https://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/ Keep track of all the other interesting pub activity out there. en Thu, 12 Mar 2026 03:24:44 GMT vBulletin 60 https://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/images/misc/rss.png https://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/ https://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?48296-Retired-Martin-THE-OLDEST-INN-IN-ENGLAND&goto=newpost Wed, 11 Mar 2026 21:51:00 GMT *Visit The Retired Martin site (https://retiredmartin.com/2026/03/11/the-oldest-inn-in-england/)* March 2026. Nottingham. The Americans were in... Visit The Retired Martin site

March 2026. Nottingham. The Americans were in town in early March, giving me as busy a gig schedule as I’ve ever had. Actually, Leith Ross is from Ontario, but since Russ is taking a break from commenting I can confidently tell you that Canada is now part of America, and who wouldn’t want to be… Continue reading THE OLDEST INN IN*ENGLAND

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March 2026. Maltby. Rotherham. To add some colour to the monotony of the Waterbeach to Sheffield run I stopped in Maltby on the way home. It only adds 5 minutes to the trip, but gives you the joys of the A634, Roche Abbey and all, before posing the Eternal Question “Is there more to Maltby’s… Continue reading POPPADOMS OVERLOAD IN MALTBY*SPOONS

More... ]]> Blog Tracker Blog Tracker https://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?48295-Retired-Martin-POPPADOMS-OVERLOAD-IN-MALTBY-SPOONS https://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?48292-Appellation-Beer-Hop-object-3&goto=newpost Wed, 11 Mar 2026 16:13:28 GMT *Visit The Appellation Beer site (https://appellationbeer.com/blog/hop-object-3/)* This is a stereo viewer card, a 19th century invention. Each... Visit The Appellation Beer site

This is a stereo viewer card, a 19th century invention. Each card held two almost identical images that, when viewed through a stereoscope, created a realistic 3D scene. When viewed through the stereoscope’s lenses, each eye sees a slightly different perspective, and the brain merges these perspectives into a cohesive scene. In this case, the ... Read more

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March 2026. Shepherd’s Bush. London. Half an hour till my Shepherd’s Bush gig, ought to squeeze in one GBG revisit, surely ? Not a lot of choice in W12, the Defectors Weld has really fallen from grace, but the Crown & Sceptre is one of those glorious backstreet Fullers gastro (Thai, again) pubs that are… Continue reading QUEENS PARK RANGERS

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It was Sunday evening and I needed dessert. Step forward Wavy Gravy, an imp. brown ale from Third Barrel, "imp." meaning 8% ABV, for those unfamiliar with the terminology. It looks quite black once poured, though pales to ruby with the light behind it. The aroma mixes soft toffee and red flower petals, which is a good mix for strong brown ale, though it's not as aggressively fun-forward as I'd have liked. Smoothness is what this beer is all about. The texture is light yet silky, flowing past the palate in a siphon motion, making the conscientious beer writer careful not to chug it all down quickly. The flavour is standard brown ale business, but the style is rare enough for this to be welcome, and maybe a little exciting. To the toffee is joined lavender, milk chocolate, café crème, condensed milk and pink candyfloss. It's sweet, but not overpowering, with a lacing of crunchy roast to balance any dark sugar excesses. I had expected something more full-on and boozy, but am fully prepared to accept this altogether more subtle creation. I think the brown ale aficionados -- you know who you are -- will appreciate this. But it's also a good all-rounder; the sort of thing which shouldn't be as rare as it is.

It's not often we get an imperial stout from Third Barrel, but here's the latest: After Midnight, clocking out at 9.5% ABV. It's pure black in colour, topped by a thick settlement of beige foam. A surprise herbal effect greets the nostrils, all aromatic clove and fennel. Not very stout-like, but it'll do. It's big and dense on the palate, creamy and soft; feeling almost nitrogenated. The bitter herbal notes sit at the front of the flavour, and I really enjoyed their pointed and spicy contribution. This isn't one of those American stout jobs, where it's all grapefruit and pine. The front here is spearmint, rocket and cinnamon: spice of the old-world sort. Give it a minute for that to fade, and there's chocolate and toffee at the centre, matching the pillowy texture. It finishes sharp and vegetal, hopped up on green cabbage and cola concentrate. This is quite the tour of imperial stout characteristics, and a demonstration that you don't need double-digit ABVs to do it well. Quality stuff; just a shame that the brewery has reverted to crappy AI-rendered streetscapes for the label. This beer is much better than that.

So, I got my dessert.

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March 2026. Shepherds Bush. London. From Balham, a trip across a foggy Thames to Shepherd Bush, where I suddenly found I had nearly two hours to fill and Westfield in front of me. Just like Charlene, I’d never been to Westfield W12’s flashy shopping centre, but if you’ve been to Stratford‘s version you won’t need… Continue reading TOTTENHAM CAKE IN*W12

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Strongest of Young’s regular beers was Old Nick. Another of the casualties of the move to Bedford. Though I’m not sure if it disappeared immediately.

It was usually a bottled beer. Though it may have appeared in bulk form – cask or keg – as a special. I should ask John Hatch or Derek Prentice. They would know. The label calls it a Barley Wine. (Barley Wine Style Ale in the USA.)

It’s a post-WW II beer. Not sure when they started brewing it. I can’t find it in the 1`960 brewing book. Though there is a beer called XXXX with a gravity of 1077º. And dark in colour. That could possibly an earlier name. Or just the brew house name.

Getting back to this particular beer, the grist is pretty complicated. With four types of sugar. Though three of them – the glucose, molasses and caramel – were bought premixed as Young’s Special Mix. The crystal malt darker, 150 L, than indicated in the recipe. It’s just that BeerSmith doesn’t go any higher than 120 L.

There’s an awful lot of sugar. Almost 30% of the grist. Most of it in the form of No. 3 invert. Not sure I’ve ever seen quite so much of it in a beer.

Two types of hops. Goldings and Fuggles seem a fair enough guess. Unlike for other beers, no late copper hops are listed. I’ve assumed that they were all added at the start of the boil. Which, at 60 minutes, was short for a beer of this gravity being brewed single-gyle. Maybe that’s why there’s so much sugar.

Unlike for the other beers from this set, I haven’t had to drastically increase the hopping rate to hit the IBUs listed in the brewing record. Only by 0.75 oz.

1990 Youngs Old Nick
pale malt	10.50 lb	62.28%
crystal malt 120 L	0.75 lb	4.45%
torrefied barley	0.75 lb	4.45%
No. 3 invert sugar	3.50 lb	20.76%
glucose	1.00 lb	5.93%
molasses	0.33 lb	1.96%
caramel 2000 SRM	0.03 lb	0.18%
Fuggles 60 min	3.25 oz
Goldings 60 min	3.25 oz
OG	1088
FG	1032.5
ABV	7.34
Apparent attenuation	63.07%
IBU	61
SRM	26
Mash at	148º F
Sparge at	165º F
Boil time	60 minutes
pitching temp	59º F
Yeast	WLP002 English Ale

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There’s just two days left at work until Mrs PBT’s and I set sail on our spring cruise to Norway, and with my case almost packed, I’ve been scratching around catching up on one or two outstanding jobs around the house. I shan’t bother you with the details, apart from saying the fast-draining, super-grip shower mat that I ordered online is proving to be most satisfactory. (I told you it was boring.) I took a short walk around the block afterwards, it was actually several blocks, but despite the dull conditions overhead, the chill in the air, and the threat of rain, it was good to get out of the house, even though it was only for an hour or so.

I headed down towards the former Somerhill pub, where work seems to be progressing nicely, although with the building hidden behind the ubiquitous Heras Fencing, and the windows still “white-washed” out, it was difficult to see what is going on inside. The exterior is looking good, although I’m not over-keen on the bright green paint used to mask the 1950’s roughcast finish. I’m banking on the pub being finished and perhaps even open by the time we return from our Norwegian adventure.

The thought of calling in for a pint at one of the remaining local pubs crossed my mind, but as I’ve already visited every pub within a 20-minute radius (on foot), of Bailey Towers, there weren’t any that I fancied revisiting. (Like last year, I’m aiming to call at as many different hostelries as possible, and duplicating visits at this early stage of the game, has a disrupting effect on my strategy). Instead, I returned home and finished off the last of the packing. For once we’re ahead of the game, and I’m including Mrs PBT’s here, as well. She’s also slimmed down on the number of bags and cases she’s taking – still too many in my view, but two medium sized cases, plus a couple of bags, is a major improvement on previous cruises. I’m taking one large, hard-shell case that I bought on promotion at Tesco, prior to Christmas, plus a medium sized rucksack.

The case contains a few items of Eileen’s, but I’m rather pleased with my packing, especially as I managed to squeeze in the hiking boots, mentioned in the previous past. It also contains my “whistle” – Cockney rhyming slang, don’t you know! I’m not a fan of dressing for dinner, or dressing for anything, for that matter, but I’ve been cajoled into it by the lady of the house.

There’s just one day left at work now, and I’ve managed to clear my in-tray, as well as my desk, but it does lead on to the question of how long do I wish to continue in the world of nine to five? In six weeks’, time, I shall reach the grand old age of 71, and in five months’ time I will have completed 20 years’ service with the company. This is by far and away the longest stretch I have spent with any organisation, and when that magic two decades is reached, I shall be inline for a long service bonus. Not a life-changing amount, but still a nice little sum, so it’s going to be autumn before I make any decision, regardless of which way I decide to turn.

I’ve still got mixed feelings here, as turning up to work, even for just three days a week, gets me out of the house and allows me to spend time with colleagues who are, on the whole, intelligent and interesting people. I also strongly feel I am making a real difference to the company, not just on the Health & Safety front – which is my main remit, but also to the project work I have been involved with. It also gets me out of the house, which is another big plus point. Mrs PBT’s is very much a home-loving girl, and whilst there’s nothing wrong with that, to a point, I am very much someone who likes to get out and explore, especially when there’s a decent pub or two involved. Well, time to finish up and get ready for bed. We’ve got a mid-morning departure for our drive to Tilbury, where the rather grandiose-sounding London Cruise Terminal is situated. Any posting I do will be made via my phone, as I experienced some real difficulties on the last two occasions trying to connect my laptop to the internet. Wherever possible, I will attempt to steer the subject matter back to the main topics of the blog, which are beer, and travel, but for the time-being ta ra for now.
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More... ]]> Blog Tracker Blog Tracker https://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?48287-Paul-Bailey-s-Beer-Blog-Getting-away-from-it-all https://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?48286-Retired-Martin-BALHAM-BRIEFLY&goto=newpost Tue, 10 Mar 2026 21:30:10 GMT *Visit The Retired Martin site (https://retiredmartin.com/2026/03/10/balham-briefly/)* March 2026. Balham. London. A second London pub tick in... Visit The Retired Martin site

March 2026. Balham. London. A second London pub tick in quick succession, the Southeastern service presumably making a request stop just for me at Balham, where I had a restorative double espresso in a cute station obssessed with the local football team. Matcha seems the drink of choice. What even is matcha ? What of… Continue reading BALHAM, BRIEFLY

More... ]]> Blog Tracker Blog Tracker https://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?48286-Retired-Martin-BALHAM-BRIEFLY https://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?48285-Real-Ale-Real-Music-A-Wanderer-In-Wolverhampton&goto=newpost Tue, 10 Mar 2026 19:30:05 GMT *Visit Real Ale, Real Music (https://chrisdyson55.blogspot.com/2026/03/a-wanderer-in-wolverhampton.html)* This was my first-ever visit to this... Visit Real Ale, Real Music

This was my first-ever visit to this proud city at the western end of the West Midlands where I only managed to visited two pubs, but what good pubs they were....

It was bright sunshine and blue skies all the way as I travelled from Halifax via Manchester to Wolverhampton, a journey that took around two and a half hours in total, and this continued to be the case as I had a look around this city of around 263,700 inhabitants, the third largest in the West Midlands after Birmingham and Coventry. I arrived at the city's modern railway station, which has one of the highest bridges across a railway line I have come across. I walked out on to the concourse and got my bearings. One of the pubs on my list seemed to be close by, so I decided to leave that until last and head off to two others which were more in the city centre and get them done first.

The city's name is a derivation of the Anglo-Saxon for Wulfrūn's high or principal enclosure or farm. Wulfrun was the guy who founded the then town in 985 in the historical county of Staffordshire. It grew initially as a market town trading primarily in the woollen industry, but during the Industrial Revolution its focus switched to coal mining, steel production, lock-making, and subsequently automotive manufacturing. The local economy today is still based on engineering, including a large aerospace industry, with the service sector and the University of Wolverhampton also major employers. As I walked towards the city centre and crossed over the busy ring road I spotted an attractive brick-built factory which was a fine reminder of the city's industrial heritage, and further on there were several grand old buildings giving the city centre an air of importance.


And then a surprise. I spotted tracks in the road and arriving at a set of traffic lights I looked across and there was a tram waiting alongside a bus. I didn't realise Wolverhampton or the West Midlands had a tram network, but they do. The network has 33 stops with a total of 14.9 miles (24.0 km) of track running via a single route between Birmingham and Wolverhampton via the towns of Bilston, West Bromwich and Wednesbury, on a mixture of former railway lines and on-street tracks. A second line which will run eventually via Dudley and the Merry Hill shopping centre is currently under construction. Maintaining the transport theme, in years gone Wolverhampton operated a trolley bus system which in 1930 was the largest in the world, with the last trolley bus running in 1967. And in 1927 the country's first automatic traffic lights were erected in Princes Square.

I walked past one of the pubs, the Posada, but I couldn't quite tell from across the road if was open, and I wasn't sure if there was a light on or not, but in any case I'd decided I would go the furthest pub first and then work my way back. There was a cheerful feel to the place as people walked out in the sunshine, smiles on their faces as they chatted. No doubt the mood of the city had been lifted in any case by the football result from the previous evening when bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Champions League-chasing Liverpool 2-1. I walked past St Peter's Church and after passing a row of buildings turned right beside a bank and, opposite a side entrance to the churchyard and below a solicitors, I came to my first pub of the day.


The Lych Gate Tavern is a Black Country Ales tied house, one of 55 the brewery, who are based in Lower Gornal near Kingswinford, operate across a wide swathe of the West Midlands with a few outliers in neighbouring counties. They are firmly committed to cask ales and as their website says " We understand that pubs are a part of our country’s heritage, and a vital centre for our communities. Our goal is to uphold the values of the traditional real ale pub: A comfortable friendly atmosphere, log fires, and most importantly of all, a wide range of top quality ales. Our pubs exist to spread our love of real ale across the West Midlands, so that everyone can enjoy a quality pint." They brew a wide range of beers, for which they have won plenty of awards, and I have always found their beers to be pretty decent.

The pub is on the lowest level of the building and you go down a few stairs as you go in, with the solicitors above. It is actually situated within one of the oldest buildings in Wolverhampton and only opened as a pub in 2012 when it was converted from offices by the brewery. It is one of the oldest timber-framed buildings in Wolverhampton, the Georgian frontage dating from 1726, whilst the timber-framed rear dates from around 1500. It consists of two rooms, both of which are quite small, although there is an outside drinking area out the back. The bar is straight ahead as you go in, with a room off to the left. It was quite busy, with the pleasant hubbub of conversation from the customers who were quite a variety, from old boys enjoying a couple of early pints, ladies who lunch (although only cobs are available here in the way of food), office workers, and lads having a break from their business of the day.


I surveyed the beers on offer. There were several from Black Country plus a number of guests on offer. There was no one behind the bar as I got there, but then a slightly rotund gentleman bearing a passing resemblance to (Super) Mario or perhaps a slightly less follically-challenged Mr Potato Head who was chatting away to a guy at the end of the bar stepped into action and cheerfully greeted me as I peered at the beers on offer. I went for one of the guests, Salopian Lemon Dream, which I hadn't had in ages. A table became available just across from the bar, so clutching my pint I made a beeline for it, first retrieving a walking stick that had fallen down for one of the old guys on the next table. I settled down to enjoy my pint, taking in the ambience of the place. The beer was spot on, cool, refreshing, and with that hint of lemon that has always meant that this beer when on form is totally irresistible. It was certainly one of the best beers I have had this year (NBSS 4). Mr Mario/Potato Head then left us, bidding a cheery farewell to all and sundry, with an equally friendly lass taking his place behind the bar, adeptly responding to the banter from the lads stood around the bar.

I was getting decidedly peckish, and so with my Lemon Dream virtually gone I decided to get a cob (as they are called in these parts) along with a half of one of the Black Country Ales. So I ordered a half of the BFG aka Bradley's Finest Golden, and from the list of available cobs the lass reeled off I went for a cheese and onion. My BFG turned out to be a pint, probably due to my Yorkshire accent, which bearing in mind I had two pubs to do before my late afternoon train back home would knock me off schedule, but, hey, there are far worse problems in the world these days than me losing 15 minutes or so! The beer was again very good, a golden ale as the name suggests with an ABV of 4.2%, refreshing and highly drinkable with an underlying maltiness and a satisfying dry finish (NBSS 3.5). My food was very good too, a slab of tasty cheddar with thinly-sliced onion in the middle of a fresh cob, maintaining a standard I have found over the years when I have been in this part of the world. I have to say that I loved both the beer and the friendly, down to earth ambience of the Lych Gate Tavern, and can thoroughly recommend a visit.

I left and instead of going back to the main road I walked down a path in front of the church, pausing as a guy took photos of his female companion with the church and surrounding buildings as the backdrop. They moved on and I progressed, entering a small garden-like area at the side of the art gallery before crossing the street to go to the afore-mentioned Posada. Unfortunately my earlier fears about dropping behind schedule were unnecessary as the place which had looked closed when I'd walked past earlier was definitely not open.

A boarded-up window at one side gave a clue as to why it was not open, which is very sad, as it is one of the most historic pubs in Wolverhampton. It dates from 1886 and is Grade II listed with a large curved front window, ceramic tiled frontage and interior walls, and original bar fittings complete with snob screens. Apparently it has hardly-changed since 1900 when local architect Fred T. Beck came up with a few modifications. The pub is rated three stars on CAMRA’s National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors. According to CAMRA "it is renowned for its vintage Jukebox and attracting a varied clientele, quiet during the day but busy evenings and weekends, especially when Wolverhampton Wanderers are at home." As I peered inside and got a glimpse of this historical interior I was both disappointed I couldn't get in to sample a pint and sad to see the damage that had been done. Hopefully the Posada will be open if I get to Wolverhampton again.


The next pub was very close to the station, and as it turned out I took a rather long-winded route to get there! Instead of trusting my instinct and re-tracing my steps to the station and then going on beyond, I couldn't make out from Google Maps if there was a way to it. So instead I followed a busy road and then turned left, and then cut through by some modern apartment blocks before joining a cobbled road and crossing over a bridge over a canal, the station on my left. I followed this cobbled road, which was pretty busy with both vehicles and pedestrians, down a slight incline and then round a corner and under a railway bridge where my destination suddenly came into view.

The Great Western stands proudly on its own on a bend in the road close to the site of Wolverhampton's former low-level station, at the end of a former row of terraces which were demolished to make way for industrial development. The pub, which is Grade II-listed, dates back to the 19th century, and after being an ale house called the Board in 1849, the coming of the Great Western Railway led to its present name being adopted in 1854. In 1988 it was acquired by small family brewers, Holdens, who started out at the back of the Park Inn in nearby Woodsetton in 1915, since when they have grown steadily so that now under the fourth generation of the family, the brewery has 18 pubs predominantly in and around the Black Country. In 1991, three years after Holdens took over, the Great Western was chosen as CAMRA National Pub of the Year, and today the pub attracts a wide range of customers ranging from locals, football fans, and real ale devotees.

I walked in, the bar straight in front of me. There were 7 hand pumps on the bar, which normally include at least 5 beers from the Holdens range plus the wonderful Bathams Bitter. As I rarely come across Holdens beers these days I decided I should try a pint, so I ordered a pint of Golden Glow, a 4.4% golden ale with, according to the brewery's website, "subtle yet fragrant hop aromas, a moreish gentle sweetness and an almost citrus like pleasant bitter finish." It was in excellent form, another cracking beer (NBSS 4).


I had found a seat in the snug to the right of the bar, which was one of four rooms within the pub which as well as the bar included a lounge and a conservatory, with an outdoor seating area beyond. The room was traditionally furnished with a lit fire in the fireplace as the focal point, which also meant it was quite warm in what was quite a small room. Historic pictures, many featuring railway themes were hung on the walls and an old signal hung from the ceiling.

The pub was pretty busy with lads who'd finished work around the bar, whilst couples and groups of guys were sat in the lounge and conservatory, some having a late lunch. The pub sells good value traditional pub food every day except Sunday from 12.00 and 7.00, with pies and the ubiquitous cobs available all day. One item on the menu intrigued me - Grey Peas and Bacon. Apparently this is a Black Country speciality, which in the local dialect is Grey Pays and Bacon (which may or may not go down well with a kipper tie) and traditionally the main ingredients are carlin or yellow split peas, bacon, onion, and pearl barley, which are cooked for several hours until the peas turn grey and dish becomes thick and hearty. At least I know for next time!

Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed my pint of Holdens, I couldn't turn down the opportunity to have a pint of Bathams Bitter, a beer which is generally excellent every time I have it. So I took my empty glass back to the bar and got myself a pint. I returned to my seat and took a sip. Wow, another excellent pint! This is a 4.3% pale yellow which is deceptively light and highly quaffable, slightly sweet with a dry hoppy finish which makes it very moreish. On this form it was another NBSS 4 rating!


The Great Western was an excellent pub and I could have quite happily spent a couple more hours here. It is easy to see why it is very much a destination pub with its warm welcome, excellent beer, good value food, and down to earth atmosphere. But as I didn't want to risk travelling back in the rush hour I finished my pint of Bathams and headed back up the cobbled road to the station, a direct walk of less than 5 minutes as it turned out! And whilst it was disappointing that the Posada had been closed, the other two pubs had been so good that the visit had been more than worthwhile, and I am already looking forward to a return visit. Well I do need to trying the Grey Peas and Bacon for one thing....






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March 2026. Beddington. South London. Wallington. Bandonhill. Hackbridge. Beddington, where I head now to explore the vibrant cultural scene. Names to conjure with, as you wander aimlessly west of Croydon and stare back to where the streets are made of gold. Not many pubs round here, at all, just an Arts & Craft roadhouse with… Continue reading IN THE DOG HOUSE*(BEDDINGTON)

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March 2026. Wallington. South London. Another week, another American troubador*, another chance to makes inroads into London GBG, another chance to marvel at the capital’s integrated transport system as I whizz from St Pancras around Croydon towards Wallington, a mile’s walk from Carshalton and The Hope. It’s not an essential visit, even by my meagre… Continue reading PRIDE DRINKING WELL IN*WALLINGTON

More... ]]> Blog Tracker Blog Tracker https://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?48282-Retired-Martin-PRIDE-DRINKING-WELL-IN-WALLINGTON https://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?48281-Shut-up-about-Barclay-Perkins-Another-video-of-Brazil&goto=newpost Tue, 10 Mar 2026 10:19:43 GMT *Visit the Shut up about Barclay Perkins site (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2026/03/another-video-of-brazil.html)* Me in Uberlandia in... Visit the Shut up about Barclay Perkins site

Me in Uberlandia in Minas Gerais, Brazil, , where I judged the Concurso Brasileiro de Cervejas.



More... ]]> Blog Tracker Blog Tracker https://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?48281-Shut-up-about-Barclay-Perkins-Another-video-of-Brazil https://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?48280-Shut-up-about-Barclay-Perkins-Uberlandia-bound&goto=newpost Tue, 10 Mar 2026 08:11:46 GMT *Visit the Shut up about Barclay Perkins site (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2026/03/uberlandia-bound.html)* I rise just after 7:00. And,... Visit the Shut up about Barclay Perkins site

I rise just after 7:00. And, after my morning ablutions, go downstairs for breakfast.

It's the same as yesterday: scrambled egg and bacon. Along with coffee and orange juice. Plus fruit, of course. Wouldn’t want to skimp on the vitamins. Or the bacon. It may be the last I get on this trip. Best double up.

The other guests all seem to be Brazilian. Beach bound most of them, based on their dress. This is a handy spot. For the beach and everything else. A really nice spot. Which is why I’m here and not wasting my money on a Copacabana beachfront room. Probably their motivation, too. Not a lot of business travellers, by the look of it. Just me. Sort of.

Just after 9:00 I get an Uber to the airport. Santos Dumont, not the international airport where I arrived. I’m off to Uberlandia. Weird name, I know. Strangely German. Sort of. In Minas Gerais. A new state for me.

Once out of Ipanema, we skirt Copacabana beach for a while. Hunking hotels looming over the beach. Which doesn’t look that inviting in this weather. Overcast and rather blustery. Like midsummer in Mablethorpe. But double the temperature.

On the way to departures, I notice that the bloke in front of me looks familiar. It's one of Brazilian judges, Jose Padilha. We’ve been at competitions together a few times. We sit together while waiting for our flight to board.

I spotted someone in a Cantillon top earlier. After Jose posts a photo of me and him on the judges’ WharsApp group, Cantillon bloke comes over with his wife and introduces himself. He’s from Italy. Later a Mexican judge also joins us.

Our connecting flight in Sao Paulo leaves the gate on time, but then queues on the tarmac for ages. We take off twenty minutes late. The flight itself is uneventful.

Once we’ve picked up our bags, me, Jose and the Italian judge and his wife share an Uber to the hotel.

“Uberlandia is very different to Rio.” Jose remarks as we make our way along bumpy roads, flanked by random buildings of random heights.

That’s very true. Much more modern. And rambling. A lot less charming, too. With a busy four-lane road right through the middle of it.

The hotel is a bit grotty. And has a brown toilet. How weird is that? I suppose it hides shit stains well. There is a fridge. Where I stash what’s left of my cheese.

I have a few hours to myself. Warming myself up for the evening with the last of my hotel whisky. There are no glasses in the room. Another sign that it’s not the poshest of hotels. I have to mix in a coke bottle and drink from that. I feel so classy.

The bus for the judges’ dinners leaves at 19:00. Supposedly. This is Brazil. No way it will leave before 19:20.

Lots of familiar faces are waiting in the lobby. Which is cool. Plenty of people to chat to. And I’m a pretty chatty bloke. When the topic is beer. Then it’s hard to shut me up. Especially if I get going on the colour of Mild Ale. You’ll be lucky f I pause in the next three hours. Such a enthralling subject..

The dinner is at Captain Brew, a taproom. In quite a plush neighbourhood. The interior is fairly cavernous. As these places tend to be. With the brewhouse at the rear behind glass.

There’s a buffet. What a surprise. They so rarely have buffets in Brazil. Not really. I’d best get used to it. The first of many, I’m sure. I get myself some beef and cheese. Seems like a balanced meal. Colour-wise, at least.

I have an IPA. There’s original. Not that there are loads of options. Rather an IPA than a Lager. Hops will cover up some nastiness that’s totally exposed in a Pils. And it’s stronger. Just love me those ABVs.

More cheese is eaten And IPA is drunk. It’s very good. The cheese, I mean. The IPA is OK. The cheese is something special. A cheese corner is home to several different types. Local artisanal stuff. Easily the best cheese I’ve had in Brazil. And, as everyone knows, you can never have too much cheese.

There’s plenty of chat, obviously. I talk to the Silvia de Tomas, from Peru, about writing, A topic I know a little about. I hope. I’ve written a lot of books. Volume counts for something, surely? Best not mention that. If number of words were the sole criterion, I’d be the best beer writer in the world.

I sit next to Suzanne and Kate, whom I’ve met a few times over the years. More than I’ve been able to forget. Back during my first trip to Boston, when Pretty Things held an event in their bottle shop. My biggest memory being how fucking expensive the Starbucks Dann bought for me was. The price of 3 Abts in Ton Overmars.

Thankfully, the bus back to the hotel isn’t too late. I can’t be doing with late nights. Especially when I need to be up early in the morning. And need a clear head for judging.

I do have a small nightcap. Of gut-rot cachaça. I have to get someone at reception to open the bottle for me. It doesn’t have a screw top, as you might expect. Instead, a plastic top that needs to be cut off with a knife.

Soon slumber summons me. How can I refuse?


Captain Brew
R. Marieta de Castro Santos, 135
Altamira, Uberlândia
MG, 38411-004.


Disclaimer: Concurso Brasileiro de Cervejas paid for my hotel, some meals and some drinks during my stay in Uberlandia.



More... ]]> Blog Tracker Blog Tracker https://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?48280-Shut-up-about-Barclay-Perkins-Uberlandia-bound https://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?48279-Retired-Martin-“It’s-a-John-Smiths-Smooth-pub”-The-Tuxford-Sun&goto=newpost Mon, 09 Mar 2026 21:41:44 GMT *Visit The Retired Martin site (https://retiredmartin.com/2026/03/09/its-a-john-smiths-smooth-pub-the-tuxford-sun/)* March 2026. Tuxford.... Visit The Retired Martin site

March 2026. Tuxford. Nottinghamshire. Mr Protz wrote the definitive book about the pubs along the Great North Road, but there’s far less of them than you’d hope if you had to make the trek up and down the A1 weekly. I took the sliproad to Tuxford (pop, now 2,809) as I fancied artisanal panini rather… Continue reading “It’s a John Smiths Smooth pub”. The Tuxford*Sun

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