5 Oakham Ales at The Counting House

Bier-Traveller rarely reports on domestic consumption, this evening is clearly an exception. That this report is a favourable one about a branch of Wetherspoons is almost unbelievable.

The Counting House was Glasgow’s first Wetherspoons opening in the late 1990s. The splendid building was once a branch of the Bank of Scotland. This type of conversion has happened to many banks since the invasion of ATMs, Such premises are hard to take as Pubs given the annoying habits that are obviously company policy. Available Soon is an anathema to those who do frequent this chain regularly. Basically it is a dishonest policy as I remarked to the manager of the Helensburgh branch some weeks ago when he admitted there was not a (full) cask of the advertised Ale in the cellar at all. Getting served is annoyingly difficult hence it is now customary to order double rounds.

This evening the staff were plentiful, I was asked twice at the bar if I required serving, a first. Neil had picked up that Oakham (Peterborough, Cambridgeshire) Green Devil would be on this afternoon. This was its first appearance in a Glasgow Pub. At 6% this ticks all the boxes, Full Bodied, Dry and Hoppy it is the finest of our favourite style of Golden Ales. This is the Ale of the moment.

Sandy, the Manager, came over to take his well deserved bow. He has worked wonders in the Glasgow Ale scene since his arrival at Henglers Circus a couple of years back. We knew the Citra at 4.2% and the Inferno at 4% were also available, we had not picked up that five Oakham Ales were available. They are by far The Brewers at this time. with Hawkshead, Magic Rock and Fyne Ales bringing up the rear.

The Citra was tried too as light relief, its Citrus flavours being lighter on the palate. The Inferno was also in fine form, much better than the last time I had it ironically at another Wetherspoons in Brighouse.