https://awalker.org/index.htmlHot News!enen2026-04-29T23:32:37+01:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 23:34:50 +0100Liverpool Liverpool MapsLiverpoolPubs2026-04-29T23:32:37+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/33552c9a84cc48f24908d72ee4f33359-60.html#unique-entry-id-60https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/33552c9a84cc48f24908d72ee4f33359-60.html#unique-entry-id-60Haven’t updated the maps on here for an age. I’ve got a few to add to, which I guess in the world of hospitality is a nice problem to have. Better going on here to add to pubs rather than delete them. Unfortunately things are never as straightforward as you hope. I used Vectornator to make all the maps, which no longer exists. It has changed to Linearity Curve, unfortunately to have a number of documents you need to have a paid for plan. I hate all these pay monthly options. Like most people I’d rather just pay once for a program and leave it at that.

I’m gonna have to go back to OpenStreetMap and create the base maps from there and then I’ll guess I’ll use Procreate for editing them to the form I’ll use. I know Procreate is a bit overkill for the job I’ll do on them, but hey ho it IS an App I have.

I’ll try and get to this over the next week or two. Promise.]]>Liverpool 2026-02-17T23:38:19+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/03244b7b7e1653c6199eabffc803e9de-59.html#unique-entry-id-59https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/03244b7b7e1653c6199eabffc803e9de-59.html#unique-entry-id-59I was looking at some old gig tickets the other day and then adding some dates from them of gigs I’ve been to—way back when—into the Concert Archive app. They were all in tins on the top of shelves in the kitchen. When I opened one box though it contained old beer mats I’ve picked up over the years. But it’s not like I was a collector, and there weren’t that many really. I was never going to do anything with them; maybe I should have. At one point last week I was simply going to throw them out.




But hey, the environmental ethos is: Reduce-Reuse-Recycle, isn’t it? And so rather than just throw them out into the Blue bin for recycling I decided reuse comes first (well, second). So I had the idea of taking them out one by one and using in a pub and leaving them there.





And so for the last few day that’s what I’ve been doing. Anyone spot a Belgian, German, or Hungarian beer mat out in the wilds around Liverpool? Well it was the environmentally friendly thing for me to do. Who knows, a ticker may want to collect them more than my bin man, in any case there is a general shortage of beer mats around at the moment (maybe because they’re all in random kitchen tins) so me randomly setting them free is a good thing all around. Fly to freedom my once forgotten babies. Good luck out there!

]]>Liverpool LiverpoolPubsCAMRA2026-01-13T23:01:57+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/c665aeff02d30e94c8dc3a1da8419f6f-58.html#unique-entry-id-58https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/c665aeff02d30e94c8dc3a1da8419f6f-58.html#unique-entry-id-58The Liverpool Pub of the Year (POTY) vote is open for CAMRA Members who live in the Liverpool area. If you have an opinion on which ones you’d like to go forward to be judged then put in your vote now.

The pubs shortlisted are:

City Centre
Baltic Fleet
Doctor Duncan’s
Lion Tavern
Peter Kavanagh’s
Roscoe Head
Vernon Arms

Suburbs
Black Cat—Rose Lane
Cobden
Coop
Four Ashes

The Liverpool CAMRA website is a total mess at the moment, looks like there’s a problem with the hosting or an upload has gone wrong and overwritten newer stuff with old items. There’s the old 404 errors—which I haven’t seen for ages—and old pages which certainly aren’t recent or relevant. I’m assuming there’s not even a working link on it to do this vote (certainly not easy to find anyway). Which could be seen as a bit susp if you were of a cynical mind…

I’m a bit surprised by some of the missing pubs (the Vines, Grapes, etc). Personally I like to think the best pubs would be the ones you'd recommend to friends or new visitors to the city first. But hey ho, I guess we are where we are and we work with what we’ve got.

Anyhoo, there’s a link here to the voting form. You can vote for between one and three of those pubs selected above. You’ll need your CAMRA membership number to complete the form. Closing Date for voting is January 30th.

Liverpool POTY 2026 voting form

PS Someone take over the CAMRA Website and get it sorted for everyone. Please.
]]>Ale TripNottinghamReal Ale2025-11-04T23:19:01+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/d054af7df954c336c097edee42d5ba8a-56.html#unique-entry-id-56https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/d054af7df954c336c097edee42d5ba8a-56.html#unique-entry-id-56Haven’t been to Nottingham for a few years so I decided one evening last week to pop over for a few beverages and a bit of a stroll. ‘Twas a good call all in all—despite the periodic torrential rain. After all the pubs largely have walls and roofs and the people/venues/beers pretty fine too.


Lime Street Station. A dry start to the day.



Train beer (a Cloudwater lager) and a book.

Made it to quite a few pubs in the town, but the first one was barely out of the station itself: the Brew Tavern at the southern side of the station on Queen’s Road by the steps to the station. A new pub to me and a great location, akin to Victoria Tap or Manchester Oxford Road Tap; probably closer to the latter in terms of venue size. Had a pint of Green Hop (Hukins Hops Bullion) from Five Points brewery. Think it was actually the most expensive pint of the trip—but I guess that’s down to its Location, Location, Location.


Brew Tavern at Nottingham Station

Next up was the Canalside, which I’ve been to every time I’ve been to Nottingham. It’s quite a cool place on the canal with a barge berth within the pub itself. I had a pint of ‘Mysterons’ from Castle Rock. It was pretty busy for a lunchtime, but some groups had kids I guess (school holidays and all that). The rain started whilst I was in here.


The Canalhouse.

By the time I left to go to The Navigation the rain was purely biblical. It hadn’t seemed like rain was due earlier, and it was a bit of a surprise. Got chatting to the barmaid and she’d been over to Liverpool recently to do a Beatles’ Pilgrimage. She’d loved the place. I asked her to not advertise the fact—we don’t need any more tourists coming over and spoiling the place after all. Good chat though. Ended up with a pint of ‘Weizen Up’ by Brewster’s.


The Navigation.


'Weizen Up!'



The rain calmed down a bit, and I almost dried out, whilst I was Navigating. It was a short walk to Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, a famous ale pub beneath the castle. Despite the route being a walk on Google Maps it showed me a longer incorrect way to get there, thankfully I can read a map, even if the algorithm can’t. ‘Twas still raining but not too bad by the time I got there.

It was a Brewster again for me here. This time a ‘Decadence’. The pub was busy and I ended up chatting to a few visitors. Some local, some no so.


Umm, Me thinks there may be a shorter way to get there. Google Maps wanting me to get y steps in.





Was another short walk from here, left out of the pub, up the road past the Robin Hood statue to the Crow. After the two Brewsters I had myself a second Castle Rock (I was next to the Castle Rock after all). This time if was a red ale, ‘Preservation’. No chatting here but I did grab myself a nice butty.





Short walk again from here and another left turn from the door. This time to Ye Olde Salutation Inn. An old pub but with more modern music (rock and heavy metal). This was another pub I’d been to before. It was to be my third (and last) Castle Rock pint, this time a ‘Screech Owl’ American IPA.






Next up was the Malt Cross, and you guessed it. Not a long way at all up the road from the Salutation. It wasn’t a Castle Rock or a Brewsters this time. It was a Verdant ‘Fresh Hop - Harlequin’.







I did go to two other pubs but I didn’t write it down or take any appropriate helpful photos (partly due to a flat phone battery). Dang!

I’ll add a map before too long in case you wanna check some of these places out for yourself. All in all a fine trip. Makes me think I should also revisit a couple more midlands cities that I haven’t been to for a while, like Derby and Leicester. Watch this space.




]]>Ale TripLancasterReal Ale2025-08-25T14:01:46+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/9add9f43aee87920c7afd7536d923ce3-55.html#unique-entry-id-55https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/9add9f43aee87920c7afd7536d923ce3-55.html#unique-entry-id-55

























]]>Real AleAle Trip2025-08-11T23:26:49+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/ea1be28ec20c310dd56ff4bef66cb7ae-54.html#unique-entry-id-54https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/ea1be28ec20c310dd56ff4bef66cb7ae-54.html#unique-entry-id-54On the 9th August I headed out on a CAMRA coach trip to Burton on Trent run by the Wirral CAMRA branch. Along with many I really miss the Liverpool trips that used to be very regular over the Spring and Summer months. Oh the memories. The trip was a fine almost full coach.



The three of us didn’t exactly speed through all the pub options. We arrived at the bus station at about 12:15. We headed first to the Dog, which was the closest to the drop off point. This wasn’t cos I wanted a drink quickly, it was more that I wanted their toilet; I hadn’t felt like using the coach one with my questionable legs—even before the pints).



The Dog was a fine start and I began with a Holden’s ‘Golden Glow.’ We looked at the map we had been provided on the coach and selected the next pub. I wanted to go to the Burton Bridge Inn but my mates thought better of it and plumped for the ‘Brews of the World.’

It transpired they were thinking it was closer and better for my legs. But it turned out that the ‘…World’ was shut and in fact we walked about the same distance after we moved on to the next place, which was Cooper’s Tavern.

The Coopers is a Joules pub and situated right opposite a massive former brewery which is decaying away. To get to it we had walked past the massive industrial complex which is the home of Molson Coors and their brews of Madri (it’s not Spanish, who knew!?), Coors (it’s not Canadian, who knew!?), Atlantic Pale, and Doom Bar (it’s not from Cornwall, who knew!?). Ho hum.







It was a warm, dry day so we sat outside, me with my usual Joules choice of ‘Slumbering Monk.’ Chatted with a couple of people from the coach. The next few pubs were all close together further up Station Street. We trotted on to the Devonshire Arms. Mate fell in love with the place due to the massive hanging baskets (he has a plant fetish). I was soon Jaipur’d up. Next up was the Last Heretic micropub. It’s quite a small place but has a decent outdoors area at the back. Met up once more with a couple of people from the coach. I once more bombarded them talking all things Ren. I need to draft more Renegades. I feel I’m doing them and the world a favour.








It was a short walk then to The Roebuck, where I went for a Batemen’s ‘XXXB.’ I was still keen to get to the Burton Bridge Inn. But we were now quite a walk from there and weren’t sure how long it’d take. Looking it up now I see it was 0.8 miles.I thought I’d look up how much an Uber would cost. Damn, it was less than four quid for three of us, not each! Bargain of the day. We were happy to dive on that and it arrived at the Roebuck in no tine.



We were soon sat outside the Burton Bridge Inn with a pint of ‘Stairway to Citra’. It was well worth making the effort. We even had another. Then it was back to the coach for our return trip to Liverpool. So six pubs, a handy Uber, a coach (and possibly some new Renegades)—a very good day was had by all.





The next Wirral trip is to Stockport at the end of October. I reckon it’s cheaper to do on the train, so maybe I’ll do that instead. But at least the branch are doing coach trips, hopefully the Liverpool trips will come back one day, but it’s been years now.. ]]>Real Ale TripRealAleBeerFestival2025-08-04T09:40:03+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/23df9e56157fbe44bd3e107c3994d4b4-53.html#unique-entry-id-53https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/23df9e56157fbe44bd3e107c3994d4b4-53.html#unique-entry-id-53Definitely need to do some more ale blogging. It’s been a long while since I’ve done any really. Blogs need to be regular, don’t they? Even if that means once a week or once fortnight. What’s made me think of that is that I have a proper Ale Week ahead, with going to the Great British Beer Festival (or more correctly just GBBF) for the Trade Session on Tuesday afternoon, then I’ve got my first CAMRA coach this year (and it’s August! most correctly referred to as FFS!). The coach trip is to Burton on Trent, which was largely considered as a home of the large scale beer industry historically, but now it is home to brewing of Coors Lite, Miller Lite, and Carling. I’m not anticipating trying any of those whilst I’m down there. There’s challenging your comfort zone and there’s just silliness.



This Last Week In Beer

With both GBBF and the coach trip I dare say I’ll be trying quite a few different beers—without much in the way of Molson Coors.

Maybe I’ll even do a blog—or two—about it. I should, I know.



Some Neptune Types at GBBF in 2022 in Olympia.

]]>Real Ale2025-07-12T14:22:13+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/21f1d983d640c56e511e23dfadb908c0-52.html#unique-entry-id-52https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/21f1d983d640c56e511e23dfadb908c0-52.html#unique-entry-id-52For the second consecutive year I went over to the east coast to Docks Fest at Cleethorpes. This’s time I stayed in a better location ie in Cleethorpes rather than the somewhere at the edge of Grimsby and Cleethorpes, which was neither one place, or another.


Welcome

I actually stayed in a Greene King pub; the WellowHotel. It supposedly had just one ale on according to the pump clips—Abbott Ale—but they actually didn’t have any in the cellar. I ended up with a couple of Guinness over the two nights I stayed. The food was good in terms of price and quality though (for tea and breakfast). And less than a mile from the venue.

Over the few days I was there though I did get to a few pubs that sold—and actually stocked!—ale: no more Guinness required.

On my arrival, before checking in at the hotel a few bus stops away, I went to the Old Vic, which is just outside the station and close to the beach front. They had an ale on from the festival peeps themselves; Docks Beer, ‘Cleethorpes Pale Ale.’ Following an on time train, it was a good start to the weekend.


Cleethorpes Pale Ale in the Old Vic

Headed to the bus stop and on to the hotel. The check-in was quick and smooth and then I headed to Docks Brewery itself, in Grimsby. Handily there was a stop right by the hotel. Landed there in good time and was soon trying both cask and keg there (they had more keg options than cask). I’d luckily timed it, by accident, for Happy Hour—should have bought a lottery ticket that day (an on time train and Happy Hour—and things happen in threes don’t they?). I was recognised by one of the guys there from the year before. I don’t know how to take that.

There’s nowt really to aim for in Grimsby other than the brewery (or the way out) so I headed back to Cleethorpes. The bus goes along the prom so getting your bearings there ain’t no problem. I headed to the excellent Willy’s Bar for a couple of Roosters ‘Yankee’s. I got the bus again (the stop was just outside, and I was protecting my dodgy knees) for the weekend (and the stop for the Wellow was right opposite too). Maybe that was my third win and a Lottery ticket purchase would have been wasted on me).

After some scran—and a Guinness—at the Wellow it was time for an early night before the festival on Saturday. On Saturday I went once again to Willy’s and to Nottingham House. Despite the scaffolding outside, it was open. It was like going to Dr Duncans a few months ago. People walking in asking if the place was open. Think the (few) customers and the staff should have suggested the obvious. But hey!
Willys Brewery at Willy's


The Nottingham House


The rest off the day was supported by Docks Beer ie it was served in a plastic glass at the music festival. Pubs would really wait until Sunday. Though I did have one before the festival at the Signal Box Inn—the tiny place at the Cleethorpes Light Railway—beside the entrance to the festival. Unlike last year it didn’t have any Docks Beers on.


Docks Brewery, Grimsby


Docks Brewery


After a great day at Docks Fest I had a day in Cleethorpes before heading back home. Ended up going to five ale pubs. It was a bit damp: another win (the rain coming after the festival, not before or during).

I walked (yes, walked not bussed) to Willy’s from the Wellow and had some more Yankee, before heading up to the Nottingham House again (it was still open despite the scaffolding). The staff there were nice on both days. I was comforted too by the Oakham ‘Citra’.

I had another lucky break. I looked up ‘second hand book shops’ on Google Maps, and thanks to a slightly dodgy algorithm it showed me ‘Message in a Bottle.’ A craft ale venue-=and the current CAMRA pub of the year. Apparently there used to be second hand book shop there. If I hadn’t looked up books I would have missed out on the place. How lucky is that!!?

I timed my arrival at The Message to perfection. The rain came with a vengeance just I walked in. It is mainly a bottle/can and keg bar but they had one my fave—and very dependable—breweries on cask: Arbor. Result. Chatted to a few people in there. The hot food from a visiting—first time—vendor looked and smelled lovely. I probably should have got in there. But hey, me and food have a strange relationship when it doesn’t come in a pint sized glass.


Message in a Bottle

Message in a Bottle

The rain disappeared quickly and after speaking to the staff at the Message I decided my next ports of call would be No. 2 and No. 1 pubs/bars beside Cleethorpes station, which is where I was heading to anyway. I was once again struck by the apparent summertime takeover by the ladybirds. They were everywhere in great abundance. They are evidently our new overlords. I didn’t vote for them. But hell, they are preferable to Reform candidates. Long live the ladybirds.

Walked past the Old Vic, as I wanted to check out the places I hadn’t visited before.

First up was No. 2, not far from the Old Vic, at the end of the station. It is a pretty small bar, and the choice of beers were all predictable national brands. A bit uninspiring. The doors to the back where the toilets are were labelled Staff Only. Not that funny if you were in a rush. Not that funny anyhow.



No,2

Left there to go the few yards to No.1. This was a much nicer place; and a pub not a bar. The Sunday dinners looked amazing and assaulted my nasal passages. They’d just stopped serving as I arrived. Darn. But the beer choice was much better than No.2 and I ended up with a couple of different pints of Batemen’s. It made me feel much better after missing out on the Sunday roasts. If I get back to Cleethorpes I’ll he’d to No.1 again, but I’ll give No.2 a miss. I’m talking the bars and not toilet visits there. Two pints later it was time to get the Liverpool train. It left on time and I arrived back home on time too. Result again.

No.1

A pint of Bateman's in No.1

The Cleethorpes pubs I visited on this trip:

Willy’s
Nottingham House
The Wellow
Message in a Bottle
Old Vic
No. 2
No. 1

Those in bold are the ones I’d most recommend.








]]>Real AleLiverpool LiverpoolPubs2025-04-26T13:57:48+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/8235ff5fb662f0a834068951821956ad-51.html#unique-entry-id-51https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/8235ff5fb662f0a834068951821956ad-51.html#unique-entry-id-51I went to the newly reopened Pilgrim a few days ago. It only reopened on Wednesday after a refit and cellar changes. The last time I was there I was served a pint of vinegar—which is not what I wanted, or ordered. It is always a worry when the people serving at the bar don’t know the condition of the ale that they are selling to their customers, particularly when it has passed through ‘on the turn’ and arrived at ‘rank.’ I mean my eyes could feel the vapours from it before getting the glass up to my mouth.

I managed to swap it for something I could drink. But once you’ve suffered that kind of issue you vote with your feet and don’t go back for quite some time—well I do anyway. Let’s face you know you’d been better off in one of the other local pubs a short jaunt away (like the Grapes, Roscoe Head, Dispensary, Belvedere etc). If you give reason not to go somewhere then the prospective customers will make their choices. I dare say it was a still a draw for non ale drinkers who’d no doubt have a nice time there drinking out of bottles.

Back in the 1990s I used to drink there—and watch some gigs and events upstairs too.

The bar now has four casks on and they’ll definitely not need chips to put them on. They’ve kept a lot of the things the Pilgrim was famous for and has a jukebox and pinball machine too (Dr No). I liked the vibe, but then I went to the second pub next door (which includes what was previously just the upstairs of the Pilgrim). This is called the Mayflower Inn and has been decked out differently than the Pilgrim. For those that know the Liverpool pubs now, it very much has a White Hart feel—but with more natural light (bigger and more windows). Personally I feel I’m more likely to go to the Mayflower than the Pilgrim. But clearly it is like the White Hart and Engineer relationship: two different names but same place.



I’m not saying I’ll be going to these two places that often (as there are so many options) but I won’t now be avoiding them. Welcome back to the ale option fold.

]]>Real AleLiverpoolPubsLiverpool 2024-11-24T23:29:38+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/eb0c311525e815ff28d5f8ec5e64c35c-50.html#unique-entry-id-50https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/eb0c311525e815ff28d5f8ec5e64c35c-50.html#unique-entry-id-50I created a new Bluesky account for Real Ale Liverpool quite a while back. You’ll may also find RealeLiverpool there too, but though I created it I cannot login to it (my bad: not a Bluesky issue) so I created the new one in its stead. It’s a sad situation really that so many people have had to make the decision to leave Twitter thanks to the bad dog's breakfast the Musk manboy has created. The Twitter ale account somehow had nearly 3.5k followers, but now I’m starting on Bluesky again from scratch not knowing if Bluesky will ever replace Twitter as was; but in the knowledge that it’s defo a nicer place to be at the moment.

I'll use this time to think about how I use all Social Media for both the personal (music, writing, Liverpool, etc) and the ale one. And use the same time to think about redrafting the website. Ho hum. The things I waste my time doing…

Anyway if you’re currently on, or are heading over to, Bluesky pop on over to see me there, if that kinda thing floats your boat. My Zevonesque account is there too. I’ve not deleted my Twitter accounts yet, but I won’t be posting on there—for now at least.

Bluesky Ale account: @realaleliverpool.bsky.social
Bluesky Zevonesque: @zevonesque.bsky.social
]]>Real AleLiverpool 2024-08-08T23:38:04+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/a874f1aae30c1bb57e83541fa5f0f6eb-49.html#unique-entry-id-49https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/a874f1aae30c1bb57e83541fa5f0f6eb-49.html#unique-entry-id-49Great to see the Monro reopen—and as a real ale pub, not a Gastropub as it was in the last iteration. It was always a nice place—a nice building—and a good location; it’s on Duke Street right opposite the (in)famous Slater Street. But in its most recent times it wasn’t that welcoming (in terms of vibe) as a place to go and just drink. Of course, that may have just been how it felt to me; but it always felt a bit like drinkers were just taking up valuable real estate from people who they wanted to serve food to.

It opened to the public on Thursday 8th August after a soft opening the day befpre. And I managed to get down just after the doors opened and already it was packed with those in the know and those wanting to be in their early doors to check the place out. I was not disappointed. A ridiculous (double digits) number of cask ales on and lots of different spaces to enjoy them in. Haven’t got time to mention it all at this point, but I’d recommend getting yourself down there to check it out soon. You don’t need to drink the whole line of casks but it would be a challenge that should include a taxi home.

There's a nice looking back room for watching the footy in, which I guess will be popular. There is another small bar upstairs which does do a dew casks too.

Anyway, here are a few very average pics (I’ve an old phone). I really need to get back into photography (or at least get a better camera). Anyway a picture paints a thousand words (or maybe a few hundred with these).






















]]>Real AleLeedsReal Ale Trip2024-08-08T23:37:23+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/0528b43fa28d1280cb444ca00897b07a-48.html#unique-entry-id-48https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/0528b43fa28d1280cb444ca00897b07a-48.html#unique-entry-id-48I was off work this week and had a few days to get and about so on Wednesday I got myself on a train to Leeds. It’s only about 90 minutes from Liverpool (on the Newcastle train) and the train is every hour or so.

Went to Leeds over a year ago, but it felt like not long ago at all when I was first considering where to go. Time races faster than the fastest of things when you get older. Didn’t make any specific plan for the day—after all it felt like I’d gone there a week or two ago so there was no need to. I just got off the train and headed straight to the same ones (largely) as last time. Nothing’s changed much really though they do have the worlds longest and most messy road (and pavement) works still ongoing. Maybe they’ve become a visitor feature to visit, but they make getting around a bit messy and convoluted. It must be embarrassing to someone (surely) how awful these are straight from the train station and beyond (much worse than the Liverpool/Lime Street ones were and they were bad; and that is saying something (and there was Covid to blame or use as an excuse back then).

First up was the Head of Steam on Mill Lane, that would probably be the nearest to the station if it wasn’t for all the road works and pavement closures. Actually walked past three pubs I would soon been going to. But to be fair the order doesn’t matter much as they are so bloody close together and you’d end up doubling back past them in any case. It’s a small HoS compared to the Liverpool one, with a central bar. There were four or five ales on and I went for an Abbeydale ‘Splendour’ which was gorgeous for my first drop.

A few doors down, after negotiating the broken up pavements and workers coming in and out of the building getting refitted, is the beautiful ‘Scarborough Hotel’ all tiles and wood. It is a Nicholson’s pub, so you know what to expect.

Walking back on myself past the HoS it was up to the top of Mill Lane to go to the Pivovar pub, the Banker’s Cat. They had Jaipur on, but in rare event mode I didn’t go for it—well not exactly, I went for a DDH Jaipur. Same abv different drink (ish).

Across the road is Tapped, a boss large single room pub which serves a range of top ales, including a fair few brewed in-house. I went for a Tapped ‘Jericho’ (cask). Had a nice chat to a couple of people who worked there before heading on to the next place (which they recommended).

Next was back on to the road I first walked down out of the railway station (New Station Street (should be renamed ‘Barely Accessible Obstacle Street). It turned out that the Friends of Ham is largely a keg pub (over ten lines I think) and there was just one cask on (a Kirkstall). I went for a keg beer (!) as I get enough Kirkstall in Liverpool to be fair. That said the keg I chose was nowt to write home about—so I wont write it here either. Nice place though. Will be even nicer when the pavements are open. I will go back. And I do like ham too.

At this point all five of the pubs I’d been to were within around 300 metres or so from the station. Not a bad crawl without getting your steps in. So next up was all of another 300 metres north of the station. A crazy long walk. Not. I headed on up to the Turk’s Head and Whitelocks hidden on a strangely ancient alleyway behind the modern shopping area. If you don’t know it’s there you would never find it. It’s like a Diagon Alley for real ale drinkers.

Similar hidden alleys of the same street (Briggate) also hid my next two pubs which were the Angel(a Sam Smith’s pub) and the Ship Inn. And that was it. May afternoon in Leeds was done.



Favourite stomach lining: Shiraz Full English in Liverpool


Left and arrived on time.

























The pubs I got to (in order) were:

Head of Steam (Mill Lane)
Scarborough Hotel
Bankers Cat
Tapped
Friends of Ham
Turk’s Head
Whitelocks
Angel
Ship Inn

And impressively the train was on time both going and returned me to Liverpool. Who knew that timetables were just fiction or aspirational? Happy days.



]]>Real AleReal Ale TripNewcastle2024-07-22T22:09:21+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/8b0e9fff1d207e5d6520b8c84011fa6f-47.html#unique-entry-id-47https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/8b0e9fff1d207e5d6520b8c84011fa6f-47.html#unique-entry-id-47Think it’s been over thirty years since I’ve been to Newcastle (yes, I'm THAT old), but last week I finally made it back. It’s about three hours fifteen or so to get there by a direct train (similar to driving time) and I booked a cheap night in a hotel in Gateshead (thirty odd quid). My pub research involved simply messaging a couple of people who were either from that neck of the woods and/or were regular visitors (a lot more regular than once every thirty years at any rate).

The bus strike that was due to be on at the weekend in Liverpool had been cancelled so getting to Lime Street wasn’t as problematic as it had been the week before (which had required catching multiple Arrivas rather than the usual one Stagecoach). The train was on time and pretty full. Trying to find a ‘Green Light’ seat for one not reserved was a bit of a battle and the game was on at every station when new travellers got on board. It was a nice trip though with no issues and plenty of lovely views of the northern English countryside. The train left Liverpool on time and arrived in Newcastle on time too. Nice. Timetables, hey! Who knew they weren't always works of fiction or aspirational?

I’m usually pretty good at finding my way around. But when you first get somewhere it helps to stop and sense where you are and ID the directions to a few places early doors. So that is my excuse for walking sod all distance across the road from the railway station to one of the closest pubs: the Newcastle Tap (a Pivovar pub). I wasn’t aiming to get to the hotel until later on as I didn’t really need to get in there and then get back out to Newcastle later. So I soon formulated a rough plan which involved getting down to towards the river/bridge end of Bigg Market before heading on over a bridge to Gateshead to some hostelries there. I would of course be taking advice from customers and bar staff along the way; local knowledge is a valuable commodity.


Dog Leap Stairs - and who can blame them?


Newcastle Tap, Crown Posada (what a beautiful drop!), Redhouse, and Bridge Tavern

It was a pint of ‘Sheaf Street Pale’ from Track Brewing at the Newcastle Tap and the fleshy bones of plan were made. Next up was to be the famous Crown Posada down the Bigg towards the iconic bridge. The walk wasn’t particularly long, but it did involve some precipitous steps which challenged my knees and resolve (just a fortnight after my first physio appointment to look at my interesting knees). I suppose the steps down have the advantage over a curving sloping street in that the are handrails (just in case of any worrying wobbliness). As you can see—I’ve typed this up—I survived the first great grand northern knee challenge.

Not far from the bottom of the steps (which were signposted ‘Dog Leap Stairs’ not Andy Fell Here Stairs) was the lovely old and narrow bar that is the Crown Posada. Had a nice chat with a few locals about things beer and pub related and to the barman. Had my first and far from last Two by Two beer of the trip (‘Pale’) and my first Flying Gang, ‘Liars Dice,’ oh and my first Almasty, ‘Air Walk’.

It was a great pub but I couldn’t stay beyond three—could I? Well maybe, but I didn’t. I headed around the corner closer still to the Bridge into the Redhouse. I had a complete flashback to the time I was in Newcastle all those decades ago. Amazingly at the bar I found there was a beer on from Liverpool, ‘Baritone’ from Colbier. They’ve only been going a few months so it seemed amazing to see it all that way from home. Welcomed a couple to join me at the table and we ended up chatting about weekends away (and beer, of course).




Those Scousers get everywhere Colbier and Neptune in successive Bigg Market pubs.

Next was just out the door and a very short walk to the Bridge Tavern. And lo! It was another Liverpool drink, a Neptune ‘Forecast.’ It was 5pm and a Friday so it was pretty loud and busy in there. Just had the one, again, and I headed back up those Dog Leap Stairs to cross over the High Level Bridge to Gateshead.

Not far over the bridge was the a lovely micro pub: Microbus. The weather was such that I sat outside too with my pint of Turning Point ‘Stuck in a Metaphor' and chatted to a couple of local Likely Lads. Just around the corner from Microbus is a nice old traditional pub, The Central Bar. It was time for another Two by Two ‘Pale’ here. I’d been recommended to head to one of the rooms at the back of the bar which were worth dropping into. I ended up with a room to myself too (the front bar was busy).

Finally for the day, very close by, was Station East. I had a Hadrian’s ‘Northern Pale’ here. Decided to make a cautious retreat from the pub when things got a little weird with a couple and their mate. People sometimes make a pub, sometimes they can fook it up too.


Microbus, Central, and Station East

It was an odd end to the beery expedition section of the day, it was time to head to my hotel. The bus stop was just around the corner. The bus trip was interesting. I rang the bell as it approached the stop I wanted and the bus proceeded to careen past my stop. The following one was the terminus (about half a mile from my hotel). I asked the driver why she didn’t stop, “I heard the bell, but it goes off all the time. Didn’t think anybody wanted to get off…’.

At the terminus I was told by driver a couple of bus options heading back my way. One was there just a few minutes later. I pressed the large button for the door to open up at the appropriate gate, and it was broken. The door wouldn’t open. Through the plexiglass I saw the bus reverse out of the bay and drive off with nobody able to get on. I was beginning to feel a little pissed off by the whole bus situation. I got on the next one with relief and got into the tired hotel tired. The bus people hadn’t wrecked my day completely, they’d just made it worse than brilliant—which I guess isn’t that bad.

Saturday started with an unusable shower. Not the best start after traipsing through the hotel to get there. It seemed in keeping with her buses the night before. Onwards and upwards. It was more important to get a decent breakfast down me. After speaking to the barman at the Crown Posada, and doing some verification online, I’d decided on the Quay Ingredient, just across the road from the Bridge Tavern. It was pissing down. Rather than walk down those damnable Dog Steps I walked down a steep road nearby. In hindsight the steps would have been better—they have rails.

I found the Quay Ingredient easily, unfortunately it had already been found by lots of others and was packed. Rather than wait for a space I volunteered to sit outside despite the rain: one of the two tables outside was relatively dry thanks to the road bridge above it. It was certainly a wonderful breakfast. The bacon and mushrooms were lovely, but the two poached eggs… gawd they were delicious. Can’t remember the last time I hadn’t had fried eggs to be honest. The service and the food was exemplary, and plenty of people walked away rather than wait; they really should have waited.


Quay Ingredient breakfast


Newcastle photos that weren't beer or pub related—whilst waiting hopefully for a bus.

So my day was set up and it was time to move on. First up was to be the Free Trade Inn a short bus ride to the east. The thick misty rain was still going when I walked to the nearest (very) bus stop. A bus was just passing as I go there, which turned out to be the bus I wanted. Ho hum. Twenty minutes until the next one, so I took the opportunity to walk along the riverside to the next stop so I could at least see a bit more of the city than the four walls of a pub—and the disappointing buses.

I got to the Free Trade Inn in good time (around 11:30) and had a couple of pints (Fyne Ales ‘Jarl’ and Burning Sky ‘Aurora’). It was all but empty when I arrived but soon enough people were coming in for one or more than one. It was both popular with regulars and visitors that were seeking it out.


Free Trade Inn, Town Mouse, Mean-Eyed Cat

Walking back over a road ‘bridge’ (not over the river, but just a steep section of general physical geography) it was back on to the same bus route I came in on (a No.3 I think) it was back westward toward the city. I was to get the bus to the end of the route to pick up some more pubs in the centre and then walk down to the station and ultimately back to Liverpool.

The Town Mouse was next among my recommendations from friends and colleagues. Took me a while to find it as I didn’t realise it was a basement micro pub and I was walking too and fro looking up and not down. Got there in the end—was probably two or three minutes but it felt like a lifetime-ish in the wet Tyneside rain. The barman in the Town Mouse was welcoming and giving me recommendations on places to go to. And the rain still rained. Started with an Elusive Brewing ‘Oregon Trail’ which was nice but not one to repeat (abv wise) so early in the day so followed up once more with another Two by Two, this time a ‘Summer Pale.’

No more buses were needed now. Thankfully. It was a pretty short walk (in the rainy rain) to the Mean-Eyed Cat. It was a bright place and had nice beer choices. Ended up with a Flying Gang once more, this time it was ‘All Fours.’ What with the run of pubs of mice and cats I supposed all fours was inevitable.


Anyone see I mean-eyed cat around here?

Heading back towards the station the next pub was to be the Wobbly Duck (still animal related but no longer one on all fours). Took a tiny detour as one thing that Newcastle suffers from is the multiple levels of the place. Google Maps finds it difficult; don’t sit beneath a bridge and ask Google for directions. When I did get to the square with the Wobbly Duck on the Google map wasn’t helping much. I almost asked a policeman for directions. The poor bobby was stood there on his lonesome next to a load of large deckchairs set up for a big screen showing the Women’s Wimbledon Final. Not sure whether the rain made any difference, but not one person was watching the tennis; there was just the copper with his back to it looking resigned (and possibly considering it).

The Wobbly Duck once again was a basement level bar. Had a nice vibe and chatted to a few people there. Didn’t take any photos and I have no idea what I drank. I dare say it may have been a Two by Two if I was a gambling man. I don't write these things down, I'm not so much a ticker and as photographic record kinda guy.

The final stop was to be the Centurion Bar in the railway station. Had a Hadrian Border ‘Northern IPA’ there before getting the train back. I was on time, and the train was on time. Basically the buses had been a bit of a nightmare over the weekend, but the trains had all been fine; maybe even dandy.


Centurion's Bar. Cheers, Newcastle. You've been ace.

It may have been thirty years since my last visit, but it wont be thirty more until the next one. Probably not anyway. Thank you Newcastle (apart from your bus drivers) you were a blast (if a slightly damp one).
]]>Real AleReal Ale Trip2024-06-23T15:01:39+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/e9fc75a63c5ab4fce90a65ae3459f864-46.html#unique-entry-id-46https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/e9fc75a63c5ab4fce90a65ae3459f864-46.html#unique-entry-id-46

The obligatory picture of the crooked spire.

Dave had done his investigations online into where to go and gave a detailed breakdown of what kind of beers to expect in each pub and distance (in Google map minutes) from the coach station to each pub. Unfortunately the pubs are distributed largely in a straight line along one of the main roads, which while making navigation relatively straightforward didn't give us a nice circular route from start to end. I ended up in a nice little group including two of the former Liverpool Committee grandees back when I was involved (largely doing the branch website).

We headed first to one of the nearest pubs just up from the coach station by the market—and so it was indeed called the Market. They had Jaipur on. Normally if I see it I get it, but it is not ideal for a first up pint (that doesn't always stop me, as evidenced by any visit to Sheffield station). I ended up with a lighter ABV pale 'Deception' from Abbeydale. The service was good and the food looked excellent in there, but that wasn't what we there for. We spent some time looking at the map and working on the next pubs to go to, along with chats on lots of other things (far too many unfortunately on health issues of people present and not—ho hum).


First pub of the day - The Market

Next up was just a five minute straight and flat walk along to the Pig & Pump. The walk took us directly past St Mary and All Saints, Chesterfield's parish church—the famous one with the crooked spire. Of course I took the obligatory photo. The pub was a large place with some nice beers on but most were a bit on the higher ABV side and again there was Jaipur and again I decided I'd leave it until later and went for a Kelham Island Pale Rider instead—barely recognisable on the pump with the new clip design. The weather was lovely and we sat outside in the sun (a bit too warm for some) just across from the church.

Next up was set up to be the Chesterfield Alehouse. But muggins here had put The Junction in the Google maps and failed to update it to the Alehouse and so—unfocussed due to chatting and following Google Maps—we walked straight past the micropub. We decided to carry on to the Junction and go to the Chesterfield on the way back—one advantage of the pubs being along one road was we'd have to go back past it anyway. It also serendipitously meant we could sit outside.



Donning the Ascot headgear in the Junction.

Again we sat in the sun we sat outside the Junction by the water (okay, hidden by the wall, but we were by the water). Headgear may have been advisable in the sunshine but Ascot hats may have been OTT. There were only three casks on (and no Jaipur this time) and I went for a pale ale from Bradfield Brewery.


The Brampton Bierhuis

Slightly (barely) off the main road in Chatsworth Business Park was the Brampton Bierhuis. Not much room outside for drinking but I think we'd had enough sun for the day anyway. It is the site of Brampton Brewery and I went for a Tudor Rose. They had a fabulous selection of Belgian ales in bottles and Belgian keg too.


A nod to Leicester with a pint of Tiger.

Back on the main road (Chatsworth Road) and it was only a short hop to the Tramway Tavern. The beer choice was not fabulous, but there was Everard's Tiger on which was one of my beers when at the University of Leicester. It turned out Jean went to Leicester Unit too. I may have known that once, but who knows the mist of time takes memories hither and thither I find. So the two of us made a nod to our Alma Mater. Cheers!

Then it was just another few mins down the road to the Tap House for a our furthest pub west along the road before heading back to the coach—via the Chesterfield Arms where we had our final drink of the trip just a short walk to the coach. I never did get a Jaipur after seeing it at the first two pubs, isn't that always the way? Anyways it had been a good day in the sun with pints and fine people. It was great to bump into so many familiar faces on the coach. I need to get on some of the next ones. Up next is Lichfield on 17th August then a trip to Chorley on 26th October. We shall see.


Pubs visited:

Market
Pig & Pump
The Junction
Brampton Bierhuis
Tramway Tavern
Tap House
Chesterfield Alehouse

I may add a map later…
]]>Real AleLiverpool 2024-06-13T08:12:34+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/9ef39cd80ef6cf9a7d613ed781161fa8-45.html#unique-entry-id-45https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/9ef39cd80ef6cf9a7d613ed781161fa8-45.html#unique-entry-id-45Didn’t make it to the Beer Expo at Black Lodge Brewery last weekend but I did make it to quite a few pubs around Liverpool in its stead, including; The Vines, Grapes, Doctor Duncans, Dispensary, Ship & Mitre, Excelsior, Vernon, Rigby’s, Denbigh Castle, Lion Tavern, Belvedere, White Hart, Engineer, Queen of Hope Street. Not a bad crawl really and it was a festival in itself—though it was spread over a few days (of course).

The weather was kind to the festival goers (after the epic sky battle that hit it on the Saturday last year) and all the people I know who went had a reliably great time. I got a bit damp on Sunday with the heavy evening rain. But I’ll live. Had some nice beers, met some good people and had a fine time—even some nice food from One Pan Band at the Ship and a Scouse Pie in the QOHS. All in all a good weekend: apart from the hearing the news about Alan Hansen, which brought me down a bit—fingers crossed he battles through whatever the issue is. What a player—and he was playing at Anfield the first time I went to a game there in the early 80s.

Anyway, whilst beer festivals have their place—and some have large and loyal followings—remember folks that the pubs are there when the festival is gone. Go and support the pubs when you can or you may not have the opportunity in year—or months—to come. Drink responsibly, drink in pubs…

]]>Real AleShrewsburyShropshire2024-03-03T13:20:03+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/448735abfe632cebc242297c0b8a775d-44.html#unique-entry-id-44https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/448735abfe632cebc242297c0b8a775d-44.html#unique-entry-id-44I didn’t think it was that long ago that I went to Shrewsbury but it was last May and on a damn hot day. A largely greyer colder day this time, but it was dry and there were moments of blue sky. On the train the land all the way from Liverpool to Shrewsbury was wet to the point of flooding in much of Cheshire and Shropshire. It’s been a very wet couple of months after all. Last time I went I visited twelve pubs, which is more than my usual visit crawl. I think eight is about my usual.

There was no planning this time—as usual lately. To be fair when I got up I’d considered going to several other towns, but again with the speed of getting there (I generally aim for 1.5 hours or so each way) it was attractive. As it happened it was almost ballsed up by a Stagecoach driver at the very start, She’d taken over on the bus just past my first stop and got confused about which way to go. She ended up driving back towards Fazakerley Hospital where the bus had just come from. After some shouting from many of the passengers she realised the error or her ways (literally) but had to continue up to the hospital to turn. Suffice to say this accidental diversion meant I missed my train and had to go for a later one… Still I was lucky with the trains I ended up taking and it didn't much impact on my day out.

]]>MacclesfieldReal AleReal Ale Trip2024-02-22T22:45:41+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/71416085c3d95a634d6aaeccb5a9e205-43.html#unique-entry-id-43https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/71416085c3d95a634d6aaeccb5a9e205-43.html#unique-entry-id-43On Monday I took a trip out to Macclesfield for the first time under my own steam (well using the railway to be fair). The last time I was in Macclesfield for beers it was on one of the Liverpool CAMRA coach trips—not exactly sure when, but those trips stopped eons ago (if I look up some old photos I dare say I wont have a beard and indeed the photos will be sepia toned).


On the way. Piccadilly for the Doncaster train

It’s not a bad distance from Liverpool and easily accessible by train with relatively regular departures from Lime Street requiring a change at Piccadilly. The whole journey takes less than 90 minutes.

Didn’t do too much research (none) into where to go at all before making the trip. I knew there were plenty of ale pubs in a short distance from the station. I could make my plans once in the town and then just go with the flow. Started in the Waters Green Tavern, which is a stones throw from the station. They had three of their hand pulls on (out of many more) because it was a Monday after all. They had Sarah Hughes’s mild on but I wasn’t going to start the day of with a 6% ale. Ended up going for an Ossett Most instead. Checked a few webpages and maps out and picked an approximate route to go on. As it happened that was almost straight along the road parallel with the rail line (Sunderland Street).


Waters Green Tavern


George & Dragon (Robinsons)

Second up I headed over the road to the Old Millstone which you can’t miss as you head out of the pub (or indeed the station). It had been a recommended pub on one webpage, but it proved only to have two (currently) unused pulls, so it was a walk in and an about turn. Crossing back over the road I’d just left I head back onto Sunderland Street where there were to be several options on the day. I headed into the first open pub I got to (the Queens was shut) which was a Robinson’s pub, the George & Dragon. There were just two taps on which were both Robinson’s of course. I ended up with a Dizzy Blonde. It had a nice feel about the place and a mix of old regulars and a couple of passers by like me.


The Jolly Sailor

Third was straight down the road—after passing the Treacle Tap, which didn’t open to later (3pm)—and a nice old pub called the Jolly Sailor. It was all national brands (Tim Taylors, Wainwright, Black Sheep etc). Ended up with a Boltmaker and had a good chin wag with a local and the (I assume) landlord. You could see the next pub through the window, which was The Fountain. This is now a Bollington Brewery pub. They had six hand pulls and ten keg lines. I had (shock horror) a keg Fictions-Flat White. A very drinkable coffee pale (must be the rage these days).


The Fountain (a Bollington Bar)


A keg up


Redwillow (next to the Fountain). Unfortunately closed on Mondays.

I had been looking forward to going to the Redwillow bar next door. But unfortunately I discovered it is closed on Mondays. Unlucky! (maybe a wee Google search earlier would have avoided my disappointment. Then again I'd have just been disappointed earlier on instead. Anyway just up the hill a little (opposite a Wetherspoons) is Alfreds, a Hydes pub. Ended up with an Original there—one of their two hand pulls. It’s a bright roomy place and there were a few people in there. I decided to head back to the Treacle Tap. Had a nice chinwag with the couple working there. It is a Buxton Brewery pub (Buxton is about 12 miles east of Macclesfield). Had a pint of Deepdale, a gluten free session IPA.


A Hydes pint in Alfreds

I decided to go to just one more pub, the Castle. This is a nice old two room pub just back by the station—slightly up hill from Waters Green Tavern and the Millstone. If I’d had more inclination to have a couple more I would have headed further round to R&G’s Beer Vault or maybe back to Waters Green for a Sarah Hughes. I thought better of it this time. I’ll be back some other time (and next time not on a Monday so I can go to Redwillow).


Treacle Tap (a Buxton Brewery bar)


The Treacle Tap


Last, but not least, The Castle

In summary a nice few pubs a short trip rom Liverpool. Definitely worth checking out.

The pubs I visited this time, in order, were:

Waters Green Tavern
George & Dragon
Jolly Sailor
Fountain
Alfred’s
Treacle Tap
Castle
]]>KeystoneWhiteHartEngineerLiverpool LiverpoolPubs2024-01-30T16:21:00+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/6e7a979dbd72f877c3cee439d5415c4b-42.html#unique-entry-id-42https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/6e7a979dbd72f877c3cee439d5415c4b-42.html#unique-entry-id-42I’d such a soft spot for the Keystone and I was so disappointed when it closed back in May 2022 (see a short blog on its farewell here). I remember being at the last drinks in there with a few of the regulars, and it was the feeling of a wake: sadness tinged with smiles for the memories. The follow up place was more food focused and didn’t hang around long at all. Last week the latest incarnation which appeared from the flames of the phoenix erupted onto the Liverpool scene as the White Hart and, its smaller sister pub, The Engineer. And I can report that they both look and feel fab. If you don't know where they are the White Hart is on Hope Street sandwiched between the Everyman and the Casa, and the entrance for the Engineer is on Arrad Street, which is parallel to Hope Street behind the WH (although the Engineer can also be accessed through the WH) Another sister pub—the Queen of Hope Street—is a few doors down on the corner opposite both the Philharmonic Pub and the Philharmonic Hall.


The White Hart, Hope Street


Those familiar Keystone/White Hart steps

As a sister pub to the Red Lion, Vines, Queen of Hope Street et al it has much of the same form of decoration with dark wood, plenty of paintings & prints, stuffed birds and animals and the like along with the candles and wood fires. The White Hart in particular looks like it has been there, in its current form, for years—much like the Red Lion did when that appeared on Slater Street. They’ve put up plenty of dark wood and some shelving around the edges of the rooms so there’s plenty of places for you to drop your drinks on—and for them to put those essential candles on—which are a necessity in this series of pubs). They’ve knocked a wall down near the bar too. With the decor and darker colours the phoenix process has produced it is amazing how much such a relatively small space has changed (see pics below). The room on the left as you come seems a little smaller than it was due to the changes to the edges of it. I used to come to the Open Mic here, hosted by John Witherspoon, and it hard to see if it could work in there now. That is not a negative though, as the room feels very homely—especially with the heat from the obligatory wood fire.


The first room on the left as you enter the White Hart


Last time I played open mic at the Keystone, April 2002. Looks a lot different now (the pub, not me).



Six cask lines on the WH bar

There are rooms upstairs in the White Hart and even a second bar (not sure when it is planned to be used during the week). The downstairs room which used to host some events is not in use now, indeed it may be that it disappears as the cellar will probably need to be extended to keep all the drinkers happily watered. The main bar on the ground floor is just where it was in the Keystone era and there are now six cask lines. It is very much a wet led pub, so much so that the kitchen that was used during the earlier iterations has been fitted out as a separate pub: The Engineer. As mentioned earlier accessed from Arrad St or through the WH: access through the conservatory. It has four cask lines, with a similar choice of beers to the WH. There’s a set of stairs above the street entrance which lead up to a mezzanine where there are three small rooms (formerly offices/storage for the kitchen) not that dissimilar in vibe to the cells in the Bridewell. There’s also a few seats and casks for putting your drinks on along the mezzanine corridor itself. Each room has a TV, so if your in a small group you may be lucky enough to claim a room to watch the footy (or a.n.other sport, of course). There’s also a TV above the door to the conservatory. There are several TVs along the the centre of the conservatory fixed to the ceiling.


Spot the difference—I may be in both. (Keystone above, WH below)


The view from above on the mezzanine in the Engineer


Four cask lines on in the Engineer.

It’s only been open twelve days or so and I’ve been three times. Each times it’s been very busy. Each time the service has been excellent. And each time I’ve ended up meeting some lovely people. So although it may not be the Keystone, it is boss to see it back in use and I’m sure it’ll survive significantly longer than the last venue did (sorry, I can’t even recall its name).

Well done to all involved in the design and implementation of the works involved with the new venues: and best of luck. See you soon. Again.]]>SalfordManchesterReal AleBeerFestival2023-11-20T11:35:50+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/c483f95d85936283b432f063850d7708-41.html#unique-entry-id-41https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/c483f95d85936283b432f063850d7708-41.html#unique-entry-id-41On Saturday I was over in some Manchester postcodes for Salford Beer Festival and some farewell pints for a colleague. It was a good trip in both regards.

It was my first time over at the Salford Beer Festival. Last year I went to the Wirral Beer Festival which clashed with it as it did once again. And so I began this year and last with some stomach lining kindly provided at the Shiraz, which I had along with my mates who were all going to the Wirral Fest. After that I wouldn't be needing much later—and maybe no dinner either.


The Shiraz Breakfast Prescription Hug

Three of the Neptunians on the trip took the rather nice, very fast, and pretty damn full, Newcastle train. The previous train had been cancelled so this was inevitably to be packed all the way.


The Sleek Train To An Afternoon Ale

A speedy Uber picked us up at Manchester Victoria and whizzed us of efficiently to Hemsley House for the festival and we were quickly in the groove. I spent most of my time in the second smaller room which housed the cask ales, the larger room of the Masonic Hall was the keg room. It was a busy session with all the seating taken. Thankfully I'd had my knee injected (and emptied of fluid) the day before and standing all the session actually didn't prove to be an issue. I'd taken charge of a pint glass rather than one of the smart schooners of course. But I didn't have a single pint whilst I was there (or two thirds; at least not a requested one). I always find myself drinking quite slowly at festivals and it was proved to be the case again. The only one keg I had was the Neptune 'Secret Beach' which was brewed for the festival and is a lovely Californian Pale (i'd had the cask version the night before in the Neptune Beerhouse). I had the keg whilst in the large oom to view the raffle draw—and sing along with the Wurzels and everyone there (apart from a rather perplexed Liam) 'I Am A Cider Drinker' ooh arrh, ooh arrh ay!


The Cask Room of the Salford Beer Fest


In front of the bar at Salford Beer Festival

I didn't win the raffle. Ooh arrh, oh arrh No!

At the end of the session it was time to get out of Salford (isn't it always the case?) and go over to our third city of the day, Manchester (I'm counting Liverpool of course). It was another Uber which arrived quickly. But then the traffic of Manchester intervened and we spent a lot of time not moving anywhere at all. I guess it permitted us to gain a thirst. We were only to go to two pubs in the evening though. First up was the excellent Gas Lamp, on Bridge Street, where we met up with Chess for her farewell pints.

We sat in the white tiled back room for a couple of beers and a good chinwag, whilst battling through the noise (it was packed and I think the tiles make the room an effective amplifier). After a few pints it was time to move on. Outside a passerby was stopped to take a shot of us when we left and to be fair I think he did a fine job with the available entourage. The next pub was never in doubt—you can't go to Manchester without a visit to the City Arms. After standing up all afternoon at the fest it was good to be able to get seating at both pubs. Perhaps it was a shame though that there were no further Wurzelling.


A plethora of Neptunians

Then it was time to go home (in my case via Dr Duncans; it is next to the bus stop of course). Two things I learned on the day were: that Uber is really rather good and I should download the app (even if Manchester traffic isn't), and that Salford Beer Festival is a mighty fine institution. All in all an excellent day trip. ]]>StaffordReal Ale TripPubsBrewery2023-10-30T13:34:01+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/b525a4ceb8bb03819ba8a6fb17dc159a-40.html#unique-entry-id-40https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/b525a4ceb8bb03819ba8a6fb17dc159a-40.html#unique-entry-id-40Thought I'd go somewhere I haven't been to on my tod before. Other than a CAMRA coach trip or two (way way back) I'd only been through Stafford on the train when travelling down south really. It's only just over an hour (64 minutes to be precise) from Liverpool Lime Street to Stafford on pretty regular trains (often the Birmingham New Street train). Got a few people to guess where I was heading on Twitter and no-one got it. Said it was somewhere I hadn't been etc which ruled out a surprising number of places I've been to over the last year. It turned out to be a beautiful start to the day when I arrived at around 11:40 and the walk out from the station takes you straight out into the lovely Victoria Park, alongside the River Sow, which made it doubly nice.



It was Stafford, folks.


Victoria Park welcomes you right out of the station.


A canalised section of the River Sow through Victoria Park. Gotta love a weeping willow.

I hadn't done much research on the pubs before hand other than to use a Google Maps search (i.e. 'Stafford Real Ale Pubs') to make sure there were at least a few to keep me occupied. At first glance there certainly seemed enough to keep me out of trouble for an hour or six anyway.


Bird in Hand


Black Country Ales 'BFG'

First up I went to the Bird in Hand. A spot on old pub which was busy with locals and doing in a good trade in lush looking Sunday lunches. I had a pint of Black Country Ales 'BFG', whilst trying hard to not be tempted by the gorgeous smells of the beef and Yorkshire puds. Black County Ales were to be in several pubs on the day; Stafford is only 15 miles from Wolverhampton. I watched the end of the India innings in the cricket world cup, where England appeared to be doing quite well.


Sun Inn, a Titanic pub


Loverly outdoor areas at the Sun Inn, while the sun was out.

The market town of Stafford isn't exactly overwhelming and a walk around the pubs would not prove too long at all. Next up was the Titanic Brewery owned pub, 'The Sun Inn' at the southern side of the town. There were lots of Titanic options of course, and i went for an 'Iceberg' there and sat out in the covered area of the garden (which was large). It was a lovely day after all and it would be rude not to take advantage of it.


The Picture House




Inside of the Picture House.

After this I headed back more centrally. I almost walked past the Wetherspoons—because of my general aversion to them not because I almost missed it—but I thought it looked an interesting building (another old cinema). I went in the Picture House check it out and I did get myself a St Austell 'Average Joe'. I supped it quickly and got out. It was a nice building and I liked all the old film posters on the walls, but it never feels right being in one (a Wetherspoons, not a cinema). It wasn't very busy in there, and the food didn't look half as appealing as those dinners in the Bird.


Pubs. Use it or lose it.


The Market Vaults


It was almost Halloween, can you tell?

Next up was the Market Vaults in the centre of the town (by the market, the clue is in the name dontcha know). A nice traditional pub. Quiet with a just a few regulars in and only the one beer (a Jennings 'Cumberland') and a hand written pump clip. Listened to the cricket for a while and found England were capitulating in embarrassing fashion. This truly has been a World Cup to forget.


Shrewsbury Arms

It was only a short walk to the Shrewsbury Arms, which looked a pub not to be missed. Everton were on the telly, but despite that I really enjoyed this pub. Got talking to a large (three generations) family in there about beer and football. Was very good. Meanwhile England lost in the cricket and Everton won v West Ham (whilst Liverpool were winning 2-0 v Forest).


Ye Olde Rose & Crown, Ye Closed on Sundays


Hogarths

I aimed to head on up to the Greyhound and Railway for my last two pubs so was going to take in Rose & Crown, a Joules pub. The flaw in the very loose plan was that it was Sunday and the pub is closed on Sundays. A shocking state of affairs. A shame as I like a Joules. It also meant my mid walk pub choice between the Shrewsbury and the Greyhound was a trifle limited. I ended up in Hogarth's. A nice enough pint of Theakston's 'XB' while I watched a very bad Man Utd capitulation to Man City as if they were the English cricket team. Not a great pub (very much a chain vibe along the line of Primark meets Wetherspoon with a dollop of Woolworths (without the pick & mix). Still, like I say the one beer they had on was fine and seeing Man Utd suffer is never a bad thing.


The Greyhound. The clocks changed last night. Was going dark early.

Headed north, just beyond the ring road and past the surprisingly central Stafford jail to the Greyhound. The weather was going downhill quickly after the blue sky start rain was definitely coming. A nice pub, where I had a pint of Oakham 'JHB' and saw the end of the Man derby (btw Liverpool had gone on to win 3-0 in the end). From there I was to head to the Lamb, where I found no ale on and walked straight out then I had to negotiate some road works to get over to the Railway Inn. This was to be my last stop, but I ended up chatting to some locals and the landlord--and playing some Warren Zevon on the jukebox—whilst having the more than adequate Butty Bach.

I timed it well to take the short walk to the station (hey, it was the Railway Inn, it wasn't going to be far) and get the on time train back to Liverpool. Glad it was short in the rain too.

Having made it to eight pubs, some of which were better than others, it had proved a very good day. And at only an hour (+4 minutes) from Liverpool I'd definitely recommend it. The pubs were:

Bird In Hand
The Sun Inn
Picture House (Wetherspoons)
Market Vaults
Shrewsbury Arms
Hogarths
Greyhound
Railway Inn

I'll probably put up a map at some point.

And the five I'd most recommend are the Bird In Hand, Sun Inn, Shrewsbury, the Railway, and the Greyhound. If I was going on a Saturday I'd add the Rose & Crown Joules pub and jib the Hogarth's (unless it was needed to watch the footy or something).
]]>Liverpool Real Ale TripPubsBreweryLiverpool Maps2023-10-28T20:13:40+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/9d9b31e50cad65b7aa6b598bb4d1baf5-39.html#unique-entry-id-39https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/9d9b31e50cad65b7aa6b598bb4d1baf5-39.html#unique-entry-id-39Been a while since I've updated the maps on here. So much so that when I went to do some changes this week it turned out the software I used to mark up the had changed. Not just an update but a whole new branding with Vectornator becoming Linearity: Curve. What? Anyway, after some checks to make sure it hadn't become a cost to me in the meantime I found I could carry on with the new Curve.

It was nice to update with the addition of a pub, The Queen of Hope Street, and the inclusion of a pub getting cask in for the first time, the Greene King, Lime Street Central. Had to also remove a couple of (keg) bars from one of the maps too. So perhaps that's 2-0 to cask. That said I don't really keep an eye on the keg bars much so there's probably (definitely) a few additions of them that I've not noted. Hell, they're supposed to be the ale pubs anyway.



Will add some more maps in the future including The Southport Run and some local ones (eg Waterloo). Maybe even before the software changes again.]]>HuddersfieldReal Ale TripPubsBrewery2023-10-25T18:59:40+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/8ba772efaae8af79fdd7e74c240e7cfd-38.html#unique-entry-id-38https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/8ba772efaae8af79fdd7e74c240e7cfd-38.html#unique-entry-id-38The other week, after going to York at the beginning of the week for a couple of days, I ended with another trip to Yorkshire, but closer to home—Huddersfield. I’d been there almost exactly a year before. It’s a nice speedy trip on the train and it was going to be less of an intense affair than York had been (there’s be no need for an overnight stay either).





I went to ten pubs a day in York, but here I only went to six in the end. This was partly because I would have more than one pint in a couple of pubs, and partly because I was engrossed in my reading (I’d just started Agatha Christie, by Lucy Worsley). There are great pubs here and I didn’t go to any new ones for me—I stuck with the tried and tested.

You can’t go wrong right from the start as within the beautiful old station building itself is the Head of Steam (on the right as you leave the station) and the King’s Head (on the opposite side).





Then it’s a ten minute walk or so to the Sportsman’s, which is always full of cracking beer options, and it was to be no different this time. Walking back towards the station I went into Williams Beer & Gin House (it had been closed when going towards the Sportsman’s). It was quiet but they had a couple of ales on. I was sent on a bit of a wrong turn by Google Maps next thanks to some roadworks and scaffolding so instead of The County next I went straight to the Rat & Ratchet. It was pretty busy in there despite the early hour. Had a lovely couple of pints before heading back across the ring road—and correctly--to The County. I decided to call it a day then and head back to Liverpool. It was an unrushed day to some great pubs with lovely beers (largely from Rat and Vocation breweries).







I’ll pop a map up at some point. But here are the pubs I went to on this relatively short visit (and very easily walkable; even with missteps via Dr Google):

Head of Steam
King’s Head
Sportsman
Williams Beer & Gin House
Rat & Ratchet
The County


]]>YorkReal Ale TripPubsBrewery2023-09-28T23:11:07+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/baac9ee3e4df9a47b6355c4c74cf8cbc-37.html#unique-entry-id-37https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/baac9ee3e4df9a47b6355c4c74cf8cbc-37.html#unique-entry-id-37I’m off work this week so I had to take the opportunity to get out for a few days out, didn’t I? And if you know York, you know how bloody good it is on multiple levels—but particularly with regard to ale places. So it wasn’t a surprise that I picked it for one of my trips out. I last came here for my 50th birthday bash with a few mates. This time it was just me on me tod. I had a train getting me there around midday and I had one night booked in a hotel (well a pub—not a real ale one though). So I had the best part of two days to spend on a good wander around one my favourite (none Liverpool) cities. Huzzah!





It went as well as it should have. I’m not sure how many real ale pubs there are within the wall, but there are lots. So there isn’t that much walking really between one place and another—and therefore not much wasted time either. Without trying, or extending myself at all, I ended up going to ten pubs on each day.

Day One:

First up, as it always is for me if I arrive by train, is The Maltings, which is a top pub just a few minutes walk from the station. There is the York Tap at the station too of course, but that is the same distance from your train on the way home and it only feels right to leave the station when you arrive in town unless you don't want to feel like you've arrived yet. It's not too far—just across the river—to get to the House of the Trembling Madness on Leland. I had only been to the other TM on Stonegate before so this was the first new pub to me on this trip. It was busier than the Maltings being lunchtime on a busy pedestrian street, but I got a nice comfy leather chair on the ground floor to sink into there. Got my phone out and plotted a route that I thought best for the afternoon before checking into my digs and next up was the Wonky Donkey/Three Legged Horse which I have a long term affinity for and is a stones throw (don't do that though) from the Minster. A few people message via Instagram and Twitter asking if I was going to pub X, Y, and Z. I was indeed going to most of them but I hadn't planned to go to one—the Snickleway Inn—so I added that to my list when advised by a buddy from Liverpool. But first up was the original House of the Trembling Madness on Stonegate. I'd forgotten how easy it was to walk past, though I got there eventually. Got talking to a couple of American tourists who were passing through. They'd just come from Liverpool. They loved our home town and it sounds like they'll be back there next year. York is of course even more full of tourists than Liverpool (yes, it really is. Madness—trembling or otherwise).

I made the relatively short walk to the Snickleway and gave Dan's regards to Linda as requested via social media. You say jump and I ask how high, don't I? Nah, not usually. Was a nice pint but I didn't have time to stop for another one (I wouldn't buy two pints in any pubs on this two day trip) as it was time to get on to Blue Bell, which was on the way my digs (which was the Watergate Inn—a non-real ale pub—on Walmgate). The Blue Bell is a cracking old traditional pub which I never miss on a trip to York.

At the hotel I had a wee lie down for 45 mins or so before moving on to my next pub, the Rook & Gaskell which lay straight down the road just beyond the city walls. It was pretty quiet in there with just some regulars in there. I then went a short hop to the Phoenix which lies back within the walls (just). Chatted to a nice couple who were on a trip too who were originally from Cornwall via Derbyshire. We talked a little geology as well as beer. Finally I went to the Red Lion another large old pub regularly visited by yours truly (and very near my digs). As it happened it wasn't my last pub because I wandered up the road for a bit of a look see for something to eat and spotted a pub called the Pavement Vaults (just around the corner from a posh donner place). Had a nice Bristol Beer Factory pint in the Vaults before heading to the donner place then back to my room. A very good day.

The Maltings
House of the Trembling Madness (on Leland)
Three Legged Mare (aka the Wonky Donkey)
House of the Trembling Madness (on Stonegate)
Snickleway Inn
Blue Bell
Rook & Gaskell
Phoenix
Red Lion
Pavement Vaults



Day Two:

My room didn't include breakfast, but that's what I prefer anyway, you want to get out and about rather than eat in your hotel usually (unless it's a full English in a Holiday Inn circa 2000). My weather app said zero percent chance of rain for the time I was up at 9am; so it was raining. I was soon up, showered and checked out (ie gave them the key back) then I was down the road with an eye out for where to eat. There were some nice places but being tourist central they were all tourist central prices. In the end I sat out a greasy spoon under an umbrella and settled for a cheap full English tray. Down and dirty. And I was dry and stomach lined (though the sausages were on the cheap side of cheap). I was back in the centre of town at this point just off The Shambles and it was still too early for the pubs to be open, so it was just time to wander a bit. My legs were a little tired at this wandering so I sat down for a while just by Whip-Ma-Wop-Ma-Gate (as you do). At this point I was close to the Blue Bell again, but of course I wasn't going to revisit yesterday's venues with so many hostelries available to me within the city walls.

So first up was the Three Tuns. I was the first in, but it wasn't long before plenty of tourists started to wander in there. Again it was a short walk (I'll stop saying that, it should go without saying that it's generally a short walk to everywhere if you plan right) to The Hop, the Ossett pub, which is a deceptively large place opposite the Blue Bell. I read my book a little there before heading up the Thornbridge pub, The Market Cat, which was just beside where I'd had my breakfast. I inevitably had a Jaipur there, which was stronger than most the pints I was having on this trip, but I can't say no to a Jaipur when I see one.

Just a quick zigzag and I was at the Pivni, which—like the Market Cat—was a new one for me. I had a pint of Redwillow 'Feckless' first and then it became the only place I had a second pint (hey, I said I didn't buy a second pint in any pub, I never said I didn't have a second pint). There were two people in from a company importing a Majorcan lager ('Rosa Blanca - Majorca 1927) which they were checking in on. They kindly offered to buy a round of it for everyone downstairs which we all accepted of course. It was a nice lager to be fair and for the next twenty minutes the five of us in the bar with our free pints felt like we'd all joined a decent club. Cheers. Majorca!

After saying goodbye to Club Majorca, it was literally just across the road next to Valhalla, which is a cool place—all timber decorated with wooden shields. I went for Valhalla Pale. All the Valhalla ales were brewed by the small local Half Moon Brewery. It was a bit a walk next as I headed back over towards where my digs were, because the Brew York Beerhall was over there. It was my one mistake over the two day in planning my route as I didn't think it was open on Tuesdays so I had originally missed it from my list. I went in there and ended up with a session pale (as usual on an extended day) just across from Chris Kamara. I was waiting for the familiar laughing but he was relatively calm whilst I was there. It turned out from Brew York pics on Insta the next day that he was there with the brewery for something yet to be announced. We wait with bated breath.

It was time to head back across town as I'd make my way towards York Station and home so next up were two old pubs I'd been to before, The Golden Fleece and the Ackthorne. The less said about the former the better. A quick one in the small Falcon and then it was across to the station for my last hostelry in York: the York Tap at the station itself.

All in all it had been an excellent couple of days. The only rain (despite a zero chance of it) was for an hour or two on Tuesday morning. Other than that the only liquid I saw was in a pint glass. I went to twenty pubs over two days—some new places (at least to me) and to some old favourites, had some boss beers, served well and by good staff throughout, had a donner kebab, got given a free pint, saw the famous Kamara, chatted to some nice people (both locals and tourists), didn't get lost, and even the trains were all on time. Crackin'

Three Tuns
Hop
Market Cat
Pivni
Valhalla
Brew York Beerhall
Golden Fleece
Ackthorne
Falcon
York Tap



i'll add a map at some point too. Twenty pubs can sound like a lot I know, but then again if you're out for ten hours or so a day then it's only a pint an hour and at that rate you can actually annoy some landlords for drinking too slowly. It's a fine balancing act these session trips, but I'm happy to continue to give it a go.


Watch this space…]]>SouthportReal Ale TripMapPubs2023-08-29T23:34:31+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/e45ba57d16956ef1c136b6b847115514-36.html#unique-entry-id-36https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/e45ba57d16956ef1c136b6b847115514-36.html#unique-entry-id-36Firstly just to confirm The Southport Run is not a Couch to 5k, it is an ale trip to Southport using the Northern Line Train. I guess people from Southport may choose to do it in the opposite direction to my route (coming as I do from Liverpool) but I get the train to Southport and have a few there before heading back to the train. Of course please bear in mind that the railway peeps won’t necessarily let you on board a train if you’re judged to have had too many. It’s never happened to me, but I do know a couple of people who haven’t been let onto a Merseyrail train after some beers. So don’t go mad at the start lest you get stranded in Formby or somewhere.



There are plenty of stops on the Northern Line where you can get to a nearby real ale pub. And there are some not to get off at all. Depending on your mood, stamina, time available—and any plans you may have for the following day—you could aim for a couple of pubs in Southport, Waterloo, and back in LIverpool while getting off the stations for single pubs at Birkdale, Hillside, Ainsdale, Freshfield, Formby, and maybe Hightown. So you could easily be looking at ten to twelve pubs for the day.





I’ll sort a map out at some point, but the pubs I’d consider are:

Southport - Tap & Bottles, Guest House, Masons Arms (there is also The Inn Shop, Peaky Blinders, and there are Wetherspoons if you are that way inclined)
Birkdale - The Barrel House
Hillside - Grasshopper
Ainsdale - The Golden Monkey
Freshfield - Beer Station, The Freshfield
Formby - The Railway
Hightown - The Hightown
Waterloo - Stamps Too (Waterpudlian), Trap & Hatch, Old Tap, Volunteer Canteen, Four Ashes (there’s also the Liver and a Wetherspoons)
Liverpool - er loads, look ‘em up




All in all a good day out. I’d recommend a Saturday if you are going to do it at the weekend so you don’t have to deal with Sunday service issues. Most of these pubs between Southport and Waterloo are very close to the stations. The Southport and Waterloo ones are a bit more spread out (but Stamps Too itself is close) if you aren’t gong to do a couple there.

For an All Zone Saveaway ticket the trip itself is only gonna cost you six quid. That’s an absolutely belting bargain. Remember though if you have a weak bladder the Southport trains don’t have toilets on them currently (not sure when they are getting the new trains on this line) so schedule your beers, stops, and toilet breaks with that in mind.

]]>GlasgowReal Ale TripPubs2023-07-31T12:23:49+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/43f7b54a612dd1a538e68ec95863df4d-35.html#unique-entry-id-35https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/43f7b54a612dd1a538e68ec95863df4d-35.html#unique-entry-id-35Visited Glasgow a couple of weeks ago for a wee holiday (hell that’s just the way I roll) and fitted in a few museums and galleries as well as some pubs (see blog on none pub related trip here).

But there were the pubs too of course. Scotland is quite (in)famous for its relationship with alcohol. Whenever the UK government publishes anything negative about their latest thoughts on health or general trouble they always use a stock image of a pint of real ale: despite any societal problems with alcohol rarely having any relation tpo my favourite styles of beer. I suspect it’d be a different image used in Scotland; probably a can of some super strength lager juxtaposed with a bottle of Buckfast. There are some good breweries up in Scotland (I'm particularly a fan of Fyne Ales), but the ale culture is not as deep as in the rest of the UK. One suspects a fair proportion of the breweries have to export most of their products to England.


The State. Oakham Green Devil anyone?


The Three Judges (just opened. It was a lot busier later in the day).

I went around a few ale pubs and asked various locals or staff about ale hostelries around the city and they all pointed to the few I knew about. There was no vein of local knowledge about new micro pubs, which I’d expect to hear about in any medium size town in England. There were lots of shaking heads and apologies - I was in real ale pubs asking people, who’d love a few more options I’m sure.


Everywhere T gangs up on U.

I was in Scotland for four days and twice I visited Wetherspoons outlets (which sounds more appropriate than hostelries). I think I’ve only visited two ‘Spoons in England in the last four years or so: once to use the toilet, and once because I’d just missed a bus and had almost half an hour to wait for the next with no seating etc; I was forced to, I tell ya!). The fact that I went into two ‘Spoons here (one in Glasgow and another in Dumbarton) was because I was exhausted by the ale deserts and dodgy knees. Ho hum.


Some of the Glasgow pubs I got to.


Anyway, here are the ale pubs I went to in Glasgow and I’ll sort a map out at some point to help you out if you’re ever passing through.

Bon Accord
Griffin
The State
Howlin Wolf Blues Bar (keg only)
Hop Still (excellent whisky bar with a cask line too)
Three Judges
Horse Shoe
Raven
Counting House (Wetherspoons, sorry)
Innis & Gunn (keg only)
Deoch & Doris (keg only)
Aragon Bar
Tennents
Curlers Rest
Inn Deep
The Laurieston

Some of these are better than others. My top five in terms of ale would probably be Three Judges, State, Bon Accord, Inn Deep, and the Laurieston.


Glasgow Subway

One thing you’ll spot up in Glasgow is a single circular subway. It’s apparetnly the third oldest in Europe and doing a pub crawl along the underground is ‘a thing.’ Two things to be aware of are that there aren’t many stops close to the subway stations which are ale pubs (Three Judges by Kelvinhall. Curlers Rest by Hillhead, and Laurieston by Bridge Street) so you’ll end up drinking a lot of keg and Guinness if you decide to give it a go. Also be aware of how narrow and therefore small the platforms are if you are in a big group. Heaven knows how the Ibrox stop is on a match day.



Glasgow Subway Map

]]>Real AleLiverpool 2023-06-01T11:34:07+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/8954681564ec947e012b1ccaba9d6751-34.html#unique-entry-id-34https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/8954681564ec947e012b1ccaba9d6751-34.html#unique-entry-id-34It’s not Easter but it has been a week for resurrections. Firstly the Sanctuary on Lime Street, which I’ve got a few fond memories off, has finally been killed off. It has been owned by Liverpool Brewing Co since its latest reemergence on the scene, but it didn’t put the beer to the forefront; keeping its name and much of the appearance. But in the last few weeks it has gone through a refit and rebranding. And the Sanctuary is no more. Welcome to the Liverpool Brewing Company Brewery Tap. It had a reopening event last Thursday, which I popped into - and bumped into a few familiar faces. Had an enjoyable night. Good luck to everyone involved.




And just the day after the little Coach House on Maryland Street reemerged from its overlong hibernation. It has been taken on by the team behind Cask on Queens Drive, who evidently have a fondness for micro pubs. Again, like the Sanctuary, I have fond memories through the various iterations of the Coach House (previously Hard Times & Misery, then Dickens & King). For now the plans - like the LB Brewery Tap) is to open daily. Give it a go over the summer, people. It’s barely a stone’s throw from the Fly in Loaf so there is no excuse not to pop your head in. I popped in for a couple on Friday and bumped into more familiar faces (not the same as the ones from the day before) and had nice beer and a boss time.





With the Vines recently reborn and these two I wonder what could be next? ]]>ShrewsburyLeedsReal Ale Trip2023-05-30T11:53:17+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/301cd3ec3f9ba2b57dd4320dcce7c45f-33.html#unique-entry-id-33https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/301cd3ec3f9ba2b57dd4320dcce7c45f-33.html#unique-entry-id-33Taking a few days off work. Been very lucky with the weather for it too. Not got any particular plans for the week. It'll no doubt involve reading and writing. Some guitar strumming (maybe even write a song - we'll see) Maybe some garden stuff. Oh, and some beer goodness. To that end I've had two lovely day trips this weekend letting the train take the strain: on Saturday I went to - the always excellent - Shrewsbury, and on Monday I went to an under visited (for me) Leeds. Sat in the sun a couple of times but mostly took to the shade or the indoors. A suntan will come without me working on it.



Shrewsbury

It's a small and beautiful city with lots of old building charm. And being Shropshire there is plenty of decent local beers about too. Ended up visiting:

• Yorkshire House
• Loggerheads
• Cromwells
• Henry Tudor House
• Nags Head
• House of Grain
• Hop & Friar
• Admiral Benbow
• Coach & Horses
• Wheatsheaf
• Three Fishes
• Tap & Can

Yeah, I had a very good day out, didn't I!?









Leeds

On Monday I decided from the many options I was considering to go to Leeds. It's not a place I've been to for beers for many years. It was good to get out there again. And the time on the train (for those without changes) is pretty good from Liverpool. That is, if Bank Holiday cancellations don't hit. And yup, they did. My original train got cancelled. The second too. So I didn't get into Leeds until about 12:30. My return train was the 7pm as the later trains got me back quite late - and there was the fear of later cancellations too. In all then there was just about 6 hours or so to get around some decent (or not) hostelries. It was plenty of time to be fir though. The area I was covering was all very central and close to the train station.

First up was the Head of Steam, which is right next to the station. Started with an Ilkley Pale. I mean a light abv is crucial if you are out for a few hours, innit? Of course this became scuppered with my second pub: the Bankers Cat, just a hundred yards or so up Mill Hill. It's a Thornbridge pub, so Jaipur arrived next then. Predictable,

Just across the road from the Bankers is Tapped. Had a lovely pint of Full Circle 'repeater' there, whilst sat out in the sun. Found out from the barman that the next stout due on ask was to be Neptune Abyss. Nice to hear.

Next up I was sat outside again, but very much in the shade of the alley which hides the Turk's Head/Whitelocks. Sat outside both places (hey it's one and two pubs at the same time). Felt like I was in a Borgen reboot as I sat in-between two tables of Norwegians. Then it was time for another alley hidden pub, the Sam Smiths 'Angel.' Again it was a really short walk to it. Got chatted to a nice local and we went for another pint in the next alley along where the Ship was hiding.

It seems I wouldn't be getting 10,000 steps in. The next place a lot more modern; and less hidden. It was the North Bar, just up the road. Then it was time to head towards the station so I headed for the Brewery Tap just around the corner from the Head of Steam.

Of course it was bound to be painful getting back. It was a Bank Holiday after all. Needless to say illness amongst the rail company staff was very high so more than half the trains were cancelled. Still, I made it home eventually after having had a very good day in Leeds. Won't be as long until I get theee again.

In the end the pubs were:

• Head of Steam (Mill Hill)
• Banksers Cat
• Tapped
• Turk's Head/Whitelocks
• Angel
• Swan
• North Bar
• Brewery Tap

A little less extensive than the Shrewsbury trip then.












]]>Liverpool Real Ale TripPubsLiverpoolPubs2023-05-16T10:05:41+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/447f69e20d2a97489c5789f6cef85319-32.html#unique-entry-id-32https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/447f69e20d2a97489c5789f6cef85319-32.html#unique-entry-id-32It's been a mad couple of weeks in Liverpool as we hosted the Eurovision Song Contest. It has certainly been a good success for the city and Eurovision. It was good to see on so many levels: even for a none Eurovision fan like me.



The news coverage has been about how successful it has been and how much money has come into the city with all the visitors - and forecast to come as the success of the festival was screened around the world. It certainly seemed like damn fine advertising for our place. On the news yesterday they went into several places that said they had record number of visitors and takings. Of course these were in the Albert Dock. The places around Pier Head would of course pick up lots of passing traffic from the thousands in town throughout the festival.



But my experience in the rest of town, both directly and through talking to staff, is that the bulk of town was actually unusually quiet: very quiet. It appears that many people avoided coming into town - which would have been exacerbated by the two day rail strike. It's not because all the customers were at Pier Head I am sure; I don't think the Venn Diagram of ale drinkers and Eurovision fans has a massive crossover.



Anyway, whilst on the whole the city may have won from hosting the festival it hasn't all been winners. So your job over the next few weeks is to get out there as the city returns to normal and show your love of our brilliant hostelries. They'd love you for it; and you don't even have to wear sequins and glitter if you don't want.


]]>PrestonReal Ale TripPubs2023-04-10T10:34:46+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/7472234bce2f96fbe3d08fe166ffc873-31.html#unique-entry-id-31https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/7472234bce2f96fbe3d08fe166ffc873-31.html#unique-entry-id-31On a very sunny Saturday I went for a little trip around Preston. On Sunday my phone flashed up my photos from a year ago from my last visit to Preston. Yep, not by design but there were 364 days between my visits. Spooky!

It's a short train journey from Lime Street at around 55 minutes, so is a handy option to go at short notice - if you are that way inclined.

First up was The Station, which is probably one to miss out if you're looking for better ales and a nicer vibe. But it is handy for the station (funny that) and I ended up watching twenty minutes or so of the Man Utd v Everton match whilst supping on a Robinson's 'Unicorn' and planning my afternoon (well, replanning - it would mostly be the same as my last trip to the city). The pint would be the cheapest of the day anyway.



Next up, as half time approached in the Everton match (0-0 at the time), was The Old Vic. A nicer option than the Station with a few more beers on. I had a Salopian 'Second Life' which I hadn't seen before. I went to this pub last time and it was busy with footy fans then. This time there were a couple of sizeable groups of people and plenty of couples too. I suspect it is quite lively of an evening. There was some bloke dressed up as a golden Elvis (I think that's what he was, but who knows?).

Third up was the second (and last) of my new pubs: the Winckley Ale House. I did visit this lovely micro pub last time, but couldn't get a beer as they are card only and I'd lost mine at the time. I still don't like places not taking cash. It's not fair on people who don't have the option (or want to not use that option). But hey ho, it is the world we live in. They had four casks on, including the Cloudwater Chubbles. I chose not to take the Chubble option, because a) it was very pricey and b) it was pretty strong, and therefore not ideal early on in a trip. So I went for a lovely drop from Rivington 'Bounced Right Back' - a 4.2% pale. It was a shame I had to sit indoors as the sun was shining on the few (busy) tables outside.

I walked past Hopwoods and headed straight to the popular Guild Ale House next. Had two pints there: Bingley 'Juno' and Redwillow 'Sabro Simcoe.' And then headed over the road to their sister pub in the market, The Orchard, where I had another Redwillow - this time a 'Feck Less'.



Five pubs in and I was on the home straight. I decided not to stay out too long though and would miss out the long(ish) walk to the Vinyl, so next up was the nearby Black Horse. A proper, old, multi-room pub. Had an Anarchy 'Blonde Star' here. Then it was time to head to the last two pubs of my tour of Preston ale establishments: the excellent Plug & Taps, and Plau.

Finally found a place to sit outside, at the Plug & Taps and chatted to a couple of lads about footy, music and ale (other than cheese and curries that was most conversation groups covered). Had my second Rivington of the day, 'Beach House'.

Then my final pint, before getting back to Liverpool, was a Mobberley 'Elysium' in a suprisingly quiet Plau.



All in all it had been a good trip on a true blue sky day. Definitely recommend giving Preston a go if you haven't done it for a while.

The pubs I visited were:

The Station
The Old Vic
Winckley Ale House
Guild Ale House
The Orchard
The Black Horse
Plug & Taps
Plau

I'll post a map up here shortly.
]]>Liverpool Liverpool MapsLiverpoolPubsPubs2023-04-10T10:28:31+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/84777b87dfd55ec51a80e825ff914405-30.html#unique-entry-id-30https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/84777b87dfd55ec51a80e825ff914405-30.html#unique-entry-id-30Been a while since I've updated the Liverpool ale maps, but with the return of the Vines in the last fortnight it was my excuse to update a few of them. As well as the addition of the Vines to the main map I've made some minor adjustments to the suggested crawl maps. Hope somebody finds them useful.

]]>The ReAle Blog2023-04-01T10:37:41+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/7ac166da29ec7bfa128624d161c03ce5-29.html#unique-entry-id-29https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/7ac166da29ec7bfa128624d161c03ce5-29.html#unique-entry-id-29On Wednesday (28th March ‘23) The Vines on Lime Street, known locally as The Big House, reopened as an ale pub after decades in the real ale wilderness. It is not before time. I always said if I ever won the lottery I’d buy the pub and turn it into an ale pub (obviously with a good landlord - not me). The plan was slightly scuppered by the lottery win never coming off; though perhaps not buying lottery tickets more than about five times a year may not have helped.



Only popped in briefly on Wednesday night to check it out and show my support to it. It’s location - on Lime Street, next to the Adelphi - and its architecture and internals, are sure to make it an attractive place to visit when travelling through Liverpool on a day or night out. It had loads of cask on (all well known national brands - as opposed to any from the north west) at the time of opening. They were all quality big beers. The decor, fixtures & fittings, and the seating etc were all spot on: there’s so much there I’m not going to describe it… just get down and check it out for yourself. You wont be disappointed. There's still stuff to sort like the gents toilets but I expect they'll sort it in good time. Hopefully the pub will grow into its position in the Liverpool ale scene. It certainly should do.



Anyway, now I’m going to have to do something else with my expected lottery win. Perhaps it’s time for the Irish Centre to be reborn…]]>The ReAle Blog2023-02-01T23:50:31+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/b91278bc245ca8deb7c0ac8cb7626e97-27.html#unique-entry-id-27https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/b91278bc245ca8deb7c0ac8cb7626e97-27.html#unique-entry-id-27In January last year I tasked myself with getting to as many local pubs as I could in some kind of reaction to the empty pubs I was faced with on New Year’s Day. I had no aim other than to throw myself around town a bit from hostelry to hostelry. It was nothing more than a pastime. It’s only a year ago but it seems a lifetime in some respects. The ever changing rules, guidance and laws are so hard to remember now. But mainly it was the fears. I ultimately got to 48 different pubs last year, which was pretty a robust dabble.



This year seems a decade later. That may explain why Liverpool are playing so differently this year too: something must!
So here we are in 2023 and hospitality is on the rack again, this time largely from the “cost of living crisis.” It was good to see Dry January was taking a bit of a back seat this year, but maybe it wasn’t and it was just lost in the deluge of other news. And so it was that I intended to get out again this January again with the same lack of definitive goals. Just an aim to not just go to the same eight pubs or so. To spread my wings and fly away with whatever ale I found on a given day.



It was quite a different month from last January. It was easy to get around a bit for a start (albeit if planned around rail strikes). And I even had a gig or two to get out and see. I won’t save the final number to the end (hell it was in the blog title) but I ultimately went to 61 different places selling ale in January. That was again without trying too hard either; I could have easily made more if I'd wanted to. But I was happy with the efforts I made. It was good to do and no stretch goal. Obviously getting to travel to Lancaster, Manchester, Wolverhampton, and Birmingham helped boost the numbers. Let’s face it I’m alway gonna go to a minimum of four venues on a wee visit to a town, ain’t I?



So 61 pubs (or venues), it’s a nice number even if it ain’t a round one. Anything Dylan related is pretty damn fine to me. But, other than reporting the number as a kind of answer, what else can or should I say? Anything I damn want I guess - it’s my site after all. I’ve put the final numbers against the pubs below, but I suppose a few words are worth penning too.



Anyone who is into ale and pubs knows it and there’s no point in preaching to the converted. And who’d ever read this blog who’s not into pubs anyway? I guess not damn many. No need to overthink it or write too much then. Hell a paragraph. 61 pubs, some quite different, some similar, all boil down to a few words about our pubs:

We need them. The clue is in the name pubs; Public Houses. They are places to meet. Places to relax, to get away from; home, from work, the norm, the daily issues. Where people can chat to their mates, meet new people, have banter with the bar staff. Where they can chat about the latest news, the sport, or the weather if they want, to listen to music (live or otherwise), play some games, read a book, get some scran: and taste their favourite beers or something new. Public Houses when they’re gone from a community what happens to the people who used them? Hopefully they find somewhere else, but in some areas they may not. They don’t even need to sell real ale of course. But for its followers like me it is a damn fine bonus. With the cost of living crisis many pubs are bound to see some downturn. The businesses will suffer and those that are confined to barracks by financial necessity will suffer at home too. People need people. They need social interaction. And for many the one place they get that is at a pub. I have good memories from this month of pubs and I really hope if I do it again next year that all the 61 will still be there. That’s where you can help: get out there and support your locals if you can. The whole ‘use it or lose thing’ is the vibe. Raise a glass of whatever your weapon of choice is to the pub, to the staff, to the brewers, to the hops, malt, yeast & water. And raise a glass to your buddies of yesterday, of today, and of tomorrow. Cheers!



The pubs and bars of January 2023:

Liverpool
1 Dr Duncan’s 01.01
2 Ship & Mitre
3 Excelsior
4 Vernon
5 Rigbys
6 Railway
7 Head of Steam
8 Sanctuary 02.01
9 Lime Street Central
10 Denbigh Castle 05.01
11 Bridewell 06.01
12 Dispensary
13 Fly in the Loaf
14 Belvedere
15 Grapes
16 Roscoe Head
17 Caernarfon Castle 08.01
18 White Star
19 William Gladstone
20 Lady of Mann
21 Hole in the Wall
22 Lion Tavern
23 Pen Factory 10.01
24 Philharmonic Pub
25 Blackburne
26 Ye Cracke

Lancaster
27 Tite & Locke 11.01
28 Merchants
29 John O’Gaunt
30 Sun Hotel
31 Three Mariners
32 The Bobbin
33 White Cross
34 The Borough

Liverpool
35 Red Lion 14.01
36 Globe 15.01

Wirral
37 White Lion
38 West Kirby Tap
39 Black Toad

Liverpool
40 Leaf 19.01

Manchester
41 Gas Lamp 20.01
42 Ape & Apple
43 City Arms
44 Briton’s Protection
45 Wharf

Crewe
46 Crewe Hero (station) 21.01

Wolverhampton
47 Royal London
48 Posada
49 Lych Gate Tavern
50 Great Western

Birmingham
51 Wellington Arms (22.01)
52 The Colmore
53 Purecraft Bar & Kitchen
54 Sommar
55 Post Office Vaults
56 Head of Steam Birmingham
57 Bacchus
58 Good Intent

Liverpool
59 Peter Kavangh's (29.01)
60 Hobo Kiosk
61 Baltic Fleet

]]>WolverhamptonBirminghamReal Ale TripPubs2023-01-23T19:49:41+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/975ddc7ef8ace29f41f51142f93b5831-26.html#unique-entry-id-26https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/975ddc7ef8ace29f41f51142f93b5831-26.html#unique-entry-id-26I went Wolverhampton on Saturday to watch Frank Turner at KK's Steel Mill (a fab gig, of course). It's not like I could commute back so I said for a night in Wolverhampton. This gave me the opportunity to visit a few good pubs in both cities.



Wolverhampton

First up I wanted to catch some of the Liverpool match, so choices of pubs were limited. I ended up on a 'Neck Oil' in the Royal London (whilst the match v Chelsea ended up 0-0 - again). It was only around the corner then to the Posada. A lovely wee traditional pub, with Wye Valley 'HPA' on cask. From there it was a short stroll down the quite icy street in lovely sunshine, to the Lych Gate, by the lovely 15th century church (St. Peter's Collegiate Church). It's a Black Country Ales pub, and I went for a BFG. Walking back past the railway station I headed to the Great Western (not a Wetherspoons even if it sounds like one) a Holden's pub. Ended up with an XB and a Golden Glow and chatted to some nice people. Then it was time to head to my hotel before a curry and the gig. A very nice day (apart from the football).


'Neck Oil' and an all too familiar nil nil in Royal London


The Posada


The Posada


The Lych Gate Tavern


I'm in the Midlands. You can tell.


The Great Western - definitely not a 'Spoons

Pubs visited:

• Royal London
• The Posada
• Lych Gate Tavern
• Great Western

(oh, and KK's Steel Mill for the gig)

Birmingham


The Wellington

Didn't have any luck finding a bus back to town so ended up getting my steps in by walking up to the station. I got there before 11am which meant I couldn't head back into the Great Western for a Bathams, without hanging around. So I headed for a train to Birmingham. In theory there were quite a few close together, but there were multiple problems including non-running trains, two carriage (already full on arrival trains) and late running ones. That said I got to Birmingham in decent time. In fact most places were closed as they all seemed to be opening t midday.

I walked past a few pubs which I knew I'd be getting to later and ended up with my first pint in the ever reliable Wellington. There were already a few people in. I had a Salopian 'Fault Line.' I then went back out around the way I'd walked earlier and went into the much anticipated Colmore. The Colmore is a Thornbridge pub. Hey, cool. Had a Jamestown first but couldn't not have a Jaipur, to could I? Lovely looking pub - loved the stone topped tables. Chatted to some people there its get a heads up on where to go. They were pretty much confirming my route anyways.


The Colmore


The Colmore is a Thornbridge pub, can you tell?


It's a Jaipur


A Jaipur and a book, what could be nicer.


Purity Ales


Cheers, Birmingham

Next was two pubs just around the corner, the Purecraft Kitchen & Bar, a Purity Ales pub, and the Sommar, a craft pub. Had an Ubu in the Purecraft and an Arbor 'Mosaic' in Sommar. Managed to read some of my new book, 'Shards of Earth' by Adrian Tchaikovsky. The book, as the day., was shaping up well.


Sommar craft ale pub


An Arbor 'Mosaic' in Sommar.


The almost hidden Post Office Vaults.


No food, but they do good beer a plenty


Down the steps by Sommar the Post Office Vaults was obviously next. Had an Oakham 'Pendulum' there. Decided not to stay too long in Birmingham as I wasn't too sure how reliable the train would be after the morning's examples (and it being a Sunday, which somehow means all timetables are theoretical, or work of art. Headed back around the roads to the Head of Steam, where I had a Siren 'Lumina.' Then it was to Bacchus., a Nicholson's pub, where I had a 'Dark island' from Orkney Brewery. The venue is a little disappointing, but I have nice memories of the place. Finally a lovely small bar in an arcade, which I'd been to before, 'The Good Intent' where I had a ' Crazy Sheep' from Craddock's Brewery. I'm glad I made my way up there as it would have been a bit of a downer to end with the Bacchus.



The Great Western (again) Arcade. Home to the Good Intent.


Last pint of my Midlands trip: a Crazy Sheep at the Good Intent. Cheers!

A short walk (the whole visit was (good job I got my steps in on the morning walk in Wolverhampton)) to the station and I got myself a handy Too Good to Go from the Pasty Shop and then caught the train, which ran on time and wasn't just two carriages long. Hallelujah! Oh and lastly, thanks to Frank Turner for a fabulous gig on Saturday night - and giving me the excuse to get down here again. It's been a while.

Pubs visited:

• Wellington
• The Colmore
• Purecraft
• Sommar
• Post Office Vaults
• Head of Steam
• Bacchus
• The Good Intent

]]>LancasterReal Ale TripPubsBrewery2023-01-13T10:52:07+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/3e5b445da026b45ec5142c5f91ee0159-25.html#unique-entry-id-25https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/3e5b445da026b45ec5142c5f91ee0159-25.html#unique-entry-id-25I went to Lancaster last June and decided to go again this week. It's a good place for a few beers as there are enough different venues for a good walk and the city is small, so getting around in good time is easy. Went on Trainline the evening before and booked my tickets and was good to go the next morning.

I went into town by my (not so) trusty No.17 and time knew time was going to be tight to get the train. Decided to get the train one hour later and it'd give me the time for a proper Full English at the (always) trusty Shiraz Palace. The later train would get me in for noon anyway, which is early enough. And the breakfast was way better than a sandwich Meal Deal. It only actually takes about an hour and quarter to get from Liverpool to Lancaster (including the change at Preston), which is pretty damn fine in my book.

Got some reading in 'The Subtle Knife' Phil Pullman (the second of the HDM trilogy, my third book of the year. Didn't need to spend the time researching where to go having been there last year. I was aiming to go to several of those same pubs (especially those in close proximity to the station) in any case and then throw in a few new ones for good measure. Decisions to be made on the hoof; with the knowledge you can always stick with exactly the same route (which was excellent) in any case.



The first three pubs ended up being the same as last time. The 'Tite & Locke' which is a Lancaster Brewery pub accessible from the station itself: me Twitter buddy had been passing through the station on a journey southward earlier and said it'd be waiting for me. So first up was a Lancaster IPA. There were several people already in there and a large group of men expanded on the adjoining table every time a train arrived.

I walked out and across the bridge towards the centre and inevitably headed into the Merchants for the next one, a Bank Top 'Palomino. At 5% or so I was wondering about it if I was to do eight pubs or so, but with too many Xmas beers on the options although numerous were limited. Unfortunately it coincided with a sudden sneezing fit. I get them rarely, but when they do they can last rather long. Suffice to say I was annoyed with it, as I dare say others were too. But what can you do? Asked about other pub options for cask and they pointed me to the places I knew, but always worth asking in case something new has popped up or a pub has changed. One of them was The Sun, which I hadn't gone to last time.

The John O'Gaunt isn't far away and is a proper old pub - so of course I headed there. There were a few people in there. There weren't too many ale options, but I was happy enough as there was JHB from Oakham. Had a look at Google Maps and figured out my next couple of pubs, namely the nearby Sun Hotel and then the Three Mariners. Both of which looked decidedly good options - and it'd be nice to go to some new venues for me.

In the Sun I had another Lancaster 'Snowdrop'. It's another Lancaster Brewery pub. Just a wee bit of reading of the Knife. The walk to the Three Mariners is short from there just over the main road towards the River Lune. In the Mariners I sat near the wood fire which was warm and smelt lovely. It's a Robinsons pub. I ended up drinking a Robinsons brew for the pub (aka' The Three Mariners' of course). There was a good number of people in there including a few American students from the Uni talking football - it was good to hear they were going to watch lots of lower league matches around the country.



At this point I was beginning to worry about my phone battery. My ridiculously heavy battery pack was charged up but either the cable wasn't working or the charging point was all linted up. I needed to get it sorted - and soon; the downside of having your train tickets (or any tickets for that matter) on your phone is if it dies. More stressful than you need.

I decided to head back into the town centre and find a place selling a cheap cable: and hope. Walked around the main road a little and headed into the Bobbin. An old, large pub., Had an interesting time in there watching and listening to some of the customers there (I could tell you some things I saw there: flipping 'eck!). The barman helpfully rooted out a pin for me to have a dig at the charging port but whilst some lint did reveal itself the charger still wasn't working. It was defo the cable that needed replacing. Had enough charge left to check out Google Maps again and find where the Poundland was. It'd have to be the next place before the pub. To be sure I could keep it going. And thankfully Poundland and the cable worked out pretty damn fine. I was saved.



Next up I went along to the White Cross where I was able to discover the cable worked; thank you Poundland and cheap Chinese cable makers! Again there were a few Christmas beers on, which wasn't what anybody really needs, so I ended up with in a Salopian 'Shropshire Gold'. After here I was aiming for the Accidental Brewery which was advertised as opening at 6pm. Headed down there about ten minutes early, but there was no lights on. So I popped around the corner to The Borough, where I went for a dark beer for a change; a Swan Black from Bowness Bay Brewery. It was very quiet in there (though a few people had just left as I was getting in). Back around the corner and the Accidental Brewery was still not open and no lights on. Perhaps the January opening was a little different than the norm.

Decided to head back home, unless I passed a pub that screamed at me to get in there. So hopped on over to the station (without seeing said screaming pub) and took the next train home. When I'd left Liverpool it had been a beautiful blue sky morning, it was grey all day in Lancaster, and then on my return it was biblical rain. Could have done with waders. Ran through the deluge into Dr Duncan's and caught Man City on the telly box losing in the League Cup, which was nice. And what did I end up drinking? A pint of Lancaster. In all I'd visited eight pubs in Lancaster having got a train one hour later than I'd originally booked and got the return an hour earlier than booked too.

• Tite & Locke
• Merchants
• John O'Gaunt
• Sun Hotel
• Three Mariners
• The Bobbin
• White Cross
• The Borough

(and Dr Duncan's!)

Was another excellent trip. I'll be back again before too long - probably with a few mates too.]]>The ReAle Blog2023-01-11T08:26:35+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/9103fa968c45245c6a4d270151a26dd0-24.html#unique-entry-id-24https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/9103fa968c45245c6a4d270151a26dd0-24.html#unique-entry-id-24As I said in the last post, I went to 48 different pubs last January in a one man cosmic quest to spread the love of ale selling hostelries (largely around Liverpool). This year Covid is in the background (along with countless other lung, heart and general malaise apparently). On New Years Day last years I probably only saw about ten people out across four pubs. This new year looked better. The fear of Covid has reduced for many (perhaps to complacency, but hey, we won’t know for a few years yet).

So this year there will defo be a few more people out than this time last year; at least initially. Now the issues of pubs and all hospitality venues is different: it’s the cost of living crisis - and specifically the cost of beer too. Raw materials for making beer are rising significantly like so many other things (well nearly everything) and the cost of energy is of course ridiculously expensive. Making beer uses a lot of energy both to heat and cool. The price of beer therefore can only go up for a while at least, just as people have less money to spend. An unfortunate double whammy. So yeah, the pubs and breweries will suffer one way or another for an indeterminate period. Some people will want to go out but won’t afford to, or at least will go out less regularly.

This last few years has been one Black Swan event after another, ain’t it?

Anyway, am I aiming to get to something like last years 48 pubs in the month? Well short answer is: probably yes. In fact maybe this year I’ll make it the round 50 just for the hell of it. There’s a couple of pubs I went to last year which either are no more or have stopped selling cask so I’ll have to find a couple of alternatives to fill those gaps (I guess Albert Schloss will be one of those).

I’ll have to let you know how I get on as the month progresses. But suffice to say I’m currently well on track as I’ve already been to 24 different Liverpool pubs. Of course that means most the low hanging fruit has already been taken. But I’ve got some more to get to over the next week or so. Oops, in fact as of now I've been to 26 pubs.
]]>The ReAle Blog2023-01-06T23:24:17+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/bf284f112350fb5b795ad8a75d75e150-23.html#unique-entry-id-23https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/bf284f112350fb5b795ad8a75d75e150-23.html#unique-entry-id-23It’s 2023. As a kid I grew up watching Space 1999 and found the year an enticing one of excitement and adventure. Then I guess being a kid life was all an adventure. And 1999 has since been and gone (well gone), much like the feeling the hope and excitement - and hair options. So many things are now in the rear view mirror; including 2022. This time last year I was in the first week of my quest to go to as many Liverpool pubs as I could early in the year. I actually made it to 48 different pubs in January. Which was pretty good going in my one man fight against Dry January and the Covid Business Effects.

This year I’m yet to decide (or at least announce) whether I have any similar goals. It is patently a different environment we are in now than this time last year; some things better, some worse. But more of that another time.

Unfortunately first off I must write a wee bit about a missing man who is a kindred spirit in Liverpool: Matthew Dillon. I’ve always just known him as Matt. The pubs I frequent across the city were similarly destinations for Matt. Many is the time I’ve walked into a pub he was in, or he walked into after I'd gone in. I frequently bump into him in the Head of Steam, the Fly, Grapes, Dispensary, Roscoe, (the Keystone, back in the day), the Sanctuary… well, you get the picture. He’d always be wearing a cap or woolly hat. And he'd always be approachable. It was a trademark.


Merseyside Police Tweet this week


Matt at Carnival Brewery

He is a quiet, unassuming fella, with a love for real ale and a wander. And at 6.1 feet was hard not to notice even if he was never animated in drink.


Matt at the Keystone on the last day of opening (at the back next to me)

On Monday he apparently went out as per norm for a standard wee trip out. It is not clear where he went out. I’ve heard he was considering Southport, but I consider it unlikely given Bank Holiday travel issues and the unknowns there would be on which places would be open etc. That said, maybe he took the opportunity on a day off to go and investigate Southport. So it can’t yet be discounted.

Apparently he’d been messaging on WhatsApp that he’d head home on the 80 bus – and he was last on WhatsApp around 10pm or so. It appears he didn’t get home that night, and wasn’t in work the next day. Since then on Instagram and Twitter (and Facebook, which I don’t have) countless people have been posting pictures of Matt and requesting any information you may have, as have I. I find it difficult to believe no one saw him out on Monday.


Matt at the last day of the Keystone with trademark hat


Both Merseyside Police and Liverpool Echo have published photos and a request for information now. Surely some info must be out there and be forthcoming.

So I can only ask again: Did you see him about on Monday, and if so where and at what time? Or have you seen Matt since? Any information could be useful, however early in the day, as it helps build up a timeline and rule in and out potential locations for him and therefore focus investigations. His family and friends are worried and we all want a positive resolution to this as soon as possible.


Poster in the Fly in the Loaf.

Please think: were you out (maybe watching the Liverpool match on the telly) and did you bump into him? I was in Dr Duncan’s watching the match and didn’t see him there.

If you have any information please contact Merseyside Police @MerPolCc, Call 101, or report sightings via orlo.uk/CZBnK
]]>SouthportReal Ale TripNorthern Line2022-11-20T17:05:19+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/9c1a449776151452317bfb0552848a34-22.html#unique-entry-id-22https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/9c1a449776151452317bfb0552848a34-22.html#unique-entry-id-22'FIVE GO TO SOUTHPORT:
A BEERY ADVENTURE WITH SEVERAL UNEXPECTED TWISTS'

On Saturday five of us went along to Southport with the aim of having a couple of pints there then doing the Southport Run on Merseyrail - taking in Birkdale, Hillside, Freshfield, and Waterloo. Through no fault of our own it didn't prove to be the case though…

Two of us went to the Shiraz for a Full English first up where I bumped into three reprobates from Neptune Brewery who were doing the exact same thing before taking their train east to go to Salford Beer Festival.


The famous Shiraz stomach lining.

We then heading on to Central and met up with a couple of the lads on the Southport train. The fifth guy was running a tiny bit late and on the following train 15 minutes later.


The Tap & Bottles, Cambridge Arcade


Our first pint was a Red Ale from Reedley Hallows.

The four of us arrived in Southport just before 12:30 and headed straight to the Tap & Bottles. The weather was fabulous – especially given the wet and windy week we'd just had – it really was sunny Southport. The Tap was already busy, including with some Morris Dancers, and we ended up having to sit out in the arcade seating. There was much reminiscing about visits to the town by each of us, and also lamenting the demise of the Liverpool Branch CAMRA ale trips. The fifth member of our group duly arrived and got a quick half in before heading on to the self proclaimed 'Hidden Gem' of the Masons Arms.


The Masons Arms – it's not that hidden.





I'm pretty sure I've been with two of the guys to the Masons before, but everyone claimed that they had never been there before. The drinks of choice were Robinsons 'Dizzy Blonde' and Titanic 'Anchor.' It was good to see that it was busy too.


The Guest House


Another Red Ale.

Next up was the short walk, two small blocks away, to the Guest House. This time only two claimed to have not been there before. It's an old favourite that has won Southport Branch Pub of the Year award several time. Most of us drank a red ale (after three of us had drank a red ale, 'Armistice Day' from Reedley Hallows, at the Tap too) - 'Red Goose' from Old Mill Brewery.


The Barrel House, Birkdale

Then it was back to the train station for the short hop (one stop) to Birkdale. There was a ten minute wait there and then we arrived in Birkdale in next to no time. The Barrel House is just a hop and skip from the station. It is a MicroPub and was full inside so we sat outside once again. This time with a pale ale from Twisted Wheel. I checked the time of the next train for our hop to Hillside and Grasshopper and we had about four minutes. We made it easily. But then it all went a bit Pete Tong.



The unexpected visit to The Park, Birkdale

On the platform the sign said that the next train was twenty minutes away and not just a couple of minutes away as it should have been. There were plenty of people on the platform and faces of confusion abounded. Then the ticket guy came over and told everyone that the next train may be in about twenty or so, but might not be, Apparently we'd arrived on the last train to get there as the whole network had come to a bit of a halt following a fatality at Kirkdale. Although the station was on a different line the knock on effects were messy.

We decided to pop into The Park on the other side of the tracks, but even closer to the station than the Barrel. The beer choices were limited but at least one of them was 'Tribute' and most of us went for that. Back at the station and we had to wait a fair while. We decided to get a bit further up the line, closer to Liverpool, given the unknowns of the continued network issues. We went on up to Freshfield and the Beer Station. We went for Serious - 'Harlequin & Aurora' there. Tony fell for his usual love. A beautiful eleven week old border collie puppy.


The last pint on the Run before going g back to Liverpool.

Back at the station we found the knock on effects were still evident – it was very busy again. When the train came it was pretty busy and with each additional station then on it got more and more packed. Each stop was taking too much time now and we weren't sure about how it would affect us later on, so we decided to head straight back to Liverpool on the train we were on rather than get off at Waterloo. It was a shame, but even then the adventure wasn't over yet. We'd decided to get off at Moorfields and go to the Denbigh Castle, then maybe the Ship and Dr Duncans. But the train gods were having none of that.


Beer Station, Freshfield

We stood up as we approached Moorfields and about a third of the train looked like they were to get off. But as the train stopped the doors failed to open. We were there for several minutes and there was no movement of the doors and no announcement on the intercom. Nope. The train just went on to Central after its stop. We were left none the wiser as to why the doors never opened.

And so we never made it to those three pubs. We went into the Head of Steam and ended up having just a few there before going our separate ways. Another couple of people joined us there (having got back from Birmingham). All in all it had been a pretty good day, but it was a bit of a shame about how it became messed up. Then again there had a been a fatality on the line so we can't exactly complain about it overly can we?

The last two Saturdays have involved local trips out to Chester and Southport. Wherever next? And what will befall us during the trip next time?
]]>ChesterReal Ale TripPubs2022-11-14T19:04:44+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/fafea99f6120ddafde4380a711eebba8-21.html#unique-entry-id-21https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/fafea99f6120ddafde4380a711eebba8-21.html#unique-entry-id-21On Friday I was out with a few mates and we decided between us to pop over to Chester on Saturday for a couple of pints. And it nearly proved to be not much than that: much to my surprise. To be fair there was a mixture of tiredness and other stuff going on so in the end instead of the normal 6-8 pubs I'd end up doing on a day trip we just went to four. Yes, FOUR.








Still, it wasn't a bad day out. We started with The Brewery Tap the Spitting Feathers pub, and then it was across the road to the Cross Keys (a Joules pub). From there we went up to Cavern of the Curious Gnome, which was a new one to my mates, and then finally we popped in the Cellar on the way back to Liverpool. We were back in Central by about 7pm. So early. I went off to the Head of Steam, where one of my buddies came with me (after he had declared he was going to the toilet at Central Station).





And I finally ended up with a couple in Dr Duncans, where I bumped into a couple of Americans I'd met on Thursday night. They were over for the footy (Liverpool v Southampton) from Pennsylvania. That's commute. They were a great couple, who very much loved Liverpool, saw a good game, and adopted Dr Duncan's as their local while they were here. Had a couple of good chats with them covering all sorts of subjects (including Liverpool, beer and football of course: and writing (Doug is a screenwriter)). Hope to bump into them again when they are next over – or if I accidentally end up in Pennsylvania for a spell. Pubs are great aren't they? Never know who you are going to meet.

A good day. It was short in Chester, but lengthened in Liverpool. ]]>SouthportNorthern LinePubs2022-11-07T13:02:40+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/f7f4777593b4cec00862ae2db70983e6-20.html#unique-entry-id-20https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/f7f4777593b4cec00862ae2db70983e6-20.html#unique-entry-id-20Hey, it's been a while since I've done a blog. The last one was following the Beer Quarter walk around Dale Street (the less said the better about completing the challenge for a draw that never happened. Ho hum.). Anyway another wee crawl was undertaken on Friday. It was an all dayer, which is best – as it means the beers are spread over a longer time. Cramming beers in faster is a recipe for disaster after all. Nope, it was the always spot on Shiraz breakfast for stomach lining followed by the train to Southport. After a few beers in Southport it was then the train back to Liverpool with a few hops off at choice locations.

I've done the Southport run a few times. The first time was many moons ago with me buddy Ken and a group of his mates from Bootle and its environs. That time we had to wait in Southport for a late comer – so we ended up having about 8 beers before even getting back on the train for the hop off and on part of the trip. Given the group I was with it was largely Guinness on the menu for yours truly too. Like I say it was a long time ago. Indeed most of the pubs I went into this week (seven out of ten) weren't even in existence back then.



After the Shiraz it was straight to Southport using a Saveaway ticket. Didn't do many in Southport as I wanted to ensure I got back on the train at a decent time. Went to three pubs. First the Tap & Bottles – which would always be my choice if I could only do one pub in Southport – where I had a Salopian 'Neewollah.' (halloween backwards). Then it was Mason's Arms, where I had a Robinsons 'Dizzy Blonde' and chatted with some nice people with a similar outlook on getting around and about for ales. Finally it was the Guest House for a Phoenix 'Pale Moonlight' before getting on my bike (not literally) to the next venue.



The Barrel House in Birkdale was next up. It's a very short walk from Birkdale Station and had a nice couple of beers on, including Twisted Wheel 'Footsteps on the Dance Floor'. Loved the blues music which was on at the time as much as the beer. It was a short walk back of course within the half hour to get the train to Hillside and the Grasshopper. It was again a wee walk and one pint - it was 'Quagmire' from Big Bog. I missed out the next station and headed straight to the Beer Station at Freshfield. It really couldn't be much closer to the station, which makes it ideal for the Southport Run. And the beer is alway excellent. It is such a popular bar the main risk is trying to find a seat. Neptune 'Mosaic' was on and I had to stop for two didn't I?



Didn't bother with Formby or Hightown and headed straight to Waterloo. There are so many options around South Road and on this particular occasion I chose not to go to the Volunteer (I usually would go there). This time I went to the Trap & Hatch where I had 'HDA No.1 Ernest' from Buxton Brewery, then Four Ashes, and the Old Tap (Vocation 'Heart & Soul'). It was great to have some lovely beers and meet some great people.



Finally it was back to Liverpool Central. I popped out to the Head of Steam in the hope of finding 'Midnight Rider' on – the Ossett and Neptune black IPA collab – and I was in luck. It was a nice way to end a great day out.

The trip this time was as follows:

• Tap & Bottles
• Mason's Arms
• Guest House
• Barrel House
• Grasshopper
• Freshfield
• Trap & Hatch
• Four Ashes
• Old Tap
• Head of Steam

Will sort out a Southport Run map at some point. I promise it is always a nice day out: even without seeing the sea (and preferably ensure any accomplices arrive in good time so you don't have eight pints in Southport before starting back to the 'Pool).


]]>Liverpool LiverpoolPubsPubsBeerQuarter2022-09-25T12:48:18+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/2eb233d2f7fcca5425dd98b44aee5b33-19.html#unique-entry-id-19https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/2eb233d2f7fcca5425dd98b44aee5b33-19.html#unique-entry-id-19
A group of pubs situated in and around the Dale Street area of town have recently grouped together as Liverpool Beer Quarter, which you may have seen on Twitter (and I dare say Facebook) with their cheerful looking logo. We are living through interesting and difficult times and forming a collective to market these pubs perhaps more widely can not be a negative. It will be interesting to see where it goes in the future, but this weekend they have had their first 'festival.'The pubs have done various things within the weekend including Meet the Brewer events and discounts beer.

I caught some music in the Angus and the Cross Keys on Saturday, but my main objective this weekend was to visit the ten pubs to fill a card (which has gone into a draw for some prizes). Needless to say I visited the ten (over two days).

Of the pubs in the Quarter there are two or three I don't go to often – in particular Shenanigans (which doesn't do cask ale), the Cross Keys (a bit out on limb in office-central) and the Saddle (which doesn't really do cask ale (Doom Bar)). I do like Shenanigans though. Vibrant, an attractive building and some good music too – you can always get a good Guinness there or you maybe lucky with a keg or bottle.



First up was the Ship & Mitre where I took the opportunity to get some loaded fries with cheesy garlic bread. Hey, it's tasty, good stomach lining and wards away vampires. Next was the short hop to the Excelsior. I was given the Beer Quarter card there and my first stamp. I'd missed the card (and hence stamp) in the Ship. Not the end of the world as it was an excuse to revisit there – and it is most accessible. I wasn't aware of the card before I received it, but once I had then it was Challenge Accepted!


Pub 2 (the Excelsior) or Pub 1 according to the new card.


Shropshire Gold in the Excelsior.


Two down, eight to go.


The Lion Tavern

Next up was the Vernon a little further up Dale Street. I bumped into a Twitter buddy there (Bill) who was doing a walk around the same pubs in the opposite direction to me. Then it was on to a regular haunt of mine – the Angus, where there was a singer on strumming his stuff whilst hiding behind some plants. Following the Angus it was the first veer off Dale Street to get to the beautiful and ever popular Lion on Moorfields before heading out to the most isolated of the pubs –the Cross Keys. Again there was a good musician on there.


The Angus (there's a musician there somewhere).


The four ales on in the Angus.


Having a moral panic in the Denbigh Castle.

The last two stops of this group of pubs was the excellent Denbigh Castle (the sister but to the Bridewell) and then finally the Saddle.


Anyone seen the Cross Keys? It's somewhere around here.

It was good to see that there seemed to be a good coordinated social media management of the weekend with the hashtag #beerquarterliverpool (not sure why it wasn't Liverpool Beer Quarter like on the logo). I guess you should keep an eye on the hashtag to see how things progress with the Dale Street collective.


Back at the Ship. I've done the ten.


A nice building – and helped by a bright blue sky.

On Saturday I popped into the two/three pubs I hadn't done on Friday and got my card fully filled up with a schooner of Double Barrelled 'Parka' in a most packed Dead Crafty and a keg beer in an equally busy Shenanigans. Lastly it was the Ship again to get the missing stamp before walking across town to the Arts Club to catch the wonderful 'The Heavy North.'

It was a nice walk around the ten pubs. Good luck to all of them in these difficult times. Hope the collective creates a little bit of magic for them. Why not go and have a walk around them too?
I went to the ten pubs of the Beer Quarter in the order as follows:

• Ship & Mitre
• Excelsior
• Vernon
• Angus
• Lion
• Cross Keys
• Denbigh Castle
• Saddle
• Dead Crafty
• Shenanigans
• and Ship & Mitre again…

]]>ConwyReal Ale TripPubs2022-09-23T13:09:35+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/ebeb79f4d07d1905cd2a8d427d3a38bf-18.html#unique-entry-id-18https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/ebeb79f4d07d1905cd2a8d427d3a38bf-18.html#unique-entry-id-18Went To Conwy By Mistake

Haven't written or uploaded a blog for a while as I had problems with my FTP. Got some help from Andy at One.Com in the end and got it sorted (for now). Thanks Andy. Andy's are good, ain't they?

Anyway, so to last week. I decided to go to Clitheroe on Wednesday. It's a bit of a hike by multiple trains (three each way) which eats into a fair bit of time (about 2 hours and 20 mins each way, if you are lucky). But as it transpires trains were not the problem; buses were. Multiple buses didn't turn up and then the one I got on got stuck on the East Lancs coming into Liverpool when cars repeatedly wouldn't let the bus out. People, you should let buses out. Nasty people some of those car drivers. I ended up getting to Lime Street about 5 minutes late (having built in loads of extra time, in theory to catch the 09:36 train).

There wasn't an option to work around it to get to Clitheroe at a decent time (next trains would work out 2 hours later, and it's not like you can just add 2 hours to the later train – it would already have been the last) and the trip was therefore off. It was still early though, so I resolved to go somewhere else that would get me there around the time I would have arrived if the buses had been friendly. I ended up deciding it would either be Lytham-St Annes or Conwy. In the end I chose the latter.

The good thing about that was there was time to get in a full English breakfast first at the Shiraz. There is no finer stomach lining. The train trip itself is a pretty quick and reliable affair (dangerous to say just as you get on the train, but okay after the trip of course). There are lots of train options. Ultimately it was Liverpool Central to Chester and then hopping on a Holyhead train. The train I got from Chester didn't stop at Conwy but stopped at Llandudno Junction just a short walk across the bridge towards the castle. It was a brilliant connecting train.


The famous Full English at the Shiraz Palace (I still miss the Williamson Square Shiraz)

The weather was good and the journey was spot on and rapid. The strangest thing was looking out the window and seeing all the streets I used to deliver to when I delivered parcels for Amazon across North Wales. Virtually every estate, indeed street, I knew from delivering or driving down. The view on the right side of the train was largely of the Irish Sea. Like I say; a good trip. They even had trolley service.

I got off at Llandudno Junction (which I'd delivered to) and the path takes you to the main road from the car park and opposite the entrance is a pub (which I've delivered to). There's a short walk to a cup-de-sac which has a supermarket entrance. There's a funeral parlour and some residential properties (which I've delivered to). Hell you get the picture – it's a well trodden path for me.


Conwy Castle from the bridge (Llandudno Junction is a short walk over the bridge; handy if your train doesn't stop at Conwy)

I crossed the bridge taking in the views in the dry and light wind. It wasn't Clitheroe, but there was a castle – and it had been a good call to go to Wales for a change (a recent change obviously).


The castle and the first three of six pubs of my day out.

First up had to be the Liverpool Arms partly for the name and partly because is it next to the harbour. Spoke a little to the dray who was making a delivery from Purple Moose Brewery. Seemed a thoroughly nice chap as, like Andys, I'm sure most of them are.

Walked straight up the High Street past the Castle Hotel and other pubs and went to the Bank of Conwy. Lovely spot. Good to see it hasn't changed from earlier visits. Then it was a short walk, albeit by a circuitous route, to The Albion. It was spot on as expected (although one of the beers they had on had a Christmas name): points off for that – it's September.


The last three pubs of my not quite Clitheroe day out.

It was another short walk (hell, the whole afternoon was – it's not a massive town centre) next to the Erskine Arms. A quite posh looking pub within a hotel. Had another nice pint there (a Purple Moose) before moving back downhill down the High Street. This time I went into the rather posh looking Castle Hotel. Had a really good chat with a young couple who'd travelled up from Cardiff. The man did some creative writing and the woman was a singer-songwriter – I mean how could you not have a nice chat?!

Lastly venue was the Blue Bell (and yes, I'd delivered Amazon stuff there a lot before) which was a nice almost end to the walk. The George & Dragon next door was closed so I headed back up the High Street, where I put my head in the Old Mail Coach, but it was Doom Bar only so there was a sharp exit and I headed back to the Bank, which after all was next to Conwy station,


The brilliant statues and embossed (something or other) at St Thomas church. The walls are the defensive town walls.


Lovely local pint in the Erskine Arms


Conwy Station – home time

You can never get away from Liverpool totally. After going to the Liverpool Arms at lunch time I bumped into two of the Liverpool Head of Steam staff at Chester station. It can sometimes seem a very small world. Went to Dr Duncans for one when I got back as I feel a day's beer trip should take in seven pubs and I'd only done six in Conwy (and none in Clitheroe),

All in all a very good day – and Clitheroe is there for another day (indeed so is Lytham). If the buses and trains permit.

So the pubs, in order, were:

Liverpool Arms
Bank of Conwy
The Albion
Erskine Arms
Castle Hotel
Blue Bell
(and the Bank once more)]]>HuddersfieldReal Ale TripPubs2022-09-04T19:07:48+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/12bbd34e102dd48af1e902ff53ac6e01-17.html#unique-entry-id-17https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/12bbd34e102dd48af1e902ff53ac6e01-17.html#unique-entry-id-17A Huddersfield Jaunt

On Friday I went for my second (and final) wee day trip of the week; following Sheffield on Tuesday it was a closer White Rose town this time: Huddersfield. I've been a couple of times before on CAMRA coach trips and the like, but it's been many years. The train from Liverpool is a direct one (if you get the Newcastle bound train) and is only an hour and twenty or so, so you don't even need to get up early to get there at an okay time.



Getting off the train the first question is simply right or left? There are two pubs at either end of the station backing onto the platform. I chose right on this occasion: to the Head of Steam. It's a great one, with loads of cask on. So many options. I checked out the mapping on my iPhone whist I was sat there and worked out an approximate route. Second up was the other pub on the Huddersfield station, which was the King's Head. Not as many beers on, but plenty enough nonetheless and right bargains with reduced prices on their Saltaire beers – I went for the 'DDH Citra'.




It was a short walk down the slope from the station and left again to head towards the Sportsman. I headed into a newish place called Wiliams Beer & Gin Bar. Nice tidy place. Ended up with an Oaks Brewing 'East Coast Pale' from back our way at Ellesmere Port. Never had a beer from them before. It was nice enough and I ended up seeing the same beer the following day in Liverpool. Spooky! Just the one though as I intended to get eight pubs in. So I then headed under the railway bridge and across the busy junction to get to the Sportsman. I've delivered beer there a few times, but it was my first time drinking there. Had a Bristol Beer Factory 'Showdown.' Can never go wrong with BBF. Had a nice chat with the barman, who gave me some gen on the places to give a try (and those not to bother with: local knowledge always priceless) and then with a few people who came in for their pre-match pints (it was the rugby league Huddersfield vs Wakefield that evening). Would have liked to stay for another – there were lots of nice options at the bar, but time was a-ticking.

Next up was another walk north over the busy main roads through and past the retail park. It was this way to the outermost venue: the Magic Rock Brewery Tap. It was worth the walk. The size of the outdoor drinking area was massive. Expect it is bustling on a sunny summer's weekend. There were about four casks on (I say about as I didn't note them down (I'm no ticker)), I went for a 'High Wire.'



From Magic Rock it was the longest walk of the day heading back down and past the Sportsman, Williams and the railway station. Next up was The County. It had been recommended at the Sportsman. Nice place. And a good chat once more in there. Ended up with another Rat 'Ratmsophere.' This was my sixth place so there were only two to go – and they were only ever going to be the Rat & Ratchet and The Grove. So next up was the R&R where I found Neptune 'Abyss' was on. I'd only delivered in the the week before. After drinking Rat in several pubs on the trip and not yet having a stout, I had to go for that. It was lush. Shame I didnt have time for another before the short walk up the road to The Grove. A good selection of beers there and Thornbridge 'Jaipur' was on, Now that's a way to end a session. Jaipur it is. Cheers!


One of the great things about Huddersfield is how close all these pubs are to each other. It's a small centre and even with the stroll out to the brewery tap you probably won't even be hitting your 10,000 steps. Recommended. Hope to do it again soon with a few people.

So the pubs, in order, were:

Head of Steam
King's Head
Williams
Sportsman
Magic Rock Brewery Tap
The County
Rat & Ratchet
The Grove
]]>SheffieldReal Ale TripPubs2022-08-30T11:17:16+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/88abaf85d437c544df5fb433ed6a47c8-16.html#unique-entry-id-16https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/88abaf85d437c544df5fb433ed6a47c8-16.html#unique-entry-id-16A Sheffield Reprise

In July '21 I went to Sheffield on my own for a pub jaunt. Unfortunately it was during the couple of months that the NHS App was pinging anyone who had a phone. And so it was that whilst sat in the Kelham Island Tavern, just my third place of the day, I received the dreaded 'Ping!' That was the end of my crawl.

So here it is, just over 13 months later and I'm back again to visit the beery excellence that Sheffield has to offer.



First up was a pint in the Sheffield Tap at the station – of course. Had a lighter session beer rather a Jaipur; an Anarchy 'Citra Star.' Can't start a session on Jaipur unless you're half expecting it to end early. Then my only misstep when I walked over to the Harlequin without checking it was open – it's closed on Tuesday's (and even it was a Monday or Wednesday it would have been open until 3pm. Lesson learnt: that's what smartphones are for and don't assume! Then it was a short walk up to the Shakespeare instead. Have delivered a few beers there over the last year. Another session there: Abbeydale 'Deception.' it's only a short walk across the main road to Kelham Island for pubs 3 and 4: the Kelham Island Tavern and the Fat Cat.




Then I headed to a new place for me, the Salt craft bar. Had a nice collab from Salt and Chapter Brewing: a 'Raistrick.' Before heading to the familiar Wellington, which was fabulous for the cheese & onion bap as well as the beer. Headed towards the Bar Stewards next, but it wouldn't open for half an hour so I had to revisit the Shakespeare opposite whilst I waited. Had a Pentrich 'Release the Castaway' and a nice chat with the barman, who directed me to the Crow Inn for my eighth pub. It was my first time there too, but I had high hopes when I heard it was a sister pub to the Rutland Arms (which I was beginning to fear I'd not get to given the distance). I wasn't disappointed. A good chat once more with the barman, whilst drinking a 'Threeway Joust' from Turning Point brewery. He suggested that given my direction of travel (to the station) and time constraints, that the Head of Steam and the Sam Smith's pub, the Brown Bear, were my best options.

The cluster of pubs around the Kelham Island side of town spoils you, and when you head to the town centre the options are fewer and more spread out.




Made it to my train on time and without any to do. Ten pubs done (and one twice) and a good day all round. If you ain't been to Sheffield then get yourself down there. So many good pubs and great local (and not so local) beers. You know it makes sense.


So the pubs, in order, were:

Sheffield Tap
(Harlequin)
Shakespeare
Kelham Island Tavern
Fat Cat
Salt craft bar
Wellington
Shakespeare again
Bar Stewards
Crow Inn
Head of Steam
Brown Cow








]]>Liverpool LiverpoolPubsRedLion2022-08-21T14:20:18+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/12b80a4835a18942557320b1706ea404-15.html#unique-entry-id-15https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/12b80a4835a18942557320b1706ea404-15.html#unique-entry-id-15It's nice to find myself having to add a pub to the maps I'd created rather than delete them. Slater Street is not high up on the obvious place crying out for an ale place. The street itself can be a bit fun and it is a stones (or glass) throw away from the notorious Concert Square. So it was with interest to see that there was a pub opening there. It's at the right end - away from Bold Street - sited between the Spanish Caravan and The Merchant (I'll always think of it as Mello Mello).



I've been in there a couple of times now and must say I've been impressed by how they've fitted it out. Looks like it's been there for years rather than a week. There's two floors and a decent outside area. It has five hand pulls on; including some local ones rather just generic nationals and obvious choices - have seen pales from Chapter and Carnival there so far.





Being situated on Slater Street it is not going to be simply an 'old man's pub' and there lies its opportunity and risks. Hat's off to them and good luck with the place.Will watch with interest.








Liverpool ale maps
]]>The ReAle Blog2022-08-08T14:24:31+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/9942b93007485022af61df0fccbcdce8-14.html#unique-entry-id-14https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/9942b93007485022af61df0fccbcdce8-14.html#unique-entry-id-14It is August. It is AUGUST! What the absolute…

The year is speeding up horrendously. And to that end I've found I haven't done an ale blog for a couple of months. To be fair it's been a funny month or two, not helped by finally succumbing to the dreaded lurgy. I've been very lucky not to have contracted it before I guess. And I know several people who've had it several times. Even though I have now had joined that crappest of clubs I can still consider myself lucky in so much as whilst I tested positive for it for a week I never really fell ill. I only had a very slight fever and a runny nose (and even that only lasted one night). I thankfully did not lose my taste. What an horrendous symptom that is for those impacted by it. I mean imagine that a pint of Carling would taste as good as a Jaipur or a decent stout. What cruel punishment.

Having a couple of weekends not going out due to the lurgy I then fell off my bike and hit my head badly. So much blood was spilt I think I may still be half empty. So that was another weekend not out. This may partly explain my tardiness with the blog. Hell I need an excuse or two don't I?

There's not too much to report anyway. The usual suspects have remained as my regular haunts in Liverpool and I haven't had any away days outside of Merseyside recently: apart from the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF). I went there last week with the happy band from Neptune. I'd only been once before (around ten years ago) when it was at Earls Court. This time it was at Olympia.


Team meeting at Lime Street Station before the trek darn sarf.

It was a fun trip down (oh my, too many things to go into there) but we all got down in one piece and arrived at Olympia just as they opened the doors. It was a lovely afternoon trying a few beers from the range of bars there. It was a long but very enjoyable day – from Liverpool to London and back again in a day. Had some loverly beers from around the country (and Europe too). Note: I was surprised at how much keg there was (not pleasantly, or horrified, just surprised), CAMRA grasping the keg nettle?


Olympia: it's big here, innit?

I was equally surprised that the program had a list of all the bars and all the beers, but simply had the names of the beer and the ABVs. That was it, It would have been useful - nay, essential - to see (if not a detailed description) at least a style next to the name. There was no way from looking at the programme to tell whether a beer was a pale, a stout or a sour (or whatever) unless the name of the beer had the style of beer within its actual name ('X Brewery Pale' etc), Crazy really. I mean if you wanted to try a few wheat beers or golden ales you'd have no chance of finding them using the programme. Similarly the bar names were a little confusing; the Caernarvon Castle Bar wasn't for Welsh beers and the Caledonian Bar wasn't for Scottish ones. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason about where the beers were. At the end of the day you could easily miss a beer style you'd be interested in thanks to the strange idea of not telling anyone where the stuff was. That said there were of course shed loads of beers there and you weren't going to go thirsty.



There were as many food vendors there as bars too. If you fancied eating yourself around the world instead of drinking it, you'd have loads of options. The place was enormous and a couple of walks around it you'd have your ten thousand steps in and have earned the right to a a kebab and a pint. Probably.


So many food vendors. I've been calling these something else for years! Who knew!?

I saw on Instagram and Twitter so many people I know well (or just a little) that were there, but I seemed to do a good job of avoiding most of them (or they did of me). To be fair Olympia is a couple of aircraft hangars short of an airfield so it's dead easy to miss people (or hide from them). All in all it was a most enjoyable trip down to the smoke and I'd happily do it again; just preferably with a more useful programme – and hopefully managing to meet up with more people before seeing on Insta that I'd just missed them. Think all the team had a really good time. And why not? Not so incidentally Neptune were requested to showcase a lager on cask. So we were down there with not the famous Mosaic or a Abyss, but 'Evenflow' on cask: Who'd have thunk it? It was my first half there – and my last (and only) pint,


Neptune 'Evenflow' - a cask lager from up north, who'd have thunk it?

Promise my next blog won't wait two months. In fact I'm going to Manchester on Friday - so maybe it'll be within the week. We'll see.

Cheers.]]>LancasterReal Ale TripPubs2022-06-04T11:00:17+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/4865f1ca4fb4fbef8c567b5f33f024cf-13.html#unique-entry-id-13https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/4865f1ca4fb4fbef8c567b5f33f024cf-13.html#unique-entry-id-13With the unique (dare I say unprecedented?) double Bank Holiday of Thursday and Friday this week I decided to go on a day trip to make the most of it. For no particular reason I came up with the imaginary £20 and 2 hours each way limit for transport. This actually gave a few options but meant that other than Manchester, which I'd been to twice recently there was nowhere particularly good eastwards. For some (money grabbing) reason everywhere along the M62 corridor east of Manchester was dearer than £20 return. That left me with a few options north and west (and Wales), including; Conway, Lytham St Annes and Lancaster. I went for the latter, with more pub options when I got there. I'd been a couple of times before on CAMRA coach trips (back when they used to happen). It's a small city centre with loads of options and so it was that I made my last minute plan to go.


Asked Dr. Google and found a few choice places and knew I'd just wander into a few more. Seven or eight pubs was on the cards. And so it proved.





First up was the Lancaster Brewery tap house at the railway station itself called the 'Tite & Locke.' They had three of four hand pulls on – and I went for a 'Lancaster Red' to commence the trip, sitting outside at the front of the station (there was another drinking area in a cordoned off area on the platform itself – if you wanted to watch trains coming and going. Or if it was raining.).



Had a gander at the phone and made sure I knew where I was heading. Couldn't be more simple: out the station then left when you hit the road to cross the bridge back over the railway line then down the hill… and in all of a hundred metres or so you'd be in town. After not even leaving the station and getting my first pint in I was prepared for a longer walk to get the second. But it was the first pub I hit that I went for: the Merchants 1688. Ended up with a hoppy choice from a brewery I hadn't had before: a 'Duo DDH' from Gan Yam Brewery. It was pretty busy out the front, where there was plenty of seating and it was nice day. There was a very big group on a mage crawl of their own (they'd been sat outside the Tite & Locke too). Heard them say they were going to The Pub next, so made a mental more to go elsewhere – as getting served behind them could have been painful.





Third up was another stone's throw away and a nice old pub: the Olde John O'Gaunt. Ended up with the Oakham classic 'JHB.' Got asked if I was a CAMRA member for a discount. I thought I'd rid myself of the look, but apparently the look sticks. When I pointed that out she said I didn't look like I was, so I guess she just thought I was off the age. Ho hum.



Had to pop into a shop next to get some cards to send (not postcards, it wasn't a holiday). I crossed the road after that to go into the Brown Cow. It was a Thwaites pub. Choice was maybe a bit limited, including an 'IPA' that was 4% - my nemesis. It's just a pale as far as I'm concerned when the abv is so low. Anyway, I did go for it as the choices were pretty limited and in any case a session beer was wise when I was after all on a session. Had a nice chat with the Canadian barmaid. There were no other customers in at the time, but she said it did get very busy at night (partly at least due to Karaoke – I'd evidently timed my visit perfectly).



I then proceeded to walk in and out of two pubs without partaking (same ole beers) in the Pendle Witch and the Toll House. Next up was then the Water Witch where I sat by the canal watching barges go by, whilst supping on a Durham Brewery 'Saison D'Oligana.' Five pubs in and I hardly broken a sweat – if I was a step counter then 10k steps was going to be a push.





Pub 6 was the White Cross, further back up the canal from the Water Witch, which would allow me to swing back into town over the bridge to make a good circuit. It was nice to sit outside by the canal once more and watch the steady foot traffic go by along the tow path. Wrote out my cards to send all the way back home whilst drinking a Wye Valley 'HPA'. For a change I had stamps: miracles do happen.





I only had two pubs to go (on the basis I find nine pubs sound a bit much, even though I could easily have programmed them in). And I really enjoyed the next one, which was a little first floor brewery tap for the Accidental Brewery. The owner was working there and was a nice guy to chat to. He even follows me on Twitter apparently. The brewery is not from Lancaster but from Morecambe. There's a few more people in and around Lancaster than Morecambe so he rightly reasons it has more chance of a going concern in the city. Good luck to them. It was keg only but I survived it.



Eighth and last up was on the way towards the station and another old one: The Borough. Had a Bowland 'Mosaic Pale' – another 4%: just what's needed on a long day out. Session over… well until a final pint in Dr Duncan's on my return to Liverpool. All in all I most enjoyable day.
]]>Liverpool ManchesterPubsReal Ale Trip2022-05-23T19:22:07+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/0fe54dec936d5c8f934ff69010d1fe89-12.html#unique-entry-id-12https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/0fe54dec936d5c8f934ff69010d1fe89-12.html#unique-entry-id-12A Two Day Wander Around Liverpool & Manchester
- PART TWO -

After Friday's stroll around Liverpool it was time to travel a little eastwards; to Manchester. I caught an early afternoon train to Manchester Victoria. Starting from Victoria it was a no-brainer to start the trip of with a pint in the famous and fabulous Marble Arch. I started with a decent session strength ale from the Marble Brewery, 'Persephone.' I'd have liked to have stayed for another but like Friday I'd intended to have a decent length walk taking in quite a few pubs. So I headed the short walk back along Oldham Road and went to The Angel. Had a nice chin wag with a few people in there including a City fan in a Grealish shirt. Once I'd finished my Saltaire 'South Island' and after much talk about this epic football season (and a mutual like of all things Frank Turner) it was time to move on.


First up, a 'Persephone' in the Marble Arch

Next up was the lovely Crown & Kettle. It's on a busy corner and may not exactly be a desirable garden location but the outdoor seating area is a decent size and set back from the roads so that the traffic doesn't impact on you. My pint here, the third, was the lovely 'Sonoma' from Track. After a chat to a couple there it was time to move on to the next place. And on this occasion I went to the Castle Hotel. The choice of beer wasn't as broad as in the previous places but I ended up with a nice 'Raspberry Pale' from Titanic which I hadn't had for a while.


Marble, Angel, Crown & Kettle, Castle

Like all the other pubs the fifth pub was not far away either. It was time to go to the Port Street Beer House. There was seating area out the front and in a back yard. I headed to the yard with a pint of Thornbridge 'Wild Swan' - I was taking in some pretty top breweries as well as pub. A light rain began whilst I was sat out there: I was definitely getting the whole Manchester experience.

Next up was going to be the Beatnikz just a few hundred metres away. It was a shame to see that the brewery had announced their closure in the last few weeks, but good to see the venue was remaining open. However when I walked down there I spotted the Northern Monk Refectory, which hadn't actually been on my radar originally. I headed on in there first although with no pump clips on the four hand pulls I initially thought they had no cask on. Seems strange not to label them from both a customer's point of view and the guys & gals pouring the beer out unlabelled. I don't confess to understanding the logic in that. Anyhoo I bought a pint out of one the unmarked hand pulls – and I assume/quietly confidently that I was poured the right one: a Little Faith Hazy Pale. It's a big ole place and I guess it'd be a popular venue.


Port Street, Northern Monk, Beatnitz, Piccadilly

The Beatnitz then became my penultimate destination. A single colourful room with high stools and big tables. I went for 'Zero-Zero' from one of my favourite breweries, Arbor. Then it was time to walk onwards towards Piccadilly for my train, but not before heading on into the Piccadilly Tap for my final destination. A bit dark and dingy after the lightness of some of the other places, but plenty of lovely ale to choose from – and a seat at the large bar. The last beer was a bit stronger than most of the others at 6% but the 'Hopfordian' was from another good local brewery; Thirst Class.

It was then time to head on into the train station and discover which of the Liverpool trains were to run and which were to get cancelled. It had been a short train journey into Manchester, it was to prove to be a more difficult return. Thanks Northern. Well, thanks for one half of the journey.

It was definitely a very good pub walk. The longest walk was that from Victoria to the Marble Arch, then it was just a question of a little zigzagging towards Piccadilly. I'd happily do exactly the same crawl next time. Though of course I'd need to check out some other places, wouldn't I?
]]>Liverpool ManchesterReal Ale TripPubs2022-05-22T12:05:48+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/cc078e5cc8497be43626f067533374ad-11.html#unique-entry-id-11https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/cc078e5cc8497be43626f067533374ad-11.html#unique-entry-id-11A Two Day Wander Around Liverpool & Manchester
- PART ONE -

Well I'd resolved myself to return to Manchester for a wander around the area between Victoria and Piccadilly stations, after visiting a few pubs in the more central area in late March. Originally intended to go out there on Friday, but the day started slower for me than I'd want and I'd have ended up with a later start in Manchester than ideal so I changed my Friday plans to a few pubs in Liverpool instead – with the intention of an early-ish finish so that I'd get up there on Saturday instead. So how did I do?…

Friday was a nice walk around many of my favourite Liverpool pubs. And yes, I know I do need to add a few Liverpool pub crawl maps to the existing maps page. Hopefully should get those sorted within the next week. But you can be pretty sure these pubs all have a good chance of being on said crawls. Wasn't planned but let's face it I can walk around Liverpool city centre with my eyes closed. Admittedly I'd probably walk into a wall early doors and then find myself in A&E so keeping my eyes open was deemed preferable on this occasion.

I started at the beautiful, and much improved, Doctor Duncan's as this is right by the Queen's Square bus station – so it's always a great place to start or end with (or both if you do a circular walk). I'd decided to have just one as I was going to get around to a few pubs (probably) and next up was the short walk to the Sanctuary. It had just got its bright rebranding on over the windows and they've thankfully removed the old branding off so that people can see in and out of the place. The old branding was nice looking but didn't do the pub any favours with passersby unsure of what the place was like. It was the end of the first full week of its reopening (after a brief opening on the Easter weekend). Had a nice chat with a few people in there and enjoyed some good tuneage (and even mastered some Spotify things between us - every day is an education). I'd decided to go to the Bridewell so of course had to break up the walk with a halfway stop in the Head of Steam (for a Neptune/Thornbridge 'Coronado Breeze). Didn't quite crash a leaving party for Siobhan that was just starting when I was leaving. It's a shame to see her go, but it's always nice to see how close the team who work at the HoS are.



Only having one drink in a place does make the time go pretty fast but enables another few pubs. Who'd have thunk it?

The Bridewell was really busy. Of course with its makeup of all the cells it can fill up quite quickly (and empty out just as quick I guess). Ended up perched at the end of a bench under cover outside next to a big group of oh-so-young students. Went for a nice pint of Five Points XPA there. Then it was up to the Grapes. Hey, it's already sounding like a top crawl isn't it? And lo! they had Coronado Breeze on too. May have been taking it easy with the relatively low pintage but it could be made all the more dangerous with this second 5.7% of the day. Bumped into a couple of good mates there and had to stop for another then (only a half).



Then it was time for the short walk further back along Roscoe Street to the famous Roscoe Head. Had a lovely pint of Oakham 'White Dwarf' (thankfully in the sweet spot for a session ale at 4.3%). it was around 8pm at this time and I was conscious of hopefully getting to Manchester on Saturday so I only had time for one more pub. I'd kinda been guilted into going to the Coach House after the barmaid had collared me about going when I was in the Angus earlier in the week. It's only a wee hop, skip and a jump from the Roscoe so I did my duty by a stop there for a pint of Liverpool Brewing 'Liverpool Pale'. That's a lot of Liverpools in one sentence and that had been a lot of Liverpool in one crawl. If I hadn't had Manchester in mind I would have walked up the hill a bit to the Belvedere, but I'll save that one for next time.

If you know the pubs then you'll know that is a pretty decent set of hostelries. If you don't then take a look at the maps (or your handheld super genius with Apple/Google Maps) and get yourself down to a few them. You could do worse. And not a Wetherspoons in sight.

Part 2 of the city strolls of Liverpool and Manchester will be the Other Place. And I'll sort that tomorrow. For now I am psyching myself up for the last match of the Premier League season. YNWA]]>Liverpool KeystoneLiverpoolPubsPubs2022-05-02T13:48:52+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/8470e989833144d545755fe47788eb11-10.html#unique-entry-id-10https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/8470e989833144d545755fe47788eb11-10.html#unique-entry-id-10Last Sunday was a very sad day for me and many others who frequented, or worked, at the Keystone: it closed for good. There had been a few rumours over the preceding month but it was only formerly announced on Tuesday and then closed just five days later. It was very much one of my go-to pubs in Liverpool so will create a big hole for my visits into town. I've read books there, listed to music, written stories, and of course played some music too. My Thursdays in particular will be much the poorer with the demise of the pub and John Witherspoon's open mic.

There is hope that the open mic will move to another local pub. I hope it can.


The Keystone garden.

The venue has gone through several iterations over the years, probably most notably the Clove Hitch, but opened last year as the Keystone when the pubs were only allowed to serve in outdoor settings. Its garden at the back made the place one of the few ale places available during this time. I found it early doors in those initial daft cold months of those stupid rules and fell for the place immediately.


A pint in the conservatory. Very good place to write.

I used the indoors for writing a few times. It was a good environment for it and the music didn't tend to be too loud.


A burger and a pint before going to the Arts Club for the Magic Numbers gig.


The Tempo roasts were mega.

They went through a few in house food providers like Boffo Burger and more recently Tempo kitchen. Those burgers were lovely, and the Sunday lunches by Tempo were awesome.




There was always a great mix of people in the pub. Locals, regulars, and some students (thankfully not too many of them of course). There were plenty of events that used the Keystone. In addition to the open mic there were regular quizzes, open mic comedy, film nights and Meet the Brewer events. All the people involved in this will miss the Key all the more.


Which Scrivener project to open? When the weather was okay you could write outdoors too.

It was such a shame to see if go from my perspective but of course it was worse for the staff. It was good to hear that Charley, Ryan, Ben, Jess and all were able to get at least some work in other places within the week of being told of the closure. And I can only wish them all the best for the future. The beer, the music, the events and the food all made the place but the staff truly made it a great place to go.


Went to the Keystone on the last afternoon to help drink the place dry. You have to pitch in at times like this.

Farewell to the Keystone and good luck to all who sailed in her. Now, what am I doing on Thursday?
]]>Liverpool Liverpool MapsPubsLiverpoolPubs2022-04-22T16:24:20+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/615920ac69949a639f605e1aa2e00794-9.html#unique-entry-id-9https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/615920ac69949a639f605e1aa2e00794-9.html#unique-entry-id-9Have created another page where I'll put the maps up as a when they are ready and/or progress. Aiming to put some overall maps with most pubs that sell real ale, but I dare say I'll make some omissions (both by accident and on purpose). I am doing these largely so people who visit the city can easily find a decent resource and not have to mess about with Smartphones too much (and bearing in mind not everyone has a Smartphone - or at least decent battery life).

I'm going to add some local popular places that do keg only beer. Don't hate me a) for including them or b) missing out other keg only venues. On the map these will be obvious (Green circle instead of Red).

On my first iterations I hadn't put on any Wetherspoon pubs. This was totally my semi conscious decision as I put the maps together. I may have been to over 100 pubs this year, but I've managed to avoid all Wetherspoons in doing so. However the basic maps will be there for people to find places when they visit Liverpool and if they are asked to meet someone in the Lime Kiln or the North Western I guess it would be churlish of me to not put them on the map. So I have added them. I continue to avoid them for a few reasons but like so many other things it is not me to judge others who choose a different path.

Still learning to use the graphics package. Which means I've messed up with the layering a little on them, so may mean a bit of repetition/messing about with them to get them sorted together. But currently thinking if I make the base map less opaque it'll be easier to read.

Anyway the maps are progressing. Watch this space - or more to the point the Maps page.


]]>Liverpool Liverpool MapsLiverpoolPubsPubs2022-04-17T16:10:58+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/6d1554a62a83f1150005b63a76cc1758-8.html#unique-entry-id-8https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/6d1554a62a83f1150005b63a76cc1758-8.html#unique-entry-id-8Looking at putting together a few maps showing some recommended ale pubs (ok, just my choices) in Liverpool if you fancy a wee crawl or two.

Early days messing about with maps from OpenStreetMap and then using Vectornator to mark up. Having a few problems at the moment with Vectornator but hopefully I'll sort it soon. Will aim to sort a series of probably three maps covering Liverpool and some text to go with them when I can.
]]>PrestonReal Ale TripPubs2022-04-11T21:04:25+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/aafa210065c56c6fe94f7f7112d87e3f-7.html#unique-entry-id-7https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/aafa210065c56c6fe94f7f7112d87e3f-7.html#unique-entry-id-7Yet again I am late with my weekly beer blog. You could almost not set your watch by it. Anyway its been less than a fortnight so that's an improvement I guess.

I got to one hundred venues a week ago or so with my visits to Shenanigans (Guinness) and Carnival Brewery. Chatted to some lovely people in both places. After that the week panned out with the usual places including Dr Duncans for the Benfica v Liverpool match, and another open mic in the Keystone.

On Friday I spent the evening with my mates in Doctor Duncans drinking a few Neptune and some Salopian. It was a good evening of chat and ales.

I decided during the evening that (if I woke up early enough) I'd make a visit to Preston. It was the place I went on my last CAMRA coach trip before the lockdowns hit, and I'd been pleasantly surprised.

I did indeed wake up in good time. Unfortunately because Saturday was the day a) Everton v Man Utd and b) the Grand National at Aintree, I had not a cat in hells chance of getting a full English in the Shiraz. Shame. But it will make my next successful visit there all the more great.


Firefly Class, Serenity


A Pre-Drinks Breakfast in Head of Steam

I grabbed a wee breakfast in the Head of Steam instead and therefore had a pint (of Galene) instead of a coffee. Then I (un)fortunately had time to take in a Thornbridge 'Ruin' before heading to Lime Street. Did a bit of surfing to make sure I knew where the headline pubs were. It's a small city in any case, so even if there was some wandering around I'd never impact too much on the day.


Strange Goings On Abound in Liverpool

Whilst I was getting a beer in the Head of Steam a group of blokes came in all rattling with bells. It was a Morris Dance troupe from Yorkshire or Derbyshire I think. The things you see when you haven't got a gun. It turned out that it wasn't a one off. As I went to Lime Street Station I came upon another three groups doing their thing. Not sure what the occasion was.

In my plan for the day I'd written '7 hours, 7 pubs; read book; pick Grand National winner" - spoiler alert: I managed (or even exceeded) only one of those planned items. To save you scanning the whole page: it was the pubs in Preston. I actually went to eight. Unfortunately. In hind sight I really wish I'd missed pub 2B out. The full walk took in:

1. Old Vic
2A. Winkley Street Alehouse (shame I didn't get in for a beer)
2B. Hopwoods (shame I did get in for a beer)
3. Guild Ale House
4. The Orchard
5. Black Horse
6. Plug & Taps
7. Plau
8. Vinyl



The Old Vic

The direct train to Preston from Liverpool was only 52 minutes which was very handy really. First pub up in Preston was the Old Vic just up the street from the station. It was pretty busy with standing room only. Being so close to the station it was a magnet for football fans up for the Preston match, so it was full of Londoners up for the QPR game. Had a nice pint of Black Edge 'Blonde Ultra Pale.'


Winkley Street Ale House

Walked down Fishergate and then right down Winkley Street to the Alehouse. Looked a cool place and I'd definitely go there if… if took cash. Unfortunately my cash csrd is damaged and won't work as contactless (or indeed if inserted into a card reader). The bar is one of the few I've been to which is card only. Legal tender is illegal in some places. A shame. Maybe next time though.



Hopwoods

Back on to Friargate and I came upon a nice looking place called Hopwoods. Had four casks on. Asked for a Loweswater Gold. There hadn't been prices on the wall and the beer isn't strong, nor the place any great shakes, so I was a little (lot) shocked to be asked for £5.50, Shame it wasn't card only. Ho hum.


The Guild Ale House

Next up it was one of my fave Preston pubs (hey only my third visit, but it is): The Guild Ale House. It's a must visit pub with plenty of cask options (seven hand pulls). I went for a Brewsmith and a Wild Childe, but there were other equally good options.


The Orchard

Across the road in the market is The Orchard, a small unit which is a sister pub to the Guild. A couple of casks on. I had 'Swan Blonde' from Bowness Bay.


Black Horse

It's a short walk from the Orchard to the much more traditional Black Horse. Nice big place with plenty of rooms.


Plug & Taps

And then it is a similar distance to the next pub, which is the fabulous Plug & Taps. The city centre is very small really and ideal for a nice crawl of 6-8 pubs or so. There's not going to be any worry about sore feet - or much valuable time wasted walking between one pub and another. Had a lovely Track Brewery 'Sonama.'


Plug & Taps


Plau

A few people I chatted to on the crawl recommended Plau (pronounced Plough so if you here them saying it, it's this place). Nice bar with four casks on.



Vinyl

Last up was Vinyl Tap (and yes you can probably crank it up to 11). A bit more of a walk, but only in comparison with so many being so so close together. Ended the day with an all so traditional Oakham 'Citra.' All in all a damn good day out. I'd recommend everywhere I went - apart from Hopwoods (and of course make sure you've got contactless options if you're heading to Winkley Street Alehouse.


I'll do a proper map at some point. In the meantime here is a very rough sketch. Maybe next week I'll have something better (I'm just playing with a new bit of software).


Very Rough Sketch Map - Forgive Me



The Vinyl Tap was venue 108 for the year… still counting, if not ticking.












]]>WirralBeerFestivalPortSunlightPubs2022-03-31T18:29:37+01:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/9fa7755f74fe52e75ec84efecc574ba3-6.html#unique-entry-id-6https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/9fa7755f74fe52e75ec84efecc574ba3-6.html#unique-entry-id-6After doing a blog weekly - which let's face it should be easily doable - for about five weeks I messed up last week by not getting one out. Not entirely sure why, but I guess time seemed to be at a bit of a premium. Maybe because I was working on Monday this week when I don't usually. Anyways so here are a few words about the last week or indeed the last fornight.

I haven't had any away day trips away from Liverpool since the visit to Wigan in mid March other than a visit to the Bow-Legged Beagle in New Brighton (which also took in the James Atherton opposite), so the pub numbers haven't risen significantly since Wigan. Indeed in the last fortnight I've only been to 9 new pubs for the year.


A pint of Salopian in the Bow-Legged Beagle, New Brighton.

Last week I did make it to the Wirral Beer Festival, organised by the Ship & Mitre pub in Liverpool. Many of my mates have been several times. All of them thought I had been as they always assume that if they are at a beer event I must be there… surely. But I haven't been. I dare say by the time they've left each event they've been to then they may well be struggling to remember much precisely. I'd met a couple of them a few times back in Liverpool in the evening after they've been there and they a) always say how good it was and b) at least one of them is very wobbly (somewhere between funnily wobbly and worryingly wobbly). Maybe they remember bumping into me in the pub and then back date their assumption that I must have been with them all the time. Who knows? Anyways last weekend was indeed the first time I'd been to the festival in Hulme Hall, Port Sunlight.

A group of eight of us met up in Liverpool first and had a quick bite to eat and then a pint in the Globe before catching a train at Central to Port Sunlight. It was noticeable that only two of our group wore masks on the train. The two of us happened to be the only two of the group who haven't had Covid (at least as far as we know) - make of that what you will. The train was busy and we kinda guessed looking around that a fair few were heading to Port Sunlight too. Hey, some people have a look, don't they?


Walk in the Port Sunlight sunlight.

The day was surprisingly warm for April (and even more surprising when I realised it was in fact March) and proper sunshine was bursting through the train windows on the journey, making us doubly buoyant for an afternoon of beer with our mates. At Sunlight in the Sunshine the train did disgorge the predicable occupants into the famous Wirral enclave. We'd timed it to arrive for about midday; the festival actually started at 11am (until 5pm) but the hours seemed a little over the top to us.


A fair few on the ale march.


Hulme Hall

The walk from the station to Hulme Hall was lovely. The architecture of the village is brilliant - and now for me will always remind me of early Peaky Blinders as it was used early on (to represent Bourneville I assume - it just be cheeper up norf. By the time we got there just after noon there were already people sat outside with beers taking in the sun. It was more like Bishop's Castle in July than Wirral in March. The QR code tickets on the phone worked perfectly (which was better than the experience in the Liverpool Beer Festival earlier in the year) and then we were in.

First up a glass (pint glasses with appropriate markings) and a programme. Then a queue to pay for tokens - "anyone paying cash?" It was all very well organised and then we were in with an empty glass and beer tokens. Wonderful.


Beer Tokens

It's smaller than the Liverpool Beer Festival of course, but at the end of the day you only need enough beer for the session you are at, don't you. Bumped into a few people I knew - and the guys & gals from Liverpool Cake Co too - and a few who knew me only from Twitter.



Later on after a few beers.


Say cheese.

There were plenty of beers I enjoyed. But I don't go to festivals often with a need to try new stuff and had mainly beers I knew or breweries I knew. The attitude towards really strong Imperial Stouts was ridiculous with a 13% not being served in thirds but only in schooners. Ridiculous - and needs to be rethought for the next festival. Assuming the purpose of the festival is to provide a range of good beers to pick from rather than an opportunity to find oblivion, or at least an early end to the visit.


Good news in the programme about the Sanctuary return.

There was a nice advert in the festival programme heralding the return of the Sanctuary on Lime Street. I for one have missed it and am looking forward to seeing what has been done to the place.


Cheers to a good event.


Got home to Liverpool in one piece and a few of us were up for a couple more pints in Rigbys, the Angus, and Dr Duncans. Ended the night with a lovely donner kebab from my local joint in Fazak. All in all a good day was had.

98 pubs and counting…






]]>WiganReal Ale TripPubs2022-03-14T19:30:23+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/58f87dcf1bc830c79264989858571114-4.html#unique-entry-id-4https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/58f87dcf1bc830c79264989858571114-4.html#unique-entry-id-4After trips to Chester and Manchester the last two weekends I decided to get out once again to another Northern Town: Wigan. Famous for coal mining in the past (and then maybe collapsed shallow workings), an FA Cup winning team that got relegated in the same year: and PIES! It was National Pie Week this week apparently - or was it last week? Who decides these things? Anyway, I wasn't going for the pies, I was going to check out a few pubs I hadn't been to (and a couple I had in years gone by).

It was a cold grey day. A million miles away from some of the warm days we've had so far - and there were some heavy showers, which I did my best to dodge - only partly successfully.


Wigan Central, where I sat outside and froze a little. At least the rain was holding off for now

First up was the famous Wigan Central which is just around one corner from Wigan North Western station. I'd never been there but it is well known and has been on my radar for some time. When I got in it was heaving and there was a rather confusing queue to the bar when the bar had some room to stand, but after an exasperating few minutes all was well and I had in my hand a pint. I initially had to sit outside - and was freezin'. Got inside eventually when it calmed down a little.


First up out of the Centralin the cold

Second up was the very close (just opposite the station) Swan and Railway. It's a lovely old pub, which I had been to before, all tiling and glass. The Wily Fox 'Karma Citra' was spot on. As I sat there the rain outside began pelting down horrendously. When it calmed down a little I made my way to The Anvil. It used to be a fab pub when I last visited Wigan many moons ago. I got wet on the way, but it was improving a little from when I'd been sat in the Swan.


Swan and Railway

The Anvil was not as good as it was back those moons ago. But there was still some ale on. There was some footy on the TV which I can't remember being very interested in.


The Anvil

Fourth place was the Tap 'n' Barrel. It's hidden away a little from the road in a cobbled pedestrian area near the bus station, called Jaxon's Court. It was a new place for me; a nice little micro with three casks on. There was a guy playing some songs in the back room and the place was pretty much standing room only.


The Tap 'n' Barrel micro pub in Jaxon's Court

Headed a bit further up the road next to Real Crafty for my fifth pub of the Wigan trip. It's great place and probably the highlight of my trip. Good cask options, I had a Cloudwater, which I don't often see on cask. Chatted to a nice couple and the bar staff. Even saw Neptune Abyss appear on the keg lines whilst I was there. But I stuck to cask.


Cloudwater cask on in Real Crafty

Last stop of the day was in Doc's Ale House. The signage outside is a little confusing from the name they use for the place. It wasn't that busy at the time, but the beer was nice and there were some good options. It was time to go after just the one there. All in all a nice six pub jaunt. I won't leave it that long until I go again. The highlights were definitely Real Crafty and Wigan Central but I'd always go the Swan and the Tap 'n' Barrel too. Recommend them all if you're up this way at all - and I didn't even have a pie at all.


89 and counting (still)

By the way Doc's was pub No. 89 of the year.

Back in Liverpool I had the joy of doing a couple of open mics in the Head of Steam and Keystone on Thursday and going to Jimmy's for a John Witherspoon gig on the Saturday. Music, ale and good people it's all good.
]]>ManchesterManchesterPubsPubs2022-03-07T11:41:38+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/e89710e740957e8f5a46266e1fb770e2-3.html#unique-entry-id-3https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/e89710e740957e8f5a46266e1fb770e2-3.html#unique-entry-id-3A Short Manchester Jaunt

On Sunday I watched Liverpool win the League Cup in Kelly's Dispensary with Ossett 'White Rat' and Titanic 'Plum Porter' which was pub 76 for the year. Of course it was an enjoyable, stressful, exciting and ultimately brilliant afternoon in Kelly's. First time I've been in there for a long time and I was pleasantly surprised by the beer that was on. Of course the place was packed and they ran out of the Rat during the second half of the match. The Plum Porter was a more than adequate alternative. And I was happy to raise a glass of it to Kepa's woeful penalty.

Last week I went to Chester to scout (excuse) for pubs to go to this week for my mate's birthday, as he couldn't do it after catching Covid. This weekend was supposed to be the delayed Chester visit, but again has had to be postponed due to his housemate catching Covid from him. We can't do it next week as there are other commitments already in place. It may happen one week before summer. Then again maybe not.

With Chester 2 being delayed I ended up popping over to Manchester for a couple on Friday. I didn't add too many more new pubs this last week. I didn't feel like a big day so only went to five pubs over there. Three were old classic favourites: The Britons Protection, The Peveril of the Peak, and the City Arms. All were busy, which was good to see. Then I headed over to a couple of new ones to me: The Gas Lamp, on Bridge Street, and the Cafe Beermoth, on Brown Street. Both were fab.


Britons, Peveril, City Arms, Gas Lamp

As I didn't go to that many pubs this time there are plenty left in Manchester to get to at some point in the weeks and months ahead. And I'm looking forward to going back there.


Here's to the next time

Of course in addition I've been to my usual Liverpool hostelries for beers, meet ups, watching the footy and reading & writing, including; Head of Steam, Keystone, Grapes, Doctor Duncans, Fly in the Loaf, Coach House and the Roscoe Head. They've all been on top form and there are generally plenty of people about.

I still haven't decided on an ultimate aim for the burgeoning pub numbers but will have a wee think about it. In any case Cafe Beermoth was pub No. 81 for the year.

Cheers.]]>ChesterReal Ale TripPubs2022-02-27T13:51:37+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/969358d5221acc70941e40e3f3a1ff9d-2.html#unique-entry-id-2https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/969358d5221acc70941e40e3f3a1ff9d-2.html#unique-entry-id-2A Chester Circuit

This weekend I was supposed to be out for a few drinks in Chester for my mate's birthday, but he managed to catch Covid on Wednesday which put paid to that. But I thought I'd go anyway in the guise of scoping it out for next week. It was a nice sunny day and I got around a nice wee circuit.


Cellar


Sunshine at The Architect beside Chester Racecourse

As usual the loop from the railway station starts with the Cellar (Harker's was too busy), and ended in the Deva Tap. In between the City Tavern, the Architect (there was no room in Beer Heroes), Bear & Billet, Cross Keys, Kings Head, and the Cavern of the Curious Gnome.


Bear & Billet


Cross Keys


Kings Head

Everywhere was lively and the beers were good. It appeared at one point that Chester had been taken over by Mobberley Brewhouse with their ales in quite a few of these hostelries. Out of the eight pubs I ended up with Mobberley Summit and Chinook over three successive pubs. Other than that I had a relatively pale day with: Lakes Brew 'Pale', Joules 'Slumbering Monk', Cross Bay 'Blonde', Neptune 'Triton', and Onset 'White Rat'.



Cavern of the Curious Gnome


Deva Tap

All in all it was a nice birthday do for my mate, even if he doesn't realise it. Still we're going to go to Chester again next week in a rescheduled celebration – so I'll get to do it again.

Cheers, people.

PS Deva Tap was pub No. 75 for the year.]]>The ReAle Blog2022-02-21T13:45:44+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/22fde6e0bc782521e5425a94532d378b-1.html#unique-entry-id-1https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/22fde6e0bc782521e5425a94532d378b-1.html#unique-entry-id-1A week ago I wrote my first blog under the RealeLiverpool banner to go alongside my rampant Twitter and Instagram accounts. I reported that in the first six weeks or so of the year I had gone to 64 different pubs – which was simultaneously shocking & impressive. A week later and it's my second blog, so where am I up to now? Firstly though what was the week of storms like beside blowy? Pretty good.

I visited several of my usual haunts, namely; Keystone, Head of Steam, Dr Duncans, Fly in the Loaf, Angus, and the Bridewell. Oh and the Globe. The Keystone got a couple of visits including the Open Mic on Thursday evening. The Fly & Steam got visits for the football on Wednesday and Saturday respectively. These two pubs tend to be my go to destinations for football alongside a decent pint.

This kind of answers the question as to how many pubs I am up to now. Basically still 64. Yup, not a single new pub. Friday and Sunday were both spent at home sheltering from the awful weather. It has been awful, indeed it is the first time since the Met started naming storms that there have been three in the same week. I've lost a few fence panels at home, to go with an errant tile or two on the roof. I dare say some pubs are sending scouts out looking for garden furniture.

Liverpool aren't playing on the TV again during the week (though they are playing on Wednesday agains Leeds, Leeds). They'll next be on the TV on Sunday for their first final of the year (hoping there will be another (or two)) when they play against Chelski in the League Cup. The pubs will be bouncing on Sunday then.

I'll definitely be adding some new pubs to the 2022 roll call as a few mates and I are aiming to go to Chester on Saturday to celebrate a friend's birthday. This time next week then I should be reporting 70 pubs then, in theory. Let's hope the weather improves a bit (a lot), as I am sick to the back teeth of the wind and rain.

Stay safe people. And visit your favourite hostelries – or wherever the wind blows you. They'll welcome the custom.]]>The ReAle Blog2022-02-13T15:14:05+00:00https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/30aa32b6c3219d438c66200046d34738-0.html#unique-entry-id-0https://awalker.org/styled/blog-4/files/30aa32b6c3219d438c66200046d34738-0.html#unique-entry-id-0On New Year's Day this year I left my mates all asleep at a friends house after a heavy session welcoming the new year and headed homeward via some afternoon pints in Liverpool city centre. I went to the Roscoe Head as my first pub before heading around three others (Head of Steam, Angus, and Doctor Duncan's) and all were exceedingly quiet. I decided that day that for January I should try and support the local pubs by getting around a 'few' of them. I didn't set a target. There was no great plan – or some would say purpose either.

And so it was that throughout the month I would post on Twitter what pub number I was up to and as the numbers went up I seemed to gather pace and soon surpassed thirty, which would have seemed a reasonable number when I first started. Then I got to forty and beyond, and I almost aimed for fifty. I could easily have got there on the last day of the month if I'd wanted to, but on the 31st I told myself I did not need to hit fifty and stayed at home and had a coffee in front of the TV. There had never been a goal after all. So as January came to an end I'd visited 48 pubs in and around Liverpool. Pretty good in some respects (I dare say some would beg to differ on multiple accounts).

Some people on Twitter or in person have been asking at random times, 'How many pubs are you up to?' Of course if they follow me on the real ale twitter account then clearly they have an interest in pubs and beer - if they don't they must be following me by accident.


Peter Kavanagh's

As we've passed two weeks into February I continue to keep track of first pub visits of the year and have gone to plenty more in-between Southport and Liverpool along the Northern Line – doing 'The Southport Run' – and across the water in West Kirkby, Hoylake and Birkenhead – as well as further areas within Liverpool.

Now I've never been a fan of 'tickers' – the guys & gals who log and write scores and notes on every beer they have. This trainspotter action seems a bit much to me. I mean they'd go into a pub and see their favourite beer and not buy it if they saw an inferior beer in there that would get them another tick. I am never going to be that person. If Jaipur is on cask then I know I'm getting one – and maybe a second. That said I've become a ticker of sorts by noting the numbers of pubs I've visited. I will however return to going to my favourite places in the main now I've broken the back of the numbers of ale houses in the city. The numbers will go up much slower now and in fits and starts as I go to other towns & cities.

I still don't have a goal. Maybe I'll develop one or two as the months of 2022 pass by.


Pubs, Pubs.

Anyway, 'How Many Pubs Are You Up To?' I hear you ask. Will you still need me, will you still feed me?: It's 64.


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