Merry Christmas&Happy Hogmanay

Bound To Edina

(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

(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

(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

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

10 years later....

( 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

( 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