www. February 2014 issue 107 InnSpire .org.uk THE MAGAZINE OF CHESTERFIELD AND DISTRICT CAMRA
Chester eld CAMRA Pub of the Year The Tramway Tavern
Matlock and Dales Sub Branch CAMRA Pub of the Year
The MoCa Bar FREEPage 1 COPY Inn Chairman’s Report Spire Welcome to the first issue of InnSpire for 2014. Chesterfield & District We’ve chosen our Chesterfield and District Pub Editorial & Production of the Year for 2014 – the Tramway Tavern - Tim Stone & Debbie Jackson CAMRA Tel: 07773 141433 Brampton Brewery’s second pub. An excellent [email protected] Chairman time was had at the award presentation in Advertisements Mick Portman January. Our Winter Pub of the Season is the Peter Boitoult 88 Walton Road, Chesterfield S40 3BY Rykneld Turnpyke in Clay Cross – you can see Tel: 07791 159 526 Tel: 01246 277757 reports on both presentations in this issue. [email protected] Further Information Branch Contact We’re now working on our selections for the www.innspire.org.uk Jane Lefley 2015 Good Beer Guide, a job which gets harder [email protected] [email protected] every year owing to the constantly increasing Article Deadline for April 07790 863432 number of excellent pubs selling excellent beer in the branch area. Issue 108 Wobble Organisers I’m sure that 2014 will be another great year for drinking beer, and hope that Friday 21st March 2014 Ray Easter InnSpire has a circulation of 4,250 [email protected] our readers will enjoy it as much as we shall. copies and is produced by and copyright of the Chesterfield & District Colin Clark Mick Portman Branch of CAMRA. [email protected] Matlock & Dales Sub Branch No parts may be used without permission. Articles & letters are Contact always welcome and may be Peter Boitoult 07791 159 526 submitted by email to the InnSpire Editor, address above. Do you have trouble
Please note that the views expressed finding a copy of InnSpire? herein are those of individual contributors and not necessarily those Why not guarantee yourself a copy by of the national Campaign for Real Ale subscribing to our Postal List? or the local Branch. As each issue is published, you will Chesterfield & District CAMRA is a be one of the first to receive a copy of Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale Innspire, directly to your door. To receive a whole year’s worth of Innspire, please send six second class LARGE letter stamps to: InnSpire Postal List, 88 Walton Road, Chesterfield S40 3BY Please remember to include your full name and address. Page 2 Page 3 Campaign Update barrow Hill roundHouse The sale of over 200 Marstons’ pubs to a property company, announced just before Christmas, raises further questions on the future of the industry. Some we know will become private residences, some will become supermarkets, and Rail ale the fate of others is unknown. What can be deduced is that there will be fewer pubs in which to drink. Forget the moral and ethical questions of drinking 2014 in a controlled environment, which is what pubs are all about, we need to campaign to make sure that as many pubs as possible are retained as viable The mosT aTmospheric beer fesTival of The year! drinking establishments. At the time of writing, there is no information about which pubs are involved. th 6pm - 11pm* Change of use to residential is relatively easy to resist, as a full planning Thursday 15 May application is needed. Change of use to other retail is much more difficult to th resist, as no planning application for change of use is needed. The only matters Friday 16 May 12noon - 11pm* to be considered will be traffic problems and extensions and modifications to th the building. This latter is much more difficult. saTurday 17 May 12noon - 11pm* About a year ago when new planning laws came into force, the concept of an asset of community value was introduced. This is a scheme whereby a building Tickets or a piece of land can be proposed as an asset of value to the local community. available It was sold to us as an idea to help save, among other things, pubs. It turns over 200 from 1st out that it is as good as worthless. All that happens is that it puts a six month pause into the planning process during which the locals are expected to raise March the money to make an offer for the said asset. If at the end of six months they real ales! have not managed it, the process moves forward as before. So it seems that the much publicised changes in planning law intended, among other things, to PLuS help save pubs has been no help at all. MAIN SPONSORS: ciders, perrys, crafT Keg Castle RoCk, FulleRs Very soon after publication of this issue of InnSpire, there will have been a and World beers and eveRaRds public enquiry into the refusal by Chesterfield Borough Council to grant Tesco approved Festival Train rides, live music SuPPORtING SPONSORS: planning consent to change the well-loved Crispin Inn into a local shop. To and greaT food MaRstons, BateMans, titaniC, choose a public enquiry rather than just a plain appeal hearing seems to be oakHaM and naviGation a deliberate ploy to involve the Council in considerable extra complication. thuRSdAy: AdvANce & ON the GAte £4.50 FRIdAy & SAtuRdAy: AdvANce £6.50, ON the GAte £8 Chesterfield CAMRA have objected, as have many others, so it will be an *No under 18s allowed on site after 5pm. Train rides run until 5pm on Friday & Saturday. No train rides on Thursday. interesting time (if you like that kind of thing!) There will be a full report of proceedings in the next issue. Tel: 01246 472450 Alan Craw CaMpbell drive, barrow Hill, CHesTerfield, derbysHire s43 2pr Page 4 www.barrowhill.org Page 5 Brewery News Brewery News cont. Barlow Raw are also joining forces with Educatables, the Derbyshire Times Band of The conversion of the brewery to a five barrel plant should be completed by the Year, and will be producing a 3.8% pale ale in February, ready for a series the time you read this. Robert Slater won the brew day competition and his of gigs. The band will be playing at the White Swan in town on 6th March, and traditional bitter, Pathfinder, will be available at the Winding Wheel festival. Also then at various local pubs in March and April – see the band’s Facebook page at the festival will be Betty’s Blonde and Full Monty. Full Monty will be judged in for details. the East Midlands regional competition for strong bitters at the National Winter Ales Festival to be held at Derby. Festival success
Rumours of a brewery tap have proved accurate, as brewer Glyn has joined forces with designer and InnSpire editor Tim Stone to take over the Brampton Ale House, in partnership with Thwaites. The Chatsworth Road pub is currently undergoing refurbishment, and is planned to re-open in February. It will be renamed the Tap House – what else?! There will be eight real ales available, including two or three from the Barlow range. The guest ales will be sourced from small breweries around the country. There will also be real ciders on offer, and a great selection of quality wines.
“I’ve been looking for a brewery tap for a while, and when the Ale House became available it was an obvious choice, with its great location and potential,” explained Glyn. “We’re aiming for a friendly pub, which welcomes discerning drinkers – whether they enjoy a pint of great local real ale, or a good choice of fine wines.”
Look out for The Tap House on Facebook to keep in touch with progress.
Brampton December saw the Mild / Wild Turkey fusion released at the three Brampton houses, which very quickly evaporated. Look out for the Winter Bock / Jack Local breweries were presented with their awards from October’s Market Daniels combo, which should be another rare treat for those bourbon fans Festival at a special event in January. Battle of the Beers winners were: amongst us. Gold – Ashover’s Littlemoor Citra 4.1% Silver – Raw’s Butchers Strong Ale 7.3% Raw Bronze – Dancing Duck’s Indian Porter 5% The girls from the Butchers Arms at Woodsetts came along and brewed their own beer - Identity Crisis - a 4.3% Pale Oat Vanilla Mild. Guest brewer Raimondo The Drinkers Choice awards – Battle of the Beers and Beer of the Festival - voted brewed twice with us - one Raw beer and a collaboration - Black Saison 5.7% - a for by festival drinkers both went to Instant Karma, Test Brew Number One 3.9% Belgian style saison with black pepper, elderflower and sweet orange peel.
Page 6 Page 7 Pub News Two of the branch area LocAle recognised pubs have had their cellar men accredited by Cask Marque. Congratulations to Anthony Payne at the town centre Rutland Arms and Gary Gregory from the Fox and Goose at Wigley.
The new year has seen the Brunswick in Derby launch a brand new food menu, alongside a full range of 16 real ales.
The outside of the Speedwell, Staveley, has been spruced up with a new coat of paint. The opening hours have also been extended - it's now opening at 5pm, an hour earlier, on weekdays.
Big-hearted fundraisers have boosted Ashgate Hospice in memory of a young nursery worker who died of cancer. The Blue Stoops in Walton held a fundraising event after Laura Nettleship died aged just 29. Laura, who received care at the hospice, bravely battled breast cancer while raising two young sons. Donations are still coming in but the event has so far raised about £2,000 for the charity.
It was attended by many of Laura’s loved ones and proved a great success. Her dad, Alan Cooper of Walton, said, “It was the perfect chance for everyone to come together to remember Laura while raising money for Ashgate Hospice. I’d like to thank everyone who was involved in organising the fundraiser and everyone who attended and donated.” Laura, who passed away at the hospice last July, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. Laura kept fighting the illness despite being given only weeks to live, and married long- term partner, Matt, in December 2012. For more information about Ashgate Hospice, visit www.ashgatehospice.org
Page 8 Page 9 Pub News cont.
Another fundraising event in November saw the Arkwright Arms populated by large numbers of people with dodgy facial hair! The annual Movember event, which aims to raise awareness of male cancer, raised £1,637.71 for the charity. Ales were donated by Coors, Heineken, Ashover, Muirhouse, Harthill, Raw, Whim, Bumpmill and Newby Wyke breweries, with food donated by the pub.
And finally, after five fantastic years, Jojo, Ollie and Charlie will be leaving the Chesterfield Arms for pastures new. They are heading to another of the family’s pubs, the Final Whistle at Southwell, where they are looking forward to village life and a village pub. The Arms will still be owned by the family too, and the new manager is Ashley, who locals will know from behind the bar, and his partner Danielle.
Oliver commented, “The Final Whistle is our dream pub and we are ready for a fresh challenge. We’d just like to say a massive thankyou to all our customers over the years – it’s you who have made the pub what it is, and we’ll be very sad to leave, but we have to follow our dreams!” Page 10 Page 11 Beer Parlour move The Beer Parlour’s move round the corner to King Street North on Whittington Moor is proving popular with regulars and newcomers alike. And the move 405 Sheffield Road, Whittington Moor, Chesterfield S41 8LS itself has been a real example of community spirit.
Dawn John has been a regular since the Beer Parlour shop and bar first opened over WE HAVE MOVED! three years’ ago. “I like the concept – it’s like being in someone’s front room, which makes it easy to meet and chat with people,” John explained. “The beers To No1 King Street North opposite the on the bar are always changing, and it’s also encouraged me to look beyond Peter Webster Centre the UK and try Belgian beers, which are now amongst my favourites.” Open 4-9pm Mon.- Thurs. 4pm-10pm Fri. John admitted to being sceptical about the move, as he was very happy with 12-10pm Sat. 1pm-7pm Sunday the Parlour as it was. But, in the end, it became a real team effort to get the new Draught beers changing on the bar every week venue opened as planned. Real ales and craft ciders in bottles and on draught EP Midnight before the opening day saw a number of regulars helping owners E I T
Phone 07870 693411 K
R Steve and Dawn to get (almost) everything in place, despite their fears that it
E L Be our friends on Facebook and find out which beers are on the tasting bar A wouldn’t be able to open. Decisions All local breweries represented had to be made about what the priorities were to get it up and running, including getting Steve to fit the loos! And even more people turned up on the day to help with last minute clearing up.
There’s now a real sense of involvement and community about the place, and John is happy that the original atmosphere has been retained, while the extra space has seen lots of new customers giving the Beer Parlour a try.
There’s still work to do on the decor, but the warm welcome and quality of the beers is as good as ever.
Page 12 Page 13 Chesterfield Pub of the Year Tramway Tavern
The Tramway Tavern was packed with locals and well wishers when it received the Chesterfield and District CAMRA Pub of the Year award in January. Chairman Mick Portman presented the award to Pub Manager Emma Clarke and her team, acknowledging the great atmosphere and quality ales. Emma is no stranger to the pub business as she was born and brought up in her parents’ pub. She is also passionate about real ale.
“I like to make sure I know all about the beers we sell, and the staff are very knowledgeable too, which makes all the difference. 2013 was an incredible year for us and it is wonderful to know that the hard work we all put in is recognised and appreciated.”
To celebrate the award, Brampton Brewery provided a special 5% dark beer, aptly named Cheers, at a very cheerful price of £2.05 - a special 2005 figure which was the last time a Brampton Pub (The Peacock) won the award. Jacksons did the Tavern proud with a three tier pork pie, complete with mini trophy, which was soon devoured by the crowd. A selection of multi-coloured cheeses was also on offer to help the beer go down - as if help were needed!
The traditional pub atmosphere was complete with some lovely piano playing from local music teacher Paul Bingham.
Page 14 Page 15 Sunday Strollers Once a month, weather permitting, and usually on the second Sunday of the month, we go for a walk. The object of the walk is to take a leisurely stroll to one of our many excellent pubs, have some beer and walk on to a convenient bus stop to return Live Music on the last to Chesterfield. Thursday of every Recent walks have been month from Old Whittington to Six CAMRA walkers in Westwood, Brimington! Dronfield, and from Chesterfield Quiz Night every to the Arkwright Arms. Walks are usually around five or six miles, and pubs are always excellent. See the Wednesday InnSpireAd-2014b:Layout 1 22/1/14 12:35 Page 1 Chesterfield CAMRA website for details.
Ollie, Jo and Charlie are leaving the Chesterfield Arms to run The Final Whistle in Southwell. After an Amazing five years they are off for a new challenge. The pub will still be family owned and will be managed by Ashley.
Page 16 Page 17 Budapest in Ruins For those of a sight- seeing persuasion, the Hungarian capital Budapest has plenty of sights, such as the incredible Parliament building in Pest, the preserved castle with its gothic redoubt in Buda, the Chain Bridge over the Danube linking the twin cities, the vistas of Heroes Square, and the spectacular singing fountain on Margaret Island. But, best of all, Budapest has its ruin pubs.
In the early 2000s some enterprising young minds from Budapest Central European University noticed that there were some rather run-down plots in District VII, which could be rented for mere földimogyoró*. We all know students are fond of the occasional beer or two, but owing to their meagre (and/or disappearing) grant structures, are not too fond of paying the going rate for them, so a few bright sparks at BCE Uni thought “why not open and run a cut-price pub in a ruin?”
They could rent the land for next to nothing. They had a reservoir of second year undergrads who were happy to become bar staff and supplement their meagre (and/or disappearing) grants. They had some budding accountants, artists, designers, electricians etc. to call on (final year students looking to enhance their CVs), and ultimately they had an immediate and guaranteed customer base (freshers, who generally possess the most disposable income, coupled with the least sense.)
It all started in one of these peppercorn-rent run-down empty lots. A load of old garden chairs and tables were liberated from a skip, washed down, then painted primary colours. A van load of beer was parked at the back of the lot, and a portable sound system was set up on one side. With that simple concept they opened up for business. The Budapest ruin pub was born.
Page 18 Page 19 Budapest cont. Budapest cont. Initially the only problem was they couldn’t order beer as fast as the freshers difficult to chill out, because (a) it’s usually rammed, and (b) some of the could drink it. Eventually the main issue evolved into the fact they had nowhere chairs are straight from a dentist’s surgery - Yikes. Catch it early to avoid the to store the vast piles of cash they had begun to accumulate, so phase two of armada of Budapest tour buses converging in on it, and marvel at their murals, the venture was born: re-invest the profit. Capitalism in action - and they hadn’t sculptures and artistic arrangements, featuring a perhaps unnatural obsession had it too long either! Re-investment usually meant a large wooden bar was with fish, owls and rabbits, but mostly owls. installed at the back of the lot, which could be locked up when They had to drag me out of a ruin pub and onto the plane home. Back in everyone left. (Being students Derbyshire I now look at every empty lot appearing in Matlock and wonder this wasn’t til about 6am). ‘Could it be done here?’ Then a few days later I notice it’s become yet another The first major success of this charity shop. Tch. business model was the Szimpla Kert ruin pub (Kert means ‘Garden’ in Hungarian). Tony Farrington
An immediate hit, it was *Peanuts. The Hungarian language makes even learning Welsh look inviting. immediately copied. New ruin pubs sprang up almost daily. Some made enough cash to upscale, and relocate to a better place (perhaps even with a roof). Each ruin pub usually has their own little idiosyncrasies that make them special. The Szimpla Kert in Kazinsky Utca now hosts an independent fruit and vegetable market in its kert, and some of the pub ‘seats’ are no less than roofless old Trabants. In Koleves Kert further up Kazinsky you don’t take your kids - they take you, so they can lounge around in hammocks, rather than chairs. In The Super 8 on Kofarago you sit under a gigantic geodesic dome in the courtyard, with a life-size fibreglass giraffe overseeing all. Someone must have patiently monitored EBay for months to acquire those.
There’s a ruin pub to cater for almost every taste, but perhaps the most bizarre of all is the Instant Art Bar on Nagymezo Street, although it’s occasionally
Page 20 Page 21 Barlow Brew Day DERBYSHIRE A good time was had by all when Robert Slater of Old Tupton spent the day at Barlow Brewery as the lucky winner Presents of our InnSpire brew day competition. Robert and partner Amanda described the day as a truly unique experience, and felt it was a real privilege to have been given the opportunity to try their hands at brewing a Barlow beer.
They were involved in every part of the process from mashing in with the malt at the beginning to adding the yeast to get the fermentation started.
Robert had given some thought Robert inspects the Mash to naming his beer, and decided to call it Pathfinder after a friend’s father’s exploits in the RAF. Percy Cannings flew Lancasters as a pathfinder in the war, something of which he is very proud, and even had a Lancaster flyover at his For your drinking pleasure recent 90th birthday. “I just thought it would be a nice way to cheer him up, Real Ales, Fine Wines, Ciders & Coffee and Percy thought it was a great idea,” said Robert. 318, Chatsworth Road, Brampton, Chester eld S40 2BY Glyn suggested that a traditional English bitter would be appropriate, and www.thetaphouse.co.uk after a good day’s work, not Amanda helps Glyn weigh out the hops
Page 22 Page 23 Barlow Brew Day cont.
to mention bacon butties for breakfast and fish and chips for lunch, the day produced a satisfying 4.4% ale.
“It was a real eye opener to see what goes on behind the scenes at a local brewery,” Robert told us. “I really enjoyed seeing how Glyn pulls it all together. The hops go in There’s not lots of fancy equipment, he just gets on with it! I have been on several brewery tours, but there is no substitute for seeing the brewing process in action. What struck me in particular was the need to prepare a recipe and the care taken in weighing the ingredients.
To top it all, Glyn was a fabulous and very welcoming host, and we had a great day at the Brewery.”
Time for the golden shovel! Pathfinder will be featured at the Chesterfield CAMRA Beer Festival at the Winding Wheel in February, and Robert is
All of our crisps have looking forward to pulling won great taste awards the first pint.
Crisps as they should taste. Page 24 www.piperscrisps.com @Piperscrisps Piperscrisps Page 25
Lincoln Beer Festival ad.indd 1 08/05/2013 18:00 CAMRA Leics drinker ad 210 x 148mm L:. 22/01/2014 14:28 Page 1
MAD Pub of the Year MoCa Bar If on 24th June you’re in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, to watch the World Cup group stage crunch match against Costa Rica, then you might want to pop into the Moca Bar in nearby Sao Joao del Rei for a pre- match aperitif. The Dedo de Moca Bar e Restaurante scores 4 out of 5 on Trip Advisor and Simply while I’ve never been there, and don’t speak Portuguese, the handy Google Translate button on the web page informs me it is “a marvellous place, where the excellent food is served alongside interesting and tasty local beverages, standing out among other options in the vicinity”.
Spookily, halfway along Dale Road in Matlock, we have our own MoCa Bar, which, coincidentally, is also a marvellous place, where excellent food is served alongside interesting and tasty local beverages, standing out among other BThe perfect balsance oft options in the vicinity. sweetness and bitterness There are a few differences between the two though : • Our MoCa bar is in Dale Road, Matlock, so easy to get to. Sao Joao del Rei www.everards.co.uk @EverardsTigerPage 26 facebook.com/everards Page 27 www.drinkaware.co.uk MoCa Bar cont.
MoCa Bar is in Central Brazil, so is a bit of an awkward journey, especially if you’re starting from Darley Dale. Matlock CAMRA Pub of the Year • Our MoCa Bar scored 4.5 on Trip Advisor. The Moca Bar in Sao Joao del Rei Serving a selection of real ales from.... scored only 4. Abbeydale, Oakham, Blue Monkey, • Our MoCa Bar won the Matlock and Dales CAMRA Pub of the Year, again. Dancing Duck, Kelham Island & Brampton The Brazilian counterpart didn’t even get nominated. When the MoCa Bar (the Matlock one) won this - their latest – CAMRA award, "Matlock and Dales CAMRA pub of the season 2013" plans were made to celebrate. On the evening 16th January a fairly large contingent of CAMRA members converged on the hostelry, which was also Mon-Wed real ales £2.50 per pint Open 11am until late scheduled as the chosen venue for the CAMRA Matlock and Dales AGM. As well as the meeting, congratulations were given, the award was presented to hosts Lunchtime light bites menu available Paul and Sharne, and great beer was consumed. Try a Real Ale Rack - 4 x 1/3 pint with cheese! 77 Dale Road, Matlock Tel. 01629 258 084 Paul Mosley and Sharne Castle own and run the MoCa Bar (the Matlock one), and haven’t looked back since starting out three years ago. Two further real ale pumps have been appended to the bar since collecting their last CAMRA award, and the choice of craft beers and ciders has also been enhanced. Six of the real ale pumps are dedicated to a specific brewery, (Abbeydale, Kelham Island, Oakham, Brampton, Dancing Duck and Blue Monkey), and the seventh is a rotating guest. (Will guests please stop rotating – it upsets the hotel staff).
The MoCa Bar (the Matlock one) is a thoroughly deserved winner of the Pub Cider & Perry Week of the Year, and long may they continue to do such a great job in bringing 21st - 28th February 2014 quality real ales to the local area. It’s also very nice to get one over on Brazil for Cider Challenge a change, and now I’m a bit more optimistic about England’s chances in the 10 Friday 21st February forthcoming World Cup. However, if the boys don’t get past the group stages Ciders & Perry's 2014 from around the UK FREE ENTRY again, and Roy gets the chop, then I’m going to submit Paul and Sharne’s 7.30pm names to the FA for the manager’s job. Oh yes. Friday 21st February 2014 Friday 28th February 2014 The Return of…. The Greatest Show On Earth (In Tank Tops) The Bar-Steward Sons Of Next Issue : Battle of the Bars, Round 2 : Paul and Sharne are up against the Val Doonican Moca Bar and Grill in Harlem New York. Who will win? See next InnSpire to find out. 9pm - Free Entry 9pm - Free Entry High Street, Barlborough, Chesterfield, S43 4EU 'www.royaloakbarlborough.co.uk 01246 570818 Tony Farrington [email protected]
Page 28 Page 29 Winter Pub of the Season Rykneld Turnpyke
Chesterfield and District CAMRA’s Winter Pub of the Season is the Rykneld Turnpyke on John Street, Clay Cross.
It’s run by Glyn and Gareth Clarke, who also operate the Instant Karma brewery from the same premises. (The brewery won the drinkers’ choice award at Chesterfield CAMRA’s 2013 Market Festival).
The Rykneld occupies the former premises of the Egstow Club and has been thoroughly renovated. It consists of one large room, divided into different areas with comfortable seating.
There’s an excellent choice of up to 12 reasonably priced beers from Instant Karma and guests from mostly local brewers. You’ll often see a game of cribbage or dominoes underway, and may hear a pianist in the evening.
The Rykneld is named after the old name for the road between Chesterfield and Derby (Rykneld Street), and is well worth the journey to Clay Cross to find it. Stagecoach East Midland buses (51 and 52) from Chesterfield stop just past the junction of John Street and Market Street at 10 minute intervals in daytime and half hourly in the evening.
Page 30 Page 31 Meet the Brewer Janine Shorrock - Ashover Brewery What did you do before you became a brewer? I worked in an office in a bank – very boring! What made you become a brewer? A love of beer was the real inspiration. When we were young my sister and I had our pipe dreams – Kathy wanted to have a pub and I wanted to run a brewery. Then as we got older and dad (Roy) retired it actually started to become a reality. (Kathy is landlady at the Arkwright Arms). What inspires the sort of beer you produce? Travelling around the world and trying different beers is what inspires me the most. I love the IPAs of America where I’ve visited the West Coast, enjoying the more English style beers in Portland, Janine in traditional and the amazing things they do with hops in brewer’s dress! California. I also love the smoked beers of Germany and my very favourite – spontaneously fermented, sour beers from Belgium. What’s your favourite beer? I don’t really have a favourite Ashover beer – it depends on my mood and the time of year. I was very proud of the Berliner Weisse beer we produced, which is a cloudy sour beer and was very unusual for an English brewery. From other breweries my favourite is Cantillon Mamouche, a Belgian elderflower lambic from the Brussels area. Where in the world is your favourite place to drink beer? I’m really torn between America and Belgium! I love drinking the sour lambic beers in the area southwest of Brussels where they are traditionally brewed. But I also loved San Diego which is a great place to enjoy a pint. What’s the most important thing we can do to protect real ale pubs? Stop buying cheap booze from supermarkets! People need to support local pubs, and pubs need to provide good quality beer. What are your first drinking memories? My very first memory was when I was 10 years old, helping dad set up a charity beer festival at the Yellow Lion in Apperknowle. As he was pulling the beer through he let me have a little taste, and I had my favourites straight away – Double Bagger from Townes and Hop Back’s Summer Lightning. Page 32 Page 33 INNOVATION PASSION Coach & Horses KNOWLEDGE bEER MuSIC ARTS CoMMuNITy Worksop & Retford Some time ago, A friendly pub on Sheffield Road in InnSpire published Dronfield, next to the home of Sheffield FC, a request for the world’s first football club. information about the The handpulls on the bar serve locally brewed Thornbridge WRB, taken over by beers plus a rotating guest beer. Tennants in 1958 and Treat your loved one to our special romantic set meal on Valentine’s Day Friday 14th February, served from demolished in 1962. midday until 8pm, 3 courses £14.95 and 2 courses £11.95 Thanks for all the Please book by phone or email [email protected] information which Acoustic Nights on Mondays from 8.30pm, a relaxed arrived. Visits were atmosphere with all styles of music welcome. also made to archives Don’t miss our Tuesday Pie Nights; pie, chips and peas plus a Thornbridge pint, small wine or soft drink only £9 in Nottingham, On Fish Fridays enjoy fish, chips and mushy peas Sheffield, Bassetlaw with a Thornbridge pint, small wine or soft drink only £9 Museum in Retford, For Thornbridge news and your chance to WIN £100 of Thornbridge goodies visit thornbridgebrewery.co.uk the Dukeries, the National Brewery Monday 4pm-11:30pm Tuesday 5pm-8pm Tuesday to Thursday 4pm-11pm www.mycoachandhorses.co.uk Friday 12pm-8pm Centre in Burton-on-Trent and, of course, Worksop itself. Friday & Saturday 12pm-midnight Foo D o PEN Sunday 12pm-10.30pm Saturday 12pm-7pm Enquiries: 01246 413269 The Worksop and Retford Brewery was a large employer and a landmark enterprise for the whole of Bassetlaw. Worksop malt was critical to the success of brewing operations in Manchester and the Midlands. Victorian photographs provide an indication of the sheer size of the operation. Ornate wrought iron gates opened out onto a large eye-catching and decorative five storey building, built from bricks of different colours in a style in favour at the time.
After almost four years, publication of this piece of local history has finally happened. The almost forgotten story of what was once one of the town’s foremost industries is one of a brewery that was both typical of many regional, independent breweries, and yet also unique in its creative use of marketing and iconography. The illustrated publication is richly anecdotal and will be of interest to anyone interested in either Worksop and its history, or with a passing interest in beer and brewing.
The book is currently available on Kindle for ‘only’ £1.57, much less than the price of a pint of beer – visit www.amazon.co.uk then search for Beer Worksop.
Dave Pickersgill
Page 34 Page 35 Social Diary 12th Feb. Wednesday Wobble. A chance to visit 5 or 6 branch area pubs The by mini-bus in one evening, town centre pick-up with drop offs close to your Free Manor home by arrangement. Non CAMRA members welcome GIFT VOUCHER 19th-22nd Feb. National Winter Ales Festival, Roundhouse, Derby. • Coffee House • Pub & Dining • www.nwaf.org.uk FOR MUM! • Functions & Weddings • 20th Feb. Presentation evening at the Derby Tup on Whittington Moor to SUNDAY 30TH MARCH mark 30 consecutive years in the Good Beer Guide. 7.30pm onwards with the BOOKING award presentation around 8.30pm. Raffle for Ashgate Hospice, nibbles etc. ESSENTIAL Traditional Sunday Carvery 20th Feb. Matlock and Dales monthly meeting to be held in the Cellar Bar 2 courses £13.95pp at the Boat Inn Cromford starting at 8.00pm 3 courses £16.95pp 26th Feb. Wednesday Wobble Booking Essential 6th March. Chesterfield monthly branch meeting at the Chesterfield Alehouse, West Bars. 8.30pm start The 9th March. Sunday Strollers - the Pits Trail from Grassmoor to Hardstoft Manor 12th March. Wednesday Wobble 2 FOR £15 15th March. Chesterfield and Matlock Social trips to the Burton Beer SUNDAY CARVERY Festival - meet at the Town Hall, Burton.
Name: 20th March. MAD monthly meeting at the Thorntree Inn, Jackson Road. 8.00pm start Email: 26th March. Wednesday Wobble * Excludes Mother’s Day 27th – 29th March. York week-end. A chance to visit some of York’s finest hostelries either staying over or on a day visit. Accommodation has been A arranged at the recently modernised YHA in York for Fri and/or Sat nights. For Perfect Gift more details please contact Simon Ainley [email protected] 3rd April. Chesterfield monthly branch meeting TBC Vouchers available for all our venues online 6th April. Sunday Strollers route TBC or by calling COMING SOON 01246 277760 9th April. Wednesday Wobble. A Walkabout Chesterfield contact: Jane Lefley, 077908863432, [email protected] The The Manor, Refurbishment completed by the 30th March Matlock and Dales: Peter Boitoult, 07791159526, [email protected] Manor Guest Ale of the week Cask Ale £2.50, Wobble organisers: Ray Easter, 07505424682, [email protected] • Coffee House • Pub & Dining • Brampton Brewery 1302 bitter ‘The Best Bitter in The Borough’ Colin Clark, 07762667753, [email protected] • Functions & Weddings • Strollers organiser and Branch Chairman: Mick Portman, 07758795260, [email protected] Call 01246 277760 www.brampton-manor.comPage 36 [email protected] Page 37 Old Road, Brampton, Chesterfield S40 3QR
BM Inn Spire Jan 14 Full Page v2.indd 1 22/01/2014 21:23 A Campaign of Two Halves Join CAMRA The fact that you are quite possibly reading InnSpire while sampling a S pint of real ale in your local is largely down to the efforts of CAMRA, Join CAMRA Today founded in the 70s. So why not join Complete the Direct Debit form below and you will receive 15 months membership for the price today and be part of an organisation of 12 and a fantastic discount on your membership subscription. that has gone from strength to Alternatively you can send a cheque payable to CAMRA Ltd with your completed form, visit www.camra.org.uk/joinus or call 01727 867201. All forms should be addressed to Membership Department, CAMRA, 230 Hatfield Road, St Albans, AL1 4LW. strength? Your Details Direct Debit Non DD
But, you may say, the battle must be Title Surname Single Membership £2 £2 over – there’s no need to join. Well, Forename(s) (UK & EU) the story of the Crispin Inn in this Date of Birth (dd/mm/yyyy) Joint Membership £2 £ Address (Partner at the same address) issue shows that there is still plenty For Young Member and concessionary rates please visit www.camra.org.uk or call 01727 867201. to fight for to ensure our local pubs Postcode I wish to join the Campaign for Real Ale, and agree to don’t disappear. Email address abide by the Memorandum and Articles of Association Tel No(s) I enclose a cheque for So, what’s in it for you? For just £23 Partner’s Details (if Joint Membership) Signed Date per year you receive a quarterly copy Applications will be processed within 21 days Title Surname of the magazine BEER, and a monthly Forename(s)
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