THE MOO BAR IN CARLISLE

Mrs Ken and I visited Carlisle recently for a day out.  We did some touristy stuff first such as viewing a steam train in the station , and the inevitable retail therapy. This was all thirsty work so guess what ? - time for a pub. 

Since it opened last year I have always wanted to go to the Moo Bar in the city centre. Why ? Well because this bar opened at the end of 2014 with a blaze of publicity stating they would be selling 40 beers, 24 cask and 16 keg, as well has a large selection of bottled beers.

I was expecting a heaving mass of drinkers attracted to try so many beers, but no ! There were only two customers present when we walked into this converted shop, passing the barman having a fag in the doorway.
.

Being midweek, there were "only"  9 handpulls in use so ordered a pint of an American Wheat Beer from Ilkley Brewery , called Damn Good Threshing. Sipping this 5.1% , slightly cloudy beer, I realised it must be stronger than I thought. because from my seat I could only see 18 handpulls. Counted them twice, yep still only 18 ! I asked mine host about the other 6. "Oh we took them off earlier this year  as just not selling". This is despite the fact the Moo Bar  website, pub literature and CAMRA Whatpub all say 24. Hmmph !

Still 18 is still a good number to have , the most I believe I have ever seen in a bar.  

You are probably thinking Ive lost it now but another interesting feature are their nuts. I asked for some dry roasted and the barman pulled out from under the bar a large glass jar full of them and proceeded to pour a large pile into a cardboard container ( see photo of my nuts). Only £1, a bargain..

The odd punter wandered in during this ( it was  mid afternoon). There is no TV, gaming machines or piped music. Just a quiet pub.

So if you are Carlisle, call in, try the beers, count the handpulls and get some nuts.

When we parked the car I spotted  the old Carlisle Brewery , but that's another story.

TO BE CONTINUED.............

THE MOST PERFECT PUB IN UK ?

I think I may have found the UK's most perfect pub.

We recently visited Whitby in North Yorkshire on a pub coach trip for the Whitby Regatta. It was August and the weather was sunny and warm. Now I've never been regattaing before but pubbing, drinking and seaside fish and chips is something else entirely.

We have been to Whitby many times and there are several real ale pubs in the town. One that has eluded me till now is The Endeavour. This has been recommended to me more than once so during some online research, I discovered the pub does not provide hot food but you can take in your own fish and chips. To top this there is a fish and chip shop, Mister Chips, only  25 yards away.

So on arrival in the town the first thing to do was to head to the station for some photographs of a North York Moors Railway steam train just pulling in. Having got that out of my system, it was across the street to the Station Inn for a pint to start the ball rolling. The local Whitby Brewery makes a beer called Platform 3 only for the pub, and set me up for doing some tourist stuff to build up an appetite for the afternoons big event.

Taking in a classic car show on West Cliff then a walk along the beach, watching some competitive rowing out at sea, then back through the crowds to the bridge over the harbour. The Endeavour can be found by crossing this bridge then turning right. Usually tourists turn left and walk along the pedestrianised street to reach the 199 steps up to Whitby Abbey. The Mister Chips fish and chip shop comes first then just after it is the pub. 

Securing a table and a pint of Marstons King of Swing in a proper dimpled glass, we sat down to listen to a group of musicians in the back of the pub belting out some foot tapping folk tunes. There were four handpulls on the bar, including a real cider, and the beer was in excellent condition.

While yours truly kept the seats, Mrs Ken went off to get the fish and chips with the discovery that Mister Chips had been visited by Jeremy Clarkson and James May.

While tucking into our meal one of the barmen came over and, without us having to ask,  left us salt, vinegar and some paper towels. Unbelievable service. 

After completion of our meals, the manager, who was dressed in an RNLI tee shirt and knee length shorts came over and asked if we had finished. He then took our by now empty boxes, went out side, crossed the busy road and chucked them in the skip for us!  Fantastic!  Time for another pint,  Salopian Hoptwister, and time to digest our food and listen to the music still raising the roof in the back.

After this amazing experience, we reluctantly had to tear ourselves away as wanted to go up to Whitby Abbey overlooking the town. After a fruitless search for Count Dracula's gravestone in St Marys Church, we descended the aforesaid 199 steps and decided to pop into one of oldest pubs in Whitby, The Black Horse for a final pint. 

Standing outside was the Endeavour manager in the RNLI tee shirt and knee length shorts! It reminded me of those old films set on a Scottish Island (eg Whiskey Galore), where the same person had multiple jobs, like the postman, policeman and publican. He either ran both pubs or he was sussing out the opposition.

The pub was fairly quiet so settled down with a pint of Black Dog Rhatas  and reminded ourselves of the last time we were in 2 years ago...........

It was a hot sunny summers day and I was gasping for a pint. The front room of he Black Horse  looked crowded so found a small bar to the left with a couple of spare stools. I'd just ordered a pint of Workie Ticket when this guy at the other end of the small bar suddenly burst into song. At first I thought it was the local nutter then realised nearly half the inhabitants of the bar joined in. We had walked into an impromptu budding Steeleye Span folk music session.

When the singer stopped, there was a brief applause then someone else started, accompanied by a guitarist strumming away.The bar was filling up, with all seats and stools taken, and punters lining the small staircase towards the back of the bar listening to the music.

By now the beer was Workieing its way through so said to the barman "Your going to tell me the loos are up there aren't you ?", pointing through the throng up the small staircase.

"I'm afraid so sir".

So mid song I had to push myself through the singing crowd, who were well into this sea shanty by now. I managed to plough through without knocking anyone over and got to the gents just in time......

Back to the present, sadly we had to finish our drinks and head back to the town centre for our coach back home. There are a lot of fish and chip shops in Whitby, many of which had long queues outside. Most people seem to spend their time eating on the move, or perched on a sea wall being harassed by seagulls. It's the Endeavour every time from now on.