Welbeck Abbey Duck Decoy 4.6%, was a pleasant surprise in the Corner Pin yesterday. Badged as a fresh and fragrant USA pale, I expected it to be too floral for my taste but with hints of orange and pear and nice and smooth on the palate, I found it very enjoyable.

Are you beginning to see the 'light'?

I don't mind the odd one or two. If I'm having golden or pale ales I prefer to have them before getting on to the darker ales.

Terrapin Beer Co. (USA) Naked Bliss 5.0%, brewed at Wadworth Brewery exclusively for Wetherspoons, sampled in the Friar Penketh, Warrington yesterday was a Porter with roasted malt and chocolate, coffee & caramel flavours. Absolutely wonderful, a thing of beauty.

Also very enjoyable was Weetwood Old Dog 4.5%, a bread and caramel flavoured premium bitter, in the Lower Angel.

Yep wash the taste out of your mouth

Courage Directors located in the Black Bull, Doncaster last night



Also an interesting and welcome find was Kansas Avenue (Salford) Smith and Tinker 4.0%, a chestnut ale packed with molasses, toffee and treacle.

Don Valley Brewery Amber Road 3.8%, an amber ale with hints of apricot and peach was pleasantly surprising in the Queens, Doncaster yesterday lunchtime.

George Gale's Seafarers Ale 3.6%, a golden best bitter in the Corner Pin was also pleasant enough.

Eagle and Child, Auckley, pre game Sunday. Kelham Island brewery 'It's goodnight from him' a 4% stout that my brother in law thought was bloody lovely (had a sip and it was nice) The blurb on the KIB site says A full bodied, smooth stout, brewed with five different malts including oat malt, gives this beer a rich malty flavour with notes of chocolate coffee and liquorice on the aroma.

Gary, one for you me thinks

Sounds like it

Newark yesterday en-route to and from Southwell races ...

Peak Ales Paxton 4.4%, in the Ram Bar and Brasserie, a ruby red ale, malty with blackcurrant on the aftertaste. Pleasant without being spectacular.

Terrapin Naked Bliss 5.0%, in the Sir John Arderne, second time in a week and still absolutely wonderful.

Pheasantry Best Bitter 3.8%, in the Fox and Crown, not my favourite of this brewery's ales but always palatable enough.

York last night ...

Ilkley Smoked Witch 4.5%, in the Cross Keys. Only intermittently brewed, this is a Smokey and earthy dark ale. Nice.

The Hop Studio Mosaic 4.3%, in the Snickleway Inn. Described as an Oatmeal Pale but to this imbiber was just another grapefruit flavoured pale ale. Not to my taste.

Whitby Jet Black 4.5%, in the Valhalla Bar (opposite Pivni, must be relatively new). A very nice porter with chocolate and not too much liquorice which I've only previously had a couple of times.

Great Yorkshire Blackout 5.0%, in Pivni. Another porter which I've only previously had once or twice but is much to my taste being chocolate and vanilla flavoured.

Black Sheep (Limited Edition) Imperial Russian Stout 8.5%, in the Maltings. Packed with sweet things, chocolate, caramel, syrup and even a hint of brown sugar, very enjoyable in moderation.

Warrington, Saturday evening ...

Coach House Old Porter 4.2%, in the Looking Glass. Not a heavy porter, lightly flavoured with caramel. Nice.

Small World Thunderbridge Stout 5.2%, in the Lower Angel. Coffee and chocolate flavours with a definite pine influence. Would have preferred it without the pine flavour.

Ossett Turning Leaves 4.5%, in the Lower Angel. Described as a warming malty traditional ale with spicy and blackcurrant flavours but came across as a Red IPA. Disappointing.

The Wetherspoons Autumn 2018 Real Ale Festival kicks off on Wednesday 10 October, running through until Sunday 21 October.

30 UK brewed ales will be available.

There will also be 5 UK ciders featured during the festival.

Particularly looking forward to ...

Adnams Nut Brown
Inveralmond Fortingale
Long Man Old Man (have had this previously)
Wadworth Burnt Orange IPA
Orkney Celebration
Acorn XV Oatmeal Stout
Mauldons Blackberry Porter
Coach House Blueberry Classic Bitter
Daleside Morocco Ale
Dorset Jurassic Dark
Titanic Iron Curtain

Had a quick scan of the menu and the standout for me is the St Austell Big Job a 7.2% IPA, and the ciders of course

Off to a flyer last night as both Doncaster Wetherspoons had festival ales available ...

Red Lion
Coach House Blueberry Classic Bitter 5.0%, a straw coloured speciality ale with a subtle blueberry flavour. Nice.
Glamorgan Jemima's Pitchfork 4.5%, also straw coloured, this golden ale is flavoured with melon and pear.

The Gatehouse
Hawkshead Windermere Pale 3.5%, a golden fruity pale ale.
Dorset Jurassic Dark 5.9%, a mahogany dunkelweizen (dark wheat beer) with chocolate, fruit and port flavours. Very nice!

The Doncaster Brewery Tap has a Cider and Cheese festival planned for October 16 - 21.

Wetherspoons festival ...

The Friar Penketh, Warrington
Long Man Old Man 4.3%, an old ale, malty with coffee and chocolate overtones. Delicious.

Wetherspoons festival ...

The Looking Glass, Warrington
Hook Norton Flagship 5.3%, a light bronze coloured IPA, the aroma is marmalade, the taste orange-laden. Not bad at all.
Mauldons Blackberry Porter 4.8%, some coffee in there but this is the nearest thing to alcohol ribena in both nose and taste. Nice enough.
Inveralmond Fortingale 4.0%, a brown ale in looks and style. Hints of chocolate, caramel and nut. Palatable enough if slightly blander than hoped for.

That's 8 of 30 found and sampled.

Thanks Gary, be a shame not to 'pop' in



The Red Lion had Hook Nortons Flagship 5.3% IPA on today. Delightful, could easily have stayed all morning.

Wetherspoons festival ...

The Rawson Spring, Hillsborough
Wolf Sirius Dog Star 4.4%, a dark red ale, fruity with underlying sweetness. Hints of butterscotch and caramel. Very nice.
Robinsons Freddy Brewger 4.3%, a red ale, malty with some toffee and blackcurrant notes. Very nice.

Wetherspoons festival ...

Sheffield Waterworks
Wadworth Burnt Orange 4.5%, a golden IPA with burnt toffee, caramel and orange flavours. Exceeded expectations.
Orkney Celebration 4.6%, from the same brewery as Dark Island, Red McGregor and Skullsplitter, this doesn't disappoint. Peat smoked malt with caramel. Excellent.

Wetherspoons festival ...

Benjamin Huntsman, Sheffield
Rooster's Twenty Four Seven 4.7%, a pale golden grapefruit flavoured IPA. Not really to my taste.
Castle Rock Wheel of Fortune 4.6%, a dark red malty ale with both grapefruit and toffee flavours. Fortunately for me, the toffee seems to be the more dominant flavour
Brentwood Hope & Glory 4.5%, just a very nice malty best bitter. No more to say.

15 of 30 found / sampled.

Wetherspoons festival ...

Twelve Tellers, Preston (last night)
Salopian Hop Twister 4.5%, hoppy and fruity.
Titanic Iron Curtain 6.0%, at the bottom end of the ABV scale for a Russian Imperial Stout. Fruit and some sweetness possibly vanilla, quite bitter. No quite what I hoped for.

17 of 30 found / sampled.

Wetherspoons festival ...

The Station, Leeds
Liberation IPA 4.8%, a golden coloured citrusy ale.