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.

569. Sat 15/12/18: Byatt’s Brewery Bar, Coventry

Beer: Byatt’s XXXmas 5.5%
COVENTRY CITY 1-2 LUTON TOWN

Excellent result in Coventry – new ground for me. My 105th, according to my (anal) “app”. A fantastic day out only marred by the weather which started out as very cold but, by the time we left, the freezing rain had started. We’re a bit stuck about what to do – my research for this trip sadly lacking – the GBG app on my phone gives directions to Byatt’s Brewery, but it’s a twenty minute walk and we’re getting soaked.

Thankfully we get to the little industrial estate where the brewery is based, and manage to warm up a little in its nicely appointed bar. There’s seats and heaters (and about a dozen Town fans) upstairs.

The beer is dark and strong, like I like my men. My phone has given up the ghost in the cold, and my selvedge LVC (seconds) jeans are soaked through.

Keith is in the party of Hatters – but the others leave together – leaving Mr H with us. We talk vaguely about the match, about Town’s chances of promotion, about Power Court. We eventually manage to wangle a couple of seats in the taxi Keith’s booked to take him (to meet back up with his pals) in another pub in the city centre.

143. Sun 6/8/17: Harris Garden, Lord’s Cricket Ground, St John’s Wood, London

Beer: Ringwood Forty Niner 4.9%


The deal with the Lord’s Beer Fest’ is that it’s non-cash and one buys vouchers beforehand. In today’s case that necessitates return visits to get rid of our remaining half pint vouchers. It’s getting too hot – and Middlesex are now crashing too (there’s twenty wickets in the day – possibly more, I wasn’t paying too much attention to the farce out in the middle).

The Beer Festival is very popular though. I’ve worked out why. While, as members, our booze alternative is pots of Pedigree at a price comparable to drinks here – the rest of the crowd are served up whatever Marston’s weakest bitter is, and at a scandalous £5.20 a pint. A half of considerably better beer at the Harris Garden Beer Fest’ is £1.90.

412. Fri 110518: The Victoria, Dunstable

Beer: Hook Norton Old Hooky 4.5% 

Steph bought tickets to see Danny Baker at Dunstable’s (excellent) Grove Theatre as a Christmas present – so that’s why we’re in Dunny. Good though, ain’t he, Danny Baker?

We’ve time for a couple beforehand – and go, firstly, like you do, to The Victoria: once Dunstable’s sole real ale bolthole… these days rather in the shade of The Globe. The Vic’ (as regulars may call it) is alright – and it certain retains the feel and the clientele of a decent community local.

Immediately on entry, we have to circumnavigate the large group of old boys, loudly effin’ and jeffin’ (but most effin’), and pretty efficiently blocking both entrance to/from the pub – and access to/from the bar.

Still, once got, the beer is very good.

Steph suggests, judging by the look of the locals – there are quite a few people in here that it’d be useful to know. They’re almost exclusively male, dressed in paint flecked apparel, and all apparently employed at doing “something useful” - swigging back lagers and swearing in accents that Steph suggests are “more Luton than you get in Luton”. I’m sitting there, sipping at real ale, surreptitiously scribbling notes and taking photographs… activities I’m involved enough with at the time to forget about feeling emasculated, until it comes round to typing this report out.

We only stay for one – and get a little bit lost in the back streets, trying to find The Globe.

491d. Wed 3/10/18: Snack Bar o Jacare, Madeira, Portugal

Beer: Madeira Coral 5.0% 

Post levada walk drink at the finishing point. For those who have not been to Madeira, the levadas are man made narrow channels of water which guide water from the mountains to the rest of the island. Originally built for irrigation of the land and then for collecting water for general usage, there are now a number of levadas that feed hydroelectric stations. Many of the levadas can be walked and take you through some lovely countryside. My beer stands next to the levada I followed. We were told not to drink water straight from the levada which was good advice as on the walk first a dead kitten and then a dead mouse floated past us! Thought the bar at the end of the walk would be prime tourist trap territory but fair do's, 50cls of Coral only €3.