27/09/20 - Good Beer Guide Ticking in Gloucester

Ok, I get that now is not the best time to be attempting a Pub Crawl, but I had booked my Premier Inn before the 2nd Lock Down.  There is no danger of me missing Match of the Day 2.  Boris says I need to be in bed by 9:30.

My afternoon starts in Gloucester Quays - all very sympathetically restored and full of shops and brew kitchens.  Much better to what they did to Gloucester Centre - where you can walk through 800 year old cloisters to be faced with soulless 1970's new builds.  Still, I'm no Iain Nairn, so on with the pubs.

All rather splendid in Gloucester Quays

Brewhouse and Kitchen

The lucky ones managed to get outside seats in the sunshine.  I was met at the door by a masked greeter, scanned in for track and trace on the NHS app and was shown to a high table a good distance from others in a very airy room.

Ordering is through a web browser - and it seemed to show all the options for the plentiful kegs, cask and bottles on offer.  As its near the end of September, I went for a Marzen Octoberfest but as I couldn't get close to the pumps, I've no idea what brewery it was from.... maybe their own?

Service was swift.  Payment annoyingly required One Time Passcodes delivered via email.  This is HSBCs doing, rather than the venue.  They obviously don't trust drinks orders on line.

Brewhouse and Kitchen

Tank

Over the road and although architecturally similar, this had more of a cellar bar feel.

 

Time to get Tanked Up

A venue for them to serve their own Gloucester Brewery Ales - and the Golden was a lovely colour, although rather headless.

Getting it was a monster faff.   Registration via the NHS App and then the only way to get a drink was to download their own Tank App.  Which wasn't particularly user friendly.  I got it installed, placed my order and looked at the bored bar man - expecting some sort of action.  Eventually he asked if I was OK and I said "I've got a receipt!".  He checked his PoS and my beer duly arrived.

Plenty of space but people are just idiots.  Walking to the bar, holding a menu over your face does not represent being masked up.

There's not a lot of pleasure in pub crawls at the moment.   And who would want to deal with customers?

Airy enough and distanced people

An Interlude from the Good Beer Guide Ticking.  Had the Turks Head Inn been open, I probably would have passed on by.  It looked far too small.

And no outside seating

A criticism that cannot be levied at the magnificent Robert Raike's House.  Who would not want to investigate a Tudor Merchant House?  Just a shame that you can't really have a mooch around.  Even if there's only you and a barman - who is counting his steps (7 miles today, with 3 hours of his shift left).

It's a Sam Smiths pub.  No one chucked me out for being on my phone.  Not that there was anyone to talk to.

Beautiful.  

An hours break to look at Gloucester's architecture by completing a Geocaching Adventure Lab Cache and a couple more ticks to aim for.

The Pelican has not reopened since the first lock down.  The Fountain, in a stuff you Boris move,  closed at 18:00.  Tucked away down an alley and barred by a gate, I cannot even bring you a photo.

One for another day - The Pelican

This left Angies.

The Bible details that it is Gloucesters Smallest bar - not what you necessarily want to hear - but with my big coat on and one free table outside, I was able to avoid going in.

Possibly the friendliest bar owner in the world took my details on pen and paper... and in a nice touch, referred to me by first name for all other transactions.  And get this - transactions in cash only.

Almost felt normal.  Bloody cold, but normal.

My favourite of the night. 

Angies - Friendliest Bar Visit for a long while