The details for our first two Events in 2019 are as follows:
Confirmed:
Saturday, 9TH February, 2019
'Berks (for) Beer & Bratwurst (3 Bs)'
noon - The Botanist, 1-5, King Street, Reading, RG1 2HD then
1pm - The Bierhaus (ex-Cock-a-Snook micropub), 8, Queen's Walk, Reading, RG1 7QF then
4pm - The Nag's Head, 5, Russell Street, Reading, RG1 7XD.
The first is a new pub in a former Barclays bank which has many bottled foreign beers, including local Siren Craft ales, available whilst the second specialises in both German and Belgian beers with authentic food to boot! The last-mentioned is already a Reading institution which has established itself within a former failing all-keg pub into a cornucopia for real ale over the last decade.
The main Reading station should be used for arrival - a rendezvous outside the Three Guineas on the town side suggested at 1145 - whilst Reading West station - tickets are valid to All Stations there - is near to the final pub being visited.
Also confirmed:
Sunday, 28TH April, 2019
'Metroland Award-Winning Micropubs and Curry'
noon - The Hop & Vine, 18, High Street, Ruislip, HA4 7AN then
1.30pm - Beer Asylum, 1, Red Lion Parade, Bridge Street, Pinner, HA5 3JD then
3pm - Regency Club, 18-21, Station Parade, Queensbury, HA8 5NR.
The first two are very welcome additions to the diminished pub scene in West Middlesex and had won their respective borough (Hillingdon and Harrow) Pub of the Year awards from the local CAMRA branch in 2018. If the weather is sufficiently clement, we might be able to make use of the Hop & Vine's recently-opened 'beer garden' whilst the Beer Asylum originally opened as just a bottle shop off licence but the bar side of the outlet has developed such that it is effectively now a fully-fledged micropub. It has the additional distinction of being on the site of the frontage to The Red Lion ph which closed as long ago as 1963!
The last-mentioned venue needs no introduction to CAMAL members and is long overdue a revisit.
Use of public transport will be required throughout, Ruislip being on the Uxbridge branch of the Metropolitan Line. Buses H13 between Ruislip & Pinner and, then, the 183 or H11 from Pinner to Harrow with the 114 from Harrow to Queensbury are recommended. [Alternatively, the Metropolitan & Jubilee Lines can be used between Pinner & Queensbury, changing at Wembley Park.]
CAMAL badges should be worn by all participating members at every event.
You Have Missed:
Sunday, 4TH November, 2018
'Annual General Meeting'
2pm - The Bolton, 326, Earl's Court Road, Earl's Court, SW5 9QB.
The 2018 AGM was held promptly in the upstairs bar - the Pröflokaal Rembrandt (or Rembrandt Tasting Room) - at which only CAMAL members and officers attended.
Sunday, 14TH - Wednesday, 17TH October, 2018
'Decennial Research Trip to Bamberg'
These details were confirmed at the second and third Socials below. Three members attended notwithstanding the death six weeks earlier of Bill English who would otherwise have made it quorate.
Sunday, 26TH August, 2018
'SW London Artisanale Pubs'
1pm - Steins (on riverside towpath within sight of Richmond Brewery Stores), Petersham Road, Richmond, TW10 6UX.
3pm - Vault Cellar Bar (ex-Pig's Ears ph), 5, Hill Street, Richmond, TW9 1ED.
5pm - Tap Tavern (ex-Richmond Arms ph), Prince's Street (off The Quadrant), Richmond, TW9 1SX.
Unfortunately, the first venue, being an al fresco restaurant specialising in German food and beer (Erdinger range, Paulaner & London Craft) was closed owing to - as it's website warns - inclement weather. Thus, we adjourned to the second and third venues to enjoy 3 real ales and 'craft' keg beers (up to 17 as far as the latter is concerned) at each, whilst the former also had 1 real cider and bottled continental beers. Recommended use of public transport by 65 bus from Richmond National Rail/Overground/Underground station to first venue (alighting at Robin's Court stop, crossing road to reach the towpath behind former Three Pigeons ph and walking back towards Richmond Bridge past the Canoe Club) was thus unnecessary.
Thursday, 14TH June, 2018
'By the Horns Brewery Visit'
7pm - By the Horns Brewery, 25, Summerstown, Tooting, SW17 0BQ.
Use of public transport by 44, 77 or 270 bus to/from Earlsfield or Tooting National Rail stations or 493 bus to/from Southfields Underground station had been required.
Sunday, 6TH May, 2018
'Further SE London Micropubs'
1pm - The River Ale House, 131, Woolwich Road, East Greenwich, SE10 0RJ then
2.30pm - The Taproom, 15, Major Draper Street, Woolwich, SE18 6GD then
4.15pm - The Kentish Belle, 8, Pickford Lane, Bexleyheath, DA74QW then
6pm (7.15pm) - The Halfway House,188C, Halfway Street, Sidcup, DA15 8DJ.
The first two are recent micropubs, the former only having opened in late-summer 2017 with the latter, in combining with a pizzeria, had already made it into CAMRA's 2018 (&, now, 2019) Good Beer Guide(s) and is located within the Royal Arsenal Development. The other pair are even more recent micropubs having opened earlier this year but, instead of a detour between them to take in another in Blackfen (The Hangar Micropub, 37, The Oval, Station Road, DA15 9ER) which had not yet opened, we went to The Rusty Bucket (formerly The Crown), 11, The Court Yard, Eltham, SE9 5PR. This had recently been renovated in a 'micropub' fashion with the additional 'attraction' of some lemongrass (really bluegrass!) live music on the day.
Use of public transport between the venues had been required at times with travel on the 1223 train from Waterloo East (Charing Cross 3 minutes earlier and London Bridge 6 minutes later) to Westcombe Park was recommended.
Sunday, 11TH, February, 2018
'Winter Dutch Beerfest & Octoberfest'
1pm - The Bolton (see address above).
Eric, landlord at The Bolton, had imported a number of speciality Dutch beers for the weekend whilst The Octoberfest pub, despite being long overdue a revisit, was not, in the event, ventured into.
