Page 1 InnSpire

Editorial & Production Chesterfield & District CAMRA Tim Stone & Debbie Jackson Chairman Tel: 07773 141433 Mick Portman [email protected] 88 Walton Road, Chesterfield S40 3BY Advertisements Tel: 01246 277757 Tim Stone Tel: 07773 141433 Branch Contact [email protected] Jane Lefley [email protected] Article /Advertising Deadline 07790 863432 for February Issue 119 Wobble Organisers Friday 15th January 2016 Ray Easter [email protected] Colin Clark [email protected] Further Information Public affairs officer www.innspire.org.uk Alan Craw [email protected] [email protected] InnSpire has a circulation of 4,250 copies and is produced by and copyright of the Matlock & Dales Branch Contact Chesterfield & District Branch of CAMRA. Peter Boitoult 07791 159 526

No parts may be used without permission. Articles & letters are always welcome and may be submitted by email Do you have trouble to the InnSpire Editor, address above. finding a copy of InnSpire?

Please note that the views expressed Why not guarantee yourself a copy by herein are those of individual subscribing to our Postal List? contributors and not necessarily those of the national Campaign for Real Ale As each issue is published, you will or the local Branch. be one of the first to receive a copy of InnSpire, directly to your door. Chesterfield & District CAMRA is a Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale 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 Chairman’s Report Congratulations and thanks to all those (especially our Beer Festival Co-ordinator Jane Lefley) who worked so hard in the preparation for, the set up and the running of our Market Beer Festival. Once again, not only hardened festival goers but also casual newcomers attended to try an excellent range of local beers.

Congratulations also to our award winners - the Real Ale Corner on Chatsworth Road as our Autumn Pub of the Season and the Chesterfield Alehouse as our Town Centre Pub of the Year.

It’s good to see that the Badger on Brockwell Lane has been saved by a group of locals who are keen to see that it’s a success. As one of its first customers (back in the mid 1960s) I was pleased to see that it’s obviously under caring management interested in real beer.

Chesterfield CAMRA owes its thanks to the Chesterfield Arms, the Tap House, the Badger and the Arkwright Arms for hosting our Branch and Committee meetings.

That’s all – Happy Drinking.

Save the Date

Looking ahead to 2016, here’s a date for your diary. The ever popular Rail Ale Beer Festival at Barrow Hill will be on 19th, 20th and 21st of May 2016. Be sure to get your tickets early!

Page 3 Page 4 Brewery News

Brampton After a short delay, work is underway on the brewery extension with the framework now in place. The bottling plant continues to supply an ever changing array of Brampton beers, including Tudor Rose and Winter Bock, with Brampton Mild soon to be available.

Bumpmill Bumpmill are very proud and happy to have won the people’s choice award at the recent Matlock and Dales beer festival with Thunder Road.

Buxton Following the Brewery's announcement in September that it was to reduce the quantity of cask conditioned beer produced, Buxton cask beer is being withdrawn from sale other than in the Brewery's own Buxton Tap House, apart from supplies for special events. In addition during October the number of handpumps dispensing cask beers at the Buxton Tap House has reduced from five to just two. These two pumps will be used to dispense Moor Top/SPA and Rednik Stout/Axe Edge respectively. Simultaneously with the reduction of handpumps on the bar the number of keykeg fonts has doubled from eight to sixteen. Several of the new fonts dispense less chilled keykeg beers at cellar temperature, in recognition that the flavours of some of the beer styles produced are presented better at this temperature.

The Brewery continues to produce a large range of beer styles in both keykeg and bottle conditioned form and has a substantial market for these products at home and abroad.

Instant Karma The brewery continues its rise from the ashes, with new brew Chameleon Black IPA at 5.5% added to their range.

Heath Village Heath Village brewery have ceased brewing and are in the process of selling their kit.

Hopjacker The brewery is now up and running, with its first beer, a 3.8% golden ale, being

Page 5 Page 6 brewed at RAW brewery. The second is an IPA, and all casks of this beer are now sold, with one cask for their pub, the Dronfield Arms. The brewery was officially opened by Natascha Engel, the local MP. The next beer looks like being an oatmeal stout.

Peak Ales The major news from Peak Ales is the sale and removal of the original brew kit from the Barn Brewery, which has gone to a start-up brewery in South London that is yet to be named. The removal of the old brewery equipment readies the barn for future renovation and conversion to a visitor centre, with the planned addition of a smaller scale brew plant for experimental and one-off brews, finance permitting!

The new brewery at Ashford-in-the-Water has settled down well and the seasonal winter warmer, Noggin Filler (silver medal winner in SIBA's strong bitter category at Robin Hood Beer Festival in Nottingham), has now been brewed.

Pigeon Fishers New brew Columbae Pale at 3.8% is the latest offering from Pigeon Fishers Brewery. The brewery has also taken delivery of 100 casks from Abbeydale. They need some TLC but a bit of a bargain to get the brewery shipping out ale, and it fits well with the Pigeon Fishers ethos - making the best of things, upcycling and Heath Robinson engineering all driven by passion and a belief that it can be a success.

Raw Productivity is still on the increase, giving rise to the need for a new tank which will hopefully be installed soon. We also have plans for another consignment of beers to be sent to Sardinia.

Thornbridge Awards have been coming in for the last few months with Chiron winning Gold for strong bitters and pales as well as Bronze in the small pack beers at the SIBA awards judged at the Nottingham Robin Hood Festival. Kill Your Darlings got Gold in premium lager and pils and Wild Raven got Bronze in strong beer in a cask. Baize won Gold in the stouts category at the Sheffield Beer Festival as well as Beer of the Festival at Chesterfield Market Festival. This Mint Chocolate Stout also won at Peterborough earlier in the year.

Page 7 Hand Crafted English Ales

Cask Ales, Fine Wines, Quality Whiskies, Gins & Rums. Alongside a selection of locally sourced cured meats and cheeses.

286 Ecclesall Road, s11 8pE | theportlandhouse.co.uk | tel. 0114 266 9511 portlandhousesheffield portlandhousesheffield portlandshef

1 King Street North,Whittington Moor, Chesterfield S41 9BA Open 4 -11pm Mon.- Fri. Dawn 12pm -12pm Sat. 1pm -10pm Sunday

CAMRA PUB of the SEASON Autumn 2014

Draught beers changing on the bar every week EP E I T

K

Real ales and craft ciders in bottles and on draught R

E L

Phone 07870 693411 A Page 8 Welbeck Welbeck Brewery’s newest venture - Portland House - is now open on Ecclesall Road, Sheffield. It’s a micro-bar serving Welbeck ales, guest brews, world beers plus wines and spirits, with the addition of artisan coffee from Sundlaug Coffee Co (based on Welbeck Estate), tea from Birdhouse Tea Co, Tipple Tails cakes and Waterall Brothers pork pies (all based in Sheffield).

Where we can we’re using local suppliers and Tom Purcell, General Manager, has taken great care to source a fantastic selection of wine provided by Le Bon Vin and spirits via Starmore Boss. We think it’s a lovely place to sit back, relax and watch the world go by plus it’s situated next to a bus stop making it very easy to get to and from Sheffield bus station. We welcome well-behaved dogs, and little folk are permitted until 6pm or at the manager’s discretion during busier periods. We’ve tried our utmost to ensure there’s something for everybody so please, don’t be shy - pop down and see Tom and Matt next time you’re in the vicinity.

Wolds Top Farm The ales have made appearances at several beer festivals recently, with two at Matlock County Hall and six at a small festival at Nottingham, which along with an increase in regular local outlets for both cask and bottled beers continues to give encouragement to brewer Rob Atkins. A one off special, Matlock Green Hopped, was brewed with green Fuggle hops grown by Rhoda Waygood, and demand was greater than the brew capacity.

Page 9 Pub news

Bucking the all too common phenomenon of short term tenants and managers, Pat and Alan Goucher celebrated 30 years at The Lamb, Holymoorside this year. And it was Pat’s parents’ pub eight years before that! Pat says she probably pulled her first pint at the age of five.

Pat and Alan started out as tenants. Pat was keen to buy the pub, but was put off again and again by the brewery - ‘just put it in writing’ they said. Finally she got hold of the number for the Scottish Courage director and kept on phoning. He insisted it wasn’t for sale, then suddenly called out of the blue to ‘call their bluff’. New regulations meant the brewery wanted to get rid of six pubs quickly, and they gave Pat and Alan a month to raise the funds. Despite being on holiday in Florida for three weeks they managed to sort it out with the help of a solicitor friend, and signed the papers on their return.

Alan describes The Lamb as a proper drinking pub. There’s no food, no jukebox or fruit machines and no television. What it does have is long term commitment from Pat and Alan, good beers and a friendly welcome. “Being a good landlord is a bit like being a farmer,” says Alan. “It’s not just a day job, it’s a way of life.”

Page 10 Page 11 Another pub which is now trying to address ever changing managers is The Badger in Brockwell. A group of like-minded locals set up a consortium to take over the tenancy to secure the future of the pub. The aim was to make the venue a place where all could meet in a family-friendly environment that could hold a number of charity and other events to promote local causes.

Having run the premises for a year, the pub was going from strength to strength, but then in March 2015 the brewery announced it was to sell up - as it had done with so many pubs in the area. The same group snapped up the chance of making The Badger a free house.

Having already established a reputation for good, home-made food, alongside a fair selection of casks, the focus is now on extending the range of real ales and ciders, starting with a beer festival in November. CAMRA chairman Mick Portman dropped in and enjoyed music from Al Needham’s Band and the Ireland Colliery Brass Band as well as some excellent beer, despite the foul weather! The festival weekend saw over 36 real ales and ciders on offer, and a second festival is being planned for April/May.

And finally, some good news as Chesterfield’s historic pub in The Shambles, the Royal Oak, has reopened. The Three Horseshoes Bar & Eatery 4 Cask Ales -12 Draught Products Sunday Lunch 12-3pm Freshly Ground Coffee all day, every day Steak Night - Last Friday in every month 2 x 10oz Rump steaks & a bottle of wine £24.99 plus full steak menu also available Thursday Quiz night from 9pm with open the box, Live weekend Entertainment. 49 Market Street, Clay Cross, Chesterfield, S45 9JE

Tel. 01246 861789 FREE HOUSE www.facebook.com/3HorseshoesCX Page 12 Page 13 Autumn Pub of the Season The Real Ale Corner

October saw the presentation of the Autumn Pub of the Season award to a packed Real Ale Corner on Chatsworth Road. This cosy establishment features an extensive range of bottled beers and ciders as well as two carefully selected draught ales on the bar. CAMRA chair Mick Portman presented the award. “This is a cracking place, and I’m amazed at the amount of beers - which I’m looking forward to sampling once the photos have finished!” he commented. As well as familiar local brews, the bottle shelves feature rare finds from the likes of Notebook and Durham Breweries.

Alan and Patricia were over the moon to receive the award, and were keen to thank the regulars who have helped to make the Corner such a success. Patricia also paid tribute to Alan, who chooses the beers and is on hand seven days a week - although Alan insisted he didn’t do much - “I’m just the good looking guy in the corner.”

Possibly Chesterfield’s smallest pub - although there is a courtyard tucked away at the back - the Real Ale Corner is also now selling mini kegs alongside its massive range of bottles - why not drop in and pick one up in time for Christmas?!

Page 14 TIGER BEST BITTER

www.everards.co.uk @EverardsTiger facebook.com/everards Page 15

Southwell Folk Fest A5 ad Portrait.indd 1 16/05/2014 16:25 Page 16 A better deal for licensees?

If you’re intrigued by the advert opposite, you’re probably wondering what a manchise is and how it’s going to help licensees. Curiosity got the better of InnSpire, so we arranged a chat with Kim Beresford to find out what it’s all about.

Manchise is a cross between a manager job and a franchise. Kim discovered the idea when talking to Martin Bailey of Everards, who told him about Billy Allingham who runs the Steaming Billy chain of pubs in Leicester. Kim met with Billy and soon decided that this would be the best way for Ashover Brewery to expand. He trialled the concept in his Codnor pub after problems getting managers to run the pub successfully.

“The trial has been running for a while now and has seen both turnover and profits rise,” enthused Kim. However he’s not alone in spotting this great opportunity, as just as he began to develop his scheme Bateman’s Brewery announced they were doing the same. At first Kim was disappointed to have the wind taken from his sails, but soon realised that if a major brewery were going to take it on it had to be right.

So what is the deal? Basically, a manchisee is a self-employed person or couple who take on the pub and run it as their own business. They decide staffing levels and look after the costs of the business. The brewery makes its money from the beer sales. There are no ingoing or outgoing costs, unlike other schemes where tenants risk life savings to buy in. Likewise if you decide it’s not for you after all, there are no penalties. All too good to be true?

“This is not a 9-to-5 job standing behind the bar, it’s more of a lifestyle choice,” said Kim.”We are looking for enthusiastic and passionate people who are interested in food, beer and the hospitality industry. It’s a great opportunity for the right people, but it will mean lots of hard work.”

A lot of good people have either left or been put off running a pub because of the way people have been treated over the past few years. This is bad for the industry and for customers, who suffer from a lack of consistency as tenants or managers come and go. Kim is hoping to be part of the reversal of that trend by bringing people into the industry with a deal where they can make good money. He’s sure that if he’d been offered this deal when he started out he would definitely have taken it.

Page 17 Barcelona – An Iberian Escapade

When the Boss announced she had booked us a few days’ break in Barcelona, (blissfully unaware that a Rugby World Cup was approaching the interesting stages), I dutifully headed off to the library to find the obligatory Lonely Planet/ Rough Guide to… etc. etc.. I definitely needed to fill in the gaps of my scarce knowledge of Catalonia’s largest city; only Freddie Mercury, a half decent football team and Gaudi sprang to mind.

Some research confirmed that we’d have plenty to see and do but something interesting had caught my eye – ‘Barcelona’s Craft Brewing Scene’. A couple of hours later the internet revealed that my other half had unwittingly booked us into a hostel in the epicentre of the aforementioned ‘Scene’ with several likely venues a short walk away - result!

It’s safe to say that the trip was a success and I managed to sample some great beers. To give a flavour of what was on offer I’ve described one of the finer establishments that I enjoyed.

La Cervesera Artesana is the brewpub of the Iberia Brewing Company (est. 1996), in the Gracia district of Barcelona - a cosy, single L-shaped room with exposed brick walls, tasteful wrought iron work and rustic décor. The brewery is Page 18 visible through large glass windows to the rear of the main room. The staff were extremely welcoming and with next to no prompting the Manager, Jeff, (a fine Catalonian name?) showed me round the brewery and talked me through their recipes. At one point he ruefully explained that his Boss was the ‘brewer that did the brewing’ and he was the ‘brewer that did the cleaning’…

As for the beer, Iberia make five regular brews. I tried the IPA, (the cleverly named Iberian Pale Ale), and the Iberian Stout. Both were very drinkable at 5% each. I then finished on the Chilli Stout which would probably find useful employment in testing the re-entry shields on the Space Shuttle. There were also bottles on offer from well known US breweries such as Brewdog and Flying Dog, and the usual Trappist selection.

All in all, Barcelona was noisy, bustling and thoroughly enjoyable. The trip was definitely enhanced by the Craft Beer offerings and I’d recommend anyone thinking of heading that way to look out for the Gracia district, where the brewpubs are largely found. As well as La Cervesera Artesana, I’d recommend Beerkat, Black Lab and the Garage Beer Company. It’s all on the internet for those so inclined. But for now…. Sa’lut.

Jason South

Page 19 Page 20 Chesterfield & District CAMRA Beer Festival The next beer festival is at the Winding Wheel, Chesterfield on February 5th and 6th and tickets are now on sale. Over 100 beers will be on offer, including several from the Derbyshire Brewers Collective, beers brewed by Brewster’s and a selection from around the UK. Entertainment over the weekend will be local band Loose Change on Friday, with the usual Jenga plus the Jumping Fleas Ukele group on Saturday lunchtime. Saturday evening sees The Fossils, featuring the sounds of the 60s 70s. Entry is £5.50 for lunchtime sessions and £6.50 evening sessions including glass and programme. Tickets on the door on Saturday lunchtime subject to availability

Situations Vacant Beer Festival Volunteers needed: Door staff - greet the customers and take their tickets Glass stall - hand out the glasses to the customers Tombola - take their pound and see the customers’ happy faces if they win a prize Membership - sign new members up and give members their concession. Bar Staff, Cider/Wine staff, Foreign beers staff - serve the customers with a friendly smile.

If you would like to apply for any of the jobs, it is on a volunteer basis but rewards for working are a Festival T-shirt, Glass, Beer Tokens and a place on the helpers’ trip. You also get free entry to the festival on any of the sessions that you are not working. Please apply by email to Tracey Rodd, Staffing Officer [email protected] Please note not everyone can work on the bars as the other jobs are just as important.

Page 21 Town Centre Pub of the Year Chesterfield Alehouse

One of Chesterfield’s best-kept secrets is out in the open and helping to put the town on the map. The Chesterfield Alehouse on West Bars is a Micropub on the site of a former furniture shop and has been at the vanguard of innovation, inclusion, intimacy and inspiration in the pub trade for the last two years. In that time, the Alehouse has served over 850 different real ales from 160 breweries, many showcased for the first time, to an ever-increasing number of regular customers and visitors from all parts of the country.

This is a little gem of a pub now featured in the 2016 Good Beer Guide and it consequently anticipates greater recognition and new visitors every day of the week between the hours of 12 noon and 10.00 pm. A warm welcome awaits any customer who wants to take advantage of what this establishment has to offer, and it offers a lot: there are six hand-pumps featuring three pale ales, a traditional bitter, a dark beer and a ‘wildcard’, and these constantly changing beers vary in price and strength.

A Tuesday evening in October featured a double celebration for the Alehouse, when the second anniversary of its opening coincided with the presentation of the Town Centre Pub of the Year 2015 award from Chesterfield CAMRA. The award recognised the hard work of the owners and was judged not only on the quality of beer but also on criteria including atmosphere, service and welcome, clientele mix, sympathy with CAMRA’s aims and good value. This award adds to their 2014 CAMRA award for Spring Pub of the Season and cements the Alehouse’s position as a ‘must see’ Chesterfield attraction.

Chris Charlton Page 22 Campaign Update Community Assets

When the localism bill was passed into law by the last (coalition) government, it contained the provision to nominate pubs, post offices, leisure centres and the like as community assets. I wrote at the time that it was probably not worth the paper it was printed on, but I am now being forced to think differently.

The community asset concept is definitely worthwhile and is being made to work. Two recent essays on the subject lead me to that conclusion. A solicitor, specialising in planning law, has just written a piece for property companies saying what a danger it is and how it should be countered. One of the big owners has written that it is an unfair restriction of trade by restricting the use that can be made of their assets.

The defect in this argument is that for a pub, there are two businesses: the owner’s business - whose job is to sweat the asset and take out capital - and the tenant’s business, whose job is to make a successful pub. With owners not occupying them, the two are incompatible.

This is good news, in that it is having an effect. Except in one case locally that we lost, the Rutland Arms at Baslow. It was listed by High Peak planning authority as an asset of community value, but they still gave it planning consent for conversion to a Co-op store. The status was granted but New River Retail appealed and lost, so while it remains listed, it was nevertheless granted planning consent for change of use.

Do we want to keep the Royal Oak at Tupton open as a pub? It is closed and boarded up again. Has it closed due to bad management or is there really no trade? The Britannia closed two years ago, but other pubs locally seem to be thriving, so with its prime location on a good bus route for example, it could be made to work. It is also, for the very same reasons, a prime candidate for conversion to a Co-op convenience store. All you need is 21 names to form a ‘Friends of… Group’ to petition North East Derbyshire District council.

Do it NOW.

Alan Craw

Page 23 MAD Annual Review If you think CAMRA is just about a few chaps having a jar in a branch meeting down the local every now and again, there’s quite a bit more to it than that in Matlock! As well as those particular events (on the third Thursday of the month), MAD CAMRA has been in action at home and away quite a lot in 2015.

The sad demise of Ian Lefley’s bus earlier this year meant that social trips outside the county were usually undertaken via rail, with enjoyable day trips to Wakefield, Nottingham, Huddersfield and Stockport in the bag. May 2015 saw the annual trip round a dozen excellent (CAMRA nominated) pubs in Derbyshire to choose the branch’s candidate for Derbyshire Pub of The Year. While we went to all four corners of the county, it was the Old Poets’ Corner in Ashover, just up the road, that won it!

Beer festival outings in 2015 - including volunteering - saw many of us descend en-masse to Burton (Town Hall) , Chesterfield (Winding Wheel), Staveley (Barrow Hill Roundhouse), Birchover (Druids), and Derby (for the National Winter and Derby Summer festivals). And let’s not forget the huge turnout of over forty members, volunteering to ensure the third Matlock festival, this time at County Hall, was a roaring success. There will be a helper’s trip via coach in the new year, with the date to be confirmed.

Local walkabouts occur regularly in the summer, and this year featured Matlock Bath in June, Jeff’s yomp around the Dales in July, and Rick’s shorter ‘Slalom’ down Matlock Bank in September. Further social trips to Thornbridge Brewery and Nottingham (so good we’re going twice) are in the pipeline. Chesterfield branch have often extend their invites to Matlock and it’s always good to meet up with old friends. I’m already looking forward to their annual Brampton Mile crawl during the Christmas break!

Oh, and there are monthly meetings too, and that’s where the above event ideas were brought to life. Try a meeting. Try an event. Try everything once! Except the obvious two things in the (very) old joke, which I can’t tell here - a bit too controversial. Google it.

Tony Farrington

Page 24 MAD Branch Diary

Saturday 12th December MAD trip around Matlock PoTY contenders. Check Website for further details. .

Thursday 17th December MAD Monthly Meeting Bell Inn Cromford from 8pm

Saturday 2nd January Social trip to Nottingham by train. Check Website for further details. .

Thursday 21st January MAD monthly meeting. 8pm start. Venue TBA.

Page 25 It’s All Over!

Well it’s all over! The Third Matlock Beer Festival is now done and dusted. The event could not have worked without the fantastic team effort among the volunteers involved. Thank you gents, and ladies!

Our new location at Matlock County Hall has proved very popular, with over 1300 people attending over the two days, and the venue being drunk dry by about 10:00pm on the final day. Even the reserve casks… the ciders, the wines, and the drivers’ pop…..

Most of the feedback received so far has been extremely positive, with many saying the new venue was superb, as was the entertainment provided over the two days - and the fantastic array of beers (when they were available) was near perfection in a glass. The Thorn Tree’s delicious catering got special mention a number of times too (and I can vouch for the Feta, spinach and squash pie myself).

Beer of the Festival was a close one, but edged by Bumpmill Thunder Road, a 4.4% dark amber traditional premium bitter, brewed in Derbyshire of course! We have a few things to work on to make next year’s festival even more of a success, so here’s looking to an even better MAD Beer Festival 2016. Hope to see you there!

Page 26 5 Real Ales Bumpmill Brewery plus guest Locale beers. 2 Real Ciders

Stanleys Alehouse Opening hours; Matlock Thurs. 5pm - 11pm Fri., Sat., Sun. 2pm - 11pm Tele. 01629 583350

OPEN ACOUSTIC SESSION EVERY THURSDAY EVENING

76, Smedley Street, Matlock, DE4 3JJ MoCa Bar Serving a selection of real ales from.... Abbeydale, Oakham, Blue Monkey, Dancing Duck, Kelham Island & Brampton Matlock CAMRA Pub of the Year 2013 & 2014 We now stock Matlock Wolds Farm Bottles Mon-Wed real ales £2.80 per pint Open 11am until late Lunchtime light bites menu available Try a Real Ale Rack - 4 x 1/3 pint with cheese!

77 Dale Road, Matlock Tel. 01629 583973

Page 27 Drone Valley Brewery

A month of huge first birthday celebrations is underway for one Derbyshire venture which has proved it has a real thirst for success. Drone Valley Brewery – the region’s first and only community brewery - has surpassed even its own first year expectations. Since its inception in November 2014, the project has pulled in more than 130 members, attracted shareholders and secured its own premises. Not only that, it has successfully launched three beers and a range of branded merchandise. Profits from the brewery will go to local good causes as well as it offering work experience and training opportunities for local people.

Not bad for an idea hatched by a few pals over a pint at a local pub. “It was just an off-the-cuff remark by a group of us at the Three Tuns pub in Dronfield,” said Jez Horton, chair of the brewery’s management committee. “We had no idea it would turn into something this big, so it wasn’t as if we had this vision of what we wanted to achieve in the first year. We just thought we’d give it a go and it snowballed from there.”

Despite finding that setting up your own brewery was a bit more complicated than first thought, the team remained undaunted. Within six months, they had found their premises in Unstone, Derbyshire. The first stage of refurbishment was completed on 7th November and a hugely successful open day was held attended by members and guests.

“Everything’s on course for completion by Christmas,” said Jez. “With membership fees, shareholders and sales from the beers and merchandise, we’ve been able to fund this first stage, but we need more. We are looking at various grants and bursaries we may be eligible for, and are talking to Derbyshire County Council for possible funding.”

Early discussions have been held with local schools to draw up a work experience programme with the brewery, for pupils. “Brewing is a real skill and a science,” said Dave McLaren, the lead brewer and landlord of the Three Tuns pub. “We can actually provide local kids with real training if they want to go into this industry, but for those who don’t it’s still valuable hands-on training in maths and science.”

Page 28 Page 29 Five do Norwich ‘City of Ale’ Norwich City of Ale is an annual celebration of pubs and real ale which takes place throughout the city, this year held between 21st - 31st May 2015. Their website www. cityofale.org.uk promised SEVEN ale trails with 45 pubs, so it was inevitable we’d be paying a visit! A bright and early Saturday morning, four beer lovers and a dog, and an empty A47, was the perfect start to what turned out to be a fantastic weekend. After a welcome breakfast in a suntrap café garden in the city, we made our way through the many attractive Victorian terraced houses and gardens to find the Fat Cat on West End Street. I’m sure we peaked far too early. This looked the perfect pub from the outside, and was even better within - a maze of little rooms and passages, gleaming paintwork and handpumps. No telly, no music, just the hubbub of chat from folk, all there for the array of beers. On our visit a mini-festival of ales from Scotland was on offer, and we started with a Fyne, which lived up to its name. I know that this was the first pub we visited with many more waiting to be explored but the Fat Cat was going to be a very hard act to follow. For that reason we decided to get comfy, chat with the locals and have a few more beers. The Fat Cat has won CAMRA National Pub of the Year twice to date, and you can see why. Also check it out in ‘CAMRA’s Great British Pubs’ by Adrian Tierney Jones. Eventually our party reluctantly left, and ventured out to find the King’s Head on Magdalen Street, which is also featured in the same book - plenty of character here, too and a good choice of well-kept beers. The ‘Cat’ had messed up our itinerary though (where was Rufus the dog, when a cat needed sorting out?) so after a swift one at the King’s, we headed back to the hotel for a beer break, shower and cuppa. The evening session started at the Leopard on Bull Close Road - an old building, open plan with newly refurbished interior, but despite that (!) it had a nice feel to it, with plenty of large windows allowing the early evening sunshine in, and boasted six real ales available to try.

Page 30 Coach & Horses BEER MUSIC ARTS COMMUNITY

A friendly pub on Sheffield Road in Dronfield, next to the home of Sheffield FC, the world’s first football club. The draft beers on the bar are a range of locally brewed Thornbridge beers complemented by a selection of guest ones. A variety of specially selected bottled beers from around the world are also available.

Acoustic Nights on Mondays from 8.30pm, a relaxed atmosphere with all styles of music welcome. Weekly Quiz every Sunday from 7.30pm, £1 per person. Win a gallon of Thornbridge beer, free nibbles served. Chariots Kitchen Christmas Menu is available from December 8th, advance bookings only, three courses for £19.95. Join us for your festive celebrations. CAMRA members get 20p off Thornbridge and guest ales.

Monday 4pm-11:30pm Home cooked, locally Tuesday to Thursday 12pm-11pm sourced food is served www.mycoachandhorses.co.uk Friday & Saturday 12pm-12am Tuesday to Saturday Enquiries: 01246 413269 FOOD

OPEN Sunday 12pm-10.30pm 12pm-3pm and 5pm-8pm

Page 31 Next stop the Duke of Wellington free house on Waterloo Road. Another open plan pub with seating arranged in a way that makes meeting people difficult (even for me!). On the bright side they had plenty of beers to offer on handpull and about six further from the cask. On to Fat Cat no.2, The Brewery Tap. Externally this place won’t win any awards, but once through the door all our preconceptions changed. Inside was a proper tap house with great ambience. It had a younger clientele than the first Fat Cat but with just as many good beers on offer. We sampled as many as possible and all were on good form. Saturday done... Exhausted… Taxi! Sunday was another big day at Norwich’s City Of Ale festival, and after a great breakfast we went our separate ways, the ladies did that shopping thing, while the gents plus Rufus took a walk around the old cobbled lanes, river and cathedral grounds before we all met up at the Earlham Arms. There was an emphasis on food here and it seemed rude not to try a roast beef dinner, which was amazing. Again local beers were on handpump with several others gravity dispensed round the back. We decided another visit to the Fat Cat (love it!) was in order, so set off but noticed a corner pub tucked away down a side street - the Belle Vue. Also part of the festival, this Victorian corner pub served up what we considered to be the best beer of the weekend - Bullards no.1 East Coast Pale Ale. Wow, what a belter. Bullards was one of Norwich’s major breweries, but closed in 1985. They’ve been revived this year, and if their beer stays that good, they will definitely go far! You heard it here first! After another longer than planned stop in the Fat Cat we felt as there are three fat cats in Norwich, we must do them all, so completed our tour in the the Fat Cat and Canary. Well we were never going to make all 45 pubs in one weekend, but did chalk off nine. We’ll just have to try the 36 others at next year’s Norwich Festival of Ale…

Dek, Lyndon, Sandra, Ali and Rufus the dog. Page 32 Caption Competition Last issue’s competition was won by Brian Exford who wins two tickets to the February Festival. The answer was Labologist - a person who collects beer labels.

This issue it’s a caption competition featuring our friendly neighbourhood giraffe from Toys R Us. Send your suggestions to [email protected] to win two tickets to the February Festival.

Page 33 Chesterfield Market Festival

The Market Festival took place over the Hallowe’en weekend, with staff suitably dressed up, and although this is usually a quiet festival, many people came and enjoyed the selection of beers on offer. On Friday we judged the ever popular Battle of the Beers, where 17 Breweries were judged in three categories - under 4.9%, over 5% and Darks - and two from each were judged by a panel made up of brewers and publicans. The winners of the Battle of the Beers were Ashover Brewery’s Zoo a 5.5% pale (Gold), Frontier Brewery’s Derby Bluebird a 3.8% pale (Silver) and North Star’s Sunstone a 4% pale (Bronze).

The customers were asked to vote for their favourite beer of the festival and the results were Battle of the Beers – Dancing

Page 34 Duck Brewery’s Quack Addict 3.8% brown bitter and Beer of the Festival – Thornbridge Brewery’s Baize 5.5% Mint Chocolate Stout.

Over the weekend one customer came in and left on their knees. The Toys R Us Giraffe, who at over 6ft tall couldn’t get through the door upright, entertained the customers and received a round of applause when it left after serving behind the bar, and visiting Simon Cheeseman to sample his famous Ploughman’s. See our caption competition!

Thank you to all the volunteers who gave up their time to set up the festival,take it all down on the Sunday, and to those who worked to serve the customers.

Page 35 Meet The Brewer

James Salmon of Brunswick Brewery in Derby is this issue’s featured brewer.

What did you do before you became a brewer? I’ve always been involved in the real ale trade. I started out as a barman, then progressed into management and finally brewing. I started out at the Windmill in Breadsall and then the Flowerpot in Derby. I moved to the Brunswick and Graham Yates offered me a managerial post which I accepted on the condition that he taught me about brewing. I followed him around with a clipboard for several months and when he retired in 2012 I took on the brewery.

What made you become a brewer? It was a natural progression for me, and I just jumped at the chance to get involved in the brewing side of things at the Brunswick.

What inspires the sort of beer you produce? I inherited most of the recipes - we have regular customers and the recipes date back 20 years or more. I learned from people with 34 years’ experience and the one thing they always said was that beer should have balance. I also like to involve people who have a special life event in coming up with beers. They can come along for a brew day and we produce something special to commemorate their event.

What’s your favourite beer? I do like pale ales, although I am quite a seasonal drinker. In summer I like Brunswick’s White Feather or Rocket. At this time of year I like a Railway Porter, with a Black Sabbath (6%) nightcap. From other breweries there’s so much Page 36 to choose form these days it’s difficult to pick a favourite, but if it’s kept right Oakham’s Bishop’s Farewell is hard to beat.

Where in the world is your favourite place to drink beer? You can’t beat a British pub. Without a shadow of a doubt that’s my favourite place to drink beer.

What’s the most important thing we can do to protect real ale pubs? Supporting breweries is key - particularly in terms of protecting stocks to ensure we can get the hops and malt we need. However, while more and more breweries are opening, pubs are still closing. The government needs to do more to support the pub trade so that the scales start to balance better.

What’s your first real ale drinking memory? A very good friend of mine was a glass collector at the Flowerpot. I was 18 and had never tried real ale. He gave me a pint of Bass out of the jug, and it was cracking. I drank four pints and couldn’t stand up!

Brunswick A5 Landscape Advert_Layout 1 08/05/2014 11:17 Page 1

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C C Keep a look out for our exciting new seasonal ales created by James, if you would like to know more, he would love you to pop in for a chat or give him a call! The Brunswick For orders and enquiries call 01332 410055 or email: [email protected] Real Ale, Real Food, Real Pub & Brewery Brewpub. A great partnership Regular regional deliveries available. of two businesses! New licensees Alan & Philippe SW NSW UN IC U IC R K R K B B B B

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The Brunswick will offer RAILWAY PORTER THE USUAL • Full range of six Brunswick Ales, Everards Tiger, Everards Beacon, Timothy Taylor Landlord Award Winning Ale Award Winning Ale • AND 8 regular changing cask ales

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O.G. ABV O.G. ABV O.G. ABV • Regular CAMRA discount - 20p off a pint 1040 4% 1058 6% 10381038 33.6%.6% Alan & Philippe have accolades as winners of CAMRA Pub of TRIPLE HOP BLACKBLACK SABBATHSABBATH WHITEWHITE FFEATHEREATHER the Year 2010, 2011 and 2014 while at The Crown, Uppingham & Brewer James has been brewing award winning ale at The Award Winning Ale Award Winning Ale Award Winning Ale Brunswick now for 11 years.

[email protected] or [email protected] • www.brunswickbrewingcompany.co.uk & www.brunswickderby.com The Brunswick, 1 Railway Terrace, Derby, DE1 2RU • For all enquiries please call: 01332 290677

Page 37 Join CAMRA F A Campaign of Two Halves air dea on beer Save l The fact that you are quite possibly reading InnSpire while sampling a pint t Britain’s ax no Pubs! of real ale in your local pub is largely down to the efforts of CAMRA, founded w! Join CAMRA Today in the 70s. CAMRA is an independent, voluntary organisation campaigning Complete the Direct Debit form and you will receive 15 months membership for real ale, community pubs and consumer rights. CAMRA was formed in for the price of 12 and a fantastic discount on your membership subscription. March 1971 by four men from the north-west who were disillusioned by the Alternatively you can send a cheque payable to CAMRA Ltd with your completed form, visit domination of the UK beer market by a handful of companies pushing products www.camra.org.uk/joinus or call 01727 867201. All forms should be addressed to the: Membership Department, CAMRA, 230 Hatfield Road, St Albans, AL1 4LW. of low flavour and quality onto the consumer. Your Details Direct Debit Non DD In the present day, CAMRA has over 160,600 members across the world, and Title Surname Single Membership £24 £26 has been described as the most successful consumer campaign in Europe. So Forename(s) (UK & EU) why not join today and be part of a highly successful organisation? Date of Birth (dd/mm/yyyy) Joint Membership £29.50 £31.50 (Partner at the same address) Address But, you may say, in that case the battle must be over – there’s no need to join. For Young Member and other concessionary Well, local pubs continue to disappear at an alarming rate, and the story of the rates please visit www.camra.org.uk or call Crispin Inn continues as we go to print. Postcode 01727 867201. Email address I wish to join the Campaign for Real Ale, So, apart from helping to preserve our drinking traditions, what’s in it for you? and agree to abide by the Memorandum and For just £23 per year you receive a quarterly copy of the magazine BEER, and Tel No(s) Articles of Association a monthly colour newspaper, What’s Brewing, informing you of beer and pub Partner’s Details (if Joint Membership) I enclose a cheque for news. Title Surname Signed Date Forename(s) Applications will be processed within 21 days There are also discounts on books, Date of Birth (dd/mm/yyyy) entry to over 160 beer festivals and Email address (if different from main member) 01/15 various holidays and attractions. Various pubs also offer discounts Campaigning for Pub Goers Enjoying Real Ale to CAMRA members, and each & Beer Drinkers & Pubs year you will receive £20 worth of Join CAMRA today – www.camra.org.uk/joinus Wetherspoons real ale vouchers. Instruction to your Bank or Most importantly of all, however, Building Society to pay by Direct Debit Please fill in the whole form using a ball point pen and send to: This Guarantee should be detached by joining CAMRA you are helping Campaign for Real Ale Ltd. 230 Hatfield Road, St.Albans, Herts AL1 4LW and retained by the payer. to ensure that you will still be Name and full postal address of your Bank or Building Society Service User Number The Direct Debit To the Manager Bank or Building Society 9261 2 9 Guarantee enjoying a pint of real ale in years This Guarantee is offered by all banks and building Address societies that accept instructions to pay by Direct to come! FOR CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE LTD OFFICIAL USE ONLY Debits. This is not part of the instruction to your Bank or Building Society If there are any changes to the amount, date or Membership Number frequency of your Direct Debit The Campaign for You can join online at camra.org. Postcode Real Ale Ltd will notify you 10 working days in advance Name of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request The Campaign for Real Ale Ltd to collect uk, complete the form opposite or Name(s) of Account Holder Postcode a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will contact our membership secretary be given to you at the time of the request Instructions to your Bank or Building Society If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Bank or Building Society Account Number Please pay Campaign For Real Ale Limited Direct Debits from the account Debit by The Campaign for Real Ale Ltd or your bank Jane at [email protected] or detailed on this instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit or building society, you are entitled to a full and Guarantee. I understand that this instruction may remain with Campaign For Real immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank on 07790 863432 Ale Limited and, if so will be passed electronically to my Bank/Building Society. or building society Branch Sort Code - If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when The Campaign For Real Ale Ltd Signature(s) asks you to Reference You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply Date contacting your bank or building society.Written Page 38 confirmation may be required. Please also notify us. Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit Instructions for some types of account. F A Campaign of Two Halves air dea on beer Save l t Britain’s ax n Pubs! ow! Join CAMRA Today Complete the Direct Debit form and you will receive 15 months membership for the price of 12 and a fantastic discount on your membership subscription. 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 the: Membership Department, CAMRA, 230 Hatfield Road, St Albans, AL1 4LW. Your Details Direct Debit Non DD Title Surname Single Membership £24 £26 Forename(s) (UK & EU) Date of Birth (dd/mm/yyyy) Joint Membership £29.50 £31.50 (Partner at the same address) Address For Young Member and other concessionary rates please visit www.camra.org.uk or call Postcode 01727 867201. Email address I wish to join the Campaign for Real Ale, and agree to abide by the Memorandum and Tel No(s) Articles of Association Partner’s Details (if Joint Membership) I enclose a cheque for Title Surname Signed Date Forename(s) Applications will be processed within 21 days Date of Birth (dd/mm/yyyy) Email address (if different from main member) 01/15

Campaigning for Pub Goers Enjoying Real Ale & Beer Drinkers & Pubs Join CAMRA today – www.camra.org.uk/joinus

Instruction to your Bank or Building Society to pay by Direct Debit

Please fill in the whole form using a ball point pen and send to: This Guarantee should be detached Campaign for Real Ale Ltd. 230 Hatfield Road, St.Albans, Herts AL1 4LW and retained by the payer. Name and full postal address of your Bank or Building Society Service User Number The Direct Debit To the Manager Bank or Building Society 9261 2 9 Guarantee This Guarantee is offered by all banks and building Address societies that accept instructions to pay by Direct FOR CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE LTD OFFICIAL USE ONLY Debits. This is not part of the instruction to your Bank or Building Society If there are any changes to the amount, date or Membership Number frequency of your Direct Debit The Campaign for Postcode Real Ale Ltd will notify you 10 working days in advance Name of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request The Campaign for Real Ale Ltd to collect Name(s) of Account Holder Postcode a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request Instructions to your Bank or Building Society If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Bank or Building Society Account Number Please pay Campaign For Real Ale Limited Direct Debits from the account Debit by The Campaign for Real Ale Ltd or your bank detailed on this instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit or building society, you are entitled to a full and Guarantee. I understand that this instruction may remain with Campaign For Real immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank Ale Limited and, if so will be passed electronically to my Bank/Building Society. or building society Branch Sort Code - If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when The Campaign For Real Ale Ltd Signature(s) asks you to Reference You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply Date contacting your bank or building society.Written Page 39 confirmation may be required. Please also notify us. Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit Instructions for some types of account. Champagne & Sparkling Wine Tasting Wednesday 20th January 7.30pm – 10.30pm

Join us for our amazing tasting night. We will be tasting 5 different Champagne/Sparkling Wines along with themed quiz questions and themed dishes; Pan Roasted Breast of Chicken, Chicken Leg Croquet, Truffle Pomme Puree, Petit Pois & Champagne Sauce (Vegetarian option available) also homemade Chocolate Brownie, Prosecco Poached Pear & Vanilla Cream £35.00 Limited to 30 places

The Market Pub 95 New Square, Chesterfield 01246-273-641 – www.themarketpub.co.uk

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