CAMRA ANGLE ONLINE - DECEMBER ISSUE AVAILABLE

This is the branch magazine for the Sunderland and South Tyneside CAMRA and is a substitute for a printed version which we are unable to publish and distribute. 

As well as the usual pub, brewery and membership  news, their is a review of the year by our branch chairman. There is an article about a Lockdown Hero Recognition initiative and you can read about which two pubs in the branch will receive awards,once it is safe to do so. 

A recent book by Roger Protz called "Family Brewers" is reviewed, which I can highly recommend  ( the book, that is). There is also a review article called " Beer on the Box". 

For those that follow national pub news, The Roscoe Head in Liverpool, which is one of the famous five pubs in every edition of the Good Beer Guide. has been saved for disposal by the pubco owner. 

There is an update on the February CAMRA Winter Beer Festival - it will be online ! and finally, a look back through the archives at heritage pubs.    

 So here is the link : - and enjoy the read . 

CAMRA ANGLE ONLINE 

Previous editions can also be found here. 

 

  

 

CAMRA ANGLE ONLINE - NOVEMBER ISSUE AVAILABLE

This time of year, as editor,   I would have been putting finishing touches to the Winter edition of CAMRA Angle, the Sunderland & Sth Tyneside branch magazine. Sadly  since issue 59 was published just before the lockdown was introduced, it has not been possible to produce any physical magazines. 

So instead I have been concentrating on producing more online newsletters ( CAMRA Angle Online)  as a substitute, primarily to keep fellow branch members informed , but also for anyone read and download. There has been no shortage of news ! In fact, during the final stages of putting  this one together the news was changing on practically a daily basis.

Why ? Well the Government announced Lockdown 2. which included no takeaways allowed from pubs or breweries. A statement was issued by CAMRA which was no hold barred. This statement was added to the newsletter. 24 hours after that statement, the Government reversed their decision, which prompted a new CAMRA response and a hasty reedit of the Angle Online.  

A running story in recent months has been that of Small Brewers Relief. This was a review of the amount tax smaller breweries would pay. It was known this was coming and it was hoped that help would be given to those breweries that sit between the big boys and smaller breweries who currently benefit. But no,! What the Treasury actually did was reduce the tax threshold at the lower end, so some of the smaller breweries would end up paying more. A petition was launched and at the time of typing it had over 50000 signatories.

If you haven't already signed and wish to do so please see the link below.   

So what else is in the newsletter ? Well there is the usual pub,brewery and membership news, a review of the new 2021 Good Beer Guide,   plus some feature articles :- The Lord Nelson pub in Jarrow, visits to three pubs in North Cumbria, and a look back at our old beer festival venue. 

To read this issue and more follow this link :-

https://sst.camra.org.uk/wordpress/?p=1341

You can either click the link at the top of the page to download onto your device else stream the document online inside the pageframe.

Previous Newsletters can be found from this link:

https://sst.camra.org.uk/wordpress/?tag=newsletter

Mentioned in the newsletter:

The link to the Small Brewers Relief petition is:

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/334066

Brew2You can be accessed here or by downloading the app from the appstore:

https://brew2you.co.uk/

 You can nominate a "Lockdown Hero" here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScRQ7EDb_HHRk7zS1mmdVpHNgYPTLz1msBbvo6DiwGBSUUcTw/viewform

To organise a "Save your Local" group resources can be found here:

https://camra.org.uk/pubs-and-clubs/current-campaigns/save-your-local-pub/

 

Enjoy the read !.................

 

ITS BEEN 10 YEARS

Well, it was ten years today that I joined the Campaign For Real Ale. (CAMRA). In that time we have seen the rise of the micropubs, more beer choice and then suddenly - bang a pandemic !

I was going to launch into a review of my last 10 years, but its a nice warm sunny day outside, possibly the last this year ?, so instead I think its time to review my top ten beers. Ive done this in a previous blog but since then a couple more have appeared. One criteria is , if its on in  bar , it will be first choice.

So this is the list, in no particular order, with a few notes.

Theakstons Old Peculier

I first drank this in The Fountain Hotel in Hawes, North Yorkshire and was blown away by the complexities of the flavours. The bottled version is readily available but not a patch on the cask. The last cask of it I had was in 2016 at 11am in the Old Black Swan, Bedale, about 5 miles from the brewery in Masham.  

Jennings Sneck Lifter.

This used to be in Jennings core range but is now an "occasional". Shame is its a great beer to drink. A friend of mine had an afternoon session once and had to be assisted back into his house. Happy days 

Robinsons Old Tom

I first came across this gem at a Great British Beer Festival (GBBF)  about 15 years ago. Three of us looked warily at the description in the programme, " A full bodied dark beer, 8.5%" We saved that one till last . Mostly seen in bottles these days , had it once in  cask a couple of years ago

Marstons Owd Rodger

I used to drink this 7.4% cracker in the Cooperage in Newcastle then go to work for an evening shift. Sadly the Cooperage closed a while ago and only seen Owd Rodger once on cask in a local Marstons a couple of years ago. I get the occassional bottle from B&M's, although during the lock-down the visits increased !  

Maxim Maximus

I cant recall the first time I had this wonderful dark beer, but I do recall a friend, who doesn't do strong beers (this is 6%), ordered a pint by mistake and I had to drink it for him. Shame. Can be found as a house beer in my local Spoons where it goes down a treat !  ( left)

Broughton Old Jock

I first read about this in the book "300 Beers To Try Before You Die" by Roger Protz. As my daughter lives in Glasgow who better to provide some bottles every time she visits us ! Been having these for Xmas, Birthday  and Fathers Day for about five years now. The Sunderland Beer Festival had the beer on cask for the last two years.

Darwin Extinction

This barley wine won CAMRA Champion Beer Gold for Barley Wine and Strong Old Ale category in GBBF 2016 where I first drank this strong (8.3%) ale. Last time I enjoyed this was during lock-down in bottle form.  

Brass Castle Bad Kitty

Ive been to the Brass Castle Tap House in Malton. The Bad Kitty, a 5.5% Vanilla Porter, is available on an occasional basis at the Station House in Durham. During lock-down, I ordered a minicask from the brewery. They make great beer but are crap at packaging. The cask was stuffed in a cardboard box with no padding. It looked like it had been used as a football when I opened the box. 

George Samuel Harvey

This brewery in Spennymoor closed last year and the only beer I had drunk of theirs was called Harvey. This 5.6% porter hit the spot when I first tasted it in The Station House Durham. It made occasional appearances and I had my last ever pint in  February this year. Of so I thought. 

George  Samuel and Harvey are back ! This time in a brewery and cafe in Shildon. I feel a trip out coming on !

 Mount St Bernard Tynt Meadow This is the first monastic beer brewed in the UK for centuries and comes in bottled conditioned form only. Available since 2017 , Ive been to the abbey in Leicestershire twice and was served by a German monk the first time.  I had decided that today I would drink a real ale version of my favourite 10 and this was available in my secret store. It was too hot today to visit a pub anyway so drank this in the garden!     

So there you go ; most are dark beers and the "weakest one" is a mere 5.1%.

 

SOME OBSERVATIONS DURING RECENT PUB VISITS

 Since my first visit to a pub after July 4th I have been to have few more and have observed all pubs have approached the new guidelines differently. Some have erected screens on the bar but most haven't. Most have either a sign in book or an app to register your presence. One in Northumberland wouldnt let us in but more on that later. I have to admit all have been a relaxing experience with great beer and food. .

First the screens. The Washington Arms had one across the entire length of the bar, with a small gap to pay. It looked like a railway ticket office counter. Drinks and food were brought to the table. 

Another, The Engine Room at Eighton Banks has two tills with a three foot gap between. The tills had screens in front of them , but not the gap, which is where you queued and ordered and paid - bizarre. The other bizarre experience was the gents toilets. There was a large sign on the door, "only one in at a time". Fair  enough but inside the middle of the three urinals was covered in a black bin bag, preventing use. So I did a solo social distance, singing to myself so no one would come in. The food at the pub was excellent as usual as was the Double Maxim, which is always kept well.

Some pubs had directional arrows, most of which were how to get to the bar or the toilets, and in some cases, no arrows to follow to get out !.  It reminds me of those Wetherspoons pubs where its a trek up several stairs and along corridors, past numerous doors  , following signs to get there, but crucially , no signs on how to get back to the bar !

All my pub outings so far had been afternoon ones and most have been fairly busy. I drink in Durham every Tuesday night and last week was my first night out since March 17th. Both pubs visited were very quiet. It may be people have got used to staying in. Its a worrying sign when pubs close before 10pm.

Finally, The Ship Inn, Low Newton Northumberland ( above) . As the pub is small, they have taken the novel approach of outside eating and drinking only.  You order and pay at one hatch and collect at another. If you need the loo, go round the back to the public ones. Read more about my trip in the next edition of CAMRA Angle Online next month ! 

Below is the link to previous issues

https://sst.camra.org.uk/wordpress/?tag=newsletter 

At no time over the last few weeks have I felt uncomfortable or threatened , if that's the right word, by other people being there.  So I'm already looking forward to my next pub visit., which will be part of the Government drive against obesity by partaking in the Eat Out To Help Out initiative. 

   

  

        

I'VE BEEN TO A PUB !

March 17th 2020 - The Station House & The Bridge Hotel - Durham.
Last pubs visited before lock-down

July 14th 2020 - The Stables, West Herrington Sunderland. First pub visited after lock-down.

During the week Mrs Ken and I went for a walk in Herrington Country Park as it was a nice day. I thought it was time to for a pint on a pub so I casually suggested a route that would lead to The Stables

This pub, as the name suggests used  to be stables. It is long and stone built with stone floors and low lit lighting. From the road it doesnt look like a pub as there is no pub sign. Its on an outside wall facing the cobbled car park.

I was expecting a load of signs and instructions  with the dos and dont's, but there wasn't  much. A sign in the car park said "queue here", but no queue. A sign at the entrance saying "please use hand sanitiser", but no hand sanitiser - it was empty. Good start.  

I wear reactor light glasses and every time I go into this place, my eyes take a while to react to the gloom, so I literally nearly walked into the bar.

" You're not allowed at the bar" came the voice of the manageress from the darkness.

" Cant see the bar, what beer have you got ?"

There was White Rat and Landlord but the former was off so Landlord it was. Table service I was told , which I could get used to. It didnt take long for the drinks to arrive ( Mrs Ken had a coffee)  Half way through the beer I realised they hadn't taken any contact details. Hmm.

Anyhow, the lack of signs about the rules got me thinking.........

By coincidence, earlier that day I was reminded of the fact that it was nine years ago to the day a group of us were on a pub  crawl in Berwick. The best pub we visited was The Barrels Ale House, famous locally for having a old dentist chair at the bar. Around the walls were plastered old signs and notices, including this "Rules of the Inn" dated 1786.

So I can imagine in 200 years time a poster dated 2020 is unearthed with pub rules relating to Covid 19.What would the drinkers make of it all ?

" Look, they weren't allowed to stand ! How did they go to the loo then?"
" No shouting so no music!"
" Contactless only no cash. What's cash ?"

Perhaps they would ask the robot barperson ? "Computer says no".

So back to the Landlord. During lock-down Ive been drinking plenty of beers, mostly Maxim bottle beers and minicasks all of which I have enjoyed. However this was my first pub pint in about 4 months. I listened to a podcast the other week featuring beer writer Roger Protz on which he was asked " whats your favourite beer?"

" Well if its pored right and kept right - Timothy Taylors Landlord." he said.

He would have liked this then! Spot on.

 

LOCKDOWN JUNE 2020

So what happened last month ? Well it was Fathers Day and although my daughter lives and works in Glasgow she managed to have shipped down a box of Isle of Skye Brewery beers. Ive had some before such as Skye Red and Skye Black but the rest are very good. I have always preferred strong dark beers but the first on I opened, Young Pretender was a mere 3.8% but on a summers day it was quite refreshing. Last night I had the strong one the 7% , Cuillin Beast. Cracking beer.

On the subject of cracking beers, Maxim launched a new beer, Maxim Pils. Now I don't normally go for Pilsner type ales but I thought, something new, something different. Spot on, well  worth the investment. I was looking forward to sitting in the garden sipping some, but as I was about, it started pissing down (and it is as I type this ) so not had the al fresco pleasure yet.

As I type this, its pub opening eve. Ive done some research of some pubs websites and Facebook pages and to be honest, its not worth the hassle. Its not so much the health aspect but the rules. Table service, no standing at the bar, limits to how many go to the loo, having your temperature taken. No thanks. 

One of the rules if having to leave your contact details. The first thing I thought of was there will be a lot of M.Mouses out there !
One of my daughters ex school mates was called Lisa Simpson. She may well still be called that. I used to work with a guy called Neil Armstrong. Imaging either of those two being confronted by a bouncer . 

"Name ?"

 " Neil Armstrong"   

" Yeah right pal, now bugger off back to the moon"

As well as being a CAMRA volunteer I also volunteer for the National Trust, and the following is true. This guy works at Washington Old Hall and he signs in as Bart Simpson. Its not his real name but hes been doing ot for years and no one has noticed !!

Respect. 

I do a Zoom quiz with 7 of my mates every Tuesday and none of us are interested in going to a pub anytime soon. Should be interesting to see how many do tomorrow. Me,  Ive got plenty of beer in.

CAMRA ANGLE 60 SUMMER 2020 ?

Before I start this blog I need to point out that the letter E on my laptop keyboard is loose so every so often that letter will not com out, so apologies in advance. Its very frustrating, being the most common letter in the alphabt. In no way is this an excuse for my crap typing - I totally refute any accusations

Anyhow back to the subject in hand. It would have been this time of year when the Summer edition of CAMRA Angle would have been published and hitting the streets. Sadly, this wont happen so Issue 60 will have to wait till later in the year ( fingers crossed).

In the meantime Ive been keeping busy, in between painting the garden fence , producing a monthly newsletter. Surprisingly there is a lot of news out there. I am going to resist mentioning all the crap that is being reported about what pubs will look like if and when they open. Waste of time till it happens.

So, since CAMRA Angle 59 three  months ago there have been three newsletters, which I hope covers most CAMRA news, and also where local takeaway beer can be sought from local breweries and pubs   ( other than supermarkets). CAMRA HQ have set up a dropbox for magazine editors to post their own articles to share with other branches, so Ive been tapping that source, with three more to use !

In the latest one there is uniquely I think, two articles about films. One is a review of a DVD put together about pubs in South Shields. Hopefully this will be available for sale in the town when things return to normal. The other is about the British Film Institute free archive of short information films. There is a fascinating film by Dr David Bellamy giving a tour of Camerons Brewery.

Recntly branch members were asked to partake in a survey about the affect that pub closures was having including the question "have you been drinking more?"  My last pint in a pub was on March 17th, and since the closure date I thought I would keep a record of what Ive been drinking. Mistake. Ive  gone through five minicasks and 35 bottles, mostly from Maxim. So that's more minicasks in a couple of months than I get through in two years !   


Anyhow, without more ado, this is a link to the last three newsletter, the most recent of which has the survey results and the articles mentioned above. You can also see under "Publications" previous issues of CAMRA Angles

https://sst.camra.org.uk/wordpress/?tag=newsletter
 
Enjoy the read, off now for a beer stock check.................
 




         

LOCKDOWN MAY 2020

Despite the fact there are no pubs to visit, or pub crawls or beer festivals to enjoy, there is still a lot going on. 

Everywhere I look online, there are breweries selling mini casks. Ive got four empties as garden decorations. So I got to thinking , whoever is making these to sell to the breweries must be raking it in. All of my empties say made in Germany but one says Huber packaging. 

https://www.huber-packaging.com/english/ 

Anyhow, while doing my research I ended up on the Adnams Brewery website ( dont ask how). On it are  detailed instructions on how to open a mini cask and dispense the beer. 

The first step, according to them, is to pull out the tap from the base on the cask, turn the tap anti clockwise to pour 20ml of beer into a glass then discard.  I could read no further for a while. Discard ? What planet are they from!.

Recovering from this, I kept reading. Step 2 is to left the top tab and turn from 0 to 1. Fair enough Then step three..there it is again. Turn the tap clockwise to pour out the beer, if the first 20ml has sediment and is cloudy......discard !   Sorry Adnams, I can't read anymore.

           --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A couple of weeks ago one of our local,brewers, Darwin started selling bottled beers again. Brewed in small batches, they are bottled on site and they have a click and collect service, offering a free delivery for SR postcode customers. One of the beers, Extinction caught my eye, Its an 8.3% barley wine so I ordered 3 bottles. Not living in SR I drove the next day to collect, and came home.

The next day , while Mrs Ken was out shopping, I unpacked the beers and had just finished stashing them in my secret  cupboard when she returned. " Ive got you a couple of pressies"

A bottle of zero alcohol German beer and a bottle of low alcohol Old Specked Hen ( 0.5%) WTF ?

"Its if we go out anywhere you can drink and drive" I was told. So think about it, five minutes ago I had held an 8.3% barley wine, now I'm holding a 0.5 % Speckled Hen.

Ive drank  then both...nothing special. Will stick with the proper stuff. 

The barley wine ? Wonderful.

 
   

 

LOCKDOWN - APRIL 2020

The last time I was in a pub was on March 17th for a regular Tuesday night quiz. There are usually six of us. Now of course, for now this is not possible so it was suggested having a video conferencing quiz, One of us volunteered to set the questions. 

Unfortunately said question master is not used to drinking strong beers and for some unexplained reason had bought some bottles of St Austell Proper Job. This is a 5.5% bottled conditioned beer as it clearly states on the back of the bottle. Not really being a real ale expert he didnt have a clue what this meant.

At the start of the quiz he showed the bottle to the rest of us. I pointed out the fact that it would contain sediment and was just about to say it should be poured carefully when he proceeded to down it straight from the bottle

During the second bottle he lost the plot as to who's question it was in the quiz, which was in danger of descending into chaos.

By the way, I was drinking bottled Maximus, which I wouldn't recommend when trying to come up with answers towards the end of the evening.

On the subject of Maximus, on the same night elsewhere in our branch a local band were having a virtual jamming session with one guy drinking Maximus from a minicask. Reflecting on this the next day he was not sure it was a good idea. He ended up singing a Russian folk song called Stenka Razin (no me neither). - a very sad tale and he really hammed  it up. It has been performed by Red Army Choir and can be heard at. Fantastic !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44wzqWQxHpQ   

LOCKDOWN - MARCH 2020

"Bring a growler" suggested the Station House landlady. Well I dont have a dog so after some brief research a light bulb went on in my head. Of course - an empty carton for a takeaway.This was on the 17th March, a mere 2 weeks ago. This seems like a lifetime away and it was the last night I was in a pub.

My growler was an empty 2 pint cider flagon, so came away with 2 pints of cider in a flagon, sorry growler. Told Mrs Ken when I got in as likes the odd cider so I said, "Well that's Ok, a pint each then "  " But I'll be asleep after a half!" " Dont worry about it, I can manage yours !"  

Preempting the apocalypse, two days later I was at Maxim brewery stocking up. 2 mini casks and 12 bottles of Maximus should keep me going I thought. I set up a little bar in the garage ( pictured). It wont win any prizes for ambience, but keeps the beer cool. The only drawback is having to keep nipping out to top up, especially if watching the telly.

My birthday is 5 weeks before Xmas and family and friends had gifted me with plenty of bottles. Then came Xmas and more booze! So a quick stock check revealed I had enough to keep me going for a few weeks from when the inevitable was going to happen.

Sure enough, 23rd March -the inevitable  happened - Lockdown Day. A couple of days later came the news that takeaway beer from a brewery was classed as essential items. Quite right to. There was  news that supermarkets were restricting sales (well sort of). You could only buy 3 bottles of beer (3 items) but you could buy 3 multipacks of pissy lager, - 36 cans ....3 items,  work that one out !

Anyhow, back to Maxim for some more bottles - Raspberry Porter.....this lockdown could last a while so best to be prepared. It is safe to say I now have more bottled beer in the house than toilet rolls now !      

Ive gone through the first minicask and am looking forward to the next one ( Cherry Stout) next weekend.

  

Last night late on I opened a bottle of Robinsons Old Tom. At 8.5% this is a fantastic beer and made a great nightcap. Clearing up after, Mrs Ken said , "You've left some in the bottle". Panic set in until I realised all that was left was the size of a single raindrop. I think she was taking the piss.

So that was March. Hope to do this every month from now on till normality returns. 

Cheers .

CAMRA ANGLE 59 - SPRING 2020

The Spring edition of CAMRA Angle , the quarterly magazine of the Sunderland and South Tyneside branch of CAMRA, has  just been published. Copies will be distributed to real ale pubs throughout the area , and beyond from the middle of  the coming week. As usual , this is another full issue and well worth a read. 

The front cover heralds the fact that the Pub and Club of the Year have been announced. These include regional and national awards. Full listings  can be found in the centre pages.

There are articles about Hebburn, Mid Wales, the CAMRA Winter Beer Festival,  a Beer by Bus trip between Sunderland & Whitburn and how this magazine is produced and distributed. 

The branch have two new micros ; Lighthouse in Fulwell and Blues in Whitburn. The former is featured in a review. There are tributes to Terry Jones and Draught Bass and a presentation to our chosen charity - the RNLI.

Phew - and if that's not enough, there is the usual pub and brewery news.

If you cant wait, click on the link below for an informative read. 

CAMRA Angle Website

THE PEOPLE YOU MEET AT A BEER FESTIVAL

Yesterday Mrs Ken and I attended the CAMRA Winter Beer Festival in Birmingham. Arriving in New Street Station, which is basically a huge shopping mall with platforms underneath. We caught a bus to the venue which is next to Hockley Circus. Slightly disappointed there was no big top or a trapeze, just a roundabout underneath a dual carriageway.  

The venue, New Bingley hall, was 2 minutes walk, between there and the bus stop were two obstacles. One was a guy outside the gates of the car park in front of the hall who greeted us with a cheery, shook my hand and called Mrs Ken "Daisy" I thought he was CAMRA, turns out he was trying to flog a joke book. Told him politely where to put his book, then headed to the entrance, to be greeted by a CAMRA volunteer in a Hi Vis Jacket. 

"You a member?" 

" Yes I am" 

" Is your good lady/"  

I looked round till I realised he was on about the Mrs. 

" No, not worth it the amount she drinks". He kept banging on about benefits etc, I just wanted to get inside and have a beer.

Giving him the slip, we picked our tokens, glass and programme and met up with others we know who had grabbed a long table. At the end where we sat there were 2 chaps not known to us and not part of our group.

One, sitting opposite, never spoke or smiled. He just drank his beer and tried to read his kindle. At one point he fell asleep. The other chap was what turned out to be a champion beer ticker. He had a huge ring binder on the table full of notes of what he had drunk, presumably for years. In a holdall on the floor, which I kept standing on every time a got up,  was another ring binder. So he dutifully, checked the programme, his notes then toddled off to get his next drink so he could tick it off. He then underlined each beer in his dogeared 2020 Good Beer Guide.

After half an hour another one of my mates wandered in. He lives near Birmingham but is from the North East. The guy in the Hi Vis outside picked up on his accent and mentioned that I was already in, along with "this short bird with the sunglasses"! Mrs Ken! She's got a new nickname now!

Anyhow about the beers. I tried the champion beer - Fixed Wheel Blackheath Stout. It was OK. I also tried the CAMRA Champion Bottled Beer ( in cask form) , Thornbridge St Petersberg Imperial Russian Stout...again it was OK.  My taste buds must be deteriorating

with age.

The best pump clip was this, brewed in Darlington:-

You should know this name is associated  with the film "Deliverance"

After over 5 hours of drinking it was time to head back the station and our trip home. A long day but a chance to meet up with friends and Mrs friends I only see about once a year.

A quick note about the beer tokens, they had this crap system where a card had a value of £10. When you get a drink they cross of the value. You will note my final card had 60p left. Might get away with it in Wetherspoons but not a beer festival. I gave the card away.

One final thing, spotted this in the Gents:- Didn't have a clue why till someone said some of the local muslims use the venue and presumably wash their feet.

    

DRINKING OUT OF A HORN ON HOLIDAY..

Mrs Ken and I have just returned from a weeks holiday in Lanzarote. Before we left I spotted on Facebook mention of "Roscoe's Beer House" on the aforesaid island - in the resort of Playa Blanca. "That looks interesting" I exclaimed ! It was  an hour's walk from our hotel. Mrs Ken was less excited but agreed on Day 3 to accompany me along the promenade to Playa Blanca town centre.

Passing several cafes with San Miguel and other shite beer signs, we found the pub/ cafe in the town's pedestrianised area. The place was festooned with signs and bottles , principally Belgian in origin, which was no bad thing. Mind you, there was also a Brewdog sign, but ignored it.

I love strong dark beers so perused the menu and spotted one of interest. La Corne Black at 8%. Mrs Ken ordered a cider and the owner - Roscoe - scuttled off into his store cupboard and appeared with a few bottles. Soon the beer arrives, along with what can only be described as a glass horn in a wooden holder. WTF?

 

He pours the beer into the glass horn , showed me how to hold its holder to stop me getting beer all over myself and left us to it. The beer is described in the menu as as having chocolate, caramel and coffee notes, followed by plum, blackberry and red fruits aftertaste. Spot on. 

I had to drink it slowly to prevent any backwash . What other customers must have thought of this idiot near the back of the pub swigging his beer like that. The price was 6 euros, which wasn't bad considering the uniqueness of the dispensing method. 

I carried out some research when we returned home. The brewery is called Ebly located in the Luxembourg part of Belgium. Their beers brand name is La Corne Du Bois Despendus, of which the Black is one, Roscoe also sold three other styles. 

I spotted a description of the glass on tinternet... "The drinking horn is the ancestor of the modern glass. Let this glass transport you back in time. It's the perfect excuse to dress up as a Viking, or Asterix and Obelix". Not sure that would be apt or practical in Lanzarote    

Looking round the bar near us was what I would all a beer

bottle tree. A few people called in (it was lunch time) but just had coffees or cokes - no beers.

Towards the end of the drink from the horn   it was like staring into a tunnel entrance, watching the beer slowly flow round the bend at the end of the horn.

The bar opened at the end of 2018 and I wish   Roscoe success in his venture, an oasis in a street of  tourist bars.

Satisfied we set off back to the hotel, the H10 Rubicon. They had a great selection of bottled beers in the lounge fridge, all by Damm Brewery of Barcelona. There was very pleasant AK Damm,  an Alsatian style beer ( that would be German state and not a dog) ,  a tasty gluten free lager called Daura and top of the list, a 7.4 double malt called Voll-Damm . Voll in the German for full, which it certainly was.

It was a bit depressing that most hotel guests were drinking the standard Spanish yellow piss, which they always drink without realising some little gems were available.

I can imagine a UK bottle shop selling some and a customer saying - Gimme a Damm Beer!