Real-ale enthusiasts at The Red Lion are spoilt for choice, when it comes to locally brewed beer.
John Moore, pub manager at the outlet in Heanor and a CAMRA member for many years, recently became a branch liaison officer for the local Erewash Valley CAMRA branch, a voluntary role for his area Coppice Side.
John, pictured centre with Chris Turner (left) and Richard Creighton, said: “I met Chris of Coppice Side and Richard of Leadmill, local microbreweries which share a building in Heanor. Richard has been brewing for years and also has another smaller brewery, Bottlebrook, in nearby Kilburn.
“Chris and Richard both opened accounts with Wetherspoon, to enable me to sell the beers from three new breweries. I am a keen supporter of CAMRA’s LocAle scheme, so this was a fantastic opportunity to continue that support.”
And it has proven a popular move, with the first Coppice Side Brewery ale, a 5.0% ABV pale ale called Scary Crow, and Leadmill Brewery’s 4.8% ABV Pale and Hoppy both selling out at The Red Lion – within 24 hours!