16-17/09/17 - Finishing off the St Albans Good Beer Guide Pubs

Three months have passed since I started ticking off the Good Beer Guide pubs of that most pubby of all cities, St Albans.

In that time, a new version of the bible has been released.  2018 says farewell to the Farriers Arms and a hello to two newbies that will be visited over my latest two day visit.

Still, there is slightly less work to do than in 1884.

Pub City

Monday night sees me in the back streets of Holywell Hill.  The pub count is exceptionally high, with three ticks all lined up next to each other and several other pubs within a stone's throw.

The While Lion, Sopwell Lane, Oakham JHB

White Lion and their Barrel Storage

I'm in a bit a rush tonight.  I have an hour to get fed and find a pub (GBG or otherwise) that has the Albion vs Leicester game on.  I find it tricky to sleep in strange hotel beds, but Tony Pulis is a non pharmaceutical answer to that problem.

The White Lion provides one solution, recommended for its good food and exceptional service.  A steak and kidney pie should set me up nicely.

Beer wise, I found the Oakham range in several pubs.  Must be an easy drive from Peterborough to St Albans.  The JHB was a perfect pint.

Oakham JHB

In case you want a food review too - the pie was wonderful, even if all the steak was on one side and all the kidneys on the other.

My barman provided some advice as to where the football might be on.  This sent me on chase that would please a wild goose.  First, the Goat (Book Club on Mondays, no Football), sent me to the Garibaldi (only BT Sports) who sent me to the Beehive.

No real issue.  I'd walked a grand total of 150 yards.

The Beehive provided me with my own TV but won't be troubling the Good Beer Guide any time soon.

White Hart Tap, Keyfield Terrace, Timothy Taylor Landlord

Post Monday Night Football

The landlord (person, not pint) is emerging from the cellar with a foul looking concoction for the only other punter in tonight.  I have to ask what an opaque, gloopy looking brew is just to confirm that Mango Cider is not for me.

Instead, I go traditional for the other Landlord.  £4.40 a pint.

And I am not even in London.

The Garibaldi, Albert Street, Fuller's ESB

Final Tick for Monday Night

This is a Fullers house, where the outside posters proudly proclaim their "Fullers Cellarmanship of the Year Award".

I have to agree - I'm quite a fan of London Pride and ESB but this is the best example I have found.  An exceptional pint.  I've read the WhatPub scoring criteria and would give it a 5.

5. Perfect. Probably the best you are ever likely to find. A seasoned drinker will award this score very rarely.

Five Star

A hook is required to get punters out on a Monday.  The Garibaldi lures people in with free cheese.

Not sure the chalk board needs to describe Fosters though.  Maybe this was ironic.

Ever wondered on the virtues of Fosters?

A 24 hour hiatus, where work got in the away of exploration.

The Mermaid, Hatfield Road, Wantsum Imperium

No problems with sleep.  In fact, I no longer like football and couldn't be bothered to get out early enough for what would be a far more exciting proposition of Spurs in the Bernabeu.

The Mermaid is a new Good Beer Guide Entry (and indeed CAMRA Local pub of the Year), heading east towards Hatfield.  Just be very careful you don't walk too far.

It is also the blokiest pub I've ever been in.  You either need to be chucking arrows or getting real excited about Harry Kane's near misses.

Six real ales on, three on the front bar and three around the side, where a miss negotiation of the sloping wooden floor, nearly puts me in the lap of the nearest football fan.

And I hadn't even taken a sip of my Wantsum.

Love the Glassware

The Robin Hood, Victoria Street, Black Sheep Rye Mild

Another new entry and with this last tick, St Albans can join Lichfield and be declared fully ticked off.

Meter running wild

Not sure whether the outside bulb had gone or it was meant to be flashing on and off to lure the punters in.  No disguising the internal lighting affect though.... the Robin Hood wins the prize for brightest lit pub of all time.  I could reduce their outgoings by 20% by fitting dimmer switches and create an environment where the drunken students could slam jagermeister with a higher degree of anonymity.

And they were missing out on some fine beer.  Normally, I would not have passed up on Harvey's Sussex Best but I was intrigued by a previously unseen member of the Black Sheep family.

Rye Mild - A lovely colour

A top quality pint and a fitting end to St Albans for this year.

They just need to make a bit of space in the library for 2019.

The thesaurus must surely go