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Spring 2026 continued…

Spring Newsletter 2026

Welcome to the Friends of Highgate Spring Newsletter, edited by Bob Newton. The next FoHB Social will be held on Monday 9th March at the Robin Hood starting at 7.30pm. Be prepared for a quiz and a good time. Anyone who has not renewed this year’s membership can see me on the day.

Hydes Brewery visit: occurred on 10th January 2026 and was a success in spite of icy conditions making perambulation hazardous. In the end 39 made it to the coach and we had 4 more join us at the brewery (Mary and David from Preston and Dan Perager and friend from Manchester). The hospitality at Hydes was first class as usual and they had many beers on for us to sample, like: ‘Lowry’ 4.7%, ‘Hopster’ 3.8%, ‘Dark Ruby’(malty red ale), ‘Hairy Potter’ 5.2% (a Hopwart’s porter) which most of us tried towards the end;  even a new ‘Helles’ lager made its appearance (3.4% - crisp-refreshing-easy drinking). We had hopes of being offered beer from the wood but this will not be available till the Summer said Tom. The buffet was massive enough to feed 58 people and everybody tried their best to polish it all off, but in this we were unsuccessful. A collection was made with a ‘jar on the bar’ which raised £550 for ‘St Ann’s Hospice’, and the raffle on the coach raised £107, making this trip well worthwhile. We thank Paul and his helpers Tom, Tom & big Al (that’s AL - not Artificial Intelligence). Paul Jeffries has been offered a non-executive role on the Board and will work part time, resting his bad back, (he still lives in Wales don’t forget). Tom the Grandson of the Hydes family business will take on a greater role in the brewing side and we will be liaising with him more and more I feel. A stop at the ‘Holy Inadequate’ pub on the way back allowed some of us to see the microbrewery there and enjoy some cracking ales (Citra 4.2%), before coming back to Walsall for about 8pm.

All those who couldn’t make the trip have been offered a free place on the next coach trip – which will be Chester on 23rd May, or your money back. Following the AGM on Monday 9th this trip is fully booked, picking up at Scott Arms at 0915 and Walsall at 0930.


A ‘Make your own way Day’ has been organised for a Blackheath pub crawl on 14th March (Bus 4M at 1126 from Bradford Place, Walsall), meeting in ‘Britannia’ (Wetherspoons) at 1230 in good time to do all 4 micro pubs and other favoured public-houses. West Brom are playing at home so expect a lot of fans to be about, so no Villa or Wolves favours please as ‘a fist in the gob usually offends’.

Austin  Morgan -  ex-Highgate and Backyard brewer, is now plying his trade at Silhill Brewery Birmingham, and they have taken over Nottingham Brewery and Trinity Brewery Lichfield, and aim to install new kit in both whilst developing a new venue in Aston by the Post Office, which will have a capacity of 210. A new tap room is planned for Nottingham, and Austin has just knocked out their first brew, with more on the way. The question of a brewery visit was raised but the answer was ‘wait and see’ from Silhill’s rep Nicky Bevan.


Popular Pub Names: Small business comparison site ‘Bionic’ has updated the list of most popular pub names: 1st Red Lion; 2nd Royal Oak;  3rd Crown;  4th White Horse;  5th White Hart;  6th New Inn;        7th Rose & Crown; 8th Kings Arms; 9th The Plough; 10th The George. ‘Slug & Lettuce’ came nowhere!

Do you remember when Harvey’s Brewery was flooded 25 years ago when the River Ouse burst its banks and the brewery was forced to stop brewing? Two FV’s of strong wort were marooned in the floodwaters but these were finished off at 6.5% ABV and named ‘Ouse Booze’. Harvey’s casks were found in the English Channel, yet just nine days later they were back brewing again. Harvey’s have recreated this brew for the anniversary, in cask and can, for the flooded pubs.