Meridian's GB pub crawl (Beer edition)

[MeridianFC]

Because I'm an inverterate list maker and drunkard, I was having a wee reminisce about my recent trip. I cataloged almost all of the beers I tried, where sobriety permitted. If I have time I might put the tasting notes up, which in some cases are barely legible scrawls alluding to the room color.

Lord do I wish real ale had more of a foothold over here. Spending $7-10 at RFD for a grand choice of 1 beer is no way to live, as prices in GB seemed to be £1.55 at the low end and about £2.40 at the high, with odd exceptions either way.

Cask
Adnams - Broadside
Arran - Blonde
Belhaven - 70/-
Belhaven - 80/-
Cairngorm - Tradewinds
Cairngorm - Santa's Sledgehammer
Cairngorm - Nessie's Monster Mash
Cairngorm - Witch's Cauldron
Caledonian - Deuchars IPA
Castlerock - Nottingham Dark Stout
Clarke - Christmas Man
Dark Star - Best
Dowbridge - Bonum Mild
Exmoor - Gold
Greene Kings - IPA
Hambledon - Back In A Flash
Hancock - IPA
Harviestoun - Bitter & Twisted
Harviestoun - Special Beer for Bow Bar Festival
Hopdeamon - Scrimshander
Houston - Killellan
Houston - St. Peter's Well
Meantime - Blonde
McEwans - 80/-
McMullen - AK
McMullen - Country Best Bitter
Museum - Witch Dripping
Newtonmore Kingussie - Creag Dubh
Oakleaf - Farmhouse
Orkney - Raven
Pictish - Brewers Gold
Ridley's - Old Bob
Ridley's - IPA
Springhead - Bare Bones
St. Austell - Tribute
Three Bees - Mild
Timothy Taylor - Landlord
Wadsworth - 6X
Wold - Mars Magic
Wye Valley - Santa's Helper
Wyndham - Special Beer for Bow Bar Festival
Yates - Bees Knees
Young's - Bitter
Young's - Special Bitter
Young's - Winter Warmer

Keg
Caledonian - 80/-
Meantime - Gold
Meantime - Red
Meantime - Chocolate
Meantime - White
Meantime - Lager
St. Christofel - Blonde
Staroprammen - Lager
Young's - Double Chocolate Stout

Bottle
Wychwood - Hobgoblin
Young's - Plum Pudding

A Few Top Notch Pubs, Drinking Shops, and Booze Emporia
Bow Bar (Edinburgh) - could be my favorite bar on planet earth.
Starbank (Leith)
Royal Oak (Edinburgh - late license!)
Four Marys (Linlithgow)
Blackfriars (Glasgow - not before games though)
the Angel (London)
Richard I (London)
Meantime (London - next door to above!)
etc. I'll have to look at my list as I'm trying to do this one from my hazy memory. I've a dogeared and beer soaked copy of the CAMRA guide to show for all my troubles.

and big ups to the 22nd annual Pigs Ear Beer Festival in Stratford.

[655321]

God grant me the serenity...

[angus_hooligan]

Last time I was there I did the Queen's pub crawl. It was like 12 pubs in London. Got a t-shirt for doing so.

If you get a chance try having a pint down at The Prospect of Whitbey. The oldest pub in London (Oldest in England is in York). It's pretty nice. There is a noose on the back deck overseeing the Themes where they used to hang criminals.

[MeridianFC]

If I had a dime for everytime I heard that something was the "oldest (insert thing here)" in England, Britain, Europe, etc. I'd have a lot of dimes. FWIW I heard that the Jeruselam in Nottingham was the oldest in England.

655321,

I'm not God so I can't offer you serenity, but I can give you a break. ;)

[joshdcu]

Kelly,

After reading that list, I'm impressed that you can remember anything at all... Nice work!

[MeridianFC]

Josh? That name sounds familiar....

;)

[liverbird]

Originally posted by 655321
God grant me the serenity...

LOFL!!

[MeridianFC]

For those in the US with an interest in real ale I came across this:

http://www.realalefestival.com/index.html

I think there's one in NY too, but I haven't found anything definite yet.

[Dyvel]

Lets Talk About Beer (http://www.realbeer.com/discussions/index.php)