retiredmartin

30th December 2022.

Possibly THE iconic pub photo of 2022. Baa Baa Toure, Alfie the Alpaca and Colin the Cauliflower fighting over a pint of Abbeydale’s “Through The Hophead Galaxy” in Chesterfield’s Anchor, cheered on by Mrs RM and Eddie, who had finally removd his Hi-Vis jacket.

Simon messaged us to say he’d gone straight to the Anchor,

Will had left us to attempt all the pubs on the Brampton Mile,

we set off from Chesterfield Central to join him 20 minutes later at something he insisted on calling Brampton Bierhuis.

Google refused to recognise the existence of a “Bierhuis”, but here it is, tucked behind the hand car wash near Aldi.

What an exotic life we lead.

The Brampton Brewery Tap isn’t in the GBG, though opening hours of 12-7 Friday and Saturday are positively generous compared to some actual Guide entries (I see you, Brum) this year.

I wasn’t taking any notes by this stage, but I can tell you the lady at the Bierhuis was a real gem, letting us in despite there being a private birthday party and it approaching closing time. You don’t get that in Winchester.

We might even have nicked a birthday buffet slice of quiche. Bet Simon did.

The beer was good, the soundtrack relentlessly Abba, and the only downside was the lady wanting to take a picture of Mrs RM and me. Why ?

(Almost) next door, we caught up with some of the tickers.

Yes, you.

Look how seriously Will takes it.

Baa Baa and Alfie made an emotional reunion with Colin,

and the Anchor, a pub I thought promising (but empty) at Halloween, suddenly made sense.

Unlike my beer choice, a can of Fixed Wheel 12% Imperial Stout.

“That’s the brewery that’s just closed” said Will, which possibly explained the bashed can.

“Oh ****” said Mrs RM, when I showed her what we’d be sharing while the rest of the tickers sipped halves of pale.

Not for the first time. Alfie’s face said it all.