CAMAL

 The Campaign for Authentic Lager

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A record 15 members (one behind the camera!) - half of those who then subscribed - and 2 guests attended our 1ST Social in 2023

 

 

 

2024 Events

 

 

Held:

 

Sunday, 24TH November

 

 

'Annual General Meeting'

 

Noon - It ain't much if it ain't Dutch, 67-8, Enid Street, Bermondsey, SE1 9Q

 
 
 
 

This railway arch micropub is approximately mid-way between London Bridge (Jubilee, Northern and National Rail lines) and Bermondsey (Jubilee) stations. It is effectively the relocated Pröflokaal Rembrandt - at which previous AGMs had been held - when run by Eric Bestebrauer in the upstairs bar of The Bolton (closed) at Earl's Court (who now runs IAMIIAD). The AGM itself commenced shortly after 12.30pm once all likely attendees had assembled and tables and chairs rearranged to accomodate all attendees. 

 

Only card-carrying CAMAL members were present as requested. As anticipated, other venues along the Bermondsey 'Beer Mile' were inspected afterwards, including Mash Paddle, Moor Beer and the Southwark Brewing Co., before most ventured to the new Wetherspoons bar, The Lion & Unicorn, at Waterloo station for more substantial fare. 

 

 

For 2025, Socials are being pencilled-in for:

Dodo Micropub & The Grosvenor, Hanwell, Owl & Pussycat & Forester, West Ealing (jointly with APPFEL) (winter)

Pembury Arms Lager Festival, Hackney (spring)

Belgian Brewer, Nag's Head, Beer Shop & Wheatsheaf, Bishop's Stortford (summer)

Nicholas Nickleby, Stroud Green (autumn) 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Proposed (short term):

 

'Bill English Memorial Trip to Amsterdam & Antwerp (possibly including Ypres) - tba

 

 

Further details will be posted here in due course.

 

 

 

Proposed (long term):

 

 

'Further London Lager Microbreweries'

 

Noon - Antwerp Arms, 168-70, Church Road, Tottenham, N17 8AS then

 

1.30pm - True Craft (ex-West Green Tavern), 68, West Green Road, South Tottenham, N15 5NR, then

 

3pm - Bohem Brewery Tap Room, Unit 5, Littleline House, 41-3, West Road, Northumberland Park, N17 0RE then

 

4.30pm - One Mile End Brewery Tap Room, Unit 2, Compass West Estate, 32, West Road, Northumberland Park, N17 0XL then

 

6pm - Redemption Brewery Tap Room, Unit 16, Compass West Estate, 32, West Road, Northumberland Park, N17 0XL Closes 7pm

 

 

(All taprooms are adjacent to each other, One Mile End moving into Redemption's premises when the latter relocated and Bohem moving nearby to create a venue adjacent to their resited brewery additional to that at Bowes Park.)

 

  

CAMAL membership badges should be worn - by those who have them! - by all participating members at every event. 

  

  This depiction of mediæval monastic brewing appears to have the CAMAL tankard clearly in view! 

 

You have missed:

 

 

Saturday, 2ND November

 

 

'Avon Breweries & Taprooms'

 

Noon - Left Handed Giant, Compressor Building, Hawkin's Lane, Bristol, BS1 6EU then

 

1.30pm - Barley Mow (ex-Duke of York), 39, Barton Road, Bristol, BS2 0LF then
 
 
 

 

2.45pm - Moor Beer, Day's Road, Bristol, BS2 0QS then

 

4pm - Little Martha's, 23, Oxford Street, Bristol, BS2 0QT then

 

5.15pm - King's Head, 60, Victoria Street, Bristol, BS1 6DE.

 

 

From the Finzel's Reach area of the Floating Harbour via St. Phillip's Marsh to the Redcliffe district, we visited outlets where five different local breweries' products could be sampled. Firstly, a repurposed industrial building, then via a renamed pub (where lunches were taken), Bristol Beer Factory's tap, and an actual brewery/tap to, lastly, an historic, nationally-important Heritage pub, home to Good Chemistry brews, all were inspected with CAMAL's usual due diligence!

Unfortunately, since GWR decided to cancel the recommended train at 1000 ex-London Paddington, most, joining there or at Didcot (with a further change at Swindon!), managed to arrive at Bristol Temple Meads ½ an hour earlier. A handful of others had to content themselves with an arrival ½ an hour later, at 1208, or later still but, with one exception, all managed to rendezvous with the others at the first venue. Return journies were equally disparate with the majority favouring the 1900 back to Didcot, Reading or London Paddington, a full hour ahead of the suggested train! 

The Knight's Templar ('spoons) was the only other pub visited by just a couple of attendees and walking between all venues was accomplished without incident.

 

 

Saturday, 31ST August

 

'West Sussex Taprooms & Pubs'
 
 
 
Noon - Horsham Tap, 3, Blatchford Close, Horsham, RH13 5RG Good Beer Guide 2024 then:
 

 

 
1.30pm - Brolly Brewing, Unit 8, Redkiln Close, Horsham, RG13 5QL then:
 
 
2.30pm - The Black Jug, 31, North Street, Horsham, RG12 1RJ then:
 
 
3.30pm - The Malt Shovel, 15, 15, Springfield Road, Horsham, RG12 2PG Good Beer Guide 2024 then:
 
 
4.30pm - The King's Arms, 64, Bishopric, Horsham, RG12 1QN then:
 
 
5.30pm - Anchor Tap, 16, East Street, Horsham, RG12 1HL.
 
 
Most also visited Sit & Sip and The Lynd Cross afterwards.
 
 
 
Our train was, indeed, the 1035 London Victoria (1042 Clapham Junction) to Horsham arr. 1127. However, those who started from London Bridge alighted at Littlehaven 1136 and caught up with the main party.
 
 
 
Public transport locally within Horsham itself was utilised between Brolly Brewing and The Black Jug.

 

 

Sunday, 7TH July

 

'Ringing the Newcastle Beer Furlong'

 
 
 
Noon - Tilley's Bar, 105, Westgate Road, Newcastle, NE1 4AG Good Beer Guide 2024 then:
 
 
1.30pm - The Gunner Tavern, Neville Street, Newcastle, NE1 5DF then:
 
 
3pm - Mosaic Tap, Arch 7, Forth Banks, Newcastle, NE1 3PG then:
 
 
4.30pm - Beer Street, Arch 10, Forth Street, Newcastle, NE1 3NZ. Good Beer Guide 2024
 
 
We continued onto The Head of Steam, 2, Neville Street, and The Newcastle Tap, 4, Neville Street, both NE1 5EN and GBG 2024, from 6pm.
 
 
 
The theme here reflected the numbers of micropubs which had established themselves along Forth Street in the last decade, hence the 'Beer Furlong' tag, but which, due to spiralling rents and rates, have had to relocate elsewhere. Arch 11 once housed Split Chimp and Delta Lounge respectively (Arch 9 once being the GBG-listed NORA off-licence!) with only Beer Street now remaining. [Split Chimp resited to Arch 7 along Westgate Road, gaining GBG 2024 accreditation, but which has since closed!] The route south of the station is alongside the long-closed Northern Clubs' Federation Brewery.
 
 
 
Saturday, 25TH May
 
 
'Peterborough in Microcosm'
 
 
 
12.30pm - Frothblowers, 78, Sterrington Way, Werrington, Peterborough, PE4 6QP then:
 
 
2.30pm - Oakham Brewery Tap, 80, Westgate, Peterborough, PE1 1AA then:
 
 
4.30pm - Wonky Donkey, 102C, High Street, Fletton, Peterborough, PE2 8DR then:
 
 
6.10pm - Stoneworks, 8B, Church Street, Peterborough, PE1 1XB then:
 
 
7.30pm - Bumble Inn, 46, Westgate, PE1 1RE.
 
 
 
We, mostly, all convened at St. Pancras Thameslink station entrance (below the suburban platforms) at 10am ready for the 1016 train to Peterborough.

Delaine's 101 bus was then taken to our first venue in Werrington (the 1 being used for our return) and, after lunch, buses 5 or 5A to/from Fletton were used.

Appropriately, the Frothblowers regaled us with a craught Pot Belly Lager Bräu (ie on handpump) together with a range of 39 ciders/perries (making this a de facto APPFEL social too!). This and the other micros all had dark beers available, including mild, porter and (milk) stout, as well as the usual PAs whereas the Oakham Brewery majored on the latter only (probably as a more suitable accompaniment to the Thai food available there).

Although our intended return train to St. Pancras Thameslink was scheduled to depart Peterborough at 2054, that - and the 2154 - were cancelled so we took the 2124 instead.

 

 

Saturday, 9TH, March

 
'Berks Stumbling around Breweries, Micropubs & more'
 
 
 
 
11.45am - Sit & Sip, 8, Peach Place, Wokingham, RG40 1LY then:
 
 
1pm - Outhouse Brewery, Unit 4, Southgate House, Alexandra Court, Wokingham, RG40 2SL then:
 
 
2.30pm - Lord Raglan, 30, Denmark Street, Wokingham, RG40 2 BB.
 
 
 
We then visited:
 
Crispin, Broad Street Tavern & Queen's Head in that order.
 

We'd convened outside Wokingham station at 11.30am from where a short walk led to all venues. Trains, ex-Guildford 1043/Farnborough North 1101, ex-Reading 1105 and ex-Waterloo 1020/CJ 1028, arrived there at 1119/19/27 respectively.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

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