Sunday 17 August 2014

BRAPA - QPR away, two new pub ticks.

After a sustained, self enforced period off the booze, yesterday saw the dawning of a new football (well, Premier League) season and a return to the real ale.

QPR is one of those away days where you have to make the effort if you are going to find some good pre-match pubbing and with the help of Tom, I decided on Hanwell which involved a bit of tubing, training and walking.  And it would have been worth it if our train back to Ealing hadn't been cancelled!

London, as our 'fine' capital, should surely be better for real ale than it is.  Of the pubs that are in the guide, too many are Fullers or Young's tied, and the range on offer is often limited.

Having said that, Hanwell seemed a superb, well heeled area with a friendly community feel and a 15 minute walk from the train station found us at the first pub.

506 - Fox - 11am openers are always a good idea on a football day, they were setting up for an afternoon music festival when we arrived, in this multi-award winning local pub of the year.
Lovely pub interior at the Fox

The location and interior of the pub had a pleasing aspect, the staff seemed happy and friendly and we had a Hull City chat which is always errrm, interesting!  Alewise, it was all a bit underwhelming though though my expectations had been high.  Enjoyed my West Berkshire first world war ale Tommy Atkins in a Southern way, but the Sharp's Cornish Coaster (possibly more brewery than pub) was lame, Dad didn't enjoy his Tim Taylor landlord much, and my Eastern European 5% from Bingham's lacked a distinct zip.


507 - Viaduct - As a result of our limited beer options, we decided to give this Fullers (and therefore limited beer pub ironically) a chance which was fine with me because it was the other BRAPA tick for Hanwell.  Really enjoyed the strong Fullers ESB outside (it was amazingly warm enough) and probably just as well because a load of plastic Man Utd fans were watching their home embarrassment to Swansea in stony silence, thus rendering any pubbub non existent.  Seemed a nice pub in that typically dark polished wooden feel many Fullers pubs have.  It didn't have the range of guests that Parcel Yard and Mad Bishop & Bear (other Fullers pubs visited today) could manage.

Rare August outdoor drinking in Hanwell.
Post match, Queen's Head near St Pancras showed me once more how good London pubs can be and had me feverishly plotting a November BRAPA return to London, possibly for more Northern Line action as I did back in Feb.  Camden Town, Hampstead and Hendon all require attention.

For now though, attentions turn back towards a midweek return to Bradford to tick off the remaining trio. Still unsure what next weekend holds for me BRAPA-wise, for once my plans are up in the air! 

1 comment:

  1. Which day are you looking at in November? I can't promise anything, but will have a look. The Edgware branch is largely required track, let alone required shack ticks.

    At some point, I shall have to look at the District and Picc whilst the old stock is still out. Anything there?

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