Brew York Tonkoko 4.3%, in the Queens, Doncaster at the weekend ...

A dark brown stout. Described as Bounty in a glass, it's hard to disagree. Chocolate, coconut, lactose and vanilla. Sweet and delicious.

Dunham Massey Chocolate Cherry 3.8%, in the Lower Angel, Warrington last night ...

A red / brown mild with a cherry aroma. Flavours are cherry, milk chocolate plus hints of caramel and liquorice. Very pleasant.

Just returned from a couple of very enjoyable days in Anglesey, based in Beaumaris.

The places which serve real ale in Beaumaris are mainly hotel bars such as the Castle Court (our base), the Bulkeley Hotel, the Liverpool Arms Hotel & Ye Olde Hull's Head. There was however a Robinsons pub, the George & Dragon.

Most enjoyable drinks of the week were ...

Hancocks HB 3.6%, a best bitter, in Ye Olde Bull's Head.
JW Lees Tan Y Ddraig 4.0%, a variation on their best bitter, in the Bulkeley Hotel.
Robinsons Stout 4.2%, in the George & Dragon.

Whilst in Anglesey, a visit had been arranged to the Druid Brewery in Penysarn, a village overlooked by Parys Mountain.

This cottage brewery was born out of the proprietors love of home brewing and the local demand for their ales and ciders.

Ales sampled were ...

The Raven 4.9%, a very nice Oatmeal Stout with chocolate and coffee flavours evident along with the oatmeal.

Renaissance Porter 6.5%, a chocolate influenced porter who's flavour and potency become more apparent as you progress. Also very nice.

Highlights of Saturday's visit to London ...

West Berkshire Good Old Boy 4.0%, a nice and malty best bitter in the Depot near Caledonian Road tube station.

Golden Arsenal Session 3.8%, a malty and pleasant session ale in the Arkstar adjacent to Holloway Road tube station.

Orkney Dark Island 4.6%, an old favourite and a dark ale with chocolate, coffee and dark fruit flavours in Spouters Corner, Wood Green.

A few recently enjoyed ales ...

White Rose Buddha The Stout 4.8%, jet black in colour, chocolate, coffee, berries and spice, in the Queens, Doncaster. Very nice!

White Rose Best Bitter 4.3%, a mid-brown best bitter. Some roasted malt, caramel and fruit. A smooth quaffable drink (also in the Queens).

Old Mill La Bolsa 4.5%, a dark brown coffee porter, in the Marketplace Alehouse and Deli, Doncaster. Chocolate & coffee, some roasted malt and toffee. Nice if slightly on the thin side for a porter.

Lymestone Stonefish Mild 4.4%, in the Lower Angel, Warrington. Surprisingly pours amber. Some chocolate & malt, biscuit, toffee, banana plus a subtle nuttiness. Ticks a lot of boxes.

Enjoyed a few decent ales in the Lower Angel, Warrington on Wednesday evening ...

Cross Bay Two - Four 4.0%, a sweet brown ale, referred to as Canadian due to the maple in it. Nutty by virtue of pekan. Very nice.

Blackedge Dark Rum 4.6%, an excellent rum infused porter.

I also had the best pint of Brains The Rev. James I've had for quite some time.

Highlights of an evening in Sheffield yesterday ...

Thornbridge Ena 4.6% and Thornbridge Lord Marples 4.0% in the Bath Hotel. The former is a mahogany coloured sweet milk stout with chocolate, lactose and malt combining beautifully. The latter one of my favourite best bitters.

The Bath Hotel is now a Thornbridge pub.

Hardy & Hanson's Olde Trip 4.3%, in the Frog & Parrot. Another old favourite, a best bitter, sometimes referred to as a premium ale. This has biscuit, caramel and toffee amongst its flavours.

Chantry Iron & Steel 4.0%, a malty best bitter with caramel and toffee flavours, was on Good form in the Tut n Shive, Doncaster last night.

We also popped in to see Dave & Ruth in the (Little) Plough next door following their move from the Corner Pin. A delayed first night there for them and the situation at the pub currently is a complicated mess in truth. Hopefully, all will be resolved quickly.

Is Nick still the owner Gary or have Dave and Ruth taken over completely?

Nick is still the owner with Dave & Ruth taking over the management of the pub.

Thanks.

While in Paphos Cyprus last week found a pub with Wadworth IPA
A very nice drink as well, don't know if anyone has come across it here anywhere?

Not one I've had although I have had their Burnt Orange IPA, as part of the Wetherspoons Autumn 2018 Festival, which was nice. I'm also a fan of the brewery's 6X (An amber ale).

The guy who runs the pub is cypriot and the pub is called The White Hart just over from the Alexander the Great Hotel
about 100yds on, on the left going away from the harbour end, if anyone is there and fancies trying it.
Enjoyed quite a few on several occasions, decent price as well @ 3 euros

Parkway Brewing Co. The Powerplay Ale 4.3%, as sampled in the Lower Angel, Warrington ... A chocolate and malty brown ale. One of those ales I could happily drink all evening.

Highlights from Leeds, pre-Hunslet fixture yesterday ...

Midnight Bell 4.8%, in the Leeds Brewery Tap. One of my favourite ales. A malty and chocolate influenced dark premium mild.
The Tap is always worth a visit and is close to the Railway Station. The bar area is slightly on the narrow side but there is additional seating upstairs. There are generally 8 real ales available, 4 from the Leeds Brewery. Food is also available.

Burnt Mill Destiny Wave 5.4% and Saints Row Even Drop 5.5% in Tapped. The former, a rather expensive £7.70 per pint (advertised at £3.85 per half) is a coffee flavoured porter with quite a potent kick. The latter, which was less than half the price, was for me, the better drink and a very nice Oatmeal Stout with chocolate, coffee, roasted malts and dried fruit flavours.
Tapped, a short walk from the Railway Station, is a large modern glass-fronted beer and food emporium with an excellent choice of cider, real and European ales. Tapped's Pizzas are very popular.

London Brewing Co. Flying The Mags 3.8%, in the Scarbrough
Hotel. A mild with some chocolate, although not overpowering, roasted malts and a hint of honey. Quite a pleasant drink.
The Scarbrough is close to the Railway Station and is a spacious old style boozer owned by Nicholsons, which usually has a least six real ales. Food is also available.

The Backyard Brewhouse Jamestown Porter 5.4%, in the Lower Angel, Warrington on Tuesday evening ...
Pours black with a brown-tinged head. Described as a robust porter and the chocolate & coffee are very evident. Very nice indeed.

Highlights of an afternoon in Sheffield yesterday ...

Pheasantry Mikado Mild 5.0%, in the Bankers Draft, pours dark brown, flavours include chocolate, coffee, caramel and dark fruits. Enjoyed once more.

Thornbridge Lord Marples 4.0%, in the Bath Hotel, one of my favourite best bitters.

Ashover 1910 Porter 5.0%, in the Red Deer, a sweet dark brown porter with caramel, chocolate and coffee flavours, some fruit and just a hint of liquorice. Very nice.

Totally Brewed Crazy Like A Fox 4.5% and Bad Co. Dark Necessities 5.5%, in the Sheffield Tap. The former is a very decent bitter which pours burnt orange and has bready malts fruit and a hint of caramel. The latter, a milk stout which unsurprisingly pours dark brown. A nice malty base complimented by lactose, caramel and vanilla. Very nice.

Highlights of an afternoon in York yesterday ...

Kodiak Colada 6.1%, in the Last Drop Inn, pours black with a biege head. Subtle coconut aroma. Flavours, tropical fruit and coconut are subtle too. Despite the ABV, this is very drinkable.
The Last Drop Inn, one of three pubs previously owned by York Brewery in the City centre is now owned (as the Brewery is) by Black Sheep. York Brewery ales are still served. One of the three pubs, the Yorkshire Terrier is now closed.

Cromarty Pibroch 7.0%, in Pivni, a Scottish ale which pours dark brown. Bready malts, burnt toffee, caramel, dark fruits plus a hint of spice. Absolutely wonderful!
Pivni is a three storey timber framed building and one of my favourite alehouses in York. As well as cask ales, craft beers, bottled beers and ciders are available. Bar snacks (local pork pies) are also available.

Timothy Taylor Ram Tam 4.3%, in the York Tap, my favourite TT brew, roasted malts, toffee and winter fruits. Excellent.
York Tap is a must visit for fans of cask ale. Generally there are 18 on offer, with something for all tastes. The building is the former York station tea rooms.

Finally found it and am enjoying it whilst watching Warrington v St Helens.

£1 per bottle in B&M.

Highlights from Coventry on Saturday evening ...

Gatehouse Tavern: A proper real ale pub with half a dozen real ales and a grassed beer garden (reputedly the only one in the City Centre). The beer sampled was a local brew, Church End Grave Digger's Ale 3.8%. Pours clear brown with a red tint. Some malt, coffee, cocoa and a little liquorice. A very pleasant mild.

Town Wall Tavern: A traditional boozer, again with half a dozen ales. Unusual in that it has a small snug at the front called the Donkey Box. Beers sampled were all familiar ones, Purity UBU, Brains The Rev. James and Theakston Best Bitter. We stayed a while as the Jukebox was available

A couple of noteworthy ales in Doncaster on Monday evening ...

The Salutation: Fuggle Bunny (Chapter 4) 24 Carrot 6.0%, a golden coloured strong IPA with a floral and citrus aroma. Flavours are similar with some malt, spice and dark fruits. I enjoyed this.

The (Little) Plough: Courage Directors 4.8%, an old favourite, malty & fruity and full of flavour. Now brewed by Eagle Brewery, Bedford (the former Charles Wells brewery).

Highlights from Leeds on Tuesday afternoon (pre-Eagles concert) ...

Scarbrough Hotel (see earlier on this page): Little Critters Sleepy Badger 4.5%, a smokey oatmeal stout with coffee and honey influences. Always enjoyable.

Head of Steam (part of the Cameron's / Head of Steam chain in what at one time was Spencer's. Usually 8 or 9 real ales on offer): Brew York Tonkoko 4.3%, a Bounty in a glass (see page 75).

Becketts Bank (popular Wetherspoons between the railway station and the Headrow): Leeds Midnight Bell 4.8%, this really is one of my favourites, a stunning premium dark mild. Roasted malts, biscuits, chocolate, fruit & nuts. Wonderful!

Foley Taphouse (formerly Mr Foleys and situated on the Headrow, this is technically a Black Sheep house but features more beers from the recently acquired York Brewery): Pentrich Brewing Co. Glass Half Empty 5.0%, a dark milk stout. Roasted malts, coffee and lactose combine. Quite nice.

The Victoria Hotel (or to give it it's full title, the Victoria Family & Commercial Hotel, is a Grade 2 listed building with a Victorian interior, located near to the Town Hall. 5 real ales are generally available and the food is decent too!): Ridgeside Brewing Co. Milky Joe 5.6%, A very nice Coffee Stout with a coffee aroma and chocolate, coffee, demerara and lactose flavours.

O/T but I hope Gary that you were on the last race winner at Chester today.