Friday 7th February 2020

Beer festival day.

Yay.

Details might be a little blurry as the day goes on.

Just sayin'.

Being a Friday, Jools has yoga, swimming, shopping and an added session of Betty-sitting for Jen whilst Jen does yoga or zumba.

Or something.

All of which means that I am home alone from quarter past six, so rather than put if off, I go straight and do a session on the cross trainer, another 25 minutes meaning that I have done an extra 20 through the week, like an extra session. I was "entertained" by Bob Dylan, Prince, The Hoodoo Gurus, Simple Minds among others.

All of this meant I was done by quarter to seven, and after a cool down, I am showered and all lovely by half seven, had breakfast and ready for work at quarter to eight.

And so onto three hours or so of intensive work. I have some of the best most intensive work. Bigly.

I have a meeting with my boss, and suddenly its time to decide how to get into town; bus or taxi. Bus is £4.40 or taxi is a tenner. I ring for a taxi.

Obviously.

That arrives at ten to twelve, and drops me off outside Maison Dieu just gone five past midday, there was no queue to get in. Yet.

So, I walk to Greggs for a sausage roll, wander back and then climb the steps to the doorway, where I find six thirstier people than I already there.

I join them, and soon we are all chatting about other festivals, beers and so on.

Time drags slowly.

And dead on one, the doors are opened and all us card-carrying CAMRA members file in, show our cards and buy or glass and first batch of beer tokens.

I had studied the beer list in the leaflet, so after bagging a chair at one of the long tables, go to half a pint of "Black Taxi to the Moon" by Angels and Demons, which, according to the tasting notes: "impeccably balanced smoked London porter. Full bodied bitter chocolate and underlining sweetness aids the complexity of this ebony vixen." To me was overdone and too bitter to my taste.

I drink it anyway.

I met up with my friend, Steve, who came down from London for the festival, we shared beers and comments whilst catching up.

Through the afternoon I also try:

Calico Jack (6.2%)
Evil Thieves Batch B (5.1%)
Trotty Veck (5.0%)
Goa Express (5.4%)
K9 Tripelphena (7.0%)
Comfortably Numb (5.0%)
Stay Puft (5.2%)

Best one was Calico Jack which finished my selection, and finished me. Jools came at four to rescue me, taking me home where no more beer could tempt me.

In a bold move, I make dinner, warmed up ragu with pasta and garlic bread. I don't remember much about it, but was edible, and I washed down with a couple of glasses of red wine.

Was that wise? probably not.