120

........is the maximum number of drinkers allowed in Port Street Beer House, Manchester. At least that's what the security bod told me as a reaon for leaving me standing on the pavement for five minutes yesterday. Was he telling the truth or being a jobsworth? I've been in any number of pubs much fuller than this was. Or is it because craft beer drinkers need more space to protect or show off their expensive purchases.

Wetherspoons are different in Essex

I stayed overnight in Braintree last Saturday. Tranmere were due to play an FA Cup tie on Sunday lunchtime so I'd decided to travel down the day before. It was an expensive trip as the match was postponed an hour before kick off.

Anyway, my Northerner prejudices were demolished as I found it a pleasant town with friendly locals. I drank some excellent beer in Braintree including a Mild (!) and also in Chelmsford. Late evening I was tempted into the local Wetherspoons by their beer festival. A cavernous former cinema I was surprised to find a mixture of Dance and R & B music playing at a high volume. There was also Italian football on numerous screens. Is this a change of tack for Wetherspoons? I've not been in one of their pubs before with loud music playing. I found the juxtaposition of drinking Minagof Pale Ale from Guam while watching the Essex youth singing along to Ne-Yo blasting out from the sound system rather surreal.

Someone has to lose

 The Cask Report has just been published. In general, it is good news for cask beer with sales up in 2011 by 1.5% and static so far this year. Measured against an overall decline in the beer market that's reason for optimism.

However, micro-breweries are still opening and existing ones expanding at a fair rate so which cask brewers are in decline? There can't be much more market share to take from the decline of the former 'national' brands like Boddington's and Draught Bass. The bigger players such as Marston's and Fullers have reported increased sales and Coors' purchase of Sharp's has seen Doom Bar production  rocket.

I'll wager that the remaining family and regional brewers are the ones struggling to keep their heads above water. Unable to compete with the likes of Wetherspoon's on price and with brands seen as old fashioned and irrelevant to the committed cask or craft drinkers I predict more takeovers in this sector soon.

Meantime IPA in Sainsbury's

It looks like Meantime IPA has lost its listing in Sainsbury's. That's a shame because in my opinion it was the best beer avaialble yearlong in a national supermarket. Before you shout 'Waitrose' we don't have many of them up here.

I often used to visit Sainsbury's especially to buy this beer. Usually, I'd remember other things I needed or make an impulse buy so they've lost more than just the cost of the beer.

Stalybridge Buffet

I'd heard rumours of trouble along the Transpennine real ale trail with stag/hen groups. I saw proof of this on Saturday on a visit to Stalybridge for a footy match. The Station Refreshment Rooms aka Buffet now use plastic glasses on Saturdays at the behest of the local Police.

In my experience the beers here appeal to the ticking fraternity and are not necessary the greatest examples of the brewing art. Add a plastic glass and mediocrity is the order of the day. The Buffet serves a number of Belgian beers. It seems ludicrous to be given a plastic glass with your Chimay Bleue. Ditto wine.

The Police-driven dash for plastic is a worrying trend and can only deter the discerning drinker from visiting pubs even more.

I didn't know that

A friend of mine who has been in leading light in CAMRA for many years told me something I didn't know. In the time before all day opening and late licences it seems that those pubs that weren't averse to serving after hours were indicated in the Good Beer Guide by a double full stop after the description.

If true I wish I'd known this at the time. I can't be bothered searching the loft for my old guides to check them out. Can anyone else verify my friend's disclosure?

Unsworth Yard Brewery, Cartmel

I've mentioned the excellent choice of beers around the Cartmel Peninsula and now the village has its own brewery. Unsworth's Yard was formerly a bit of an eyesore in this pictureseque village but has been transformed by the building of units from traditional stone and slate housing an artisinal baker, cheese and wine shops and now a brewery.

The plant has approximately two barrels capacity and brewing is already taking place two or three times a week. The refreshing Crusader Gold is selling very in the Cavendish Arms about 200 yards away. Even nearer is the newly re-opened Priory Hotel which is taking the darker, malty Cartmel Peninsula. The beers have reached pubs as far away as Lancaster and are proving popular at beer festivals.

Spoilt For Choice

I'm on one of my Bank Holiday stays in Cartmel. There are five real ale outlets. Rogan's has fallen by the wayside but The Priory Hotel has re-opened with Cartmel Peninsula on sale from the new Unsworth's Yard brewery just around the corner.

The King's now has Hawkshead Biiter, Red, Windermere Pale and Draught Bass. The Royal Oak has Coniston Bluebird and Skiddaw Bitter. The Cavendish Arms has Deuchar's IPA, Flying Scotsman and Unsworth Yard's Crusader Gold. The Pig and Whistle has four Robinsons' beers but you can't have everything. In fairness, the Crusoe was quite good.

Note that with my loyalty card Hawkshead Bitter is £2.38 a pint. The Crusader Gold in the Cavendish is £3.75 a pint! They do have to transport it a whole 100 yards from the brewery.