beers of 2024 : the competition with Alec

 As any of you who have gone for a beer with me knows, there's BeerAdmin to do. Every pint. It keeps my OCD in check, I guess.

As I'm a cheap bastard, I'm using the free version of untappd, so I don't get any real year data, or your year in beer to put forward. Instead I just compare with Alec's info, and book in for a liver transplant.

Continuing good news, I'm still ahead of Alec in total number of beers, but he's pulling ahead in unique beers, even worse he's got more badges than me. 

But our favourite beers are still similar 

unsurprisingly, mine's the one with Craftwork in there. Mmm Craftwork.

Until the next update, slainte!

Untappd - update on the Alec v Bruce competition

 This competition has been going, unofficially, since err, I dunno, I want to say 2010? 2009? who knows. Any way, I've tried to post updates every 6 months or so. 

The good news (for me), I'm still ahead on total number of checkins, although Alec continues to have had more unique beers. Badges, I'm 4 ahead, which suggests we're both maxxing out on the gamification. 

Also we share two of the top beers, Schlenkerla and Oude Geuze Boon. Again, not much of a surprise. 

Untappd, the drinking continues

 As none of you were asking for it, here's an update on how Alec and I continue to support local breweries.

Things are still pretty close, quantity wise I'm winning, variety-wise it's Alec.

Slainte, B

Alec and Bruce, Beer-off update

 Every-so-often, when I remember, I compare untappd records between Alec and I. Who has the most beers, badges, etc. 

So in the spirit of erratic updates, here's where things stand between us.

Bruce

Alec

Still damn close, I'm ahead around a 100 total beers, but Alec's had more unique beers (just). I've got a commanding 200 extra badges. Which in this world of gamification, is what it's all about. 

I think the reason the badges totals don't agree relates to some badges being closed (particularly venue based ones).

Slainte!

King Frederick II of Prussia

march was my last post? really? Sheesh.

Anyway, King Fred II of Prussia had some great quotes, here's a beer / coffee inspired one:

It is disgusting to notice the increase in the quantity of coffee used by my subjects, and the amount of money that goes out of the country as a consequence. Everybody is using coffee; this must be prevented. His Majesty was brought up on beer, and so were both his ancestors and officers. Many battles have been fought and won by soldiers nourished on beer, and the King does not believe that coffee-drinking soldiers can be relied upon to endure hardships in case of another war.

Old beer - 1979 Thomas Hardy's Ale tasting

Most beer is bought to be drunk, quickly. There are very few beers which are brewed to be aged like red wine. Thomas Hardy's Ale is one of them. The stuff has had a convoluted history with production ceasing, starting up again, bottle sizes changes, closing again, starting, and currently ceased. I've got a number of bottles (15) from 2004-2008, but I managed to get two bottles from 1979 on ebay. Here's my tasting notes:

Thomas Hardy's Ale 

Bottle H 7561

1 Jan 1979

Brewed and bottled by: Eldridge Pope and Co. Ltd.

180ml (6.34 fl.ozs)

poured smooth and clear, no fizz, cloudy but no obvious sediment, quite thick

Nose:

marmite, vegemite, red wine, sweet - marshmallows

Palate:

very strong, tangy, bitter, complex, slightly musty, quite similar to an old complex red wine, 

hint of fizz, coffee - but percolated coffee, not espresso and not filter, lots of malt (like drinking maltexo?)

Finish:

warm, honey, long, more old red wine, not a fresh NZ red, more an old vine aftertaste, and later on, an odd musty note (which I've had with younger TH ales)

Overall, very similar to other Hardy's Ales I've had, but more so, less fight in it than the younger ones I've had. I don't know if it's improved over a 10 and 12 year old I've had, so it might be worth trying my 2004 brew shortly.

It seemed quite high in alcohol content too. 

Here's some pictures of the event, apparently that rarity - a sunny day.

me

Elbow, music, beer

I frequently dispair over the crap on the radio, frequently may be stretching it since this involves having the TV on a music channel, or the radio on commercial station. Neither can be called frequent.

But then my faith is restored by BBC 6Music.

And more importantly, by the fact that in this world, a band as brilliant as Elbow are both cool, and popular. No matter how much SiCo is in the world, this balances everything. I'm sitting here watching the bonus DVD to the reissue of Cast of Thousands, and rejoicing in all things Elbow. A bunch of blokes, who obviously like their ale, smoking, and in a superb piece of video making, fishing. yes, a video of an Elbow song while the boys go fishing. Bet that's never occurred to MDNA or Lady Gaga [see how hip I am].

This post may have been brought to you by some (vagueness ensues!) Belgian ales [geuze boon; rochefort 11 at least - i can see those bottles]

me xx

oop norf

I was in Scotland. This was entirely Neil's fault. He foolishly suggested his whisky collection needed a clean-up, and I had leave to use up. Foolish. These focussed things need a name, and to reflect death of bottles, and referencing another less well known whisky event, this was called 'Whisky Undead'.

I spent a few days in Edinburgh before heading over to Glasgow and the whisky cleanup. Again, very little snow up that way, so a bit chilly but nice. Wandered around the revamped Museum of Scotland, which can get a bit confusing being spread over many buildings and levels. But interesting. I learnt more about the early globalisation by Vikings than I expected to.
And lots of early record players. Mmmm shellac. Can't wait until Steve Wilson releases on it...

Unconsciously I'd ended up in Scotland on Burns night. So after some beer and food, and wandering around, I ended up at the SMWS rooms. Reasonably quiet in there, but was nice to have a couple of drams. Ended up chatting to the pipers who were filling in time before the haggis malarky in one of the dining rooms. They regarded Burns night as a great way to earn far too much money for doing nothing, can't say I blame them for that. Oh and the old one was called 'Old Jock'.

Spent the morning at the Modern art gallery which was cool - not quite so taken with the sculpture stuff, but the exhibition of  Cadell was great. I'd never heard of him either, but his use of strong colours, and in particular black, worked for me. Not as taken with his paintings of Iona, but the rest of them made up for the landscapes. He seemed an interesting mix of impressionist and yet quite influenced by the linear nature of Art Deco. Worked for me.
And all this for 7 quid. I know. Ridiculous.

Wandered around the old town a bit, and came across the surgeons museum. It seems to be in a state of flux with a number of displays of the diarama / context kinda stuff you see in modern museums, and a large number of old school cabinets. All containing lots of pieces of dead people. Many of these focussed on how guns/warfare caused people to have had better days. Great stuff.
Interesting look at how mustard gas (?) caused general badness to lungs. Oh and the expected collection of cancers, polydactyly, and general mutants. Gotta love those Victorians.
Oddly, no gift shop. I'm guessing that'll turn up in a year or so as it moves to a more modern version of a museum.
I enjoyed this, or rather I enjoyed the curiosity cabinet approach. the newer displays didn't do anything for me.

Oh, obviously visits to Artisan Roast occurred too. Or as I prefer to call it, the Deluxe of the North. The good news is that they are opening their own online shop, so the ordering problems through Pekoetea should be alleviated. Pekoetea don't appear very good at keeping the webpage reflecting actual stock levels.

Friday involved meeting Neil to view some Turner's. The Vaughan bequest to the National Gallery, which is only brought out in January. I know, it's like everythign came together. It's almost freeky how the mass of colour gradually reveals more and more detail - in his later paintings. The earlier stuff is far more classically defined. Oh go on, have a guess which ones I like...
WE had wandered through a not very good exhibition before this, but didn't do much for me.

Then we found beer. Something I could grow to like. May have ended up at the other SMWS rooms (in Leith) for dinner and, oddly, whisky.

Saturday meant a gentle wander to Glasgow, and then a trip up to Glengoyne, a distillery we've been known to appreciate. Tried some whisky. Tried one only available from the distillery, although it's now online, and found that it was good. Reviews shall follow.

Whisky Undead went ahead, and involved whisky, food, great company, and the killing of 4 bottles. Ideally we'd have killed more, but many bottles were more full than expected, and it wasn't a heavy session of boozing. Honest.

Nice brekkie on Sunday, and a long train journey. Damn stupid Sunday trains.

Huzzah for Scotland!!

me

Gigs and stuff

It's currently hell at work, freshers have arrived and there are too many I have to deal with. Sigh. Dead giveaways to their arrival: discarded items of clothing including mismatched socks, underwear; empty 2L bottles of stonebow; and piles of carrot containing 'stuff'.

Loving the walk in.

Gigs: we headed up to Derby to see Denys Baptiste the other week. Having been told to listen to his album, Let Freedom Ring, by the PsychoChicken, I'd been hooked for sometime. So with him playing a few minutes up the road, seemed churlish not to go. I dragged S along, figuring he's pretty approachable jazz. Finding food in Derby city centre wasn't too good, but I've got tips from a local for the next visit. Didn't help that the pub we liked, the Brewery Tap, was full - hence the wander around the centre. It seems dead after 6pm on a Friday.
Gig was great. Hard to describe him, but let's given it a bash: elements of be-bop, calypso, african. I think using 1950s/60s jazz (US) and 60s (UK) maybe a good place to start? Meh, it's not a genre I'm that good with. I picked a fair amount of Coltrane (understandable), and possibly some Brubeck and JJ Johnson/K Winding. Was that just me? who knows!

Anyway, thoroughly enjoyed it and finally picked up Let Freedom Ring and his new album, Identity by Subtraction. I'm enjoying the new one, but will give it a few weeks or so to sink through.


Went to a beerfest on the Saturday down at the Great Central Railway which was brilliant. About 40 ales, and half a dozen ciders/perrys. Really lovely venue, and great vibe - definitely going back next year. And for 2 quid keeping the glass seemed a win too. I now have two pint glasses. I may have some photos at some point. Possibly not. Cant remember if I took any :)

Decided to not go to the Unthanks on the Sunday as was feeling a little tired.

But went to a country/folk gig on the Wednesday in Leicester, Slaid Cleaves. It's fair to say that Cleaves is not from the Dolly Parton country pop school. If there's not at least one death, it's just not worth singing.
I'd heard a couple of tracks, but nothing really. Basically he sounded kinda interesting, and with a name like that, I couldn't not go.
He was great. Really engaging between songs, and excellent song writing. Funny and more than happy to sign stuff and chat to the fans. Another intimate gig at the Musician, seated, loved it.
I picked up his new 2CD live album, which from the track listing seems a good reflection of what I heard. Also comes with two beer coasters. Almost reason enough..
Lyrically, driven by characters, so very personal lyrics, and very emotional in places. To the point where he had the audience eating out of his hand. Not sure how many of them had heard him before (I hadn't) but there were a lot of CDs flying off his stall.


and a song written about his now drowned village


Love, B

Cooking with Bruce: Prawn, fettucine, roast peppers

This time I haven't changed a thing, and so it's a simple link to a Cuisine recipe. It epitomises everything that's good about Italian cooking; simplicity, speed, and clean tastes. The simple cream based recipe works well with anything, seafood, chicken, vegetables - and I've found lowfat cream (well yeah ok it's UHT) works fine too. That was an accidental find, I'd grabbed the wrong one. But it all tasted the same.

I'm washing it down with a Melton Red from the local Belvoir brewery. It's not too bad, quite bitter in aftertaste, hints of citrus on the palate and nose, finish is very dry so suspect the hops rating is reasonably high. I found it at the local Tesco's, which saved me biking out there - something I had been considering. Good enough that I'll try others from the brewery, but not this one. 2.5/5.

me

Cider tasting

I've just realised it's a year to the day since I started at Lboro. I should really comment on that soon - probably need to consider who reads the blog, or maybe not. Hmmm. Ponder.

Anyway, here's a couple of cider reviews. Both were picked up from Sainsbury's - I think.

Longueville Cider made from Gros CEillet apples.
Fresh, French, dry, very appley and fizzy. This was divine. It really did taste like fresh apples in a bottle, and went down very very easily. Reminded me of the Fresh-Up Crisp Apple flavour, but with the added bonus of 4.5% alcohol.
I could drink this for hours, unlike many ciders I didn't find that weird musty flavour, nor was it too sweet.

Sheppy's Vintage Reserve
I like the Sheppy's ciders I've had. This one is 'oak matured' and weighs in at 7.4% alcohol. Crisp flavour, but has that weird mustiness to it, typical (or so I've found) of English ciders. It's sweeter than the Longueville, but still very drinkable. I wouldn't call it a session cider (ignoring the 7.4%) as I find it a little sweet for more than a glass, but very drinkable. There's no age statement on the bottle, so dunno what 'vintage reserve' actually means.

I'd recommend the Longueville, in fact I may go and get more of it. That could be dangerous, especially if I pick up the Crabbies Ginger Beer 4 packs which are on special - both of those are very very drinkable.

It's music night, so far:
Branford Marsalis : Requiem
VA : Countryman

Decided I couldn't be bothered cooking dinner tonight, so toast, avocado, basil leaves, tomato and a flick of olive oil or balsamic vinegar will do me. Followed by melon. Mmmm.
I did bake some friands, custard and rhubarb flavour. Looking forward to trying them later.

Love, me.

Brewdog Paradox: Isle of Arran

Brewdog, Scotland's superbly nutjob indie brewers, have a beer, Paradox, which is matured in Isle of Arran whisky casks.
I like the Isle of Arran whisky (especially this one).

It's an imperial stout, and it's heavy, as you'd expect.

Nose: dark chocolate, malt, no hint of whisky

Palate: chocolate, malt, almost overpoweringly so, bitter overroasted coffee beans, very small hint of whisky, maybe.

Finish: bitter, very dry, maybe a hint of coastal whisky in there. There's an element of salt there - may explain the dryness.

Overall, this doesn't taste like a whisky. I don't really buy into the whisky flavour advertised by Brewdog, what it really tastes of is a bloody strong full bodied stout (10%). Typical stout flavours, although I feel it's too much, there's no subtlety, no real complexity. Possibly the beer needs to mature for a few years, at 10% it's certainly designed to age in the bottle (mine said good til 2015).
overall, 7/10. With potential to increase, if I cellared some.

mex

Oh Brewdog, how I love you

Scotlands favourite indie brewer, Brewdog, has reclaimed the strongest beer title (at 55%) and, to make your drink that wee bit special, is putting the bottles in dead animals.

Read it here.

These limited edition bottles go for a measly £500. I've ordered a dozen, should be a good stomach pumping Sat night.
Highlights of the article include the alcohol focus chick describing this as a 'cheap marketing' stunt. Hmmm , she obviously gets paid too much.
Also the Advocates for Animals (whats that, a bestiality club?) suggests no one would spend money on something that gruesome. Uhuh.

me

A beer review

It's Thursday night, music night. And it's been awhile since we had a beer review, so here's a summary of music listened to thus far, and a couple of beer reviews.

Badger : Blandford Fly I do like me a Badger beer, to the point where I made it to the Ship and Shovel to have some off tap on Saturday. Yummy. Last night involved the Blandford. It's a very drinkable light amber ale, with strong ginger notes. When I say it's very drinkable, let's put it in the Crabbies ginger beer category. Session beer? you bloody believe it baby. The ginger, and hints of coriander, went really well with the spicy seafood gumbo I was eating. And yes, it was a deliberate mix. Go drink it. It'll be good for ya,

Dogfish Head: 60 Minute IPA Americans do nice IPAs, even if in general they should generally be called APAs. It has a full body and mouth feel, very bitter finish, very dry, nose is ridiculously hoppy. Not a session beer, but one to be enjoyed and savoured slowly.

I picked up a few beers at the Borough Market: the DogFish Head 60 minute IPA; Geuze Boon (I love it); Rodenbach Grand Cru; Brewdog Isle of Arran. So looking forward to sipping onthem. The Geuze and the Rodenbach are two of my all time favourites.

Music tonight has consisted of :
Frank Zappa : Roxy and Elsewhere
Albert Hammons : Master of Boogie
Fleetwood Mac : Fleetwood Mac (back when they wuz good, before the chicks ruined them)
Frost* : DVD of the Philadelphia Experiment.

All washed down by Dogfish and leftovers of the seafood gumbo which has spiced itself up nicely.

Love, me

Anathema and the 7s

Had a fun weekend, which differentiates it from the week, headed down to London on Friday to catch up with the A-team over a couple. Then we headed off to see Anathema. We'd seen them before, as support for Porcupine Tree. That gig was marred by technical problems (from memory), so didn't impress.  But we enjoyed this one, a whole gig of just Anathema, playing stuff from the new album "we're here because we're here". This was great, fun gig, nice mid sized venue, great audience and lots of beer. Actually too much beer. Saturday morning was quiet, very quiet. Or in theory it would have been.

Except I had to get up and meet Fran for the London Sevens. I'm not a big fan of the sevens, but figured I've suffered by having very little rugger to watch this season and it was 10 quid for the entire weekend. Had a great time, again quite a lot of beer on Saturday in a very very hot sunny weather (26-28C apparently). Good rugger, fun times. And Twickenham is a nice stadium. Not quite the atmosphere of the Wgtn sevens, but close enough. Had a good bunch of people around, including a large number of kiwi's, safa's and Scot's (who are very realistic about their teams chances). Actually about the beer, rather than the dire crud we had to put up with at the caketin, I had guinness, Greene King IPA, and for the lesser sips, Becks or Stonebow.

Much the same for the Sunday, although it was hotter, and I had less beer. So I've almost got a tan (and yes, lots of sunscreen, but the English sun isn't quite the bitch the NZ one is). Contrary to FB updates, I'm not burnt. But as you've all gathered, I don't like FB and if I had a better way of keeping in contact, I'd be out of there.
I'd go back to the sevens, fun relaxed weekend. Also nice watching England lose to Aussie, South Africa and New Zealand. Not that I'm a vindictive bugger or nuffink.

B

Xmas Pt4

been awhile since the last blog, have drunk more beer (quite a bit) had dinner (very nice, particuarly the spuds and the waldorf salad), watched some Brideshead Revisted, half a movie (Underground). Sipped some whisky and had a bit of a cigar, too cold to stay outside toolong so came back in.
pudding is cooking its way to lovely hotness as we speak. new james may on soon, probably skipping dr who as i kept missing all the others. i thought i saw there was a new top gear on too, but can't seem to see ot, only a repeat from the other night.
might be time to throw on another movie - thinking about silent night, deadly night or Cyborg.

i think a beer aged in whisky casks will be next, ooohhh or maybe the st peters stout, that'd go well with the pudding. hmmm, decisions.

me x

Xmas Pt3

Things are now happening in the kitchen, pheasants are in the oven for their initial cook, the spuds are being boiled before roasting, I've located ingredients for the salad. Pudding is in the fridge - ready for the final steam. Beer in glass (timmermans Strawberry lambic), cheese on cracker.

Halfwit prince still on in background.

B

Xmas Pt2

The zombie movie was absolutely superb. Excellent stuff. Sadly we've moved onto pothead and the halfwit prince. So I've moved onto St Peter's Grapefruit beer.

My Xmas pressie to me, with love, cos I've been a very good boy, or at least good to myself, was a decent coffee grinder. This worked in well with beans T posted over in exchange for a DVD - so freshly ground Havana beans. Feckin' A.

Here's a picture of my new baby, and the view out our window.

Love and im liking this beer.

B

Christmas is a comin'

I did the Xmas shop. I don't like shopping. I don't like people. However with the students gone, Loughborough isn't as busy as it usually is, so oddly it wasn't as bad as normal.

My beer is all ready for next week, most of it is in the fridge - altho in these temperatures, heaven knows why (-4 at night most of this week).

We have, and by we, I mean I, have:
Timmermans Lambicus Bianche
Timmermans Strawberry
Artvelde Grand Cru
Caracola Nostradamus
Rodenbach Grand Cru (oh god yes!)
Trappistes Rochefort 8
St Peters Best Bitter
St Peters Cream Stout
St Peters Grapefruit
Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Tuilibardine 1488 Whisky Ale (no Brewdog available!)


The fridge itself is looking full, and I've had to take out the vodka from the freezer to fit everything in. The Xmas puddings have developed nicely, huzzah!

And the whisky cabinet, although there's three more bottles downstairs, and I see some wine, port and gin in with the whisky as well...

I may put up a full list of the whiskies in due course, but suffice to say I shouldn't be too cold during this xmas period.

Oh and my coffee grinder arrived today, it does have a European connection plug which is annoying, but I can cope with that...

B

OMG like free rugby!

hunting around for a what pub would show the NZ v Wales match, I found that rugby - like test match rugger - is free on BBC here. Feckin' A !!

So I'm off tomorrow to stock up on food n booze and then settling in for the Wales match, and then the Aussie v England one. Both with alt commentary.

huzzah!

and go Wellington, kick those sick one eyed bastards,

Love, B