Our stroll along Bridport‘s main drag presented a mixed town with some oddly priced reading matter.
There’s a good string of pubs, not all of them Palmers either.
Next stop for us was the Greyhound. I assume we won’t see many Spoons in towns smaller than this in the future, so they are to be treasured. Particularly as they offer Mrs RM free WiFi and unlimited coffee refill while I sod off in search of Proper Pubs.
A decent (read: average for Spoons) range of ales, which everyone was ignoring in favour of Guinness and Carling. Perhaps it was Carling day.
I had a half of something called Poker Chips, a milk stout of some merit that might even have been local, and had a sense this would be a shoe-in for the Guide anywhere north of the Pennines except Newcastle. but I hated myself for not getting a Punk IPA.
On to the Tiger, just about the only Bridport Beer Guide pub I could have named, with barely a moment to admire the solid scenery.
Grief, it’s a long while since I saw a Devenish sign.
And it’s not that often I come across a Beer Guide pub as “earthy” as this. Perhaps more Boar’s Head than Winters, using the Stockport scale. Anyone who’s done the run of backstreet Southsea GBG pubs will know what to expect.
But that means you get a good group of Professional Drinkers at 4pm on a Monday, rather than the deserted barn you fear. And many of them are younger than me.
I ask what’s going fastest and get the Exeter County Best, a very cool and tasty BBB (NBSS 3.5). Part of me had hoped the Doom Bar was the best seller.
It’s an atmospheric little boozer with many characters already in situ, awaiting the BRAPA visit in 2022.
They were discussing a mate from Bedminster who didn’t like cheese.
“How can you not like cheese ? Cheese IS life”
“‘ee’s from the poncey part of Brizzle” was explanation enough.
Much of the conversation was rather more robust than that.
I explored the courtyard, which seemed to carry the threat of imminent homebrew, before the wistful strains of Nik Kershaw‘s “I won’t let the sun go down on me” dragged me back in the bar.
A wonderful little pub, as long as you love cheese.
retiredmartin 
You’ve got me curious as to what Devenish is. A pubco that used to be bigger than it is now? Couldn’t tell if you were glad to see one again, or not so much.
LikeLike
I’m no expert, but Devenish was a brewery in South West with complex history that closed early 90s, leaving some striking signage, particularly on pub walls.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Devenish was the biggest independent brewery in the South-West, although their beers were never particularly highly regarded by the cognoscenti. They had breweries in Weymouth and Redruth, Cornwall, and even had a few pubs in Swindon to cater for railway workers who had developed a taste for their beer when on holiday in Weymouth. They used to brew a barley wine called Crabbers’ Nip, which sounds more like a nasty disease.
Their demise at the hands of Michael Cannon in the late 80s and early 90s is, even by the standards of the brewing industry, an object lesson in how to destroy a company. Anyone remember the briefly faddish Newquay Steam Beer?
LikeLiked by 3 people
I told you Pub Curmudgeon would know, Mark !
LikeLiked by 2 people
Their impressive former brewery survives as the Brewer’s Quay shopping centre on the harbour in Weymouth.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks so much, for the detailed replies, friends! Sounds like one of those brewers from days gone by that is not much missed, even by folks who tend to wax nostalgic about the “good old days”.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Up the drizzled side street to..”
Was everybody at the church in the photo above this one?
“…the Tiger”
Looks pretty good from the outside.
“My beer not in a handle”
I like the Ind Coope mirror in the background.
“awaiting the BRAPA visit in 2022.”
(guffaw)
““‘ee’s from the poncey part of Brizzle” was explanation enough.”
Ah. I deduce that means Bristol. 😉
“A wonderful little pub, as long as you love cheese.”
No problem here! Goes great with beer. (thumbs up)
Cheers
LikeLike
I missed the Ind Coope mirror – good spot.
I hope you don’t expect a glossary, Russ ! To be fair, you’re probably more perceptive about the UK than my UK readers.
LikeLike
“To be fair, you’re probably more perceptive about the UK than my UK readers.”
Funny; PubHermit was saying something similar earlier. (LOL)
Cheers!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have much to thank Devenish Brewery for (leaving aside why a Mr Devenish ever thought he was going to cut it brewing beer in Dorset). For reasons best known to themselves, whilst other regional brewers merely stuck on the likes of Hofmeister, or something else from the Big Six, in their tied houses, to cater for the developing 70’s lager market, Devenish decided they could produce their own: Viking, they called it. As a (relatively) callow youth then, trying to find way into beer, lager appeared to be mostly drunk by ladies, in halves, mixed with lime or black current cordial. But one experiments. So one day, while visiting the south coast of my fair county, a pint of Viking was ordered. It was so utterly appalling my mind was instantly made up… real ale or cider from then on. Took another decade, and a lot of argument from a friend, that Pilsner Urquell might actually be worth trying, before could face another lager. But it still sets a standard, all these years later. Whenever have a beer that’s not too good, can just think back to the abomination that was Viking, and the World remains a less bad place.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Devenish were not alone in brewing their own lager in Dorset. Those of a certain age will remember Brock Lager by Hall and Woodhouse. It was equally vile.
LikeLike
I remember Sam Smiths lager – Ayingerbrau (apologies for the spelling, but it has been a while) which was average and, more locally, Davenports brewed Continental Lager which was quite good.
LikeLike
Interesting what one remembers and what one forgets. The existence of Brock had slipped mind until your reminder. Finding this fascinating record of a pub crawl conducted in 1980 ( http://www.ho-hum.demon.co.uk/salisbury_pubs/julie_atkinsons_pubcrawl.htm ), see they didn’t do just one lager, but two versions. The other was Brock Slimline (presumably low calorie given the name). That definitely don’t recall ever seeing.
LikeLike
A Hydes beer (Lowry) in deepest Dorsetshire ?!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bedminster was definitely NOT the posh part of Bristol when I lived there! I went back a couple of years ago and it is still NOT posh. Mind you, I couldn’t find my old hose because someone had painted all the houses different colours ad my grey house was now … not sure what colour. Maybe they have aspirations of Hotwells?
I’ve actually patted that Spaniel, the dogs owner is an early afternoon regular in The Tiger which is my favourite pub in the entire area, if only for the ever changing range of quality ales, mainly South West brews but occasionally top brewers from further afield e.g. Thornbridge.
Thankfully they don’t have to import stuff like Bass, Pedigree and Banks’s because they’ve got their own traditional, steady, average brewer in the form of Palmers. Mind you you do get what it says with Palmers – Palmers beer brewed by Palmers in Palmers brewery which is still owned by Palmers, and long may that heritage remain.
If you want I’ll lend you my history of Palmers Brewery, signed by the directors, two of whom are Palmers (or relations of). Let me know and I’ll bring it to Northants.
LikeLike
I think Bedminster is more eco-loon central than the posh bit.
LikeLike
Yes, it was quite a diverse place back in the early 80’s when I lived there. Nice and friendly though. The Windmill PH was at the end of our street and I spent many happy hours in there!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Richard,
Through the 1980s I often attended parties in Fraser Street, Bedminster, not far from Davenport’s Windmill but we didn’t tend to get out to the pubs with three firkins and shedloads of Wilkins cider in the house.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There was one on the main road with the casks of Courage on a shelf behind the bar, poured straight from the cask.
LikeLike
house not hose! Too many pints of OBB last night! Defo changed the recipe/hop varieties. You notice it more when you’ve been away a bit, and it’s as hoppy as fcuk and dry for a trad BBB, especially the first ones out of the cask. We were experimenting drinking half and half on Thursday – half out of the cask that was going to run out anytime soon and half out of the new replacement cask on the second pump. None of the brewery workers are saying anything but I’m getting knowing looks.
LikeLike
A great looking pub! Cheese is massively important in life! I’m liking your trend of asking what is selling the best…what happens if the barman/maid doesn’t know??
LikeLiked by 2 people
Then have the Doom Bar (really) 😉
LikeLike
Why have I got the feeling that dog is saying to the barman “And then I walked into this bar, and they were letting in cats. And even worse, kittens…”
LikeLiked by 1 person
My main memory of the Greyhound is that Tim was trialling fried potatoes as an alternative to his dreadful hash browns but they must have been too good to catch on.
I thought an “earthy” pub was one where someone had stolen the quarry tiles.
LikeLike
Beaminster, a few miles north of Bridport more likely than Bedminster, Bristol.
LikeLike
I always like it when someone comes along 5 years later with something interesting to say.
LikeLike