The festive season is something that doesn't really fill me with excitement, I'm a run away and hide kinda gal and S kindly indulges me in this.
So this year our running stopped at Weymouth.
It's an interesting place with historical bits, and watery bits, and wildlifey bits and beachy bits. Unfortunately its beery bits were a bit less...ummm...interesting than I would have liked.
We went to lots of different pubs in the town, and none of them were bad. A couple of them were interesting and one I really liked. The beer, though...well-kept, for sure; well brewed, definitely...just not enough distinctiveness for my taste.
We drank a reasonable range of DBS, Ringwood and other brown beers - mostly from big to medium-sized breweries - with a good balance of malt and hops. 20 years ago I would have been in veritable beer heaven...but not now. It was nice, but lacked a wow factor.
Then, on our last day we decided to take a walk to a local nature reserve, and whilst walking we released we were within striking distance of a brew-pub just outside of the main town. We took the opportunity to walk to the Royal Standard in Upwey (via a muddy fall and a sprained wrist, for me). Only one interesting beer on (and not one of their own) but what a beer - from the Sixpenny Brewery.
This was definitely the high beer point of our holiday (even taking into account the wrecked wrist).
After Weymouth, we traveled home via our place in Bristol. I know I keep harking on about how good the beer is there...but it really, really is. And it's not just the beer per se - it's the wide variety of lovely places of different character where you can enjoy it that continues to thrill.
We explored the neighbourhood around our flat only to find that a couple of pubs we tend to get to by train are easily walkable...and then we tried a new pub - the Plough which is a pretty basic place where OSB is the decor of choice with stacks of old speakers making partitions in the space. Nice place and I suspect we'll go back.
Then on Sunday we took ourselves to Bristol's first micro-pub: The Drapers' Arms. It's an old drapery shop taken over and turned into a small, but beautifully formed pub by Bristol and District CAMRA stalwart and founder of the Ashley Down Brewery and a mate. Now I'm going to come clean and say that Vince's beer isn't to my taste - but one of the things I like about beer is that there are many styles and you don't have to enjoy all of them to appreciate something that's well-made.
What we did love was a comfy seat a couple of nice pints and the chance to have a good old natter with Vince about all matters beer.
Yeah - Bristol's beer scene isn't all about hipster bars and 1/3 measures...whatever it is that you like in beer, you'll probably find it and that's pretty amazing.
Friday, 8 January 2016
Friday, 6 November 2015
The Delights of Sharing Beer
S & I are generally drinkers as a couple...with the occasional pal thrown in for good measure.
We very rarely initiate a wider social gathering although neither of us completely shun them, either.
However, when The Crown (our esteemed local) gave us a little advanced warning of its autumn beer festival, we felt the need to share with our colleagues.
So it was, that the Saturday evening saw 7 of us crowd around a table and drink far, far too much fantastically kept real ale.
A couple of the guys had never been to the pub; one young lady (a colleague's daughter) had never really been introduced to good beer;and some knew the pub, knew the beer but don't spend enough time there as a rule.
Andy had about 8 beers in perfect nick and I think between us we tried them all.
It was a fun evening (as evidenced by a slight hangover the next morning).
I seem to remember spending most of the evening trying to persuade A, who co-produces a great magazine/paper on beer, that cask ale is the pinnacle of good beer and the rest are pale imitations to whom we run when the real stuff isn't available.
Obviously I didn't actually convince him. He humours me by smiling and saying he likes to hear me rant on the subject and happily drinks both cask and good keg beer during the evening.
This is entirely right and proper, of course.
The other high point of the last couple of weeks has been the presence of my very favourite Harvey's beer: Star of Eastbourne.
Its very seasonality - like asparagus and proper strawberries - is part of its attraction, but the main story is the complex, well balanced hoppy deliciousness of it.
I have to admit when I entered The Victoria and saw it on the bar, I actually let out a bit of a squeal. The pub ended up with two or three casks of it, which we helped consume over the course of October. And now it's gone for another year. Sigh.
What I'm lusting after right now (not right now, it's a tad early) is a really, really good black IPA. This would match the grim weather and the subject of a theatrical event that I'm helping to staff at the Wish Tower. Highly unlikely to get one in Eastbourne, sadly...but I'll keep looking.
We very rarely initiate a wider social gathering although neither of us completely shun them, either.
However, when The Crown (our esteemed local) gave us a little advanced warning of its autumn beer festival, we felt the need to share with our colleagues.
So it was, that the Saturday evening saw 7 of us crowd around a table and drink far, far too much fantastically kept real ale.
A couple of the guys had never been to the pub; one young lady (a colleague's daughter) had never really been introduced to good beer;and some knew the pub, knew the beer but don't spend enough time there as a rule.
Andy had about 8 beers in perfect nick and I think between us we tried them all.
It was a fun evening (as evidenced by a slight hangover the next morning).
I seem to remember spending most of the evening trying to persuade A, who co-produces a great magazine/paper on beer, that cask ale is the pinnacle of good beer and the rest are pale imitations to whom we run when the real stuff isn't available.
Obviously I didn't actually convince him. He humours me by smiling and saying he likes to hear me rant on the subject and happily drinks both cask and good keg beer during the evening.
This is entirely right and proper, of course.
The other high point of the last couple of weeks has been the presence of my very favourite Harvey's beer: Star of Eastbourne.
Its very seasonality - like asparagus and proper strawberries - is part of its attraction, but the main story is the complex, well balanced hoppy deliciousness of it.
I have to admit when I entered The Victoria and saw it on the bar, I actually let out a bit of a squeal. The pub ended up with two or three casks of it, which we helped consume over the course of October. And now it's gone for another year. Sigh.
What I'm lusting after right now (not right now, it's a tad early) is a really, really good black IPA. This would match the grim weather and the subject of a theatrical event that I'm helping to staff at the Wish Tower. Highly unlikely to get one in Eastbourne, sadly...but I'll keep looking.
Saturday, 10 October 2015
Wanderer Returns
Working more-or-less full time for a spell, and a week's "Let's get away from everything" holiday last week have both prevented me from having much to say...and having any time to say anything on line: about beer, at least, of late.
Much of our beer drinking has been from the usual haunts although we've added the Crown & Anchor on Eastbourne's seafront to our list of frequently frequented places.
It's a Greene King house which would normally have me running for the hills but, of late, they've been putting on guest beers - in summer there was Hopback Summer Lightning which is one of the first golden beers I ever had and it still tastes great, and last night after a return to work for the evening there was Twickenham Naked Ladies which was just what we wanted - light and hoppy without being too in your face.
Anyhow, where have we been for the last week? Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour. Some might think it's a strange sort of venue for us, having no pub (there's a private hotel bar but our one attempt to go in there didn't yield any staff in the bar...or confidence there'd be any any time soon) and no practical way of leaving the island of an evening.
So we'd planned to go off the island every day to try the pubs of Poole, Studland and Bournemouth. In the event, we found ourselves not wanting to leave this tiny (1.5 miles by 0.75 miles) paradise of woodland, bird hides and waders and the odd beach.
We made two trips over to Poole for the collection and delivery of a houseguest and to provision up (there's no shop on the island, either). The first time we went we found the pubs a little lack lustre - although we missed seeing that there's a branch of "The Stable" with it's brilliant pizzas and real cider. When we returned we went into the Poole Arms (not in the GBG) purely on the strength of its fishy lunch menu and we weren't disappointed. The beer was fine (Ringwood 49er) but not its selling point. Then, after shopping and whilst awaiting the ferry we tried "The Drift" which is a microbar on the quay front which you can easily overlook.
Wow!
In Bristol, it probably wouldn't even hit the radar - three cask beers on pump and a fridge full of interesting bottles. But in Poole it was a breath of fresh air (and a mouthful of great beer). The owner, Alex, is a genial chap and engaged us in conversation and giggles about certain sorts of CAMRA members whilst chatting about beers we liked (and didn't). His three beers were a mix of styles and breweries and we had a stunningly good pint of Black IPA (whose brewery I can't remember).
The place is quirky and charming (although with the most uncomfortable stools I've ever experienced...although S didn't find them so bad, so maybe it's my anatomy) and deserves to succeed. Well done, Alex.
Back on the island we made do with Oakham Citra and Scarlet Maccaw and Harbour IPA in bottles (and some wine). Not a patch on the real thing and goes a long way to explain the findings in the 2015 real ale report that cask ale drinkers go to the pub more often, and spend more when they do. It's simply because cask conditioned ale is only available via a pub.
So now we've left the red squirrels behind (that's Sid in the picture at the top) and returned home to pints of Hophead at the Crown (still great).
Now all we have to do is to find a way of setting up a pub and/or a brewery on Brownsea and the place would absolutely perfect.
Sunday, 26 July 2015
Nice surprises
Little time to write about beer of late. Still some time to drink the stuff, but that is most definitely the priority over writing about it.
So, we're spending most of our time in Eastbourne these days, and mostly we tinker with computers, code, electronic and other geek-gear in the furtherance of TechResort CIC. But when the working day is over, we still like to seek out a good pint, and (try to) chill out a bit over some nice beer.
We've been pleasantly surprised by some pubs in town of late:
The Victoria in Latimer Road has definitely upped its game of late - from perfect seller of Harvey's beers through a bit of a spell of lack-lustreness and back to good form albeit with a smaller range of beer on at any one time.
So, this is frequently our "I'm thirsty" after work venue. Olympia is my current favourite offering (athough Waterloo gets an honourable mention).
The Crown and Anchor - on the seafront (more or less) which is even closer to the office has started offering more than the normal Greene King beers. We both dislike Green King beer - even when it is really well kept (which it is at the Crown and Anchor) and would usually walk out of a pub that doesn't offer a guest. So, imagine our excitement when S passed the door one day on his way into the office and said "They've got Hopback Summer Lightning". It's been on a few times since so we're crossing our fingers that they'll continue to offer a decent alternative to GK beers. Their food is also good stuff.
And a little out of town is The Sussex Ox which we went to last night for a birthday treat for the man of the house. We were expecting Longman beers which, although definitely improving over time, are not something we usually get excited about. But instead (or rather, in addition to) last night there was an Arbor Ales beer from Bristol. Food was nice and the surroundings were fantastic. If we can find a way of putting the Ox into a weekend walk, I'll wager it'll happen.
So, whilst Eastbourne still really needs a killer real ale pub...there are pockets of goodness which, for the good of the team, we'll continue to explore just so's you don't have to.
So, we're spending most of our time in Eastbourne these days, and mostly we tinker with computers, code, electronic and other geek-gear in the furtherance of TechResort CIC. But when the working day is over, we still like to seek out a good pint, and (try to) chill out a bit over some nice beer.
We've been pleasantly surprised by some pubs in town of late:
The Victoria in Latimer Road has definitely upped its game of late - from perfect seller of Harvey's beers through a bit of a spell of lack-lustreness and back to good form albeit with a smaller range of beer on at any one time.
So, this is frequently our "I'm thirsty" after work venue. Olympia is my current favourite offering (athough Waterloo gets an honourable mention).
The Crown and Anchor - on the seafront (more or less) which is even closer to the office has started offering more than the normal Greene King beers. We both dislike Green King beer - even when it is really well kept (which it is at the Crown and Anchor) and would usually walk out of a pub that doesn't offer a guest. So, imagine our excitement when S passed the door one day on his way into the office and said "They've got Hopback Summer Lightning". It's been on a few times since so we're crossing our fingers that they'll continue to offer a decent alternative to GK beers. Their food is also good stuff.
And a little out of town is The Sussex Ox which we went to last night for a birthday treat for the man of the house. We were expecting Longman beers which, although definitely improving over time, are not something we usually get excited about. But instead (or rather, in addition to) last night there was an Arbor Ales beer from Bristol. Food was nice and the surroundings were fantastic. If we can find a way of putting the Ox into a weekend walk, I'll wager it'll happen.
So, whilst Eastbourne still really needs a killer real ale pub...there are pockets of goodness which, for the good of the team, we'll continue to explore just so's you don't have to.
Friday, 5 June 2015
Conspiracy Theory
We continue to be hopeful that the general quality of beer continues to improve here, in Eastbourne. I think there's still a fair way to go, though.
Last night we stopped in at the beautiful Tally Ho pub in Old Town. It's a building from 1912 or so...and still advertises itself as a Kemp Town Brewery pub in its leaded lights (just like the Dolphin, as it happens).
The interior has been lovingly refitted and the leather seats compliment the barrel-vaulted ceiling and its decorative plasterwork.
They are also advertising themselves as serving Real Ale...so we thought it was just about time we checked it out.
It appeared to have Timmy Taylor Boltmaker on...which excited us greatly...but we were disappointed when it turned out it wasn't in fact on at all (at least they didn't try and sell us some nasty old stuff). So we had the Eastbourne standard pint of Harveys which was nicely kept and reasonably priced. Then the guys behind the bar started to tell us how this was their first evening open (seems like a change of hands has happened). They have reasonable plans (although I think they confused Craft and Real Ale terms a couple of times...) so we're hopeful.
Still, I can't help think that they'll revert to just Harveys...and some keg stuff before too long.
Maybe Eastbourne doesn't really like their beer all that much and someone has just told them that Harveys is the only taste a beer should have...maybe it's all an East Sussex conspiracy. Just like this cartoon.
Last night we stopped in at the beautiful Tally Ho pub in Old Town. It's a building from 1912 or so...and still advertises itself as a Kemp Town Brewery pub in its leaded lights (just like the Dolphin, as it happens).
The interior has been lovingly refitted and the leather seats compliment the barrel-vaulted ceiling and its decorative plasterwork.
They are also advertising themselves as serving Real Ale...so we thought it was just about time we checked it out.
It appeared to have Timmy Taylor Boltmaker on...which excited us greatly...but we were disappointed when it turned out it wasn't in fact on at all (at least they didn't try and sell us some nasty old stuff). So we had the Eastbourne standard pint of Harveys which was nicely kept and reasonably priced. Then the guys behind the bar started to tell us how this was their first evening open (seems like a change of hands has happened). They have reasonable plans (although I think they confused Craft and Real Ale terms a couple of times...) so we're hopeful.
Still, I can't help think that they'll revert to just Harveys...and some keg stuff before too long.
Maybe Eastbourne doesn't really like their beer all that much and someone has just told them that Harveys is the only taste a beer should have...maybe it's all an East Sussex conspiracy. Just like this cartoon.
Wednesday, 20 May 2015
It's not you, it's me
I've been wondering for quite a long while whether old favourites in the beer world are getting worse, or has my taste changed.
Back when I started drinking beer (ooh, now that was nearly 30 years ago, I guess) I would have been in paroxysms of joy if I'd found a pub with four handpumps of well kept real ale of ANY stripe. Finding Marston's Pedigree, Bass, Sharp's Doom Bar, Wadworths 6X, Fuller's London Pride, or Timothy Taylor Landlord would have seen me squealing in a very uncool fashion.
I can even list some of my favourite "rarer" beers that I used to get a polypin of at Christmas from the Off License (called the Brown Jug) around the corner from my first house:
Archer's Golden
Exmoor Stag
Exmoor Gold
Ringwood 49er
Add in a whole bunch of localish brewers' beers (to the West Country, that is) - Otter, Butcombe, Bath Ales, Abbey Ales and I can honestly say I've liked a lot of beers in my time.
Thing is, with few exceptions, these are not the beers I drink now if I have any choice in the matter.
We've remarked for a while that whilst Harvey's is a really good old fashioned brewer - there's only so much of it we want to drink these days.
Even Everards (which used to be something I really liked when travelling in the Midlands) has fallen into that category. It was on at the Buccaneer at the weekend and S had a pint - and he was in the Midlands last night and tried some in its homeland but just wasn't keen so switched to something a bit newer.
It can't possibly be that all these perfectly good breweries have become rubbish over the last 20 years or so. So - it would seem that even us dyed-in-the-wool real ale drinkers whose drinking spans far longer than the age of some of the newest members of the non-lager-drinking society are not quite as "traditional" as we might think.
I can't pin down precisely what it is about newer style beers that usually appeal more to us. They're not all gold and hopped to f*ck and back - there are some really well balanced darker and deep beers we've tried in the last few years that have really urged us to drink more.
Whatever it is, we have exciting times to enjoy - it's almost like rediscovering beer all over again. How fantastic is that?
Mind you - if you offered me a pint of Timmy's right now...I'd bite your hand off
Back when I started drinking beer (ooh, now that was nearly 30 years ago, I guess) I would have been in paroxysms of joy if I'd found a pub with four handpumps of well kept real ale of ANY stripe. Finding Marston's Pedigree, Bass, Sharp's Doom Bar, Wadworths 6X, Fuller's London Pride, or Timothy Taylor Landlord would have seen me squealing in a very uncool fashion.
I can even list some of my favourite "rarer" beers that I used to get a polypin of at Christmas from the Off License (called the Brown Jug) around the corner from my first house:
Archer's Golden
Exmoor Stag
Exmoor Gold
Ringwood 49er
Add in a whole bunch of localish brewers' beers (to the West Country, that is) - Otter, Butcombe, Bath Ales, Abbey Ales and I can honestly say I've liked a lot of beers in my time.
Thing is, with few exceptions, these are not the beers I drink now if I have any choice in the matter.
We've remarked for a while that whilst Harvey's is a really good old fashioned brewer - there's only so much of it we want to drink these days.
Even Everards (which used to be something I really liked when travelling in the Midlands) has fallen into that category. It was on at the Buccaneer at the weekend and S had a pint - and he was in the Midlands last night and tried some in its homeland but just wasn't keen so switched to something a bit newer.
It can't possibly be that all these perfectly good breweries have become rubbish over the last 20 years or so. So - it would seem that even us dyed-in-the-wool real ale drinkers whose drinking spans far longer than the age of some of the newest members of the non-lager-drinking society are not quite as "traditional" as we might think.
I can't pin down precisely what it is about newer style beers that usually appeal more to us. They're not all gold and hopped to f*ck and back - there are some really well balanced darker and deep beers we've tried in the last few years that have really urged us to drink more.
Whatever it is, we have exciting times to enjoy - it's almost like rediscovering beer all over again. How fantastic is that?
Mind you - if you offered me a pint of Timmy's right now...I'd bite your hand off
Tuesday, 19 May 2015
Blossoming
I love watching pubs I know and frequent get gradually better.
This has been the case with The Dolphin, here in Eastbourne. We've been eating and drinking here pretty regularly for a few years now and the beer range has gone from OK, through decent, and is now into "good" territory (obviously if you know us "good" is high praise when it comes to beer).
Coupling that with the general quality of the ambiance and the food in the pub and you've got a great combination.
It's a shame that the strictures of the pubco beer tie system means that guest beer prices are higher than prevailing prices in this part of the country and that is a bit hard to take but The Dolphin remains somewhere I enjoy going and the enjoyment of the beer is ever increasing.
Nice work Rachael and Tim, and well done Glenn.
This has been the case with The Dolphin, here in Eastbourne. We've been eating and drinking here pretty regularly for a few years now and the beer range has gone from OK, through decent, and is now into "good" territory (obviously if you know us "good" is high praise when it comes to beer).
Coupling that with the general quality of the ambiance and the food in the pub and you've got a great combination.
It's a shame that the strictures of the pubco beer tie system means that guest beer prices are higher than prevailing prices in this part of the country and that is a bit hard to take but The Dolphin remains somewhere I enjoy going and the enjoyment of the beer is ever increasing.
Nice work Rachael and Tim, and well done Glenn.
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