The Lemon Fool

Once upon a time, many canned beers came with those infernal "widgets", so one had to buy very carefully to avoid them. Are they still around, or have we seen them off?

I think they are now only used for the creamflow/smoothflow 'draught' bitters and Guinness.

Tesco have Ruddles at 8 for £9 and this is excellent in cans, not too gassy and a very nice malty beer.

For some reason Abbot in cans always seems netter than the bottles as it has less gas.

Any other favourite can beers out there?

IShouldCoco wrote:...

Any other favourite can beers out there?

At Sainsburys I sometimes buy the 4x440ml Adnams Ghostship -deal.

Adnams Ghostship
Sometimes I like, sometimes I'm like 'hmm cat piss'

BrummieDave wrote:Bodds used to be a rare find outside a 20 mile radius of Manchester but the dual assault of the widget based can and mega TV ad campaign, plus some new chemicals I think, allowed them to take it nationwide on draught, much to the detriment of its original quality.

I never did get used to Boddies. But then, maybe I never tasted the proper stuff before widgets came in? I'm not a fan of heavy hopping (it plays hell with my digestion), but the Boddies seemed to have practically no hops at all. And nor did it seem to be going down the other route toward sweet maltiness. That left you with a sort of mild gluey flavour, which is where I parted company with it. Manchester can keep it.

Bombardier in cans? I prefer bottles, especially when they're down to a quid each in Asda. But I will shamefacedly confess that I keep a modest stash of Speckle in those smaller cans that they sell in ten-packs. Every now and then they hit the spot, and the smaller quantity is quite nice. There, I've said it.

(BJ ducks for cover.)

Had six pints of a really nice American IPA from my local Red Cat brewers last night. Beautiful beer made with mosaic hops, 4.9%...top of the range for a session beer for me but worth it and no fuzzy head this morning! Result. If only I hadn't lost twenty quid on the poker!

https://www.ratebeer.com/beer/red-cat-m ... le/581106/

John

+1 if mostly in admiration for being able to drink 6 pints - 'ah, those were the days'

I managed 3 last night, and very good they were too: Lagunitas '12th of Never' APA, 5.5%, on draught in The Euston Tap, London.

have they refurbed the Euston tap yet, or are the toilets still up in the roof..?

(additional comment - looks like the nearby Bree Louise is going to be demolished to make way for HS2 )

Toilets still an issue. The Euston tap is a great idea, only ruined by the reality of the building. It's too small (both of them - this will make sense to anyone who's been) so getting served is a problem, and the one loo upstairs is not enough so you end up queueing in the seating area looking like a numpty. On a warm summer evening, for one pint, standing outside, it's good, in fact it's great.

Far better is the Sheffield Tap, bang on the station platform, much better selection of beer, plenty of places to sit inside and outside, and no capacity issues with the toilets, and they have their own micro on site. For anyone who hasn't been, it's the old waiting room, and is a splendid example of regenerating a beautiful Edwardian building, and putting it to excellent use. http://www.sheffieldtap.com/

AleisterCrowley wrote:...

(additional comment - looks like the nearby Bree Louise is going to be demolished to make way for HS2 )

Good riddance! "no, it's supposed to be like that, warm and flat, it's cask ale you see"

I've had some good beer in there (but not the room temp gravity dispense cask vinegar)

Today and tomorrow are my treat days. I can drink beer and eat food. I've lost 6kg in a month. Fridays and Saturdays I will eat meat ( but no cream sauces), then rice, green beans, carrots, broccoli etc. as a side dish. I am 181cm and was 103kg, now 97kg. Target is first 95kg, then settle around 88-89kg.

Sundays I just coast on leftovers from Fridays and Saturdays - even on treat days I need to control my portion size which was the biggest problem, I haven't been eating crisps, cheese, sweets, danish, chocolate etc, I only drink coffee, tap water, beer and tea. So I never ate crap but my portion size control was out of control. I still have my usual beers on Fridays and Saturdays.

Today I'll have lean meatballs with no sauces, fried onions on top, side dish rice carrot green bean onion mix.

On weekdays I'll have a banana in the morning, past noon small omelet or tuna salad or cup a soup, 6pm tuna salad or small omelette, I mix it around. No beers of course until Friday.

One doesn't need frankfurter goulash with gratin dauphinoise during the week!

So you can imagine how much I appreciate having a bottle of Proper Job right now and Pilsner uruquel earlier after a jog - pure bliss!

I am 181cm and was 103kg,

No idea..what that in the 'old money'?!
I have a feeling I'm 1.83m (6ft?) , and I wobble(!) between 12st 7lbs and 13st depending on time of year, beerage etc

AleisterCrowley wrote:I am 181cm and was 103kg,

No idea..what that in the 'old money'?!
I have a feeling I'm 1.83m (6ft?) , and I wobble(!) between 12st 7lbs and 13st depending on time of year, beerage etc

I didn't quote old money for a reason, check the feedback I got in another thread for posting reasoning behind the superiority of imperial measures and logic behind them.

Blasted, I still think in guineas, the tradesmen I employ get their pound, obviously if I am paying a gentleman they get the extra shilling.

The '1000 Guineas Stakes' wouldn't be the same as the £1050.00 stakes

AleisterCrowley wrote:The '1000 Guineas Stakes' wouldn't be the same as the £1050.00 stakes

As a fully paid-up member of British Weights and Measures Association I wholeheartedly agree! Bloody Napoleon and his stubborness, damn his eyes!

It's Friday and I can drink beer and eat. A small gathering of Saltaire and Ilkley beers, chicken teriyaki getting ready. 15 1/2 pounds off in 6 weeks of which 4 weeks were serious and hard regime without feeling hungry at all.

Drank a couple of Chalky's Bites brewed by Sharps for Rick Stein...wife had bought them as a gift from Padstow.

6.8% and brewed with fennel seeds to create a distinctive taste and aroma. It has won several awards!

To me all I could taste was bananas...I don't like my beer to taste of bananas.

I won't be having that again.

John

redsturgeon wrote:Drank a couple of Chalky's Bites brewed by Sharps for Rick Stein...wife had bought them as a gift from Padstow.

6.8% and brewed with fennel seeds to create a distinctive taste and aroma. It has won several awards!

To me all I could taste was bananas...I don't like my beer to taste of bananas.

I won't be having that again.

John

It's a wheat beer isn't it? Banana probably comes from the yeast used, perhaps they use a German hefeweizen yeast of some sort which gives banana (and clove and bubblegum) flavours. Belgian style wheat beers don't really have banana flavours. And fennel is there obviously to match Rick's fish dishes.

Chalky sadly passed away years ago, what a character he was!

JMN2 wrote:

redsturgeon wrote:Drank a couple of Chalky's Bites brewed by Sharps for Rick Stein...wife had bought them as a gift from Padstow.

6.8% and brewed with fennel seeds to create a distinctive taste and aroma. It has won several awards!

To me all I could taste was bananas...I don't like my beer to taste of bananas.

I won't be having that again.

John

It's a wheat beer isn't it? Banana probably comes from the yeast used, perhaps they use a German hefeweizen yeast of some sort which gives banana (and clove and bubblegum) flavours. Belgian style wheat beers don't really have banana flavours. And fennel is there obviously to match Rick's fish dishes.

Chalky sadly passed away years ago, what a character he was!

Not a wheat beer, described as an English strong ale. Has a mix of Sharps normal yeast with some Belgian stuff.

John