Brewery ownership of pubs

[Aqualung]

On the other hand, Heineken seem to fly under the radar (at least, as far as I'm concerned). I cannot recall ever going, "Oh no, it's Star Pubs & Bars, let's go somewhere else." Have I missed a boycotting opportunity?

I went to Nantwich last week and the first pub I went to was Heineken. It was a lot better than the previous reviews indicated from several years ago.
My nearest pub is owned by Heineken and is a total joke. It was originally an early JDW but they did it up this century to try and attract the Walthamstow Village set, clearly believing the lies perpetrated by Estate Agents as to where Walthamstow Village actually is.

[sheffield hatter]

When I went to Keswick a few years ago to go to the JDW I didn't visit any Jennings Pubs whereas in the 1970s there wouldn't have been much else.

The expansion of Jennings to other parts of Cumbria certainly pre-dated W&D/Marstons, but you are correct about Keswick. I have a Camra "Lakes Real Ale Guide" from the 1970s and the only real ale pubs listed by them in that town were Jennings pubs. These were the Central Hotel (possibly a former name for Inn on the Square), Crown (closed), Bank Tavern, Black Lion (closed), Kings Arms Hotel, Lake Road Vaults (Robinsons), Oddfellows Arms, Pack Horse (Robinsons) and Twa Dogs ("reputedly the best mild pub in area and certainly most glasses appeared to contain mild").

[Aqualung]

Interesting list of the brewers now.Thought Adnams -49 pubs were a lot bigger.Also Hydes 53 pubs I thought they own major swathes of pubs around Manchester.Very surprised that Felinfoel own so many pubs.Looking with my cynical eye I now realise how brewers like Batemans,Donnington etc have survived .They own loads of pubs who are tied to their imo tired beer.

I don't believe that Adnams were ever that bigger than around 50 pubs. They never really strayed that far from their Southwold base as their beers were popular enough to spread into the free trade and pub chains. I've never really rated Hydes beers and always thought they were the poor man of Manc brewers.
Donnington beers were always mainly restricted to their small tied estate in the Cotswolds but they do have some great rural pubs. Batemans seem to have retreated from the supermarkets and in my experience the free trade. They seem to have discontinued their low abv mild and according to the 2019 GBG the disgraceful watering down of the XXXB from 4.9% to 4.5% has been partially corrected to 4.8%.

[NickDavies]

Jennings pubs back in the 1970s were restricted to their heartland of Keswick, Cockermouth and West Cumberland which you correctly identified. You wouldn't even find an outlet in the South Lakes.

South Lakes was Hartley's land, the beer was far superior to Jennings. A tragedy when Robinson's bought them out and shut the brewery.

[sheffield hatter]

Batemans ... seem to have discontinued their low abv mild and according to the 2019 GBG the disgraceful watering down of the XXXB from 4.9% to 4.5% has been partially corrected to 4.8%.

I thought this beer was originally 4.8% and that is confirmed in this piece by Roger Protz and this item on the BBC news website.

But you're right about the demise of the low abv mild, unfortunately.

[Aqualung]

I thought this beer was originally 4.8% and that is confirmed in this piece by Roger Protz and this item on the BBC news website.

But you're right about the demise of the low abv mild, unfortunately.

The 1992 GBG lists XXXB as being 5.0%. I'm going by memory from when it was a JDW guest so may have got it wrong. A few months ago I noticed that Holden's cooking bitter was now advertised as being 3.9% while I had it down as 3.8%.

[Aqualung]

South Lakes was Hartley's land, the beer was far superior to Jennings. A tragedy when Robinson's bought them out and shut the brewery.

I've got a post lined up for the nostalgia thread that mentions Hartley's. I only tried it once and don't remember much about it. Jennings is another matter so I would have to side with them.

[rpadam]

The 1992 GBG lists XXXB as being 5.0%. I'm going by memory from when it was a JDW guest so may have got it wrong. A few months ago I noticed that Holden's cooking bitter was now advertised as being 3.9% while I had it down as 3.8%.

And don’t forget that the actual ABV may be 0.5% lower than stated, as came to light when Coors was ‘caught out’ routinely brewing the “4.0%” Carling at 3.7% instead (see Carling lager is 'weaker than advertised', firm says in court).

[Aqualung]

And don’t forget that the actual ABV may be 0.5% lower than stated, as came to light when Coors was ‘caught out’ routinely brewing the “4.0%” Carling at 3.7% instead (see Carling lager is 'weaker than advertised', firm says in court).

I knew that brewers were offered some leeway but assumed that was mainly directed at the small micros. This looks to me like a scam by a global abomination and just goes to show how little they care about their products.

[Mobyduck]

I knew that brewers were offered some leeway but assumed that was mainly directed at the small micros. This looks to me like a scam by a global abomination and just goes to show how little they care about their products.

Or end-line customers.