In a bit of a departure for me, this post isn't really about beer - or, at least only tangentally.
About 75% of the time we live right on the edge of a large town with proper countryside (aka The South Downs National Park) within a 20 minute grunt up a hill from our front door.
The beauty of the SDNP is obvious and indisputable.
In a medium-sized city such as Bristol, you have to get your walking interest in slightly different ways.
We walk a lot in Bristol (only mad people would willingly drive) and we also get buses and trains when we need to go further.
We actively seek different ways of arriving at familiar places and seeing what the streetscape has to offer. We now have a collective general interest in architecture and how stuff works and so you'll frequently find us, whilst on a walkabout, stopping and pointing at stuff whilst doing a lot of wondering how that thing comes to be where, or why it's designed like that.
Thus the day we decided to revisit The Orchard a few days ago, I suggested to the man that we could go onto North Street since we weren't very far away. Being a new(ish)comer to the city, the boy doesn't always know which bits of the city join to other bits. He's *way* better than me at orienting himself with regard to the compass (or a river or whatever) but, like me, his internal map sections aren't always contiguous.
It was with great joy, therefore, that I suggested a route across a bridge he hadn't walked across before. It wasn't far from bits of the harbourside/Southville areas that he knew quite well but 15 minute walk had both of us buzzing with "street we've never walked down" excitement. The area isn't significantly different in character to the rest of the place but it still prompted us to look around at the area. All the while the boy was working out where he might be in relation to places he knows and then there's the payoff of arriving at the familiar. We've done this many, many times in Bristol.
Obviously, it's getting slightly harder as we both learn more about this city.
Nevertheless, he was craving a proper walk yesterday (you know, one with mud and trees) but didn't really want to rely on buses. So I found small wooded area in Brislington - which is an area I really know very well at all. Map and community group research done I described the general direction we were heading and how it related to other walks we've done.
We headed out along the Feeder via a slightly different route (via Moor Brewery and a railway bridge) and where the Feeder joins the River we headed into entirely new territory: St Anne's.
We had one false start when we saw a tree on a hill but, putting that behind us, we struck onto a pretty unpromising road system and then (as promised) found ourselves in the woods, next to a brook. Birdsong outweighed traffic in terms of volume and we schlurped along some muddy paths for about two miles or so. There's one slight hiatus as the woods are dissected by a road which means steep stairs back out of the wood, crossing a road, and finding another entrance to the next bit...but once in the next valley it was a real revelation. The day was heavy with fog which made the winter landscape all the more atmospheric. When we got to the end of the valley we headed towards more familiar territory and stopped for a break in Bocabar in Paintworks. The beer was good but the place has lost all but one of its cask pumps (which has Doom Bar) so it was a couple of pints of local (lovely)keg IPA to regroup. Also to mourn the place as a true beer destination for us.
I suggested that we head back to the Barley Mow by a slightly different route to that we'd normally take since we'd had a recent discussion about a turning from the A4 into the St Phillips Marsh area that he had never really noticed - so we walked that way.
The route is relatively uninteresting from a features point of view - and somewhat stinky since we had to pass the refuse facility. But we loved it! That's the point really - it was a different route and there's an exploratory sense of achievement. As we got closer to our part of St Phillips and he worked out where we were he was keen to try other streets we don't usually walk down.
We often discuss whether friends and family would enjoy our urban perambulations as much as we do - since they often take the gritty routes through areas of poverty and untidiness. I'm not entirely sure most of our pals would entirely get it which makes me feel blessed that my best buddy has such an appreciation of the unlikley and unloved bits of this city. Yes, we're motivated by beer as well as exploration but it's not a bad hobby as things go, eh?
Tuesday, 31 December 2019
Friday, 27 December 2019
Season's Drinking
We decided to hole up in our Bristol flat for the festive season.
This is as much to do with availability of beer as a feeling of getting away from other obligations.
As I've alluded to before, we're really not keen on loud crowds in pubs and we're very grumpy folk so are easily irritated by poor behaviour in other people. Thus December is a time of beer hell...except it wasn't this year.
We had been putting off making a decision about our travel day because of chores we needed to do and a train timetable change which promised a potential travel clusterfuck. In the end, we crammed final bits and pieces into a single day, arranged to swap presents with a helpful sister on our departure day and headed on the Thursday before Christmas.
It felt like a bit of a rush but we thought it was worth doing.
We arrived in Bristol at our usual late afternoon timing having had an uneventful journey and we figured that the Barley Mow would be unpleasantly heaving. We remembered "Cask Thursday" in the Moor Brewery tap so headed there instead thinking that it would be marginally quieter. Actually it was a lot quieter - and really nice. The cask "Galaxy of Mosaic" (or something like that) was superb - freshly tapped, perfect temperature and having travelled zero miles. Instant relaxation ensued.
Freezer provisions completed the day perfectly and set the scene.
We woke Friday to learn that we'd dodged a travel bullet - there was flooding and resulting chaos in Sussex.
We had some work to do and then some provisioning so we ambled into town and came back via The Volunteer. We reasoned that it's not that much of an after work pub and that, as such, it might just be bearable. It was. It had been solidly booked out from 6.30pm but for our duration it was pleasant, and welcoming and .... well ...very nice.
We'd arranged to meet brother and sister in law on Saturday morning and we'd agreed on Keynsham for brunch. It wasn't possible to linger in the Lounge but it was suggested we relocate to the Ship (which, it turned out, was closed) or the Trout (a pub I'd never been to). After a pretty unsatisfactory pint of Doombar we said our fond goodbyes. There only being one train an hour we had to time our departure carefully, so we decided to try The Bank. In fairness, it did have a better range of beer than anywhere else, but it was busy with revellers and football watchers so we just grabbed a quick half of Owd Rodger.
A quick aside about this beer. This was only the second time I'd ever had it - the first being some take out from The Anchor in High Offley on the Shropshire Union canal (a cult place, if ever there was one). I reckon it's stood the test of time better than Theakstone's Old Peculier or (to some extent) Harvey's Christmas beer (entirely based on the judgement of the native Sussexer in the house).
40 minutes later we were on a train back to Bristol and we went straight to The Barley Mow, thinking it would be quiet. It was and we had a chance to chat to Harry (the Manager) - he confirmed the pub had been utterly rammed the two previous days - so once again we had the sense of having bullet-dogded.
Sunday we wanted to pick up some canned beer from Moor so we popped around for a couple of pints and some cans - once again it was pleasantly peopled (maybe 2/3rd full?). We arrived back at the flat just as our grocery shopping arrived (about 10 mins early) and we counted it as another successful day.
We wanted to stretch our legs on Monday so we ambled up to North Street, really just wanting to visit the BBF Tap room. Again, we found ourselves in a space with sufficient people to make it lively but it wasn't rammed or noisy. Perfection (oh, and lovely beer an' all). Walking back via "Corks of North Street" we picked up a couple of bottles of nice wine and strolled home.
Christmas Eve we decided not to go out - the weather was quite grim but we figured that all the pubs we liked would be rammed and, in any case, most were closing quite early.
Christmas Day we returned to North Street, in glorious sunshine, having ascertained a week or so earlier, that The Old Bookshop would be open all day. It was glorious in there! The beer isn't the most exciting but there's always something worth having and we were very happy with our choices. Busy but space to sit with a really nice turnaround of punters means this place has it utterly nailed for us. It's not just the owners of the business, either. The balance of customers makes it perfect for us too.
Boxing Day means beer desert in the centre of town so we didn't venture out (also weather rubbish again) but we'll be heading out later today (once I can persuade him indoors that we really need some new bedding) and I have no doubt that beer will be happily on the cards.
I would like to point out at this stage that beer is not the ONLY thing we've been concentrating on. We've played games, we've read, we've done a bit of work, we've taken (film) photographs, we have a little media server project coming along nicely and we've relaxed more than we usually do.
I absolutely don't begrudge other people their festivities - it's just that I'm usually quite happy when the official season has passed and I can stop feeling like I *should* have been spending the season in other ways.
This is also the time I remind myself (and others) that pubs really need us in January once all the seasonal-only drinkers have departed and the healthy people are doing the "Dryanuary" thing (do it, by all means, but please don't try and make me feel bad about not doing it...).
This is as much to do with availability of beer as a feeling of getting away from other obligations.
As I've alluded to before, we're really not keen on loud crowds in pubs and we're very grumpy folk so are easily irritated by poor behaviour in other people. Thus December is a time of beer hell...except it wasn't this year.
We had been putting off making a decision about our travel day because of chores we needed to do and a train timetable change which promised a potential travel clusterfuck. In the end, we crammed final bits and pieces into a single day, arranged to swap presents with a helpful sister on our departure day and headed on the Thursday before Christmas.
It felt like a bit of a rush but we thought it was worth doing.
We arrived in Bristol at our usual late afternoon timing having had an uneventful journey and we figured that the Barley Mow would be unpleasantly heaving. We remembered "Cask Thursday" in the Moor Brewery tap so headed there instead thinking that it would be marginally quieter. Actually it was a lot quieter - and really nice. The cask "Galaxy of Mosaic" (or something like that) was superb - freshly tapped, perfect temperature and having travelled zero miles. Instant relaxation ensued.
Freezer provisions completed the day perfectly and set the scene.
We woke Friday to learn that we'd dodged a travel bullet - there was flooding and resulting chaos in Sussex.
We had some work to do and then some provisioning so we ambled into town and came back via The Volunteer. We reasoned that it's not that much of an after work pub and that, as such, it might just be bearable. It was. It had been solidly booked out from 6.30pm but for our duration it was pleasant, and welcoming and .... well ...very nice.
We'd arranged to meet brother and sister in law on Saturday morning and we'd agreed on Keynsham for brunch. It wasn't possible to linger in the Lounge but it was suggested we relocate to the Ship (which, it turned out, was closed) or the Trout (a pub I'd never been to). After a pretty unsatisfactory pint of Doombar we said our fond goodbyes. There only being one train an hour we had to time our departure carefully, so we decided to try The Bank. In fairness, it did have a better range of beer than anywhere else, but it was busy with revellers and football watchers so we just grabbed a quick half of Owd Rodger.
A quick aside about this beer. This was only the second time I'd ever had it - the first being some take out from The Anchor in High Offley on the Shropshire Union canal (a cult place, if ever there was one). I reckon it's stood the test of time better than Theakstone's Old Peculier or (to some extent) Harvey's Christmas beer (entirely based on the judgement of the native Sussexer in the house).
40 minutes later we were on a train back to Bristol and we went straight to The Barley Mow, thinking it would be quiet. It was and we had a chance to chat to Harry (the Manager) - he confirmed the pub had been utterly rammed the two previous days - so once again we had the sense of having bullet-dogded.
Sunday we wanted to pick up some canned beer from Moor so we popped around for a couple of pints and some cans - once again it was pleasantly peopled (maybe 2/3rd full?). We arrived back at the flat just as our grocery shopping arrived (about 10 mins early) and we counted it as another successful day.
We wanted to stretch our legs on Monday so we ambled up to North Street, really just wanting to visit the BBF Tap room. Again, we found ourselves in a space with sufficient people to make it lively but it wasn't rammed or noisy. Perfection (oh, and lovely beer an' all). Walking back via "Corks of North Street" we picked up a couple of bottles of nice wine and strolled home.
Christmas Eve we decided not to go out - the weather was quite grim but we figured that all the pubs we liked would be rammed and, in any case, most were closing quite early.
Christmas Day we returned to North Street, in glorious sunshine, having ascertained a week or so earlier, that The Old Bookshop would be open all day. It was glorious in there! The beer isn't the most exciting but there's always something worth having and we were very happy with our choices. Busy but space to sit with a really nice turnaround of punters means this place has it utterly nailed for us. It's not just the owners of the business, either. The balance of customers makes it perfect for us too.
Boxing Day means beer desert in the centre of town so we didn't venture out (also weather rubbish again) but we'll be heading out later today (once I can persuade him indoors that we really need some new bedding) and I have no doubt that beer will be happily on the cards.
I would like to point out at this stage that beer is not the ONLY thing we've been concentrating on. We've played games, we've read, we've done a bit of work, we've taken (film) photographs, we have a little media server project coming along nicely and we've relaxed more than we usually do.
I absolutely don't begrudge other people their festivities - it's just that I'm usually quite happy when the official season has passed and I can stop feeling like I *should* have been spending the season in other ways.
This is also the time I remind myself (and others) that pubs really need us in January once all the seasonal-only drinkers have departed and the healthy people are doing the "Dryanuary" thing (do it, by all means, but please don't try and make me feel bad about not doing it...).
Monday, 2 December 2019
...and we're back
It's telling that most of my posts in this blog tend to be about trips away from Eastbourne.
It's not that you can't get good beer in Eastbourne - it's more that it's harder to find interesting beer in Eastbourne.
We have a few pubs we go to most weeks: Crown, Lamb, Eagle.
We have a few pubs/bars we go to every couple of weeks: Bottle Grove, Hurst Arms, Dolphin, Victoria, Belgian Bar.
...and that's pretty much it.
When time (and aches and pains) allow - there are the out of town places: Tiger, Plough and Harrow
After that you're talking about an excursion to Lewes, Hastings or Brighton for a bit of variety.
We've just come back from a week in Bristol and although we didn't go anywhere new, we reprised several places we've not been for a goodly while: Small Bar, Moor Brewery Tap, Seven Stars, GBrothers, Cornubia, Lime Kiln as well as those places we almost never neglect: Barley Mow (obvs), King Street Brewery.
This time we missed out the whole North Street run (Steam Crane, Old Book Shop, Tobacco Factory, BBF tap room), The other tap rooms, the Oxford, and the Orchard even though we had planned a cider hit. This is it - there's simply so much variety and availability that it's pretty much impossible to get tired of places...even if on the day you go in, the choice of beers doesn't happen to be ideal for you.
What Eastbourne is really lacking is a pub that does a moderate (say 4 or so) cask beers with a few genuinely craft keg beers (no, Goose Island, Shipbuilders and Malthouse really, really doesn't cut it) just to shake things up a little.
I guess it's as much down to the local clientele who maybe don't have much of an appetite for change (see the sheer quantity of 6X sold in the Crown), a sort of Harveys stranglehold and, what I assume is some quite fierce price-sensitivity.
Anyhow now it's December, all pubs everywhere will be starting to get unbearably busy with people who seldom go into pubs annoying everyone else so I'm looking forward to January when pubs really need us...and we're happy to (quietly) oblige!
It's not that you can't get good beer in Eastbourne - it's more that it's harder to find interesting beer in Eastbourne.
We have a few pubs we go to most weeks: Crown, Lamb, Eagle.
We have a few pubs/bars we go to every couple of weeks: Bottle Grove, Hurst Arms, Dolphin, Victoria, Belgian Bar.
...and that's pretty much it.
When time (and aches and pains) allow - there are the out of town places: Tiger, Plough and Harrow
After that you're talking about an excursion to Lewes, Hastings or Brighton for a bit of variety.
We've just come back from a week in Bristol and although we didn't go anywhere new, we reprised several places we've not been for a goodly while: Small Bar, Moor Brewery Tap, Seven Stars, GBrothers, Cornubia, Lime Kiln as well as those places we almost never neglect: Barley Mow (obvs), King Street Brewery.
This time we missed out the whole North Street run (Steam Crane, Old Book Shop, Tobacco Factory, BBF tap room), The other tap rooms, the Oxford, and the Orchard even though we had planned a cider hit. This is it - there's simply so much variety and availability that it's pretty much impossible to get tired of places...even if on the day you go in, the choice of beers doesn't happen to be ideal for you.
What Eastbourne is really lacking is a pub that does a moderate (say 4 or so) cask beers with a few genuinely craft keg beers (no, Goose Island, Shipbuilders and Malthouse really, really doesn't cut it) just to shake things up a little.
I guess it's as much down to the local clientele who maybe don't have much of an appetite for change (see the sheer quantity of 6X sold in the Crown), a sort of Harveys stranglehold and, what I assume is some quite fierce price-sensitivity.
Anyhow now it's December, all pubs everywhere will be starting to get unbearably busy with people who seldom go into pubs annoying everyone else so I'm looking forward to January when pubs really need us...and we're happy to (quietly) oblige!
Wednesday, 30 October 2019
Grounded
Our plan was to make the most of a day without rain forecast so we were going to get on a bus to Ashton Gate, walk over to Ashton Court and wander around the woods for a bit before retiring to a pub (or two) in North Street.
As it was, neither us were quite in the zone for extended time in the cold. So we elected to be "less ambitious" and we donned a couple of extra layers and strolled up the river towards Bedminster (not Bedmo, or Bemmie but possibly "bemminster" if you're a local).
It's a couple of miles of ambling and we do what we always do - notice things, conjecture about things and generally enjoy the streetscape almost as much as nature.
We walked up Bedminster Parade and East Street and noted that, despite more buildings being turned over to residential developments, the area still looks rather tired and run down, barring a few little interesting gems.
Then around the corner into North Street. We noted that the Steam Crane appeared to have more interesting beer on than the last time we passed, but we didn't stop this time. We also saw that the Hare has disappeared to become some sort of wine bar place (no great loss) and then we were at the Old Bookshop.
This is a prime example of not judging a lack lustre place without visiting it at least a couple of times: the first time we went here (several years ago) the beer was dull and not very well kept. Then, last Christmas we happened on it and it was terrific. In the summer we popped in and were very happy with it so we were hopeful. We were not disappointed - Nor'hop on Cask (yummy), Weeerd on keg (similarly delicious) and then a couple of cheeky halves - him:"not now cato" a sour beer and me "clwb tropicana". Just lovely.
Staff were quietly friendly and efficient. Other patrons were considerate and none too noisy. All in all, as good an experience and choice of beers as we could have hoped for.
We'll definitely be back, since it's certainly our sort of place.
As it was, neither us were quite in the zone for extended time in the cold. So we elected to be "less ambitious" and we donned a couple of extra layers and strolled up the river towards Bedminster (not Bedmo, or Bemmie but possibly "bemminster" if you're a local).
It's a couple of miles of ambling and we do what we always do - notice things, conjecture about things and generally enjoy the streetscape almost as much as nature.
We walked up Bedminster Parade and East Street and noted that, despite more buildings being turned over to residential developments, the area still looks rather tired and run down, barring a few little interesting gems.
Then around the corner into North Street. We noted that the Steam Crane appeared to have more interesting beer on than the last time we passed, but we didn't stop this time. We also saw that the Hare has disappeared to become some sort of wine bar place (no great loss) and then we were at the Old Bookshop.
This is a prime example of not judging a lack lustre place without visiting it at least a couple of times: the first time we went here (several years ago) the beer was dull and not very well kept. Then, last Christmas we happened on it and it was terrific. In the summer we popped in and were very happy with it so we were hopeful. We were not disappointed - Nor'hop on Cask (yummy), Weeerd on keg (similarly delicious) and then a couple of cheeky halves - him:"not now cato" a sour beer and me "clwb tropicana". Just lovely.
Staff were quietly friendly and efficient. Other patrons were considerate and none too noisy. All in all, as good an experience and choice of beers as we could have hoped for.
We'll definitely be back, since it's certainly our sort of place.
Tuesday, 29 October 2019
Homeward Bound
A few weeks ago I heard an interview with the parents of an England rugby player. It made me immediately, and immensely homesick.
They were from Knowle West in south Bristol and, although I'm not actually from that specific part of the city, My family are from the south side of Bristol and that accent is very evocative.
We hadn't been up to Bristol for a little while and although I do love living in Sussex, it's not the same.
So after a busy day of gardening, packing up the house and lunch with family, via a few miles' walking, we find ourselves at the station to head north.
Travelling on a Sunday is never the optimum way and Sunday evening even less so...but we got seats, and we made the journey in 4 hours which isn't at all bad.
We arrived at the flat at 9pm with that lovely feeling that we could chill for a couple of hours before going to bed and the journey was done. I slept better than I have for weeks.
Yesterday, we did our usual levels of (laptop-based) work whilst looking out at the city from our 10th floor eyrie.
Then we ambled around the corner to the Barley Mow (of course). The selection of beer was good and the fire was lit. After about 40 minutes, the bar manager arrived, saw us and gave us a really cheery wave and asked how we were. (I guess, I haven't seen him for 3 months). Yep, I was home.
Then one of our friends, who also lives just around the corner, popped in to make reservations for the quiz on Tuesday - so he stopped and we had food and drinks and caught up.
Utterly delightful!
I wouldn't normally think of myself as particularly tied to a place - but even though I no longer have work to do here in Bristol (it might be tempting to find some) and I love having a home in a seaside town, Bristol is the place I feel most at home.
What's even nicer is when Best Beer Buddy says to friend in the pub last night: "...as the train draws into the station in Bristol, I always feel immensely happy..."
Yep.
They were from Knowle West in south Bristol and, although I'm not actually from that specific part of the city, My family are from the south side of Bristol and that accent is very evocative.
We hadn't been up to Bristol for a little while and although I do love living in Sussex, it's not the same.
So after a busy day of gardening, packing up the house and lunch with family, via a few miles' walking, we find ourselves at the station to head north.
Travelling on a Sunday is never the optimum way and Sunday evening even less so...but we got seats, and we made the journey in 4 hours which isn't at all bad.
We arrived at the flat at 9pm with that lovely feeling that we could chill for a couple of hours before going to bed and the journey was done. I slept better than I have for weeks.
Yesterday, we did our usual levels of (laptop-based) work whilst looking out at the city from our 10th floor eyrie.
Then we ambled around the corner to the Barley Mow (of course). The selection of beer was good and the fire was lit. After about 40 minutes, the bar manager arrived, saw us and gave us a really cheery wave and asked how we were. (I guess, I haven't seen him for 3 months). Yep, I was home.
Then one of our friends, who also lives just around the corner, popped in to make reservations for the quiz on Tuesday - so he stopped and we had food and drinks and caught up.
Utterly delightful!
I wouldn't normally think of myself as particularly tied to a place - but even though I no longer have work to do here in Bristol (it might be tempting to find some) and I love having a home in a seaside town, Bristol is the place I feel most at home.
What's even nicer is when Best Beer Buddy says to friend in the pub last night: "...as the train draws into the station in Bristol, I always feel immensely happy..."
Yep.
Friday, 4 October 2019
On a Trip to Thanet
We like to take a holiday in the early autumn.
Kids have gone back to school. The weather is cooler. There are fewer visitors around.
If you're lucky, there's a chance of an autumn storm.
We like the coast (the sound of waves as I drift off to sleep is pretty much the best thing in the world) and, of course, we like beer.
We also like architecture and interesting town planning.
So this autumn we headed to Thanet -that odd little bulge atop the pointy bit of East Kent.
This is the home of the micropub and, of course, the oasthouse.
We rented a cottage on the seafront at Ramsgate.
Like many resorts, Ramsgate is a little tired and run down. Closed shops abound. Derelict building sites pepper the town and you can see loads of evidence of poverty and homelessness.
On the plus side, there are many beautiful buildings which are great to wander amongst.
When we arrived we had an hour to kill before we could pick up the keys to the cottage so we made tracks to the "Hovelling Boat": a micropub near the harbour.
We were greeted enthusiastically by the lady serving and she'd soon brought us a couple of local pints (Gadd Green Hop and Margate IPA) which were very nice.
The other folk in the pub were clearly regulars.
We only had time for one but vowed to come back (we did another 3 times).
Venturing out later we walked up to the Montifiore Arms - a small corner local (also in the GBG). It was pleasant but the beer choices were a little limited. Once again, we enjoyed a single pint and then left.
One of the good things of the new CAMRA app is that it will list all drinking establishments so you can read the descriptions and make your own mind up if you might like to try it. So we tried the Ravensgate Inn which promised craft beers.
The beers were good, but it being Friday, it was quite noisy and busy so we drank our pints and went around the corner to the supermarket to pick up provisions and go back to the cottage.
The next day was spent ambling around the harbour, enjoying the industrial nature of parts of it. Ascending "Jacob's Ladder" from the far reach of the harbour up to the top of the cliff road we decided to try the other Micropub in the GBG "Conqueror". Again, this was clearly a place that has its own clientele and there seems to be an expectation that all patrons join in the conversations. In addition, it has to be said that the choices of beer "Betty Stogs" and "Muggy Porter" weren't really what we were hoping for. Nevertheless we stayed for a pint, joined in the conversation and walked some more.
Admiring regency terraces and intriguing public buildings we made our way to the Admiralty. Another traditional corner pub. The beer was a little more interesting here: 5 or 6 beers, including one from Oakham and we enjoyed a quiet pint at the back of the pub.
As we hadn't eaten properly, we decided on an early dinner and relax in our cottage.
Our plan was always to visit the other resorts in Thanet: Margate and Broadstairs.
To be honest, the story was pretty much the same in all of them - relatively narrow range of cask ales available and nothing to scare the horses.
Decent beer was easy to find. Great beer elusive.
Probably the Chapel in Broadstairs and a pub in Margate (I forget the name) - which are sister pubs offered the best beer but there was no establishment that we visited that we really wanted to linger and return to.
We weren't that surprised, to be honest, but we were both secretly hoping for more.
No matter. We had a lovely holiday - minor illnesses notwithstanding - with our usual balance of much walking, staring at the tide coming in and out and that sort of thing.
Now we're wondering when we can get back up to Bristol to recharge the hipster-beer-batteries...
Kids have gone back to school. The weather is cooler. There are fewer visitors around.
If you're lucky, there's a chance of an autumn storm.
We like the coast (the sound of waves as I drift off to sleep is pretty much the best thing in the world) and, of course, we like beer.
We also like architecture and interesting town planning.
So this autumn we headed to Thanet -that odd little bulge atop the pointy bit of East Kent.
This is the home of the micropub and, of course, the oasthouse.
We rented a cottage on the seafront at Ramsgate.
Like many resorts, Ramsgate is a little tired and run down. Closed shops abound. Derelict building sites pepper the town and you can see loads of evidence of poverty and homelessness.
On the plus side, there are many beautiful buildings which are great to wander amongst.
When we arrived we had an hour to kill before we could pick up the keys to the cottage so we made tracks to the "Hovelling Boat": a micropub near the harbour.
We were greeted enthusiastically by the lady serving and she'd soon brought us a couple of local pints (Gadd Green Hop and Margate IPA) which were very nice.
The other folk in the pub were clearly regulars.
We only had time for one but vowed to come back (we did another 3 times).
Venturing out later we walked up to the Montifiore Arms - a small corner local (also in the GBG). It was pleasant but the beer choices were a little limited. Once again, we enjoyed a single pint and then left.
One of the good things of the new CAMRA app is that it will list all drinking establishments so you can read the descriptions and make your own mind up if you might like to try it. So we tried the Ravensgate Inn which promised craft beers.
The beers were good, but it being Friday, it was quite noisy and busy so we drank our pints and went around the corner to the supermarket to pick up provisions and go back to the cottage.
The next day was spent ambling around the harbour, enjoying the industrial nature of parts of it. Ascending "Jacob's Ladder" from the far reach of the harbour up to the top of the cliff road we decided to try the other Micropub in the GBG "Conqueror". Again, this was clearly a place that has its own clientele and there seems to be an expectation that all patrons join in the conversations. In addition, it has to be said that the choices of beer "Betty Stogs" and "Muggy Porter" weren't really what we were hoping for. Nevertheless we stayed for a pint, joined in the conversation and walked some more.
Admiring regency terraces and intriguing public buildings we made our way to the Admiralty. Another traditional corner pub. The beer was a little more interesting here: 5 or 6 beers, including one from Oakham and we enjoyed a quiet pint at the back of the pub.
As we hadn't eaten properly, we decided on an early dinner and relax in our cottage.
Our plan was always to visit the other resorts in Thanet: Margate and Broadstairs.
To be honest, the story was pretty much the same in all of them - relatively narrow range of cask ales available and nothing to scare the horses.
Decent beer was easy to find. Great beer elusive.
Probably the Chapel in Broadstairs and a pub in Margate (I forget the name) - which are sister pubs offered the best beer but there was no establishment that we visited that we really wanted to linger and return to.
We weren't that surprised, to be honest, but we were both secretly hoping for more.
No matter. We had a lovely holiday - minor illnesses notwithstanding - with our usual balance of much walking, staring at the tide coming in and out and that sort of thing.
Now we're wondering when we can get back up to Bristol to recharge the hipster-beer-batteries...
Sunday, 28 July 2019
Tap Dancing
We were on a mission, this trip.
We'd asked the lovely Gregor, from our bottle shop in Eastbourne, which of the Bristol breweries we could list was he aware of. The man's a complete beer geek and so knew a lot of them (Moor, BBF, Wiper and True, LHG, Arbor...) but there were a few he hadn't heard of.
One brewery doesn't have a taproom yet (Incredible) and one we weren't particularly interested in visiting having had some of their beer a day or so earlier (it wasn't bad beer, just not to our taste).
So we planned to visit some other taprooms we hadn't yet made our way to and see if we could also find a can or two for Greg.
Friday evening we popped around to Croft Ales - now we've been here before but as we were in the area it seemed rude not to reprise. It's a very basic set up but the staff are smiley and the beer's good. A couple of pints down we also managed to pick up a can of their APA (we really wanted BS2 purely for the name but they were out...).
After that, we strolled the quarter mile or so to the New Bristol Brewery. Again, we know this place since we attended a brewing course a couple of years earlier, but it's still a friendly, jolly place. Beer was great - no cans available though, sadly.
We can't manage more drinking than that so then it was home for food.
Yesterday, post-Tour, we went for a pleasant stroll to St Werburghs. I have to admit this isn't a walk that everyone would enjoy. It's a little run down and unloved part of town and along the course of the river that's overgrown, alongside old industrial buildings. Pretty, it's not. But it's very grounding.
The walk leads you to a junction of the M32, and you have to navigate a large junction roundabout. The boy was confident that he could navigate to the first brewery: Fierce and Noble. We couldn't remember having had their beers but we know they've been around for a few years.
Having crossed the big roundabout, we weren't certain where we were but Best Beer Buddy said, "it should be really close to where we are now". And then we looked up and lo, it was indeed.
The taproom snug has been beautifully done - warm wood, dark, comfy chairs. It was warm and sunny, though so we chose the outside seating area. We bought our beers and picked up a loyalty card (how awesome is that?) - and settled down on a slightly rickety seat/bench made from pallets. The outside is a basic set up - it's a brewery yard, after all, but it was chilled and welcoming. We also watched the contract canners do their work. Again, we drank 4 pints between us: an APA, a Brown Ale, a black IPA and a modern hazy number by the smaller brewery which shares their premises (Masquerade) all of the them were great. We stopped to purchase a can of Black IPA and headed off to our last brewery of the day - Wiper and True.
To say that W&T was a different experience would be to totally understate. The two breweries are no more than a quarter mile apart from each other. Both are in industrial buildings, both have indoor and outdoor space but nothing else about them are similar.
W&T are slick and practiced in their hipsterness. The outside seating was already full and the clientele were subtly different to those in F&N.
There was a food truck selling Japanese street food.
We went inside to get beer - staff were friendly but not overly enthusuastic.
We found a pleasant indoor seat next to a FV and enjoyed the view of the brewery kit and enjoyed the DJ who set up just across the way and did a brilliant job of mixing music that you could listen to but not be distracted by.
Of course the beer was good - it's Wiper and True - and I was intrigued that my first beer was from "the tank"
The number of people and the atmosphere was so different from F&N, despite being so close, that we spent some time musing on the reason for that. We didn't come to any firm conclusion other than it's got a more cult reputation than F&N.
Unsurprisingly, although we really enjoyed being there, we definitely preferred the atmosphere of Fierce and Noble.
It was quite late when we left so we knew we needed to eat on the way back - so we stumbled into Cauldron to check it out. We were not disappointed. They had good beers on tap but we decided to drink wine. Staff wer friendly, menu was short but intriguing and portions were just right for us (shared starter, two mains) and we left feeling pleasantly full but not stuffed.
After that, it was time to stagger off home the mile and a half or so and go to bed.
When I woke up this morning I was still smiling at what an enjoyable night out it was.
We'd asked the lovely Gregor, from our bottle shop in Eastbourne, which of the Bristol breweries we could list was he aware of. The man's a complete beer geek and so knew a lot of them (Moor, BBF, Wiper and True, LHG, Arbor...) but there were a few he hadn't heard of.
One brewery doesn't have a taproom yet (Incredible) and one we weren't particularly interested in visiting having had some of their beer a day or so earlier (it wasn't bad beer, just not to our taste).
So we planned to visit some other taprooms we hadn't yet made our way to and see if we could also find a can or two for Greg.
Friday evening we popped around to Croft Ales - now we've been here before but as we were in the area it seemed rude not to reprise. It's a very basic set up but the staff are smiley and the beer's good. A couple of pints down we also managed to pick up a can of their APA (we really wanted BS2 purely for the name but they were out...).
After that, we strolled the quarter mile or so to the New Bristol Brewery. Again, we know this place since we attended a brewing course a couple of years earlier, but it's still a friendly, jolly place. Beer was great - no cans available though, sadly.
We can't manage more drinking than that so then it was home for food.
Yesterday, post-Tour, we went for a pleasant stroll to St Werburghs. I have to admit this isn't a walk that everyone would enjoy. It's a little run down and unloved part of town and along the course of the river that's overgrown, alongside old industrial buildings. Pretty, it's not. But it's very grounding.
The walk leads you to a junction of the M32, and you have to navigate a large junction roundabout. The boy was confident that he could navigate to the first brewery: Fierce and Noble. We couldn't remember having had their beers but we know they've been around for a few years.
Having crossed the big roundabout, we weren't certain where we were but Best Beer Buddy said, "it should be really close to where we are now". And then we looked up and lo, it was indeed.
The taproom snug has been beautifully done - warm wood, dark, comfy chairs. It was warm and sunny, though so we chose the outside seating area. We bought our beers and picked up a loyalty card (how awesome is that?) - and settled down on a slightly rickety seat/bench made from pallets. The outside is a basic set up - it's a brewery yard, after all, but it was chilled and welcoming. We also watched the contract canners do their work. Again, we drank 4 pints between us: an APA, a Brown Ale, a black IPA and a modern hazy number by the smaller brewery which shares their premises (Masquerade) all of the them were great. We stopped to purchase a can of Black IPA and headed off to our last brewery of the day - Wiper and True.
To say that W&T was a different experience would be to totally understate. The two breweries are no more than a quarter mile apart from each other. Both are in industrial buildings, both have indoor and outdoor space but nothing else about them are similar.
W&T are slick and practiced in their hipsterness. The outside seating was already full and the clientele were subtly different to those in F&N.
There was a food truck selling Japanese street food.
We went inside to get beer - staff were friendly but not overly enthusuastic.
We found a pleasant indoor seat next to a FV and enjoyed the view of the brewery kit and enjoyed the DJ who set up just across the way and did a brilliant job of mixing music that you could listen to but not be distracted by.
Of course the beer was good - it's Wiper and True - and I was intrigued that my first beer was from "the tank"
The number of people and the atmosphere was so different from F&N, despite being so close, that we spent some time musing on the reason for that. We didn't come to any firm conclusion other than it's got a more cult reputation than F&N.
Unsurprisingly, although we really enjoyed being there, we definitely preferred the atmosphere of Fierce and Noble.
It was quite late when we left so we knew we needed to eat on the way back - so we stumbled into Cauldron to check it out. We were not disappointed. They had good beers on tap but we decided to drink wine. Staff wer friendly, menu was short but intriguing and portions were just right for us (shared starter, two mains) and we left feeling pleasantly full but not stuffed.
After that, it was time to stagger off home the mile and a half or so and go to bed.
When I woke up this morning I was still smiling at what an enjoyable night out it was.
Tuesday, 23 July 2019
New Dispense Method?
So, yesterday afternoon, we decided to try out the newest of new beer places that have opened in Bristol - the Left Handed Giant brewery/bar.
We tried it on a Monday since every other time we'd gone past it had been heaving so we thought our best chance would be 4pm on a Monday.
There were loads of people there but no problem getting a seat. To be absolutely honest, it was almost painfully hipsterish but, I guess that's no real surprise.
Like LHG's other main outlet (Small Bar) it's a card only affair. I didn't see the notice until the last minute (a chalked sign underneath and identical chalked sign with the name of a drink on it...so easy to miss) but I half expected it so I wasn't tripped up by it.
They had 20 or so beers from something like 6 different breweries on tap but no cask. That said, they are nothing if not explicit about their dispense methods since along with the name of the beer, the ABV and the price (all arranged into groups by beer style) the sign tells you whether it comes from keg, key keg or "tank".
We stuck to two of LHG's own brews (which are the ones served from a tank) and it has to be said both of us noticed the slight difference in texture between keg and tank. We liked its slightly less fizzy texture.
We really enjoyed the beers. We quite liked the large open space with broad doors which open onto a terrace so even inside you feel sort of outside.
The pizzas looked interesting but we weren't in the market for food at the time.
Did we really enjoy it? To be honest, not as much as I'd hoped.
Like Small Bar the prices are very high so a 4% beer comes in at about 3.50 for 2/3rds - and that's for their own beer. This absolutely isn't a criticism - they can charge whatever they want/need - but it does figure in our decision as to where we want drink beer. So it simply means we won't go there as much as we might if the prices were a little lower.
As the Best Beer Buddy said - the nice range of strong beers available, and its proximity to home might mean we'll treat it as a "night cap" kind of place.
All in all, like many other place, I love that it exists. It add colour to the local eating and drinking scene.
Well done LHG
We tried it on a Monday since every other time we'd gone past it had been heaving so we thought our best chance would be 4pm on a Monday.
There were loads of people there but no problem getting a seat. To be absolutely honest, it was almost painfully hipsterish but, I guess that's no real surprise.
Like LHG's other main outlet (Small Bar) it's a card only affair. I didn't see the notice until the last minute (a chalked sign underneath and identical chalked sign with the name of a drink on it...so easy to miss) but I half expected it so I wasn't tripped up by it.
They had 20 or so beers from something like 6 different breweries on tap but no cask. That said, they are nothing if not explicit about their dispense methods since along with the name of the beer, the ABV and the price (all arranged into groups by beer style) the sign tells you whether it comes from keg, key keg or "tank".
We stuck to two of LHG's own brews (which are the ones served from a tank) and it has to be said both of us noticed the slight difference in texture between keg and tank. We liked its slightly less fizzy texture.
We really enjoyed the beers. We quite liked the large open space with broad doors which open onto a terrace so even inside you feel sort of outside.
The pizzas looked interesting but we weren't in the market for food at the time.
Did we really enjoy it? To be honest, not as much as I'd hoped.
Like Small Bar the prices are very high so a 4% beer comes in at about 3.50 for 2/3rds - and that's for their own beer. This absolutely isn't a criticism - they can charge whatever they want/need - but it does figure in our decision as to where we want drink beer. So it simply means we won't go there as much as we might if the prices were a little lower.
As the Best Beer Buddy said - the nice range of strong beers available, and its proximity to home might mean we'll treat it as a "night cap" kind of place.
All in all, like many other place, I love that it exists. It add colour to the local eating and drinking scene.
Well done LHG
Sunday, 21 July 2019
The World Does Not Revolve Around You!
This is somewhat related to the previous post and somewhat to other posts when I grumble about other people's behaviour.
I'd like to think I'm a fairly public spirited sort of lass. Whilst not naturally outgoing, I try and ensure my interactions with people are pleasant, tolerant and maybe even friendly (actually, you might not be able to tell I'm being friendly, you need to set your bar a little higher for me).
I've mentioned before our dislike of tables being booked in pubs. It's not that I don't understand it - but I believe it can totally disrupt the nature of a good pub. If you don't allow booking of tables, but you make sure your furniture lends itself to multiple configurations you offer the chance to pack a place a little bit tighter and it encourages people to share their table with strangers.
Anyhow.
As is our wont on Friday arriving at the Bristol digs late in the afternoon, all we really want to do is stroll around to the Barleymow, grab a couple of good pints and have dinner brought to us (shopping is being delivered next day and the only food shop near the flat is a pretty dire Tesco Express).
When we arrived it wasn't very busy but three tables had been booked. One from 4.30pm, one from 7pm and the third from 7.30.
The 4.30 table was empty...but it was already 4.45. "It's for the Bristol Hoppers Group" says Harry. This is a paid-for event where a group of folk are taken for a walk and a drink in various pubs.
We sat at a larger table which was booked from 7pm - we guessed another table would come free before we wanted to eat and so this didn't stress (or even annoy) us at all.
We looked over to the third booked table (booked from 7.30) which is a table which can easily sit six but it was currently occupied by just two people who spread themselves out in a most un-community-minded manner. We tutted sotto voce.
At about 6.15 a smaller table adjacent to ours emptied and we quickly grabbed it. Another group had grabbed the 7.30 table when the "spreaders" departed but they fretted a bit about the booked table.
We ordered some food and another pint.
By 7.30 - the 7pm table was still stubbornly empty and even 10 minutes or so later the 7.30 table was empty (the squatters having moved to another table which became free). Another couple slunk to the empty table and sat at the end looking guilty.
In the end both tables were filled by just before 8pm by their respective bookers. I don't know whether the "Hoppers" ever appeared.
On Saturday we went to the Three Tuns. This is an odd pub which never really feels quite satisfactory and this feeling was amplified by the presence of garish "tablecloths" on the tables (WTF?) presumably to complement the TexMex offering.
Again there were three tables booked (this time all in one name) which took up more than 3/4s of the table seating. We couldn't decide whether to order food or not but, in the long run decided not. As we left at 7.15pm we noticed that the booked tables had been booked for 6pm.
I get miffed because a booked table might mean I can't sit down (this means I drink quicker...) but my concern is much more for the business. When you don't turn up, or you turn up late for your table it might well affect their business. It can put off other customers from staying and can make a pub feel sterile and unwelcoming. For goodness sake, if you book a table, have the decency to arrive on time.
And while I'm about it - if you're sitting near the bar, or if you have to pass the bar on your way out take your bloody glasses back! All it takes is a little bit of consideration for your fellow humans.
I'd like to think I'm a fairly public spirited sort of lass. Whilst not naturally outgoing, I try and ensure my interactions with people are pleasant, tolerant and maybe even friendly (actually, you might not be able to tell I'm being friendly, you need to set your bar a little higher for me).
I've mentioned before our dislike of tables being booked in pubs. It's not that I don't understand it - but I believe it can totally disrupt the nature of a good pub. If you don't allow booking of tables, but you make sure your furniture lends itself to multiple configurations you offer the chance to pack a place a little bit tighter and it encourages people to share their table with strangers.
Anyhow.
As is our wont on Friday arriving at the Bristol digs late in the afternoon, all we really want to do is stroll around to the Barleymow, grab a couple of good pints and have dinner brought to us (shopping is being delivered next day and the only food shop near the flat is a pretty dire Tesco Express).
When we arrived it wasn't very busy but three tables had been booked. One from 4.30pm, one from 7pm and the third from 7.30.
The 4.30 table was empty...but it was already 4.45. "It's for the Bristol Hoppers Group" says Harry. This is a paid-for event where a group of folk are taken for a walk and a drink in various pubs.
We sat at a larger table which was booked from 7pm - we guessed another table would come free before we wanted to eat and so this didn't stress (or even annoy) us at all.
We looked over to the third booked table (booked from 7.30) which is a table which can easily sit six but it was currently occupied by just two people who spread themselves out in a most un-community-minded manner. We tutted sotto voce.
At about 6.15 a smaller table adjacent to ours emptied and we quickly grabbed it. Another group had grabbed the 7.30 table when the "spreaders" departed but they fretted a bit about the booked table.
We ordered some food and another pint.
By 7.30 - the 7pm table was still stubbornly empty and even 10 minutes or so later the 7.30 table was empty (the squatters having moved to another table which became free). Another couple slunk to the empty table and sat at the end looking guilty.
In the end both tables were filled by just before 8pm by their respective bookers. I don't know whether the "Hoppers" ever appeared.
On Saturday we went to the Three Tuns. This is an odd pub which never really feels quite satisfactory and this feeling was amplified by the presence of garish "tablecloths" on the tables (WTF?) presumably to complement the TexMex offering.
Again there were three tables booked (this time all in one name) which took up more than 3/4s of the table seating. We couldn't decide whether to order food or not but, in the long run decided not. As we left at 7.15pm we noticed that the booked tables had been booked for 6pm.
I get miffed because a booked table might mean I can't sit down (this means I drink quicker...) but my concern is much more for the business. When you don't turn up, or you turn up late for your table it might well affect their business. It can put off other customers from staying and can make a pub feel sterile and unwelcoming. For goodness sake, if you book a table, have the decency to arrive on time.
And while I'm about it - if you're sitting near the bar, or if you have to pass the bar on your way out take your bloody glasses back! All it takes is a little bit of consideration for your fellow humans.
Monday, 10 June 2019
A Sobering Reminder...
Reading my Twitter feed and news and seeing restaurant chains, and much-loved neighbourhood venues closing in the face of financial pressures want me to remind myself, if no one else, that businesses are very much a "lose it or use it" affair.
The social enterprise I run (which is, surprisingly, nothing to do with beer - much more with teaching kids to code...which is why I need the beer) is faced with the self-same problem.
You start a new thing and people love it.
People come in and they tell their friends how awesome it is.
Their friends come in to see what all the fuss is about.
Their friends love it and they tell their friends who come in to see what all the fuss it about...and so on.
They give it great reviews on Twitter, on Facebook and any other platforms you happen to be active in.
But, in the face of financial pressure, or maybe the novelty wears off or maybe a similar thing is available cheaper or nearer, or whatever...they don't come in regularly. They just assume you'll always be there for them since, in the heady days of discovery, it was always really busy and getting was hard because it was so busy.
And so there are fewer people "discovering" it because there are fewer people who haven't discovered it yet. So the buzz goes. Then the customers dry up.
When the customers dry up, the business becomes unsustainable and so it stops. Then everyone bemoans the lack of that facility.
That facility can be a restaurant, a pub, a bookshop, a camera shop, an after-school club organisation, or anything that has a physical presence, really.
We all do it. We all "mean to go back" but never get around to it.
We probably didn't want the perceived hassle of going into this place we perceive as really busy, or we're busy trying the next new thing, or maybe life has just moved on and it doesn't suit our needs any more.
We went to the Barleymow yesterday (Sunday) evening for a couple of pints and learned that it had been so busy the day before and for Sunday lunchtime that they'd run out of several beers and hadn't had time to change them over. Also, that they were going to close at 8pm because pretty much no one goes into the pub at that time on a Sunday.
We know we're guilty of grumbling when a pub we love is really busy at a particular time we happen to choose to go in. We try and check ourselves, but we don't always manage it.
But we've started to make a real effort to frequent places when they'll be open, but less busy. We also try, when a restaurant we like apologises for not having any available tables, to tell them that we're delighted they're busy and we'll be back when it's quieter.
So - don't forget that thing you love (be it shop, pub, restaurant or other service) and assume it'll always be there for you - you need to be there for it too!
The social enterprise I run (which is, surprisingly, nothing to do with beer - much more with teaching kids to code...which is why I need the beer) is faced with the self-same problem.
You start a new thing and people love it.
People come in and they tell their friends how awesome it is.
Their friends come in to see what all the fuss is about.
Their friends love it and they tell their friends who come in to see what all the fuss it about...and so on.
They give it great reviews on Twitter, on Facebook and any other platforms you happen to be active in.
But, in the face of financial pressure, or maybe the novelty wears off or maybe a similar thing is available cheaper or nearer, or whatever...they don't come in regularly. They just assume you'll always be there for them since, in the heady days of discovery, it was always really busy and getting was hard because it was so busy.
And so there are fewer people "discovering" it because there are fewer people who haven't discovered it yet. So the buzz goes. Then the customers dry up.
When the customers dry up, the business becomes unsustainable and so it stops. Then everyone bemoans the lack of that facility.
That facility can be a restaurant, a pub, a bookshop, a camera shop, an after-school club organisation, or anything that has a physical presence, really.
We all do it. We all "mean to go back" but never get around to it.
We probably didn't want the perceived hassle of going into this place we perceive as really busy, or we're busy trying the next new thing, or maybe life has just moved on and it doesn't suit our needs any more.
We went to the Barleymow yesterday (Sunday) evening for a couple of pints and learned that it had been so busy the day before and for Sunday lunchtime that they'd run out of several beers and hadn't had time to change them over. Also, that they were going to close at 8pm because pretty much no one goes into the pub at that time on a Sunday.
We know we're guilty of grumbling when a pub we love is really busy at a particular time we happen to choose to go in. We try and check ourselves, but we don't always manage it.
But we've started to make a real effort to frequent places when they'll be open, but less busy. We also try, when a restaurant we like apologises for not having any available tables, to tell them that we're delighted they're busy and we'll be back when it's quieter.
So - don't forget that thing you love (be it shop, pub, restaurant or other service) and assume it'll always be there for you - you need to be there for it too!
Saturday, 1 June 2019
So Many Beers, So Little Time
Been a while since I posted here - the rest of the world (and concentrating on drinking beer) has taken precendence.
The highlight of recent times was probably the Burning Sky tap-takeover at Bottle Grove. I'd seen it on social media and although we don't visit as much as other pubs in town, we do enjoy being there - not just for the beer, but for the enthusiasm of the owner - Greg.
Burning Sky brews fabulous pale, hoppy, drinkable beers which are great on cask and keg - we knew this already. The surprise was the sour/other beers on offer. I'm not a fan, I have to say, but I can appreciate a good beer without wanting to drink pints of it. So it was with the three on offer. Best Beer Buddy who loves a good geuze absolutely loved them - a saison, a geuze style and a raspberry sour.
Made us love this brewery all the more.
Other than that?
A visit to Left-handed Giant's current tap room, a brief foray in the East Bristol Brewery Trail, and a couple of orders of fridge beer by post have all had their place.
A trip between Bristol and Eastbourne where we took the opportunity of stopping in the Victoria area to watch some football on the telly and then grab a couple of pints at the Cask and Kitchen was a pleasant distraction (albeit the beer in the TV pub was a bit rubbish).
Surprise of the last few weeks, though, was a Gun Brewery 4.4% bitter. I've said it a number of times: that I'm not all that keen on bitter as a beer style, these days. But this was the weekend guest beer on at The Crown so it would have been rude not to try it. It was lovely. I don't particularly want to have it on a regular basis - but a couple of pints of it in tip-top condition was an absolute treat.
What's coming up? A trip to Bristol soon and I'm hoping we'll take the opportunity to make the most of the extra openings and event that Bristol Breweries tend to have in the spring and summer.
The highlight of recent times was probably the Burning Sky tap-takeover at Bottle Grove. I'd seen it on social media and although we don't visit as much as other pubs in town, we do enjoy being there - not just for the beer, but for the enthusiasm of the owner - Greg.
Burning Sky brews fabulous pale, hoppy, drinkable beers which are great on cask and keg - we knew this already. The surprise was the sour/other beers on offer. I'm not a fan, I have to say, but I can appreciate a good beer without wanting to drink pints of it. So it was with the three on offer. Best Beer Buddy who loves a good geuze absolutely loved them - a saison, a geuze style and a raspberry sour.
Made us love this brewery all the more.
Other than that?
A visit to Left-handed Giant's current tap room, a brief foray in the East Bristol Brewery Trail, and a couple of orders of fridge beer by post have all had their place.
A trip between Bristol and Eastbourne where we took the opportunity of stopping in the Victoria area to watch some football on the telly and then grab a couple of pints at the Cask and Kitchen was a pleasant distraction (albeit the beer in the TV pub was a bit rubbish).
Surprise of the last few weeks, though, was a Gun Brewery 4.4% bitter. I've said it a number of times: that I'm not all that keen on bitter as a beer style, these days. But this was the weekend guest beer on at The Crown so it would have been rude not to try it. It was lovely. I don't particularly want to have it on a regular basis - but a couple of pints of it in tip-top condition was an absolute treat.
What's coming up? A trip to Bristol soon and I'm hoping we'll take the opportunity to make the most of the extra openings and event that Bristol Breweries tend to have in the spring and summer.
Thursday, 4 April 2019
Jus' Checkin'
On arrival in Bristol we almost always drop into the Barley Mow. It's like slipping on a comfy pair of slippers.
The journey up wasn't as relaxed as usual simply because we accidentally left home 5 minutes later than we'd planned and from then on things got out of kilter: we missed the Eastbourne to London train by about 2 minutes. It was cold so instead of sitting on the platform for 30 mins we decided to get a train to Brighton and go that way instead.
That worked well, but as we arrived at Victoria we learned that they'd changed the way you get to the Victoria line and it takes about 5 minutes longer to get to the platform.
We narrowly missed a Bakerloo train at Oxford Circus and so we were convinced we'd miss the next train from Paddington.
As it happened, we tore up the stairs and got on the train with about 15 seconds to spare -panting and knackered, but quite smug we'd done it.
That's all by way of explaining why, by the time we arrived, we just wanted to settle down with a pint with low stress.
We had a parcel to collect from near the pub so we did that and ambled around. I have to admit to a bit of minor irritation when we looked at a group of 4 people taking up three tables but as there was an alternative we kept our grumbles between ourselves and sat elsewhere. Fortunately, the group left fairly swiftly suddenly making the pub feel so much emptier.
We decamped to our "usual" corner and shared a joke about it with Harry, the manager.
From then on in we totally relaxed. Beer was good (both cask and keg) and, as it so often the case, it felt like we'd never been away. We chatted about the upcoming opening of the Left Handed Giant taproom which will be about the same distance from the flat as the BM is.
But as himself put it - "I can't see it changing the number of times we come here..." - and of course he's right. Pubs remain the best way to enjoy beer for us (I've said this a number of times, I know).
Last night we decided we'd venture just a little further afield - first to the Naval Volunteer (or the Vollie) which was pleasant with good beer and nearly empty. Last time we were up we said we probably ought to check out the Zero degrees bar. So we decided to try it out then and there.
It's probably in excess of 10 years since either of us have been to one (me, the Bristol one, him the Blackheath one).
The pizzas were nice enough (good dough, good sauce) although the toppings were nothing to write home about and the beer was fine. Much, in fact, as I think it probably was the last time we went into one. Service was pleasant and despite there being a big party in, we never felt neglected - although the warehouse space encourages noise to become quite oppressive.
We were really glad to have checked and it meant we got to stretch our legs on the walk there and back...but we both agreed, we don't need to go back on our own account.
Another place I'm glad exists, and glad it seems to be doing well but it's not really our thing.
The journey up wasn't as relaxed as usual simply because we accidentally left home 5 minutes later than we'd planned and from then on things got out of kilter: we missed the Eastbourne to London train by about 2 minutes. It was cold so instead of sitting on the platform for 30 mins we decided to get a train to Brighton and go that way instead.
That worked well, but as we arrived at Victoria we learned that they'd changed the way you get to the Victoria line and it takes about 5 minutes longer to get to the platform.
We narrowly missed a Bakerloo train at Oxford Circus and so we were convinced we'd miss the next train from Paddington.
As it happened, we tore up the stairs and got on the train with about 15 seconds to spare -panting and knackered, but quite smug we'd done it.
That's all by way of explaining why, by the time we arrived, we just wanted to settle down with a pint with low stress.
We had a parcel to collect from near the pub so we did that and ambled around. I have to admit to a bit of minor irritation when we looked at a group of 4 people taking up three tables but as there was an alternative we kept our grumbles between ourselves and sat elsewhere. Fortunately, the group left fairly swiftly suddenly making the pub feel so much emptier.
We decamped to our "usual" corner and shared a joke about it with Harry, the manager.
From then on in we totally relaxed. Beer was good (both cask and keg) and, as it so often the case, it felt like we'd never been away. We chatted about the upcoming opening of the Left Handed Giant taproom which will be about the same distance from the flat as the BM is.
But as himself put it - "I can't see it changing the number of times we come here..." - and of course he's right. Pubs remain the best way to enjoy beer for us (I've said this a number of times, I know).
Last night we decided we'd venture just a little further afield - first to the Naval Volunteer (or the Vollie) which was pleasant with good beer and nearly empty. Last time we were up we said we probably ought to check out the Zero degrees bar. So we decided to try it out then and there.
It's probably in excess of 10 years since either of us have been to one (me, the Bristol one, him the Blackheath one).
The pizzas were nice enough (good dough, good sauce) although the toppings were nothing to write home about and the beer was fine. Much, in fact, as I think it probably was the last time we went into one. Service was pleasant and despite there being a big party in, we never felt neglected - although the warehouse space encourages noise to become quite oppressive.
We were really glad to have checked and it meant we got to stretch our legs on the walk there and back...but we both agreed, we don't need to go back on our own account.
Another place I'm glad exists, and glad it seems to be doing well but it's not really our thing.
Monday, 1 April 2019
More Good Stuff
Not really much to report on the beer front, to be honest.
That's probably because we haven't made any special excursions but we've been happily supplied by local pubs, our lovely bottle shop and an online supplier or two.
But we're heading up to Bristol for a few days soon and I already find myself looking forward to the variety of places there will be for us to visit.
I'm mentally writing a list but I have a feeling that circumstances will probably dictate our agenda.
Still, best laid plans an' all that.
That's probably because we haven't made any special excursions but we've been happily supplied by local pubs, our lovely bottle shop and an online supplier or two.
But we're heading up to Bristol for a few days soon and I already find myself looking forward to the variety of places there will be for us to visit.
I'm mentally writing a list but I have a feeling that circumstances will probably dictate our agenda.
Still, best laid plans an' all that.
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Drinking in Non-Pubs
I love pubs and I love drinking in pubs (provided beer is great, obvs).
More and more, however, I'm learning to love non-pubs for drinking in.
Our first experience of this was probably the Moor Brewery Tap near our flat in Bristol. It's absolutely not a pub but it is definitely a favourite place to drink.
We tried micropubs in their early days and, to be honest, the first ones we tried weren't really up to much but we've been to a few more and we've found a some to love (Drapers Arms in Bristol. Wight Bear Alehouse in Bournemouth, 1200 Postcards in Hastings).
Then there are the "craft ale" outlets. Some of them are pubs...others definitely aren't. We've loved some and we've loathed others. We still go to the Beer Emporium and Small Bar in Bristol and enjoy it when we do. We've discovered the Craft Beer chain of bars and mostly enjoyed them (as long as we remember they're not pubs in the normal sense).
We still adore the Euston Tap and try and find time to go to it when we have to get a train from that neck of the woods.
And now there are the bottle shops...
We're lucky enough to have one of these in Eastbourne (Bottle Grove) but we also had a brilliant time the other day in Hove (Bison Beer) and it makes me want to try more.
These bottle shops mostly have shelves and fridges of cans and bottles but also a few lines for drinking in or for filling growlers for takeout. So they're not quite off-license, not quite bar.
We went to Bottle Grove yesterday evening after finding the Eagle too crowded and the Dew Drop with only one beer we wanted to drink. We also knew that we didn't have much decent beer in the fridge and didn't want to got to the pub on Sunday (Paddy's Day of twats in hats drinking Guinness loudly and annoyingly) so we thought we'd pick up a few cans for the fridge...but it would have been rude not to stop for one (or three).
The venue is friendly and fun (if a little bit chilly) but it's not the sort of place you can hole up in a corner with a book or a game so it's definitely not a pub. But we love it for the enthusiasm of the owner and the cracking beers he serves (6 on tap at the moment).
I really hope more different styles of good beer establishment open up and we shan't be afraid to try them (probably).
More and more, however, I'm learning to love non-pubs for drinking in.
Our first experience of this was probably the Moor Brewery Tap near our flat in Bristol. It's absolutely not a pub but it is definitely a favourite place to drink.
We tried micropubs in their early days and, to be honest, the first ones we tried weren't really up to much but we've been to a few more and we've found a some to love (Drapers Arms in Bristol. Wight Bear Alehouse in Bournemouth, 1200 Postcards in Hastings).
Then there are the "craft ale" outlets. Some of them are pubs...others definitely aren't. We've loved some and we've loathed others. We still go to the Beer Emporium and Small Bar in Bristol and enjoy it when we do. We've discovered the Craft Beer chain of bars and mostly enjoyed them (as long as we remember they're not pubs in the normal sense).
We still adore the Euston Tap and try and find time to go to it when we have to get a train from that neck of the woods.
And now there are the bottle shops...
We're lucky enough to have one of these in Eastbourne (Bottle Grove) but we also had a brilliant time the other day in Hove (Bison Beer) and it makes me want to try more.
These bottle shops mostly have shelves and fridges of cans and bottles but also a few lines for drinking in or for filling growlers for takeout. So they're not quite off-license, not quite bar.
We went to Bottle Grove yesterday evening after finding the Eagle too crowded and the Dew Drop with only one beer we wanted to drink. We also knew that we didn't have much decent beer in the fridge and didn't want to got to the pub on Sunday (Paddy's Day of twats in hats drinking Guinness loudly and annoyingly) so we thought we'd pick up a few cans for the fridge...but it would have been rude not to stop for one (or three).
The venue is friendly and fun (if a little bit chilly) but it's not the sort of place you can hole up in a corner with a book or a game so it's definitely not a pub. But we love it for the enthusiasm of the owner and the cracking beers he serves (6 on tap at the moment).
I really hope more different styles of good beer establishment open up and we shan't be afraid to try them (probably).
Wednesday, 6 February 2019
On Walks and Beer
We agonised for a while whether we should strike out for a decent walk in Leigh Woods (just on the edge of Bristol) given that the weather was looking a bit iffy.
We decided to go for it.
Catching a bus to the area so that we could maximise walking time in the woods was a good ploy and we enjoyed good quality (only slightly muddy) paths as we bimbled around for a couple of hours.
The walk ended with us on a riverside path in South Bristol so, naturally, we headed towards North Street.
The first place we came across was the Bristol Beer Factory tap room which is maturing nicely. We had some cracking seasonal beers (both cask and keg enjoyed) and enjoyed the ambiance. All that was lacking was a wood-burner in my humble...it would have made for the perfect atmosphere.
After a couple of pints we headed down the road a few yards to the Tobacco Factory bar. Given it was 6pm on a Tuesday at the beginning of February it was amazingly full (that's to say not rammed but at least 50 people). Beer was lovely (we had Moor on cask, BBF on cask and LHG on Keg) and we stopped for food which was nice and functional rather than stunning (but there's nothing wrong with that).
All in all, these two places epitomise non-pub drinking experiences and how they should feel.
Both were family friendly without being too overwhelming, staff in both venues very efficient and friendly and, above all, a cracking selection of well kept beers.
Almost makes me wish I lived in Bedminster again.
We decided to go for it.
Catching a bus to the area so that we could maximise walking time in the woods was a good ploy and we enjoyed good quality (only slightly muddy) paths as we bimbled around for a couple of hours.
The walk ended with us on a riverside path in South Bristol so, naturally, we headed towards North Street.
The first place we came across was the Bristol Beer Factory tap room which is maturing nicely. We had some cracking seasonal beers (both cask and keg enjoyed) and enjoyed the ambiance. All that was lacking was a wood-burner in my humble...it would have made for the perfect atmosphere.
After a couple of pints we headed down the road a few yards to the Tobacco Factory bar. Given it was 6pm on a Tuesday at the beginning of February it was amazingly full (that's to say not rammed but at least 50 people). Beer was lovely (we had Moor on cask, BBF on cask and LHG on Keg) and we stopped for food which was nice and functional rather than stunning (but there's nothing wrong with that).
All in all, these two places epitomise non-pub drinking experiences and how they should feel.
Both were family friendly without being too overwhelming, staff in both venues very efficient and friendly and, above all, a cracking selection of well kept beers.
Almost makes me wish I lived in Bedminster again.
Monday, 4 February 2019
Where There's Beer, There's Hope
OK - that title's come across a bit more needy than I'd like...but I can't think of anything better to be honest.
We're in Bristol for a few days, where we take the quality and choice of pubs and their beer largely for granted.
We arrived on Friday and we assumed that our local, at 5pm, would have enough room for us to have a couple of beers and something tasty to eat. Boy were we wrong!
Whether it was the local snow conditions meaning work kicked out early, or it being the 1st February so the Dryanuaries were gagging for beer, or the fact that the pub was showing the rugby...or maybe that it was just after payday...or all of it..I just don't know.
We hadn't seen the pub that busy since pre-Christmas. There was barely anywhere to stand, let alone sit, and the beer line up was fine but not as exciting as we were hoping for. We stood with our pints and chuntered at each other before giving ourselves a good talking-to. We knew that, being here for a few days, we'd easily be able to return and then we saw the positive in the upcoming beer list.
We kicked around a couple of possibilities, before settling on the Old Market Assembly (despite having been a little disappointed in it last time). It had their house beer and an Arbor beer on cask; we could find a little table on the balcony and we had their lovely pizzas. All in all, as good as an experience as we could wish for. Again, we resolved to remember that everyone can have an off-day and we should allow for it.
Saturday we fancied watching some rugby in a pub but thought the BM would be heaving again (and we wern't quite ready to be disappointed so soon). I had to pick up a parcel (I so love Amazon Locker...) so we headed in that direction and found ourselves near the Seven Stars. It's a weird old place and I think that the beer isn't as good since the old bar manager left and set up his own place, but it has character. Actually, since there was a punk festival next door in the Fleece there were many characters. The place was rammed to the gunwhales with "original" punks....that's to say people who could have been punks when punk was first a thing. That is to say...people rather like us...but with plaid, mohicans and leather jackets. It was brilliant! Most of them in the pub were drinking Real Ale and the atmosphere was jolly. We shared a table with some other folk and bought a local punk-scene CD from them (£2, bargain). The beer was fine, rather than great, but the whole experience was fab.
The Seven Stars wasn't showing the rugby but, just around the corner, the Cornubia was. This is, again, a pub that typically does good but not particularly exciting beers. We got a couple of pints and found a seat from which to watch. We shared a few comments with the bloke next to us and, after the match, had quite a long local-based conversation with a couple of women. Once again, I remind myself that although I'm quite reserved and introverted, if I'm going to be sociable, it's much easier and more enjoyable in the pub,
Sunday was for quietly sloping somehwere with a fire (I was cold) so we arrived at the Naval Volunteer (The Vollie) and, again, this has been a place not without its irritations for us but it fit the bill perfectly. Reasonably quiet, a really good range of beer to choose from (cask a butnd keg), and altogether pleasant.
There will be more places to try whilst we're here. Some will be perfect, some may be having an off-day but I'm pretty sure most of them will be fun.
We're in Bristol for a few days, where we take the quality and choice of pubs and their beer largely for granted.
We arrived on Friday and we assumed that our local, at 5pm, would have enough room for us to have a couple of beers and something tasty to eat. Boy were we wrong!
Whether it was the local snow conditions meaning work kicked out early, or it being the 1st February so the Dryanuaries were gagging for beer, or the fact that the pub was showing the rugby...or maybe that it was just after payday...or all of it..I just don't know.
We hadn't seen the pub that busy since pre-Christmas. There was barely anywhere to stand, let alone sit, and the beer line up was fine but not as exciting as we were hoping for. We stood with our pints and chuntered at each other before giving ourselves a good talking-to. We knew that, being here for a few days, we'd easily be able to return and then we saw the positive in the upcoming beer list.
We kicked around a couple of possibilities, before settling on the Old Market Assembly (despite having been a little disappointed in it last time). It had their house beer and an Arbor beer on cask; we could find a little table on the balcony and we had their lovely pizzas. All in all, as good as an experience as we could wish for. Again, we resolved to remember that everyone can have an off-day and we should allow for it.
Saturday we fancied watching some rugby in a pub but thought the BM would be heaving again (and we wern't quite ready to be disappointed so soon). I had to pick up a parcel (I so love Amazon Locker...) so we headed in that direction and found ourselves near the Seven Stars. It's a weird old place and I think that the beer isn't as good since the old bar manager left and set up his own place, but it has character. Actually, since there was a punk festival next door in the Fleece there were many characters. The place was rammed to the gunwhales with "original" punks....that's to say people who could have been punks when punk was first a thing. That is to say...people rather like us...but with plaid, mohicans and leather jackets. It was brilliant! Most of them in the pub were drinking Real Ale and the atmosphere was jolly. We shared a table with some other folk and bought a local punk-scene CD from them (£2, bargain). The beer was fine, rather than great, but the whole experience was fab.
The Seven Stars wasn't showing the rugby but, just around the corner, the Cornubia was. This is, again, a pub that typically does good but not particularly exciting beers. We got a couple of pints and found a seat from which to watch. We shared a few comments with the bloke next to us and, after the match, had quite a long local-based conversation with a couple of women. Once again, I remind myself that although I'm quite reserved and introverted, if I'm going to be sociable, it's much easier and more enjoyable in the pub,
Sunday was for quietly sloping somehwere with a fire (I was cold) so we arrived at the Naval Volunteer (The Vollie) and, again, this has been a place not without its irritations for us but it fit the bill perfectly. Reasonably quiet, a really good range of beer to choose from (cask a butnd keg), and altogether pleasant.
There will be more places to try whilst we're here. Some will be perfect, some may be having an off-day but I'm pretty sure most of them will be fun.
Saturday, 5 January 2019
Dryanuary or Tryanuary?
As is usual in the post Christmas period and before everyone gets on with the New Year there's been an outpouring of "You should..." relating to what we eat and drink.
I think I'm with the Angry Chef when it comes to people telling what to eat and drink.
By all means take action for yourself. If you think it would do you good to ease off the booze for a month (or longer) then by all means do it. I hope it has the effect you're hoping.
If you want to cut all animal products from your diet for ethical or health reasons...then again, go ahead, I'll defend to death your right to do that. (you might be limited to hummous and crackers at my place if you were to come round hoping for a meal, though).
Where I get all cross is when you try and push your agenda on me by trying to shame me (or other people).
Should I be given information on things that are likely to make me less healthy? Why, yes, of course - I need information in order to make decisisions about my lifestyle for myself.
After that, if my habits aren't impacting on you then it's none of your business.
So I won't be cutting alcohol out of my diet (or meat, cheese or anything else for that matter) in January. It'll be very much business as usual in our house, I would think.
We both like trips to the pub since, as you're probably well aware, being a cask-preferring-couple we can only get the beer we like best at pubs.
I like the idea that we can do our bit to support our local publicans in a tricky month since I want them to be there for us when we want a pint.
I won't lecture you on your choices either - deal?
I think I'm with the Angry Chef when it comes to people telling what to eat and drink.
By all means take action for yourself. If you think it would do you good to ease off the booze for a month (or longer) then by all means do it. I hope it has the effect you're hoping.
If you want to cut all animal products from your diet for ethical or health reasons...then again, go ahead, I'll defend to death your right to do that. (you might be limited to hummous and crackers at my place if you were to come round hoping for a meal, though).
Where I get all cross is when you try and push your agenda on me by trying to shame me (or other people).
Should I be given information on things that are likely to make me less healthy? Why, yes, of course - I need information in order to make decisisions about my lifestyle for myself.
After that, if my habits aren't impacting on you then it's none of your business.
So I won't be cutting alcohol out of my diet (or meat, cheese or anything else for that matter) in January. It'll be very much business as usual in our house, I would think.
We both like trips to the pub since, as you're probably well aware, being a cask-preferring-couple we can only get the beer we like best at pubs.
I like the idea that we can do our bit to support our local publicans in a tricky month since I want them to be there for us when we want a pint.
I won't lecture you on your choices either - deal?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)