Big Day Done

 I'm really not up for making a big fuss around this time of year - for lots of reasons I just don't really get it.

I think that gets on my wick most of all is the incessant advertisement, articles and lord knows what that happens from October onwards.  Oddly, though, this year I've felt the pressure less than usual.

We've done our usual pub trips - Barley Mow, Moor, Volly, Small Bar and - in a special effort - the Arbor Brewery Tap.  The Volly was weird - in that when we arrived there was loads of interesting beer on the board but after the second one, they'd almost all gone off.  Still we enjoyed the saunter around there and took film cameras with us.   We popped over the road to Small Bar and had an imperial stout instead.

We took games to Marthas and enjoyed the lively atmosphere but when we went to the Barley Mow on Thursday to meet a local pal, the place was not only rammed but very noisy - clearly lots of people had been there for much of the day.  Sigh.

We'd picked up cans of beer wherever we could because we knew there would be nowhere open on Christmas Day and the rain (and the prospect of crowds) preventing us venturing out on Christmas Eve, as well.

Most fun trip was to Arbor - simply because the tiny taproom isn't usually open.  There wasn't a huge choice of cans but there were 4 beers on keg (pints/halves only) but hey.  And the walk, which is just over a mile but feels more remote was really pleasant.

So it's Boxing Day and, once again, almost nowhere is open (Volly appears to be but we haven't made firm plans to go out yet) but the world will be getting back to normal as the days start to lengthen noticeably.  

There may be some venturing at some point to avail selves of sales but we'll be keeping things low key.

I'm very lucky that the Best Beer Buddy is generally happy enough to not make too big a deal - our major food nod being batches of sausage rolls and the occasional mince pie.

Quite looking forward to going to the pub when it's relatively quiet now...

...back again

 All our plans had been a bit disrupted by our various days of illness and that had a knock-on effect on our travel back to Bristol to spend Christmas here.

We were a bit concerned that trains would be hugely busy so we did the belt and braces things of booking some seats just in case it was horrible.

As it turned out the trains were pleasant and our journey was easy.

We arrived at the flat around 4pm and, once again, revelled in the luxury of not having to port huge amounts of stuff between our homes.  Travelling with just a couple of small bags makes things so much easier.

By 4.30 we were in the Barleymow, a couple of pints in hand and a seat near the fire.  What could be better?

Today we've taken delivery of shopping and some more stuff will be delivered tomorrow just to prepare for our festivities which are our typical low-key affair.

Later, we're going to wander over to King Street -  we've not been there since the searing heat of the summer so it'll be interesting to see what they've got on offer.

Spoke Too Soon

 We did go to the pub on Thursday - and it was lovely.  It wasn't as busy as we'd expected but it was pleasantly lively, warm and (of course) the beer was brilliant!

Such a lovely way to and this particular stay in Bristol - even though we knew we'd be back very soon.  I had a bit of a disturbed night of sleep and quite the headache but I put it down to my enthusiasm in beer drinking and when woke up I felt fine and we made for a train...

...but, by the time we'd got on the Eastbourne train at Victoria, I was starting to feel decidedly under the weather.  Turns out I hadn't dodged the bullet after all...

So we jumped in a cab, and got home as soon as we could.  The rest of the evening was a wipe out for me - only the chance to decline dinner, drink a cup of tea and watch HIGNIFY before needing to go to bed.  A test before bed proved it was, indeed, the C-word so I resigned myself to another 5 days confined to quarters.  At least we have plenty of good beer in the fridge.

Dry

We arrived back from Cornwall on Saturday, popped to Moor and on Sunday spent a lovely afternoon playing games in Marthas but it was already apparent the Best Beer Buddy had picked up a virus - we just assumed it was a cold.

Our original plan was to travel back to Eastbourne on Tuesday, but on Monday he felt a bit worse and did a COVID test (there were a couple still sitting in a drawer).

Immediately it showed a positive result. Oh.

I popped over to the supermarket to get essential provisions and we planned to hunker down - assuming that I'd also succumb.  Travel out of the question.

Thankfully - and probably in no small part to vaccination programmes and previous experience of the dratted bug - it's not really been too much worse than "a cold" would have been but it's meant that going out to the pub has been off the cards.

He's now perked up and I don't seem to have the same symptoms so we're going to make a little trip outside shortly.

I'm ridiculously excited about that...

Travels

 We hadn't had a holiday for a couple of years but the gift of having two places we call home means we don't miss it as much as we might otherwise do.

We're keen on holidaying by public transport - travelling light but knowing there are decent facilities at the other end.  As a result we decided on Falmouth.

We had some knowledge of town from previous visits but we couldn't say we were familiar with it in any detail.

On our last visit we discovered two pubs:  Beerwolf Books and The 'front.  The former trendy and different, the latter a proper pub.  Both were due a revisit.

Our journey down was a little disrupted, but not so badly that we were seriously inconvenienced.  It's such a lovely journey from Bristol with only one change - in Truro - that it's a very stress-free affair...even when the train was 16 minutes late into Truro...and our change-over period was 15 minutes (sigh). Still, the trains to Falmouth were every half an hour and the weather was dry - if a little chilly.

From the train station, the place we were staying was a good half hour walk through the "front" area and up quite a hill.  So we went straight to the apartment, unloaded, took a good look at the lovely river view and headed to the nearest pub - The Boathouse. It was nice but clearly more food-focussed so tables in the main area were booked out.  We realised we wouldn't be able to eat there so we had a pint (Treens - very nice) and decided to find Beerwolf.

It was as fabulous as we remembered it.  Lively with all sorts of people - lots of students and lots of seating options.  We nabbed a nice table and grabbed a couple of beers - 4 or 5 cask offers and about 6 keg ones. We were on holiday.

When we came to leave, we weren't quite sure where to go and find food but we'd seen a tiny indian restaurant in the same yard as Beerwolf so we thought we'd just ask...

...they fitted us in.  What an absolute delight! Interesting food, decent wine and not stupidly expensive.  The couple that owned it were lovely and the young members of staff friendly and seemed genuinely to enjoy their jobs.

I've never been anywhere quite like it and would happily spend way more time there.  Actually - we went again on Thursday -  this time booking to make sure of a table.  The short menu had completely changed (except the dhal and cumin rice, thankfully).  The staff also seemed to remember us.

We went back to the flat full and happy.

Sunday the weather was really grotty so we hunkered down inside but at lunchtime we braved the rain to grab a pasty, take a walk down the high street (busy, despite the weather) and then went to the 'front where bringing your own food in is positively encouraged. It's a lively place - right on the quayside and typically has about 6 cask beers and 2 keg ones.  It's certainly basic, but enjoyed by a wide range of people. We played cards (Regicide) and enjoyed a few beers before deciding that we weren't sufficiently hungry to seek a restaurant so we went back via a shop with some wine, soup, pate and bread.  It did the job.

I guess the other highlights of the week were The Moth and Moon which was lovely - if a little chilly.  Again with great staff and excellent beer, and the Verdant Seafood bar.  I'd been really keen to go there but had expected somewhere...well, bigger! It was in a tiny lane and was two small rooms.  No prebooking so you really take your chances.  We stuck our head in and asked if there was room for us, we were greeted enthusiastically and quickly settled in the back room.  Obviously the beer is tremendous (and available in 2/3rds measures) but the menu was a real revelation.  It's all small plates and lots of things I might not usually order but was amazing. 

We ate at another indian (/Nepalese) restaurant, ate more pasties, fish and chips and a little independent seafood restaurant and I have to say we didn't even come close to exhausting the available food options (butcher, fishmonger, and a huge range of restuarants).  One day we took the ferry to St Mawes, did a walk and ended up at the St Mawes hotel (I'd stayed there about 20 years ago) and they had good cask beer on.

We even went to a lovely cafe-bar on our way back to the station for the journey home for a brunch and noticed they had local real ale on (the same one we'd had at St Mawes) - whilst we drank coffee...

On the journey home we mused that we might have expected to have to drink St Austell and Sharps beers but that we had drunk Treens, Penzance, Tintagel, Forebird, St Ives, Verdant and beers from a little further afield and hadn't set foot in any of the tied pubs - not that they would have been bad, but they'd never be a first choice.

In a town of less than 22,000 residents (clearly boosted by second-homers, holidaymakers and students) the range and quality of places to drink and eat is absolutely astonishing - especially given the apparent demographics of the locals.

All the places we went, most of the punters were drinking beer.  Pubs always had a mix of working locals (builders, fishermen, bar staff, etc - footwear = functional walking boots); posh locals (check out the Musto outerwear, Timberland boots or deck shoes), visitors (like us) and families (some posh, some hippy). 

I got the feeling I could live there and enjoy the place in a completely different way - so much so I wondered how they're doing for digital inclusion...

Stagnant

 The BBB was a bit under the weather this week.  Although feeling a bit better by the time I was working on Wednesday, when I asked him if he felt out to coming out to meet me somewhere, he said he was feeling OK, there just wasn't really anywhere he really wanted to go.

...and that sums it up sometimes.

There are lots of nice places we go in Eastbourne - partly out of habit and partly out of the urge to sit somewhere other than home with a pint and chat about the day (or play a game, or something) but almost none of them would cut the mustard in our other home.

Conversely both BBB and myself had the same thought when he said there was nowhere he wanted to go.  Apparently, our immediate thought (despite being on the opposite side of town at the time) was that were we in Bristol there would still have been a myriad places we'd feel enthusiastic about going to.

We extended the conversation at the Crown, yesterday.  He was much better but I seem to have picked up a low-level virus, making me feel a bit blah.  We were a little disappointed in the guest beer - it wasn't bad but it was another pale ale (think Timmy Taylor Landlord which we'd had the night before).  We didn't really want to go anywhere else but it hadn't been an entirely satisfactory pub visit.

I'd been thinking that as it had been a sunny day then a bus trip over to Brighton would be quite nice - but sitting on a bus for over an hour just to go to the Evening Star somehow didn't feel quite right.

Again, we mused on why that might be in Eastbourne and how different it might be if we'd chosen to live in Hastings instead but we live where we live and it works...even if the beer offering is less than optimum.

We'll live in hope for now...

Pubs are Brilliant!

 We trekked back from the Shire yesterday.  Making the flat ready for a couple of friends, we left a little later than usual but it was just as well as the train we would normally have got was cancelled anyway.  So, our journey was very much:  walk-train-walk-tube-change tube-walk-train with pretty much no hanging around anywhere. We arrived in Eastbourne about 4pm and it was raining so we decided that maybe a trip to Ninkasi would be in order.  

Weirdly, as much as I absolutely adore the fact that all our favoured beer places in Bristol are perpetually lively I really fancied a quiet corner to sit in and, at 4pm on a Friday, Ninkasi had it (The Crown would most definitely have not).

The irony of Arbor beer being one of the keg offerings didn't pass us by, but no matter.  We were half way through our second when TechResort director-buddy, N, came in and asked if he could sit with us.  

We moved to a more sociable spot and had a chat.  We'd already identified one potential opportunity when director-buddies from his other company arrived to meet him to travel onto a gig.

We all sat together and chatted and, inevitably, talk turned to digital exclusion and how it's not a black and white thing.

Their company does software testing and they told us they often tested public sector websites for accessibility.  

This ultimately lead to a suggestion that we should work together specifically on testing platforms where the audience will have a large contingent of people at risk of digital exclusion (for one reason and another).

I guess this will be a slow-burner but this just shows how important the pub is for bringing people together who wouldn't normally necessarily meet in the right context to forge relationships like this.

It's especially important for people like me who aren't natural socialisers in other contexts.  The pub rocks!

Living in a 15 Minute City

 There's been a lot of recent mumbling about the concept of the 15minute city.  The theory is that people who can walk for 15 minutes to access local services are likely to have a better quality of life.

A lifelong non-driver (a few years as a motorcyclist which finished some 37 years ago) this concept is not alien to me.

We bought this flat principally because I wanted easy and safe access to the train station at all times of day and night because I was travelling a lot by train (Bristol-Hitchin-Eastbourne on a very regular basis) as we consolidated our lives...

The proximity of the Barley Mow was definitely a consideration as we had enjoyed many a pre-train evening there and that need would continue.

However, at the time that was more-or-less the extent of nearby facilities (at least of which we were aware) save, perhaps, the shops and stuff in place mainly for the lunchtime-worker-audience...oh, and the 'spoons.

Ours was a the first residential new building and was still a little separated from the nearest newish (c1990) development and further still than the older Victorian and early C20 houses.

Now - there are numerous block of flats, so-called "co-living" spaces all around us and the area has definitely livened up.

If I drew a 5 minute walk circle around the flat that area would now include:

1 Starbucks (was previously here)

3 independent/small chain cafes

1 deli

1 brewery with regularly open taproom

1 Sainsbury's

1 Greggs

1 sourdough bakery (in one of the small chain cafes)

1 pasty/sandwich/other savouries shop

1 long standing sandwich shop

2 street food markets each week.

2 pubs (the aforementioned Barley Mow plus the 'spoons)

1 mainline train station (with attendant shops of last resort)

1 Deliveroo counter (no I don't really understand it either)

1 chain pizza restaurant/wine bar

A homeware/garden centre/DIY shop is a huge loss to the area (for me at least) but there have been very few reductions in facilities as a result of the development.

I don't have the time to list all the facilities within 15 minutes of our home but would include things like

2 more breweries and their taprooms

Something in excess of 20 pubs and bars

A variety of ethnic food shops and convenience shops.

half a dozen places to eat in the evenings and 5 or 6 takeout places

This circle would also border on the main shopping centre (take that as you will).

Within a one-mile radius (20 mins walk) the range is extraordinary.

Who on earth would willingly do anything other than walk - or, use the bus - in this city where roads were mainly designed for carts and the post-war road additions have only served to sever old connections and encourage people to live out of, and drive into the city.  Madness.

If we stay here for a about 2 weeks and want to drink excellent beer every day and only face a walk of 1 mile in either direction, we still wouldn't have to make a repeated visit to anywhere if we didn't want to.  How awesome is that?

Talk about yer people of habit...

 Yesterday, we wre waiting a delivery from Yodel.

Our usual time for popping out for a beer (4.30 - 5pm) came and went.  In Bristol, we don't drink at the flat very often at all.  We love that we only have to amble short distance to have beer where it's supposed to be had - the pub, or a taproom.

Weirdly, both of us got really twitchy as we tracked the delivery van coming oh-so-close and then nipping off to other places before finally landing at our address at 5.45.

Was it too late to go to the nearest places which are usually very busy by that time on a Thursday?  We decided to risk it, put coats on and pop to the 'mow.

As we approached we heard jolly voices of people sitting outside (it had been raining most of the day) and that brought further trepidation.  We crossed the threshold and Lo! loads of space - including a spot next to the fire.

Immediately we relaxed, grabbed a lovely couple of pints and settled in. Oddly, not 5 minutes after we'd sat down, than the place started to fill up.  It was exactly like what would have happened if we'd arrived around hour before, but out by an hour...almost as if everyone was waiting for us.

Weird.

Today, we both acknowledged how the imposed shift in timetable had made us edgy whilst knowing how silly it was.  Maybe that's what getting older is for other people too...being disproportionately freaked out by something that we can't control.

Anyhow, there are Amazon parcels to collect today so that might take us in a different direction.

Birthday Beers

 So it was a nearly a random day of the year that happened to coincide with the diamond anniversary of my birth.

I mused on the fact that I've been a beer drinker for approximately 37 of those years and I can confidently say that good beer is so easy to find, that it's not so much a special occasion or treat like it once was - at least not in most places I go.

Even Eastbourne which was once a "you can have anything you like as long as it's Harveys" kinda town has its bright spots of interest.  The Crown which once had regular beers of Harveys (obvs), 6X, Spitfire and Youngs Special with just a nod to modern beer styles with Dark Star Hophead now usually has Harveys (well, yes), Timmy Taylor Landlord and two other local brews (quite often Gun or Kent, but frequently other breweries) and when we first starting going there, the Hophead was lovely but there was no element of surprise.

Most of the other pubs are so-so in their beer availability (mostly representative of no real freehouses in the town) but there are a couple of tap/bottle rooms which are keg and can kinda places (and really nice with it).  But I still think Eastbourne is dragging behind other local towns, sadly.

Anyway...back to the just before my birthday thing...I've always associated Harvey's Star of Eastbourne with my birthday since we once went to the Victoria after work on my birthday and there it was - it was love at first slurp. So this year, on Wednesday (T-1) I was working and suggested I met the BBB at the Hurst in the hope that it would be on there (definitely the most consistent Harveys pub in town).  Not only did they have that, but also Prince of Denmark (7.5% dark and chewy).  Let's just say I was a little squiffy by the time we left. 

On Friday most people might have expected me to go to the Eastbourne CAMRA beer festival but, these days, it's really not my thing at all.  Big room, lots of noise, loads of people and includes either lunchtime or late evening drinking - neither of which are our preferred way of things.  When I was younger and beer was much harder to come by - good beer even more so - a beer festival was a real treat:  a chance to try beers from all around the country and learn of new breweries.  Now they just don't feel like the thing I really want to do.

Instead, we defected to St Leonards/Hastings where there was a tap-takeover event taking place in a load of local pubs.  There were 6 in St Leonards alone but we wanted to concentrate on the 4 closest to the station.  Heist we already know well, the others - not such much.

Collective Fictions which is a bottle shop/tap room is tiny and hosting Polly's.  We started there.  Quirky and you have to be prepared to share tables (there are 3 inside, 2 outside and bar seating) but really enjoyable.  We moved onto The St Leonard pub just up the road.  They were offering Iron Pier and mainly on cask.  It's a proper pub and if their usual beer offering similar at other times, I could definitely be tempted to go back.  We were then joined by colleague/pal and she suggested that eating would be a good idea so she took us to a Sri Lankan place on the seafront which was magnificent and served portions that didn't knock us out.  We toyed with going off to the Piper but got waylaid by Heist who were serving "Simple Things" beer (never heard of them, very nice).  We started fairly weak but our last beers were 6.8% and 7% - the friend who says she likes beer but gets drunk very easily declared the 7% DDH the best.  Oh dear.

So we only managed 3 places but it's really nice to know that we are aware of a couple more places in that area so next time we're working over there...we could try somewhere other than Heist.

OK, so it's still a beer festival but it feels much more like going to the pub and that's all to the good.  If only we could find places in town that might be willing to organise something like this in Eastbourne... (no, I'm too busy...!)

Another chance

 The first pub Best Beer Buddy took me to in this town I call home, was The Buccaneer.

It's close to Towner where we had just been to a Robert Mapplethorpe exhibition and it was time for a sit down and lunch.

I was told tales of how it was once fitted out to be like a galleon.  The beer was good, the ambiance was pleasant and it wasn't the last time I went there when making visits before we moved here.

In the time since then, the fortunes of the pub have wavered a little and the latest incarnation, run by the council, has been extremely patchy - it's also changed it's name to the Stage Door.  Mostly, we've been giving it a wide berth.

However, yesterday, I'd been at the Tower all day - starting late morning and mostly there on my own until the troops joined ready for a gig we'd arranged there.  This meant I'd been unable to go to the loo.

We finished with the gig around 5.30pm after the clear up and I was knackered.  BBB asked where I wanted to go - and my main priority was to have a wee, then to sit down with a beer somewhere not too busy or noisy.

Beerarama had a gig on so that was out, so I suggested we just try the Stage Door on the grounds is was less than 5 mins away, had reasonable loos and would probably at least serve a drinkable (if not exciting) pint.

It was peopled but not too crowded when we arrived and there were 3 decent beers on.  We grabbed a couple of pints, I took my ease, and we settled in.  Beer was good (360 Tacoma which came as a surprise) - so we had a second (he switched to Rising Giant - I stuck with 360).

I'm genuinely happy that the place seems to have picked up again.  It's as good a place as several other pubs in town - especially for a weary project manager.

Today, I think I'm looking forward to fridge beer, and the quiet company of BBB

The Temperature's Rising...

 ...and it wasn't surprising.  It's not that the outdoor air temperature has changed much, it's more that the building and the pavements have warmed up so they contribute to the general feeling of the heat.

At lunchtime yesterday I (bravely) went to fetch pasties (next door to Martha's).  Instead of my accustomed stroll along the side of the harbour, I cowered in the shade of the tall buildings behind us.  This, as it turned out, was a wise move.

As I got to the end of the road there was a small gap in the shade and the temperature change was immediate and staggering (it was very sunny).

When we wanted to venture out it took us a while to decide where.  Wiper and True promised rugby coverage so we decided to brave it.  Walking a bit of a circuitous route to make the most of potential shade we took it fairly slowly.  Nevertheless we arrived hot and tired.  The Rugby on TV wasn't that engaging and not in the ideal spot in the building (in my humble...) - not only that but because the building is quite big and industrial we assumed it would feel airy inside.  It did not.

After about 20 mins, it all got too much so we went outside to try and get some respite under their big sheltering tent.  We had a jolly exchange with some people who spotted the same, shaded, table as us - and they begged us to share it.

BBB was still not sure he wanted to stay but gradually, we cooled down, the overwhelming urge to find a fridge to lie down in subsided and we decided to watch the rugby on a phone instead (thank you W&T for decent wi-fi).

The walk back was a little more pleasant.

Today we've already had a little rain, but I still think it's best to stay fairly close to home...

We're having a heatwave...

 ...it's not exactly a tropical heatwave and it's not quite as extreme as it was last year.  Nevertheless, this is really not my favourite weather.

This flat also rather serves to amplify the warmth, thanks to the glass curtain wall.  The first couple of days it wasn't too bad first thing in the morning because there hadn't been that long summer heat build-up.  Now, however, 5 days in, the fans come out earlier and earlier in the day.

I'm genuinely not moaning - just a little bit sad that I'm too hot to head out far.  The furthest we've managed is Kings Street to try the Beer Emporium (large, underground, vaulted) which we figured might have a relatively stable temperature.  Sadly, however, despite all their social media and their website saying they were open on a Monday...they weren't.

Almost next door, though, is the "Volly" which has always been a little bit hit and miss both on beer and service. Nevertheless, the inside was empty and pleasant, the beer was cool and the staff attentive(ish).

We were happy there and it was really nice to see not only a long list, but a good range and many different strengths of beer.

The journey there was SO hot that himself was a little bit overwhelmed so we took it really slowly.

For the next couple of days we didn't really want that sort of repeat so we stuck local and safe.

One day we even ventured to the Cornubia and sat in their garden. We always hesitate a little because their favoured beer styles are quite traditional.  However, we were really very happy with some halfway-house beers that we were happy with, and which wouldn't have frightened the traditionalists' horses too much.

Yesterday we went to Moor.  The beer is always brilliant, but as they've swapped bar staff with less experienced ones it's not quite the same experience as it used to be. Nevertheless, sitting in the garden trying to make the most of every tiny waft of air and playing cards was a good way to spend our time.  AND they had Hoppiness on - which they haven't for a good while.

There's rugby today but it's not clear whether we want to go far yet.  The sun's still hot and although there are thunderstorms promised for later this evening, it'll be a while until going too far is bearable.

Unacustomed, as I am...

 It's pretty clear from most of these vague ramblings that the Boy and I like our beer - but we like it in quiet places.  Not for us the "shared" experience of being around a lot of people - we seek out the quiet and revel in going to really popular places when they have fewest punters.

No, it's not altruistic - and whilst we like the idea that we're peopling a bar/pub/taproom which has committed to opening but whose sales probably struggle its staffing bill at certain times of day -  it's mostly that we like places to be relatively calm.

Is it because we're getting on a bit?  Not really - both have of us have eschewed crowds for most of our lives - although it's easier to hear each other without the clamour of a busy clientele.  No, we are just those kinda people that likes to be with a limited number of other people at any one time.

In fact - when I've had particularly peoply days at work - I can really only bear to go to somewhere really quiet with only himself, since he understands.

Anyhow this is preamble by way of explanation as to why us going to what amounts to a sports bar on a Saturday afternoon is an anomaly.

Brighton were playing in the 5.30-kick-off slot  - this means televisation, and that means (usually) Sky.

The competitive beast in him makes even watching on the TV quite stressful - so we don't always do it.  However, yesterday he was quite keen.  However, if the beer's not good - we wouldn't do it.

We settled on heading to King Street which is a maelstrom of drinking people from Friday to Sunday which is why we usually give it a very wide berth.  The Brewhouse always has TVs on, just up the road is the Volly and just around the corner is a Fullers pub which could work in a pinch.

As we rounded the corner to go in we braced for impact a little bit - the outside seating was RAMMED but inside it was quiet.  All the big windows and doors were open giving an outsidey-insidey thing going on (useful for a hot lady-of-a-certain-age).  There was initially a big queue and a couple of chancer young men attempted to cut in front of me (poor, naive little boys) but I soon came away with a couple of pints and the Boy had settled himself in a lovely quiet little corner - perfect spot.

As always, the beer was fine.  Crowds of people came and went to the bar but even the group who inveigled their way to our little corner of quietude were pretty well behaved (ie:  not too loud).

Three pints, two hours, periods of serious stress,  and a 3-1 scoreline later - we cheerfully ambled home leaving the throngs behind.

What I found interesting was that depsite many hundreds of people converging on these two drinking streets and who were clearly spending a long time there I only saw one young woman very obviously worse for wear (ie - she'll be the one having her hair held back by a mate later as she voms into the gutter) - and OK it was about 7.45 when we left and I'm sure it got a lot more feisty later - but it seems to suggest that with the right sort of establishments and arrangements many of the issues can perhaps be managed pretty well.  Well done KingStreet and Welshback you make this part of town pleasant to be in - even at the weekend!

Meeting Da Family

 We try and meet up with friends and family when we're staying in Bristol - although sometimes we're not as good at is as we should be.  Also, because we don't plan too far in advance we can't just expect people to bend their diaries to our whims.

So it was that we missed the chance to meet with big brother last time we came up - we arrived unwell, and so we swerved all sociability.

The day before we left, bro dropped me a text to ask how we were and whether we were likely to be up soon.

Sister-in-law having had a major operation on her ankle, meant that we needed to pick a location with care.  Their natural instinct is to drive places and then one of them doesn't drink. We've been trying for years to get them to consider public transport.

This time I made a bold suggestion - for them to consider getting the bus into town and making the most of the East Bristol Brewery Trail.  Brother said he would research the feasibility and if it wasn't, then drive.

They live far to the East of the city - almost touching on Bath and so the bus service is only hourly.  However, it was close enough for sister in law to walk and at the town end I already knew it would stop very close to Wiper & True which I thought they may like.

Although there is a food offering (usually just gyoza) I did wonder whether it would be something my brother would really want to eat.  So, on our way round we stopped and picked up pasties and popped them, steaming hot, into our rucksack.

It's only about a mile, and we'd managed to time it so that we arrived at their bus stop a few minutes before them - so we waited and met them off the bus.

They both instantly fell in love with the taproom and marvelled how easy it was to get the bus (brother is old enough to have a bus pass) and how pleasant it was.  In fact, had her ankle been a bit more recovered, they would have been able to walk about half a mile from their house and have a bit more bus choice.  I took the opportinuty to extol the benefits of the bus company's app for live tracking of buses.

We decided to sit inside since it looked like it may rain a bit.  Whilst really busy, the bar staff were incredibly efficient and it took no time to get served.  Sure enough it rained so we were glad we'd found a good table before that happened.

We all found beers we liked, despite being a tiny bit disappointed in the lack of 2/3rd meaures (and plastic glasses).  Our visitors declared themselves utterly won over by the place and recommending it to their kids immediately.

All in all - and pasties included (which were still really warm after an hour in the bag) - as good a visit as it's possible to be.  We may have persuaded the family that buses aren't all bad...and that Town may actually be worth visiting on one.

On the way back, the BBB and stopped at the Barley Mow for a couple (and a card game) - the pace was picking up there by the time we left so it was nice to be back home in the quiet of the flat for a bit of decompression.

Today?  Actually, my main aim of being here for brewery trail wasn't Wiper and True (or almost any of the others...because most of them open weekly) - but Arbor.  They only open during the trail so it would be criminal not to nip up the cycle track to pay them a visit.

Bu that's for later...no lunchtime drinking for us today.

Right time, Right place

 After the Tour de France finished yesterday, we decided (unsurprisingly) it was beer o'clock.  "Where do you want to go?" I asked.  "Somewhere light and airy".

Wiper and True's brewery taproom seemed to fit the bill and is about 3/4 of a mile away.

It was sunny and reasonably warm and about 4.50pm when we arrived.

There were two cask choices on the bar so we chose Kaleidoscope and, unusually for us, sat outside.

They've done a really good job in turning a largeish car-park for a couple of industrial units into a welcoming outdoor space.  Whilst the parking bay lines remain, there are loads of planters filled with a variety of small trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants and it looks designed, rather than "plonked".

It would be very easy for them to have just filled the whole of the space with seating to maximise the number of punters but they've taken a much more hollistic approach and it's great!

All in all, it's a great place but I think, for us, the conditions have to be right to make it the perfect venue on any given day.  Yesterday was that day...

Surprise Cask

Sunday we still didn't have the energy to go far (and there was the threat of heavy rain) - so we popped to the Barley Mow.  Lovely and quiet and relaxing in the post-Sunday lunch lull.  Independence on cask is a rare and totally delightful treat.  We failed to take a game with us so we just chilled a bit.

This place still delivers time after time.

Monday we needed to pop out to get a packet from a locker so the natural place to go was LHG.  This has none of the cosy ambiance of smaller places and the larger staffing team makes for a different experience.  But I still really like the place and you can always rely on having a good range of higher strength beers to finish with. For the first time, the pizza guys didn't seem to be in attendance - but we weren't planning to eat out anyway so it wasn't much more than a passing observation.

Yesterday there was a game to be played (the one we picked up from the locker) and Martha's is the perfect place to do it.

We arrived and were greeted with a hearty hello (different staff from Friday) and they immediately leapt into "We've got a cask beer on...it's a new thing for us...". 

The chap pouring (ex-Moor) immediately said "2/3rds?"

They know their customers.

All in all, an absolutely perfect session of game and beer - the right number of people in the place, the brilliant staff and delightful beer.

Seriously, if an organisation can do all this from a railway arch, there's really no excuse for bigger places not to do it too.

Wonder if they'd like to come to Eastbourne....?

Summer Snottyness

 It buggered our plans a bit.  After we went to Hastings on Tuesday, the plan for Wednesday was to ready ourselves to travel to Bristol on Thursday.

But snot got in the way.  Wednesday morning the Boy declared himself to be unwell.  True enough there was a lot of coughing and sneezing. There was only drinking of tea, juice and water all day (even I abstained - mostly because it's more companionable, and an easy way to do a no alcohol day)

Thursday morning arrived and, although brighter, he was still coughing so we decided a raincheck on travel would be wise.  Fridge beer in the warmth of the garden was a good consolation.

Friday I awoke with sore throat and a dull headache (truth be told, it was a couple of days old but definitely more prominent on Friday).  "Shall we delay another day?", I seriously considered it but reasoned that I wouldn't be spluttering over anyone and if we didn't over-exert I'd probably find the journey relatively painless - and then things could take their course.

So we packed light (and lunch) and jumped on a bus to take us to the station.  The Eastbourne - Victoria leg was very quiet as far as Gatwick and when we got to each tube station there was a train to be leapt upon.  This meant that, having left 12.00 we were, amazingly, able to dash for the 14.00 train to Bristol.  

Unfortunately, being the last on the train, and one running on in short format (only 5 coaches) - it was standing room only.  The 45mins to Didcot felt like a LONG time and I feared for the sanity of my knees. We'd noticed a bloke had, annoyingly, sat resolutely in the aisle seat when the chap next to him vacated.  On a crowded train this really is antisocial because most people won't ask to sit in the seat.  I'm not most people, however.

The boy carried on down the carriage and found a seat further down.  

Weirdly, as soon as we were sitting, and even though we weren't sitting together, the 45minute stand melted away. The train stayed resolutely crowded all the rest of the way - and was a about 10 minutes late in.

At Bristol we reunited, went through our arrival routine (get milk out of the freezer, open windows, flush loos, turn on the water, etc) and within 30 mins we were heading out to get a beer (and escape the heat of the flat).  Being Friday, we'd normally go up to Moor but we decided to take a look at Marthas on the way.  Quite a few people sitting outside, but almost no one inside.  

Settling in, it was quiet and cosy - and not unlike putting on a comfy hoody on the first chilly morning in September. We both relaxed.  I became very glad we'd made journey and not put it off.

Their beer is great, the staff are fun and although we only appear periodically, they'll pick up a conversation like we popped in yesterday.  These are folk who know how to do this.  It felt very similar in vibe to the Courtyard.

Since then my cold has got worse, his has got better and although we managed a quick visit to Moor yesterday, I wasn't really up for much.  The decision to travel Friday was definitely a good one - I wouldn't have been up for travelling either yesterday or today.

Today, we'll likely be dodging the rain and staying local, I think  Hopefully with a slightly longer excursion in a few days.

So Near and yet so, so Far

 My periodic work excursions to St Leonards/Hastings are now pretty well rehearsed and simple.

Train to St Leonards Warrior Square, 5 minute work to the place of work, do work.  If a colleague is available there I may have a chat or catch up or we may go to Heist for lunch and a small beer (usually lunchtime, so too much beer really doesn't work).

Yesterday, most of the colleagues weren't around so Best Beer Buddy said he'd come and join me at Heist.  As always the beer is lovely - the food looked great (we didn't eat though) and it's quite relaxed - if a pretty basic set up.  I learned here that Three Legs hope to open their Bexhill taproom in a couple of months.  We'll definitely be checking it out as soon as we can.

In the spirit of adventure we decided, after a couple, to stroll along to the nearest "Brewing Brothers" incarnation - at the Courtyard. It lies just the other side of Hastings Pier and so is about a 15minute walk along the seafront down the quirky "Bottle Alley".  It's a gentle and pleasant amble and soon we arrived at the Courtyard which is the external part of a huge skatepark which is one the site of the old Baths and then Ice Rink.

As well as Brewing Brothers there are 2 or 3 other outlets all doing combination of food and drink.

It's a really nice setting and although it was a tiny bit chilly (even though it's July) we were comfy and relaxed.There's both indoor and outdoor seating and some additional "backroom" space which wasn't the ambiance we wanted (perhaps in winter?)

There's a tiny open kitchen where pasta dishes are prepared and we had a ringside seat.

After a couple of glasses, we decided that eating there would be a great idea -  Spaghetti Aglio Olio for me - Tagliatelli with rocket pesto and sundried tomatoes for him.  Simple it might have been but all the better for it.

It's a truly lovely place and we'll definitely be back.  We had cause, once again, to rue the lack of quirky beer-led venues in Eastbourne.  It's clear that Hastings/St Leonards is now streets ahead.  We did vaguely consider Hastings as a potential place to live. Whilst I don't regret it, exactly, I do wonder what would have happened if we had...

Inner City Green

 The day was warm and bright. I'd found a new greenway on the map - and was very surprised by it.

Last year, one of the sisters told us she'd found this wonderful gin, made in Bristol but had been unable to find it in Eastbourne - might it be possible for us to see if we could source a bottle.

I looked where it was and it was in Bedminster, in an industrial unit with a path that ran along the Malago stream (unsurprisingly this was in Malago Road).

We'd sought it out, bought the gin and had a most delightful walk back down a mostly wooded and be-streamed concealed path back towards Temple Meads.  Sadly there weren't any exciting beer venue on the way back but, hey.

So, in the spirit of adventure I'd searched on the map to find where else the Malago might go and whether we could follow it (much as we did with the Frome).  Turned out there was a whole "Malago Greenway" to be followed.

The most feasible, and likely satisfying, way to do this was to get a bus to Bedminster Down/Headly Park and walk back.  Ironically, as a child I spent loads of time walking to and from this precise area because my beloved aunt took me to the library there from the family home, which was about a mile away.  However, I had absolutely no idea there was a greenspace immediately behind that library.

The walk through the woods was glorious and then along green valley.  There was a break in the greenway which neccessitated a short walk down a main road and then some back streets but it didn't detract.

Through another greenspace/park and then back onto the same route that we'd taken from the gin distillery.

By the time we reached the other end of Bedminster I was knackered and although I'd toyed with the idea of a couple of venues that may or may not have been open and in any case would close soon, I suggested we try the "On Point" brewery.

It was a bit of a ticky thing to find but we got there in the end.  Not only did we have two beers (one which was a collaboration with the two other breweries nearby) but he suggested we try a  Kombucha/Ginger/Lemongrass drink (0.5%) - didn't want to be rude, so we did.  Actually it was really nice!

After two I suggested we finally try the Alpha Bottle Shop nearby.  I told the BBB it was nearby but I don't think he realised quite how close.

It had some seriously good beers available and a really nice ambiance.  We only stayed for one and then walked home but we'll definitely be back.

Such a contrast from the last time we ventured...and fun (if knackering).

Old Gits

 Since the guests left last Tuesday, we've not ventured far for our beer.  Partly not wanting to overdo it again and partly quite a lot of work going on.

So we've visited Martha's, Barley Mow and Moor and - more surprisingly - The Cornubia.  This latter on Thursday because I learned that Moor no longer opens the taproom on a Thursday.

It has a garden, and plenty of space and is a very favourite after-work venue.

Usually this pub has definite overtones of Old Git (basically, people our age) but this time we felt relatively old in amongst groups of the after-workers.

It was lively and quite noisy but pleasant - we reminded ourselves why we like the pub.

Friday we sat in the garden in Moor and, unusually for both of us, chose to have the same beer in the second round as the first (me Distortion, him "The Mix"), finishing with a Mountain Pale.

It was nice to see the garden here also busy - although an event on Saturday means it'll likely be heaving today!

Current plan for today is see if we can manage a bit of a longer walk and try a couple of new places.  We're flexible, though, so it might not quite come off...

Old Friends, New Places

We finally managed a time when M&J could come to Bristol - and would arrive Sunday afternoon.

It co-incided with a time a young colleague was coming to Bristol for a gig, also arriving on Sunday.

It was the last Premier League match of the season and so there was a desire to watch football and this led us to the choice of the King Street Brewery & Kitchen.  We had expected a degree of business but, crikey!

M&J were delayed on their train so Best Beer Buddy went to the pub to meet S and bagsy a table.

Having met the visitors, we dispatched M to leg it to the pub to miss as little as possible of the action and J and I dumped bags and strolled around later.

When we arrived it packed to the rafters!  We found the the others and returned to the bar to get top-ups. It took a while to get served, and there was very little choice of beer but still - we got a round in and I managed to get two & a half flimsy plastic pints back to our table without chucking it around too far (mind you, some young men are a pain in the arse to negotiate around).

Football scores were monitored, there were chats (in spite of the noise) and suddenly it was time to strike out for food.

We ended up in place we'd seen, but never been to before (courtesy of a coin flip) - a Lebanese restaurant - which was absolutely lovely.  We vowed to return another time.

We did a quick, historic, walk back via the Old City walls and one last beer was in order - so we went to the Kings Head.  All very well received.

Monday dawned and we decided to catch a ferry to the far end of the harbour and walk back.  

Looking at the devastation of the boatbuilders in the Underfall yard was really shocking although there was a tiny silver lining in the because the walls were brick, the damage to adjoining buildings seems to be much smaller than I'd imagined.  We forswore the crowds at the Cottage and walked out to the very furthest reach of the harbour to be treated to various bridge swings and lock activity.  After all that excitement, some form of refreshment was in order so we tried the Pump House.  When we'd last gone in there it hadn't seemed very welcoming at all but there'd been a change of hands so it was worth a go.

Again, it was heaving but the FoH staff were doing a brilliant job.  We were seated really quickly, given a menu (or 3) and told it was table-service.  Two cask beers available - both on good form (one BBF, one Glastonbury, one pale, one brown) and the coffee offerings were also approved-of.

The brunch dishes were  absolutely lovely and whilst not exactly cheap - definitely appreciated.  Would probably go back!

We ambled down the other side of the harbour to get to new offering from BBF - The Junction.  It's early days (and was very busy) but seasoned pub-goers quickly spotted a table.  It was a bit sad that they were closing early for a private event but it wasn't the end of the world.  Will have to return when it's a bit more established.

A request was made to see the Cary Grant statue in the Millenium square, then we walked up to the Cathedral (Shut  - clearly God taking the bank holiday off) and then back to home.  There was much fatigue in the group by this time.

After a couple of hours some energy had been recovered so out we went.  M had expressed a preference to try the Seven Stars. A metal gig was on next door and music in the pub even louder than usual.  M said, I thought there was a sort of separate side-space here?  Turns out he'd mistaken Seven Stars for the Cornubia - but the C wasn't open anyway so we'd probably have ended up in the SS.

Time for food - not always easy on a Monday.  Marco's Olive Tree and Bocabar both closed so we went to LHG, warning M that he'd have to drink "Fucking Hipster Beer" and that he wouldn't be allowed it in pints.

An incident with a seagull and M's coat, together with an advertised prolonged wait time for food meant we took and executive decision on beers and food and grabbed a table.  

 Some confusion over which pale, murky beer was which saw me with a 4% cask beer and J with a 6.5% keg beer, having given her the choice to see which she liked best.

In the event, food arrived much more quickly than anticipated and was declared excellent (despite ferociously hot chillis) and itwas nice enough to stay for lasties.  BBB & I shared one strong stout and one strong IPA, M had the cask pale beer and J also went with a strongish stout.

M approved of the venue so all were happy.

Today I'm feeling the effects - not so much of the alcohol as the 6.5 miles we walked finding and drinking it.

The guests headed home, S the colleague likewise from his much-enjoyed gig and we're thinking it was a job well done...and contemplating not travelling too far for beer later...

Women Drinking Beer

 We'd been in Bristol about 90 mins and in the pub for about 45 of those.  Yeah - the Barleymow.

The best beer buddy looked at the busy pub (it was about 5.30pm) and said "I love that Bristol has women drinking beer".

This is not code, it's not anything untoward, it's an observation on the pub/beer-drinking-places culture in Bristol.

In most of the places we drink beer in Bristol (not all, it has to be said) we usually see groups of women also sitting an enjoying their beer.  This evening, in Marthas, not just alcoholic beer, either.  

In Eastbourne it's a lot rarer.

We both like to drink in places where you know that anyone would feel welcome and comfortable - sometimes the vibe is overt (unisex bathrooms, notices about inclusivity) and some it just "is" (LHG brewpub is an exemplar of this).

As a White Cis Straight female with a White Cis Straight male partner our feeling of being included in pub/beer places is pretty universal.  OK, some people might be a little surprised that this short, middle-aged woman is a bit of a beer nerd, but it doesn't take long to come onside (I've only had to tut and look over the top of my glasses once at a young, male, barstaff).  

However for other people that acceptance might be harder to come by, so to see places where groups of young(ish) women choose to hang out and drink beer, or someone with a beard and skirt feels OK, or two women obviously on a date are absorbed in each other and their beer - rather than whether someone will see them as something "other"  is a fantastic sight.

 It's subtle and you might miss it if you're not alert to it. Now we've noticed it, we're seeing it more and  more in our favourite places.  

What's not to love? (no - I don't want those answers on a postcard, thanks)

 

You Know You're in Sussex

 The train journey back from the shire was largely uneventful.

When we got to Victoria, we decided to come straight back to Eastbourne rather than do the Brighton diversion.

The weather was pleasant when we got back so we walked home and called into The Crown on the way.  The first pint was Gun Extra Pale and instantly we were back in Sussex.  It's a very distinctive beer and is as good as Hophead always was.  This cask was in particularly good nick, too.

Since we've been back we've only been to the Crown (twice) and otherwise relied on Fridge beer.

The weather is nice today and so we've been doing a few chores in the garden.

Not sure whether we'll brave "Front Garden" beer just yet...it feels almost warm enough.  Almost.

Applauding the Effort

 A couple of years ago a new brewery started not very far away and it was based right next to the greenway path that runs along the river.

It was called "Cocksure" and, for some reason I really didn't take to the name.  They changed to Tapestry (maybe new company or maybe just a name change) and they had a little bit of local trade in pubs.  We tried the beers a few times but they were fine, but we never sought them out and for the pub that regularly stocked their beers - we weren't pursuaded to go in often.

Then they started to open their taproom and a friend messaged me (publicly) on Twitter to say "you really must try them..." I replied that I was pleased they were there but had found the beer not really to my taste.  The brewery messaged back with a "please try us again..." or words to that effect.

So we did.  We ambled around to try it out and it was a bit better.  So we tried a couple of other times and we were happy to go there, especially as it involved a bit of a stroll via green stuff (loads of wild fruit trees - and the odd bird to see).  It became a semi-regular haunt even during the pandemic.

Then a sad thing happened:  post-pandemic they fell on hard financial times and then they closed.

After a little bit of time a new venture started:  Props.

Props are a charity that support people with learning disabilities in work and learning skills.  Immediately I liked the idea as it chimes a little with some of my work.

They've been going for a little while but we hadn't made the journey out.

Yesterday, the boy suggested he wanted a bit of a pre-beer amble.  So we made a long-overdue visit via a walk along the greenway.  We took stock of the fruit trees in blossom:  cherries, pear, apple, damson all in evidence and whilst pausing to look at something, we were visited by a cheeky robin.

We arrived at the tap and it was good to see a few people there.  The barman told us they get quite busy now and they've been pleased with how the project is progressing.

We tried their two beers and retreated to the mezzanine and listened to the music.

It has to be said that the beer was OK but definitely felt like "early in the journey of brewing" beer rather than the product of a confident brewer.

We look back to other breweries who we've seen go through this journey (Croft, Route 21, Martha) and what happens when they're able to stick with it and are able to learn.  It can be done.  Early stage breweries are not the finished article and I'm hoping that we'll stop off for another beer next time we're in town and see how things are going.

Glad I Went. Not Going Back

 When we first bought the Bristol flat, the location was a combination of necessity (proximity to railway station), feel of the place (I often arrived back late and needed to feel safe in the area), luck (I got a flyer through the door the day I had taken a decision to start looking) and the fact that there were a couple of good pubs nearby that me and the boy had frequented and liked.

What we were less prepared for was a nearby Chinese restaurant called "Dynasty" which was set up in an old commercial building and perched atop a brilliant Chinese supermarket which I had been using for a long time.

The day we moved (well, part moved) into the flat had been incredibly busy and hard work (as moves always are) and because I hadn't actually let my house go yet there was none of the usual "box of things to open first in order to make a quick dinner".

In fact, the only place we had the energy to go to was Dynasty.  We'd tried it a few months before and were decided less than impressed with the food.  We'd chosen the set meal, for speed, and it had been rather uninspiring.  Nevertheless, we were knackered, and really hungry so we decided it was the least worst option.  This time we chose off the proper menu and were absolutely wowed!  We became regulars and always greeted so enthusiastically by the FoH manager, Calvin that when it closed for the area to be flattened and redeveloped, we were devasted.

Fast forward a couple of years.

I'd noticed that there was a huge Chinese supermarket with a restaurant at the edge of the "Ikea/Tesco" retail park.  The reviews were great.  It's defintely not a proximity thing but we had been thinking about plans that might include a visit.

Yesterday, the weather was lovely so we thought we'd like a bit of a walk to beer-destination of choice.  I suggested Fierce and Noble as we'd not been there for a while, and it includes a little amble.  The Boy was definitely up for that so we struck out.

The walk was pleasant and the sun was quite warm in the brewery's courtyard when we arrived.  The board of draught offerings was a little bit sparce but they had plenty of cans.  We got a couple of pints and sat in the yard.  It was really nice being back there.  It's a little homespun when compared to most of the other brewery set-ups but the beer is good, the people friendly and we quite like a bit of variety.

Whilst musing on the beer, I suggested we might try the Eastgate restaurant.  He liked the idea a lot - albeit wondering whether the walk home might be a little long (for me, not him).  I was up for it.

We left the brewery and headed over the Eastgate.  It's not a road I've ever walked before (I might have travelled by road, but I don't even remember that) - and felt like a bit of a drery slog.  Then we saw the building and assumed that we'd be able to get in on the side we saw.  As we got to it, we realised there was an additional long slog around the boundary to get to entrance.

Then it was up a looooonnnnngggg flight of stairs to get into restaurant.  It was huge...and mostly empty (7pm on a Thursday).

Staff were quietly friendly and soon we had two enormous menus to peruse. We noticed immediately there were some interesting dishes - good sign.  We also noticed it was quite pricey.

We ordered.

The starter (smoked shredded chicken) arrived and it was definitely not a good start.  Tough, largely flavourless and we couldn't finish it.

We both started to get a bit twitchy.

The mains arrived.  A great improvement.  Szechuan green beans with pork and chilli was absolutely gorgeous.  Prawns with yellow bean sauce OK but a bit overly sauced.  Fried rice - generous and well cooked.  All in all, most of the food was fine and we finished most of it.

The bill was a bit of a stunner though - almost twice the price of our regular Chinese restaurant in Eastbourne and, green beans aside, definitely not worthy of it.

Has this been somewhere closer (like Dynasty) we would probably have given it a second go - but for the price - but the 5 mile excursion definitely means we won't be making plans to go back. 

 You definitely have to try these things and be happy you've done so.  But next time I think we'll reprise Mayflower in the Bearpit instead.

Striking Out

 The weather was supposed to be quite nice.  We hadn't seen some family members in a while and south Bristol is far easier for them to get to than the centre of town.  They also aren't beer drinkers so we wanted to meet somewhere easy-going and pleasant.

I thought a pleasant walk around the harbour and ending at the Grain Barge would do nicely - and all agreed.

We jumped on a ferry to the centre (much the nicest way to travel) and then walked the couple of miles the long way around the harbour to the Grain Barge.  It was quiet and although the weather wasn't as bright and sunny as we'd hoped, it was a pleasant stroll.

We arrived a little early but this was no hardship - lots of really good beer on offer (including Independence on cask!!!) and it's such a lovely place to sit in.

Family duly arrived and we spent a lovely couple of hours catching up.

We had various options at this point but we decided to reprise the Bag of Cats (Nails).  The beer selection was fine and it's a quirky pub so it's good to revisit although because of the cat thing, most of the patrons are visiting for the cats and it gives it a slightly odd vibe.

Nevertheless, it's really nice to venture a bit further and to have a couple of miles of walking back home too.  By then it was quite late but an easy dinner of pasta with tomatoes and mozzarella  made for the end of a good evening.

Today we have a Zoom meeting to attend at 5.30pm so we're planning to sneak out to MArtha's beforehand for a cheeky pint. It's only 5 minutes away so we shouldn't struggle to be back on time.

The Shire

 It was time to head northwest (from Eastbourne's perspective, anyhow).

The last couple of visits have been distinctly chilly meaning that we haven't really ventured very far and, when we do, we wanted to be in places that were pretty cosy...or at least could do an approximation.

This time, we arrived in sunshine on Thursday - not exactly warm but at least not freezing.

We don't even have to discuss the first venue - 4 hours of travel on us means we want to be in familiar surroundings where we absolutely know that the beer will be tasty and the staff delightful.

Our train was 30 mins late but we were still in the Barley Mow by 4.30pm and already it was pretty busy.  Thankfully, "our" table was free and suddenly all was right with the world.

By the time of the second pint, people had been coming in and joining a burgeoning crowd/queue at the bar. Eventually I decided I needed to bite the bullet and join them.  The boy timed how long it took for me to come back with beer:  6 minutes.

Actually, that time belies how well the bar staff were running the backlog.  No matter where around the bar you were, I could detect no queue-jumping whatsoever.  A sure sign of excellent bar staff and, to be fair, a pretty good set of punters.  So many times here we've seen huge groups of after-workers who order and buy one drink at a time  and - just for extra annoyance - throw in the odd coffee order or dither in their choices.

We had thought about eating there but, neither of us fancied it in the end so it was back via Sainsbury's with some pasta, pesto, tomatoes and (trashy) garlic bread - and it was as good a way to end the evening as any.

Friday the weather was wet all day.  But as we were mainly planning to go to Moor - it's no great hardship.

Today, it's bright and sunny and we're meeting friends at the Wiper and True new taproom.  Probably too cold to sit outside, but it won't be long until we will.  I'm quite looking forward to the stroll over there in dry, pleasant spring weather.

The Next Generation

 About 10 days ago, I'd arranged an "awayday" or, planning session, for the team of folk that will be responsible for delivering the bulk of our work for the next year.

It was seriously hard to find a place that was affordable, easy to get to, and allowed for a decent lunch break in the middle of the day.

Also, I really didn't want the meeting itself to be in a pub - somehow, it didn't give the right sort of vibe for me.  There was more than one joke about this - I'm cool with it.

The whole team have a tendency towards introversion and so rather than force a communal lunch on people who had already been cooped up in a room together I suggested I'd be going to the only place nearby that would do an OK lunch - The Marine pub.  I said anyone was welcome to join me.

So...we all went to the pub together.

It's a pub of last resort for me but the service was lovely, the food good and not too expensive and there was a beer option for anyone who wanted it (sparkling water for me).

At the end of the meeting around 4pm I had planned to meet the Best Beer Buddy for a de-compressing quiet beer somewhere.  However, the team had other ideas.  It would have been churlish to say no, so we all (bar one who was knackered) walked around to Beerarama and BBB met us there.

It was jolly and collegiate and everything you want from an after-work beer, to be honest.  It was particularly nice to see the younger members of the group trying different things - and a more accustomed cider drinker trying an NEIPA, declaring delicious and switching to it on the next round.

Then this week, we were planning to meet a pal (and founder of TechResort) for a drink and a chat and because he commutes via train, we agreed to meet in Ninkasi.  We walked in to find not only him - but two of the "Elves" (as we call them).  Initially a bit bemused because we thought they must have come together, we learned that the Elves had been in the bar when A arrived so we ended up drinking beer together for a couple of hours.

I'm hopeful that a love of beer and some of the good places to drink it isn't my most important legacy with the young people of Eastbourne but it's kinda nice to know that good independent bars in the town get regular support from the youngsters who grew up there.  It's their trade that will sustain the places into the future.

 

Saturday Afternoon in the Pub

 We have fairly establish (ok, entrenched) habits about when and where we go for our beer.

But yesterday, we varied that a bit.  Himself needed to pop into work so I did a bit of painting in the kitchen, made a packed lunch and joined him later.

We listened to the first Six-Nations match of the day and then, around half time we decided to repair to the pub.

For the first time in ages, we thought we'd try the Eagle - it has sports on all screens and we quite fancied watching the second half with a beer.

Now, in the last few years we've steered clear because the beer has been lacklustre to say the least but we figured we'd give it a chance.

As it happened, they had decent Three Acre IPA on.

Mind you, I got a bit of a shock when I paid because the Eagle has always been the cheapest of the licensee's pubs in town.

Two pints was £10.40!

Still, it was in really good nick, we had a comfy (and warm) seat in the pub with a good view of the rugby.

So we stayed. And stayed, eventually carrying on to watch most of the second (England/France) game.

It wasn't particularly late when we finished so we decided to get something a bit more dark and strong so strolled around to Bottle Grove.

We agreed that we'd really enjoyed the Eagle - which took us both by surprise, to be honest.

Are likely to go back -yes, probably but mainly for the sport + beer combo.

Incidentally, I've no real gripe with the price of the beer - it's what cask should be costing, it was just a surprise at that particular place.

Busy, busy, busy

 We've been musing, of late, about the "crisis in pubs" news that keeps cropping up.

The fact that so many pubs are closing at the moment is really sad and more so when it's due to money-grabbing pubCo organisations who are just selling for the real estate.

But is there really a crisis in the licensed trade?

I know that we're a particular class and age of drinker and that we're really particular about what we drink but, almost without exception, the places we generally drink have been busy.  Really busy.

Even in January, the usual gloom and doom "everyone is doing dry January" time - place were heaving.  True enough, a lot of people were drink low/no alcohol beers but the places themselves were absolutely not empty.

We drink pretty much any day of the week in pubs/taprooms, etc

We also drink early - we tend to go for our beer around 4.30pm and leave again by about 7pm.  But, so it seems, does everyone else!

In Bristol it's really noticeable but even in Eastbourne, the places we go aren't usually empty.

Since we arrived in Bristol we've been to:

Monday - BarleyMow, arrived at 4.30pm - most seats taken by about 5.30pm

Tuesday -  4.45pm Tried the Kings Head - rammed, went to Cornubia:  Hugely busy, people sitting outside, high stools only seating available and we nabbed the last two.  Still busy when we left after 7pm.

Wednesday - Marthas - 5pm.  Very busy - only seats on the communal table available.  Still busy when we left.

Thursday - Royal Oak.  Not very busy until a group of students (ladies' rugby team, possibly) turned up.  About 15 or so of them.  This pub was the outlier.

Friday - Moor Brewery Tap.  Pretty busy by the time we arrive around 5pm, got busier and then was still busy when we left.

Saturday - BarleyMow, arrived at 5pm and not a seat to be had initially, people standing, people sitting outside.  We sneaked a "BasketMakers" seat without too much difficulty.  Still busy when we left at 7.00pm

He and I flit between irritated that our favourite places are no longer quiet at the times we used to like to go there and delighted that these great places are seemingly so healthy.  Lets hope their balance sheets show the same thing.

I come back to the thought, even though it could be a bit uncharitable, that good places, which are well run seem to be sustaining their trade.  Other than property sell off motivations - is it the less good places that are closing?

I think the problems besetting breweries are somewhat different.  These are less about just the trading and more about the business model and the capital investment that has to be managed.  Marthas tell us that their tiny brewery is doing better than expected; Moor tells us that they own their building and kit and so aren't at the mercy of rent rises, etc.

I'm not saying it's easy to run a beer business - but I also don't think that it isn't possible to run a good one at the moment.

In Which We Learn...

 ...that some places are better to go to, rather than drink in.

We were keen to have a bit of a walk.  The boy was keen for greenery.  The weather looked pretty good.

Obviously, we like to build a pub visit in too.

As a change, we got the train to Avoncliffe and walked along the canal to Bradford on Avon.  I'd checked the pubs and a few sounded promising.

The tow-path stroll is pleasant and unchallenging (esp for woman with still-recovering knee), there was some pleasant tweetery by the local birds.

It's only a couple of miles and we were soon in Bradford.  We took the opportunity to look inside the wonderful tithe barn and strolled around the town.

By the time my knee was starting to complain, it was still only about 3.30pm.  I was hopeful for an initial stop and a beer but what with the micropub not opening until 6pm and the other pubs not really appealing once we looked at them (one a bit posh, one a bit rough, one a bit "Greene King") we decided that Bradford still isn't really a drinking place for us.

Instead, we decided that calling in on the Royal Oak in Oldfield Park was a reasonable plan instead.  With 45 mins until the train we went to the Three Horseshoes - which is very near the station.  It is a bit rough and ready but the beer was properly kept, if not terribly exciting.

The train was on time and we were soon in the Royal Oak - which is quiet and none too warm but the beer is good and the staff delightful.  The train back to Temple Meads was also on time which makes the journey painless and pleasant.

So - 10 years after the last time we went there, we have once again come to the conclusion that the walk there and around is definitely better than the drinking - perhaps we'll remember not to bother to try and opt straight for the Royal Oak instead.

Tonight we'll be off to Moor.  Tomorrow, who knows?

Welcome Back

 We walked out to Easton to restock on spice provisions.  Obviously, SweetMart is the obvious place to do this.  It's a couple of miles' walk there but that's an added benefit of the place.

After filling our bag with poppadoms, creamed coconut, rice, lentils and spices we repaired to the Greenbank pub to recover.

It's a really interesting pub.  It pretty much manages to pull off a brilliant trick of simultaneously being cafe, pub and social/community hub.  

They had 4 cask and 3 keg local beers available and a short but interesting little menu from the kitchen (pizza, burgers, casserole, etc).  We've eaten there before and the food was good, if not amazing.

The beers don't set the world alight in terms of range or novelty but what we had was good, cool and well kept.

We watched with interest the wide range of people in the place - from parents with kids, to someone working at one of the tables - to us.

We arrived about 4.15 and it was already buzzing - not bad for a January Thursday.

I've no doubt that we'd be reasonably happy were it very local to us and we'd kill for somewhere that interesting in Eastbourne but, neither of us think there would really be the appetite for it there.

Still - well done the team that have taken it over.  It's a lovely model for a pub.

After two pints we decided to head home and perhaps call in at the Assembly for a pizza if it looked promising.  So we struck out back down St Marks Road.  We discovered that G Brothers is now doing eat-in for their fab pizzas (their website indiciated they were take out only).  It would have been rude not to...

They didn't have keg beer on but they did have a fridge full of canned local beer.  

It was lovely being back in this quirky place and even better to see the stream of orders and callers being serviced.  We weren't the only people eating in, either.

This is another place that pulls off an excellent trick of being more than one thing to maximise it's appeal.

If I needed to buy a house in Easton, I'd be able do so knowing that the local amenities would readily available, and provided by fantastic independent traders.

Bravo!

New Year, New Worries

 Here we are, the beginning of another year.

The cost of living crisis is biting hard - not just for the worst off, but for people and businesses who were doing OK.

The latter part of 2022 saw the closure of two local breweries and, undoubtedly, there will be more before the summer.

We've chatted to a couple of the other small breweries that know us quite well.  Moor said it'll be hard but they have a business model that's allowing them to weather things at the moment.

Martha's is a very different animal - a personal passion project for a small number of people - but they feel reasonably confident just now.

My guess is that the likes of Bristol Beer Factory and Arbor will also be able to cope but there are others who I think are in peril - and especially small bottle/tap shops.

As always, we won't be observing any sort of "dry" January.  Our behaviour will be mostly unchanged, we rarely drink seriously large amounts, and rarely drink nothing - but that's us.  Whilst I hate the moralising "dry january" messages, I equally hate the belittling of anyone who doesn't drink - either by choice, or by necessity.

Whilst we fairly regularly do work meetings in an independent drinking establishment - there are various reasons why we pick particular places - and it's usually based on the fact they have a range of non-alcohol drinks that people actually enjoy drinking.  This means it works for all the people at the gathering and we're still managing to support some of our small local businesses without making anyone feel like alcohol is the only option. (I made this edit after a post by another blogger I follow who feels he needs a beer break without the added guilt of knowing that pubs and breweries have a tough time at this time of year).

We'll have lots of things to do on our house once the building work has finished and, hopefully, a lovely new space to enjoy - nevertheless, we've already pledged between ourselves that we'll make the effort to keep going to the pub and buying beers directly from breweries.  Also, to make sure we eat out at our favourite restaurants because resorts in January can be a pretty bleak place.

Good luck everyone - we're all going to need it.