Greene King is piloting a new golden ale called St Edmunds. It's served through a new beer engine which allows customers to choose between a tight creamy head or the looser head normally preferred in these parts. That's all to be applauded but, on the downside, the beer is "designed to be served at between six and eight degrees". This is far too cold for real ale and any taste will be largely masked by such temperatures. The argument no doubt is that selling the beer cold will make it more attractive to non-real ale drinkers and therefore get them on the first run of the real ale ladder.

Beers from Bartrams Brewery in Norfolk are regularly available on draught at the Fox Burwell and the Boot Dullingham. Owner Marc Bartram has contacted us with a reminder of the many awards his beers have received - nine in 2007 alone. These include the placing of Comrade Bill Bartram's Egalitarian Anti-Imperialist Soviet Stout amongst the top 50 bottled beers in the world by William Reed Publishing - quite an achievement for a micro-brewery. You can find Marc's bottled beers at the La Hogue farm shop at Chippenham (just off the A11 3 miles north of Newmarket).

The Devils Dyke Brewery at the Dyke's End in Reach is now in full production. The brewery can potentially turn out up to 50 barrels a week and, whilst the bulk currently goes out through the pub itself, they're looking to get the ales into other local outlets, both through the Cambridge Beers agency and direct sales. When we called at the pub recently, two of the beers were on sale. Number 7 Pale (4.1%) is light and hoppy with a pleasingly dry taste.

The spicey, full-flavoured Victorian Ale (4.8%) had more than a hint of sherry in a rich finish. A 3.8% Bitter is also generally available and a Mild is on its way.