Friday 26 July 2024
Excellent Tonbridge Cask Ales & Real Cider
Sunday 21 July 2024
Cider (and a Perry) For a Change...
Where better to enjoy ciders and a perry in Hastings, than at The Jolly Fisherman (facebook page), 3 East Beach Street, Hastings TN34 3AR (tel: 01424 428811), the first micropub in Hastings (blog). Opening hours (usual, but can be a little flexible, eg on Pirate Day and other special occasions, keep a check with their facebook page), now are Tuesday to Friday 4-11pm; Saturday 2-11pm; Sunday 2-10.30pm; unlikely to be open on a Monday. Anyway...
On my last visit I started off with two-thirds of a pint (indeed, I chose two-thirds for all the ciders too) of a perry from Dorset cider maker Temple (website), their 6.5% Hendre Huffcap & Winnal's Longdon Perry; the 2 pear varieties used, unsurprisingly, Hendre Huffcap (National Perry Pear Centre) and Winnal's Longdon (National Perry Pear Centre). How to describe this slightly cloudy perry? What you would expect, hard to make anything up really, definitely tasting of pear with a dry finish, very good!🍐
My first cider, from Herefordshire based Ross on Wye Cider & Perry Company (website) was their 6.1% Five Apple Oak Cask Cider, and I apologise, but I cannot discover anywhere the apple varieties used, usually a blend, no doubt. Just slightly cloudy, what I would call a 'proper' real cider, great balance with a dry, bitter even, finish, very good indeed! 🍏🍎
The first of 2 very clear ciders, and both very good, but I've drunk them before so I'm not surprised by the quality, was from Kent, Biddenden Vineyards (website) Bushels (6.0%). This is a medium dry cider, made with a mixture of "orchard ripe culinary and dessert apples" although still not individually specified by them, unsurprisingly. Anyway, this is a very easy to drink medium dry cider, too easy actually, therefore potentially dangerous to drink, nice one! 😉
Thursday 4 July 2024
2 Rather Good IPAs and a bit more!
Cheers Ears! 🍻
The Dolphin Inn, 11-12 Rock a Nore Road, Hastings TN34 3DW (website).
The University Arms, 197 Brook Hill, Sheffield S3 7HG (website).
Monday 1 July 2024
Women and Beer 3 - History
Basically, Dr Wade knows a helluva lot about the history of beer, is multi-qualified, including being a beer judge, and I'm guessing that part of her doctorate, or maybe her M.Phil, or both, included research about the history of women in brewing and selling beer, because there is so much specific information about brewsters (female brewers) and licencees! Also, she records interviews with many contemporary brewsters. In addition, she has her own website called braciatrix, which includes links to her book, and is about women and beer, to precis it... 😕
If you are a CAMRA member you can access the BEER article at the website.
Or buy the book, or just read my blog 1 and blog 2, a bit simpler/less info 😉 Seriously though, I can't compete, so buy the book, it's chock full of data, cheers!