Google ‘The Hour Glass' and you will get Wiki’s explanation of an ancient time measuring device, cruelty-free cosmetics, an Asian luxury watch group, a historic pub in South Kensington, a 1967 American rhythm and blues band, etc etc...
...but add the magic word ‘micropub' and you get this...
As our CAMRA micro-bus transport made its way back home from the Drop the Anchor Brewery in Christchurch, Dorset, we came to New Milton, in Hampshire, saw the 'pit board’ (top photo) and made an essential pit stop for more beer...
The Hour Glass is another standard format retail unit micro, tables and seating up front and bar and other essentials at the rear...
The oil drum seats were a nice touch, possibly obtained from a dis-banded steel band (who knows)...
As is typical of micros, a relaxed atmosphere pervaded and as late afternoon crawled on, the place gradually filled up, including a group bringing in their boxed pizzas to eat with a beer and another lady tucking into her tupperware container meal - also with a pint...
...and the Indian is also very handy across the street if you fancy a curry with your pint, all of which was making me very hungry...
Concentrate GH....let’s have a look at the beer blackboard...
I followed the pointy finger and concluded the Swannay Brewery Orkney Best bitter sounded ok - at 3.6% abv a bit of alcohol moderation at the end of a hard day of beer tasting (Drink Aware and PHE would be proud)...
As a whisky fan, I thought this radar graph* type thingy was very interesting too...though sadly ‘whiskey' wasn't spelled correctly**...
The hour in the Hour Glass was very pleasant, but the sands of time had run out for today’s CAMRA outing and we jumped back in the micro-bus and went home.
*Probably that's totally the wrong name...
** Of course Russ is Canadian, so he may try to tell me that it is spelled correctly...
Beer Mat Moment...
Dark revolution Brewery, Salisbury
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| Dark Revolution Brewery - (A side) |
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| Dark Revolution Brewery - (B side) |
Interestingly, I can tell that beer looks GOOD just by looking at it.
ReplyDeleteLess, interestingly, I can tell it's another identikit micro I'm going to resent going to if/when it gets in the Beer Guide. Or do people think they're not identikit ?
Never got my head round "whisky"/"whiskey".
Too true RM - a healthy looking beer if ever there was one.
ReplyDeleteRe identikit micros - I agree - and the standard modern retail unit demands a lot of creativity to make something different out of it. Perhaps in a small place like New Milton (with its local custom) the identikit issue doesn't crop up though and they're just happy to have a micro in their area.
I'm sure it crops up in bigger places though, and that you see the 'identikit' effect much more on your travels. Having said that, from your and others posts, there also seems to be a lot of innovative micros out there....
I like a good micropub, but I don't think I've ever done more than two in a day, I would probably struggle with the identikit nature on an exclusive micro crawl, but I haven't tried it so who knows. The generally varied and good quality beer I find in them does appeal.
ReplyDelete"Google ‘The Hour Glass' and you will get..."
ReplyDeleteThe definition of the perfect female figure? ;)
"possibly obtained from a dis-banded steel band "
Groan. I come back after being away from BBB's (Brit Beer Bloggers) for over a week to this? :)
"including a group bringing in their boxed pizzas to eat with a beer and another lady tucking into her tupperware container meal - also with a pint..."
I like the relaxed attitude to bringing your own food in many micro pubs.
"at 3.6% abv a bit of alcohol moderation at the end of a hard day of beer tasting"
Hang on. I thought the consensus was to start light was work your way up if drinking all day?
"though sadly ‘whiskey' wasn't spelled correctly**..."
That's because it's from this side of the pond. ;)
"The hour in the Hour Glass was very pleasant, but the sands of time had run out for today’s CAMRA outing "
Ye gads. Getting eloquent at the end of a beer tasting day. :)
"** Of course Russ is Canadian, so he may try to tell me that it is spelled correctly..."
Actually, as a Canadian, I try to see both sides (i.e. color/colour, realise/realize etc.) (LOL)
Cheers