Full Set

 

We were having coffee in a craft beer bar (unlikely I know, but it was a school night!) the other day and I noticed an interesting collection of Vibrant Forest cans hanging on the wall above where we were sitting (see above). VF is one of my favourite South Coast (New Forest) brewers and their PUPA pale ale is an absolute belter, this collection though, looks like the "full set" to me!

Scaled Up

Another beer in the WCIPA quartet I introduced last month this one is definitely the most "modern" of the bunch so far, much paler and crisper than the others with nice bitterness and a solid grapefruit/citrus twang to it! I can't decide whether I prefer this one or the "Reverb" from Elusive, if this weather keeps going I might have to snag a couple more cans to help sort it out..

Heat trap

Out on my walk yesterday I came across this unfortunate scene. A beautiful (and huge) willow tree that had snapped in the dry conditions, apparently wood becomes brittle without normal internal water pressure and is prone to sudden failure under minimal weight or wind etc. Such a shame, this was a wonderful looking tree and now it's firewood (or maybe cricket bats?) and the poor people that live in this little cul-de-sac can't get their cars in or out!

Thames Path

Lovely walk along the Thames path from Hurley to Marlow (and back) last weekend, it was a bit cooler by the river and we stopped off at the Butcher’s Tap and Grill and had a tasty burger and chips before walking back to the car, around 10 km covered in total, which isn't bad for a Sunday!

Gose

Had one of these last night (Saturday) it's a beer style that you don't come across too often called a "Gose", I think it's Belgian or German in origin and involves fermentation using bacteria (Lactobacillus) which is very efficient and dries the beer out, various flavourings are typically added, in this case grapefruit and lime. A very nice drink for a hot day, refreshing and morish.

Pure Blood

So, continuing on my quest to clear out older bottles of wine that I have gathering dust here's a well known Loire producer called "Didier Daguneau" famous for his expressions of Sauvignon Blanc. This one was a 2000 vintage called "Pur Sang" or "Pure Blood" in English, at 26 years old it was delicious. Clearly an old wine on the nose and the fruit was subdued but the layers of flavours, straw, honey, apricot were to die for, and just look at the colour of it!

Midweek Mirth

Hehe, sounds about right, same for ghost and UFO sightings too..