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Gents
HMZ God
Trinidad and Tobago
2214 Posts |
 Posted - 01/12/2004 : 10:35:54
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There is some news about cider in Nailsea in the latest Pints West magazine, written by Laurie Gibney (whoever he is). Most of it we know already, but the Star at Tickenham (run by Paul Cheesely) definitely looks worth a visit.
"THERE couldn’t be many Zumerzet folk that haven’t heard of Adge Cutler and the Wurzels, those folk who launched “Scrumpy ’n’
Western” music in November 1966 in Nailsea at the Royal Oak. Adge was born in 1930 at Nailsea and worked in the Coates cider mill in the town as well as being a road manager for Acker Bilk and his Paramount Jazz Band. Adge was with the Wurzels until his untimely death in 1974
when he overturned his MGB sports car at a roundabout while driving himself home from a gig. He is buried in Christchurch, Nailsea but
his Wurzels play on.
Cider was an essential ingredient of their performances and an early hit was the song Drink Up Thy Zider. Coates cider mill has long since gone, but many small cider mills still thrive in Somerset, plus larger traditional cider mills such as Thatcher’s mill and shop at nearby Sandford, but the dominant cider on bars in the area is Matthew Clarke’s keg Blackthorn.
CAMRA’s Apple group champions the cause of traditional ciders and perries, so where do we find such cider in Nailsea & District? Sadly no perries were on local bars last October, which happened to be Cider Month, but ciders were not so difficult to find. The Royal Oak where Adge Cutler and the Wurzels and Scrumpy ’n’ Western music was launched no longer offers scrumpy but only Blackthorn, as does the Battleaxes, the Courtyard Wine Bar and the Mizzymead Club. The Blue Flame at West End is a favourite cider drinkers’ pub and has cask Thatcher’s Traditional Dry, plus keg Mendip Magic and Blackthorn.
Also well known by cider drinkers is the Black Horse at Clapton in Gordano which offers cask Thatcher’s Traditional Dry, plus keg Kingston’s Press Dry and Blackthorn. The Jubilee at Flax Bourton has Addlestone’s Cask Conditioned Cloudy Cider; the Friendship Inn has cask Thatcher’s Traditional Dry and keg Blackthorn; the Moorend Spout offers cask Thatcher’s Cheddar Valley and keg Blackthorn; and the Nailsea & Backwell Rugby Club offers keg Blackthorn and occasionally cask Thatcher’s ciders.
The Sawyers Arms offers keg Blackthorn, Thatcher’s Mendip Scrumpy and Old Rascal. The Star at Tickenham offers bottles of Thatcher’s Cox’s Apple Cider, keg Blackthorn and Thatcher’s Traditional Dry. The Old Barn at Wraxall offers keg Thatcher’s Traditional Dry, Weston’s Stowford Press and Blackthorn. The Olde Farmhouse has Blackthorn and bottled White Lightning. The White Lion has keg Blackthorn and Taunton Natch, and the Ring of Bells has keg Thatcher’s Traditional Dry and Blackthorn. At Backwell the George Inn has Blackthorn and bottled Woodpecker and the Backwell Village Club has keg Thatcher’s Traditional Dry and Old Rascal.
Friendship Inn on Stockway North in Nailsea. Not only has the outside been thoroughly renovated and decorated but the inside has too, and the last troublesome “customers” have been banned for life! The long awaited guest ale to complement Courage Best is still being negotiated with the owners Punch Taverns by the licensees Kathleen &
Dave Allen. Home-cooked food is available at the Friendship Inn during lunchtimes after a long absence, courtesy of Bernadette – who was until last year at the Moorend Spout – and David Hemmings. The regular menu includes the most expensive dish “Steak” at £6.50 and
also ham or sausage, egg and chips, chilli, scampi, veggie pie, sandwiches, baguettes and jacket potatoes. On the specials board at a
recent visit were stilton, cauliflower and broccoli soup, home-made corned beef hash and cottage pie, breaded plaice, sausage & leek
mash, and an enormous spanish omelette. The writer very mush enjoyed the soup and corned beef hash. Individual bottles of wine instead of
the ubiquitous boxes in a glass case were available in addition to real ale and cider to wash down this excellent grub at a reasonable
price."
ZIDER! |
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Ivanhoe Martin
Cider Bus Convert
Oman
273 Posts |
Posted - 01/12/2004 : 11:55:24
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I'm not surprised you don't know this man Gents. He comes across as a bit of a prat IMHO. How can he be writing an article about cider and mention Bl*****rn and Wh*** Light****.
I also recommend avoiding the pub that serves "steak" (as it is obviously only something like a steak, as signalled by the inverted commas. Ah, now I've sussed it....he was writing an article about "cider", not about cider.)
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Gents
HMZ God
Trinidad and Tobago
2214 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2005 : 15:18:46
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The latest Pints West mag is out and here is a run down of the highlights (and lowlights):
- The section about Nailsea (written by the man labelled a Prat above) has increased to TWO WHOLE PAGES, and its boring as hell! Fascinating revealations include news that The Moorend ran out of Real Ale on New Years Eve and didn't have any delivered til 4th Jan, and a 10-journey bus card to Bristol costs about £20. Wow.
- The Jubilee in Flax Bourton is planning to hold a cider festival! That is great news, we'll have to look out for that.
- Cheeseley no longer walks on cider at The Star, Tickenham - he has left.
- Ralph Milne has left the White Lion and gone back to Scotland.
- David Wilshire, who is MP for Spelthorne in Middlesex is the only cider-making member in the House of Commons.
ZIDER! |
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Chowie
Cider Bus Convert
USA
229 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2005 : 17:42:28
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- Cheeseley no longer walks on cider at The Star, Tickenham - he has left.
He was sacked, the owner did'nt want him there anymore for a reason I probably should'nt post on here.. |
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Jungle Jim
HMZ God
Falkland Islands
1872 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2005 : 19:42:18
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He's still the matchday host for sponsors at ashton gate, or at least he was a couple of weeks ago.
Go on Chowie...spill the beans!
Cider's coming home...
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Gents
HMZ God
Trinidad and Tobago
2214 Posts |
Posted - 23/02/2005 : 09:51:25
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Hmmm ive heard 3 completely different stories now, none of which we should probably discuss, but i was pretty sure he jointly owned it rather than just worked there.
ZIDER! |
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Chowie
Cider Bus Convert
USA
229 Posts |
Posted - 23/02/2005 : 12:42:31
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| He did not own it a friend of mine owns it (also the Airport Tavern) but Paul Cheese name was jointly above the door. He still works at the gate. |
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Cider in Nailsea
