Mid-Chilterns CAMRA are thrilled to announce our annual ‘Pub of the Year’ awards for 2023, withThe George Ale House, Great Missendentakingoverall champion ‘Pub of the Year’. Congratulations to Steve (landlord/manager), Debbie(landlady) and all of their team at the pub!
Our ‘Runner-Up Pub of the Year‘ has been announced as the fantastic Monks Inn, based in Hemel Hempstead. Congrats to all the team!
‘Cider Pub of the Year‘ has been awarded to The Rising Sun (Berkhamsted), a treasure trove of close to twenty artisinal ciders and perrys.
The ‘Runner-Up Cider Pub of the Year‘ award has been presented to Monks Inn in Hemel Hempstead’s market square. Congrats to Clint and his team!
Our ‘Best Improved Pub of the Year‘ goes to the Boot & Slipper in Amersham, a pub that has seen an amazing reincarnation under the guidance of managers Ben and Sophie.
‘Community Pub of the Year‘ goes to Monks Inn in Hemel Hempstead, the pub’s third commendation in our annual awards. This award has been granted for the team’s outstanding efforts through charity bike rides, free meals for those in need at Christmas, and an immense effort in gathering vital collection sacks for refugees. Congrats again to the marvellous Monks crew and their extended customer base.
A rare award, for individual acclaim, was presented to Ciprian ‘Chippy’ Chelsau, who has been commended with a ‘Special Recognition of Long Service & Dedication‘ award. Chippy’s twenty years of quality hospitality and management at the Chequers Inn in Amersham is truly incredible. A massive well done to Chippy!
To read more about our ‘Pub of the Year’ award winners please visit our ‘Awards‘ page!
The Good Beer Guide is CAMRA’s seminal publication and the is the best-selling beer and pub guide, featuring 4,500 of the UK’s best pubs, including fourteen from the Mid-Chilterns branch.
We are thrilled to showcase The Elephant & Castle in Amersham as one of Mid-Chilterns CAMRA’s entries into this year’s Guide.
WHAT THE GUIDE SAYS
Now refurbished and reopened. Old beamed interior with large conservatory and garden to the rear, featuring one permanent and two changing cask beers.”
The Good Beer Guide is CAMRA’s seminal publication and the is the best-selling beer and pub guide, featuring 4,500 of the UK’s best pubs, including fourteen from the Mid-Chilterns branch.
We are thrilled to showcase The Full House in Hemel Hempstead as one of Mid-Chilterns CAMRA’s entries into this year’s Guide.
WHAT THE GUIDE SAYS
A JD Wetherspoon establishment which was once an Odeon Cinema and a bingo hall. The heritage of the building is represented by the artistic décor inside as well as the name. This pub has 18 working cask lines.”
Mid-Chilterns CAMRA are ecstatic to learn of a new cider-maker based in the branch area. As the sole cider-maker located in the Mid-Chilterns area, we were thrilled to chat with Bryan and Pippa Hart (cider-maker and sales & marketing respectively), the faces behind The Chiltern Cider Company and its tasty Black Lab Cider.
The Chiltern Cider Company is based on Furzefield Farm in The Lee, near Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire.
How did ‘Chiltern Cider Company’ come about?
P : “The Chiltern Cider Company was established in 2015, though Bryan had been making cider for years, before that and it was just shared with friends and family.
The family moved to Furzefield Farm in Lee Gate in 2000 and by the end of 2003 we had planted our first orchard. There were a couple eaters but predominantly it was filled with 16 cider apple trees sourced from Somerset.
Our first harvest was in 2008. A little consortium of five local friends had contributed to buying an apple mill from the Czech Republic and with a few new fermenting vessels the production of “Furzefield Fizz” began. Initially this was bottled in reused champagne bottles (sourced from a local caterer). We also relied on apples from villagers to swell the yield from our very young orchard. The result was a great hit with friends and family and launched at an inaugural ‘Cider & Sausage party’ in 2009!”
What ethos do you have in regard to cider-making?
B : “We all wanted cider drinking to be fun, local, without additives and minimal interventions – not specifically a moneymaking enterprise. This causes us several paradoxes with the customer wanting a clear, fizzy, long-life product and with cider, in its natural form, being very dry and cloudy.”
Cider-making on Furzefield Farm is natural and low-intervention.
What happened from there?
B : “Sadly that was it for another few years as we were busy house-building and the barn was used to store all our worldly goods, so cider production took a back seat. Production re-commenced in 2013 with a couple of variations on the names of different batches – Furzefield XO & Hart to Hart!
We experimented with single variety ciders and all of them were different and equally delicious but a great deal of hard work. We decided that single sourced bottling was too much effort with little tangible reward.
In 2014 things were starting to get more serious and there were five new batches – one of which was Black Lab as by then our lovely Labrador, Bibi, had joined the family! Our black lab always joins us for cider making and constantly retrieves apples and joins in the fun.
Orchards and apple-picking at Furzefield Farm.
In 2015 we registered The Chiltern Cider Company, though we had come to a bit of a dead end on working out how to bottle going forward. Everyone loved the champagne bottle size and fizz, but it was hard to produce this without sediment at the bottom of the bottle and the amount of fizz was hard to predict. Time stood still for a while as we tried to make up our minds on labelling and proceeding with a more traditional 500ml bottle. In the interim we were not idle – planting another 200 cider apple trees, all traditional varieties, and creating a new orchard on our land with some interesting new varieties of apple. This fitted into our wildlife preservation objectives, particularly in the hope that the apple blossom of so many trees will encourage bees and other pollinators.
In the meantime several year’s worth of cider were maturing nicely in the barn, and was finally successfully bottled and labelled by a company in Surrey in Summer 2021. Following the bottling, Black Lab as you see it today was launched on the local market.”
Tell us about the operation today and your farm in The Lee?
B : “We still welcome apples from friends and neighbours in the village but as the big orchard matures we should have a massive crop. Every year is going to be different, just like grapes the land, the sun, the winter, the spring, the rain etcetera will affect the taste, and I do not intend to overly blend the product. It is what it is, it will be what it will be – but it will be good.”
Bibi, the eponymous and beloved black lab!
What is Black Lab?
P : “Our cider-making is an annual family affair, based from our home in the Chiltern Hills. The apples from our orchards, and those of our neighbours, are different every year as they reflect the weather, the tree variety and the terroir. After pressing we blend and balance the juice to make Black Lab, a slowly made discerning cider that matures with age.
B : Black Lab is a dry natural product, its naturally strong at 6.5% but this high alcohol level means there is minimal intervention between the raw cider and the finished drink. People are amazed that you can add a little honey or sugar to your taste and the drink is completely different”.
Black Lab is a medium-dry natural cider, 6.5% ABV.
What next for The Chiltern Cider Company?
B : “We are working on developing a new range of ciders, probably a less dry, lower-alcohol version and a proper sharing bottle once I get to grips with the ‘Méthode Champenoise’ or ‘Méthode Traditionelle’ ways of bottling, in order to give a really new style for us. Answers on a postcard for new names!
B : We also hope to branch out with a slightly sweeter alternative in the future and are working on a way to deliver 20 litre cider-in-a-box for pubs and events.
P : It is very early days in our marketing and distribution but “Black Lab” is currently on sale at Fan Fan Pizza in Great Missenden, the newly renovated Cock & Rabbit in the Lee, Shop at the Lee, Peterley Manor Farm, Kings Farm Shop, Buckmoor End Farm Shop and the Tring Brewery shop. If anyone would like to stock it, please, give us a call.”
Find Black Lab in good local stores and pubs. To become a stockist, email sales@thechilterncidercompany.co.uk or call 07785 323232.
One for the road..
So there we have it, our very own local cider-maker in the Mid-Chilterns area, how immensely exciting!
The Good Beer Guide is CAMRA’s seminal publication and the is the best-selling beer and pub guide, featuring 4,500 of the UK’s best pubs, including fourteen from the Mid-Chilterns branch.
We are thrilled to showcase The Red Lion in Marsworth as one of Mid-Chilterns CAMRA’s entries into this year’s Guide.
WHAT THE GUIDE SAYS
Genuine 17th-century village pub close to the Grand Union Canal. A central bar serves three areas: a comfortable upstairs lounge, a small snug to the left of the entrance, and a public bar with an open coal-burning fire.
A games area boasts darts and shove-ha’penny. Five or more well-kept beers are served on hand pump and the kitchen serves generous portions of home-cooked food. There is a beautiful garden to the rear.”
It sounds funny when someone cites a 300-year-old, Grade II-listed pub as ‘Best Newcomer’ – doesn’t it?
For our latest focus blog, we look at The White Lion, St Leonards, your Mid-Chilterns CAMRA ‘Newcomer of The Year’.
The story of The White Lion pub, found atop the Chiltern Hills AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), is akin to that of a mythical phoenix. The pub pedigree that flows through the bricks-and-mortar of this scenic country boozer dates back to 1714.
Doors on the pub closed in 2014 and the presumed-doomed-bricks-and-mortar had to wait seven long years to be granted a fresh lease of life. On July 20th 2021, The White Lion raised from ashes (figuratively) to stand proud in its new, spectacular form.
Here follows the story of a small community that fought to save their local, a local that is now of award-winning acclaim..
An abridged history of St Leonards village
The village of St Leonards in Buckinghamshire dates back to at least 1250, when worshippers between Aston Clinton and Great Missenden dedicated a new chapel to St Leonard of Noblac. The chapel took its namesake from Saint Leonard, a 6th century Frankish noble known as ‘the hermit of the woods’. Unlike a hermit, the new chapel promoted a strong community ethos in the Chilterns hilltop settlement.
Fun fact – The White Lion is reported to be the highest pub in the Chiltern Hills area!
Most of what makes up St Leonards church today was built in the 15th century, welcoming in a village that still had three hundred years to wait before its first licensed beer house opened. This public house was The White Lion on Jenkins Lane, opening doors in 1714.
The White Lion pub on Jenkins Lane
Over hundreds of years, The White Lion bloomed into a local hub that was at the heart of St Leonards village life. Despite The White Lion’s favour amongst its local community, hard times hit in 2014 and to much dismay, Punch Taverns Pub Company (owners at the time) decided to call last orders on the historic establishment, citing an extended period of poor turnover as the prime catalyst for closure.
After its closure, the pub was purchased and remained disused until 2015. Around the time the pub fell into disuse, 169 locals organised to form the ‘Save The White Lion’ action group, a cohort of concerned locals who wanted the St Leonards’ community hub to remain on public agenda. The ‘Save The White Lion’ group campaigned tirelessly, influencing hilltop conversation, local debate and ultimately a Chiltern District Council planning committee.
In 2015, a Chilterns District Council planning committee denied an application from the then-new owners to convert the pub building into a residential premises. At the time of their decision, the Chiltern District Council planning committee went a step further to protect The White Lion, ordering the owners to either reopen the premises as as pub or sell-up and move out within a year.
The disused White Lion pub. In 2014, locals foreshadowed an ill-fate for The White Lion and applied for the pub to be designated as ‘Asset of Community Value’. This motion which was supported by CAMRA and was subsequently granted to protect the building’s use as a licensed public house.
Though the group made two direct bids for the The White Lion, the premises owners refused both, opting later to sell to a local village-person in Mandy during the May of 2015.
Mandy and partner Kevin (builder by trade) set to restore the much loved establishment with support from the ‘Save The White Lion’ group, hilltop village-people, CAMRA members, food fanatics in the Chilterns and local council members to boot.
Ale would flow from the bar of The White Lion once more – it was just a matter of time!
Fast forward six years (which saw heaps of planning, boatloads of building plus a global pandemic) and the pub was finally ready to open. Owner Mandy was joined at the helm by pub manager James, welcoming locals back to the bar front on July 20th 2021.
An aerial shot of works at The White Lion, the expansive beer-garden and adjacent customer car park. Old pub and construction photo credits : Save The White Lion Facebook page. Aerial shot photo credit: Chris.
‘Costa del St Leonards’ – an amazing dining experience
Booked in for a late lunch, my partner and I arrived at The White Lion on a balmy Sunday afternoon in February.
As a pleasant juxtaposition, the chocolate box exterior of this British country pub was framed underneath a billowing Spanish flag, dancing in the hilltop winds as accents of red and yellow sailed through the vibrant greens of a sizeable beer-garden.
Though the Spanish flag adds to an array of vibrant colours outside the pub, it flies chiefly to champion the delicious Mediterranean cuisine that can be found within.
We felt immediately welcome upon entry to The White Lion, greeted with friendly hellos and mouth-watering aromas of freshly cooked Spanish fare. As we had arrived earlier than anticipated, our table was not yet vacant, so we sat at the bar to enjoy a swift welcome drink. This short portion of our visit acted as the perfect viewing window to some considered dispensing of fresh and locally sourced cask ale. A pint of Side Pocket for a Toad (Tring Brewery) was sat in front of us on the bar, with all the cascading theatricals of hand-pulled beer done right. Surging foam settled slowly, giving way to a frothy, creamy glass of golden ale, sparkling bright with marked effervescence.
When not admiring the glasses of tasty ale on the bar, my partner and I scanned the menu for tapas dishes to feast on. It was a mighty task to shortlist just a few from the many that sounded so appetising, dwindling down the options to an achievable-if-not-indulgent six dishes.
Once we had sat at the table, we ordered another round of beers and our tapas choices of Spanish tortillawith garlic aioli, Chorizo En Salsa De Noranja (Pan fried chorizo, sweet chilli & orange sauce), Tempura De Verduras(Seasonal vegetables in a light tempura batter & soy sauce) and Pan Y Aceitunas(Bread, marinated olives, confit garlic, extra virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar).
We ordered our tapas dishes alongside the Paella Vegetariana (for two), sensibly separated as small plates to start, followed by the headline main of Paella. Each forkful of food was top drawer, delicious and filling (especially the mammoth Paella dish!) – above and beyond conventional ‘Sunday pub grub’.
An Affogato Al Caffe dessert (2 scoops of vanilla ice cream with a single espresso) punctuated the dinner, with space left only for imbibing of delights liquid-in-nature.
Creamy pints of Side Pocket for a Toad and Roasted Nuts (Rebellion Brewery) gave way to the lighter, spritzier options of a much celebrated cocktail menu. Glasses of Margarita, Espresso Martini and Long Island Ice Tea were flares of freshly-prepared and scintillating flavours, enjoyed at the tail-end of our brilliant weekend visit.
Suitably fed and watered, our meal at The White Lion was drawing to a close, though there was still time enough to steal a photo of James and assistant manager Abby accepting their ‘Newcomer of the Year’ certificate.
James, manager (left) and Abby, assistant manager (right) accepting their award at the bar front.
One for the road..
As we left, James (manager/pro-pint puller/attentive server/cocktail connoisseur and everything in between) offered assurance on the future of The White Lion, commenting that the busy footfall we had seen on the day of our visit was not uncommon of service in recent weeks and months (we were two of many, many satisfied visitors). The pub was a far cry from the dark days of closure and disuse.
Outside the pub, The White Lion’s luscious beer-garden is just weeks away from the promise of Spring, with special events planned to attract even more guests to this scenic country establishment.
The future of The White Lion in St. Leonards village has never looked so bright, championing community, cask beer, and quality Spanish cuisine. We shall certainly raise a glass to that.
Here’s to the resilient village of St Leonards in Buckinghamshire and The White Lion pub on Jenkins Lane, your Mid-Chilterns CAMRA Newcomer of the Year!
The Good Beer Guide is CAMRA’s seminal publication and the is the best-selling beer and pub guide, featuring 4,500 of the UK’s best pubs, including fourteen from the Mid-Chilterns branch.
We are thrilled to showcase Monks Inn in Hemel Hempstead as one of Mid-Chilterns CAMRA’s entries into this year’s Guide.
WHAT THE GUIDE SAYS
Monks Inn micropub is an exciting addition to Hemel Hempstead’s beer scene. Five real ales on handpumps, plus a further five on gravity await you. The selection changes constantly and is drawn from breweries throughout the country. Cider fans are also well catered for with six on handpumps.”
The Good Beer Guide is CAMRA’s seminal publication and the is the best-selling beer and pub guide, featuring 4,500 of the UK’s best pubs, including fourteen from the Mid-Chilterns branch.
We are thrilled to showcase The Crown in Berkhamsted as one of Mid-Chilterns CAMRA’s entries into this year’s Guide.
WHAT THE GUIDE SAYS
The building was first recorded as the Crown in the 18th century. Now owned by Wetherspoon, it consists of several different sections including an atmospheric front room and snug to the right, a conservatory to the side, and a more modern area at the back leading to a rear terraced patio garden.”
The Good Beer Guide is CAMRA’s seminal publication and the is the best-selling beer and pub guide, featuring 4,500 of the UK’s best pubs, including fourteen from the Mid-Chilterns branch.
We are thrilled to showcase The Blue Ball in Asheridge (Nr Chesham) as one of Mid-Chilterns CAMRA’s entries into this year’s Guide.
WHAT THE GUIDE SAYS
Offering real ale and great food, this is a fabulous pub and well worth a visit!”
The Good Beer Guide is CAMRA’s seminal publication and the is the best-selling beer and pub guide, featuring 4,500 of the UK’s best pubs, including fourteen from the Mid-Chilterns branch.
We are thrilled to showcase The King’s Arms in Tring as one of Mid-Chilterns CAMRA’s entries into this year’s Guide.
WHAT THE GUIDE SAYS
1830s back-street local, popular with all age groups. Painted externally in striking fuchsia pink it was run by the same family for 31 years until it was taken over by the Muirhead family in 2014. It offers a changing range of five real ales and one cider.
Two real fires are welcoming in winter, and outside is a secluded heated patio with canopies. Home-cooked food is based on an imaginative international menu. Children are welcome at all times.”
