Another Day, Another Taproom

 Weekends are very busy times in the good beer places in Bristol.

We've always disliked crowds so it's natural for us to avoid them wherever feasible.  The pandemic hasn't really made us any less willing to submit ourselves to crowds but it has made us even better at finding quiet places.

We realised we hadn't been to the New Bristol Brewery taproom for...so, so, long.  As one of our other hobbies, we're playing film cameras (old ones) and then we've learned how to develop film (1 part wanting to know how, one part economy measure, one part...we're makers, so we make stuff) and it was necessary to pop into town to a camera shop which still stocks traditional film stock and chemicals.

A chat with the chap in the shop (who, I remembered after we'd left, used to be a regular in the Hare on the Hill) saw us coming away with a one-shot precessing chemical which promises to be easier and more economical than the usual raft of liquids.

It was busy in the shop demonstrating a seeming resurgence in film and its processing and smiling a little, we headed off to NBB's site which is a little north of the main drag of town.

We know not to expect cask beer (the cask pint in the Moor Tap on Friday was such a pleasant suprise) but it's so lovely to see such a wide range of style available (inc lager and cider if that's your bag). It was buzzing inside and out but not too crowded and it made for a very pleasant couple of hours.  

We headed back via town aiming to get dinner at the peculiar Chinese restaurant in the Bear Pit.  I was convinced it would be relatively quiet.  There wasn't a table to be had.  Disappointed not to get an eat-in fix but really happy they're still running and apparently doing well, we headed via a supermarket to pick up something to make a simple pasta dinner instead.  Glad to be home but telling ourselves we really must get back into the habit of eating out.

Today, I've been plotting with my brother to meet up for beer in Bath. 

The pub I've chosen is right next to a small train station a little outside the main part of the city.  We're going late afternoon on Thursday and I'm reasonably confident it won't be too busy.  Something to look forward to.