City Wanderer ... oh yes

Great ride by the young lad, looked destined for no better than third a furlong out.

Thursday 4 July ... Leeds (again) ...

Kirkstall Black Band Porter 5.5 %, in Slocken.
An excellent porter which pours dark brown and is packed with a multitude of flavours including dark roasted malts, chocolate, caramel, toffee and vanilla.
Slocken has a wooden floor and bare brick walls with brewery and alcohol memorabilia displayed. 3 cask ales were available. Upstairs is a music venue.

Bingley Lock Keeper 5.7%, in the Duck & Drake.
A dark brown porter with a cocoa aroma. Lightly roasted malts, cocoa, vanilla and milk chocolate combine to make this a very nice drink.
The Duck & Drake is a Victorian street corner pub with wooden floors and wall murals featuring blues & rock legends. The pub holds regular music events and generally has 15 cask ales available.

Also popped in the Leeds Brewery Tap for a pint of Midnight Bell (see previous page for review of ale and pub).

Saturday 6 July ... Warrington ...

Lymestone Stone The Crows 5.4%, in the Lower Angel.
A strong ale which pours dark brown with a red hue. Has a faint toasty aroma and chocolate, caramel and burnt toffee flavours. Very nice.

Big Bog Quagmire 6.0%, in the Looking Glass.
A traditional or old strong ale. Pours clear brown, has no discernible aroma but a sweet taste flavoured by caramel and toffee. Quite potent.

Sunday 7 July ... Doncaster ...

A few new ones ...

Hilltop Stout 4.7%, in the Queens.
Pours black with a coffee aroma. Light flavourings of chocolate, coffee and dark fruit. Pleasant enough.

Great Newsome Old Fergie 4.4%, in the Marketplace Alehouse & Deli.
This brown ale pours dark brown and has a grassy aroma. Taste is roasted malts, chocolate, biscuit and toffee. Again, pleasant enough.

Jolly Boys Jolly Blonde 4.0%, in the White Swan.
Pours clear blonde, has an aroma of citrus hops. A light maltiness is complimented with caramel and citrus. The sweetness leads to a dry finish. Better than I anticipated.

In the Little Plough, Doncaster this weekend ...

Theakston Shot In The Dark 4.2%, a 'black schwarzbier' which pours clear brown. Malty, smokey and fruity. Very nice!

In the Lower Angel yesterday ...

Blackedge Brewing Co Angry Ginger Bread Man 6.0%, a stout which pours black and has a light gingerbread aroma. Taste is roasted malts, caramel, chocolate and gingerbread. Excellent, but probably only in moderation.

Don't normally post on this thread ... my doctor may be viewing.
However, in the White Horse Inn at Bempton and supping Plum Porter by Titanic, which chimes in at 4.9%.
Gloriously fruity ...like damson jam.

Recently in the Little Plough, Doncaster ...

Rooster's Scrambler 4.0%, a watermelon pale ale. Pours slightly hazy golden with an understated melon aroma. Taste is melon, biscuit and some malt. Quite pleasant during last week's hot weather.

Last week in the Lower Angel, Warrington ...

Tiny Rebel Assault Trifle 4.8%, pours hazy pink / orange. Aroma, raspberry and peach. Creamy and packed full of various fruits. Sweet and delicious.

Highlights from Sheffield, Monday afternoon ...

Tiny Rebel Stay Puft 5.2%, in the Fat Cat. A porter with a coffee and marshmallow aroma. Flavours include caramel, chocolate, marshmallow and vanilla. Had this before and as always, it's wonderful.

Wander Beyond Brewing Co. Great Rift 6.0% in the Kelham Island Tavern. A pitch black stout with a milk chocolate aroma. Many flavours including chocolate, lactose, syrup, vanilla, dark fruits and a hint of liquorice. Excellent.

Highlights from Stratford on Thursday evening ...

North Cotswold Cotswold Best 4.0%, a copper coloured traditional best bitter, in the Stratford Alehouse. A malty aroma. Taste is malty with a slightly sweet finish provided by caramel and honey. Very nice.

Titanic Chocolate & Vanilla Stout 4.5%, also in the Alehouse. Pours very dark brown with a beige head. Aroma, chocolate and vanilla. Taste, malt, cocoa and vanilla. Excellent.

Gales HSB 4.8%, in the Old Thatch Tavern. A chestnut coloured strong bitter with toasted malt and toffee flavours. Always a welcome find.

The Stratford Alehouse is well worth a visit for real ale or cider fans. A single room micropub with a minimum of four ales plus ciders and wine. The pub acts as a venue to a number of music nights and although meals are not available, snacks are.

We visited two Fullers pubs, The White Swan Hotel and the aforementioned Old Thatch Tavern. The former is a 15th century market place hotel offering accommodation and meals (lunch and evening) in the restaurant. The bar had 3 real ales. The latter, also adjacent to the market place, is smaller, does indeed have a thatched roof and majors on all day every day food. 3 real ales were also available here.

The other pub visited was the Lamplighter, also in the market place. A more basic environment and although not happening during our visit, appeared to be the place where karaoke would be in full swing perhaps on Fridays & Saturday's. 2 real ales were available, both from Davenports Brewery.

Worth a mention, ale and venue ...

As part of a trip to the Sefton coastal area on Friday, a visit was paid to the Four Ashes, Waterloo (Merseyside). A one room micropub with six cask ales along with bottled beers and an array of gins, vodkas and wines. Pork pies and a number of bar snacks were available. Well worth a visit.

Big Hand Brewing Co Spectre 4.5%, was very enjoyable. A jet black stout with a chocolate aroma. Taste is roasted malts, chocolate, vanilla and liquorice. Recommended.

Lower Angel, Warrington at the weekend ...

Ilkley Brewery Ruby Jane 4.0%, a dark ruby coloured mild. Aroma, malt and a hint of dark fruit. Taste is similar with the fruit more evident. A slightly dry finish. Nice.

Tiny Rebel Summer Crush 4.0%, a clear golden ale. Aroma, mango and peach. Taste, the same. Not really my thing but it doesn't hurt to try something different.

Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby 6.0%, had this a few times and always enjoy. Unsurprisingly, a dark ruby ale. This has caramel, toffee, dried fruits and a slight nuttiness.

Highlights from Leeds on Sunday afternoon / early evening ...

Scarbrough Hotel - Cotleigh Tawny Owl 3.8%, pours light brown / orange (tawny ). A best bitter with a malt and grain aroma. Taste is roasted malts, caramel, toffee and a hint of spice. Nice.

Head of Steam - Leeds Midnight Bell 4.8%.

Tapped - Bristol Beer Factory Milk Stout 4.5%, chocolate, coffee and dark fruit. Very nice.

Leeds Brewery Tap - Nomadic Beers Strider 4.4%, a very nice copper coloured best bitter. Some malt and biscuit on the aroma. Taste is malty with caramel and biscuit.

(Pubs reviewed on Page 77).

A couple of unusual ones in the Lower Angel, Warrington in the last couple of days ...

Anarchy Brew Co. Deadly Milk 6.0%, a milkshake IPA. Pours thick hazy orange. Aroma is lactose and orange. Taste is mango, orange, lactose and vanilla. The strength is obvious in the finish.

Turpin's Strawberry Haze 3.9%, a hazy golden ale with a noticeably thin head. Has a strawberry aroma and the taste is lightly malted, some hoppiness and strawberries.