STOP PRESS: Ferryman’s Gold Awarded Silver Medal at the Great British Beer Festival!

2 SoxonAle Issue 6 SoxonAle THE NEWSLETTER OF SOUTH BRANCH OF CAMRA The economic downturn is hitting South CONTENTS Oxfordshire’s hard. High rents, Editorial 3 high wholesale beer prices for those tied to a pubco or brewery, the News 4 smoking ban, cheap supermarket beer Beer Facts 7 and the latest tax increase are making it cycle ride 9 difficult for licensees as the credit Summer beer festivals 12 crunch bites. If we want to avoid more Oxfordshire Pub of the Year 15 pub closures, then consumers need to Aunt Sally 16 ensure that at least some of their Bottled Beers for Summer 18 shrinking disposable income is spent at Summer Pub of the Season 20 some of our rich selection of pubs. What’s On 22 Loddon Brewery has been a runaway success since its first brews. Now it has ABOUT SoxonAle won a major award at the Great British SoxonAle is published by the South Beer Festival. Congratulations to all at Oxfordshire Branch of CAMRA. Loddon. Read more on pages 6 & 13. www.soxoncamra.org.uk David Cooper Editor Editor David Cooper 1 Lower End, Advertising WALLINGFORD We welcome advertising from all local OX10 6HB traders. Please contact the editor for 01491 835631 details and rates. [email protected] Letters and News The editor welcomes letters and news ABOUT CAMRA items for publication. Please supply CAMRA - the Campaign for Real Ale - name and contact details. exists to promote cask and other Copy Date traditional beers, along with preserving Copy and advertising for the next issue our pub heritage. should be with the editor by 30 You can find out more about the September 2008. Campaign at our website Printed by Thistleprint, Waterloo Way, www.CAMRA.org.uk, where you can Bramley, Leeds LS13 2EF also join online. SoxonAle Issue 6 3 NEWS Pubs The current tenants of the Bottle & The turnover in pub licensees seems Glass in are due to to be gathering pace. Apart from a leave in September. few pubs which are thriving, the These are two of seven Brakspear majority are finding life increasingly pubs in the Branch difficult. It would be nice to think that area listed as needing new licensees. this is a temporary blip, but The others are the Chequers, expectations are that this , the Fox & retrenchment is likely to go on for a Hounds, , the couple of years, at least. Idle Hour, Henley, the Red Lion, Tenants have departed The White Blewbury and the Three Tuns, Hart in . It is now being run Henley. by the Landlord from the Hare & Greene King, meanwhile, has three Hounds in Common while pubs on offer: the Crown in new tenants are sought. , the White Hart, Continued on Page 5 Come to the First Choko Beer Festival Saturday 27 September 11am – 11 pm Laurence Hall, Church Road , Wallingford, OX10 9PP (5 minute walk from Cholsey station) Ø Real ales, cider, lager, wine, soft drinks Ø Food available all day Ø Live music, things for kids to do Tickets £4.50 in advance from Ray Park Butcher’s, Cholsey, or £5 on the gate, include commemorative pint glass. Funds raised for Choko (Cholsey & Kodumela, South Africa linking project) & Style Acre See www.chokobeerfestival.org.uk for more details

4 SoxonAle Issue 6 Tat and Sandra invite you to come and enjoy good beers, food freshly cooked in our award-winning kitchen & great company in a friendly family-run pub Open Mon-Thu 1200 - 1130 Fri-Sat 1200 - 1230 New children’s menu available Sun 1200 - 1130 The Shepherd’s Hut Great food available HIGH ST, EWELME, Mon-Sat 1200 - 200 OXON OX10 6HQ 630 - 900 Sun 1200 - 500 Tel 01491 835661 Henley and the Horse & Groom in Former manager, Ziggy, is taking over Henley. the Home Sweet Home, Graham & Mary Cromack retired from from Paul McCrystal, landlord of the the Baskerville in Shiplake in April Pack Horse, . after 4 years. With a big representation in South Despite heroic efforts, Jamie & Claire Oxfordshire, it is hardly surprising that Whitbread are calling it a day at the local pubs should scoop a good Admiral Taverns-owned Cricketers number of Brakpear’s Pub of the Year in . In the meantime, it awards. These include the awards for is open only on weekday evenings and Retail Standards - Plowden Arms, lunchtime and evenings at weekends. Shiplake; Food - Crooked Billet, ; Beer Quality - Saracens The Good Beer Guide-listed Flowing Head, Henley & Three Spring in , owned by Horseshoes, Henley; Marketeer - Fullers, is still available. Jude Bishop of the Rising Sun, Tim Sawtell has taken over the lease of Witheridge Hill, and Overall Pub of the Old White Horse in Henley. the Year - The Crown, Playhatch. The Dog in Peppard Common has An application for a change to now re-opened as Ruchetta Italian residential use of the Lion, Restaurant and is not doing real ale. Continued on Page 6

SoxonAle Issue 6 5 has been made to SODC. Please send Festival within five years of brewing; to your objections on Application No. achieve it really is a dream come true. P08/W0854 to Mr P Bowers at SODC. “Everybody at the brewery has Breweries worked extremely hard since we began Loddon Brewery of Dunsden and this award comes as a result of a Green gained a silver medal for real team effort.” Ferrymans Gold in the Golden Beers The brewery celebrated five years of category of the Champion Beer of brewing on July 5. The brewery’s Britain competition, judged at the bottle-conditioned Ferrrymans Gold is Great British Beer Festival. The beer stocked at all 153 Threshers stores in has won a string of awards from beer the Thames Valley and, from festivals and SIBA competitions since being introduced as one of Loddon’s September, will be available at selected original beers in 2003. This is the local ASDA supermarkets, in addition biggest award yet. Owners Chris and to Tesco. Vanessa Hearn were delighted and Lovibonds Brewery in Henley has proud at winning the award. introduced reusable bottles, called “One of our objectives was to win an Growlers to take beer home from the award at the Great British Beer brewery. See www.lovibonds.com. THE RED LION INN 115 High Street, Oxford OX44 7SS Tel: 01865 890625 The Red Lion is deservedly enjoying a growing reputation for fine food served both at Lunchtime and in the Evening. Freshly cooked à la carte and daily special menus are available from Raymond, who was for 14 years head chef at The Cricketers (Jamie Oliver’s family pub restaurant). Suzanne is the dessert specialist; prepare to be tempted by her Bakewell Tart and other creations. 3 Real Ales plus a guest ale are offered at any one time and are rotated to provide a good choice; currently (Feb 08) Fullers Pride, Adnams Bitter, Timothy Taylor Landlord and Loddon Hoppit are available.

Special diets can be accommodated and party bookings can be arranged. A roaring log fire provides the finishing touch on a cold winter’s day.

6 SoxonAle Issue 6 The Cricketer’s Arms The little pub with a BIG welcome Littleworth, near Wheatley

HOME COOKED FOOD HOOKY BITTER & WEEKLY GUEST ALE Visit our website for our 2008 Events Calendar and details of how to find us www.cricketers-arms.co.uk 01865 872738 SoxonAle Beer Facts 1-5 Beer Fact #1 new strain and is a good general- In 1814 the people living at the corner purpose hop. of Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Beer Fact #3 Street were given unlimited free beer, Sadly, Desperate Dan isn’t a real ale fan but weren’t very happy about it. They – his drink of choice is Owl Hoot Juice. lived next door to Meux’s Brewery Beer Fact #4 where there was a vat containing In 1420 the capacity of the Ale barrel 320,000 gallons of maturing porter. was set at 30 gallons, and the Beer The vat burst and demolished a row of barrel at 36 gallons. Unhopped ale fell houses, killing eight people. out of favour so the Beer barrel Beer fact #2 became the standard. A kilderkin holds Golding has been around for a couple 18 gallons; a firkin holds 9 gallons. of hundred years and is probably Beer Fact #5 Britains premier hop variety. Fuggle Original Gravity is the density of the was introduced by Richard Fuggle in beer before fermentation expressed in relation to the density of water (which 1875 and is generally considered has a gravity of 1000). There’s a lot of second only to Golding. Challenger is a sugar present in the wort at this time

SoxonAle Issue 6 7 JAN & MIKE WELCOME YOU TO THE CARRIERS ARMS FREE HOUSE Hill Road, Watlington, Oxon OX49 5AD Tel 01491 - 613470 Open All Day Home made meals served daily Sunday Roasts Served 12 – 4.30 pm Excellent Choice of 4 Quality Real Ales Large Beer Garden, with views of the and Watlington’s red kites Saturday night curry night Thursday quiz night - 8.30 pm

South Oxfordshire CAMRA Pub of the Season Spring 2008

8 SoxonAle Issue 6 REAL ALE CYCLE TRAILS It’s well known that cycling and drinking real ale each make you fitter, healthier and more attractive to the opposite sex. So the benefit from combining these activities hardly needs to be stated. This regular series aims to describe suitable routes around south Oxfordshire and some of the pubs that you will pass. Cycle Trail #2 starts in Gifford, near Wallingford. It’s mainly on small roads through the relatively unpopulated centre of our Branch area. Trail #2 – 5. Pass the Fox and Hounds, then left Watlington – Benson to Watlington, enjoying the lengthy, Ride: fairly flat but with a steep climb rapid descent (120 m in 2 km) to the up to Cookley Green followed by a Carriers Arms (free house), a Good sharp descent into Watlington. Beer Guide pub and SOX Spring Pub of Distance: 29 km / 18 miles the Season at the foot of the hill. A refuelling stop here is compulsory. From Crowmarsh Gifford (* on the map), go east to the roundabout where 6. Suitably refreshed go through the main roads to Oxford, Reading and Watlington, staying on the B480 and Henley meet. You pass the Queens taking a right fork to , which Head (Fullers) and the Bell (Greene boasts the Half Moon (Brakspear’s). King). It’s too soon to stop, so .… Shortly after take the small road on the left to . This is a very 1. Take the second turning off the pretty village, enhanced by the GBG- roundabout (Clacks Lane) towards listed Lord Nelson (free house). Ewelme stopping at the junction with Carry on until you meet the B4009. Benson Airfield left and Henley right. 7. Cross over the staggered junction, 2. Cross over and immediately bear brushing Ewelme and passing the right to Cookley Green on a long Shepherds Hut (Greene King). Turn stretch of minor road with particularly right to Benson, where you’ll pass the fine scenery and red kites cruising Crown (Greene King) and just miss overhead. The climb to Cookley Green the Three Horseshoes (free house) rises 100 m in 1 km. The tiny 11th C as you head towards the A4074. Church is worth a look. This is not a road for cyclists to enjoy, 3. In Cookley Green turn left onto the so go straight on and pass through the B480 and then right at the signpost for pretty hamlet of Christmas Common. before emerging back onto the cycle 4. Continue to Christmas Common path by the A4074. Then turn off the where you’ll find the Fox and main road back to Crowmarsh Gifford Hounds (Brakspear’s Bitter). You may where you started. fancy a pint here; alternatively .… Paul Dixon

SoxonAle Issue 6 9 10 SoxonAle Issue 6 SoxonAle Issue 6 11 A summer of beer festivals It seems like hardly a weekend has pub’s garden (pictured). gone by without there being a beer festival somewhere in South Oxfordshire. As well as the CAMRA flagship event at the Rally (see below), many pubs in the area ran beer festivals with up to 20 real ales. Most of these had bands of various kinds on at least one day. These included the Brightfest at the Only here for the beer? Drinkers at the Red Lion, Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, Wallingford Blues & Beer Festival seem the Plough, , the more interested in the bars than the band Fleur-de-Lys in Dorchester and the at the back. Chequers in Burcot. Pubs aren’t the only places to hold The Bear at Home in North beer festivals. The annual Blues and Moreton went one better by combining a beer festival with a celebration of the village cricket club’s JOIN 150th anniversary, which included matches against local clubs and one CAMRA TODAY

Annual membership is just £20. Join online at www.camra.org.uk or contact Graham Hards on versus an MCC eleven. CAMRA helped out on the Saturday evening, 0118 947 8310 or email him at: serving beer from the marquee in the [email protected]

12 SoxonAle Issue 6 Beer Festival in the Regal Centre, games, tutored tastings, food and other Wallingford attracted a large crowd stalls and a family room make this more to hear top line blues bands and drink than just a big beer drinking occasion. some of the twenty, mainly local, real The Champion Beer of Britain ales on offer. The proceeds of the competition tasting was held at the festival benefit local charities, whose start of the festival and the winners supporters also provided additional announced at the official opening. A help to the event. The Woodcote Festival of Ales, held in conjunction with the Woodcote Rally of steam and vintage vehicles,

A small part of the Great British Beer Festival at Earls Court Hugh Steele Golden Ale silver medal for South Woodcote Festival’s marquee provided lots Oxfordshire Loddon Brewery’s of room to sample the wide selection of Ferrymans Gold signalled a huge beer and cider achievement for the Hearn family. showcased 24 beers and ciders, all The GBBF doesn’t mean the end of from local breweries. Despite indifferent weather and a ban on glasses, attendance and sales were high. This was the last year that chief organiser, John Robinson, was in charge. John has masterminded Woodcote for more than ten years and is handing over to South Oxfordshire CAMRA for next year. In many ways, the culmination of the A tutored tasting at GBBF beer festival calendar is the Great British Beer Festival at Earls Court, London from 5 - 9 August. In all beer festivals, though. There are plenty respects, the GBBF is big, with over to come through the rest of the 450 beers on sale, not only from British summer and early autumn. See the list brewers, but from all over the world, on page 22. and tens of thousands of visitors. Pub SoxonAle Issue 6 13 Come and join us in a friendly, informal and relaxing environment for lunch or dinner, special occasions or bespoke private functions and enjoy locally sourced, seasonal dishes, cooked by Roux Finalist 2008, Ryan Simpson

Weekday two-course lunch & dinner menu from £14.50 / £18.50 Hook Norton served straight from the cellar & other local ales, including Henley Amber, Malt & Gold and 100% English Apple Green Goblin cider.

14 SoxonAle Issue 6 The Leathern Bottle 34 Good Beer Guide entries Brakspear Real Ales Extensive Menu Hot & Cold Food Daily Close to M40 J6 Convenient for Oxford Tube bus and walks in the Chilterns

Les & Julie Gordon, The Leathern Bottle, OX49 5TW 01844 351482 Oxon Pub of the Year 2008’s Oxfordshire Pub of the Year is Healer are named) keeps a good the Royal Oak in Wantage. This was number of excellent real ales, many selected from the Pub of the Year of from West Berks, Wadworth and each Branch in Oxfordshire by CAMRA Yates’s Breweries, in top condition, as members in those branches. Voting for well as hosting a local at the heart of its your “own” pub was not allowed and, community. Our picture shows Jackie after numerous visits to all the Parker, CAMRA’s South Central contenders, the Royal Oak was declared Regional Director, presenting the the overall winner. certificate to Paul Hexter. Whilst we are disappointed that our own Pub of the Year, the Bird in Hand in Henley, didn’t make it two years in succession for South Oxfordshire, the Royal Oak is, it has to be said, a superb pub. Landlord Paul Hexter (after whom West Berkshire Brewery’s Dr Hexter’s Wedding Ale and Dr Hexter’s

SoxonAle Issue 6 15 Aunt Sally The best thing for me about playing in six “sticks’”about 2” in diameter and 18” the Aunt Sally league for the Fleur de long and in turn they try to knock the Lys in Dorchester is that it takes us to doll from the iron. The players must all sorts of different pubs. Some are less throw each stick underarm from behind than attractive, but often they are the a bar on the ground 10 yards (no room most friendly and sociable which start for metric friendships that last for years. here) from If it were not for the leagues, Aunt Sally the iron would simply be a pub garden pastime called the enjoyed by family and friends on a sunny “hockey”. afternoon (which it can also be anyway). Each player The leagues offer a competitive edge, in a side team spirit and the opportunity to play throws in at other pubs. And it is not the end of turn before their opponents have their turn. The the world if we do not win when you winner of a match is determined by the have an enjoyable evening. That may best of three “legs” with 2 points award- also have something to do with being in ed to the winners of each leg. With 8 South Oxon Division 3, where the skill players throwing 6 sticks, each side level and competi- could score 48 if each player hit the doll tion is not as high. cleanly every time. Needless to say, this Some attribute rarely happens! Some top league teams Aunt Sally a history regularly score more than 40, but lower that goes back to league sides (like ours) will be pleased medieval times with a score between 10 to 15 a leg. while others say it The “officials” in a match are a caller and was invented in the a sticker-up. The caller ensures that a last sixty years. stick has made a clean contact with the Whatever the doll and not hit the iron first before truth, it is played awarding a doll. The sticker-up re-sets almost exclusively the doll when it has been knocked off. within about 30 There are many pubs in our area that miles of Oxford. play Aunt Sally regularly and if you have The game is simple never tried your hand I urge you to give in concept and played between two it a go. If you would like to see a match teams of eight players almost exclusively the next home game at the Fleur de Lys in pub gardens. The nearest equivalent in Dorchester will be on 29th August. is a coconut shy at a fair. Instead of a You will be very welcome to come and coconut, the target is a wooden object called a “doll” which sits on a 2’ 6” metal join in the fun. post, called an “iron”. Each player has Chris Hill

16 SoxonAle Issue 6 SoxonAle Issue 6 17 THE LORD NELSON INN Brightwell Baldwin Good food and ales always available at this 17th Century inn, set in the delightful village of Brightwell Baldwin, near Watlington. A warm welcome awaits you, whether you come to eat or for a drink. www.lordnelson-inn.co.uk 01491 612497 Supermarket Beer Reviews of bottled beers are common that outlet is Sainsburys it’s not too hard enough, but they tend to feature beers to find. Osprey is a conventional full- produced by a bodied bitter, well-flavoured with a brewery you’ve strong hop finish – Northdown and never heard of and Goldings hops according to the label. are available only by This is good stuff and well worth seeking mail order. This out. www.wychwood.co.uk series of articles Hall & Woodhouse Fursty Ferret – takes a look at some ABV 4.4% top quality bottled Apparently this beer was originally ales that anyone can brewed at the Gribble Inn at Oving, near find in a major supermarket or most off- Chichester. Hall & Woodhouse took licences. over the pub in 1987 and transferred Wychwood Osprey - ABV 6.5%. production to their own brewery. There Having said that, this beer is made is a noticeable hop aroma as soon as the especially for a single outlet – but since bottle is opened: the taste however is

18 SoxonAle Issue 6 distinctly malty. Hall & Woodhouse like look out for the RAIB symbol on the to flavour their beers with all sorts of label. 1845 has strong stuff like ginger, complex flavours peach and nettles; towards the malty end but Fursty Ferret of the spectrum and, is simply beer. On not surprisingly, is a the label there’s a past winner of rather whimsical CAMRA’s Champion and frankly Bottle Conditioned unlikely story about how it got its name. Beer of Britain. www.hall-woodhouse.co.uk In October of each Fullers 1845 – ABV 6.3% year Fullers release One of Fullers’ premium beers, this was their limited edition Vintage Ale. This is first brewed to celebrate the company’s also bottle conditioned but is a whopping 8.5% and made for laying down. In the 150th anniversary. It’s bottle conditioned; that is, it is allowed to go on fermenting next edition of SoxonAle I’ll be taking after it has been bottled which means the top off a bottle from 2007 and that the flavour develops in storage. This looking forward to the 2008 version. can be difficult to achieve in bulk, which www.fullers.co.uk is why there’s not that many around – Paul Dixon The Red Lion Brightwell cum Sotwell OX10 0RT 01491 837373 Sue and Bob look forward to welcoming you to their gem of a village pub serving home cooked food using locally sourced ingredients where possible. Four local beers always available, fabulous coffees and range of teas. Monthly special cuisine nights, jazz nights and quiz nights. See our web site for details: www.redlion.biz

SoxonAle Issue 6 19 Pub of the Season Summer 2008 The Crown at is a 15th century The garden is particularly pleasant at brick and flint coaching inn with origins this time of year, with a great view that may well date back to the 11th across the small valley to the woods century. In those days it was the on Pishill Bank and the sound of Red centre of a thriving monastic Kites whirling overhead. community but now it sits alone in some of the most beautiful countryside in south Oxfordshire. You’ll find it on the B480, about 6 miles north of Henley. The area is very popular with walkers and cyclists, which is one of the reasons why this fine pub has been voted our Summer Pub of the Season for 2008. The Crown is a free house: Brakspears Hugh Steele Bitter is always on sale accompanied by a range of guest beers. There’s good eating at the Crown too; the menu www.crownpishill.co.uk varies daily and ranges from Our picture shows manager Andrew sandwiches and ploughmans through to Brooks receiving the POTS certificate a full three-course meal. The adjacent from Branch Chairman Richard barn is around 400 years old and can Starkey. hold over 100 people. The Coach & Horses Inn 16th Century Restaurant, Pub & Accommodation

The Coach & Horses Inn is a beautiful Good Beer Guide-listed country Pub & Restaurant at , near Stadhampton in the stunning Oxfordshire countryside. A warm and friendly welcome awaits all who visit us. As well as fine real ales, we offer several menus, including light snack lunch options, traditional daily changing favourites, a full à la carte menu & fresh fish specialities. Cosy log fires await you during the cooler months, with al fresco drinking and dining on the patio during the summer. Reservations Tel : 01865 890255 www.coachhorsesinn.co.uk WHAT’S ON Beer festivals 4.15pm Friday and 5.45pm Saturday. To Plenty of beer festivals in the near book call 0870 727 1234 or online at future within easy reach of South www.ascotkiosk.co.uk. Oxfordshire. 16-18 October: Oxford CAMRA Beer 22-25 Aug: Home Sweet Home, Roke Festival. Oxford Town Hall, St Aldates nr. Benson. Ca. 20 real ales over the St. Bank Holiday weekend. Open 12 - 11 24-25 Oct: Basingstoke beer Festival. Saturday, Sunday & Monday. Live music Moose Centre, Churchill Way, Saturday evening, Sunday afternoon & Basingstoke. 16+ Beers + Ciders. 5 evening, Monday afternoon acoustic. mins from bus & train. Details Proceeds in aid of music DVD library www.basingstokebeerfestival.org.uk. for Childrens’ Hospital at the John Radcliffe. More info 01491 838249 or South Oxon CAMRA 01865 891122. Meetings 22-25 Aug: Chester Arms, 19 Chester 3 Sept: Branch meeting, Leathern St. Oxford. Ca. 20 real ales over the Bottle, Lewknor. 8.30 pm. Bank Holiday weekend. More info 18 Sept: Goring Social. Start 8.30 pm, www.chesterarmsoxford.co.uk. Miller of Mansfield; 9 pm, John 29-31 Aug: Wallingford Bunkfest. Live Barleycorn; 9.30 pm, Catherine Wheel; bands, dance, folk, food, crafts, steam 10 pm, Social Club. Note: £1 temporary railway and 30+ beers, cider & membership fee payable in Goring SC. Cotswold lager. Most events free. See 1 Oct: Branch AGM, Pack Saddle, ad on p. 11 or www.bunkfest.co.uk. Mapledurham. 8.30 pm. 5-7 Sept: Headington Beer Festival. 16 Oct: Social. 8.30 Mason's Arms, 2 Quarry School Place, pm, Bird in Hand; 9.30 pm, Hare + Headington Quarry, Oxford. Hounds; 10 pm, Butchers Arms. 26-27 Sept: 2nd Ascot Racecourse 2 Nov: Binfield Heath / Lower Shiplake Beer Festival. In conjunction with Social, 8.30 pm, Bottle + Glass; 9.30 pm, Berkshire South East branch of White Hart; 10 pm, Baskerville Arms. CAMRA. A day's racing, plus over 130 All CAMRA members are welcome to Branch real ales, ciders and perries; hot and meetings and anyone is welcome to a social. If cold food; live music; half price you want to see what CAMRA is about, why not admission for CAMRA members. Gates come along to a social? You can be sure of a and bars open at 11am, last orders warm welcome..

22 SoxonAle Issue 6 Tim & Alison invite you to sample their great food & real ales at this beautiful freehouse in the picturesque village of . Come and enjoy a pint of local beer, and see if you agree with CAMRA members who voted us the best pub in Oxfordshire Or you might like to sample our home cooked food. Available Lunch & Evening 7 days a week. Please book if you are eating. Darts, Boules, Shove Ha'penny and Aunt Sally also available www.Bear-at-Home.co.uk

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