Coming soon... Real ale at Sawley lock!

[noddyboater]

As from this Thursday evening lucky boaters at Sawley cut won't have to walk into the village or put up with noisy kids in the Plank and Leggit to get a decent pint. Ex lockie Dave will be opening a new bar at the opposite end of the lock house to the already successful cafe. As you'd expect in a room previously used as a base for Three Fellows Carrying, there's a strong canal theme with traditional painting, polished brassware and even an Epping stove in the fireplace. Beer wise things are looking good, he's starting with 4 and it's a varied range from light and hoppy to a fruity porter. There's also proper cider but it's probably not the best place to head for if you fancy a pint of carling.. 

[Chewbacka]

9 hours ago, noddyboater said:

As from this Thursday evening lucky boaters at Sawley cut won't have to walk into the village or put up with noisy kids in the Plank and Leggit to get a decent pint. Ex lockie Dave will be opening a new bar at the opposite end of the lock house to the already successful cafe. As you'd expect in a room previously used as a base for Three Fellows Carrying, there's a strong canal theme with traditional painting, polished brassware and even an Epping stove in the fireplace. Beer wise things are looking good, he's starting with 4 and it's a varied range from light and hoppy to a fruity porter. There's also proper cider but it's probably not the best place to head for if you fancy a pint of carling.. 

Good, as I hate Carling, and most largers as they all need to be served very cold to prevent you from actually tasting them.

[mrsmelly]

Just now, Chewbacka said:

Good, as I hate Carling, and most largers as they all need to be served very cold to prevent you from actually tasting them.

So true its vile European fizz in general. I hope Dave does well and good luck to him. A pub I ran we did eight real ales and I kept one lager with the tap hidden under the bar. I was asked what lager I did and used to reply I have no idea is there any difference? Whoever it was used to buy it anyway 

[Mac of Cygnet]

Well, I'll certainly be looking forward to that when I go past this summer.   I only hope he gets the custom to enable him to keep that many beers in good condition.

[mrsmelly]

Just now, Mac of Cygnet said:

Well, I'll certainly be looking forward to that when I go past this summer.   I only hope he gets the custom to enable him to keep that many beers in good condition.

And there lies the problem. It will depend how many he taps at any one time. Better to sell one quickly moving beer in great condition than several in mediocre or worse condition.

[Dave_P]

1 hour ago, mrsmelly said:

So true its vile European fizz in general. I hope Dave does well and good luck to him. A pub I ran we did eight real ales and I kept one lager with the tap hidden under the bar. I was asked what lager I did and used to reply I have no idea is there any difference? Whoever it was used to buy it anyway 

In fact, there are some very good lagers these days, but not from the major brewers.  

[mrsmelly]

Just now, Dave_P said:

In fact, there are some very good lagers these days, but not from the major brewers.  

At present I sell San Miguel a good example of mass produced, under licence crap. We have a good cooler so we can keep it cold enough to not be able to taste it properly. Something that has changed over recent years is we sell a hell of a lot of bottled ales straight from the fridge ( Hook Norton ) at present. Ale drinkers used to prefer room temp beer but not so much now.

[Athy]

4 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

At present I sell San Miguel a good example of mass produced, under licence crap.

Aarrgghh! As a regular visitor to Spain, I can assure you that it's no better on its home soil. Now Cruzcampo on the other hand...there are some good lagers about, but I am not sure that any of them are brewed in Britain.

[mrsmelly]

Just now, Athy said:

Aarrgghh! As a regular visitor to Spain, I can assure you that it's no better on its home soil. Now Cruzcampo on the other hand...there are some good lagers about, but I am not sure that any of them are brewed in Britain.

Of late I have taken to drinking wheat beer my prefered one at the moment is Blue moon but I am not fussy realy.

[Athy]

5 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Of late I have taken to drinking wheat beer my prefered one at the moment is Blue moon but I am not fussy realy.

We tried wheat beer during a trip to Belgium a few years ago. Let's just say that we're pleased to have tried it once.

I did find a very decent, though strongish, bitter pale ale, La Barbaude Nim'ale, during a visit to Nimes in Southern France last month.

[zenataomm]

If it tilts .... I'll drink it.

[IanM]

I tend to drift between ale and lager depending on how my mood is at the time.

Adnams Dry Hopped Lager is my drink of choice at the moment which is almost a mid point between lager and beer.  Amstel if I want to go "full lager" and whatever I fancy on the pumps if I'm in an ale mood.

 

[Dave_P]

38 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

At present I sell San Miguel a good example of mass produced, under licence crap. We have a good cooler so we can keep it cold enough to not be able to taste it properly. Something that has changed over recent years is we sell a hell of a lot of bottled ales straight from the fridge ( Hook Norton ) at present. Ale drinkers used to prefer room temp beer but not so much now.

Controversial opinion:  most ale should never be served at room temperature.  With a few specific exceptions, ale tastes best at a cellar temp of around 10-14 degrees C.  Not refrigerated at around 4-6C.  Mild can be rather nice at room temperature, along with the maltier bitters - but these are exceptions and represent quite old fashioned beers these days.  Modern brews tend to be less malty and more hoppy and need to be served cooler.  For example, American style double IPAs works really well when fully refrigerated, as do the sour beers which are increasing in popularity.  There really isn't a one-size fits all anymore.  The best drinking holes understand this and work hard to ensure each beer is served at its optimum temperature.

When I drink at home, I tend to buy the ales from Lidl, because they're cheap and actually do some decent beers (their own brand Golden Goose and Ruby Rooster at 89p a bottle is an absolute steal).  A typical decent one would be Bombardier Burning Gold, this differs from normal Bombardier and should be served colder, but ideally not fully refrigerated.  As I do not have the facility to control the temperature precisely, I have a choice between room temperature and refrigerated.  Burning Gold is unpleasant to drink at room temp, so I'd keep it in the fridge as the lesser of two evils.

 

[Lily Rose]

49 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

At present I sell San Miguel a good example of mass produced, under licence crap. We have a good cooler so we can keep it cold enough to not be able to taste it properly. Something that has changed over recent years is we sell a hell of a lot of bottled ales straight from the fridge ( Hook Norton ) at present. Ale drinkers used to prefer room temp beer but not so much now.

Ugh!

I've been drinking real ale since the late 70s and used to look on bottled beer with some contempt but now drink it very happily both at home and on the boat, Adnams being a particular favourite). Not straight from the fridge though (5C?). Nor at room temperature (20 C?), at least not unless it's a very cold room. Somewhere between the two (cellar temperature... CAMRA say 12 to 14C) seems right so I will bung it in the fridge for perhaps 20' to 30' if it's at warm room temperature or take it out of the fridge for half an hour or so.

[Chewbacka]

Fullers ESB in bottles whilst not as good as draft is still very acceptable, and they sell in the supermarket

[StephenA]

7 hours ago, Dave_P said:

In fact, there are some very good lagers these days, but not from the major brewers.  

There have always been some very good lagers.. its just that they've not been commonly available -  Dark Carlsberg, and then the various Cherney Pivos in the Czech Republic...

[noddyboater]

Yes, you can get some very good bottled lagers, and no, none of them say Carling on the label.

Perhaps if we could get back to the original topic.. I'm sure Dave has no intention of sacrificing quality for quantity. He's starting with 4 ales as word of the opening has got around and he hopes to be busy. The plan of course is to reduce the beers on offer if they don't move quickly enough, maybe down to 2 in winter. As there's no public vehicle access to the bar he'll be dependent on boaters/walkers for custom, but I'd say there's every chance of it being successful. Plenty of mooring space, busy with walkers and since the demise of the 'old' Malt Shovel at Shardlow, nothing atmospheric and canalside for miles. 

[Mac of Cygnet]

5 hours ago, noddyboater said:

 since the demise of the 'old' Malt Shovel at Shardlow, nothing atmospheric and canalside for miles. 

What do you mean by the 'old' Malt Shovel?   The Malt Shovel at Shardlow is AFAIK still open.

[noddyboater]

Yes it's still open but unfortunately had a typical makeover a few years ago which left it soulless and kind of crap. Not as bad as the Marstons pub in Sawley village- the one on the corner, whose name I've forgotten. They had pedigree and best bitter on last time I went in, both were undrinkable. If I'm mooring in Shardlow now I'll have a walk to the Crown at Cavendish Bridge. 

[Neil Smith]

On ‎15‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 12:12, Dave_P said:

Controversial opinion:  most ale should never be served at room temperature.  With a few specific exceptions, ale tastes best at a cellar temp of around 10-14 degrees C.  Not refrigerated at around 4-6C.  Mild can be rather nice at room temperature, along with the maltier bitters - but these are exceptions and represent quite old fashioned beers these days.  Modern brews tend to be less malty and more hoppy and need to be served cooler.  For example, American style double IPAs works really well when fully refrigerated, as do the sour beers which are increasing in popularity.  There really isn't a one-size fits all anymore.  The best drinking holes understand this and work hard to ensure each beer is served at its optimum temperature.

When I drink at home, I tend to buy the ales from Lidl, because they're cheap and actually do some decent beers (their own brand Golden Goose and Ruby Rooster at 89p a bottle is an absolute steal).  A typical decent one would be Bombardier Burning Gold, this differs from normal Bombardier and should be served colder, but ideally not fully refrigerated.  As I do not have the facility to control the temperature precisely, I have a choice between room temperature and refrigerated.  Burning Gold is unpleasant to drink at room temp, so I'd keep it in the fridge as the lesser of two evils.

 

Most pubs only have one cellar so all the ales are at the same temp so hard to keep one at room temp, and even if you could it would go off after a couple of days just like milk does, even if kept cool it should be drunk within 5 days for it to be at its best.

Neil

[Profzarkov]

Yes, Dave's micro pub is now open - see his facebook page for opening times :  https://www.facebook.com/Thelockkeepersrest/ and photos of his beers!

He doesn't open Mon-Weds! And he sells off his beer for half price on Sun afternoons!

We were there in May and it wasn't quite ready, so we drove back yesterday. Seems to be thriving despite no vehicle access!

Sold out of beer two weekends running. He has 4 barrels on at once and also 4 ciders.

He has kitted out the place exceedingly well with all hand made heavy, wood furniture - all reflecting boating in some fashion.

Well worth a visit and probably even better in winter with his stove alight.

[frangar]

Just to add we had a very enjoyable evening here last night...the place was nicely busy both inside & out. Beer range was great...4 ales on and they changed during the night. Nice range including a dark. There was 3 good real ciders on but my OH helped finish them during the night! He also does cheese platters & scotch eggs as well as crisps etc. 

All in all it's a highly recommended stop. Long may it flourish. 

[Mac of Cygnet]

Good! Looking forward to a treat tonight, then (although it perhaps can't compete with last night's pub, the Victoria at Beeston, with 16 (sixteen) cask beers on!)

Edited July 16, 2017 by Mac of Cygnet

[frangar]

16 minutes ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

Good! Looking forward to a treat tonight, then (although it perhaps can't compete with last night's pub, the Victoria at Beeston, with 16 (sixteen) cask beers on!)

It's only open from 12pm till 4pm today I'm afraid. I also don't know if runs the beer choice down towards the end as it's not open again till Thursday. Don't want you to have a wasted trip!

I must try the Victoria next time we are in Beeston.

Did I mention it was a good night yesterday.....

[Profzarkov]

Yes, but they do off the beer for half price! Bring a container.