Courgette Fries

England 18 v Australia 36

Sunday 13 November 2016

Rugby League Four Nations

Played at London Stadium, Stratford

Twitter @ball_sup

And, if anything, I know even less about Rugby League. I've been in the London Stadium once before (for Athletics). I've paid little attention to what they've done to/with it to turn it into West Ham United. New skin on the outside. New branding. Some new seats. But, I wasn't prepared for what they've done with the lower tier. Even now, I don't quite understand it. The top tier is where it always was, and is miles from the pitch. The new bottom tier has sort of been built on top of & in front of the existing lower tier. You have to cross little bridges from the concourse to get to the new lower tier. And, if you look down, you can see the old lower still intact.

The thing is (my words) when they do the World Athletics here in 2017, they'll have to remove the new lower & revert to the old lower. Yet, the new lower looks a substantial thing to me. And then presumably build everything again for the first West Ham game.

Anyway, we were lower tier. In the corner. And it's a great view from there. What are you going to do if you're a big, ambitious, Premier League nonsense club. In London especially where you get tourist & day tripper fans. You need seats for the putting of bums on. Two choices. You build UP (Old Trafford). Or you build ROUND.

There were over 35k rattling around. It must look superb when it's full.

Anyway, I might not know much about Rugby League. But I know a bit about beer. The Howling Hops Tank Bar is a superb place. Go. Soon. It was quite packed by about 1230. A lot of Rugby goers. But, the trestle tables, long bar frontage, a fair few staff. And it all ticked along nicely. The problem was the glasses. They weren't collecting them. Then they deployed a clown from the coffee, wine, etc outlet. He didn't know what he was doing. What skills do you need for collecting empty glasses ffs? Well at the Ball Sup Army table, it'll help if you don't take glasses with beer still in 'em. For example. So they ran out of glasses. They had to revert to pay a deposit plastic ones.

It's psychosomatic. Have the tanks there. It all looks fresh. It'll all seem fresh. It's lovely.

Howling Hops, Pils, Bohemian Lager on tank at 4.6%. Lovely & dirty & yeasty. Proper lager.

Howling Hops, West Coast Special IPA on tank at 6.7%. Lovely & thick & intense.

After the game, we headed up to fairly close Mason & Company at Here East. I think there's a tie in with Five Points. But, I also think there'd been a Beavertown tap takeover. So, we caught the tail of that. Described by Mrs Ball Sup as “Achingly Hip”. She was particularly drawn to the Courgette Fries on the menu.

A good few taps on the wall at the back of the bar. Too far away to read the clips. So you have to rely on the printed lists on the clipboards. Which go well with the Courgette Fries. I never like clipboard lists. Too hit or miss. I could clearly see a Squawk pumpclip. Which wasn't on the clipboard. Get a BLACKBOARD. Get a TV SCREEN. Much better for the beerhunting punter.

Anyway despite that. Nice set of beers. Nice bottle list. Welcoming & helpful. A sanctuary.

Beavertown/Oskar Blues, Tempus Dolmus, Weizendoppelbock on keg at 8.4%.

Beavertown, Black Betty on keg at 7.4%. (Disappointing, not bitter enough).

I've always enjoyed Five Points, Pale on keg at 4.4%. It's better than the IPA. But, I'm afraid Standout Beer Of The Day goes to the Howling Hops West Coast IPA.

403/824