The Bar Towel

I'm off to England this week. Sadly just a quick six day trip to see my Dad who has recently moved to Boston in Lincolnshire. Does anyone know if there is some good beer/breweries/pubs worth checking out there during my stay?

Whilst I don't know of any pubs in Lincolnshire as I didn't visit this county when I was in England. I do know that Bateman's brewery is in Wainfleet Lincolnshire so you should be able to find some of thier ales in pubs there. If you have time you may want to nip down to Cambridge as there is a CAMRA real ale festival in that city. The dates of this festival are Mon May 23- Sat May 28. Entry is free until 6 pm, 2.50 quid after that time unless you are a CAMRA member when entry is free all the time upon production of a current membership card. More details can be found at www.cambridge-camra.org.uk/festival

You may want to pick up the current edition of CAMRA's Good Beer Guide.

In my most recent (2003) Good Beer Guide, Bateman's Good Honest Ales are available in 3 pubs in Boston. One pub in this guide that I would for sure go to is the Eagle in West street, near the rail station. The real ales listed are:Adnams Broadside, Banks Bitter and Timothy Taylor Landlord. I've only had Broadside in bottle but Landlord was my favourite cask ale on my trip.

Have a great time

I just checked the Cambridege Beer festival web site and they will have Oakham JHB, a past winner of the Champion Beer of Britain. You really have to try this real ale.

A trip to Peterborough would be far more enjoyable than Cambridge, and it isn't as far. Have a look on the CAMRA website for info on pubs in Peterborough. After all, it is the home of the Oakham brewery..........I can just taste the JHB!!

Thanks for the tips guys.

Turns out that CAMRA have another beer festival May 26-28th in nearby Lincoln. I'll attend that one on the Friday. I'll post a report when I get back.

If anyone wants to browse the list of beers/breweries in attendance and give me some sampling suggestions the website is;
http://www.lincolncamra.org.uk/beerlist2005b.htm

WOW, that is a great list of beers to choose from. I can recommend the following:

Atlas Equinox 4.5%
Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby 6.0%
Kelham Island Pale Rider 5.2%
Ossett Silver King 4.3%
Winter’s Mild 3.6%
Hobsons Mild 3.2%
Hobsons Old Henry 5.2%

You lucky Barsteward, you!! Enjoy yourself and look forward to your report of the festival. Are you going to the Cambridge festival too? There are some fantastic beers there as well, especially from Boggart Hole Clough, Phoenix and Beartown!!

So the sampling began in earnest yesterday...not the festival but the local pub.

At lunch had a pint of Bateman's (the local Skegness brewery) Victory ale (hand pump, 5.7%) and a pint of their Miss Saucy (also hand pump, 4.8%). The victory was a lush, strong ale but a little lacking in flavor and complexity...regardless a lovely, albeit not mind blowing, way to start off. The saucy was quite underwhelming.

This evening, as I type, I have a pint of Theakston Old Peculier at my side. Much better pint and very fresh tasting...wish they imported this to Toronto! I did have one beer yesterday at my Dad's, after I recovered from the jet lag, but it was only a can of John Smith's bitter which was good but nothing I hadn't had before. Tomorrow is the Lincoln festival and I will be there with the proverbial "bells on". I'm hooking up with a couple of the lads who run the local CAMRA branch and they are kindly showing me the best of what's available.

Cheers,
Jon

Sure...type while you're loaded...as if we're not jealous!