Too Much of a Good thing?

 Tuesday we had an errand to run after a favourite, aged casserole dish finally became unusable.  This necessitated the yomp across to the shopping centre, and the lugging of a very heavy bag (cast iron, y'see).

At the top of Union Street is something of a beer crossroads.  Which way to go?

IT was sunning and almost nearly warmish so I was quite keen to make the most of the light.

After a bit of umming, we decided we should stroll through the Old City and see what going on around there.  It was quite quiet because it was after the market traders mostly shut but it was nice to remember how great this small, traditional market is.

We passed a distillery taproom - not our thing, but good to see but I reckon it lacks a good independent beer place.

We strolled through the bottom half of the market and the presence of a dull old branch of "Revolution" in the old Fish Market (the actual Fish Market, not the Fullers Pub which continues) made me a bit sad but there we go.

As we cross the road towards King Street, I suddenly remembered that BBB had never been to the Old Duke.  I'd also learned recently that it generally stocks Oakham Citra on cask.

There was a time where I could take him to a new pub/bar every time he came to Bristol but this is significantly harder to do now.  So, last time was Bruhaha and this time was the Old Duke.

It's a pub that does what it does - old skool, but 5 or 6 decent (if not exciting) beers on cask (Citra, HPA, Butcombe Rare Breeds, Doom Bar, Boltmaker) 4 or 5 ciders and the usual Madri and other premium lagers.  It also has jazz every night and twice at the weekend. Bar staff very nice, beer well kept, proper pubby. And now he's been there so that gap in his pub education has been filled.

Noticeably busy by just after 5pm - and I thought that was reserved for the sort of places we normally fo - it was nice to see they seem to be thriving.

From there, we decided to go back via the Cornubia, expecting it to be really quiet and we thought we'd be able to get a decent strongish pint to finish on.  We were wrong on both counts, to be honest.  It was busy enough for us to have to perch on stools before a table became available and the strongest beer they had was 4.7%  Still, no matter, one stout and one porter by Beowulf brewery was perfectly satisfactory.  After this we lugged the shopping home and set about using the new casserole (which is also perfectly satisfactory)

Yesterday we went to Wiper and True.  The prices here have shot up - and interesting cask and keg at the same prices.  It was also a bit chilly and we didn't feel moved to stay for more than a pint of cask and glass of hipster beer (mine was OK, his was delicious).  Probably more of a place for a brighter day with a little bit more warmth in it.  We're noticing a real difference not between Sussex and Eastbourne but between types of place.  Taprooms/Brewpubs looking much more expensive - pubs more or less in line (2 pints of BBF beer in Barleymow is the same price of two pints in the Crown...this is something new).

I'm pretty sure we will get used to the prices and swallow them in the interests this industry we want t support - we just have to get over ourselves a bit first.