Local Branch member Claire Hodkinson describes our trip:

Wantage 08:00hrs, Saturday 19th September 2009.

It's 8am, on a crisp autumnal morning in September. Roll call duly taken by our Social Secretary Peter Fowler, who has organised the days events, our journey begins as the sun is rising and showing promise that it will later bring about that heady warm mellowness, unique to the British Countryside in the afternoon at this time of year. We are driving north through the country lanes of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, headed towards the open fields of Herefordshire, and the hop harvest being gathered at Pridewood Farm.

Though the work is almost over for this year's harvest, and many of the poles and wires which stretch out across the fields are no longer festooned with their deep green foliage, the air remains heavily scented, with the fresh, green spicy aroma of hops. Like exotic fruit, their perfume leads us along lanes cast with debris fallen from the laden trailers, and battered tractors, which jolt and bounce the harvest from field to farm, and processing.

Ahead of us a large open barn houses the hungry leviathan. This roaring "Heath Robinson" machine demands constant feeding, and a group of tanned and overall clad young men and women form an efficient chain of supply to the giant green monster. A revolving track draws the bines, via various cogs and belts, through flails and rollers, and as it chews and clatters away, bands turning, wheels whirring, the bines and hops become reduced, stage by stage, from their coiled and winding ropes to the feather-light petals that are then dried, before packaging, under the watchful eye of "Monty" the Jack Russell, who appears to perform the final Quality Control in the warm drying and packing barn.

We bid goodbye to Monty and left the hard work to those younger and fitter than ourselves, and made our way onwards to Stoke Lacy, and the Wye Valley Brewery, where we were marvellously hosted by Managing Director, Vernon Amor.

Vernon is bright eyed and articulate, and positively fizzes with enthusiasm when he talks about brewing, beer and the Wye Valley Brewery. He is proud of the heritage, and justifiably I think, proud of the beers produced at Wye Valley, who are now one of Britain's leading Independent Breweries. Vernon's father, Peter, who is the company Chairman, and Chairman of SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers), established Wye Valley Brewery in the mid-1980's. First at Canon Pyon, some 7 miles north of Hereford, before moving in 1986 to the old stable block at the rear of the pub now known as "The Barrels" in Hereford city centre. The brewery has now relocated once more, and sits atop a hill in the pretty Herefordshire countryside, at Stoke Lacy, and has a production of 80BBL/week.

After the most informative and interesting walk and talk around a brewery I have ever had, including some entertaining stories, a little Amor family history, as well as some interesting background on who "Dorothy Goodbody" really is/was, we settled back into to the comfortable bar, to enjoy the several excellent beers on offer. These were; Wye Valley Bitter, Butty Bach, HPA and (bottled) Dorothy Goodbody Wholesome Stout. Later, at The Barrels, we were also able to sample Dorothy Goodbody Golden Ale and St Michaels Silver, WVB's beer of the month, brewed to support of the 25th anniversary of local hospice, St Michaels.

WYE VALLEY BITTER: ABV 3.7% English Target and Goldings hops.

HEREFORD PALE ALE: ABV 4.0% English Target and Styrian Goldings hops

BUTTY BACH: ABV 4.5% Goldings, Fuggles hops

DORORTHY GOODBODY GOLDEN ALE: ABV 4.2% locally grown Fuggles and East Kent Goldings hops

DOROTHY GOODBODY WHOLSESOME STOUT: ABV 4.6% Northdown hops

Pridewood Hop Farm (HR8 2SF.) is near Ledbury situated on the A417, six miles north west of Ledbury.

Wye Valley Brewery (HR7 4HG) is near Bromyard, on the A465, situated in the village of Stoke Lacy.