It is written that at this time of year, Hector will drive Marg to the land of her birth, following a star to the north. Aberdeen is usually cold, a certain bedroom where we reside is colder still, indeed the soft drinks for the festive day were found to be chilling in our place of repose. However, this year it was evident from the moment of our arrival that something was wrong with the ambient temperature – Aberdeen is warm – indeed at 14?C it is the warmest part of the UK!
Having greeted the relatives, Hector was able to escape for a rendezvous at Aberdeen’s most celebrated watering hole, the Prince of Wales. Jonathan was already in situ and was consuming the only Ale on the board that could be quaffable: Cairngorm’s Trade Winds at a modest 4.3% (Aviemore, Inverness-shire). The Ale was warm, the fault of the pub. The Ale was not outstanding, the fault of the brewery.
The Prince of Wales is not the pub it was. Hector recalls two winters ago entering the premises to find Pale Rider (Kelham Island, Sheffield) when it was still quotes as a worthy Ale. The phone was out ready to share the discovery with the Chaps back home when Hector had to fall on his sword. The cellar in the Prince of Wales must have been the warmest place in Aberdeen back then, with the temperature outside today it was approaching unacceptable. In the summer time Hector simply cannot drink the Ale on these premises and tends to look for bottles. The politics of Green King having taken over the pub has not helped either, the choice of Ale on offer is now restricted compared to years gone by.
Cauld Reekie at 6.2% from Edinburgh’s Stewarts Brewery (Loanhead, West Lothian) was the choice to complete the session. This was certainly chewier than what had been consumed previously but was getting on the sweet side of the scale. Surely somewhere in Aberdeen there is cool, dry, hoppy Ale on offer?
Jonathan suggested we visit The Grill Bar. Hector has walked past this countless times; the exterior is such that one would never guess what lay behind the frosted glass. This is again a very traditional pub with a very mixed clientele, the place was stowed. They also sold an Ale that suited our palate: Fyne Ales’ Hurricane Jack (Achadunan, Cairndow, Argyll) at 4.4% is the first Ale brewed by these fine people that actually impressed this commentator. Their Avalanche is the Bier of choice on many a night out.
This proved to be a perfect end to the evening, but not before a bit of winding up was undertaken. Paul at the Bon Accord (Glasgow) prides himself in having a large range of Whisky, I sent him a photo of the gantry. He replied quickly and accepted that The Grill may well have more than he stocks. 1 – 0 !
From the visit to the glasshouse at Duthie Park I leave you with some photos of Hector in the desert. It is in the desert where Hector will reside for the next three days… I return now to the room where the soft drinks are chilling…
The Pubs visited today:
The Prince of Wales – 7 St Nicholas Lane, Aberdeen, AB10 1HF
The Grill Bar – 213 Union Street, Aberdeen, AB11 6BA
Certainly agree…as a student in Aberdeen in the mid 80’s the POW was a great pub, but like all good things, sadly it is now not the pub it was….thank you Green King for destroying yet another great Aberdeen watering hole….