The Wantage beer festival takes place today and tomorrow. This is organized by the White Horse branch of CAMRA and features 30 real ales from local breweries, as well as cider and perry. For more information please visit www.whitehorsecamra.org.uk/beerfestival.htm
It is open between 11am-11pm on Friday 20th November and Saturday 21st November.
Stagecoach number 31 is an hourly bus service between Abingdon and Wantage, that takes about 35 minutes. [Timetable PDF]
I’ve been a bit busy recently and not kept things up to date, so here’s a quick round up of pub related things that have happened around town over the last few weeks
The Kings Head and Bell reopened on 30th October. This is everything I expected it to be, good beer, reasonably priced food. It has retained the traditional feel to it, but is more welcoming than previously. Judging by its popularity over the last couple of weeks it fits in with what many people want in a pub. Beers are mainly from Hook Norton and Adnams and Fullers London Pride arrived this week. It is good to see a regular outlet for Hook Norton in Abingdon. Hook Norton is Oxfordshire’s oldest brewery and has recently been winning lots of awards
The Brewery Tap has had a 6th hand pump fitted, and has a lot of beers from local breweries including West Berkshire Brewery, Hook Norton, White Horse Brewery, Vale Brewery. The list of beers on last week were:
They are having a Winter ‘Beer, Cider & Sausage’ festival between 4th-6th December. Featuring 30 different cask ales, 5 real ciders and live music from Big Boys Blues Band on the Sunday from 4pm.
Morland’s Old Speckled Hen recently celebrated its 30th birthday. I’m sure most people already know its history. For more info see this article in the Oxford Times and this youtube video of Ode To Joy being performed on Speckled Hen bottles.
The Old Anchor has a charity event on 5th December in aid of stroke survivors. The main event is sold out. However there will be live music at 9pm to which people will be admitted for a £3 entrance fee.
The Nags Head is continuing to maintain a good variety of real ales which change on a regular basis, although I understand that Fullers London Pride may become a permanent offering.
The Broad Face has a new sign depicting a broad faced man’s head more in keeping to how it was few years ago. They are serving a guest beer alongside the regular Morland Original and Abott Ale
The Stocks Bar is continuing to maintain a good range of real ales, and has just some refurbishment including new flooring in the bar. They also now have a facebook page
White Horse has a good range of beers and live music most Saturdays.
The Cross Keys has a good program of live music and serving good beer including St. Austell’s Proper Job.
Punch Bowl had a Morris Dancing folk music jam session last Sunday afternoon.
The Blue Boar appears to be having some interior refurbishment going on
The Plough is serving a reasonable pint of beer, serves lunchtime food and has live music most weeks
The Black Swan has had some outside refurbishment, but seems the same inside
After nearly two years after closing due to structural problems with the historic building, the Kings Head & Bell on East St. Helens Street is due to reopen soon.
A large banner is hanging across the front of the pub proudly proclaiming that it will reopen on October 30th.
It looks like there is still a lot of work to do, but there has been a huge effort of activity from builders, plasterers, electricians and other tradesmen over the last month or two. A new extension has been built at the back going into the courtyard.
I am looking forward to the reopening of the pub and wish it’s new owners Foundation Inns the best success.
A new craft micro brewery called the Shotover Brewing Company is due to
open soon in converted stables in Horspath just outside Oxford. The
owner and head brewer Ed Murray has been craft brewing for over twenty years
and has made the decision to turn his interest into a commercial venture.
It is anticipated that beer will be on sale by the end of November.
There are photos of stables being converted into the brewery on their facebook group and their main web site is at www.shotoverbrewing.com.
I am hoping that one of the Shotover beers will be at the Brewery Tap‘s Winter ‘Beer, Cider & Sausage’ festival on Friday 4th December – Sunday 6th December. This festival promises 30 different cask ales, 5 real ciders. The Big Boys Blues Band will be playing live on the Sunday from 4pm.
Note to any publicans reading this… I don’t intend to only mention the Brewery Tap and the Stocks. There are many other good pubs in Abingdon including Nags Head, Spread Eagle, White Horse, Cross Keys, Punchbowl, Plough, Broad Face. If you have any news, information on guest beers, festivals, etc, then please let me know and I’ll post it here.
Greene King announced yesterday that The Brewery Tap in Abingdon has been chosen as an exclusive member of the new Head Brewer’s Club, a collection of Greene King’s hero cask ale pubs. It was picked due to its dedication to great cask beer.
You can read more details on Greene King’s Run a Pub blog
More details about the Head Brewer’s Club can be found at www.headbrewersclub.co.uk
Other pubs in Abingdon and surrounding area who are also members of the Head Brewer’s Club include: