The Sportsman, Hayfield, August 2016

We’ve been attempting to eat here for the last two nights, but it was absolutely rammed on both nights when we came in to try and get a table. They just couldn’t squeeze any more people in.

We returned tonight, couldn’t get a table, and then wandered down into the village for a nice dinner at The George Hotel. We decided to return here a couple of hours later for a drink, and it was deserted, save for a group of four people and a Jackahuahua.

Yes, that is a thing. They took two of the yappiest whiny little dogs with attitude problems, the Jack Russell and the Chihuahua, and decided to cross them to bring out the best points in both breeds. These breeds don’t have best points, so they created a squeaky little monster called a Jackahuahua, that squeals at anything and everything, including a much larger and nicer dog that came in later on for a quiet bowl of water with its owners.

Anyway, enough canine chat, let’s talk beer. A Thwaites “Crafty Dan Lil’ Bewdy”, an Australian style pale ale with Australian hops.

I’ve had this before in a bottle, and interestingly the bottled version was better. That’s not to say this was bad, a good session ale that needs more hops, but just better in a bottle in my limited experience so far.

There’s also some interesting decor in here, including this classic GPO 200 Bakelite phone, a lovely piece of history…

A nice pub, perhaps next time we might be able to get a table and eat dinner here.

The George Hotel, Hayfield, August 2016

As mentioned yesterday, The Royal Hotel stops serving food early on Sundays, so that was out. Yet again, we tried to get in to The Sportsman Inn for dinner, but yet again they were completely full, even before 7pm. So instead we wandered back down to the village again, and settled on the George Hotel, another Hayfield hostelry that we’ve visited before. Being a Marston’s house, you’ll know the beer line up. Pick one from Marston’s, Ringwood and Jennings and you’ll be fairly safe.

Double Ringwood for me tonight, with Fortyniner up first, always reliable.

Sometimes you just have to keep it classic. Fish’n’chips with a beer and black pepper batter, mushy peas and tartare sauce. Hard to get wrong, and nice when it’s done right (like tonight). Mrs MOFAD opted for lamb kleftiko, a Greek classic.

The other Ringwood offering tonight is the classic golden ale Boondoggle, always a good pub pint.

Another classic village pub in Hayfield, also worth a visit.