Harvey's Old

I was working in a chilly basement all day yesterday, getting laptops ready to be donated to people on low incomes who don't have them, can't afford to buy them and are finding themselves digitally excluded without them.

By the time I came to leave, I was cold and tired and was quite prepared to come home - then the BBB suggested "Crown" or "Lamb" as a compromise between him coming all the way into town and me coming all the way home.

We hadn't been to The Lamb, a Harvey's tied house since the dawn of time, for several months - it's not really a summer pub.  So for a damp November afternoon/evening it was quite appealing.

I arrived first, settled into a seat by a radiator (sadly no wood burner running at the time), disappointed not to see Bonfire Boy on the bar (apparently more available in a day or so) but got two pints of Armada from a cask choice of "Best" (of course); Armada, Sisters and XX Mild.  BBB arrived very shortly after. 

 A couple of months' absence from Harveys beers (we only ever have them in a Harveys pub and usually only in Eastbourne - maybe with an extension to the John Harvey pub/tap in its hometown) had made the palate grow fonder.

First pint barely touched the sides: Harveys works particularly well in a 12th Century building.  Also the bar manager on duty is the absolute cream of the crop in bar staff.

The BBB and I caught up on our respective days and, unaccountably, both reminisced about narrowboat holidays we'd had in previous lives.

For a second pint I asked for Old.  I'm a fairly recent convert to this beer (maybe a couple of years ago) although I never want too much of it.  The first sip was absolutely stunning.

It punches well above its ABV.

I've tried Long Man brewery "Old Man" but it's never felt as rich or hefty. Whereas I like to drink Moor's Old Freddy Walker late in the day the Harveys Old I drank yesterday evening was a perfect 6pm beer.