The Brewhouse, Poole

With the season coming to a close, the Poole Town away match turned into somewhat of a damp squib. Poole had already won the league and were due to crown champions after the match, which meant we had to contend with the world and his dog, gloating that we had more flags than fans, why had we bothered turning up and that the Dolphins (The fucking Dolphins. Really? That is the best you could come up with) were going to batter us.

By half time, we tended to agree with them, to be fair. Anyway, the pub. The Brewhouse is owned by the Milk Street Brewery of Frome, where we had been a few days before and is set in the pedestrianised high street. Outside furniture allows drinkers to watch the world go by and the central bar has barstools and a small television.

A raised area to the rear hosts two pool tables and a digital jukebox leading onto an outside patio. Additional Milk Street beers are usually available, plus a guest ale and cider served directly from the cellar on gravity.

  

We were met by Deano’s uncle, who lives in Poole, for a couple of beers and we stuck to the enjoyable Milk Street beers. The Blonde Ale, a bright golden beer with fruity flavours coming in at 5% was ace and The Same Again, a 3.9% full-bodied session ale.

A note should we go again, after the Dolphins inevitable relegation, that parking is of a premium in Poole town centre, and that the car park on Hill Street is cheap and just behind the high street.

The Griffin, Frome

Every season we pray for Frome away on a Saturday and this season when the fixture list came out, one of the first fixtures we looked for was this one.

1. On a Saturday, tick. 
2. Does not clash with the FA Cup or Trophy, tick. 
3. In a warm, dry month, February, shit!

As expected the match was a wash out and led to us traveling down to Somerset on a Wednesday night in April. The drive down was as beautiful as ever, meandering around the Wiltshire countryside, past Stonehenge, skirting the edge of Salisbury Plain, before dropping into Somerset, over the River Frome and onto The Griffin.

The Griffin is the brewery tap for the Milk Street Brewery, situated at the back of the pub in what was, many years ago, a delightfully seedy blue cinema. A wide range of ales is produced along with seasonal beers and specials. The single bar retains some original features such as etched windows and wooden floor, but a stained glass Griffin behind the bar is, in fact, relatively new. Wednesday night is World Food Night, a small highlight of a midweek visit.

After drinking the Milk Street Amarillo, a very nice APA and the clearly mental 7.4% Imperial Russian Stout from the Liverpool Organic Brewery, Scottie purchased a mini keg of Zig Zag, the Milk Street Stout for consumption at home. Most of the brewery’s favourites are available in this form and at £20, are pretty good value too.

The match itself was pretty uneventful, until the referee gave the Blues a goal which was clearly 3 or 4 feet away from the goal line. The Frome centre half passed the ball back to the keeper, who fluffed it, but stopped it in time. We cheered, as if we had scored, and for some bizarre reason, he gave it. Dunstable eventually lost 4-3, so it mattered not.

Fingers crossed for next season. A Saturday in April please.

Boars Head, Hampton Lucy

At the beginning of the season, our first ever trip to the DCS Stadium, home ground of Stratford Town, had intended to be a Scottie Tour destination, but for various reasons was not to be. Therefore, the pubs sourced near the train station were no good for this visit as the DCS Stadium is a few miles from the city centre. Referring to the trusty Good Beer Guide, we found The Boars Head, in the sleepy village of Hampton Lucy. Set further up the River Avon, Hampton Lucy is four miles from Stratford and only has a population of 566.

The Boars Head is a cosy and attractive 17th Century free house owned by the local church when it was built as a cider house, the present kitchen originally being a mortuary. A sheltered rear garden is popular in the summer and the open fire in the bar is during the winter months. A former Warwickshire County Champion Pub of the Year 2010, it serves Ringwood Razor Back as a regular, plus has 4 changing beers.

  

Pushed for time after a terrible journey cross country we quickly got stuck into Mild High Club from the Bird's Brewery. This lovely mild, from a brewery thirty minutes away in Bromsgrove, had a full malty flavour with a creamy, nutty aftertaste with just a hint of dark chocolate. This was swiftly followed the Razor Back from Ringwood’s and at 3.8% is a decent session bitter.

Following the uneventful 0-0 draw at the DCS, we popped into one of the pubs earmarked for the Scottie Tour in the city centre. Situated next to the Swan's Nest Hotel, The Bear offers a beautiful riverside location with stunning views across the River Avon. A free house serving eight real ales, over 20 wines by the glass and tasty home cooked food, it is a definite return venue for next season on a Scottie Tour.

With the drive home looming, we sampled the Sadler's Mud City Stout, which was incredible. Brewed with raw cocoa, vanilla pods, flaked oats, wheat and a blend of dark malts, this stout is delicious, but packs a punch at 6.6%. A must for the Tour next season.