Merry Christmas Everybody

The title says it all and the video of Slade with their excellent song is shown  below.

I hope you all have a wonderful time with friends and family, I will be with some of my family on the Hampshire coast.

This has got me thinking, so I put my thoughts into writing for a change. This is what blogs are supposed to be about. The main reason I set up this blog was to share my photos of all the different places and people I meet along the way.

My office is closed over the holiday period, so got lots planned. Got a reference document for MHR Guards to complete. One or two Guard and station turns on MHR. I will also be doing some rules assessing of Guards. A trip to London pubs as I've not been there for a couple of weeks.  Will also be drinking in a few pubs in Winchester for a change one day as well.

Anyway back to Christmas thoughts.
I can be a bit grumpy at times (shock) but at Christmas I make an exception. I will be extra grumpy this time. Only joking, or am I ?
Favourite Christmas's recently have involved my niece and 2 nephews who seem to be growing up far too fast, but kids love Christmas and seeing their happy smiling faces makes it impossible to be grumpy. 

Christmas means lots of different things to us all and whatever you do I hope you enjoy it.

Don't eat and drink too much - thats my job.

 Some of you may know I like Sylvester the Cat. In fact all the Warner Bros Looney Tunes were excellent.

 

The image below has been my facebook profile pic for a while....

Time to finish now, however. Maybe I should do a blog post about Looney Tunes next year. Different from my normal stuff about pubs, trains, buses. Hmmmm.

Blimey, lots of different things on here. Normal service will be resumed shortly.

Kissingate Brewery

Saturday 24th November

This was a coach trip from Surbiton organised as a helpers trip for those who worked at the 2012 Kingston Beer Festival.

First stop was the Kissingate Brewery near Horsham. 6 beers were provided for us to sample including a marvelous 6% Stout Extreme brewed 4 months previously. Lunch was also had here. They have converted a barn into a modern brewery with a mezzanine lounge overlooking the brewing vessels. Gary the brewer particularly enjoys brewing and drinking dark ales. I enjoyed drinking them.

Photos of the brewery are below.

The mini brewing plant

The main brewing plant

Malt store

The view from above

beer ready for drinking

upstairs

And a group photo was taken. Yes I am there hiding at the back.

All too soon it was time say goodbye and head off to a couple of pubs on the way home.

First stop was the Hare & Hounds at Cowfold for a pint of Harveys Best.

lovely real fire

Decision time!

And the final stop of the trip was at the White Horse in Maplehurst for a couple of pints of Downlands Truleigh Gold.

Finally, thanks to Adrian for organising the trip.

Craft pub in Islington

Tuesday 20th November

The latest pub in the Craft Beer Co chain on White Lion Street in Islington.

A proper pub in my opinion. Very good refurbishment with lots of seats. Plus the usual mix of eclectic beers on handpump and tap. Once again I feel photos describe the pub much better than my words can.

The new mirror behind the bar sums things up very well

 

The Cock Tavern in Hackney

Tuesday 13th November

My first visit to this recent addition to the London brewing scene. The home of the Howling Hops brewery,

Located on Mare Street, just around the corner from Hackney Central station or a 5 minute walk from Hackney Downs station.

On my visit there were 4 Howling Hop beers with 4 guest ales from other London brewerys on handpump.

A spacious one bar pub with the brewery located in cellar beneath.

The 4 Howling Hop beers were all sampled and all were very good. My friend MTMM scored and rated the Light English 15/20 and the other 3 at 16/20, very good scores.

• Mild
• Light English
• Ruby
• Victorian Stout

Pictures of the inside of the pub are below:

I also had a quick brewery visit whilst there:

Lots of hops ready to be added

Nottingham BF 2012

Worked at Nottingham Beer Festival as a Bar Manager 10th - 13th October.

On the tuesday afternoon and evening and wednesday lunchtime I visited some pubs in Nottingham.

Some photos below:

Roundhouse

Organ Grinder, lots of lovely Blue Monkey beers

Malt Cross

Its an old music hall

And so to the Beer Festival.
 

The only photo i took this year - see last years blog entry for more about this festival

The festival was open to the public for 41 hours and I managed to drink 111 different beers (all in thirds mind), and they are listed below.

BLUE MONKEY ~ MAGIC 4.5%
BLUE MONKEY ~ CENTENNIAL 4.9%
ALCHEMIST ~ YLEM 4.5%
ANARCHY ~ BLONDE STAR 4.1%
AXHOLME ~ BEST BEETER 4.0%
AXHOLME ~ BEST BITTER 3.8%
BARKSTON ~ 3B 4.0%
BARLEY BOTTOM ~ CLOGG DANCER 4.0%
BARLEY BOTTOM ~ COBBYDALE BITTER 3.8%
BIG RIVER ~ BIG RED 3.9%
BLUE COW ~ BEST BITTER 3.8%
BOWNESS BAY ~ SWAN BLONDE 4.0%
BUMPMILL ~ GLORY DAZE 4.5%
BUMPMILL ~ HEART OF GOLD 4.2%
BUMPMILL ~ MONSTER MASH 5.1%
COLLINGHAM ~ JOURNEYMAN 3.9%
CWRW CADER ~ CADER GOLD 3.8%
CWRW CADER ~ IDRIS BITTER 4.1%
DONCASTER ~ SAND HOUSE 3.8%
ENNERDALE ~ BLACK SAIL 3.9%
FELLOWS ~ CRAFTY FELLOW 4.0%
FERNANDES ~ CHINOOK 4.0%
FIVE TOWNS ~ INDIAN SUMMER ALE 3.8%
FOWNES ~ FROST HAMMER : DWARFEN PALE ALE 4.6%

FULL MASH – WARLORD 4.4%
GEEVES ~ CLEAR CUT 4.4%
GOLDEN DUCK ~ L.F.B. 4.3%
GOLDEN DUCK ~ REVEREND GREEN 5.5%
GOLDEN DUCK ~ WRISTY FITZY 4.6%
GRAFTERS ~ LOVELY JUBBLIES 4.2%
GREENODD ~ BLONDE 4.0%
GREENODD ~ KILN BITTER 3.8%
HART FAMILY BREWERS ~ No.1 4.1%
HARTSHORNS ~ FLOSS THE BOSS 4.6%
HARTSHORNS ~ HIGHGATE 4.3%
MAGPIE ~ ZIGGER ZAGGER 3.8%
ISFIELD ~ STRAW BLOND 4.1%
JOLLY SAILOR ~ BULLS EYE BITTER 3.8%
KENDAL ~ TENTERHOOKS 3.7%
LUDLOW ~ STAIRWAY 5.0%
MALLINSONS ~ THE FIVE HUNDRED 3.9%
MALLINSONS ~ TOPAZ 4.3%
MARLPOOL ~ BLIND BORIS 3.5%
MEDIEVAL ~ CRUSADER 4.4%
MIDDLE EARTH – CELEBRATION 4.5%

MUIRHOUSE ~ BUZZARD BITTER 4.0%
NAKED BREWER ~ ORACLE 4.0%
NAKED BREWER ~ REVENGE 4.5%
NEW INN ~ GOLDEN BOB 4.0%
NINE STANDARDS ~ ORIGINAL 3.7%
NORTH RIDING ~ HILDA'S FLYCATCHER 4.2%
NORTH RIDING ~ MAN IN TIGHTS 4.0%
NORTH RIDING ~ PEDRO'S EXTRA SHORTS 4.6%
NORTHERN FC ~ McCRACKEN ALE 4.0%
ORDNANCE CITY ~ MARK 2 4.0%
PHEASANTRY ~ BB - BEST BITTER 3.8%
PHEASANTRY ~ PA - PALE ALE 4.0%
RAMSBOTTOM ~ BUMBLE'S 4.0%
RAMSBOTTOM ~ SEVILLIAN 3.8%
REALITY ~ PERCEPTION 3.8%
REALITY ~ RED OCTOBER 4.3%
REDSCAR ~ JAZZ 3.8%
REDSCAR ~ POISON 4.0%
WIRKSWORTH: ROBIN HOOD ~ OUTLAW 4.4%
SCARBOROUGH ~ CASCADE 4.1%
SHOTTLE FARM ~ GOLD 4.3%
SHOTTLE FARM ~ SHOTTLE COCK 3.6%
SIX TREES ~ BITTER MEMORIES 4.3%
SIX TREES ~ HIGH NOON 3.2%
SIX TREES ~ JARDEELING 4.3%
SONNET 43 ~ AMERICAN PALE ALE 5.4%
SPORTSMAN ~ SUPPORTER 4.3%
STAMPS ~ STREWTH 3.8%
STOCKLINCH ~ RAMBLER'S GOLD 3.8%
TAVY ALES ~ TAVY BEST BITTER 4.3%
TEMPTATION ~ CASCADIAN DARK ALE 5.0%
THREE KINGS ~ RING OF FIRE 4.5%
TOM SMITH'S ~ TOM'S TIPPLE 3.5%
TOWLES ~ COPPER LEAF 4.2%
TOWLES ~ OLD SMILER 4.1%
TWO BOB’S ~ HORNY UNICORN 4.2%
UNSWORTH'S YARD ~ CARTMEL 4.5%
URBAN BREWHOUSE ~ MUFFIN TOP 4.0%
V.I.P. ~ THE VILLAGE COPPER 4.2%
WALLS ~ KATZENJAMMER 4.2%
WELLCROSS ~ I.P.A. 6.0%
WELLCROSS ~ PORTER 5.0%
WELLINGTON ~ BEAU DOURO 4.3%
WELLINGTON ~ HOOKY 4.1%
WENTWELL ~ BARREL ORGAN BLUES 4.5%
WENTWELL ~ DERBY PALE ALE 3.9%
WINDY ~ TORNADO 3.9%
YORKSHIRE HEART ~ TRADITIONAL MILD 3.5%
YORKSHIRE DALES ~ GREAT DUMMUCKS 4.2%
HAYWOOD BAD RAM ~ DR SAMUEL JOHNSON 4.5%
NOTTINGHAM ~ JAMES FELLOWS' LEGACY 3.8%
NORTH STAR ~ POLARIS 5.0%
NORTH STAR ~ SENTINEL 3.8%
ATTWOODS ~ FARMERS DARK 3.7%
BEER GEEK ~ WHITE GEEK 4.5%
BROUGH'S ~ BLONDE 4.6%
CAP HOUSE ~ BLONDE & BEYOND 4.0%
CRADDOCKS ~ SAXON GOLD 4.0%
DANCING MAN ~ TROUBADOR 4.1%
DOUBLE TOP ~ GOLDEN ARROW 3.9%
FOX INN ~ FOXY LADY 4.3%
HOGSWOOD ~ NORTH SHORE I.P.A. 3.8%
HOP & STAGGER ~ WANDER 3.6%
OATES ~ YORKSHIRE'S OLYMPIC GOLD 3.7%
ROCK & ROLL BREWHOUSE ~ INTERHEDGEROW OVERDRIVE 3.8%
MARLPOOL ~ LEN'S LEGACY 4.2%