Popped outside from the almost empty Fox & Hounds in Caversham yesterday while pals had a tab in the sunshine; was highly surprised when I re-entered, just a few minutes later, to find a coach party had arrived, and there was gillhalfpint and Ray, sat centre room, both in fine fettle. Saw them again later, briefly, in the Nags before they re-boarded the charra and were off. Very pleased to see them, armed with beer diary and enjoying the circuits...
Great you see you too Trainman. Miss doing the tours with you all, but so much easier doing a pub crawl by coach now we are getting on a bit.
Alcohol doesn't solve problems .... but then again, neither does milk.
Moored at Fradley Junction with the only option being The Swan which previously offered a pedestrian range of national brands and basic pub grub.
We found it recently taken over by Everards and now offering four, well kept Everards beers and one guest which earned BOTW. The menu's been rejigged as well and the food was good. All excellent news it being the only pub in the village.
"Beer is food." Morse, Colin Dexter
Never had any Phipps beers before yesterdays Northampton trip, I was well impressed with both the IPA (although only 4.3%) and the Golden Mild, two excellent beers.
"Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer."
-W.C.Fields
A glow of gentle contentment spread when I realised that no outstanding candidates for "Worst Pub of the Year 2018" had been visited.
"Beer is food." Morse, Colin Dexter
This is a beer that is brewed specially for The Three Stags Heads, a pub I have visited only two or three times in my more than 20 years in Sheffield. (It has limited opening hours - Friday evening, plus Saturday and Sunday - almost like a micro-pub.) So I was surprised to find Abbeydale Black Lurcher on a midweek visit to The Devonshire Cat. Apparently, a (wooden) cask of Black Lurcher was produced for the Dev Cat by Abbeydale for Sheffield Beer Week. It went on last Friday (15th March) and was still in good nick today at the discounted price of £2.75 per pint. I didn't discover the price until I'd already ordered a half, and was immediately tempted to have a pint as well, but eventually contented myself with a second half - it is 7% after all. Although described as an old ale, it comes across as more of a black IPA these days - very nice.
Come On You Hatters!