Drink!

[Mick Harper]

You're a little behind the times. One word. Watney Red Barrel.

[Boreades]

I used to work for Whitbread

In which case, you may have crossed paths with another old mucca of mine : Ronny Lesson (may he rest in peace). He was a Master Brewer in the employ of that company. He once explained to me (over a pint of Tetley) that there was (allegedly) an era when some penny-pinching types in the Whitbread management chain hit upon a Cunning Wheeze. By lowering the specific gravity (that's watering it down) but at the same time adding doses of Sodium Nitrite to (cough) increase the shelf life, they had a much more profitable brew. The paying public who woke up with a massive hangover thought by 'eck that was some powerful stuff we supped last night, not realising it was the Sodium Nitrite wot dunnit, or most of it.

[Boreades]

Yo Ho Ho, seasonally-adjusted greetings to all the inmates!

The Reception Desk at Château Boreades is heaving with the first coach-load of Megalithic Astro-Geometry Initiates (MAGI) booking in for the local seasonal events, and the search for the Midwinter Star, and places to visit.

Here's one we prepared earlier:



Just finalising the proto-post-Brexit trade deals with the visitors from France. We're swapping the home-made raspberry jam, home-brew mead and mulled cider for some duty-free Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé, Grands Crus Classés Graves, etc. More tin due in next year.

Plus ca change plus c'est la meme chose.

[TisILeclerc]

I'm looking forward to Lidl selling Chateau Borrie Grand Cru and the finest Zummerset cider Calvados.

Oh dear someone's already doing it.

https://www.somersetciderbrandy.com/




Happy Hogswatch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaOHaBa ... EObd-RwPgX

[Boreades]

I'm glad to see that Somerset Brandy is being made on Burrow Hill. Close to Isle Abbot and Isle Brewers. No doubt Harpo will fill us in on the TME significance? I'll put a visit to there on the itinerary for La Famille Boreades' Grand Summer Tour.

Meanwhile I've just been having a rummage in the wine cellar. The stock is getting dangerously low already, but I've just discovered a tatty & dusty old box labelled "Domaine de la Romanee Conti". Might have to make-do with that instead of what we usually get from Lidl. It's not worth much is it Tisi?

[TisILeclerc]

A pretentious little red from Burgundy. Not worth the millions they charge for it. Send it up to me and I'll dispose of it in a fit and proper manner.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domaine_d ... %A9e-Conti

https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2015/01 ... -about-drc



https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2015/01 ... -about-drc

I prefer the Bulgarian Red as performed by your cousin although it looks like the MacLeods have set fire to the place. It's what they do you know.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EofT1EG4wIg

[hvered]

Am disposing of a cheapish but suitably named Chateau Joyeux, from Bordeaux though delivered by white van from Hampshire but presumably via the Megalithic sea route. Joyeux greetings to you all.

[Boreades]

Harpo, you are a funny old thing.

As I say, we just don't know.

I think you mean you don't know

No, I said I don't know.

I'm well-used to M'Lady using the Royal We.
Which is usually the prefix in "We need to ... (do something)".
Which usually means I do while she micro-manages.

In your case I'll just put it down to more delusions of grandeur.
Or (and I hope it's not) early-onset caused by a lack of alcohol?

Middle-aged moderate drinkers are significantly less likely to develop dementia than teetotallers, a study has found. The research, published in the BMJ, found that those drinking up to four and a half bottles of wine a week — three times the guidelines — were at lower risk of developing the disease than those who abstained.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/mode ... -n3npbplv0

And this is based on the number of units that people say they drink.

The amount of alcohol sold in the UK is about twice the amount that people claim to drink, so unless we throw away a huge amount of booze, it is certain that people either forget about how much they drink or they deliberately lie to researchers. In either case, we can assume that the people who say they consume two drinks a day are probably consuming three or four drinks, in which case the amount that you have to drink to assume the same level of risk as a non-drinker is even more than this graph suggests.

https://health.spectator.co.uk/the-grea ... -drinking/

Megalithically-significant as one of the latest archaeo digs just a few Km east of Avebury found a pre-Roman building. Initially called a "Celtic Temple" by the archeos, they eventually realised the largest room in the "temple" was a six-foot high malting oven for roasting barley. Which is, of course, a crucial ingredient in brewing beer.

The other crucial ingredient is water, and they had a plentiful supply of fresh clean water from a neaby chalk spring well. Roasted barley has an acidifying effect on the beer mash. Because of this, modern-day brewers tend to treat the mash with calcium carbonate to keep the pH in the proper range. The chalky local water would be slightly alkaline, and perfect for a naturally balanced brew. If it was a temple, it was devoted to the gods of brewing beer.

[Mick Harper]

Another example of the Megalithic Empire's basic thesis that 'what is is what was'. I don't doubt we have lots of places today for 'ritual purposes' but no-one treats them of any importance (except for ritual occasions).

[Boreades]

Pilgrim's Pissed Progress

Or, how to stay well-hydrated on your way to Canterbury.

Ales of the Trail

North Downs Way Ales Of The Trail Beer Passport

The North Downs Way National Trail has teamed up with local breweries in Kent, Medway, and Surrey to create an “Ale Trail” for walkers to explore along the route.

How does it work?

Each brewery has dedicated an “Ale of The Trail” to become an official beer of the North Downs Way. Most ales have a link to the trail either through name, local ingredients or links to military or cultural heritage. All breweries involved make a contribution to the upkeep of the trail to help us keep the route in top shape; maintain signage, keep pathways clear, so each pint sold contributes towards the upkeep of the trail.

They got some interesting names for their ales: Hogs Back, Bishop's Finger, etc. None of which really seem to imbibe the spirit of the North Downs Way.

More here:
https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/north-d ... 6c16cb38da

Map here:
https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/sites/d ... il_map.pdf

Maybe I'm should get M'Lady Boreades negociating with our local North Wessex Downs brewery to do the same, but with better and more appropriate names. What would you suggest?

Nominations received so far:
Avebury 'Angover
Stonehenge Stout
Wobbly Waylands

Tissi, I'm expecting we'll have to do a lot of market research, sampling the new brews to make sure they're suitable. Can you get yourself in training so we're up to the task?