Another Dip In The 'Pool....

You left me in Liverpool leaving Doctor Duncans undecided as to whether to go straight back to my room at the Travelodge or head for a nightcap at the Ship & Mitre (which I did). Day 2 sees me wandering around and filling in a few more gaps in the city's Good Beer Guide pubs that I'd not previously visited. Here's what I found....

Monday morning came around, and I was up early enough considering it wasn't a working day. Well, I was doing some research for the blog, so I suppose it was in a way. A shower, clothes on, pills taken, a scroll through Twitter (or whatever it's called these days), and I was ready for some breakfast. Google threw up a few options nearby, so I headed out of room and down the stairs, exchanged greetings with Reception, and I was out on the street. I immediately came to one of Google's suggestions, Lovelocks Coffee Shop, which was on the lower floor of the same building as the Travelodge, and I decided to give it a try. Despite its location, it is a completely independent business, and there were already a few tables occupied in what was a bright and cheerful room. I ordered a full English with tea, and when it came it had a few different touches: baked eggs, BBQ beans, home-made hash brown, and spinach, along with the expected bacon, sausage, tomatoes, and mushrooms. It was all beautifully cooked and I have to say it was the best breakfast I have had in years. Highly recommended.

I returned to the hotel room, packed my bag, checked out, and left my bag with Reception for collection later. I set off walking down Dale Street in drizzle, my route taking me towards the Mersey. I emerged at the back of the Royal Liver Building, with the grey waters of the Mersey just beyond and the outline of Birkenhead in the grey distance. I walked down to the waterfront, the drizzle turning into rain, with a dramatic sky framing the buildings of the city behind me (opening image). I wandered down the side of the river in an Albert Dock-ward direction, with several reminders of the city's maritime history evident on the way.

I fancied visiting a museum of which Liverpool has plenty, but unfortunately Monday tends to be a day when they are closed as I have found before. So I drew a blank at the Museum of Liverpool, the Maritime Museum, and the Museum of Slavery, but the Tate Gallery was open so I went for a wander in there, where I was joined by a large number of teenage schoolkids, many of them wandering around in a state of animated boredom as break-up for the summer hols beckoned....

By the time I came out, the rain had eased and a watery sun was even trying to break through. It was getting time for a refreshing drink. I had earmarked a pub to visit nearby, one which I had been in a couple of times before, but not for a long time. However when I arrived at the Baltic Fleet, on the main road opposite the docks, I realised I'd misread the opening time, so I had a wander around for another 20 minutes or so before returning to find an open door. 

The Baltic is a distinctive long and narrow, flatiron shaped building, Grade II-listed, with its exterior painted in white and grey so that it stands out against the neighbouring modern brick and glass-fronted buildings. Inside, it is decorated in a largely nautical style, several large windows making it feel light and airy, and whilst it certainly is attractive it doesn't in my opinion quite match up to some of the pubs I'd visited the day before, notably the Lion and the Ship & Mitre. It is another historic pub, its story closely bound for years with the docks. There were tunnels in the cellar which suggest it may have been involved in smuggling, and the pub at one time had a large number of doors supposedly to make it easier for customers to escape when the press gangs were on a recruitment drive for the nearby ships. I was first customer in, and whilst I walked into an empty room, a lad soon appeared behind the bar having heard my footsteps. The beer was outstanding; From a choice of 4 cask ales (several craft beers are also available) I'd ordered a pint of the 3.8% Trappers Hat bitter from Brimstage, who are based across the water in the Wirral countryside. It was a while since I'd had this beer and it was spot on. Well-balanced, with the sweetness of the malts giving way to a hoppy, bitter finish (NBSS 4). I sat at a table in the apex point of the flatiron beyond some metal stairs which somewhat detracted from my view. Another bloke came in and chatted with the lad behind the bar, followed soon afterwards by another bloke with a friendly whippet which kept watching me from underneath the table in the room beyond the bar. I was very tempted to get another pint, but I had to consider what time I was getting the train home, so I returned my empty glass to the bar and headed out into the improving sunshine.

The Baltic Fleet, Liverpool

I walked back towards Albert Dock and at the next junction, having just passed an Ibis, I turned right towards the city centre up Liver Street which then becomes Hanover Street. A short distance away near the Liverpool One shopping development and the Duke Street food market is Campbell Square, in which sits the Bridewell. Another Grade II-listed building dating from the mid-19th century, this was once a police station with holding cells, as the name suggests (the term 'bridewell' originated from Bridewell Palace in London, a former residence of Henry VIII, which later became an orphanage, poorhouse, and subsequently a prison). The old building has been attractively renovated, with some of the former cells converted into cool seating areas. I walked in through an attractive patio garden where a couple of guys were enjoying a smoke in the increasingly warm and bright sunshine. I walked into the pub and was greeted by the young lady behind the bar in a non-Scouse accent,  "Hello my lovely, what can I get for you?" I had to wait for my eyes to adjust to the light indoors before I could respond. There were 4 handpumps with Kirkstall Three Swords, Conwy Welsh Pride, and two rotating guests, from which I decided on a pint of Fonthill Pale Ale from a brewery I'd never heard of before, Stone Daisy, who are based miles away from Merseyside in Wiltshire. The friendly lass delivered a perfectly pulled pint with a smile, an "Enjoy", and an invitation to read all about the pub's history as depicted on a section of one of the walls. The pub is indeed attractively decorated with a smart modern bar, exposed brickwork, and subdued lighting seamlessly integrated with the building's historic features. Back to the beer, it was a clean and refreshing 4% pale, a worthy NBSS 3.5 which maintained the high quality I'd had on this trip. Looking at the gallery on the pub's website, it suggests that Frankie Goes To Hollywood formed here in 1982. And relax; other than the intermittent sound of a drill employed in some running repair or modification which disturbed the otherwise chilled vibe here, the Bridewell was a very pleasant spot in which to while away half an hour.

I decided I would call in one more pub before returning to the hotel to reclaim my bag. I walked up the busy Hanover Street with its many retail outlets and heavily-laden shoppers jostling for space on the pavement. A few minutes later I came to the pub I had earmarked, just off the busy street on the way to an indoor emporium.

The Globe is a narrow-fronted traditional pub with a small bar as you go in with a further room beyond with additional seating. In contrast to the shopping mayhem in the world outside, the Globe was a little oasis of calm. It was occupied by a number of elderly gents in the bar area, with a group of ladies in the rear bar. The chatter and body language implied these guys were all mates and it was great to find a pub in the heart of the city that was this homely. It felt like I was in the heart of Liverpool. My beer, from a choice which also included Marstons 61 Deep, Doom Bar, and Landlord, was Summer Sizzler from Coach House, who started out in Warrington in 1991, and whilst I have always regarded their beers as ordinary they have managed to meet the needs of many places in the North West and beyond over the intervening period. And is if to make that point, the Summer Sizzler was a decent enough NBSS 3, which I enjoyed along with the craic at the Globe....

I retrieved my bag from the hotel and headed up past Doctor Duncans and Lime Street station, and further along Lime Street I came to the Liverpool Brewing Company Tap, situated next door to Liverpool's finest tattoo shop (apparently), although the beers are brewed elsewhere in the city. The bar was previously also known as Sanctuary, and indeed there was a beer with that name amongst the group of hand pumps on the bar within what was a light and airy room. It was quite busy with several student-types and assorted grey hairs like myself. The guy behind the bar, who sounded American and who said he hadn't been working there long, was friendly and welcoming. I ordered a half of the Tropical Pale Ale, a refreshing 4.2% pale ale with Citra, Centennial, Ekuanot, and Cascade hops all playing their part, and most enjoyable it was too (NBSS 3.5). 

I was getting hungry and had discovered that above the bar was a restaurant selling Nepalese street food, called Momos, which is the name for a stuffed steamed dumpling. The more I thought about it, the hungrier I got, and armed with another half, I headed upstairs into a small room with a few tables and images recalling Nepal including a striking black and white image of a ghurka soldier and another featuring the Himalayas. Their momo-making machine was resting beside the counter, behind which the young couple were friendly as they took my order after I'd failed trying to do it via the QR code on the menu. A few minutes later, a steaming bowl of chilli momos appeared. Light with a delicious filling of chicken, vegetables, herbs and spices, with plenty of warming chilli heat from the sauce, they were fresh and tasty and filled the gap very nicely. Well worth checking out if you are in the city.

A welcome sanctuary: Liverpool Brewing Company Tap

I had about 20 minutes to go before my train left, so I reckoned I had just about time for a quick half and a toilet stop at the Crown, another Grade II-listed pub opposite to Lime Street station. With its imposing exterior including distinctive signage proclaiming Walkers Ales, Warrington, it is impossible to miss. It has a rambling Art Nouveau interior with decorated plasterwork ceilings, wood panelling, and original push bells harking back to the days of table service. Like several of the places I had visited today, it was quite busy, and like the Globe earlier it tended towards the older end. After dashing to the Gents, I walked over to the bar, where there was a core range of nationally-available beers on hand pump including Doom Bar, Hobgoblin Gold, and Taylors Landlord, plus others from the likes of Dark Star, and I also spotted Anarchy Blonde Star. The lady behind the bar smiled as I placed my order. "A half of Blonde Star, please." "Dark Star?" "No, Blonde Star. BLONDE Star." She pulled my half, and presented it with a smile. "There you go, a half of Dark Star." I had no time to argue, and to be fair the beer, Skylab, was a pleasant enough 4.2% session IPA (NBSS 3).

The unmistakeable Crown Hotel

And then it was over the road to get my train back to the other side of the Pennines. It had been a cracking couple of days in which I discovered some truly excellent pubs, and enjoyed a wander around one of our most interesting cities. I'll be back soon....

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