Walthamstow 1 v Berkhamsted 0
FA Cup 1st Round Qualifying
Saturday 4 September 2021
Played at Wadham Lodge
Ground Tick #374
Wadham Lodge, home of Walthamstow FC, is the 374th different ground I've watched football on.
The part of E17 to the West of Wadham Lodge & the North of Blackhorse Road Tube, is Microbrewery & Tap Room heaven. Obvs, I can't swear I've catalogued 'em all. But, I've got it as six.
Truman's Social Club
Signature Brew
Wild Card Brewery, Lockwood
Hackney High Hill Brewery & Taproom
None of which I was able to cram in this time around. But, I did visit;
Exale Brewing & Taproom, Unit 2C Uplands Business Park, London E17 5QJ
Beerblefish Brewery & Taproom, Unit 2A-4, Uplands B, Uplands Business Park, Blackhorse Ln, London E17 5QJ
(note same Postcode). I'm pretty sure if you kicked the wall through at the back of the Disabled Bogs in Beerblefish, you'd be through into Exale.
Exale has a large yard full of tables & benches and a downstairs & upstairs indoors with tables & chairs. Lovely & ramshackle. Nominally, there were eight kegs on. Although there was a bit of rubbing & chalking while we were sat there. A large plastic jug was doing some heavy lifting as he tried to get kegs going & replaced others.
Exale Brewing, Pale on Keg at 4.2%
The Carrier Bag Firm have been moaning like fuck recently about the dearth of proper pales - peach sugar in, bitterness out, straight down the line pales. Remember them? Well. Don't know what's happening. But, we're stumbling across 'em a bit more. And this Exale one, was one. Being picky, I was searching for the sugar a bit. And, there was just a little too much spice. But, this one was mouthfilling & bursting with flavour. Exale sponsor Walthamstow's shirts. So, later, I was able to enjoy a tin of Exale Pale in the ground. (Although as this 'un should have been played under FA Cup regs, I'm not strictly sure that was allowed).
Exale Brewing, West Coast IPA on Keg at 5.5%
Again, a simple, straight ahead version. Not too much going on, but benefiting from that. Maybe needed a bit more maltiness for me.
Exale Brewing, Satellite, New England IPA on Keg at 6%
The noticeable thing about that was - it isn't yellow. Thank Fuck. Did the Brewer not get the - how to make your beer yellow - memo? Made a refreshing change to the old eyeballing of the ale for appealing qualities. However, not a great deal happening. Slight smoke on it. Where's that come from?
OK. The literally just around the corner Beerblefish Brewery & Taproom is misnamed. Because, it's so new they haven't been able to hire the trucks to bring the brewery kit over from Edmonton yet. So currently it's "Taproom". Lovely large indoor space. Murals on the walls. Small bar frontage. And a big old empty space yearning for kit.
"Are you CAMRA Members? There's a discount"
"SorryWhatPardon?"
This is in East London this. Four on gravity Cask. Described as "lively" by the Owner/Brewers. Two on Keg.
The Beerblefish Brewing Co, Edmonton Lager on Cask at 5.8%
Loving that. Lesser spotted Cask Lager. I always get it when I see it. Once my buds got used to it, I got some sugar. All nice & crisp & in perfect condition.
The Beerblefish Brewing Co, S.M.A.S.H. Organic Pale on Cask at 5.2%
I held Court to the rest of the CBF explaining that S.M.A.S.H acronym'ed the Hop recipe. Simcoe. Motueka. Amarillo. Maybe Simcoe again, I don't fucking know. H? H? What's that? Maybe just "Hops". Sensibly, the CBF just looked it up.
Single Malt and Single Hop S.M.A.S.H.
Yeah, that's it.
I got a bit of worrying Tart at first. But, past that, glorious beer. Soft n gentle n complex n balanced. Glorious.
The Beerblefish Brewing Co, Salted Choc Cherry Stout on Keg at 8.3%
I held Court to the rest of the CBF explaining that Salted Choc Cherry Stout meant that it was a stout flavoured with salted chocolate & cherries. Bang on this time. A lot of cherries on that. The longer you wait, the more cherries you get.
Sex and Drugs and Walthamstow
Is all my brain and body needs
Sex and Drugs and Walthamstow
Are very good indeed
A great step killing Cup win by Step 5 Stow over Step 4 Berko. Lively boisterous atmosphere created by The Blue Army & tins of Exale. Although I couldn't help notice that non-sponsors Stella Artois were also repping.
Great day.
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Stats
I have now Blogged from 992 games in 2,573 days
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