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 !!







Sunday, 21 December 2014

The Roost

Yuletide over indulgence the night before meant that I was surprised not to hear eleven drummers drumming when I woke up on the day of my planned inaugural visit to The Roost particularly as it had been a fairly toxic mix of real ale, lager and shots of Tia Maria mixed with Baileys (aka Baby Guinness) the night before. I knew drinking with Shelley and her mates was a bad idea !!

After a much needed breakfast I made my way to meet my mate Dave, who was up from Weston for the day, for a pre match pint.

After getting off the train at Birmingham New St and making my way up Digbeth High St I soon realised that my initial smugness at my lack of a hangover had been misplaced. I suddenly felt rather unwell. The last thing that I needed was a pint. I was hoping the feeling would pass before I got to the pub.....it didn't !!

I walked into a very noisy, full pub....what a nightmare !! I need to quickly get myself a drink and move outside in the fresh air.

Whilst the décor in The Roost (formerly The Marquis of Lorne) is top quality (pictures of Francis, Horsfield, Dugarry etc) the beer selection leaves a lot to be desired, no sign of an ale so I had to resort to a pint of Guinness ( a daddy not a baby !!) as my fall back position.

Although it was mid December I still had no option other than to go for an alfresco drink. I'm sure that my mate Dave was suitably perplexed with my 'I'm in the beer garden' text !!

In some ways though my move outside was probably for the best, the Christmas tunes were being played in the pub and I went outside just as Sir Cliff's Christmas turkey Saviour's Day was starting. Although he is a religious man I was fairly sure that my mate Dave wouldn't object !!

I used to go to Blues home and away games with Dave as well as bumping into him when he used to literally stagger round Snobs night club. A good woman, the church (NB That's not the name of a pub !!) and two kids have calmed him down a bit but he still enjoys a pint and The Blues so it was great to catch up with him even if he was probably cursing me for making him stand outside in the cold, especially as there were some irritating youngsters playing tig in the beer garden..



Amazingly the legendary brew's former advertising slogan proved to be prophetic, Guinness really is good for you as my pint of the black stuff demonstrated miraculous healing properties, so much so that I went to get a second pint !!

We were joined by my friend Lindsey and her mates Di and Andy. Di is a Blues fan, Lindsey is a Liverpool fan with a soft spot for Blues however Di's fella Andy has a claret and blue persuasion. Maybe he was being a creep to get a better Christmas present. I decided not to out him !!

Di worried me a bit (and that is not because she is going out with a v*lla fan) she told me that she is going off drinking !! I told her to have a firm word with herself !! You can't be a teetotal Blues Fan !!

I was quite impressed with my first visit to The Roost though I'm told the post match disco is as woeful as some of the Blues performances that normally proceed it !!
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