Had a drink or two in the Gatehouse prior to the game;

Black Hole Milky Way (a strong but pale wheat beer 6.0%).
York Brewery March Madness (a seasonal light hoppy beer 3.8%).
Hambleton Ales Stuck In The Stalls (a pale seasonal ale from Nick Staffords brewery 4.0%).
Robinsons Trouble & Strife (a copper red bitter with malt and toffee flavours 4.1%).

Yesterday I quaffed a pint of Thornbridge Ashford (£3!!), at that price I'm pleased to say the quality was excellent, at the Inn at Troway followed by a succulent pint of Brampton Golden Bud at the Arkwright, and one recommended to me some time ago on here, Brampton's Impy Dark. A very good porter-style beer, not quite my all-time favourite, but in my top ten for sure.

I'm glad you liked it - with beers that have a rich flavour it is often the case when you recommend them that people either love them or hate them. You are obviously a person of good taste (or share my bad taste).

Had those 2 myself in Weatherspoons prematch (then a couple of beers at the stadium)...along the way one of them give me a right stinking headache on Sunday evening

No mate it was what was served up as Rugby which gave you a headache.

Recently sampled;

Sinner-man (Rugby Brewing Company) - A dark ale with a hint of cinnamon.
Captain Pigwash (Potbelly Brewery, Kettering) - A porter with a delicious chocolate malty flavour.

This evening;

John Smiths Cask (Barnsley Oak, South Elmsall)
Dark Horse Shoulder of Mutton Ale (Shoulder of Mutton, Kirk Smeaton)
Old Mill St. George & Old Mill Bitter (Bay Horse, Great Heck)

also had a very nice meal at the Bay Horse.

Today, prior to the debacle at the Keepmoat;

The Gatehouse;
Elland Drakends Eld 4.5% - reminded me of Nettlethrasher from the same brewery.
Daleside Stout 4.2% - Enjoyable stout from the Harrogate Brewery.
Nightmare Stout 5.0% - Another winner from Nick Staffords Hambleton Ales, a smooth creamy stout porter. Recommended.
Greene King Abbot Ale 5.0% - Greene Kings flagship ale - 'nuff said.

Afterwards;
The Tut & Shive;
Cairngorm Nessies Monster Mash 4.4% - A copper coloured ale with a burnt malt, almost peaty taste.

Two dark beers to die for last Friday. The delicious Saltaire Triple Chocaholic does what it says on the pump clip and the moreish, fruity-tasting Leeds' Midnight Bell.
Pure quality.

I've not had the Saltaire brew but it sounds like one I would enjoy.

The Midnight Bell is excellent and one I have previously recommended on here (among many to be fair).

Just managed to catch Saltaire Apricot Ale last Friday in the Gatehouse (they ran out very quickly) stunning stuff. Had a few days in Dorset last week and had some different ends of the scale stuff. Dartmoor brewerys Jail Ale, excellently kept in a boozer in Weymouth and simply the worst pint ever in 40 yrs of sampling. (36 legit)

Dorset Piddle ale - a more aptley named pint cannot have been created - Lugger Inn at Weymouth. It was that bad it made some of the Wards best bitter that iv'e tasted seem like the Supreme Ale of Britain.

Dates for the diary;

JD Wetherspoon - The Worlds Biggest International Real Ale Festival
Wednesday 15 April - Monday 4 May 2009
(features 50 guest ales).

Doncaster Beer Festival 2009 - The Hub (Doncaster College)
Thursday 16 - Saturday 18 April 2009
(90 real ales plus a selection of foreign bottled beers, cider, perry and fruit wines).

How about a Dons supporters Real Ale evening/afternoon in a venue to coincide with the Weatherspoons event?. Put some faces on names, blah blah.

Sounds like a good call to me. Would it be too harsh to suggest a Sunday afternoon when we might otherwise be watching the Dons.

The way its going there will be more of us in Weatherspoons anyway

.

For fans of stouts, the Devonshire Cat in Sheffield has an absolute cracker - Standish's Big John. The Thorne Brewery will be having a stand at the Doncaster Beer Festival. The brewery is on course to have its beers out in early MAY. In the meantime check out the progress being made at www.thornebrewery.com

For fans of stouts, the Devonshire Cat in Sheffield has an absolute cracker - Standish's Big John. The Thorne Brewery will be having a stand at the Doncaster Beer Festival. The brewery is on course to have its beers out in early MAY. In the meantime check out the progress being made at www.thornebrewery.com

Recently sampled;

Manns St George and the Dragon
Seasonal full flavoured moreish brown bitter 4.5%.

Skinners Hunny Bunny
A reasonably strong golden ale with a hint of honey 4.5%.

Stonehenge Sign of Spring
An unusual light green coloured seasonal beer 4.6%.

Managed a quick pint this evening;

Everards Sly Fox
A refreshing golden seasonal (spring) ale with a hint of ginger 4.0%.

Did you go out on the sly?



Sorry, I couldn't resist.

As for me, with this chest infection, I had a bottle of Ulverston Lonesome Pine and couldn't taste it, so I'm sulking

Back in the saddle again.





Two eminently drinkable pints today at the Old Market Hall, Mexborough.
The excellent Jennings' Golden Host ( a play on the famous Wordsworth poem) and Alan Hansen's, the Canadian brewer as opposed to the former Liverpool/Scotland player, Yukon Lead Dog ale. The Lead Dog being marginally the favourite imho. Followed by another two ticks for a bottle of the 80 shillings style ale which is Atlas's Three Sisters from Kinlochleven.

Indeed a welcome return of the sense of taste!

Anybody Hub bound this weekend ?. My 'tasting' session will be Friday afternoon/evening.

Had planned to go with the other half but for the same reason that I left Sheffield at half-time last Thursday (serious family illness) I can't honestly see us making it now.

I'm sure those who do go will enjoy it though. You can have one or two for me.

Sorry to hear that Gary. Will do, although I do wish that the Doncaster event was similiar to the Rotherham one and the ales were hand pulled as opposed to the tap and barrel. Hope everything works out. There is the Weatherspoons festival to fall back on (no pun intended)

When you're at the Beer Festival make sure you have a look at the Thorne Brewery stand, and maybe join the Friends of Thorne Brewery, which is free.

Yes, the Hub event may come too soon but hopely as you say there's the Wetherspoons festival until May 4.

Thanks for the good wishes.