London 21-22/9/2012 Mums Special Birthday Weekend

London 21-22/9/2012 Mums Special Birthday Weekend
Mum, Dad, Pete

1). Gordons Wine Bar. Quirky underground bar which felt like a cave. Wine only here though no beer! Still a lovely bar with history and interest. Not my first visit nor my last I believe. 8/10.

2). Ship and Shovel. One of my favourite London pubs, Badger brewery but interesting as the pub is split in two across the road. It was a little too busy this time with a touch of excess laughter but I always enjoy this place. A nice traditional pub with good beer. 7.5/10.

3). Sherlock Holmes. Very busy at the time of our visit but we went upstairs where it is the dining room. It has a room dedicated to Holmes so gave us a bit of interest, Too busy to judge fairly but not sure it would ever score much more. 6/10.

4). Cabin. A bar in Waterloo station but despite this I quite liked it. A relaxing environment around you with hustle and bustle below. The staff were excellent too. 7/10.

5). Prospect of Whitby. A trek to get to! It is an old pub on the river so has good views of the Thames and a reasonable beer selection. Quite an interesting building with lots of rooms and various memorabilia even though is a bit chainy in feel. 7/10.

6). Vertigo.  A bar but a great bar. Such a lovely view of London. Champagne all the way but we all loved it. A special evening. 9/10.

7). The Windmill. A theatre type bar. Nice wooden features, friendly staff and a reasonable  ale selection. Enjoyable. 7/10.

8). The Kings Arms. Lovely traditional pub. Great ale selection, friendly staff and a cat! Really liked it here and would like to return. A good pub! 7.5/10. 

Brighton 25/8/2012 E&P

Brighton 25/8/2012 E&P

 1). The Greys. A nice pub with wooden features, brightly painted outer walls and a local but friendly vibe. It was really a Belgium beer pub so I felt compelled to oblige. A lovely bottle of Satan Red.  Liked the place and it was worth the walk up the hill. 7/10

2). The Quadrant. A busy city centre pub with lovely glass windows and old ornate features. It was busily and had a nice vibe. A couple of ales on tap which were most enjoyable, friendly staff too. Very good  8/10.

3). Craft. A modern craft beer pub, with a sister pub in London. The beer selection was amazing, so many to choose from. The staff are brilliant and let you try whatever you want. The pub itself is nice, airy will a good feel. I also managed to make a few OAP friends. Great place and can't wait to return. 8/10

4). Battle of Trafalgar. An oldie pub with old features and a nice outside bit. The furnishings are a bit tired but still very enjoyable with a couple of lovely ales on tap. A sure 7/10. 

Excellent day out.

Highgate 11/8/2012 Sarah, Jonnie, Louise, Sarah, Cathy

Highgate 11/8/2012 Sarah, Jonnie, Louise, Sarah, Cathy.

1). The Flask. A fantastic day so we sat outside but it is a great pub inside too. Lots of little rooms and coves. I was impressed. It is a Fullers pub so had the usual beers with also a guest. Very enjoyable and would like to return on a colder day to appreciate the inside. 8/10.

2). The Winchester Hotel. A large hotel but still kept some old features. The bar was one of those central wooden large curved ones. It had a couple of ales available and the staff opened the outside for us. Pleasant but not very atmospheric. 6/10

3). The Wrestlers. I didn’t really venture inside much as I sat outside but it seemed a very pleasant pub with great ales and an old wooden feel to it. Needs more investigating but 7/10.

4). The Bull. This is a modern pub which is a brew pub I believe. It did have lots of ales to choose from – so much I had two halves! It was nice and airy and despite seeming gastro didn’t feel too pretentious. Another good pub. 7/10.

London Kentish Town 10/08/2012 Jane, Vicki, Kathy, Emily, Caroline, Russ, Becky.

London Kentish Town 10/08/2012 Jane, Vicki, Kathy, Emily, Caroline, Russ, Becky.

Highlight of my year Jane was taking me too the infamous Southampton Arms and then a brewery pub. How could life get better!

1). Southampton Arms. A true pub pub. Still got the old features and wooden bar while a little bit out the back. Lots of Handpumps but the selection was not as good as I had hoped. Great if you are a porter drinker but I am not! Very enjoyable and a lovely pub just not pubfection I had been hoping for. Would definitely return 8/10

2). Tapping the Admiral. A nice pub quite plain and simple  inside but had a good few ales on. It had a lovely yard where we based ourselves. Atmosphere was quiet due to the time of day but very nice. 7/10

3). Camden Town Brewery. Great atmposhere due to the type of bar it is (outside) and the weather being so great. A good couple of ales well lagers really. Nothing amazing about it though and a bit too lagery. 7/10.

4). The Assembly. Very busy and by this time we were hungry for chips! A good laugh though 7/10.

London Waterloo 21/07/2012 Anna, Rich, Jim, Pete, Jase, Friend.

London Waterloo 21/07/2012 Anna, Rich, Jim, Pete, Jase, Friend.

1). Rose and Crown. A Shepherd Neame family pub. Quite traditional and very friendly and pleasant. It was a nice day so we sat in the garden. 6/10

2). The Ring. A modern style pub/bar right opposite Southwark, it had an excellent range of beers and lagers though to keep everyone happy. Again sat outside and we all enjoyed this place. A good  7/10

3). The Lord Nelson. This place has a Caribbean feel and décor to it. Quite a vibrant atmppsohere but no ales and a bit grotty. I would have scored this place lower. 6/10.

4). The Wheatsheaf. From the outside we weren’t sure about this place, looked dark and dingy but inside was really cool.  Loads of ales on tap and it is a nice building with coves and photos on the wall. Very enjoyable. 7/10.

5). Olde Kings Head. This pub was ok. Had a couple of ales on and it is quite traditional. A bit over used and under cared for though in my opinion. 6/10.

6) The Rake. A famous bar for its selection of beers and lagers. The selection was impressive and as a result very busy so we ended up standing outside by the bins! For this reason scores lower than it could do. 6.5/10

Warwick/Leamington 30/06/2012 Ally, Pete

Warwick/Leamington 30/06/2012 Ally, Pete

 

1). Millwright Arms. A friendly pub which is  a nice black and white building with a lovely big garden out the back. We sat outside until the rain started! They have a couple of well kept ales. Very nice pub. 6.5/10.

 

2) New Bowling Green. Again a nice old building retaining some of its original features but has a modern refit. A few ales but not ones to my liking so I always opt for a lager here. The beer garden is lovely though and in the sun it is a great place to come. 7/10.

 

3). The Moorings. A canal side pub on the edge of Leamington. It used to be a traditional large pub but now is more of a modern bar/restaurant. Still it does have a couple of ales and good premium lagers. It has a nice outside bit too. 6/10.

 

4). The Cricketers. A friendly traditional pub with a couple of ales and nice staff. It even has a little outdoor area. I really like it here and has a good atmosphere. Favourite of the day. 7.5/10.

Brighton 03/06/2012 E&P

Brighton 03/06/2012 E&P

 

1). Hand in Hand. It did have its own brewery but it only has guest ales at the moment, a good selection though. It is a very old fashioned pub with old memorabilia and photos for its décor. It has a nice wooden bar and seating. I like it. 7/10.

 

2). The Colonade. The theatre bar which is very flamboyant and well decorated inside but in a good way. We actually sat outside to listen to the music from the park. It had a couple of good ales, I would recommend it. 8/10.

 

3). The Eagle. A busy pub with all wooden floors and furniture. Had a studenty vibe. A good couple of ales to choose from and was very pleasant, just nothing special. 5.5/10.

 

4). The Caxon. A Shepherd Neame pub near to the station. It was nice and cosy and the staff were fun. Again another lovely pub. 7/10.

Liverpool 18/5/2012 – 19/5/2012 - Mum and Dad

Liverpool 18/5/2012 – Mum and Dad

1)      PI -  A busy bar with a very impressive beer menu. Lots of choice and a good variety from all over the world. It is a small place with a cafe feel. The staff are friendly and helpful and we all enjoyed it. 8/10

2)      Rose of Mossley – A large pub with standard drink selection. No ales, TV’s on and fruit machines. We weren’t very impressed. 5/10

Liverpool 19/5/2012

1)      Peter Kavanaghs – Lovely historic pub which is grade 1 listed. It has cosy little rooms and lots of historic features throughout the pub. The tables are from ships, it has murals by Peter himself and beautiful fireplaces and carvings. It also has a good ale selection and friendly locals and staff. A must for all! 9/10

2)      Beehive – A busy centre pub which is long and narrow. It is much nicer inside than it looks from the outside. A busy bustly atmosphere and it had a couple of ales on too. Nice but nothing special. 6./10

3)      First National Wine – This is a bar not a pub but we hadn’t been in before and the building used to be bank. Due to this fact it is a large and pretty building with high ceilings and very airy.  It even had a couple of ales on so it was quite enjoyable. 6/10

4)      Baltic Fleet – A true ale pub which brews it’s own beer. It is undergoing a bit of a makeover but it was still busy with a nice atmosphere. The building is ship shaped and it is famed for its scouse! A good ale pub. 7/10

Eastbourne 08/04/2012 - 09/04/2012 Mum and Dad

Seaford – 08/04/2012

1) The Wellington Hotel - Recommended to us by the couple from the Basketmakers Arms so it was lovely to find them there! They were correct with the statement that the ales were good. They had plenty on offer and we were all satisfied. The place was very pleasant too but it was a hotel. 7/10.

Eastbourne  - 08/04/2012

1) The Victoria – We have all been there before but this time they had a beer festival on. Unfortunately the ones I would have like to have tried were sold out but I still managed to try a few. The bar was very busy but I preferred it to the quieter times we have been before (others of us didn't though due to excess laughter). 6/10.

Ringmer – 09/04/2012

1) The Cock – A small pub which seems to be very popular for food. It was very busy when we went and we didn't all get a seat. There was very little space for non eaters. We were quite disappointed by this place. Even though the old features of the old bar and fire place were lovely. 6/10.

2) The Ship – A very non descript average pub with only one ale available. The seating was more like restaurant chairs and it wasn't very cosy. 5/10.

 

Brighton – 07/04/2012 with Mum and Dad

Brighton – 07/04/2012 with Mum and Dad

1). Hand in Hand – A lovely little pub in the Kemp Town part of Brighton. Usually they brew their own ales but unfortunately at the time they were renovating their cellar. They still had a number of though and the bar staff were very helpful in letting you try them and advise. I very much liked the relaxed yet happy vibe to this place and would definitely return. 8/10.

2) The Basketmakers Arms – This is a busy Fullers pub. It was so busy we struggled to get a seat but a kind couple let us share their table. It had a vibrant atmosphere and we all enjoyed it. The ale selection was pretty good considering it was a Fullers too. Again I would return here. 7.5/10.

3) The Evening Star – We had heard nothing but good reports about this place and the excellent selection of ales. It did have a fair few on but we weren't overly impressed.  It didn't live up to the other two pubs high standard. I found the staff not to be as friendly and the atmosphere not as jovial here. Still worth a visit. 7/10.

4) The Great Eastern – This place doesn't look much from the outside but it is quite sweet inside. Nice wooden features and a couple of ales.  Quite a few students in when we were there. Perfectly pleasant. 7/10.

5) The Cask Bar and Kitchen – This had only been open a few weeks I believe when we visited. It was very popular and the drink selection was amazing. The bar staff were very efficient and extremely helpful in helping you make your selection. I would have scored it higher but I am a traditional pub person at heart and this is a bar. 7/10.

 

A Drinkers Ode

A Drinkers Ode

What's on – is on.

What's gone – is gone,

And what's on next will be …. next.

Let us not be vexed,

For one thing's clear

One day we'll find

The perfect beer.

Please be patient whilst waiting for your next discovery

Stratford Upon Avon 14/4/2012- Becky, Jane, Vicki, Claire, Kathy and Catherine.

Stratford Upon Avon 14/4/2012- Becky, Jane, Vicki, Claire, Kathy and Catherine.

1). The Bear. This is a hotel bar and it was showing the football (I won't mention the score) and had a large variety of ales on tap. I had 3 1/3's here to try a couple of different beers. All were perfectly drinkable. Due to the football being on, the bar area was very busy so we ended up sitting R Kelly Style in the hotel lobby. On a different occasion, with more ale testing it would probably score more highly but for this experience 4/10.

2). The Garrick Inn. This was a GK pub so it was always going to be dodgy for ale so there were no surprises that I had a lager! It was fairly busy and the décor was quite modern but trying to keep some of its old features. We all had a fairly pleasant drink but the pub is nothing special 5/10.

3). The Windmill. I didn't particularly like this pub although it was fine. It had low timbered ceilings and a decent outside area where we based ourselves but it felt a bit grotty to me. The ale selection was a lot better and they had some nice lagers too. I managed to watch the Grand National so that was a bonus! Another standard pub in my opinion 5/10.   

 4). Old Thatched Tavern. As a building this was a lovely pub, black and white and indeed with a thatched roof. A Fullers pub so standard pumps and I managed an ale here. The problem with the place is it seemed too geared up to food and the section for drinkers was too small. I also had to ask for the TV to be turned off. This was however the best place we visited this afternoon.  6/10.

5). The Cross Keys. A terrible place which has no ales and no redeeming features, the good company was the only reason this scored at all to be honest! Basic and certainly not a place for an afternoon drink.  3/10.

Despite the low scores for the pubs it was a brilliant birthday afternoon out. Thanks very much ladies!

Southam 31/3/3012 - Pete, Tim and Claudia

Southam 31/3/2012 - Pete, Tim and Claudia

1). The Olde Mint - A beautiful stone building with a lovely interior and wooden beams. The compliments stop there however. When we walking in early evening there was a full on rave happening with a DJ in the corner and the music so loud we were forced to sit outside even though it was a cold day. There was two ales on both Purity. Not to my tastes. 2/10

2). The Market Tavern - Seemed like a nice local family pub. It had a lot of kids playing outside. Inside was split into two rooms. The staff were unfriendly and not very knowledgeable and there was a disappointing number of beers on considering it is owned by Warwickshire Brewery. 4/10

Don't think I will be returning to Southam again in a hurry!

Lewes 11/3/12 – Mum, Dad and Shelia.

Lewes 11/3/12 – Mum, Dad and Shelia.

1). The Swan – Unfortunately we came at a bad time. Lack of staff, beer and clean tables. The service was very slow, got the wrong beer and it all seemed very stressful. I am sure on a return visit it would score higher. 5/10

2). The Brewers Arms – Large pub split into two. They were showing the rugby at the back of the pub but the front was quite nice. Attentive staff and a good range of beers. 6.5/10

3). John Harvey Tavern – A good number of Harvey beers and an excellent barman. Talked me through all the beers and let me try a few. The atmosphere was great as it was busy and bustley. Very enjoyable. 8/10

4. The Gardener Arms – Scuffy locals pub but a good selection of ales. Enjoyable and cosy. 6.5/10

Eastbourne Weekend - 10/3/12 – 12/3/12 with Mum, Dad and Shelia.

Eastbourne 10/3/12

1). Red Lion – Badger pub so I was pleased with the ale. Quite a nice local pub with a few people in but needs a spruce up and the carpet changing! 6/10

2). Wheatsheaf – More up market but still friendly and a good selection of ales. In fact I would recommend the Beachy head Rambler to anyone! 7/10

Hastings 12/3/12

1). The Crown – Lovely roaring fire and nice wooden floor but I am not sure if the pub is struggling. It had only one ale left and no Guinness. Still it was enjoyable. 6.5/10

East Dean 12/3/12

1). The Tiger Inn – Quite a posh pub and quite foodie at the time. Still it is very attractive and in a lovely spot. Good choice of ales. 7.5/10

Eastbourne 12/3/12

1). The Grand Hotel – No beer here but Champagne and cocktails! Felt very executive and posh. We had a skilled barman to make us proper cocktails. Very enjoyable. 8/10

Coventry – 18/02/2012 With Vicki, Rich and Jim

Coventry – 18/02/2012 With Vicki, Rich, Jim plus Marcus and Fred for a while too.

1). Inspire – A bottled beer bar in an old spire. It is obviously a lovely building and I liked the bar being so small as it felt cosy. We sat outside as we were a big group and despite it being winter the heater provided enough warmth. It is quite expensive but had a great selection of beers – mostly Belgium but lots of ales too. We all like this bar so a good. 8/10.

2) Whitefriars Ale House – A lovely old timber building with listed features in it. Had about 9 ales to choose from and we all enjoyed our choices. It also had a friendly feel despite being locally at the time we visited. Also a real fire which always gets an extra point. To me this is everything what an ale pub should be, brilliant. 9/10.

3). The Gatehouse Tavern – Quite a sport pub really with lots of tvs. It had a couple of ales on and the staff were very friendly. Nothing special about it to me though. 6/10.

4). Town Wall Tavern – Nothing to look at and noting special inside. Went for the only guest ale and it was a stout so had to go back a Hobgoblin! Should have asked for a try before you buy. Staff weren't very friendly and I wouldn't return. 5/10.

5). The Windmill – Quite a nice building with different rooms, low ceilings and wooden features. A couple of ales on tap. Felt a bit grubby or studenty though. 6/10.

6). The Squirrel – More of a bar really but it was en-route to the station! It did have a couple of ales on and was perfectly fine.   6/10.

Another good ale trail and I will return to Coventry again.

Nottingham 28/01/2012

Nottingham with Anna, Jase, Kate, Charlie and Lisa.

1). Bunkers Hill. It was quiet but had good ale selection. Gutted as they did three 1/3 pints with cheese tasting tray which I didn't know about until after I had ordered my beer! It was nice but not special. 6/10

2). Canal House. Great beers selection and a lovely pub. Good atmosphere and a nice building. Really liked this place. 9/10

3). Olde Trip to Jerusalem. The oldest pub in Nottingham. A pub in caves, very busy but had good ales. Some of us loved it, I think it is ok. 7.5/10

4). Keans Head. Good beers and nice food. Good atmosphere but not the best building. Enjoyable 7.5/10

5). Cross Keys. Felt a bit like a posher Wetherspoons. Good beers though and nice feel. 6.5/10.

6). Salutation Inn. Rock pub so the music was loud. meant that it wasn't that enjoyable. Did have lots of ales though, 5/10.

7). The Orange Tree. Felt very studenty and no ales. Did have an organic lager! It was fine. 6/10.

8). The Blue Bell. A late night venue - the only reason to come here. No ales and a bit of a dive! 5/10

Chester 19/11/2011

Chester with Mum and Dad.

1). Pied Bull. Again for sentimental reasons enjoyed this pub. Lots of ales and a nice cosy winter atmosphere. 7/10

2). Brewery Tap. Great recent addition to Chester. Lots of locally brewed ale and a lovely stone building. Very enjoyable. 7/10

3). Harkers. Another good ale pub which was nicely busy and we all had a good drink. Not as good as the other two though. 6.5/10

Lewes 17/09/2011

Lewes with Mum, Dad and Pete.

1). The Snowdrop. A bit of the way but worth every step. A lovely pub and would definitely return. It had a canal theme with good ales and a friendly atmosphere. Hard to beat. 8/10

2). Pelham Arms. A Badger Brewery pub so was on my must visit list. I was disappointed unfortunately. They didn't have my favourite Blandford Fly and my dad had a pint of Tangle Foot which was dodgy in our opinion. It was a pleasant enough though  and my drink was lovely. 6/10.

3). Lewes Arms. A Fullers pub with interesting Whiskey bottle selection which kept us amused. I liked this place. 7/10

4). Lansdown. Not a bad place, a reasonable pub with a couple of ales on. Nothing remarkable though. 6/10

Birmingham 03/09/2011

Birmingham with Vicki but joined by Claire and Kathy too.

1). Red Lion - Erdington. Lovely building on the outside. A locals pub but they made us feel welcome and had two ales on. 5/10

2). Old Crown. Dates from 1368 apparently. Didn't really like this one though although it is a nice building. No ales however. 6/10

3). The Anchor. A great ale pub with lots on tap. Didn't have the atmosphere however on this visit. 5/10

4). The Lamp Tavern. Cracking little pub with lovely owners and great beer. Really enjoyed it and would love to return. 8/10 

5). The Old Fox. Better than expected and did have a couple of ales on. 6/10

Kentish Town, London 20/08/2011

Kentish Town with Jane, Becky, Kathy, Catherine.

1) Oxford. Big pub/bar but excellent beer selection. Not pubby enough for me though. 6/10

2). Lion and Unicorn. Very gastro pub which the girls loved but irritating vain bar staff. Nice though and good beer selection. 7/10 (the girls would have given it more!)

3). Pineapple. My favourite of the day. Really liked this place. Great atmosphere, beer selection and felt cosy. 7.5/10

4). Assembly House Quite a nice bar with good a selection of beers not ales though. Good arm chairs and we had a fun drink here. 7/10

Looking back on these scores I think I might have been influenced and therefore they might be skewed!

Hastings 16/08/2011

Hastings with my mum and dad.

1). Stags Head. A very nice pub but not very busy and we had a slight mishap which tarnishes our memory but it is a nice pub. 7/10

2). Jenny Lind. Good ale selection and occasionally has bands on. Has a nice outside bit too. 7/10

3). FIFO. Small pub but they have their own brewery which is quite impressive. Atmosphere wasn't great though but I liked the beer and the booths! 6.5/10

4). Smugglers. Funny pub, quirky in an old style. Quite enjoyed it though. 6.5/10

5). Clique Port Arms.  Looks cute from the outside but the atmosphere was a bit cold. More upmarket. 6/10.

Leamington Spa 2/7/2011

Leamington Spa with Pete and Vicki

1). The Clarendon. Our favourite pub/bar in Leamington at the moment. Quality ales and a nice environment. On this occasion a solid 7/10.

2). The Somerville. It was a lovely day so we sat in the beer garden. Everards pub so nice ale and friendly staff. 7/10.

3). The New Inn. Again we sat outside and it was pretty busy with a reasonable ale selection. 7.5/10.

4). The Talbot. Aways has a couple of good ales and is a very local type pub. 6/10.

5). Jug and Jester. Probably one of the better Wetherspoons as it has a nice outside bit and obviously a great beer selection. For this reason and on this day it scores surprisingly high at 7/10.

Harrogate and Leeds 11/6/11

Harrogate and Leeds with my sister.

1). Old Bell Inn. Good beer selection and nice pub. Oldie worldie feel.  8/10

2). Coach and Horses. Nice staff and atmosphere. 7/10.

3). Swan on Stray. Posher pub but friendly. 6.5/10

4). Winter Gardens. Standard Wetherspoon pub. 6/10

5). Hales. Another old style pub with a good atmosphere. 7.5/10

6). City Inn (Mint). In Leeds now, posh bar but had a lovely view of the city. Had bottled ale! 7/10

7). North Bar. My relatives favourite bar in Leeds, although I am not overly impressed - Sorry! More like a cafe! Great beer selection though and a good atmosphere. 7/10

Chester 27/5/11

Chester Crawl with Mum and Dad.

1).Pied Bull.  My favourite pub in earlier years! Good ale pub with nice old building - haunted! 7/10

2). Oddfellows. Not an ale pub but a posh bar. Nice outside bit though which we enjoyed. For that reason 7/10

3). The Falcon. Black and White building Sam Smiths pub. Nice in the day, not so good at night as it is a bit scruffy. It does have a good feel in the day though. 6.5/10

4). Pitcher and Piano. Obviously a chain bar but me and mum had a free cocktail! 5/10

5). Bird in Hand. Later on we went to the Bird in Hand. A good local ale pub but still on that day only a 6.5 /10