I was persuaded by herself that the garage needed tidying. It did. In the course of doing so, many dusty and not so dusty bottles of beer were uncovered. Although they've been kept in the dark, I rather doubt if most were drinkable, though I rescued a fair number that might well be. Among those biting the dust were beers as diverse as Young's Special London Ale - gone sour - a pint bottle of Hartley's XB, a bottle of Ward's Yorkshire Classic, a Tsing Tao Dark and a huge bottle of an Anderson Valley Ale from goodness knows how long ago. I couldn't resist a sip of this and it didn't seem too bad. The recycling bin was chinking merrily this morning as I put it out for the binmen.
Many survived including a clutch of elderly Orvals, a number of bottled conditioned French artisanal ales, a genuine brewed at Morland's Hen's Tooth, a bottle of Belgian Guinness that expired in 2004, a bottle of Guinness Triple X, (I wonder if that's drinkable) a number of assorted barley wines and various others of all styles.
I must tackle these. It really is a shame to see good (or once good) beers going to waste. I guess some will follow the others down the drain, but some might just be decent still. We'll see, but I need to overcome my home drinking aversion.
Sorry for the poor photo. I must get that new camera soon.
What you need is a house party.
ReplyDeleteIt would appear that you are going down the drain too. Don't quit your day job Tandleman.
ReplyDeleteDown the drain? Not me mate.
ReplyDeleteThis thing about "drinking at home": what--afraid you'll *catch* alcoholism or something?
ReplyDeleteBut then that brings to mind the thing with Brits and "their drinking" generally: "I do my drinking in the pub." Why does the consumption of one particular foodstuff warrant such peculiar mention?
"I eat my peas at the bus stop."
Yes, I've been drinking already. All of it at home, though none of it alone. Well, except these last couple--a Frühlingsbier from Br. Penning in Hetzelsdorf--alone at the computer. What--you wanted sober discourse?
As I left my gigantic, 3 car (USA! USA! USA!) Oregon garage behind a few years ago, I found that precious few beers age well, sadly. I should've drunk them ALL when they were fresh.
Eh, I wonder what ever happened to those bottles of Hardy and other lesser barleywines that I left behind--free for the taking--at that Portland hotel lobby desk?
I've never heard of the Guinness triple x, how strong is that?
ReplyDeleteNick - I just don't enjoy drinking at home by and large, that's all.
ReplyDeleteEd - Many moons ago. Probably 20 plus years. I don't know how strong it was. Maybe the Beer Nut knows more.
I think it's blasphemy for a beer to have a "good by" date. Why can't they all age well? So sad.
ReplyDelete"I eat my peas at the bus stop." I like that!
ReplyDeleteFunny how some people see drinking at home as the first step in a downward spiral, or even as morally suspect, although I note TM says he simply doesn't like it. If so, it's rather strange to have a garage full of beer.
It is odd, but sometimes I get given them, I think I'll want to drink them so I buy them etc.
ReplyDeleteI do drink the odd beer at home, just not enough to keep up with my supply.
I've just returned home from giving a lesson about the use of the passive form in English. (A Ukranian, a Moroccoan, and a guy from Camaroon made up today's class--the five Germans were all off today, leaving the Ausländer at work.) I think we Yanks would never say "I get given beer," but would only say "I'm given beer."
ReplyDeleteSo professional interest prompts me to ask: Is the use of "get" here proper English? (Or proper Tandlese?)
I'm nearly always accompanied by herself at home; were I to be at home alone, I doubt I'd drink so much either. I'd be out!
I don't know the answer Nick. I think "get given" is proper English, but it may be colloquial or just plain wrong. Maybe like you Yankees saying " It's right here" where the word "right" serves no obvious purpose other than, at a push, emphasis.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy with "I'm given" too if that helps.
(Switching like Kryten to pedantic mode) 'Get' in this context is colloquial, but the word used a lot over here: get lost, get out the way, I don't get it, I'm getting tired, I've got to get to the shops, get ready, get along with someone, get at someone, he's a right get, etc. It's a general-purpose word.
ReplyDeleteSorry, this a beer blog, so get to the pub, get last orders in, get thrown out, get arrested, get sacked, get divorced.
If you want more on the differences between American and British English in every day use (Not to mention Australian and other variants), this fascinating blog is the place for you.
ReplyDeletehttp://separatedbyacommonlanguage.blogspot.com"