Work';s Christmas meal today which after our original plans were scuppered due to the previously selected venue being shut, we found ourselves on a traditional British winter day (mildish and wet) at the Pie and Ale House in Stafford.
three beers on so I decided to work though them. first up was Lymestone's Pounamu - a Pacific pale ale brewed to celebrate the Rugby world cup that has been flying out of the pumps according to their web site. Well its a whilse now since the Rugby World cup but even so the beer was excellent and its New Zealand hop character cut nicely through the cheese and mixed cured meat platter that was my starter.
Min course next (Turkey pie with mash and mushy peas - wot no eels?!) - something more traditional needed and so Concord from Cottage fitted the bill nicely.
To go with the deathly chocolate dessert, even more tradiitonal via Joules Pale ale (my least favourite beer of the day but its character fitted in with the weather.) Good value at £12.50 for the three courses!
the boss then suggested we head over to the Rose and Crown. This used to be a roughians' pub where "if you want a criminal you could usually find one here" but now has been transfromed.
Again Joules was the order of the day so this time it was their Slumbering Monk (to be a better beer than their pale ale.)
Friday, 23 December 2011
14th December - Burton
December meeting of the BBC. A large number of beers were brought by the members (including one at 32%+.)
My winter Warmer and Burton Bridge porter clone beers were well received as as for commercial stuff I had The Deep from Newby Wyke.
My winter Warmer and Burton Bridge porter clone beers were well received as as for commercial stuff I had The Deep from Newby Wyke.
4th December - Burton
Its the day of the Burton Beer Circle Christmas social - oh yes it is and indeed it was actually today.
Trains weren't brillient being a Sunday so I had to drive and so only had one, the B&T Fruit Bat again.
Good food, good company, skittles that got worse as the evening passed and an excellent time was had by all.
Trains weren't brillient being a Sunday so I had to drive and so only had one, the B&T Fruit Bat again.
Good food, good company, skittles that got worse as the evening passed and an excellent time was had by all.
3rd December - Burton
Its the day of the Burton Beer Circle social so we arrived early to the Cottage as they have a good range of beers on. After a while we started to wonder where everyone was and after a few phone calls including one to London we learned that it was the day before the social.
I still took the opportunity though to aquaint myself with the following:
I still took the opportunity though to aquaint myself with the following:
- B&T (Banks and Taylor) Fruit Bat (lovely stuff this)
- Milestone Dark Galleon (I've yet to find a Milestone beer that I really enjoy)
1st December - Atherstone
So soon i find myself in Atherstone again, this time passing through due to Christmas shopping.
We were passing at lunchtime so called in to a chippie at the Mancetter end of the town (the chips were excellent, homemade thick jobbies).
There are three pubs right by the chippie although only the Old Swan was open so food was washed down with Banks's Original.
We were passing at lunchtime so called in to a chippie at the Mancetter end of the town (the chips were excellent, homemade thick jobbies).
There are three pubs right by the chippie although only the Old Swan was open so food was washed down with Banks's Original.
26th November 2011 - Atherstone
Over to Atherstone today with RG whose work's football team (Loughborough University) were playing there (very quiet for a Saturday - turns out there the Xmas Fayre on later that day so most people were leaving it till later before venturing out.
This provided an opportunity to revisit some pubs not been to for a while starting with Market Tavern where I sampled a couple of the beers from its owners, the Warwickshire Brewing Company, specifically Churchyard Bob, and the stronger Kingmaker.
We adjourned to the local chippy and thence set out for the football stadium (true if loose description) via the Angel. I had great hopes for this as they often have a beer festival (reported on a previous posting) but today only Bass was available.
Thence to the Bear and Ragged Staff by the aforementioned pitch where the only decent beer available was Highgate Dark Mild.
The game itself was a dire affair and there were only cans of beer available in the clubhouse afterwards (still the left over sandwiches from the player's tea were welcome.)
We returned to the railway station via a much busier town centre and homewards past several drummer's drumming (no partridges, pear trees, leaping maidens or lords milking to be seen!)
This provided an opportunity to revisit some pubs not been to for a while starting with Market Tavern where I sampled a couple of the beers from its owners, the Warwickshire Brewing Company, specifically Churchyard Bob, and the stronger Kingmaker.
We adjourned to the local chippy and thence set out for the football stadium (true if loose description) via the Angel. I had great hopes for this as they often have a beer festival (reported on a previous posting) but today only Bass was available.
Thence to the Bear and Ragged Staff by the aforementioned pitch where the only decent beer available was Highgate Dark Mild.
The game itself was a dire affair and there were only cans of beer available in the clubhouse afterwards (still the left over sandwiches from the player's tea were welcome.)
We returned to the railway station via a much busier town centre and homewards past several drummer's drumming (no partridges, pear trees, leaping maidens or lords milking to be seen!)
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