retiredmartin

I realise most folk reading this are drinking 10.75% Brown DIPAs in soulless halls in Manchester or Cambridge at the moment. I’ve just had a pint of John Smiths in front of a roaring fire, listening to old Yorkshiremen talking guff.  I win.

We thought we’d found yet another publican doing their own version of Dryanyary, but luckily the Mason’s Arms in Ackworth only looks closed because they’ve stuck insulation board in half the windows.

Ackworth hasn’t yet developed the craft culture of West Yorks neighbour Huddersfield, but as the local CAMRA mag reminds me, it’s got a 100% cask record, seven decent pubs.

Plenty of Ossett and Bradfield, but also FOUR places holding on to cask John Smiths. Sadly in a Smooth glass in the Mason’s, but that’s life.

That fire is as fearsome as it looks, a clutch of old gents had clearly been waiting at the door for 1.30pm opening, and the John’s was as challenging as it gets. Not quite as good as in Gee Cross, but not far off.

I doubt Mrs RM would have ventured in here on her own, but the “offer of the day” on Prosecco nearly won her over.

Beer of the day.