April 2025. Otley.
Thank you to reader Pauline, who knows her Yorkshire, for gently pointing out that the Otley pub crawl is actually in Leeds, and all the pubs on it are student bars called Pop ! and Flares and The Duncan.
I thought you’d like to see Pauline’s hubby modelling an early GBG back in the Good Ole Days, before the Good Ole Days was cancelled.
I’m waffling, because I’m really struggling to write about the Curious Hop,
your cutely decorated,
generic offie with long bench seating and old brewery tat.
Rather like Walkley Beer Co or Drink or Beermoth, it’s a place best experienced with mates, or failing that your father-in-law, and was just too quiet for comfort. Or for Shazam which failed to identify Shearwater, and who could blame it ?
The beer was pretty good, a chewy Blackjack porter (NBSS 3) just lacking that last bit of crispness.
That was also my second pint in 15 minutes, never the best of moves. Good job Mrs RM wasn’t with me or she’d have been digging in the fridge.
If I return to do the “Proper” Otley Run, I’ll give it another go.
For now I just wanted something dull and old-fashioned for my last pub,
but I was to be out of luck.
retiredmartin 