A pub is for life not just for Christmas
Joseph Holts bitter. Several in the Ape and Apple in Manchester on Saturday either side of a Chinese meal.
Choice still limited:
Brancaster The Wreck
Adnams Ghost Ship*
Beavertown Neck Oil (keg)
The Wreck was ok but slightly malty for my tastes so for the second week BOTW goes to Adnams Ghost Ship.
"Beer is food." Morse, Colin Dexter
Three pub visits and some cans.
North Brewing -- Lost Cosmonaughts (c)
Nethergate -- Old Growler
BrewDog -- Punk IPA (c)
BrewDog -- Dead Pony Club (c)
Oakham -- Citra *
Tring -- Tailchaser *
Northern Monk -- Faith (keg)
BOTW goes to Tring Tailchaser,a monthly special using heritage malts and experimental English hops (X35 what ever that is ?) and despite only 4.1% and looking like a BBB this was a fine quaff with some spicey notes and heather.Another winner from Tring,the change of brewer has made a big impact.Sampled in the Old Fountain.
Next week more boat painting so trying to find rural pints before end month sessions in Hertford and Euston Tap.
"Good people drink good beer" Hunter S Thompson
Kent
Ramsgate (Gadd's) HPA 3.6%abv. A hoppy pale ale from the sage of Thanet. Ideal for a sunny Saturday.
"At that moment I would have given a kingdom, not for champagne or hock and soda, or hot coffee but for a glass of beer" Marquess Curzon of Kedlestone, Viceroy of India.
Had to book a table at the Old Fountain and there was a lot less furniture than usual.Table service once you've ordered and paid on a QR code link,only two ales but both in top condition.Saturday last orders 8pm,but no pressure to drink up .Sloped off to nearby Craft Beer Co. ,no t&t,served at the bar,pub very busy but you had to be seated.This was the least Covid aware pub I've been to.
Will report back on the Euston Tap,but it was chosen for it's outside options and we have had a lot of experience dealing with the human detritus in that area.
"Good people drink good beer" Hunter S Thompson
You can only go into the interior to order takeout beer and use the loos up the spiral staircase.No t&t although we all paid by card.Just two real ales on Redemption Trinity and Five Points Pale which got a hammering from the crew,all socially distanced outside.With very few office workers or commuters ,The Euston Tap was quiet even at 6pm on Friday.The keg range was also pared back .
The barman warned us about the industrial bag snatching that goes on outside,and the various beggars were all treated firmly but with respect by my colleagues.
"Good people drink good beer" Hunter S Thompson
managed a couple of trips into Harrogate for some decent beers:
Turning Point - Disco King
Nightjar - Batfink
By The Horns - Diamond Geezer
Roosters - Yankee
Bristol Beer Factory - Notorious
Cloudwater - This beer is your body
Almasty / 71 Brewing - North Goes West
Daleside - Old Legover
Buxton - SPA
backed up with a few tins of Roosters.
Unusual to see a Cloudwater beer in cask format, it was Manchester Murky but BOTW is Nightjar - Batfink, the Turning Point is fairly hazy as well but "Knaresborough Murky" doesn't work as illiteration.
London , Surrey & local.
Siren - Undercurrent
Kent - APA
The Kernel - Pale Ale
Hobsons - Evolution
Dorking - Surrey XPA
Disruption - Battle Royale
Hepworths - Conqueror Stout
Firebrand - Patchwork Rocket
Firebrand - West Coast Session IPA
Wantsum - Black Pig
Flowerpots - Perridge Pale
Oakham - JHB
Still finding a lot of cask rather lacking in any umph but the Firebrand Westcoast Session IPA had excellent flavour in The Alfred. BOTW.
"Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer."
-W.C.Fields