1255. Sat 2/4/22: The Black Horse, Luton

Beer: Tring Colleys Dog 5.2%

Pre LT v Millwall. Pub quite full. The Wkd boys are in, looking like they’ve aged a bit.

Steph fell down the stairs at home yesterday morning, and broke both her wrists. Apologies, this shouldn’t be in a pub blog but, effin ‘eck, wasn’t a good thing… gawd bless the NHS, natch. She’s at home today, in plaster.

Beautiful bright, but cold, day. It’s nice. It’s nice, frankly to step out of the carer role I’ve taken up in the last 18 hours or so. I’ve got plenty of weeks of that to look forward to; and a new (real) job as well.

Atmosphere, pre-Millwall match, is surprisingly tension light. There’s not much tension as regards the Town’s promotion push either. If we win, all well and good. If we don’t… do we really want to go up to the Premier League? We don’t seem ready for that jump… but will we ever?

Anyway, I’m going straight back home to my ailing partner after the match – so details of the post-match imbibing down the Brickies will make up episode 1255b, by me brother.

1758. Fri 15/3/24: The Bricklayers Arms, Luton

Beer: Purity Mad Goose 4.2%

Brickies/Black Horse evening starts in the back bar of the Briqs which is busy and noisy. It’s the new and vociferous back bar crowd; well, not new so much as recently congealed into a new mass.

It’s AJK in, then AW, then SW. We discuss the upcoming issue of Clod Magazine. 39. We talk of politics and the travails of the rip-roaring Hatters. Then we take a TAXI to Hastings Street. Andy has a bad foot or something but, bloody hell, thin end of the wedge innit? 

1455. Sat 21/1/23: The Blue Posts, Fitzrovia, London

Beer: Samuel Smith’s Extra Stout 4.5%

The AW birthday party (it’s not a birthday party, insists AW) moves from Holborn to Fitzrovia, and another lovely vintage Samuel Smith’s boozer. Again, one can’t help but be impressed. This is a great pub and the beer is really very decent. I’m not a massive fan of Sam Smith’s beer, and don’t really know what I’ve got against them. I’m not all that keen on their bar furniture (in their wonderful pubs)… Anyway, this beer is a bit heavy for me, possibly, it’s been a long weekend for folk of our accelerating age.

We have a couple – but we’ve had a long day. We make our slurred apologies to the other Knockouts band members and wives and stagger back via the new Elizabeth Line, which is exciting. That gets us to Farringdon, for the Thameslink back to South Bedfordshire.

1678. Wed 17/1/24: The Rising Sun, Slip End, Luton

Beer: Farrs Pale 4.2%

At the corner of the bar, right next to the front door to Front Street, the Rizza fireplace isn’t in the right place is it? Still, when on the go it’s nice to sit next to: if there’s room, if one is the only person – in either bar – who want to do that. Because of its position right inside the door – sitting next to the fire isn’t an option in the public bar.

I’m in the lounge, as is my wont. I’m the only one in on arrival so get to sit fireside.

Quite soporific it is… I’ve been at work today, and only had three hours (or less) sleep after the Bobbers bus back from Bolton last night. Got Private Eye, but can’t really concentrate on it.

Fire’s very nice, mind. We’re in a cold snap. Not as bitter as Olomouc six weeks ago, but pretty bloody nippy. S’alright – if we get a decent overnight frost it won’t be muddy underfoot on my walk back through the park in twelve hours time.

Alexa plays the sounds of the 60s, or is it the 70s? I’m so bloody tired.

Holiday any minute (Cádiz and Seville).

In the meantime neither Mr Fosters, nor the motor buddies are in. I sit alone, reading the Eye, not taking it in, looking into the fire and listening the Alexa’s output – which has shifted to the 80s.

1272. Mon 16/5/22: The Bricklayers Arms, Luton

Beer: Nethergate Mary’s Ruby Mild 4.5% 

Humid, close evening. We’ve come down to watch the second leg of the Championship playoff semi-final: Huddersfield Town v the Town. AJK, CJ, SW and I are in (Paul the mod having called in sick). The playoffs, as has been stated numerous times this season, are a bonus – but it’s very tense pre-match.

Town play loads better than they/we did in the first leg, by far the better team tonight but, crucially, fail to score a goal. No cutting edge.

The pub is pretty well populated. Everyone has a seat. Everyone is here to see the Hatters. No quiz tonight.

It’s 0-0 at half-time. The atmosphere is still tense, but extremely appreciative of our team’s efforts.

There’s ten minutes or so to go in normal time when Huddersfield score their seemingly inevitable winner.

Again, we’ve been the better team. Shit.

Still, well played, never mind.

Our plans for the trip to Wembley (ridiculously expensive as that would be) in tatters. Huddersfield play Notts Forest in the final, and lose to an own goal. We’ll play them again next season.

1282. Fri 10/6/22: Bar San Mateo II, Jerez de la Frontera

Beer: Galicia Estrella 5.0%

“I like these crappy old bars, don’t you?” Stephanie inquires. I concur. The main square bars in Plaza del Arenal are bright and full and friendly and touting for business (which puts us off). This place, just off the square, is reasonably dark and dingy and has three tables outside – all occupied by little groups of old boys. We go inside – there’s (what appears to be) a fierce Matriarch behind the bar; she seems to be telling off an old boy regular but is charming when she addresses us. Would I prefer a large beer? Yes please. Gracias.

An old friend of the old boy who was being told off lets us know that there’s a table free outside now. Gracias. We file out.

It’s dark out now, it’s gone 10pm, and mercifully cool. Kids are still outside – four of the little blighters, enthusiastically kicking around a shabby leather football. Two of the kids are wearing Paris St Germain shirts… which seems incongruous. Still, better that than Real Madrid or Man Utd isn’t it? I’m not sure. PSG seem horribly noveau riche.

One of the PSG kids starts showing off his juggling skills. He’s got some skills. On the pitch, I suggest to Steph, he’s probably shit. 

The ambience is lovely and laidback, while the bar is getting increasingly busy. Perhaps it’s folks coming out now the heat of the day has eased – and maybe they’re coming to this bar ‘cause its not selling Cruzcampo. We leave sometime after 11pm.

1232. Fri 18/2/22: The Bricklayers Arms, Luton

Beer: Slaters 1 Hop 4.0%

The day of Storm Eunice involved lots of fretting over how bad the tumult would be, when its hitting town, and will it damage (my) property as it does so. Trees are down and travel is dodgy, and it turns out that I’m the only one to – heroically – turn up for work: dishing our Covid test kits to the good people of Luton (who have decided to ignore the storm and go to the shopping centre).

The worst of it passes through late afternoon; it’s blowy by going out time, but nothing hugely concerning.

The pub is well populated on arrival – several of the Wkd boys are in, as is our local MP. The back bar is reasonably busy, but we manage to find a table. Moreover, and I guess regular readers of this rubbish may have acquired knowledge of Brickies geography, we got the table under the noticeboard. The second best table, I’d suggest, in the back bar.

Beer is very nice, but a bit weak.

We play chess. It’s a slugfest. It’s a draw all the way. I haplessly manufacture a defeat.

AJK has The Worm Reducer (O.Lee’s band) merch’ aplenty. A t-shirt, thank you, very nice, and some stickers. We discuss where we can stick stickers without vandalising our favourite (and O.Lee’s favourite) pub. We stick a sticker on the discarded Sheff Utd ticket which I popped on the noticeboard a week or so ago.

1625c. Tue 28/11/23: Erste Fracht Braugasthaus, Karlsruhe

Beer: Hertl Braumanufaktur 4.8%

One of my Dad’s favourite stop off places. He brought me here earlier in the year. In the daylight, and in one of the more clement months, sitting out with piles of luggage was fine.

Erste Fracht on a Tuesday night in winter is a different proposition. The garden is, of course, shut. The bar itself, which I didn’t set foot into on my first visit, is ok. Convenient for the station, and serving a hotel… it’s all set up to please passing trade. Comfortable, pretty good service and – well – just a little bland. Like a good airport bar.

Dire Straits’ Money for Nothing and Prince’s Purple Rain come on. I know people like this sort of stuff, but I’m not sure that worse songs have been recorded. Maybe C Lauper’s Girls Just Want to Have Fun, or a few of Level 42’s tracks; but I don’t know. Horrible music.

I make the mistake of not seeing past the crafty beer section of the menu. The Hertl seems the best choice on the basis that it’s a) not Shepherd Neame, Fullers or bloody Brew Dog, and b) that it’s not silly strong. It’s fine, too, but I have the normal tap beer for the second drink.

204. Mon 16/10/17: The Bricklayers Arms, Luton

Beer: Nethergate Complete Howler 4.3%

It’s the Rex Horton Team’s autumn equinox appearance at The Brickies quiz: AJK , Steve and Angharad and I in attendance. We done alright. We started badly, picked up a bit – started the second half stormingly well and then fell back a bit after that.

The TAKE A CHANCE rounds were a tale of two TAKE A CHANCE rounds. We correctly took a punt on ISTANBUL on Q2 of the first TAC round. In the second, we guessed at TOLKIEN at the same Q2 stage. Unfortunately the answer turned out to be BLYTON.

Still, a reasonably good showing at the quiz. We end up coming 3^rd; and that’s us done until the Christmas Quiz.

1196. Fri 24/12/21: The Jolly Topers, Round Green, Luton

Beer: Greene King Fireside 4.5%

Christmas Eve afternoon pub crawl instigated by Stephanie, who had to make a unilateral decision about knocking off time in her office, since she’s the only one who works there. It’s the spare bedroom.

We walk from Wigmore. First stop, The Topers. On the way we talk of all the pubs we’d have passed on this route a few years back that have now closed: The King Harry, Somerset Tavern, Ashcroft Arms and the pubs (The Round Green Tavern and The Royal Oak) that are no longer pubs on Round Green.

Topers is fine, nicely populated by middle aged locals – couples like us.

Overcast and mizzling outside, it’s nice and warm in here.

Beer (it’s this or GK’s stock undesirables – IPA and Abbot) is fine but uninspiring.

Next stop might be The Gardeners, more likely The Brickies.