The Gentleman’s Fishing Club Summer 2012

The SeaHorse Kontiki got a work out today.

[caption id="attachment_4063" align="alignright" width="300"] SeaHorse Kontiki[/caption]

This is the Electric powered Long Line Setting device.

Allows you to set upto 25 baited hooks from the comfort of the beach.

Has an electric motor that you set, using a magnet, to run for 15, 20 or 25 minutes into the yonder. Left for a while you push the rewind button on the motor winder device and it comes back home, hopefully with the fish.

Today we lost two hooks, and bagged us 4 fish, a Gurnard, two little snappers (legal sized) and an fair decent sized fish of about 3.7kg give or take. Hard to know when you've hidden the weigh scales.

Bit of a result.

[gallery ids="4064,4065,4066,4067,4068,4069,4070,4063"]

The 12 ways of Christmas – The Holiday with the 'folks'

We're lucky enough to enjoy a beach house. We're lucky enough to have 'Christmas' in the summer months, being as how it's New Zealand and it's all the other way around.

As "workers" we work hard all year and get a couple of weeks off to do nothing, to laze about, twiddle thumbs, shower occasionally, eat, drink, eat, sleep, nap. It could be so nice.

But we're also unlucky enough to have parents who drive us madly insane. Not my parents, but the in-laws for me, the parents for MrsPdubyah.

They were school teachers and so eery year they would spend a goodly amount of weeks at the beach house. For them it's just another house, it's managed to acquire all the town house things and none of the beach house things.

You could transplant this house to a town and you'd never know. Now holiday homes are different, they are full of art, sea-shells, mis-matched furniture, rustic tables. We don't have one of those. The neighbours have those. The neighbours....

We have a house at the beach, and it's a harrowing experience to live though a week here. We used to be able to do 10-14 days, now we get to about 4 days and start getting a twitch. We've not had any days at the beach house when they are not here, we call as say "are you going to beach this weekend" they invariably reply "if you are we will", it's maddening, frustrating and difficult to broach.

Age will turn you into a prisoner. A prisoner of routine. Every day you have to do the same things. Up at 7am, washing in washing machine at 7:30am, go get newspaper at 7:45am. Cereals at 8 a.m.  Washing the dishes is an immediate task, heaven help us if they are left for more than 10 minutes.

Then it's 9 a.m. so possibly mowing the lawn, picking fruit from the tree, spraying some weeds. 10 a.m. tea of course. 10:30 is mid morning siesta, because they've worn themselves out.

More washing at 11:00 am, they wash clean things to maintain schedule I'm sure of it. Random vacuuming and brushing time till lunch, when we have a selection of mulled over left overs and a cup of warm water.

Hourly switch on the radio at 30 seconds to the hour for the news bulletin, the log range weather for everywhere, then off. No music allowed, and don't change the channel, ever.

Afternoon siesta.

Discussion about what the neighbours are up to, who's at the beach, who's not, why, if we don't know why make a guess. Read the death notices to see which friends might have had the temerity to die when they're at the beach and not in town. It happens.

Gin o'clock, wine o'clock begins as the 6pm news is on the TV. Pre-dinner dishes, of course, washing dishes not cheese and cracker dishes.

Dinner must be before 7 pm. Fretting ensues if it's going to be later.

Entertain everyone by reading the teletext updates (A service soon to be discontinued).

Read book, coughing randomly until 9pm when it's bedtime.

Days when the gentleman's fishing club is in session, make an agreed time "how about around 7am" where "about" means up at 6:30 to prepare, leave at 7 am, no later, no sooner. Fishing line can only be in the water 1 hour. No longer, no shorter. 1 hour. Today I was suckered in with "whatever time" which meant of course 7:45am knocking on the door "are you ready yet" We didn't go fishing.

We didn't go fishing because on a 800 meter beach someone had launched a gentleman's fishing rig into the sea before us, and fretting and panic ensued about them being too close together. Serious fretting, muttering and followed by deep investigation of the mans credentials, home address, and a lecture about "how I do it..."

Fishing was also cancelled, no only to proximity, but because weed was spotted in the waves, and weed is bad. To make up for this disaster he burnt some paper and plastics instead of putting them out for rubbish collection, it's "what we had to do in the old days"

We've taken down the tent, it rained and wasn't used. Didn't let it dry now the weather has changed, took it down and stowed it wet. "It's what we had to do in the old days"

This evening we will again have a discussion about Teletext, the neighbours wi-fi and how it's intermittent (we have permission to use it, we're not totally freeloading", who's arrived, who's left, pontifications on the "Sales" the lack of Eggs in the house.

And tomorrow we will do it all again, in roughly the same order, amount of time, and with the same earnest face.

Not a holiday.

 

Beer- #109 - Dale’s - Dopplebock

Dale’s Dopplebock brewed by the Dale’s Brewing Co. in the style of a  Doppelbock, in Nelson, New Zealand, where it all appears to be happening.

In accordance with the style’s Teutonic heritage Dale’s Dopplebock is crafted with six German malts enjoys an extended cool fermentation with a classic German lager yeast. Full bodied, sweetish and lusciously malty, the resulting chestnut coloured beer combines toffee, caramel and bready notes with an edge of citrusy tartness from the hops. Soothing and warming, it’s the perfect brew to sip slowly in front of an open fire on a cold winter’s night.

Which is problematic as it's a summer  evening, but I'm not one for protocol, I'm not even going to drink this from a Stein.

Well it is dark chestnut beer, 7.5% ABV in a 500ml bottle (that's 3 standard drink units), with pleasant deep aromas of a more burnt malt, the head came and went, and with little apparent carbonation this just sits brooding in the glass. There is also a sour in the aroma, I'm not sure I've even come across that before, or if I'm being picky.

The taste is pretending to be a big "boom" there is a first flush that promises a lot but it hasn't a lot of length.  Then there is a sweetness, but also a top note of something less pleasing lingering. What I was expecting and I'm not getting is the Alcohol astringent that you could probably expect.

It sounds like I'm bagging on this a bit, but I'm not, it's actually not that bad a beer, and it could stand a match of some strong cheese, or meat as an accomplice. But as sipping beer I don't think I could set by a whole session for just this.

The aroma is bigger than the taste, the taste is a little confused, but I'm still impressed, as mad as that sounds. The pdubyah-o-meter gives it 7 things, making it a passable beer. I'm prepared to admit it might be off base for me.

A muddled thing but then it might be a winter beer and it is a summer evening. I'll survive this and not be upset that there is only one to drink and I'm not making it a big night in.

Related articles

• Beer - #92 - Dale's - American Amber Ale (pdubyah.com)

That annoying top ten list stuff - The Music

I've touched on music a bit in other places here and hereabouts

There are a few musics I'd like to call out. To place them in an order wouldn't do them a justice, they are things that are dear to me and that I'd like to journey with, but I'm going to give it a go....

1. David Bowie - Station to Station
   
   
   
   • This has never left me as music, the haunting tracks, the all of them, everyone of them, you want me write more on how?
   
   
   
   


2. Elbow - Seldom Seen kid
   
   
   
   • If you have to ask then don't ask.
   
   
   
   


3. Dire Straits - Dire Straits
   
   
   
   • This is some serious guitar thing, and lyrics, and it's about time and place.
   
   
   
   


4. Yazoo - Upstairs at Erics and/or you and me both.
   
   
   
   • A time in my life when my Honda CX500TCC turbocharged motorcycle, and becoming an adult, and this in my walkman stereo - what!
   
   
   
   


5. Status Quo - Live
   
   
   
   • If I could go back and have a bit "of the bit, right" then that'd be me!
   
   
   • Because Andy Heatherly  for this, Think Lizzy and Rush
   
   
   
   


6. Donald Fagan - The NighyFly -
   
   
   
   • because it reminds me  of a girl I once knew. Don't mention this to MrsPdubyah.
   
   
   
   


7. Paul Simon - Graceland
   
   
   
   • This is me being released from home and family and being my own self on my own as a being.
   
   
   
   


8. Dire Straits - Communiqué
   
   
   
   • because "News" is about the motorcycles that I miss so much
   
   
   
   


9. Coldplay - Parachutes
   
   
   
   • after 5 or 6 plays this is a piece of brilliance. Listen without prejudice.
   
   
   
   


10. Mike Oldfield - Ommadawn, Side 2. Then Tubular Side One....

Supplemental.... Your own personal favourites in one "mix tape from 10.....

[caption id="attachment_4041" align="alignleft" width="300"] The Honda Turbo, I had two of these, one was stolen and the other I managed to crash.[/caption]

Beer - #108 - Leffe - Blonde

Leffe Blonde, brewed by  InBev Belgium in the Style of a  Belgian Ale in Leuven, Belgium.

"Leffe Blond is a pale abbey beer, with a full, sunny, golden colour. It has a smooth and full bodied taste and a rich creamy head. Like all the Leffe beers, it is a ’connoisseur’ beer that is easy to drink."

330ml bottle of  6.6% ABV beer, that'd be 1.7 units to meer men.

It's a sweet aroma beer, lots of malts, caramel, toffee, sugars, in a rich brown golden colour beer.

Fantastic head that stays steady, it has a lovely toffee taste, and of the alcohol there is none, and you know it's there.

There are a myriad of people who will find this beer too sweet, syrupy, overly intense, and to be honest they're probably right. Leffe make a "Brown" version of this beer which I like more, but as a starter to the Blonde.

This is a very professional beer, it's accomplished and it plays to its audience, delivering a great Belgium Ale in a mass produced way. I'm a fan though because I like the style, and will forgive the commercial nature of the brand. Given a Duvel, Chimay or this I'd arm wrestle you for the Chimay, you could have the Duval which I find to be slightly sour. They're all commercial quantity beers, but they do their thing better than some of the more eclectic beers (say Pawel Kwak for instance), and it does it simply and effectively.

I'd rather a couple of bottles of this that I could enjoy for the "it"  than say similar amounts of Heineken or Stella Artois, which might make me a bit snobby and twatty, but I'd end up thinking I'd had a dessert dish of something as well as a beer, the sweetness of the malts catch up very quickly.

The pdubyah-o-meter quite like this 8.5 things from its thing of things. If you're thinking of Belgium or  White/Wheat/Whit beers there is a stiff competition, and a lot of very good beers at the pointy end.

This is as mainstream as you get, along with Hoegardeen, Duvel, and Chimay, each of which will give you a decent hit of what you need, or be a great segue  into the Belgium beer vortex. And as far as I like to wander there are two things to get back to, British Ale and Belgium Beers.

This then is a beer where I give you money back guarantee that if you'd like or would like to like a continental beer that has a lot of flavour, is sweet on the tongue and gives you a beer that you should have no effort to enjoy

Related articles

• Westvleteren XII: The greatest beer in the world? (chicagoreader.com)


• The Mad Chef Abuses Fine Belgian Beer (lostartpress.com)


• 'Special in your pants': Duvel Moortgat intros three draft, one bottled beer in Beijing (beijingboyce.com)


• Rare beer brewed by Belgium Monks makes Louisville debut (whas11.com)


• 10 Best Belgian Beers (mademan.com)

Beer - #107 - Stoke Bomber - Kiwi Pale Ale

McCashin Family Original Stoke Bomber Kiwi Pale Ale :-) brewed by the  McCashin Family Brewery in the Style of an  Amber Ale in sunny sunny Nelson, New Zealand.

"Our Stoke Bomber IPA is a daring formulation designed to excite the palate. First comes the aroma of biscuits and stone fruit, followed by flavours of caramel and marmalade blending with spice and hints of pepper. The zesty, lingering finish of this light bodied beer is a celebration of Wai-iti hops, only grown in New Zealand of course."

This is a5.5% ABV beer in a 650ml bottle, and this one is a little special as it's a gift of love from my daughter who one night needed a roadside rescue from her dad.

That' a yeasty bread aroma, but it's also a bit malty too.  Muddy English brown beer, with a head that tried to last more than a glance. Gosh though that's a bit weird on the tongue. Cunning weird, frown type weird. The aroma nose and the intriguing taste is quite a combination.

(and a burp), and I'm thinking that there was a peach in there. Together this is quote an impressive sum of parts. Young MissPdubyah did well with this, I don't know that I'd have ever got to it on the way things are going, but it's a lovely thing to receive, enjoy and contemplate on.

And a beer that you can think about and mull over is a good thing, sadly it's not a quaffing beer, that nirvana where you are surprised, impressed and enthralled by the taste sensation that you've drunk it all and wondered "the heck".

Whilst the pdubuyah-o-meter things this is a middling 7 things in the arbitrary nature of things, making it a C- level beer that "could try harder" it does what it says on the label, there isn't a pretence in the description that you agree with because you don't get it, but because it is what i is.

This is one of those beers that you'd be a bit disappointed to miss out on the last bottle of, but possibly not one that would be your first choice.

Related articles

• A Pale Ale Dedicated to 8-Bit Video Games (news.dice.com)


• Kissonerga-Skalia Pale Ale - brews of the past (culturalcyprus.wordpress.com)

Beer - #106 - Coronado - Frog’s Breath IPA

Coronado Frog’s Breath IPA - brewed at the Coronado Brewing Company
in the style of an India Pale Ale (IPA) and of course Coronado, is in  California 'Merica.

A classic west coast IPA brewed with a blend of citrus peel. Lime, orange and lemon peels were added at the end of the boil to make this IPA extra refreshing.

A Pint of 6.5% ABV beer (that's about 3.3 units equivalent.

And to be honest I'm a little bit middling on what to expect. An IPA with Spices sounds like to could work, or it could be a Frankenstein monster. But it is one of their "Crown Series" so I'm hoping that it's more top-shelf than bargain basement.

There is a very sharp hoppy aroma, but very earthy, pale golden yellow, decent head, and lively carbonation. It's not a bad start.

The aroma continues with citrus, almost grapefruit, the tongue gets a bursts of sharp hops, a bunch of fizz, and an annoying afterglow. Not a lot of length or depth though.The citrus top taste is almost irritating. If there is a malt content it's hiding it well.

I guess that where I'm at is that I'm not a fan of this, and I don't know that you could be, it's not a very good IPA and adding spices might just be that they're aware of this and are covering up, the conspiracy continues by giving this "Crown" status.

The pdubyah-o-meter says "no" and plonks this in the also ran category of 7 things on it arbitrary scale, making it a beer that's a "pass" but not a merit or distinction. I wouldn't send it back at a bar, but I'd be reluctant to go again.

The 12 ways of Christmas – The Entertainment

I laughed out aloud when I discovered what televisual delights were available to entertain. This would have been after you'd opened your science kit and played with the magnet and iron filings, or the cooking thing that made stragne tasting jelly, or you'd used all the batteries that powered the rifle range game, and it was too cold or there was too much snow to play with your Action Man Red Devil Parachute" toy....

Christmas Eve Thursday 24th December 1970. Some of the highlights

• 11.10am Tom and Jerry Mice Follies


• 11.15am On Top of the World international ice champions entertain


• 12.00 Movin' Along with Andy Williams


• 3.30pm Film : Misty (1961) with David Ladd and Arthur O' Connell


• 4.55pm Blue Peter


• 5.20pm Scooby-Doo, Where Are You ?


• 5.44pm The Magic Roundabout Pancakes, When Dougal starts cooking there are plenty of offers of help from his friends


• 6.15pm Tomorrow's World


• 6.45pm Joy to the World


• 7.30pm The Cliff Richard Show

The Adults got a real treat :

• 8.20pm The Gang Show Gala, with Peter Sellers, Dick Emery, Graham Stark, Cardew Robinson, Reg Dixon and David Lodge


• 9.20pm Play of the Month: Five Finger Exercise with Margaret Lockwood, Paul Rogers


• 10.50pm Just Pet


• 11.40pm A Story for Christmas The Gift of the Magi


• 11.50pm First Communion of Christmas, from Worcester Cathedral


• 1.05am Closedown

Christmas Day Friday 25th December 1970, as if you couldn't get enough excitement

•  9.30pm Basil's Christmas Morning with Basil Brush and Derek Fowlds


• 10.00pm Christmas Crackers a cartoon parade with Michael Aspel


• 12.35pm The Story of the Silver Skates starring Eleanor Parker, Richard Baseheart


• 2.15pm Top of the Pops 70


• 3.00pm The Queen, speaks to the Commonwealth and introduces a special film


• 3.25pm Billy Smart's Circus Spectacular


• 4.30pm Disney Time with Harry Worth


• 5.10pm Robinson Crusoe starring Ken Dodd, with Lyn Kennington, Peter Glaze, Arthur Mullard


• 6.45pm Christmas Night with the Stars introduced by Cilla Black, featuring Bob Hope,Mary Hopkin,Graham Kerr, Jerry Lewis, Nana Mouskouri, Clodagh Rodgers,Frank Sinatra, Jack Warner,Dad's Army, Stanley Baxter, Dick Emery, Bachelor Father,Terry Scott and June Whitfield

And if the Snowball, Babycham or the Party Seven hadn't done the trick for the adults there was

• 8.15pm The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show


• 9.15pm Film : Charade (1963) starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn


• 11.00pm The Good Old Days with Danny La Rue


• 11.50pm But Seriously...on the Nativity with Joyce Grenfell, Cyril Fletcher, Ernie Wise

And at 12.00 midnight the TV station Closed down for the night, yes they did.

Check out 1975 and other years here

Beer- #105 - Wanaka Beerworks - Oompa Loompa

Yes, Wanaka Beerworks Oompa Loompa av7.5% ABV beer in a 330ml bottle ( 2 standard drinks )  and it's brewed by Wanaka Beerworks in the sttyle of a : Spice/Herb/Vegetable beer
and they do that in a place I've visited and has a lake - Wanaka, New Zealand.

Herb infused golden/orange ale with a wicked character. Wort filtered to 16 plato, 30 IBU bitter hopping, bottle conditioned. It appears to be bottled in Feb 2012, going by the "bottle conditioned, 2 years prior" notice and a drink before Feb 2014

It says.

And its a lovely golden coloured, well carbonated beer that delivers with a head of some capacity. An earthy, sweet aroma too.

It is a bit earthy on the tongue too, but with a bit of sour. There are undefined spices or other undertones playing in there, but nothing that is bold enough to make its presence felt in a meaningful way.

I don't really know. This isn't a beer that is challenging or edgy, it's not unpleasant or difficult. Its' also not one thing or another and I don't think you could put this in a  compartment of other beers similar. I'm sure I had beers that are similarly different.

The thing is you like to be challenged in a way that either surprises or just makes you smile, not in the way that leaves you wondering what it is that you have.  For a beer with a big-ish alcohol this isn't a beer that hides that well, then again it appears to be good at hiding many things.

the pdubyah-o-meter says 7 out of 10 things from a thing. Accomplished and I'm not not loving it, I could happily drink another or two, I'd worry about the earthy lingering aroma, I'd dwell on the lovely malt taste, and think that the bitter zing that is has is a bit cheeky, but I wouldn't arm wrestle you for the last one on the shelf.

Beer - #104 - Wanaka Beerworks - Zar

Wanaka Beerworks Zar -Brewed by Wanaka Beerworks in the Style of an Imperial Stout, and they're doing this trick in Wanaka, New Zealand.

Trick, well yes, Russian Imperial Stout meets Belgian Trappist Monk. Shutup!

A dark hoppy beer that is balanced by a strong hop flavor, this is a beer you enjoy in front of an open fire with friends. A beer created by the English for a Russian tsar adjusted by a Belgian Kiwi team. Wort filtered to 16 plato, either 30 or  65 IBU bitter hopping (depending where you read) and it's bottled conditioned.

This then a 330ml of a 10%ABV beer, which is about 2.6 units. Nothing by way of head but an interesting aroma mix greets you, Chocolate or cocoa powder, and a spice that's quite peppery and took me a bit by surprise. It's deep dark black too.

The taste does not disappoint, a lovely rich set of flavours, with length and depth, and just the right amount of carbonation. I could wax eloquent about this for a while.  This is a little bit of magic in a bottle.

There is no alcohol tinge or backwash, and each mouthful is a pleasing and pleasant experience, a man could easily get carried away with just how nice this is. The character of the taste is very complex, and not in that challenging way there are a bunch of things working together.

The pdubyah-o-meter effortlessly gives this an all but full house 9.4 and only because I wish it had a head. As a Imperial Stout in the Belgium Trappist style this is in a field of it's own. Of the beers that I've drunk this is in the leading pack and holds it own merits.

Superb!

The 12 ways of Christmas – The Dinner

Since I moved from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern (England to New Zealand) I've always struggled with the concept of  Santa, Trees, Snow, and the "full' Christmas dinner.

There are some things that just are Christmas dinner, so I can set those aside.

The Trifle for dessert.  There's probably a law or something that requires trifle on christmas day. Can't abide the stuff myself, but Father-in-law and the children love it.

I made is a mission a few years ago to come up with a dessert suggestion that I thought would be both "common" and at the same time "challenging" to make. The first one I cam up with was  "Cassata Ice-cream". Which turned out to be a roaring success.

Pavlova are a challenge to make, but usually end up well, and given the amount of wine you've had before you get to pudding then who cares?

Eton Mess. Which has to be the easiest of my suggestions, fruit, cream and meringue, enough to make a man fat.

But back to the timeline. It's summer, or getting summery in December in New Zealand, and for years we soldiered on with a roast turkey, Ham, potatoes, vegetables, gravy. One year we just said that enough was enough, and that it seemed daft to have a full dinner on a day when there was much to celebrate and enjoy by way of family and friends than to stand in the kitchen and cook.

So we've pushed back "dinner" from 6pm to 8pm, and  we've had Salmon and potato Salad, We've had Scotch Fillet on the BBQ, something a bit "posh" but not the "old way".  I've also been known to make dinner bread rolls.

One year we asked the children what starter they wanted, and one of them suggested prawn cocktail, which we had to have in the traditional way in a wine glass, oh the horror!

But the end is always Trifle, and one other thing.

This year even to change it up a bit more we're having our traditional family christmas dinner on christmas eve. It's the only evening when the children are going to be with us as due to work commitments and them needing the money more than me have to head back to the city on Christmas day evening.

Back in the day though the abiding memory I have of christmas Turkey was the one time when Dad had made a big deal about bringing the Turkey home for christmas dinner. He did turn up with one, Feathers and all. A big one. I have no idea where he got it from, or even why he thought it was a good idea.

Ever plucked a turkey on the back doorstep at 7pm at night in the freezing cold?

Christmas dinner at my childhood home would have been an all-in affair, not only the parents  8 children, the dog, but various girlfriends and boyfriends, neighbours and acquaintances. Dinner was served on a roster system, how do you fit that many around a table that seated 6 :-) It would have been a big turkey.

The 12 ways of Christmas – The Festive Treats

There were things that were only ever seen in our house for one month a year. Fleeting things enjoyed because of their rarity in some instances.

The Treats.

As well as the backup tin of Quality Street chocolate in a big tin, the one we didn't use to decorate the tree we had a number of celebration things in the house for christmas.

Satsuma Oranges individually wrapped in tissue paper. this is how they came from the grocers, it wasn't a family tradition or any such thing, they were just wrapped. Not all of them, some in the bowl were, and these were the prized ones of the the pickings. For no reason than they were wrapped in tissue. on reflection being winter of course a tropical fruit was a luxury, and presented as such.

Orange and Lemon Slices. Sugar coated jelly candies. The blob in the middle was for the Mother, the slices were allocated at one of each per child, perhaps. We seemed to have unlimited boxes of these things, there was always one being opened when anyone visited, perhaps it wa some strange ritual that has since passed into lore. All I can remember is there were always lemon and less orange slices left to sneak during the early evening.

Dates. Why we had dates I'll never know. They came in an an oblong box, and contained a wooden fork to jab them from the box. I still have a vague unease about boxed dates, and how they looked inedible, mouldy even, wrinkled in their box, all sticky and glistening.

Mixed bag of nuts. Walnuts, Almonds, Filberts (Hazlenuts) and possibly the least liked, Almonds. Hours, or what seemed like hours, cracking nuts and extracting, usually, pieces, of nut from crushed shell. definite win if you could extract an unbroken walnut from a shell.

The Christmas Stocking. Which contained a selection of chocolate bars that you were supposed to enjoy over a period of time, expected to be longer than an afternoon. Never happened. Don't recall any trades going on either, my Milky way for your Smarties... none of that.

There were also, and this is going to either ring a bell or ring an alarm bell, Chocolate Smokers Sets. These were a presentation of smoking related things in chocolate form, containing, from memory, An Ash Tray, a Lighter, A pipe, and a packet of chocolate cigarettes that were in a packet that looked like the real thing, each cigarette wrapped in tissue.

The 12 ways of Christmas – The Festive Drinks

One of the things that I remember from Christmas was the abundance of things. The seasonal drinks cupboard got topped up.

There were 4 standout things that were brought into the house only for the Christmas period.

Babycham

A sparkling Perry (fermented pear) drink. In packs of 4 little bottles, and aimed fair square at a female audience. Loved by my mother.

Warninks Advocaat

What is Christmas without a "Snowball", made with Advocaat,and lemonade, Lime and ice if you're a bit fancy. A fluffy yellow treat for the teens.

Port

"Port and Lemon". Another post-war favourite, relying on the memory and traditions carried forward. If you couldn't talk your way into a Port and Lemon you would fall back on the Snowball

Watneys Party Seven

Also available as a Party Four. Contained 7 or 4 pints of beer. Could only have been 3.9% ABV of  English Bitter. Came with a can opener. Usually resulted in half the contents spraying over the guests as it had not settled or had just arrived.  Needless to say the last "offering" was only available to the adults and only after bedtime for the children. The adults would congregate in the back room, and smoke and drink, play cards.

Related articles

• Raise a glass: Babycham is back! (Just in time for the Christmas party season...) (dailymail.co.uk)

The 12 ways of Christmas – The Tree

This year might be the year when we don't have a traditional tree decoration at home. By decoration I mean a tree with things on it.

As a child the tree was an important part of the Christmas thing.

• It was always a real tree.


• it was always as tall as the room, sometimes taller, the fairy looming over the room at an awkward angle.


• Every year we had to make a new base for the tree out of some wood in the form of an X.

Every year Come easter the tree might still to have been found behind the shed, brown, spindly and forlorn. It would be a few months till Bonfire night, unless we had one earlier.

Every year the same things happened in preparation. An important part of the tree was the lights. a Lot of lights. one of the chores was checking each and every light bulb. Because. This involved sitting with an interesting multimeter device the like I have not seen again, and checking each one by passing a current through it. Every one.

The bulbs were I remember coloured. And each bulb socket had a flowery looking surround. Each bulb was an Edison screw type bulb and not a bayonet fitting. We called them fairy lights. I'm not sure we still do.

Decorating the tree was a family affair and there were always lot of hands. The hanging ornaments were fragile glass globes. Some of which had been broken in the previous 12 months.

But an important part of the tree dressing was the decorations made from lollies and walnuts

.

Take a tin of Roses Chocolates, they come in foil and cellophane wrappers, brightly coloured and shiny.

You get a reel of cotton and you make each sweet an ornament by making a loop of cotton using one end of the wrapper as an anchor.

You then hang the lollies on the tree.

During the next 20 days, or whatever time frame you have, you get a reward treat of a lolly from the tree, opening the chocolate and leaving the foil and cellophane on the tree, empty but still pretty!

There was the Round toffee one, the long toffee one covered in chocolate, the one with the walnut inside, the sold chocolate one, the one that was strawberry,  the orange creme...

Mother would also make walnuts to hang from the tree, using a matchstick in one end of the walnut whole to make an anchor.

And there you have a tree with lights, glass globes, Cellophane lollies and walnuts. Add a rope or two of tinsel and a can or two of fake snow and there you have my traditional memory of a tree.

An enormous pine smelling plant, that dropped pine needles from the moment it was in the corner, and kept watched over the room. We didn't have the presents under the tree as a tradition, we were many children and there were many temptations, until christmas eve. It wasn't  a big deal.

Come taking down the tree time there were always willing hands to investigate and find the cunningly hidden lollies or those that were too high to reach for esger young hands.

With children we've carried on at least the lolly part of the decorations, the glass globes have moved onto shapes and stars made of various things, safer and less likely to cut and injure.

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The 12 ways of Christmas - Secret Santa

It's that time again, we spend 10 months hoping it gets here, one month preparing and then the whole of December questioning the sense of it all.

I'm going to start with Secret Santa. This year over half the people in the #Cubefarm decided that they'd like to do a #SecretSanta.

I have some ideas why the other less than half opted out, the stress of finding a $10 trinket, or for a couple of course the obvious religious reluctance.

I managed to persuade one of the non participants to draw the random name thing for everyone, much easier than going desk to desk, person to person, get everyone signed up and then get them a name. Hopefully the person drawing the names made some common sense decisions about pairing people up, despite everything there are people that wouldn't match well with others.

In previous years I've managed to accrue some really tacky things, things that aren't even remotely funny or even vaguely related to my own sense of humour or interaction, the comedy computer mouse with boobs as buttons for instance.

Perhaps someone should have got me a funny bone instead.

To be fair I kept this in my office cupboard for ages before it suddenly made its way into oblivion.

There is, at least for me, at least a little bit of skill required to get something that's at least pertinent to the person you're buying for. But there are always the obvious and desperate box of chocolate gifts that are just thoughtless, at least they're trying though.

But and also, I've been part of the #NZTwitterSecretSanta thing, whereby @Websam for the second year mashed together a webs site and a random pairing generator to connect nearly 800 people together for a similar process.

The obvious drawbacks, some of the twitter accounts turned out not really to exist, some of them were locked or protected accounts, some of the participants are not regular tweeters. Of course there is always a percentage that will receive and not give.

I've given, and wait patiently for reciprocated love, and I'm aware a few people in the same boat, waiting for both the receiver to acknowledge the gift, and to receive their random thing.

Last time up I received a water pistol. Like I said random, and not always thoughtful or pertinent.

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Beer - #103 - Epic - Mayhem

On the premise that it can't get worse for me, only better now it's the turn of   an Epic Mayhem to step up . Epic Brewing Company   brewed at the  Steam Brewing Company
in the style of an  American Strong Ale

500ml (pint) of a 6% ABV beer, which is about 2.4 standard drinks, which means that I've had my allowance for the week all in two beers, dagnabit. Standby Kidney and Liver.

We have set out to wilfully maim and cripple the palates of the most extreme hop head. This act of wanton destruction is in the true spirit of what festive brews are about, to create something unique and fun. It is our intention to create a violent and needless disturbance in your olfactory senses. The riotous confusion, from the unnatural quantity of dry hopping, will leave your palate satisfyingly violated after having just one taste. Only the brave can be assured to tame this hop insanity.

Expectation list: "Festive Beer" - warning might be a mistake, "Cripple the palate" Might be over hopped... on the other hand might be a fairground attraction.

So we have then an intense hop aroma, a lovely rich brown pour and a decent head from a well carbonated beer, might have cracked this head thing. Although it might be the hops that do that.

The grassy hoppy aroma doesn't seem to hang around, and I get some malty richness. There is tangy on the tongue, but it seems "thin" and transient, ambivalent. Not exactly mayhem or an ambush, and unlike the Cilla Black song there is "nothing there to remind me".

It really is thin. The pdubyah-o-meter has been tested of late with some magnificence, and sadly this isn't in that class and the result will be 7 things from the arbitrary scale of things. Not a beer that I'd race you to the bar for.

This was an expensive beer, and I'm not going to lie, it might have been money spent elsewhere.  7 makes it "acceptable in social circles" but I wouldn't take it home and introduce it to mother. Let's be fair I might not get the dry hopping, which I could be totally wrong on, but if this is an example, and it's an improvement, then perhaps this is best off as a "festive" "limited edition" beer. Someone is going to love it, but I bet it's not going to be seen again. And Epic are astute enough to be discovering new things, they'll find something that hits a sweet spot and we will all love them for it, but to get there we have to get through this.

I'm happy to make that journey with them.

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Beer - #102 - Tuatara - Double Trouble APA

This is from the Tuatara Brewing Company in the style of an  Imperial/Double IPA And that do this all the way  south in sunny Paraparaumu, New Zealand

Calling Double Trouble a "hop showcase" might imply that this brutal 167 IBU monster has your best interests at heart. If your answer to the question, "How much hopping would you like?" is simply "more", this is what you wish for. The malt base and Chico yeast together construct the perfect platform for the multiple additions of so many hop varieties no mere beer label could label them all. Your overwhelmed taste buds will know the feeling.

So here's a list of what I think I'm getting: Bitter. Bitter. 167 IBU us on the high side, roughly speaking,  beers with IBUs of less than 20 have little to no apparent hops presence. Beers with IBUs from 20 to 45 are the most common and have mild to pronounced hops presence. Beers with IBUs greater than 45 are heavily hopped and can be quite bitter. 167 puts this at the top end of the top http://www.beertutor.com/beers/index.php?t=highest_ibu. So not scientific in the sense that the brewer declares a value, but even so, this is going to be something.

Hopped With: Pacific Jade to bitter (70 IBU up front), then Pacific Jade, Nelson Sauvin, Simcoe, and Zythos late in the boil for Flavour and aroma. Then Nelson Sauvin for the first dry-hop, and Simcoe and Zythos for the second dry-hop. Calculated at 167 IBU.

Also it's 650ml (pint and a top up) of a 9% ABV Beer, that's about 4.6 standard drinks, so I'm either going to get frowning or in a nice place smiling, the IBU question may fade to grey.

And surprise you can smell the hops and the bitterness they promise in spades. The beer is pale golden beer colour and a decent off orange head. A win!  Very grassy on the nose, nice carbonation, and again, this time without the sarcasm, a fairly muted bitterness received, compared to what I expected. I'm getting a citrus tone in this as well, I could be making it up to impress you I know what I'm tasting of course, but I spy grapefruit.

This is nice on the tongue too, decent length and a nice after. I might put the 3-d glasses on and have a gander at the label. Which is in 3D :-), back at the beer, and I'm enjoying the bittery, but I'm also now getting orangey.

It's a thing alright. Very tidy and not at all a challenge, mainly because this time I came prepared with an expectation that matched the label and not what I thought in my head might happen.

This is not a cheap beer, but for this I'm not sitting here thinking that it was money not well spent, I'd hate to think of the price in bars if I pad around $13.00 for this. bearing in mind that this is the equivalent of, say, 2 Heineken beers, by volume, which would be a bout 2.6 units of beer, than in a unit of beer per ml this is easily great value for money.

the pdubyah-o-meter loves this 9.25 worth of love. BUT I couldn't in all honesty sit down and have a another, this is "beer for the evening" not "the beer for all evening" it's would make you a dull boy in the morning.  It's very cleverly delivered as a strong beer with a lot of bitterness that manages to hide both the extreme bitterness and the alcohol content, and that's very cunning.

I'm not going to gush and offer you a refund if you buy and don't like, you know that this is bitter, you know that this is strong, it's not a sweet beer, it's immaculately balanced and something to behold, you should be satisfied if you like those things and you'll need no encouragement.

Beer- #101 - Dux de Lux - Hereford Bitter

Dux de Lux - Hereford Bitter - Brewed by Dux de Lux in the style of a Schwarzbier in Christchurch, New Zealand. So not a bitter then.

A Schwarzbier "Dark brown to black. Medium body. Roasted malt evident. Low sweetness in aroma and flavor. Low to medium bitterness. Low bitterness from roast malt. Hop flavor and aroma, "noble-type" OK. No fruitiness, esters.

So not a bitter then.

A distinctive dark Munich lager, created by the inclusion of dark roast malts, finished with a slight tangy hop

So not a bitter then.

5% ABV of a 500ml bottle of beer. Fairly deep dark brown, reasonable bubbles. Not much on the aroma. the taste is very malty, but then not. It's kind of bitter and not at the same time too. Either this is a very clever beer, or it's missed the point.

It's also a bit thin and without length. Beginning to think that I might not be a big fan of this, which isn't surprising as it seems overly complicated and dressed up.

I've got to pay more attention though as this is a best before 30/Sep/12 beer, which is a bit past it's best when I brought it, and I trusted the guys at Glengarrys too. Mind you they sold me that godawful nonsense Bismark Brown Ale.

As I'm drinking it then I can't mark it more than a 5 on the pdubyah-o-meter scale of arbitrary. It might be a lot more than I have in my glass, which I'm going to drink and be happy with, but it is what it is.

Sad that.

 

Beer- #100 - 8 Wired - Superconductor

Well, we're 100 not out, literally, since so far my the beers have all been from the bottle shop and enjoyed in the pleasure of the home. Makes me a bit of a no-mates. So to get me over that loneliness I'm going to to have some of the 8 Wired Superconductor, and I'm going to Spotify The XX - Coexist, because the TV has been hijacked by the ladies who are watching X-Factor or whatever that's called.

8 Wired Brewing  who get theirs brewed at Renaissance Brewing, Blenheim, New Zealand, this one in the style of an  Imperial/Double IPA.

The label says "if you don't like hops don't buy this beer". It's feisty this one.

500ml bottle of an 8.8% ABV beer (that's equivalent to 3.5 standard drinks)

Holy heck that's a hophead amount of aroma, but it also has a sweetness of caramel malts. The Hops have a pine note to them. Naturally I can't pour with a head, you'd think by now that i'd have got the knack.

And that's very much a significant amount of bitter hops on the palate. Not so much that you suck air in through tangy lips, but that's a noise that's making itself heard. (it does say on the label.....)  That pine aroma seems to carry through to the taste, this is very long as a taste.

This is, though, a pleasant and drinkable golden coloured beer, and again a bit of a winner from 8 Wired.  The pdubyah-o-meter makes this a solid 8 things. This isn't going to be a beer that satisfies or impresses everyone. It's more at the bitter end of the scale than the softer sweeter end, and it probably should be enjoyed with something that stands up to it by way of a food match. In the end though this does push my boundary for hops and bitter, and I'm going to bid a bit of a retreat from the edge.

100 beers (that I've written about, I wish that was all my intake, but you know I'd be telling you a fib), and this one seems a reasonable way to get there.

Beer - #99 -Renaissance Enlightenment Series - Great Punkin

How could I resist a beer called Great Punkin ?

Brewed by Renaissance Brewing in the style of a  Spice/Herb/Vegetable her and they're of course in  Blenheim, Malborough, New Zealand

Great Punkin" Brewed with roasted pumpkin and a blend of spices to yield ’pumpkin pie’ notes and a deep red/orange colour. Lightly hopped with NZ Fuggle and fermented with ale yeast; medium body and moderate bitterness allow the flavour of pumpkin, spice and caramelized malts to shine through. Special thanks to Andy, Jim, Holly and JDawg.

Wow then, 500ml of a 7.2% ABV beer, bit late for Halloween, or All Hallows Eve, or what ever you'd like to call it.

There is a collision of aromas in this well carbonated beer. A lot going on. Spices, nutmeg? and I get banana, which is nothing like a pumpkin. Don't judge me. It's a magnificent burnt dark colour, deep caramel.

I'd comment on the head, but there was and now there isn't.

The taste, the taste matches the collision of the aromas, magnificent!!  There is a real rich body in this, it's quite a feat.  My experience could be improved if there was a head, and if there was some lacing. But that's a niggle. I'm not sure I can nail down any particular taste as an individual taste, this is going quietly about being a good beer.

The pdubyah-o-meter is loving this, a lot, and I'm giving myself a high-five for choosing this today. It's a 8.90 from 10 things on the scale of things. To add any more is just to gilld the lilly, and so I'm just going to sup and smile.

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Beer - #98 - Ballast Point - Big Eye IPA

Big Eye IPA is Brewed by Ballast Point Brewing Company in the style of an India Pale Ale (IPA)
and that all happens in San Diego, California USA.

If you have fallen for the IPA style like we have, Big Eye will be a welcome addition to your repertoire. You’ll revel in Big Eye’s bitter, hoppy flavor thanks to the American Columbus and Centennial hops that are used to flavor and dry hop our flagship IPA. We thank our hops every day that the English loved their bitters—or else the IPA style may not have been born to help the beer survive the journey from Cape Hope to India back in the 18th century.

I like the self confidence that they have in this. In the American way this is  a 6.5% ABV beer, in a giant 650ml bottle, which looks very old world in style, but not that i'd generally comment on the container. 650ml though is an awkward sized thing though, a glass and a half.

I'm expecting bitter and grassy from the hops, and I'm also expecting a warm malty finish. Is what I expect from this.

The aroma is instantly familiar bitter beer smell, it's fantastic deep rimu colour, and has a fair head on it. So far so good.

The hops are twangy and there is the undernote of the malts and caramel. It isn't overly grassy (hoppy) and has a decent length.  Yeah that's not half bad. I get also a floral taste, which is nicer than it sounds and is actually a bit pleasant.  I don't think I can rave about this being a leader or breaking new ground for a beer, but it's in the leading breakaway pack. But it is very competent, very very competent. and accomplished, and that's pretty much on the money for an beer, and this would be a beer for a session.

The sad thing is that as a session beer I find that I'm home alone enjoying this, Neville-no-mates, and  that's a pity because I wish there were others here and I could get all up in the face about how much of a party in my mouth this is. I started, as I always do with a new beer, enjoying and savouring each sip (gulp) and with this I just ended up enjoying it as a quaffing beer. It's sneakily a very good beer.

If you like IPA you could do a lot worse than getting your own party in a bottle, the Pdubyah-o-meter doesn't have an issue with making this an easy 8 random things from its  own random measure, resulting in  something I'd go out of my way to drink.

Not all the way to San Diego to drink, but if there is ever an opportunity, and after we've been to Sea World then Ballast Point would be getting a reservation for a big night in.

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Big Night In!

It's the festive season, when workplace parties begin to kick in, and tonight I find myself with the prospect of being home alone.  MrsPdubyah is off the "Foodstore" down on the viaduct,  for her party, which makes me a bit Jealous to be honest. But I'll man up and get over it.

Daughter will be here, but she's turned into a room dweller, and might even be going out, who knows with kids.

So I have a check-list of things to get or make sure I have;

1. Beer - Selection of


2. Ribs


3. Curley Fries


4. Camembert


5. Sundry other

No, it's complete, 5 things are all you need, which is why it's  a 5 point checklist. Salad might sneak in under "Sundry", but only if it's in the coleslaw style. Crackers should come under that as well.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="144"] Up to repeat #3 and it keeps sounding better. #xx #coexist #nofilterneeded #goosebumps #touchingmyself (Photo credit: P. Scott)[/caption]

Music isn't a consumable, except for the ears. Tonight

• The XX - Coexist - just how enjoyable is this album, if you've got Spotify give this a crack


• Heart Attack Alley - Living In Hell

and from the musty box in the Garage....

• David Bowie - Station to Station


• Elvis Costello and the Attractions  - Armed Forces


• Beatles - White Album #242090 in whatever number that was ended at.


• The Police  -Regatta de Blanc


• Simple Minds - New Gold Dreams

I could get used to this.

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Beer - #97 - Mike’s - Organic Vanilla Coffee Porter

Brewed by Mike’s Organic Brewery  in the style of an  Imperial/Strong Porter and that'd be from Taranaki, New Zealand

I laughed .... " Mike’s taken our robust Imperial Porter infused with single origin certified organic Peruvian coffee beans, the result is stunning. Is it beer? Is it coffee? You be the judge. Enjoy with good company, probably not for breakfast though... Then again, maybe?" 

Headphones c/o XFactor and my desire not to listen to ceecee cry or whatever that is that passes for music.

That's a dark thick beer of a good mocha coloured head,  not a lot of lacing though, an 8% ABV of a 650ml bottle, there is coffee for Afwica in this,,, and a bit ..  and the taste is like a blanket of coffee and  Vanilla and there is chocolate and just nice. A lot of nice. I stopped Laughing and I paid attention a lot of attention.

I'm not sure if I just being a wuss, but this is a special thing.  As a side note I was listening to "The XX - Coexist" at the time, it's a nice thing. Both of the thing. The all.

So separating those things the music and the beer, and glancing at the pdubyah-o-meter I see a cheeky 9, the heck! This is Dynamite. Make that a 9.4, this is a beer that I would give your money back if you brought it and failed to enjoy as a Coffee Porter, or a Vanilla Coffee Porter.  Get in!

Today, Thanksgiving day, not a Turkey shoot, and I'm almost weeping with a joy unbounded.  Not only because I've never met Mike and is Organicmatron, but because this is a mighty mighty glass of beer. Joy unbounded. For real.

 

Beer - #96 - Rogue - Dead Guy Ale

Dead Guy Ale, Brewed by Rogue Ales in the style of a  Heller Bock, and they do that in  Newport, Oregon USA.

The Heller Bock is primarily a malty beer from the German brewing tradition with little hop character - neither bitter nor aromatic - though the style typically has a little more hops than the standard Bock. The color is golden to light brown or amber. They should normally pour with a substantial white head. All examples are pale and clear.

This is 6.5% ABV 650ml bottle of beer, which I approach with great  anticipation.

It's all new to me !, so... a fantastic orange golden beer, decent head and a nicely sweet aroma. And it's the same sweet and a lovely hoppy beer. That's a bit good.

This is a beer I could be friends with, if you want to cut to a chase. The pdubyah-o-meter thinks this an 8.5 beer from it's wildly arbitrary scale of things, which makes this a beer to recommend.

Particularly at the end of a day of things this is still a beer where you can explore the hops and not get alarmed by what's being given back, it's a beer that offers instant comfort and companionship. There is a sourness that you'd kind of expect as the backwash from the hops, and this does finish on the palate, it might not appeal to everyone, but it's consistent and just, for me, adds to be whole thing, It's the pants.!

Dear Rogue, please make me your Ambassador for beers, I'd be really good and that, and happy, please. 

The one with the dodgy kidney

I've been living with IgA nephropathy for since 1990 ish

I saw a medical man today, (5th November) Professor Ian Simpson, about it. It's been since 1998 since I've seen anyone, since I was discharged from the out care unit at Auckland Hospital, in factt. And so I've been doing this worrying about my kidneys since, and making sure I keep a regular check on them, and all that.

How did this come about, the referral all of a sudden, well that's a tale of two things. The second thing first.

My regular doctor changed buildings recently and as part of they hoof all all paper records to the new place, and in reviewing them when I went to see him last it came as a bit of a surprise to him that I had a "condition". So off I went with a referral.

Such a nice man, Professor Simpson, a conversational doctor, who told me by and by many things, gave me a bag of advice and a few warnings. I came away uplifted,

The kidneys, well I thought they'd been damaged by a virus thing, an upper respiratory infection, and ear ache of Brobdingnagian proportions and an sore throat is what I remember, it was long time ago 1990.

But! my kidneys are fine and dandy, everything I've been doing to look after them has been spot on, including the 6 monthly blood tests, and the medication.

All I have to do is lose about a gazillion kilograms and get a bit active. And he says I'll be on the right side of the longevity thing, uplifting or what!

In an update today it appears that Auckland DHB have lost my medical records including the slides or whatever of the biopsy that I had, but not to worry the general thing still stands that I'm in fine fettle, and need to focus a bit on me.

The upshot really though is that I've been living with a monkey on my back for a long time, a background nagging, but it appears that although I've been doing the wrong thing that I might not have been doing enough of the good things. So I can relax a bit about the state of the things, and move on.

Beer - #95 - Left Coast - Voo Doo American Stout

Left Coast Voo Doo American Stout Brewed by Left Coast/Oggis Pizza and Brewing Company
in the style of a  Stout, and normally you'd find them in  Del Mar, California USA, but tonight at my table.

600ml of an 8.5% ABV beer with a funky label.

At Left Coast Brewing Co. we pride ourselves on a unique batch of beer in the style of an American Stout. Voo Doo is a full bodied, dark brew that is rich and malty with plenty of roasted barley character. This hearty stout is layered with flavors of roasted barley, chocolate, and coffee coming from the highest quality imported malts. Its creamy long lasting head completes the brew, tempting your taste buds to be spellbound. They say Barley twice so I'll be a looking for that.

Initially I couldn't pick the aroma, but then it settles to a pleasant chocolate. Deep dark colour with a mocha head of some substance.  Bittery chocolate initially, but with a nice malty back, not so long a taste though, and you get left with that bitterness.

It's not bad though, fairly solid, unremarkable and very drinkable.  The pdubyah-o-meter wants to cut straight to the chase and say 7.25 arbitrary things from it's equally arbitrary scale.

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