The details for our fourth Event in 2019 are as follows:
Proposed:
Sunday, 1ST September, 2019
'Even More SE London Micropubs'
To include The Dartford Jug, Dartford, The Penny Farthing, Crayford, The Hangar, Blackfen, The Iron Horse, Sidcup and others. Further details to follow shortly assuming this website is still functioning.
A swap regarding Ring commitments between two members of both meant that too much responsibility was placed on themselves to devise their CAMAL socials as well, hence the reverse changes with the above and the 14TH July event.
Following a paper majority decision made by the Committee at the 2018 AGM, this website was expected to be defunct by Easter 2019 as the cost - little more than the two rounds of drinks subsequently bought for attending Committee members - was not considered to be worthwhile.
Thanks to all non-attending Committee and non-Committee members who have responded to the survey, sent with year-end subscription renewals, undertaken to gauge their preferences for the continuation (or otherwise) of benefits for the wider membership in the future.
CAMAL badges should be worn by all participating members at every event.
You Have Missed:
Sunday, 14TH July, 2019
'Recent 'craft' beer bars in Hammersmith'
noon - The Draft House, 238, Shepherd's Bush Road, London, W6 7NL then
1.30pm - The William Morris, 2-4, King Street, Street, London, W6 0QA then
3.30pm - The Craft Beer Co., 17-8, Broadway Shopping Centre, London, W6 9YD.
Established in 2015 and formerly The Laurie Arms ph, the first is one of many Draft Houses throughout inner London, now owned by the BrewDog brewery, but still offers both cask & 'craft' ales. The second is a familiar Wetherspoons largely included should people want to eat from a more extensive menu whilst the third, formerly The Old Trout ph, only opened in its current guise in spring 2019 within the Hammersmith District & Piccadilly Lines station parade and offers 6 no. cask beers on the day plus many more artisanales besides together with a variety of burgers listed on its table menus.
Afterwards, we also visited The Swan, an ornate Nicholson's house at the junction of The Broadway with King Street.
Sunday, 28TH April, 2019
'Metroland Award-Winning Micropubs and Curry'
noon - The Hop & Vine, 18, High Street, Ruislip, HA4 7AN then
1.30pm - The Beer Asylum, 1, Red Lion Parade, Bridge Street, Pinner, HA5 3JD then
3pm - The Regency Club, 18-21, Station Parade, Queensbury, HA8 5NR.
The first two welcome additions to the diminished pub scene in West Middlesex had won their respective borough (Hillingdon and Harrow) Pub of the Year awards from the local CAMRA branch in 2018. The less than clement weather meant that we weren't able to make use of the Hop & Vine's recently-opened 'beer garden' but, at the Beer Asylum (originally opened as just a bottle shop off licence), the bar side of the outlet, having developed into a fully-fledged micropub, held our attention such that most were reluctant to move on. [The Beer Asylum 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 curry & lager venue needed no introduction to CAMAL members and was long overdue a revisit. Although advertising potentially all four lagers from the Cotswold Brewing Co., based in Bourton-on-the-Water, none of the two expected were available on the day but one of the Club's own badged, locally-commissioned, beers - an IPA - was supped as an accompaniment to curries at the usual high standard expected here.
Use of public transport was required throughout, Ruislip being on the Uxbridge branch of the Metropolitan Line. Buses H13 between Ruislip & Pinner and, then, the 183 from Pinner to Kenton with the 114 from Kenton to Queensbury were utilised. [The alternatives, the Metropolitan Line between Ruislip & Pinner, changing at Harrow-on-the-Hill, and the Metropolitan & Jubilee Lines between Pinner & Queensbury, changing at Wembley Park, were not taken.]
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 was used for arrival - a rendezvous outside the Three Guineas on the town side suggested at 1145 (but acheived inside instead!) - whilst Reading West station - tickets having been valid to All Stations there - was near to the final pub being visited.
Of the seven members who attended, four then continued on to The Castle Tap, Brew Dog, Zero Degrees and The Allied Arms with three even venturing into The Alehouse and The Greyfriars.
