More Wandering around London, Drinking Beer

Normally, the Olde Mitre is only open one weekend a year -- the weekend after the Great British Beer Festival. So we headed over to enjoy a rare Saturday pint there.

Handpumps at Ye Olde Mitre

 A definite Scottish theme going on: Two beers from the Highland Brewery in the Orkney Islands, a Dark Star 80 Shilling and Deuchars IPA. I started with the Highland The Duke IPA.

Highland Brewing The Duke IPA

It had a nice fruity flavor and nicely hoppy in the finish. A fine beer.

Keeping with the theme, I had their Dark Munro Mild next. Probably the wrong order as this was lower in alcohol and milder in flavor but still quite nice and very drinkable.

Highland Brewing Dark Munro Mild

I actually did have another Duke before we left but once picture of it was enough.

We headed over to The Craft Beer Co on Leather Lane. They have four establishments of that name now. This is the original, just over two years old.

Craft Beer Co, Leather Lane

 There is always a great selection and the first beer was a difficult choice. They seemed to have quite a few beers from Tiny Rebel, many of which I had previously tried. I chose the New World Red from the Saltaire Brewery.

Saltaire New World Red

 They have quite a few handpumps and even more draft handles, so there is always something to try.

The bar at Craft Beer Co

One Tiny Rebel beer I hadn't tried was the Urban IPA.  A very nice beer, not overly hopped and very drinkable.

Tiny Rebel Urban IPA

 It was time to move on, but there was one beer that was begging to be tasted: Siren Craft Beer's The Big Inflatable Cowboy Hat. This was a colaboration with Pizza Port Brewing of Southern California.  It is billed as a 10.5% Double IPA. I enjoyed the beer but my problem with it was it is just too filling. A 4oz serving would just about be right. For that reason I wouldn't call it an IPA of any sort. A nice beer but share it with a friend.

Siren Craft Beer The Big Inflatable Cowboy Hat Double IPA

 We hopped the Tube to Euston Square and were soon at the Euston Tap. I love this place.

The Euston Tap

 The first think on the cask board was Kelham Island Pale Ride. This was the Champion Beer of the GBBF many years ago (2004) and has been a favorite if mine ever since. Hadn't see it in a while, so I had one here.

Kelham Island Pale Rider

I then took the time to read both beer boards and saw they had Schlenkerla Lagerbier, the unsmoked Helles that is hard to find in Bamberg but is being increasingly exported. I had one. It was great.

Schlenkerla Lagerbier

 It was time for some food so we walked around the corner to the Bree Louise. They still had the Titanic Plum Porter on, so I went with that. The plum flavor came thru more than I remembered from last time. Don't know if it was different cask or whether it was just time. Still very nice.

Titanic Plum Porter at Bree Louise

 Pot Pies are the specialty at the Bree, but I felt the urge for some fish, so Fish and Chips it was. All was great, except the mushy peas. I am sure these were fine as mushy peas go, but I am not a fan of vegetable abuse.

Fish and Chips at the Bree Louse