Blog Tracker
02-04-2023, 09:30
Visit the Paul Bailey's Beer Blog site (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2023/04/st-andrews-excels-with-beer-and-food.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGNOWLs3gN6pGzzLzM9j-izfn3w4HA2qaPtu80M1wIXEuuTxT81E2xW9SX9tvuiYaolLOXX Rr_gt_E7dycL4J0X8XoQ-be20nR0T9EsUXhd5Tml4yxVu0kCwvAlQhzgczOpM0eLaNX-zRfGhY86ziw5ssypCcpwbgF1IlC8GwVL80upxuJUkK_SD2/w225-h400/Norwich%20Union%20clock.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGNOWLs3gN6pGzzLzM9j-izfn3w4HA2qaPtu80M1wIXEuuTxT81E2xW9SX9tvuiYaolLOXX Rr_gt_E7dycL4J0X8XoQ-be20nR0T9EsUXhd5Tml4yxVu0kCwvAlQhzgczOpM0eLaNX-zRfGhY86ziw5ssypCcpwbgF1IlC8GwVL80upxuJUkK_SD2/s3239/Norwich%20Union%20clock.jpg)
It wasn't some mad pub crawl that I embarked upon when Ivisited Norwich last Wednesday, instead it was a much more leisurely touraround a number of the city’s finest hostelries. I achieved this by allowing myself-sufficienttime in the city, arriving mid-morning and delaying my departure until the 19:00train. I did this in order to not make the mistake of previous visits, wherethings were a lot more rushed. I was also unsure how long it would take me to get to the GreenacresWoodland Burials Centre on the outskirts of Norwich, where I wanted to pay respects to my parentsat their final resting place. As things turned out I had plentyof time, but it was nice not to be rushed and it was also good to be able toexplore Norwich at my leisure. In the end, I only visited three pubs, and thefirst one of those was rather a fleeting visit.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDYB6E-tE4_ShuSV7A5xNCmIBsnVSmsljO0I4dbhKmbqxb_gUDTA41tid Xsgjuf2FWj03zaK5axoLhtRrME-kSjpSKd3xJUCNv92_39ldRP03gUgmuYBsHVq577y438bWOUc6G 8HWfjL22Gglb-lJcC7s3Pu5N5oCSrcg8_9pKcqBtOrqXoZ6J12N/w400-h225/IMG_20230329_151746.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDYB6E-tE4_ShuSV7A5xNCmIBsnVSmsljO0I4dbhKmbqxb_gUDTA41tid Xsgjuf2FWj03zaK5axoLhtRrME-kSjpSKd3xJUCNv92_39ldRP03gUgmuYBsHVq577y438bWOUc6G 8HWfjL22Gglb-lJcC7s3Pu5N5oCSrcg8_9pKcqBtOrqXoZ6J12N/s4000/IMG_20230329_151746.jpg)What I intend doing here is to describe the two pubs thatwere the main event, so to speak, so without further ado, we kick off with St Andrew’s Brew House (http://www.standrewsbrewhouse.com/). Situatedjust opposite the entrance to the combined St Andrews &Blackfriars Halls, this popular and thriving brewpub occupies a prominentcorner position. The main bar area faces the busy St Andrew’s Street,whilst the restaurant
section looks out across the pedestrianised area in frontof the two halls. Both sections of the establishment have windows of clearglass, enabling potential customers to see what is going on inside, and howbusy the place is.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjvtnreW1LP0KYobaPm00DD7SK2ZgwUTWeWvlWYBIsy RxkvvTHVyOovVxsdtUWoVthGUbWeZbVP_LIOhR887mIbLWRWLS Idl21hXU-qzqG4ODfw2hoLtm7vXZAuTjqL_ZbUUUN8XJvAUzkKfDIEzfQ_4-qY6JPsR5qHEHqBiKvf1jYGq2zB6yU6GC/w400-h225/St%20Andrews%20Bar.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjvtnreW1LP0KYobaPm00DD7SK2ZgwUTWeWvlWYBIsy RxkvvTHVyOovVxsdtUWoVthGUbWeZbVP_LIOhR887mIbLWRWLS Idl21hXU-qzqG4ODfw2hoLtm7vXZAuTjqL_ZbUUUN8XJvAUzkKfDIEzfQ_4-qY6JPsR5qHEHqBiKvf1jYGq2zB6yU6GC/s3969/St%20Andrews%20Bar.jpg)
St Andrew’s Brew House hasbeen in business since 2015, which was a couple of years before I called in forthe first time, (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2017/02/st-andrews-brew-house-norwich.html) one evening, with young master Matthew. We were on one of our regulartrips to Norfolk, in order to visit my father. We’d booked into a motel,somewhere just off the Norwich Ring Road, and had caught a bus into the citycentre, in search of both food and drink. We’d actually noticed this brewpub ona previous visit, but as I was driving on that occasion, it seemed ratherpointless to call in.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTR84-LQl_PisjP9yM7s2o7ZKj-wAgYj3tbgG896vFCGUyPkA6YloaqcbD1tsaZIaW76dh0oggRLf K3RYVIGCDQPEfn0SLhw6-pyx08IMUZbNOEqBY8NxeJehEm4JO_1AvB8xP5qjC9IQh_RRT0k wvk2YDL7F-pf0lcRCzywAAxyHu-Db1d3NOTBr/w400-h225/St%20Andrews%20lunch.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTR84-LQl_PisjP9yM7s2o7ZKj-wAgYj3tbgG896vFCGUyPkA6YloaqcbD1tsaZIaW76dh0oggRLf K3RYVIGCDQPEfn0SLhw6-pyx08IMUZbNOEqBY8NxeJehEm4JO_1AvB8xP5qjC9IQh_RRT0k wvk2YDL7F-pf0lcRCzywAAxyHu-Db1d3NOTBr/s4000/St%20Andrews%20lunch.jpg)
Next time, things were different, and we entered with theintention of enjoying some of the house-brewed beers, and also something toeat. We discovered four hand-pumped,house-brewed beers on offer, along with a couple of keg beers. The brewing kitwas clearly visible behind a glass screen, to the far left of the bar. I wrote at the time, how impressed I was withthe knowledge and enthusiasm of the staff and said that I would definitely bemaking a return visit.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRyt46a3TLAobzHFJOrvLHmkFxaLvPEXuFReDG-8aYwdz2QKagAd-wiOUHsxwvGdHkBTVm1kRaf1tyGtUT0F1ylHYRvfMvRX9RSdvg4 5UXbP2KLzS3-s_Qrf0gt8Afc4Ciuk5QDpkt34kwas9FOJp8sFP5lQn_CZy2ooH dhOGd6b8mLPlVtIXtYVDI/w400-h225/St%20Andews%20Int.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRyt46a3TLAobzHFJOrvLHmkFxaLvPEXuFReDG-8aYwdz2QKagAd-wiOUHsxwvGdHkBTVm1kRaf1tyGtUT0F1ylHYRvfMvRX9RSdvg4 5UXbP2KLzS3-s_Qrf0gt8Afc4Ciuk5QDpkt34kwas9FOJp8sFP5lQn_CZy2ooH dhOGd6b8mLPlVtIXtYVDI/s1215/St%20Andews%20Int.jpg)
Six years later, that return visit finally materialised, andI found myself, once more inside the bright and airy interior of the pub andgazing at that same bank of hand-pumps, except there were now six of them, rather than four. Food, as well as drink, was foremost in my mind, so I was relievedto learn there was a further half-hour before the kitchen closed for theafternoon. I ordered a fish finger sandwich for myself, complete with a portionof fries. I also tried a couple of the house-brewed beers, namely Festival House- Pale Ale and Tombland Porter. Both beers were very good.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTwvNuEXhqFRDui3Q-xyRQvIbyBIKMNCCStqe5s4ICh6_miHjE16jPRuI9mNm9nTWuHu jVdF1lzvEHitZf0l6iEM-CF3WabW6v9evBYDHKM8iiOKatK6KwxC6qtOCxD9hDO9evJvm2D O3PSI_QlyTqSskB4GFfJEvZzMf5uhJOGQES8HX3tZoS4h3B/w400-h225/IMG_20230329_140310.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTwvNuEXhqFRDui3Q-xyRQvIbyBIKMNCCStqe5s4ICh6_miHjE16jPRuI9mNm9nTWuHu jVdF1lzvEHitZf0l6iEM-CF3WabW6v9evBYDHKM8iiOKatK6KwxC6qtOCxD9hDO9evJvm2D O3PSI_QlyTqSskB4GFfJEvZzMf5uhJOGQES8HX3tZoS4h3B/s4000/IMG_20230329_140310.jpg)
My sandwich was virtually a meal in itself but was just theright size to see me through until the end of the day. The only thing that had changedsince my visit six years ago, was the lack of customers, but on a cold andslightly damp, midweek lunchtime, Norwich itself wasn’t exactly bustling either.I’d found the same situation in the pub I’d called in at on my way to St Andrews.This was an Adnam’s tied house called the Rumsey Wells, (https://www.rumseywells.co.uk/) on a prominent corner location, a short distancealong St Andrews Street. I’d noticed the pub on a previous visit, and as it wasan Adnam’s house I popped in on the off chance that there might be some Old Aleon tap.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NFeuCN330RuKWWumf9RG-xr0PRIYNJcYH1rG67oW6PhlRv5ekjiR0ID3vvZ1FaDV-4QEuVrevRabveGX-koC3kcS8dK9z6ex-yhmMBccsQaQlSXKcbtUyO-pw5Rz3fs76r5HRyijLHhagSN4rY3q_UzzTsP_cikQfp8-PhtXokpKoxBEs5ImDdc0/w400-h225/IMG_20230329_142258.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NFeuCN330RuKWWumf9RG-xr0PRIYNJcYH1rG67oW6PhlRv5ekjiR0ID3vvZ1FaDV-4QEuVrevRabveGX-koC3kcS8dK9z6ex-yhmMBccsQaQlSXKcbtUyO-pw5Rz3fs76r5HRyijLHhagSN4rY3q_UzzTsP_cikQfp8-PhtXokpKoxBEs5ImDdc0/s4000/IMG_20230329_142258.jpg)
Unfortunately, this was not the case, and disappointingly SouthwoldBitter was not on sale either. The ubiquitous Broadside was available, but Ihave never been a huge fan of this beer, which Adnam’s introduced a replacementfor their excellent Extra. Incidentally, the brewery have made Extra, a beerthat was crowned Champion Beer of Britain in 1993, available in Wetherspoonsoutlets, as part of the chain's current cask ale festival. The saving grace, as faras the Rumsey Wells was concerned, was the presence of cask Mosaic Pale Ale,the first time I have seen this beer in cask form. Apart from myself,there was just a group of three, quite vociferous individuals, sitting at thefar end of the main bar, so with the Rumsey Wells lacking people, atmosphere andAdnam’s Old, I drank up and left.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2hyzMl9OeZXcOwBSb3etzUTgCXzhDXJDi3ih_T8SLW 1jl_jw_fEjGAgqXLKhkdf6ukWCNHliL2HKXtiYpotpzqU5ccP6 uzgZdhfj_PlbRvT5KNz4EnXd_fdsuJVrmvPgZoqMUKGCeaaN83 L0RQHTl_ZdYtZ31yGne_dM4j6UCLOvkzrVWKJJJxvC/w400-h225/St%20Andrews%20Halls.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2hyzMl9OeZXcOwBSb3etzUTgCXzhDXJDi3ih_T8SLW 1jl_jw_fEjGAgqXLKhkdf6ukWCNHliL2HKXtiYpotpzqU5ccP6 uzgZdhfj_PlbRvT5KNz4EnXd_fdsuJVrmvPgZoqMUKGCeaaN83 L0RQHTl_ZdYtZ31yGne_dM4j6UCLOvkzrVWKJJJxvC/s4000/St%20Andrews%20Halls.jpg)
Departing St Andrew’s BrewHouse, and heading down towards the river, I walked past the entrance to StAndrews & Blackfriars Halls, the location of the 2013 CAMRAAGM. After sitting through a morning's worth of turgid, boring, and ultimatelypointless conference debate, I clearly remember walking out of the building withthe promise never to attend another such CAMRA event. Outside, and awayfrom the gloom of the conference hall, the sun was shining, spring was in the air,and I set off to explore and enjoy a few of Norwich’s many fine pubs.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnntUW3vbU2lUr-47pLg5ZxIEhEnm6yv-o1XEJmc1h93dFGP-7JOAj8YuvLjryVDYW4pMBrRfHL3I1HZp1WaBF6j973dYlsJyfM _BUlctrQ6EeMLCgo-viyLCF9GpbfzuFcotR0flGosFyfzoyc1JKamXsm_TsGH7NtIFJ 2uNM5l7hn2sFRCOmZUNi/w400-h225/Norwich%20hall.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnntUW3vbU2lUr-47pLg5ZxIEhEnm6yv-o1XEJmc1h93dFGP-7JOAj8YuvLjryVDYW4pMBrRfHL3I1HZp1WaBF6j973dYlsJyfM _BUlctrQ6EeMLCgo-viyLCF9GpbfzuFcotR0flGosFyfzoyc1JKamXsm_TsGH7NtIFJ 2uNM5l7hn2sFRCOmZUNi/s3980/Norwich%20hall.jpg)
I should have known better,because that morning, whilst walking up to the conference hall from my bed andbreakfast place close to Norwich station, I bumped into Gill and Gerry Keay, twolong standing CAMRA stalwarts from Canterbury branch. I naturally assumed theywere going to the AGM, but when I mentioned the meeting, they just laughed, andsaid whilst they normally attended these weekend get-togethers of the CAMRA faithful,they always gave the conference motions and associated debates a wide berth, preferring instead to use the time, by exploring a few of the local pubs and enjoying some of the ales servedtherein. As I sat there, that morning, listening to impassioned speeches overseemingly trivial issues, I was really wishing I’d accepted the couple’sinvitation to join them!My walk down past thosehalls, lead me towards the next pub on my itinerary, namely the classic King’s Head (http://www.kingsheadnorwich.com/), in Magdalen Street on the other side of the river. You can read all about my visit, which was another case of déjà vu, in thenext post.
Follow Blog via EmailClick to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.
More... (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2023/04/st-andrews-excels-with-beer-and-food.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGNOWLs3gN6pGzzLzM9j-izfn3w4HA2qaPtu80M1wIXEuuTxT81E2xW9SX9tvuiYaolLOXX Rr_gt_E7dycL4J0X8XoQ-be20nR0T9EsUXhd5Tml4yxVu0kCwvAlQhzgczOpM0eLaNX-zRfGhY86ziw5ssypCcpwbgF1IlC8GwVL80upxuJUkK_SD2/w225-h400/Norwich%20Union%20clock.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGNOWLs3gN6pGzzLzM9j-izfn3w4HA2qaPtu80M1wIXEuuTxT81E2xW9SX9tvuiYaolLOXX Rr_gt_E7dycL4J0X8XoQ-be20nR0T9EsUXhd5Tml4yxVu0kCwvAlQhzgczOpM0eLaNX-zRfGhY86ziw5ssypCcpwbgF1IlC8GwVL80upxuJUkK_SD2/s3239/Norwich%20Union%20clock.jpg)
It wasn't some mad pub crawl that I embarked upon when Ivisited Norwich last Wednesday, instead it was a much more leisurely touraround a number of the city’s finest hostelries. I achieved this by allowing myself-sufficienttime in the city, arriving mid-morning and delaying my departure until the 19:00train. I did this in order to not make the mistake of previous visits, wherethings were a lot more rushed. I was also unsure how long it would take me to get to the GreenacresWoodland Burials Centre on the outskirts of Norwich, where I wanted to pay respects to my parentsat their final resting place. As things turned out I had plentyof time, but it was nice not to be rushed and it was also good to be able toexplore Norwich at my leisure. In the end, I only visited three pubs, and thefirst one of those was rather a fleeting visit.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDYB6E-tE4_ShuSV7A5xNCmIBsnVSmsljO0I4dbhKmbqxb_gUDTA41tid Xsgjuf2FWj03zaK5axoLhtRrME-kSjpSKd3xJUCNv92_39ldRP03gUgmuYBsHVq577y438bWOUc6G 8HWfjL22Gglb-lJcC7s3Pu5N5oCSrcg8_9pKcqBtOrqXoZ6J12N/w400-h225/IMG_20230329_151746.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDYB6E-tE4_ShuSV7A5xNCmIBsnVSmsljO0I4dbhKmbqxb_gUDTA41tid Xsgjuf2FWj03zaK5axoLhtRrME-kSjpSKd3xJUCNv92_39ldRP03gUgmuYBsHVq577y438bWOUc6G 8HWfjL22Gglb-lJcC7s3Pu5N5oCSrcg8_9pKcqBtOrqXoZ6J12N/s4000/IMG_20230329_151746.jpg)What I intend doing here is to describe the two pubs thatwere the main event, so to speak, so without further ado, we kick off with St Andrew’s Brew House (http://www.standrewsbrewhouse.com/). Situatedjust opposite the entrance to the combined St Andrews &Blackfriars Halls, this popular and thriving brewpub occupies a prominentcorner position. The main bar area faces the busy St Andrew’s Street,whilst the restaurant
section looks out across the pedestrianised area in frontof the two halls. Both sections of the establishment have windows of clearglass, enabling potential customers to see what is going on inside, and howbusy the place is.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjvtnreW1LP0KYobaPm00DD7SK2ZgwUTWeWvlWYBIsy RxkvvTHVyOovVxsdtUWoVthGUbWeZbVP_LIOhR887mIbLWRWLS Idl21hXU-qzqG4ODfw2hoLtm7vXZAuTjqL_ZbUUUN8XJvAUzkKfDIEzfQ_4-qY6JPsR5qHEHqBiKvf1jYGq2zB6yU6GC/w400-h225/St%20Andrews%20Bar.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjvtnreW1LP0KYobaPm00DD7SK2ZgwUTWeWvlWYBIsy RxkvvTHVyOovVxsdtUWoVthGUbWeZbVP_LIOhR887mIbLWRWLS Idl21hXU-qzqG4ODfw2hoLtm7vXZAuTjqL_ZbUUUN8XJvAUzkKfDIEzfQ_4-qY6JPsR5qHEHqBiKvf1jYGq2zB6yU6GC/s3969/St%20Andrews%20Bar.jpg)
St Andrew’s Brew House hasbeen in business since 2015, which was a couple of years before I called in forthe first time, (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2017/02/st-andrews-brew-house-norwich.html) one evening, with young master Matthew. We were on one of our regulartrips to Norfolk, in order to visit my father. We’d booked into a motel,somewhere just off the Norwich Ring Road, and had caught a bus into the citycentre, in search of both food and drink. We’d actually noticed this brewpub ona previous visit, but as I was driving on that occasion, it seemed ratherpointless to call in.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTR84-LQl_PisjP9yM7s2o7ZKj-wAgYj3tbgG896vFCGUyPkA6YloaqcbD1tsaZIaW76dh0oggRLf K3RYVIGCDQPEfn0SLhw6-pyx08IMUZbNOEqBY8NxeJehEm4JO_1AvB8xP5qjC9IQh_RRT0k wvk2YDL7F-pf0lcRCzywAAxyHu-Db1d3NOTBr/w400-h225/St%20Andrews%20lunch.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTR84-LQl_PisjP9yM7s2o7ZKj-wAgYj3tbgG896vFCGUyPkA6YloaqcbD1tsaZIaW76dh0oggRLf K3RYVIGCDQPEfn0SLhw6-pyx08IMUZbNOEqBY8NxeJehEm4JO_1AvB8xP5qjC9IQh_RRT0k wvk2YDL7F-pf0lcRCzywAAxyHu-Db1d3NOTBr/s4000/St%20Andrews%20lunch.jpg)
Next time, things were different, and we entered with theintention of enjoying some of the house-brewed beers, and also something toeat. We discovered four hand-pumped,house-brewed beers on offer, along with a couple of keg beers. The brewing kitwas clearly visible behind a glass screen, to the far left of the bar. I wrote at the time, how impressed I was withthe knowledge and enthusiasm of the staff and said that I would definitely bemaking a return visit.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRyt46a3TLAobzHFJOrvLHmkFxaLvPEXuFReDG-8aYwdz2QKagAd-wiOUHsxwvGdHkBTVm1kRaf1tyGtUT0F1ylHYRvfMvRX9RSdvg4 5UXbP2KLzS3-s_Qrf0gt8Afc4Ciuk5QDpkt34kwas9FOJp8sFP5lQn_CZy2ooH dhOGd6b8mLPlVtIXtYVDI/w400-h225/St%20Andews%20Int.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRyt46a3TLAobzHFJOrvLHmkFxaLvPEXuFReDG-8aYwdz2QKagAd-wiOUHsxwvGdHkBTVm1kRaf1tyGtUT0F1ylHYRvfMvRX9RSdvg4 5UXbP2KLzS3-s_Qrf0gt8Afc4Ciuk5QDpkt34kwas9FOJp8sFP5lQn_CZy2ooH dhOGd6b8mLPlVtIXtYVDI/s1215/St%20Andews%20Int.jpg)
Six years later, that return visit finally materialised, andI found myself, once more inside the bright and airy interior of the pub andgazing at that same bank of hand-pumps, except there were now six of them, rather than four. Food, as well as drink, was foremost in my mind, so I was relievedto learn there was a further half-hour before the kitchen closed for theafternoon. I ordered a fish finger sandwich for myself, complete with a portionof fries. I also tried a couple of the house-brewed beers, namely Festival House- Pale Ale and Tombland Porter. Both beers were very good.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTwvNuEXhqFRDui3Q-xyRQvIbyBIKMNCCStqe5s4ICh6_miHjE16jPRuI9mNm9nTWuHu jVdF1lzvEHitZf0l6iEM-CF3WabW6v9evBYDHKM8iiOKatK6KwxC6qtOCxD9hDO9evJvm2D O3PSI_QlyTqSskB4GFfJEvZzMf5uhJOGQES8HX3tZoS4h3B/w400-h225/IMG_20230329_140310.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTwvNuEXhqFRDui3Q-xyRQvIbyBIKMNCCStqe5s4ICh6_miHjE16jPRuI9mNm9nTWuHu jVdF1lzvEHitZf0l6iEM-CF3WabW6v9evBYDHKM8iiOKatK6KwxC6qtOCxD9hDO9evJvm2D O3PSI_QlyTqSskB4GFfJEvZzMf5uhJOGQES8HX3tZoS4h3B/s4000/IMG_20230329_140310.jpg)
My sandwich was virtually a meal in itself but was just theright size to see me through until the end of the day. The only thing that had changedsince my visit six years ago, was the lack of customers, but on a cold andslightly damp, midweek lunchtime, Norwich itself wasn’t exactly bustling either.I’d found the same situation in the pub I’d called in at on my way to St Andrews.This was an Adnam’s tied house called the Rumsey Wells, (https://www.rumseywells.co.uk/) on a prominent corner location, a short distancealong St Andrews Street. I’d noticed the pub on a previous visit, and as it wasan Adnam’s house I popped in on the off chance that there might be some Old Aleon tap.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NFeuCN330RuKWWumf9RG-xr0PRIYNJcYH1rG67oW6PhlRv5ekjiR0ID3vvZ1FaDV-4QEuVrevRabveGX-koC3kcS8dK9z6ex-yhmMBccsQaQlSXKcbtUyO-pw5Rz3fs76r5HRyijLHhagSN4rY3q_UzzTsP_cikQfp8-PhtXokpKoxBEs5ImDdc0/w400-h225/IMG_20230329_142258.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NFeuCN330RuKWWumf9RG-xr0PRIYNJcYH1rG67oW6PhlRv5ekjiR0ID3vvZ1FaDV-4QEuVrevRabveGX-koC3kcS8dK9z6ex-yhmMBccsQaQlSXKcbtUyO-pw5Rz3fs76r5HRyijLHhagSN4rY3q_UzzTsP_cikQfp8-PhtXokpKoxBEs5ImDdc0/s4000/IMG_20230329_142258.jpg)
Unfortunately, this was not the case, and disappointingly SouthwoldBitter was not on sale either. The ubiquitous Broadside was available, but Ihave never been a huge fan of this beer, which Adnam’s introduced a replacementfor their excellent Extra. Incidentally, the brewery have made Extra, a beerthat was crowned Champion Beer of Britain in 1993, available in Wetherspoonsoutlets, as part of the chain's current cask ale festival. The saving grace, as faras the Rumsey Wells was concerned, was the presence of cask Mosaic Pale Ale,the first time I have seen this beer in cask form. Apart from myself,there was just a group of three, quite vociferous individuals, sitting at thefar end of the main bar, so with the Rumsey Wells lacking people, atmosphere andAdnam’s Old, I drank up and left.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2hyzMl9OeZXcOwBSb3etzUTgCXzhDXJDi3ih_T8SLW 1jl_jw_fEjGAgqXLKhkdf6ukWCNHliL2HKXtiYpotpzqU5ccP6 uzgZdhfj_PlbRvT5KNz4EnXd_fdsuJVrmvPgZoqMUKGCeaaN83 L0RQHTl_ZdYtZ31yGne_dM4j6UCLOvkzrVWKJJJxvC/w400-h225/St%20Andrews%20Halls.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2hyzMl9OeZXcOwBSb3etzUTgCXzhDXJDi3ih_T8SLW 1jl_jw_fEjGAgqXLKhkdf6ukWCNHliL2HKXtiYpotpzqU5ccP6 uzgZdhfj_PlbRvT5KNz4EnXd_fdsuJVrmvPgZoqMUKGCeaaN83 L0RQHTl_ZdYtZ31yGne_dM4j6UCLOvkzrVWKJJJxvC/s4000/St%20Andrews%20Halls.jpg)
Departing St Andrew’s BrewHouse, and heading down towards the river, I walked past the entrance to StAndrews & Blackfriars Halls, the location of the 2013 CAMRAAGM. After sitting through a morning's worth of turgid, boring, and ultimatelypointless conference debate, I clearly remember walking out of the building withthe promise never to attend another such CAMRA event. Outside, and awayfrom the gloom of the conference hall, the sun was shining, spring was in the air,and I set off to explore and enjoy a few of Norwich’s many fine pubs.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnntUW3vbU2lUr-47pLg5ZxIEhEnm6yv-o1XEJmc1h93dFGP-7JOAj8YuvLjryVDYW4pMBrRfHL3I1HZp1WaBF6j973dYlsJyfM _BUlctrQ6EeMLCgo-viyLCF9GpbfzuFcotR0flGosFyfzoyc1JKamXsm_TsGH7NtIFJ 2uNM5l7hn2sFRCOmZUNi/w400-h225/Norwich%20hall.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnntUW3vbU2lUr-47pLg5ZxIEhEnm6yv-o1XEJmc1h93dFGP-7JOAj8YuvLjryVDYW4pMBrRfHL3I1HZp1WaBF6j973dYlsJyfM _BUlctrQ6EeMLCgo-viyLCF9GpbfzuFcotR0flGosFyfzoyc1JKamXsm_TsGH7NtIFJ 2uNM5l7hn2sFRCOmZUNi/s3980/Norwich%20hall.jpg)
I should have known better,because that morning, whilst walking up to the conference hall from my bed andbreakfast place close to Norwich station, I bumped into Gill and Gerry Keay, twolong standing CAMRA stalwarts from Canterbury branch. I naturally assumed theywere going to the AGM, but when I mentioned the meeting, they just laughed, andsaid whilst they normally attended these weekend get-togethers of the CAMRA faithful,they always gave the conference motions and associated debates a wide berth, preferring instead to use the time, by exploring a few of the local pubs and enjoying some of the ales servedtherein. As I sat there, that morning, listening to impassioned speeches overseemingly trivial issues, I was really wishing I’d accepted the couple’sinvitation to join them!My walk down past thosehalls, lead me towards the next pub on my itinerary, namely the classic King’s Head (http://www.kingsheadnorwich.com/), in Magdalen Street on the other side of the river. You can read all about my visit, which was another case of déjà vu, in thenext post.
Follow Blog via EmailClick to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.
More... (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2023/04/st-andrews-excels-with-beer-and-food.html)