I’ve had worse…
May 17, 2009

(Let’s face it, this year’s Norway was no Lordi)

So, yesterday our flat was full of friends and really crap pop music on the telly.  It was the Eurovision song contest and my Black Heart Stout went over well, I think. (I didn’t have the forethought to line up an international range of beers, as suggested by Mark at Pencil and Spoon.)  I figured a really camp evening involving drinking games and bizarre pop acts in the name of European harmony (oh, and Israel) would be a good environment to debut my stout.

Initially J said, “I’ve had worse.”  I took it on the chin and stuck several brew dog beers in the fridge to chill as back up.  But then when E tried it, she kept sipping saying it reminded her of Christmas.  As the night wore on I noticed that for those drinking beer, well, it was the beer they were drinking. (Save one person who couldn’t be disuaded from Fosters in cans).  J later said, “the bubbles are very tiny.” I don’t know if this is good or bad in a drinking-game beer, and I didn’t press it.

Every time a contortionist showed up, or pyrotechics were used,  cleavage heaved or gazes lingered on the camera too long, we drank my stout.   And it was good enough.

Showing Off
March 1, 2009

The Fox Pub, Twickenham

The Fox Pub, Twickenham

So today I went to Twickenham, to have a pint of Twickenham Ales Naked Ladies– a lively, hoppy ale with a gentle mouthfeel and sunny color. I drank this in the Fox pub– a dim, wonky-walled 17th century pub complete with taxidermied foxes and old men nursing their pints.

Then I went to Real Ale, a store that has a fantastic, ever-changing selection of great beers from all over the world, and a knowledgeable and friendly staff on hand to coax you into buying even more beer.  There are staff picks in the store as well as helpful tasting notes for each beer.  I spent a lot of money and added to my stash of beers, pictured below:

haul from Real Ale

haul from Real Ale

Partial Stash

Partial Stash

I’ve been in hoarding mode.  Time to start drinking. What should I crack open next?

  • BrewDog Coffee Imperial Stout
  • BrewDog Hardcore IPA
  • BrewDog Paradox Isle of Arran
  • BrewDog Paradox Smokehead
  • BrewDog The Physics
  • BrewDog Speedball
  • BrewDog Tokyo
  • BrewDog Zeitgeist
  • Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout
  • Cantillon Kriek
  • Goose Island Matilda
  • Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
  • Stone IPA
  • Thomas Hardy’s Ale
  • Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier
  • Innis & Gunn Blonde
  • Innis & Gunn Original
  • Oakleaf Brewing Company, Maypole Mild
  • Vale Brewing Company, Black Swan Dark Mild

If anyone has food pairing ideas for any of these (The Rauchbier I’ve had on tap before and will be looking for some smoked cheese for it), suggestions would be welcome.  Also, if you have written about these before a heads up would be cool.

Then, of course, there is Lemmy’s stash:

I don’t know which is worse, his can of Fosters or his obvious pandering to the LOL crowd.

It’s Official…
October 27, 2008

Zombies drink Fosters in cans, originally uploaded by velvetdahlia.

Canned Fosters is the beer of the apocalypse.

(At International Zombie Day in London. This girl came out of The Body Shop moaning “No…Bodies…False…Advertising…”)