I couldn't find the original so I've started this one. I went to the Fighting Cock yesterday with the family. For anyone who doesn't know it (because you live on Mars) its on Preston Street (BD7). If you haven't been in a few years they converted some spare land just over the road so now have a big beer garden.

Currently got 4 real ales on and a real cider (old Rosie). They've got social distancing all completely covered and a one-way system in place for anyone nervous. Get out there and support them. The added bonus is that you get to see BMWs and VW Golf's flying past at 700 MPH. You perhaps don't whisper "crash, crash, please crash" like me but we all have our own quirks don't we.

Anyone been to a decent boozer lately?

I've been back to the Corn dolly on Bolton Rd (three times) since the Grand Re-Opening. Same as ever in many ways - quality beers and a laugh, which is all I ever really ask - but obviously totally different.

I'm getting used to going out of the front door and walking round the back, through the car park and then in through the back door to reach the toilets. I just wish I hadn't hit that time of life when the journey becomes ever more frequent.. I've printed out some name, address and phone number cards to save time so I get my pint about a minute and half sooner now.

I never get to the Corn Dolly anymore. Not been a Bradford lad the only time I ever really went was when we were at Valley Parade. Is Everards Tiger still permanently on the bar?

No, it isn't.

Is Everards still a current brewery? There's been a hell of a lot of 'rationalisation' in the industry since we were at VP...., Ah Mr Google says that it is still an entity, though now based in Leicester rather than Burton Trent, where it used to be. In fact it doesn't seem to mention Burton on their website, though they aren't quite so coy in mentioning "their 100 and odd years history". I guess that it's no longer being on at the Dolly isn't the only change. No doubt, a la Tetley's, they'll be claiming it's still the same beer....

Everards has always been a Leicester beer, hasn't it?

Appreciate it may have been owned in Burton - most are.

I think the company has always been 'Leicester' owned but a lot of their beers were brewed in (various breweries in) Burton until 1990. Tiger has been brewed in Leicester for longer (about 30 years) than it was in Burton (about 18 years).

Moving brews around seems to be more and more of a thing nowadays.

Not sure how they can claim it's the same beer when they use different water, to be honest. That said, unless they have their own, on-site well they will be dependent on water companies and they move it around all the time, so I guess very few breweries can guarantee the 'same' water.

Yesterday tea time I went to The Exchange Craft Beer Houses. I had 4 pints of delicious Northern Monk IPA. Not cheap I must admit but truly exceptional in pleasant atmosphere.

You can get your water sampled at murphy and sons as they have a lab there which can advise you what additives you can add to the water in which to emulate the water in Burton, they can pick up more than the PH levels in water for you

Great little beer. If you find yourself in Holbeck, get down to their bar 'The Refectory'.

Has anyone ever been to the Magic Rock Brewery?

Yes - The magic rock brewery tap is well worth a visit (though I believe it is still closed at the min). It is about 15-20 mins walk from Huddersfield station and normally has about 12 cask ales about 8 keg as well as a good selection of bottles.

Guinness tried shipping water over from Ireland to their London brewery - still didn't get the taste the same!

Tetleys started to change when they opened the new fermenting hall in Leeds - the new vats were made of stainless and enclosed rather than made of slate and open. Although the big difference was probably that the workers weren't allowed to smoke in the new hall........

Oh, I know about water testing and the taking out and adding in different elements - to be fair, it's gone on for years. It all seems rather sad to me though. The big megga keggeries are all run by 'big money' these days, lots of adverts and less accent on the brewing. I say "these days" though it's gone on for forty years or more.

More power to the small guy who's more interested in quality.

I had a fantastic time when I was brewing and two guys involved, one who started at Clarks and then joined the other at Tetleys, over the few years we worked together they taught me a lot I put my engineering skills in making the brewery and Neil showed me the the way to brew,
Steve came in later and refined my processes which included making me more cost effective and improved quality too, in the end it became to much to do with my illness and had to sell it on, had I still had now I would of gone under.
The brewery now is installed at Barmaster in Highcliffe Industrial Estate off Bruntcliffe Ln Morley, Steve was still brewing at the time and produces some cracking ale. They do pins if you wanted to purchase one beers they do is Legend, Belle Vue blonde and hop and under IPA, all cracking brews