Warwick recently for a birthday break ... Of course there had to be real ale ...

Came across the excellent Purity UBU 4.5% in the Tilted Wig (always have that if I see it). Also enjoyed Church Farm Harry's Heifer, a bitter at 4.2% in the Rose and Crown. Church Farm being a brewery at Budbrooke on the outskirts of Warwick and one I don't believe I had previously heard of.

Also managed to extended the celebrations to an afternoon out in York (never a bad thing in real ale terms).

Pivni offered Dark Star Partridge, a best bitter at 4.0% - I have a soft spot for Dark Star having visited the pub (Evening Star, Brighton) a few years ago where the brewery was born in 1994.

Best beer of the day was a close call between Dorset Brew Co's Portland Porter 4.7% in the Cross Keys and Gadd's Ramsgate Brewery Seasider 4.3% in the York Tap, with the latter, an amber coloured bitter just edging it.

Glad you have re-opened

Finally visited the re-opened Red Lion in Doncaster earlier this week. Now a very modern-looking Wetherspoons. Two pints consumed there, firstly Marston's Single Hop Belma (an Amber Ale at 4.0%) and secondly, Geeves Rococo (a Chocolate Mild at 3.6%). Both were likeable enough.

Cask Corner had the always enjoyable Stancill Barnsley Bitter and the Gatehouse had possibly the only Jennings Ale that I can admit to looking out for , Sneck Lifter.

Cheers! Are you still 'cider-ing'?

Oh no 84 pages of drooling over pints of sludge! im beginning to think this is therapy for you posting on here lol only joking fella knock yourself out

It's 9 months since we won a game ... that's enough to drive anyone to drink

Thats a poor excuse to start drinking, ive gone straight onto crack cocaine! ha

Yes just started the Cider season as I call it (warmer weather - allegedly) Must admit on a personal basis, that its not an ideal drink in the cooler periods, and I found myself turning to the 'Dark Side'

on more than one occasion(to hell with the the gout). Brewery Tap has more than enough choice for the Cider drinker and I can't praise them enough.

Pleased that you still manage the odd tipple of RA from time-to-time.

As for the Brewery Tap, I confess I don't give them my patronage as much as they deserve. Something I will definitely start to rectify.

A couple of recent highlights ...

Wharfebank Hawk Black IPA 4.5% (Tut n Shive)
Milestone Honey Porter 4.9% (Angel)

Both are to be recommended.

The Sal had Ruddles County 4.3% available last night. Not seen that for while and prefer it to the BB which is on in many Wetherspoons.

They also had the very nice GK London Glory 4.0%

Sampled a couple of nice Porters this week, Stancill's 4.4% (Gatehouse) and The Hop Studio's 4.3% (Angel).

The Tut has recently had a very recommendable Bitter, Nethergate Brewery's Suffolk County 4.0%.

The Tut n Shive had Sadlers Worcester Sourcerer 4.3% on Friday evening, which reminded me of a trip to the brewery at Lye, near Stourbridge about 3 years ago.

Had a couple of nice drinks in Sheffield last night;

Seven Brothers Brewery Stout Porter 5.2% in the Dove & Rainbow also Kent Brewery Black Gold 4.0% in the Sheffield Tap.

Slight preference was for the former which beautifully mixed chocolate and coffee flavours with dark fruits.

The D&R also had the usually-reliable Camerons Strongarm.

I had two pints of Brew and Gold ....gorgeously hoppy.
£3.15 a pint?....nah!

Had a pint of both that and the Up n Unda ... as we discussed at the time, more to your taste than mine. All credit though to Castle Park, 3 real ales available.

I tried it and thought it tasted like grapefruit

No wonder they were only giving one pint as first prize, the loser got 10 pints!

I said that to Gary ... really hoppy beer does taste like grapefruit.
Jaipur, anything from Glentworth ... grapefruit juice.
Personally I love it.

Personally iv got a soft spot for Glentworth beers.living in sheffield the only place iv seen there beers has been in the Kelham island tavern.

Had a meet-up with friends in town last Thursday for beer and racing.

The Tut had Partners Mungo Mild 4.4% - very nice.

I think my favourite ale of the day however, was in the Angel, Milestones American Red at 5.0%.

Done Darlington and Durham over the weekend.

Highlights were;

Arkells Kingsdown Special Ale 5.0% (a malty chestnut coloured ale) in the Tanners Hall, Darlington.
Bad Co Dazed & Confused 5.5% (referred to as 'a modern milk stout') in the Bishop Langley, Durham.
Batemans XXXB 4.5% (needs no explanation

) in the Water House, Durham.

The Red Lion had Orkney Red MacGregor 4.0% on Wednesday ... a particular favourite of mine.

Went back Thursday, unfortunately, all gone. They did however have a nice drink from the Nottingham Brewery called Dreadnought 4.5%.

The Gatehouse had a decent Milestone brew, Lock Keeper 4.4%.

Any of Gods brews that come out of Wainfleet need any explanation

A couple from the Supermarket to consider. Innis and Gunn Lager Beer 4.6% a craft beer (their words) brewed with naked golden oats. Not like any lager that you will have had and got a massive thumbs up from Mrs M. Its new to Asda, 4 tins for a Lady Godiva Asda also have any 4 bottles of beer for the same price and the pick of those was Wychwoods King Goblin special reserve, a not to be messed with 6.6% excellent ale IMO. Cheers.