Taking the Glasses Back

I know that, for the most part, the days are gone when you take your glass back to the bar and the staff refill it with "same again".  I assume it's mostly a hygiene thing - if you're filling a glass and the spout goes inside the glass then there's definitely an issue with whatever is left in that glass.

Personally I like a new glass simply because the beer pours and looks nicer in a clean one.  Even more reason if it's a different beer (caveat:  we don't do this at home but we might 'rinse' the glass with a small quantity of the new beer - obviously drinking the dregs)

OK, so we're not asking for refills but I still insist on taking empty glasses back to the bar - when fetching fresh drinks, and if at all feasible, when we leave.

I don't know when it started but it's become almost an obsession.

I've never worked in a bar - but I spent several years, as a teenager,  in a weekend job being a chambermaid and occasionally waiting at table - christ, people treat hospitality staff appallingly.

When we went to lunch with brother and sister-in-law we had a discussion about it.  As we all went to leave, I picked up the glasses to return to the bar and my brother followed suit but my sister-in-law expressed surprise. This also happens when I go out with the other directors of our organisation.  I suspect that people feel slightly shamed if I clear the table so they join in.  I'm sorry if it makes people feel like that -  but it won't stop me doing it.

I watched, in the Barley Mow, yesterday evening, two blokes take up two tables with their glasses, elbows, food and stuff - seemingly indifferent to people looking for a place to sit.  Yes, I'm afraid I did judge them.

I don't honestly know what my real motivation is for doing this.  I know how much I hate arriving at a pub where the only seats are next to a table covered in glasses - who wants to sit with other people's dirty glasses around?  So part of it is helping to make an environment pleasant for other people.

But it's more than just that - I've always found it quite difficult to be "waited on", by anyone.  There is a story of me behaving very awkwardly in a five-star hotel that we were staying in for a wedding.  We were shown to our room by a - actually I have no idea what that job role is called - called Simon.  He went to take my bag for me and I said "no, that's OK..." but he sweetly and gently insisted.  Walking up the stairs, with him behind carrying the luggage still made me feel supremely uncomfortable.

Bar work is skilled - especially if you're also looking after beer, as well as serving it.  Returning glasses to the bar is not skilled and, OK, it might be considered part of the job, but don't we all appreciate it when someone shows us a bit of help?  I dunno, it might be an irritating trait - and I'm sorry to all bar staff if it is - but I think I'm beyond changing now.

To all bar staff everywhere - I know it's coming into "holy crap this pub is full of people who have no idea how to be in a pub" season of goodwill etc - good luck all!  

 

Independence

Each time we come to Bristol we try to catch up with (a manageable number of) friends and family.  Inevitably this tends to happen in a pub (or similar).

As all of us get older, we're all more tolerant of each others' need for "not too much peopling", finding mutually convenient places, accommodating eating/drinking times and habits, etc.  That means it's not terribly difficult to find somewhere but it does need a bit of research and assent.

This time, we were meeting with brother and sister-in-law.  They live on the far eastern side of the city - and we live in the centre.  They have bus passes, we're happy and used to travelling on public transport.  So this time, I suggested Bath as a venue - there was a new(ish) bus service that served them and we can be in Bath in about 15 minutes. 

The BBB has an irrational (but good-natured) dislike of Bath because about 35 years ago and in a different life he visited and declared it "closed" (the long story is that between shops closing and pubs opening there wasn't anywhere to go). It's been a struggle to get him to see it as a viable pub destination - with the notable exception of the "Royal Oak" in Oldfield Park.  This means I can't confidently suggest anywhere which might be specific to our various wants. 

My brother has not made the transition to "hipster" beer - likes golden/pale but fairly traditional cask beer - obviously that doesn't provide a complete overlap with my love of pale, hoppy (even hipster) beer. 

 My research for matching beer spec beer and decent food pubs really only turned up The Raven as a pretty sure-fire thing but as I was about to suggest it they suggested the "Bath Brew House".  I'd heard of it, and thought we'd been there a few years ago. Sounded like a decent deal.

When we got inside we realised we hadn't actually been there at all (not sure what pub I'm thinking of, then).  Anyhow - as a brew pub it was obviously majoring on their own beers, with a decent offering of about 5 cask and 6 keg beers.

Our companions had had the bitter and a golden ale, we went for their American Pale - all were in the 4 - 4.5% bracket.  Pretty good price, too, for Bath (I'm told).

We settled into catching up and eventually decided that we really needed to order some lunch.  It was then I noticed that the literature on the table indicated that this was a Youngs-owned place.  I was quite surprised a little while back when Boak and Bailey identified that the King Street Brewhouse which we go to infrequently, but not unhappily, was a Youngs place.

When I paid a bit more attention to the building and the decor I realised that it was very similar to the King Street place.  It all made sense.

We're very keen, on the whole, on small independent breweries and venues.  There are only so many places we can go and drink so we like, wherever possible, to use our beer-buying power to support them.

Now, as far as I can tell, Youngs is still independent but it's far from small and the last time I tried their beers, I wasn't at all inclined to try them again. So this micro-sub-brand thing is a bit of a dilemma for me.

The beer served from the brewery was good, the staff we dealt with were professional and friendly, doing a really good job.  The food was OK and the space was pleasant and not too noisy (apparently it gets so later in the day) - but I still feel a bit cheated at the "Youngsness" being slightly sotto voce.  It makes the homespun-looking chalk graphics of the brewing process reek of artifice and trying to trick us into thinking it's a small organisation. 

I actually liked it a bit better than the King Street venue - that might be down to where it is in Bath or something else. 

 BBB and I wouldn't rush back on our own, but it would make an acceptable compromise venue, for sure.

As an aside, we decided to try somewhere else, closer to my Brother's homebound bus stop for one last one.  "Trinity" was the nearest place - neither of us had any knowledge of the place.  It was somewhat different.  Very much a locals pub, one probably owned by Heineken.  London Pride on cask and the usual Camden/Beavertown offerings on keg.  We decided on a quick one anyway as they didn't have long to wait and there are 4 trains an hour back to Bristol.

Yeah, well - the staff member serving was great, but that was the high point of the pub...at least it got us out of the rain.  Neck Oil is really insipid now, isn't it? (even in lovely, funky half pint glasses). 

 

 

 

 

 

Warm Blanket

 Even though we're not in Bristol all the time, we're here often enough and for long enough periods (we generally do about 6 weeks in Eastbourne, 3 weeks in Bristol) that we shouldn't get too precious about the odd beer experience being sub-optimal. And yet, there are times than one or both of us don't want to gamble.

Yesterday was one of those days.  I'm currently on tenterhooks awaiting the outcome of a significant funding bid and, although not prone to anxiety as such, I'm definitely feeling the stress of what the outcome (expected on Monday) will bring.

"D'you wanna go for a wander?", in our house generally means "Beer in the pub?".  Yesterday the call came at 4.30pm.  Remembering how pleasant it was to go to the Barley Mow when we arrived back from Yorkshire last week (even though we don't usually go there on a Saturday) I suggested a repeat. He had thought something similar.  So we went.

There was quite a lot of noise when we arrived at the door, and also the gentle smell of woodsmoke.  Going through we both first thought "Oh no, it's too busy" and the area by the fire was full (shame).  Past the bar and to the other side, though, was a perfect table.  Grabbing a couple of pints of Low Rider (BBF, 3.8%, never seen on cask before) we settled at the table and relaxed, whilst making it abundantly clear there was plenty of room for someone else to join us.

A few people looked and didn't take up the offer but then a young couple looked and tentatively asked if they could sit.  We waved them in and noticed that as soon as he put a pint on the table, that it was really wobbly.  Bad enough with two people at one end, but with two at the other could spell disaster for drinks spillage.  I asked the bar staff for some beer mats and set about fixing it (yes, it's possible I'm a bit obsessive about wobbly pub tables).  

BBB fetched the second pints - well, in fact we had 2/3rds.  We both love that BBF venues offer cask as well as keg in all measures, seemingly equally happily.  

Whilst some of the folk in the pub were quite noisy, everything else made up for that, and about halfway through our visit the noisy group left and the sound levels reduced to a pleasant hum and we could hear that the Inkspots (and, Vera Lynn at some point WTF?) were playing.

By the time we were half way through our final drink (2/3rds of Kettlesmith Caroline) there had been a complete cycle of people leaving and refilling tables.  

I can only believe (and hope) that the Barley Mow must be reasonably financially successful.  Whilst we've been the first to arrive there we've never been the last to leave and, since the pandemic, I don't think over the course of any visit that we've ever seen it less than about a third full on average.  

It feels like it bucks the trend of pub downturns.  It's a little bit out of the way and yet close to workplaces, some housing and the train station.  It's always got a solid range of draft keg beers (at least two lagers, one sour, one continental beer style, one nitro stout, one low/no), 8 cask beers - usually of various styles (mostly 4 or 5 BBF beers, 3 guests), it has a decent wine list, good quality spirits and mixers and a fridge full of more specialist beers (yesterday several gueze/fruit, Witts, Southville Hop, etc).  There's at least some local cider and plenty of standard as well as interesting soft drinks.

You could take anyone who is happy to go to a pub and you could find them a drink they'd like (I think they might even do coffee).  There's burgers and other food, if that's what you want.

I think, for me, it's the consistency that I like most -  maybe it's not the absolute BEST at anything (although I think, from my experience it comes pretty close on the beer front) but it's good at pretty much everything.

When I'm in Eastbourne and feeling blah I'm more likely to light the woodburner, attack the fridge beer and hunker down. Our flat isn't exactly "cosy" (modern, glass curtain wall, no dark corners but no cold spots or draughts, thankfully) so when I crave cosy here, it's the BM.  Every Time.

Thank you BBF - I've been coming here for about 17 years and you've got my back! 

 

Hoppiness, Indeed

 At the weekend we rarely stray to the busier drinking places - neither of us are fond of large crowds, ever, and crowds of large groups of people even more so.

We've noticed how we're comfortably settled at our chosen drinking "after work" timeslot (roughly 4.45pm - 7.30pm since we don't do late nights and we prefer to drink ahead of eating dinner) with a pleasant hubbub of small groups nattering, maybe a with a smattering of background music - but then a noisier group comes in and it raises the stress levels a bit. By the time we need to leave, there's a degree of relief in leaving the noise behind rather than regret of leaving that lovely pub.

On the other hand, this Goldilocks household really doesn't like places to be too quiet. We feel bad for the folk running the place and also feel a bit on display.

This, together with our fairly picky definition of the beer we like to drink can mean we can be quite hard to please - and yet, we're pleased remarkably often.

I was flattered and amused, that fellow Bristolians, Boak and Bailey,  had referred to one of my earlier posts this week in their weekly roundup, where we were disappointed when we went to the Swan with Two Necks.  

We had also wondered whether their apparent disagreement with Moor (I don't know, and don't want to know the whole story - I think I know roughly the basis and that's enough, ta) had contributed to "different" beer availability on the bar at the Swan.

Yesterday, we had decided to go up to Moor Brewery Tap - I really like their beers and the staff we frequently come across (James, and the lady that usually runs the bar on a Friday).  I checked the webiste and it indicated that the bar would be open until 8pm both Friday and Saturday.

It was quiet when we arrived but a few people came and went during our visit - but it dwindled to just us after about an hour.  

No cask on, sadly, but we had 2/3rds of an opener (one Live, one Radience, I think).  I'd seen (courtesy of Insta)  that they'd started brewing the original Hoppiness again and we were delighted to see that on keg.  Second beer, no competition at all.  The Hoppiness was absolutely wonderful.  At 6.5% it's pretty hefty but very drinkable indeed.  It was the Hoppiness I remember.

We noticed an amount of cleaning happening and "putting to bed" of the taps.  It was around 6.15pm.  She was clearly packing up.  We would probably have had another Hoppiness to be honest, but instead I bought some cans to put in our fridge.  I also asked about opening times only to find that they plan to close at 7pm on Friday and 5pm on Saturday.

I've suggested that the website might be updated.

It's never been a really busy taproom but it feels like they're struggling to get people in.  Is it the stuff from earlier in the year?  Is it the time of year?  Is it something else?  It's a shame, for sure.

I plan to grab more Hoppiness in cans when we get back down south - I just hope they find a way through this.

Meanwhile - excitement is rising as another brewery/taproom is shortly to open two doors away from Martha.  It means Moor drops to our third-closest brewery... 

 

Another experiment

 He said "I keep thinking about going back to the Golden Guinea..." so we did.  Since "World Famous Dive Bars" took over The Colloseum at the bottom of Redcliffe Hill - my mum's Friday lunchtime venue of choice when she worked in "Phoenix House" (now a Mercure Hotel) - I've been saying we should give it a try.

It was doubly relevant since the organisation took over Good Chemistry Brewing.

It's a pleasant enough walk to the pubs and we quite enjoyed it, despite the current detour because Valentine Bridge is out of action. 

The Colloseum looked bustling and jolly so we went in.  We were hit with the overwhelming aroma of fried food - then we went to the bar and there didn't appear to be any cask offering and the keg offering didn't inspire, sadly.

So we mosied around the corner, and down the hill to Golden Guinea.  What is it with Burton Bridge beers at the moment??  They were also in evidence here.  We plumped for the "Golden Ale", which was what we'd tried for the Swan.  It was hazy and tasted rather fruity - not sure if it was by design or something else.

We finished it and I switched to kegged Shangri la and he to St Austell "Maverick" - these were better choices. It was great to see the pub was busy - clearly several regulars. I wouldn't be against going in again but again, it was slightly chilly (door to the garden was open throughout) and the beers just didn't quite do it.

The continued desire of people to sit outside and drink long after the summer warmth has departed really does surprise us.  The garden of the Guinea, and the terrace outside the Colloseum had as many people as the inside.  Also, on our walk home along the Portwall there were people sitting outside a restaurant to eat.  It was bloody chilly!

 Today we'll doubtless be staying on this side of the floating harbour...

In the Feels

 Yesterday we decided to stroll a short way and revisit a pub we'd not been to for a while:  The Swan with Two necks.

On the way we passed The Crown which we've not been to since its refurb and reopening.  We knew it offered Bass (not our cuppa, thanks) but were hoping that they'd have something else too.

The only handpulls on the visible bar were Bass and Lilley's cider - so, sadly, it wasn't for us.  Maybe they have more obvious choice at other times of the week?  We didn't really want to walk in and then out so we walked on by.

We walked around the block to the Swan and went in.  It was empty save for the lady on the bar, and an older bloke sitting at the bar.  It was also quite chilly in there.

We looked at the cask offering and were a little disappointed that they only seemed to "older" beer styles - but we ordered two pints of Burton Bridge Gold.  She started to pour them but then said "sorry, it's gone".  She did offer the part poured pint on the house but the BBB tasted it and confirmed it was off.

We didn't fancy the other beers on - classic bitter types so we ordered a couple of pints of keg beers: LHG Sky Above for me, Deya Steady Rolling Man for him. Both were good - we know them well.

Music on vinyl (Bob Dylan) was good as a backdrop but the pub's quietness and it's temperature meant that it wasn't cosy experience so we decided not to stay for another.  To be honest, for a pub which has a sign saying "local beers" on the board outside, we were also a bit disappointed that Burton Bridge and The Kernel were very heavily represented. 

It may have been an off day, or the wrong time but we left a little sadly whilst not really being able to articulate why we didn't want to stay.

The walk back to the flat takes us past the Old Castle Green and a few times we've wondered about going in.  This time, we decided to give it a go.  We tentatively opened the door and were immediately cheered - it felt much warmer and the lighting gave the place a cosy feel that immediately made us want to sit down.

There was a range of a few cask beers on the bar but we wanted something a little stronger.  The signage on the keg pumps was lacking but the lady behind the bar obligingly gave us a run down and both settled on a NZ IPA by Fierce and Noble.  They only do pints and halves so we had pints.

We found a pleasant corner and settled in. The BBB reminded me of when he was new to Bristol and I could take him to a new pub every time he came down - he's now been a demi-resident for over 10 years now but it's nice to know we can still find a nice place that's new to us. It probably won't be a main destination but it'll definitely be added to the list.

Today, we're thinking about retrying the Golden Guinea and maybe venturing to The Collosseum.  Let's see what happens. 

 

T'other Side o'Pennines (or, North Yorkshire the final episode)

Wednesday afternoon we decided to look around the rest of the town.  The weather looked decent and we had old cameras with films in them which needed to be tested.

As ever,  the hike up the hill (although I was getting kinda used to it, it resembled Nine Tree Hill which I frequently had to walk up to get home when I lived in that bit of Bristol) was the prerequisite.

The grounds around the castle were busy with visitors, dog walkers, and people just admiring the view.  Because they were on autumn/winter opening, there was no visiting the Tower, nor the Sallyport. But this spot is an excellent viewpoint for the viaduct.  We wandered, and photographed things, then explored around the castle hill and found some absolutely gorgeous gardens to "ah" at the firework colours of the acers.

We arrived at Blind Jacks quite early.  Well, really early.  The market hadn't quite finished packing up (I don't think we missed anything, though) and some people were clearly in the pub post-lunch.

Still, the nice seat in the window was available so we soon settled in and started playing Regicide.  Again, the place nailed what we like about being in the pub.  Superb beer (cask and keg), a really nice atmosphere and friendly, knowledgeable bar staff.

I went to get the second pints (of cask) in and then looked at the keg fonts.  "See anything you like?" said the young guy on duty.  We chatted for a little while about what was on offer and he said, a bit ruefully, that no one makes nice juicy craft beers in "the north" - I came up with a couple of alternatives and he excitedly said he'd investigate. 

When we returned on Friday evening he was there, as was another member of staff also on the bar and as I congratulated them on the beer we'd just drunk.  "Yeah, it's really good, " he said, before adding "but they're from t'other side o'Pennines". I added "but those..." (pointing to Deya and Floc taps) are from down south - surely that's worse.  We shared a chuckle.

It would definitely be a regular haunt if we lived in Knaresborough. 

On Thursday we headed to York again to do the wall walk.  "I seem to remember it's quite flat...", he assured me.  Hmmm not exactly since the ramparts vary in height a lot so there was quite a lot of up and down.  All that said, it was really nice.  It was interesting to see that York's attitude to the wall appears to have been not to particularly revere the area around it.  As a result there are scrubby banks, social housing, recent office developments and everything in between.  I was really surprised, but it meant that you saw a lot of different stuff on the walk.  About 2pm we thought we should probably eat and there was an odd little bar/cafe/restaurant not far from where we were.  We ordered a couple of pints (which ended up being about 3 pints because the barman wasn't sure whether one was OK) and what we'd hoped would be a light lunch (in fact, a very substantial lunch and not precisely what we'd ordered...oh well).  It was a cute and quirky place with decent beer - and it was in the right place.  A win.

We resumed our walk (more up and down) and when we got to the last gate tower I definitely needed a sit down.  The closest place (literally under the wall) was another slightly strange kinda place (Fat Badger??) but seemed cosy and friendly.  The beer we had was excellent, but the place wouldn't have warranted another.  So we struck out to wander around the Shambles which is very touristy and yet architecturally fascinating.  York does a good job of embracing each subsequent architectural era (a bit like Hitchin) and, unlike Bristol seems to have dodged WWII bomb damage in some of the oldest streets.

When we (well, my knees) were ready for a pint we were close to "The Market Cat" which is a Thornbridge/Pivvovar co-production. It's more taproom than pub but clearly really popular.  We grabbed a pint Crackendale each and settled into a convenient table.  It gave us the opportunity to people-in-pub watch.  The beer was superb (unsurprisingly).  The loo was a hike up three flights of stairs past the glass-walled coolroom on the second but then we realised how much extra seating there was up there - and with brilliant views.  Definitely worth remembering should we return - but I reckon a dumb waiter for drinks and glasses might be a worthwhile addition to this vertical place.

We couldn't leave without having some Jaipur which was gorgeous.

We then just had time to head to the station and pick up some light dinner at the on-station Sainsburys before jumping on the train.

Our last day on Friday was a gentle affair - it was just warm enough to sit atop the house's turret for a cuppa and then we had a later amble up a different part of "the hill" to see the last remaining bits of the town we hadn't explored.  We bought a butcher-made ready meal for the evening and other provisions for the journey home in the morning.  Naturally, our final pub visit was Blind Jack's where we sat in the rear (cosy) room where Basketmakers' rules were well-evidenced and banter between tables was friendly and comfortable. 

 Our journey to Bristol was via Leeds and a stupid gantry where there were escalators up but not down (why???).  I dodged the huge queue for Starbucks coffee and got some from one of the other stands.  Then we were on the train and (relatively) relaxed.

Arrival at Temple Meads was just about on time.

As is our habit, we headed to the Barley Mow, of course.  Ahhhhh.