Sadly, we didn't make it to the Ambrose on Friday evening. A few hold-ups on the M62 resulted in a later arrival in Barrow than planned so it was just a quick drink in the Furness near the ground - maybe next time?

Coastal visit last Sunday (no rugby) - Hornsea and Withernsea. Did manage to visit a couple of pubs which are not too far from Withernsea and are mentioned in the 2008 GBG.

The first was the Plough Inn at Hollym (adjacent to Withernsea RUFC), where I sampled Slaters Premium a pale brown malty / caramel ale from the Slaters Brewery in Stafford.

Then it was on to the Station Hotel at Patringham which has been completely refurbished in recent years and leans significantly towards its food with two seperate eating areas. Here I sampled another beer which I hadn't previously. This time it was Frothingham Best from the Great Newsome Brewery at South Frodingham. This was a dark amber best bitter with an initial malty flavour leading to a smooth bitter aftertaste.

Both Pubs worth a visit if you're out that way and I wouldn't put anyone off either of the ales.

I have just been introduced to a lovely bottled beer which is available from Morrisons as part of their 4 for £5 offer. The beer in question is Joseph Holts Maplemoon a premium ale with a hint of maple! Alleged to be the only maple flavoured bottled beer on the market.

so, your only allowed to visit one pub only for the rest of the year, which do you choose?

The Devonshire Cat in Sheffield. Has 12 guest beers plus an glass fronted open beer cellar which houses the largest range of world beers I have ever seen. This is a pub worth making a de-tour for. www.devonshirecat.co.uk

The Devonshire Cat in Sheffield. Has 12 guest beers plus an glass fronted open beer cellar which houses the largest range of world beers I have ever seen. This is a pub worth making a de-tour for. www.devonshirecat.co.uk

Probably Fighting Cock, Bradford.

Spent a good percentage of last nights drinking time at Mount Pleasant supping Worthys so it was quite a pleasant end to the day to have the last drink in Harrys Bar in Wakefield - a nice pint of Titanic White Star.

Spice Island Inn, Old Portsmouth

Just spent the last week in Norfolk which is brilliantly served by Woodfords Brewery with Wherry being found almost everywhere and the occasional pint of Nelsons Revenge. Both very nice indeed

Also stumbled on a small family brewery near Reedham which supplied the locan pub. Pint of Porters by the Humpty Dumpty Brewery was a nice touch for likers of the darker licquorice ales

Hope you didn't fall down

Been out and about recently. Had several pints of Black Sheep Ale at the Hayburn Wyke near Scarborough last Monday, as opposed to the comparatively insipid Black Sheep Bitter. A beautiful summer's day on the East Coast ( you don't get many of them ). On Monday evening, I revisited the Old Scalby Mill and sampled a peach of a golden ale, York Centennial.

Discovered a little gem of a pub on Tuesday of last week, the Valley Bar on Valley Road, Scarborough, where I sampled RCH Pitchfork and Brown Cow Nocturnal, both excellently kept.

This pub is also notable as being the Camra National Cider and Perry pub of the year and allegedly does the best fish and chips in Scarborough. The liver and onions looked and smelt delicious by the way.

Last week, I had a pint of Abbot Reserve, much better and more dangerous at 6.5, than Abbot Ale ;D at my local hostelry, followed by Mordue IPA at 5.1 (x2) and Burton Bridge XL Bitter, which suffered by comparison. The afternoon was a bit hazy

No contest. Would have to be Rotherham's Blue Coat every day of the week ( and often is ), purely for the range of beers from near and far( Acorn's brews are regularly on and for consistent quality, they are unbeatable )Nine at a time at the last count. If it were closer, it would undoubtedly be the Watermill Inn at Ings on the A591 between Kendal and Windermere.

To add to the range of guest beers it sells, it has its own built-in brewery.
Very nice food too!

Didn,t manage to stumble on a sky dish though eh ? Roll on Blackpool.COYD.