Not the first time I’ve been in Ye Olde Murenger House, and hopefully not the last, but I always say that about the Dead Poets and the Coopers Arms.
The Murenger, of course, was built to Sir Humphrey’s exact specifications, unlike all those Rochdale pubs he snapped up on the cheap, and is a gem.
Now, this is what I call a beer range;
Yes folks, I’m following Bass with Sam Smiths OBB. And YOU sneer at Newport.
The pub wasn’t packed, but busier than most places in January, and with a younger crowd. Note the lass uploading her score for OBB on Untppd.
I left the youngsters to their fun and joined the codgers up the stairs, a symphony in brown.
On first sip, I could tell I made a good choice putting this one in my Super Sam’s Seven.
OK, a little sweet, but cool and silky, so good it went down too quickly and I nearly stopped for another but I hadn’t got £3 left in coins.
It was while I was admiring the breweriana I suddenly realised.
“****, I’m not allowed to use my phone”.
Too late. If I’m banned from all Sam Smiths pubs, it’s OK, they’ll never be a new one in the GBG.
Fearing Sir Humphrey would suddenly appear, I headed for home. Well, the Budget Ibis.
I almost (for the sixth time)stopped in the Lyceum Tavern, harbouring a strange desire for a Welsh whisky. Does such a thing even exist ?
Next time, Lyceum Tavern, next time.
retiredmartin 
This is the type of night we dream of…
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Better beer than usual in Newport, too. NBSS 3+ rather than 3- and you know how much that matters !
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Welsh whisky does exist, the distillery is in Penderyn. You might even have been there, the Red Lion at Penderyn is a fairly long standing GBG entry.
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Was it only £3 a pint? I thought it was Sam’s southern prices there. Looks a beautiful pub.
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It was £3. Paid in cash, obviously. Last time there it was £2.
Newport doesn’t feel very southern!
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No, and I made the point before that it was a one size fits all policy that didn’t reflect the relative affluence of places. But Gloucester, which is far from a rich place, had southern prices at the Robert Raikes’ House.
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Yes, Gloucester is a real oddity. They spent a fortune on that place and it’s been empty the two times I went in (think it was there I paid £6 + for one of their fruit beers a decade ago).
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A Sam’s that was both open and had cask? Is that almost unique these days?
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Pretty much.
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Most of my local ones still doing both.
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Stockport always stands apart. Probably Chester too ?
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The Murenger looms large in my imagination; it looks like such a lovely pub, judging by the photos I’ve seen (including your own of course!)
Yes that looks like all the beer range anyone needs, if I saw such a thing in America I’d think I’d died and gone to heaven.
You’ve got me wondering what the **** stands for, as there are at least two options that spring to mind. By which of course I mean “darn” and “gosh.” 😉
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“OhNo”
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The tell tale red bags of the volunteer litter-pickers are always a hopeful sign for a town.
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Ye Olde Murenger, what a name for a pub and what decor! My second favourite pub in Wales…
Sadly I don’t expect to visit it again, being about 11 hours by train by Stockton, and the delights on my doorstep.
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Ooh, Bass in The Sun and OBB in the Murenger. 11 hours is nothing!
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