A beautiful day, and I headed for the Hastings Arms and Jeny Lind first, but forgot, neither open til 12.00 on Thursdays...
So, down to Rock a Nore, and the Dolphin, hardly arduous, a wee chat with Mark the landlord, and the wonderful Louise behind the bar, what more could I want? Oh yes, Laura made a cameo appearance, and Debs turned up a little early before her shift started, and ale of course!
The usual regulars, Sussex Best, Youngs Special, and Dark Star's Hophead and American Pale Ale (APA). The quite exquisite Kelham Island Mistress Flames (5%) was near the end of its second firkin, and the other 'guest' was Moorhouse's Blond Witch (4.5%). Now the Blond Witch ain't bad, and you'll be aware I love Dark Star's paler and hoppy ales, anyway, I had a pint of the Hophead, and Mark gave me a half of the Mistress Flames, so I was mellow when I made my way back up High Street to the Jenny Lynd, which was now open.
In the Jenny Lind were Tony, this side of the bar, who I'd seen in the library earlier, and who asked for a bit of advice about drinking in Greenwich; I suggested he ignore the pubs near the Cutty Sark and head westwards for the Dog & Bell, but he wanted an easier pub to find, so I now suggested he walk eastwards along the river, past the Palace, to the Trafalgar, which I believe used to be, if not now, a Youngs pub. But even better, is the Yacht, just around the back of the Trafalgar, and in a little alley, fronting onto the Thames too.
In addition, the second Pre-Raphaelite barmaid I approve of in Hastings {I saw the first working at the Dolphin again the next evening, where Otter Head (5.8%) had replaced the Mistress Flames, a paler ale, a bit of a 'sweet & sour' taste}, ie Sarah, was working behind the bar, dead enthusiastic, and a pleasure to be served by. Anyway, ales there included regulars Directors, Theakstons Best and Old Peculiar, a couple of Hastings beers, Blonde and Pale Ale, and I had a pint of the Palmers Dorset Gold (4.5%), unsurprisingly, a golden ale with a hint of caramel.
My final visit of the day, partly because I wanted to meet up with buddies Paul and F***ing John, you need to know him and you'd understand why I call him that, was the First In Last Out (FILO). Good to meet up with them both again, as it's been a while since I've had a drink or three with them, though I've seen Paul quite a few times outside of pubs recently. Mike the landlord was behind the bar, and one of his sons too, Sharon the landlady was in the kitchen with their Eastern European colleague, Elena (spelt something like that anyway). And the manager, Tony, turned up a couple of times too...
5 of their own ales on sale, and Orkney Raven Ale (3.8%) too, which I'm sure I've had before, but today was to be spent drinking their own ales. The FILO beers were Mike's Mild (3.4%), Old Town Tom (4.5%), Churches Pale Ale (4.2%), and the two I had, first, Crofters, 3.8% and £3 a pint, is a good session bitter. I was pleasantly surprised to see both Paul and John drinking this too as they're usually Guinness drinkers, so it has been a while since I had a drink with them!
Anyway, I finished off with the FILO Gold (4.8%), a nice stronger pale bitter with plenty of body, and some of it was served up from the wee cask you see in the photograph above, reyt cute! Then I had a pint from the cellar...
Oh yes, both the FILO and Jenny Lind sell a local real cider too, the 5.5% Laughing Jester, cheers!
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