Beer today, gone tomorrow

A few posts ago I mentioned that, during the winter we get our real ale in half size casks called pins. They hold 36 pints and we can just about sell that in a week. The problem is that Hadrian and Border brewery where we get most of our ale from only has one pin. That means that we either have to get a full size cask every second week (lots of waste) or get nothing (no beer). I've been trying to persuade H&B to get another pin, but they are reluctant to do so because they're difficult to find and very expensive. You can get a polypin which is plastic bag in a box - a bit like boxes of wine, but H&B don't like them as they are prone to exploding in their van, leaving beer sloshing all over the place.

Meantime I've stocked up on Black Sheep in bottles. We've also got hold of some of Wychwood's Hobgoblin in bottles. You might remember the poster I bought at the Edinburgh Ale festival in July.


Here he is. I'd never tried the beer until tonight. Quite amazing stuff - sort of burnt sugar-cane taste with lots of hops for balance. Definintely not a session beer unless you have a hospital nearby.


MEANWHILE...
This is the week when it all happens... The November renovations reach their thrilling climax this week with the massed painters and plasterers of Galashiels being joined by joiners, carpet fitters, furniture delivery people, plumbers, butchers, bakers, candlestick makers and whoever else happens to be passing. It'll be fun...

when it's all over.