So, Mark and I wandered the wilds of Kent and East Sussex a bit, but a few updates on other pubs back in my new home town of Hastings, starting with The Jenny Lind in the High Street in the 'old town', where I was pleased to meet up with Sarah again...
This is the new (I believe) raised area at the end of the main bar at the front of the pub, good to watch what's going on from, I should imagine. Anyhow, they had 2 different ales on from my last visit, J W Lees John Willie's, which, for a 4.5% bitter, was easy enough to drink, but could have had more to it maybe, and Franklins Grumpy Governor, another 4.5% ale that I have discussed before. I also had a pint of Theakstons Old Peculiar, which I hadn't drunk for many a year: 5.6% of a dark ruby red ale, that looks like a porter, but tastes fruitier than I remember, my taste buds they are a-changing!
It's also always a pleasure visiting the Tower, London Road, St Leonards, Hastings, and Sara (I think it's spelt, sorry if incorrect) was serving up the ales, many thanks, and we may even have a connection through Lewisham Hospital, I shall have to do some research... Anyway, excellent value ales there, of course, that included Bateman's Yellabelly Gold (3.9% and £2.30 a pint), Sharps Doom Bar (4%), the excellent Dark Star American Pale Ale (APA, 4.7% and £2.40 a pint), and the classic Hop Back Summer Lightning (5% and £2.80 a pint), a full-bodied pale bitter, with a nuttier flavour from the hops than I can remember; though a lot of beer has gone down the guzzet since my last pint of it, great stuff!
I hadn't been to the North Star, just off Bohemia Road (St Leonards), for a while, so a visit was required, and I saw Jamie there, which was a pleasant surprise, as he's usually opening up his other pub, the Havelock, around late morning/lunchtime. The usual Directors, Sussex Best, and Landlord were on, also Goddards Ale of Wight (3.7%) and Banks's Cereal Thriller (4%), and it does what it says on the label, cornflake flavoured beer, presumably a lot of wheat malt involved! Jamie said they had a new Dark Star ale coming on soon, Carafa Jade (5%), so watch out for reports...
Finally, a reminder, the real ale festival at the Albatross Club, near the seafront in Bexhill-on-Sea, starts 11.00 today (guess where I'll soon be?), ending Sunday, depending on remaining ale stocks, I should imagine. It will be open to the public, so not just members and guests, and CAMRA members, and just £2.60 a pint for every real ale, most served by gravity, can't be bad... so hurry up before it's all gone!
Cheers!
