Warwick recently for a birthday break ... Of course there had to be real ale ...

Came across the excellent Purity UBU 4.5% in the Tilted Wig (always have that if I see it). Also enjoyed Church Farm Harry's Heifer, a bitter at 4.2% in the Rose and Crown. Church Farm being a brewery at Budbrooke on the outskirts of Warwick and one I don't believe I had previously heard of.

Also managed to extended the celebrations to an afternoon out in York (never a bad thing in real ale terms).

Pivni offered Dark Star Partridge, a best bitter at 4.0% - I have a soft spot for Dark Star having visited the pub (Evening Star, Brighton) a few years ago where the brewery was born in 1994.

Best beer of the day was a close call between Dorset Brew Co's Portland Porter 4.7% in the Cross Keys and Gadd's Ramsgate Brewery Seasider 4.3% in the York Tap, with the latter, an amber coloured bitter just edging it.

Glad you have re-opened

Finally visited the re-opened Red Lion in Doncaster earlier this week. Now a very modern-looking Wetherspoons. Two pints consumed there, firstly Marston's Single Hop Belma (an Amber Ale at 4.0%) and secondly, Geeves Rococo (a Chocolate Mild at 3.6%). Both were likeable enough.

Cask Corner had the always enjoyable Stancill Barnsley Bitter and the Gatehouse had possibly the only Jennings Ale that I can admit to looking out for , Sneck Lifter.

Cheers! Are you still 'cider-ing'?

Oh no 84 pages of drooling over pints of sludge! im beginning to think this is therapy for you posting on here lol only joking fella knock yourself out

It's 9 months since we won a game ... that's enough to drive anyone to drink

A couple of recent highlights ...

Wharfebank Hawk Black IPA 4.5% (Tut n Shive)
Milestone Honey Porter 4.9% (Angel)

Both are to be recommended.

The Sal had Ruddles County 4.3% available last night. Not seen that for while and prefer it to the BB which is on in many Wetherspoons.

They also had the very nice GK London Glory 4.0%

Sampled a couple of nice Porters this week, Stancill's 4.4% (Gatehouse) and The Hop Studio's 4.3% (Angel).

The Tut has recently had a very recommendable Bitter, Nethergate Brewery's Suffolk County 4.0%.

The Tut n Shive had Sadlers Worcester Sourcerer 4.3% on Friday evening, which reminded me of a trip to the brewery at Lye, near Stourbridge about 3 years ago.

Had a couple of nice drinks in Sheffield last night;

Seven Brothers Brewery Stout Porter 5.2% in the Dove & Rainbow also Kent Brewery Black Gold 4.0% in the Sheffield Tap.

Slight preference was for the former which beautifully mixed chocolate and coffee flavours with dark fruits.

The D&R also had the usually-reliable Camerons Strongarm.