Please note next weeks branch meeting will be at the Kings Arms in Wantage as the The Crown in Marcham holds its quiz on Tuesdays.

Branch Meeting - The Kings Arms, Wantage

Please find attached memo about Champion Beer of Britain 2025 Nominations.

Champion Beer of Britain

The Central Southern Regional (CSR) Pub of the Year (PotY) 2023 area winners have been announced and arrangements for the final round have been finalised. We would like as many members as possible to get involved so that the results are as fair and representative as possible. It's also a great opportunity to visit three of the very best pubs in Central Southern Region. If you'd like to participate in the judging, you must visit all three pubs listed below. Please note that scores are on a range of 0-10 and not 0-5 as for normal beer scoring. Please enter your beer scores via WhatPub or the GBG App - otherwise they will not be seen by that branch.

The pubs to be judged are as follows:

Bell, Aldworth (Berkshire area)
Bird in Hand, Princes Risborough (Buckinghamshire area)
Butchers Arms, Balscote (Oxfordshire area)

The process and rules can be found in the attached document (CSR PotY 2023 Process Final), as is the judging form in both Excel and PDF formats.

I prefer that you submit your scores using the attached spreadsheet, but if you don't have Excel or the ability to open Excel spreadsheets, you may print off the attached PDF version, complete that and return either a scanned copy or a photo of it, as long as it's legible.

Completed forms should be returned to me at ku.gro.armac.noxos@sbup by 11:59pm on Monday 24th July 2023. I have extracted some basic information about the three pubs from WhatPub, e.g. address, telephone number, website, Facebook, Twitter, opening times, meal times (where applicable), transport, and map in the attached "Central Southern Region PotY 2023 Final pubs - details from WhatPub" document.

Cheers Bob Smith Oxfordshire Area Co-ordinator for Central Southern Region PotY 2023 The attachments are:

CSR PotY 2023 Process Final (DOCX)
CSR PotY 2023 Process Final (PDF)
Regional PotY Final - Judging Form 2023 Oxfordshire branches (XLSX)
Regional PotY Final - Judging Form 2023 Oxfordshire branches (PDF)
Central Southern Region PotY 2023 Final pubs - details from WhatPub (DOCX)

The Central Southern Regional Pub of the Year (PotY) winners for the four branches in Oxfordshire have been announced and arrangements for the Regional Semi-finals Round have been finalised. We would like as many members as possible to get involved so that the results are as fair and representative as possible. It's also a great opportunity to visit some of the very best pubs in Oxfordshire. If you'd like to participate in the judging, you must visit all four pubs listed below.

The pubs to be judged are as follows:

Butchers Arms, Balscote (North Oxfordshire)
Broad Face, Abingdon (Oxford)
George, Sutton Courtenay (South Oxfordshire)
King's Arms, Wantage (White Horse)

The process and rules can be found in the attached document as is the judging form in both Excel and PDF formats.

It is preferred that you submit your scores using the attached spreadsheet, but if you don't have Excel, you may print off the attached PDF version, complete that and return either a scanned copy or a photo of it, as long as it's legible.

Completed forms should be returned to me at ku.gro.armac.noxos@sbup by 11:59pm on Monday 5th June 2023. I have extracted some basic information about the four pubs from WhatPub, e.g. address, telephone number, website, opening times, meal times (where applicable), transport, and map in the attached "Oxfordshire PotY 2023 pubs - details from WhatPub" document.

The semi-final rounds for Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire will be followed by the Central Southern Regional Round, where we'll be invited to judge the three finalists. Details will be announced as soon as the county results have been finalised. Cheers Bob Smith Area Co-ordinator for Oxfordshire PotY 2023

Pub of the Year Process 2023
Regional PotY Semi-finals - Oxfordshire Judging Form 2023

Some of you may have seen this planning application for the Blowing Stone Inn.

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/23373367.oxfordshire-village-risk-losing-pub/

You can find full details and can comment here

https://data.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/java/support/Main.jsp?MODULE=ApplicationDetails&REF=P23/V0480/FUL

Old Town Beer & Cider Festival

Community Centre @ Christ Church

Shrivenham Beer Festival Saturday 25th Feb - full details here

Shrivenham Beer, Cider and Gin Festival

Evening

I am in the process of working on a Map of all Micropubs and Brewery Taps in the UK.

Website Address is: https://micropubadventures.co.uk/micropub-map/

Micropub/Brewery Tap Map .

I was wondering if you would possibly be able to advertise it to your members, I have included details people can send in additions/changes. Hopefully manage to get the map fully up to date and keep it that way. Will be a great tool for people visiting them and planning trips.

Thanks in Advance Scott Spencer/Micropub Adventures

Just to let you know that the Bathams is on (at Greyhound Inn) and as you are aware it is very rare to see this beer outside the Black Country and I would appreciate if you could let anyone that’s interested in sampling this superb example of a typical Black Country Bitter it is a one-off!

It has taken me a few years just get some as they only supply their pubs (12 including their brewery - The Vine called the Bull & Bladder) and is an 18g cask as they do not do 9g firkins! Connected this morning - had the first........!

Thanks Jinks

We have organised the following meetings for June, July and August. Why not join us and meet like minded beer enthusiasts for a pint and chat, the meetings are very social occasions. The meetings are being held at the following great real ale pubs in the branch area:

14th June The Greyhound, Letcombe Regis 19.30 – This will be an opportunity to sample one of the last batches of Sheffield’s Kelham Island Brewery’s award winning Pale Rider as the brewery has now stopped brewing.

12th July North Star, Steventon 19.30

9th August The Plough, West Hanney 19.30

We have also arranged the following socials:

White Horse CAMRA Great British Beer Festival Social – 5th August. Meet at the Siren Craft Brew Bar at 2.00pm. CAMRA members get a reduced entrance fee of £18 but if we book tickets in groups of 5 this reduces to £16. Contact PR and Publicity Officer if you wish to join this offer.

Swindon Old Town crawl – A Festival in a day! 17th September. Meet at the Drink Valley, Fleet Square, Swindon, SN1 1RQ at 12 mid-day for a tour of pubs and 2 brew pubs in the area lead by our branch Chair

We are delighted to announce that Paul Hexter, landlord of the Royal Oak in Wantage, has been given a CAMRA 50th Anniversary Golden Award in recognition of his outstanding support and promotion of real ale and cider. As readers may recall, the Royal Oak has in the past been a recipient of the National CAMRA cider pub of the year, and a top four finalist in the National pub of the year competitions. The Oak is also regularly the White Horse Branch’s pub of the year. This is all down to Paul’s outstanding efforts to make the pub a place we all want to call our own. Well done Paul!

Roy Bailey, cider producer and writer from our neighbouring West Berks branch, has also been given a Golden Award. Congratulations to Roy too.

We are delighted to report that the Extraordinary Hare in West Hendred has reopened after a five-year absence. The pub has had an extensive refit both inside and out, and now boasts a very impressive hare-shaped pub sign as well as an attractive modern interior and patio. There are three beer engines on the bar, the intention being to serve a variety of SIBA beers. An extensive food menu will be unveiled on Monday.

We wish the new tenants all the best, and congratulate the local village campaign for the happy outcome.

The annual West Hendred Not Just A Beer Festival will take place in the Village Hall, on Friday 7th September 6pm–11pm and Saturday 8th September 11am–11pm. There will be fourteen real ales on offer plus six ciders and perries. Hog Roast and vegetarian food is available on Saturday afternoon, there will be music from local musicians and in general it will be ‘Fun for all the Family’.

We are delighted to announce that The Royal Oak, Wantage (Royal Oak), is the White Horse CAMRA Pub of the Year for 2018. The award is the result of a ballot of Branch members. The Shoulder Of Mutton (Shoulder of Mutton) in Wantage is our runner up, The Greyhound (Greyhound Inn) in Letcombe Regis is our Country Pub of the Year, and the Stanford-In-The-Vale Social Club (Stanford Social Club) is our Club of the Year. All concerned received certificates at a ceremony at last-week’s Wantage Beer Festival. Many congratulations to all concerned.

The Royal Oak will now go forward to the Oxfordshire CAMRA competition.

On Saturday 15th July, Adkin Brewery of Wantage was presented a CAMRA Special Award by the White Horse Branch. The award is both to celebrate ten years of brewing in Wantage and to respect the brewery’s unfortunate recent decision to cease commercial brewing; new tax requirements have made it unviable for such a small enterprise. Adkin are, thankfully, still able to provide both cask and bottled beer for home consumption. See their web site for details.

This year’s festival helpers outing will take place on Saturday 9th September going to the very popular Vibrant Forest brewery near Lymington and followed by a crawl around the small town. For non workers at the Festival a fee of £10 will be accepted if any spare seats are available. Please contact us to check for availability of a seat.

The schedule is: depart Shrivenham 09.30 . Faringdon 09.45, Wantage, the Beacon Centre 10.10, Steventon Village Hall 10.30, arrive Vibrant Forest, 12.15, depart for Lymington, 14:30, depart Lymington 16.30 and return home with a stop or two.

We are very sorry to report that the Hind's Head in Kingston Bagpuize has been sold to a national supermarket chain to be developed as convenience store. Planning application is currently being considered by White Horse District Council. CAMRA is opposed to the sale of any viable village local, and had made representations to the local parish council to list the pub as an Asset of Community Value (ACV). Unfortunately inaction by the parish council seems likely to have deprived the village of yet another pub; the Lamb & Flag in nearby Longworth was closed and slated for redevelopment as a house at the end of last year.

We are delighted to announce that the 7th Wantage Beer Festival will take place from 11AM until 11PM on Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th of March 2017 at the Beacon. As always we intend to provide 28 cask ales representing the best of those produced both locally and from afar, including a number of Festival Specials. In addition, we will offer four or so local ciders and perrys. We will update the festival page with more details as we get closer to the event.

We are please to announce that Bellinger's Brewery in Grove are now offering CAMRA members a 10% discount for online orders. See Bellinger's products page, and use the code "camra" on checkout.

Saturday 9th April 2016 saw a group from White Horse Branch head for Stroud, to visit Stroud Brewery and a few local pubs. On arrival at the brewery, only 1 min late on the itinerary, we were greeted by Greg Pilley, the owner and one of the brewers.

Stroud Brewery

Greg set the brewery up in May 2006 with a 5-barrel plant. The first brew was called Budding, named after Ernest Beard Budding who in 1830 produced the world’s first lawn mower on the site where Stroud brewery stands today. Due to the demand and the need to improve his own work-life balance, Greg took on his first member of staff in 2008, an Aussie with experience from Scottish and Newcastle. Also in 2008 the first bottle beers were released. By 2009, the 5-barrel plant was at capacity and Greg needed to upsize. Fortunately, larger premises next door to the existing brewery were available and with some support from the EU by way of a grant and help from friends, in 2011 the new 20-barrel brewery was ready to start production. Today Greg has 7 staff in his team who are brewing 3 times a week. An on-site bar is also open at weekends.

Organic standards apply throughout the brewery, including locally-sourced malt and hops and as this year sees the 10th anniversary, new products are planned, including an unfiltered elderflower flavoured beer at 4.9% ABV, which will be the first to be sold in cans.

Beers on the bar on the day were Budding Pale Ale 4.5% ABV, Redcoat Red Rye IPA 5.4% ABV, Big Cat Stout 4.5%, O.P.A. (Organic Pale Ale) 4.0% ABV and Tom Long Amber Bitter 3.8% ABV, all of which were greatly enjoyed by the Branch. As if things couldn’t get any better, Greg treated us to samples of bottled Gegarang Village Sumatran Coffee Ale 6.9% ABV, matured in oak whisky casks, which all agreed was sublime.

In 2006 when Greg set up Stroud brewery, Gloucestershire had 12 breweries, today it has 36 and counting.

A great day was had and we recommend a visit to the bar where 10% of the beer produced is sold . Live music is also on most weekends, check on the website: http://www.stroudbrewery.co.uk/

Also worth a mention are the pubs we visited. The Crown & Sceptre, situated at 98, Horns Road, Stroud GL5 1EG. It is a gem, with local support and superb real ales. The Ale House, 9 John Street GL5 2HA, is a vast, modern revision of an old building with almost too comfortable arm chairs. A couple of miles out of town took us to The Woolpack in Slad, GL6 7QA, renowned for its views, its Uley and Stroud ales and its famous former regular, Laurie Lee. Finally, we came home via an old favourite, the Red Lion in Cricklade, home of Hop Kettle brewery. And so to bed.

Crown and Sceptre

The Volunteer at Grove is to re-open within the next couple of weeks. Although there will be an emphasis on food - a full time chef has been employed - cask beer will be sourced from Dayla, and dispensed via four beer engines; the initial offerings will include Adnams Broadside, Roosters Buckeye and Youngs Bitter, and local ale is certainly a possibility.

Apart from a la carte meals, bar snacks will be available, including pies, fish and chips, sandwiches and baguettes at lunchtime. Meals will be served till around 9.30pm on weekdays and 10pm at weekends. We wish the new owner, Debbie Cox, all the best, and look forward to visiting soon.

The Hare at West Hendred, also long closed, is being advertised as a going concern - http://www.starpubs.co.uk/pubs/hare-west-hendred Good news all round.

The Greyhound in Letcombe Regis will be re-opening this Friday, 27th November, at 6PM after a lengthy closure. The pub is apparently tied to Marston's for one of its beers, but there are a further three pumps available.