Apfelwein

Cider making isn't that big in Germany, but nonetheless it exists in places. A little known fact is that Frankfurt is a bastion of not only financial dealings, but a centre of cider drinking, with a number of dedicated cider houses or Apfelweinlokal (there are other names for them too), mainly located in Sachsenhausen, where a lot of Frankfurt's night life is based. That's where we'll be staying.

Now I'm not the biggest cider fan in the world, though the odd pint of Old Rosie or Black Rat doesn't go amiss, but this will be different and I'm looking forward to the cider houses, as they'll surely be worth trying. There will be beer too of course, though that's one thing Frankfurt doesn't really excel in, being dominated by the giant Binding, but there is always weisse bier, as the weather promises to be hot. Scorchio in fact, so hooray for that.

So I'm off to London later and despite the strikers best efforts, we'll be flying BA from London City. A good move for us as not only is the BA fare cheaper than the atrociously expensive Flybe from Manchester, it is an easy journey for us direct to the airport from Tower Gateway, round the corner from our flat. We'll be there a full six hours earlier than our other 17 friends too, so an opportunity to steal a march on them and explore!

So tonight a couple of drinks in London. I wonder where?

Cheltenham and a Moan

When E and I used to go to Cheltenham many years ago, it was to the annual rally in support of sacked workers from the Government Communications Centre (GCHQ) based there. We also had a few libations, but sadly though I remember drinking Wadworth's, the nature of the pubs is long since forgotten, though the reason for being there isn't and won't be.


Last Saturday though we went to visit two free houses. Firstly to the Kemble Brewery Inn which was a busy back street local holding a music festival. We were greeted at the door by the newly elected Lib-Dem councillor who had fought for them to get a licence for the event against local objections. I had a chat with him. He explained that the objections had been on noise levels, lateness, frequency of sets etc. He had proposed and agreed some restrictions which both the pub and the objectors had agreed to. Good for him. I was in the front of the pub and could scarcely hear the music at all, so it must have been a successful compromise, though one or two locals remarked that they'd have liked it louder. All well then? Not exactly. Another restriction had been placed on them. All liquor had to be sold in plastic glasses. "Had glass been a problem I asked?" Not as far as he knew was the answer.

Now I hate drinking out of plastic. I hate even more these petty bureaucrats who decide, on no evidence whatever, that the freedom of others should be restricted. I can just about understand it where certain places have a record of glass based violence or vandalism, but to have these "just in case" restrictions without evidence is just too much for my sensibilities. Unremitting brown beer didn't help either, but my gloom was lifted by Thatchers Scrumpy and the sheer friendliness, not only of the councillor, but the chatty music loving locals.

Our last Cheltenham stop was a bigger venue, the Jolly Brewmaster. This was bustling and boisterous but the beer choice was again brown, though I recall the ubiquitous Deuchars IPA. No matter though. The company was good and having given up on beer for the afternoon, pints of the now familiar Black Rat were enjoyed instead, providing a pleasant end to an interesting afternoon.

Tewkesbury

Tewkesbury is a fine town with a very impressive abbey and the tendency toward sogginess. Indeed should you visit often enough, you are sure to end up traipsing around with water swishing about your kneecaps. Or higher. It was damp when we started out eagerly on the Friday night and finished up throwing it down - which is more than we managed. Having established that the Hop Pole was a brown beer purveyor of some determination, we set out with a list provided by our weekend guide. Did I mention brown beer? Well there was a lot of it. The Nottingham Arms provided Butcome Bitter, Wickwar BOB and OSH. Most of us tried the BOB which was dark brown and unremittingly malty. We escaped to the Tudor House Hotel where another array of brown beers greeted us, but at least the pub was splendidly old fashioned, being a bit of a nineteen seventies (sixties possibly) throwback, with a very comfortable mix of older drinkers. My tipple was Goff's White Knight which was light brown and had just enough hop to make it drinkable.

We pressed on to the White Bear (a bit rough and ready) where the range was not as good as we'd hoped. Lytham Gold was clearly a must, but it was served with a warning as to its cloudiness. Most, me included were very unsure about this beer and opted out. Now our guide is somewhat known as a cider drinker and swooped on the Black Rat cider. I was persuaded and very drinkable it was too, providing just the right level of alcoholic hit (6%) and emotional support to overcome a disappointing night of beer. Sensibly we left just before ten and had time for a quick one in the Berkeley Arms where well kept Horizon provided some pale relief at last. This tied house was a very good pub indeed and shows that you don't have to be a multi tap free house to do well.

It was all over by eleven. All the pubs (even JDW) shut at eleven prompt. Why is this?

Black Rat is made for Moles Brewery by Thatchers

Am I a Cider Drinker?

Well no I'm not, but we had an impromptu tasting session just before leaving Oldham Beer Festival set-up yesterday. I rather enjoyed the two whose photos are featured here, as they were fresh tasting and very appley, which oddly, some ciders aren't.

I hated the two perries I tasted, but as that's probably just me, I won't name them.

More on OBF soon, but I need to get moving. Yesterday I vented and tapped 79 casks. I managed to hard peg a finger too, when Phoenix Shamrock blew a spile out of my grasp in mid pegging. Ouch. Many tastes were had and initial impressions are good. We open today and tomorrow at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

I'll share a tip with you from many years of looking after beer. It is very rare you get a bad beer from a vigorous secondary fermentation. It is very rare that you get a great one where there isn't. Simples!