A.J. Walker

ReAleLiverpool

Chester

A Most Short Trip Out

On Friday I was out with a few mates and we decided between us to pop over to Chester on Saturday for a couple of pints. And it nearly proved to be not much than that: much to my surprise. To be fair there was a mixture of tiredness and other stuff going on so in the end instead of the normal 6-8 pubs I'd end up doing on a day trip we just went to four. Yes, FOUR.


IMG_7689

IMG_7690

IMG_7691

Still, it wasn't a bad day out. We started with The Brewery Tap the Spitting Feathers pub, and then it was across the road to the Cross Keys (a Joules pub). From there we went up to Cavern of the Curious Gnome, which was a new one to my mates, and then finally we popped in the Cellar on the way back to Liverpool. We were back in Central by about 7pm. So early. I went off to the Head of Steam, where one of my buddies came with me (after he had declared he was going to the toilet at Central Station).

IMG_7695

IMG_7700

And I finally ended up with a couple in Dr Duncans, where I bumped into a couple of Americans I'd met on Thursday night. They were over for the footy (Liverpool v Southampton) from Pennsylvania. That's commute. They were a great couple, who very much loved Liverpool, saw a good game, and adopted Dr Duncan's as their local while they were here. Had a couple of good chats with them covering all sorts of subjects (including Liverpool, beer and football of course: and writing (Doug is a screenwriter)). Hope to bump into them again when they are next over – or if I accidentally end up in Pennsylvania for a spell. Pubs are great aren't they? Never know who you are going to meet.

A good day. It was short in Chester, but lengthened in Liverpool.

A Birthday Walk in Chester

A Chester Circuit

This weekend I was supposed to be out for a few drinks in Chester for my mate's birthday, but he managed to catch Covid on Wednesday which put paid to that. But I thought I'd go anyway in the guise of scoping it out for next week. It was a nice sunny day and I got around a nice wee circuit.

CellarSelection
Cellar

SunshineArchitect
Sunshine at The Architect beside Chester Racecourse

As usual the loop from the railway station starts with the Cellar (Harker's was too busy), and ended in the Deva Tap. In between the City Tavern, the Architect (there was no room in Beer Heroes), Bear & Billet, Cross Keys, Kings Head, and the Cavern of the Curious Gnome.

BearBillet
Bear & Billet

CrossKeysJoules
Cross Keys

KingsHead
Kings Head

Everywhere was lively and the beers were good. It appeared at one point that Chester had been taken over by Mobberley Brewhouse with their ales in quite a few of these hostelries. Out of the eight pubs I ended up with Mobberley Summit and Chinook over three successive pubs. Other than that I had a relatively pale day with: Lakes Brew 'Pale', Joules 'Slumbering Monk', Cross Bay 'Blonde', Neptune 'Triton', and Onset 'White Rat'.


CavernCurious
Cavern of the Curious Gnome

DevaTap
Deva Tap

All in all it was a nice birthday do for my mate, even if he doesn't realise it. Still we're going to go to Chester again next week in a rescheduled celebration – so I'll get to do it again.

Cheers, people.

PS Deva Tap was pub No.
75 for the year.