505b. Sat 20/10/18: The Bear Club, Luton

Beer: Rebel Brewing Company Surf Bum IPA 3.5%, Leighton Buzzard Restoration 4.6%

Third gig in as many nights. Maybe one gig too many. The Bear feels subdued. Lemn Sissay's in town, which may have taken one or two customers. Such a difference can be telling; there are a few empty seats, which is a bit of a shame. Have a very pleasant catch up with Justin and tell him how much better The Bear is than Ronnie Scott's, although I suspect that a) he knows, and b) there's no real comparison. I mean well, but should perhaps keep my wisdom to myself.

I'm knackered. I try a low strength beer. A false economy; the flavour eludes me so I neck the Rebel back and move onto Restoration. Henrik Jensen and his quartet take the stand. They are cool and measured. Not necessarily the right time and right place for me and my weary head. I find myself trying not to nod off, rather than nod along. I'd arranged and very pleased that SRW and AW (nee AT) are here, but am unable to give any good advice viz their planned 2019 rail excursion to Eastern Europe. I mutter vague warnings about the Belgrade to Sofia overnight train, though they're not planning, or aren't talking about either Serbia or Bulgaria.

Dirty chips in pitta on the way home.

 

491d. Wed 3/10/18: Snack Bar o Jacare, Madeira, Portugal

Beer: Madeira Coral 5.0% 

Post levada walk drink at the finishing point. For those who have not been to Madeira, the levadas are man made narrow channels of water which guide water from the mountains to the rest of the island. Originally built for irrigation of the land and then for collecting water for general usage, there are now a number of levadas that feed hydroelectric stations. Many of the levadas can be walked and take you through some lovely countryside. My beer stands next to the levada I followed. We were told not to drink water straight from the levada which was good advice as on the walk first a dead kitten and then a dead mouse floated past us! Thought the bar at the end of the walk would be prime tourist trap territory but fair do's, 50cls of Coral only €3.

 

498a. Fri 12/10/18: The Bricklayers Arms, Luton

Beer: Titanic Cherry Dark 4.4%

Back from The Black Horse beer festival. The Brickies is fairly busy. L8s has a table in the back. He admonishes me and TPK for our high spirits. Not sure why he admonishes us, or why we're so cheerful. Or if we're that cheerful. Anyway, he does and we may be.

We knuckle down to the business of drinking dark, complicated Chocolate and Vanilla Stout. It's sweet and the flavours are childish, but the beer's very good.

491c. Tue 2/10/18: Beerhouse Brewery, Funchal, Portugal

Beer: Madeira Beerhouse Weissbeer ?%

Second visit of the holidays. Christine didn't want to eat so we got a quick taxi
down to the front and stopped here for a couple of drinks. I went for the inhouse-brewed Weissbeer this time and it was okay. I couldn't find anywhere its ABV, sorry, but I guess it's 4%. They brew it right in the bar/restaurant as you can see from the pics of the bright shiny mash tun and fermenting vessels.

Puts my own home brew equipment in a bad light (big saucepan and a plastic bucket). We got served the free samples of the Coral Stout again, have they got a surplus to get rid of? They were selling the cute tiny glasses they serve the samples in at €2.50 a pop - I bought two and may use them to serve a shot of whisky instead. On the way back up the hill to our hotel we pass the Madeira Casino. A rather strange building that looks very 70s sci-fi. I always call it the "Logan's Run" temple where everyone who reaches 30 goes to die.