A record 16 members (one behind the camera and another elsewhere!) - half of those who then subscribed - and 2 guests attended our 1ST Social in 2023
2024 Events
Confirmed:
Saturday, 24th May
'Herts and Soles fording the Stort'
Noon - The Nag's Head, 216, Dunmow Road, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 5HP.
A large roadhouse, built in 1934 for Benskins of Watford, but now owned by McMullens of Hertford who sympathetically restored the building in 2010. In typical art deco style, it has flat roofs and Crittall-type wraparound metal windows with a largely-unaltered interior. Then:
1.25pm - Belgian Brewer, Unit 11, Links Business Centre, Raynham Road, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 5NZ.
From the sublime to the ridiculous(!), this trading estate brewery taproom offers selected beers on cask but, regardless, all are brewed on the premises to Belgian recipés and, consequently, at Belgian ABVs. GBG 2025. Then:
3.10pm - Beer Shop Micro, 26A, Northgate End, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 2EU.
Despite no RA, this shop conversion offers not only 20 'craft' beer lines but, also, the possibility of Bubble Works Brew Co. products brewed on the premises. Then:
4.25pm - The Wheatsheaf, 28, Northgate End, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 2EU. Then:
A small pub recently sold by Greene King and fast becoming a renowned freehouse with up to five RAs.
5.50pm - The Star, 7, Bridge Street, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 2JU.
Dating from 1636 and with an unusual V-shaped bar, this pub offers good beer together with reasonably-priced food until 9pm. GBG 2025. Then:
7.15pm - The Castle, 38, Castle Street, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 3TG.
A well-hidden gem of a pub with two handpumps dispensing locally-sourced brews. GBG 2025.
Rendezvous at Liverpool Street station at 1045 for the 1058 train to Bishop's Stortford, arr. 1138. Then walk north along Dane Street to Hockerill Street and turn right, past The Cock Inn (closed as it opens at noon!), and continue east along Dunmow Road to our first official venue (1 mile). Alternatively, take the 305 bus towards Stansted Airport from Dane Street (Interchange Stop E) at 1143 instead.
From The Nag's Head at 1.15pm, continue along Dunmow Road and turn left at Raynham Road for Belgian Brewer (⅓ mile). To avoid a 2 mile walk to the next venue, leave the latter at 2.25pm for the 7 bus at 1435 back into Bishop's Stortford (Interchange Stop E) arr. 1446 and return to Hockerill Street, thence walk via Link Road and Northgate End to our third venue (⅔ mile). [Alternatively, leave Belgian Brewer at 2.50pm for the 305 bus at 1500 likewise arr. 1511. Then, walk via Station Road to Riverside Stop R (actually in Adderley Road) to take the 510 bus at 1525 for our third venue.]
With Beer Shop Micro and The Wheatsheaf adjacent, leave the latter at 5.40pm to - eventually - return to the station by walking south to Hadham Road, turning right and then first left along North Street to our venue, The Star (⅓ mile). Then, at 7.05pm, leave to reach The Castle south via Market, Porter and South Streets, and then take a right along Newtown Road to Castle Street (⅓ mile). Leaving no later than 8.25pm, reach the station by returning to Newtown Road and continuing across the South Street junction and along Station Road to Dane Street (½ mile).
From the station, return via the 2039 train which arrives back in London at 2117.
For the remainder of 2025, Socials are being pencilled-in for:
Pembury Arms Lager Festival, Hackney (late-spring)
Nicholas Nickleby, Stroud Green (autumn)
In addition, a trip to Ely may be in the offing too.
Proposed (short term):
'Bill English Memorial Trip to Amsterdam & Antwerp (possibly including Ypres) - tba
Further details may be posted here in due course.
Proposed (long term):
'Further London Lager Microbreweries'
Noon - Antwerp Arms, 168-70, Church Road, Tottenham, N17 8AS then
1.30pm - True Craft (ex-West Green Tavern), 68, West Green Road, South Tottenham, N15 5NR, then
3pm - Bohem Brewery Tap Room, Unit 5, Littleline House, 41-3, West Road, Northumberland Park, N17 0RE then
4.30pm - One Mile End Brewery Tap Room, Unit 2, Compass West Estate, 32, West Road, Northumberland Park, N17 0XL then
6pm - Redemption Brewery Tap Room, Unit 16, Compass West Estate, 32, West Road, Northumberland Park, N17 0XL Closes 7pm
(All taprooms are adjacent to each other, One Mile End moving into Redemption's premises when the latter relocated and Bohem moving nearby to create a venue adjacent to their resited brewery additional to that at Bowes Park.)
CAMAL membership badges should be worn - by those who have them! - by all participating members at every event.
This depiction of mediæval monastic brewing appears to have the CAMAL tankard clearly in view!
You have missed:
Sunday, 2ND March
'A West Middlesex brewery & more'
With most rendezvousing at Ealing Broadway station entrance at 1145 from Bizzie Lizzie Line trains, we walked to reach:
Noon - Questors' Grapevine Theatre Club Bar, 12, Mattock Lane, Ealing, W5 5BQ.
A volunteer-run bar that featured in a memorable episode of 'The IT Crowd', it opened an hour earlier than normally just for CAMAL.
1.15pm - The Forester, 2, Leighton Road, Northfields, W13 5BQ.
Almost unique in London in featuring (defunct) bell-pushes for waiter service in the left-hand bar, this Nowell-Parr designed edifice is a nationally-important heritage pub where some indulged in food and all in the Fuller's beer range.
A short walk south took us to:
2.35pm - Owl & Pussycat, 106, Northfield Avenue, Northfields, W13 9RT.
This long-term CAMAL supporter, where beer for both the Marko Paulo and Ealing Brewery Company concerns is brewed on the premises, a number of lagers and a stout were available from the small bar. With a variety of ciders/perries sourced from elsewhere, this was also our APPFEL venue for 2025.
Most then walked via Graham Avenue/ Midhurst & Coldershaw Roads, although a few took an E3 bus and a shorter walk along Grosvenor Road, to reach:
4.20pm - The Grosvenor, 107, Oaklands Road, Hanwell, W7 2DT.
Another nationally-important structure recognised by CAMRA, the anticipated Forest Road brewery beer failed to materialise but Sunday roasts did for those who hadn't eaten earlier!
Next, sauntering west along Oaklands Avenue and north along Boston Manor Road brought us to:
5.20pm - Dodo Micropub, 52, Boston Road, Hanwell, W7 3TR.
A former shop conversion was presided over by Lucy, the eponymous owner whose doubling of her (sur)name gave the premises its name, where five changing beers from nearby or further afield were offered.
All venues (except for The Forester) were current CAMRA GBG entries.
A handful of CAMAL members then proceeded via The Fox, Green Lanes, and The Viaduct, Uxbridge Road, before dispersing, the majority via York Avenue and the Bizzie Lizzie Line from Hanwell station.