Managed to drag the family out for a short walk this afternoon. They all hate walking, and it's only the promise of going to the pub (and some yummy treats therein) that gets them to agree to participate in the first place. Of course, this also means I get to go to the pub too...
So I based today's walk around the Four Horseshoes in the nearby village of Chobham. This pub is based in a cute building in a great location, but until its recent refurbishment it was a grubby, tired place and avoided by many. Today's trip was my first since it reopened a couple of weeks ago, and it promised "a range of fine ales" - just up my street.
In the "public bar" (much smaller than the restaurant, but I guess that's where the profit is these days), the "range of fine ales" were actually two - London Pride and Flying Scotsman. Now I'm no fan of London Pride (more of that in the future), and it was with a heavy heart I noted that the Flying Scotsman - which I hadn't heard of before - was from the Caledonian brewery in Scotland. I don't like to leap to conclusions but Scotland is not known for its beer. Most Scottish brews I've had have been bloody appalling.
So it was with some trepidation I sniffed the fresh-poured pint.
To my amazement, it smelt good - a bit malty up front, but in a good way. This is a ruby ale, looking fairly clear but creamy to the taste, like the Lancashire brews of my youth. Like almost every beer we've reviewed so far, it was citrusy (gonna need to find a new adjective), with hints of hazelnut and a clean finish.
Flying Scotsman is a really drinkable, tasty ale; not like the IPAs we've been necking so far, but in a northern, creamy way. This, really, is what yesterday's Hog's Back should have tasted like. Well done Scotland - you CAN do it!
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