Pubs in Reading....

Yes, I am familiar with that blog's oeuvre. They are generally spot on and most amusing to boot. Lots of change in the pub scene locally in recent years, and it continues apace with closures, refurbs, all that jazz. I expect it's the same the country over. Pubs are becoming very different things these days and even in well populated areas need to have more than one string to their bow, or some kind of USP, to survive it seems. One just has to roll with the times. One thing that narks me about recent developments though is the current fashioned for over-hopped and over strength IPA/American IPA style beers. Even at some pubs with multiple hand pumps it can be hard to find a good, traditional, solid, not too strong (i.e. under 4.5%) bitter. I've even lowered myself to a cider or a continental lager (preferably from east of Strasbourg, south of Kiel, west of Lvov and north of Ljubljana) recently in the absence of proper bitter. We are blessed here with a great local brewery, Loddon, and their Hoppit is to me the definition of a proper session bitter.

Not that I get out much these days, but when I do I want to enjoy a really good pint. Accepting of course that beauty is in the eye of the beer holder. What else is there that can soak up a good, freshly grilled Turkish kebab with all the trimmings?

London Pride is your benchmark? You've been away too long old chap. ;-)

6X was a favourite of mine when I first came of age and discovered drink in the 80s, before moving away to Univerity. Spitfire always reliable, but 6X and London Pride I find can be brilliant/terrible - suppose this depends upon the establishment more than the beer but in quality terms they're a bit 'fragile' for want of a better word.

Theakstons XB was always a favourite when I lived oop northish, it's rare down here on draught though. Black Sheep, a spiritual descendant of the same, is a good brew. I think what happened to me is that my formative beer drinking years were in Nottingham, and I got accustomed to the northern style of bitter and also the style they're served through a sparkler. Although it was always best to avoid the local stuff in Nottingham - Home Ales, Kimberley, and particularly Shipstones were routinely Rank Hovis McDougal. I remember getting a Student Union flyer in freshers' week entitled "Never Drink a Pint of Shipstones, My Son". Sage words. Don't know the lay of the land beerwise in Nottingham these days, although I did go for a massive booze up there with some old friends two years ago, but can not remember what I drank. Which is clearly indicative of correct beer drinking behaviour, in terms of quantity at last.

....I couldn't let the foul slur by Alanovic go unanswered, so I've joined (if only to respond to this  ).

I never had a taste for Hardy Hansons (Kimberley) - too sweet for me, but Home was always reliable, if a little bland.


Shipstones (though described by some via its anagram of "Honest Piss") was an acquired taste, which I rediscovered when I returned to Nottingham years later. (I probably acquired it because it was 10p a pint in the Buttery on my first sojourn in Nottingham, and infinitely better than the Harp or Tartan in the hall bar, and which I wouldn't drink).  

....though I think we've been here before (another time, another place) I think my introduction to 6X was at The Highwayman at Exlade Street. (which I assume at least two of you know?)

....and a fellow Derbyite (A block and C block - a little before your time, I think. Incidentally, it was the then Hall Warden that first used the "Honest Piss" anagram to me). You're wrong about being a fellow alumnus though - I parted with the University before second-year exams and the point where it decided to part with me .

(I did have an offer to return, but by the time it was relevant, I'd taken another career route). 

I've drunk in all of those pubs at some time, and the JBW became one of my two locals on my return to Nottingham (along with the Three Wheatsheaves at Lenton, where I used to drink with John Kettley - he's a weatherman, you know    )