The Coopers

The Kiwis last night in the UK was Tuesday. They were due to fly out to Paris on the Wednesday morning. In Mike and Susie's travels they are always looking for tastes of the place they visit, the unusual or quirky. Since they were off to Paris I ask my Parisian friend for a list of quirky places to visit in gay Paris. She duly came up with a list of twenty things. I figured instead of staying in on Tuesday evening why not give the Cooper's Tavern in Burton upon Trent a shot, I think it is quirky.

The Cooper's was built as a public house in 1823 and has been a licenced premises ever since. There is a roll call of the licensees on a lovely plaque on the wall. Recently the Cooper has a name for excellent guest beers brewed in the traditional manner. I was introduced to the Cooper's several years ago and it always a treat to go. It is a bit of a bugger because I usually have to drive. The beers can be quite potent. There are no gas canisters behind the bar at the Cooper's. The kegs either sit on the back of the bar or are hand pumped. The colours of the brew range from Black to palest Yellow. It surprising how many colours and tastes you can get from grain, water and hops. There is a strange juxtaposition at the Cooper's, The Coopers' is all tradition and across the road from the front door and I mean across the road, is the metal fence and behind that the massive vats of the Coors brewery.

There is an unofficial club that meets on a Tuesday evening at he Cooper's. Assorted musicians turn up to jam. Penny whistles of all sizes, guitar, banjo, mandolin, squeeze boxes of one sort or another and a few singers. They do it for themselves and have a pint. Some of the stuff is a bit obscure but enjoyable nonetheless. We tried a few brews but settled on Trashy Blonde. Mike got on very well with the Trashy Blonde in Burton. We chatted, listened to the music. It is not precious music at the Cooper's, you can talk to your mates. The music is for the muso's and if you like it so be it and if you don't off you go. Conversely you don't have to sit there in reverence to the music. You can join in the singing if you like and we did on the chorus of Chicken on a raft.

H, as H does, had a chat with one of the muso's. He thought that once they got going we would be off. H put him right that we had indeed come for the music as much as for the beers. I think it is a compliment not to have the appearance of a traditional musician. We had a fab night but it was all over too soon. Home by eleven. a brew or two some more chatting and then to bed. I had to be the Bournemouth, which is on the south coast, for a meeting bit arranged it so that I could leave at reasonable hour. I said my goodbyes to Mike and Susie and left. I do hope to see them again.