The good tea and beer blog

You might have worked it out by now if you wander through blog comments or are connected up to me on the Dark Side * - I'm at work. As I spend all day travelling on the Wednesday and with the prospect of a squashed up chopper trip the next day, I like to get myself out of the bed and breakfast and enjoy, in a very modest way, the delights of Aberdeen. This month I went to the pictures to see Burke and Hare. You'll go a long way to find a good review of Burke and Hare (either the film or indeed the historical characters) but I enjoyed it. The Guardian (or the Grauniad as they once referred to themselves (apparently)) did say that it was hard to completely dislike a film that had Ronnie Corbett in it, so there. If you're feeling politically correct or historically accurate or even a little bit historically accurate then this isn't the film for you, But as you've guessed from the blog title, this is not the main theme of the blog, so onwards.

It just so happens that the Brentwood hotel is pretty much en route between the picture house and the bed and breakfast, so I thought I would pop in for a couple as they keep up to 10 real ales at a time. Lo and behold ! what do I spot but a tap with Devizes finest on it, Wadsworth 6X. Not having been down that way for some time, I felt that I was overdue a pint.

In a curious connection to the last blog and indeed the last pint I had, they poured it into a Deuchars IPA glass. Notice the patience I have in not diving into it before I've taken a photo and when I did, it was quite gorgeous.

Which is more than I can say for this stuff - made by the Caledonian brewery for the hotel itself. It was pretty awful - I considered sending it back. At least I'd only bought half a pint. I can't believe that the Caledonian brewery, who normally produce many fine beers, let this out in this condition and I suspect that the pub hasn't kept this right somehow.

Another half pint of Adnams bitter just to wash down the Brentwood. It was alright but it gives me another opportunity to mention their quite magnificent Broadsword in the hope that somebody from Adnams will surf this way and realise that they should be making more of it.

Indeed that marks an end to tippling for a fortnight for offshore for we are completey alcohol free (give or take 50000 litres of methanol which wouldn't do any good at all) - I tell a lie, for I believe our medic has a bottle of something or other tucked away in the sick bay - not to help him through the trip but because ethanol (what you get in your drink that makes you fall over) is the cure for methanol poisoning.

What we do have out here is a never ending supply of tea, without which I would have to hand my resignation in. And this trip I have been pleasantly surprised to see we've had our tea supply upgraded to Earl Grey - Twinnings Earl Grey at that. Though perhaps not as severe, Earl Grey can often split a crowd in the same way as Marmite does so we still have plenty ordinary stuff too.

Thanks to Dave Lennon, our chef manager, who posted me this picture up from the galley - and who might have been the person who ordered them as well - Good work Dave.

Just for those moments when I want something just a little.....well......hippier, I keep a wee box of something tucked away in reserve.

I'll be back on dry land on a week on Thursday - put the kettle on.

 

*the Dark Side = Facebook