Monday, 22 July 2013
Sunday, 16 June 2013
It's Friesian In Here
A balmy Tuesday night in Greenwich. I'm at Stage 2 of Man-Flu as I plod along Royal Hill for an evening with Rod Jones of Meantime. The brewery is launching their 2013 iteration of Friesian Pilsener, and I've been invited to go along and try some.
There's already a small gathering waiting as I walk in. Rod is at the bar while the staff pours several pints of the golden-hued beer. I note the collective youth of the assembled scribblage (scribblage = a gathering of beer reporters). I don't feel old. That only happens at Brewdog bars, but Rod and I are giving a good few years away to the rest of the group.
Rod is an engaging compere, quickly taking us through the creation of the pilsner style, and the variations that grew up in other parts of northern Europe. He's knowledgeable on the culture of Frisia, the region that straddles the Netherlands and parts of NW Germany, which is the inspiration for this beer.
As Rod takes us along, we're sipping the beer and nibbling on a very nice buffet, provided by the Greenwich Union. My olfactory sense is badly impaired so I'm having real trouble getting the nose of this beer, but here's the Boggle Impression.
A pale soft gold with a creamy head, there's very little sweetness. Instead, the beer is dry and quite pleasingly bitter. That long dry finish clears and refreshes the palate and, for me, makes the beer very drinkable. I was tempted to draw comparisons with the Dortmunder style, and actually would like to see Meantime take that style on in the future.
As I write I don't have my notes in front of me, but it's a couple of additions of Tettnanger late on for aroma. I can't remember what was used for bittering. Maybe I'll add that info later.
Lager is being rehabilitated because our newer brewers are producing excellent versions created with care and respect. This beer spent 5-6 weeks lagering before being racked. Brodies has been producing their excellent London Lager, 6 weeks in the tank, a different beast to this beer, but complex and drinkable. Magic Rock Bearded Lady, Camden Town Hells... this stuff is getting out there, changing drinkers' minds about the style.
I still haven't tried Meantime Brewery Fresh. Rod says they're trying to put it into the Union, so something to keep an eye out for.
Thanks to Meantime for the evening of beer talk, and the grub and beer.
There's already a small gathering waiting as I walk in. Rod is at the bar while the staff pours several pints of the golden-hued beer. I note the collective youth of the assembled scribblage (scribblage = a gathering of beer reporters). I don't feel old. That only happens at Brewdog bars, but Rod and I are giving a good few years away to the rest of the group.
Rod is an engaging compere, quickly taking us through the creation of the pilsner style, and the variations that grew up in other parts of northern Europe. He's knowledgeable on the culture of Frisia, the region that straddles the Netherlands and parts of NW Germany, which is the inspiration for this beer.
As Rod takes us along, we're sipping the beer and nibbling on a very nice buffet, provided by the Greenwich Union. My olfactory sense is badly impaired so I'm having real trouble getting the nose of this beer, but here's the Boggle Impression.
A pale soft gold with a creamy head, there's very little sweetness. Instead, the beer is dry and quite pleasingly bitter. That long dry finish clears and refreshes the palate and, for me, makes the beer very drinkable. I was tempted to draw comparisons with the Dortmunder style, and actually would like to see Meantime take that style on in the future.
As I write I don't have my notes in front of me, but it's a couple of additions of Tettnanger late on for aroma. I can't remember what was used for bittering. Maybe I'll add that info later.
Lager is being rehabilitated because our newer brewers are producing excellent versions created with care and respect. This beer spent 5-6 weeks lagering before being racked. Brodies has been producing their excellent London Lager, 6 weeks in the tank, a different beast to this beer, but complex and drinkable. Magic Rock Bearded Lady, Camden Town Hells... this stuff is getting out there, changing drinkers' minds about the style.
I still haven't tried Meantime Brewery Fresh. Rod says they're trying to put it into the Union, so something to keep an eye out for.
Thanks to Meantime for the evening of beer talk, and the grub and beer.
Saturday, 25 May 2013
Being Frank: The 7th Inning Stretch
Today is the 25th May. On 31st, the book closes on the crowdfunding effort to support the production of a definitive film about the genius we know as Frank Sidebottom.
In three weeks, almost £30,000 has been raised towards Steve Sullivan's project, spanning the period when a teenage Chris Sievey camped in the lobby of Apple, then to the legendary Freshies, and on to his best-known and most productive persona, Frank Sidebottom. The support this project has attracted is amazing, but again demonstrates the affection and love Chris retains - a statue (left) is due to be unveiled in fantastic Timperley in the next couple of months, paid for by subscription and fundraising. When the great man passed, his fans paid to give him the send-off he deserved. And now, three years after his desperately sad loss, two major projects are close to being realised.
Steve Sullivan's 'Being Frank' is, to me, the most important. This is no flight of fancy, no Hollywood A-lister with a big head on. This project captures the work of an artist to whom punk gave a voice, but for whom, technology offered an outlet. I've noted before, the records, books, art, the animation, the TV programmes, the music. A renaissance man, despite knowing his mum would go up the wall and across the ceiling if she stumbled upon his secret showbiz career.
If this comes off, you'll see Chris Sievey discuss his computer game programmes on the Old Grey Whistle Test. You'll see Frank hold his own with Alf Garnett in Talking Turkey, a 'spirit of Xmas' thing Channel 4 did when they were edgy and relevant. You'll see The Freshies reunited, Frank's greatest fans talking about him and his work; this project is the once-and-for-all chronicle of a life in art. Some footage is already in the can, and a new trailer is available here...
Frank fans who want this film made have come across with an eye-popping offer as part of the stretch-funding appeal on Kickstarter. Prints of some iconic Frank street art, uber-rare posters from his contribution to a Chelsea Art Space installation in 2010; tee-shirts, music, stuff. All these people want his work documented. All of them are giving way stuff to entice you into supporting this project. Every extra pound helps towards licencing a bit of Frank TV history to share.
And I'm still offering stuff here. Until the appeal shuts down, be first to donate £75 (down from £100 at the beginning of May) and I'll give you a signed CD, and some other rare Frank stuff. Just message Steve Sullivan via Kickstarter and tell him you supported the film after reading my blog, and he'll pass me your details. First person to tell him gets the schwag. Likewise, if you already gave and can double your donation, don't change your funding tier, but message Steve, tell him you're doing it because of this blog, and I'll send you rare Frank stuff. This is all on top of the amazing freebies you'll get anyway for backing the project.
Almost a thousand people have chipped in around £30K to see this film get made. If everybody who already donated can up their support by 25%, chances are that £40K target can be met by Thursday. I'm going for it, and I hope you can too.
You know you can, you really can.
Thank you.
In three weeks, almost £30,000 has been raised towards Steve Sullivan's project, spanning the period when a teenage Chris Sievey camped in the lobby of Apple, then to the legendary Freshies, and on to his best-known and most productive persona, Frank Sidebottom. The support this project has attracted is amazing, but again demonstrates the affection and love Chris retains - a statue (left) is due to be unveiled in fantastic Timperley in the next couple of months, paid for by subscription and fundraising. When the great man passed, his fans paid to give him the send-off he deserved. And now, three years after his desperately sad loss, two major projects are close to being realised.Steve Sullivan's 'Being Frank' is, to me, the most important. This is no flight of fancy, no Hollywood A-lister with a big head on. This project captures the work of an artist to whom punk gave a voice, but for whom, technology offered an outlet. I've noted before, the records, books, art, the animation, the TV programmes, the music. A renaissance man, despite knowing his mum would go up the wall and across the ceiling if she stumbled upon his secret showbiz career.
If this comes off, you'll see Chris Sievey discuss his computer game programmes on the Old Grey Whistle Test. You'll see Frank hold his own with Alf Garnett in Talking Turkey, a 'spirit of Xmas' thing Channel 4 did when they were edgy and relevant. You'll see The Freshies reunited, Frank's greatest fans talking about him and his work; this project is the once-and-for-all chronicle of a life in art. Some footage is already in the can, and a new trailer is available here...
Frank fans who want this film made have come across with an eye-popping offer as part of the stretch-funding appeal on Kickstarter. Prints of some iconic Frank street art, uber-rare posters from his contribution to a Chelsea Art Space installation in 2010; tee-shirts, music, stuff. All these people want his work documented. All of them are giving way stuff to entice you into supporting this project. Every extra pound helps towards licencing a bit of Frank TV history to share.
And I'm still offering stuff here. Until the appeal shuts down, be first to donate £75 (down from £100 at the beginning of May) and I'll give you a signed CD, and some other rare Frank stuff. Just message Steve Sullivan via Kickstarter and tell him you supported the film after reading my blog, and he'll pass me your details. First person to tell him gets the schwag. Likewise, if you already gave and can double your donation, don't change your funding tier, but message Steve, tell him you're doing it because of this blog, and I'll send you rare Frank stuff. This is all on top of the amazing freebies you'll get anyway for backing the project.
Almost a thousand people have chipped in around £30K to see this film get made. If everybody who already donated can up their support by 25%, chances are that £40K target can be met by Thursday. I'm going for it, and I hope you can too.
You know you can, you really can.
Thank you.
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