Had some Wentworth Challenge yesterday before the match.
Very nice.
There is a beer festival on at Wetherspoon until the middle of April and all real ales are £1.49 a pint.

Did you get yourself a new one you little complainer you?

I certainly did.
That's my policy at Wetherspoon.
If it looks e, take it back, they will happily change it.
It's a result of some people misguidedly trying to put too much ale in the glass and killing the head.

Yes, a good turnout and an enjoyable evening.

50 different real ales spread over 2 1/2 weeks.

Youngs , in the Red Lion , tasted pretty good to me on Sat Night . £1.38 a pint went down well too.

Took in Wetherspoons Real Ale Festival last night at the Gatehouse in Priory Walk. The following were available ...

Batemans Spring Goddess (4.2%)
Brains Reverend James (4.5%)
Greene King Abbot Reserve (6.5%)
Harviestoun Old Engine Oil (4.5%)
JW Lees Brewers Dark (3.5%)
Wadworth Horizon (4.0%)

The Reverend James is a particular favourite of mine but it's fair to say that both the Abbot Reserve and the Old Engine Oil were both excellent drinks as well. For a dark ale, I found the Brewers Dark a little tasteless. The other two were both golden ales with slight preference being for the Spring Goddess.

With no Dons match Sunday afternoon it was another trip to Wetherspoons. Festival Ales available were;

Caledonian Chocolate Drop (3.8%)
Highgate Highland Whisky Ale (4.4%)
Marstons Sunbright Ale (3.8%)
Titanic Last Porter Call (4.9%)
and a Belgian Ale ... Ecaussinnes Cookie Beer (5.0%)

additionally available but not listed as a Festival Ale was Wentworth Bluebell Bitter (4.0%).

Popped into the Lord Roseberry in Scarborough on Sunday and sampled Cain's Bock, which I would definitely drink again.

On Saturday, it was the Scalby Mill Inn at Scalby where I drank Wold Top North Bay Premium, which was a quaffable bitter and two light-coloured beers, the tasty Ind Coope Burton Ale and York Decade, which is a very light citrusy, flowery beer and was my beer of the weekend.

Also consumed a couple of good bottled ales, the porter-style Dent's T'owd Tup at a stonking 6% and Ossett Excelsior, a premium bitter, which is good on draught too.

Finally got to sample the Yo Ho Tokyo Black (referred to earlier in this thread) last night. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

Full list of festival ales available last night in the Gatehouse ...

Cains Bock Beer (4.5%)
Caledonian Chocolate Drop (3.8%) again
Hook Norton 303 AD (4.0%)
Okells Dr Okells Eastern Spice (4.5%)
plus
three International Ales;
Namyslow Original Plum Beer (4.0%) from Poland
Stone California Double IPA (7.0%) from America
Yo Ho Tokyo Black (5.0%) from Japan

It surprised me a little, but I really enjoyed the Plum Beer - sweet and aromatic in flavour and ruby in colour.

I enjoyed Tokyo Black very much. Last night I sampled Stone California Double IPA, which for a strong ale was very refreshing. If you likes Cains Bock, it's nice from the bottle and 8%.
Anyway, I'll see you next Sunday when we play you in the cup. I'm pleased to be able to say that as in the not too distant past, it was looking dodgy for borth our clubs. All the best to you and your club.

Thanks for the good wishes - hope it's a little closer and more competative than your last visit to the Keepmoat. I'm sure it will be.

Visited the Six Chimneys (Wetherspoons) at Wakefield on Saturday evening. A bit disappointing in terms of the Festival Ales - only three. They did however serve a top-notch pint of Abbot Ale.

Best pint of the weekend ... Adnams Broadside in The Sun Inn (junction of York Road and Barnsley Road) on Friday.

The beer at the South Leeds Stadium was Tetleys at £2 a pint.
It wasn't great, but it was comforting to know that you weren't being ripped off.

A quote from the SMC:-

Where would they be then?
Wembley?
Millenium Stadium?
Everywhere I've been so far it's a lot cheaper.

I had chance to call in one of my very favourite pubs on Friday afternoon - the Head of Steam on Huddersfield station. I had several excellent pints of something which I'm buggered if I can remember what it was. I got home put Cas v Hull on & woke up with 10 minutes to go.

I've paid the same at the KC and Headingley

i think it is true thoguh that new stadias see it as an excuse to knock up the prices

Was in the real ale desert that is Primrose Valley at the weekend. Aaaaarrrggghh!! Last decent pint was on Friday lunchtime, which was Wold Top Wold Gold at the Wolds Village just outside Bainton.

Prior to that it was Acorn XL at Hickleton Club.

Head of Steam is an excellent pub..

Yes, been in there on a couple of occasions, most notably after GB's 20-12 win over the Aussies in 2001. Don't ask me what I was drinking though!

I love matches at Huddersfield - Head of Steam & Station Tavern on the station platform before the game, then run like buggery after the game to the equally wonderful Slubbers for some of the best Taylors anywhere.

Visited the Salutation in Doncaster last weekend and was pleased to see that they had a number of Real Ales available (that hasn't always been the case of late). Youngs, Abbot Ale, Spitfire, Old Speckled Hen and Flowers IPA were all procurable along with Tetleys Cask.

The Pub doesn't have an entry in the Good Beer Guide this year after falling out of favour but based on last Saturday is still worth visiting.

So much so that I was back yesterday, the Youngs had been replaced by Bombadier and the Flowers by Bishops Finger (with the others still available).

Can't fault it!

Also had a decent pint of Elland Midnight Rider in the Gatehouse later yesterday.

At the risk of being accused of repetition, The Salutation really seem to have got their act together.

Paid another visit on Saturday and again half a dozen quality real ales, this time including Camerons Strongarm Ruby Red Ale and Greene King IPA.

For those of us venturing to York on Monday and going via the City Centre (by Rail for example), there are any number of excellent pubs worth a visit.

A couple not too far from the Railway Station worth a visit are The Maltings at Tanners Moat below Lendal Bridge and Brigantes Bar on Micklegate.

A little further into the Centre, The Last Drop Inn, The Yorkshire Terrier and The Three Legged Mare all rate highly.

The Wonky Donkey, oh yeah, legendary. York Brewery's brewery tap.
I'd go along with that particular suggestion and the Maltings. Not tried the others but will give them a whirl.

In the meantime, the Mild in May promotion has started early at the Bluecoat in Rotherham. Would recommend Milestone Dark Night (sic), Acorn Darkness, Bradfield Brown Cow and Spire Dark Side of the Moon.
Also quaffable was Eastwood and Sanders Nocturne.