Around Town with Amateur Drinker
Oh Bermondsey – so much to answer for…
The big news of July would come from Bermondsey and, totally by chance I started the month there with a superb July 4th American Independence Day special as Stone took over the BottleShop taps. The sun blazed down and the Delicious IPA more than lived up to its name.
I was then on holiday for the next 10 days. The booking had been made months in advance so I missed two Sour events at Mother Kelly’s and Siren, both of which looked fantastic. I have heard great reports, but it would be churlish to complain whilst I had been lying on a Balearic beach.
As an aside, it was the Budget whilst I was away. Surely one of Parliament’s finest traditions has been the rule that the Chancellor is allowed to drink alcohol, otherwise banned under House of Commons rules, whilst delivering the speech. Churchill drank brandy, Dalton milk and rum, Howe a stiff G’n’T, Gaitskell orange juice and rum, whilst most bizarrely Gladstone used to knock back sherry and a beaten egg!
However the last three chancellors (from both major parties – this is not a political columns) have stuck to water. Hopefully, the great revival in UK brewing will see the Chancellor promoting the industry by sipping one of the many excellent British beers out there.
On my return, BrewDog Shepherd’s Bush hosted an enjoyable Beer Writers’ tap takeover and Peach Therapy launch.
I then found out the big, although hardly surprising, news that Kernel would be stopping all on-site pours from the beginning of September. I had just read Boak & Bailey’s Brew Britannia update where they had charted the growth of The Bermondsey Mile, the division between brewers as to whether to embrace or play down the name and the descent into the vast numbers and “stag parties…and huge queues for single loos”, although, to be fair, the suppliers have been upgrading their facilities and hiring security.
I suggested a ticket or membership scheme (you pay your dues and then get that money off beers) but the Kernel were very keen to maintain the open and democratic nature of their brewery.
Kernel – take-away only
It will be interesting to see what happens now: It is not just a beer issue as July saw the birth of Druid Street market, which will bring further people into the area. Manchester brewers tried to copy the success by marketing the Piccadilly Beer Mile.
Then onto Craft Beer Co., Clerkenwell, for the immodestly titled “Battle of the Century” featuring Siren and EvilTwin. There were some excellent, if equally immodestly priced, beers on offer. The Summer Spreeze pale ale tasted above its ABV, whilst the Justin Blaebaer blueberry Berliner Weisse and the Femme Fatale Sudachi IPA were both noteworthy. There were some superb imperial stouts and porters on as well (my favourite was the hazelnut Even more Jesus) but this highlighted the ludicrous Craft Beer Co “nothing smaller than half-pint” rule.
There were five beers over 10%, including the 13% Bible Belt, which meant to try each of these would be the equivalent of over seven pints of “normal” 4% ABV! These beers taste better in small measures, they are expensive and without sounding puritan there is the excessive alcohol issue as well. I can just about understand the rule if they have normal strength beers on in a busy pub, but this must change for “event beers”.
The glorious Earl of Essex: advocate of the daily beer board
The value of daily beer-boards (a particular bugbear of mine) for both drinker and supplier was proved yet again when Earl of Essex listed their offering one Monday night and included the Siren/Magic Rock collaboration “Gin and Tonic IPA”. I had seen this listed at the Siren event that I missed and had been particularly disappointed not to be able to try it so this was a very pleasant surprise. I live a brisk 10 minute walk away so popped down immediately and thoroughly enjoyed an excellent summer beer. Pubs take note and please put daily beer lists up!
The month finished with Eebria opening their own beer garden in Bermondsey, which looks a worthy addition, when I visited before the Summer Wine event at BottleShop, whose Mauna Kea Hawaiian IPA was very much a Marmite beer.
I’m now eagerly looking forward to the best beer week of the year as GBBF coincides with London Beer City and the excellent LCBF. Hopefully, if my liver stands up, there will be a special report at the end of it all.
Reporting from the front-line – Amateur Drinker manages to get along to all the beer things you’d like to but couldn’t.