Beers, Boats and Boozers, 2018. No.30.

After a couple of days at Nantwich including the Nantwich Show and the International Cheese Show we were off again down south.

There was plenty of traffic on the canal and the tow path as we headed out of town.

The rolling hills of Cheshire pass by with a good indication of how dry it has been for the last few weeks.

As we approached the bottom of the Hack Green Locks a boat had just left. It suddenly veered left and headed for the winding hole. I did wonder what was happening as he was going at a fair rate of knots. He stemmed the concrete with quite a bash and came up all standing! He recovered winded and got to the long ahead of us.

The stable block at the top of the second Hack Green Lock seems an odd place for one as it seems a very isolated spot indeed. I would have thought Audlem would have been a better spot.

It must be warm as I can see Helen's arms and legs!!

There were a few boats on the Coole Pilates visitor moorings and a cow and geese to keep them company. Through the bridge can be seen 'NB Valerie'. We didn't know that when I took the picture, but as we got close we stopped and had an hour with Jaq Biggs. She has since sold 'Valerie' and returned to America. I'm sure we will hear more from her though. I hope so anyway.

Once we set off again this heifer had found her way out of the field, onto the tow path and the boaters moored nearby were wondering what to do with her!

Past the marina and approaching the Moss Hall Aqueduct over the River Weaver. Lush pasture for the sheep grazing there.

At the foot of the 15 Audlem Locks but a little late to get to the top so we just did one before stopping for the day.

A nice spot with a bit of sun and not too far from the pub.

The Shroppie Fly is iconic on the Shropshire Union Canal and is name after the express boats, or flys, that traded up and down the canal, and had priority over all other craft. The crane outside adds to the photogenic scene, but it was not originally sited here. In 2018 it has been found to be unsafe (the crane that is) and has been fenced off. I think it the pub was closed the last time we passed through, and over the years it has changed hands regularly. I was interested what changes, if any, had been made. The had five hand pulls although there was Doom Bar and Courage on two of them. The decor doesn't seem to have changed much since the last time I was in. The dining area seemed to be well used and the portions required crampons!, or a generous doggie bag.

I had a pint from Salopian Brewery from Hadnall, north of Shrewsbury. They had originally strated in 1994 behind a pub in North Wales. The year after the landlord/brewer moved to Shrewsbury and changed the brewery name to Salopian after the old name for the county. They were then the smallest brwery, not attached to a pub, in the country with a 2bbl plant. They concentrated on contract brewing until the progressive beer tax came in and they could brew their own cask beers. By 2007 they had expanded to a 20bbl plant and they engaged a salesman. They tripled their sales since then. After increasing to a 30bbl plant they needed still more capacity and relocated to a new 50bbl brewery.

I had a pint of their Shropshire Gold at 3.8%. It was a little flat and after a taste I could tell it was just going over. I finished it and went to try another. I went for a Dizzy Blonde from Robinson's. It had not cleared by the time I had got back to my seat, and it never did. I took it back and the landlord told me that it should be okay as the barrel had only been on a day. It was have either been shaken, or not left to stand long enough, or it was just a dud cask. I didn't really want to try anymore but he insisted so I tried a pint of bitter from Black Sheep. Can't go wrong with that I thought. To be honest it wasn't right but I finished it. If a pub can't get its beer right they will be on a hiding to nothing. As I chatted to the landlord I suggested that he would be looking forward to the canal festival for trade. He said that they came and looked at the boats , but most stayed up in the village to see the trucks and cars etc. There are two other pubs up there to choose from. This was July 2018 so things may well be different and the food certainly seemed to be going down a storm with the diners.