h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm really pleased to hear that the Badger Brewery (isn't that Hall & Woodhouse?) is still a going concern. I used to live in Hampshire and really miss the real ales that were in abundance there. Up here in the North East (or at least the bit where I live), it seems to be devoid of real ale pubs.

I used to work in a real ale freehouse, "The Weyhill Fair", between Andover and Thruxton, on the A303. Does anyone know if it's still there? The landlord used to keep a mean pint of Marston's Pedigree.

Where abouts North East? You should be able to find something good up there.

Crook, County Durham. It's an ecomincally depressed area as are most of the local population! The local pubs are awful and unpleasant places to be on Friday and Saturday nights.

I don't even have a CAMRA guide anymore as that was one of the things my ex husband kept when we split! (At least he had his priorities right, I suppose and let me keep the washing machine!)

That's the ones. They make some very good beers I've found. I used to be able to get some on tap when I lived in Swindon, now it's bottles only.
I guess it depends on where in the NE you are, but there are real ale brewers up there. The Mordue brewery is one I can think of off the top of my head. They've had contenders for champion beer of Britain in the last few years.

Don't Mordue produce 'Workie Ticket'?

Not round my area they haven't...

There may a real ale pub in Durham itself as there's a university there, but then I wouldn't be able to drink because I'd be driving.

Some of the real ale pubs in Hampshire, used to fill up those four pint plastic "flaggons" (or whatever they're called) for us to take home so we wouldn't have to worry about drinking and driving...

I must confess to not having heard of Mordue at all, but then again, I've not been out much over the past few years.

You might have to start brewing your own in all that spare time you have Gwennie ROFL

*Looks in her dictionary to find out what the meaning of "spare time" is...*

My ex husband also took all the home brew equipment when we split up (as I said, he had his priorities right!) but I have managed replace most of it as quite often, it's donated to the Red Cross shop.

I used to make my own beer and wine as I had 17 black currant bushes in my garden, plus three large Elder growing at the bottom of the garden. There just isn't the space in the house to put demijohns and fermenting bins at the moment...I'd have to remove John's bits of motorcycle and building materials!

surely he would be prepared to sacrifice motorcycles for such a worthy cause as home brewing..........

Nope! Absolutely not! Especially as he hardly drinks due to the medication he has to take...

Still, all the more for me to drink, when I do get back into home brew production!

Sounds like you need a shed of your own, to me. Perhaps if John actually constructed some of his bikes you would have a bit more room. Outrageous suggestion i know LOL

*Starts to daydream about a home brew shed of her own*

Hmmmm! That could be fun! Secluded too (no sprogs)!

John's just started to re-assemble his ZX10, having played with it, sprayed or replaced various parts only to decide he wants to change the colour scheme again! *Gwen looks out of the window at her car, sitting in the rain because it's still banished from the garage which is filled with her hubby's bikes*

I'm actually looking to come up to Durham in around four weeks time, so I've looked into the Pubs up there, and apparantly the Old Elm Tree is supposed to be pretty good.
Also you've got the Durham Brewery at Bowburn, and their beers are very nice.

Where about is the "Old Elm Tree", please?

I'll have to look Bowburn up on a map, not being a local and all that... Thanks

You're more local than me
Okay...

'The Old Elm Tree, 12 Cross Gate (behind bus station, via Neville St),
12-3, 6-11; 12-11 Sat; 12-3, 7-10.30 Sun
Built in 1601, this old coaching inn is an open, friendly pub well used by all ages. Lively (but not noisy) at weekends. Not the old elm tree in the bar. Durham CAMRA pub of the year 1998'

according to the 1999 Good Beer Guide

Thanks! *Leaps up and down in excitement* I know where the bus station is! (If you had my lack of navigational skills, you'd realise how amazing that is!)

I'll have to check it out the next time I'm in Durham. There used to be a shop on Claypath, in Durham that sold real ales. It was VERY expensive though!

Do you know if Morrells are still making "Varsity"? It used to be on sale in the pub where I worked...

Trying desperately to remember if Morrells are still brewing at all...

If you can get out to any of the larger supermarkets (Tescos, Sainsburys, Safeway etc) they usually have reasonable beer selections (even if there are very few bottle conditioned ales around ) at reasonable prices.

Thanks Phil!

Unfortunately, there's only a Co-Op with a very poor selection of ales, where I live. It's a depressed area - most of the shops have shut down and there's just an abundance of chip shops, betting shops and pubs (not real ale ones). It's about 17 miles to Durham and the nearest Sainsbury's or Tesco's and I just can't afford the petrol to shop there as I'm living on a Carer's Allowance, topped up by Income Support... *Sigh*

However, I intend to take the kids out to Durham during the summer holidays, so will visit the Old Elm Tree pub that Pastey mentioned. Perhaps they have a beer garden and I can take the kids there for lunch or something... Durham City is lovely in the summer and the river has boat rides, etc.

I have a lovely time when I visit my parents in the New Forest, Dorset every summer, as the pubs are so nice. They live just outside Ringwood which has its own brewery! Also, whilst there, I "raid" Sainsbury's/Tesco's and let my Father treat me to lots of lovely real ales to drink!

42 years old and still letting my dad treat me! *Blushes*

Hope you enjoy your visit to Durham then There are a few researchers from there, mostly students at the uni...

Gwennie, the day your dad stops trying to treat you will be a sad day.

Thanks! Weather permitting, we should have a wonderful time.

My 12 year old daughter, Mair already has her Grandad wrapped round her little finger and now gets more treats than I do! *Sulks!*