Cambridge Islay and Jaid

Jaid is now back from the vet resplendent with a smart but huge bandage on her front left dog foot. She is able to walk but it looks funny and sounds strange too.

The Cambridge beer festival was a well run and large event with around 170 ales on draft but the cider bar attracted my a tension mainly because of one ‘appley concoction that had been aged in a whisky cask, it was 7.5% but went down like apple juice and was simply lovely.

I’m off to Yorkshire later on today and Jaid is staying with June and James over the next week as Clare and I travel.

Our travel arrangements are now in place for Islay and we have decided to fly in both directions. It would have been nice to take the coach and ferry over to the island but it’s a 7 hour journey from Glasgow so we have knocked it on the head for this time at least. We are doing the Caledonian sleeper train in both directions and will take some time in Glasgow to chat with friends in the wonderful rollicking city.

Jaid, Islay and other bits

Jaid’s off back to the vets today for an x-ray and possible small operation to remove what ever is actually still in her little foot, I really hoped all this was over but sadly not. The little furry bugger started to limp again yesterday in the middle of London.

I went over to Epsom on Tuesday evening and had a few beers with Andrew and it was a cracker of an evening. A healthy slug of Highland Park 12 capped it all off in fine style.

Yesterday night was also enjoyable at the Dove beer festival. They had around 70 beers on all of which were in fine fettle, well the ones I tried anyway.

Chris and I are off to the Cambridge beer festival this evening and then I’ll be in the office on Friday for a sight village meeting.

I have our accommodation booked now for Islay and we’re staying at the Lochindaal hotel in Port Charlotte, more on this as we make arrangements.

Hot May Tuesday

Just a quick update as it’s all I’ve really got time for.

Jaid’s out of action for a few days with a recurring grit in the foot problem but the quacks are on to it as it were so I’m working my way around with a cane for a bit.
It’s Clare’s birthday today so we’re off out tonight for a Chinese with her parents.

We went to Bressingham last week for a day in the sun with those of the cast of Dad’s army who’re still able to talk and write, plus we went on a small gage steam train which Malone disliked so much he jumped off Indiana dog and the temple of bones style.

I’ve opened up a Springbank 1997 10 year old vintage which I’ll make notes on later on this week. I also cracked a few other older bottles but won’t blog about those as I’ve decided only to create whisky notes about those bottlings still available should you wish to find them.

The new Def Leppard cd “songs from the sparkle lounge” is out and getting regular spins on the stream as is the new White Snake cd “good to be bad”. I’m also impressed at the moment by the latest effort from Karine Polwart “this earthly spell”

I’ve been making tangible progress at losing a few pounds over the last week or two and keeping off the beer during the week and I’m walking much more and riding the exercise bike which is all jolly nice in an aren’t I good kind of way. I’ve still had a few beers or more than a few at the weekend and I enjoy a dram most week nights.

The real ales available near me in Ipswich are getting better with the Kingfisher offering two including Adnams Best and the Station Hotel serving a verry good pint of Spitfire plus Adnams. Even the Belsted Arms across the road should be adding an ale or two soon so I may pop in on Friday to check it out.

Long time!

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted a personal blog entry. Illness, a busy work schedule and general apathy towards blogging have all contributed collectively to this state of being. Never the less I was thinking over the Easter weekend that I’ve posted a blurb about my Easter for the last 3 years so I may as well make this a 4th year.

Dave and Emma came over for a most enjoyable Easter weekend which was full of the usual drinking fine malts, beer and eating especially on the Sunday when Clare Chris and I prepared a lovely chicken dinner.

I went to my first 40th birthday party which was a rather busy but chilled out time.

Sadly in other news Nigel is leaving the Rose and Crown basically because of lack of support from punters in west Ipswich. Sad but I’m sure he’ll bounce back from this and I wish the dood luck in what ever he does. This is the second good [pub to go down the crapper this year the other one was in Preston, well more pubs will have gone but I’m just on about those I would have chose to drink in.

Chris and I went to the Dove, Fat Cat and the Emperor last night before stopping in at the Rose for a few. I’ve never been in the Emperor before and I was impressed. Adnams Bitter and Broadside, Young’s and a mild were on hand pump and they had a real ale in a bottle festival on plus some acoustic music for the Easter weekend. I found some of the acts really good especially a lad called Paul Steven Wood http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=147178925 his Album What’s Expected of Me, was yesterday’s unexpected purchase.

I’ve taken the rest of this week off work and we’re off to the Woolpack tonight for a Malaysian fish curry prepared by the mighty kitchen Dave. The rest of the week looks rather full and it should be interesting. More later.

Green Dragon

The green Dragon is a brew pub in bungay and the beers take the
same name as the pub. We found a good selection of the brewery's
beers on draft. The Chaucer bitter was my selection and tasted
of grain and dark chocolate. The Gold was also tried and was
flat with a rice taste. Bridge Street Bitter was my last sample
was a highly hopped and stronger version of the Chauser.

Naomy took Jaid for a walk and Jaid is just back now and they are
both nackered.

Not a bad pub but our little group wanted to move on.

I think that because the triangle had been so good we wanted more of the same but sadly the Green Dragon though good as it was just didn’t deliver, on any other day maybe.

theWheels on the Bus Go Round and Round

But I hope they don't go round all day because we have many
pints to slurp and swig over today's real ale run about to the
more interesting pubs of the Suffolk Norfolk boarders.

The usual suspects are aboard our lovely Ipswich Bus that is now
in the process of trundling to our first destination with Chris,
Steve, Dez, Matt, Peter G and naomy making up a younger part of the
crew.

I will attempt to blog after each pub though one suspects the job
will get more trying as I consume local beers and generally
refresh myself. Still at least the wheels should keep on
turning.

This was scribbled yesterday but for some reason Orange's smtp
server was not working so I could not get them to post. the
below are a little scrappy but maybe of interest. It was a really first class day in every way.

Tryangle Tavern the Home of Green Jack Brewery

The Triangle Tavern is a lovely pub with a good range of ales.
The pub is propper spit and sawdust in a modern stylee and the
posters adorning the wall were all beer related. Belgium ales
are on tap and they even had some rum aged cider which was
Chris's choice.. I went for Mahseera ipa which was on good form
and went down too well. My second choice was the Canary from
Green Jack this to me was malty and to me a little tasteless. I
did keep away from the beak you'll be glad to know. Green Jack
Brewery do some really good beers and the pub which is the
brewery tap is a must try if in this area.. They put some loud
music on when we went into the second room of the large pub I
guess because we were a bunch of youngish trendy types
together; And if you
really believe that you are so foolish!

this pub is surely Lowestoft's treasure. br> They even do a yard of ale drinking competition and the Triangle
Tavern yard of ale champion 2007 is Doski who finished it in 18
seconds which is not to be sniffed at.

Bar snacks included pickled eggs and rollmops. mmmm, what more
does a bloke require at half 12 on a Satterday afternoon.

Later in our short visit we went around the back of the pub and
had a look around the brewery. Green Jack had a 10 barrel plant and
apart from the St Jude’s brewery in Ipswich it is the smallest Jaid and I
have ever been in. In fact the brewer told us they produce more
beer per square foot than any other British brewer. they use
challenger and pioneer for bittering, then a large selection of
others including steerian and goldings hops. The brewery is
computer controlled and they tell us that this keeps consistency
to a rather better degree than the old manual plant. The water
quality is good for brewing and it is a little hard so this is
adjusted. The success of Ripper has rased Green Jack's profile
over the last year but because it is an 8,5 percent beer they
don't shift large volumes.

Good touch before we moved on we were given nibbles. Warm and friendly pub. Will go back.

Queen's Head Bungay

On entering this fine pub we were greeted by a lovely warm fire.
The Queens Head is another brew pub and as to be expected they
had a range of beers on. The East Coast Mild is a little beauty
and nice and dark. A second beer was called rather funnily the
Whippet Strikes Back but I didn't like it too much.

The pub was packed and people were watching the rugby when we
arrived at just after 5 in the evening.

A third beer was called Old Boy and a rather hoppy concoction it
was to be sure.
Next we would move on to the home of St Peter's, well that was
the plan but the manager who's worked in the pub for 2 weeks
didn't want us because they now run a restaurant rather than a
pub. This is a bloody bad show for a small brewer in this county. I won't be drinking St Peter's beer for a few months but I'll never say never.

Artichoke Broome and a Springbank 21

The artichoke is a flagged woodsmoky and foody pub with a
selection of beers and our first was Oakgrain from Norfolk
brewery. this was a lush and creamy mild and to easy to put
back. I think I could have done a few of these. The tap room
had beers from Peterborough's finest York Brewery and Adnams. Chris and
I went for the Bishop's Farewell.

Black Dog mild from Elgoods was also on offer.

I was happy to find out that Springbank 21 year was part of the
extensive malt list and I nearly came when it was only £3.50 for
a large measure.

nose- coconut and pine, salt and briney sherry.

pallet salty, sweet and smooth really good.

finnish- long lingering and salty. lots of Spanish oak. What
an experience.

comments the notes are sparse and it was the end of the bottle
and from a tumbler. Chris and I cleared the bottle out. too
easy to drink and what pleasure. This bottle would sell for over 200 quid today.

Another good pub and I will return with no hesitation ASAP.

The Bell

The pub was welcoming and the smell of smoked bacon pervaded and
made me hungry. as Steve noted prices were reasonable and they
had 5 Oulton ales on.

I rather enjoyed the gone fishing and the wet and windy.
Though the beer names were interesting I found them a little
similar. nice pub though and the log burner warmed the place
splendidly.

Victoria and Rap-up

Thanks to the nice man from St Peter's we made a detour to Earl
Soham and gave the Victoria a try. The victoria was at one time
the home of the most fine Earl Soham brewery but now this has
changed because the brewery expanded and moved away. I am used
to drinking the beer from these guys so my expectations were
high.

Not a bad establishment at all but more a food reliant place.
Rustic seeling, Victorian artifacts good beers but some posh
nutters who were drinking wine and eating the beautiful food.
Good place and we cleared a percentage of the foodys out.

The beers were in top form and I enjoyed the Porter and Victoria
Bitter. Our driver delivered us safely back to Ipswich and the
wonderland that is the Dove. A pint or 2 was all we managed
before hunger took over and we found ourselves within the gently
spicy embrace of Ipswiches newest South Indian restaurant My
Keralam. I am pleased to report that the food was very good if
a little expensive and they were ok with Jaid going in.

A short walk later and with a bit of a pissed stumble we pushed
through the doors of Nigel's domain and entered the quiet world
of the Rose and Crown. A good end to a beery day.

The triangle was the best new pub I've been in for a long time
and the others in our group agreed with this sentiment.

This and That

The contractor from Ladbrokes came today and fitted some glossy new laminate for us so the kitchen is back to it’s former self now though the shade of flooring is perhaps a little too dark. Never mind, the place isn’t ours anyway.

This week has been a long one but our CEO of Humanware Gilles came over to the UK on Monday and gave a good presentation and showed some really cool new products that are just round the corner. Watch this space. He is a down to earth kind of bloke with a strong engineering background and crucially he understands blind people and the market. I am very happy that he is our CEO.

Clare and I should be going to Colchester tonight to watch PHIL NICOL, do a drop of standup then I’m off for a CAMRA day out around the Norfolk Suffolk boarders to visit brew pubs and brewery taps including Green Jack a really smashing brewer in lowestoft.

Happy Days

Yesterday went with a bit of a bang. I really enjoyed my trekker
training in the south west and then went to Epsom as I am working
in Croydon today.

After dropping my stuff at Andrews I went for a quick beer in the
Rising Sun. Apparently my person being in that particular
establishment is no longer acceptable to the ponsy management who
are slowly killing this once great pub. They didn't like my
Beerintheevening review so have put a bar on me. I don't care
but its the first pub I've ever been bard from and after the
thousands I have spent in the place. The pub was empty when I
went in. The place will be a block of posh apartments in a few
years I would wager. I told the manager this on my way out and
it didn't go down at all well.

Jaid and I then took a walk to the King's Head a bustling little
pub and I enjoyed 3 pints of landlord bitter before Andrew and I
went to Mint for the best curry it's been my pleasure to eat this
year.

Steve then dropped the largest bombshell of the evening by
informing me that Action For Blind People wish to get out of
housing and are selling Swaile House in EPSOM and the other
similar projects they run around the country. This saddens me a
bit since to be honest Swail gave me the leg up that was really
necessary after my last year in Preston.

we then went to the White Horse and met up with Don as well as
others from the old days of the Riser. What a good laugh plus
They had a good selection of ales including beers from Brains,
Batemans Gk and another I forget now. we had a cracking evening
and the landlord along with the French barman made a good double
team.

Moving on a few hours the Braillenote training went really well
today and afterward I went out for a beer with the customer and a
lass who worked for him. some days are so good when your
training, I forget that sometimes. The pub which was on Cherry
Orchard Road had Harvy's's, Adnam's and Lancaster Bomber plus did
some monster home made burgers.
I'm now on my way back to Ipswich and will probably get together
with Chris for a beer in the Dove.

Clare and I may be going into London tomorrow and should we do
this I shall send an update from the train about our day.

It's really cool that you can email to the blogger account which
then gets replicated in my Facebook notes.

Useful Beer Links and a Whisky one too

I’ve been finding the Oxford Bottled Beer Database rather useful over the last few years but don’t think I’ve mentioned it on this blog. It’s a place to review and read reviews of bottled beers
http://www.bottledbeer.co.uk

Beerintheevening is also a handy set of beery recources aimed at reviewing pubs. My few entries are posted under the name mproberts.
http://www.beerintheevening.com

Single Malt TV is a new way of getting your nerdy whisky fix online in the form of well, online tv showing malts, feckers who drink them, food and all kinds of other whisky related programming.
http://www.singlemalt.tv

Lazy Sundays

Aaah, a lazy Sunday. We’ve had a juice prepared by Clare and myself earlier, apple, pear and Ginger, went down really well. Clare’s making a vegetable soup at the moment and I think it’s stuffed chicken for tea tonight.

I plan on grabbing some ale from the coop and plopping down a whisky tasting note or two this afternoon. What better way to spend a Sunday ay?

I’m off up to Yorkshire on Monday for a spot work so will stay with the family and hopefully take ina pint of Barnsley bitter or two.

‘Station Porter' steams in to be voted Supreme CAMRA Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2008

Wickwar Station Porter from Gloucestershire was named as the Supreme Champion Winter
Beer of Britain 2008 by a panel of judges at CAMRA's National Winter Ales Festival
in Manchester.
The 6.1% abv porter is described in CAMRA's 2008 Good Beer Guide as “A rich, smooth,
dark ruby-brown ale. Starts with a roast malt; coffee, chocolate and dark fruit
then develops a complex, spicy, bittersweet taste and a long roast finish.”
At the announcement, Steve Prescott, Organiser of the National Winter Ales Festival
congratulated Wickwar on its victory. He said, "It's great to see a porter winning
the Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain competition as this beer style has
been in danger from disappearing from the British pub. I sincerely hope people
will be inspired to try more porter on the back of Wickwar's victory.”
On hearing the news, Kevin Newbould, Wickwar's Key Accounts Director said, “We are
very pleased to have been voted the best winter beer in britain and delighted that
everybody feels the same way about this wonderful beer as we do. Let's hope we
see a resurgence in people trying more porters in the near future.”
The Silver award went to Robinson's Old Tom and the Bronze to Hop Back Entire Stout.
A panel of CAMRA experts and beer writers at the National Winter Ales Festival (New
Century Hall, Manchester) judged the competition. Drinkers at the festival, which

New Year! Same old Blog

Happy new year everyone. I’ve been busy with work the last week and also had some good traveling around the south east of the country. I went to Canterbury for work so decided to stop off in Favasham the home of Shepherd Neam brewery for a pint of Bishop’s finger. Sadly this wasn’t available on draft in the town and in order to get a pint on cask I would have to travel back down to Canterbury. I thought this strange but did enjoy 3 pints of the uncompromisingly hopped Master Brew and a half of the brewery’s most excellent porter. These drinks were taken in the Sun Inn a really friendly hostelry close to the brewery.

Last weekend RoadKill Chris Steve and I drove out to Orford in north Suffolk and visited the smokeries. The village is beautiful with the remains of the castle visible from the central parking point. The church bells were wringing as it was a Sunday and the smoke wafted across the village. I purchased lots of locally made and smoked sausage, anchovies in garlic and smoked salmon along with some Suffolk bacon and other bits and bobs.

We had a stonking few days over the new-year with friends and I hope everyone else had a suitably enjoyable and pleasant time. It’s now a new year with all the challenges that holds for everyone and I’m looking forward to it.

Happy new-year guys.

Christmas Prep3, Plans and Beers

Clare and I had a Chinese last night and I’ve just finished rapping presents. The last day or so have been reasonably quiet but I did make it down to the Rose and Crown beer festival and enjoyed the following. Earl Soham Jolabrug 5.0%
The name is Icelandic and the beer is based on an old recipe from that country. Top form, golden with intense bittering hop finish. Lovely.

Crouch Vale Santa’s Revenge 5.0%
Good hoppy ale in the brewer’s style, sweet and lip smacking.

Brandon Grumpy Bastard 7.0
A spicy little number served cloudy. Full of nutmeg and other seasonable tastes.

St. Jude’s Woolsey’s Winter Warmer 6.5%
One hell of a stout with sweet honey overtones, the surprise of the festival so far and a smashing beer.

We have visitors this afternoon and are staying in to watch tv tonight. It’s more tv on Monday along with a trip to Il Punto restaurant for a good old nosh-up. We’re then going back to the Rose to welcome in Christmas day with a beer.

Year Roundup

2007 is now tottering in to senility and it’s embers are ebbing so we await it’s last orgasm in the form of Christmas and newyears celibrations with much enthusiasm in our Ipswich household.

This year has been a good one for me in every way. Work is interesting me still and throing up many and varied challenges, gps technology moves on swiftly and the Streem has been a huge success. We will find more developments and new products next year with Humanware and I remain excited by our technology. Work invariably puts me in to contact with some amazing and also eccentric people but that’s the beauty of being on the road. Two of the best were a flamboyant Welsh actor and musician in London and a man in Chesterfield who introduced me to chunky peanut butter kit kats.

My usb keydrive is filling up with aps like portable winamp, CDEX the cd ripper and audio file converter and that always useful screenreading tool NVDA. Facebook has been compelling and both Clare and I have found old friends by joining.

I’ve had my picture in the local newspaper and also the Humanware newsletter, so well published ay?

I visited my first whisky distillery and it was in England, went to Bruichladdich on Islay for the most amazing holiday I’ve ever had and have sipped whisky in warehouses with good people. Dave and I were a tad Merry and blocked the Port Charlotte hotel staircase with drams in our hands. I’ll also take from Islay the beauty of sipping Bruichladdich 12 at 1 AM sitting on a rock outside the distillery with Dave and Philip two dear friends. The pompous bugger Dave and I also now own a cask of Bruichladdich spirit quietly maturing for our enjoyment many years from now.

The Ipswich move was challenging at first but now I’ve made friends in the town and found 3 regular pubs, two locals in the Rose and Crown and the Dove plus been on the tour of my town’s brewery.

I’ve been to the GBBF festival in Olympia, sunk pints of 10% Paradox stout matured in Caol Ila barrels on a barmy hot day at the splendid Peterborough beer festival, been in a crowd of stoners at the anarchic Cambridge Strawberry Fair and was pleasantly surprised that Young’s Special London Ale is still a cracking glass full of hoppyness. A weekend full of happiness was spent at William’s mansions for his house warming in April. It was also my pleasure this year to eat a Cornish Pasty in Cornwall.

Unhappily I sampled Bob’s Burger Van in Ipswich and had the shits, Michael Jackson the beer and whisky scribbler passed away and my bottle of Glendronach is getting emptier by the week. Oh, whisky prices are also going up and up.

Dream Theater released a really strong album in a year which was rather quiet for new music. Symphony X’s Paradise Lost album was brilliant and the always reliable Kate Rusby can make you laugh or cry depending on the track. My head was turned by the UK progressive band Threshold and they made a good show this year with a solid album.

I saw Cara Dillon, Kate Rusby, Symphony X and Dream Theater live and all were superb. I also witnessed my first evensong in Cambridge at the beautiful King’s College Chapel. We saw Jenny Éclair and have one more comedy night to go before the end of the year in Colchester. Other events included Dad's Army the Lost Episodes in South end, the annual Hancock weekend in Bournemouth and getting pissed with the actress Su Pollard in Dovercourt.

Jaid has found a new owner when she retires, I’ll never forget my 30th birthday weekend, Clare was wonderful and having Seann and my friends over made it one to remember. Unfortunately Clare lost her voice on her birthday and Ipswich was on a brain drain that particular weekend.

We spent time in the market town of March in the fenlands and had friends from Ireland over for a really top few days in July.

At home we’ve just been buying things for the house, Clare got a huuuge TV and Malone is quieting down and has turned into a marvelous guide dog.

Next year will throw up new challenges including a new guide dog for me, the worry of house buying, should I or shouldn’t I? tentative plans to spend a weekend on Islay and in late January a trip over to the magnificent city of Dublin.

Rose and Crown Beer Fest over the Holidays

Beer festivel on at the Rose and Crown Ipswiche’s newest proper ale pub. 77 Norwich Road. Starts Fri 21 Dec and goes in to the newyear. Should be good as Nigel has some good stuff in the celler.

www.rosecrownipswich.blogspot.com

Kate in Norwich and a few pubs

Yet another exciting few days. SATURDAY went with a splat literally as the train taking Chris Pete and myself to Norwich for a days pub exploration hit a plump breasted pheasant. This triggered the emergency stop on the train so we were left standing for 20 minutes or so as the crew reset the train and scraped away our feathery friend. bits of the unfortunate creature were visible and clinging on the train's front when we finally clambered off in Norwich which is a shame since we fancied it for the pot.

Many pubs were visited but I didn't keep a record of the places or the ales.

I last remember talking to a bunch of Lithuanian gents in the rose and crown around 4 on Sunday in the AM. I also remember that the St Jude's St Mary's Stout was very good indeed.
Jaid and I popped into the office today to finalize one or two bits before the end of the year and all was uneventful until I returned back to Liverpool street underground after the work was complete. COMMON sense tells me that we should have known that getting off a train when alert announcements were telling us not to really was not a good idea but Jaid and I along with a friendly out of work actress called Lee did just this. She kindly helped us through the crowds and to platform 10 so I got on the train to Ipswich in the end.

Clare and I went to a gig yesterday and it is one not to be forgotten for a long time. She gave me tickets to watch Kate Rusby's Christmas tour in Norwich's Theatre Royal as part of this years Christmas box. Kate is a folk singer from Barnsley with a spellbinding voice and it turned out a sharp and witty stage persona.

The set consisted of tracks from her more recent albums along with Christmas songs performed in the style of a traditional south YORKSHIRE pub Carole session. It's no exaggeration to state that we were both blown away by the beauty of the songs and her band supported by a brass section topped it all off and put us in the jolly mood of the season.

Clare took us to the restaurant at the theatre for a meal of Norfolk chicken and some really yummy puddings. This was washed down with a bottle of Adnams Explorer for me and a coke for Clare. Now it’s a case of meals and partying for the next few weeks. Shame I’ve got a bit of a cold but with Clare’s soup I’ know that a quick revitalization must be on the way.

Barnsley V Ipswich and some beers

Emma, Dale, Rebecca, Sam and Joanne were in the Dove along with Chris and I on Friday night. We had some strong winter ales and a good chat. I haven’t seen some of these people for around 10 years and it was about time we got together.

Chris and I were given a lift home by Naomi and Dezz in a 1940s Citroen car which was something unexpected and most agreeable then the two of us had a dram from a bottle of BRORA 1981 Signatory Un-chillfiltered Collection. This is a rare whisky as the distillery has been shut down since 1982 or so.

It was destination Portman Road on Saturday to watch Barnsley verses Ipswich, me from the Barnsley end and the Ipswich parts of the family from the opposite. The result was a good one for Barnsley and the 0 0 draw was made the sweeter as Ipswich have been on a winning streak at home of late. We all then trooped back to the Rose and Crown for beers and much later those of us who were left shared a pizza. It wasn’t possible for me to get a taxi home as I’d have waited an hour for it it was 1 AM already so I crashed on the finest leather sofa in Ipswich for the night and partook of the crackling open fire. Thanks Nigel!

All the Christmas whisky, beer and wines are now in and a fine collection they make. I’ve purchased Bishops Finger and Special London Ale from Majestic at 15 quid a case delivered plus have 15 bottles of assorted reds from the Sunday Times Wine Club. We have stocked up on ports one of Clare’s favorite and some dark sherries for me, oh plus two bottles of ginger wine and some NZ bubbles to round everything off. We now have just to buy the last of our gifts, get a tree, food and some other bits then we’ll be set for the month ahead. I’ve not been adventuress with the whisky and just stocked up on Aberlour A'Bunadh and Ardbeg Uigeadail with one or two Bruichladdiches chucked in. I have a good amount of Glenfarclas 105 but will probably get another bottle or two when next I’m in Stansted Airport. the prices of whisky are going up so fast at the moment and I’m afraid with the lack of sherry casks these days some brands may be killed off. I do have some interesting bottles open at the moment so I’ll put some notes on the blog later in the month.

Strange Evening

It was a strange one last night. I went to the Dove’s winter beer festival and as usual Karen and the crew have put on a good selection of over 60 beers and they included many stronger winter brews served from the wooden casks. I particularly enjoyed the Old Chimneys King Henry Stout at 9 ABV from such a cask and chose to sip this brew in third pint glasses.

I had one or two more thirds then purchased lots of tandoori meats and bajis to take to the Rose and Crown with Chris in a Hawk taxi. The Driver refused me so once again I’ve had to contact Ipswich taxis Licensing and Hawk have encouraged me to do this and will also take action against the driver themselves.

When I did get to the Rose it was to discover that my work laptop is banjaxed (Thanks for that word Stonch)I’ve lost some weeks of emails but not my diary thank goodness!

Keep on Moving

Work took me to Gosport in Hampshire on Friday so I took the opportunity to call in the Clarence Tavern a small pub that stocks the local Oak Leaf brewery’s ales and jolly good each of my 3 half’s were, they are noted below I’ll just put the descriptions of each from the brewery’s WebPages as they are spot on with any comments in ().
www.oakleafbrewing.co.uk/

Blake's Gosport Bitter
Strong, dark and intensely malty, this bitter has everything
you need for a cold winters evening yet surprisingly easy to
drink for a hot summers day. (Chocolaty but drinkable like a version of Riggwelter from Black sheep.)
abv 5.2%

Hole Hearted
Brewed with 100% Cascade hops. This powerful, floral and fruity
beer will surprise with every mouthful.
Champion Beer of Hampshire 2002, 2003 & 2005
4.7% abv
abv 5.2%

Oakleaf Bitter
A clean, refreshing, light hoppy session ale with an aromatic,
distinctive flavor and a pleasant aftertaste. (Dryish very drinkable and balanced, a quencher.)
3.8% abv.

Jaid and I then walked from the pub to the ferry terminal and took the boat across the estuary to Portsmouth harbor railway station and are now on our way home on one of Southwest Trains class 344 Desiros. I’m lead to believe that the powers that be will try and get these on to the Ipswich to London line in a few years. Oh no!

We won’t mention Thursday but last Wednesday was rather full with demos in London Suffolk and Norfolk. As the last one was in Norwich I went to the Fat Cat for 4 very good pints of Fullers’ London Porter, Fat Cat Marmalade, Kelham Island Pale Rider then oh joy of joys a pint of the 5.9 percent Thorn bridge Jaipur IPA.

I’ve got a bit of a cold coming on which isn’t good but my parents are over at the moment and we really had a good weekend.

Friday with tea in the Woolpack, Satterday was restful but we did take some beer over and partake of a curry in the Jorna plus a few ales for me after in the Rose. Sunday found us driving to Otley for dinner in the White Hart but the service wasn’t up to snuff though the food was good.

I toddled over to the west midlands on Monday and am now looking forward to December immensely.

Cara Made the Weekend!

What a weekend. I’ve been more than lucky over the last few and had some smashing times, this one just gone was no exception.

It started with a visit to Catherine in Colchester and we had a giggle and did some catching up. We have also planned to go to the Colchester comedy zone at the art centre on the 28th of December.

On arrival back to Ipswich Clare and I had a bit of a kip then went to the Rose and Crown around half 9 for some top do beers. Carlo Extra, Danish Dynamite from Stonehenge, Umbel Magna from Nethergate plus a very good cask of Gipswic Bitter from Ipswich’s St Jude’s brewery. These were helped down with handmade crumbley cheese and Road Kill’s home made oat bread. Clare felt a bit sick near the end of the evening so we made tracks home.

Saturday involved a camera beer tasting and training sesh in the Fat cat. Dave from the Essex branch conducted this well and the 5 hours were enlightening in many ways. In actual fact vary little beer was consumed but the various chemical analysis and anecdotes about breweries and beer helped my understanding of the creature. The winter Warmer this year is very good and though the sample I had was a little young I can confidently say that they have made up for last years poor show.

I then went over to the Rose and had a few pints of the St Jude’s before heading home.

Clare and I went to have dinner with June and James on Sunday and everything was cooked sensationally Melon with a port and ginger glaze, roast venison with all the trimmings and a boozy home made tiramisu for pud. Yummy. The dogs played and after the huge dinner everyone had a little kip.

James then took us to the railway station and we clambered aboard the Norwich train which would take us to the cara Dillon gig. It was in the Norwich Arts Centre a lovely venue created from a closed down church. This venue boasted a reasonable bar with Bateman’s XXB, Archers Arctic Blonde and Woolf Golden Jackal on hand pump. I naturally tried each of these before and in the gig. We also made it to the Ten Bells a GK pub across the road from the church and I dispatched a good pint of Abbot Ale.

Marina Florance the support act was ok. Simple but catchy pop/country songs and a powerful voice were her hallmarks. She sounded to me a little dollyish but in a good way with less warble and a London accent. She tried her best with a quiet crowd and I think drew people over in the end. Her album is called Somewhere Down the Line and I may pick it up eventually.

Cara Dillon was nothing more than enchanting. Her emotional voice and charming stories had the audience enthralled. Man, the girl even sounds sexy when she talks, amazing. She brought Clare to tears at one point and it was a moving and relaxing gig. I won’t forget it that’s for sure.

Our Hawk cab took us home and after a long and eventful weekend we crashed out as did the dogs.

This week is a packed one with all kinds of stuff going on with work. My parents are over in Ipswich next weekend and I’m in Yorkshire tonight.

Rose and Crown Ipswich and the Cellerman Blogs

The Rose and crown in Ipswich now has a blog up at the below address
http://www.rosecrownipswich.blogspot.com/
Lets hope that Nigel keeps it up to date with new beers, scandle and other
stuff about the pub.

Cellerman direct an innovative' beer shop selling minicascs of real ale from
small breweries in have a really good and interesting blog at
http://cellarmanuk.blogspot.com/

Quick weekend roundup

I had a legendry weekend last. The beer in the form of mild stout and
porter made it's mark as also did fine malts and bourbon. The house didn't
suffer too much at all considering the number of people staying with us.
Food and band were excellent on Saturday night and Dave was enthusiastic to
the max. I thought he was going to burn the pub down or at least people's
hair at one point when he got out his cigarette lighting implement for the
ballads. It was fantastic having people come over from Epsom Yorkshire and
Worcester plus my new found friends in Ipswich. The pub was rather full and
Dave hammered out a few tunes on the piano once the band had finished.

My most unusual gift was a brace of rabbits. They still have fur on but
we're going to cook the bastards in a few weeks for Sunday dinner with
celery, onions carrots and such other veggie that would compliment them.

I'm now on my way back from a demo in Warwickshire and will probably stop in
at dirty dicks in London for the first pint of Young's winter warmer of
2007.

Update

I didn’t get in to have the winter warmer as I was tired but made my way home to Ipswich and then to the Rose and Crown for a pint or two of Victoria Bitter and one of Harwich Town redoubt Stout. Road Kill came in with some booty from his French trip for me, then it was home for a curry and watching tv with Clare.

Dublin Day 2

Bugger me if it wasn’t warm yesterday. Apart from a few showers that coasted Alan and I in the city centre we had a smashing autumnal day

After setting up the stand we drank tea then drove in to Dublin for a spot of shopping. Alan purchased things for his kids and I snaffled a bottle of Bruichladdich 1973 at a stupidly low price from my usual emporium for malty delights in Ireland’s capital.

Our stand was teaming all afternoon and I love this. It’s so good to get involved with people and talk and banter and debate, it’s what makes my job really thrilling at times. Streams flew out the door and so they should because they rock.

Later in the evening as we were shutting up shop we were joined by a blind crip and a young balding Irish basstard. I understand that Alan had partaken of beverages with them both in Galway earlier on. What a nice bunch of chaps, total piss heads but a good laugh and in to the beer food and jokes. We went to a Thai restaurant with them which was splendidly curry like and then they took us to some Dublin boozers.

The first bar which was called the Grand Central was nice and I understand the waitresses are all stunners. The music rocked and my Guinness was above average but not the best in the city. After 4 or 5 within we then went down a back street it was time for a proper drink in the town. The small clean localized and friendly hostelry reminded me of walking in to a local in England or the Slipper on the outskirts of Dublin. Everyone was friendly and we had a near silence on entry. Alan broke this by saying the darts team had entered.

Sorry about not naming, but I was asked not to by the regulars and our friends so this will be respected. What a pub, what beamish and what a night!

Happy Days

Alan and I just went for a most satisfactory beverage with Derry and Martha in Messrs. Maguire. It was bustling but not packed.

The imperial was strong and whisky like but probably not the ale to start off the late evening. Porter as usual and the rusty not bad. The company and then walk back to our hotel really were excellent though. We hope to catch up with Derry and Martha in Jan or Feb, Clare doesn’t know this yet but I’m sure will be lovin a trip to Dublin.

The ale in Maguire isn’t up to the standards of the PorterHouse but it’s still a second in my books when in this amazing city. If anyone has any other good tips then please let me know. I love a pint of beamish.

Dublin day1

the car stumbled through the Dublin traffic to arrived at Jurys Inn Custom House at around 8:15 last night. we were both bushed so went to our rooms, dropped off stuff then ate a passable meal in the bar. The Guinness was good though and it was quiet which created a nice dining experience.

Today Alan and I went to two of Ireland's premier educational institutions then took in a really nice tour of the NCBI Media Centre in Finglas.

We went to the Porter House North this evening and enjoyed a few drinks and some fab food. The place was dressed up to the arse for Halloween which is strange because pubs in England don’t really go in for that sort of thing but it’s big in Ireland apparently. It's a quick change now then a walk in to Dublin to find Derry Martha and Lotty.

Fab Friday Update

{That’s it, the end of another working week. I’m on my way home from Broxbourne now and apart from a few phone calls that’s me until my flight out on Monday.

This weekend will find me venturing once more in to the wilds of Essex to hunt out the fine liquid from the Nethergate brewery. Apart from that I have nothing else planned.

Public transport has been kind to me this week, I’ve acquired a cane as I won’t be taking Jaidy with me to Ireland. She’s going to have a weeks holiday with James, June and the husky named Shadow. These will be her new owners once she retires. Well, Shadow won’t own jaid but the people will.

The days are getting colder and soon the clocks will go back. That means winter, cold dark evenings and nearing the December festivities. It also means the cask strength peaty beasts and sherry monsters of malt will stomp out of bottles and titely lidded cartons to do battle with strong mysterious nourishing ales. Dark unctuous Olaroso sherry and complex port will watch from the sidelines waiting for the mince pies to come out and frolic. It means stews, roasts, jacket spuds and all kinds of British food. Basically this is a time of year I rather like.c 30 in a few weeks and am rather looking forward to it. I don’t think anything will change but I will reflect more on this later.

Two Beers and Memorable Cheeses

Memorable cheeses is a local Ipswich cheese retailer who do a good line in local BCA ales. I went a week or so ago on a Saturday afternoon and picked up a few choice items. Old chimneys leading porter 4.2. This tastes to me like a cross between a porter and a stout. It’s a little fruity but the intense mocha notes and a dry finish put it into the stout category firmly. Poring was easy and carbonation was maybe a little too low. Cool it down and drink it on a sesh.

The second beer is from Bartrams a favorite micro brewery in Suffolk. Catherine Bartram's IPA should have been good. Sadly a funky fruity yeast was in evidence when I opened the bottle. Sweet malty and burned jam with little hop to balance. A chip shop vinegar finish. I couldn’t drink this and it went down the sink.

I was shocked by this as they make some cracking beer at Bartrams. I’ll put it down to a bad bottle or storage.

I couldn’t leave without also purchasing some Orkney oat cakes, handmade Yorkshire chutney and two cheeses, an oak smoked wenslydale and a beautiful strong well matured cheddar.

On another beery note I’m pleased to report that Young’s Special London Ale is as good as ever and a credit to the new brewers. The hops are powerful and earthy, the orange pith is still in place and it’s still one of my favorite beers.

Oh, memorable cheeses are at 1 the Walk Ipswich.

manningtree station

Clare and I are at Manningtree station just 10 minutes from
Ipswich waiting to change trains on our way to dovercourt. I was
really happy and surprised to find a small friendly local pub on
the platform Only gk beers but the old bob was on good form with
the locals watching the rugby game. The bar opens at 5 am on a
weekday for the railway workers to have a pint or two. This is
useful to know before a beer festival too.
I know the station is rather full of people getting on and off
trains in the week so could this be the reason?
another attraction is the bar sells home made food till 1 in the
afternoon and sandwiches.

I hope this gets to the blog as I am sending from my pk using
gprs.

Mixed Bag

We’re nearing the end of another week. Interesting work for the last few days and lots to do next week before my trip to natter with the good people in Ireland, get the malt out Derry!

Life is pretty quiet at the moment. Seann should be coming down for a birthday bash in Ipswich the weekend before me 30th in November and I’ve asked a few people over for that. Its probably going to be a few beers and malts and lots of food and details are being worked out at the moment so if anyone fancies it let me know because I’m sure to have forgotten to ask people.

Clare and I are off to a comedy night and expo thing on Saturday which I’ll blog about next week.

Dave and I made it on to the news section of www.whisky-pages.com which is rather cool.

Terry Clasper found out that attaching a USB extension to the PK will let one use a memory stick in the device and that is a rather nifty thing to be able to do with the little beastie.
I was in Epsom on Thursday evening having a drink with Don and Andrew and fun was had. This does however lead me on to commenting on the Rising Sun a year since the re-opening.

They have totally ruined the pub. Walked in to a room full of suits and was told by a uninterested robotic eassten European bar made the only beers they had on were bitter special and bombardier. Totally sad, and naff. Chris and Mark weren’t even in the place which says something. Young’s you are naughty naughty naughty!

I expect the food is still top but I won’t be returning. Bland in the extreme.

Moving back to last week Clare and I went to a free Sonday dinner at the Rose and Crown in Ipswich which was lovely cooked by Mary and everyone had a fun time. The beers were varied and the jokes and good humor were much in evident. Nice one Nigel!

FaceBook

I've now got me self an account on this all singing ETC thingy face book.

Yes I am still alive and working hard, traveling and have just recovered from a monster hang-over. will be back to normal starting with some whisky tasting notes and other stuff in a day or so. More on St Jude’s brewery soon as well since I’ve just done the tour.

R I P Michael Jackson the Beer Hunter

\\\\The whisky man, beer hunter and all round good story teller Michael Jackson passed away yesterday. He fought Parkinson’s disease for many years and will now be drinking the finest of malts and beers looking down on us who must take on board his writing and go find good drinks.

Please, if you have an interest in mortality, beer or whisky take a read of Michaels last article linked above, its full of gentle humor and humanity.

Brief Encounter

In an earlier post I talked about the distillery trip on which Clare Chris and I went last Saturday in Norfolk. Between arriving back in Norwich and enjoying a few libations around the fine city we stopped off at Wymondham’s railway station out of curiosity and hunger. I have read a little about the place but nothing prepared me for the box of delights within the station buildings.

The station though once derelict was purchased by local piano repair man David Turner who was utterly charming and welcomed in the dogs and ourselves. He renovated the buildings which now contain a restaurant called Brief Encounter Refreshment Rooms selling freshly home made food, a piano workshop, jewelry shop, railway museum and lots of artifacts and art work relating to the golden age of the station and local railways. It was like stepping back in time with the jazz playing and such attention to service at good prices.

Chris and I selected a sumptuous steak and kidney pudding with thick rich gravy and Clare went for a beef and ale pie. We washed down our feast with Humpty Dumpty’s brief encounter ale one I’m sure is based on a wheated recipe with is spicy yeasty flavors.

Talking of Brief Encounters, the restaurant at the station is somewhat of a shrine to Noel Coward's 1946 romantic film "Brief Encounter".

The floral displays outside the station are apparently beautiful in the summer and the experience is one Clare and I will revisit soon. What a find and it added to a lovely day.

Brief Encounter

In an earlier post I talked about the distillery trip on which Clare Chris and I went last Saturday in Norfolk. Between arriving back in Norwich and enjoying a few libations around the fine city we stopped off at Wymondham’s railway station out of curiosity and hunger. I have read a little about the place but nothing prepared me for the box of delights within the station buildings.

The station though once derelict was purchased by local piano repair man David Turner who was utterly charming and welcomed in the dogs and ourselves. He renovated the buildings which now contain a restaurant called Brief Encounter Refreshment Rooms selling freshly home made food, a piano workshop, jewelry shop, railway museum and lots of artifacts and art work relating to the golden age of the station and local railways. It was like stepping back in time with the jazz playing and such attention to service at good prices.

Chris and I selected a sumptuous steak and kidney pudding with thick rich gravy and Clare went for a beef and ale pie. We washed down our feast with Humpty Dumpty’s brief encounter ale one I’m sure is based on a wheated recipe with is spicy yeasty flavors.

Talking of Brief Encounters, the restaurant at the station is somewhat of a shrine to Noel Coward's 1946 romantic film "Brief Encounter".

The floral displays outside the station are apparently beautiful in the summer and the experience is one Clare and I will revisit soon. What a find and it added to a lovely day.

Holiday Plans and More

Because of Donna’s excit from humanware and an injury resulting from the London triathlon a week or two ago I’m in the northeast and Scotland this week. This will be sad because it’s a full week away from home and I can do little about it but nice to get together with family and friends.

Dave W has let the cat out of the bag on his blog and yes, we’re off to do the Bruichladdich academy of single malt along with Philip from Preston in two weeks or so. We will also be on the island for the first night of the Islay jazz festival. We’ll take in other distilleries as well as bruichladdich and podcast on both blogs if we get the chance. This is something I’ve wanted to do for over 5 years and I am so thrilled to be given the opportunity.

Next weekend finds two beer festivals, one in the dove and the other is the Peterborough beer festival which will be fun.

Clare Chris and I had a little crawl around Norwich on Saturday after going to Thetford and I went to Ipswich Steve’s birthday celebration at a rather good restaurant that evening then back to the Rose and crown for beer and then to mine for more ale and whisky. Sunday was spent recovering and finishing the last Harry potter book. It’s now time for me to pack the last of my stuff and get the 6:18 train to brum.

Jerusalem Tavern London

I had never realized how easy to find the Jerusalem Tavern is. The place is just a 3 minute walk from Farringdon tube station and on the Trekker database of pubs. I visited on Friday after reading Stonch's blog, nice chap BTW which I have linked to before within these pages.

The beer was fine and all comes from ST Peter’s brewery of Suffolk Unfortunately they were having a few cellar problems the day I stopped off and as a result the ale was a little warm but new cooling equipment being installed last weekend should do the trick. As a result I had some bottles of the cream stout and old style porter which really hit the mark and were rather potent to boot I tried the golden ale, grapefruit which is lovely but gives me an amazingly bad head and the rather hoppy organic beer.

Now, the beer is good within this small boozer but the people are really what make it. It doesn’t feel like central London and I was at home talking beer whisky and general shite with anyone who’d listen.

I stumbled from the pub much later than I’d intended and just managed to catch the last train back to Ipswich. My head was banging like a drum the ext day but more adventures were to be had.

The most traumatic event that night was acquiring a can of Bud from somebody. I found it in my bag on the Saturday and have no idea how the offensive thing entered my life.

Jerusalem Tavern, 55, Britton St, London EC1M 5UQ

great British beer festival

Last weekend turned out to be a beery one. On Friday night Chris and I ate BBQED steaks and chicken in the Dove then took a walk up to the fat cat for a pint in the beer garden as it was just so hot with not a cloud in the sky. No extraordinary beers to rave about but that would come on the Saturday. Actually that’s probably a little harsh as the beer choice in the cat and the dove when totaled must on an average night be easily over 30 different real ales!

We then made our way to the new real ale house in Ipswich the Rose and Crown and enjoyed banter in this quiet but ever so friendly little pub. They had around 6 beers on but this was plenty to be going on with. I enjoyed the DarkStar espresso stout but eventually had to calm down the coffee flavor by mixing it with Gannet mild from a local Suffolk brewer this softened down the strength of the pin