Real Ale

I start work as a civvie at RAF Marham next week, so I might well get the chance to try some Bull Box. As long as I'm not driving home afterwards, of course!

Tony

What a great idea James!
Select a pub and date, give us the name of a hotel within walking distance, and I'll buy you a pint.
Might be best to wait until after the holiday season though, but you can chalk me up.

A very good idea.

quote:

Originally posted by Tony Lockhart:
I start work as a civvie at RAF Marham next week, so I might well get the chance to try some Bull Box. As long as I'm not driving home afterwards, of course!

Tony

Don't know where in relation to RAFM you'll be living. But I see from your profile you like Indian/Thai food. And you'll be well-supplied by Downham Market for food and water!

Crown Hotel
Dang's for Thai
Downham Tandoori (trad flock wall paper curry house)
Titash (trendier, fresher style Indian)
Palmer's (bistrot, thrown-in for good measure!)

Going the other way, I don't know so much about Swaffham.

James

In the short term we'll be staying in Stansted (!!) and seeing how the work and travelling go.
It looks as though Downham Market has moved on a bit since I left Marham back in '88. Any reason to keep away from Lynn is fine by me!

Tony

Will the meet be called the 'Norfolk and good beer meet'? ;-)

Tony

Tony, on my previous post, I meant to add this photo of the Crown Hotel, to rekindle your nostalgia... I'm SURE you reacquaint yourself!



(The Crown Hotel was the scene of the famous 'bread riots' in 1816; the nearby Swan Hotel (albeit previous building(s)) included on its guest list King John I and King Charles I - sadly not the real ale drinkers' choice.)

Hi,

Fellow CAMRA member hear - but way up't north west, Manchester area.

Cheers,

Dave

Not a CAMRA member, but going to the Beerfest at Earls Court next week. Anyone else?

Steve.

Live so close to where this is brewed can hardly walk let alone remember my naim.



Baz's Bonce Blower

Not as good as it was when brewed at The Old Brewery, Somerby (IMHO) but for an end of nighter still OK.

Steve

Another Camra member, live in Kent work next to HQ (St. Albans).

Hope to get to Earls Court, not sure which day.

Regards,

Steve.

James,

Thanks for the picture of the Crown. I'm sure that's the first pub I saw a video jukebox in. The first video I saw was ZZ Top's Legs. Aaaaaah. It was a stag 'day' and a couple of guys tried nicking a combined harvester from a dealer (only in Norfolk!). The coppers were great about it but weren't too happy about me hanging one-handed from the top of a lamp post.
I remember waking up next day in a strange house, on a couch with a half-eaten chinky on a plate balanced on my stomach.... so I finished it off.
Don't worry chaps, my wife tells me I have grown up since then.

Tony

quote:

Originally posted by Tony Lockhart:
Thanks for the picture of the Crown. I'm sure that's the first pub I saw a video jukebox in....

Tony

Rest assured, no video jukebox now! I believe there is a fruit machine, but couldn't swear to it.

But what I do know for certain is the 5 lovely handpumps ...

GK Abbot, GK IPA and Adnams, always. Plus two guests (it does depend slightly on what's ready, but usually it's one local-ish guest, and one from further away).

James

It's just come back to me. The pub I was thinking of was the Live and Let Live, or the Livvy. Still there?

Tony

Now the Livvy used to be a fantastic pub under Barry, until he moved on three(?) years ago.

It was a fantastic mix of people - from young people to 'ole booys' - excellent live music (and I've raved on about Egypt before now) and music jukebox, and - most of all - five handpumps, only one being GK.

But now, although it is apparently still a Free House, it looks more like a GK pub than many GK pubs I know (GK pretends to be the real ale drinkers' friends, but is busy trying to take over the world, and shutting down all the independent breweries it acquires in the process) - serves only GK produced or supplied drinks, alcoholic and non, typical GK decor. Sadly souless.

Stick to the Crown , or the Cock on a good day very good day.

quote:

(GK pretends to be the real ale drinkers' friends, but is busy trying to take over the world, and shutting down all the independent breweries it acquires in the process)

That's true. But there are some ups to GK. They took over Friary pubs in Kent and at least IPA and Abbot are good, Friary was bloody awful.

Steve.

I was at RAFM 94-95. Worked in TASF. We used to go Denver sluice to the Jennyns arms and over to Naaaarwich to the Reindeer brewery. Is that still there? Swaaaaahfam is full of Michael Carrols idiot mates.

I am going to Newcastle next week, any pubs that are recommended for their ale?

Just been to the Crown and tried the excellent Stout (5.3%) from the Wissey Valley Brewery (W Norfolk) - everything a stout should be - rich and barbecued, Elgood's Cambridge Bitter (Wisbech) and some delicious Adnam's bitter. Delish.

James

A beer thread that's been running for almost a week without a contribution from yours truly?

I am a Camra member of long standing (and falling down). Not familiar with East Anglian pubs but Woodforde's beers are amongst my favourites (especially the Nog).

I shall be going to the GBBF on Thursday (reminder to self - it's at Earls Court this year, but I guess I'll be going there sober so I shouldn't forget to get off at West Brompton!)

Nothing much to report on beer wise recently...

Fullers Discovery and Pride last night and some below par Hop Garden Gold on Thursday - probably the weather to blame there.

Miss S is pestering us to go to the pub later so, hopefully there will be something tasty on offer (my local is a Good Beer Guide regular with 10 handpumps, 5 regular beers...

Youngs Ordinary
Hogs Back TEA (Traditional English Ale) - from our nearest brewery
Ringwood 49er
Fullers London Pride
Badger Tanglefoot

The other five comprise one 'session' beer which stays on for a few weeks and four regularly rotating guest beers (how regular depends on how popular they are, e.g. Summer Lightning usually disappears in less than a session). The session beer at the moment is Discovery

I know the Youngs and the Pride of long standing, and a friend in Cranleigh got in a polypin of the TEA when we vistied them at Feb Half Term - delicious. My father has a tale to tell about the Tanglefoot (does what it says on the tin), though I have never had the real version of it. Don't know the 49er.

Have just returned from the Crown after a few very delicious and peppery pints of Adnams - what a wonderful and well-balanced ale - even had a bit of hop leaf and seeds to chew on.

Now an evening with curry and music...

James

quote:

Originally posted by seagull:
Not familiar with East Anglian pubs but Woodforde's beers are amongst my favourites (especially the Nog).

Adnams & Woodfordes are some of my local favourites.

Nog & Adnams Old always go down well as the cold weather sets in.

I always try to get to the Norwich beer festival, which is (was?) the largest BF after the national one. Apparently last year had over 200 Real Ales, plus ciders, perrys & various continental lagers

I particularly remember the year that Nog was introduced at the Norwich festival - normal "try one of everything" had to be abandoned. Thanks for reminding me of that.

OTOH, I remember a year when work wanted to send me to Munich on a training course which would have coincided with Oktoberfest (perhaps not much training would have occured). That course was cancelled, so I had to go the week of the Norwich festival instead. Very annoying!

cheers, Martin

A bit nearer to Martin...

Yesterday I had the opportunity of calling in at "The Canary and Linnet" at Fransham, Norfolk - apparently a football-related name, with Fransham being midway bewteen Norwich (the Canaries) and King's Lynn (the Linnets) - and that was told me by a High Sheriff of Norfolk, so it must be true!

Have wanted to call in to this attractive-looking pub for ages, yesterday wasn't driving, so could.

After a long day, had some most welcome pints of the Wolf Brewery (Attleborough)'s 'Golden Jackal' - and what a most delicious, refreshing and morish pint it is! And only 3.7% abv, for those of us who don't like explosive beers!

Golden (as the name suggests), yes, but in no way tasting like any part of a dog, so I don't know where the 'jackal' bit comes from. Aromatic, and with a beautifully peppery hop. Distinctive ale in its own right, unlike some of these currently-popular 'Woodford's Wherry clones'.

Also delighted to find this ale is in fact available nearby, only two miles away - a nice evening's walk - and back...

James