The last couple of weeks have been very intense at work. We've had meetings with other organisations and chats with proto-organisations, and discussions with network engineers and premises staff. Our work to set up our new space continues and culminated in me spending a couple of days removing RAM from old (and very grubby) donated laptops, updating our laptop records and heaving piles of the darned things around to get things tidy.
Wednesday allowed us the opportunity to make a long overdue return to the Belgian Cafe - I realised I'd really missed it.
On Thursday we went to Wolf and accidentally participated in a creative gathering and ended up chatting with folk all evening. I can't even remember the beer precisely, but Brewing Brothers from Hastings figured heavily and to great effect.
Then Friday I did some internet safety training in the community in some retirement housing - I got home at lunchtime, picked up some electronic work tasks and when we got to beer o'clock I just wanted to remain on the sofa, and drink fridge beer (Arbor and Drop Project offerings).
We'd been attempting to get to Bristol but my work, the arrival (or lack) of postal votes for local elections and then a Tube strike curveball meant travelling on Saturday was the most practical option.
Reduced trains from Eastbourne and Paddington meant that booking seats on the 2.30pm from Paddington made sense - and then, when we looked at trains on Saturday morning even more trains from Eastbourne had been cancelled.
So we left home a little earlier than planned, fully expecting to have to wait a while at Paddington for our 2.30 train.
The people travelling on Saturdays are sooooo different from those travelling during the week. the whole journey was noisier, more crowded and with people being much more thoughtless travellers.
Still, we got to Paddington with around 45 mins to wait for our train. I was just about to suggest a cheeky half in the Mad Bear and Bishop (assuming it's still there) when we noticed a train that went via Bristol Parkway much sooner - so we legged it across to the platform. The journey was less noisy than the first leg (maybe it's just that people from the South East are noisier).
The flat was very hot when we arrived so it wasn't long until we'd opened windows and abandoned ship to leave it to cool down a bit. "Where will be peaceful?" he said - well, nowhere on a Saturday was a sure bet so, obviously, we went to the Barley Mow. It was delightful inside, most people having carved out a spot outside. There was a great array of cask and keg on offer and, because we were there a little earlier than usual, we drank a little more whilst watching for football results and properly chilling.
Castle Rock "go with the flow",a Scotch Brown Ale, a BBF 5% beer, plus Notorious were all in great condition on Cask and we checked out a couple of keg offerings - Azacca Triangle from Mysterious Brewing (who I've not heard of) and a 6% BBF one I can't remember the name of.
We wondered whether our Eastbourne Local, the Crown, without the constraints of an uber pub co brand would be able to match the BM for us? Maybe.
A lot of "unspecified" lager was ordered yesterday - and I particularly love that what they get is either BBF or other locally brewed lager rather than something from an uberbrand. Everyone also seems to be happy with what they get - given that they go back for seconds. Another reason to adore this pub - a full range of choice, but a real sense of being an independent trader in all senses - a Free House (even though it's owned by the brewery) but even more so.
The BM and its staff never fail to deliver for us.
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