Benign Kidnapping

Watford 0 v Sheffield United 0
Premier League
Saturday 5 October 2019

SUFC 2019/20 Game 30

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By no means do I go to all the games. And, for some of them, I’m able to either stay over for away games or travel on the trains. But, when it all works out, and I decide it’s best to go on a supporter’s coach, I chucked my lot in with The Sportsman Supporter’s Club Coach some years ago. Maybe I’ll average around 6 games a season with them. When I’m talking to mates who support other teams, I’ll portray it as the “sensible” beer bus. A booking is a booking - there’ll be a seat, but you’re expected to turn up for it. If it says 0900, it means 0900. In fact you’d better be there for 0830. For Watford away, an 0900 departure, I noticed we were on the Dronfield bypass by 0900. There will be a Bog on it. The beer stop will be in some unsuspecting town or village. But, it will always have a) a ‘spoons & b) a number of Real Ale options - increasingly micropubs. The departure for the ground will be worryingly early - as the Precious Paper Palaver has to kick in & they have to get their teamsheets. And, straight back after. That contrasts with the “chaotic” beer buses. You know who you are. Obvs, I won’t have a word said against the chaotic beer buses, I’m time served. But, it’s The Sportsman for me.

For the reasons I state, I often piss take it as a Benign Kidnapping. But, they’ve reached new depths on Saturday. A good deal of internet research is done on pubs at the agreed stop. In recent times, that has included printed fucking maps (Google) of likely lads. Fair enough. It is 2019. If you’re “in the gang”, you get handed one of these maps at some point on the outward journey. Now. I like Beer. I tweet about it. I Untappd about it. Hell, I Blog about it. No need to plead. I am partial to heavily hopped keg so-called Craft Beer. Although, I enjoy ALL Beer, cask, keg, bottled, hopped, sweet, sour (just one maybe), Yellow ‘uns, Brown ‘uns, Red ‘uns & Black ‘uns. But, on The Sportsman, I’m typecast. Craft Beer Clown.

So, he’s come down the Bus on Saturday & handed out the printed maps to all the Cool Kids. Except. When he gets to me. He’s only gone and done a special, one off Map for me. Apparently mapping the “Craft” places that he hopes will meet my needs. Bless. Benign Kidnapping.

St Albans. Anyway. The place I hit was NOT on the “special needs map”. Because I needed a place open before noon. And, that was the superb;

The Beer Shop, St Albans, 71 London Road. (Apparently, there’s a sister bar in Hitchin as well). Shop front. With bottles on shelves all along the walls. Some big fridges with cans. A small bar front with the till on. And a keg wall. With names written on the white tiles above the taps. Two cask. Eight keg. One of those went off in real time. A single, substantial table down the middle with stools.

Burnt Mill Brewery & Collective Arts (Ontario) Collab, Fog & Thunder, IPA on keg at 6.4%.  A punter was in there when I arrived. He left to go and “watch three football games on the tele”. And, he was going to come back at 7pm. Anyway, he said that beer was the best he could recall having in living memory. It wasn’t. Nice enough. But, I felt the flavours weren’t discernible & all came at you in a rush. From a slightly honey smell.

Lost & Grounded Brewers, Donzoko Brewing Co, & Braybrooke Beer Co Collab, Mega Lager on keg at 5.4%.

Odyssey Brew Co, Work It Out, New England IPA on keg at 6%.

And, Outstanding Beer Of The Day….

DEYA Brewing Co, Dust My Broom, Pale Ale on keg at 5.8%. Just a hint of biscuity malt, bangs into bursting flavours. Rich. Tabgy & Citrus in the bitter finish.

Stats
I have now Blogged from 863 games in 1,873 days