The Westgate Scandal...

I believe once upon a time, there was a similarly named scandal in the United States - but it was something to do with water rather than beer...

Anyhow, having left the pensioner’s paradise of the Crown and Anchor, I continued my wander passed the Victorian gothic styled Guildhall...

Gothic splendour...

I came across the Overdraft micro-pub and I thought about going in - but as I had been in the Southampton one - I decided against it - bad choice as it turned out...

The Great Hall...

...as I walked past the impressive forecourt to the Great Hall, I opted to try The Westgate instead...

Busy junction/quiet pub...

It has quite an impressive facade on it’s street corner location and until recently bore the title ‘The Westgate Hotel' above it’s frontage, but now just has ‘The Westgate’.  Instead of a hotel it now seems to call itself ‘a prestigious pub with rooms’.

Again it took a while to win the battle against Winchester’s Friday afternoon traffic and get across the road to the pub,  but looking at the interesting array of beers on the bar as I entered, I was beginning to think it was a battle worth fighting/winning...

Cracking winter line up....

...plenty of winter beer options too, so no problem in continuing the winter beer theme for the day.

With the wisdom of a wise old wizard (or seasoned pub blogger)  I thought I’d better avoid an early January sampling of Flack Manor ’s Cracker, as Christmas beers are often past their best by this time.  So I had a half of Russian Winter, the Russian Imperial Stout from Itchen Valley Brewery....

....it looked great, as the equally stout, tattooed barmaid poured it out and placed it on the bar...

Anticipation reaches fever pitch...

The Westgate is a strange pub comprising a wrap-around bar and a narrow single room curving right around the front, with a few perching tables and chairs along the front wall...

Corridor style pub...

There were only a couple of customers and nothing much was happening, except for a bearded guy chatting to the bar staff who was trying to get a job, and one member of staff proceeded to give him an impromptu interview at the bar.

I picked up a copy of the ‘Wintonian’ from the window sill and flicked through all the adverts for expensive items only Winchester residents can afford...

Ooh-er - Winchester evening wear...?

I know you’re waiting for me to extoll the virtues of the Russian Winter stout...

...well all I can say is it was very poor and very similar to Sarson's Malt Vinegar, probably not how Itchen Valley intended it to taste.

As usual I did the wrong thing, and didn’t take it back. 

Deep Purple’s Black Night was playing in the background, which seemed appropriate somehow as I held my nose (metaphorically), finished my vinegar and headed for the station and home...

...another day, another 'cask ale unfit for sale' scandal...

...so I’ll leave you to enjoy Deep Purple  from the days when proper heavy rock bands were invited  on to Top of the Pops to mime to their song...prize if you can spot a heavy rocker in the TOTP audience... :)