I take it Deuchars has gone off the ECML then? Never got a chance to try it sadly.
You can count yourself lucky, then.
They still had Deuchars under VT East Coast, on the train down from Aberdeen last month. Needless to say, I stayed dry until I disembarked at York.
Interesting to know the special Virgin brews are worth a go though, certainly I've been more than tempted in the past. Got a nice long Carlisle to Birmingham New Street journey due on 1st August so I may have to partake of a trip from coach E to the shop!
Both the Tilting Ale and Tilting Cider on Virgin West Coast are truly superb. I cannot fault Redwillow of Macclesfield, who brew the Tilting Ale, on any of their products and the Tilting Ale specifically is a very refreshing, lighter ale. The Tilting Cider is produced by Thistly Cross based in Dunbar, whose cider is absolutely magnificent in all its' different varieties.
I only wish that Virgin would start to stock these or similar (renamed, of course!) on the East Coast (Thistly Cross is local for the East Coast route, too!) and do away with the dreaded Deuchars.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I may be biased, but it does pass through Yorkshire, which has a superb range of beers to offer. Timothy Taylor's, Theakstons, Copper Dragon, Leeds Brewery, Ossett Brewery, Ilkley Brewery.
Come to think of it, perhaps we should just specify one coach of each EC set as a tavern car !
Yes please.
Why do we not have draught pumps specified on the new IEP trains like they were on the HSTs when new?
Then again, the new trains aren't even being provided with a proper buffet counter, so I suppose that idea's a non-starter. :roll:
Maybe we could have them reinstalled on the HSTs for one final hurrah?
Particularly if we can have a range selected from those breweries you have named above. There's some fantastic ales to be had in Yorkshire.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Shame about the Doom Bar though.
Personally I was dead pleased when Crosscountry started stocking Doom Bar. It takes the pressure off having to buy in supplies in advance if I am in a rush, and having to factor in a "reserve float" in case of major delays.
Though the cost factor dictates that I'll tend to pick up my train beers from a shop beforehand whenever possible, and generally buy no more than a couple on the train. Though Crosscountry were doing a deal on three bottles of Doom Bar for £10 the last time I availed myself of their trolley, which I thought was fairly reasonable for ale purchased on-train.
