Phew, what a day!

A contingent from the branch managed to find RedWillow Brewery in Macclesfield for the Champion Beer of Cheshire presentation, believe me it is not easy! Toby McKenzie shared some fresh Chocolate Stout from the fermenter and Nick Bosley presented the certificates to Toby as well as the Siver and Bronze to David Hughes of Happy Valley and Michelle Kelsall of Offbeat Brewery.

Afterwards an excellent crawl of the town started with a very short walk to The Railway View, where sadly only two of the eight handpulls were occupied, one with a beer Happy Valley. Next it was a short distance along the road to The Macc (formerly the Three Crowns), here there was more choice with Happy Valley Tie The Knot, Marble Ginger, Phoenix Wobbly Bob and a beer menu full of interesting continental bottles. Then it was a trip along the road and back up the hill to The Wharfe which is close to the brewery but on the other side. Here RedWillow were well represented with Feckless and the Oyster Stout Fathomless. The latter soon ran out and was replaced by Faithless IX the latest in Toby's incremental series. This Black IPA has many doubting their senses, trying to make sense of the conflicting messages between sight and the aroma and taste of the beer. Last call of the day for us was the excellent, if compact, Treacle Tap. Here there was Whim Arbor Light and Flower Power on each side of my favourite the RedWillow Smokeless, for me the best beer of the day, although I did also enjoy a half of Flower Power as well.

Then it was a drive across to Sandbach for the branch Christmas Social at the Lower Chequer. An evening of curry, hot pot, conversation and of course excellent beer ensued. On the bar were Woods Shropshire Lad, Merlin Merlin's Gold, Marble Pint, Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild and Offbeat Crazy Christmas.

Beer of The Festival Presentation

On Monday 21st November 2011 a well attended night at Square One on Mill Street in Crewe, saw Michelle Kelsall, the 'Chick' brewster of Offbeat Brewery presented with her award for Offbeat Far Out Stout. The unique firkin of this powerful stout, aged in Glenfarclas casks for over three months, was the first to sell out at the CAMRA Nantwich Beer Festival in September and was voted Beer of the Festival by the drinkers there. The presentation was made by Paul Hext the Festival Organiser.

Paul also presented a cheque to Chris Bridgman of the Wingate Centre in Wrenbury for three hundred pounds being the cash donations collected at the festival and unused beer tokens. In accepting Chris said that he had enjoyed his visit to the festival where he took part in the judging for Champion Beer of Cheshire on the Friday and that the donations were very much appreciated in helping to further the work that the centre does to provide education and support for people of all ages with disabilities and learning difficulties.

Square One have recently started taking Offbeat beers on a regular basis so that there should always be one on the bar alongside the Timothy Taylor Landlord. On this occasion it was the Out of Step IPA at 5.8% which has become a favourite there.

http://www.nantwichbeerfestival.org.uk/

http://www.offbeatbrewery.com/

http://www.wingate-sga.org.uk/

http://www.squareonebar.co.uk/

http://www.southcheshirecamra.org.uk/

Middlewich Beer Festival

Along with several other members I enjoyed a few hours at the British Legion where the annual beer festival was in full swing. It was a busy lunchtime session with live music from a variety of performers. The bar was manned by the Round Table members and they were kept busy pouring the forty beers from local and not so local breweries, all on handpulls.

Earlier we had held our branch meeting at the Golden Lion on Newton Bank drinking the Copper Dragon 1816 and Tetley Cask. Branch meetings were agreed for January through to March along with some social events. Details of these will be added to the calendar on the website very shortly and will also be circulated in the minutes as usual.