Vehement Disagreement

 Whilst I drink my coffee on a Saturday morning, I invariably scroll through Blue Sky and pick up the link for Boak and Bailey's weekly summary of beer things.

I also subscribe to their newsletter so if, by chance, I should miss it on the scroll, then I definitely won't forget.

I love the round up with a wide selection of extracts and links - some which I follow and enjoy, some I don't follow but very rarely, I follow the link and find that I completely disagree with the writer of the article being highlighted.

One thing I've learned is that the "good"ness of beer is very much in the eye of the beholder beyond the basics of "does it taste or smell off". 

It so happens that I'm a lot less eager to drink traditional "bitter" or "best bitter" or even the thing oft referred to as "pale ale".  I do drink it from time to time since I live, most of the time, in Harveys Country and I like it as a grounding beer (you're back in Sussex, now, girl).

All this means I don't get ludicrously excited, any more, about seeing Timmy Taylor on the bar.  I mean, it's fine, and a well-kept pint of it will be welcomed where there's no/few other beers on offer (unlike GK IPA which, no matter how well kept, I won't drink -  glass o' red for me, please).

Anyhow, leaving aside style of beer I was very sad to see someone in the round up completely (even if maybe a little tongue in cheek?) dismissing gravity dispense completely.

I'm used to the "tight head sparkler is the only way" vs "tight head sparklers are evil" debate but I really didn't think that gravity dispense was so controversial - though, thinking about it - for people who think tight heads are the optimum serving suggestion, then it's two steps lower on the ladder, I guess.

Having been to many a beer festival (only one, GBBF, with handpumps) I have a real fondness for gravity.

One of the reasons we love our Sussex local so much is that whilst the mainstay cask beers (Harveys, obvs and usually Timmy) are dispensed via handpumps, most of the guest beers come from the "cellar" (cold room behind the bar) from casks on tippers, and gravity dispensed.  We both adore it.

Actually, quite a lot of pubs we  like don't use pumps (Cricketers in Berwick, Orchard in Bristol, The weekly cask in Beerarama, maybe the Square and Compass?) and for years my "Christmas Beer at Home" was a polypin from a local brewery.

Why do I like my cask beer on gravity?  The simplicity is attractive (I'm a simple woman),  but especially when it's really fresh I think there's a mouthfeel (BBB hates that word) that makes the first slurp especially wonderful - with the condition alone providing the gentle refreshing prickle on my tongue.

This from someone who has migrated from the "keg beers are rubbish" school in the last 10 years or so, definitely towards the f*cking hipster beer thing.  (We have friends the same age as us who really don't quite understand, but that's their prerogative).

I'm not going to challenge the author - they're almost certainly more knowledgeable than me - but I'd encourage people to at least not be put off by it.  Even for modern, hop forward beers.

This weekend, the new guest at our local was Verdant Lightbulb (on gravity) and even 24 hours after it went on it was absolutely stunning.

Next weekend we're heading up to Yorkshire - I'll probably have to keep my opinions on sparklers to myself... 

 

 

It's not the beer

 We went to the Belgian Bar twice this week.

Wednesday it was just he and I after a fairly sedate afternoon at work.

Friday had been frantic - a last minute plan to pick up a huge number of council "pre-loved" laptops for work and I was doing tours of the Wish Tower for Heritage Open Days.  We had arranged to meet sisters for beer and the BB is convenient for everyone.

By the time we got to the bar we were knackered from a combination of hauling, logging and stowing laptops, a fair bit of stomping around,  and peopling (in my case, a lot of peopling). 

The beer in the BB isn't very consistent from a flavour point of view  (he favours the Saison, I favour the IPA) but it has definitely improved over the years.  Wednesday's IPA was a bit "new" and not cool enough - by Friday it was considerably better.

Given, for us, "the beer is everything" - you'd think we wouldn't go to the BB as often as we do.

 It's not cosy - it's a large space with tables and benches, together with a slightly raised dining area.  If the door is left open in winter there's often a howling, freezing gale blowing (due to the proximity to the sea).  There are no dark corners in which to lurk.

But there's something else.  It has an ambiance which is unique.  The staff are unfailingly lovely and it's a genuine pleasure to be in their company. The sheer range of people who go there is fantastic and we really enjoy just sitting with beer and seeing who comes in.  It changes over the seasons - after all, Eastbourne is a resort - and include anyone and everyone.

I find it really relaxing and even though we'll chat about work (since it's literally just around the corner) it's an excellent way to wind down.  It feels very much like the Victoria felt when we worked close to that - not the the absolute best pub ever, by a long way but somewhere comforting and familiar and somewhere we seek out regualarly (pretty much weekly when we're around)

There are few pubs/bars where, for me, the atmosphere trumps the beer - but this does it in style.  And it seems effortless, even though I'm absolutely sure it takes a lot of effort.

I'll miss the "nip around the corner" aspect of it when we move business premises over the 12months but I know we'll also make the effort to get there.  

 

 

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.