Christmas wander

Good afternooo

         apologies for the slightly lame title -I was going to make it even more icky with "Family Christmas Meal Pub Crawl" until I saw sense. This is still a bit weak I admit but its a good reflection of the event that am about to describe....

We were meeting early this year - at noon. Initially this was to allow WF to drive back before 16.00 in the light but in the end WK picked him up in his car before dropping Dad at the pub, driving back to Crookes and walking back to the Sportsman at Crosspool. WF got a taxi later. Admittedly its an Ember Inns pub but they sell a few decent beers and the meal was. in comparison with town based offerings, a bit of a winner for twelve pounds. As always myself Matty and Tash were ever so slightly late - I walked down to Darnall to get twenty pound out and to buy a weekly pass but there was a problem with the cash machine. Although I knew I had sufficient funds in my account I got just two pounds out at the Post office and headed into town after a lengthy wait for 11.50. Luckily Tash and Matt picked me up at 11.58 on West Street in a taxi they had got and we were there by just gone ten past.

Ale wise there was a Black Sheep IPA, Moonshine, Thornbridge Jaipur and the excellent Fyne Ales Jarl. Always a favourite drop I had two pints of this as well as a a pint of Jaipur. all of which were delicious. WF complained about his Jarl to WK who asked me to come and try it - it tasted exactly the same as mine. It was when I told him this that he admitted it was too cold and that he didn't like cold beer. Am sure when he was drinking off Sam Smiths at the Abbey pub outside Derby the temperature hadn't been considered and I have to admit that pale hoppy beers do taste far better with a light chill. Mine was ace! Meanwhile the meal was OK and we were there nearly three and a half hours before M+M dove off  and took the two Wees to WK's house for Dad to wait for a taxi. Me Tash and Matty walked back through the cemetery to Crookes where we popped in the Punch Bowl.

I have been reasonably impressed with its turn around since True North took it over but alas we found that they were trying to sell some rank and off Blue Bee Stout - Matty asked for a taste and pulled a deep grimace as he smelled it and tasted it - he pre-warned me but that didn't prepare me for the vile smell never mind the taste. When I pointed out to the girl behind the bar that the stout was off she didn't taste it instead claiming that "they always taste weird to me". An amazing response, which I would like to think is especially disrespectful to Josh and the others involved with the brewery. I did not check that they had taken it off when I left but am guessing that the person I pointed out the issue to neither cared about her clients or understood beer sufficiently to bother.

Nipping across the road to Two Sheds we bought Tash a couple of glasses of mulled Wine and I had an excellent pint of North Brewing Sputnik Pale, whilst Keet and Matty had the Janet Street Porter. I had two excellent pints of the Sputnik which was on fine form and the others enjoyed their drinks too. Matty and WK nipped back to his next whilst me and Tash headed into Town to pop in Cavells to use the loo, and to get Tash a large white wine and myself a pint of something about 5.5% After a quick catch up Tash got the tram home and I wandered down to Bar Stewards to have another pint of the 5.7% Blue Bee IPA on cask, and kept  perfectly, along with a few halves on keg. As always I bumped into a few mates and caught the bus back at about 23.00. I may even have treated myself to a can of Pressure Drop when I got in, although, as with a number of happenstances, my memories remain unclear....

Overall though this was a great day out and despite the grimness of the Punch Bowl all the pubs involved kept excellent beers. Am out in Crookes again tonight for a couple to catch up with fab folk from the past as well as Wee Keefy and am really looking forward to a return trip to the Hallamshire House.  

Cheers!

Wee Beefy