Long Time no Write

I've been frantically busy for the last couple of weeks on a community project that is properly coming to fruition now.  Also, S & I decided it was high time to sort out some Eastbourne domestic bits and pieces so we've spent a jolly couple of days in and around the house getting things done.

I've not sworn off the stuff of malt and hops, though and the time has been spent in a variety of pubs - including one new one and I can report (in no particular order) that:

- The Half Moon in Hitchin can shift a LOT of beer in a festival.  Howard put on about 60 beers (so that's 60 x 9 gallons = 540 x 8 pints) starting last Thursday and by the time we were able to pop in yesterday afternoon...there was pretty much nothing left.  Respect, Howard and Wendy.

Oddly the slight tinge of disappointment that there was little unusual beer to choose from (the normal bar had a full range, of course) was balanced with the delight that the pub was nice and quiet and allowed us a couple of games of Battleline over our beers.

- The Bricklayers (also in Hitchin) continues to have so much potential...but misses it almost every time. We could only manage one pint in there yesterday because the beer simply wasn't very good.  Can't tell if it was tired or just not very good but it was a struggle to finish before we sloped off home.

- You can tire of Harveys so it's good to be able to rely on a couple of different pubs in Eastbourne to supply something different to try.  It was nice to stumble on a joint Eagle/Dewdrop beer festival and try a few new beers.  Nicely done, folks.

- I've now managed to try some Burning Sky beer from the cask - two in fact.  Both excellent.  Both unsurprisingly reminiscent of Dark Star brews.  More strength to your elbow, sir.

- Someone in Eastbourne is talking about wanting to start a food and drink festival...as I chip into the conversation, all I can think about is how to shoehorn beer in as often as possible.  Ah well.

- I think my very favourite Friday evening in Eastbourne is an early evening trip to the Eastern Wok - quite possibly the best restaurant in Eastbourne - followed by a couple of pints almost-next-door in The Crown.  It means we eat well (which we're quite bad at doing sometimes), then we enjoy really good beer (not much choice but what there is often drawn by gravity) and only have to walk for about 8 minutes in order to reach bed.

Simple things for a simple woman.