The Betsey Trotwood, Farringdon 22nd March 2007

Planned on going to the Jerusalem Tavern on Britton Street round the corner but it was full and smoky so I suggested the Betsey as I'd never been there before.

A Shepherd Neame pub, there were three beers available and we tried two.

Shepherd Neame Early Bird (4.3%): Darker and redder than I expected, this was light and hoppy tasting and was served fairly cold. When it warmed up it lost some of its flavour.
Shepherd Neame Bishops Finger (5.0%): Rounded and sweet malty beer.

Rather worryingly, the very pleasant staff did not know the strengths of the beers, although they offered tasters.

This lovely small pub has a vibrant live music scene run from the space downstairs.

The Dun Horse, Mannings Heath, Horsham 20th March 2007

Was given a lift and we stopped here for a swift half on the way home.

Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter (4.0%): Tasty as always from this excellent pub.

Didn't stay long but as usual the staff were friendly and the atmosphere was great.

The Malt Shovel, Horsham 19th March 2007

Again, needed to watch England playing in the cricket world cup, so went to the pub in Horsham most likely to be showing it.

The match lasted for eight hours, so I was able to taste several beers...

O'Hanlon's Firefly (3.7%): Slightly wooly tasting and indistinct, but still acceptable bitter. Apparently this is organic bitter.
Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter (4.0%): The first pint was strangely watery tasting and not so good, but the second and third were lovely and of the standard I would expect here.
Ventnor Pistol Night (4.4%): Pleasant beer with an initial taste of bitter hops and a sweet warm aftertaste.
Timothy Taylor Landlord (4.3%): Very light coloured slightly hoppy beer. Good but I have tasted better pints of this.
Brakspear Bitter (3.4%): Unpleasant thick sweet beer.

The cricket was boring but the beers were ok. Unfortunately the pub was really smoky and I was coughing for a proportion of the afternoon.

NB Sorry no picture due to no camera. See the comment on the Sussex CAMRA Beer Festival entry for details.

The Horseshoe, Clerkenwell 16th March 2007

It was necessary to find a venue to watch the cricket on Sky, as England were playing, and the Horseshoe was the obvious place.

Local to work (about three doors away) and serving real ale, the Horseshoe can generally be relied upon to show cricket when it's on.

Sharp's Cornish Coaster (3.6%): Better than I remember it here, this is the house beer and lovely too. Not quite as good as Sharp's Doom Bar Bitter, but they don't serve that!

I have no idea why this lovely little pub in Clerkenwell, which incidentally has a room upstairs where the Islington Folk Club meets as well as a reasonably large beer garden, has a house bitter from Cornwall, but it's damn fine so I'm not complaining.

NB Photo from personal stock as I have no camera (see comment on Sussex CAMRA Beer Festival entry for details).

World Beer Tasting, Storrington 10th March 2007

Had the chance to taste some world beers in Storrington, so couldn't really pass this up. Unfortunately it was the morning after I'd tasted 38 beers at the Sussex CAMRA beer festival, so I wasn't as bright as I could have been.

We tasted 16 beers and I was very excited to see Goose Island IPA from America on the list. This is a beer I've been wanting to taste for a long time. It was, as I had thought from written descriptions, my ideal beer in a bottle. Fairly strong (5.9%) and incredibly hoppy. Lovely.

Sussex CAMRA Beer Festival, Hove 9th March 2007

Thought it was only right to go down to Hove to see what the Sussex CAMRA beer festival had to offer.

I tried a total of 38 different beers, and, amazingly, I managed to write what reads back as fairly sensible tasting notes about each one. As it was a festival and I was on official duty, I marked each on a scale of 1 to 5.

There were two bars: a National one and a Sussex one. Here are my notes on all the beers, in the order they appeeared in the programme rather than the tasting order, as that seems to have slipped my mind.

Sussex Bar Beers
1648 Brewery Saint George (4.5%): Lovely light beer with an incredibly hoppy taste. 4
Fallen Angel Caribbean Lime Lager (4.5%): The most revolting real beer I have ever tasted. The person serving it suggested it tasted like "a real ale version of an alcopop". 0
Fallen Angel Kama Sutra (4.0%): Good dark malty beer with a hint of coffee. 3
FILO Ginger Tom (4.4%): Initial taste is rather unpleasant but it warms into a tasty drink. 3
Harvey's 1859 Porter (4.8%): Stunning dark, mellow yet hoppy beer with a coffee aroma. 4
Harvey's Tom Paine (5.5%): Delicate floral hoppy bitter. Could easily be 3.8% and therefore dangerous. 4
Hepworth Prospect (4.5%): Interesting bitter that I can only describe as tasting of straw (Is it fuggles hops I taste?). A decent pint. 4
Rectory Traditional Sweet Stout (4.2%): Incredibly yummy stout with a distinct taste of pineapple. My beer of the festival. 5

National Bar Beers
Archers Spirit of the Sea (4.4%): A lovely hoppy sparky bitter with a heather aroma. 3
Arran Ale (3.8%): Very dry bitter beer with a tangy taste. 3
Brentwood Honey Bunny (4.1%): Very light beer with a hop flavour. 3
Brentwood Rollaway the Stone (4.5%): Interesting best, with a bitter hop taste. 3
Butcombe Bitter (4.0%): Tasty fuity hoppy bitter. 3
Enville Saaz (4.2%): Deceptively light coloured bitter with a huge malty flavour. 4
Farnham Sniper (3.8%): Very unusual. Reminiscent of bad breath. Someone else described it as cheese flavoured. Not good. 2
Grand Union Honey Porter (4.9%): Caramelly but bitter. Not the greatest porter. 3
Goffs White Knight (4.7%): Hoppy bitter but lacking other flavour. Drinkable but not notable. 3
Great Orme Orme IPA (3.8%): Nothing special but pleasant. Very weak for an IPA. 3
Greenwood Icicle (4.2%): Flavourless hoppy beer. Not hugely impressive. 3
Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter (4.0%): Mellow best bitter. The best it's tasted outside Lewes.
Hidden Pint (3.8%): A well as a clever name ("mine's a pint"), this had a hoppy taste and was tangy, smooth and refreshing. 3
Hogs Back T.E.A. (4.2%): Decent well-hopped bitter with a nice, rounded flavour. 4
Hopdaemon Skrimshander IPA (4.5%): Nice hoppy bitter. A good choice for a pint. 4
Itchen Valley 1644 Battle of Cheriton (4.4%): Very hoppy pale yellow brew with a tangy after taste. 3
Malvern Hills Priessnitz Plsen (4.3%): Tangy sweet lager style beer. 3
Mayfields Auntie Myrtles (5.0%): A big hit of banana flavour and not enough bitter hops to make this a really good beer. 3
Milton Neptune (3.8%): Delicious beer with a clean hoppy aftertaste. 3
Nethergate Bar Fly (3.9%): Very drinkable golden bitter with a gorgeous explosive hoppy fruity taste. 5
O'Hanlon's Wheat Beer (4.0%): Very sharp although pleasant and hoppy. 4
Oakleaf I Can't Believe It's Not Bitter (4.9%): Someone had to, didn't they? Zesty lemony beer that I can easily believe is lager, not bitter. 3
Palmer Best Bitter IPA (4.2%): Very warming yet hoppy smooth beer with a delicate aftertaste. 3
Pilgrim Excalibur (4.5%): A sweet mellow bitter which doesn't quite taste its strength. 3
Rebellion Deserter (4.2%): A warm creamy malty beer with a deep red colour. 4
Rebellion Roasted Nuts (4.6%): Yummy, warm and rich but not quite up to this brewery's usual standard. 3
Sharp's Doom Bar Bitter (4.0%): Pleasant crispy hoppy bitter. 4
Skinner's Heligan Honey (4.0%): Tasty and unusual. 4
Water Mill Dogs Dinner (4.0%): Very bitter beer with a strong bitter hop taste. 3

If that's too much to read, the two that really stood out were the Traditional Sweet Stout from the Rectory brewery, and the Nethergate Bar Fly. And the one I wouldn't recommend is the Carribean Lime Lager from Fallen Angel.

I apologise for the poor quality photo, but after trying so much beer, photography is not so easy.

The Malt Shovel, Horsham 8th March 2007

This was the last monthly music session in the Malt Shovel for the winter, for some complicated reason I don't fully understand to do with morris dancers.

Anyway, even though I was really tired and not in the mood for a night out, I thought I better make the effort.

Wood's Parish Bitter (4.0%): Delicious bitter with a crisp hoppy taste and mellow undertones. Refreshing.
Brakspear Bitter (3.4%): Absolutely revolting. Tastes like burnt hair. The first time in a long time I've taken a drink back to the bar. Apparently others were drinking it without complaint so maybe it was the glass.
Adnam's Bitter (3.7%): Tasty as ever although possibly a little past its best. Unlikely in this pub.
Flower's Original (4.3%): Creamy smooth with a very sweet thick and heavy aftertaste, with a hint of Caffreys and other smooth beers. The beermad.org.uk website suggests it is brewed by Badger. I can't imagine what they do to it.
Fuller's Gale's HSB (4.8%): Refreshing and far too drinkable for a 4.8% beer. Dangerous!
Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter (4.0%): Decent bitter but in no way reminiscent of how it tastes in Lewes.
Caledonian Deuchar's IPA (3.8): Tangy lemony light beer. Lovely.

Needless to say neither of the bar staff knew what the Brakspear was supposed to taste like when I took it back, but they were pleasant and happy to change it for me.

Another good evening out with lots of musicians, lots of listeners (who actually clapped), and plenty of free beer.

The Foresters Arms, Horsham 4th March 2007

Got a lift back to Horsham from the future in-laws and somehow ended up in the Foresters. Today seems to have turned into a bit of a pub crawl!

Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter (4.0%): Had this once already today and it tastes just as good here. Lovely.

Another jolly landlord at another cozy pub. I am enjoying living in Horsham.

The Dun Horse, Mannings Heath, Horsham 4th March 2007

Had a hour to kill in Mannings Heath so it seemed sensible to do some beer testing in the Dun Horse.

Timothy Taylor Landlord (4.3%): Crisp hoppy bitter straight from the barrel. Lovely!
Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter (4.0%): Wow. The fourth excellent beer today. There are some really good beers to be found in this area.

A lovely cozy pub with an open roaring fire and a landlord who seems to care about his customers. Would make a stunning local if you lived nearby.

The Plough, Rusper, Horsham 4th March 2007

Popped in for a swift lunchtime pint and stayed for three because the beer was so good.

Hepworth Old Ale (4.7%): Smooth dark beer with plenty of flavour. Delicious.

Sharp's Doom Bar Bitter (4.0%): A stunning pint of excellent bitter. Caramel flavoured but not too sweet with a hint of delicate bitter hoppiness.

A beautiful old pub with a open fire and lots of beams. It's only downside appeared to be the claustrophobic feeling at the bar. The landlord certainly knows how to keep beer!

The Bridge House, Copsale, Horsham 3rd March 2007

Although when we first arrived the pub was very smoky and smelly, this turned out to be quite an exciting night. The beer was better than expected, the company was great, so was the band, and we got to watch the eclipse of the moon.

Badger Best Bitter (4.0%): A decent pint of tasty bitter. Ok, several pints of tasty bitter. So good I couldn't muster the enthusiasm to try the Sussex bitter also on offer.

It strikes me that Hall & Woodhouse AKA Badger may be trying to phase out their "King & Barnes Sussex" beer by making it less pleasant while maintaining the good standard of their best bitter. Now that would be a shame.

The Crown, Farringdon 2nd March 2007

Work colleagues persuaded me into a pub which is usually far too busy for me to frequent. It was only 4pm and relatively quiet.

Adnam's Bitter (3.7%): Delicious 'proper' bitter which on a Friday afternoon was very welcome. I do like this beer.

I suppose I have to face the fact that this is a very good pub. The beer is kept well, they have a range of malt whiskies as well as a range of Belgian beers.

As long as its not Thursday or Friday after about 5.30pm, you might even get served within a few minutes.

Oh and there's a great space to sit outside on Clerkenwell Green in the warmer months.

The Blue Ship, The Haven, Billingshurst 1st March 2007

This interesting old pub served bitter on gravity. We were here to play in the music session but the front bar was so full we could hardly get a seat (two people were sitting in the fireplace), and I'm not convinced the regulars, some of whom were eating dinner, were terribly enthusiastic about the intrusion.

Badger King and Barnes' Sussex Bitter (3.5%): Having had this a couple of times before I wasn't expacting much. And I was pleasantly surprised; this was the first time that I can say this beer has tasted palatable. Still a long way from being a great pint.

Badger Best Bitter (4.0%): Tasty decent house bitter.

Having enjoyed a pint of Badger Best and played a few tunes, we didn't stay long.

The Black Horse, Nuthurst, Horsham 25th February 2007

Popped into the Black Horse as we had the use of a car for the afternoon and had some lunch.

King Winter's T'Ale (4.1%): An interestingly flavoured bitter with a strong ginger smell and taste. A good choice to drink in this delightful cozy pub with an open fire (warmer than the picture suggests), on a rainy Sunday afternoon in February.

Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter (4.0%): An excellent pint which tastes heavier and more bitter than it did in it's home territory of Lewes yesterday.

The food was good and its just a shame you need a car to get here. A lovely pub.

The Lewes Arms, Lewes 24th February 2007

The last entry in the old Good Beer Guide we had, this was the final stop on the pub crawl. We had been warned that it has been taken over by Greene King and some of the locals now stay away. Sure enough, even before we got inside, we saw the sign which said "don't mention the H word".

Hardy & Hanson's Olde Trip Ale (4.3): Slight deja vu as the previous pub had this on as well. Not as fresh and hoppy as before but still a pleasant drink.
Highgate Davenport's Original Bitter (4.0): Light beer in all respects. Not a huge amount of flavour but it stands up to the alcohol content.

This is a very old and beautiful town pub with several small rooms and lots of memorabilia around the walls. Although the beer was drinkable, I can to some extent understand the locals' displeasure at not being able to drink their grand local brew in this lovely venue.

After a swift half here we went back to the John Harvey for some food and a beer then back to the Lansdown to hear the band (and for another beer).

An excellent pub crawl. Lewes is well worth a visit, especially as it is easily accessible by train.

The Royal Oak, Lewes 24th February 2007

In a prominent position in the town, we found ourselves walking past here several times so it only seemed right to pop in and see what was on offer. This is a Greene King pub and therefore does not serve Harvey's.

Bateman's XXXB (4.8%): A creamy smooth bitter with a mellow taste.
Hardy & Hanson's Olde Trip Ale (4.3%): Tasty fresh hoppy bitter.

Another big pub in the town centre, this was remarkably empty for a Saturday evening.

The Lansdown Arms, Lewes 24th February 2007

This pub was next on the list. Looking like a 'city' pub, it was short on space but big on weird artwork; full of young people and we were recommended to return later to hear the band "Turning Green".

Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter (4.0%): This is the fourth pub I've visited today and they've all had this beer on. And I've sampled it in each pub. And it has been consistently excellent.

We did indeed pop back later and eventually (an hour and 20 minutes late, once the bass player had arrived) the band started. Unfortunately although the musicians were capable, the music wasn't anything we hadn't heard before, as well as being very loud for the small space. At this point we made our way back to the station.

The Brewer's Arms, Lewes 24th February 2007

After a walk around the castle and a visit to the museum and shop, it was time for the next pub.

This was a large pub on the high street with an empty front bar and a back bar full of people watching the rugby on a massive screen and the football on an only slightly smaller screen.

Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter (4.0%): Another excellent pint of Harvey's. The good people of Lewes are very lucky.
Harvey's Sussex XXXX Old (4.3%): Looking completely different but tasting surprisingly similar to the Best, this is a slightly mellower version. Yet more good beer!

Another good pub although more cavernous than the sort I usually like.

The Gardener's Arms, Lewes 24th February 2007

Next stop was the Gardener's Arms as the most easterly pub on the itinerary. A small pub, showing the rugby on an unobtrusive screen in the corner, it looked like a real locals' haunt.

Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter (4.0%): Damn fine beer, as in the previous pub.
Nelson Dogwatch Stout (4.5%): Delicate smooth stout. Very tasty.
Custom Cascage Ginger (4.8%): Pleasant ginger flavoured beer. Light and drinkable.

We didn't have time to stay long enough to sample the Welton's Sussex Pride on offer, which had travelled from Horsham as we had!

The beers were good and the pub was quite full seemingly with regulars, making for a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

The John Harvey Tavern, Lewes 24th February 2007

Travelled out to Lewes for a serious pub crawl. With only the Good Beer Guide 2005 to guide us, we planned to visit at least the five pubs in Lewes contained within.

We started at the brewery shop as Harvey's itself isn't open for tours until June, and with some guidance from the helpful staff, began the drinking at the John Harvey.

Harvey's Kiss (4.8%): Interesting light hoppy beer but with a tangy fresh taste. Might be on the way out.
Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter (4.0%): What a stonking pint! Reminiscent of King & Barnes (RIP) in Horsham or Morrell's (also RIP) in Oxford. Just shows how much better beer is when drunk at source.
Harvey's Hadlow Bitter (3.5%): Flat IPA, tasteless after the Sussex.
Harvey's Armada Ale (4.5%): Delicious bitter with a lovely crisp hoppy taste.

We thought it was important to try a few different beers here in case we got too drunk later to appreciate their subtle differences.

An excellent pub with excellent beer and excellent food. So good the conversation turned to moving to Lewes...

The Malt Shovel, Horsham 23rd February 2007

Popped down the local for a quick pint.

Salopian Abbey Gates (4.3%): Very fresh tasting decent beer. Would make a good regular bitter. Of the six real ales on offer I think I made a good choice.
Fuller's Gale's HSB (4.8%): Another good pint, sweeter and more hoppy than the Salopian.

And we didn't try: the Landlord, the Flowers, the Black Sheep Bitter and the Brakspear Bitter, as the pub was loud and smoky.

The Foresters Arms, Horsham 17th February 2007

Having recently moved to Horsham one of my first tasks is to test out the local pubs.

Youngs Bitter (3.7%): Tastes watery with a lack of flavour. Shame its not a bit stronger to back up the taste.
Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter (4.0%): Well rounded flavour with a slightly fresh tangy aftertaste. Could definitely drink this all night.

Immediately I walked in, I knew I'd been here before. It must have been about five years ago with my dad, and we came to hear a music session.

Today the pub was very quiet for a Saturday night, having been closed for refurbishment until two months previously.

A charming pub with at least one good beer and pleasant staff so I hope trade picks up soon.

Dovetail, Clerkenwell 16th February 2007

An old school friend and his wife led me to this bar I've been meaning to visit for ages, calling it "the place that does the wild boar burgers".

So that was the food decision made then, one extremely delicious boar burger for lunch.

The drinks choice was somewhat tougher, as there were hundreds of Belgian beers to choose from. For the first time (possibly ever in a beer buying situation) I felt slightly out of my depth, as I know nothing whatsoever about Belgian beer. At 9.0%, I didn't feel I could try the Delerium Tremens, billed on the menu as "elected as the best beer in the world", as it was only lunchtime.

I started with a bottle of Florisgaarden Honey (4.5%) which was a "fruit" flavoured wheatbeer. It was amazing, it tasted like honey, but in beer form. For anyone reading who is used to these flavoured beers, you'll think I'm stating the obvious, but for me it was a revelation and I'm not sure how else to describe it.

Feeling that I should also try a draught beer I opted for the very sweet Liefman's Frambozen (4.5%) which even with my limited knowledge of Europen languages suggested raspberry. I was not disappointed although it tasted more like lager than the bottled honey beer had done. The selling point was undoubtedly the fruit flavour and there wasn't much of a beer taste underneath.

I stole a sip of my companion's bottle of Lindeman's Peche (2.5%) which again was sweet and rather heavy on the fruit flavour, although delicious and still managed to taste of both beer and peaches. Mmm.

A very informative lunch and at last I know what Belgian beer tastes like. About time!

The Malt Shovel, Horsham 8th February 2007

Eight real ales on this evening when we arrived for the monthly tunes' session, the same number as on Saturday, but with one exception they were all different beers. Amazing. A lot of beer must get drunk in this pub.

Brakspear Bitter (3.4%): This seems to be getting better all the time. Very pleasant. Never thought I'd say that about this beer in this pub!
Wychwood Hobgoblin (5.0%): Sweet and strong. Excellent if that's what you like; a little too sweet for me.
Woodforde's Wherry Best Bitter (3.8%): Light in flavour and fruity. A decent pint although quite bitter after the Hobgoblin.
Black Dog Whitby Abbey Ale (3.8%): Very pleasant although not strongly flavoured. Got boring towards the end of the pint.
Young's Special (4.5%): Surprisingly it didn't taste of much. Disappointing.
Fuller's Gale's HSB (4.8%): This has an indistinct flavour and was very disappointing. Tasted like it was missing an important ingredient, so I was glad I was testing someone else's pint.
Bass Draught Bass (4.4%): Surprisingly drinkable. Ok but a bit tasteless, would do in an emergency (i.e. no other beers on).
Adnam's Bitter (3.7%): Good standard tasty bitter. Would have enjoyed drinking it all night if I'd had the chance.

I learnt a few lessons this evening. Mainly to do with the music (most people playing don't know what the tunes are called; everyone plays everything in G) but also that even in a decent pub the beers that were tasteless last week can be drinkable today. Unfortunately the opposite also appears to be true.

The Lynd Cross, Horsham 4th February 2007

Somehow after yesterday's nine pints, I summoned up the enthusiasm to sample a couple of beers while in the local Wetherspoon's eating some cake (as you do).

Itchen Valley Winchester Ale (4.2%): Tasty light beer with a distinct hop flavour. The staff had lost the pump clip and couldn't tell me the name of the brewer, so when I wrote the below I didn't know it was the same!
Itchen Valley Godfathers (3.8%): Another light beer, very similar in taste to the Winchester although suffering slightly from the lower alcohol content. Could this be from the same brewery?

The half of Godfathers was the shortest drink I've ever been served. If it hadn't already been carried from the bar and I hadn't had a hangover, I'd have mustered the energy to complain.

Although the beer was cheap, the tables were sticky and children were screaming. Not really a comfortable pub atmosphere for a quiet drink. The cake was good though!

The Malt Shovel, Horsham 3rd February 2007

Turned up to hear the band playing at my new local... and thought it was important to test every one of the eight, yes eight real ales on offer. If this hadn't entailed drinking nine pints, I would have been fine the next day. In spite of that, or possibly because of that, it was a good night.

Oakham JHB (3.8%): Very light, almost fizzy fresh beer. Not quite strong enough in my opinion with a hint of dishwater.
Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter (4.0%): Rounded and pleasant but no taste of hops. Classic bitter which I could easily have drunk all night. Almost a shame there were so many other beers to try!
Brakspear Bitter (3.4%): Thick, dark bitter with an indistinct flavour, but better than it's tasted for a while here.
Adnam's Bitter (3.8%): Very tasty for a low gravity beer. Eminently drinkable.
York Centennial (4.0%): Beautiful delicate light beer. Reminiscent of St Peter's Elderberry fruit beer which is no longer made and sadly missed. Easily the best beer of the night (and believe me, I tested it as much as humanly possible).
Arran Dark (4.3%): Sharp and warm with a mellow aftertaste. The sort of beer that if you're not used to drinking bitter you might really hate, but actually it was fairly pleasant. Wouldn't be my first choice.
Ventnor Pistol Night (4.4%): Very unusual bitter with a warm, incredibly hoppy taste. Improves with drinking. Delicious.
Timothy Taylor Landlord (4.3%): Another decent bitter. Sweet, tasty and deceptively strong.

The staff were jolly and helpful. A real pleasure to be here. I came to hear the band and the pub happened to have eight real ales on, including some 'standard' bitters, light beers and a dark beer.

The Okee Dokee band were great and were appreciated by the clientele. Footage is available on youtube.com.

Who could ask for more in a local?

The Sir John Oldcastle, Farringdon 2nd February 2007

Tried a few pubs in the area for a quick after-work drink but this was the only one we could find with space for three more people on a Friday night.

Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted (3.8%): Sweet, mellow and dark. Slightly hoppy and very pleasant. Not entirely convinced that the beer I was served WAS the beer I was told it was, but tasty all the same.

Itchen Valley The Sir John Oldcastle (4.5%): Unusual hoppy bitter. Served cloudy but it did eventually settle in the glass. A day or two past fresh but not quite off.

What a surprise, Weatherspoon's beer served cold! Actually it wasn't as cold as in other pubs. Maybe someone has finally got the message.

The Malt Shovel, Horsham 11th January 2007

This was the fourth monthly music session I've been to at The Malt Shovel and the most disappointing. I frustratingly missed out on the Youngs Best which I wanted to try. Although lots of people in the pub were drinking it, it ran out before I got there.

Ringwood Best Bitter (3.8%): A decent bitter although in my opinion would benefit from being just a little stronger. Tasty.
Adnam's Broadside (4.7%): Full flavoured bitter but tastes a bit thin with no real hop flavour.
Adnam's Best Bitter (3.7%): The best beer of the evening. In my world this is how beer is supposed to taste although like the Broadside it could be a bit hoppier.
Brakspear Bitter (3.4%): A rather indistinct flavour but much improved since my last visit here. Pleasant.

By my count there were eleven musicians playing in the session this evening and while I was at the bar, the four-pint jug of complimentary beer went round, so I missed it. On previous occasions several jugs of beer have been forthcoming but this time the four pints didn't stretch too well over eleven people.

All the beers were served at a good temperature and the staff were very friendly.

The White Horse, Maplehurst, Horsham 5th January 2007

This was a day for cider rather than beer as we went down to JB's orchard to wassail the apple trees. Well I didn't because my foot was still sore, but I made sure I got to sample some of the cider anyway. I made for the dry, this having been the best one last year. It was serious and strong, very meaty and not for the faint-hearted. Lovely! I quickly retired to the local pub as I wasn't up to walking to the orchard and hitting trees with sticks.

White Star Crafty Shag (4.1%): This was a popular choice so I was able to try someone else's. Which is just as well because it was served cloudy and was fairly flavourless with a strong tangy taste. I think I'd have taken it back if it had been mine.
King's Merry Ale (6.5%): I have to say again I'm pleased this wasn't mine. The only way I can describe it is to say it was like Guinness made for small children. Ridiculously sweet stout. Yuck.
Hepworth Pullman's First Class Ale (4.2%): Pleasant beer but without a distinctive flavour. On balance, I was very pleased I chose it.

There were a couple of other beers available but what with the cider I drank (yes, ok, I had three pints and it was about 9%) I didn't think any more beer was a good idea.

Holland Tringham, Streatham 4th January 2007

After an unfortunate incident involving a full bottle of vodka and an enthusiastic 19 year old, I wasn't able to walk (the bottle having been inadvertently dropped on my toe). However I had to hobble to the chemist so, in order to rest my sore foot on the way back (and absolutely no other reason), it was necessary to have a short sit-down at the pub. During which I tested a few ales.

Cotleigh Tawny Owl (3.8%): Mediocre bitter served at a surprisingly good temperature for a Wetherspoon's. Only a little too cold! Just a shame this beer was flavourless.
Dorset Weymouth Harbour Master (3.6%): Delicious beer, maybe a little cold. Very drinkable; an excellent session bitter.
Okell's Aile Smoked Celtic Porter (4.8%): Very smooth oaky porter with a distinctive smokey flavour. A bit of an acquired taste but very pleasant especially the second half of the pint.

The Dog and Bacon, Horsham 1st January 2007

Went along to see the Mummers' Play for New Year, as it seemed the sensible thing to do, and was able to sample a few of the available beers.

Badger King and Barnes' Sussex Bitter (3.5%): Tastes almost as bad as when I tried it at The Bear (see 2nd December entry). Such a disappointing beer which used to be so good.
Badger Festive Feasant (4.5%): This is pretty good, thick and slightly sweet and reminiscent of Tanglefoot by the same brewer.
Badger Best Bitter (4.0%): Fairly decent bitter but nothing special. Think it must just be the Sussex that tastes so bad.

Quite a fun afternoon and although the beer wasn't as good as I'd hoped, it was better than I expected. The Broadwood morris men always manage to provide interesting entertainment!

The Walnut Tree, Runcton, Chichester 26th December 2006

Met the family for a Christmas lunch at this pub and had a couple of halves of Fullers London Pride (4.1%) to wash it down. It tasted good and I was pleased to be able to drink beer rather than wine with a meal.

Mannings Heath, Horsham, Christmas 2006

Staying in Mannings Heath near Horsham for Christmas. The local custom here is to buy in minipins of real ale to drink at home over the festive season. What a good idea!

We went over to King's brewery and picked up a polypin and to the Beer Essentials (see 25th November) for a couple of minipins. All of this was, of course, chosen and ordered in advance.

The boxes were set up in the kitchen and left to settle for a couple of days, all the beer being sedimented.

Arundel Gold (4.2%): Usually a lovely slightly hoppy bitter with a beautiful aftertaste, this was disappointing as it never really settled.
King's Horsham Best Bitter (3.8%): A good drinking beer as it's not too strong, with a slightly earthy taste that disappears after the first mouthful.
Dark Star Festival (5.1%): Usually called Essential Beers Festival when I drink it, this is one of my favourite beers of all time and it was fantastic to be able to get up and drink it for breakfast in my pyjamas. Which I only did once.

The Malt Shovel, Horsham 23rd December 2006

As I'm staying in the area for Christmas, I popped down to the Malt Shovel to hear the band that was on, the Okee Dokee Band. The band was excellent (although four of the six band members played the guitar at some point - is it a competition?) and there were seven draught ales to be tasted. Everything was set for a good evening!

Rebellion Sleighed (4.2%): So light in colour it looks like lager, but tastes delicious. A delightful hoppy beer although only tastes about 2.8%.
Brakspear bitter (3.4%): Tangy, slightly sharp bitter, as last visit, tastes ok.
Three B's Santa's Skinful (4.0%): Dark, warm and syrupy beer. Not great.

B & T Turkey's Trauma (4.3%): Standard, plain bitter. Nothing bad about it but nothing good. Nothing Christmassy either.
Springhead Rudolph's Ruin (4.1%): Again, plain tasting with nothing special about it. I could, however, imagine it going down very well with some roast beef. Maybe that's all the beer I've drunk.
Thwaite's Good Elf (4.9%): Very yummy, full bodied dark beer. Doesn't taste as strong as it is, dangerous sort of beer. Glad I only got a half in that respect.
Bazens' Santa's Reinbeer (4.3%): Almost tasting of perfume, this beer reminded me of the delicate sweet flavour of whisky. An interesting light beer.

The Malt Shovel, Horsham 14th December 2006

Went down to Horsham again to play in the monthly session at the Malt Shovel.

This time I was determined to keep a track of all the beers I tasted.

Brakspear bitter (3.5%): Tasted a lot better than it did last time I was here (see 2nd December entry) but still not the greatest beer.
Fullers London Pride (4.1%): Surprisingly pleasant, flowery tasting bitter.
Timothy Taylor Landlord (4.3%): Thinner and hoppier than the pride but with an excellent flavour. Sweet and pleasant.
Badger Tanglefoot (4.9%): This tasted tangy and over-flavoured, but still a decent pint.

I really wish I knew why sometimes most of the beer here is very good and sometimes it's really bad. Luckily today was a good day. The session was good too.

Bishops Finger, Smithfield Market 13th December 2006

Visited this pub on the corner on Smithfield Market near Farringdon with a large group of people. A Shepherd Neame pub, it had four real ales on and, of course, I managed to sample them all.

Shepherd Neame Late Red (4.5%): A very tasty red bitter served at just the right temperature. Yum.
Shepherd Neame Masterbrew (3.7%): Flatter than the Late Red but with a complex aftertaste. Interesting, especially as I thought I didn't like this beer.
Shepherd Neame Spitfire (4.5%): Surprisingly flavourless after the others, which shows how good they were rather than showing this one up, I think.
Shepherd Neame Bishop's Finger (5.0%): Again, this one tasted a little flat, but still a decent pint served at the right temperature.

I inadvertently started with the best beer which made the others taste not so good. An excellent range of excellent beers kept in excellent condition. The pub was too crowded for my liking and had a little too many "traditional" effects, but I could not fault the beer.

The Moon Under Water, Balham 12th December 2006

Another Tuesday night drinking session in Balham. This time the pub had some Christmassy beer to go with its Christmas decorations which have been up for weeks.

Archers Mr Frostie (3.8%): Served very cold, this was a very light hoppy beer. Tasted ok, but would have been better with a little more alcohol. It also tasted a bit flat, but this might have been the temperature.
Shepherd Neame Spitfire (4.5%): After the weak Archers, this tasted very strong and full bodied. Always a decent pint.

Again, a Weatherspoon's is selling beer too cold. Something needs to be done.

The Jerusalem Tavern, Farringdon 12th December 2006

Popped into my favourite pub in London to meet a friend for lunch.

St Peter's Grapefruit beer (4.7%): A delicately grapefruit flavoured wheat beer - very tasty. Another St Peter's beer which really hits the spot. Shame its elderberry brother has been discontinued.

The Bear, Horsham 2nd December 2006

The final part of a short pub crawl around Horsham...

Badger King & Barnes' Sussex Bitter (3.5%): I tried this when Hall and Woodhouse started making it several years ago and was really impressed. However, if today's beer was anything to go by, it has changed a lot recently. Very disappointing, flat beer with not much flavour. Maybe it was the end of the barrel, although my knowledgeable companion said it always tastes like this. Served too cold and barely drinkable.

In spite of the disappointing beer, the pub was a revelation. I must have been here a lot as a child as I recognised the interior and had a strong feeling of deja-vu. A very comfortable and cozy pub with an open fire although it did take an inordinate amount of time to get served.

The Lynd Cross, Horsham 2nd December 2006

So we popped into the local Weatherspoon's on the way past to see what they had to offer.

Smile's Holly Hops (4.8%): Extremely cold, dark beer. Tasted of burnt toffee, chocolate and maybe a hint of cinnamon. Was an interesting flavour once it warmed up. The beermad.org.uk website says this beer is 5.0% and dead, so maybe it has recently been ressurected for the season.
Cotleigh Red Nose Reinbeer Xmas Ale (5.0%): Despite it's name and appearance this tasted like stout. In spite of it's name, there was not a hint of any Christmassy ingredients. Good beer but unexpectedly like stout.

I have to say the beers here were better than those at the Malt Shovel, although, as usual for Weatherspoon's, far too cold.

The Malt Shovel, Horsham 2nd December 2006

Managed to taste four of the seven real ales this pub had to offer:

Black Sheep Best Bitter (3.8%): Fairly tasteless bland bitter. Not very impressive, I actually struggled to finish my half, which doesn't happen often.
Brakspear Bitter (3.5%): Even more tasteless than the Black Sheep. Was glad I was only tasting someone else's drink as I couldn't have drunk much of this. Dull and lifeless.
Grand Union Liberty Blonde (4.2%): Bland but not nearly as bad as the others so far. Slightly spiced in flavour and, as the name suggests, pale yellow in colour.
Adnams Broadside (4.7%): Solid tasting decent pint. There was still a hint of the tasteless beer about it, but drinkable nonetheless.

We decided to move on after this as the beers really didn't seem to be up to much. I'd love to work out why sometimes all the beers are great here, and other times they're all a bit tasteless. Never experienced this before.

The Moon Under Water, Balham 28th November 2006

Was very reserved and only tried one beer today - Highwood Tom Wood's Havest Bitter (4.3%). A decent beer, slightly hoppy and fresh tasting. Was good enough to get a second pint when the alternatives were Spitfire and Courage Best.

The Dun Horse, Mannings Heath, Horsham 26th November 2006

Walked round to the local from where I was staying. This was a large friendly pub in the village offering food, real ale, live music and an open fire. The beers were on gravity which is pretty unusual in a village local.

Timothy Taylor Landlord (4.3%): Slightly flat but I guess this is to be expected from a gravity pint. Otherwise tastes like Landlord, perfectly acceptable bitter.
Fuller's London Pride (4.1%): A little sharper than the Landlord and distinctly colder too. Strange as the two barrels were sitting next to each other. Either due to the temperature or maybe the beer itself, this seemed to have much less flavour than the Landlord. Still a good pint.

It became obvious during the second round that the Landlord had reached the end of its useful life. The barman was extremely quick to change the pint by tapping the new cask, and sure enough, the beer quality significantly improved. Shame it wasn't so obvious the first time round or I'd probably have beer even more complimentary.

During the afternoon, the staff introduced us to the dog (Barney) and we were made to feel very welcome. A cozy and pleasant pub.

The Beer Essentials, Horsham 25th November 2006

Popped into the beer shop in Horsham to pick up some take-away ale.

Of the choices available, I managed to shortlist four. We decided to buy two bottles of four pints each, so the choice had to be narrowed from four to two. Naturally, tasting was the only way.

Cottage Frosty Wippet (4.2%): Incredibly delicious beer. This one's made the top two.
Cottage Deltic Diesel (4.7%): The initial taste wasn't so good but it definitely got better with drinking. In the end glad it ran out before we had to choose whether or not to buy any.
Essential Beers Festival (5.0%): A local classic. One of my favourite beers of all time. But as I know it well, am going to give something else a try this time.
Arundel Gold (4.2%): As it is likely there will be some around at Christmastime, thought I should give it a try just to make sure it passes the test. And damn fine beer it was.

So the Wippet and the Gold were bought and sampled in greater quantities. Both were excellent bitters and very drinkable. What an excellent shop!

The White Horse, Maplehurst, Horsham 25th November 2006

Couldn't resist a trip to this old haunt of my parents as I was in the area.

On a Saturday lunchtime there were lots of cars in the car park outside but only nine people in the pub! I forget what rural pubs are like. I have only ever used this pub as a meeting place prior to going on elsewhere, but this time the visit was purely to inspect the beer.

Harvey's Old Ale (4.3%): Very mellow, smooth, soft beer. Not a strong flavour but good nonetheless.
Harvey's Sussex Bitter (4.0%): Excellent bitter. What can I say? Tastes exactly like I would expect a good beer to taste.
Hammerpot Red Hunter (4.3%): Very interesting and unusual bitter with a hoppy taste I haven't come across before. The hops cut through a mellow bitter flavour.

Simon, the knowledgeable and enthusiastic landlord, insisted I had a taster of the Hammerpot beer from Arundel. He explained it is a new brewery, a year old, so only appears in the most recent Good Beer Guide. Which reminds me I need to got hold of a copy.

I didn't try the fourth beer (Weltons Pridenjoy) although this seemed to be what most of the clientele were drinking. As it's from Horsham, I'm sure I'll get the chance again. All in all an interesting visit to a friendly pub.

The Moon Under Water, Balham 21st November 2006

Again, the post evening class drink took place at the local Wetherspoon’s. After last week’s delightful beer I was hopeful of a good pint.

Oakleaf Piston Porter (4.6%): Being a bit of a porter fan I thought I’d give it a go. It was a pleasing tasty pint although opinions differed as to whether the liquorice the pump clip advertised could be tasted.
Marston’s Pedigree (4.5%): Served cloudy, obviously the dregs of the barrel. Why the bar staff sold it I have no idea. Was sent back and exchanged for Greene King Abbot which I didn’t feel the need to taste.

Once again the beers suffered from being kept too cold. This pub’s beer quality seems to vary widely and unfortunately this wasn’t one of its better days. Strange choice of month for Christmas decorations, in my opinion.

Holland Tringham, Streatham 19th November 2006

Popped into my local for a swift half and a gossip and tried a few beers of the interesting range available at this Wetherspoon’s.

Itchen Valley Fagins (4.1%): Peppery light beer, pleasant but not as good as other Itchen Valley beers I’ve tasted recently. Good hoppy aftertaste.
Stonehenge Ales Old Smokey (5.0%): Pleasant, mellow stout with an interesting but sweet flavour.
Greene King LBW (4.4%): I wasn’t going to have any more beer, and GK’s not my favourite, but never having seen it before I felt it my duty to sample this. A sharp initial taste led to a rounded, hoppy flavour. Although unmistakably Greene King, this unusual dark bitter was better than IPA or Abbot. Possibly the best pint of Greene King I’ve tasted.

Overall, the beers were good, and, other than my usual Wetherspoon’s complaint of the low beer temperature, I was impressed with both the range and quality of the beers. It’s a shame the company policy of no TV sport has changed, as this detracted from the beer.

The Moon Under Water, Balham 14th November 2006

Back to this Wetherspoon's for a few drinks after an evening class in Balham. Luckily my companions allowed me to sample their beers, as my first pint was so good I had to have more of the same.

Titanic Iceberg (4.1%): Beautiful, tasty, refreshing, light-coloured beer. Lovely! The best beer I've tasted in this pub. Possibly the best beer I've ever had at a Wetherspoon's. The only complaint was that it was served too cold.
Wychwood Dog's Bollocks (5.2%): Standard bitter with an overbearing and unnecessary level of alcohol. Otherwise very pleasant although again too cold.
Shepherd Neame Spitfire (4.5%): Good tasting bitter with a caramel flavour. A decent pint but not good enough to stop me drinking the Iceberg.

A brief word with the barman on leaving about the temperature of the beers resulted in him agreeing with us and saying that they were planning on "turning the temperature up". As this is the chain which advertises "the coldest beer in town" on its pint glasses, I'm not holding my breath.

Ruskin House, Croydon 12th November 2006

Was invited to the Sunday night folk and blues club at Ruskin House, the Trade Union and Labour Movement Centre on Coombe Road in Croydon.

Never having been there before, my first concern was, naturally, the availability of a decent pint.

Not only was the barman not able to supply us with any beer, he had neither sparkling water nor lemon which was my second choice. However, after a small glass of soda water, I was promised some real ale within the half hour.

Sure enough, both Courage Best (4.0%) and Flower's IPA (3.6%) appeared within the timeframe. Not being a Courage fan I opted for the the IPA. It was drinkable but not great.

This agrees with my experience with private members' clubs to date, so I'm looking forward to breaking the stereotype at some point.

The club was good though and I can't fault the friendliness of the guy behind the bar.

The Crown and Greyhound, Dulwich Village 11th November 2006

I was working in the area and was persuaded to stop for a beer or three at this rather pleasant pub. I've been there before, but only in the summer when the beer garden is open.

Of several real ales available, I was able to try just two. I also sampled some Leffe.

Young's Winter Warmer (5.0%): a very tasty pint although kept too cold for my liking.
InBev Leffe Blonde (6.6%): tastes like Leffe, really, what can I say? Maybe I shouldn't have included it! Great if you like this sort of thing.
Caledonian Deuchars IPA (3.6%): Tasted a bit weak and watery after the stronger beers but nevertheless fruity and pleasant. Good but not special.

A good atmosphere, and although it wouldn't be to everyone's taste with a large part of the pub set out as a restaurant, there are different areas all with direct access to the bar.

The Malt Shovel, Horsham 9th November 2006

Went down to Horsham again as I had been persuaded to play in the monthly session.

This had the benefit that I was entitled to some of the beer provided for participants. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find out what all of it was.

However, a few beers were ordered from the bar and so I knew what these were!

Crouch Vale Essex Boys bitter (3.5%): reasonable tasting light-coloured beer but I wouldn't particularly want to drink it all night
Hog's Back Hair of the Hog (3.5%): tasty darker beer
Acorn Barnsley Gold (4.3%): another lightish beer, perfectly pleasant

I will make more of an effort next time to work out what I'm drinking.

The Pied Bull, Streatham Vale 1st November 2006

Having had two not so successful visits to the Five Bells in Streatham, I decided to make it my mission to find some good beer in the area.

First port of call was my out of date (2005) Good Beer Guide. This lists three pubs in Streatham: the Hogshead (now the Five Bells), the Crown and Sceptre (the Wetherspoon’s near Streatham Hill which I know can serve good beer) and the Pied Bull. Never having been to the latter I decided to give it a go.

The good news was that it wasn’t as far away from where I live as I originally thought, on the High Road pretty much opposite the common.

This is a big barn of a pub (Young’s) and although the Sky TV was on showing football, it didn’t intrude too much into the rest of the space.

The Young’s Bitter (3.7%) was very tasty. I’m quite a fan of ‘mixed’ so I didn’t taste the Special on its own. I also left the other beer (was it Wells Bombardier?). The ‘mixed’ (half Bitter, half Special) was excellent too.

Actually, having thought about it, these beers might actually be Wells & Youngs now. Which would certainly explain the presence of the Bombardier.

The food was perfectly acceptable so this was a good find.