Return to the Bricklayers in Putney...

So much to write down, and so little time these days, or poorly organised is the reality, rather than an excuse! So, I've been to The Bricklayers Arms (website - though probably better to check Becky the landlady's twitter account for ale updates) in Putney a few times without writing about it, shame on me! 

On these visits, ales have been provided by 3 main brewers, though always others available too! The first time it was ales from Loddon Brewery (website), notably their Ferryman's Gold (4.4%), a nice pale gold bitter that I must have mentioned before! Also, Razzle Dazzle (4.3%), a very pale ale with a fruity aroma, bitter-sweet taste and dry sour aftertaste; their Hoppit Classic Bitter (3.5%), golden, quite pale, a clear crisp session bitter; and Hullabaloo (4.2%), a slightly maltier well-balanced bitter.   

In addition, another day saw the West London brewer Fullers (website) in situ, including the Gales Seafarers Ale (3.6) and their own winter ale Jack Frost (4.5%) and difficult to find Chiswick Bitter (3.5%), probably one of the finest session bitters around, if you're not into the pale hoppy type! This is seriously hard to find even in Fullers' houses, flavoursome, as dry hopped too, but not to be drunk following their ales with stronger flavour like ESB or Jack Frost, as you won't appreciate it at all...  

Finally, my most recent visit was like still being down in East Sussex, with a grand selection of Dark Star ales (website), including American Pale Ale (APA, 4.7%), Hophead (3.8%) and The Art of Darkness (3.5%), all of them being regularly consumed by me in the past. There were also Partridge Best Bitter (4%), Espresso (4.2%) and The Original (5%), sorry, I didn't try either of these 3 on my 2 visits, but the APA was excellent, the Hophead superb, both pale bitters and very hoppy, and my favourite session dark ale, The Art of Darkness, which my brother, the Routemeister, was amazed by, he hadn't really believed my hype, but it is a 'session black pale ale', no other way to describe this wonderful full-flavoured beer! 

Nearly forgot to mention the West Berkshire (website) Dr Hexters Healer (5%), a strong full-bodied bitter with a marmalade 'zestiness', and Downton (website) Chocolate Orange Delight (5.8%), a strong beer, and you can guess for yourself its flavours!   

Back again soon, cheers!   

Ales @ the Welsh Beer Festival in Putney...

As per my last blog, sorry I'm taking so long these days, I seem to have more obligations than I used to! Anyway, I made 2 visits to The Bricklayers Arms (website) over the weekend, and had quite a fun time, though with family obligations, I couldn't drink too much, which was probably just as well...

For those who haven't read my previous reports on The Bricklayers, it is, as my brother says, my "local pub in Putney". Sometimes I visit, and there are hardly any ales available from their 10 handpumps, but on other visits, like last weekend, they had approximately 100 ales on stillage, with most of them in their beer garden (some of them in the photograph below), and more on handpump inside, or waiting to be connected up in the cellar, 'twas good, though, sadly, nothing from Tiny Rebel Brewery, shame! Anyway, I only drank 11 of them (which meant I missed out on nearly 90!), mostly half-pints, a few pints, and a few repeated that I particularly enjoyed, but I'll start with the ones that come at the bottom of my list and work my way up... 

OK, so scoring at the 'average' scale, to begin with, came a pale golden bitter with a hint of cider, being a bit tart, and from a VERY new brewery (so they have time to improve), Tomos a Linford Cmrw Canu (4%). Next, slightly above average, was the 4.3% Jacobi Red Squirrel, dry, with a hint of roasted barley and nutty aftertaste. 9th was Pixie Spring Deliverance (4.5%) an "American style pale ale", very dry and bitter, but I was disappointed there was less grapefruit in the taste than I expected! Then came Grey Trees Diggers Gold (4%), more US hops, a golden bitter and very subtle citrus aroma and taste. 

Then came a 'black IPA', and from Brains too, not usually my favourite brewer, I have to admit, but this wasn't bad! Their Black Mountain (5%) does what it says on the label, though a very deep red in colour actually, roasted barley aroma, plenty of body, bitter with a dry aftertaste. Then, from Caffle, came a paler ale, Darker Side of Pale (4.4%), nearly a bronze colour, not much aroma, but decent bitter. In fifth place was the unfined Axiom New Dawn (4.2%), clearer than I thought it would be, and a pretty good pale golden bitter too. Next was Big Hand Havoc (5%), pretty good, though it tasted nothing like the tasting notes, being very dry with a hint of roasted barley in the flavour, not like an APA at all! 

The top 3 were all very good, and my scoring was finely balanced, but... drum roll... in third, I put Otley APA (4.3%), not labelled as a rye beer, but my tasting notes say it is, with a hint of elderflower too, nice one! In second, with a lovely fruity aroma and dry aftertaste, came the very good 4.5% Celt Double Dose, but my winner, of not much more than a 10% sample of all the ales remember, was the Borough Neath Full Blast... A fruity aroma, I got plum as well as citrus, and very dry and bitter, I did like this 4.7% ale, cheers!  

Top 20 pubs Part I

What pub is my favourite? I was recently asked! How to answer, as I've been to so many great pubs over the years? So, I thought, which pubs do I want to return to before I die? Then, I thought, OK let's think of 10, no 20... but I kept thinking of more! Anyway, I've decided to go for the first 20 that came to mind, excluding any where I currently live in Hastings, though I could immediately add the Swan & Rushes in Leicester or Ye Olde Black Boy in Hull, indeed, I could carry on adding, so I've decided to leave it to the first 20 I thought of. In order of merit, starting with numbers 16-20...

At number 16 is the Peter Tavy Inn (website), a 15th century pub on the western edge of Dartmoor, and, as found in many small village pubs, close by the church. The Peter Tavy Inn has been in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide for many years, and is just one of the 5 Devon pubs that came to mind for my top 20; I do have many great memories of visiting and living in Devon. I'm not sure when I first discovered this wonderful building and public house, I certainly visited here in the 1980s, when I lived in Exeter, but may have visited when staying with Devonian friends, Steve and Jude, in the 70s! Up to 5 real ales on at a time, with the latest 3 regulars being Dartmoor Jail Ale (4.8%), Tavy Ideal Pale Ale (4.8%), and Branscombe Vale Summa That (5%); you'll notice, all Devon ales, and brewed close by too. Guest ales can also come from nearby, or sometimes from further afield. 

This is in a tiny wee village, usually driven to, but I have walked there when I lived in Tavistock. Why do I chose this Inn in my 20? Well, I've many happy memories of visiting, it sells crackin' ales, and good food too, lovely building, and good to sit outside too. Strangely, I remember once visiting and seeing, for the first time ever, a tight sparkler being used to dispense Tetleys Bitter! If you are in the area, the Peter Tavy Inn certainly is worth visiting, and I do want to re-visit here before I die...   

At number 17 is the Dolphin Hotel, down near the water at the Barbican in Plymouth, so another Devon pub, and one that I did first visit in the late 1970s! This is another CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular for years, and my first memory was of the many kilderkins of Bass stillaged behind the bar, serving the ale straight from the cask, and always in crackin' form too. I have been back many times since, including most recently before a match against Argyle, and sincerely hope I haven't had my last pint there. They sell other ales from handpumps too, with up to 7 guests, plus St Austell Tribute (4.2%) as a second regular ale.

The Dolphin is often described as a bit basic, which it is, but it's also very clean and well-lived in, however, the walls are adorned with many original works donated by Beryl Cook, who used to frequent the pub; as the picture here shows! Also nearby is Cap'n Jaspers (website), renowned for good value food, particularly visited after a few pints. I remember it as a caravan type stall when I first ate there, but it is more static now in a purpose built unit. Whatever, The Dolphin's close proximity to the Barbican, and involvement with the local fishing industry, makes this a very special pub to visit when in Plymouth, I look forward to my next pint there! 

My 18th pub is the Honest Lawyer in Scunthorpe. Amusingly, Adam, of the FILO brewing businesses in Hastings, recently asked how many of the pubs I write about on my website (www.beer-meister.co.uk) I have actually visited? Of course, it's not all, though quite a few, but I do get recommendations from friends and other people I meet too. My brother, Dan, asked Adam to quiz me about any town and I'd give a suggestion. Adam thought he'd done me with Scunthorpe, so was amazed when I immediately replied with the Honest Lawyer, which I have, indeed, visited and wish to do so again, particularly as the landlord retired recently, so I'd like to compare how it changes after a year or two more. 

I've been here before and after football matches at Scunthorpe, and Alan certainly kept a tight ship with up to 8 excellent ales, and very good bar grub too, indeed, the pub had a well known restaurant upstairs too (The 'Gallows'). It is surprisingly roomy for such a narrow building, going back quite a distance, and used to have some of the best barmaids, and fittest, I'd ever met, quite a number being from Europe. Alan even used to phone up for taxis for people going to the match, I loved the place. Apparently, the ownership hasn't actually altered too much, though the new publican only has 3 real ales on sale now. An up-to-date report would be most welcomed, but, whatever, I do wish to return here before I die!  

Number 19 is a pub I have regularly reported on, as regular readers will be well aware of, and is The Bricklayers Arms (website), built in Putney in 1826, and a regular winner of the CAMRA London Pub of the Year. The Bricklayers is another 'basic' pub, I don't go in for frills so much, but like to see that pubs are clean and tidy, 'traditional' if you like, and who keep ales in excellent condition! Consequently, The Bricklayers comes into the reckoning, and I call it my 'Putney Local', it has regular beer festivals, as can be seen from its website, and the landlady, Becky, is regularly off on a charity fund raising adventure, cycling the Great Wall or whatever, but the pub stays true to her wishes when she's away. 

I first drank here at the start of the 1980s, when I still lived in London, and seem to remember it selling Fullers London Pride in those days; since then it's been a pubco pub, a Timothy Taylors pub, and now as a genuine 'free house' sells up to 10 real ales from microbreweries. Typically, there will be 6 different ales or so from a single brewery, followed by 6 or so from another, at a time, eg recently from Twickenham, Dark Star, Blackjack and Oakham breweries, with other ales from here and there. I am sure I shall return here many times, and very soon, and am amazed myself that I've placed it down at number 19, but that just shows how many great pubs there are in this country, and I hope to find many more before I die!  

Down at number 20 is the only pub on this page that I've actually worked at, though for a previous owner 2 or 3 times removed, the summer before I went to university down in Plymouth, so another Devonian pleasure! The Boringdon Arms is in Turnchapel, the other side of the River Plym 'estuary' from the Barbican in Plymouth, and from where you can catch a 'water taxi' between the two. This 18th century pub has a garden at the rear carved into the cliff/rock face, and a lovely peaceful garden it is too, certainly early in the morning and before the pub opens. I worked here in 1992 when the opening hours moved to 'all day' and they used to sell Butcombe Bitter (4%) as a regular ale, and their other regular ale was brewed by Smiles Brewery, which closed in 2005, sadly, but which was then re-badged and called Golden Guinea and sold for just £1.05 a pint (get it? A Guinea). Now the regular ales appear to be from Cornish breweries Sharps and St Austell. 

The Boringdon Arms still provides good value B&B, I believe, and crackin' food too. In the 1990s they used to have curries produced using a curry paste that an older Jack Tar made up for them, and if you managed to finish the hottest one, you got it free and received a special certificate... It was hot! I loved the position, the building, the ales and the food, and I often stayed overnight following a late evening shift, had a great breakfast, went for an early morning walk up on top, then sat out in the garden once I'd finished preparing the bar for the day... Work the lunchtime shift, then catch the bus back to Tavistock via Plymouth, great memories, and I want to return! 

I'm looking forward to more anecdotes and Part II, cheers! 

Black IPAs - oxymoron maybe, but...

I shan't waffle about what an oxymoron is, particularly as I may be reporting on all the 'Black IPAs' I have ever had as a cask ale, so I don't want to lose your interest. But how is such an ale brewed? I checked with a few brewers I know, including Brett who has recently left Hastings Brewery; good luck with your future career Brett, and many thanks for your advice! Primarily, usually malt that has been de-husked is used to provide the dark colour with as little roasted malt flavour as possible. Then, a significant amount of hops are used to provide the hoppiness, eg hops from the USA, Australia or New Zealand like Cascade, Columbus, Nelson Sauvin, Ella and Galaxy. 

OK, so lots of photographs and less writing... I drank my first Black IPA at The Wellington, Shalesmoor, just before I left Sheffield 3 years ago, and brewed by Steel City Brewing; of said brewery I've consulted with Dave "Unpronounceable", as I couldn't remember the name of the ale, and I've borrowed the photograph too, many thanks. You can guess that I haven't any notes of my drinking their Shadowplay (5.6%), but I do remember enjoying the ultra-hoppy flavour of the ale (this was early Steel City Brewing, remember, and the lads do like their hops!), and anything I was to drink later, would have to compare favourably... 

I didn't then experience a Black IPA for nearly 2 years, until I visited The Bricklayers Arms, Putney, in October 2012, where I drank Triple fff Brewery's Jabberwocky (5%), which I reported as being "a very dark bitter with hints of liquorice, very enjoyable, see, I don't just drink pale bitters!" I cannot find a record of the hops used, but am guessing American, as these Black IPAs have also been called "American", based on the style coming from the USA, and usually using just American hops at first. Indeed, I've seen this one commented on as an "American Indian Pale Ale", and I don't think they meant Native American!  

I first had Dark Star's The Art of Darkness (3.5%) a little over a year ago at The Tower, London Road, Hastings St Leonards. This isn't labelled as a "Black IPA", but strength-wise, I'd compare this like Green King IPA to stronger IPAs with hops used, only, The Art of Darkness has more hops used than most IPAs! Warrior hops are used for bittering, and flavouring is provided by an array of hops, including Chinook, Cascade, Columbus and Centennial. I have drunk this many times, as it is, well, this is how I described it the first time: "the surprise was The Art of Darkness, Dark Star adding a whopping amount of hops to make this session beer, by strength, a 'full flavoured black beer'... Not too bad a description... Yes, full of hops, refreshing, with a dry aftertaste, and I was very happy to drink more than just the one pint, excellent!"

Windsor & Eton's Conqueror (5%) was my next brush with the style, at the White Horse on Parsons Green, London SW6. This showed a difference to most of these Black IPAs, as smoked malt was used in the brew, however, substantial use of Summit and Cascade hops appeared to help the flavour acquire fruit, nut and bitter hoppiness. Incidentally, the beer label design is based on William the Conqueror's shield. 

Back to a more 'typical' Black IPA, and brewed by my old buddies at Steel City Brewing again, this time at The Albatross Club (Royal Air Force Association) in Bexhill on Sea, their In The Nightside Eclipse (5.5%). Hops used were Columbus and Magnum for bitterness, and what they term their "holy trinity of Galaxy, Mosaic and Nelson Sauvin for flavour." Extra Galaxy and Mosaic were added to the fermenter, and casks were dry hopped with Mosaic, this was another genuine hoppy ale from Steel City, Sheffield, bitter with even a hint of grapefruit, nice one!

I'm nearing the end of this blog, so you've done well, cheers! In October, at The Gardeners Arms in Lewes, I had the Black Iris Black Mountain (5.9%), I cannot find any information about the brew, but am guessing Cascade hops were used, to keep in with the American style, maybe... I found this did what it said on the label, it was very dark, full bodied, and very hoppy, as I said then, "gorgeous!" 

My penultimate ale, for this blog, is Blue Monkey's Bonobo (5.3%), which I had in January, during my first ever visit to the new-ish Oakham Brewery pub in Kennington, London, The Mansion House. Again, I cannot find anything about the brew itself, but guess Cascade hops were used, seems likely anyway, or something like them... I found it to be a lighter flavour than I'd have expected before gaining experience of Black IPAs, and a bit too easy to drink for its strength! But, to my last word for now...    

Brewed on my own doorstep, and let's hope they keep up the good work that Brett appears to have been highly influential in with their very good hoppy 'Handmade' series, Hastings Brewery No 11 Black IPA (5.4%). This is brewed with Ella hops (formerly Stella in name, until a certain brewery company stuck their legal nose in), and is close to what I would always expect from this style. Very dark, very hoppy, tastes 'lighter' and more citrus fruity than a dark ale really should, nice and dry too, I like it... I have had this at both The Tower and The Albatross Club recently, both being very supportive of local and microbrewers, nice one, cheers!  

Back to the Bricklayers Arms, Putney, always a pleasure...

Visited my brother, Dan the Routemeister, so a trip to the Bricklayers Arms was merited, and many crackin' ales from their handpumps...

Dark Star Hophead was receiving a walloping from the locals, deservedly so, great ale, but I couldn't go there, it's one of my regular supping ales anyway, and there was a fair choice of other ales too, so... we started with the Ilkley Pale, a 4.2% very nice pale bitter, as I expected. Packed with flavour for a 4.2% ale, grapefruit flavour, nice and dry finish; Dan stayed on this, but there were 3 ales from Blackjack Brewery, from Manchester, I do believe... 

And the fire was lit too! How the weather has changed. Anyway, they had Black Jack's Stout (5%), "Chocolate and liquorice notes", says the blurb on the pumpclip, and the 2 I tried; their Aces High IPA, a 5.5% rich and complicated pale bitter, claims to grapefruit, but not so much as the Ilkley Pale, despite more strength. I also tried their Four of a Kind (6.2%), you get the theme ;-) Four hops used, all with names beginning with C, so you can guess the flavours that came through from Cascade, Columbus, Chinook and Centennial hops... Citrus and fruit galore, the ale tasted a wee bit darker than it looked, but pretty decent to drink, indeed...

Always a pub to visit if in the area. Cheers! 

Birthday bash at the Bricklayers Arms, Putney...

So, when at my brother's abode, where do I go for my birthday ales? Of course, the Bricklayers Arms (website) in Putney, which included, on the bar, 4 ales from Oakham, and 5 from Dark Star, two of my favourite breweries, Happy Birthday Moi! 

First, I went for the Dark Star, serving Hophead (3.8%), The Original (5%), Genesis (4.7%), Partridge (4%), and a new one for me, Elderskelter. I'll have reported on most of these, but definitely not the 3.7% Elderskelter, a very refreshing pale bitter, citrus flavour, with a fruity aroma, and for the Oakham Brewery, celebrating its 20th anniversary, well done to Oakham and their successful business!  

Oakham... included an old favourite session bitter JHB (3.8%) and Rerun (5.5%), and the 2 I drank; plus the excellent Bishop's Farewell to come, sadly missed by me. One was the very good Scarlet Macaw (4.4%), which I have already reported on, but my notes say "Tastes more than 4.4%, body++, lots of dry bitterness, fruity aroma", there you go. The other Oakham ale was an excellent ale celebrating the 20 year anniversary, called 20 Years (5.8%), "fruity aroma++, grapefruit, and taste++", I liked it!

So, me celebrating a few more years than 20, but celebrations all round, had a great weekend, cheers to the Routemeister!

The Bricklayers Arms in Putney, February 2013

So, 2 visits to the Bricklayers Arms in Putney in just a few days of February… First with my brother, the ‘Routemeister’, then alone-ish; but I’m never alone, obviously, as I chat so much.  As Dan says, this is MY local in Putney, not his, despite his living very close and me not. Always, up to 12 real ales available, unless a beer festival is in progress, or just ended, and then, well, the Pub’s your oyster… eg the current 'Yorkshire Beer Festival', 20^th to 24^th February (website), which should be a home from home for me, though I’ll, sadly, not be able to make this one.  

Amongst the many ales available on the Thursday were Front Row Collapsed (5.6%), a full bodied pale beer; Downton Dark Delight (5.5%), with a dark roasted malt flavour; Sarah Hughes Pale Amber, a 4% easy drinking pale beer; and Otley Rosie, a 4.3% redcurrant/berry flavoured ale.  On the Monday were ales including Downton Chimera IPA (6.8%) and Chocolate Orange Delight (5.8%), and Hobsons Old Henry, a 5.2% rich ‘auburn’ ale, Mild (3.2%) and Town Crier, an excellent 4.5% pale bitter!  

 

Then I walked back to Clapham Junction, but you, please do try to make the beer festival (me? Jealous much) - cheers!  

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!

Sunday 9th September 2012

Sunday was more work, and a bit busier lunchtime back at the Bricklayers Arms, but fewer ales available on Sunday...

 

We drank the excellent 'wheat beer' Wolf Brewery Straw Dog at 4.5%, pale and refreshing, slightly fruity and a hint of being 'sour', very European in style, and very enjoyable, so much so, that we had 3 pints with our sandwiches, this time bought in Sainsbury's...

When I left the Routemeister's new abode in Putney, I walked down to the Upper Richmond Road and caught the 337 bus to Clapham Junction, happily arriving early enough to step into the Falcon before catching my train...

Here, at the longest pub bar (according to the Guinness Book of Records), from the great array of ales available, I drank the Itchen Valley Calypso, a 4.1% 'American Pale Ale', ie, American hops. Not bad, but I missed the opportunity to drink another Purity ale, as I'd not spotted it on my arrival, oh well...

 

Cheers! 

Friday 7th September 2012 Bricklayers Arms, Putney

We concentrated more on helping my bro, the 'Routemeister', to move to Putney today, but we did make lunchtime and evening visits to his new 'local', though he reckons it's more MY new Putney local, The Bricklayers Arms, a regular London CAMRA Pub of the Year...

 

Lunchtime was very quiet, as you can see from this photograph from where we were sitting in the 'garden'. No food here, but they were happy to accept us bringing our own sandwiches from Waitrose in Putney High Street. There are 12 ales served from handpumps here and a real cider.

 

We only tried 3 of the ales available today, the Sunny Republic Beach Blonde at 3.7%, a sweetish fruity ale (website at Sunny Republic); Plain Ales Inn the Sun, a 4.6% 'blonde bitter' (website at Plain Ales), the Routemeister's favourite lunchtime drink today, an easy to drink 'fruity' pale ale; and my preference, though I had a try at the three of them, the Art Brew Bouncy, 5.2% of in your face hops, 5 hops actually, pale, dry, bitter, loved it! Website at Art Brew...

When we returned in the evening, I continued drinking the Bouncy, why not, it's pretty good?!? The Routemeister, ie my bro, Dan, started with the Inn the Sun, but couldn't resist drinking the Bouncy before we left. Great day drinking Bouncy, oh yes, and a a bit knackered with all the lifting, so slept well...

Zzzzz....

Wednesday 15th August, great ale and disappointment too...

We were thinking about another long walk today, ie 15th, but only managed about 6 miles or so in total... the rain put us off...

But, not before we stopped at the excellent, as ever, Dove, by the Thames in Hammersmith. I love this pub, probably in my Top Ten of pubs, a Fullers house, where we drank the excellent 4.5% Wild River, sat overlooking the Thames out the back, well, generally enjoyed ourselves in a very laid back fashion.

We also went inside for a while, and this is a very atmospheric older pub, but my brother, the 'Routemeister', decided to take an amusing (to him) photograph, cheers Dan!

From The Dove, we went to the other great Fullers pub in Hammersmith, the Salutation in Kings Street, where we drank more of the excellent Wild River, well, you have to when it's on, as, apart from the London Porter and darker ales, this is, in my opinion, the best bitter they brew... There! I said it, I even prefer it to London Pride.

I also love the front of the Salutation, and the tiling inside, which gives it a unique decoration. From here, though, we headed back along the Thames to Putney and we made our first ever visit to The Cat's Back, a Harveys house in Wandsworth!

Now, as you'll realise, even though I live in Sussex, I rarely drink Harveys, but this meant I had to. We tried the Olympia Golden Ale (4.3%) at first, a golden ale, but sadly, about to go off... so, the wonderful Natalie, the landlady, poured us out some Tom Paine (5.5%), an ale the Routemeister said I should drink, my respecting the man himself an' all... A very good darker ale, though not tasting too heavy, but quite bitter, nice one!

Oh, by the way, they also had the ubiquitous, at least down in Sussex, Sussex Best and Sussex Dark Mild, though they do change their ales regularly. We'll be back...

From here we returned to the Bricklayers Arms, as described yesterday, still had the Fyne Ale on, so happy to appreciate that again, and it is crackin'!

I had a pint of Kelham Island Pale Rider at the Falcon, Clapham Junction, just before I caught my train back to Sussex; having brewed this ale myself, I hardly recognised it! It's either had a recipe change, big time, or they'd served up the wrong ale from the pump in error, or, frankly, something had gone wrong? Drinkable, but not the Pale Rider I remember... Dave Wickett would be turning in his grave RIP.

When I got back to Hastings at 22.30, sadly, Frank's Front Room wasn't open, looking like it had just closed, so I dropped into Pissarros, where another lovely barmaid, Lucie, served up a pint of Long Man Long Blonde, and I met my neighbour, Robert, to have a chat with.  Now, I've appreciated Long Man ales so far, but this wasn't great, I suspect it was on the way out... not completely my day today then!

Oh well, next time... Cheers!

More than 20 miles...

Tuesday 14th August started off with a very long walk along the Thames from Putney to Brentford and up the Grand Union Canal/River Brent, first stop, and very thirsty we were too, was The Lamb in Norwood Green, which only sold one ale, Fullers London Pride, but we were in West London after all! Crackin' pint, lovely friendly barmaid, Doulla (a Greek name, I think), who managed to either ignore my flirting, or just didn't realise I was, love it!

Doulla pointed us towards 2 other canal side pubs nearby, but a combination of them not looking great, and being too close anyway, meant we carried on... for ages!

...to Greenford and The Black Horse, as you can see, a Fullers house! Here, the very lovely Valerie, who had a great knowledge of West London pubs and Fullers ales, served us up a few pints of the refreshing Gales Seafarers, very welcome indeed... 

We then walked on to Scrubs Lane, Wormwood Scrubs, and caught a 220 bus back to Putney, a welcome relief after walking over 20 miles, thank you! 

Before ending our rather long pub crawl, we dropped into The Bricklayers Arms in Putney, a previous CAMRA champion pub of London, and certainly a great real ale oasis, with loadsa ales on sale!!  OK, I can't be bothered to name them all, but suffice to say over a dozen ales served up by the lovely Sarah, including bitters and stouts etc; nb Moorhouses Pendle Witches Brew, which the Routemeister had a couple of pints of, and Fyne Ales (all the way from Scotland) Jarl, a crackin' dry, pale and hoppy (very) bitter, at only 3.8%, but what flavour!

Great day, great walk, great ales, great pubs and barmaids, loved it :-)

Cheers!





The Beer-Meister's Pub of the Day #2 - The Bricklayer's Arms, Putney, SW15

Owing to the fact we were literally "all at sea" yesterday, there will be 2 pubs of the day today. Aren't you lucky things? The Beer-Meister just keeps on giving, it really does.

The Bricklayer's Arms

A warm and welcoming, family run pub, The Bricklayer's Arms is an absolute treat of an away day pub for anyone visiting Fulham or Chelsea (Stamford Bridge is just a short hop on the tube away).

 Putney's Finest?

I visited this pub back in January 2008 before QPR's FA Cup 3rd Round tie at Stamford Bridge. At the time, we had just been taken over by Flavio Briatore and his consortium of billionaires. This was an ideal place to meet with friends and discuss how bright the club's future would be. There was a revolutionary air about the place. As it was, we lost the game that Saturday afternoon but were by no means disgraced by our near neighbours Chelsea and the pub holds happy memories for me.

"London's Permanent Beer Festival"



Fast forward a few years and although Flavio and Bernie are no more associated with my beloved Superhoops, I am looking forward to visiting this pub when we visit local-rivals Fulham at Craven Cottage (just over the river) in the not too distant future. Premiership football and the ticket prices that go with it may mean that I only stay for the one or two!

Predictably busy for Fulham home games but certainly one to visit if you keep your colours covered up and are respectful and friendly to the locals. Why would you be anything else eh?

"London's Permanent Beer Festival" always has a selection of beers and hand pumps available. This is a lovely pub which certainly warmed the cockles on that fresh January afternoon.

I won't try to do the pub's rich history justice and would instead lazilly prompt you to click the link to London Drinker's review. 

There are plenty of options for anyone visiting London for an away game, but give this little gem a look next time you're in Putney.