Categories
Beer

Judging Cider at the Great Welsh Beer & Cider festival – someones got to do it

I was kindly asked by arfurD to help judge the best cider at this years festival.

There was some wonderful ones and sometimes wish we had more time.. but the overall champion was …you will have to wait as we were just regional monkeys.

Cider

If you are around (festival info here)

Then worth sampling the cider as well as the beer as there are some wonderful local producers from Wales and the Borders.

Some ABVs missing but they tend to be around 6%

Rosie’s Triple D Medium 7.20%
Rosie’s Triple D Wicked wasp 7.40%
Rosie’s Triple D Black Bart 7.20%
Rosie’s Triple D Perry 5.40%
Berriew Bettws Dry
Berriew Maldwyn Medium
Wm Watkins Cider Oak 6.30%
Wm Watkins Cider Whisky 7.00%
Wm Watkins Perry 6.10%
Springfield Old Barn
Springfield Farmhouse
Springfield Dabinett
Gwatkin Yarlington Mill 7.50%
Gwatkin Blakeney Red 7.50%
Gwatkin Norman 7.50%
Seidr O Sir Cantref 6.30%
Seidr O Sir Maes Edwy 6.30%
Seidr O Sir Bettws 6.30%
Ross on Wye Cider 6.50%
Ross on Wye Perry 6.00%
Dan Y Graig Dry Cider 6.00%
Dan Y Graig Medium Dry 6.00%
Cjs Cider
Cjs Surprise Cider
Cjs Perry
Troggi Cider Medium Dry
Troggi Cider Cider
Troggi Perry Perai
Mad Hatters Nine Holes 5.00%
Mad Hatters Second in Lime 5.00%
Orchards
Orchards Cider 5.80%
Old Monty Kingstone Black
Old Monty
Penallt Perry Capsy Wennet 5.50%
Upper House Farm Oak 6.00%
Rathays Painted Lady 4.50%
Hartlands Farmhouse Perry 5.80%
Green Valley Rum Tiddly Tum 7.00%
Llanblethian Orchards Pick n’ mix Perry 7.00%
Llanblethian Orchards Hendre Huffcap 7.00%
Llanblethian Orchards Dry Cider
Three Saints Nice Boys 5.50%
Three Saints Divine 3.60%
Three Saints Scrum 6.20%
Palmers Upland Cyder Attercop 7.00%
Palmers Upland Cyder Bingo Bongo 6.50%
Palmers Upland Cyder Strawberry Norman 6.00%
Blaengawney Farm Heartbreaker 7.00%
Blaengawney Farm Blindfold 6.70%
Blaengawney Farm National Treasure 5.60%
Blaengawney Farm Blakeney Red Perry 4.00%
Raglan Cider Mill Barney’s Best 4.60%
Raglan Cider Mill Blakeney Red Perry 4.50%
Raglan Cider Mill Sweet Perry 4.50%
Seidr Dai Blakeney Red Perry 5.20%
Seidr Dai Tumper’s/nailer/Berllanderi Blend 5.60%
Seidr Dai Hellen’s Early Perry 4.90%
Seidr Dai Raglan’s Rarest Cider 3.90%

image

Categories
Misc

UK Gardeners : Have you tried growing your own Saffron?

Had an email from dobies saying they are selling Saffron Crocus bulbs, I use a bit of saffron, do you think its worth getting as there will nice flowers during the late summer.

Harvest your own ‘Red Gold’ !!!!

Saffron is one of the most rare and expensive spices and is an incredible way to colour and flavour exotic meals, one gram can flavour 10 plates of food !

Suttons ‘Saffron Crocus’ bulbs not only enable you to grow your own ‘Red Gold’, but are also unusual in the fact that you can plant bulbs in August and you will have beautiful blooms in only 4 – 6 weeks !! You do not need a lot of space, as they will thrive in a well drained border, but can easily be grown in pots on the patio as well. This species of crocus is also super tolerant to summer heat and winter cold as it originates from the Himalayas.

So now to the fun bit …. harvesting your own saffron. Once your blooms have grown, look out for the red saffron ribbons dangling from the throats of the crocuses. Just snip them off and then once cut and dried they can be stored in an air tight container for several years!

Categories
Beer

The great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival 2010 Cardiff June 10th to June 12th – you going?

After last years festival I hope to fit in some time this week to go, probably from Thursday Lunchtime (half day off work anyone?) and a half on the Saturday as Iam doing the photomarathon with my Son, and hope to get some more purple moose as it was great last year.

Purple moose

Some great Beers on the list from Wales and beyond, more info on the Cardiff Festival here

There are quite a few breweries I have not tried, so not sure which to try with my lack of time, it may be ArfurD and the old glassworks boys recommendations.

If it’s on then I will be having a half of Bullmastiff Welsh Black as its a custom of mine to have one of bob & pauls excellent brews every Welsh festival… so hopefully one of their brews will be available on the thursday.

Brewery Beer
Abbeydale Restoration
Arkwrights Run of the Mill
Arkwrights Trouble at Mill
Art Brew Seasonal
Artisan IPA
Bank Top Barley to Beer
Bath Ales Summer Hare
Black Country Ales Cobbler
Black Country Ales English Summer
Blackwater SKA
Boggart Cascade
Box Steam Old Jocky
Bragdy r Nant Chwaeden Aur
Bragdy r Nant Mwnci Nells
Brains Bitter
Brains Dark
Brains SA Gold
Brains Reverend James
Brains SA
Brains On the Head
Braydon Chippenham Yertis
Breconshire Brecon County Ale
Breconshire Cribyn
Breconshire Golden Valley
Breconshire Good Time George
Breconshire GVX
Breconshire Spirit of The Dragon
Bridestone Pennine Gold
Broughs Bitter
Broughs Pale Ale
Bryncelyn Holly Hop
Bryncelyn Buddy Marvellous
Bryncelyn Oh Boy
Bullmastiff Rover’s Return
Bullmastiff SOB (Son Of A Bitch)
Bullmastiff Special Reserve
Bullmastiff Welsh Black
Cannon Royal IPA
Cannon Royal Dark Edge
Cannon Royal Mortar
Celt Experience Bleddyn 1075
Celt Experience Bronze new recipe
Celt Experience Golden
Celt Experience Proud of Pubs
Celt Experience Summerberry
Celt Experience Beer Rocks Spring Crazy
Celt Llantrisant Wheatsheaf Golden Hoppy Special
Concrete Cow Cock & Bull
Conwy Honey Fayre SP
Conwy Rampart BB
Conwy Telford Porter
Conwy Beachcomber
Corvedale Farmer Ray
Cumbrian Legendary Dickie Doodle
Derventio Cleopatra
Elgoods F’Elgood Fresh
Elland Earthbound
Enville LPA (Light Pale Ale)
Evan Evans Archers Empire
Evan Evans Archers Golden
Evan Evans Cwrw
Evan Evans Golden Hop
Evan Evans Warrior
Facers Daves Hoppy Beer
Facers Flintshire
Felinfoel Double Dragon
Felinfoel Seasonal
Forge Lite House
Freeminer Slaughter Porter
Fuzzy Duck Cunning Stunt
Gertie Sweet Wrexham “1047
Gertie Sweet Wrexham Gertie Sweet
Golden Valley “4
Golden Valley Brewers Choice
Great Orme Great Welsh
Great Orme Celtica
Great Orme Welsh Black Mild
Gwaun Valley Fishguard Bitta (2 9)
Gwaun Valley Fishguard Bitta (2 9)
Gwaun Valley Fishguard Light (2 9)
Gwaun Valley Fishguard Light (2 9)
Heart of Wales D’Rovers Return
Heart of Wales High As A Kite
Heart of Wales Horseplay
Heart of Wales Welsh Black
Hobsons Best
Hobsons Mild
Hogswood (St Agnes) Old Goshen
Hogswood (St Agnes) Stoked
Hunters Phesant Plucker
Jacobi Dark
Jacobi Light
John Roberts “1642”
John Roberts XXX
Jolly Brewer Taffy’s Tipple
Jolly Brewer Taig’s Garden
Joseph Herbert Smithy (Fox, Hanley Broadheath) Snooty Fox
Kingstone Abbey Ale
Kingstone Gold
KInver Light Railway
Kinver Maybug
Kinver Nightjar
Liverpool One Liverpool Dark
Liverpool One Liverpool Dark
Loch Leven (Kelty Scotland) Once Bitten
Ludlow The Boiling Well
Mallinsons Castle Hill Premium
Mallinsons Castle Hill Premium
Marble Ginger
Mavern Hills Black Pear
Montys Midnight
Montys Sunshine
Moorhouses Black Cat
Morton Forever Darkness
Naylors Cravenbrau
Neath Ales Black
Neath Ales Firebrick
North Cotswold Vanilla Bumble Beer
North Cotswold Summer Solstice
North Curry Gold
North Wales Moelfre IPA
North Wales Abergele
Oakham Inferno
Oakham Inferno
Offas Dyke Grim Reaper
Offas Dyke Thirst Brew
Otley “01
Otley “02”
Otley “05”
Otley “F”
Otley O Garden
Otley OG
Otley tba Dark O
Penlon Cottage Cardi
Penlon Cottage Tipsy Tup
Penpont Launceston Roughtor Extra
Penzance Potion No 9
Plassey Cwrw Tudno
Plassey Dragons Breath
Prescott Hill Climb
Preseli Tenby Old Mariners
Preseli Tenby Baggy Wrinkle
Purple Moose Glaslyn
Purple Moose Dark Side of the Moose
Purple Moose Snowdonia Ale
RCH Old Slug Porter
RCH Pitchfork
Rhymney Amber
Rhymney Dark
Rhymney Export
Rhymney Hobby Horse
Rotters Utter Rotter
Rowton Meteorite
Rowton Bitter
Rowton Golden Mild
Rowton Golden Mild
Salamander Golden Mouth
Salopian Soul
Sandstone Postmistress BB
Sandstone Poachers Pale
Sandstone Sandstone Edge
Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild
Sarah Hughes Pale Amber
Six Bells Bursting Out
Spinning Dog Herefordshire Light Ale
Spinning Dog Mutley’s Revenge
Stonehenge Eye Opener
Stonehenge Danish Dynamite
Swansea Deep Slade Dark
Swansea Three Cliffs Gold
Teme Valley Talbot Blonde
Teme Valley That
Tempest IPA
Tempest Porter
Thornbridge Jaipur
Thornbridge Jaipur
Toll End Ocker
Tomos Watkin Cwrw Haf
Tryst Black Jack IPA
Tudor Blorange
Tudor Skirrid
Tudor Sugar Loaf
Uley Old Ric
Uley Pigs Ear
VOG Chapter Old School
VOG Light Headed
VOG Summerdaze
Waen Landmark > now maybe blackberry Stout
Warcop Black Bowler
Warcop Cobblers
Wessex Isle of Avalon Lumberjack
Wharfebank Cam Fell Flame
White Hart Carmarthen Cwrw Blasus
White Hart Carmarthen Roast Barley Stout
Wickwar Station Porter
Wickwar Station Porter
Wickwar Station Porter
Wickwar Cotswold Way
Windsor & Eton Guardsman
Windsor Castle Brickmakers
Wye Valley Butty Bach
Wye Valley DG Country Ale
Wye Valley HPA
Wye Valley Trekkers
Zero Degrees Black Lager
Zero Degrees Mango
Zero Degrees Pale Ale
Zero Degrees Pilsner
Categories
Beer

Rodenbach Vintage 2007 for £59! and other hits in my logs

I got a bottle of Rodenbach Vintage 2007 beer last Christmas from Rob, still not opened it… maybe next year!

But the last few days I have seen quite a few people finding my post when they search for Rodenbach Vintage via Google but doing the search myself what I thought was interesting is that a Belgium company is selling it on ebay for £59.50!!!

did not think you could sell beer on ebay, but what they are selling is the limited edition bottle 😉

Of course Iam not going to sell mine.. but it’s madness!

some other odd some not so odd things people find this beer/non shed blog for are

pistachio and almond cookies
suzi perry gadget show legs
middle age biker pubs in camden
how much for a pint of beer in cardiff
how to start a beer festival

any one got any tips for bottles of beer to lay down for the future?

Categories
Beer

It’s ok its alcholic but not a beer- Twisted Ice Tea – like tea but with a hit

I saw this in my UK local supermarket the other week so picked up a few bottles, and had another one this evening its a great thirst quencher and I only had the “Original flavor” but in the states they apparently do lots.

Twisted Ice Tea

In my youth I was know to drink these odd made up drinks, but thankfully found ale and that was the last of that, but I do like tea both iced and hot, so thought why not give it a go.

The website does not give away much about how it’s made.

“Since 2001, our Tea brewmasters (yes, their job is as cool as it
sounds) have been committed to brewing a hard iced tea that
not only tastes like real iced tea but also delivers an
incredibly smooth and refreshing drinking experience. ”

Real iced tea made from a blend of
select teas and real lemon

• 5% Alcohol By Volume

If you like sweet tea and 5% alcohol then worth a go.

Categories
Beer Food

Pub Review: The Blue Boar Inn, Temple Grafton, Warwickshire

Me and the misses went to one of my old school friends wedding in Coventry/Brum borders? last weekend, and a great time was had by all, but they only had Guinness or Keg Boddies or bottles in the hotel bars ; the dark peroni was ok but at hotel prices! but not to worry as its was their day not mine:)

We wish Rory & Liz a wonderful life together.

Not funny Joke from the Cov boys on our kardiff city table
Not funny Joke from the Cov boys on our kardiff city table

On the way up on the Friday we decided to break the trip by staying in a pub for the night.. I wonder whose choice that was 😉

Anyway the Pub in question was the The Blue Boar, near Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, the website does not really do it justice but it’s a great 1600 pub with nooks and crannies and a few years of addons.

Photo from www.theblueboar.co.uk website
Photo from www.theblueboar.co.uk website

We got there about 9pm and managed to get some food, a great platter of Indian Food that was a starter but was enough for us as a main, they also did a full selection of other pub grub and of course they had some great ales on as well..and they were well kept.

Ringwood BoonDoggle

A great light Blonde ale, which I had not had before even when I was down Ringwood for the stagdo!

Jennings Tom Fool

Another light beer I have not had before..

It’s a bit out of the way, the bedrooms were ok but maybe needed a spruce up and the staff were pleasant, there was a misunderstanding with breakfast but once sorted the mrs said best scrambled egg for a long time.

anyway if you are visiting Stratford upon Avon then its worth a trip out to this pub for a decent pint.

Categories
Blog

Get middle aged kicks right through the night – good news not bad :)

Last night me and mrsunclewilco went to see the Bad Shepherds at the glee club Cardiff Bay.

The badshepherds & shed- photo David-Angel
The badshepherds & shed- photo David-Angel

They are the folk band that does punk covers lead by comedian Adrian “Ade” Edmondson (yes Vyvyan) who was sweary on Vocals & ‘thrash mandolin’, the shepherds were supported by Ella Edmondson, well if you can’t give your own family a support slot when can you.. she was a good singer songwriter.

Adrian was backed up by some superb folk musicians Troy Donockley on Uilleann Pipes was brilliant and Iam sure fiddler Andy Dinan had sold his soul, also Tim Harries competes the quartet on Double Bass.

As you know Iam more a rock fan than punk (unless its about sheds) – but as I reach my middle years folk is spreading into my listening more and more, in fact I don’t think it ever went away as Iam closet Jethro Tull fan so the chance to see punk classics reworked as folk was something we could not miss.

My favourite cover was Friday Night Saturday morning the b Side of the first record I every bought Ghost Town by the Specials, but the reworkings of God save the Queen, Teenage kicks & Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue by The Ramones and Down in the Tube Station at Midnight were top class.

The only downside was that a room full of middleaged folk/punk fans at an all standing gig, cmon promoter gives us some chairs our backs could not take it.

Anyway they will be back in Wales Jun 24th, 2010 at the Muni Arts Centre in Ponty, well worth a ticket.

Buy Tickets

Categories
Blog

A toe in the water of Online advertising for sheds

This is shed site related, so if you are not interested in sheds stuff then look way now! but it does cover SEO & online advertising..a bit.

The other week I set up a test advert for www.readersheds.co.uk on the Guardian’s Local Cardiff website, using the addiply “platform”.

It’s the first time in the history of readersheds (9 years) that I have ever bought any online advertising, traffic to the sites has always been about Word of Shed and you great sheddies, then SEO, and side things like shedblog & flickr and now twitter (which brings some great traffic to both sites)

I have been lucky to have got some great press over the past few years running the Shed of the year competition which has help my search engine ranking with links from all sorts of high ranking sites such as boingboing and makezine and many newspaper sites (who don’t share the linklove), and of course this year having a large cash prize tends to get people interested :), thanks to Cuprinol Sprayable 😉

According to the stats I had a

I had a lot of views of my advert (according to addiply) but of course there is no way of knowing if anyone actually bothered to read it, maybe using some sort of heatmap stats may be a future feature but considering my budget not that many clicks.

I dont think it was a total waste of time/money as its was very easy to set up and was just a trial, but as my yearly marketing budget is now spent, may try something else next year.

what are your views on small time advertising on facebook/google adsense, or is word of mouth and SEO the best way to go?

of course if you are a local shed company that wishes to give this a way of targetting local ads to poeple actually intrested in the subject matter try why not use the addiply.com boxes on the righthand side of the shedblog.co.uk .. from only £5 a week, cheap I would say.. 😉

Categories
Beer

Best pub in London? The Jerusalem Tavern

I spent the day in London on Friday doing lots of radio interviews for Shed Week, I did managed to have a pint later in the afternoon with my fellow interviewee Dr Wood at the wonderful St Peters Jerusalem Tavern, its a pub us non Londoners can only dream about old, nothing fancy great little sitting areas and brilliant beer straight from the barrels.

The Jerusalem Tavern

The Jerusalem Tavern

I only managed a pint of their excellent mild but next time Iam down the smoke I will go out of my way.

Rob over at Travels with beer has some great photos of the pub..

The previous night after I had traveled down to the smoke I went to a nice pub Pakenham Arms in camden for some food and a couple of pints, the Adnams Stout was great.

Pakenham Arms camden

Before my train back to Cardiff, I did manage a half of fullers discovery Victoria Paddington another pub well worth a visit.

victoria paddington

Categories
Blog

Am I turning into a man of a certain age?

I received an email from Chums last night and instead of deleting it I click , ok I am know to wear cords on some occasions (and have a beard and like real ale), but do I really subconsciously want these? Iam 39 in October (19th if you need to get me a pint) but still wear band tshirts and jeans with holes in and boots.. but maybe it’s a sign from Chums, maybe it is time for me to turn the beige side?

TROUSERS WITH GROWING ROOM
TROUSERS WITH GROWING ROOM
MT040
From £12.99
LEISURE TROUSERS
LEISURE TROUSERS
MT054
From £14.99
SIDE SLANT POCKET TROUSER
SIDE SLANT POCKET TROUSER
MT004
From £12.99

The list goes on and on..