Tiny 28-seater Beer Shack wins Camra title after twice being runner-up
THE owners of a cosy micro pub are celebrating after winning Nottingham Camra’s Cider Pub of the Year after two years of being runner-up.
Mark Francis-parry and his daughter Michelle Humphreys were complete novices in the pub trade when they took over Beer Shack in Hucknall. But nearly five years on, their hard work and dedication has paid off. “It’s great. It’s lovely to be recognised for this. We pride ourselves on serving really good ale and really nice ciders with a good variety,” said Mark.
The dog-friendly pub has no TVS, no radio, no jukebox and no Wifi, “just friendly conversation or drink in peace”.
Father and daughter took over the 28-seater pub, in Derbyshire Lane, after a change in their work life. Mark had retired from his job as a lab manager at the University of Nottingham, while Michelle was made redundant by E.ON.
The pub prides itself on having 16 ciders on tap or in bottles. Thirteen are real ciders with a further three from Lilley’s, which aren’t considered to be real ciders by Camra due to the use of concentrated or sucroseadded fruit juices.
“I try to find different ones, mainly local ciders but we do get some in from around the country,” said Mark.
Hucknall-based Torkard Cider, which is less than a mile away from the micro pub, is one of the main suppliers. There are drinks from Sneinton Cider Company, Sting Cider in Newark, and Derbyshire’s Monkey Bridge Cider, in Riddings.
The annual competition saw Beer Shack trump last year’s winner, Byron’s Rest, another micro pub in Baker Street, Hucknall. Mark said: “There is no rivalry. We tend to work together rather than against each other, so it’s a lot easier that way.”
This year’s runner-up was the Round ROBINN in East Leake, while 2022 winner, Partizan Tavern in Sneinton, was highly commended.
Nottingham Camra cider officer Heather Stretton said: “As in previous years, the standard of the competition was extremely high, and the results were very close.
“Congratulations to all of these pubs for helping to promote real cider and perry so successfully. We are very lucky to have so many good cider pubs in our branch area.”
The Beer Shack will now go forward to the regional round of the competition.