Be Excellent To Each Other

So, my head hurts a bit.

Bought a few back from France with me:
La Geante, page 24, triple secret and Divine.
I deliberatiley chose bottles with those resealable rubber and porcelain bungs on so I can use them in the homebrew!

/must resist urge to call you and yell "HOW'S YOUR HEAD"
[edit] and more importantly, do you like beer?

It turns out I quite like some beers, yes. I plan to buy some more and continue experimenting.

WIN!

I think it was the port and whiskey that did for me. Excellent evening. Excellent pancakes in the morning too! I didn't need to eat again until 1pm today, in fact.

I also think that, on balance, I may need Airport Expresseseses.

It was a real cultural exchange!

It wasn't, or was only very slightly. I liked it a lot. The others didn't. Also the Rodenbach Grand Cru which was vinegary - in a good way, I thought; I don't like Gueze which are even moreso (and much like wine, which I don't like). So I'm glad I didn't get any of those.

Entertainingly, the most-favoured was the Steenbrugge Tripel at 11%. DANGER WILL ROBINSON!

I had a Biere Du Demon at 12%. Probably wouldn't have it again, it wasn't that nice.

http://www.brasseurs-gayant.com/anglais ... _demon.htm

I liked that one. Also Piraat. Both of which a mate and I drank at last orders when already arseholed.

I think that was the night he ended up in A&E via ambulance after falling over unconscious with a head wound, while I called him a cunt a lot to try and wake him up. While talking to the emergency responder.

Oops.

It seems to have stuck. I'm drinking Leffe with my Sunday lunch.

Excellent. Of the ones the supermarkets generally stock, Duvel is lovely and drinkable too, though perhaps a little fizzy. Chimay Red may suit but I'm not guaranteeing.

I started my Friday evening on Tripel Karmeliet. That turned out... less than stellar, as decisions go.

Hmm, I don't get on with fizzy drinks due to my burping disorder. So maybe not that one.

Pour it, leave it in the fridge for 10 minutes to degas for ten minutes. Chimay's not overly-gassy, it's the taste I'm not sure about. It's been ages since I had one, actually. Hmmm....

Or carry on with Leffe which doesn't require any faff. It's definitely not the way forward for me (nice as Uncle Jeff is), but then I'm awesome at burping.

An excellent thing would be a collaborative beer database, using relative and personalised rather than absolute ratings - "Bik thinks Tripel Karmeliet is gassier than Leffe Blonde, tastier than Delerium Tremens, and blonder than Chimay. Thumbs up." Which would probably be more at-a-glance useful for you (and accurate, if additional comparisons can be added as and when two beers are to hand), and automatically scaling as entries are added. Also reasonably easy to build a case recommenderator with a similarly-relative profile ("I, The Internet's Famous Richard Gaywood, like less fizz and more blonde than Bik. But throw in <two> random samples I haven't thumbs-downed").

If only I could face the thought of making a web app. Or paying Apple for an iOS SDK license, because having an app for that standing in front of the supermarket shelves would probably make me buy an iPhone (or Android, or Windows Phone 7).

I was 'converted' after trying Leffe in a Pizza Hut in Brussels.

I don't drink much alcohol at all due to cost and health issues, but when I do, I always choose the Belgian beers because many are superb. You can't beat the strong, rich flavours.

Do try Duvel though, Doc. The fizziness isn't that extreme. It's more of a foamy-headed beer than 'fizzy'.

Leffe is the Carling of Belgian Beers.

Nigerian imported Guinness is nice. A little bit more fizz than regular Guinness but really strong with a hint of liquorice to it.

I agree. Except that it tastes good.

Oh yeah. Did you bring me some?

I did actually. Some being an bottle anyway.

Dragon stout (with/without condensed milk).

Also, I put my bottle of La Geante in the freezer and forgot about it until it had partially frozen. That is a fully recommended drink like that, really smooth.

For the record, Cotswolds Lager is shit. Stick to the Czech stuff.

I found the Oxford Beer Database to be a useful resource when beginning my beer odyssey.

(Although it appears to be a bit broken now. Must be pissed).

Yes!

I've just got back from the Bishops Castle Beer Festival. It was all totally lovely, and for the first time since I've been going, all the pubs went for it in a big way. 92 beers, ciders and perrys on offer in six pubs all within 5 minutes staggering distance.

Beex Meet 2011?

Defo.

Camping is £6 per night, beers are £2.80 a pint.

I'll bring my own then.

I'm on my second Delirum Tremorse of the night, and this one is a 750ml bottle. IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT BIK.
Thanks!

My very good pleasure.

The time and typos make me proud.

I'm in the US, so it was only 10:30 or so actually. Hence it was only my second.

Ah, yes - in that interesting timezone 100 miles off the US Eastern Seaboard that's 4 and a half hours behind us.

I said "about". I'm too hungover for arithmetic.

He's possessed! *flings around holy mercury* THE POWER OF NEWTON COMPELLS YOU!

Beer choices for new year. I've decided that 72 pints should be acceptable for a week or so, especially as there are pubs nearby.

36 pints of Skinners Betty Stogs for £60.98 - Quite like this, but could I live with it if it is the only choice?
36 pints of Skinners Knocker for £60.98 - it's OK, not remarkale, but drinkable
36 pints of Bath Ales Barnstormer for £63.30 - Lovely, dark color and taste
36 Pints of Bath Ales Gem for £56.10 - A lighter ale, but still delicious
36 Pints Hook Norton Hooky Bitter £55.50 - Fantastic stalwart. A reliable old friend.

Are there any other decent ones that come in 36pint sizes?

Decent taste and much cheapness preferred. I'm tempted to go for Barnstormer and Hooky, but don't wish to limit my options.

Recommend me do!

Why not get a polypin or would you rather keep a horde for yourself?

They are polybins.

*adds to Christmas list*

it was you that said I should get polybins as well, some 38 hours ago...

Buy a load of these http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/sp ... _16251.htm

For winter, I'd go for Hobgoblin. It's lovely this time of year.

[Daily Mail mode]Oh, FFS, must we enter false date of birth details every time we want to look at a brewery's website?[/Daily Mail mode]

http://www.wychwood.co.uk/hobgoblin

I've been enjoying Henry Westons Vintage Cider lately, tastes lovely £1.69 a bottle (Mozzers) and 8.2%!

Ooh. Henry Westons Vintage is really nice for making Mulled cider with. Add in some dark rum, muscavado sugar (about a teaspoon per person) orange studded with cloves, an apple, chopped into 8 or so pieces, ginger, cinnamon, apple, allspice. Well, they are the things I use, though any kind of warm spices to taste would be nice. I usually heat a couple of bottles of cider at a time.

Heating would reduce the alcohol. The rum would help though, but I don't have any.

That's why you add rum and start with a high alcohol cider. Also, you only gently warm it, certainly do not boil it.

Nyum nyum nyum.