Edinburgh lags several measures behind Glasgow in terms of thehipness of its bars, but this doesn't bother anyone at Bert's. Itprides itself on being traditional, and is one of the earliestexamples of a sports bar. But though Sky Sports rules the televisionscreen, it's not your typical football and lager venue. Thepreferred sport here is rugby and the speciality is real ale. Peoplelike my old friend Graham, born and brought up in a family ofEdinburgh lawyers, with hardly a trace of a Scottish accent, rateBert's as their favourite.
At weekends Graham lets younger sports fans have the run of theplace, but sometimes he can't always resist returning on a Saturdaywhen there's a match at Murrayfield, and the bar staff at Bert'stake four times as much on the till as usual. At lunchtime Grahamand his colleagues head here for a pint and a pie, for they considerthat Bert's pies - filled with minced steak, haggis, chicken orchilli - to be the very best in town, and at pounds 1 a go, abargain to boot.
But never mind the pies, it's the beers that attract theconnoisseurs. There are five ales lined up all the time: Burton,Marstons Pedigree, Timothy Taylor Landlord, Deuchars IPA from theCaledonian Brewery in Edinburgh, and Caledonian Brewery's 80/-. Inaddition there are two or three guest ales every month. Beers fromthe Tomintoul, Harviestoun and Orkney breweries always go down well.But anything from the Kent brewery Shepherd Neame is appreciated too- only when Scotland is playing at home and all eyes are on the TVscreen, do Bert's customers display an unswerving partiality totheir country. Even then they're probably more gentlemanly about itthan most sports fanatics.
When the Rugby World Cup kicks off in October there will be threequalifying matches on Scotland's home ground. If Scotland go throughthere will be more matches at Murrayfield and ensuing scrums atBert's. Graham and his gang can't help hoping it will be a busyautumn for the Edinburgh bar which most closely reflects theirtastes.
Bert's, 27-31 William St, Edinburgh (0131 225 5748)
Captions: Bert's drinks
Caledonian 80/-
Edinburgh's Caledonian Brewery won the Camra Scottish Beer of theYear award in 1997 and 1998 for this 'heavy', a malty Scottish brewthat's darker and sweeter than an English bitter. It is russetybrown, smoothly creamy with a soft, hoppy finish. The 80/- refers toa tax once levied on beers in Scotland according to the strength ofthe brew. Some Scottish-brewed beers are still called 60/-, 70/- or80/- denoting their relative strengths. Caledonian's 80/- is 4.1 percent ABV. Of the beers on draught all the time, this is Bert'sbiggest seller. They get through three 18-gallon barrels a week, allserved in straight glasses.
Spitfire
Of the monthly changing roster of guest beers, anything fromShepherd Neame, the old-established, family-run Kent brewery 'alwaysgoes down fantastically well'.
