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"oconn":3m2695ke wrote: A friend from work is heading to Edinburgh tomorrow , what good pubs could ye recommend in the center....he likes real ale too....[/quote:3m2695ke]

"garthicus":3m2695ke wrote: I'm interested too, I will be in Edinburgh on Sat![/quote:3m2695ke]
My suggestions (in no particular order apart from a geographic route from Waverley station around to Haymarket station so this is a possible pub crawl that could obviously be done in reverse order):
Half Way House, Fleshmarket Close (possibly smallest bar in Edinburgh)
Bow Bar, Victoria Street
Blue Blazer, Spittal/Bread Street
Cloisters, Brougham Street
Thomsons Bar, Morrison Street
Berts Bar, William Street

Other options are:
Barony Bar, Broughton Street
Cask & Barrell, Broughton Street
McCowans, Dundee Street (good value - £2.10 per pint last time I was there a few weeks ago)
Oxford Bar, Young Street (Ian Rankin's regular pub but I've never noticed him when I've been there)
Bennetts Bar, Leven Street

It is a bit short notice but maybe I could try to drag a few Scottish Craft Brewers out and arrange a rendezvous on Saturday?
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Also, while in Edinburgh, I'd recommend a visit to Edina Homebrew, Elgin Terrace (near Easter Road/London Road junction ~15 minute walk from Waverley).

Also, a walk along Rose Street (if only to count the pubs and imagine trying a pub crawl along it) is recommended. Unfortunately, most of the Rose Street pubs are not the best but Milnes Bar, The Abbotsford and Scotts Bar are OK.

Thanks so much for that....

You may not want to meet me on this occasion though.. I am on a stag, there are 35 or 40 of us! I am hoping to nip away from the maddening crowd for an hour or two so that I can sample some real ales etc,

Thanks for that again and I will certainly try and give one or two a visit.

(I wasn't putting you off meeting me, just, you know how stag parties can get and I wouldn't like to commit to meeting you and then not make it or be in a strip bar somewhere supping Bud lite ha ha and for you to discover me!) <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D -->

&amp;quot;garthicus&amp;quot;:tvonzg6u wrote: Thanks so much for that....

You may not want to meet me on this occasion though.. I am on a stag, there are 35 or 40 of us! I am hoping to nip away from the maddening crowd for an hour or two so that I can sample some real ales etc,

Thanks for that again and I will certainly try and give one or two a visit.

(I wasn't putting you off meeting me, just, you know how stag parties can get and I wouldn't like to commit to meeting you and then not make it or be in a strip bar somewhere supping Bud lite ha ha and for you to discover me!) <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D -->[/quote:tvonzg6u]
In that case, the Blue Blazer is extremely convenient for the "pubic triangle" (a triangular block with a number of lap/pole dancing bars etc.) if you want to quietly escape the Bud Lite and Eastern European females. <!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: -->

Had my stag in Edinburgh! So I am not sure what to recommend to you! <!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: -->

Les is Bow Bar on a slanting street, nearly Greyfriars Bobby's Bar? If you it a great little place with a good selection of beers. I remember it its quite place in the day, so I am not sure if they would be too friendly to a big stag party!

&amp;quot;oblivious&amp;quot;:2emgmfnj wrote: Les is Bow Bar on a slanting street, nearly Greyfriars Bobby's Bar? [/quote:2emgmfnj]
Yes.

&amp;quot;oblivious&amp;quot;:2emgmfnj wrote: If you it a great little place with a good selection of beers. I remember it its quite place in the day, so I am not sure if they would be too friendly to a big stag party![/quote:2emgmfnj]
No, too small and quiet for a stag party, as are most of the pubs I suggested. I supplied a list of pubs where the emphasis is on beer range/quality. <!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: -->

I tend not to go to the pubs frequented by stag parties. <!-- s:| --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_neutral.gif" alt="" title="Neutral" /><!-- s:| -->

&amp;quot;dereko1969&amp;quot;:2jhv73x9 wrote: that sounds like an excellent plan B, now i'm kind of hoping the cricket is rained off[/quote:2jhv73x9]
...well the weather has turned a bit nasty here. My flight back to Scotland last night was delayed by 1.5 hours because of thunderstorms around the borders. We had a lot of rain last night and it is very grey today here (I'd call it bad light for cricket). I hope it does improve for your cricket but if it stays like this I guess I might be seeing you in Edinburgh.

If you need them, here are details of the beer festival: [url:2jhv73x9]http://www.camra.org.uk/page.aspx?o=238302[/url:2jhv73x9] and here are directions [url:2jhv73x9]http://tinyurl.com/2y3rmr[/url:2jhv73x9]. It is a short walk from Waverley station, you just take an exit to Princes Street, turn left and walk along Princes Street and turn right up either South St. David St. or Hanover St. then left into George Street and the Assembly Rooms are along on your left - look for the pillars.

Cheers, Les