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 !!







Friday, 25 July 2014

Grain Barge

The Grain Barge is one of the most unusual pubs that we have been to this year. It is an historic converted barge that is packed with character. We very nearly went past it but lack of loos in the Bristol Harbourside area made calling in something of a necessity for us both !!

The pub is owned by the Bristol Beer Factory who brew several lovely cask ales, my pint of Sunrise was a good one, a bit citrusy if I'm being critical, but it would be churlish to criticise anything about  Grain Barge.



Shelley also had plenty of choice on the cider front with her finally settling on a pint of Ashton Press.

This salty sea dog had the need for a salty snack so the able seaman behind the bar served me to crisps and peanuts as an accompaniment to our alcoholic beverages.

I must admit my voyage to the loo below deck was a bit of an experience, the boat was docked at a bit of an angle so it lead to me feeling a bit unsteady on my sea legs with the consumption of a few beers only adding to the sensation. I feared that there may be a cry of man overboard If I wasn't careful !!

Another good reason for calling in for a pint at the Grain Barge is that it is literally a plank walk away from the magnificent SS Great Britain, Brunel's wrought iron steamship dating back to 1843 which is Bristol's number one tourist attraction. A pint and a bit of culture, a winning combination.

As well as doing great beer, Grain Barge has live music every Friday night. Errol's Kitchen were due to play shortly after our visit. The band don't sound at all pretentious describing themselves as 'Live lounge funk jazz with teeth' !! I'm more a Judas Priest man myself !!

The recurring theme with pretty much all the pubs that we visited in Bristol was the fact that had we not got our exploring heads on we could have easily spent all night in each of them, this was very much the case in Grain Barge.

I cried land ahoy after we finished our solitary pint as shiver me timbers it was time to get back onto dry land though not without a couple of snaps outside the vessel...

 
 


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