A CLEAR HEAD

July 2025. Alton & Sheffield.

You might thing this blog is cobbled together haphazardly in breaks between pubs and waits for Chinese takeaways, but you’d be right.

You might also assume that as it’s a diary (or dairy as I wrote at 8, I also spelled Wales with an “h”), it’s strictly chronological.

And broadly, it is. But I skipped over two non-alcoholic days before this Big Alton Day Out which I can now revisit, if only to tell you that NA stands for naff all.

A pint of ever reliable Cloudwater AF at the ever reliable Old Shoe was actually quite refreshing, but going low while Mrs RM was on the Burning Sky was always a daft idea.

The next evening I finally made it to Hymn to Ninkasi, Kelham’s local bottle shop and low/no specialist, where the charming young barman sung the praises of the Cloudwater.

But I know Germans do this sort of stuff best, whether it’s the radlers or the Jever Fun.

This bottle of Zotler Hell had me fooled, almost gorgeous.

In Alton at the Ten Tup, Bristol Beer Factory was fooling no-one,

and I really should have fooled the local CAMRA crowd drinking proper beer (some were on the craft !),

but everyone, even RM, is entitled to the occasional aberration.

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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 CLEAR HEAD”

  1. I am envious.

    I am on my 12th non alcoholic day due to being too busy with work and family to contemplate having any alcohol.

    I cant drink when I am pressurised as even one pint leaves me grumpy and groggy the next morning.

    I find i can only drink when I am feeling relatively carefree

    Tomorrow marks exactly 100 Months until I reach 67 and can retire.

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    2. I’m retired in my seventies Alan.
      I don’t get headache or nausea hangovers any more as I did horribly in my youth.
      Just the mortal existential dread and general self loathing.
      It’s as well to rehearse these things though.😃

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      2. I have recalculated and it is only 90 months till can retire which cheered me up.
        Are you any relation to the Wallcarpets of Diss?
        A long established Norfolk family

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      3. We’re all related Alan. It’s what makes us a species, though a lot of people seem to forget that these days.
        My view on retirement is that it should be done as soon as possible even if one might be a bit poorer for it.
        Very best wishes.

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      1. Well, now you come to mention it – yes! If it is the Tony I knew when I worked at the Treasury, he is certainly ageing well.

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