9th January - Tower, Hastings Plus

I'm starting to grow increasingly fond of this pub, specifically because of the pale hoppy ales, or full-flavoured stronger ales, they are providing at a very fair price for punters, and the lovely staff and interesting clientele.

There was the excellent 5.7% Dark Star Revelation, with it's abundance of hop flavours, which, of course, I drank, also the same brewer's 4.7% American Pale Ale (APA), which is not quite bitter enough for me to really enjoy, though it's pretty damn good.  A blast from my past up in South Yorkshire, Thornbridge Lord Marples (4%) and Sharps Doom Bar (4%), which wasn't around when I lived in Cornwall, were also available, and a nice chat with the landlady, Louisa, was partaken too, cheers!

An update for the Dolphin, which is currently selling it's current 3 regulars of, one of my favourites, as you'll be aware, Dark Star Hophead (3.8%), Harveys Sussex Best (4%), and the new regular, Young's Special (4.5%), it's seasonal ale, Harveys Sussex Old (4.3%), and two guests still (despite their usually cutting down to only 5 ales at this time of year, it still is 6); from the Nottingham brewery, Milestone, Loxley Ale, a 4.2% 'biscuity' malty flavoured ale, and Anchor Springs Riptide, a light coloured ale with hints of dry roasted nuts and 4.1%.  Cheers to Mark (the landlord) for maintaining the quality and numbers of ales.

Cheers to you too!

13-14th December, back in Hastings

On the Thursday morning I visited The Albatross Club at Bexhill on Sea, five miles walking there, along the front, and 5 miles back, for a pre-Christmas drink and to meet up with the folk of the RAFA, as, in my capacity of being a CAMRA member, I am allowed to imbibe there, thankfully. As ever, great company and Geoff had 4 excellent ales on, including old favourites Dark Star Hophead (3.8%) and Youngs Special (4.5%), both of which I've written plenty about before.  There was also the excellent stout from Anchor Springs, the 5.2% Black Pearl, and Franklin Citra IPA (5.5%), both very good beers! A merry Christmas had commenced...

That evening, and the following afternoon, I had missed the Dolphin, so I attended the quiz on the Thursday night, then just a 'normal' visit in the pouring rain on the Friday, following a bit of a beer drenching too at the Hastings Arms, which I shall add about at the end of this blog.  Didn't do too bad in the quiz, our team came third, in a very difficult pre-Christmas Quiz Christmas Quiz, yes... Ales on were the usual Dark Star Hophead, Youngs Special, Harveys Sussex Best and Old Ale, and Wadworth Swordfish (5%) and a not a bad little pale beer from Isfield, their 4.1% Straw Blonde.

On the Friday afternoon, I popped into the Hastings Arms to try one of Shepherd Neame's seasonal ales, and to dry-off in front of their fire, and found out the latest news of the Smugglers at Pett Level, which sadly isn't now re-opening soon, the once prospective 'deal' being off, it is now rumoured that it will not open until Easter at the earliest and no-one knows who will be doing the opening, if it happens at all, sad, that pub needs some loving!  Anyway, Shepherd Neame ales, the well-known Spitfire (4.2%) and Late Red (4.5%) were on, but a much lesser known ale from their 'pilot' brewery, which I cannot find out about on the internet, and I've noted as South Downs Premium Ale (4%), a nice 'ordinary' bitter, and the very seasonal Christmas Ale (5%), which I thought would be a dark beer, but was a very easy to drink reddish brown ale, I do enjoy being seasonal! 

Oh yes, I was nudged by a friend whilst he quickly turned in the pub, hence the ale down my fleece and trousers, and me smelling of beer until I got back in that evening, I suppose drinking ale helped too...

I returned to the Hastings Arms on 20th December to find the Late Red replaced by Bishop's Finger, 5% of dark strong flavour, always loved this beer, certainly my favourite of their ales ever since I drank it in my youth at a pub that was nicknamed "The Bishop's Finger" and was situated at the edge of a thriving Smithfield Market, I cannot remember the real name of the pub, but just looked it up on the internet to find it is now called "The Bishop's Finger", well well! 

Oh yes, and Sue of the Hastings Arms was involved in the brewing of the South Downs Premium Ale at the Shepherd Neame's pilot brewery in Faversham, so it really is a one-off, so if you want to try this good session bitter get in quickly, nice one Sue.

Cheers!

30th November Part II

We caught the bus back to St Mary's and walked into the Marsh to St Mary's in the Marsh and the Star Inn, cracking country pub, friendly landlord and patrons, had a good couple of hours here drinking Youngs Bitter (3.7%) and Hop Fuzz English (4%), and they also had Youngs Special (4.5%) and Shepherd Neame Kent's Best Invicta Ale (4.1%), and Skinners Ginger Tosser (3.8%) came on as a replacement whilst we were there.

The bus didn't turn up to return us to New Romney, but we received a lift from one of the many patrons who volunteered to drive us to New Romney, friendly bloke who dropped us dead opposite the Cinque Ports Arms, many thanks!  We had a half each in here of Youngs Bitter ("Ordinary" to us ex-Wandsworthians) - they also had Skinners Ginger Tosser - and then a half of Sharps Doom Bar (4%) and egg and chips (a pickled egg in a packet of crisps each) in the New Inn before catching the bus back into East Sussex.

We got off at Icklesham and dropped in at the Queens Head, nice and busy, fun to be had, the Pubmeister being more of a regular than me here, so banter with those behind the bar, who had shaved off their 'Movembers' earlier in the day. 
 

Even better, Mrs Pubmeister, the marvelous Mo, collected us from outside the pub and returned us to the Dolphin in Hastings, where we had commenced the day.  As usual, wonderful staff, great ales, music (it being a Friday evening), and interesting fellow patrons, nudge nudge...

Mark drank the Wadworth's Swordfish (5%) and I drank the excellent 5.2% Anchor Springs Black Pearl, both of which I have reported on before, then he made his way upstairs, and I wandered along the beach home; many thanks for a classic day! 

An assessment of the day? Kentish folk like medium coloured bitters, Youngs for example (I believe they are pushing hard in Kent), not a lot of variety in the choice of ales on offer, though quite a few different brewers, but similar ales, oh well...

Pub of the Day?  The Three Mariners in Hythe, cheers!

Dolphin - Hastings seems a while...

Since I last wrote about the Dolphin, they've had a fine pale bitter called Once Bittern brewed by Woodforde's, and already mentioned elsewhere, but seemed better here. Also, tomorrow, there will be a return of Wednesday evening meals, 6-9pm, at the Dolphin, with special deals, similar to the fish & chip deal on Mondays, ie a pint, glass of wine, or soft drink, plus the meal all in at £7.95, always a good deal!

Anyway, at the moment, there are two good darker ales, Harveys Old Ale and the excellent Anchor Springs Black Pearl, a 5.2% dark dark porter, so dark I had to say it twice, full bodied, with a hint of chocolate, and dry bitter aftertaste, not often you see me knocking back a dark ale. it's that good!

Of course, I had started with a pint of the regular Dark Star Hophead, and the regular Youngs Special and Harveys Sussex Best are there too, together with the seasonal Wadworth Swordfish, 5%, a blend of 6X and Pussars Rum apparently, it's well liked in this neck of the woods!

 

Cheers!

Dolphin, Hastings 3rd June

OK, for a change, I wandered eastwards, along the beach in the evening sunshine, and ended up at the Dolphin at Rock-a-Nore, presumably an Anglais interpretation of 'Northern Rock' (?), and started with my usual Dark Star Hophead, but more was available than I realised...

The 3 regulars, and summer 'special' were all on, ie Hophead, Directors (is it just me, or does this taste more 'malty' than it used to, have Charles Wells altered the recipe, it's like drinking liquidised Caramac!?!), Sussex Best, and the excellent Dark Star American Pale Ale (APA), plus 2 guests, the new localish brewer (Littlehampton), Anchor Springs Riptide (4.1%, a medium coloured traditional South Eastern bitter, pretty good) and Hop Back Summer Lightning, another old favourite... 

Consequently, following the Hophead, I tried a pint of the Summer Lightning, I had to compare the two for research purposes, of course, and I found that Summer Lightning still can hold it's head up high, but not quite to Hophead height, despite being stronger at 5% compared to 3.8%, which is some achievement for the Sussex brewer. The tasting notes in the Good Beer Guide for Summer Lightning read "Finely balanced, it has an intense bitterness, leading to a long, dry finish." Very true, though I would add a slight nutty flavour too, presumably to do with the hops used, but it still doesn't come up to the bitterness of Hophead, a crackin' ale, indeed, but not as bitter and dry, ie what I like ;-)

In amongst the convivial atmosphere and good company, which included Adam, behind the bar, and Mark (landlord) and Kevin among many this side of the bar, I also drank the APA, however, I have to concede that I still prefer the Hophead, but only by a 'short head' (in horse racing 'terms', not pubco fiddling the amount of beer they serve up 'terms'; which certainly isn't the case at the Dolphin, where you always get a proper measure). 

Incidentally, they ran out of the Riptide, this evening, but will have Elgoods Golden Newt coming on soon, a 4.1% golden ale, which I am looking forward to, probably after the weekend, cheers!

Dolphin, Hastings

I visited the Dolphin yesterday, back to Hastings now, and had to continue my research into the quality of Dark Star Hophead, obviously. Unsurprisingly, it was as good as it was in the Kelham Island Tavern in Sheffield, actually, I think it was better, but only fractionally, crackin' ale! 

In addition to the Hophead, the other regular ales, Directors and Sussex Best were on offer, plus the semi-regular, at the moment, Dark Star APA and Hop Back Taiphoon, and Anchor Springs Riptide, a 4.1% medium coloured bitter from the Littlehampton-based brewery. By today, a 4.4% ale called On Tap should be on the bar, Beer Rocks is named as the brewer on the pumpclip, but research shows they are a beer supplier, not brewer, that appears to use a number of different breweries to produce their own labelled ales!

The Dolphin has continued with its excellent value menu since the Jubillee celebration, but should be changing this weekend, so get in by Friday if you want to take advantage. I love the pub, but this isn't advertising for them, it's saying to anyone who wants a great value meal, including the price of a pint of beer or glass of wine, to get in for their 'Best of British' menu; includes Fish & Chips, Sausage & Mash, Pie & Mash, Curry or Ploughman's.  Get in there!