The bar is dead long live the bar!

And the new bar is all set up, its looking pretty sharp if I do say so myself.

Changing Rooms

There will be some changes coming up at the Mason’s Arms (aka my house bar). I used to get asked occasionally why I had a bar and three beer engine in my living room, my answer was always ‘why would you have a bar and 3 beer engines in your living room?’ However the time has come in my life where I will answer my own question. Sarah has sold her house and we are moving her and 2 of her kids into my house.

Its time for the bar to go...

Well move actually. Over the next month the bar will be moved from the central living area into one of the bedrooms that open off from it. This of course will give me a lounge bar and a public bar (or tap room as I’m tempted to call it even though I am well aware that tap rooms don’t usually have taps in them and this one will). Although Sarah will call the lounge bar the living room of course.

I will update with photos as the new bar takes form.

Real Ale at the Races

Never let it be said that we let a bad beer selection get in the way of a good time. This weekend I made a mad dash to Otaki for a very short weekend away for my good friend Mulchin’s 30^th Birthday. I had to be back for work on Sunday and ended up having to race the train an extra stop in order to catch it home!

On Saturday we visited the Otaki Maori Racing Club meet at the Otaki racecourse. We knew the usual suspects were on offer from bar so decided to sort our own beer out. We set up a beer engine in the back of the van and enjoyed the good stuff

To make the weekend special I had organised 3 soft packs, a concept similar to nasty cask wine but bigger and without the nasty wine, filled with bright moderately conditioned beer. So my title is a little disingenuous as it was really bright ale at the races but that didn’t have the same ring to it!

Through the weekend we enjoyed Twisted Hop Goldings Bitter, Three Boys IPA and Three Boys Oyster Stout. All were tasting absolutely fantastic. We had the IPA at the races and it certainly hit the spot.

Weekend Escape

One of the fantastic things about my new job is that I can have time off with Sarah. At Moores when one of us was away the other pretty much had to be there, a naff situation. Now we can have weekends away and shock horror, when we can afford it, actually get over to the UK. This weekend is Sarah’s Birthday so we will be off to Waikanae for the weekend. Last year we managed to get away midweek to the Wassail Brauhaus in Taranaki, we intended to go back this year but times are tough and we decided we couldn’t afford it. So this weekend it will be good beer, good cider, good cheese, good simple food, chilly dog walks, and warm fires. I cant wait!

The pictures are from a weekend we booked just after I started at Regionals. The beer was Sussex Old Ale , a low gravity old ale I brewed especially for Sarah.

A Death in the family

So while I was away from the bloggersphere something deeply sad happened. Heroic brewer O’Hanlon’s came a cropper and decided to throw their most beautiful child to the sharks! What am I going on about? Devonshire Micro O’Hanlon’s have decided they had to give up the contract to produce Thomas Hardy’s Ale. Unfortunately for me this is one of my all time favourite beers. There have been un-encouraging noises coming from the English brewing community in regard to someone else taking up the contract, so now it looks like the classic English Barley Wine will be produced in the states. In my new role I was able to check how much was left in the country and secure some supplies for Regionals, I’m also looking to get a case or two my self to add to the 18 I already have in the cellar.

Geoff has written about it here and I have written about it here

I'm Back

I’m not dead. I have just been hell busy. To busy to blog almost to busy to brew. The new job is awesome , there has been a lot to do. Still hopefully this marks the return to my blogging career.

Mason’s Mild 3.6%abv

I have a new batch of Mason’s Mild on tap. I have re jigged the recipe and it now is much lighter in colour than it was. The patent malt was giving it a roasty edge that was abit astringent and was reducing its drinkability. The new version reminds me a bit of Banks Original which I have had from the can and rather liked. There’s a bit of diacetyl which hopefully I will keep out of the next batch. Then it will be perfect. Interesting to see it topped the mild tasting in the recent issue of Camra’s Beer magazine. Mason’s will be joined on the bar tonight by the last of Yeastie Boys Kid Chocolate.

Above is the draft design of the Mason’s Mild pump clip Dave has designed for me, they will soon be professionally pressed into real pump clips. Very exciting, yes I’m a nerd.