Yes, I'm painfully aware that it has, indeed, been awhile since I've posted anything. Brewed anything too, for that matter. The reason for the latter is twofold. One, I simply have not had the time. My "day job" has become quite hectic and important as of late. For the first time in many years, I'm working on a product that truly changes lives, and it is exciting but incredibly challenging. Hence, I've had to devote quite a number of weekends to it and will continue to do so for the next couple of months. I must add that this extra time is obviously (or not so obviously) not paid, as I'm on salary, but I really, really believe in this product and in my twenty years in the high-tech semiconductor industry, never have I wanted a product to be more perfect, on time, or successful as this one. Second, it has been incredibly pleasant, weather wise, here in Austin since the turn of the year; meaning, I'm set up for it to be HOT! and it hasn't been. Therefore, I can cool things for fermentation quite easily, keeping the ferment warm enough is not something I've done very successfully over the years (mostly because I rarely have to).
But, on the beer subject, I must enter this. I've just had the pleasure of trying two products from the London brewery, "Meantime", and I am somewhat in awe. Here in Austin, Texas, I can only get their "London Porter" and "India Pale Ale". I've tried both in the last week and I am, quite frankly, flabbergasted! The London Porter is dead-on for what I would expect if I had a time machine and could travel to Victorian era London. The IPA was an even bigger surprise. What an EXQUISITE beer! If this is really what IPA tasted like in the day, no wonder it was SO popular! The brewer, Alastair Hook, has really outdone himself here. What an incredible balance of malty sweetness and hop profile. Traditional British just oozes from this beer! If you can find it, try it. If you don't like it, you obviously don't know what a traditional IPA should taste like. Need I remind everyone, IPA is a British style, not American, despite recent history leading one to believe otherwise.
Case in point of the above. I love Widmer Brothers Brewery in the US Northwest. Their Wheat bier is absolutely my favorite outside of Germany and many of their others are very good. However, and I'll be honest, despite my being a bit of a hop-head, this is totally down to preference, but I recently purchased their "Original Drifter Pale Ale" and, if I'm right, the Amarillo hops are just overwhelming! This is so indicative of American brewers - and drinkers - right now. For me, it is just too over-the-top and lacking balance. I love hops, although I admit an aversion to Cascade and Amarillo, but this one is nothing but grapefruit to my taste buds.
OK, it is Spring Break week here in Texas, and also the obligatory South-By-Southwest Music Festival. So, on Friday, I'm off to it to try and run into my old "pal" Vic Galloway of BBC Radio Scotland. So, the next posting will hopefully be after a great day/night of Scottish music!
Until then, Yours Aye!
Cheers!
Neil
