I'm still going to scratch my events for the rest of the weekend. Lots of stuff to get accomplished here, and I really need the time at home this weekend. Truly. Dominic, don't roll your eyes!
But back to Beer School...
FXK sent out the invitation a while back, and when I saw that it was featuring Unibroue beers, I jumped at the chance. I am not a beer person, I will be honest. I drink beer sometimes, but I have a limited palate and a limited vocbaulary and a limited appreciation. But Unibroue is from the homeland, and close to home in that I enjoyed some of the labels when I lived in Montreal.
Fun night at the Globe Pub. Francis and Kim were both there (and old hands at the way the School works),
along with CG, CG's friend and colleague Morgan,
and Warren, a friend and colleague from our library.
We tasted 8 beers in all. First up was a favourite of mine: Blanche de Chambly. I also liked the apple-scented Ephemère, a bottle of which is in my fridge from a past shopping trip.
La Fin du Monde and Maudite were both fine, though I might not order them myself.
The Don de Dieu was likeable, but less so. I was not wild about the dark beers, the Noire de Chambly and the Terrible. I can't for the life of me recall the eighth beer either. Hmmm.Anyway, I kind of felt how Conrad feels sometimes about wine: I didn't know how to talk about what I was tasting. I couched things in terms for wine or food, and so the Noire de Chambly came across to me like coffee and prunes. Valid reactions, but frustrating for not soundng like the people there who knew their beer.
But it was fun, really.
I didn't find a new favourite, but I was glad to get out, have a load of laughs, and hear some new things about some beverages I knew somewhat already. When I got home, I wasn't hungry, but I craved some salt. See, poutine has an important purpose in life!Of course, it's wine I'm drinking right now, a South African Steen.
:-)
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3 comments:
I was delighted to have you come out. I don't think you give yourself enough credit. Afterall I don't know anyone personally who can desribe foods like you do and beer is just that -food! Albeit one that is yeast based.
./fxk
Thanks FXK. Let me know when there's another interesting one on the calendar and if I can make it, I'd be glad to learn a bit more.
I forgot to mention that, of course, one small good thing about the night was the way we were encouraged to think of food and beer pairings rather than think of beer only as something for cracking open after mowing the lawn.
Sounds like fun!
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