Old Friends

 Moor Brewery is located half a mile from our flat.

Like most brewery taps in Bristol it's on a trading estate.  It's also the first tap room any recent Bristol brewery set up (I say this because back in the 1990's Smiles had a brilliant tap room in Colston Street, and I'm sorry, but I don't count Zero degrees as a real Bristol Brewery).

Sadly, at the moment it only opens on Fridays and Saturdays.

Anyhow, because yesterday was going to be our last chance to drink in there again this trip, we decided to tootle up there around 4.30pm.  I made some pizza dough which could prove whilst we were out and then we set out.

Again, no one inside but a goodly group outside meant it felt lively but not too noisy or crowded.  The main member of staff was knowledgeable, enthusiastic and encouraging of us to ask about the beer line up.

I also noticed some 440ml cans in the fridge - their usual offering is 330ml.  I asked about it and they chap was clearly pleased I'd noticed and told me a little of the hassle they'd had setting up their canning line for the new size and what it had meant to their can availability at the moment.

As is usual for us (and probably most regular drinkers, I guess) - we have a favourite spot to sit.  

We ordered a couple of pints of a "starter" strength beer (what used to be Nor'hop, I think) and settled in. We nattered about some of the work we're doing, about pubs and beer and all that.  It was comfortable and pleasant (despite my less favoured style of seating:  tall stools).

The boy went to fetch a second round because he had his eye on something a bit different from the core line-up.  He settled on the collaboration beer: a Saison made with Lost and Grounded.  He also got me a pint of Revelation.  

We'd had Revelation last week and were a bit disappointed at its lack of depth and body when compared to the cans we'd had from them.  This pint was cloudy and deep (I don't like the expression 'dank') and waaaaaaaayy more tasty than the last one we'd had.

When the bar-chap came to collect an empty glass, we asked him about it.

He sat down, at arms length, and told us all about why it was probably different, he also asked if we preferred it this way or the way it had ended up last week.   Again, he was clearly pleased we'd asked the question.  I've often found this with Moor staff at the tap - they're interested, knowledgeable and keen to chat about the process and the beers.  It's utterly delightful.

The conversation left us with a big smile.

As did a couple more rounds.  

We had a couple of strong dark beers and then followed them up with two insanely strong beers (eg an IPA of 10%) but which were so well balanced I could easily have drunk them instead of wine with a meal and they didn't seem at all out of place in summer.  That's quite a good trick to pull off.

This brewery is no fucking-hipster-jumper-on-the-brewing-bandwagon outfit - it's a mature and accomplished brewery with well balanced products and staff who know how to make it - and how to sell it to customers - incredibly well.

I love 'em