West Highland Way

So, it's been a busy old summer. Perhaps everyone has come into the Alehouse to shelter from the rain. Perhaps we've just come of age and the word is now out that The Grog & Gruel is just a damn good pub. Or perhaps, it's because the end of the West Highland Way has moved from the Glen Nevis roundabout (was that ever official?) to just outside the doors of the pub. Well, nearly.

The new statue in Gordon Square, Fort William

Regardless of quite why we've been enjoying the sweet sound of cash registers ringing, it's quite refreshing to see a bit of effort being made to welcome tens of thousands of walkers at the end of their ramblings. They've even made a bit of effort to sort out Gordon Square. And look, they've given us a new statue too.

Err..., anyway, The Grog & Gruel is now the end checkpoint (or the first one if you're walking downhill) for getting the final stamp in your West Highland Way Log Book and claiming your certificate.

Friends of Nevis

A quick thank you from the Friends of Nevis to The Grog and Gruel for being the top fund raiser in the town. But it's not us that should be thanked, it's our customers! So, thanks!

Path repairs 25ooft up a mountain don't come cheap!

Apparently the total to the beginning of June from the bar top collections and trolley token donations is a fairly substantial £617.70 (plus 10 Euros!) Here's a quick note from FoN:

Please pass on my thanks to your team there, because it is definitely the attitude and enthusiasm in promoting/placing the items that really helps. So many times I have been into other outlets to find our leaflets and/or boxes are either under the counter or shoved behind stuff in a corner!

Well, no point doing something if you're not going to do it well. And we're glad to help. Ben Nevis is Fort William's biggest asset. We'd dread to think of the town without it, so it seems only natural that we'd choose to get behind something that helps to protect that asset for now and for future generations.

So, thanks to everyone who's donated. And if you haven't already, see the FoN web site for more easy ways to help out, not all of which involve cash!

I believe the children are our future.

I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way. So, after much discussion with our lisencing board and paperwork, The Grog and Gruel will now welcome children into our Alehouse during the day in the company of a 'responsible' adult. We hope this is something our customers will find of benefit and also allow parents to enjoy our range of food and drink without having to tie their children up outside.

Although children have always been welcome into our restaurant, getting the green light from the lisencing board to having children into our alehouse took a change in the law to come about. Although under 18's will never be allowed alcohol whilst in The Grog and Gruel a fine range of soft drinks and and excellent hot drinks menu is available as well as a children's menu. We also have a high chair for those tiny wee Grog and Gruel customers. So a trip to the Grog and Gruel will no longer be reserved for the older generation it can be a grand day out for all the family.

Brand New Ales At The Grog

May is a good month for cask ale. A wonderful range of seasonal ales are on offer from our local Highland breweries to add to their usual listings. One of these to be featured this week is White Lady wheat beer from Cairngorm brewery. A classic light bodied session bitter. This copper coloured beer has a delicate malt flavour and a hint of caramel from crystal grains. It is traditionally bittered with Goldings and has a dry slightly spicy finish. It's proving very popular even for a wheat beer.


To add to our great range of ales this week we also have Hebridean Gold from Isle of Skye Brewery. A distinctively different ale, brewed with porridge oats for exceptional smoothness, with a deep and creamy head.

Both ales are selling extremely well so worth popping down to The Grog and Gruel before we sell 'oat' !!

Quiz night results

Another great evening of cask ale and intellectual jousting at The Grog and Gruel last night as another quiz night was held as part of our Easter Ale Festival. Quiz mistress Dr Jacqui Hill was hosting the evening and, after a few half pints of ale and a Wild Boar Chilli, she was in fine form. We had 10 teams in all, including last years winners and reigning champions "The Guessers" and a team of about 12 students from Lochaber College.

So.. what did we learn?? Well, The teletubby with the hat is Dipsy, A laxton Superb is an apple NOT a laxative,and Elvis Presley was did infact die at age 42 and is NOT still alive. Well done to all those who took part especially to the winners "The Guessers", runners up "Trumpton Fire Brigade" and a special round of applause for the 12 Lochaber college students who came in 3rd place (even after trying to use mobiles to get answers)

Our next quiz night will be held as part of our mid summer ale festival.

Opening Up or Closing Down ??

How can you tell it is getting into the busier trade season in Fort William? Judging by the snow it's certainly not the warmer weather. The easiest way is to look for the shops which open for the season with closing down sales. Like a blot on the landscape.

Everyday of every month of every year there is some kinda of sale on. I too find it hard to understand. Opening a business with damaged stock seems like a very poor business decision. In some small way I suppose its better than having another empty premises, but not by much. So far they have not stuck balloons on the front of the building, which only make it look worse. For anyone wanting to buy quality outdoor equipment (undamaged) in Fort William Ellis Brigham and Nevisport are well worth a visit.

Grog Gifts

Having sold out (such is demand!) we've been without any of our much loved Grog & Gruel t-shirts for a few weeks now. However, all that changes this next week as the new stock is due for delivery very soon.

We've made a couple of small changes to our design for this batch, the first such change in 16 years. We've replicated the colour logo on the front left breast for a bit of extra impact and added in our web address just in case you forget it. And if you find yourself lost and can't remember where you live they can always post you back to us as our address is now on the sleeve.

Now taking orders at the bargain basement price of just £9.75

Grog fans can also indulge themselves with one of our navy blue polo shirts with embroidered Grog & Gruel logo for that smart understated look, or buy a coffee mug for that highly caffinated traditional hot drink receptacle.

Could ale be good for you ?

Researchers have found recently that beer, in particular light ales, contains a substance that boosts bones and could mean they are less likely to suffer from osteoporosis. The finding, published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, backs up previous research which also showed that the drink was good at fending off brittle bones – especially in women. Silicon which is present in pale ales from the high volume of hops is responsible and may have other health benefits.
As we move, slowly, from winter into spring the number of lighter ales on sale increases here at the Grog and Gruel as customers look for a lighter, refreshing session ale. So good news for all our ale drinkers. Now you can remove guilt from a trip to the pub as you fend of brittle bones with a trip to your favorite award winning cask ale house.