Big raps for a cracking brew sampled a couple of times over the weekend in the wonderful Flying Duck in Ilkley - Treasure IPA 4.8% from Great Heck brewery, just down the road from my old hunting ground.

The Gatehouse currently has the very nice Ossett Treacle Stout 5.0% available.

A couple of new ones to me in Tut this week;

Greene King Yardbird 4.0% and Purity Wild Goose 4.2% ... both pale but nice enough in moderation.

Sticking with Great Heck, I sampled a few Shankar 5.9% IPAs in the Vic in Leeds last night. Wow.

Warrington ... Saturday evening ...

Wilkies Tavern ...Black Jack Farmhouse Brown Ale 4.9% & Briggs Rock and Roll 4.0%
(both new to me and both nice enough to have more than one ... preference for the Black Jack brew though)

Borough Arms ... Jennings Dark Mild 3.1%

Porters ... Brains The Rev James

Pleasantly surprised with Rudgate Lollihop 4.0% (currently on in the Tut n Shive). I generally like the Tockwith Brewery's ales but wasn't sure I would this lemon coloured bitter. However, it turned out to be both full of flavour and very refreshing.

Rudgate Ruby Mild on in the Angel this week

WSB Coco De Mer 4.0% (Chocolate Porter) & Phoenix Black Bee 4.5% in the Gatehouse last night.

WSB is Wood Street Brewery (Sheffield) ... preference however was definitely for the Phoenix Honey Porter .... an excellent brew!

For lovers of Timothy Taylors ales, the one they have brewed for the Tour de France which is coming to parts of Yorkshire this year is very very nice. A golden bitter at 4.5% called Le Champion, extremely moorish I thought.

Sunday evening in Doncaster ...

The Tut had Old Mill Red Goose 4.2% available and Cask Corner had a couple of dark ones for me to sample namely Chantry Diamond Black 4.5% and Raw Citra Black Ale 4.4%

Cottage Brewing Co Pit Stop 4.2% in the Tut n Shive currently ... Excellent biscuit / malty bitter.

Found a couple of new (at least to me) interesting brews whilst in Horwich on Sunday after the Swinton match ...

Lytham Brewery Royal 4.4% in the Bowling Green, a gorgeous malty ruby ale.
Hook Norton Lion 4.0% in the Crown, a bronze beer with citrus & malt influences.

Tried a couple of pale beers last night in the Tut ...

Penpoint Brewery Shipwreck Coast 4.4%
Camerons Gold Bullion 4.3%

Although not strictly to my taste both were ok in moderation.

Cask Corner currently have 3 wonderful darker ales ...

XT Brewing Co 8 4.5%
White Rose Raven 4.8%
Brass Castle Bad Kitty 5.5%

every one a winner!

Saturday evening in Barrow ...

Jennings Sneck Lifter 5.1% & Courage Directors 4.8% in the Furness Railway (Wetherspoons)
Lancaster Amber 3.6% & Lancaster Red 4.8% in the Duke of Edinburgh

Both pubs had 8 Real Ales available - plenty of choice

A couple of decent pints last night ...

Welbeck Abbey Red Feather 3.9% in the Red Lion (malt and caramel flavours)
Cottage Overlord 4.4% in the Yorkshire Grey (more of a hoppy one but went down well).

The wonderful Otter Ale 4.5% is currently available in the Tut n Shive in Doncaster

Cask Corner currently have a very nice coffee and walnut porter (Lamplight 4.2%) from the Hamelsworde Brewery in Hemsworth.

Another XT brew in Cask Corner last night, this time 6 an excellent Ruby ale at 4.5%.

Cask Corner had on yesterday the interestingly named Scargill Stout 5.0% from the Imperial Brewery at Mexborough and the Olde Angel had the absolutely delicious Bath Ales Gem 4.1% (a personal favourite)

Tried a couple of World Cup themed beers which are currently available in the Tut n Shive;

Taylors They Drink It's All Over 4.2%
Cottage Goalll 4.1

Neither totally to my taste but slight preference for the Cottage brew.

Bath Gem still available in the Angel

Sheffield yesterday ...

Tap ...Tapped Brew Co Ale 3.5%
Hop ... Ossett Big Red 4.0%
Red Deer ... Moorhouses Pride of Pendle 4.1%
Museum ... Mauldons Suffolk Pride 4.8%
Bankers Draft ... JW Lees Game On 4.2%
Dove & Rainbow ... Blue Bee Lustin for Stout 4.8%

Predictable choices in the Hop and the Red Deer but all the others were new to me.

Leeds & Dewsbury yesterday ...

Portobello London Stout 4.1% in the Scarbrough, Leeds
Tapped Brew Co Stogie 4.0% in the Tapped Brew Co (Thornbridge spin-off), Leeds

TT Ram Tam 4.3% & Five Points Brewing Co Railway Porter 4.8% in the Station Bar at Dewsbury

Welbeck Abbey Red Feather 3.9% in the Hop, Leeds

pity about the Rugby result

The Red Lion had the very nice Imperial Darkness (Imperial Brewery) available yesterday. Recommended if you like hints of Chocolate and Coffee!

Nick Stafford Hambleton Ales Nightmare 5.0% in the Tut on Sunday after the game. Very nice.