A DAY AT THE GREAT BRITISH BEER FESTIVAL

Yesterday saw another marathon session reunion at the CAMRA Great British Beer Festival in Kensington Olympia, London.  I've worked out this is the 13th year I've been meeting up with friends and ex colleagues to catch up on things and basically take the piss out of each other.

As usual I got the most stick as I take my own food. The beer prices are bad enough, mostly over £4 a pint but I refuse to pay the rip off food prices.  So Mrs Ken always buys me a pack of out of date mini pork pies, ( pictured) , costing  a fraction of the cost the others paid for sarnies, chips etc.   

Anyhow, enough of the food ; the first beer to try ( I say "try" as enjoyed it many times) was Maxim Swedish Blonde. A great refreshing start to a long afternoon. 

Every year on the first day of the Festival the Champion Beer of Britain is announced, with an overall winner and beer category winners. Guess how many beers were selected from the North East . NONE. Disappointed is an understatement. 

Usually the overall winner has sold out by the time we get there. Heading for another bar,  of which there were several,  I  spotted a CAMRA guy holding a  pole with a sign, not unlike someone in ASDA holding a pointy finger showing a free queue at the checkouts. The sign said "Champion Beer Here" Sure enough, someone was frantically pulling pints / halves / thirds of Binghams Vanilla Stout

Now every year at the festival I bang on about speciality beers, such as Triple Chocoholic, Plum Porter etc and usually get a tut or a withered look for my troubles. Well, not this time guys. Finally a winner that's different.  Whilst it tasted nice, I have to say it didnt stand out above the rest to be honest. The Vanilla wasn't that prominent either. ( perhaps the pickle in the pies dulled the taste buds)

On the same bar I later tried an Oyster Stout . I haven't a  clue what an oyster tastes like, well you just swallow them whole don't you ? The beer had a stout taste but I think the oysters had clammed shut during the brewing process.

It was interesting the number of punters drinking London Pride , or Bombardier. National  drinks you can get anywhere. Try something you wouldn't normally drink !  ( well apart from the Swedish Blonde of course) 

Titanic Brewery had their own bar, with the ever present Plum Porter, so I tried something else. Raspberry Wheat - which was pink  ( "Ken, what on earth is that ?" ) and Cappuccino Stout - which  was black. ( Ken, what on earth is that smell ?) 

I have worked out I drank 13 beers, mostly thirds , which comes out at just over 4 pints overall. Doesn't sound much but you have to allow for walking to each bar as Olympia  is huge, queuing for beer and the gents ( yes, a queue in the gents !!) 

Nearly 6 hours later,  having started with a local beer, it was time to finish with one. Darwin Extinction. An appropriate name for this 8.3% Barley Wine which is dangerously drinkable. I feel asleep on the tube back to Kings Cross, waking up just in time. Didn't fancy a night in Cockfosters somehow. 

Already looking forward to next year

ITS HIS ROUND - GREAT BRITISH BEER FESTIVAL 2009

Well, its nearly that time of year. The annual trip to the Great British Beer Festival in London.  Ive been getting together with like minded boozers for the last 12 years so this will be number 13*. 

Travelling down from the North East and back in one day makes for a long day. In 2009 I stayed over on the way there , and back with a friend who lives in Nuneaton. A few weeks before the big day he announced his daughter had bought him an appropriate T Shirt from Asda, pictured. 
"Must get one of those"  so off went Mrs Ken shopping , coming back with the aforesaid apparel. 

We agreed we should get the others we would meet on the day to do the same so an email quickly went out to the rest of the guys.

On the day , our train from Nuneaton to London pulled into Rugby. There on the platform were 2 guys with the same T shirts. " Look at them two idiots". It was only when they got on that we realised they were meeting up with us, one of whom I hadn't seen for over 10 years.

This year the festival is at Olympia but back then it was held in Earls Court. As the afternoon wore on, more and more of us trickled in, all wearing the same. Not one guy bottled it, as you can see from the photograph below, taken by a bemused CAMRA steward. I think she got a fright as I'm the one with my fly open.


 

* Subject of next blog

MINICASKS

This post has been inspired by the visit of the Flying Scotsman ( the loco, not the beer) to Shildon Railway Museum. But first :--

In 2011 one of my mates hosted an indoor sports evening ( lads only) to help him drink two 9 pint minicasks he had just brought back from Fyne Ales Brewery.  As if we needed an excuse to help him drink it  but we thought it would be a fine ( sorry about the pun) way to enjoy the evening. With his family out of the way and dressed in various sports outfits, we participated in such strenuous activities as Wii Tennis, Jenga and Magnetic Darts ; - I am not making this up. 

Towards the end of the evening, with the beers and the contest in full flow, the front door opened and in walked one of his daughters. We all froze like rabbits caught in headlights as she paused in the hallway, looked around to take in the scene in front of her, 6 guys boozing and playing silly games, tutted briefly  then headed up the stairs without a word. We were pissing ourselves.

I found later that nearly all 18 pints of the beer had been consumed, leaving just the sediment for our host to enjoy the next day " You bastards drank the lot"  I believe was the expression used next time me met.

COPPY LANE STOUT

Since then I have enjoyed minicasks on an occasional basis. One Christmas I bought myself a cask of Coppy Lane Stout from the Stables Brewery in Beamish and earlier this year treated myself to a Maxim Coffee Porter.

COFFER PORTER

This Easter we visited our daughter , who works in Glasgow. We drove north along the western lochs towards  Loch Fyne, the car miraculously finding its way to the aforesaid Loch Fyne brewery. I bought myself a couple of bottle from the shop but daughter acquired a minicask of Highlander  , clutching it tightly as we headed back to the car. 

Now we are nearly up to date. For a weeks holiday she decided , with a group of mates, to stay in Aviemore. I emailed her some suggested pubs and subtly  mentioned the Cairngorm Brewery in the town.

So yesterday she drove down to come with us to see the Flying Scotsman at Shildon. On arrival, in she came, brandishing 3 bottles of Cairngorm beers and a minicask  of 5% Highland IPA!! 

HIGHLAND IPA

After our visit to Shildon and allowing the beer to settle, we tucked into the IPA. Now I usually prefer dark sweetish beers but this has very hoppy taste with a bitter finish, but it didnt take long before multiple visits into the kitchen were made for top ups.

As I type , there is still some left so will have to do it all again tonight. Hard work this beer drinking business.

HOME BREWING

A recent post on Facebook has prompted this blog. 

The Hop and Cleaver in Newcastle are promoting a home brew competition in September this year. ( Details here Hop & Cleaver Home Brew link)

This got me thinking about my own home brew experiences.

It all started way back in the early 70's when Washington Development used to hold summer barbecues. This particular year the theme was come dressed as a tramp and bring some home brew to be judged in a competition during the evening.

Having successfully dressed as a tramp , which wasn't difficult as my mates set upon me before we set off and ripped most of my clothes to shreds. The home brew was more of a challenge as only one of us had bothered. So we met in The Coach & Horses ( now closed but that's another blog), which had an off license, So we had an empty pop bottle with no labels on it and bought a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale. We poured the Brown Ale into the empty bottle and entered it into the Home Brew competition. IT DIDN'T WIN. 

That says it all - I don't think Ive drank the stuff since..  

But this experience got me into home brewing. Bought all the kit, scrounged a load of empty bottles from a mate at work and soon I was in business. I used to brew Boots Extra Strong Bitter which had a lethal kick. 

One year my mates came round to our house ( I think it was 1985) to watch the FA Cup Final. This unfortunately coincided with us selling the house and a viewing was arranged for about 6pm.

I was so rat arsed off the home brew that after the match Mrs Ken politely suggested I go for a walk and keep out of the way till after the potential house buyers had been and gone.

I was found about an hour later slumped on a park bench asleep.

I believe  this was my last foray into home brewing ( I got fed up with all the bottle washing) but at least we sold the house !

  

ON THE TRAIL OF CAPTAIN COOK, THEN A DRIVE DOWN TELEGRAPH ROAD

The title of this may seem a bit obscure but read on. 

This week has been a case of visiting two pubs Ive never been to  before.

A friend of mine is over from Australia ; before he left to fly here he asked if we could go on a "bush walk" in the North York Moors ; just to revisit the area we used to walk in way back in the 70s. Looking at a map I came across Roseberry Topping, a prominent hill that overlooks Teesside. For a bit of a challenge, nearby is Captain Cooks Monument, a slightly higher hill. 

It seemed appropriate as Cook, as we all know,  did something famous in Australia.

Five of us set off, a bit like Last of the Summer Wine and parked up near the Monument, which over looks the village of Great Ayton, the boyhood home of Cook

"I thought this was a beer blog ? - Ed"

Patience. Most walks like this have a purpose, to end up in the pub. 

After a climb up to the Monument to admire the views over the Yorkshire Moors and Teesside, it was down the other side and through ferns, bushes and trees ( not unlike the film Deliverance) towards Roseberry Topping.

Walking through Airy Holme Farm , where Cooks father worked , we soon reached the summit of Roseberry Topping, with fine views of the Yorkshire Moors, Teesside and the North Sea.

I pointed out the market town of Stokesley, our next destination ( by car) to have a few beers.The pub in question was the White Swan, which you may well have guessed by now is the home of the Captain Cook Brewery.

The brewery produces some fine ales. Mr Oz and I started on a Black Porter, my recommendation ( see picture) . Soon he was pulling a face, " not sure about this"  Not used to the taste you see, although I noted he finished his drink before I had supped mine off.  

Then after a pint of Botany Bay, it was back to the car home,  then out again for our Tuesday night pub quiz in Durham. Well somebody's got to do it.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two days later saw Mrs Ken and myself on Embleton Beach in Northumberland. Fantastic vista with hardly any people there. We were parked near a golf course and clubhouse so  after a couple of hours on the beach, we nipped into the clubhouse  to use the loo, and noted they sold Marstons EPA on handpull.  Not one of my favourite drinks I'm afraid, so headed instead into Embleton village and the Greys Inn. 

This pub is in the Good Beer Guide and appears to specialise in local ales; three of them from Alnwick Brewery. After some research I later discovered Alnwick don't actually brew any beer, its actually contract brewed by Cumberland.

Anyhow back in the pub.  I asked if I could leave some of our CAMRA branch magazines. The owner must have heard me as he shot out from the kitchen, introduced himself and shook my hand.( I think he was  expecting someone else) 

 " One of your fellow branch members usually drops some off, he has a pony tail and goes diving in Seahouses". 

Although I know a few divers, but not knowing anyone with a ponytail, I was struggling to know what the hell he was on about. " Oh, well maybe he doesn't have a pony tail then "  I thought, you wouldn't be much good as a witness in a police lineup mate.

So after a pleasant pint of Alnwick Amber Ale in the back garden, we said our goodbyes. Andrew, the owner, said he was coming down to the Sunderland Airshow. 

"Ill see you there then", which must have been one of the most stupidest things I have ever said. Anyhow , we did agree to meet again at our Octoberfest in Sunderland.

The pub has 5 handpulls and I can imagine this is a place where locals come to enjoy their beer and have a good crack. Must return and perhaps stay over in the B&B next door.

Telegraph Road ? - Ed.

Leaving the pub, I slipped a compilation CD I had put together into the CD player. Soon, as we drove through the country lanes towards the A1, Telegraph Road by Dire Straits was booming out of the speakers. At 14 minutes long , this is the perfect driving song, as we drove past the telegraph poles at the side of the road. ( Lyrics here:- dire straits telegraph road ) 

OLD PECULIER - BEER OF THE MONTH

Last weekend I was at the Glasgow Beer Festival *  Many beers were tried of course, but one which I was saving for last ran out just as I was walking to the bar. All the beers were in metal casks as you would expect, except one - Old Peculier,  in a wooden barrel.

I wasn't too disappointed as at the beginning of June on a pub crawl in Bedale ( North Yorkshire) ** the first pint ( sorry 2 pints) I had was Old Peculier at 11 in the morning. It was absolutely magnificent. I was getting strange looks as I savoured the taste, with appropriate noises, of this well known beer. It is sometimes said that OP doesn't travel and tastes  better the nearer the brewery it is. Well Bedale is only about 15 minutes from the brewery in Masham so I can understand that.

In 2012 I did a tour of the Theakstons brewery, some photos are shown. We were staying the night in the White

Old Peculier bubbling away

Bear Hotel, their brewery tap,  so the OP was naturally top of the menu. It was actually the White Bear Beer Festival and during the evening a howling gale developed. Their marquee with the festival bar in actually moved sideways throughout the evening. Mrs Ken can confirm this, it wasn't the beer this time.

I believe I am correct in saying that Old Peculier was the first real ale I drank, back  in the early seventies. We were staying in a youth hostel in Hawes, doing the Pennine Way, and after a long days hike, the natural thing to do was head for the local boozer. 

I think it was called The Fountain and I will always remember our reaction when drinking the OP for the first time. We were all used to drinking S&N, Vaux or Camerons keg beers so this was a revelation. The colour and the underlying taste of liquorice hit me straight away . Needless to say I cant remember the stagger back to the youth hostel. Happy days

Some years ago when I was old enough to know better we had a pub crawl in York. The last pint I remember drinking was Old Peculier in the Old Starre Inn ( I think). My next memory is waking up in bed the next morning. Apparently we had left the pub to find another, had burger and chips, got the train back to Durham, had another pint in Wetherspoons then got a taxi home.  I cant remember any of it. Apparently on the train I got up to go to the loo. The swaying motion of the train cancelled out my swaying so I ended up walking in a straight line. Well at least this is what Ive been told.

How can one beer have so many stories ?  One more then I'm done . Ive been going to the Great British Beer Festival every year for some time now. In the early days Theakstons had their own bar, and for about three years two of us made a point of starting with Old Peculier . When I turned up the last time they had a bar, I made the point of  wearing my Black Sheep T shirt to wind them up. It worked  and but after the expected abuse, they still served me. Most beers that day didnt taste as good after drinking OP first.

You don't often see Old Peculier near where I live.(the bottled is not as good in my opinion). Its rarity makes it all the more enjoyable.  

So , no hesitation, my beer of the month.

  

*Glasgow Beer Festival

** Bedale Pub Crawl

FIVE PUBS, A BEER FESTIVAL AND A BOTTLE SHOP

Well, I am now recovering from another boozy few days. The week before last it was Bury St Edmunds *, this time its Glasgow. Our daughter lives and works there now and as diaries did not allow a Fathers Day get together on the right day, we headed  north a week later. Really, it was just an excuse to return to the Glasgow Beer Festival. ( this was also the excuse in 2015 I recall).

Driving up on Friday to get away from all the referendum news, we stayed in a nice hotel on the banks of the Clyde opposite BBC Scotland. Then it was a walk into the city to meet up with aforesaid daughter in the Bon Accord, a great pub on the western edge of the city centre we had been in before . It was good to catch up, have a meal and enjoy three pints. Then it off to Sauchiehall Street to the State Bar.  Another great pub with old Rock videos blasting out on the TV. 

Clutha Bar

Back to the hotel to get ready for the big day. The beer festival was held in the Briggait, an arts centre type place near the river and the Clutha Bar ( the one that was hit by the helicopter). The other two went shopping as I  met up with an old work mate in the Clutha just before festival opening time. He had been to the festival the night before and  one of his suggestions was to try Whippet Flaming Dog, but more of that later.

The place was fairly busy when I entered at around 12.30, but I managed to find a seat at a table sharing with 4 others. After a couple of drinks one guy on my table saw I was drinking a stout and mentioned he was having the previously recommended Whippet Flaming Dog. Looking at the beer list notes , was intrigued to note it was an American stout with chilli. The drinker seemed remarkably keen to get rid of his drink ( which I should have taken as a warning)  as he was offering it around. I politely declined. 

However, always one to try something new, I eventually succumbed to the temptation and ordered a third of a pint and came back to the table     ( even though the CAMRA volunteer  who served me said " are you sure ?"). 

Suddenly the other 4 -  who remember I had never seen before in my life,  stopped what they were doing and all turned to watch me with great interest. I took a sip. Seemed OK. Tasted like stout ; what's the matter with everybody ?. Then it hit me. The heat from the chilli burned the back of my mouth then nearly took the top of my head off. This had the effect of detracting from another flavours that may have been in there.  I could still taste it after 2 more drinks. The drink is not featured on the Leeds based Whippet website  ; I can see why.

From one painful experience to another. In 2015  we were "entertained" for about 15 minutes by the Caledonian Brewery Bagpipe Band. I say entertained as I don't do bagpipes and could hear the same guys as last year warming up at the back of the venue again. Once they started , the table I was with were wincing as well.

After 3 "numbers " I sought solace in another stout , this time from Loch Lomond. The CAMRA volunteer who pulled my drink was grimacing as well and they had just finished playing when I got served. "Thank F*** for that" he said, " I only like bagpipes when I'm in Fort William and they are in Inverness"     Great line.    

Soon it was time to leave and meet up with the other 2 before heading out that evening for a curry. You would think after blasting my mouth with chilli stout a curry would be the last thing to have. 

But first a "slight" detour to what is often described as the best real ale pub in Glasgow, the Three Judges in Partick, west of the city . I already had an Underground day ticket so I seemed logical to use it. Great place, 8 handpulls, friendly atmosphere.  Recommended. Then found out after I left they offer CAMRA discount. Bugger missed out again- this always happens to me.

From the Three Judges a long road , Byers Road,  runs north past several other good pubs when I suddenly got a phone call to say,  - "meet at the Hippo Beers bottle shop near the Botanical Gardens for your belated Fathers Day pressie !"  When i got there , Mrs Ken recalls I was swaying a bit when I arrived but I quickly blamed it on the underground train ride. 

Picked out a few bottles ( see picture) then freshened up for our curry.

After the hot curry (just off Byers Road again) , then into the final pub to cool off , this time the Curlers Rest,  for one last beer of the day, as I was totally wrecked by now.

So great city, great pubs and some great beer and friendly people. This was our 2nd visit this year and will more than likely going back soon, and that will be another story.

PS - Nearly forgot - all the UK beers bar one were in metal casks. The exception ran out during the event, but read about it in the next blog, coming soon.

 

*  Last week - five pubs, three breweries & a bottle shop