I’m in Lady Grey’s right now. My second in command is shopping. And I have a delicious pint of Atom ‘Rare Earth’. I have to recommend it. The brewery too. They use no fish. The IPA’s next I think.
Much of their beer has a science theme; Schrodinger’s cat for example.
And, without science, I’d not have found their beer in Lady Grey’s today. Because I somehow managed to break my glasses while at the optician’s for an eye test. Fortunately, they had superglue.
The high level bridge was a pretty cool place to be a few minutes ago. Currently in the Bridge Hotel, enjoying a pint of erdinger.
The evening may not have been as special as last year (Local Authority spending constraints had an impact I imagine), but it was still good.
Time for a cab I think.
On the last day of 2014 I have two things to say:
1. I make good chilli
2. Chilli isn’t the same without beer
… and on the dole, you’ll get a pint in The Metropole. Someone told me about that little rhyme soon after I moved to Gateshead; in The Traveller’s Rest I believe. The Metropole had a lot of history, including some nice (but battered) old Edwardian panelling.
The pub closed a few months ago, having being purchased by a chain. It’s now re-opened and it’s pretty much been gutted. The lovely old bar has gone and the ceiling lowered (extremely). But it’s better to have a modernised pub than no pub at all. And it’s now attracting a new, cleaner clientele.
While most of the panelling has been replaced, a tiny bit remains.
I must recommend Samuel Smith’s 2014-15 Winter Welcome Ale. Not only does it taste amazing, it has a beautiful label too.
And, of course, it’s Vegan too.
It’s worth making a trip to Newcastle on the first Friday or Saturday of the month. The Boilershop Steamer is a pretty chilled event in a gorgeous venue. The building has real history, railway history that is.
For anyone who hadn’t heard, the Rocket was built there.
And now it’s a place to drink beer (or cider in my case), eat nice food and listen to live music.
I’ve just played the bus lottery.
The rules are simple; if you find yourself at Gateshead Interchange, in need of a bus in the direction of Deckham, Sheriff Hill or Wrekenton, then you can play. If the X1 arrives first, you have to go straight home. But if a 28, 56, or 57 arrives first you have to get off at the Three Tuns and have a beer.
This evening, a new rule was added. If a 57 turns up seconds after an X1, you have to disregard the first bus and run to the 57.
I’m now drinking the only bottle of Double Maxim in the Tuns’ fridge.
Currently standing on the platform (3) in Preston station, waiting for a delayed train. I was booked on the three o’clock, but had to stay behind to do some work after the meeting.
I always try to be positive though. The pint of Samuel Smith’s extra stout, in the olde blue bell, was most enjoyable. The second was also quite nice.
Apparently, Peter and Maria had a conversation along these lines before he left to meet me last night:
Peter: No, I can’t leave any later, I need to meet Gary at half seven.
Maria: you didn’t say you were going out with Gary!
Peter: Does it matter who I go out with?
Maria: No, but you always come home really drunk when you go out with Gary.
Which reminds me that Anne recently said the same thing about Trevor. I’ve tended to think about it the other way round; I get really drunk when I’m out with Peter or Trevor.
We did have a little too much, too quickly, last night though. On returning home, I noticed that the road wasn’t busy at all. So I took the opportunity to try to replicate this picture.
But it didn’t quite work out.
And I think that my second in command’s car needs a wash.
Shandygaff, or Radler, seems to have been invented in either England or Germany, around the early 1900s. Possibly as a drink for workers or cyclists. According to differing accounts on the Internet, that is.
Either way, it’s very refreshing after chopping firewood. Mine was made with Double Maxim and was particularly nice.