tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41082642427383792372008-09-29T20:40:38.454+01:00haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-26924157561606963322008-09-17T07:43:00.020+01:002008-09-25T00:11:32.281+01:00

Jonas Kandefelt is adamant that high quality beer is not enough. "You've got to have a story to tell,", explained the MD of Swedish microbrewer, Nils Oscar. So, with a dazzling array of their beers and a little help from IKEA, I donned my trusty apron and set about creating a Swedish beer and food evening. Stories will indeed be told. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin.... Those fine

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-82801744926371586502008-09-15T20:37:00.018+01:002008-09-17T01:26:35.536+01:00

Wake up. Catch train. Go to beer festival. Drink beer. Drink cider. Eat pork pie. Catch train. Drink beer in Brunswick. Go to bed. To be honest, I'm getting bored of writing up fest trips. Would a visit to Tamworth be any different? Would there be something more imbibable than average British bitters? Would these gentlemen make it back to the rest home before curfew? Read on, dear toper. To be

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-88065884712947000212008-09-02T07:16:00.043+01:002008-09-20T22:46:50.475+01:00

It's hard to resist a good pub festival, particularly when it's at one of my favourite pubs on my regular Thursday night ramble. With a host of unusual beers on offer, the question was not how reluctantly I'd be scooping at the Smithfield in Derby but where to start?. Regular readers known that I'm keen on keeping my figure in shape... and round is a good shape. I'm not one of these uber-thin

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-68251228462532777912008-08-27T21:25:00.021+01:002008-08-27T23:44:59.446+01:00

"It was the best of beers, it was the worst of beers... we had Westys before us, we had Carling before us; we were all going directly to craft beer heaven, we were all going the other way to macro swill hell". The Westys can stay in the cellar a little longer. Just how bad can discount beer be? Armed with a sackful of pennies and a forgiving palate, I set about having a Crap Beer Night. It

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-77334304874618825982008-08-27T07:08:00.009+01:002008-08-27T07:48:24.137+01:00

What's the most attractive sight at a country show? Onions the size of a child's head? Horse riders in skin-tight trousers wielding whips? Or the beer tent? When it's a well-run CAMRA bar offering thirty handpumped beers, I'm more smitten by the thought of Jaipur rather than jodhpurs. The Moorgreen show is an annual event held over the late August bank holiday. It's only a short walk across

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-62574417846277497162008-08-25T20:43:00.051+01:002008-08-26T22:10:41.469+01:00

Peterborough - *the* place in the Midlands for arson action, swathes of eastern European swede slashers itching for a return ticket home (where gas fitting has become more lucrative) and a stupendous amount of beer in a feck-off marquee during the middle of August. But is it quality beer? Are these two feckless raters just putting it on for the camera or did they buy Greede Kerching by mistake?

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-56130045942699141522008-08-20T21:59:00.006+01:002008-08-20T23:14:57.249+01:00

Of all the brewers I'd like to meet and share a beer with, Thornbridge are top of the list. When I saw that they would be hosting a 'Meet the Brewer' event at the Waggon & Horses in nearby Alfreton, I persuaded my wife that we really ought to go out for a meal that night, perhaps at a pub where we haven't ate before, just for a change... The pub itself is a Spoons, one I'd been in a few years

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-41040064300231532442008-08-16T19:22:00.030+01:002008-08-19T20:36:48.245+01:00

With last year's festival lost to the floods, it was a welcome return to Worcester for me. The combination of fine beers, superb bottled ciders and a spot in the shade of the huge marquee makes it one of my few 'must-attend' CAMRA festivals of 2008. Another attraction of this fest is that it's a relatively easy trip down on the train, with a mercifully short change at the gloomy Birmingham

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-16512305633761509872008-08-13T21:27:00.017+01:002008-08-13T22:07:41.371+01:00

And here's the first in a new series. I like having the odd bottle or three knocking around the house, so I thought it would be fun to share it out (in a virtual sense). First up, from a recent trip to Norfolk, is Grain Harvest Moon, described by the brewer as 'a strong and hoppy golden pale ale". I picked up this bottle from The Real Ale Shop on Branthill Farm, Wells, where they grow the barley

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-75007522846969325952008-07-27T11:39:00.019+01:002008-08-13T14:39:57.528+01:00

This was a poignant ramble - a trip to Burton to include a visit to the Bass Museum before it was closed down at the end of June 2008. The history of Burton-upon-Trent is the history of English brewing. Sine the late 1800's, when brewers cottoned onto the fact that the local water was particularly condusive to brewing, Burton has been riven with the industry. The canals and railways provided the

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-53264455070843897952008-06-28T08:11:00.014+01:002008-08-13T19:35:42.070+01:00

With a sunny Saturday all to myself, thoughts turned to beer hunting in places old and new. I was going to buy myself a Derbyshire Wayfarer train and bus ticket to get some Peak District pubs as well as a visit to Sheffield's finest but then had a bolder idea - rather than just two counties, could I manage a beer tour of half a dozen of them in a day? I reckoned that with an early start,

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-47667042767181050212008-05-28T07:59:00.010+01:002008-08-13T19:36:15.639+01:00

I've been cutting back on the CAMRA festivals I attend in recent years; too many bland halls selling featureless bitters. But some make a supreme effort and Newark is a prime example. Under the watchful cellarmanship of Steve Westby, the branch put together an enviable range of LocAle and unusual / debut casks inside a splendid tent or three. In the shadow of the ruined castle with the Trent

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-2990838123162223602008-05-28T07:44:00.017+01:002008-08-13T19:36:46.808+01:00

I've been on the lookout this year for fests I've not frequented before and this one looked interesting - a beer festival inside a working engine shed. The Barrow Hill roundhouse is home to a collection of restored steam and diesel locos and runs an annual beer festival with train trips included. Sounded like a fest of fun indeed! First stop, The Babington Arms in Derby. Yes, I know I was

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-37988793203653961152008-05-28T07:31:00.029+01:002008-08-13T19:38:35.774+01:00

It's hard to ignore a beer festival when it's got a reputation for good local beers and it's only a short bus ride away. So, Rebecca and I ventured over to Ilkeston for their CAMRA festival on a warm Saturday in May. This fest used to be held in the Friesland sports call in nearby Sandiacre but was moved to Ilson last year due to low attendances. The new venue is much better served by buses

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-88112158773225920942008-05-28T07:19:00.021+01:002008-09-20T22:50:04.550+01:00

It's a hard knock life, this reluctant scooping. Forsaking the scoopfest that is Reading beer festival was an easy decison; as fun as it is, the lure of a decent pub fest just a few fields away from home was enough for me. And not just any old pub - the Royal Oak at Ockbrook is a gem of a place, a proper pub and one that will certainly feature in my Pubs To Love column at some stage soon. This

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-820568451357179962008-05-19T20:10:00.006+01:002008-08-13T19:40:29.168+01:00

You can't beat a short train trip out to a renowned real ale pub for a festival. The Victoria at Beeston is only twenty minutes or so from Derby, so that leaves plenty of time beforehand for essential shopping. A Walter Smith pork pie, cut four ways; a newspaper to write beer notes on. And beer, of course. A lovely morning, so I took a short walk from Derby marketplace to the station via the

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-29358098344344690112008-05-02T10:45:00.013+01:002008-08-21T07:16:25.984+01:00

Now, I wouldn't usually bother with the likes of a CAMRA festival in Coventry. But this trip had several factors in its favour; a direct train service from Derby, an interesting venue (Coventry rugby club) and the chance to meet up with some of the England Ratebeer.com crew. It was a gorgeous blue sky morning, so with an early arrival into Cov I set up off to the cathedral for a spot of

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-46915445553032217572008-05-02T10:43:00.021+01:002008-08-13T19:42:25.597+01:00

A rare treat for me - my wife gets to tag along to a festival! Rebecca likes her cider and perry, so as we both had a few days off work we decided to heads over to Burton upon Trent for their first Spring fest. An early start on the X38 express from Derby gave us a chance to pop into a Wetherspoons and try one of their festival beers first. Bec eschewed the cider this early on and plumped for

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-69558465239804685872008-03-22T18:16:00.025Z2008-08-21T07:15:33.671+01:00

A straightforward challenge for this rambling: drink a beer from each brewery based in the Nottingham city boundary at a pub close to that brewery. I'd been saving this for the summer, but with a trip to Nottingham needed - to buy my nearest and dearest an Easter egg from Hotel Chocolat - I threw caution to the wind and set off on my quest. By my reckoning, I needed to score beers from

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-26824214945427016012008-03-13T07:03:00.018Z2008-08-21T07:14:39.374+01:00

Time for my first 'major' festival of the year, one where I'm more than happy to put in several appearances. Leicester festival has a reputation for fresh local brews and beers from new breweries nationwide. It's held in the Charotar Patidar Samaj, a sizeable venue close to the bus station and a shortish wobble from the trains. One of the reasons why I love it is the straightforward setup here

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-33770644236767765852008-03-10T17:30:00.022Z2008-08-13T19:44:26.549+01:00

So, I say... Oxford. And you think of.... dreaming spires, Inspector Morse, Tolkien, ruddy tourists and the blue hue cast by the gown around town. But did you think of beer? Probably not (and this is a beer blog! Sheesh! You just can't get the readers nowadays). To be honest, it wasn't my first choice for a Midlands pub crawl. Truth be told, it wasn't even in my top tweleve choices of rambles

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-34248596494402877192008-02-21T21:05:00.007Z2008-08-21T07:09:59.334+01:00

One of my regular rambles is around my home city of Derby on a Sunday afternoon. usually on a wet, cold, miserably grey day when my 'reluctant rambling' results in nothing more than a potter around the local pubs. Well, it beats lunch with my wife, her godmother, her mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law talking about recent bereavements and strangers with wonky wombs. Actually, the session

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-12116117444048502982008-02-04T17:32:00.003Z2008-08-13T15:54:13.039+01:00

(Only six months late with this one. Must Try harder. And Drink Less....) My old job afforded me the unrestrained joy of infrequent trips to Stoke-On-Trent. Usually, having fixed yet another banal IT problem and scoffed a couple of almond croissants, I tend to make like a shepherd and get the flock out of there. But there seemed to be enough pubs around the five towns to lash together a crawl

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-80540462691603948172008-01-24T17:44:00.001Z2008-08-13T15:55:35.935+01:00

Something a bit different; a birthday trip to Ludlow with my Dad and my sister to their annual medieval fair. The drive westward seemed to take us to places that existed soley to keep GPS manufacturers in fat profit. Having finally made it into Shropshire, then Herefordshire, then Shropshire again, we saw many signs for Ludlow. All of which pointed perpendicular to those for the fair's park and

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4108264242738379237.post-64993060913063667412008-01-07T17:31:00.004Z2008-08-13T15:58:48.236+01:00

Now then, there have been fests of fun since the last Derby one. Tamworth always has superb beers in terms of both beer quality and new brewer representation. And the town has a superb proper sweetshop (sweets sold by the quarter, liquorice - possibly - sold by the foot). Melton Mowbray had the killer combination of dependable beers, proper pork pies, farmers market cheeses and an amazing real

haddonsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387325466589229898noreply@blogger.com