Another Deacy Family York Day Out.

We have always done this in the Deacy family, go to York for a day in the run up to Christmas. It's always freezing but as we have gotten older and wiser we have discovered that less Christmas shopping works best! Only because it involved Dad standing outside shops for a few hours on his own (I brought along the "Whats Brewing" CAMRA newspaper to keep him occupied for the few shops we went into this year.)

Now we do less Christmas shopping and more real ale drinking as there are thousands of real ale pubs in York.So where to start??

First stop the  Blue Bell on FossGate. 9 pumps on. I had Rooster Highroad Treason Treacle Ale. Dad got a Whispa IPA from the WharfeBank Brewery which was a really deep amber with a very fruity taste. Mum got an old favourite, Timothy Taylor's Landlord and Ella our resident cider drinker got a Westerns Cider which was as clear as water but at 7% she was very happy with!

The bar itself was amazing, tiny but amazing. It has such an impressive bar it just seems to take over the whole front room. The cozier, warmer back room was clad with a dark wood and it felt really homely. The corridor between the two rooms even has it's own drinkers lay-by with a fold away seat! Worth a visit if your in the city centre.

After a bit more shopping the warmth from the beer was wearing off so we had another stop to grab some food. We passed the home of York Brewery, as mentioned before the only brewery inside the castle walls and the pub was called The Last Drop Inn. The name actually comes from the hanging of infamous highway man Dick Turpin, who it was supposed was hanged in the building. There is lots about the history on the walls of the pub. Goodness, I wouldn't like to be in there on my own on a dark night..... actually what am I thinking with all that beer? I'd love it ghost or no ghost (they did actually have York Brewery Ghost Ale on...was it a sign?).

I got a pint of YB festive ale  Humbug which had the taste of dark burnt toffee and Dad had a pint of the  guest ale Ptamigan from the Moles Brewery . There was a bit of a mix up with the food but the sausage advertised that if you bought two portions you got a pint of ale free sounded amazing, but alas they had none left so we were forced to get a couple of their delicious roasts! Also they do 10% off with your CAMRA card, it was the first chance I had had to use it. so it took our bill down quite a bit I was very excited to use it!

Again we went to get some shopping done Mark & Sparks style, and that was just a nightmare with people everywhere, we were starting to get tired and what usually happens with tiredness in York is we end up at The Maltings. I have made my mind up on that pub. I don't want to feel scrutinised when I go for my 'I'm tired' sit down drink so Dad thought of somewhere over the river in MickleGate famous for it's stags and hens infestation but well worth the wander over on a Sunday afternoon to the oasis that is Brigantines. Not far from the station and preferable to the other previously mentioned pub.

There were 8 casks ales on  and the beer we drank was very well kept. It was really roomy with lots of seating, their Sunday lunch was coming to the end so there were tit-bit's left over on the bar. I managed to bag myself a nifty little fishcake. Really Tasty! So we had some Leeds Best from the Great Heck Brewery, and dad got a Black Sheep's Wooly Jumper which both were really nice, even went down easily when we realised we were late for the train!

Anway that is my story about the 'shopping' in York and I still need to buy mum some slippers. Oh well another day, finally getting into the Christmas spirit after we have got our tree up in Leeds. I can only assume there will be a few beers over this festive period.... any suggestions just let me know!

North Bar Pop Up Bar.

So i read about this pop up bar North Bar were doing in Kirkgate Market especially for the christmas shoppers.

So I went down with my friend Francesca from work who was up for trying something new so we arrived and to be honest nearly missed it! It was set up in one of the stalls and if you know Kirkgate Market when you go in the left hand side front entrance.

They had two drinks on, either Fullers German Pilsner or a mulled cider. The Fullers actually tasted quite good despite the fact it was from a transportable pump. Fran decided there was hints of citrus and honey and for a none ale drinker it went down very quickly!

I had the mulled cider which was a godsend in the cold market, he even stuck a cinamon stick in it for me! It tasted alot like a baked apple. Which was nice but a bit too sweet for me.

Also they had some pork pies from the yorkshire pie company which is on butchers row accompanied by so local chutney from a company called Pudsey Pickles they had an array there but my favourite was the one with jalepenos in it! YUM. Along with the black pudding and pork, pork pie it was a pretty tasty hour or so.

I really want to go this week, they promised singers and entertainment this week and with a few more bodies I think it is a really good idea!