Just for clarification on that last post; I didn’t have the deep fried Mars bar. But a deep fried Turkish Delight would have been tempting.
It was ten seconds walk from Stonehaven Pub 1 to Pub 2, the “perennial CAMRA award winner“.
Fifteen with the stop for the duff photo of the Shorehead.
Well, the Marine was a shock.
Six handpumps,
a dozen or so craft keg pumps,
and probably more Belgian beers than in the Elm Tree. Lots of little corners and great seating like the Elm Tree, too.
Actually, it felt a bit like the Port St Beer House had been moved to the coast. Better dressed patrons here than you get in in Ancoats, of course.
I loved this beautiful pub.
It always helps when a pub is packed with allsorts at just gone 11. The service was cheery and efficient, dog biscuits were being handed out (I didn’t try one), and lively group conversations centred on the misuse of “literally” and why “decimate doesn’t mean divide by 10 anymore“.
A “CAMRA” pub, but also a BRAPA pub. And that’s not always the same thing.
6 Degrees North provided the ocean of keg but just the one cask these days; the Stout was robust and interesting, if a bit sour. Perhaps it was supposed to be, I couldn’t judge not being a beer sommelier.
I left at the point someone said “We’re fast heading towards the Tower of Babel“.
The door wouldn’t budge.
“KICK IT !!!” shouted a dozen voices in unison.
Oh, I returned to that half-drunk Skye Red at the Ship, and it did taste better 20 minutes later. Got a funny look from the coffee drinkers at the next table, too.
Stonehaven looked mighty fine in the sun, as most towns do after two pubs in twenty minutes.
Oh, and well done on the free public toilets, Stonehaven. You’re a pubticker’s friend.
I caught the 11.50 down the coast, just like in the Don McLean song.
retiredmartin 
Wow, that looks like a great place to visit. Great looking town and pubs. Were these better beers than you had on your previous trips to smaller towns in Scotland? You seem to be leaving the plants a little drier than on the previous expedition.
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if only all pubs were like that. I always think that your average pub is missing a trick with craft keg as a possible method of putting on a variety of microbrewery beers which might last and sell a bit longer than cask.
I wonder if more traditional pubs (or hotels) will adopt a more ‘micro-pub’ approach in their bars – including re-partitioning large single rooms?
PS – ‘decimate’ – means 10 friends surely…? 🙂
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“PS – ‘decimate’ – means 10 friends surely…? 🙂”
(slow golf clap)
Very ashamed I didn’t think of something similar. 🙂
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SDN beers tend to taste a bit funny due to trying to ape Belgian styles. To be fair they are generally quite good attempts at the styles, just a bit of an acquired taste for a British palate.
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Glad you enjoyed the Marine, a cracking pub.
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Forced to choose between visiting a CAMRA pub and a BRAPA pub, I think I’d go for the latter. Ideally with Simon at my side, as the presence of oddball characters is otherwise not guaranteed…
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ALWAYS a BRAPA pub. Preferably when BRAPA isn’t there, of course. (joking, he’s lovely).
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“conversations centred on the misuse of “literally” and why “decimate doesn’t mean divide by 10 anymore“.”
Weird Al gave the best definition of ‘literally’. As for ‘decimate’, it never meant divide by 10 but rather (basically) kill or lose one tenth.
“I couldn’t judge not being a beer sommelier.”
Did your accreditation expire? You were a beer sommelier when you were in Doncaster and Rutland. 😉
““KICK IT !!!” shouted a dozen voices in unison.”
Bloody locals. :)0
“Art Deco restaurant”
Ah, the old Carron to Mumbai restaurant. 🙂
“Oh, and well done on the free public toilets, Stonehaven”
Lots of those where I live. 🙂
“I caught the 11.50 down the coast, just like in the Don McLean song.”
Tsk, tsk. In that song he going ‘to’ the coast, not travelling ‘down’ it. 🙂
Cheers
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Not in the Madonna version, he didn’t ;-o
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Ah. I thought only Weird Al did a parody. 🙂
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Weird Al probably did a parody of BRAPA.
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“Weird Al probably did a parody of BRAPA.”
Would LOVE to see that on YouTube! 🙂
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