Random news of the day

[NickDavies]

Apparently Marston only have 22 Scottish outlets. I don't recall seeing any of their beers in Scotland.

A quick look on their website suggests they're almost all branded family dining outlets, carveries and whathaveyou.

[AlanH]

It all started going south when the ABV for Pedigree was lowered IMHO.

Or when Pedigree became Nationally branded and they could no longer brew it in their small Burton union system.

[Aqualung]

Owd Roger anyone? Available on draught when Marstons had a southern tied estate based on Winchester.

I remember Owd Roger and the Hampshire Marston estate. I don't remember seeing Owd Roger in Hampshire but I doubt if I went there in Winter. I do remember it from the Rotal Standard of England at Forty Green and early GBBFs where they always had the Holy Trinity of Old Tom. Moonraker and Owd Roger. It was also the first pint for which I paid more than £1.00 a pint at a free house in a place called Chatteris in Cambridgeshire. I think the last time I had it on cask was at a Burton pub in the 1990s.

[NickDavies]

I read on many occasions that Merry Monk was Pedigree with caramel.

I wouldn't be surprised. That was said about Brakspear's Special v Old too.

In both cases the OGs were the same, which fits. Wouldn't work nowadays as we quote ABV.

[hondo]

https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/...the-first-time

https://gbbf.org.uk/beer-line-up/bre...neer-pavilion/

[AlanH]

I read on many occasions that Merry Monk was Pedigree with caramel. I don't recall seeing it that often.

It definitely was, the Marston's speaker at a Camra branch meeting told us that. But in the pubs in Sale and Altrincham that sold both, the taste was quite different.
It seemed to appeal to both regular mild and bitter drinkers.

[Bucking Fastard]

https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/...the-first-time

https://gbbf.org.uk/beer-line-up/bre...neer-pavilion/

It will be interesting if they allow folk to have a drink-off of the same beer via cask and keg.....I've done this in the past with Magic Rock High Wire and cask won hands down as far as my tastebuds were concerned.

[oldboots]

I remember Owd Roger and the Hampshire Marston estate. I don't remember seeing Owd Roger in Hampshire...

Fairly regular in the long gone Winsor at Southampton bus station on handpump and the White Swan (Hyde St) in Winchester often had a cask on the counter in winter, I can't remember all the places I saw it, probably the Dolphin in Winchester High St would be one but the tied estate has long vanished into Greene King and many of the old pubs are closed including the unlamented Three Barrels in Basingstein/Basingrad.

[oldboots]

I wouldn't be surprised. That was said about Brakspear's Special v Old too.

In both cases the OGs were the same, which fits. Wouldn't work nowadays as we quote ABV.

It definitely was, the Marston's speaker at a Camra branch meeting told us that. But in the pubs in Sale and Altrincham that sold both, the taste was quite different.
It seemed to appeal to both regular mild and bitter drinkers.

May I refer you to Messers Timothy Taylor?

Dark Mild = Golden Best with Caramel
Ram Tam = Landlord with Caramel

The ABVs are the same in each case but the OG is a point higher according to GBG2019, this is due to the caramel. The addition of caramel was confirmed to me by a Taylors salesman .

[london calling]

It definitely was, the Marston's speaker at a Camra branch meeting told us that. But in the pubs in Sale and Altrincham that sold both, the taste was quite different.
It seemed to appeal to both regular mild and bitter drinkers.

If its the same beer it must taste the same but the brain gets tricked by the colour.Coca Cola tried a clear version of coke after removing the colouring but nobody liked it.I have tried the TT Golden and Dark mild side by side and definitely thought they were different beers.