AWARD-WINNING No. 62 Summer 2004 www.camrabristol.org.uk PPPIIINNNTSTSTS WWWEEESSSTTT PPAward-winning newsletter of the Bristol & District Branch of CAMRA, the Campaign forTT Real Ale Beer and Tobacco or Three Men and a Brewery Duncan Shine meets the man expressed a vision to see the old Ashton Factory providing the first regular outlet. who is reviving a slice of Bristol Gate Brewery working again and provid- Initially there will be a Beer Factory ‘Best ing beers for the nearby Tobacco Factory, Bitter’ and a Stout, although the brand brewing heritage. which he also owns. names have not been finalised yet. The Enter Chris Godden, who had founded intention is to brew with only organic malt A NUMBER of things happened in 1865: the Bristol Brewing Company some and hops in the future. Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at months earlier and now had all the In researching the history of the Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC; John equipment but no appropriate premises to brewery, Simon has retrieved a document Hyatts patented the world’s first billiard put it in. The third partner in this opera- from the Courage archives, which shows ball and our own King George V was born. tion is Simon Bartlett, a local man who has all the properties owned by the old Far more important than any of that travelled the world building and commis- brewery at the time of the take-over by stuff, though, is the fact that in 1865 the sioning breweries for Briggs of Burton, George’s. Astonishingly, some of the Ashton Gate Brewery was founded with and who has risen to the challenge of Bristol area’s finest and most famous the acquisition of the business and recreating brewing history in South hostelries have rejoiced in the livery of the premises owned by the late Thomas Bristol. Ashton Gate Brewery. The Old Bowl in Baynton on the Ashton Road. The If you travel from Ashton Road into Almondsbury, the Black Swan in Brewery, just opposite Ashton Park, was Bedminster’s North Street, you will see Westbury-on-Trym, Bath Ales’ Welling- of the old tower style, and was to become the large stone gate posts that were once ton at Horfield and the George at a very successful business over the next the entrance to the brewery. On my visit Bathampton would all have offered 68 years, owning over 200 pubs and other to the newly named Beer Factory, I have Ashton Gate beers to help take people’s properties, and home to the popular to go round to Durnford Avenue, past the minds off the national strike back in the ‘Sunrise’ brand of beers. But in 1931 the BMW Garage, where Simon meets me and twenties. business was purchased by George’s shows me around. Simon will be approaching some of the Brewery of Bristol and, within two years, All the equipment is in place, with a old Ashton Gate Brewery pubs to stock the brewery had closed. ten-barrel brew length and shiny new the new Beer Factory beers, and thus But thankfully that is not where the barrels everywhere. Simon has already return to their roots; and the beers will story ends. Despite various uses and run some test brews to make sure the also be sold to independent cultural abuses over the years, the building brewing equipment will do the business, venues throughout the area. survived until purchased last year by and is pleased with the results. The Check future editions of Pints West to George Ferguson, current President of the intention is to start brewing in anger see where to try out Beer Factory beers Royal Institute of British Architects. He around the end of June, with the Tobacco later in the year. ...............................................................................................................................PINTS WEST ....................... Brewing by Degrees READERS may wish to try the output of the new Zero Degrees Brewery, Pub and Restaurant, which is hoping to open in early July at the top of Christmas Steps in central Bristol. This is the second brewery in the chain, and the brain child of Dipam Patel and Nick Desai. The first is in Blackheath, hence the name ‘Zero Degrees’. (It’s on the meridian line at Greenwich, so it’s 0° West, or East). Already delivered is a 10 hectolitre (that’s 218 gallons if my maths is right) plant, which will produce a Wheat Ale, a Pale Ale, a Black Lager, a Fruit-Flavoured (Mango) Wheat Beer and a Pilsener, plus other occasional speciality beers. The unfiltered and unfined (and therefore suitable for vegetarians) ales and lagers will be served from tanks using air pressure, and not carbon dioxide. Although British brewing cognoscenti have traditionally been suspicious of newer methods and computer-controlled plants, the Zero Degrees venture in Blackheath has met with widespread approval. Indeed, its Pale Ale was praised by CAMRA as an excellent brew to accompany National Vegetarian Week at the end of May 2004. The Bristol Brewery will also be offering speciality wood- fired pizzas, pasta and gourmet sausages, as well as fresh mussels, in their 17,000 sq ft premises. The main entrance will be from Colston Street, with a second entrance up on Perry Street. A section of the building is being let as offices, so whoever moves in there will have a pretty classy staff canteen! Zero Degrees (should we call the Bristol branch 2° NEWSLETTER OF THE YEAR AWARDS West?) are also hoping to open some bars in the broader Highly Commended: PintsWest area (Bath, Swindon, Gloucester perhaps), which will also For the third year running Pints West has won an award. Thank you and sell their beers. We will report back in a future issue of congratulations to all contibutors, past and present, who have helped to Pints West, but it’s great that the continued resurgence in produce what the judges described as consistently the best content and Bristol’s popularity as a great social and tourist city is best read in a local CAMRA newsletter. I hope people will feel inspired attracting businesses such as this. Long may it continue. to continue to contribute to the success of Pints West in the future. SP Duncan Shine YATE & DISTRICT ROTARY CLUB in association with CHIPPING SODBURY RUGBY CLUB are pleased to announce that they will be holding their NINTH SOUTH COTSWOLD BEER FESTIVAL at the Chipping Sodbury Rugby Club on FRIDAY 2 JULY 2004 & SATURDAY 3 July 2004 6.00 pm to 11.30 pm 12.00 noon to 11.30 pm Advance ticket admission only @ £6.50 per person (which includes a commemorative tankard) by writing to: YATE & DISTRICT ROTARY CLUB, PO BOX 1141, YATE, BRISTOL BS37 6YA enclosing P.O. or cheque made payable to Yate & District Rotary Club indicating which day (Friday or Saturday) also enclosing a S.A.E. Note - Saturday 2003 oversubscribed. Visit www.bs37.com/beer for further information. Tickets also available from the following outlets: Yate: Any Sports, North Walk, Yate Shopping Centre - Tel: 01454 329963 Chipping Sodbury: David Hebblethwaite & Co Solicitors, High Street - Tel: 01454 319521 Tourist Information Centre, Clock Tower - Tel: 01454 888686 Staple Hill: Cavalier Print, 5 Soundwell Road - Tel: 0117 9753603 Hawkesbury Upton: The Beaufort, High Street - Tel: 01454 238217 Please note that tickets will not be available on the door. 2 www.camrabristol.org.uk ......................................................................................................................................................PINTS WEST Wickwar Brewery back on track The historic old brewing house A new beer will mark site’s in Wickwar, Gloucestershire, historical significance will soon be making beer again CONSTRUCTION work on the Old money in restoration and rejuvenation to of the building was as a brewery – then Brewery in Station Road, Wickwar is bring brewing back to this wonderful Wickwar Brewing Company would have under way and the massive refurbishment building, at a time when most historical had to leave the village for good. is expected to be finished in early July. breweries are being razed to the ground The expansion has been needed for Although there had been some just to satisfy the developers.” the past two years as the brewery has objections to the expansion project raised He added, “The brewery will be very been running at capacity level for that by neighbouring residents last year, much in keeping with the village and the time. Wickwar Brewing Company, the “Brewery surrounding Cotswolds. In its past The Old Brewery was used for its of Gloucestershire”, now has planning heyday the original brewery’s water wheel intended purpose up until 1924, when it permission and they are going full steam not only supplied power for the brewery closed and became a cider factory. When ahead to be up and brewing their excellent but also supplied electricity for the street the cider factory closed some 52 years beers on the new site for this summer. lights of Wickwar, making it the very first later, the building lay empty until Mr. The building that will house the new village in the country to have electric Penny started his brewery in the old brewery dates back to 1860, when it had street lights. cooperage, just across the road. been purpose-built to house ‘The Arnold, “I have always wanted our brewery to The Wickwar Brewing Company Perrett & Company’ brewery, whose relocate to Arnold Perrett’s Old Brewery currently brews 13 different beers, and brewing activities in the village had been and to remain in the village, brewing beer when the “New Brewery opens at the Old brought to a halt because of the large- somewhere which was built to do exactly Brewery” it will welcome people who are gauge railway that had been laid by one that ....