Don’t worry if you’re bored of Dundee, there’s Arbroath coming up next. But first, your authentic craft brewery tap with wall art and brewing vessels. On the wall outside 71 Brewing are a series of frescoes depicting BRAPA entering details for Tayside pubs into his GBG spreadsheet in 2237 AD. On the door it says… Continue reading GETTING MY JULIA JACKLIN FIX AT 71 BREWING
TICKING THE CAMRA AGM
If you’ve lost track of these diary extracts I feel your pain. This is now Saturday morning, Day 3 of the Great Tayside Tickathon and an actual CAMRA AGM to attend. But first, a recuperative Miners Benedict in my Broughty Ferry Wether-hotel. As Allo Darlin’ sang “This is life. This is living”. I would have… Continue reading TICKING THE CAMRA AGM
THE CAMRAs INVADE BROUGHTY FERRY
I’d arranged to meet Stafford Paul and a couple of his mates in Broughty Ferry at 18:45, precisely, so it was time to get a move on. Last time in Dundee, I walked the 5 miles along the seafront to my hotel (The Fisherman’s) in Broughty, a modest seaside town famous for pubs. Well,… Continue reading THE CAMRAs INVADE BROUGHTY FERRY
GOD SPEEDWELL YOU ! GREEN EMPEROR
Nice obscure Canadian post-rock reference there for Russ and any other Canucks reading this. We pick up the story as the train from Perth arrives at a Dundee station bursting with pre-AGM anticipation. I headed straight to Caird Hall to pick up my CAMRA Members’ Weekend goody bag, my first since the Isle of Man… Continue reading GOD SPEEDWELL YOU ! GREEN EMPEROR
SAINTS AT THE CHERRYBANK
One last pub in Perth before I could join the queue for goody bags and “Say No To Craft” badges back in Dundee. A fairly hefty walk to the Cherrybank, the one I’d been looking forward to most. Always best to alternate your pints of keg with caffeine of course, so I stopped in Blend… Continue reading SAINTS AT THE CHERRYBANK
HAZY JANE
Yes, BrewDog. You can’t avoid them in Scotland, even in small cities like Perth. You’re probably safe in Stranraer if you’re a hater. Two pubs in to my Perth Perambulation, I walked along the Tay, scouring Google for a hipster cafe for lunch. I couldn’t find any of those coffee houses. Not surprising as they… Continue reading HAZY JANE
SCUMMY HEADS IN FLESHERS’ VENNEL
Onward to my 2nd Perth tick, definitely a Proper Pub, at the end of a Proper Street. Perhaps Perth lacks the majesty of Paisley, or the drama of a night in Coatbridge, but there’s a good mix of folk in the shops and more in the pubs than you’d see on a Friday lunchtime in… Continue reading SCUMMY HEADS IN FLESHERS’ VENNEL
A CAMRA/BREWDOG TRUCE IN PERTH
With four hours ’till the CAMRA Weekend opened to mere mortals I took the 20 minute journey to Perth, home of three GBG ticks AND a Brew Dog bar. Unlike BRAPA, there aren’t many towns left to visit with more than a lone new Guide pub to visit now (though there’s NINE in Plymouth). The… Continue reading A CAMRA/BREWDOG TRUCE IN PERTH
DUNDEE CULTURAL INTERLUDE
Day 2 of the CAMRA Weekend, and an early start for Dundee with an advance ticket beautifully stamped with a cutout of a choo-choo train. Just for Tom Irvin. My seat gave me a prime view for an on-board ScotRail art piece called “Extreme Noise vs The Wedding Present”. The noisiest wrapping in the history… Continue reading DUNDEE CULTURAL INTERLUDE
SUNSHINE ON LEITH
My Deuchars itch successfully scratched at the Oxford, I headed along the Water of Leith to my second Edinburgh tick. Well, close to the Water as it weaves magically through the piano and pashmina heartlands of Broughton and Warriston towards Leith and the Dreadnought. The Dreadnought would turn out to be my third great pub… Continue reading SUNSHINE ON LEITH
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