Highlights of an afternoon in Manchester prior to a Volbeat gig;

3D Beer's The Dark Side 4.5%, a black IPA in Britons Protection.

JW Lees Bullseye 4.0%, an amber ale, very similar to the brewery's Best Bitter, in the Rain Bar.

Quite a find in the Lower Angel, Warrington yesterday evening in the shape of Wily Fox Dark Flagon, a delicious rum porter 4.4%.

Highlights of an afternoon / evening in Croydon;

The Cronx Standard 3.8% in the Cronx, a bitter.

Exe Valley Devon Glory 4.7% in the George, a premium bitter, malty with a hint of apple.

Gales HSB 4.8%, in the Spreadeagle, a chestnut coloured premium bitter. Toasted malts and toffee, very nice.

Hammerton Pentonville 5.3%, in the Green Dragon, a delicious oyster stout.

Very nice to see a real ale bar at Epsom races ... 3 Sharp's brews available, 2 light / pale ales and Doom Bar which was my chosen tipple.

Highlights of a second evening in Croydon (following the afternoon at Epsom races);

The Rev James Original 4.5% in the Oval Tavern.

Gales HSB 4.8% in the Spreadeagle (again).

Mad Squirrel Brewing Company De La Nut 4.5%, a wonderful hazelnut milk stout, in the Green Dragon.

Called in the Spreadeagle at Darrington en-route home from Oldham for a couple to drown the sorrows. Black Sheep Best Bitter and Purity Pure UBU sampled from 4 on offer.

Highlights from last night in Doncaster;

Acorn Darkness 4.2%, a mild flavoured with coffee & fruit and an old favourite, in the Red Lion.

Jennings Sneck Lifter 5.1%, a malty dark strong ale, in the Gatehouse.

Springhead The Leveller 4.8%, a toffee flavoured dark ale, in the Tut n Shive.

Yorkshire Heart Hearty Bitter 3.7%, a toffee flavoured chestnut bitter and Yorkshire Heart Darkheart 4.0%, a coffee and treacle flavoured mild, in the Corner Pin. Both excellent ales.

I have just discovered the excellent Beartown Ambeardextrous 4.8% in the Lower Angel, Warrington.

Amber in colour and flavoured with chocolate and caramel, this ale has a slightly earthy aftertaste and gets a very positive recommendation.

Sambrooks Powerhouse Porter 4.9%, in the Gatehouse (pre-match).

More a dark strong ale than a porter but still nice enough.

Highlights of an afternoon / evening in Sheffield (Friday);

The Collyfobble brewery Mild Tha Know's 4.4% in the Fat Cat.

The Hop Studio Vanilla Porter 4.3% in the Kelham Island Tavern.

Little Critters Sleepy Badger 4.5%, an oatmeal stout, in the Dove & Rainbow.

Beer Festival at the Corner Pin last night;

Geeves Smokey Joe 5.0%, a stout.

Geeves Glabra 4.5%, a rye and liquorice porter.

Stocks Old Horizontal 5.3%, a nut brown strong ale.

Angles Ales HMS Glatton 7.4%, an East India pale ale.

Sampled my first World Cup 2018 ale last night in the Gatehouse. Acorn Brewery England's Dreaming, a golden ale at 4.5%.

Also in the Gatehouse, Sadlers very nice Black IPA, Peaky Blinders 4.4%.

Camerons Strongarm 4.0%, a favourite and very nice ruby ale in the Red Lion yesterday afternoon.

The Black Bull had Marston's Fever Pitch 4.2%, a pale ale and nod to the World Cup.

Sonnet 43's the Raven, a bourbon Milk Stout 4.3%, always welcome, in the Tut n Shive.

I'm not always a fan of Salamander ales, but Pirate's Porter 4.8% in the Corner Pin was very nice.

Warrington today;

Acorn Darkness 4.2% in the Looking Glass, it would have been rude not to.

Weetwood Bitter 3.8%, in the Lower Angel. An English best bitter, Cheshire style.

Titanic Plum Porter 4.9%, a welcome favourite, also in the Lower Angel.

Greene King Un-beer-lievable 4.1%, the Chris Kamara brew, sampled today in the Tut n Shive. A hoppy golden IPA so not really to my taste but it would have been rude not to.