Beer In The Evening

Friendly chat, questions, reviews, find old friends or relatives. Not limited to Sydenham only issues but keep it civil!
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bigbadwolf
Posts: 726
Joined: 7 Jan 2008 21:21
Location: Forest Hill and Sydenham

Beer In The Evening

Post by bigbadwolf »

Does anyone on here post their reviews/opinions of local pubs on beerintheevening.com? I've seen Bensonby's done a few.

I've always been aware of the site in question but never really bothered with it until recently. If I'm honest my motivation was more boredom than providing anything informative and I've only done a few.

And if you do; is it a case of reading about a pub and seeing for yourself, and subsequently writing up a concurring or contradictory account. Or whilst having a swift half - or two - do you take stock of your surrounding and type them up at leisure?

Or a bit of both?

The reason I ask is because some of them can be very detailed which kind of hints at some notes being taken before submitting an account.

If you've never heard of it, see for yourself and tap se26 or se23 into the 'location' search box in the top right-hand corner.

http://www.beerintheevening.com/
simon
Posts: 965
Joined: 11 Oct 2006 15:35
Location: Longton Avenue

Post by simon »

BBW; I've used beerintheeveing for years but have never bothered to post a review. Perhaps I will. I use it when trying to arrange a meet outside of my usual haunts and usually find consensus opinion to be fairly accurate.
Never read any reviews of local pubs before tonight and some of the comments on the DW were funny and rang very true. Interesting the Alfred isn't reviewed. Maybe I should, but then I'm biased as I like the place anyway.
fishcox
Posts: 628
Joined: 4 Mar 2005 13:55
Location: lawrie park road

Post by fishcox »

I went through a phase of doing them every time I visited a new pub, or if I had a specific opinion about a place. I posted a few for the pubs in the local area.

I use the website a lot, to find decent pubs - but I always take the reviews with a pinch of salt, especially those that are either super positive or super negative.

Its a great tool for finding boozers in a specific town or postcode.
bigbadwolf
Posts: 726
Joined: 7 Jan 2008 21:21
Location: Forest Hill and Sydenham

Post by bigbadwolf »

I see what you mean with regards to adding a pinch of salt, fishcox.

Especially establishments that have over a hundred positive reviews attached to them. Which is certainly the case for some of the watering holes on Lordship lane. And in my opinion that bring the the pubs credibility into doubt when it's got so many gushing endorsements to its name.
fishcox
Posts: 628
Joined: 4 Mar 2005 13:55
Location: lawrie park road

Post by fishcox »

Some of the reviews are 'kin hilarious - especially some for the boozers in the West End, where the service is usually appalling.

I used to spend hours on there.
fishcox
Posts: 628
Joined: 4 Mar 2005 13:55
Location: lawrie park road

Post by fishcox »

Example of the above -

'get some more staff for a friday night - or - train them to poor drinks faster. it would be quicker to have gordon bloody brown behind the bar with a patch over his good eye than this lot. the manager just stands there trying to come to terms with his huge belly! shit hole'

That's for The Victoria - just round the back of where I work.
bigbadwolf
Posts: 726
Joined: 7 Jan 2008 21:21
Location: Forest Hill and Sydenham

Post by bigbadwolf »

Some of the reviews are 'kin hilarious
Indeed, fishcox. They certainly are.

Especially the one's written by skint CAMRA comrades who've come along way full of expectation but let down by the smallest detail i.e - the urinal cakes hadn't been replaced.

I also get the impression that there are a few snobby 'comedians' on there who post reviews simply to mock the clientele they endured rubbing shoulders with.

Either way, as you said: it can be an entertaining read.
bensonby
Posts: 1655
Joined: 18 Jun 2008 12:28
Location: Kent

Re: Beer In The Evening

Post by bensonby »

bigbadwolf wrote:Does anyone on here post their reviews/opinions of local pubs on beerintheevening.com? I've seen Bensonby's done a few.
Ah, the paper trail follows me wherever I go. Indeed, as some part of accountability I like to use the same name wherever I go.

I used to write on there quite often but have been put off by the number of popups. I might revisit though and start putting some new reviews up. It can be useful when scouting out a new location for decent boozers: I often cross-reference it with the good Beer Guide because I'm a nerd.

And don't knock CAMRA beer snobs! :P

All my reviews can be seen here for anyone who is interested:

http://www.beerintheevening.com/user_co ... e=bensonby
randomv
Posts: 99
Joined: 5 Aug 2006 08:33
Location: sydenham

Post by randomv »

One of my all time favourite reviews on here is for the Hollywood East pub, next to Penge East station:

"Alright, not as intimidating as it's first, exterior impression. Can buy stolen meat and perfume there."
Juwlz
Posts: 749
Joined: 26 Oct 2005 20:49
Location: Outer Sydenham

Post by Juwlz »

randomv wrote:One of my all time favourite reviews on here is for the Hollywood East pub, next to Penge East station:

"Alright, not as intimidating as it's first, exterior impression. Can buy stolen meat and perfume there."
Aw… brilliant, that just had me guffawing out loud and my cat looking at me like I'm mad. :lol:
zoltan
Posts: 14
Joined: 8 Apr 2008 22:06
Location: SE London

Re: Beer In The Evening

Post by zoltan »

Bensonby seems to have had quite a time on the wagon as his pub reviews dried up. Sadly Sydenham is not well endowed with good pubs - I do like the Golden Lion but beer seems to all be sweet and taste the same. The Gangster pubs on Wells Park have gone, and the ones on Kirkdale seem to be 'pubs by flat pack, or let's work on the lowest common denominator"

Now if you go a little further East you will find the best pub in SE London, the Blythe Hill Tavern.

And I'll also let you into a secret, there is a little known pub by Camberwell Old Cemetery. Want to know more?
Hill Dweller
Posts: 500
Joined: 4 Jan 2011 19:54
Location: Upper Syd

Re: Beer In The Evening

Post by Hill Dweller »

I've heard that the beer/ale at the Dartmouth Arms is excellent (or was so 18m ago when I was so told).

I like the dark-foiled Leffe for a tipple at home but am a complete wuss about opening it, it's just one of those techniques I've never developed. My son was shown how to open anything bubbly with just a slow twist and a sigh from the bottle ...... I wasn't, so I need a few minutes and a lot of space :( .
bensonby
Posts: 1655
Joined: 18 Jun 2008 12:28
Location: Kent

Re: Beer In The Evening

Post by bensonby »

I'm certainly not on the Wagon! I just got bored with that website and moved on - I may one day write some more reviews.

And I completely agree with the Blythe Hill being the best pub in SE London!
zoltan
Posts: 14
Joined: 8 Apr 2008 22:06
Location: SE London

Re: Beer In The Evening

Post by zoltan »

Beer in the evening if full of old farts like me so I generally approve. I like the discussions where views are clearly polarised. What I don't like is that the web site has now been taken over by some big corporation and therefore gives out 0870 numbers rather than normal land lines, and even the Google maps link has extra adverts over it.

I did see the entry on the Lyceum in town. At one point there was about 100 posting in one day on this. Someone with their good lady had got a bit excited and carried out a lewd act, the sort of things that the younger generation used to do in my day. They had been subtle about it, but he had said what a great time he had had in the Lyceum that day. There was about 99 outraged postings (a bit like going on SE23.com) - I just thought that it was highly entertaining and posted that I was quite envious. A few more humourous people asked if the beer was pulled by hand (maybe you are getting my drift). Sadly, like SE23.com, the postings were removed.

You can also try Fancyapint.com which has some nice maps and graphics.
stuart
Posts: 3635
Joined: 21 Sep 2004 10:13
Location: Lawrie Park
Contact:

Re: Beer In The Evening

Post by stuart »

NewsShopper has a new review of The Windmill here
Not as good as their previous one of the Golden Lion here

Stuart
Hill Dweller
Posts: 500
Joined: 4 Jan 2011 19:54
Location: Upper Syd

Re: Beer In The Evening

Post by Hill Dweller »

I've got a bottle of Leffe at the mo that I've managed to break the top half of the cork off ...... bah humbug I really fancied some of that dark malty taste. I hope the bottom half doesn't shoot out overnight :x
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