The following pub and brewery news was reported at the February 2022 Committee Meeting.

Pub News

There is very little pub news to report this month, other than the fact that most pubs are still facing difficulties with the ongoing situation wrt the covid pandemic and sector confidence. The Falstaff Inn, Southway, previously reported as not serving real ale, is confirmed as regularly serving Doom Bar. The JDW pub chain have confirmed that they are no longer interested in leasing the former Co-Op building, Broadway, Plymstock at this time, as reported in The Herald on Wednesday 2nd February 2022. The Leaping Salmon Inn, Horrabridge, closed at the beginning on February and the owners are looking for new tenants/managers, with the hope of reopening again soon. The Stannary Brewery Tap, Tavistock, is open again after a refurbishment recently. It is rumoured that the Pub On The Hoe will be under new ownership in March. The Miners Arms, Hemerdon, has reopened after nearly two years of closure. Hot pies/pasties are available until the kitchen reopens. St Austell Brewery have announced that Tribute will go up by 8p/pint from 21st February 2022.

The Mayflower Sailing Club has closed. The Tavistock Inn and the Market Inn, both in Tavistock, are under new management. The Trout 'N' Tipple, and Duke of York, also both in Tavistock, are both closed, status unknown.

During the period from 12th April 2021 to 31st January 2022, 74 CAMRA members submitted a total of 1586 beer scores for 119 different pubs in our Branch Area. Eighteen Plymouth branch members submitted 1340 beer scores, with 246 scores submitted by 56 members of other branches when they visited our branch area – Thank You all very much!

BEER SCORING informs the Branch that those particular named pubs are open and serving cask conditioned real ale. It also helps us to monitor the quality and consistency of the real ales available, and to help keep What Pub as up-to-date as possible.

Thatchers and Weston’s cider are no longer considered real cider by the CAMRA Real Ale, Cider and Perry Campaigns Committee.

Plymouth CAMRA LocAle Scheme

There are currently 70 establishments listed as being accredited to the Plymouth CAMRA LocAle Scheme. These are listed on the branch website LOCALE SCHEME (opens in new browser window).

CAMRA Member Discount Scheme and CAMRA Voucher Scheme

There are currently 21 establishments listed as being members of the CAMRA Member Discount Scheme, and a further nine which are part of the CAMRA Voucher Scheme, making 30 in total. Please give these pubs your support if/when you go out! These are listed on the branch website, DISCOUNT SCHEME page. This opens in a new window.

Planning Applications

A Planning Application, reference number 21/01683/MOR, was submitted before Christmas as a pre-application for change of use to “Nano brewery and Tap Room (Class B2/Sui Generis)” by Pilgrimage Brewery, for 190, Exeter Street, PL4 0NQ. A decision was due on 11/10/21, but the City Council planning website has yet to be updated.

Cask Marque Accreditation

The Brook Inn, the London Inn, both in Plympton and the White Hart, Modbury, are no longer CM Accredited. We are not aware of any pubs in our branch area who have gained CM Accreditation during the last month or so.

Brewery News

Anchor House: Nothing has been seen nor heard about this brewery for some time. They did have several collaboration brews with Firebrand, of Altarnun, Cornwall, during 2020, but we haven’t seen or heard of anything since May 2021, when they posted on Facebook “New bit of kit”, so they may have their own premises, TBC? The Brewery Liaison Officer Position is vacant and open to a willing volunteer. Bere: Bere brewery are still regularly brewing, but their Tap Room is not currently open to drink on the premises. They are, however, open to sell takeaways on Wednesdays and Saturdays (check their website for times as they vary). Their self-grown hops in September 2021 was a good crop, and they got 70% from their small holding for the following 12 months of brewing. Billy Ruffian’s: Nothing has been seen nor heard about this group of people, who were using the brew plant at PCFE, since before Lockdown 2020. Bulletproof: No news this year yet. Dartmoor: Dartmoor now has a cider produced for them, by a local cider producer with a long heritage in cidermaking, called Wistman’s. It’s a medium dry cider, with an ABV of 4.8%, and is served under pressure. Christmas Ale, ABV 4.2%, was available in cask and bottle; when it’s gone, it’s gone. The batch of bottles sold out within just over a day. Dragon’s Breath is also being brewed again. This dark, treacly, toffee nuanced beer is the perfect antidote to inclement weather. The Ice Warrior beer, ABV 6.0%, was produced in conjunction with Jim McNeill, who trains polar explorers and organises polar expeditions, and sales from it help to fund some of his work. The product may be brought back later this year. They are now the sole ale suppliers to Plymouth Albion Rugby Football Club. The brewery is currently undergoing some maintenance at this quieter time of year. Ivybridge: : have a new ale called Moorland Mosaic. Morwell: Morwell continue to brew to provide cask beers for the Ship Inn. They also bottle their 3 core beers which are sold in the Ship Inn and also in the Morwellham Quay shop, which is situated on the attraction site close to the pub. Noss Beer Works: no news yet this year. Roam: Their cask ales are now available in a small number of local pubs. Stannary: are opening the tap room for local groups for special events and meetings eg AGMs. Steel Brew Co: The Brewery and Tap Room, which recently moved in November 2021 to the larger premises at the nearby Mills Bakery, are now open again 7 days a week. They are also holding A Meet The Brewer evening most Thursday evenings (check and book on the website) at a small cost, with tastings and a snack. The new Tap Room is still dog friendly. Summerskills: Summerskills has been brewing their core range along with some seasonal specials recently. Ninja returned in September after a long break, and Plymhop made its annual appearance when the Plymstock hops were harvested. The Christmas beers were also brewed around that time to allow the bottles, in particular, to condition, and both Turkey's Delight and Christmouse were well received, as usual. The dark beers, Plymouth Porter and Indiana’s Bones, are regularly available in the Fortescue, Mutley Plain, Plymouth, whilst Red Coat and The Famous Mr Jones continue to be brewed as house beers for the Foxhound Inn, Brixton, and Fisherman’s Arms, Plymouth respectively. The other core beers, and regulars such as Dragon Pioneer IPA, pop up in various locations within a roughly 40-mile radius of the brewery. The JD Wetherspoon pubs are featuring Devon Dew on their current national guest ale promotion. This started later than usual due to the uncertainty in the hospitality industry around Christmas so may well run on into late March. Following the successful rebranding of the brewery's bottle labels by Drive Creative Studio, Summerskills will be rolling out their new pump clips designs during 2022, starting with Devon Dew. They have also brewed Scrum Half Nectar (ABV 4.1%) and Scrum Half Stout (ABV 4.4%), which will be available throughout the Six Nations rugby.

Selected Other Devon Brewery News.

Hunters have survived what has proved to be a very difficult 18 months or so for us all. They have seen sales remain steady over the last 12 months, as things have started to open up and restrictions lifted, to enable all to get out and visit pubs again. They have noticed that lower ABV selections seem to be selling better than stronger ales, bestselling is currently Old Charlie, Half Bore and Devon Dreamer. With this in mind, they have opted to remove Full Bore (ABV 6.8%) from the cask conditioned range, although it will still be available in bottles. The popular Christmas ale, Dasher’s Tinkle ABV 5.5%, is available in bottles, using a calypso hop to create a unique and delicious festive ale. It is dark amber in colour, with real depth of flavour. A major investment at Salcombe, with brewing and packaging facilities at a new additional site, will support the imminent launch of its first canned products, its first lager and its increasing partnerships with leading South West hospitality venues. They have also tripled brewing capacity and introduced new cardboard packaging across the board to replace plastic. They are also launching Beer Club, a three-, six- or 12-month subscription package for its much-loved, award-winning beers. Bronze, Silver and Gold memberships are available to buy from their website, at prices from just £75.00 for a bronze package. South Hams: Their range of products has now expanded to include ciders, soft drinks, gin and whiskey. Sundown kegged IPA and Star Bay Pale Ale are new for 2021, and Mulled Cider has made an appearance.

Beer Festival News

The Exeter CAMRA Festival of Winter Ales took place at the Exeter City Football Club on Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd January 2022, and went down very well with both customers and volunteer staff alike.

The SIBA Maltings Beer Festival 2022 will take place as usual at Tucker’s Maltings, Teign Road, Newton Abbot TQ12 4AA from Thursday 21st April until Saturday 23rd April 2022.

The South Devon CAMRA Sunshine Beer Festival will take place at Teignmouth RFC from Thursday 21st until Saturday 23rd July 2022.

Please see the branch website LOCAL BEER FESTIVALS page for volunteering details should you wish to help out at any of these beer festivals.

The Walkhampton Inn, Walkhampton, have announced three Ale and Cider festivals are due to take place this year, at Easter, in June and August. Please see the Beer Festivals page (link above) for details.

Plymouth CAMRA would like to wish all Publicans and Brewers all the very best for the new year