Stonch lives in London, where he runs a pub.London's Yorkshire Beer Festival - this weekend
It's one of life's mysteries. How do Yorkies manage to be so miserable when they've got all that good beer?
This weekend, Yorkshire's finest ales are coming to London, thanks to The Bricklayer's Arms in Putney (32 Waterman Street, SW15 1DD, map, website). Their festival runs from Friday to Sunday. If you want to make the best of it - and see the morris dancers - be there for the Saturday afternoon session. If you need convincing, read my account of last year's festival.
England's largest county is replete with quality breweries, and Timothy Taylor's is one of them. The family firm celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, and a one-off Celebration Ale has been produced to celebrate the milestone. It will make its first - and probably only - London appearance at the festival.
I couldn't resist reproducing Marc Baker's surreal poster for the event. He's an artist who also happens to work in the pub. Just take your eyes off those buttocks, and remember she's got a pint glass for a head. Not pretty.
16 comments:
Is the rat-headed barman a self-portrait, I wonder? The artist gazing eternally at beauty, in this case a woman in a red pvc dress with a pint of lager for a head, who's just been garotted -- perhaps by the two sinister men in suits and black ties who obviously represent Capitalism: one of them is even 'giving himself a raise' with his pint-glass ... damn, these surrealists hit the nail on the head every time ...
Perhaps surreal was the wrong choice of words...
I'll have you know that us Yorkshire folk are amongst the most cheerful folk you could meet. We just don't want you less-enlightened folks to feel depressed at our permanently-joyous visages.
The only thing that could make me sad is knowing that I won't be able to attend the Bricklayers festival.
Well let's hope they are served Yorkshire style - cool, well conditioned and through a tight sparkler!
It's still never been explained to me why beers that come from the North should be dispensed through a sparkler simply due to their geographic origin ... can you do so Tandleman?
The whole sparkler thing is a nightmare. If I asked for it to be taken off (and I tend to), then it tends to be pulled too slowly, and be almost offputtingly flat. So I find myself asking for a sparkler to be taken off, "but pull the beer vigourously, froth it up a bit" I say.
Thank God (Bacchus, Gambrinus, Ninkasi, Demeter - whoever) the whole process is done where I can see it - if I ordered a sanswich with such pernickety instructions, I'm sure it would be spat in, or worse....
Unfortunately for we sons of the White Rose, they'll not be charging Yorkshire prices.
Nevertheless, we'll be popping along on Sat lunchtime but will be preparing to jump ship to the Red Lion in Isleworth as the Bricklayers will be heaving - Fulham are at home to West Ham, there's egg-chasing nonsense on the telly and there's the folk attending the festival. And will there be a pint under £3? I very much doubt it but maybe they'll put the profits towards sorting out the sad state of the toilets.
A quick plug might be appropriate at this point for the 6th Piglet festival at Leyton Orient Supporters' Club on 6/7 March. Usually about 30 beers on - a good range from across the country and cheaper than pub prices (last time about £2.10 a pint).
remember she's got a pint glass for a head. Not pretty.
Yeah, but it's nice to sip on the mantlepiece when you're poking the fire...
No in a word. Not that I consider the statement to be a true one. I think if you posed the question " why does the North serve all its beers through a sparkler?", I might be able to help a bit. But only a bit.
The history behind this is obscure but there are one or two misconceptions that I'll cover in my blog in due course.
Today's entry might give food for thought.
Beers start at £2.80 per pint. The newly refurbished gents await your visit.
Kathryn (Landlady's sister)
A shame I won't be able to make it along this year. I guess there could be worse excuses than going snowboarding so I won't complain.
What's happened to the beer festival panel down the page in the left-hand menu? Hasn't seen any action in a while and was a useful little thing...
Spearmint, I stopped doing it and decided simply to link to Quaffal's beer fests page instead. Inevitably I was missing places out, whereas they're less likely to.
Kathryn - did you not get the memo? You can't tell a yorkshireman anything.
Can't wait for the fest - Concertina Bengal Tiger is a bit of a coup.
Beers start at £2.80 per pint. The newly refurbished gents await your visit.
Good news - I look forward to christening them...
GREAT place to drink before FFC matches. When I was there, they were doing sandwiches that looked amazing. A bit of a hall from Stamford Bridge, but I guess you could tube from Putney to Fulham Bdwy... Hmm, I think I know what I'm doing before the next match I attend!
Visited here for the first time last night, must say we were very impressed. Was supposed to be going to a gig at the Half Moon, ended up ditching that. Will be going along tomorrow, hope the gents are finished, because they didn't seem to be last night :)
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