A scientific study of the contemporary boozer – environs, ales and clientele by The Clay Pipe College (Round Green) est. 2017
Beer: Theakstons Old Peculier 5.6%
Rushed pre-curry pint of OP, after a gym visit which I didn’t really have time for…
The beer’s good, the beer’s £4.40 a pop.
Sit on my own and play “Fallout Shelter” on my Apple device, prior to the aforementioned engagement elsewhere.
Beer: Theakstons Old Peculiar 5.6%
Rushed pre-curry pint of OP, after a gym visit which I didn’t really have time for…
The beer’s good, the beer’s £4.40 a pop.
Sit on my own and play “Fallout Shelter” on my Apple device, prior to the aforementioned engagement elsewhere.
Beer: Löwenbräu 5.2%, Samuel Smiths Extra Stout 4.5%
The Black Lion is a proper pub with friendly staff with a serious emphasis on drinking rather than food. (Indeed, the only food on offer was pork pies.)
One of The Black Lion’s attractions is its huge courtyard beer garden, which is a superb place to while away a sunny August afternoon. Both Gavin (my drinking partner for the day) and I love this place, as do the good people of Leighton, and the place fills up quickly.
There’s a massive range of domestic & continental beers on draft and in bottles. It is run by a chap who also owns the excellent Nethergate brewery, so he really knows his stuff beer-wise. We are creatures of habit though and the Löwenbräu (Gavin) and Sam Smiths Stout (me) were, as usual, refreshingly cool and went down rather too well.
We enjoyed rambling discussions on;
– music; from punk through post punk/ protopunk/ prog/ to psychobilly,
– football; the respective prospects of Doncaster Rovers, Luton Town and Juventus(?) for the coming football season.
– Rheinheitsgebot; German cities and their respective brewing styles.
There’s one of Black Lion’s regular beer festivals on soon which coincides with Gavin’s birthday/retirement. Cannot wait.
Beer: Timothy Taylor Landlord 4.1%
This blog urges me, on ostensibly “staying in” Friday evenings, to veer away from the monotony of the Wetherspoons or the Tap, then the Topers (via the curry house). After work this afternoon, then, the glamour destination is Markyate.
Markyate, to visit “The Local” micropub.
I’m wondering whether to go from Luton, to Markyate, then on to Dunstable – and The Globe (maybe The Gary Cooper) – so I ask whether a return ticket would allow me to do this – given that Centrebus run the 34 Markyate to Dunny – as well as the 46 Luton to Markyate. No. I couldn’t do that… I’d have to buy a day ticket. By this time I feel negotiations have gone on too long and I’m feeling fellow passenger peer pressure from folk who want to get going. I end up buying a single to keep options open. A single costs £3.50. It isn’t until I sit down and read the ad above the window, that I see a day ticket is £4.10.
That put me out, a little. When I got to Markyate I found that The Local was closed – they’d gone on holiday. It would’ve been nice if their Facebook site, which I’d looked up for opening times, relayed that information.
Markyate is a charming little town which seems to be stuck in early 20th century aspic. Watling Street was rerouted just a little bit and, since then, not much has bothered Markyate. There’s no McDonalds, pound shops nor Costa Coffee here.
There is, thankfully, another pub. The Swan seems like a good old fashioned market town boozer. It’s packed with locals of all ages. It’s busy, it’s boisterous. I’m hot, I’m bothered. There’s a big fan near the doorway, and a big telly incongruously set between the seats and the low ceiling, screening what’s turning out to be an enthralling first test: England v India at Edgbaston. I park myself, incongruously, in front of the fan and the telly.
I sit and watch cricket – fire off a couple of furtive snaps – and manage to get another in using contactless. Landlord is a very good pint: extremely dependable.
Still, I’m early leaving Markyate – back to Luton on the 46 – paying the same driver another £3.50 for the pleasure.
Beer: Sharp’s Doom Bar 4.0%
The search for barbeque coals takes us from Asda Wigmore to Stopsley Co-op, where we finally get some (the wrong sort, for a fiver, and we had some back home anyway). Surprisingly Steph suggests we go for a pint… without, I’d suggest, much idea of where that might take us…
We haven’t been to The Barrels for ages, so give that a go. It’s a sizeable and quite packed estate pub. There’s Premier League football on the telly – and there are dozens of tellies – every seating booth seems to have its own private set. The search for a vacant seat sends us right through the pub and out into the paved over garden, which is mercifully quiet.
The beer is uninspiring – but the only thing they had on.
Not much debate about staying for more than one. The beer selection would have to be much improved if we’re to be tempted back. That said, frankly, given the apparent popularity of the place – they’re not going to miss our custom too much. It’s a thriving, bustling, community local: much like The Wigmore Arms in that respect.
Beer: Leighton Buzzard Train Robber 5%, Farr Pale Ale 4.1%
Pre LT v Shrewsbury Town. I’m first in and, with people up on the stage tables, I take the table to the right of the door. Me brother arrives first, then Dave. Dave Green. Nice to see Dave, my erstwhile uni’ lecturer, again – here to roar on the Mighty Shrews. Apparently, though they did well last season (eventually losing the playoff final), Shrewsbury then lost their manager and backroom staff and most of their squad to Ipswich Town.
The Pages arrive. Last match I suggested that there could surely be no difference between aniseed twists (should they indeed exist) and cough candy. Hitchin, naturally, has one of those olde worlde sweetie shops – and so I’d financed a purchase. Get them today. The taste, of neither, isn’t the perfect accompaniment to beer… but, no, they are different. Similar. Cough candy, in my opinion, slightly better.
Beer is good – two local breweries. The LBB seem to be making a range of pretty strident beers, Farr a little more robust. Neither can hold a candle, yet, to Tring: but it’s good that they’re out there.
Dodging showers, we leave the pub and walk on to the match.
Beer: Charles Wells Brewmance 3.6%
Ah, the country pub. I don’t get round to visit many country pubs, on account of nearly all my pub friends preferring to go over the limit rather than drive. Can’t blame them.
My friend Paul, who I worked with some time last century, is one of the noble exceptions. We’d planned a pub in downtown Radlett, though his suggestion of The Round Bush turned out to be an excellent one. RB’s website makes it look like a gastro pub – which it might be at the weekend – but on a Weds, it feels more like a locals’ pub. The sort of place featured in The Avengers. The Ploughmans is pricey, but free of irritating finesse and pomposity. And, to my relief, ham.
For the rest – low roof, haunted, a big screen and one eerie moment when Paul and I seem the only people in the place. No bar staff, nuffin’. We talk about our friend Barry, who’s not well at the moment, and try to work out the Baltic states capital cities (telly’s showing the Super Cup final between the Real and Athletico Madrids which – logically enough – is being played in Tallinn). Our geography isn’t great.
There’s a Chelsea fan too, supping and talking up the England team in a convivial rather than triumphant fashion. He seems to be nursing or tending another drink – a big bowl of pinkish, cocktaily looking stuff, possibly for the pub ghost.
NO PICTURES
Beer: Banks & Taylor In the Mood 4.3%
LUTON TOWN 1-1 SUNDERLAND
Good game, good game. Sunderland looked the better side, man for man, but the Town done good. Both sides could’ve nicked it, but the draw seemed a fair result. That’s all good stuff: there will be, as we discuss with Marcel and his lad down the pub afterwards, no easy games in this league. So, we proceed to look at the table and pinpoint all the easy games – Rochdale… Shrewsbury… Doncaster… all EASY. Marcel is not convinced.
Anyway, that guff aside, I predicted we’d lose today, so I’m happy. That seems to be the general feeling back at The Brickies too. It might prove to be a long season – but we’ve not started badly at all.
The highlight of the day, and probably the season, is Steve’s unveiling of the Happy Harry doll that Angharad has created. He’s fantastic. The haiku and pic posted on Facebook is much “liked”.
Beer: Truman Two Halves 4.2%
Arndales band arrives, a couple of hours before the soundcheck and about seven before we’re due to play our rock and roll set. Which means a long period of kicking heels, some of which I spend in the pub.
A very pleasant pub too, despite the bar’s aversion to cash and the daft price of Pepsi. The Truman beers, too, are a let down. Maybe they’re not changed or drunk as often as they might be. We are, after all, in a hipster pub. I don’t endear myself by ordering a pint of Two Halves and the barmaid mistakenly pouring me a pint and two halves. I try to make good and make light, but don’t think she realises or wants to admit she’s messed up. As have Truman with their stupid beer name.
As the evening rumbles on, more people I know and have known appear and are very chatty and supportive into the bargain. Anj, John from John, Dave & Liliana, Steve from the Past, Heath Custard, his ‘boy’ Bodie and Ched to name a few. I have a brief moment connecting with Rhodri. We agree to do the same again, next time we’re at a gig waiting for stuff to happen.
The evening and the pub have a light, knackered feel. We’re told we played well, even though I felt worn out. Jackdaw with Crowbar Because You’re Worth It were intense and beguiling, like an erupted Punch and Judy, while The Unqualified Nurse Band were ridiculously loud. Sound Man Johnny was excellent.
By the time the 11pm music curfew came round, we were just about done and all done in.
Beer: Nethergate Five Rifles Red 4.1%, Grainstore Beesting 4.5%
In a subtle change from the usual Friday evening drinking regime, my brother and I (for it is but we who are out) have decided to meet early – 8pm – and leave early – before last orders.
Brickies is quiet and sibling free on arrival. I play the quizzer. I get LUTONHAIKU on the Words leader board twice – and win £1 – only to lose it two minutes (approx.) later.
Me brother arrives with BEN from Vandalism Begins at Home fanzine. He seems a decent fellow. His fanzine’s nicely put together. I’m not so keen on the name… I’m pretty much entirely anti-vandalism these days. I don’t tell Ben that though, not as this juncture.
We sit in the front bar. It’s really quiet in here… which again suggests the Clod Mag launch last week, which bought in a very modest backroom crowd, was nothing to be sniffed at.
Small-time local media moguls we. We talk of fanzines, publications, bands the local scene etc. My input is minimal, ill-informed, possibly nonsensical, but the evening rolls along quite amicably.
Beer is very decent. My suspicion is that brewers who dabble with honey are trying too hard and/or getting a bit cocky. Does honey and booze work? I’d argue that an absence of popular clamour for at least three varieties of mead in a pub, bears witness to a demand which simply isn’t there. Honey beers tend to be cloying and sweet. Grainstore are one of my favourite brewers… their beer is good… the honey is understated; but I kind of wish they’d left the hive alone altogether.
All the pubs we've ever been to ever 