CAMRA's National Club Champion, the Albatross Club!

So, I walked along the seafront to Bexhill-on-Sea from Hastings, a nice little 10 mile 'round trip', plus or minus, depending on which part of Hastings you start and finish at, because I hadn't been here for a while, and they have come first in the country, out of over 28,000 entries!

I am a branch associate member of the Royal Air Forces Association, Albatross Club, although CAMRA members are also allowed to enter. Non-members of the RAFA are asked to make a £1 contribution to the club, which, considering their ales cost just £3.10 a pint, is fair enough.

They have a regularly changing 4 ales served from handpumps at any one time, with a board at the back of the bar showing what else is to come on soon! This visit, their 4 ales included Sussex brewers, Rother Valley (website) Well Sprung (4.3%), which I didn't try this time, but my first drink was from Somerset brewers The Wild Beer Co (website) Bibble (4.2%), an unfined, so slightly hazy, pale dry bitter, pale gold, with a very fruity aroma, the result of the Mosaic and Amarillo hops used in the brew, no doubt, very nice too!

The third ale, which I didn't try either, was again local, from Sussex brewers Downlands (website) Devils Dyke (5%), described as "salted caramel!" But I did enjoy the very good Derbyshire brewers Shiny Brewing (website) Affinity (4.6%), which I'm sure I've drunk before, less obviously fruity than the Bibble, but a citrus aroma all the same, with a hint of honey, a wee bit sweet at first but drying out bitterness, another nice one!

Taking a photograph of the award wasn't so easy, as you can see, with lights on, lights off, using flash, not using flash, anyway, you get the point; I probably need a better camera! Oh yes, and the Albatross Club also has 2 real ciders and some bottles of Belgian beers too, well worth a visit!

Again, congratulations to the Club and staff!

Congratulations to the Albatross Club (RAFA)

Congratulations to the Albatross Club (RAFA - Royal Air Force Association) in Bexhill for beating more than 28,000 other club entrants to become the National Club of the Year 2016, as chosen by CAMRA (website). 

That reminds me, I must pop in to collect my RAFA membership card!

Crackin' East Sussex Ales!

Crackin' pale bitter from the FILO Brewery (Hastings Old Town Brewery), PIRATE GOLD, drinking it as I write! What can I say, pale, dry, bitter, strong, probably more than 6% by now! We'll likely never see it again, as brewed by chance, AWESOME...

Another great and old faithful trusty ale, Dark Star American Pale Ale (4.7%, website), much written about by me before, pale, hoppy, consistently quality!  

Finally, for today, and I have many other crackin' ales, from outside Sussex, to report about very soon, but my brother and I had this 5.5% 'monster' of an ale at the Albatross Cub (RAFA) in Bexhill, recently, Franklins New Zealand Indian Pale Ale  (NZIPA, 5.5%, website), brewed with New Zealand Rakau hops. OK, as I wrote it down, "not too fruity, quite bitter, good body, dry, with a bitter finish - Nice one!"  

The NZIPA arrived, from the supplier, at the Dolphin, Rock-a-Nore, Hastings Old Town, today, so expect it on there within the next week or so... I shan't miss it!  

ALBATROSS! A return visit...

It's been a while since I've walked the 10 mile round trip along the seafront to the Albatross Club (RAFA) in Bexhill, but great to return! Following Geoff's departure, it is now run by Head Steward Karen, with Peter as her very able assistant.

4 real ales on still, and all at £3 a pint. 2 I drank on the day, and 2 I didn't, though 1 of those I have had a few times before, ie the very easy to drink pale session ale, Franklins English Garden (3.8%). The other was the 4.9% Weltons Red Cross Mild, close to St George's Day as it was...

The 2 I enjoyed on the day were the 4.5% Boadicea Ale from Rother Valley, a very good golden beer with a hint of caramel from the malt, and nice dry and bitter finish; I had more than 1 pint! Also very good was the dangerous 6% Pig & Porter Disgraceful Behaviour (not a portent on the day), smooth, rich, loadsa body, very very dark, with a dry coffee/nutty aroma and flavour, and a dry finish, nice one! 

They also sell a good range of ciders in bottles and 'real' from boxes too, cheers!