Goldilocks

 No place, no beer, no activity is ever ALWAYS perfect.

Most places, beers and activties can have instances of perfection.

So it was at the Kings Head yesterday.

Frequently too crowded, or too noisy because after-workers don't know how to use their indoor voices, the Kings Head hits highs and lows for us.  Never had a bad pint in there since it was reopened, mind.

In the pursuit of avoiding the EBBT (which does look as though it was pretty well attended, thank goodnees) we walked in the other direction and wondered how busy the Kings Head would be.

When we arrived there were no folk sitting at the bar or in the little bench inside the door.  So we grabbed a couple of (absolutely delicious) pints and headed into the Tramcar Snug.  There were about 10 people in there but a nice little space was available for us.  

Initially the larger group were a little noisy but they finished their drinks quickly and the noise level dropped to a perfect gently hubbub.

We looked up where our beers had come from (Abbeydale, Sheffield and the other was from Mallinsons, Huddersfield) and chatted about...actually I'm not sure, but it was that kind of relaxed chat that flows and then goes away.

Second beers were hazy and keggy:  me Burning Sky - Quench, him Deya.  Both hit the spot nicely.

Other punters came and went, no one imposed themselves too much on the space:  a couple of couples, a few blokes with a dog...all very convivial.

Last beer was always going to be the Black IPA they had on offer (still a style I absolutely love and what a treat to have it on cask).  It was Pangoltergeist (the troubled spirit of a mischevious pangolin, maybe?) by Tartarus (Leeds).  This is not a brewery I've seen in Bristol before but there's frequently a keg of theirs on at Beerarama. Blimey it was lovely - roasty, chocolatey, deep and bitter...but not too much.  It being cask (Kings Head don't do 2/3rds for cask beers) we shared a pint and a half.

Then it was time to leave.  I picked up the glasses and started to walk up the passageway towards the door to find one of the dog-owning blokes heading towards me with a couple of pints so (obviously) I stepped aside to let him pass easily.  "Thanks, my luvver", he said.

Like I said, sometimes it all comes together and it's perfect.