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NottsBrew Tips for the Nottingham Beer Festival 2011

 

Well, Nottingham CAMRA released the list of 925 beers click this text to view it!
So here are our runners and riders for the festival, after-all horse racing and beer festivals are very much alike, they’re always full of people who don’t really know what they’re doing, and some mare always ends up on its back.

We will be tweeting live from the Nottingham Beer festival 2011, get involved! tweet us your tips or ‘avoids’ to @NottsBrew or leave a comment here!

I’m not bothering recommending reserve beers as nobody knows when they will be on, but Hoppkins is, so there will be a couple in the mix but if there’s an obvious omission (ie last year’s winner Kipling) this may be why. A few perhaps ‘expected’ breweries are not represented this year at the festival, maybe some of them spent too much time calling everyone ‘scamp’ and constantly trying to sell them shares (even when like me, you’re already a shareholder!) Recent Sheffield festival 2011 winners Bradfield’s omission reminds us all we need to go to Sheffield now and again!

So without further ado, here are our sure fire ‘no lose’ tips on this once again world record breaking festival, (short printable list at the bottom of the page)

Milkmans’ Tips in Black Hoppkins’ Tips in Blue

Castle Rock

002 Harvest Pale 3.8%
006 Screech Owl 5.5%

Ok it’s entirely lame to recommend this beer really given that you can get it from pretty much most Nottingham pubs! (certainly all Castle Rock establishments) but it did win national beer of the year 2010, and for that reason it deserves a mention.

Nice and strong, very hoppy and totally excellent.

Brew Company

038 Cut Throat IPA 5.4%

Ah the Brew Company, one of Sheffield’s many fine breweries and brewer of one of my favourite beers of 2011, they only have 2 beers here, expect them both to sell out quickly.

Full Mash

078 Bhisti 6.2%

This very beer kicked my arse last weekend at the Portland Arms, deliciously drinkable (perhaps too much so) tread carefully!

Thats a lot of IBUs (International Bittering Units, basically how bitter the beer is) The average is between 40-75 I would say for regular beers and IPAs. One i will be trying for sure.

Funfair

082 Dodgem 4.7%

Always loved funfair ales and dodgem is one of the best. Nice, pale and strong.

Springhead

225 The Leveller 4.8%

Another one that’s quite easy to get round Nottingham but it’s a very accessible and delicious dark beer.

Blue Monkey

303 Infinity 4.6%
304 Guerrilla 4.9%
306 Big Blue 6.8%

Ah Blue Monkey with your cheeky new mini, both Infinity and Big Blue are freely available at the Organ Grinder (the blue monkey flagship pub) but make no mistake both are knock out beers, especially the Big Blue weighing in at 6.8%, as with Full Mash – Bhisti, take it easy!

Infinity is without a doubt in my top 10 beers of all time, grapefruity and refreshing! Guerrilla is one of the few darker ones I can quaff with reckless abandon.

Alkazar

314 Vixens Vice 5.2%

Had it fresh in the Fox and Crown, a delight with curry. Failing that fine without!

Brampton

333 Golden Bud 3.8%
337 Golden Bud Speciale 5.8%

Speciale is one of my favourites and it’s good to see it back year after year, a delicious drink and if it’s a bit too strong for you try its younger brother.

Derventio

366 Cleopatra 5.0%

Complex and fruity, one of few beers good in a bottle as well as cask, my favourite from the Derventio stable

Great Oakley

401 Wagtail 3.9%

Last year Wot’s Occurring was the best new beer I had tried at the festival, alas it doesn’t appear to have made it back! They do have 6 beers on mind (400 -> 406) I chose Wagtail because of the NZ hops. I wouldn’t blame you for trying more of their beers though!

Hook Norton

413 Hooky Gold 4.1%

Hook Norton do a steady range, Hooky Gold gets the tip of my hat for this one, edging the also consistently good Old Hooky.

Dancing Duck

442 Nice Weather 4 Ducks 4.1%

Described as fruit salad in a glass though I don’t personally think it’s quite that extreme, but if you don’t like fruit salad maybe give it a miss, unless they took the blacks out, or is that midget gems? I dunno.

Loddon

456 Hoppit 3.5%
457 Hullabaloo 4.2%
459 Bamboozle 4.8%

Boy do I like Loddon beers, consistently superb and the 3 above I have had on numerous occasions yet they have never disappointed, just great and unfortunately hard to get here in Nottingham, be warned, they usually sell out quickly for this reason.

Milestone

475 Raspberry wheat beer 5.6%

Potentially hit and miss, when its good…its good when its not…well you get the idea

Nutbrook

483 Responsibly 4.4%

I touched upon this beer earlier in the year, it’s a top pint and well worth checking out, I look forward to reminding myself just how good it is!

Potbelly

498 Potbelly Best 3.8%
502 Crazy Daze 5.5%

Potbelly are another firm favourite of mine and their entire beer range is generally excellent, and be warned, these also tend to sell out very quickly!

Rebellion

513 Rebellion IPA
514 Rebellion Mutiny 4.5%

Another favourite making a triumphant return, as with the other popular excellent brewers these sell out very quickly!

Titanic

536 Iceberg 4.1%

Years back I thought this was rubbish, turns out I had a bad pint, even in bottle form this is a wonderfully crisp beer, razor sharp and thirst quenching.

Thornbridge

573 Sequoia 4.5%
579 Jaipur 5.9% (if you’re new to this and have never tried it)

Oddly last year’s beer of the festival Kipling is on the reserve list, it’s pretty much a sure fire bet that this area will be sold out by Friday unless they have reserve barrels (likely) I love and hate Thornbridge, they’re the Manchester United of real ale.

Nottingham

583 Knights Tale 3.9%
587 Dolphine 1530AD 4.4%
588 Legend – 4.0%
590 EPA 4.2% 

Supreme? no they still don’t brew it, swines! So I suppose we all have to ‘make do’ with the rest of their range. They will bring back Supreme someday though, infact if you buy a Nottingham beer ask them to brew it again! (supreme that is, not the beer you just bought)

EPA as always a firm favorite of mine. Pale and delicious, Legend is one of those greats you can just drink and drink, always worth a go and increasingly hard to find.

Magic Rock

676 High Wire 5.5%

Magic Rock are already making waves despite being a relatively new brewery, I’m hoping to try some of their other beers, but High Wire is definitely one to recommend.

Oldershaw

711 Alma’s Brew 4.1%

The sublime Heavenly Blonde would have to be on bloody reserve wouldn’t it, oh well ‘make do’ with Alma’s Brew, which I tip as slightly better than the often spotted round Nottingham Old Boy.

Prior’s Well

718 Gardners Tap 3.8%

I had no idea these guys where from Nottingham, I have only seen their beers sold in Sheffield! Regardless I have had Gardners tap twice and it’s a top drink, they have quite a range on so give the others a try too.

Steel City

743 Westby Rant 5.2%

Where the hell is Steel City’s superbly named Masters of the Spooniverse!? gutted, I could have a rant about that, but instead you can try a Westby Rant, terrible link and I’m off to hang my head in shame.

Acorn

911 Quantum 4.5%

I have had numerous Acorn beers and they have all been excellent, I have yet to try Quantum but unless it tastes of the dishwasher powder of the same name, it’s a safe bet.

Dark Star

913 Hophead 3.8%

A very popular brew this and it’s not hard to see why, this is there only beer on at the festival so expect it to sell out pronto.

NottsBrew no lose super beers in printable form!
Milkman = Black – Hoppkins = Blue

002 Harvest Pale 3.8%
006 Screech Owl 5.5%
038 Cut Throat IPA 5.4%
078 Bhisti 6.2%
082 Dodgem 4.7%
225 The Leveller 4.8%
303 Infinity 4.6%
304 Guerrilla 4.9%
306 Big Blue 6.8%
314 Vixens Vice 5.2%
333 Golden Bud 3.8%
337 Golden Bud Speciale 5.8%
366 Cleopatra 5.0%
401 Wagtail 3.9%
413 Hooky Gold 4.1%
442 Nice Weather 4 Ducks 4.1%
456 Hoppit 3.5%
457 Hullabaloo 4.2%
459 Bamboozle 4.8%
475 Raspberry wheat beer 5.6%
483 Responsibly 4.4%
498 Potbelly Best 3.8%
502 Crazy Daze 5.5%
513 Rebellion IPA
514 Rebellion Mutiny 4.5%
536 Iceberg 4.1%
573 Sequoia 4.5%
579 Jaipur 5.9%
583 Knights Tale 3.9%
587 Dolphine 1530AD 4.4%
588 Legend – 4.0%
590 EPA 4.2%
676 High Wire 5.5%
711 Alma’s Brew 4.1%
718 Gardners Tap 3.8%
743 Westby Rant 5.2%
911 Quantum 4.5%
913 Hophead 3.8%

I ain't tried these, roit?

Tips from the world of Twitter

@Davomanic  @NottsBrew why are there no @BuxtonBrewery beers on the recommended list? Wild Boar and Axe Edge are sublime! Ah well, I’ll drink ’em…
(Wild Boar is 347 and 5.7% Axe Edge is 348and 6.8%! POW!) 

@bluemonkeybrew Just tasting the Guerrilla Whisky Cask – @nottinghamcamra Beer Festival goers are in for a treat – it’s awesome! twitpic.com/6wfueo
(a Blue Monkey Guerrilla special in a whisky cask then!)

@simonhjohnson @NottsBrew Hopshackle Aniseed Porter and Resination, especially the latter. Fantastic West Coast USA-style IPA
(108 for the porter, and 109 for the Resination, 7.0% though!)

Beers I am suggesting purely on speculation or a good name! (I have yet to try these and will be working my way through myself!) at least you can tweet us your thoughts if you try any @NottsBrew

Burnside

047 Mad Dogz IPA 3.8%

As a life time Notts fan ‘Mad Dog’ Martin Allen has been a breath of fresh air at meadow lane, will his namesake be as good here? A dry Golden IPA suggests so.

Craddocks

055 Billy Nomates 4.8%

Oh Billy, sitting in the corner alone, IPA with New Zealand hops suggests this will infact have quite a few mates.

Grafters

091 YIPPEE I.P.A. 5.2% (NOTTSBREW PUNTASTIC NAME OF THE FESTIVAL)

A Die hard reference! I don’t really care that it has strong fruity floral aromas, ‘next time you have a chance to try this beer, don’t hesitate’ – ‘thanks for the advice!’

Moorview

144 Goldilocks & the 3 beers 3.6%

A cheesy name with 3 malts and is a refreshing golden ale, sold!

North Riding

149 Pedros Shorts 3.7%

Nelson Sauvin is a green light for me, as is working with a man called Pedro who recently had to stop wearing shorts due to a company clothes policy, couldn’t make it up!

Tunnel

549 Honnibal Necter 5.0%

Honey, citrus and bittersweet assumedly no cannibalism is involved.

Foxfield

640 Sonic Encouter 4.0%

The program notes say this ‘A new beer, brewer has no idea of taste!‘ what kind of idiot sends a beer without a clue of its taste? A BALLSY ONE THATS WHO, and that’s why I am recommending this, so what if it transpires to actually tasting like balls.

Partner’s

716 God’s Own Ale 4.2%

Blimey don’t be subtle about it! you’re like one of those overly proud parents to toot your horn like that, unless you’re referring to the 1991 amiga game by the bitmap brothers, I tell you what I’m just going to pretend you are and recommend it.

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50p taxbreak on 2.8% or lower beer from Saturday.

Just a quick post incase you haven’t noticed as of Saturday a carrot is being dangled to make more low % beer, it has goods and bads of course!

Will it help get people back into the cheeky lunch time pint? maybe, will it increase the price of ‘normal’ strength beer and decrease the selection, probably.

Are we likely to see the real 50p discount ourselves, or a sly increase on ‘normal’ strength beer citing this new ‘weak’ stuff as a cheaper option? Oh well, let’s see how it goes…

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TBI, if you have yet to make the trip, Oct 5th -> 9th seems a good time!

As you may know the Wetherspoon chain do large nationwide beer festivals, but the TBI is out to one-up this by having its own 30 beer festival in the Watchman Suite upstairs.

Yet to venture down to Trent Bridge? well now seems the perfect time with the normal bar selection downstairs accompanying these 30 festival beers listed below…

BREWERY

BEER

COL

ABV
BRAINS DARK

5

3.5
HARVIESTOUN NUMBER OF THE BEAST

1

3.6
BATEMANS XB

3

3.7
EVERARDS WHAKATU

2

3.7
JW LEES THE GOVERNOR

3

3.8
B & T ALBION ALE

2

4.0
BELLS KALAMAZOO BLACK SILK

4.0
SALOPIAN VAPOUR TRAIL

2

4.0
THORNBRIDGE BROTHER RABBIT

2

4.0
WADWORTH OCTOBERZEST

3

4.0
COACH HOUSE WHIPLASH

3

4.1
SHEPHERD NEAME WHITSTABLE BAY

2

4.1
WILLIAMS BROS FRAOCH HEATHER ALE

3

4.1
BUTCOMBE RARE BREED

2

4.2
COTLEIGH COMMANDO HOOFING IPA

2

4.2
DOUBLE MAXIM ANDERSON’S BEST SCOTCH

4

4.2
TRING PUDDING PORTER

5

4.2
ROOSTERS LAST STAND

2

4.3
VALE LONG DARK NIGHTS

4

4.3
WOODFORDES KETT’S REBELLION

3

4.3
OAKLEAF TEN LITTLE ACORNS

4

4.4
WHARFEBANK TREACLE TOFFEE STOUT

5

4.4
BOX STEAM PISTON BROKE

2

4.5
MORDUE RED RYE RIWAKA

3

4.5
OKELLS SAISON

2

4.5
STONE SANDIAGO SESSION IPA

4.5
TITANIC FIT OUT

2

4.5
WYCHWOOD GINGER BEARD

2

4.5
EVAN EVANS 1767

3

4.6
HEREFORD WYVERN WARRIOR

5

4.6
HILDEN TWISTED HOP

1

4.7
ST. PETERS GOLDEN ALE

2

4.7
ADNAMS AMERICAN IPA

2

4.8
BEND CASCADIAN DARK ALE

4.8
BREWSTERS AMERICAN C-HOPPER

2

4.8
EXMOOR HART

4

4.8
BELHAVEN ST. ANDREW’S ALE

3

4.9
FAT HEAD YAKIMA SUN

5.0
MOORHOUSES PENDLE PORTER

5

5.0
RCH FIREY LIZ

2

5.0
ST. AUSTELL PROPER BLACK

5

5.0
THWAITES DANIEL’S HAMMER

2

5.0
TSA TAKING THE PITH

2

5.0
HOOK NORTON FLAGSHIP ALE

2

5.3
ODELLS NINETY SHILLING

5.3
WHITE HORSE HORSE RUSTLER

5

5.4
BRAKSPEAR TRIPLE

4

5.7
BEARTOWN WOJTEK

1

5.8
CALEDONIAN COSSACK IMPERIAL RUSSIAN STOUT

5

6.0
MORLAND OLD CRAFTY HEN

3

6.5

BEER COLOUR KEY: 1 = PALE 2 = GOLDEN 3 = MID BROWN/AMBER 4 = DARK BROWN/RUBY 5 = VERY DARK/BLACK

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FFF – Festival Fringe Fortnight line-up confirmed.

Incase you have been living under a rock, in a closet, in Narnia, the Nottingham Beer Festival 2011 is less than a month away and the 2 week ‘pre festival fringe fortnight’ naturally returns once again.

The chaps at Nottingham CAMRA have outlined the pubs in this excellent in depth article on what each pub is doing but if you can’t be bothered to click that the long and short of it is from Friday 7th October to Sunday 23rd October the FFF will be happening at,

Sir John Borlase Warren

Hand and Heart

Roundhouse

Gatehouse

The Approach

Cross Keys

Keans Head

Bunkers Hill

Canalhouse

Here’s hoping they all put a proper effort into the beer and not just whack a sign up outside expecting more customers for no extra effort! (though all the special food they’re doing does look nice!)

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Bugmans Bar (Warhammer World, Lenton, Nottingham)

Bugmans is not your average pub.  Where there are a lot of pubs who concentrate on the selection of beer available (which is admirable) there are others who are more generic in selection but make up for it with other things like food and entertainment value. Bugmans is a Dwarf Bar.  There i said it, it’s like stepping into a medieval tavern, a dwarvish one to be exact.

Bugmans is not exactly city centre material however it’s quite quick and easy to get to and if you walk back to the city centre along the canal you come to some other great real ale locations.

The emphasis on the fantasy look stems from that this pub is latched on to none other than Warhammer World, Games Workshops flagship location which encompasses main offices, factory and free gaming area (Which while we are on the subject looks like the inside of a CASTLE) The basic idea being you can come play games using your models on their professional built tables and have a jolly good time. Other sights are the Games Workshop museum and a decent size shop to buy stuff (with the usual over excited workers inside).

But enough about Warhammer World. Bugmans. Oh yes.

This place looks seriously cool. It’s modelled to be a stereotypical dwarf tavern. Anvils, hammers, beer barrels, dead things mounted on wall…its all here.

Now first things first, Bugmans has 1 real ale at a time along with a German pilsner, other generic lager etc. They DO have Wychwood bottles in the fridge which does count for something. The beer is usually a renamed Nottingham Brewery Ale (or so i suspect) with the latest “Troll Brew” at 3.8% being what I assume is Nottingham Bitter. Very tasty, very drinkable.

Trollbrew!

They have cakes, tea, coffee, etc and the cakes are very decent. Hugest flapjacks i’ve even seen.

The food however is exceptional and one of the things bugmans do very well (which is handy since your going to be there a while if your playing Warhammer). Their burgers are numerous, tasty and well priced. The fatman burger is a terrifying combination of almost everything cookable.

The full English breakfast priced at a reasonable £4.99 is always hot and always decent. Wetherspoons is bigger and cheaper but sometimes comes not so hot which can ruin it.

gin all it makes for a decent package, while the real ale selection does let it down I guess but the other B-list drinks they have (Like the pilsner) and Wychwood go some way to making up for this. The staff are always friendly, the toilets are squeaky clean and one last thing…

The board games. Some bars like The Ropewalk give you boardgames etc to play. Bugmans has easily the largest selection of boardgames of any pub. There’s a pool table, vending machines and a cash point. In the end it’s a pleasure to sit in Bugmans with such effort to detail on the decor and great food and decent drink. Definitely worth a try.

To get to Warhammer World it’s easiest to get a bus to Queens Medical Centre and then walk for 5-10 mins. Or the canal from Town (which the Waterfront bar is on) will lead you right there. To get there:

Public Transport from City Center

From the city centre or the train station, a taxi ride takes about 10 minutes, and should cost about £6. Ask to go to Games Workshop, Willow Road.

To try Nottingham’s public transport please use www.triptimes.co.uk to plan your journey with local services.

You can also take a 30 minute/2 mile stroll or cycle along the canal walkway. Walk from the city centre with the canal to your right and once you pass under the bridge marked with a commemorative Lenton Lane plaque head up the steps to rejoin the road. Turn right and we’re just along the road with the big Space Marine Statue! A bike rack is near the main entrance.

From Nottingham city centre Head west on Castle Boulevard – the A6005, away from the city centre. Take the first exit at the roundabout, over Abbey Bridge. Turn left at the first set of traffic lights, onto Gregory Street, just before the church. After about 1/4 mile, turn right onto Willow Road, and Games Workshop is immediately on your left.

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Royal Children continues to be a royal mess

It’s never easy when your bigger brother is a lot more successfull than you are and unfortunately the Royal Childrens’ bigger brother the Salutation Inns ever strong popularity has given the Royal Children an absolute mountain to climb.

To let, let's hope someone does. This was taken on what should have been a busy Friday night.

So much has been tried here but it just never seemed to work and yet believe it or not the Royal Children 2 years or so ago had the best beer selection in Nottingham with all 8 pumps serving quality ale; and they where quick to pick up on the popularity of the Thornbridge stable offering 2 or 3 of their beers at once.

As time went on however the selection of beers began to drop noticeably likely due to them unfortunately not selling, the blues bar and live music didn’t even seem to get many people in, as the end drew closer Fridays would often only have a handful of paying customers. Towards the bitter end all the ale was pretty much gone, with 1 pump offering some generic rubbish, and the rest being a Fosters-fest, massively sad, and we hope to see this great pub with massive potential back on its feet again soon.

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Return to the steel city, a real ale trip from Nottingham to Sheffield, part 2

PREVIOUS SHALESMOOR TRIP GUIDE HERE

This is called nottsbrew, so why are you banging on about Sheffield again?

Yes yes yes, fine fine, good point I put my hands up and admit it, I’m raving on about bloody Sheffield again but it’ll be the last time, honest guv! And besides, Notts County are playing Sheffield Wednesday this weekend at their place, so it’s a useful bit of info for ‘pies fans!

Following the last writeup I did regarding Sheffield, Radfordlad suggested an alternative route, could things get any better? well they certainly got more expensive! As per last time we headed past the Sheffiled Tap on  platform 1 and out into Sheffield, we walked to all of these pubs from the station in the order of review, this entails a fair bit of walking (30/45 minutes) but obviously there are many stops on the way. At the last pub we just found a tramstop near by and headed back to the centre.

The Rutland Arms

Don't let the artwork put you off (if it does, I think it's great!) this is a pub that appeals to all ages.


Rutland Arms 86 Brown St Sheffield S1 2BS 0114 2729003

The Rutland arms is a real gem and was a great way to start this crawl, you need to walk left out the station and work your way into Sheffield, the walk is around 10 minutes but not to worry when you get there they do a great range of beer and do all kinds of food from the ‘Slutty Rutty Butty’ to brownies, alas the brownies whilst good value at £1 are not the same as the ones they do in Amsterdam. It’s an excellent pub with a traditional inside and a large garden area, some great beers where available Acorn – Stingo setting a very high early benchmark. I suggest whilst you are here you buy the real ale guide to sheffield book which is £4.99 and has detailed maps and information.

The Devonshire Cat

Yes, an amazing looking bar, so let's have a closer look...

Bottles from all over the world are also available

Wellington Street, Devonshire Green, Sheffield South Yorkshire S1 4HG

If they could move this pub to Nottingham I would help them dig up the bricks and carry some back myself, this is easily one of the best pubs I have ever been to. Acorn – summit ipa and Milton Brewery – Pegasus where both remarkably good.

The Devonshire Cat has an almost european feel to it with air conditioning and open doors onto the street (in summer!) with sleek furniture suiting the bar area. The selection of beers is nothing short of superb but be warned it’s noticably more expensive than anything on the Shalesmoor crawl; don’t let this stop you though, despite the expense everything is kept in fine order and if you somehow manage to exhaust the bar a worldwide bottle selection is also available.

Red Deer



The Red Deer was another fine pub with small garden area and as you can see above another great beer selection, which according to one barman I overheard they’re looking at making even greater; out of shot is a lot of bar space, if they increase the number of pumps it makes this an even more attractive prospect.

The Trippets



89 Trippet Lane, Sheffield, S1 4EL

Thornbridge recently bought this pub, need I say more? what do you mean yes.

The Trippets is as you would expect similar to the sheffield tap in that it serves mainly Thornbridge beers, this is hardly surprising of course, it does however still have 3/4 guest beers on coupling with the excellent stable of Thornbridge beers, with a pleasant quirky open interior you’re onto another sure fire winner.

Bath Hotel



Bath Hotel, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S3 7QL

The Bath Hotel doesn’t offer as wide a variety of beers as some of the above but more than makes up for it with its unique interior, which alas I didn’t really get a picture of! (will update this when I do) Tetley on hand pull striked me as odd as did some of the regulars! But nice people they where, prior to coming here we had been told the landlord was a top bloke, and he certainly is! despite being in this game for years his passion and enthusiasm is still obvious and worth seeking out the pub for alone!

That concluded our trip, we went to a few other pubs but they didn’t make the cut, we got a tram back to the station and as you can imagine spent a bit of time on platform 1…

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The mixed blessing – the third of a pint.

Your money, everyone wants it, the missus (or fella) your kids, your pets and most definitely your landlord!

Thirds of a pint then, with more and more brewers emerging and thusly selection on bars swelling around the country, the third of a pint is creeping into many pubs as an option to ‘try all the beers‘ sounds great doesn’t it? I can certainly see the appeal in pubs serving ale selections into double figures; though perhaps not so much when a whole pub range can be exhausted in 6 halves…

So what’s my beef? well right now I have no beef, but be warned such is the world we live in driven by pound notes that it’s not too difficult to predict what is going to happen here, and infact I’m afraid to say the profit wheels are already in motion.

Halves aka 284ml. The classic size to try a beer.

How? What could possibly go wrong with all this? I hear you ask, well for many many years in any good pub you the consumer can ask for a sample of beer before commiting to a purchase, it seems perfectly reasonable and a system that works for both sides of the bar, you end up with a beer you like, they end up with a happy customer. Then along comes the game changer Mr Third O’tpoint, you see to me this all looks like a very sharp double edged sword, I mentioned earlier that the profit wheels where already in motion, alas they are with the announcement that the Nottingham Beer festival will be politely refusing samples, citing that third of a pint options where now available. Of course the organisers have absolutely every right to do this at such a massively busy festival as enough people waste bar peoples time and frankly take the mickey walking round getting tanked off samples! But how long before this is seen elsewhere? how long will it be until pubs slowly begin to flat out refuse to give you a sample citing thirds are now available?

It all just seems like a way to charge you for a taster to me, maybe I’m wide off the mark with all this but I’d bet you a pint that this taster charging behaviour slowly creeps in over the next couple of years.  So, don’t forget to ask for a sample at your favourite pub whilst you can, and if you like it buy it!

You may suggest I’m missing the point of the ⅓rd, I do ‘get it’ but a sample allows you to make an informed decision on your purchase, and comes free at the cost of a normal half, or a pint.