Wednesday, 15 July 2009

11th July - Joint Birthday bash in Burton

Burton (again) but this time with a couple of thoee I visit various places around Birmingham once a month or so for a joint birther day - mine and DPs.

Met by the station after I'd spent some time in a junk shop offering ex pub junk and pictures for sale and we proceded to the Alfred. for me it was Burton Bridge Bramble Stout (nice but a bit heavy to start a afternoon session on maybe).

Moving on it was the Cottage and this time chose Oak Ale from the Cottage Brewing Company.

The Oak and Ivy folowed. A new pub for me and worth a visit for the guest beer (Wychwood Wild One). DP's partner noted that the cider here was "splendid."

Taxi ride followed across to the Burton Bridge Brewery's tap when I had the Burton Porter.

We then strolled up to the Wetherspoon's Lord Burton for some Pedigree.

Finally to the Coopers for Vanilla Porter (didn't note the brewery) plus PG Sips from the Blue Monkey brewery.

9th July -Happy 274th Anniversary Mr and Mrs Johnson

Spent today in Derby mainly atttracted by the 32nd Derby beer festival. The theme this time was the 300th birthday of Doctor Samuel Johnson of dictionary fame and so many of the beer and festival specials were appropriately named. The day of our visit coincided with the day of his wedding toTetty Porter, hence the title of this posting.

Onto the drinking. First up was Leatherbritches Dr Johnson (a 4% bitter which tasted as though they had aimed to brew in the style of the Doctor's day). I've been to the pub where the brewery is housed a few years ago and details of it are here.

Next we headed out of the Great Hall and into the Darwin room for Earl Soham's Ganet Mild, followed by Ashford, a mild from the Thornbridge brewery (previously mention on here).

Time for lunch and sitting on the many free chairs between the two rooms made it easy to venture into the great hall for Amber brewery Chocolate Orange Stout - I'd have tapped and unwrapped but then I'd have spilt some so I didn't.

Porter's a style of beer I've come to enjoy so next up it was Derby brewery's Penny's Porter and thence Tetty Porter from the Full Mash brewery.

The afternoon session was drawing to a close so we ventured into the streets of Derby and a favoriate of mine, the Flower Pot (a festival in iteslf with something like 30 beers on offer and which lead me to decide not to record every beer in every pub). I spied Durham White Amerillo which brought back memories of the trip to Durham at the start of the year and is the first posting on this blog.

Next to one the Wetherspoon offerings, the Standing Order for Falstaff's A Fist Full of Hops (I think it could do with a few hops more maybe but who am I to criticise?).

Onward to the Brunswick for their Black Sabbeth Mild which we'ed thought about having back at the festival but didn't as we'ed end up here anyway.

Approaching the station we dived into the Victoria for a quick half of Bass and then bak to Tamworth for the Curry special in the Bole Bridge accompanied by Pedigree.

Thursday, 2 July 2009

Oh no - is this a mid life crisis approaching...

I've starting researching CIDER festivals...