Mumbai Beer Hunting

England 400 all out
v India 631 all out
England 195 all out
India win by an Innings and 36 runs

Monday 12 December 2016

Played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Twitter @ball_sup

Mumbai Beer Wrap

28 Indian Beer Ticks.

I've already Blogged about

The Woodside Inn, Colaba
The Barking Deer, Lower Parel

We've now added

Independence Brewing Company, Veera Desai Area
The White Owl, Lower Parel

We have failed to find TWO Doolally Taprooms which came up on Google Maps & they can basically fuck off.

Independence Brewing Company is a very good hit. Way up there in the North. We got the train to Andheri & a long walk. And we got an Uber all the way back to Nariman Point. Plod pulled the Uber driver on the way. He took his wallet & his licence out to speak to the officer. He's got back in the motor & declared his offence as “Lane Cutting”. And, this is in Mumbai this. Classic. I mean let's have it right. He's guilty. But, he ain't alone. I could only think - “did you ask for thirty thousand other offences to be taken into account?”

Anyway. Quiet Monday afts. We were the only customers up at Independence. Seven on keg. All their own. It's a Taproom. I had a good go at it.

Hoppy Blonde Ale
Belgian Wit
Four Grain Saison
Ixcacao (Nitro Stout)

The Belgian Wit was lovely. Full of banana & gooseberry. Nice sweetness at the end. The Ixcacao was decent. Mainly chocolate tones. A little underdone on the bittering.

The fella had a long chat with me. He wanted me to rock up on Saturday for the launch of Sangre Del Toro, their Barley Wine. I  persuaded him I'd be in Chennai by then. Fair dos. He gave me a sneaky pre launch one anyway. That surprised me a little. All coffee & cream. Very drinkable.

Right. The White Owl. Here you go. If anyone else here for the Cricket has been in. Under their own steam. Or with Indian mates help. Whatever. They can have Ball Supper Of The Year. On me. Impossible To Find Arms that one. We got off at Elphinstone Road station. We could see the Tower we assumed it was at the bottom of. But, could we find the way in? We've gone through an x-ray thing. Been given a little bit of paper with “White Owl” on it to use as a pass. Needed to negotiate numerous entrances. Up some lifts. Through some more gates.

It's sort of like a pub that serves a mentally large office complex. At the bottom, near reception. It's not geared for Ball Supping punters trying to get there off the street. Getting out seemed even worse. To cap it all, they've served beer in Jam Jars once we've eventually got a round in.

A couple were off. Leaving maybe six on.

Halcyon, German Hefeweizen
Torpedo, American Pale Ale

Both were very good.

The Awards

Best Boozer - Independence Brewing Co.
Outstanding Beer Of The Mumbai Leg - The Barking Deer, Bark IPA.

The Cricket

I set high standards for Adil Rashid as he's “my man”. Come on fella. Hoover the tail. Knock a few runs. Where's the Hero Of Dubai. Adil has perfectly picked out the geezer at deep midwicket. Rolled his wrists into the shot. To telegraph that it's coming out there. Shit.

Our spinners aren't up to it. The seamers aren't penetrative enough. We have to play to our strengths. And get runs on the board. Big runs. On a big board.

To cheer us up at the end, Ashwin has fucking lost it. He's given Anderson the lot. From a distance. And, from up close. With hand signals. In a variety of languages I dare say. I think he's defending Flat Track Bully Kohli. Or he's had a few Cardamoms too many in the warm up. Frothing.

416/853