The
Salmon is a Free House, providing them the freedom to serve a great selection
of local brews. They offered a limited
menu, so since I wasn’t starving yet, I chose to concentrate on the ales. My first was Captain Bill Bartram’s Damson
Stout, an easy drinking English stout that hit the spot. Next was Hopcraft’s The Public Want the
Public Get (did I mention I love the names of beers?), a Golden Ale that was
nice but I couldn’t see the public wanting it too much. Next I went and found the Swan & Rushes,
and enjoyed an Oakham Oaple Cider (just for you Jenn). I was hungry now, so I grabbed a Cheese and
Onion Cobb. Very basic; a slab of Red
Leicester cheese (similar to cheddar) and a thick slice of onion on a roll but
it hit the spot. My final Leicester stop
(did I say I was trying to beat the traffic to London?) was a simple place
called the Pub. A nice spot, but it lacked
a traditional pub feel (more like one of the USA’s pop-up microbrew bars). No matter, I enjoyed a Gundog Golden Cocker
while chatting with the landlord about their nightlife in the area. There were a lot of pubs and restaurants, and
may be a nice place to take a train ride one evening on a return visit.
I
got back on the road, down the M1 and west on the A43 to my next stop, the
Great Western Arms (http://www.great-westernarms.co.uk/)
in Aynho, a town in the Cotswolds. This
area of England is characterized by buildings made with Cotswold stone, a
specific yellow limestone, well kept gardens and beautiful small towns. GWA wasn’t open for dinner yet, but as a Hook
Norton pub there were plenty of ales to try.
I had the Hookey and their Flagship IPA as I walked around the
facility. The pub has a biergarten in
the back with a pergola (Jenn would have loved it), and is located along side a
canal. It would have a great place to
spend the rest of the evening, but I still needed to make my way to the
airport, so I headed south on the M40, cut over on the A404, and then took the
M4 to Windsor. 
I
had seen Windsor Castle last May, but I was rushed and I wanted to go
back. I parked down the river, and
walked up the hill for the sites and some dinner. I stopped in a Wetherspoon pub, the King
& Castle, and got a Windsor & Eton Windsor Knot. However, I didn’t quite feel like a bad
burger tonight, so I continued up the hill and went to the Two Brewers. This is
a beautiful pub located next to the Long Walk, kind of a strolling path for
families. The Two Brewers (http://www.twobrewerswindsor.co.uk/)
was wonderful, but they didn’t have any new casks and I was there at that
awkward time (i.e., 5PM) when they weren’t serving dinner), so I got a bottle
of cider, and enjoyed the sunshine and the company of the locals. But I was getting hungry (again) so I headed
back towards the castle and went to the Carpenter’s Arms, a Nicholson’s pub,
and got an order of sausage and mash that was delicious. I enjoyed a Daleside Old Leg Over, a
traditional English Bitter that is available in the bottle here in the States,
but I never had tried on cask. The pub
was built in the 15th Century, and once boasted tunnels that would
lead to the castle (apparently they have been boarded up, I tried to
look). It was a wonderful end to the
day. 
I
made it to Heathrow (about 5 miles away) without any issues (so much better
than y last trip), and checked into my hotel.
Tomorrow was going to be a big day for me since I was heading down to
the Great British Beer Festival. But as
I relaxed in the hotel, I couldn’t help appreciating that today was pretty
special, too. – 6327/14509
“Hops are a wicked and pernicious weed.” – King Henry VIII
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