Another Successful Norwich Beer Festival! - Norwich and Norfolk ...

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& CASK FORCE
No.151 Winter 2009/2010
Another Successful
Norwich Beer Festival!
West Norfolk Retrospective
Norfolk’s True Heritage
Pubs part four
Mild Beer styles
Norwich Beer Festival
2009 roundup
Music and Beer
PLUS NEWS AND REVIEWS
Newsletter of the Norfolk Branches of the Campaign for Real Ale

Chris and Glynis invite you to the
Trafford Arms
17th Valentine Beer Festival
8th to 14th February 2010
“To drink or not to drink”
Raising money for the Hamlet Centre
61 Grove Road, Norwich 01603 628466
www.traffordarms.co.uk email: mail@traffordarms.co.uk

What Recession
Well that’s what we
thought when we saw
the amount of
customers at our
recent Norwich Beer Festival.
It seemed with all our trials
and tribulations with the credit
crunch everybody wanted to
have a good time. Martin
Ward comments later on the
outcome of the Beer Festival
but overall everybody seemed
to have enjoyed themselves.
We certainly did and it was
very pleasing to see our regular
and new customers. At the
Beer Festival we launched our
LocAle Scheme which encourages
Pubs to sell beers from
local Breweries. More details
follow and we hope our local
Pubs will participate in the
Scheme.
Even at this time of the year
we are now asking for nominations
for the Good Beer Guide
2011 and all Pubs will be
considered. We of course need
your help with the Pub surveys
which we know you all enjoy
doing and is essential for the
preparation of the Guide.
NORFOLK NIPS | Chairman’s Bits
The Cask Ale Report has been
released and is encouraging
news for the Real Ale industry.
I was pleased to note that over
the last year the number of
women who drink Cask Ale
has more than doubled which
is a staggering result for something
that's generally held up
as a “man's drink”. Maybe
prettier glasses helped.
Going back to the recession I
know the difficulties our Pub
trade is facing and the increase
in VAT next month won’t help.
We must support our Pubs and
rather than drinking at home
why not visit your local Pub
instead otherwise we may lose
it forever.
Finally on behalf of our
Branch I would like to wish
you a Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year.
Graham Freeman
Chairman Norwich
& Norfolk CAMRA
All the best from the West
I’d like to start by thanking
Tim for everything he’s
done over the last 9 years,
and look forward to his
Norwich pub crawl on the
19th December.
As the year comes to an end
its time to reflect on what’s
been a busy year in the west.
Several brewery trips
including a very enjoyable
weekend at Belvoir brewery,
Old Dalby and the pub visits in
Melton Mowbray.
We’ve seen Membership
remain steady, attendance at
branch meetings double
( although we would still like
to see more of you), Real ale
sales increase in our area and
an increase in the amount of
beer festivals, or is this just I’ve
attended more ( 15 this year I
think ). The 2 breweries that
closed have reopened, Bullbox
and Brancaster.
Yes a good year and I look
forward to the next one.
May you all have a good
Christmas and get what you
want (bottles of real ale) or
even a barrel. And have a
Happy New Year spent with
good company, good ale, in a
good pub.
All the best from the west.
Phil Buffham (buff)
Chairman of West
Norfolk CAMRA
Got a
short pint
If you believe that you have
been treated unfairly in a pub,
club or bar, you should contact
the Trading Standards service
by writing to them at Norfolk
Trading Standards Service,
County Hall, Martineau Lane,
Norwich, NR1 2UD or faxing
them on 01603 222999.
A wide range of consumer
information and advice is also
available online from the
Consumer Direct website at
www.consumerdirect.gov.uk
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 3

26 St Leonards Road
Norwich NR1 4BL
01603 618734
A real gem,
well worth a visit.
Eight real ales to choose from, two of
which change regularly.
Two pooltables upstairs.
Pork pies and other light snacks
available all day.
Hog roast available sundays.
Lovely enclosed beer garden with
large sheltered smoking area.
Only a ten minute walk from the
train station and city centre.
Open all day from 12 noon everyday.
Sky Sports and ESPN
We would like to wish all Norfolk Nips readers a
Happy Christmas and a prospeous new year.
Monday
Karaoke
Tuesday
Country and Western club
Wednesday
Salsa dancing with Salsa Negra
Thursday
Quiz and Curry Night
Friday
Live Music
Saturday Party Night
Sunday Carvery
Tel: 01553 630527
The Sandboy
Gayton Road, Bawsey, Kings Lynn PE32 1EP
Beer Garden and Play area
Function room available
Ample parking is available
Camping and Caravan pitches available
Opening times : 11:00am till 11:00pm Every day
At the Sandboy we offer a choice of both
traditional food and Thai food. We have an
extensive choice of food from Sandwiches, Pub
Classics, Grill, Fish, and Curries. All our food is
homemade using ingredients sourced locally where
possible. Our Thai food is cooked by Somphit and
is also optionally available as a takeaway.
6 | WINTER 2009 / 2010

Tim Spitzer; thanks
for nine years
On behalf of the West
Norfolk Branch I would
like to personally thank
Tim Spitzer for his last 9
years as Branch Chairman!!
Indeed he has been our longest
serving Chairman. He will take
a well earned break off the
committee for the time being
though no doubt he will be
back in the thick of things
sooner rather than later. 9 years
has seen a lot of changes in the
branch and Tim has kept
things as smooth and well
running as possible…he always
seems to plan the Annual
Norwich Xmas Crawl at least
one year in advance so some
branch members have plenty of
time to do a test run, then
another, and another and so on!!
Tim has been to almost all
meetings in his 9 year tenure at
the top and has been a true
stalwart to the branch and
CAMRA as a whole. Phil Buffam
takes over duties as Branch
Chair so we wish him well in
his next 10 years!! Finally well
done Tim “bloody nice bloke”
Spitzer and why don’t we have
a pub crawl to celebrate…oh
yes I think you’ve already
planned one around
Cambridge next Spring!
Brewery tee’s on tour
When that wonderlust overcomes
and you fly, drive,
float, walk, cycle or swim to
far off (or not so far-off)
climes, take your favourite brewery
shirt with you and send us a snap or
two.
To start things off here’s a picture
of Graham Freeman posing like a
catalogue model in front of a popular
Grecian landmark wearing his Humpty
Dumpty Brewery t-shirt.
NORFOLK NIPS | Chairman’s Bits continued
Norwich & Norfolk Branch
Chairman: Graham Freeman
Tel: 01603 687495
Email: chairman@norwichcamra.org.uk
Secretary: Carolyn Jones
Tel: 01603 865505
Email: secretary@norwichcamra.org.uk
Social Secretary: Tim MacDonald
Tel. 01603 865505
Email: socialsecretary@norwichcamra.org.uk
West Norfolk Branch
Chairman: Phil Buffham
Secretary: Ian Bailey
Contact: Bruce Ward
Tel: 01485 609107
Branch websites:
www.norwichcamra.org.uk
www.camra.org.uk/wnorfolk
Branch mailing list web page:
groups.yahoo.com/group/
CAMRA_Norwich
Published every 3 months
by the Norwich, Norfolk & West
Norfolk branches of the Campaign
for Real Ale © N&N CAMRA 2009
Norfolk Nips is produced and
distributed by members of the
branch in their own time.
Edited by:
Graham Freeman
& Warren Wordsworth
Email: chairman@norwichcamra.org.uk
Chris Lucas
Email: chris-stig@tiscali.co.uk
Views expressed in Norfolk
Nips are not necessarily those
of the editor or of CAMRA
Design & Production:
Daniel Speed - Tamoko Design
Email: dan@tamoko-design.co.uk
Distribution:
Norwich and Norfolk District :
Tony Miles jabbamiles@gmail.com
West Norfolk District :
Ros Harre r.harre@btinternet.com
Advertising:
For advertising enquiries please
contact Chris Shilling on:
Tel: 01778 421 550
Mobile: 07736 635916
Email: chris@shillingmedia.co.uk
Please email your pictures to
chairman@norwichcamra.org.uk
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 7

Pub News | NORFOLK NIPS
Pub News
The Reindeer on Dereham
Road Norwich has lost its landlord
after being open for just
18 days during October. Is this
a record It appears that
Elgoods are again looking for a
new tenant.
The Woolpack Muspole
Street Norwich has shut yet
again. We do not know the
reason as has The Plough St
Benedicts Street, Norwich.
The Rosary is closed up for
lease sale.
The Bridge House, on Riverside
Norwich has now
reopened. (Oct 2009)
The Cottage on Silver Road,
Norwich is due to be reopened
shortly having been purchased
by Mauldons Brewery of
Sudbury.
Wroxham now has a new pub
called The Wroxham Bistro
and Brewery Tap
It has been described as “a
venue to showcase Real Ale
from Norfolk Breweries and
aims to have as broad a range
of beers as possible available.
There are 10 handpumps and a
purpose built tap room too.
They have also started food etc
which will expand in time”.
As reported in last NIPS The
Steampacket in Norwich
reopened in September. (For
more details see October Friday
Five report).
8 | WINTER 2009 / 2010
It has been reported that The
Oxford Stores in Little Walsingham
has recently closed.
The tenants of The Woods
End, Bramerton, famous for its
connection with Billy Bluelight,
a local character who used to
challenge boat trippers to a
race along the riverbank from
Norwich to Great Yarmouth in
the 1920s and '30s, are to
retire shortly. The owners,
Bucks based Wellington Pub
Company have allowed the
tenants to sell it on lease hold
with an asking price of
£55,000.
South Norfolk District Council
has recently set up a Rural Pubs
Scrutiny Task Group in
response to the many pubs in
their area that are struggling.
As part of this initiative they
introduced a ‘Pub of the Year’
competition. The six finalists
were: The King’s Head,
Hethersett (Northern River
Valleys), The Countryman,
Tasburgh (Tas Valley), The
Pelican, Tacolneston
(Wymondham and West),
Ferry House, Surlingham
(Eastern River Valleys) and The
Cock Inn, Diss (Waveney
Valley).
The eventual winner of ‘The
South Norfolk Communtity
Pub of the Year’ award was
The Pelican at Tacolneston.
Our congratulations go to
Esher Maginn at The Pelican.
For more information on South
Norfolk District Council’s Rural
Pubs Scrutiny Task group see
http://www.southnorfolk.gov.uk/pubs
Brewery and Trade
News
Reepham Brewery to Close
Reepham Brewery, one of
Norfolk’s oldest surviving
breweries is about to close this
autumn. Ted Willems, the
owner has been brewing on
this Reepham site since1983.
He along with Woodforde’s
was one of the only two
independent brewers that
existed in Norfolk in the early
1980s when Watneys beers
dominated the area. It was
breweries like this that helped
see off “The Watneys Red
Revolution” and subsequent
closure of their King Street
Brewery in 1985 which paved
the way for the emergence of
so many micro breweries that
have opened during the last
two decades giving Norfolk
such a huge variety of beers
which we can enjoy today.
The breweries brand names
such as ‘Velvet Stout’ and
‘Rapier Pale Ale’ were much
sought after and popular real
ales winning many awards
both locally and nationally.
He plans to develop his own
engineering business and offer
advice to people running micro
breweries. We wish Ted well in
his future ventures.

Humpty Dumpty Brewery
launches new beer.
Humpty Dumpty Brewery
launched their new beer,
Swingbridge Stout, abv 4.1%,
at this year’s Norwich Beer
Festival. This beer is a complex
mix of malts and roasted barley
that they have been working
on for about a year now. It’s
relatively low gravity, but it
punches above its weight in
the flavour department. The
beer was very well received by
customers at Norwich Beer
Festival.
The Hop and Hog move in
Wissey Valley Brewery
The Hop and Hog in Downham
Market started life in April this
year as a local produce Shop,
selling cheeses, vegetables, and
jewellery all from Norfolk.
In July they moved Wissey
Valley Brewery to premises at
the rear of the shop and also
took on neighbouring premises,
the front part of which is now
The Vegetable Shop. The back of
this is being kitted out as a
premium ale shop.
Next year they hope to attract
CAMRA members for brewery
tours and to sample the new
range of ales from Iceni and
Wissey Valley Breweries.
News from
the West
Last month some of us
ventured eastwards to Blackfriars
brewery in Great
Yarmouth. Originally founded
in 2004, the brewery now
operates from the ground floor
Blackfriars brewery visitors centre
of a converted courtyard
building once used for herring
packing. Now, the only fish
present are the ones in the
pictures on the walls of the
shop and visitors centre and
the ones we ate for lunch.
I cannot speak highly enough
of the welcome we received at
the brewery and the quality of
the beer that we were
encourage to sample. For me,
the highlight was the chance
to taste some Audit Ale straight
from the cask. At around 8%,
this barley wine style beer is
rarely found these days, and
then normally only in bottles.
This example is brewed to the
old Lacons recipe, which was
there framed in the brewery.
Some readers may recall an
article I wrote about this style
of beer in a recent edition of
Nips, and it was a privilege to
actually try it. I wasn’t alone in
thinking that it was wonderful
– one of the visitors took away
a 2-litre carry out! If you are in
Yarmouth search out the shop,
which is open throughout the
year, except on Sundays.
NORFOLK NIPS | Pub News
We also called in a couple of
excellent pubs in Yarmouth.
The Red Herring has been
listed in the Good Beer Guide
for many years and is as good
as ever, but it was my first visit
to the Mariners Tavern and
this is also a fine pub with
about six beers available. On
the way back west we called in
at a couple of excellent pubs at
Reedham. Both the Lord
Nelson and the Ship are by
the side of the river and you
can sit outside watching the
boats sail past and the swing
bridge open and close.
We were lucky to have perfect
September weather, and
I cannot remember a nicer
Sunday lunchtime.
Nearer home, we called into
the Crown at Middleton to
find that it was the first night
for the new owner. It was
pleasant and popular, with the
promise of excellent food and
lots of interesting wine on
display. This does not always
mean that the same care and
attention has been lavished on
the beer, but in this case I am
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 9

WROXHAM BREWERY TAP
Newly launched ALE HOUSE and BEER SHOP
Selling a MINIMUM of 50 Beers, ALL from NORFOLK BREWERIES!
Prices from £2.00 to £2.90 per pint
Open 11am – 11pm Mon – Sat (12 Noon – 10.30 pm Sunday)
Coming soon: Wroxham Brewery: own own beers brewed on site
Attention all brewers!
If you would like to supply your beers through the Wroxham Brewery Tap
please contact us for details:
Tel 01603 781952
contact@kingsheadcoltishall.co.uk
The Wroxham Brewery tap, Staitheway Rd, The Peninsula, Wroxham, Norfolk NR12 8TH
The City’s favourite local
The Ribs
A GENUINE FREE HOUSE
10 | WINTER 2009 / 2010
9 Cask Ales - 6 Lagers and Local Cider
Global Bottled Beers - Award winning Wines
Brand new look and hi tech cellar
Riverside seating and smoking area
Delicious home cooked lunches
Wensum Street, Norwich NR3 1HY
Tel: 01603 619517 www.ribsofbeef.co.uk
Wishing all our customers a very Merry Christmas and a happy,
healthy 2010. Our thanks for your continued loyal support.
Open Christmas Day.

delighted to report that the
Wherry was excellent. This
place has all the ingredients to
be really successful, and we
wish them all the best.
A few miles away, up on the
coast, the Ship at Brancaster
has been closed and has undergone
refurbishment. I believe
that it is being run by the same
people as the Crown at East
Rudham and the Kings Head at
Letheringsett. We tried to
check it out in early November,
but it was not yet open. From
the outside it looks really good,
and I guess in concept it will be
similar to the other pubs in the
group, with a modern look,
great food and, we hope, good
beer. Let us know if you get
there before we do.
Out at Terrington St John, the
Woolpack seems to have
settled down under new
ownership. There were three
beers on when we visited and
the staff were friendly and
attentive. The food is still good
value and very tasty. It’s just off
the main Lynn to Wisbech
Road and worth the detour.
In Lynn the Wenn’s Hotel is
advertised as under new
management. I am getting a
bit old for the Friday night
circuit and so I have not
ventured in myself. I was not
really convinced by the adverts
in the Lynn News, which promised
‘Ales and Larger’.
Not such good news from the
Cat And Fiddle at East
Rudham which has been closed
for a while and we hear is
unlikely to reopen. Also still
closed is the New Inn on
Wootton Road. No news or
even rumours about the future
of what should be a very
successful pub. On a more
positive note there was a planning
application mentioned in
the Lynn News looking to turn
the bed shop close to the south
gates back into a pub. It was
formerly O’Tools and before
that, the Prince of Wales, so it
should have a good chance of
being accepted. Not sure
about the cryptic reference to
lap dancers though.
Our trips round and about
have taken us to a few of the
regions pubs – the beer in the
Kings Head at Bircham was
exceptionally good when we
called. From there we thought
that we would try the Orange
Tree at Thornham but it was
so popular we could not get
into the car park. Several
people have recommended the
place, so it is one for a repeat
visit. Instead we tried the
White Horse at Holme Next
To The Sea. It is off the main
road and down in the village.
I reckon that a lot of people
drive along the coast road and
are unaware of its existence. It
is the first time I have been in
since it was closed for a while
due to a fire and it was good to
see that it still sold good beer,
(I think I had Adnams), and
that it is still a bit more like a
village local compared to some
of the North Norfolk pubs.
On the way home we
thought we would try the
Black Horse at Castle Rising.
Last time I was in there was a
very loud band and a young
clientele which did not inspire
NORFOLK NIPS | Pub News continued
a quick return, but this time it
was much quieter with a good
mix of customers and 4 beers
on offer. We stayed much
longer than we anticipated and
would definitely call again.
Also on the outskirts of Kings
Lynn is the Sandboy at
Bawsey. They expressed an
interest in receiving some Nips,
so we have been along a
couple of times. There is a large
dining area, but there is plenty
of room if you just want a
drink. Three beers were on
offer when we called, the food
was good and not too expensive
and there seems to be a lot
going on, including regular
Salsa sessions.
Maybe the next place to try is
the Red Cat at North Wootton.
Once a beer guide regular it
seems to have drifted out of
favour in recent years, but we
hear that it has been refurbished
and that it could be heading
back to its former glory. Let us
know what you think.
Finally, pubs do great work for
charities. One of our branch
members is involved with the
Burma Star association and is
very grateful for all the places
that allow him to put a
collecting box on the bar.
Some pubs go even further,
organising special fundraising
events. There are too many to
give a full list, but lets hear it
for the Cock at Magdalen who
raised £500 for the ‘Help the
Heroes’ appeal and for
Wimbotsham Chequers who
raised a massive £8000 from
their Fenman Classic bike show
for a variety of local charities.
Jeff Hoyle
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 11

Pub Post Its | NORFOLK NIPS
Pub Post-its
As always, remember that these post-its are subjective and reflect the personal experience of
our correspondents. Please feel free to email your post-its in to norfolknips@yahoo.co.uk - and
if you really like the pub, why not nominate it for next year’s CAMRA Good Beer Guide
Feathers, Wymondham - Full and friendly
with lots of pumps and interesting wall
displays. Elgoods Tickler (£2.30) was excellent.
Queens Head, Wymondham - just had one
pump with London Pride on it, £3 a pint and OK.
There was live Premier football on the big screen.
Cross Keys, Wymondham - had an impressive
eight pumps including Hopback Summer
Lightning (£3) delicious.
Windmill, Wymondham – This pub which
has recently reopened offers Wolf beers and Tim
Taylor Landlord (£2.70). With its open log fire,
a big fish tank, a Norfolk twister on the ceiling it
is particularly recommended.
Kings Head – Shipdham – complete with real
fire has Taylor Landlord available.
Golden Dog – Shipdham - has one real ale
available - Wolf Werewolf and also has a real fire.
Old Bell - Saham Toney – Has four real ales
on with Greene King IPA and Adnams Bitter as
regulars. Occasional guests include London Pride
& Palmers Copper Ale. Excellent food available.
The Cock – Drayton serves a range of
Marston’s ales plus guest ales from Woodforde’s
and recently they had on Wychwood Hobgoblin
which was superb.
The Red Lion – Drayton sells a range of
Adnams Beers and Courage Directors.
The Bob Carter Leisure Centre – Drayton
usually serves four real ales, that include Green
King Abbot and IPA plus a local guest from
Woodforde’s. They have recently had Humpty
Dumpty Little Sharpie on which sold out in two
12 | WINTER 2009 / 2010
days! You can reach Drayton from Norwich by
bike along Marriott’s Way and it is well worth
the effort.
Kings Head – Woodton In addition to their
Greene King Beers this pub has recently had on
Grain Bitter, Buffy’s Blue (on gravity), and
Humpty Dumpty Little Sharpie. A pub worth
trying if you are in the area.
Mayden’s Head, Lynn has been closed for the
last week or so. Apparently it has changed hands
again but nothing definite known. (Subsequent
to the meeting the pub has been seen open).
First & Last, Ormesby - Now has four cask
ales available, Adnams Broadside, Greene King
IPA, and Speckled Hen plus a guest.
Wenns, Lynn under new management.
Live & Let Live, Lynn
4 well kept real ales but let down by paintwork
needing re-doing.
Red Cat, North Wootton has reopened after
refurbishment.
Globe, Lynn current (Wetherspoon’s) beer
festival including foreign beers. Ale & service good.
Lattice, Lynn same festival, beers & service
also good.
Stag, West Acre say they had the first ever
public cask of Beeston’s new mild, Squirrel’s
Nuts. As the brewery hadn’t one yet, the pub
designed their own pump clip with a predictable
picture of a squirrel. We’ll see if Beeston go with this!
Red Lion, Hokwold, currently closed.

NORFOLK NIPS | Pub Post Its continued
Sandboy, Bawsey, 3 ales on. Were interested
in local breweries. Apparently have already
approached Fox.
Globe, Fair Green advertise GK IPA + an ever
changing guest.
Rampant Horse, Gayton is apparently up for
sale again.
Crown, Middleton, under new management,
keen on the beer even if he doesn’t drink it
himself. It seems he was previously chef at
Fishes, Burnham Market.
Dolphin, Thetford doing well, ‘no IPA or Wherry’.
Black Horse, Thetford doing well enough to need
more stillage, his 4 pumps are selling too quickly!
Thetford Legion is expecting 4 casks of
Adnams Tally Ho by Christmas.
Chequers Feltwell is currently closed no information
on re-opening has been forthcoming.
REAL ALE SHOP
BLOFIELD
Visit the shop at
Blofield Leisure Centre, 58 Yarmouth Road,
Blofield, Norfolk, NR13 4LQ
Or
Visit our brewery shop at
7 Estcourt Road, Great Yarmouth,
Norfolk, NR30 4JQ
Tel: 01493 854484
email: beer@norfolksquarebrewery.co.uk
www.norfolksquarebrewery.co.uk
The Stag at West Acre had the pleasure
recently of being the first pub where Beeston
Brewery's new beer, Squirrels Nuts became available.
In response to the piece on The Fat Cat in the
autumn edition:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I read with interest the pub post its in the
Norfolk nips (Autumn 2009).
Whilst I accept that one can only judge a pub on
the day of the visit I did find the comments on
the Fat Cat disgraceful. To say that the pork pie
was the highlight of the evening in a pub which
regularly has well over 30 ales on, and more
punters on a wet Tuesday evening than most
pubs have on a Friday, indicates that the contributor
must exist in an abyss of ignorance, or
jealousy! I drink session ales at 3.8% or less and
there is almost without fail a choice of 5 or
more, most so called ale pubs would be pushed
to have 5 ales of any description.
Steve Foyster
Six Real Ales
Live Music Every Thursday
Lounge & Garden
Seasonal menu
(formerley the St Andrews Tavern)
4 St Andrews Street, Norwich, NR2 4AF
01603 614858
Open Midday to Midnight 7 Days A Week
Serving Food until 9pm Monday to Friday
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 13

2nd ALL NORFOLK
3rd and 4th APRIL 2010
OVER 30 NORFOLK ALES & CIDERS
AT LAKENHAM-HEWETT RFC - ADMISSION £2.50
OPENING TIMES Saturday 1200 ‘til 2300 Sunday 1200 ‘til 2100
BBQ-HOG ROAST
LIVE MUSIC
CAMPING AVAILABLE
The New Clubhouse
Norwich Road
Swardeston
Norwich NR14 8DU
beerfestival@lakenhamhewettrfc.co.uk
14 | WINTER 2009 / 2010

NORFOLK NIPS | Words from the West Norfolk Editor
October First Friday
Alarge number of beer
enthusiasts assembled at
The Queen of Iceni on
Riverside to begin this
month’s exploration of city
hostelries. This large purposebuilt
Wetherspoon’s Lloyds No
1 did not disappoint with a
keenly priced array of familiar
and guest beers on the counter
and all in tip top condition.
Wetherspoon’s real ale pricing
policy and close relationship to
CAMRA is well known and with
Friday evening’s revellers
pouring in this made the venue
a fine place to start drinking.
Steampacket, Crown Rd
The route to the next pub,
the newly reopened Steampacket
on Crown Road was
across the new Lady Julian
footbridge which links Riverside
with King Street and there
were fine views along the river
on this balmy night. The
Steampacket has been refurbished
but still retains an
intimate feel to it and a friendly
welcome was received. Three
hand pumps on the bar
(Wherry, Adnams and London
Pride at £2.60) dispensed
excellent quality ale. The bar
area has been expanded
slightly, the back room is now
toilets and there will soon be a
restaurant operating upstairs.
Apart from ourselves workers
from the nearby television
studio (including an instantly
recognisable sports presenter)
were enjoying the atmosphere
at the bar.
A short walk along the top
end of King Street took us to
Kings, (previously Nags Head,
Tuskers) where the handpumps
were Adnams (£2.75) and Spitfire
(£3.00). A convivial
atmosphere had some of us
involved in conversation with a
local drinker.
Time to move on now, to the
Wild Man on Bedford Street,
one of the few pubs that Tolly
Cobbold used to own, but now
offering other Suffolk beers and
Wherry. The Abbot (2.90) was
excellent, the Wherry
according to reports hazy but
drinkable. The pub was full of
young people enjoying a Friday
night out in the city, and it had
a very friendly feel to it.
Our final call was to the bar of
Cinema City. The beautiful
mediaeval Suckling Hall and its
enclosed flint courtyard are a
wonderful setting to quaff real
ale. The one beer on offer,
from another Suffolk brewer,
St Peters is named after the
builder of the hall Sir Robert
Suckling. Some of our party
were lucky to taste the beer (at
£3.30 a pint) before it ran out,
others went elsewhere (or
home to bed!)
In summary, an enjoyable
crawl via some varied and
interesting establishments, but
Norfolk beer (Wherry) was
found in only two of the fine
pubs, a situation that I am sure
local CAMRA members would
like to see rectified in future.
Mont
A visit from
Wetherspoons
It was very nice to see the
management team from “The
Lattice House” in King’s Lynn turn
up at our recent branch meeting.
They expressed their keeness to
address any issues which might
stand in the way of future inclusion
in the Good Beer Guide. They
are taking steps to ensure problems
encountered in the past with
for instance speed of service and
beer quality are corrected.
They also intend to get increasingly
involved in the local
community.
We welcomed them and are
very encouraged by their news.
Nice to know talking to other
folk in the pub business as well
that they do want to know why
they do or don’t get into the GBG.
One publican told me he felt
that one failing in the process was
that branches very seldom explain
to publicans who falter, what they
need to do to rectify the situation.
Is there a need for some form of
scorecard which the publicans
could ask to see
This is a difficult question.
What do you think
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 15

Norfolk CAMRA Branch Calendar | NORFOLK NIPS
Norwich CAMRA Branch calendar
15 December - Branch Meeting. The Railway,
North Elmham. 8pm. Coach, Normal pickup
times and route.
19 December – Our traditional Christmas
Crawl of 10 Norwich pubs. 5.00pm Rose (235
Queens Road) 5.30 Freemasons Arms 6.00 Kings
Arms 6.45 Horse & Dray 7.30 Queen of Iceni
(Lloyds No 1, Riverside) 8.15 Coach & Horses
(Thorpe Road) 8.45 Rosary Tavern 9.15 Jubilee
9.45 Red Lion (Bishopgate) 10.15 Ketts Tavern.
20 December – West Norfolk Christmas Crawl
in Norwich. A chance for members from both
branches to meet up and socialise. - 1100
Whalebone - 1200 Duke Of Wellington -1245
Cider Shed -1330 Heath House -1415
Cottage -1500 Ketts Tavern - 1545
Adam & Eve -1630 Wig & Pen -1730
Ribs Of Beef -1815 The Vine - 1900
Belgian Monk - 1945 Queen Of Iceni.
8 Jan 2010 First Friday 5 - Fat Cat (West End
Street) (8pm) then West End Retreat, Black
Horse, Mitre, Garden House.
19 Jan Branch Meeting Lord Nelson, Reedham.
8pm, Coach normal pick up times and route.
21 Jan “Beers of the Festival” awards. Cottage,
Silver Road 8pm.
29 Jan Campaigning Coach Trip. (destination to
be arranged)
5 Feb First Friday 5 Compleat Angler (8pm)
then Red Lion (Bishopgate), Bridge House, Ketts
Tavern, Cottage (Silver Road).
16 Feb Branch Meeting which will include
voting for GBG 2011. (Please bring membership
card if you intend to vote). York Tavern, Norwich
26 Feb campaigning Coach Trip (destination to
be arranged)
16 March Branch AGM. Only Card carrying
members admitted. Venue Take 5. 8pm.
Coach pick-ups: 6.47pm junc. Southwell
Road/Grove Road; 6.55pm junc, Old Palace
Road/West End Street; 7.10pm Heartsease
Roundabout, (Harvey Lane side); 7.15pm
Norwich Railway Station, (Thorpe Road bus
stops). Please contact Social Secretary Tim
MacDonald E-mail socialsecretary@norwichcamra.org.uk
or 01603 865505 in advance if
you wish to board the coach on any part of the
above route.
For updates on the social calendar check
www.norwichcamra.org.uk with the full branch
events calendar. You do not have to be a
member to come on the Branch meetings,
coach trips or the First Friday Five. If not a
member why not attend any of these and if you
enjoy them then perhaps you may wish to join!
West Norfolk CAMRA Branch calendar
8th December, White Hart,
Foulden
19th December, Norwich
tour starts 11am, The Whalebone
9th February, Lattice
House, Lynn
9th March, Black Horse,
Thetford
Proposed visit to Masham,
Theakstons & Black Sheep
Breweries
March 26-27-28th 2010
(01842 827600)
16 | WINTER 2009 / 2010

The Kings Head
North Lopham (Near Diss)
400 year old thatched country pub
Real Ales at sensible prices:
Woodfordes Wherry & Adnams Bitter plus a rotating guest beer (4% ABV and above)
PLUS Aspalls Cyder and a draught keg Mild
Home made food, freshly prepared with a selection of
Vegetarian and gluten free meals
(Served Wednesday to Saturday 12 - 2.30pm & 6pm - 8.30pm and Sunday Lunch 12 noon - 3pm)
Real Fire
Opening Times: Monday 5-11pm
Tuesday / Wednesday 11.30am - 3pm and 5pm - 11pm
Thursday / Friday 11.30am - 3pm and 5pm - 12midnight
Saturday 11.30am - 12midnight
Sunday 12noon - 10:30pm
The Kings Head, 16 The Street, North Lopham, Diss , Norfolk IP22 2NE Tel: 01379 688007
Beer Garden &
ample Parking
FREE HOUSE
COAST ROAD, WALCOTT,
NORFOLK NR12 OPE
Telephone
(01692) 650371
Proprietor since 1989: STEVE BULLIMORE
OPEN FOR FOOD & DRINKS
ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, 11am - 11pm
Food available all day until 10.30pm
10% off food and drink on production of CAMRA membership card
FOUR REAL ALES & CIDER
www.lighthouseinn.co.uk
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 17

Norfolk’s True Heritage Pubs 4 | NORFOLK NIPS
Woodside, Thorpe St Andrew
© Michael Slaughter 2009
The public bar of the Woodside, Thorpe St Andrew, which has hardly
changed since it was built in 1956.
in my second article in
Norfolk Nips I advise readers
that the Red Lion, Kenninghall,
was recently added to
the Part Two of CAMRA’s
National Inventory of Historic
Pub Interiors for its rare snug.
In this issue I am delighted to
advise readers that another
Norfolk pub has been added to
the national list, this time to
Part One – it is the Woodside,
Thorpe St Andrew on the east
edge of Norwich. Normally, a
pub needs to be wholly or
largely intact since before 1939
to be included, but pubs built
between 1939 and 30 years
ago and essentially intact since
construction can also be
18 | WINTER 2009 / 2010
added. The Woodside was built
in 1956 in inter-war style by
Bullards Brewery and it is very
little changed, still with its
Crittal windows - it is an amazingly
rare survivor. It still retains its
original plan-form of a lounge,
public bar, smoke-room and
off-sales (no longer in use).
The room in regular use is the
lounge on the right with a
curved original counter which
retains its original Formica top
but, like the walls, has a new
frontage of wooden panels
over the original ply ones. This
bar also retains its original
mirrored back fitting with glass
shelves and two lower drawers.
The distinctive 1950s entrance
to the off sales of the Woodside,
Thorpe St Andrew.
The spartan public bar is in the
middle with a '3' on one of its
two inner doors, original

NORFOLK NIPS |
counter on a tiled plinth with a
button leatherette frontage
and a black Formica top. The
bar back is of classic late
50s/early 60s style, as is the
fireplace and there are two
sections of corner seating. The
public bar tends to only be
open currently when some
customers find the lounge is
getting too noisy and also for
the meetings of a Reptile Club
on 1st Tue of the month. The
far left front door is not
currently in use but leads to an
intact separate tiny off-sales
room with its counter, and also
the former pool room which is
currently only used by
members of the local pigeon
club who meet on Fri. and Sat
this issue has a 1950s
theme as I now feature
the Kings Arms, Blakeney,
which is little changed
since it was re-fitted following a
flood in 1953. Originally three
fisherman's cottages, it was
built in 1760 (note the ‘FH +
1760’ tiled into the mellow red
Norfolk pantiled roof of the
building – the initials ‘FH’ is
thought to relate to the builder
who fitted it and not ‘Free
House’, a modern term). The
pub consists of 4 small rooms -
the original layout looks like it
could have been two rooms
with an off-sales hatch situated
opposite the front door. Note
the plaque on the wall
recording the flood level in
1953 - the bar fittings are those
installed following the 1953
flood. The public bar on the
evenings. This room has a
parquet floor, original counter
with a panelled front and
Formica top, bar back with till
drawers and one section of
fixed seating looks original.
Note that most of the doorways
have two rows of translucent
glass blocks around them. If
you want to inspect the rooms
on a visit to the pub just ask
and the bar staff will show you
them. The Woodside is situated
at 148 Plumstead Road East,
Thorpe St Andrew NR7 9NG.
The real ale on sale is Greene
King IPA, but this tends to only
be during the racing pigeon
season. No food. Open from
11 to 11 (10.30 Sun). Telephone
01603 708918.
Kings Arms, Blakeney
left has a red quarry tiled floor,
a 1950s style lapped wood
counter with a new top, and
bar back shelving including
ones with 1950s red Formica
on them. The large brick fireplace
could have some 1950s
changes as it contains both
hand made and machine-made
The Smoke Room bar fittings at
the Woodside, Thorpe St Andrew
–the style being typical of the
late 1950s.
bricks, but the dado panelling
is much older as could be the
two long benches.
To the right the lounge bar
has more old dado panelling
on the wall, another lapped
Continued Overleaf
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 19

Queen’s Head
and Waveney Brewing Company
Traditional Village Pub with a brewery
producing permanent and seasonal
ales on site
Large beer garden, traditional games, lunchtime menu and a good
selection of real ale, spirits and soft drinks
Listed in the Good Beer Guide every year since 2000.
20 |WINTER 2009 / 2010
Station Road, Earsham, Norfolk
Tel: (01986) 892623

NORFOLK NIPS | Heritage Pubs continued
The quarry tiled public bar at the Kings Arms, Blakeney, barely
changed since it was refitted in 1953 following a flood.
wood counter with a new top,
more bar back shelves with red
Formica on some and the old
till drawer. The room has been
combined with another small
room to the far right which has
a 1950s brick fireplace. In the
far corner is the disused phone
booth which has been listed as
the smallest art gallery in a pub
in Britain! Two further small
rooms to the far left were
brought into pub use in the
1980s. A further ‘Garden
Room’ has been added in
recent years. It is heartening to
find a pub in the popular North
Norfolk coast area that has
resisted changes and I can
thoroughly recommend this
unspoilt gem. Why not
combine a visit with one of the
daily (early February / April to
the beginning of November)
seal-watching trips to the far
end of Blakeney Point which
set off from Morston Quay. See
the Kings Arms website
www.blakeneykingsarms.co.uk
for more details.
The Kings Arms, which has
been run by the Davies family
since 1976, is situated at Westgate
Street NR25 7NQ close to
Blakeney Quay and is open
from 11 to 11. Five real ales are
available - Adnams Best Bitter,
Marstons Pedigree and Old
Speckled Hen on handpumps;
also Woodfordes Wherry or
Nelsons Revenge and either
Adnams Broadside or Explorer
from casks on the bar. Freshly
prepared meals are available
from 12 to 2 and 6 to 9; also
bar meals can be ordered from
12 noon to 9.30pm. Accommodation
is available in 7
en-suite rooms. Telephone
01263 740341.
The public bar counter at the
Kings Arms, Blakeney – a Woodfordes
and an Adnams beer is
always sold direct from the cask.
If you require photographs of
your pub interior / exterior
you can contact Mick on
01733 390598
or email
m.slaughter45@ntlworld.com
to discuss your requirements.
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 21

Correspondence | NORFOLK NIPS
Can our pubs be saved
Afew months ago I was in a
pub in Norwich enjoying
the music of Landermason.
This is quite a
nice band, so it was not
surprising that it was a bit
crowded. The beautiful
weather helped to make the
public thirsty. When a member
of the staff of the pub came to
collect the empty glasses from
our table I asked her if she
could bring us full ones in
return. She looked at me like
I had made a very indecent
proposal. Immediately I
apologised and went to the bar
myself to get new beers for
myself and the other people at
the table.
I had to think about this
when I read an article about
the amount of pubs that are
closing down nowadays. A lot
of people blame the government
for this. It should be
caused by the high taxes.
I think this is a bit easy to say.
In my country the taxes are
higher and yet less bars have to
close definitely.
I think pub owners should
have a closer look at what their
business is about. I don't think
this is selling beer but serving
beer. The consumers can easily
buy good beer in supermarkets
or in off-licences. At home
they drink it whilst entertaining
company or watching sports
on television or such. In pubs
there is in most cases nothing
extra coming with their drink,
except when the owner/
22 | WINTER 2009 / 2010
manager organises live music.
In the Netherlands I'm used
to have my beer brought to my
table, often combined with a
little bowl of nuts. Sometimes
the barkeeper asks me when
I enter the bar if I would like
the “usual”. Even on the ferry
between Hook of Holland and
Harwich the waiter walks to my
table when my glass is empty
and asks if it needs to be
refilled. And the barkeeper
always will make a little chat if
he has the time for this.
Normally paying is done when
I want to leave, not after
receiving every single beer.
It shows I'm being trusted.
This is all meant to give the
feeling of being welcome, that
I feel at home. For this special
treatment I'm willing to give a
tip to the staff.
On all my travels in Europe
and the USA I experienced that
service is a normal thing. But
not in the UK. In Poland I once
was in a student bar: they had
no table service. Yet even here
they gave more service than in
the UK: when giving a large
order you get a tray to carry
the glasses to your table. In the
UK barkeepers are not bothered
to see you walk to and from the
bar a couple of times to get the
glasses on your table.
The average barkeeper in the
UK stands on a sort of platform
behind the bar and looks down
literally on the visitors of the
pub. I have witnessed that the
barkeeper sits on a stool, busy
with reading the news paper or
making a crossword puzzle.
With a big sigh the drinks or
snacks are sold. Instead of a
little chat I have heard remarks
like: “I don't know if you are
worthy to drink my beer”, “Oh
no, not you again!” and “You
are too ugly to drink my beer”.
Is this the way to make the
client feel at home and make
him want to come back
Everywhere in the world there
is music or a television to
watch for guests who don't
have someone to talk to.
DVD's are shown sometimes,
people watch important sport
matches together. In my
opinion the pub should
compete with the living room
at home. As long as this is not
happening there will be an
increase of pubs closing down.
A customer who gets up from
his chair has a choice: to walk
to the bar or to walk out of the
door. It's up to the staff of the
pub to take that choice away.
The barkeeper should be a
host.
Seeing pubs get closed is
such a pity! Most pubs are
really a wonderful sight, there
are excellent beers available
and I think that by only giving
a little extra effort they can be
a great place to be!
Albert van der Steeg

Return to
Norwich
As I was in Norwich
recently, I had the chance
after 30 years to revisit
your splendid Beer
Festival. As one of the small
group of co-founders and
organizers of the first ever Beer
Festival in Norwich in the late
seventies, I was interested to
see what had become of our
great plans and hopes at the
time, as I moved shortly afterwards
to Germany , where I
have lived ever since. It was
really great and I congratulate
you all on your enormous
success. I know how very many
people are involved, all giving
unstintingly of their time and
energy but it was really worth
it. Thanks for a wonderful
experience and keep up the
good work – Germany has,
unfortunately, no real equivalent,
so you can imagine the
pleasure as I downed my first
pint of real ale after so long.
Geoff Cheeseman
The Old (or not
so old) Days
icame to live in Norwich with
my wife and son in 1966.
Our new home was in Eaton
on the newly created Greenways
Estate. At that time there
were rolling fields that are now
covered with houses.
My local was The Red Lion
situated on what was then
(before the construction of The
Cringleford Bye Pass) the main
A11. The A11 crossed the Yare
by a narrow bridge which
frequently held up traffic.
The Red Lion is a very old pub
dating back to the late 17th
century. Eaton village once
boasted no less than six pubs
but by the 1960s there were
just two remaining. The Red
Lion and The Cellar House.
These two pubs served the
village population. However, a
growing population of home
owners in the area was to
precipitate many changes. But
in 1966 much of the old
remained.
The Red Lion had three
unequal sized rooms. There
was a traditional bar at one end
and next the “Saloon” and
then a small “Off Licence”. The
bar had a stone floor, sprinkled
with sawdust, some benches
and some wooden tables and
chairs. There was a much used
dartboard and games of dominoes
were often played. “The
Saloon” was a different world.
It was more like a smart hotel
lounge covered with a thick
pile carpet and with comfortable
settees, arm chairs and
small round tables. In winter
the large ornamental fireplace
was lit with a roaring log fire.
At the far end of the building
was the “off licence”, a very
small room where locals could
buy beer to take home. Sometimes
one might see a woman
accompanying a man in the
lounge. Very occasionally two
women might enter alone. The
only women seen in the bar
were young students.
The pub was then a Steward
& Patteson house and as I
recall there was just a choice of
mild or bitter. The only food
available was crisps although I
think a sandwich may have
been available on request.
And, ah yes, the toilets!
Outside in the yard was a
walled open air urinal. It
consisted of a wall and drain
and there was a smell.
By 1969 the old Red Lion was
no more. Watneys had taken
over bringing in their bland
keg beer. The interior was
modernised and consisted of a
single large room and one
small bar. The floor was
covered by an industrialised
type carpet and gone was the
old wooden furniture to be
replaced with ‘modern’ style
tables and chairs. An indoor
hygienic toilet completed the
refurbishment. I think I was just
in time to witness the end of
one era and the beginning of
another.
Norman Wordsworth
Do any of our readers have
memories of pubs from
yesteryear If so we would like
to hear from you. – Ed.
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 23

Fantastic Four go to Somerset | NORFOLK NIPS
Smashing Spring in Somerset
No tourists in here just friendly
locals. Midweek we drove high
up in the Mendip Hill's and
found another of our finds in
the Hunter's Lodge at Priddy.
The pebble dashed exterior did
not bode well but as we
entered we came across a pub
which seemingly had not
changed for 100 years. Beer
straight from the cask once
more and the amazing price of
just £3.50 for a bowl of faggot
and peas!!
the group of 4 (Big Nige,
Big Kev, Stew and Sharon)
returned to Somerset this
past Spring to see if we
could relive another week of
sun, sand and fabulous Real Ale
and...erm Cider!! We got to our
cottage in the middle of
nowhere but too far south of
Glastonbury in good time to
do shopping for the week and
have a pint down the local
Castlebrook Arms in Compton
Dundon...what a surprise to
find a genuine local with
Sharps Doom Bar and Otter
bitter...both very drinkable!!
the pubs! Our first find was the
Barton Inn at Barton St David.
We were not sure at first as we
could hear loud punters and
the Pub Sign was upside
down!! In we went and what
we encountered was a truly
eccentric village local with beer
served straight from the barrel!
Average prices for Somerset
were well down compared to
Norfolk at about £2.50 a pint
and Local Cider was much
cheaper at about £2.00. the
cider was also very good. We
visited Wilkins Cider Farm near
Wedmore, and sampled some
delightful blends of dry and
sweet varieties. Stew bought a
The week started rather wet
but got sunnier and warmer as
the days went by and so did
24 | WINTER 2009 / 2010

NORFOLK NIPS | Fantastic Four go to Somerset
gallon to take away for a mere
72 pence a pint!! in general in
Somerset the food prices were
reasonable and the style much
less of the pretentious “gastro”
type found so predominantly in
East Anglia nowadays, and the
quality was excellent nearly
everywhere.
Back to the pubs and another
classic pub revisited from last
time was Eli’s (Rose & Crown)
at Huish Episcopi. I had just
reopened after extensive
flooding earlier in the year. The
pub is unusual as there is no
bar making it more as if you
are walking into someone's
house. There are multiple
rooms for nothing but good
basic chat. Another pub which
we raved about last time was
the Halfway House in
Pitney..this time it was a little
disappointing with the beer
not and food not such good
quality...hopefully this is a mere
blip and we will return one day
to find it back to its best. After
a bracing walk on Brean Down
we headed for the Queens
Arms at Bleadon....Another
find! Absolutely well recommended
for super atmosphere,
good wholesome food and
superb beer (Butcombe gold
and Bath Golden Hare on
when visited).
There were plenty more pubs
we visited not only in the Good
Beer Guide but ones we visited
on the off-chance - The Castlebrook
Arms was not in the
guide but was excellent all the
same as was the Anchor in
Seatown. Oh and on the way
back we visited another classic
Oxfordshire pub - Peyton Arms
at Stoke Lyne. it would have
been rude not to visit and it
was truly a great end to a great
week in the west country.
Nigel Nudds
West Norfolk Subscription
To receive the next four issues
of Norfolk Nips and Cask
Force, send ten 1st class
stamps to Norfolk Nips,
91 Tennyson Road
Kings Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 5NG
The Real Ale Shop
Branthill Farm, Wells-next-the-Sea,
NORFOLK NR23 1SB
ON THE B1105 FAKENHAM- WELLS RD
Over 50
bottle conditioned real
ales from 15 Norfolk
brewers who all use
Branthill Farms
famous malted barley.
TEL: 01328 710810
www.therealaleshop.co.uk
Now selling
bottle conditioned beers from
The Real Ale Shop in
Wells Next The Sea
tel 01328 710810
Contact us below
for trade sales:
01603 279927
john@oleslewfootbrewery.co.uk
3 Pollard Rd, Hainford,
Norwich NR10 3BE
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 25

Packed full of Norfolk’s Finest
Real Ales Brewed and bottled on the premises,
Local Cheeses, Chutneys, Glazed Hams, and
Local Crafts.
Sunday Lunches • Brewery Tours
• Beer Festivals • Folk Nights
If you like Beer and Food - we’re the place to try
The Hop and Hog, No 1 The High Street,
Downham Market, Norfolk PE38 9DA
01366 386658
thehopandhog@btconnect.com
THE VEGETABLE SHOP
1d HIGH STREET DOWNHAM MARKET
Come to the ONLY shop in Downham
dedicated to providing REAL ORGANIC
FRUIT & VEGETABLES plus a range of
Organic Wholefoods,Bread and Eggs.
It’s a UNIQUE EXPERIENCE!
Shop: 01366 385523
Mobile: 07967 346551
Ring Ian for details of our forthcoming
Vegetarian Feast Nights with music,
ciders and beer made with
local organic barley!
THE ICENI BREWERY
For ALL your homebrew needs buy
DIRECT from the ICENI BREWERY
At 3 Foulden Rd, Ickburgh, Thetford IP26 5HB
Tel 01842 878922/ 07949 488113
Or email icenibrewery@aol.com for details

in Norfolk
NORFOLK NIPS | LocAle
this year’s Beer Festival saw
Norwich & Norfolk
CAMRA launch their
LocAle scheme.
What is LocAle
The LocAle scheme is a new
initiative that was created by
the Nottingham Branch in
2007 who wanted to support
their remaining brewers
following the buy out and
subsequent closure of Hardy &
Hansons by Greene King. They
were quickly followed by York
and Isle of Wight branches. It
was taken over by CAMRA HQ
who has adopted the idea as a
National initiative and many
branches have subsequently
implemented this scheme.
Definition of LocAle.
LocAle as defined by Norwich
& Norfolk CAMRA is for a pub
to always stock at least one real
ale (as defined by CAMRA)
brewed at a brewery that is no
more than 30 miles from door
to door.
By introducing this scheme
we will be encouraging pubs to
sell local beers which will
reduce the "beer miles" thus
benefiting the environment. It
ensures more variety and diversity
to the consumer, and
hence better sales for the pub.
The scheme helps sustain the
local micro brewers and benefits
the local economy.
Local licensees are invited to
join this scheme and those
opting to join are being issued
with the necessary publicity
material that include guidance
notes, stickers to display in
their windows and ‘Pump clip
Crowners’ which are small
cardboard stickers that landlords
attach to their pump clips
advertising that beer dispensed
through these pumps is
brewed locally and can be
considered as LocAle.
So far the following pubs
have signed up to LocAle:
Aldborough - Black Boys.
Clippesby Hall - Muskett Arms
Cromer - The Cottage.
Earsham- Queens Head.
Filby - Kings Head.
Gorleston- Dock Tavern.
Gt Yarmouth- Red Herring,
St Johns Head.
Hopton - White Hart.
Kenninghall - Red Lion.
Lyng - Fox & Hounds.
North Elmham - Railway.
North Walsham- Orchard
Gardens.
Norwich -
Gardeners/Murderers, Jubilee,
Ketts Tavern, Kings Head, Rose,
Take 5, Trafford Arms, Vine.
Reedham - Ferry.
Sheringham - Windham Arms.
Swardeston -
Lakenham/Hewitt Rugby Club.
Wroxham - Brewery Tap.
For Further information see
our Branch Website:
http://www.norwichcamra.org.
uk/locale/locale1.htm
Licensees who wish to join or
require more information
about the LocAle scheme
please contact: Warren
Wordsworth, Pubs Officer,
Norwich & Norfolk Branch.
E-Mail:
pubsofficer@norwichcamra.org
.uk or by post – 16 Grove
Avenue, Norwich NR1 2QD.
Warren Wordsworth
West Norfolk CAMRA XMAS
Pub Crawl 2009 - Norwich
Saturday 19th December)
It’s that time of year again,
here’s the full schedule.
All welcome, join in at any
point. Food arrangements up
to the individual.
1100 Whalebone (Magdalen
Rd)
1200 Duke Of Wellington
(Waterloo Rd)
1245 Cider Shed (Lawson Rd)
1330 Heath House (Gertrude Rd)
1415 Cottage (Silver Rd)
1500 Ketts Tavern (Ketts Hill)
1545 Adam & Eve (Bishopgate)
1630 Wig & Pen (Palace Plain)
1730 Ribs Of Beef (Wensum St)
1815 The Vine (Dove St)
1900 Belgian Monk (Pottergate)
1945 Queen Of Iceni (Riverside)
Contact; Tim Spitzer
(07950)823270.
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 27

6 St Martins Palace Plain,
Norwich NR3 1RN
01603 625891
www.thewigandpen.com
This warm and friendly 17th century Freehouse is to the
north side of Norwich cathedral. Owned by Craig & Lynne
McLaren since 1993. ‘The Wig’ as its affectionately known,
has built a reputation for fresh, fast, affordable British cuisine.
• Good Ale • Good Food • Heated smoking area
Sky & ESPN Sports TV • Late Night Opening • Real Fire
Look out for our Cask
Marque Plaque.
This guarantees beer quality
in the Wig & Pen and the
opportunity to
TRY BEFORE YOU BUY.
For the 13th successive
year, the Wig & Pen has
been included in
CAMRA’s Good Beer
Guide. We are very proud
of this achievement.
28 | WINTER 2009 / 2010

The Mermaid Inn
Church Street, Elsing Dereham,NR20 3EA
Tel: 01362637640 Email: the.mermaid@zen.co.uk
Great Pub Food Menu
Try our famous Steak and Kidney Roly Poly
with thick beer gravy. We cook our own Ham in
real ale, we can't cook it quick enough!
INFLATION BUSTER MON - FRI ONLY £4.95!
Freehouse, Real Ales, Real Food,
Real Welcome!
Look us up in the CAMRA Good
Beer Guide 2010 or the CAMRA
Good Pub Food Guide.
We have internet café facilities!
The Railway
Freehouse
Station Rd, North Elmham
01362 668300
In the current Good Beer Guide,
CAMRA members and
supporters of local microbrewers
REAL ALES • REAL FOOD
REAL PUB
Colin & Julie Smith
look forward to
seeing you!
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 29

Westgate Street, Blakeney, Norfolk NR25 7NQ
Tel: 01263 740341
Situated in beautiful Blakeney
Recommended by most Good Pub and Food Guides
Food Served all Day
Lovely en-suite accommodation.
Children & Pets Welcome
Car Parking • Beer Garden • Dogs welcome
OPEN ALL DAY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
www.blakeneykingsarms.co.uk
Pig n Falcon - St Neots
LIVE MUSIC
WED, FRI + SAT
ALES TO DATE
198
FROM 9/4/09
NEW
large heated
smoking area
Minimum of
SIX CHRISTMAS
ALES
on at all times during the
festive period!
‘Rock and Ale’ every weekend with up to 16 Ales & ciders
from £2 per pint
Open 10am (11am Sunday) til’ late Monday -Sunday!
www.PignFalcon.co.uk
Tel 07951 785678 – New St, St Neots – PE19 1AE
30 | WINTER 2009 / 2010

NORFOLK NIPS | Norwich Beer Festival
32nd Norwich Beer
Festival & Beyond
With the dust now
settled on the
Beer Festival, we
can look back
and congratulate
ourselves on another
fabulous festival.
It was our busiest festival to
date, with over 19,000 visitors
throughout the week, drinking
well over 60,000 pints of beer,
6,000 pint of cider and
numerous bottles.
We recruited our 2,000th
member at the festival,
launched the Branch's Locale
scheme, played host to many
of the counties brewers and
publicans, raised a few pounds
for NARS (Norfolk Accident
Rescue Service) and hopefully
had good time.
We also held two competitions
during the week, the East
Anglian Cider competition and
two categories in the Champion
Beer of East Anglia.
I would like thank all my
volunteer staff who did a
tremendous job of keeping our
customers supplied with quality
ales and cider, supervised their
meanderings around the halls,
without them their wouldn't be
a Norwich Beer festival.
I would also like to thank, the
Hall’s staff who do such a
fantastic job in putting up with
us year after year, the brewers
and wholesalers who supplied
us with the beer and cider, and
of course you readers of this
esteemed publication who
came along and supported us
in October.
Of course we can't get everything
right, so if you have any
comments (hopefully positive)
about the festival, please get in
touch, either via NIPS or you
will find my contact details on
the branch web site.
Planning for next year's
festival has already started,
which leads me nicely into the
logo competition. The logo
used for the festival is one of
our major marketing points
and is the symbol of the
festival, it appears on t-shirts,
glasses, posters et al. You don't
have to be graphical maestro
to enter the competition, all we
ask is a design featuring a
dragon in 4/5 colours and we
will do the rest.
The competition is open to
everybody and entries should
be sent, either as artwork or a
computer readable file (most
formats accepted, jpeg, tiff,
pdf, postscript etc, no word
docs please!!!). Please send
entries to Beer Festival Logo
competition, 8 Pond Road,
Horsford, Norfolk NR10 3SW or
see the branch web site for
further details on submitting
via e-mail.
Two final things, a big big
thank you to the Branch
committee for their help during
the planning stages and the
dates for next year's festival,
they are October 25th-30th
2010.
p.s Yes, we are still at St
Andrew's and Blackfriars Halls.
Martin Ward
Festival Organiser
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 31

Mild Beers | NORFOLK NIPS
Mild Beers at Norwich Beer Festival
Norwich Beer Festival has
always been noted for a
wide variety of darker
beers. Usually I head for
the strong stuff - the old ales,
stouts and barley wines - but
this year I joined Des O'Brien of
the beer festival's ordering
committee - and a keen mild
drinker - to see what we had in
the way of milds.
‘Mild’ is often interpreted to
mean a dark beer around 3.5%
ABV - but it doesn’t have to be
light in alcohol (Sarah Hughes
certainly isn’t, weighing in at
6 %!) and it doesn’t actually
have to be dark, either, though
most examples of the style are.
The one indispensable element
of the style is that it must be
lightly hopped - so it's not bitter.
In my mind, that makes it a
great drink for those who say
they ‘don’t like beer’ - often,
just drinkers who have been
put off traditional English
bitters by the higher amount of
bittering hops used.
Magg’s Magnificent Mild,
from West Berkshire Brewery,
has a name that makes big
claims. Would it live up to its
magnificent billing We found
it highly drinkable at 3.8%,
with a big aroma, big palate, a
teasingly large amount of hops
for a mild (just testing the
boundaries of the style!), and
then once the bitterness died
away, a nice caramel aftertaste.
Des said “It’s not an imposing
32 | WINTER 2009 / 2010
beer, but it’s nice and clean
and drinks well.”
Next up was Mill Green
Mawkin, 2.9%, from Suffolk.
This had a grainy aroma, and
quite a grainy taste, but a thin
mouthfeel and rather a hoppy
finish. It was sour, rather than
dry - Des called it “almost
lactic”. We agreed we'd move
on rather quickly to the next.
Holdens Dark Mild is brewed
in Dudley, West Midlands, a
traditional home of the mild
style. Lots of toffee apples and
brown sugar in this mild, with
some good nutty flavours and
not much at all in the way of
hops. “Not complex but
clean”, Des commented, “but I
think it could grow on you.”
(Later on in the festival, I went
back and had a pint - very
refreshing and tasty at 3.7%.)
Holt’s Mild comes from
Manchester and is what Des
calls “a 1940s style mild” - a bit
thin, fairly heavily hopped for
the style, with candy aromas but
not much residual sugar in the
taste. We found that while it was
a pleasant enough drink at
3.2%, but it didn't do very
much for us - “it would be a pity
if people thought all milds were
like this”, was Des’s comment.
We went on to Brains Dark,
from Cardiff - with a rather thin
mouthfeel at 3.5%, but with
lots more fruit. Des believes
every mild should have a mix
of three flavours - caramel,
grain, and fruit. Brains certainly
had the caramel and fruit, but
it didn’t have much on the
grainy side.
The next in line, Gravediggers
Ale from the Church End
Brewery in Warwickshire, was a
complete contrast with its very
roasty aroma and flavours; so
much grain it practically tasted
of the malting floor. With
chocolate and candy tastes, it
had a nice clean, sweet finish.
“A lot of flavour for 3.8%,” Des
said.
We went on to one of the
stronger milds, Banks &
Taylor’s Black Dragon Mild at
4.3%. This was very, very
roasty and grainy indeed, but
to the extent that Des and I
both found it unbalanced, with
its very dry aftertaste - Des
commented “It’s a one-trick
pony”. When we dropped right
down in gravity to Bateman’s
Mild at 3%, we were rewarded
by a much more balanced and
satisfying ale - candy aromas,
chocolate and grain flavours,
sweet, and with a powerfully
dry finish. “Mr Bateman gets it
right again,” Des said, though I
must admit I found the dry
finish left me slightly thirsty...
time for another one!
Bathams Mild is another West
Midlands beer, made at Brierly
Hill, not far from Dudley. What
a contrast with the roasty
Banks & Taylor brew - this was

all toffee apples on the nose,
very fruity and sweet, full in
flavour, and with a nice
rounded mouthfeel. We scored
it as highly as the Batemans,
though Des commented, “For
me, the Batemans is a better
flavour, but this is very well put
together. It’s a classic example
of a West Midlands Mild -
sweet, caramelly, not overly
hopped, and terrifically well
balanced and moreish.”
Moreish He enlightened me -
“You always think when you're
drinking a West Midlands mild
- where’s the next one”
The East Anglian style is rather
different. Des remembers
Bullards - “full of grain and roast
chocolate malts”. So we went
on to a number of local ales to
see how they captured the spirit
of an East Anglian mild.
Front Street Festival Mild
didn't impress us - very sweet,
with burned and vinegary
flavours, but almost no
aftertaste. “Lots of flavour,”
Des said, “but not the right
flavours.” We found Woodforde’s
Mardlers, at 3.5%, was
also a little thin, and rather
sugary (I have to say I was
disappointed as I have had
some very nice Mardlers
indeed on other occasions, so
perhaps this wasn't typical).
Square Mild, from Norfolk
Square, also seemed a little
attenuated, and lightweight for
4%, though its apply aroma
and fresh, clean taste made it
thoroughly drinkable.
On to Wolf's Woild Moild, at
4.8%, with a nice enough
aroma and sweet, full taste,
with even a little liquorice
creeping in. We both felt it was
too well hopped for a mild,
though. Waveney's East Coast
Mild also, Des thought, wasn't
quite “true to style”, with a
candy aroma, roasty and very
dry flavour, and some unfermented
sugars - “more of a red
beer than a mild”.
Which left us with two ‘finalists’.
Elmtree Brewery’s
Nightlight, last year's beer of
the festival, is a mild in the
tradition of Sarah Hughes -
dark, full, high in alcohol at
5.7%, and very well rounded,
with fruitiness and hops in
good balance. Really
wonderful.
But meeting Des’s criteria for
a real East Anglian mild was
The Squirrel’s Nuts from
Beeston Brewery. Toffee and
grainy aromas - a real malt-kiln
nose - were followed by the
promised nutty flavours and an
aftertaste of roast chestnuts. All
of that for only 3.5% alcohol!
“A total contrast to the West
Midlands milds,” Des said, “It
has no residual sweetness - full
of grain and roast flavours.”
Probably our favourites of the
day, besides Nightlight and
Squirrel's Nuts, were Batemans,
Bathams, Gravediggers Ale,
and Maggs Magnificent Mild.
What's interesting about this
list is that some of the most
successful milds, in our opinions,
were the lightest in
alcohol; with the honourable
exception of Nightlight, few
milds over 3.8% made it into
our final cut. That just proves
that it's the brewer's craft, in
squeezing the most flavour out
of a limited gravity, that really
NORFOLK NIPS | Mild Beers
matters - not the percentage
on the pump clip.
Mild doesn’t only come in the
dark variety, though. We had
two very fine light milds at the
festival. Timothy Taylor Golden
Best doesn’t use the word
‘mild’ on the label, but
nonetheless it’s a light mild,
refreshing at 3.5% but full in
mouthfeel and extremely drinkable.
We were both impressed by a
local contribution - Ragged
Robin from Old Chimneys, at
Market Weston, Suffolk. This
too weighs in at 3.5% and had
plenty of flavour, quite sweet,
with a full mouthfeel, and
refreshing finish. Unfortunately
we only had one firkin of this
delightful beer - perhaps we
should order more next year
Andrea Kirkby
Dark and a bit scary
- not like all milds!
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 33

Festival awards | NORFOLK NIPS
Beers of the festival 2009
Winner of the Gold
award in the 'Beer Of
The Festival' public
voting at the 32nd
Norwich Beer Festival was Old
Chimneys Red Clover, a 6.0%
ABV blended old ale spiced
with cloves. Old Chimneys
Brewery is based at Market
Weston, in North Suffolk.
Silver went to Mauldons Black
Adder, a 5.3% dark bitter stout
which was aged in oak casks
for the festival, and Bronze
went to Winter's Golden, a
4.1% hoppy golden ale from
Norwich's own Winter's
Brewery.
Category winners were:
Mild - Gold: Sarah Hughes
Ruby Mild (6.0% ABV); Silver:
Beeston The Squirrels Nuts
(3.5%); Bronze: Waveney
Brewery East Coast Mild
(3.9%).
Bitter - Gold: Elmtree Burston
Cuckoo (3.8%); Silver: West
Berkshire Old Father Thames
(3.4%); Bronze: Grain Oak
(3.8%).
Best Bitter - Gold: Waveney
Brewing Welterweight (4.2%);
Silver: Harviestoun Hoptober
Fest (4.0%); Bronze: Woodforde's
Tinseltoes (4.4%).
Strong Bitter - Gold: Fat Cat
Wild Cat (5.0%); Silver:
Oakham Attila (7.5%); Bronze:
Green Jack Ripper (8.5%).
34 | WINTER 2009 / 2010
Old, Stout & Porter - Gold:
Mauldons Black Adder (5.3%);
Silver: Downton Chocolate
Orange Delight (5.8%);
Bronze: Humpty Dumpty
Reedham Porter (5.4%).
Speciality - Gold: Old Chimneys
Red Clover (6.0%); Silver:
Whitstable Raspberry Wheat
(5.2%); Bronze: Opa Hay
Wheat (4.2%).
Golden Beers - Gold: Winter's
Golden (4.1%); Silver: Hornbeam
Lemon Blossom (3.7%);
Bronze: Crouch Vale Amarillo
(5.0%).
Cider - Rich’s Legbender.
Perry - Hecks Blakeny Red Perry.
Foreign Beer - Heller Aecht
Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen.
Des O’Brien

Offering four real ales and quality
home-cooked food we are sure
you will have a great time.
17th Century timber beamed pub.
From Norwich & Acle head to Salhouse and
at the mini roundabout follow the sign to
Wroxham, we are 200yds on the right.
BT Openzone available
Open all day every day, food is served:-
Monday 12-2
12-2 & 6-9 Tuesday to Sunday
12-3 Sunday for plated home cooked Sunday lunches
with homemade Yorkshire puddings and fresh
vegetables. Booking advised if dining.
Quiz Nights every Wednesday from 8.30pm
A meat raffle is held every Sunday at 4:30 pm.
‘Andy Russell finds plenty of appeal with a family outing to
a 17th century pub’ - EDP Eating out October 2009
Tel: 01603 721141 www.salhousebell.co.uk
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 35

Retrospective | NORFOLK NIPS
West Norfolk CAMRA
Retrospective
As the end of the year
approaches, I thought it
would be fun to look
back at some of the
things our branch has done
during 2009.
We have visited several Breweries
both local and a little
further afield.
It always strikes me that
breweries, much like pubs, are
instilled with the personalities
of their brewers. The difference
being that exept for those with
visitor facillities the only way
that personality reaches most
of their customers is through
the quality and character of
their products not just in the
flavour but in the style of
pumpclips chosen and, of
course, the names of the beers!
The underlying principle of
many seems to include a great
deal of humour, and it's nice to
meet people whose products
you have sampled and see if
they match up to your expectations!
This year we visited Belvoir
Brewery near Melton
Mowbray, “Belvoir” is
pronounced “beaver” and of
course there were very non PC
“I love beaver” badges for all
(not so popular with female
members!).
The brewery itself was very
impressive with an excellent
36 | WINTER 2009 / 2010
visitor facillity and bar/restaurant,
they have big plans and
deserve to suceed.
Melton itself is very beautiful
and rightly famous for it’s pork
pies. It also has all it's GBG
pubs in one street running
towards the railway station you
couldn't really go wrong.
Some stayed in the town
others are motorhome folk and
found a home nearby (the
council didn’t have time to
evict them).
Later in the year we made a
visit to a brewery in Bury St.
Edmunds (No not that one!),
The Old Cannon Brewery situated
in the like named pub.
The brewery plant is partially
visible inside the pub and on
the night of our visit brewing
had been taking place with the
attendant smells! The brewer
gave us a talk which started
with him checking the coppers
by lifting himself on his arm
muscles inside only to emerge,
peering over the edge again
like some brewing Gollum,
thank goodness he didn’t say
“My precious”. The brewery is
run in a very energetic way by
this extreme sports enthusiast
who may just have invented
extreme brewing! The brewery
runs a very lively beer festival
each year and was in preperation
for it.
We met up with some of
Craig’s friends there, being
fellow colonials (You know,
Americans), they provided very
entertaining company. By the
way Craig, when are you
gonna write about beer from a
Transatlantic perspective for us
Our third visit was Blackfriars
in Gt. Yarmouth and was very
entertaining once we found it
(ask Tim). I won’t go into detail
as Jeff has already covered this
subject, but the visitor setup is
nicely thought out and the
glass placed in your hand in
the waiting area never seemed
to empty for more than 10
seconds!
We also attempted to visit a
Nottingham brewery but never
managed to get a reply from
them by phone or email.
We also try to get out and
about locally for either social or
campaigning purposes. The
first outing was a social at the
Walpole Cross Keys which is
the name both of the pub and
village, Ros organised a walk
around the local fens and had
lunch in the carvery. Unfortunately
very shortly after this,
the pub was closed due to the
roof being declared unsafe!
Another pub lost, I hope it
wasn't my fault it could be bad
to be declared a pub Jonah!
We visited The Union Jack at
Roydon to award them our

anch POTY 2009, and then
later to Whin Hill Cider for the
presentation of a Regional
CAMRA cider award. The
second occasion allowed me to
meet some of our Cider enthusiasts,
how they stay sober long
enough to judge this fruit
based biofuel I've no idea!
During the summer we had a
walk around Roydon and
Congham organized by Phil
Buffham who is normally just
Buff like I’m Stig. It was incredibly
hot and due to bad timing
I missed the first leg, a shame
as I also missed Phil's carefully
researched local history!
We stopped at the Anvil,
Congham and then made our
way to Roydon and the Union
Jack. Thanks to the folk at the
Anvil who furnished me with a
large bottle of water.
We occasionally get in a walk
before a meeting and both this
year were organised by Jim &
Pete (plus Fred) of Whin Hill
Cider one around Burham
Thorpe and one along the
beach and around the banded
cliffs at Hunstanton. It's
amazing how thirsty all these
walk makes you!
As you can see for a small
branch we get around and
have had a lot of fun doing it,
this of course does not include
contacts made distributing
Nips/Cask Force or our
surveying activities.
NORFOLK NIPS | Retrospective
We are planning an out of
area foray to Masham in North
Yorkshire to include visits to
Theakston’s and Black Sheep
on or about 27th-28th March
2010. If you would like to join
us contact me by email (on the
info panel). Any N&N takers
If this sounds like your sort of
fun come and meet us all at a
branch meeting soon.
Finally, I would like to wish a
Merry Christmas and Happy
New Year to everbody from all
of us at West Norfolk CAMRA.
Have a good one!
Chris Lucas (Stig)
THE ARTICHOKE FREEHOUSE
at Broome
Up to 8 Real Ales (4 on gravity)
3 Belgian Fruit Beers
Outstanding selection of Scottish
malt & Irish Whisky
Opening Hours
12pm to 11pm weekdays & Sunday
12pm to 12am Friday & Saturday
Closed Mondays
(Except Bank Holidays)
162 Yarmouth Road, Broome, Bungay
NR35 2NZ Tel: 01986 893325
On the 580 and 588 Anglia Bus routes
NORFOLK CAMRA PUB OF THE YEAR 2009
Lunchtime Meals
12pm to 2.30pm weekdays
12pm to 4pm Sundays
Evening Meals
6.30pm to 9pm Weds to Sat
(Booking is advisable)
Beer garden and ample parking
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 37

He should have
gone to the
EATON COTTAGE, UNTHANK RD,
NORWICH 01603 453048
The Gatehouse Pub
391 Dereham Road, Norwich NR5 8QJ
01603 620340
Fine Real Ales,lagers,wines and spirits
All Sky Sports • A traditional pub
Good covered outside areas • Doggies welcome
“a festival of beers every day”
FOUR REAL ALES
Live Music, Friday & Saturday
Large garden overlooking the
River Wensum
OPEN
Mon - Thurs 12-11
Fri & Sat 12-12 • Sunday 12-11
Visit our Brewery Shop
SURLINGHAM
OPENING HOURS
ALL DAY, ALL YEAR, EVERY DAY FROM 11am-CLOSE
FOOD AVAILABLE ALL DAY, FROM 12 TILL 9pm
Picturesque riverside walks, RSPB reserve, On Norwich’s
doorstep. Moorings available. Open Fire, Real Ales.
Good traditional Home Cooked Food,
Main meals from £6.95
All Functions catered for. Live Music, Quiz Nights.
Small Children and Dog friendly.
You will receive a Warm and Friendly Welcome
from Sonia, Andy and All at the Staff at The Ferry
Open Saturdays, Mondays
and Tuesdays 11am-4pm
All our bottle conditioned
beers are available.
Also 10 & 20L polypins can
be ordered
We are also providing space for local artists to hang their work
so you can usually replenish your taste buds while exercising
your eyeballs!
Ferry Road, Surlingham, Norwich, Norfolk. NR14 7AR
Tel: 01508 538659 Email: surlinghamferry@googlemail.com
Website: www.surlinghamferryhouse.co.uk
38 | WINTER 2009 / 2010

NORFOLK NIPS | Thetford Real Ale Scene
Real Ale Renaissance in Thetford
The news from Thetford
the ancient capital of
South West Norfolk just
gets better and better.
For several years now the only
pub worthy of the Good Beer
Guide in the town was The
Albion run by two generations
of the Middlebrook family since
1969, famous for it's straightforward
drinkers pub style and
it's consistently good Greene
King beers. The Albion has
now been joined by two
potential candidates, The
Dolphin was taken on by a
Mother & Son management
team last year who single
(double) handedly revitalised
this one time GBG pub, once a
venue for the most heavily
attended W. Norfolk CAMRA
meeting. They turned the pub
into an excellent real ale venue
within the limits of the brewery's
range of guest beers and
attracted growing numbers of
customers. Only being a
management team they knew
a bid for the lease would see
them move on, this occured
when the manager of the Black
Horse in Thetford put in a
succesful bid.
It seemed they would be lost
to the town, but no! In a plot
twist worthy of any soap opera,
having left the brewery, they
took over the management of
the Black Horse. The Black
Horse is a free house and has
given them a wider choice of
beers the response has been
superb and the “Horse” is
jumping! (sorry!) They have
booked the Carnegie Rooms in
the town to hold a beer fest
next May, something already in
the pipeline before their move.
The Dolphin also continues to
sell good real ale, under it's
new management.
So all in all a win win series of
events for real ale enthusiasts
locally and hopefully like the
real renaissance it'll spread to
other local towns because it
really needs to!
Chris Lucas
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 39

Norwich’s oldest alehouse
Four Real Ales
Aspells Cider & over 50 Malt Whiskies.
Food served from 12noon-7pm
Monday to Saturday. 12noon-5pm Sunday
Overall Winner - Best Floral Public House
Norwich In Bloom Awards
BARRELIEF
MANAGEMENT
Your local Bar Relief to cover for
your Holidays or Sickness.
Personal Licence Holder.
Food Hygiene Certificated.
Please Call Brian Mayhew on
01603 301356 or 07714657752
to discuss your requirements
17 Bishopgate, Norwich NR3 1RZ 01603 667423
email: brmpubservices@aol.com
www.brmpubservices.co.uk
The Cottage
C R O M E R
Traditional Norfolk Free House
Four Real Ales always available
including Woodfordes Wherry,
Greene King IPA and two
ever-changing guest ales
Sandwiches always available
Function rooms for hire
Open daily 11am-2.30pm & 5.30pm - 11pm
Wishing all our customers a healthy
and prosperous 2010
8 Louden Rd, Cromer NR27 9EF
(Just 3 mins walk from the Sea)
Angel Gardens
Free House
Under same ownership for 21 years
Six reasonably priced Real Ales
including three guest ales
Home Cooked Food • Live Music on Saturdays
Beer Garden with heated smoking shelter
2 Bars (with one for Private Hire)
Ample Car Parking
Live music Christmas eve
with TERRY ADAMS
and New Years eve with DAVIE .J
96 Angel Rd, Norwich NR3 3HT
01603 427490
email: ikwarren-angel@tiscali.co.uk
www.norwichinns.com
40 | WINTER 2009 / 2010

NORFOLK NIPS | West Norfolk AGM
West Norfolk CAMRA AGM
Our 2009 AGM was held at Narborough
social club on 13th October 2009.
This is a synopsis of the main happenings.
Voting for New Committee:
Two candidates came forward for the post of
Branch Chairman: Tim Spitzer and Phil
Buffham.
After the candidates withdrew, a vote was
taken under the supervision of the Regional
Director. Following a vote Phil Buffham was
elected to chair.
It was agreed that Tim should continue to
chair until the end of this meeting.
All other post holders were returned unopposed.
All candidates listed below agreed to
serve in post if elected.
Nominated Seconded Post Holder
Chairman Nige Chris Tim Spitzer (not elected)
Bruce Tony Phil Buffham (elected)
Treasurer Tim Chris Jim Fergusson
Secretary Nige Bruce Ian Bailey
Membership Secretary Steve Nige Jeff Hoyle
Press & Publicity Tim Jim Bruce Ward
Press & Publicity Assistant Tim Jim Andrea Briers
Pubs Officer Tim Jeff Ian Bailey
Pubs Preservation Officer Tim Jeff Andrea Briers
Nips Liaison Jeff Bruce Chris Lucas
Webmaster Tim Jeff Nigel Nudds
Cider Tim Jim Andrea Briers
Branch Contact Phil Tony Bruce Ward
Social Secretary: It was agreed to continue without one; Jackie Lucas is OK to continue with a large
part of the work but does not wish to hold the post formally. Anything she does not do will
continue to be done on an ad hoc basis.
Public Affairs Officer: Nobody came forward for this post.
As you can see the main change was we now have a New Chair, Phil Buffham who ran on a "Winds
of Change" ticket hoping to encourage new active members within the branch, increase
campaigning and even the holy grail, a beer festival held by the branch.
An interesting year ahead I suspect.
Tim has been our Chair for Nine years and was granted a vote of thanks by all present, he will
continue as our Norwich pubcrawl guru! Andrea Briers, Regonal Director thanked the branch for it's
work in the last year. The election details are reproduced, with thanks, from our Secretary's full
minutes.
Chris Lucas
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 41

Main Rd, Terrington st John, Cambs PE14 7RR
01945 881097
Open seven days a week
12noon -2pm & 6 - 11pm
Serving traditional home cooked food
with a weekly specials board and
choice of vegetarian dishes.
Children welcome
Local real ales from Woods and
Woodfordes plus weekly changing guests
The Burston Crown
Jonj, Frances, Bev and Steve welcome you
to our 16th Century country pub.
We offer a fine range of gravity fed real ales,
excellent bar and restuarant food every day and
a welcoming, warm atmosphere. Every Thursday
evening we have a busker’s night and host live music
every alternate Sunday.
Sun Dec 20th – live music with Charlie Harper + John Parker
Christmas Eve – Busker’s Special
New Year’s Eve – Beach Party + music by Harper AKA
See www.burstoncrown.com for details
01379 741257
enquiries@burstoncrown.com
Earle Arms
Heydon
Traditional Norfolk freehouse
and restaurant
Bookings now
being taken
for Christmas
3 Real Ales always available
Woodfordes Wherry, Adnams
Bitter and One Guest
01263 587376
Satnav: NR11 6AD
(Just off B1149 Holt - Norwich Rd)
Simon and Karen welcome you all
to their traditional family pub.
Great selection of real ales
(new Guest ale every Friday)
Fine dining and excellent company
Complimentary bottle of Wine
with all table reservations
(min 4 persons) Offer available until
February 2010.
www.whitehorsechedgrave.co.uk
42 | WINTER 2009 / 2010

NORFOLK NIPS | Campaigning trip 2009
September County
Campaigning Trip 2009
On a clear autumnal
evening a group of 14
CAMRA stalwarts headed
north from the city,
passing the sadly-closed
Erpingham Spread Eagle, on
the way to our first very
isolated country pub. But the
car park was full of top-range
motors, so where had we come
on this beautiful clear and
cloudless night The Saracens
Head at Wolterton was
completely booked for diners
but the landlady graciously
pulled us our pint of Adnams
bitter (£3.10) and ushered us
into the walled garden of this
noble brick building where we
pondered the night sky. Some
also cast a longing eye over the
extensive menu.
It was time to move onto the
village of Aldborough with its
Beer Festival Diary
18 -21 Dec Hockering Victoria Beer Festival.
Dec18 - 20 The Greyhound at Hickling.
Promoted in aid of ‘The Wherry Trust’. Local cask
ales and ciders available.
extensive green and its two
pubs on opposite sides. The
Black Boys is a traditional
village pub, dartboard prominent,
offering Adnams and GK
IPA at £2.80 and both in good
form. The Old Red Lion has
an attractive open fireplace and
hundreds of pump clips on the
ceiling, though tonight only
Adnams, GK and our first
Norfolk beer, Woodforde’s
Wherry were available at £2.60.
Onto the A140 now and the
Alby Horseshoes which, for a
music-loving game-playing
beer enthusiast proved to be
the highlight of the trip.
Wherry and Mardlers Mild,
Nethergate Azzaskunk,
Marston’s Jennings Cumberland
were soon followed by
Tipples Elm Hill Gold, all at
£2.60 and all on top form.
With vinyl playing in the corner
and after spinning the Norfolk
twister on the ceiling the party
then indulged in some competitive
Bull ringing. As our visit
was so enjoyable our stay was
extended a little which meant
less time in the 2010GBG listed
Skeyton Goat, another pub
full of diners. The Spitfire was
fine and was offered alongside
Wherry and Adnams.
On reflection it seems a
shame that Norfolk beers were
not more in evidence on our
charabanc crawl as we have
20-odd breweries in the
county, but well done to all
the pubs for their welcome.
Oh, and come back soon the
Spread Eagle.
Mont
4 – 6 Feb Chelmsford Winter Beer Festival, Essex
County Council Social Club (Triangle Club), Duke
St, Chelmsford CM1 1LX
8 – 14 Feb Trafford Arms, Norwich 17th Valentine
Beer Festival.
15 - 16 Jan 2010 Ely Winter Beer Festival.
Maltings, Ship Lane, Ely CB7 4BB Opening times Fri
15 12.00- 22.00 Sat 16 12.00- 18.00.
20 – 23 Jan CAMRA National Winter Ales Festival,
Sheridan Suite, Oldham Road, Manchester M40 8EA.
21- 23 Jan 3rd Colchester Winter Ale Festival,
Colchester Arts Centre, Open daily 12 noon -11pm
21- 23 Jan 14th Cambridge Winter Ale Festival, at
The University Social Club, Mill Lane.
26 -27 Feb Chappel Winter Beer Festival. East
Anglian Railway Museum, Chappel, Essex.
10 – 12 Mar London Drinker Beer & Cider
Festival, Camden Centre, Bidborough Street,
London, WC1H 9AU. (Close to Kings Cross/St
Pancras).
18 – 20 Mar St Neots Booze on the Ouze Beer
Festival. Priory Centre,Priory Lane, St Neots,
Cambridge, PE19 2BH
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 43

NORFOLK NIPS | Cask Ale on the up
“Cask Ale is now a star performer”
the newly published Cask
Ale Report: Britain’s
National Drink confirms
that consumption of cask
ale is on the increase despite a
downturn in the pub trade in
general.
The findings of this report
revealed that between January
and June this year the sales of
lagers, wine and spirits were all
down while cask ale volume
rose by one per cent. Cask ale
is outperforming every other
beer style and the only beer to
report sales growth in the last
year. This report states sales of
cask ale is boosted by a jump in
women drinkers and an
affluent consumer base.
Some of the key features
highlighted in the report
include:
Total number of real ale
drinkers rose to 8.5 million
Pubs sold 2.3 million more
pints of cask ale in the first half
of this year than in the same six
months last year.
3,000 new pubs put cask ale
on tap in 12 months to June
this year.
400,000 drinkers tried cask ale
for the first time in 2008.
There are now more breweries
trading than at any time
in the past 60 years.
For more information on this
report consult CAMRA’s
National website and download
“Cask Ale Report (Oct
2009)” from the site’s home
page.
Mauldons take over Norwich Pub
Mauldons Brewery based
in Sudbury have taken
over The Cottage,
Silver Road, Norwich.
The Freehouse will re-open on
Thursday evening from
7 pm on the 10th December.
The Cottage has been
completely refurbished and will
be run as a real ale pub with
ten ales available. These beers
will be sourced from local
brewers as well as proven
favourites and will rotate alongside
the Black Adder Brewery’s
award winners.
Mauldons owner Steve Sims
says he is delighted that Clive
and Sally Mann have agreed to
manage the Cottage for them.
Clive and Sally joined
Mauldons last November to
help set up and run our first
pub, The Brewery Tap in
Sudbury. They have done a
fantastic job for us and we feel
sure they will be warmly
welcomed back to Norwich.
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 45

The King’s Head
Open 12.00noon - 11.00pm Monday to Saturday
12.00noon - 10.30pm Sunday
Run by enthusiastic drinkers and CAMRA members.
Keg Free Zone 14 Hand Pumps
Norfolk Ales and Cider
Mild always available
Worldwide Bottled Beers
Belgian Beers
Bar Billiards
Television-free
CAMRA Norfolk
Pub of the Year
2006 & 2008
Dating from the
14th century, the pub has
been restored to a Victorian style.
KEG FREE HOUSE
The Kings Head, 42 Magdalen Street, Norwich NR3 1JE
Telephone: 01603 620468 www.kingsheadnorwich.com

NORFOLK NIPS | GBG 2011
Good Beer Guide 2011 Nominations
As you have probably seen
in the last two editions of
NIPS I have been inviting
nominations for possible
inclusion in the next CAMRA
National Good Beer Guide. The
number of recommendations
received so far has been very
good. Please see below the
revised list of new GBG 2011
nominations:
Banham The Banham Barrel
Cromer Dolphin
Cromer Red Lion
Gt Yarmouth Oliver Twist
Hempton Bell
Heydon Earle Arms
Holt Kings Head
Kenninghall White Horse
Lyng Fox & Hounds
Norwich Arts Centre
Norwich Franks Bar
Norwich Micawbers
Norwich
Murderers/Gardeners
Norwich Nelson
Norwich Rose (Queens Road)
Norwich Vine
Old Costessey Bush
Reedham Ferry
Sheringham The Crown
Stiffkey Red Lion
Swanton Morley Darbys
Tacolneston Pelican
Tibenham Greyhound
Wells-next-the-Sea Edinburgh
Hotel
Wells-next-the-Sea Crown
Wreningham Bird in Hand
Wymondham Cross Keys
The deadline is now fast
approaching so please send
any new nominations no later
than 31st December 2009.
With the deadline for nominations
fast approaches it is now
the time of year again that I am
asking for volunteers to help
survey for the next CAMRA
National Good Beer Guide. If
you have surveyed before or
are new to GBG surveying and
would be prepared to survey
for The 2011 GBG, please
contact me at:
pubsofficer@norwichcamra.org.uk
Or by post to:
Warren Wordsworth
16 Grove Avenue, Norwich
NR1 2QD
I look forward to hearing from
you!
Mark & Marie offer you a warm welcome to the
Fox and Hounds Heacham
Home of The Fox Brewery
We are a free house specialising in real ales. The first
pub in Heacham to be in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
Alby HorseShoes Inn
Freehouse
Situated on the A140 Norwich/Cromer Road
4 Real Ales – Home cooked Food
5 STAR ESTABLISHMENT
NNDC “Scores on the Doors”
In the 2010 Good Beer Guide
Food Hygiene Rating
HHHHH
Margaret & Richard Rushmer look forward to meeting you
01263 761378
www.albyhorseshoes.co.uk
Live Music every Tuesday
Quiz Night Thursday
10th Easter Beer Festival
Friday April 2nd to Monday April 5th
With Live Music every night
See website for details - www.foxbrewery.com
Tel: 01485 570345
22 Station Rd, Heacham, Norfolk PE31 7EX
OPEN ALL DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 47

Pub Signs | NORFOLK NIPS
Norfolk pub sign postcards
Maurice Bobbitt of
Norwich has always had
a deep interest in the art
of pub signs, particularly
Norfolk pub signs. Over the years
he has lovingly photographed
scores of these signs. Now in
association with Classic Prints he
has produced a set of 60
postcards depicting different
examples of these fascinating
illustrations. Particularly now that
the traditional pub is under
threat, these pictures provide a
reminder of the part these
‘community centres’ play in the
social history of Norfolk.
The packs of 60 cards are
available at £9.00 per set plus
postage from:
Classic Prints of Hingham
email: millerken@tiscali.co.uk
or phone 01953 850794 for
details. They are also available
on ebay.
Nige
A tawny red strong bitter with
a malt and fruit aroma.
This warming ale has a full
bodied soft finish.
The London Tavern
Free House
Church St, Attleborough Tel :01953 457415
Great real ales, fine wines and spirits.
Traditional food served daily, pre-booked evening
meals, Sunday roasts and Childrens menu.
Meals for large parties up to 30 catered for in our
funtion room, choice of set menu’s. Bookings only.
Parking, Disabled facilities,
Smokers sheltered garden, and Beer garden.
Well behaved dogs on leads welcome.
Christenings, Funerals,
Intimate Weddings / Civil Ceremonies catered for
IN THE GOOD BEER GUIDE 2010
48 | WINTER 2009 / 2010

WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 49

50 | WINTER 2009 / 2010

52 | WINTER 2009 / 2010

Music & Real Ale
NORFOLK NIPS | Beer & Music
TRADITIONAL JAZZ
Acle Recreation Centre,
Bridewell Lane, Acle
Real Ales include Adnams
Bitter, Theakstons and Tipples
Redhead
Friday 5th March
Rod Mason and his Hot Five
(from Germany), including
former local favourite Sean
Moyses on Banjo, celebrating
the band’s 25th anniversary
this year.
NB. Sessions are now taking
place on Fridays instead of Tuesdays.
Tickets/enquiries – Brian Davis
01493 701880
The Quality Hotel (Filby
Suite), Bowthorpe,
Norwich (off Dereham
Road)
Fat Cat Bitter is being laid on
specially for the jazz sessions.
Tuesday 9th February – New
Orleans Z’Hulus. New Orleans
style band led by British musician
Brian Turnock, now living
in Belgium, and featuring musicians
from Belgium, Germany,
Holland and France.
Tickets/enquiries – Rod Playford
01362 668576
King’s Head Hotel,
Beccles, Suffolk
Adnams Bitter and Broadside
plus special house beer
Matilda’s Revenge, brewed by
local brewery Opa Hays in
honour of the resident ghost,
and guest beers.
Every Sunday evening -
Red Beans ‘n’ Rice New
Orleans Jazz Band
Feathers Hotel, Market
Place, Holt
Greene King Abbot Ale and IPA
First Friday every month –
Lumiere Rouge Ragtime Band
Marsham Arms, nr Hevingham
(B1149 Norwich-Holt Road)
Adnams Bitter, plus alternating
guests including Adnams
Broadside and Woodforde’s
Wherry
Third Friday every month –
Lumiere Rouge Ragtime Band
Crown Inn, Banningham
(Nr Aylsham)
Adnams Broadside, Greene
King IPA and Abbot Ale
Sunday 21st February (1.30 to
4.30 pm) - Norfolk Dixieland
Jazz Band
(Phone 01263 733534 for
further details)
Northrepps Cottage
Country Hotel, Nut Lane,
Northrepps (Nr Cromer)
Greene King Abbot Ale and IPA
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 53

Beer & Music | NORFOLK NIPS
Sunday 13th December (
Special Christmas Jazz Carvery
from 12.00 – 4.00 pm) – Chris
Wigley’s Phoenix Jazz Quartet.
No jazz during January and
February, but monthly Sunday
Jazz Carveries resume on
Sunday 14th March with the
same band.
(Phone 01263 579202 for
further details)
George and Dragon,
Newton by Castle Acre
Elgoods Cambridge plus local
guest beers
Second Tuesday every month –
Black Bowler Hat Jazz Band
(Also folk music on first
Thursday every month)
Bell Inn, Hempton (Nr
Fakenham)
Woodforde’s Wherry, John
Smiths Cask and guest beers
Second and Fourth Thursday
every month – Black Bowler
Hat Jazz Band
Dereham Jazz Society,
Lakeside Country Club,
Quarry Lane, Lyng (nr
Dereham)
Adnams beers plus guest beers
on handpump
Wednesday 20th January –
Barry Palser’s Selected Six,
including Alan Gresty on
Trumpet, Tony Teal (clarinet &
sax), Pete Gregory (guitar &
banjo), Peter Baker (bass) and
Stu Watcham (drums)
54 | WINTER 2009 / 2010
The Buck Inn, The Street,
Flixton, Suffolk
Woodforde’s Mardler’s,
Morland Original and Adnams
Bitter are the regulars at
present, but in addition there
are guest beers, and an
increased selection in the
summer months
Every Thursday -
Sole Bay Jazz Band
MAINSTREAM /
MODERN JAZZ
Green Man, Wroxham
Rackheath
Woodforde’s Wherry, Adnams
Bitter and Broadside plus
guests
Every Tuesday – Full
programme consisting of
various bands and musicians.
For further details, phone
Barbara Capocci on 01603
413443, or e-mail
b.capocci123@ntlworld.com
NB. No jazz on 29th December
and 5th January. Sessions
resume Tuesday 12th January.
Dereham Jazz Society, Lakeside
Country Club, Quarry
Lane, Lyng (nr Dereham)
Adnams beers plus guest beers
on handpump
Every Wednesday – Full
programme consisting of
various bands and musicians in
varied styles, which usually
includes one ‘traditional’
session each month (See
above).
NB. Closed for Christmas break
on 23rd and 30th December.
Sessions resume Wednesday
6th January.
For further details phone
01328 863511 or 01362
696741 or visit website
www.lakeside-jazz-club.co.uk
Keith Chettleburgh
Folk in the East
(& West)
‘The lands like a bog, with rain
upon rain, Wet upon wet upon
wet, Nine months of Winter &
three months bad weather, and
never a dry day yet, No never a
drying day yet’ (Bewcastle:
Maddy Prior / Rick Kemp)
So what can drag you out
from a warm house into East
Anglia’s winter weather Of the
regular singer / musician
sessions and starting in the city
on Tuesday evenings at The
Duke of Wellington
Waterloo Road, for the von
Krapp Family: they are not a
family, no one is called von
Krapp but for well played
melodeon, fiddles, pipes &
guitar they take a lot of
beating. Micawbers, Pottergate,
the Shufflewing sessions
are also on a Tuesday evening.
On Wednesday the Nelson on
Nelson Street has a More than
Folk play/sing-around from
20.30 while at the Cider
Shed, Sprowston Road, also on
Wednesday, you can find the

NORFOLK NIPS | Beer & Music
Irish Session. Jurnets Bar at
the Music House, King Street,
on Fridays from 20:00 this is an
invited musicians evening that
includes, rather than being
exclusively, folk music (with
club m’ship available for
regular visitors). Norwich Folk
Club meets at the White
Horse in Trowse on Friday
nights. On the 4th of
December they have The Joni
Mitchell Project while looking
to the New Year the guest is
Tony Hall on the 15th of
January and Bill Whaley with
Dave Fletcher on the 5th of
February. On Sunday afternoons
from 14.30 it is worth
checking out the Cider Shed
for live music in many forms,
including folk, while later on
there is another reason to visit
the Nelson for the Sunday
evening session from c.20.00
There is a basket full of folkbased
events typically taking
place once (or twice) a month
at pubs throughout our area of
which the following is just a
sample: -
Folk at the Railway (Mondays)
at the Railway North Elmham
The Wisbech Folk Club meet at
the Angel Wisbech on Tuesdays.
A session takes place at
the Reedcutters at Cantley
on the 1st Wednesday of the
month the 2nd Wednesday is
the Burlington Hotel Sheringham
while, at the Kings
Head at Dereham, folk is on
the 3rd Wednesday of the
month.
The Red Lion in Swaffham is
the venue for the (former
Castle Acre) Folk club on the
last Wednesday of the month .
The Alby Horseshoes are on
the last Thursday of the month
with the Cherry Tree at Wicklewood
(the Buffy’s Brewery
tap) and the Greyhound at
Tibenham, at the same time
and date. On the 2nd Sunday
of the month in the afternoon
try the Gatehouse on
Dereham Road Norwich.
Staying with the Sunday, but in
the evening, Meet in the Hedge
run an open session of music
and poetry at the
Wymondham Feathers, on
Town Green, from 20.00 with
2010 dates of 31st Jan, 28th
Feb & 28th March.
Down in the Waveney valley
the Geldeston Locks has
December dates on Thursdays
with Murphy’s Lore on the 3rd,
17th and 27th, Bric-a-Brac on
the 10th and a Winter Solstice
Special with Old Glory Molly
dancers on Monday 21st.
On the subject of dance
Kemps Men will be dancing on
the Norwich Lanes from 11.00
on Saturday 12th December
(so that is the Belgium
Monk, the Birdcage & the
Vine for refreshment) while on
Boxing Day Saturday 26th they
are joining forces with Fiddlesticks
(N.West clog dancers) at
the Banningham Crown.
Looking into the New Year
Whittlesea Straw Bear festival
takes place between Friday &
Sunday (15th-17th January),
which seems to be a popular
event with certain abstemious
Norwich members!
(www.strawbear.org.uk for
more information)
The Norwich Arts Centre
has some goodies for the
season with Oyster Band (in the
unlikely event of any tickets
being left!) on Saturday
December 5th, a band I’ve
never heard called Stars of
Sunday League on Friday 15th
January and on February 9th
the excellent Dervish.
Scotland’s finest, Moishe’s
Bagel, have the stage on
Monday 15th and, in March,
Norwich’s very own Horses
Brawl (& support) are dragged
away from appearances on R3
and the arts section of the
Guardian on Thursday 4th.
Finally, and returning to
December, the Queens Head
Wymondham are hosting
‘Christmas with Tallis’ on
Sunday 12th (donations
£1.00+ suggested) whilst back
in the city the cellar of Take 5
is the venue on Monday 14th
for Musical Tapas (latin guitar
and songs) plus the Rampant
Horse Collective with jigs,
polkas airs & reels on flutes and
fiddles.
If you are hosting a gig, folk
dance session, or some other
vaguely effnic sort of event at a
cask conditioned ale venue
why not spread the word via
these pages or even take an
advert Contact mailing
addresses on Page 3.
Seasonal Solstice Greetings to
All.
WINTER AUTUMN 2009 / 2009 2010 | 55

DUKEof WELLINGTON
TRADITIONAL REAL ALE HOUSE
14 REAL ALES
GRAVITY SERVED
available all year round from
our glass fronted tap room
CAMRA Good Beer
Guide Listed
CAMRA Norfolk Pub
of the Year 2003
6 MORE ALES
ON HAND PUMP
Welcoming
REAL FIRE
Open
Monday to Saturday 12noon to 11pm
Sundays 12noon to 10.30pm
Just 15
minutes walk
from the
City Centre
Come and enjoy our Tap
Room with a selection of
Belgian bottled beers,
Schneider Weiss, Erdinger
and Dunkel.
91 - 93 WATERLOO ROAD | NORWICH | 01603 441182

NORFOLK NIPS | Real Ale in Mexico
On the Trail of Real Ale in
Mexico: San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende,
founded in 1542, is
perched 6000 feet above
sea level, near the
geographical center of Mexico,
in the state of Guanajuato. It’s
world famous for its colonial
architecture, cobblestone
streets and breath-taking views.
The historic center is a
Mexican national monument,
but recently the town, along
with the nearby sanctuary of
Atotonilco has been accorded
the prestigious honour of being
named a UNESCO World
Heritage site.
Artists, poets, musicians and
students flock to the San
Miguel each year to paint,
write, perform and study. There
are, of course, many reasons to
visit, but added to the long list
is the recently opened
Cerveza de San Miguel, a
new craft brewery, located on
the outskirts of town.
Cameron Carroll, and his
father Matthew, started the
brewery less than two years
ago, in a disused handicraft
store. Cameron spent time in
San Miguel as a child and has
been traveling back and forth
for the last ten years. His operation
is small scale, he only
brews one beer and it’s an
American Pale Ale. It can be
described as a Sierra Nevada
style ale, with a fragrant
bouquet and moderate hoppiness.
He uses Golding hops
instead of the familiar Cascade
hops to produce American Pale
ale with an English twist!
If that doesn’t appeal, besides
the full bar, there are 7 other
beers on draught, three from
the Minerva craft brewery, in
Guadalajara. Their Colonial is
a Kolsch style lager, Vienna is
an Oktoberfest style lager and
there is Stout, with a strong
flavour of toasted barley and
Continued Overleaf
WINTER 2009 / 2010 | 57

Real Ale in Mexico continued | NORFOLK NIPS
hints of chocolate and coffee.
Grupo Modelo, one of the
two big-boy Mexican breweries,
provides their Modelo
Especial, a pilsner style and
the popular Negra Modelo, a
dark Munich Dunkle style with
caramel and chocolate flavours
and a spicy hop profile.
Brewery giant Cerveza
Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma is
represented by Indio, an alelike
darkish lager with a robust
malty finish. Sol, is a popular
Mexican golden lager, with a
refreshing taste and mellow
flavour.
One can enjoy these real ales,
either in the shade of a pepper
tree in the enclosed patio, in
the pub room, complete with
dart board, or in the cozy
restaurant. The food is reasonably
priced and many entrees
include the home brew as part
of the recipe: beer battered
blooming onion, fried green
tomatoes and battered shrimp.
A good paring is the Pale Ale
with one of their wood-fired
pizzas.
www.cervezadesanmiguel.com
The Kings Arms
22 Hall Rd Norwich NR1 3HQ Tel: 01603 766361
5th Annual Haggis Bash
Monday 25th January
Haggis, Neeps and Tatties washed down with a ‘Wee Dram’
and a wide selection of Scottish Ales!
Over 40 Cask Ales personally selected from regional
and microbreweries across the UK.
All styles of beer will be available including
many Dark Beers and Real Cider. Beers
will be served on Hand pump at the bar or on
Gravity from “The Shed of Dreams”.
A. Ciurczak
58 | WINTER 2009 / 2010

The Shoulder of Mutton
~ Strumpshaw ~
Fine ales and good food
served in a friendly atmosphere
Real ales include
Adnams Bitter and
Broadside plus
TWO guest ale
(mainly from local
breweries)
Food served 12-2pm and 7-9pm
(Mon-Sat), 12-2pm Sundays
Pub games include Darts, Pool, Crib and Petanque!
Ian and Jenny look forward to welcoming you..
Norwich Rd, Strumpshaw, Norwich NR13 4NT
Tel 01603 712274

The pub with no bar, ales
direct from cask.
Watch www.nelsonslocal.co.uk for forthcoming events.
Tongue twizzling food, and great value.
Check our website for
Tuesday Lunch QUIZ - 60 questions
& a bowl of soup £5.00
Thursday night curry or italian
- £8.00 inc. drink voucher
Live music every Thursday from 8.45pm.
All details on the website.
Real fires. Huge garden.
Come & visit Nelson’s local.
Walsingham Road, Burnham Thorpe Norfolk PE31 8HN
01328 738241
KINGS HEAD HOLT
Six brilliantly kept local ales on offer.
Over the past ten months the pub focussed its attention on providing a
wide range of well kept local ales for you all to try and thanks to your
support we have now offered over a hundred different local guest ales,
uncovering some real gems on the way.
Along side this we have been providing locals with their old favourites
Woodfordes’ Wherry, Adnams’ Bitter and Adnams’ Broadside and we are
proud to announce we have been nominated for the Good Beer Guide.
Come and relax by the fire in our newly refurbished George’s bar where
you can grab a cosy booth or just a stool at the bar while you drink your
ale and put the world to rights.
Come and try our own real ale ‘King’s Ransom’ exclusive to the king’s
head, brewed by Black Friars Brewery.
To find out more you can visit our website
http://www.kingsheadholt.org.uk/, give us a call on 01263 712543,
or just come on down and give us a try, you won’t be disappointed!

The Royal Oak
at Poringland
Come and enjoy live music on Friday and Saturday at our
EASTER BEER FESTIVAL
April 2nd - April 9th
Range of 30+ Beers and Ciders available
Giant Easter Egg Raffle on sunday for East Anglian Children’s Hospice
We Don’t Have a Big Screen TV, Food Or a Juke Box
We do have 17 handpumps, with Real Ale from far and
wide, 2 Real Ciders and 2 Real Ales From gravity,
a large car park, large beer garden With heated
smoking shelter, darts, pool, quizzes And crib.
We hold two beer festivals each year.
The Royal Oak lies at the heart of the community and
new customers are always welcome. Come along and
get a real welcome from a real pub selling real ale!!!!!!
Nick, Delia And The Team would love to see you soon.
Norwich And Norfolk
Pub Of The Year 2007
Norfolk Pub Of The Year 2007
13 years in the Good Beer Guide!
A dream of a pub situated in the village of Poringland
on the B1332 road to Bungay. The main bus route from
Norwich stops right outside.
Contact us on
01508 493734
New email: theroyaloak@fsmail.net

FREEMOUSE 49 West End Street, Norwich NR2 4NA 01603 624364
Beer Pub of the Year
GOOD PUB GUIDE 2010 - Winner for the 4th time!
Two Times CAMRA National
Pub Of The Year (1998 & 2004)
Up to THIRTY real ales available all year round
FIFTY BOTTLED BEERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
featuring 25 countries, from Mexico to Mongolia, Jamaica to Japan and China to the Czech Republic
FIFTEEN DRAUGHT CONTINENTAL BEERS
INCLUDING 5 FRUIT BEERS
Part of the Oakademy
Scheme of Excellence
NOW IN OUR 20TH YEAR!
ROLLS STILL 60p TAPPITS &
POLYPINS AVAILABLE ALL YEAR!
www.fatcatpub.co.uk
Fat Cat Brewery at the Cidershed, Norwich
98-100 Lawson Rd, Norwich
NR3 4LF 01603 624364
UP TO 15 REAL ALES INCLUDING THE FAT CAT RANGE: Fat Cat Bitter3.8%
LIVE MUSIC & ARTS VENUE
01603 788508
www.cidershednorwich.net
Honey Ale 4.3%
Wild Cat 5.0%
Marmalade Cat 5.5%
Stout Cat 4.6%