Today prior to the Dons game at Leigh ...

The Fiddle I'th Bag, Burtonwood ... Thwaites Nutty Black (a nice easy start at just 3.3%)
The Cherry Tree, Culcheth ... Cottage MGA (a golden coloured bitter 4.0%)
Boathouse Inn, Astley Green ... Jennings Cumberland Ale.

Leeds last night ...

Whitelocks ... Great Heck Angel (a little too fruity for my taste)
Horse & Trumpet ... Naylors Black & Tan (a blend of Pinnacle Bitter and Pinnacle Porter 4.4% ... very nice)
Mr Foleys ... Saltaire Hazelnut Coffee Porter 4.6% (also very nice)
Victoria & Commercial ... Green Jack Trawlerboys Best Bitter 4.6% & Brains Captain Cat 4.2% (the former a little bland, the latter tasted for the second time in a couple of weeks and very enjoyable).

For the lovers of Cask Corner in the Town Centre, if you get a chance check out The Cooper & Griffin in Bawtry ( The Old Granby) Same ownership as the Cask but a lot smarter and warmer and no funny smell

, Eight handpulled, two Real Ciders and loads (50) different Foreign beers in the fridge.

Had a pint of Milestone Honey Porter in the Church House at Wath this evening. I always feel that their brews are a little bland (for my taste at least).

Bolton last Saturday evening after the Reebok ...

Spinning Mule ... Robinson's Unicorn & Old Bear Brewery Hibernator
Man and Scythe ... Moorhouses Pride of Pendle
Barristers Bar ...Moorhouses Barristers Brief & St Austell Ruck & Roll

Enjoyed the Hibernator (I'm sure it's been on at one of the W'spoons festivals previously). The St Austell brew was new to me and exceeded expectations.

Doncaster yesterday ... Real Ale and Cheltenham Day 1

...

Tut & Shive ... Belhaven Grand Slam 4.0%
Gatehouse ... O'Hanlons Port Stout 4.8% & Acorn Bullseye 4.5%
Angel ... Grafton Brewing Co Lady Ruby 4.5% % & SN Bishops Finger 5.0%
Cask Corner ... Milestone Rich Ruby 4.5%

then back locally for Brains Rev James & Thwaites Lancaster Bomber ....

A winning day!

Had a couple of pints of Theakston Paradise Ale 4.2% in the Leopard on Saturday evening. Not my favourite Theakston brew by any stretch but nice enough.

Prior to the Dons game v Swinton ...

Jolly Nailor, Atherton ... Allgates Jolly Nailor Pride of Atherton 3.9%
Pendle Witch, Atherton ... Moorhouses Premier Bitter 3.7%
Atherton Arms, Atherton ... Holts Bitter 4.0%

A very enjoyable interlude

Just had my last pint in the Drum (Bath Gem) ... Pub closes today.

A sign of the times, unfortunately.

Last Night (Sheffield) ...

Bath Hotel ... Thornbridge Baize 5.5%
Swim Inn ... Bradfield Famers Stout 4.5%
Red Deer ... The Rev James 4.5%
Dada ... Thornbridge Lord Marples 4.0%
Wig & Pen ... Wentworth Wig & Pen 3.8%

Carlton (post match) ... Wentworth Oyster Stout 4.8% (x2)

Southwell yesterday ...

The Final Whistle;
Everards Tiger 4.2%
Leatherbritches Cad 4.0%
Fullers London Pride 4.1%
Blue Monkey Sanctuary 4.1%
Leatherbritches Bounder 3.8%
Navigation Stout 4.4%

Admiral Rodney;
Sharps Doom Bar 4.0% (x2)

Horwich yesterday (pre-Football) ...

Crown Hotel ... Holts Bitter & Abbot Ale
Original Bay Horse ... Black Edge Black Port
Queens Head ... Caledonian Golden XPA

The latter (not unsurprisingly) wasn't totally to my taste but it was the only one available in that pub. The Black Edge Black Port 4.9% (brewed in Horwich) was by far the best drink of the day ... a dark ale with a hint of port.

Wetherspoons International Real Ale Festival kicks off today and runs until April 21.

Started with the Red Lion tonight .... they had the Brains brew on ... happy days ...

Red Lion;
Brains Willy Nilly 4.0%
Wadworth 6X Anniversary Ale 6.0%
Batemans Mocha 6.0%

Angel;
No festival ales but they did have Thornbridge McConnels Vanilla Stout 5.0%

Gatehouse;
Corfu Ionian Coffee Porter 4.5%
Lodewijk's Fly By Night 4.2% (Netherlands)

Bury last night ... concentrated on the Wetherspoons /Lloyds ...

Robert Peel;
Adnams Abbey Ale 5.0%
Belhaven Black 4.2%
Marstons Single Hop Pacific Gem 4.0%

Art Picture House;
Shepherd Neame New World Pale Ale 4.0%
Moorhouses Amber Rambler 4.8%
Corfu Ionian Coffee Porter 4.5%
Batemans Mocha 6.0%
(the last 2 for the second time in a few days)

Swinton / Worsley today ...

White Horse (Swinton) ... Greene King IPA 3.6%
Bridgewater Hotel (Worsley) ...George Wright Brewing Company Pipe Dream 4.3%

Wetherspoons Festival again last night (Doncaster) ...

Red Lion;
Caledonian Brewers Passion 4.6%
Oakwell Barnsley Bitter 3.8% (non-Festival ale)

Angel;
Central City Red Racer IPA 6.5% (Canada)
Moorhouses Amber Rambler 4.8%

Gatehouse;
Pivovar Koconik Vivat Bohemia 4.4% (Czech Republic)
Titanic Molly Brown Ale 4.6%

I had a can of Johns before I left the house

Thanks for your input





Seriously though, If you do manage to get a break (not easy I understand at the moment), ales for all tastes in the various W'spoons currently.

Last night, Doncaster, more Festival Ales ...

Red Lion;
Daleside Spring Tide 4.7%
Deschutes Twilight Pale Ale 5.0% (USA)

Angel;
Moorhouses Amber Rambler 4.8% (x3) Yep, I like this one



Gatehouse;
Good George Pacific Pearl 5.5% (NZ)
O'Hanlon's Red Ale 4.5%

Out and about today ...

Wharncliffe Arms (Wharncliffe Side) ... Bradfield Ye Olde English Ale 4.6%
The Plough (Low Bradfield) ... Bradfield Farmers Plough 4.1%
Church House (Wath) ... Mauldons Blackberry Porter 4.8%
Boat Inn (Sprotbrough) ...St Austell Proper Job 4.5%

Monday evening Doncaster W'spoons ...

Angel;
Corfu Ionian Coffee Porter 4.5%
Lodewijk's Fly By Night 4.2% (x2)

Gatehouse;
Wolf Tasmanian Wolf 5.0%
Everards Malty Tasker 5.0%

and later in the Tut n Shive ...
Wadworth St George & The Dragon 4.5%

Premier (Wetherspoons) in Widnes Friday night ...

Seemed incredibly disorganised (even allowing for the fact that it was a Wetherspoons) ... Only one festival ale on and that had (Available Soon on it

) and one pump that a number of the staff tried to pull drinks from where there was no beer and yet there was a pump clip advertising one of the festival ales.

The one they did have was Devils Backbone American Amber 4.8% (USA).

Sat night Angel/Gatehouse for the festival. Enjoyed the beer but a bit loud in the Angel.