Odd one this. The GBG records that I visited the Olde Cottage in Chester a fair few years ago and found the beer distinctly average.
So why make a special return trip, on a busy day ticking new Merseyside pubs ?
Because they keep bombarding me with tweets like this,
that’s why. And Mudgie said I couldn’t go to Chester and not pop in to sample some bland beer.
Luckily for me, and them, it was also superb beer.
Otter is a bit of a bellwether pint for me, superb in good boozers, dull in gastropubs. This was cool, foamy, and tasty (NBSS 4). Perhaps not the flat pint you’d get in Luppitt, mind.
You might be a bit surprised to see what I forsook for the Otter, mind.
There’s one bar but a multitude of areas to hide or mix, and I took my little pint of Otter on an exploratory tour of the pub.
It’s a drinking mens’ pub, with top banter about ailments competing with young lads checking Spurs scores and some traditional pub sports for my attention.
It ended, as all things must,with a trip to the Gents, where I was delighted to see the Cottage promoting CAMRA clothing and craft beer.
I suspect I’ll be back here, you know. We can park our campervan in the riverside car park overnight,
Now put the Bass on, already.
retiredmartin 
So your didn’t resist their bland-ishments? Don’t know whether to admire all these revisits or not but sounds good and agree with you about Otter- big variation in quality.
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Revisits and beer festivals are a sign of weakness ! However, last night did the High Newton pub and resisted the lure of the Ship at Low Newton by the Sea as the sun set. Can’t complain !
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Back in God’s country again?!
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Oh yes. Morpeth and up the coast to the Newtons, kipper in Craster. No better way to end a 7 hour car journey 😱
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How could you ignore The Ship?
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Good question. Mrs RM needs to learn to drink quicker (we’d have been locked out of our hotel in Melrose if we’d been 5 minutes later).
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“The GBG records that I visited…”. Do they have one of those symbols in the Guide now that indicates “RM drank here” – or even “RM recommends here” ?
On a totally different note, how many establishments are in your top 100 currently ? I think it was 327 when the subject was last raised, but I guess that both promotions and relegations can skew the figure over time.
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439 now, Fred. Do keep up. I was a creative accountant, you know 😉
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Just heard Danny Gabbidon describe a “Tight and cagey half” at the Liberty Stadium on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Rev James through a sparkler maybe ?
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Boom !
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I’m surprised you left
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“It ended, as all things must,with a trip to the Gents” –One of your all-time great lines! I am astonished you didn’t get the Plum Porter; you must’ve just been in an Otter mood that day?
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Otter is my benchmark beer (along with Bass), good measure of a pub. Also easier to keep drinking after Otter than a rich Plum Porter, if that makes sense.
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A pint of Otter in a Courage glass? Personally I prefer neutral pint glasses.
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The Rock and Roll Bingo they hold on a Sunday night is top entertainment. I’ve got a loyalty card for here even though I live 200 miles away.
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Grief !
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