fffestival fffun and Easter Bunnies...
Apr 14, 2025
What's Up?
Busy, busy week...busiest of the year so far by some margin, and no wholesale. Next week we are delivering Monday-Thursday ahead of Easter so any early orders really appreciated as we expect it to be a very busy week and "forewarned is forearmed" as the saying goes...
The Lady Eleanor we have brewed is ready faster than expected - it will smooth with more conditioning over the coming weeks, but I really, really enjoy this fresh... Likewise with the Satisfaction - Graham said he would leave it a few more days in cask but then 🔭 I saw him taking 2 pints home from the sample cask last night🔭 [and was jealous I didn't have my beer growler at work - mind you, if you read on, I didn't go thirsty!].
Meanwhile, what was working on the home front?
What's On?
What's About?
I went to Farnham Beer X last night. It is such a great event, so well-organised and a terrific venue. A few firsts for me - first time I have done the Thurs night and the first time I have resisted drinking our beer (Moondance, Pride and Jagged Little Pilsner were all there and being consumed a lot by others!). Looking forward to Alton Beer Fest end of May very much - where I may not be holding off our beers so much!
First things first though - if you are going, and you already have an old plastic pint glass marked with 1/3, 1/2 and 1pint lines then you must TAKE IT - the glasses this year have really let them down and are appallingly chemically (even after rinsing with water a few times and uh-hum, a few beer rinses too!). It is a glass free venue so don't bring a glass pint pot but you will have a much, much, much better experience if you take a plastic one from former years or from another festival. You'll probably live longer as well, as those glasses really seemed toxic.
Nevertheless, and acknowledging the risk of forever chemicals, I put my liver on the line in the name of fun market research. It was the best beer selection I have seen there. So what worked best according to my palate? And for the record, I was drinking 1/3rds -
I really enjoyed Surrey Hills Ranmore and Magic Dragon's Old Magic Dark Mild.
I could happily drink more than two pints+ of Osset's Execelcius, Steam Town's Stoke, Tintagel's Pendragon and maybe Saltaire's Titus.
I would probably properly enjoy a full pint and maybe more of Purple Moose's Elderflower (though might fit into the half pint category), and Thornbridge's Jaipur (I have had much better versions of this, but not for a while and I would not say this was its best showing), Dorking's XPA, and Exmoor Gold. One of my buddies liked Craftsman's Scooby Dooby Doo, so I'll put it in the full pint category, but mainly because I'd enjoy a full pint of it if in his company... It was OK.
For my palate [and this is in no way saying they are bad beers] I'd be content with a half pint of Gilbert White's Hop Monster (too much going on for me though am certain the chemical nature of the glasses did nothing to help this), Disruption is Brewing's Chaos More Chaos is for me an unbelievable beer for the first 1/8th of a pint but then just too much going on, and it becomes a wrestling match - I know I am probably in a minority here as this is a very acclaimed beer and clearly well-made... Some folks, more ladies than men from my sample size were enjoying Farnham Town's Blind Bishop's Steps, but regrettably that didn't work for me at all, and despite having enjoyed Tilford's IPA in cask before, for me it didn't work in keg.
Like I said - none of these were bad beers, just not for my palate, as taste is very personal.
Easter approaches, and hope we can make sure you are well stocked for next week!
Have a great weekend,
Xen
P.S.
With the whipsaw nature of these tariffs ... With my old hat on from a former life and from some of the separate advisory work I undertake, - on a serious note I personally will not be buying into the US market until either September [sell in May and go away is a part of it, but also I think there will be a true read on the US economic outlook by then] or unless we see another 20% or more off - a proper meltdown.
And on a less serious note and a less appropriate one, I got this from Graham...
US Senator Roberts called his wife before leaving office, telling her that he was bringing two colleagues' home after work.
He asked her to put away all the "Made in China" stuff at home to avoid being accused of not cooperating with Trump. When he arrived with his guests, he saw that the door was gone, the windows were gone, and all the appliances, furniture and decorations in the house were all gone. His guests were shocked. However, the guests were thrilled when his wife came out to greet them... completely naked.
Yep, China makes so much of the world's stuff, and we've all grown up in a global world... Who knows how it might unravel? But in the meantime, the good news is - you can order world-class local beer tariff-free (apart from Rachel from complaint's share) ... You just need to let us know!
