I never forget how lucky I am to be able to go round the country, finding pubs closed, motorways jammed and Starbucks running out of Pike Place (or worse, replaced with Christmas Blend). Richard Coldwell was quizzing Simon and I last week about the downside of GBG ticking; how’d we feel about having to… Continue reading HALLOWEEN PARTIES AT STOURBRIDGE’S GREEN DUCK
WORD(SLEY) UP
We left the last post with my drinking buddy already two pints of 6%+ beer up, before the 6pm witching hour, and with two ticks left. Not a good place to start the a walk up the A491 to Wordsley. This is where geography gets complicated. I put Wordsley in the box marked “Greater Stourbridge”,… Continue reading WORD(SLEY) UP
HOORAY ! HOORAY ! IT’S A STOURBRIDGE HOLIDAY
Some people use pub cats to attract your attention; I’m sticking to weird Boney M references. And of course, the lure of Stourbridge. This was a Friday night beer and curry with Dereham’s top toper Charles. I think Mrs RM was “smashing the system” or something that night. We missed her. We chose a Friday… Continue reading HOORAY ! HOORAY ! IT’S A STOURBRIDGE HOLIDAY
IN-LAW DRAMA AT TOAD ROCK
I occasionally get odd requests from readers of the blog. You know, write about the worst pub in the UK, tell us about hopping rates, show us what your in-laws look like*. Well here you go, this is the Father-in-Law from Tunbridge Wells, England’s most unlikely capital of craft. There’s a Beavertown amongst those… Continue reading IN-LAW DRAMA AT TOAD ROCK
BECCLES – (ANYTHING BUT) BORING BROWN & BITTER
I’d had Beccles down as the “poor man’s Bungay“; now I see it as a rich man’s Diss. Only you can be the judge of whether that’s an improvement. A town of 10,000, which at least it has a railway station (trains to Ipswich or Lowestoft, very slowly), two Beer Guide pubs, and seemingly one… Continue reading BECCLES – (ANYTHING BUT) BORING BROWN & BITTER
SNORSCOMB MILL – DAVENTRY DELIGHTS
The Plough deserved a post, but that’s the best I could do for a title. Hope you like it, you’ll never have heard of Snorscombe Mill. Here it is, tucked beneath Everdon, which everyone knows. I took Mrs RM out for lunch in Daventry. I know how to etc. etc. etc. You’ll remember Daventry,… Continue reading SNORSCOMB MILL – DAVENTRY DELIGHTS
BREWDOG LIVES !
Tuesday night I was in Deansgate, walking back from a magical Julia Jacklin gig at Gorilla (keg Beavertown) to the equally magical Trivelles Hotel (£32) in Salford. It is possible that none of those names will mean anything to you, but I do hope that you remedy the absence of Julia Jacklin’s music from your… Continue reading BREWDOG LIVES !
TOP 100 PUBS – THE FAT CAT, NORWICH
At last, you cry, a pub I’ve heard of. And surely a shoe-in for any Top 100 at very least. I wasn’t sure the Fat Cat was a shoe-in, so on my night in Norwich I did the necessary research. You know where Norwich is, I’ll spare you the map. You probably know where the… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – THE FAT CAT, NORWICH
THE DUNCAN !!!
Not a shallow attempt to get a view from the Paisley Pub Prince, but a report on a cheap pint of keg in one of my long-term bucket list pubs*. Obviously you’ll want to know the important details of tonight’s trip to Leeds, like what Simon was wearing under his BRAPA mac, and how… Continue reading THE DUNCAN !!!
ENTERING THE GREAT SPOONS STEAK DEBATE
I’m so excited to be meeting pubs legends Richard and Simon today it’s another short post, I’m afraid. I could almost have fitted in within the new Twitter limit. Two posts on Wath in a day, too. This is the impressive looking Spoons. Despite seemingly having lost my remaining 50p vouchers, I reckoned the Church… Continue reading ENTERING THE GREAT SPOONS STEAK DEBATE
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