January’s social began in the milder, but still very chilly conditions of Tuesday evening. On the agenda: the Rose Inn, and the Old Crown of Paganhill.
Your writer for this review was the first to arrive outside the Rose Inn, to find not only did they have no real ale on, they also appeared to be out of several other draught products so we shortly decamped to the Old Crown instead, once everyone had arrived, for our first pints.
As expected, being near midweek in the middle of January, the Old Crown somewhat doubled the number of active patrons on our arrival. Two options were available, both guests. A choice between: Ringwood’s Old Thumper 5.1% and Ramsbury Brewery’s RPA 4%. The former possibly one of the last casks made with the brewery having shut early 2024 and the Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company announcing that the recipe now brewed at Bank’s will become bottle sold only.
Having held conversation not just between ourselves but also the bartender and some of the locals a decision was made to drive up to the Carpenter’s Arms, Westrip. Upon arrival at Stroud’s Cider Pub of the Year, and runner-up in Stroud’s Pub of the Year, the biggest group, we were informed that some of the team from the Gloucestershire Orchards Trust were also in. Sammie, the owner, as with most venues had stripped back the number of offerings during these cold months. For cask it was either Clavel & Hind’s Coachman 3.8% or [insert beer here once I have asked since I myself was drinking the pub’s own Rowdy Stroudy Cider 6.3%, made by Orchard Revival].
The next social is yet to be decided since we are also having to participate in the Gloucestershire Pub of the Year judging duties and for some of us look forward to the Tewkesbury Winter Ales Festival.