SELCAMRA ALL AT SEA

It’s that time of year again when the more adventurous members of SELCAMRA embark on journeys to the very corners of the United Kingdom supporting the cause of real ale. Well, actually we were only going to Gosport on one of our (in)famous brewery visits to present the Oakleaf Brewery with their certificate for winning the Beer of the Festival at the 2006 Catford Beer Festival, with their Maypole Mild – an excellent beer!

 Despite the best efforts of National Rail to delay our visit with a never ending series of engineering works and the fact that we actually had to cross the Solent, we all eventually arrived at Gosport. A short walk from the ferry terminal we found the Oakleaf Brewery on a small industrial estate near the marina (will have to take the yacht next time and moor up outside!).

Reception to the left                                    CAMRA members to the right

Dave Pickersgill and Ed Anderson (the Brewer) immediately made us very welcome with a glass (or three) of their Bunny’s Delight (yes it is a beer and a very good one too!) before we got down to the serious business of the presentation and a little more sampling of their products.

  The Brewery                                                Ed the Brewer

Ed gave us a conducted tour of the brewery and explained in great detail how they brew their beers. It was certainly very interesting and probably one of the more informative brewery visits that we have been on. We actually got into organic chemistry and discussing the alpha acid content of the various hop varieties that they use. Including a bit of hop sniffing.

 Go on – inhale! 

 Ed, Andrew and Dave                               I make these myself you know

A little more time, and even a little more time, was spent sampling the delights of their Hole Hearted Strong Bitter ABV 4.7% - An amber-coloured strong bitter with strong floral hop and citrus notes in the aroma and a long bitter-sweet finish (some of us do read the tasting notes in the GBG) and the very drinkable Stoker’s Stout. We then purchased a bottle or two, from the Oakleaf shop to sustain us on our long and arduous journey home.   

But we couldn’t come all this way without exploring some more of the pubs in Gosport. Firstly we visited the Queen’s Hotel for a drop of Ringwood Fortyniner and Rooster’s Yankee and a very good lunch provided by the Landlady. The pub also boasted the largest Pyranean Mountain dog we had ever seen which religiously guarded the ladies toilet, why we do not know! 

It was then on to the Clarence Tavern for some more Oakleaf beers before embarking on the journey home. 

All in all a very good day out and many thanks to the Oakleaf brewery and Bob Callard for making it one to remember.

Deptford Delights the Culinary Crowd

The Annual South East London Pickle Festival took place Saturday, November 25^th 2006

at the Dog and Bell, Deptford. Yet again there was a fine variety of homemade culinary delights: pickled eggs, pickled garlic (a whole caseload!), breads, preserves, jellies, chutneys, cookies and fine photos and art. It was a good turnout from SEL CAMRA members, Pickle Festival regulars and foodies. Even the staff got into the event with great ‘Get Pickled’ t-shirts! Combine this with the great beers that the Dog and Bell have to offer and everyone had a fine time!

Just how far does' the queue stretch!

Can you get anymore on that plate Andy!!

The usual categories of Breads, Preserves, Pickles and Artwork were well represented with 6 out of the 10 prizes being won by SEL Camra members. Well-done guys! 

A tough time for the adjudicators

Alleyne gets 2nd prize for her bread.

Many thanks to Adam & Anmolia at the Dog and Bell, Paul Johnson (Official Pickle Festival Co-ordinator), all who helped out!

Nine Get Wet at Cider & Perry Festival.

'Wet' was certainly the word on Sunday 22^nd October as it was the first day in recent memory that it rained almost unrelentingly, thus providing us with some of the water that the reservoirs are crying out for. This was the annual Apple & Cider Festival at the 'National Collection of Cider & Perry' (their 12^th apparently) at Middle Farm, a South East London branch jaunt and certainly my first visit here to what makes for a fantastic day out. Departing from Victoria, London Bridge or East Croydon, Lewis is the best part of an hours trip.

Middle Farm, near Firle, is a ten-minute shuttle-bus ride (£1 rtn) from Lewis train Station, passing some beautiful South Downs Way countryside (apparently! - too much rain for us to be able to appreciate it) passing aptly named villages such as 'Ripe', en route. It is a working farmstead with various poultry and other animals on display, so popular with the kiddies. A small eco-lake, wild plant centre, restaurant and the biggest or should I say longest (if narrowest) organic farm shop in existence, featuring a butchers, cheeses, home-made pies, chutneys & pickles, cake products galore, superb quality veg' and all the sort of produce that those of us who shop at Quick-Buy don't normally get to see.

However, the 'piece-de-resistance' for most of us is undoubtedly the National Collection of "naturally fermented apple juice"! We have all seen the 24 or so plastic cider barrels on the stillage at GBBF but I was quite unprepared for the four entire walls worth of them in this tiny shop, organised into groups from Dry – Medium Dry – Medium Sweet – Sweet etc. There were of course single-variety types as well as differing blends, many of which had been matured in either brandy or whisky casks for that extra little dimension. Of particular interest to me were the 'Piders' – the cider / perry mixes, like Little Red Rooster, at an average 8%, which was so wonderfully clear to the eye that any novice to Real Cider could not fail to be enticed and was almost too drinkable.

The sheer quantity and variety of both ciders and perrys here, coupled with a host of fruit liqueurs meant that there truly is something for any taste. As an aside, it is also one of the best stockists of bottled beers that I know outside of our own Mr. Laurence, Nelson Wines and Bitter End, holding ales from many microbreweries as well as virtually the complete range of Harveys from up the road.

The deal with the ciders is that you simply select the size of carryout container of your choosing, be it a one, two or four pinta. Then proceed to taste the delights in a small sample glass to your hearts content and then fill your plastic, pay and take away, so drivers can enjoy the produce too, similar to a beer festival in essence. Beware though, it quickly became incredibly busy in this confined space, especially when back-to-back with wearers of the biggest rucksacks ever made. 

Other than the cider collection, the event itself was held in a marquee with more cider, perry and some very fine ales to enjoy whilst watching various bands or Morris/ Pagan type dancing. There is something Olde-Wurlde about sitting on a hay bale, quaffing real cider and wondering why people do the handkerchief-dance. Hog Roast and burgers were on offer and the mini fairground seemed strangely busy considering it resembled a Glastonbury Festival type mud bath. The entrance is £5 with unfortunately no discount for Camra members but presumably this helps pay for the entertainers. 

The other part of Apple Day is an organic farmers market hosted in an out building with more quality delights on sale (at organic prices of course!). I would defy anybody to say they have seen a bigger collection of apples and pears in one place. Samples of each were on offer as were cheeses, organic chocolate, Firle farm made sausages, preserves, cakes, the nicest root ginger drink I have ever had and other home made, countryside type products. The farm also has a shop for quality gifts, baby toys and books.

Goes without saying that any visit to Harvey's country would be sacrilege without at least one visit to a local hostelry so its up the hill to the Lewis Arms in Mount St. for some of their Best, and what a really good Best it was and I didn’t hesitate in telling them so. This was just the right king of pub for a wet, chilly, dark evening in a very old, woody, trad' local. (Even if those forbidding words "Green King" are on the sign outside). The place even has an old serving hatch! From up here you can reap the benefit of the height (at least if you are ably bodied) of this hill for the view is (they tell me) spectacular. There are three other pubs on the way back to choose from also, one being a mere two minute walk from the Station and so handy for that 16 minute past train back to the dirt.

Yes, I would firmly recommend this event for your calendar folks – even if not a cider lover it’s a nice day out and something different to see an do.

Submitted by Paul Johnson

A Great Time at the Meantime (0" 2" 13" E)