More of those photos of food you love, as I travel between Salford and Bury, the two gourmet capitals of the north. In my mind anyway. A beautiful morning to explore Salford and walk off the previous night’s pie. Salford may lack Manchester’s expensive craft beer scene and disposable clothes shops, but on a good… Continue reading FROM SALFORD TO THE SUNDIAL VIA THE ROVERS RETURN
THE PIE DEBATE RUMBLES ON
A flimsy premise for a post, but on my return to Manchester from (historic) Cheshire I succumbed to that rarity, a return visit to a pub. Last year GBG Northern Quarter newbie Pie & Ale House got relatively short shrift from me, mainly as I’d spectacularly failed to find the Ale side of the equation.… Continue reading THE PIE DEBATE RUMBLES ON
MISS(ING) MARPLE TICKS
The greater the progress with completing the Beer Guide, the harder it gets. In the early stages you have the joy of towns and cities with multiple entries, most notably a half dozen Robinson’s pubs in Stockport in 2002. As my crib sheet shows, not many of those left; The real surprises on that list… Continue reading MISS(ING) MARPLE TICKS
RETIREDMARTIN Snr GOES TO BETHNAL GREEN
Not much on my Dad’s bucket list, apart from a trip to Maidenhead Conservative Club, of course. But he’d always wanted to go and see the Columbia Road Flower Market. A new Beer Guide tick in Bethnal Green and a clear blue sky made up my mind for me. Mrs RM came along on… Continue reading RETIREDMARTIN Snr GOES TO BETHNAL GREEN
LOUGHBOROUGH LACINGS
The blog-naming committee had a tough time on this one. Loughborough, famous for over-excitable athletes, bells and a steam train from Leicester. And lace, apparently. We stopped in Loughborough to complete the Leicestershire section of the Beer Guide for 2017. The welcoming committee was nowhere to be seen. But “New Loughborough” awaited, in all… Continue reading LOUGHBOROUGH LACINGS
BURTON’S DOG – BLACK COUNTRY REDEMPTION
I’ve been a bit critical of Black Country Ales pubs on here recently. Their pubs in Halesowen, Worcester, Leicester and even the Welly in Brum seemed to have far too many beers on for their trade. In fact, whenever I see someone defend them,they always start “It’s a great pub, they always have a… Continue reading BURTON’S DOG – BLACK COUNTRY REDEMPTION
TOP 100 PUBS – COOPERS TAVERN, BURTON UPON TRENT
Pyromania complete, we headed round the corner to the Coopers. It’s just possible you’ll have heard me mention this one. Historically the Bass Tap, but recently moving between Hardy & Hansons and Tynemill before ending up in Joule’s sympathetic hands Always in my Top 5 pubs for 3 reasons. Superb Draught Bass from the barrel… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – COOPERS TAVERN, BURTON UPON TRENT
BURNING ULLAGE – HERETICS IN BURTON UPON TRENT
As Newbury Tim will know, all publicity is good publicity. So here’s a plug for the ever-excellent Ullage, which I can confirm has equally excellent combustible qualities when read over a candle in a Burton micropub. As is traditional, a totally pointless route map for the next leg of our journey; I suppose I could… Continue reading BURNING ULLAGE – HERETICS IN BURTON UPON TRENT
MICRO PUBS & SWINGING LEGS IN BURTON UPON TRENT
From the birthplace of Bass to its spiritual home. Shamefully, this was our first trip to Burton since I started this blog in 2015, and it’s been prompted by a rather seismic, some would say heretical, event. The new Beer Guide has lost the Coopers* (of which more later) and the Elms, and gained… Continue reading MICRO PUBS & SWINGING LEGS IN BURTON UPON TRENT
THE WILLIAM BASS TRAIL
You may be surprised to hear this, but I didn’t know William Bass came from Hinckley. I’d always assumed he was born in Milton Keynes General. So the local CAMRA branch had already increased my vital beer knowledge from a quick read of Half Pint in the Elbow Room. There seemed to be 15 pubs… Continue reading THE WILLIAM BASS TRAIL
