FROM THE EDITOR t’s common knowledge that regular of this piece. Only a ‘vox pop’ of MAD, NWE drinkers only suffer two side-effects: and CME footsoldiers is going to do justice to poor short-term memory and poor the cask vs. craft keg, cider vs. beer, pub vs. short-term memory... home barneys currently happening locally IThus hoping that I can make it to the end and nationally. of this editorial and still remember where Please do read your What’s Brewing and I am, it’s my pleasure again to bring you a Beer magazines, and update yourselves round-up of articles from the three branches on the state of play with the revitalisation of Maldon and Dengie, North West Essex project, which has just closed its third and Chelmsford and Mid-Essex. consultation. This edition ranges far and wide, in all On a lighter note, congratulations to the senses of the phrase; for far, take Barry Stanford Arms, Lowestoft, winner of East Plumridge’s report on the delights of the Isle Anglia Regional Pub of the Year. David and of Skye brewery, or Mick Allen’s insightful Samantha Burd received their award in mid- summary of the beer and brewery situation October from Andrea Briers, CAMRA East in Malta, or even the round-the-coast Thames Anglia Regional Director, and now join the 15 barge trip summarised for us by Richard other finalists for National Pub of the Year. Atkinson of MAD. Offering 12 real ales and five real ciders For wide I give you the stories gleaned on normally from local producers, Andrea the latest LocAle runabout, including tales of commended the “good range that would suit a spectral pub cat, haunting the bar-top at most tastes”. Good luck in the final, from all the Three Compasses, West Hanningfield... us down here! At some point, I’ll also be updating you via Finally, if the answer is “The Royal a dedicated piece on the controversy over Steamer”, what’s the question? Read on to beer provenance, currently tying CAMRA in find out... knots as it tries to revitalise for the next 50 years of campaigning. Ad multas cerevisias But before doing that I’d like your opinions, Tony Vernon sent into the editor’s email address at the end [email protected] congratulations to the Stanford Arms, lowestoft, winner of the east anglia regional pub of the year 2 Thirsty Times Winter Beer Festival @ the Swan Friday 9 December - Saturday 17 December 25+ real ales, ciders & perries. Food served all week Live music & entertainment Open 7 days a week Monday to Saturday 12.00pm - 11.00pm, lunch served 12.00pm - 2.00pm. Sunday 12.00pm - 10.30pm, Sunday roast lunch served 12.00pm - 4.00pm, booking advised. Children’s menu available every day. The Swan School Road Little Totham Essex CM9 8LB e [email protected] w theswanlittletotham.co.uk 01621 331 713 Winter 2016 3 WINTER BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL Paul Murrell previews the annual half-term Chelmsford festival, 15th–18th February 2017 Where? King Edward VI Grammar School (KEGS), Broomfield Road, Chelmsford CM1 3SX (Five minutes from station) ur very popular Winter Beer and Cider Festival is coming round shortly, with more than 170 real ales to choose from. Although we will have many of Othe stronger, darker winter brews there will also be golden, milds, bitters and fruit beers among the other types so hopefully there will be something to suit everyone. We will also have ciders and perries including some special winter ciders. There will be a selection of local Essex wines from Felsted Wines. Soft drinks will also be available for designated drivers, those under 18 or anyone just wanting a break from the alcohol. Please note that there is no parking available on the school premises and that parking is very limited in the surrounding streets although there is a car park nearby. Fortunately, the school is served by a card-presenting CAMRA Members at all times, and number of local buses which stop outside close to to everyone until 6pm on all festival days. After 6pm the school entrance. Wednesday to Saturday there will be an entrance fee There will hot and cold food available at all of £3. sessions. Hopleaf will be providing their winter Our website will range including curries and burgers with a selection be updated regularly, of vegetarian options as well. There will also be an please visit for the latest interesting selection of cold food from Pipers Crisps information using the QR and Oddfellows Chocolates (formerly Merry Berry code or web address at Chocolates). the end of this article. Due The festival is manned by CAMRA members who to the publishing cycle of are all volunteers and who give up their time to build, Thirsty Times, the winter run and take down the festival – for fun! Our opening festival will be about two times on all four days are from noon to 11pm, with months away, so please last orders at 10.45pm. Admission is free to valid put the dates in your diaries now. Also, don’t forget to come and claim your prizes if you participated in our 2016 LocAle Real Ale and Cider Trails. We look forward to seeing you there! www.chelmsfordbeerandciderfestivals.org.uk • Chelmsford and Mid-Essex CAMRA are grateful for the support of Home Partnership, who have also generously sponsored our 2017 souvenir glasses 4 Thirsty Times Winter 2016 5 CHOOSING A CHAMPION How the Champion Beer of Britain and Champion Winter Beer of Britain competitions work By Nick Boley, CAMRA national director beer availability/continuity, but if we are to judge at responsible for CBOB festivals then there is no way round it for now. Some suggestions include using taste panels to ll cask conditioned beers available for help judge to cut down the time taken overall, but three months, during a calendar year, many parts of the country do not have active taste can be entered into the Champion Beer panels at the moment. of Britain selection process, that starts You may have seen a memo from me to recruit duringA September and October when members can more taste panellists recently; this is to try and get all vote for their favourite beers in each of CAMRA’s areas covered by active panels to give us the option style categories. of moving CBOB in this direction if all involved agree Voting is usually by region (not all the same as to it. CAMRA’s regions, as some are amalgamated), but At the Great British Beer Festival, the final CBOB in some bigger regions members can only vote for category judging of the area winners takes place, beers in their county or group of counties. with one winning beer from the Golden Ale, Speciality For example in East Anglia, if you live in Essex Beer, Mild and Strong Bitter categories, coupled with you can vote only for Essex beers, and if you live two each from the Bitter and Best Bitter categories in Suffolk you can only vote for Suffolk beers and proceeding into the final round in order to judge the so on. Supreme Champion, which is crowned the best beer These nominations go forward to the CAMRA in Britain. Area CBOB coordinators (Paul Moorhouse does this The reason for two beers each from the Bitter and in East Anglia), responsible for co-ordinating area Best Bitter categories is to accommodate for the competitions. proportionate share of the commercial beer market These nominations are then ranked and the top these beer styles command. selections go forward to the area competitions, where Four beers that are fast tracked to the final round area category winners are selected and forwarded are the winners of each category of the Champion into the final CBOB and CWBOB competitions. This Winter Beer of Britain competition, held at the ensures that there is an even spread of beer styles National Winter Ales Festival in January/February from all regions of the UK. each year. As these beers were judged to be the Our overwhelming preference is that these beers Champion Beers of their style earlier in the year, which go forward should be judged at regional beer they are entered automatically into the final round of festivals. This adds some objectivity and integrity CBOB. to the process as the majority of the judges will be The CWBOB competition is similar in its structure CAMRA trained, and the tastings are blind. to CBOB, as the final round of judging is made up All coordinators are urged to get as many beers of beers having reached this stage via the process of judged at festivals as possible – preferably all of CAMRA local branch and tasting panel nominations, them, including the bottled beer category. followed by area competition success. This takes place over the year following the votes The categories in this competition are Old Ale/ (so for the current voting round it will be done from Strong Mild, Porter, Stout and Barley Wine/Strong about March 2017 to February 2018). Old Ale. There is a separate competition for the The winners go forward to the three national Champion Bottled Beer of Britain (Real Ale in Bottle). competitions – NWAF for the winter beers (CWBOB), Like CBOB and CWBOB, the structure of the GBBF for the rest of the beers and the BBC Good competition relies upon CAMRA local branch and Food Show Winter, in November, for the bottled tasting panel nominations, followed by the area beers. competitions, with the final held at the BBC Good So, at NWAF in Norwich next February, the beers Food Show in November.