What are you drinking ?

[jt]

Ok, so What Are You Brewing was a hotty, as topics go.

Now I'm 15 pints into a keg I only filled on Tuesday and wondering if anyone else has a favourite at the moment ?

It's my second brown with US-Oh05 and it's better than the forst, maybe Ikept the temps down a bit during the scorcher we had in januray

[Martin Bridges]

Dry-hopped with Fuggles. It definitely improved the beer - brought out the bitterness a bit, which balanced the sweetness more. Excellent stuff.

[MrC]

I'm drinking a blonde ale that I bottled 2 weeks ago. On bottling day it was so full of diacetyl that I thought it was a gonner. I was tempted to tip it. 2 weeks later and it's tasting alright, not fantastic but not shit either. I guess 1056 has cleaned it up in the bottle, hopefully it'll get even better over the coming weeks. Very suprising.

[Barry]

Drinking my Irish Red Ale, to be judged at the WBC tomorrow. Can't wait to be rid of it and hope I never get conned into brewing the style again. Thanks DAN.

:D

[Tony]

LOL, love your work Baz.

[MrC]

I know what you mean Barry. I brewed Jamil's recipe from Brewing Classic Styles last year and I have no plans to ever brew an IRA again.

[Stu McKinlay]

Why? Because it is too hard?

[Bambule]

It’s my birthday…

And as such I felt the weight of expectation to mark the occasion in some auspicious manor. But how? Typically, in days gone before I would have marked it with a bit of a knees up at home with friends, however this avenue was blocked by the conspiring of key personal being absent without leave or in the final throes of delivering child. Go out? Ah! I have children and no ready babysitters, all immediate family live overseas. What to do?

I turn to my passions in life; beer, food and music….and if you push me, the guilty pleasure of kicking back on the couch reading a Tintrn comic when I can’t be bothered to pick up a “real” book. Well the latter two weren’t going to offer much in the way of marking an occasion, however I keep hearing the words of Jarvis Cocker from Pulp in my head, one of the few real triumphs of the Britpop era (with honorable mentions to Suede).

“ A man said beware of 33, it was not an easy time for me”

What’s left? Beer and food, food and beer, I think I have something to work with here. And that was it, I planned a feast, with a beer for every dish. Of course, when you explore the possibilities, the permutations make you thirsty just thinking about it. Maybe it’s a good thing I have the natural regional restriction of the Wairarapa to simplify it for me, although I did think of putting out a cry for help to the beerstore, but it was too late. So, if you’d indulge me, and I expect you to, it’s my birthday, here’s the plan.

Olives, beetroot and walnut dip, prociutto---Emersons Pilsner (would have liked an Orval)

Pear and Holumi salad---- Tuatara Hefe

Chorizo and chestnut soup----- Emersons IPA (Rodenbach grand cru I wish)

Stuffed pork tenderloin with cinnamon sauce------ Chimay Red

Chocolate Mousse (85% cocoa)----- Renaissance Porter (how about Sierra Nevada stout)

[Barry]

Happy Birthday my beery brother. Sounds like quite a feast!.

[jt]

a Tintrn comic when I can’t be bothered to pick up a “real” book.

First of all congrats on the birthday - I hope it's a good one - raising a fresh one - cheers

Secondly - nothing wrong with Tin Tin - absolute classics and the best Belgian export !

[Ally Mcg]

Birthday congrats too and thats looks like a fairly tasty meal you've got planned. Good luck with the cooking and I'm sure the beers will be exceptional matches

[MrC]

Happy Birthday Bambule!

You've just inspired me to open a block of Whittaker's Dark Chocolate with my own Brown Porter.

Cheers!

p.s. - Next time I'd go for the Tuatara Ardennes with the Pear and Holumi salad ☺

[Stu McKinlay]

Shame you couldn't have been born a month later... Pot Kettle Black may have tied things up nicely in that last course.

Happy Birthday Tony.

Fuller's Vintage 2006 and 2000 for me today. Sipped over 8 hours or so. Splendid stuff.

Then a heavy handed pour of Laphroaig Quarter Cask with Bob Dylan's Time out of Mind... all 16min+ of 'Highland' spent sniffing the last hints of caramel out of the bottom of the glass. Fritha, next to me on the couch, had a nice rich muscat... the combination intoxicating.


I watch a fair bit of Tintin! Black Island and Shooting Star today. Boys are not up to being trusted with the books.

Don't forget Blur (Leisure especially, an amazing album) when you eulogise Britpop.