A roaring good beer

Another new beer to try this week and it looks like another good one:

HOOK NORTON 'Lion': pride of the Cotswolds.

is described as a wonderful bronze beer which has been created with today’s cask ale drinker in mind. Moreish, well-balanced and medium strength at 4%ABV this new brand is a beer with attitude!

Roger Protz, leading beer writer said:
“A perfectly balanced bronze beer, full of fruit flavours and aromas. Complex yet refreshing, Lion has a long, bittersweet finish”

But don't take their word for it - come and have a taste for yourself!

We're open as usual on THURSDAY & FRIDAY nights from 8PM.

Family Games Night

It's gonna be fun and games all the way this week: 

and don't forget our weekly BEER NIGHT on Thursday from 8pm.

... and we've got one of my personal favourite guest ales this week:

KNOT JUST ANOTHER IPA  (5.0% ABV)

Brewed locally at Jo C's brewery in the heart of rural Norfolk, Knot Just Another IPA certainly lives up to its name! It's a golden hoppy bitter, with a good blast of British Bodicea hops, grown in the fields surrounding the brewery.

Where the name came from:
The Knot bird (latin name Calidris Canuta) can be found in muddy estuaries around the coast after they return from their Arctic breeding grounds. These stocky, short legged wading birds often form large wheeling flocks that can accumulate to more than 100,000 birds.

Celebrating the Great British Hop

This week, as the nations hop farmers begin to harvest the wonderful crop, which will ultimately flavour our favourite tipple, we thought it only right to celebrate the Great British Hop.

Hops are the female flowers (also called seed cones or strobiles) of the hop plant. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor.

Growing hops is a one of the hardest crop choices in farming. Hops require a high attention to detail throughout the year but most especially in the growing months as they need to be checked frequently.

The UK hop harvest usually starts in early September and depending on varieties grown and size of farm, it may continue into early October. FIND OUT MORE >

So to celebrate the British Hop, we're not taking any chances - we've got a beer from one of our favourite brewers:  

The Salopian Brewery in Shropshire: HOP TWISTER (4.5%ABV)

The palate is fresh, piercing and focused, with soft malt overtones and pronounced citrus flavours. A strong focus of taut, lemony, grapefruit on the finish which is balanced by a dry bitterness.

We'll be open as usual on THURSDAY & FRIDAY night from 8pm, we hope that you can hop along! (sorry)

Say goodbye to the summer

This FRIDAY is our monthly FAMILY NIGHT and even if the Summer doesn't hang-on just a little bit longer, we've still got a great night planned.

The fun starts at 6:30PM and we'll be showing:

World Cup Qualifying Live: England v Moldova
Live from 7:30pm

This is the first of two vital qualifiers for next year's World Cup in Brazil. The big test in Ukraine lies ahead, but first on the agenda is tonight's game against Moldova at Wembley. The two sides met last September in Chisinau when England eased to a 5-0 win. Roy Hodgson will be hoping for more goals and another three points to stay in contention at the top of group H.

Apologies to those who came in last night to try the Golden Sheep, but that particular lamb did in fact lie down (and die) on broadway, or the Yorkshire Dales at least - Not even Mark was happy serving that!

So in true Blighty style, we've called-in the chaps from Shepherd Neame to save the day!

Spitfire Premium Kentish Ale is the biggest ale success story of the last decade. Originally brewed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, its characteristically Kentish, hoppy flavour and risque advertising campaign has made it a firm favourite with beer lovers.

See you tonight, for some jolly good ale - isn't it, isn't it though!