BERLIN? NO, BRISTOL
Whilst some of our members were on their weekend visit to Berlin, three of us, Dave Maloney, Stewart Matthews and Shaun Wilkins opted for a day trip to Bristol. On the train from Chippenham and a bus ride from Bristol Temple Meads to College Green, it was then a pleasant stroll, away from shoppers, past the cathedral and on to our first watering hole The Bag o’ Nails, a gas-lit single bar, with six ales on when we arrived.
Not being scoopers or tickers means we didn’t actually record what beers were drunk or available, but if memory serves me correctly then Wooden Hand Pirates Mutiny was one that we tried. The cheese and onion roll for Ł1 was well worth it.
Up the hill to The Hope and Anchor where the bar is adorned with many hops – my beer here was Okells Maclir, in preparation for the longest walk between pubs.
Phew we made it – The Ship that is, lots of wood with a seafaring theme for Theakston Mild and also Black Sheep Riggwelter.
After three traditional pubs it was time to come up to date, and pop next door and on to Zerodegrees. Stainless steel abounds but with the brewery on view and the brewing process shown on the wall, it’s an interesting place to visit, with some different beers – the special was mango.
Bunch of Grapes near the Hippodrome was next on the list, but on the way we tried a Butcombe Bitter in The Hatchet Inn, the oldest pub in Bristol, more for the sake of nostalgia as it was the first pub I visited in Bristo,l too many years ago. The Bunch of Grapes host music events and the walls are covered in signed posters from past performers from the Hippodrome. Goffs White Knight was one of four ales on offer here.
Dodging the traffic on Colston Avenue and Wickwar’s White Lion was just across the road. A small pub with a tight spiral staircase to the toilets, a good range of Wickwar products are sold here, we managed to sample Penny Black and Mr Perret’s Stout.
The range of different beers continued as on we trekked to the Commercial Rooms, one of Wetherspoons better establishments. As we were now ready to eat the managers special - Ł2.99 for a curry couldn’t be refused, as well as another beer.
Fullers next – from The Fishmarket, a good range of their ales available as well as Butcombe Bitter.
We were now starting to tire, but not before a Doombar from The Seven Stars, where we were entertained by a barmaid who didn’t want to be captured by Dave’s camera, and then of course time to finish in The Cornubia for some Hidden Potential and Hidden Depths, as well as watching Karen trying to avoid falling into the cellar – the trapdoor is behind the bar.
So that was it, 11 pubs in 9 hours and not a bad one amongst them. A good taster as to what is available in Bristol. We will probably do it again later in the year, maybe a pre-Christmas crawl, but that will be another set of pubs, with a few of the above to be included. Come and join us.
Guess it needs to be said that we were drinking halves not pints, don’t think I’d have been standing if we were on pints.
“Cheers me dears.”
Shaun Wilkins