Pubs of 2014

Right, here we go...... The purpose of this blog is to log all the pubs that I have visited and consumed an alcoholic beverage in during 2014. The rules are quite simple, the establishment needs to be a public house, it sounds straightforward but it may get complicated for example things that wouldn't count are a visit to the bar at the cricket, a pre gig drink in a concert venue, a drink at the Birmingham German market etc. As judge and jury my decision is final, and if I'm in any doubt I won't count it.



My prediction as at the start of the year is that the final number will be somewhere around the 200 mark though I won't go to pubs just to get the numbers up, it will be a true reflection of my pub visting year.



My posts will include information about the pub, the ambience of the surroundings, the choice and quality of the beer, any interesting or amusing anecdotes about my visit and, where possible, photographic evidence.



I will try and keep the information as accurate as possible noting that alcohol consumption means that at times this may prove difficult !!



The format of the posts is simple, the first visit to the pub will be the blog entry and that post will be updated for any subsequent visit.



Hope you enjoy it...



Cheers

UPDATE January 2015

Right, that's it, it's finally finished, some 259 pubs later !! It's been hard work but it's nice being able to look back and relive the drinking experiences of 2014.

I am pleased with the final result and whilst I've been reviewing it, I have actually laughed a few times at my own jokes !!

A word of warning, it does start off a bit slow (some of my posts from Bath are a bit dull) but stick with it. In hindsight the format of posting repeat visits to a pub on the original post at times doesn't work very well when reading the blog in its' entirety but on the whole I'm pleased with it and I hope that you enjoy it.

I have stated this in the blog but I will say it again, thanks to anyone that I have had a beer with in 2014 and special thanks to Shelley for her patience !!







Saturday, 31 May 2014

The Swan

It was UEFA Champions League final night so, given the fact that there was a possibility that we may have a beer or two, it was vital that we lined our stomachs first. As we were half board we decided to fill our boots at the hotel's evening buffet, so much so that it prompted the elderly woman on the next table to remark rather loudly to her partner, 'They've been up three times' !! A technical oversight on her part as in my case it was actually four !!

Bonanza Square is an area of bars and restaurants situated at the back of our hotel, in the main the bars are geared towards the British crowd so we pitched up outside The Swan..



Unsurprisingly I was a bit full after all my food and intended to start on the ungassy Coronita however the barman had none in stock so I joined Shelley on the Stowford Press cider, it must have been strong stuff as almost instantly a palm tree starting growing out of the top of my head..



After having our first couple outside whilst watching Jonny Wilkinson roll back the years and kick French side Toulon to Heineken Cup glory against Saracens we moved indoors for the main event, mindful that my language didn't get too industrial and contravene the bar's policy..



The first half was a bit tame and Shelley's prediction of a 4 1 win to Real Madrid seemed way off the mark.

Benalmadena is a lovely resort with some fabulous views however my time there was blighted by two sights that were unnecessary and wholly inappropriate. Firstly, earlier that day when we were having our full English breakfast, an ageing gentleman stood vaping in the restaurant doorway dressed in a pair of tight budgie smugglers. It was almost enough to put me off my shrivelled sausage !! The second sight was even more distressing, during the second half of the match a bloke walked in wearing a v*lla shirt !! Yuk !!!!

Shelley mentioned the impact of Real Madrid second half substitute Marcelo long before the so called experts did, and amazingly, after a late Real equaliser and a deluge of goals in extra time, her 4 1 prediction came true. Ronaldo whipped off his shirt in celebration. Unfortunately a woman in the bar didn't share his joy, but for the late equaliser her boyfriend, watching back at home in Ireland, would have won €102,000 in an accumulator bet !! D'oh !!



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