Saturday 18 December

Christmas Drink

We started in the Piper where they had Long Man Blonde and Rother Valley Level Best. Some of us had a pint of each before moving on to the Three Legs Tap in the Heist. There they only had one Cask, Pale #3, and Black IPA on keg. A short walk took us up to the St. Leonard where we sampled their excellent St. Leonard Ale brewed by Franklins. Then to the Nags Head who had a full row of five on hand pull. Well done Denise. I had the Battle, One Hop. Then to the Horse & Groom where I started with a Taylor, Landlord followed by a Harvey's Old Ale. Every beer I had scored above 3.5 with a top score of 4.5 for the Old. Overall I think the decision to crawl around St. Leonards instead of Hastings Old Town made a nice change and was a success. I hope everyone else felt the same.

Thanks to Howard for the commentary and Peter PM for the photos.

     



Saturday 18 September

Brickmakers Alehouse

A highlight for the branch has been the presentation of a CAMRA Design Award in the Conversion to Pub Use category to the Brickmaker’s Alehouse, Bexhill, the micropub which opened in November 2019. This was a Zoom event on 26th August when members gathered in the pub around a screen and camera. Unfortunately the certificate did not arrive in time for the presentation despite CAMRA HQ organising both the date for the presentation and the certificate and so we could only present an empty frame. Nevertheless we gave the pub enthusiastic support via Zoom, we would definitely claim to have made the best showing of support of the seven pubs winning awards.

The certificate arrived soon after this, so when branch members visited an excellent beer festival at the pub on 18th September, a proper presentation took place, no less enthusiastically supported. It is easy to spot the difference in our pictures between the two frames presented to co-landlords Martin and Robin. We are proud that Bexhill has two national CAMRA award winning locations and both so conveniently close to the railway station and bus stops.





















Thursday 22 July

Tower

Peter Page-Mitchell presenting landlady Louisa Gover with the well deserved award for Pub of the Year 2020 runner up.




Wednesday 21 July

Albatross Club

Our first Branch Meeting now that they are again allowed. With thanks to the club for allowing us to use their meeting room.

Wednesday 23 June

Jolly Fisherman

Peter Page-Mitchell presents the owners, Oliver and Becky Bostwick, with our Cider Pub of the Year 2020 award




Saturday 19 June

Battle Tap

The new tap room, attached to the bottle shop in Battle High Street, was formerly opened by Mac McCutcheon, their CAMRA brewery liaison officer. He is pictured cutting the ribbon, together with various others. From left to right: Graham Burton, the artist who painted the abbey wall mural inside the shop; Rob Dudman of the brewery; Mac; Ness Boon neighbour and local supporter: Anna Alexander, Ian Venton and Joanna Dudman all of the brewery. The range of Battle beers is avaiable from the shop, plus much more. Details are here:- Battle Brewery Bottle Shop Tap Room

Friday 18 June

Albatross Club

Peter Page-Mitchell presented Club of the Year Award 2020 to Karen Land, head steward. Yet again this club thoroughly deserved the award and continues to maintain an excellent range of beers, in consistent similar quality. The bar area has recently undergone complete refurbishment, which serves to further enhance the whole experience.




Wednesday 9 June

Orkney Brewery

Not the first in Scotland, but definitely the furthest north we have had to travel to make a brewery award. The 2019 Eastbourne Beer of the Festival for non Sussex breweries was a tied result, with Orkney’s Dark Island one of the winners. After plans for a trip in June 2020 were thwarted by travel restrictions, it was rearranged for 2021, although sadly some of the original travellers were unable to join in 2021. Three did make it however and the reward was not only a first visit for all of us to the island, but also the first dark beer we found on Orkney, as in June all the pubs seemed to only stock light shades of ale.

Saturday 29 May

Grenadier Hailsham

This is a Harvey’s pub which keeps only Sussex Best Bitter on throughout the year and Old Ale in its season, but it came top of the National Beer Scores in the branch area in 2019, a tribute to the excellent quality and consistency of its beer. Ian Robertson, left, who is close to being a regular at the pub was delighted to make the award to Malcolm the landlord.

Tuesday 25 May

Albatross Club

Branch members consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have such an excellent club in our area, it having won so many CAMRA awards in recent years, including national ones. It was unsurprising that it was again voted Branch Club of the Year 2020. This was to be the last such award to Karen Land, as she moves on after many successful years at the Club, taking our best wishes with her.