Deeside and Spey Valley

From http://iansaleadventures.blogspot.com/

We stayed over at Grantown on Spey on Sunday evening and the Grant Arms had Trade Winds on, as did the nearby Ben Mhor.

Popped in to the Boat Inn, Aboyne on the way back and it also has Trade Winds on, along with Deeside's Brude and Belhaven 80/-. The Trade Winds was a little hazy, but I was quickly advised from behind the bar that "it has oatmeal added and, as a result, it doesn't fully clear" - not according to Cairngorm's web site, which only refers to "a high proportion of wheat", which admittedly could cause a similar effect, although I've seldom noticed this. No matter, it tasted fine.

On the golf club front, I was fortunate enough to get an invite to Gleneagles last week - couldn't afford to be there otherwise. The last time I was there a couple of years ago, they did have some cask ale on, but not this time. The best they could offer was some bottled Inveralmond beers. Still, it's hardly on anybody's pub crawl list, is it?

Aboyne golf club is still resolutely a real ale desert as well - location of their cellar being their excuse/reason. Back at Banchory, Davenport's Summer Storm was on at the golf club - first time I've seen a Davenport's ale anywhere in this area.