retiredmartin

Reader “US” Dave has threatened to cancel his sub to this blog if I keep writing about craft beer, and that might endanger the $3.50 p.a. I get to plug American cheese on these pages, so I’ll tread carefully.

Oh sorry.  Here’s a picture of a Proper Pub.

If Mrs RM gets another gig in Aberdeen University I’ll definitely do the Prince of Wales and Under the Hammer to complete your GBG set.  And the Fittie if you ask nicely.

Frankly, with a full Sunday afternoon ahead in Aberdeen and no new GBG ticks for miles I thought “Let’s find some of that BrewDog cask then“.

Coincidentally, just this morning I got a notification from my Instagram; this was 5 year ago today.

Yes, 5 years since I was in Pavia University lecturing on the NHS and finishing the day in the wonderful Xander in Brescia drinking Brixton Porter on handpump. before watching modern opera (never again).

That was the last time I saw Ellon’s finest on handpump till last week. The brand new Cambridge Dog had (apparently) sold a cask in  10 minutes, and no sign of it since, and the “Live” Dead Pony Club is deceased.

Three BrewDogs in 5 minutes walk of the centre, including the original (wow, history).  If it it’s not on in one of them, then craft cask is officially dead.

I started at Castlegate because it has that posh spicy salad I prefer to their pizza, and I like sitting at tables reserved for people called Noble.

“Are you a shareholder ?” asked the nice lady.  I was affronted.  I share only in the well of human happiness, which was enhanced by a pint (a pint) of something called Off Duty Clown but was indistinguishable from their other fizzy pale beers. Definitely no cask.

BrewDogs have a very 6 Music attitude to their playlists, i.e. nothing later than 1998. That’s OK if it’s Lazy Line Painter Jane, I guess.

I moved on to Original BD, past the lovely Marischal.

The Gallowgate branch had been boasting about their cask, but it had run out that lunchtime, which suggests it’s possibly not a hogshead. “Back on Thursday” the helpful/unhelpful response from a barman who recommended the 10.5 % Amundsen Stout, a bit like recommending Rochefort 10 as a sub for Stella, but an excellent one nonetheless.  Mrs RM would have insisted on a pint.

Stevie Nicks and Joan Jet playing here, mysteriously.

I nearly didn’t bother with the third Dog, a diner of a place in the shopping centre housing the station entrance.

A short walk past our boutique hotel during which I recovered enthusiasm to collect the BD set.

“Is that, is that cask ?”  I said, pointing at a big pump with the word “cask” on it.

“Yeah, it is“.  This is how it must have been for the CAMRA pioneers when real ale was invented in 1972.

Brackens Porter, apparently, a rich and non-chilled NBSS 3.5 drunk in what could have been a Harvester. Still, I scored it on WhatPub so it’d better get in the Guide now.

It’s OK, Dave, it’s safe to come out again now.  Next up, I’ll be ranting about car parking charges in Brechin.