So, yesterday afternoon, we decided to try out the newest of new beer places that have opened in Bristol - the Left Handed Giant brewery/bar.
We tried it on a Monday since every other time we'd gone past it had been heaving so we thought our best chance would be 4pm on a Monday.
There were loads of people there but no problem getting a seat. To be absolutely honest, it was almost painfully hipsterish but, I guess that's no real surprise.
Like LHG's other main outlet (Small Bar) it's a card only affair. I didn't see the notice until the last minute (a chalked sign underneath and identical chalked sign with the name of a drink on it...so easy to miss) but I half expected it so I wasn't tripped up by it.
They had 20 or so beers from something like 6 different breweries on tap but no cask. That said, they are nothing if not explicit about their dispense methods since along with the name of the beer, the ABV and the price (all arranged into groups by beer style) the sign tells you whether it comes from keg, key keg or "tank".
We stuck to two of LHG's own brews (which are the ones served from a tank) and it has to be said both of us noticed the slight difference in texture between keg and tank. We liked its slightly less fizzy texture.
We really enjoyed the beers. We quite liked the large open space with broad doors which open onto a terrace so even inside you feel sort of outside.
The pizzas looked interesting but we weren't in the market for food at the time.
Did we really enjoy it? To be honest, not as much as I'd hoped.
Like Small Bar the prices are very high so a 4% beer comes in at about 3.50 for 2/3rds - and that's for their own beer. This absolutely isn't a criticism - they can charge whatever they want/need - but it does figure in our decision as to where we want drink beer. So it simply means we won't go there as much as we might if the prices were a little lower.
As the Best Beer Buddy said - the nice range of strong beers available, and its proximity to home might mean we'll treat it as a "night cap" kind of place.
All in all, like many other place, I love that it exists. It add colour to the local eating and drinking scene.
Well done LHG
Tuesday, 23 July 2019
Sunday, 21 July 2019
The World Does Not Revolve Around You!
This is somewhat related to the previous post and somewhat to other posts when I grumble about other people's behaviour.
I'd like to think I'm a fairly public spirited sort of lass. Whilst not naturally outgoing, I try and ensure my interactions with people are pleasant, tolerant and maybe even friendly (actually, you might not be able to tell I'm being friendly, you need to set your bar a little higher for me).
I've mentioned before our dislike of tables being booked in pubs. It's not that I don't understand it - but I believe it can totally disrupt the nature of a good pub. If you don't allow booking of tables, but you make sure your furniture lends itself to multiple configurations you offer the chance to pack a place a little bit tighter and it encourages people to share their table with strangers.
Anyhow.
As is our wont on Friday arriving at the Bristol digs late in the afternoon, all we really want to do is stroll around to the Barleymow, grab a couple of good pints and have dinner brought to us (shopping is being delivered next day and the only food shop near the flat is a pretty dire Tesco Express).
When we arrived it wasn't very busy but three tables had been booked. One from 4.30pm, one from 7pm and the third from 7.30.
The 4.30 table was empty...but it was already 4.45. "It's for the Bristol Hoppers Group" says Harry. This is a paid-for event where a group of folk are taken for a walk and a drink in various pubs.
We sat at a larger table which was booked from 7pm - we guessed another table would come free before we wanted to eat and so this didn't stress (or even annoy) us at all.
We looked over to the third booked table (booked from 7.30) which is a table which can easily sit six but it was currently occupied by just two people who spread themselves out in a most un-community-minded manner. We tutted sotto voce.
At about 6.15 a smaller table adjacent to ours emptied and we quickly grabbed it. Another group had grabbed the 7.30 table when the "spreaders" departed but they fretted a bit about the booked table.
We ordered some food and another pint.
By 7.30 - the 7pm table was still stubbornly empty and even 10 minutes or so later the 7.30 table was empty (the squatters having moved to another table which became free). Another couple slunk to the empty table and sat at the end looking guilty.
In the end both tables were filled by just before 8pm by their respective bookers. I don't know whether the "Hoppers" ever appeared.
On Saturday we went to the Three Tuns. This is an odd pub which never really feels quite satisfactory and this feeling was amplified by the presence of garish "tablecloths" on the tables (WTF?) presumably to complement the TexMex offering.
Again there were three tables booked (this time all in one name) which took up more than 3/4s of the table seating. We couldn't decide whether to order food or not but, in the long run decided not. As we left at 7.15pm we noticed that the booked tables had been booked for 6pm.
I get miffed because a booked table might mean I can't sit down (this means I drink quicker...) but my concern is much more for the business. When you don't turn up, or you turn up late for your table it might well affect their business. It can put off other customers from staying and can make a pub feel sterile and unwelcoming. For goodness sake, if you book a table, have the decency to arrive on time.
And while I'm about it - if you're sitting near the bar, or if you have to pass the bar on your way out take your bloody glasses back! All it takes is a little bit of consideration for your fellow humans.
I'd like to think I'm a fairly public spirited sort of lass. Whilst not naturally outgoing, I try and ensure my interactions with people are pleasant, tolerant and maybe even friendly (actually, you might not be able to tell I'm being friendly, you need to set your bar a little higher for me).
I've mentioned before our dislike of tables being booked in pubs. It's not that I don't understand it - but I believe it can totally disrupt the nature of a good pub. If you don't allow booking of tables, but you make sure your furniture lends itself to multiple configurations you offer the chance to pack a place a little bit tighter and it encourages people to share their table with strangers.
Anyhow.
As is our wont on Friday arriving at the Bristol digs late in the afternoon, all we really want to do is stroll around to the Barleymow, grab a couple of good pints and have dinner brought to us (shopping is being delivered next day and the only food shop near the flat is a pretty dire Tesco Express).
When we arrived it wasn't very busy but three tables had been booked. One from 4.30pm, one from 7pm and the third from 7.30.
The 4.30 table was empty...but it was already 4.45. "It's for the Bristol Hoppers Group" says Harry. This is a paid-for event where a group of folk are taken for a walk and a drink in various pubs.
We sat at a larger table which was booked from 7pm - we guessed another table would come free before we wanted to eat and so this didn't stress (or even annoy) us at all.
We looked over to the third booked table (booked from 7.30) which is a table which can easily sit six but it was currently occupied by just two people who spread themselves out in a most un-community-minded manner. We tutted sotto voce.
At about 6.15 a smaller table adjacent to ours emptied and we quickly grabbed it. Another group had grabbed the 7.30 table when the "spreaders" departed but they fretted a bit about the booked table.
We ordered some food and another pint.
By 7.30 - the 7pm table was still stubbornly empty and even 10 minutes or so later the 7.30 table was empty (the squatters having moved to another table which became free). Another couple slunk to the empty table and sat at the end looking guilty.
In the end both tables were filled by just before 8pm by their respective bookers. I don't know whether the "Hoppers" ever appeared.
On Saturday we went to the Three Tuns. This is an odd pub which never really feels quite satisfactory and this feeling was amplified by the presence of garish "tablecloths" on the tables (WTF?) presumably to complement the TexMex offering.
Again there were three tables booked (this time all in one name) which took up more than 3/4s of the table seating. We couldn't decide whether to order food or not but, in the long run decided not. As we left at 7.15pm we noticed that the booked tables had been booked for 6pm.
I get miffed because a booked table might mean I can't sit down (this means I drink quicker...) but my concern is much more for the business. When you don't turn up, or you turn up late for your table it might well affect their business. It can put off other customers from staying and can make a pub feel sterile and unwelcoming. For goodness sake, if you book a table, have the decency to arrive on time.
And while I'm about it - if you're sitting near the bar, or if you have to pass the bar on your way out take your bloody glasses back! All it takes is a little bit of consideration for your fellow humans.
Monday, 10 June 2019
A Sobering Reminder...
Reading my Twitter feed and news and seeing restaurant chains, and much-loved neighbourhood venues closing in the face of financial pressures want me to remind myself, if no one else, that businesses are very much a "lose it or use it" affair.
The social enterprise I run (which is, surprisingly, nothing to do with beer - much more with teaching kids to code...which is why I need the beer) is faced with the self-same problem.
You start a new thing and people love it.
People come in and they tell their friends how awesome it is.
Their friends come in to see what all the fuss is about.
Their friends love it and they tell their friends who come in to see what all the fuss it about...and so on.
They give it great reviews on Twitter, on Facebook and any other platforms you happen to be active in.
But, in the face of financial pressure, or maybe the novelty wears off or maybe a similar thing is available cheaper or nearer, or whatever...they don't come in regularly. They just assume you'll always be there for them since, in the heady days of discovery, it was always really busy and getting was hard because it was so busy.
And so there are fewer people "discovering" it because there are fewer people who haven't discovered it yet. So the buzz goes. Then the customers dry up.
When the customers dry up, the business becomes unsustainable and so it stops. Then everyone bemoans the lack of that facility.
That facility can be a restaurant, a pub, a bookshop, a camera shop, an after-school club organisation, or anything that has a physical presence, really.
We all do it. We all "mean to go back" but never get around to it.
We probably didn't want the perceived hassle of going into this place we perceive as really busy, or we're busy trying the next new thing, or maybe life has just moved on and it doesn't suit our needs any more.
We went to the Barleymow yesterday (Sunday) evening for a couple of pints and learned that it had been so busy the day before and for Sunday lunchtime that they'd run out of several beers and hadn't had time to change them over. Also, that they were going to close at 8pm because pretty much no one goes into the pub at that time on a Sunday.
We know we're guilty of grumbling when a pub we love is really busy at a particular time we happen to choose to go in. We try and check ourselves, but we don't always manage it.
But we've started to make a real effort to frequent places when they'll be open, but less busy. We also try, when a restaurant we like apologises for not having any available tables, to tell them that we're delighted they're busy and we'll be back when it's quieter.
So - don't forget that thing you love (be it shop, pub, restaurant or other service) and assume it'll always be there for you - you need to be there for it too!
The social enterprise I run (which is, surprisingly, nothing to do with beer - much more with teaching kids to code...which is why I need the beer) is faced with the self-same problem.
You start a new thing and people love it.
People come in and they tell their friends how awesome it is.
Their friends come in to see what all the fuss is about.
Their friends love it and they tell their friends who come in to see what all the fuss it about...and so on.
They give it great reviews on Twitter, on Facebook and any other platforms you happen to be active in.
But, in the face of financial pressure, or maybe the novelty wears off or maybe a similar thing is available cheaper or nearer, or whatever...they don't come in regularly. They just assume you'll always be there for them since, in the heady days of discovery, it was always really busy and getting was hard because it was so busy.
And so there are fewer people "discovering" it because there are fewer people who haven't discovered it yet. So the buzz goes. Then the customers dry up.
When the customers dry up, the business becomes unsustainable and so it stops. Then everyone bemoans the lack of that facility.
That facility can be a restaurant, a pub, a bookshop, a camera shop, an after-school club organisation, or anything that has a physical presence, really.
We all do it. We all "mean to go back" but never get around to it.
We probably didn't want the perceived hassle of going into this place we perceive as really busy, or we're busy trying the next new thing, or maybe life has just moved on and it doesn't suit our needs any more.
We went to the Barleymow yesterday (Sunday) evening for a couple of pints and learned that it had been so busy the day before and for Sunday lunchtime that they'd run out of several beers and hadn't had time to change them over. Also, that they were going to close at 8pm because pretty much no one goes into the pub at that time on a Sunday.
We know we're guilty of grumbling when a pub we love is really busy at a particular time we happen to choose to go in. We try and check ourselves, but we don't always manage it.
But we've started to make a real effort to frequent places when they'll be open, but less busy. We also try, when a restaurant we like apologises for not having any available tables, to tell them that we're delighted they're busy and we'll be back when it's quieter.
So - don't forget that thing you love (be it shop, pub, restaurant or other service) and assume it'll always be there for you - you need to be there for it too!
Saturday, 1 June 2019
So Many Beers, So Little Time
Been a while since I posted here - the rest of the world (and concentrating on drinking beer) has taken precendence.
The highlight of recent times was probably the Burning Sky tap-takeover at Bottle Grove. I'd seen it on social media and although we don't visit as much as other pubs in town, we do enjoy being there - not just for the beer, but for the enthusiasm of the owner - Greg.
Burning Sky brews fabulous pale, hoppy, drinkable beers which are great on cask and keg - we knew this already. The surprise was the sour/other beers on offer. I'm not a fan, I have to say, but I can appreciate a good beer without wanting to drink pints of it. So it was with the three on offer. Best Beer Buddy who loves a good geuze absolutely loved them - a saison, a geuze style and a raspberry sour.
Made us love this brewery all the more.
Other than that?
A visit to Left-handed Giant's current tap room, a brief foray in the East Bristol Brewery Trail, and a couple of orders of fridge beer by post have all had their place.
A trip between Bristol and Eastbourne where we took the opportunity of stopping in the Victoria area to watch some football on the telly and then grab a couple of pints at the Cask and Kitchen was a pleasant distraction (albeit the beer in the TV pub was a bit rubbish).
Surprise of the last few weeks, though, was a Gun Brewery 4.4% bitter. I've said it a number of times: that I'm not all that keen on bitter as a beer style, these days. But this was the weekend guest beer on at The Crown so it would have been rude not to try it. It was lovely. I don't particularly want to have it on a regular basis - but a couple of pints of it in tip-top condition was an absolute treat.
What's coming up? A trip to Bristol soon and I'm hoping we'll take the opportunity to make the most of the extra openings and event that Bristol Breweries tend to have in the spring and summer.
The highlight of recent times was probably the Burning Sky tap-takeover at Bottle Grove. I'd seen it on social media and although we don't visit as much as other pubs in town, we do enjoy being there - not just for the beer, but for the enthusiasm of the owner - Greg.
Burning Sky brews fabulous pale, hoppy, drinkable beers which are great on cask and keg - we knew this already. The surprise was the sour/other beers on offer. I'm not a fan, I have to say, but I can appreciate a good beer without wanting to drink pints of it. So it was with the three on offer. Best Beer Buddy who loves a good geuze absolutely loved them - a saison, a geuze style and a raspberry sour.
Made us love this brewery all the more.
Other than that?
A visit to Left-handed Giant's current tap room, a brief foray in the East Bristol Brewery Trail, and a couple of orders of fridge beer by post have all had their place.
A trip between Bristol and Eastbourne where we took the opportunity of stopping in the Victoria area to watch some football on the telly and then grab a couple of pints at the Cask and Kitchen was a pleasant distraction (albeit the beer in the TV pub was a bit rubbish).
Surprise of the last few weeks, though, was a Gun Brewery 4.4% bitter. I've said it a number of times: that I'm not all that keen on bitter as a beer style, these days. But this was the weekend guest beer on at The Crown so it would have been rude not to try it. It was lovely. I don't particularly want to have it on a regular basis - but a couple of pints of it in tip-top condition was an absolute treat.
What's coming up? A trip to Bristol soon and I'm hoping we'll take the opportunity to make the most of the extra openings and event that Bristol Breweries tend to have in the spring and summer.
Thursday, 4 April 2019
Jus' Checkin'
On arrival in Bristol we almost always drop into the Barley Mow. It's like slipping on a comfy pair of slippers.
The journey up wasn't as relaxed as usual simply because we accidentally left home 5 minutes later than we'd planned and from then on things got out of kilter: we missed the Eastbourne to London train by about 2 minutes. It was cold so instead of sitting on the platform for 30 mins we decided to get a train to Brighton and go that way instead.
That worked well, but as we arrived at Victoria we learned that they'd changed the way you get to the Victoria line and it takes about 5 minutes longer to get to the platform.
We narrowly missed a Bakerloo train at Oxford Circus and so we were convinced we'd miss the next train from Paddington.
As it happened, we tore up the stairs and got on the train with about 15 seconds to spare -panting and knackered, but quite smug we'd done it.
That's all by way of explaining why, by the time we arrived, we just wanted to settle down with a pint with low stress.
We had a parcel to collect from near the pub so we did that and ambled around. I have to admit to a bit of minor irritation when we looked at a group of 4 people taking up three tables but as there was an alternative we kept our grumbles between ourselves and sat elsewhere. Fortunately, the group left fairly swiftly suddenly making the pub feel so much emptier.
We decamped to our "usual" corner and shared a joke about it with Harry, the manager.
From then on in we totally relaxed. Beer was good (both cask and keg) and, as it so often the case, it felt like we'd never been away. We chatted about the upcoming opening of the Left Handed Giant taproom which will be about the same distance from the flat as the BM is.
But as himself put it - "I can't see it changing the number of times we come here..." - and of course he's right. Pubs remain the best way to enjoy beer for us (I've said this a number of times, I know).
Last night we decided we'd venture just a little further afield - first to the Naval Volunteer (or the Vollie) which was pleasant with good beer and nearly empty. Last time we were up we said we probably ought to check out the Zero degrees bar. So we decided to try it out then and there.
It's probably in excess of 10 years since either of us have been to one (me, the Bristol one, him the Blackheath one).
The pizzas were nice enough (good dough, good sauce) although the toppings were nothing to write home about and the beer was fine. Much, in fact, as I think it probably was the last time we went into one. Service was pleasant and despite there being a big party in, we never felt neglected - although the warehouse space encourages noise to become quite oppressive.
We were really glad to have checked and it meant we got to stretch our legs on the walk there and back...but we both agreed, we don't need to go back on our own account.
Another place I'm glad exists, and glad it seems to be doing well but it's not really our thing.
The journey up wasn't as relaxed as usual simply because we accidentally left home 5 minutes later than we'd planned and from then on things got out of kilter: we missed the Eastbourne to London train by about 2 minutes. It was cold so instead of sitting on the platform for 30 mins we decided to get a train to Brighton and go that way instead.
That worked well, but as we arrived at Victoria we learned that they'd changed the way you get to the Victoria line and it takes about 5 minutes longer to get to the platform.
We narrowly missed a Bakerloo train at Oxford Circus and so we were convinced we'd miss the next train from Paddington.
As it happened, we tore up the stairs and got on the train with about 15 seconds to spare -panting and knackered, but quite smug we'd done it.
That's all by way of explaining why, by the time we arrived, we just wanted to settle down with a pint with low stress.
We had a parcel to collect from near the pub so we did that and ambled around. I have to admit to a bit of minor irritation when we looked at a group of 4 people taking up three tables but as there was an alternative we kept our grumbles between ourselves and sat elsewhere. Fortunately, the group left fairly swiftly suddenly making the pub feel so much emptier.
We decamped to our "usual" corner and shared a joke about it with Harry, the manager.
From then on in we totally relaxed. Beer was good (both cask and keg) and, as it so often the case, it felt like we'd never been away. We chatted about the upcoming opening of the Left Handed Giant taproom which will be about the same distance from the flat as the BM is.
But as himself put it - "I can't see it changing the number of times we come here..." - and of course he's right. Pubs remain the best way to enjoy beer for us (I've said this a number of times, I know).
Last night we decided we'd venture just a little further afield - first to the Naval Volunteer (or the Vollie) which was pleasant with good beer and nearly empty. Last time we were up we said we probably ought to check out the Zero degrees bar. So we decided to try it out then and there.
It's probably in excess of 10 years since either of us have been to one (me, the Bristol one, him the Blackheath one).
The pizzas were nice enough (good dough, good sauce) although the toppings were nothing to write home about and the beer was fine. Much, in fact, as I think it probably was the last time we went into one. Service was pleasant and despite there being a big party in, we never felt neglected - although the warehouse space encourages noise to become quite oppressive.
We were really glad to have checked and it meant we got to stretch our legs on the walk there and back...but we both agreed, we don't need to go back on our own account.
Another place I'm glad exists, and glad it seems to be doing well but it's not really our thing.
Monday, 1 April 2019
More Good Stuff
Not really much to report on the beer front, to be honest.
That's probably because we haven't made any special excursions but we've been happily supplied by local pubs, our lovely bottle shop and an online supplier or two.
But we're heading up to Bristol for a few days soon and I already find myself looking forward to the variety of places there will be for us to visit.
I'm mentally writing a list but I have a feeling that circumstances will probably dictate our agenda.
Still, best laid plans an' all that.
That's probably because we haven't made any special excursions but we've been happily supplied by local pubs, our lovely bottle shop and an online supplier or two.
But we're heading up to Bristol for a few days soon and I already find myself looking forward to the variety of places there will be for us to visit.
I'm mentally writing a list but I have a feeling that circumstances will probably dictate our agenda.
Still, best laid plans an' all that.
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Drinking in Non-Pubs
I love pubs and I love drinking in pubs (provided beer is great, obvs).
More and more, however, I'm learning to love non-pubs for drinking in.
Our first experience of this was probably the Moor Brewery Tap near our flat in Bristol. It's absolutely not a pub but it is definitely a favourite place to drink.
We tried micropubs in their early days and, to be honest, the first ones we tried weren't really up to much but we've been to a few more and we've found a some to love (Drapers Arms in Bristol. Wight Bear Alehouse in Bournemouth, 1200 Postcards in Hastings).
Then there are the "craft ale" outlets. Some of them are pubs...others definitely aren't. We've loved some and we've loathed others. We still go to the Beer Emporium and Small Bar in Bristol and enjoy it when we do. We've discovered the Craft Beer chain of bars and mostly enjoyed them (as long as we remember they're not pubs in the normal sense).
We still adore the Euston Tap and try and find time to go to it when we have to get a train from that neck of the woods.
And now there are the bottle shops...
We're lucky enough to have one of these in Eastbourne (Bottle Grove) but we also had a brilliant time the other day in Hove (Bison Beer) and it makes me want to try more.
These bottle shops mostly have shelves and fridges of cans and bottles but also a few lines for drinking in or for filling growlers for takeout. So they're not quite off-license, not quite bar.
We went to Bottle Grove yesterday evening after finding the Eagle too crowded and the Dew Drop with only one beer we wanted to drink. We also knew that we didn't have much decent beer in the fridge and didn't want to got to the pub on Sunday (Paddy's Day of twats in hats drinking Guinness loudly and annoyingly) so we thought we'd pick up a few cans for the fridge...but it would have been rude not to stop for one (or three).
The venue is friendly and fun (if a little bit chilly) but it's not the sort of place you can hole up in a corner with a book or a game so it's definitely not a pub. But we love it for the enthusiasm of the owner and the cracking beers he serves (6 on tap at the moment).
I really hope more different styles of good beer establishment open up and we shan't be afraid to try them (probably).
More and more, however, I'm learning to love non-pubs for drinking in.
Our first experience of this was probably the Moor Brewery Tap near our flat in Bristol. It's absolutely not a pub but it is definitely a favourite place to drink.
We tried micropubs in their early days and, to be honest, the first ones we tried weren't really up to much but we've been to a few more and we've found a some to love (Drapers Arms in Bristol. Wight Bear Alehouse in Bournemouth, 1200 Postcards in Hastings).
Then there are the "craft ale" outlets. Some of them are pubs...others definitely aren't. We've loved some and we've loathed others. We still go to the Beer Emporium and Small Bar in Bristol and enjoy it when we do. We've discovered the Craft Beer chain of bars and mostly enjoyed them (as long as we remember they're not pubs in the normal sense).
We still adore the Euston Tap and try and find time to go to it when we have to get a train from that neck of the woods.
And now there are the bottle shops...
We're lucky enough to have one of these in Eastbourne (Bottle Grove) but we also had a brilliant time the other day in Hove (Bison Beer) and it makes me want to try more.
These bottle shops mostly have shelves and fridges of cans and bottles but also a few lines for drinking in or for filling growlers for takeout. So they're not quite off-license, not quite bar.
We went to Bottle Grove yesterday evening after finding the Eagle too crowded and the Dew Drop with only one beer we wanted to drink. We also knew that we didn't have much decent beer in the fridge and didn't want to got to the pub on Sunday (Paddy's Day of twats in hats drinking Guinness loudly and annoyingly) so we thought we'd pick up a few cans for the fridge...but it would have been rude not to stop for one (or three).
The venue is friendly and fun (if a little bit chilly) but it's not the sort of place you can hole up in a corner with a book or a game so it's definitely not a pub. But we love it for the enthusiasm of the owner and the cracking beers he serves (6 on tap at the moment).
I really hope more different styles of good beer establishment open up and we shan't be afraid to try them (probably).
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