Hogs Back TEA (traditional english ale), very enjoyable Best Bitter at 4.2%, currently at the Tut n Shive.

I see Cask Corner has dropped out of the Good Beer Guide for 2015.

Hawkshead Red 4.2% in the Spinning Mule, Bolton Saturday evening was at least some compensation for the Whites being unable to beat 10 men.

Wetherspoon's next International Real Ale Festival kicks off on Friday 17 October 2014.

50 beers including a number created by visiting brewers from Australia, Belgium, Holland, Italy, New Zealand & the United States.

Of the home brews, there are a few I'm looking forward to seeking out;

Adnams 1659 Smoked Ruby Beer
Arundel Autumn Breeze
Exmoor Antler
Moorhouse's Black Cat Reserve
Mordue Americana
Thwaites Hobnobber

to name a few.

Timothy Taylor Boltmaker 4.0% currently available in the Tut n Shive
(quite unusual, not seen this one outside of Keighley too often).

Rudgate Grain Storm 3.8% & Stancil India Black Ale 5.0% in Cask Corner, Cheswold Mucky Bucket 5.0% in the Doncaster Brewery Tap all tasted for the first time this week and all very nice.

Morland Old Nutty Hen 4.5% in the Tut last night ... a very welcome find.

Spoons Real Ale Festival 17/10/2014;

Liberation American Brown Ale 4.2% best bitter (Red Lion, Doncaster)
Brew Moon Antipodean Ale 4.0% best bitter brewed at Hook Norton Brewery (Old Angel, Doncaster)
Ian Ramsay's Village Elder 3.8% bitter brewed at Everards Brewery (Gatehouse, Doncaster)

The second and third are New Zealand brews with preference being for the latter.

Spoons Real Ale Festival 18/10/2014;

Bath Prophecy 3.9% bitter (Red Lion, Doncaster)
Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale 6.5% speciality ale brewed at Wychwood Brewery (Old Angel, Doncaster)
Everards Tiger Triple Gold 5.0% strong ale (Old Angel, Doncaster)
Wicked Weed Freak of Nature 7.5% strong ale brewed at Batemans Brewery (Gatehouse, Doncaster)

Managed to find (inadvertently) on the same night, the two festival beers with the biggest ABV's. Both are from the US and the Pumpkin Ale was absolutely wonderful.

The Everards ale was a pleasant surprise too, as whilst I don't dislike Tiger, I certainly wouldn't rave about it either.

Careful, I love Everards Tiger.

That's the beauty of Real Ale, something for everyone.

Had a quite a few different one last Friday around various pubs. Can't remember the names of any now...it was a good night

Spoons Real Ale Festival 20/10/2014;

Moorhouses Black Cat Reserve 4.6% mild (Red Lion, Doncaster)
Black Sheep Reaper 4.1% best bitter (Gatehouse, Doncaster)

The Angel only had beers on which I'd already sampled so it was Pumpkin Ale again

Spoons Real Ale Festival 21/10/2014;

Brouwerij'til India Session Ale 4.6% premium bitter brewed at Caledonian Brewery (Red Lion, Doncaster)
Sixpoint Bklyn Bitter 5.5% strong ale brewed at Adnams Brewery (Gatehouse, Doncaster)
Woodfordes Phoenix IPA 5.5% strong ale (Gatehouse, Doncaster)

Both the Dutch brew in the Red Lion and the American ale in the Gatehouse were nice enough but preference was definitely for the Phoenix IPA.

Again, the Angel only had beers on which I'd already sampled so this time I plumped for the Tiger Triple Gold.

Spoons Real Ale Festival 23/10/2014;

Birrificio Lambrate Ligera 4.8% premium bitter brewed at Marstons Brewery (Angel, Doncaster)
Batemans Colonels Whiskers 4.3% mild (Angel, Doncaster)
Morland Old Hoppy Hen 4.2% golden ale (Gatehouse, Doncaster)

The first named is an Italian brew.

Spoons Real Ale Festival 24/10/2014;

Oakham Great Gustav 4.8% premium bitter (Red Lion, Doncaster)
Maxim The Simcoe Kid 4.5% golden ale (Gatehouse, Doncaster)

Spoons Real Ale Festival 25/10/2014;

Hook Norton Chinook Gold 4.7% golden ale (The Looking Glass, Warrington)

They had 9 festival ales available, the other 8 I'd already had in Doncaster

Spoons Real Ale Festival 26/10/2014;

Two Birds Golden Ale 4.4% golden ale (Red Lion, Doncaster)
Innis & Gunn Edinburgh Pale Ale 4.2% best bitter (Gatehouse, Doncaster)
Theakston Four & Twenty 4.2% best bitter (Gatehouse, Doncaster)

I've had the Theakston brew before and it remains very nice.

Spoons Real Ale Festival 27/10/2014;

Shepherd Neame Whitstable Bay Pale Ale 3.9% bitter (Gatehouse, Doncaster)

They also had a very nice non-festival beer, Dukeries Mining Stout 4.5%.

Nothing new in either the Red Lion or the Angel - hopefully some different ones in the coming days.

The Tut has Old Nutty Hen on again ... gorgeous!

Spoons Real Ale Festival 28/10/2014;

Tring Hazy Hoedown 4.4% speciality beer (Gatehouse, Doncaster)

A cloudy wheat beer.

Spoons Real Ale Festival 30/10/2014;

Abbaye Du Val-Dieu Abbaye Blonde 6.0% strong bitter brewed at Shepherd Neame brewery (Red Lion, Doncaster)
Banks Botanical Beer 4.2% speciality (Angel, Doncaster)

The Belgian brew was quite deceptive, pale yellow in colour but tasted more like a best bitter.

The Banks brew uses gruit rather than hops.

Both were very drinkable.

Spoons Real Ale Festival 31/10/2014;

Caledonian Trojan Horse 5.5% strong ale (Red Lion, Doncaster) ... Very nice, one of my favourites of the festival, a nice malty flavour.

Away from the festival, the Tut currently has Cottage Trick or Treat 4.4% which was very enjoyable too.

Spoons Real Ale Festival 01/11/2014;

Evan Evans Artisan Cluster Nut 4.4% best bitter (Rawson Spring, Hillsborough)
Wadworth Heather and Honey 5.0% speciality (Rawson Spring, Hillsborough)
Cotleigh Uncle Sam Hop Burst 4.3% golden ale (Rawson Spring, Hillsborough)
Thwaites Hobnobber 4.7% premium bitter (Rawson Spring, Hillsborough)
Titanic Hop Aboard 5.0% strong ale (Swim Inn, Sheffield)
Vale Metamorphosis 4.5% golden ale (Benjamin Huntsman, Sheffield)

The Evan Evans and Thwaites brews ticked the most boxes on a very enjoyable evening.

Spoons Real Ale Festival 02/11/2014;

Harviestoun Old Engine Oil 4.5% porter (Gatehouse, Doncaster)

Spoons Festival ale 03/11/2014;

JW Lees John Willies 100 4.2% best bitter (Red Lion, Doncaster)