retiredmartin

My last GBG pub in Plymouth (and there’s thirteen of them this year) was the one that sounded most interesting in the Guide, “mixed clientele and University staff” and all.

And it’s certainly the most (mildly) gentrified of the Guide pubs, in a way that’ll be familiar to anyone who’s been to the other Bread & Roses in Clapham, or strayed carelessly into Cambridge’s Mill Road publand.

As with Mill Road, this is the place to come for your whole sheep (£250) and brewing history.

Bread &Roses is a lovely looking place.

And at the door I’m greeted with

“Alright darlin’ ? “

“Y’alright mate ?” I offer back to the bearded smoker.

A skiffle band are setting up on stage. I say they’re skiffle, the sound was more “Rockabilly Rebel” than Lonnie Donegan when they rehearsed, but you get the drift.

There was more colour and banter than at a hundred GBBFs, most of it around my feet and some of it canine.

It’s quieter at the bar, but a struggle to see the inevitable row of a dozen handpumps.

That’s because there’s only one on, Black Tor, and loads of keg.

Very shiny, and hard to whine about Cwtch, though someone will.

Mrs RM would have liked this one, particularly with those goldfish bowl G&Ts.

I’d drunk my half (rich, cool 3.5) in ten minutes, and the band were still setting up.

I’m an impatient sod, so I called it a night.

Actually, I got distracted and headed off to see the birthplace of Farley’s Rusks, which has been on my bucket list since I was a year old.

Unfortunately, I then drifted.  Tim Webb tells us on RateBeer that Vessel is “the best source of top rate beer in Plymouth“, and Tim lives in Brizzle so he knows what he’s talking about.

It’s a good half mile out of town, and like Cambridge’s Thirsty a venerable micro of craft. But no cask.

A great welcome and prices that aren’t totally daft if you come from Manchester, as I wish I did.

I’m too old to be allowed to sit inside so I sit on the table outside and scare away tramps, one of whom is carrying a six pack of Diamond White which cost less than my half.

But mine was craft, and gorgeous, and almost made Exeter Street look cosmopolitan at the end of my soujourn in Plymouth.