Disappointment of last week was a pint of Dark Star Hophead, not enjoyed in The Albion.It doesn't taste anything like the beer it was a few years ago when, for me, it was up there among the elite, it's taste seems to be progressively changing for the worse in my opinion, it is no longer bitter or citrusy. Not an isolated experience either unfortunately.
"Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer."
-W.C.Fields
Could there be any connection between these two apparently unconnected statements? Brewing in bulk with cheaper ingredients? Less attention to detail in a hurry to meet deadlines? Delivering to pubs "just in time" with consequent lack of settling time?
Come On You Hatters!
The George,Croydon.
Any pub that has Burning Sky Aurora (5.6%) and Thornbridge Jaipur (5.9%) as regular ales in the 2020 Good Beer Guide ,among a selection from 15 handpumps must be a winner,but a recent change of management has brought with it a complete changing in beer policy at The George.Gone are the two terrific regulars,no sign of any more output from Oakham,Saltaire or Salopian with all handpumps now devoted to the trio of Doom and 12 barrels from the Wetherspoons "clearing price " range featuring an array of poor brewers trying to shift unwanted beer,with on my last visit 10 ales between 3.8% and 4.3%.
More than a decade of regular use has now come to an end.Once a shining beacon in the Wetherspoons empire,now just another run of the mill 'spoons.I've written to Tim but will this do any good ?
The pub was noticeably quiet on Sunday before the Palace game.
It's back to The Green Dragon
"Good people drink good beer" Hunter S Thompson
Jaipur seems to be a rarity nowadays in JDWs. The dumbing down of choice seems to have been going on for a few years now. Some idiot at the Wanstead George thinks that stocking beers from Marston's is a good idea. They've had a couple of beers in from a brewery called Signal that have been complete rubbish.