News 2012
Sun 3 June 2012 - Chippenham Folk Festival for The
Queens Diamond Jubilee
Visited the marquee in the park, but most of
the singing etc comes from people crawling around the pubs and the one they want
to end up in is of course the 3 Crowns! They seem to prefer the tiny back bar so
it was necessary to get there early to bag our seats. Singing starts
around 9 or 10 and Gwyn said we had to be there by 6-30 !! Mind you, Steve
did have 11 beers on!
| Three Crowns, Chippenham | ||
|---|---|---|
| BREWERY | ABV | BEER |
| Arbor | 3.6 | Full o'beans |
| Arbor | 11.0 | Goo Goo G, Joob |
| Ashley Down | 4.4 | Best |
| Bristol Beer Factory | 4.4 | Sunrise |
| Blackmere | 4.3 | Gold |
| GWB | 4.2 | Bees Knees |
| Kelham Island | 4.5 | Night Rider |
| Monty's | 5.0 | Mischief |
| RCH | 3.9 | PG Steam |
| Slaters | 4.3 | Diamond Jubilee |
| Wold Top | 4.0 | Gold |
Fri & Sat 1st & 2nd June - Cricketers Beer Festival
Glad to see the pub putting on this event admidst appalling weather.
So we braved the rain too and tried some excellent beers.
Needed more beer
tasting notes!
Wed 16 May 2012
We found ourselves in
Buckland Newton looking for a model railway shop on a local farm so we stopped
for a beer. Two local beers on. Tyne Mill, Lyme Gold 4.2%
and Sunny Republic, Beach Blonde 4.2%. The latter is located at
Winterborne Stickland and only started selling its beer in the last couple of
weeks. An excellent refreshing pint so I wish them well.
We were told about the Craft Fair/Goose Fair & Beer Festival on Sun 27 May and decided to go back! Sadly just a glorified car boot and the beer tent had same beers as in bar plus plastic glasses!
Friday 11 May - The Three Crowns
| Three Crowns, Chippenham | ||
|---|---|---|
| BREWERY | ABV | BEER |
| Oxfordshire Ales | 2.8 | Chancellors Revenge |
| Cotswold Spring | 3.8 | Ambler |
| Three Castles | 4.1 | Spring Daze |
| Arbor | 7.0 | Collaboration |
| Milk Street | 5.0 | Beer |
| Box Steam | 3.6 | Tender Mild |
| Cotswold Spring | 3.9 | OSM (Old Sodbury Mild) |
| Shardlow | 4.5 | Reverend Eaton |
Bank Hol Monday 7 May 2012 - Blandford Georgian Fayre
Kath was attending a craft fair at the church so I spent a few
hours sampling beers at The Railway Hotel Beer Festival. It's not a bad
event really. Good collection of beers and an informative programme.
Burgers etc were not overly expensive. It's just a shame the pub is what
it is, for me at least - no interest in sport! I tried 5 new beers and
then gave up trying to get any conversation out of the young bar staff and went
to The Dolphin.
Friday 4 May 2012
We made the trek to the
Thornbury Model Railway Exhibition and on our way back went into Rode to see
what the Cross Keys was like. I was surprised to find this now belongs to
Butcombe and unlike the old Smiles Brewery Tap in Bristol, this has been
tastefully renovated in keeping with its history. Once the proud Fussell's
Cross Keys Brewery who took Silver Medal at Olympia in 1960. Queen
Victoria's magnificent clock is on display in the lounge thanks to Lottery
funding. 4 hand pulls give: Butcombe Best, Fullers London Pride, a Cider and
their seasonal ale - Mendip Spring 3.8%. Menu not extensive but not over
priced either. No steaks, but I enjoyed the gammon at £9-95. Has a
nice rear courtyard as a suntrap! Worth a visit if you are passing that
way.
Tue 1 May 2012 - Dolphin, Blandford.
A
pleasant evening where I issued Card No. 257 to Landlord Simon
who took over when Laurie retired about this time last year. 7 beers on plus a
cider. 3 were from their Piddle Brewery tie, plus guests. I think
Piddle beers are in that category of you either like them or hate them.
Like a couple of other breweries I can think of not too far away they have what
is to me a distinctive unpleasant sour taste. Having said that, Silent
Slasher 5.1% breaks the mould and is very drinkable. I was even treated to a
Smiles Blonde at 3.7%. Who is brewing that these days??
Sat 21 April 2012 - The Maltings
After the
2010 session I published our Photo Album as 'The Maltings Years'. I'm
beginning to wish I hadn't because it seems to have jinxed matters. Sadly I
had to miss last year due to the death of our friend Steve in Liverpool and
numbers are clearly down this year. So 'Three Cheers for the Burntwood
Jollyboys!' who are a real do or die crew!
Fri 13 April 2012
On our way to a surprise
visit to Liverpool for Kath's Birthday we stop off with Roger & Gwyn for another
session at The Three Crowns!
A good selection of ales and after 5 new ones
for me the pub moves up to 9th place in my league table with 85 beers.
| Three Crowns, Chippenham | ||
|---|---|---|
| BREWERY | ABV | BEER |
| Slaters | 3.6 | Golden Bitter |
| Itchen Valley | 3.6 | 5 Hops |
| Devilfish | 4.5 | Apachi |
| Arbor | 6.0 | By Zeus |
| Saltaire | 4.8 | Cascadian Black |
| Milk Street | 4.5 | Zig Zag |
| Codrington | 4.2 | Codger |
Sat 31 March 2012
Kath is away so Pad & I
visit the Crown at Alvediston for its Beer Festival. I was surprised that
only 6 beers on and together with Tony, Teresa & Roger we were the only people
in the bar! Couple of new beers though, and back to The Cricketers for a
few before our Whisky Evening which was just as poorly attended!
Thur 22 March 2012
Met Tony & Teresa at
the 6d Brewery. They have a new beer 'Man in the Wall' 4.2% brewed
specially for the new Wetherspoon in Wimborne where it can be purchased for a
lot less than the price here!!
Fri 16 March 2012 - Bristol Beer Festival
And 3 more new beers in the 3 Crowns makes total 80 and now equal 10th with the once mighty Market Porter of London Bridge fame!
Sat 3 March 2012 - IT's MY BIRTHDAY!!!
Fri 2 March 2012 - Pub Crawl of Bristol
Thur 1 March 2012 - Three Crowns
| Three Crowns, Chippenham | ||
|---|---|---|
| BREWERY | ABV | BEER |
| Dark Star | 4.1 | Partridge |
| Stonehenge | 5.0 | Danish Dynamite |
| Waylands | 4.4 | Wayland Smithy |
| Potbelly | 4.5 | Old Barsteward |
| Downton | 5.8 | Chocolate Orange Porter |
| Otley | 5.5 | Oxymoron |
| Box Steam | 5.0 | Dark & Handsome |
| Ashley Down | 4.4 | Best Bitter |
Sun 12 Feb ~ Longs Arms, Steeple Ashton
A village not too far from and similar to Lacock with many Tudor
buildings. The pub is old but I couldn't find any history. 4 hand
pulls offer: 6X, Henrys IPA, Sharps Cornish and a guest - 3 Castles Barbury
Castle 3.9%
We had the 2 course Sunday lunch at £13-95 which was excellent.
Friendly pub mostly given over to eating although it became apparent that it
changes with the time of day and who's about. Sunday afternoon was
definately for watching the rugby! Beer Festival on 14 April - 16 beers in
marquee in rear beer garden.
Worth a visit I would think!
We also went chasing The King near Wootton Bassett................
6024
King Edward I approaches Langley Burrell running 50mins late with
the 10:07
Paddington-Bristol, Cathedrals Express.
Sat 11 Feb
Yet another visit to The Three
Crowns and thanks to Clive it became the 'Blue Shirt' Launch!! And finally
our 1st group photo of the year in the pub! Another 5 new beers moves pub
into equal 10th place on my beer list. [Total 72 beers]
| Three Crowns, Chippenham | ||
|---|---|---|
| BREWERY | ABV | BEER |
| 3 Castles | 4.0 | Saxon Archer |
| Braydon | 4.1 | Yer Tiz |
| BBF | 4.5 | Californian Bitter |
| Arbor | 4.6 | Oyster Stout |
| RCH | 4.5 | Old Slug Porter |
| Plain | 3.9 | The Wife's Bitter |
| GWB | 4.2 | Bees Knees |
| 3 Castles | 4.5 | Try Me! |
| Cotswold Spring | 4.6 | Guv'nor |
Friday 3 Feb ~ 3 Crowns again!
Still no
photos!! But with 3 more new beers this pub moves up to 12th place in my
beer list. [Total 67 beers]
| Three Crowns, Chippenham | ||
|---|---|---|
| BREWERY | ABV | BEER |
| Braydon | 4.0 | RWB Royal Wootton Bassett |
| 3 Castles | 4.3 | Vale Ale |
| Stroud | 4.5 | Budding |
| Box Steam | 5.0 | Dark & Handsome |
| Wickwar | 5.0 | Penny Black Porter |
| Slaters | 4.4 | Premium |
| RCH | 3.6 | Hewish Mild |
Wed 1 February ~ Torquay
Torquay is a
lovely place to visit with its own sub-tropical climate, and of course it's
where Kathy used to live. Despite being, or possibly because it is, a
tourist trap the pubs are not particularly to my liking. I think it's true
to say most aim for the 'Batchelor Party' market and real ales are thin on the
ground. Kath used to live not far from Torquay's oldest pub, The Hole in
the Wall at the bottom of the steps in Park Lane. Now that was a cosy pub,
but today we are at the other end of town visiting Kath's brother Stuart.
His local is The Printers Elbow II, and I think it's worthy of a write up and
consequently issued Visiting Card No.252.
In the mid 1980's Eddie Thomas, Landlord of The Printers Elbow in the centre of town (pub lost to re-development some years ago) moved out to Torre to take over The Globe, a Courage house, and promptly renamed it The Printers Elbow II. Present Landlord Barry Owen and his wife took over the lease in 1987 and for the last 25 years have kept the pub in the original condition it is in today. It's a classic boozer with Darts & Pool in a large bar where the old 2 room split is still part of the atmosphere. A walled rear area doubles as outside drinking in the summer and smoking area. 5 hand pulls offer: Courage Best, Directors, John Smiths, and a guest which they choose to take from local Teignworthy Brewery subject to suiting the taste buds of their regulars. It's a pub with no food! Not often you find Courage Best these days, in our parts at least, and this was particularly well kept, a CAMRA 4. I also sampled Teignworthy Winter Daze 5.4%. A sample was pulled for me and it was in cracking form despite being the 1st of the session. Well done Barry, you keep a fine pub, probably one of the best in Torquay. It's a shame you declined to be in the pictures, but many thanks for your hospitality.
Pub No. 252 ~ The Printers Elbow II
Saturday 28 January ~ Salisbury Winterfest
Roger, Gwyn and I went to stay with Tony & Teresa at 6d Handley and we
all went to Salisbury on the bus for £5-30 each return!
This is a small CAMRA
festival which started 15 years ago in the Scots Lane Social Club to showcase
'Winter' ales. The mix of Social Club, small number of beers, and
generally dark ales never appealed to me, and of course the main festival was
always the June one in the old church! So I never did the WinterFest and I
thought the one in the church (Now Salisbury Arts Centre - in Bedwin St) ceased
some years ago. Now I know why I didn't bother with the WinterFest, but
luckily I found a flyer for the Church Fest 16 June, and it says it is the 32nd,
so I've missed a few!!
We met up with NW Wilts CAMRA boys and when the festival started saving beers for the evening we left and went on a pub crawl and took visiting New Zealanders Leonie & Martin with us! Someone took a group photo for us in The Anchor & Hope, but sadly managed to blur the shot! Sorry guys! I wasn't wearing my glasses when I checked!
