RIP Eugene J Polley ...

... inventor of the remote control.

To mark his passing I've invented a new type of remote controlled device ... a R.O.B.O.T. (Remotely Operated Beer Optimisation Taster) (aka colleague and fellow beer-lover David Hutson).

R.O.B.O.T.

So how does it work? Quite easily really, just point your ROBOT in the direction of any beer festival, equip with a pencil and a festival program and recover the device at the end of the day.

All this being a somewhat byzantine way of saying a huge thanks to David for making some tasting notes from a local beer fest ... Newark Beer Festival 17, Riverside Park, Newark - May 25 -27 ... as organised by the local CAMRA branch and featuring over 140 ales and 50 ciders & perries.

I tell you one thing Mr Hutson must be powered by Duracell ... 10 ales and 3 ciders ... quaffed and noted , impressive!

The Top Three:

Oldershaw (Grantham) - Regal Blonde - 4.4% - "great blonde beer, perfect for summer"

Mallard (Southwell) - Decoy - 4.5% - "another light hoppy ale, perfect for summer"

Tydd Steam (Tydd St Giles, Cambs) - Quench - 4.4% - "refreshing light ale with amazing Chinese root ginger hint to it!"

 

Others of Note:

Towles (Bristol) - Berrow 48 - 3.9% - "standard dark bitter"


Mallard (sic) - Greet - 3.7% - "copper bitter, bit too malty for me"


Flipside (Colwick) - David's local brewery - Clippings IPA - 6.5% - "excellent ... we like" (hmmm overtones of LOTR ... "my precious")






Havant (Cowplain, Hants) - Time - 3.6% - "golden, citrus, very light, very nice"

Unfortunately for my remote controlled beer taster "SkyJuice" (4.1%) by Rock n Roll from the Lamp Tavern in Birmingham had run out before he could try any  ... but he did manage to make it to the Gwynt Y Draig, Mid-Glamorgan cider maker's Fiery Fox (6.5%) ... "very nice 9/10, rocket fuel!"



The only problem with ROBOTs, even Duracell powered ones, is that eventually they do run out of power ... or get completely stonkered ... because sadly the last couple of notes are indecipherable ... apart from one comment (attributed to a cider maker who shall remain nameless) ... "sour, like battery acid and wrong ... felt sick". The only thing I want to know, Mr Hutson, is exactly when and where did you try battery acid?

Suffice it to say and once again, thanks to DH for taking on this perilous assignment and sharing his musings with us all ... wonder how many batteries it will take to keep him powered up for the Robin Hood Beer Festival later this year with close to a thousand ales and ciders to taste?