Scunthorpe & District CAMRA

13th Scunthorpe Beer Festival

We are pleased to announce the forthcoming
13th Scunthorpe Beer Festival
16th - 19th September

For more information click here and view the beer list to date.

Congratulations

Scunthorpe and District

We are a small and friendly local branch of CAMRA, a national consumer organisation which campaigns on behalf of UK drinkers on subjects such as choice, value for money, good beer and good pubs.

We have regular meetings in local pubs, plus a programme of social activities such as visits to beer festivals and breweries. CAMRA members and prospective members are welcome to attend our meetings and socials.

Details can be found here on the website, in the members' newspaper, 'What's Brewing', or the branch newsletter, 'Iron Brew'; the latter is free and distributed to many real ale pubs in our area on a quarterly basis and can be downloaded.

Please visit our Campaigning page for more details of causes supported by the branch or click here to see all CAMRA's latest causes.

2010 Events

Summer Pub of the Season Presentation
The Wheatsheaf, Barton-upon-Humber

Our summer Pub of the Season award goes to the Wheatsheaf, Barton-upon-Humber with a presentation on the evening of Tuesday August 31st.

Jim and Sarah Woodhouse, the licensees, are constantly striving to improve the pub with their most recent improvement being a very impressive hand carved wood panelled fireplace and log burning stove in the main room of the pub.

On the beer side they have six hand-pulled ales and are making full use of the SIBA scheme, enabling pubs to access ales from small independent brewers and Jim has recently worked very hard on temperature control in the cellar enabling the Wheatsheaf to be awarded the Cask Marque accreditation.

The award was presented to Jim and Sarah by branch member Carol Goodman, a regular of the Wheatsheaf.

For more information visit the Pub of the Season page.

Hawkshead Beer Festival

The end of July saw a somewhat intrepid bunch of members set out on an expedition to the Lake District with a final destination of The Beer Hall at Staveley for Hawkshead Brewery's 4th Summer Beer Festival.

With some cunning planning en route there was also the opportunity to visit two excellent pubs: the New Inn at Clapham and the Watermill Inn, Ings.

Then it was two nights in a camping barn with the opportunity to sample homebrew, some of the delights of Windermere and the festival on the Saturday evening.

Sunfest

July saw the branch's annual pilgrimage to worship at the Abbeydale altar.

The event had doubled its beer list from previous years meaning that members managed to try the vast majority of beers that had earmarked and our chairman made it a mission to sample and seek out beers for our forthcoming beer festival.

After a heart-stopping display of extreme sword-dancing followed by a somewhat half-hearted Moonshine Boys' performance the group finished off the day much as it started in the superb Sheffield Tap at the station, the highlight for some being a draught Sierra Nevada Big Foot ale at an impressive 9.6%.

Grafters Brewery

The branch recently took a bus trip to the Half Moon Inn and Grafters Brewery in Willingham-by-Stow near Gainsborough.

After many years as the Landlord, Phil Troop took to brewing, setting up his own brewery on the premises producing a range of excellent beers including 'Moonlight' voted Gold Medal Winner of in the 'Best beer from a new brewery' category at the Peterborough CAMRA beer festival 2008.

We were given a tour of the brewery and explanantion of the brewing process by Phil and brewery assistant Aaron Taylor followed by an excellent fish and chip lunch at the pub and a couple of hours sampling time of the splendid brews on offer.

As we prepared to leave we were presented with a box of commemorative Grafters brewery glasses and, had the hospitality not been fine enough already, Phil and Aaron joined us on our afternoon pub crawl of Gainsborough where we took in several real ale pubs.

We would very much like to thank Phil, Aaron and everyone else involved at the Half Moon for a fantastic trip and day out.

May saw a very busy month for members including:

Mild Social - The Malt Shovel
Pub of the season - The Butcher's Arms, North Kelsey
Brigg and Barton Lions' Beer Festivals

Malt Shovel Licensee Belinda Fisher pulling a pint of mild during CAMRA's 'Mild in May' month.

Branch members make the Pub of the Season presentation to Steve Cooper, Licensee of the Butcher's Arms, North Kelsey.

For further information visit the Pub of the Season page

Brigg and Barton Lions put on successful beer festivals again this year, sponsored by local businesses, which were well attended despite some torrential rain on the Saturday at Barton.

Both festivals provided a compreshensive range of beers and an increase in seating at both venues which was a very welcome addition.

At Brigg there was also an interesting cider selection including a selection from Thatchers and some from Lincolnshire which were particularly well-received.

Enjoyable entertainment was provided on the Saturday afternoon at Barton by the local Town Band.

Members enjoyed the local produce, generous half pint measures and soaking up the atmosphere, among other things.

Doncaster Beer festival

The beer choice featured many locally brewed ales in keeping with Camra's Locale policy plus a innovatiove regional focus, this year being Wales and the West Country.

Although several beers had run out due to record attendance the previous evening, there were still several excellent ales to be had and branch members took a very serious approach to this year's festival as opposed to last year's frivolity.

Kelham Island Brewery and Sheffield Pub Crawl

After the 'Meet the Brewer'night at the Blue Bell in Scunthorpe last year the branch followed this up with a tour of Kelham Island Breweryin Sheffield.

The brewers were very hospitable and the tour very enjoyable accompanied by the beers on offer in the visitor centre which were Pale Rider and Shindig and a buffet.

Afterwards the group spent some time sampling the excellent range of beers on offer in the Fat Cat before moving on to several Sheffield pubs including the twice winner of Camra National Pub of the Year, the Kelham Island Tavern and the recently opened Sheffield Brewery Tap at the station.

Rotherham Oakwood Beer Festival

The branch ran a successful minibus trip to Rotherham Oakwood Real Ale and Music Festival on Thursday 18th February, the evening set aside for CAMRA members and guest tickets only therefore experiencing the range or beers at its best before the busy weekend sessions.

The festival, held in a secondary school has a very interesting layout making use of the school hall and canteens, a marquee on the yard and several classroom divided up according to local areas.

Pub of the Season, The Horn Inn Messingham

The Winter Pub of the Season Presentation was awarded to Dean & Michelle Swaby who took over at the Horn Inn in Messingham in August last year where this popular village local is fast improving.

A very good selection of beer was to be had, some from from breweries not too far afield including Wold Top and also Kelham Island, soon to be visited by the branch.

Branch member Paul Branton presented the award to Dean and for further details see the Pub of the Season page.

There was an excellent tun out from members who have provided great support for the branch and its events already this year depite being utterly incapable of grouping themselves for a photo.

National Winter Ales Festival

The branch kicked off 2010 with a trip to the National Winter Ales Festival in Manchester enjoying the selection of beers on offer and the new venue.

Click herefor previous events.

Scunthorpe Beer Festival, 16th - 19th September

Trip to Nottingham Robin Hood Beer Festival, 16th October

See Branch Diary for further details