It has become very apparent in recent weeks that we have a number of Real Ale fans who are supporters of the Dons - note the number of recent thread drifts (of which I am as much at fault as anyone else).

I thought therefore it might be a good idea to start a thread where this seemingly popular topic can be discussed.

To start the ball rolling, I thought I would let everyone know about an excellent beer I discovered last Saturday at the Kelham Island Tavern in Sheffield. The beer in question is called Mowdie Catcher, a Chestnut Bitter from the Marston Moor Brewery in Kirk Hammerton near York. I have to say it's the best pint of bitter that I have tasted in many weeks.

Anyone else got a recent favourite to recommend?

I had two very decent pints at the George and Dragon, Wentworth on Valentine's Evening. Idle Brewery's Idle Landlord and Abbeydale Deception, the Landlord is a very palatable maltier beer with treacly notes and the Deception is very light in colour, hoppy with citrusy notes ( as us geeky CAMRA-types like to describe beers ) I would have thought Brother Grimshaw would look favourably on the former and Brother Stand-Offish, on the latter.

Incidentally, the Idle Brewery is only just down the road from us at West Stockwith, near Gainsborough . Their brewery tap, the White Hart on Main Street has about five on at any one time, all prefixed Idle and all very different. Well worth a visit but it's very difficult to get there by public transport. Either train to Gainsborough and the 96 bus or the train to Retford and the 96 bus going in the opposite direction.

Very friendly local. Been in there a couple of times and haven't had the "three heads" treatment yet

Had a cracking Fullers ESB at the Mad Bishop and Bear on Paddington Station at the weekend.

You did well - on our route from Wood Green to the Stadium and back by an alternative route, the best I managed was a pint of Greene King IPA Smooth.

A fantastic Pub, been there on many occasions as a mate of mine only lives a about a mile away. Had my first pint of both Red McGregor and Skullsplitter there (fond memories) .

Real Dons fans drink Real Ale.

In a wine glass though?

I had occasion to go to Donny today.
I popped into Wetherspoons.
There it was the ale that is a perfect combination of malty and hoppy.
No prizes for guessing it was Abbot Ale from the Greene-King brewery at Bury-St-Edmunds.
A 5% ale at £1.49 on a Wednesday.
Now come on beat that.
And it was in perfect condition.
I could and did play Lord of the Rings to my heart's content.

Mass produced ale from a brewery that is slowly loosing (if not lost)its independent tag. Wildly available now at a lot of outlets and becoming the John Smiths of the real ale world. Obviously the draw is the price and some folk will supp anything while the smaller independents struggle to keep level at those prices. Weatherspoons also have a habit of keeping their real ale at a temperature that masks the flavours (too cold)

























Stands back for the wind up

Can get a decent pint of Black Sheep, hand pulled tetleys &john smiths in the Windmill in Thorne .

Old Mill in the Punchbowl.

Black sheep in the Canal Tavern also .

Heard good things about the Windmill in Thorne - is it worth the visit ?