Meet the... Publican: Alex Marchant

 (Produced for Ales & Tales)

• Name, age, occupation?

Alex Marchant, 26, General Manager – The Beacon Hotel.

• What was your first drink?

I remember my Dad letting me drink the foam of his beer when I was a kid, I couldn't understand how anyone could stand such a foul taste. He said I'd acquire it eventually. He was right. My first pint was Enville Gothic, I was quite underage.

• What are your hobbies and interests?

Other than real ale? Craft beer. I often joke that beer and pubs are my only hobby but it's fairly accurate. I used to be rather pretentious when I was younger and say that I liked fine art, film, new wave fashion and avant-garde hip hop. Now I just like beer and pubs.

• What is your favourite beer?

Hops. I really like bold flavours in beer, über strong hops or really deep malts. I admire brewers who are willing to take a chance and push boundaries with styles, strengths and flavours, even with aspects of the brewing process (Brew Dogs' Sunk Punk for example), I've been drinking a load of craft beers recently, Mikeller's 1000 IBU and Soba Ale; a collaborative beer between Rogue Brewery and Masaharu Morimoto have really stood out. British cask wise I believe that Kinver, Hardknott, Marble and Pictish can do no wrong. I've still got a place in my heart for Black Country bitters even though my tastes may have moved on, I still love Pardoe's Bumblehole. And there's no way I can answer a question about favourite beer without mentioning the Ruby. It's a staple in my diet.

• What is your favourite

-Food?

The restaurant in the Bulls Head, a Holden's pub down the road from the Beacon is my current favourite, really excellent traditional Thai food. I'd eat there every day if possible but it's not open on Sundays.

-Drink that's not Real Ale?

Tea. I drink bucket loads of it.

-Music?

All kinds of crazy stuff.

• How did you get started in the trade?

I started as bar staff at the pub when I was 18, it was a couple of weekends before our first and only beer festival. It was an amazing place to work. I stayed on at the pub while I was studying illustration at Wolverhampton University. About 4 or so years ago, when I was in my second year, I became an assistant manager and became really involved in the pub and the trade in general, then last June I took over as general manager.

• What's the history of your pub?

It was taken over by Sarah Hughes where she began brewing the Dark Ruby in the 20s, after many years of closure the pub still remained in the family. John Hughes, Sarah's grandson, restored the pub back to it's previous Victorian style and décor and in the 80s, after finding the recipe in a cigar tin, started brewing the Ruby again.

• What are your aspirations for the business?

To be the best in the country at least once.

• What's the best and worst thing to happen in the industry in the last 5 years?

-Best

The influx of micro breweries; it's a sign that the demand for real ale is growing, it's an exciting time for our trade and the variety of different beer is as vast as it's ever been. This pleases me greatly.

-Worst

Massive duty increases, ever rising fuel and energy prices, and the stranglehold of pubco's and national breweries.

• How do you feel CAMRA could help you in your business?

CAMRA have done an awful lot for us already, our customers are converted. We're now in a lucky position where with the help of CAMRA, customers and previous management and staff we have a good reputation built up. We now face the hard work of trying to maintain it.

• Which is your favourite pub? (Can be anywhere in the country as long as you don't own it)

I love loads. The Three Kings at Hanley Castle, the Euston Tap, the Craft Brewing Co. and the Greenwich Union in London, the Wagon and Horses in Halesowen, Three Fishes in Shrewsbury, The Baltic Fleet in Liverpool. Basically, all the pubs I can remember ever going in.

Meet the... Publican: Emily Sadler

(Produced for Ales & Tales) 

Name: Emily Sadler 

Age: 26 

Occupation: Manager of The Windsor Castle Inn

• What was your first drink?

Well the first drink worth talking about that I tried was Sadler’s Jack’s Pale Ale of course! The first batch my dad and brother brewed together in 2004. It was such an exciting experience to taste this real ale that was historically brewed 104 years previous by my great grand father in Oldbury where the original Sadler’s brewery had opened. From that first taste of real ale I was hooked and in fact JPA, as the ale is now called, is still my favourite! Perhaps it is the combination of its citrus, refreshingly zesty flavours plus a little good old-fashioned sentiment that makes this beer so great.

• What are your hobbies and interests?

Outside of work I enjoy going out for nice meals with friends and family, hunting for fabulous real ale pubs! I like to get out into the countryside when I can – I recently went camping with my boyfriend Gareth in Wales, that was fantastic. We went up the Black Mountains, which was breathtaking on a sunny day, we could see for miles! We also found some excellent real ale & cider pubs in Leominster & Hay on Wye. I also enjoy chilling out after a busy day at The Windsor by reading, listening to music; I even enjoy doing a spot of cooking too! I love going to concerts/festivals when I can but it’s sometimes difficult to find the time. I’m off to Worcester beer festival this week and obviously next week we’ve got the Black Country Beer Festival that I’m really looking forward to – fingers crossed for sunshine this year! :)

• What is your favourite beer?

Ooh there is just so many to chose from… as I mentioned earlier JPA has got to be my all time favourite but also I am loving Sadler’s Hop Bomb at the moment so refreshing and packed full of flavour! It’s quite strong for me at 5% but I’m partial to a swift half after work.

• What is your favourite:

-Food?

Chinese, Dim Sum, Seafood, Sadler’s beer battered Fish & chips! Mmm!

-Drink that's not Real Ale?

My dad has just started making home made ginger beer (Grandpa Sadler’s Ginger Beer) that we’re selling at The Windsor Castle at the moment– it tastes sooo good! It's so gingery it knocks your socks off! It has a delicious spiced flavour to it; really refreshing too, it’s definitely worth a taste!

-Music?

I like all types, genres and eras of music – I do love the old classics! I like playing a mixture of folk, blues, jazz music at The Windsor – I love playing the new album by Hugh Laurie at the moment- he plays a mixture of piano and acoustic guitar covering a great mixture of blues classics, everyone really seems to enjoy it – it’s toe tappingly good!

• How did you get started in the trade?

I had always worked in pubs and restaurants part time and thoroughly enjoyed it so when we got permission to convert part of our premises in Lye into a Tap House beside the brewery I was thrilled! Once I had finished my degree in Birmingham I joined the family business, moved in to the pub and have ran The Windsor Castle ever since. I really enjoy working in the trade – it can be a lot of hard work at times but it's really rewarding especially when customers return time after time and enjoy and appreciate the great home made food, real ale and I’d like to think excellent service we provide. I love the buzz of a heavingly busy Saturday night!

• What's the history of your pub?

The Windsor Castle Inn, Lye is historically named after the Sadler’s Tap House in Oldbury, which my Great Grandfather owned and first opened in 1900 beside The Windsor Castle Brewery. Although brewing ended here in 1927, my Grandfather John Caleb Nathaniel (known as Jack) was bought up in the brew house and passed on his passion and knowledge of brewing. Once we had re-started the brewery in 2004 we decided to not only sell to the trade but also through our own off license on site so that people could come and buy a few pints of Sadler’s ale to take home with them or take to one of the local curry houses. The ball started to roll from here and our thoughts of opening a Tap House began to grow. So in April 2006, after a lot of hard work converting and reinventing what was Sadler Print, the premises was transformed and The Windsor Castle Inn, Sadler’s Tap House was opened. We have just celebrated our 5^th Birthday!

• What are your aspirations for the business?

We have just gained permission to convert the flat above The Windsor Castle into three letting rooms. Changing the Tap House into a B & B is really exciting – I want to develop the flat into three high-class bedrooms for our customers to stay and relax in in our lovely pub. Our “Brew a Beer Days” have taken off and we have a lot of people visiting us from all over the country it will be great to offer them a place to stay with a hearty Windsor Castle breakfast in the morning! I plan on opening the pub for breakfast to everyone not just our over night guests

I hope to continue our growth and popularity, continually improving our service and products. We aim to grow as a business and expand where possible; it would be fantastic to win awards, find a second pub and do it all over again!

• What's the best and worst thing to happen in the industry in the last 5 years?

-Best

The appreciation for real ale and real food! The popularity of real ale has increased dramatically over the past few years and we are all very much more aware of the importance of knowing where are food comes from, that it is locally sourced, that the quality is high, and that it is home made! This increased awareness and appreciation has contributed to our success and popularity.

-Worst

The increasingly high beer duty and VAT is the worst thing to happen to the industry. Prices are soaring making it difficult for customers and publicans alike & the number of pubs that have closed over the last 5 years!

• How do you feel CAMRA could help you in your business?

By providing your continued support, awarding our hard work and successes where possible, advertising our pub and brewery, advising other local CAMRA groups from around the Midlands and the Country to give us a try, supporting our beer festivals and events. Keep up the good work in raising awareness for the most fantastic drink that is real ale!

• Which is your favourite pub? (Can be anywhere in the country as long as you don't own it)

My favourite pub for location and quality of food is The Ferry Boat Inn, Helford. It is located in the most idyllic spot situated on the waterfront of Helford Passage near Falmouth in Cornwall. You can sit outside on a sunny day right on the sea front eating and drinking local produce. All their seafood comes from local fishermen and their oysters and shellfish come from the river the pub is situated on – Lovely! Obviously I can’t pop there any time I fancy so day to day I like all pubs that stock a great range of real ales, ciders and interesting local drinks and produce; pubs that make an effort to stand out, be a bit different and stock and look after real ale!

Does CAMRA need a new logo?

Does CAMRA need a new logo?

Produced for BEER Issue 13 Autumn 2011 (p55).

British Airways and The Post Office, what could possibly be the link between these two organisations? Well, the answer is they both belong to a vast legion of disastrous logo re-branding attempts.

In 1996 British Airways with their expensively repainted aircraft tail-fins “representing a more international identity” very quickly fell to public backlash and a media contrasting their costly makeover with the “cost-saving” redundancies also announced at the time. Result? The Union Jacked planes were back in the skies, their new logo crashed and burned.

Forwarding five years to 2001 The Post Office Group blundered their way into redesign. Gone was the iconic crown atop words of Royal Mail in gold and pillar box red, in came, well, that multi-coloured circle thingy and the name Consignia; billed (or should that be posted) as “modern, meaningful and entirely appropriate”. After a £1.1 billion loss the logo, like unnecessary junk mail, was quickly binned.

These two British stalwarts learned a costly lesson here. Re-branding does not inspire trust, passion, or national pride, so does CAMRA need a new logo? The examples above shouldn't be ignored. If the brand isn't broken you better have a good reason for a new one. CAMRA has been an outstanding consumer success story. It's frightening to imagine what the alternative might have been. A quick look at the national site shows a very healthy 125,000 members and elsewhere CAMRA is noted as being the largest single-issue consumer group in the UK. Not doing to badly for itself I'd argue.

We need to beware of too much praise however, this isn’t the time for a round of backslapping, such would dangerously distract from the continued threat to our love of all things real ale. Does CAMRA need to divert precious time and resources to a frivolous exercise such as a new logo? Or in fact should all attention be used to mount a counter-attack against the combined foes of successive Governments hell bent on plundering the industry with monstrous tax and duty rises and the insidious anti-alcohol “health” lobbies who lump all drinkers under the same hooded yobbish garment. I think we know the answer to that one, and it isn't playing about with a drawing.

Thousands of us swell the ranks of CAMRA to rightfully promote their beloved drink, to fight an increasingly difficult rear-guard action against pub closures and to leave a legacy to a younger generation of which I myself at the tender age of 26 am included. New logos can be a success when done tastefully and intuitively but we should be fighting for quality real ale, not doodling your heritage into submission.

Roberto Ross

Great British Beer Festival

My excitement is building substantially for this years CAMRA GBBF, otherwise known as the Great British Beer Festival. Held at Earls Court, London from the 2^nd to 6^th of August its become a regular feature on the calender for myself and my hardy drinking companions. Starting, predictably some might say, at the glorious Waggon and Horses, Halesowen for a breakfast bacon roll and an accompanying breakfast pint (a morning “brew” to set us up for the day) our coach takes us from the pub to the festival and back again, the usefulness of such a door to door arrangement should be plain to understand for anyone that plans to “indulge” at such an event.

The premier UK beer festival has a delightful array of beers and ciders from all over the country, as you would expect, but I take special interest however, in the “Bières Sans Frontières”. You see the same problems faced by new British breweries also apply to new foreign craft enterprises trying to squeeze into a market already subjugated by the ersatz producers. Luckily at the GBBF you can explore some really exciting brews you wouldn't usually get the opportunity to try without your passport handy.

Straying from beer for one moment I feel the need to mention the food that is available at the GBBF; a world apart from the usual rubbish you'd expect at a similar event. On offer here it's more like a farmers market and definitely worth soaking up the tasty ales with. Good food and good beer, what more do you need?

Check out the official website http://gbbf.camra.org.uk/home for more information and you can also book your tickets online too. Lastly, I'll be there Thursday so for those going earlier, don't drink all the good stuff before I get there...

Meet the... Brewer, Jerry Hedges

(Produced for Ales & Tales) 
 

Meet the... Brewer

Name: Jerry Hedges

Age: 59

Occupation: Co-Owner of Enville Ales.

• What was your first drink?

Young’s Bitter was in my bottle as a baby. In 1972 I managed to complete the famous Young’s CXLVII (have a pint and collect the landlord’s signature in each of their 147 pubs) and visit the brewery in Wandsworth to collect a free Firkin, tie, Ram badge etc.

• What are your hobbies and interests?

Family, Cask Ale, Stourbridge RFC, TVRs, Travel, Crystal Palace FC, Asian Cuisine

• What is your favourite:

-Food? Cantonese Dim Sun

-Drink that's not Real Ale? Milk

-Music? Soul, Northern Soul, Motown and Blues

• How did you get started in the trade?

It was a genuine ‘Victor Kiam’ moment. My partners and I liked Enville Ale so much we bought the brewery.

• What's the history of your brewery?

Enville Brewery takes its name from and has a long association with the small village of Enville in South Staffordshire.

The original brewery in Enville village, based at The Stamford Arms Hotel, ceased production in 1919 due to loss of manpower in the war. On the Stamford Estate, now known as the Enville Estate, the men at that time received tokens as part of their wages which could be cashed at the brewery for the appropriate volume of beer.

The Stamford Arms Hotel which stood behind the Cat Inn, had been built by the then Lord Stamford in 1856-7 in time for a fête and cricket festival in the grounds of Enville Hall which had attracted growing numbers of visitors in the previous few years after Lord Stamford had begun opening the gardens to the public. The hotel was eventually demolished after the Second World War in 1950.

The new brewery, which was established by Mr H. Constantine-Cort in 1992 and began producing Enville Ale the following year, was established some one and a half miles from the original site and draws its brewing liquor from the same source, the original extraction warrant being granted in 1908 by The House of Lords. The new brewery was constructed on a derelict farm known locally as the hamlet of Cox Green.

Enville Ale, which represents more than 50% of the output of over 80 barrels per week, is one of the highly specialised beers produced on the site, the original recipe dating back to approximately 1850 and originating from the proprietors' great-great-aunt who lived in Cumbria. It would have been traditionally described as Beekeepers Ale.

Complementing it‟s local delivery service, Enville works with cask ale distributors to ensure their award-winning ales reach real ale aficionados in perfect condition. We also supply two of the UK's leading Pubcos.

With the need for extra brewing capacity and a much higher demand for Enville's products, the current owners who purchased the brewery in 2007 are investing heavily in efficient processing equipment and carefully controlled brewery expansion.

The brewery uses the finest hops from Evesham in Worcestershire and East Kent and a variety of pure English malts to ensure consistency throughout the brewing process. Fermentation is temperature controlled and unhurried to ensure perfect conditioning and all ale is racked to order from conditioning tanks to guarantee maximum freshness and longevity.

Now, in 2011, the company is aiming to serve its customers to the highest standard and make the name Enville synonymous with quality ale throughout the UK.

• What are your aspirations for your business?

To continue to supply a variety of fine quality cask ales. To introduce new products, expand production and distribution in a controlled manner, acquire our own pub and/or build a visitor centre, win awards and recognition for our commitment to the industry and remain solvent.

• What is your favourite:

-Beer you brew?

Regular: Enville Ginger 4.6% ABV, Seasonal: Enville Phoenix IPA 4.8% ABV

-Beer you don't brew?

Locally: Batham’s Bitter, Nationally: Young’s Bitter

• What's the best and worst thing to happen in the industry in the last 10 years?

-Best

Small brewery duty relief, the growing popularity of cask ale, wider adoption of auto-tilts in cellars

-Worst

Pub closures, increases in duty and VAT, Supermarkets and Wetherspoons

• How do you feel CAMRA could help you in your business?

By promoting our products at festivals, carrying advertising and editorial in their local magazines, suggesting ideas for new brews or events worthy of support and by awarding us with more prestigious awards.

• Which is your favourite pub? (Can be anywhere in the country as long as you don't own it)

I don’t have a favourite. I like any that stock Enville products, care about cask condition and look after their cellar.

Roberto Ross 

Stourbridge Beer Festival Preview

(Produced for Ales & Tales)  

The mornings are brighter, there are flowers adding vibrant bursts of colour, trees in full blossom and residents at long last ditching their heavy winter coats. We've even managed to recover from losing that extra hour in bed with the arrival of British Summer Time.

This of course means two things: that by the time you are reading this spring is well and truly here and that the beer festival at the Stourbridge Town Hall is getting ready to tempt you with a multitude of real ale delights.

The 14th Stourbridge Beer Festival takes place a little later than usual, so make sure you make a note in your calendars for the 12^th 13^th and 14^th of May. The festival, for those that haven't been before, is held yearly at the Stourbridge Town Hall, close to town centre bus stops and the Stourbridge Town rail station. A short walk along the high street will present you with the magnificent Victorian town hall and the less aesthetically pleasing 1980s built Crown Centre. Entrance is through the library.

As ever there will be a delightful range of around 80 real ales from round the country and also around 20 real ciders and perries with their time-honoured fruitiness. This year's theme will be beers from Yorkshire, so along with plenty of your locally brewed favourites and a few festival specials, several gems from “God's Own County” will be making an appearance. Worry not however, as dourness and flat caps will of course be optional.

Our logo for the commemorative festival glasses this year is celebrating the life of a former resident and British hero, Frank Foley. In his role as passport control officer he helped thousands of Jews escape terror in Nazi Germany. At the 1961 trial of former high ranking Nazi Adolf Eichmann, he was described as a “Scarlet Pimpernel” for the way he risked his own life to save Jews threatened with death by the Nazis. Despite having no diplomatic immunity and being liable to arrest at any time, Foley would bend the rules when stamping passports and issuing visas, to allow Jews to escape “legally” to Britain or Palestine, which was then controlled by the British. Sometimes he went further, going into internment camps to get Jews out, hiding them in his home, and helping them get forged passports. One Jewish aid worker estimated that he saved “tens of thousands” of people from the Holocaust.

Entrance charge to the festival is reduced for all CAMRA members and those wishing to join up on the day will be rewarded with discounts and a host of other goodies. For more information visit our website www.stourbridgecamra.org.uk/beerfest/ where you'll be able to take a look at the beers on offer as well as how to get involved.

We hope to see you at this year’s festival, whether you are a veteran attendee of many years or have never been before. Remember, Stourbridge Beer Festival for three days will be the biggest pub around!

Roberto Ross

Meet the... Publican, Bob Dummons

(Produced for Ales & Tales) 


Meet the... Publican

Name: Bob Dummons

Age: 60

Occupation: Owner of the Waggon and Horses in Halesowen

• What was your first drink?

When I was seven years of age my parents took my brother and myself to France, Belgium and Holland. It was then that I sampled beer and wine on this trip. I can't remember what they were now though.

• What are your hobbies and interests?

Listening to music and going to concerts. Walking when I get the chance, and believe it or not, drinking beer. I also enjoy a drop of wine and going out to dine.

• What is your favourite beer?

The one I have bought for me! No Seriously, trying to narrow down to one beer is impossible. Having said that; Nottingham EPA, Marstons Burton Bitter, Linfit Enochs Hammer, Fullers ESB and P2 Stout come quickly to mind to name but a few.

• What is your favourite:

-Food? Indian cuisine

-Drink that's not Real Ale? Proper Tea, crushed leaves, etc.

-Music? As Yehudi Menuhin said when asked what music he liked and how he could play so many different genres, he said “There are only three kinds of music, good, bad and indifferent.” I like good music.

• How did you get started in the trade?

By joining CAMRA as a branch member, chairman and later area organiser. Also being in overall charge for a time of the beer at the Great British Beer Festival, and working in various pubs in Southampton.

• What's the history of your pub under your ownership.

We bought the pub as a lot of folks will know in 1987. At the time there were 6 handpumps and we increased these to 8. There were no real ale wholesalers at the time so the beers had to be sourced ourselves. We gradually ended up supplying the Seven Valley Railway, The Somers Sports and Social Club and the Beacon Hotel. The 14 pumps you see now came after a beer festival we did, we could not stillage casks upstairs so the extras were put on the bar and never came off.

• What are your aspirations for your business?

We are starting to do hot food and eventually we will put accommodation upstairs when the banks (spit) come to their senses. But overall I want a friendly pub that sells good food not a restaurant that sells good beer!

• What's the best and worst thing to happen in the industry in the last 10 years?

-Best? Not all-day opening, but flexible hours. Progressive duty for small brewers has also been a big boon to the industry.

-Worst? The lamentable rise of sub-standard alcopops. The lumping of all drinking cultures under one roof, so you have morons out of their face (and normally clothes) categorised with good steady (well sometimes steady) real ale drinkers in their local.

• How do you feel CAMRA could help you in your business?

Vote me National Pub of the Year! No really, I have been a member since 1974 and it's a campaign! So it's always what can I do for CAMRA.

• Which is your favourite pub? (Can be anywhere in the country as long as you don't own it)

How would I know, I don't go anywhere else! Once again I cannot narrow it down to one. My list would include The Beacon Hotel in Sedgley, Coopers Tavern in Burton upon Trent and The Barton Arms, Newtown, Birmingham.

Roberto & Bob
Waggon & Horses
21 Stourbridge Road
Halesowen
B63 3TU


Roberto Ross

Stourbridge Beer Festival

The Duke William

Stourbridge & Halesowen CAMRA

www.stourbridgecamra.org.uk

Pub Of The Year 2011 & Cider Pub Of The Year 2011

The Stourbridge & Halesowen Branch of CAMRA would like to announce their “Pub of Year 2011” & “Cider Pub of the Year 2011” to The Duke William, 25 Coventry Street, Stourbridge, DY8 1EP.

On Monday 21^st of March the Stourbridge & Halesowen Campaign for Real Ale awarded The Duke William, Stourbridge, its most prestigious yearly awards after many months of judging. Branch Chairman, Roberto Ross, stated “There are so many quality pubs in our branch so it has always been difficult to choose an overall winner. The work David Craddock has done to this distinctive Edwardian town centre pub is breathtaking, with its high ceilings, lovely brickwork and recently refurbished oak floors, the pub is a true gem to visit.

“The beer and cider quality is, of course, tremendous and the pub additionally serves a dazzling array of foreign bottled beers.

“With pubs nationwide closing their doors forever at a rate of one every three hours it's wonderful to see such dedication from staff and investment into an area that is already regarded as a real ale heaven.”

This outstanding new pub has very recently added a brewery to its set-up and in the next few weeks will be serving some of its very own craft ales.

David Craddock & Roberto Ross