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The County Hotel (Wetherspoon)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) |  | 2 |
| B&T (Banks & Taylor's) - Dragon Slayer |  | 1 |
| Beartown (latterly part of Manning Brewers) - Black Bear | | 1 |
| Rooster's - YPA (Yorkshire Pale Ale) | | 1 |
| Springhead - Bitter | | 1 |
| St Peter's - Organic Ale |  | 2 |
| Cains - Dark Mild | | 1 |
| Highgate - Summer Telse | | 1 |
| Cotleigh - Golden Eagle | | 1 |
| Clark's (sometimes shown as Westgate Brewery) - Classic Brunette |  | 1 |
| Coach House - Summer Sizzler | | 1 |
| Arkell's - Moonlight | | 1 |
| Herold - Psenicne Hefeweizen | | 1 |
| Everards (see entries against Joule's & Robinsons whilst its new brewery was being built) - Perfick | | 1 |
| Mordue - Workie Ticket | | 1 |
| Smiles - Bristol IPA | | 1 |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Suffolk County Best Bitter | | 1 |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB |  | 1 |
| Lincolnshire Craft (formerly Tom Wood's) - Summer That | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hoegaarden - Hoegaarden | Not Tried | 0 |
| ABInBev - Leffe Blond | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hook Norton - Old Hooky | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hydes - HPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Elgood's - GSB (Greyhound Strong Bitter) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Badger (Hall & Woodhouse) - The Fursty Ferret | Not Tried | 0 |
| Shepherd Neame - Spitfire (or Spitfire Amber Ale) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - Abbot | Not Tried | 0 |
| Marston's - Burton Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Marston's - Pedigree | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
05 Jul 2005 (Ian)
Not too busy for last thing on a Tuesday night. 2 guests on and the usual range from Marstons, Greene King and Shepherd Neame
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highgate - Summer Telse | 4.50 | | Bad joke name. If you say it quickly it comes out as "summit else" and therefore "something else." Elderflower hops very floral, even though it isn't Hophead that I was drinking before, this was still pretty good |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Suffolk County Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried |
04 Jul 2005 (Ian)
Went back the next day to see if Hophead was still on. It was!!!! Sat reading a John le Carré book doing a session on the Dark Star. Wonderful, I was so happy, I did not even mind the screaming kids in the family no smoking section
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | | See yesterday's notes. This is just one of the best session beers in England |
03 Jul 2005 (Ian)
Sunday afternoon. Watched the end of the Wimbledon men's final on one of the 2 plasma screens they have erected for sporting events. Walked in and couldn't believe my luck. Dark Star Hophead!!!!! One of my favourite beers. I could hardly get the words "A pint of Hophead please" out of my mouth quick enough.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | | Just one of the best session beers in England. If you see it, have a pint and then another and then another. This appeared to be on gas pressure rather than handpull and the first pint was a bit gassy, but then after that the true beer came out. Golden in colour with wonderful citrus, grassy hop flavours and even some red berry malt. Simply gorgeous |
| B&T (Banks & Taylor's) - Dragon Slayer | 4.50 | | What a day!! Walked into this Wetherspoon's not expecting much, but not only have they got Hophead, but this as well. Golden with a creamy white head, sweet organges with hint of herb and some citrus hops. Good malt gives this a rounded creamy flavour with an acidic orangey finish. Would have been happy with this, but with Hophead on..... |
| Herold - Psenicne Hefeweizen | 5.10 | | Typical wheat beer but probably more spicy/herby. Golden in colour and a little hazy with bubblegum and banana, but a big chunk of coriander and spice to boot and a really herby finish. Have a half just to experience it, but you couldn't drink more than one |
30 Jun 2005 (Ian)
Wetherspoons, very busy by mid evening on a Thursday, 2 guests on, but I only one just because I wanted to get away from the chavs and chavettes
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Suffolk County Best Bitter | 4.00 | | Mid brown beer with some malty fruit and some hops, but to be honest more or less instantly forgettable, but nothing actually wrong with it |
26 Jun 2005 (Ian)
Yes, ok Wetherspoon's, not very full and only 1 guest beer on. Which was Cotleigh and very nice, but otherwise not the world's most inspiring pub (especially as I had been to the Bohemian and Blakes before, which are both excellent pubs). Having said that they do have a wider range of bottled world beers than most and they do Leffe and Hoegaarden on draught
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotleigh - Golden Eagle | 4.20 | | Does everything you would want from a Cotleigh beer. Would have had several more but I felt a cold coming on so I decided to have a chinese and go home instead |
| Shepherd Neame - Spitfire (or Spitfire Amber Ale) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Hoegaarden - Hoegaarden | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Marston's - Burton Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Marston's - Pedigree | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| ABInBev - Leffe Blond | 6.60 | Not Tried |
21 Jun 2005 (Ian)
Had to get a beer on the longest day of the year, due to the fact that it was hot, damn hot. Just finished watching England thrash Bangladesh in the cricket at Trent Bridge with England setting a record 391-4 and Collingwood setting the best batting and bowling figures for an individual in ODIs. I was made even thirstier by a call from my friend Phil (on computer course in London from Liverpool) who had walked all the way from Tower Bridge to Westminster along the South Bank. So I thought I would come to this Wetherspoon's to see which guest beer they could not serve particularly well.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooster's - YPA (Yorkshire Pale Ale) | 4.10 | | Amber colour, rich malt nose with promise of berry fruit. Good full mouth ending in acids and drying hops, but good rich mouthful of hay, berry fruits leading to the acidity. Yet still some yeast and slightly creamy. Stunning. |
| Shepherd Neame - Spitfire (or Spitfire Amber Ale) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Marston's - Burton Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Marston's - Pedigree | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Lincolnshire Craft (formerly Tom Wood's) - Summer That | 3.80 | Not Tried |
14 Jun 2005 (Ian)
Unremarkable Wetherspoon's on the lower High Street, but the only decent place for real ale in the centre of Ashford alas. I was sat next to a table with 2 blokes last night who were discussing boxing and one of them has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of every boxing match in the last 20 years. Quite remarkable as David Colemand would have said
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coach House - Summer Sizzler | 4.20 | | Golden brown with sweetish malt. Sweet finish with some hop and hay notes |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB | 4.80 | | Normally I like Gale's beers, but this was sweet dark brown water. Not impressed at all |
| Badger (Hall & Woodhouse) - The Fursty Ferret | 4.40 | Not Tried | Asked for a pint but it went as it was being poured |
| Shepherd Neame - Spitfire (or Spitfire Amber Ale) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Marston's - Burton Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Marston's - Pedigree | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Hydes - HPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | As the Clark's Classic Brunette |
| Clark's (sometimes shown as Westgate Brewery) - Classic Brunette | 4.20 | Not Tried | This was on last week when I visited. Hope it is not still the same barrel |
07 Jun 2005 (Ian)
Wetherspoons in the High Street. Not sure what was going on with the guest beers here. 5 were on offer when I walked in, the 2 that I had were not ready yet and 2 more disappeared whilst I was there. Tuesday must be their change over day for beers. Both beers I tried needed another day to rest before being served but were ok even for that. Not heaving for late afternoon, but quite a few customers were taking advantage of their steak club.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mordue - Workie Ticket | 4.50 | | Ruby brown colour with off white head. Good balance of malt and hops with malt on nose and in mouth, dry bitter hop finish. After a long day at work, finding this in a Wetherspoon's was very welcome |
| Clark's (sometimes shown as Westgate Brewery) - Classic Brunette | 4.20 | | Not quite ready to be on yet. Good malts on nose and in mouth with rich fruit on the tongue. finish is hoppy and effervescent. Would be better the day after I suspect |
| Hook Norton - Old Hooky | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Hydes - HPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Elgood's - GSB (Greyhound Strong Bitter) | 5.20 | Not Tried |
22 May 2005 (Ian)
Coming to the end of what has been a pretty good May beer festival with up to 10 different beers on. Still the feel of a Wetherspoons though.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springhead - Bitter | 4.00 | | Tawny beer, good hoppy nose, good balance throughout of hop and citric fruit. Has a really nice almost lemon/strawberry flavour. Very well constructed, with drying hoppy, strawberry finish. I liked this a lot |
| Cains - Dark Mild | 3.20 | | Black mild. Very chocolate malts on nose and flavours. Very burnt charcoal nose. Not like it is in Liverpool, but the choc malts are excellent |
| St Peter's - Organic Ale | 4.50 | | Getting a bit tired, but still interesting. Citric hoppiness with almost a vegetal flavour coming through |
| Arkell's - Moonlight | 4.50 | | Golden colour. Flowery hoppy nose with caramel in mouth and astringent flowery hops on end. Some lemony hoppy citric acidity and some earthiness. Interesting |
19 May 2005 (Ian)
Still a Wetherspoon's, still the only place for a decent pint in Ashford town centre. May beer festival is currently on with up to 10 guest beers
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beartown (latterly part of Manning Brewers) - Black Bear | 5.00 | | Dark ruby colour. Toffee and chocolate on nose, chocolate malts, some coffee hints. Very nice. Mouthfeel is a bit grainy/roasted, a bit overly carbonated. Nice though |
| St Peter's - Organic Ale | 4.50 | | Golden ale, hoppy tangerine nose, slighly creamy in mouth, with acidic creamy finish with more tangerine/orange fruit and hop dryness. I like this a lot |
| Everards (see entries against Joule's & Robinsons whilst its new brewery was being built) - Perfick | 4.50 | | Brown/orange colour. Not a lot of nose, some goldings citrus, some body, but you can tell it is dry hopped with tangy (lemon) green hops on end |
| Smiles - Bristol IPA | 4.50 | | Amber in colour. Some hops on nose, scidic in mouth and on end. Some hops on end, but ordinary really except when you get a smack of tangy hops on end |
About The County Hotel
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 18 |
| 129 |
| 185 |
| 166 |
| 28 |
The pub is found in Ashford, Kent, TN24 8TD.
Typical Wetherspoon's drinking hall in High Street. Standard 'Spoon's regular beers with guest beers normally the best bet. 2 banks each of 4 handpumps on the higher level bar and 6 handpumps on the lower level.
We have visited this pub 340 times, seen 469 different beers and tried 376 of them.
Postcode: TN24 8TD