Friday, 30 October 2015
Pint-Sized Blonde for Outline Magazine
Friday, 16 October 2015
Golden Camels, King Parrots & Jesus - London Beer blog
Scooter Bar, Waterloo
Negra Modello
I had been promised trendy London beers and an awesome Thai dinner this evening so expectations were high. After catching the tube to Waterloo (I think - I don’t pay much attention when someone else is leading) and walking passed a gold camel on a rooftop (awesome) we reached the Scooter Bar. I’ve been brought up to consider scooters as little more than a glorified bicycle with no gears but despite my reservations, and the abundance of scooter-related paraphernalia, it was a decent, quirky little bar. Kind of boho theatrical with mismatching furniture and a non-plussed cat (my favourite kind). As the place was so small it had nothing on tap so my fella ordered us bottles of Negra Modelo and we sat under a picture of Jesus and his sacred heart, lit by fairy lights. The beer was sweeter than I would usually choose, it had an almost almond aftertaste I seem to remember, but it ended up being a long night so my memory could be wrong...
After that we walked round the corner to the misleadingly titled ‘Marie’s Café’, for Thai food. Inside it was low key and honest, just the kind of place I love to eat in. It was BYOB so we’d planned ahead and stopped at M&S on the way. I’d picked up an Adnams Southwold Winter IPA (exclusive to Marks don’t you know) to go with my chicken in oyster sauce served on a plastic plate. Awesome.
After food (and a dash to the cash machine cos the café didn’t take card) it was mentioned that my fella’s profession granted him access to a private club, but as yet he hadn’t managed to go. Did I fancy taking a look? This sounded like a perfectly random thing to do and therefore right up my street, yes please.
Union Jack Club, Waterloo
Union Jack Ale
Being called the Union Jack Club, you can imagine what it looked like inside. Kind of like a clean Wetherspoons but with pictures of ships and notable military figures on the wall. Lots of pine furniture and a carpet that made my head hurt. We headed through to the bar and I got a pint of Union Jack ale. Winner. It was nothing to write home about, just a bog standard beer but cheap as chips. Despite sticking out like sore thumbs, no one gave us a second glance, which was nice. Even so this wasn’t really our kind of place so we had just the one and moved on.
The Kings Arms, Roupell St
King of Hearts, Wild Card Brewery
The Kings Arms was a real ale pub, that looked like a real ale pub. Y’know, traditional with the half
frosted windows and old style circular bar. I had a pint of King of Hearts, mainly because I liked the pump clip (a parrot wearing a crown) and it was a blonde beer. By that point that's all I could determine, but it was a lovely dry hopped pint. As you can see by the fuzzy picture my brain had decided I’d had a few too. Also a chap was sitting at the bar directly in front of the pump, so it was a super quick stealth photo, as I always feel like a plum taking photos of pump clips if anyone sees me. Actually I feel like a plum doing it if no one can see me.
As the pub closed and we were turfed out, the decision was made to keep going and there was only one place to go.
Cro Bar, Soho
Budvar
The Cro Bar is another bar too small for a cellar, so only sells bottles and shorts. I would normally get a real ale, a Hobgoblin or even a Trooper, but for some reason every time I step into the Cro, the words ‘bottle of Budvar’ escape my mouth. I do like Budvar though. Surprisingly we got a seat, especially as it had gone midnight and the bar is always packed, tucked into the corner where I could happily people watch. I have no idea when we got home but I do know the cab ride was £40.
14.10.15 - Borough Market, Utobeer!
OK, not technically a pub (or even remotely close to being a pub) but it had LOADS of beers, which is not surprising in the least as it is a specialist bottled beer shop. The problem was that the only bottles I liked the look of were ones I would never actually drink (like stouts or porters) and nothing else had a bat on its label so I couldn’t persuade myself to part with any money that day. I have a feeling I’ll be back though….
After the market we went to the Crime Museum. No beers but worth mentioning that it was brilliant and I had a grin on my face the whole way round, which other visitors probably thought was weird seeing as it was all about murders and stuff.
Princess Louise,
Organic Lager, Samuel Smiths
After the cinema (I think we had about three dates in one day?) there was time for a quick beer in the Princess Louise, a fabulous old boozer, the kind Americans would like to recreate and fail dismally. It was a Samuel Smith's pub (something I don't remember coming across before) but apparently that meant it would be cheap. Gob smackingly cheap. I didn't recognise any of the beers on offer so plumped for an organic lager, which was just what I fancied at the time. There was a very drunk girl in the corner who kept shouting incomprehensible things but she seemed happy enough, and the staff all looked alternative. Wish I could have stayed in there a little longer and got one of the booths.
Happily we arrived at Liverpool Street station in plenty of time for my train home and squeezed in another beer in The Merchants of Bishopsgate (or TOMB as I like to think of it) and I'm not sure what I had to drink but I know there was a very, very rude man at the bar making the barmaid feel like crap. There is no excuse for this kind of behaviour and I sincerely wished she had thrown him out. It's the kind of stuff a decent bar shouldn't let happen to their staff (I've walked out of jobs for being told to 'take whatever the customer gives you and smile'.) Despite this, and the fact my train was eventually delayed and I had to change at Colchester, my couple of days in London were pretty awesome. I use the word 'awesome' a lot. Must mean things are going ok.....
Negra Modello
After that we walked round the corner to the misleadingly titled ‘Marie’s Café’, for Thai food. Inside it was low key and honest, just the kind of place I love to eat in. It was BYOB so we’d planned ahead and stopped at M&S on the way. I’d picked up an Adnams Southwold Winter IPA (exclusive to Marks don’t you know) to go with my chicken in oyster sauce served on a plastic plate. Awesome.After food (and a dash to the cash machine cos the café didn’t take card) it was mentioned that my fella’s profession granted him access to a private club, but as yet he hadn’t managed to go. Did I fancy taking a look? This sounded like a perfectly random thing to do and therefore right up my street, yes please.
Union Jack Club, Waterloo
Union Jack Ale
Being called the Union Jack Club, you can imagine what it looked like inside. Kind of like a clean Wetherspoons but with pictures of ships and notable military figures on the wall. Lots of pine furniture and a carpet that made my head hurt. We headed through to the bar and I got a pint of Union Jack ale. Winner. It was nothing to write home about, just a bog standard beer but cheap as chips. Despite sticking out like sore thumbs, no one gave us a second glance, which was nice. Even so this wasn’t really our kind of place so we had just the one and moved on.
The Kings Arms, Roupell St
King of Hearts, Wild Card Brewery
The Kings Arms was a real ale pub, that looked like a real ale pub. Y’know, traditional with the half
frosted windows and old style circular bar. I had a pint of King of Hearts, mainly because I liked the pump clip (a parrot wearing a crown) and it was a blonde beer. By that point that's all I could determine, but it was a lovely dry hopped pint. As you can see by the fuzzy picture my brain had decided I’d had a few too. Also a chap was sitting at the bar directly in front of the pump, so it was a super quick stealth photo, as I always feel like a plum taking photos of pump clips if anyone sees me. Actually I feel like a plum doing it if no one can see me. As the pub closed and we were turfed out, the decision was made to keep going and there was only one place to go.
Cro Bar, Soho
Budvar
The Cro Bar is another bar too small for a cellar, so only sells bottles and shorts. I would normally get a real ale, a Hobgoblin or even a Trooper, but for some reason every time I step into the Cro, the words ‘bottle of Budvar’ escape my mouth. I do like Budvar though. Surprisingly we got a seat, especially as it had gone midnight and the bar is always packed, tucked into the corner where I could happily people watch. I have no idea when we got home but I do know the cab ride was £40.
14.10.15 - Borough Market, Utobeer!
OK, not technically a pub (or even remotely close to being a pub) but it had LOADS of beers, which is not surprising in the least as it is a specialist bottled beer shop. The problem was that the only bottles I liked the look of were ones I would never actually drink (like stouts or porters) and nothing else had a bat on its label so I couldn’t persuade myself to part with any money that day. I have a feeling I’ll be back though….After the market we went to the Crime Museum. No beers but worth mentioning that it was brilliant and I had a grin on my face the whole way round, which other visitors probably thought was weird seeing as it was all about murders and stuff.
Princess Louise,
Organic Lager, Samuel Smiths
After the cinema (I think we had about three dates in one day?) there was time for a quick beer in the Princess Louise, a fabulous old boozer, the kind Americans would like to recreate and fail dismally. It was a Samuel Smith's pub (something I don't remember coming across before) but apparently that meant it would be cheap. Gob smackingly cheap. I didn't recognise any of the beers on offer so plumped for an organic lager, which was just what I fancied at the time. There was a very drunk girl in the corner who kept shouting incomprehensible things but she seemed happy enough, and the staff all looked alternative. Wish I could have stayed in there a little longer and got one of the booths.
Happily we arrived at Liverpool Street station in plenty of time for my train home and squeezed in another beer in The Merchants of Bishopsgate (or TOMB as I like to think of it) and I'm not sure what I had to drink but I know there was a very, very rude man at the bar making the barmaid feel like crap. There is no excuse for this kind of behaviour and I sincerely wished she had thrown him out. It's the kind of stuff a decent bar shouldn't let happen to their staff (I've walked out of jobs for being told to 'take whatever the customer gives you and smile'.) Despite this, and the fact my train was eventually delayed and I had to change at Colchester, my couple of days in London were pretty awesome. I use the word 'awesome' a lot. Must mean things are going ok.....
Outline Magazine - The Plasterers Arms Column
This month I have my own section on the Outline Magazine website so you can read my column online! This month's is about The Plasterers Arms and how booze helps me through football, but not through a pub quiz, and why you should never put coconut on a pizza.
Pint-Size in Print at The Playhouse!
I'm in print again for Outline Magazine. This time I went to the Playhouse and drank a very oddly interesting beer and had deep and meaningful, yet incredibly random, conversations with a very old friend I meet regularly.
You can read it online if you've missed your copy or do not have the good fortune to live in Norwich. I have a regular column now!
Sunday, 5 July 2015
Beercat
I went to The Cottage in my hometown of Norwich. Owned by the same guys that own The Plough (another awesome pub in Norwich) I enjoyed a lovely pint in the sunshine, and an almost lovelier deli platter of salami, cheese, pickles, bread and fruit. They also have a lovely ginger kitten called #Beercat who is the friendliest wee thing. Give this pub a look and it will become one of your favourites, I guarantee.
Tuesday, 23 June 2015
Having It Random In Manchester
I have friends all over the place, partly because I can't seem to settle anywhere for very long (even though I hate moving) but mainly because I'm an impulsive little thing who ends up doing random stuff and going randomer places. This weekend I was visiting a friend I'd made while working in Manchester in a shoe shop for six months before leaving for Australia. I'd met up with said guy in China as well while he was teaching English. Random.
Friday - After a four and a half hour train journey I arrived at my friends house to be greeted by a huge dog (who I would later find out was a minor local celeb) and a very excitable teeny tiny dog called Paris. We got Tibetan takeaway (I now know I don't like tofu) and headed out into the local area of Chorlton with the dogs in tow.
Where: Nip & Tipple, Chorlton, Manchester
What: For my shame, I can't bloody remember
Ok, this was my first beer, I swear, and I can see the pump clip in my head but I cannot remember the name or the brewery. It was blonde and had a plain picture, like a blonde square. I got three pints for less than a tenner (no, not all for me) and I was really thirsty so the information slipped my mind. The Nip & Tipple (what a name!) had a decked outside area where the dogs could have some space and we could smoke and drink and talk about anything we liked which ended up being what crazy people will do to 'keep their man' (even when he's a bit of a loser) and the nightmare of having to listen to people you know have sex in the next room. Among other things.
Where: Pi, Chorlton (just assume Manchester from here on in)
What: IPA, Se7en Brothers Brewery
I remembered to take a photo of the pump clip in this bar. The bar was also called Pi and it did indeed serves pies. Pieminister pies at that. In fact, so cool was this little place that I remarked (probably more times than my native Mancunians would have cared for) that it could have been in Norwich. Small and kooky trendy looking, with random music-themed pictures on the wall and a stripped back bar (from memory) it was a an awesome place to sit and people watch. I was yet to witness the fame of my giant canine companion, but that was to come.
Where: Oddest, Chorlton
What: Not sure, my friend got the beers in
I know, I know, I'm a rubbish beer blogger, but my mate was taking the piss about the fact that I wrote a beer blog for no reason and I was also overwhelmed by the numbers of people coming to talk to the dog. The staff at Oddest knew him and brought out sausages. Groups of pissed students stopped to stroke him and have their pictures taken. One woman sat down on our table and talked for about twenty minutes about her dogs. Having giant breed dogs from a young age means I am never that in awe when I see one, but clearly my friends Husky Malamute cross was genuinely something of a local icon. It wouldn't have been a problem if people kept it brief, desperate was I for a catch-up with my friends, but it didn't stop. It got to the point where one guy said 'Can I come and sit with the cool people?' and then asked 'Can I just say one thing before you tell me to sod off?'. I didn't really hear him so just told him to sod off. He didn't. Then he asked if he could take my picture. I declined.
Random.
My favourite thing about Oddest, apart from the fact it served decent beers, stayed open late and was within walking distance of my temporary home, was the reclaimed doors inside.
I'm slowly turning into my dad.
Saturday - Slept like the dead (especially after some takeout beers and talking crap in the garden to finish the evening off last night) I was presented with tea and, after my protests last time that breakfast at the weekend should always include bacon, a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon. Win.
Where: Mono Bar, Chorlton
What: Rose Wheat Beer, Ticketybrew
It started to rain (welcome to Manchester!) so we dashed into a pub. To make up for being a crap beer blogger the night before, I chose a pint while my friends stuck to caffeine. I love everything about Tickety Brew. From the satisfying sounding name to the pump clips and finally the beer itself. I'm not normally a fan of wheat beers, and chose this one by accident, but it was unusual but not in a try-hard way, with a slight kick in the aftertaste. Friendly bar staff, a (I want to say) Primal Scream themed mural and cheesy cassette tapes on display in the loos, Mono bar was another awesome spot for a beverage. Had the rain carried on and my friends not been so hungry, I probably would have stayed all afternoon.
After a quick pit-stop at Barbakan Deli for Polish sausage and potatoes we wandered around the shops, then stopped from another pint. Or two.
Where: Horse & Jockey, Chorlton
What: Two Hoots, Joseph Holt
I prefer independent pubs and generally try to stay away from big chains but the Horse and Jockey had dry seats outside and a beautiful view of the green. It also had Two Hoots on tap, which I didn't know was a Joseph Holt beer, but I knew I liked it. There was a steady stream of children running around, which never bodes well for me, and then my friends started to try to set me up with one of their friends. Time to head home for food and prepare for the evening.
Where: Fringe, Central Manchester
What: Platinum Blonde, Maypole Brewery
I like Fringe, I'd spent an afternoon in there before and had an actual grownup discussion with the barman about sparklers. As we walked through the bar to grab a seat outside, a pump clip caught my eye. It was called Platinum Blonde and had the cheesiest pump clip, like an Eighties music video, I knew I had to have a pint. It wasn't the best to be honest, not a bad beer just lacking flavour, a bit watery.
We changed tack for our second pint, something slightly darker, and as my friend put them down on the table I asked what he had chosen this time. "No idea, but it already tastes better than the last." It did, but that doesn't help my blog because I still don't know what it was. Off for our final bar stop.
Where: Band On The Wall, just over the road
What: Wainwright, Thwaites
Just as we left the bar, it started to rain. So we queued in the rain, tried to roll soggy cigarettes and hide under one tiny umbrella. As we walked into Band on the Wall venue, tickets in hand, a security guard grabbed my wrist and began to slowly turn my arm around. I looked at him with mild shock and he said 'just admiring'. Ah, I'd almost forgotten how people think it's ok to grab people half their size and look at their tattoos.
After locating the second bar, with half the queue, I ordered two vodkas&, and a pint of Wainwright's. The beer was ok, nothing super special but totally drinkable - to be honest I was just glad to have an ale option. Some music venues, despite the large numbers of ale drinkers who like live music, still only offer StellaBecksCarling headache inducing lager. We watched Mr Scruff who was slightly disappointing. All he seemed to play was the same style of tracks or, as my friend perfectly summed-up, 'Seventies porno music'. We stood in the corner of the smoking area and talked crap. I was reminded the following day that I said I had no desire to see my friend naked. I don't think he was offering, seeing as he's very happy with his girlfriend and she was with us at the time, but it just gives you an idea of how random our conversations were.
On the way home, having not really danced at all and feeling very let down by that fact, we grabbed a cab. As we started to chat about the evening, the cab driver cranked up the radio. So loud in fact that there was no possibility of conversation. I'm fairly sure we weren't still talking about nakedness but whatever we were talking about, the cabbie decided we weren't going to talk about it anymore. The doors were shaking it was so loud.
Home. Happy dogs. Cup of tea. Sleep for hours.
Sunday - I went home Sunday, after breakfast at Oddest Bar, but as I didn't drink a drop on Sunday, this is where my Manchester beer blog ends. I am only a dinky thing and, while I can keep up (or outdrink) the best of them, occasionally I need a break. Green tea and an evening of sofa slouching awaited me, as well as my own happy cats.
Friday - After a four and a half hour train journey I arrived at my friends house to be greeted by a huge dog (who I would later find out was a minor local celeb) and a very excitable teeny tiny dog called Paris. We got Tibetan takeaway (I now know I don't like tofu) and headed out into the local area of Chorlton with the dogs in tow.
What: For my shame, I can't bloody remember
Ok, this was my first beer, I swear, and I can see the pump clip in my head but I cannot remember the name or the brewery. It was blonde and had a plain picture, like a blonde square. I got three pints for less than a tenner (no, not all for me) and I was really thirsty so the information slipped my mind. The Nip & Tipple (what a name!) had a decked outside area where the dogs could have some space and we could smoke and drink and talk about anything we liked which ended up being what crazy people will do to 'keep their man' (even when he's a bit of a loser) and the nightmare of having to listen to people you know have sex in the next room. Among other things.
Where: Pi, Chorlton (just assume Manchester from here on in)
I remembered to take a photo of the pump clip in this bar. The bar was also called Pi and it did indeed serves pies. Pieminister pies at that. In fact, so cool was this little place that I remarked (probably more times than my native Mancunians would have cared for) that it could have been in Norwich. Small and kooky trendy looking, with random music-themed pictures on the wall and a stripped back bar (from memory) it was a an awesome place to sit and people watch. I was yet to witness the fame of my giant canine companion, but that was to come.
Where: Oddest, Chorlton
What: Not sure, my friend got the beers in
I know, I know, I'm a rubbish beer blogger, but my mate was taking the piss about the fact that I wrote a beer blog for no reason and I was also overwhelmed by the numbers of people coming to talk to the dog. The staff at Oddest knew him and brought out sausages. Groups of pissed students stopped to stroke him and have their pictures taken. One woman sat down on our table and talked for about twenty minutes about her dogs. Having giant breed dogs from a young age means I am never that in awe when I see one, but clearly my friends Husky Malamute cross was genuinely something of a local icon. It wouldn't have been a problem if people kept it brief, desperate was I for a catch-up with my friends, but it didn't stop. It got to the point where one guy said 'Can I come and sit with the cool people?' and then asked 'Can I just say one thing before you tell me to sod off?'. I didn't really hear him so just told him to sod off. He didn't. Then he asked if he could take my picture. I declined.Random.
My favourite thing about Oddest, apart from the fact it served decent beers, stayed open late and was within walking distance of my temporary home, was the reclaimed doors inside.
I'm slowly turning into my dad.
Saturday - Slept like the dead (especially after some takeout beers and talking crap in the garden to finish the evening off last night) I was presented with tea and, after my protests last time that breakfast at the weekend should always include bacon, a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon. Win.
Where: Mono Bar, Chorlton
What: Rose Wheat Beer, Ticketybrew
It started to rain (welcome to Manchester!) so we dashed into a pub. To make up for being a crap beer blogger the night before, I chose a pint while my friends stuck to caffeine. I love everything about Tickety Brew. From the satisfying sounding name to the pump clips and finally the beer itself. I'm not normally a fan of wheat beers, and chose this one by accident, but it was unusual but not in a try-hard way, with a slight kick in the aftertaste. Friendly bar staff, a (I want to say) Primal Scream themed mural and cheesy cassette tapes on display in the loos, Mono bar was another awesome spot for a beverage. Had the rain carried on and my friends not been so hungry, I probably would have stayed all afternoon.After a quick pit-stop at Barbakan Deli for Polish sausage and potatoes we wandered around the shops, then stopped from another pint. Or two.
Where: Horse & Jockey, Chorlton
What: Two Hoots, Joseph Holt
I prefer independent pubs and generally try to stay away from big chains but the Horse and Jockey had dry seats outside and a beautiful view of the green. It also had Two Hoots on tap, which I didn't know was a Joseph Holt beer, but I knew I liked it. There was a steady stream of children running around, which never bodes well for me, and then my friends started to try to set me up with one of their friends. Time to head home for food and prepare for the evening.
Where: Fringe, Central Manchester
What: Platinum Blonde, Maypole Brewery
We changed tack for our second pint, something slightly darker, and as my friend put them down on the table I asked what he had chosen this time. "No idea, but it already tastes better than the last." It did, but that doesn't help my blog because I still don't know what it was. Off for our final bar stop.
Where: Band On The Wall, just over the road
What: Wainwright, Thwaites
Just as we left the bar, it started to rain. So we queued in the rain, tried to roll soggy cigarettes and hide under one tiny umbrella. As we walked into Band on the Wall venue, tickets in hand, a security guard grabbed my wrist and began to slowly turn my arm around. I looked at him with mild shock and he said 'just admiring'. Ah, I'd almost forgotten how people think it's ok to grab people half their size and look at their tattoos.After locating the second bar, with half the queue, I ordered two vodkas&, and a pint of Wainwright's. The beer was ok, nothing super special but totally drinkable - to be honest I was just glad to have an ale option. Some music venues, despite the large numbers of ale drinkers who like live music, still only offer StellaBecksCarling headache inducing lager. We watched Mr Scruff who was slightly disappointing. All he seemed to play was the same style of tracks or, as my friend perfectly summed-up, 'Seventies porno music'. We stood in the corner of the smoking area and talked crap. I was reminded the following day that I said I had no desire to see my friend naked. I don't think he was offering, seeing as he's very happy with his girlfriend and she was with us at the time, but it just gives you an idea of how random our conversations were.
On the way home, having not really danced at all and feeling very let down by that fact, we grabbed a cab. As we started to chat about the evening, the cab driver cranked up the radio. So loud in fact that there was no possibility of conversation. I'm fairly sure we weren't still talking about nakedness but whatever we were talking about, the cabbie decided we weren't going to talk about it anymore. The doors were shaking it was so loud.
Home. Happy dogs. Cup of tea. Sleep for hours.
Sunday - I went home Sunday, after breakfast at Oddest Bar, but as I didn't drink a drop on Sunday, this is where my Manchester beer blog ends. I am only a dinky thing and, while I can keep up (or outdrink) the best of them, occasionally I need a break. Green tea and an evening of sofa slouching awaited me, as well as my own happy cats.
Thursday, 11 June 2015
PSB in Print!
The lovely folks at Outline Magazine have put me in print! I'm in June's issue of the free Norwich listings magazine, with a blog on the Black Sheep Brewery takeover of the Fat Cat Tap
You can pick up a copy in all good places in Norwich or read online at their website for free.
If all goes to plan I should be in there next month as well! Woohoo!
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