tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86297581835475101582024-03-18T06:15:21.093+00:00Tandleman's Beer BlogTandleman's Random and Particular Thoughts on Beer.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1543125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-84603536088837463872024-02-09T15:14:00.000+00:002024-02-09T15:14:02.360+00:00Let's Pay More for Cask?<p>Now we all know that the way to save cask beer from its inevitable demise is to charge more for it, don't we? Well no. Of course not. Well, not in the general sense anyway, though of course there are exceptions.</p><p>A couple of weeks ago I read with a sense of disbelief that yet again this daft idea gets prominence in trade news, this time as it often is, in the good old Morning Advertiser. <b>Georgina Young</b>, Head Brewer at St Austell, <a href="https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2024/01/15/georgina-young-st-austell-on-why-cask-is-the-original-craft-beer" target="_blank">in an opinion piece</a>, tells us that a <i>"dedication to quality would mean less chance of a poor pint"</i>. Well, that is surely obvious, but we all know that's not how it is, don't we?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YpYSkS3blcVaxchu1wU6OaD3aXjqax5PivlzX7ISd8iSmIjNuCh76WKiukFTDxuwToA41MMDDSgfRzMvUHxHYzlHY7Ha6YAdUVcc_7Dg3vZcRdURZbjYQOS9xJhlL2ZabxFc44mbWAuITiaWqgioWa5IRAqXkWJ7NY0ERi1ueQRPYtag13lvqagNqWpX/s4640/Barview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="3472" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YpYSkS3blcVaxchu1wU6OaD3aXjqax5PivlzX7ISd8iSmIjNuCh76WKiukFTDxuwToA41MMDDSgfRzMvUHxHYzlHY7Ha6YAdUVcc_7Dg3vZcRdURZbjYQOS9xJhlL2ZabxFc44mbWAuITiaWqgioWa5IRAqXkWJ7NY0ERi1ueQRPYtag13lvqagNqWpX/s320/Barview.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>Georgina doesn't expand her arguments much in the article - though that may well be due to editing - but let's rehash some of them. These are based on various open sources about premiumisation, adapted to the cask conditioned beer situation:<br /><p></p><p><i>* premiumisation could
be a strategy to enhance the perceived value of this traditional form of
beer, potentially leading to increased sales <br /></i></p><p><i>*cask conditioned beer is typically associated with craftsmanship and
authenticity.
Highlighting the artisanal nature of the brewing process,
the use of traditional recipes, and the dedication of skilled brewers
can create a narrative that appeals to consumers seeking authentic and
unique experiences<br /> <br />* using premium and locally sourced ingredients or speciality malts and unique hops, can set cask conditioned
beer apart from mass-produced alternatives<br /> <br />* educating consumers about the distinctive characteristics of cask
conditioned beer, such as the live yeast, natural carbonation, and
serving methods, can enhance their appreciation and educating consumers about the unique aspects of cask beer
can create a premium perception<br /> </i><br />The theoretical outcome, in this scenario, is that by employing these strategies, breweries can enhance the premium image
of cask conditioned beer, attracting consumers who are willing to pay
more for a unique and high-quality drinking experience.</p><p>On the other hand, there are decent arguments against: </p><p><i><b>*</b> if the cost of cask conditioned beer becomes significantly higher, it may alienate a portion of the consumer base that is price-sensitive. This could limit the accessibility of cask conditioned beer to a broader audience</i></p><p><i><b>*</b> some enthusiasts and traditionalists will argue that the essence of cask conditioned beer lies in its historical roots and accessibility. The perception of exclusivity and high prices may be seen as contrary to the traditional values of cask ale, potentially leading to resistance from those who appreciate its historical and communal aspects</i></p><p><i><b>* </b>the existing consumer base for cask conditioned beer often values its affordability and accessibility. If premiumisation strategies are not carefully managed, there is a risk of alienating loyal customers who appreciate cask ale as a traditional, everyday drink</i></p><p><i><b>*</b> premiumisation relies on creating a perception of higher quality, but there is a risk that the perceived value may not align with the actual improvement in quality. If consumers do not perceive a significant enhancement in taste or brewing craftsmanship, they may feel that the premium pricing is unjustified</i></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7_HXv5yTvuyed4Z5-1WwZNBPWj5-OoAaTxxvGfw_NcmFcUkW4Ri7SIXceYBoJgYoipdLmpkoxVjztFTnnXr3hGTJNVQp0dfv31BRmBmkBP2AYHw10SNwysG75u8SrVogBjpIk-Nvy61O-2c173HEmOyLNp85hyphenhyphenBGih8Ey97MEjhyphenhyphenO4OvfK6dRMXvi6T7/s3699/Bass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3699" data-original-width="2088" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7_HXv5yTvuyed4Z5-1WwZNBPWj5-OoAaTxxvGfw_NcmFcUkW4Ri7SIXceYBoJgYoipdLmpkoxVjztFTnnXr3hGTJNVQp0dfv31BRmBmkBP2AYHw10SNwysG75u8SrVogBjpIk-Nvy61O-2c173HEmOyLNp85hyphenhyphenBGih8Ey97MEjhyphenhyphenO4OvfK6dRMXvi6T7/s320/Bass.jpg" width="181" /></a>Now, you won't have to be that astute to guess that my sympathies, by and large, lie with the second set of bullets. It is perhaps the last of those, though, that really hits the nail on the head. You have to get the quality right, and really there is a fat chance of that given that there is a wide and diverse range of outlets for cask beer, from the specialist supplier to the lone dusty handpump sporting a Doom Bar pumpclip. You have token cask beers, indifferent cellar keeping, differences between brewery outlets and those of pub companies and more. In the diverse pub market we have, you can't simply wish premiumisation upon it, bump up the price, and hope people will cough up.</p><p>Already in some specialist outlets that premium does apply, and it applies for the simple reason of trust. People will pay more for the certainty, especially if quality is poor elsewhere. The other point that should not be forgotten, is that cask beer is a live product. Usually in premium situations, you price an object higher, but sell less at a greater margin. But pesky old cask doesn't lend itself to this arrangement. It goes off if you keep it hanging around.</p><p>So, is premiumisation dead in the water? Will cask continue to be the cheapest beer on the bar? It kind of depends doesn't it. In theory, quality always sells, but implying that premium pricing can apply to the whole market is misleading. Nobody really wants to spend top dollar on a gamble. Georgina agrees with this, but draws a different conclusion as to the solution. Baffling really as you have to achieve the quality. If you have the market, skills, quality and turnover, by all means bump the price up. In fact, why aren't you? Probably because you realise the beer has to shift. It is a kind of circular argument.<br /></p><p><b>As I see it, logically, with minor variations, the old rule still applies. Cask beer has to be priced to go. That rules out premiumisation in very many cases.</b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Of course, prices of cask beer vary. Competition, and quality, make for cheaper beer in the parts of the North still dominated by cask. The market still decides.<br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">London has bumped up all beer to an eye watering extent, such that even Wetherpoons are now offering £7 pints, albeit, not cask. Well over a fiver is very common and over six not rare. Not sure that's premiumisation though.</span></b><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-71418287428408308872024-01-30T13:31:00.000+00:002024-01-30T13:31:57.462+00:00Part of the Union<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsc5JxJAC18WGRt4_9y5JvyEN90nFIlresA4iwlyoebOuQT1fz8ylXGSksG1Wo12jXZ9DiPLTkzJwQ7GTuguih2uVaUeiilrkQWtS6Gs3m8XkCHASvde9sjPN-xVrqBF2HfRCyCq3wm0CvRuRk8ImhdveAyRotMK8oheFWS6QEWqDEM5Ybo5SwGdF_8Lll/s3757/1706620210511%20(002).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3757" data-original-width="1514" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsc5JxJAC18WGRt4_9y5JvyEN90nFIlresA4iwlyoebOuQT1fz8ylXGSksG1Wo12jXZ9DiPLTkzJwQ7GTuguih2uVaUeiilrkQWtS6Gs3m8XkCHASvde9sjPN-xVrqBF2HfRCyCq3wm0CvRuRk8ImhdveAyRotMK8oheFWS6QEWqDEM5Ybo5SwGdF_8Lll/w81-h200/1706620210511%20(002).jpg" width="81" /></a></div>I heard recently of Union Street in Bermondsey as being a place worth a visit. Fortunately, E knew exactly where it is so following her directions, we had a pleasant walk across the Thames until I pointed out we seemed to be getting further away from it. Now it seems that the version of Google I was using could not be trusted in this matter. So after E consulted her much wiser version, we retraced steps and eventually found ourselves on Southwark St. There it was, just round the corner, as presumably it has always been.<p></p><p>Back a million years ago, my trade union was based in Southwark St, but I had never had a reason to visit it, but I could remember that they all used to go to the pub nearby. What was it called? I couldn't recall, but once again, fortune favoured me. We spotted the <b>White Hart</b> - that was it <b>-</b> and it looked very pleasant, but being a Fullers house, it wasn't what I had in mind, but later, we sort of wished we had called in.</p><p>Our first port of call was the <b>Union Jack</b>, quite a pleasant looking pub with long, large windows and rather an appealing inside. Quite old-fashioned, I suppose, but in a good way, and the welcome from the barman was genuine and warm. A sole, dusty looking handpump sported a St Austell Tribute clip on it, but we weren't taking a chance on it. A pint and a half of fairly ordinary Camden Hells was ordered - is it me or is this getting a bit rarer? - and we enjoyed the visit. I feel being busy, which is certainly wasn't, would have cheered the place up no end, but it was fine, and the welcome made up for a lot.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2S83109lCbrBYPiCF484t0NHGYsKg_s_clMe9QEufVhagU22lIa6Xbun5ogmlDtFv87GCpK07sbbmdlG3gkqb6QeApKwOuUgEiKbhATZkEGsSQD4T7YkeOi14E2GtcQ1n6BmVCYntI7BSbGcIb6QsMEFSAPuAJEHdZgMtT3418b14whd530fisYzzaoG/s4640/bermondsey3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="2088" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2S83109lCbrBYPiCF484t0NHGYsKg_s_clMe9QEufVhagU22lIa6Xbun5ogmlDtFv87GCpK07sbbmdlG3gkqb6QeApKwOuUgEiKbhATZkEGsSQD4T7YkeOi14E2GtcQ1n6BmVCYntI7BSbGcIb6QsMEFSAPuAJEHdZgMtT3418b14whd530fisYzzaoG/w90-h200/bermondsey3.jpg" width="90" /></a></div>We ignored the <b>Charlotte</b> just over the road on account of its Heineken sign and went into the rather unlikely looking<b> Lord Nelson</b>. Now, you couldn't accuse this eclectically decorated pub of being quiet. A very young clientele were filling the place, many wiring into hefty plates of fried food and burgers. The food looked fab and I quite liked the place, even though clearly we weren't the target clientele by several decades. Sadly, the rude barman, who was just finishing his shift, wasn't paying the least bit of attention and I had to repeat my simple order of a pint and a half of Camden Hells. I tried to engage him, but clearly I was wasting my time. He promptly thereafter went off duty and removed himself to haunt the other side of the bar. Ageist I wondered? Possibly, but I'm happy to give him the benefit of the doubt and allow he had just had a long shift. Either way, I honestly liked the place, recognised its attraction to others, and as a bonus the Camden Hells was a large cut above its neighbour's. E on the other hand couldn't wait to get out. So, I'd say visit, enjoy the vibe, but only if you are under thirty or are immune to feeling out of place if you aren't.<p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvnDa8DqRqjLgZw1coW6W8uSsTphwTrW_l9qmuhVSTaD6rX03_rSyH_tkIWyWpgBoRmbZNaHOuar7IPZDfxKbW_c2Ftbp8WqQCWes-FSi9GiF8osTqOUSHmQpw1qgzVmOAhagXPb1uwNQcndjmbLuFAc-LjCzNhJxD9_K6-vkjjH7uewCBED8cykoxeaj/s4640/bermondsey2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="2088" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvnDa8DqRqjLgZw1coW6W8uSsTphwTrW_l9qmuhVSTaD6rX03_rSyH_tkIWyWpgBoRmbZNaHOuar7IPZDfxKbW_c2Ftbp8WqQCWes-FSi9GiF8osTqOUSHmQpw1qgzVmOAhagXPb1uwNQcndjmbLuFAc-LjCzNhJxD9_K6-vkjjH7uewCBED8cykoxeaj/w90-h200/bermondsey2.jpg" width="90" /></a>Of course, even in a small pub crawl such as this, you have to pick a favourite. Heading back to Borough Market and the 343 over the river, we nipped into <b>Mc & Sons</b>. This is an Irish style pub - without the umpteen intrusive televisions - and was severely rammed with after work drinkers. Nonetheless, the service was swift and cheerfully efficient, but it was so busy I could see little of the bar. I'm pretty sure there was no cask and I wouldn't have had it anyway here, as everyone seemed to be guzzling Guinness. If you can't beat them, join them is sometimes not a bad motto. The Guinness was the best I have ever had in London. Perhaps a tad cold, but certainly the best since I was last in Belfast, and at least a match for Mulligans in Manchester. </p><p>So we had another. Seemed the right thing to do, especially since the same barman who'd served me, when collecting glasses, saw us standing in a corner and shifted some office workers who'd purloined the table that should have been there. Thus seated, we enjoyed the busy scene even more.</p><p><b>We left with considerable reluctance, but we will be back. As always. "It's the offer, Stupid."</b></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>We nearly had a third drink, but it was Burns night, and haggis neeps and tatties in our local JDW were calling us. That was rammed too, and the staff did their best, which really is all you ask of them.<br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>I had hoped as mentioned in an earlier post, to tell you of the Sir Sydney Smith, but that, alas, must wait. </b></span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-43890341265672679712024-01-25T14:41:00.002+00:002024-01-30T13:35:23.890+00:00A Few London Observations<p> I'm a bit of a creature of habit when I come to London. First night, check the flat is in one piece then off to the <b>Aldgate Tap</b> for a few pints, followed by a quick visit to get one of the few pizzas I ever eat at Pizza Union. Vesuvio of course.</p><p></p><p>Thus, it was on Tuesday. Flat in one piece - check. Aldgate Tap - check. Now this is one of several taps, mostly near railways stations. In fact, we have two in Manchester and soon to be three, which is a bit of a secret, but I can make a guess as to location as I've been told it is a station. I know Jon, the owner, and he runs decent boozers at reasonable prices. I know the manager of the Aldgate Tap too, and he came over to have a chat and ask how the beer was. Kelham Island Pale Rider was my choice of the two casks on offer, the other being Taylor's Golden Best. Both were under a fiver, and we spent a few minutes chatting about the pub, trade, and of course sparklers. All very pleasant, as was the pizza. </p><p>The Aldate Tap is a peculiar building in Aldgate Square, all glass and metal, with a large outside area, which is fine, but draughty in winter with all the comings and goings. There is a good range of keg beers, and even Guinness, though my eyebrows were raised at the £7 a pint price. Better to have Rothaus Pils at £6.60 a pop in my view, but at least you can be sure the cask is in good nick.</p><p>Yesterday, in an effort to have a change, we walked to the National Portrait Gallery, which took just under an hour. My replaced knee took it in its stride - see what I did there - and after a good look round - highlight <strike>Rabbi</strike> Robert Burns and Mo Mowlem - we decided on a local pint before heading to our destination in Gloucester Road for Lebanese scoff at <b>Baba Ganouj </b>which had been recommended.</p><p> Now, Sam's <b>Chandos</b> is virtually opposite the National Portrait Gallery, but a quick look in revealed it to be virtually deserted, so in search of a better atmosphere, E suggested the <b>Harp</b>. And why not? It was fairly quiet too, but even so, I have to mention that my cheery hello was ignored by the server, who was much more interested in his phone. Not something I appreciate, nor do I approve of the card machine being thrust under my nose without being told the price. The custodian of the bar seemed put out that I asked much it was, before turning the machine in a way I could read it. All wordlessly. He wasn't a lot better with customers, who on the way out thanked him. No response being his reply. <br /></p><p></p>Maybe mine host had got out of the wrong side of bed or something, but it was an annoyance I could have lived without. Fortunately, my pint of<b> Harvey's Bes</b>t was on very decent form, which mollified me somewhat, and E expressed contentment with her <b>Dark Star Hophead</b>. But we didn't stay for another, despite the quality of the cask beer. To spite him, I didn't take the glasses back either, as is my custom, but E did, insisting that we at least have standards. She's a good 'un.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dOBIkQPXHvy3_TI41BfgRCLluvbFSphHc7cED21cjPwShS4FuAeM1cQptpJcFcKczzeDATEvduj3sUGXGHZYY7X_wOjKVwdo8Fcr96sj5kmsuq4iiP_-wjaXBzE1txeTVT70RWr-4MQD8cCP06Z2TEUXllEdjNeifg50b8bBxxogI3B_WCg8SxvxKZxa/s4640/Gloucestertube.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="2088" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dOBIkQPXHvy3_TI41BfgRCLluvbFSphHc7cED21cjPwShS4FuAeM1cQptpJcFcKczzeDATEvduj3sUGXGHZYY7X_wOjKVwdo8Fcr96sj5kmsuq4iiP_-wjaXBzE1txeTVT70RWr-4MQD8cCP06Z2TEUXllEdjNeifg50b8bBxxogI3B_WCg8SxvxKZxa/s320/Gloucestertube.jpg" width="144" /></a></div>And so to posh Kensington. The area around Gloucester Rd tube is rather agreeable. We spotted the restaurant, spotted a decent looking pub almost next door and with time to kill before our booking, decided on a stroll round before a pint. There is dosh in that area, and we enjoyed the to-ings and fro-ings, as posh parents picked up posh children from school and the general atmosphere of rich people about their business. We walked a half mile or so, until a pub hove into view. It looked fine, but the Greene King plumage didn't auger well. The <b>Gloucester Arm</b>s is an imposing street corner pub. Inside was rather plain, but you could see in its day it would have been rather grand. Still decent now, with quite a few people in, though in fairness I didn't imagine them in the nearby mansions and mews houses, but perhaps I'm being unfair. The sole barmaid was pleasant and patient as we hummed and hawed, having dismissed the only cask beer, Greene King IPA. I chose Brixton Lager which was harmless enough, and we enjoyed a bit of people watching. The same barmaid smilingly thanked us when we brought our glasses back. See? Not that difficult, Harp.<p></p>The <b>Stanhope Arms</b> promised a selection of cask ales, but alas there was only Greene King IPA and maybe Abbott. I say that because the place was rammed and the bar hard to see. A very mixed crowd, with students, older couples, people coming straight from work and the like. It was very jolly and we enjoyed it. For me <b>Portobello London Pilsner</b> and for E who has a deep distrust of local lagers, Estrella, which I think comes from Bedford. Two things of note. Firstly the tables, a mix of high and low, were so crammed together that any movement involved a convoluted exchange of "excuse me" and "sorry" as folks arrived and departed, or simply tried to go to the bar. The other thing was that in the hour we were there, not one pint of cask was sold. But we liked the place a lot, and that is not to be overlooked. The staff were cheerful and willing too.<p></p><p>After a fab Lebanese meal - you really ought to go there for the real thing and smiling cheerful welcomes and service - we headed home. Beer was out of the question as there was simply no room left, but we thought why not go to the <b>Dog and Truck,</b> which is probably our nearest pub, though equally it could be the <b>Brown Bea</b>r or the <b>Princess of Prussia. </b>Alas, our anticipated nightcap of a glass of verdejo was ruled out as the place was closed. Ruling out the Brown Bear (a bit rough for E) and the Princess of Prussia (bloody expensive), we headed to the excellent - why don't we go there more often? - <b>Sir Sydney Smith</b> - where decent wine at a good price was procured and the atmosphere enjoyed. More of this soon.</p><p><b>So, in summary, the much lauded Harp had the most indifferent service, but the best beer; outside known places cask is in deep decline; and even the most unlikely pubs had a decent welcome and service. Make of that snapshot what you will.</b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">I'd observe from Brixton lager and Portobello Pilsner that the brewers really need to put a few noble hops in their beers to give them some character. Both tasted more or less of nothing, and whoever thought that heavy handled glass with a thick rim, was a good idea for Portobello Pilsner, should have a quiet word put in their ear.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">I walked over 16,000 steps. Not too shabby. Oh, and price? Expect nearly a tenner for a pint and a half of anything.<br /></span></b></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-41934418067984991412024-01-19T13:22:00.000+00:002024-01-19T13:22:11.892+00:00Baby, It's Cold Inside<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7AWGrZaeb3u7DWVEPSyUJA9sCRI1Hf-N_fLReqbj6de5js_nl5O3088CMll_PdwLtHV4yGW-9yhDgk1RidgKEx-t4P7k5EOAwPzeaCbXKtUVCmZZbXH1qm927AqQlFi4V8GaS9-s3UEG8mmG_rFljNsYmJPy9hvxbWd9NIBvEsUgeJBgk-s3yLHo2anC/s337/Ice_Station_Zebra_(film)_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7AWGrZaeb3u7DWVEPSyUJA9sCRI1Hf-N_fLReqbj6de5js_nl5O3088CMll_PdwLtHV4yGW-9yhDgk1RidgKEx-t4P7k5EOAwPzeaCbXKtUVCmZZbXH1qm927AqQlFi4V8GaS9-s3UEG8mmG_rFljNsYmJPy9hvxbWd9NIBvEsUgeJBgk-s3yLHo2anC/s320/Ice_Station_Zebra_(film)_poster.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><br />In these difficult and expensive - and it has to be said this winter - bloody cold - times, it is rather pleasant to leave the dank and chill of our underheated homes and head for the conviviality of our nearest pub. How satisfying it is to turn the heating down, head for the door and spend the saved money in a venue where the price of your chosen drink includes you being nice and toasty while you sup your amber nectar.<p></p><p>Or is it? The problem of affording heating at home, alas, cannot with certainty be avoided by jumping ship to your nearest boozer. Like Doc Morrissey in the Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, you may well find that they have it worse. You see, unlike us lucky sods at home, who have at least some limits applied to our energy supply, your local pub is entirely subject to the vagaries of the market and the various commercial contracts that they have entered into. In short, the price of heating pubs has gone up considerably.</p><p>Recently in the cold weather, I have noticed some pubs, quite frankly, to be more than a tad chilly. Now this is a problem. Nobody likes a cold pub, and not many of us will sit in one for a long time. Being cold when out spending your hard-earned is hardly an agreeable experience, and while it isn't difficult to sympathise with the situation pubs find themselves in, it is yet another disincentive to visit. We have quite a few of those already.<br /></p><p>Yesterday in Manchester, two out of the three pubs I was in while celebrating my 25,000 days alive - I won't be doing that again - were actually cold. So cold in one that my wife refused to allow a further drink, as she was perishing. In this case, it was not helped by a door at the rear to the courtyard was left open by smokers as they nipped in and out. With a door at the other end admitting customers, it made for an icy through draught from the sub-zero temperatures outside. While the radiators were feebly doing their best, it was a losing battle, and in any case they didn't seem to be that hot anyway. Our earlier experience in a very large venue wasn't much better, though they did have a huge space to heat, nor was the small restaurant where we tried to enjoy a meal. I'd call that a trend.<br /></p><p>So, what's to be done? Well, hard to say. Pubs could put prices up, as I, for one, would rather the drinks cost a bit more than be cold inside the pub. They could also ensure that their pubs are as draughtproof as possible, but whatever, in a cold winter like this, something needs to be done.<br /></p><p><b>For me, I reckon if it is cold inside the pub, I'll just be voting with my feet and go elsewhere. I'm too old to be suffering over a pint.</b><br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">It has to be said that you are less likely to encounter cold pubs in the managed estate of breweries and of course, busy pubs do generate human heat, so a bustling and busy pub is also likely to be warmer.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Not much chance of warming up on the bus on the way home either. The shocking state of our buses makes a warm bus a real rarity</span></b><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-80573617115339027302024-01-12T13:46:00.001+00:002024-01-12T13:46:54.200+00:00Best of Luck with That One<p>Hot on the heels of me writing about the difficulties some pubs are facing, causing them to operate on reduced hours, I read with a degree of astonishment that the number of applicants to run pubs is running rather high at the turn of the year. It seems January is the peak time for this optimistic attitude, with, according to the good old <b>Morning Advertiser</b>, numbers up by over 50%. As the MA puts it,<i>“New year, new me. </i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUHRR_hmxDGFmN8ZI9Hi39gyQczJU7ntWPthP_A5hX9H0CoMS_RiSfEmpnYw3xbRpQGNGVLPDCPU5S7Dn9tHvxGdm_ERXKVCr2m5MJaVQVhQkF83WP1aI2gbYu6vPn8YVn8t8g705obs6wWkHuTWWfCDoN8AK3ywX3ZbqRZ5XlB6ekxkoJ-Fgz0iyCacJ/s700/Pub-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="700" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUHRR_hmxDGFmN8ZI9Hi39gyQczJU7ntWPthP_A5hX9H0CoMS_RiSfEmpnYw3xbRpQGNGVLPDCPU5S7Dn9tHvxGdm_ERXKVCr2m5MJaVQVhQkF83WP1aI2gbYu6vPn8YVn8t8g705obs6wWkHuTWWfCDoN8AK3ywX3ZbqRZ5XlB6ekxkoJ-Fgz0iyCacJ/s320/Pub-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><i><br />"So often the cry of someone who managed to survive
the previous 365 days despite facing hammer blows all the way, with the
intention of reversing such misfortunes in the time it will take for the
Earth to revolve around the sun again."</i><p></p><p>Well, it may well take longer than that if the current difficulties facing the trade are anything to go by, and while it is good to see prospective pub operators - both buyers and sellers - looking on the bright side, it would seem to this writer that it somewhat flies in the face of how the economy is faring now. Of course, good sites and pubs - and there are some - will always attract interest, but I wonder just how much of this activity is at the wet lead end of things, and how much is in the more deprived areas of the country. </p><p></p><p>The companies quoted are Admiral Taverns, Marstons, Greene King and Star Inns and Bars (aka Heineken), who are particularly keen to emphasise that around £4000 can get you started. Heineken are also happy to say their new model means less risk (for them). How do they do this? Easy. They tell the MA that they buy all the products and set all the prices. That's all right then, isn't it?<br /></p><p><b>If you feel inspired, the article is <a href="https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2024/01/05/New-year-is-a-busy-period-for-applications-to-run-a-pub">here</a>. Don't all rush at once after reading it.</b></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>The Morning Advertiser is always worth a read, though you have to register after two articles.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>I notice, too, that Stonegate Pub Company with 4500 pubs and 19,000 workers is seeking to refinance £2.5 billion worth of debt. Pub companies are always a worry.</b></span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-35604041424596215102024-01-11T14:10:00.001+00:002024-01-11T14:10:27.300+00:00Opening Hours Erosion. Good or Bad?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupFJIxlkTHmJmi1h9l4HaXVtgsnyQ2tZFBIyPGqmJJYgSYXFf7szvuvsgAXU9UYC865uoHOpA6_vjjYe4k-N0C3RHLzm9Zi9klz2O-LjsynEg0WCYoMNTOb2KumaAVL6FntnXpySzJmQTKZ3AvxNJm-IAjTqGmepymHxF45jBOTkrdXhrSSZNlmGShU_r/s3784/closed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2924" data-original-width="3784" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupFJIxlkTHmJmi1h9l4HaXVtgsnyQ2tZFBIyPGqmJJYgSYXFf7szvuvsgAXU9UYC865uoHOpA6_vjjYe4k-N0C3RHLzm9Zi9klz2O-LjsynEg0WCYoMNTOb2KumaAVL6FntnXpySzJmQTKZ3AvxNJm-IAjTqGmepymHxF45jBOTkrdXhrSSZNlmGShU_r/w307-h237/closed.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>In the world of hospitality, pubs have long been regarded - probably through rose-tinted glasses - as communal hubs where friends gather, strangers become friends, and general relaxed jollity ensues. However, in recent times, there has been a growing tendency for pubs to close during quiet business periods. Outside city centres, it has become increasingly difficult to find a wet led pub that is open at lunchtime, never mind one that is bustling.<p></p><p> Managed houses, with a food offering and salaried staff rather than part-timers are likely your best bet, though these may be a bit too restaurant like for the casual drinker. It is particularly noticeable that pubs run by tenants often see little point in opening the doors just for the odd one or two punters that might wander in and stretch a pint for a couple of hours. In fact, increasingly, days like Monday and Tuesday are often being written off altogether. This shift in perspective challenges the traditional notion that pubs should remain open at all permitted hours, and highlights the dilemma for pub owners and the effect on the community at large. </p><div class="min-h-[20px] text-message flex flex-col items-start gap-3 whitespace-pre-wrap break-words [.text-message+&]:mt-5 overflow-x-auto" data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="0a3276a2-ffcf-40a9-95d8-4e5c11766277"><div class="markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert light"><p>Running a pub is a pretty hard game these days, especially when it comes to juggling costs and earnings. Lots of places end up staying open when things are slow, which means more expenses - heating being a prime example. Shutting down during slow times seems like a sensible way of overcoming this. It helps pub owners make the most of what they've got and build a business that matches the actual number of people coming in.</p></div></div><p></p><p>The logic is quite a simple one: closing the doors during quiet periods allows pub owners to reduce operating costs significantly. Energy consumption - a huge overhead these days - is decreased and staff wages reduced. By strategically closing during these hours, owners can better match staff to demand, and thus operate more efficiently. Getting opening hours in synch with likely footfall is also good for morale, as it were<strong>,</strong> as there is little more soul-destroying than overseeing an empty pub as the clock slowly ticks away the pointless hours. </p><p><strong></strong>Hopefully too, focusing efforts on the hours when customer footfall is at its highest can also make for a better customer experience, as after all, who wants to sit in a miserably empty pub? Customers make for atmosphere, and the lack of it does not encourage a lengthy stay. Concentrating efforts and resources on peak business hours, can - or here I'll say should - ensure that the service, atmosphere, and offerings are of the optimal standard. It does not work at all if you simply take the same sad old offering and simply spread it over a shorter period. If you are going to open less, greater efforts have to be made to make the pub attractive when you do. And above all, you need to ensure that potential customers know when you will be open. Even now, far too many pubs seem to think that opening hours are some kind of state secret that should jealously be guarded. Telling potential customers about opening hours and what's happening in the pub is not a bothersome extra. It is an essential part of the business.<br /></p><p>While the idea of closing pubs during quiet business periods may seem a bad idea at first, it can be an acknowledgement that times have changed and cloth must be cut accordingly. By embracing a more strategic and efficient operational model, pub owners can create a sustainable business that benefits both their bottom line and the customer experience. </p><p></p><p><b>In the end, finding the right balance involves satisfying customer
needs, while also securing the enduring sustainability of the business in
a constantly changing market, but it does look as though reduced hours are here to stay and ultimately, better than the pub closing altogether..</b> <br /></p><div class="mt-1 flex justify-start gap-3 empty:hidden"><div class="text-gray-400 flex self-end lg:self-center justify-center lg:justify-start mt-0 -ml-1 visible"><span class="" data-state="closed"></span></div></div><span class="" data-state="closed"></span><span class="" data-state="closed"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-11294655142864160772024-01-03T13:33:00.000+00:002024-01-03T13:33:04.470+00:00What's Going On?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJMhGYgptfke_DrcetM2SRI8nNkuJ9mrpT4iqM8_KxqbkkKRO4qQkjY-uQ8u0IkbxR5lGuPjfKr65UVFMTQ60U26GTyyYGgfZpEplG7qpopExLkNtEwJzZ2dWNM0__PLb4iwvzMZNqdgPPY0dW4eM5ZnG9p5Ly281ual7zEBXtIwjN3wsDr0UG-2hO2ZR/s92/Harold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="92" data-original-width="92" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJMhGYgptfke_DrcetM2SRI8nNkuJ9mrpT4iqM8_KxqbkkKRO4qQkjY-uQ8u0IkbxR5lGuPjfKr65UVFMTQ60U26GTyyYGgfZpEplG7qpopExLkNtEwJzZ2dWNM0__PLb4iwvzMZNqdgPPY0dW4eM5ZnG9p5Ly281ual7zEBXtIwjN3wsDr0UG-2hO2ZR/w239-h239/Harold.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>At this time of year, one becomes introspective. Resolutions are made and lives, intentions and hopes are re-evaluated, usually in an optimistic and entirely unrealistic way. Such thoughts equate entirely with our human need to see the best of things - to look for hope, change and better outcomes - this, despite all the evidence that a new year and promises to oneself, rarely if ever change the probable and probably inevitable course of events. It is all pretty hopeless in that sense, but then again, we live in hope. It is the meaning of life to a very great extent.<p></p><p>Thus, I won't be making impractical promises about this blog, though my own promise to myself is that I'll try to write more, but I'll likely fail. Instead, to make it easier on myself, I'm looking to write more about things that might interest me. And guess what? It is, funnily enough, going to be beer and pubs, so that's all right, isn't it? I know a bit about them.<br /></p><p>Last year, having wasted many mornings of my life watching YouTube - though almost
never about beer - I definitely need to pack that in. I have though watched from time to time, usually
shouting at the telly in sheer disbelief, the inane Real Ale Craft Beer
Channel, and I have also learned a lot of useless stuff - mostly about London
Underground (fascinating) - the differences (many) between us and these
goddam Yankees - and where to get the best cooked brekkie in London. (Widely thought to be Pellicci's - been there - but it would almost certainly be cheaper at the Ivy, though you won't get bubble there<span>). </span>And so on. So it is back to beer.</p><p>So what has been happening? Well things are still iffy in the industry to be frank, though maybe they could be worse. I note record turnover from my local brewery <b><a href="https://t.co/MWdATkaMTQ">JW Lees</a> </b>and that's good. Lees continue to invest heavily in their business and it shows. They deserve to do well, by and large. I see also <b>Fullers</b> and <b>Youngs</b> are doing well, so that's good, though London, as always is a different animal to the rest of the UK. Sir Timbo deserves a mention, and I'm grateful for <a href="https://thecritic.co.uk/wetherspoons-is-the-heart-of-local-britain/">this piece </a>being pointed out by Cookie. It is rather well written and mentions the obvious fact - often overlooked - that he started off with one pub and now has over 800. If you believe in honours lists, it would seem to me that he deserves it, and as Mudgie always points out, it is a dependable company in an industry that isn't very dependable as a whole, and one where there is that oft talked about, but usually missing, social mix. Incidentally, making alcoholic drinks and pub visits affordable isn't "wrong" if you want to see pubs succeed. Again from Cookie is a<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/nils-pratley-on-finance/2024/jan/02/dont-rise-to-the-brexit-bait-wetherspoons-boss-tim-martin-deserves-gong"> similar piece</a> from the Guardian.<br /></p><p>I'll leave it there for now. The blog will certainly be back a little more often, and I'll be returning to short sharp posts like I used to. I've been reading a lot of my previous stuff, and you know, it isn't that bad. I recommend particularly my stuff on Sam Smiths, and I'll be resuming my trek round the ones here and those I visit in London. I'll also tackle the issue of what might be called "opening hours deficit". I note quite a few pubs here, have simply closed for parts of January, and while understandable, it isn't really a healthy sign.<br /></p><p></p><p><b>So. Watch this space, and Happy New Year to you all.</b></p><p> <b><span style="font-size: x-small;">"Let me say, for the benefit of those who have allowed themselves to be
carried away by the gossip of the past few days, I know what is going
on. I am going on." Harold Wilson 1969</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Best beer of 2023? Acorn Gorlovka Stout. </span></b><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-57494907977389054492023-09-15T11:05:00.002+01:002023-09-19T12:31:54.750+01:00Book Review - Cask by Des De Moor<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6m2nMdV3O4rc4kboCRh7B-7JgnES5JozMn2h1TwJYtayKt6pk48M7zpKGQ-LgYOWk1qJ488G6uCO9rIT9NLXkrG4JTsNCJh9tAUT0qL9Qt2k1Ym25vCCEZ2KeupJCWZcv5ywgtPUPS8iOuU3YPo5j_UXALQ9zcWXXi2z29i53uzDMMQmxZjuLosYtU03/s600/Cask-shop-image.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6m2nMdV3O4rc4kboCRh7B-7JgnES5JozMn2h1TwJYtayKt6pk48M7zpKGQ-LgYOWk1qJ488G6uCO9rIT9NLXkrG4JTsNCJh9tAUT0qL9Qt2k1Ym25vCCEZ2KeupJCWZcv5ywgtPUPS8iOuU3YPo5j_UXALQ9zcWXXi2z29i53uzDMMQmxZjuLosYtU03/w266-h400/Cask-shop-image.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p>The subject of cask conditioned beer is a complex and broad one and to tackle it, Des De Moor has written a comprehensive and extensive book about it. At 334 pages, it covers a wide array of beery topics, presented as a series of chapters with subject titles and a narrative about each. </p><p> Let's start with the introduction in which the author sets out his aims and objectives, which, broadly, are to describe the product and its history and to fill in gaps that may not be covered elsewhere. It's a big ask and a look at the bibliography and list of those spoken to or interviewed shows the seriousness with which the subject has been approached, and here is the first observation. This is rather serious book. Didn't all those interviewees have some good stories to relate as well as words of wisdom?</p><p>At the beginning of the book, the author, in his first paragraph, sets
out why cask beer is "unique" and" unmatched by any other". He
concludes by quoting Mark Dorber, a cellarman of some repute, about what
we'd lose if we lost cask beer, which is the joy of being in touch with
something living. These are both sets of wise words, and neatly and
succinctly bookend the content between them, and are probably the most important sentences in the book.<br /></p><p></p><p>In many of the following chapters there is an inevitable crossover to beer history and to the techniques of brewing and if you are not already familiar with the art of brewing, these will be of interest, as are the explanations of cask size, filling, returning and the many aspects that make cask beer different from keg or other beer. The chapters on cellar keeping are meticulous in their accuracy and are recommended as pretty much definitive, though on the downside, may inadvertently give the reader the idea that cask is a much more complicated beast than it is, a possible problem if you are already inclined to think of cask as a difficult to deal with. Whatever your point of view, you will certainly learn a lot about cask beer from these chapters.<br /></p><p>There are also strong chapters on what makes cask, cask, and cask beer styles, flavour and taste, though a tendency to over explain creeps in, for example by discussing at fair length beers that should never be presented in cask form. (Though it is good to say that not all beer suits cask conditioning). </p><p>Controversial subjects include unfined beer and acceptable levels of haze, but skate over the potential damage done to traditionally clear cask beer that gave rise to the doubtful response, often given to punters in the pub, "It's meant to be like that" even when that isn't so. Rightly the effect of poor presentation is discussed and the difference between live beer and cask beer, which causes no end of difficulties within CAMRA and elsewhere is mentioned, as is the rise of craft beer and its inevitable effect on cask. The chapters on food and cask beer outside the UK are probably unnecessary, and much of the history could do with a sharper edit. In fact, this is a theme throughout, as the book itself is probably overall a bit too long.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Moving on to recent history and the future of cask, while merger mania
is discussed and the Beer Orders mentioned, there is little reference to
just how far the cask beer revival had come in the late 1970s and 1980s
where throughout the country, both regional brewers such as Greenall
Whitley, Shipstones, Morland and many national brewers, particularly
Allied (who set up separate cask chains such as Walkers on Merseyside
and Holt Plant and Deakin in the Black Country) were pumping out vast
quantities of cask beer. Others large brewers like Courage also produced
cask in volume. With Independent Family Brewers still flying the cask
flag, as they do now, the rise of lager apart, this was peak cask and
more could be made of it in the book. </p><p>Then cask beer was mainstream and most that drank it just thought of it,
if they thought of it at all, as beer. Not cask beer, not traditional
beer, but just beer. And peak cask continued until the Beer Orders
separated pubs from brewing, with dire consequences for both cask and
the beer industry; a separation which still casts a long shadow today.
The author recognises this as the law of unintended consequences, but he
could have expanded, to good effect, the devastating effect on cask
beer production and subsequently on beer quality, the cost of a pint and
much more. <br /></p><p>As I mentioned before, we get little by way of a look at cask beer from the consumer point of view. Where are the uplifting stories from pubs, brewers and importantly drinkers? While craft in its current form may be the younger drinkers' discussion topic of choice under railway arches, cask has always been the social lubricant of the traditional pub goer, to whom the beer is important as an accompaniment to fun, rather than the fun itself - particularly when you could simply ask for bitter, and depend on your local pub or brewery to supply you with a decent pint. What happened to these famous cask beers such as Bass, Ind Coope Burton Ale, Tetley Bitter, Boddingtons and more, that you could depend on? We could have been told, and a few anecdotes and a bit of background would have lightened and balanced the book.<br /></p><p>Referring to the future, there is the unanswered question that if cask is in dire trouble as production figures suggest, why does it thrive in, for example, the likes of Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, Derby, Nottingham - and even rural Lancashire and Yorkshire? Can we not learn lessons from them? The question is mentioned, but not explored, though one solution mooted strongly is that the answer to cask's woes is to charge more for the product. This unconvincingly overlooks the fact that brewers are the last to see much of any price increase, and that cask succeeds in the places mentioned, as do the many small brewers that supply it. Perhaps the cost of cask beer, however it is priced, is both a strength and a weakness? A dichotomy that will never be resolved?<br /></p><p>These points, however, don't detract from this comprehensive book. It is a very valuable contribution to any beery type's library,
and useful for those that want (nearly) everything they need to know about
British cask beer in one place. What is perhaps missing though is the affection, romance, intensity and the human interactions that many would say is
the hallmark of cask beer, but as a more serious look at the subject,
it succeeds in bringing together, the technical aspects over the more
ephemeral and nostalgic. </p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Reviewer's note. This isn't an entirely neutral review. Where cask is concerned, I have skin in the game. After all, I have been supping it for nearly 45 years and stopped many a firkin going sour over my time. Whatever happens to cask beer, it will see me out, thankfully!<br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Disclosure: My review copy of the book was supplied by CAMRA Books, from whom this excellent book can be purchased. (CAMRA Members discount is offered too.)</b></span><br /></p><p><br /></p><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-65912611401437173922023-06-19T17:36:00.000+01:002023-06-19T17:36:03.886+01:00'ow Much?<p>Allegedly, at least, the title of this piece is what your typical Yorkshire native might say, when encountering a price which is unexpectedly high. (Elsewhere, in this sceptred isle, assuming you are British, a gently raised eyebrow would most likely suffice.)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfToY3tGV8-4hVJ_gbuoBeAxuBPzJM2nammX24cjFW1ax0Pugv5ofEVdmfZnLpuFgXv9Yq9ER8IEDnMrL8yei-X504nbhPKu4z6WIpET4qpHC3qOgMKimH1BnF3PHyb1345Ldh1LbQBSrodtbH-VQClCEDT8zcn-TvPuA_NR1j40Nf76sfp9RqXlRM59q2/s4640/aldgate%20tap.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="2088" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfToY3tGV8-4hVJ_gbuoBeAxuBPzJM2nammX24cjFW1ax0Pugv5ofEVdmfZnLpuFgXv9Yq9ER8IEDnMrL8yei-X504nbhPKu4z6WIpET4qpHC3qOgMKimH1BnF3PHyb1345Ldh1LbQBSrodtbH-VQClCEDT8zcn-TvPuA_NR1j40Nf76sfp9RqXlRM59q2/w148-h268/aldgate%20tap.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>I was in London for a few days recently and promised I'd keep a close eye on prices. Nowadays, this is fairly easy to do, as in London, and increasingly elsewhere, the default is for the server to tap some numbers into a machine, barely, if ever tell you what the damage is, and
hand it to you in the expectation that you will just swipe your card. Now, I do like to have the odd glance at the figures, but I can scarcely remember saying<i> "Oi Mate - are you going to tell me the price?"</i> It seems likely then, I'm as docile as the next man, and end up just swiping and hoping for the best. A worrying trend if you ask me, but I digress as at least when you look at your bank statement, the truth is there for you to consider somewhat ruefully.<br /><p></p><p></p>Prices of course vary, and here, as you can imagine, I'm talking about prices in pubs. Oddly, though, prices of beer, as often as not, aren't clear as you'd hope. It is not at all uncommon - yes, I'm looking at you Stonegate as a main culprit - to list the price of everything but beer on table menus. Is beer pricing so volatile that it can't be committed to print? I'd have thought not, so what could the reason be for this omission? There are laws of course about displaying prices, though I think these are rather loosely complied with generally and for sure can't be relied on, though again this varies and in most of the places I go to, the prices are out in the open, but when you go of piste, rather less so.<p></p><p>So given that London is a bit different, what would be an average price for our usual round, which is a pint for me and a half for E. In my case, unless I know the place well, or I'm just feeling wreckless, it will be lager for both of us. That will vary too, but in the <b>Euston, Farringdon</b> and <b>Aldgate</b> taps, a decent German lager - say Schneider, Ayinger and the like will be around the £6.20 mark with Rothaus about £6.50. I have to say, that given the quality here, these are pretty fair prices, as you can easily pay more for Camden Hells or Brixton Lager, which certainly haven't come very far, and in quality terms, to this writer at least, lag considerably behind. Additionally, prices are clearly displayed, which is as it should be.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEEt_mxowXdryt3RtNUCGTAeFUftuF9cisMuFNtMzCy_ix8Mbr8CaCuWEiFUm0DU_3pq3MOCkp2i1rRMPKNv-PrtH2vG_qLs1N08WWw6fGLkjmpLOWLY9cqNa-zlkpuU6C5PbMl3ZIK_KrGPuGUNV-DO9jWAMMU038wi7mvALGPkFRaJwtixYl5BcaKa-8/s4640/torrside.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="2088" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEEt_mxowXdryt3RtNUCGTAeFUftuF9cisMuFNtMzCy_ix8Mbr8CaCuWEiFUm0DU_3pq3MOCkp2i1rRMPKNv-PrtH2vG_qLs1N08WWw6fGLkjmpLOWLY9cqNa-zlkpuU6C5PbMl3ZIK_KrGPuGUNV-DO9jWAMMU038wi7mvALGPkFRaJwtixYl5BcaKa-8/w144-h307/torrside.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><p></p><p></p>What of cask? Well, I did have some superb cask in the <b>Sutton Arms</b>. I think my pints of Torrside were in the region of £5.70, as a pint of said beer and a half of Paulaner Lager for E was a reasonable £8.65. Given the quality of the beer, I had no complaints at all. In the <b>Waterloo Tap</b>, en route to a do in Hampton Court, I had two excellent pints of mild from Redemption, while E had Schneider Helles for a reasonable £7.30 the pair. Not bad at all. In Hampton Court, in the <b>Prince of Wales</b>, a rather indifferent pint of Triple fff Moondance - a former Champion Beer of Britain no less - and a half of Spanish lager was £8.50, but we rather enjoyed the pub and all the rather posh denizens thereof, so that was fine. We were also soothed by the fact we were going to a function with a free bar at the birthday party we were attending.<p></p><p>Into each life, a little rain must fall, though. Following a (very) late train from our evening out, we lurched into the <b>Minories</b> pub, which remains open after midnight but was pretty well deserted. £11.55 for a pint and a half of Camden Hells was somewhat shocking, especially when served in a floppy plastic beaker. This is a Stonehouse pub, which had many beers on, but no prices listed in the printed menu. (None of the other drinks seemed outrageous, though, so that's odd.)</p><p>So, is London particularly pricey? Well, on balance, given the higher overheads, probably not. You do have to pick and choose carefully to get the quality you want at a price that you are prepared to pay though. Overall the same round bought in Manchester might be a couple of pounds or so less, and in Rochdale, probably over £3 less, but is that really so outrageous?</p><p></p><p><b>As always, you pays your money and you takes your choice, though in London, you'd be well advised to put your choice into the equation first.</b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">You will see I am a fan of the various Taps owned by Bloomsbury Leisure. Rightly so, in my view. They are currently developing on at Manchester Victoria and of course, already have the Piccadilly Tap. </span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">I was told at the Minories, it was a police instruction to have plastic, following an incident earlier in the week with over exuberant West Ham fans. Shame, and hopefully temporary. Stonegate also operate the Dog and Truck near our London flat. Same price problem with beer.</span></b><br /></p><p>
</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-59335517467534268912023-06-15T14:38:00.000+01:002023-06-15T14:38:46.721+01:00Don't Roll Up - Queue Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJZJgyjVOu5563a4SEgBY-hs_HmzDSvsaOLn2qWIZvgWZqPtZOE3OsFBAQTtoYdKDEzyf0MRu9P8WhMtfj437JYT-Nrf0PBKymJkom3TSkAbQaLdcS3dAQbXv8obAl_z5vj7S_HqylUc14YCcsFnOQjWdA4KLjnb7rLL94TBKRr4sHZDeYk1ua1Tnsw/s3641/JDWSign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3641" data-original-width="2088" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJZJgyjVOu5563a4SEgBY-hs_HmzDSvsaOLn2qWIZvgWZqPtZOE3OsFBAQTtoYdKDEzyf0MRu9P8WhMtfj437JYT-Nrf0PBKymJkom3TSkAbQaLdcS3dAQbXv8obAl_z5vj7S_HqylUc14YCcsFnOQjWdA4KLjnb7rLL94TBKRr4sHZDeYk1ua1Tnsw/w230-h400/JDWSign.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><p>The tradition of buying at the bar and, if you feel like it, standing at the bar while supping your drink, is a long and honourable one. <b>Passport to the Pub</b>, published in 1996 by <span>Kate Fox, a British social anthropologist, says of this:</span></p><p><span> " </span><b>Rule number one</b>: There is no waiter service in British pubs. You have to
go up to the bar to buy your drinks, and carry them back to your table"</p><p>She goes on to say, with particular regard to those more familiar with table service:</p><p>
<i>"Once they are aware of the no-waiter-service rule in British pubs, most
tourists recognise it as an advantage, rather than an inconvenience. Having
to go up to the bar for your drinks ensures plenty of opportunities for
social contact between customers......... It is much easier to drift casually into
a spontaneous chat while waiting at the bar than deliberately to break
into the conversation at another table. </i></p><p><i>Like every other aspect of pub
etiquette, the no-waiter-service system is designed to promote sociability. The bar counter in a pub is possibly the only site in the British Isles
in which friendly conversation with strangers is considered entirely appropriate
and normal behaviour."</i></p><p>I recently tweeted this photo of a sign in Wetherspoons, which appears to turn this logic on its head. In no uncertain terms, it urges customers to "Keep the Bar Area Clear." I said at the time it was most unpublike, and this caused a cascade of comments tending to agree with me, but as always, when commenting on JDW, a plethora of snobbishness about the chain were liberally sprinkled over the main point, including untruths about the company's attitude to Covid and its staff, as well as slurs about the type of people who frequent such dens of iniquity. Most unedifying, but in the main it was agreed this isn't the right thing to do. It is not a pub if you instruct people to queue up.</p><p>What I failed to do was point out which JDW this sign appeared at - and I have to say, I haven't seen it elsewhere. When we first encountered the very busy area in which Tandleman Towers South is located, the area was much different. Almost derelict in many parts, and certainly the busy and bustling Leman Street was nothing like it is now. The whole area was dead at the weekend and when the nearby huge Royal Bank of Scotland Processing Centre, wasn't at full tilt, the place was quiet. No pizza places, supermarkets, modern bars or brand new multi-storey flats, never mind the now sizeable student accommodation. You had to hop on a tube elsewhere for entertainment, though on the plus side, a few proper East End pubs hadn't yet been swept away. </p><p>In that scenario, imagine our astonishment when a new Wetherspoons opened in the area. In fairness, things were slightly picking up, but many a time we'd have a drink in the new<b> Goodman's Field</b> and wonder how stupid Timbo was in throwing his money away on what was clearly a white elephant. Then, slowly but surely, the hotels started to open. There are now plenty from budget to mid-range, and the hitherto empty JDW began to thrive with each new opening. Looking back on it, you can see why. The river and Tower Bridge are nearby, as is the Tower of London. There are tube stations and buses with easy transport for town and elsewhere. Most may well offer food and drink, but not as cheaply as Wetherpoons. Most of the visitors come from abroad, and I think it's fair to say that the majority of customers are not British. </p><p>So, in this scenario, it is perhaps understandable, that a request to queue at the tills has been introduced to keep things simple for those who are just not used to jostling for attention at the bar, never mind facing the inevitable call of "Who's next?" Yes, it annoys us Brits, especially those who have honed to a razor sharpness, how to get served in a busy pub first, but on the charitable side, it probably makes life easier all round, and to be fair, in my experience the rule is relaxed a tad when not so busy.<br /></p><p><b>In this situation, perhaps Kate Fox would give a little wriggle room and forgive, as I do, this major transgression of pub etiquette.</b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Are Wetherspoon's many outlets really pubs? I think the jury is still out on that one, but not for the reasons above.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">In the Goodman's Field, Kate's Rule Number two is often seen more in the breach than the observance: "It is customary for one or two people, not the whole group,
to go up to the bar to buy drinks." Probably another good reason for the sign.</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>All rights to Kate's book are the Brewers and Licensed Retailers Association.</b></span><br /><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></b><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-34534155929489353882023-06-02T11:22:00.000+01:002023-06-02T11:22:19.565+01:00Fresh Ale? Neither Nowt nor Summat.<p>Every so often something comes along claiming that it will solve a particular problem. They come in many forms - superfoods which will give you a wet nose and a glossy coat if you eat enough of the right stuff - knee supports that fool the gullible into thinking that buying them will solve your bone on bone knee problems and obviate the need for surgery - that one got me - they don't - and so on and so forth. The simple fact is that when someone comes up with such things is that they rarely pass the smell test, so let's have a look at one that has recently come up in the beer industry.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfVIach13nBsBd9ByRWbjjlnJyzZTJYev9eos3DVQ8TKg3oqY34L3_QkmntbzRnENAXjv6Tb5VI4QQ4XQTf9iH50fOYguIPUjjXp9VXleeB5qLtDq0PYlGGWFtNj6_cnyQKHOel7b-WSardVvvXKrbzFczJ1RiHd48H7G5I9f4HxUcjW6ubF87rCuSg/s669/Fresh%20cask.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="273" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfVIach13nBsBd9ByRWbjjlnJyzZTJYev9eos3DVQ8TKg3oqY34L3_QkmntbzRnENAXjv6Tb5VI4QQ4XQTf9iH50fOYguIPUjjXp9VXleeB5qLtDq0PYlGGWFtNj6_cnyQKHOel7b-WSardVvvXKrbzFczJ1RiHd48H7G5I9f4HxUcjW6ubF87rCuSg/s320/Fresh%20cask.png" width="131" /></a></div><br />"Fresh ale" is the latest thing, it seems. What's that, you may well ask? You may reasonably be thinking, "that'll be beer that is served before it gets too old" - and why wouldn't you? After all, they do this in some brew pubs where the beer is sold straight from conditioning tanks, so that'll be fresh, won't it? Or what about cask beer - live beer served from a cask - that has only a short shelf life. No, that's not it either, it seems. What about the initiative, launched only as recently as September by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) called <b>Drink Fresh Beer? </b>This is <i>"A campaign that recognises cask beer is in “steep, sustained decline”
and is struggling to shake its “male, pale and stale” image will be
launched at the Future of Cask Seminar on Thursday 22 September".</i>
That must be it then, surely? Well no. Guess again. It isn't that, either.<p></p><p>So what is it? It is a new keg beer, that's what. And you'll not be at all surprised to find out that it is <i>"different and exciting."</i> What could it be, I hear you ask? Well, <b>Drinks Business</b> has the lowdown. It's a keg beer with lower carbonation, developed by Otter Brewery. It is explained thus:</p><p><i>"<span style="font-weight: 400;">When we put it into a keg
we actually low-carbonate it, so it has a much gentler and softer
carbonation which is designed to emulate the carbonation of cask ale as
far as taste goes in terms of mouthfeel. The second major difference is
that when it is served, it doesn’t run through chillers in the cellar.
Instead, it runs through the python or whatever assets the pub has to
allow the dispense temperature to be around between 8.5 – 10℃. So, it is
slightly cooler than cask ale, but it is not as cold as keg, and it is
slightly fizzier than cask ale, but it’s not as harshly carbonated as
keg".</span></i></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now at this point, rather than quote more chunks of the <a href="https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2023/05/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-fresh-ale-category/">Drinks Business article,</a> I urge you to read it for yourself, though I will offer comment on one more paragraph, and it is this:<i> "</i></span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">CAMRA should be for it, not against it,
he insisted.</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">(The guy from Otter Brewery)</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> After all, “CAMRA now promotes ‘World beers’ which are in
keg. If they are doing that, why wouldn’t they look at something brewed
in the UK that is in keg and talk about it just as favourably?”</span></i></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, of course, even a cursory read through this will have most readers thinking that there is nothing new here at all. This is just another keg beer positioned to fill and bridge the so-called gap between younger and older drinkers, lager and ale drinkers and traditionalist and modernisers. We have been here before, and they have failed before. In Lancashire parlance, they are neither nowt nor summat, and will almost certainly be seen as such by the drinking public.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There is however another point. It can and in this instance, clearly is, the case that in bending over backwards to "modernise" in an attempt to bring in younger drinkers to the cause, CAMRA is giving the impression to many, that real ale - cask conditioned beer - is just part of its mix rather than its reason to be. That is a dangerous position to be in. </span></p><p><b><span>When the champion of cask conditioned beer appears to the trade and trade press to have a negotiable position on the subject, alarm bells should be ringing at CAMRA HQ.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">The already weak case for this "breakthrough" is undermined by admitting the longer shelf life of this non-live product is a key feature. Otter also assures us that this is not a fad product. Let me know in the comments. </span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Let's hope that if fresh beer is as relevant as it should be, that CAMRA and SIBA put some more welly into their original initiative. Cask beer may be suffering, but it doesn't yet need replacing with keg.<br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-36430938077559473462023-03-28T15:25:00.037+01:002023-03-29T08:16:28.320+01:00They Have Sam's in London too You Know
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkroByWib-sZ1A-UTv5xu1UeV80LA0gvJ8pL7xoCa_H7f6cmIpfrC1gI3YU6fUcQ_PX1w_H4wRcwchD1RtlK91BmwRwUn0HzyrS6iOtmM9OfcSqfLq7m1nwMZDVK0OLYlZgSX8SE1KwtGN228TzHzYmIKruaQV1NEJSm16VrPZoinoTKqGDPyr_sZNbg/s1600/TaddyBitter.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkroByWib-sZ1A-UTv5xu1UeV80LA0gvJ8pL7xoCa_H7f6cmIpfrC1gI3YU6fUcQ_PX1w_H4wRcwchD1RtlK91BmwRwUn0HzyrS6iOtmM9OfcSqfLq7m1nwMZDVK0OLYlZgSX8SE1KwtGN228TzHzYmIKruaQV1NEJSm16VrPZoinoTKqGDPyr_sZNbg/w238-h320/TaddyBitter.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>No doubt, my many readers are wondering whatever happened to
my series of visits to Sam Smiths pubs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In fact, I often wonder myself why I have not returned to this rich seam
of pub culture and idiosyncrasy. Perhaps I have a small lingering doubt about
Humphrey himself reading how the denizens of his establishments really conduct
themselves, as opposed to how he wishes they would. It is also true to say that
I have some slight concerns about how he may treat landlords and landladies,
who, perhaps, in his distorted vision, would appear by my words to have somehow
failed to live up to his expectations. On that point it is worth mentioning
that in every Sam’s house I have visited, the managers have singularly, and
with good humour, tried their best to honour Mr Smiths instructions, however
odd they may be. <p></p>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Of course, knowing myself, it may be that I just
have been as usual far too lazy to get out and about and actually visit
the 20 or so Sam’s pubs that are still open in my area. That number is of
course an approximation, given that Humph has already closed more than one of
the pups already visited and reported on – no doubt for some minor infraction
of his somewhat arbitrary rules. But as always, I live in hope that one day,
all 32 pubs in my Rochdale, Oldham and Bury area may all be open, and that some
may actually sell Old Brewery Bitter in cask conditioned form.</span><p></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">But I digress from my original purpose. A couple of weeks
ago, when in London checking that Tandleman Towers South still exists, we
ventured into Soho with the intention of having a look at how some of the London
Sam’s pubs operate. While it has never been officially confirmed, it is known
that Humphrey's son Sam is the supremo of all the Southern operations. Things are
done differently there, and while recently in the North, innovations such as
paying by phone and card have been accepted, it is true to say that no such
restrictions have operated in London for quite some time.The reasons for this are
pretty obvious when you look at the clientele. I think it's fair to say that in
the absence of paying by card or phone Mr. Smith would find insufficient
customers willing to pay by cash, as payment by such is, in London, the exception
rather than the rule. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Also missing from most of the London pubs is the plethora
of notices forbidding this, that or the other, though it is fair to say that
the one prohibiting electronic devices is generally clear and present, but<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">, </span>particularly in the case of phones, is blatantly and wholly disregarded.
</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3LPeqSYKeriVPZER__YqLOnpJKSMxZPP2J2TdrVLf3Q6OqHqaK6HdgSHRVHH5Mpl4A5cj6-Up9C5djqoSYBjeorjOks5oQ6KN3_Brgelp6vJbSiplX8utMt5WfvlnciqQcdAC7a9lXPs9cAteUeP9wiFTe0U4p03QyxpJ2U6clH6agu5psYeXgLynQ/s1600/Whitelion.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3LPeqSYKeriVPZER__YqLOnpJKSMxZPP2J2TdrVLf3Q6OqHqaK6HdgSHRVHH5Mpl4A5cj6-Up9C5djqoSYBjeorjOks5oQ6KN3_Brgelp6vJbSiplX8utMt5WfvlnciqQcdAC7a9lXPs9cAteUeP9wiFTe0U4p03QyxpJ2U6clH6agu5psYeXgLynQ/w320-h238/Whitelion.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Our first port of call was the <b>White Horse</b> in Rupert St,
more or less opposite the John Gielgud Theatre. It can best be described as a
basic corner street local set out in typical Sam Smith dark wood, bare
floorboards and a slight down at heel appearance. Old Brewery Bitter in cask
format was available at £5.70 a pint, and was somewhat middle of the road in
taste. E’s Pure Brewed Organic lager was an astonishing £6.90 a pint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is as well at this point to mention that
Sam Smiths pubs in London are pretty expensive. Banish any thoughts of the
cheap pint they used to be, and given the somewhat basic nature of
some of the pubs visited, could be regarded as less than value for money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pub wasn't busy, but a steady stream of
people wandered in, vaguely looked round and then blatantly zoomed downstairs
to use the loos before re-emerging, pretending to consider drinks at the bar,
before darting out the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the bar
more than one person sipped their pint while surfing their phone. The landlord,
an Al Murray lookalike was clearly used to such behaviour and simply ignored
all this while occasionally tilting his eyes in our direction. <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now, Sam's pubs are usually pretty good for people watching,
but not in this case. The only real entertainment was a young couple,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the male of which would occasionally lean in
for a kiss, while the female would carefully move away. Fair dos, it didn't
discourage him, and she happily allowed him to hold her waist. Likely she
wasn’t keen on public affection, which is just fine. In fact, we bumped into
them in a later pub and they seemed quite cosy. So, all was well.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh25st9ucwp7PlG6DjkhdpkvpBsW8Njr005Qaz7Ahkp0IfVW2OeMFX4CySoefz5ZlAB3q3H9ei-84VVpCMDuSEWHjiNsZ7u51fkSFrWcuBbWYUiYLyBoPdEXzraIpGbrYgMSwFJhHs1owW5pkDdzhDJ-kJU0Nj2Mg88Z_uWpCcGe8WLWwZJV2Yu11pXOQ/s1600/DukeLondon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh25st9ucwp7PlG6DjkhdpkvpBsW8Njr005Qaz7Ahkp0IfVW2OeMFX4CySoefz5ZlAB3q3H9ei-84VVpCMDuSEWHjiNsZ7u51fkSFrWcuBbWYUiYLyBoPdEXzraIpGbrYgMSwFJhHs1owW5pkDdzhDJ-kJU0Nj2Mg88Z_uWpCcGe8WLWwZJV2Yu11pXOQ/w238-h320/DukeLondon.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>Leaving this mayhem we walked a few steps to the <b>Duke of Argyll</b>, another Sam's pub but this time absolutely rammed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a step-up in class. Multi
partitioned, with each area jammed with customers, the lone bar person zoomed
up and down at breakneck speed trying to keep up with demand. It took us quite
some time to get served, and my pint of stout looked more like Coca-Cola.
Clearly the nitrogen gas had gone, and subsequently the beer was poured as flat
as could be. There was no opportunity to earhole the frantic barman, and frankly
the poor bugger was doing the best he could. At last, when he had a second, I
explained the problem with the pint and he offered an exchange. He took the
opportunity in the meantime to call someone on his phone, who a few moments
later emerged from upstairs to lend a hand. I suppose that was technically a
breach of the rules too.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We struck up conversation with a guy who'd come up from Kent
for the day. He turned out to be an ex-RAF type and we passed an agreeable half hour with him telling tales of
avoiding customs duties from various tours of overseas duty - a subject E knew a bit about somewhat oddly - while we dodged
around, juggling our pints, to let people in at the bar. Frankly, it wasn’t a
comfortable experience, though I’d like to go back when it was less busy.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><xml>
</xml></p><p class="MsoNormal">Our final stop, nearby,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was the <b>Glasshouse Stores</b>. We have been there before and remembered it
just as it was. Long, thin, narrow and very busy. It was there that we bumped
into the young lovers again, though I doubt very much if they noticed us at
all. The pub was full of all types, but nothing of any great interest to the
nosey parker. It was simply a Sam's pub with a typical London mix of people and
tourists. The beer list was straightforward Sam's – I think the OBB was keg
-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but this time my pint of stout was
thick with a creamy head, though well north of £6 a pint. From our vantage
point in the centre of the pub (fortunately we were able to nab a seat) we
observed none of the usual Sam's forbidding notices. We left after one drink.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, to sum up, in Sam’s pubs in Rochdale and areas you are
likely to find the pubs are locals with a loyalty to the pub. In London Sam's
pubs are just another convenient location to drink beer, have a glass of wine
or whatever, while visiting a popular area. Of course, this is just a snapshot
of three pubs, but having visited many, while some are more interesting than
others, none have the idiosyncrasies and character you will find further away
from the city. It is clear that's in business terms Sam Smiths offer a similar
experience to other pubs. There is no price advantage, the pubs themselves vary
from quirky and old-fashioned, to just played old-fashioned and a bit dowdy.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>When compared to Humphrey’s ridiculous strictures in the
North, it seems somewhat bizarre that in the same company, two different schools
of thought apply to the way the pubs are run, with sometimes devastating
results for pub regulars and managers alike. But that Sam’s for you.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">On a previous, but recent London visit we went to the rather good Crown by the British Museum (no cask). There were some more obvious notices there about electronic devices, but again, completely ignored by the punters. </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">I wonder if Sam's have got themselves ahead of the game pricewise and will refrain for quite a while? E who has scant regard to prices is switching to Taddy lager when in Sam's pubs for the foreseeable. Well, in London anyway.<br /></span></b></p> <br /><p></p><p>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-19202495775302299762023-02-13T13:40:00.003+00:002023-02-13T13:40:31.563+00:00Watch Out for Wednesday<p>Thursday is the new Friday some would have you believe - well, especially for those that work from home for part of the week. The logic is, if you can get away with it, that if at all possible, you don't work Friday and Monday. This makes sense, of course, as you then get a longer - much longer - weekend as it were, as you don't have that pesky journey to and from work.</p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitoob5wASNrKYiOxKcvYUNPXipxgGZIla3Kes9Em3vZt_kW55ZAcgogFUDEVMxoCjB0VD8pOqSrWtdgynP7qMjY2N6dvFE4PHVllx8-B48Q38QEQkbtYdXgNBvh8WrvBxSXW3Mb6Ceh6q3ALBkcunUyKABiCuQmNS9KLBagw9QfgwjEx562mMs_eC1VA/s3472/AldgateTap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3339" data-original-width="3472" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitoob5wASNrKYiOxKcvYUNPXipxgGZIla3Kes9Em3vZt_kW55ZAcgogFUDEVMxoCjB0VD8pOqSrWtdgynP7qMjY2N6dvFE4PHVllx8-B48Q38QEQkbtYdXgNBvh8WrvBxSXW3Mb6Ceh6q3ALBkcunUyKABiCuQmNS9KLBagw9QfgwjEx562mMs_eC1VA/w200-h193/AldgateTap.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Now I have a feeling that while this applies across the board in the UK, the effect is more acutely felt in London. Not only is there a greater concentration of workers, but almost uniquely, most still travel to work by public transport and are thus more likely to have a soothing libation after it. I may be wrong, but I rather fancy that many journeys to work outside London are made by car and certainly in the dog days of work for me, after work drinking simply did not happen and that can only have got worse since then. In London, however, the after work pint still occurs, and I always enjoy being there at work chucking out time for the bustling atmosphere.<p></p><p></p><p>A couple of weeks ago we were in London for the first time in ages - well last October - and after visiting some quite busy pubs on Tuesday night, on Wednesday I met my pal Nigel for a couple of lunchtime pints and a chance to put the beer world to rights. For convenience, we met at <b>Woodins Shades</b>, a Nicolsons pub across from Liverpool Street station. This was around late lunchtime, and it was fair to say that the pub was very quiet indeed. In fact, Nigel remarked that he used to work in the vicinity years ago and then the pub was always full at lunchtime. Not so now, it seems. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzpngJWXvIwMjPxBEMs1adyyWF4kmoYjfR9b0h1v453AFttwg-ui2J5tWYRUtBRoj9lIKbvA6PMsGEEk6hrCBHMAkptvkWICoNdQ5F1xYh6pPc81VaYm_AlNd3VWZaa39E8J4oLgCALyCj1hieANJNSJjhFolB5RIX0JNR3jo3K3tZRqkt-Q6spTSJQ/s4640/Culpepper%20price%20list.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="3472" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzpngJWXvIwMjPxBEMs1adyyWF4kmoYjfR9b0h1v453AFttwg-ui2J5tWYRUtBRoj9lIKbvA6PMsGEEk6hrCBHMAkptvkWICoNdQ5F1xYh6pPc81VaYm_AlNd3VWZaa39E8J4oLgCALyCj1hieANJNSJjhFolB5RIX0JNR3jo3K3tZRqkt-Q6spTSJQ/w197-h263/Culpepper%20price%20list.jpg" width="197" /></a></div>Two or three pints later, after Nigel departed to his Cask Marque duties, I arranged to meet E nearer our neck of the woods. You get decent if expensive pints in the <b>Culpepper</b>, a quite posh and very attractive pub in Commercial Street, a ten-minute walk away from Liverpool Street. It has become quite a favourite of ours. I got there about half past three. It was deserted, and I remarked on this to the barman, who cryptically said it wouldn't be for long. He wasn't kidding. Within half an hour the pub was getting reasonably busy, and within an hour, by half past four or thereabouts, it was rammed. <p></p><p>Fortunately, I had sat on a bench and was able to squeeze E in, as by the time she arrived, it was standing room only - and it isn't a particularly small pub.So what's going on? It seems, from what I can glean, that most businesses require workers to be in the office for a certain number of days in the week if working from home. It also appears that the day most choose to be in work is Wednesday, so if you want to go to the pub for after work chat and see your colleagues, Wednesday is the best day for it.</p><p></p><p><b>In these difficult times, working from home does pubs no favours, but this at least offers a glimmer of light if it is repeated elsewhere. Elsewhere in London, that is.</b></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>We also visited the new(ish) Aldgate Tap, which is dead handy for us. It seemed to be trading well on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. It must help, it being so close to Aldgate Tube Station. Prices here are decent for London.</b></span></p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Talking about pricing. London is never cheap, but we noticed how much more expensive it was since our previous visit in October last year. I think the cask beer in the Culpepper had risen by the best part of a pound. <br /></b></span><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-45904554654206100882023-01-16T14:03:00.001+00:002023-01-16T22:05:31.987+00:00Busy or Not?<p class="MsoNormal">Recently there's been a fair bit of talk on Twitter and the blogosphere- does that still exist? - about how pubs are faring in January. Of course, most of this will be observational and anecdotal, and impressions given on, say a Friday night, may
not give the full picture of how things would look at 4 p.m. on a Tuesday, but that is
the nature of the beast. Even if you know the landlord or landlady well, they are hardly going to share their financial position with you, though if you know them well enough, you can certainly gain a touch more than if you just throw your head round the door and glance round.</p><p class="MsoNormal">My own view kind of echoes that of <a href="https://boakandbailey.com/2023/01/the-state-of-beer-in-2023/">Boak and Bailey,</a> and my general impression is that customer numbers and spend, is generally holding up fairly well, but on the negative side, outgoings for supplies and fuel may well be not only cancelling this out, but will in a great deal more cases than we'd like to believe, actually throw them into a negative situation. My own discussions with a few pubs would indicate that the cost of heating is really the main concern. After all, nobody wants to visit a freezing cold pub and heating a pub in the quiet times is quite a burden nowadays, hence the huge variation in opening hours that we commonly see.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Of course, this will ease as the weather gets better, but the big question, especially for those whose leases are up for renewal, is "Is it really worth it any more?" Looking at pub closures, some of them sudden and unexpected, the answer is, for far too many, likely a "No". While relief in the form of warmer weather is there for all, the sad truth is that looking forward there is quite possibly more of the same, as the war in Ukraine rages on and the fallout from that continues to affect economies. That, together with a reduction of fuel support for small businesses from the Governments, does not make soldiering on such an attractive proposition. Cold weather, sooner or later, is inevitable.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Another elephant in the room is price increases, though with the price
of a pint being roughly equivalent to the length of a piece of string,
that may not in the end matter quite so much as you might think. This varies of course, and while you are unlikely to have a clear idea ahead of time in a random visit to a city centre pub as to what a pint might cost you, it is much more noticeable in tied houses of local brewers for example, where the price
of a pint is clearly known. In my own locals, people often approach the bar clutching their exact money and are acutely aware of increases. That doesn't happen so much in a free house, where, frankly, you could be charged anything at all. The dynamic is completely different.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEp5jTI5F63jewYhiPB9AfFS7LHNS5k1-YUpuHetbj-JT2KXR-QJv_VUftSAAUvWDnZRth5tLSrSaEcUneBdVtRSkTknrJLxd8rFsmMAUsAezD3ejUXXbrsJeUVQ1M6elC5uVBbjCfOG-UTWf8CNhioJJu0LMCyQHgHpfgakjVAZkHppG1o5S_5M5nZA/s4552/BoltonNothern.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2317" data-original-width="4552" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEp5jTI5F63jewYhiPB9AfFS7LHNS5k1-YUpuHetbj-JT2KXR-QJv_VUftSAAUvWDnZRth5tLSrSaEcUneBdVtRSkTknrJLxd8rFsmMAUsAezD3ejUXXbrsJeUVQ1M6elC5uVBbjCfOG-UTWf8CNhioJJu0LMCyQHgHpfgakjVAZkHppG1o5S_5M5nZA/s320/BoltonNothern.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>So, back to the anecdotal evidence. In the pubs I visited, last week, all were fairly busy, though in fairness, most were my local pubs, all with a loyal batch of regulars - and that's as I'd expect. When you have a local that you are known in and where you know everyone, at least to nod to, you are likely to visit as usual, though of course, you may have the odd pint less. I was also out of area on Saturday, in Bolton attending a meeting. Afterwards we visited a couple of pubs. The first, the <b>Northern Monkey</b>, a modern pub selling craft beer, was very busy indeed, as was the Wetherspoons opposite, the <b>Spinning Mule</b>, which could best be described as "rammed". I'm guessing the prices would be pretty dissimilar, though I can't be sure, as it wasn't my round in either. My final visit was to the ever popular <b>Hare and Hounds</b> in Shudehill, where the pub was pretty well stuffed as usual. That of course is expected from this venue, and this is a good point to add my usual advice to pubs. Concentrate on the offer. If it is good, even in hard times, people will come.<br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Where does this leave us? Pubs may seem to the casual observer, to be holding up pretty well, but the underlying issues remain. They still need our custom, but we should always be aware, that like the iceberg, what you see on the surface, is only a fraction of what is actually there.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>I had a chocolate and orange stout in the Northern Monkey. Boy was it sweet. I'm noticing rather a lot of beers are far too sweet these days. Give me bitterness in beer. Beer needs balance, and that often can't be achieved just by throwing in certain New World hops.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
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<![endif]--><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">My
three locals will also be increasing prices at the end of the month as the cost
of beer from the brewery increases. I'll be keeping my eye on that, but I suspect that won't make much difference.<br /></span></span></span></b></p><p>
</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-77960211904155488362023-01-12T14:26:00.003+00:002023-01-12T14:26:43.060+00:00Belfast Pubs - The Conclusion<p>Following on from E's bout of sickness, we did the touristy bit. The Titanic Experience isn't just about the ship, but about Belfast. Suffice to say, it was brilliant, especially the "ghost train" trip of the shipyard with accompanying sounds. You need to go there really to see what I mean - and very worthwhile it is, too. There was also entertainment on the bus back to the centre. Belfast's buses still have inspectors and as tickets must be purchased before entering the bus, it follows that spot checks are made. Now they aren't soft enough to wait with the crowds at the Titanic bus stop, nor the one after, but a posse swooped at an obscure stop in the middle of nowhere. We were fine, of course, being old and law-abiding, but a young lad by us was frantically thumbing his phone as the inspector made his way toward him. "Too late for that" remarked the inspector as he asked for the lad's ticket. Oddly, the fare dodger seemed to relax at this point - on a fair cop basis, I assume. His details were obtained and, a fine of sixty pounds, was rammed up his arse. The inspector added insult to injury as he left, calling over his shoulder, "£60, plus the fare!"</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDqHiD-cc0fl3urA07i4Cw9SVJ5RrK1fQJcaba83-k0079vWBkZ7aN1o3D4i20ytx4DvY3lOqA51WE8bD9xN3znDJfR-dIaxVtv_RHDzyJ3Q95UgdibqeeYOiH0kBUsVhq7zIpm5siyyIFMQGf_2wX6OFVDyVqp3ba_06Dhd2Kg4YAVdamiilQ-YtCQ/s4640/belfast%20black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="2088" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDqHiD-cc0fl3urA07i4Cw9SVJ5RrK1fQJcaba83-k0079vWBkZ7aN1o3D4i20ytx4DvY3lOqA51WE8bD9xN3znDJfR-dIaxVtv_RHDzyJ3Q95UgdibqeeYOiH0kBUsVhq7zIpm5siyyIFMQGf_2wX6OFVDyVqp3ba_06Dhd2Kg4YAVdamiilQ-YtCQ/w100-h223/belfast%20black.jpg" width="100" /></a></div>This kept us entertained until we reached the City Centre. E was still feeling crook, but gamely came along with me to the <b>Crown Liquor Saloon</b>, where I obtained us a booth and a very creditable pint of <b>Oakham Citra</b>. E stuck to tonic water. For my second pint, I noticed that they sold <b>Belfast Black Stout</b> by Whitewater Brewery. I ordered one and this proved to be a very wise decision. Smooth, black, hoppy, and not at all cardboardy - Guinness to note. We were joined in our booth by a lad from Dublin and his young son, who had escaped from a family shopping trip, as the boy was hungry. He assumed I was drinking Guinness and expressed surprise at my choice. I assured him it was a very decent pint, but he looked doubtful. We chatted amiably, though, as his son devoured sausage and chips. A very pleasant chat ensued as we agreed Belfast was a fine place. Alas, a third pint was denied as E felt a bit tired after her sleepless night, and fancied two or three hours kip before our booked meal later by the University.<p></p><p>We hopped on the bus and soon E was tucked into bed. This gave me a chance to nip out onto Botanic Avenue, as I'd spotted a couple of drinking establishments there. First was <b>The 1852</b>. Not my normal sort of bar, but it was laid back and had a few younger types idling around and some gentle music. I sat people watching with a pint of <b>Open Gate Citra IPA</b>, which while nothing spectacular was fine in the circumstances. Service was pleasant, and while I wasn't in a place where I'd meet someone to chat to, I enjoyed it so much, surprising myself, I actually took E there later on that night after our meal. Just up the road - I didn't want to stray too far - was a place that looked fine, so in I went. It was a large modern bar with what looked like a full size cherry blossom tree behind the bar. It was rather stunning. I don't know what it was called, as it seemed anonymous outside. See <a href="https://www.instantstreetview.com/@54.587493,-5.932721,250.98h,0.28p,1z,l6iz323aMXb09zSYppw51A">Street View</a> to get my point. There was football on and again, Citra IPA, so chatting to this one and that one, a pleasant hour passed until I returned to the hotel. A bit different for me, but not worse for that - and very relaxing.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqT-q9TufQofsDSqv3yBFh9ghkDdqYWnCbXKxNMLyUSLFE8S8xmY2wEykkmIJzPy_eoESr3Kz_4TvZ6VVQ50pUpeG8BgjCW4SdC9o2bIrqBwoKcNjBnK956J2-UBOPZHWl5sY4aVRw2QxOfAgZztsf-U6MfutnWAXM6hPlWO7zEGk18R0IwA1QT1GjAw/s4640/Bells%20Capstan.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="2088" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqT-q9TufQofsDSqv3yBFh9ghkDdqYWnCbXKxNMLyUSLFE8S8xmY2wEykkmIJzPy_eoESr3Kz_4TvZ6VVQ50pUpeG8BgjCW4SdC9o2bIrqBwoKcNjBnK956J2-UBOPZHWl5sY4aVRw2QxOfAgZztsf-U6MfutnWAXM6hPlWO7zEGk18R0IwA1QT1GjAw/w105-h234/Bells%20Capstan.jpg" width="105" /></a>We met friends the next day at the <b>Deer's Head</b>, a brewpub, with very well-made beer in the modern style. That is hazy, but there wasn't lumps in it and we thoroughly enjoyed it, except for the slightly aggressive servers, the 10% surcharge for table service that we didn't want, and a complete refusal to split the bill between two of us. We decanted after that to the friendly<b> John Hewitt</b>, an old-fashioned bar with very modern beers from Ireland and the UK. I'd certainly go back there. </p>The next day we returned home, but we had a hour or so to kill before the bus to the airport, so were first equal customers into Robinsons Bar, where we had our first pints. I ordered a <b>Harp</b> just because I could, and it was really rather good. Clean and bitter and very enjoyable, I necked a couple while watching more football. E was back on tonic, and we nattered to one of the bar staff, who simply came over for a chat. Great stuff. And that was it. A quick bus trip to the airport where, suffice to say, the Harp there - all locally brewed beers were off - wasn't as good as the Robinsons one.<p></p><p><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuGS9U8sPNTO60_LcCCVHcgCDjjLevLZ4cQcf-s93NT4nuGLYI8Qdszs2OLeuz4qkvtv69h0i9g3puEHjYchDWdxyCg7ELOmo2UO5BIdp2iUkiJI1v-LR-wKvubh3vZ_764b5taTJh_w-rii_Z6bgzXSnZpBqeBfKcFjpNPMvV2xqV1UyIZMCB8Nfjg/s4640/HarpLager.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="2088" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuGS9U8sPNTO60_LcCCVHcgCDjjLevLZ4cQcf-s93NT4nuGLYI8Qdszs2OLeuz4qkvtv69h0i9g3puEHjYchDWdxyCg7ELOmo2UO5BIdp2iUkiJI1v-LR-wKvubh3vZ_764b5taTJh_w-rii_Z6bgzXSnZpBqeBfKcFjpNPMvV2xqV1UyIZMCB8Nfjg/w104-h232/HarpLager.jpg" width="104" /></a>So to sum up. Belfast was great for pubs, beer and touristy things. It would have been even better if E was 100%, but fine nonetheless. The people were fabulous on the whole and I'd go back in a heartbeat. Guinness was, I think, just about the most popular beer. Best pub overall? Robinsons. Professional, friendly and in my opinion the best Guinness I had.</b></p><p><b><br /></b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>I realise we only scratched the surface of Belfast's pubs. Next time I'll dive deeper. We did other things too. The Ulster Museum, Botanic Park and the Universities, the Palm House and Town Hall. Lots of walking about - Belfast centre is pretty flat.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Best beer? Probably Capstan Aussie Pale by Bell's Brewery at the Deer's Head, but oddly, the Harp at Robinsons hit the spot pretty well too. </b></span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-66493294556631773662023-01-03T15:09:00.006+00:002023-01-04T20:38:33.248+00:00The Duke of York and Bittles Bar<br p="" /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalIdb-hzrEefrXJQQnoY0MrPshqb0TX_KBRchjEIvkg6VoivtFjrp4a4QeGXesbCpFBpAOBIU7-eHl_Gm2RM273lMbcpeEFqn5_8ijt8GNoBUc4T_otW5SR4SepnPkMKAssM-fdzhnDBYVwGih91PLsSPT1s_gy4TkRWgZ3-YdgFNamdszxncg_noaw/s4640/DukeYork1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="2088" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalIdb-hzrEefrXJQQnoY0MrPshqb0TX_KBRchjEIvkg6VoivtFjrp4a4QeGXesbCpFBpAOBIU7-eHl_Gm2RM273lMbcpeEFqn5_8ijt8GNoBUc4T_otW5SR4SepnPkMKAssM-fdzhnDBYVwGih91PLsSPT1s_gy4TkRWgZ3-YdgFNamdszxncg_noaw/s320/DukeYork1.jpg" width="144" /></a></div>I used to collect breweriana - the bits and pieces that breweries produce as advertising material - and still have a fair few items, though nowadays I no longer seek to increase my hoard. I do though maintain my interest in the stuff, Thus, I looked forward to the <b>Duke of York</b> in Belfast, which is renowned for a collection of mainly Irish brewery mirrors and other assorted paraphernalia. The pub itself is in a sort of wide cobbled alley. Inside it was warm and welcoming and really quite busy. We got our beers - Guinness again - and found a seat to the right of the bar (or left if you are behind it) where we could see what was going on, always a prime consideration for me. The Guinness was fine as far as it goes, but it was no contest to the main attraction for me. Quite simply, every bit of wall, ceiling, door and window was covered in breweriana, mainly from Guinness, but as my eyes adjusted, also signs and enamels from defunct Irish breweries, some Scottish and English ones and breweries such as Bass that had brewed beer in Belfast. (As an aside, I have a Bass Belfast clock and yes - it still works.)<p></p><p>In addition to the main room with the bar, there is a further room which, fortunately, was quieter, while also having similar covering on every space. It could just about be said to concentrate on mirrors, with some fantastic brewery and whiskey examples - some very rare I assume - as well as many other fine examples of collectables. I'd venture many are worth a bob or two. The wall across from us, could possibly be said to major on clocks, mainly from Guinness, though there were plenty of other items of interest. In fact, my sole Guinness clock had one of its brethren opposite us and though ours still works - somewhat temperamentally it has to be said - the clocks here certainly did not. All, or most seemed to be lit though, and while I wandered round to have a look, it was a great frustration that I could not examine them at my leisure. Firstly there were people enjoying their drinks in the way and secondly there just wasn't time. I really must return at opening for a proper examination, though frankly, to give it its place, I'd need several hours.</p><p>It really was a fabulous pub with a pleasant atmosphere and a nice buzz about it, but we had another pub to go to and left with a fair bit of regret.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxtiwF1NDbpb-YL6AljKGe9vzjG4buf5_vN3HD6IouhbwGh7_3EpiBSb64XhR72siLzaMVxAYUujA_bzZ5fguPH_BJWAkkD2W1s-j8bo7XFbbCutpE3em6w1HnZ4lVrq2FGD2zsPIOUqhmnA_Ix-kGOTJlm-PtFFN7bxVvlqmUYrs3sGe0A12mji-2A/s4640/Bittles2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="2088" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxtiwF1NDbpb-YL6AljKGe9vzjG4buf5_vN3HD6IouhbwGh7_3EpiBSb64XhR72siLzaMVxAYUujA_bzZ5fguPH_BJWAkkD2W1s-j8bo7XFbbCutpE3em6w1HnZ4lVrq2FGD2zsPIOUqhmnA_Ix-kGOTJlm-PtFFN7bxVvlqmUYrs3sGe0A12mji-2A/w140-h232/Bittles2.jpg" width="140" /></a></div>A half mile or so walk took us to <b>Bittles Bar</b>. This is one of these flat iron bars where it is at the point of two streets. It is a kind of Tardis in reverse, in that it looks bigger on the outside than it does inside. It also has a bit of reputation for quirky rules and an idiosyncratic landlord. It really is small inside. We were greeted at the door and asked how many of us there were. The reason became quickly apparent, as it seemed very full, but our guide/waiter/barman found us a perch, and we ordered our Guinness. Now they don't serve half pints, so pints it was. We took in our surroundings. Many paintings of poets, politicians and other characters adorned the walls. There was a lovely buzz of conversation, and indeed, not a spare seat in the house. It is table service only here. In fact getting near the bar to see what is sold is difficult, as somewhat uniquely, to use every foot of space, there are three tables in front of the bar. No bar blocking here and little chance to see what is being sold, but I suppose you could just ask.<p></p><p>The quirkiness of the place can be seen on various signs at the bar. A tongue in cheek (or perhaps not) one advises that due to Brexit, Guinness cannot be sold in halves. Another strictly advises "No human rights! No football." It is highly recommended.</p><p>We ordered second pints, then things went wrong. E had been a little quiet and whispered that she wasn't feeling too well. Oh. I'd been ill the day before, but it has passed. It seemed though I'd passed the bug on to E. She had to get back to the hotel. Bravely, I supped what I could, and we left and rushed back to the hotel, where E spent the rest of the evening - it was around ten by then - and overnight throwing up.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkgP0vsydi2GoDGOvszYF5UsLZm8qb_KKHl5OXl02PNQ-tHmU488w8wUgpfZJcoiOvgmY4Wokn8FQn3vV_vnWI_7coIRPpf0W7ffk3jozP6rwmHWh-bWupsFWsKLKWQxb2_p_jfVZsBYxPC72yS-6aL3WImVNTwn_onLZUGDjs0v_MK_3PJ9WcS9wfg/s4285/bittles1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4285" data-original-width="3880" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkgP0vsydi2GoDGOvszYF5UsLZm8qb_KKHl5OXl02PNQ-tHmU488w8wUgpfZJcoiOvgmY4Wokn8FQn3vV_vnWI_7coIRPpf0W7ffk3jozP6rwmHWh-bWupsFWsKLKWQxb2_p_jfVZsBYxPC72yS-6aL3WImVNTwn_onLZUGDjs0v_MK_3PJ9WcS9wfg/w129-h143/bittles1.jpg" width="129" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Fortunately such bugs, while unpleasant, soon pass and the next day, E was much improved, though she didn't drink anything alcoholic. These things happen, and we just made the best of it that we could.</b></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Bittles apparently sells 700 pints of Guinness a day and, according to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNHKlJoIgTw">Guinness Guru</a> (caution advised), has the best Guinness in Belfast. We enjoyed the visit and were treated very well indeed, though the famous landlord wasn't there.<br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>That proved to be my last pint of Guinness of the trip. I'd given it a good go, but frankly, it is still a distress purchase for me. </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> Click on any photo to enlarge.</b></span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-31589381153705716672023-01-02T11:07:00.004+00:002023-01-02T11:07:56.708+00:00The Sunflower and the Northern Whig<p>After our earlier pint in <b>Robinsons Bar</b>, we set off for the <b>Sunflower</b>, the only pub on my list which is in the current Good Beer Guide and the furthest away from where we were. Oh, and yes, for once, I had a list. Now don't let that get you too excited, I didn't take notes of course, or even have the means to do so. I'm not that keen, you know. The walk took us away from the City Centre and into a somewhat run-down area. Nothing dodgy at all, but not exactly picturesque. The Sunflower was tucked down a backstreet and brightly lit, so, along with the security cage from the days of the Troubles, you could hardly miss it. My photo here was crap, but you'll get the <a href="http://www.sunflowerbelfast.com/">picture</a> here.<br /></p><p>We were both rather surprised by how small inside it was, though I think there are other rooms elsewhere in the building. The pub had a neighbourhood character, and despite it being rather empty, it had a fairly cosy feel, though the welcome from the young staff was less than warm - probably in fact the poorest we were to have in our entire visit. The sole handpump did not have Hilden beers as promised by the GBG, but something mainstream. I certainly didn't come all the way from GB to drink Shepherd Neame Whitstable Bay, so given that the other draught beers were pretty mundane, I opted for Beamish, which is sold in preference to the Big G. It was fine as far as it goes, but as the pub started to fill up with studenty lot, we decided to move on. On the whole, a tad disappointing, though we did strike up a decent conversation with a fellow imbiber, which was good, as he mentioned a few worthwhile boozers to visit.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1utfwP_SvKMZzL2qsCAmRDTctql_JjW1GQ-njVID0JOiehtDUvbkN3mGwramfTcs0u7-Mf84J_n_dMOoGpaBSostgG7hZWIqhx7aGQM6swe-zytpKxMEopEW8PuDnTT02PxBupxIt8dk4HQOrsoQhEUahFMWqTe1oAznNzQ7fr36W5R7MUCXjRondQ/s4552/Northern%20Whig.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1660" data-original-width="4552" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1utfwP_SvKMZzL2qsCAmRDTctql_JjW1GQ-njVID0JOiehtDUvbkN3mGwramfTcs0u7-Mf84J_n_dMOoGpaBSostgG7hZWIqhx7aGQM6swe-zytpKxMEopEW8PuDnTT02PxBupxIt8dk4HQOrsoQhEUahFMWqTe1oAznNzQ7fr36W5R7MUCXjRondQ/w700-h234/Northern%20Whig.jpg" width="700" /></a></div><p></p><p>Our next intended visit was the <b>Duke of York</b>, but on the way, I was struck by a building we were passing. Who could resist a name like the <b>Northern Whig</b>? Certainly not this writer, so in we went. The building itself
was constructed in 1821 in
Bridge Street, as a hotel and gentleman's club, taking its name from an original club of the same name. Inside it is a cornucopia of marble and dark wood, with comfortable chairs and a huge bar up some steps. It reeks of Victorian confidence and certainty. The impressive reddish brown wooden bar fronted an impressive array of bottles, but featured mainly local lagers and ales on keg and, of course, Guinness, which we opted for. Sadly this was a fairly ordinary representation of the beer. On a quiet Tuesday night though, it was still a worthwhile experience for the building itself, which was fantastic. We agreed we'd have loved to see it rammed, which I am sure it would be later in the week.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo928ScesL6ACc0dSrMNkw16t0RgvypT9qcsQ8NYuHp_SrQDu5XI0etzzLY822O1ax1no7S4M6DcBl9qUepNoi4cRNr1QtGIityksTW-ZuE38Rfe6mr6saa0UVPZuw_HQtk9-rp9gKD36kYVoSA5orI4yaOqn2pql5r4uXUjIv4em-yGh18ksLdk0cxQ/s4640/Harp.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="2088" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo928ScesL6ACc0dSrMNkw16t0RgvypT9qcsQ8NYuHp_SrQDu5XI0etzzLY822O1ax1no7S4M6DcBl9qUepNoi4cRNr1QtGIityksTW-ZuE38Rfe6mr6saa0UVPZuw_HQtk9-rp9gKD36kYVoSA5orI4yaOqn2pql5r4uXUjIv4em-yGh18ksLdk0cxQ/s320/Harp.jpg" width="144" /></a></div>But back to business. This was a Guinness night - more or less - and we were on our way to two more top venues, passing the impressive<b> Harp </b>on the way. I'd have liked to nip in for one, but alas, time did not permit, and anyway E has only a limited tolerance for pub hopping.<p></p><p><b>What would we find in the Duke of York and the much lauded and anticipated Bittles Bar? Find out soon though, but as a spoiler, the night was about to take a turn for the worse.</b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">There was a fridge full of cans in the fridge at the Sunflower, but they were on their side with the bottoms facing outwards and no obvious list. Anyway, I don't visit pubs to drink canned beer. </span><br /></b></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>As another aside, Belfast is pretty compact and easily done on foot, though I tried my knackered knee's patience with over 16,500 steps. For context, that is of course what Retired Martin does between ticks on the same street.</b></span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-22736447028153675922022-12-24T13:33:00.002+00:002022-12-24T13:38:50.042+00:00In a Neat Little Town<p>Many years ago when I was working, for a couple of years, I used to visit Belfast probably once a month or so. I remember then that Special Branch paid a fair bit of attention to travellers, and at Manchester Airport, I was asked more than once for my reason for visiting. <i> "Business - Government business" </i>was my answer. I was quick to add that it was Social Security business and that was that. No such problems at Manchester Airport now, but I still find it fun, when asked about why I went to Belfast, to tell people that I used to advise the Northern Ireland Government. Well, I did, but it sounds a lot less impressive when I reveal that it was about how to integrate NI and GB Social Security computer systems.</p><p>So, last month we went for a few nights, just for pleasure and in my book, that was going to be trying out a few more pubs than I was able to visit then. Back in the day, my visits to pubs were fairly few and confined, more or less, to those that were near the famous Excelsior Hotel, where I usually stayed. This time, we stayed in a nice hotel in the Botanic area and as we walked from the bus station towards it, I was pleased to note that Great Northern Tower, where I worked, was still there and right next door to the famous Europa Hotel. I didn't remember it being quite so close, though opposite was the <b>Crown Liquor Saloon</b>, which I did.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDNfRWtwRniS_Z2t07OU9WBsHQwZ1qQOgdNRpoEKmkI3KhVvqFziymXx14seVrqEAJicsybTZqalGTJn3psjc4Aa6RI7B1jRojHyRHkbUvW4GS_tuq0oxUsxv1D3t9stBkWzt2CM_5iipAsTMFyjpYQ8GLdbcaS22_4k-b7FTMEtxphZ4leUby5PJQA/s4640/Botanic.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="2088" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDNfRWtwRniS_Z2t07OU9WBsHQwZ1qQOgdNRpoEKmkI3KhVvqFziymXx14seVrqEAJicsybTZqalGTJn3psjc4Aa6RI7B1jRojHyRHkbUvW4GS_tuq0oxUsxv1D3t9stBkWzt2CM_5iipAsTMFyjpYQ8GLdbcaS22_4k-b7FTMEtxphZ4leUby5PJQA/w180-h400/Botanic.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>After checking in, we set off to get the feel of the place and to visit a few pubs, more of which later. But for now, I'll just mention one or two differences between Nornireland pubs and those in GB. Firstly, they just seem more professionally run. Most of the bar staff aren't teenagers with a combined inability to look you in the eye and the attention span of a gnat, but older men and women who clearly regard bar work as a profession. In short, the service was almost universally great, as was the conversational nature of the transactions. The pubs varied a lot, but were clean, warm and welcoming. Not exactly like GB pubs, more like in Ireland, without a telly on every vertical surface.<br /><p></p><p>Now what about the beer? Well, you won't be surprised that Guinness is pretty much the leading drink there. I was though, a little surprised at the lack of imported brands, although there were a few (mostly lagers) from Ireland. Some from GB of course and surprisingly few local beers at first glance, though I suspect the major brewers have much of the taps tied in one way or another. We started off in <b>Robinsons</b>, a fine big boozer next to the <b>Crown Liquor Saloon</b>. Our choice? Well, Guinness of course - you have to for your first at least don't you, and this was a fine example of what I regard as a pretty unimpressive beer. I had learned before I went there that the gas mix in Ireland - presumably including the North too - is a 75/25 nitrogen to CO2, whereas in GB it is 70/30, making for a less creamy and smooth pint than in Ireland. The atmosphere was good and late on a Tuesday afternoon, the pub was busy with a constant stream of people nipping in for one after work. </p><p>Now I'll return to other pubs in my next post, but my final two observations are one particular one and one more general. Aren't the people there just lovely? Everyone was so helpful and pleasant, from bar staff to bus inspectors - yes they still have them there - and a finer body of ladies and gentlemen you couldn't wish to meet unless you were a fare dodger of course, which we weren't.</p><p><b>And the last point? Belfast City Centre was pretty much like any other British City Centre. If you think it might feel a bit Irish - well, not to my eyes.</b></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Next up Bittles Bar - Did we get thrown out for requesting a half pint?</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>There are some smashing restaurants around in Belfast too. Together with great pubs, loads to see and do, and of course, the Titanic Experience, I recommend it highly.</b></span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-89535516703673821622022-12-13T15:44:00.001+00:002022-12-13T15:49:23.768+00:00It Really Was That Good<p>It is often said that the best beer you have is not necessarily the best tasting, or the most technically competent, or even a combination of these two and other factors such as place and company - and that is very true. An ordinary beer in extraordinary company, or during a fantastic experience, will be remembered far longer than even a top quality beer, especially if the circumstances of that imbibing were themselves pretty unremarkable. Now this isn't of course a hard and fast rule, being more a rule of thumb, which generally applies. In other words, there are exceptions when the outstanding is remembered in a fairly mundane situation.</p><p>Thus, last Thursday, I was out with a pal in Manchester. Our respective lasses were imbibing with the Manchester CAMRA ladies, and we felt it incumbent upon us to provide moral support - albeit from a respectable distance. So we met in the <b>City Arms</b> Manchester, a neat little two-roomed pub in the centre, the pal being a regular there. Seemingly they have the Mankley equivalent of a stammtisch (local's table) there, but it wasn't mentioned by him, who has the entitlement, and I wasn't aware of that fact until much later. We therefore sat at a table of my choosing in the back room, after getting our drinks at the crowded bar. But I digress.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfeLcg6khaPMiSUSOB5k9E_H52BoqtUIqlBogavzqAAdfuIop1Bsl8WEtpWsxS1mioX0Sl32g14PvOdvCy9lOtI6lFmf0qKu6sMCTL0C1FkyQ-S3iWjatLd4m0q-W8no0phjRqw_gV3tAvequCkEF8_wdxVbky-eYxJ1dUochN2uKxu4S6DgPoCy-UA/s2048/Wilder's%20Folly.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfeLcg6khaPMiSUSOB5k9E_H52BoqtUIqlBogavzqAAdfuIop1Bsl8WEtpWsxS1mioX0Sl32g14PvOdvCy9lOtI6lFmf0qKu6sMCTL0C1FkyQ-S3iWjatLd4m0q-W8no0phjRqw_gV3tAvequCkEF8_wdxVbky-eYxJ1dUochN2uKxu4S6DgPoCy-UA/s320/Wilder's%20Folly.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>Now the bar was busy with the late lunchtime crowd when we got there, and we couldn't see the pumpclips for the lager drinkers standing at the bar - lager drinkers always do this - and you can't readily see the chalkboard in the back room either - stammtisch under it apparently - so seeing a <b>Thornbridge</b> beer, I went for it. Ruby Mild seemed a good choice. I bought it then, when the barman had a moment, I asked him the strength. "6.5%" quoth he. Well, there was a reasonably long session ahead, so in for a penny etc. Wow. What a beer. This ruby tinted dark mild beer was spicy, mouth filling, luscious, fruity, complex and more. It was just gorgeous. No. It was quite simply stunning. So after singing its praises, and savouring it, I had another and would probably have had more if I hadn't had someone wiser than me with me. <p></p><p>We left for our next pub with me still getting over how good this was. On the way we bumped into a certain fellow CAMRA Chairman* and I was effusive in my praise of it. I urged him to deviate from his chosen path to try it. But I have the feeling my sage advice was disregarded as he was on a different mission. We went on our way to other beers and fine though they were, I was still in thrall to <b>Wilder's Folly</b>.<br /></p><p><b>So now that the moment has passed and I have gained a little perspective, what do I think of it? Am I still starstruck by it? Yes. Without a doubt, it is the best cask conditioned beer I have had this year.</b></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>It was called Wilder's Folly and is a collaboration between Thornbridge and Double-Barrelled Brewery. According to Dominic Driscoll, brewer at Thornbridge, it was chock-full of invert sugar. That presumably helped with both strength and mouthfeel. You can buy it <a href="https://thornbridgebrewery.co.uk/products/wilders-folly-6-5-ruby-mild-12-x-440ml-cans">here</a>, but I somehow doubt if the can will ever reach the peak of cask conditioning that gave me such a great drinking experience, so well done City Arms too.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>*It was John Clarke, hot footing it to drink a tap takeover by Kernal at Cafe Beeermoth. The photo was nicked from @BeerFinderGeneral, who gives it equal praise though was cheeky about CAMRA. I couldn't get near the bar to photo it. </b></span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-86392265094282174042022-12-09T15:16:00.000+00:002022-12-09T15:16:14.375+00:00Why Is This a Thing?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx_fWKMo5L3YgtbytCMWRQgdnYD6-Tlkj59cp2cyQtWp9ar3fiMtg2xMeVeoeh-F8-U146_DpOf_9p56fyRJ7Ro7zaP7Iqx0KImbEFCEbsnrVguVXYsT1kNTvUybiEa_ainhAnNsg7zIysIkB7gy9GSWmBi3bDogTZOhTwSWDlulK0Ez7HT702yjY9dw/s166/harbord.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="107" data-original-width="166" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx_fWKMo5L3YgtbytCMWRQgdnYD6-Tlkj59cp2cyQtWp9ar3fiMtg2xMeVeoeh-F8-U146_DpOf_9p56fyRJ7Ro7zaP7Iqx0KImbEFCEbsnrVguVXYsT1kNTvUybiEa_ainhAnNsg7zIysIkB7gy9GSWmBi3bDogTZOhTwSWDlulK0Ez7HT702yjY9dw/s1600/harbord.JPG" width="166" /></a></div> On Wednesday, my car was going in for its service and MoT, and it had to be there early. So, duly dropped off at the garage just after a quarter to eight, I could either walk home - twerly for my bus pass - or better still get some brekkie. It was also perishing, and I'd already spent a bitterly cold quarter of a cold hour defrosting the car, so cups of tea were my priority and as our local JDW was just opening as I walked past, unlimite<br />d refills beckoned.<p></p><p>Despite me being there on the dot of eight, a couple of other hopefuls were in, but I was first to the bar to place my tea order. The other two were separately selecting their usual prime positions by the windows. My main concern was to get my tea and a seat as far away as possible from the icy blast emanating from the door, so no issues there. The pub started to fill up with faces I recognised from previous visits. Seats were carefully selected and greetings exchanged. I got the odd "Good Morning" too as I warmed up with cups of Tetley. The next half hour passed serenely enough, punctuated only by the odd gale of laughter from the staff breakfasting near the bar.<br /></p><p>However, the pace quickened up as the witching hour of nine o'clock approached. I'd moved on to breakfast by then. The usual JDW fare, but it was fine and certainly warmed me up. A few workmen, in for some snap, were added to the regulars who were by now folding newspapers and checking watches. The atmosphere was getting a little more tense as they approached the bar on the dot of nine. Now in the past my observations were that the<b> John Smiths</b> would flow, but alas, not now. That is no longer available, and it seems that the replacement, <b>Worthington Creamflow</b>, does not hit that sacred spot. No, <b>Stella </b>seemed now to be the drink of choice, though one outlier was on <b>Stowford Press Cider</b>.</p><p>Now here's the odd bit. Several - well three of the punters including Mr Stowford - returned to their spot alone at their chosen table with two pints each. These were carefully placed in front of them. Why? Why would you buy two pints for yourself at once in a rather quiet pub, first thing in the morning? I've noticed this before, but not only in the Middleton JDW, but all over the country. I remember, in Nottingham I think it was, a geezer returning from the bar at 9 a.m.with two bottles of Newcastle Brown - as if one wasn't already too many - and elsewhere too, this seems to happen.</p><p><b>So Dear Reader, next time you find yourself in a JDW just after alcohol sales begin, look for this strange phenomenon. And if you know why they do this, do let me know in the comments.</b></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>I thoroughly recommend JDW for early morning people watching. You can guarantee something of interest.</b></span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Another thing. Seems JDW now sell 660ml bottes of Camden Hells. In this case for a mere £3.69. Anyone seen it elsewhere?</span></b><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-70709197070196359482022-12-02T15:26:00.000+00:002022-12-02T15:26:22.073+00:00It's the Offer Stupid<p> <b>Cambridge Dictionary definition of hospitality: <span><i>The act of being friendly and welcoming to guests and visitors</i>: <br /></span></b></p><p>We hear so much at the moment about difficult times for the hospitality industry. Against a background of inflation and wage restraint, it is so obvious that there are major issues. These trials and tribulations are now featuring in mainstream newspapers and radio programmes, as well as, more obviously, trade press, blogs and podcasts. These difficulties include, among other things, staff shortages, rising prices of everything supplied and sold to the industry as well as, lack of customers due to high prices and domestic and commercial difficulties caused by the effect of the huge increases in electricity and gas.</p><p>Of course this applies elsewhere, and the hospitality sector include restaurants, theatres, hotels as well as pubs and social clubs. My interest, of course, is mainly pubs, so it is to that I turn in this brief post. Now, I have used the term <i>"It's the offer Stupid"</i> in my blogs before. I would draw your attention to <a href="https://tandlemanbeerblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/its-not-just-price.html">this post</a> in particular, which dates back to June 2013. The main thrust of it, in case you can't be bothered reading it, is that back then, a survey said among other things that <i>"People (47%) cite "poor customer service" as one of the main reasons not to go to a pub, along with the unwelcoming atmosphere(44%)."</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5MeWJ1qmG4tfQx20naXJFFMFT0oUYC3M_h71e1EQKNUjvEGfKk0BTa3qHjCSK-RkG-VlBWg1arMjm6tyFnIcehaiq2P3S_N44kAUpXr0UIPEOz0tiflgU12_EQmACVSe7lKj4z35SQ50vgVLGWEY3NnBxSOdGhQ5cQpNH9tTBvztGsCUu09gB-CdtQg/s1920/Want2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="1920" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5MeWJ1qmG4tfQx20naXJFFMFT0oUYC3M_h71e1EQKNUjvEGfKk0BTa3qHjCSK-RkG-VlBWg1arMjm6tyFnIcehaiq2P3S_N44kAUpXr0UIPEOz0tiflgU12_EQmACVSe7lKj4z35SQ50vgVLGWEY3NnBxSOdGhQ5cQpNH9tTBvztGsCUu09gB-CdtQg/s320/Want2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I am reasonably sure, anecdotally at least, that it is highly unlikely that this generally negative view will have changed too much over the nearly ten years since the survey was taken. Service in pubs remains poor and yes I know the difficulties, but in these very challenging times you'd think that ensuring the customers are made welcome and accommodated as much as is humanly possible would be a very high priority indeed. You really do need customers to return, so a small training investment in this basic area is really a no-brainer, and to make it even easier, the very people that you wish to convince are themselves customers elsewhere too, so it should be a relatively straightforward point to get across.<p></p><p>Let me give you a few recent examples. There is a local pub that I don't go to that often, but which has picked up a decent reputation for food, though the wet trade is also a good part of the business, probably round half or so. It is a pub in which people still stand at the bar to drink, although there are plenty of other seating and eating areas. On my once every two or three months or so visits, it is my experience that when you go in the bar staff are usually, if not actually serving, standing with their backs to the bar, gossiping. This is quite annoying in itself, but on my recent visit, two different customers called goodbye to the staff with no response whatever. When my time to leave came, I left unnoticed too, though I had stood at the bar for my two pints. When I worked in the pub, the boss then taught us always to say hello to new customers entering, and to thank them when they left. His simple logic? Make them feel welcome and they'll come back. That was in the times when pubs were bursting at the seams. How much more important is that simple act of appreciation now? God knows what he'd have thought of not looking outwards from the bar. It is simple. Look outwards, that's where the money is.</p><p>In my recent trip to Belfast, we met a couple of friends in a local brew pub. They wanted to eat, and we didn't, having had a large hotel cooked breakfast and a meal booked later. Firstly, it was odd that table service seemed to be mandatory. Oh well, if that's what it is - fine. We spent around three hours in there enjoying very good beer indeed, until the server came over to say she was going off duty, and we'd have to pay up. This was odd, but we asked her to wait a moment while we divvied up the bill. <i>"You can't"</i> she said. <i>"Someone will have to pay, and you can sort it yourselves later." </i>What? There was no choice and to add insult to injury, a 10% service charge was applied as we were a table of four. So, I paid, was duly reimbursed by my pals, and we left, disgruntled and annoyed, for another pub. </p><p>By way of contrast, I met three friends a few weeks ago in a pub in
Manchester. We all ate and had several drinks. The friendly barman very kindly
even brought drinks over to us old dodderers. When it came time to pay, and we
asked to split the bill four ways, he said that as long as it came to
the total, it was no problem. He got a good tip too, and we all agree
we'll meet there again. <br /></p><p><b>So the message to pubs is to treat your customers well - they are all of your business. Say hello and goodbye and make life as easy as possible for them. Treat them as welcome guests. They have a choice, you know, and in these hard times, I suspect they will readily exercise it.</b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Oddly, the first two cases were individual business, while the Manchester example was a brewery managed house.</span><br /></b></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>No such issues in our Belfast hotel, which really was welcoming to customers, as were the majority of Belfast pubs.</b></span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-91252010061753952802022-11-30T14:44:00.000+00:002022-11-30T14:44:08.400+00:00A Quick Thought on Sam's<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBLk0vbFBNukwimtCAubPuXpC6eg02vNkaiuWeSqSzBXmvbPfa8-HY4fIJLEQLNKYIEekug8nfT1X7doaPk8oM7IFdotttTyBGCm92FsZy7hTuDkrrEUu7YHWjIcUUuOpiqm-yBei_TTGTxYszSz1dA1b5tRIp7GtN_bljh7YBWf-XacW7MilJIIwMw/s300/Samuel-Smith-Header-G.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="300" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBLk0vbFBNukwimtCAubPuXpC6eg02vNkaiuWeSqSzBXmvbPfa8-HY4fIJLEQLNKYIEekug8nfT1X7doaPk8oM7IFdotttTyBGCm92FsZy7hTuDkrrEUu7YHWjIcUUuOpiqm-yBei_TTGTxYszSz1dA1b5tRIp7GtN_bljh7YBWf-XacW7MilJIIwMw/s1600/Samuel-Smith-Header-G.png" width="300" /></a></div>There has been a lot written recently, and in the near past, about Sam Smiths, or more particularly <b>Humphrey Smith</b>. Most of this stuff is speculative, as of course Humph, like the royal family, never apologises and never explains. That doesn't help his case at all, though, as apart from being nearly as rich as the Windsors - the Smiths own a lot of land in Yorkshire and elsewhere - as well as an empire of up to 350 pubs throughout the UK, almost all being freehold. In fact, the number may be more, as I don't believe that anyone in the public domain actually knows the total<br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>But all is not well. I was told, recently, that no fewer than 120 Sam Smith's pubs are closed through lack of people to run them. (You can often find them listed in trade adverts for managers) This is an astonishing number given that all of them are managed houses, and while they attract a smallish salary, not much above minimum wage, but they do have heating, lighting and rent thrown in on top. This is not an entirely unattractive package in these dodgy times, so why is there a problem in finding the right people to run them? More of that soon.<br /></p><p>Let's take a look at what else we know. Sams' pubs - themselves largely unbranded - sell nothing that isn't made or commissioned by them. All beers, wines and spirits, crisps, nuts and pork scratchings, as well as soft drinks are Smith brand, even if the names are made up by them, or, as in the case of Walker and Scott spirits, owned by them. These and Scintilla Soft drinks are high quality products. Quality of product is rarely an issue with the brewery, and the lack of brands is something that could actually be admired from one point of view. Make, not buy, still has some adherents.<br /></p><p>Sams also brew an astonishing range of mostly keg beers - the sole cask beer being <b>Old Brewery Bitter -</b> and to continue with the idiosyncrasy - this is sold only in wooden casks, with strict turnover criteria deciding whether it can be obtained by a particular pub. Until recently the draught beers were sold at a very cheap price, but this has changed, though price increases elsewhere may well return Sams to its previous pole position. As an aside, its range of bottled beers has always commanded a premium in the pubs. There is a long-standing and large export trade in bottles, mainly to the US.</p><p>The Smith empire is essentially
split in two, with the Southern part - maybe it is just London - who
knows where the line might be drawn? - being run by Humphrey's son Sam,
and the Northern and bigger chunk being run by Humphrey himself on a somewhat idiosyncratic basis, where his word is law and some would allege, employment law is regarded as advisory (Smiths lose a lot of tribunal and legal cases). <br /></p><p>In the North, pubs appear to be run by diktat. When you enter one, prominent notices on the wall advise you not to use electronic devices. Mobile phones are banned and swearing is not permitted. There are no televisions, fruit machines or jukeboxes. No piped music is present and conversation is, again, by notices on the bar, "encouraged". Until very recently you could only pay by cash, but this rule has been rescinded and even the use of phones is allowed briefly for this sole purpose. In London, particularly, use of contactless card payment has been allowed for years. Given the nature of the client base there, it would have been suicidal for the business to do otherwise, but technically at least, the other rules pertain, though perhaps there they apply more in the breach than the observance.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNz9jAdXs8H77dxFbYsHBtw2RE21UZotKjIB7prV-jmoVQ_dPxv8TX7SR063ZQz8ezJ-EK4_-mR8bhxEJDwPSE2xYwb0f_NOnF8TTxqEnWw6bf3ovMV7FLlaZMxKfedqaf0Q_0fj1KcQCdXaRVMqRpcloTVDXFkm4KlP2ctPWkyR5U1T_fhtVduzHwLA/s1002/samsbitter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="691" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNz9jAdXs8H77dxFbYsHBtw2RE21UZotKjIB7prV-jmoVQ_dPxv8TX7SR063ZQz8ezJ-EK4_-mR8bhxEJDwPSE2xYwb0f_NOnF8TTxqEnWw6bf3ovMV7FLlaZMxKfedqaf0Q_0fj1KcQCdXaRVMqRpcloTVDXFkm4KlP2ctPWkyR5U1T_fhtVduzHwLA/s320/samsbitter.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><p></p><p>Both in the North and South, Sams run clean and comfortable pubs. They often spend a lot of money reinstating pubs to their former designed layout. They are warm, have a great range of things to drink and all you have to do is observe a few reasonable rules about not effing and jeffing and not make phone conversations inside. <br /></p><p>So, what's not to like? Well, there seems to be a downside. Humphrey has been known to descend from Tadcaster and close pubs, immediately with customers still inside, and sack managers on the spot for allowing any minor breach of the rules. These cases have been documented in the press and include alleged shortfall in stock among other things. I also believe from web sources that he himself has been the victim of irregular behaviour from his managers and with his low tolerance of misdemeanour, this may go some way to explaining vacancies, as does a culture of fear. As a former professional manager, I know that is a nil sum game. If you want to succeed, you really do need buy-in from those that make it all work for you. That means being fair and collaborative.</p><p>In summary, in aiming to turn the clock back to the non-existent halcyon days of pub going, there is a balance to be struck. Very few pubs back in the day would meet Humphrey's somewhat rose-tinted vision. Most were pretty rum places indeed, and conversations were peppered with epithets and worse. Back in those days, the managers and tenants who ran your pubs for you were also valued in a very different way to nowadays. As my good friend the Pub Curmudgeon remarks <a href="https://pubcurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2019/04/a-ban-too-far.html">here</a>, there is much to admire in Sam Smith's pubs. The trick, surely, would be to keep high standards, without unreasonably blaming those who are forced to apply them if customers transgress against them.</p><p><b> It would also help to be more accommodating to silent use of
electronic devices, as would more than a nod to changing times. In this respect, as in other areas, any reasonable person would likely agree that a tweak here and there would benefit everyone without throwing Humph's baby out with the bathwater.</b></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>I commend to you other pieces written by the Pub Curmudgeon and <a href="https://beerinsider.com/dictatorial-approach-not-helping-sam-smiths/">Glynn Davis</a>. These will help round off the picture for you. </b></span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">This article was prompted by the news that one of the many closed Sam Smith's pubs in our area was said to be re-opening. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">I'll check it out by way of resuming my pieces on Sam Smiths pubs soon. Here's a<a href="https://tandlemanbeerblog.blogspot.com/2017/03/whos-that-then.html"> favourite</a> example.</span></b><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-73923366447700882542022-11-11T13:27:00.001+00:002022-11-11T13:27:52.158+00:00Drinking Cask in London<p>Those of you that follow me on Twitter know that I don't drink cask conditioned real ale in London all that often. Let's get a couple of things straight. I love London pubs, not least of all because they very much remind me of how pubs used to be. They are lively and busy, many are unspoilt and haven't had their innards pulled apart in the same way as has happened almost everywhere else - there are exceptions, of course - and they are perhaps surprisingly pretty friendly and generally nice places to be. They have a very mixed clientele, and a general buzz and jolliness which I find attractive. Furthermore, they usually offer a pretty good choice of beer generally, and most tend to sell real ale. What, then, is not to like then, for us casketeeers? Well, our old friend quality of beer at point of dispense. Many real ales sold are simply not up to my standards, quality wise.</p><p>Even allowing for differing dispense preferences - unsparkled beer is the norm - cask beer is often warm, flabby, over vented, under conditioned and served badly by untrained staff. Or a combination of aforementioned serving issues. Despite these obvious shortcomings, the product is still usually sold at over five pounds a pint. Over the 20 or so years we have owned a flat in London, I have realised that to buy cask beers in random pubs, no matter how attractive they otherwise might be, is often just throwing money away. As an aside, drinking cask in the centre of Manchester, Leeds or Liverpool, Sheffield, York and many more places, is likely going to reward you with a decent price and a reasonable price. Don't blame me for stating this point. It is just a matter of fact. The downside is that you may well be drinking your splendid pint in less than glorious surroundings, so in some ways, it is a kind of place versus quality thing, though as in London there are exceptions.</p><p>I'm not going to list all the places where you get an excellent pint of cask in London - the Good Beer Guide "should" do that, and often does - but even as a CAMRA veteran of 40 odd years, I don't tend to lug the guide about with me, and, secondly, when I am out and about in London, I may not know exactly where I might end up and therefore pop into somewhere pubwise I, or we, like the look of. That has led to a great few disappointing beers - and I am being kind here - so I tend to drink lager or stout on such occasions, unless I see the wickets being pulled for fun.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQ57jCGUHAeD3EL4SLA52s6MHvbuodJ_doAx1Mld6XqSLW_rNWGlvTpe1Pe_wOMW0O_cQxH7S8L9sVTcHuFqrC5pRq6EZfbg8-96_rT8w3t0JlqVWFoajYstC_4nExAjgo47MEeNTa2ElPfN0COQdIiaJBkaxbsaud3rSuDxgtCW2V35PsQ9XuhNv5w/s4640/Landlord1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="2088" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQ57jCGUHAeD3EL4SLA52s6MHvbuodJ_doAx1Mld6XqSLW_rNWGlvTpe1Pe_wOMW0O_cQxH7S8L9sVTcHuFqrC5pRq6EZfbg8-96_rT8w3t0JlqVWFoajYstC_4nExAjgo47MEeNTa2ElPfN0COQdIiaJBkaxbsaud3rSuDxgtCW2V35PsQ9XuhNv5w/s320/Landlord1.jpg" width="144" /></a></div>Let me give you a recent example. A couple of weeks ago, I had been out for a wander as E performed her last-ever day of paid work. After a pint of Anspach and Hobday's excellent nitro porter at Craft Beer - I'm never keen on the cask there - I went to the <b>Sutton Arms</b> in Great Sutton Street (where one can drink cask beer with confidence) and hence via a wondrously confusing Old St - renovations have made this an unsigned maze - towards Commercial Road where I was to meet E. After a lager in one of our favourites, the <b>Commercial Tavern</b>, I persuaded E to try the <b>Golden Heart</b>, which still bears a large Trumans neon advert and some other external Truman's signage. We often pass it in summer, when it is usually rammed in and out. It seemed to have been recently cut in half though, with a wine bar being added, but anyway, in we went.<p></p><p>It was moderately busy and had a Heineken bias on the pumps, which meant there was nothing I was keen to drink, but they did have Landlord. So, against my better judgement, I took the plunge. Firstly, the barperson filled the glasses via the swan neck from above the glass, resulting in much loose foam. My three-quarter pint was handed to me. I requested a top-up, which again was attempted by filling from above, and the beer (pictured) looked grim. What could I do? The lasses behind the bar clearly knew nothing about the beer or how it should be presented, equally clearly nobody had taught them how to pour it. The Landlord wasn't fit for service either, being as green as Ireland on St Patrick's Day. To add insult to injury, the beer was well north of £5 a pint.</p><p><b>This or similar nonsense is still going on all over London, so my friends, that is why I only drink cask beer from trusted venues in the capital. And why premiumisation of cask beer in what is effectively a cask lottery, is a bonkers distraction that should be shunned.<br /></b></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>It would have been the work of seconds to show the bar staff how to use a swan neck to dispense beer, and equally the work of seconds to know that the beer wasn't yet ready to be served. If anyone cared, that is - which clearly they did not. (Tip. Landlord needs more time to settle a clear and reach its peak than most cask beers.)<br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>As a matter of interest, I am always wary of Star Inns and Bars (Heineken). Very rarely do they have much worth drinking in my personal opinion.</b></span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-16020731019271637702022-10-21T14:50:00.008+01:002022-10-21T14:50:56.147+01:00How Much for a Pint of Cask?<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22QSpaA4d_MonUuytc7JgKjR7Xm7mpJDX4TB6XuIOngcfYVRfWbuDAYeEYoY0SyOyywFJ7NLdzB-2TLZI6yqMg-jFh2FFwGM9Y18ULTnbVFEpCRO1TEqCGv-ruh0oKhswIYAbtTYLEK8qaMpTgt4YF0pYW5oI2LR14Kw2UPV4Ri8t6xz5WjvuQXRWcg/s4640/Cask1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="3472" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22QSpaA4d_MonUuytc7JgKjR7Xm7mpJDX4TB6XuIOngcfYVRfWbuDAYeEYoY0SyOyywFJ7NLdzB-2TLZI6yqMg-jFh2FFwGM9Y18ULTnbVFEpCRO1TEqCGv-ruh0oKhswIYAbtTYLEK8qaMpTgt4YF0pYW5oI2LR14Kw2UPV4Ri8t6xz5WjvuQXRWcg/s320/Cask1.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>We are, it seems, back with the same stuck old record that some trade
observers think is still a whizz idea, even though, all things
considered, it most likely isn't. Yes, Folks, to solve the problem -
more of which in a moment - of how to sell more cask beer - aka real
ale. You know, that stuff - dispensed from a handpump - that is often
served badly, being variously too warm, too flat, too vinegary- and
just plain not as the brewer intended. That stuff that experienced
advocates of the style rarely purchase in an area or pub they don't know
well, for fear of disappointing quality. That's the one. And their solution to
declining volumes and poorly presented pints? Charge more for the real ale lottery,
but keep the likelihood of winning a prize just the same.<p></p><p>We are told by advocates of
this theory, the hoary old myth, that it is so difficult to keep cask beer that it
needs the skill of the landlord to be recognised by charging more for
it. We are also asked to think that there is little point in selling the
stuff when you can make more from other products on the bar - a somewhat unsophisticated argument given the variables involved. Selling in scale - although specialisms exist - is generally a diverse business, and
those selling "things" generally take the view that you can't make the
same profit margin on everything you sell, but need to have as broad an offer as
possible to attract the widest customer base you can.</p><p>In cask beer, the
elephant in the room, which is actually as big as the room itself, is
that if you cannot guarantee the quality of the product, then you cannot
charge more for it. If you can and your customers will
stand for it in these straightened times - then maybe you can up the price a bit, but be aware that even the best have to be careful not to overprice such a short-lived product. Every pint lost, will eat into your profit, so it has to be a careful balancing act.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hYB8h76FIWzsTkA0in-RjELoJQUKuw3JWLE4iEb99k58CrjdyLHV1znDEk0AbbOZ6UTQK6IxsxfRXuzzSHpOWBzTEWhpke36wEj0NOASjo8wqUk0oC70c_Vr4F2Onz2enAM1jMS81W19-L-alVdEZwSGGRRD6177z4xbqQDBtmM_YQ4YaslEnBhOWA/s4640/Cask2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="3472" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hYB8h76FIWzsTkA0in-RjELoJQUKuw3JWLE4iEb99k58CrjdyLHV1znDEk0AbbOZ6UTQK6IxsxfRXuzzSHpOWBzTEWhpke36wEj0NOASjo8wqUk0oC70c_Vr4F2Onz2enAM1jMS81W19-L-alVdEZwSGGRRD6177z4xbqQDBtmM_YQ4YaslEnBhOWA/s320/Cask2.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>Beer
is such a broad church, and cask beer is one of the most diverse parts
of it. All beer relies on turnover, but cask much more so, as it is
fresh and very perishable. At its best you will get 3 days out of it, so those in the know don't overprice
cask beer, as the chances are you won't be able to sell it in good
condition. Cask beer has to be priced to go. Even if you have a more
affluent clientèle, paying more than average, you can't overprice it for
the reasons stated. That results in poor quality and declining demand as trust goes.<br /><p></p><p>It is odd, too, that while cask volumes may be
down, there is still plenty of cask beer in top form available.
Specialist pubs, the tied houses of Family Brewers and many more, all
supply reliable quality cask beer, often at remarkably competitive
prices. In areas that have such competition, you will often find the
non-mainstream sellers of cask, have better quality too. They have to
compete. There isn't one size fits all where cask is concerned.<br /></p><p></p><p>This does not even take into account some of the
other variables, such as the current cost of living crisis. Can we
really believe those who would tell you that cask ale drinkers will pay
more for cask beer as an occasional treat, in the full knowledge if the
beer is only occasionally drunk, then it will likely not be a treat at
all? </p><p>A final point. Cask ale still costs, on average, less to
produce than keg, which relies much more than cask on expensive CO2 in
both production and dispense. The margins aren't likely to be decisive if you turn beer over quickly. Not exactly "Pile it high and sell it cheap", but certainly it needs to shift much more quickly than other draught stock.<br /></p><p><b>Of course, everyone from brewer to
publican deserves a decent return on investment, but forget this at your
peril. Cask, as a fresh and perishable product, must be priced to go.</b></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>I commend to you also recent posts by <a href="https://pubcurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2022/10/reculer-pour-mieux-sauter.html">Pub Curmudgeon</a> on this subject. He has gone into the figures much more deeply than this dashed off piece allows.</b></span></p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>And let's stop this idea that cask is hard to keep. It isn't, as I (and Greene King) point out <a href="http://tandlemanbeerblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/banging-on-for-years.html">here</a>, but it does need a little (easy to learn) knowledge. There isn't in most cases any reasonable reason to sell poor cask beer, but a</b></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> bit of pride in what you sell wouldn't harm either.</b></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><br /><br />.</b></span><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629758183547510158.post-41711943501918209852022-07-29T15:35:00.000+01:002022-07-29T15:35:18.304+01:00A Quick Catch Up<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRVOh5iyfyTBPnnQF9V6YboHac_jynhv0vR0VhNrp3BGhf3E_21hjBWPEzP2vWi1FlBTyY7xYwwa-5Lx1sJDiPS6GTOH2gujJaN1LH2W3AqhtRIRZZmWHxyjn7PUNRBCT61TMr7mY65MKObmuZ_aOfbw_nWs4v_okv8bJ-w6RPZuAXHCShwQFPRSpwA/s629/BoilerhouseNQP.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="352" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRVOh5iyfyTBPnnQF9V6YboHac_jynhv0vR0VhNrp3BGhf3E_21hjBWPEzP2vWi1FlBTyY7xYwwa-5Lx1sJDiPS6GTOH2gujJaN1LH2W3AqhtRIRZZmWHxyjn7PUNRBCT61TMr7mY65MKObmuZ_aOfbw_nWs4v_okv8bJ-w6RPZuAXHCShwQFPRSpwA/w179-h335/BoilerhouseNQP.png" width="179" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It occurred to me that, with the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF)looming large in my thoughts, a catch-up of what I have been up to wouldn't be a bad idea. </p><p></p><p></p><p>In Manchester, this week, I was invited to the official unveiling of a new collaboration between<b> JW Lees</b> and <b>Cloudwater Brewery</b>,
held at Lees Rain Bar. The enjoyment of these things isn't wholly the beer - though this was more than interesting - but the chance to meet up with people. I had excellent chats with Lees MD William Lees-Jones about the industry in general and with Paul Jones from Cloudwater about the crowded craft beer market among other things. Great stuff. My friends from Lees Brewing Team were also on hand to talk about the beer. Yes the beer. <b>Not Quite Pale...</b> the star of the show, is a DDH beer of 5.2%. I had it on cask, though a keg version was also available, and if you like your beer bitter, well this is right up your street. I fear though this beer,
brewed in Lees <b>Boilerhouse Brewery</b>, might be hard to come by, as only 10 barrels were brewed. Certainly one to look out for. The Simcoe and Strata hops made their presence felt for sure.<br /></p><p>A fine selection of Boilerhouse beers were
also on offer and I can say without a doubt that Lees know how to brew a very good lager or three. <b>Manchester Pilsner </b>was a stunningly good beer with a spicy pepper Tettnang finish, while others sang the praises of <b>Light Lager</b> with its Mount Hood hops. More of these, please. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">So let's move back in time a bit and to my last trip to London a few short weeks ago. The reason for this visit was to judge beer in the <b>World Beer Awards</b>, which I've been doing for a few years now. This was the first face to face meeting for some time, and it was notable that quite a few badges hadn't been collected by expected judges. Covid or travel difficulties - take your pick, but it seemed a bit depleted to me. My fellow judge in our table of two was <b>Pete Brown</b>, and to be fair to both of us, we made a pretty good fist of what we had to do. This kind of gig isn't all a bed of roses, and, by way of illustration, by the time we'd judged a flight of 13 Belgian Style Triples - all brewed in France -we were certainly in need of something a tad more interesting. I'll save my thoughts on beer judging in general to another day, but it was great to see many folks that I knew and that made it worthwhile, as is the opportunity to pit yourself against some very talented beer judges, many of whom are professional brewers.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPpHW96YIcOCDAgQ43yKc4mfJ6yoJ0zeJWb2K-4j8SfYAwz4vhNQGtmgUIO9HEaczgqY78NOJLEF845fMwTMgtbdOBjCWffFwoP2r6iAg8ao4VUn5W9hqwNbNN7Wcnsa01EXtjN9ZWYeLDeulYnN5mKd5M5QdQPgsW7o7QQS7PxXYCMZlmdVQN9NNwA/s257/WBA2022.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="257" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPpHW96YIcOCDAgQ43yKc4mfJ6yoJ0zeJWb2K-4j8SfYAwz4vhNQGtmgUIO9HEaczgqY78NOJLEF845fMwTMgtbdOBjCWffFwoP2r6iAg8ao4VUn5W9hqwNbNN7Wcnsa01EXtjN9ZWYeLDeulYnN5mKd5M5QdQPgsW7o7QQS7PxXYCMZlmdVQN9NNwA/s1600/WBA2022.jpg" width="257" /></a></div></div><p></p><p>The night before the beer judging, on this flying visit, I decided to nip down to Farringdon to visit one of my favourite London pubs, the <b>Sutton Arms</b>. I went via Barbican and stepping out from the station on the very direct route to Great Sutton St, I noted that I was passing another Sutton Arms, in Carthusian St. "Two Sutton Arms in one night I thought?" Why not? So after my usual pleasant visit to my "normal" Sutton Arms, I nipped in on the way back. Let's just say it wasn't a great success, the welcome and service being a lot less than desirable. I actually filled in Fullers online feedback form while I was still there. Rapidly I received an apology, but you only have one chance to make a first impression and I doubt if I'll go back for the compensatory free pint I've been offered. And in these difficult times, that really is the point. </p><p>By way of contrast, after the beer judging, with a couple of fellow judges we went to another Fullers pub, the <b>Warwick Arms</b>. Rather an appealing little pub, and there we were greeted with utmost friendliness and charm. The landlady couldn't have been nicer, discussing the guest beer and offering tastings while checking on our wellbeing from time to time. The young bar staff were equally pleasant, and we stayed a lot longer than we intended. You see, as I always say "It's the offer Stupid". And being nice always works. <b> </b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>
</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SI5M1Xj3FthENulQY_UegWB5YWtBynH-EKBNuScNAa3OLZPwwL4pIwsAnDopq_g88NH0POL8VYScAptf7ZPSzdnPZukAouMKMCd_Sj2PKCzC5xMu1VJlWE7IhJ07kEp2ZAF1bHWQ_-DSQPvNGuhy1HBdQ09Zd95zJ0gKSiASVHhdO-tdbC4zUJ0cXg/s232/gbbf2022.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="217" data-original-width="232" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SI5M1Xj3FthENulQY_UegWB5YWtBynH-EKBNuScNAa3OLZPwwL4pIwsAnDopq_g88NH0POL8VYScAptf7ZPSzdnPZukAouMKMCd_Sj2PKCzC5xMu1VJlWE7IhJ07kEp2ZAF1bHWQ_-DSQPvNGuhy1HBdQ09Zd95zJ0gKSiASVHhdO-tdbC4zUJ0cXg/s1600/gbbf2022.jpg" width="232" /></a></b></div><b><br />And so to GBBF. Continuing the theme, I'm looking forward to seeing many people I know and hoping my dodgy knee will stand up to days of serving the thirsty hordes. I'll be working on German and Czech bar as usual, so come and say hello.</b><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b> <span style="font-size: x-small;">I've had a look at the list of beers in the festival and there are some crackers. It should be fab. </span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Don't listen to any moaning about price. For £20 you get a glass, a programme and a couple of halves and the chance to see me. </span></b><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Compared to the average craft beer festival, we are giving it away!</b></span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> </b></span><br /></b></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6