Events Organised by CAMRA Members' Investment Club

The 2010 AGM was once again be held at the Victoria in Beeston, on Saturday 19 June.

Once again the AGM was followed by the excellent lunch prepared by Neil Kelso and his team - accompanied by some splendid beers, sponsored by Castle Rock Brewery - as always, our sincere thanks again to managing director Chris Holmes.

The speaker was Hamish Champ of The Publican. He gave a fascinating and humorous insight into the financial world of various companies involved in real ale and the like.

(l-r) CMIC Chairman Chris Bruton, speaker Hamish Champ, committee members Iain Loe, Neil Kellett & Chris Holmes, Neil Kelso of The Victoria.

A visit to Daniel Thwaites Brewery in Blackburn has now been arranged.

It is to take place on August 19th - commencing at 13:00, tour of the brewery, with drinks in the bar and a buffet afterwards, finishing at approximately 17:00 - no charge. Maximum number 25.

Please contact Janette as soon as possble to reserve your place.

A trip to Greene King has been aranged for 15th September comencing at 14:00.

Maximum number is 30 - cost has been finalised at £6 per head.

Please contact Jannette as soon as possible if you are interested in the trip.

This year's annual pilgrimage to Belgium takes place over the weekend of Friday 29 to Sunday 31 October 2010.

~ Friday 29 October, at 2:00 pm, Liefmans (part of Duvel group) at Oudenarrde - maximum 30;

~ Saturday 30 October, at 2:00 pm, special geuze and cheese event at Brasserie Cantillon in Brussels. Cost £11, maximum 80;

~ Sunday 31 October, visit to the Poperinge or another beer festival.

There are only a few places left so if you are wishing to visit Belgium with the Club this year, contact Jannette as soon as possible at the admin office to book places on the trip and then send her a cheque for £11 per head made payable to "CAMRA Investment Club".

Donation to CAMRA

At the recent Cheltenham Festival a number of the CMIC Committee were guests of the Chairman Chris Bruton. As a result of a number of Tote winning tickets purchased by Dr. Bruton, winnings of £123 were donated to CAMRA.

On 25 January 2010 a small contingent of CMIC committee and members visited Brussels to exchange contracts to purchase 10 shares (2.5%) in Brasserie Cantillon, the traditional family brewers of the famous Belgian beer style, gueuze, since 1900. The brewery is situated in the centre of Brussels just a short walk from Midi Station. The Cantillon/van Roy familes wish to re-arrange the family's shareholdings and 100 of the 400 shares have been offered to interested parties. After the formalities M. Jean-Pierre van Roy invited the group to toast the deal with a 1976 vintage gueuze - all are pleased to report that it had stood the test of time! Details of Cantillon and of the gueuze beer style can be found at http://www.cantillon.be/ and also in Tim Webb's "Good Beer Guide to Belgium". A members' visit to Cantillon has been arranged for Saturday 30 October 2010 as part of the Club's annual trip to Belgium which this year will include a visit to Liefmans kriek brewery and to the Poperinge Beer Festival. Further information will be on this page in due course.

Signing the share register L to R Neil Kellett, Jean-Pierre van Roy, Chris Holmes and Iain Dobson

The Brewery

The full group L to R Neil Kellett, Jean-Pierre van Roy, Chris Holmes, Iain Loe, Peter Dyer, Iain Dobson and Jean van Roy (son of Jean-Pierre and MD of Cantillon)

Chris Holmes with the 1976 bottle of gueuze

Youngs Hotel Vouchers

A supply of the latest Young's exclusive shareholder offer vouchers has now been received at the CMIC office.

The offer relates to their Hotels - from £ 50 B&B for one or two persons at selected Young's hotels on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings valid until 31 December 2010.

Adnams Offers

A supply of letters from Adnams offering 10% discount on goods and services purchased from Adnams has now been received at the office. These are an interim measure until the next batch of annual discount cards are printed early next year. We should then have a supply of cards available for members.

Hydes Privilege Cards

A small supply of Privilege Cards have been received from Hydes. These entitle you to 20% discount off meals at the following Hydes sites - The Coach & Four in Wilmslow, Jar Bar in Macclesfield, John Millington in Cheadle Hulme and Joshua Bradley in Hyde.

Please contact Jannette at the office if you are interested in ay of the above offers - vouchers, letters and cards will be issued on a first come, first served basis.

Adnams are also holding a further Shareholder Open Day - on Tuesday 28 September. Places are limited but, if you would like to attend please contact Corrine Howard at Adnams on 01502 727200 and mention that you are a member of CMIC.

The 2009 AGM, was held once again at the Victoria at Beeston on Saturday 20 June.

The AGM was then once again followed by an excellent lunch - our thanks again to Neil Kelso and his team - accompanied by some splendid beers, sponsored by Castle Rock Brewery - our sincere thanks again to managing director Chris Holmes.

After lunch the guest speaker was Ralph Findlay, MD of Marstons, who spoke very entertainingly and openly about the company, the industry and the recently announced rights issue.

(l-r) Guest Speaker and Marstons MD Ralph Findlay with CMIC Chairman Chris Bruton.

Chris Homes (Castle Rock Brewery), Neil Kellett (CMIC Committee), Chris Bruton (Chairman CMIC), Neil Kelso (The Victoria), Ralph Findlay (Marstons) and Neil Harding (Brewin Dolphin)

Photos courtesy of Graham Percy @ Hotspur PR

Trip to Rodenbach, Belgium

43 members visited the Rodenbach Brewery – home of the most Flemish of West Flanders beers. It’s a great sour, sharp beer which comes from the ageing for up to 2 years in the 234 huge tuns at the brewery. The total capacity of the tuns is 9 million litres!

The visit was arranged by Chris (Podge) Pollard – famous for Podge’s Beer Tours of Belgium. The tour was efficiently conducted by our guide Belinda (see picture) followed by a superb meal among the tuns.

Chris and his wife Siobhan, are authors of “Around Bruges in 80 Beers”. As most of the party stayed in Bruges this became the bible for the weekend. CMIC founder, Neil Kellett managed to tick off 20 during the weekend!

On Saturday 17 October a number of the group tested the “Kusttram” pub crawl – by tram along the Belgian Coast from the Dutch to the French border. A well recommended way to spend a day getting to know good Belgian pubs and its amazing variety of beers.

A date for your diaries – same weekend in 2010 for a trip to Liefman’s, near Ghent.

NK – October 2009

Rodenbach tour guide Belinda addressing the members

Neil Kellett addresses the CMIC members at the visit to Rodenbach

CMIC members dining amongst the tuns at Rodenbach

Trip to Fuller Smith & Turner - Chiswick

31 members of the Club were guests of Fullers on Tuesday 28 April 2009 and were well looked after.

Members had travelled from all over the UK - committee member Neil Kellett arrived via Adnams AGM in Southwold, Suffolk which he had attended the previous day.

Neil is seen here in the Hock Cellar addressing the members during his vote of thanks to guides Dave and Tim who are also pictured below dispensing Fuller’s excellent ales.

Based on the comprehensive guided tours given to us by Dave and Tim it would appear that our million pounds+ investment in Fullers is in good hands.

This visit and the one in December 2008 were organised by Committee member Steve Williams who also provided the photos below.

A visit to Wells & Youngs Brewery in Bedford went ahead as planned 18 May.

The annual Belgian brewery trip will be to Rodenbach on Monday 19 October 2009. Cost, which includes a full meal, with the main course cooked in Rodenbach, plus plenty of sampling of the Rodenbach beer range, will be £20.00. Rodenbach brewery is easily reached from Bruges by train to Roeselare station and then a ten minute walk. Members to make their own way to the brewery to arrive before 2.00pm. The cost has been set at £20 - cheques should be made payable to CAMRA Investment Club. This will include the full tour, a full meal and plenty of sampling. Unfortunately, this trip is now full.

As further brewery visits are planned, information will be available here as soon as details are finalised.

Brewery Visits - 2008

Last years CMIC trip abroad was to the de Koninck Brewery in Antwerp, Belgium.

Trip to Fullers

The visit to Fullers went ahead on Tuesday 2 December.

Brewery Visits - 2007 DUVEL MOORTGAT (Belgium)

Monday 22nd October 2007.

Over 40 members of the CAMRA Members' Investment Club visited the Duvel Moortgat Brewery in Breendonk near Brussels, on Monday 22 October 2007. The trip was very successful and we were well looked after by the brewery guides. Neil Kellett, Committee member and organiser of the trip, pictured here with head guide Brigitte, made a short speech of thanks in Flemish after the visit.

Some of the CMIC members who visited the Duvel Moortgat Brewery in October.

As shareholders in Adnams, the Club has two Shareholder Privilege Cards which are available to members. They give discount at Adnams Hotels and their Cellar & Kitchen Stores. Phone Jannette if you would like use of one of these cards.

As shareholders in Young's, the Club has been given a number of Shareholder Hotel Vouchers which give members the opportunity to stay in one of the various Young's hostelries at a favourable rate of £ 45 per room per night - including breakfast. As the number of these vouchers is limited, we are issuing them to members on a "first come, first served" basis. Please contact Jannette at the administration office and we will send you one of these vouchers.

AGM and LUNCHEON