retiredmartin

August is the cruellest month.  I expected the new Beer Guide last Friday, but I now won’t see it till I get back from End of the Road festival next Monday.  Simon will have completed it by then.

Helped by a blitz of the Welsh coast in our campervan, 51 new Guide pubs were visited in the month, most of those across all the Welsh chapters (I hesitate to call them counties).  Mrs RM helped me drink in a lot of those, in case you were worried.  I’ll publish the final tallies for the 2016 Beer Guide Year next week.

Wales is a beautiful country with friendly people and some characterful pubs. Beer quality was as good in Wales (and Cheshire) as anywhere, even in the heat.

Pub of the Month – the Pilot, Mumbles

A window to the Gower, Modern Toss and Beer Guides on the bookshelves, superlative Bass. Nothing more is needed.  Except Joe’s ice cream.

The Friends Arms in Carmarthen was pretty perfect too.  Just needed that Bass.

Beer of the Month – Moor’s So’Hop in Chester’s Cellar

though Mrs RM’s Benny Havens from the same folk was possibly even better.

Discovery of the Month -Barmouth.  Birmingham seemed to have made this discovery before me.

Closer to Birmingham, Bewdley continues to get a healthy number of day-trippers, but on a night out there I rediscovered the joy of Banks’s Mild on electric dispense. No match for the Batham’s, mind.

In September, I shall probably be sitting by the door waiting for the postman. If the Guide ever comes, I’ll start planning campervan trips to Scotland.