I have been away for a while. I was fasting on doctor’s orders, and then I broke my fast with a tiny bit of cider from some enabling friends. And then I found myself drinking lots of cider…in pubs like the Green Man in Fitzrovia where they have Old Rosie on tap. I’m hanging out with my old tribe– goths– and drinking cider. In the US cider is a sweet hot mulled thing children drink at Halloween…here in the UK it seems cider is the madwoman in the Real Ale attic– and, more strangely– it seems to be associated with goths.
Then I went beer slumming for an extended period, finding myself addicted to the rosy-hued Sam’s Smith’s cherry beer. The label is beautiful and old-timey, and every time I look at it I think happily about the rainy British summer.
And then I continued on this path away from beer snobbery by visiting Garlic and Shots in Soho and drinking their garlic beer. It is basically generic lager with minced garlic floating in the head. A lot of minced garlic. My friends and I sipped it with trepidation, feeling like we were on a college party dare, and all of us were delighted with the sweet pungency. With perverse glee, I realized that this is maybe the one way I could learn to drink fizzy yellow beer.
I’m going to the Greenwich Beer Festival tomorrow. If I can survive the “jazz” I will be reporting back fronting a more evolved palate.
Impy Malting 
“cider is the madwoman in the Real Ale attic”
Ha ha ha quote of the week! My local does Old Rosy as it’s house cider, it’s great for when you fancy something different or you want the alcohol from two pints and only have time for one!
Welcome back.
Off to Greenwich tomorrow. I know what you mean about cider – had some Addlestones Cloudy last Sunday at the Hole in the Wall in Chiswick and then bought some bottles of Dunkertons Black Fox. Of the two types of ‘cider’ available in my new local (the Bricklayers Arms, Kingston) I shall not speak.
Hi Chris– Let me know how you find the Greenwich beer fest. I took extensive notes but had to flee when the jazz took an unsavory “Celtic fusion” turn.
I love Black Fox! It’s ironic that the whole time I was at the festival I looked longingly at the cider corner, but stuck with beer. At the GBBF I think I will reserve a day just for cider and just admit to the world that I love it. Ha.
The only pub I’ve been to in Kingston is the Sam Smith’s one on the river. I’m guessing your local is serving sweet bottled stuff *on ice*?