Beers, Boats and Boozers, 2018. No. 45

We delayed our start hoping that we would be able to share the job of locking up the Stockton Locks

We even waited at the bottom, and helped a boat to come down before resigning our selves to our own company. Helen drove 'Holderness' in to the braod lock and I shut up. Just as I was working to the other end of the lock I spied a hire boat approaching so opened the gates and then invited them in with us. A match was made.

We wers oon up Itchington and Shop Locks and starting on the Stockton flight proper. They had young children but an extra hand mean't that Helen could go ahead and prepare the next lock. We were able to 'jam' the stern in the jaws of the lock when clear of the gate so that I could jump off and close the gate before heading off and entering the prepared lock together. We made really good  time together.

At the top lock is another of the Thames Lock Keepers houses look-a-likes. I assume they were built when the canal was upgraded to widebeam in the 1930's.

I loved this little tug that was moored near the old Nelson's Cement Works Arm that has been restored and moorings created along with the Willow Wren training school.

We headed into Calcutt Marina as we had booked in to have our Hurricane Diesel heater serviced, just a little before its 1000 hours. We were off the next day having found the cause of a small and intermittent fuel leak we had in the Hurricane, along with the service.

We had no luck with a partner for the Calcutt locks, but as there are only three it wasn't too bad either and the last of the broad beam locks for us this year too.

We were soon at Napton Junction or Wigram's Turn and we turned to the left to make our way to Braunston.

It always seems to take longer than you expect to get there due to the number of boats moored along the beautiful stretch. If they all moored nose to tail it wouldn't be too bad but everybody wants their little bit of peace and quiet, understandable so, so no sooner have you passed one boat and speeded up you are slowing down for the next one. It is much less busy up north! But we soon arrived at Braunston Junction and the much photographed irn foot bridges.

We were lucky to find a mooring just ahead of the 'Wand'ring Bark and Jam Butty. Andy and Helen must have been off the boat as we didn't manage to meet up at all.

We went for a walk into the village and to buy some provisions. Helen had a hankering for a baked potato, and I was relieved to get confirmation that the fad wasn't caused by pregnancy or similar! We though the the Boathouse would perhaps be the best bet to find one for our evening meal. We were disappointed not to find them on the menu but we stopped anyway. On this site had been a gentleman's residence equiped with hunting stables until the 1950's. The pub that took over the building was then called the Castle Inn, New Castle, Rose and Castle, Boat Man and Mill House before the Boathouse. It is today owned by Marston's and as such does not have a very exciting range of draft beers, among them Bank's Amber and Hobgoblin. Nothing particularly wrong with them just not very interesting!

Marston's Brrwery started in 1834 at the Horninglow Brewery to the east of Burton on Trent. In 1898 they amalgamated with another local company John Thompson and Son and moved in to the brewery of London brewer Mann, Crossman and Pauklin who had moved back to London once the secret of 'Burtonising' the water was discovered, the Albion Brewery on Shobnal Road where they still have a brewery. In 1905 they bought Evershed's and became Marston, Thompson and Evershed's. In 1999 they inturn were bought by Wolverhampton and Dudley Brewery bu in 2007 they changed the name of the conglomerate to Marston's again. The company now has many breweries under its flag, Banks' and Hansons, Mansfield, Jennings, Ringwood, Thwaites and Charles Wells and also brew draught Bass under licence too.

I had a pint of Pedigree, 4.5%. The beer has fairly recently has had a re-branding and has become an Amber Ale. In fact the name Pedigree was given after a competition in 1952. The beer is much older than that but Marstons originally called it 'P'. That may have been acceptable in the Victorian Age when it was became popular but by 1952 it conjured up the wrong vision! It was one of the famous Burton Pale Ales. Its colour came from just pale malt and brewing sugar but managed to get a nice biscuity flavour through. There was nothing wrong with my pint at all, just, as I say, a little boring.