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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Not being able to count and the beer list get closer to 100

The Beer List is upto 94! so far, so the next one is 95. I'd like to get to 100 on a special thing. I know this because when I was compiling a top 10 list I noticed that there were two of  65 and 66.

Must have been a good night.

So here is a provisional top 20(ish), 3 English beers and a Cider in the top 4, didn't expect that.

RANKING	Drank in order	MAKER	Pdubyah-O-Meter	Drank in	Link here
1	#12	Theakston -Old Peculier	10	Mar-12	Link
1	#17	Rekorderlig -Cider	10	Apr-12	Link
1	#20	Shepherd Neame  -1698	10	Apr-12	Link
1	#27	Thornbridge -Jaipur	10	Jun-12	Link
5	#18	Marston - Pedigree	9.5	Apr-12	Link
6	#2	Fullers – London Pride	9	Dec-12	Link
7	#5	8 Wired  - Saison Suavin	9	Jan-12	Link
8	#7	Brasserie De Saint-Sylvestre – 3 Monts	9	Jan-12	Link
9	#9	Badger - Blandford Flyer	9	Jan-12	Link
10	#10	Shepherd Neame- Bishops Finger	9	Feb-12	Link
11	#11	Renaissance - Paradox Blonde	9	Feb-12	Link
12	#14	Thwaites – Lancaster Bomber	9	Mar-12	Link
13	#15	McCashin - Stoke Bomber- Bohemian Ale	9	Apr-12	Link
14	#34	Epic  - Epicurean Coffee & Fig   Oatmeal Stout	9	Jul-12	Link
15	#38	Epic – Hop Zombie	9	Jul-12	Link
16	#42	8 Wired – iStout	9	Aug-12	Link
17	#45	Chimay - Grande Réserve (Blue)	9	Aug-12	Link
18	#52	Apache -  American Amber Ale	9	Sep-12	Link
19	#59	Eagle vs Dog - Episode 2 Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster	9	Sep-12	Link
20	#65	Chatoe Rogue - OREgasmic Ale	9	Sep-12	Link
21	#75	Three Boys  -Porter	9	Oct-12	Link
22	#24	Nøgne Ø - Two Captains Double IPA	8.5	May-12	Link
22	#37	Baird Beer – Baird Wabi Sabi IPA	8.5	Jul-12	Link
22	#47	Moa  - Methode	8.5	Aug-12	Link
22	#72	De Molen – Heen and Weer (Back and Forth)	8.5	Oct-12	Link
22	#81	Yeastie Boys – Gunnamatta IPA	8.5	Oct-12	Link
22	#82	8 Wired – The Big Smoke	8.5	Oct-12	Link
22	#84	Yeastie Boys – Red Rackham	8.5	Oct-12	Link
29	#4	Magners – A Cider!	8	Jan-12	Link
29	#8	Aspall – Oh no its a Cyder!	8	Jan-12	Link
29	#25	Sawmill Brewing company – “The Doctor” is in the house	8	May-12	Link
29	#31	Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer	8	Jun-12	Link
29	#33	Stoke Bomber – Smoky Ale	8	Jul-12	Link
29	#35	Adnams Broadside	8	Jul-12	Link
29	#43	Old Mout – Pear Scrumpy – it’s not a beer!	8	Aug-12	Link
29	#48	Epic – Message in a Bottle	8	Aug-12	Link
29	#49	Renaissance – Craftsman Chocolate Stout	8	Aug-12	Link
29	#51	Hoegaarden Wit	8	Aug-12	Link
29	#54	Golden Ticket Brewing – Black Emperor	8	Sep-12	Link
40	#1	Fullers - Honey Dew ‘Organic’ beer.	7	Dec-12	Link
40	#3	Skinners- The Cornish Wheat Beer	7	Jan-12	Link
40	#6	Badgers – Fursty Ferret	7	Jan-12	Link
40	#19	Belhaven - Twisted Thistle	7	Apr-12	Link
40	#21	Wigram - Kortegast Red Sparkling Ale	7	May-12	Link
40	#29	St. Peter’s Cream Stout	7	Jun-12	Link
40	#30	Duvel - Duvel	7	Jun-12	Link
40	#36	Wanaka Beerworks – Sir Walter	7	Jul-12	Link
40	#40	Townshend  - Sutton Hoo	7	Jul-12	Link
40	#57	Golden Bear Brewing Company – Pirate Peach Saison	7	Sep-12	Link
40	#58	Pauwel – Kwak	7	Sep-12	Link
40	#60	Dead Good Beer – IPA	7	Sep-12	Link
40	#64	Invercargill  -Sa!son	7	Sep-12	Link
40	#65	Green Flash Brewery – Le Freak	7	Oct-12	Link
40	#66	Rogue – Mocha Porter	7	Oct-12	Link
40	#68	Golden Eagle - South Island Pale Ale (S.I.P.A)	7	Oct-12	Link
40	#70	Yeastie Boys – Motueka Raven	7	Oct-12	Link
40	#77	KJD Brewing – Chocolate Cherry Porter	7	Oct-12	Link
40	#80	Rogue – Dry Hopped St. Rogue Red Ale	7	Oct-12	Link
40	#83	Hallertau – Barley Wine	7	Oct-12	Link
40	#85	Yeastie Boys – Pot Kettle Black	7	Oct-12	Link
40	#87	Baird Beer – Kurofune Porter	7	Nov-12	Link
62	#89	Croucher- Pale Ale	6.85	Nov-12	Link
63	#90	Croucher- Pilsner	6.5	Nov-12	Link
64	#13	Wells – Banana Bread Beer	6	Mar-12	Link
64	#16	Emerson’s -  Weissbier.	6	Apr-12	Link
64	#23	Steampunk - Strong Ale	6	May-12	Link
64	#41	Raindogs Brewing Company – Apothecary Amber Ale	6	Aug-12	Link
64	#44	Black Sheep Ale	6	Aug-12	Link
64	#55	Ass Kisser – Vanilla Pale Ale	6	Sep-12	Link
64	#62	Epic – Double Stout	6	Sep-12	Link
64	#63	Invercargill Pitch Black Boysenberry Stout	6	Sep-12	Link
64	#69	Shepherd Neame – Spitfire	6	Oct-12	Link
64	#73	De Molen – Bed and Breakfast	6	Oct-12	Link
64	#74	Harringtons Brewer’s Selection Hop Tremor IP	6	Oct-12	Link
64	#76	Mussel Inn – Captain Cooker Manuka Beer	6	Oct-12	Link
64	#78	Three Boys – Oyster Stout	6	Oct-12	Link
64	#80	Yeastie Boys + Liberty Brewing – Yakima Raven	6	Oct-12	Link
78	#50	Kaimai Golden Rye Ale	5	Aug-12	Link
78	#71	Moa - Imperial Stout	5	Oct-12	Link
78	#79	Mussel Inn – Dark Horse	5	Oct-12	Link
81	#22	Hawkes Bay  - Amber Ale	4	May-12	Link
81	#28	Brasserie Du Mont Blanc -  La   Blanche	4	Jun-12	Link
81	#32	Harrington’s Belgium Tempest	4	Jun-12	Link
81	#39	Brasserie De Saint-Sylvestre  -   Gavroche	4	Jul-12	Link
81	#53	Golden Ticket Brewing – Champion Malky	4	Sep-12	Link
81	#61	Dead Good Beer – Golden Ale	4	Sep-12	Link
81	#86	Valley Brewing Co – Muster	4	Nov-12	Link
81	#91	Coronado – Orange Avenue Wit	4	Nov-12	Link
89	#56	Sawmill Brewing Company – Crystal Wheat Beer	3	Sep-12	Link
89	#67	Monteiths -  Unfiltered Apricot   Wheat	3	Oct-12	Link
89	#88	Wigram Brewing Co. – Ginger Jerry	3	Nov-12	Link
92	#46	Warsteiner -  5ltr Keg	1	Aug-12	Link
93	#26	The weekend assortment.	0	Jun-12	Link
94	#66	Lion Red - Lion Red	0	Sep-12	Link

Beer - #92 - Dale’s - American Amber Ale

Dale’s -  American Amber Ale by  Dale’s Brewing Co. Brewed at West Coast Brewing in the Style of an Amber Ale, and we're back on local soil sort of in Nelson, New Zealand. Oh and it's unpasturised, so not to be kept in the light.

Brewed using a range of European malts, a trio of American hops and an American Ale yeast, this beer combines smooth caramel and toasty notes with suggestions of ripe stonefruit and aromatic pine resins. It finishes with a brisk and appetising bitterness.

So that's a bit different to the last beer in no way at all.

Deeply hoppy, sweetly malty aroma and a deep brown pour from the 500ml bottle of  5.4% ABV beer.

It's nicely bitter too, just about the right amount that offsets the sweet malt. It's good.  This would be a fine session beer, a beer to stock in the fridge and to sit with and tell lies to mates with. There's nothing offensive or challenging with this, the hops stay as the hops, they don't get excitable and as it warms it does not get more bitter, if anything the malt pushes through to seduce you.

If you want a NZ beer that is a lot like a good English Beer, even though this is the American Amber style this is a pretty good choice. It's a lot sweeter than an English ale, and that might be a local preference.

The pdubyah-o-meter says an easy 8. Well played Dayle and your brewery. An easy to drink beer that make me smile. It's a good beer, but it's not spectacular spectacular, solid enough and quaffed with much relish, which is a pity because there was only the one, bugger!

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Beer - #91 - Coronado - Orange Avenue Wit

A beer from the US of A, Coronado Brewery Orange Avenue Wit, of 650ml of a 5.2ABV beer - Coronado Brewing Company, Coronado, California USA in the style: Belgian White (Witbier).

Our spiced California style Wit is both refreshing and complex. Brewed with wheat, coriander, California orange peel and local orange blossom honey. From the first sip to the last you’ll find subtle flavors of bread, spice, citrus and a thirst quenching orange honey finish.

One of those beers that feels compelled to tell you what you're going to taste which should have been a bit of a flag, but I allow some leeway as it's a big bottle with a lot of real estate to fill in.

It's a very pale golden colour, lively carbonation,  and musty hops. The taste is overwhelmed by the bubbles. Either it's too cold or they're making it up about the smorgasbord of flavours that should be present, perhaps I left them in the bottle when I poured  the first part.

I like a wheat beer, I enjoy the fruits under the alcohol, the front and lingering taste. This isn't any of those things. It's all very 'meh', which means the pdubyah-o-meter arbitrarily really doesn't like this and makes it a massive swing-and-a-miss at 4 arbitrary things from it's equally arbitrary number.

If two thumbs up was the best this would be 1/2 of 1 thumb. Very disappointing,and disappointed in this. Without anything to reference, I can't find a best before date on the bottle,  but I did find an  importers sticker saying that it'd been imported over a year ago! (July 11) Quelle horreur!

I'd say based on that, that I might be drinking a beer that is past its' best, way way way past,  if I was being charitable.

If I was being uncharitable, I'd say avoid. I would say however take the extra two minutes to find a date. Lesson learnt. Gives self an uppercut.

Can't change my score on this, it was worth every one of the 4 arbitrary things, sadly making this possibly one of the worst beers I've had in ages.

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Robbie Williams - 'Take the Crown' takes the cake

Tragically today for my exercise companion  I listened to the latest Robbie Williams CD -  Take the Crown.

Take the biscuit more like.

It's a set of 3 -6 word "chants" with a background of "anthem" style 80's pop synthesiser music, all with the aim of giving gravitas to lyrics from the secret diary of a pre-pubescent teen.

This really feels like this is music that you do to  fill in time in a contract that demands a new album ever year , or something. there is no heart soul or reason for this, it's floundering nonsense.

Even the worst of albums has a redeeming lyric, or track, or melody that casts light on an otherwise gloomy thing. I failed to find it on this.

That said I'm not really the target audience. But that just adds weight to the idea that this is about the money, it isn't about craft, or skill, it isn't about life experience, or a journey through a linked story, it's a series of 3 minute sound-bites that should appeal to the x-factor-got talent audience who appreciate a poor song to overly wrought backing track sung in the chanty pop style.

So awful I had to share it with you.

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The less of me - revisited

I started with the good intention, in June, the walking, for the weight loss, the general fitness, the sense of wellbeing and accomplishment , and all the good things that that brings.

Well I started, then I broke a toe, then life happened and that. So... some excuses later, and fast forward from June 14 to November 10, and I know you're thinking what-the-hey, thats like 5 months, and you'd be right there.  But life indeed was happening and sometimes that intrudes on your good intentions.

Summer is here and we're off again.

This time though I upgraded from the Nike+ Sportband to the Nike+ GPS watch. Which altogether appeals more to my sense of big brother wathching me.

And full of the enthusiasm I was faster today than the previous efforts, to be fair it is warmer, I'm wearing less clothes and I have new motivation.

Can I keep it up though. Only I can know and only I can let me down.

Beer – #90 – Croucher- Pilsner

Croucher, A Pilsner, Brewed by Croucher Brewing, in the style of a Pilsener and that's in Rotorua, New Zealand.  A Pilsner refers to pale, hoppy lagers, ranging from 28IBUs and up. Pilsners that do not meet the specific characteristics of a German or Bohemian pils will be given this generic classification. They can't even agree the spelleage of Pilsner!

So there you are, a thing that might be a thing.  And this is a thing, because of the previous Croucher that I had I'm somewhat dubious.

500mls of a 5% ABV beer, ready for action.  And delivers a small burst of hops, pours really really pale, yellow, weak yellow, and there is no further aroma to deliver.

Wow that's grassy hops in that, is this a thing with the Croucher beer?, That's a dominant thing but there is a back current of a sweetness that hard to pin down. And this together seem to cancel each other out on the palate which is fairly short and un-memorable.

I do have to say that a Pilsner is a bit off my beaten track, but if a Pilsner is a base of grassy hops then this is great. This is a" this and that" beer, it's not what I think a pilsner is, and it's more an IPA or APA than a Pilsner, I think.

I'm conflicted on the Pdubyah-o-meter for this and it agrees arbitrarily that this is arbitrarily a 6.5.  It's lovely pale and clear, it's horribly hoppy, It's not smooth, European, flash, suave, smooth or debonair. It's confused is what it is. Why have a barge sized hop flavour on a pleasure boat?

This might just be the wrong hops, or they're setting their shingle on this base, I'm not sure it's a good idea.

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Beer - #89 - Croucher- Pale Ale

Croucher- Pale Ale - that's it, not much more... Brewed by Croucher Brewing in the Style of an American Pale Ale, and they are in Rotorua, which we of course call Rotovegas, New Zealand

Tasting Notes: Appearance - A rich rose-gold hue, with good head. Aroma - Massive up front fruit with strong freshly crushed grain. Passionfruit and lychees predominate with a stonefruit undertone - fruit salad on weetbix. Grassiness from three Nelson hop varieties compliment the fruit to give an aroma reminiscent of a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc but the grunt in the palate leaves you in no doubt that this is a very serious beer. Body & Mouthfeel - Very smooth with a gorgeous lingering finish. Delicious burps.

Right so that's a mixed bag of expectations and delivery, for which I'm not thankful and am a bit wary.

It's very hoppy , all up, all hoppy, the passionfruit I get too. 500ml (9oz) (pint) of a 5% ABV beer pouring golden with a fair decent head.

Revisiting the aroma, again I get the passion fruit but not in a big way, they just are.  There's a fair bit of sour from the hops on the palate, and it somewhat overtakes the passionfruit taste that's lingering in the melange. It's really carbonated, almost overly.  The taste is long though, there is plenty of energy in the taste with this, defiantly not a front of tongue taste. I get toffee, just because I can, which may be the malts. There is a grassiness too that shows up after sitting in the glass and breathing.

"Serious beer" not so much, "interactive beer" a bit.  "Likeable beer", for sure. This, I think, is my first Croucher Beer, and I'm a bit impressed.

The pdubyah-o-meter pushes all the way up its' arbitrary scale of things to 7.85 -. Like how I'm getting granular on it :0.

I think that with a decent accompanying thing that this is a beer that would reward you for a whole afternoon session, in and of itself its a bit try-hard, and a shade to much grassy hoppy. not a favourite.

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Christmas comes but once a year- but the internet pictures are forever

These arrived in an email and are variously hilarious and  horrifying.

So without any other comment

[gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="rand"]

Palace Soar to the Top!

[caption id="attachment_3679" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Ian Holloway could hardly have wished for a better start to his new job as Crystal Palace boss as a Glenn Murray hat-trick helped the Eagles soar to the top of the Championship with a 5-0 thrashing of Ipswich.[/caption]

Palace's win, coupled with another shocking away day capitulation by Cardiff and just a point for second-placed Middlesbrough, sent Holloway's new side flying high into pole position.

It's the first time in over 5 years they've topped the Championship table, and only a couple of years since they nearly folded into oblivion. It's a joy to behold

• Current Unbeaten Sequence : 12 games: Crystal Palace


•  Longest Unbeaten Sequence : 12 games: Crystal Palace


•  Most Wins : 9 Crystal Palace, Middlesbrough, Cardiff City, Hull City


•  Fewest Losses : 3 Crystal Palace, Blackburn Rovers, Nottingham Forest


•  Highest Points per Game : 2 Crystal Palace


•  Highest Goal Difference : 9 Crystal Palace, Cardiff City


•  Fewest Games Failed to Score: 0 Crystal Palace

 

Related articles

• Wilfried Zaha dazzles for Crystal Palace ahead of Ian Holloway arrival (telegraph.co.uk)


• Crystal Palace 5-0 Ipswich Town | Championship match report (guardian.co.uk)

Rediscovering the Vinyl Records- the other bit

I gave up pretending to think about it and as  my son seems to have discovered music as a hobby on the way to be a DJ, and I'm not about to be left out of a thing, I dove straight in.

I brought, and this is where you suck air between your teeth in that way, a Pro-Ject RPM 1.3 Genie turntable. Harvey Norman and it's drones gave me a hundy off he sticker price. I got a turntable and mucho love, no idea what they got.

And at this point I have to acknowledge that I brought this with the ill gotten gains from the family estate that you can read about elsewhere hereabouts. Mother would cuddle me, and I'm going to tear up a bit each time, sometimes, that I get the LP record on.

That aside.... fcuck I'm immediately in love, a lot, in many ways, a lot, love....

this is a clever piece of kit, for what it is, an it looks great, MrsPdubyah though it looked worthy and worthwhile, the Valve Amp not so much, scroll to the bottom for more on that.

I have some new vinyl LP records that need playing and at least one of them they are good, because I'm listening to it now and on the enjoyment level is very high.

I'd be shopping for more LP's now online except I want to scurry home with them, and it's like the first flush of love. It's such a conflicted thing, over whelmed and under-monied.

The other side of the coin........The Fatman iTube Valve amp, MrsPhil says a resounding no to this, mostly because she just says no.  However side by side she conceeds that they pass muster.  The Fatman Itube Valve Amp I think is a great piece of kit, and MrsPhil really isn't down with it. Aesthetically it does not  please her. Never has, never will

So I have to tidy some cables, buy some flowers, invest in some new Vinyl records and some cleaning agents and cloths for the ones in the garage and I'm otherwise engaged for upto 30 minutes a side of music.

Bring on the weekend, whence I shall be cracking out the Police, Pink Floyd, David Bowie and a few others for my own entertainment.

 

Related articles

• Top 5 beginner turntables for vinyl enthusiasts

• Record stores still selling vinyl (blogs.abc.net.au)


• RecordSmith is the place for vinyl records (sarabozich.com)


• The Rec Room - Vintage Vinyl Records and Stereos (rubylane.com)

Rediscovering the Vinyl Records

I've brought two vinyl records in the last week. One on line and one from Rhythm Music in Ponsonby.

The Toy Love Double LP  (on line) and Heart Attack Alley - Living in Hell LP,  which is in fabulous red, and has a free CD version in the packaging.

Fantastic! I hear you cry. Yes! I reply.

But therein lies a problem, in that I do have a turntable, but it's long in the tooth, in a cupboard and of dubious merit. So I have to get it out and pray a little that it'll work.

Or I could buy a new Turntable.

And do you know how expensive on of those can be.

I'm not talking the $79 plug into your computer and make your vinyl into MP3 things that you can from DSE, but a properly good turntable.

There are some places where you  can get refurbished old school ones  and that could be an option, or I could invest some of my ill gotten inheritance on one With that though comes the possible need to have a new amplifier.

Or I could hope my NAD pre-amp is still working too.

I can see how that you could easily get sucked into a new world of buying vinyl and even getting out the old stuff you have parked in the garage.

I did already take a mental note that at $54 and $39 my new found old thing might not be as cheap as it could be.

or I could just wait

Restaurant Critic #3 – The Ponsonby Belgium Beer Cafe

The Ponsonby Belgium Beer Cafe was the venue for the big night out, MrsPdubyah and me, and another couple decided to have a bit of a thing, Not withstanding that we had some bar vouchers that would help us enjoy ourselves. Which meant as our start point anything over  $150 and we were paying our own money on the night.

The Ponsonby Belgium Beer Cafe is an awesome place, the staff are brilliant, the beer list is unmatched, and the atmosphere and ambience is second to none. It's just a nice place to be, drink and to go to.

On the other side it's on the expensive end of the drinking value scale.

The pub is such a nice place to be in, but where we were sat it was very cold, but I can gloss over that the dining room was set aside for a private function and that we were sat by the front door, so no marks down for that.

The bar is a wonder to behold, every beer in it's own glass, and I've yet to order a beer that that's not available. It really does have a high standard of customer satisfaction.

And the staff, well they are brilliant, attentive, courteous, polite, knowledgeable and they make you feel like you are the most important people in the bar.

But.... and there is always a but

It isn't a cheap night out, and the food is good but not great, outstanding, demanding or different, it's good pub grub indifferently delivered. Pulling my head in it does show as a Cafe not a restaurant, and the beer is the thing that is it's thing.

Oh and it was busy, very busy, constantly busy, but not crowded. It is popular.

The big night out then, and we had from their menu for food as Entree:-

• The Seafood Chowder $15 - possibly the star of the night, served in a loaf that had been scooped out, awesomeness, plenty of the seafood and an amazing thing of beauty


• The bread and the dips $11.00 - it was bread and dips, I sulked at such a poor choice


• The House Smoked Salmon $15.00 - the ladies shared this, and some of the bread and dips, it's very rich and very filling - best value for money.

and as  main:-

• Thai Beef Salad from the light menu $17.00 - also a best value for money selection, soft and tender beer and a hearty serving, looked good, ate great.


• Shepherd's Pie $ 23 - looked like it sounds, nothing to write home about, but was a bit good apparently


• Belgium Sausage $19 - disappointing based on the expectation of something more textured than a spiced sausage, hardly a thing of joy or excitement if this is a Flemish staple


• Fish and Chips $25.00 - it looked great and there wasn't much left

So that was $41 + $81 = $122 of food

And for beer and wine (Boys night out of course... payback comes later...)

• The Ned Sauvignon blanc - Standard glass of Wine - $10  x 4


• Leffe Brun - 500ml $ 14.00 x 3


• Leffe Blonde - 500ml $14 x 1


• Popperings HommelBeir 330ml $15.00 - this was very yeasty to aroma, but aside from that not as spectacular a choice as some, it was new to me, but not a thing that I'd rush back to, but then there are about a bazillion beers to choose from and so that's not going to be a problem.


• Grottenbeir Brune 330ml $15.50

and that means the addition of  $126.50 in beer and wine

Not going to quibble the $251 bill from the bar.

It was a atop night out for the $100 dollars we really had to pay, but if it'd been $250 I'd have wondered why we had chosen that venue as a way to celebrate something.

I'd take you there for the experience, wince at the cost of doing so, but talk about it for many years with deep affection and love. If you ever get the change to go, and someone else is paying, or you're showing off to a new girlfriend or boyfriend this might be for you.

As a celebration of taste opportunity of beer it's a winner, as pub grub it's great. As a premium priced beer venue attached to pub grub it falls into a strange place where you've had this fabulous drinking thing going on (if you're a beer drinker an are prepared to experiment) and where your drink is in a different league to the food. They don't match, there doesn't appear to be a logical step from the huge beer selection to the food on offer.

The food on offer does not appear to have anything that would make you empathise or connect to Belgium as a place, there is no back story or reason that item "A" would be on the menu that I could discern.

I'm going back though there is about a bazillion beers less the 3 or 4 that I've had to get through, and I won't rest until that happens :-)

Beer - #88 - Wigram Brewing Co. - Ginger Jerry

The Wigram Ginger Jerry bottle of 330ml sized 4% ABV beer, the quiet end of a night out.

Brewed by Wigram Brewing Company, in the style of a Belgian White (Witbier), and of course they're in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Another addition to the Wigram seasonal range, Ginger Jerry has the full body of a wheat beer with the extra zing of infused ginger, honey and lemon resulting in a naturally sweet lemon ginger spice aroma. Cloudy in appearance the beer radiates with a warm rich orange hue. Brewed with a Belgium Ale yeast and low in alcohol, Ginger Jerry is a refreshing beer for all seasons.

For no reason other than I saw it this is a "best before September 13" beer. Not even sure why that bothers me, or even if it does since I had "keeper" beers that I drank that were 5 months old. It is what it is.

Lets be upfont with what I expect, the citrus (read lemon) and ginger that the label promises, and that's about all. So.......

It has ginger whiff , it has a well goodly amount of carbonation, and I get a cut grass aroma. The head which starts off all excitable like a puppy dies away fairly easily, I really do have to find a middling point with this aspect of beers.

The Palate is of a harsh bitter ginger that leaps and barks at you, like an excitable puppy, it's very long on the palate, very long and almost troubling. Peppery and tanging on the tongue. There is a lemon back taste, but it's like washing up liquid. What's going on ?

Gak. This is almost like drinking washing up liquid, it's not  really hitting any mark at all, and confuses to deceive as a beer. Not sure what the goal was but this might be an own goal of massive proportion.

This isn't even a sweet ginger ginger beer, this is the worst of the bitter, and a mufddled taste, what I get is all grass, it's fairly unpleasant. Lucky it's 330ml and not something substantial.

The pdubyah-o-meter resists strongly but lurches to a really weak 3 things from it's equally arbitrary number.  This should take a bus trip to Geradine and join the "muster" that I had a couple of beersago, and they should elope to and hide as recluses never to be seen again. Ghastly.

A poor finish to a night, and would have been a tragic start to a night, the chaps at Wigram need to sit in the sun more and listen the the inner voice, because whatever caused this wasn't contemplation and thought.

Related articles

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Bit of a mistake - Shopping at Farro

I don't know what came over me, but I went to Farro Fresh, for no reason other than that they do have the  Over the Moon – Triple Cream Brie that I'm a bit of a fan of. Why would you not be!

So MrsPdubyah and MissPdubyah were watching X-Factor on the Mysky and I decided that it would be better if I didn't.

Road Trip to  to Farro Fresh on Constellation Drive as my safe place.

Bit. Of. A. Mistake. Lot. Of.

I found the cheese, but I didn't buy it, because their Cheese-o-rorium has some Whitestone Lindis Pass Brie that took my eye instead. And of course having brought the Primo Sopresso Hot Salami I felt that I was on a bit of a roll.

But what put me off my stride straight away was the sign advertising "New Zealand Pineapples 2-for-$5" except they weren't' they were from the Philippines. I can let that slide, no one is really going to think that we've grown Pineapples in Winter right?

But having got my small stash of cheese and salami I decided a mooch about the aisles was a thing.

This is where is really started to go wrong.

My "twatdar" starts boinging like a grandfather clock stuck on 12. Mothers who indulge their little Deborah with a bottle of $14.50 rhubarb and lime cordial for instance, which was pretention enough. Then came Mr. and Mrs Mexico. With their shop assistant.

"We're from Mexico, and in Mexico..." ... "In Mexico shops like this"... "Mexican people like us, in Mexico".. and the poor store boy hadn't said a word yet. They brought some flour. I don't think you can get flour in Mexico. Don't really know, but "in Mexico I love to cook" people were happy.

The queue for the pretzel tasting. "Charlotte it's cheese and herbs" he said, having tasted a sugar cube chunk. Charlotte sets a low bar for enjoyment clearly.

There is much to admire about the produce at Farro, I'm not knocking the store, but the people that shop there are the sort that would rather shop online and have delivered rather than go to Foodtown let alone Pak n' Save.

It's the kind of toy shop for adults enthusiasm that annoys me " Darling it's organic butter!" I think missing the point about what "organic" means in it's real sense. I get that in a food sense it means "without chemicals". And it's like shooting fish in a barrel, $7.49 for 100grams of dried fruit in a foil packaging from a company that "loves food", for instance.

There is a plethora of things that you can't get in a supermarket and that's why I enjoy shopping at Farro. But I got to figure out the quite time when raised whispers to an enthralled partner are not de rigueur.

Oh and yes I brought some Quinoa, just like a child in a lolly shop with a gold coin, hook line and sinker...

Beer - #87 - Baird Beer - Kurofune Porter

Ok, back on track I hope, Baird Kurofune Porter, Brewed by the Baird Brewing Co. in the style of a Porter and this is all the way from Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan, in it's 330ml bottle of 6%ABV thing.

Kurofune (means "Black Ships") was the word the Japanese used to describe the American gunboats that came to open Japan to western trade. Kurofone Porter is sleek and forceful, but leaves a winning bittersweet taste of chocolate and coffee on the tongue. "Do not resist the superior might; cunningly acquiesce, and embrace." Kampai!

I remember that I fell in a bit of lust with the Baird Beer – Baird Wabi Sabi IPA a while ago, I have fond memories of Baird being a bit special.

And I am on a Porter adventure, one that I'm not getting the hang of, Porter either eludes me or it's not all that and bag of crisps. I do like the romanticism of a Japanese beer however and the delivery of these makes you look at the label for meaning.

and we're back in the room......  The immediate aroma is a bitter... it's dark dark, it's heady, there are a bunch of hops and malts.

The immediate taste isn't of chocolate but then it's there at the back, the front taste is of a fruit like a  plum or damson but not, I wonder what fruit that is? The wonderful way the chocolate carries through though, that's a nice thing. So a light sweet dark and multi-layer beer.

I find though that for all I thought that this was bit thin, a bit of "oh here comes the chocolate" taste, and that made it less of a thing. These guys are trying though and this seems to be very close to an "it" that you think you are looking for in a beer.

The pdubyah-o-meter can only get 7 from 10 arbitrary things, which makes this just about on a par as a beer, the place where you're neither challenged or insulted, not enlightened or made to feel a bit  silly.

Sadly though, Nothing to see here, move along....

Related articles

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Beer - #86 - Valley Brewing Co - Muster

Valley Brewing Co - Muster - they're in Geraldine this is a 4.4%ABV beer in a 330ml bottle. I bet you never had one of these.

It's a "Red Ale" , and that's pretty much all there is to know.  Except that like the Yeastie boys this is brewed at the Invercargill brewery. Valley Brewery also make what would appear to be an average rated  Pale ale.

So it appears I found a beer that not a lot of people know about, and that worries me. A bit.

And so to the chase.

Hoppy on the nose, so far so good, but then it's a bit thick and almost wet weetabix like as an aroma. Don't ask. It's a bit Prometheus monster, a throw together. There is tangy, there is sweet, there is frowning.. This can't be a good thing. This feels over carbonated too, despite having no head or lacing in the glass.

I like a "Red Ale",  and if I was out and this was on tap I'd give it a nudge. Just the one time though. There is no depth in this, or width, there is no fore or back taste. I'm not being cruel but this isn't something you should be enjoying outside of Geraldine, where no doubt it's a crowd favourite.

A local beer for local people. The pdubyah-o-meter at it's most generous gets to a 4 arbitrary things from its equally arbitrary number. This is neither craft, or a good beer. It doesn't deserve a space  on a shelf a single bottle sale, it's suitable for mainstream 6 pack buy and get what you get. It's ghastly.

I wish I'd saved my premium money for a better beer. Even a home brew.