Still know nowt

England 196-4
v Australia
close on Day 1

First Ashes Test

Played at Brisbane

Thursday 23 November 2017

398 Australian Beer Ticks

Aether Brewing Co. Milton, Brisbane

Great place. Not even a year old. Given that they're having their First Birthday Party later this week. The Kit is right there. Everywhere. Surrounds you as you drink. Intriguingly, each bit of Kit has a name tag on. Named “after someone”. Very friendly & helpful. Highly, highly recommend it.

Aether Brewing Hide & Seek Pilsner at 5%
Aether Brewing Pit Stop Pale Ale at 4.5%
Aether Brewing Hop, Skip & Jump IPA at 6.4%
Aether Brewing Blurred Limes Key Lime Pale Ale at 5.1%
Aether Brewing All Australian Bitter at 4.3%

The Line thing was just too pissed around with. The IPA was nice. Just that I'd have preferred more of a Hop Hit. But, the other three were absolutely superb. The Pilsner was a right eye opener. Dirty & Czech style. I can't remember when I last had one as good as that. Big shout to the Pit Stop Pale as well. Lead Hop Bitter. But, then developed lovely tropical fruits. Winners.

The Scratch Bar, Milton

Brouhaha Northern Hemisphere IPA at 6.8%. I'd say that in going for the Northern Hemisphere motif, they've actually come up more like a strong English Bitter. Quite a lot of maltiness left over.

The Cricket

Partly, we still know nowt. OK, we know Australia didn't blow us away as “threatened”. There'll be loads of bollocks about dead pitch, lifeless, etc. But, bouncers were getting up to waist high & hitting batsmen on the arse. This is tough five match series cricket. Smith seems to want to persist with just three seamers & Lyon. Making them bowl over after over. Without steamroller. Will help us down the track. In Melbourne. Or Sydney. When they're blowing then. It'll be because of what we did (or didn't) in Brizzy. That's the game.

The downside of slow attritional batting. If you don't cash in. Big time. You'll have batted for an age. Weathered some storms. But, be out for a pissy 53 (Stoneman). Vince then took a sharp run. Superb pick & throw by Lyon. Gone for 83. Root planted. Couldn't get Bat Round Leg. Plumb. But only given on Review. It's pretty Even Steven. Mainly because we'll need North of 400. And, I think we'll be South of that.

563/1192