Comprehensive Tonking

Sheffield United 6 v Leyton Orient 0

FA Cup First Round

Sunday 6 November 2016

Twitter @ball_sup

All that started with a disappointing pint of Exit 33, New England Best on cask at 4.2% in The Cremorne. I sort of got what they’re doing. Malty English Bitter style base, with New World hops. I’ve got a suspicion it wasn’t in tip top condition. Maybe a bit cloudy. Some off notes in the smell. It wasn’t awful. But, it did nothing for me.

Comprehensive at The Lane though. Billy Sharp dropped to the bench. Still no Matt Done or Leon Clarke. Lavery on the bench as well. So, the striking was left to Harry Chapman & Scougall. I noticed young Jordan Hallam out there in the pre-match kickabout. Just putting the youngsters on the path & getting them involved I guess.

I write this Blog because I’m opinionated. But, Wilder knows more than me. Obviously. But. If/when he brings David Brooks on as he did. I’d like to see him given the discipline of a definite role. Wide left midfield. For instance. No. 10 link up man. For instance. Instead, he’s pop up all over the place nice & tricky on his left foot man. More effective in a set role for me.

Chapman looks the ticket. But, we’re only seeing him in either first team cameos or in lesser know cups. But, he’s ready and able for me.

Three at the back again. Basham, Wright, O’Connell. I don’t know whether Wilder tells him, or he does it off his own bat. But, O’Connell loves to get forward don’t he? So, as The O’s posed little attacking threat, it was two at the back sometimes. I love my centre backs to step up through the line. But, O’Connell seems to go mad. He was the furthest forward at times. That’s all symptomatic of players knowing what they’re capable of. Making good decisions. Others filling in if/when/etc. That’ll get you a long way. Comprehensive tonking that.

398/817
42

Wild Card Brewery

Leyton Orient 1 v Sheffield United 1

Saturday 25 April 2015

Twitter @ball_sup

A great first visit to Wild Card Brewery over in Walthamstow. I lived in London for 12 years. I've been to football in London countless times. That was even my first visit to Walthamstow itself. Lovely up in the village there. Surprised me a bit. Who knew?

Wild Card was great. An industrial unit. Loads of trestle tables outside. Cobbled together furnishings inside. Four of their own on cask & a wide and intriguing set of bottles in the fridge.

Pale Ale on cask at 3.4%

Perfectly clear. Inviting. Lovely tight head. Great upfront hop hit (particularly for a low abv). Some sweetness in the smell. Tropical fruits in the mouth. Quickly gives way to a constant bitter finish. That is a superb beer.

Unite Red Ale on cask at 4.6%

That's ordinary. Fella tells me it was brewed for International Women's Day. Salute to that. Slight sourness. Nagging, I wouldn't have bothered, sweetness. It is tasty. And it has stuff going on. But, all a bit mixed up. Red berries, smoke, bitter. It's getting there...

Brentwood Unite Pale Ale, bottle at 4%.

Sticking with the Sisterhood. Bottle Conditioned. Brewed last year for International Women's Day..  Orange in the mouth. Marmalade. Clean & crisp on the nose. Tastes great. Nice, back of the mouth, but gentle bittering.

I also did the King William IV on Leyton High Road. (Home of Brodie's beers). And the still superb Leyton Orient Supporters Club. And some place for a burger in Islington.

Brodie's Dalston Black IPA on keg at 7%.

Brentwood BBC2 on cask at 2.5%. (Superb Small Beer).

My Generation Beer Co. My Generation on cask at 4.2%.

The Wild Card Pale was the Standout Beer of the Day.

To whom it may concern. I'm not a grass. But, the only #NoPyroNoParty smoke bomb I saw today was on Leyton High Rd down from the William IV. About a mile from the ground, maybe 40 minutes before kick off. Quite dense red smoke. Dropped on the pavement by some SUFC fancy dressers. I assume potential smoke bombers are getting increasingly jumpy about smuggling devices into grounds.

So, United finally get over the Play Off line. With a somewhat unconvincing performance. Broadly competent. Lacking urgency. Often the middle 4 concentrate more on their positions than the ball. Making it look like they're standing off teams.

Who have got what points has made this home leg first Play Off scenario likely for what seems like months. So, sorry, little sense of excitement & celebration getting over that line.

But, lets have it right. A fantastic beer day. Three superb locations. Some great beers. And in the Play Offs.

126/277

The Best Football Club

Leyton Orient 0 v Sheffield United 1

Tuesday 23 September 2014

Twitter @ball_sup

This piece is mainly in praise of the Leyton Orient Supporters Club Bar.  Maybe similar bars exist at other clubs - although I’ve yet to find one. In my experience, it is non-league clubs are more likely to have well functioning & welcoming bars like the one at Orient.

Simply. The set-up that Orient have should be the aspiration & model for all football clubs.

Readers can go online to find the details & the story.  I’m just going to give a personal perspective. The Bar is outside the ground (in the sense of accessible from the street).  It’s partly staffed by willing volunteers. On the occasions I’ve been in after games, I’ve had to wait outside for the Orient supporters to applaud their team off the pitch, zip round to the Bar, get behind it, let the masses in and shout “who is next?”. Marvellous.

Of course the model is simple & circular. Serve a range of good beer. Draw people in. Sell a reasonable volume. Put new casks on. Thus extending the range of beer. Thus drawing more people in. Allowing you to sell a reasonable volume. Rocket Science.

It’s essentially a Members Club - hurray to that. It has recently won the CAMRA East London & City and Greater London Club of the Year awards.  I understand that on occasions, (popular games, etc) they have to restrict entry to Members. But, they’ve never failed to let me in. For guests, it’s free for CAMRA Members or a quid on the door.

Staff & punters never fail to be welcoming. 8 handpulls when I walked in. Hackney, Harbour, Black Country, Mighty Oak & Colchester all present.

I was enjoying myself too much to make tasting notes. So it's a list.

Hackney - American Pale Ale 4.5%
Harbour - IPA 5%
Colchester - Pontisbright 4%
Mighty Oak - Captain Bob 3.8%
Mighty Oak - Oscar Wilde 3.7%

Not a bad shift by the Blades. Scored early. Hung on.

After the game I went into The Leyton Technical. Very handy for the Tube & the ground.

Siren - Under Current 4.5%
Ilkley - Lotus IPA 5.6%
Summer Wine - Ten Malt Porter 5%

Not much in it. But I'll give stand out beer of the day to Siren Under Current.