Cape of good hope, Warwick.

[john6767]

Pleased to report good ales and food available. Excellent staff and friendly locals. All good folks!

one canaltime hire boat arrived around sixish plus a boat not long ago arrived with tunnel light on. Just as well as its dark.

That seems to be a quiet night, you are lucky most times it is full. Glad the pub worked out ok too!

[BruceinSanity]

You've forgotten the other stalwart ale of the time - Whitbread Tankard.

The only excellent thing about it was the spoonerism it made when the first letters of each word were transposed ☺

Nice one, Squirrel! Then there was Bass Brew X...

 

I guess CAMRA have the nice problem of having achieved their objective, so now what do they do?

[Mac of Cygnet]

I agree with your use of the past tense. In more recent times I feel CAMRA have lost the plot

In what way, exactly? I'm a member, as I expect several other people here are. As Bruce says, they have largely achieved what they set out to do. The CAMRA magazine has an ongoing discussion about policy, and it is up to members to direct that - you too, if you feel dissatisfied with what they are doing.

[MtB]

I think CAMRAs future role must be to get the ever larger number of 'managed' pubs to train their staff in cellaring skills.

 

As a drinker of 6X around here for example, the sheer variety of standards of pint served would make me believe I'm drinking a different beer comparing the worst to the best.

 

I notice it is generally the pubs run by a landlord/publican who serve a good pint of 6X. When the pub is run on a day-to-day basis by twenty-something lads as employed staff the 6X is generally of average or poorer quality. I'm told the difference is not the beer but the cellaring.

 

CAMRA should get onto this because crappy cellaring of good beer is damaging the reputation of the good beer.

[Tim Lewis]

I think CAMRAs future role must be to get the ever larger number of 'managed' pubs to train their staff in cellaring skills.

 

As a drinker of 6X around here for example, the sheer variety of standards of pint served would make me believe I'm drinking a different beer comparing the worst to the best.

 

I notice it is generally the pubs run by a landlord/publican who serve a good pint of 6X. When the pub is run on a day-to-day basis by twenty-something lads as employed staff the 6X is generally of average or poorer quality. I'm told the difference is not the beer but the cellaring.

 

CAMRA should get onto this because crappy cellaring of good beer is damaging the reputation of the good beer.

 

When I first got into real ale it was an oft quoted saying that 6X 'didn't travel well', this was once said when I was served with a less than perfect pint of it. - We were in a pub next to the brewery at the time !

 

Tim

Edited August 22, 2016 by Tim Lewis

[Cheshire cat]

I think CAMRA has lost the plot in so far as The Good Beer Guide is no longer a guide to good beer. I agree with others that it is all about the cellaring and sadly many pubs that are in the Good Beer Guide sell good beer in poor or at least sub optimal condition.

[Mac of Cygnet]

I think CAMRA has lost the plot in so far as The Good Beer Guide is no longer a guide to good beer. I agree with others that it is all about the cellaring and sadly many pubs that are in the Good Beer Guide sell good beer in poor or at least sub optimal condition.

 

Once again, it's up to those who complain to do something about it. Generally speaking, I find the GBG does what it says, but of course it is out of date before it is published. It can only publish what reporting members find at the time (generally 18 months before publication).

 

There are many, many good pubs which aren't in the GBG because there are too many good pubs in the area, and some which are there because they are oases in a desert, and wouldn't stand a chance in some areas.

 

These days, although I consult the GBG in a new place, I also check on https://whatpub.com/ which has far more pubs and up to date reviews. You can also filter the results for your requirements, e.g. real ale, dog friendly, transport, etc. This is a CAMRA site, but you don't have to be a member to use it.

[PaulG]

Tankard was usually the local brewery's ordinary bitter, in keg form. Except for Brickwoods which was so bad not even Whitnread could sell it as keg beer.

in proper form it was better than Tollemache & Cobbold but not by much

N

For the sake of accuracy, it was actually "Trophy" that was "brewed to the local taste" according to Whitbread's marketing. It was usually brewed by one of the smaller breweries that had been swallowed by the Whitbread empire.

Our local brewery in Cheltenham (originally Chelt Ales), produced Trophy as an insipid keg beer, to be avoided at all costs.

 

In the late 1970's I worked at a pub in Sussex where Trophy was a cask conditioned ale, and in considerable demand. I could never get used to punters actually asking for it!

The "local Trophy" was brewed at Fremlins brewery in Maidstone, by then owned by Whitbread, and was a srprisingly decent brew.

 

Local wisdom was that it was actually Fremlins IPA rebranded.

[PeterG]

Was at the Cape about a week a go for lunch. The food and drink was so good we came back for the evening session as well.

 

Highly recommend stopping at the Cape as it is still a great pub serving decent food and what more do you need when you come by boat?

[David Mack]

For the sake of accuracy, it was actually "Trophy" that was "brewed to the local taste" according to Whitbread's marketing. It was usually brewed by one of the smaller breweries that had been swallowed by the Whitbread empire.

"Whitbread big head Trophy bitter. The pint that thinks its a quart."

 

I seem to recall that was the TV ad jingle.

Edited August 22, 2016 by David Mack

[PaulG]

"Whitbread big head Trophy bitter. The pint that thinks its a quart."

 

I seem to recall that was the TV ad jingle.

Irritating, wasn't it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1heapF8De8

[Nightwatch]

At sea we used to get draught CSB. Courage Special Bitter. Like directors, but able to travel well in differing and adverse temperatures.

 

It was reet grand. Two/three pints and then it would slap you on the back or yer 'ead and make to speak and act funny. Well it did me.

[MIKE P]

Why does the topic of an empty mooring revolve around the pub nearby? these moorings are not just to go to the pub.

[Keeping Up]

This would have been a useful post, if you had mentioned when it was that you last went there.

 

Last time I was in The Cape, they had a good selection of real ales, pretty decent food and while the place was packed, there was plenty of space for boats on the towpath side moorings.

 

That was 26/27th of June this year. Has much changed since then?

Apologies, I should have said it was about 3 years ago so they've had plenty of time to go back to being good again.

[ditchcrawler]

 

When I first got into real ale it was an oft quoted saying that 6X 'didn't travel well', this was once said when I was served with a less than perfect pint of it. - We were in a pub next to the brewery at the time !

 

Tim

They say the same with Adnam's but I have had a crap pint locally and first class ones when on the canals miles from Suffolk. Another beer I find very variable is Doombar. had a good one the other night in the Fish and Eel on the Lee

[Laurie Booth]

Do they still allow dogs in the Cape pub ?

[dmr]

Always good beer if a bit costly, ate there two years ago, food very good, dog ok in bar but not in back eating room.

 

Tricky getting over the lock if you overdo the beer

 

................Dave

[Cheshire cat]

They used to say the same about Boddingtons. I expect that's why they killed it off once the brewery was flattened.

[Mal in Somerset]

Last time that we went there they had no beer except lager. The landlord said British beer was rubbish and that we were stupid for wanting it. We haven't been back since. Maybe others have made the same problem.

I do find it rather disingenuous when people make postings like this. You give no indication as to when you were last in the pub. I have been there on numerous ocassions over the last 2 years and at all times there have been at least 4 real ales on draft and sometimes up to 6 usually from local Brewers and have covered a whole range from milds to stronger ales. The food is also excellent!

 

You may have had a bad experience sometime ago and it can take a few seconds to destroy a pub's reputation. It can then take years to build it up again.

 

Currently I would rank The Cape as one of the better canal side pubs in the region which are geared towards canal users but also have the locals to ensure the place thrives, although I would have to say The Greyhound at Sutton Stop has to be the best!

 

Tricky getting over the lock if you overdo the beer

 

................Dave

If you get there at the right time you might get the space out front!

[Mac of Cygnet]

Why does the topic of an empty mooring revolve around the pub nearby? these moorings are not just to go to the pub.

 

Well the ones just outside definitely are.

[MtB]

At sea we used to get draught CSB. Courage Special Bitter. Like directors, but able to travel well in differing and adverse temperatures.

 

It was reet grand. Two/three pints and then it would slap you on the back or yer 'ead and make to speak and act funny. Well it did me.

 

 

Interesting you should say that. Back in the 1970s (when I was still a real ale enthusiast) a really well cellared pint of Courage Best was rare as hens' teeth but was a most excellent pint when you found it. Would rival a pint of Directors in terms of taste and body.

 

Don;t think I've seen Courage Best on sale for 20 years now though...

I'm now wondering if I was confusing CSB with CB.

[Nightwatch]

To be honest I think the CSB was brewed for us/we Navy types. It was a keg beer,not hand pull.

[Victor Vectis]

you too, if you feel dissatisfied with what they are doing.

Sorry, I havn't been a member for a number of years and anyway I've got more enjoyable ways of wasting my time.

 

What did it for me, finally, was seeing at the GBBF a banner proclaiming 'Pub Games Sponsored By Ruddles'. Now Ruddles beer used to be a very good and brewed in Rutland. But they sold out to Greene King, who closed the brewery, Ruddles became a beer on wheels, a 'brand' and moved to Bury St. Edmunds. And there was CAMRA, a few years later, taking money from GK.

 

As for the local branch, they might vote for a pub as 'Pub of the Year' but the only time you would ever see any of them in there was on the night of the presentation, nursing a half, and waiting to fall on the buffet.

 

CAMRA has to wake up to the fact that these days there are some delicious keg beers out there.

ETA And this is rank heresy to CAMRA.

Edited August 22, 2016 by Victor Vectis

[Victor Vectis]

The "local Trophy" was brewed at Fremlins brewery in Maidstone, by then owned by Whitbread, and was a srprisingly decent brew.

 

Local wisdom was that it was actually Fremlins IPA rebranded.

IIRC Fremlins was a Faversham Brewery.

 

It's going back 35 or so years but I remember the 'Trophy' that they produced was a very nice beer if you could find it on handpump.

[Victor Vectis]

Currently I would rank The Cape as one of the better canal side pubs in the region which are geared towards canal users but also have the locals to ensure the place thrives, although I would have to say The Greyhound at Sutton Stop has to be the best!

Oh no, no, no, no, no.

 

It's good but the Blue Bell at Kidsgrove is better ( As is the Great Western at Wolverhampton, even if it isn't by the canal!)

 

IMHO, of course.