9: Blackpool, London, The World
I've been on 12 different trains this week, which is unreasonable given that I moved to the countryside to become a hermit.
Last weekend we went to Blackpool for a piss-up, something I absolutely love doing and have written about before, and my intentions were good. We had a few good pubs in mind. I had a budget to stick to.
Of course I spent most of the afternoon on North Pier drinking Guinness and black, shrieking with laughter at the haunted organ music and falling out of my deckchair.
Changing tone entirely, on Monday I headed down to London to judge at GBBF and the World Beer Awards. I love judging, I know some people find it a bit of a chore to think deeply and analytically about the beer you're drinking, but I think it's great to get everyone debating about what they're tasting and smelling. I'm still learning too, and you must all know how much I like learning by now. It's like, my thing.
At GBBF I was really proud to be one of the judges of the Champion Beer of Britain (or the "see-bob" as I was thrilled to find out was the accepted pronunciation of the acronym.)
Afterwards, I spent the afternoon mooching around the festival. I am not one to do things by myself, but I felt totally relaxed and chill in the festival's environment, and when I did bump into people I knew, it was a happy surprise rather than a relief.
I think that says a lot about the festival itself. I felt safe and welcome, which I know isn't that much of a big deal for someone like me to say, but I hate feeling awkward, it makes me panic. I just go home. Instead of feeling like a spare part, I lounged around drifting here and there, drinking good beer, taking some pics and having a laugh. That can't be a happy accident, given the work that went into improving GBBF in almost every way this year and the steps taken to make everyone feel welcome. In fact, the only time I felt uncomfortable is when photographers kept popping up everywhere to take photos of girls with beers. The CAMRA people at least asked first. Just saying, journos.
The beer was great too -- on the whole. I dunno why I always insist on getting a standard pale ale with a ridiculous name every single festival I go to. It never works out well for me.
Other Stuff
Matt wrote about arguably the best beer in the world and it was probably the most soothing read I read all week.
This is a really engaging "How to" on visiting Munich, that hits on all the big stuff and makes it sound, above all else, FUN.
A reading of Rise from Ulverton. It's a tall tale set in 1803, loose and meandering because it's in the pub, and they moan about the beer too.
The energy in this piece about Broaden & Build is totally infectious. Beautiful photography too.
There is a nice wee article by Steve Lamacq in CAMRA's Beer magazine (no link, sorry) about the pub being his office -- although reports I've had prior to this say he's more of a rum and coke fan. More as this story breaks.
I really liked this restaurant review. It made me lol.
Pleasingly perfect mountainscapes made from tinfoil by Yuji Hamada. (Click on "Primal Mountain")
My Stuff
I wrote about the TT Races for Ferment magazine because for me, it's as much to do with beer as it is bikes.
From "Primal Mountain" by Yuji Hamada