SUIP!

The past few days in London have been hectic. Christmas is a big deal in Britain - not for the religious aspects naturally, but - you know - for shopping. Fighting through the crowds on Oxford, Bond and Carnaby has been my family’s prime occupation since we arrived. I’ve had a nasty cold though, so in between finding Perfect Gifts for our extended family, I’ve ducked away into various pubs for comfy booths, quiet places to blow my nose and sneaky half-pints.

The White Horse on Newburgh Street isn’t as well known as its Parsons Green namesake - which is famous for its beer garden and beer club - but is a good little retreat from the madness of Carnaby Street just a hundred yards away. The White Horse is a good example of a central London retreat. Well priced cask ales, congenial (or just genial, rather) atmosphere and knowledgeable barstaff are a given here - and those are three things I appreciate very much.

The White Horse is a decent pub. Nothing special, but indicative nonetheless. The lesson is this: a Cask Marque plaque is generally a good sign. See this outside a pub and you’ll get beer other than Tennent’s, Carling or Carlsberg, which, despite what your fantasies about British pubs might cause you to think, is sometimes all you can get – especially in the more gray pockets of Gray Britain.

London isn’t such a pocket, though, and great pubs are dime a dozen in good areas. Take my brother’s local, for instance. The Curtains Up in Barons Court is a pub and restaurant upstairs and a fully-functioning theatre downstairs. Sure, it’s not the biggest theatre, but last time I was here Abby Titmuss was starring in a play. That’s something, right? (Abby Titmuss is a Page 3 model, by the way, as if her name didn’t give the game away.)

It’s a wonderful spot: spacious, warm and buzzing. The food is delicious and the beer selection is great. You’ll find stuff like Blue Moon and Camden Town on bottle (Camden tip: their Hells/Helles is a good malty lager, but skip the wheat beer - it’s average stuff.) seasonal cask ales (Sharp’s isn’t half bad, but St. Nich’s Tipple, an alluringly red seasonal strong ale, is the best pick) and a dozen other beers on tap at any time.

The mulled house cider is the best pick though. Hot damn. Gratuitously steeped with anise, cinnamon and clove (and fortified with a lot of sugar), it’s warm, soothing and a wonderful hand-warming, belly-soothing tonic for bitterly cold evenings. Perhaps tonic is the wrong word, though, as one half pint sets you right to sleep. Not that I was complaining. Reportedly I was dancing quite a jolly jig on the way back to my brother’s.

Enjoyable times were had, and I’ll be hopefully delving into beers from Fullers and the Kernel Brewery in the new year. But for now it’s goodbye to London, and onwards to Dundee.