Double Deportee

Italy 1 v England 1

Tuesday 31 March 2015

Juventus Stadium

Twitter @ball_sup

Some history

This is my first time in Turin. I missed what many would consider to be England's most famous match in Turin. The Italia 90 World Cup Semi Final v the Germans. Don't get me wrong, I was around at the time and out & about in Italy. But, by the time of the Semi Final I'd already been deported from Italy. Twice.

I doubt you can Google & find the circumstances. Too inconsequential. Too long ago. Although, eventually, part of the proceedings reached the House Of Commons. Hundreds of England fans were rounded up in Rimini, and put on a plane home. Take it from me. Lots of people were just wrong place, wrong time.

Times were different. Arrest & deportation were just an occupational hazard back then. Get off the deportation charter plane at Gatwick. Get home. Wash, shave, brush up. Off down the travel agents. "Hello mate, what's the earliest you can get me to Naples?"

Take two.

The dilemma is do you a) just hand over your passport in the hotel, thinking, they'll not have got their act together to connect me in a Sorrento hotel to a Rimini plane. Or b) frig about with moody registration details and some blag - illegal, bordering on identity fraud.

I went a). Fair play to Italian Plod. They banged my hotel door down next morning & cuffed me. Long day of processing. Off to Naples Airport. The Police wanted AlItalia to take me free of charge back to London. Not happening. So, the Police agreed to buy me a ticket. Except there were no standard class seats left. So, the Police agreed to buy me a FIRST CLASS ticket. Except AlItalia wouldn't take the Police Credit Card. So one Carabinieri was despatched to the bank to get the Folding Stuff.

Eventually. Walked by the Police to the aircraft steps. Uncuffed. Walked alone up the aircraft steps. Shows ticket. Steward clocks it's First Class. "Welcome aboard, Mr Rose, would you prefer coffee or Champagne before we depart?"

I'm Ball_Sup, you call it.

It's not exactly 25 years ago to the day. But it's close. I dug my cuttings out. I was originally deported from Rimini for "behaviour incompatible with being in a tourist area". Spin spin spin the wheel of justice. What are the charges? Trumped up. How high? Apparently, I was not allowed to return to Italy before 15 July. And hence, I was Bang to Rights the second time.

I'll use the power of the internet to ask, does anyone know a Linda Rose, who used to live in Harcourt Rise, Chapeltown. In 1990, she was married to a David Rose, but not me. (I'm David on my passport). (See photo attached to this Blog). She's a Grass. On the front page of The Star, she was busy assuring family and friends that the Double Deportee was NOT her husband.

The Beer Hunting

I've had good but limited experience of Italian beer hunting. Essentially Rome. And a glorious afternoon halfway up the hill in San Marino. I'm no mug. I know the names, the logos. I know how to research & plan. But its been a right old struggle in Turin. No problem uncovering suitable venues. Just that "the Italian way" includes shutting on quieter days & quieter times. I'm a Day Time Drinker - Loud n Proud.

It is impossible to hit the prime suspects during daylight hours on Sundays &  Mondays. I had to hunker down to Eately Lingotto, Via Nizza 230/14 - 10126 Torino. That won't be everyone's cup of latte. It's a bit of everything. Upmarket supermarket, greengrocer, deli, butchers, cafe, ice cream parlour - and more besides. Crucially a top-of-range off licence. That's open all hours all days. And crucially, Il Fritto e La Birra. An island cafe bar squirrelled away in the basement. That has lunch & dinner opening on all days. On keg, Urquell, Weihenstephan, & Forst as standard. Three rotating. Safe haven.

And finally, at Midnight after the game, I was able to check Petit Baladin, Via Saluzzo, 21. Seven of their own on keg. And lots of their own bottles. Retro style inside. Nice and friendly. But, it being midnight when we arrived, they were essentially shutting the place around us. Nominally opening is billed as Tuesday to Saturday 1830-0200.

The Beer

Birrificio Troll I.P.A. at 6%. From a bottle. Nutty aroma. But very much Seville Oranges in the mouth, souring a little. Flavour has some intensity. A little more burnt toffee coming in the smell. Lacks a bitter hop kick. Although a long if gentle finish.

Soralama Wow! Tre Rubini at 5.8%. From a bottle. A little bit of sourness gives way to spiciness. Thin mouthfeel. A little bit of barley sugar there. Some background bittering. Hint of ginger.

Baladin Nora at 6.8%. On keg. Clear amber in the glass. Pleasant but sort of nondescript spiciness. Leans towards ginger, even cinnamon. Some candied sugar sweetness.

Baladin Isaac at 5%. On keg. Looks like custard. Tastes (a bit) like custard. A glorious Blanche (or was it a Wit or a Weisse). Extremely refreshing & mouthfilling. The citrus is there, but it sort cuts through the beer, rather than hitting you upfront.

Birrificio del Ducato Wedding Rauch at 5.2%. On keg. Fantastic & inviting brown in colour. I'd get some brogues in that shade. Nothing about that is overpowering. Powerful aromas & tastes, in harness.  The smoke on the nose has a very meaty quality. But, it was much gentler in the mouth.

Montegioco Rat Weizen at 4.9%. From a bottle. More golden than yellow. Slightly opaque. Nice powerful upfront flavour. More peppery than citrus. Complex, intense flavour. Some sour aroma, not coming through in the taste.

Le Birre Della Piazza Hopperly at 5.5%. From a bottle. Washing up liquid foam head. First impression. More of an English bitter than an American Pale. More malt lead into a nice bitterness, than neutral & fresh into bitterness. Fair play though. Great hop kick. Hint of orange. Nice tangy finish.

And then the stuff I had in Petit Baladin. Too busy drinking that to make notes I'm afraid.

Baladin Nelson at 5% (Golden Ale)
Baladin - Open at 7.5% (American Pale)
Baladin - Super at 8% (Amber ESB style)

All were welcome & well kept & tasty. But, none stood out. Earlier in the day, I'd had Forst Sixtus on keg at 6.2%. Red ale.

Standout Beer of the Trip. Undoubtedly Baladin Isaac - a superb Blanche.

Spectacular security operation by Italian OB. Keystone Cops. After the match a series of (dis)orderly retreats behind a never ending set of security gates & holding pens. They created a tense situation. Then panicked.

On Smoke Bomb Watch. Some fella has let one off on the shuttle bus back to the town after the game. Sort of white/grey smoke, didn't pong much. But very dense in a confined area. Would have been worse, but some other fella had already put one of the windows through. It was that type of security operation.

Best bit of the game - HKHT. Harry Kane Hang Time. Old skool. He gets up, stays up.

108/252