Sheffield Wednesday 0 v Sheffield United 0
The Championship
Monday 4 March 2019
The Championship
Monday 4 March 2019
SUFC 2018/19 Game 74
2018/19 Football Season Brewery Visits - 96
2018/19 Football Season Brewery Visits - 96
The fans would have you believe that is the bitterest rivalry in British football. I'm not too sure about that, but it is rapidly becoming the most comical rivalry. The brewery ticks in this Blog are from Glasgow. Now I'm not supporting sectarianism in any way, shape or form. But at least in the childish name calling North of the Border, there is a dividing line. You could be Hun Scum. Or you could be a Taig. Other insults are readily available. What do we get? Two sets of fans both calling the others Pigs. Deffo, the least inventive rivalry in British football. And, don't pretend you can delineate further, with your Grunters, your Snortbeasts and your Truffle Hunters.
In my lifetime, we will have Grunter Hunters and Truffle Beasts. Mark my words. The rivalry used to be based on - we beat you in this or that game. Or, we came on your end that year, we were all over your stand. Or even we were banging out your pub, where were you?
Now it's all - no you're a Pig, no you're a Pig, no you are. True, the terrace culture I come from did have an undertone of violence. I've been to The Truth & Reconciliation Commission. That was never my thing. But, I do still roughly subscribe to the terrace school of big gestures. Be all over their city, be in town, go on their end, go in their pub. Be. There. Be. Everywhere. It's a psychological battle, not a physical one. Shouting puerile artiodactyl mammal insults at people 65 yards away - it ain't. Grow Up Lads.
United certainly didn't get our A Game going. We lacked any sort of fluidity. Efficient & accurate. Yes. But, nowhere near our run the other lot ragged selves. I'm not doing the analysis. But, I thought Wednesday (“the porcine snorters”) played a good pressing game & stopped us playing a bit. And, the Owls (“the truffling porkers”) weren't defensive by doing that. It gave them a way of hurrying us up, forcing errors, gaining possession. And, coming at us. I'll wager there was some nervousness & conservatism in the Blades heads. I also felt we looked a lot better with McGoldrick on. We looked like we could win it at the end. They didn't. But, fair draw.
That was effectively a blank weekend. A high profile, it's all about the name calling game like that was always susceptible to being moved for one reason or another. We used that spare weekend wisely. With some Brewery hunting & ticking in Glasgow. That has pushed the number of Brewery visits this season to 96.
The Shilling Brewing Co, West George Street. On the one hand, I'm not a fan. On the other hand, I'm a big fan. That place has an enormous & fantastic range of guest craft beers. Dozens. Scottish, British, Afield. But, why fuck about as a Brewery as well? The kit seems to take up valuable space. Natch, I tried theirs (Shilling Brewing Co Veetacore, American Pale Ale on keg at 4% for eg). But, I found them safe & uninspiring. When this Mad Brewery Season comes to an end. And, I'm back in the zone. Great beers, in great bars. Shilling is a must … for the guests.
The Clockwork Beer Co, Cathcart Road. On the one hand, I'm not a fan. On the other hand, I'm a big fan. That place is a great, high quality, Scottish Boozer. Superb staff. Superb service. Friendly atmos. A pub made for afternoon drinking. I've been before. And their own beers were better before. Natch, I tried theirs (Clockwork Beer Co, Oregon IPA at 5.5% for eg). OK, but nothing remotely about it would suggest Oregon to me. Too sweet for starters. Underhopped for enders. I'm coming back to Clockwork as a Pub, not as a Brewery.
Drygate Brewing Co. Well, at least that's got an identifiably more serious & shiny brewing kit behind the hermetically sealed. It was a little difficult for me to see the full impact. Some rooms & terraces seemed to be shut on a too cold, too few punters basis. The beers I had in Drygate were consistently good. All killers, no fillers. I'd drink most of them all day, every day. Picky. None were outstanding belters.
However, Outstanding Brewery of the Mini Trip can go to West Brewery. They've got the Germanic thing going on. Including that 1516 Purity Law bollocks. Really? We've moved on Pal? I had a Weisse, a German Pale and a Munich Red. But the Standout was the Wild West, 4.9% unfiltered Pilsner, Kellerbier, Zwickel. I'm hearing it's just the unfiltered version of their flagship, even get it in some Glaswegian 'spoons, St Mungo Lager. Anyway. Glorious. The sugar balance absolutely spot on. Tasted like a bag of Barley Sugar Sweets. Tasted thick & dirty.
As it happens, I'll give non-brewery, guest beer of the trip to Williams Brothers, Caesar Augustus, India Pale Lager on keg at 4.1% (in Clockwork). Icing sugar dusting on the lips. Big. Bold. Bitter in the finish.
In a when in Rome scenario, I was happy to try a pint of Tennents Lager (keg at 4%). Yep. OK. Not too sweet, but not up my street. Enjoyed it.
Stats
I have now Blogged from 784 games in 1,658 days
I have now Blogged from 784 games in 1,658 days
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