My mate, Dean O' was round yesterday. Just as I was about to keg my London Dockland Porter. Obviously, having enthused to him so much about my earlier effort, I insisted he try a drop of my Coopers Irish Stout too.And so it was that the two of us came to be standing in my kitchen, raising glasses and test tubes to our lips with great reverence. A sniff. A sip. A smacking of lips as each stared at some indeterminate point of middle distance, or at the others face.
Then the discussion; " Hmm. Yeah. That's definitely got that undercurrent of ..... It gets ye best in the upper throat, after the swallow. I think it has ..... "
Suddenly, after five minutes of this, I just doubled up, laughing uncontrollably. Dean looked at me in askance and I just gasped back; " Look at us! Give either one a pint of Guinness and we'd taste it and, if asked, say, 'Yeah. Fine.' Yet here we are with Home Brew and we're carrying on like a right pair of experts! We've already become bloody Beer Bores! "
Tell ye what though; It's a Great way to become! Sit in the same pub and drink monotonously, expertly produced, conditioned and kept pints of bland sameness ~ what Is there to say?! " Yeah, fine, thanks. Tastes 'great'. Always does ..... "
But sample some HB, which has maybe matured a day longer. Served at a slightly different temperature. Had CO2 added or vented, largely by guess work, or even just allowed to stand in the glass before drinking for a bit longer this time? There Is then, often, so much to savour, consider and discuss.
I'll certainly never find it Boring!
