A Cumbrian beer - brewed in Stockport

The Mason's Arms in Anchor Street, Southport, was very busy last night. There was a large contingent of us singers and musicians gathered for the (unamplified) acoustic song night, but the rest of this small pub was busy too. The Mason's is a Robinson's pub which keeps its beer well, and while the usual real ale is Unicorn, last night it was Hartleys XB. Hartley's Brewery of Ulverston was taken over by Robinson's in 1982 and closed in 1991, when production was moved to Stockport.

I remember at the time asking Graham Donning, now one of the organisers of the Manchester Beer and Cider Festival but who in 1991 lived in Ulverston, what the takeover had done for the beer. He replied that overall it was an improvement: the beer had become much more consistent, whereas the Ulverston-brewed version had been extremely variable. Robinson's say the beer is brewed to the original recipe, formulated in 1949. I'm unable to judge because I never drank Hartley's beers when the brewery was independent.

The brewery's own description of the beer is here, and it includes the phrase, 'pale, tart beer, with its rich body and subtle tang of malt'. To me it tastes like just another product from the Robinson's stable, unremarkable but unobjectionable, which is slightly surprising if it complies with the original recipe.

Then there's the pump clip which gives the name as 'Hartleys Cumbrian XB', displaying a picture of the Lake District and the slogan 'Brewed to Eric Simpson's 1949 Recipe'. They are clearly pushing the beer's Cumbrian origins, even though it hasn't been brewed in the area for nearly a quarter of a century. There is no mention of Stockport or Robinson's.

Is this another example - attractive design notwithstanding - of deception, similar to that by Sharp's Brewery who got a lot of flak last year when it was discovered that the production of bottled Doom Bar had quietly been moved to Burton on Trent two years previously? I don't think so: the situation with XB isn't comparable because Robinson's has never made a secret of the fact that Hartley's isn't brewed in Ulverston any more, and this is quite clear from their website. In contrast, I could find no mention even now (post-scandal) on the Sharp's website that some Doom Bar is not brewed in Cornwall.

XB is one of those standard regional brews that is acceptable, but it isn't a beer you'd actively seek out, and it certainly wouldn't impress those who live a life full of hop. 

Robinson's Wizard

The Masons acoustic song session was particularly busy last night, with 9 or 10 performers rolling up. The Masons is a small local in Anchor Street, Southport, and the regulars seem to quite enjoy having unamplified live music in their pub a couple of times a month (every 1st and 3rd Wednesday).

Brewer's tasting notes for Robinson's Wizard

It's a Robinson's house, and the usual real ale is Unicorn, with occasional visits by Dizzy Blonde or, more rarely, Trooper. Last night there was one I hadn't come across before: Wizard, named after the legend of the Wizard of Alderley Edge. I've attached the tasting notes from the Robinson's website, which I regard as wildly optimistic. It has a subdued version of the distinctive Robinson's flavour that is particularly detectable in Unicorn or Trooper, but is lighter flavoured than either of these. Beyond this, it is an unremarkable amber beer, pleasant enough in itself, but no flavours that either especially please or offend. At 3.7%, it is below my preferred strength, but as the Masons has only one real ale on at any time, beggars can't be choosers. I didn't mind it, but neither would I cross the road for it. Conclusion: typical example of a regional brewer's speciality beer.

Local music nights this week

Yesterday evening's singaround in the Guest House was surprisingly well attended, seeing that the weather was unpleasant and it was so soon after New Year. Nine performers turned up, plus several people who had come along just to listen. Nice to have an audience!

For this month only, the Mason's singarounds have been put back a week to the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, owing to the fact that the 1st Wednesday was 1 January. The first one this year is this Wednesday 8 January. The Mason's is in Anchor Street, Southport, behind the main post office. Robinson's real ale.

This Thursday 9 January has two singarounds in Liverpool: the singaround in the Belvedere, 5 Sugnall Street, Liverpool, L7 7EB takes place between 2pm to 4pm. 4 real ales. Later at 8.15pm, it's my monthly acoustic song session in the Lion Tavern, Moorfields, Liverpool from around 8.15pm. 8 real ales.

I received a text last night from Sue Raymond that her weekly open mike nights in the Upsteps, Upper Aughton Road, Southport will begin again next Tuesday 14 January. One real ale sometimes on.

All these events are free, and performing is optional. This is just a selection - for more, see my events page.

What's on ~ next few days

Plenty for music lovers in the Southport area over the next few days:

Tonight (30th): Mary Humphreys and Anahata are the guests this evening at the Bothy Folk Club. Traditional songs entertainingly and tastefully played with concertina, banjo and melodeon accompaniment (and cello if we're lucky).
l "Wonderful and unusual versions of songs and brilliant accompaniments and tunes." Pete Coe, Ryburn Folk Club.
l "I've been playing it over and over as I've been driving around in the car" - Mike Harding, BBC Radio 2.
l "Their music seems to be simple, pared-down, beautiful and timeless" Mick Tems, Taplas.
That's tonight at the Park Golf Club, Park Road West, Southport, PR9 0JS. 8.00pm. 

Monday (1st July): is the free acoustic song session in the Guest House, Union Street, Southport from around 8.30pm. Good range of real ales.

Wednesday (3rd): Mason's singaround on Wednesday, 3 July, from c. 8:45pm. Anchor Street, Southport. This may be the last one until September.

Mason's and Swords

A couple of events this week:

l In the Mason's: it's the usual singaround, or acoustic song session, tomorrow night (15 May). The pub's in Anchor Street, Southport, behind the main post office on Lord Street. Real ale from Robinson's and they usually provide butties too. From 8.30pm.

The Swords at the Albert Dock

l Southport Swords Annual Day of Dance is in Liverpool this Saturday 18 May with ten different guest dance sides. It should be a chance to enjoy traditional English dance, and an opportunity to see how varied the different styles can be. Traditional dance often involves real ale pubs, so Liverpool is a great place for it. It always seems to go down well with bemused, but fun-loving, Scousers. I've have checked the Swords website, but I have no idea about their itinerary or timings. I've asked for them and will add them to this post, should they let me know.

P.S. (15 May): 10 teams, the best from the North West, will be entertaining from 10.30am onwards. 

Dance spots are Church Street/Whitechapel, Church Street/Church Alley, Mathew Street, Williamson Square, Bold Street/Central Station with a massed stand at the Podium (Church Street/Parker Street) possibly about 15.45.

Elbow room at the Mason's

It was a good singaround in the Mason's last night, accompanied by a real log fire, ham butties, cheese & crackers, and pints of build a rocket boys! It's a beer created by the band elbow and brewed by Robinson's of Stockport. I saw an item about it in a CAMRA mag a while ago; the band seemed very pleased about having a beer made to their own specifications. It's pleasant enough and golden and it has some of the characteristic taste that you expect from a Robinson's beer. Like the beers of a lot of regional breweries that have leapt on the golden beer bandwagon, it's unremarkable, inoffensive and surprisingly successful. But then, I never expected Thwaites Wainwright, a similar - though for my money better - beer, to become the brewing phenomenon that it has. build a rocket boys! will satisfy a lot of ordinary real ale drinkers and some non-real ale drinkers, but not those who seek the "innovative" (i.e. with loads of hops). But breweries can't live by such drinkers alone.

The pump clip is a CD of the band's 2011 album build a rocket boys! Brenda, the licensee of the Mason's, tells me that they now scratch the CDs before using them as pump clips because so many were being pinched. It was originally intended as a limited edition (one hit wonder?), but is now Robinson's fourth best selling beer. A share of the profits goes to Oxfam's East Africa Appeal, and it has so far raised more then £25,000.

No one referred to it as build a rocket boys! during the evening. We all just asked for a pint of elbow, even Brenda who eventually gave up trying to correct us all.

Music events over the next few days

A reminder of the fundraiser this evening at the Park Golf Club in tribute to our friend Bernie Blaney and to raise money for the Southport Kidney Fund: you'll find full details here. 

Although our local paper, the Southport Visiter, responded to our press release by phoning me and discussing the event for a good 10 minutes or so, they have published nothing about it at all. The paper has four pages full of pictures of women in ball gowns (plus a few men to even things out) at other fundraisers, and a further two pages of pictures of people dressed as Pudsey, but they couldn't spare just a few column inches for a fundraiser for a small local charity. Our other local paper, the Champion, received the same press release but was equally silent. Both claim to represent the community.

Other events in the next few days:

• There is a singers night at the Bothy Folk Club, Park Golf Club, Park Road West, Southport, PR9 0JS. Thwaites real ale. If you perform, you get in free.
• Monday 3 December: singaround in the Guest House, Union Street, Southport. Good real ale range.
• Wednesday 5 December: singaround in the Mason's, Anchor Street, Southport. Real ale from Robinson's.

See my What's On page to see what else is happening.

Lots of events this week

Quite a busy week if you fancy some time away from X Factor:

Tonight, the 5th, is my usual first Monday evening acoustic song session in the Guest House, Union Street, Southport. This pub has a good range of real ales. From around 8.30 p.m.

On Wednesday 7th it is the turn of the singaround in the Mason's in Anchor Street, Southport. Robinson's beer. From around 8.30 p.m.

On Thursday 8th, the monthly acoustic song session in The Lion, Moorfields, Liverpool, which serves eight real ales. From around 8.30 p.m. Regrettably, I am unable to be there myself.

On Saturday 10th, the Argarmeles Clog, along with several guest Morris sides, will be dancing at various times between 10.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. in Chapel Street, Southport in aid of Children In Need.

Also on Saturday, the Zetland Beer Festival begins (see previous post).

On Sunday 11th, it is a singers night at the Bothy Folk Club, Park Golf Club, Park Road West, Southport, PR9 0JS. Thwaites real ale. Performers get in free. From 8.00 p.m.

Masonic revival & others

The acoustic song nights at the Mason's, which were suspended for the summer, are returning next week. As usual, they're open to anyone either to perform or just to listen. The pub serves Robinson's real ale, and they usually provide sandwiches on the night. The music tends to be eclectic, from folk song to old pop and rock songs, and usually a few tunes along the way as well.

That's in the Mason's Arms, Anchor Street, Southport on Wednesday 19 September from around 8.30pm.

While I'm posting this, I might as well mention:

• my acoustic song session in the Lion Tavern in Moorfields, Liverpool this Thursday the 13th from 8.30pm. 8 real ales.
• a singers night this Sunday the 16th at the Bothy Folk Club, Park Golf Club, Park Road West, Southport, PR9 0JS. Thwaites real ale. Performers get in free.

Mason's tonight

Monday night's music session in the Guest House  proved to be jolly affair, and tonight it's time for the third Wednesday singaround in the Mason's Arms.  Songs, sandwiches and Robinson's beer are on offer.  Free, of course, and open to all.  The Mason's is behind Southport's main post office.

Singarounds in Southport next week

On Monday evening, I will be running a singaround, as I usually do on the first Monday of the month, in the Guest House in Union Street.  Up to 11 real ales.  From 8.30 p.m.

On Wednesday evening, there will the first Wednesday singaround in the Mason's on Anchor Street, just behind the main post office on Lord Street.  It's a cosy little pub, sometimes with a real fire when it's cold, serving Robinson's Unicorn, the only place to sell it in Southport.

Both are of course free, and singing is not mandatory.

Mason's singaround

A bit late I know, but a reminder that the Mason's first singaround of 2012 is tonight from around 8.00 p.m.  The Mason's is behind the main post office on Lord Street, serves real ale from Robinson's and usually provides a nice supper.  From around 8.00 p.m. onwards.  All are welcome.

Back to normal

Now that we are in late summer, our local music events begin to return to normal.

The Bothy:  tonight is the final free summer singaround, and next Sunday the first guest of the autumn season guest is Jim Causley, a young singer from Devon.  He has appeared at the Bothy before as part of the Devil's Interval.  He also opened for the Lunchtime Legends in Whitby last year, perhaps something he'd prefer to forget!

On Monday, my singaround in the Guest House, Union Street, Southport will take place from around 8.30 p.m.  Up to 10 real ales, which last night included the excellent Moorhouse's Blond Witch.

On Wednesday there will be a singaround in the Mason's Arms in Anchor Street, behind the main post office on LordStreet, Southport.  The beer is either Robinsin's Unicorn or Dizzy Blonde.

On Thursday, my singaround in the Lion Tavern in Moorfields, Liverpool.  A splendid little pub with eight changing real ales.

These singarounds are free and anyone can join in ~ and these are just the ones I'm most often involved with; for others, see my What's On page.

Home again

I've just got home from Fairport Convention's Cropredy Festival; it was excellent.  As well as Fairport Convention (of course, as it's their festival), there were the Home Service, UB40, The Coral, Horslips, The Shee, Hayseed Dixie (with a bluegrass rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody!), Seasick Steve, and others.  All were good in varying degrees.  After Fairport, I think I enjoyed the Home Service best.  Wadworth's beers were on, in surprisingly good condition considering the bar was in a field:  6X, a golden beer, and a 5% named after Fairport, which ran out first

I'll be going out shortly clutching my guitar to the singaround at the Bothy Folk Club (Park Golf Club, Park Road West) to sing songs and drink Thwaites Wainwright.  Tomorrow night is the music session in the Guest House in Union Street, and on Wednesday it's the singaround in the Mason's on Anchor Street.  All free and all in real ale venues.

Summertime and the living's breezy ...

Now that summer's here, with its attendant gales and wind, what better to do than go out for a warming drink (in July) and listen - or even play - some music to take your mind off the disappearance of the sun?

• Tomorrow night is the 3rd Monday music session in the Guest House, Union Street, Southport, from around 8-00pm.  Up to 10 real ales.
• On Wednesday there is the singaround in the Masons on Anchor Street (behind the main post office on Lord Street), Southport, beginning at around 8-30pm.  Real ale from Robinsons of Stockport. 

At both, you're welcome to join in or just listen. Cheers!

For other music events in the area, click here.

Mason's singarounds relaunched

The side room in the Mason's
showing the real fire.

I got in from the Mason's a while ago after the first of the relaunched singarounds.  It was back to business as usual really, despite the three months lay off.  As always, Brenda provided plates of sandwiches, and the pub regulars were generally appreciative.  Nice to be back in this cosy town centre pub behind the main post office.

The singarounds will continue on the first and third Wednesday of each month.  All welcome to perform or just listen - and drink Robinson's Unicorn or Dizzy Blonde, both of which were on tonight and in good form.

It was good to be back there with my guitar.

Mason's folk singarounds end

The folk singarounds in the Mason's Arms in Anchor Street, Southport, are finishing. After 5 years, this is a disappointment. However, a few singers who want to play old pop songs have moved in and may continue the evenings in their preferred way. Good luck to them.

Mason's extra singaround tonight

I meant to mention this earlier, but the Mason's regulars decided to have an extra singaround this month on the fifth Wednesday. It's today, the 29th September, from approximately 8.30 pm. You're welcome whether or not you perform, sandwiches are usually provided by the pub, it's free and very informal. Real ale from Robinson's.

The Mason's is on Anchor Street, just behind the main post office on Lord Street in Southport.

It's No Place To Be for the Summer

Place To Be, Rich Simcock's acoustic music nights on the last Thursday of the month in the Mount Pleasant in Manchester Road have closed down for the summer. They will return in September. However, there is no shortage of other events where you can perform, or just listen, usually with decent beer ~ see my events page for details. To pick a few out:

The Bothy continues through the summer with free singarounds every Sunday in the Park Golf Club (Park Rd West) until the new season begins on 12 September with guest Ken Nicol. Thwaites real ale.

The Woody Guthrie Folk Club also meets on the last Thursday of the month and will continue through the summer. Upstairs in the Ship and Mitre, Dale Street, Liverpool. Probably the best real ale selection in town.

The singarounds/music sessions in the Guest House (1st & 3rd Mondays) and the Mason's (1st & 3rd Wednesdays) will also carry on through the summer. Both real ale pubs.

"What good is sitting alone in your room? Come hear the music play."

Isambarde at the Bothy

Isambarde, a young group consisting of Chris Green (vocals, guitar), Jude Rees (oboe, vocals) and Emily Sanders (vocals, fiddle), is playing at the Bothy Folk Club this Sunday. I have seen this group before several times and can thoroughly recommend them, but don't just take my word for it; here's what Vin Garbutt had to say: "Isambarde are a really good young band. They’re good to listen to, good to look at and it’s very obvious that they enjoy performing.”

Here is an example of what Isambarde sounds like.  



It's happening at the Park Golf Club, Park Road West, Southport on Sunday at 8.00 p.m. Thwaites real ale.

Also this week in Southport is the bi-monthly singaround at the Mason's in Anchor Street, which is just behind the main post office on Lord Street. That's tomorrow (Wednesday) night from around 8.30 p.m. Robinson's beers.