Blog Tracker
30-12-2023, 16:50
Visit the Paul Bailey's Beer Blog site (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2023/12/golden-pints-or-metric-equivalent-2023.html)
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As 2023 rapidly approaches its conclusion, and after areflective look back from a beer and visiting different places perspective,there’s one final task to undertake, before drawing the curtain on the year.Before going any further, I want to reiterate that I’ve never really ran with the “Golden Pints” idea. I was eventhinking the concept was in its death throes, until a look through my Blog Listshowed there were quite a few bloggers still putting out their favourites froma varying list of beer, pub, brewery, and all things related highlights. What I’ve tended to do in previous years, was take a lookback over each previous year, and write a review, under the banner of “TheYear in Beer.” So, this time around, having written a fairly lengthyreview of 2023, I reflected that I hadn’t properly set out my thoughts on the bestbeers, best pubs, best places to enjoy a beer etc, over the course of the pastyear, and this was where the idea of resurrecting the “GoldenPints” concept re-entered my thinking. I still feel the title “GoldenPints” is pretty naff, although perhaps the word “Pint” will now take on anew significance, at least amongst the dwindling band of Brexit supporters, giventhe news that wine can now be sold in pint bottles!
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This aside, I want toplace on record that I found great difficulty in writing this piece. This mayhave been because I was over-thinking what to include and what to leave out,given copious guidance notes, plus a year’s worth of blog entries. Veteranbloggers, Boak & Bailey, (https://boakandbailey.com/2023/12/golden-pints-2023-the-best-pubs-and-beers-of-2023/) thought otherwise, opening their Golden Pintsreview with the statement, “These end-of-year roundups are more fun to write than to read,aren’t they?” The pair still felt the need to do it, in order toput a “neat bow on the year,” whilst following the guidingprinciple, that nobody really cares about all this, “so don’t overthinkit.” Their final line that this type of article is more about feeling, thanabout facts, helped guide me, when I was struggling to put my own reviewtogether. Bestbeer on home turf
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Harvey’sSussex Best. Unlikeprevious years, where no single, individual beer stood out, my answer has to beHarvey’s Sussex Best. A magnificent beer, that is truly worthy of thetitle, “best bitter,” and what’s more it’s a blend of juicy, sweet malt sugars,set against an earthy, peppery background imparted by traditional hopsvarieties such as Fuggles and Goldings. So no,over-powering citrus, or pineapple flavours, hiding behind a murky haze, here.Instead, just a good, old-fashioned glass of traditional English bitter, representingall that is best in local brewing.
Bestbeer abroad
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Päffgen Kölsch. A tricky one really, as despite spending nearly a month away from the UK,I didn’t visit that many pubs or bars, and certainly not in the Mediterranean.Five days on a business visit to Cologne was perhaps a little different, and itcertainly allowed me to drink plenty of Kölsch -the city’s local beer style. Whilst Kölsch is pleasant enough, it doesn’treally reach out and grab you by the throat, although I shall make one notable exception.Päffgen Kölsch, dispensedfrom a wooden cask behind the bar counter, and retailing at €2 a glass,was the sole beer on sale at the legendary Gaststätte Lommerzheim. Thelatter is a classic, old-style Cologne pub on the other side of the RiverRhine, and Päffgen are one of the few independent Kölsch brewersremaining in Cologne. In my view, and also that of many others, PäffgenKölsch are up there with the very best.
Best Locations to Enjoy a Beer(UK)
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Boar’s Head Innat Eridge. The Boar’s Head is, an unspoiled 17th Centuryinn, just off the main A26 road, a mile or so to the north of Crowborough.It is a low beamed pub with a cosy interior, featuring two inglenook fireplaces.Visited back in November, after a gap of 30 years or more, but still as good asever. A really atmospheric pub, serving an excellent pint of Harvey’s, in arural setting, but one that is easily accessible by bus.
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Barton’s Arms, Birmingham. Dating from 1901 theBarton’s is a Grade 2* listed heritage building and represents Victorian splendour on a grandiose scale. It isone of the most spectacular survivors from the late Victorian era in thecountry, with an imposing stone and red brick with exterior, complete with its ownclock tower, and an interior boasting numerous original features. These includerich mahogany woodworking’s, stained and engraved windows and mirrors,snob-screens, a sweeping wrought-iron staircase and wall-to-wall tiles, rangingfrom shiny-glazed decorative patterns to huge painted scenes. Best Locations to Enjoy a BeerAbroad
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Dash Coffee Bar, overlooking the waterfront in Argostoli, capital of Kefalonia.The cool shady interior, of this attractive, contemporary bar, formed a welcomerefuge from the fierce heat of the midday sun. And seated at the bar, enjoyinga cool and refreshing half litre of Mythos beer, whilst watching theworld go by outside saw me in proper, wind-down holiday mode, and was theperfect way to round off my time ashore in this gorgeous, Greek island.
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Gaststätte Lommerzheim, Cologne. Not just for the excellentPäffgen Kölsch, but also for the atmosphere inside this true, Cologne, beerhouse, known locally as “Lommi’s”. The pub is a survivor from thedays before WWII, and there is a real buzz about the place. Time your visitcarefully, as it is often difficult to get a seat, such is its popularity withthe locals.
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Bestnew pub find Bull, Birmingham. A classic,back street local in the centre of Birmingham, which is one of the oldest pubsin the city. A snug, cosy and comfortable, back street boozer, with a real homelyfeel, with two distinct drinking areas surround a U-shaped bar with smaller,and quieter back room. A collection of300 jugs adorns the ceiling, along with a number of old pictures andmemorabilia. Just the place to spend time on a wet April, afternoon inBritain’s second city.
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Best brewery Braybrooke Beer Company. A tricky one again, although I’m going out ona limb by recommending Braybrooke, a company specialising in the production of reallygood, proper lager. Brewed using state-of-the-art equipment, and the very bestingredients, the resulting beers are a selection of unfiltered, unpasteurised,and naturally carbonated beers that have complexity whilst retaining therefreshing drinkability every great lager should have. (Braybrook’s words,although I whole-heartedly agree with them).
Back in the summer, I signed up with the BraybrookeBeer Club, a subscription beer delivery service, where, each month, I receive aselection of Braybrooke beers.
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Best Beer City Manchester. It was a close tie for Best Beer City, between Manchester andBirmingham, both of which I revisited in 2023. In Manchester’s case, it was 30years since I’d last set foot in the city – an interval that is far too long.Although many of the breweries, I knew from the four years I spent in adjoiningSalford, during the late 1970’s, have vanished (Boddingtons, Burtonwood,Greenall’s, Tetley’s, Threlfalls, and Wilsons), others have taken their place,
My visit, at the end of June, only scratched the surface, but was still sufficientto remind me of the vibrant and thriving beer and pub scene. As Arnie said, “I’llbe back.”
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Beer festivalsLondon Craft BeerFestival. Held in Wapping, at thehistoric Tobacco Dock, the festival proved an interesting experience, although hadI needed to pay for my admission ticket, it’s doubtful I would have gone. Therewere some interesting breweries exhibiting, and some equally interesting beers,but the event followed the American pattern of “sips” rather than a decentamount of beer. I also, might have escaped contracting my third dose of COVID,had I stayed at home, especially as the festival was hot, crowded, and cramped,in equal measures.
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Best days out Macclesfield,Manchester, Birmingham – for nostalgic reasons, plus Chichester. I included thelatter because I’d never visited before, despite it being fairly close to home,and relatively easy to get to.
Best beer book
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Cask – The Real Storyof Britain’s Unique Beer Culture, by Des De Moor. Claimed to be the definitive book on the subject of Cask Beer, Des’slatest book certainly looks like a real labour of love. I’ve met Des on acouple of occasions, and know from his London Pub Guides, that this currentbook will prove informative on a subject close to the hearts of many of us. Itreceived mixed reviews from two other bloggers who I know – Tandleman and Ed Wray(no more name dropping, I promise), so I look forward to getting stuck into it.I say that, becausedespite the best intentions, I haven’t read the book yet! The plan was to makea start on it whilst on our recent cruise, but being a relatively slow reader,I have only just finished the other weighty tome I was ploughing my way through.That particular book is Tom Jones, by Henry Fielding, and with over 800 pagesof close typeface, it took longer to finish than I anticipated. Expect a reviewof “Cask” in a few months’ time, then.
Bucket list – places visited for the first time.
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Greece plus the Greekislands. A short visit to the Greek capital, Athens, allowed sufficient time to scalethe Acropolis, overlooking the city, view the Parthenon, the only downsidebeing the thousands of visitors, all with the same intention. It was stillworth the steep ascent, even though I managed to lose the tour-guide - clue,carry a more distinctive flag, next time! Visits were alsomade to Crete, and its laid-back capital, Heraklion, Santorini, the lovely Ionianisland of Kefalonia, mentioned above, and finally Sardinia, an island which,according to Ancestry, Mrs PBT’s has a 1% DNA match with.
This concludes my look back at 2022, a mixed year,for want of a more appropriate description, and whilst a part of me is itchingto get my hiking boots on, and head out, back into the great outdoors, aglance at the appalling weather, outside my window, persuades me otherwise.
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As 2023 rapidly approaches its conclusion, and after areflective look back from a beer and visiting different places perspective,there’s one final task to undertake, before drawing the curtain on the year.Before going any further, I want to reiterate that I’ve never really ran with the “Golden Pints” idea. I was eventhinking the concept was in its death throes, until a look through my Blog Listshowed there were quite a few bloggers still putting out their favourites froma varying list of beer, pub, brewery, and all things related highlights. What I’ve tended to do in previous years, was take a lookback over each previous year, and write a review, under the banner of “TheYear in Beer.” So, this time around, having written a fairly lengthyreview of 2023, I reflected that I hadn’t properly set out my thoughts on the bestbeers, best pubs, best places to enjoy a beer etc, over the course of the pastyear, and this was where the idea of resurrecting the “GoldenPints” concept re-entered my thinking. I still feel the title “GoldenPints” is pretty naff, although perhaps the word “Pint” will now take on anew significance, at least amongst the dwindling band of Brexit supporters, giventhe news that wine can now be sold in pint bottles!
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This aside, I want toplace on record that I found great difficulty in writing this piece. This mayhave been because I was over-thinking what to include and what to leave out,given copious guidance notes, plus a year’s worth of blog entries. Veteranbloggers, Boak & Bailey, (https://boakandbailey.com/2023/12/golden-pints-2023-the-best-pubs-and-beers-of-2023/) thought otherwise, opening their Golden Pintsreview with the statement, “These end-of-year roundups are more fun to write than to read,aren’t they?” The pair still felt the need to do it, in order toput a “neat bow on the year,” whilst following the guidingprinciple, that nobody really cares about all this, “so don’t overthinkit.” Their final line that this type of article is more about feeling, thanabout facts, helped guide me, when I was struggling to put my own reviewtogether. Bestbeer on home turf
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Harvey’sSussex Best. Unlikeprevious years, where no single, individual beer stood out, my answer has to beHarvey’s Sussex Best. A magnificent beer, that is truly worthy of thetitle, “best bitter,” and what’s more it’s a blend of juicy, sweet malt sugars,set against an earthy, peppery background imparted by traditional hopsvarieties such as Fuggles and Goldings. So no,over-powering citrus, or pineapple flavours, hiding behind a murky haze, here.Instead, just a good, old-fashioned glass of traditional English bitter, representingall that is best in local brewing.
Bestbeer abroad
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Päffgen Kölsch. A tricky one really, as despite spending nearly a month away from the UK,I didn’t visit that many pubs or bars, and certainly not in the Mediterranean.Five days on a business visit to Cologne was perhaps a little different, and itcertainly allowed me to drink plenty of Kölsch -the city’s local beer style. Whilst Kölsch is pleasant enough, it doesn’treally reach out and grab you by the throat, although I shall make one notable exception.Päffgen Kölsch, dispensedfrom a wooden cask behind the bar counter, and retailing at €2 a glass,was the sole beer on sale at the legendary Gaststätte Lommerzheim. Thelatter is a classic, old-style Cologne pub on the other side of the RiverRhine, and Päffgen are one of the few independent Kölsch brewersremaining in Cologne. In my view, and also that of many others, PäffgenKölsch are up there with the very best.
Best Locations to Enjoy a Beer(UK)
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Boar’s Head Innat Eridge. The Boar’s Head is, an unspoiled 17th Centuryinn, just off the main A26 road, a mile or so to the north of Crowborough.It is a low beamed pub with a cosy interior, featuring two inglenook fireplaces.Visited back in November, after a gap of 30 years or more, but still as good asever. A really atmospheric pub, serving an excellent pint of Harvey’s, in arural setting, but one that is easily accessible by bus.
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Barton’s Arms, Birmingham. Dating from 1901 theBarton’s is a Grade 2* listed heritage building and represents Victorian splendour on a grandiose scale. It isone of the most spectacular survivors from the late Victorian era in thecountry, with an imposing stone and red brick with exterior, complete with its ownclock tower, and an interior boasting numerous original features. These includerich mahogany woodworking’s, stained and engraved windows and mirrors,snob-screens, a sweeping wrought-iron staircase and wall-to-wall tiles, rangingfrom shiny-glazed decorative patterns to huge painted scenes. Best Locations to Enjoy a BeerAbroad
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Dash Coffee Bar, overlooking the waterfront in Argostoli, capital of Kefalonia.The cool shady interior, of this attractive, contemporary bar, formed a welcomerefuge from the fierce heat of the midday sun. And seated at the bar, enjoyinga cool and refreshing half litre of Mythos beer, whilst watching theworld go by outside saw me in proper, wind-down holiday mode, and was theperfect way to round off my time ashore in this gorgeous, Greek island.
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Gaststätte Lommerzheim, Cologne. Not just for the excellentPäffgen Kölsch, but also for the atmosphere inside this true, Cologne, beerhouse, known locally as “Lommi’s”. The pub is a survivor from thedays before WWII, and there is a real buzz about the place. Time your visitcarefully, as it is often difficult to get a seat, such is its popularity withthe locals.
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Bestnew pub find Bull, Birmingham. A classic,back street local in the centre of Birmingham, which is one of the oldest pubsin the city. A snug, cosy and comfortable, back street boozer, with a real homelyfeel, with two distinct drinking areas surround a U-shaped bar with smaller,and quieter back room. A collection of300 jugs adorns the ceiling, along with a number of old pictures andmemorabilia. Just the place to spend time on a wet April, afternoon inBritain’s second city.
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Best brewery Braybrooke Beer Company. A tricky one again, although I’m going out ona limb by recommending Braybrooke, a company specialising in the production of reallygood, proper lager. Brewed using state-of-the-art equipment, and the very bestingredients, the resulting beers are a selection of unfiltered, unpasteurised,and naturally carbonated beers that have complexity whilst retaining therefreshing drinkability every great lager should have. (Braybrook’s words,although I whole-heartedly agree with them).
Back in the summer, I signed up with the BraybrookeBeer Club, a subscription beer delivery service, where, each month, I receive aselection of Braybrooke beers.
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Best Beer City Manchester. It was a close tie for Best Beer City, between Manchester andBirmingham, both of which I revisited in 2023. In Manchester’s case, it was 30years since I’d last set foot in the city – an interval that is far too long.Although many of the breweries, I knew from the four years I spent in adjoiningSalford, during the late 1970’s, have vanished (Boddingtons, Burtonwood,Greenall’s, Tetley’s, Threlfalls, and Wilsons), others have taken their place,
My visit, at the end of June, only scratched the surface, but was still sufficientto remind me of the vibrant and thriving beer and pub scene. As Arnie said, “I’llbe back.”
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Beer festivalsLondon Craft BeerFestival. Held in Wapping, at thehistoric Tobacco Dock, the festival proved an interesting experience, although hadI needed to pay for my admission ticket, it’s doubtful I would have gone. Therewere some interesting breweries exhibiting, and some equally interesting beers,but the event followed the American pattern of “sips” rather than a decentamount of beer. I also, might have escaped contracting my third dose of COVID,had I stayed at home, especially as the festival was hot, crowded, and cramped,in equal measures.
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Best days out Macclesfield,Manchester, Birmingham – for nostalgic reasons, plus Chichester. I included thelatter because I’d never visited before, despite it being fairly close to home,and relatively easy to get to.
Best beer book
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Cask – The Real Storyof Britain’s Unique Beer Culture, by Des De Moor. Claimed to be the definitive book on the subject of Cask Beer, Des’slatest book certainly looks like a real labour of love. I’ve met Des on acouple of occasions, and know from his London Pub Guides, that this currentbook will prove informative on a subject close to the hearts of many of us. Itreceived mixed reviews from two other bloggers who I know – Tandleman and Ed Wray(no more name dropping, I promise), so I look forward to getting stuck into it.I say that, becausedespite the best intentions, I haven’t read the book yet! The plan was to makea start on it whilst on our recent cruise, but being a relatively slow reader,I have only just finished the other weighty tome I was ploughing my way through.That particular book is Tom Jones, by Henry Fielding, and with over 800 pagesof close typeface, it took longer to finish than I anticipated. Expect a reviewof “Cask” in a few months’ time, then.
Bucket list – places visited for the first time.
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Greece plus the Greekislands. A short visit to the Greek capital, Athens, allowed sufficient time to scalethe Acropolis, overlooking the city, view the Parthenon, the only downsidebeing the thousands of visitors, all with the same intention. It was stillworth the steep ascent, even though I managed to lose the tour-guide - clue,carry a more distinctive flag, next time! Visits were alsomade to Crete, and its laid-back capital, Heraklion, Santorini, the lovely Ionianisland of Kefalonia, mentioned above, and finally Sardinia, an island which,according to Ancestry, Mrs PBT’s has a 1% DNA match with.
This concludes my look back at 2022, a mixed year,for want of a more appropriate description, and whilst a part of me is itchingto get my hiking boots on, and head out, back into the great outdoors, aglance at the appalling weather, outside my window, persuades me otherwise.
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