ISSUE 72 February 2012 (PleFasertaeke ea copy, read it and pass it on) the Oxford Drinker Oxford CAMRA On Tour in Pubs of the Jericho Year 2011 Page 14 Pages 5 & 6 Winter Warmer A Day as a Bike Pub Tour Brewer Page 20 Page 25 The free newsletter of the Also Including the Oxford Branch of CAMRA White Horse Branch of CAMRA www.oxfordcamra.org.uk www.whitehorsecamra.org.uk February 2012 The Oxford Drinker is the newsletter of Oxford and Contents White Horse branches of CAMRA, The Campaign Oxford Pubs of the Year 2011...................................5 for Real Ale. Local Pub News........................................................8 5000 copies are distributed free of charge to pubs Vale & Aylesbury Brewing Company.......................10 and other locations across the branch area; The North West Frontier......................................... 10 including Oxford, Abingdon, Witney, Faringdon, Loose Cannon Brewery Members Club.................. 11 Eynsham, Kidlington, Bampton and Wantage. Rural Campaigning Trip.......................................... 12 On Tour in Jericho...................................................14 This newsletter is also available electronically in Oxford CAMRA Branch Diary................................. 16 PDF format at www.oxfordcamra.org.uk/drinker Oxford CAMRA Branch Meeting Report................. 16 Valuable contributions to this edition have been Beer Festival Diary................................................. 17 made by Matt Bullock, Neil Hoggarth, Richard White Horse Branch Information.............................18 Queralt, Lawrence Harman, Dave Richardson, White Horse Branch Diary...................................... 18 Dave Cogdell, Helene Augar and others. Meet the Brewers ­ Bellingers.................................18 Desert Island Pubs................................................. 19 The next issue will be published in April 2012. Bainton Bikes Beer Lover Rides............................. 20 Deadline for the next issue is 16th March 2012. A Day's Brewing at Slaters......................................25 To advertise, contact Johanne Green on National Campaigning............................................ 28 07766‑663215 or send an email to Join CAMRA today..................................................29 [email protected] I Love Oxford Pub Tours......................................... 30 18th Reading Beer & Cider Festival....................... 30 Send news, information and articles to Steven and Johanne Green; [email protected] Welcome to the February 2012 edition Printed by Leachprint, Abingdon. of The Oxford Drinker. www.leachprint.co.uk Active members of Oxford CAMRA have The views expressed in this publication are those formed a new Pub Campaigning Group to try of the individual contributors and not neccessarily to fight pub closures in a more organized way. those of the Oxford or White Horse branches of CAMRA, or of CAMRA Limited. If conserving a great part of our English heritage ­ our pubs ­ the envy of other countries, lies close to © Copyright 2011, Oxford CAMRA your heart feel free to join the group (you don’t have to be a CAMRA member) send an email to [email protected] or contact the editors. Pubs contribute greatly to the local economy, Useful Contacts creating jobs as well as welcome meeting places for Oxford Branch local businesses, general networking opportunities Stephen Lawrence and socializing. In principal we should oppose any [email protected] pub closing, as each pub with the right management White Horse Branch could turn out to be invaluable for the local Neil Crook: [email protected] community. An excellent example of this is the Cricketer’s Arms in Littleworth. Threatened with Oxford Drinker Editors being converted into housing it was taken over by Steven and JoHanne Green Angie and Stuart Bull and is now a sterling example [email protected] of how to run a community pub (see page 6) 13 Cheyney Walk, Abingdon 07766 663215 The Oxford Branch covers quite a large geographic area, and to be able to visit the pubs in the more Oxford Trading Standards outlying areas we are planning to start a regular mini 01865 815000 bus trip each month. We will need more people to come along to make it worth while. These trips are Don't miss a single copy of the Oxford Drinker. always enjoyable. Reading the article on page 12 will Why not subscribe to the Oxford Drinker? To do give you an idea of what they are like. The days out this, send some A5 size stamped addressed will be on a set Saturday every month and cost £5 envelopes to: for transport. The bus picks up people in Abingdon, Oxford Drinker, 13 Cheyney Walk, Abingdon, Stratton Way by the bus stops at 10 am and at the OX14 1HN Lamb and Flag, Oxford 10:30. Check the branch diary online or next issue of the Oxford Drinker for We will send you as many issues as you send dates and destinations. envelopes. – Steven & JoHanne the Oxford Drinker Page 3 issue 72 Page 4 the Oxford Drinker February 2012 Oxford Pubs of the Year 2011 Two branch "Pub of the Year" awards are voted for annually by the members of Oxford CAMRA: • Town and Village Pub of the Year: chosen from amongst the pubs in the branch area outside of the Oxford ring­road. (Results on Page 6) • City Pub of the Year: chosen from pubs within the ring­road. (Results below) The pubs nominated are the very best in our branch and being shortlisted it is a achievement in itself. Some pubs get shortlisted year on year and even though they might not win they are fantastic pubs and deserve that recognition. For each award, CAMRA members were invited to visit a short­list of six pubs and rank them in order of This is an invitation to join a working party to preference and are encouraged to judge the pubs discuss the voting method for Pub of the on a range of criteria: Year. Any CAMRA members, pub landlords ● Quality of the real ale and real cider and other interested parties are welcome to ● community focus be involved as well. The time of the first ● atmosphere meeting of the group will be put on the ● support for CAMRA values branch diary online. ● style and decor If you are interested please email Dennis ● service and welcome ● value for money. Brown at vice‑[email protected]. Oxford City Pub of the Year 2011 Winner of the Oxford CAMRA City Pub of The other top five pubs shortlisted for the City the Year 2011 award is: Pub of the Year were: Far From the Madding Crowd, ● Mason’s Arms, Headington: Last year's Friars Entry. Pub of the Year, a fantastic freehouse with A freehouse, its own brewery and a shining example of which was also how a community pub should be run. Pub of The Year ● The Lamb and Flag, St Giles: Owned by in 2009. The St. John's College and operated as a managers, David freehouse. Beers include Lamb & Flag Patalong and Gold brewed by Palmers, Skinners Betty Lauren McGill, Stoggs and Theakstons Old Pecuilar. have an ever ● Turf Tavern, Bath Place: One of the most changing beer famous pubs in Oxford, yet possibly the selection, always most difficult to find. There are several served in rooms with two bars and 11 hand pumps. excellent ● The Royal Blenheim St Ebbes: The condition, with White Horse Brewery tap, features 10 one hand pump hand pumps with beer from White Horse, dedicated to Everards and a number of guests. Dave’s special, always priced at £2.80 for a pint. There are 6 hand pumps for ale ● The White Horse, Broad Street: Famous and 2 dispensing Cider in addition to 2 old Oxford pub squeezed between the polypins of traditional Cider behind the entrances to Blackwell's bookshop. 6 real ales, several from local breweries bar and 15 varieties of bottled Cider. including Shotover. the Oxford Drinker Page 5 issue 72 Town & Village Pub of the Year Winner of the Oxford CAMRA Town and Village Pub of the Year 2011 award is: The Cricketer's Arms in Littleworth. Neil Hoggarth, chairman of the Oxford branch of CAMRA said that "real beer needs real pubs, and the Cricketer's certainly qualifies". In 2006, under previous management, the Cricketer's Arms was saved from conversion to use as a private house when Oxford CAMRA and many Littleworth residents objected to a planning application. The pub is now run by Stuart and Angie Bull, and under their management it has become a popular and thriving community village pub. The pub is a "free house", meaning that they are able buy beer from any supplier, rather than being tied to purchasing beer through a particular brewery or pub­owning group. The Cricketer's uses its freedom to offer an interesting, varied and ever changing line­up of real ales, and shows strong support for small independent local breweries ­ all the cask beers come from within a 36­mile radius of the pub. In recognition of this it was the first pub in the Oxford branch area to be given a CAMRA "LocAle" accreditation. The other top five pubs shortlisted for the At lunchtime on Saturday 26th November the Town & Village Pub of the Year were: branch got together for social event to present its ● The Brewery Tap, Abingdon: Serves 6 "Town and Village Pub of the Year 2011" award to real ales and a selection of real cider, including the Cricketer's Arms in Littleworth. As a special treat ale from local breweries. Offers a 15p/pint for the members that went along to celebrate, the discount to CAMRA members. Involved in local pub had on tap the brews which won "Beer of the community events including hosting several Festival" at the two beer festivals the pub ran during beer and music festivals each year. 2011: Patriot "Kiwi" and Compass "Baltic Night Stout". ● The Eagle Tavern, Witney: Last year's Our congratulations to Stuart and Angie on their winner of the Town & Village Pub of the Year. award, and our thanks to them for their hospitality! Serves full range of Hook Norton beers with a choice of handled or straight glass and served with or without sparkler.