retiredmartin

I’m starting to catch up a bit now.  Back in Manchester, and a metro trip to Altrincham, the Chorlton of the South.

I’m a bit nervous saying this the day before the derby, but the tram was full of youngsters with City shirts.  Travelling to Altrincham,  The city is ours.

What an excellent sense of humour they have in Trafford;.

At 5pm on a Sunday the best Altrincham has to offer is walks through the graveyard and pubs.  No-one in their right mind would attempt to visit the indoor market on a Sunday afternoon.

All I needed was the one tick, at the inevitable modern beer bar I’d walked past a year ago.

Mrs RM nearly made me stop at a new bar that I thought was named after our favourite Canadian reader Rusti till I saw the whole sign.

But I always worry that places with “Tap” in their name will close early just to spite me, so I pressed on, leaving Mrs RM a mere 20 strides behind.

All you need to know about the Cheshire Tap can be deduced from the photo below;

Yes, bobble hats.

The thin shop conversion is a much derided symbol of east Cheshire. I like these places; there’d be nowhere for the millennials of Cheshire to go otherwise, and they provide jobs for carpenters and shiny metal makers.

And they provide plenty of the Evil Craft Keg that Mrs RM now demands. There is instant brand recognition when she sees the Beavertown and Tiny Rebel badges.

Tiny Rebel Clwb Tropicana is served in a Stowford glass but is otherwise perfect. This being a new tick, I have to drink an adequate Anarchy Blonde (NBSS 3) and declare that cask is dead. Or is it ?

Actually there seems to be more business in Champagne and late Sunday lunches scoffed to the accompaniment of an appropriately ’90s soundtrack of “My Favourite Game” and “This Is How It Feels (To Be City)”.

A first hearing in a UK pub of Lone Justice as well, which always sways my opinion.  No “My Sweet Lord” today, though.

Cosy and cheery, with some pleasing architectural touches.

We stepped out into an eerie Alty evening.

“What’s down there ?” said Mrs RM, pointing down Goose Green.

“Nothing for you” I said, desperately wanting to avoid a pointless return to Costello’s with its posing tables and homebrew.

Well, once again Mrs RM was right, with Costello’s redeeming itself on this occasion.  Perhaps all Beer Guide tickers should have to visit a pub twice; once on a busy Friday night and once at a quieter time.  Simon and Duncan would agree with that rule change.

I like the fact that this Dunham Massey pub sells Dunham Massey beers. So many small brewery bars these days seem compelled to add half a dozen guests and dilute the quality of their own range.

Their Big Tree was an outstanding easy drinking beer (NBSS 4), and combined with Mrs RM’s more challenging 7.2% Gold and a packet of Snyders, the experience overcame the non-traditional seating.

Excellent Alty-class (non-sweary) banter, Rod Stewart and the Faces and cheery service.  Mrs RM thought it was great.  I agreed with her.

But we hadn’t finished yet…