What happened next on Pub Friday

You left me departing from the Red Lion at Rusthall, and heading for the nearest bus stop. My intention was to catch the 14:27 service from Rusthall Church, which would safely see me back in Tunbridge Wells ahead of the school rush. Not only did I achieve this, I also managed to jump off the 291 Metrobus outside Tunbridge Wells station, and then hop onto an Arriva bus service that would take me back to Tonbridge. Talk about a seamless connection, and hardly a school kid in sight! Arriving back in Tonbridge, my first task was to find something to eat, and this I achieved by popping into Gregg's. 

There wasn’t a lot left on the filled roll front, which was hardly surprising given the time of day, but a ham and (admittedly) rather tasteless slice of cheese, shoved into a roll, along with a flat white coffee was sufficient to satisfy the inner man. But where to next? The choice was either the Nelson Arms or Fuggles, and it was the latter that won. A convenient bus stop, just five minutes’ walk away from Fuggles, swayed the day, as it seems to have done on a number of recent occasions. I’ve been making good use of my “old gits” bus pass, and whilst I’m all for exercise and walking in the fresh air, it’s an uphill slog back to Bailey Towers, which isn’t what I need at the end of a day out.

There was also the chance of getting another stamp on my cask, “loyalty card” – a stamp for each pint purchased, followed by a free pint once all 10 spaces have been filled. I’ve taken quite a shine to Tonbridge Fuggles, over the past few months, having paid it more visits than any of the other local pubs. I like the easy-going, relaxed atmosphere associated with Fuggles, plus the mixed, and appreciative crowd this beer café attracts. The other reason is that on Thursdays, which is the day when I’ve got some genuine free time available to me, the Nelson doesn’t open until 3pm. Hence Fuggles usually wins over the Nelson.

That’s not to say I haven’t got a soft spot for the latter, as it’s a proper and genuine, traditional back-street local. With regards to beer range, the Nelson stocks up to 10 cask ales, compared to the four normally available at Fuggles, but here’s the rub, many are often from small breweries most of us have never heard of.  This is fine for beer tickers, and also for those who enjoy a bit of variety, but the main thing I’ve noticed is that when a popular beer appears amongst the line-up, it will normally disappear quite rapidly, sometimes almost overnight. Examples include Bonfire Boy and Christmas Ale from Harvey’s, Larkin’s Porter, Adnams Old and virtually anything from Lowestoft-based, Green Jack Brewery.

By contrast, some of the less well-known beers, often hang around for ages, proof if it was needed, of the attraction and pulling power of certain well-known beers, compared to that of their less well-known counterparts. I am able to check which beers are on tap at the Nelson, thanks to the Real Ale Finder App that I installed on my phone. It's not all one-sided though, as the Nelson has a thriving food trade, which not only includes legendary Sunday lunches, but also encompasses themed food deals, such as Curry Night, Pie Evening and several other specialty evenings. Live music, is another feature at the Nelson  although such performances aren't that frequent and are not necessarily everyone's cup of tea.  

Back to the story, after leaving Gregg's, I walked the short distance along to Fuggles, pausing to check the bus times on the way. I already knew, after looking online, that a strong, dark mild from The Kernel Brewery was on sale, and after ordering a pint, and getting my card stamped, the 5.6% Victorian Mild did not disappoint. It was rich, dark and malty with a tremendous depth of flavour that also included raisins and chocolate notes. A couple of days previously, I enjoyed a bottle of Baltic Porter at home. This 6.4% abv beer was also from Kernel, and it is here that I’d like to say something about their bottle labels.

I’m sure many of you are familiar with Kernel’s unassuming plain brown labels, which resemble brown, paper packaging. Underplayed and unpretentious, and presumably deliberately designed, to not detract from the beer itself, but for me, these plain, boring labels do the beer a huge disservice, as they say absolutely nothing about the beer, as well as the brand itself. Crazy really, because whilst I’m rarely disappointed when I crack open a bottle of Kernel beer or enjoyed a perfectly pulled pint of cask from the same brewery. Unfortunately, the brown paper labels tell me nothing about the beer, apart from that it will surprise me!

Before ending this piece, there’s one final attraction that draws me along to Fuggles on a Thursday, and that is the reduced price of the hotdogs on that particular day. £6 Hot Dogs make the perfect lunch offering at Fuggles, was the piece I wrote about this offer, six months ago, and this coming Thursday, after a visit to the barbers, plus a spot of shopping, that is where you will find me.