Another very warm day yesterday, working at Cartmel races. Plenty of fluid replacement afterwards, including this interesting Colbier/Fell collaboration.

A few pints of Lakes and Dale's Brewery Pale Ale last night. It is a new brewery in Penrith with brewers formerly of Bowness Bay. It was very good.

Unsworth's Yard Last Wolf was much better. Furness CAMRA beer of the year. I can't argue with that. A tasty red/old ale.

My second pint earlier today was Hawkshead Windermere Pale. It used to be a great beer. Not any longer. Darker in colour than in the past and malting. Mediocre.

Got back from an epic trip to Brugge on Wednesday evening, but no rest for the wicked. First pint of Crusader Gold in Unsworth's Yard, Cartmel.

A few beery photos from my trip.

I'm 70 today 🙄. First up is a hose beer in De Garre.

Watching the footy in Bernie's 😬. Drinking a 3Q Beer from Blankenberge

A bottle of De Garre Barrel Aged, which is wonderful.

View from my bed.

We've arrived.

And so it begins. Harvey's Sussex Best in Royal Oak, Borough.

Hill Dicky today. A good turn out. The photo doesn't tell the whole story. Some fans only turn up for their own team's game, plus they can pass out to the food and drink vans in the Fanzone.

I'm off to the Rugby League Magic Weekend at the Hill Dickinson stadium, Liverpool. A few pints are required in town. Black Lodge Baltic Best in Queens Arms is an excellent, traditional bitter.

Nothing like a refreshing pint of Mild on a very hot day! Mile Road Mild in Royal Oak, Cartmel.

Arrived at Cartmel. It's a disappointing 29⁰ 😀. First pint of Crusader Gold in Unsworth's Yard Brewery.

Father of the bride speech completed.

The family meal tonight is in Castle. Just one handpump, but it is Hogshead T.E.A. in excellent condition.

Moved on to The Hop Blossom. A very nice Fuller's pub. The Seafarers Ale is top class.

We've arrived in Farnham. I's our daughter's wedding tomorrow. It's very warm, so taking on fluids in the Borough Beer House. Hop Shed Wheatlow is a very good pale ale.

Spent some time in a new pub yesterday, Queen's Arms, Victoria Street, Liverpool. A grand, 1920s Italianate-style building beautifully refurbished. Excellent range of cask beers. Pictured are Trapper's Hat, Higson's Bitter, & Tim Taylor Dark Mild. Higson's was a bit weird, recipe needs tweaking.

Good work.

Opened another Fuller's Vintage Ale. This one from 2003. Very dark in colour, slight oxidation, reduced carbonation but not flat. Definitely in barley wine territory, boozy and malty. More malt evident than in the 2010 I drank on Friday. Very enjoyable.

Orval bottled on 28/03/2020. Excellent as always, but to be honest, it doesn't taste much different to a fresh bottle.

Fuller's Vintage Ale 2010. This is superb. Dark in colour, excellent carbonation, and no sign of oxidation. Very dry initially, malt arrives later. Didn't last long.

The Collaboration has just put on a cask of Trapper's Hat. I'm in The Collaboration.

I've been given another decent position at Chester.

@harrymcnally.bsky.social In Cartmel.

I've drink some excellent beers in Cartmel this week from Unsworth's Yard, Fell, and Settle breweries. Attermire Pale in a Wainwright glass 🤨.

We've been in Cartmel since Friday. Ridiculously hot for this part of England in May. Saturday was our 40th Wedding Anniversary. We celebrated at the races with a family party.

Third stop was Jolly Gardeners. A very, very long time since I've visited this pub. A very tasteful refurbishment and the Castle Rock Harvest Pale was in top condition. Fourth stop was The Boot Inn. As ever, the Sam Smith's Old Brewery Bitter was as good a cask beer as you'll find. No photo obv.

Mount Inn is a Hyde's pub with great views of the River Dee and meadows. Original is in excellent condition and a bargain at £4.05/pint.

Bossman's Brew from Phoenix Brewery in Harker's, Chester. It's a very good bitter. A bargain for this pub at £5.15/pint.

5 pints of the wonderful Trapper's Hat in Rose and Crown, Bebington. Finished with a pint of Salopian Vortex in The Collaboration. One of the keg beers in The Collab was 'The Guy Had Never Known Fog Like The Interior Decorator', which looked like soup. Anyone who drinks that can never be my friend.

Moved on to Haydock Park today. A quieter day, but very enjoyable.

I was given a good position at Chester races today.

There are thousands of suitable tree nesting sites in Spital. Better though, to build your flimsy nest on top of a traffic light at a busy junction. It is a Collared Dove, I think.

Final beers today at Halve Maan Brouwerij. Brugse Zot Dubbel and Straffe Hendrik Tripel, both unfiltered.

Brussels Calling at Bernie's, Brugge, earlier.

Beer time.

Shuppenboer Grand Cru from the ever reliable Het Nest Brouwerij.

A 2023 Boskeun, high seems to gained strength. Very alcoholic. Plus a a Houtlandse Gouden Tripel from Tourhout. Fragrant and slightly hoppy. Very good.

I've arrived in Belgium. It's been a long two months since my previous visit. I'm staying in Oostende so that I could take the tram to the outstanding Den Toogoloog. First up is a draught blond from Brouwerij Terrest. 8% with plenty of flavour.

Him: What would be your dream job Me: Oh that's easy. Sitting on the back of a motorbike on the Tour de France pushing idiots into the ditch Him: Oh come off it there's no such job Me:

Nex up is The Smithfield. Blackjack Best Bitter is really good.

Left Handed Giant Dark Mild in Fell Nortern Quarter, Manchester.

Working at Aintree.

First pint in Prince of Wales, Shrewsbury is Hobson's Champion Mild. A wonderful pub with a great choice of beers and a bowling green.

A very enjoyable afternoon yesterday in Heswall. Trapper's Hat in Jug & Bottle (£5.30 😒), Beartown Best Bitter in Bow Legged Beagle and Hyde's Original in Harry Beswick.

Excellent beers in Chester yesterday. Three Tuns Solstice and Charter in Old Harker's Arms. Castle Rock Harvest Pale and Silent Brew Greater Good Bitter in Cavern of the Curious Gnome. Both really good, but the Bitter was top class. I was very tempted by Kwaremont and St Bernardus Prior on draught.