I suppose paradoxically the most memorable drinking sessions are the ones that you don't remember much about. But now and again one will come along so good that it returns bit by bit and beer by beer through the mists of ones early morning sub-consciousness, and the ensuing hangover. Such an experience happened to me a few days ago and I thought I'd share it with you and provide a thread for anyone to record similar experiences before they disappear forever.

I'd taken a day off last Thursday to give me a longer Easter break and decided to head for a country pub that had so far evaded me. Not easy to get to, buses only run on weekdays and then only three a day. But I'd found a bus that would drop me about a 30 minute walk away just before opening time and jumped on expectantly. This is where the local council took a hand in proceedings by deciding to undertake some major roadworks. Soon the bus was running 40 minutes late and we were still in a slow moving queue. I think it must have been some sort of inner force that made me look out the window and see a local PotY and immediately look at my watch and see it was 5 minutes before opening time. Easy decision, sod this bus, I'm going for a pint, I can do the other pub another day. Pre-amble over.

And so it was that I entered The Sportsman in Croxley Green on the dot of opening time to be greeted by a smiling guv'nor who, presumably remembering me from previous visits, bemoaned the fact that I'd just missed a great 6.5%'er that had run out the previous evening. Six handpumps faced me, a couple of local Red Squirrel beers, one from Tring, one from Coach House, a fantastic Black Beauty Porter from Mauldons and TT Landlord. After a couple of sedate pints I'd clearly got my drinking head on and set out for the challenge of going along the pumps. Spotted another punter reading a programme about the Ship & Mitre beer festival and we got chatting about Liverpool pubs.

Very soon the six pump challenge had been completed and I was looking at the bottles. A Chimay Red (may have been a Blue) was next then a La Chouffe I think. The guv'nor then conspiratorially lowered his voice and said "I think I may have something that you guys will like". He reached into the back of the fridge, proudly swaggered over to us nursing a bottle of Brewdog Tokyo and with almost a giggle said "it's the 18.2% one". Well what can you do, I had to buy it, especially at only £5 a bottle which I reckon must be about half the price elsewhere, even if you can find it. So he bought out a couple of decorative bowl glasses, as befits a beer of this magnitude, and I shared a bottle with my new best Scouse mate, with a few sips being offered around the bar. Bloody wonderful stuff, smooth and drinkable, quite reminiscent of port I thought, if you've tasted it you'll know what I mean, if you haven't then do whatever it takes to get your hands on a bottle.

By this time the guv'nor was on a roll and soon emerged from a back room with a dusty bottle of De Ranke XX (I had to take a note of that one and hope it's the correct spelling). It was a 6.2% Belgian Bitter very hoppy, almost American in style I thought. He shared it around the bar telling a story about some sort of a link with the Dark Star Brewery. Can't remember what it was but if anyone out there knows more, pray tell.

That's about as far as my recollection of the afternoon goes - so far. I must have managed to climb onto a bus and get home somehow. And to think I only went into the place because of the roadworks. They have a beer festival next weekend and I believe he may have another bottle or two of Brewdog Tokyo lurking in that fridge.