Even if I wanted to participate, I couldn't really. My birthday is exactly 5 weeks before Xmas Day and last year I got nearly 30 bottles of beer, THEN I got another 16 on Xmas Day. Mind you, 6 of those I bought myself - Tynt Meadow Trappist Beers. They have a date of 2020 so Ive stashed them away for now. The rest have to be drunk, ran out of cupboard space.
So what have I drank that's interesting, at home or in a pub ?
Well one of my mates had a holiday in Cyprus last year and the lucky sod found a brewery ! Called Aphrodite's Rock Brewery in Paphos, he did the tour and then the swine proceeded to Whatsapp photos of him enjoying the sample. Hmmph.
Still he brought me a bottle of their Yorkshire Bitter (?) for my aforesaid birthday. ( see right) It was OK, probably better on a hot day in Cyprus.
What else ? Well The Ivy House had some red hot mulled cider on early January. ( left) It was steaming !!
I got a few bottles of Old Peculier for pressies off Mrs Ken. . Its strange but this is not as good as it used to be , and not a patch on the cask, which is still my favourite cask ale. I rarely see it and hence drink it occasionally so its always a pleasure.
Best beer of the month ?
Well mid January we had a CAMRA committee meeting in the Mid Boldon Club. I was driving unfortunately so had to restrict myself to one. Never mind, one of Maxims specials was on, Dragon. I dont normally go for pale ales but this was delicious!.
The problem for me was one of the other beers that was on was North Riding Fudge Brownie Stout. At 7.4% this would have made my night but for the car. It was also galling to have to sit there and watch the other guys drinking this and making appropriate noises in front of me.
I was not polite in my description of them! Another Hmmph.
