THE MAGAZINE FOR READING AND MID
BERKSHIRE BRANCH OF THE CAMPAIGN
FOR REAL ALE
IN THIS ISSUE...
PUB & BREWERY NEWS
CAMRA GALA AWARDS
SMALL BEER
127 ROUTE PUB CRAWL
BINGHAMS TAP ROOM
& MORE...
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WHEN IS A PUB NOT A PUB?
ISSUE FORTY EIGHT WINTER 2018
FREE - PLEASE TAKE A COPY
Branch Diary
All meetings and social events are relaxed and friendly.
Non-members are welcome to all events except branch
meetings. Please check the website before setting out in case
of any last-minute changes.
December 2018
FRI 7: (14:00) Social, SWM CAMRA The Pig’s Ear Beer
& Cider Festival. Meet at the Round Chapel in Hackney
at 2pm. www.swm.camra.org.uk/viewnode.php?id=36068
SAT 8: Reading Ramble – North Hants CAMRA pub
crawl of Reading. Start Hope Tap, 99-105 Friar Street,
Reading, RG1 1EP (11:00) for breakfast, moving on at
12:30.
January 2019
THURS 10: (20:00) First Social of the Year. Back of
Beyond, 104-108 King’s Road, Reading RG1 3BY. Follow
by pub crawl of “The Village” pubs.
WED 16: (20:00) Branch meeting. Eldon Arms, 19 Eldon
Terrace, Reading RG1 4DX. CAMRA members only,
please.
SAT 19: (12:00) Regional Pub Crawl of London. Meet in
Hamilton Hall, Liverpool Street Station, EC2M 7PY.
SUN 27: (12:00) Social starting at the Alehouse, 2 Broad
Street, Reading, RG1 2BH.
February 2019
THURS 7: (20:00) First Thursday of the Month Social.
Start at Nags Head, 5 Russell Street, Reading, RG1 7XD.
SAT 9: Ale Trail starts.
SUN 17: Walk from Henley to the Flower Pot, Ferry Lane,
Aston, RG9 3DG for Sunday lunch (lunch must be prebooked).
This is a guide only and Reading & Mid Berkshire CAMRA
cannot be held responsible for any loss due to the alteration
or cancellation of any of these events.
See www.readingcamra.org.uk for more details of events.
Contact Us
Useful contact details for this
magazine, CAMRA and other
important things…
Mine’s a Pint Circulation: 3,000.
Outlets: Over 70 across the region.
Editor: Phil Gill
editor@readingcamra.org.uk
0771 455 0293
81 Addison Road, Reading, RG1 8EG
Magazine published on behalf of
Reading and Mid Berkshire CAMRA
by:
Neil Richards MBE at Matelot
Marketing
01536 358670 / 07710 281381
n.richards@btinternet.com
Printed by CKN Print Ltd, 2 North
Portway Close, Round Spinney,
Northampton, NN3 8RQ
01604 645555
Reading & Mid Berkshire CAMRA
www.readingcamra.org.uk
Social Secretary: Chris Hinton
social@readingcamra.org.uk
Contact for all other branch matters:
Katrina Fletcher
contact@readingcamra.org.uk
0779 401 9437
Local Trading Standards
From time to time, drinkers receiving
poor standards of service or poor
quality products may wish to raise
the matter with Trading Standards.
You now need to do this through
Citizens Advice, an organisation
which provides free, confidential and
impartial advice on consumer issues.
To contact Citizens Advice Consumer
Service call 03454 04 05 06 or visit
www.citizensadvice.org.uk and click
on Consumer.
The next issue of Mine’s a Pint will be
published in early March. Please feel
free to submit any copy or ideas by 1 st
February.
The opinions expressed in Mine’s a Pint
are not necessarily those of the editor or
the Campaign for Real Ale. © Campaign
for Real Ale 2018.
Mine’s A Pint
3
From The Editor
A pub is for life, not just for Christmas.
That’s the message from Sarah Crawford,
CAMRA’s regional director for Scotland
and Northern Ireland. It’s just as true for
England and Wales as the latest data shows
pubs still closing at an alarming rate – a net
loss of 18 per week across the UK. You can
read Sarah’s thoughts in this magazine about
Christmas drinkers and how we can support
our pubs into the new year.
Yes, that’s how “we” can support them.
Don’t sit back and think that it’s somebody
else’s problem. It’s yours, it’s mine, and it’s
all our responsibility to do something about
it. CAMRA has always been about customer
choice and promoting good quality, with real
ale and pubs at its heart. Without pubs we
lose that choice, and we lose the best outlet
there is for cask beer.
January is often the leanest month for pubs,
with various charities bizarrely encouraging
people to boycott their local businesses by
dressing it up as a health benefit. Yet we
can all act to support our pubs through this
tough time. It needs us to make a conscious
effort to go out and spend money there, even
if it’s cold and raining. If you don’t want to
drink alcohol then that’s a shame, but you
can still have a pub meal or support your
local in other ways. If we don’t, when the
sunshine and longer days come back, our
local may not be there to share them with us.
Here’s to the great British pub. Long may it
prosper!
Cheers!
Phil Gill
Editor
editor@readingcamra.org.uk
Mine’s A Pint
5
Contents
BRANCH DIARY 3
FROM THE EDITOR 5
PUB NEWS 6-8
BREWERY NEWS 9-13
SMALL BEER 14-16
GRUMPY GOAT 17-18
GBBF WINTER 19
CAMRA GALA AWARDS 20-21
BINGHAMS TAP ROOM 22-23
127 ROUTE PUB CRAWL 25-27
A PUB IS FOR LIFE 29
JOIN CAMRA 30-31
Pub News
ARBORFIELD
A local group is campaigning to save the
BRAMSHILL HUNT which is at risk of closure.
The owners Greene King are advertising it for
sale – on Rightmove of all places – and the price
plus the advertising details suggest that they see
its future as a house or a restaurant rather than
a pub. We understand that Greene King are
interested in a new pub site in the new housing
area.
BURGHFIELD COMMON
The latest in a long line of planning applications
to demolish the BANTAM in Omers Rise and
replace it with flats was awaiting decision as we
went to press.
CHARVIL
PANGBOURNE
The STAR on Reading Road has closed. Your
viewpoint about this Greene King pub tended
to depend on whether or not you were a regular
there.
PLAYHATCH
Nick and Hazel are celebrating eight years at the
FLOWING SPRING with a party on Saturday
8 December, featuring music from Three Bar
Fire. Looking ahead, this year’s Springstock
festival was such a success that they’re already
planning the next. Saturday 1 June 2019 is the
date for “Springstock 2” and you can expect a
music festival with six bands plus an outside
bar, food and stalls.
READING
The PURPLE TURTLE has taken out its
handpumps but New Wharf beer is still
available in bottles and on keg. A Turtle Ale
sequel, a 6% ABV pale ale, is coming soon.
Image by Brian Jones
The Lands End has been refurbished including
a new flagstone floor and renamed the HERON
ON THE FORD. The beer range has increased
from two to three, with Brakspear Bitter and
Oxford Gold as regulars and a guest from the
Marstons range. This spacious rural pub has a
good sized garden with children’s play area and
is dog-friendly. Don’t try and drive through the
adjacent ford, especially in winter! The local
fire brigade are regular visitors to rescue people
who’ve got stuck in their cars in the middle of
the river.
The QUEENS HEAD on Christchurch Road
is up for lease from Ei publican partnerships
(what used to be called Enterprise). This is
currently the sister pub to the MODERATION
on Caversham Road. According to Ei, “An
experienced operator who can build on the
dry offer whilst maintaining the good levels of
wet trade, is now being sought” for the Queens
Head.
Mine’s A Pint
6
After five or more years of closure, the old
WELLINGTON ARMS on Whitley Street
looks set to become a branch of Greggs.
Building work has been going on for a while
at the CORN STORES on Forbury Road and
we’re eagerly awaiting its reopening, which
should happen before Christmas.
The JOLLY ANGLERS was closed at the time
of writing and the ACV moratorium had been
triggered. That means that when the owner of
an Asset of Community Value wishes to sell it,
they have to tell the Council who then ask if
any community groups want to be considered
as a potential purchaser. If the moratorium is
triggered, as in this case, there is a six month
period during which the owner can only sell the
pub to a community group, or sell it as a going
concern. There’s active community interest in
the pub so we’re hoping for a happy outcome.
The RETREAT in St John’s Road has had its
cellar refurbished and other works undertaken.
Best (Loddon), Inspector Morse IPA (Greene
King) and Sheep Dip (Plain Ales) were available
on a recent visit. You may find that sparklers
are used on the pumps.
There’s a planning application for a new
pub on land opposite the BLACK BOY. The
proposal is on behalf of Marstons and is likely
to be food-led if it gets the go-ahead. The full
description is “Erection of a part single storey
and part two storey building for use as a
restaurant and public house and three bedroom
flat with associated parking and landscaping
and creation of new access.”
Down the road on Church Lane, the SIX BELLS
is reported to have closed. We understand
there’s interest in the building from a restaurant
operator, although that would likely need
planning permission so we’re keeping an eye on
events.
WARREN ROW
The BISCUIT AND BARREL on Kings Road
(what used to be the Warwick) was being run
by a holding manager at the time of writing,
with its future uncertain.
Meat eaters will enjoy the New Year’s Eve
menu at the LYNDHURST on Watlington
Street. A five course game tasting menu with
every course paired with a different drink starts
at 8pm, with live music from 10pm. The pub
was recently a finalist in the restaurant category
of the Reading Retail Awards.
SHINFIELD
Stuart is the new landlord at the BELL AND
BOTTLE – welcome! Red Kite (Vale), Reading
Mine’s A Pint
7
The Snooty Fox in its time as a pub
There was an interesting planning appeal
recently on the old Snooty Fox, which has
been closed for some time. In 2014 permission
was refused to turn the pub into a house and
in recent times it’s been trading as a “bicycle
cafe” alongside various other uses including
a meeting place for groups of cyclists. The
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
had issued an enforcement notice against the
unauthorised conversion to a mixed use, and
in November the result of the owner’s appeal
against that notice was received.
The inspector issued a split decision, approving
the cafe and cycle repair elements of the use but
refusing the retail and meeting aspects. This
means that the loss of the pub has been accepted
in planning terms. The inspector considered the
cafe an “acceptable alternative” community
facility. In providing a food and drink facility
and a place for social interaction, she added, it
had a positive effect on the community.
PUB QUALITY
BEER
...AT HOME
Drink Rebellion cask ale
at home, fresh from the
brewery shop
Fresh beer, ready to drink
1 litre bottles up to 72 pint barrels
including 10% OFF beer
Fresh cider
Local produce
Over 300 worldwide wines
Free glass hire
Call 01628 476594
Shop opening hours:
Mon-Sat 8am-7pm
Or visit our website:
www.rebellionbeer.co.uk
@RebellionBeer
RebellionBeerCo
Rebellion Beer Co. Ltd. Bencombe Farm, Marlow Bottom, SL7 3LT
Mine’s A Pint
8
All images are courtesy of the breweries unless
otherwise stated.
BINGHAMS
The current beer in the Hop Project series is the
dangerously drinkable Summit Melon, at 4.5%
ABV. Summit and Melon hops are used to give
a subtle melon character. The next beer in the
series will be Comet Blanc.
Hitting the pubs for
autumn is Woodsmoke
Porter, 5% ABV,
brewed using a
German beech-smoked
malt and double the
amount of chocolate
malt used last year, to
give a subtle smokiness
and a chocolate
flavour.
V Old Ale is being
brewed in early
November, followed by The Warmer Winter
Ale for December.
All Binghams cask stouts and porters are now
vegan friendly. The bottled Vanilla Stout isn’t
(yet) but they’re working on that!
And if you want to find somewhere to drink
them – Twyford’s first micropub, “Binghams
Tap Room” is now open at 2b High Street,
Fridays and Saturdays only until Christmas.
See the separate article in this issue for more
information about this welcome addition to the
local pub scene.
CHILTERN
Foxtrot, a 3.9% ABV winter ale should be
available from mid December, just in time for
Christmas. Described as dark,
mellow, fruity and complex,
it’s bristling with malt and hop
character. The warming flavours
of rich chocolate and crystal
malts and the brewer’s selection
of choice English Pioneer,
Fuggles and Admiral hops come
together to form this rich claret
coloured dark ale. It’s said to be
the perfect brew for cold winter evenings and
the ideal accompaniment to winter stews and
broths, sausages, pork pie, red meats and full
fat hard cheeses.
Looking ahead to the new year, Earl Grey IPA
at 3.9% ABV is planned to be available in
February.
The online brewery shop has plenty of
Christmas gift ideas and offers free delivery
on orders over £50. Alongside the full range
of Chiltern ales you’ll find spirits and liqueurs,
as well as a range of foods including cheeses,
fudge, mustard and chutney, plus unusual gifts
such as wool fat bath soap and shaving soap.
DOUBLE-BARRELLED
BOND BREWS
The on-site shop in Heathlands Road,
Wokingham is open for the sale of bottles
and collection of pre-ordered polypins. Go to
bondbrews.co.uk/contact-us for the full address
and to find out how to order your favourite
Bond Brews beer.
Mine’s A Pint
9
Mike in the new brewery
Works to the new brewery have hit some delays
so the initial target of having beers available
from September wasn’t met, but Luci and Mike
have been busy and finally released their first
commercial batch in November. There are
three: Red Jungle Fowl, a 5% raspberry and
beetroot gose; Parka, a 4.5% pale ale; and
Seven Dollar Saturday, a 5.6% milk stout.
Initial deliveries were to the Fox and Hounds
in Caversham and the Nags Head in Reading.
They were on track to launch some cans of the
stout and gose in November and opened the
brewery taproom in Tilehurst at the start of
December. It’s planned to be open on Fridays
and Saturdays and you can find it at 20 Stadium
Way, near the Oxford Road just off Norcot
Junction roundabout. Card payments only.
ELUSIVE
Subject to licensing approval, Elusive plan to
open to the public on Saturdays in December
(8th/15th/22nd) at their site in Finchampstead.
They’ll have brand new beers in bottle and,
finally, some merchandise! Check on Twitter
nearer the time for final confirmation and more
details.
LODDON
The taproom at the brewery in Dunsden has
really taken off with lots of drinkers over the
weekends – a combination of locals, tourists,
walkers and cyclists. Taproom opening times
are Thursday – 10am to 6pm, Friday – 10am to
7pm and Saturday – 10am to 6pm. But with the
licence running until 11pm, they offer to stay
open all the time that there are people in.
Dan Hearn, the Marketing Manager of Loddon
Brewery, says:
“We’re delighted to have got a brewer of
Jake’s calibre. Formerly of Bradford Brewery
and Nightjar Brewery, he’s brimming with
great ideas and will be part of a big change in
direction for us, including a complete set of new
beers which will be announced in the new year.
The old classics won’t be going anywhere, but
expect to see some very different beers from us.
“It’s also bittersweet for us as we’re saying
goodbye to Steve, after 15 years, who’s sailing
off into a thoroughly well-deserved retirement.
We couldn’t have asked for a better brewer than
Steve, who has won us more than 60 awards
and produced consistently great beers that have
become firm favourites. He’s been an integral
part of everything we’ve done and we’re hugely
grateful to him, and wish him a long and happy
retirement.”
NEW WHARF
The brewery has increased capacity by a fifth,
taking the capacity up to 20,000 litres at any
one time. Alongside that there’s a vacancy for
an Assistant Brewer and also a Head of Sales
and Marketing. All details can be seen at www.
newwharfbrewing.co.uk
They supply the University of Reading and in
early December will be brewing a collaboration
beer with them. Looking ahead to the new year,
New Wharf will have a bar at Craft Beer Rising
in February showcasing eight different beers.
Loddon’s biggest news at the moment is the
appointment of their new Head Brewer Jake
Bartleet-Perry, who joined on November 5
and officially took over from Steve Brown on
November 27.
Mine’s A Pint
10
REBELLION
Rebellion have brewed Winter Royal for a
few years now as a special brew just before
Christmas. Originally brewed by the Wethereds
Brewery in Marlow, it became one of their
flagship beers until the brewery closed in
1988. In December 2016 Rebellion got hold
of the recipe and brewed a batch, reviving this
famous beer after a 28 year hiatus. Traditional
Fuggles and Goldings hop varieties add to the
authenticity of this classic English beer. The
result is a deep, ruby winter warmer at 5.4%
ABV, with a rich maltiness, soft bitterness and
a fantastic late and dry hop aroma.
This year they’re brewing twice the amount and
it will be available in pubs and bars and from
the brewery shop. Release date should be at the
beginning of December and they think they’ll
have stock for a few weeks, though they predict
it’ll run out sometime in the week commencing
17 December.
Available for rather longer is the winter
seasonal Gold, which should be out now and
last until February. As you might expect, this
4.4% ABV beer is a rich golden ale with an
intensely hoppy aroma. American Mosaic hops
give the beer a huge aroma of tropical fruits,
citrus fruits and red berry. The malt used is
Crystal and Munich. The bitterness is relatively
low despite the huge dose of late hops, so Gold
retains its drinkability and balance.
SIREN CRAFT
meet current bottling quality standards
and future-proof packaging options. This
would allow them to tap into the growing
demand for drinking at home in this
format.
• Strategically expand. This is investment
in new equipment, more capacity and
improvements to systems and processes.
• Open new bars. Any overfunding will
allow for increased capacity and improve
efficiencies. If they raise over £1.5m, the
intention is to fast-track plans to bring
the Tap Yard experience to two city centre
locations.
One of the latest beers out of this prolific
brewery is Fable, a 4.2% ABV session pale
ale brewed with American hops. Interestingly
this was the subject of a naming competition
on Facebook and Twitter, with 497 suggestions
being received. The suggestions went off to
Siren’s collaborators Market Halls (a new
London-based food hall business) who chose
the winning name. Coincidentally it turned out
to be the suggestion from Siren’s neighbours
Elusive Brewing!
WEST BERKSHIRE /
RENEGADE
Siren have been crowdfunding. They want to
raise finance to accelerate the next phase of
their growth. People will be investing for equity
in the business, along with some rewards
including discounts, exclusive events, brewery
tours and more. In their own words “This is
your opportunity to own equity in Siren Craft
Brew and access exclusive investor rewards.”
Initially they were seeking £750,000 and made
it with five days to spare. The deadline for
investment has now been extended to Sunday
9 December.
The three main objectives are:
• Package Siren into cans. They want to
install a top-rate canning line that will
Mine’s A Pint
11
Dave Ball from Soft Cell enjoying a pint of Say Hello
Wave Goodbye at the West Berks Brewery Taproom
The latest of many beer and music collaborations
saw West Berkshire Brewery hook up with 80s
synth-pop duo Soft Cell to create a limitededition
new beer. Named “Say Hello Wave
Goodbye”, it was available exclusively in
Mitchells & Butlers pubs (Nicholson’s, Ember
Inns and Castle Pubs) in cask from September.
The 4.2% ABV pale ale was inspired by the
classic English Bitters that the band enjoyed
during their early years in Leeds, with the
addition of New World hops to reflect their time
in America. The beer has flavours of digestive
biscuit, toffee, grapefruit and orange. A 5.2%
bottled version of the beer is also planned to be
available as an extremely limited-edition oneoff
brew.
The name Say Hello Wave Goodbye is a
tribute to one of Soft Cell’s best-known songs
from their 1981 debut album Non-Stop Erotic
Cabaret. The classic Number One Tainted Love
also comes from the same album.
Dave Ball of Soft Cell commented “A pint is
a game of two halves, and I can confirm that
no synthesisers were used in the making of this
product.”
more substantial, there are Christmas packages
on offer that include a brewery tour and three
pints of beer plus, with other options, a festive
buffet, gift box and tasting session. Contact the
brewery for details and bookings.
WINDSOR & ETON
Mandarin (4.7% ABV) is back in bottles for
December. It’s a light orange-coloured, hoppy
ale with a citrus aroma and the distinctive
and refreshing seasonal flavour of mandarin
oranges. Available in 330ml bottles – bottled
conditioned – for £2.50 from the brewery shop.
Paddy’s Christmas Pub Crawl of Windsor is on
Friday 21 December. It starts in the brewery tap
on the Vansittart Estate (Duke Street) at 5pm
and finishes in the George on Eton High Street
in time for last orders. Santa hats, Christmas
jumpers and singing may be involved and all
are welcome!
XT / ANIMAL
Available under the Renegade brand now and in
the run-up to Christmas is Smoke on the Porter,
a 6% ABV smoked rye porter. Bold smoky
flavours combine with an intensely smooth
mouthfeel and great complexity. Expect roasted
malt, caramel and spice with a hint of umami.
It’s available on draught and in 440ml cans.
Over at the brewery tap room in Yattendon,
every Thursday from 6pm you can get a free
pint with every burger. Shaun the chef makes
pizzas and burgers and has also added pies,
salads, bar snacks and a brand new sandwich
menu. And if you’re looking for something
Mine’s A Pint
12
XT have released no less than three winter
beers, and three new Animal specials.
Animal Ermine – The Pale Milk Stoat Stout
4.6% ABV. Pale but with a smoky smooth
richness. A subtle sweetness from the lactose
Mine’s A Pint
13
balances hints of beech, chocolate and liquorice
from a variety of malts. Wheat bulks up the
beer for plenty of mouthfeel and a satisfying
silky finish. Pleasant citrus and peppery notes
round off this beer, courtesy of high alpha
American hops.
Animal Snow Owl – Bottle only Winter Ale
4.6% ABV. A clean Winter Pale Ale stuffed with
Simcoe, Rakau and Wakatu hops. Flavours of
fig, passion fruit, citrus and fresh pine on a bed
of crisp pale malt. A little winter warmth and
spice creeps into the background.
XT-25 – Christmas Ale 4.7% ABV. A festive
rosey red ale, with English Golding and
New Zealand Wakatu hops for a top to
bottom winter warmer. Uses a very slow cold
fermentation technique in the German Altbier
tradition.
Animal White Lion - Collaboration Special
4.6% ABV. Brewed in collaboration with
the White Lion pub in St Albans. Dr Rudi,
Motueka and Green Bullet hops deliver big
lemon/lime, floral and bitter pine flavours with
a subtle nutty note from the caramalt. Generous
Motueka dry-hopping further enhances the
lemon/lime notes for a citrus farewell.
Animal Spaniel - Homebrew Competition
Winner Collaboration Special 4.6% ABV. A
collaboration with the “Friends of the Shed”
homebrew group – this is an American IPA
based on the recipe from their competition
winning beer.
Animal Jack Rabbit – American Amber 5.5%
ABV. A heavily hopped American amber ale,
packed with Summit, Columbus, Cascade,
Citra and Chinook hops, “with a character to
match the bouncy, big eared Yankee.”
Several of our
customers are
featured in the
2019 CAMRA
Good Beer Guide
THE
FLOWER POT HOTEL
4 Real Ales Available
Food 12-2.30 daily, 6.30-9 Mon-Sat Evenings
All types of dietry food covered
Largest collection of cased fish, local focal point for
fishermen
Warm welcome to all old and new customers
FLOWER POT HOTEL
FERRY LANE, ASTON
RG9 3DG
TEL: 01491 574721
Small Beer
A round up of news and information
PUB OF THE YEAR
final for the first time. A popular pub in the
heart of the village, it serves four real ales from
local breweries and is home to jazz sessions,
quizzes and regular visits from food providers.
The fourth and final pub in the top four is the
current CAMRA National Pub of the Year -
The Cricketers in St Helens. A friendly local
community pub also saved from closure, the
pub boasts 13 handpumps on the bar and
offers brews from newer regional brewers and
local microbreweries.
The Cricketers Arms in St Helens (top left), Volunteer
Arms (Staggs) in Musselburgh (top right), the Wonston
Arms in Wonston (bottom left) and the Chequers in
Little Gransden (bottom right)
All of the pubs in the competition are selected
by CAMRA volunteers and judged on their
atmosphere, decor, welcome, service, value for
money, customer mix and, most importantly,
quality of beer. The four finalists will now
have a chance to win the National Pub of the
Year title for 2018, which will be announced in
February 2019.
CAMRA has named the best four pubs in the
country as part of its Pub of the Year 2018
competition, one of the most respected and wellknown
pub awards in the UK. Unfortunately
our own Nags Head didn’t progress from the
final 16 but they can be very proud of having
won the regional stage of the contest.
Among the final four is the Volunteer Arms
(Staggs) in Musselburgh, a traditional local
decorated with wooden floors, wood panelling
and mirrors from defunct local breweries.
Run by the same family since 1858, it offers a
regularly changing range of real ale.
Also in the running is the Chequers in Little
Gransden, a village pub with wooden benches
and a roaring fire, which has been run by the
same family for over 60 years. It is also the
home of Son of Sid Brewery and the pub offers
a selection of their beers.
Saved from closure and now run by a
persevering community group, the Wonston
Arms in Wonston has made it through to the
Mine’s A Pint
14
Now we turn our thoughts to next year’s
contest, which starts all over again very soon.
For details of the shortlist for Reading & Mid
Berkshire Pub of the Year visit readingcamra.
org.uk where you can also find an online voting
form.
MICHAEL HARDMAN
Michael Hardman has resigned from CAMRA’s
National Executive.
Michael was one of the four original founders
of CAMRA and was elected to CAMRA’s
ruling body (essentially its board of directors)
18 months ago, becoming Chairman of the
Communications Committee. A journalist
on national newspapers and BBC radio, he
served as the Campaign’s national chairman
for two years from its foundation in 1971 and
later joined the fledgling organisation’s staff
in St Albans, editing the Good Beer Guide
and What’s Brewing, both of which he had
created. After leaving St Albans, he worked
in the brewing industry as a public relations
consultant.
In 2015 Michael was invited to chair the
Revitalisation Project, whose recommendations
for CAMRA’s future policy and activities
were, with one exception, accepted by the
membership at the 2018 members’ weekend.
He said: “I have enjoyed being back in the
CAMRA fold and particularly helping to shape
future policy but I now need to focus on other
projects. I wish the Campaign the very best for
the future.”
MEMBERS’ WEEKEND,
AGM & CONFERENCE
2019
Volunteers are needed for next year’s event
- taking place in the great city of Dundee.
Opportunities are available: during set up, with
vote counting, on the Members’ Bar, at the
Information Stand and with the CAMRA shop.
Find out more at agm.camra.org.uk or email
volunteer.services@camra.org.uk
THE GIFT OF CAMRA
A CAMRA Gift membership is the ideal
Christmas gift for anyone who loves real ale,
cider, perry and pubs. This year there are a
number of great membership offers which
give a selection of gift choices and save money
too. One in particular that’s fun is the offer
of membership combined with a “My point
of brew” T shirt – they simply say “Bitter”,
“Mild”, “Sour” or “Stout” and are available in
a range of colours and sizes. See the advert in
this issue for more details.
MASS LOBBY DAY
Jackie Parker, CAMRA National Chairman (centre) and
members of the National Executive at the lobby day
Mine’s A Pint
15
Hundreds of CAMRA members descended on
Westminster at the end of October for a Mass
Lobby Day to send a message to MPs about
the very serious threats facing pubs. All agreed
there must be urgent reform to business rates,
Beer Duty and the Pubs Code to save the Great
British pub from extinction.
The Lobby Day day saw the launch of CAMRA’s
three point plan to save the Great British pub,
and encouraged MPs to commit to:
1. Introducing a preferential rate of duty for
draught beer.
2. Reforming the business rates system to
address the unfair burden on pubs.
3. Conducting an urgent review of the Pubs
Code so that the Market Rent Only option
becomes a genuine choice for tenants.
CAMRA members held meetings with MPs
throughout the day, which culminated in a rally
with speeches from the Chairman of the All
Party Parliamentary Beer Group, Mike Wood
MP, as well as Ruth Smeeth MP and Alan
Brown MP.
The Lobby came the day after the Budget, which
contained the very welcome decision to freeze
duty on beer and cider, and the announcement
of a new package of business rate relief that will
help smaller pubs. While this change will see
annual savings of up to £8,000 for some pubs,
CAMRA is extremely disappointed that pubspecific
rate relief has been scrapped, meaning
that pubs with a rateable value of over £51,000
will lose out. Many of these pubs saw the
largest rates increases after the last revaluation,
and are struggling under sky-high bills that
threaten them with extinction.
CAMRA’s National Chairman, Jackie Parker,
said:
“While welcome, the Budget measures are just
a sticking plaster which doesn’t tackle the root
issue. There must be long-term change and
reform to business rates, Beer Duty and the
Pubs Code to stop the decline of pubs closing
which is currently 18 per week. The Lobby
Day has been a huge success. It gave members
an opportunity to speak to their MPs direct
about tackling the root causes of pub closures,
need for fundamental reform to ensure that
pubs remain at the heart of communities and
continue to make a valuable contribution to
our society, culture and economy.”
Speaking at the Members’ Rally, Mike Wood
MP, Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary
Beer Group added:
“We need to make sure that we have a proper
review of local business taxation which goes
beyond what was announced (in the Budget)
on business rates, so that pubs of all sizes are
actually taxed at a fair rate and we have a
taxation system fit for the 21st century rather
than the 1950s, and one that recognises the
economy as it is now rather than one that was
based solely on land values.”
award winning beers and I personally could not
have done it without my Amigo. We have lost
an amazing part of New Wharf Brewing Co
and, in Stewart’s honour, we will brew a beer in
his memory; “Amigo”.
FLYING MONK
Flying Monk Brewery from Wiltshire are
looking for sales representatives in our area. If
you’re interested or for more details, see their
advert.
WANTED: SALES REPRESENTATIVES
NEW WHARF
Kevin Black has asked us to include this tribute
to his friend Stewart who passed away in
October, and we’re happy to do so.
Amigo, Amigo, where are you Amigo? In
October 2018 we celebrated the life of a
friend and work colleague who gave so much
to making sure every day ran smoothly in
the brewery at New Wharf. Stewart wasn’t
shy of hard work and always embraced the
challenging environment that we faced. Many
people around the world have enjoyed our
Stewart and Kevin in the brewery
The last couple of months have been hard but
we must celebrate the life of a man who has
touched many people’s lives. Stewart was funny
and always laughed and joked about everything.
Everyday at around 11am his mobile would go
ping and he would say “ that’s my Sarah up” -
this always brought a smile to his face.
His other love in life was his daily packet of
digestive biscuits and wine gums. These became
a staple part of the brewery diet. Stewart was
also fond of his Breakfast Stout and always
got excited when we brewed it. Of course he
sampled it most days in the brewery for quality
control purposes. He treasured his son Dan
and daughter Georgi and was always telling me
about what they were up to.
I say goodbye to my Amigo but his memory
will live on in every beer I brew at the New
Wharf. On behalf of New Wharf Brewing Co
we would like to send our deepest condolences
to Dan, Georgie and Sarah.
Kevin Black
Head Brewer, New Wharf Brewing Co
Mine’s A Pint
16
The Grumpy Goat is Five
All images courtesy of the Grumpy Goat
Tucked away in Reading’s quirky Harris
Arcade you’ll find The Grumpy Goat, a
multi award-winning independent retailer
of bottled beers, artisan cheese and small
batch spirits. This winning combination
has brought Anne-Marie and Charlie Beatty
many successes over the years – most recently
Reading Retail Award’s “Independent
Retailer of the Year 2018”. They’re just
on the brink of their fifth birthday so we
thought we’d say a few words about their
fantastic little shop which has become a
Reading treasure.
The beer and cheese shop was set up in late
2013 and quickly became a success with
people buying Christmas presents and treats
for themselves. Over the years Anne-Marie
and Charlie have built upon their Grumpy
Goat brand to bring customers tastings, pop
up events, wedding cheese cakes, an annual
Home Brew competition and even their own
craft beer and music festival “Craft Theory”
www.crafttheoryfestival.co.uk which will be
in its third year in 2019.
Mine’s A Pint
17
When talking to Anne-Marie and Charlie you
can see how passionate they are about their
shop and brand. They seem to have hit on a
niche market but, with that combination in
mind, who doesn’t like beer and cheese when
there are so many combinations to try? They
now stock in the region of 450 different types
of beer from around the world, 50 different
cheeses from the UK and the continent and
around 70 different types of gin, rum, vodka,
whisky and liqueurs.
share a glass with them at the shop on Sunday
9 December (2pm-4pm). The Grumpy Goat
team will be brewing a special beer for the
event with Reading’s newest brewery Double
Barrelled, and there will be canapés from We
Are Friends (a local vegetarian and vegan
pop up). So, head down and raise a glass to
their continued success. See you there!
Phil Gill
Over the years you can see that Anne-Marie
and Charlie have invested more money where
they can to ensure that customers are happy.
For instance the addition of new fridges to
keep the beer cold in summer, and the wide
selection of spirits and liqueurs which is
probably bigger than any other selection in
an independent store in Reading.
They’ve introduced a loyalty card system
this year (to find out more about this take a
look at their website thegrumpygoat.co.uk).
Other ways they’ve developed the shopping
experience include the fact that they’re
happy to take beer recommendations and,
at Christmas, they have a pre-order service
for their cheese so customers can just drop
in and collect their Christmas cheese boards.
Anne-Marie and Charlie pride themselves
on their customer service and say they feel
privileged to employ such fantastic staff
who are also very knowledgeable and keen
to make a good impression on everyone
who steps through the door. When I asked
the pair about their plans for the future they
shared with me a couple of ideas. In the near
future they will be introducing a growler
fill system to enable customers to purchase
fresh beer straight from the taps and they
also have plans to set up a monthly beer box
which you can purchase online.
But the real reason for this article is to mark
their big fifth birthday! To celebrate, Anne-
Marie and Charlie are inviting everyone to
Mine’s A Pint
18
Offering a wide range of real ale in all styles
Plus World Beers - Cider - Perry
GREAT BRITISH
19 - 23 FEBRUARY
Tuesday 19 th Members Preview 17:30 - 22:30
Wednesday 20 th - Saturday 23 rd 12:00 - 22:30
Free Entry For CAMRA Members
BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE
winter.gbbf.org.uk/tickets
The Halls, St Andrews Plain, Norwich NR3 1AU
GBBFWinter GreatBritishBeerFestivalWinter
Reading CAMRA
Gala Awards
and dedicated the award to him. There’s a tribute
to Stewart elsewhere in this magazine.
We also paid tribute to a couple of long-serving
licensees, Carole from the Magpie & Parrot,
Shinfield and to Jenny & Vic from the Swan at
Three Mile Cross, all of whom have been inpost
for more than 30 years, a very impressive
achievement in this day and age.
Every year, Reading &
Mid Berkshire CAMRA
hold an annual “gala
awards” ceremony to
promote and celebrate
the best, the longest and
sometimes the unusual.
Recipients of awards
from local pubs and
breweries are invited
for an evening of fun,
networking… and the
odd pint or three!
This year, we hosted our
event at Park House, at
the University of Reading; a very apt location, as it
had just learnt that it was celebrating its first-ever
entry into the Good Beer Guide!
And to prove we aren’t a bunch of stick-in-the-mud
traditionalists, we marked a couple of pubs which
have been refurbished / extended / remodelled in
an exceptionally impressive way – the Black Boy
in Shinfield and the Shurlock Inn at Shurlock Row.
Also this year we did an award as a one-off
“longest closed pub for no good reason”. Not
really an award as such, but to mark the sad fact
that the Lower Ship on Duke Street was purchased
by Samuel Smith Brewery over 30 years ago but
has never opened. A fine building going to waste
as well as local drinkers being deprived of an
outlet for traditional Yorkshire brews! The photo
for this is on the cover.
A fine evening was had by all, with a number of
people hanging round until closing time (that’s a
Awards were presented for various “of the year”
or “OTY” awards. The Nags Head celebrated yet
another win as overall Reading CAMRA Pub of
the Year, voted for by local CAMRA members and
judged over a variety of different factors, ideally
looking for an excellent quality all-rounder with
top quality beer as the most important aspect, of
course.
Awards from the Reading Beer and Cider Festival
were also presented, for various style winners and
of course Beer of the Festival, as selected by two
rounds of rigorous blind judging. Congratulations
were in order to New Wharf who won with
their Breakfast Stout. The award was especially
poignant as Kevin Black, who collected the award,
revealed that his co-brewer and best friend Stewart
had passed away just a couple of days previously,
Mine’s A Pint
20
sign of a good night!). We’d like to extend our
gratitude to Matt and Kathy of the University’s
bar team, who helped host this event and laid on
an excellent spread of food and local beer.
We’ll be having this event again next year, so if
you can think of pubs, publicans or breweries who
deserve a special award, why not contact us and
let us know?
Quinten Taylor
Mine’s A Pint
21
Binghams Tap Room -
Twyford’s First Micropub
All images courtesy of Sue Thirlaway
Binghams Brewery has opened a pop-up tap
room in the heart of Twyford. The venture,
which unfortunately is temporary as the
unit is only available until Christmas, will
be open every Friday and Saturday until
Christmas from 11am until 10pm.
Tucked away in a corner but easily
identifiable by the striking red signage, it’s
located at Twyford Crossroads, at 2b High
Street, and in the past has been a bridal wear
shop (hence the chandelier!), an antique
shop and, before that, a pub called The Bell.
The brewery team received the keys to the
premises only the day before the tap room
was due to open and worked into the night
to be ready to welcome customers on Friday
2 November. On the opening day there were
four cask beers available to drink on site or
take home:
• Twyford Tipple, a 3.7% tawny bitter
with a citrus hop finish
• Hop Project Summit Melon, 4.5%
with a refreshing, subtle melon hop
character
• Space Hoppy IPA, 5% with citrus hops
• Vanilla Stout, 5%, deservedly
Champion Beer of Britain for 2016
Mine’s A Pint
22
Expect to find changes on each visit. Bottled
beers from Binghams, and wine and cider are
also on sale.
As the brewery is located just down the
road in Ruscombe, the tap room qualifies
for CAMRA’s LocAle scheme, designed to
promote local breweries and reduce beer
miles. An impromptu presentation of a
Locale sticker was made on the opening day
and it now takes pride of place on the front
door.
There’s no music, sport, TVs or WiFi: this is
somewhere to come for a friendly welcome
and to sit and chat with friends over a beer.
Sue Thirlaway
Mine’s A Pint
23
HORSES LOVE IT
Back in the day, Fuller’s beers were transported
through the city using horse and wagon. The horses
would get thirsty and the drivers would give them a
bottle or two. Soon the horses developed a fondness
refused to drink water. So, in effect the wagons were
powered by Fuller’s beer. These days we use vans
for those narrow London streets, but no one’s tried
Fuller’s beer in the fuel tanks, yet. Is that possible?
D R I N K AWA R E . C O . U K
127 Route Pub Crawl
There’s a rover ticket that lets you get on and
off the bus as much as you like during the day.
With Sonning, Twyford, Hare Hatch, Knowl
Hill and many other places on the route we
couldn’t cover everywhere. So we decided to
start at Littlewick Green with the Shire Horse,
one of many pubs that lend their names to the
bus stops on the route.
Our group at Binghams Brewery
When you’re a beer drinker and you think of
a day out, where springs to mind? London
perhaps? Bath? Oxford? Maybe even a part of
Reading that you haven’t visited for a while.
Perhaps “the A4” wouldn’t be high on your list.
But think about it for a while – an old coaching
road will have a great selection of pubs and,
while some will have closed in recent years,
there’s still a good number along the road and
in the villages that it bypasses.
But how to get to those pubs without driving?
Luckily Courtney Buses run a route 127 on
Saturdays between Reading and Maidenhead.
So, back in September, a group of us met up on
Friar Street one sunny morning for a pub crawl.
This is a Chef & Brewer pub, a lovely 18 th
century building that used to be one of the
coaching inns, and has been modernised while
still retaining many period features. Like all
in the chain it offers a discount on real ale to
CAMRA members. The menu looked good but
it was a bit early for food so we enjoyed a few
beers from Rebellion Brewery and chatted with
a couple from Maidenhead branch who had
cycled out to meet us.
A quick check on the timetable, then it was
outside to catch the next bus. The same bus
driver that had driven us there in the morning
then realised what we were up to. “Pub lunch,
is it?” “No, a pub crawl.” “Ah, good stuff.” It
was only a five minute journey to our next stop,
Knowl Hill, and we met two other CAMRA
members on board who were joining us for the
rest of the crawl.
The Royal Oak in Knowl Hill was our next
choice and, although the pub sign is prominent
on the A4, if you’re driving past at speed you
could easily miss the pub itself – it’s actually
a short walk up the road called Knowl Hill
Common. It’s a free house that’s popular with
locals and welcoming to visitors, and offers
two regular beers plus a guest. Most of us went
for the guest mild but unfortunately it died as
soon as it was poured. After a few minutes
the replacement guest from the local Stardust
Brewery of White Waltham came on, and was
in much better condition. This was our planned
food stop and we all enjoyed the generous
portions of home-cooked lunches.
The Shire Horse, Littlewick Green
Mine’s A Pint
25
The Royal Oak, Knowl Hill
After that we split up to cover the two other
remaining pubs in the village. Both are largely
food-based but both are also happy for people
to come in just for a drink. Those who visited
the New Inn reported an unexceptional pint of
Rebellion IPA while, further down the road,
the Bird in Hand offered a range of Wadworth
beers.
The Bird in Hand, Knowl Hill
Back on the bus, then, for another short hop to
Ruscombe. Here we split up again, some having
a quick drink in the Royal Oak (Buratta’s) – the
bus arrived about 15 minutes before afternoon
closing time! – while others went straight to
Binghams Brewery. We’d phoned ahead and
found there were a few spaces on the brewery
tour that afternoon so we settled in.
New Inn, Knowl Hill
When the Bird in Hand was a family-owned
free house it offered a wide selection of real
ales from microbreweries and was a proper
destination venue, being regularly in contention
for our branch Pub of the Year award. Since
being taken over by Wadworth a couple of
years ago it’s been refurbished and seen major
investment, but the beer range is now restricted
to the owners’ products and there seems less
of a reason to make a special journey to go
there. The first beer we chose was off but it
was replaced with a much better example and –
after a brief bit of miscommunication between
the bar staff – the first one appeared to be taken
off sale.
Mine’s A Pint
26
The Royal Oak, Ruscombe
Chris Bingham was hosting the tour that day
and he gave an entertaining talk about how
he got into brewing as a student, the long and
involved process of setting up his own brewery,
the brewing process and the ingredients used in
the recipes, alongside tasting several glasses of
the beers. Stout, the brewery dog, even made an
appearance at the end and of course received
plenty of fuss. Beers from Binghams and their
new craft label Ricochet (unfined, unfiltered
and suitable for vegans) were available for
purchase and the shop was doing a steady
trade from locals while we were there. Look at
binghams.co.uk for tour details and to book
online.
The brewery was the end of our organised pub
crawl as the buses only run in the daytime, but
some of the group walked on into Twyford and
had some very good quality beer at the Golden
Cross before getting the train back to Reading.
Others headed back to the Royal Oak once it
reopened for the evening and had an excellent
meal. It was a fine day out.
If you’ve been inspired to check out the A4,
visit courtneybuses.com for details of the 127
timetable and fares. Also, looking in the other
direction, the Reading Buses (reading-buses.
co.uk) Jet Black route no. 1 takes you west
along the A4 from Reading to Newbury and is
also a great way to visit a wide range of pubs.
Both the pubs and the buses will be grateful
for your custom and the two complement each
other perfectly, so get planning your day out!
Phil Gill
Mine’s A Pint
27
Shop and Taproom
Opening Hours
Shop Open Daily:
10am to 6pm
Taproom Open Daily:
10am to 6pm,
Weds - Sat until 11pm
Kitchen Open:
Tues - Sun 12pm to 3pm,
Weds - Sat 6pm to 9pm
Phone: 01635 767090
Email: info@wbbrew.co.uk
wbbtaproom
Available for private tours
Please call 01635 767090 or
Email: taproomandkitchen@wbbrew.co.uk
West Berkshire Brewery Shop, Taproom & Kitchen.
The Old Dairy, Yattendon, Berkshire, RG18 0XT
Mine’s A Pint
28
A Pub is for Life
A pub is for life … not just for
Christmas!
Christmas is the time of year where people like
to socialise more with friends, family and some
are even forced to socialise with colleagues! The
pubs are bursting at the seams with “Seasonal
Drinkers”. Seasoned drinkers lose their favourite
spot at the bar as their chairs are moved to
accommodate the swathes of new customers.
Regulars get annoyed as their local is taken over
by the new celebrating clientele. Publicans are
rubbing their hands, counting the money ringing
into their tills.
But, with the final bars of Auld Lang Syne still
echoing in our ears, when the New Year bells
have fallen silent, so do the tills. The chairs are
moved back in front of the bar and usual service
resumes. What happened to the Christmas
drinkers, people ask? All licensees can do is
shrug their shoulders and hope their December
windfall can last them through the new year.
According to official figures, every week 18
pubs close their doors forever. The high cost of
drinking is usually cited as a reason for people to
drink at home. While CAMRA still continues to
campaign on behalf of pubs and breweries these
said tax rises add extra pressure on the industry.
Pubs are struggling under a triple whammy of
high beer duty, rapidly rising business rates and
VAT. As a result, a third of the cost of a pint is
now made up of various taxes.
So what’s your New Year’s resolution? I’ll let
you into a secret and tell you what mine is. I’m
going to make sure I visit at least one new pub a
month. Why don’t you do the same? I promise
you, it’ll be loads of fun!
Sarah Crawford
(adapted from an article originally written for
Scottish CAMRA magazines)
A GOLDEN WONDER
FRESH MIX OF HOPS FOR A DELICIOUS ALE
RICH RUBY ALE
SMOOTH AND MALTY WITH A FULL BODY
Mine’s A Pint
29
The ultimate
Christmas Gift
for the beer
lover in your life
Give your beer or pub lover a whole year’s
worth of enjoyment ent with CAMRA membership
£27 *
Single Gift
Membership
A full year’s
membership
subscription
£38 *
£38 *
*Joint and under 26 prices are also available.
Gift Membership + T-Shirt
available in bitter, mild,
sour or stout
Gift Membership
+ Good Beer
Guide 2019
Visit www.camra.org.uk/gift-memberships
for fantastic Christmas gift ideas
Please visit www.camra.org.uk/membership-rates for more information
Merry Christmas and
Happy New Beer!
Order your Gift Membership online
at www.camra.org.uk/christmasgifts
Alternatively you can send this form to:
CAMRA, 230 Hatfield Road,
St Albans, Herts, AL1 4LW
Please complete the following details
and tick the membership you would like
to buy for a friend or family member.
Your Details (please print all information)
Name
Address
Town
Post Code
Mobile Number
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Are you a CAMRA member (please tick as appropriate)?
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If Yes, please state your CAMRA membership number:
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• Cheque - please make payable to CAMRA Ltd
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Total Cost £
Please charge my (delete as appropriate)
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Number:
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the gift for (please print all information)
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Please confirm which address you would like the
gift to be sent to:
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are buying the gift for
Gift Memberships (please tick the appropriate box)
Gift Membership £27***
Gift Membership with Good Beer Guide £38***
Gift Membership with T-Shirt £38***
Choose brew: bitter / mild / sour / stout
Choose size: S / M / L / XL / XXL
Visit www.camra.org.uk/gift-memberships
for your perfect Christmas gifts
Find out more about membership at www.camra.org.uk/benefits
**We don't store personal details so our Membership Team will
contact you for your 3 digit security code.
***All gifts listed on this page are valid until 31st December 2018.
Please note all Gift Membership orders need to be received on
or before Monday 17th December for dispatch before Christmas
2018. Gift Memberships are only available for residents of the
UK & Channel Islands. All membership prices are based upon
standard full single membership rates. Offer only open to new
members and not renewals. Only one book or t-shirt included in
a Joint Membership Christmas Gift. Only one membership can
be ordered per form.
Postage and packing (p&p) included for all Gift Membership
Gifts. All other shop items include p&p.
CHRISTMAS T
MENUE
AVAILABLE
WED 14 NOV – MON 24 DEC
THE BACK OF BEYOND
104–108 KINGS ROAD
READING
BERKSHIRE, RG1 3BY
TEL: 0118 959 5906
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22–24 PROSPECT STREET
CAVERSHAM
BERKSHIRE, RG4 8JG
TEL: 0118 948 1078
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99–105 FRIAR STREET
READING
BERKSHIRE, RG1 1EP
TEL: 0118 958 2266
GREAT RANGE OF QUALITY REAL ALES AVAILABLE
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