Hope you don't mind it's a weaker strength beer."
One of the more unusual comments I have received whilst ordering a round in a pub but it did happen this Sunday.
The Falcon near Clapham Junction station is a fantastic pub for a drink before departing homewards bound after a lazy walk on a Sunday and as many know it does a large and varied range of beers. After a wander around the pumpclips I decided to have St Peter's Mild which has I had seen the clip I knew what I was getting but the barman assumed I was ordering according to the big board they have up which had overstated the abv by 2%.
This got me thinking, now from the barman's comment it sounds like folks regularly pick their beer by strength displayed o0n the board. Odd way of doing it surely though?
Monday, 16 July 2012
Thursday, 12 July 2012
It's Raining, it's Pouring
It's more like autumn than summer...
So I have dug out a recipe for mulled ale as that seems more right than cool beer at the moment;
3 bottles of a good beer (I like bitter personally for this recipe)
1 tbsp sugar to start although this depends on the beer used, may need more sugar
Two whole cloves (do not use ground! Trust me on this)
and grated nutmeg to garnish if liked
Pour the beer into a large pan and chuck in the sugar and cloves, slowly heat gently to dissolve the sugar.
DO NOT BOIL! It will be foul if you do.
Once the beer has heated up and dissolved the sugar although to continue heating for about 10 minutes and then remove from the heat. Remove the cloves and test to see if it's sweet enough for you, if not add some more sugar the liquid should be hot enough away from heat to dissolve the sugar.
Serve in a mug, grated some nutmeg over the top and sit back and watch the rain outside whilst enjoying your warming brew.
So I have dug out a recipe for mulled ale as that seems more right than cool beer at the moment;
3 bottles of a good beer (I like bitter personally for this recipe)
1 tbsp sugar to start although this depends on the beer used, may need more sugar
Two whole cloves (do not use ground! Trust me on this)
and grated nutmeg to garnish if liked
Pour the beer into a large pan and chuck in the sugar and cloves, slowly heat gently to dissolve the sugar.
DO NOT BOIL! It will be foul if you do.
Once the beer has heated up and dissolved the sugar although to continue heating for about 10 minutes and then remove from the heat. Remove the cloves and test to see if it's sweet enough for you, if not add some more sugar the liquid should be hot enough away from heat to dissolve the sugar.
Serve in a mug, grated some nutmeg over the top and sit back and watch the rain outside whilst enjoying your warming brew.
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
Reality & Assumption
Or consumption in our case here.
Reading over on Pete Brown's blog that a study has found that people are overestimating the amount of calories in a pint of beer and beer actually has far lower calories. Brings me to my usual point that beer or food for that fact doesn't make folks fat, but not actually knowing what both the calories are and the correct portion size for that amount of calories.
Packets of food now have little calories and percentage of intake guides on them but how closely do folks read them? That packet may actually say (in small wording) that a third of a packet gives you X calories (in larger wording). So if you don't read it properly instead of glancing it is not unlikely that you will assume the whole packet is X calories.
Many work out calories for alcohol based on 100ml but don't realise what a pint is in ml, I have heard people say in my earshot that a pint is about "800ml"..... oh really......?
The main reason though for beer or any alcohol causing weight gain though is the fact it makes you hungry, those pub sized packets of crisps are more tempting or that sandwich at home is calling out to be two.
Reading over on Pete Brown's blog that a study has found that people are overestimating the amount of calories in a pint of beer and beer actually has far lower calories. Brings me to my usual point that beer or food for that fact doesn't make folks fat, but not actually knowing what both the calories are and the correct portion size for that amount of calories.
Packets of food now have little calories and percentage of intake guides on them but how closely do folks read them? That packet may actually say (in small wording) that a third of a packet gives you X calories (in larger wording). So if you don't read it properly instead of glancing it is not unlikely that you will assume the whole packet is X calories.
Many work out calories for alcohol based on 100ml but don't realise what a pint is in ml, I have heard people say in my earshot that a pint is about "800ml"..... oh really......?
The main reason though for beer or any alcohol causing weight gain though is the fact it makes you hungry, those pub sized packets of crisps are more tempting or that sandwich at home is calling out to be two.
Monday, 9 July 2012
London Drinker Magazine
As London is apparently going to get even busier with this sports thing that's happening, I think its called the Olympics for those who have either been burying their heads in the sand or exist in a timeless bubble. The London Drinker has published a special edition which showcases London pubs, it is a rather nice guide so if you are drinking in the capital it is worth keeping an eye out for it.
Saturday, 30 June 2012
Happy Birthday Craft Beer Co.
As some of you will be aware this weekend is the 1st birthday for the Craft Beer Co. and as such they have a unusual and rather fab range of beers in for this weekend.
If you mosey over to their website you can download a list of the beers on, although it seems to only mention the Keg beers and no cask list but given the amount of handpumps I am sure there will be cask beers to tempt many of you.
Last weekend whilst there we got to try the wonderful Choklat from Southern Tier which lived up to my expectations and beyond with a smooth chocolate hit and clinging to your taste buds for dear life. I see from the list they have their Creme Bulee beer, not sure on that one but could be interesting.
So if you in London for this weekend this is the place to head to.
Tuesday, 19 June 2012
Asda's Whitechapel Porter
5.2% ABV
I'm surprised to be honest that Shepherd Neame does any brewing for itself nowadays with all the supermarket beers it brews. I knew they did Sainsburys but this weekend I also found out that they do beers for Asdas as well. Now don't let the picture fool you, it is in a clear bottle but the porter is dark so Shepherd Neame are still using the same clear embossed bottles for these beers as well as their own ones.
The beer itself is pleasant if a tad bland apart from the aftertaste, it doesn't really taste like a porter to me more a darker bitter. Not bad just not very exciting either, shame as I do love Bishops Finger but this porter not in the same ball game for taste.
Saturday, 16 June 2012
Office Moves, Studying and Misc Reasons
Are all the reasons why I haven't been posting as much as I would like. In fact my blogging reading also took a hit for most of this month, so many blog posts have been earmarked for reading and as of yet I haven't got to them with the studying I have been doing, mores the pity.
The enjoys of marginal and absorption costing plus the other occult delights of accountancy have been a major drain on my time but not as much as moving a whole office in which it appeared I was the only organised person who did most (all) of it.
My partner wondered why I took a sledgehammer to a unwanted hard drive rather than follow his advice on a better way to destroy it..... The reason was stress management, ok I may have also shattered three bricks and one of the paving slabs in the garden but by heck it's a great way of relieving stress.
Of course I still have a souvenir of this, a bruise where the hard drive following one mighty blow jumped up and hit me on the leg.
Still now my 10 day week is over and now to beer, although last Sunday we did manage a trip to Stratford and Tap East for a few lovely halves of various beers.
The enjoys of marginal and absorption costing plus the other occult delights of accountancy have been a major drain on my time but not as much as moving a whole office in which it appeared I was the only organised person who did most (all) of it.
My partner wondered why I took a sledgehammer to a unwanted hard drive rather than follow his advice on a better way to destroy it..... The reason was stress management, ok I may have also shattered three bricks and one of the paving slabs in the garden but by heck it's a great way of relieving stress.
Of course I still have a souvenir of this, a bruise where the hard drive following one mighty blow jumped up and hit me on the leg.
Still now my 10 day week is over and now to beer, although last Sunday we did manage a trip to Stratford and Tap East for a few lovely halves of various beers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
