LEFT TO MY OWN DEVIZES

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22nd February 2020

The White Bear was the second and last of my new GBG ticks on this Wiltshire Wander, which is a disappointing tally when I see how BRAPA has been plundering the North.

I really fancied a 6X, long a favourite beer despite many commentators on CAMRA Discourse describing it as “twiggy brown slop“.

If you can’t get good 6X yards from the brewery etc. etc.

Devizes2

I asked beer twitter. They may be annoying, but they’d know.

Thanks Glen. Others suggested pubs in Cambridge. Wherever that is.

We walked back to the Market Place, deserted but lovely.

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Top Greggs

Oh, look. Old Mudgie has something helpful to say;

I wasn’t totally convinced, the Black Swan had a nice sign but seemed to over-emphasise the hotel over the pub.

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Inviting

“If Pub Curmudgeon has gone to the trouble to recommend somewhere we ought to go in” said Mrs RM, much too sensibly.

First impressions weren’t great. A narrow area with tables set for dining leading to a wider area with tables set for dining, all covered in the sort of old adverts bought as a job lot from a factory in Wrexham. These were the best bits.

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Chintzy
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NOT a Beer & Pubs Forum teamphoto

All very modernised family brewer, the sort of place Badger or Palmers excel at. Though there was also a touch of the Oldham Toby Carvery about the ads and postcard humour.

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Ban this filth

But at least there’s 6X !

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A Winter ale ? But we’re in Summer

Most of the custom was young professional rather than old Colonel, which I guess is what Wadworths want. Just for the youngsters, this was playing;

A heated debate behind me about the merits of the Winter beer was bound to result in a request for a taster, so I just ordered a half for Mrs RM #EverydaySexism #Pints

Now the 6X was fantastic; cool, crisp, chewy. An easy 3.5, and a vindication of my support for the BBB.

I hurriedly added my scores to WhatPub so the Black Swan might get in GBG 2022.

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Nectar. Honest

Mrs RM wasn’t convinced by the Winter Tail.

“Ugh. Can’t you smell it ?”

“It’s real ale, love, it’s meant to taste like that” They used to say that to her in Scotland, you know.

She took it back, got a decent Horizon as replacement, AND the clip turned round after the staff tasted it. Expertly done. Wish I’d taken a video for the Americans.

Mrs RM stuck up for Old Mudgie, and she was probably right to. With little food in evidence it was becoming increasingly pubby.

Good job Christine didn’t see the filth in the Gents.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

28 thoughts on “LEFT TO MY OWN DEVIZES”

      4. I think he makes a decent contribution, but the Spoons voucher debate bores me now.

        And I very much doubt Brass Castle lose any sales of their beers because a few thousand folk a month get their pint of Abbot 50p cheaper in Spoons.

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      5. Yes indeed, ‘the more the merrier’, that’s my attitude to Discourse.
        And it’d be no good at all if everyone agreed with me.

        Liked by 1 person

      7. 3 for 4, more like. I’d like to see the two Mudgies and BRAPA on the NE campaigning for the closure of breweries and a funding a pub visiting project for Simon.

        I will wait to see what Mr Urry’s favourite painting by Johannes Vermeer is before voting.

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  2. Good to hear my recommendation proved worthwhile 😀

    I also had a good cheese sandwich, but guessed you weren’t really looking for that. Something that’s surprisingly easy for pubs to completely mess up.

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      2. Grated cheese is fine…pickle is the spawn of the devil!! Agree about the salad! The only acceptable additions to a cheese sandwich are onion or tomato (or maybe ham if I’m feeling ‘continental’!).

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  3. The quick 1/2 of 6X I had in Ellon last summer was easily one of the best cask beers I had last year. Just one of those beers that suffer from not being trendy and don’t get sold in the “right” outlets these days. Probably needs to be cellared for more than 5 minutes before being stuck on sale, so would bemuse modern bar staff who expect a beer to drop bright and ready for sale 5 minutes after delivery.

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      3. *Note to tourists and visitors.

        The Turf Tavern is a wonderful attraction, famous too, for its fancy dress evenings.

        Mondays are Inspector Clouseau Nights.

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  5. I don’t understand why Wadworths put their brewery name very small on the pumpclips but very large on the glasses.

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