It just under a week to go to St Helens & Districts CAMRA Beer & Burger Festival at Ruskin Sports Village from Friday 22 September to Sunday 24 September. Not only will there be 45 real ales to choose from (including That Old Roper and Dead Man's Fist from our local Chapter brewing) there will also be 14 real ciders, international beers and gourmet burgers provided by the Wicket bar.

On the Saturday and Sunday they have some great live entertainment from Jessica's Ghost, Jukebox Duo, Vernon Fuller and the Bathtub Gin Band. Also there will be live sport (including an FA Vase trophy match) and on the Sunday a classic car show including Lightning McQueen to look forward to. It's a family friendly festival so everyone is welcome.

This is the first time CAMRA has hosted a beer festival at Ruskin Sports Village and so you are encouraged to come along and try some of the fantastic beers they have chosen for you. If you would like a sneak peak at what is available then visit the beer list on their website.

For those who would like to take advantage of public transport to get to the festival they have a free shuttle bus running from the car park opposite St Helens Central train station (next to the Royal Alfred) on the Saturday and Sunday. This is also just a couple of minutes walk from the town centre's main bus station. Check out the timetable on the website.

Don't miss out on what should be a great weekend and make sure you grab your tickets to secure your entry. Tickets should be available on the door.

Opening times

• Friday 22 Sept: 6pm – 10pm
• Saturday 23 Sept: 12 noon – 10pm
• Sunday 24 Sept: 12 noon – 5pm

The team behind The Castle, Halton have partnered up with Halton CAMRA to bring you the very first Halton Castle Beer Festival taking place on 8th-10th July. See Halton Castle Beer Festival in association with Halton CAMRA.

Set against the backdrop of Halton Castle, festival goers can expect a huge range of locally brewed real ales on offer, along with live music, cocktails, craft stalls and much more. Access inside the castle grounds will be permitted throughout the event so guests can soak in the panoramic views across eight counties while learning about the Castle’s fascinating history that dates back to 11th Century.

Over 1000 festival goers are expected across the weekend, so why not take the opportunity to support local breweries and come and enjoy a beer (click the beer pie chart on the left to see what is available) with us 8th-10th July!

Tickets start at £8 and are available now! Please book early to avoid disappointment.

Discounts available for groups of 10 or more. Contact ku.oc.lavitsefreebeltsacnotlah@ofni for more info. For CAMRA discounts see The Halton Castle Beer Festival - CAMRA Discount (you will need to logon with your membership number).

@HaltonCastleBeerFestival

Email - ku.oc.lavitsefreebeltsacnotlah@ofni

Volunteering

This is a JOINT festival organised between Halton CAMRA and The Castle, Halton and we need CAMRA volunteers to help throughout the festival, from set-up through knock-down. So if you are an experienced festival volunteer or what to learn how a festival is organised, please offer your time and energy to make this first Halton CAMRA festival a ripping success. In the first instance, please contact: Beerfest Organiser.

Parking

There is NO PARKING at this event. Please use public transport or local taxi services. Arrangements are being sought with local car parks to facilitate parking near the event - if this happens that will be a 10-15 minute walk away from the venue. Note that the venue is up a "stiff" hill. Arrangements can be made for dropping off at the venue. Blue Badge holders requiring access should contact the event organisers direct. See the FAQs (How do I get to the event) on the festival website.

Challenge 25

If you are lucky enough to look under 25 you will be asked to prove that you are aged 18 or over when you buy alcohol. Challenge 25 is a retailing strategy that encourages anyone who is over 18 but looks under 25 to carry acceptable ID (a card bearing the PASS hologram, a photographic driving license or a passport) if they wish to buy alcohol. If you are under 18 you are committing an offence if you attempt to buy alcohol. If someone sells alcohol to (or for) someone under 18, they risk an unlimited fine.

The world of cider has evolved so much in the 40 years since CAMRA began to campaign for real cider and perry that it is virtually unrecognisable. The Campaign has therefore sought to clarify a definition of ‘real cider and perry’ that is easy to follow and makes sense across all dispense methods.

CAMRA defines real Cider or Perry as being fermented from the whole juice of fresh pressed apples or pears, without the use of concentrated or chaptalised juices The word ‘chaptalised’ as used in the definition refers to a process, similar in principle to high gravity brewing, where the alcohol level in a cider or perry is increased by the addition of sugar to an unnatural level for storage, before it is diluted with water to the desired alcohol content for sale.

Pointers to best practice Cider and perry are not brewed like beer, but fermented like wine, initially undergoing primary fermentation by yeast, and a further malolactic fermentation by bacteria.

• A real cider or perry is produced seasonally, in the Autumn, from pure pressed apples or pears. It is made from the whole juice of fresh pressed apples or pears, as concentrated or chaptalised juices reduce the natural aromas and flavours
• The minimum juice content for an alcoholic drink to be sold as a cider in the UK, as defined by the HMRC, is currently just 35%, including both juice and concentrate. CAMRA is campaigning for a change in the regulations to mirror the much higher juice content expected in wines
• Best practice encourages and promotes cider and perry with as high juice content as possible and, in particular pure juice cider and perry
• The best makers will indicate on their labels the provenance of the apples or pears used, stating the varieties, where they were grown, when they were harvested and pressed, and who produced them
• Where a cider is sweet, the label should indicate whether this was by craft and process, such as stopping fermentation early to retain natural fruit sugars, or by adding juice or sugar, or using an artificial sweetener. Best practice encourages and promotes cider and perry which is fully fermented to dry and unsweetened or where natural sweetness is retained by process
• Cider or perry fully fermented to dry often finishes virtually uncarbonated, or ‘still’

Where fermentation continues in its final vessel it will produce natural carbonation, the level of fizz or sparkle dependent on remaining active yeast, nutrients, sugars and process. Best practice encourages and promotes cider and perry which is fully fermented to dry or where natural carbonation is created by process.

• Sulphites are allowed as a preservative but should be kept as low as possible, as they can be picked up on the palate by some individuals. Their presence by law must be declared on the product’s label as an Allergen if above 10ppm
• Within a balanced cider and perry provision CAMRA encourages and promotes cider and perry which retain yeast with the potential to ferment and in particular live conditioned cider and perry
• Real cider and perry based fruit and flavoured drinks, categorised as ‘made wines’ by HMRC for tax purposes, use adjuncts that are pure juices or flavourings, never from concentrates, extracts or essences. These fruit or flavoured ciders and perry constitute a separate category or style of cider and perry based drinks within our definition
• CAMRA recognises that the majority of those will have been diluted back to 4% ABV specifically for duty purposes. We recommend that where possible ‘real cider and perry fruit and flavoured drinks’ at a higher alcohol level should be encouraged and also provided

A MESSAGE FROM THE HALTON BRANCH OF CAMRA.

In these unprecedented and difficult times for everybody, the mutual support we are able to provide each other is vital. With that in mind, the Branch has decided to ask for volunteers to assist other members who may require some form of support.

Would any of you like to become “phone buddies”? This would involve a phone call to other members, particularly single people, to prevent them from feeling isolated and alone.

Would you be willing to assist other members who are self-isolating and who are having difficulty in getting medication and / or shopping. However, we would discourage members from having physical contact with others and precautions would need to be taken if handling prescriptions, shopping bags etc. If you are interested in assisting us in any way please contact Dave Howard. His email address is moc.liamg@eripsadrawoh or telephone number 07900 266775. If you consider that you would benefit from any of the above, again contact Dave who will co-ordinate the contact arrangements. On behalf of the branch committee, we sincerely hope that you are keeping well and stay safe.

Regards,

David Gray Branch Chair Halton CAMRA

It is with regret that we must let you know that Mike Allen has sadly died. Mike was one of the founding Halton CAMRA branch members and its first branch chair. Mike was a very active branch member and there are many treasured memories of his time in the branch. In due course Mike and Kath Allen moved to a neighbouring branch area but remained friends with all who knew them. We extend our sympathies to Kath who we all know and love and can only say a fond farewell to Mike who will be missed.

By this time of the year American Presidents have usually performed their annual “State of the Union” address some months ago. In a quarterly publication, it is similarly worthwhile from time to time to appraise what a broad picture of an area`s real ale and pubs shows.

There are very well known destinations for “beer tourism” such as Norwich, Sheffield, Liverpool, Derby and many others but Halton is not and does not pretend to be one of these. Halton is very much an area for locals to live and drink in. With that said and done some of the best gems in an area have to be sought out by those in the know!

Halton is blessed by having several breweries located within the borough. These include Blueball brewery with its award winning “Society Tap Rooms (STR)”. This was voted Pub of the Year by Halton CAMRA and has been described as a breath of fresh air in Runcorn Old Town that excluding the much appreciated Ferry Boat (Wetherspoons) is somewhat of a real ale desert. The brewery has a strong community focus and the STR bar merits visiting regularly!

Similarly Chapter Brewing in Sutton Weaver has recently won Champion Beer of Cheshire with “#3. Dead Man's Fist”. Having visited an “open day” at the brewery I would strongly recommend that the brewers full range of stunning beers is sampled. I would also recommend keeping an eye out for future open days - first Saturday of the month July, August and September.

With regard to wider Runcorn pubs, the Norton continues to thrive, the Prospect merits a visit and the Ring O Bells in Daresbury still maintains a well deserved focus on keeping local ales. In Widnes the picture is a little more mixed. Some more marginal pubs have stopped keeping real ale. However there are some consistent real ale pubs such as the Four Topped Oak where good food also continues to be available and the Premier (Wetherspoons) notably has much improved its availability of real ale.

There are signs of a possible real ale resurgence in the area with the Black Horse in Cronton that was closed recently reopening as “the Dandelion Tavern” with a good range of craft beers and real ales.

Very much a summary but Halton is overall much improved in terms of the availability of quality real ale even though it still needs to be sought out!

Queen of Hearts

In times when pubs are closing at a rate of 18 per week it is astonishing that new ones are not just opening, but they are being purpose built … in Runcorn.

The Queen of Hearts is built on the site of the old Halton Arms and opened in late October 2018. It is part of Marton's Heritage estate and is the first new build under that branding. It seeks to provide a socialising space serving the local community offering a wide selection of drinks and traditional pub food. The building offers three distinct areas, formal restaurant area, a less formal bar area and a reception (non-dining) area. It is run by attentive staff with friendly service and value for money.

When I went to survey the pub, I was met by the site managers Michelle and Barry, who are both very clearly excited by this new venture and have some great ideas which will be implemented in the coming months. In terms of cask ale, there are 4 regular house beers (Wainwright, Pedigree, Hobgoblin and Marson's EPA). When the demand for real ale increases, it is expected that a further two beers will be available, largely selected based on customer requests / recommendations. They are really looking forward to engaging with the local CAMRA branch.

Their plans for entertainment are still being formulated: they have a Sunday evening quiz, in which using your mobile phone is not considered to be cheating, indeed it is encouraged. I did not quite get that bit, but I guess I'll have to go and do the quiz to find out how it works! There is a well provisioned dart board in the bar area with 3 nearby large TV screens. Michelle said that she was looking forward to establishing a darts team for the pub, along with a dominoes 'school' and provisions for the playing of card games.

There is a massive bar giving plenty of room to get served, whilst the dining area has a few nooks and crannies creating a sense of multiple eating areas. The place boats an open pizza kitchen. See Queen of Hearts on WhatPub for full details of their opening hours and deals … thinking of which CAMRA members get 10% discount on real ale. For the latest news on what's happening there follow them on FaceBook

A Merseyside pub saved from closure has been named the best in the country: The Cricketers Arms receiving CAMRA's regional Pub of the Year award in 2016.

The Cricketers Arms in St Helens, Merseyside, has won the prestigious Pub of the Year title from the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) just five years after it was boarded up for closure.

When owners Andy and Denise Evans took over the running of the pub in 2013, it was boarded up and hadn’t served cask ale since the 1980s. The Cricketers Arms is now a well-established local community pub with an excellent selection of 13 locally sourced cask ales and up to 20 ciders in the summer.

Alongside an impressive ale and cider range, plans are in the making for a microbrewery to open in the next few months and customers will be tasked with naming the pub’s beers. Visitors can also take part in a number of social nights including regular beer festivals, dominoes, jam nights, pub quizzes, karaoke and pool teams, as well as enjoy a new whiskey and gin bar.

The Cricketers Arms regularly wins local CAMRA awards, but this is the first time it has won a national title. Paul Ainsworth, CAMRA’s National Pub of the Year coordinator said: “After winning the regional award in both 2015 and 2016, it's a well deserved third time lucky for the Cricketers to be named CAMRA’s national Pub of the Year.

“In less than five years, Andy and Denise have converted a boarded up pub on the brink of closure into a true destination pub for beer lovers across the country. What impressed me the most is that the Cricketers is a genuine community pub where people from all walks of life come together to socialise. It is a shining example of how a pub, which seems destined for closure, can have its fortunes turned around when in the right hands.”

Owner Andy Evans said: “We are over the moon to be named the top pub in the country after just a few short years of renovations. We’ve done everything we can to make this a welcoming community pub and still have exciting developments ahead of us. As well as expanding the beers available, we created a beer garden and put greens in the ground, and have big plans to install a microbrewery this year. We are very proud to be part of the cask ale scene and look forward to celebrating with our locals!”

Runners-up in the competition include the Wigan Central in Wigan, the Stanford Arms in Lowestoft and the Weavers Real Ale House in Kidderminster. Pubs in the competition are selected by CAMRA volunteers and judged on their atmosphere, decor, welcome, service, community focus and most importantly – quality of beer.

The Cricketers Arms will be presented with an award for its achievement at an event open to the press at 1pm on Wednesday 28th February 2018. This will be followed shortly afterwards by CAMRA’s Club of the Year presentation at the neighbouring Flixton Conservative Club at 6pm

Spitting Feathers Brewbarn

It had been decided that we would set up a social event to one of the Spitting Feathers Brewbarn Sessions at their brewery. We had a good number in the party and we had arranged to meet either at Chester Station or at the Brewery itself. The day wasn’t a good one as the rain decided it also wanted to come along with us.

Once we all started to arrive we were quickly “checked in” to the Brewery and sent straight into the Brewery’s social bar where we were greeted with 3 great choices of beer aptly brewed to Spitting Feathers fantastic quality and three different ones to suit all tastes. As the people started to arrive in, you could feel the atmosphere rising as everyone was there to have a good time and enjoy the Saturday afternoon as all Saturday afternoons should be.

As a group we all stayed together and had great conversation, and the Brewery brought around some snacks that really hit the spot and we all eagerly tucked into them. As the afternoon wore on, the casks were changed and an equally, and depending on your taste buds, or better cask came on with quick changes. The day coasted by and we all had smiles the whole afternoon, especially when the food got served up and the whole room eagerly got their hog roast with yet another change of casks. And during all this we had the sheepdogs trying to make more friends especially when the hog roast was out.

We all had a fantastic afternoon and finished off with a 6% beer that was absolutely out of this world, and after starting the day on a sublime stout it mixed in with the band that played and everyone was up and dancing the day away. After the session a few of us got a taxi back and finished the day off in The Cellar which rounded the whole fantastic day off. We have all decided that it is one for the calendar next year and a fantastic price to boot.

Oktoberfest in Blueball Brewery

Another event a few members went on was the Oktoberfest in Blueball Breweries new(ish) new premises, and although it was mainly craft the cask they had was good quality and the plans they have are exciting with a permanent bar to be set up there and more events set up and an increased cask selection on tap. It is also good news to hear that another two breweries are to move in with them and make it a regular feature and a pub, which is good news for Halton CAMRA as it increases the Breweries in the Area to 6.

Appleton Thorn Village Hall

Finally there was another Festival held, this time in Appleton Thorn Village Hall near Warrington. Coinciding with the Festival was a presentation made to them for gaining the Regional Club of the Year award for Cheshire, which is a mark of their quality in a Region that has so many good clubs as well as pubs. It was attended by a few of the Cheshire Branches so as a formal Regional Award, it was a great occasion to attend, and as a festival it was really good with a great selection of beers for all tastes, strengths and variety.

It was a great event and good to mingle with the other CAMRA Branches and socialise together. So thank you to Appleton Thorn for a successful event, and thank you to all the CAMRA and none CAMRA people who attended.

Offbeat Brewery Bar

As another note there was a little look in at the Offbeat Brewery Bar at the Brewery in October, and it is a great set up in Crewe and well worth a visit with good quality Real Ale and a very friendly atmosphere.

Halton's pub of the year for 2017 is Weston Village's Royal Oak, which under the smart stewardship of licensees Sharon Bates and Terry Hamblett has flourished since they arrived in Spring 2016. Following a refurbishment completed in Autumn last year, the 19th century pub comprises a central bar within a sizeable open plan area. Upon entering, there is a front area for the drinkers; to the right is a comfortable dining area, and to the left is more seating and a games area with pool table and dart board. In fact the Royal Oak now proudly boasts ladies' and gents' darts teams.

Chiefly a family-friendly pub that also welcomes customers' pets, late evening entertainment in the form of karaoke nights is a regular feature.

On the a culinary front, there are traditional home-cooked meals in the form of burgers, sausages, sandwiches and baguettes, each served with chips and salad for well under a fiver. Sundays are kept special by way of "Sunday lunch your way" - bespoke full roast dinners served to customers' preferences from a range of options. At just £6.49, it is tremendous value for money. Furthermore, if the weather is kind, the Royal Oak's spacious enclosed garden is ideal for those who like to eat and drink in the open air.

On my late Friday afternoon visit in early April, bustling with a fair few drinkers and a young family, and with joyous spring sunshine beaming through the windows, Sharp's 4% 'Doombar' and Theakston's 5.6% 'Old Peculier' graced the handpumps in addition to a still medium 4.5% cider, 'Happy Daze' from Gwynt y Ddraig. The dark, malty ale 'Old Peculier' from Yorkshire tasted robust and delicious and was presented in excellent condition at the optimum temperature.

Card-carrying CAMRA members are charged a generous £2.50 per pint, whilst non-members can enjoy this discount every Tuesday. And speaking of discounts, Wednesdays are nominated "meal deal nights", when for just a fiver customers can enjoy any fixed meal and any pint.

In short, thanks to Sharon, Terry and the regular locals, hospitality, warmth and sincerety are in abundance at the Royal Oak, located in a village that has firmly retained its charm and character despite the ongoing changes underway elsewhere in the region. Even if you're not a local, the Royal Oak is well worth a visit.

Opening hours: Monday-Thursday 1600-2300 Friday 1600-2330 Saturday 1700-2330 Sunday 1200-1030

Meals: Tuesday-Friday 1700-2100 Saturday 1200-2000 Sunday 1200-1700

Address: 187 Heath Road South, Weston Village WA7 4RP Tel. 01928 577781

When you think of Halton, perhaps you don’t immediately think of quality pubs and pleasant environments in which to have a drink. It is true that there is still a “Greenall Whitley” legacy in some parts of Halton, and the Campaign for Real Ale has been working hard to encourage more pubs to stock cask ale and attract customers.

The fringes of Halton contain some attractive pubs where cask ale, good food and a pleasing environment can be found. The Wellington in Hale, Ring O Bells in Daresbury and Red Lion in Moore leap to mind.

Halton is changing - the Weston area of Runcorn is a mini oasis. The Royal Oak has recently been refurbished under new stewardship. Terry and Sharron have a commitment to serve cask ales and usually 2 are available. On a recent visit I enjoyed a superb pint of Caledonian Autumn Red. A real cider was also available. The Round House always has a real ale available. Not far away, the Prospect, a Halton CAMRA Pub of The Year has a deserved reputation for home cooking – especially the Sunday lunches! However the pub also hosts many community events, has a real fire and importantly a good selection of real ales. Adnams Broadside, a full flavour real ale is one of the regular beers.

The Old Town area has struggled for quality pubs that serve real ale, but the Ferry Boat (Wetherspoons) is a beacon! Not far to go to the Lion in Greenway Road where 2 changing guest beers and a real cider are served. Also not far to the Norton Arms in Halton Village where 4 changing guest beers are served in a very historic pub set beneath Halton Castle. Moving North of the Mersey, central Widnes was a real ale desert but there has been a renaissance!

A crawl of real ale pubs could be held in venues including the Premier (Wetherspoons), Derby, Grapes and the Kingsway Hotel. These are very traditional type pubs. On a recent visit a superb pint of Pedigree was on offer from the new management at the Grapes.

Away from central Widnes, food and a good selection of real ales from Ember Inns can be found at the Four Topped Oak. The Church View similarly has a wide and varying selection and has been subject to a recent refurbishment. Amongst the real ales available on a recent visit was an excellent pint of Timothy Taylor Boltmaker. The Eight Towers whilst offering food also serves up to 6 real ales mostly from the Ringwood, Banks and Wychwood breweries.

We all moan when pubs close – but the truth is we need to use them and enjoy them if they are to stay open. Certainly in Halton I think you will be very pleasantly surprised

One of the most difficult (but pleasurable!) decisions facing Halton CAMRA is to select its annual Pub Of The Year (POTY). The choice is democratically made, but a number of factors come into the decision. These include whether the pub has a community focus, whether the real ale has been of a consistent high quality throughout the whole year and the ambience/ welcome received.

In 2015, the Prospect in Weston Village was a very deserved POTY winner, and besides quality real ale, the home cooked food and real fire make a very welcoming environment. The competition for the 2016 award was very close run. Three strong candidates all polled equally for second place; The Lion in Runcorn – a deservedly popular traditional pub near the railway station, the historic Norton Arms in Halton Village and the Ring O Bells in Daresbury that is awarded “Locale” status due to the commitment shown in sourcing local real ales.

However the “first past the post” for 2016 and a deserved Pub Of The Year winner is the Eight Towers in Weates Close, Widnes. The pub has two sides – a large bar where sport is popular and a large seated side where food is served. A good size outdoors area is very popular in the summer months. Six real ales from the Marstons range are served (4 regular beers & 2 changing guests) and through tastings made throughout the year the real ales have been found to kept be in good condition. That a pub in a non town centre location in Halton, can support such a choice of real ales is a testament to the managements skill in looking after the real ales and to building up a thriving trade. The pub raises monies for charity, hosts fairs for children and has a community focus.

If you are passing, give the Eight Towers a visit –in an area where real ale has not always thrived, it certainly is a beacon showing what can be achieved!

One of the things we often get asked is what does a CAMRA branch do? Halton CAMRA is a small branch (210 members) and because of this it is easy to see what everyone does and what good fun it is to get involved!

The branch has bi-monthly meetings always held at pubs that serve quality real ale!! A recent meeting was held at the Norton Arms, Halton Village – a historic multi award winning pub. As with all activities any members are encouraged to come along and are made welcome.

A pleasurable duty of the branch is to survey all the pubs in Halton that serve real ale and to ensure that the entries on the Whatpub website are kept up to date. Many members are responsible for different pubs and my own patch includes the Grapes in Widnes and the Four Topped Oak. It is always good to survey these pubs and see what has changed, or sometimes to find a pub that unexpectedly has started to keep real ale!

Halton CAMRA has appointed a new Social Secretary and she has just nearly completed her first programme of social activities. These include trips to beer festivals, local pub surveys and brewery trips. Recent highlights have been trips to Birmingham, Stockport beer festival and a Christmas crawl to Chorlton.

Volunteers from the branch have helped at festivals such as the Cheshire Beerfest and those in Liverpool, Manchester, and even Bristol! Help can range from staffing the bar, setting up and taking down the festivals, ordering the beer or many other roles. The branch are even looking at nominating certain pubs as Assets of Community Value and members can work with other pub regulars and liaise with the planning department to achieve this!

If this appeals to you and you are in CAMRA, come on board and join in! If you are not in CAMRA, join up and take part – you will be made very welcome!

When I go away (whether for business or pleasure) the first thing I reach for is a Good Beer Guide! I like to know what pubs serve real ale, what ales they keep on tap, which have accommodation, serve meals and where they are. However while I will always take a Good Beer Guide with me, the guide only covers the very best pubs with most real ale pubs not included and for those pubs in the guide details can change in the course of the year.

Fortunately CAMRA has developed the “Whatpub” website precisely to address this shortfall. The website is maintained by local CAMRA members, should cover every pub serving real ale and is maintained on an ongoing basis. Members can even feedback comment if they find anything has changed in these pubs.

In Halton, we try to make sure that the details of pubs in our area are kept up to date! As examples of recent changes; The Kingsway Hotel in Widnes has recently started to serve real ale (Greene King IPA) and gone from keg to cask – hopefully the continuation of a new trend in Widnes! The Windmill in Windmill Hill, Runcorn has sadly recently been closed. The Ring O Bells in Daresbury, and the Prospect in Weston Village have just been accredited as serving Locally brewed real ales and given LocAle status. The Grapes in Widnes has gone from keg to cask... The list goes on!

All of these changes have been made to Halton's pubs on Whatpub. If you go anywhere in the country and want to check out the pubs and beers first give Whatpub a try! But also.. if you have a pint of real ale in your local in Halton and find there is anything incorrect on Whatpub, let us know. We will thank you for it!

At a branch meeting in mid February at the Wellington in Hale Village, it had been decided, before our Annual General Meeting in April, a trip would take place around some of the branches key pubs. The objectives – to enjoy some of the fine real ales available in Halton, present two much merited certificates and to gain some additional beer scores towards inclusion in the Good Beer Guide.

So it was that on a Sunday afternoon the day started with 4 of us turning up at The Lion in Runcorn at 12:30pm and getting served fantastic quality beer that we all scored highly and was served with joviality from behind the bar. All 4 of us knew we were in for a special day and one we had all looked forward too. We travelled across to Widnes and met two more colleagues at the Church View and the group was complete.

The Church View had a much increased selection of real ales on tap from my last visit, and also a real draught cider on tap. Indeed it had the largest single range of reaI ales of the day. I had a pint of the Wells Bombadier Gold that was in fair condition, but some other beers available were in fine form.

The next call was to the Eight Towers and the formal presentation of Haltons Community Pub of the Year award to Eddie and Barbara Woodward. This award was given to reflect the strong commitment within the pub to its local community and the charitable fund raising from which Alder Hey amongst others have benefited. I found the Ringwood Boondoggle in excellent condition, and all the beers sampled were also in superb condition. Eddie showed the group around the beer cellar which was well laid out and very clean. We agreed that it was time we held another branch meeting here!

The last visit on the Widnes side was to the Grapes, an up and coming real ale pub where in a relaxing atmosphere, I enjoyed a superb pint of Conwy Infusion and a draft cider. The group feeling was very much how welcome it was to find a totally unspoilt pub where no garish attempts at modernisation have taken place. A good traditional pub with quality beers on draught!

We crossed the Mersey to Weston Village to visit the consistently good Prospect. Here Haltons “ Pub of the Year” certificate was presented to Jim and Michelle under whose stewardship the pub has gone from strength to strength and the beer quality (and food!) is consistently excellent. The Adnams Broadside (as always) was superb. We believe that the Pub Of The Year award is special – it cannot be bought and is voted on by CAMRAs Halton members to reflect the overall best pub for that year in the borough. The Prospect also received this award in 2012 and this is a testament to Jim and Michelles hard work and commitment to both real ale and a quality environment.

Finally the Widnes contingent left to return across the Mersey leaving 3 of us to make our way to the Norton in Halton Village. Here we had the last of our days beer that was again served to a high standard. The pub was very busy and this was great to see in today's somewhat troubled economy. But what can you expect from a classic and highly respected pub but quality beer - No wonder the punters were voting with their feet and visiting en masse!

It had been a magnificent day that we all enjoyed and we agreed that we should do it again. We could all think of additional pubs that deserved to be visited. Halton has some fantastic quality pubs and we should acknowledge them more. These pubs need our support and here's to 2015 and lets all appreciate and patronise Halton quality pubs.

Champion Beer of Cheshire

Halton CAMRA Branch were well represented in the judging panel of the 2014 Champion Beer of Cheshire at the Cheshire Beer Festival held at Chester Race Course. Gary Sleigh chaired the first round "Bitters and Golden" beers and Kevin Johnson chaired the "Milds and Best Bitters" judging panels.

The panels of 3 to 4 people were faced with the "chore" of blind tasting 9-10 beers, each judged (1 to 10) on appearance, aroma, taste and aftertaste, against their "style" classifications. In all there were 39 candidate beers. On the panels chaired by Gary and Kevin, one mild (Gunpowder Mild), one best bitter (Weetwood ) and two golden ales (Red Willow & Pied Bull) were put through to the next round.

Kevin was also a member of the finalist panel; Woodland's Midnight Stout was judged to be Champion Beer of Cheshire 2014 with Beartown's Wojtek runner up and Coach House's Gun Powder Mild coming third.

Halton branch lends a hand

The branch was also represented on the Friday by Alan Haselden helping out in any way necessary. Gary also kept himself busy on the cider bar with Linda Linda Harris (Regional Cider rep - Wirral Branch). Kevin worked both days doing various roles, the most enjoyable being helping visitors find beers which matched their preferences.

From Alan:"Halton branch CAMRA members volunteered their skills, time and effort to help make the inaugural Cheshire Beer Festival held at the Chester's race course on 14-15 November a glowing success. Organised by the Chester and South Clwyd branch in conjunction with other Cheshire branches, over 100 cask ales and some 20 still ciders and perrys were sourced from breweries located as far south as the West Country to as way up north as Orkney as well as some new interesting ones to have emerged from the capital.

And of course, most Cheshire breweries contributed at least one cask: from Halton there was 4T's 3.7% 'Keep Calm' and Norton's 4% 'Priory Ale'. A broad spectrum of ale types and strengths were available and festival goers were entertained by live music ranging from blues, folk and rock to a Welsh 'a cappella' choir. For the volunteers, it was busy yet rewarding two days yet I'm sure the festival goers had a terrifc time. Let's look forward to a second Cheshire Beer Festival in 2015!"

The festival had available 102 cask beers, plus cider and European beers. A number of familiar Halton faces were seen on the Friday evening session.

The North Wessex Downs was graced with brilliant blue skies and endless sunshine and it was across these Downs that three colleagues and I explored 20 miles of the nation's finest countryside and rural ale hostelries. Setting out from Great Bedwyn rail station after 9am, we followed footpaths and by-ways along a southbound bearing via Bedwyn Brail, Oxenwood village and Haydown Hill, reaching Vernham Dean's George Inn by lunchtime.

A beautiful, homely, traditional establishment with classic thatched roof, it is divided into a bar area, a lounge full horse racing posters and memorabilia, a formal dining area and a less formal dining area. We sat in the latter area and enjoyed our home-cooked meals comprising a whitebait dish, classic battered fish, chips and peas and home-made burger with chips. While the meals were superbly cooked and well-prepared, the portions could have been a touch more generous.

Most importantly, though, three local ales were on tap: Two Cocks' 3.7% '1643 Cavalier Ale', Flack Manor's 3.8% 'Double Drop' and Hopback's 'Crop Circle'. Two of us chose the easy, golden, gently-hopped Cavalier Ale while the others opted for the Double Drop. Both ales were in great condition, but we thought the nutty, maltier Double Drop had a fuller flavour than the Cavalier Ale. Being affiliated with the Greene King empire, the George also offered the (non-local) 5% 'Abbot' on hand-pump too.

Bearings were set to the north on departure from the George, and after passing the Berks-Hants-Wilts meeting point (marked by an unassuming muddy pond!), we met up with the way-marked Test Valley Way, which guided us over secluded yet hilly, wooded terrain to Inkpen Hill. At nearly 300m high, this is Berkshire at its loftiest and it presents stunning views of the Lambourn Downs and beyond.

Following the steep descent to Inkpen village, we made it to the Swan Inn by mid-afternoon, where, aside from one venerable regular, we were the sole customers. Two local ales from Great Shefford's Butts Brewery were on: the 3.5% 'Organic Jester', which possesses a wonderful, slow-build bitterness, and the tawny-coloured, well-rounded 4% 'Traditional'. These we enjoyed whilst hearing entertaining anecdotes from our venerable regular on topics ranging from his beloved Celtic football team to livestock challenges down on the local farm.

Hungerford was an easy trundle from Inkpen through meadows and woodland and we reached the town's John O 'Gaunt by about 6.30pm. The ales sampled this time were Eton and Windsor's pale coloured 3.2% 'Parklife' from East Berkshire, Milk Brewery's fruity 4% 'Funky Monkey' from Wiltshire and the aptly-named 3.9% 'Smoke Bomb', a dark ale from Northumberland's Anarchy Brewery. All agreed that the ales were in excellent condition.

To keep us going for our home-bound train journey we ordered light dishes such as bowls of hand-cut chips and a selection of salami and local cheese; one of us even went for a full fish and chips meal, which is served in hefty portions at the John O'Gaunt. The two other ales available were locals from Two Cocks and Hopback, but unluckily for us, Vale's 'Black Swan' - a delicious dark mild from Buckinghamshire - had just emptied. And to compound our heartache, its successor, the deeply luxurious 'Kitty Wilkinson's Chocolate and Vanilla Stout' from Merseyside's Liverpool Organic brewery, couldn't be served soon enough despite the staff's best efforts. Alas we had a train to catch!

Overall it was memorable and rewarding day out and all aforementioned ales and pubs are highly recommended.

On the Sunday afternoon of 6 July 2014, my brother-in-law and I completed a nine mile rural pub ramble along the eastern fringes of Halton Borough beginning and ending at Runcorn East rail station. Heading north along the Bridgewater Canal towpath and passing Daresbury laboratory's iconic white tower, we reached Moore's Red Lion in under an hour. Smartly coordinated, traditional-looking and replete with ornaments, paintings and old movie posters, it is a food-led establishment comprising several areas - one including a pool table - and it is committed to serving serve at least two cask ales. Well's 'Bombardier' (4.1%) and Theakston's 'Black Bull Bitter' (3.9%) were available on our visit and we each chose the latter, which was on good form.

Onward up Hobb Lane (and straying briefly into Warrington Borough), we crossed the A56 and connected with footpaths traversing the rolling fields to the back of Daresbury's All Saints church, famous for its stained glass windows depicting Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland characters.

Across the road from All Saints church is the Cask Marque-accredited Ring O'Bells, which has undergone tremendous improvement for the better since new managment took control last year. Mainly a restaurant, there is a bar area as well as exterior seating out front and back should the weather be fair. Moreover, it maintains five local cask ales at all times, which I have always found in excellent condition and thus statistically it is Halton's leading "LocAle" hostelry. Weetwood's 'Mad Hatter' (3.9%) and Frodsham's 'Devil's Garden' (3.9%), 'Buzzin' (4.3%), 'Danny' (4%) and 'Flaxen Jade' (3.7%) graced us on our visit and my brother went for the malty yet sweet, flowery 'Mad Hatter' and I chose the deep red ale, malty 'Devil's Garden', which has hints of forest fruit. Both were absolutely delicious and on top form. Staff were friendly and hospitable and while the ale prices might be a little steep for this region, the Ring O'Bells certainly deserves support from ale enthusiasts both local and afar.

Heading south from Daresbury, the way-marked 'Lewis Carroll Walk' trail guided us through Daresbury Delph (offering marvellous views towards Frodsham Hill and Helsby Crag), Newtonbank Farm and the M56 pedestrian subway towards Preston-on-the-Hill village, from where we continued along a quiet lane and footpath to the Trent and Mersey Canal, which leads straight to Dutton's Tunnel Top. The change of landlord earlier this year has lead to a refurbishment that has created a more spacious and open feel, perhaps less cosy.

Most importantly, Tunnel Top continues to serve up to three cask ales in addition to low-priced, home-cooked meals. Weetwood's 'Best Bitter' selling at a frugal £2.15 per pint had just emptied upon our arrival; the remaining ales were Salopian's 'Oracle' (4%) and Big Shed's 'Sentinel' (3.8%). The 'Salopian' is a golden, hoppy ale and each of us agreed it had the edge over the rather thinly-flavoured, amber-coloured 'Sentinel', which, judging from the cloudy appearance, looked like it was an unfined ale.

Overall, it was a fine, sunny, summer's day out for the both of us and we chatted with some affable locals along the way. Upon reflection, when considering these three cask ale pubs on Halton's rustic edges alongside the many others in urbanised Runcorn, Weston, Widnes and Hale, it's a plausible assertion that this modestly-sized borough that occupies barely more than 3% of the county's area, punches well above its weight for broad-ranging quality, cask ale outlets. Furthermore, four of Halton's pubs are listed in CAMRA's 2014 Good Beer Guide, so do give Halton a visit!

On the sunny, breezy Saturday of 22 March four work colleagues and I completed an 18-mile hike from Cholsey (Oxfordshire since 1974) rail station to the rail station at Woolhampton (Berkshire) via the elevated North Downs Ridgeway and the gently undulating woodlands and meadows of West Berkshire. Starting just after 9am, we reached one of my all-time favourite pubs by late morning: Aldworth's The Bell. This is a key community focal point that always welcomes strangers and less-frequent visitors alike. While there's scant reference to the modern age inside it always serves five fantastic cask ales as well as no-thrills filled bread rolls, soups and ploughman's in a warm, friendly setting.

We enjoyed broccoli soup with rolls or weighty cheddar slabs in rolls to compliment a fine round of West Berkshire Brewery's 3.8% 'Maggs Magnificent Mild', which is in my top 10 for its roundedness, light hopping and the lingering charred, roasted flavour. This ale is a fixture at The Bell all year round and it is rare for a rural southern pub to commit to a black mild. The other ales comprised two from Wiltshire's Arkells, one from Oxfordshire's Loose Cannon and another from West Berkshire Brewery, to be revealed later.

Following the best part of two hours on foot we arrived at Yattendon's Royal Oak to order a round of West Berkshire Brewery's 3.7% thirst-quenching, easy-going, 'Mr. Chubbs Lunchtime Bitter' to accompany several bowls of chunky wedge chips. Mainly a gastro pub-restaurant with formal service, the Royal Oak does maintain a bar area for the locals and visitors who just want a pint and chat. Two other ales were served and they were from Hampshire's Oakleaf Brewery and the West Berkshire Brewery. About 10 minutes south of Yattendon is the West Berkshire Brewery itself and we did call in and some us of picked up the odd bottle of the brewery's 4.9% 'Tamesis Extra Stout'.

After the brewery, it was through woodlands and onto the village of Stanford Dingley for a call at The Old Boot Inn. Two terrific 4% bitters were on hand pump here: Upham's 'Punter' from Hampshire and the most well-known ale from West Berkshire, the venerable 'Good Old Boy', which was also the unnamed West Berkshire ale available at the two previous pubs! And so it was 'Good Old Boys' all round and on top form it was. Furthermore, it was great to chat to Old Boot's owner John Haley, who remembered us from a jaunt last year and showed interest in our hike and our appreciation of local ales.

The remainder of the hike in the late afternoon sunshine took us to the rail station in Woolhampton where we boarded a train to Reading West for a visit to the city's flagship ale pub Nag's Head, which always serves 12 cask ales of all types from all over. By early evening the place was heaving with customers yet we still managed to squeeze in and order hot pies and a round of pints. I was chuffed to have perfectly matched my beef and stilton pie with a pint of one of Cheshire's finest - Blakemere's 4% 'Black Mamba Mild', which is a subtle, velvety mild with delicate hints of dark chocolate. Others in the team enjoyed a pint of this too as well as Hammerpot's 3.7% 'Copper Bitter' from Sussex and Titanic's 4.9% fruity 'Plum Porter' from Staffordshire.

After the Nag's we parted for home. Overall, it was faultless day out: great pubs, great locals, and, moreover, delicous ales from both south and north on top form!

Best regards, Alan.

A four-strong team comprising my sister, her family and I hiked eight miles from Winsford rail station following the Shropshire Union Canal, a bit of the River Weaver (just south of Top Flash), Paradise Lane and Wettenhall with the goal of visiting Darnhall village hall's first beer festival held on Saturday 8 March 2014.

We arrived in Wettenhall around 1PM in time for a hearty lunch of home-made steak and kidney casserole with chips or chicken burger bap and chips, courtesy of The Little Man. Six ales were available yet we opted for pints of local brewery Mobberley's 'Roadrunner' a 3.8% pale, gently hopped ale served directly from the cask and the tawny, malty 'Double Dragon' 4.2% bitter from Welsh brewer Felinfoel, each in excellent condition.

Other ales on tap were 'Special' and 'Bitter' from Youngs, Otter's 'Amber' and Old Mill's 'Traditional Bitter'. The Little Man is an overlooked gem that consistently maintains six changing ales both local and national and always serves a selection of terrific lunchtime meals in weighty portions for under a fiver.

Wettenhall's other ale pub The Boot and Slipper is a good source for Weetwood's ales, I believe, but sadly we had to pass this one by and press on with the hike to the beer festival at nearby Darnhall, which proudly boasts being the geographic centre of Cheshire County since 1974.

To raise funds for the village hall's renovation, the festival organisers made sure there were seven hand-pump ales and two still ciders, in addition to soft beverages and toasted sandwiches, ready from the word go. A fair number of customers had turned up despite the early hours and, for a languid two hours, we chatted to friendly locals and slowly enjoyed a succession of different half pints whilst the lazy afternoon sunshine beamed through the hall's large windows.

Conwy 'Clogwyn Gold' (3.6%), Brimstage 'Trapper's Hat' (3.8%), Hornbeam's 'Black Coral Stout' (4.5%) and Sam's 'Medium Cider' (6%) were my selections and I attest that each was in prime condition. The stout topped it for me but credit is due to the cider - a deliciously dry example and deceptively subtle by way of strength concealment.

Others in the team got to sample Keltek's 'Lance' (4%), Dr. Morton's 'Reality Filler' (4%), Tatton's 'Best' (4.2%) and Sheppys 'Farmhouse Cider' (6%) and none of us got round to the seventh ale, which was J W Lees's 'MPA' (3.7%). In all, we enjoyed our visit so much that we forsook the long stroll back to Winsford station and shared a taxi ride instead!

Best regards, Alan.

I visited CAMRA's UK pub of 2013 last Saturday: Rochdale's Baum, tucked away on the edge of the shopping precinct. First impression: open-plan-like with partial divisions; four areas, one being the stand-only bar area, the others being seated with tables.

The fairly low light levels and absence of TV and games machines is great in my opinion. It's a pub for quiet conversation. Walls are covered with antique advertising posters and signage (paint on tin) such as Colman's Starch, Havana cigars and Drink Vimto.

There's even a classic Singer sewing machine on display. Thus they've chosen the atmosphere to reflect something of the mid-20th century or slightly earlier.

Food menu looks good: most main meals were £10 and under. I had red pepper and coriander soup with a whole baguette. It was generous portion and cost about £4.

The ale selection comprised seven casks (four local) and a still cider. I tried four half pints each of Irwell Works Brewery's 'Steam Plate Best Bitter', Pictish Brewing Company's 'Claymore', Hornbeam's 'Winter IPA' and a Black IPA under the name 'Revisionist' from the Marston's empire. With the exception of the below average Claymore, the ales I tried were just about good though NOT deserving a score above three in my opinion.

The staff were helpful and locals were easy and approachable. The CAMRA award is understandable because it looks like a lot of thought and work has been put in and it does tick many boxes regarding what characterises an all-round good pub.

In summary then, Rochdale's Baum is worth a visit _IF_ you happen to be in that town. However, if you are in the Manchester city centre then it's much better to remain there and visit the superior Marble Arch or The Knott, which serve a better range of ales and have better interiors.

Regards, Alan Haselden.

A great time was had by the six attending members at the branch meeting held at the Norton Arms, Runcorn on 10th Dec 2014. LocAle beer from Frodsham and Norton Brewing were available along side two national brews. The landlady was most welcoming and provided mince pies to nibble on.

The meeting determined the 2014 calendar for the branch (see Branch Diary) and awarded the Tunnel Top with the accolade of Branch Pub of the Year 2013.

Though not a large turn out, a great day was had by those who were there. Alan Haselden wrote the following of the day for OIC December 2013 - Halton.

Dutton's Tunnel Top excelled beyond duty's call in late October as host to the Merseyside and Cheshire CAMRA regional meeting, which was attended by the various branches' members and leaders.

In addition to the regular agenda items were two CAMRA-endorsed guest speakers: one keenly urged a stepping up CAMRA's promotion and outreach activities with a particular emphasis on the under-30's and the other detailed the challenges and benefits of the "Asset of Community Value" registration scheme that aims to grant pubs and communities the opportunity of saving establishments from self-serving developers.

Furthermore, Tunnel Top's landlord Kevin introduced delegates to the new QR-code scanning technology (see QR codes at the bottom of the Beer Scoring page) that allows speedy, immediate submission of beer scores to the national beer-scoring site via suitably-equipped mobile telephones and local MP Graham Evans dropped by despite a busy schedule to re-iterate his commitment to real ale, responsible drinking and the vital role of pubs in the community.

During the break, the Tunnel Top's chef treated all to a delicious complimentary lunch, which was chilli con carne or chicken curry.

And perhaps most importantly, the Tunnel Top graced us with a heavenly selection of Cheshire ales on top form: Woodlands' superlative dry, roasted 'Midnight Stout' (4.4%), Woodlands' malty session bitter 'Old Faithful' (3.6%) and Spitting Feathers' 'Special Ale' (4.2%).

In fact, the demand on the Midnight Stout was so high that it finished rapidly and was prompty succeeded by a reserve ale, which was Woodland's rich, creamy, traditional 'Mild' (3.5%). Likewise, Spitting Feathers' 'Thirstquencher' (3.9%) succeeded 'Special Ale'!

Overall it was a productive and informative afternoon and I'm sure everyone enjoyed the hospitality, meals and drinks served by the Tunnel Top staff.