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Category Archives: Ouse Boozer
Ouse Boozer Issue 120 Summer 2014
Ouse Boozer Issue 119 Spring 2014
Issue 119 Spring 2014 PDF 4.2Mb
Ye Old Shambles Tavern relaunch in October
Ye Old Shambles Tavern re-launched itself in October 2013 after five years of trading as a gift shop and cafe. It is family run and has recently become licenced for on and off sales for its customers, supplying a range of Yorkshire ales. Bottled beer sales now cover over 60 labels from over 16 micro brewery producers, some of which are bottle conditioned so meeting CAMRA’s “Real Ale in a Bottle” definition. Managers Simon and Nicola pride themselves in offering a real Yorkshire welcome and are working hard to establish the Tavern on the real ale map. They have also installed two hand pumps serving beer from Rudgate and other local breweries. They are open seven days a week from 9am until late.
Winter 2013 Town Pub of the Season Presentation to Royal Oak, Goodramgate
Kevin presenting the award to Sarah
The pub as always was very welcoming with a nice selection of beers: Hop Studio Porter, Treboom Tambourine Man, Brains Reverend James, Theakston’s Old Peculier, Theakston’s Best Bitter and Greene King Abbot Ale. After everyone getting their pints most having the two LocAle’s we moved into the larger back bar to perform the presentation.
Sarah the licensee accepted on behalf the pub as she said in her acceptance speech the whole team from cellar, bar and kitchen have all helped earn the award. Gareth, Mike, Richard, Sam and Karl (the cellar apprentice and husband) all deserve a mention for their hard work in the cellar and the very onerous task of liaising with local brewers and tasting their brews! The pub will continue with its policy of trying to always have one bitter and one stout, porter or mild from a LocAle brewery with some of the speciality brews been fitted in when available. Hop Studio, Salamander and Treboom beers are firm favourites with regulars and visitors alike. The policy of offering third of a pint tasting trays is enticing people to try beers that they perceive to be outside of their comfort zone. Most manage to find at least one style of beer to their taste. The bar staff are all quite willing to discuss the beers on the bar and offer tasters where required.
The staff are also keenly aware of the need to keep standards high with the quality of pubs in the city increasing year on year, the friendly competition along Goodramgate caters for all tastes and keeps all the bars on their toes!
The kitchen staff not to be left out on the night contributed two dishes a chicken curry and a beef stew as well as plates of sandwiches so our party and the locals were well fed. Many thanks to them as they worked past their normal finishing time to ensure their offerings were served piping hot.
Once again many thanks to the Royal Oak for making us welcome and look out for some interesting themed evenings to come throughout 2014. (KK)
Winter 2013 Country Pub of the Season Presentation to White Bear, Stillington
Chris presenting the award to Phil
With a good turn- out of pub locals too there was plenty of demand but this was met with the usual impressive supply, in this case: Sam Smiths Old Brewery Bitter, Leeds Pale, Ringwood Best, Rudgate Snow Wonder and Hop Studio Porter. The bar staff coped most ably and very soon most of us were on our second (or third) pint.
Chris made a brief speech in which he explained that since the White Bear’s award in Summer 2010 this second presentation was unique for country pubs in our branch area and that only one York city pub had achieved such a “double” in that timeframe. The second award was in recognition of Phil and Sue’s continuing work to provide variety and choice, particularly of Yorkshire beers, often from some of our smaller breweries.
Phil expressed his delight at the recognition and provided some interesting anecdotes comparing life in London and Yorkshire: Yorkshire won! Unfortunately Sue was upstairs convalescing, we hope she is back at her customary station behind the bar soon and that the cheer she got from the bar provided suitable motivation!
More beer was sampled and a generous buffet provided which never seemed to run out despite the large number of hungry customers: perhaps we should have brought more mouths to feed to this justifiably packed pub? (CT)
Ouse Boozer Issue 118 Winter 2013
Issue 118 Winter 2013 PDF 7 MB
Autumn 2013 Country Pub of the Season Presentation to Greyhound, Saxton
Pat presenting the award to Steve
The award was presented to Steve to say thank you for doing an excellent job at running this special pub. Steve has been landlord over two years and has put his life and soul into the job. He is a very dedicated and most accommodating manager who welcomes everyone. There are many local meetings, including Friends of the School, Cricket Club and Battle of Towton committee that enjoy the atmosphere which Steve provides in this well-run little pub. Being a Sam Smith’s pub, the only cask beer is Old Brewery Bitter, which is always on top form, and at the usual very reasonable price. I think Steve’s previous job as a drayman taught him something about how to keep beer.
The pork pie!
Autumn 2013 Town Pub of the Season Presentation to Snickleway, Goodramgate
Chris presenting the award to Graham and Linda
Chris presented the award to Graham and Linda, thanking them for their impressive work over the last few years in keeping the Snickleway right up there as one of the city’s most pleasant pubs.
Graham returned the compliment and said that he was pleased to feature in the Good Beer Guide for 2014. We then got on with the serious business of trying the beers, now reinforced by Bradfield Farmers Blonde (a beer not a woman) and setting to on the generously provided chilli and curry which was just the thing for an autumn night. As I left the pub at the end of an excellent evening the autumn winds were blowing and there was even a hint of snow in the chill breeze: I can’t wait to see what the winter seasonal pubs have in store for us! (CT)
Summer 2013 Town Pub of the Season Presentation to Old Ebor, Nunnery Lane
Karl presenting the award to Paul, Sarah and Kieran
His son Kieran and business partner Sarah Hill, still recuperating from her recent illness, joined him to receive the award from yours truly, the nominator at the Branch meeting.
In what had been a challenging first year in the pub business, the winning team has established a growing reputation among real ale and cider enthusiasts, a welcome addition to the other good real ale pubs in that part of the city centre. But the regular local customers, even if they preferred alternative drinks, are the lifeblood of pubs like Old Ebor and were thanked for their continuing support.
Receiving the framed certificate, Paul remarked that he was honoured to have been nominated and amazed to have won the award and thanked CAMRA members for their support.
An interesting choice of ten ales (including four from the Isle of Man) across diverse styles and three real ciders, selected by Sarah, were well sampled.
Beers on offer were: Bushy’s Oyster Stout, Ruby Mild and Castletown Bitter; Doghouse Citra Pale Ale (the Manx ones); Big River Ropewalk; Saltaire Blonde; Great Newsome Jem’s Stout; Robinsons Trooper; Theakstons Rivers Answer; John Smith’s Cask.
Ciders on offer throughout the festival were: were Sandford Orchards Shaky Bridge; Manx Cider Co, Johnny Jump; Orchards of Husthwaite, Galtres Blush; Mr. Whitehead’s, Novo Pyrus (perry) Rough Old Wife, Blushing Old Wife.
Thank you to Paul, Sarah and the staff at Old Ebor for a memorable night (I certainly remembered how much beer I had consumed the morning after!). (KS)