Down to the Eight Bells in Saffron Walden for more culinary hits. This time ti’s two pints of Adnams Bitter, one of those almost flat English beers that I didn’t realise I missed so much.
It’s (obviously) bitter, nearly flat and about 4.4% alcohol. It reminds me that so man of our craft beers are a bit too mucked about.
For lunch I have my second smoked haddock dish of the holiday – a smoked haddock and mussel chowder.
I’m really enjoying this smoky fish which you simply can’t get hold of back home.
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Those pictures make me question why I’m sitting here drinking water…
Oooh, be still my heart… smoked haddie & a bellywasher.
you know I wish local craft breweries could just make a decent bitter like this rather than messing around with all sorts of fancy stuff.
I had a long comment written yesterday but my wireless router ate it.
To sum up;
- English ale better than 95 percent of Oz beer. Especially the large volume commercial market (except Coopers)
- The quality of ales depends a lot on the cellarman’s ability to look after the beer. No shaking, let it settle, sell it quickly.
- A good pub for ale will reward you efforts in finding it. Average ales will appear better.
- A pub that doesn’t look after its beer will not have any good beers.
- High turnover, therefore freshness, is an ales best friend.
- Adnans is passable, Otter Ale and Black Sheep are ambrosia.
- City pubs that are full of suits should be sealed and filled with poisonous gas…oh yeah, the point of this point was: City pubs full of suits drinking lager do not have good ale.
I think I agree ed. I like the idea of ‘craft’ beers but too many taste like fizzy Chanel No 5.
Hunty, I’m back now and really missing this English beer. Moutain Goat gets near and I may have to sink a few pints of that this week just to test again whether or not it is a substitute.
Love that english bitter