Oktober, again..

This weekend again saw the annual celebration of that German harvest festival beer-a-thon, Oktoberfest. Lot's of lager fans in towns up and down the country donned their leather underpants and silly hats to drink cold lager in the drizzle. Of course I wasn't going to be left out so I bought 6 bottles of this special wheat beer from Erdinger, one of the better wheat offerings IMO. It was nice with our roast chicken on Sunday but eventually the underpants chaffed and the rain (outside) was relentless, perhaps next year we will see some sun again and be brave enough to risk a few steins outside?

Monday Mirth

Future archaeologists are going to be massively puzzled when they dig up the sediment over the Tate Modern..

Butterball

As previously posted we attended a dinner party at a friends house on Saturday and this particular mate is a fellow wine geek so I was looking forward to a selection of vinous delights as is usual at his do's. 

He didn't disappoint, we started with a delicious Napa valley red and then went onto this Napa Chardonnay, which for me, was the stand out of the evening. Absolutely typical of the region and style, fresh, smooth with a wonderful acidity and buttery/toasty notes from the new American oak it was aged in. I bought along a 1989 semi-sweet Vouvray from Huet (see picture below) it was on great form at 35 years old, and everyone really enjoyed it with the cheese course, great wine, great company and a brilliant evening.

Baron

Went to a friends house for dinner last night and he broke out a couple of these beauties. A collaboration between Norfolk based Duration and new wunderkind Baron who are based on a farm in Hertfordshire. It was delicious, a classic NEIPA with a rock solid hop combo of Citra and Mosaic, I must endeavour to try more Baron beers!

Tough crowd

 Only people of a certain age will know what this picture shows... I know, I had one back in the 70s..

Breezy at the top..

An amazing photograph of the tallest mountain in our entire solar system. Olympus Mons on the planet Mars has a height of roughly 25 km, to put that in perspective Mount Everest on our home planet is only 8.8 km tall. I bet it's a bit breezy at the top!

Friday Smirk

Bit of a dead end job?

End Times?

It's raining and thundering like it's the end-times down here today..

Midweek Mirth

Jesus and Mo discussing the amusing blindness that some religious people have, it just doesn't compute that their magic deities and spells might simply not be true, despite all the evidence that this is indeed how the real world is.

First of the Season

A nice shiny conker, the first I've seen so far this season, like a little jewel on a rainy afternoon..

Old dog, new tricks..

Just when you thought that you'd seen every possible permutation and combination of water, malt, yeast and hops in the traditional form of beer, something new comes along!

This tasty beverage from my local brewer Siren involves not only a new hop varietal but a brand new strain of yeast as well. The hop is called "Krush" and as you can probably guess comes from the USA, bred by Yakima hops it's a fruity little number with flavours that include stone fruits, berries and citrus and it goes well with other more well established hops like Citra and Nelson which are also in this beer. The new yeast strain is called Pomona and has been specifically bred to bring the best out of the hazy, hop forward IPA styles of beer prevalent today, I can confirm that the little critters have done an excellent job here!

Fender Benders Inbound

Our local council is a strange beast, the picture above shows the result of an overhaul of one of the busiest junctions around here and represents roughly a year's worth of closure, hassle and diversions for local people. The junction used to be two simple mini roundabouts but apparently the council felt that they could be improved, and this is what they've come up with. 

Looking at the picture I must say that I haven't a clue how such a junction actually works? Who gives way to who, is it like the American first come first to go crossroads, it's hard to tell. No doubt we will see a spate of fender benders here before local people get the hang of it, visitors will probably think they've been teleported to tele-tubby land..

Last Garden Beer

It was a nice afternoon yesterday (Saturday) so I thought I'd try a new Elusive beer, called Pioneer it's a Westy along the lines of their popular Oregon Trail series. This one's a bit more hazy and perhaps a little less bitter but equally as good IMO, Andy at Elusive really has nailed the sub 6% Westy and judging by the weather today (Sunday) this will probably be my last garden beer of the season!

Red Peril Ales

Stopped by the Siren RG1 taproom after a routine shopping trip into Reading this afternoon, had a new collaboration beer brewed by Siren and Bravo Brewing Co. who are based in Guangzhou, Guangdong , China. Other than the usual crappy lager (Tsingtao) that you get in Chinese restaurants I'd never tried a Chinese craft beer before, it was good. A classic Westy with all the dank, tropical fruits and bitterness that you want in that style, very good, there is hope for the Communists yet..

Friday Smirk

The ever reliable Jesus and Mo pointing out some of the issues surrounding Islamic literalism

Leffe Negra

There's a bar in Sevilla called "Cervecería Internacional", it focuses mainly on Belgian beers but has one or two others on tap also (including Guinness) We visited the bar a couple of times pre-dinner and I tried one of these for the first time. It's called "Leffe Negra" i.e. Leffe Black and is a dark beer made by this usually blond ale producer. It was delicious, slightly sweet, toast and coffee aromas with a bitter finish. At 6.5% we only had the one but it was a perfect set up for the rich food to follow, recommended!

Spanish Escape - Part 4

 

There are plenty of things to see and do in Sevilla, while we were there we visited the Alcazar Real, an old Muslim fort from the days of the Islamic conquest of the Iberian peninsula that was later converted into a Christian/European palace for the king. Below is a preserved Islamic carving inlaid into one of the walls of the palace.

We also had a look around the fine art museum where there's a wonderful collection of medieval and modern paintings as well as sculptures and ceramics. On one of the days we hopped onto a train and took the 90 minute ride down to another famous Southern Spanish city, Cadiz. The trains are cheap, frequent and fast most of our journey was done at around 180 km/h and all the seats are pre-allocated so you can't get on a train that's full (no standing up!)

Like Sevilla, Cadiz is another ancient settlement, one of the oldest permanently inhabited places in Europe apparently. It was quite nice to visit the coast as it was a little cooler and Cadiz has the most wonderful central market where you can find all manor of fresh produce, tapas and seafood, we had some of the freshest oysters I've ever tried, delicious. Below is a snap of the grand entrance to the market, well worth a visit.

We also saw the bullring and walked around 60km in the week taking in the shopping district, many bars and restaurants as well as a trip up the "mushroom" or the Metropol Parasol which is one of the largest free-standing wooden structures in the world and well worth a visit simply to admire the views of the city from the top (see picture below)

Sevilla is a great place for a city break, I can't recommend it enough, the picture below is a pano of the view from the top of the structure pictured above, such a pretty city!

Spanish Escape - Part 3

 

Of course I can't go anywhere without seeking out some of the local "craft beer" on offer. In Sevilla it was quite hard to come by, most bars and restaurants sold mass produced Pilsner style beer from various producers but nothing you could really call "craft". 

On the left hand side of the picture above we have probably the most familiar beer drink that anyone visiting Spain would see, a basic Pilsner lager, served in a small measure (as larger ones warm up too quickly) Crystal clear and ice cold, a refreshing drink for sure but not particularly varied or interesting. Next along we have another style of Lager that you can find in about one in five places, it's a wheat beer called "Aguila" and is hazy and darker than Pilsner, not that uncommon but a little more interesting, next a proper craft brew from Cadiz that I came across in a restaurant, hoppy and flavoursome, a little predictable perhaps but a welcome relief from all that "fizz"! Fourth from the left is another more adventurous beer from Basqueland (San Sebastian) now this is more like it, rich, tropical fruits viscous mouthfeel, the real-deal. Last but not least a beer that wasn't from Spain at all but found in a bar that specialised in Belgian beers, it was delicious, hoppy and right on point for the style, I guess I have to conclude that Belgians make better beer than Spaniards? 

The food in Sevilla is IMO very much more varied and interesting than the beer. The mainstay of most everyday bars and restaurants (i.e. not the posh ones) is Tapas, in other words small plates of tasty morsels that are intended to be consumed (fairly randomly) all evening as a backdrop to beer, sherry, wine and good conversation. Above you can see a typical menu, most of the small plates or Tapa are around the 3-5 Euro mark and usually go very well with crisp, cold white wine and/or beer or even (for some of the more meaty offerings) a tasty red from Rioja or the Ribera. Suffice to say that we all loved them and enjoyed the way that they enable you to inexpensively integrate food into an evening and try lots of different dishes. Most places offered their menu as either Tapas, Halves or Plates, meaning small, medium and large, when sharing between two or three people we mostly went for halves or plates at around the 10-15 Euro mark. Below we have a typical dish, Boquerones en Vinagre or Sardines in vinegar, very much like cockles in the UK, a classic pub/beer snack.

Seagulls

 Nothing quite like the brute confidence of an urban seagull..

Spanish Escape - Part 2

 

On the first day of our week long excursion we visited Sevilla Cathedral, the largest Gothic church in the world and along with the adjoining Alcazar palace complex a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Inside the building the space is vast, the whole thing must have been overwhelming for people in the Middle Ages, of course it's most famous resident is the tomb of Christopher Columbus (see above) a rather grand and ostentatious statue celebrating the explorer whose discoveries in the America's and their exploitation made the city rich beyond people's wildest dreams (no wonder they gave him a fancy-pants send off, even though he was an Italian from Genoa)

Later in the afternoon we all retired to the roof-top bar of a restaurant near the river and attended a Sherry tasting (see picture above). I didn't really know much about Sherry before, only what most Brits probably know, i.e. that it's a sweet fortified wine much liked by our Nan's and usually consumed at Christmas along with trifle! However, as the lecturer explained there's a lot more to their local drink than Harveys! Sherry comes in a full spectrum of styles from bone dry (Fino) to excruciatingly sweet (Pedro-Ximenes) and all stops in between. It's flavour profiles range from tart green apples to figs through nuts and dried fruits, suffice to say it's a complex drink and there's a whole voyage of discovery to be had exploring the different styles and producers of the region. After the tasting we were all feeling a little "elevated" and so retired to our air conditioned apartment for a little siesta (i.e. sober up!) before heading out into the narrow cobbled streets again for dinner. 

I snapped a picture of the end of the tasting (above), look at all the different colours of the various Sherry styles on offer, quite a range!

Spanish Escape - Part 1

Our family managed a little escape to warmer climes this week, we took a trip to Sevilla in Spain for 7 days, a cheap (late) flight from Gatwick and a nice AirBnB apartment in the old town. The weather was predictably glorious, around 30-35 degrees every day, and a civilised 24 every evening. I'd never been to Sevilla before so I was keen to experience the rich tapestry of cultural, historical and sensory delights that the city has to offer. After a somewhat delayed and tortured journey South from the heart of West Sussex we arrived about an hour and a half late and slightly anxious that the driver I'd hired to take us from the airport to the city wouldn't wait, luckily he did and thirty minutes after picking up our bags from the conveyer belt, we arrived into the centre of  town. 

We were dropped right outside our accommodation so there was no wandering around the maze like cobbled (pedestrian only) streets looking for our front door, it was all pretty painless. A lift up to our third floor rooms and we were able to unload our  heavy cases and head out to find some food. 

By this stage it was gone ten thirty, well past any reasonable expectation of finding a table in the UK but fortunately in this part of Spain the evening is really only getting going at this time. Having a blast furnace of a climate the scorching hot days are relatively quiet and places are generally closed up, but, the much cooler evenings are very lively and the socialising stretches late into the morning. After some much needed refreshment and some delicious tapas we retired to unpack and explore our digs for the week. The view from our balcony was quite spectacular as we were right next to the medieval cathedral, which at night is lit up beautifully (see below)

After a good nights sleep and with the cobwebs of the journey blown away we awoke to azure skies and the sounds and smells of the vibrant city centre. By 10am everyone was up and ready, and wafts of the aromas of fresh pastries and the sounds of clinking coffee cups beckoned us to the streets below.

Friday Smirk

J&M pointing out what all religions claim, i.e. circular reasoning.

Rain, rain go away

Lots of torrential rain round these here parts this week...

London Stories

 

Snapped this photo of Tower Bridge last week when out flat hunting with my Son, it was looking particularly impressive in the late afternoon sunshine and at high tide. I particularly liked the way it seems to frame the skyscrapers in the background, the old framing the new.

Dedicated to your craft

 

While sitting in Siren RG1 the other day, waiting for my train, I noticed some rather precarious graffiti on the building opposite. It's not particularly high quality, but the artist must be dedicated to her craft, I wouldn't fancy that tiny ledge as much of a foothold three stories up!

Linger longer

Popped into the new Siren bar in Reading earlier this week while waiting for a connecting train from London, I hadn't been in a while but the beer board was looking as impressive as ever. I only had time for a quick half but if you're wondering what I went for it was the White Tips, you don't see this beer much at this time of year and so it was really great to see it. This is a special beer for me (for reasons explained in the link) and I love it, just a shame I couldn't linger longer!

Surrey Canal

Went for a walk down the Wey and Arun canal last week, it was a gorgeous day and since it was a Monday there was no one around. The canal was built in 1816 and connects the Arun river at Newbridge with the Godalming Navigation near Shalford which is just South of Guildford in Surrey. It wasn't very successful and was abandoned in 1871 but has since had sections restored by enthusiasts, very pretty it looks too as it winds its way through the rural Surrey Hills. After the walk we stopped for a pint at the Onslow Arms in Loxwood, it was very pleasant sitting in the garden in the Sun overlooking the canal, thoroughly recommended!

London Stories

If you walk around the back of St Botolph's Church Hall in Bishopsgate (near Liverpool St. Station) you may come across this little Victorian beauty. It's an old subterranean Turkish bath and apart from looking completely out of place (it's surrounded by gleaming glass and steel office blocks) it's still in use! Not as a bathhouse of course but a venue for parties and special events.

Friday Smirk

 

London Stories

I came across this interesting statue the other day while walking around Shad Thames in London with my Son looking at flats to rent. It's called "Jacob - the Circle Dray Horse" and is representative of the large dray horses that used to pull waggons of beer casks from the Courage brewery across Tower Bridge into the City. The horses were stabled at this site and the statue commemorates that. I was also impressed by the blue tiled building behind, not sure what it's for but it looked striking against the other grey/brown brick buildings of the area, must research why so blue?

It's the thought that counts

It was the 60th birthday of a friend of ours (Alison) last weekend and we went out and bought a cake for the special occasion, nothing unusual in that! Unfortunately though, this friend of ours lives down in Christchurch on the South Coast and so we had to drive down the M3/A31 for 90 minutes to see her and deliver said cake, which we promptly forgot to put in the car! Still, it's been nice to have a slice every day with a cup of tea this week, we should forget to pack more cakes I reckon..

Sykes Gaff

Walked past this place yesterday, it's the confluence of the river Neckinger with the Thames and is called St. Saviours dock. All the buildings are the old warehouse variety which gives it an old-world feeling, classic Victorian London. Legend has it that this is where Bill Sykes from the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist used to hang out, I can well imagine it!

Top White

We opened a bottle of this at the weekend, from Burgundy it's an old Chassagne-Montrachet one of the top domains in the region. The wine was delicious, apples, green fruits, viscous and rich with a totally addictive creamy finish, lovely stuff!

Henley brews

Went for a walk along the Thames at Henley today, the Sun was out and the town looked very pretty under a perfect blue sky. We didn't walk too far, only about 5k but it was enough to work up a thirst so we decamped to the new(ish) craft beer bar in town called "Echoes". Run by local Reading based brewery Phantom. It showcases their extensive range of brews plus a few guest beers, it was a nice spot, not much of a view (all you can see is the Waitrose car park) but the beers were great and perfect on a lovely warm day. I opted for a hazy pale ale called "Saturn" made primarily with Citra hops, it was lush (see below) and only 4% ABV perfect for easy drinking in the Sun.