It's official, January is the shittiest month of the year. Like most people, I am counting the financial cost of a family Christmas, regretting the excesses of food and drink, seeing yet another spare tyre around the middle and am generally down in the dumps and stuck in the snow.
However, what really pisses me off about this time of year is that I seem to spend much of January doing tax returns; it's my job plus there's my own, my wife's, my parents' too. Tax return season when I should be out drinking beer. Not only that, as I seem to spend most of January in front of a computer screen anyway, it means my enthusiasm for the blog wanes.
I promise, that's an absolute promise, that normal service will resume here over the next week or two. Hopefully the blog meet, tweet-up in Sheffield on Saturday will kick start by beer year and my juices will be flowing thereafter. Cheers until then.
Sunday, 17 January 2010
Sunday, 10 January 2010
Abbot Ale Beer Diploma
Just before Christmas that nice lady at Greene King sent me the rather stylish gift of an Abbot Ale branded pint glass. The quid-pro-quo is to give a shout out for their Beer Diploma which they launched on the Abbot Ale web-site recently.
The Beer Diploma gives beer drinkers a chance to show off their knowledge to answer ten questions in each of four modules - Beer History & Folklore, Brewing and Beer Ingredients, Beer Storage & Serving Techniques and Beer Tasting.
I sat the exam through the web-site and was delighted to received a merit pass but if the truth be told I was a little disappointed with my score of 33 out of 40. It would appear that I need some extra revision on Beer History.
Anyway, I have done their bidding. Try it it yourself here. Good Luck !
The Beer Diploma gives beer drinkers a chance to show off their knowledge to answer ten questions in each of four modules - Beer History & Folklore, Brewing and Beer Ingredients, Beer Storage & Serving Techniques and Beer Tasting.
I sat the exam through the web-site and was delighted to received a merit pass but if the truth be told I was a little disappointed with my score of 33 out of 40. It would appear that I need some extra revision on Beer History.
Anyway, I have done their bidding. Try it it yourself here. Good Luck !
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
Richmond Park Dog Rescue
Even though we have only about an inch or so of snow overnight, I still thought it would be a good opportunity to take a couple of atmospheric photos of special beers in the snow at Richmond Park. I wrapped up warm and set off to the Pen Ponds in the middle of the park. I had just taken this nice pic of Lovibonds Wheat Wine when a teenage girl rushed up asking me to help her. Her dog who had gone onto the iced over pond and was stuck on the island in the middle (in the centre background of the photo). What developed was an exciting and dramatic morning. Look away now though if you only come here for the beer ... 
And just in case the beer lovers have made it this far, I still had time to portray The National Trust beer from Westerham Brewery in the snow.
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
Happy New Year
As I poke my furry nose out from beneath the duvet at the end of my self imposed winter hibernation, I realise that there is still the strong pull of the keyboard and an energy and ambition to continue with the blog.
Thank you to those who have provided encouragement in the last month by asking when the musings will return - you know who you are ..... yes, both of you. Thanks also to those who have told me you enjoyed the videos - there is more to come.
If there is a sure fire way to remove half of the blog readers, it is to say you are taking a break. Thanks to those of you who have persistently returned hoping to find something new. I apologise that I could not match that enthusiasm. Hopefully the other half of you who went away will return just as quickly.
So, here we go. A New Year brings a fresh and vibrant return to blogging about the world of beer. I hope there is something here for you to enjoy over the coming months and I look forward to sharing a pint or two in your company - either virtually or in person.
and finally, to wet your whistle, my favourite one from a Christmas cracker last year ......
What annoys an oyster ?
A noisy noise annoys an oyster !
Cheers all
Steve
Thank you to those who have provided encouragement in the last month by asking when the musings will return - you know who you are ..... yes, both of you. Thanks also to those who have told me you enjoyed the videos - there is more to come.
If there is a sure fire way to remove half of the blog readers, it is to say you are taking a break. Thanks to those of you who have persistently returned hoping to find something new. I apologise that I could not match that enthusiasm. Hopefully the other half of you who went away will return just as quickly.
So, here we go. A New Year brings a fresh and vibrant return to blogging about the world of beer. I hope there is something here for you to enjoy over the coming months and I look forward to sharing a pint or two in your company - either virtually or in person.
and finally, to wet your whistle, my favourite one from a Christmas cracker last year ......
What annoys an oyster ?
A noisy noise annoys an oyster !
Cheers all
Steve
Friday, 18 December 2009
Middle Class Obesession ?
Can't resist sharing this. Apologies for not putting it into context but I guess you all read the newspapers ....
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Pig's Ear Beer Festival
Quick post as I am rushing around this week......
CAMRA's legendary London winter beer festival (known as Pig's Ear) makes it 26th appearance this week at Ocean in Hackney from Tuesday to Saturday this week.
Neither the town of Hackney nor the actual night club style venue were initially very well received by London's drinkers when the event was resurrected a couple of years ago after many years at Stratford.
However, last year, the numbers were up and plenty more beer was drunk so people are slowly getting used to it and clearly having a good time.
I don't think you can beat it for its range of winter, Christmas and one-off festival special beers.
I will be down there tomorrow as I am chairing the CBOB panel that is judging the barley wine category; mmmm barley wine at 10am.
Enjoy it everyone.
More info and beer list available on the ELAC Camra website here.
CAMRA's legendary London winter beer festival (known as Pig's Ear) makes it 26th appearance this week at Ocean in Hackney from Tuesday to Saturday this week.
Neither the town of Hackney nor the actual night club style venue were initially very well received by London's drinkers when the event was resurrected a couple of years ago after many years at Stratford.
However, last year, the numbers were up and plenty more beer was drunk so people are slowly getting used to it and clearly having a good time.
I don't think you can beat it for its range of winter, Christmas and one-off festival special beers.
I will be down there tomorrow as I am chairing the CBOB panel that is judging the barley wine category; mmmm barley wine at 10am.
Enjoy it everyone.
More info and beer list available on the ELAC Camra website here.
Saturday, 28 November 2009
White Horse Parsons Green
I think I may have developed an allergy to hops. I had three pints yesterday but boy, do I know I had a drink.
Admittedly, the three pints were taken at The White Horse Old Ale Festival and were mostly in the region of 6% - 9% so, I guess that makes it the equivalent of six or seven normal strength pints. I will have to be dry now until Wednesday as there is a big week ahead.
The White Horse at Parsons Green has hosted the Old Ale Festival in the last week of November for the last 27 years so you would expect them to be getting the hang of it but this year's list must be the biggest and best.
Among the highlights for me was Thornbridge Raven, a beer you might call a black IPA, brewed with black and chocolate malt but with a generous hop bitterness that balances the roast malt character. A 6.6% sharpener.
My overall winner for the day was Sierra Nevada, Celebration. A cask beer brewed in California and released for Thanksgiving and Christmas each year to celebrate the season. A rich beer with a spicy hop aroma, a complex taste of orange, with hint of honey and almonds finished with a long warming, fruity aftertaste. A lovely 6.8% beer as good as you come to expect from Sierra Nevada.
Some people do say that the WH is a bit expensive but overall my three pints cost less than £15 - less than I would have spent on a session of six or seven pints in the pub and this for rarities that I probably won't see again. Very good value in my opinion.
The festival continues throughout the weekend. I recommend a visit.
Admittedly, the three pints were taken at The White Horse Old Ale Festival and were mostly in the region of 6% - 9% so, I guess that makes it the equivalent of six or seven normal strength pints. I will have to be dry now until Wednesday as there is a big week ahead.
The White Horse at Parsons Green has hosted the Old Ale Festival in the last week of November for the last 27 years so you would expect them to be getting the hang of it but this year's list must be the biggest and best.
Among the highlights for me was Thornbridge Raven, a beer you might call a black IPA, brewed with black and chocolate malt but with a generous hop bitterness that balances the roast malt character. A 6.6% sharpener.
My overall winner for the day was Sierra Nevada, Celebration. A cask beer brewed in California and released for Thanksgiving and Christmas each year to celebrate the season. A rich beer with a spicy hop aroma, a complex taste of orange, with hint of honey and almonds finished with a long warming, fruity aftertaste. A lovely 6.8% beer as good as you come to expect from Sierra Nevada.
Some people do say that the WH is a bit expensive but overall my three pints cost less than £15 - less than I would have spent on a session of six or seven pints in the pub and this for rarities that I probably won't see again. Very good value in my opinion.
The festival continues throughout the weekend. I recommend a visit.
Friday, 27 November 2009
Portsmouth Pubs
I seem to be a bit off the pace at the moment having spent much of the last two weeks out-of-town and away from my desk.
Last week saw us spend a couple of days in Portsmouth where my favourite son is studying. Hit the tourist trails and experienced the usual ups and downs of the local pubs.
Gun Wharf Quays is the newest, most recently spruced up part of Portsmouth. It is a re-development of bars, restaurants, nightclub, outlet shopping and apartments. It is a happening place with some good vibes. It is common that the traditional pub in places like this is an All Bar One or a Yates. Here we find the Old Custom House a large Fuller's pub converted from old naval office building. Gales brewery was a backward company in many ways but this is an example of the vision and ambition that could have saved the company as an independent outfit. Fuller's have inherited a great pub here. It is large and multi-roomed but still bright and inviting. The staff give the impression that they are there to make sure your visit is as enjoyable as possible. We have enjoyed a meal here on a couple of visits. It is a pub where you get the impression that people are trying hard. The wide range of Fuller's beers is an add-on for me and the beer has been good on all three visits. I think the pub has had problems with consistency in the past and as such does not appear in the Good beer Guide.
The next pub, venturing towards Southsea, is The Hole in the Wall, Portsmouth CAMRA pub of the year, and the home of Oakleaf Hole Hearted beer. I enjoyed a pint of porter here and my wife and son had the Weston's perry - both good. I was concerned to see most people drinking pints of squash - lemon and orange. On further research, the orange proved to be Cheddar Valley cider, a brighter cider you will not see and the lemon was alcoholic ginger beer. Unfortunately I tried neither as we were hot footing it to the next place.
The Florence Arms, further into Southsea is a friendly pub that focuses on cider. A list of about forty bottled and cask ciders was offered. Whitehead perry was chosen by the lightweights, I had a lovely pint of an Oakleaf seasonal beer - a long name that I cannot remember (and does not appear on their website - was I dreaming ?).
Onwards and upwards to the Fifth Hants Volunteer Arms on the main Southsea drinking stretch, Albert Road, a cosmopolitan, vibrant if slightly scruffy street. I was expecting a Fuller's pub from the Good Beer Guide description. I was surprised as we approached because it must be one of the only Fuller's pubs that has not received the post Gales makeover. When we entered it was clear that this pub was in dire need of some tender loving care and attention. The furniture and carpets were filthy, the welcome non-existent and the beer, like the rest of the pub, tired. This small pub has probably suffered in this long, deep recession and really does need, what I think is now commonly called in the trade, "tenant support". I hope it gets a leg up soon because this is a small, traditional, street corner community pub that is fast becoming lost in this country. I know tenants have obligations under their leases but this sort of run-down ambiance does nothing good for a company as widely regarded as Fullers. A Good Beer Guide pub for many years on the evidence of many certificates on show but it must be in serious danger of being omitted in future unless it pulls its socks up.
The evening ended watching the football in the Leopold, a modern pub also on Albert Road. Excellent pints of Oakleaf Hole Hearted made the Thierry Henry handball even more funny.
So there you have it, a trot around the pubs of Pompey. Some highs and some lows. Mainly good beer, great choice of local beers and cider and reasonable prices.
Last week saw us spend a couple of days in Portsmouth where my favourite son is studying. Hit the tourist trails and experienced the usual ups and downs of the local pubs.
Gun Wharf Quays is the newest, most recently spruced up part of Portsmouth. It is a re-development of bars, restaurants, nightclub, outlet shopping and apartments. It is a happening place with some good vibes. It is common that the traditional pub in places like this is an All Bar One or a Yates. Here we find the Old Custom House a large Fuller's pub converted from old naval office building. Gales brewery was a backward company in many ways but this is an example of the vision and ambition that could have saved the company as an independent outfit. Fuller's have inherited a great pub here. It is large and multi-roomed but still bright and inviting. The staff give the impression that they are there to make sure your visit is as enjoyable as possible. We have enjoyed a meal here on a couple of visits. It is a pub where you get the impression that people are trying hard. The wide range of Fuller's beers is an add-on for me and the beer has been good on all three visits. I think the pub has had problems with consistency in the past and as such does not appear in the Good beer Guide.
The next pub, venturing towards Southsea, is The Hole in the Wall, Portsmouth CAMRA pub of the year, and the home of Oakleaf Hole Hearted beer. I enjoyed a pint of porter here and my wife and son had the Weston's perry - both good. I was concerned to see most people drinking pints of squash - lemon and orange. On further research, the orange proved to be Cheddar Valley cider, a brighter cider you will not see and the lemon was alcoholic ginger beer. Unfortunately I tried neither as we were hot footing it to the next place.
The Florence Arms, further into Southsea is a friendly pub that focuses on cider. A list of about forty bottled and cask ciders was offered. Whitehead perry was chosen by the lightweights, I had a lovely pint of an Oakleaf seasonal beer - a long name that I cannot remember (and does not appear on their website - was I dreaming ?).
Onwards and upwards to the Fifth Hants Volunteer Arms on the main Southsea drinking stretch, Albert Road, a cosmopolitan, vibrant if slightly scruffy street. I was expecting a Fuller's pub from the Good Beer Guide description. I was surprised as we approached because it must be one of the only Fuller's pubs that has not received the post Gales makeover. When we entered it was clear that this pub was in dire need of some tender loving care and attention. The furniture and carpets were filthy, the welcome non-existent and the beer, like the rest of the pub, tired. This small pub has probably suffered in this long, deep recession and really does need, what I think is now commonly called in the trade, "tenant support". I hope it gets a leg up soon because this is a small, traditional, street corner community pub that is fast becoming lost in this country. I know tenants have obligations under their leases but this sort of run-down ambiance does nothing good for a company as widely regarded as Fullers. A Good Beer Guide pub for many years on the evidence of many certificates on show but it must be in serious danger of being omitted in future unless it pulls its socks up.
The evening ended watching the football in the Leopold, a modern pub also on Albert Road. Excellent pints of Oakleaf Hole Hearted made the Thierry Henry handball even more funny.
So there you have it, a trot around the pubs of Pompey. Some highs and some lows. Mainly good beer, great choice of local beers and cider and reasonable prices.
Monday, 23 November 2009
Good Beer Guide
I like the Good Beer Guide. I always buy the latest edition. I have it on my sat-nav, I use it on every trip. Over the years, I have helped with surveys, editing and distribution - I trust the formula.
However, every now and then it lets me down. Last week, I came across the most dirty pub I have been in for years. The furniture was filthy, the carpets too. It has had no investment for years despite being owned by one of the regional breweries. Sometimes these pubs do make it into the GBG if the beer is of sufficient quality to overcome all of these deficiencies. After all it is the GOOD BEER Guide. On this occasion the beer was close to being undrinkable too.
I suppose the guide covers about 5,000 pubs so sometimes things will slip in depending on each local CAMRA branch. I would be surprised to see this pub in the Guide again unless it receives some significant improvements - both to the decor and the beer.
I hope I have more luck this week. My research continues.
However, every now and then it lets me down. Last week, I came across the most dirty pub I have been in for years. The furniture was filthy, the carpets too. It has had no investment for years despite being owned by one of the regional breweries. Sometimes these pubs do make it into the GBG if the beer is of sufficient quality to overcome all of these deficiencies. After all it is the GOOD BEER Guide. On this occasion the beer was close to being undrinkable too.
I suppose the guide covers about 5,000 pubs so sometimes things will slip in depending on each local CAMRA branch. I would be surprised to see this pub in the Guide again unless it receives some significant improvements - both to the decor and the beer.
I hope I have more luck this week. My research continues.
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