Pause for Hols

Sorry this blog has been a touch quiet of late, but I'm on the downward slope to my hols and am struggling for inspiration. And yes, despite retirement, my batteries, particularly my beery ones, need recharging and I need some sun. So a couple of weeks of the odd Spanish beer, mostly Cruzcampo I suppose, a lot of wine and gin and two weeks with the lovely E and a load of books is my plan. That should do the trick.

So be good and watch out for a tweet or two over the next two weeks.

Hasta la vista.

Thai One On

It was an auspicious start to my holidays. Despite, as usual, underestimating the time it would take to get to Piccadilly Station I got there in time to pick up my tickets from the machine and have 45 minutes in the Bull's Head. This is a very well run Marston's pub, which somehow manages to avoid the main trap of railway station pubs by not being the least bit sleazy. Lots to choose from in this two pint session and casting my eye round the various offerings I picked out Boondoggle by Ringwood. I've had it before and enjoyed it and it didn't disappoint today. Biscuity malt, decent bitterness and a full, pale body was a good start. A new one beckoned though. Jennings Lakeland Stunner did what it said on the tin. Pale, deliciously hoppy, with a lingering resinous finish, it was one of the best new beers I've had in a long time.

As I neared Euston I was reminded of the Bree Louise by a tweet. I nearly walked past, but nipped in. I passed on Brew Dog Paradox. Nothing else attracted me except Otley Thai Bo on the dreaded gravity. It was flat as a pancake, but fresh as a daisy, with incredible Thai flavours of lemon grass, ginger, chilli and more. Why did the bastards ruin such a gorgeous beer? I want to try this when it has been properly looked after. The casks had cooling jackets on them and soft spiles. I suspect though that the temperature (15C)and incorrect cellar procedure has done for the condition. If you are serving on gravity, use a soft spile for serving only. At all other times use a bamboo hard spile.This is free and good advice. Even better advice is not to serve it on gravity at all if you can help it, especially if you can't condition it around 10C.

The pub is a bit tired looking too, but wouldn't need that much to improve it. The staff are really nice, but as a beer house, it needs someone who knows what he or she is doing to transform the offer. Shame really, because London needs good free houses, but sadly, this isn't one.

Three Things About Turkish Drink

Thanks for the kind messages about my hols. I can assure my more sensitive readers that getting my kit off was kept to a bare minimum!

On the way to our hotel we stopped at a Karvanserai for a drink - well I guess the driver gets a kick back for bringing his prisoners there. Efes Pils was our first holiday drink and it wasn't that bad. Quite full bodied, not too gassy and with a slight hop tickle, it was drinkable stuff. Our hotel did Tuborg Green Label, though it was sold as "Troy Pilsner". I know, as the kegs were easy to check. This was frankly crap. The third thing is that Turkish Gin and Tonic made from local spirits and local tonic was very and dangerously drinkable. As we were all "all inclusive" I drank infeasibly large amounts of it. The tonic was more Schweppes than Britvic, so all was well.

The weather was mostly 30c+ and some bits of me are brown. I only got slight Turkish tummy. Result.

I was with my pal Graham who discovered a forced liking for vodka, there being no free whisky!