h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's time to choose the date of the first h2g2 Beerfest, and I'm going to strike while the iron is hot and suggest we go for next Friday or Saturday night at 9pm UKtime. I reckon that most people work mostly weekdays, and we don't want any teachers going in to school the next day half-cut.

Friday the 14th or Saturday 15th. What do we reckon?

I'll make this a snap poll and decide when it looks like we have some kind of consensus

Friday. Hair of the dog on Sunday mornings lead to hung over Mondays, whereas hair of the dog on Saturday mornings at least offer the possibility of a sober Sunday and a relatively hang over free Monday.

Doesn't always pan out like that though.

Friday is marginally better for me too, because I won't need to ask for any particular hours on Saturday, but either is fine.

Fraid I won't be able to make any weekend booze-ups... sorry, beer tastings, until after midnight. I'm always working Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but I usually get home around 7.30pm (1.30am UK) on Friday, maybe a little earlier.

We could always do it Friday morning? either day/time seems fine, the date is sufficiently far ahead that I'll do a shop before then and try remember pick up some ancient druids, or a old fart, Old Bob, or perhaps old rosey, though I don't think she's talking to me thesedays

We could always start later, Gosho, maybe around ten. I'm a nightowl anyway, so I'll still be up at 2am and I'm sure a few others could be convinced to stick around too. Any use to you?

I'll have to go with the majority, of course, but if this one doesn't work out for you we'll sort out a midweek one soon afterwards.

I don't expect to be able to make every single one but later tastings are definitely more in line with my time zone

If its late night/early hours that shoudl be fine with me too, I'm useually awake until I'm asleep
I've just done a quick visit to the online grocerys shop I use, and they've a few offers on bottled real ales, so I'll most likely have some or all of the following which either took my fancy as they're not ones I've had or ones I know I like :
Ridgeway Blue Ale
Hobgoblin Extra Strong Ale 500ml5.2%
Fullers London Pride
City Of Cambridge hobson's Choice
Elgood's Black Dog
Broughton Ales Champion Double Ale
Bombardier Burning Gold
Black Sheep Ale
Bishops Finger Strong Ale
Batemans Xxxb
Badger Poachers Choice
Adnams Explorer
Adnams Broadside
Provising, of course, Tesco will deliver at an appropiate time this week coming tis not this weekend but next ain't it?

I'll certainly bear that in mind

Yep, it's next weekend, 2legs. We'll sort out the details on another thread - that's a pretty fine list, though

Ah, the good old Bishop's Finger pops up again! First time I drank Bishop's Finger was with Liftliker in Canterbury about 15 years ago. I think we only had two pints of the stuff and it managed to knock us a bit sideways (neither of us were particularly heavy drinkers at the time: it was back in the smoking days!)

To be honnest, I was quite supprized at the range of real ales in bottles that Tescos do, I don't often look as it tends to lead to expensive shops Most of the ones I chose are on offer at the moment, until about January by the look of it Don't know yet which I'lll get there are a few I've not had before so I'll have to try them, but a couple of old favs is a good idea too I think

*fixes the lads with a landlord's stare*

Fellas, you're clogging up the bar. Topic drift is not permitted on a thread of such relative importance as this, or I'll be wading through 50-odd posts trying to work out who's free when. I'm going to have to ask you to start a new thread by that table under the jukebox.

It won't me, honnest gov, it was...
*looks around***
*points at roymondo laying under the table

Can do either 14th or 15th, unless something else exciting crops up, in which case I won't be able to

It also gives me a chance to peruse the beer shelves of the local supermarkets and see what I can find

Either is good for me.

I do fancy the simultaneous drinking though, and I can source most good beers, so can we decide on a drinking list in advance?

B

We could probably come up with a few core suggestions for the beer list, but it's not going to be as much fun for the likes of Gosho if he can't lay his hands on any of them. It would also mean we wouldn't be able to spread the word about beers from smaller, local breweries, as most won't be able to get them.

If I wrote in capitals then I could at least plug Whitstable Oyster Ale... couldn't I???

(I'm really quite impressed with Morrison's choice of decent ales)

If we're plugging, can I promote Jennings ales?

I went to Uni with the son of the brewer, and he was very effusive in his praise.

B

I can get a limited but decent range of British beers in Austin, but only enough to last two or three sessions. I can sample the delights of plenty of good American beers though and tell you all what you're missing