Keep Ticking Over

England 1 v Austria 0 

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Wednesday 2 June 2021 

Played at Middlesbrough 

I'm finding I need to recalibrate a bit on International Football. So long ago. You forget how it can be so cat n mouse. Games with not a lot happening, coming to life only briefly. It was good to be back in a ground again. Different bits of the Covid Regs caught me out. I coped very well thank you with the Lateral Flow Test done at home, present the negative SMS text message at the turnstile. Couldn't work the urinals out mind. They'd gone for the Big X - essentially don't piss here. But ignored the option of the Big Tick - piss here. So, to these Bog Eyes, it looked for all money - Don't Piss - anywhere.

Anyway. Other lungs in the ground - National Anthem, Booing this, Cheering that, Football's coming home again.

Insane schedule. But, with the EUROs a year late. Insanity is what we've got. With those players involved in UEFA Club finals, still resting, Southgate has had to dig deep into his squad. Including playing geezers who AREN'T in the EURO Squad - even starting Lingard. I mean, really - what are we going to gain/learn from all that. It was mainly a keep it all ticking over exercise. Reasonably efficient, with not many revs to excite it all.

But, with the Subs at the end, we're handing out England caps to the Third XI. I know why. Obvs. But, there's some futility.

No doubt the beer adventures can help us out though, Phil?

No doubt. Middlesbrough has become a lovely beer destination. Centred on the many MicroPubs. I'll be honest, the Carrier Bag Firm were a bit flustered. We weren't sure how busy things would get. What with Engerland being in town. We reccy'd the Bottled Note on Borough Road. Indeed, we nearly didn't go in due to a horrendous design fault. The house beers in the Bottled Note come from Three Brothers Brewing Co in (nearby) Stockton-on-Tees. Some opposite of genius has made the Brewery logo sort of gold on dark brown. Thing is, darkened room, handpulls off to the side, three of them isn't there, maybe four, ooohhh I can see the Titanic Plum Porter clip, nothing on the others mind, what's going on. The Three Brothers clip is the same brown as the wood on the pull. Looks like there's no clip. Perfect Camouflage. 

Anyway. In we went. And Three Brothers revealed itself.

Three Brothers, Mangold on Cask at 4.5%

Play on words - Golden Ale with Mango. Very nice indeed. Maybe the mango was just a bit overplayed. But it was bright, perfect condition, very easy drinking.

Three Brothers, Brew No. 1 on Cask at 5%

No play on words there. Does what it says on the pumpclip, if you can fucking read it. Golden coloured ale. Lots of floral hops.

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