Sunday 21 December 2014

Keeping it local in the London Borough of Bromley

After the fun and frolics of exploring the pubs and bars of Hong Kong, a couple of days ago I had the day off work and took the opportunity to visit some pubs that I haven't been to before in my local area, the London Borough of Bromley. The weather was on my side and I spent a glorious, crisp winters day walking and enjoying the wintery scenery inbetween sipping some warming ales.

First up was the Shortlands Tavern. I've passed this pub many times while on the train to Bromley South station, as the pub nestles in the shadow of Shortlands station. Until recently from the outside it looked like a grubby and not particularly appealing place to have a drink, but it is now under new management who've done such a good job it's now in the latest Good Beer Guide, so I decided to pay a visit. The pub now looks much more welcoming from the outside, and there's also a charming garden with quirky decoration as well. Inside the good first impression continues, with a tasteful renovation clearly taken place. The owners have gone for a comfortable, nostalgic look and it works well, with antiques scattered around the pub and warm furnishings. So far so good, and I was pleased to see a decent selection of ales available.

On a Friday lunchtime the place was pretty quiet. I asked the friendly barman what he would recommend and he poured me a half of Thwaites Yule Love It. As I'd given him no indication on what beers I liked this was a fairly safe choice, nothing offensive and a perfectly suppable bitter. Can't say I loved it but it went down easy. I then tried a Santa's Slavo from the Nelson Brewery, and this was better - well hopped with a bit of spice in there as well to warm the cockles. Food was available and it all sounded tasty if a bit expensive. I didn't try the food but I'd be happy to go back and give it a go. With the pub situated next to the railway viaduct the room plunged into darkness every time a train shot past, which oddly contributed nicely to the atmosphere! This pub was a happy surprise and as its only a pleasant ten minute walk from Bromley town centre I might have to make some more visits when shopping in Bromley has just got too much for me.

After an enjoyable time at the Tavern I hopped on a bus to Beckenham to try out the Jolly Woodman. This is a Good Beer Guide stalwart and walking in I could sense why - it's a very traditional pub experience. Simple furnishings, a small bar area right by the entrance and a friendly collection of regulars were all present and correct. This is a drinkers pub and on a Friday lunchtime a few punters were coming in for a quick liquid refreshment. A small selection of sandwiches and toasties were also being served. I had a pint of Timothy Taylor Boltmaker which I rather enjoyed - a fine example of a best bitter but I wouldn't say it was "Champion Beer of Britain" material, as CAMRA deemed it to be this year. My pint was in good form but the next customer wasn't happy with theirs as it was looking a bit cloudy. The landlord was happy to change it with no fuss at all, and after a quick trip to the cellar the Boltmaker was back on and being served in fine form. Good work from the landlord there. I'd be very happy to have this place as a local.

The next stop was the Bricklayers Arms, located in Beckenham Town Centre and handily located across the road from the cinema. Walking in at 2p.m the place was doing a brisk trade, filled with workers most likely enjoying a early finish from work for their Christmas break. I didn't notice any food being served, so it was nice to see a drinks led pub so busy on a weekday afternoon. The ale selection was nothing outstanding but my pint of St Austell Proper Stuff was in good nick, and even better I got 50p off a pint for being a CAMRA member. Most of the punters appeared to be regulars, sitting around the large U shaped bar. A decent pub and it would make a great place to stop before or after seeing a film or hitting the Beckenham shops.

That was it for the Bromley area pubs. I hopped on a bus to join The Lovely Jemma at her works Christmas party in Croydon. Normally I'd try to stay out of Croydon but the do was being held at The Glamorgan, a fine pub and one I'm always happy to pop in to. They had Cronx Happy Cronxmas on, a locally brewed Christmas ale that was very tasty indeed, with lovely spice and plummy flavours. I also had a Bacon and Cheese burger that was absolutely delicious. You know a burger is going to be good when they ask how you'd like it cooked - I went for Medium and it was spot on. A lovely boozer and again one I'd be happy to call a local.

The Shortlands, Jolly Woodman and Glamorgan are all fine examples of a top quality locals pub -serving good ale and conversation to a wide range of punters. It's great to have little local treasures like these floating about. If you ever find yourself near any of them pop in for a pint - you won't regret it.

This is my last update for 2014, I hope you have a great Christmas and a very happy new year. In January I'll be aiming to visit two micropubs near to me, The Long Pond in Eltham and The Door Hinge in Welling, which has recently won pub of the year. I'll also be off to Paris towards the end of January and I will be trying my best to visit a couple of bars after failing dismally last time. See you in 2015!

Sunday 7 December 2014

Hong Kong Part 2 - Craft beer and sliders

Hong Kong is a great city to visit, especially for timid Brits who have never been to Asia before like myself. It feels exotic and comfortable at the same time. The remnants of its British past means traffic drives on the left, so I don't almost get run down every time I cross the road because I'm looking the wrong way. The transport system is similar to London, complete with an Oyster card system called "Octopus." But Hong Kong take their card system even further by letting you use the Octopus in convenience stores, tourist attractions and even McDonald’s. It's incredibly convenient and oddly satisfying to use your travelcard to purchase an ice cream sundae. I wish they would do something similar in London. Sadly the Octopus card isn't accepted in pubs - although this might be a good thing otherwise I'd spend all day touching in for a pint.

But I'm not here to tell you about public transport smart cards. I'm here to bore you about pubs and beer. After The Lovely Jemma and I had completed a successful afternoon of pubbing as detailed in my previous post, in the evening we visited the bustling Lan Kwai Fong district in Central. This is the nightlife centre of Hong Kong, packed full of bars and clubs, mostly populated with liquored up ex-pats. We visited Rockabilly, recommended by Time Out for its craft beer and sliders. For those who don't know what a slider is it is what used to be known as a "mini hamburger" until hipsters decided they needed a cooler name. The beer list was pretty good, mainly geared towards English brews but there were some Australian and US beers avialable as well.

I tried the Little Creatures IPA and it was an solid IPA, full of the fruity goodness you'd expect from an American style IPA. As it was Tuesday we took advantage of the "slider for a dollar" offer. As a Hong Kong dollar is about 10p we couldn't really pass it up. The sliders we tried were pretty good - well seasoned meat and tasty toppings. We also tried the poutine, a Canadian post drinks classic consisting of a bowl piled high with chips, cheese curds and gravy. Rockabillys version wasn't very authentic but it was pretty tasty. Sport was playing on the two large televisions in the bar and the music was a jolly collection of classic rock. We enjoyed our time here.

To finish the evening we went to Honi Honi, Hong Kongs only tiki bar. Situated on the third floor of an office block, not an unusual thing in Hong Kong where everything is built upwards, exiting the lift you're greeted with an atmospheric and delightfully stereotypical tiki bar. I didn't try the beer but the cocktails were excellent if expensive, served in gaudy animal shaped containers - monkeys, tigers and the like. Plenty of them involved fire and the bartenders were happy to show off their flame throwing skills while preparing the drinks. The crowd consisted of moneyed, hip and boisterous ex-pats, with the occasional local popping in. Great for a spot of people watching, but only those with fat wallets could enjoy a long session here.

On our last day we popped into the Trafalgar Brewing Co, a microbrewery pub in the busy Wan Chai area. This pub is situated in a block with two other beer temples nearby, Frites which had a large Belgium beer list, and Hop Shack which had a heavy English slant to the beer list. Sadly we didn't get to try them but this is clearly a destination for thirsty office workers surrounding the area. The Trafalgar is marketed as a English pub but inside it felt more like an American Sports Bar - high backed leather benched seating, dark lighting, and plenty of TV's showing different sports. I tried the in-house Hops and Glory, a splendid English IPA reminiscent of Fullers Bengal Lancer. At nearly £6 a pint, even at happy hour, this is not a cheap place but the beer was good and the atmosphere jolly.

It was great to see the beer scene being so embraced in Hong Kong, and me and The Lovely Jemma enjoyed our time in all the bars we visited. Of course there are hundreds of things to do in Hong Kong apart from drinking yourself silly, but it's nice to know there are some decent boozers around after you've filled yourself with dim sum and noodles. I loved the city and can't wait to go back!

Sunday 30 November 2014

Hong Kong Part 1 - Afternoon pubbing

Last week I was in Hong Kong, affectionately nicknamed "Honkers" by ex-pats when they're not going to underground fight clubs or enjoying a Tetley's after murdering two prostitutes. If he is found not guilty for the murder he should definitely be locked up for choosing Tetley's when he could have chosen a much better beer, as it turns out that Hong Kong has a decent beer scene going on. Before the trip I did extensive research on TripAdvisor and Time Out on places to go, and after filtering out the local dives that TripAdvisor reviewers love because it's "so local," and the hipster hangouts that Time Out likes to recommend, I had a list of respectable pubs and bars to visit in this vibrant, cosmopolitan city.

First up was The Globe, a facsimile of a modern London pub, except it has table service. I love table service in pubs and I wish more places in London did it. Sure it's fine to get up and order your drinks from the bar but as I get older I prefer someone just bringing the booze to me. Usually table service means a service charge is plonked on to your bill but The Globe doesn't bother, so you can happily leave a terrible tip and run out before the staff notice. The pub is accessible from the Mid-Level escalators, a series of long escalators which whisks commuters and tourists through the hilly terrain of central Hong Kong Island. On arrival at the pub we were handed what looked like a small novel but was actually the list of beers they had on offer. It seemed endless, with draft and bottled beer from all over the world.

All the draft is keg, in fact I didn't see any cask beer in any of the pubs I visited. I started off with a Evil Twin Little B, which was about £4 a half during happy "hour" (11am - 8pm.) This is a beast of a beer, it's basically boozy treacle. It was actually pretty good but I can't imagine anybody having more than a half of this. Next up was Yeastie Boys Golden Perch. This was a light, fruity golden ale from the New Zealand craft beer scene. It was almost too fruity and could of easily passed as a fruit juice if it wasn't being served in a beer bottle. On a Tuesday lunchtime the pub was full of ex-pats enjoying comfort food (pies, burgers etc) and good beer. Service was professional throughout and prices weren't too expensive. Well worth a visit and a good start to our beery trail.

BrewDog? Euston Tap? No it's Craft Brew & Co!
Around the corner from The Globe is Craft Brew & Co. This place has lovingly "borrowed" or perhaps "ripped off" the design of BrewDog pubs with its industrial, metallic stripped back feel. There's also a nod to the Euston Tap with a beer wall behind the bar. I tried the Hitachino Nest White Ale and it was really rather good, an excellent example of a witbeir. We took a seat and had a good look at just how formulaic the design of the bar was. I could of easily believed I was sitting in BrewDog Shoreditch, except the place wasn't full of people I'd quite happily punch in the face if I wasn't such a timid nerd, and they were playing PJ and Duncan's "Lets Get Ready to Rumble" which you probably wouldn't hear in a BrewDog unless it was for "ironic" reasons. The food menu was mainly centred around gimmicky sausages made out of exotic meats like alligator or kangaroo. The beer list was pretty solid  and I would have stayed for more, but sadly the bar is situated across the road from a large construction site, and the din of constant drilling was to much for me and The Lovely Jemma so we had to head off.

The final stop on our beer tour for the afternoon was The Roundhouse Taproom, a small bar again reminiscent of BrewDog, complete with BBQ menu and beers from all over. They also brew their own beer and I tried Smoky Baby #1, which was a solid, hoppy pale ale. Couldn't taste any smokiness though. The place was empty as we were there after lunch but before the end of work, but the staff were friendly and the atmosphere relaxed. Again this was a perfectly serviceable pub that I'd be happy to visit again - and maybe try the BBQ.

Next Sunday I'll be telling you about the last two pubs we went to - Rockabilly and the Trafalgar Brewing Co. Look forward to seeing you then!

Sunday 9 November 2014

Out of office

No update this week as I've not nothing exciting to report, and no update next week as I shall be in Hong Kong. I've got my list of decent pubs and bars to visit over there ready. I'll hopefully get to try some local beers and maybe some craft offerings from the US or Australia that are hard to find in the UK. Whatever happens, I'll be blogging all about it on my return.

In the meantime why not follow me on Twitter? Just search for @bitterbloke, or click on the button on the right hand side. As well as my usual musings I might actually do some live tweeting from Hong Kong. Cheers and see you in three weeks time!

Sunday 2 November 2014

The Old Jail, Westerham

The Lovely Jemma's parents live in leafy Biggin Hill, right on the border of London and Kent. When visiting we often take a walk around the surrounding countryside. Biggin Hill is in the London borough of Bromley but walking through the rolling fields it feels a million miles away from the big smog of the capital. There are plenty of pubs in the surrounding area for the thirsty rambler, including the Queens Head and the Aperfield Inn, both of which I've written about previously. Be careful when going into the Queen's Head though, as humble man of the people and millionaire city banker Nigel Farage lives in the area, and you may just find him in the pub necking 100 pints in one sitting or whatever down to earth activity the papers are portraying him doing.

When on our walks there is one pub we frequent more than others, mainly because it's just far enough to make the walk worthwhile but not long enough to get me whining like a little girl who has dropped her ice cream down a drain. The Old Jail is a Enterprise inn with a comfortable countryside feel inside, all low beams and old wooden furniture, and a sizeable beer garden outside. I think the reason I haven't written about this pub is that it's a bit, well, "vanilla." The ales are in good nick but the selection doesn't get any more exciting than Harvey's Best Bitter, and the food is good but I'm writing about pubs, not restaurants. It's certainly a nice place to stop if you happen to be in the area but it's not worth making a special journey for. However last week they held a beer festival which is just about noteworthy enough to write about, and quite frankly it's been a quiet week for blog content.

My heart sank a little when the beer list posted on their Facebook page included Doom Bar and Bombardier, but I also noticed there were a couple of local Westerham Brewery beers on which I hadn't tried before so I headed down. The festival setup was quite jolly, with a decent food tent and some arts and crafts stalls. After nosing around the stalls and buying some delicious home made salad dressing, I popped to the back of the garden, where the beers where being served in a hidden corner behind fencing. The beers seemed to be the shameful secret rather than the main event. The Westerham Brews were available so I tried their Bonfire and Hop Bomb. The Bonfire was very pleasant, a solid best bitter perfect for a slightly chilly autumn afternoon. The Hop Bomb was OK but it had a slight sourness to it which I didn't find appealing. I also tried a Sharps Special which despite my low expectations was actually pretty good, a strong bitter which would easily warm the soul on a long autumn night.

Despite the slight chill the sunshine was out and we enjoyed hog roast sandwiches along with the beer. There was a good turn out and hopefully it will encourage the Jail to do more beer fests in the future as it was pretty good overall. It always pleases me to see pubs doing these community days, and if some local traders and breweries get some business out of it all the better. Cheers.

Sunday 26 October 2014

Outskirts of the City (of London)

I recently had some free time on a weekday around Holborn and Cannon Street. This gave me the oppotunity to visit some pubs that I'd been meaning to visit but never had the chance because they're either closed on weekends or it would involve going on a weeknight when the pubs are filled with suited, loud City men barking at each other and into iPhones while the three women unfortunate to be there look bored beyond tears. I got to visit some lovely pubs but the downside is that I became the "single bloke sipping halves while checking in to Untappd" guy, a stereotype which seems to be getting more and more hated on the interwebs. Well screw it, I enjoyed myself anyway.

A happy punter at the
Seven Stars
First up was the Seven Stars, a small boozer on a side street off Chancery Lane. Located among the courts and barristers chambers, this pub has a legal theme inside. Even the pub cat joins in the fun, wearing a rather fetching ruff while enjoying a fuss from the doting landlady. I enjoyed a half of Topaz Gold from Adnams, which was a refreshing golden ale with a good dry finish, and was in decent form. I perched on a stool and the cat joined me on the bar for a few minutes, enjoying some treats from the cat bowls placed there. On a Tuesday afternoon the pub was quiet and peaceful, but I imagine this small place can get quite packed on a Friday night. Overall I thought it was a lovely little boozer and I'd be happy to go back.

Next up was the Devereux, a Taylor Walker pub down a side alley off Fleet Street. Deceptively spacious inside, there were around five ales on offer. I tried the house ale, Taylor Walker 1730 brewed by the Westerham Brewery, who seem to be doing rather well for themselves. There's the chance it's a rebadged beer, but it was a tasty, well hopped and very suppable session bitter. I sat in one of the booths were my seat had a weird constant vibration - a little bit exciting at the start but it got unneverving after a while. Generally this was a rather nondescript pub, fine for a pint after work if you're nearby but not worth making a special trip for.

Just around the corner from the Deveraux is the Edgar Wallace. Walking in there were a small collection of besuited customers enjoying sandwiches. Notices on the tables asks customers not to use the pub as a meeting room or to use their mobiles - which tells you all about the potential clientèle in this part of London. I ended up having a small taster of around four beers courtesy of the friendly barman, and settled on the Raspberry Blone from Saltaire Brewery. I'm not usually a fan of fruit beers but this was rather good, with the sweet raspberry notes making way to more traditional bitter flavours. I was going to order a half but a pint was poured for me before I could say anything, and not wanting to appear rude I drank it all. Good job it was a pretty tasty beer. I had a quick look upstairs which was more airy than the traditional, wood boarded downstairs, and sporting a large collection of Edgar Wallace novels on bookshelves at the back. A nice little pub and definitely the pub I would choose to have a drink in if I was in the area.

A quick jaunt on the District Line and I was in Leadenhall Market, to visit a pub I'd been meaning to go to for a long time, but as it's only open weekdays and I don't fancy being crammed in with the City's finest on a weekday evening. Old Tom's Bar is a basement bar, and despite the traditional look from outside it was surprisingly modern inside. There were a fair few beers on keg and in bottles, but sadly the cask selection was limited to Youngs Special or Bitter. I went for the Bitter which was below par. No fault of the pub, it's just not a very exciting beer. There was a funky vibe to the place, and the mix of traditional tiling with more modern fixtures worked quite well. It was the busiest of the pubs I'd visited by far, with a lot of punters enjoying lunch. I quite liked the pub - just a shame that the (cask) beer selection was a bit boring on my visit.

Last up is a place that couldn't possibly be criticised for having a boring beer selection, the Pelt Trader which is down the side of Cannon Street station. Owned by the same guys as the Euston Tap and Holborn Whippet, the bar is similarly set up with a "wall of beer," with taps protruding from the large back wall behind the bar dispensing a wide range of ales. I went for a half of Moor Envy and found a table in the round alcoves to the side of the room. I've walked past this place plenty of times in the rush hour and it always looks horrifically crammed, which has put me off visiting before. But as the place doesn't serve much in the way of food with only pizza on offer, it was nice and quiet in here at lunchtime.

I boarded the train from Cannon Street back home tipsy and quite satisfied - I'd be happy having a pint in any of these pubs but the Seven Stars won out for me, although I'd be interested to see just how busy and potentially uncomfortable it gets in the evenings. Until next time!

Sunday 12 October 2014

Liverpool Street

I first visited the Williams Ale & Cider House near Liverpool Street station a few months ago, but sadly the visit was short lived as they weren't serving food on a Saturday lunch time and I was absolutely starving. At the time I couldn't understand why they would open at 12pm and not serve food. I'd heard good things about the place though and wanted to try it out, so a few weeks later I visited again on a Saturday lunchtime to pop in for a drink. They must have listened to my griping as the pub was now closed until 4pm, so again I missed out on a having a drink there. It was third time lucky though as yesterday I popped in at 4pm, the place was open, and I enjoyed a fine half of Spitalfields Bitter, served by a friendly barman who was more than happy to help me out with what beer to have by offering a few samples. Even though they had just opened there was a buzzy but relaxed atmosphere about the place, and it was a very pleasant visit all round.

There are other boozers around Liverpool Street that are worth popping in to. First up is the Woodin Shades, yer standard Nicholson's boozer across the road from the station. On my last visit I enjoyed a half of By The Horns The Saint, a very suppable stout. A smattering of customers, mainly tourists were in the pub enjoying a drink - there didn't seem to be much food being served, even though it was approaching 12pm. Service was functional. It's not a pub to make a special trip to but for commuters waiting for their train it makes a nice change to the Wetherspoons next door to the station. More on that later.

Next up is another Nicholson's, The Lord Aberconway, tucked down a side street near the front entrance of the station. This is a very pleasant pub inside, split over two levels with charming wooden booths down one side. Last time I was there I had a half of Trumans Runner and unfortunately the pub let itself down a little.  The ale was watery and insipid, and having had decent pints of it before I knew this was the fault of the pub and not the brewery. It need a little more time and conditioning and unfortunately tasted like it had been served too early. Still I quite like the pub and the service overall, although it is quite a small and I imagine it gets very busy on weekend evenings.

The useful Craft Beer London mobile app also recommends a pub in nearby Shoreditch, and I had a wander down there. I don't really like visiting the Shoreditch area as I always see something that throws me into an irrational rage - usually a ridiculous hipster beard or someone wearing cardboard shoes. This time it was a Bitcoin ATM which funnily enough I didn't see anybody using, because Bitcoin is an absolute waste of everybody's time. If you've never heard of Bitcoin, it's a virtual currency adored by idiots, who think they're sticking it to the man but who are actually wasting real life money on junk. The "value" of Bitcoins fluctuates widely and it's nearly impossible to actually spend the things - unless you live in a fad bubble like Shoreditch. They're useless as an investment as well, you may as well visit a casino, go to the roulette table and dump your money on red or black - you probably have a much better chance to make some money back.

The Crown and Shuttle is a former brothel turned into a craft beer establishment across the road from Shoreditch High Street station. It looks small from the outside but is surprisingly large inside. I could make a lazy Doctor Who reference here but I'm going to refrain. A very long bar down the right hand side has handpumps and keg dispensaries with all the latest and greatest craft beer offerings. Halfway down is a massive drum offering "brewery fresh" Meantime Pale Ale - I didn't get the chance to try it. My half pints of London Fields Hackney Hopster and Late Knights The Great Exhibition were both in great form and went down a treat. There is a lovely beer garden as well, with a mobile unit dishing out food being eaten by happy punters sitting on bric and brac furniture. This place is a bit hipstery but on a Saturday afternoon it was pretty nice, and well worth a visit if you're in the area.

The final pub in the Liverpool Street area worth popping into is the Hamilton Hall, a Wetherspoons inside the station that offers a little taste of Essex in Central London. Bronzed punters can choose from the decent selection of ales, and my Eton Boatman from Windsor & Eton was in fine shape when I last paid a visit. The interior is rather grand, with a sweeping staircase leading up to a balcony which overlooks the regal decor. All very posh for a Spoons and it's worth venturing in for the interior alone.

Well hopefully this long ramble will help somebody looking for a drink in Liverpool Street. I'm giving to leave you with one piece of advice: don't venture into Dirty Dicks, no matter how humorous you find the name. This tourist pack den of mediocre beer isn't worth the effort.

Sunday 28 September 2014

Leeds Walkabout

I was recently "oop North" as us Londoners patronisingly say when going anywhere past Watford, to celebrate the wedding of two good friends. The ceremony took place in the model village of Saltaire, upstairs in the Victoria Hall which had a great view of the rolling hills and fabulous scenery. I had a lovely time, partly because of the fun company and also because Saltaire Blonde was on tap and even though it was being served too warm it was still tasty and it was great to drink it in the village where the brewery is based. Things got even better when some bottles of Saltaire Triple Chocoholic showed up, one of my favourite chocolate stouts - a rich, delicious treat. With a buffet of cheeses and amazing pork pie on offer, I'm amazed I managed to leave the venue without a serious case of gout.

The next day me and The Lovely Jemma had a look around Leeds, fifteen minutes away by train. I'd never visited the city before and I was excited to visit the city pubs mentioned in the Good Beer Guide. First up was Whitelocks Ale House, a small traditional pub nestled down a side alley off the main shopping drag. This place oozed character with ornate mirrors, shiny brass tables and a intricately tiled bar. The serving staff are on a higher level, and the young well bearded barman loomed down while I chose a drink. I went for another Saltaire brew, the Pride, and enjoyed its classic bitter flavours in this welcoming pub. A group of Americans were tucking in to what looked like a very decent Sunday lunch, but sadly I didn't get the chance to eat there. A charming pub to start with.

At the top end of the high street was my next stop, the Victoria Hotel. This Nicholson's pub is very grand inside, with high edged booths, a spectacular fireplace and wood and brass fittings everywhere. I spied Tetleys on cask, which I never see down south so I tried a pint. I wasn't expecting much but to be honest it wasn't bad, and was a perfectly serviceable session ale. Tetley's is no longer brewed in Leeds but it was nice to enjoy a pint in the city anyway. We had some food as well and sadly it was a bit disappointing, with TLJ's roast dinner missing all the promised veg and my black pudding sausages not really tasting of much. I found myself wishing I'd eaten at Whitelocks.

Across the road from the Victoria is the Veritas Ale and Wine Bar. From the outside this looks like a smart cafe rather than a bar, and inside it had the same feel. We didn't feel unwelcome having just a drink there, but I would have felt more comfortable if I was having some food as well. We took a seat by the window overlooking the moody, gothic Leeds General Infirmary, a fantastic piece of architecture. My pint of Partners Brewery Shoddy Porter thankfully didn't live up to the name, and was a very tasty, chocolatey porter. This place probably had the best beer selection of all the pubs we visited, and generally the whole place was a nice surprise. I'd like to go back there for lunch.

Back down towards the station and we popped into the The Scarbrough. Another Nicholson's pub, this had less character than the Victoria but a better beer selection. I went for Dakota from Scottish brewers Stewart Brewing and it was absolutely fine, a solid if unexciting bitter. Tetleys was also on here - presumably Nicholson's have a deal going on. While supping my pint I thought about the pubs I'd been to so far, and although they had all served a decent pint none of them had that "wow" factor that makes you glad you sought the place out, except perhaps for Whitelocks. But I still had one pub to go - maybe it would be the one.

The Hop is located under the railway arches of Leeds Station. Recently opened it felt both modern and traditional inside, and it makes good use of the cavernous space. Split over two levels this place had a bit of charm to it. It's owned by the Ottley Brewery so it's mainly their beers on offer, but they do have guest ales on as well. Both the beers I tried were from Ottley, and the Pale Gold and Silver King were good examples of blonde session ales. Around the side of the bar is a hatch dishing out award winning pies, and the Steak and Treacle pie I tried was very good indeed, with creamy mash and possibly the best peas I've ever had. There was live music on and I was glad I'd finally visited a pub with a bit of character, friendliness and even feeling a little bit trendy. Well worth a visit.

I really enjoyed my visit to Leeds, and the city felt like a mix of Manchester and Liverpool architecture and people wise. I was a bit disappointed that I didn't get the chance to visit the lauded North Bar, but I can always go there if I visit Leeds again - and hopefully I will!

Sunday 14 September 2014

The Railway, Bromley and The Library, Islington

Antic are a "collective" of pubs that have been rapidly multiplying across South East London. Since I moved to SE London last year three new Antic pubs have opened near me. I've previously written about the Baring Hall and the Eltham GPO, and out of the two I prefer the Baring Hall. I was surprised to see it wasn't in the latest Good Beer Guide as they always serve a decent pint.  The GPO isn't bad but it seems to be having trouble shaking off the clientèle who used to go to its previous incarnation, the grubby booze barn "Old Post Office." They also aren't being very adventurous with their beer selection, with Landlord, Adnams and Deuchers nearly always the only ales on. I usually end up going to the Park Tavern across the road with its more lively beer selection.

I recently visited the third Antic pub to open near me, the Railway Tavern in Bromley. This pub used to be a rock pub/venue, then closed for a while until Antic got their hands on it. The strict Antic formula has been applied -  shabby decorations, antique and "eclectic" furnishing, and a good selection of real ales behind the bar. Even the smell told me this was an Antic - an odd tinge of antiseptic in the air. The stage has disappeared so maybe live music won't be returning here. Beer wise I tried the Cronx Standard, an excellent session bitter from this talented brewery based in the uninspiring council estate sprawl of New Addington.  Brockley Brewery Red Ale is a good attempt at a style of beer I'm not a huge fan of, being malty and sharp on the finish. Both beers were in good condition and very suppable. The pub isn't serving food yet but I'm looking forward to returning when the kitchen opens - Antic pubs usually have a good menu. The service on a quiet Saturday lunchtime was a bit dozy but pleasant enough. Hopefully this pub will continue to improve.

The craft beer scene continues to rage throughout London, and more and more pubs are stocking beers from Beavertown, The Kernel and other craft superstars - at increasingly ludicrous prices. The Library in Islington is a pub/bar/music venue that has embraced craft beer - although I suspect it's to make a bit of extra dosh from "on trend" customers rather than because of a love of the scene. Bottles started at £4.95, with the majority of them at £5.95 and some even reaching £6.45. Now I enjoy brews from The Kernel and Bristol Beer Factory but these prices are just crazy. The pub itself is fine if a little soulless but it's no better or worse than the other middle class trendy bars dotted along Upper Street in dull Islington. I wouldn't visit the pub again.

I'm off to Leeds next weekend so I won't be updating next Sunday, but I'm hoping to visit a few pubs up there and can't wait to tell you all about them. See you soon!

Sunday 31 August 2014

Orpington Liberal Club

Orpington is one of those suburbs that nearly every Londoner has heard of but none of them have visited, and with good reason. The high street is mainly made up of coffee shops, cafes and charity shops and while it is somewhat nice to see so many independent businesses as a whole the shopping experience is lacklustre. It doesn't have any big anchor stores such as Marks & Spencer or even a Primark which makes it a bit useless for shopping, especially when there are better shopping options nearby such as nearby Bromley. The only reason anybody local may want to visit Orpington, or "Orps" as it is known by absolutely nobody, is that it has a gigantic Tesco, a sprawling shrine to commerce spread over two floors and selling just about everything you can imagine. Perhaps it's the cause of the death of Orpington's high street.

Orps is also lacking entertainment wise, with precious few pubs and no cinema or theatre. There used to be an Odeon but it closed - maybe the local chav population destroyed the place. Pub wise there isn't anywhere particulary good. Most are filled with "undesirables" - although I am a wuss so anybody wearing tracksuit bottoms and looking slightly shifty is considered undesirable to me. Even the pokey Wetherspoons, usually a good bet in scruffy shopping towns like this is a bit too shabby to spend much time in.

Luckily there is one place in Oprington for the real ale drinker, but you have to be a member to enjoy it. In an unassuming house across the road from the Tescos is the Orpington Liberal Club. I'd been meaning to visit this place for ages as I'd heard good things, and it has received plenty of positive recognition from CAMRA. Last week they had a beer festival on which non members could attend, so I took the opportunity to stop by for a visit.

The cosy little club has a comfortable lounge room and small bar, featuring six handpumps. For the beer festival an adjacent room was set up with around 30 casks - mainly local beers but also some from further afield, including Marble Beers from Manchester. I tried a fair few, and highlights included Clarence and Fredericks Single Hop Amarillo, a crisp and deceptively easy drinking pale ale from one of my favourite new breweries. Who knew something good could come from Croydon? The Tonbridge Union Pale Ale was another favourite, a rich, malty and slightly fruity treat. Outside there was a barbecue, although what appeared to be a logistics mess up meant there was no food served until 1:30pm. I was absolutely ravenous and a wee bit tipsy by that point so I purchased a burger as soon as they were off the grill, and munched it down while listening to folk and blues music played by an enthusiastic and very good local troupe.

All in attendance were invited to vote for their beer of the festival, and the eventual winner was Toujours from Gyle 59. I had a taste and I could see why it won - it was an accessible, easy drinking saison, a lovely introduction to the style. Overall I had a great time at this friendly little club - there was a lovely community spirit to the whole thing and the beer, food, music and atmosphere all came together very nicely indeed. I had a brief chat with the owner who clearly cares about the beer and his club. Well worth a visit if you do somehow end up in Orpington - perhaps you really like visiting gigantic branches of Tesco.

Thursday 14 August 2014

Great British Beer Festival 2014

Some quick thoughts about the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF) which I visited yesterday. First of all I still can't believe how much better it is at Olympia rather then Earl Courts. The place is much airier and just doesn't feel as packed as Earl Courts did, even though there were plenty of thirsty punters enjoying some of the best ales on offer. I was amused to see Timothy Taylors scooped up the Champion Beer of Britain award. I sometimes think CAMRA are deliberately trying to rile the craft beer movement by giving awards to reliable if a bit boring brews. Still it was nice to see Oakham Citra and Saltaire Triple Chocoholic get noticed - exciting beers that are comfortably straddling the middle ground between craft and mainstream.

Joining me at the festival was a friend visiting from Canada, where he emigrated several years ago. He brought the entire family along including his ten month old son and five year old daughter, so this was the first time I got to visit the fabled GBBF "Family Room." We weren't expecting much to be honest, as hardly anybody brings their kids along, and the festival programme stresses heavily that "it's not a crèche." Visions of a pokey room staffed by a bored volunteer flashed before my eyes. However we were all pleasantly surprised - the kids are treated to a lovely space upstairs where there are plenty of toys, arts and live performers to keep them amused all the way until 9pm when it promptly shuts. It was a bit weird sipping a pint while surrounded by tens of kids but they all seemed to be having a very jolly time. A parent must stay with the child though so don't expect to drop the sprog off and then go have a merry time - one of you will have to keep an eye on your child!

I'd actually arrived at the festival a bit before my Canadian friend, so I spent thirty minutes having a look around. In this time I managed to neck a third of Castle Rock Black Gold and Moor Revival, both of which were excellent. I stopped by the American bar but even by 2pm on the second day of the festival most of the beers were gone, with only four or five left to choose from. They were all on the high end of the ABV scale and I didn't fancy getting blotto half an hour into the festivities so I plumped for a third of Smuttynose Bouncy House  (about 4.3% abv,) which was fine but I don't think it was at its best. All the US beers were cask only, and quite frankly I don't think the Yanks or the Brits know how to handle US beers in cask. There were many complaints that the US beers were a bit flat and lifeless this year. Who knows, maybe next year we'll see a few on keg - or even some being served in cans.

I didn't really get to see any of the entertainment, although I was a bit disappointed that the "carnival" theme wasn't carried out a bit more. There were some halfhearted "ringmasters" walking about but it needed more trapeze artists and perhaps a couple of fairground rides so queasy punters can empty their stomachs ready for the next round of ale and pie. The food was on good form this year although I only managed to scarf down a Pork and Black Pudding pie (excellent) from the Crusty Pie Company, and a steak and Stilton pasty from a venue I can't remember the name of - I may have been getting pretty tipsy by that point. My friends native Canadian wife tried her first pork scratching, and despite initial disgust an hour later she had bought four bags of the stuff to take home. One scratching and you're hooked.

As for the beers, well they were in good form this year. The Moor Revival was probably the highlight, but I did also enjoy the Otley O1 - not the "oi" which I incorrectly asked for. The Marble Dobber was a boozy treat from the ever reliable Marble boys (and girls) and the Bristol Beer Factory Nova was a hoppy treat to finish the evening on. If you haven't been to the festival head on down - it's well worth the price of admission if you're a beer lover. And it's still great even if you have to bring the family along with you.

Sunday 10 August 2014

Still Alive (again)

Things have been quiet lately for me beer wise, and I don't really want to fill up this blog with low content nothing posts so I haven't posted much recently. But you'll be pleased to know things will be picking up in the next few weeks which means I'll be back to more regular updates. The Great British Beer Festival kicks off on Tuesday, and I'll be visiting on Wednesday. I may even attempt some live blogging, and even if I don't I'll be sure to keep you informed of all the beers I'm guzzling via Twitter. Then on Sunday I'll be going to Woodie's annual beer festival. This friendly boozer housed in a former sports club in New Malden is going through refurbishment I'm looking forward to dropping by. The week after that I'll be trying to make it to the Orpington Liberal Club beer festival. I've had good things about the place and hopefully I can finally make a visit - I'll try and leave my Tory tendencies at the door. So don't give up on this blog just yet! Rest assured I'll be "enthralling" you with my beery reports over the next few weeks. See you next Sunday!

Sunday 27 July 2014

The Miller, London Bridge

London Bridge isn't my favourite area in London. It has always been a grotty little corner of the capital, dominated by the railway station which is surrounded by office buildings full of depressed workers who look longingly across the river at the City, thinking about the money they could be making if they were only a bit more smarter and/or cutthroat. The restaurants and bars in the area have always tended to be soulless food and drink dispensary's catering to people who don't really care what they're eating and drinking, just as long as they are consuming something. Things got even worse a couple of years ago when The Shard opened, a building devoid of any joy which dominates the skyline and looks like it's waiting for the Eye of Sauron to be installed. Some people say the £25 admission to see the view from the top of the Shard is expensive, but I'd happily pay that much to have a view of London without the bloody Shard in it.

However no matter how bad an area is I usually find there's a slight glimmer of hope somewhere. For London Bridge the shining gem used to be Borough Market, but sadly it is now a pale shadow of its former self, and is now mainly for tourists and monied office workers who want to spaff their money on artisan brownies. But inbetween Borough High Street and London Bridge sits The Miller, providing a much needed pub with a laid back atmosphere and plenty of decent ales - both traditional and craft. From the outside this place looks nothing special, a bog standard council estate pub sitting in the shadow of Guys hospital. Inside things are relaxed with shabby chic furniture and decoration.

On the handpumps is an ample selection of ales and ciders. The ales tend to be on the more traditional side, with Titanic, Skinners and Castle Rock seen in the past. In the fridges behind the bar is a decent selection of craft beers, including craft darlings Weird Beard, Siren and Beavertown. The ales are good value but the craft is expensive, especially considering it's usually in 330ml bottles - or cans. I struck lucky on my latest visit though as they had Weird Bear K*ntish Town beer in adult sized 500ml bottles! Even better it was an exceptional wheat beer, never sickly and going down very easily.

Titanic They Think It's Ale Over was a solid bitter from the ever reliable Titanic boys. Castle Rock Harvest Pale, which I've only had in bottle before and wasn't particularly impressed with, was better on cask but still not a knock-out considering the many awards it has won. I enjoyed the beers in a small, concrete beer garden to the side of the building. I tried the food as well, a meat and cheese plate plus deep fried risotto balls which I've completely forgotten the name of. The food was splendid, if again a bit expensive.

The Miller is a much needed respite from the humdrum pubs in the London Bridge area and well worth a visit if in the area. There's usually plenty of comedy and drama on in the large room upstairs as well. In fact I performed myself there a couple of times - I think I managed to make a couple of people laugh although it might just have been the sound of my own nervous laughter. Considering my best joke was "I found some chocolate in my belly button - ironically it was Lindt" I was lucky to make it off the stage alive. See you next week!

Sunday 13 July 2014

Kings Stores, Spitalfields London

This blog post was originally going to be about Williams Ale & Cider House, a pub near Spitalfields Market in London that specialises in craft beer and that terrible alcoholic apple drink. I'd heard good things about the place and was looking forward to it. Walking in on a Saturday lunchtime it looked like a cosy little boozer, with comfortable booths lining up one side of the bare brick walls, and a large bar with a goodly amount of hand pumps offering a varied selection of ales. Not many customers in but that is to be expected of a City pub at 12pm on a Saturday. So far so good, and I was looking forward to a nice meal from the tempting menu and a tasty ale. Walking up to the bar I asked if any food available. "We don't serve food until 4pm" came the reply. Ah.

I'm fond of the craft beer scene but one drawback, especially in London, is the odd hours craft pubs can sometimes keep. To open the pub at 12pm but not serve food until 4pm was baffling to me, especially in Central London on a Saturday. The barman could see the dejected look on my face and mentioned that their sister pub around the corner should be serving food. As me and The Lovely Jemma were ravenous and on a schedule we sadly had to leave the Williams and head to the aforementioned sister pub Kings Stores. After confirming with the friendly barman that they were indeed serving food we took a seat.

This pub has been recently done up and it looked good, if a bit generic. There is a separate restaurant area but unlike some other places you wouldn't feel left out just having a drink here. I went up to pursue the beer selection - as it's a sister pub to the Williams I was expecting a solid selection of ales. There were a couple of crafty offerings from Signature Brew and Trumans. Alongside were more traditional brewers - Triple fff and also Greene King IPA. That's odd, I thought, why is IPA being sold in a pub that is clearly trying to appeal to the younger, trendier drinker? I ordered a pint of the Triple fff Citra Sonic and a Fish and Chips and sat back down to do some investigating.

I looked up the pub online and found out that both this pub and the Williams are both owned by the "Metropolitan Pub Company" - which in turn is owned by Greene King. Mystery solved, and a canny move from GK to edge into the lucrative (in London at least) craft beer market. The pint of Citra was in good condition and I was getting a slightly fruity, pleasantly hoppy finish after every sip. The fish and chips were pretty good as well. TLJ went for the inevitable pulled pork,as this is a craft pub, and from the small taste I had it was pretty good if a little too sweet. The place is off the main drag inbetween Liverpool Street and Spitalfields so stayed quiet on the sunny Saturday afternoon we were there, but I imagine it gets busy at weekdays. Unfortunately due to its location between the City and Whitechapel I imagine it attracts a terrifying combination of suited wankers and bearded hipster tossers that would make me want to claw my eyes out in horror and despair. Worth a visit on a weekend afternoon though if you're in the area looking for a cosy bite to eat.

Sunday 6 July 2014

One Inn The Wood, Petts Wood

"Micropubs" are an attempt to bring back the good old fashioned community boozer - no music, no fruit machines, no Fosters or Carling. Real ale is the focus, sometimes ciders as well. They are designed to encourage conversation amongst punters, rather than everybody sitting in their own groups on their mobile phones while the latest pop pap blasts out in the background. Micropubs are mainly in the South East, especially Kent, maybe because most of the pubs in the county are either chav infested booze barns or high end gastropubs, and places for a reasonable pint and a decent chat are getting thin on the ground. The movement doesn't seem to be making much impact in the North, maybe because their pubs aren't filled with insular southerners and a place were the punters are happy to have a chat with each other isn't such a hard thing to find.

One Inn The Wood is a new micropub that has opened in the quiet suburb of Petts Wood. The area already has two pubs - a Wetherspoons and The Daylight Inn. The Spoons is as average as they come, and The Daylight Inn is a cavernous pub which unfortunately attracts a slightly unsavoury crowd - there always seem to be an edge to the atmosphere when I visit. One Inn The Wood fills the gap between the two pubs quite nicely - less likely to get stabbed by the punters than in the The Daylight Inn, less grubby than the Spoons. Clearly a place like this was needed as it was busy on a Saturday night, punters overspilling on to the pavement. Of course the place is small so the crowds seem bigger - in the Spoons the crowd would barely be noticeable. I visited with a friend and we had to enjoy our first few drinks outside but later on in the evening we managed to grab a space on one of the comfortable benches that line the side of the pub.

The layout is clever, with seating along the sides and high chairs encouraging people to have a chat. A no mobile phone rule encourages mingling. A small selection of pub games were available and the manager bought out a Shove Ha'penny board for us to have a play on. I didn't win because I've got the dexterity of a drunk bat. A small selection of food is also available comprising of good old fashioned pub stodge - pork pies, sausage rolls and cheese. Perfect for sopping up the beers and getting a healthy dose of gout.

The beers were excellent. It's served from a cold room behind the bar, a glass door allows punters to see the booze being poured. Beers were being served quickly, efficiently and always with a smile. All the beers are from Kent breweries, and five were on offer. Four ciders were also available. I would mention that cider is a terrible drink that tastes like apple juice gone horribly wrong and is only suitable for schoolchildren hanging outside an off license asking grumpy punters to buy them a bottle of White Lightning, but the last time I insulted cider drinkers I got a response so vehement I was afraid I was going to get kidnapped and wake up in a filthy bathtub in Somerset missing my kidneys.

I tried every beer on offer - for research purposes of course. Genesis from Goody's was a good start, a refreshing, easy drinking bitter - the perfect session ale. Silver Top from Old Diary was an excellent stout which went down very smoothly indeed with lovely coffee flavours. Clarence & Fredericks IPA was the only disappointment of the night. I've enjoyed their beers in the past but this one was lifeless with no punch to it. I think it needed a little more conditioning. Pow Wow from Mad Cat Brewery was a return to form - excellent grassy, crisp flavours which got better with every sip.

I managed to get the last pint of Rockin Rio before it ran out, and I was glad I did as this was a slightly spicy treat. The Kentish Best from Millis which came on to replace the Rio was a fine, if unexciting, drop to finish the night on. The atmosphere was jovial throughout the night, and even at 10:30pm when we left the place still had a buzz to it. I really enjoyed my time at One Inn The Wood - my only wish is that it was a little bigger - but then it wouldn't be a micropub I suppose. Well worth a visit if you're in the Petts Wood area.

Sunday 22 June 2014

Football and jousting

Eltham Palace is one those local gems that you may not visit often but you're glad it's there. It's strange to come across the grand palatial grounds nestled in the bland suburban sprawl of Eltham. I went inside the Palace grounds for the first time yesterday for their annual "Grand Medieval Joust" event, which was a lot of fun. The grounds had been turned into a full fledged medieval "faire", with plenty of stalls, activities, and portly men squeezed into chain-mail and armour. It was all entertaining and even better there was a beer tent, the aptly named "Stagger Inn" selling real ales and ciders. The beers were listed as "Tudor Tipple" and the "Stanley Surprise" but they were actually Bath Ales Gem and Barnsey, both of them in good nick. The chap behind the bar mentioned that he liked Gem because it travels well and is ready to go in three hours. The flavours backed up his claim, it was in great condition with plenty of subtle fruity flavours. If you're ever in Eltham take the time to visit the palace, it's well worth it and there's bugger all else to do in Eltham anyway (except maybe visit The Park Tavern or the Eltham GPO)

It's World Cup time and I've made the terrible mistake of watching the England games. What a frustrating experience it is, watching a shower of clowns attempting to work together and get a ball into the back of a pretty wide net. Now they're safely knocked out I'll probably not watch the rest of the cup as I'm one of those terrible people who only watches football during the World Cup or Euro championships, and only when England are playing. I just don't have the stamina to watch overpaid knuckleheads kick a ball around for ninety minutes of which about seven of those minutes contain any excitement, the boredom and the jealously of how much they're getting paid is too much for me.

I watched the first England game at the Baring Hall Hotel, which has really come along since my first visit there. It's become a true local gem, with friendly staff and an excellent selection of ales, although they have gone a bit cider crazy over the past few weeks. What I like about the Baring Hall is that even though it's the only pub in the Grove Park/Downham area it hasn't rested on its laurels and it is determined to offer a quality pub experience. They're now serving food and it's really good, and the beer is top notch. During the game I enjoyed a By The Horns Stiff Upper Lip and a Hastings Best, both of them in excellent condition and very tasty. Sadly the football wasn't anywhere as good as the beer, although it was fun and a little surreal being in a pub at 1am watching the football. I'd like the Baring Hall to make it into the Good Beer Guide this year, but I'd also like the place to be the little secret it is at the moment and not overrun with beardies hogging all the tables and selling the place out of pork scratchings.

The second England game I watched at home, using the terrible ITV Player, which meant having to watch a poor quality match in poor quality video - not exactly a winning combination. I had a top notch beer to "enjoy" the game with, Pressure Drop Stokey Brown. I'd forgotten just how rich and nutty this beer is, a great bitter and it makes such a nice change from the usual IPA's and Porters that flood the craft beer market.

Next week I'm hoping to pay a visit a new micropub which has opened not far from me in Petts Wood, One in the Wood. I was actually thinking of opening a micropub in Petts Wood before realising I'd be terrible at it and it would shut within days, so I'm interested to see how the micropub is doing. If I don't make it there I'm sure I'll find something else to witter on about next Sunday. See you then!

Tuesday 17 June 2014

The Paternoster - A surprise in the City

I work near the City of London, otherwise known as the "Square Mile", the financial enclave smack bang in the middle of London. Working near there has its perks ,as there are countless bars, restaurants, and grand buildings many with a rich history. One of the downsides however is the people working inside these buildings. City workers are generally acknowledged by the public and the press as being trumped up, braying wankers. From what I can tell whenever I have the misfortune to venture into a City bar, that is completely true. A city bar is usually a miserable experience of being surrounded by people more interested in their iPhones than their peers, necking back expensive pints of Peroni or Budvar (the new Stella and Carling) and a sweaty air of desperation, sexism and misogyny about the whole sorry affair.

Last Friday I was due to meet up with some ex-colleagues in St Paul's which is smack bang in the middle of the city. I was preparing for the worse. But something miraculous happened - I found a pub in the city that wasn't full of twunks. The Paternoster is just behind St Pauls, with Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, and other bastions of twatness nearby. As it was a balmy summer evening I was expecting the worse, the streets overflowing with pinstriped moneybots, bleating about their latest swindling of the British public while eyeing up passing "totty" with their piggy eyes. As I walked past each soulless city pub on my way to the Paternoster the clientele were certainly living up to the stereotype.

But the Paternosrer, my ultimate destination, was a bit different. This Young's pub wasn't too busy, and the people who were there seemed fairly normal. Fairly young, not a pinstripe in sight, no braying, just a good mixed crowd. Hooray! Looks like this is the place the decent people in the City go to - which probably explains why it was only half full on a pleasant Friday night. A full selection of Young's beer were on offer. I'm not a fan so I avoided most of them, but I did try the Hummingbird, purely because I'd never had it before. Turns out I wasn't missing much. Despite promising tropical notes this was a fairly bog standard pale ale and one pint was enough. I spent the rest of the evening sticking to the guest ale, Sambrooks Wandle, which was in good form with some great crisp bitter notes coming through.

A standard pub menu was available and we sampled a sausage platter and plougmans platter, both of them meeting the requirements of being tasty yet horrifically bad for you. A bowl of "sharing" chips was a bit of a piss take priced at £9.95, but they were good quality chips at least. Prices were standard for the City - £4.14 for my pint of Hummingbird, which would of made any passing Northerner pass out in shock. But it was so refreshing to find a halfway decent pub in the City (that isn't tiny or smells a bit funny) that I could put up with the prices. Worth a visit.

My next update will definitely be on Sunday - I promise.

Monday 9 June 2014

Beer apps

I've been on this planet for 32 years and have had internet access for 17 of them, and I find it hard to remember the dark times before I got my first 28.8 modem. This could be because I was too busy doing social interaction with actual real life people, but more likely because I was playing video games all day. I honestly can't remember. What I do know is that the internet is slowly eroding social interaction and devolving us all to anti-social, goggle eyed goons. Where before I would have to make an effort when mingling with strangers, now I can just whip out my trusty smartphone and avoid all forms of social interaction while writing blog posts complaining about how nobody socially interacts anymore.

We may not be getting along as well as we did before the internet came along but one thing the net has bought us is countless amount of knowledge. How did the world function before the internet? It must have been a arduous, tedious time having to look through books, journals or talking to an expert. Now I can just do a quick Google search to find out how to do my job and get a full listing of every episode of "Fraiser." It's true that about 90% of content on the internet is misinformed bollocks but that useful 10% helps me do my job, learn new things and most importantly find out where all the exciting pubs are.

If you told me 20 years ago that in the future you would get the internet ON YOUR PHONE I would have laughed for a few minutes before actually thinking about it and agreeing it's probably likely. For beer geeks smartphones are an invaluable tool for finding out  about top pubs and top drinks. There are three apps I find very useful.  Untappd is probably one of the best known beery apps. It allows you to "check in" beers so you can keep a record of all the booze you're consuming like the big old lush you are. This blog wouldn't exist without Untappd as I have the memory of a forgetful goldfish. Untappd is meant to produce recommendations based on your list of beers but it's ropey at best. The missing link is that the beers it recommends aren't always readily available. It would be better if it gave you recommendations based on other local check ins, so you might stand a chance of buying a "Dave Beards Craft IPA Explosion" or whatever it recommends. Still the app is well worth downloading purely for logging beers.

Next up is Craft Beer London. This handy app tells you what local hipster beer hangouts are nearby just in case you've got a hankering to be surrounded by trendy beards sipping on mega hopped IPA's (otherwise known as craft beer.) It's a good app but for some bizarre reason it doesn't list opening hours, which has caught me out a few times when I've visited a bar for a cheeky lunchtime half only to find out it doesn't open until 4pm. It's a pay app but I think it's definitely worth a purchase for any beer loving Londoners. But following on from my gloomy "state of the craft beer scene" article a couple of weeks ago I wonder if this app will still be as relevant over the next few years.

The last app is the Good Beer Guide from CAMRA. It's amazing to think I can have a nationwide listing of decent boozers sitting on my phone. The app works fine, you can search for pubs or get the app to tell which ones are nearby. It gives plenty of info about each pub including opening times. The one flaw is not related to the app but inherent to the GBG itself. It's a very useful tome but you have to remember pubs are included based on beer quality rather than the pub itself. Thanks to the guide I've been to some amazing pubs but I've also been to some real shockers in terms of atmosphere, sipping my admittedly tasty pint in a room with crumbling architecture and terrifying "locals." Unlike Craft Beer London which is updated every few weeks the GBG is updated once a year, and a year is a long time in the pub trade, where formerly decent boozers can change management and become shoddy, or even just close down. The app is not cheap but it's more economical than buying the book - and it's much easier to lug around with you.

Sunday 25 May 2014

When the craft beer bubble pops

Things have gone a little crazy for the "craft beer" movement in the UK over the past few weeks. First The Guardian are claiming that the writing is on the wall for the popularity of craft beers and then the BBC chipped in to the scaremongering with a report on how the hops beloved by trendy bearded hipster brewers worldwide are running short. Could the craft beer movement in the UK be heading towards the end? Well probably not for a little while yet, but I'm under no illusion that craft will be going strong forever. Craft beer is a bubble and it inevitably has to pop.

Allow me to do some naval gazing on the craft beer scene - in the UK at least anyway. I can't even being to guess what's going to happen in the US. I believe there are two reasons which will lead to craft beers decline. First is that craft isn't really spreading out to the regions, and secondly London is getting over saturated with new brewers that are offering a similar product, usually tremendously hopped IPA's or mega boozy stouts and porters. When I was in Birmingham there was plenty of exciting, well made beer but I didn't see anything from the craft "heavyweights" such as The Kernel or Beavertown. The craft movement is still very strongly London based, with perhaps small pockets of activity in places such as Manchester. The issue is what happens when the London hipsters move on to the next latest trend, and they will move on eventually. Sadly nothing lasts forever especially in the fast moving capital.

When the bubble finally pops not everybody is going to survive, for varying reasons. Some craft breweries will have enjoyed the ride and naturally call it a day. Others will fight to keep going but with the customer base becoming smaller they will have trouble making an impact on the marketplace. Some may get bought out. But others may do quite well - but they may not be considered "craft". My opinion is that to survive they will have to leave behind the craft ethos and become more commercially minded. Below are two examples of breweries that I think are prepared and a sure bet to survive the bubble bursting.

First up is BrewDog. Love them or loathe them, they are a big operation and were lucky to start at the beginning of the craft beer revolution. Their greatest asset is that they have their own bars, which are a valuable shop front for their beers and invaluable for spreading the word about their product and building a solid customer base.They even have their own off licenses now with BottleDog, a canny business decision. The crucial thing about BrewDog which will make them succeed is that thanks to their bars they have a presence nationwide, and not just in London. In fact they are even spreading abroad with openings in Tokyo and Finland. What BrewDog are doing is no different then a tied house such as Fullers or Sam Smiths - they just have a different image. If things did start to go pear shaped for them I think one of the big brewers will buy them out and keep the brand going. I can only see BrewDog going kaphut if the owners refused to sell on.

Another interesting thing about BrewDog is that I would consider them a "lifestyle choice" brand. I think a lot of punters choose to visit a BrewDog bar or have a BrewDog beer because it projects an image, the same way people drink particular brands of champagne or drive a certain brand of car. The whole "punk" attitude, anti-corporate stance and crowd funding is a very clever and effective way of getting a very loyal customer base. Luckily their beers are pretty good but even if they weren't I think BrewDog would still do well.

The second example of a brewery that I think will survive is Thornbridge. This may be a controversial choice as some may not seem them as craft. But I think that's a good thing. Thornbridge have done a fair bit to open the eyes and taste buds of the casual drinker to the world of more adventurous beer, mainly through the quietly groundbreaking Jaipur which is widely sold thanks to the Nicholson's chain. Not only is it a great beer but it's an excellent gateway beer to the world of big hopped ales that craft is famous for. I consider their beers to be craft as they are clearly dedicated, they're happy to brew practically any type of beer, and nearly all of them succeed. But it's also perfectly valid to consider them to be a regular brewery and that's why I think they'll survive the bubble bursting. They have the edge by being commercially minded, and have cleverly embraced both the craft and mainstream market. Their beers sit quite comfortably in both Waitrose and BottleDog. Camden Town and Oakham breweries are similar to this and I think they will also continue to do well.

BrewDog and Thornbridge are two breweries I can confidentially predict carrying on after the dust has settled, and it's testament to the exciting but volatile world of craft that I can't put a safe bet on any others. The breweries I worry about are the London based ones that aren't making much impact outside the capital, such as Beavertown or Siren and others in the "Bermondsey Mile." It may be that they don't care if they're short lived - they're just enjoying being part of a popular scene. But it would be a shame to lose some talented breweries and tasty beers. Ultimately I feel that to survive the craft bubble breweries have to leave behind some of the craft ethos and be more commercially minded. BrewDog have clocked this - will the others be able to do the same?

Sunday 18 May 2014

Gran Canaria

I've just come back from a relaxing all inclusive break in Gran Canaria. I never used to be a fan of all inclusive. The thought of being stuck at a hotel, desperately eating any and all food no matter how depressing it looks and tastes while washing it down with watery lager in an attempt to get the best "value" out of the holiday didn't appeal to me. I much prefer spending as much time out of the hotel as possible, exploring the local sights and gorging on tasty food and drink at the local restaurants. But now that I'm older, slower and have a mortgage, the thought of paying one price and just doing naff all for a week is getting more appealing. Luckily the food at the hotel was pretty good if a little mushy, probably to cater to the tremendous amount of old, saggy Germans and French who were staying there. I expected big body sizes from the Brits but I had no idea French people could let themselves go so much.

While the food was fine the beer wasn't so great. The only lager offering at the hotel was Amstel, which is never going to win an award for most tastiest beer, or indeed win any award at all, except perhaps "Most mediocre beer." In the hot weather it was bland but refreshing. On Eurovision night the opportunity arose to get some beers for the hotel room to help lubricate me up for a evenings entertainment enjoying the best  music and political voting Europe (and Israel) has to offer.

Now obviously because I was not in London I wasn't expecting to buy crazily hopped IPA's or boozy stouts but it was sad that nearly all the supermarkets on the island offered the same three products: Heineken, San Miguel and TropicalTropical is the local brew, made by Compañía Cervecera de Canarias (CERCASA) in the Islands capital city. I thought it would be rude not to give it a go. Turns out CERCASA are owned by mega brewing conglomerate SABMiller and this was obvious from the taste of the beer. It had a little bit more going on than the Amstel, perhaps more crisper in the finish and a little more hoppy in the body. But overall it was still a standard lager and even though it was initially more exciting than Amstel towards the end of the can I was struggling to finish due to the sheer mediocrity of it.

While in the supermarket near the hotel, I spied an unusual red can nestled amongst the identikit lagers. All the other beers were 60 cents a can but this was one was marked at a whole euro! Perhaps a premium beer that would finally give a bit more nuance and flavour? I picked up the can labelled Koff Extra Brew IV and gave it a go. Well it wasn't mindblowing but it had more to it than the previous lagers I'd been suffering through. Brewed by Finnish brewery Sinebrychoff this was a darker, more malty beer and was pleasant to drink. I was probably drinking the equivalent of Finland's Carling but I enjoyed it and it made one of the more boring Eurovisions in recent memory pass by much more easily.

The holiday overall was pretty good, although the part of Gran Canaria I was in, Playa Del Ingles, is in much need of a little love and attention. Curiously the majority of the bars and restaurants in the area are located in shopping centres, the main ones being the Kasbah and the Yumbo. The Kasbah is like your bog standard sunny holiday strip of bars and clubs, except they are crammed together in a crumbling concrete structure. Me and The Lovely Jemma had a quick walk through and were not impressed. The Yumbo is better, and caters heavily to the gay scene, which gave it a more friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Only go for the bars though - the "shopping" is dismal, a seedy market atmosphere with hawkers desperately trying to get you to buy their shoddy wares, including wooden penises and squidgy fake boobs. I'd seen enough squidgy and frankly terrifying breasts courtesy of the elderly German hotel guests - I didn't want to take a memory of that home with me.

We spent a night at the Yumbo, sampling a few drinks at the bars and enjoying a couple of the drag shows there. Rickys Show Bar was probably the best, a non stop parade of burly drag queens miming along to classic show tunes and some entertaining audience interaction. It was a free show and to be honest if I had to pay I'd have been quite miffed, but for the low price of nothing it was a decent night out. Good strong mixed drinks as well.

In conclusion: go to Gran Canaria for the sunshine and cocktails, not for the beer. See you next week!

Wednesday 7 May 2014

Back soon

I'm on a break for a few days but will be back blogging on the 18th May. See you then!

Sunday 27 April 2014

The Craft Beer Off License featuring BottleDog

BottleDog is a new venture from those controversial BrewDog boys. Satisfied with conquering the "craft beer" bar market with trendy hipster magnet drinking holes up and down the country, they're now taking on the humble off license. Well actually they're not really taking on the off license as judging by this first outlet they are offering a specific product, which is beers that come in tiny bottles with wacky labels and ABVs at the higher end of the scale. You're not going to find multipack offers on Fosters or Carling here.

I remember when this building was a cabby's accountancy firm
As the place is across the road from where I work I thought it would be rude not to visit on opening day.The place was doing a roaring trade when I walked past at lunchtime and when I popped in after 6pm it was quieter but still doing a brisk trade. The BrewDog branding is scaled back and there's nothing on the front of the shop showing that it's a BrewDog venture. It doesn't even advertise itself as a off license which confused a big group of punters who walked in expecting the place to be a bar. After confirming amongst themselves that there wasn't a seating area in the back where they could drink their purchases they quickly turned tail and left. Despite the low key branding there are a few BrewDog hallmarks in the shop  - stripped back decor, cool tunes being played, and plenty of trendy beers on offer.

So many beers, so little time. Well actually you've got from 12pm - 9pm
 every weekday (plus Saturdays!)
I was pleased to see the prices were competitive and the German and Belgian beers in particular were very reasonably priced. All the major London craft breweries including Pressure Drop, Siren and Beavertown were represented, plus of course BrewDogs own offerings - although I didn't spot any of BrewDog's rarer beers. There also two taps dispensing booze to take home in "growlers" - sadly not a dog full of beer but a fancy term for a glass bottle. I spoke to the enthusiastic manager who mentioned there are plans to do Meet the Brewer events and there will be additional taps installed for more take home offerings. I look forward to revisiting in the future.

BottleDog isn't the only game in town for craft beer off licenses. Another shop worth visting is the Oddbins in London Bridge. I found out about this place from the excellent "Craft Beer London" app on Android and iPhone. I never would of guessed that an Oddbins, more known for their wine offerings, would be a hotbed of hot new brewery activity. They stock all the cool London brands at prices slightly cheaper than BottleDog. Unfortunately the staff aren't as clued up as the BrewDog boys but there are some tasting notes nestled amongst the bottles. Well worth a visit if you're stuck in the building site dystopia which is London Bridge, with the ominous and downright creepy "The Shard" looming down on you.

For a more traditional off license The Bitter End in leafy Bromley is well worth a visit if you're in the area. They are always well stocked with beers from respected brewers such as Harveys, Dark Star and Oakham. The occasional newer brewery is also represented - I picked up an excellent American Pale Ale from Croydon brewery Clarence and Fredericks. They also have around six beers sitting in barrels behind a makeshift bar, ready to be poured out for lucky punters to take home. These are usually session bitters such as Wadsworth 6X but last time I was there Dark Star Seville was on, in great form, and at a very reasonable price to take home.

Say what you will about the craft beer movement, one big benefit is that there's a huge selection of beers available in high street shops, at least in and around London. But even out of town it's easier to get beers that are a big step above the usual Fosters and Carling tat. Before you could only get these beers at specialised pubs and bars - and at high prices. Let's hope this wide range continues to be stocked even when the "craft beer" frenzy, inevitably, calms down.

Sunday 20 April 2014

Hastings revisit - The Dolphin and First in Last Out

I went down to Hastings on Good Friday, as I fancied a trip to the seaside and it's pretty easy to get their from my house on the train. Being a holiday weekend I was preparing for the worst on the train journey: screaming kids, stroppy parents and a generally miserable atmosphere. In reality although there were a few young 'uns on the train it was actually pretty quiet. Another surprise for me was how quiet Hastings was considering it was a holiday weekend. To be fair the town isn't looking its best these days, and with Brighton, Eastbourne and other better maintained seaside towns nearby maybe Hastings doesn't have much appeal these days. There isn't really much to attract people down there besides the shopping and the (stony) beach. You also have to leave before sundown to avoid getting attacked by the towns blossoming population of chavs.

I'm hoping the place will start receiving a bit more love from the local council over the next few years as there's still a bit of charm to the place. However none of it is found in the "new town" which is the first thing visitors come across leaving the train station and main car parks. This gormless concrete mass of generic town centre shops isn't going to win anybody over. But walk down towards the old town and things get a whole lot nicer, with little antique and curio shops dotted about that you can easily kill a few hours in. Amongst the antique shops on the outskirts of the Old Town is the First In Last Out, a brewery tap for the FILO brewery, which is a few hundred metres up the road from the pub. I've written about this place before and I enjoyed my time there, and I was looking forward to going back.

The atmosphere was gently buzzing when I walked in with a nice mix of locals and beer seeking tourists. I was pleased to see a small beer festival was on over the Easter weekend. Before I hit the guest ales I tried a FILO ale, the Old Town Tom. Curiously this was the only beer among the FILO range which was labelled as a "craft beer." I have no idea why this one was craft and the others weren't, as the FILO is a small, talented brewery and I wouldn't raise an eyebrow if they labelled all their beers as craft. Curious craft branding aside, the Town Tom was a decent sup, with a ginger kick that added a bit of character to the brew.

I also tried a couple of beers from their festival. Dark Star Seville was on, and what a lovely beer this is. Packed full of orange flavours with every hoppy mouthful, this was a absolute pleasure and I would of happily drank this all day. But instead of getting another I tried a Roosters 41 Degrees North. Despite the tasting notes promising plenty of New Zealand hop flavours, this was a curiously flat tasting ale, with none of the hoppy goodness I've had from other South Pacific beers such as High Wire NZ or Thornbridge Kipling. Disappointing.

My second pub on the trip was The Dolphin, which I was visiting for the first time. This CAMRA award winning pub was in the more touristy harbour area of the town, and it's situated across the road from old fishing huts. Inside the decor is suitably nautically themed, with fishing nets, captain hats, ropes and other sailing knick knacks scattered around the walls and ceiling. A blackboard proudly displayed the varied ales on offer. There was also a separate blackboard listing "craft ales." Like in the FILO I have no idea how the landlord at The Dolphin decides what classes a beer as craft. The only diference I could see is that all the ales on the craft board were 30p more expensive than the "normal" ales. The breweries on the craft board were Meantime and Charles Wells. Personally I'd class Meantime as craft as they're not really in the "big league" brewers. Charles Wells however is a rather cynical attempt from the Youngs Brewery to cash in on the craft craze, and I don't think it deserved to be on the board.

I opted for a couple of the "non-craft" ales. Franklins Brewery Citra was a good effort at an American flavoured IPA, with a decent mouthful of fruity hops in every sip. Buntingford Brewery Polar Star was another hoppy treat, this time a blonde beer. Both beers were in excellent condition and very flavoursome. Other customers were tucking into tasty looking food, with fish dishes appearing to be the house speciality - unsurprising considering the location right by the fisherman's huts. A good little boozer and one I would be happy to return to.

Next week I'll be (hopefully) writing about the new BrewDog venture "BottleDog," which appears to be a upmarket offie. See you then!

Sunday 13 April 2014

Brains Craft Brewery

This "craft beer" movement that you may have read about on the internet and the newspapers is a funny thing. I still don't think anybody really knows what craft beer is but as long as decent ales keep appearing I'm happy for the movement to continue. Some of the more established breweries have noticed that there's money to be made with this weird craft thing and more and more beers are now suddenly "crafted" by brewers. I find this pretty patronising mainly because it's obvious beer is crafted unless they've previously been digging beer out the ground or just cut open a tree and wait for the ale to spill out? But I guess if the breweries think they sell a few more bottles by slapping "craft " on the label then fair game to them.

One brewery that has embraced the craft movement further than just re-badging existing beers with a craft label is Brains. This Welsh outfit have started a new brand of beers from the Brains "Craft Brewery." They've got some beer writers and other non brewers in the beer world to help out with creating the ales. Now I'm sure these guys are excellent at tasting and reviewing beers but whether they know how to produce a decent one themselves is open to debate. I know if I was given the chance to make a beer it would probably end up being a horrific failure with an initial hoppy flavour leading to vomiting, paralysis and eventually death. That's why I stick to writing about beer rather than making it, and even the writing I'm not great at seeing as I completely failed to produce any new content last Sunday.

The Brains Craft Brewery beers were available in Tesco on a 4 for £6 offer so I thought it rude not to give them a try. I could tell they were craft beers immediately as they had trendy labels and were in kid sized 330ml bottles. First up was Barry Island IPA, labelled on the bottle as an American Style IPA and a collaboration with "YouTube real ale reviewer extraordinaire" Simon Martin. True to the description this was a hoppy, boozy drink. It was a good attempt at recreating the highly hopped, Lagunitas style IPA. Recommended.

The other brew I tried was the Boilermaker. According to the Brains website this is a collaboration with "Ben and Tom from Thinking Drinkers." I have no idea who they are but according to their website they are trying to "revive the lost art of discerning drinking." A bold aim but this beer isn't going to help their cause. Despite the label promising vanilla notes and a whisky finish, I could taste neither. Instead it was a rather muddy IPA flavour, nothing outstanding and nowhere near as pleasant as the Barry Island IPA. A shame as this beer sounded the more exciting of the two but it just didn't deliver on what was promised.

It's good to see Brains trying something different and getting the beer blogging community involved. More experimentation in the brewing industry is always welcome and who knows what winning formula they may hit upon. But some experiments shouldn't be released into the wild and while the Barry Island was definitely ready for release I think the Boilermaker could have done with a bit more work before being sold to the public. It's not the first craft beer I've tried that wasn't ready for public consumption, and luckily thanks to Tesco's deal it wasn't so much of a costly mistake to me as some other craft beers have been. Overall though I look forward to trying more beers from the Brains Craft Brewery.

Sunday 30 March 2014

Eltham GPO and The Claret, Addiscombe

I recently had the chance to visit two pubs nearby to me that I'd heard good things about but hadn't had the chance to visit. First up was the Eltham GPO. This is a recently opened Antic pub in the suburban mediocrity that is Eltham. The town already has one decent boozer, the Park Tavern, and the GPO is conveniently located on the same road as the Tavern. In a former life the GPO was called The Old Post Office, and it was a chav infested Jaegarbomb spewing hellhole best avoided by everyone. Now that Antic have got their grubby mitts on it the place has been spruced up, but also spruced down, being furnished with vintage furniture and sporting exposed piping and walls as part of the decor.

Having been impressed with the beer selection at the Baring Hall Hotel, another new opening from Antic in nearby Grove Park, I was looking forward to more exciting beers here. However the landlord has played it safe with the beer selection at the GPO, with five solid if not very exciting ales on offer, including Timothy Taylor Landlord. I opted for a pint of local brewery Hopstuff Fusilier, which was a classic best bitter. It was in good nick and went down perfectly with a very tasty Fish and Chip dinner, chosen from a food menu which again plays it very safe with pub classics such as sausage and mash. I did enjoy my time here and would stop in if I happened to be in the area, but unlike the Baring Hall I didn't feel it was a pub worth going out of the way to visit. Hopefully with two pubs in such close proximity to each other, the Park Tavern and Eltham GPO might step up their game ale selection wise.

Over to Croydon which despite its grim exterior and sometimes questionable inhabitants, it is bereft with decent pubs. In nearby Addiscombe is the Claret Free House. Unassuming from the outside, it looks like it could be a wine bar or restaurant. But inside there's no doubting this is a traditional local boozer, with a long bar and mock tudor interior. Five handpumps displayed a tantalizing selection of beer.

The Claret is "famous" for serving Palmers Best Bitter, with a certificate proudly displayed proclaiming that they have served over 1,000,000 pints. It would be rude not to try it and after a sip I could see why they sell so much. This was a easy drinking, slightly floral ale that went down a treat, perfect for a session or a quick one after work. Next up was W.J King Lost Kingdom. This was a heavier bitter, with gentle raisin notes in the aftertaste. It was fine but not as charming as the Palmers. Finally there was the Westerham Puddledock Porter. With its low ABV this was a light and refreshing porter, not too heavy on the coffee notes. This is the first porter I've ever described as refreshing.

A small collection of regulars were in, and the crowd got bigger as the afternoon wore on towards clocking off time. A telly in the corner was showing the cricket and I got the pleasure of watching England perform terribly in the Twenty20. It was a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere and although I was the youngest customer in there by far, I never felt uncomfortable. A pub well worth visiting if you're in the area.