Visit the a swift one site

Most weekends there is always something happing in or around Huddersfield and last week was no exception. My visit to the area began on Friday night down at the Commercial in Slawit with a pint of the excellent house beer from Empire. Next up was a short walk to the Swan at Crimble, Jonny's other pub, where the fabulous beer festival was in full swing with over twenty beers to go at with Charlie watching on from above. The Mallinsons Crimble Viaduct was tops for me with Brown Cow Completely Cuckoo and Empire Blue Beery not far behind. The food was going down well with the hot beef sandwich being my choice.

Saturday began with a quick beer fix in town down at the friendly Vulcan (always good for an interesting, keenly priced independent beer). Up at Golcar it was Lily Day where the whole village take part in a wonderful festival. Make a note for next year! At the brewery it was open day and it was all action with superb expert brewery tours, Stockport Morris dancing, barbecue, local and general book sale, and Radio Golcar! John Broadbent's beers were going down well and I seized the opportunity to have a couple of pints of mixed - lovely stuff. As I left I could not help thinking that it was going so well that it would be a great success and as I discovered later it was with all available beer fully supped!

I had a time out at the Halifax CAMRA Mayfest - a great couple of hours with many familiar faces from across Yorkshire. The only problem was the the return rail replacement bus gave us a satnav tour of Halifax several times before the driver realized that he ought to look at the road signs to escape!

Upon my return to Huddersfield, I decided to go up to the new pub at Kirkheaton, the "yeaton cask" (please note no Upper Case - my English teacher would have a fit!). The local ladies on the bus gave me a history lesson and said that the proper name is "Yetton". Previously the Junction, the pub now has a bright modern feel with several cask beers including a very nice, keenly priced mystery house beer - surely not John Smiths!

Sunday saw a visit to Holmfirth to the folk festival. The Nook had a couple of excellent new beers on - Cherry Stout 5.2%, Ginger 3.7% (lower gravity than before). Up (or is it down) at the cricket club beer festival there were just five beers left out of twenty. There had been a Saturday night blitz due to the folk festival but there was still enough choice and quality to delight the taste buds.

Back in town, I had an excellent pint of Holts Mild at the Head of Steam followed by a great pint and one of Sam's monster sausage sandwiches at the Sportsman - yum yum!

Altogether a great weekend yet again and my thanks go the owner of the Birkdale Guest house for the hospitality.

I'll be back!

David Litton


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