Electric Pumps

[AlanH]

I was reading Andy Ven's review on the Tanronnen Inn in Beddgelert and saw the comment -
"Cask ales were not immediately obvious because they were pulled through by electric pump but I discovered that these were Robinson’s Crusoe, Unicorn and Double Hop."

I then thought back to the last time I drank Real Ale from an electric pump. In the '70's and '80's, the handpump was the sign of Real Ale in the south of England and anything else was "fizz".
In the north, about 50% of Real Ale was on electric pumps and the only ways to tell was to ask the staff (who usually didn't have a clue!) or to taste the stuff. I used to drink cask Bass 4X mild from the usual Bass cube font, with keg bitter next to it in a virtual identical font.

Hydes was 100% cask, but 48 out of their 50 pubs used push button metered dispense behind a plastic font leading unsuspecting southerners to peep through the window and think it was all keg.

The last time I remember electric dispense a few years ago was also in a Robinsons pub, The Tatton Arms near Manchester Airport, but this was only temporary whilst they were having work done.

Does anyone know of other pubs serving cask by electric pump?

Another question that springs to mind is - Do any pubs still use metered dispense rather than free flow (for cask or keg)?

[Maldenman]

Alan, possibly because we grew up around the same area I recall the electric pumps in both Bridge Inn and also The Railway.

Together with the sparklers it made for a very head topped pint.

[Andy Ven]

There are examples local to where I live in the West Midlands, Soup Dragon can probably help me out with some more, but the ones that spring to mind in Bloxwich, Walsall are the Romping Cat, the Bell and the Queen's Head.

Nice place, Beddgelert, by the way. PG needs more coverage in rural Wales so I recommend booking a holiday in Snowdonia and spreading the PG gospel (with Welsh phrasebook in hand).

[rpadam]

Last place I remember getting a pint through an electric pump was in the late James Brindley, Gas Street Canal Basin, Birmingham... Brew XI?

[Quinno]

Blimey, only time I've had that ale treatment was about 12 years ago at the Varsity in Aberystwyth. Banks Bitter f I recall! Quite novel, wouldn't mind trying it again somewhere!

[Maldenman]

Thinking about it, makes asking for a top up if needed a tricky ask!

[AlanH]

Thinking about it, makes asking for a top up if needed a tricky ask!

"Alan, possibly because we grew up around the same area I recall the electric pumps in both Bridge Inn and also The Railway.

Together with the sparklers it made for a very head topped pint."


I remember an incident in The Railway in Sale many years ago when it was on push button metered dispense.
I ordered a pint of bitter and a pint of mild . The bitter sparkler was quite tight and just a few drips came over the side of the lined glass, but the sparkler was so tight that beer came gushing over the top of the glass and the beer settled about an inch and a half below the line. I naturally asked for a top up and was refused because a "full pint " had come out of the metered pump! The barmaid said that if wanted to have a fuller looking glass, she would use a brimm measure glass next time. I said that if you can't fit a pint into an oversized glass, how the h--- are you going to fit it into a brimm measure and offered the full price but "spilled" a few coins out of my hand to leave the payment short!
I was told to pay in full, accept the short measure or leave. I accepted and never went back for about 10 years when it was on handpumps and under new management.


PS. It seems todays electric dispense has so far been mainly in just Banks's pubs. Are these on free flow or metered dispense?

[Farway]

"that beer came gushing over the top of the glass and the beer settled about an inch and a half below the line. I naturally asked for a top up and was refused because a "full pint " had come out of the metered pump!

I remember the measured pints, and from memory the above type of incident was why they were withdrawn. I think Weights & Measures got involved, a pint is a pint in a measured, marked pint glass, to the line / brim not 3/4 in glass & 1/4 in the slops

[Soup Dragon]

There are examples local to where I live in the West Midlands, Soup Dragon can probably help me out with some more, but the ones that spring to mind in Bloxwich, Walsall are the Romping Cat, the Bell and the Queen's Head.

Nice place, Beddgelert, by the way. PG needs more coverage in rural Wales so I recommend booking a holiday in Snowdonia and spreading the PG gospel (with Welsh phrasebook in hand).

Yes, there are loads around the Midlands - i usually state in my reviews if they are electric pump. The Banks's MILD is actually nicer when dispensed by this method!

[Oggwyn Trench]

Most of the Banks pubs around here were on electric pumps , none left now , went to the Whistlestop(i think) in Leeds in the early 90s and you had the choice "hand or lectric" same beer on two different pulls .

Any one remember the old glass pumps , a horizontal glass cylinder filled with beer on the bar top , a chrome lever dispenced the beer , a pull to the right for a half then the other way to make it a pint , used to be common in Wem Ales pubs around here .