Wednesday 25 June 2008

Back to Cask

There isn't much you can say in favour of Spanish or French mainstream beer, though at least the former doesn't have you gasping with shock at its price. I mainly stuck to wine, overdosing on all three hues. More of my Mediterranean sojourn another time.

Last night was quiz night. It was an away game, but local for once and near my house. I walked into the Lancashire Fold, jaded and tired and ordered a pint of Lees Bitter. It looked wonderful and my first taste confirmed it was on form. After we were beaten by a very good team, we relaxed over lovely roast beef and roast ham sandwiches and enjoyed a couple more pints.The boys told me that the beer is on superb form at our local and that Lees Summer Sizzler is a cracker. I look forward to trying it, though I did have a sneak preview direct from the cask before I went away.

It's good to be home!

10 comments:

Sat In A Pub said...

Welcome back. Actually, I supped quite a bit of Lees myself yesterday.

Ale Louse said...

Do Lees still do Scorcher as a summer beer? It's been a while since I had any (perhaps 5 years!) but I've never forgotten it. Wonderful stuff!

Tandleman said...

Scorcher was available last night but I didn't try it. Maybe soon but it was better years ago most reckon.

Anonymous said...

Realise it's your local pint, but I honestly don't know what you see in Lees. Their bitter for example is tasteless sludge imo.

Tandleman said...

mwp - I can't and don't agree. I guess you've just never had a good pint of it. Pity for you.

Anonymous said...

Maybe that�s true. I�ve had a couple of pints of it in Greater Manchester pubs, but mostly in their �flagship� Rain Bar in Manchester. To me it has always had a something of a slightly sulphurous note. The hops don�t pack much flavour at all, but neither it is there much underlying sweetness. It�s always been an underwhelming experience for me, but perhaps I have been unlucky.

Tandleman said...

Sulphurous Lees? Not once in 20 odd years of drinking it! I don't personally rate the Rain Bar highly in quality terms, so maybe you need to get into a local pub in Middleton, Rochdale or Royton to get it the way it should be? Keep trying.

Stonch said...

you need to get into a local pub in Middleton, Rochdale or Royton

So it would seem finding a good pint of this stuff is something of a Sisyphean ordeal!

Tandleman said...

If you mean unending and repetitive, that could really be a definition of the search for the perfect pint! (-:

I just hinted that that city centre pubs, with their peripatetic customer base, don't always keep the best beer.

Anonymous said...

Getting a good pint of Lees is a physical impossibility!