Easter on ice

As the cold weather has dragged on and on we decided to see if we could actually get to enjoy it over Easter. So the muckle big boots were taken down from the loft where I thought they'd be staying until December, and the ice axes were taken out from under the bed where I thought they'd be staying until the zombie apocalypse.

The drive to Langdale was particularly grim so bottle caps were popped as soon as we got to the hut. We still needed to stretch our legs though so a hike to the Sticklebarn was in order. It's now run by the National Trust and the beer range seemed a bit duller than before. A couple of Molson Coor's cask beers were amongst those on offer, so I tried the Worthington's Winter Shield, which turned out to be an unexciting amber ale. Despite having blown a million quid on the brewhouse and hired a rock star brewer I still get the feeling that Molson Coors are a bit clueless about what to do with Worthington's. Still, there is a lot of potential so we can only hope.

The hills were hard work as both the snow, and myself, were mostly soft. One of these days I'll get back to regular training.

The lovely Lisa dicing with death on a cornice

After a day wandering over the Pikes a pint of Old Peculier in the ODG did wonders for easing the pain in my weary legs.

The beer of the weekend though was when we found Stringers No.2 Stout in the Wainwright after heading over Side Pike and Lingmoor Fell the next day.

You can't beat a good cask beer

Only 4% ABV but full bodied and full of flavour so we stayed for a couple.Then it was back to the hut to toast crumpets in front of the fire.

Getting damp in December

Last weekend I was back in Langdale with a mountaineering club. Despite the horrors of the M25 we managed to make it to the Watermill for last orders, and to my delight Stringers beers were on. As I take my desires for reality because I believe in the reality of my desires I had a pint of No. 2 stout. It was an excellent beer.



Under the paving stones, the beach

Our plan for Friday was to go climbing in Borrowdale. After one look out the window in the morning these plans were quickly downgraded to scrambling in Langdale. Then it started raining so the plans were downgraded again to hill walking in Langdale. At this rate it was looking like all we'd be doing was shopping in Ambleside if we didn't get out soon. So we headed up the blue route and wandered towards Pavey Ark and Sergeant Man. Then we dropped down towards Easedale tarn.

It's grim up north.

By this point daylight was starting to run out and horizontal sleet was being blown into our faces. Defintely time to return. When practicing night navigation I've gone back this way before and if you can't find the path, which is quite tricky once it's dark, it's a right horror. When we were back on the ridge we were too far over for the path and I was starting to despair of finding it. But truding back, with about half an hour of daylight left, we spotted it: a green snake of salvation slithering silently through the bracken to the valley floor.

Thing went a bit more smoothly on Saturday. Past red tarn and the three shires stone to wet side edge and then down to little Langdale. We were able to stop for refreshment at the Three Shires Inn. This pub has a scarily large number of signs ordering you not to do things but once you're inside it's very pleasant. Or it was until some wet cyclists turned up and started drying their sweaty socks on the log burner. Perhaps another sign is needed.

As I'm now an old man I had a pint of Coniston Brewery Old Man ale here. Now it's winter my beer tastes are definitely turning to the dark side. Once it had stopped raining we headed on to the Wainwright's in Chapel Stile.

The excellent Cumbrian Legendary Ales Grasmoor was on so we had to stop for a couple. Then it was back to the hut for dinner and refreshments.

Bank holiday beers

We were back in the Langdale for the bank holiday weekend. We had our customary stop on the way at the Watermill at Ings for a pint of Collie Wobbles (3.7% ABV) and Booths to stock up on bottles. I was pleased to see that Booths have expanded their range of Fyne Ale's beer to include Jarl (3.8%), a beer I've noticed several of my fellow internet beer nerds praising. It is indeed righteous stuff so I called in again on the way back for another couple of bottles.

Our first day of hill based heroism involved trekking up the blue route to Pavey Ark where we made an ascent of the slightly moist Jack's Rake (grade 1).

The weather was unexpectedly good, who'd have thought we'd be out in T shirts on the August Bank Holiday weekend?

Not wishing to extend our mortgage we avoided the New Dungeon Ghyll for our refreshments and called in the Sticklebarn. Stringers West Coast Pale Ale (4.4%) was on so we went for that first, and then Coniston Brewery's Special Oatmeal Stout (4.5%) to restore our dark/light balance. And then maybe a couple more back in the hut.

The next day we trudged up Bowfell, despite gravity seeming especially strong, which lead us to the Old Dungeon Ghyll on the way back. I had a pint of Yates bitter (3.7%) to start with and then felt strangely drawn to the Old Peculier. At a dangerously strong 5.6% ABV it's not one I go for often, though I seem to remember being fond of it in my youth when it was even stronger. I may well have to drink it more now though as it really hit the spot. The black malty goodness coping well with the infernal sparkler it went down a treat.

It was back to the Sticklebarn in the evening, and the next morning the long drive back home. Beer stocks are looking good, and legs virtuously aching, so it was a good weekend.

The Rake Cumbrian beer festival

The lovely Lisa spotted that one of her favourite beers, Cumbrian Legendary Ales Grasmoor, was going to be on at the Rake so a research trip was in order.

We sat outside where a range of beers were on stillage. The Grasmoor was a bit flat, but the Loweswater Gold worked a treat quenching my thirst. We were a bit stumped for what to try next as the beers tended towards the strong side. There was only one thing for it - we switched to drinking halves.

We were disappointed that Thurstein pilsner wasn't on, as it's practically named after Lisa. So American Invasion (5% ABV) and Hawkshead Citrillo (5% ABV) were next for us, both of which were at the beer that tastes like grapefruit juice end of things. More hoppy ones were up next, a couple from Stringers: Victoria IPA (5.5%) and Hop Priest (6.5%). We preferred the Victoria as the taste was a bit crisper.

After that we abandoned any attempts at pacing ourselves and I had a Mutiny double stout (9.3%) and Lisa had Infra Red (6.2%). The syrupy delights of the stout did it for me and the lovely Lisa enjoyed the way Infra Red gets better with each sip.

We're a bit undecided on the Rake. There was a good beer range if you like stronger beers but I prefer to sit somewhere relaxing where I can settle in for an evening drinking beers of more modest strength.

It was time for some food after that so we went to the Southwark tavern for a unique food experience. Well, I hope it was unique as the food was dire so I don't want to do it again.

Woking beer festival 2010

I went to my local beer festival on Saturday. I was particularly excited this year as I'd spied that some Marble beers were on, a brewery that is highly rated by my fellow beer nerds.  

First up was a half of Pint (3.9% ABV), which even at this early stage of the evening caused some confusion to the man behind bar. This beer has more hops than you can shake a stick at, making it seem more like drinking grapefruit juice. A bit OTT for me to be honest. W90 (3.7% ABV) seemed a bit more balanced but the hops were heading in the piney direction which always makes me think of toilet duck. Interesting beers, but not ones I was keen to drink more of. 

I was after something next where the hops hadn't been cranked up to 11 so a pint of the reassuringly blandly named Stringers Best (4.2% ABV) seemed ideal. I thought it was great, and could have happily spent an evening on it, but it was not to be. This was a beer festival after all.

So I followed it with the Stringers No. 2 stout. Again it was good drinking at only 4% ABV, but I was feeling the need for something with a bit more oomph at this point. There were a couple of beers from the righteous brewery Pilgrim on offer and Saturn Alia (4.9% ABV) did the trick. A ruby beer with some body, it was just what I was after. 

At this point I moved on to the small hall and got chatting to the bloke who runs Egham beer festival. I drank the beer he recommended which was very nice but what it was I couldn't say. Only three pints in an losing track already - you can see where this is heading. The lovely Lisa thinks it was Langham LSD, which could explain why my memory is a bit hazy. 

Other beers of note included Dorking brewery Dry Hop Gold (3.8%) which was packed full of flavour for its modest strength, Inveralmond Thrappledouse (4.3%), Houston Texas (4.3%) and Andwell's Rudy Darter (4.6%) which I seem to recall we had a few of towards the end. This was another ruby beer, and I'm sure the darker ones keep out the winter chill better. Which was just as well as we were walking home.