Something for Everyone

 One of the small disappointments in the lovely town I call "mostly home" (we're here about 80% of the time) is the dismal range of pubs, bars and other drinkng establishments.

It's pretty easy for the boy and I to head off to any one of the places we know for a couple of beers because our needs are extremely simple.  Good beer in a place that feels like it cares that we're there.

Since our Damascene moment with the kegged beer (which we chatted about last night, as it happens) we're none too worried about the dispense method of the good beer.

Pretty much:  Cask > Keg/Tank > Can > Bottle but if what they have is well made beer at a decent temperature then we're up for it.

No, the difficulty comes when we're meeting other people who aren't just in it for the beer...

So today, a gathering with sisters is planned and there's some angst about the best place which will suit.  Brown Cask beer (preferably fairly strong) for one brother-in-law, something soft for another.  Sisters tend to graviate to white wine but are known to give the odd beer or cider a go, in the spirit of adventure.

Do we want to eat or not?  Is there going to be football on at the pub? What about other events?  

 We live on opposite sides of the town so maybe a central place would be fairest?

There are six of us and prone to be noisy talkers when in a bunch...so nowhere too small so that we disturb other people...

Were this the situation in Bristol (or Brighton or even Lewes) we could be pretty confident to find a place that would genuinely keep us all happy.  But we're in Eastbourne...

We reckon that there are maybe 9 places which would meet at least some of the criteria.

But three are also Sky Sports pubs so the TVs will be on, and the locals will be in to watch Liverpool  v Chelsea later.

Two have lovely beer and could probably keep the others happy...but they're very small...

We went to one before and it was OK but the assembled company didn't really look as at home as they could have been.  Another would likely fall into that category too.

That leaves 2

We suggested the one of those that best juggles everything, even though the beer is the weakest point for us...

As it happens, one Brother in Law was really liking the idea of a beer Festival.  So we're back off to the Crown, having had an initial foray yesterday.  Nice and easy for us - let's hope the others will be as happy, too.