We arrived yesterday afternoon after as painfree journey between Eastbourne and Bristol as we could hope.
The plan was to meet Big Bro at the Barleymow around 7pm.
Naively I thought that in this cycling-healthconscious-city it would be relatively quiet in the Barleymow.
Boy, was I wrong.
Leaving aside our slight niggle with the place that they allow booking of tables pretty much anywhere in the pub. When we arrive at around 5pm there wasn't table to be had.
Come 6.30pm when Bro arrived, there was barely anywhere to stand, let alone sit. The place was rammed. People were sitting outside in the garden and out front in order to enjoy their beer.
I know it was Friday and all that but I was really quite impressed with the pub's pulling power in what is often a quiet time of year for publicans.
Just goes to show that a place that knows its stuff can pull in the punters (pinters?) on a non-seasonable basis.
We eventually got a table around 7pm when the after-workers who were only in for a couple exited. Beer, as ever was excellent as was the food.
Still my favourite pub.
Saturday, 13 January 2018
Wednesday, 3 January 2018
You say you want a resolution...
Here we are, then, 2018. Beginning of the year and the traditional time to muse on the last year, and resolve to do better this time around.
We don't really go in for all that old guff. I'm a bit of a Christmasophobe - I hate the indecent vigour with which large corporates try and tell us what we want, nay...need in order to make our lives complete/better than the other guy's/more aspirational...whatever. Anyway, so we tend to do minumum decent celebration so we're not pegged as out-and-out-curmudgeons and try and get some quiet time with games and beer.
This year we made the (for us) radical decision not to run away but, instead, to stay in the main residence.
Travel chaos and weather prevented our plans to spend a week beering it up in Bristol before the real festive season (ie: that acceptable time to celebrate Christmas which runs from approx 23rd December to 1st January) so we bought in a load of bottled and canned beer and hunkered down.
Some of the highlights of our beer selection pack have been:
- Boon Kriek: I have to say I didn't like it quite as much as Morte Subite Kriek or the Lindemans Kriek I sometimes have at the Belgian bar. That's probably because it's a cherry geuze and lambic beers are not something that particularly float my boat. Still, it made a really good, hearty, beer to take the place of wine when eating a creamy chicken and mushroom dish.
- Anything by Moor: We got 20 assorted cans on the basis of knowing it all very well and sometimes you want an old friend you can rely on. Nuff said.
- Tiny Rebel Cali - an APA, and a deftly done one it is too! Was excited to find there was still one in the fridge. Any beer that can follow Moor So'Hop has to be a corker.
- Boon Geuze/Mariage Parfait - not beers for me, these. But the boy enjoyed them. He wasn't quite sure that the Mariage Parfait really held up to the expectation, but he loved the Gueze.
- Tiny Rebel Staypuft and Dirty Stop out (dark beers) were very greatly appreciated by the Boy especially as we don't often have dark beers in the house.
Also rans:
- Tiny Rebel Cwtch, Lervig Lucky Jack, Kona Big Wave: none of them bad but none that we'd rush to again, to be honest.
I've really (and I mean REALLY) missed being able to stumble out the door to either a "new" pub or one with a huge range of beer over the Christmas break but we did "shop local" by making sure the last couple of trips into town to buy presents and whatever were followed by a visit to the pub to imbibe there as well as at home.
Of course now people (and by people, I mean the media) will be telling us to have a Dryanuary (or whatever) and I'm afraid I shan't subscribe to that. Our pubs need us in January. December has been a time when they were full of people who don't often go to the pub and the uptip in sales probably didn't match the total number of people in the room. If we want our pubs to be there for us when we celebrate Christmas, then we need to be careful to support them the rest of the year.
You don't need to drink to excess in order support your local pub on a regular basis. Go in every week or two and drink a couple of pints. That way the landlord (used non-gender-specifically) gets to keep turning the beer over and you get to try new beers from time to time. Tryanuary is an actual thing and I think it's a great idea.
When we actually make it back to the Western Homeland, I'm going to make a special effort to try somewhere new.
We don't really go in for all that old guff. I'm a bit of a Christmasophobe - I hate the indecent vigour with which large corporates try and tell us what we want, nay...need in order to make our lives complete/better than the other guy's/more aspirational...whatever. Anyway, so we tend to do minumum decent celebration so we're not pegged as out-and-out-curmudgeons and try and get some quiet time with games and beer.
This year we made the (for us) radical decision not to run away but, instead, to stay in the main residence.
Travel chaos and weather prevented our plans to spend a week beering it up in Bristol before the real festive season (ie: that acceptable time to celebrate Christmas which runs from approx 23rd December to 1st January) so we bought in a load of bottled and canned beer and hunkered down.
Some of the highlights of our beer selection pack have been:
- Boon Kriek: I have to say I didn't like it quite as much as Morte Subite Kriek or the Lindemans Kriek I sometimes have at the Belgian bar. That's probably because it's a cherry geuze and lambic beers are not something that particularly float my boat. Still, it made a really good, hearty, beer to take the place of wine when eating a creamy chicken and mushroom dish.
- Anything by Moor: We got 20 assorted cans on the basis of knowing it all very well and sometimes you want an old friend you can rely on. Nuff said.
- Tiny Rebel Cali - an APA, and a deftly done one it is too! Was excited to find there was still one in the fridge. Any beer that can follow Moor So'Hop has to be a corker.
- Boon Geuze/Mariage Parfait - not beers for me, these. But the boy enjoyed them. He wasn't quite sure that the Mariage Parfait really held up to the expectation, but he loved the Gueze.
- Tiny Rebel Staypuft and Dirty Stop out (dark beers) were very greatly appreciated by the Boy especially as we don't often have dark beers in the house.
Also rans:
- Tiny Rebel Cwtch, Lervig Lucky Jack, Kona Big Wave: none of them bad but none that we'd rush to again, to be honest.
I've really (and I mean REALLY) missed being able to stumble out the door to either a "new" pub or one with a huge range of beer over the Christmas break but we did "shop local" by making sure the last couple of trips into town to buy presents and whatever were followed by a visit to the pub to imbibe there as well as at home.
Of course now people (and by people, I mean the media) will be telling us to have a Dryanuary (or whatever) and I'm afraid I shan't subscribe to that. Our pubs need us in January. December has been a time when they were full of people who don't often go to the pub and the uptip in sales probably didn't match the total number of people in the room. If we want our pubs to be there for us when we celebrate Christmas, then we need to be careful to support them the rest of the year.
You don't need to drink to excess in order support your local pub on a regular basis. Go in every week or two and drink a couple of pints. That way the landlord (used non-gender-specifically) gets to keep turning the beer over and you get to try new beers from time to time. Tryanuary is an actual thing and I think it's a great idea.
When we actually make it back to the Western Homeland, I'm going to make a special effort to try somewhere new.
Saturday, 18 November 2017
That'll do nicely
We often bemoan the lack of interesting beer, here in Eastbourne.
Not the lack of good beer but variety.
Wednesday this week I was runnng our 3D printing club and the man of the house was out to visit his dad who lives nearer town than us so I suggested that, if he liked, he could stroll into town and I'd scoot down just as soon as I'd kicked the kids out of the lab and we'd have a couple of pints.
I have to admit it can be a bit of a risk on beer variety in the middle of the week at the Eagle but when the boy texted me to say there was a Roosters beer on and it was nice, I have to say my beer appetite was whetted.
I left the lab with almost indecent haste and was in the Eagle a little earlier than I expected. The Roosters' beer was brilliant.
After a couple of pints we went to a back street Chinese restaurant to complete a very pleasant evening.
Yesterday is a non-working day and as there was some good autumn sun we ventured onto the South Downs for a walk. Ultimately this led us into town again. We passed the DewDrop which is very inconsistent in its beer but I noticed a Salopian beer on the bar. We carried on around the corner to the Eagle but there wasn't anythng new. Still, it wasn't a disaster since the Roosters was still on and still in perfectly good nick.
After a couple of pints we had a think about whether we wanted more beer and I decided that I really did want to try the Salopian beer around the corner. So we went back to the Dew Drop - as it was about 5pm by then the pub was a little livelier than when we'd passed. Oh my goodness, we were very glad we went in. Although rather pricey, the Salopian beer was 5% and perfection in a glass. We huddled next to the (fake) fire and nattered and it was just about as near perfect as you could imagine.
Yeah, that'll do nicely
Not the lack of good beer but variety.
Wednesday this week I was runnng our 3D printing club and the man of the house was out to visit his dad who lives nearer town than us so I suggested that, if he liked, he could stroll into town and I'd scoot down just as soon as I'd kicked the kids out of the lab and we'd have a couple of pints.
I have to admit it can be a bit of a risk on beer variety in the middle of the week at the Eagle but when the boy texted me to say there was a Roosters beer on and it was nice, I have to say my beer appetite was whetted.
I left the lab with almost indecent haste and was in the Eagle a little earlier than I expected. The Roosters' beer was brilliant.
After a couple of pints we went to a back street Chinese restaurant to complete a very pleasant evening.
Yesterday is a non-working day and as there was some good autumn sun we ventured onto the South Downs for a walk. Ultimately this led us into town again. We passed the DewDrop which is very inconsistent in its beer but I noticed a Salopian beer on the bar. We carried on around the corner to the Eagle but there wasn't anythng new. Still, it wasn't a disaster since the Roosters was still on and still in perfectly good nick.
After a couple of pints we had a think about whether we wanted more beer and I decided that I really did want to try the Salopian beer around the corner. So we went back to the Dew Drop - as it was about 5pm by then the pub was a little livelier than when we'd passed. Oh my goodness, we were very glad we went in. Although rather pricey, the Salopian beer was 5% and perfection in a glass. We huddled next to the (fake) fire and nattered and it was just about as near perfect as you could imagine.
Yeah, that'll do nicely
Friday, 3 November 2017
Up 'ome
Even though I've been livng most of the time in East Sussex for the last few years, pondering a trip to stay in Bristol still feels like heading home.
The prospect of a few days in our flat in the place of my birth fills both of us with a sense of excitement - even though we'll be working a bit whilst there.
Of course the availability of superb beer is a big factor in the simple pleasure of the trip. We mused on this the other day when we met in The Eagle for the first time in a while. We'd been really pleased to see an upturn in the quality and interest of the beer in there and so my trip on the bus from work, and his on foot from his dad's were wraught with mild anticipation and excitement.
Sadly, the only "interesting" beer available was a tired (but not "off") Sharps Atlantic and a Wadworth's Treacle Treat. The best we could say was that the Wadworths was as good a beer as we've ever been aware they've made (neither of us fans). It proper took the edge off the trip. From there we couldn't be sure we'd get a good and interesting pint anywhere in the immediate vicinity and we didn't want to be disappointed again. SO, instead, we schlepped to the Belgian Bar and had some of their beer instead. It was great...but it wasn't quite what we wanted, in all honesty.
Although our Bristol trip this time will be fleeting, squeezed between work obligations in Eastbourne, I predict that even if a first-choice pub has a disappointing range, we won't have far to stroll to find something that suits us better...
The prospect of a few days in our flat in the place of my birth fills both of us with a sense of excitement - even though we'll be working a bit whilst there.
Of course the availability of superb beer is a big factor in the simple pleasure of the trip. We mused on this the other day when we met in The Eagle for the first time in a while. We'd been really pleased to see an upturn in the quality and interest of the beer in there and so my trip on the bus from work, and his on foot from his dad's were wraught with mild anticipation and excitement.
Sadly, the only "interesting" beer available was a tired (but not "off") Sharps Atlantic and a Wadworth's Treacle Treat. The best we could say was that the Wadworths was as good a beer as we've ever been aware they've made (neither of us fans). It proper took the edge off the trip. From there we couldn't be sure we'd get a good and interesting pint anywhere in the immediate vicinity and we didn't want to be disappointed again. SO, instead, we schlepped to the Belgian Bar and had some of their beer instead. It was great...but it wasn't quite what we wanted, in all honesty.
Although our Bristol trip this time will be fleeting, squeezed between work obligations in Eastbourne, I predict that even if a first-choice pub has a disappointing range, we won't have far to stroll to find something that suits us better...
Thursday, 24 August 2017
Up the (Gloucester) Road
We scooted back to the Bristol base for just a flying visit and to check how badly our orchids (which live on a shelf in a well-lit flat and so love the light...but not so keen on the regular drought) were doing.
It was really mostly about checking up on things, picking up the post and doing a little bit of housework just in case of guests in a couple of weeks.
So we didn't really have time to catch up with anyone or plan anything other than getting ourselves fed (and watered).
We arrived on Saturday and it was a no-brainer to go to the Barley Mow. The beers we happened to choose were nice, but not stunning but they were from the usual array of breweries - Bristol Beer Factory, Arbor, Moor, Siren and Tapstone (who we're really getting to like) - and, as such, were refreshing and a pleasant start to the weekend.
Sunday saw us both doing some work and watching the weather worsen before forcing ourselves out into the rain. We could only bear to go as far as the Cornubia and we weren't expecting the beer to be particularly exciting - but we were pleasantly surprised. I can't even remember whose beer we drank but I do remember a couple of IPAs - one of which was 7.3% but shockingly drinkable.
Monday was our final full day in town and there was proper housework to do (including hoovers to fix) but late afternoon we did have time to wander to Gloucester Road for another of the "chores" we planned (and it's not a chore at all) - to visit Plastic Wax for more Juke Box fodder.
From there we strolled northwards and tried a couple of hitherto untried hostelries that have opened/reinvented themselves relatively recently:
So it was that we ended up in the "Drapers Arms" - Bristol's first Micro pub and one that has now been given the acolade as pub of the year for the Bristol and District CAMRA branch. In Bristol, that's some feat because the bar is awfully high.
We had two different light, hoppy (but not too much) beers here - Tapstone and something else and they were lovely. I think that the place may have been atypically busy for a Monday as before long three of the beers that were on had disappeared leaving beers we didn't much fancy. This is a mix of disappointment and delight that the place shifts so much beer so quickly since the beers we drank were in perfect nick it was just a bit of a shock that three went off so quickly and nothing came on to replace them.
The only place in Gloucester Road proper we'll be visiting any time soon will be The Drapers. Still, the lower reaches (ie Stokes Croft) still has Crofters Rights and The Canteen (for now at least) - not to mention the Hare on the Hill and the Hillgrove nearby...it's just a bit of a shame there's that deadspace in between.
As for the orchids - they were a bit limp but they'll pick up.
...and now we're back down South there's a beer festival at our local on the bank holiday weekend so that's a bonus!
It was really mostly about checking up on things, picking up the post and doing a little bit of housework just in case of guests in a couple of weeks.
So we didn't really have time to catch up with anyone or plan anything other than getting ourselves fed (and watered).
We arrived on Saturday and it was a no-brainer to go to the Barley Mow. The beers we happened to choose were nice, but not stunning but they were from the usual array of breweries - Bristol Beer Factory, Arbor, Moor, Siren and Tapstone (who we're really getting to like) - and, as such, were refreshing and a pleasant start to the weekend.
Sunday saw us both doing some work and watching the weather worsen before forcing ourselves out into the rain. We could only bear to go as far as the Cornubia and we weren't expecting the beer to be particularly exciting - but we were pleasantly surprised. I can't even remember whose beer we drank but I do remember a couple of IPAs - one of which was 7.3% but shockingly drinkable.
Monday was our final full day in town and there was proper housework to do (including hoovers to fix) but late afternoon we did have time to wander to Gloucester Road for another of the "chores" we planned (and it's not a chore at all) - to visit Plastic Wax for more Juke Box fodder.
From there we strolled northwards and tried a couple of hitherto untried hostelries that have opened/reinvented themselves relatively recently:
- The Cider Press - who just had a list of ciders' names with no tasting notes. When asked for tasting notes they had none to hand "...because we've just changed the ciders...". The staff were clueless - when asked "what have you got that's dry" - she offered us Blackthorn. This is hardly the venue serious about real cider.
The beer was Butcombe and well kept...but dull. We had one drink and moved on... - ...to the pub almost next door "The Bristol Flyer"
Real Ale on offer was a trio of something like "Doom Bar", "Gem" and something else almost ubiquitous. We left without buying. - Further up the road is a bar that was better known for getting you a kicking than a real ale. "The Anchor" has clearly been smartened up and fitted out by the same people who did the cider press installation. Same Cider, same taps, same lack of information. But they did have A Tiny Rebel "Juicy" beer on. So we stopped.
The server was surly and, in the throes of serving someone else, made no attempt at eye contact or the usual "I'll be with you in a moment". This was a portent.
We were about to leave when she served us. Two pints, well kept, a bit pricey and the in the antiseptic atmosphere we weren't feeling the love. So we left after a pint.
So it was that we ended up in the "Drapers Arms" - Bristol's first Micro pub and one that has now been given the acolade as pub of the year for the Bristol and District CAMRA branch. In Bristol, that's some feat because the bar is awfully high.
We had two different light, hoppy (but not too much) beers here - Tapstone and something else and they were lovely. I think that the place may have been atypically busy for a Monday as before long three of the beers that were on had disappeared leaving beers we didn't much fancy. This is a mix of disappointment and delight that the place shifts so much beer so quickly since the beers we drank were in perfect nick it was just a bit of a shock that three went off so quickly and nothing came on to replace them.
The only place in Gloucester Road proper we'll be visiting any time soon will be The Drapers. Still, the lower reaches (ie Stokes Croft) still has Crofters Rights and The Canteen (for now at least) - not to mention the Hare on the Hill and the Hillgrove nearby...it's just a bit of a shame there's that deadspace in between.
As for the orchids - they were a bit limp but they'll pick up.
...and now we're back down South there's a beer festival at our local on the bank holiday weekend so that's a bonus!
Sunday, 6 August 2017
Glimmer
Had a lovely afternoon with the beer-drinking buddy yesterday.
I failed to buy some shoes, he succeeded. I succeeded in buying a greetings card. He failed to buy other things. Still, an approximate 50% shopping success rate is considered a good rate in our household so it seemed appropriate to celebrate. Actually it was more that a minor ear infection was making me dizzy so I needed to sit...and where else could we sit at that time of day...?
We, naturally, went to The Eagle which has become a fairly regular haunt of late. Either we've been especially lucky, or the pub has upped its beer game a little.
There was a choice of three good beers on - Dorking Gold , Downlands Bramber, and Firebird Paleface IPA.
So, basically we sat comfortably watching the first Saturday of the Football League unfold on Sky Sports in the pub. We would have left after the third pint but then the heavens opened...so we stayed for another before strolling home.
Unplanned afternoons in the pub are so often the most fun times.
I failed to buy some shoes, he succeeded. I succeeded in buying a greetings card. He failed to buy other things. Still, an approximate 50% shopping success rate is considered a good rate in our household so it seemed appropriate to celebrate. Actually it was more that a minor ear infection was making me dizzy so I needed to sit...and where else could we sit at that time of day...?
We, naturally, went to The Eagle which has become a fairly regular haunt of late. Either we've been especially lucky, or the pub has upped its beer game a little.
There was a choice of three good beers on - Dorking Gold , Downlands Bramber, and Firebird Paleface IPA.
So, basically we sat comfortably watching the first Saturday of the Football League unfold on Sky Sports in the pub. We would have left after the third pint but then the heavens opened...so we stayed for another before strolling home.
Unplanned afternoons in the pub are so often the most fun times.
Sunday, 14 May 2017
North of the Border
We've just got back from a lovely trip to the west coast of Scotland: Oban, to be precise. We go by train because - well, why wouldn't you?
For people who love beer as much as we do, I guess rural/coastal Scotland might seem to be an odd choice for a holiday - but we do also love scenery, walking, the odd hill, water and wildlife.
We knew, in our hearts, that we would have to manage our own beer hopes and aspirations - and that's fine.
We went north in two legs - stopping at Glasgow, but when you know you have to change trains at Euston it would be rude not to slip into the Euston Tap for a cheeky one en route. So, we left Eastbourne on an earlier train, giving ourselves just long enough to enjoy a pint (and a non-train loo). Needless to say, the beers we had (a Harbour IPA and something by Moor, I believe) were in tip-top condition, and the act of stopping itself means you don't feel the drag of travelling quite so much.
We arrive in Glasgow at 6.30pm on a Saturday evening and, like most cities, that makes it a bit of a noisy time to be looking for good beer and food. Nevertheless we reacquainted ourselves with both "Cafe Gandolfi" for dinner and "Blackfriars" for post food beer. Gandolfi was a bit lacking on beer (if only it were, it might well be the best place in the world) - So we had a local draught keg beer and a bottle of Arran blonde. Both were fine but didn't quite hit the mark Mind you, the best Finnan Haddock makes up for the beery shortcomings and we left perfectly satisfied with our choices. Then we crossed the road to Blackfriars - it was heaving but we did manage to find a table at the back and enjoyed a couple of pints (to my shame, I have no idea what other than my first was a Citra-based beer which was black...) before the noise got to us and we called it a night.
On Saturday we picked up a train for Oban and by 3.30pm we were there. All lovely sunshine and fish restaurants.
The pubs we tried in the town were all pretty much fine but none of them offered much variety in terms of beer. Mostly we drank Fyne ales (Jarl, Avalanche and Vital Spark) in pretty good condition and very good beers they are too - it was just a shame that there wasn't more choice. In the Cuan Mor we couldn't have any of their own beer so we had a "craft" IPA which was nice enough but not good enough to go back to.
We did do a few little excursions - to Mull (the Craignure Inn having only bottled beers - although they were good); to Easedale (the utterly delightful Puffer Bar having good bottled beer which came as a surprise) and to Connell (the Oyster Inn having well-kept but fairly dull Deuchars IPA) but all in all, our fears about lack of great Real Ale were largely well-founded. If this sounds overly-critical, it's not meant to be. The tide of real/craft (or whatever) beer hasn't reached here yet and maybe it won't. The town probably knows its audience (a lot of people passing through and the town is in a stunningly beautiful location) and maybe varied and exciting beer perhaps doesn't need to be a part of that offering. It's a shame though. We did ask ourselves, several times during the week, how well a micropub would be received...it's a thought that will keep repeating, I reckon.
Actually our highlight in beer was on the journey back, yesterday. We couldn't buy a straight-through train ticket so we thought we'd build a bit of resilience into our plans by allowing a couple of hours between train changes in Glasgow. It did allow us to go to somewhere we'd noticed on the way through the week before: The Shilling Brewery. From the moment we got inside we got the feeling we'd like the place. Despite only having one beer on cask, the place was an utter treat - we could have chosen from a wide variety of kegged guest beers but we stuck with trying five of their own beers which were very good. So good, in fact, that we actually considered buying an upgraded train ticket to stay longer. Next time you're in Glasgow - give them a try. We certainly shall.
For people who love beer as much as we do, I guess rural/coastal Scotland might seem to be an odd choice for a holiday - but we do also love scenery, walking, the odd hill, water and wildlife.
We knew, in our hearts, that we would have to manage our own beer hopes and aspirations - and that's fine.
We went north in two legs - stopping at Glasgow, but when you know you have to change trains at Euston it would be rude not to slip into the Euston Tap for a cheeky one en route. So, we left Eastbourne on an earlier train, giving ourselves just long enough to enjoy a pint (and a non-train loo). Needless to say, the beers we had (a Harbour IPA and something by Moor, I believe) were in tip-top condition, and the act of stopping itself means you don't feel the drag of travelling quite so much.
We arrive in Glasgow at 6.30pm on a Saturday evening and, like most cities, that makes it a bit of a noisy time to be looking for good beer and food. Nevertheless we reacquainted ourselves with both "Cafe Gandolfi" for dinner and "Blackfriars" for post food beer. Gandolfi was a bit lacking on beer (if only it were, it might well be the best place in the world) - So we had a local draught keg beer and a bottle of Arran blonde. Both were fine but didn't quite hit the mark Mind you, the best Finnan Haddock makes up for the beery shortcomings and we left perfectly satisfied with our choices. Then we crossed the road to Blackfriars - it was heaving but we did manage to find a table at the back and enjoyed a couple of pints (to my shame, I have no idea what other than my first was a Citra-based beer which was black...) before the noise got to us and we called it a night.
On Saturday we picked up a train for Oban and by 3.30pm we were there. All lovely sunshine and fish restaurants.
The pubs we tried in the town were all pretty much fine but none of them offered much variety in terms of beer. Mostly we drank Fyne ales (Jarl, Avalanche and Vital Spark) in pretty good condition and very good beers they are too - it was just a shame that there wasn't more choice. In the Cuan Mor we couldn't have any of their own beer so we had a "craft" IPA which was nice enough but not good enough to go back to.
We did do a few little excursions - to Mull (the Craignure Inn having only bottled beers - although they were good); to Easedale (the utterly delightful Puffer Bar having good bottled beer which came as a surprise) and to Connell (the Oyster Inn having well-kept but fairly dull Deuchars IPA) but all in all, our fears about lack of great Real Ale were largely well-founded. If this sounds overly-critical, it's not meant to be. The tide of real/craft (or whatever) beer hasn't reached here yet and maybe it won't. The town probably knows its audience (a lot of people passing through and the town is in a stunningly beautiful location) and maybe varied and exciting beer perhaps doesn't need to be a part of that offering. It's a shame though. We did ask ourselves, several times during the week, how well a micropub would be received...it's a thought that will keep repeating, I reckon.
Actually our highlight in beer was on the journey back, yesterday. We couldn't buy a straight-through train ticket so we thought we'd build a bit of resilience into our plans by allowing a couple of hours between train changes in Glasgow. It did allow us to go to somewhere we'd noticed on the way through the week before: The Shilling Brewery. From the moment we got inside we got the feeling we'd like the place. Despite only having one beer on cask, the place was an utter treat - we could have chosen from a wide variety of kegged guest beers but we stuck with trying five of their own beers which were very good. So good, in fact, that we actually considered buying an upgraded train ticket to stay longer. Next time you're in Glasgow - give them a try. We certainly shall.
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