Hemel Hempstead pub is crowned area's CAMRA pub of the year

A Hemel Hempstead pub is raising a celebratory pint after being crowned as the area’s Pub of the Year.

The Mid-Chillterns branch of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) announced the winners of its annual awards on Sunday.

And The Full House in Hemel Hempstead was given the gong for overall champion.

Congratulations are due to the team, who were praised by CAMRA for their “passion and commitment to well-kept, local cask beer”.

The Full House has hosted many special events over the last 12 months, each with discerning drinkers in mind.

Visitors have been spoilt with Meet-The-Brewer, Tap-Takeover, See The Cellar events and more, all whilst local brewers such as Mad Squirrel, Tring Brewery and Rebellion have been pouring from the many pumps.

Jared Ward, CAMRA branch chairman, said: “Congratulations to our overall winner, The Full House in Hemel Hempstead.

“Alex has undertaken many incentives like ‘drinkers’ choice’ recommendation boxes on the bar and ‘Battle of the Brewer’ evenings, ensuring the consumer is front and centre, with bountiful choice at all times.

“Alex has worked closely with pub manager Steph to ensure all other aspects of the pub are of the highest quality, a warm welcome from the rest of their local team members is the cherry on the cake.

“Congrats to The Full House!”

Alex Baker, cellar manager at The Full House, said: “It’s a huge honour and a privilege to receive this award from CAMRA as a recognition of our passion for real ale at The Full House.

“We are ecstatic at being in the Good Beer Guide – let alone being crowned Pub of the Year!

“We are huge fans of CAMRA, and it’s a delight to have as many CAMRA members in our pub as we do, and our aim is to serve them the best ales in the best condition.

“It’s been a long four years to rebuild the pub’s real ale calibre, but well worth the Journey.

“Shout out to the three managers; Jeremy Squibb, Andrew Chingwaru and Steph Robinson as well as my area manager Jon Carrington who have allowed me to have free reign with the real ales and events in the pub which enabled me to carry out my vision as cellar manager and a massive thanks to all the staff who put in the daily effort to help me and the pub attain such a prestigious award.”

Alongside the overall champion, CAMBRA also named the Monks Inn in Hemel Hempstead Cider Pub of the Year and Hops & Apples in Hemel Hempstead as Off Licence Establishment of the Year.

Pub of the Year Runner-Up Champion was George Ale House in Great Missenden, Monks Inn, while The Full Moon in Hawridge was named Community Put of the Year for its services during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Finally, the White Lion at St Leonards was named Newcomer of the Year for its redevelopment works to restore the historic pub to its former glory.

Jared added: “Drinkers may not realise that cask beer is a fresh product (hence the phrase ‘real ale’), and even once it has left the brewery, requires constant attention across a myriad of areas to serve a perfect pint.

“The awards are a great time of year for the branch, we embrace them as an opportunity to showcase local pubs, with publicans that are as much impassioned about beer as we are.

“CAMRA is a consumer organisation, therefore all committee work is carried out on a voluntary basis, a passion project for all involved – we are glad that the awards can hold some gravitas in the local community”