Its a shame the Sal has appeared to have turned its back on the beer. It was May the last time I was in and agree about the price. The damn TV screens playing out loud put me off, not my idea of a pub.

PS SO yes very good word play on the description of the Sal, if they are making the money out of that venture, fair play.

Exit 33 Mocha Milk Stout 6.5% in the Draughtsman, Doncaster railway station last night - very nice.

The Boltmaker was on form in the Pin last night

A return visit to Mobberley, Cheshire yesterday, just over two years since the last visit;

The Church Inn
Bragdy Heavy Industry Collaborator 5.0%, a hoppy ruby-coloured best bitter.
Tatton Brewery Church Inn Ale-Alujah 4.2%, a bitter and the house ale.

The Bulls Head
Weetwood Brewery A Brunette for Christmas 3.9%, a malty and fruity brown christmas ale.
Storm Brewing Company Red Mist 3.9%, a dark red malty session beer.
Weetwood Brewery Bulls Head Bitter 4.5%, a rich malty amber beer with hints of fruit, the house ale.
Merlins Micro Brewery Castle Black 4.4%, a dark creamy stout.

The two 'house ales' were exactly the sort of tipple I could drink all night in the local but my favourite on the night was the stout.

The Bulls Head is a particular favourite of mine, the house bitter is a credit to them. I really do wish we had a Pub of its ilk around here - excellent ale, food, warm and inviting, just superb.

The Punchbowl at Thorne owned by The Old Mill Brewery at Snaith had their Winter Warmer on 4.7%, first time I had been in for a few years. The beer was in really good nick and the place was warm, decked out for Christmas and the food was good with good staff.

Rocking Rudolph is on at The Harvey Arms in Finningley and was excellent, the place was busy (the food has improved no end over the past few years) but they need to get their real fire blazing more often it makes a big difference on a cold day.

Moonshine I frequent the Punch Bowl on a Sat night then sometimes the Windmill or the Canal Tavern where they sometimes have the Boltmaker .

The Corner Pin last night - festive ales have arrived;

Yorkshire Heart Santa's Little Belcha! 5.0%, a pale ale with spices - I liked it.

Black Sheep Blitzen 4.0%, a ruby ale with a hint of orange. Very nice.

Fullers Holly Bush 4.5%, a fruity amber-coloured Christmas ale. Another winner!

Wetherspoons are currently advertising '25 Christmas Ales', including tipples from Adnams, Batemans, Cotleigh and Rudgate breweries (amongst others).

They did something similar last year but I tended to find that whilst their outlets would all have festive ales available, not all were those listed.

Anyway, I do tend to enjoy the vast majority of Christmas Ales so let's see how many can be located ...

The first three up last night were;

Ringwood XXXX Porter 4.7%, a malty and smoky dark ruby ale, in the Red Lion.

Mauldons Bah Humbug 4.9%, a tawny red strong ale with fruits and spices, a glorious winter warmer, in the Gatehouse.

Rudgate Evil Elf 4.0%, a biscuit and fruit flavoured straw coloured ale, also in the Gatehouse.

Two more last night In the Gatehouse, Doncaster;

Caledonian Bitter Winter 4.8%, a malty amber bitter with caramel and fruit flavours.

Naylor's Santa's Dark Side 4.4%, a ruby-black roasted malt flavoured old ale.

Bankers Draft, Sheffield;

Adnams Old Ale 4.1%, a dark red ale combining fruits, nuts and caramel flavours.

The Rawson Spring, Hillsborough;

Cotleigh Snowy (Single Malt) 5.0%, a golden strong ale with hints of citrus fruits.

On a side note, I've been in 4 'Spoons in Sheffield (inc. Hillsborough).

No joy in the Waterworks or the Benjamin Huntsman with regard to the Christmas Festival ales but all 4 had the wonderful Bradfield Brewery Farmers Belgian Blue 4.9% so that was sampled in the BH.

Back with the Christmas Festival ales and still in the Rawson Spring;

An old favourite in terms of Christmas in 'Spoons, Hook Norton Twelve Days 5.5%, rich, malty and fruity with a nutty flavour on the palate ... wonderful!

8 of 25 so far.

RIP Cask Corner.

Sadly, had moved too far away from it's core business IMHO.

The Looking Glass, Warrington last night;

Daleside Santa's Progress 4.2%, a blackcurrant flavoured golden best bitter.

Batemans Rosey Nosey 4.9%, a seasonal old favourite, rich, malty and fruity - delicious!

Woodforde's Tinsel Toes 4.4%, a ruby coloured ale, malty and spicy.

Milestone Lincoln Magna Carta 5.0%, light amber in colour, a strong ale with biscuit, toffee and caramel flavours. Very enjoyable!

12 found / sampled so far.

Two more sampled last night in the Red Lion, Doncaster;

Inveralmond Bheira 4.3%, a malty, spicy and fruity copper coloured best bitter.

Hanlons Goodwill 5.0%, an amber coloured strong ale with biscuit and caramel flavours and a hint of ginger.

Both were very enjoyable.

The Friar Penketh, Warrington;

Otter Claus 5.0%, a dark ruby strong ale, malty, moreish with a hint of chocolate - very nice.

15 of 25 so far.

Had a Sequoia in the Red Lion and a Fuggles Bunny or somethink like that in the Gatehouse today.

You wouldn't like the Sequoia ... pure grapefruit juice.
As for the other t'was OK.

They can't keep a good pint in the Gatehouse though.
The Red Lion are nearly as bad.

I had the Fuggles Bunny New Beginnings in the Gatehouse on Tuesday as they had none of the advertised Christmas Festival ales. As you say it was ok. Had much better, had much worse.

3 more Christmas Festival ales in the Spinning Mule, Bolton last night;

Shepherd Neame Rudolph's Reward 3.7%, a light ale yet malty with hints of toffee.

Exmoor Exmas 5.0%, a ruby coloured strong ale with biscuit and chocolate flavours - delicious!

Elgoods North Brink Porter 5.0%, a liquorice, coffee and chocolate flavoured porter.

18 sampled, 7 still to find.

Paid my first visit to a relatively new pub in Doncaster yesterday, The Lockwood on Hallgate and sampled a decent pint of Black Sheep Blitzen 4.0%.

Also ticked off another festival ale, H&H Rocking Rudolph 4.2% whilst out and had a pint of Farmers Belgian Blue 4.9% in the Yorkshire Grey.

Also ventured into the Corner Pin for a couple more of their Christmas Ales having had a decent evening there on Wednesday.

I seem to have run out of Festival Ales at 19 of 25. The Christmas one is always hard work as no matter which ones are advertised they always end up with other Christmas Ales on sale.

The Lockwood, Doncaster had H & H Rock On With Rudolph last night. Same ABV (4.2%) as Rocking Rudolph, it just seemed slightly heavier on the malt.

Milestone Auld Ale 4.5%, in the Red Lion, was dark, malty and very nice.

The Gatehouse had the nutty and always enjoyable Saltaire Stout No5 4.2% and the Corner Pin supplied Salamander Porter in a Pear Tree 4.8% and Welbeck Abbey The Rink, an oatmeal stout at 5.2%, both very enjoyable.

Highlights of a recent visit to Sheffield;

Half Moon Port Out 4.6%, a delicious smoked porter, in the Kelham Island Tavern

Neepsend Kaldi 4.8%, another delicious porter with chocolate and coffee flavours, in the Wellington

Framework Treacle Stout 3.9%, treacle, chocolate and coffee, what's not to like? - This one in the Red Deer.