261. Wed 13/12/17: The Brewery Tap, Luton

Beer: Hardy & Hansons Rocking Rudolph 4.2%

Toss a coin in the gym changing room. Its heads – so I ditch fitness and go down pub.

Since reading the blog, up there on the internet, I have changed the way I’ve written – and the pubs I’ve visited. My decision to go to The Tap was based on not having written it up thus far, and that I’ve gone and thunk up “an angle”.

This visit, nay this whole enterprise, is informed by Orwell’s 1946 essay The Moon Under Water, about the perfect pub. The boozer of this Orwellian utopia - TMUW (spoiler alert) doesn’t exist.

The brewery to which this pub recalls was demolished in 1977 – so both Orwell's essay, and Luton’s Brewery Tap pub recall things that are lost to time.

Who, one wonders, was the last whimsical toper who sat in this pub fondly recalling foaming pints of JWGreen’s Dragon’s Blood? Who can tell? Maybe he/she is in here now… they’ll be getting on mind.

Green’s was bought out by Whitbread – who lost interest in brewing years ago (not before everyone lost interest in their lousy beer). Hardy and Hansons were bought up and closed down by Greene King a decade ago – but Rocking Rudolph is, though possibly not what it was, perfectly decent.

272a. Fri 29/12/17: The Duke of Wellington, London

Beer: Salopian Shropshire Gold 3.8%

London can be irritating. On a day when the price of a travelcard made me wince, the suspension of the North London line and the works around Highbury Corner meant a two hour journey to Dalston. When I got to the Wellington, service was snail paced. The evening was, however, saved once my chums turned up (Ched, then John the Sid, then Steve). And despite the slow service and titchy tiny pool room, I like the Wellington for its 'proper pub' feeling, despite some of its trendier clientele.

The pool was free. While we were playing a couple of blokes asked if it was 'winner stayed on'. We asked if it was ok if we played a couple more frames, then let them have the table. This was witnessed by a couple who'd come in to the titchy tiny pool room to watch the rugger. By the time we got to the bar and advised the blokes we'd finished, the couple had set up and started a game of pool. Cue discussions, churlishness and quite justified sulking.

257b Thu 7/12/17: The Hat Factory. 65 - 67 Bute Street, Luton

Beer: Maltsmiths American Style Pale Ale 4.6%

The Lee Nelson powered Utter! spoken word night, though sadly Lee was unable to attend this evening. Stand in host, Matt Panesh is an excellent fellow, whose poetry is pleasingly offensive and whose MC skills meant the event passed off very well. Some charming people, both performing and in the audience.

The venue's a bit of a state these days. It always was. Such a fantastic space, ruined. It's closing for a refurb next year, where all it needs is a little love and attention. So much weird practice, from operating the bar in a different venue to the performance which - you guessed it, boasts a bar - to the overstaffed box office and welcome area upstairs. It's a community space which has alienated at least part of the community - though it should be said that everyone working there, is an absolute pleasure.

268 Sat 23/12/17: The Black Horse, Luton

Beer: Green Jack Brewing Co Gone Fishing ESB 5.5%

The weakest beer at the BH pre-match this Saturday is a 4.6% brew. That’s a bit much… but, on occasion, nothing down the Brickies is over 4%. I’m leaning towards a nice, brown, 4.2%er if poss these days; but I’m not really complaining with conviction – two (and ideally three) pints of comparatively strong beer before the match is ok by me.

They’re setting down the annual BH panto (Cinderella, which was last night) which means the seating area on the stage isn’t available at first but, once we’re given the green light, we’re straight over there. Chris and the Page boys are off (though not together) for Christmas, so our numbers are a little depleted. Still, the Harper bros are in – and Steve has bought my MCCC bumph pack – hinting at sunnier summer days at Lord’s to come.

257 Fri 1/12/17: Bricklayers Arms, Luton

Beer: Market Harborough Super Hop Mosaic 4.2%

Me brother and I out (Leighton not, and Andy has blown us out).

Nice, though, to be back for a quiet night down the Bricks. We play, and lose, on the quizzer – we look over the blog on my electronic device – I suggest some minor changes. We discuss which is the best song by The Chills. It is, unless you know better, “Oncoming Day”.


We talk about Barry, who passed away while we were in Prague – how our lives would be diminished by his not being available anymore to rush in on last orders – “Barry-time”.

There’s a bunch of “new people” at the only other table occupied in the back bar. They’re millennials. They’re alright… when the effects of the booze kick in, they get a little tiresome. We were the tiresome teenage new kids down the Brickies, probably annoying Barry, sometime before this lot were born.

 

259 Sat 091217: The Black Horse, Luton

Beer: 3 Brewers of St Albans Special 4.8%, Leighton Buzzard Brewing Co Rebel Yell 5%

The Black Horse doesn’t shy from the stronger beers like the Brickies tends to… I like the option of a decent four and a halfer, but tend to favour a decent brown 4.2% as standard…

Anyway, I haven’t seen the Hatters for ages, and it’s nice to be back. Lovely to see Chris and Andy Whiting and John and Steve and Luke/Wilf, me brother of course – good to be back in the fold. All seem generally complimentary about my new winter plumage – the facial hair I’ve been allowing to grow since the week before we went to Prague is getting reasonably close to actually resembling a beard.

Chris at The Black Horse is always up to something new – this week it’s the Oxjam charity event. Not sure quite what that entails, but our friend (and graphic artist) Helen is painting signs for a donation. She does a “Knockouts” one, and I give her a fiver (is this enough, or too stingy?

While the football trade is welcome, there does seem to be far more to The Black Horse beyond our fortnightly visits take in; and Chris seems an excellent landlord/bloke.

Oxjam have taken the space at the end of the pub, on the stage, where we like to hold court – so we’re crammed up at the bar near the door. That’s ok though, thankfully the Notts County ale aficionados have gone elsewhere, and the pub isn’t abnormally packed.