Beer

Nothing like a lovely pint of ale. Proper ale, that is. Can't abide the icy-cold flavourless muck that they peddle as lager in this country.

I've discovered (doubtlessly several years after everyone else) a website called "Beer in the Evening" which allows you to write your own reviews of pubs you've been to and acts as a guide to places you might like to go in the future. You can find the site at http://www.beerintheevening.com/ and I recommend that all pub lovers click on the link, register as a user (quick and easy) and then start rating pubs and writing a few lines about them. I've done the D&C, suggested that the site include The Mark (which it will soon) and written reviews for several other hostelries that I've visited recently.

Whilst I'm on the subject of beer (a favourite subject, it must be admitted), I feel the need for a short rant about the Bath Beer Festival which we attended last weekend. I honestly can't recall the last time I felt quite so ripped off. I think the festival is run by CAMRA, and if that is the case, the organisation should be ashamed of itself. It's fair enough to charge an entrance fee for these events; £6 wasn't outrageous in itself. Surely, though, the entrance fee should include a couple of beers?

After we'd coughed up the £6 each we then had to go to another stall to buy "tokens" with which to buy half pints of ale. We bought a tenner's worth of tokens and enjoyed about four and half pints in total between us. We did enjoy the beer; it was delicious, especially the "Quicksilver" and Malvern Brewery's "Black Pear".

But let's do the sums. £6 times 2 is £12 plus £10 in tokens = £22 for four and half pints of beer. That's nearly £5 a pint for chrissake!

Frankly we'd have been more comfortable and financially better off trying several different ales in a decent pub or two. We would also not have been obliged to listen to a covers band of dubious quality playing middle-of-the-road "rawk" hits at a level which precluded most conversation. The shot below shows yours truly and Anal at the beer fest.

After we'd drunk our tokens' worth we repaired to the nearby Ale House pub (I've put a short review on http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/12/12054/Alehouse/Bath) which served proper ale at proper prices and had enough room inside for us to actually sit down and speak to each other. What a relief. Here's Sandybum enjoying a half in the comforts of the welcoming Ale House.

Hooray for real pubs and real ale!