As a brewer, I am always curious about new beers, new breweries and new styles. But those occasions when my pulse rate climbs because of what is in my glass are exceptions rather than the rule. So I don't necessarily agree that my beer experiences are any less thrilling than they were. I wouldn't underestimate the way that pressure on peoples' expendable income is knocking the joy out of life in general. The venues where we enjoy beer communally may still be busy on a good day, but some of our companions can't join us as often as we would like. Good quality beer that fits within my taste parameters is all I ask for - so often I have picked up a rarity or hot topic beer to realise that I could have bought something equally satisfying, or better, for less money. I much prefer the pot luck of beer or breweries that I have never heard of, especially in our local Eastern European shops. The results may sometimes be indifferent, but it rarely goes down the sink. I am off to Berlin for the first time for a family holiday so drinking beer will be a low key pastime, but I am still very excited to try a new variation on pub and bar life.
I went to a beer festival with a strong "craft" tone a few weeks ago. A local family brewer had sent their cask bitter which is very good, but not their mild which is fantastic and rare as hens' teeth. My favourite beer in the festival was New Bristol's Coffee Stout, and there were several murky, soft beers bursting with hops. Well made beers and all a big hit with punters but they exhaust my palate very quickly. The best beers of the day were London Pride in a Fullers pub and Jaipur in a Thornbridge pub. No apologies. Maybe the next trend should be NNEIPA, where brewers take their NEIPAs, kick the murk to the kerb and see what has been hiding away behind the sticky cloying texture. Maybe try serving them at cellar temperature too. There may be better beers lurking inside.
I don't come across as very passionate about beer, but I am very easily satisfied. Good beer, sometimes exceptional, a comfortable venue with an atmosphere when I want it, or chilled out when I need it, and a welcome. Familiar or novel, the tingle when you push open the door can be crushed too easily by surly, dour or cookie cutter vibes.
It is also true that your writing on pubs and bars nurtures my curiosity and reminds me why beer drinking is about so much more than the liquid in the glass. Thank you
I still get a thrill out of travelling to drink beers that have a sense of place. Whether that be Rauchbier in Franconia or mild in the Black Country. Planning itineraries and visiting destination pubs, also exciting. Walking into a pub and seeing a list of 12 similar tasting IPAs is much less exciting.
Hi both, hope you are well. Your question got me pondering and I have a couple of recent examples which I think have given me an answer, or an answer to some degree at least.
I think we make a potential mistake in always trying to find the Next Big Thing. Not that I’m against change and progress of course.
Example 1 - I’ve recently started to commute into London one day a week after 3 years of near 100% working from home. I used to commute 4 or 5 times a week. Having this one day, in the middle of the week, has sort of become my Big Day Out in London and, because it’s just one day per week, I don’t have to rush home as soon as I clock off. This has enabled me to start revisiting some of the old haunts and simply enjoying the simplicity of a well-kept pint, new or old. I also can get off the train halfway home to explore some of the outlying, suburban gems such as One in the Wood, Petts Wood. It’s made me realise that focussing on high quality beer (from whichever container), and making the effort to find it, is simply enough.
Example 2 - this is linked to your adventures theme - Kent County Council recently ran a free bus campaign across a weekend and so I took the opportunity to get out into the countryside, jumping on and off 5 or 6 buses, and clocking up 8 or so miles of country walking, taking in 3 or 4 pubs, all centred around a visit to CAMRA’s national club of the year, Marden Village Club. Nothing spectacularly special about the building itself, it’s a typical social club vibe, and nothing wrong with that. But the quality of the 5 or 6 cask ales was breathtaking - it can still be done !
Beer doesn't have to be exciting. It just has to be good and worth the price. What matters more to me is the setting where you are drinking the beer. It has to be fun, comfortable and the medium for sharing that beer with good friends. More emphasis needs to be placed in that arena.
As a brewer, I am always curious about new beers, new breweries and new styles. But those occasions when my pulse rate climbs because of what is in my glass are exceptions rather than the rule. So I don't necessarily agree that my beer experiences are any less thrilling than they were. I wouldn't underestimate the way that pressure on peoples' expendable income is knocking the joy out of life in general. The venues where we enjoy beer communally may still be busy on a good day, but some of our companions can't join us as often as we would like. Good quality beer that fits within my taste parameters is all I ask for - so often I have picked up a rarity or hot topic beer to realise that I could have bought something equally satisfying, or better, for less money. I much prefer the pot luck of beer or breweries that I have never heard of, especially in our local Eastern European shops. The results may sometimes be indifferent, but it rarely goes down the sink. I am off to Berlin for the first time for a family holiday so drinking beer will be a low key pastime, but I am still very excited to try a new variation on pub and bar life.
I went to a beer festival with a strong "craft" tone a few weeks ago. A local family brewer had sent their cask bitter which is very good, but not their mild which is fantastic and rare as hens' teeth. My favourite beer in the festival was New Bristol's Coffee Stout, and there were several murky, soft beers bursting with hops. Well made beers and all a big hit with punters but they exhaust my palate very quickly. The best beers of the day were London Pride in a Fullers pub and Jaipur in a Thornbridge pub. No apologies. Maybe the next trend should be NNEIPA, where brewers take their NEIPAs, kick the murk to the kerb and see what has been hiding away behind the sticky cloying texture. Maybe try serving them at cellar temperature too. There may be better beers lurking inside.
I don't come across as very passionate about beer, but I am very easily satisfied. Good beer, sometimes exceptional, a comfortable venue with an atmosphere when I want it, or chilled out when I need it, and a welcome. Familiar or novel, the tingle when you push open the door can be crushed too easily by surly, dour or cookie cutter vibes.
It is also true that your writing on pubs and bars nurtures my curiosity and reminds me why beer drinking is about so much more than the liquid in the glass. Thank you
I still get a thrill out of travelling to drink beers that have a sense of place. Whether that be Rauchbier in Franconia or mild in the Black Country. Planning itineraries and visiting destination pubs, also exciting. Walking into a pub and seeing a list of 12 similar tasting IPAs is much less exciting.
Hi both, hope you are well. Your question got me pondering and I have a couple of recent examples which I think have given me an answer, or an answer to some degree at least.
I think we make a potential mistake in always trying to find the Next Big Thing. Not that I’m against change and progress of course.
Example 1 - I’ve recently started to commute into London one day a week after 3 years of near 100% working from home. I used to commute 4 or 5 times a week. Having this one day, in the middle of the week, has sort of become my Big Day Out in London and, because it’s just one day per week, I don’t have to rush home as soon as I clock off. This has enabled me to start revisiting some of the old haunts and simply enjoying the simplicity of a well-kept pint, new or old. I also can get off the train halfway home to explore some of the outlying, suburban gems such as One in the Wood, Petts Wood. It’s made me realise that focussing on high quality beer (from whichever container), and making the effort to find it, is simply enough.
Example 2 - this is linked to your adventures theme - Kent County Council recently ran a free bus campaign across a weekend and so I took the opportunity to get out into the countryside, jumping on and off 5 or 6 buses, and clocking up 8 or so miles of country walking, taking in 3 or 4 pubs, all centred around a visit to CAMRA’s national club of the year, Marden Village Club. Nothing spectacularly special about the building itself, it’s a typical social club vibe, and nothing wrong with that. But the quality of the 5 or 6 cask ales was breathtaking - it can still be done !
Happy drinking.
Beer doesn't have to be exciting. It just has to be good and worth the price. What matters more to me is the setting where you are drinking the beer. It has to be fun, comfortable and the medium for sharing that beer with good friends. More emphasis needs to be placed in that arena.