We left in time to catch the bus and headed towards Icklesham, first stopping at the Queens Head, full of older people enjoying their lunchtime food, where they had 5 ales on today, including 1648 Brewery's St George at 4.5%, a nice 'real' bitter, as in, bitter and medium coloured, typical ale type in the South East. Jeff was unhappy that the barmaid hadn't smiled at him on entering (she's a good judge of character, obviously), but gave me a wonderful smile later on when we did one of those dances you do when trying to walk by each other, but trying to let the other have advantage (as I said, good judge...).
We then walked back along the main road to the excellent Robin Hood, with its real ales and 2 real ciders served from handpumps. Darcy and Debbie were working behind the bar as we entered, and we were welcomed by a lovely smile from Debbie, which made Jeff happy. I positively loved drinking the Old Dairy Brewery seasonal ale, a strongish IPA style, whose name or strength I didn't make a note of as I was invited down to the cellar, but it was very nice (since checked on the brewery's website and can't find anything about it there either), and they also had Gales HSB and Archers Golden Ale (4%) and EMPIRE India Export Ale at 4.7%. As I said, Darcy invited me down to the cellar, immaculate and spotless, as proudly shown to me by the publican of this hostelry for the last 15 years. I also heard the story of Debbie falling down into the cellar from the bar (the cellar door is in the floor behind the bar), a story you'll have to find out more about yourself when you visit, but please don't say you heard it from me ;-)
Jeff, today, told me this was his favourite of all the previous pubs we visited, and the ones to follow, must have been the smile and the banter with a long regular, Fred, who I had had a fine chat with a few weeks previously too...
So, we caught the bus back to Hastings, despite the forecast warning us it would be raining most of the day, it hardly had yet... When we alighted from the bus at the bottom of The Bourne, we walked round the corner for a quick pint of Hophead in the Dolphin, a refreshing pint desperately required after the long arduous trip. Jeff was happier here today, it was a bit more lively, which could be explained by a combination of brighter weather than on Monday, plus the ever-wonderful Louise behind the bar, and on top of the bar, and over the bar (she was updating the boards showing which artists and groups were to provide entertainment on Friday and Saturday evenings), and she is always a pleasure to chat to.
From the Dolphin we walked westwards along the front, passing the White Rock, and up through Warrior Square, across the station and up to Bohemia Road and the 2 pubs there. First, we stopped in at the Dripping Spring, with 9 ales on today, including Moorhouses Black Cat mild, which Jeff enjoyed, and Wye Valley HPA, which I always enjoy. Good ales and banter with all around the bar, plus the visit of a regular I remember seeing in this pub on my first ever trip to Hastings the week before I moved here, ie the delightful 'Rowlie'... I'm not sure of the spelling, but that's how her name sounded to me.
We then crossed Bohemia Road to the North Star for a pint each, and Jeff 'stealing' the woman I was trying to chat up while he visited the loo, life ;-) before we walked back down Bohemia Road to the Dripping Well, where Nick tried to give me a pint for nothing by undercharging me. Thanks Nick, but I'm too honest for that, so I paid up for the round, I had London Pride, can't remember what Jeff drank here, things were getting a little hazy by now...
Anyway, from here we virtually rolled downhill to the Wetherspoons, the John Logie Baird, yep, me, in a 'Spoons'! Jeff had insisted he buy me a meal, and you can get 2 steaks and a bottle of wine for £16 on a Tuesday evening, amazing. So, and I was quite surprised I admit, I actually enjoyed a 'rare' surloin steak... Cheers Jeff!
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