Muppets and Mandates...
Jul 08, 2024
What's up? Oh my gosh, what a muppet! Who? Me.
So our book-keeper asked me in March if I thought that the amount we were spending at the local hardware store/builder's supply looked ok. I checked. It did. We were extending our brewery tap room and things clicked. However, having been married over 20 years one of the few things I know is don't ignore a smart woman's intuition - or do - but that generally is gonna hurt!
So this week I was about to settle up the last 30 days of payments to them [like everyone we try and keep on top of our bills with a philosophy of pay local and small first] and lo and behold a chunky bill on building supplies. I sat down with Graham just to do a sanity check on it all and "surprise" there were four invoices, totalling around £350 that were not us. So we query them and the company is pretty instantly apologetic - they checked the CCTV and the guy buying was not Triple fff. He had said he was though.
The good news is that the company obviously recognised those bills were not ours. The bad news? Well, we checked back over 2023 and in the period when we were doing the most brewery maintenance and there were a few of us up and down from the hardware store - yep it was happening again. We had paid these bills and moreover the person doing this is allegedly up for 2 counts of GBH [allegedly 2 Southern Electric workers were slow in getting their van out of his way] - so this money has gone. Sorry, but not sure I want to chase the local hardman down for what he has taken off us - as Clint Eastwood says in The Outlaw Josey Wales - "dyin' ain't much of a livin'"...!
The reason I am telling you this? Well, twofold - firstly just to give a reminder to check and challenge those bills, secondly a reminder that truth can be stranger than fiction! The beeb reckons we lose £2,300 per minute to fraud... We are a few seconds of that!
Anyway, on to beer! This was my first JLP last night, regrettably for how I am feeling today, not my last!
What's On? (We'll Meet Again has pretty much gone/reserved - all we really have is what we are holding for the Tap Room - if you're desperate give us a call but otherwise, thanks again for the support on it - cracker!)
MOONDANCE 4.2% Pale Ale - Our best seller - nicely rounded Cascade Hop finish, almost get elderflower flavours from it... a smooth, more-ish pale ale. Best Bitter winner 2002. https://triplefff.com/collections/core/products/moondance
ALTON’S PRIDE 3.8% Best Bitter - Traditional best bitter - full bodied and biscuity. This is my go-to. Supreme Champion Beer of Britain 2008 winner. https://triplefff.com/collections/core/products/altons-pride
SUNDOWN - 4.3% Golden Ale – A Golden IPA with mild citra coming through at the end – originally brewed for the Coronation but we ran out 3 weeks beforehand and realised we had made something pretty special - renamed Sundown and challenging for the title of bestseller with Moondance... My go to after this damn cycle ride! https://triplefff.com/collections/core/products/sundown
PRESSED RAT & WARTHOG – 3.8% Dark - Chocolate and Coffee and if you find your northern roots and put it through a sparkler, you get something special. Only 3.8% with awesome body. I shouldn't say this, running a brewery - but you know how the most refreshing thing on a hot day can be a warm cup of tea? Well in beer terms people tend to think it is a lager on a hot day that is best - whilst you can't call individual tastes wrong [well, they are!] - the most refreshing beer?- I'd be reaching for a Rat! https://triplefff.com/collections/core/products/pressed-rat-warthog
BARBARIAN - 4.7% Lager - Clean, crisp yet as with our general style has a full body and enduring complexity - I get notes of whiskey at the end of it - that could just be my "unique" palate though?! To me (non-lager drinker) this is delicious. Cask, Keykeg or PolyKEG - give it a go!
JAGGED LITTLE PILSNER - 5% - stunning pilsner, super pale - slight hint of watermelon - so popular in our own tap room something we are happy not to sell externally as we know it goes so fast... Keykegs and back soon in Polykegs if you want to try it?
WE'LL MEET AGAIN - 3.8% - Pale. Elegant. Delicious. As above...
What's about?
Democracy is I guess... We're non-political as a business, unless politics concern beer! That said I did smile at some of the stuff coming through on social media about South West Norfolk - Norfolk often cops a bit of stick with the NFN etc... But getting pictures of a lettuce next to champagne was quite funny - sorry Liz, but not so sorry, wrong time and place for those economics!
And celebrating democracy whilst it still exists in M'erica! Hope any Americans you know had a cracking 4th of July... I remember reading an news article a few years ago talking about the fireworks and was very amused to see that there is an American Pyrotechnic Association - I guess why not? But still...
Hope you got to vote I can't help but think all the news coverage talking about a landslide maybe stopped some folks voting but it is what it is. Very much hoping the new Government can unleash some animal spirits and get the much promised growth going!
Have a cracking weekend - hope we can bring you some beer next week...and check those bills!
Xen
P.S.
Xen Gladstone
