First decent day of the year and so what better excuse than to have a few beers.
In these increasingly virtual days and that new fangled thing (the Unconference) I decided that Off for a beer should come live from the garden.
Two varients of my own beer were sampled - both based around a standard porter, one flavoured with Damsons, the other with Cinnamon - well it was when it was made but the spiceiness has started to wain.
Monday, 29 March 2010
26th March - Walsall Beer Festival
Walsall is a beer festival I've not previously visited till now.
Meeting GP and the rest on the platform at New Street sees us head towards Walsall amidst discussions of what to do with broken X-Boxes.
On arrival at Walsall, we quickly revert to type and realise what a wonderful acqjuisition a copy of the A-Z might have been, but nevertheless we eventually stroll manufully toards the Town Hall.
Being part of the Black Country, one would expect that Walsall festival would offer a range of milds and whilst it is true that there were some interesting offerings the number available its was bitter type beers that dominated, a break down being as follows :
Inspired I went cak to try their Amarena cherry perry but this was sold out so instead Millwhites Apples and Pears.
By this time the sound of pianist was getting in the way of the the conversation so we moved to the room where the bottle beers were offered and found plenty of seating.
Time for some beer and first up was Coastal's Hop Monster at 3.9% followed by a porter from Downton with the apt name of Chocolate Orange Delight.
Something hoppier now so Titanic's RIPA fitted the bill.
I decided that the taste buds had taken a trashing and needed to recover so I asked the others which beer they felt was "the blandlist thing on the menu" - Highgate and Davonports Mild was the unanimous choice so that was next.
The Saxon gold hoard discovery was in the news and Backyard Brewhouse from Brownhills had produced a golden ale called The Hoard which was consumed next.
Drop of the Black Stuff , a porter from Springhead came next.
Also sampled were Heritage Mild from Ironbridge and Wild Mule from Roosters.
All in all and excellent day out and hopefully I'll be able to visit again next year.
Meeting GP and the rest on the platform at New Street sees us head towards Walsall amidst discussions of what to do with broken X-Boxes.
On arrival at Walsall, we quickly revert to type and realise what a wonderful acqjuisition a copy of the A-Z might have been, but nevertheless we eventually stroll manufully toards the Town Hall.
Being part of the Black Country, one would expect that Walsall festival would offer a range of milds and whilst it is true that there were some interesting offerings the number available its was bitter type beers that dominated, a break down being as follows :
- Mild - 8 beers
- Bitter / pale ales / golden / IPA - 57 beers
- Strong ales / premiums - 13
- Stout and porter - 11
- others - 3
Inspired I went cak to try their Amarena cherry perry but this was sold out so instead Millwhites Apples and Pears.
By this time the sound of pianist was getting in the way of the the conversation so we moved to the room where the bottle beers were offered and found plenty of seating.
Time for some beer and first up was Coastal's Hop Monster at 3.9% followed by a porter from Downton with the apt name of Chocolate Orange Delight.
Something hoppier now so Titanic's RIPA fitted the bill.
I decided that the taste buds had taken a trashing and needed to recover so I asked the others which beer they felt was "the blandlist thing on the menu" - Highgate and Davonports Mild was the unanimous choice so that was next.
The Saxon gold hoard discovery was in the news and Backyard Brewhouse from Brownhills had produced a golden ale called The Hoard which was consumed next.
Drop of the Black Stuff , a porter from Springhead came next.
Also sampled were Heritage Mild from Ironbridge and Wild Mule from Roosters.
All in all and excellent day out and hopefully I'll be able to visit again next year.
19th March 2010 - Sutton Coldfield
A nice easy Friday night outing for me sees me meet G and co in the Station in Sutton Coldfield for Adnams Broadside.
Round to the Gate Inn where they didn’t have Butty Bach but plentry of London Pride so that had to be the choice (either that of orange juice).
Up to the Bottle of Sack where there was some weird and stuff – for me it was Saltaire Rye Smile which actually was almost beer like and certainly more so than the Irish (acquired taste type) offering as part of their world beer festival.
Down a back street to the Duke for Ruddles Best and finially the Red Lion where I opted for Keltinberg Hell.
The other had to leave now so I went back to the Gate (convenient for the bus) and had another London Pride whilst taking in the sounds (well sound – only time for “I don’t want to go to Chelsea”) of the Undercocks (well ¾ of them at least.)
I’m penning this on April 9th but recall that reflecting on this on the way home I couldn’t help recalling the 1980s and that this must have be a throw back to the days when there were adds in likes of the Melody Maker for unknown (to most) acts at various bars and that at the time punk and the like was quite radical – listening to a Sex Pistols track a few weeks laters (played on Radio 2 due to Malcolm Robert Andrew McLarenI) – these days it seems quite tame by comparison.
Round to the Gate Inn where they didn’t have Butty Bach but plentry of London Pride so that had to be the choice (either that of orange juice).
Up to the Bottle of Sack where there was some weird and stuff – for me it was Saltaire Rye Smile which actually was almost beer like and certainly more so than the Irish (acquired taste type) offering as part of their world beer festival.
Down a back street to the Duke for Ruddles Best and finially the Red Lion where I opted for Keltinberg Hell.
The other had to leave now so I went back to the Gate (convenient for the bus) and had another London Pride whilst taking in the sounds (well sound – only time for “I don’t want to go to Chelsea”) of the Undercocks (well ¾ of them at least.)
I’m penning this on April 9th but recall that reflecting on this on the way home I couldn’t help recalling the 1980s and that this must have be a throw back to the days when there were adds in likes of the Melody Maker for unknown (to most) acts at various bars and that at the time punk and the like was quite radical – listening to a Sex Pistols track a few weeks laters (played on Radio 2 due to Malcolm Robert Andrew McLarenI) – these days it seems quite tame by comparison.
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