ALE aficionados flocked to the Little Lark in Studley and to the Hollybush in Alcester on December 15 to try the first Kils (9 gallon barrels) of Black Rock Bitter from Islay Ales, the micro-brewery founded last summer by Paul Capper and Paul Hathaway.

Paul Capper is a former resident of Studley who recently retired from the fire service and headed north with his wife Ishbel, set up the business with Paul Hathaway from Buxton, whose wife Liz (formerly Hadwen) is also from Studley.

A new brewery is under construction in the Studley area and expects to start brewing local ales for the Redditch and Alcester area in the summer.

Further information on this to follow. Also, local cidermaker Alan Hogan intends to increase his output from his Alcester Hoo Mill site.

Membership of CAMRA in the local area increased by 11 in November. For more details, call Stuart on 501175 or Cy on 870522.