Sunday, April 27, 2008

Impy Malting


Pitchfork Bitter
Originally uploaded by velvetdahlia

I sprained my ankle on Friday so i've spent the last couple of days in bed feeling miserable. Not taking any photos and not doing any art. I'm forcing myself to post something here before I climb back into bed and feel sorry for myself again.

My friend Ally has started a new beer blog where she will be reviewing beers and hopefully one day will be setting up beer tasting events for us ladies. Whilst she visited me last weekend I got an introduction into beer tasting and discovered that I really liked this beer- a very local brew that commemorates the Pitchfork Rebellion.

Talking to Ally is was interesting to hear about how the 'Real Ale' culture is so different in America to the UK. Here if you talk about beer festivals and real ale a certain image comes to mind, one of a bearded man, possibly a pipe smoker. In the US it would seem that real ale is kind of...cool.

This is what Ally has to say about her new blog:

“Man, being reasonable, must get drunk; The best of life is but intoxication.” –Lord Byron

Drinking beer is one of the joys of life. I live in England where beer has been a passion and an art and a way of life for millennia. Malting and brewing was once a woman’s art, but one would never know this looking at current British brew culture.

Ale drinking is shrouded in lingo and machismo– but a good pint is really a simple matter, even if the taste is complex. Beer marks the seasons and triggers memories, it comforts and, in fine Baudelarian fashion, it keeps the burden of time from weighing on your shoulders and crushing you to the earth. So drink up! This round’s on me.

9 comments:

Mod and Mint said...

Sorry to hear you sprained your ankle, hope it heals quickly and you'll be up and running again in no time!

Ally Shaw said...

Ack! A sprained ankle-- I hope it heals quickly. Thanks for plugging my blog here. I suppose if you can't walk it would be a good time to drink more pitchfork. For purely medicinal reasons, of course.

littlemithi said...

Oh noes .. hope you fell better VERy very soon. I know what its like, I tore a ligament and over a year on I can still feel it twinge when I walk too much ...

But theres no excuse not to make art out of it!
http://planetmithi.blogspot.com/2006/12/ankle.html

Kerstin Klein said...

Mithi, hope you´ll recover soon.

BTW: In case you and Alley want to have a beer tasting, you absolutely have to have it here in Munich. And I´ll join you! :)

Ally Shaw said...

Hi ksklein-- Munich has amazing breweries! I hope to go back one day soon. One of my best friends lives there. We will have to definitely meet up for beers then!

Kerstin Klein said...

sure. you should come during the "starkbierzeit" ;) if you can.

Gaina said...

A cold compress with a solution of half vinegar and half water will reduce the pain and swelling.

There's a 'retro' wooden coffee table here (round) with a glass top if you'd like it. Let me know ;).

Gaina said...

forgot to tick follow-up comments. Darn Internet explorer!

Camilla said...

Thanks everyone!I think i'll live to see another day- tomorrow I have to go to London for the day so I might have to dose up on pain killers and put a brave face on!

Gaina- thanks for your tips and offer of coffee table, me and Jason were talking about the need for one just the other day, so I think i'll take you up on that.

Kerstin- It would be great to come over and drink beer with you one day!

Mithi- you know i'll take any excuse not to work...

ismoyo- I think it will be a long time before i'm running anywhere! A leisurely stroll around a gallery on the other hand, I might manage that.