A Day out in Liverpool, and a Manchester Nightcap

Hector’s First Bier in Liverpool, and the Second…

Breakfast was the now customary Curry-Heute – Shorba at Al Faisal. This meant I was an hour behind those who took the train before noon to Liverpool. The Manchester to Liverpool Railway was the first Inter-City Railway built in the UK. Hector is a font of all knowledge having watched Dan Snow’s interesting account of the history of British Rail Construction. When I say interesting, the story is, how he manages to put the emphasis on all the wrong things, who knows? Is it his speech pattern or the script writer? Oh, he probably writes the script. At least he is not wearing a Pink Jacket as does the other Railway enthusiast.  No, Craig does not own a Pink Jacket.

So, the Straightest Line imaginable between Two Cities? It took no time at all to travel the forty minute journey to Lime St. 1960-ish was my last visit to Liverpool. Father’s Ship – Glenpark? – was docked in Birkenhead. I remember going through the Mersey Tunnel and being intrigued by Traffic Lights. A Courtroom remains in the Memory Banks, one of the Crew must have been naughty. If he found the Range of Ales we found today then he had a good day out.

A Study of Google Maps was required to discover the layout of Liverpool. Renshaw Street became part of my Familiar Vocabulary for the first time. It is frustrating how poor the Streets of Liverpool were signed around Lime Street Station. Using Dead Reckoning, I was a few Blocks along Renshaw before I could confirm I was going the right way. I missed the turn off up to the Philharmonic where the Chaps were assembled. What a Building, yes even the Gents was worth the visit.

The magnificence of the Exterior was matched by the preserved Ornate Interior. I surveyed the Ales on offer – Nothing! I then found the Chaps who were nearing the end of their First Pint. Hector had timed it to perfection, we left.

Next stop was just around the corner and down hill – The Fly in The Loaf. This was another impressive Pub in terms of Fittings and Sense of Space. The Oktoberfest Bier from Hofbräu (München, Bayern) was a ridiculous way to start the day, Howard joined me.

One cannot go wrong with anything brewed by this wonderful Brewery. Finally I had the chance to sit and catch up with the Adventures of the Last Two Days, but not yet. There was a raised seating area to the rear that would have accommodated our Group comfortably, but it was blocked off with two chairs. I asked if we could sit up there and was told – No! That area is reserved for a Group coming this Evening.

But we are here now, and are only staying an hour. Things got worse. Tracey asked for a Taster Sample of what took her fancy. Denied. Jonathan in his own reserved but no nonsense manner quoted what I assume came from The Good Beer Guide re their Welcoming Attitude. Howard went on to Twitter and we left Appropriate Comments. The Wee Girlies and Wee Boy behind the Bar have no idea how to treat customers. We had to move a Table and Chairs to get the Nine of us together. We drank our Bier, Tracey hated hers. We left. We shall never return.

It was another short walk to the Roscoe Head, one of the few Pubs to have been in every edition of The Good Beer Guide. This was a splendid, cosy Pub, with Mature Female Staff who did not have to look at the reverse of the Pump Clips to see what they were pouring. Hector spotted a new Kelham Island (Sheffield, Yorkshire) Beer – Goody Two Shoes at 4.1%. This was an Amber Ale, at least it was Dry but did little for the Palate. What a great pity this Brewery is not what it was. Sheffield used to be a Regular Destination in The Life of Hector, and Ale was not the only attraction. The nine of us took over one of the three small rooms. Sitting around the Perimeter we could all finally see each other. Time to catch up with Yvonne who is just back from New York.  Tracey secured an Array of Tasters.

Hector for once was taking the Back Seat, Dr. Stan knows Liverpool from his Undergraduate Days. Craig had a Peace (sic) of Paper provided by Ronnie from The Three Judges. Just like Christopher Columbus, he knew exactly where we were going next.

The Dispensary I had passed en route to The Philharmonic. Renshaw Street, I know it well. A one Room Pub, not the largest establishment, but by procuring the large Bench and Table we managed to get very comfortable. There was a choice of Ale, three in fact. Hop Twister at 4.5% (Salopian, Shropshire) would be the first Golden, Hoppy Ale of the day. This was more like it.

I stood for a fair part of the stay here which meant rubbing shoulders with the Locals. Good Guys. The Football was on TV, what was intriguing was The Chaps presenting: one Andrew Gray and one Richard Keys, erstwhile of Sky Sports. Now with Mr Souness also on the Panel, this looked very much like a BSkyB Broadcast. Al Jezeera may have been the Channel, but come on. Anyway, Live Football at 15.00 on a Saturday afternoon, superb. Gray and Keys back on The Box, magnificent!

I asked if we were staying for a second pint and was promptly put down. Then Craig, Howard and Jonathan all appeared with a second pint. Ya Dobber!

Dobber at 5.9% (Marble, Manchester), why have I not had this before? This ticked all The Boxes. Full Bodied, Golden, Dry, Hoppy, a true Session Bier!

Our next venue was down nearer The Mersey. Robin and Jonathan went to find a Bus. Dr. Stan knew the way on Foot. Mags, Craig, Yvonne and Hector flagged a Taxi. Howard and Tracey stayed – Ya Dobber! The Baltic Fleet looked interesting from the outside, a Gushet. The place was quite busy, almost full. With one person serving there was a queue at The Bar. Doris was doing her best but was getting slaughtered. Why was she on her own? We found a seat near the Point of the Building. The room was cold, uninviting, unwelcoming, tired. The Décor was not Retro, it was simply Knackered. This is a run down establishment. Perhaps this is what they are trying to maintain. As ever Dr. Stan arrived at the same time as those who took Mechanical Transport, he had not remembered the place to be in such poor condition.

Damson Stout, 5% (Baltic Ales, Wapping, Merseyside) at Source! Not my style of Ale at all but I had to have something that would at least try to have an impact on the Taste-buds after the splendour that was Dobber. Let’s just say the Damson Stout was not wonderful.

Four Pubs visited – Two Ticked, Two Struck Off.

We contacted Howard and Tracey and suggested they head to the next on The List, the Ship and Mitre. Arriving before we departed, they could not get a seat and were not positive. The Taxi Four went for Curry-Heute, the rest joined Howard and Tracey.

Renshaw Street

Apart from now being the only Street in Liverpool I could recognise, it is blessed with an excellent Pub and a not too shabby Curry House. That they are within a Block of each other made up our minds. After The Curry we had to return to The Dispensary. By now the Staff recognised that we were part of a Large-ish Group on a day out. Mein Host came over for a chat. We congratulated him on running such a welcoming House, not just in terms of the Ale but the Clientèle also. A group of Locals joined the Table, we felt at home.

A Middle-Aged, Middle-Class Couple held up our train back to Manchester by some twenty odd minutes. They claimed to have been insulted by a member of staff for getting on the train when it came into the station. Clearly a crime. He insisted the Chaps with The Helmets be called, She said very little.

Dr. Stan and Jonathan were waiting for Hector at 57 Thomas Street.

Lagonda, Gravity Poured and 5% (Marble, Manchester) is a classic Ale in the Style we crave. Howard was dragged by Text message from his Place of Repose for an Ale with his Chums. The other two departed, can’t pace themselves. The Night Cap was Edelstoff (Augustiner, München, Bayern). I ended the day how it began on Thomas St, no more Curry-Heute.  Last out?  Of course!

The Pubs visited today:

The Philharmonic – 36 Hope St, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 9BX

The Dispensary – 87 Renshaw St, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 2SP

Fly in The Loaf – 13 Hardman St, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 9AS

Roscoe Head – 24 Roscoe St, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 2SX

Baltic Fleet – 33A Wapping, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 8DQ

57 Thomas Street – 57 Thomas Street, Manchester, M4 1NA

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