And then there were Two
Clive and Hector walked down from the Bedford Travelodge towards the Train Station. This took us along Midland Rd., we could not pass the excellent Bala Sweet & Tandoori Centre. After a Tidy Lunch it was time to negotiate the Rail Replacement Bus. Valuable Drinking Time would be wasted.
Clive had prepared a Route, this was Hector’s Second Visit to St Albans, Clive had evidently been here more often. Something perhaps due to a direct train from Brighton to Bedford. The Farmer’s Boy is a few minutes from St. Albans Train Station. It was at this very Venue where The Red Bird – Scarlet Macaw (Oakham, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire) was first encountered.
At 4.4% this is a decent abv for a Sunday. Dark Gold, a Fuller Body than the 4.2% suggests, and Screaming Hops.
Rather than head into the Town Centre, Clive navigated his way to a Cluster of Backstreet Pubs. Only in England could such Quality Pubs coexist.
Garibaldi was next. Fool’s Gold (Fullers, London ) at 4.0% was not up to the task of following The Red Bird. A busy Pub with many here for Sunday Lunch, the Great English Tradition that still Hector finds strange after Sunday Closing being The Norm in his Formative Years.
The Trusty Samsung alerted Hector to the Late Departure of his Flight. 19.40 was now 20.10. How this technology works is astonishing. Time to squeeze in an extra Pub?
We entered The White Lion from the rear through the garden. This meant we missed out on the Public Bar. Tribute, a Cornish Pale Ale at an undemanding 4.2% (St, Austell, Cornwall) was pleasant enough. It previously took Two attempts to appreciate their Nicholson’s IPA, so maybe next time.
Around the corner and slightly uphill lies the White Hart Tap. A range of Keg Bier was on offer, however the tried and tested Landlord (Timothy Taylor, Keighley, Yorkshire) was calling. At 4.3% this is regarded as still light in abv by most of our company, but was in keeping of getting to an airport to fly home.
All Pubs visited today were once again very welcoming. The Scarlet Macaw aside, we did not find anything outstanding. English Pubs might be Wonderful in terms of Atmosphere and Service, like the vast majority of Scottish Pubs selling Real Ale, they don’t necessarily have anything Pale, Light and Hoppy at 5% plus.
Next Saturday, The Staggs, Musselburgh. Order will be restored.
The Pubs visited today:
The Farmer’s Boy – 134 London Rd, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1PQ
Garibaldi – 61 Albert St, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1RT
The White Lion – 91 Sopwell Ln, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1RN
White Hart Tap – 4 Keyfield Terrace, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1QJ