We drifted down to the pub tonight, donned our masks and entered. We found an empty table, separated from the people at the next table by a perspex screen embossed with a dolphin, of course, and ordered a couple of Otters. Alice the landlady, mentioned had recently seen one of our friends, one of the T’s of the 2 T’s. We saw him a while ago and had a distanced conversation, but of the other T, apart from a couple of phone calls, we’ve heard nothing. He’s 91 now, and obviously has to be very careful so it’s an age since we actually saw him. It called to mind other times before the now, when we used to meet them most Sunday evenings, and other times as well. Here’s something I wrote back in the then:
Down to the pub for the last little while and we talked about beer with the 2 T’s, Trev and Tim. Their respective wives aren’t beer people, and also they are probably doing something more interesting than coming to the Dolphin on a quiet night,
We as usual, reverted to talking about beer… beers we love, beers we loved, past beers, dear beers, wonderful beers, terrible beers, beers we’d love to try again, beers at the Golf Club, beers at the Dolphin, beers in the Midlands, beers in Lancashire… beers…
- John Smith – ubiquitous, of its time, but not a #1 choice… nor #2… nor any choice if there was something else
- Robinson’s – when well-kept a fabulous beer… otherwise forget it
- Brickwood’s – less said the better
- Red Barrel – Watney’s – OMG!!
- Banks’s – a fine beer, deserves to be well-kept, a mighty brew!
- BrewDog – epic!
- Dark Star – a great indie brewery but we rarely see it in these parts… that amazing nigh in a now no-longer pub when we drank Espresso… a thing of myth and legend!
- Hansons… we remember it, but…
- Doombar – not necessarily a favourite but a good beer when well-kept
- Otter…
Lois Elsden 