In theory, my first three Wight pubs were a doddle, two in Sandown and one just over the hill in bucolic Bembridge.
Four miles between Culver Haven and the Village Inn, says Bing Maps, ignoring my bravery in ploughing headlong down the Down,
and towards those horns at the top.
I escaped their attention by not dressing like BRAPA, and frankly the descent itself was scarier than the wild animals. Nothing like giving your calves a good work out.
Still, it takes forty minutes to reach Bembridge, long enough to start to worry about pub closures, so I don’t dawdle at the village National Trust “attraction”.
The appeal of windmills to the gentlefolk class is one of life’s enduring mysteries.
Not much to tell you about Bembridge; it’s no Sandown.
In fact it could be Waterbeach, if we had water and a beach.
And just like my own village pub, beers you know and love.
Two groups of couples and half a dozen locals, none of whom would quite reach the Old Boy standard of the Castle in Sandown. On the upside, no dogs to lick me.
Just a good, solid, English (is it England ?) pub experience.
Tables, with bar mats, a very decent (NBSS 3) Old Empire, and pulled pork nachos that had obviously been prepared by a human being who could cook.
The staff were charming, and asked if I wanted any condiments.
“Sour cream ?” I asked, in that Australian way where everything is a question.
Out came not sachets, but a little earthenware pot of the stuff. Am I reading like a Trip Advisor review ?
As I was finishing the meal a smartly dressed gent leant across my plate and pointed at the old photo behind my head.
He then gave me a blow-by-blow account of the train turntable in operation in the days before Beeching. Really unfascinating stuff.
A commendable village pub, elivened when Gentlefolk Group 2 walked out without paying for their drinks (by accident). Makes a change from arguing about the bill.
I’m sure they were on the bus to Newport 10 minutes later, still discussing the drama.
retiredmartin 
Had a good chuckle at “Really unfascinating stuff.”
Your reference to asking for a glass of water got me noticing that it seems a fairly unusual occurrence on your blog, as far as I can recall. After a long walk though, beer alone isn’t always enough to fully rehydrate is it?
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I’d never have considered it before, but some pub chains (including Spoons) have help yourself gourmet water.
And out and about with BRAPA the alternatives are very palatable.
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And some pub chains more upmarket than Tim’s have slices of lemon or cucumber in it.
Make it any better and you might not be sure why you’re on the beer !
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Fascinating as train turntables may be, not everyone is aware, that on January 5, 2012, Mr. Doug McManaman, of Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, Canada, balanced a glass BOTTLE on his head, for forty-one minutes and thirty-four seconds, and that duration has not been surpassed to this date.
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Was he standing on a train turntable at the time?
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Any beer 3.8% or below is rehydrating and safer than water.
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Even Donnington BB?
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Not that one. No.
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Donnington perfect for rehydration. According to RM it is only coloured water.
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But is it safe coloured water?
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Small Beer personified.
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I’ve got 30 minutes to try and reply to as many blogs as possible.
(the last week came at me fast; what with catering, the car, the doctor, and 4 litres of tomato soup being sprayed all over the back of the car – including the rear seats! – I barely had time to blink).
“ignoring my bravery in ploughing headlong down the Down,”
Should’ve ridden that horned thingy up above.
“and towards those horns at the top.”
Aha!
“Nothing like giving your calves a good work out.”
I see what you did there. 🙂
“And ?”
The world’s biggest non-electric loom?
“High Class Butchers”
Over here I believe that title would go to the Texas Chainsaw family.
“Loadsa boards”
I like how they intimate that real ales aren’t served cold. 😉
“Out came not sachets,”
Sour cream in sachets? Mayo yes, but certainly not sour cream.
“Really unfascinating stuff.”
(guffaw)
“elivened when Gentlefolk Group 2 walked out without paying for their drinks (by accident).”
If it had been on purpose they would have dashed, not sauntered. 🙂
“Feel ill just looking at the bus”
For some reason I’m reminded of Jacques Cousteau.
Cheers!
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Where’s that Marston’s Old Empire IPA brewed at?
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Burton upon Trent
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But can you be sure?
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But why wouldn’t it be ?
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Because, at various times, they contact most things out to Bank’s in Wolverhampton.
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Banks’s in Wolverhampton brews at capacity with their own beers, the Tetleys ones and the Thwaites ones and so how could they also do Old Empire as well ?
Marstons in Burton has capacity to brew all the Pedigree, Old Empire and Draught Bass so why would some be brewed elsewhere ?
It was unfortunate that thirteen months ago we were shown round the Park Brewery not by a retired brewer who knew what he was talking about but by a newcomer whose answer to most questions was something like “we can do anything here”.
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And who cares?
Apart from obsessives on Discourse.
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