Father’s Day? Beer please…

Father’s Day is looming large, its impending arrival heralded by piles of crappy, dad-related gifts that have started to amass in shop windows up and down the country.

Take it from us (both expert dads), your old fella doesn’t want superhero socks*. Neither does he want gorilla slippers**. What he wants is booze – ideally brown booze, preferably presented in a cardboard representation of a toolbox.

As luck would have it, Amsterdam-based booze merchants BeerWulf have got it covered. Established in 2017 and flush with Heineken-invested cash, BeerWulf are the latest contenders barging in on the bulging, booze mail order scene.

Their specially assembled Fathers Day booze box comes in three sizes (12, 16 or 20 bottles) and contains some corkers, featuring a monster 8.5% blond beer from Brouwerij Palm, a Bellfield Lawless Village IPA, and a special limited edition, brewed for the occasion pale ale called Kompaan Mentor.

There’s the option of picking your own bottles to create a personalised beer box to suit your dad’s taste, and if that doesn’t float your boat, a range of curated booze packs are also available. In particular, Nick*** has been giving the Amsterdam pack the glad eye, and I’m very much liking the look of the Belgian**** beer pack.

BeerWulf’s booze boxes seem reasonably priced, the Father’s Day 12 bottle pack costs £25.95 and they promise delivery within 48 hours (providing you order before 4pm). When ordering, we suggest you play it smart. Instead of delivering directly to dad, get the box delivered to your own home, snaffle the best beers yourself and replace the empty slots with some rubbish ones you bought from the Co-op.

Happy Fathers Day!

 

*Actually these are pretty sweet.

** These are AMAZING.

***Nick loves Holland, and there’s no place he’d rather be than stalking the damp alleyways and back streets of Amsterdam. When down in the ‘dam he prefers to shun the traditional Brit tourist activity of pedaling around the canals and waterways in a fug of marijuana smoke in favour of a thorough investigation of the cities breweries and the wares they produce.

**** Belgian beers are a lot safer when enjoyed in the comfort of your home. A ‘beer exploration’ trip to Bruges back in the early nineties was responsible for the single worst hangover I’ve ever endured. A weekend mainlining high strength trappist beers and croque monsieurs followed by a high speed, rough sea-ed channel crossing on a filthy old hovercraft rendered me green-gilled and bed ridden for a whole week.

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from Two Thirsty Gardeners http://twothirstygardeners.co.uk/2018/05/fathers-day-beer-please/

Small is Beautiful: How to Make the Most of a Small Garden

Everyone needs a place to escape. For some people, this is their garden. But if your outdoor space is small and confined, it may feel unappealing.

The good news is, you don’t need acres to have a stunning garden. Beautiful and tranquil escapes can be created in the smallest of spaces, whether you have a balcony, courtyard, or little garden – it just takes a little imagination…

Choose Small Furniture

In a small garden, it’s important not to swamp or overwhelm the available space. So, when selecting furniture, choose something that’s functional, practical and size appropriate. A small bistro set would be perfect, or build your own DIY seating area to fit the space. Alternatively, choose fold-up furniture such as deck chairs and tables that can be easily collapsed and stored in the shed or garage, creating more space when necessary.

Create an Illusion

You may use mirrors indoors to make interiors feel brighter and bigger, but have you thought about using them outside? They can create the same illusion, making them ideal for small gardens. Use in a narrow garden to make it feel larger, or behind seating to double the area. Just be aware that when it’s really sunny any light bouncing off these could cause potential fires, so it’s best to make sure that you can easily cover up or take these down to avoid this happening at the height of summer.  

Think About Scent

To make your garden a relaxing place, you need to invoke an additional sense: smell. To do this, choose heavenly scented flowers, such as lavender, sweet pea, honeysuckle, jasmine and mint, to promote relaxation and make your garden smell as good as it looks. When you’ve only got a small garden, space for planting and growing such flowers will be limited. Prioritise some of the smelliest flowers first to create a nice aroma, adding other plants if there’s still room.

Work Vertically

You want your garden to feel beautiful but covering the area with plant pots will make it feel cramped. Instead, make use of the vertical space. Use trellis and climber plants, put up handing baskets, create a wall garden, and hang decorations, such as bunting and fairy lights, to add style. This can also minimise plants being affected by pests and disease, unlike those on the ground. You could also draw wildlife to your small garden by hanging up bird feeders or bird boxes on the wall or fence.  

Go Stripy

This is another illusion trick that can make a small garden feel bigger. Using stripes can help to draw the eye, so paint in stripes on the fence, wall, or floor, to boost space. Make sure to choose similar colours that will contrast without being too bold, such as cream and beige, or silver and grey. If you’ve got children then they’ll love to get involved with this and, with a little direction and supervision, it can be great fun.

Section the Space

You may be tempted to design your garden as one area, but sectioning can actually provide more depth. Give your garden purpose by using raised plant beds, having a mini herb garden, styling a seating area, or having a small grassed section. It’s often best to draw up a sectioned plan first, so you can efficiently work out what will go in each space and that there’s enough room for everything. Remember to include any vertical space in this plan too.

Designing a small garden is easier than you think, it just requires a little more planning and creativity. Hopefully these tips have inspired you to beautify your small garden, so you can create a space that is relaxing and practical.

The post Small is Beautiful: How to Make the Most of a Small Garden appeared first on UK Home Improvement Blog.

from UK Home Improvement Blog http://www.ukhomeimprovement.co.uk/small-is-beautiful-how-to-make-the-most-of-a-small-garden/

A pie and a pint – gluten-free stylee

A good pal of ours (who’s name we have removed to protect his privacy*) has just been diagnosed as a coeliac. Our first reaction was to laugh long and hard and to fill his inbox with pictures of celeriac, but now we are left celeri-wracked with guilt. No one loves beer more than our nameless pal**, and for him to be denied his beloved brown booze is a cruel twist of fate. To make things right and to clear our conscience of having partaken in such callous, childish mockery, we have purloined and guzzled some gluten free beers and eaten a delicious gluten free pie in an ode to his ailment.

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PIE
You’d be pushed to find a better drink than a pint of brown booze, and there can be no finer culinary combo to said pint than a lovely pie. ***  We are no strangers to the delights of the short crust. Many years ago, both ourselves and our mystery pal sat on the judging panel for ‘King Pie’ – Total Football Magazine’s ‘Best Football Stadium pie’ awards and bravely fought our way through many trays of savory delights to find the eventual winner (the name of which we can no longer recall).

The gluten free pie on trial hails from frozen food purveyors Field Fare and we reckon it’d give those stadium pies a run for their money. This pie is built to reside in frozen form in the freezer – whip it out, lob it in the oven and 40 mins later it’s ready for noshing.

This pie yielded hefty pieces of hock and decent slabs of chicken, doused in a thick, creamy sauce. The pastry was crisp with a good crust to filling ratio. If we were being critical (which, of course, we are), we thought the pie tasted a tad on the salty side. It made us drink more beer, which in turn made us hungry for more pie. A vicious circle.

Did we miss the gluten? Can’t say that we did.

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PINT
Brewed by Belgian brewsters Brasserie La Binchoise, Golden Era eschews gluten-rich wheat and barley in favour of a heady mix of ancient grain: Quinoa (those gritty bits found in posh salads), millet (not to be confused with the female mullet) and buckwheat – a coeliac friendly seed that pretends its a grain – are all present.

On pouring, the frothy head receded quite quickly, leaving behind a murky, apple juice coloured pint that would have any haze-crazed New England beer hipster swooning with delight. It’s quite a pokey little number on the tongue with an initially harsh grapefruit tang. This soon resides to reveal a rather complex tasting , floral brew with plenty going on. 

Did we miss the gluten? It certainly misses the viscosity and mouthfeel that wheat/barley additions afford. It’s an odd beer for sure, but definitely one worth persevering with.

—————

On a happier note, our coeliac pal who shall remain anonymous**** is to fill his brown booze void with local cider of which Bristol – the city where he lives – is awash. This is good news indeed. It means his popeye-esque drinking arm will not wither and waste away to a wizened claw with lack of pints to lift. But this does mean that those sulphate filled pints of cider will wreak havoc with his gout.

Now where’s that picture of the mutated radish that looks like a foot…?

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To get your fill of Golden Era gluten-free beer, go here

To fill your own face with gluten free pies and other frozen delights, go here…

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* Dav Ludford.
** His name is Dav Ludford.
*** Apart from ham and eggs, lamb and mint, cheese and tomato, chips and gravy, cider and scotch eggs, sausage and mash, crisps and fags, chicken and baskets, etc…
**** See * and ** above

 

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from Two Thirsty Gardeners http://twothirstygardeners.co.uk/2018/05/a-pie-and-a-pint-gluten-free-stylee/

In pictures: Bath Ales new Hare Brewery

It’s not often that we get invited to a top beer event within sensible drinking distance of our houses, so when Bath Ales offered us the chance to join them for the opening of their new Hare Brewery in Warmley we jumped at the chance. Or, at least, Nick did. Rich had other things to do. But in his absence he did find time to supply the joke of the day which Nick told to mild chortles all round.

Before the curtain was pulled to reveal a specially commissioned hare statue that signified the brewery’s official opening Nick, along with a select group of journalists, had more serious work to do: visit a few of Bath Ales local pubs, drink a load of Bath Ales beers, munch through a vast tasting menu at Bath Ales Graze Bar (each served with a different beer), before drinking some more Bath Ales beers. That all happened on the evening before the launch, which itself was preceded by an exclusive brewery tour at the hands of Roger Ryman, brewing director of parent company St Austell, and an 11am sampling of more beer. Which was the cue for Rich’s joke: ‘time for a hair of the hare.’*

Here, then, are the launch photographs of the new Hare Brewery taken by a slightly hungover Thirsty Gardener…

The new Hare Brewery is designed to be tour-group friendly, with the tops of tanks appearing on an upper level next to a new tap room that allows easy access to visitors.

The serious action happens on the ground level within a vast open space of a former warehouse. 50,000 barrels per year are possible, producing 50% cask beers, 40% bottled beers and the rest keg. The brewing equipment was supplied by Musk of Burton-on-Trent, and Roger and his team “had a huge amount of input into the design of the brewhouse.” He also had an unusual ambition that he “didn’t want to see a flexible hose anywhere” and, judging by our snooping, he has very nearly achieved this.

As anyone who has made a home brew (or pot of tea) in Somerset knows, the water is extremely hard. This water treatment tanks helps transform the local limestone water into something more beer friendly.

Roger Ryman takes journalists around the new Hare Brewery (note beer writing legend, Roger Protz, in the background admiring the set-up)

Beer labels for Bath Ales most popular brew, Gem, are ready to join bottles emerging from the Italian built bottling line, while excellent new lager Sulis is waiting to be poured in the tap room

Bath Ales senior brewer Darren James enjoys one of his brewery’s beers in the new tap room

*Other hare puns are available
Having a good hare day…
Have a pint and let your hare down…
That barrel will be hare today, gone tomorrow
A pint of that will make your hare stand on end…
A pristine brewery with not a hare out of place…
That beer will put hares on your chest…
Etc…

 

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from Two Thirsty Gardeners http://twothirstygardeners.co.uk/2018/05/pictures-bath-ales-new-hare-brewery-warmley/

7 Ways to Cut Remodeling Costs Without Sacrificing Quality

Remodeling a home is seen as a large investment which should not involve compromising when it comes to quality. If your budget is not what you would like it to be, there are still ways you can go about it and do a quality remodeling.

Go by the list

Have you noticed that you spend significantly less money if you carry a shopping list? It also prevents you from forgetting things. If you want to bring structure into your home remodel, create a list of all the little projects involved in it. You can further elaborate by setting a budget per remodel and per each item on the list. You can record your expenses and tick off things as you go through them one by one. You can also use it to schedule projects as it is wise to do them in a certain order to avoid doing the same job twice.

DIY

Let’s start from the obvious shelf, shall we? Doing things, yourself, as opposed to hiring contractors to do them is often the quickest way to save money while remodeling. There are plenty of tasks you can perform without major consequences even if you are a beginner. These involve painting, laying floors, tiling, to building furniture, reupholstering, and doing the actual construction work, depending on your skill level. To help you out, being DIY has never been easier, since there are so many available tutorials on pretty much any project, targeting all the major issues and offering different approaches.

A DIY Architect

Not every project requires the work of an architect. There are even some smaller projects that don’t even require building permits. If you are looking to replace certain features, feature for feature, or laying a new roof of similar materials, it is pretty much safe to draw the plans on your own. However, if the work does require building permits for example demolishing a load-bearing wall be sure to acquire the proper permit beforehand.

Know your DIY limits

It is nice to have a hands-on approach; however, it can turn out to cost you more in the long run unless you are confident you can get the work done without causing any structural, or otherwise permanent damage to your home. If you are doing large structural remodels, redoing the attic, or building a large extension, you will need the help of an architect, not only to draw a plan which will grant you a permit but to tell you what you can or cannot do.

According to Sphere Constructions company, the same goes for any DIY stuff involving plumbing or electricity, as well as prep work you think you can do for contractors. Plumbing and electricity require permits. Prep work, including demolish, is essential for doing the actual job well, and often contractors won’t give you warranty as they did not do the prep work themselves.

Reuse and work with what you have

Old tiling or dated wooden floor does not always require ripping out and replacement. You can simply refinish certain surfaces such as kitchen cabinets, windows, floors, and decks. Perhaps the existing materials can impose certain limitations, but you can compromise and find equally beautiful solutions while preserving money. Perhaps your old floor can no longer get that honey-like light wood color, but it can look brand new with a coat of a dark color. Furthermore, if you can preserve some of the building materials, doors and windows during the demolishing faze, you could reuse them later on in the project, or for a future one.

Know where to shop

If you are dedicated to getting a lower price, you need to know where to look for the things you need. Even though you may think that large supply stores can afford to have better prices, smaller retailers will often offer more attractive discounts and payment plans to attract the customers. Also, make a note that stores have end-of-season sale and that you can get excellent deals if you only plan ahead of time and allow yourself a couple of weeks or even months to fish for discounts. Garage sales, auctions, and generally places with used goods can often guarantee you unique finds at affordable prices.

Do things gradually

Remember, you don’t have to finish everything at once, as long as you have a liveable home. Don’t get your credit card out, as often, it sounds like a good payment plan and you can get the credit card points of the purchase, but you will incur interest rates which make this affair less than cost-efficient. If you enjoy that with a credit card you do not have to pay everything at once, you can simply put money aside and wait till you have enough cash to continue your project.

Remodeling with money is much easier then on a budget, but as you can see it’s not all that bad. On one side when you are on a strict budget the project is much more hands on, you are more engaged more in control. And some people love that, they need to manage everything but on the other hand you waste much more time then when you just pay a construction company to do the whole job.

Hopefully this article showed you the correct path.

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from UK Home Improvement Blog http://www.ukhomeimprovement.co.uk/7-ways-to-cut-remodeling-costs-without-sacrificing-quality/

Top Trends for a Bedroom Makeover

Upon entering your bedroom, relaxation should sweep over you. Given, this does depend on how tired you are. However, your bedroom’s interior design plays a big part in how inviting it is to you. It needs to appeal to your senses and reflect your own personal style, whilst being warm and comforting. With current trends constantly shifting, it can be difficult to keep track. That’s why we’ve delved into modern décor to bring you this guide. Here’s some interior design trends you can try in your bedroom today.

Mirrored Furniture

Creating a spacious environment in your bedroom makes it feel bigger, and the illusion that mirrored furniture creates is exactly that – one of space. Because it reflects the rest of the room, your bedroom feels instantly larger. Not only that, but it will help to distribute natural light. This added boost of light will make the room feel much airier than it did before. A mirrored chest of drawers works really well, although a small bedside table can work just as well. It’s all about finding what works best for your bedroom’s size, as you wouldn’t want it to overpower other aspects of your décor. If you’re lucky enough to have a built-in wardrobe, attaching floor-to-ceiling mirrors to the doors is a way of achieving a much-loved style without purchasing new furniture.

Textured Wallpaper

Say goodbye to boring wall designs. In your bedroom, plain and uninspiring doesn’t cut it. Textured wallpaper is perfect for adding character to your walls. The variety of designs emerging both in stores and online is massive, leaving enough choice for you to either match your existing design, or go for something completely new. Detailed designs embossed in thick wallpaper – or a more standard striped or dot pattern – create the texture. From there, the colour choice is down to you. Because of the three-dimensional nature of the wallpaper, colours stand out more and your walls become a bigger feature of your bedroom’s décor. Use the wallpaper on every wall, or just on one to create one large feature wall.

Colourful Headboards

His is a simple, yet incredibly effective, way of adding colour to your bedroom’s design. The bed is often the main feature in a bedroom, and adding a splash of colour via the headboard is lovely and subtle. If you’re feeling a little risky and would like to experiment with a certain colour, a headboard is a much smaller commitment to painting your walls that colour. Why not try it out on a small scale first? You could grow to like it, or decide it isn’t quite for you! You can buy from a store, or you could try re-upholstering your old headboard as a DIY project. If you pair the colour with a matching bedsheet and pillows, the colours tie in together to really make your bed stand out.

Grey Laminate Flooring

As one of the most popular flooring colours in recent times, grey flooring has taken a firm hold on modern interior design.  When it comes to designing your bedroom, laminate flooring should be a definite consideration. For starters, it boasts great durability due to its construction using multiple layers. Because the design is digitally printed onto a top layer, there is no end to the design options on the market. If you were looking for grey flooring made from real wood, your options would be fairly limited. With laminate, however, you can choose from a huge range of styles, each varying in exact colour, texture – each with their own individual character. Grey is a beautiful colour that remains neutral, meaning you can make a statement with other elements of your interior, without making the design as a whole confusing or too busy.

The post Top Trends for a Bedroom Makeover appeared first on UK Home Improvement Blog.

from UK Home Improvement Blog http://www.ukhomeimprovement.co.uk/top-trends-for-a-bedroom-makeover/

Tullamore D.E.W. Irish whisky. We’re blending with beer

Have you noticed there now seems to be a day for everything? For example, June 30 is ‘International Asteroid Day’, September 2 is ‘World Coconut Day’ and December 5 is ‘World Soil Day’. Marketeers are particularly keen on World Days when they can tie them in with products they’re promoting, so with ‘World Whisky Day’ looming on May 19 we have inevitably received offers of whisky in exchange for social media activity.

Of these, one marketing scheme stood out: Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey is big on paring whiskey* with beer and were looking for people to try their blended whiskey with a selection of beers and write about the experience. We like whiskey. We like beer. And we like experimenting, so after a quick exchange of addresses a gift box was quickly sent in our direction.

Tullamore D.E.W. Original Irish Whiskey

Tullamore D.E.W. Original describes itself as ‘ the original triple distilled, triple blend whiskey’. It’s produced as a blend of pot still, malt and grain whiskies and is triple matured. The distillery dates back to 1829 and the famous whiskey is named after its creator, Daniel E Williams, who stamped his initials on his distilled booze.

Tullamore produce a range of whiskies including an ‘XO rum cask finish’ and an intriguing sounding ‘cider cask finish’, but it’s the original we’re using for our tasting experiments, a whiskey that is matured in three casks: traditional refill, ex-bourbon and ex-sherry

Tasting notes

On its own, Tullamore D.E.W. has a light, sweet aroma with a fresh citric fruitiness that develops on the palette. The sweetness is in the taste, too, within some toffee flavours, while spicy oak notes build towards the finish along with a gentle rush of alcohol. Now on to the beer.

We were sent three bottles – Staropramen’s Czech lager, an Innis & Gunn stout that had been aged in Tullamore D.E.W. barrels and a German Weissbier from Erdinger. Of the three it was the latter that intrigued me most, being a pairing I would never consider, so I flipped the bottle open and began the experiment.

Like all good weissbiers, Erdinger has a good balance of banana and clove flavours along with the crisp wheat base. After a few slugs I returned to my whiskey tumbler and sipped… it seemed strangely warmer and softer than before, calming and comforting, subduing the alcohol and rounding off the spicy oak flavours, which also lingered longer. I liked the effect. Dipping to-and-fro the two drinks was a fun experience… the beer seemed more mature and alive; the whiskey grew in flavour.

One beer and a few servings of whiskey was all I could manage to hit my World Whisky Day deadline, but I’m looking forward to repeating the taste test with the other two beers. And I’m sure some of my own favourite brews will be served in similar fashion before too long.

Fascinating fact

Did you know that pairing a drop of whiskey with a pint of beer actually has a name? it’s known as a ‘boilermaker’ and was made popular by Irish drinkers who emigrated to America.

Tullamore D.E.W. is available from the Whisky Exchange

*Being an Irish drink we’re now talking about whiskey with an ‘e’

 

 

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from Two Thirsty Gardeners http://twothirstygardeners.co.uk/2018/05/tullamore-dew-irish-whisky-blending-beer-boilermaker/

Ensure your Garden is Immaculate by Servicing your Garden Machinery

As the summer months approach and you want to start tackling your garden, you will be reliant on your garden tools and machinery to help you do the job. It is important to care for these items, as well-maintained tools can last many years. You want your garden to look its best for the summer – servicing and maintaining gardening tools and machinery will help you to achieve this.

Lawnmowers

Mowers are likely to be one of the most expensive items of garden machinery you own, so it is important to perform regular maintenance on your lawnmower. If fuel-powered, always run the fuel down before storing it over the winter months. For any type of mower, you should brush and hose down the blades, rollers and grass box. Height adjusters on the mower should be greased from time to time so that they do not seize up. If the blades are blunt, look at having them sharpened or replaced by a local supplier. For fuel-powered mowers, you should always ensure that there is no grass or dust in the filters, as this could potentially damage the engine. It is also worth regularly checking the clutch and throttle cables for any wear and tear. Before you start regularly using your mower in spring, top up the oil to prevent the engine burning out.

Power Tool Care

Power tools can make jobs in the garden so much easier, but they too can be expensive to replace. Simple maintenance or servicing means they should last longer and work more effectively. As with any electrical garden tool, make sure you check the plugs and cables for any signs of damage. Replace anything faulty so that your tool is safe to use. It is recommended that you spray any metal surfaces of power tools or garden machinery with a thin layer of all-purpose oil so that rust cannot accumulate. Contact your local supplier if you want a power tool servicing or if you need to sharpen or replace any of the blades.

Sharp and Effective

Even with regular maintenance and care, some blades on garden tools and machinery will become blunt over time. In some cases, you can sharpen them yourself using a fine metal file. If you are not sure how to go about this or think the blades may need replacing, it would be best to contact a local supplier to get their advice. If you find rust on any of your garden equipment, remove it with a wire brush and apply some oil. Don’t forget manual tools such as spades, forks and garden shears, which are also prone to rust.

Caring for you garden tools and machinery will improve their longevity and effectiveness. An immaculate garden requires hard work, knowledge, time and the right equipment. Servicing and maintaining your tools will bring out the best in them.

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from UK Home Improvement Blog http://www.ukhomeimprovement.co.uk/ensure-your-garden-is-immaculate-by-servicing-your-garden-machinery/

Booths ale crate review: beers from Northern Britain

Last year we put together a piece on the best booze-based hampers for the i-Paper. Top of the pile was Northern retailer Booths ‘Gentleman’s Hamper’, a wicker wonder of booze and snacks* that gives me more fond memories than anything else I consumed over the festive period (although my trifle featuring Opies kirsch-soaked cherries was mightily impressive too).

A few weeks ago Booths emailed me to highlight their new range of products and suggested our readers might be interested in their Northern Ale Crate, a wooden ale-carrier, with a bottle opener fixed to one side and loaded with six fine beers. “I’m sure our readers would be very interested” I replied. “Send one down and we’ll do the rest.”

Living in the South West we don’t often get to sample many of the great ales from the North. Plenty of new stuff from the fashionable craft ale producers finds its way south, but in order to enjoy the more traditional beers on offer we either have to travel or rely on the likes of Booths to get hold of them.

The beers duly arrived in time for the weekend, so I set myself the arduous task of tasting them so that our readers might also discover their beery magnificence. Here they are…

Eden Gold, 4.2%

Our pals from Penrith brew many good beers which we’ve enjoyed over the past few years, but this was my first swig of their golden ale. It’s the epitome of a summer beer – highly gluggable, light and refreshing with a straw-tinged breeze drifting through it. Lovely stuff

Rudgate, Jorvik, 4.6%

This was the only beer that also featured in my festive hamper and it was welcomed back to my fridge with open arms. Described as a ‘Flaxen Blonde Ale’ it’s a flavoursome brew, with a floral aroma and soft fruit flavours all wrapped up in a slippery smooth malty body.

Bowland, Pheasant Plucker, 4.5%

Booths plucked an amber ale from Clitheroe’s Bowland Brewery for their crate and it’s a very English kind of ale. The hops reminded me of blackcurrant leaf – fruity and a little bit herby – with a dab of citrus to freshen it up. It has a bready malt with a touch of sweetness and moderate bitterness. A very decent drop.

Weetwood, Cheshire Cat, 4%

This light and easy drinking ale will put a big grin on your face. It’s a biscuity kind of brew with a smidgeon of sweet syrup and a dry finish. My notes describe it as a ‘sunset beer’ – it starts of bright and sunny and gradually becomes a duskier over the course of drinking.

Moorhouse’s Blonde Witch, 4.4%

The Burnley based brewery magiced up my favourite beer from this selection. It’s a hazy golden pint with a load of flavour in it: there are citrussy notes which freshen the aroma and flavour, and a lovely soft smooth peachiness which is pepped up with bitter fruit and spicy yeast. Superb brewing!

Ilkley Pale Ale, 4.2%

I’m a big fan of Ilkley brewery and have enjoyed plenty of their beers, but the only other time I got my hands on their pale ale I gave it to my dad. It’s clear and light with subtle citrus and pine flavours and is much drier than the other beers in the pack, finishing with a gentle grassy bitterness that encourages repeat guzzling.

Get hold of a Booths Ale Crate here

*The Gentleman’s Gift Hamper is still available with a different beer selection from the one we tried. Yes, I am tempted to get another…

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from Two Thirsty Gardeners http://twothirstygardeners.co.uk/2018/05/booths-beer-crate-review-moorhouse-weetwood-ilkley-rudgate-bowland-eden/

A brush with Basil: an undercover growing guide

Is winter finally over? Can we, at long last, venture out into the garden and get on with sowing and growing all the things we need for spring and summer? Among the many tasks that need sorting out is prepping my herb bed for the year. The sage has gone a bit straggly and might need replacing; the marjoram has self seeded everywhere, apart from where I actually want it; cooking with my current thyme plant risks getting thick woody twigs stuck between my teeth; and I have the less hardy herbs such as coriander and chervil to sow.

But one herb that won’t be joining them in the herb bed is basil. While this most Meditteranean of herby flavours can just about grow outside, it really craves some sheltered warmth. A windowsill will do, but give it some space in your greenhouse or polytunnel and you’ll reap the benefits.

There are a few different varieties you can sow – from the common Sweet Basil to the purple leaved Dark Opal and the bushy Greek Basil. After a foray into purple territory last year (not as productive and with tougher leaves) I’ll be sticking with the familiar variety Sweet Genovese for this summer’s pickings.

I’ll sow my seeds in the constant warmth of the house before transferring the plants to the greenhouse when they have four or five sets of proper leaves. The plants will go straight into the ground, with their roots bedded into good few scoops of compost. Once established they’re easy to look after. Although they need a good drink, particularly undercover when it gets hot and dry, overwatering is more of a danger to their health than underwatering, so make sure the compost has a chance to dry out before rehydrating.

Frequent picking will help keep the plants producing more leaves and any buds that form will be swiftly pinched out. They’ll be growing alongside my tomatoes, so the greenhouse will have a summery fragrance to it whenever I wander inside, and the two items will be best served alongside each other, straight from picking with nothing more than a pinch of salt.

 

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from Two Thirsty Gardeners http://twothirstygardeners.co.uk/2018/05/basil-undercover-greenhouse-polytunnel-growing-guide/