The Ampleforth

It turned out (this time anyway) that the weather warnings came to fruition.  The snow fell on Oxfordshire and it led to the postponement of the eagerly anticipated Oxford Beer Festival helpers trip to Burton.

So, with wintry weather and at a bit of a loose end, we headed into East Oxford to visit a newly re-opened pub.

The Ampleforth, Oxford,one half open, one half closed & the last few bits of snow remaining from the 'Beast from the East'

The Ampleforth (53 Collinwood Road, OX3 8HH)
The pub closed in the first half of 2015 after a troubled few years and looked to be lost for good.  But a valiant effort by local residents saw it listed as an asset of community value and, after much hard work, reopen at the end of 2017.  There's a link to the Oxford Mail story of the fight to save the pub here. 
I wonder why they sent their crime reporter to cover this story?

Black Sheep Bitter in a cool glass

The Ampleforth Arms opened in 1939 in the middle of what was then the new Risinghurst estate.  All stories about it like to recount that C.S.Lewis lived nearby and frequented the pub, so I shall mention it too.
As with many estate pubs, this was a huge building.  Just half the pub has been reopened, with the strange sight of the left hand part of the building still boarded up.  That closed half will be converted to residential use, but it still leaves plenty of space with two separate areas in the pub. 
There were two real ales on the bar: Black Sheep Best Bitter and Shotover Prospect, both in fine condition.  A decent number of folks filled the bar on a Saturday afternoon and I really hope that this continues and the pub fares well.

It's just a short walk, crossing the bypass road and delving into the Headinton Quarry area to get to 
The Masons Arms (2 Quarry School Place, OX3 8LH). 
This has been winner of Oxford CAMRAs city pub of the year several times, and it's the home of the Headington Beer Festival in September.  There's a convivial atmosphere on a Saturday afternoon.  The TVs show the latest football scores from the matches that survived the weather.  There's a bit of darts being played.  And the beers here are of a fine quality with many award-winning brews being served.

A reliable selection of ales on offer at the Masons Arms, although the Old Bog beers are now a rarity, sadly.

We found our way down to Cowley Road, as the snow started to fall again.
The City Arms (288 Cowley Road, OX4 1UR) was conveniently located to take shelter in.
I've always had a soft spot for this very studenty, sporty pub and on occasion have had some great beer and food in here.  This evening Liverpool are beating Newcastle on screens in every part of the place - it's tough luck if you don't like the football here.
The City Arms is busy although no-one's braved the cold to sit on the colourful picnic benches outside.

There's not one, but two rugby-themed beers on cask (bah!) so I move on to the 'craft' tap list and pick a Brewdog 'Dogma Scotch Ale'.

And it's Brewdog we're heading to next. It's a 10 minute walk to get to Brewdog Oxford (119 Cowley Road, OX4 1HU). 
This is a company that very much divides opinion.  They're not so good if you insist on your ale being real and coming from the cask. But I'd argue that they're one of the key places that have won over an audience who would otherwise have settled for mass-produced crap lager. This weekend there is a 'Michigan Mash Up' with beers available from Dark Horse, Jolly Pumpkin and Lattitude 42.  And an interloper in the form of Central Waters Brewing Co who hail from Wisconsin.  
Geography mash-up.
The Dark Horse 'Double Crooked Tree IPA', with an ABV north of 12% is the beer of the evening for me.  

I wonder if their dominant march to open new bars will lead to a saturation point - Reading is next in line in our neck of the woods.  Will we reach the stage where we visit a town and take it for granted that they've got a Brewdog bar just down the road from the Wetherspoons?