Phew ! What a scorcher

After a few bottles on Saturday at home in the garden ( & a failed promise to take t'other arf out. Nodded off oops) I had a few gardening tasks to attend to on Sunday. Another warm 'un and with my tasks almost completed, and pledges to the affirmative on there conclusion, we decided to pop into Town for a couple of hour. Shorts and t-shirted up (brave man) off we went...........Is it me or is the air at least 10 degrees lower after 6-30.
Well, first stop was The Parity. Walked in with goosepimples on my goosepimples. Nice boozer, bit noisy on footie days but never any hassle. This being a end of season Sunday ( Don't think anyone was in celebrating Cambridge's play-off success) all was quiet. Three beers on the handpulls and we had the Butcombes Gold. Very nice beer at 4.4% just a touch too sweet for my taste but each to their own.

We finished our beer and set off to the other end of Top Town for one in The Ice Barque (Wetherspoon's Lloyds No1).

Just lately both this and The Yarborough Hotel (JDW's other pub ) seem to be showcasing Milestone's brewery's wares. Being brewed just down the road in Newark it certainly travels well. I decided on "Black Pearl" Dark and typically a no nonsense stout it pressed all the right buttons. 'Er in charge went for "Shine On" from the same brewery. A refreshing light coloured ale at 4% a total opposite to mine. Both well poured. It's a shame that this pub doesn't offer much in the way of ambience. Cavernous and wharehouse-like it does lack a bit of character evident in most pubs, although the staff are very friendly and efficient. Drinks finished and ever onward to The Yarborough. Not many in tonight, but the usual faces were there. A good selection as usual on the front bar including the Milestone's. T'other "arf left the choice to me so I went for the "Hook Norton Special Dark Mild" at 4.6%  and I chose "Milestone's Fletchers Ale" for t'other arf. My beer was lovely and smooth and very moorish, but the Fletcher's ale was not to t'other arf's taste. Very dry and bitter with a pale colour, but what of the beer you ask. Well I would have had it but it was an acquired taste and at 5.2% not really a session beer. We decided one more and home so I had another Dark Mild and presented a perfectly drawn Abbot's to the appeased partner. A good pub this at times and you could never call the beer selection lacking. Although we didn't do so on this visit, it is always worth seeing what is on offer at the back bar here as you usually find something different in choice. The clientele are on the whole, a little more mature here and it can be like a library atmosphere, but you can assure yourself that the beer will be "on" and selection plentiful. That was that. After a brisk walk through the "subbie" to try and get some warmth circulating round my uncovered limbs, we were home. We have decided to go out a little less over the coming weeks due to finances, but I dare say the odd pint will be taken, and I have got my home brew to start. So cheers and keep it real.