In case anyone's keeping track- currently residing in the Harlingford
Hotel for three nights.

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, DR200SE, Vespa Ciao

On 13/11/2021 13:32, Mark Olson wrote:
> In case anyone's keeping track- currently residing in the Harlingford
> Hotel for three nights.
>

Cracking area, I used to rent a "bijou" apartment on the other side when
working in London.

Some decent pubs and eateries around.

It was also handy for Euston.

--
Bruce Porter
"The internet is a huge and diverse community but mainly friendly"
http://ytc1.blogspot.co.uk/
There *is* an alternative! http://www.openoffice.org/

YTC#1 <bdp@ytc1-spambin.co.uk> wrote:
> On 13/11/2021 13:32, Mark Olson wrote:
>> In case anyone's keeping track- currently residing in the Harlingford
>> Hotel for three nights.
>>
>
> Cracking area, I used to rent a "bijou" apartment on the other side when
> working in London.
>
> Some decent pubs and eateries around.
>
> It was also handy for Euston.

This place any good? Right around the corner from the hotel.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/44Yrd7thE4tWJVFH9>

"Lord John Russell" pub.

Lord John Russell
+44 20 7388 0500
https://maps.app.goo.gl/4HCHKimYAkgQ32yr6

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, DR200SE, Vespa Ciao

Mark Olson <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote in
news:smr901$jl0$1@dont-email.me:

> YTC#1 <bdp@ytc1-spambin.co.uk> wrote:
>> On 13/11/2021 13:32, Mark Olson wrote:
>>> In case anyone's keeping track- currently residing in the
>>> Harlingford Hotel for three nights.
>>>
>>
>> Cracking area, I used to rent a "bijou" apartment on the other side
>> when working in London.
>>
>> Some decent pubs and eateries around.
>>
>> It was also handy for Euston.
>
>
> This place any good? Right around the corner from the hotel.
>
> https://photos.app.goo.gl/44Yrd7thE4tWJVFH9>
>
> "Lord John Russell" pub.
>
> Lord John Russell
> +44 20 7388 0500
> https://maps.app.goo.gl/4HCHKimYAkgQ32yr6
>

it's not a Wetherspoons, so yes, most likely

https://whatpub.com/pubs/NLD/6298/lord-john-russell-london says it has
Brains SA (from Cardiff) as a regular ale which we affectionately called
Skull Attack in my youth. At 4.5% it was considered a strong beer in the
early 80s. How things change!

On Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 8:32:52 AM UTC-5, Mark Olson wrote:
> In case anyone's keeping track- currently residing in the Harlingford
> Hotel for three nights.

Have a fine old time, matey!

Ben Blaney <benblaney@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 8:32:52 AM UTC-5, Mark Olson wrote:
>> In case anyone's keeping track- currently residing in the Harlingford
>> Hotel for three nights.
>
> Have a fine old time, matey!

So far, so good! Getting a bit peckish and a brew with some pub grub
right round the corner is sounding pretty attractive right now.

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, DR200SE, Vespa Ciao

On 14/11/2021 15:12, Mark Olson wrote:
> YTC#1 <bdp@ytc1-spambin.co.uk> wrote:
>> On 13/11/2021 13:32, Mark Olson wrote:
>>> In case anyone's keeping track- currently residing in the Harlingford
>>> Hotel for three nights.
>>>
>>
>> Cracking area, I used to rent a "bijou" apartment on the other side when
>> working in London.
>>
>> Some decent pubs and eateries around.
>>
>> It was also handy for Euston.
>
>
> This place any good? Right around the corner from the hotel.
>
> https://photos.app.goo.gl/44Yrd7thE4tWJVFH9>
>
> "Lord John Russell" pub.
>

Yep, back in the day it was the local. Beer was good, for southern
tastes :-)

IIRC they used to do a decent Sunday lunch (this was 2009)

--
Bruce Porter
"The internet is a huge and diverse community but mainly friendly"
http://ytc1.blogspot.co.uk/
There *is* an alternative! http://www.openoffice.org/

Mark Olson wrote:

> In case anyone's keeping track- currently residing in the Harlingford
> Hotel for three nights.

And this place : https://goo.gl/maps/JUmQjM9iqenRze3E9 ?

No rif-raf in 'ere mate

Mind you, Greene King, had a run in with them few years back wonder
what the beers are like, under 6 quid for a carafe of red is a good
sign IMO.

Or this: https://goo.gl/maps/ehYKcED3NdSbpQr88

I rate Turkish food (in Turkey anyway) and this looks good.

--
Geoff

wessie <willnotwork@tesco.net> wrote:
> Mark Olson <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote in
> news:smr901$jl0$1@dont-email.me:
>
>> YTC#1 <bdp@ytc1-spambin.co.uk> wrote:
>>> On 13/11/2021 13:32, Mark Olson wrote:
>>>> In case anyone's keeping track- currently residing in the
>>>> Harlingford Hotel for three nights.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Cracking area, I used to rent a "bijou" apartment on the other side
>>> when working in London.
>>>
>>> Some decent pubs and eateries around.
>>>
>>> It was also handy for Euston.
>>
>>
>> This place any good? Right around the corner from the hotel.
>>
>> https://photos.app.goo.gl/44Yrd7thE4tWJVFH9>
>>
>> "Lord John Russell" pub.
>>
>> Lord John Russell
>> +44 20 7388 0500
>> https://maps.app.goo.gl/4HCHKimYAkgQ32yr6
>>
>
> it's not a Wetherspoons, so yes, most likely
>
> https://whatpub.com/pubs/NLD/6298/lord-john-russell-london says it has
> Brains SA (from Cardiff) as a regular ale which we affectionately called
> Skull Attack in my youth. At 4.5% it was considered a strong beer in the
> early 80s. How things change!

Waitng for our food, may try a cask ale for my 2nd.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZACQbqoupJtDEwXC8

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, DR200SE, Vespa Ciao

Mark Olson <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote:
>
> Waitng for our food, may try a cask ale for my 2nd.
>
> https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZACQbqoupJtDEwXC8

After the Guinness, I had a Market Porter. To me, it tasted distinctly
off, with a noticeable taste of vinegar. The missus said not to
say anything to the bar staff, so I didn't. But if we go back there
tomorrow, I can guarantee that's one I won't bother trying again. And
I'll definitely be trying the same beer at another place to see if
it's just gone bad at the Lord Russell or if it's really supposed to
taste like that.

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, DR200SE, Vespa Ciao

On 14/11/2021 20:39, Mark Olson wrote:

> The missus said not to
> say anything to the bar staff, so I didn't.

That's taking the British thing a bit far old chap. I'm sure they
wouldn't have been offended if you'd asked if it really should taste
like that. Perhaps it should - there are plenty of beers I think are awful.

--
/Simon

Mark Olson <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote in news:smrs6o$8rd$1@dont-
email.me:

> Mark Olson <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote:
>>
>> Waitng for our food, may try a cask ale for my 2nd.
>>
>> https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZACQbqoupJtDEwXC8
>
> After the Guinness, I had a Market Porter. To me, it tasted distinctly
> off, with a noticeable taste of vinegar. The missus said not to
> say anything to the bar staff, so I didn't. But if we go back there
> tomorrow, I can guarantee that's one I won't bother trying again. And
> I'll definitely be trying the same beer at another place to see if
> it's just gone bad at the Lord Russell or if it's really supposed to
> taste like that.
>

looks like the place was quiet so maybe you had the first from the pump?
Most of those beer engines have a half pint cylinder under the bar where
the beer is at room temperature. The bar person should have disposed of
the first half pint if it was the first draw of the session as this
might have oxidised.

As said above, you should have rejected the beer. This is supposedly a
CAMRA approved pub so they shoud be used to fussy customers!

I tend to sniff the beer before drinking. Real ale can taint as once it
is tapped, air is coming into the cask. Some ales age nicely as alcohol
and hops are preservatives. Draught Bass is a classic example of an ale
that develops nicely with age. It's horrible until it has completed the
secondary fermentation. Others will go vinegary, especially dark ales
like a porter with lots of residual sugars and not much hop to kill off
bacteria. If you are really unlucky you will smell a musty, fungal
smell. The latter is quite rare nowadays as cellars are generally
temperature controlled and beer lines cooled with a water "python"
(except for that last half pint).

wessie <willnotwork@tesco.net> wrote:
> Mark Olson <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote in news:smrs6o$8rd$1@dont-
> email.me:
>
>> Mark Olson <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote:
>>>
>>> Waitng for our food, may try a cask ale for my 2nd.
>>>
>>> https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZACQbqoupJtDEwXC8
>>
>> After the Guinness, I had a Market Porter. To me, it tasted distinctly
>> off, with a noticeable taste of vinegar. The missus said not to
>> say anything to the bar staff, so I didn't. But if we go back there
>> tomorrow, I can guarantee that's one I won't bother trying again. And
>> I'll definitely be trying the same beer at another place to see if
>> it's just gone bad at the Lord Russell or if it's really supposed to
>> taste like that.
>>
>
> looks like the place was quiet so maybe you had the first from the pump?
> Most of those beer engines have a half pint cylinder under the bar where
> the beer is at room temperature. The bar person should have disposed of
> the first half pint if it was the first draw of the session as this
> might have oxidised.
>
> As said above, you should have rejected the beer. This is supposedly a
> CAMRA approved pub so they shoud be used to fussy customers!
>
> I tend to sniff the beer before drinking. Real ale can taint as once it
> is tapped, air is coming into the cask. Some ales age nicely as alcohol
> and hops are preservatives. Draught Bass is a classic example of an ale
> that develops nicely with age. It's horrible until it has completed the
> secondary fermentation. Others will go vinegary, especially dark ales
> like a porter with lots of residual sugars and not much hop to kill off
> bacteria. If you are really unlucky you will smell a musty, fungal
> smell. The latter is quite rare nowadays as cellars are generally
> temperature controlled and beer lines cooled with a water "python"
> (except for that last half pint).

Noted. Next time I'll trust my instincts and speak up.

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, DR200SE, Vespa Ciao

siwilson <siwilson@nodamnspam.hotmail.com> wrote:
> On 14/11/2021 20:39, Mark Olson wrote:
>
>> The missus said not to
>> say anything to the bar staff, so I didn't.
>
> That's taking the British thing a bit far old chap. I'm sure they
> wouldn't have been offended if you'd asked if it really should taste
> like that. Perhaps it should - there are plenty of beers I think are awful.

Thanks. Next time, I won't be shy.

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, DR200SE, Vespa Ciao

On 15/11/2021 00:04 wessie penned these words:
> Mark Olson <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote in
>
>> "Lord John Russell" pub.
>>
>> Lord John Russell
>> +44 20 7388 0500
>> https://maps.app.goo.gl/4HCHKimYAkgQ32yr6
>>
>
> it's not a Wetherspoons, so yes, most likely
>
> https://whatpub.com/pubs/NLD/6298/lord-john-russell-london says it has
> Brains SA (from Cardiff) as a regular ale which we affectionately called
> Skull Attack in my youth. At 4.5% it was considered a strong beer in the
> early 80s. How things change!

My first 2 PO/BT courses were in 4 weeks each in Cardiff. I drank gallons of
bloody SA

--
Ian

"Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of
the last priest"

On 14/11/2021 20:39, Mark Olson wrote:
> Mark Olson <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote:
>>
>> Waitng for our food, may try a cask ale for my 2nd.
>>
>> https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZACQbqoupJtDEwXC8
>
> After the Guinness, I had a Market Porter. To me, it tasted distinctly
> off, with a noticeable taste of vinegar. The missus said not to
> say anything to the bar staff, so I didn't. But if we go back there
> tomorrow, I can guarantee that's one I won't bother trying again. And
> I'll definitely be trying the same beer at another place to see if
> it's just gone bad at the Lord Russell or if it's really supposed to
> taste like that.
>

You can, and should, ask for a taste/sample 1st when sampling new stuff.

--
Bruce Porter
"The internet is a huge and diverse community but mainly friendly"
http://ytc1.blogspot.co.uk/
There *is* an alternative! http://www.openoffice.org/

YTC#1 wrote:
> Mark Olson wrote:
> > After the Guinness, I had a Market Porter. To me, it tasted distinctly
> > off, with a noticeable taste of vinegar. The missus said not to
> > say anything to the bar staff, so I didn't.

If a beer's basically alright but not to my taste, I chalk that up to experience and order something different next time. If it's genuinely off, tainted, or so cloudy it's going to have me levitating in bed, I take it back and I've never been refused a replacement. The response has almost always been "oh, shit, sorry, we didn't notice". Unwritten rules on "making a scene" don't apply to shit beer.

> > But if we go back there
> > tomorrow, I can guarantee that's one I won't bother trying again. And
> > I'll definitely be trying the same beer at another place to see if
> > it's just gone bad at the Lord Russell or if it's really supposed to
> > taste like that.

Fuck that. There are hundreds of other beers you could try. Why bother ordering the same thing twice if you didn't instantly love it? Hundreds of other pubs too.

> You can, and should, ask for a taste/sample 1st when sampling new stuff.

In a quiet pub, sure. In a busy London pub, maybe. Sure, you could, but I wouldn't go so far as should.

http://viz.co.uk/2015/02/05/real-ale-twats/

ogden <eldaifo@gmail.com> wrote:
> YTC#1 wrote:
>> Mark Olson wrote:
>> > After the Guinness, I had a Market Porter. To me, it tasted distinctly
>> > off, with a noticeable taste of vinegar. The missus said not to
>> > say anything to the bar staff, so I didn't.
>
> If a beer's basically alright but not to my taste, I chalk that up to
> experience and order something different next time. If it's genuinely
> off, tainted, or so cloudy it's going to have me levitating in bed,
> I take it back and I've never been refused a replacement. The response
> has almost always been "oh, shit, sorry, we didn't notice". Unwritten
> rules on "making a scene" don't apply to shit beer.

My instinct was, and still is, that it was off. Should have stuck to
my first impression and not kept quiet. I honestly can't believe that
anyone would actually prefer a beer that smelled and tasted of vinegar,
but I figured there's a vanishingly small but non-zero chance of it,
considering how odd some of the beer aficionados are.

>> > But if we go back there
>> > tomorrow, I can guarantee that's one I won't bother trying again. And
>> > I'll definitely be trying the same beer at another place to see if
>> > it's just gone bad at the Lord Russell or if it's really supposed to
>> > taste like that.
>
> Fuck that. There are hundreds of other beers you could try. Why
> bother ordering the same thing twice if you didn't instantly love
> it? Hundreds of other pubs too.

The point was, I generally like a Porter (at least most all of them
that I have tried to date), and I am genuinely curious to see what
that particular beer is _supposed_ to taste like, when it's not gone
off. But you're right, there are literally hundreds of other brands
and pubs I could try. I'll certainly not be going out of my way to
find a place that serves that particular beer.

Looking forward to another session tomorrow night in Salisbury.

>> You can, and should, ask for a taste/sample 1st when sampling new stuff.
>
> In a quiet pub, sure. In a busy London pub, maybe. Sure, you could,
> but I wouldn't go so far as should.

The Russell wasn't really busy at all last night. Nice mix of ordinary
folk and not a lager lout in sight, although the two youngsters at the
next table were going through their pitcher of lager at a decent rate.

> http://viz.co.uk/2015/02/05/real-ale-twats/

LOL.

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, DR200SE, Vespa Ciao

YTC#1 wrote:

> On 13/11/2021 13:32, Mark Olson wrote:
> > In case anyone's keeping track- currently residing in the
> > Harlingford Hotel for three nights.
> >
>
> Cracking area, I used to rent a "bijou" apartment on the other side
> when working in London.
>
> Some decent pubs and eateries around.

Agreed, I used to work in Russell Square. There was an awesome Chinese
called Poons in Woburn Place but I don't think it's still there.

--
Krusty

On 15/11/2021 10:16, ogden wrote:
> YTC#1 wrote:
>> Mark Olson wrote:
>>> After the Guinness, I had a Market Porter. To me, it tasted distinctly
>>> off, with a noticeable taste of vinegar. The missus said not to
>>> say anything to the bar staff, so I didn't.
>
> If a beer's basically alright but not to my taste, I chalk that up to experience and order something different next time. If it's genuinely off, tainted, or so cloudy it's going to have me levitating in bed, I take it back and I've never been refused a replacement. The response has almost always been "oh, shit, sorry, we didn't notice". Unwritten rules on "making a scene" don't apply to shit beer.
>
>
>>> But if we go back there
>>> tomorrow, I can guarantee that's one I won't bother trying again. And
>>> I'll definitely be trying the same beer at another place to see if
>>> it's just gone bad at the Lord Russell or if it's really supposed to
>>> taste like that.
>
> Fuck that. There are hundreds of other beers you could try. Why bother ordering the same thing twice if you didn't instantly love it? Hundreds of other pubs too.
>
>
>> You can, and should, ask for a taste/sample 1st when sampling new stuff.
>
> In a quiet pub, sure. In a busy London pub, maybe. Sure, you could, but I wouldn't go so far as should.
>
> http://viz.co.uk/2015/02/05/real-ale-twats/
>

Well, Whisky, not that is different.

--
Bruce Porter
"The internet is a huge and diverse community but mainly friendly"
http://ytc1.blogspot.co.uk/
There *is* an alternative! http://www.openoffice.org/

On 15/11/2021 10:41, Mark Olson wrote:
> ogden <eldaifo@gmail.com> wrote:
>> YTC#1 wrote:
>>> Mark Olson wrote:
>>>> After the Guinness, I had a Market Porter. To me, it tasted distinctly
>>>> off, with a noticeable taste of vinegar. The missus said not to
>>>> say anything to the bar staff, so I didn't.
>>
>> If a beer's basically alright but not to my taste, I chalk that up to
>> experience and order something different next time. If it's genuinely
>> off, tainted, or so cloudy it's going to have me levitating in bed,
>> I take it back and I've never been refused a replacement. The response
>> has almost always been "oh, shit, sorry, we didn't notice". Unwritten
>> rules on "making a scene" don't apply to shit beer.
>
> My instinct was, and still is, that it was off. Should have stuck to
> my first impression and not kept quiet. I honestly can't believe that
> anyone would actually prefer a beer that smelled and tasted of vinegar,
> but I figured there's a vanishingly small but non-zero chance of it,
> considering how odd some of the beer aficionados are.
>
>>>> But if we go back there
>>>> tomorrow, I can guarantee that's one I won't bother trying again. And
>>>> I'll definitely be trying the same beer at another place to see if
>>>> it's just gone bad at the Lord Russell or if it's really supposed to
>>>> taste like that.
>>
>> Fuck that. There are hundreds of other beers you could try. Why
>> bother ordering the same thing twice if you didn't instantly love
>> it? Hundreds of other pubs too.
>
> The point was, I generally like a Porter (at least most all of them

A good breed.

--
Bruce Porter
"The internet is a huge and diverse community but mainly friendly"
http://ytc1.blogspot.co.uk/
There *is* an alternative! http://www.openoffice.org/

YTC#1 wrote:
> > http://viz.co.uk/2015/02/05/real-ale-twats/
> >
> Well, Whisky, not that is different.

It was the only RAT strip they had on the web site.

On Mon, 15 Nov 2021 14:27:54 +0000, YTC#1 <bdp@ytc1-spambin.co.uk>
wrote:

>On 15/11/2021 10:41, Mark Olson wrote:
>> The point was, I generally like a Porter (at least most all of them

>A good breed.

heh

Of course, there are exceptions :-)
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old