Location: The White Cross (Richmond, UK)
Beer: Hepcat Session IPA from Gipsy Hill Brewing – Beer #4952 of 5000
T-Shirt: NEVER TELL ME THE ODDS (My battle cry as a serial entrepreneur. And, I heard it’s a Star Wars quote.)

UNTAPPD Rating: 4.0
Video: I’m still learning. Having fun. Looking like a goof!
Category: Fan Pilgrimage + Busy Patio Perfection
Vibe: Sunny riverside, Friday crowd, Ted Lasso magic

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🍻 BELIEVE in Session IPA

After wrapping up a cozy pint at The Eagle in Shepherd’s Bush, Lori and I did what any good Ted Lasso fan would do — we minded the gap, hopped on the tube, and made a pilgrimage to Richmond. Not just any part of Richmond — we set our sights on finding the best riverside patio in Richmond — The White Cross, a pub just steps from all things Lasso lore. AFC Richmond may be fictional, but the charm of Richmond is very, very real. My day dream was to see Roy F’ing Kent walk up to us and say, “Where’s my f’ing pint, mate?” Right?! BTW, sign-up for our Chug Club to follow along on this incredible beer journey!

Side note — my favorite fantasy football team name three years ago, was Roy F’ing Kent. Most of my league mates, in the Drink & Draft League, had never watched the show and had no idea who the dude was. Well, Roy had the last laugh in 2022 and his name is now on a trophy somewhere in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. I still use the F’ing team name in that league.

We hopped off the train and walked straight into the sunshine, and found ourselves at the packed patio of The White Cross, nestled on the banks of the River Thames. Rebuilt in 1780, this place has survived flood after flood. Or wellie after wellie, in their words. Picture this: pints in hand, colorful bougainvillia on the trellis, the warmest day of the year, crowds buzzing, and the ghost of Coach Beard somewhere in the background saying something both oddly poetic and definitely cringeworthy.

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🍺 Beer Notes: Hepcat Session IPA

Let’s talk beer.
Hepcat is a Session IPA brewed by Gipsy Hill Brewing, just across town in South London. Light-bodied, tropical, and zippy with citrus. It doesn’t punch you in the face, it taps you on the shoulder and says “Hey, let’s have a really good time.”

Despite being poured into a plastic cup (a patio rule I wasn’t thrilled about but grudgingly accepted), it still held its own. Cold. Fresh. Crushable, even at 4.6% ABV. The kind of beer that makes you look around at strangers and say, “This is the life, huh?”

🎬 Tourist Mode: Ted Lasso, Richmond Edition

Drinking Hepcat IPA (Beer #4952 of 5000) at The White Cross felt like checking a bucket list item I didn’t know I had. We were in full Ted Lasso tourist mode — planning to soon depart for The Prince’s Head (aka The Crown & Anchor from the show), soaking up the good vibes and sunshine.

Richmond feels like a TV show set that forgot to stop being real. Between the footbridge, the charming pubs, and the riverside strolls, it’s easy to see why they picked this spot. Lori and I are looking forward to Ted Lasso, Season 4!

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📸 Capturing the Moment

Pint in hand. Sun overhead. Laughter around us.
This was one of the best people-watching stops in London, the one I’ll remember with a smile and a Ted Lasso quote stuck in my head:

“Be curious, not judgmental.”
I was curious. And I was a judge. This Session IPA received a gold medal.

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🗺️ Your Future Visit to Richmond?

When you visit Richmond, definitely hangout at Ted’s pub (The Prince’s Head), find flat 11A, and buy a box of Ted’s biscuits. Just make sure to wander over to The White Cross. A friendly patio on the banks of the River Thames is hard to beat.