#mb09 – Day 01 – Politics and a Smock
Off to Bristol for #mb09. Four nights away with lots of Politics, European Elections including and a Smock. Cast not a clout and all that. First stop the Joy that is Newport Train Station. Luckily the train goes from Platform 4, so it it’s not an up and over. eTicket and double Nectar points to the fore.
Having experience of TFWRail (Transport for Wales Rail) at peak times is quite an experience, usually standing. GWR (Great Western Railways) were able to provide me with a seat reservation and a turbo charged Diesel engine. So I was ahead there. Issue with the Customer Information System not knowing it was at Newport and a Driver, Guard conversation going out over the PA. Interesting.
Bristol Temple Meads is only 5 minutes way from the nearest Spoons, The Knights Templar. Bacon and all you can drink Coffee awaited.
09:00 and paying a Tenner for early check in the local Ibis (Bristol Temple Meads) paid off. Dropped off the bag and the Smock. It’s going to be a train spotter’s paradise there.
Straight off then to the second Spoons of the day The Commercial Rooms. Nicely cool and lots of local ales. #CurryThursday
Mind you I don’t want to go to Mr Tomilson’s Country and find Evan Evans on Cask.
#CurryThursday works in Bristol too. Happy to swap the Popadoms for Chips. So it’s a quality half and half.
There was spillage which was all my own fault and they cleaned up after me and they refreshed my glass. Thank you Moor Beer Co. CAMRA approved can to boot.
No me but the tables are out of Plum. It’s a thing, apparently
I’ve been saying it’s The Barley May all week. You see Politics. However it’s Mow, so not Politics. The Bristol Beer Factory’s Flagship Pub. Runny Scotch Eggs apparently, there will be a revisit.
Opens at 12:00, so maybe a Saturday afternoon in there? No a bad first day.
#mb09 – Day 01 – Wrap
Live from The Ibis Bristol Temple Meads
All the thrills and spills (2) from Day 01
Politics and a Smock – #mb09 The Start
It was Newport
The train started from Newport
Garden – May 2019
Just before the rain
And more like April
The Not Quite a Pub Crawl
For various reasons. Mr Tomlinson said he had never seen me in a Brewdog, Tiny Rebel have a Mild on. Mild May with a classic Cardiff Mild and it’s Saturday. Starting at Caerphilly International where weeding is not a priority.
Happy May drizzle at Queen Street Railway Station in Cardiff. Still the home of the Pacers.
Do you want chocolate sprinkles on your coffee?
First stop is the Gatekeeper on Westgate Street, bar opens at 08:00. Deliveries in progress. They have a new carpet too.
Apparently Welsh Pale Ale from The Glamorgan Brewery in Llantrisant is now on permanently. Cask too. I’m all for local real ales but it’s rather ordinary. Still if it sells.
Church Street, two Bars, a Pub and a Church. You are covered. And at the top end, The Owain Glyndwr named after a Welsh Prince.
If you only go to one Pub in Cardiff, then it would have to be The Old Arcade, a Brains Pub. Here for Brains Dark, the best selling Mild in Wales.
If nothing else Cardiff City Council are good at Flags. It wouldn’t be a proper Cardiff visit if you didn’t have a bag of Chips at Dorothy’s in Caroline Street.
At the end of Caroline Street is The Cambrian Tap ex The Cambrian. It’s a great Craft Pub as long as you stay off the Brains Craft stuff. There was an unexpected Mild Ale too.
Brewdog where The Equity for Punks discount card came in handy. Where knew that BrewDog imported their own beers from Ohio USA. Well Mr Tomilson did. So hats off to him.
There was a Monster Truck bash on in The Principality Stadium so Brewdog was full of Parents and Little People. Luckily most of them left within half an hour of my arrive. Whatever happened to Children sit outside with a bottle of Lemonade and a Straw. Great staff by the way.
As it was Mild May, Tiny Rebel brewed their own Mild. So the Cardiff Bar was my last stop. One as it was becoming late (for me) and Two I was running out of money. There was the little issue of The FA Cup Final as well. The place was packed which reminded me why I start my drinking early. The Mild was good but Brains Dark was the winner of the day.
He was American
Spoons from 08:00 on a Sunday morning. The Big Question, Full English or an All Day Brunch? In the end just before 12:00, I went for the All Day Brunch but they had run out Black Pudding. Never mind it’s a side order anyway.
You’ll notice that the Tomato is raw because that’s the only way to go. Extra Butter as usual but it could have been colder. I’m a bit fussy when it comes to everything.
Anyway off to test out Gordon Bennett’s (who was an American Newspaper guy). It’s owned by Wye Valley Brewery and it’s more Bar than Pub. Cask mostly Wye Valley, Keg mass market but the fridge is diverse and excellent. No WiFi and the ThreeUK LTE is only near the entrance, otherwise it’s 3G. Really friendly staff.
On to FireFly Hereford after getting lost. Firefly is a Pub / Vegan Restaurant and there is one in Worcester too. They have changed the layout and my usual table by the window has gone. I skipped food, still full from the Full English but when I go back in June, I’m going to test the Vegan Burger.
Just the one and via Tesco for Sandwiches for tea, it was back to The Hereford Beer House. The winner for drinking in Hereford.
Revisit in June already planned. Updates on The Imperial and Beer in Hand coming.
#mb08 – Day 02
And the time rush by
And it’s time to book to return
The Beerhouse is still the Best
A Sunday of exploring
And it’s as per the title
The In The Light Beano
It ticks all the boxes
- Less than two hours away
- Free parking
- Approved (by me) hotel
- All within walking distance
- Local Spoons
- Speciality Beer House
- Supermarkets
- Free WiFi
When where you are staying is next door to The Cider Museum, it all seems so right
Hereford is Beef Country, however I popped into Costa Coffee for a Coffee and Bacon Roll
On to The Kings Fee, the local Spoons. Where I find that Mild May is actually a thing in Hereford. I have a feeling that there may be a Mild in The Hereford Beer House. Not sure about Stonefish?
And aa Mild’s go it was rather complex and good. However time was pressing and it was time to find Gwatkin’s Micro Bar in The Butter Market. Their Cider was excellent and The Three UK LTE worked a treat.
The Sun was warm but the wind was cutting. Time to move unto The Hereford Beer House and who knew their own Mild at Tap #01
It all went a bit European and I met a couple of CAMRA guys and surprisingly we talked beer. What a wonderful place the Hereford Beer House is.
And I’m going back on Sunday.
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