Not that “Bass”, unless Sir Hew Hamilton-Dalrymple, has a secret stash across the water from North Berwick.
My Dad had been to North Berwick to play golf, so he was one up on me. He never told me about the other “tourist attraction” in town. I’ve no idea what beer they store under the “Law”.
You can tell North Berwick has a station, as the town looked a bit like Southwold without the pashminas as Scotland enjoys its annual heatwave. As a place best known for the recent witch trials (stylised wytche tryles), I didn’t linger lest a cow start to follow me too, but just got my ticks and caught the next train back to civilisation.
Lothian has two chances to show it can keep cask. And it took them.
Nether Abbey Hotel is the modern gastro hotel that BRAPA loves so much, with absolutely no bar room drama and lots of late lunchers in the conservatory.
Sensationally, at least two beers you’ve heard of, too. I choose the Broughton to be contrary, and it’s cool and tasty NBSS 3.
But it’s not really a place for the drinker.
Unlike the Ship.
Russ and Pub Curmudgeon were noting the similarity of these Scottish towns with Continental Europe, and the Ship is the sort of open plan, dark wood, ephemera heavy bar you’d find in Denmark or Sweden.
Filled with tourists, and entertaining locals with the “Arsene Excuse Channel”.
And, just as you breathe a sigh of relief when you see Oakham Citra on a bar in England, so it is with Jarl here.
Some of the best beer of the trip, and the first one I was able to finish. Result !
retiredmartin 
“Not that “Bass”, unless Sir Hew Hamilton-Dalrymple, has a secret stash across the water from North Berwick.”
If I could afford my own island, that would be definitely something to consider. 🙂
“Secret flat Bass stash ?”
Hmmm. Looks a bit like the place near where I worked in the Charlottes (Haida Gwaii now apparently); rumour has it we had aircraft hidden there. 🙂
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tow_Hill
“Nether Abbey Hotel is the modern gastro hotel”
And from the photo they have those trees located to keep people out?
“Russ and Pub Curmudgeon were noting the similarity of these Scottish towns with Continental Europe”
Awww… shucks. 🙂
“so it is with Jarl here.”
Would’ve been my choice; although the Dechaurs is in the top ten for UK sales according to Boak and Bailey. 😉
“Result !”
You climbed North Berwick Law? 😉
Cheers
PS – “has two chances to be show it can keep cask.”
Something’s amiss there. 😉
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Badly amiss.
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Underneath that Bass Rock is more untapped Draught Bass than Dudley & Wolverhampton Breweries have ever made. You would be ‘like a pig in muck’ out there. I have bought you a one way ticket to Bass Rock and posted it to Christine, I’m sure she will give it to you immediately she opens it.
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The world’s biggest repository of Bass, guarded by the world’s largest Northern Gannet colony, covered by the world’s biggest pile of Gannet s**t. The 8th Wonder of the World?
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Sounds like a scene from that Sinbad film. Works for me.
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It maters not that the Gannets have been brewing it, anyone can brew Bass. It’s just that not being brewed in Burton the Bass aficionados will not touch it. They are so Bass sensitive that their tongues can detect, split and spit the Burton brewed component from the Wolverhampton brewed component in a pint of Bass – 9th Wonder of The World!
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I wondered what the white top on Bass Rock was – obviously no connection with the foaming head on a pint of Bass then…
:0
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Those white deposits represent other rubbish beer brands trying to erode the position of the One True Beer.
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Can’t argue with that…
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Bass rocks 😄🔺
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“Bass rocks 😄🔺”
(slow golf clap)
Well done sir! 🙂
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Doffs cap…
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Isn’t Bass Rock a craft beer brewery? Got to use that guano as a flavouring for something. If not beer possibly the local upmarket handwash?
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Very glad you got the good beer that was your due– must have tasted all the better!
Love the photos, really captured the feel of these places. I’ll give them bonus points for using interesting objects to obscure the fact that they’ve got a Heineken mirror on the wall. 😉
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Thanks Mark ! My phone camera was full so I struggled to take photos. Definitely worth a visit.
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Brilliant blog, just brilliant !
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