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 !!







Monday, 23 June 2014

The Swan With Two Nicks

The intention every year when we go to see the Warwickshire Bears play away at Worcester in the T20 is to visit a few pubs before the game and the outcome is always the same, we get settled and only manage a couple. It was two on my previous visit and two again this time, previous pub The Cricketers and the next pub The Swan With Two Nicks.

The pub is very historic with the building dating back to 1550 though it wasn't actually a pub until the mid 1700's. It would appear that the pub is in two halves, the front part looks original with the back part looking as though it is a more modern extension. Be warned, the ceiling is very low, so much so that I reckon that actors Warwick Davis and Verne Troyer would both have to duck if they walked in !!

It was the day after England had lost to Uruguay in the World Cup all but eliminating them after playing a paltry two matches. The fact that the pub was decked out in red and white flags of St George made the memories of the Luis Suarez double the night before come flooding painfully back.

I was even unable to escape the World Cup theme when I ordered a drink, I initially asked for a pint of Waens Festival Gold but the barrel ran out part way through so I reluctantly opted for a pint of Slater's Goalden Glory, a beer launched to celebrate England's participation at Brazil 2014 !! Real ale is notorious for not keeping for long but the beer lasted longer than England did !!

We made our way to the outdoor seating area at the back of the pub passing through an alcove decorated in beer mats of all descriptions with Fox's Nob being one that got me sniggering like an immature schoolboy.

Our numbers were rapidly increasing as was the volume of the group who were getting a bit boisterous by this stage with numerous shouts of Yooo Bears in support of the team from Warwickshire not withstanding the fact that the match didn't start for nearly two hours.

I caught up with Jule and Sarah (friends of mine for nearly a quarter of a century) and Sarah's other half Chris..



Sarah and Chris were over from Byron Bay in Australia and had seemingly brought the weather with them so we were confident of a full nights play later.

The trip to Worcester is a popular annual outing and the same faces turn up year after year including former ast*n v*lla striker Gary Sh*w who joined us in The Swan With Two Nicks. Old Father Time hasn't been kind to the former joint winner of Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year. Even though I'm a proud bluenose I don't think it would be unfair of me to say that he is carrying a bit of timber these days. He was also sporting a very large (think Homer Simpson) pair of white underpants that were on display for all and sundry to see.

I'm not sure how many were in our gang by this stage, Jule attempted to count and made it twenty six however her figure lacked credibility considering that amongst those she missed was her husband Graham !!

The start of the match was imminent so we finished off our drinks and made our way along the bank of the River Severn to the picturesque setting of Worcester County Cricket Club.

YOOOO BEARS !!!

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