The Diggers

[Craig_]

Kickback, can anyone confirm whether the Diggers used to have a pipe going directly from the brewery to its Heavy tap, or is that just an urban myth?

[The Real Maroonblood]

8 minutes ago, Craig_ said:

Kickback, can anyone confirm whether the Diggers used to have a pipe going directly from the brewery to its Heavy tap, or is that just an urban myth?

[Morgan]

18 minutes ago, Craig_ said:

Kickback, can anyone confirm whether the Diggers used to have a pipe going directly from the brewery to its Heavy tap, or is that just an urban myth?

Don't know about that, Craig.

 

But, what I do know is, the last three or four times we’ve been in, the Heavy was a shadow of it's former self.

 

Perhaps the direct pipe idea was indeed in place many moons ago.  

[Craig_]

Just now, Morgan said:

Don't know about that, Craig.

 

But, what I do know is, the last three or four times we’ve been in, the Heavy was a shadow of it's former self.

 

Perhaps the direct pipe idea was indeed in place many moons ago.  

 

I mean, it's obviously bollocks. Would've been folk intercepting it in the graveyard!

 

Pretty sure a couple of other pubs in the area claimed the same thing too...

 

I do know for a fact that Stewarts are now providing the Heavy, rather than McEwans, which might account for the drop in quality.

[The Real Maroonblood]

5 minutes ago, Craig_ said:

 

I mean, it's obviously bollocks. Would've been folk intercepting it in the graveyard!

 

Pretty sure a couple of other pubs in the area claimed the same thing too...

 

I do know for a fact that Stewarts are now providing the Heavy, rather than McEwans, which might account for the drop in quality.

To be fair I think Stewart’s out does McEwans nowadays.

[Tazio]

It would have been one hell of a pipe from Fountain Brewery to Diggers. 

[Craig_]

13 minutes ago, Tazio said:

It would have been one hell of a pipe from Fountain Brewery to Diggers. 

 

Precisely. But exactly the kind of apocryphal tale which I'd imagine the boozer would've been happy to perpetuate.

[Janbo1874]

The one I recall was they buried the Heavy kegs in sand down in the cellar.

Apparently that was why it tasted so good.

[William H. Bonney]

I heard there’s nazi gold down there too. 

[Tazio]

Years ago a mate worked in Clark’s at the bottom of Dundas Street. Their IPA was the stuff of legend and a brilliant pint so when he started we asked what the secret was. Turned out it had a drip tray system that any waste used to go back down to the keg, and they used to dump the drip trays from the heavy down it as well which was why it didn’t taste like anyone else’s IPA. Was a lovely pint though. 

[ArcticJambo]

Didn't they infuse the heavy with sherry!

[SectionDJambo]

1 hour ago, Tazio said:

Years ago a mate worked in Clark’s at the bottom of Dundas Street. Their IPA was the stuff of legend and a brilliant pint so when he started we asked what the secret was. Turned out it had a drip tray system that any waste used to go back down to the keg, and they used to dump the drip trays from the heavy down it as well which was why it didn’t taste like anyone else’s IPA. Was a lovely pint though. 

My dad told me that, many years ago, if somebody in his local still had a half pint of beer left in their glass at chucking out time, the bar staff would pour it back into the keg, through a similar drip tray system that you have described. The customer would then be credited with that half pint when he bought his first pint, the next time he was in the pub.

Obviously, environmental health standards were scarce back then.

 

[Morgan]

1 hour ago, ArcticJambo said:

Didn't they infuse the heavy with sherry!

Sometimes it felt like they had, come the next morning!

[The Real Maroonblood]

26 minutes ago, SectionDJambo said:

My dad told me that, many years ago, if somebody in his local still had a half pint of beer left in their glass at chucking out time, the bar staff would pour it back into the keg, through a similar drip tray system that you have described. The customer would then be credited with that half pint when he bought his first pint, the next time he was in the pub.

Obviously, environmental health standards were scarce back then.

 

I can confirm that. 

I worked in a pub in Edinburgh many years ago. After closing time someone would go round the tables and emptied the beer into a bucket then it was put through the light beer.

[132goals1958]

12 minutes ago, Morgan said:

Sometimes it felt like they had, come the next morning!

 

We will never drink its like again. Unequivocally the best and easiest  beer to consume ever. Jungle juice as it was sometimes coined.Pints of lager were a rarity during the halcyon days of the diggers

[superjack]

1 hour ago, ArcticJambo said:

Didn't they infuse the heavy with sherry!

Half a bottle of sherry in each barrel.

[The Real Maroonblood]

2 minutes ago, 132goals1958 said:

 

We will never drink its like again. Unequivocally the best and easiest  beer to consume ever. Jungle juice as it was sometimes coined.Pints of lager were a rarity during the halcyon days of the diggers

If anyone asked for larger one particular barman would say to them if you want a P***s drink go to The Blue Lagoon.

🙂

[132goals1958]

1 minute ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

If anyone asked for larger one particular barman would say to them if you want a P***s drink go to The Blue Lagoon.

🙂

 

Absolutely true

[The Real Maroonblood]

Just now, 132goals1958 said:

 

Absolutely true

👍

[Seymour M Hersh]

Back in my youth (late 70's) I worked in Paddy's Bar on Lothian Rd (before it became a schemie hole I hasten add) and for a time we sold 60, 70, 80 and 90 bob on draught. Some people used to have a half & half of 90 bob and guiness. You can imagine some of the shambling messes leaving at closing time. 

Edited October 1, 2020 by Seymour M Hersh

[Morgan]

48 minutes ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

If anyone asked for larger one particular barman would say to them if you want a P***s drink go to The Blue Lagoon.

🙂

Wee guy with white hair?  In the ‘Snug’ bar?

 

As an aside, the Blue Lagoon was a feckin dive.

 

I briefly worked with the son of the bloke than ran it, he was a Hibs casual.   

[Morgan]

51 minutes ago, superjack said:

Half a bottle of sherry in each barrel.

Seriously Jack?  Is that true?

 

I know you worked in the bar trade, so I know you’ll know. 

[Morgan]

56 minutes ago, 132goals1958 said:

 

We will never drink its like again. Unequivocally the best and easiest  beer to consume ever. Jungle juice as it was sometimes coined.Pints of lager were a rarity during the halcyon days of the diggers

Do you remember the Jungle juice in the Maitland Hotel on Shandwick Place?

[132goals1958]

Remember it being quite lively on a Sunday night.🥃

[Victorian]

1 hour ago, Seymour M Hersh said:

Back in my youth (late 70's) I worked in Paddy's Bar on Lothian Rd (before it became a schemie hole I hasten add) and for a time we sold 60, 70, 80 and 90 bob on draught. Some people used to have a half & half of 90 bob and guiness. You can imagine some of the shambling messes leaving at closing time. 

 

My granny would have worked in there at the same time.   As a cleaner.   Did you know an Isabella McIntosh?

[ArcticJambo]

1 hour ago, superjack said:

Half a bottle of sherry in each barrel.

That's what we were told (well, never any quantity per se) when asking about it's distinct taste and potentcy but of course it was all rumour.  5/6 pints of that stuff left you glassy-eyed and stottering down Henderson Terrace just before three pm.  Happy days!

[Seymour M Hersh]

43 minutes ago, Victorian said:

 

My granny would have worked in there at the same time.   As a cleaner.   Did you know an Isabella McIntosh?

 

Sorry Vic, the name doesn't ring any bells. 

[superjack]

1 hour ago, Morgan said:

Seriously Jack?  Is that true?

 

I know you worked in the bar trade, so I know you’ll know. 

Wasn't through my bar work, my grandfather worked in pubs from the 50s right up to the mid 90s. He worked in the diggers at some point before he made his way up to manager of other pubs. Told me when we were having a pint of 80 in there. Was always around gorgie on a Tuesday to go to a certain butchers I think. It was quite a common thing to bump into him stopping for a couple drams before getting his bus back home.

[Victorian]

7 minutes ago, Seymour M Hersh said:

 

Sorry Vic, the name doesn't ring any bells. 

 

👍

[Lee_Mellon]

Ah, the Diggers in the 70s - the best pint of Heavy in Edinburgh at the time. 

 

- Saturday AM when Hearts were at home, into the Diggers at 11, several pints downed, out at 2:45 for the game. Win, lose or draw (mostly lose in those days😒), rush back to the Diggers for the doors opening at 5 to be confronted by a sea of pre-poured pints.

 

- Wee Davy (sp) insulting anybody whose order deviated from Heavy.

 

- Shagger patrolling the premises.

 

- High stakes doms in the back room,.

 

- And Bill Farmer presiding over it all, driving the till and pointing out to the staff punters waiting to be served.

 

 Towards the end of the decade I remember thinking the place was changing, especially when I heard a woman ask for “a half pint of Diggers Heavy please.” Still kept going though...

 

 

[Morgan]

13 minutes ago, Lee_Mellon said:

Ah, the Diggers in the 70s - the best pint of Heavy in Edinburgh at the time. 

 

- Saturday AM when Hearts were at home, into the Diggers at 11, several pints downed, out at 2:45 for the game. Win, lose or draw (mostly lose in those days😒), rush back to the Diggers for the doors opening at 5 to be confronted by a sea of pre-poured pints.

 

- Wee Davy (sp) insulting anybody whose order deviated from Heavy.

 

- Shagger patrolling the premises.

 

- High stakes doms in the back room,.

 

- And Bill Farmer presiding over it all, driving the till and pointing out to the staff punters waiting to be served.

 

 Towards the end of the decade I remember thinking the place was changing, especially when I heard a woman ask for “a half pint of Diggers Heavy please.” Still kept going though...

 

 

Bill Farmer.  RIP

[Enzo Chiefo]

2 hours ago, Morgan said:

Wee guy with white hair?  In the ‘Snug’ bar?

 

As an aside, the Blue Lagoon was a feckin dive.

 

I briefly worked with the son of the bloke than ran it, he was a Hibs casual.   

Wee John, a Hibbie as it happened,  but a good guy. 😎.  I remember back in 89 or 90, when they still closed between 3pm and 5pm, a guy in the Jug took his Babycham back to the bar because it was "flat". He was promptly reminded that he was in a pub not a "f****ng" cocktail bar. 

[Morgan]

1 minute ago, Enzo Chiefo said:

Wee John, a Hibbie as it happened,  but a good guy. 😎.  I remember back in 89 or 90, when they still closed between 3pm and 5pm, a guy in the Jug took his Babycham back to the bar because it was "flat". He was promptly reminded that he was in a pub not a "f****ng" cocktail bar. 

Babycham.   

[Lee_Mellon]

1 minute ago, Morgan said:

Bill Farmer.  RIP

Yip - the world would be an infinitely better place if more landlords were like Bill. He really knew his trade.

[Morgan]

Just now, Lee_Mellon said:

Yip - the world would be an infinitely better place if more landlords were like Bill. He really knew his trade.

He did that, Lee.  👍

[The Real Maroonblood]

2 hours ago, Morgan said:

Wee guy with white hair?  In the ‘Snug’ bar?

 

As an aside, the Blue Lagoon was a feckin dive.

 

I briefly worked with the son of the bloke than ran it, he was a Hibs casual.   

I thought the barman was bald.😄

The Blue Lagoon was a dive.

[The Real Maroonblood]

28 minutes ago, Lee_Mellon said:

Ah, the Diggers in the 70s - the best pint of Heavy in Edinburgh at the time. 

 

- Saturday AM when Hearts were at home, into the Diggers at 11, several pints downed, out at 2:45 for the game. Win, lose or draw (mostly lose in those days😒), rush back to the Diggers for the doors opening at 5 to be confronted by a sea of pre-poured pints.

 

- Wee Davy (sp) insulting anybody whose order deviated from Heavy.

 

- Shagger patrolling the premises.

 

- High stakes doms in the back room,.

 

- And Bill Farmer presiding over it all, driving the till and pointing out to the staff punters waiting to be served.

 

 Towards the end of the decade I remember thinking the place was changing, especially when I heard a woman ask for “a half pint of Diggers Heavy please.” Still kept going though...

 

 

Fond memories.

👍

[indianajones]

It was real. My great gran helped lay it. 

[Lee_Mellon]

3 minutes ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

Fond memories.

👍

I would have more, but they’ve mostly been lost to McEwan’s 80/-😄

[Lee_Mellon]

14 minutes ago, indianajones said:

It was real. My great gran helped lay it. 

Will the movie be called Indiana Jones’ Great Gran and the Pipe of Ambrosia?

 

 

Edited October 1, 2020 by Lee_Mellon
Removal of extraneous wittering

[indianajones]

1 minute ago, Lee_Mellon said:

Will the movie be called Indiana Jones’ Great Gran and the Pipe of Ambrosia?

 

the mo Indiana 

 

[Pasquale for King]

7 hours ago, Craig_ said:

Kickback, can anyone confirm whether the Diggers used to have a pipe going directly from the brewery to its Heavy tap, or is that just an urban myth?

Myth I’m afraid. They used to get daily deliveries of fresh beer and the lines were cleaned every morning. 

[Pasquale for King]

7 hours ago, Morgan said:

Don't know about that, Craig.

 

But, what I do know is, the last three or four times we’ve been in, the Heavy was a shadow of it's former self.

 

Perhaps the direct pipe idea was indeed in place many moons ago.  

It’s not the same beer,they stopped making Mcewans 80/- on cask so Stewart’s made us a 80/-. I’ve never tried the old 80/- but apparently if you have half the Stewart’s abs half the keg Mcewans 80/- it’s more like the old stuff. They tried to make it again down south but obviously the water is different. 

[Pasquale for King]

6 hours ago, Janbo1874 said:

The one I recall was they buried the Heavy kegs in sand down in the cellar.

Apparently that was why it tasted so good.

Never heard that one 😆

[Pasquale for King]

6 hours ago, Furious Styles said:

I heard there’s nazi gold down there too. 

Haven’t seen any 🙈

[Pasquale for King]

5 hours ago, ArcticJambo said:

Didn't they infuse the heavy with sherry!

No. 

[Pasquale for King]

4 hours ago, superjack said:

Half a bottle of sherry in each barrel.

🤥😜

[Pasquale for King]

3 hours ago, Morgan said:

Wee guy with white hair?  In the ‘Snug’ bar?

 

As an aside, the Blue Lagoon was a feckin dive.

 

I briefly worked with the son of the bloke than ran it, he was a Hibs casual.   

Wee Davy, his picture is up on the wall..Jug bar.

Edited October 1, 2020 by Pasquale for King

[Pasquale for King]

1 hour ago, Lee_Mellon said:

Ah, the Diggers in the 70s - the best pint of Heavy in Edinburgh at the time. 

 

- Saturday AM when Hearts were at home, into the Diggers at 11, several pints downed, out at 2:45 for the game. Win, lose or draw (mostly lose in those days😒), rush back to the Diggers for the doors opening at 5 to be confronted by a sea of pre-poured pints.

 

- Wee Davy (sp) insulting anybody whose order deviated from Heavy.

 

- Shagger patrolling the premises.

 

- High stakes doms in the back room,.

 

- And Bill Farmer presiding over it all, driving the till and pointing out to the staff punters waiting to be served.

 

 Towards the end of the decade I remember thinking the place was changing, especially when I heard a woman ask for “a half pint of Diggers Heavy please.” Still kept going though...

 

 

Could you tell me more about shagger?

[Lee_Mellon]

11 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

Could you tell me more about shagger?

Not a lot to tell and probably disappointing - Shagger was a dog, a scruffy black mongrel as I recall, who had the run of the place. Caused much merriment when his owner called him - god, we were easily amused back then!