Do keep up, Russ.
The Super Scottish Saunter was coming to an end now as I crossed Hadrian’s Wall the border and entered Carlisle.
The city was in a sombre mood when I arrived, a chap sadly presishing after being stuck at the top of Dixons chimney.
My Guest House was the Corner House just off Botchergate that had so impressed in 2017.
And not just because it costs £22.95 for a clean en-suite room with free parking. That wouldn’t buy you a Cumberland breakfast in the Carlisle Hilton.
There’s a couple of Proper Pubs to come, but the question on Dave’s lips is clearly,
“How does the new Brew Dog compare to the Spoons then ?”
Good question, Dave.
Luckily the Woodrow Wilson and the Dog are literally next door, so my memory will survive the journey between the two.
It’s Monday Night, and the Dog isn’t packed, which means the tasters are out in force.
I have NEVER seen so many samples requested or offered as in a BrewDog.
The Live beer was Dead (and not in a Pony way), of course.
I’ve found BrewDog staff unfailingly cheerful and chatty, presumably they’re just pleased to not be in Maidenhead, and the chap here gave me a recommendation of Bounty Hunter which I confess was tasty but indistinguishable from their other IPAs.
I was able to enjoy it to the accompaniment of “Dirty Deeds Done Cheap” and “Sultans of Swing”, which tells you a lot about Carlisle.
Proper seating, too.
Confusingly, there are two Spoons within a minute of each other on Botchergate, but you’ll know the Woodrow Wilson is the GBG regular.
Like this chap, I was ready with my voucher and coinage counted out.
But what to have ?
Why, the cheapest one last one pulled, of course.
As always, a cracking pint; Hawkshead Pale for £1.65 half the price in Staveley.
And it was heaving, probably a hundred in on a Monday evening. Folk of all ages keeping the Prosecco/Peroni/Pale pumps ticking.
Shame some of them were quizzers.
retiredmartin 
“Staveley”
The Eagle and Child I remember for the three or four cask ales being session beers ?
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The Hawkshead Beer Hall. Simon pronounced the Eagle & Child his favourite pub of his sojourn in Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness.
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That seating seems deliberately designed to trigger me 😠
Good soundtrack, though. What are the chances of 2010s music still being played in the 2050s? 🤔🎶
I’d have been straight on the Hawkshead Bitter there 😋
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Bitter would have been an equally good choice.
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You read my mind! How could you pass up the peach habanero beer though? With the right blend of hops you would have had a lot to chat about. Beers made for conversation. Not drinking though…
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Lol! “Peach habanero” sounds like the flavor you arrive at when there are two warring camps at the brewery meeting and the CEO says, “All right, enough of this bickering, we’ll make it a peach AND habanero beer!”
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I am guessing Mark that you get this type of beer in your neck of the woods too:) I know we do.
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And you should be grateful for this explosion of flavours (says the beer geek who only eats pie and chips and complains about undercooked broccoli).
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You might think that….
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Great coat on the punter counting his change…looks properly northern
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LAF,
And from that photo you can tell it’s a Monday, three days after Tim’s Fishy Friday and unsold ‘Fish and Chips’ needs shifting as the “Manager’s Special” at £4.99
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