Black Cat Presentation

Black Cat Original was selected as Beer of the Festival by visitors to the October 2015 West Kent CAMRA, Spa Valley Railway, Real Ale, Cider and Train Festival. However, it was not until the final Saturday of July 2016 that a presentation could be made to the brewer.

                       

In the photos, with their certificate, are Paul and Kate Wratten with festival organiser, Iain Dalgleish, West Kent Camra chairman, centre, in the Victorian Engine Shed at Tunbridge Wells West, the site of the main festival. The second photo is outside of the station entrance and the third, among the gathering. Paul and Kate very kindly donated 4 casks of different beers, including the winner, to help celebrate their award with festival volunteers and members of the West Kent and South East Sussex Camra branches, including the North East Sussex sub branch.

Black Cat is one of the smaller microbreweries in Sussex, located in Palehouse Common, about three miles outside Uckfield. It is slowly expanding and is run almost single handedly by Paul, who has been brewing since the age of sixteen, with Kate's assistance. The award is a great achievement since it beat around 100 others. Paul took over the brewery less than two years ago.

This isn't just a 'one-off' since the brewery's Tzar Russian Imperial Stout (6.8%) won 'Beer of the Festival' at this year's South East Region Beer Competition, held by SIBA, the Society of Independent Brewers, in July, this time coming top out of over 150!

Black Cat beer may presently be found at the following outlets: Crown, Groombridge; Cat, West Hoathly; Bedford, Tunbridge Wells; Nevill, Crest & Gun, Eridge Green; Laughing Fish, Isfield; White Hart, Wadhurst; Star, Waldron; Cock, Ringmer; Anchor, Ringmer; Maypole, Ashurst Wood; Lamb Inn, Piltdown; Roebuck, Laughton; Watchmaker’s Arms, Hove; Old Star & Cider House, Shoreham.

The Spa Valley Railway Festival comes around in late October. Trains, complete with real ale buffet cars, run along the heritage line connecting the main festival at Tunbridge Wells West to bars at Groombridge and Eridge stations. It starts on Friday 21st October for three days, for further details see: http://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/product.php/19/6th-camra-real-ale-cider-festival-and-autumn-diesel-gala