north east raise a glass to pubs, people and news from your local FREE ISSUE 12 www.cheersnortheast.co.uk // July/August 2011 bright and sunnY cheersbumper r summER spEcial • Micros: Pint sized and potent • character forming with hutch • 300 up: the lords of the ring bEER icE cREam You can’t lick it oh yEs you can! inn-sidE pUbS !// nEwS // IdEAS // opInIon // nEw pUbS // old pUbS // bEEr for lUnch // bEEr for tEA // bEEr for dInnEr // pUbS! 07_11 Theakston Lightfoot 280x210_oulines.pdf 11/7/11 10:30:58 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K N O R T HE A S T Raise a glass to pubs, people and news from your local FREE I S S U E 1 2 www. cheersnortheast .co.uk // July/August 2011 c BRIGHTh ANDe SUNNYe rs BUMPER r S U M M E RS P E C IA L • Micros: Pint sized and potent • Character forming with Hutch • 300 up: The Lords of The Ring editorial 0191 231 6080 Alastair Gilmour before” been to had never pubs in Seaburn that people three example, gone, for have normally might never that some people pubs and areas go to “One of the good things is we BEER ICE CREAM [email protected] It feels like we’ve achieved something. This issue IT LICK CAN’TYOU O HY E SY O UC A N ! INN-SIDE of Cheers North East marks our first anniversary P U B S ! / / N E W S / / I D E A S / / O P IN IO N / / N E W P U B S / / O L D P U B S / / B E E R F O R L U N C H / / B E E R F O R T E A advertising / / B E E R F O R D I N N E R / / P U B S ! – we’ve had a year of Cheers, 12 months of hard 0191 231 6080 cover: liz scott tries beer Gillian corney work, fun and satisfaction producing one of the ice-cream. see page 24. [email protected] most acclaimed magazines in the region (a Highly Commended at the Tom Cordner North East Press website: Awards 2010 is one piece of evidence). www.cheersnortheast.co.uk insidE It’s more than having a jolly good time, however – there’s a serious side to Cheers in that it exists to highlight and celebrate one of designed & published by: the most important British institutions we have – the pub. It’s the news North East pub that’s been the star of the past year and we’re here 4 flying Scotsman to help it remain in the public eye, to remind people that they’re returns from caley Media Exchange one still fighting hard to keep their doors open and their beer flowing. 6 luka who’s turned coquet Street Times are tough in the licensed trade as they are in almost every up at Masham business sector, but we can only stand back and admire what pub newcastle upon tyne FEATURES nE1 2Qb owners and operators are doing regularly to excite customers. Some of them are innovators, others have found a niche, and 09fancy the many will continue to give their regulars and visitors what they brussels beer photography: demand – great service in comfortable and safe surroundings. festival? here’s nicky rogerson the lowdown We at Cheers are proud of our supporters – our brewers, pubs, www.nrphotography.co.uk 16 A year of cheers. suppliers, sponsors and advertisers – and we’d like to thank them we’ve reached for their generosity and spirited response. a publishing And you, dear reader. Thank you for making us feel special. We’ll milestone and repay you by keeping coming back. heading for more 18 What’s on. our whilst every effort has been guide to summer made to ensure accuracy, Cheers. the publisher cannot accept activities – around responsibility for omissions Alastair Gilmour, editor the pub, of course and errors. All material in this publication is strictly copyright CULTURE and all rights reserved. Quick on the draw Elvis helps out Caricaturist Paul with a tricky problem 10 Hutchinson shows us why his work is in coMPetitions such demand from Win things like pubs, publishers and beer and grub the general public. And, there are not Fun stuFF many people who have the Quizzes, the been intimate with pickled Egg and blue the dog ouR Paddington Bear. sponsoRs lager loungers the a-list beer and brussels wizard’s spell Taste test Great pub guide The city’s best Cheap and cheerful the lords of on the 12 Micros 14 the ring 28 richter scale The North East is They meet once Regular reporter benefitting from a month on a CzechBeerMan a wave of new Saturday, they takes us by Wylam Brewery J micro-breweries. visit up to 12 pubs OHN “electric tram There seems to at a time, they number 24” to be ready business sample real ale in W Bulovka Street in for the likes of all of them, then RA downtown Prague i Tyne Bank and they get the last TH and an unusual pub Ouseburn Valley. bus home. and microbrewery. nEws The only sign to look for on Hadrian’s Wall Scores on the Doors: Set in the shadows of Steel Rigg this country inn offers 3 Diamond accommodation, Real Ales, superb wines and excellent food. rail ale right on track It is an ideal location to explore the land of Reivers, Romans and Myths. the world’s most famous locomotive is back – and so is its namesake beer. timed to coincide with the launch of the newly-refurbished Flying scotsman, caledonian brewery Bardon Mill, Hexham, NE47 7AN has reintroduced its popular ale, t: 01434 344534 this time as a premium bitter. e:[email protected] w: www.twicebrewedinn.co.uk Stephen Crawley, managing director of the Edinburgh-based company, Find us on Facebook, You Tube& Flikr says: “We identified a couple of gaps in our portfolio of cask beers and felt that a premium bitter was one of Durham’s onlY these. We do well with our beers CAMRA NATIONAL on the East Coast Main Line INVENTORY towns from Edinburgh through Newcastle, York and Peterborough LISTED PUB to London, so Flying Scotsman fits. Five cask ales including guests “The hand-made metal pump Friendly atmospheric bar clips are absolutely fabulous, too. Bed & Breakfast accommodation, all rooms en-suite The Flying Scotsman recipe was English Heritage Grade 2 listed developed over a number of brews from Private car parking blends of Borders malt and English hops. THE VICTORIA The beer is a deep amber colour, the DURH AM CITY aroma is profoundly malty, balanced Free House, 86 Hallgarth Street, Durham, DH1 3AS by a raisin-like spiciness and toasty TELEPHONE 0191 3865269 dryness. There is also a fresh tang of oFF to a FlyER: Stephen crawley, managing director of caledonian brewery, pulls a pint CAMRA DURHAM PUB OF THE YEAR 2003,2005,2007, 2009 citrus leading to a rich rounded finish. THE PLACE to be in tynemouth Maxim-ising potential the double Maxim brewery at houghton-le- “Swedish Blonde is going really well in 12 REAL ALES spring, county durham, is as busy as it has Wetherspoon’s nationally and we’re looking at TO QUENCH YOUR THIRST been since it was a beer for Sunderland AFC HOME COOKED set up in 2007. new Foundation which will be FOOD beers, including keg available at the club’s first versions of samson home game of the season BIG SCREEN TV and lambton’s, plus – against Newcastle. it’s TO WATCH YOUR FAVOURITE SPORT a new visitor centre at the planning stage at and bar are all set to the moment, but it will be CUMBERLAND ARMS be launched over the a 4.3% abv light ale. Ten 17 Front Street, Tynemouth, NE30 4DX summer months. pence from every pint sold Tel: 0191 2571820 www.cumberlandarms.co.uk And, new seasonal will go to the Foundation. ale Surf N Sup “We’ve had an enquiry (4.5% abv) has for Maximus from india MIDI BEER been launched for and we’re putting Double FESTIVAL the summer. it’s swEdish blondE: the beer and the original, Maxim into the Michell’s & beautifully golden Anna Goransdotter-bell of Maxim brewery Butler estate, particularly Thursday August 4th 7pm - 12pm with a real fruity the Ember inns division, Friday 5th, Saturday 6th & hit that’s perfect for this time of year. the big food houses. Sunday 7th 11am - 12pm Maxim director Mark Anderson says: “And, Kay Masson at the Supporting Local Micro Brewers “Our in-house bar and visitor centre are Job Bulman in Gosforth Pie & peas + sandwiches available coming along well and should be ready has been developing a beer FREE ENTRY by the end of summer. We’ll be looking at with us for Wetherspoons’ DARLINGTON brewery tours for the likes of publicans, with beer festival at the end Snooker Club pie and pea evenings, that sort of thing. of October – it’ll be a “We’ve started to do a few things with Scotch-type ale. 1 Corporation Road, Darlington, County Durham, DL3 6AE TEL: 01325 241388 the local council, such as a Sunderland Festival “We’re fortunate here that we have a beer – it’s good for them to support us and very flexible brewery and can do anything we can promote the area at the same time. from 40 barrels to 2,000 barrels.” 4 cheers july/august 2011 n visit www.cheersnortheast.co.uk to have your say us chart topper in hat-trick Zymurgy, the journal of the american homebrewers association, has announced the results of its annual reader survey of the “best beers in america”.