Sunday 26 June 2011

INDEPENDENCE DAY -


I HAVE NOTICED OF LATE THAT ABOUT 10-50% OF MY BLOG HITS REGULARLY COME FROM AMERICA. INDEPENDENCE DAY IS ALSO THE SAME DAY AS MY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY (OH THE IRONY) SO IT SEEMS FITTING TO CELEBRATE BOTH OCCASIONS. INDEPENDENCE DAY HAS SHIPPED OUT TO THE FOLLOWING FINE ENGLISH ESTABLISHMENTS:

THE WHITE SWAN, GILLING WEST
THE BLACK BULL, MELSONBY
THE SHIP, MIDDLESTONE VILLAGE
THE BRIDGE, WHORLTON OR MIDDLETON IN TEESDALE (SAME OWNER, DEPENDS WHERE STEVE WANTS TO PUT IT ON)
THE CROWN, MANFIELD
THE LORD NELSON, APPLETON WISKE
THE SHOULDER OF MUTTON, KIRBY HILL
THE OLD WELL, BARNARD CASTLE
THE CROSS KEYS, GAINFORD
THE ROSE AND CROWN, WITTON PARK
THE SNOOKER CLUB, DARLINGTON

SOME INTERESTING FACTS ON INDEPENDENCE DAY - THE COOKOUTS SOUND GOOD!

http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb10-ff12.html

Tuesday 21 June 2011

GLASTONBURY



THE LAST TIME I WENT TO GLASTONBURY WAS 1981, NEW ORDER AND FRANK ZAPPA WERE THE BIG NAMES.


WHERE IT SHOWS THE PLAYLIST FOR THAT YEAR. THE FESTIVAL WAS OBVIOUSLY ALOT SMALLER THEN, AND ALOT MORE POLITICAL - ALTHOUGH I HAVE TO CONFESS I WAS THERE FOR THE MUSIC NOT CND. (AND COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF SCRUMPY CIDER, A GALLON WAS £2.50 !)

I HAVE OFTEN THOUGHT OF GOING AGAIN - BUT THINK IT'S PROBABLY FAR TOO BIG AND CORPORATE FOR ME NOW.

ANYWAY, ENOUGH BEING AN OLD FOGEY THE CHEAPER VERSION OF GLASTONBURY (JUST GET YOUR LOCAL PUB TO SWITCH THE HIGHLIGHTS ON THEIR TV) HAS GONE TO:

THE WHITE SWAN, GILLING WEST

THE BLACK BULL, MELSONBY

THE BLACK SWAN, STAINDROP

THE SHIP INN, MIDDLESTONE VILLAGE

THE LORD NELSON, GAINFORD

THE QUAKERHOUSE, DARLINGTON

THE GEORGE, PIERCEBRIDGE

THE OLD WELL, BARNARD CASTLE

THE WHITE SWAN, DANBY WISKE

THE OLD YARD TAPAS BAR, DARLINGTON


ENJOY!


Monday 20 June 2011

MIDSUMMER MADNESS


YOU'VE STILL GOT TIME TO GET YOURSELF DOWN TO STONEHENGE (IF YOU SET OFF NOW) TO TAKE PART IN THE FESTIVITIES FOR THE SUMMER SOLSTICE. I HAVE ENCLOSED THE LINK FOR THE FESTIVAL

http://blog.stonehenge-stone-circle.co.uk/2011/04/27/stonehenge-summer-solstice-celebrations-2011-june-20th-june-21st/

FOR EVERYONE ELSE THERE'S THE CHEAPER OPTION OF JUST TROTTING ALONG TO ONE OF THE FOLLOWING PUBS FOR MY BEER - TRANSCENDENTAL HIPPIE PSYCHEDELIC EXPERIENCE OPTIONAL!

THE SHIP AT MIDDLESTONE VILLAGE
THE BRIDGE AT WHORLTON OR MIDDLETON IN TEESDALE
THE BLACK BULL, MELSONBY
THE WHITE SWAN, GILLING WEST
THE WHEATSHEAF, BORROWBY
THE OLD WELL, BARNARD CASTLE
THE CROWN INN, MICKLETON
THE CROSS KEYS, GAINFORD
THE GRAND HOTEL, BISHOP AUCKLAND
THE MILBANK ARMS, WELL

ENJOY

Monday 13 June 2011



FOR THOSE WHO ARE VAGUELY INTERESTED, DERE STREET REFERS TO THE ROMAN ROAD WHICH HEADS NORTH THROUGH PIERCEBRIDGE (NEAR TO WHERE I LIVE). I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE FULL CREDIT FOR THIS IDEA, HOWEVER THERE ARE PROBABLY SEVERAL REGULARS FROM THE WHITE SWAN (MORE INTELLECTUALLY MINDED THAN ME) WHO WOULD STATE IT WAS THEIR IDEA.


HE DOESN'T LOOK A PARTICULARLY BLOODTHIRSTY ROMAN EITHER - IN FACT I WOULD SAY HE WAS A FRIENDLY LITTLE CHAP - SO IT'S CLEARLY ALSO NOT A HOMAGE TO SPARTACUS EITHER (THE SKY VERSION, NOT THE KIRK DOUGLAS ONE)


ANYWAY, HE'S FIGHTING HIS WAY TO A PUB NEAR YOU - ALTHOUGH HE HAS BEEN AND GONE AT THE GEORGE.


THE SHIP AT MIDDLESTONE VILLAGE

THE WHITE SWAN IN GILLING WEST

THE BLACK BULL, MELSONBY

THE BRIDGE - COULD BE WHORLTON, COULD BE MIDDLESTON TEESDALE

THE FROG AND FERRET, SPENNYMOOR

THE SHOULDER OF MUTTON, KIRBY HILL

THE COUNTY, AYCLIFFE VILLAGE

THE QUAKERHOUSE, DARLINGTON

THE SURTEES ARMS, FERRYHILL STATION

THE GEORGE, PIERCEBRIDGE - BEEN AND GONE I AM AFRAID

Saturday 11 June 2011

TWIN HOPS




THE ZODIAC, YOU GOTTA LOVE IT - AT LEAST FOR TWELVE BREWS OF THE YEAR I HAVE AN EASY TIME THINKING OF NAMES OR VARIATIONS OF FOR MY BEER. (FOR OBVIOUS REASONS NEXT MONTHS BREW WILL HAVE CRAB IN THE TITLE, NOT THE ACTUAL STAR SIGN)

ANYWAY, GEMINI IS A GOLDEN ZESTY AND HOPPY ALE AND IT HAS BEEN SENT OUT THIS WEEK TO THE FOLLOWING:

THE SHIP INN AT MIDDLESTONE VILLAGE
THE BLACK BULL IN MELSONBY
THE WHITE SWAN IN GILLING WEST
BOGGARTS - AGAIN ON A MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR
THE BLACK SWAN AT STAINDROP
NUMBER 22, DARLINGTON
THE FROG AND FERRET, SPENNYMOOR
THE COUNTY, AYCLIFFE VILLAGE
THE QUAKERHOUSE, DARLINGTON
THE WHEATSHEAF, BORROWBY
THE SNOOKER CLUB, DARLINGTON

Sunday 5 June 2011

NO PUMP CLIPS AT THE INN

I OFTEN GET EMAILS AND ON OCCASION LETTERS FROM PUMP CLIP COLLECTORS, ASKING FOR SOME CLIPS FOR THEIR OWN COLLECTION. I TOO WAS AN AVID COLLECTOR AS A TEENAGER, MY BEDROOM WALL WAS COVERED IN THEM - MUCH TO MY PARENTS ANNOYANCE . (HEY YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN ANGRIER IF YOU KNEW ABOUT THE SECRET STASH OF ALCOHOL IN MY 'BOOK' CUPBOARD - HAPPY DAYS)

I REALLY VALUE ALL THOSE WHO READ THE BLOG, AND WOULD LIKE SOME MITHRIL PUMP CLIPS FOR THEIR COLLECTION. HOWEVER, THE TRUTH IS (AND I HOPE TO SHOW HOW MY CLIPS ARE PRODUCED) I ONLY GET ENOUGH PRINTED TO COVER THE CASKS BEING DELIVERED OUT.

RECENTLY YOU WILL HAVE NOTICED I HAVE STARTED TO INTRODUCE THE CLIPS VIA THE BLOG. I HOPE THIS HAS MADE IT EASIER FOR COLLECTORS TO JUST PRINT OFF THEIR OWN FOR THEIR COLLECTION? ESSENTIALLY ALL I DO IS PRINT OFF ON GOOD QUALITY PHOTO PAPER AND THEN LAMINATE.

IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO EMAIL THE PDF DIRECTLY.

GETTING WIGGLESWORTH WITH IT



WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ASKED TO JOIN SOME FRIENDS WHO WERE ON HOLIDAY IN THE WIGGLESWORTH AREA. (LUCKY SODS)


OUT CAME THE GOOD BEER GUIDE AND A TABLE WAS DULY BOOKED FOR AN EVENING MEAL ON FRIDAY AT THE MAYPOLE INN IN LONG PRESTON, LINK BELOW

http://www.maypole.co.uk/

IN 2010 THEY WERE AWARDED THE KEIGHLEY AND CRAVEN CAMRA PUB OF THE YEAR TITLE.

LOVELY PUB OVERLOOKING A VILLAGE GREEN WITH A MAYPOLE ON IT (SPOOKILY ENOUGH) CHILD FRIENDLY, GOOD FOOD AND SERVICE. THE YOKRSHIRE HAM AND EGGS WAS LIKE GETTING A WHOLE COW ON A PLATE. FOR THOSE MORE INTERESTED IN BEER THE PUB SERVES A GOOD SELECTION OF LOCAL ALES INCLUDING:
MOORHOUSES PREMIUM BITTER, TAYLORS LANDLORD, SALTAIRE BLOND AND MOORHOUSES BLOND WITCH.

Friday 3 June 2011

COME UP AND SEE ME, MAKE ME SMILE




NOT ONLY IS MAY THE MONTH OF THE ZOMBIE, BUT APPARENTLY IT IS ALSO THE MONTH OF THE SMILE . WHY, DON'T ASK ME - ASK THE SEARCH ENGINE THAT I GOT THE INFORMATION FROM. BUT IT HELPED WITH A NAMING ISSUE.




SMILE HAS GONE OUT TO THE FOLLOWING ESTABLISHMENTS - HOPE IT DOES MAKE YOU SMILE!




THE WHEATSHEAF, BORROWBY


THE BLACK SWAN, STAINDROP


THE BRIDGE, WHORLTON


THE BLACK BULL , MELSONBY


THE WHITE SWAN, GILLING WEST


THE MANOR HOUSE, MALTBY


THE GEORGE, PIERCEBRIDGE


THE BRIDGE, MIDDLETON IN TEESDALE


BOGGARTS - ON A MYSTERY TOUR


THE KINGS ARMS , SANDHUTTON