Knowledge gap

Hello again,

    you know when you read up on a topic, and its one you know a fair bit about (lets say, erm, I dunno, beer?) but there is one aspect that you can't really advise on? And you think, I really ought to know about this, everyone else seems to, but I can't add anything to this discussion?

That's what happens to me when the subject is London pubs.

I was reading my good friend Steve's blog and he has been to a few London boozers of late (he is from that neck of the woods for a start, even if not living in the capital at present), here is a snippet at the following link ( Its Steve's blog, and its about London pubs. ) I also saw Tandleman earlier mentioning his need for suggestions on where to go for a decent pint whilst down in London. It seems to have such a varied range of all types of pub, but its all alien to me.

Psycho analysis

The thing is, you'd think, if I was to claim (as I do) that I love unspoilt pub interiors and enjoy travelling to them and other pubs around the UK, that I would have been to London loads of times. Where better to try out a pub than in the capital city - and a city with so large a resource of unspoilt pubs? Not only that but as a lover of micro brewery beers, I'd likely be spoilt for choice if I wanted to find a load of new beers to taste.

Yet for some reason I just don't ever seem to want to go to the pub in, or indeed to, London. Oh to understand my reticence....

I have been drinking for 20 years and I reckon I have gone to less than that number of London's pubs. In brief, my pub experience in the capital of England thus far is as follows :

I went to.....
1. the Bag of Nails near Westminster Abbey. It was immensely rubbish.
2. The Sultan in Wimbledon and really enjoyed it.
3. The George at Southwark (the only N.I pub I ever managed) and had some Bishops brewery beer which was nice, but it was very foody.
4. a pub called the Unicorn about 20 minutes away which sold Rebellion Blonde or similar.
5. a mews pub in Paddington which was expensive.
6. a Youngs pub in Richmond which was OK.
7. The White Horse in Parsons Green which was excellent
8. a local in Deptford or similar that sold Fullers and a real ale from the Republic of Ireland (in about 1997?!), it was really friendly and cosy, but I have no idea what it was called.
9. The Orange brewery tap in Pimlico. It was depressing.
10. The William the 4th, now home of Brodies beers, but then selling Sweet William beer (we picked up a cask for the Hillsborough Hotel).
11. The Jerusalem Tavern in Clerkenwell a long time ago - it was very good.
12. a pub in Petty France that had a drinking corridor, but was fairly uninspiring otherwise.
13. an Adnams pub on the edge of Greenwich park which was expensive but had good beer.
14. another Greenwich pub, which I disliked.
15. The Flowerpot in Walthamstow which had some really interesting beer and a good atmosphere
16 and 17 : The only 2 pubs I went to more than once were essentially given the kiss of death!
The Crystal Palace Tavern in New Cross seemed to disappear from the GBG after I last visited, and the Wenlock Arms at Hoxton is set for demolition (or already has been).

So given that I have had many good pub experiences, (ignoring my kibosh on the Wenlock) and that only 3 of the listed pub visits have taken place this century, I can't understand, what with the wealth of info on other folks blogs, why I don't just trot off dahn to that London and go visit some pubs! Whats wrong with me, pub Doctor?

And, assuming I get over this capital-phobia, would any kind readers like to give me some really good tips for pubs to visit? I think I need to get this problem tamed....

Wee Beefy