Starting Over

What's it all about ??

I was, about, 22 I think when, fed up with Lager (where you Hemling??) I started to turn towards Bitter and expand my tastes. Unfortunately this was the 80's. A time for Yazz and the Plastic Population to tell us that "The Only Way is Up" and Blondie never did "Call Me". Even though "Wherever I Laid my Hat" seemed to be my home, I could never find a decent pint to savour. Having turned towards bitter my only options seemed to be Stones or Worthington's. Very little choice and I can't remember seeing a working hand-pull on the bars I frequented. Oblivious to this, I endevoured to tell myself that actually enjoyed these gas filled, insipid drinks. It was only towards the end of the decade that I experienced "Real Ale" for the first time. I had been away somewhere, probably watching football, and ended up waiting for a train connection in Sheffield , I think. Bored and wanting to kill a bit of time I wandered into the surrounding area and sampled one of the local's wares.Nothing I had tasted before had satisfied my thirst as this. That was it. A convert. The only problem was sourcing it. Most pubs back home were still "fizz" palaces and it was some time before I found a decent "local". Into the 90's and the revolution started to take hold. Real ale started to appear in more and more pubs but choice was still limited. If you stumbled upon it  and it was "on" you had struck lucky.As I started to socialise more with my footie fans, we began meeting up at a pub in Grimsby called "The Rutland Arms". A good boozer with some "interesting" characters and best of all good beer. "Old Mill, Snaith" were the brewers for this little gem and the beer was excellent. I had come of age. After this, we would find solace from many a game and it's dissappointments in the "Rutters" and then move on into town and we started to frequent the "Tap and Spile" and eventually  "Wetherspoon's" opened. Love em or hate em, they do add to an alehunter's experiences.

 

During this time, I had become an Avid Grimsby Town Fan, travelling all around the country to see them. This also opened my mind to the many and varied brews available, and enriched my beery passion.No longer a travelling fan (not even a regular at Blundell Park either) I thought that trying to remember and log some of my experiences would be interesting, hence this blog. My travelling days have not come to an end, merely changed to a more family experience and I hope to blog  my latest days out as they happen. 

Cheers and keep it "Real"