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Free Newsletter Draught for the Maidstone & Mid-Kent, Gravesend & Darent Valley and Bexley areas of Kent Copy Summer 2015 No. 179 BELL & JORROCKS, FRITTENDEN MAIDSTONE AND MID-KENT BRANCH PUB OF THE YEAR 2015 Many congratulations to Sean and Rosie Croucher and all their team. DRAUGHT COPY Draught Copy is the newsletter of the Maidstone and Mid-Kent, Bexley, and Gravesend & Darent Valley branches of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale. It is published quarterly, in February, May, August and November and has a circulation of 3000 copies. Opinions expressed are those of the author of the article, and need not represent those of CAMRA or its officials. All articles are by the editor or from CAMRA HQ unless otherwise attributed. Advertising rates: £77 / £45 / £27 for a full / half / quarter page respectively, Editor and Tim Mathews Correspondence: [email protected] Postal Address: 135 Lavenders Road West Malling Kent ME19 6HR Advertising: Colin Mann Email: [email protected] If you find a pub selling short measure, allowing smoking in the premises, or other illegal things in pubs, please have a quiet word with the landlord in the first instance. If you do not receive satisfaction, however, please ring the Council’s Trading Standards on 08457 585497 for the K.C.C. area, or 0208 303 7777 for Bexley Borough. We should demand the very highest standards of service in our pubs. The copy date for the next issue is 15 June 2015 for publication in August 2015. Visit our website at www.mmkcamra.co.uk On Twitter at www.twitter.com/mmkcamra 2 Beer Festivals in our region and not too far away CAMRA May 22—24 www.camra.org.uk/events George & Dragon London Road, Swanscombe Thurrock Beer Festival 15 real ales June 2—6 www.georgedragonswanscombe.co.uk/ Thurrock Civic Hall, Blackshots Ln, May 22—25 Grays RM16 2JU Bull, Tonbridge Road, Barming More than 150 different real ales, Beer & Music Festival 25+ real ciders & perrys, plus a selection of English Country May 29—31 Wines and Mead. ANGELfest 4 Tonbridge Angels Football Club Kent & East Sussex Railway Darenth Avenue, Tonbridge June 19—20 www.angelfest.info Station Road, Tenterden June 6 www.camra-afrm.org.uk/ MENCAP Summer Fayre Kent Beer Festival MMK Branch Beer Bar July 23—25 SE corner of Mote Park, Maidstone Merton Farm, Merton Lane, 6 beers on sale Canterbury CT4 7BA All proceeds to the Charity www.kentbeerfestival.com June 19—21 And of course a ‘heads-up’ for our Windmill Beer Festival own East Malling 45 Shrubbery Road, Gravesend Beer & Cider Festival June 24—28 September 5 Flower Pot Biggest Ever Festival East Malling Research Sandling Road, Maidstone East Malling ME19 6BJ 35+ ales & 8 ciders more details in our next edition. www.flowerpotpub.moonfruit.com July 4 Non-CAMRA—Pubs and Clubs Medway Rotary Club Star Meadow Sports Club May 15—17 Darland Avenue, Gillingham TJ’s Beer Festival 40 real ales & ciders 15 Milton Road, Gravesend £10 (includes 4 pints www.tjspub.co.uk www.medwayrotary.org.uk/ May 23—25 July 24-26 Ship, Southfleet Beer Festival White Horse Red Street, Southfleet DA13 9NS Lenham Heath Road, Sandway www.shipatsouthfleet.co.uk 33 4 KENT BREWERIES Bexley Brewery 01322 337368 bexleybrewery.co.uk Canterbury Ales 01227 732541 www.canterbury-ales.co.uk Canterbury Brewers 01227 455899 www.thefoundrycanterbury.co.uk/ canterbury-brewers Caveman Brewery 07769 710665 www.cavemanbrewery.co.uk Goacher’s 01622 682112 www.goachers.com Goody Ales 07790 443810 www.goodyales.co.uk HopDaemon 01795 892078 www.hopdaemon.com Hop Fuzz 07850 441267 www.hopfuzz.co.uk Isla Vale Alesmiths 01843 292451 islavalealesmiths.co.uk Kent Brewery 01634 780037 www.kentbrewery.com Larkins 01892 870328 Mad Cat Brewery 07960 263615 www.madcatbrewery.co.uk Maidstone Brewing Co. 01622 757705 Millis Brewing Co. 01322 866233 www.millisbrewing.com Musket Brewery 07967 127278 www.musketbrewery.co.uk Nelson Brewing Co. 01634 832828 www.nelsonbrewery.co.uk Old Dairy Brewing Co. 01580 243185 www.olddairybrewery.com Old Forge Brewery 01233 720444 www.thefarriersarms.com Pig and Porter 01424 893519 pigandporter.co.uk Ramsgate Brewery 01843 868453 www.ramsgatebrewery.co.uk Ripple Steam Brewery 07917 037611 www.ripplesteambrewery.co.uk Rockin’ Robin Brewery 07787 416110 www.rockinrobinbrewery.co.uk Shepherd Neame 01795 532206 www.shepherd-neame.co.uk Swan, West Peckham 01622 812271 www.swan-on-the-green.co.uk Time and Tide 07840 327265 timeandtidebrewing.co.uk Tír Dhá Ghlas 01304 211666 www.cullinsyard.co.uk Tonbridge Brewery 01732 366770 www.tonbridgebrewery.co.uk Wantsum Brewery 0845 0405980 www.wantsumbrewery.co.uk Westerham Brewery 01959 565837 www.westerhambrewery.co.uk Whitstable Brewery 01622 851007 www.whitstablebrewery.co.uk 55 6 Kent Cider Makers Badgers Hill Farm 01227 730573 Beardspoon Cider Works www.beardspoon.com Biddenden Cider 01580 291726 www.biddendenvineyards.com Big Tree Cider 01474 705221 www.bigtreecider.co.uk Broomfield Orchard 01227 362279 www.broomfieldorchard.co.uk Castle Cider Co 01732 455977 Chafford Cider Co. 01892 740437 [email protected] Core Fruit Products 01227 730589 www.corejuice.co.uk Double Vision Cider 01622 746633 Dudda’s Tun Cider 01795 886266 www.duddastuncider.com East Stour Cider Co 07880 923398 [email protected] Gibbet Oak Cider 01580 763938 www.gibbetoak.co.uk Green Oak Farm 01304 821630 www.greenoakfarm.co.uk Hush Heath Estate 01622 832794 shop.hushheath.com Johnson’s Farmhouse Cider 01795 665203 Kent Cider Company 01795 521317 kentcider.co.uk Kentish Pip Cider 01227 830525 www.kentishpip.co.uk Kingswood Cider 01227 709387 www.kingswoodcider.co.uk Little Stour Orchard 07771 711252 www.littlestourorchard.co.uk Longtail Cider [email protected] Magic Bus Cider 07887 747569 [email protected] Merry Moon 07707 309041 [email protected] Northdowns Cider 01795 591285 Pawley Farm Cider 01795 532043 [email protected] Pippins Cider Company 01892 824544 www.pippinsfarm.co.uk Rough Old Wife Cider 01227 700757 www.rougholdwife.com St Dunstan’s Cider [email protected] Stiles Cider 01795 830615 [email protected] Tiddly Pomme's Woolly Pig 01795 529100 www.tiddlypommeshop.co.uk Turners Cider 07825 394164 www.turnerscider.co.uk Wise Owl Cider 01233 850664 [email protected] Map available at www.camra77-dds.org.uk/pubscidermakers.htm 8 Pub of the Year—Club of the Year—2015—Winners Bexley Penny Farthing, Crayford Old Dartfordians Club, Old Bexley Gravesend & Darent Valley Cock , Luddesdown Dartford Working Men’s Club Maidstone & Mid-Kent Bell and Jorrocks, Frittenden Marden Village Club Congratulations to all our winners for their services to the community and to good beer! 99 10 1111 Maidstone & Mid-Kent Local News Contact: John Mills 01732 840603 or email [email protected] Little Gem, Aylesford – Whilst no longer a pub, this Grade II listed building has been visibly decaying since it was closed by Punch Taverns in September 2010 and eventually sold. Time the council did something surely? Old Plantation, Bearsted – Despite local opposition this has now closed. Maidstone Borough Council declined to grant an Asset of Community Value and now a builder intends to place two houses in the garden and turn the pub, a Grade II listed building, into a larger house. Local residents are much against the loss of this much loved pub which has provided for many years a safe garden area for children and facilities where conversation can be maintained free from sports TVs, games machines and deafening music. Kitty Fisher, Benenden– Suddenly closed in January. Nevill Bull, Birling – A branch visit found two beers from the excellent Tonbridge Brewery, Blonde Ambition and Coppernob. As it was the season of the Six Nations rugby, Caledonian Over The Bar was the theme guest beer. Some warm snacks were supplied for which we thank Kate. www.nevillbull.co.uk Bird in Hand, Coxheath – Building has recommenced after a long break. Red Bull, Eccles – Has been brightened up with a new coat of paint outside and re-designed sign boards. New lessees Kylie Hacker & Lawrie Phibbs are putting on various events, including quizzes, poker, disco, bingo, horse racing and karaoke. redbulleccles.moonfruit.com Bell & Jorrocks, Frittenden – Excellent beer and food make this slightly off the main roads village pub a splendid place to visit. A great pity there is no bus service. Harveys Sussex Best Bitter and Woodfordes Wherry are usually on the bar with one or two guest ales. MMK Pub of the Year 2015. Goudhurst Inn, Goudhurst – Closed in January for a major refit. Date set for re-opening is 25 April. Hawkenbury, Hawkenbury – When the branch visited it was unusually quiet - this was due to the kitchen being re-fitted. There is now a portable skittle lane that is bookable and ideal for parties of between 12 and 30 people. Available as well are table football, pool table and darts providing something for most interests. Tonbridge Rustic with Ranmore 12 1313 14 and Shere Drop both from Surrey Hills, a brewery not often seen in our area were available and all were enjoyed. Apparently the licensees have relatives near the Surrey Hills brewery so pick up some casks whenever they visit. www.thehawkenburyinn.com Hook & Hatchet, Hucking – Local supporters have obtained an Asset of Community Value status from Maidstone Borough Council for this pub closed and put up for sale by Shepherd Neame. This will prevent a Change of Use application being granted without a full review by the council planning committee and will enable the community time to put together a bid to buy the pub and keep it open and run it as they want. Woodcock, Iden Green – A first branch visit here under the new ownership found Timothy Taylor Boltmaker to be the guest ale among the regular Greene King/Morland/Ruddles beers.