We would like to wish a very Happy New Year to everyone. Now that Christmas and New Year are out of the way and hangovers have cleared we can look forward to the spring! At the moment we are still under a covering of snow but all the roads are clear so no problems for anyone. Our End of Year Pub Quiz was very well attended but nobody won the Cash Jackpot so a whopping £164 is rolling over to the next quiz.

Before that however we have another exciting event as our barman Willie (aka Alan) will be turning 40 on Friday 8th January which will no doubt involve more heavy drinking as well as a day on the slopes in Aviemore. All will be welcome in the pub that evening to celebrate.

Exciting news as Steve’s Pub Quiz rears it’s ugly head once again! This Friday, the 11th December, at 8.30pm. Be there or miss out.

Also, don’t forget the eagerly anticipated end of year Pub Quiz on the 30th December. Get here early to make sure you have a table.

It’s Allan’s 40th Birthday today, so it is expected that a large amount of ale will be consumed. Photos may follow in the near future when hangovers have disappeared.

The 3rd Loch Ness Poker Festival went very well with a local young lady, Catriona, winning the Main Event. Details can be found on the Highland Poker Forum where you will also find regular reports on our Monday night pub games.

Winter is approaching fast but we still have things to look forward to starting this weekend with the 3rd Loch Ness Poker Championship. This year we’ll have 4 tables of players and the main Event will start at 7pm on Saturday 7th November.

Then on the 21st November we have a special birthday to celebrate as Allan, despite the fact that he still gets asked for ID in Tesco, will turn 40. Not sure yet what we’ll be doing but I think real ale in large quantities might be involved….

The votes have been counted, verified and recounted just to be safe.

Of the 62 ales consumed during the week a staggering 25 beers received at least one vote for BoF.  This illustrates the high standard of the brews this year. The beers which received votes are, in no particular order:-

Dark Munro, Saligo, Stewart No.3, Bath Gem, Innishail, Red MacGregor, Highlander, Augustinian, Orkney Blast, Black Cuillin, Red Cuillin, Bitter & Twisted, 3 Sisters, Vital Spark, Merlin, Northern Light, Brewdog 77 lager, Orkney IPA, Skullsplitter, Dark Crystal Mild, Scapa Special, Ossian, Wayfarer, Suffolk County Bitter, Hebridean Gold. Special mention to Rob Hill’s Highland Brewing Company as all of their beers received votes for BoF.

Also Thistly Cross Cider was easily the most popular cider on offer this year so well done to them.

After a very close race Red MacGregor claimed it’s second runner-up prize of the year as it was just pipped in the final furlong by Highlander from Fyne Ales. The second time Fyne Ales have won this award in the 8 years it has been running. Fyne Ales also won the Brewery of the Festival by quite a distance, with Orkney once again filling the runner-up spot.

A full report will follow later this week but preliminary results are as follows :-

• 62 Ales sold during the week. Only Black Gold from Cairngorm didn’t quite make it on during the Festival but it sneaked on during Sunday afternoon so we will include it!
• 7 different ciders sold including the first appearance of Scottish Cider in the Highlands (as far as we know!)
• 4 live bands – all excellent but a special mention to the Penny Dogs for a truly memorable closing night.
• Poker Competition – won by Crocket
• Pool Competition – won by Allan Crossland

All the votes are not yet in but the battle for Beer of the Festival is looking very close as usual.

Thanks firstly to all the many people who visited during the week – we hope you all had a great time. Also many thanks to all the brewers for supplying us with such excellent beer. And of course to all of our hard working staff. They’ve earned their wages this month – for a change!!

Brief report on Sunday’s activity.

27 runners for the Poker Tournament including the incomers from Elgin. This year’s winner was however one of the locals, Crocket, so well done to him.

More ales have finished including the Benleva IPA, Wayfarer and Merlin. Today we’ve caused a stir by selling lager but fear not ale fans, it’s Brewdog 77 Lager not some fizzy nonsense with a foreign sounding name. Skullsplitter has also made it’s reappearance to defend it’s crown.

It’s been an eventful start to the Beer Festival. No time for an update yesterday but I’ve managed to sneak a quick one in today.

Beers we’ve said goodbye to so far include :- Red Cuillin, Trade Winds, Blessed Thistle, Crags, Crofter’s Pale Ale, Edinburgh Gold, Scapa Special, Lia Fail, Ossian, Raven, Dun Hogs Head, MacBeth, ThreePointNine, Brunette, Dark Crystal Mild and the Medium Dry Cider.

So I think it’s fair to say it’s been quite busy! The Thistly Cross Cider has been very well received and is nearly finished.

Today is the Poker Tournament and we were aiming for a full house of 27 players, but we now have 28. Updates will be posted on the Highland Poker Forum.

Well, we’re almost underway and the line-up for Day 1 looks rather good, even if I do say so myself.

Edinburgh Gold, Trade Winds, Crofter’s Pale Ale, Scapa Special (CAMRA Champion Beer of Scotland 2008), Raven Ale (CAMRA Champion Beer of Scotland 2009), Foxfield Dark Crystal Mild, Macbeth, Red Cuillin and Lia Fail alongside a Medium Dry Cider from Ross-on-Wye.