510b. Fri 2/11/18: The Lady Hamilton, Zurich, Switzerland

Beer: Heineken International Heineken 5%

After a long day’s travel and after pitching up at my self-serve lodgings in the heart of Zurich’s bustling bar’n’ brothel zone, I was under-researched, but in no mood for adventure. Which led me, firstly to The Lord Nelson. No seats. The upstairs bar, The Lady Hamilton, was more accommodating.

The Hamilton's interior is lifted from an English pub devoid of leprechauns or old bits of agricultural machinery. There's a wide selection of lager, most of which I’ve tasted and am confident taste EXACTLY the same as each other. More or less. I’m able to pay by card, but there’s a 30 Franc minimum, so I’m given a hefty amount of change and am unexpectedly the sulky owner of Swiss currency.

English pub. Euro beer. Swiss money. American soft rock, then American raunchy rubbish with a big beat. The crowd grows steadily while I sit and try and read. The emerging clientele is young, loud and enjoying the Halloween decorations. The table next to me is dominated by some bloke pontificating and provoking one young lady into giggling with enough shrill enthusiasm and volume to cover the music. She’s a happy soul; half human/three quarters gerbil, pausing her mirth only for the occasional breath. She needn’t bother.

To my right, an older couple, eating a meal, dressed nice. Not dressed up, but nice. They, like me, are clearly in the wrong place. I leave as the music’s turned up, feeling vaguely disconnected with the rest of mankind. There’s a club night coming up; one of the DJs is called “Meh”. DJ Meh.

543. Friday 09/11/18: Palác Akropolis, Prague, Czech Republic

Beer: Pilsner Urquell 4.4%

We’ve been once, some years ago, to Žižkov's premier (proper) venue, the Akropolis, to see a band. We must’ve largely stumbled into the gig, it wasn’t planned. Great venue, mind – an old theatre venue, nice and small with a good sound. Been there once.

Thought we’d pop in for a beer on our last day though. The bar at the Akropolis on a Friday afternoon is underwhelming but, without the pretensions hoisted onto too many other places in Prague these days, that seems like a breath of fresh air.

The Pilsner Urquell isn’t at its best. It’s a bit warm. Stephanie struggles with A) trying to send a text to my brother, which seemingly refuses to go through and B) a beer fly, against which she waves hands and urgently suggests that he/she ought to “f*ck off”.

 

435. Fri 22/6/18: The Blue Boar, Leicester

Beer: Exit 33 Stout 4.7%

Just down the road from The Criterion – appraisal of this place, according to my write up, stymied by the amount of time and drink we enjoyed beforehand. Notes, verbatim, go:

Crafty brewpub. Excellent place. Good beer. No tellies. One big, rectangle, room – Czech beerhallesque. Too piney… I dunno, I’m guessing – I’m increasingly pissed.

Good place – no music, tellies or owt… just conversation, which rankles over aged folk saying “like”. I’m still trying t’get photos, taken here, on a device, sent t’work… which is problematic. Beer is very nice. I’m too soused to fully appreciate it.

505b. Sat 20/10/18: The Bear Club, Luton

Beer: Rebel Brewing Company Surf Bum IPA 3.5%, Leighton Buzzard Restoration 4.6%

Third gig in as many nights. Maybe one gig too many. The Bear feels subdued. Lemn Sissay's in town, which may have taken one or two customers. Such a difference can be telling; there are a few empty seats, which is a bit of a shame. Have a very pleasant catch up with Justin and tell him how much better The Bear is than Ronnie Scott's, although I suspect that a) he knows, and b) there's no real comparison. I mean well, but should perhaps keep my wisdom to myself.

I'm knackered. I try a low strength beer. A false economy; the flavour eludes me so I neck the Rebel back and move onto Restoration. Henrik Jensen and his quartet take the stand. They are cool and measured. Not necessarily the right time and right place for me and my weary head. I find myself trying not to nod off, rather than nod along. I'd arranged and very pleased that SRW and AW (nee AT) are here, but am unable to give any good advice viz their planned 2019 rail excursion to Eastern Europe. I mutter vague warnings about the Belgrade to Sofia overnight train, though they're not planning, or aren't talking about either Serbia or Bulgaria.

Dirty chips in pitta on the way home.

 

53. Fri 14/4/17: La Fabrica, Seville, Spain

Beer: Cruzcampo 5%

Another old market hall turned into an overpriced glitzy food and drink… market.

This, however, is home to another Cruzcampo Origen tank pub! Look, see, the tanks overhead?!

And it’s alright. Tastes better than the bottled stuff we had over the river. Perhaps it is better. In any case the Origen glasses look different – and the allusion that this is something new and improved does pique the interest in idiots like me. They may have a point… on the other hand, this could be an exercise in turd polishing.

This market though… it’s one for your millennials, it's virtually imploring us old farts to depart. We’re reasonably happy to oblige.

527a. Tues 6/11/18: U Hrocha, Prague

Beer: Pilsner Urquell 4.4%

A tiny bar - well two tiny bars, separated by a passageway - up among the embassies behind Malostranská Namesti. We tried coming here last year, but couldn’t get in. This year, we’ve come early, straight from the Museum of Oppression, housed within the base of the old statue of Stalin.

We’re in luck, kind of. TPK advises that he and SA usually sit in the window. There’s space there, he points out, for two. Not three. I invite him to remain stood up. It doesn’t go down well, so I invite the two of them to sit and I perch nearby, getting in people’s way. That’s how I remember it. There's definitely some moving around and fitting in where we can. A group of teeny kids don’t have the same problem, although they’re at odds with the older demographic and don’t hang around long.

304a. Fri 16/2/18: The Pineapple, Kentish Town, London

Beer: Dark Star Partridge 4.0%

A catch up with Stephen F and Michael J - who's over from Koln and spent what sounds like an excellent day gallery visiting and record shopping.

The Pineapple's one of my favourite pubs, but disappointing this evening. The front bar's packed. There are tables free on the left hand side towards the back room, but these are reserved and the back room itself closed for a private party. I appreciate that reserving tables probably works in the pub's and the locals' interest, but when you're sat in a table reserved a little while in the future, you feel like a criminal when it's time to be turfed out.

We leave after one drink, after having been asked to remove ourselves from reserved seats (the party typically turning up late) and suspecting that The Junction Tavern may be a better bet.