Reading Roars!

I have been reading the terrific book The Undercover Economist. In it, author Tim Harford writes:

When I am in Antwerp, sitting just off the Grote Markt and enjoying a Duvel, I cannot help but feel a little sad that this thrill has been cheapened by its ready availablity in my home city. Of course, when in London - and sober - I can only praise the noble and enterprising merchants who have brough exotic beers such as Duvel, Chimay and Maredsous 10 to my doorstep, and look forward to when they get around to importing Westmalle Trippel as well.

Fortunately, great Belgian beers can be enjoyed in Reading, too. The Retreat, a pub tricky to find and probably one of the town’s best kept secrets, offers the heavily marketed Leffe (an international brand now owned by InBev, who also own Stella, Beck’s, Murphy’s, Boddingtons, Staropramen…) as well as the superior, but less familiar, Trappist ales:

• Orval
• Rochefort 8o
• Duvel
• Chimay Rouge

All of the above come in a branded glass.

As far as I know, The Retreat does not provide chips with mayonnaise, but the crisps (posh and not-so-posh) are nice enough.

Mr Harford, if you are reading this (unlikely), you can have the glorious Westmalle Trippel at The Rake in Borough Market.