With just over a week to go now until the big festival at Pittodrie -no, not Rod the Mod, but the "real" party - the one likely to have the larger attendance too - it was time to get the message out again, so I've been delivering the latest North Sea Ales around Deeside (and Fraserburgh) - 200 in all to 14 separate - and disparate - locations.
I didn't have much time to sample, or even note, the ales on sale at each establishment, but I did make a point of stopping off at the Burnett Arms, Banchory, as today was the launch day for their new house beer, brewed by Deeside Brewery. I was first in, and apparently the first customer to try it. It's light, tangy and refreshing and is described on the pump clip as a 4.1% abv Golden Bitter:
Only time for a half, however - but I'll be back for more soon.
The Learney Arms in Torphins had a technical problem with their pumps last week, but it's all sorted now - although they had run out of ale when I popped in tonight, after a weekend visit of a large party who drank them dry of ale. The Potarch hotel was therefore a beneficiary of our custom - the Wildcat was excellent - as good as the ones I'd had recently in Grantown - have Cairngorm changed the formula a little? - it definitely seems better to me.
The pile of North Sea Ales were delivered out to Banchory on Friday night by our esteemed local Chairman and Editor, but he refused the offer of a pint when we met in the Legion. Pity - Castle Rock's Harvest Ale was going down a treat with our group.
Banchory Golf Club had Landlord on, but have now moved on to Darling Buds from the Warwickshire Beer Co., whilst we downed a few pints of Ossian, Deuchar's and Old Speckled Hen on Saturday night in the Douglas Arms as we watched Barcelona's latest football exhibition demolish poor United.
The Boat Inn, Aboyne had its usual mixture of Deeside and Inveralmond ales - Beltane and Ossian this time, but the Feughside Inn had no ale again. The handpump is still there and there was a pump clip on it, albeit turned round - but there was nobody around to tell me anything about it - no punters, no staff. I suspect, at best, that it's become only a seasonal outlet now.
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