Admittedly this has been a difficult blog post to write. Never have I brewed a beer to be released into the unusual circumstances of a global pandemic. Without a web store or home deliveries post march this was more like writing an epitaph.
Anyhow, Journeys End is a 4.5% modern English IPA brewed with Admiral and Endeavour hops. Its story started in the mid march. A busy period of increasing momentum involving a flurry of brew days that ground to a sudden halt. The pub trade suddenly started slowing and slowing till only the most resilient publicans persevered. When the lockdown came the last lights went out.
And so we have the completely bizarre unforeseeable script of spring 2020. Like the ultimate WTF moment of Monty Python's Holy Grail where the animator suffers a sudden fatal heart attack. As surreal as it was the entire industry and nation had ground to a halt from the Covid-19 crisis.
Amid the chaos and confusion the mid golden British IPA was born. With its dominant candied orange, pine and woody citrus character the beer was shifted to its secondary tank, its current resting place.
Thankfully in some shape or form a contingency plan is in place for Journeys End. A web store or drive through is in the making and the beer may be brought back at a later date. Through will and determination this beer will reach customers in some shape or form.
 |
| Doing our bit to save the nation |
But aside from pushing for contingency plans what does one do in this current situation of lockdown and not brewing? Drinking the stock is an obvious option when facing the long void of gardening, home schooling and jobs around the house.
 |
| Clapping for key workers |
 |
| "Virus"; drink 1 finger. "Stop the spread"; drink 2 fingers. |
 |
| This batch of pickled eggs is gonna be the bomb |
 |
| Mucking about around the house |
Although having three different cask beers in the house is sort of like being in your own personal pub. In the wider world the uncertainties facing the brewing sector, the fate of the stock, pub companies facing rent payment and the rest of it all puts a dampener on the enforced holiday experience.
For almost my entire life I have never taken it for granted that I always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Now however I'm basically in the wrong place at the wrong time. On the upside is still being alive.
