Autumn

When exactly does Autumn start anyway? Some say early September, some late September. I'm under the impression its started. For a start its dark when I wake up now (which is usually around 5am weekdays), the trees are turning yellow, and some other bloggers have started getting onto the subject. On the beer front Daleside are planning to re-release Autumn Leaves again this year (last I heard anyway) and we have a new Brown ale, Nightjar, developed collaboratively between myself and head man Craig which is kind of a seasonal/special.

Then you have all the other seasonals and beer that are great for the season. High House Farm Matfen Magic is a great Bramling Cross hopped nutty session beer that's not exactly a seasonal, but is great for Autumn drinking. I find Alnwick is wonderful place to be in autumn. The smell of log fires hits you as you wonder the streets. The atmosphere is calm and the place looks and feels old. I don't mean this in a kind of run down sort of way, more of a warming historic way. It feels traditional, and drinking traditional beers in Alnwick feels right (can't forget that 2006 Gale's Prize Old ale I have locked away). Another great comforting thing at this time of year is knowing you have a cupboard full of different beers, most of them keeping beers, many of them great winter warmers. So if the house comes under siege, or we get snowed in at some point in the winter, we should be safe for beer.

Robs Beer Quest Summer Poll Results In!

Other news this month, the results from the RBQ summer poll. Going neck and neck for quite some time, Moredue, Durham and Jarrow breweries (by god it was close) but in the end Durham came out on top. A lot of beer enthusiasts are fond of Durham, around these parts they seem to be the only ones known to push the boundaries a bit. My favourite ones so far; Bede's Chalice and White Centennial.