Time to go north, the Proper North where folk get home deliveries from Sainsbury and where locals can spell “kappachino” if not pronounce it.
Yes, it’s York. Almost.
At 13:00 I was in Waterbeach, probably sulking. By 15:55 I was parked up in the Heworth Inn, ten minutes walk from the walls, with a pint of finest Yorkshire ale in my hand.
The Heworth Inn has a lot going for it;
- £33.50 for a clean single en-suite room
- Free parking half a mile from York Centra
- Sounds a bit like Haworth so will have confused tourists asking about Bronte
- Changed its name fromShoulder of Mutton so as not to offend vegans
- What Pub promises John Smiths Cask
OK, a John Smiths glass with Bombardier in it, and that’s apparently unspeakably bad beer now if you read Discourse.
This wasn’t bad. In fact it was superb; cool, beautifully conditioned and sherberty (is that a word ?).
Yes, in a pub well off the York CAMRA radar and hardly likely to grace the Guide in BRAPA’s lifetime (1979 – 2119) I found an NBSS 3.5+ beer. Strength in depth, that is. Or summat.
OK, the Heworth is no Blue Bell, but it’s perfectly pleasant with proper seating, Bowie and Sid in the loos, and custom from Dutch bikers, Old Boys and Hi Vis man. I won’t mention the Coldplay on the stereo.
If this was your first “real ale” in England you’d think it was worth having another. And you’d reckon Bombardier was a top English beer. You’ll soon be disabused of those notions, I guess.
retiredmartin 
Is it you and Duncan?
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I’d have to inspect the legs closely to be sure.
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Yes, that’s the problem. I got a taste for Bombadier (pronounced Bom-bar-di-eh) when my village local majored on it some 15 years ago, and sold a good pint of. Like Southwold and Landlord, it’s a very fine beer when in great condition. Sadly it’s almost never in great condition. Similarly John Smiths Cask, which I’ve enjoyed pints of in Newark, but nowhere else I can recall. And you tell that to kids today and they won’t believe you…
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That’s summed it up to perfection, Mark.
I remember at least 2 pubs in Newark, Castle & Falcon being the best, that served fantastic John Smiths cask, even if it was the pointless guest beers that got them in the Guide.
As you say, no one will believe you now. It’s years since I had a pint of John’s.
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Once had a fabulous pint of cask John Smith’s at the Piccadilly in Manchester a few years ago. It was, however, the first pint after landing from Germany.
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One of the last places I had a good pint of John’s, too. Had a solitary year in the Beer Guide around that time.
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Love that photo of the pint, sun from the window lighting it up; it’s enough to make a man thirsty!
That fireplace is gorgeous, though something about the rest of the place makes it look more to me like the lobby of a hotel than a drinking establishment. But maybe in this case it is serving as both at the same time?
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To continue with the “B”s, we should be readying ourselves for that visit…
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Liking the fact you’re visiting far more non GBG pubs and finding great pints…👍
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So am I, BeerMat.
I wonder where I got the inspiration for that from.. 🤔
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Someone should do a blog on that 😉
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Who would ever do THAT ?
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😉
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Interesting question is whether, on average, RM finds better ale in GBG or non-GBG pubs ?
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The sample size of non-GBG pubs visited would be quite small, perhaps a couple of dozen a year. I’d say beer quality is as variable as in GBG pubs. It was dreadful in the new Greene King diner in Ely, but that’s more to do with the type of pub.
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That’s 23 more than I’ve been in this year !
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“and that’s apparently unspeakably bad beer now if you read Discourse.”
What… the Bombardier or the John Smiths? 😉
“and sherberty (is that a word ?).”
No. But sherbety is. 🙂
“Think it resembles a Van Gogh”
The lower part looks a bit like street art graffiti.
“I won’t mention the Coldplay on the stereo.”
Um….
“You’ll soon be disabused of those notions, I guess.”
Only if one is not used to having their own opinion. 🙂
Cheers
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Sure it’s sherberty, you know. Combination of Shergar the ex racehorse and Bert Millichip.
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I like how your mind works. (LOL)
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