Been out and about recently. Had several pints of Black Sheep Ale at the Hayburn Wyke near Scarborough last Monday, as opposed to the comparatively insipid Black Sheep Bitter. A beautiful summer's day on the East Coast ( you don't get many of them

). On Monday evening, I revisited the Old Scalby Mill and sampled a peach of a golden ale, York Centennial.

Discovered a little gem of a pub on Tuesday of last week, the Valley Bar on Valley Road, Scarborough, where I sampled RCH Pitchfork and Brown Cow Nocturnal, both excellently kept.

This pub is also notable as being the Camra National Cider and Perry pub of the year and allegedly does the best fish and chips in Scarborough. The liver and onions looked and smelt delicious by the way.

Last week, I had a pint of Abbot Reserve, much better and more dangerous at 6.5, than Abbot Ale ;D at my local hostelry, followed by Mordue IPA at 5.1 (x2) and Burton Bridge XL Bitter, which suffered by comparison. The afternoon was a bit hazy

Anyone who saw me limping around yesterday might see the irony in that

No contest. Would have to be Rotherham's Blue Coat every day of the week ( and often is

), purely for the range of beers from near and far( Acorn's brews are regularly on and for consistent quality, they are unbeatable )Nine at a time at the last count. If it were closer, it would undoubtedly be the Watermill Inn at Ings on the A591 between Kendal and Windermere.

To add to the range of guest beers it sells, it has its own built-in brewery.
Very nice food too!

Didn,t manage to stumble on a sky dish though eh ? Roll on Blackpool.COYD.

Abbot Reserve is a wonderful drink.

Indeed so! Pity my fellow imbibers at the Bluecoat agree with me re the Abbott Reserve



To prove my comment re the Bluecoat, barring a very sweet and sickly Polish plum beer and the ubiquitous Pedigree, which may well suit some amongst you, today's selection was E & S Nettlethrasher and Fireball, Spire Overture, Kelham Island Easy Rider, Ossett Quicksilver and Wentworth Woppa and Venture, ie 7/9 from local breweries.

I can recommend both E & S beers as solid bitters and Easy Rider as very palatable. Unfortunately, to these tastebuds, the Quicksilver's taste was uncomfortably close to lemonade for comfort.

At 3.6, I didn't even venture to taste the Venture. My loss?

The Babington Arms in Derby - 18 handpumps!

The Sal had another good selection available at the weekend. Sampled Adnams Broadside, Flowers IPA, Wells Bombadier and one that I hadn't tried before Newmans Last Lion of Britain (5.0%) - all very nice indeed. Just missed out on Courage Directors as they sold out before I got to it!

Also ...

Had a couple of lovely pints of Otter Ale in the Chequers in Whiston last night!

Wanderer, you must be single with such a great social life.
Or have a very understanding wife.

I had him down as retired.

Even retired people can have nagging wives.

And what would your dear wife have to nag about i wonder

Now let me think?

Not single or retired but my lady also likes real ale.

Does she have an identical twin?

You mean has she got a double?

You mean has she got a double?



No, but she's got a pint.

So did I! What time were you in? Their braised beef and mash was good too.

I'm still teaching my partner about real ale but she also liked the Otter. In fact, she dumped the Petterman's Artois for it

Between 6pm and just before 7pm - sat outside watching the world go by!

Must have walked past you both without realising then. For ale and food combined, there's nowhere to match it in Rotherham and, better still, it's in staggering distance

That has to be a step in the right direction.

i was in the baxters arms at fenwick last night and he,s advertising a guest ale called TITANIC STEERAGE ALE, coming soon.could fancy sinking a few pints of that myself.(sorry couldnt resist that)

Christ that takes me back 30 years, after leaving Campsmount we would go down there for a bit of underage fizzy pop.