#caskfinder

[willridgard]

Norwich pubs, beers and breweries: What’s not to love?

They often say that ‘you do anything for the people and things you love’.

For me. If I had to pick, I’d highlight football, my favourite Chinese takeaway, my girlfriend Poppy, former Ipswich Town striker Shefki Kuqi, and my Mediterranean tortoise named Coco as some of the most valuable things in my life. Not in that order I might add!

Oh. I almost forgot. Cask ale, often known as ‘real ale’ or ‘ale from the hand-pump’, is mostly certainly now in the upper reaches of that adorable list. You see, my taste buds have strayed from the mainstream lagers in the last few years, and cask ale is now known as my ‘new love’ that I seemingly can’t go anywhere without!

Especially on celebratory events like Valentine’s Day. Days full of laughter and fun and days to cherish and remember. Valentine’s Day 2020 was therefore spent trying to please, and spend valuable time with, the people and things that matter the most! OK, I’m not Superman, and didn’t manage to fit everyone / everything in, but I’d say that attending a Beer Festival with more than 60 ales to choose from was the perfect setting for Valentine’s Eve💖!

Of course, I didn’t go on this quest alone. If I had to guess some of Poppy’s ‘priority list’, I’d go for: exploration, visiting new places, sightseeing, culture, food, wine, socialising, travelling, shopping, talking, and Pickled Onion Monster Munch 👾. Hopefully I’d be somewhere in there too!

Norwich was the chosen location for our Valentine’s getaway. Norwich. Home of Colman’s Mustard. Home of The Cathedral. Home of The Canaries: Norwich City FC 🟡🟢. The Canaries. Oh how Ipswich used to beat them regularly and proudly perch as the ‘pride of East Anglia’. But such dreams are now a distant memory for many increasingly-poignant Ipswich fans like myself, and come to think of it, I don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance to cheer on the Tractor Boys 🚜 in another ‘Old Farm Derby’ again! Such is the current demise and perilous position of the boys in blue and white 🔵⚪.  

But, “forget the football for once,” I told Poppy. It was time to explore a beautiful, cultural, vibrant and historic city blessed with an array of fantastic shops, market stalls, and of course pubs and breweries. Our getaway was planned at the very last minute – and Norwich was perfect for our plans and interests. I think the conversation in the car on the way to work on the Monday went something like ‘Shall we do something for Valentine’s Day this year?’ Four days later and we’re living our best life. After all, they often say: ‘Live in the moment’, ‘life is for laughing’, ‘treat yourself’ etc.

Talking of treats. Naturally, a treat = beer. The airport beer. The shower beer. The hotel balcony beer. The kitchen beer while she’s getting ready. The straight to the pub from work beer. The Sunday afternoon beer garden beer. The Friday before Christmas beer. There are so many great beers everywhere. Especially, in Norwich where a plethora of tasty, excellent beers are produced by Norfolk breweries and then sold in great numbers at various watering holes across the city.  

One of which, the Georgian Townhouse, was where we were lucky enough to stay. With an excellent choice of boutique bedrooms and luxury apartments, the Georgian Townhouse offers a truly unique retreat in a glorious setting in the heart of the city – and I’d highly recommend it. Boasting a Roberts Revival digital radio 📻, a Smeg fridge and a Nespresso machine ☕ , we were in some kind of hotel heaven when we unpacked our bags. Blimey! Heaven turned into paradise when we saw the size of the humongous bath in the en-suite🛀. I thought about going swimming at one stage 🏊 !

But that’s not it. The fantastic Georgian Townhouse staff even presented us with two local beers from St Andrews Brewhouse – Wensum Ale, a best bitter, and Grocers Ghost Pale Ale (more on those later) – to sample on arrival. And with a small bottle of champagne, and a bunch of freshly picked, roaring red roses that definitely were not bought from Tesco (how did they even get there!?), the scene was set for a cracking couple of days!

And a cracking couple of days were had. Starting with dinner in the restaurant: Delicious roast chicken served with coleslaw, chips and salad. Just what the doctor ordered. 

The service was also very good – and after scanning my QR code to record my visit on the CaskFinder App – significant interest in the App generated as some members of staff wanted to become ‘beer experts’ by vowing to learn all of the tasting-notes for the 10,000 beers on show! I opted to wash dinner down with two lovely pints of Woodforde’s Wherry. A beer that has grown on me in recent times, with its delicious citrus aftertaste going down very well indeed.

From here, we took the mutual decision to move onto The Trafford Arms for the Valentine Beer Festival! With Storm Ciara beginning her windy, wet warm up, and the choice of 60+ beers to look forward to, it’s fair to say that Poppy was not the most enthused on the chilly walk through the housing estates en route to The Trafford. In fact, I’d say she was uncharacteristically quiet. Which really is a rarity! But that soon changed as we entered the pub’s welcoming doors. Bingo! Their Cask Marque certificate greeted us at the door. After registering the visit on the CaskFinder App, it soon became apparent that we were to make this public house our home for the next few hours.

Of course, I’d done my research, and found that the Valentine Beer Festival was a popular annual, week-long event. With a huge variety of beers ranging in appearance and ABV%, as well as live music, what’s not to love about it really? So as Poppy sipped on her fruit-filled gin n’ tonic, I tested my taste buds. All while listening to the dulcet tones of The Rum Dogs, who, in their own words, perform ‘funky, folk music with humour and passion’.

If I had to pick a ‘beer of the night’, I’d go for Ampersand’s ‘On the wing’, a hop forward pale session ale brewed with oats and heaps of late Amarillo, Citra, Ekuanot & El Dorado hops. But I wasn’t alone in trying new beers. The pub had a very friendly, absorbing vibe about it, and it was great to see it packed full of drinkers – young, old, male and female – all testing their taste buds and indulging in some beautiful cask ales.

We were sad to leave The Trafford, armed with our packets of Salt & Vinegar crisps to detract our attention away from a strengthening Ciara, but will certainly aim to visit again. I believe the Beer Festival continued to be a hit – and, whisper it quietly, I think beers were being served at £2 a pint towards the end! We’ll definitely be back if that’s the case!

After a well-deserved sleep (this drinking business can be tiring), we went down to breakfast – the most important meal of the day. Apparently! We were not left disappointed. There was plenty of choice: from cereal and fruits to pastries and yoghurts to cooked meals, the menu was expansive – and partnered with excellent customer service. Personally, I opted for a few slices of cantaloupe melon – after demolishing a freshly-cooked Full English that smelt as good as it looked!  

This set us up perfectly for the day’s activities, and, as avid believers of living life on the edge, we just immersed ourselves in the beautiful, windy Norwich lanes, streets, and marketplace. We bought a few birthday gifts (happy 23rd to my sister Ellie), and enjoyed our time stumbling across many a hidden gem – including Chef Ron’s Kitchen and Roman’s Juice Bar, who really sold us their appetising pizza slices🍕 and tasty smoothies🥤.

After eyeing up quirky rugs, lampshades, and other home essentials, we then fell upon FREE ping pong and table football inside Castle Quarter. Which was an absolute game-changer! Unfortunately, the table tennis was so popular that we didn’t have the patience to wait, so Poppy’s interest and undenied passion for ‘the beautiful game’ intensified even further when she challenged me to an encounter of table football. And, after a comically entertaining match, which saw the Ipswich Town Blues defeat a Norwich team, playing in their red away kit, 10-5, I fully expect our game to be shown first on Match of the Day this weekend. Shefki Kuqi top scored (there’s only one f in Shefki) with eight of Ipswich’s 10 goals. If only these dreams became a reality…

In all seriousness, both facilities are well-maintained and are cracking ideas. In a world being domineered by iPhones and other such technological advances, they offer a great opportunity for family members and friends to enjoy one another’s company – and with a competitive element thrown in too. Hey, I won lunch! Wake me up, I’m dreaming again… Talking of lunch, once our match, which included full-match commentary, much to the amusement of several passers-by, reached its conclusion, the quest for good food and drink was on. In my book, the clock striking 1pm means only one thing: beer time! As we all know, shopping can be tiring and can work up an appetite so it was imperative we found a place that could satisfy our bodies and minds.

Step forward, St Andrews Brewhouse! It’s easy to see why this brewery-turned-pub is regarded as one of the best food and drink establishments in Norwich. Home to their very own microbrewery, which produce some amazing beers, St Andrews Brewhouse is a real favourite among Norwich folk with their popular restaurant, bar area, and functions room nearly always fully populated.

See it for yourself here:

In my opinion, one of the best things about pubs is the range of people they attract. People-watching is also a proven, favourite past-time of the human race! The guy sitting by the window at St Andrews Brewhouse with just a book and a beer for company looked like he was having a great time. As did the three suitcase-carrying friends hungry for a good meal after landing from their holidays. Of course, Poppy and I were probably seen by others as ‘the Valentines’ – enjoying one another’s company, alongside the superb Macaroni Cheese and two pints of lovely Wensum Ale – a best bitter with a sweet, malty and fruity finish. Spot on.

And, as we made our way out, hand-in-hand, looking for the next stop in our exciting jaunt, Poppy declared that ‘the St Andrews Brewhouse is one of the best pubs I’ve been in; I loved it’. And I’d have to agree. Good food. Good beer. Good times. It’s simply a must-visit! Add it to your Norwich bucket list!

It was then by complete accident, that after crossing the bridge on St Georges Street, that we found the Playhouse Bar! Again, Miss Brown wasn’t overly keen when I suggested that we gave it a look as ‘it’s different’. But, again, her opinion quickly changed when we set foot inside! The adjectives quirky, funky, and mesmerising are ones I’d used to describe a unique bar setting and atmosphere! Playhouse Bar’s ceiling is a colourful collection of artworks portraying a city scape. 

The project was started in 2011 by members of bar staff, many of whom are former art students. Art was probably my worst subject at school, but I had a serious case of ‘ceilingopolis’! We couldn’t help but stare at the ceiling – and managed to find The Olympic Stadium, an IKEA and Jurassic Park – to name but a few places of interest on top of us. It’s certainly very interesting and worth a visit. The sucker fish was entertaining too. I wonder what he’s seen – and forgotten – in his lifetime. In all honesty, we could’ve stayed people and ceiling-watching for hours…

It was at the Ribs of Beef where our journey ended – obviously after taking some selfies and photo-bombing one another first.

I opted to try a trio of tasty local beers to round up – and was not left disappointed with some fruitful tasting beers from Lacons, Wolf and Moon Gazer Ales cleansing the palette perfectly. Norfolk is the home of these fine breweries – and it was fantastic to see each of the pubs I visited support local breweries.

That’s the thing. Norwich really is a community of beers, breweries, and pubs. Partnerships between all will certainly heighten in May, when the 10th Norwich City of Ale Festival officially opens. An 11-day celebration of some of Norwich’s finest pubs, and the region’s excellent brewers, City of Ale 2020 promises to be packed with Ale Trails and fun events to keep consumers entertained. I really can’t wait for it to begin! Thursday, May 21 to Sunday, May 31. Save the dates! Plan the action! Come and see what Norwich has to offer.

With a handful of the 45 pubs involved in City of Ale also being Cask Marque accredited, they appear on the CaskFinder App’s ‘World’s Biggest Ale Trail’. May 2020 seems the perfect time to tick off a few pubs yet to visit and a few beers yet to try! The never-ending, full-of-fun, beer adventure just keeps continuing…

[willridgard]

Beer tasting: One of the best jobs in the world

Tasting beer for a living has to be one of Britain’s best jobs.

Getting paid to sample and test beer really fits the ‘living the dream’ stereotype.

I was recently lucky enough to follow in the footsteps of a Cask Marque assessor – who does exactly that. All while making sure while licensees and publicans across the country are selling the best beer possible to thirsty customers.

OK. We didn’t just booze our way through a host of Suffolk pubs. In fact, I’d say we didn’t even consume three quarters of a pint over the course of the day. But it was equally fun, interesting and educational as I experienced first-hand what well-kept, conditioned, quality cask ale should smell, taste and look like.  

Driving beer and ale quality is one of Cask Marque’s main aims. There are around 10,000 Cask Marque accredited outlets in the UK – which are all part of the World’s Biggest Ale Trail. Most of these are pubs, but there are also a plethora of hotels, bars, and holiday parks. A quick search on the CaskFinder App’s interactive map – and you’ll be overawed with options that serve a good quality pint, especially in bustling cities like London and Manchester.

But I live in Saxmundham – a small, historic town around 30 minutes’ drive away from Ipswich. And so, Ipswich, via a spontaneous trip to the beach of Felixstowe, was the chosen location on a day I labelled as ‘learning about beer’ in my diary.

Our plan was to audit four pubs – and hopefully award them enough marks to retain their Cask Marque status. Pubs undergo two independent quality checks per year: one in the summer, one in the winter.

Before I reveal our pathway for the day, the below information might give you some more context into the background of the challenge – and beauty - that is cask ale, alongside the assessment process.

What is cask ale?

Cask ale is a fresh and unpasteurised product which needs conditioning when it’s delivered into pub cellars. I.e. the flavours of the ale are developed when the cask is vented and tapped in the cellar. Cask ale is made from four ingredients - water, malted barley, hops and yeast: it has a very short shelf life and should be sold within three days of being putting ‘on’. It is otherwise known as ‘real ale’ or ‘hand-pump ale’.

Why is cask ale unique?

Cask ale cannot be bought in a shop (although you can buy bottle versions). It is stored – and conditioned while on sale - in a cask (think barrel), which is what makes it taste so good and fresh when it’s served in a pub!

What’s the difference between ale and lager?

Lagers, i.e. keg beers, are usually pasteurised and sterile filtered (so they don’t contain any live yeast). They are ready to be served when delivered to pubs – and usually have a longer shelf life. However, cask ale is fermented twice. Once at the brewery and once at the cellar of the pub, so it’s not ready to serve straightaway. It has to be vented, tapped and conditioned during its sale.

Cask ale does not have as much fizz as lager as it doesn’t include any added gas. A light sparkle of carbon dioxide is produced naturally during conditioning – but once the beer goes on sale, it is exposed to air, which is why looking after cask is really important.

What do pubs have to do to look after cask?

Lots. The pubs which sell the best / most cask ale often have members of staff who have knowledge of, a passion for, and a sense of responsibility for it.

The temperature of the cellar where the cask is stored in critical to how the beer behaves. If it’s too cold, it’ll be slow to condition and could appear too cloudy. If it’s too warm, it’ll go off quickly and pick up unwanted aromas and flavours. There’s nothing worse than warm beer! Cellars should be set to a cool 11 to 13 degrees and the doors should be kept closed to prevent any unwanted, warm air from entering.

Cask ale should always be put to bed. The tap should be turned off and a hard plug should be placed in the shive, so no air goes in overnight. The process works very similarly to when you open up a bottle of coke: to preserve the quality of the taste, you screw the lid back on as tightly as possible. Makes sense, right?

Beer lines should be cleaned every seven days – and the cask should be stored in a clean, organised environment.

Doing all of the above will help maintain the quality and life of cask ale – leading to happy customers, more sales and higher profits.

What temperature should good quality ale be stored and served at?

11 to 13 degrees is the target temperature which 95% of drinkers approve of. 10 and 14 degrees are also acceptable and deemed as a Cask Marque pass. Temperature is controlled and maintained using an ale python, which must be switched on and topped up with water regularly. 

Lager is best served between 2 and 8 degrees, although it may be served extra cold at 0 degrees.

And what should it look, taste and smell like?

Well-conditioned ale should appear sparkling bright and completely clear. The aroma and taste should be appetising, fresh and non-tainted.

How do Cask Marque assessors test pubs for quality?

To pass and gain retain their Cask Marque status, pubs must score at least 16 marks from the Cask Marque assessors’ visit. Pubs are marked out of 20: 5 marks each for the appearance, aroma, taste, and temperature of their ales. They test the:

- Temperature by thermometer: Assessors will test a pint of all the cask ales on sale, using a calibrated thermometer

- Appearance by holding the beer up to the light: To check the clarity. Points are deducted the hazier the beer is. Cloudy beer is a fail, unless brewed specifically in this style.

- Aroma by smelling the beer: Any unwanted smells will raise concern. ‘Off’ beer will often have vinegar / acidic aromas.

- Taste by testing the beer: Saving the best until last! A good sip should entice the taster for another…and another…

And that’s how a Cask Marque audit works. In that order. The last thing assessors are rewarded with is a sip of one of the most satisfying drinks in the world…when well looked after! Valuable advice is given throughout – to improve standards and practice, making sure customers are getting the most for their money.

Can pubs fail?

If there’s a failure, guidance is often given on site to make sure the pub passes the next time around. Assessors will often give pubs a couple of weeks to get things right before going back and repeating the assessment.

The most common cause of failure is that too many beers have been on sale for too long. Remember that each cask needs looking after, so the more cask there is, the more care is needed to ensure it’s being served exactly right.

One more thing

The Water-break Test. Assessors test for glass cleanliness. The ultimate beer glass should be clean, cold, and dry. Glasses should be washed using washing detergent and washed separately from dishes and cups, while the tea-towels to dry should also be laundered separately.

Our Beer Journey

I must confess that I felt a bit like the beer police at times. Audits are not pre-organised – and assessors can just turn up out of the blue. But licensees and pubs know the rules. And so, armed with our thermometers, cameras, CaskFinder Apps, and notepads to hand, here is the route we took…

Stop 1: The Golf Hotel, Foxhall Road, Ipswich (IP4 5TR):

Stop 2: The Fludyers Arms, Undercliff Road East, Felixstowe (IP11 7LU): 

Stop 3: The Cock & Pye, Upper Brook Street, Ipswich (IP4 1EG): 

Stop 4: The Black Horse, Black Horse Lane, Ipswich (IP1 2EF):

Opening hour complications at stop 4 meant our beer journey took a slight diversion as we visited the Dove Street Inn, Ipswich (IP4 2LA), a Cask Marque pub who have their own brewery and regularly have around 17 cask ale pumps on at one time. Impressive!

The results

It was very pleasing that the three pubs we audited all passed – leading to happy publicans and customers! We were also spoilt for choice at The Dove Inn too: a very popular establishment among cask ale drinkers.

All in all, Cask Marque have around 50 qualified assessors testing and tasting pubs’ quality of ale up and down the country. They are often former brewers still interested in the beer industry. I might have to start taking my thermometer to the pub from now on…

Thanks to the pubs who allowed us to test their beer quality. Thanks to the pubs who serve good quality ale - and thanks to you for drinking cask and for reading!  

For more information on all things cask ale, visit: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAXJmZYrvJ-sGO5HFFnJf7w

If you’d like further information on the ‘Cask Marque visit’, click here: https://cask-marque.co.uk/happens-cask-marque-visit-2/

If your pub is interested in – and looking to get Cask Marque accredited, visit: https://cask-marque.co.uk/join/

To download the CaskFinder App, visit: https://cask-marque.co.uk/cask-finder/

[willridgard]

Ghost Ship Way 👻🚢

As I said in a recent blog post, Ale Trails are fashionable. I therefore thought it’d be best to try another one, albeit slightly different to the last! With injury ruling me out of weekend football for a while, I thought ‘why not treat the better half for a mini-break on the stunning North Norfolk coast’? Obviously, and this was a discussion we had beforehand, the best possible way to enjoy our time together was by trawling through seven different pubs and trying a different ale in each!

That’s the good thing about Ale Trails. They’re versatile. You can do them wherever and with whoever you like: friends, family, loved ones, and even pet tortoises who originate from the Mediterranean! (My tortoise Coco will be fully immersed in them when she gets a bit older. She’s only just turned 2 bless her). My better half loves exploration, adventure and going to new places so was naturally delighted at the idea; she actually planned the trip via and after downloading the CaskFinder App. I know. What a woman. I got lucky.

Overall, we enjoyed good food, good beer and good company throughout; three elements every good weekend should include!

Of course, I didn’t get it all my own way and there had to be some compromise. The ol’ bank account took a slight roasting and it wasn’t just pubs we visited...(There’s a very nice craft shop in Old Hunstanton I’d advise looking in). 

Although, on the Saturday, we had very little alternative but to spend all day in the pub due to the continuous downpour that, try as it might, failed to dampen our spirits. A blazing fire, a pint of Britain’s favourite drink, and numerous packets of crisps and peanuts - what more could you want!? 

As part of CaskFinder App’s World’s Biggest Ale Trail, we decided to explore a section of the Adnams sponsored ‘Ghost Ship Way’ Ale Trail. 

And despite being disappointed by the lack of Suffolk’s finest ale on show, it was good to see so many local brewers (Woodforde’s, Brancaster, and Mauldons) supporting their local pubs (and vice-versa). Here’s the route we took armed with our CaskFinder App maps and scanners… 

Stop 1: The Ancient Mariner Inn (Old Hunstanton, PE36 6JJ). Very impressive, warm and homely - just what you need after a rain-sodden two-hour trip! Plenty of beer selection. Opted for a pint of Fullers’ Seafarers: a refreshing, fruity bitter. Pub’s Halloween decorations inspired the generation of our Halloween Housewarming ideas (which we hosted the following weekend)! Mwahaha.   

Stop 2: The Lodge Inn (Old Hunstanton, PE36 6HS). Different vibe. Very modern. Very hotel. Cool (in both sense of the word) own ale: The Lodge Inn Finest Ale. There seems to be plenty of competition up there in terms of hotel-cum-pubs and the production of their own ales. 

* Sleepover at the King William IV Country Inn, Sedgeford: very good service, dinner, breakfast, beer, wine, price and accommodation. Highly recommend to all.

* Holme beach: a beautiful setting for a Sunday morning stroll. Tide out. Sun glistening. Squelchy sand. Blustery winds. Wrapped in hats, scarves and coats. Very Autumnal. Managed to avoid stray golf balls from the Old Hunstanton course, too...#fore   

Stop 3 (via the above *s): The Lifeboat Inn (Thornham, PE36 6LT). Very old school and very dark, with the only source of light and warmth coming from the fiercely burning fire. Ideal opportunity to put the feet up with half a pint of Woodforde’s flavourful Once Bittern. Could have quite easily stayed longer, but the trail must go on...

Stop 4: The Orange Tree (Thornham, PE36 6LY). Pricey! Lots of oranges. Busy member of staff showed good knowledge on ale choices. Tried another one of those pub / hotel produced ales...Unsurprisingly orange.

Stop 5: The Briarfields Hotel (Titchwell, PE31 8BB). Limited Norfolk phone signal makes for a quite a fun mission! Big car park. Classic hotel. Another one of those ales. Quick pit stop. Stomachs starting to rumble. Sunday Roast calling, but elsewhere...

Stop 6: The Ship Hotel (Brancaster, PE31 8AP). Superb half of Brancaster Best. Certain staff not so superb. After rejecting three elderly customers the offer of food, rude, dismissive northern member of staff gave us the same service. Didn’t sit well when that offer was revamped. We’ll pay our £2.05 and be gone! Cheers. 

Stop 7: The Sculthorpe Mill (Fakenham, NR21 9QG). Stomachs well and truly rumbling now! Opted to break the journey home up. Talk about stumbling across a hidden gem. Beautiful moss-filled lake. Good food. Cosy environment. Friendly staff. Even treated myself to a whole pint of Ruddles Best packed with soft, fruit aromas. Trail over (for now). Home time! 

It was a fantastic weekend, but with my beer head on, it’s fair to say that this trail provided plenty of challenges... 

If it wasn’t the impractical placement of Cask Marque certificates (to scan the QR code and register the pub visit), it was the limited phone signal which was near impossible to obtain! Fortunately, most pubs had accessible WiFi to save the day! 

And if it wasn’t the wet weather, it was the distance between each pub which makes ‘Ghost Ship Way’ an extremely difficult - and perhaps unappealing - trail to complete. While exploring our short section of aforementioned pubs, we had to drive to virtually every destination. And with more than 30 pubs on the trail that spread across the best part of 70 miles from Heacham to Gorleston, I doubt there are many ale trailers who have completed the trail! P.s. When I say ‘we’, in regards to driving, that doesn’t include me...

However, we love a challenge and this weekend was absolutely superb. I’m up to 20 scans now: only another 3,500+ to go until I venture onto the World’s Biggest Ale Trail leader board! The better half also managed to get her first two scans: I’m sure she’s cherishing those and will actively attempt to catch me up.

Good weekends are all about exploration and adventure. New pubs. New beers. Same loved ones. Rumour has it another trip is in the pipeline soon. Maybe Coco will join us on the crawl this time…

Top three pubs of the weekend:

1. The Ancient Mariner Inn, Old Hunstanton, PE36 6JJ 

2. The Lifeboat Inn, Thornham, PE36 6LT

3. The Sculthorpe Mill, Fakenham, NR21 9QG

Top three beers of the weekend: 

1.Fullers’ Seafarers

2. Brancaster Brewery’s Brancaster Best

3. Briarfields Ale

Reminder: The seven step guide to a good Ale Trail 

1. Download the CaskFinder App and register on the World’s Biggest Ale Trail 

2. Tell your friends / family / pets to do the same

3. Find and explore different ales and pubs

4. Scan QR cods to build up your tally and win prizes

5. Read up on beers and give out star ratings

6. Make memories. Take photos. Have a blast!

7. Repeat!

[willridgard]

The ‘Proper Job’ Ale Trail

8 beautiful Suffolk pubs. 10 superb ales. Last Sunday was a helluva day for 8 keen Ale Trailers 🍻. 

Interest stemmed in the ‘Proper Job’ Ale Trail during National Cask Ale Week: a yearly 1️⃣1️⃣-day celebration of cask ale - often known as ‘real ale’ or ‘hand-pump ale’. 

See the excellent below video from JW Lees Brewery if you are unsure on what Cask Ale is 🍻.

With my hereby new job in full flow (if you’ll pardon the pun), I thought, cudtahell, we’ve got to celebrate Britain’s national drink in the best way possible 🎉 !

Now, as us lads have grown into our late 2️⃣0️⃣s, our taste buds seem to have changed somewhat.

Gone are the days of sipping bottles of Smirnoff Ice and WKD on park benches 🤦🏽‍♂️.

Gone are the days of necking Snakebites and VKs like there’s no tomorrow 🤪.

And gone, to a certain degree, are the days of drinking pint after pint of classic household lagers. 

It’s all about cool 😎 (in both sense of the word), interesting and exciting ales,  produced by local brewers using local ingredients. 

The 2019 Cask Report found that there are now more than 2,300 British breweries supplying around 48,000 pubs with over 10,000 choices of beer 🍺.

And choice is important! Every single ale can differ in its appearance, pump clip, ABV (%), aroma and flavour - and trust me, there are some ruddy good ones out there 👌!

Something every single ale should have the same (roughly) though is the temperature! Nobody likes warm beer 🙅🏽‍♂️.

According to Cask Marque, the perfect pint of ale should be served between 1️⃣1️⃣ and 1️⃣3️⃣ degrees. It should also be well looked after and cared for and passionate, knowledgeable landlords, licensees & publicans will sell the best pints of ale and make the most out of its potential.

‘Ale Trails’ come under the trending categories of exploration, innovation and trying new things. And the excellent, free and easy-to-use CaskFinder App - where Trailers can rate beers, find pubs, and scan certificate QR codes to win prizes - fits into these categories too 🤳.

Therefore, the ‘Proper Job’ Ale Trail, between Melton and Woodbridge, had only one rule: a different pint of ale must be consumed by the whole group in every Cask Marque accredited pub visited! Excellent. Armed with our bicycles, to speed up our visits, what could possibly go wrong!? 🚴

The train 🚂. That’s what went wrong. ‘Two bikes only’, was the rather abrupt instruction barked at the startled three of us trying to clamber on the 12.53 from the very personable & understanding conductor (Oh I do love Greater Anglia). Cheers pal. 

After some manic on-the-spot planning (at one point the Trail looked to be off), many thanks must go to my better half 👸 and the fantastic Highway Assurance service (Battletelli 👴 & Szylicykzydus 🇺🇦 ) for saving the day as we took over Sax train station, loaded the bikes and headed to pub stop #1: The Wilford Bridge. 

And that’s where the fun and games really began. Please read below commentary / summary. 

#1 The Wilford Bridge 🌉: Super service accommodating 8 hungry lads at the last minute. Great food too 🍔. Easily accessible and well-presented framed Cask Marque certificate. 

Beer 🍺: 16 x Woodforde’s Wherry. Fresh and zesty with crisp floral flavours. Gorgeous. Three ales on line.

Bike ride: 0.6 miles. Ale Trailer #8, D.King, with some brave / stupid riding as he made his way into leading pack topped by road cyclist, D. Morphew (Ale Trailer #4).     

#2 The Unruly Pig 🐷 : Proud to be Cask Marque accredited with excellently-placed plaque outside. Unmissable certificate on the way into the pub. Very good.

Beer 🍺: 8 x Adnams Mosaic Pale Ale. Bubbly with peach 🍑 , mango 🥭 , lemon 🍋 , and pine 🌲 flavours and aromas. Thumbs up. Limited choice, though. 

Bike ride: 1.2 miles. The longest stint. Ale Trailer #1, W.Ridgard, held up on departure, finishing well behind the rest of the pack alongside Ale Trailer #6, C.Palmer. More inefficient riding from Ale Trailer #8 almost sees him fall off and cause further damage to an already broken foot 🦶! Ale Trailer #3, T. Backhouse, an amused spectator 🤣.

#3 Melton Coach and Horses: Busy. Certificate placed behind the bar (not ideal, but visible so not horrendous). Setting marred / made by ‘go and get yourself a Proper Job’ comment following group picture taken by innocent bystander. Extraordinary from yours truly. Still feel guilty 😬.

Beer 🍺: 8 x St Austell Proper Job. Powerfully hopped Cornish IPA with powerful play-on words 👊🏾. Lots of other choice, too. 

Bike ride: Ale Trailer #1 and Ale Trailer #7, W.Stephenson, made a strong getaway on the long, straight stretch only to get overtaken by virtually everybody on the hill. Yet more peculiar riding from Ale Trailer #8, who looked to be fatiguing 💤 .  

#4 Woodbridge Red Lion: As a pub, personally my favourite of the Trail. My first ever visit too. Friendly service. Very spacious. Very impressed. Certificate less so as it had to be dusted off from upstairs without a frame! Pub unfortunate victim of vile King incident upon exit 🤢.

Beer 🍺: 8x Laine Brew Source Pale Ale. Billed as ‘dangerously drinkable’. Ale Trailer #5, S.Pullen, certainly agreed. Stacks of other great choice too 😋.

Bike ride: Leading pack nowhere to be seen. The usual suspects, Ale Trailers #1, #2 (S. Miller), #6 and #7, happily bringing up the rear. 

#5 The Anchor: Welcome introduction of part-time Ale Trailer #9, Z. Backhouse. Easily accessible certificate, but service without a smile. Incredible Manchester United chat, especially contrasting views of Ale Trailers #4 and #5 🤣. Ale Trailers #1, #2, #3, #6, & #8 successfully stirring the pot 🥄 , while #7 and #9 engage in deep, private discussion. Ole’s at the wheel. Swift departure before Pub Quiz involvement.

Beer 🍺: 9 x Greene King St Edmunds. Light, refreshing and made with pink grapefruit. Very popular among Trailers with several 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ dished out on the App. Three ales on the line.

Bike ride: Ale Trailer #5 took Ale Trailer #8′s example and nearly caused a pile-up. Ale Trailer #6 surprisingly took the yellow jersey. Unwise move from Ale Trailer #4 trying to give Ale Trailer #9 a ‘seatee’ on stick-thin-tyre road bike. Didn’t go well.  

#6 The Old Mariner: Certificate placed behind the bar. Good service though. Main highlight included Ale Trailer #8 losing ‘the flip’ and deciding to splash his hard-earned cash 💰 on 9 shots of vodka. Hell 🙄.

Beer 🍺 : Interesting choice from Ale Trailer #7, opting for 9 x Wychwood Hobgoblin IPA over much-adored East Coast IPA 🤔. Eyebrows raised. Explosion of tropical 🏝 fruit aromas, leading to juicy bitterness went down well though. Had the best range of ales IMO.

Bike ride: 150-yard uphill sprint didn’t go without controversy. Ale Trailers #4 and #9 determined to make it work, but to little effect. Left behind. 

#7 Ye Old Belle & Steelyard: A first for many, and probably the last for many. Little to no knowledge of the certificate shown - but mischievous Ale Trailer #4 came to the rescue 👍. Cue the squabble for scans. Cute dog 🐕 and snack opportunity taken by all though.  

Beer 🍺 : 9 x Greene King Abbott Ale. Standard. Not sure who chose it... Ale Trailer #6 seriously flagging. #4 and #8 not far behind.

Bike ride: While Ale Trailers #2, #4, #6 and #8 decided to, perhaps rather unsurprisingly, sneak off for a cheeky Phil Babb 🌮, hardcore Trailers #1, #3, #5, and #7 took a damp detour to pub #8. Splendid running effort from Trailer #9. 

#8 The Cherrytree: The final pit-stop and despite enjoying a peaceful first pint, the hardcore are interrupted by the overindulged riff-raff who rather take over as they insist on playing ‘Guess Who’.  

Beer 🍺 :5 x Adnams Ghostship. 8 x Belhaven Old Gold. 

No further notes taken; we’ll call that trail complete 🙌!

The scramble for the last train home ensued, and after lodging the bikes at Trailer #4′s new gaff, we all boarded the 10.23 rather successfully. Well, apart from Ale Trailer #2′s backpack, which I’m sure must be in one of the 8 toilet 🚾 pubs he rated!

And to top an excellent day off, we even got a free train ride home to compensate for the earlier mishap.  Thanks, Greater Anglia 👍.  

Things you must do after reading this blog: 

- Try an ale (if you haven’t already) 🍺

- Download and open the CaskFinder App ���

- Find and explore different ales and pubs 🕵🏽‍♂️

- Tell your friends / family / pets 👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 🐢

- Make memories. Take photos. Have a blast! 📸

- Repeat! 

Ipswich, we’re coming for you next...🍻