Continuing with last weekend’s beer experience,we went down to Bexhill to visit Sarah’s parents (Mothers’Day on Sunday). On arriving on Saturday lunchtime,we decided that we would have a Chinese takeaway for lunch,and I plumped for a Special Chow Mein –noodles,plus bits of all sorts of things –beef,pork,prawns,chicken,mushrooms,spring onions,beanshoots,water chestnuts……. so what do you drink with that? Father-in law offered me a choice of cans –Old Speckled Hen or Tanglefoot. I know both of these beers quite well,and I know that Speckled Hen has quite a strong caramelly taste that I thought would overpower the food,so I went for the Badger Tanglefoot. A good choice I think. For a 5% beer it is very light and,as the label says,“deceptively drinkable”. Hoppy,and a bit fruity,it was a very appropriate accompaniment for the chow mein. The rest of the 4-pack slipped down nicely while watching Match Of The Day.
Sunday lunch was at my sister-in-law’s. My brother-in-law appreciates good beer as well,and sadly I was the designated driver so had to limit myself to just the one. He gave me a bottle of the Co-op’s Fairtrade Bumble Bee Honey Ale (4.6%). I wouldn’t have guessed that there was honey in this beer as it was refreshingly bitter –though it was a bit flowery. According to the Co-op website it tastes of “wildflowers growing on a Chilean hillside”. I’ll have to take their word for that,as I’ve never been anywhere near a Chilean hillside,and even if I had,I wouldn’t have eaten the wildflowers. Anyway,the beer is very nice,and went well with cold poached salmon and salad. I was only sorry that I couldn’t have another to accompany the apple crumble and custard.