A Helping Hand

I live in the North West of England.  

My recent trip to  #NWAF in Derby is about as far as I can travel and, as much as I'd like to, I can't get to everything!

Anyone wishing to submit a pub or beer festival review, pub crawl or beer / brewery review I'll be happy to publish it on the Blog.

E-Mail cyber.beer.reviews@gmail.com

The Reason For Being

I started this blog purely as a way of electronically recording my beer ticks, which used to be written on paper.

I then discovered Untappd and started ticking electronically and this blog was no longer needed, though I tried (and failed) to copy up the rest of my paper notes!

Untappd initially posted to my personal Facebook and Twitter accounts, then I decided to give Cyber Beer its own accounts, but, not being able to post to pages, the FB account has gone mostly unused.  The popularly of my Twitter however, continues to astound me!

Used primarily for my Untappd beer ticks, I also use it for interacting with breweries and other beer fans.  I have about 410 followers including British and American breweries, brewers, pubs and others in "the trade" as well as general beer fans.

My new year plans for this blog are to actually blog more!  Note details of pub crawls, beer festivals and meet the brewer sessions.

Also for 2016 The Cyber Beer Blog has ventured outside the realms of Blogspot and I now have a duplicate blog on Tumblr, as well as venturing more into the realm of Google+!

Thank you for supporting and being interested in Cyber Beer's ventures.

The CyberHippy

Cyber Beer Administrator 

National Winter Ale Festival 2016

11:10 

The NWAF is once again being held in The Roundhouse at Derby.

I have a bit of a trek to get to it this year, as I'm coming from The Wirral.  I have to go by car to Spital, then from Spital to Chester, from Chester to Crewe and Finally from Crewe to Derby.  

I am currently on the train to Crewe.

11:52

Waiting on my connection to Derby, but the 12:07 delayed by 10 mins.  Good thing I'm not going for the one in an hour because 13:07 is cancelled!

Crewe - Derby is the longest part of the journey is a 1hr 20min run.

12:18

Train now delayed till 12:25!

12:34

Finally on my way to Derby!  Shoots arrive around 13:40 according to National Rail Enquires!  Be ready for a drink at the end of this journey, good thing I'm off to a beer festival! :-D

13:55

Arrived! Got my first beer.  Blue Monkey Chocolate Gorilla Stout and it's lovely!

Had several beers, including Parish Baz's Bonce Blower, and talked to many people including those on the Tiny Rebel and Thornbridge stalls.

Bought crisps from Piper’s and chocolate from Merry Berry.

The beers I tried were :-

Blue Monkey Chocolate Guerrilla

Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Marshmallow Porter

The Boot Inn Welington

Dancing Duck Waddle It Be?

Parish Baz's Bonce Blower

Abbydale Birdhouse Tea Beer

Rat Red Hot Chilli Rat

Tiny Rebel Hadouken 

Thornbridge Saint Petersberg 

Thornbridge Made North

Tiny Rebel Dubbel Dragon

 

18:30

Grabbed my final beer, Wentwell Absent Friends.

18:42

Train back to Crewe 

20:22

On train to Chester

20:45 

Arrived at Chester station

20:55 

On platform 7B for 21:00 train to Spital 

21:30

Arrived home.

A long day with a lot of traveling, but definitely worth it.  Had some great beers and picked up some brewery freebies as well!  

Time for bed soon.  Manchester beckons tomorrow!  New Marble Brewery beer launch.  :-)

Another year over

As 2015 draws to a close I think of the new breweries I've discovered and the ones I've visited and wonder what amazing beers will come in 2️⃣0️⃣1️⃣6️⃣ from the breweries I know and whatever new startups appear over the next year.

Happy New Year from The CyberBeer Blog 🍻

Fly In The Loaf

The Fly In The Loaf is a large, open-plan pub close to Liverpool's Metropolitan Cathedral.

When I visited in June, this was the selection....

The reasoning behind Brewdog's 5AM Saint.

What's in a name?

The reasoning behind @brewdog's 5AM Saint

https://www.brewdog.com/lowdown/blog/return-of-the-saint

Old Harker's Arms Pie, Game and Ale Week 2015

Old Harkers Arms sits on the side of the Shropshire Union Canal that flows through Chester and is conveniently located at the bottom of the steps from the road leading to the train station.

From Friday 16th October - Sunday 25th October Harkers had is annual Pie and Ale week, consisting of 10 different pies and 10 ales that have won Champion Beer Of Britain at the GBBF.  This year the festival had been rebranded to Pie, Game and Ale week.

Upon my arrival the pub was bustling and it was difficult to find a seat.  I think I took the last available table!  The first thing I noticed was the lack of pub games!  This was, after all, supposed to be Pie, Game and Ale week!  When I examined a menu it became clear, Game referred not to pub games, but to a selection of Game Meats (such as pigeon, venison and rabbit).  I steered clear of this and had a steak and Stilton pie with mash, veg and gravy.

Three quarters of an hour and two halves later I decided I was ready for desert and order a pecan pie.  (Yes, three of the pies were deserts!  Is that cheating?!)

Altogether, a nice meal with some good beers.