|
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
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.
Duke of Wellington, Faringdon, reopens ...
We are delighted to hear that the
Duke of Wellington, Faringdon, has reopened
after a month or so of inactivity. A cask of Adnams Bitter was
apparently finished within hours by thirsty locals!
... as does the King and Queen, Longcot ...
Good news too in Longcot where the
King and Queen, has reopened
after five months of uncertainty. Village locals celebrated at the
reopening party on August 15th. The pub currently stocks Wadworth 6X and
Wells Bombardier. Home-cooked food is also back on the agenda, as is
en-suite B&B for those who may have over-indulged! More details from
their website.
... and the Bystander, Wootton
The Bystander at Wootton has now emerged from its welcome refurbishment
and appeared to be busy when we passed yesterday. The pub is
part of the Hungry Horse chain.
Bank-holiday beer festival at the Fox and Hounds ... The Fox and Hounds, Uffington, is holding its first beer festival over the August bank-holiday weekend (22nd-25th). This coincides with the popular White Horse Show on the outskirts of the village. Beer will be available by the third pint if required along with more usual measures; offerings from Banks's, Butts, Jennings, Mansfield, Marston, Ringwood, West Berks and Wychwood as well as cider are promised. There will be live music on Saturday/Monday and a hog roast on Sunday; children and dogs are most welcome! ... and the Plough
The
Plough, West Hanney,
is holding the second of its pair of annual beer festivals
from the 22nd-25th August - this one is celebrating beers and ciders
from the West Country. Beers include a brace each from
Butcombe, Cheddar, Sharps and Skinners, and offerings from
Cotleigh, Hopback, RCH, Red Rock, St. Austell, Wickwar and Yeovil.
Food all weekend, live music Saturday
night and Monday afternoon, and all-weather awnings if it is wet!
Royal Oak is Branch Pub of the Year 2008
Bank-holiday beer festivals at the Waggon and Horses ... The Waggon and Horses, Southmoor, is holding its annual beer festival from the 23rd-26th May. Live bands, pig roasts and barbeques throughout the weekend, and children and dogs are most welcome! ... and the Plough
The
Plough, West Hanney,
is also holding one of its pair of annual beer festivals
from the 23rd-26th May - this one is celebrating beers and ciders
from Oxfordshire. Karaoke, live music, and hog roasts throughout
the weekend, and a bouncy castle and face painting for the
your at heart on Monday. And all-weather awnings if it is wet!
Beer Festival at the Prince of Wales in early May ...
Early-May bank-holiday weekend sees the annual beer festival - or
"POW-FEST" as they have it - at the
Prince of Wales, Shrivenham.
Festivities run from Friday (2nd May) until Monday (5th) evening. Live music,
BBQ on Monday lunchtime, and 10 cask beers. Best of all, card-carrying CAMRA
members get a free half pint ... and there is a "guess-the-mystery-beer"
competition. Simply too tempting!
Best Mates Brewery
The Branch area has a new brewery. Best Mates Brewery has started
production at Sheep House Farm, Ardington near Wantage.
As soon as we have tasted their wares, we will have more news.
But reports suggest that their beer is already on sale in the Tea Rooms
and Boar's Head
in Ardington and at the King Alfred's Head and Swan in Wantage,
and bottles of Vicar's Daughter (3.7%) and Alfie's (4.4%)
may be found at Londis in Grove (see below).
Beer Festival at the Cherry Tree in April ...
The
Cherry Tree, Steventon,
is holding its annual beer festival
from the 25th-28th April. Beers are being chosen by popular demand, and
on past experience, this is a good night (or lunchtime) out.
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. Bystander, Wootton
The Bystander at Wootton, until recently part of the Hungry Horse chain,
is currently boarded up. Let's hope this is simply a refit, or even that
it has been acquired by Crouch Vale ...
Branch Relaunch After a number of months of inactivity, the former Vale of the White Horse Branch of CAMRA has been reborn as, simply, the White Horse Branch. The Branch has an all-new committee, a new vibrancy, but the same old thirst. Please bear with us while we get to grips with how things work, and get out to meet our publicans and brewers. In the mean time, we would love to see you all at our monthly meetings - check the diary for more details. We would like to thank all the members from the previous committee for their many years of service. |
Copyright (C) 2000-2009, CAMRA LtdCampaign for Real Ale White Horse Branch |
Last updated: January 5th 2009 Comments to: webmaster@whitehorsecamra.org.uk URL: http://www.whitehorsecamra.org.uk/news.htm |