house selling Unicorn, Wizard, Dizzy Blonde, Double Hop and the infamous, Old Tom, which with an ABV of 8.5% was not to be treated lightly! A half was enough to confirm that this was an excellent full-bodied beer, and it went down very well with the fans of dark beer who had felt a bit neglected earlier in the evening. Jean and I went for the Dizzy Blonde, which I found a bit uninspiring, whilst several of the group tried Double Hop which was perfectly acceptable. Back on the minibus for the final stop of the night, the Old Hall Hotel at Hope. There seemed to be a focus on beers from Greater Manchester here, with Lees
Manchester Pale Ale and Holts Two Hoots on the bar, together with Robinson’s Dizzy Blonde and Theakston’s Bitter and Old Peculier. Jean and I went for the two former, whilst the braver/ more foolhardy amongst us opted for the latter, choosing to finish the night on a high. Positive comments all round, with the Lees and Holt’s brews being new to many of the group. An added bonus here was the live music provided by Trilogy, a three-piece from Stockport playing Hendrix, Cream, Rolling Stones and Tom Petty covers. The rock fans amongst us thoroughly appreciated their efforts, whilst those of a different
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musical persuasion found them ‘a bit loud!’ We were very impressed with the landlord, who made us feel very welcome. I can foresee another outing when they next hold one of their regular beer festivals. To sum up then, another excellent Friday night with a few new faces joining us this time. Jean’s comment that ‘this is one of the best we’ve done’ summed the night up well. By the time this appears in print, we should have enjoyed another two, so look out for future reports. Thanks must go to Tony at Pioneer Club for supplying the minibus - we couldn’t do this without you! Graham and Jean Hall
THREE VALLEYS FESTIVAL Free Bus Service