Western Sussex CAMRA

Social, Bell, Chichester, at 8:45.
Then Park Tavern and finally Four Chesnuts.

We’re spoilt for choice on the weekend of September 8/9 — not one, but two beer festivals!

The first is at the Ship & Anchor in Ford, whose festival starts at opening on Friday and runs through until closing on Sunday. Free admission, with live music on Friday and Saturday evenings, and around 10 beers to choose from. Food should be available throughout, and there’s a campsite outside so you could always bring a caravan or tent. No guarantees about the weather, though!

The other beer fest is at Amberley Museum — this one’s Friday and Saturday evenings only, and admission is £4 for Friday evening and £3 for Saturday. Advance tickets can be had from the Museum office, or from the Bell, Chichester, the King’s Arms, Arundel, the Evening Star, Brighton, the Stanley Arms, Portslade, the Buckingham Arms, Shoreham, and the Selden Arms, Worthing. Up to 30 beers at this one — no mention of cider but we live in hope.

If you’re coming from Brighton, Portslade, Shoreham or Worthing, there’s a bus running from the pubs to the Amberley beer festival — and back again! — for £2. Pre-book to be sure of a seat, though.

Both festivals are easily accessible by rail: the Ship & Anchor is five minutes walk south from Ford station, and Amberley Museum is right by Amberley station, so you could do both on one rail ticket.

Social, Royal Oak, Hooksway, at 8:45.
Then probably Ship, South Harting.

At just after 4 today, Hardys & Hansons shareholders voted to accept Greene King’s takeover bid.

The board stated that the future of the brewery was a matter for GK so… well, place your bets. I give them until the end of the year, tops :(

No link for further information just yet, as we seem to have scooped both the Publican and the Morning Advertiser…

(Personal rant: Wonder how many more family brewers will need to be devoured before the Government gets off its backside and does something? Oh, but that would take vital resources away from spending all our money on half-baked identity card schemes, of course…)

Social, Lamb, West Wittering, at 8:45.
Then Ship, Itchenor and probably Blacksmith’s Arms, Donnington.

Gold Crouch Vale Brewer’s Gold
Silver Harvey’s Sussex Best Bitter (congratulations!)
Bronze Triple fff Moon Dance

Milds

Gold Mighty Oak Oscar Wilde Mild
Silver Elgood’s Black Dog
Bronze Grainstore Rutland Panther

Bitters

Gold Elgood’s Cambridge Bitter
Silver Acorn Barnsley Bitter
Bronze Sharp’s Doom Bar Bitter / Woodforde’s Wherry

Best Bitters

Gold Harvey’s Sussex Best Bitter
Silver Triple fff Moon Dance
Bronze Kelburn Red Smiddy / Surrey Hills Shere Drop

Strong Bitters

Gold York Centurion’s Ghost Ale
Silver Thornbridge Jaipur IPA Tried this myself - great stuff!
Bronze Weetwood Oasthouse Gold

Speciality Beers

Gold Cairngorm Trade Winds
Silver Wolf Straw Dog
Bronze William Brothers Fraoch Heather Ale

Golden Ales

Gold Crouch Vale Brewer’s Gold
Silver Hop Back Summer Lightning
Bronze Holden’s Golden Glow

Guardian/CAMRA Bottle-Conditioned Beers

Gold White Shield Brewery White Shield
Silver Greene King Hen’s Tooth “Don’t shoot the messenger!” — Roger Protz
Bronze Titanic Stout

Social, Mill Tavern, Camelsdale, at 8:45.
Next pub will be decided on the night — probably one of the Fernhurst ones.

Formal meeting, Maypole, Yapton, at 8:45. (Note this is one week later than normal due to the Great British Beer Festival)