QUARTS AND THOUGHTS
my sister lives about two minutes from the church so I invariably book in for the night! Dickie Bird’s comprehensive review of the event appears earlier in this issue, and his assessment is largely spot on. The token system is definitely flawed – on entry, the three of us paid our tenners and received a total of 25 tokens. I asked for clarification and was told that as the only CAMRA member of the three, I got “more tokens” – but how many more wasn’t clear. As the first round – two pints and a half – hoovered up thirteen tokens, it meant we had to buy more before ordering a second drink!
Anyway, those minor details must not detract from the excellence of the ales consumed! Some genuinely mouth-watering products were drunk, including Red Squall (4.4%) from the local Newby Wyke brewery and Pheasantry Lincoln Tank (4.2%), but for me the stand-out ale on the night was the Barley Wine (7.0%) from our own Hopshackle Brewery, based of course in Market Deeping (you were only allowed to buy it in half-pints!). Happy daze! Al
Also, I had to smile when we ordered said second drinks. The barman said that one of the ales was “at the other end of the bar”, so would I mind going up there and queuing again! I don’t think I was being unreasonable when I replied that I would prefer not to – so off he went, cheerfully enough. As I didn’t say when he got back, I could have spat further than he had to walk....
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DECEMBER/JANUARY 2021/22
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
27
