9th & 10th October, still in London.

Thursday evening, the 'Routemeister' and I drank in his new local, though he likes to say it's MY local in Putney, The Bricklayers Arms, (website) which had had a Kent beer festival very recently, and was still selling just ales brewed in Kent... A sort of home from home for me these days!

 

Anyway, we had a choice of Kent beers that included Downton's German Pale Ale and Quad Hop; Old Dairy Soft Top, a 3.5% dark mild; Kent Brewery Cobnut, a 4.1% ruby ale; Nelson Brewery Powder Monkey, and a few others...

 

We drank the 2 Downton ales, we both had the German Pale Ale, a 4.2% pale bitter, and I also tried the Quad Hop, which I'm sure I've had before, a 3.9%, even dryer and more bitter pale ale. Both were very drinkable, thank you!

 

We returned to The Bricklayers for our Wednesday late lunch, having done a bit of work in the Routemeister's flat into the afternoon.  Now, they don't do meals here, but we sat outside with sandwiches we'd brought with us, which they were happy for us to do, swilling even more ale; Dan sticking to the German Pale Ale we'd had a few pints of the evening before, but I progressed to a few pints of the Nelson Powder Monkey, a 4.4% even dryer pale bitter! Loved it...

 

Just to the left of the bar as we entered, the same bloke was drinking there who had been there with a mate the evening before, not sure if he'd moved, but, with the lovely Hungarian barmaid, Anett, very ably serving the ale today, I could see a good reason for being there that afternoon session too.

I returned home, late that evening, via Clapham Junction, and a drink at The Roundhouse (website) at nearby Wandsworth Common, and I have written about this place before.  Indeed, I used to go there quite often when I still lived in London, as they had a lot of live music in those days, but not so much these days, apparently.  

 

I had a good chat to the barman, a Scot from Stirling, and I drank the Hobsons Town Crier, another pale golden ale, 4.5%, with a slightly nutty hop character.  This was not even a 'Hobson's Choice' though, as they also had Sambrook's Wandle Bitter and a 3.4% Adnams beer Lighthouse. 

 

Then I walked the short distance to Clapham Junction Railway Station and caught the train home... Cheers!

A tale of 2 cities + a town - part 1 - London

11th and 12th June 2012, arrived in London, Clapham Junction to be more precise, on Monday 11th, and left for Sheffield on Tuesday 12th. On my way over to the family 'seat' in Southfields, I soon passed, well nearly got by, I soon entered the Roundhouse, 2 Northside, Wandsworth Common...  

The Roundhouse, as I'm sure I've said before, was an old haunt of mine in my yoof, it's a bit more upmarket now, but very pleasant, with charming barstaff, many thanks to them.  It doesn't open for lunches until the weekend, so be careful if planning a visit (see website); music provided on Saturday afternoons is jazz.

They sell 3 ales, today they had Sambrooks Wandle Bitter, Sharps Doombar and Mad Goose Purity Pale Ale at 4.2%, the last of which I drank before embarking further towards my goal. Pretty much what you'd expect from such a beer, and knowing my tastes, light coloured pale beer, bitter, loved it! 

I then visited the Pig & Whistle, on the corner of Penwith Road and Merton Road in Southfields SW18, a Youngs house, which I remember as a kid being an off licence, shop and a house. I had a pint of the Ordinary, which was in fine condition, and a slice of Chocolate and Zucchini cake, which was also pleasant!

On Tuesday, I caught a train up to Sheffield, but, as Kieran wrote such a fine piece on the new Fullers pub at Kings Cross station, The Parcel Yard, I thought I should visit too, being in the area (St Pancras). 10 ales on 12 handpumps, including the usual Fullers and Gales ales you would expect, and guests from Adnams (Ghostship at 4.5%), Butcombe Bitter, and a 'seasonal' Fullers Hope and Glory (4.7%), yes, a 'jubilee' ale, slightly sweet and malty, with a nuttty and dry aftertaste.

Cheers! 

The Roundhouse - Penultimate stop today (10th)

The Roundhouse, Wandsworth Common North Side, is another old haunt of mine, had a few beers here, and seen a few groups too, and it remains a place for gigs, but also is an eatery, and has been done up winebar-ish, nice though. The food looks good, available lunch and evenings, apparently a great roast on Sundays; not the cheapest prices, but reasonable for the area, and around the Junction is a bit more upmarket than in my yoof!

The place was packed with young things along the left as you come in, leaving the right hand side vacant for us, and some others that came in soon after us.

There were 3 ales on offer, the Wandsworth brewed Sambrooks Wandle (regular), Hogs Back TEA (virtually a regular, apparently on about 80% of the time), plus a guest, for us it was Purity's Pure Ubu, a cracking 4.5% golden ale!