Back in Cardiff with an hour ’till Architects finished destroying my son’s ears, and no new GBG pubs to chase down, as the aforementioned Aberdare was a bit out of reach.
A quick look at WhatPub and it jumped out at me; a Head of Steam pre-emptive. They’ve made the Guide immediately in Sunderland, York, Newcastle, Sheffield and now Hull, which no doubt guarantees this will have been a wasted pint.
The streets were a bit quiet; they’re not as tough here as they are in Newport.
Some hardy drinkers smokers braved the drizzle.
On the one hand, HoS are giant open plan bars, strong on the beer range but lacking in lived-in character. Like a Wetherspoons crossed with North Bar (that’ll annoy our Leeds correspondent).
Where they’ve been busy (Sheffield, Leeds) I’ve warmed to them. A good mix of drinkers, beers you’ve heard of, proper glasses.
Oh, and CAMRA discount (advertised). Always helps, apparently. Brought the Strongarm under £4, but not under £3. #SaveCask.
I took my pint for a little walk around the floors to warm up, and enjoy the sight of mature students playing board games.
Plenty of beer being drunk, most of it foreign (I guess that includes the Strongarm), but it wasn’t packed. Dryanuary and Skintuary take their toll.
Indie disco alternated with Fleetwood Mac’s “Tango In The Night“, a jarring mix I liked.
An excellent foamy but smooth pint of Camerons (NBSS 3.5); I can’t imagine this being served flat.
The only thing lacking was a bit of Northern grit in the pub. I was dreaming of a return trip to Hartlepool on a Friday night by the time I got to the lacings.
retiredmartin 
You must have noticed the red equilateral triangle three-quarters of the way across and just over half way up your map. I stayed there in April 2017.
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I think all Youth Hostels should be compelled to serve Draught Bass, since they’ve stolen the symbol.
I hope you found plenty of good Brains, even with the Vulcan long gone.
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Yes, Martin, but I don’t know how those pesky Japanese could ever make amends to Brasso.
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Yes, Brains in the Old Arcade, Cottage, Cambrian Tap and Yard – and Felinfoel Double Dragon in the Brewhouse.
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Can never have too much cheese.
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Correct.
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I challenge you to the cannonball of mozzarella, brought to us each in Rome.
As a starter.
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I like head of steam as a chain one of better ones on my Brum experience
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Same standards as Ember but with younger drinkers and more interesting beers. Often multilevel pubs as well.
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Yes, Camerons’s Heads Of Steam have moved on quite a bit from Tony Brookes’s from 1994
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Thats a very good comparison 👍
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