from the cask, by gravity from a tap. You often see this at a Beer Festival. If the beer you see is dispensed from a hideous sculpted or illuminated monstrosity on the bar, leave it alone; its not real (it will be lager, keg beer or smooth beer. Leave that for the others and go for the tasty real thing on the hand pump). ...in the supermarket or off-licence Read the label. There may be a CAMRA logo like this one or the label may refer to a yeast sediment, to cloudiness or may actually call it Real Ale in a Bottle or Bottle Conditioned Don’t be misled by the silly names or fancy bottles and labels; you have to do your homework and read the label! Oh, and it’s always bottled. Tins are always very, very bad. What’s it all about? Surely there is plenty of real ale: what is CAMRA needed for any more? Lots of reasons!  Much-loved pubs are closing at a rate of knots, lost for ever.  Favourite brews are axed and well-loved breweries closed.  Popular pubs are turned into theme pubs where many people no longer feel welcome  Pubs with a good choice of real ales stop trying and sell only boring national brands, or even worse, just keg beers. So what can you do about it? Go to the pub more often. There are many alternatives competing for your time and disposable income, but the only one of them that is in danger of disappearing after serving the people of this happy land for centuries, is the traditional pub. There is a pub for everyone. Our pubs are a part of our precious heritage. Very simply, you must use them or lose them. Be less timid when you go to the bar. With well over 2000 Real Ales to choose from in this blessed island, only the staggeringly unadventurous would stick to the handful of heavily advertised mass market brands. Take a chance on finding a truly great beer: go for the hand pump. Join us. The campaign has over 142,600 members. People of all types and ages, united by a love of quality and choice. Europe’s most successful consumer organisation and its best social club. Give us a call, or talk to us at one of our socials or Beer Festivals. You would be most welcome. Your membership application form is on page13

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CAMRA: The Campaign for Real Ale

is a volunteer organisation, the only body speaking for all pub users. We are all doing this in our spare time,. We care about real beer and good pubs. CAMRA is the most successful consumer organisation of all time The voice of the consumer can make a difference, even against uncaring Big Business. We can’t do it without you; we need your help. New members are always very welcome. If you have joined but not shown yourself yet please feel free to get in touch so you can join in with the campaigning and the fun Most of us are house-trained, and we like to have a good time!

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Interested in beer? Of course you are, or you wouldn’t be reading this august magazine. A number of your colleagues in the Kent branches of CAMRA are members of the Brewery History Society and we thought it would be a good idea to tell you a little about this organisation, especially as it was formed in Kent by three local beer enthusiasts. The BHS was formed in Kent 1972 and focuses mainly on British brewery history (including related subjects, such as malting), although foreign news is also reported. We currently have over 550 members including around 90 corporate members, and 15 institutions, major museums and libraries. The Corporate members are mainly brewers and maltsters, of course, but also include such organisations as the Institute of Brewing & Distilling and English Heritage, whilst the Individuals comprise a broad church of industry professionals, historians (both amateur and professional), collectors and those with a general interest in beer and brewing. Publications include a quarterly journal; typically a perfect bound volume full of erudite articles, complemented by a quarterly Newsletter full of industry news, readers’ queries (and hopefully answers) and general informal snippets of information. We also publish books from time to time, generally county directories and, of course, ‘A Century of British Brewers- Plus’, the first essential for all beer aficionados, containing details of over 10,000 British brewers known to have existed since 1890. We have recently published our first colour volume, appropriately a directory of breweries in Kent*. Entitled ‘Kentish Brewers and the Brewers of Kent’, author Peter Moynihan has covered the history of hundreds of breweries, large and small, in this stunning volume’s 282 A4 pages. We hold a number of meetings at breweries throughout the year, have a major archive, an oral history archive and arrange occasional conferences. One area that many people, even non-members, have enjoyed contributing to is our collection of defunct brewery information and photographs. This forms a large part of the web site and records all known examples of now defunct brewery names still to be seen. It is arranged

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geographically and in the Kent section alone we have over 70 entries, including such evocative names as Flint, Tomson & Wotton, Reffell’s, Russell’s, Fremlin, George Beer, Rigden, Ash & Co., Dartford, New Northfleet, Woodhams, Style & Winch, Budden & Biggs and many more. I am sure there are more examples to be found and we are always keen to hear of any that we have missed.

The remains of the Gun Brewery, Folkestone, 1970. Photo: BHS Archive Do please have a look at the web site to get a feel for our activities. As mentioned above, brewery visits form an important part of our calendar and in the past year alone we have had visits to several West Midlands breweries, to Guinness in Dublin, a trip to Nottingham to include the stunning former Prince of Wales Brewery, a town walk and another brewery visit; and a series of walks exploring the brewing and malting sites in parts of London, Newark, the Vale of Aylesbury, North Kent, Edinburgh and Norfolk and an AGM weekend including Fullers, Camden, Brodie’s & Twickenham. Coming up we have visits to Kent, Dorset and West Yorkshire to look at hops and breweries. On a sadder note we also try to visit any brewery threatened with closure. All in all a society of like-minded people, information and fun. Why not join us? You would be very welcome. Contact address for more information: Jeff Sechiari Manor Side East, Mill Lane, Byfleet, Surrey KT14 7RS [email protected] or see www.BreweryHistory.com *Available from The BHS Bookshop, Long High Top, Heptonstall, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire HX7 7PF Price £18.95 plus £3.15 postage & package (£17.95 post free for BHS Members)

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K&ESR Beer Festival, another successful event

We yet again held our annual beer festival at Tenterden Station on the Kent & East Sussex Railway on 15th and 16th June. On offer were 52 different beers from across the country ranging in strength from 3.4% to 6.7%, including 17 from Kent breweries and 3 from East Sussex. In addition there were 2 beers on the train for those who wanted a change of scenery. As is usual at beer festivals visitors are asked to score their beers, this year’s winner being the local brewery Old Dairy from Rolvenden with their 3.6% mild Soft Top, which was also the fastest selling beer, unusual for a mild and a beer festival. The runner up was W J King’s Brighton Blonde at 3.9% with Angus Driver Dark Stout being third at 4.4%. In addition there was a wide range of ciders both local and from around the country that were selected by our out going Branch Chairman and local CAMRA Cider representative (Paul Meredith) before he emigrated to Portugal.

Music was provided throughout Saturday by five bands, Stone Junction, Colby Rivers Blues Band, Bluezy Toonz, Peoples Republic of Mercia and The Swinging Sixties.

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Urgent Action Required on Beer Tax eating (or is it drinking) into your pocket

Beer duty has risen 42% in the last three years. Enough is enough and CAMRA is campaigning for a long term freeze in beer duty. Successive above inflation increases in beer duty and the VAT rise to 20% has hit pub goers hard. On average, you now pay over £1 to the Government in beer duty and VAT for every single pint you buy in the pub (see the table below). The UK now has the second highest duty on beer in the European Union. Unless we can change Government plans UK beer duty will soon be the highest in Europe. Increases in tax on beer and the VAT rise are fuelling a shift in beer consumption away from pubs. Almost half of all beer is now sold in off licences and supermarket chains as we beer drinkers seek to avoid tax rises. In just six years there has been a 30% collapse in the volume of beer sold in pubs as more than 7,000 pubs have closed forever. Beer supports over 1 million jobs; generates over £21 billion in taxes and is vital to the survival of pubs. Despite this unfair beer duty hikes are forcing the beer sector to shrink.

The tax you pay on a pint of 5% beer in the pub is:-

Price of a Pint Excise Duty VAT Total Tax % Tax Take £3.00 55.40p 50p 105.4p 35.1% £3.50 55.40p 58.33p 113.73p 32.4%

the rescue Support Your Local Lifeboats service, and 15p I am sure, like me, you are proud of the two lifeboats is reinvested to we have in our Branch – the all weather Mersey Class generate more lifeboat “Pride and Spirit” based at Dungeness and the funds. inshore lifeboat “Fred Clarke” based at Littlestone. I wonder how Both of these lifeboats are on standby 24 hours a day, many of you 7 days a week, every day of the year, in all weathers, would like to providing a search and rescue service for our local donate funds locally and have no idea how or where beaches, the English Channel and passionately doing to do it. There are many ways to donate, so next what they do best – saving lives at sea. time you are out, or in the pub, keep an eye open for Did you know volunteer lifeboat crew members, the donation boxes/lifeboats in public places, attend shore helpers, fundraisers and those ‘behind the local fund raising events, visit the shop at either scenes’ give their time for free, however they need lifeboat stations, donate online, set up a regular training, well-maintained equipment, first-class payment to the RNLI, to name but a few. Full details lifeboats and shore facilities – and as a charity, they on how to donate, fundraising events, etc, are depend on people like you to help meet the cost. available via their websites: Your support means our crews can save lives quickly, Dungeness Lifeboat: www.dungenesslifeboat.org.uk safely and effectively. Littlestone Lifeboat: www.littlestonelifeboat.co.uk Giving our lifesavers everything they need and RNLI: www.rnli.org.uk deserve – from boots to boats – is costly. There are over 230 lifeboat stations around the UK and Ireland, “The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea”. and our lifeguards patrol over 180 beaches each Shirley Johnson summer. Each year it costs over £140M to run our lifesaving service. For every £1 donated, 85p goes to RNLI and CAMRA Member

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Heads Up Whether you are from the North or South, all drinkers The hop acids that give beer its bitter flavour will not want a head on their beer, but achieving that is easier produce foam in their own right, but they further said than done as Paul Hegarty brewing author and public stabilise the foam by locking the proteins into the affairs consultant who promotes the responsible bubble wall. High-bitterness beers, such as enjoyment of beer explains. continental lagers, ales and stouts produce much more stable heads in a glass than low bitterness beers Brewers have a saying that people drink with such as US-style lagers. their eyes. A beer must not only taste good it must look great. And a good head is a vital element of a But now we come to the villains off the story- great pint. foam negatives that kill foam in even minute quantities. A trace of lipstick on a dirty glass, fat Time and again consumer research shows that people from crisps or nuts on your lips, or a trace of prefer a beer with a head. That doesn’t mean that detergent on a glass that hasn’t been properly rinsed they want to be fobbed off with a glass of foam when after washing. All these will destroy the brewer’s they are paying for the beer. Just a centimetre of hard work in a matter of seconds. foam at the top of the glass that remains as the beer is drunk. However much malt protein and hop bitterness there is in a beer, a head won’t magically appear if the beer This is much easier said than done and literally is dispensed flat or incorrectly in the first place. hundreds of scientific papers, conference proceedings, PhD theses and books have been You have to learn the knack of pouring the beer to published in the quest for that Holy Grail- how do produce the right amount of head-whether it is you produce that consistent, attractive and stable holding a bottle and glass at the right angle or getting head on a glass off beer every time? the correct setting for a cask beer engine. The laws of physics dictate that a liquid will not All scientific research and training of brewers is naturally produce foam. A pan of water on a stove paying off as the quality of beers leaving the will boil dry before it boils over. Only when a liquid breweries is probably better than it has ever been. contains a foam stabiler will the bubbles be anything Where things too often fall down is in the last step of other than transient; remember how quickly the the journey from grain to glass – not being poured “moose” on a glass of champagne disappears. properly or being dispensed into a dirty glass. In the case of beer, the foam stabiliser is protein. Well-trained bar staff are the critical final ingredient Not many people realise that a litre of beer contains needed if drinkers are to enjoy their beer with a head about 10% of your daily protein requirement. This that they prefer. comes from the malting barley that is the major ingredient in beer. It is no coincidence or accident Reproduced from “Beer” CAMRA’s quarterly award that beer was historically called “liquid bread” winning magazine

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Coming Soon To A Bookshop Near You With the forthcoming release of the 40th edition of Faversham (Fremlins) of CAMRA’s Good Beer guide we thought a little which they comment reflection on the past may be in order. CAMRA was “Several regional brews formed in 1972 and produced a typed beer guide in still retained without gas, the November, the first printed guide being published but quality varies” and in 1974, when beer was about 15p/pint. Incidentally Shepherd Neame the first on-line guide was for the Suffolk Branch and (Faversham) about which is available on PRESTEL, BT’s Teletext service, well commented “Good when before the World Wide Web. it is not gassed up.” The 1974 guide cost all of Kent had 56 pubs listed in 75p and was 96 pages long the guide of which 8 were and, as well as the in the AF&RM Branch, introductory editorial, Woolpack Brookland, included an article entitled Good Intent Egerton, Earl “What Is Real Ale?” which Grey Folkestone, Globe went on to define what Hythe, Royal Norfolk Sandgate, Vine Tenterden, CAMRA considered to be Flying Horse Wye, and the Bonny Cravat real ale covering, storage and Woodchurch. serving methods. As today When the latest edition of the Good Beer Guide hits the guide was split into the shops in September “The quest for a decent pint” counties and had a list of carries on but it is a lot easier in 2013 than it was in brewers at the back (which 1974, which lists our limit of 17 pubs from the 167 barely covered two pages!). known to sell real ale, but you need to buy the Good The two brewers in Kent that Beer Guide from mid September to find out which are mentioned are Whitbread ones!!

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CAMRA Members’ Investment Club Have you ever wished that you owned market where the smaller breweries are part of a brewery or one of the many pub competing with the giants. chains that are now emerging? Well, now you have the opportunity of turning that For the members’, the Club organises dream into a reality. If you are a member tours of the breweries in which it has of CAMRA you are eligible to join the shares both in the UK and in Europe. CAMRA MEMBERS’ INVESTMENT CLUB. These visits often present the opportunity (CMIC) of meeting the Directors of the companies as well as viewing their brewing For a minimum of £5 per month you could operations. start making an investment in the many companies in which the Club owns shares. The Club also has its own web site at These include Adnams, Black Sheep, www.CMIC.uk.com Carlsberg, Duvel Moortgat, Enterprise Inns, Fullers, Greene King, Joseph Holt, For an information pack on joining the Hop Back, Hydes, Mitchells & Butler, Club, send your details to:- Punch Taverns, Shepherd Neame, Thwaites, Wadworth, J D Wetherspoon, CMIC, 31 Chapel Brow, Leyland, Young’s and a whole host of others. Lancashire, PR25 3NH Tel: 0845 130 BEER / 0845 130 2337, The Club operates like a unit trust and Fax 01772 455528 members can pay in a round sum amount or E-mail [email protected]. each month by standing order- from £5 up to a maximum of £166. A single annual * Note: The value of shares can go down as payment can also be made up to a well as up and the investment should be maximum of £2,000. The amount can be altered at any time and, if necessary, can regarded as medium to long term be stopped and your investment cashed in or left to "ride" – the choice is yours.

At 30 June 2012 the funds of the Club were almost £11 million.

By holding a growing share in particular companies, the Club's votes at the AGM’s could make a difference to either a takeover bid or other hostile actions. Having a voice in the boardrooms of the pub owning groups could help influence their guest beer policies, which is becoming increasingly important in the

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The Ashford, Folkestone and Romney Marsh LocAle scheme recognises pubs which regularly stock at least one real ale brewed by a local brewery that is within 30 miles ‘driving distance’. Landlords who wish to be included in the LocAle scheme should contact the Branch Secretary. The following are the current pubs that have been accredited :-

Ashford Locomotive

Brabourne Five Bells

Elham Kings Arms

Folkestone Chambers

Hastingleigh Bowl

Hythe Three Mariners

Hythe Britannia

Hythe White Hart

Mersham Farriers Arms

Newenden White Hart

New Romney Cinque Port Arms

Rolvenden Star

Sandgate Ship

Snargate Red Lion

Stowting Tiger Inn

Wittersham Swan

Woodchurch Six Bells

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Kent Green Hop Beer

Participating Breweries 2012 is not just about the Olympics. It is also the year of the first ever Kent Green Hop Black Cat Brewery Beer Fortnight! In late September and early October Kent will be awash with fresh one-of Canterbrew Ltd -a-kind beers… so head south east to be a Gadds' Ramsgate Brewery part of a taste sensation. Goachers

Kent Green Hop Beer is beer made with Goody Ales fresh, or green, Kentish hops – instead of using hops that have been dried as is more Hop Fuzz Brewery traditional in brewing. The beers have a characteristic fresh taste because the hops Kent Brewery used contain many of the oils that are Millis Brewing Co normally lost when hops are dried. We make sure the hops are as fresh as can be by using Nelson Brewery them within 12 hours of being picked. Old Dairy Brewery

It is planned to launch Kent Green Hop Beers Old Forge Brewery at the Canterbury Food & Drink Festival on Ripple Steam Brewery the 28/29/30 September, hopefully with the full range of beers being available, after which Royal Tunbridge Wells Brewing Co the plan is for them stocked in pubs throughout Kent. Shepherd Neame Swan on the Green Almost every brewery in Kent is going to be making at least one this year and as we have Tír Dhá Ghlas Brewery more than 20 breweries, that’s a huge range The Foundry Brew Pub, Canterbury of beers. They’ll all be different too as each brewer will be creating their own recipe. Tonbridge Brewery Wantsum Brewery For more information visit the Green hop Westerham Brewery Co Website: http://kentgreenhopbeer.com

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Brewery Interview Hop Fuzz - our first year in Shepway It's almost a year since I first sampled your beer, that we do in house. The new designs are very similar how is it going? to the originals, however the size has been altered slightly and the colours brightened. They have Our first year of production in Shepway is almost received some great comments and always look good over, and after a slightly premature (some might say on the pumps! ambitious) ‘soft’ launch in Hythe in October 2011, the brewery and the beers have come on leaps and What has been your biggest problem since you bounds (in between the various floods, explosions started brewing? and small scale fires we assume all small breweries One of our biggest challenges over the last 6 months experience!). has been keeping on top of our empty barrels! Whilst The brewing kit seems larger than my first visit? brewing and selling more is great, having a small inventory of casks is proving a real challenge, juggling In February we moved away from our pilot system between towns and pubs in search of our empties on and started brewing on our current 2.5 barrel a daily basis! When funds allow we will of course system, another custom/home-made/DIY effort, boost our numbers, but until then expect to see us hopefully showing that you don’t have to spend big harassing landlords and landladies for our empty bucks to produce good beers. Along with upgrading casks! our brewing system we also installed a new cold room (again, made ourselves) as the cold winter I hear that you are collaborating with other Kent months, which turned our brewery into one big cold Brewers for a special event in September? room, were only going to last so long. This allowed us to condition and store at whatever temperature We are participating in the ‘Green Hop Beer Festival’ to be held in Canterbury alongside the food and drink we chose, just in time for this summer! festival it will be a showcase of Kent's finest How are sales going? breweries, using fresh from the farm hops to make a special one-off brew! We feel privileged to have been In June we started the ‘Hop Fuzz Campaign’ - an involved in the planning and organisation, although we initiative that works between ourselves, the landlords are slightly nervous about brewing our first green and the drinkers. In a nutshell we sell a minimum hop beer! number of casks to participating pubs per month at a knock-down rate, on the agreement that this You said that you are almost brewing to capacity, discount is then passed onto the drinkers. We what next? currently have 2 pubs trialing the scheme with great success, selling a pint of our ale for just £2.50! Plans are already in place to upgrade again, and next We have also been receiving interest from further year we hope to be brewing on a more substantial 8 afield lately, and have recently been on tap in pubs in barrel system, again completely handcrafted and Surrey and even Central London! custom made to our own needs. Have you any new beers other than English Ale And the future? and American IPA? On the horizon for us currently is the move into With the summer finally upon us it’s time for light, bottles, something which will allow us to reach more crisp and fresh ales to take the limelight. Our new customers and allow our beers to be drunk by those ale, 'The Goldsmith' is proving very popular; a light that don’t always get into local bars and pubs. Other and sweet ale that is perfect for the summer. "'The than that we hope to continue producing great beers Goldsmith' - light refreshing ale, brewed using a single hop (which are getting better and better as we learn new chosen for its delicate piney flavour. A real favourite for techniques and gain experience) and to carry on the summer, its golden hue and warm glow making it look having fun and meeting some great people! We do as good as it tastes! 4.0% ABV" have a couple of new beers in the pipeline and even Alongside these we have the chocolatier, our something very special, but we chocolate stout (although this is produced in very can’t mention it just yet! small amounts over summer) and also very fruity For more information on Hop 3.8% ale which is almost ready to be released! fuzz beer or to find out your nearest participating vendor, What else is different? email either Martyn or Daryl at Another small tweak throughout the year has been [email protected] the updating of our pump clip artwork, another thing Marsh Mash Summer 2012 Page 30

Marsh Mash Information Produced by the Ashford, Folkestone and Romney Advertising Rates Marsh Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale Ltd. (CAMRA) ¼ page £35.00 Circulation 1800 ½ page £60.00 Editors: Bob Martin & Keith Johnson Full page £100.00 Email: [email protected] Telephone: 0845 388 1062 Contributors: Bob Martin, Peter Chamberlain, So many ways to …….. Chris Excel, Michael Line, Shirley Johnson, Keith Johnson, Stephen Rawlings, Nigel North Keep in touch with what is going on in AF&RM

Beer Festivals, Social Events, Local beer Contributions, letters, pub reports and news are news, CAMRA activities always welcome. Please write to Marsh Mash at: The Cottage, The Green, Saltwood, Hythe, Kent  Read Marsh Mash CT21 4PS, or  Go to our website www.camra-afrm.org.uk E-mail [email protected]  Join our Yahoo email Views expressed are not necessary those of the group - members only - no editors, CAMRA Ltd. or the Branch. The existence spam - details on website of this publication in a particular outlet does not imply an endorsement of it by AF&RM CAMRA.  Find us on Facebook - details on website

 Follow us on Twitter - details on website Branch Contacts Chairman: Bob Martin Treasurer: Stephen Rawlings URGENTLY WANTED Secretary: Michael Line Membership Secretary: Virginia Hodge Branch Contact: Stephen Rawlings Editor for Marsh Mash Telephone: 07885 218972 Branch Webmaster: Keith Johnson To produce future editions of this Pubs Officer: Justin Nelson popular CAMRA Magazine. Advertising: Bob Martin Website: www.camra-afrm.org.uk The volunteer needs to have own Yahoo Group : For all branch members computer, be familiar with Microsoft http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/AFRM_Camra Office and prepared to learn desktop publishing using Publisher or equivalent © Campaign for Real Ale 2012 and able to co-ordinate information from a variety of sources.

CAMRA 230 Hatfield Road, Contact the Branch Chairman to discuss St Albans AL1 4LW further at [email protected] Telephone: 01727 867201 or telephone: 01303 266836

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