Roll Out the Barrell!!

So onto the next party. Today's event was arranged by friend and colleague David Loveder - a tour around the Surrey Hills Brewery in Shere/Albury.

It was freezing cold and this tiny farm outbuilding doesnt exactly look like a brewery from the outside, I half expected the door to open to a herd of cattle!! We needn't have worried. It certainly is only a tiny, cold building but the tour was incredibly interesting and the beer was superb! I totally admire anyone who says goodbye to the rat race in favour of something they feel passionate about and boy does Ross Hunter the owner of this business elude passion - he lives beer! How can he call it a job/business? It may make money but its more like a full time hobby - the lucky sod!

I liked the Ranmore Ale, pale but very hoppy and very moreish! The Shere Drop bitter is their best seller but to be honest not my favourite - maybe its just the favourite because people think that a real ale has to be a bitter - I dont know but it wasnt my favourite. My favourite however, which is no surprise because I love dark and spicey winter ales - was the Albury Ruby - superb and an ale named after the village I was born in - superb!

I should just point out that I was the only woman on this trip which is a shame because more and more women are getting the taste for real decent ale. It's no longer the ****** of the middle aged men with beer bellies and beards - reall ale is serious business here (and they are even taking it up in the US now with Microbreweries srtarting up all over the place - of only they'd learn not to serve it so cold) and becoming more and more fashionable amongst the young and old, male and female as we all get fed up with cold, fizzy, weak yellow water!

We then went onto the White Horse in Shere. A wonderful pub but by the time the food showed up I was completely knackered. I am sooo looking forward to a night in watching crap TV and vegging out tommorow!

http://www.surreyhills.co.uk/9089.html