Thursday 25th October - an intermission, of sorts...

It was a strange day on Thursday, visiting 2 pubs that I'd be unlikely to, but for the circumstances; first, The Old Garage, Replingham Road, Southfields, SW18.  The reason to visit a Greene King pub? My stepdad was buying me lunch, and you should rarely turn down a free lunch!

I used to live down the road from here when I was a kid and into my teens, when it was a garage, the pub is pretty new in itself, and I have to admit to having a pint or two here before visiting my mum a couple of times before she died (RIP), but it is Greene King, and, quite frankly, I'm not their biggest fan, taking over other brewers and becoming a 'new national', and serving up a bland session ale, though I do like their Abbot Ale, a fine stronger bitter.  So, 4 ales, including their IPA (3.6%), Old Golden Hen (4.1%), Ruddles County (4.3%), and Abbot Ale (5%), all brewed by Greene King. I had a couple of pints, the 'County', not as good or as strong as I remember from my past samples at the Hand in Hand, Wimbledon Common, when it was a Ruddles pub (not the Youngs house it now is) and the Abbot Ale, which still lives up to it's promise, and has to be their 'flagship' ale, very good, and a decent meal too.

Then, in the evening, following his arrival back from foreign parts, the Routemeister and I went to see my niece, his daughter, receive her school award for music up in the West End. We arrived early, so dropped into The Golden Eagle in Marylebone Lane, W1, for a quick pint.  My outside photo, taken by a mobile phone, doesn't do the pub justice, so here's the bar, which is small, and within a small pub really.

 

This is a free house, with a quite mixed clientele, though mostly people on the way home from work, as you'd expect in the early evening up here, and felt convivial enough. There are 4 ales on sale, 2 regulars, Fullers London Pride (4.1%) and St Austell Tribute (4.2%), and 2 guest ales, today was Sambrooks Wandle (3.8%) and, from another new 'national', Marston's, Wychwood Hobgoblin (4.5%).  All reasonable enough ales, we each had a pint of the Pride, and I would definitely return, should I be in the area again, cheers!

14th September - Brighton & Hove Albion via Lewes



Usually I write this in the order I visit pubs or whatever, but today I thought I would alter that because it included drinking real ale inside the ground at Falmer, ie Brighton's super new all-in stadium, in the club, in all areas of the ground; and, apparently, they supply ales from the away team's home town in the away end so they can feel at home, together with away colours and decoration etc., and the comfy padded seats too!

 

This really must be the best football ground in the country for selling real ale, also, welcoming to away fans (I really would like to find out what Sheffield ales they had for last night, and if I find out, I shall add a comment at a later date) though I was sitting with the Seagulls fans, after taking up the invitation to take up the season ticket of someone who couldn't make this match. So, for home fans, ales were supplied by Harveys and Dark Star breweries; those who know me will be aware that I will have opted for the Dark Star Hophead without a further thought. Very comfortable seats and leg room for taller people than me, and welcoming to away fans, so I'm told, so I was glad to visit.  Oh yes, they also sold Beer Rocks Summer Ale (3.9%); but, as they appear to be a supplier of ales, rather than a brewer, I'm still trying to find out more about this ale and who actually brews it!

Before catching the train to Falmer, we stopped off at Lewes, first drinking at the Brewers Arms, which sells up to 7 ales and a real cider too, Riddenden Cider (8%).  The 3 ales we drank between us were Harveys Sussex Best, Dark Star Hylder Blonde, and I drank the Scots brewer, Fyne Ales Avalanche, 4.5 % of pale-ish, definitely bitter, and fruity, could I work out a definite flavour? Nope, but I think I'll go for grapefruit and gooseberries; I really need to find out the hops they used!

We then visited the Lewes Arms, a Fullers pub, but one that sells guest ales from other brewers too. So the usual array, Gales HSB and Seafarers, Fullers London Pride, Summer Ale and Wild River (which I passed on this time, though it is my current favourite Fullers ale), the ubiquitous Harveys Sussex Best, and my preference this time, as it has been a while since I drank it, Butcombe Bitter from the West Country. If you've not drunk it, Butcombe is really a traditional middle of the range and medium coloured bitter at 4%, it does what it says on the tin, it's a fine quaffing bitter!

Because we were meeting lager drinkers, and it's close to the railway station, we finally visited The Royal Oak, a Greene King pub, so the usual ales, plus Hardy & Hansons Olde Trip, Ruddles County and Morland's 4.1% Old Golden Hen, which I drank, quite fruity, not bad, but a bit thin and, frankly, not much life to it.

Anyway, this was before we got to the ground and enjoyed the very good facilities there, cheers!

 

PS. We met the lovely Steph at Lewes on our return journey, nice young lass to chat with, sadly, not happy to share her chocolates with us, if you/she reads this, cheers m'dear ;-)