News

by Steve Renshaw

If you’ve been in your local Batemans’ pub recently, you’ll have noticed that something has changed. The Wainfleet-based family brewer is celebrating its 140th anniversary with a rebranding. The first thing you notice is the new, contemporary design for the XB and XXXB pump clips. There’s also a new pump clip for the award-winning Salem Porter.

However, the rebranding isn’t just about style. The substance comes from the fact that Batemans has extended the fermentation and maturation time for its beers to give them an even more satisfying body and flavour. And they are adding new beers to their portfolio. The classic Dark Mild has been replaced by Black & White, with a pump clip to match XB and XXXB.

They are continuing to produce specialist, limited-release beers. Last year, they introduced their Bohemian Brews infused with flavours such as Belgian chocolate, orange peel, coffee beans, cinnamon and hazelnuts.  And this year, they are brewing Biscuit Barrel Beers, which combine the flavours of classic biscuits with the traditional brewing recipes. Beer and biscuits share many common raw materials such as barley, oats, malt and cane sugar, and these beers will feature subtle biscuit flavours.

There’s even a new bottled beer that is claimed to be a completely unique beer experience. Black Pepper Ale is a strong pale ale to which drinkers can add some ground Asian black pepper from an attached sachet, to enhance the flavour.

Stuart Bateman, managing director of Batemans Brewery, said: “This year marks a momentous occasion for us as we celebrate our 140th anniversary. In recognition of this achievement, we’ve evolved our branding, and also introduced a range of new beers which demonstrate the heritage and expertise of our brewery while offering tastes and flavours that are incredibly modern. We’re extremely proud of these new beers, and hope our customers and fans enjoy them.”

One of the most interesting aspects of the rebranding is the new strapline on the brewery’s logo. “Good honest ales” has been replaced with “Craft brewers since 1874”. I’ve written about craft beers in this column before, and it’s still a hugely contentious issue among brewers and drinkers.

The term “craft beer” has been coined by young, trendy brewers to describe their beer, whether it is dispensed from a cask or a keg. One of the most prominent examples is Brew Dog Brewery in Aberdeenshire. On their website, Brew Dog give the following definition of craft beer: “For us the distinction should be as simple as beer brewed for taste versus beer brewed for volume. Regardless of dispense style of production method, craft beer is beer brewed for taste.”

Batemans is fighting back against this new wave by defining craft beers as beers that come from a craft brewery. That is, a brewery run by the fourth generation, on the same site for over 140 years, using the same traditional brewing techniques, where many of those working at the brewery have done so for over 30 years, having had their craft passed down to them from father to son.

This is hardly a snappy definition, but it reflects the passion that directors Stuart and Jacqui Bateman have for the business. It was their great grandfather, George, who sold his farm in the village of Friskney in 1874 and rented a small brewery in Wainfleet.

And what about the beer? Black & White (3.6% ABV) is a dark, rich and creamy mild packed with biscuit, nut and fruit flavours. Renowned beer writer, Roger Protz, has described it as “a sensation”.

To find out more about the Campaign for Real Ale in Lincoln, visit www.lincolncamra.org.uk

by Steve Renshaw

There’s great anticipation among local real ale enthusiasts as one of CAMRA’s flagship beer festivals comes to the East Midlands. The four-day National Winter Ales Festival opens in The Roundhouse in Derby on Wednesday 19th February.

The Roundhouse is the world’s first and oldest-surviving circular engine shed. It was originally developed in 1839 by four rival rail companies, including North Midland Railway for whom George Stephenson and his son Robert were engineers. Following a £48 million renovation, it has been returned to its former glory with original features restored and complemented by dazzling new artworks. The stunning Grade II* listed building re-opened as a venue for corporate events in late 2009.

Drinkers will be able to choose from more than 350 real ales from across the UK, together with ciders, perries and continental beers. As the festival’s name suggests, the emphasis is on winter beer styles. This covers old ales, strong milds, porters, stouts and barley wines. The very best example will be crowned Champion Winter Beer of Britain.

Although most real ale drinkers will be familiar with the other styles, old ale is rarely seen on the bar. It recalls the type of beer brewed before the Industrial Revolution, which was stored for months or even years in unlined wooden vessels known as tuns. The beer would pick up some lactic sourness as a result of wild yeasts and tannins in the wood. The style has re-emerged in recent years, due primarily to the fame of Theakston’s Old Peculiar.

Winter ales are usually much more complex in terms of depth of colour, flavour and smell than regular bitters and golden ales. Colours range from chestnut to tar-black. Delicious flavours can include Christmas cake richness, dark chocolate, black treacle, rich coffee or spicy fruits. With strengths above 5% ABV, you can expect a warming alcohol feel in the mouth and throat. Just the thing for dispelling winter chills.

From medieval times, ale was heated and spiced to produce a winter drink. Posset, made from hot ale mixed with milk, sugar and spices, was popular until the 19th century.

Another British tradition, which lasted into 1800s, was to float spiced toast on the surface of hot ale.

However, the popularity of hot ale drinks declined with the rise of hopped beer, as this reacts badly to being heated. Instead, drinkers sought out stronger, sweeter dark beers in the winter months. One of the most popular of these was Bass No. 1, which was first produced in Burton upon Trent in 1854. It was the first beer to be marketed as a barley wine and, on an early advertising poster, was called the “Best Winter Drink”.

In the 1960s, dark beers rapidly fell out of favour as keg bitter and lager rose in popularity. However, in recent years, smaller craft brewers in Britain have rekindled an interest in the various winter ale styles. Microbrewers are seeking out old recipes or putting their own take on the traditional beers.

One local example is the 8 Sail Brewery, which is located adjacent to Heckington’s unique windmill. Brewers Tony Pygott and Steve Doane produce a number of dark ales and heritage beers. We had the chance to chat to Tony and Steve and try their beers at a recent meet-the-brewer evening in the Forum.

And what about the beer? 8 Sail Black Widow (5.5% ABV) is a strong, dark ruby mild in the style of a Victorian ale. Dark malt and liquorice flavours dominate in this smooth-drinking winter classic.

For full details of CAMRA’s National Winter Ales Festival, visit nwaf.org.uk

by Steve Renshaw

Over the last six months, CAMRA has been highlighting the importance of the community pub. In July, we pointed out the amazing amount of charitable fundraising done by pubs. And then, in October, we focused on how people use pubs to celebrate landmarks in their lives.

This month, we’re looking at the contribution pubs make to the economy. Pubs employ over half a million people, and the pub and beer industry adds £19 billion each year to the UK economy.

However, the pub trade remains very precarious. January is traditionally a very quiet period for the industry and there will be many businesses that go to the wall during the month. CAMRA has issued promotional packs to around 7,000 pubs across the country to encourage customers to support their local at this time of year.

At a national level, CAMRA continues to press parliament to protect and support pubs. One of the issues at the top of the agenda is the reform of the large pub companies’ beer tie. This is the system that requires tenants to buy their beer from the pubco, often at grossly inflated prices. It’s a topic I’ve covered previously in this column, but now we’ve got an interesting case study in Lincoln.

The Vine Inn on Newland Street West was owned by Punch Taverns. Over the last few years, between periods of closure, it limped along with temporary landlords running the place. Smooth-flow bitter and standard lagers were the main beers stocked, with real ale only occasionally available. Given the changing demographics in that area of the city, it’s not surprising that an old-style, street-corner boozer struggled to make a profit when the landlord had to pay inflated prices for his stock.

Saddled with massive debts, Punch Taverns have disposed of over 1,100 of their pubs since August 2011. So it’s no surprise that they were happy to sell the Vine when Lewis De-la-Hey, backed by his father Nigel, made an offer.

The fabric of the pub was very neglected but, following extensive works, it now has a fresh, contemporary look. And, as reported in the Echo, it re-opened in early December with the new name of West End Tap.

Building up a customer base may well turn out to be more of a challenge than refurbishing the fabric of the pub. Lewis is certainly aiming at a very different market. There are five handpumps on the bar with an ever-changing range of real ales, including ones from local microbreweries. Premium keg beers from global brewers are available from dispensers on the bar, while the four taps built into the wall are reserved for more interesting Belgian and US craft beers. A good selection of international bottled beers is also available.

Although the pub has no trade kitchen, there are plans to offer cold platters of locally-sourced food. The pub also supports the local economy with the employment of four young people as bar staff.

I’ve visited the pub a couple of time now, and it’s a really pleasant place to have a drink. Lincoln CAMRA wishes Lewis every success in his venture. Being free of tie certainly gives him a much better chance of making a go of it.

And what about the beer? On my recent visit, there were no local beers so I went for a pint of Hophead (3.8% ABV) from Dark Star Brewery in Sussex. It’s a pale golden ale with a fruity, hoppy aroma. As the name suggests, it has a bitter taste with citrus hints. An excellent session beer.

Don’t go dry this January, support your local pub instead.

by Steve Renshaw

There can’t be many Lincoln businesses that can claim to be a UK leader in their field. But you’ve probably seen the white vans of one such company delivering to pubs around the area. I haven’t enough space to tell the full, fascinating story of how Small Beer Ltd has grown from humble beginnings to become Britain’s leading cask ale wholesaler. But here’s a potted version.

In the late 1970s, Tony Eastwood was a real-ale enthusiast at a time when CAMRA was still in its infancy. Having seen a friend open a successful real-ale off-licence on Tyneside, Tony decided that the formula might work in Lincoln.

So in 1980, Tony and his wife, Judith, took the bold step of selling their family home (at the time, they had two small children) and buying a shop. Initially, Tony continued his day job as a town and country planner and they opened the shop in the evening and at weekends. They collected casks of beer from local breweries and customers would turn up with their own containers to be filled.

As the business grew, they started supplying local pubs with cask ales. However, storage space at the shop soon became a problem and, in 1988, the company acquired a unit on Kingsway. The original shop was converted into a private house but, if you walk down Newland Street West, you can still see the off-licence sign on the wall.

Small Beer has gone from strength to strength. Their annual sales of real ale now amount to around 12,000 brewer’s barrels – that’s around 3.5 million pints! They provide real ales for brewery pub estates, pub companies and free houses. And they supply many CAMRA beer festivals, including the Great British Beer Festival, Peterborough and, of course, Lincoln.

Although cask ale is still central to the business, they now provide all the drinks you’d expect to see behind a bar. Traditional real cider and perry has been a growth area over the last five years. They sell Belgian and continental beers, import craft beers from the United States, and are now offering craft keg beer from UK brewers. There is also a specialist wine division.

The family nature of the business was cemented in September 2008 when Tony and Judith’s son, Rob, became commercial manager, having spent four years at Batemans Brewery as national account manager. Four years later, Rob took over from Dad as managing director and his wife, Karen, left her job as national sales manager at Everards Brewery to take over as Small Beer’s commercial manager.

Anyone visiting the Kingsway site in recent times would have seen how little space there was for such a large business. After 18 months of looking, the company moved to brand-new premises on the Churchill Business Park at Bracebridge Heath during last summer.

One of the local pubs supplied by Small Beer is the Adam and Eve on Lindum Hill. The whitewashed, stone-built free house is reputedly the oldest tavern in Lincoln. The pub has two regular ales and two guests. According to manager, Alex Jones, “Choosing our guest ales is hard because Small Beer has such a fantastic choice.”

And what about the beer? Moon Frost (4.0% ABV) is brewed by Grafton Brewery in Worksop. My pint was a beautifully clear, golden colour with a creamy white head. The initial taste was tropical fruit but a biscuity malt flavour came through. A really refreshing pint!

Read the full story of Small Beer in the next edition of Lincoln CAMRA’s magazine, ImpAle. Pick up a copy from your local pub in January.

by Steve Renshaw

Have you noticed the number of celebrities who are plugging books at the moment? This time of year is crucial for the publishing industry. According to Nielsen BookScan figures, one fifth of book sales by value are made in the run-up to Christmas.

Of course, it’s not just autobiographies and cookery books that are packing the shelves. The annual guides to hotels, restaurants and pubs are always popular stocking fillers. And the UK’s best-selling beer and pub guide is CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide.

But CAMRA members won’t be waiting until Christmas Day to get their hands on their copy of the 2014 edition. The publication date was in September, so lots of copies will already be well thumbed. Oldies like me carry their Guide with them when travelling the country, but there’s a mobile-phone version for the technically adept pub-goer.

The Guide features the best 4,500 real ale pubs from across the UK, with details of food, opening hours, beer gardens, accommodation, transport links, disabled access and family facilities. CAMRA is a proudly independent organisation and, unlike many other guides, pub owners are not charged to appear in the Good Beer Guide.

The entries in most pub guides are chosen either by small editorial teams or by members of the public, whose recommendations are not necessarily checked. On the other hand, every pub that appears in the Good Beer Guide has been visited regularly by CAMRA members. The entire 150,000-plus membership is encouraged to be involved by submitting beer quality information throughout the year via CAMRA’s National Beer Scoring System. The thousands of beer scores help inform the drawing up of shortlists of pubs in each county. When the branches meet to choose their entries from the shortlist, votes are cast and the numbers are reduced to meet the allocations for each part of the country.

And there’s a good spread of pubs. We recognise that most people live in towns and cities, and expect a good selection of pubs in those areas. But we don’t neglect suburban and country pubs. On the contrary, CAMRA campaigns for the survival of rural pubs that are often vital hubs of their isolated communities.

It’s heartening to see that three village locals, all within ten miles of Lincoln, have been recognised in the Good Beer Guide 2014. The Dambusters Inn at Scampton, the Lion and Royal at Navenby and the Green Man at Norton Disney are all first-time entries.

For this month’s beer tasting, I persuaded my wife to navigate the minor roads to the south of the A46 Newark road. The Green Man, formerly known as the St Vincent Arms, was completely refurbished in 2009. Colin and Emma Davies have been in charge since April 2012.

The village is tiny and isn’t on a main route, so they have to work hard to make the pub a destination. It’s popular with walkers and is a regular lunch venue for the local shoot. The food is just as good as the beer.

The pub is LocAle accredited, meaning that it always has at least one real ale from a brewery within 25 miles. When I visited, two of the three handpumps had local ales. And they carry the best selection of real cider and perry in our area

And what about the beer? Steep Hill Reserve (4.3% ABV) from Cathedral Heights Brewery in Bracebridge Heath is matured in an oak whisky cask. It’s a deep ruby bitter that provides an initial burst of raisin fruitiness and a long bitter finish. An excellent example of innovation by a young brewer.

CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide 2014 is available in all good bookshops.

by Steve Renshaw

During October, as part of the Community Pubs campaign, CAMRA is highlighting the part that pubs play in people’s lives. New research shows that many of us use pubs to celebrate landmarks in our lives, from wetting the baby’s head to holding a wake. This got me thinking about how pubs have become family-friendly venues, and I realised that it was linked to the availability of pub food.

When I first started visiting pubs, you might get a sandwich or cold pie at lunchtime. The highlight in the evenings was when the shellfish man came round selling bags of cockles and shrimps. And the first family room I came across was a lean-to at the back of a pub on the Norfolk coast. It had a formica-covered table and a few wobbly, wooden chairs. At that time, pubs were places for men to have a few pints after a hard day’s work, not for women and children. And not for eating meals!

Things began to change in the early 1970s when basket meals appeared. Then, chicken or scampi with chips in a basket felt like the height of sophistication. This was the time when eating out became more popular, with the growth of affordable restaurant chains. Readers of a certain age will remember feasting on prawn cocktail, rump steak and Black Forest gateau in a Berni Inn. In the face of this competition, “pub grub” expanded to include classic meals such as steak and ale pie, fish and chips, and Sunday roasts.

At the end of the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher’s government forced the big brewers to sell off their large pub estates. The pubcos that took over were often part of larger hospitality groups. They recognised that having a restaurant within a pub would widen the appeal and increase trade. As a result, we have seen numerous pub/restaurant chains spring up. The majority of pubs now serve hot food, and they range from budget chains offering two meals for £6 to Michelin-starred gastropubs.

Over the years, changes to the licensing laws have relaxed the restrictions on children in pubs. Each pub now has a unique set of conditions on its licence setting out how it operates. Generally speaking, the licensee can allow children in the pub, unless there is a particular licence condition preventing this. A number of pub chains now target young families by providing children’s menus and play areas.

The recently-refurbished Stags Head on Newport is a typical, modern pub/restaurant. According to its website, it has a “great family atmosphere”. I called in on a Sunday lunchtime and the place was packed. Every table in the restaurant and the extensive bar area was occupied with diners enjoying the carvery. Children are clearly welcome; there is a play area in the beer garden and a plentiful supply of high chairs inside.

I sat at the bar and was pleased to see that, despite the emphasis on food, there were four real ales on offer. As I enjoyed my drink amid the hubbub, I reflected on the way pubs have changed over the last forty years.

And what about the beer? Caledonian Deuchars IPA (3.8% ABV) was CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain in 2002. The brewery was taken over by Scottish & Newcastle in 2004 and is now part of Heineken. It’s a refreshing, pale gold bitter with a slightly floral aroma and a dry finish. A good beer for a lager drinker who wants to try real ale.

Remember, your local is for life, not just for special occasions. Visit CAMRA’s new pub database whatpub.com to find details of pubs in your area.