From Russia with a Love of Great Beer
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WWW.CHEERSNORTHEAST.CO.UK // MAY 2014 // ISSUE 40 cheersIT’S ABOUT PUBS, PEOPLE, BEER – AND YOU! COOK’S TOUR STAND UP FOR FREE PLEASE TAKE THE COMEDIAN A COPY HALTWHISTLE STOP-OVER TAKE THE RAIL TRAIL BOBBY DAZZLER Scan this code FROM RUSSIA WITH A with your smart phone to access the latest news LOVE OF GREAT BEER on our website CHE40 Cover.indd 1 06/05/2014 10:36 CHE40 P2.indd 2 06/05/2014 10:37 WELCOME Here we are at issue number 40, just short of four years after we rst published Cheers North East in July 2010. It’s ruby anniversary time, but we’d prefer to look to CONTENTS the future rather than dwell on the past. OK, we need to acknowledge the OUR FRIENDS fantastic support and goodwill we’ve received from the region’s pub and 16 IN MOSCOW beer industry, but most of all, we Good beer speaks all languages. As do great pubs – thank the individual pub-goer who so it didn’t take much persuasion for a group of really appreciates being kept up to Russians keen to experience culture at its best to date with what’s happening around agree to visit some of the best pubs and breweries them and to be entertained and be we have. Sta from the Bobby Dazzler pub in given an insight into other people’s Moscow dropped in on e Stables brewery at pub cultures, such as the occasional Beamish Hall, County Durham, to help brew one of report from CzechBeerMan. its most popular ales – Bobby Dazzler, of course. And when someone calls to say ey were on a whistle-stop tour of Manchester, he’s got a party of Russians helping Glagow, Arran, Edinburgh, Newcastle and York, not brew the beer that has the same to simply gawp at castles and monuments, but to name as their Moscow pub, you’ve Beamish Hall Stables brewery, Skelton, at The cover photograph by Peter Front experience culture and tradition – in the pub. just got to go and investigate why – see page 16. COVER: ALEX AKSENOV, REGULAR AT THE BOBBY DAZZLER PUB, MOSCOW Cheers is all about pub culture and the multitudinous strands – no two are alike and that’s the balancing WE TEND TO act that Camerons Brewery is FIND A NICE tackling, for instance, following the LATEST TAKE THE takeover of the Head of Steam group. QUIET PUB FOR ose in the group are united by a 04 NEWS 22 RAIL TRAIL progressive spirit but are no more OUR CREATIVE alike than any other collective – MEETINGS. IT’S THE and that’s how it should be. It’ll be PUB FOOD GIGS AND interesting to see how the new Head PERFECT PLACE of Steam in Tynemouth shapes up BURGERS 2512 FESTIVALS – and how Camerons’ other pubs – WHEN YOU absorb their hard-won ethos. GIVE IN, A PINT Someone used the phrase, “we’re COOK’S FUN all in this together” but while we IS JUST A SHORT acknowledge what he was driving at, 14 TOURING 27 STUFF let’s raise a glass to individuality in WALK AWAY our pub culture. Cheers! PUB WITH THE A-Z OF Alastair Gilmour JASON COOK Editor, Cheers North East 19 NO BEER 28 GREAT PUBS EDITORIAL ADVERTISING PUBLISHED BY: 01661 844115 01661 844115 Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, 07930 144 846 Gillian Corney the publisher cannot accept responsibility for omissions Alastair Gilmour [email protected] Publishers: Jane Pikett & Gary Ramsay and errors. All material in this publication is strictly [email protected] Emma Howe Unit One, Bearl Farm Stocksfi eld copyright and all rights reserved. @CheersPal [email protected] Northumberland NE43 7AJ www.cheersnortheast.co.uk [email protected] twitter: @offstonepublish When you have fi nished with We are tweeting. Photography: Peter Skelton www.offstonepublishing.co.uk this magazine please recycle it Follow us @cheers_ne OUR SPONSORS Wylam Brewery CHE40 Intro P3.indd 3 06/05/2014 10:37 NEWS Jet setters Left to right: Gill Caleary, Lucy Knowles, Dave Laws and Dean Ward at The Beer House BOATHOUSE DEPARTURE FROM THE NORM IS NEWCASTLE VIEWED FROM A AIRPORT’S AIM FOR THE FUTURE Newcastle’s newest pub is possibly its most and pork scratchings from Dropswell Farm, unusual – you have to show your passport County Durham. DIFFERENT ANGLE to get anywhere near. The recently-opened Dave Laws, chief executive at Newcastle Martin Hammill, brewery manager at Beer House is part of a £14m airside Airport, says: “Our passengers’ holidays start Hadrian Border, has been on a fi shing investment at Newcastle International here so it’s important we give them the best trip off Muckle Flugga, north of Unst Airport that also includes the innovative possible experience. We also cater for many on Shetland. The small rocky island – Flying Hippo, an American-style diner, and business travellers and we are always striving to topped by an automatic lighthouse – is the UK’s largest Aspire Lounge. meet their specifi c requirements. often called the most northern point of The Beer House and Flying Hippo both “The Beer House is proving very popular with the British Isles. A former professional feature Tyne Bank Brewery beers with an passengers wishing to sample some of the best fi sherman, Martin – pictured left with enviable selection of draught and bottled beers local beers on offer.” fellow Boathouse, Wylam, regular Alex that include Harviestoun Schiehallion, Meantime Tyne Bank owner Julia Austin is naturally Brown – reports he broke 35 years-worth London Stout, Kozel and Pilsner Urquell. Food delighted at her three-year-old company of boat angling personal bests in their fi rst at The Beer House is “hand-held”, drizzled in being chosen to represent the North East at three hours. local provenance, and features pulled pork The Beer House. “It was an unbelievable trip,” he says. and roast beef “proper stotties” fresh from the She says: “Your journey can begin with a “Great guys and monster fi sh – the biggest artisan Geordie Bakers, plus burgers, ribs and lovely pint of Tyne Bank cask ale, or our award- being a whopper 55lb ling.” bacon from butchers Manners, and sausages winning Silver Dollar on keg.” CAMRA 2014 South West Northumberland Pub & Cider Pub of the Year What’s on at The Boathouse Just in from Paris - Shamons Jazz Quartet, starts 7.30pm - Thursday May 8th Kiss The Frog, starts 8.30pm - Monday 31st May Pie & peas, toasties & sandwiches available every day Live BT Sports shown 15 Handpulls Station Road, Wylam, NE41 8HR • Telephone: 01661 853431 12 Ciders & Perrys Follow us @Boathouse Wylam • Like us on 4 / CHEERS / www.cheersnortheast.co.uk CHE40 News 4-11.indd 4 06/05/2014 10:38 NEWS LATEST WORK GOING FOR A SONG The performer dubbed “Newcastle’s acoustic hero” has launched a new album at The Central in Gateshead where he enjoys a Sunday residency. Singer-songwriter Simma’s latest work is called Lychnobite, issued on the Boomchang Winners: Helen Greer and Rhian label run by one-time Lindisfarne member Steve Cradock, The Feathers Inn Cunningham. Simma is now one of the best- known performers on his home-town music scene, having performed songs and the spoken WILL WE BE BEST OF word extensively, plus enjoying a four-year stint on BBC Newcastle’s Saturday breakfast show. Lychnobite – a person who sleeps by day and THE BEST – AGAIN? lives by night – represents his most ambitious The search is on to fi nd the best pubs project yet in terms of songwriting, musicianship in the country in the Publican’s Morning and performance. The album includes Simma says: “This is, to my mind, the most Advertiser Great British Pub Awards 2014, contributions from some of the best names in complete piece of work I’ve ever done. The so let’s show what the North East has the music contacts book, including Radio 2 Folk songs represent themes that are close to my `to offer. Award nominee Dan Walsh, former members of heart, including seizing the day, enjoying the Seventeen categories are up for grabs– The Proud Ones, The Soviets and The Kush, and moment and living life to the full.” including best community pub, best freehouse even the award-winning Billingham Silver Band. www.newcastlesinger.co.uk and even best pub toilets – with the overall winner being crowned Britain’s best. Regional fi nalists are selected by a team of industry experts and visited during June and July with the fi nal taking place at the London Hilton, FESTIVAL WITH A CAN-DO APPROACH Park Lane, on September 11. The overall title was won in 2010 by The fourth annual AmeriCAN Canned Craft in a host of categories – IPA, American Pale Battlesteads at Wark, while 2011’s winner Beer Festival is set to return to the Scottsdale Ale, English Pale Ale, Wheat Beers, Stouts and was The Feathers Inn, Hedley-on-the-Hill Civic Centre in Arizona this month. AmeriCAN Porters, Ambers and Browns, Golds, Blondes, (both Northumberland), so the region has a isn’t just a festival held on May 17, it’s also Pilsners and Light Lagers, Fruit, and Speciality great track record in the competition. a competition. The week before the festival, Beer. Gold, silver and bronze winners will be Closing date for entries is Thursday May more than 30 certifi ed craft beer judges announced at the festival and awarded a medal. 22, so get your skates on. Details and entry gather to taste and vote for their favourites www.cannedcraftbeerfest.com form at www.greatbritishpubawards.co.uk MAY SPECIALS IN STOCK NOW LWC are the largest supplier and offer the widest range of cask ales in the North East.