Monsters In The Dark 5% Exile Stout is the 8th different Co-ALE-ition ale to be officially launched by the OMRLP and was brewed by Chris Gill of the Ascot Ales brewery located in Camberley (Surrey). Monsters In The Dark is a rebranded version of the multi award winning ” Anastasias Exile Stout ” which is a superb tasting high quality dark ale with an abv of 5%. Anastasias Exile Stout was voted by CAMRA as the best stout in London and the SE for both 2012/13 and 2013/14 and in Feb 2014 was voted, again by CAMRA, as the second best Stout in the whole of the UK for 2014. Monsters In The Dark is now our only Co-ALE-ition Stout offering and has replaced Milk Street brewery’s Co-ALE-ition Dark Side Stout which has struggled to make any sales impact despite lots of advertising, marketing and promotion by Alan Hope and Derrill Carr. Chris Gill was pleased to inform us that Monsters In The Dark had already been ordered/delivered to 8 different pubs prior to this launch event which is another remarkable first for a Co-ALE-ition ale.

The Monsters In The Dark pumpclip is again unique and very eye-catching and features a group photo of Alan Hope together with the five members of the OMRLP Cabinet. The name ” Monsters in The Dark ” was specifically chosen for this latest Co-ALE-ition ale to reflect that this is a dark ale and also to remind everyone that the OMRLP continue to do their own thing and wish to remain completely ” in the dark ” regarding the political point scoring and negative responses which are a feature of all the main, is it 3 or 4, political parties these days.

The official launch commenced at the Ascot Ales brewery in Camberley (Surrey) at 6pm. Chris Gill (Ascot Ales brewery owner/head brewer) was there as host and welcomed everybody. Two different Co-ALE-ition ales were available straight from the cask i.e. Monsters In the Dark Exile Stout and the very successful Co-ALE-ition Hope & Glory Single Hop IPA. Alan Hope officially launched Monsters In The Dark with Chris Gill, supported by two of his Cabinet members i.e. The Baron who had travelled from West Sussex and Chinners who had travelled from Surbiton i.e. 3 out of the 6 officials of the OMRLP pictured on the pumpclip were in attendance for this launch event. In addition Kevin Travers and Val Helliwell who are both Committee members of the CAMRA Surrey Hants and Borders branch, were all also in attendance as was Johnny from Farnham who was videoing the whole event for Howling. There were 14 people in total at the brewery with more people promising to join in as we made our way around the three different counties (Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire).

We thanked Chris Gill for hosting the brewery launch and for also ensuring Monsters In The Dark would be available at all three pubs we were visiting that night. All three of these pubs were in the latest (2014) CAMRA Good Beer Guide. We then went to the Rose and Crown in Sandhurst (Berkshire) arriving at 7.15, where Peter Cozens, the Landlord, had put on Monsters In The Dark on handpump especially for our visit. The Rose and Crown is the CAMRA SE Berks Branch pub of the year for 2014. We were also joined there by Quinton Drake, the local CAMRA Champion with a passion for promoting dark ales. Transport was arranged for everybody but Kevin and Val cycled around the venues and arrived before us in most cases!!. We set ourselves up in the beer garden in the Rose and Crown on a beautiful summer’s night and enjoyed a perfect pint of Monsters In The Dark. In no time at all Howling had got lots of people drinking Monsters In The Dark and the feedback was very positive. We were well looked after by Michelle, Peter’s wife.

We then made our way to the Golden Pot in the village of Eversley (Hampshire) arriving just after 8pm where Gary Pope the new Landlord had put on Monsters In The Dark on handpump especially for our visit. Once again we enjoyed a perfect pint of Monsters In The Dark in a beautiful chocolate box country pub setting. We were really impressed also by the wonderful smell of the food coming out of the kitchen. Mark, behind the bar, looked after us very well and Howling soon got talking to several of the regulars and in no time at all had them drinking Monsters In The Dark. Chinners did a great job at all four of the brewery/pub venues we visited distributing Monsters In the Dark metal badges, bang up to date Co-ALE-ition leaflets and the OMRLP’s detailed manifesto for 2064 i.e OMRLP are now the.only political party with fully committed long term promises to be delivered in 50 years time. As we left the Golden Pot we made our apologies to the diners who responded by saying ” you have made our night and we are sorry to see you leave.”

We then made our way to the Waggon and Horses in Hartley Wintney (Hampshire) and got there just after 9pm. Neil (Niall) Scott had ensured Monsters In The Dark was available this time straight from the cask and once again it was served in superb condition in this highly regarded village pub. The Waggons and Horses is the CAMRA North Hants Branch pub of the year for 2013. Howling planned to do a special presentation of a signed framed certificate (designed by Chinners) to Neil the Landlord to commemorate the Waggon and Horses in becoming the first pub to sell five different Co-ALE-ition ales. Unfortunately this presentation could not take place whilst we were there as Neil, the Landlord, had apparently gone to bed at 8pm, rumours were going round the pub that he had been sampling/drinking Monsters In The Dark during the afternoon!!  Phil behind the bar looked after us very well. Martin Hannah (Lord Pilcot of Dogmersfield) joined us in the Waggon and Horses and came along to the Indian restaurant as well.
We said our goodbyes to Kevin and Val who were cycling back home as we left the Waggon and Horses at 10pm for the short journey to the Hook Tandoori in Hook (Hampshire).

We arrived at the Hook Tandoori at 10.15 and were given a very warm welcome for what we expected was going to be a memorable Indian meal in this highly rated Indian restaurant. We had a table booked for the 10 of us who were eating which was perfect plus Chinners stayed for the group photos and then made his way via the Raven Hotel (directly across the road from the Hook Tandoori) to reminisce over previous OMRLP conferences which had taken place at this same venue) before catching the London bound train at the nearby Hook station back to his home in Surbiton. Howling was in demand with the local customers for photos and one customer in particular knew a lot about the OMRLP and connected very well with Howling. Martin Hannah (Lord Pilcot of Dogmersfield) entertained the group with his get out of jail story, unfortunately the same punch line was repeated many times over!!. The Baron, and his father Norman, introduced us to a non alcoholic Indian drink called Lassi which proved to be very popular on the night. The quality of the food and service was exceptional (best curry I have had for many years was a comment from Leon Slater). We were given a choice of a complimentary port or baileys from our appreciative hosts and left the Indian restaurant at 12.20am ensuring everybody had a lift back home, thanks again to Joy, Derrill, Baron and Johnny who provided the transport by car for everybody throughout the whole evening.