This year my annual pilgrimage started on Sunday in Burton upon Trent, a place I have not only read about in my vast library of beer books but have often visited in the line of work, but sadly never been able to stop off for a pint. That will change over the next two days. The train was on time and arrived at Burton at 13:42, my hotel is some distance to the east and my first error is apparent- there is a Travelodge opposite the station! A short walk brings me to the GBG listed Alfred so just to settle the dust I pop in for a quick pint of Burton Bridge Bitter - lovely. On to the hotel and after a quick wash and brush up plus a check on the free wifi all is well and off we go. My list of pubs shows then next pub to be the Derby Hotel – already reviewed but the welcome inside is fine and the review basically still stands, a quick and excellent pint of Pedigree later and we’re off to the next back street local. The Hanbury Arms is a PuG virgin and a review will follow, a fine but odd pub, strangely the Aston Villa V West Brom match was discarded in favour of Red Dwarf on Dave. Next is a walk back to Horninglow Rd with a good crop of pubs, when I reach it the first thing into view is the Navigation, no picture or review so I won’t spoil the fun except to say it was an almost acceptable half of Pedigree in bland surroundings. I had noticed another pub to my left as I approached the Navigation so that was the next one up, sadly a depressing experience, The Victoria will be reveiwed for completenesss not quality, I suffered a half of Grolsch just to fit in and pay for the time to take some notes. Just a few doors away is the Crescent, a sad depressing place, half a Grolsch here too while I took some notes. Over the road is the Foresters, a very promising exterior but once more my hopes were dashed. A hasty half of Grolsch later I was heading into town and soon reached the Loaf & Cheese, photos but no review, a decent back street pub of the sort that abounds in Burton but is rapidly disappearing elsewhere. A poor Bass while the barman eyed me suspiciously led me to offer a PuG card as explanation, he looked bemused, showed it to the Guv’ who also looked bemused and no more was said. Perhaps when the internet reaches this corner of Staffordshire they will change their minds. Over the road is the Trafalgar, the Pedigree was off so I had a Greene King IPA and a long chat with the regulars and bar staff cleared up which pubs were open, closed or about to close across most of Burton, great value local intelligence. On now to the last pub of the day the Byrkley Arms, fairly plain and again a poor choice of beers, Pedigree or Hobgoblin, I went dark this time. Again a poor pub with mediocre beer but a great bunch of locals, which seems to be the norm in Burton… generally crap beer,(most locals drink the local brew - Carling) shoddy pubs but great friendly people and bar staff. Perhaps tomorrow will provide some better pubs. Being a bit peckish by now I went for a chinese, bad move, those who know their cockney rhyming slang will realise how well named this place is.
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Tomorrow will include a trip round the brewery museum before a few of the more central pubs, I will update you all after that I hope.