November 2023. Heaton Moor.
New Mills looked like Winter Wonderland as I waited for the train to Piccadilly.
My plan for a quiet Friday evening was a) GBG pub in New Mills-tick, b) elegant dining curry in Ancoats, c) BC Camplight in the Albert Hall.
It was all about to go spectacularly wrong, as Saddleworth’s finest pubmen derailed my plans around South Reddish.
“Fancy meeting up in Heaton Moor ?” asked Jim and Quosh.
Well, I couldn’t say no. Well, I could have, but these days you don’t know when the next invite is coming as Sheffield Hatter is too busy visiting Brigg. And besides, Heaton Moor had a new Guide entry I’d forgotten about.
So, into Piccadilly, straight back out to Heaton Chapel, a Stocky suburb buzzing with life on Friday night.
Never been to the Elizabethan. Or the Plough.
Or the Bottle, a “sort of” pre-emptive tick in the modern beer bar style.
Obligatory fuzzy dog in the floor, so nice barman does the table service,
and I go along with Jim’s recommendation which I’m fairly sure in painful retrospect was that Amundsen Imperial Stout.
PLEASE don’t ask me if it’s cask or keg or key keg. All I know is it was 10.5%.
Quosh and Jim discussed Non-League (Dave “jumpers for goalposts”) football,
and the soundtrack veered from Men at Work (THAT one) and Cutting Crew.
Which might have please the Heaton’s most famous resident.
retiredmartin 
The only Heaton I know is Heaton Norris.
That’s the one for a couple of pints of Hydes in the Nursery with the other Mudgie.
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I’d never been to a Beer Guide pub in Heaton Moor before Friday.
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If there’s anything under 40% abv I generally go for that. Had a nice 3.4% Henry’s IPA at the George in Frome today, every other pub nearby appearing to be closed daytime.
Seemed a pleasantly timeless interior – I didn’t bother to find out if it was repro or not, mind.
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*4.0%
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40% ? Boy’s bitter these days, mate.
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£7.50 for a half? They’re having a giraffe.
I might risk a 10.5% last thing at night, mellowing out to a bit of Steely Dan but not in a pub! Got to walk home afterwards!
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To be fair you’d only need 6 of those halves to know you’d had a good night, Bill
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Yes, and not far away in Robinsons pubs it’s the not much weaker at 8½% multi award winning Old Tom from £3 a half.
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As always, Paul, I was thinking that you might very much enjoy the cask beer I had in those small New Mills and Heaton Moor pubs despite the “pokey” surroundings. Heaton Moor was particularly good.
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Remembering that “pokey” venue in Disley, I’m not so sure !
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It was Malt Disley I was thinking of, Paul 😉
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Martin,
Yes, that’s the one, although I much preferred Robinsons’s Dandy Cock on the way back to Disley railway station. They might have Old Tom on this very lunchtime.
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Does Non-League football normally generate the intensity of discussion evident in their facial expressions? Duncan appears to take a much more relaxed view of things.
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I think they were discussing the new Dylan.
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Budokon?
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The Elizabethan was the suburban Greenalls pub where Liam Gallagher used to drink, at the height of his Oasis fame.
Mad ferret
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Just possible Liam may pop up again in my next post…
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He’s not a real ale man you know. Or he wasn’t then.
Labatts if I remember correctly. Bet he’s on the craft beer now though, the old band wagon jumper
Mad ferret
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Not a Real Music man either IYAM
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…I did buy one of his shirts though. Tsk.
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I’m now back from Brigg and ready to join you for a beer at 10 minutes notice, as ever.
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I’d welcome that, Will !
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