Banana Drama And Other Stories

The dogs have a new lamp to light their early evenings when we’re not home from work until after darkness has fallen e.g. the whole of November to February. The only problem is it requires a very specialised super small screw-in bulb that nobody seems to sell. Eventually I track one down at Homebase.

Even then it was hard to find. Where would you think Homebase display their bulbs? I tried the lighting section, then the electrical section but no, they are hidden underneath the stairs by the mirrors. Good job I asked or else I’d still be there now.

On the bus today and after work I head to Nottingham Castle where L is loitering on the benches by Robin himself. Tonight it’s the 40th running of the annual beer festival which gets bigger and more unwieldy every year but we are told this is a good thing. This year they have a staggering choice of 1,220 beers. I have no idea how you’re supposed to get through that lot or even make an informed choice. Therefore the decision is taken to again to attempt to drink as local as possible.

We head down to the bandstand area and find a sort of secret seating area at the back which is surrounded by local brewery stalls, food outlets and the bandstand itself where music is being played. It’s rather idyllic actually and a bit like a mini Glastonbury.

I knock back the following ales:-

Banana Drama Stout, Sperrin (Warks) 7.0%

Biscoteque Stout, Naked Beer Co (West Sussex) 5.0%

Black Pearl Stout, Crystal (East Yorks) 5.0%

Bramling Porter, Instant Karma (Clay Cross) 5.0%

Captain Hopbeard, Totally Brewed (Nottingham) 5.5%

Damn Fine Coffee Porter, Nottingham Brewery (Nottingham) 4.6%

Hawse Buckler, Oakham (Peterborough) 5.6%

Nowt Stout, Five Towns (Wakefield) 6.7%

Rise And Shine Stout, Black Iris (Nottingham) 5.2%

Steam Punk Porter, Funfair (Elston) 4.3%

L dips into some of the same selection as well as:-

Duck n' Disorderly, Mallard (Southwell) 6.0%

Ghost Train Stout, Funfair (Elston) 5.0%

Grand Papa Jangles Voodoo Stout, Totally Brewed (Nottingham) 7.0%

The Doughboy Porter, Geeves (Barnsley) 5.2%

We mop up the ABV’s with some very unathletic fish and chips followed by chocolate brownie.

(Thursday 8^th October)

The Scenic Route

I wake up this morning alongside a dark haired girl which is a nice variation but understandably one takes this in their stride and gets acquainted. L's been at the hair colouring and gone dark again. Looks very good.

Then it’s my usual mad dash for the early bus because I want to run into work. I make it with an impressive five minutes to spare, if only it had turned up. Fifteen minutes later I hop on the direct bus to Derby and have to reassess my plans. The driver gestures up the road to where my first choice bus is apparently sitting, broken down.

I get into Derby and end up running down the river, across Pride Park and through Alvaston Park. The scenic route to work. It doesn't work out too badly in the end but the run was shorter than I had planned, only around three miles.

Tonight L and I rendezvous after work in Long Eaton for the 2nd Long Eaton Beer festival. It was rather good last year and L is looking forward to copious amounts of last year’s beer of the festival ‘Cakewalk’ from local brewer Funfair. Ah. I don’t know if I dare tell her. Bad news... no Cakewalk, in fact no Funfair at all. We'll cope.

That is, once we get there. I’m a bit late but make it just in time before L resorts to pre-drinking something orange with the local teenagers in the Green, then we have to shelter from the deluge in shop doorways during which L spots a job she fancies, in a funeral parlour...

It’s not often that beer festival bands are any good but tonight entertainment is provided by Long Eaton’s own Verbal Warning who are very good. Their old skool punk and new wave, along with a few of their own numbers, go down well with the ale.

We cope very well indeed with the special of the festival, Bill Camm Stout brewed by the local Nutbrook Brewery and named after the late Borough Councillor for Sawley who was also a County Councillor. It’s not often anything to do with local government is worth a mention but this is. With due reverence paid to Titanic’s rather tasty Plum Porter and L’s favourite Oxfordshire Ales Marshmellow, which may or may not have had a hint of marshmallow about it.

I think I’m rather restrained, 8 halves. L has the same but two of them are rather potent fruit wines...

Set List

Me

Ramsgate Gadds No. 5 4.4%
Milestone Rich Ruby 4.5%
Nutbrook Bill Camm Stout 5.2%
Titanic Plum Porter 4.9%
Nutbrook Bill Camm Stout 5.2% (reprise)
Three Castles Knights Porter 4.6%
Titanic Plum Porter 4.9% (reprise)
Milestone Old English 4.9%

L

Oxfordshire Ales Marshmellow 4.7%
Milestone Old English 4.9%
Black Beer & Raison Wine 14.5%
Tower Imperial IPA 5.0%
Cherry Fruit Wine 14.5%
Full Mash Bhisti IPA 6.2%
Nailsworth Royal Flush IPA 5.2%
Oxfordshire Ales Marshmellow 4.7% (encore)

Then L lets me take her for a curry at the Savera. So a very good night all round.

(Friday 16th September)