14th October - Wilnecote - If Monty Python did a beer song...

My turn to organize the monthly outing and not being sure of my plans till on the day I opted for the easy option of Wilnecote (or rather Win-cot to the locals.)  Met the other at the station as planned and 25 minutes and one busy road crossing later we arrived at the Queens Head.

Most of the pubs are along the old A5 (now a B road.)  We entered and eventually noted a single hand pull making a  somewhat apologetic appearance in the corner.  Bass was the unanimous choice.  Bit of a beer desert this could be one commented, the evening can but improve!

On to the Red Lion.  Previously in the GBG but has changed hands recently.  Again Bass was the only real ale so some of us went for M&B Mild.

We walked passed the next closest pub saving that will the end and round the corner into what I guess is actually Hockley for the Prince of Wales.  Another pub to have changed hands and another pub selling Bass ("Bass, Bass, Bass, Bass,,,,Bass,Bass" as the song might go.)  I however opted for Abbot Ale.  GP busied himself with a local who came from the other Hockley originally in Birmingham, whilst me and TH discussed options for Asda settees.

Time to move on to the last port of call, the Globe.  Wot, no Bass!  They do do a guest beer these days which I went for - Brakspear Oxford Gold whilst we tried and failed several times to get past the £1 mark on the quiz machine.

Left the others back at the station and homeward via the Chinese take-away.

12th October 2011 - Burton

Latest meeting of the Burton Beer Circle.  

Commercial beers I sampled tonight were

Titanic - Chocolate and Vanilla Stout

Oakham - Scarlett  Macaw

Potbelly - Bellowhead

Newton Winnel's Longdon Perry

(For the record I took along a recently brewed wheat beer which was well received - details to appear on my brewing blog in due course.)

30th September 2011 - Wolverhampton and Bilston

 A very, very warm last day of September finds me on the train heading into Birmingham for the latest Friday night outing.  Several of the regulars were otherwise engaged this evening so only JF (who I was to meet in Birmingham) and BJ (meeting us later in Wolverhampton were out tonight.)

First port of call was the Shakespeare near New Street.  The pub was quite busy especially the small outside drinking area due to the heatwave but I managed to get served quite quickly selecting Nethergate Border.  As I was finishing this, in walked JF who manfully grasped my my empty glass and before so much as a "How do you do" I was in possession of the my second beer, Harviestoun Ptarmigan.

Off now to Wolverhampton with just enough time on the train to eat my tea before alighting at the station where BJ was waiting for us

We headed off to the Great Western via the subway and footpath running by what used to be the other station serving the now defunct railway from Snow Hill.  I well remember the first time I took this route some 12 years or so ago when it was somewhat rougher.

I opted for some of the Holdens' beers (Black Country Bitter and thence Mild.)  We took the chance to catch up on recent outings and a recap from BJ of DP's birthday trek to Leeds (hint - always check which way a train is heading before catching it as there's more than one way from Sheffield to Leeds!)

Heading off now - "we've lost BJ" who re-appeared a few moments later having checked the remains of the old platforms that apparently are still visible by the new hotel now forming part of the old station mentioned above.

We arrived at the Posada (and Black Sheep Bitter) which although close to the city centre had something of a back street local to it.  Being a warm evening we ventured to garden where conversation was interrupted from time to time via the singers of variable quality from the karaoke bar t'other side of the wall.

Next port of call was the Hogshead.  Enville Cherry Blonde was my choice over thoughts ahead to the world cup rugby that weekend ("Of course England will beat France" ce la vie as it turned out!)

The evening was still young so we decided to head via the metro over to Bilston.  BJ lead the way and we ended up at Banks's Robin 2 on Mount Pleasant.  This place has a small front public bar with what appears to be a much larger concert venue beyond which host a range of real and better quality tribute acts.  Banks's Original for me.

Final port of call was to Trumpet with just time for a swift Holden's Mild and thence off for the tram.  Problems that evening including the need to re-boot the vehicle but back in New Street in plenty (ahem) of time for the train homewards.

23rd September 2011 - GCR Beer Festival, Loughborough

In what appears to be becoming an annual ritual, myself and RG take Friday off work and head over to the East Midlands town of Loughborough and on to the GCR steam railway station for their beer festival.

A larger marquee, and warmer weather compared to last year greeted us with 41 beers from breweries within a few miles of the old LNER routes.

My selections (in order) were:

Ossett - Big Red

Raw - Annubis Porter

Belvoir - Oatmeal Stout

Ufford - White Hart

Funfair - Rollerghoster ("A bright red, Halloween themed summer-fruit beer" - which resembled Cherryade - I liked it, the woman on the next table didn't)

Partners - Spike's on't way

B&T - Dunstable Giant - which was my favorite of those tasted.

After this we headed into town.  RG had said he wanted to find the Unicord and as luck would have it, it appeared round the corner.  Marston's EPA was what I chose.

Back to Tamworth and time for food and the special house balti at ??? hit the spot nicely downed with some Banglra lager.

(Note to self - take care - a smaller annual ritual is almost getting run over!)

8th / 9th September 2011 - Tamworth Beer Festival

Although previously I served on the organizing committee, other activities in recent years that have clashed have meant it been three years since my last visit.

A chance then to catch up with some old acquaintances on t'other side of the bar and as always the beer choice was excellent (Chris Fudge would have been hard pressed to improve on it! so a worthy tribute in a way.)

Over the two days and in alphabetic rather than drinking order the following were consumed...

Arbor - New Sierra and Kiwi IPA

Backyard - Autumn

Beowulf - Amber Knights

Blindmans - Hoppy Cock

Blue Ball - Smoker

Brodies - Whitechapel Weisen

Byatts - Phoenix Gold

Church End - Chunky Cubes (a pineapple beer)

 and Brancoff Porter

Tunnel - Summit Else - the festival festival that was brewed by the organisers with a lot of American hops (well done chaps!)

Two Roses - Chinook Pale

Verulam - Half Nelson

Worsthorne - Foxstones

I also shared a couple of offerings from the bottle stall (I used to manage this part and so would have been rude not to sample the wares), specifically

Huyghe Florisgaarden Chocolat

Burton Bridge Tickle Brain.

26th August 2011 - Tamworth

Started things off tonight at the Globe where RG was already in mid beer.  I chose their guest, Hyde's Lawnmower (a pleasant enough bitter.)

We then headed over the Sir Robert Peel where I went for Wye Valley HPA.

Market Vaults next and Marston's Pedigree (to the sounds of the 70s music from the lounge.)

Mainly for old time's sake we opted next for the Three Tuns (passing the White Lion en route - must be getting old as the music volume sound loud!)  Fullers London Pride (and more 70's music.)

Finally over to the Bolebridge and Brains SA Gold and finally a shared bottle of Newcastle Brown.

5th August 2011 - Tamworth

Friday night outing with RG meeting as always, it seems, at The Globe.  I opted first for the Holden's Mild.  Tonight we thought we'ed re-check the state of play at the Albert.  Things are getting back to how they used to be and signs of real ale returning.  I opted for Banks's Bitter. 

Over the road next to the Tweedale.  Bass is a beer that used to be common  but is getting harder to finds these days.  I remember the days when it used to be darker.

We decided to end the evening at the Sir Robert Peel.  Here I went first for York Citra and thence Wye Valley HPA.  recollections of the old days when it was Hamletts and brown ale was the order of the day prompted us to share a bottle of Newcastle Brown (what ever happened to the fridge full of Newquay bottles?)

30th July - Tamworth - Wetherspoon's Cider festival - part 3

8 days later finds me with a quiet Saturday afternoon so I take the chance to tick off some more of the offerings at the cider festival/  With hindsight, don't leave it to the end next time for those from the barrel as my first (Mr Whitehead's Festival Special Perry)  was well past its best.


I then went for one of the bottled ciders in the shape of Mont St Michel Cider (from France).