SURSUM and CORDA

Merry Christmas&Happy Hogmanay

2008-12-24T02:52:00.000-08:00

Bound To Edina

2008-11-25T06:07:00.000-08:00

(Versión n'asturianu)
In a Few hours I'm flying to Edina. I'm really anxious... four years have passed since I left Auld Reekie.....Apart from my pal's wedding, I'll have plenty of time to my beloved ale. 25 pints in 5 days is my challenge-only at my long awaited Halfway House, to taste the brand new cask ales from the Scottish Independents. Apart from that more pints will come in my pal's stag party- A Real Ale Pub Crawl I had the honour of collaborating in, a Visit to a couple of breweries, a tour within the Whisky Heritage-That relative of beer, I mean, an interview with the ale crafters from Stewart and a second go-this time on location, to the future of microbreweries in Britain. Brewdog. Loads of ale? maybe, but I bet that we'll missed some others more, that's life. See you in a week. Haya salud, amigos

Pic: Pint of Good Rich Ale at the Jolly Judge, Lawn Market, Edina.

P.S.- For further info on Scottish independent brewers followBuy Scottish Ales. Apart from that, Max, the beer philosopher, and his mates Evan Rail and Velky Al have made an interesting review in three about Brewdog's Punk IPA. Both links are higly recommended to be updated with Scottish beer scene.

Ale in Spain

2008-09-09T15:01:00.000-07:00

(Versión en Español)
Some weeks ago a couple of beer blogging fellows- Delirium and Boak, talked about the possibility of drinking decent British Ale in Spain. Despite both the distance and the weather I believe there's a good choice of ale in our country. This post is to salute those friends and to use as a kind of little guide about what you can get here asking for an ale.Bassically I wrote about what I have witnessed and tried*. Cheers. Haya Salud.

Both in all the Peninsula- including Portugal. and in the Islands-The Balearics and The Canary there are some interesting brands of British ales which are Highly recommended. From the notes I could take I have made the following list:

Marston's- Barril y Botella from Madrid are the oficial distributor to Spain. They starting the distribution of Old Empire, Single Malt ale, Strong ale, Oyster Stout y Pedigree Bitter Bottled Conditioned.

Bass-It's widely spread mainly because it is in Inbev's portfolio. Versions available versions: CO2 keg for bars and restaurants and 330ml bottle for stores and supermarket y para los supermercados viene en botella de 33cl.Its a must in our sessions and a pretty fine beer.

Boddington's pub ale.Another ale in Inbev's Portfolio available in nitrokeg for bars and in widget inside 500ml cans for supermarkets and stores (It used to be a true bargain in Mercadone some months ago: a 6 pack just for 4,50€ )

John Smith- The Smooth version is included in the S&N-now Heineken, portfolio. After Heineken's acquisition of S&N its future is a mistery.Available in Nitrokeg for bars and widget inside 500ml cans for supermarkets.

Newcastle Brown Ale- "The Dog" is one of the former flagships of S&N but once more, after being sold to Heineken we don't have many clues about what is going to happen. Newkie is available in nitrokeg ad 550ml bottle for bars and in 330ml and 550ml bottles for stores and supermarkets.

Tetley's- Froma Alicante to the rest of Spain, might say the oficial distributors called Los Deportistas. Calrsberg distributes it in Portugal-Where I tried it for the first time in the Peninsula and its available in both countries in nitrokeg for bars and y in 500ml cans for stores and supermarket.

London Pride.- Heineken España got the right of distribution of the Pride in Spain. Though we have to go to a Heineken-Guinness Franchise pub to enjoy a good pint, it worths the effort. It's available only in bars in both versions: 500ml bottle and nitrokegs tiene los derechos de distribución de London Pride. Another favourite of us.

Charles Well's: Crusat, The Little Beer Company y Fassbier are two of the most important importers which distribute a good variety of Well's ales. Bombadier premium ale, John Bull Bitter, Bowman Stout or the exotic Banana Bread are served in Full Pint bottles and in Co2 kegs in bars and pubs.

ST. Peter's-Probably the best ale I've tried in this part of the world till now and another favvy of mine. Best Bitter, Organic Best Bitter, Honey Porter and Cream Stout are available in 500ml bottle thanks to Fassbier and The Little Beer Company.

BelHaven-From my adoptive land, Scotland , and via the Asturian importerTorma, I can remember my days in Edina in each sip of the great Twisted Thistle IPA, . From the Brewery of we can also enjoy St. Andrews ale and Burns Celebration ale. Belhaven and Greene King have a kind of association so it's also possible to have some beers from the Bury St Edmunds' brewery. Strong Suffolk-absolutetly great, Abbot Ale, Ruddles County, and Old speckled hen are some good examples. All those beers are available in 500ml bottles.In the rest of Spain, The Little beer Company, based in Elx, Alacant, is the official importer.

WhiteShield.- Via Fassbier and The Little Beer Company we can enjoy one of the most interesting brit ale that has arrived here ever. Bottled conditioned, it's an expensive ale but a sip that worths each cent of euro.

The Oddities.

Bateman's XX Bitter.- I couldn't find whic importer delivers it but I came across this aleduring my staying in Sevilla. A wonderful and well balanced ale highly recommended.

Wychwood- Half a mistery. I dont' Know how it has come to Asturies but for the rest of the country The Little Beer Company is the importer.The fact is that we can enjoy 5 of its portfolio: . Hobgoblin, Wychcraft, Circle Master, Black Wych and Goliath. All of them in 500ml bottle version

P.S.- I hope I forgot some ales so I'll have new beers to enjoy, let me know if you find other specialities or distributors. Cheers

Summer days

2008-07-10T05:43:00.000-07:00

(Versión n'Asturianu)
one of the beer characteristics I love best is the versatile of its condition, the possibility of brewing according with the season or the month of the year. Season beer fascinates me and opens an incredible path of flavours and styles we can no more than admire. Summer's come, inviting us to stay outside, without thinking on coming back home. The Germans drink weizen in this season and so do I . Without hesitation I open a bottle of Weisser Hirsch by the independent Der Hirschbräu Brauerei from Allgäu that my mother brought me the other day. It is a pale cloudy unfiltered wheat beer with a foamy white lasting head and a good carbonation. Aromas of banana, pineapple and citrics are present.In mouth it is really refreshing and fruity with citrics and cereal, a subtle banana touch- though lesser in taste than in aroma, and a good acidity resulting in a really thirst quenching beer. Its an ejoyable beer ideal for those summer nights you want to chat with your friends around some glasses of our favourite drink

There's one beer I have reviewed before that has become one of my favourites in summertime. Colomba by La Pietra, is a fantastic beer, brewed from a mixture of wheat and barley malts, and naturally flavoured with hops, mirtle and juniper. It's white and cloudy, with a short white head. You can smell the fragant herbal aromas and some fruits. In mouth you taste pineapple, citrics but the herbs express themselves powerfully-you can feel even some hints of mint, but really well balanced, with no one overtaking the others, something really difficult to do when using that kind of herbs. As I mentioned before a personal beer, a good thirst quencher and a sip for those who want to taste something really different.

Useless entry: Warrior number 13

2008-07-10T05:37:00.000-07:00

say 13 times warrior number 13 while drinking 14 pints and you'll be safe and sound.

10 years later....

2008-06-16T13:32:00.001-07:00

( Versión n'Asturianu)
Ten years have passed since my team-Sporting de Gijón, shamefully were relegated to the second Division. Yesterday, after a wonderful campaign, they promoted to the top category of the Spanish Football, La Liga. A humble team with a good reputation as football Academy: Quini, Luís Enrique, Abelardo,Juanele, Villa, are some of the great asturian players who were forged in the low categories of Sporting and then succedeed in teams as Barcelona, Real, Zaragoza or Valencia as well as in the National Team. This one is for them all.(Sporting B, the youngsters, has also promoted to second division B.Well done boys!!!!).

P.S-Look at the nice chopp I've chosen, a relic from our local brewery now closed.No comments about the beer, my love doesn't allow me hehehehe.

100

2008-06-05T06:44:00.000-07:00

( Version n'asturianu)

100 is a round number and an amount that many times implies celebration.This is the post number 100 of this blog. It seems not very far since I've started posting my personal visions on beer, wine, food, and life in general. The best part of it? All the people I've met, exchaged points of view or have a passion in common with. On every corner of the world there's someone to talk about, to share ideas or to discuss about some aspects of our favourite drink. I've much enjoyed each comment i've received, each link I've visited and I've learned a lot with them. I'm really proud of saying that there's a whole interactive beer community really much interesting out there. To all of them I open the bottle my friends kindly gave me to celebrate such an event. Haya salud

Commenting and Travelling

2008-05-30T01:19:00.001-07:00

(AsturianVersion)

Asturias, Spain, Scotland, Portugal, Italy, Usa.... are some of the places I receive readers from. They always complaint about the impossibility of leaving a comment when you have not a blogger/google account. I hope that the previous picture and the little scheme I've written below would end with their excuses to write in Sursum&Corda's comments. Take Care.

Leave a Comment>Choose Identity>Name/URL>Your Name>Publish

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I'm off to Salamanca tomorrow. I'm spending a few days in my love's company and with her I'm going to visit two new and interesting beer- related places. In One hand there's a Restaurant, modern and dynamic enough to include a list of beers suitable to pair the food in its menu. Something that, though it may sound strange, its really innovative to our culture. On the other, there's a brand new independent beer bar in Town, which is by its own a reason of joy. The profesionals in charge of both businesses have a great command of their job as well as loads of enthusiasm what for me is essential to start such a challenge. From these lines I want to express my great expectations on them, willing to do it in person tomorrow. Let you know about it when I'm back. Take care.

Viva la Vida!!!

2008-05-25T07:28:00.000-07:00

Early this morning, I switched on my mobile and this sms gave me a great piece of news: "Ora 1 e 30 é nata B., 2, 770 Kgs. Tutto ok"(1.30 a.m. Beatrice, 2,772 kg, is born. Everything's all right). In that brief way our greek-piedmontese friend and her florentine husband told us that their baby was being born in Firenze last night. A a good florentine weeny she's carrying the name of Dante's beloved. I want to dedicate this Sursum Corda to them with my best wishes of happiness and joy. I raise three glasses for you. Love. A (Asturian-Italian Version)

P.S- Negroni is my favourite Italian cocktail ever. It is made by mixing Campari, Martini Rosso and Gin in equal proportions. fill an old-fashioned type of glass with ice, add 1/3 of each liquor, a slice of orange, stir and serve. You have more info about the fantastic Negroni here

Rambling in Sevilla (I)

2008-05-25T02:37:00.000-07:00

(Asturian Version)
Sun, light and joy are three words that perfectly describe what Sevilla brings to me. One of my favourite passions when visiting a new place is to get lost, rambling across a city without destination to feel the real life of its streets. Sevilla got several wonderful things to admire and for me it's one of those places that when you leave it you are instantly missing. Dedicated to my primo El Robe and his wife N. with deep affection.Remember, It's my round pal!! Arsa guaje, Puxa quillo...

Santa Cruz
Walking through la Judería I came across Las Teresas (Santa Teresa Street, 2), A wonderful Sevillian Tavern typically designed and decorated which offers fantastic tapas-olives, fish in brines, peppers, cheese, green salad, serrano ham, and wonderful wines. A manzanilla de San Lucar and a tapa of roasted peppers gave strength to my soul.
From Las Teresas I restarted my way to La Giralda. Just 500 metres from la Catedral I found my second stop. Las Columnas(Rodrigo Caro, 1) is a classic Sevillian Bodega with that magic touch of the ancient bars and a joyful spirit.Fino (Sherry wines) and Manzanilla are served straight from wooden casks and accompanied by wonderful ensaladillas and assorted fried fish.

Constitución, Sierpes, Tetuán
My mate El Robe and his wife emigrated to Andalucia 4 years ago. Both are working now at Pablo de Olavide University and are truly two astur andalusian chaps. We have an appointment with them at Avenida La Constitución. Some kisses and hugges later they show us the city centre and some of their favourite bars. Casa La viuda (Albareda street, 2) is a modern tapas bar with the air of the classic ones. I liked a lot its decoration consisting of different bottles of all kind of Spanish wines. The always present Cruzdelcampo cañas and jarras and glasses of wine and sherry flowed as a river to match some of the tastier tapas in town. Tortillita de Camarones(small prawns omelette), ensaladilla rusa,(mayo and tuna salad) croquetas de Bacalao( fried breadcrumbed cod with bechamel) y berenjena rellena de queso y gambas( fried aubergine stuffed with fresh cheese and prawns) enlighten our happy meeting. By eleven o'clock we were back to the hotel. Next morning I had my exam so we'd better behave ourselves ( To be continued...)

Sevilla

2008-05-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

My childhood is memories of a patio in Seville,
and a garden where sunlit lemons are growing yellow...
Antonio Machado

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( Versión en español)

Hispalis Bound

2008-05-16T04:16:00.000-07:00

I'm off to Hispalis* tomorrow. It's not a touristic visit but a professional one so my time's limited.Nevertheless I'm sure I'm going to spare a couple or hours satisfying my soul in one of the most beautiful and roaring cities in Spain. There are two interesting beer places I want to visit; The first one, recommended by my pal Lúpulo, is La Fábrica. The Second one is Cervecería Internacional, the best free beer bar in Sevilla and a must in our Portuguese friend's words. I presume than the rest is all bland Spanish lager for we are in Cruzcampo's homeland. I let you know about it when I'm back. Have a nice weekend. (Asturian Version)

*Roman name , turned into Ishbiliya ( أشبيليّة) during the Muslim times, from which derived the actual name, Sevilla.

English Phonetics in Use (or One of this, please*)

2008-05-10T04:03:00.000-07:00

(Asturian Version)

Edinburgh's coming back to me more than ever due to recent interesting events in my life. The other day I met a Glaswegian in Gijón.After the Congress we were attending and around some bottles of Asturian cider we were talking and revisiting the history, society and culture of our country ( I consider myself a third Scottish though There's no Llaneza Clan tartan). Obviously we made great empashis on pubs, beer and breweries and at that moment of our fantastic ocnversation I had a sort of "Linguistic enlightment". I realised that I have being mispronouncing Deuchars for four years. Thing is that I've always said /djʊ:tʃ əs/ Trying to be accurate with my use of the RP English. My 'Wegian pal explain to me the Ancient Scottish origin of the ch sound adding that the second syllable should open as 'ch' in loch (lake), Lachlan (male name), Bach (musician), Strachan (football manager) and so on rather than as the ch sound in 'church' or the K one in 'car'. In this way the proper Scottish pronunciation should be/djʊ:xəs/. Beer as a way of learning languages is another feature we can add to the great variety of advantages this wonderful beverage have, don't you think?

*The Brief way used by this languages' pragmatist

P.S- Just in case, the beer we both love is Deuchar's IPA from Caledonian Brewery. A fantastic beer, specially when cask conditioned-see picture on the left, which I used to drink a lot in my Edinbra's times. I remeber the offer at the Standing Order, 1,45 per pint during the whole August. Incredible!!That makes a couple of euros. I bet anybody a 5 minutes frenchy if a price like that is found in that part of the world!!!! (meaning of quality beer not just crap or dull lagers, right?)

An Old Islander

2008-05-07T03:08:00.000-07:00

ISLE OF JURA (Asturian Version)

Type: Single Malt Scotch whisky
Age: 10 años
Distillery: Isle of Jura Distillery Co., Craighouse, Jura.

Tasting Notes:
This single malt whisky is the proud creation of one of Scotland’s least known but most beautiful Islands. Made with water from the Bhaille Mhargahaidh spring, which confers the subtle taste, it is a whisky which enjoys a fruity undertone with just a hint of smoke and salt air to enrich the palate. A wonderful and enjoyable sip.

To Manuela & Marco with true affection...and to Scotland as well!!!

It was during my last days in Edinburgh when my friend Manuela and I decided to joined the Wild In Scotland guided tour across the Highlands. It was a great experience we enjoyed a lot.There were 15 of us from different nationalities and a crazy Scottish Sherpa who later became a good travel mate of me - A passion in common for both beer and Motorhead is something worthy in that part of the world. I remember that when we crossed the lowlands' border and officially entered the Higlands he stopped the van and leading us to a small hill made a wee ritual. It consisted on passing round a bottle of Isle of Jura 10 years single malt and drinking from it immerse ourselves in the truly highlander spirit.Scot, The guide, winking an eye at me, whispered: “ Hey eidrien, the best part of this is to watch the weird faces of those who don’t like whisky, pay attention!!”. Useless to say that my face , after drinking a couple of long sips, was that of one who does like it. I finished the bottle in the van, sharing it with the nice Kiwi couple seated besides me, while we were north bound to Fort Williams in a merry comradeship that made our journey happier. Slàinte mhor! We’ll come back.

Drinking like a Cossack**

2008-05-05T08:29:00.000-07:00

...Maybe the origin of this Spanish idiom lies in that brilliant words (Asturian Version)

P.S- Who dares to question a Hetman's words?

**From the corresponding idiomatic expressions in English "to drink like a fish " and "to drink as a sponge"

The Session #15: How Did it All Start for You?

2008-05-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

(Spanish Version)

Our fellow beer bloggers Boak&Bailey host this month's The Session with a very interesting question for us How did it all start to you?
I could say that there are five essential steps which have given way to my beer awareness. I have always believed that smells produce a a special psychological process, printing on our mind the images of what is happening at the moment of perceiving them. The second time we noted an scent we're mentally back to the scenario we originally smelled it. It happened to me when I lived in Edinburgh 4 years ago. My flat was a couple of minutes walking from the McEwan's Breweries in Fountainbridge. Once a week the vapours from the coppers were released and a –for me- pleasant malty aroma filled the air of my adoptive city. That smell brought me back to my childhood when the same operation was held by my village’s brewery, el Aguila Negra de Colloto(now disappeared). I strongly believe that those exhalations marked in my brain a kind of first inclination towards beer. "Something that smells so great should taste grater” we wondered. Our curiosity was quickly satisfied by the beers we sneaked from our parent’s well stocked cellars. those were followed by others and an interest on beer started to move inside me.

The second important event that help me to develop my love for beer was a pub in my home city. I spent most of my teens and first years of my adult age by the bar of this den. It was a pub specialized in imported beers, with a dozen of different taps from almost every beer country in Europe. My first pints of Bass, Köstrizer, Spaten and Staropramen as well as my first bottles of Chimay- my father’s favourite and ever recommended beer, were drunk there in the company of a group of friends we still sharing our passion nowadays. What I lived in that bar made me want to know, read and learn as much as possible about beer culture.

My first visit to London in the mid 90’s was the third turning point. I was fascinated by all the things I was living in that incredible city. Every single thing I saw taught me something new. But the best thing was that I could enter in contact with the reality of the British beer scene: the pub culture, last orders and happy hours, guest ale and cask ale; Bitter with steak and kidney pudding, pale ale with fish and chips, no newsagent's selling beer after eleven p.m, and so on. It was a kind of love at first pint that still longs.

As I mentioned before, I had the opportunity of working and living in Edinburgh. It was a really satisfying experience who linked me even more to the British culture I adore. In that new Millenium Edinburgh, Scottish and Newcastle was a Brtitish beer giant and Fountainbridge an industrial area rather than a living room. It also was- and it is, a beautiful city from which Stevenson said "there are no stars so lovely as Edinburgh street-lamps". I could get in touch with the Scottish beer reality, tasting the differences and the similarities with the English one.Travelling throught the country steeping myself with that beer culture allowed me to grow a lot as a beer lover.

Last but not least is what i’m doing at the moment. For the last year and a half I’ve been regularly updating this blog, keeping in touch with different beer communities which have taught me a lot about the endless possiblities of our favourite drink.This activity gives me another reason to enjoy each beer as if it was the first one: That beer we stole as teenagers to try if it tasted as great as it smelled.

Beer Greetings

2008-04-30T15:28:00.000-07:00

This brand new version is made thinking of you, all my friends abroad:
Alan From London, Manuela and Marco From Edina, Patricia and Friends from Hannover, Kim and Helen from Glasgow, Jo and Barry from Dublin , Mariana and Yuri, Roberta, Laura and Lappo from Italy and Dr. Pi and friends from Minnesota...And in general to all the new people who recently I have the honour to received at my Asturian version and don't speak neither Asturian nor Spanish. I hope the posts worth the waiting. A toast for you all!!! Haya Salud