The Campaign for Real Ale - White Horse

CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE
	White Horse Branch
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White Horse Branch Beer Festival in November

We are delighted to announce that the Branch will be organising a beer festival in Wantage on Friday and Saturday, the 21st and 22nd of November. This is not the first Wantage beer festival - readers with long memories may recall a charity event in the early 1980s - nor the first CAMRA event - the as-was-then Vale-of-White-Horse-Sub-Branch organised one in East Challow in the early 90s. But it is certainly the first in a long time. We are intending to provide 24 cask ales, local and from far away, light and dark, strong and meek, as well as ciders and perry. The Festival will take place in the Masonic Hall. More details on the festival web page.
(Item from July 30th 2008)

Royal Oak is Central Southern Pub of the Year 2008

Oxfordshire POTY 2008 The Royal Oak in Wantage has added the 2008 CAMRA Central Southern Pub of the Year award to the Oxfordshire and White Horse CAMRA accolades it won earlier in the year. The Royal Oak now goes forward with fifteen other regional winners for the National Pub of the Year competition. The award will be presented on Wednesday 22nd October at 8PM; all welcome. Pictured here at the presentation in mid July of the Oxfordshire pub-of-the-year award is Landlord Paul Hexter displaying his latest award, accompanied by White Horse CAMRA Chairman Neil Crook, Southern Region Regional Director Jackie Parker, and Mayor of Wantage, Patrick O'Leary. A good time was had by all!
(Item updated October 19th 2008)

Pitstop Brewery

The Branch area has yet another new brewery. Pitstop Brewery has just started production behind the Bellinger's Garage in Grove. The initial beer, the heavily-hopped 5% Pole Position (née Starter's Orders), made its first public appearance, to universal acclaim, at the Royal Oak. The follow up, the 6% Sump, is now in cask and will be on sale at our beer festival; a strong American-style IPA and a 5% mild are next in the works. The brewery is the brain child of Peter Fowler of Londis fame (see below) and Mike Bellinger. We wish them well, and look forward to sampling more of their beers in local hostelries.
(Item updated November 8th 2008)

White Horse Brewery Tap

White Horse Brewery has just obtained its first pub, the Royal Blenheim, 13 St Ebbes Street in Oxford. White Horse beers and guests will be on sale. The pub apparently reopens on Friday 24th of October. We wish White Horse Brewery well, and will visit as soon as we can.
(Item from October 22nd 2008)

Further Pub closures

We can confirm that the Blowing Stone, Kingston Lisle, Lamb, West Hanney, Royal Oak, Watchfield, Snooty Fox, Littleworth, and Thatched Tavern, Appleton, are all currently closed; The Leather Bottle at Challow Station remains closed and building work is being undertaken. The Hind's Head, Kingston Bagpuize, is apparently up for sale. If you have further details, please let us know.
(Item updated November 18th 2008)

Eight Bells, Eaton

The Eight Bells at Eaton has just been sold at auction. There is a poignant sign outside reading "If you care about losing this pub, don't be apathetic. Make your feelings known...". We sincerely hope that the new owners plan to continue running this pretty former Greene King pub as a going concern.
(Item from March 2008)

An Aladdin's Cave in Grove

Next time you fill up your car with petrol at the Jet (ex-Texaco) filling station in Station Road, Grove, make sure you pop into the attached Londis stores. Beer-mad manager Peter Fowler has started stocking bottle-conditioned ales from around the UK. Currently there are almost 400 tasty brews to choose from. Peter offers a discount on beer for card-carrying CAMRA members, so all the more reason to join.
(Item from March 2008)

Old News

Last updated: November 18th 2008
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