Beer?

[srw]

You won't like it.

I disliked it less than I think you thought I would. For some reason the extreme hoppiness was less unpleasant without the alcohol.

Actually what it reminded me of was tonic water. With the right gin, mixed very strong (about 1:1) and perhaps with a small slice of orange I think it could make a very good aperitif.

 

[srw]

School night. Three at the boozer and one indoors...

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*ahem*
I think one of those is mine.

 

[srw]

Before the Nanny State I stopped at the Stoke in Guildford to honour the memory of a colleague whose memorial service I'd just been to (and to give my brain a rest). I had a pint of Inntrigue from the Plain Brewery, from somewhere near Salisbury. A deliciously malty reddish-brown bitter with just the right level of hoppiness.

If any of you do find yourselves in Guildford, the Stoke on Stoke Road has just had a makeover and is worth a visit. It's now got half a dozen or so keg taps as well as half a dozen or so hand-pulled taps. It is a "Greene King venue" (in very small print at the bottom of its webpage), but it's not a boringly samey Greene King venue.

 

[Fab Foodie]

School night. Three at the boozer and one indoors...

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Good to see you're cutting back this week ....

 

[srw]

What will you call it? "Grape and grain do mix after all"?

I don't think the right gin will be grape based. Light on the juniper, I think, with other botanicals in evidence. Hendricks? I'm not hugely knowledgeable around gin.

 

[theclaud]

*ahem*
I think one of those is mine.

 

[User169]

What number is it cpb?

Pilsbury Doughboy!

No. 20 hits the bottling line this weekend - an 11% imperial saison.

 

[rich p]

No. 20 hits the bottling line this weekend - an 11% imperial saison.

I thought that you'd have metric saison sur la continent...

 

[Fab Foodie]

 

[smutchin]

Something for the weekend...

 

[Crackle]

I have managed to find a new beer shop. Unfortunately I have to drive to it. Furthermore, it is in an area which is a bit of a Gordian knot of roads in my head, so I spent a bit of time circling it before I found a one way road going the way I wanted. And then I couldn't park, so commenced circling again until I could. It's going to require me to be a bit more organised about passing it rather than going specially. Dogs are welcome but we haven't yet ascertained if they have treats. It's also a bit less beardy than the previous shop and a lot more Ipad'y. They also sell wine. How quaint. And they do loyalty cards. A fiver off for every 50 spent. They also sell a cool glass selection, with the right glass next to the beers. So I reckon I might survive after all. Hope the shop does too.

I broke my smoked rule for this

Glad I did, it's lovely.

 

[Crackle]

I broke my 2nd rule for this one but it looked intriguing and in fact, the espresso, if there is any, is very subtle. Very nice.

Edit: Make that really nice.

Yeah, that is a wine glass. I just broke my other glass with a clumsy elbow. Might just be buying a new glass at the shop now.

 

[srw]

Look what's just popped into my email from those lovely people at Ride London!

"It sounds too good to be true, but can ale really be a training aid?

What do you need?
A hard session on the bike can leave your body depleted of crucial vitamins, electrolytes that aid hydration and carbohydrates. These are what you want your post-race or ride drink to help you replace, as well as supplying protein to help your muscles recover.

And can I get that from beer?
It’s not as bad a post-workout drink as you might naturally assume.

Can I have one then?
A beer as a reward at the end of a hard ride probably isn’t as bad for you as you might have thought. you’re able to sup away on your favourite brew largely guilt-free. "

 

[srw]

Anyway. I'm away with work, and to avoid drinking too much I've stuck with the beer. Mostly.

A Stake premium bitter from Upham brewery was delish, even though it was too cold. At cellar temperature it would have been great.

But it was the only bottle in the hotel, so I've had a Pride, a couple of Peronis and a couple of weak G&Ts.

 

[theclaud]

Anyway. I'm away with work, and to avoid drinking too much I've stuck with the beer.

Yeah that works really well.