Franconia Beer Message Board
GBBF & Pubs in London |
| Posted by Nick B. on 2016-08-15 05:01:55 |
| Just back last night from 4+ days in London. Landed at London City at 9.25 on Wed, was in the queue for the 12.00 opening, albeit with my "suitcase", as I couldn't check in to my hotel early, nor did I want to leave it in their luggage room. It was a splendid time, even though I got hit both by gastrointestinal distress as well as a bit of a lurgy (scratchy throat) Saturday morning. I suspect the former was from eating a Spoons dinner including a side salad, the likes of which is probably the E-Coli-infused, pre-packaged variant. The only other time I've had such GI distress in recent decades was during my first ever visit to Prague last autumn, FWIW. I shall attempt to avoid overnighting in other capital cities in future. I'd always waved off the idea of doing the GBBF, but in reality, it was great. First, because of the people there (a few friends, including the operator of this very website), but also because of the tremendous range of mild and bitter, and how great of condition they were, and even quite cool. I did break down and have a couple thirds of Deschutes (Oregon) cask beer though, out of nostalgia's sake: Bachelor Bitter & Obsidian Stout. You don't see these on cask any more outside the brewpub in Bend. The former was too strong & sweet (they've ratcheted it up from the 4.8% it originally was), but the latter was just like it always used to be. Wed & Thu were enough time at the fest for me though, so Friday it was off to proper pubs, focussing on Sam Smith's and Harvey's. One disappointment was the cask OBB at the Citte of Yorke was ridiculously warm, although it tasted fine. Maybe was a warm glass. Another: the OBB was nearly sour at the Lyceum Tavern. Paging Humphrey! Lots of great pubs, but yes, 4+ pound a pint is an obstacle. 3.10 for OBB and 3.50 for Harvey's Mild (was 3.40 a year ago). Did have some beer that was too warm, and some was downright off (Adnams' pub the Bridge House was surprisingly awful), and while I don't go for the whole "craft" thing, I did have a nice time at a couple of places oriented that way, though I stayed on the cask. (Dean Swift, Draft House) An absolute gem was the Sussex Arms in Twickenham, where I went for Sunday lunch on the way from the hotel (right near St Pancras/Kings Cross) to Heathrow. A friend I've met from the Twitter recommended it to me, and it was so good that I stayed 2-1/2 hours instead of the 2 I'd planned to. And so I took Über to save time getting from there to the airport, 30 minutes & 22 quid. Aside from the traditional family brewers Harvey's & Sam Smith's, two of the early micros really stood out: Harviestoun's and Roosters. Both had bracingly bitter, dry, 3.6 - 3.8% golden hopmonsters, one being the old favourite Bitter & Twisted. The kid "craft" brewers of today could learn a thing from these. I drank in no fewer than 14 pubs on Saturday. Only halves, mostly, and a few only a single half per visit, but still, I managed to get around a bit. A great time, facilitated by a good deal on both airfare and hotel prices: 65 / night single without brekkies. How did Fred & Tom get on in their student lodgings? Mrs preferred that I take the hotel instead of the uni rooms, as they were similarly priced. I try to do what she wants. But, if there's a next time, that might well be an option to consider. |
| Followups: |
 GBBF & Pubs in London by barry on 2016-08-15 06:08:53 |
| GBBF & Pubs in London by Nick B. on 2016-08-16 02:40:13 |
| GBBF & Pubs in London by Nick B. on 2016-08-16 03:15:19 |