Tenterden in the Kent Weald, and ales of course!

I met up with 3 friends from my late teenage years yesterday, 2 who now live in Ashford, and the other who has lived in Florida for nearly 20 years, and is over visiting family and friends. She decided she should visit the other 3 of us, so Tenterden provided a reasonably easy meeting place for us all, and I had never been there before. You would expect Shepherd Neame to be dominant here, and 2 of the 4 public houses on the main road are pubs of Kent, indeed, and the provider of my favourite ale of the day, at the last pub I visited! 

However, the Woolpack Hotel (website), affectionately called the "Woolly" by locals, apparently,  is situated right in the middle of this busy small town High Street, with the tower of the Norman Church, St Mildred's, peeping over the top in my photograph, and is run by Enterprise Inns. This 15th century inn now comprises a pub, hotel and restaurant, has open fires and wooden beams, and recently has undergone a major refurbishment. Consequently, like all these old pubs in the town actually, has quite an open bright atmosphere. 

Similarly, the barman had a bright personality too, and was very welcoming and friendly, even happy to serve one of our group with a pot of tea for one, such is the modern hostelry. All these pubs serve food, as expected, and there were 3 real ales on offer here. From nearby Sussex was Harveys Sussex Best, regular readers will know my opinion of that ale, so nothing to be said here today, and also Timothy Taylor Landlord was on offer, another ale that can be very good, but not quite my cup of tea really! Oh yes, and the one I had a pint of, the ever reliable, Hopback Summer Lightning, enjoyable as always, even if a wee bit too strong for this time of the day. Consequently, the ales provided were all very well-known and easily available everywhere, not surprising for the ever-careful Enterprise Inns. 

The William Caxton (website), a little further down the High Street at West Cross, is a Shepherd Neame pub, and is a hotel and restaurant, and 15th century too. The pub is named after some lad who had something to do with the printing press, and maybe had been born in Tenterden, though this is supposition, as no-one really knows where he was born, but they happily go along with the idea the pub should be named after him, as are other place and building names around the town! The other 3 all ate in the William Caxton, and apparently enjoyed their decent value food, but I had already eaten a fair sized meal before I traveled, so can only take their word for it, but the ham, in particular, appeared to get a firm nod of appreciation. 

All ales were provided by Shepherd Neame, of course, who have certainly expanded the range of ales they brew; looking at their website, they now brew over 20 ales! There was the familiar Whitstable Bay and Master Brew, and I had their Goldings Ale (4.1% and subtitled Summer Solstice, so a seasonal summer ale). The Goldings is a golden ale, bitter, with a slightly sweet fruit-flavoured contrast, though I didn't get the mango and bananas suggested in the tasting notes, not bad though. I had a chat with the lass behind the bar, as you do, and found that this seasonal ale will soon be replaced by their American collaboration I recently reported on, the 4.5% Samuel Adams Blonde Ambition, so locals have a very good ale to look forward to there too! 

Back up the High Street, we also visited, twice, the merely 16th century coaching inn, the White Lion Hotel (website), sorry, my mobile phone was getting very tired, and would not agree to take a photograph of the building, despite many attempts (I really do need to bring my camera with me these days), but if you link to their website, you'll see a large picture of the hotel, plus a few other images! Inglenook fireplaces, wooden beams, hotel, pub and restaurant etc etc... and, again, bright and airy. This is a Marstons/Ringwood hostelry, so quite a few of their ales, plus a local guest brewery.

From Ringwood are 2 old dependable ales, their Forty Niner (4.9%), reported on before, and a nice darker full-flavoured bitter, and Best Bitter (3.8%), an easy drinking best bitter, it does what it says on the tin, not bad. From Marstons their Old Empire (5.7%), which I have had before, a very decent full-flavoured darker bitter, and, I believe it is brewed by them, but have had trouble checking up, the label gave no hint, and the lass behind the bar hadn't a clue either, Lion Heart (4.5%), which Martin appeared to enjoy, another darker bitter. From their guest Kent brewer, Old Dairy, was their regular Gold Top (4.3%) and the seasonal Sun Top (3.6%), a very pale bitter with a slight malty biscuit taste. So 6 ales, from quite dark to pale bitters, provided quite a variation in style for the buying public.  

The final pub, which I visited alone, having said goodbye to the others, and opposite where I would catch a bus to take me back to Sussex, was the relative baby of the bunch, a mere Victorian child by comparison to the rest, the 19th century The Vine Inn (website), and the second Shepherd Neame pub of the day. Bright and airy, blah dee blah, serving food, but I don't believe accommodation is available here, so I'm guessing that staff live upstairs because it is quite large, as you can see from the photograph. If they live here or not, the staff were exceedingly enthusiastic and friendly, all keen to serve, none more so than the bubbly Jazz, who served up my pint after offering a taster, which, well, I'll tell you about that in my ale analysis below. 

Ales? All from Shepherd Neame again, as expected, Master Brew, Whitstable Bay and the Goldings I had already tried at the William Caxton, so, please see above, but also a gem from the brewery's 'pilot brewery', where I've reported in the past that the 2 sisters from the Hastings Arms have brewed before. Drum roll... one from the No 18 Yard Brewhouse (more ales to add to the 20+ Sheps ales already alluded to!), The Classic 442 or 4-4-2, named after the football formation, thus seasonal regarding the World Cup. As soon as I sampled this beer I felt a rush of hops up my nose, it was hard to explain, but also I thought wheat and barley, but I was wrong about that, as I found out following a bit more research, back to the website!

The effect I got of a wheat ale must have come from the hops, because wheat or lager malt was not used in the grist, so maybe from one of the 3 German hops, Halletau Hersbrucker, Herkules, or Halletau Mittelfruh, or perhaps from the Czech hops used, Saaz? Or maybe, even one of the SIX hops used from Kent made an impact?!? Yes, 10 hops in all were used for this impact ale, the Kent grown hops being Goldings, Fuggles, Admiral, First Gold, Challenger, and Cascade; so the Yanks getting their foot in the door too! Whatever, if you see this ale, have a try, and feel free to pass on your opinion. Cheers to Jazz for her professional and friendly manner, for offering a taster, and for putting up with this blogger... 

Cheers to you all!    

Mickleham and Leatherhead, Surrey (Thursday 16th May 2013)

The Routemeister and I had decided to walk from Box Hill & Westhumble station, via Box Hill (a fair old climb!) to Mickleham and Leatherhead, quite early on passing Denbies Wine Estate (site), which we shall visit on another trip to include Dorking.

We then pushed on to Mickleham, first visiting St Michael's church, which originally dates back to Saxon times, but is now built up from Norman times with added bits here and there, and always some addition from the Victorians, of course!  Opposite the church is The Running Horses pub, Old London Road, whose website is currently being worked on, but for future reference is at www.therunninghorses.co.uk 

The food here looked pretty good, but not cheap, and Ringwood ales were served up, so not too bad for us; we would have a part of our packed lunch after we'd left the pub, back in the churchyard.  There were also Fullers London Pride (4.1%), well documented, and Brakspear Bitter (3.4%), but we wanted something a bit stronger. From Ringwood were their Best Bitter (3.8%), and the 4.2% "blonde ale" Boondoggle, which we definitely each enjoyed a pint of; a pale full-bodied bitter.

We then walked cross country, passing another vineyard, which appeared to be allowed to fall fallow, to Leatherhead. As soon as we entered town there was another 'Running Horse', this time a Shepherd Neame pub, and the Penny Black in North Street, an old Post Office, built in 1895, and now a Youngs pub (site), which we did visit.  In addition to the Youngs ales were Portobello Star, which I have mentioned in the recent past, and their own Waggle Dance, Ordinary (Best) and the 4.5% Special, which was a very nice pint indeed, and friendly bar staff too.

 

Looking forward to returning to this part of Surrey, but for now, cheers!

Saturday 10th November - Fires and pubs, Pett, East Sussex

The Routemeister had visited me for the weekend, so Saturday meant a fairly long walk, this time across the top of the cliffs and Hastings Wildlife Park, a fairly arduous trek to Pett Level, where we hoped to drink at the Smugglers, which we had sat outside looking at the beach virtually a year ago to the day. Sadly, it's temporarily closed, but soon to re-open, I have been reliably informed by one of those taking over the pub, when I spoke to her this Tuesday, there being just a few technical problems, so, fingers crossed!

Addendum and update, even, The Smugglers deal has fallen through, it is now rumoured to not be re-opening before Easter at the earliest! 

Anyway, we headed uphill, through fields (along a right of way) to Pett Village, only a mile or so away. Our first port of call there was the Royak Oak, which has 3 or 4 ales on at a time, today was Hopback Summer Lightning, Morlands Golden Hen and Harveys Sussex Best; a little disappointed that we just missed Triple fff Brewery's Jabberwocky coming on, which was soon to replace the Summer Lightning.  All these ales are either well known and/or already reported on by me, so I'll get onto the fires...

We sat right in front of the smaller fire, note our Beermeister caps drying out and warming up in the photograph above, we had been walking through rain for about 3 hours by now!

The larger fireplace is pictured above, though we'd have been hogging a table nearer to people eating if we'd sat there, so we relaxed in front of the previous fire, well away from people, though two older women did come and sit to the left of that fire; we're obviously not intimidating people.

We then walked along the main road to the Two Sawyers, a favourite of my brother's I believe, and one of mine too.  Here was Ringwood Fortyniner and Harveys Sussex Best, both well reported ales, and Harveys Trundle Bitter (3.5%) and Isfield IPA, a 4.2% pale bitter, with a biscuity flavour and dry aftertaste; from this you can guess this is what we drank there, and I've been reasonably impressed by the ales from this new brewery so far. 

Of course, it being a cold and wet day, a fire was lit at the Two Sawyers too.  Cheers!

23rd October - W6 and W4

So, to The Raven (apparently, currently building their website) at the Stamford Brook end of Goldhawk Road, following Blake's advice, and it is right by the tube station, though I walked there.  This has a newish, to this public house, landlord, and friendly staff; on Tuesday I met the highly efficient, and, considering she's only recently started working here, very knowledgeable, Ann behind the bar.  They have 4 regularly changing real ales served from handpumps; Tuesday was a good selection, Batemans Original Victory Ale (5.9%), Sambrooks Junction (4.5%), Marstons Pedigree (4.5%), and I had the Ringwood Best Bitter (3.9%), not sure I've ever drunk it before, but a pleasant session ale, cheers Blake... and cheers Ann!

Not far up the road is the Duchess of Cambridge, on the small roundabout where the road bears right towards the Bush, a pub I've already talked about on here.  For more information, look at their website. Up to 15 real ales, continental beers, a plethora of ciders, including spiced cider and mulled wine, and food, something for everyone! Below was the selection of ales available for me on Tuesday, served by one of the guvners, Simon, apart from his concerns over missing an important key, great company too. 

I can't keep on going on about everything they serve up at the Duchess, look at their site, or better still, visit the pub! Anyhow, I tried Windsor & Eton Guardsman, a 4.2% medium to dark bitter, Hepworth Pullman, again 4.2%, and very bitter, and By The Horns Hopslinger, a powerful 5.7% 'American Pale Ale'. I have to say that I was particularly taken by one of their barsnacks, 'Beef Dripping on Toast', memories, though I can't promise I'll have some on my next visit, but I may! Also, these 2 pubs, and even the next one, could easily be incorporated into a pub crawl to Shepherds Bush or Loftus Road, just a thought... 

My final West London pub for this weeks visit was The Tabard, near to Turnham Green tube station, I'd noticed this pub when I was searching for The Lamb a few weeks ago, interesting building, but I also saw it listed in the most recent CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2013, so I had to make a visit.  This is a Taylor Walker house (see website) with a theatre upstairs! The theatre's site.  Anyway, 8 changing ales and 2 ciders are served from handpumps, including Wychwood Hobgoblin (4.5%), O'Hanlon's Port Stout (4.8%), WJ King Red River (4.8%), Red Squirrel Mr Squirrel (4.3%), and I had to drink the Titanic Iceberg (4.1%), I'd forgotten how good it is, and it reminds me of Stoke and, specifically, Port Vale and the Bull's Head in Burslem, another crackin' pub! 

 

Anyway, The Tabard, memories of The Canterbury Tales, and, because a lovely Irish lass from Belfast came in as a customer with work colleagues, I presume, memories of an old friend I haven't seen for years... oh! Just memories, cheers all!

Part II - Chesterfield (the town)

After lunch at Mama's & Leonies with Debra (more soon) and dinner at Phil's and Amanda's, Phil and I met Will at the Rutland Arms in Chesterfield... 

As he prefers darker ales, Will was a bit put out by the lack of beer to his taste at the Rutland, though hard to see why, he tried a half of The Brew Company's Crystallised (5.5%) but said it was too much to my taste for him... I tried the Idle Brewery's Idle Tongue (4.3%), a pale and bitter ale, as did Phil. They also had Doom Bar, Abbot Ale, and The Tap House Dark & Dangerous (5%).   

From the Rutland we chased behind Will to the Gardeners, where we watched the football, well, the second half of it. Tried the Ringwood Boondoggle (4.2%), their only real ale on, though they can have two ales, and another ale was coming on the other pump very soon. The Boondoggle is a very easy to drink pale ale, not too bitter, and the lad behind the bar, a great bloke, and I had a bit of a chat about ales, food and blogging, he also gave us a free drink each, I think he was just glad to have people in his bar that appreciate and like to drink real ale... 

Our final stop with Will was Joplins, where Will complained about the loud music on the speaker, well, apart from us three, the only other person present was the barman (a couple were leaving as we entered, not sure of the loud music drove them out or not). Hook Norton Hooky and Old Hooky were on sale, together with Hopback 25th Celebration Ale (4.6% and 35 years behind the times ;-), a pale dry bitter.

Will went home from here (to catch the train back to Sheffield), as I was staying with Phil and Amanda in Chesterfield we headed for the bus stop on leaving Joplins, but had enough time for another pint at the Rutland, where we had the Crystallised, and it was the best ale of the evening!  In my humble opinion... 

Cheers!