Booze Thread

[Bada-Bing!]

France to spend €200m destroying wine as demand falls

A cocktail of problems has hit the wine industry, including demand falling as more people drink craft beer.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

France to spend €200m destroying wine as demand falls

A cocktail of problems has hit the wine industry, including demand falling as more people drink craft beer.

www.bbc.co.uk

As someone who is currently undergoing the middle-class man transition from avid pint drinker to red wine enthusiast, I don't know how to take this.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Alcohol deaths rise to highest level in 14 years

The latest figures for Scotland show 1,276 people died from conditions caused by alcohol in 2022.

www.bbc.co.uk

Despite minimum unit pricing. The heavy drinkers will still drink hard.

 

[RedruthRFC]

Alcohol deaths rise to highest level in 14 years

The latest figures for Scotland show 1,276 people died from conditions caused by alcohol in 2022.

www.bbc.co.uk

Despite minimum unit pricing. The heavy drinkers will still drink hard.

I wonder if Dr Alastair MacGilchrist speaks for the whole medical profession in blaming marketing. It seems clear to me that the causes are far more complex and likely socio-economic and that regulating marketing and providing treatment is just treating the symptoms not the problem.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

I'm

I wonder if Dr Alastair MacGilchrist speaks for the whole medical profession in blaming marketing. It seems clear to me that the causes are far more complex and likely socio-economic and that regulating marketing and providing treatment is just treating the symptoms not the problem.

Yes it's definitely more complex than marketing. Generically and culturally I am sure Scots can drink much more. Raising unit prices is one thing but those hard drinkers will just spend a bigger proportion of their income on booze and the higher ABV anyway.

Alcoholism is a horrible disease. One thing I am glad of is that I can choose to moderate.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I'm in Bruges right now and God the stuff you can get in Belgium is so much better than the UK.

 

[RedruthRFC]

I'm in Bruges right now and God the stuff you can get in Belgium is so much better than the UK.

And so much stronger. I remember Ellis James on The Socially Distant Sportsbar talking about how he had a few beers before watching a Liverpool match in Bruges and finding his legs didn't work when he came to leave the bar!

There's decent beer available in the UK, but you have to seek it out, so I get your point that it's nice to be able to get readily rather than having to make an effort.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

I'm in Bruges right now and God the stuff you can get in Belgium is so much better than the UK.

For quite a few kinds of beers, Belgium is unmatched. Having said that, the grass is always greener...
UK has a few nectars of its own.


You guys stocking yourselves for the WC? Anything interesting worthy of sharing?

 

[Bada-Bing!]

I pretty much sticking to what I know now. Trying to have beers when it's a treat rather than just normalising it as part of my moderation in middle age.

So it's Weihenstephaner hefeweizen, cans of brew dog and hazy Jane, Sierra Nevada pale ale and a couple of cases of Bierra Moretti because I found them in Costco for a <£1 a bottle and I find it so easy to drink.

That should see me through the next couple of months. But do plan to find a pub to watch the opening game next Friday.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I pretty much sticking to what I know now. Trying to have beers when it's a treat rather than just normalising it as part of my moderation in middle age.

So it's Weihenstephaner hefeweizen, cans of brew dog and hazy Jane, Sierra Nevada pale ale and a couple of cases of Bierra Moretti because I found them in Costco for a <£1 a bottle and I find it so easy to drink.

That should see me through the next couple of months. But do plan to find a pub to watch the opening game next Friday.

Great selection.

I see Asahi is the official beer of the world cup, could be far far far worse than that.

I'm definitely drinking far less these days and swap between red wine and beer depending on the day when just having one or two drinks. I'll stick to beer in more social settings in the world cup, Asahi and Kronenbourg (the French stuff not the 1664 shite you get here) will be great in France. Hopefully some nice wine with a meal or two separately but I'm not spending too many days there without going to a big match.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

And so much stronger. I remember Ellis James on The Socially Distant Sportsbar talking about how he had a few beers before watching a Liverpool match in Bruges and finding his legs didn't work when he came to leave the bar!

There's decent beer available in the UK, but you have to seek it out, so I get your point that it's nice to be able to get readily rather than having to make an effort.

Yeah I'd say 6% is on the low end here. Had one that was 11% the other day and many are about 8 or 9. All good too, taste isn't sacrificed for strength.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Great selection.

I see Asahi is the official beer of the world cup, could be far far far worse than that.

I'm definitely drinking far less these days and swap between red wine and beer depending on the day when just having one or two drinks. I'll stick to beer in more social settings in the world cup, Asahi and Kronenbourg (the French stuff not the 1664 shite you get here) will be great in France. Hopefully some nice wine with a meal or two separately but I'm not spending too many days there without going to a big match.

Good selection.

Asahi is the official beer of the world cup which is a cracker. I'd have hated to have to either avoid fan zones or drink Budweiser/ Carlsberg or something in Paris.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Trying to have beers when it's a treat rather than just normalising it as part of my moderation in middle age.

Are you calling me a drunk!?!?!?

Kidding aside i tend to be annoyingly picky when drinking at home or at a proper beer bar, so i get the quality over quantity thing. I do not drink to get drunk.
What kinda of belgian beers do you like? Just curious. Abbey, saison, lambics, witbier, flanders red ales? I used to overhype belgian beers to my friends only to serve them a rodenbach or a duchesse de B (both quite sour), just for the kicks. Sourness tends to bring out extraordinary facial reactions when you are not expecting it. Both are Extraordinary brews, capital E, but not for the average beer drinker.
Sours tend to be an acquired taste in my experience.

 

[General Melchett]

Great selection.

I see Asahi is the official beer of the world cup, could be far far far worse than that.

I'm definitely drinking far less these days and swap between red wine and beer depending on the day when just having one or two drinks. I'll stick to beer in more social settings in the world cup, Asahi and Kronenbourg (the French stuff not the 1664 shite you get here) will be great in France. Hopefully some nice wine with a meal or two separately but I'm not spending too many days there without going to a big match.

I'm more of a red wine consumer these days and rarely drink beer unless I'm in a beer garden in the summer. I much prefer full bodied ones including Shiraz (Aussie & SA ones tend to be more full bodied) as opposed to lighter ones like Pinot Noir.

Love Ripasso and Amarone although that one is on the pricy side. A couple of good ones I like are 19 crimes and Lindeman's Gentlemen's collection - around £10 a bottle and so good value for money IMO. Has a really nice Zinfandel last weekend but can't recall the name.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Are you calling me a drunk!?!?!?

Haha. Nah I am calling myself a lightweight.

Kidding aside i tend to be annoyingly picky when drinking at home or at a proper beer bar, so i get the quality over quantity thing. I do not drink to get drunk.
What kinda of belgian beers do you like? Just curious. Abbey, saison, lambics, witbier, flanders red ales? I used to overhype belgian beers to my friends only to serve them a rodenbach or a duchesse de B (both quite sour), just for the kicks. Sourness tends to bring out extraordinary facial reactions when you are not expecting it. Both are Extraordinary brews, capital E, but not for the average beer drinker.
Sours tend to be an acquired taste in my experience.

Liking my wheat beers I'd say them like leffe. Although funny you should mention Belgian beers, was just watching this review on YT. 10.5% ABV.



Edit: and yes I would try sour beers. I am one of the few I know that likes gherkins. So would like that new taste.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Ok. Belgium has quite a few 'gold standards. As in beer that set the tone for the entire style. They basically define the style, so to speak.
Saison: Dupont saison
Strong golden ale: Duvel
Abbey beers: Westmalle, Rochefort, Westvleteren (v hard to find abroad), and Chimay are all excellent. If you have to pick one Westlveteren and Rochefort for quads, Westmalle for triple and dubbel. Chimay, anything.
Belgian pale ale (technically an abbey beer too): Orval (this is quite different and not for everyone. Must try tho).
Witbier (close cousin of weizen); St bernardus. Actually, anything you get from st bernardus will be more than ok. The witbier and the quad are probably their best.

Then we go to sours. Start with these

Gueuze: brouwerij Boom. Go for the regular one, take it from there. If you like the style and only if, then move on to things like 3 fonteinen and cantillon (can get pricey).
Flanders red ale: duchesse de bourgogne or rodenbach (classic or grand cru).

Belgian beers are mostly not hop-forward beers (think ipa). They are masters of yeast and fermentation and generally brew multilayered nectars that are to be zipped slowly, patiently, and carefully.
As they are not hop forward, quite a few of them can be stored for quite a long time, i'm talking years. In beer shops in belgiu and the netherlands it is quite common for you to be able to purchase quads by vintage.

See, certain flavours change with time. Some of them are welcomed and some of them are not. For instance, a hoppy IPA loses crispiness and bite with time, so that is not desirable. That is why you want your ipas fresh. But with other beers (quads, strong stouts, some sours) time helps flavours to evolve in a positive/desirable manner. Very, very generalized rule of thumb: dark strong (+10%) beers are ok to age. Many sours too.

They have a LOT of other outstanding brews i am not mentioning. I am just giving you a very summarized lay of the land.

This should be enough to get you started. Enjoy n cheers.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Slug & Lettuce owner to charge more at peak hours

Stonegate, which owns Slug & Lettuce and Yates bars, will add about 20p to a pint during busy periods.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[General Melchett]

Slug & Lettuce owner to charge more at peak hours

Stonegate, which owns Slug & Lettuce and Yates bars, will add about 20p to a pint during busy periods.

www.bbc.co.uk

It's almost an inversion of the happy hour. Maybe they'll call it the sad hour.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Two pubs a day disappearing in England and Wales

Some 383 pubs were demolished or converted for other uses between January and June, government figures show.

www.bbc.co.uk

Sad really in my town I counted we are now left with 5 traditional pubs in a population of around 20k.

Sadly in the case of VAT owed it doesn't matter that that pub is not making a profit the business is acting as a collector of taxes for HMRC.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Climate change could make beer taste worse

Study shows quality and quantity of hops - a crucial ingredient - are falling with hotter weather.

www.bbc.co.uk