Owned since May 2000 by the world’s No I brewer by volume, InBev (2nd to Anheuser-Busch by annual sales), this was until recently our bestselling cooking bitter. We sold oceans of the Cream of Manchester, although the feeling was that it wasn’t the great beer of old, its success due more to brilliant marketing than outstanding flavour. However, at the end of November 2003 Interbrew relaunched Boddingtons with a new recipe - Fuggles and Golding hops, the traditional English hops, were added to a 100% malt grist to produce a fuller bodied ale. and they brewed the beer to a new abv of 4.1% - up from 3.8%. As mentioned in the Thwaites Bitter notes, several of our pubs felt this moved the beer out of the ‘session beer’ category, and duly switched to other brews. Nevertheless, Boddies keeps its permanent listing at the Cornmill and the Armoury, and appears as an occasional guest elsewhere. "Boddingtons Corner" at Harkers- a group of regulars who have been having the same conversation for 14 years (although they haven't realised it yet)- have seamlessly switched to Weetwood Best or Flowers IPA, and swopped stools.

Justifiably voted the CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain 2002, this has always had a strong following in our pubs. Established in Edinburgh in 1869, the brewery was bought by Vaux in 1919, then saved from closure in 1987 by a management buy-out. Our point of contact is Peter Squires who many will remember as an England and British Lions International, at a time when rugby teams trained on beer and steak rather than isotonic drinks and pasta. Deuchars is a brilliant blend of malt and hop character. Solid gold in colour, the lingering aftertaste is delightfully bitter and hoppy.It has a permanent listing at the Grosvenor Arms.