Ted rakes it in

.. and makes good progress in finding a little gem hidden in plain view in a very old part of town and my personal favourite of course Borough Market, which has recently celebrated 1000 years (yep that’s not a typo) of trading.  Many Londoners and non-Londoners alike can find a link back somewhere in their family tree to some ancestor (near or far) who sold produce here – apple sellers seem to have been especially popular.  So what have you found Ted … well I don’t think it was ever lost actually but I recently stumbled across The Rake pub. Owned by the two chaps who operate the Utobeer stall in the market, the aim of the Rake is to only stock beers that are brewed in their country of origin and never have anything that is brewed under license – so naturally that rules out the ubiquitous big global brands of bubbly nonsense. 

Fittingly, the pub mantra proudly displayed above the bar on a bright yellow sign is “no crap on tap”. Obviously it’s a mecca for beer lovers and with 7 keg pumps and 3 casks ales of draught beer on tap changing daily there’s never any chance of getting bored with the selection.

If that’s not enough there are regular brewery takeovers, festivals, and usually over 100 bottles in the fridge. The pub itself is tiny, but there never seems to be a space problem, maybe because it borders on the covered Jubilee market within Borough Market which provides one of the biggest all weather extensions to accommodate that peculiarly British habit of standing outside the pub drinking in all seasons.

Inside the décor is unique to say the least. The walls are decorated with messages and scribblings from visiting brewers and only brewers and beer critics (like the inestimable Melissa Cole SomALEier) may actually write on the walls. 

Throw in a few wobbly tables and stools and well used patio furniture to complete the picture. The staff are clearly lovers of their products and very knowledgeable about what’s on offer. Fantastically, there’s absolutely no product snobbery going on here. Want to try a sample or two or three or four even to decide what you might like is not only not a problem but positively encouraged, because it’s about what you might enjoy (pay attention for a customer service lesson here big outfits!!). Go on a weekend and you might even be lucky enough to meet the lovely Alex and her taste buds.

Ted beers all again

… what … more beer again this week Ted? Yes but wait … this time it’s a “Food meets Beer” coming together at the fabulous Borough market. A summer weekend festival of beer and food matching with education of the fun type galore – beer safaris, cooking demonstrations, brewers and beer guru’s including the renowned Melissa Cole “SommALEier” talking about beer, and of course lots of beer and food to sample, consume, and take home.

There was only one small problem … while it might officially be summer calendar-wise it certainly wasn't weather-wise, and not even the most patriotic and weather hardened Londoner could pretend otherwise.  It was freezing - 12 degrees celsius - 53 for you farenheighters!!! Look at what the people are wearing ...winter clothes!!! I had to keep changing the hand I was holding my beer in as it was freezing my hand (probably ever so slightly dramatic there Ted). In the interests of education I soldiered on and learnt amongst other things that hops once picked must be dried within a matter of days or they will rot. 

Today the majority of the brewers use hop pellets which are much more concentrated than their dried leafy equivalents and have the added advantage of not leaving a wet mulch of hop residue at the bottom of the fermenter that has to be cleaned out by hand before the next batch can be brewed.

They were kind enough to provide some food and beer pairing principles for guidance. Like wine pairing you can choose complement or contrast as your starting point - and then consider the flavours, fat, acid, etc and the weight of the beverage for the food.

Along with the many traditional combinations like cheese and charcuterie I found some pretty interesting suggested “meetings” like freshly shucked oysters with London Brewing pHuchsia, a slightly sour cherry and raspberry beer to contrast with the sweetness of the oysters. Then there was lemon cheesecake with Wild Goose Chase farmhouse ale brewed with gooseberries giving tart flavours to offset the creaminess of the cheesecake, and beer caramels made with Fourpure Amber Ale accompanied by the same ale for the perfect complement.

Food (and beer) for thought isn't it …

Ted wishes for ...

... the sweet taste of freedom in an American Dream, doesn't find Czech enticing, dallies in Denmark, and then settles down with a Scottish Vagabond. What on earth are you on about now Ted?  Well since you asked (yes you did I heard you) I am talking about “gluten free” beer.

Until relatively recently if you were one of the (surprisingly) large number of people who are gluten intolerant or celiac your “decent” beer choices were limited to err umm … wine. The reason being that the traditional ingredients in beer are water, brewer’s yeast, hops and a form of starch, and that's where the trouble starts as starch sources like malted barley or wheat are rich in gluten.  I say “decent” beer in the “acceptable standard” sense of the word as of course  there were early versions of gluten free beers around but they were, let’s face it, disappointing at best and disgusting at worst (much like alcohol free wine come to that).

Well it’s all changing now as some of the quality brewers of the boutique and craft beer movements around the globe are getting themselves into the game and brewing with starch sources that are very low or free of gluten like millet, rice, sorghum (a grain producing member of the grass family) buckwheat, and corn, and they are getting some pretty damn drinkable results. To prove the point, to ourselves mostly, I set out with my GF consultant who shall remain nameless (Gill) and her equally anonymous non-GF beer appreciating hubby (David) on a mini tasteathon. We started off nicely with a summer everyday “go to” light bubbly thirst quenching lager, Estrella Damm Daura from Spain. Then we wandered down the road to The Beer Boutique in Putney and tried a trio.

Celia a light lager from Czech, a little too light for me and I think the hops tasted sour, maybe needs food to show its best. Next came two very good offerings from Mikkeller. “I Wish” India Pale Ale – citrus aromas and taste with a good hop kick and a satisfying mouth-feel. “American Dream” lager with a nose of sweet malt, corn, citrus, caramel and clove, throw in honey on the palate and a long finish and there you have it.

Last, but certainly not least, a Brewdog Vagabond Pale Ale that I picked up from Hop Burns & Black which I can sum up by saying that a UK beer expert picked it in a line up as one of his three favourites without knowing it was GF – he "just liked it”. Me too … 

Beer in the Bath

The explosion of fantastic things to do in London in celebration of summer continues apace. Fancy a beer in the bath .. in this heat of course you do.  Well in the old Hackney Baths in Hackney Wick you can do just that with the friendly Urban Sessions crowd.

There are artisan beers from all over the world, with over 500 being on offer between now and the end of October.  There’s entertainment, great food at your fingertips, and even beer cocktails.  In fact there’s so much choice this could become a regular “watering hole”, without the bath water.

Craft Beer

The craft beer company began life in 2011 and now have four venues for you to try there enormous range of beers.  Beers on tap, beers in bottles, beers in casks, designer beers, handcrafted beers, beer tastings. 
And lovely comfy chairs.  This picture was taken in their Islington pub.  Cheers.

Beer Glasses

I spotted this unique light  of a bunch of beer handles in a pub the other day.

Protect Your Beer

The beer mugs or beer steins as they were traditionally named, were usually made of stone, pewter, silver and maybe wood. Although most of those used in England were pewter. They were beautifully decorated and often had a lid. It is believed the lid was introduced during the period of the black plague to prevent diseased fleas hopping into your tipple.

Discussing the history of drinking vessels is very thirsty work, however this pub in Covent Garden is the best place to have such a chat.

English Pub

An English pub is more than somewhere to just have a beer. For many people it is an extension of their home. To own a small pub of one's own is a dream for some and many pubs were once part of a handful of places owned by small breweries. Sadly, over time the small establishments have been taken over by the large chains, complete with their gambling machines and garish neon lights.

But enter through the doors of the Princess Louise and you will quickly learn how special these little establishments can be. This one is part of a group established in 1758. Chris and Scott told me how Samuel Smith Brewery make their own beer from the original well in Yorkshire. They assured me that it is easy to recognise a Samuel Smith pub because they are all as beautiful as this one. Cheers to that I say.