A few nice ales sampled in Sheffield yesterday ...

Bankers Draft - Bradfield Farmers Belgian Blue 4.9% and Little Critters Plump Penguin 5.0%, a plum porter with chocolate and coffee also evident.

Sheffield Tap - Framework Sinker Stout 4.0%, an excellent brew with roasted malts, caramel, coffee and dark fruit flavours plus Thornbridge Lord Marples 4.0%

Mini real ale festival in the Corner Pin, Doncaster...

Mill Valley Black Panther 4.6%, a Christmas Stout, roasted malts, caramel, chocolate and berries. Very nice.

Headstocks Frosty the Sloeman 4.8%, effectively a gin flavoured winter ale with some malt and cocoa along with the sloe berries.

Headstocks Sleigh Rider 5.0%, malt, chocolate and toffee combine in this very nice winter ale.

Geeves Naughty Elf 6.8%, a strong ale, Christmas cake-like, dark, rich and fruity.

Two interesting ales sampled in the Lower Angel, Warrington yesterday ...

Muirhouse Simple Simons Stout 4.5%, cocoa, coffee and liquorice flavours. Roasted malts leading to a dry finish.

Empire Rum Porter 4.7%, a little rum on the nose but much more on the palate. Slightly smokey too. Nice in moderation.

Midnight Magic 4.9% from the Bristol Beer Company, recently sampled in the Sheffield Tap was a delicious lactose, fudge, roasted barley and chocolate flavoured stout.

Another couple of excellent brew, this time in the Lower Angel, Warrington were ...
Davenports Original 4.2%, a Best Bitter with biscuit, toffee and marmalade flavours, quite quaffable.
Shepherd Neame Bishops Finger 5.0%, not one I see too often on cask. Malty with caramel and toffee flavours.

Best of a recent evening in Altrincham was Severn Brewing Chocolate Stout 4.3% in the Old Market Tavern, which ticked plenty of boxes.

A few recent box-tickers in the Corner Pin ...

Black Sheep Resolution 4.0%, a dark red winter ale with roasted malts, biscuit and winter berries.

Welbeck Abbey The Rink 5.2%, a wonderful breakfast stout (chocolate cereal)

Welbeck Abbey Wake Up And Smell The Coffee 5.0%, roasted malts and ground coffee. Very nice.

Bent n Bongs Beer Bash last Friday evening in Atherton ...

Blackjack Beers King of Clubs 7.4%, smoky with caramel, coffee and toffee flavours. Potent!

Wiper and True Milkshake 5.0%, chocolate, lactose, marshmallow and vanilla. What's not to like.

Littleover Brewery The Panther 4.2%, an oatmeal, coffee and whisky flavoured stout. Very nice.

Wigan Brewhouse Plum Porter 4.4%, an enjoyable fruit porter.

Black Iris Rise & Shine 5.2%, a very enjoyable coffee stout.

Wily Fox Crafty Fox 4.0%, badged as a Lancashire Ale, this is a very nice slightly malted best bitter.

Tiny Rebel Stay Puft 5.2%, a wonderfully sweet marshmallow porter.

A very enjoyable evening in good company.

Some enjoyable ales in York on Sunday ...

Valhalla - Valhalla Odins Judgement 6.0%, badged as Valhalla but brewed by Yorkshire Heart, this is a surprisingly easy drinking amber winter ale considering it's strength. Malty and fruity.

The Punch Bowl (Nicholsons) - Black Sheep Special Ale 4.4%, nice and malty and preferred to the bitter.

The Maltings - Settle Brewery Nine Standards Porter 4.7%, an excellent caramel and coffee porter from a brewery which is new to me.

York Tap - Five Points Brewing Co Railway Porter 4.8%, roasted malts, coffee and just a hint of liquorice.

Peerless Oatmeal Stout 5.0% in the Looking Glass, Warrington at the weekend was very nice. A slightly roasted dark mahogany stout with oatmeal, coffee and molasses.

Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby 6.0%, enjoyed again, this time in the Lower Angel. Flavours include caramel, toffee and dried fruits. Although sweet, this dark ruby ale has a slightly nutty taste.

A few 'winners' in Doncaster on Sunday & Monday ...

Corner Pin - Doncaster Brewery Cheswold Bitter 4.2%, chestnut in colour and malty with caramel and toffee flavours. Easy drinking and very nice.

Red Lion - Jolly Sailor Winter Mild 5.2%, a dark brown winter warmer with a few flavours evident, roasted malts, chocolate, molasses, winter fruits and spices all at play here. Very enjoyable.

Tut n Shive - Bradfield Yorkshire Farmer 4.0%, a dark golden bitter. Some sweetness, probably caramel and toffee. Malty with s bready mouthfeel. Easy drinking.

Best of a visit to Leeds yesterday ...

Naylors Velvet 4.0% in the Griffin. A dark brown coloured mild, malty with some chocolate and hints of both fruit and nut. Quite pleasant.

Leeds Midnight Bell 4.8% in the Brewery Tap

Old Dairy Snow Top 6.0% in the Scarbrough Hotel. This is gorgeous, like a subtle fruitcake with marmalade and malt.

The Lower Angel, Warrington had the excellent Tiny Rebel Stay Puft 5.2% last night. A wonderfully sweet marshmallow porter.

Best of today's beers in Toon ...

Orkney Red MacGregor 4.0%, an old favourite, not sampled for a while. An excellent Scottish bitter. Malty, smoky, peaty and some caramel. Ticks a lot of boxes.

Yeovil Ales Star Gazer 4.0%, clear brown in colour, a slightly malty typical old fashioned bitter. One you could happily drink all evening.

Timothy Taylor's Ram Ram 4.3% was a welcome find at the Leeds Brudenell concert venue last night.

A couple of interesting brews on Wednesday evening in Warrington ...

Kelham Island Night Rider 4.5%, in the Looking Glass. Not a brewery who's beers I always get on with but this caught my attention. A dark brown Stout, on the dry side but nice roasted malts, coffee, toffee and a pleasant nuttiness.

Castle Rock Arthur Skill 4.2%, in the Lower Angel. A very enjoyable coffee flavoured Milk Stout, not a full bodied one but not thin or bland either.

Sad to report that after 11 years at the Corner Pin, the management team (Dave and Ruth) will be leaving the pub in May.

The final trading day will be Sunday 19 May 2019. Quite what is in store for the Pin thereafter remains to be seen.

This appears to be another case where the management reach a point where working for Enterprise becomes untenable.

Whilst not ruling out remaining in the trade in Doncaster (I think there is a decent chance), Dave and Ruth have so far been unable to confirm their next move.