Sunday 26 July 2020
According to Sky Sports News, the Post-Season, Half-Paced, Drinks Breaks Quartered, Rolling Substitutes, Snot Test Friendlies are over. Rejoice. Football Without Fans Isn't Football.
As I'm sure you're aware, in the SoMeed World, you're NOBODY if you don't have a Review of the Season. The Carrier Bag Firm have been riding that train since 2017. We last went in a Pub on Saturday 14 March. After Bradford Park Avenue v Curzon Ashton. The Hooper Micropub in Wibsey. The last drink was Abbeydale Brewery, Salvation Steadfast Stout, on cask at 4.8%. But now. In uncertain circumstances, it's time for the Ball Suppy's 2020.
2020 Awards
Beer In The Ground
We have never been so pleased to announce an award. May I remind you, this prestigious award was last made in 2017. In 2020, the Beer In The Ground Award goes to Brighton & Hove Albion. We did not send it for DNA testing at the time, but we're pretty sure that was Harvey's, Sussex Best Bitter on Gravity Cask. There was also Harvey's, Gold Bier on what may have been Keg. Props all round. The transport logistics to the "new" BHAFC Ground mean it helps to have fans stay behind after. Rather than flood the trains. So, the bars stay open on the whistle. And lovely cask beer is there. Right there.
Champagne Bar Of The Year
Well. There's an award I didn't expect to make. Made possible of course by that pre season friendly (all Snot permissible) at Stade de Reims. I was able to take my Champagne Ticks up to 24.
For sheer fucking front, I'm going to give Champagne Bar Of The Year to L'Epicerie Au Bon Manger. An organic Deli & shop, specialising in small grower organic Champagne. Here's the trick. If you want a glass of Champagne, he won't let you choose it. If you ask for a glass, he chooses it. And, he won't even tell you what it is until you've finished. The cheek. He went Champagne Ruppert-Leroy, Brut Nature, 11, 12, 13… It's called 11, 12, 13… because it's been blended with SIX years vintage, 2011 onwards.
Away Pub Of The Year
Bronze
Bournemouth Away, Saturday 10 August 2019. Drew one each.
The Wight Bear, Southbourne (walkable from Pokesdown station). Main street, shop front, micropub. Although it is extended a bit down the back. Kooky & quirky decor. Maps, album sleeves, 45 vinyl stuck to the walls. Craft keg wall behind the bar. Ciders & cask ales chalked on the boards. No pumps on the bar. Order, your bar person disappears. Presumably gravity casks out the back there. Overall, a friendly & welcoming place.
Silver
Brighton and Hove Albion Away, Saturday 17 December 2019. The Blades won 1-0.
The Lockhart Tavern, Haywards Heath
(Remember, Brighton have already won Beer In The Ground). The beauty here is that your Match Ticket is also a Train Romper Ticket. Starting in Haywards Heath. At opening time. The CBF were banging on the door at 11, and enjoyed it so much, that we shot back in there to celebrate after the game. A great whack of lovely local Sussex micros up there on the board. Along with a few big-name big hitters. Sixteen in total, split fairly evenly between cask and keg. Outstanding Beer Of The Day was Downlands Brewery (West Sussex), CAM-RAA And The Masters Of The Brewniverse, Stout, on keg at 7%. That was glorious, thick & rich. Great bitter chocolate tones which suited it very well. Bright & effervescent.
Gold
Everton Away, Saturday 21 September 2019. The Blades won 2-0.
(Also Liverpool Away, Thursday 2 January 2020. Utd lost 2-0)
The Bard Micropub, Prescot
A “Shakespeare Inspired Micropub” in Prescot. The fella behind the jump was wearing a Teardrop Explodes t-shirt. Glance in any direction. The cask black board was over on the left hand wall. The keg blackboard was over on the right hand wall. The cask pulls were on the bar front. The keg fonts on the back wall. Those all looked winners. Five on cask. Including one from The Melwood Beer Company. Julian’s fan from behind the bar introduced that one as being “from my Brewery”.
I counted five pukka craft kegs on that side of the bar. Outstanding Beer Of The Day was Collective Arts Brewing (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada), Saint Of Circumstance, Blonde Ale on keg at 4.7%. Some of it tasted like a citrus pale. Some of it like a grassy saison. And, some of it a bit yeasty, like a Belgian Golden. It had a neat soapy taste at first. And, it was packed with flavour.
(Previous Winners listed for posterity)
2019 Awards
Beer In The Ground
No Fucking Contender
Away Pub Of The Year
Star & Garter, Bromley (for Millwall U23s)
New Finds Mentioned In The Honours List
Brown Cow, Mansfield
North Brewing Co. Leeds City Tap
Mawson Arms/Fox & Hounds (for Brentford away)
Pilot Of Mumbles (for Swansea away)
Tap & Bottles, Southport (for Everton U23s)
Away Brewery Visit Of The Year
Dig Brew Co., Birmingham (for Aston Villa away)
Football Brewery Visits Mentioned In The Honours List
Whitby Brewery
Wiper & True, Bristol
Neon Raptor, Nottingham
Windsor & Eton (for Reading away)
Fixed Wheel, Rowley Regis (for WBA away)
Brew By Nos (for Millwall away)
Beer Riff,Swansea
Fat Cat Brewery Tap, Norwich
Redwell Brewing, Norwich
Pressure Drop, Tottenham Hale, (after Rotherham at home)
St Mars Of The Desert
Cloudwater Unit 9, Manchester (for Bolton U23s & Blackburn U23s)
Brockley Brewery (for Charlton U18s)
The John Calvert Door-To-Door Award for Sportsman Supporters Coach Pub Of The Year
The Bobbin, Leigh (for Wigan away)
2018 Awards
Away Pub Of The Year
Crafty Devil's Cellar, Cardiff
Beer In The Ground
No Fucking Contender
New Finds Mentioned In The Honours List
The Junkyard Pourhouse, Nottingham
Northern Monk Refectory, Leeds
The Plasterers Arms, Norwich
The King's Ditch, Tamworth (for Wolverhampton Wanderers away)
Charnwood Brewery, Loughborough (for Leicester City away)
Cow & Cask, Newbury (for Reading away)
The Spread Eagle, Ipswich
1000 Trades, Birmingham
Unusual, but Weirdly Good Away Pub Of The Year
Kings Head Pub, Norwich. No Keg products. All Cask. No keg lager. No keg “craft beer”. No keg Guinness. No keg Cider.
2017 Awards
Away Pub Of The Year
Wild Beer At Wapping Wharf, Bristol
New Find Of The Year
The Stoneworks, Peterborough
Never Disappoints, Old Favourite Of The Year
Past & Present, Gillingham.
Beer In The Ground
Concrete Cow Brewing, Pail Ale
(Milton Keynes away)
New Finds Mentioned In The Honours List
The Antelope, Surbiton (for AFC Wimbledon away). Home of Big Smoke Beer Co.
The Record Cafe, Bradford.
The Old Post Office Ale House, Castleton (Gtr Manchester for Rochdale away)
The Bailiff’s Tap, Banbury (for Oxford away)
Mawson’s, Southend
The Pendle Witch, Atherton (for Bolton away).
Bridge Beers, Stalybridge (For Oldham away)
Old Favourites Mentioned In The Honours List
The Wellington, Birmingham (for Walsall away)
The Bulls Head, Burslem (for Port Vale away)
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