Home and Away. ( or from Docks to the Trent)

As we enter the start of another year we all tend to look back over the previous twelve months, or so, to see what has altered, good or bad, in our little bubbles. As I reminisce I thought it correct to sing the praises of our improving beer scene in North East Lincolnshire. For all too long I have been forced to admit that this neck of the woods has been bereft of a thriving beer scene. Yes, the big brewery chains kept a foothold (M&B's Ember inns, Greene King's offerings, and the ubiquitous JDW's all have retained pubs here), serving some reasonable brews, but many a time just pretty average ale, and the same beers usually found in most of their outlets everywhere else in the land. Now don't get me wrong, to see some cask beers on the bar was encouraging, but they were usually overshadowed by the John Smith's, Worthington and Guinness pumps, dispensing their Smooth, Cold, Extra Cold and similar variations to the masses. We did still retain a few independent bars we could be pleased of, flying the flag for the more discerning tippler, such as The Nottingham House, Willy's Wine Bar, and The No2 Refreshment Rooms for instance, but on the whole it has been pretty dour. A decent day out had to be sought elsewhere. Then things started to change. Craft ales started to just squeeze itself into one or two establishments. Bottles and cans of the more popular and better known craft brewers, like the American brewers Brooklyn and Lagunitas and the UK's Meantime, Brewdog and Campden were appearing in the fridges, albeit next to the continental lagers. Gradually, beer seemed to somehow get a bit trendier in the area, and then, within a relatively short period of time, a specialist beer shop, Message In A Bottle, opened up in 2015, Axholme Brewing Co, situated in neighbouring North Lincolnshire , and brewing since 2012, started to push bottles and casks of the excellent Cleethorpes Pale Ale more prominently in the area, as well as some of their other noted ales (such as Best Bitter, Special Reserve and the odd commemorative Grimsby Town beers too) which secured a locally brewed real ale option. The fuse was lit. Since then the progression in the local real ale and craft ale scene has been steady but obvious. It has taken time, but it is more than holding its own. Noticeably in the make-up of Message In A Bottle, Axholme Brewing, and the newest kids on the block, Docks Beers, there is also a shared DNA. The faith shown in the region by this group of entrepreneurs is being recognised by us drinkers, but more than that. It has, in my opinion,  given others a chance to see the lay of the land, and led to others investing in this sector of imbibing in the area. I would like to pay homage to a couple of these now.

Docks Beers

Docks Beers. 

Since the demise of Hewitt Brothers Ltd, in 1968, Grimsby has never really had a commercial brewer in the town, not as I recall anyway. Beer was coming out of the small plant behind Willy's Wine Bar which is over the old borough border in Cleethorpes, but this has never been on a large scale. All this changed just over a year ago, October 2018, when Docks Beers opened a brewery and taphouse in the town. This is the offspring of the cask brewer Axholme Brewing Co. After more than half a decade of successful real ale brewing, the brewery's business partners, Will Douglas, Charles Lumley and Sharam Shadan, who had joined forces back in 2017 with Jules and Mike Richards, the founders and brewers of Axholme, decided to spread their wings a little, up the production of the beers and with local knowledge, and roots firmly in the town, made plans to set up shop to brew craft ales in a second microbrewery, in an old church, the former St Barnabas Church in King Edward Street. This is not far from Grimsby's town centre, and a stone's throw from the still beating heart of the famous docks. As I mentioned, this was not only a brewery, the building was to house a taproom and bar as well. This new venture was eagerly anticipated by those who enjoy a good beer or two. To say it gradually grew would be fantasy. It more like exploded onto the local drinking scene.  On opening, the place was buzzing, and, I'm pleased to say,  still is. The premises plays host to the brew plant (although the original brewery at Crowle is still very much up and brewing) and a canning area which all can be scrutinised from the comfort of the bar and seating area. It is clean and modern in design, and the vibe is very friendly. The core beers are Hard Graft, 4%, an excellent Pale Ale, Never Say Die, AIPA, 6%, which has a good bite to it, the sweet and creamy choco-coconut Graveyard Shift Stout, 4.5%, which accompany the very refreshing Pale Lager Overtime, 4%. Also available at various times have been Wind Power Session IPA, 3.5%,

The bar at Docks Beers.

Midnight Oil, a very moreish BIPA, 5.5% and a Brut IPA also of 5.5%, Brut Force. Add to these a string of very good collaboration brews with the likes of Magic Rock, Brew York, Salt and Vocation, you can see this is going to be the bedrock of the local drinking culture for years to come. There have been the very successful Tap Takeovers too, staged on a regular basis and showcasing other brewers of note. Street food is another key element, with everything from dirty burgers to Canadian style poutine being sold from the vendors' stall outside, usually at the weekend. Local bands have appeared here on occasions as have the popular Indie Rock group The Sherlocks. So, as the first Anniversary of its opening has recently been celebrated, what is in store for the future for this venue? The next step for the company  has been announced, it is to open the room upstairs, which boasts a wonderful arched, beamed and open area. It is to be named The Docks Academy, a  music, comedy and events venue, with around a capacity of 300 . This happens in March 2020, with famous local choirboy, comedian, celebrity goalkeeper and former Soccer AM funnyman (among other talents) Lloyd Griffith already selling out for the opening nights which are included on his UK tour. More comedy acts are to follow and I am sure that it will become a big draw for musicians too. (The Sherlocks have just announced a return visit.) What a fantastic boost to the community this venue is. More original beers are in the pipeline, further collabs promised and bright outlook is envisaged. Oh, did I mention the excellent selection of cans and bottles for on and off sales, and some cool looking merchandise?  Cheers Docks Beers.

Vittles & Co

Vittles & Co

Just tucked away near the railway station is this newly opened cafe-bar. The tap selection is small, Vittles & Co are from over the Humber. It has, in fact, probably the smallest commercial brewery in Hull, with a brewing capacity of  about 50 litres. It runs a quite successful bar and bottleshop situated on the city's Trinity Market. It is against this back story that  Hull and East Yorkshire beers feature so regular on tap in the Grimsby bar, or have done on my limited visits. Atom Parsec DDH Pale, 5.4%, a lovely crisp, fresh citrus APA that imparts a nice dryness on the palate, was the tap offering on my last visit a couple of weeks ago. The fridge selection is quite good and includes, amongst a host of others, Docks Beers, Bricknell Brewery and Brew York as well as a quite a few continental brews. The staff are very friendly and take time out to engage with you, which is also very pleasing. This is a sit and chill venue, a place to meet up at, something we all need to do sometimes. Although this review is a little short and concise, it hopefully relays the fact that this is another good business venture that is evolving in a more cultural Top Town area of my home town. Coffee and a cake, or a good beer and a yarn. Both are in style here.
just one in fact, but it is always local-ish.

Although I haven't had chance to visit yet, The Cleethorpes Taphouse and Kitchen, situated by the resort's Boating Lake, has a rather good selection of craft ales on too. It also comes highly rated for its pizzas. I intend to get there to experience their delights soon. Add to this another new craft bar in Grimsby town centre, Annie's Bar, and you can see how things are growing. And on that encouraging note, I will move on.

Nottingham. Re-visited.

For the first time in 4 years, Jane and I made a return visit to Nottingham in November. Our last visit is recorded (Here) . A bit of Christmas shopping was on the agenda, but beer was to be boss with me.

Wednesday.

Arriving by rail at Nottingham, via Lincoln and Newark, through a landscape that had begun to look more like Venice after record breaking rainfall, we started our 3 day break with a visit to some old favourite haunts on our way to our hotel. First up was Fellows, Morton & Clayton, just a stone's throw from the station, in Canal Street. A friendly and relaxed welcome, as is afforded in most of Nottingham's pubs, was offered, and accepted. The cask selection isn't massive but ample and varied enough. My choice was Shipstones Nut Brown, 4%, brewed in Nottingham at Little Star Brewery. A solid enough start, no frills, no surprises. Next up was the neighbouring Castle Rock Brewery owned pub, The Canalhouse. The selection in here never fails to impress me. Cask and craft sit cheek by jowl on the bar in this boozer, as well as an impressive array of bottled and canned beers in the selection of fridges. It is a quandary sometimes to make your mind up. I eventually opted for Castle Rock Twistin' My Melon Man, a watermelon IPA of 5% and full of fruitiness. I followed this with a Belgian inspired Dark Strong Ale from a collaboration between Torrside Brewing and Solvay Society, the excellent full flavoured dark fruit and boozy back noted Give Thee Peace, 8.2%. Marvellous. Our next port of call was the tourist magnet of Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem

Ye Olde Trip.

. The oldest inn in England is always worth a trip (no pun intended), with all that history oozing from every wall in this tavern. The beer selection is OK, but not as extensive as some local bars. Nottingham Brewery Extra Pale Ale, 4.2%, a light and refreshing Pale ale with tempered fruit highlights was the beer I decided upon. Again another good beer had been savoured before moving on to our last port of call of the afternoon, before checking in to our hotel, The Crafty Crow. Two beers were sampled in this establishment, both of top quality too. First up was Ten For A Time Of Joyous Bliss, a 4.7% Christmas Cake Brown Ale from Magpie Brewery, which did impart fruit, spice and a rich sweetness expected of beer with such a culinary inspiration. Next was the 6.3% Banana and Coffee Milk Stout from Totally Brewed, Let's Modify The Van, which was decent enough, but slightly lacking in the banana notes. Again, this is another great boozer with plenty of cask and craft keg on tap.
After checking in at our hotel and chilling out for a couple of hours, we were out again, just to top up! First of the evening's stop-offs was The Ned Ludd. In here, whilst Jane had a G&T, I had a Salem Brew Co (Bateman's) 4.4% Dark Fruits Porter. A reasonably fruity beer, but not as as big on those dark fruits as I was expecting. Next, after browsing Nottingham's lovely Christmas market, complete with a huge outdoor ice rink, we dropped anchor at The Six Barrel Drafthouse, towards the Hockley area of the city. This busy pub offers a varied selection of beers, mostly local. Our drinks in here were Totally Brewed See You At Six, a stout of 6% with a smooth mouthfeel. Coffee and vanilla notes combine which helped  to push this over the line, and Pheasantry Excitra. This blonde ale imparted slight resin notes over gentle citrus, with an uplift of sweetness towards the end. Our penultimate venue was found just around the corner in Stoney St. The Angel Microbrewery. On entering I scanned the pumps but couldn't see any of the beers that are brewed on site. T|hat isn't to say there wasn't any on, but more the fact that my sensory system by now could have become a little impaired! Anyhow, there was Navigation Brewery Rebel Golden Ale, 4.2% on, which I duly sampled. My scrawled notes on this one, found on a beermat the next day, read "OK. Swt b4 cit..bit dry sum frt..." next to an undecipherable doodle, which just about summed it up. We should have headed back to the hotel after this but, alas, this resulted in us passing, and entering Nottingham's Brewdog. Who could resist, I ask. Jane by now was on soft drinks, whereas I opted for a sensible(?) half pint of Brewdog Fanzine #28 Serial Imperial. I recall finding this one a little too sweet and sickly for my taste, but manfully still finished it before staggering back to our digs, via the almost closed Christmas Market, and possibly buying, and devouring, the last Bratwurst left in the city at that time of night. What a wonderful first day it had been

Thursday 

Annie's Burger Shack

After yesterday's indulgences, we decided upon an easy paced morning, starting with an excellent The Three Crowns on Parliament Street, which was very good, and excellent value. There was some Christmas shopping to be had, which I took part in merely as an unwilling spectator. I was, eventually, relieved of my duties and set out for a bit of a walk and some casual sightseeing. Soon after, I ended up with a pint of Totally Brewed Crazy Like A Fox, a Copper Ale weighing in at 4.5%, in my hand whilst seated at the bar of the American themed Annie's Burger Shack. Although food is king in here, especially burgers and ribs, the drinks selection is quite reasonable. My choice was laced with light biscuit notes and a gentle floral finish. Not a big hitter but certainly a more than welcome hair of the dog (or fox). Next stop was The Head Of Steam. Surprisingly I appeared to be the only customer in, but, hey-ho... Among the good number of pumps I espied Northern Monk Festive Star, 5.2%, a porter with vanilla and cinnamon over a lovely smooth chocolate maltiness. I opted for just the one beer in here.
breakfast at
I met up with my festive shopper, Jane, in The Pitcher & Piano, the pub facing the previous hostelry where I had a bottle of Founders All Day IPA as there was no cask ales on at the time. sited in a former church, this is a beautiful bar to finish, with years of ecclesiastical worship looking down on you. Most of the fittings seem to be untouched, including the stained glass windows. We moved on after one in here, dropping in at The Old Dog And Partridge. I enjoyed a wonderful pint of Nottingham Brewery Rock Mild, 3.8% in here, which was spot on. This is a great "locals local", with quite a few characters within, but it is also very friendly and welcoming. It is part of the Greene King empire, so you can also expect to see the chain's usual stock on the bar. Our next ports of call were Hop Merchants, where we were soon sampling the lovely Laine Brew Co Ripper IPA, 4.8%, a nice hoppy IPA which cleanses the palate and imparts good citrus notes throughout, and  Copper Cafe, where I enjoyed a  light, citrus and fruity beer, New Dawn Pale Ale, 3.9%, another from Navigation Brewery.
We'd booked to eat out at the fantastic Mowgli Street Food that evening, so grabbed a quick drink beforehand in Lloyd's No1. Jane had a cider whilst I quaffed the more than reasonable Bell's (brewed by Banks') Light Hearted Ale 5%. After this we popped across the road for our Indian meal. Our meal, probably the best experience of Indian food we have encountered, was complimented perfectly by Curious Brewing Session IPA, 4.4%. After this we wandered back towards our hotel, dropping in at The Barrel Drop on the way for our last drinks. I finished off in here with Siren Yu Lu Session IPA, 3.6%, before a final pint of Goff's Jester Brew 10 "Skinny" Latte Stout, 4.7%. Both were good beers.

Friday
Friday saw us grabbing a coffee and bacon bun in what used to be The Flying Horse, now 200 Degrees Coffee Shop & Barista School. A good start to our final day. I decided on some shopping of my own this time, at The Brew Cavern in the adjacent Flying Horse Walk. The selection is quite varied and features many local microbreweries. After making my purchases, I had another wander around the centre, ending up at The Malt Cross, where I enjoyed two of their beers. Adnams Blackshore Stout, 4.2%, and a Black Iris Snake Eyes Pale Ale, 3.8%. Both were true to their styles. As time was now getting on, I met back up with Jane, and we decided to head back towards the station area, initially dropping back into The Canalhouse, where I sampled Counting Crows Red Ale, 4.4%, before adjourning just around the corner to The Barley Twist, another Castle Rock pub, (and brewers of my beer choices in both establishments) and enjoyed a 4% Session IPA. Our last stop before returning home was

Squeezing in at BeerHeadz

BeerHeadz Cabman's Shelter, a tiny pub tucked away at the rear of Nottingham Railway Station. A sympathetic restoration and an ever changing selection make this an interesting find. I opted for a beer flight in here, featuring Squawk Brewing Roller Bitter, 4%, alongside The Woodford Experiment Experimental English Bitter 4.8% and, finally, Baker's Dozen Magic Potion No20 Hallertau Blanc Pale Ale, 3.8%. All three were just right.
So, that was that, another thoroughly agreeable break in this great city. My delight of spending some time here never seems to diminish.

Well, all that remains is to wish any long suffering followers of this blog a very Happy New Year,( or maybe a Hoppy New Beer) and I hope to be able to share with you a few more of our drinking trips in the coming 12 months. Our next trip away is to be to Gdansk, on the Baltic coast of Poland which will be in February, so until then:-
Cheers, and keep it "Real".