Works Xmas meal is at the Swan Hotel (which got a mention a few postings back.)
Old Speckled Hen this time (tried to see if they'd got bottled local alea like last time but apparantly not.
Afterwards onto a new venue by the Market (with waiter service but pub prices) - the Pie and ale shop - reasonable choice but not great quality I felt. anyway its was Marston's Old Empire and thence their Bitter.
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
Thursday 10th December - Wetherspoons of Central Birmingham
In Birmingham on business but with an early finish so chance to take in a few pubs.
Back round the German markets - the cats are still there so purchased along with a festive candle holder but I ain't paying £3.50 for Gluvein spice.
Met up with GP and we decived to contrast the Wetherspoons of central Birmingham (except for the Dragon as it a bit to far in the available time.)
Started at the unroofed! Wetherspoons by the library for Turkey's Delight from Smiles.
Next through the market and the Wood's stall (opting for the Shropshire Lass) qwhilst we watched a drunken gentleman scurry about with a plate of food - how come he didn't drop any?
Brier Rose next for Lodden Razzle Dazzle - GP noting he felt the food was not such good quality these days.
Square Peg for Winter's Tale from Warwickshire.
Finally a lookalike Wetherspons - the Yard of Ale - didn't note down what beer was drunk here but we did sample some technicien butterscotch schnapps which GP thought Mrs GP might like and which JF mentioed a few days later he couldn't stand.
Back round the German markets - the cats are still there so purchased along with a festive candle holder but I ain't paying £3.50 for Gluvein spice.
Met up with GP and we decived to contrast the Wetherspoons of central Birmingham (except for the Dragon as it a bit to far in the available time.)
Started at the unroofed! Wetherspoons by the library for Turkey's Delight from Smiles.
Next through the market and the Wood's stall (opting for the Shropshire Lass) qwhilst we watched a drunken gentleman scurry about with a plate of food - how come he didn't drop any?
Brier Rose next for Lodden Razzle Dazzle - GP noting he felt the food was not such good quality these days.
Square Peg for Winter's Tale from Warwickshire.
Finally a lookalike Wetherspons - the Yard of Ale - didn't note down what beer was drunk here but we did sample some technicien butterscotch schnapps which GP thought Mrs GP might like and which JF mentioed a few days later he couldn't stand.
Wednesday 9th December - Burton Beer Circle
Brief staop at the Devonshire for guess what - yes that old friend Burton Bridge Porter (but withn good reason).
On to the Cooper's
"Ladies and gentleman - welcome to the cheese and biscuits evening..." - in walks Mary (the land lady) "That's next week you lot, this rooms booked the for beer festival organisers."
Plan B - we take over the other room and continue the tasting of the stout and the like and decide to reassemble 6 days hence whilst some of our party and split between the two meetings.
A selection of stouts including a surprisingly drinkable sherry , whoops sorry JF - 18 year old stout.
Anyway the one commercial beer from the pub here was Woods Wonderful but someone did sneak in a Brewdog Tokyo Stout. Please they enjoyed my recently brewed Nominic Porter (read it backwards!).
On to the Cooper's
"Ladies and gentleman - welcome to the cheese and biscuits evening..." - in walks Mary (the land lady) "That's next week you lot, this rooms booked the for beer festival organisers."
Plan B - we take over the other room and continue the tasting of the stout and the like and decide to reassemble 6 days hence whilst some of our party and split between the two meetings.
A selection of stouts including a surprisingly drinkable sherry , whoops sorry JF - 18 year old stout.
Anyway the one commercial beer from the pub here was Woods Wonderful but someone did sneak in a Brewdog Tokyo Stout. Please they enjoyed my recently brewed Nominic Porter (read it backwards!).
Thursday, 3 December 2009
28th November - Derby
Christmas social with the Craft Brewing Association attracted a good crowd from all over for a crawl round Derby.
Starting at the Babbington (Wetherspoons) they had a good selection as always with a number from Leatherbritches and so let's work through those was my decision. And so it came to pass that Dovedale, got followed by Hairy Helmet and finally Lemongrass and Ginger.
Long stroll next to Mr Grundy's Tavern for luch washed down with Falstaff's and Fistful of Hops followed by Fireside from Greene King.
Next one of my favourite's , the Flower Pot and a rare chance to try an 80/- beer from Spire (and well timed as I'd recently been judging one in that style (see earlier posting re Burton bottle swap). Also was the deceptive 7.5% (must be getting near Xmas) Zymosis from Headless.
Final port of call finds us in the Silk Mill for Wye Valley HPA and lestly Wentworth Stout and finally home.
Good day - cheers Ron.
Starting at the Babbington (Wetherspoons) they had a good selection as always with a number from Leatherbritches and so let's work through those was my decision. And so it came to pass that Dovedale, got followed by Hairy Helmet and finally Lemongrass and Ginger.
Long stroll next to Mr Grundy's Tavern for luch washed down with Falstaff's and Fistful of Hops followed by Fireside from Greene King.
Next one of my favourite's , the Flower Pot and a rare chance to try an 80/- beer from Spire (and well timed as I'd recently been judging one in that style (see earlier posting re Burton bottle swap). Also was the deceptive 7.5% (must be getting near Xmas) Zymosis from Headless.
Final port of call finds us in the Silk Mill for Wye Valley HPA and lestly Wentworth Stout and finally home.
Good day - cheers Ron.
Friday 20th November - Rugeley / Walsall
This should have been one of Februsary 2010's posting but due to a change of circumstances I find myself with the task of quicking sorting out somewhere for the latest Friday night outing.
I'd heard some good reports about Rugeley recently and as it can be done by train from Birmingham decided to test the group's self-imposed boundaries and head that way.
However, the German market was in town do do a quick reckie of there (oh look at those pot cats - they're nice) including avoiding a potential dog fight and ending at the Wood's brewery stand for a pint of their Christmas Beer (6% Christmas Cracker) to join their more regular Shropshire Lad and Lass offerings.
Thence onto the Wellington (and joined by TH) for Derby's Irrestiable, Beowulf's Dark Raven and Belvoir's Dark Horse Mild.
Time to eat and an excellent bagette for £1 from the shop at the top of the ramp into the shopping centre above New Street station - apparantely they were that price only as opening offers but seeing as opening was several months ago one wonders.
Onto what is becoming a common haunt at present (the Yard of Ale) where Jennings Bitter was consumed at which point the others joined us.
On to the train and all the way out to Rugeley Trent Valley and across the road to the Yorkshireman (with stinky drains).
They sell a couple fo the local Blyth beers here and so it was Palmers Poison (we are in Rugley after all) although could have had Bagots Bitter.
Back to the sation and off at the preceding station (Rugeley Town) to the Britannia - not a great choice but the Banks's Bitter wasn't that bad. Interesting use of beer engine on toilet cistern here.
On to the Red Lion which is one of the CAMRA heritage pubs. Again Banks's but this time the Original.
We'ed hoped to do Wetherspoons but to do so would have meant an extra hour plus here so missed out and into Walsall for the Black Country Arms. Salopian Shropshire Gold drunk here.
Back to Birmingham and quickly into the Newt for a half of Stella before rushing for the train.
I'd heard some good reports about Rugeley recently and as it can be done by train from Birmingham decided to test the group's self-imposed boundaries and head that way.
However, the German market was in town do do a quick reckie of there (oh look at those pot cats - they're nice) including avoiding a potential dog fight and ending at the Wood's brewery stand for a pint of their Christmas Beer (6% Christmas Cracker) to join their more regular Shropshire Lad and Lass offerings.
Thence onto the Wellington (and joined by TH) for Derby's Irrestiable, Beowulf's Dark Raven and Belvoir's Dark Horse Mild.
Time to eat and an excellent bagette for £1 from the shop at the top of the ramp into the shopping centre above New Street station - apparantely they were that price only as opening offers but seeing as opening was several months ago one wonders.
Onto what is becoming a common haunt at present (the Yard of Ale) where Jennings Bitter was consumed at which point the others joined us.
On to the train and all the way out to Rugeley Trent Valley and across the road to the Yorkshireman (with stinky drains).
They sell a couple fo the local Blyth beers here and so it was Palmers Poison (we are in Rugley after all) although could have had Bagots Bitter.
Back to the sation and off at the preceding station (Rugeley Town) to the Britannia - not a great choice but the Banks's Bitter wasn't that bad. Interesting use of beer engine on toilet cistern here.
On to the Red Lion which is one of the CAMRA heritage pubs. Again Banks's but this time the Original.
We'ed hoped to do Wetherspoons but to do so would have meant an extra hour plus here so missed out and into Walsall for the Black Country Arms. Salopian Shropshire Gold drunk here.
Back to Birmingham and quickly into the Newt for a half of Stella before rushing for the train.
Friday, 13 November 2009
22nd October - Burton - Coopers Tavern Autumn Beer Festival
My first visit to one of the beer festivals that take place at this wonderful venue and the choice didn't let me down.
Beers available included :
* Sarah Hughes Ruby Mild
* Blue Monkey Guerilla
* Thornbridge St Peterburg
* Tower Black Stout and Fros Brook
* Mallinson Oat Meal Stout
* Brown Cow Bowlocks Stout (sip)
* Milltown Mild
* Bass Bitter
* Woodlands Mild
* Bristol Beer Factory Sunrise
* Enville Ginger and Dragons Den
* Teme Valley Blond and North Down
* Oakham Baja 1000 and Xterminator
* Wem Cherry Bomb (not on)
* Leatherbritches Ginger Spice (sip - Lemon Grass Beer)
* Brewdog Hardcore
* High House Matten Magpie Ale
* Quartz Grun Gold
* Thornbridge Jaipur (sip) and Halcyon Epic
* Castle Rock Warbler
* Hopback English Hop Medley
The biggest challenge however wasn't deciding which beer to have next, rather it was deciding when was safe so we could dodge the flying blades used by the Ryknild Rabble rapper (sword and clog dancing) ensemble.
Beers available included :
* Sarah Hughes Ruby Mild
* Blue Monkey Guerilla
* Thornbridge St Peterburg
* Tower Black Stout and Fros Brook
* Mallinson Oat Meal Stout
* Brown Cow Bowlocks Stout (sip)
* Milltown Mild
* Bass Bitter
* Woodlands Mild
* Bristol Beer Factory Sunrise
* Enville Ginger and Dragons Den
* Teme Valley Blond and North Down
* Oakham Baja 1000 and Xterminator
* Wem Cherry Bomb (not on)
* Leatherbritches Ginger Spice (sip - Lemon Grass Beer)
* Brewdog Hardcore
* High House Matten Magpie Ale
* Quartz Grun Gold
* Thornbridge Jaipur (sip) and Halcyon Epic
* Castle Rock Warbler
* Hopback English Hop Medley
The biggest challenge however wasn't deciding which beer to have next, rather it was deciding when was safe so we could dodge the flying blades used by the Ryknild Rabble rapper (sword and clog dancing) ensemble.
21st October - Burton Civic Society Talk - "Taste of Brewing"
Along with a small group from the Burton Beer Circle I joined some 30 interested people for a talk, hosted by the Burton Civic Society, by Dr Paul Hegarty who is the Head of Communications for Molsun Coors here in the UK.
Paul's talk covered :
In Elizabethen times there was an allowance of 2 gallons of beers per day for a woman.
Finally that whilst the duty on beer and whisky increases as the strength does this is not true for e.g. cider or wine.
After the talk, our party moved to the Coopers in a failed attamept to try some of the beers due on for the festival starting the next day but alas to no avail (except one!). Sampled there were Milton Mild from Howard Town brewery, as well as Guerilla from Blue Monkey.
Paul's talk covered :
- how beer is made -he included a tale that the company received complaints after they started emphasising that they only used 100% British grain in their beers despite the fact they always had. He noted that areas where grain for beer making is grown are carefully chosen to be where there are low levels of rain fall as this help prevent problems during growing and harvesting. We were then offered round samples of different malts to get our teeth into to show the different types of grain (how they varied in colour, taste, etc) that are commonly used in British beers. Paul mentioned the brewing grew up in areas with good local water suppies e.g. Burton where the high levels of gypsum adds to the flavour associated with Burton and gave a water suited to brewing ales (as against soft water on the continent which is good for lager , etc.) Interesting that the water drawn from the wells around Burton originates in rain falling in the Matlock area and is estimated to take 20 years to find itas way to Burton. despite Burton being upon Trent they use well water and so were unaffected by the recent poison scare in the river.
- tasting beer / health benefits- many of the different flavours we get in beers are down to the yeast that is chosen. Beer is likened to liquid bread and some interesting statistics are to be found on Milksucks.com including that 1l of beer provides 10% of daily protein requirements, 20% ish of the fibre. As ABV increases so do the calories but an average beer is only 19o calories as against 300 for a packet of crisps for example. It isn't the beer that make you fat, it what you eat with it (Ed's note - why does it make you hungry?)
- Coors Light - an American light ale
- Golsch - a continental lager
- Kasteel Cru Rose - an Alsace lager made with champagne and flavoured with Elderflower and Elderberries
- White Shield - their classic IPA
- Blue Moon - an Amercian craft beer (wheat beer) produced by The Blue Moon Brewing Company
In Elizabethen times there was an allowance of 2 gallons of beers per day for a woman.
Finally that whilst the duty on beer and whisky increases as the strength does this is not true for e.g. cider or wine.
After the talk, our party moved to the Coopers in a failed attamept to try some of the beers due on for the festival starting the next day but alas to no avail (except one!). Sampled there were Milton Mild from Howard Town brewery, as well as Guerilla from Blue Monkey.
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