retiredmartin

 

I feel a bit “beery” writing about Huddersfield; wall-to-wall Chinook and Gose and Sorachi blah blah. As you know I don’t do “beer“, but Hudders, as we like to call it, had two new GBG ticks and the cheapest B&B for my latest midweek visit to the Etihad.

That B&B is the Ivy Green, possibly the only pub in Huddersfield not serving “Richard Coldwell approved craft”

Though of course local CAMRA only counts pubs actually within its treacherous ringroad as being in Huddersfield. My B&B (marked below) is in the well-known Moldgreen, and the Magic Rock Tap is top right in now world famous famous Birkby.

The B&B is clean and good value, the regulars clustered at the bar at 3pm areas friendly as the landlady, and Madonna’s “Borderline” was on the jukebox. Always a good sign.

“Sam’ll look after yer”.  Winks. “That’s her hubby”. Points to bloke drinking next to him.

Oddly they closed at 10.30pm, so I couldn’t review the John Smiths Smooth, but I might well stay again.

This blog celebrates our great shops as well as our weird pubs, and Hudders (sorry, Moldgreen) doesn’t disappoint.

Central “pure” Huddersfield is a bit of a disappointment, unless you live in Minneaplolis or Maidenhead in which case I guess it looks like the Eternal City.

Of the West Yorkshire towns, only Dewsbury is less striking.  Halifax is definitely the premier league town in terms of architecture round here.

Nice lion though.

In fact the highlight in town is the game of “Find the Pub“, in this case the new Mallinsons Tap.

The WhatPub App really struggles with locating The Corner, but luckily I have recent BRAPA and BeerLeeds posts to guide me to the East Berlin type bar above the health foods shop.

I’ve always wanted a view of the top floor of a Reeds Rains Estate Agents.

Mallinsons have provided some great beer over recent years, but also some duller examples in pubs that just add it to a huge range for credibility. As always, a cellarman can make or break your reputation.

I was expecting something like Major Tom’s, but Hudders clearly isn’t as youthful as Harrogate, and The Corner is geared up for a more mixed trade than I’d expected.

That’s a compliment.  I like pubs that cater equally for everyone, and The Corner was notable for groups of friends as ancient for me at the chintzy tables.

Perhaps the highest quality soundtrack of the year so far, alternating Dylan with Lou Reed.  Possibly this was for the OAP customers and the Dua Lipa comes on later, but I doubted it.

Loads of beers, of course,

but I had to have the commemorating the recent visit of Erlangen’s top pubbing swordsman. Even if it reminded me of the silver foil Panini stickers you couldn’t actually read.

It was in good nick (sorry), a solid NBSS 3.5, if not exactly life-changing.

As always, I was surprised to see so many guest ales on their own bar, and the emphasis on gin, keg and wine might seem to detract a bit from their cask.  But it was busy mid afternoon, and a group next to me spent £27 on champagne before they caught the train.

So a top quality modern brewery can run a bar where gentlefolk meet to discuss the pianist on the Titanic over champagne; sounds a proper pub to me.