Three pubs to visit in Brighton & Hove (Albion) to finish East Sussex, so I’d picked the reliable if dingy Travelodge in Preston Park.
The walk through Brighton suburbia toward Hove is alternative tourism at its best.
On the way I tried to make sure I didn’t hear the City v Chelsea score, as I like to replay the games on Teletext later. Oddly, I NEVER watch City games on TV if I can’t go.
Just as I arrived at the Blind Busker, there was a mass exodus of Chelsea fans. They looked grumpy, but you can’t read much into that so I had to wait the 2 seconds to see one of the 47 TV screens to confirm a Cup victory that will guarantee our place in next season’s Europa Cup.
Inside, a dozen stragglers at the bar, waiting for expert analysis from Danny Murphy, or else next week’s Six Nations game, whoever plays in that.
There’s a rugger themed beer (inevitably Batemans) cowering behind the Amstel glass, but otherwise what a joyful sight !
My notes clearly say “Harvey’s, Estrella Glass, nice, 3.5” so that must have been hiding too. Certainly looks like the Sussex Best.
Just about the best beer of the day as it turned out, in a lager glass in a Stonegate pub with high seating and burger offers.
It restores your faith in the Beer Guide selection process, it really does.
On the big screen, a City-supporting Dad and his son were cheering as every City player collected their first winners medal for, ooh, twelve weeks. It made me feel at home (Ancoats not Waterbeach).
I stayed to watch replays of Raheem Sterling’s winning penalty. Top bins indeed.
Nice daffs too.
retiredmartin 
Don’t get these pubs that put six different types of the same beer style OTB?
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Well I agree with you there. In Lewes, there’ll be strong loyalty to Harvey’s but I can’t imagine any of those beers being must haves for the sports and burger crowd.
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Which Bitter would you like Sir/Madam?
Er … I thought I’d fancy a nice Golden ale … do you have one of those?
No. Just Bitter, Bitter, Bitter, Bitter, Bitter and er … Bitter.
I get fed up with Bitter. Do you have a nice Porter, A Stout … something dark?
Ruby Bitter, Amber Bitter, Light Bitter and … Dark Bitter. Lovely, dark Bitter.
Not really dark is it, maybe a shade darker …
I could go on. You could write up a proper sketch here. I can see it being performed at GBBF; you and Stafford Mudgie walk into the pub and Pubcurmudgeon is stood behind the bar serving you. There’s a faded print on the wall of a Dinosaur. The pub’s called the ‘Is that an Asteroid?’ 😂😂😂😂😂😜🐯😩
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There’ll still be dinosaur BBB pubs for us when all your railway arch bars are long gone.
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Yes, the British pub scene is a rich tapestry of remnants from many eras going back hundreds of years. That’s why I shed no tears when the crap ones close.
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Pubcurmudgeon is stood behind the bar telling you “You’re the tenth person today that I’ve had to tell that there’s no demand for craft beer – but what it is really is that we don’t want your sort in here”!!
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But it’s a good choice for the “84% of ale drinkers want to see at least one nationally recognised ale brand on the bar”, not that the Harveys Sussex Best Bitter or Proper Job is quite ‘the same beer style’ as Abbot.
And with it opening at 10am I might manage a breakfast there on my way to Lewes later this year.
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Would all fall into the CAMRA, Bitter or Best/Strong Bitter category, I believe.
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Maybe something wrong with the categories then !
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Love the fact a normal pub can deliver killer beer like that 👍🍻
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Yep, surprising. I guess much like that Ember Inn Olton Tavern I enjoyed.
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My old local 👍🍻 Ember Inns are lifeblood of Solihull cask scene!!
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I’d be happy too see that lot on the bar. Proper Job for me.
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Bill,
Yes, as good a choice as might be expected other than in a specialist beer pub.
3½% to 5%.
Golden, golden and brown.
Proper English hops in the Harveys to American hops in the Proper Job.
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“They looked grumpy, ”
Most likely annoyed that Kepa wasn’t eating more bananas. 😉
“Hurrah for BBB !”
Indeed. A decent lineup of beers.
“Nice daffs too.”
Don’t rub it in (you sound like my brother in northern France). I still have bloody snow on my flower beds (sigh).
Cheers
PS – I think I may have to give up on catching up. My darling wife doesn’t seem to sit still. Back from a great trip ‘oop north’ to see relatives out the ying yang and now she’s working on another project with regards to selling mousse cake in the Yukon through some of her nieces and first cousins!
(this is partly why I drink beer)
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Russ 🙂
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Oh good Kepa reference 👍
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Proper job, the only saviour, and I’m not talking about the football.
Cheers
Grumpy from Hampshire.
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Spurs have gone. Nick 4th place.
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Easy.
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I find Proper Job unpalatable.
My choice of that line-up would probably be the Pride.
But anyway what’s more concerning about RM’s blog at the moment is the lack of recent Bass sightings.
Haven’t seen a mobility scooter for a while either.
Time to get back ‘oop North.
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Aberdeen North enough?
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Och aye.
No Bass up there I vouchsafe.
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Doubt it. 20 years ago we camped on the beach up at Portsoy and had Bass in the Ship (run by a Southerner)
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P P-T,
I’ve seen no Bass today but I’ve had plenty of Robinsons and Sam Smiths in Stockport, and I was in some of the pubs with t’other Mudgie.
And I’ve seen a mobility scooter driven onto a bus just outside the railway station.
There’s so much to do and see ‘oop North.
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“It restores your faith in the Beer Guide selection process, it really does.” –But this very sentiment makes me wonder if that faith is tested more often than one might wish? 🙂
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A question for Duncan and Simon as well. I’m always fiercely protective about the Guide when it gets criticised for missing the odd pub or two, as I reckon a success rate of 90% plus is tremendous.
And folk persist in confusing good beer with interesting pubs!
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