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 !!







Tuesday, 30 September 2014

The Bear

I had done a bit of research ahead of our trip to Stratford Upon Avon and The Bear, situated in the Swan's Nest Hotel, was one of the pubs that I thought would be worthy of a visit. I was right, it was a great place, well, what's there not to like about a place with eight real ales?!! After much deliberation I went for a pint of Dorothy Goodbody Autumn Sunrise with Shelley (my Juliet) choosing a half of Stowford Press cider.

The Merseyside derby that was showing on the pub's tv's was no match for our alternative of a seat in the autumn sunshine on the banks of the River Avon..

 
 


We amused ourselves watching clueless tourists messing about on the river. Just like bar b q cooking rowing is seemingly a male dominated activity, how we laughed therefore when one masculine specimen almost rowed his girlfriend into a line of moored boats only for her to take over and row them faultlessly into the sunset.

I am trying (not very hard) to avoid filling my Stratford blog updates with Shakespearean references however my food ordering capabilities at The Bear truly were a Comedy of Errors. We decided that a light snack was the order of the day and opted have a roast beef and horseradish sandwich and a bowl of chunky chips, imagine my embarrassment therefore when my hapless food ordering resulting in us ending up with a ham and mustard sandwich with a handful of French fries. Sorry Shelley !!

We stopped for another (pint not sandwich mercifully) and continued to enjoy the setting, the weather and the drink, I had moved onto Purity UBU by this stage. There are few better places in this country, when the weather is nice, for an outdoor drink than Shakespeare's birthplace. To quote the man 'I like the place and willingly could waste my time in it.' (As You Like It Act II Scene IV).
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