Green hop beers
I am very pleased to enlighten Mr Millington (letters, last edition) and your readers that green hop beers have been thriving in the largest and most important hop growing area of England, namely Worcestershire, Herefordshire and their environs, for many years. Indeed the Teme Valley Brewery, the on-site brewery at the Talbot at Knightwick in Worcestershire, celebrated its 23rd Green Hop Festival in early October last year. 18 green hop beers were offered, all from the West Midlands area, with three from Teme Valley Brewery itself. They are indeed unique and delicious beers and I agree that they deserve to be recognised as a separate style. The winter edition of our local CAMRA magazine, Pint Taken, has further details (pinttaken.org.uk).
Incidentally, the Talbot has been put up for sale by its longstanding landlady, Annie Clift, after being in the family for 40 years. Assurances have been given that this much loved institution will remain unchanged as a condition of the sale. Perhaps some London CAMRA branches would like to arrange a tour there to experience what, we hope, will be the next (and not the last!) Green Hop Festival. It is likely to be in October again (dates tbc). There are also many other fabulous breweries and pubs in this part of the world to enjoy.
Matt Anderson
Shepherd Neame
I was so heartened to read the interview with Mr Jonathan Neame in the October/November edition. The work that Shepherd Neame has been doing on their London pubs, particularly since the lockdown, has been really quite uplifting. They seem to have struck the balance absolutely right between retaining the look and feel of a timeless public house while palpably raising the service and standards. I am reminded of a quote by Gustav Mahler, ‘tradition is not the worship of ashes but the preservation of fire’. Of course, all businesses have to change to meet the changing expectations of punters but that change has to involve refining and adapting what is truly special and unique in the tradition. Authenticity and integrity must be at the centre of any redevelopment or it won’t stick. It might last a season but not another generation. In regards to the optimism and direction of Shepherd Neame I would humbly suggest that, in the pub trade, authenticity is a bit like land, a safe bet, ‘because they ain’t making any more of it’! So well done Mr Neame.
W H Amos