Friday 16th July 2010

Linda Clarke

This is a big beer festival, for a pub. Nothing less than forty-two beers advertised and nearly all of them available on the Friday lunchtime!

The wind was blowing on the top of the downs, yet it was easy to move from the marquee into the pub.

There was a good mix of beers and styles. East Kent was represented by two beers each from Gadd's of Ramsgate and the Whitstable Brewery.

The remainder came from well known independent and regional breweries around the country. Lots were very well respected beers, not a great surprise as TBS-Waverley were the distributors and they produced a very good tasting guide and labels.

The pub is some way from Charing village. It's a good pub to visit at any time and is a CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular.

The garden is huge and they accept campers with prior notice. They have five letting rooms, including one equipped for disabled guests.

A notable feature is the six-sided pool table which neatly fits onto an old fireplace.

We enjoyed the festival a lot and our thanks go to Allan and Sue Paine, the licensees.

Important Information:

The Bowl Inn, Egg Hill Road, Charing, Kent TN27 0HG. Tel: 01233 712256
Website: www.bowl-inn.co.uk; email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Open Mon-Thurs 12.00-23.30; Fri & Sat 12.00-24.00; Sun 12.00-23.00

Five en-suite rooms, one of which is suitable for disabled visitors.

A full meal menu is not available. However there is a pub snack menu including sandwiches and Ploughman's lunches, plus some other items.

Always four ever changing beers from regional and local breweries.
There is usually a Beer Festival the second or third weekend in July, refer to pub for exact information.