Revival APA

 The weather was pretty yukky - not rainy but the wind howling off the South Downs was quite the thing.  The BBB said "did you want to go to The Crown?".

I was honest and admitted I was ambivalent about going out - rotten weather and all - but I said if he was keen I was happy with that.  He was, so we did.

We took games and strolled down.

The pub was quiet (initially, at least), there was no sport on but in the end we just nattered.

The Revival APA was still on and was absolutely lovely.  It really tasted pretty much how I remembered Mark Tranter's version tasted.  The BBB said, "it's like being back in the Evening Star" - and so it was.

The walk back - uphill and into the teeth of the wind - was slightly harder than the walk out.  Then again, we wouldn't have it any other way because this way we get the view of the hill from the front of the house and it's largely unobstructed because of the park opposite.

As we came into the garden we mused that we were hoping for a couple more chances to sit drinking beer in the front garden before the end of the month - but that's very much in a lap of the weathers.

I don't love summer - I adore spring and autumn - already my head is looking forward a couple of weeks to fires in pubs again and not feeling guilty about not doing any gardening.  I'm also looking forward to putting on my enormously thick fleece-lined hoody and thick socks.    

 

Season Change

 Autumn really hit Sussex with a thud!

Bang on 1st September, the rain started, the temperatures plummeted and - being sat under the South Downs the mist started gathering in the park (aka The Rec) opposite.

 It was like someone hit a switch. 

Almost immediately the tomatoes in the garden slowed ripening almost to a halt. 

 I mean, it's still not actually cold but long-sleeve tees are now the most appropriate clothing, along with a baselayer.

A stupidly short deadline for several related funding bids for me have proved all-consuming, and tiresome for a number of reasons but it feels like the worst of that is over for now.  By the end of October I'm anticipating either huge disappointment (along with annoyance) or the usual "Oh, fuck!  Now we have to deliver it" feeling (actually, my brilliant team of folk have never failed to deliver in nearly 10 years of "oh fuck" moments).  Funding bids now have to be carefully marshalled to not generate too much overlapping project work and yet make sure we have sufficient funding going forward whatever the results.  Such is the nature of charitable work.  No wonder I spend so much free time in the pub - and often write bids there!

Work stuff, trips to the shire and a holiday booking in Yorkshire have mapped out our whereabouts for the rest of this year.  For a project manager this is joy because it means I shouldn't have last-minute angst of when we're going where. 

Beerwise, The Crown is still shifting quite a lot of cask and it allows for some crackers.  At the moment there's the splendid Downlands APA Revival - which is more than a nod to the original Dark Star APA.  We may get down later for that (or it may be tomorrow, when it's quieter - who knows).

Beerarama are still doing cask at the weekend - it now usually goes in on Thursdays (though I suspect it'll be Friday this week as the guys are squeezing in a short trip) - and it's always good.

An overheard conversation at Beerarama on Friday indicates that the new place (Wolf on the Corner - opening in October?) in town will be doing cask on gravity from the get-go (deep joy!) and the same overheard conversation seems to indicate that the change of landlord at what was the best place to get Harveys beers (The Hurst) has not been very positive from a beer choice (?quality, too??) point of view so we'll not be making the journey up there any time soon, sadly.

We're finding it hard to get back to Ninkaci because it's a little way away from work and it can be tricky to find times when it's not too quiet and not too busy (yes, we are Goldilocks).  We will undoubtedly return to the Gun Taproom at the Cricket ground before too long 

News from the GBG has put one of the other Harveys pubs (The Vic) back on our places to go list and whilst we're working where we are currently, this is a pleasant after-work stroll. 

Yesterday I had to smile when I saw a picture of New Bristol Brewery's (not BBF as I'd initially written) branding for their bitter.  Maybe it's always been this design and, not really taking that much notice of traditional bitter styles, I've never noticed but it did immediately, and with no other reference picture to hand, conjure Timmy Taylor Landlord in my head. I guess this was not an accident!

The best pint ever?

 ...we all know there's no such thing.

 No single perfect pub, no beer which will be our single desert island beer for any length of time nothing is perfect and yet a moment can be.

So it was yesterday.

Frantic deadline chasing and cat herding had me at my desk pretty much solidly all day from 8am.

By 4.45 I was done (and, apparently, so was the day's work - more or less).

"Andy's got ZZ Hop at the Crown" quoth the BBB

So we hightailed it down there.  The Crown tends to be pretty quiet on a Monday so it was also a peaceful refuge (unlike Saturday in Beerama which was lovely, but LOUD).

I took games, but in the end we didn't play them.  We nattered. About work, about the garden, about nonsense, etc and the concept of "It takes a village" referring to our roles at work mentoring young people and coaxing them into work competence.

The ZZ Hop flowed (looking a little odd in Timmy Taylor branded glasses) and it was in perfect condition, cool and soothing.

We so seldom see Arbor beer in any draught form - let alone gravity poured cask - it was a special treat after a bit of a wearing day.

On the way home we picked up take out food and the rest of the evening was perfectly relaxed.

I may have to revisit my opinion on Martin Parr, too - but that's for another time. 

 

Target achieved - levelling up

 We really enjoyed going back to the Crown beer festival again on Bank Holiday Monday.  We met family there at lunchtime and supped in halves and spent ages catching up.

Highlight was definitely a half of Thornbridge Union.

I'd spotted it on the list the first time we went in and it's been on my general list to try ever since I heard about the Burton sets that were at risk because of the uber-brand deciding all those decades of brewing history and heritage meant nothing to them - but the "brand" was what they wanted.

I hadn't realised that Thormbridge first brewed some Jaipur on the set - so that was a thing too.

The beer absolutely did not disappoint.

For someone who generally opts for very modern beers I expected to find the beer interesting and well-made (of course) - but more of a curiosity than something I'd want to revisit.  I didn't really expect it to be as awesome as it was.

How it manages to be both traditional and modern in feel and taste, I really don't know.  At 6% it obviously had some heft which always helps, but even so, the balance of malt and hops was perfection.

I'm definitely on the further look out for it now. 

Yumsk 

 

The Perfect Beer Fesitval?

 There's been a lot of talk about beer festivals around the GBBF new venue and stuff.

After all these years of attending (and organising) festivals and, in my advanced age where I'm done after 3 drinks I'm pretty sure I know the best sort for me...

 ...beer festival in the pub.  Our local does three a year on significant dates.

This weekend is the August BH one.  It started on Thursday and will run to Monday. We missed the first two days (I was working in Hastings on Thursday, we worked in Town on Friday) but we dutifully strolled down yesterday.

About 12 beers on a cooled stillage at the back of the pub. Ranging from 3.8% pales and bitters to 5%+ darks, IPAs and Westies.

Nothing fancy in keg-land (this is part of the Heineken estate).

When we first came to this festival, there was a greater predominance of  local, traditional, brown beers - but there's much more variety now.  Arbor ZZ Hop is anticipated and Thormbridge beers are making their presence felt.

When we arrived, we simply paid for our beer and the staff were happy for us to pour our own, with glasses on a table next to the stillage.  This makes us very happy because it becomes more than just buying a pint.

Sometimes we'll go three times but probably not this time (I quite fancy sitting in my garden today - I'm out a lot with work next week).  We are, however meeting a couple of family members tomorrow lunchtime (we don't usually drink during the day but, we know we need to compromise with other people's way of doing things from time to time).

I've got my eye on ZZ Hop as well as Thornbridge Union.  And that's really all I need in a "festival".  It comes back to loving a pub that's got a big selection of cask ales available, all in different styles and strengths.  Our local can't do that on a daily basis - it just wouldn't work but the festival does and it's something to celebrate and revel in.

This weekend saw the usual "East Bristol Brewery Trail" - were we in Bristol, we probably wouldn't have gone because it would have been loud and crowded but it doesn't mean we don't feel delighted that it's an event that works so well for them.  Bravo!

I'll stick with our local with its increase in number of punters around whilst retaining its pubbiness for us.  the other benefit was watching sport on the TV, and playing board games without feeling too weird. 

Refusenik

On Friday when the flat became stupidly hot we decided to leave a little early.  It wasn't quite as hot out as the the day we went to the Cornubia carefully scutting between patches of shade so this fooled us a bit.

We set out, sensibly enough, maybe with the possibility of going to Martha's.  But, instead we headed towards the Cider Box to check out the work that was happening around the new University buildings.  "Wanna turn around?" he asked as we passed the Cider Box.  "I'm fine,", I said after he had confirmed he wasn't in the mood for cider.

So we walked.

Past the Rhubarb with its sad facade and the chances of it being a pub diminishing by the minute.

It got hotter and the amount of shade disappeared to nothing.

We crossed the railway (coincidentally I saw an old picture of the area just the next day) and decided to head onto the cyclepath "because it'll be shadier".

It wasn't.

We arrived at the Barley Mow knackered, hot and absolutely gagging for a pint.

Our pints of Notorious disappeared considerably quicker than usual. Even the BBB who almost never goes anywhere without a jumper admitted that it had been too hot and that he was knackered after walking a mere 2 miles.

So yesterday I definitely wasn't going far. We took games to Marthas instead - it was a good move.

We're heading south tomorrow and coastal Sussex promises to be a good few degrees cooler than here.  I can't say I'm sorry.  

Our neighbour messaged today to say she'd done as we'd asked and picked some tomatoes from our front garden.  This means there will be some in the back garden that also need our attention.

It's possible, also, that I've already ordered beer to be delivered...let's hope the aircon on the trains home is working... 

 

Jus' Checking

 Wiper and True taproom is not a place we go to often, despite being only a shortish walk away.

It's not that we don't like their beers, exactly, and it's not that we don't think they've done an excellent job on making a wonderfully inclusive-feeling space it's just that, well...it doesn't quite work for us, for some reason, and then there's the prices of the beers.

There's just something about all of it added together that doesn't make it somewhere we rush to.

I guess if it were as close as LHG, we might go more often on the way to or from some form of errand. But I like LHG a little better than W&T.

Nevertheless, yesterday with a slight reduction in the weather temperature I'd suggested we stroll over there and take a couple of urban grunge photos on the way (I've got the rest of a 24exp film to use, develop and scan before we head back on Monday).  He was happy with the suggestion.

We enjoyed the stroll which wasn't too warm and we took a slightly backstreet route so that was fun.  When we arrived, there was one cask on - fine.  It was called "Summer Ale" (3.8%) with no further description on the pump clip, so without any more ado we ordered two pints of it. (It's possible there was a fuller description on the big board behind the bar, but there's a lot to take in and we were served the second we arrived at the bar.)

Here's a problem with a bar that's a bit tall (it's about the height of my chest) - you can't always see what glass your drink is being poured into so you can't leap in and beg for straights over jugs.  Also, you don't really see your beer until it's lifted onto the bar (especially at my height).  

The beer was BROWN!  So that was a bit of a shock for a beer with "Summer" in the name.

The prices haven't shifted hugely (unlike some places) but at £5.60 for a pint of your own 3.8% beer, it still feels a little on the nose.  £1 or so more expensive than BBF in the BM, and about the same for all the beers in the Cornubia.

Nevertheless, we grabbed our beers and took them out into the garden, grabbed a seat and settled in.  Actually, I was really glad we did order it.  If it had been described as "bitter" or "brown" I wouldn't have ordered it and although I wouldn't want a second, it was really well done, and very enjoyable.  

The place started to fill up with a wide range of people (I love that - mostly) including a couple of families with ankle-biters. They weren't badly behaved but there was a lot of running around between all the tables and squealing with excitement.  It was less than relaxing, it has to be said.

We carried on chatting about the usual shite, I imagine. Then it was time for a second.  We generally like to try different beers to each other, but it wasn't feasible.  From the seemingly large and long list, actually there weren't many second-beers (loads of low and no, 3 different 7%+ IPAs, 2 or 3 lagers, one stout.,,etc) so we had Sundance a really solid 5.6% IPA which was lovely. (2/3rds - obvs).

We took in the variety of plants in the beer garden (vine, apple and fig trees, etc) and mused over food in pubs (he increasingly not wanting to eat in pubs, me still thinking there's a right sort of food at the right time).  We definitely want to go to both a Desi pub and to Bundobust - and we'll sort that out at some point.

Time for one more before leaving to start making dinner, using up the fridge contents.  Half of an 8% DIPA and 2/3rds of a 7.2% IPA.  Again, really well brewed beers which we enjoyed drinking.

And yet, I doubt we'll be going back there for a while - unless it's someone else's venue of choice.

Maybe the size is the issue:  weird when empty and overwhelming when full.  Yesterday everyone was outside and as it got noisier (and hotter) it might have been quite nice to retreat inside, except that we'd then have been outnumbered by the bar staff which always feels weird.

Yeah, I dunno.  I'd recommend it to people without hesitation and yet, it's not quite me.