Around the Beer Blogs (5)

I first used the above title here in February 2008 and haven't done one since later that same year, so I'm a bit overdue Seven years overdue in fact, so it's time I caught up with what others are doing. You won't have missed it as new reader, as the basic idea, adjusted a bit, has been used elsewhere though I never claimed it to be original.

First the Old School

It must be fitting to start with my old mate Stonch. Well hasn't the lad changed over the years? Not quite so bombastic, but just as enjoyable.  Having had a few years off  blogging while he ran a couple of pubs, he has come back with some marvellous insights into how it all works nowadays and a slightly different approach.  His return to blogging was in his old manner, giving out comments on this and that, but now he has widened his blog team of just him, to a team of four.  Good to see a former blogger Jesus John returning to the fold in his cerebral way and Arthur Scargill is just brilliant and no doubt a pain to some.  The irreverence of his comments reminds one - and that reminder is needed - that blogging should be individual and should be at least cheeky at times.  There seems to be a tendency to prick some of the silliness around craft beer and that is sure to get him noticed. Funnily enough the crafteratti don't see themselves that way.  For the old Stonch watch out for various comments under his real name, where he attracts both praise and criticism.

Boak and Bailey were minnows in the blogging world back then (we all were really apart from Jeffers) and in fact they gave it up for a while too. They have returned to the fold with a determination that would put most obsessives to shame.  Still, a book later, Number one blog in most lists and British Guild of Beer Writers awards tucked up their jumpers, they have reaped the success such effort deserves.  They have though changed tack a lot, using much historical data as the basis of blogging as well as a somewhat anal interest in de-constructing beer and drinking.  Still it works for them and if you want to know all about how to drink in a pub and even how to write properly, they will and have advised accordingly. Whether you like that or not is up to you, but hey, it shows confidence.  One interesting point is that they used to identify which person had written each blog piece, but now they don't, using "we" like literal Siamese twins. (I reckon Ray does it all these days).   Some of the newer bloggers have taken a more critical look - yes you Matthew - but I is all sweetness and light, as was the original point of Around the Beer Blogs.  Still, they set the bar high for those around them and they do write well. That's a good thing.

The Beer Nut continues on merrily, drinking his way through the beer world.  He was around in 1997 too when I started -so an old mate - and in fact commented on my first ever "Around the Beer Blogs", . His output is prodigious, his descriptions of beers the best in the business and his enthusiasm for writing about beer undiminished by time.  He is unusual that he writes only about beer he has drank in the main, but this does not lessen his impact but rather gives his blog direction and purpose as well as conveying the excitement and disappointments of an eclectic approach to beer drinking. It probably isn't true, but you just can't imagine him sitting down and drinking the same beer twice in a row, though he may have to soon, as I reckon there must only be about ten beers in the world he hasn't had and he'd give Alan Whicker a run for his money on the air miles front.  He is also a very nice fella, good company and does a nice line in Cadbury's Tiffin.

More soon about some of the newer bloggers. Probably in seven years.

Other Around the Beer Blogs are here,  here and here.  I didn't include Ron Pattinson in this review as basically, he hasn't changed a bit. Make of that what you will, but I still love his stuff. Well some of it anyway.

Still and Star (2)

Is it brewing? Is it not? I'm still a little unsure. I went in as promised on Tuesday teatime and there were four brown beers on the bar and one harassed barmaid.  There was no smell of brewing or any obvious recent brewery activity.  My inquiry elicited the polite information that there would be no home brewed beer until after Christmas (which I took to mean next year) and that brewing was already taking place.  It may be that the Citra mentioned in my last post was just a trial, but since the poor lass that answered my inquiry was so busy, I thought it inconsiderate to question her further.  So it may be and it may not.  The photo of the board outside which illustrates this post is either information, a teaser, or both. In whatever case it has been updated.

Now Professor Pie-Tin takes me to task about writing about this new venue for a brewery.  He says "You've written an entire post based on a brewpub you haven't been into since it became a brewpub and a beer you haven't tasted. I'm all for clickbait lovey but play the game a little bit at least."  Well I didn't know he cared, but since when did investigating a new brew-pub near where you have a home come under the term "clickbait"?  Should I be miffed?  Not really - it's all part of the game -  but if PPT wishes a few more targets for his disdain, I can point him to many well known bloggers that excel in clickbait.  Bloggers chasing audience or building beery careers are all part of the game. Me? Perish the thought. I'm past all that. Still, he has got me to answer, so a point to him. He's one of my regulars though, so all is forgiven.

In my brief visit to the capital, I had a few pints in a rammed Market Porter.  The beer wasn't as good as my visit a couple of weeks ago and it was rammed then. Just not quite as rammed.  The old enemy of great cask beer, too a high a temperature was the culprit, but the heat in the place made the beer slide down anyway and it was a great atmosphere so all wasn't lost.  In fact following a wise trip to the Dean Swift for very good Dark Star Hophead, an unwise visit to the Draft House in Seething Lane ensued. We left later than we should have and afterwards I found myself somewhat potless* and accidentally pissed.  I felt more than a tad rough on Thursday.  In fact we both did. Been a while since that happened and not hugely enjoyable.

It was an AFD on Thursday and back to Manchester boozing on Friday with my oldest friend Mike. At his request we only did pubs, not bars. On Frantic Friday, it was a good plan.

I was given three bottles of beer by Eileen's colleagues as a Christmas present. Well chosen too. One each from Mikeller, Kernel and Redchurch. Not bad eh?  

* Skint. Getting pissed in London is a dear do.

Nothing New Under the Sun

Chris Hall is promoting his idea of "juicy bangers" to describe beers that, to borrow a phrase, "hit the spot". It is an interesting concept when you extend it to beer design, but otherwise its probably just a bit of fun, though with a serious point underneath.    Boak and Bailey, extending this simple idea to one a tad more complex, are asking on their blog for suggestions for further categories.  They are even getting some, though perhaps it's just me that finds people giving pet names to beer styles a bit odd. It's all a touch anal for me, though that perhaps isn't the best word, considering what I am about to say.

Back in the good old flame throwing days of Usenet, probably in the late 1990s, I am pretty sure that Chris's juicy bangers would have ended up very scorched and unpalatable indeed, such was the snappiness of those involved. Any whiff of juicy bangers would have been ruthlessly taken apart. Nonetheless we did discuss ad nauseum the difficult subject of beer styles.  Odd really when then there weren't many. Or rather there were, but either they were categorised differently, or they were obscure foreign styles which at best were lumped under "foreign", or they hadn't been like saison or Imperial IPA invented. Or re-invented, since Ron Pattinson has long since proved the title of this piece.  Back then, at worst, beers styles were scarcely understood at all by many and the subject of violent disagreement. There were those (and they still exist) that simply referred to and rigidly adhered to, American beer judging guidelines. Others, as now, were subjective more often than not and maybe the most sensible of a pretty leery bunch. Beer after all is a pretty subjective thing.

So how did we deal with this eternal conundrum? While we couldn't solve the unsolveable, or change human nature, we did come up with a solution of sorts.  It was a simple really. In the end we boiled it all down to something simple. Something easily understood and effective, though not perhaps in a particularly sophisticated way.  The question to ask about a beer was "Is it good or shite?" 

Unless you are particularly enamoured by over analysis, it works. Good old Usenet. We got to the bottom of things then.

It was suggested by Rich at BeerCast that I sometimes write tongue in cheek.  Perish the thought.

What Drives Beer Bloggers?

Ego.

My first ever contribution to The Session. And possibly my last.

The Session 52. What drives Beer Bloggers?

Fast Away the Old Year Passes

Well that's nearly it. 2010 has gone bar the shouting, though there won't be much of that from me. By half past midnight the New Year will have been seen in with a glass or two of champagne, then it will be up the wooden hill. I'll have some drinking to do tomorrow. It is traditional to look back on beery highlights of the year, but bollocks to that. No. Actually I will by way of one or two bits taken from Dredgie's Golden Pints, as I think it is quite fun. So here we go:

Best UK Draught Beer

Already been said. Fyne Ales Jarl. So bloody good that you scan every bar you approach in the vain hope that it will be there. Runner up, Crown Brewery Brooklyn Heights. An interpretation of a US style IPA that few Yankee brewers could better.

Best Overseas Draught Beer

Quite a few contenders, but once again it has to go to Brauerei Roppelt, Stieberlimbach, Franconia; Kellerbier is lager as it should be and this is kellerbier as it should be. I'd also like to give an honourable mention to Alpha King which was the stand out beer of my Chicago trip, though actually if truth be told, we are doing these kind of beers better in the UK at the moment. We add drinkability and that just makes them so much better in my book.

Best UK Brewery

Mallinsons, with a nod to Phoenix and Elland. Oh I know Jarl was the best cask beer, but it isn't just about producing one beer and I know if I see the other three breweries, whatever beer is offered, I'm in for a good drink and that, rather than exotic or unusual, is what I mostly want.

Pub/Bar of the Year

I base this on how much I enjoyed it and the overall experience. I'll rule out my local on the basis of bias, but the Baum in Rochdale gets it for me. Superb place and superb beer. Runner Up: Apfelhaus Wagner, Sachsenhausen, Frankfurt. Just a must experience place, steeped in tradition.

Honourable mentions go to The Jolly Butchers (assuming the beer is no longer warm); The Rovers Return, Douglas; the Hop Leaf, Chicago and the White Lion in Delph.

Beer Festival of the Year

National Winter Ales Festival

Best Beer Blog

Apart from my own very under-rated bog? Hard this one really, but here's the one two three:

1 Oh Good Ale - Well written, non conformist and feet on the ground. That's a winning formula for me.

2 Tasting the Pith - Ignore the fact that it's highly unlikely you'll ever come across any of the beers he drinks. Just grab the hem of his frock and go along for the ride. It's worth it. This guy is seriously good.

3 Rabid About Beer - I like a fellow moaner, but he also genuinely likes beer and people and he's one of the nicest guys you could meet.

Honourable mentions to Paul Bailey and The Beer Nut. Paul writes about stuff I like to read about and The Beer Nut is incomparable as a beer taster.

In 2011 I’d Most Like To

Get some free beer sent to me like the rest of the blogosphere!

So that's it for 2010. Happy New Year to one and all and lang may yer lum reek!

2010 Wish List Reviewed

I said earlier that I was going to review my wish list for 2010 that I published on 31/12/2009 and I will, but was also going to slip in one or two other thoughts, though I am wary of doing so, given Pete Brown's fatwa on opinion, individuality and writing on your blog, just what you fancy. (As an aside I don't agree that discussing on the web, those aspects of beer that interest you most, will remotely put off new drinkers of beer. They aren't the target. I've converted quite a few in my time and it is the age old way of "try this, you might like it.") So just shut up Pete.*

So back to where I started and what I wished for in 2010:

* Cask Ale quality and quality control. This needs to be upped massively in most micro breweries and in a hell of a lot of pubs. There is too much beer that should never have left the brewery and too much that shouldn't either be put on sale, or remain on sale

Not much improvement there at all, if any. I continue to be surprised at the low standards in some places and in places that really ought to know much better. This is a game that has to be considerably upped.

On Industry:

* the beer industry needs to start speaking with one voice before it all goes (even more) tits up. Pete Brown mentions this a lot and I agree with him. I don't personally think the BBPA is the answer any more though. They are so tainted by their PubCo connections that they lack credibility

Not much improvement there at all, if any. Sniping at CAMRA and SIBA for example seems to have increased.

On Family Brewers:

* Family Brewers have a unique position in the UK. They own pubs and breweries and need to make the most of that simple fact. No-one expects them to change from bread and butter brewing, but they need to be bolder, at least on occasion. Too many samey brown beers and a "we know best" attitude from some, is wasting opportunity. They need to be careful that beer life and fashion doesn't pass them by and consign them to the dustbin of history. In short, they need to wake up

More positive here I think. The success of the micros and bigger "small" brewers is starting to rattle the family brewing fraternity. They are producing more interesting beers. Adnams and Fullers have led the way, but others are following, with Thwaites returning to cask in a big way, Robinsons building a new brewhouse from which great things are being hinted at and even JW Lees making its export only ales such as variants on Harvest Ale and Manchester Star available in the UK and producing next year a hop laden feast of seasonal brews. So, some hope there of further progress.

On CAMRA:

* CAMRA needs a complete "purpose review". It is becoming clear that nationally it is a lobby group, while locally it campaigns for pubs and beer. That needs to be looked at. The fact that no matter what it does, it can't please everyone shouldn't stop an independent look at its purpose in a changing UK beer world with resurgent cask consumption. It needn't be expensive, but it does need to be neutral in authorship and it needs to be done. Too many are sniping at CAMRA and while a lot of it is just lazy stereotyping, some of that sniping has justification. CAMRA needs to respond to the concerns. It is so much bigger now. It needs to change for that reason alone

Well we have the review and I'm on the committee. I doubt if our conclusions will shake the world to its core, but the things that people complain about, are being discussed, debated, defended, countered and considered. You'll have to wait and see on that one, but one thing I can say; it was a motion that I seconded at the CAMRA AGM, that brought this about and neither I nor the proposer intend to support the outcome if it doesn't fairly cover the concerns that brought about the motion in the first place. That doesn't mean that we expect to get our way on everything, but we do expect a reasoned discussion of all concerns and so far, that has certainly been the case. And one more thing: I am now much more aware of the impact CAMRA has behind the scenes. The best work isn't always shouted from the rooftops.

On Bloggers:

* Not writing about the 95% of beer drinking is as myopic as not writing about cutting edge stuff. Arithmetically more so. Some too, need to get out and about a bit more, particularly to the pub; they need to raise their heads up and look around them. So I'd like to see broader blogging

This is a work in progress, though the odd chink of light appears!

On Twitter:

* Twitter less and comment and write on blogs more. Comments are needed to encourage bloggers. No comments = no point in a lot of ways. Surely there are enough things on blogs worthy of comment?

If anything this has gone backwards. It may be beer blogging is in terminal decline, though one or two new blogs, such as Oh Good Ale give me a bit of hope.

On Pubs:

* Visit them

You know, I think bloggers are doing a bit more of that, with quite a few exceptions of course.

On Me:

* Hope fully I will continue to blog as long as it interests me and my readers. I will call it as I see it, like it or lump it. I'll get it wrong, but hopefully, it will be worth reading, at least sometimes

Yes I'm still getting it wrong and right. I'm happy enough with most of what I do and I think that some of my stuff has actually improved. Also my readers don't complain that much and I'm still up there in the ratings, which is nice.

Well there you have it. Some good, some bad and some things just don't change. I won't be doing a look forward for 2011, I think I'll go for a drink instead, but I will leave you with my top three cask beers of 2010.

1 Fyne Ales Jarl

I was alerted to this by Mark Dredge. He was right. So good to drink, with a beautiful citra led nose and despite heavy hopping, no harshness whatever. It's a beer I could drink all day and one from which it is really difficult to tear oneself away. This is (almost) beer perfection.

2 Crown Brewery Brooklyn Heights

A perfect balance of hops and malt which simply enthralled me. A real treat.

3 Lees Plum Pudding

The brewer tells me that this year he has toned down the sweetness, tweaked the bitterness and fruitiness to make it better balanced and more drinkable. He is right. A wonderful refreshing, complex, fruity/bitter beer with an aromatic dry, bitter finish. One just isn't enough.

* This is entirely tongue in cheek of course and I will be naming my top three blogs tomorrow and maybe more!

I'm a Male Influencer

Yes it's official. Despite my inherent non trendiness, my unfashionable liking for pong and my big gob, I'm an influencer of men. Well if you read Ask Men UK I am, so there, that's it. I'm a trend setter, an influencer of men and an all round good egg. It'll do for me.

Of course every silver lining has to have a cloud. For a start I'm clearly not as influential as, say, Dredgie, who is lauded by As Men as "the beer blogger's blogger" and from whose blog stems "almost all talking points" from within the community, but at least I'm mentioned in the same breath, which is a comfort. Our own dear Cookster gets a mention too, though they do say he's an arse, so along with Ron the Obscure, Youthful Zak Avery, Big Daddy Pete and other exalted imbibers, I haven't done so bad.

So no more cheek and calling me a fat git. Right? Or I'll come right over and influence you.

The link is here.

Taxi for Dredge?

I was reading Mark's highly amusing post blog about world cup crisps when I noticed this photo which I think used to appear more prominently in his blog.

Somehow it always used to make me think he'd smuggled his last (and unwisely purchased beer) into a black cab while completely pissed. Anyone see what I'm getting at here?

Young man, with beer, slumped in back of a taxi?





For the po faced; in case of doubt, this is a light hearted post.