January 2026. Liverpool.
I thought I’d have a night in Liverpool before Peter the Pub Curmudgeon’s funeral 2 stops away in Widnes on Friday.
Normally one hour thirty-six to get to the edge of the Pool, say Google Maps. But this was far from a normal rail journey, as I first had to push the emergency button after a medical emergency near Stockport, and then find a lorry smashing into the bridge at Mossley Hill station, my first target.
So, after 150 minutes, I bailed at Liverpool South Parkway,
and walked the two (2) miles to the Black Cat along Long Lane.
A lack of Beer Guide entries in the suburbs have made these urban walks a rare treat. How I’ve missed passive aggressive notes on inconsiderately parked cars.
Paul McCartney’s childhood house is close by, the pubs and Lennon’s Strawberry Fields are over the A562 in Woolton.
In truth, Long Lane is a bit of a slog, the sort of wide middle class road you get in Sutton Coldfield or Bromley.
Here’s the highlight.
Google says I’d arrive at 2pm, exactly when the Black Cat opens. Reader, I was there at a quarter to.
Mossley Hill is all red brick and parks with running tracks and a stately home (Sudley) that I’m sure Lana would have visited for you. Instead you get a stately pub,
and my new Guide entrant bar.
I’m hesitating to use the word “micro” or “craft bar” these days, as places like the Black Cat (see : Wavertree) are very cosy neighbourhood pubs.
You can tell a ticker, even a retired one, a mile off. I stand at the door to the Black Cat at 1:59:48, rucksack filled with Stabilo pens, looking wistfully at the young lad rearranging chairs.
If I cared about beer, I’d tell you this was a great beer board, similar in feel to that Nan Moors last month,
The Colbier has the word “remixed” in the title, so you have to try that, no ?
It’s near perfect, chewy and murky (NBSS 4.5),
rather like the soundtrack.
I take a collector card, even though I may never return, and wonder if I should have scored it a 5, so I let Liverpool CAMRA know I would have scored a 5 but that might have marked me down as an extremist.
This really is a corker of bar, the music as good as anywhere, though Electrelane (Press PLAY) may well evince a familiar sense of “what’s this weird stuff NOW ?” amongst my readers.
retiredmartin 
I reckon you’ve given three different excuses now for not scoring a 5, and we’re not even three weeks into January.
Having said that, I’ve scored four 4.5s myself, two each in Manchester and Liverpool. One could have been a 4.75, a wonderful Fyne Jarl in the Roscoe Head, but the others were just about 4.5 without needing a VAR review.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Are you avoiding me Will ? I also had a Jarl in the Roscoe Head this week, a 4 I reckoned (5 for the pub).
LikeLike
I was there exactly a week ago – last Sunday. You nearly caught up with me in the Kelham Island Tavern yesterday. You’re a faster walker than me, and I’m restricted by an ankle injury sustained on an icy footpath eight days ago, so it can’t be long now until you catch up.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re both fifty weeks behind me.
I was in the Roscoe Head on 31st January and 1st February last year.
The Mild there was one of my 66 pints of Holdens last year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re a leader in all things, Paul.
LikeLike
Except fashion !
LikeLiked by 1 person
At least you wore a tie !
LikeLike
And twice in two months !
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, I listened to the Electrelane song. Falls somewhere between Geese and Stereolab in my estimation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good reference points.
LikeLike
“MAGICAL MERSEYSIDE MURK IN MOSSLEY HILL”
Blimey, couldn’t you at least have used ‘mound’ instead of hill to make it the acme of alliteration? 😉
“But this was far from a normal rail journey, as I first had to push the emergency button after a medical emergency near Stockport, and then find a lorry smashing into the bridge at Mossley Hill station, my first target.”
You’re trying to one-up my trip through the Rockies, right? 😁
“How I’ve missed passive aggressive notes on inconsiderately parked cars.”
I think over here they still prefer to key ‘wanker’ into the side of the car.
“In truth, Long Lane is a bit of a slog,”
Har, har. Wasn’t the clue in the name?
(unless you’re in Ankh-Morpork, then it would’ve made sense to be short)
“Here’s the highlight.”
(looks up)
Proof of Global Warmening!
(unless those palm trees are holdovers from the Jurassic period)
“Google says I’d arrive at 2pm, exactly when the Black Cat opens. Reader, I was there at a quarter to.”
And that’s with you taking note of your surroundings!
(ok, what you have to do is get a FitBit, or a Hume Health band; Bluetooth it to Google, and then Google can adjust it’s estimate knowing it’s you!)
“Instead you get a stately pub,”
(looks down)
Are you sure that’s not a Masonic lodge?
“I’m hesitating to use the word “micro” or “craft bar” these days, as places like the Black Cat (see : Wavertree) are very cosy neighbourhood pubs.”
That’s an intriguing thought. (seriously)
“If I cared about beer, I’d tell you this was a great beer board, similar in feel to that Nan Moors last month,”
(looks down)
I like how they have ‘Schooners’ of beer; which, upon checking, is halfway between a pint and a half pint (hence the price).
“The Colbier has the word “remixed” in the title, so you have to try that, no ?”
(looks down)
I still don’t get how you can have IPAs under 6%.
“It’s near perfect, chewy and murky (NBSS 4.5),”
Blimey. I’d love to have something like over here, when I’m in the mood to have a few, but hate having that many 6.3% beers creep up on me (I blame old age).
“and wonder if I should have scored it a 5, so I let Liverpool CAMRA know I would have scored a 5 but that might have marked me down as an extremist.”
I’m on your side. I rarely rate anything a ‘5’ in Google, or dealership emails and whatnot. Nothing is that perfect! (except my darling wife, and she only hits that mark 3 days out of 5). 😎
Cheers
LikeLiked by 1 person
I saw the Rose of Mossley in November before I head off in search of Penny Lane. I thought it looked very nice. I too had train issues at Mossely, with chosen ride not coming to time plus a confusion for us passengers about what platform it was coming in on when it did come. I do intend to return for Sudley. Re notes on cars, I didn’t have to do that today my end. I caught a culprit parked on my drive and just yelled from a bedroom window.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I did read your Penny Lane post, Lana.
You caught all the best bits but also the suburban dullness, which I applaud.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s a fantastic new version of Pac-Man for the Atari ST called Puck Man, which was the game’s original name in Japan back in 1980. The name was changed to Pac-Man when it came to the UK because someone had the nous to realise how easy it would be to change the P to an F on the arcade cabinet…
LikeLiked by 1 person
My video games experience is limited to Missile Control (c.1983).
LikeLiked by 1 person