A pint in a pub and Covid-19

By Steve the Beermeister:

As we said recently (blog), it is the personal choice of every one of us, from the 4th of July 2020, whether we go to a pub, restaurant or bar, providing we take into account Government Guidance (website). Our opinion, expressed in that blog, is that, shamefully, the Government is passing the buck, indeed, passing on as much responsibility as they can, and Government Policy and Guidance is a Pig's Ear!

Whatever! I drank a wonderful pint from Kent Brewery (website) on Monday, their gorgeous 4.8% version of an American Pale Ale, Prohibition, a finalist in the 2019 CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain contest, and up there with the best. I have drunk it since lockdown and the Coronavirus Crisis began, recently thanks to the life preserving delivery service of The Jolly Fisherman (website) a couple of weeks ago, but that first pint, fresh from the cask, was wonderful. Prohibition is a very pale golden bitter, straw coloured even, with a big citrus/tropical fruit aroma and taste, particularly grapefruit flavour. A good strength and body ensures you know you have had a drink, and it finishes with what I always rave about, a dry bitter aftertaste, gorgeous!

And, knowing I can't travel far these days because of travelling restrictions brought in by the Government thanks to the Coronavirus Crisis, my drinking has to be in Hastings, or within walking distance of Hastings. So where did I have my first post-lockdown ale in a pub? The Dolphin Inn (website) at 11-12 Rock a Nore Road TN34 3DW, reopened on Monday (I stayed in at the weekend), and it was great to meet up with people I'd not seen for a while, appropriate social distancing of course, and table service! As you can see from the interior photograph above, they have redecorated and re-planned the inside to a warm hospitable environment, not that it hasn't always been so.

Everything has been reorganized so that only one person can use each toilet at a time, during busy periods there will be someone on the door to ensure the numbers of customers in the pub are restricted at any one time, and service is to the tables inside, although customers sitting outside have to go inside to a set point for their drinks, and there is off sales provision too. 

In the short-term there will be just the 4 ales on at any one time, including their 3 regulars still, Dark Star Hophead, Young's Special and Harvey's Sussex Best. This week the guest ales at the 4th pump will be from Kent Brewery (website), and as I said, they started off with Prohibition, of which they had 2 firkins, hurry if you want to drink Prohibition, as it is going quickly, but if you do miss it, it will be replaced by another excellent ale from that brewery, so no real concern. Oh yes, and they have a new chef, Tim, who many of us know from elsewhere, dishing up some very interesting looking food (website), specials on the menus are to be introduced as reopening lengthens, and a Japanese Evening is planned to be held soon.

(Ed) Not all licensed premises in Hastings are open yet, but a few reopened on Monday in addition to the Dolphin, and some will be open again very soon, but during my early morning walks (I have continued this institution!) I noticed that The Retreat Bar up at Shear Barn in Barley Lane, has reopened, although not at the hour I pass. 😉 Indeed, I noted their opening times for now as 4pm to 7pm Mon/Tuesday; closed Wednesdays; 4pm to 7pm Thursday; 5pm to 9pm Fri/Saturdays; 2pm to 6pm Sunday. Their restaurant is closed until further notice.

Whatever, wherever, remember to be careful folks!