Frustrating Beer Hunting

England 2 v Wales 1

Thursday 16 June 2016

UEFA European Championship Group B

Played at Lens

Twitter @ball_sup

Frustrating French Beer Hunting

I don't particularly enjoy Beer Hunting in France. It's partly a language thing. Partly an identification thing. For instance, we trawled out (Bus 4 to the terminus) to La Maison De La Bière. Essentially a large, airy specialist off licence on an out of town shops & business estate. At the back there is a functional seating area & a bar.

Firstly, although they were open, we sinned. Got there before 2pm. So, the staff lunch “hour” was fully on the go.

There were maybe 5 on keg. But, all industrial Belgian & German. Then maybe 3 upright fridges full of bottles. But. And the rub is here. He only had TWO French Bière Artisanale across all fridges. Which were chock full of Belgian, German & International.

The off sales shelves were much better. Well organised & labelled by country & style. And a large selection. I expanded the French range by persuading him to let me get some off the shelves. So that he could put them in the fridge. He was broadly OK with that.

He had a mate who had some sort of problem with me. Even though he was stacking shelves & advising punters. He broke off a few times to “Pardon” me as I was laughing & joking in English. When I asked for the khazi, he tried some “down there, go home” joke.

Despite that Entente DisCordiale, it was a friendly enough gaff. But, just emphasised the Beer Hunters difficulties.

And. For instance. I found a nice Brasserie in Reims. With some interesting taps. I asked the waitress about French Biére Artisanale. She insisted everything they'd got was Belgian. Including the BrewDog Jackhammer.

I settled on a French Beer from Sainte Crucienne. She ballsed that up. Served me one from Birrificio Elav. From that far flung part of France. Called Italy. (It was a superb IPA, by the way). I'd lost the will to persevere at that stage. Drank it.

I will Chapeau to L’Escale in Reims. Patient. Explained what was what. Gave me the bottle list.

All told. In Reims. It's gone.

Ardwen, Woinic Triple at 8%.
Les 3 Loups, Bière Blonde IPA at 7%.
La Brasserie du Pays Flamand, Anosteké Blonde at 8%.
Brasserie La Bouquine, Hops at 5.2%.

And assorted Belgians. And an unexpected Italian. I'm ashamed of myself.

But, as always, we got there in the end. Outstanding beer of the Reims/Lens leg was;

Brasserie La Bouquine, Lover at 6.2%. A very nice American Pale style. Lovely swirling peaches in the smell & the taste. Nice lingering & fresh bitterness.

Champagne Hunting

Our motto is Be Where The Football Isn't. To make this leg of the trip work, we've stayed in Reims. Partly suspending Beer for Champagne. My palates gone a bit I discover. Oh dear. While Beer Hunting is tricky. Champagne Hunting is Fish in Barrel.

As well as nabbing supermarket bottles for the room. And the odd bottle or two in a bar. We've visited the lovely people at Champagne Paul-Etienne Saint Germain & Champagne Collard-Picard. Both on Avenue De Champagne in Épernay.

The list was;
Champagne Mercier, Brut
Champagne, Paul-Etienne Saint German, Rosé
Champagne, Paul-Etienne Saint German, Exception
Champagne, Collard-Picard, Prestige
Champagne, Collard-Picard, Dom Picard
Champagne, Collard-Picard, Merveilles
Champagne, Louis Danremont, Brut Premier Cru

The official “we beat Wales” Ball_Sup celebration Fizz was Champagne, Malard Premier Cru Brut.

Mither in the grounds

While we're at it, let's have a solution to in ground fisticuffs at the EUROs. Just ditch the mental Ticket Categories. Essentially Football Authorities official ticket allocations have been half of the end & a third of the side. (Or thereabouts). With a Neutral Section next to each. So. As eg. Take those Pesky Russkies in Marseille.

They've got half an end. With ordinary civilians next to them. And a third of a side. With ordinary civilians next to them. Now. England win all the honours for getting large numbers in. So, the vast majority of those Russian Neighbour so called Neutral sections are English. Want to cook a disaster. There's the recipe.

You've created TWO Russian England Cheek Jowl frontiers. You want to be happy only one of those has gone off.

Here's the science. Stick the Russians in one end. The English in the other. No Frontlines. Too simple….

Some football

And, so we move on. I thought Hart should have saved that. I wouldn't have taken Kane off. But, I guess it's him or Vardy. And the substitutions did work. I do get what they're trying to do with Sterling. He gives you something. But does himself no favours. And. Again. Better with Sturridge. What a shift from Kyle Walker. A constant attacking threat. Made in Shirecliffe that one.

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