Did anyone make it to the trade session? I travelled 60 or so miles before giving up - the whole return trip took 9 hours. A right ball-ache.
TB
Did anyone make it to the trade session? I travelled 60 or so miles before giving up - the whole return trip took 9 hours. A right ball-ache.
TB
Some people did, but the number of people attending Thursday's sessions was well down on last year. Not surprising really.
If you'd got as far as Manchester city limits, you'ld have found it gridlocked anyway - umpteen streets had been closed by the police because of falling/flying debris and dodgy looking construction cranes.
Looking on the bright side - there should be plenty of ale left for tonight's session.
Looking on the bright side, I was going for a swift 'early doors' session Thursday but once I appreciated I was not going to get back to Nottingham, I found hotel and had to stay at beer fest until closing time. Such hardship!
Going off at a tangent I was sad to see the 'For Sale' outside Smithfield Hotel, confirmed by staff to be the owner's intention. It surviving in its current form must be questionable. With the Beer House closed (and is the pub that did Polish food still there?) the Northern Quarter crawl is not looking that healthy. Although it is well worth a long journey just to do Marble Arch.
David
The pub with the Polish food was the Pot of Beer and closed a few years ago now. I think it's been demolished to make way for yet more blocks of flats.
The Northern Quarter crawl is definitely not what it was. It's not worth trekking out to the Queens Arms any more. Your best bet is definitely the Marble Arch these days. Or come to the south side of the city centre and bash the likes of the Knott, Font Bar, the various Kro Bars and the Sand Bar.
[Thinks: funny how all the good beer these days seems to be in "bars", rather than traditional "pubs".]
If you could get to Piccadilly, which I did, as both TPE and Northern Trains were operating over the north transpennine route, you could get to Victoria by Metrolink. The Bury route was the only one operating.
I got back to my local via Victoria and a change at Huddersfield, after saying goodbye to you.
I felt sorry for all those whose PT service disruptions meant they couldn't get to the festival, though.
I was already working in Manchester not far from the venue, so managed to make it on foot without undue problems. Due to the high winds they had taken pity on the queue and opened early on Thursday afternoon, which was a bit of a bonus for me.
Every cloud...
:-)
Cheers
Blackfire band website :
Bristol & District Campaign for Real Ale :
wish there had been some nip glasses available when we were there.
As early as Thursday there were not many left and I'm pleased I grabbed one in time. Chatting to staff it seems deciding to order a (small it seems) supply of nip glasses was not an easy decision, with a 'blokes only drink pints' mentality not yet gone the way of the dinosaurs. But I see that amongst some of my drinking friends. Sensible drinkers, yet they would rather stand at the bar without their trousers than be seen holding a half pint glass.
Still, hopefully the success of the nip glasses at Manchester will send a clear message to beer fest organisers and perhaps even pubs. And well done to CAMRA for not penalising nip drinkers in the pocket; many thanks for that. I fear nip prices in pubs could have an unaffordable mark-up?
David
In message , Chris de Cordova writes
I suppose you mean 1/3 pint glass's
How big is a nip glass?
Dave
In that case, how come a nip is bigger than a gill?
Dave
The only legal measures are pints halfs thirds ?
My rule at beer festivals is never to drink more than a half of anything, and always to start with the lowest gravity beers and work up. That way you can sample half a dozen beers before the alcoholic haze takes over! Nip glasses would be even better.
Popular again huh?
they were oversize half pint glasses with a nip - 3rd pint - line as well.
nip = 3rd pint gill = 6th pint.
I think.
Yeah, but you never actually reach the high alcohol beers that way :)
When I first moved up north (1975) the old timers in the pubs used to refer to a half pint as a "gill".
From 'English Weights and Measures'
1/3 pint glasses sold out at Gbbf , but they cost a lot more to buy than regular glasses i believe ?
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