Interesting reading Boak & Bailey’s recent post on their move from Cornwall (“Craft Central” to you and me) to the cask desert that is Bristol, and their anticipation at discovering their new local. I hope all goes well on both fronts.
Our nearest pub, in Waterbeach, is rather taken for granted, I’m sorry to say. That’s more to do with being perpetually on the move than the Sun being anything other than a high quality local. If I lived next to the Boar’s Head or the Marble Arch I doubt I’d visit them as much as you’d expect.
As so often, it takes a visit from a stranger to get you to reassess your home town again. Perennial curry mate Charles tipped up for a pint and Indian, both of which Waterbeach do well for a backwater Fen village.
Last time we popped in, the Sun offered Wherry, Broadside and a guest, which is fair enough for a Punch house.
“What’s that shiny blue tap” said Mrs RM, eyes lighting up.
“Grief. It’s Punk IPA. In Waterbeach” Cambridge still doesn’t have a BrewDog bar.
Clearly, as a CAMRA stalwart, I had the Mosaic, shameful Adnams glass and all. It was tremendous (NBSS 4), surviving our heatwave well. But I also nicked half of Mrs RM’s BrewDog, never a good idea. Charles also succumbed to the evil keg. I let them polish off the Sun’s legendary hot nuts.
But it was Twisted, a potent little Woodfordes 7% IPA that reminded me of Headcracker, that won the night. Wherry often disappoints, and you wouldn’t drink Twisted in pints (unless you’re Mrs RM and Charles), but this was a clear winner of a beer.
Charles was impressed, and even more so with a wondrous Chicken Dhansak at Bollywood Spice, the improbably named curry house at the end of our lane.
Because we’re classy, we finished with Aldi’s finest and Ecclefechan tart direct from Ecclefechan. We may have exceeded both units and calorie allowances.
Punk is a favoured beer for Mrs RM, and it needed the flimsiest excuse to pop back a week later to make sure it was still on. This was the line-up when we popped in on Friday;
Obviously creatures of habit, we both had Punk again. And hot nuts.
But what you need to know is rather astonishing.
The next 10 pints served from the lounge bar were all cask. A range of folk, mainly couples across the age ranges, came in and kept the Black Sheep, Sheps and Batemans pumps whirring, early on a Friday evening.
While we set there enjoying our keg.
retiredmartin 
And you should feel very very guilty.
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We do what we can to support independent brewers in remote Aberdeenshire, particularly those who produce a high quality, consistent range.
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Pretty normal for a middle class pub, no?
I hardly ever see people order anything else. You obviously spend to much time in these camra places that mainly sell lager.
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Guilty on the last point. Clearly the Sun isn’t a CAMRA type place or it wouldn’t be selling so much cask from family breweries !
I see a lot of Punk drunk from bottles, but the emergence on tap is a good thing. Wonder
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Wonder if it will ever make Cottenham ?
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I find the Adnams Mosaic, if well kept, a pleasant easy going drink, yet I find Punk IPA, a long time favourite, less pleasing these days. I had some on draught in North Street Brewdog on Saturday (NB we have two in Leeds) it was ‘only alright’ as we say up here. On the other hand the Brewdog Cloudwater New England IPA V.2 was much more interesting. One of their straplines is ‘Craft Beer for the masses’ (or something like that), and I believe Punk has now been tailored to suit the masses and tempt some brave Lagerboys into drinking it. If you ever get a Brewdog in Cambridge then I would strongly advise you to stick to the small batch/short run brews.
I believe you are correct in reassessing your locality, okay it’s not Yorkshire, not everywhere can be perfect, but I am particularly fond of the reedy waterscape of the fens and find it quite beautiful once you get off the beaten track.
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I disagree on both counts there, Richard. Mrs RM says Punk is as good as ever so it must be. The Fens are flat. Your village, I do like a lot.
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We can agree on the Adnams Family Mosaic then?
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The Adnams Family, yes.
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It must be really good if you think where you live is perfect,but then most Yorkshiremen are proud of where they live.
I do not mind living in Stapleford even if it is a bit rough and i would never like to live in Clifford where you live,far too quite for our liking,we see police helecopters quite a bit and sirens going off and it is only 25 minutes into the middle of Nottingham on bus,a city we love.
I like the Fens,as they are so different to any other areas in the UK.
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Nowt wrong with Nottingham and Notts mate.
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We used to drink bottles of Punk IPA at home,the wife got them from Tesco’s years ago before they had any crap pubs,once it became more mainstream and more expensive my wife stopped buying them.
It is a very nice drink out of the bottle though.
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It is indeed.
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