Mass online Tasting / Memorial to Simon

Originally posted by Fin

Originally posted by harrisoni
OK, so I have the rest of my second bottle of Jaipur, a bottle of Thornbridge Halcyon, an Orval from 2011 and a Bracia to go.

Looks like I’m talking to myself.

And Simon, of course.

Cheers Simon. You were right. The Jaipur at The Coach & Horses in Dronfield was spectacular.

You’re not on your own, Craig is still about and I am checking in when I can from this small field. However need a refill so off to bar soon.

"apparently limoncello on a Monday has no adverse effect. Let’s see if that’s the case..."

"Lemongrass chicken in the pan. Limoncello in the freezer. Let’s take this Bank Holiday to the point of quivering excitement"

The Tuts didn’t really do it for me, next up Bis.

I pick these tweets as examples of the person I knew. Fun, enjoying life, full of love.

Drinking Oakham Bishops Farewell with Simon in the Smithfield Hotel in Derby. Priceless.

OK, so now onto Thornbridge Halcyon

Anyone who was at RBESG in Sheffield and made it to the University Arms would have had the Epic/Thornbridge version of this where the Marketing Director of Thornbridge, the most marvellous Alex Buchanan, brought a firkin of this beer and slipped the pump clip to me and Simon and said, anyone who wanted a free beer, could show the clip to the bar staff and they’d go out back and get a pint for us.

Since then it’s grown into one of my favourite British straight up IPAs and a train beer from The Bottle Shop in Canterbury to Ashford, downing it in 16 minutes.

Simon also enjoyed this beer quite a lot.

"Cask (handpull) Harlequin Autumn beer festival, Sheffield. Amidst a sea of hlaf-drinking tickers, here I was with a pint of Halcyon. This had been crammed full of extra hops and certainly had a full floral nose complete with itchy hayfevery nosefeel. Sustained alcohol all the way down, tempered by clean citrics. The second pint was finer, the third pint sublime. I was expecting this to be rampant hoppiness and was kindly surprised to find it more than drinkable. If Jaipur is athletic, Halcyon is muscular - and revels in flexing its way down your throat."

Thornbridge/Epic Halcyon

"Cask (handpull) Coach & Horses Dronfield and from the jug, RBESG 2009, University Arms, Sheffield. Like a hippy falling into a drunken citric punchbowl; an inate sense of love spreads with flowers round your ears, knickbocker glory notes to the palate and a malt base than even a fruit-addled wasp would stick to. The third pint was a bit of a struggle, mind..."

Originally posted by harrisoni
How are you Craig? What’s been good recently? Is Edinburgh still good for beers?

How is estrella damm a Scottish craft beer?

The Thornbridge Halcyon is making me quite drunk.

Orval April 2011 next.

Then the original batch of Bracia, complete with 4-5 year old dust straight from the cellar. Or garage as some people would call it, but it has never seen a car. I mean it’s got 3 bikes in it and about a dozen cases of Belgian beer, but never a car.