2014 Events
Doncaster Brewery Trip
On Saturday 15th November a good number of Scunthorpe and District members boosted by friends from
nearby branches met up at Doncaster station for a tour and tasting session at the nearby
Doncaster Brewery.
We first visited the brewery tap after this year's Doncaster beer festival and arranged
to come back and visit later in the year once the brewery was installed in its new home.
Ian Blaylock, proprietor and brewer, gave a very interesting and personal insight into his reasons
for brewing, how he literally built the brewery up from scratch and his commitment to Doncaster
and the local area.
Several beers were on offer that day of which we particularly enjoyed Pumpkin Porter and Mucky Bucket
and the KOYLI (a lighter beer named after the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry).
Thanks also go to Ian's wife Alison for manning the pumps and to the
Yorkshire Pie House for excellent food and service.
We followed this trip up with a tour of several town centre pubs serving real ale which continue to improve in the town year on year.
Pub of the Season Autumn 2014
The Black Horse, Wrawby
Our Autumn Pub of the Season award goes to the Black Horse in Wrawby, near Brigg.
This large roadside pub is situated on Melton Road, a busy route to and from Brigg. In charge at the Black Horse is
Simon Raby, who hasbeen at the helm for 5 years. He has a background of working in pubs, but this is his first
premises as a licensee.
Simon has two handpulled real ales on the bar at all times, and rotates pale beers such as Kelham Island Easy
Rider, Morland Old Golden Hen, Castle Rock Harvest Pale and Marstons New World with darker beers such as
Wychwood Hobgoblin, Sharps Doombar and Timothy Taylor Landlord as pairs.
Further information is available on our Pub of the Season page.
We congratulate Simon and staff at the Black Horse on their award presented on Saturday 29th November.
Steel City Beer Festival, Kelham Island Industrial Museum, Sheffield
Excellent day at the Sheffield Beer Festival. A small but select band of local members
enjoyed some choice beers against the backdrop of the Kelham Island Industrial Museum.
A few thirds were in order because of the strength of some beers, but overall a great day.
Roll on next year!
The 17th Scunthorpe and District Beer Festival
was held from the
25th - 28th September.
Beer & Cider List
The 17th Scunthorpe Beer Festival, held at the Bridge Hotel in the centre of town, was a great success,
with good attendances, lots of praise for the festival itself and for the range and quality of the beers
and ciders available (see comments to the Scunthorpe & District Facebook page below). We sold more beer
this year than on previous occasions which was encouraging, with the Friday and Saturday evening sessions
our busiest times. Thanks to all who came along to enjoy the beers and ciders, and to all the CAMRA
volunteers who staffed the festival throughout. Thanks also to our sponsors and those who loaned us
equipment - in the latter category this included Gainsborough CAMRA, Doncaster CAMRA and the River Don
pub at Eastoft.
Beer of the festival voted on by people attending was Magic Rock's High Wire, with Roosters
Baby-Faced Assassin in second place. Third place was a 5-way tie between Blue Monkey Infinity+1,
Eight Sail Damson Porter, Ilkley Rye 'n Dry, Castle Rock Bittern and Tiny Rebel Cwtch.
That's it for this year, but we hope to see you again in 2015 for the 18th Scunthorpe Beer Festival.
'Awesome job folks! We had a really enjoyable night there last night, thanks. Good range of interesting
and well served beers (the Wreck'd and the Oxymoron deserve particular mention), and relaxed,
friendly atmosphere and the job is a good 'un. Much appreciated.' (Andy Bill Brader, Broughton)
'Enjoyed a brief taster session Thursday evening until the call of the last bus. Some great beers.
Hope to be back tomorrow.' (Nick Doust, Scunthorpe).
'Thanks to all the volunteers. You did Scunny proud.' (Dave Booth, Scunthorpe).
'Thank you Scunthorpe. Alan, Roy and I had a most enjoyable time with you.' (Karl Thompson, Gainsborough).
'Just a quick note to congratulate you on another fine Beer Festival.
I have seen several people since the dust settled and they all say how much they enjoyed it.
Even a couple of lager drinkers admitted how surprised they were after enjoying a selection
of beers that they have always avoided! Part converts? Time will tell!
Here's to the next one!!' (Keith Dixon)
Pub of the Season Summer 2014
The White Swan, Barton-upon-Humber
Our summer pub of the season reopened in Autumn 2013 after extensive refurbishment
and has been taken on as a family pub with landlady Lisa Robson running front of house.
There is now a welcoming atmosphere which has attracted a varied and friendly clientele.
The pub serves one cask ale which is constantly changing, offering a range of ales rarely
seen in this neck of the woods. This is supplemented by Black Sheep Bitter on key keg,
real ale in a bottle, traditional ciders and a perry.
We congratulate Lisa and family on the difference they have made to the pub and their
well deserved award.
Despite the Scunthorpe Telegraph's best attempt to sabotage proceedings by printing that the award
was to be the White Swan in Scotter there was still an excellent turn-out!
An evening of fantastic food and brilliant beer with a special presentation
given during the evening by Great Newsome's head brewmaster.
The 6 course menu consisted of dishes cooked in and/or served with a range of Great Newsome's
excellent beers including:
Pricky Back Otchan
Frothingham Best
Sleck Dust
Jem's Stout
Holderness Dark
Ploughman's Pride
See the brewery's
whole range of beers here.
Martin, Stables manager, added that customers wishing to purchase Great Newsome beers in the future
can do so through him and they can be delivered to the restaurant with the house deliveries which
is an excellent service.
Contact Stables for further details.
Branch Summer Barbecue
The hot weather held for a fantastic summer barbecue in Barton including good food, Grafters Moonlight
and Dark Side of the Moon, plus a stout and home-brewed coal porter, frisbee, garden jenga and even
a bit of swinging.
Sunfest 2014
An event that always proves popular with members is the anual pilgrimage to Sunfest
at the Rising Sun in Sheffield. Over 100 real ales were available this year and, for once, the festival
lived up to its name with a fantastic day of British summertime weather making it a very enjoyable event.
Pub of the Season Spring 2014, The Berkeley, Scunthorpe
The Berkeley Hotel on Doncaster Road is one of Scunthorpe's largest pubs and has been run by
Shane and Theresa Hodkin since 2008.
The pub serves an excellent pint of Old Brewery Bitter and some of its bottled beer range now includes
Chocolate Stout, Imperial Stout and a range of fruit beers such as cherry, apricot and strawberry.
The Berkeley is named in the CAMRA inventory of heritage pubs for its exceptional 1930's art deco interiors.
It has a steady local community trade does excellent pub meals and Sunday lunches.
National Winter Ales Festival, Derby
A girly group of regular festival-goers made the trip to the 2014 National Winter Ales Festival
now relocated in Derby and held in the world's oldest Roundhouse.
Fantastically accessible from the railway station, the festival bars were arranged in a circle
all around the edge of the building. There was also music marquee and
the Champion Winter Beer of Britain contenders were served in a separate area.
The overall winner crowned Supreme Winter Champion was Dunham Massey, Dunham Porter,
although one of our members still saw fit to reaffirm her love for Thornbridge Jaipur.
Although some beers had naturally started to run out by Saturday afternoon there was still an excellent
choice.
We would thoroughly recommend that more members give this festival a go next year.
Pub of the Year Presentation, The Malt Shovel, Ashby
Every year CAMRA runs a Pub of the Year competition for all real ale pubs in the
UK.The competition begins with a branch nomination, and Scunthorpe & District CAMRA
have chosen the Malt Shovel in Ashby as our Pub of the Year.
The Malt Shovel has been the leading real ale pub in Scunthorpe for some years
now, thanks largely to the excellent stewardship of Simon and Belinda Hall, pictured.
The variety and quality of the pub's real ales has consistently been top notch. Yorkshire breweries that are regularly featured include
Abbeydale, Acorn, Elland, Great Heck, Hop Studio, Mallinsons and Wentworth, as well as other real ales
from Oakham, Exmoor and Tom Wood. A great range of real ciders is also available, with most served
straight from the cellar.
We congratulate Simon, Belinda and all staff on their award.
Pub of the Season Presentation, The Yarborough Hunt, Brigg
Our Winter Pub of the Season award goes to the The Yarborough Hunt, Brigg.
The pub opened in 2003 after a sympathetic refurbishment of buildings which originally formed
the Sargeant's Brewery Tap.
The Manageress, Lucy Fensome, who has always promoted real ale, received the award
and Tom Wood whose ales feature strongly in the pub was was also in attendance.
We wish the Yarborough Hunt continued success in the future, presenting the Pub of the Season award
on Wednesday 5th February.
Christmas Party
Another successful Christmas Party was held at the Malt Shovel, Ashby.
This included a buffet, quiz and raffle as to be expected although there appeared to be a new theme
this year of 'accessorising'.
Click here for previous events.
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