A SYMPHONY IN BROWN – THE CHAMPION OF THE THAMES

September 2024. Cambridge.

One day back in Sheffield, one night in Manchester, and then straight back to Cambridge for an afternoon with my favourite #PubMan, the fellow with the most letters published in What’s Brewing.

I bet you think I only like Stafford’s Paul Mudge because he brings me breweriana from his massive collection, don’t you ?

Actually, it’s because, like a beery Jehovah’s Witness, I’m subliminally attempting to convert Paul to the joys of murk grapefruit keg.

Not much chance of murk at our meet-up point, the local CAMRA Pub of the Year.

There’s an interesting thread on “CAMRA myths” on Discourse, and alongside the one about CAMRA funding Simon’s attempt to complete the GBG in 2025 by allowing him use of the Chief Executive’s private jet, there’s the widespread belief that Greene King pubs are persona non grata.

Well, in Kimberley, possibly, but the Champion of the Thames has beaten off competition from the Blue, the Maypole and the Haymakers to claim the crown with a range of BBBs to delight the curmudgeon.

I told Paul it was 15 minutes from the station. It was actually 25, but such is Paul’s athleticism with a pub in sight that he almost beat me to the bar.

I’ve met all the greats here; BRAPA in 2021, Pub Curmudgeon and West Suffolk’s Andrew in 2019. I used the same blog title both times, which is the sort of thing that I thought caused IT systems to crash like they did on 1/1/2000.

So today it’s back to the ever reliable “Symphony in brown“, which I think fits the Champion perfectly.

If I’m honest, and 99.54% of the time I am (unless I still have to leave a country) the IPA (3+) and Abbot (3) weren’t actually as chewy as they were last time, but frankly the pub was even better, and Paul wisely made me stay for that unwise second pint.

Here’s Paul’s itinerary, soon to be in the Wetherspoon pub museum in Wolverhampton.

I really want to tell you what the banter was about, but when you’re in the company of a legend you don’t take notes, so I can’t.

You make it up.

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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.

13 thoughts on “A SYMPHONY IN BROWN – THE CHAMPION OF THE THAMES”

  2. I was quite curious what Paul thought about these pubs. Looks really beautiful. We were there 20 years ago. Nice to see the remodel.

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  3. Unique looking tables with forgiving corners. I stopped off in Stafford on Sunday, inspired by your ‘Stafford day out’ post, but I didn’t see the great man himself sadly.

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      1. I doubt that Martin.
        During the first eight months of this year I was at home, not using a pub, for 92 days or 38% of the time and have been away for sixteen nights which averages only two a month.
        I’m quite concerned as “the Health Lobby” advises one day a week without alcohol and I’ve averaged two and a half. I MUST get out more.

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      3. Yes, down to 32% and that might get me in 300 pubs this year.
        I’ll need more than Chester and Lincoln for the remainder of this month though but know Cannock Beer Festival this weekend doesn’t save pubs.
        It’s raining now and that might keep me at home today.

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      1. Only managed two – the Sun Inn and Bird in Hand, both relatively lively in an otherwise deserted damp Stafford. Planned to visit more, but got chatting to locals and another well oiled Welshman passing through in the Bird in Hand. I somehow didn’t notice the screen listing all the beers they had on until too late and stuck to what was on front bar!
        Stayed at the Vine, and squeezed in a half before bed, but wasn’t fussed with the Wainwright’s. Friendly staff and nice old building though.

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      2. Rhys,
        I’ve been to each of those three pubs four times so far this year.
        Banks’s (Amber) Bitter in the Vine is Stafford’s only unchanged, other than from electric to hand pump, cask beer over fifty years. The one other beer on is usually Pedigree. I’ve found the beer quality there to have improved in recent months.

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      4. Yes, that was in the days of the glass tosser and inconsistent beer. New people there now and my three pints of Banks’s, and a lunch, in the past seven weeks have been fine.

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