Change of pace today with a drive out to the Gloucestershire / Oxfordshire border to see the Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach) Very poor photo included!
Stephen Jackson
@musinganorak.bsky.social
Mostly beer stuff, Non-London beer stuff. I put the London beer stuff on @BeerGuideLondon. Obviously! www.musinganorak.com
Final bar of the trip is another close to the station, Pudel Baar. Around 15 on tap, but only a couple of Estonian. Worth taking a quick look, but there are much better bars in the vicinity.
Second stop is Uba Ja Humal. Great modern bar just outside the old town. Very international list of beers on the 20 taps. Only 4 Estonian beers, and I've had two of them, so some rule breaking on my flight. Sorry, not sorry.
Flying solo on one last push for my target bars. 15 minute walk from the hotel brings me to Pühaste Taproom. Bar in old, stone built, industrial unit. Grain hoppers loom overhead. 18 taps available in 0.2l pours.
It's a minutes walk to my initial intended destination, Kleo. Cafe and beer bar with 8 taps plus packaged list. The toasties are really good!
Wandering through the old town, heading to the next bar on my list, and saw a sign for Brew Beer Bar. Small bar down an alley and the first place I've seen beers from Tanker Brewery.
It's a public holiday here today and I've just found out that the other brewpub that I'd hoped to visit is closed. Might not be the first casualty of the day.
Last full day of the trip and energy is at a premium. Having a slow wander around and have made our first bar stop at Hop&Hen, a beer stall in Viru Keskus shopping centre food hall. 12 taps of beer served in 0.4. Spotted too late that they do flights. 🤦
A minute from the hotel is The Dubliner. Normally a pub I'd avoid but the people I met assured us that it wasn't that bad, that the food was good, and that there were Estonian beers available. So here we are. Ticks are macro, but it's convenient after a long day.
Back in to town and met up again with Mrs MA at Koht. There's a bottle shop part on the street with the bar just down the alley. Currently 9 on tap, 4 Estonian. Flights of 5 x 0.1 available.
Walk and tram to the furthest point out of town, Tuletorn Taproom. There's a local party going on outside but it's quiet in the bar where they have 8 of their own tap with 4 x 0.1 flights available.
Headed back out of town to Vaat Taproom & Brewery. A local in the previous bar wasn't convinced that they actually brew here. On arrival was told that no tap beers are available. Gone with a can to tick the brewery and venue. Visit at your own risk...
Stop 3 is Põhja Konn, bar near the station owned by Põhjala. 20 taps with half their own. I've got a flight of 5 x 0.1 which includes 4 new breweries and my first Sahti beer.
Flying solo for a few hours, starting at Humalakoda, a brewpub in the market opposite the station. 18 beers on tap of which 2/3 are theirs. Flights of 4 x 0.15 are available.
An interesting morning around the Maritime Museum, including my first time inside a submarine. As it happens a 15 minute stroll from there brings us to Põhjala Brewery & Taproom. Amazing space offering 24 on tap. Thankfully they offer flights!
Got Mrs MA back to the hotel and I continued down the road for a minute to check out Drink Bar & Grill. The tap list gave a couple of Estonian options, but the reality is that all bar about 4 draft beers are off. Luckily there is a decent packaged selection and I've picked up a new brewery in can.
A couple of minutes back towards the hotel is Mikkeller Tallinn Old Town. Exactly what you would expect. 16 taps that does at least include some Estonian beers.
The hotel had a room for us, which, as we found in Vilnius, doesn't always prove to be the case! Now we've started exploring and, conveniently, there is a brewpub a few minutes from the hotel. Beer House is styled like a German beer hall and with 6 of their own beers, available as a 6 x 0.25 flight.
And so we change on to our final train of the trip. Cross platform change at the border station of Valga on to the Tallinn train.
Our final day of rail travel. Departing Riga and I suspect most of you have worked out the final destination.
The next street over brings us to our last Riga bar, Brooklyn Pub & Whiskey Room. Sports bar with around 25 taps, a lot not in use, and only a few Latvian beers. Ended up with two Latvian macro beers, but they're new and a tick is a tick.
Just along the street is Alus Muiža, small bar with 10 taps, all Latvian. 0.3 or 0.5 pours only. A fridge of packaged beers also available.
A couple of streets away is BEERA Bar Riga, bottle shop and bar with 12 taps although only 4 are Latvian. All beers have a price for 100ml allowing you to have a flight of as many as you would like.
Another short taxi ride to stop 3, Gauja, a locals bar with only 4 beers on the list, but there is food, which there doesn't seem to be at the next three bars... The house lager is brewed by Viedi.
It's raining! I repeat. It's raining! Around the corner is Labietis, brewery and tap room. 16 of their own tap plus packaged. No flights unfortunately.
After a morning of sightseeing we have now decided it's time for beer. A taxi ride about a mile out of town where stop one is Valmiermuižas alus Tirgotava, a bottle shop and bar that is a tap for Valmiermuižas brewery. 24 taps with a third for their beers and the rest guests.
Final bar tonight is Ms&Mr Beer. A bar with 8 taps. Drinking with a Czech and two kiwis...
Mrs MA is safe in the hotel and I'm doing the other two bars close to the hotel. First up is KAĶIS MAISĀ, a basement bar with 15 taps. 5 x 0.1 flights available.
Ten minutes to get to the final stop in this part of town, Nurme Brewery and Taproom. Huge brick building in an industrial area with the brewery adjacent. 12 taps and the offer of either 4 x 0.1 or 6 x 0.1 flights.