Thwaites Extends Estate with Malt Shovel Acquisition

The Leicestershire pub is a significant new addition to the Thwaites estate, as it is one of the first pubs the family-run company has bought outside of its Northwest heartland as part of its plans to extend its estate of tenanted pubs into the south of England.

The popular Malt Shovel will continue to be run by existing tenants Andy and Sharon Fowler with the support of their team. Thwaites has promised that the Malt Shovel will retain its character and unique charm offering customers great food and six cask ales.

Andrew Buchanan said: “The Malt Shovel is the perfect addition to the Thwaites Estate and I’m delighted to welcome Andy and Sharon to the business. With the support of the brewery, the Malt Shovel’s team will continue to run a successful pub, offering a wide selection of cask ales and great food too.”

Thwaites will provide full support for The Malt Shovel offering a range of its most popular cask ales including Wainwright, Original, Lancaster Bomber and Nutty Black.

Thwaites Press release 26 August 2011

Leicester gets another real ale pub

On Saturday 13th August, another real ale pub was added to the Leicester circuit. This is now the third pub in the city to turn to real ale more prominently this year.

The Gatehouse on Churchgate has reverted back to its former name The Longstop and now boasts 6 handpumps. After being closed for two years, the pub has been refurbished and is run by Hugh Kerr, formerly of the Globe in Silver St.

On opening night, the six handpumps had Castle Rock - Preservation and Screech Owl,  Bass, Dancing Duck - Gold, Hop Back - Taiphoon and Kelham Island - Pale Rider. All were in excellent condition and all £2.60 a pint.

This has now created a new real ale area in Leicester in the Clock Tower / St Margaret's Bus Station area with the excellent Salmon very close by on Butt Close Lane which increased its range to six handpumps earlier this year. Also turning to real ale with three handpumps is the Bridle Lane Tavern near Belgrave Flyover.

This is great news for real ale drinkers in Leicester and Leicester CAMRA wish Hugh and the others all the very best.

Andy Sales 14 Aug 11

Rutland gains independence – and this time its beer!

Rutland now has its own full branch of CAMRA. Graham Proud, Branch Chairman, announced this at the first CAMRA Rutland Beer festival held at the Rutland County Museum last week. 

Alan Pickersgill, Festival Chairman, said. “We were delighted by the support we received especially as the weather was not good on the Friday night. The Lord Lieutenant of Rutland opened proceedings on Thursday 23rd June 2011 and the festival began with visitors sampling the 45 real ales, 10 real ciders and 4 real perries on offer.

“Saturday was a much better day for us and whilst Sunday was quieter we still had a steady stream of visitors. We estimate around 400 - 500 people came from as far away as New Zealand and Brisbane – all very welcome. We also recruited 25 new members to CAMRA that will help us in the campaign to keep open real pubs with real drinks for real people.

“When Graham told us that we had gained our independence it gave a lift to all the volunteers. CAMRA festivals are run by unpaid volunteers and I would like to thank them for all the hard work they put in. I also want to thank Rutland County Council for letting us use the museum, which scored 100% approval as a venue from the visitors, also thanks to the Museum staff who were very helpful.

“We have learned valuable lessons and planning is already underway for the next CAMRA event – watch this space!”

Graham Proud, Branch Chairman said “Independence will let us really promote CAMRA’s aims to the people of Rutland. Our Mother Branch - Leicester, have helped get us going and we are all very grateful for the support and advice they have given us. We will not loose touch with them as we are both friendly folk.

“With about 100 members and having had our brilliant first festival it’s looking very good for the real drinker in Rutland.”

Rutland CAMRA Press release 28 June 2011

The Salmon - Reborn

Tucked away in Butt Close Lane, Leicester is a classic, gem of a Victorian pub, called The Salmon. A pub I have not been in for over 20 years due to limited choice and restrictive opening hours.

Well that has all changed now thanks to new Leicester born Landlord Steve Jackman.  Steve is from the Raglan Arms in Rugby, a pub that has been three times pub of the year in the Rugby area.

Newly installed are 6 handpumps along with re-upholstered seating making this a very pleasing setting indeed to have a pint. The bar now has Fullers -  London Pride, a house beer, and 4 guests, one of which will always be a mild. Steve has many contacts and will be offering beers from far and wide that are not seen in other Leicester pubs. On my visit guest beers from Great Heck, Brew Co and Northern were on the bar along with Tetley’s Mild.

Steve has also changed the opening hours to Sun / Mon 12 – 8pm, Tues – Thurs 12 – 11pm, Fri and Sat 12 – 12 from the end of May. A lunchtime menu is available from 12 to 2.30 with pork pies and snacks available all day.

They are holding a beer festival between 27th - 30th MAY with the above opening hours.

30 Beers available, handpumps, stillage and jugs from the cellar.

Andy Sales 19 May 2011

Another new brewery opens on Leicestershire border

The Tap House, Smisby launched its first beer on November 4^th 2010.

Situated on the outskirts of Smisby Village in the heart of the National Forest you will find The Tap House Bar & Restaurant on Anwell Lane. This is literally about 20yds over the Leicestershire border into South Derbyshire. Formerly “Old Mother Hubbard’s”, it was purchased by Roger Thompson (pictured) and refurbished throughout in October 2006 to modernise the building, whilst retaining the country feel. It provides an ideal atmosphere for a friendly drink and has a quality restaurant that provides a choice of Carvery or a selection of dishes from the evening menu. There are 4 handpumps selling Pedigree, Tap House Gold and on my visit, Blue Monkey – Nuts.

Roger is no stranger to beers, pubs and wine bars having owned several in Sadler Gate, Derby from as long ago as 1979. His father, John Thompson also has a brewery and still brews at the age of 82 at Ingleby. Indeed John was one of the founders of the microbrewery revolution that started in the late 70’s. Rogers’ son Luke runs the other pub in the business, the Kings Arms in Coleorton.

The Tap House also has several holiday cottages at the rear and now a brand new purpose built brewhouse and brewery to supply the pub and the Kings Arms. 

Brewer Paul Szuta has a 5 BBL plant, with all the steel fabrication done by Chris Harris. This is a very impressive building with beautiful oak doors and would be the envy of many small microbrewer. The brewery has three main areas, the main brewery, fermenting room and a conditioning room. The first beer brewed on 24^th October was Tap House Gold 4.0. This will be followed soon by Ashby Pride at around 3.6 and then a porter for Christmas.  

The beers will hopefully get into the local free trade and will appear at Leicester Beer Festival in 2011.

Andy Sales

Fire guts historic former brewery in Leicester

Firefighters are investigating the cause of a fire at the former All Saints Brewery which broke out in the 19th century two-storey building just after 9pm on Monday 8th November 2010.

Flames destroyed the roof and caused extensive internal damage to the property, which stands next to the medieval All Saints Church in Highcross St. The buildings are now likely to be demolished.

Once the largest brewery in Leicestershire at the turn of the last century, All Saints Brewery Company had its brewing plant next to the church and offices in High St. The firm was the result of the amalgamation of Langmore & Bankart and Watts & Sons in the late 1880s both of which had been in existence for nearly a century. All Saints, at its height, owned more than 80 Public Houses throughout the county, but Ind Coope bought up the company in 1928/9.

The earliest recording of the building being used as a brewery dates to 1795, though there are accounts of brewing in the area as early as 1664.

See Leicester Mercury article - More...

More than 50 firefighters tackle blaze at pub

See Leicester Mercury article - More. . .

Rutland Bitter Returns

Beer connoisseurs will once again be able to enjoy one of the beers that made the small county of Rutland famous. Rutland Bitter which had been awarded a “Protected Geographical Indication” (PGI), could only be brewed in the county of its origin to an original recipe.

Rutland Bitter whose full body and hoppy flavour belied the fact that it was fairly weak having an Original Gravity of only 1032 (alc3.4%vol). The brew was sorely missed when the Ruddle’s ‘Rutland Brewery’ closed, leaving the popular Rutland Bitter stranded.

Tony Davis, Head Brewer and Managing Director of The Grainstore Brewery in Oakham, Rutland, (previously Production Director of the Ruddle’s Brewery), has, after several years researching the requirements, seized the opportunity to resurrect Rutland Bitter and gained permission once more to reclaim its status of having a PGI.

Taken from Grainstore Website.

Ian and Ann Saunders have started brewing at the rear of their Matchless Homebrew shop on Belvoir Road, Coalville which they have run for the last 5 years. The need to diversify in today's difficult market has led them to purchase a 100 litre kit with a view to mainly bottling to start with but with the hope of expansion to cask ales.

The name for the brewery is Long Lane Brewery.  Long Lane was a track running roughly east-west separating the ancient parishes of Whitwick and Hugglescote in area that later became Coalville.

L-R Long Lane Brewkit, Porter ferments, Matchless Shop.

They plan a core range of 5 beers; Best Bitter, Pale Ale, Stout, Porter and an IPA which have yet to be named. Seasonal beers will also be produced. The first beer was brewed on August 15th 2010.

When I visited on the August 17th the Porter was  being produced. It was also nice to place their first order of 10 firkins for the Nottingham Robin Hood Beer Festival in October for which we will supply casks to assist.

There will be a tasting week on 18th - 24th September during the Taste Leicestershire events. Visitors are welcome to sample the new beers and submit comments. Event hosted at Matchless Home Brew, 32 Belvoir Road, Coalville, Leicestershire LE67 3PN 01530 813800. Follow the brewery on Facebook or Long Lane Brewery

Andy Sales 17 Aug 2010

  Arriva Route 126 and 127 Pub Crawl

Nottingham Brewer is king of the Castle!

Bottled Beer of Britain winners (sponsored by Travelodge)
Gold- St Austell, Admiral's Ale (5% ABV, St Austell, Cornwall)
Silver- Pitfield, 1850 London Porter (5% ABV, Epping, Essex)
Bronze- Great Oakley, Delapre Dark (4.6% ABV, Great Oakley, Northamptonshire)

The Rushden Historical Transport Society, Station Approach, Rushden, Northamptonshire.

Clubs from Cheshire, East London and Surrey make top four!

An historic hidden gem situated in a converted railway station room has today been crowned as the best Club in Britain by CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale. Previously a joint CAMRA National Club of the Year winner in 2000, the Rushden Historical Transport Society’s Social Club has taken the title outright in 2010 after a panel of judges were impressed by the Club’s outstanding commitment to quality real ale. The Club is a regular in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide, with a choice of up to 7 real ales on at all times.

Back in 1986, the Society transformed a disused Ladies Waiting Room into a Victorian-themed real ale bar. Having obtained Charitable Status only two years earlier, the Club was opened to raise funds for the renovation of the old Midland Railway Station of 1894 in which it is housed.  The Club soon built up a reputation for the quality and choice of its beer range and in the present day remains a haven for real ale drinkers across the UK.

Ruth Pendlington, Secretary of the Club’s Bar Committee, on hearing the results of the National competition, said: ‘We are delighted and honoured to receive this award. We know how tough the competition is out there, so to win this outright is a huge accolade. We would like to thank our Beer Manager Simon Bishop, our bar staff and the unpaid volunteers who help behind the bar and in the cellar, without whom the bar could not operate.’

In order to find the National Club of the Year for 2010, submissions were put forward by CAMRA’s 200-plus local branches across the UK, with the criteria based around the club’s commitment to real ale.  This year, after some strong competition, the Rushden Historical Transport Society beat three other National finalists, which were:-

-Appleton Thorn Village Hall, Appleton Thorn, Cheshire

-Leyton Orient Supporters Club, Leyton, Greater London

-United Services Club, Egham, Surrey

Julian Tubbs, CAMRA’s Regional Director for the East Midlands, concluded by reiterating the importance of the Club to the local community. He said:

The Club is a real attraction for both the discerning beer drinker and beer novice alike, but despite its special appeal to railway enthusiasts, it’s a valued community outlet, where people of all ages and backgrounds can meet for a drink. The Club truly deserves the title as Best Club in Britain, and I hope its success brings further publicity to this historic site.’

CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, has today crowned the Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield, as its National Pub of the Year for 2009. 

Last year, the Kelham Island Tavern picked up the same award, making it the first pub in CAMRA's history to win its most coveted accolade in consecutive years. Only two other pubs have ever won the award twice- the Fat Cat, Norwich (1998, 2004), and the Swan, Little Totham, Essex (2002, 2005). 

CAMRA's National Pub of the Year competition analyses all the criteria that make a good pub including the quality of the beer, atmosphere, décor, customer service, and all-round value of the pub visit. The competition is overseen by CAMRA's 110,000-strong membership. 

On a local level, the pub has held the title of CAMRA Yorkshire Regional Pub of the Year on four occasions. The pub is listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2010 accompanied by the following description: 

'Selected as CAMRA's National Pub of the Year in 2008 after previously picking up many local and regional awards, this small gem was rescued from dereliction as recently as 2002. An impressive 10 permanent handpumps include two that always dispense a mild and a stout/porter, so you are sure to find something to suit your mood. In the warmer months you can relax in the pub's multi-award winning beer garden.' 

Praising the pub for its historic achievement, Julian Hough, CAMRA Pubs Director, said: 

'The Kelham Island Tavern holds a remarkable record in CAMRA's pub competitions bearing in mind the pub only opened in 2002. With so many fantastic community pubs in Sheffield, it's difficult enough to be crowned the best in the Steel City, let alone in the whole of the UK! The pub's success is thoroughly deserved due to its high attention to detail, service to the surrounding community, and quality in all areas, not least in the beer. 

'The owners have today written their names in CAMRA's history books, and are continuing to demonstrate how to run a thriving pub business in the current climate.' 

On hearing the news of winning another National accolade, Trevor Wraith, Kelham Island Tavern licensee, said: 'We are once again overwhelmed at the judges' results and delighted to be awarded CAMRA's top prize for the second year running. It's truly a great achievement and something we never dreamt of when we first opened. 

'Winning last year only made us work harder to meet and beat peoples' expectations, with people travelling from all over the UK to visit us. With this award, our aim is that we maintain our high standards and continue to fulfil people's high hopes of our pub.'

CAMRA Press Release 17 Feb

1872 Porter from the Elland Brewery, West Yorkshire, has today been crowned the Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2010 by a panel of judges at the National Winter Ales Festival in Manchester. 

The 6.5% abv porter is described in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide as a 'creamy, full-flavoured porter, with rich liquorice flavours with a hint of chocolate from roast malt, and a soft but satisfying aftertaste of bittersweet roast and malt.' 

Graham Donning, National Winter Ales Festival organiser, praised the Champion Winter beer for its quality. He said: 'A timeless classic well worthy of this accolade. It has won many awards at CAMRA beer festivals in the past, and it's great to see this small brewer achieving such success. A perfect winter warming remedy to the snowy weather in recent weeks!' 

Winning today is especially sweet for the brewer after finishing in Silver place overall in the 2009 competition. 
Dave Sanders, Head Brewer at Elland, was elated to hear of the brewery's success. He said: 'It absolutely brilliant; we came second last year and I am thrilled to finish on top in 2010. We originally started brewing this beer at the West Yorkshire brewery, so there's quite a history behind this Victorian recipe.' 
 

Old Ales and Strong Milds
Gold- Breconshire, Ramblers Ruin (Brecon, Powys) 
Silver- Leeds, Midnight Bell (Leeds, West Yorkshire) 
Bronze- Beartown, Black Bear (Congleton, Cheshire) 

Porters
Gold- Elland, 1872 Porter (Elland, West Yorkshire) 
Silver- Sulwath, Black Galloway (Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway) 
Bronze- RCH, Old Slug Porter (Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset) 

Stouts 
Gold- Acorn, Gorlovka Imperial Stout (Barnsley, South Yorkshire) 
Silver- Beowulf, Dragon Smoke Stout (Brownhills, Staffordshire) 
Bronze- Wapping, Stout (Liverpool, Merseyside) 

Barley Wines 
Gold- Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport, Cheshire)
Silver- Kinver, Over the Edge (Kinver, Staffordshire)
Bronze- Otley, O8 (Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan) 
 

Bees Brewery of Queniborough has closed with Alec moving to Norfolk. Alec has relocacted to Plot 2, Coast Road, Walcott, Norfolk. NR12 0LS.

Rugby Brewing Co, Rugby and Wild Walker of Derby are both reported to have ceased trading.

Andy Sales Updated 24 Dec 2009

The pub boast 15 handpumps, 10 of which are expected to be in use from the opening day.

Leicester CAMRA wish Paul Summers and his staff all the very best with this new venture.

23 Sept 09.

Paul is interested to hear any ideas for a name for the pub which is less than 100yds from the current pub. The pub has been called Retro Bar, Pause, The Courthouse, De Montfort and The Wellington in recent years.

Vin IV will close on Sat 29th August with the new venue expected to open Sept 14th.

Andy Sales (updated) 20 Aug 2009

The pub has seen significant growth in real ale sales since Hugh returned a few weeks ago and Hugh firmly believes in rewarding CAMRA members for their loyalty in the pub.

The discount applies until the end of October 2009 - see the advert in Leicester Drinker No 65.

Andy Sales 12 Aug 2009.

Champion Beer of Britain - Rudgate, Ruby Mild (York, North Yorkshire)
 

Second - Oakham, Attila (Peterborough, Cambridgeshire)

Third - West Berkshire, Dr Hexter's Healer (Thatcham, Berkshire)

Mild category
Gold - Rudgate, Ruby Mild (York, North Yorkshire)
Silver - Bank Top, Dark Mild (Bolton, Lancashire)
Bronze - Highland, Dark Munro (Birsay, Orkney)

Bitter category
Gold - Surrey Hills, Ranmore Ale (Guildford, Surrey)
Silver - Butcombe, Bitter (Bristol, Avon)
Joint Bronze - Humpty Dumpty, Little Sharpie (Reedham, Norfolk)
Joint Bronze - Triple fff, Alton's Pride (Alton, Hampshire)

Best Bitter category
Gold - Southport, Golden Sands (Southport, Merseyside)
Silver - Buntingford, Britannia (Royston, Hertfordshire)
Joint Bronze - Evan Evans, Cwrw (Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire)
Joint Bronze - Thornbridge, Lord Marples (Bakewell, Derbyshire)
Joint Bronze - Vale, VPA (Brill, Buckinghamshire)

Golden Ale category
Gold - Dark Star, American Pale Ale (Ansty, West Sussex)
Joint Silver - Adnams, Explorer (Southwold, Suffolk)
Joint Silver - St Austell, Proper Job (St Austell, Cornwall)

Strong Bitter category
Gold - West Berkshire, Dr Hexter's Healer (Thatcham, Berkshire)
Silver - Thornbridge, Kipling (Bakewell, Derbyshire)
Bronze - Grain, Tamarind IPA (Harleston, Norfolk)

Speciality Beer category
Gold - Nethergate, Umbel Magna (Pentlow, Essex)
Silver - Wentworth, Bumble Beer (Wentworth, South Yorkshire)
Bronze - Amber, Chocolate Orange Stout (Ripley, Derbyshire)

Winter Beer of Britain winner (announced in January 2009)
Oakham, Attila (Cambridgshire)

Bottled Beer of Britain winners
Gold - Titanic, Stout (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire)
Silver - Great Gable, Yewbarrow (Gosforth, Cumbria)
Bronze - White Shield Brewery, White Shield (Coors, Burton-on-Trent)