Kent County

Campaign for Real Ale

Campaign for Real Ale

Kent Beer Tasting Panel Report. September 2024

Tuesday 24 September 2024

Thank you to those that attended the recent Tasting Panel Meeting (Wed, 18th September).

We went through the current Kent Panel nominations for the Champion Beer of Britain and identified some areas to concentrate on. We discussed the Milds category and within a few days we had a couple more scores come through and we now have 2 beers in this category that we can put through. If anyone sees Kent Brewery’s Born to be Mild then please score this one and we should be able to put this one in too.

As most of you will already know (a recent Branch Bulletin was sent to all CAMRA members) the nominations are now open for the next Champion Beer of Britain competition. Please take some time to look at the CBOB website and the choices, especially those from Kent. The competition is open to ALL CAMRA MEMBERS. The closing date for nominations is 4th November. The date is the same for the Tasting Panel’s nominations.

We are also keen to get some nominations for the x2 Bottled Beer Categories. As a Panel we thought that we should concentrate on the widely available ones and as such need some scores for Shepherd Neame 1698 and the Ramsgate Gadds' range (DogBolter and Black Pearl spring to mind here). There were a number of Curious Brew beers listed as options (again see the website for possibilities) but these were not in their core range. Personally, I think it might prove difficult to get hold of these with only a month to go. There are also bottled beers from the Stag and Northdown Breweries, although I have not seen these lately. So please get some scores in for the Sheps and Gadds ones and we can get something on the Kent Nomination form.

Thank you, once again to those that helped with the Judging at the East Malling Beer Festival. Special mention also goes out to Glyn Parry who represented us at the SIBA Beer Judging in London and was forced to Judge +20 Beers (it’s a hard life this Beer Judging Lark).

There are more opportunities for doing this kind of work coming up. So it is always worthwhile doing the Beer Judging Training (the one in October is fully booked up).

Events

As usual, there are a good amount of events coming up, including the Kent County meeting that will be held this weekend at the Elephant in Faversham.

* West Kent CAMRA are looking for volunteers to serve behind the bars at Tunbridge Wells West and Groombridge. If you'd like to volunteer please email ku.oc.daehgnirpsehtylb@lehcar.

Brewery Visits

We really need to get some Brewery visits in the diary as, come November, we will be Judging for the next year’s Nominations. Could we ask BLOs at our branches know that the Tasting Panel is keen to visit and complete some Tastings. I will try to remember to raise this at the County meeting (always good to have County backing).

And Finally

Finally, don’t forget to go out and drink the Green Hop beers that are around at this time of year, as the nights begin to draw in. Unfortunately these often do not qualify for CBOB as are pretty unique, although there is an argument to be had with Roy Bray about their inclusion under the ‘Speciality Beers - Differently Produced’ category.

Cheers & Beers (and get those beer scores in!)

Jona Jewitt CAMRA Kent Tasting Panel Chair ku.gro.armac.tnek@gnitsatreeb