Hello,
apologies first of all for a distinct lack of posts recently - a mixture of self imposed poverty and heady discombobulation through drink, as well as the holiday I will describe in this and the following three posts, has made me unable, unwilling and otherwise disposed not to post anything since June. What follows is an island by island breakdown of the ales we drank in the places known as the Sudreys - in this case, Bute, Islay, Jura, Colonsay and Arran. I realise there are other isles in the Sudreys but we visited the above only. For information, the Sudreys is an old Norse word for the Southern Scottish Islands, as opposed to the Nordreys for the North. There is a link here featuring more precise info on the Sudrejar...
We headed to Bute in rain and wind - the sun only came out on our first stop in Moffat. Here the Coachmans bar of the Buccleuch hotel no longer sells real ale only GK "craft" but the guy behind the bar did recommend two pubs that did, the first being the Star Bar which we were parked nearby. The Hotel Star is a tall, long, thin building on the main street. The bar is accessed down the side street and is also long and thin, although it goes across the building. They have two real ales on sale - the Old Speckled and the Old Golden Hen. We had two halves of each for myself, Wee Fatha, Tash and Matty. We also tried the 80 and 60 shilling Belhaven kegs.The Old Golden Hen was perhaps the best beer.
Our next stop was the National Inventory listed Old Wine Store at Shotts. The pub has had a new sign and some refurbishment since we last visited, but crucially keeps its original bar fitting with once used whisky barrels inset, and a small mirror on the other side which owing to its difficulty to find and photograph am guessing was for the staff only. No real ale here, but halves of Belhaven best for all apart from WF who had a J2o. Its good to see the pub popular and having had some work done on it, without losing its character.
Skirting Glasgow we arrived at Wemys Bay and opposite the delightful station we boarded a ferry to Rothesay. Going across the weather looked ominous but we arrived on Bute in glorious sunshine and temperatures around 20 degrees. We stayed at the Commodore, an excellent seafront B and B and quickly headed out to find food - we did, at a real ale pub in the GBG.
The Black Bull is a small multi-roomed pub overlooking the harbour near one of Zavaroni's cafes. They had three beers on, Belhaven Golden Bay, Inveralmond Lia Fail and Straad Ass, a 4.2% amber/blonde from Bute Brew Co. This was a fine pint on excellent form so we didn't try the other ales on offer, we just drank the Bute all night. We also ate here - and myself and Matty had perhaps the finest home made steak and ale pie ever. An absolutely stunning flavour, and washed down with the excellent Bute real ale.
Before returning to the B and B we visited the Scottish regional inventory listed Golfers bar - sporting a Bute Brew Co sign outside and a single hand pump. selling the same beer as the Black Bull. Myself and Matty had at least two pints each in here with WF on a half and Tash on wine - she has developed a bit or a reaction to beer (and cider) of late so was reluctant to have more than a try. The Golfers was heaving busy and we sat in the separate snug at the end with access to the bar. The pub has an excellent ceiling and intact long single piece bar back, as well as this screened off room, meriting its inclusion on the inventory.
The next day we visited Rothesay castle whilst WF went to the Esplanade - which also sells real ale, but only Bombardier alas. From here we drove through Port Bannatyne and out to Loch Ettrick, then wound our way down the island to St Blaines church. Despite persisting it down with rain we enjoyed the walk up the hill and looking around, before we headed to the Kingarth Hotel and Smiddy bar.
This roadside hotel does good food and two real ales as well as a good range of whiskies and Scottish bottled beers. WF had a half of Arran Dark and myself and Matty a pint each of the Fyne Ales Jarl, one of the best beers in Scotland - it did not disappoint. The food looked lovely so we booked a table for four and returned to Rothesay to pick up a change of clothes, and then came back for a fantastic meal, along with more Jarl. I think they also have a third pump for cask, and we tried three whiskys as well.
Back into Rothesay we persuaded Wee Fatha to drive us to Port Bannatyne to the Bute Brew Co recommended Port Inn. Arriving at 22.15 the landlady was about to shut so we ordered two pints of the Bute brew Co Scalpsie Blonde at 3.9%. It turned out that the pub would remain open a little longer, although we had to leave by 23.30 to get back to the accommodation - we had no key to get in! Many pints were supped as well as a can of BrewDog Dead Pony Ale (I think) before we dashed off up the coast back to Rothesay. The Scalpsie was an excellent session ale.
The next day we were away from Bute on the ferry and that part of the journey, and Islay, will feature in the next blog post.
Slainte!
Wee Beefy
Showing posts with label Fyne Ales Brewery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fyne Ales Brewery. Show all posts
Tuesday, 12 July 2016
Monday, 8 February 2016
Hillsborough Hotel Scottish beer festival and other ales...
Hello,
on Saturday I found out about the Scottish beer festival that was taking place at the Hillsborought Hotel. I had only been in three or four times since it changed hands despite immediately noticing improvements. Given that I had arranged to meet Matty, it seemed like a good place for us to go.
I paid on the 52 - I was in a rush, and then again, an astonishing £2.20 for the 8 minute journey to Langesett Road on the tram. I hoped, having spent £4.00 just getting there, that this would be good! Arriving before Matty at gone half seven I opted to try one or two of the six Scottish real ales on offer on the bar. Island Hoping from Swannay Brewery was the first. To be honest, I suspect Swannay brewery is linked to Sinclairs who own Orkney Brewery - or the other way round. Either way, that and Loch Lomond Kessog a dark ale were both tried and were very palatable.
I walked into the room on the left to made to stand aside for the presentation of the haggis by the Alternative Burns Night company, with pipes and a Scotsman in a kilt reading the address to the haggis in perfect style, followed by whisky toasts and an instruction to sit down if you had a ticket for the haggis neeps and tatties. Mattt arrived shortly after and I got him a pint of the Tempest The Real Armadilo,. a pale hoppy beer from a reliable Scottish brewery.
As the food was served we were offered the chance to buy a ticket so I parted with a fiver for a bowl of delicious Haggis and trimmings, this after a quick chat with the legend in his own lycra that is Ron Clayton. We and Matty both had pints of the Fyne Ales Avalanche, always a favourite and went to stand in the conservatory. Alas this closes at 21.00 and with the pub already rammed the influx into the two rooms made us decide to leave for nearby hostelries. Outside at the back there was another stillaged bar so am guessing the Cromarty, Pilot and other beers had been available from there. A cracking event nonetheless.
Just down the road we went into what Ron claimed was the now "owned by Birkett" Wellington. James Birkett who as you may know owns the Blake and Sheaf View, had been linked with purchasing the pub for a while - assuming he has, there was no change when we went in, same staff, similar beer range and customers. Suits me fine. Me and Matty had pints of the Atlantic Pale and Green Arrow from Little Ale Cart, before moving onto pints of the Stars and Stripes from the same.
The pub was quite busy and warm and relaxing and the beer was distinctively ale-cartish. I can't see that many changes will be made by the new owner, apart from maybe increasing and changing the beer range, and I hope he doesn't repaint or radically change the interior because I actually quite like it.
From here I left Matty at the tram stop and walked on to Shakespeares for a pint of Celt Experience Llamass Harvest, a gooseberry sour, and a half of something pale and hoppy on cask. Chris B warned me that the sour was very much so - he wasn't wrong! It was a wonderfully sour, sharp, teeth chatterer which I loved immediately and which grew on me the more I drank.
Having initially struggled to find a seat I got sat near the door at the back and got chatting with Katie who was in late. I got another pint of the sour (I think...?) and a drink for her, before at last orders unwisely purchasing a pint of the Double Axe from Buxton, a whopping 10.1% IPA on keg. This was actually quite difficult to finish but mainly due to being full of haggis! Despite that, this was a perfect end to a fantastic night out.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
on Saturday I found out about the Scottish beer festival that was taking place at the Hillsborought Hotel. I had only been in three or four times since it changed hands despite immediately noticing improvements. Given that I had arranged to meet Matty, it seemed like a good place for us to go.
I paid on the 52 - I was in a rush, and then again, an astonishing £2.20 for the 8 minute journey to Langesett Road on the tram. I hoped, having spent £4.00 just getting there, that this would be good! Arriving before Matty at gone half seven I opted to try one or two of the six Scottish real ales on offer on the bar. Island Hoping from Swannay Brewery was the first. To be honest, I suspect Swannay brewery is linked to Sinclairs who own Orkney Brewery - or the other way round. Either way, that and Loch Lomond Kessog a dark ale were both tried and were very palatable.
I walked into the room on the left to made to stand aside for the presentation of the haggis by the Alternative Burns Night company, with pipes and a Scotsman in a kilt reading the address to the haggis in perfect style, followed by whisky toasts and an instruction to sit down if you had a ticket for the haggis neeps and tatties. Mattt arrived shortly after and I got him a pint of the Tempest The Real Armadilo,. a pale hoppy beer from a reliable Scottish brewery.
As the food was served we were offered the chance to buy a ticket so I parted with a fiver for a bowl of delicious Haggis and trimmings, this after a quick chat with the legend in his own lycra that is Ron Clayton. We and Matty both had pints of the Fyne Ales Avalanche, always a favourite and went to stand in the conservatory. Alas this closes at 21.00 and with the pub already rammed the influx into the two rooms made us decide to leave for nearby hostelries. Outside at the back there was another stillaged bar so am guessing the Cromarty, Pilot and other beers had been available from there. A cracking event nonetheless.
Just down the road we went into what Ron claimed was the now "owned by Birkett" Wellington. James Birkett who as you may know owns the Blake and Sheaf View, had been linked with purchasing the pub for a while - assuming he has, there was no change when we went in, same staff, similar beer range and customers. Suits me fine. Me and Matty had pints of the Atlantic Pale and Green Arrow from Little Ale Cart, before moving onto pints of the Stars and Stripes from the same.
The pub was quite busy and warm and relaxing and the beer was distinctively ale-cartish. I can't see that many changes will be made by the new owner, apart from maybe increasing and changing the beer range, and I hope he doesn't repaint or radically change the interior because I actually quite like it.
From here I left Matty at the tram stop and walked on to Shakespeares for a pint of Celt Experience Llamass Harvest, a gooseberry sour, and a half of something pale and hoppy on cask. Chris B warned me that the sour was very much so - he wasn't wrong! It was a wonderfully sour, sharp, teeth chatterer which I loved immediately and which grew on me the more I drank.
Having initially struggled to find a seat I got sat near the door at the back and got chatting with Katie who was in late. I got another pint of the sour (I think...?) and a drink for her, before at last orders unwisely purchasing a pint of the Double Axe from Buxton, a whopping 10.1% IPA on keg. This was actually quite difficult to finish but mainly due to being full of haggis! Despite that, this was a perfect end to a fantastic night out.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Friday, 16 November 2012
The 4th Shakespeares Sheffield real ale and cider festival
Hello,
tonight I had been aiming to take it easy. To slip home quietly after work, not having been left to lock up, nipping to the shops for essentials and creating a leisurely meal then spending the remainder of the evening in front of the telly. Then I remembered tonight was Children In Need night. Where good telly went to heaven. The waining careers of peripheral or has been figures resuscitated for schmaltz strewn discomfort, admittedly with a worthy pay off for charitable causes.
Luckily at work someone mentioned my inevitable attendance at the Shakespeares beer festival. Which I had, erm, remembered. In my unused memory. So now I had to fanny about going to the pub after work, seeing people I knew and liked, and partaking in the rigmarole of drinking beer.
Still, it could have been worse - I could have been sat in front of the computer screen, driven senselessly mad by the sh*t combo of Orange snoozeband and Internet Explorer with Blogger, a double act who's flaccid unresponsive death jerk of a typing portal will lead me to actually smash the keyboard to pieces with my fists. I realise Google Chrome maybe better, but that's only one out of three problems solved. But I digress (breathe, calm, breathe....)
Shamelessly poor technology aside I arrived at the Shakespeare to bear witness to a seething throng of punters, some curious, some oblivious, many excited, and some taking it far too damn seriously. Portus was with me, and I bought him a lager and myself a Revolutions Masquerade Black IPA (4.5%, £2.80). This was a dry, ascorbic hoppy beer with an unforgiving bitterness. Just a slight extra facet of balancing flavour would have made it impeccable. As it was, it seemed uncompromising with none of the redeeming features that usually faultless Revolutions beers have, which was a shame. I could admire its bite but not its intent.
Portus had to leave soon after and I went upstairs to find the helpful lass who'd served me downstairs in the bar. Alas the upstairs "festival" bar wasn't officially open at this point; but being a top bar person she offered to pour me a half in a pint glass and let me take the beer downstairs with her to pay. The upstairs bar was to be manned later on, but this was a good example of the usual excellent Shakespeares service.
From said haunt alas the beer was less commendable, that being the Marlpool Straw Gold, 4.2% which I had long wanted to try, not least because I fancied a trip to the Queens Head where the brewery is based. Alas, whilst this may not be a best example, the overriding feature was hazy and sickly sweet honey flavours. Not to my taste at all.
Up next was a dark and pale combo - halves of Red Willow Heartless Chocolate Stout (4.9% £2.80) and a half of the Tryst Hop Trial Nelson Sauvin, 3.9%, at the same price. The Tryst started well but became a bit one dimensional, not a surprising trait for a single hopped beer but a suggestion that the malts used to balance its flavours weren't suitable. It was at least a refreshing drink. The Red Willow meanwhile was even more disappointing. A heavy cloying chocolate free slick of a stout, with a grim burnt edge, perhaps made worse simply because of my expectation? I don't know, but I was very disappointed, and left a bit in the glass.
Thankfully things improved greatly from here on in. A pint of the brilliant Fyne Ales Hurricane Jack Blonde (4.4% £2.80) and a half of the Allendale Winter Dunkel were impeccable, with the Fyne perhaps edging it, if only for a slight smokey sweet aftertaste to the Allendale. Based on staff recommendation, and my own curiosity, I really wanted to finish on the Porter Geist from Raw (5.9% £3.10) but it was getting late and I wanted to get home and get some food - although the pizza sold in the garden (?) smelt and looked fantastic.
Other breweries beers you may wish to seek out for yourself over the weekend include :
Barkston
Cross Bay
College Green
Collingham
Cullercoats
Jolly Sailor
Lincoln Green
Two Bobs
Urban Brewhouse
Not to mention the fantastic LocAle offerings on the bar including, of course, Abbeydale, plus Geeves and Welbeck amongst others.
So, although a fleeting 3 hour visit, (and despite being enraged by the fact the programme lists 3 full beer fests and 1 mini one then above lists this as the third!) this was a great start to the festival for me, and no doubt based on how busy it was, a great second day to proceedings for Shakespeares. And all beers were priced between £2.50 and £3.10 a pint, so very good value.
Get down quick before it runs out!
Wee Beefy.
tonight I had been aiming to take it easy. To slip home quietly after work, not having been left to lock up, nipping to the shops for essentials and creating a leisurely meal then spending the remainder of the evening in front of the telly. Then I remembered tonight was Children In Need night. Where good telly went to heaven. The waining careers of peripheral or has been figures resuscitated for schmaltz strewn discomfort, admittedly with a worthy pay off for charitable causes.
Luckily at work someone mentioned my inevitable attendance at the Shakespeares beer festival. Which I had, erm, remembered. In my unused memory. So now I had to fanny about going to the pub after work, seeing people I knew and liked, and partaking in the rigmarole of drinking beer.
Still, it could have been worse - I could have been sat in front of the computer screen, driven senselessly mad by the sh*t combo of Orange snoozeband and Internet Explorer with Blogger, a double act who's flaccid unresponsive death jerk of a typing portal will lead me to actually smash the keyboard to pieces with my fists. I realise Google Chrome maybe better, but that's only one out of three problems solved. But I digress (breathe, calm, breathe....)
Shamelessly poor technology aside I arrived at the Shakespeare to bear witness to a seething throng of punters, some curious, some oblivious, many excited, and some taking it far too damn seriously. Portus was with me, and I bought him a lager and myself a Revolutions Masquerade Black IPA (4.5%, £2.80). This was a dry, ascorbic hoppy beer with an unforgiving bitterness. Just a slight extra facet of balancing flavour would have made it impeccable. As it was, it seemed uncompromising with none of the redeeming features that usually faultless Revolutions beers have, which was a shame. I could admire its bite but not its intent.
Portus had to leave soon after and I went upstairs to find the helpful lass who'd served me downstairs in the bar. Alas the upstairs "festival" bar wasn't officially open at this point; but being a top bar person she offered to pour me a half in a pint glass and let me take the beer downstairs with her to pay. The upstairs bar was to be manned later on, but this was a good example of the usual excellent Shakespeares service.
From said haunt alas the beer was less commendable, that being the Marlpool Straw Gold, 4.2% which I had long wanted to try, not least because I fancied a trip to the Queens Head where the brewery is based. Alas, whilst this may not be a best example, the overriding feature was hazy and sickly sweet honey flavours. Not to my taste at all.
Up next was a dark and pale combo - halves of Red Willow Heartless Chocolate Stout (4.9% £2.80) and a half of the Tryst Hop Trial Nelson Sauvin, 3.9%, at the same price. The Tryst started well but became a bit one dimensional, not a surprising trait for a single hopped beer but a suggestion that the malts used to balance its flavours weren't suitable. It was at least a refreshing drink. The Red Willow meanwhile was even more disappointing. A heavy cloying chocolate free slick of a stout, with a grim burnt edge, perhaps made worse simply because of my expectation? I don't know, but I was very disappointed, and left a bit in the glass.
Thankfully things improved greatly from here on in. A pint of the brilliant Fyne Ales Hurricane Jack Blonde (4.4% £2.80) and a half of the Allendale Winter Dunkel were impeccable, with the Fyne perhaps edging it, if only for a slight smokey sweet aftertaste to the Allendale. Based on staff recommendation, and my own curiosity, I really wanted to finish on the Porter Geist from Raw (5.9% £3.10) but it was getting late and I wanted to get home and get some food - although the pizza sold in the garden (?) smelt and looked fantastic.
Other breweries beers you may wish to seek out for yourself over the weekend include :
Barkston
Cross Bay
College Green
Collingham
Cullercoats
Jolly Sailor
Lincoln Green
Two Bobs
Urban Brewhouse
Not to mention the fantastic LocAle offerings on the bar including, of course, Abbeydale, plus Geeves and Welbeck amongst others.
So, although a fleeting 3 hour visit, (and despite being enraged by the fact the programme lists 3 full beer fests and 1 mini one then above lists this as the third!) this was a great start to the festival for me, and no doubt based on how busy it was, a great second day to proceedings for Shakespeares. And all beers were priced between £2.50 and £3.10 a pint, so very good value.
Get down quick before it runs out!
Wee Beefy.
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