Watching the Tide

 Our "real" holiday was St Ives.

We both love Cornwall in the autumn and, of course, we travel by public transport so St Ives is always on a list of possible places.  We'd not been for a good few years and it looked like a few more interesting beer venues may have opened up - last time we went we mostly drank St Austell beers (absolutely fine, but not exciting).

We rented an apartment overlooking Porthmeor (pronounced porth-meeeer, as I was gently corrected) beach which I was a little worried would be one of the busier areas because of the whole surfing thing but it was that or on the harbourside.

As it turned out, it was the perfect location.  Distant enough from the thronging hoards on the harbourside (even in October) but 5 minutes walk from all the main features.  Not only that, but it so happened that we arrived close to a full moon so the tides were properly high and satisfyingly 'splooshy'.

For the most part, it feels like some of the pubs don't really need to push the boat out too much in terms of beer or food offering.  This was more pointed in the venues immediately on the harbourside.

The arrival of Verdant, St Ives and Mine, together with Firebrand and Atlantic has definitely had a beneficial effect on the range of beer - but the old stagers 'Sharps' (aka Molson Coors) and St Austell still seems to dominate.

The only previous time we'd had St Ives Brewery beer - Meor -  it was in the bar at the St Mawes Hotel, last year.  It was a decent, if not particularly memorable pint. So when we walked into the "Union" pub an hour or so after arriving in town, and ordered a couple of pints we didn't have high expectations - but at least it wasn't Doom Bar.

Actually, it was lovely.  It was clear that St Mawes Hotel didn't have it at its best.

An attempt at "Seafood" as advertised in Hub was thwarted - there was no seafood - just burgers.  This becomes something of a theme - BBB not being very keen on burgers.  Still, the consolation prize was Lightbulb on keg.

All in all, the beer offerings have notched up but we were quite disappointed in the food (or specifically fish) offerings.

The Loft offered a fairly short but lovely menu - we went there twice and I had the chowder both times.  It also offered a decent house white.

We had great fish and chips, lovely pasties but all the other offerings either didn't suit us (burgers, chicken wings being two things the BBB never leans towards) or just wasn't very nice (small plates seafood promised much but delivered nothing).  The contrast with the food offerings in Falmouth was quite stark.

The only pub/bar in the GBG is the Pilchard Press micropub.  It sounded like it might have been one of those micropubs that a couple of owd blokes set up for them and their mates and tolerate other visitors.  This proved not to be the case, though.  True, you have to navigate a slightly rank laneway between a pasty shop and a thai restaurant but it rewards the visit.

When we first arrived I despaired of getting a seat but Basketmakers rules were in full evidence.  It has one lager and 3 other beers on keg with 4 - 6 beers on cask, chilled by probes.  In short, it's a lovely place - just a bit too dark and little more crowded than is ideal for games but the beers were absolutely top notch.  Over a few visits we drank Penzance (thankfully still as good and clear as before death of the origial brewer), Atlantic, Firebrand and St Ives beers - all great, all in perfect condition.  It's also clear that it's a place much enjoyed by locals.

Surprise finding was the "Art of Brewing" shop which has 4 keg taps and about the same number of seats.  They also had a fridge of loads of their beer which we availed ourselves of.  Turns out the guy serving knows Hastings, Lewes and Eastbourne.  Small world indeed.

Other notable venue would be Beer and Bird - good local beers on cask and keg and really friendly, chilled staff who didn't mind us playing Regicide at a table in the corner.  They also gifted us a bowl of dirty fries which were surplus to order requirements.  We followed this up with another round, and a bowl of mac n cheese and when I brought to their attention that they'd undercharged me they gave us a further discount because we brough it to their attention. 

The Sloop has upped its beer game considerably but the food rather underwhelmed.

All in all we loved the holiday - and our last evening was spent in our apartment with some cans of beer from Art of Brewing and some supermarket-bought pasta whilst watching the tide coming in.

That said, we both observed this morning as we sat on our sofa in the flat, with coffee and catching up with Match of the Day...it's just so much more relaxed in our own place.  It might be why our regular excursions to Bristol from Eastbourne are really quite holiday-like but with the none of the compromises of a rubbish TV, blunt knives in the kitchen.

I am missing the sound of the tide coming in, though...