2018 Ball Suppy's

Bristol City 2 v Sheffield United 3

The Championship

Sunday 6 May 2018

SUFC 2017/18 Game 91

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Football. Not on this Blog. Buy a Green 'Un pal. He said this. They said that. It's all someone else's fault. I want this. And, I want it now. But, don't forget it's me who put you where you are now. And I can put you back there too. Life's too short. Let's have the 2018 Ball Suppy’s instead, before the Hired Hand goes off on one again.

In an odd twist, I'm Blogging this from the bar that won Away Pub Of The Year 2017. Wild Beer at Wapping Wharf, Bristol. A year back in The Championship brought new opportunities for Ball Supping. But, it has also made the Ball Suppy's Jury's job a difficult one. Therefore, we have decided not to give an award in the following category.

Never Disappoints, Old Favourite Of The Year

Although we were able to make the award for
Beer In The Ground
last year, this year it goes, once again, to our old compadre
No Fucking Contender

But, on to the Main Event

New Finds Mentioned In The Honours List

The Junkyard Pourhouse, Nottingham - for Forest
Northern Monk Refectory, Leeds - for We Hate Man Utd
The Plasterers Arms, Norwich - for Norwich City
The King's Ditch, Tamworth - for Wolverhampton Wanderers
Charnwood Brewery, Loughborough - for Leicester City
Cow & Cask, Newbury - for Reading
The Spread Eagle, Ipswich - for Ipswich Town
1000 Trades, Birmingham - for Birmingham City

The Jury have created a one off award for 2018.

Unusual, but Weirdly Good Away Pub Of The Year
Kings Head Pub, Norwich - for Norwich City
No Keg products. All Cask. No keg lager. No keg “craft beer”. No keg Guinness. No keg Cider. Zilch on keg, is what I'm saying.

But, for services above & beyond

Away Pub Of The Year 2018
Crafty Devil's Cellar, Cardiff - for Cardiff City
It was a great place. But, partly, that's been awarded on hidey hole, sanctuary location. It's bang there in Canton. I'm old skool. Sipped around the block. Been to Ninian Park umpteen plus one times. Back then, you would not have dared show your face in a Canton pub on matchday. Indeed, to get to Crafty Devil, I had to sheepishly walk past the bulging 'Spoons. They ought to just rename that one “The Aspiring Soul Crew”. It's 15 mins from the turnstile. There were five of their own on keg. Plus two guests. I had
Crafty Devil, Beer Maximum High, session IPA on keg at 4.5%.

It is deservedly Away Pub Of The Year.

The First Team year ended on a high with the East Bristol Brewery Trail. Sometimes, all the ducks get in a row. A neat England U17 & SUFC Roadtrip. “Requiring” a stay in Bristol. And it turns out to be the weekend that five breweries in East Bristol open their doors, sell their beers, and generally just get on with it. Surely, even Wilder can't issue an ultimatum about that.

Good Chemistry Brewing
Moor Beer
Dawkins Ales
Arbor
Left Handed Giant

Outstanding Beer Of The Trail goes to
Arbor Ales, Rocketman IPA on keg at 6%
My sort of beer that. Simple. Some residual sugar. Good whack of hops. ABV thickens it all up. Hop Bomb.

655/1356