As we rolled into Burley in Wharfedale, something remarkable happened.
The weather started to brighten.
Our next stop was The White Horse a proper community pub serving excellent beer in exactly the sort of welcoming surroundings the Ale Train was designed to celebrate.
With a few tempting options available on the bar, there was plenty to choose from. But for Sam, the decision was never really in doubt.
Goose Eye was on tap.
followers of The Eternal Hoptimists will know, Goose eye was one of the first breweries we visited on an Ale train back in 2019, so it seemed fitting to pick this one out among the usual faces of Timothy Taylors and Guinness.
With pints in hand and the weather finally showing signs of cooperation, we managed to claim what might have been the last available bit of “outdoor” seating. It was a bit of a squeeze..
Everyone seemed to have gelled together we played a few games of Imposter, had a few laughs, a cheeky pint or too.
but what of the Goose eye?…
Name: Goose Eye Bitter (3.9% ABV)
- Brewery: Goose Eye Brewery
- Aroma : Slightly earthy, with a lightly hop.
- Appearance : Pours with a rich, inviting chestnut/amber hue and generally retains a fluffy white head when pulled from a cask
- Body : Soft, very easy-drinking, and highly sessionable
- Taste : Malt-forward, and well-balanced cask, very moorish.
A classic tipple, and timeless a very good example of a malt-forward chestnut cask, I will always choose this if given the opportunity… that reminds me though… we should go back to Goose eye Brewery soon!
Our overall rating: 4.2/ 5.0
As we finished our drinks and took stock of the afternoon, it became clear that the Ale Train was running into a challenge familiar to pub-goers everywhere.
Time.
The original itinerary had included a stop in Menston, but between the excellent beer, good company and the increasingly pleasant weather, we’d found ourselves falling behind schedule. Not disastrously behind, but enough to force a difficult decision.
Menston would have to wait for another Ale Train.
Before heading to our final destination, however, there was one essential stop still to make before the beer festival.
Fish and chips!
The|Eternal|Hoptimitsts 