It's time for the annual delivery of Titanic stout to Esen's De Dolle Brouwers. Highly regarded as a classic British stout by brewer Kris. I may have a beer while I'm here (just to make the trip worthwhile......)

Kapittel Blond at Terrastje Bar, Brugge. I rarely see it on draft so I'm not going to forgo the opportunity. What a beautiful exterior even by Belgium's high standards

Well I think I timed that perfectly (for a change) as every bar seat was occupied within 20 mins. Cafe Rose Red, Bruges for a Vicaris Lino, blond, refreshing, subtle sweetness & brewed with flax (so it definitely has impeccable 'craft' credentials)

Early arrival at brown Café Den Engel means a prime seat at the bar for a Bolleke of De Koninck. An amber beer synonymous with Antwerp. Good views across the Grote Market towards the cathedral

Stop 5 Antwerp. Paters Vaetje for a classic. De Ranke Noir de Dottignies. Superb complex, dry and roasted. A stones throw from the Cathedral

Stop 4 Antwerp. The Northerner for a refreshing and dependable Saison Dupont.

Stop 3 Antwerp. Somewhere under that camouflage canopy is the historic Antwerp Bar Quintin Matsijs. First Orval of the trip 👌

Antwerp stop 2 via The Grote Market to Coaching Inn Café 't Waagstuk. Those days of draft Schelderbrouwerij Hopruiter and Zeezuiper are over I'm afraid but The Chimay Bruin is perfectly acceptable for a taste of nostalgia

Sensible arrival time at beautiful Antwerp Centraal means time for a superb Brasserie Dupont Avec Les Bons Voeux at classic brown bar de Ware Jacob

Stop 5 Chester and perfectly located before the train home - The Olde Cottage for a pint of Wye Valley HPA. About as good as you can get cask beer. I'm not sure the fire needed to be lit but it certainly added to the atmosphere

Stop 4 Chester - Joules Cross Keys for a 'novelty' beer: Moon Madness 'Luxury Mild'. You can't fault Joules pubs for reconstructed aesthetics

Stop 3 Chester. The Albion. Called in early evening when it's uncrowded just after reopening (closes a couple of hours late Saturday afternoon). Timothy Taylor's Boltmaker otb. Nice retro Wem Ales signage

Chester stop 2 is Cellar Bar. Thornbridge/ Theakstons Masham Union collaboratorion otb & excellent. Really rich, great depth of flavour

Old Harkers, Chester is looking 😍 this evening. Weetwood Cheshire Cat is deservedly popular

Not got any breweriana from Showells - Breweries in Oldbury, Stockport & Stoke. Tankard in quite nice condition Acquired by Allsopp & Sons 1914. No doubt due to their extensive pubs in disparate areas from Bollington & Biddulph to Stourbridge www.search.staffspasttrack.org.uk/Details.aspx...

Ordinarily I'm a mid week stop in but a Monday evening sojourn in beautiful Knaresborough is vindicated. Blind Jacks has a brace of Two by Two on, a superb brewery (+ Bass available)

"Standing at the top of the main street in Haworth Village lying adjacent to the Church The Black Bull Hotel can claim many associations with the Brontë family" Tied House - Bentley's Yorkshire Brewery. From The Guide to Free Houses & Inns of Character in The West Riding

Going in! Good luck everyone

I normally visit the KWVR beer festival on a Friday but events conspired against me & meant a Sunday visit this year. No need to concern myself with reduced beer range. Select beers still still available & Craven NEIPA excellent.

First visit to The Brickmakers, Newton Solney. Neil Morrissey's new pub. E of the River Trent, Derbyshire. Pentrich No Other Way DDH pale was excellent. Other local beers available too. Villager 3 service from Burton. Feature by @colstoncrawford.bsky.social www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/whats-on/foo...

Congratulations Dean @kaakaapo.bsky.social on a personal best in The Potteries arf marathon. Never was a pint of Titanic Plum Porter more deserved. Safe journey home!

Happy 40th Birthday Titanic Brewery. Superbly organised event at The Kings Hall

When in Rome (or Keighley). That pint of Landlord was superb, as you'd expect in the Boltmakers

Depart in style on The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway for a pint of Golden Best at The Fleece Inn, Haworth, Brontë Country (Members get 3 travel passes per year).

Just a half before the York CAMRA beerfest. This Acorn Old Moor Porter from the wood at The Golden Slipper is excellent. Very smooth. Visit enhanced by friendly and welcoming bar staff. Excellent start to the afternoon

Sean Bean likes @abbeydalebeers.bsky.social tell ya mates

Leeds via Sheffield due to Huddersfield station closure has its advantages. A visit to The Sheaf View, Heeley. The nights are definitely drawing in. Start with a Neepsend Blonde & finish with rare (cask) Triple Point Plum Baltic Porter which was excellent

The guests in Thornbridge's pubs have been excellent this weekend. Yesterday Farm Yard Brew Co Rail Replacement at York's Market Cat and this afternoon superb Sirencraft Breakfast Stout at The Bankers Cat, Leeds. Shame I had a train to catch

What a superb community pub The Golden Ball, York is. Craven Brew Co. Dark Tranquility otb, an outstanding rich full bodied beer.

What a superb pub The Golden Ball is. Craven Brew Co. Dark Tranquility otb, an outstanding rich full bodied beer.

A real shame Ainsty Ales are to cease. The Ackhorne, York was a regular outlet. Loved their Assassin stout. Nonetheless, Ossett White Rat was excellent and in a city where pubs can be frenetic it benefits from being off a side street

Always a mandatory stop off in Knaresborough on the way to York to visit Harrogate and Ripon CAMRA pub of the season Winter 1992. Bass is permanent and was excellent

Is there any better way to pay tribute to Northern beer culture than drink a pint of Harvey's Sussex Best in The Kirkstall Bridge Inn, Leeds?🤔 To be honest it was a superb pint and a beer I never see. A lot cheaper than risking an Avanti train to London too

All is not well with UK infrastructure when 35 miles from Burton to Stoke takes 2hrs & 10 mins by train due to delays / cancellations but the consolation of travelling via Tamworth is Bathams Bitter in The award winning Tamworth Tap. Justifiably busy but superb staff & welcoming locals. Outstanding

What a great pub Thornbridge's Bankers Cat is. Super convenient for Leeds City station. 1838 pale ale and hazy Jaipur otb. Service was excellent as always. Probably fortunate that the architecture this side of Boar Lane survived the wrecking ball when you look what happened opposite

In the UK kleptocracy where everything is about extracting 'value' consumers are a commodity to be exploited, service delivery is a low priority it's not hard to see why the economy struggles to achieve growth. Hub city of a 2.3 million city region. Late, late, cancelled, on time. 1 of 4 isn't bad

They certainly don't build them like that anymore. Sunday lunch in the ambience of The superb Adelphi, Leeds. A Tetley heritage pub with Burmantofts tiled staircase. Kirkstall Brewery Three Swords otb. Service excellent.

A classic. Enough time to enjoy a pint of Theakstons Best Bitter at The Snickleway, York before the train to Knaresborough. Balanced hops, subtle sweetness. Perfect first beer

Not sure Gt Grandma Hesketh (Cockerham, Lancs) would approve of my participation in Yorkshire Day Beers from the Wood in Boathouse Bar, Skipton but Wishbone Brewery beers are excellent. Especially Velvet Gloss. By way of anticipatory atonement I did have a Farm Yard Stout in Whitelock's yesterday

The Junction, Stretton isn't going to win any awards for aesthetics but nonetheless I don't see Blythe Brewery beers very often and Summer Breeze was excellent. Nice play on 'Junc'tion Food

I'm probably going to regret a detour on the Villager bus that erodes even more time after already catching two trains but The Spread Eagle, Rolleston on Dove is pub perfection. Brew York Calmer Chameleon on the bar and v refreshing. Nearby St Mary's church holds the Moseley family

A quieter Sunday evening drinking in beautiful, historic York when the pubs are less frenetic. The superb Gilded Gooley has Acorn classic bitter as permanent & in superb condition. The visit mildly compromised by the consequences of poor cycle locking protocol

Often had their beers but finally a chance to visit Harrogate Brewing (detrain at Starbeck). A well organised, compact taproom with very friendly, welcoming staff. Harrogate Blonde was particularly enjoyable

Blind Jacks Knaresborough continues to excel. I eschewed Bass in favour of Lees Moonraker. For northern authenticity despite York > Crossgates> Leeds line shut for engineering they only put a two carriage unit on via the alternative Harrogate route 🤣 At 10.00pm the train is standing & overcrowded

Bass is on at historic Whitelock's, Leeds atm. Just time for a half before the train. It certainly had that distinct nuttiness. Very smart pump clip too giving the beer a 'premium' look

BLOG POST: “At The Swan With Two Necks last night we found all the Moor beers on the chalkboard marked with Palestinian flags... £2 from each Moor beer will go to Palestinian Aid...” boakandbailey.com/2025/07/moor...

Later than anticipated arrival into town. Convenient for the station - Jaipur pink grapefruit at Thornbridge's superb Banker's Cat, Leeds. I was apprehensive it might be harsh on the palate. Needless to say it was subtle and well balanced. Excellent start to the weekend

Save the best till last ......That was a superb pint of Wye Valley HPA at The Olde Cottage, Chester before the train home. Really clean & crisp. About as good as you can get cask beer

A good brace of beers in Chester's cellar bar. Elusive Baked is really well attenuated and Thornbridge Strong Dark Mild rich and balanced. It's clear from the visiting cyclist I'm not the only one to possess a St Bernardus Cycle top (he also bought it from the brewery).

Probably counter intuitive to head away from town to The Mount Inn (Hydes Brewery) but the terraced beer garden is cool & offers good views of The Dee and back towards Chester. Hopster is citrus and refreshing