Brains The Reverend James on in the Drum now

Can't think who's suggesting these ...

Just returned from a couple of days in London ...

Brodies Bethnal Green Bitter in the Cross Keys, Covent Garden
Shepherd Neame Late Red in the Freemasons Arms, Covent Garden
Adnams Bitter in the Nell of Old Drury, Covent Garden
Fullers London Pride in The Imperial, Leicester Square
Red Squirrel London Porter in the Argyll Arms, Oxford Circus
Fullers Traitors Gate in the Red Lion, Westminster
Shepherd Neame Master Brew in the Spanish Galleon, Greenwich
Cotleigh Red Nose Reinbeer in the Liberty Bounds, Tower Hamlets
St Austell Tribute in Ye Olde London, St Pauls
Fullers Jack Frost in the Euston Flyer, Euston Rd
Woodfordes Wherry & Sole Bay Santa's Spirit in The Courtfield, Earls Court

Pick of the pubs ... the Cross Keys (a little gem in Covent Garden)

Pick of the beers ... too close to call between Late Red, Traitors Gate, Jack Frost & Santa's Spirit.

Tuesday evening visited the Auckley Christmas Market. The Eagle & Child had an outside bar on, two on from Doncaster Brewing Company at £2.50 a pint

The Brewing Companies Porter was nothing short of fabulous, dark, mocha and just stunning. The pale ale was and also in really good nick but completly blown away by the Porter. A few of those and a hot roast pork sandwich on a bitterly cold evening, nowt better.

Green with envy looking at that list Gary. Could'nt agree more about the Cross Keys, superb pub.

Bury (again) last night after a trip to the Reebok ...

Outstanding Red 4.4% at the Trackside (Bolton Street Station, East Lancs Railway)
Irwell Works Brewery Steam Plate Bitter 4.3% and JW Lees The Govenor 3.8% at the Malt Real Ale (& Whisky) Bar
Shepherd Neame Rudolphs Reward 3.7% and Acorn 10th Noel 5.7% at the Art Picture House (Lloyds)

Talking about ale, was it the Rovers Christmas party on Friday night?

Brains The Reverend James 4.5%
Hardy & Hanson Rocking Rudolph 4.2%
on in The Drum, Bentley at the moment.

Merry Christmas

Called in the Sheffield Tap en-route back from the Reebok yesterday ...

Highland Brewing Company (Orkney) Dark Munro 4.0%
Thornbridge Black Harry 3.9%

A couple of very pleasant dark ales.

A good night in Bolton on Saturday after the 2-2 FA Cup draw with Sunderland ...

Dog & Partridge - Bank Top Flat Cap 4.0%
Man & Scythe - Moorhouse's Pride of Pendle 4.1% and Wychwood Bah Humbug 4.3%
Barristers - Youngs Winter Warmer 5.0% and Hook Norton Old Hooky 4.6%

The Man & Scythe was a real find ... a short walk from Barristers, yet previously undiscovered!

York yesterday afternoon ...

Pivni WBF - Oakham JHB 3.8%
Maltings - Downton Chocolate Orange Delight 5.8%
York Tap - Bristol Beer Factory Seven 4.2% and Fullers Traitors Gate 4.5%
(Seven was very nice, an amber Ale with Toffee overtones)

Hi Gary
Thought we might have had a Christmas/New Year special edition

What have you been partaking of over the recent festivities Paul?

Quote ="Wanderer"York Tap - Bristol Beer Factory Seven 4.2% and Fullers Traitors Gate 4.5% '" Is this the York Brewery Tap Room which is part of York Brwery? If not it is well worth a visit, don't let the outside fool you. www.york-brewery.co.uk/pubs_detail.php?p=11

Quote ="Wanderer"York Tap - Bristol Beer Factory Seven 4.2% and Fullers Traitors Gate 4.5% '" Is this the York Brewery Tap Room which is part of York Brwery? If not it is well worth a visit, don't let the outside fool you. www.york-brewery.co.uk/pubs_detail.php?p=11

Christmas Eve in Thorne , so started with Old Mill in the Punchbowl then Timothy Taylor in the Windmill.

New Years Eve , party at a friends with bottled real ale .

Quote ="tigertot"Is this the York Brewery Tap Room which is part of York Brwery? If not it is well worth a visit, don't let the outside fool you. www.york-brewery.co.uk/pubs_detail.php?p=11'" No, it's the one adjacent to York Railway Station (a Thornbridge pub).

Quote ="tigertot"Is this the York Brewery Tap Room which is part of York Brwery? If not it is well worth a visit, don't let the outside fool you. www.york-brewery.co.uk/pubs_detail.php?p=11'" No, it's the one adjacent to York Railway Station (a Thornbridge pub).

Oh aye, re-opened a year or 2 back. Gorgeous conversion.

Moorhouse's Pride of Pendle (Man & Scythe)
Moorhouse's Barristers Brief, Youngs Winter Warmer, SN Spitfire & SN Bishops Finger (Barristers Bar)

Bolton, Saturday (26/01/13) evening.

Just had a week of Bath Ales Gem 4.1% in the Drum - Gorgeous stuff.

Greene King IPA on now with Thwaites Lancaster Bomber due next to replace the Rev. James when that runs out.

Broadside and OP at The Harvey Arms at Finningley, both in top condition. Just one little gripe, get the log fire on more, when its a tad cool outside, and it would be a top notch boozer.

Oldham last Saturday evening after a trip to the Reebok ...

Greenfield Vanilla Stout 5.2%, Robinsons Roadrunner 4.0% & Moorhouses Black Cat 3.4% in the Up Steps (Wetherspoons).

Titanic Cappuccino 4.5% & Dark Star Original 5.0% in the Ashton Arms.

JW Lees The Govenor 3.8% in the Boat and Horses.

The Vanilla Stout and the Cappuccino were very nice as one-offs (couldn't drink them all night). The Dark Star brew was the best of the evening.

went on the trans-pennine trail yesterday,

staylybridge,station buffet,Brodies - citra,
greenfield "the railway",Millstone - tiger rut,
marsden "riverhead brewery tap",Riverhead - butterly bitter,
huddersfield "king's head",Pictish - claymore,Magic rock - curious,
dewsbury "west riding refreshment rooms",Taylors - dark mild,Dark star - hophead,
leeds "leeds brewery tap",Leeds - pale,

sheffield tap's own brewery "The tapped brewery' own beers are going to be unveiled on tuesday night,all being well i should be in there to sample them so i shall report back.

York last Friday evening following a swift pint of Marston Sweet Chariot in the White Swan at Deighton en-route;

Leeds Midnight Bell x 2 in Brigantes
Springhead The Leveller in the Punch Bowl (W'spoons)

York Saturday;

Theakston Black Bull Bitter, Golden Fleece
Bradfield Farmers Bitter, Blue Bell
York Centurion Ghost Ale, Last Drop Inn
Moorhouses Cold Spell *, Pivni WBF
Maxim Double Maxim, Golden Lion
Brains Captain Cat *, Old White Swan
Big River Windjammer *, Ye Olde Starre
Great Heck Peace & Love *, Guy Fawkes Inn

* 4 not previously sampled.

Not a poor drink all day

Thwaites Lancaster Bomber the latest Real Ale to be available in The Drum, Bentley.

Warrington on Saturday evening after the Reebok (intention to complete the pub crawl planned after the Dons victory at the HJ - it was incomplete that night due to the incessant rain) ...

Ring O'Bells - closed ... not a good start (but did at least get in that one last time)
Marquis of Granby ... Pedigree and Abbot (hopeful of better to follow)
Bulls Head ... Brains Bread of Heaven (very nice)
Tavern ... Butcombe Old Vic (also very nice)
Lower Angel ... Their own Tipsy Angel Winter Warmer (at 6% nice but only one required)
The Looking Glass (Wetherspoons) ... O'Hanlons Port Stout (again very nice)

A very enjoyable evening.