11/08/18 - Diverse Good Beer Guide Ticks in Waterloo

With no pubs available on Stage 7 of the London Countryway, I arrive at Waterloo Station, dryer than Gandhi's flip flop.

Everyone's looking for something

This little two location jaunt demonstrates the two extremes of the psycho-geography of Good Beer Guide Ticking.   The bible is used to randomly select places that are the polar opposite of each other.  One could argue that its not totally random, as they should be linked by a good pint, but this is not always the case.

Let's start with the traditional.

The Kings Arms, Roupell Street, XT3

Roupell Street has to be one of my favourite addresses in London.   It's like a terrace of miners cottages, surrounded by high rises and railway infrastructure and only moments from the madness of the above photograph.

And who says its impossible to park in London?   There has to be 5 Citroen cars of various vintage.  It's either a pre-requisite of living on this road or one person has managed to secure multiple parking permits.   I'm almost brave enough to enquire at the pub but ordering a drink proves tricky enough.

If you want to live in Roupell Street, it helps if you like Citroens.

The Kings arms is a beauty.   All wood paneling around a central bar, classic pub furniture and how can anyone resist the urge to not enter a door marked "Saloon"?

Classic London Pub Architecure

Today, we'll go through the Saloon Door

There are four beers on each side of the central bar and asking what's on offer prompts the bar staff to hover somewhere between the two serving areas and quietly, but very quickly, reel off the 8 available beers.   Luckily for me, the final choice is one that I am familiar with.  To avoid going through the whole list again, I plump for an XT 3, safe in the knowledge that the lower the number, the paler the beer.

A cursory inspection of the tiny facilities (impossible not to make friends) and a look at the delightful Thai restaurant in a separate conservatory, before heading somewhere more modern.

The Waterloo Tap, A railway Arch, Adnams Bicyle Kick

You'd be amazed at how many railway arches there are around Waterloo.   Not one of them a lock up garage, mind.   Eventually, I find what I am looking for.

Look at the fear in the child's eyes.

This is a sister pub to the Euston Tap, one of the few pubs I've walked out on without making a purchase.   Before HS2, I'd prefer to have my eyes stung from the toilet fumes of the Bree Louise.

The reason for my refusal?  General beer confusion, similar to this...

Pick the bones out of that

I mean come on....  I'm an experienced pub goer and had to resort to standing for 5 minutes, open mouthed with a bewildered look on my face.   No assistance from the bar staff, he was too excited about Chelsea beating Huddersfield.

Eventually I spot Adnams as a brand recognised and order a Bicycle Kick for a fiver.  It described as a Pale Ale but is delivered very cold.   From the amount of fizz, I am filing it under lager.

So there you have it - two very different environments from different ages.  Two decent pints. 

The Guide worked today.