“B” FOR BURTON, BURTON FOR BASS

I left Mrs RM to return to RM Towers, and headed on the 14:00 via Derby (split ticket saves about 3 pints of Bass) to Burton.

You remember Burton, don’t you ?

Blimey, it had been four years since my last visit, and now there were TWO (2) new GBG entries, though as I’d have a wait till I could tick I started off just outside the station in an old favourite.

No, not the Coopers, that’s later. But when the Roebuck showcased Draught Burton Ale way back it was arguably just as famed.

You could do a crawl of Britain’s great beers just standing at the bar. Abbot, Pedi, Bass, Courage, and whatever that is at the far left, possibly cider.

As so often these days, however many pumps you put on every Old Boy seems to go for the Bass. Perhaps it’s the fact you can’t get it in Stafford that makes it such a sought-after beer.

I compliment the Landlady on her Christmas decorations; she seems pleased.

I’d also praise the music, from Human League to the Bee Gees, but it’s the local radio and not a carefully curated pub playlist. The snooker is on, but on silent, denying us those vital hushed comments by our other 1980s heroes of the green baize.

My fellow Bass drinkers are planning their Christmas parties (already !) and agreeing that the Beast of Bolsover was the only MP they ever liked, which is a bit sad.

It’s a lovely Bass, served at the perfect temperature and with lacings to bring all the Bass fanboys to the station yard. Perhaps a tad too foamy for perfection, but NBS 3.5+ is not to be sniffed at.

That went down a bit too quickly, meaning my first tick still wouldn’t be open, so I paused at Henry’s record shop to see what vital new music was selling fastest in Burton.

If you can read/guess what’s Number 1 you can have one of my spare Rita Coolidge albums.

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.

16 thoughts on ““B” FOR BURTON, BURTON FOR BASS”

  2. I well remember the summer of 1976 and the Roebuck being the first pub north of Watford Gap to stock Ind Coope Burton Ale.
    The second one was the Plough just out of Uttoxeter that a few PubMen might remember being chauffeured to and from thirty months ago.

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  4. I still have a record cabinet full of vinyl and a turntable. Many years ago I did give up my Dylan vinyl to my nephew! Must have been the only ones he wanted!

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