FREE THE CHILTERN TAPLER NEWSLETTER OF MID CHILTERNS CAMRAFREE FREE SPRING 2017 THETHE www.midchilternscamra.org.ukCHILTERN CHILTERN TAPLERTAPLER NEWSLETTERNEWSLETTER OF OF MID MID CHILTERNS CHILTERNS CAMRA CAMRA SPRINGSPRING 2017 2017 www.midchilternscamra.org.ukwww.midchilternscamra.org.uk

The Castle - Tring TheThe Castle Castle - Tring- Tring THE CHILTERN TAPLER SPRING 2017 MID CHILTERNS AGM 2017

The Mid Chilterns CAMRA AGM in 2017 is scheduled to take place at The Black Cat, Lye CONTENTS th Green – Chesham at 8PM on May 24 all members are welcome. p.3 – New Editor Feature CHEERS TO THAT! CAMRA p.4 – Beer Festivals MEMBERSHIP SOARS p.5 – ‘The World Thinks We Cider The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has just signed up its Drinkers Are Weird’ 185,000th member, reinforcing its place among some of the top membership organisations in the UK - and boasting numbers p.6 – News & Brews above all but one of the major political parties.

The milestone member was one of hundreds signed up at the p.7 – St George’s Day Ales & recent Manchester Beer and Cider Festival, one of CAMRA's Haresfoot Brewery Move many successful annual events, which saw nearly 15,000 visitors enjoying real ale, real cider and perry last week.

p.8 – ‘Walker’s Away With Them’ The organisation's current membership puts it ahead of the yourBucks & yourAmersham Awards Conservative Party, the SNP, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and UKIP. Only the Labour Party has more members.

p.10 – The Old Swan Coastal Beer After 45 years of being one of the largest single-issue consumer Festival groups in the world, CAMRA is still seeing nearly 10,000 new members join each year. Issues facing the beer and pubs industry still top the agenda for many, with CAMRA's key p.11– Hong Kong Harbours Fragrant campaigns including the protection of pubs from closure, keeping Ales beer affordable and promoting the wellbeing benefits of visiting your local continuing to strike a chord. th p.12 -­‐ 30 Chesham Beer Festival CAMRA is also well known for the 200 beer festivals that it runs across the UK, including its flagship Great British Beer Festival, which will be returning to London Olympia this summer from the p.14 -­‐ Community Pubs Month th th 8 -12 August and featuring over 900 real ales, other craft beers, ciders and wines. p.15 – Darts 2016 CAMRA made the headlines last year when it embarked on a p.16 – St David’s Day Ales & Tring member-wide consultation about its future direction and purpose to ensure that it remains relevant 45 years on from its founding. Brewery News & Brews The proposals put forward by the committee charged with running the Revitalisation consultation suggested that CAMRA p.17 – Spring Ales & St Patrick’s Day could make numerous changes to its campaigning and activities to better represent the modern beer and pub world. A final Ales decision on the proposals will take place at CAMRA's Members' Weekend in 2018. p.18 – Chiltern Brewery News & Colin Valentine, CAMRA's National Chairman says: "It is Brews fantastic to see our membership continue to grow year on year at such a successful rate. CAMRA remains an attractive organisation in this day and age because of our ability to adapt to p.19 – Cornwall ‘From Micros To the new issues that face the beer and pubs industry. We have Massives (And All Points West) seen the world of beer change significantly since 1971, with the rise in breweries and rapid closure rates in pubs, which is why we continually evaluate our purpose and strategy to reflect these p.22 – Diary Dates & Contacts changes. As a result, we are looking forward to another 45 year of pub and beer campaigning!" p.23 – Membership Prices 2017

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THE CHILTERN TAPLER SPRING 2017

NEW EDITOR Jared Ward-Brickett

This issue of The Tapler brings together many interesting and informative segments of news and beer & brewing relates articles. The first of which is written by myself; Jared, the new Tapler editor. Taking over from the wonderful Nigel Harris (whom is lucky enough to be touring the land down under), I will be editing editions for the foreseeable ending future, p Nigel’s availability. Hailing from Hemel Hempstead at the age of 22, I have been extremely interested beer in since I started drinking. I have worked in numerous bars and pubs, before starting my favourite -­‐ hobby; home brewing and just recently landing my full time job as a brewery operative at Tring Brewery. I love beer in all styles and formats: cask, keg, bottle & can and when I’m not drinking it I can be found at the helm of the shop front at

Tring, please drop by and say hello! My favourite Myself at the St Austell , ‘Hicks Bar’ breweries include Buxton, Mad , Hatter Samuel Smith’s, after touring the brewery and sampling many of their great beers in Mikkeller, Salopian & Omnipollo – with a diehard July 2016. – St Austell, Cornwall preference toward imperial s stout – the ones that pour like engine oil!

I will be attending the Great British Beer Festival this year along with Beavertown’s Extravaganza, with no doubt many visits to The Rising Sun (Berkhamsted), The King’s Arms (Tring) and The Full House (Hemel Hempstead) in between! Cheers.

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BEER FESTIVALS AND OTHER EVENTS 2017

Details of Beer Festivals are correct to the best of our knowledge but it would be n worth checking with the pub before you pla to visit a venue. We can’t accept responsibility for festivals not being on as we have been given the information below in good faith by the pubs.

DATES EVENTS DETAILS

Wed nd 22 March to Sun 2nd April Spring Beer Fest Wetherspoons

The Rising Sun, Berkhamsted 30th March to nd 2 April Beer & Cider Fest

Easter Mini Beer & Cidre Fest (Easter menu and quiz on Sunday 14th to 17th April The Bell, Chartridge, Nr. Chesham BBQ and music on Monday)

14th to 17th April Easter Mini Beer Fest Red Lion, Marsworth

21st (6-­‐11 pm.) and nd 22 April Berkhamsted Civic Centre, 161 High 3rd Berhamsted Beer & Cider Fest organised by Haresfoot Brewery (10 am to 11 p.m) Street, Berkhamsted.

29th April to 1st May Bank Holiday Mini Beer Fest Red Lion Marsworth

Sun th 30 April and 1st May May Bank Holiday Mini Beer Fest The Crown, Ley Hill, Nr. Chesham

Sun th 30 April and 1st May Bank Holiday Mini Beer Fest The Chequers, Old Amersham

Sat th 20 and Sun 21st May Beer, Bubbles and Bands Festival Black Horse, Chesham Vale

27th to 29th May Bank Holiday Mini Beer Fest Red Lion Marsworth

Sun th 28 and 29th May Bank Holiday Mini Beer Fest The Chequers, Old Amersham

Sun th 25 June Mini Beer Fest The Chequers, Old Amersham

The Rising Sun, Berkhamsted 29th June to 2nd July Beer & Cider Fest

Sun th 30 July Mini Beer Fest The Chequers, Old Amersham

8th to 12th August GBBF Olympia, London

26th to 28th August Bank Holiday Mini Beer Fest Red Lion Marsworth

Sun th 27 and Mon 28th August Bank Holiday Mini Beer Fest The Chequers, Old Amersham

31st August to 3rd September Beer & Cider Fest The Rising Sun, Berkhamsted

Sun th 24 Sept Mini Beer Fest The Chequers, Old Amersham

27th to 30th September Beer & Cider Festival St. Albans Arena

30th Nov to 3rd Dec Beer & Cider Fest The Rising Berkhamsted Sun,

Are you holding a beer festival in the Mid-Chilterns or surrounding area? Contact the Webmaster with details, and have your event posted on this site.

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THE WORLD THINKS WE CIDER DRINKERS ARE WEIRD

Brian Kilbey

So why give them encouragement? I came across this cider ‘system’ in the bar above Star Ferry pier in Hong Kong last year. The apparatus has three parts: a heavy glass chalice (too thick to drink from), a green bracket and a bottle of cider. To use, the server puts a generous scoop of ice into the chalice, opens bottle and sticks it into the bracket. Cider runs into the chalice until it reaches the neck and stops when the pressures equalize. The only way to drink it is by, “Sipping cider through a straw”, and we know where that leads. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ermHeEm0JTk. As you sip the cider level down, more runs in until the bottle is empty.

I will say no more.

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NEWS & BREWS

Roy Humphrey

AMERSHAM. Early in the New Year the old town pubs offered the following. Rebellion IPA and Sharps Doom Bar in the Swan, Brakspear Bitter in the Chequers, Black Sheep Shearer, Greene King IPA, Hardy & Hansons Rocking Rudolph and Morland Old Speckled Hen in the Saracen’s Head, Malt Starry Nights and Rebellion IPA in the Crown, Fullers London Pride, Haresfoot Conqueror’s, Sharps Doom Bar, Taylor Landlord and Cornish Orchards Gold Cider in the Eagle and Brakspear Bitter and Westons Old Rosie and Rosie’s Pig ciders in the Kings Arms. BERKHAMSTED. Along -­‐side the twelve ciders available in the Rising Sun when visited in January, Loddon Hoppit, Paradigm Black Friday, Raw Cascade Pale Ale, Tring Drop Bar and Riser bitters were on the hand-­‐pumps. On the same day, Crown offered Greene King IPA and Abbot, Haresfoot Lock Keeper’s, Red Squirrel London Porter, Sharps Doom bar and Tring Side Pocket for a Toad. CHALFONT ST . PETER A branch visit an area not visited for a while produced the following. Sharps Atlantic and Doom Bar alongside Taylor Landlord could be found in the Jolly Farmer. The White Hart had Hardy & Hansons Rocking Rudolph, St Austell Tribute, Sharps Doom Bar and Adnams Broadside in the nearby Greyhound Otter Bitter, Sharps Doom Bar and Adnams Lighthouse could be found. BOURNE END. The two pubs were visited in January. The range in the Anchor was Greene King IPA and Abbot, Sharps Doom Bar, Wells Bombardier Burning Gold and Millwhites Blackberry Blush and Hedgelayer ciders. Next door, the White Horse offered Mc Mullen AK, Country Bitter and IPA. HEMEL HEMPSTEAD. A stroll around the old town in January found the following ales. At the Old Bell the beers were Radlett Premium, Tring Sidepocket for a Toad and Greene King IPA. Next door in the Olde Kings Arms were Wells Bombardier and Youngs Bitter. Tring Black Hawk could be found in the White Hart and Sharps Doom Bar and Wells Bombardier Pale Ale were in the Rose & . Crown Nearby the Old Bell Gate offered Red Squirrel Mr Squirrel. In the town centre, the Full House continues to offer beers from local breweries, as well guest beers and regulars from the Wetherspoons range, with ales from Red Squirrel, Tring and Vale noted recently. LITTLE CHALFONT. Amongst their range, the Craft Beer Shop offered three cask ales when visited in early January, namely York Morris the Otter, Chiltern Foxtrot and Wild Weather NW3 Ale. Next door in the Sugar Loaf Inn, 3 Brewers Ruby and Young’s Winter warmer could be found. LITTLE MISSENDEN. A late January visit found Otter Bitter, St Austell Tribute, Young’s Bitter along with Gladiator, Old Rosie and Thundering Molly ciders in the Crown. LYE GREEN. Young’s Bitter and Taylor Landlord continue to be the regular beers in the Black Cat with one guest also available. St Austell Trelawny and Brains Fir Kin Good have been among the guests recently. PENN STREET. The Squirrel offers an interesting range of beers and ciders. During a mid -­‐January visit, Caledonian Deuchars IPA, Morland Old Speckled Hen, Tring Colleys Dog, West Berkshire Maggs Magnificent Mild and Westons Rosie’s Pig Cider were available. By the following week, the ales had changed to Haresfoot Lock Keeper’s, Red Squirrel Mr Squirrel, Sharps Atlantic and XT/Animal Polar Bear. WHELPLEY HILL. The White Hart continues to offer local beers with Haresfoot Conqueror’s and Paradigm Heads Up sampled recently. WINKWELL. Recently noted in the Three Horseshoes were Courage Directors and Wells Eagle and Bombardier.

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Saint George’s Day Sunday 23 rd April

Brian Kilbey

Saint George’s Day/Shakespeare’s Birthday happens in Community Pubs Month this year but as the 23rd is a Sunday most of us will be free to celebrate. I expect we will see more pubs arranging something, not just those with ‘George’ and/or ‘Dragon’ in their names.

The most common patriotic ale for Saint George/Shakespeare is Wells Bombardier, because of the pump clip, but there is a good choice of others, e.g., Cottage St. George’s Ale, Harvey’s Georgian Dragon, McMullen’s Bard of Ale, St. George’s Brewery By George, Wadworth St. George & the Dragon, Warwickshire Beer Co.’s Shakespeare’s County and Young’s St George’s. LocAle choices include Rebellion The Bard and Tring By George. Pubs will be arranging celebrations/menus/patriotic ales (some on the Saturday), for example The Valiant Trooper (Aldbury); The Boot & Slipper and The Chequers (Amersham);The Crown, The Lamb and The Rising Sun, (Berkhamsted); The Bell (Chartridge); The Black Horse Inn, The Gamekeepers Lodge, The Generals Arms, The George & Dragon, The Jolly Sportsman, The Pheasant and The Red Lion (Chesham); The Two Brewers (Chipperfield); The Full House (Hemel Hempstead); The Plough (Hyde Heath); The Crown (Ley Hill); The Craft Beer Shop, The Sugar Loaf Inn and The White Lion (Little Chalfont); The Full Moon (Little Kingshill); The Crown Inn (Little Missenden); The Black Cat (Lye Green); The Red Lion (Marsworth); The Squirrel (Penn Street); The Anchor, The Castle and The King’s Arms (Tring).

So raise a glass to the Saint and the Bard, or separate ones to each if you prefer.

HARESFOOT BREWERY MOVES TO CHESHAM – Brian Kilbey

Haresfoot brewery was established in 2014 by eight businessman local to Berkhamsted where the brewery was initially located. Lock Keeper’s Launch Ale hit the pubs in April of that year. Since then Conqueror’s Premium Bitter, Sundial Golden Ale, Totem American IPA, Wild Boy and Stardust have been added to the range. Also available during the winter months is Old Tiney, a plum porter. During 2015 a range of short run, limited edition beers was launched, the latest being Weiss Xmas

The brewery vacated the Berkhamsted site in January 2017 and moved in with the Global Infusion Group at their premises in Chesham. GIG was formed 32 years ago, and is one of the UK’s leading catering, events and brand support companies. Nash’s Chesham brewery closed in 1957 so the arrival of Haresfoot returns brewing to Chesham after 60 years.

Haresfoot beers are available in Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and pubs and festivals farther afield. Old Tiney won Craft Beer of the Year award at the Hertfordshire Food & Drink awards and Stardust was awarded the bronze award at the Watford Rugby Club Beer Festival.

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AWARDS: yourBucks - WALKERS WALK AWAY WITH THEM Dave Badminton

A competition was run by yourChesham and yourAmersham for readers to vote for their Pub of the Year locally. The certificates were presented to the Chesham winners Lisa Walker, Gita Cassidy and Alison Giles at the Black Horse, Chesham Vale, and to the runner up Pat Miller at the Gamekeepers Inn. The Amersham winner was Rod Walker at The Eagle with runner up Steve Macken at the Squirrel in Penn Street. We would like to thank the magazine for running this very worthy competition.

CAMRA also awarded yourChesham and yourAmersham with a special award for being our Magazine of the Year for supporting CAMRA’s aims and local pubs and this award was presented to Jed and Mick. Another special award was given to the Bucks Examiner/Bucks Advertiser for Newspaper of the Year for their continued support to CAMRA’s aims and local pubs and this was presented to Tom Herbert, their main reporter for this area. We would like to thank all the winners for their great hospitality and to congratulate them on their success.

yourChesham Pub Winner - The Black Horse Gita, Lisa & Alison from The Black Horse

yourAmersham Pub Winner - The Eagle Rod Walker from The Eagle

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Page 8 THE CHILTERN TAPLER SPRING 2017

If you are a CAMRA member What's Brewing, the monthly newspaper of CAMRA, can now be viewed online for free.

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Coastal Beer Festival Friday 26th - Monday 29th May 20 real ales all from the coast Friday Evening Live duo Sunday From Midday 5 bands Playing All Day Hog Roast & BBQ

The Old Swan, 58 High Street, Cheddington, LU7 0RQ www.theoldswancheddington.co.uk | 01296 662171

M6pm IDCH Friday ILTERNS arrived BRANCH CA M and RA Beertopia opened so I could get down to serious tasting. The festival was outdoors

Page 10 THE CHILTERN TAPLER SPRING 2017

HONG KONG HARBOURS FRAGRANT ALES Brian Kilbey

Several years ago I searched for ale festivals in Asia and Australasia but Hong Kong did not show up. In the intervening years I have taken a few Hong Kong stopovers to break up journeys to Australia or New Zealand and still not fallen across craft or real ales in local bars. In summer 2016 I mistyped a google search for ale festivals and Beertopia Hong Kong leapt onto the screen -­‐ the fifth year of this festival. Intrigued, I went on and found that Hong Kong has over a dozen brewpubs and brewers who would be offering over 65 ales at the festival in November. Ales from many other countries would also be there.

The festival only runs for a day and a half thus there was no way could I try all the festival ales in that time so I felt it was my duty to ound get r the Hong Kong craft/real ale bars before Beertopia opened, to prune the list. Fortunately the Beertopia website listed these bars/restaurants: beertopiahk.com. I liked the website of the Globe on Graham Street (www.theglobe.com.hk), because it showed a hand pump, and decided to go there first. I did not like the steep climb to their location in the SoHo area, the pavements were steps. I was told later that taxis can make it and save a lot of effort and sweat.

I tried six ales; the real ale was from the Hong Kong Beer Co. and the rest were craft kegs from Black Kite Brewery, Gweilo Beer, Moonzen Brewery and Young Master Ales. I got chatting with Toby Cooper (the boss) who was a fount of information and he recommended interesting pubs/restaurants to try in the next couple of days. One of them, Second Draft, was a short level walk from Tin Hau MTR station – only three stations from my hotel (the wooden tram seats are too hard for my old bones) – and found three hand pumps and umpteen craft keg taps. I tried six ales, five from Young Master Ales and one from Lucky Baby Brewing – not a dud amongst them.

Hong Kong brewed ales are a fusion of the craft ale revolutions of Australasia and the USA with some British influence, especially for hand pumped real ales at the correct temperature, and seem to be everywhere once you know they exist. Even the Marriott Hotel bar offered a choice of four Moonzen Brewery real ales in bottles (RAIB). I was tempted under the harbour to the Franape restaurant by their substantial pork knuckles and enjoyed another Moonzen Brewery RAIB and a Gweilo Beer IPA. with entertainment under cover. Ales were paid for by paper tokens but the concessions were only interested in proper money. One brilliant idea was the supply of drinking water: a Japanese company

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Page 11 THE CHILTERN TAPLER SPRING 2017 from Okinawa gave unlimited free sample bottles of their V.O.L.V.O mineral water which was a godsend in the heat of Saturday afternoon. I really needed it as I seemed to be the oldest visitor to Beertopia.

I tried ales at the bars of the Black Kite Brewery, City Brew, Gweilo Beer, Hong Kong Beer Co., Kowloon Bay Brewery, Lion Rock Brewery, Mak’s Brewery, Moonzen Brewery, Yardley oung Brothers Brewing and Y Master Ale: I found only one undrinkable ale amongst all of them. Over the trip I must have tasted about 50 Hong Kong brewed ales, some more than once, and several as real ales. My two favourites were Young Master’s Classic Pale Ale and Yardley Brothers’ IPA (which was chosen as the – Beer of Beertopia) I could not decide between them. I had a few tokens left and used them up on two mainland Chinese IPAs and three French ales – an Amber, an IPA and a Stout.

I took Sunday lunch at the Globe: curried goat pie with several ales, including an incredible Imperial Stout. I went to Second Draft in the evening. Sadly, I couldn’t find any Hong Kong brewed ales at the airport bar – someone should set the tourist authority onto them.

In my opinion, Hong Kong is up there with the other Asian and Australasian craft ales I have tried and ahead in serving real ales at the right temperature. I expect to have a stopover in 2017 so the Globe is pencilled in, though probably by taxi.

30 th CHESHAM BEER FESTIVAL

Saturday 3rd June 2017

It is now 30 years since Chesham Round Table ran the first of these annual Beer Festivals in Chesham. Amersham & Chesham Lions Club took over the running of them a few years ago - with much help from past Chesham Round Table members - during which time we have kept an uninterrupted run of a Beer Festival each year.

To celebrate this we are intending to supply you with a choice of 30 beers to celebrate the 30 years of the Chesham Beer Festival.

CAMRA members have been involved with every one of those 30 years and we look forward to seeing many of the regular CAMRA members at the 30th together with hopefully some new members at the start of our next 30 years.

The venue is the clubhouse of Chesham United Football Club and it will be open to welcome you all from 12 noon until 7 p.m. Live music and food will be available throughout the day but more important is the selection of 30 different ales for you to sample – plus a few ciders!

Please put the date in your diary now – 3rd June 2017

30 Beers for 30 Years

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Amersham & Chesham Lions Club

30 beers for 30 years Chesham United Football Ground The Meadow Amy Lane saturday 3rd june 2017 noon to 7:00pm pay for what you drink Live Music, Food & Soft Drinks Available

THE CHILTERN TAPLER SPRING 2017

COMMUNITY PUBS MONTH

Brian Kilbey

This April we will be promoting our local pubs in whatever medium we can. This edition of the Tapler is one medium. Another medium is the supporting page on our MidChilterns website where you will find hundreds of events around the area. Closer to April we plan to work with some local print media to spread the word.

When you check the site you will see that our pubs are major places for eating out. Just about every pub that provides meals is keeping the Great British Sunday Roast alive and saving us the time and effort to prepare it, cook and then wash-­‐up – I have identified more than 70. There are a few pubs with alternative to the roast; the Wetherspoon chain has Sunday Brunch instead; you will find Italian menus at The Cock & Rabbit (The Lee) and The Plough (Winchmore Hill); Thai menus at The Eagle (Amersham) and The Queens Head (Chesham) and even Curry, Naan and a The drink for £10 at Sugar Loaf Inn (Little Chalfont). Monday is Pizza at The White Lion (Little Chalfont) and Posh Sausage & Mash at The Jolly Cricketers (Seer Green); Tuesday is Tapas at The Metro Lounge (Amersham) and Posh Pies at Porters (Berkhamsted); Wednesday is Spice Night at The Bellcote (Ashley Green) and The Green Man (Leverstock Green); Thursday is Pie and Pint Night at The Crown and Sceptre (Bridens Camp) and Curry & a Pint at The Old Swan (Cheddington); Friday is Bubble & Squeak Lunch at The George & Dragon (Chesham) and Fish & Fizz at The Old Swan (Swan Bottom). For many other choices see the web page.

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Page 14 THE CHILTERN TAPLER SPRING 2017 If you are looking to join a local sports team then each typically has a pub where they socialise. For those who prefer indoor games then Monday is Pool evening, Tuesday is Darts night and Quiz League, Wednesday is ‘Mixams’ (cribbage and dominoes) – while the leagues are operating. Participation in Poker leagues is growing. The most common activity is pub quizzes but they can be vicious, more Donald Trump than Mother Teresa: I have found six on a Sunday and Monday, two on Tuesday, five Wednesday and seven on Thursday. Friday and Saturday seem to be the safe days to visit those pubs. If you can’t be prised away from your electronic comfort blanket then many pubs provide free Wi-­‐Fi.

In previous years we have looked at how important pubs are to the local and national community; half a million jobs, scores of £millions arities for ch and multi-­‐£millions in charges and taxes of all sorts. For sure, coffee shops can provide part of what pubs do but some chains don’t seem to be keen on the tax bit.

There is some recent CAMRA research on the -­‐ importance of face to-­‐face meetings with friends for your health and happiness and how a pub can help, titled ‘Friends on Tap: the role of pubs at heart community’, researched and compiled by Professor Robin Dunbar from the Department Of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford (http://www.camra.org.uk/documents/10180/36197/Friends+on+Tap/2c68585b-­‐e47d-­‐42ca-­‐bda6-­‐ 5d6b3e4c0110). Part of his Executive Summary is, “Directly and indirectly (by allowing us to meet face-­‐to-­‐ face), modest alcohol consumption also enables us to build friendships and create a sense of community, and there is considerable evidence that social network size and quality has dramatic effects on health, wellbeing, happiness and even survival.” We have all heard anecdotes of the old regular who always comes in to read his paper and sup his daily pint going missing and the pub jumping into action to see if there is a problem. We also hear about discoveries of corpses being found months-­‐dead because they had no friends. The report is 61 pages long but I recommend you take a look. But, on a more positive note, it is fun to go down your local, especially during Community Pubs Month.

DARTS 2016

Gill Badminton

THE ANNUAL MID CHILTERNS DARTS MATCH TOOK PLACE ON 26TH NOVEMBER 2016 AT THE BLACK CAT IN LYE GREEN.

We had a good turnout of 13 and had an enjoyable afternoon.

Chris Peers -­‐ Singles Winner 2016 Dave Briggs awarding the awards Gill & Roy -­‐ Doubles Winners 2016

The singles were won by Chris Peers in a close run match against Roy Humphrey. The doubles was somehow won by me but very fortunately ably assisted by Roy who is a dab hand at getting doubles, one of the many things that is sadly lacking in my game!! We beat Ann Peers and Richard Healey in a close match. Well done to the winners and runners up and we look forward to seeing you next November!

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THE FEAST DAY OF SAINT DAVID, WEDNESDAY 1ST MARCH Brian Kilbey

Saint David’s Day will bring forth patriotic Welsh folk sporting their leek or daffodil. Legend has it that during a battle with the English, Welsh soldiers tied on leeks so they could see who was who and then proceeded to rout the English. The alternative daffodil is a later, ‘Don’t let’s be nasty to the English’ symbol. Dewi Sant (St. David) was a Welsh Archbishop who died in the sixth century, probably on the 1st of March. This date has been celebrated as the National Day of Wales ever since and one day it will be an official bank holiday.

There are special ales for his day but not from our LocAle brewers: look out for Brains St David’s Ale, Coach House Dewi Sant Heritage Ale, Conwy Cwrw Dewi Sant (cwrw is Welsh for beer) and Leeky Barrel Ale, Evan Evans St David’s Ale, Iechyd Da St. David’s Welsh Ale, Moles Dafydd Ale and Tomos Watkins Dewi Sant.

Some of our pubs are be looking for Welsh ale or will hold celebrations for Welsh expatriates (or both) and we might enjoy them as well. Try The Saracens Head (Amersham); The Crown (Berkhamsted); The Black Horse Inn, The Gamekeepers Lodge and The Generals Arms (Chesham); The Full House (Hemel Hempstead); The Craft Beer Shop (Little Chalfont) and The Squirrel (Penn Street).

TRING BREWERY NEWS & BREWS

Tring Brewery’s current monthly special is Puma, which is an amber ale single-­‐hopped with the German Hersbrucker hop to provide a fruity and toasted sessionable pint. The current seasonal special (From January to end of February) is Hummingbird. Hummingbird was first brewed in 2016 as a monthly special, and has been dedicated as the first seasonal ale of the year due to its’ great initial reception. Hummingbird is a 4.3% dry-­‐hopped amber ale that has been brewed with orange zest in the boil, contributing to this fruity-­‐bitter beer’s depth of flavour.

In other news from Tring Brewery, they have recently launched their first releases of their small batch beer range. The small batches have been brewed on Tring Brewery’s 200L pilot kit to enable them be more experimental and dynamic in future releases. Initial releases include their India Stout (6%), Pilsner (4.5%), Oatmeal Mild (3.9%) and their Smoked Porter (5.2%). All of these 200L brews have sold out within two weeks of release at the brewery’s shop, there are however plans going forward to brew a Sorachi Rye beer and a Breakfast Stout, whilst also maintaining a scope to scale up any successfully received beers to their larger brew kit. The Tring Brewery team has recently grown in size taking on a new sales & admin position as well as opening up a new brewery operative position in order to facilitate their continual plans for up-­‐ scaling brewery production. Tring’s flagship beer ‘Side Pocket For ’ A Toad is now available at Watford Football Club’s Vicarage Road after successful plans to bring a new beer to the club’s grounds.

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Page 16 THE CHILTERN TAPLER SPRING 2017 SPRING ALES – Brian Kilbey

Spring Ales are now accepted as a regular ‘seasonal’. When they first appeared about a decade ago, each brewer chose his/her own style so the colour, alcohol content and so on differed between each ale. Now most are usually hoppy, thirst quenching and light coloured. Some brewers release them as a Six Nations Rugby ale.

Our LocAle brewers offer Gales Spring Sprinter, Haresfoot Spring Ale, Rebellion Zebedee, Tring Bring Me Sunshine, Vale Brill Gold and XT Brewery’s XT15. – expect others as spring approaches.

I have contacted around 100 pubs on our patch for their plans (in one way or another) so I am confident you will find them at: The Chequers, The Eagle and The Saracens Head (Amersham), The Crown and The Rising Sun (Berkhamsted); The Hen & Chickens (Botley); The Gamekeepers Lodge, The Generals Arms, The Jolly Sportsman, The Pheasant (Chesham) and The Queens Head, (Chesham); The Black Horse Inn (Chesham ale); V The Harte & Magpies (Coleshill); The Full House (Hemel Hempstead); The Plough (Hyde Heath); The Crown (Ley Hill); The Craft Beer Shop and The Sugar Loaf Inn (Little Chalfont); The Crown Inn (Little Missenden); The Red Lion (Marsworth) plus The Squirrel (Penn Street). There is a good chance that others will have them.

You will also find Spring Ales at the festivals at The Chequers (Amersham), The Crown and The Rising Sun (Berkhamsted), The Bell (Chartridge), The Full House (Hemel Hempstead) and The Red Lion (Marsworth).

SAINT PATRICK’S DAY, FRIDAY17TH MARCH - Brian Kilbey

Every March th 17 , with rare exceptions for Holy Week, the life of Saint Patrick is celebrated on the supposed date of his death. It has been an official Feast day in many Christian traditions since the 17th century. Wherever Irish emigrants went, they celebrated the day and the locals joined in.

In the British Isles, Guinness has captured the licensed trade and ships in vast volumes of keg stout from Ireland. A few UK wers bre are striking a blow against ‘Stout Miles’ with their own ‘Irish style’ real ale offerings. My favourite is Wychwood Paddy’s Tout. Hilden, a Northern Ireland brewer, has Molly Malone Porter. More of our LocAle brewers now have dark alternatives; Chiltern Black, Haresfoot Old Tiney, Malt Dark Ale, Paradigm Black Friday, Rebellion Adventurer, Red Squirrel London Porter, Tring Tea Kettle Stout, Vale Black Beauty Porter and XT Brewery’s 9 Black Ale.

Most pubs have some sort of Guinness decorated party but some try a little harder and endeavour to get a different dark ale in and provide Irish traditional music and/or dancers. The ones I know about at the time of writing are The Chequers and The Eagle (both Amersham); The Crown (Berkhamsted); The Bell (Chartridge); The Black Horse Inn with dancers, The Gamekeepers Lodge with disco and Karaoke on the Saturday, The Generals Arms with a band and dancers, The George & Dragon with dancers, The Jolly Sportsman, The Pheasant, The Queens , Head The Red Lion plus dancers (all Chesham); The Full House (Hemel Hempstead); The Plough (Hyde Heath); The Crown plus live music (Ley Hill); The Craft Beer Shop, The Sugar Loaf Inn and The White Lion (all Little Chalfont); The Crown Inn (Little Missenden); The Red Lion (Marsworth) and The Squirrel (Penn Street). The Rising Sun (Berkhamsted) holds a “Not that Stout” event. Check what a pub near you is planning.

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Page 17 THE CHILTERN TAPLER SPRING 2017 THE CHILTERN BREWERY NEWS & BREWS

In addition to our 3 permanent ales we brew a range of special limited edition and seasonal ales across the year. For February it is Earl Grey IPA. At 3.9% vol this is an extra pale refreshing citrus ale -­‐ spicy and floral – infused with family tea company Birchall’s fragrant and bright Earl Grey tea from the Virunga National Park in East Africa. The best malting barley and freshest English hops bring a refreshing citrus burst with every sip of this beer.

Pride of Bucks & Berks 4.2%, launching in March, is dark amber in colour with smooth roast malt tastes. 5p from every pint of this ale sold will be donated to a local charity. The ale has been brewed in recognition of the Brewery winning the ‘Pride of’ these two counties in the Buckinghamshire and Berkshire Life Magazine Food and Drink Awards 2016. April will see the return of one of our favourite seasonal ales, the award-­‐winning dark chestnut Nut Brown Mild 3.9% and hugely popular from 2016, limited edition Colombian Coffee Porter 4.1% with its café crème aroma.

There are better ways to enjoy our beers at home too. We have new Mini Casks -­‐ 8 ¾ pint / 5 litre carry-­‐outs that can be ordered on the website for delivery www.chilternbrewery.co.uk or Click & Collect -­‐ order online and then collect from the brewery shop at a time convenient to you. You get our ales fresh from the conditioning room ready to drink. Our brewery shop in Terrick now has longer opening hours to make your life easier. Details are on our website. We have two new limited edition bottle-­‐conditioned ales aged 18 months Black IPA and White IPA. Dark ruby Black IPA 7.8% vol brings the best of stouts and IPAs together in this increasingly popular style – smooth roasted with liquorice notes and a sumptuously hoppy aroma. Golden caramel White IPA 7.5% vol marries full-­‐bodied Maris Otter with wheat malts and keeps a dry malt base in a beautifully balanced ale.

The now annual celebration of Porters, Stouts, Dark and Old Ales at our tap, The King’s Head in Aylesbury, was very well received so do look out for it next year if you missed it this. We have a great new website for the pub too www.kingsheadaylesbury.co.uk which features our famous beer menu that shows the latest beers being served. The King’s Head prides itself on putting the ‘Ale into Aylesbury’ and now serves evening food from 5pm to 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays in addition to lunch every day.

Follow us -­‐ Twitter: @chiltern_brewer Instagram: ilternbrewery ch Facebook: chilternbrewery and YouTube: chilternbrewery

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CORNWALL FROM MICROS TO MASSIVES (AND ALL POINTS WEST) Dave Badminton

During a week spent in Cornwall attending a wedding, it seemed rude not to visit some breweries and pubs. Staying near Redruth we found could easily travel to numerous breweries, pubs and sites and other places of massive interest, like ‘St Austell’s’ hugely favourite brewery, newly re-­‐opened and expanded site on the edge of town, sampling the much loved roper ‘P Job’ and ‘small batch’ brews, now on three floors taking in an extensive museum, restaurant and the whole experience you’d expect from the county’s largest brewer.

Moving down a size, due to parking restrictions, half an hour was spent at the other end of the scale at Helston’s much-­‐loved ‘Blue Anchor’ pub and its microbrewery at the rear of this magical little place. We tried the ‘Spingo Middle’, a sweet creamy and strong beer as the description says in this small-­‐ roomed building in the main street.

While in St. Ives we went to St. Ives Brewery, opened about a year ago, and had some free tasters and took away some samples, mostly light in colour, but all superb. Down in the town of St. Ives we discovered ‘The Castle’ pub and also Cornwall’s first micro, ‘The Pilchard Press’, a small cavern-­‐type pub on the front in Wharf Road, with 6 beers and 4 ciders, all local ales at good prices and it was very busy, even though it only opens from Thursday to Sunday.

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While seeking pubs in the Lizard and Land’s End areas, a short trip to St. Mawes found ‘The Victory’ where we met one of the Central Southern Region Oxford members who used to live locally and she was very knowledgeable about the area and we chatted over a very good ‘Doom Bar’ and had a great fish meal. We visited ‘The Star’ at Crowlas and had Penzance Brewery beer. The brewery is small at the rear of pub where we had ‘Potion No. 9’, a floral and grapefruit beer which was very refreshing on a warm day.

We even managed to find time to visit the Lost Gardens of Heligan, a real treat for anybody who hasn’t been there before. In my opinion this is even more interesting than the Eden Project, which we visited on a previous holiday.

Driving home we stopped at the GBG pub and former National Pub of the Year, ‘The Blisland Inn’, a jewel in anyone’s crown that we missed on the way down because of roadworks. They had a legendary choice of 8 varied local beers and we received a very warm welcome at opening time on the Sunday lunchtime. Overall, the week and the wedding were superb.

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The Chiltern Brewery’s historic courtyard inn at The King’s Head, Aylesbury

NEW Longer shop opening hours

Beechwood - see website Bitter NEW

Click & Collect draught ales online & Fine English Real Ales & Craft Keg Beers from our Brewery delivery to your door Guest Craft Beers, Ciders & Stouts

Chiltern Fine Wines from the Rothschild Estate Pale Ale NEW LUNCH SERVED DAILY NEW Evening food on Fridays & Saturdays Mini Casks 8 3/4 pints The King’s Head, Market Square, Aylesbury, HP20 2RW 01296 718812 www.kingsheadaylesbury.co.uk

www.chilternbrewery.co.uk @kings_head /kingsheadaylesbury kingsheadaylesbury

OUT NOW

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FORTHCOMING BRANCH DATES Branch Contacts Wed March TH 8 Jolly Cricketers & Three Horseshoes, Seer – Green (M) 8

Chairman and Press Officer p.m. Dave Badminton 01494 581797 th [email protected] Sat March 11 Berko crawl (visiting the other pubs not visited last time): Vice-Chairman Old Mill, Rising Sun, Boat, Crystal Palace, – George, Lamb noon (S) Richard Healey Sat March 18th Chalfont St. Giles crawl: White Hart, Feathers (now called The Treasurer/Brewery Liaison Officer (MIX) Stone Place Restaurant at the Feathers), Merlins Cave, Fox & Hounds, Ivy House Charles Teuma – noon (S) [email protected] Wed March nd 22 Half Moon, Wilstone -­‐ 8 p.m. (S) Membership Secretary/Brewery Sat April 1st Kings Langley – Rose & Crown, The Old Palace, Saracens Head, Liaison Officer (Tring) Toby Carvery Richard Healey 01494 724686 th th Membership@MidChilternsCAMRA Friday April 7 -­‐9 CAMRA AGM – Bournemouth International Centre .org.uk Wed April 12th Cheddington – Old Swan and then Three Horseshoes 8 p.m. Locale Officer/Brewery Liaison Officer (M) (Haresfoot) Sat April 15th Easter Saturday beer fests

Roy Humphrey nd [email protected] Sat April 22 Berkhamsted Beer Fest (run by Haresfoot Brewery) – Pubs Officer/ Branch Contact Berkhamsted Civic Centre, 161 High Street, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. William Powell 07913 939761 Sat April 29th Bank Holiday beer fests [email protected] Sat May 6th Ashley Green – Golden Eagle, Bellcote, Black Cat – noon (S)

Brewery Liaison Officer (Red Squirrel) th Chris Pontin Wed May 10 Carpenters Arms, Slapton – 8pm (M) [email protected] Sat May 13th Regional meeting – Oxford Tapler Editor/Branch Contact Sat May 20th Winchmore Hill & Penn – Street The Furrow, Potters Arms, Hit Jared Ward-Brickett or Miss, Squirrel – noon (S)

[email protected] th [email protected] Wed May 24 BRANCH – AGM Black Cat, Lye Green, Chesham –8 p.m. Beer Information Officer Sat May 27th Bank Holiday beer fests John Lomax 01494 783198 Sat June 3rd Chesham Beer – Fest Chesham United FC

Cider Officer th Ian Williams Wed June 7 Valiant Trooper, and then Greyhound, – Aldbury 8 pm (M) [email protected] Beer Sat June 10th Boxmoor crawl – Fisheries, Grapes, Post Office Arms, Boxmoor Scores Officer Social Club, Three Blackbirds, – Steamcoach noon (S) Nigel Harris 0845 644 6700 Sat June 24th Great Missenden crawl – Black Horse, Cross Keys, Nags head – BeerScores@MidChilternsCAMRA noon (S) .org.uk Webmaster/Social Secretary ADVERTISING RATES: Gill Badminton Back Page A5 £140. Middle Page A5 £120. Full Page A5 £100. Half Page £60. Quarter Webmaster@MidChilternsCAMRA Page £40. 10% discount for advance payment for one year/4 issues. Ask Editor for details. .org.uk Deadline for advertisements/submissions/letters for [Summer 2017] edition: Sat 8th April [email protected] Send to: [email protected] TAPLER SUBSCRIPTION: Branch Secretary/Young Members Subscribe to the Tapler and have it delivered direct to your door. In order to receive 4 quarterly (seasonal) issues, send 8x2nd class stamps (UK) only, along with your postal address to: Tapler Subs, 10 Dean Field, Bovingdon Herts. HP3 0EW. Officers DISCLAIMER: Views expressed in ‘The Chiltern Tapler’ are not necessarily those of Gareth Hawden (Branch Secretary) & CAMRA LTD., its branches or the editors. COPYRIGHT © CAMRA Mid-Chilterns Branch 2016: Rachael Frost All rights reserved. Produced & Published by the Mid Chilterns Branch of the [email protected] Campaign for Real Ale. CAMRA HQ: 230 Hatfield Road, St. Albans, Herts., AL1 4BR. www.camra.org.uk [email protected] PRINTING: solopress.com

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Page 22 THE CHILTERN TAPLER SPRING 2017 CAMRA MEMBERSHIP PRICES 2017

DIRECT DEBIT NON-­‐DIRECT DEBIT SINGLE £25 £27 STANDARD SINGLE £16.50 £19 CONCESSION SINGLE OVERSEAS £38 £41.50

JOINT STANDARD £29.50 £32.50

JOINT £19.50 £22.00 CONCESSION JOINT OVERSEAS £43.00 £47.00

LIFETIME SINGLE N/A £450 STANDARD LIFETIME SINGLE N/A £306 CONCESSION LIFETIME SINGLE N/A £711 OVERSEAS LIFETIME JOINT N/A £549 STANDARD LIFETIME JOINT N/A £360 CONCESSION LIFETIME JOINT N/A £810 OVERSEAS

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