Sorry for the lateness of the hour, just been to three York pubs that no-one ever goes to - thankfully, I did write this sober before.
If Cobbles Bar had confused me, there was no doubting that the Consortium, Louth (2595 / 4489) really was a full blown Micropub. One of those 'attached to an indoor market' efforts, doing its own ale no less. And I really enjoyed it too! Sorry, I don't mean to sound surprised, but history has taught me to proceed with caution in these circs. I'm one of the only people in the world to have drank 'I'm Too Hopped up to Care'. 'Core range' doesn't seem to be a thing. The boss seems an amiable baldie chap, polite too as he's being chatted to by this chatterbox barfly, I can sense his fatigue from here. Even as the subject of camel racing arises! Takes me an eternity to find the loos, thinking they'll be part of the market, not realising there is a narrow carpeted staircase (right of the above photo). A fussy lady disapproves of the fan blowing on her, I disapprove of the wet dog smell, but as Daddy B. returns from his leisurely coffee / antique browsing session, I can report another quite pleasing Lincs tick.
With our two hour Pay & Display ticket about to expire, it was time to pick up the BRAP-mobile before some over zealous parking inspector grips us by the short and curlies.
A short drive to the end of town, in the same direction as the Gas Lamp Lounge which I visited back in 2017 (which surely should've been more memorable than it was) we found this grand looking Bateman's house.
Looks good doesn't it? Daddy BRAPA's pose was certainly optimistic. We'd had a decent run of pubs keeping their ale well, but Woolpack, Louth (2596 / 4490) was an unmitigated disaster. And Daddy B is right, this is happening all too frequently with Bateman's this year. I know the pub is mainly to blame when the cask is kept badly, but c'mon, quality control? I can tell they're good folk, the Bateman's lot, cos whenever I put stuff on 'Untappd', they always reply nicely and say they'll 'investigate'. Firstly my XXXB was vinegar. It was one of those beer returns which was almost too easy, like I had last month at the Norman Warrior in Lowestoft. No questions asked, no surprise, no apology, no eye contact. I'd already thought the staff were dross when we first got served. The replacement XB is drinkable, but only just, has that farty taste. Imagine getting XXXB so wrong on yer own turf. Unforgiveable. Yet a randomer on X chose to blame me! Victim blaming much? Not in 2023 pal. #WokeSi2023 #BeMoreKindToTickers The back room we are sitting in is cavernous, atmospheric, high ceilinged, but unfortunately in all the beer kerfuffle, I forgot to take ONE indoor photo. Not that the pub deserved it. So here was a toe update at the time, two weeks into its brokenness.
This made it even more important that the day ended on a high, and on the road out of Louth heading back towards the Humber Bridge, up on the underrated and possibly unknown Lincolnshire Wolds, we found this cute free house.
The rain had stopped, but my hair had gone all flat. At least I could finally get mi Count Duckula out for the lads .....
And I'm delighted to report that the Click'em Inn, Swinhope (2597 / 4491) was the ending that today deserved. The name if you wondered relates to 'counting sheep'. But I wasn't falling asleep here, even on pint six, although the sight of Colin's fluffy white head had the locals reaching for their clickers by mistake. Sorry again for the focus on the beer (not really the BRAPA way) but it was my main takeaway, and by gum, do I wish I could've taken some away! A Chocolate Old Peculiar made by Theakston's and Tiny Rebel combined. What a concoction. All the barley wine strength of OP, with lots of chocolate as you'd expect from those Welsh nutters. Beer of the year contender. A bit like Aby earlier on, whilst the pub is (understandably) big on food, it has a homely community local air about it, surprisingly busy for one so rural. Build it, and build it well, and the people will come! Time for 'ome via York's Swan, hic!
I'll bang another one out on Thursday as we venture out to Grimsby. Then we're all caught up for July, I can go away for the weekend, and give you the August month-ender when I return. It's a plan.
Thanks for reading, Si
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