retiredmartin

My three (3) ticks in South West London were pleasingly grouped along the railway line that loops from Waterloo to Twickenham (aaaagh !) and back, so only 10 minutes after leaving Putney I was in Wandsworth Town, one of the Guide’s forgotten places.

Twenty years ago the GBG was full of proper Young’s boozers like the Alma but with the brewery closed the place went to pot and and the chi-chi shops moved in.

I quite like chi chi (not the hop variety), and I’m tempted by at least three different deli places from the Alma to the Ram, but I draw the line at “Megan’s in the Tonsley”, which I suspect isn’t a hidden Sam Smiths pub.

My target is the Ram Inn, the former Young’s tap, but with a few minutes in hand I’m tempted by pre-emptive ticking at the new Sambrook’s Brewery Tap on the old Young’s site. Keep up.

The relocation of brewery taps and pubs to new homes gives us tickers nightmares. Is Sambrooks really new ? Who cares, let’s have a pint.

IF I can find the entrance, through the archway, turn right, don’t end up like I did in Bubbling Well Square.

You can actually smell the beer from that archway, which is nice, though I can’t share What Pub’s enthusiasm for the “great views of some large fermenting and conditioning tanks“.

I do like the bespoke handpumps though (top), the staff are great, and I’ll forgive the fact it’s a bit open plan and lacking in bench seating. It’s comfortable enough and you can order at the bar.

What I struggle a bit with is a rather average pint of Wandle. Even in the Tap, turnover counts.

I should have gone for the keg flight, but that missing zero on the £7.00 put me off.

Or perhaps I should have stayed and had a pizza. That’s what breweries sell now, isn’t it ?

Anyway, the clock strike four, my last SWL tick awaits.