North East Suffolk branch socials report: Apr19-Jun19

A shorter report for this quarter with the first event being our branch pub of the year presentation to Dave & Sam Burd of the Stanford Arms, which took place at the pub's Easter beer festival. The ales being served on the day were an interesting selection from Brew York (Jarsa, Glutenus Minimus, Tonkoko), Howling Hops (Pudding Ale, Dinner Ale), Three Blind Mice (Old Brown Mouse, Yello Cello) and Tiny Rebel (Lush, Cwtch, Pump Up The Jam), which were certainly enjoyed by our members. Our meander in April took us to Halesworth meeting just outside the town at the Triple Plea where Adnams Southwold Bitter, Woodforde's Wherry, Greene King St Edmunds and Triple Tipple (a house beer by Greene King) were on tap. This was followed by a walk into town to the White Hart (Adnams Southwold, Ghost Ship & Broadside and Fuller's London Pride), the White Swan (Adnams Southwold and Wadworth Horizon) and the Angel (Adnams Southwold, Ghost Ship and Broadside).

In early May, we presented the Triangle Tavern with their branch town pub of the year certificate. As you would expect, beers available were from Green Jack and were Albion Mild, Golden Best, Excelsior, LGM1, Orange Wheat, Trawlerboys, Lurcher, Canary Premier, Gone Fishing, Mahseer & Ripper (keg) with guest beer Severn Brewery's Golden IPA. Our May meander took us to Bungay for an 11am start (a necessity owing to the bus timetables) meeting at the Chequers where the four beers on tap were Green Jack Golden Best, St Peters Organic Best Bitter, Belhaven 1719 and Hardys & Hansons Olde Trip. With only three hours in Bungay we couldn't hang around so it was soon off to the Fleece Inn where we had our choice of Greene King IPA or either of two Oakham beers (Hare and Hedgehog and Scarlet Macaw). We finished our trip at the Green Dragon where the brewery's Chaucer, Gold and Bridge Street Bitter were on tap with Strong Mild and Dragon on gravity. At the end of May we met at the Wenhaston Star to attend their beer festival and present them with our branch rural pub of the year certificate. Beers in the marquee were from Bishop Nick (1555, Heresy, Martyr, Ridley's Rite), Colchester (Jack O' The Green, Sweeney Todd), Crouch Vale (Anchor St Porter, Citra, Zenit), Farmers (Golden Boar, Jack in the Green, A Drop of Nelson's Blood, Summit Special), Green Jack (Albion Mild, Canary Premier, Ripper), Mighty Oak (Moon Rocks, Organ Grinder, Outcast, Simply Citra) and Red Fox (Best Bitter, Coggeshall Gold, Hunters Gold, Wild Fox).

On another warm, sunny day in June, the Shadingfield Fox held their annual Father's Day beer festival where the 19 beers being served (12 on gravity) were Beccles Brewing Co (Hodgkins Hop, Leman Drop, Nelson's Tree), Bull of the Woods Red Morning Light, Ampersand Salem Dark Lager, Clouded Minds (99 Steps, Clout Stout), Beeston (On The Huh, Stoatwobbler), St Peters's (India Pale Ale, Cream Stout), Woodforde's Bure Gold, Adnams Ghost Ship, Blue Monkey (Infinity, Funky Gibbon, BG Sips) and Oakham (Tranquility, Khyber Pass, Maelstrom). Our June meander was in Beccles and featured pubs that we rarely visit as a group. These were the Kings Head Hotel where eight different beers were being served (which I managed not to record), Graze at the White Horse (Lacons Encore, Ruddles County), Waveney House Hotel (Adnams Southwold, Oakham JHB) and Caxton Arms (Truman's Lazarus, Elland Ruby Mild, GK Abbot).