September has seen me busy with many explorational bits and pieces, all broadly bound together by beer festivals and the tail end of the 2024 cricket season. After Tamworth, Worcester and Moseley there are now tales from Shrewsbury and Nottingham to bring you - read on to find out more...
- Bring On The Beer! -
Shrewsbury's Beer, Cider & Perry Festival has easily established itself as one of my personal favourite events over recent years, even if it hasn't quite managed to displace Dudley Winter Ales Fayre in my ultimate ale affections. A big part of its appeal is the stunning setting of St Mary's Church, barely five minutes wander up the hill from the railway station, so when the designated date rolled around again Jane and I made sure to investigate. Admission was £9 for CAMRA members (£12 otherwise) so we trotted along on the opening Wednesday to see which tempting tipples were being showcased this time around. Pentrich's 'Soul Doughnut' certainly proved an alluring aperitif, billed as a caramel custard milk stout with all of the sweet indulgent notes I could have wished for!
- St Mary's Stained Glass -
Also very much in my sights were 'Walnut Porter' (a North Riding concoction which was as decadently nutty as it sounds), Pig & Porter's 'Apparition' (complete with its suitably spectral creamy stout head), and the bizarrely-named 'Sharks With Laser Beams', a hazy Tiny Rebel IPA that resembled murky grapefruit juice but tasted terrific! Equally as joyous is the stained glass for which St Mary's is deservedly renowned, the collection containing several English and continental pieces installed during the 19th century when William Gorsuch Rowland would have been the incumbent minister.
- Contemplating Ciders and Pondering Perries -
Jane is a fan of traditionally-produced ciders and perries so she soon acquainted herself with that particular corner of the stillage serveries. Although she mainly prefers the classic taste of apples and pears without embellishment, she's not averse to trying out slightly more unusual flavourings (purely in the name of research you understand) and declared herself partial to the floral flourishes of Gwatkin's Elderflower. 'Sweet Anita' and 'Panting Partridge' likewise get her seal of approval although she sadly emerged empty handed on the charity tombola. All of the luck came my way instead, although my winning of a 'Naked Ladies' pumpclip raised more eyebrows than the accompanying Mild In May Wenlock Pottery mug.
- Cocktail Time at The Alb -
Whilst in Shrewsbury we sought out a couple of post-festival libations, starting with the Henry Tudor Inn on Wyle Cop. Joules have done a spectacular job breathing new life into one of the town's most historic properties; it is said that the future King Henry VII stayed in the building en route to the Battle of Bosworth Field so if it was good enough for him it'll do us nicely too. Slumbering Monk and Aspalls Cider were duly sampled among cigar, taxidermy and mounted fish displays before we relocated to the Alb (previously the Albert) next to Raven Meadows Bus Station. Jane enjoys the occasional cocktail within reason so a Bramble apiece crowned the day while I puzzled over the pink bicycle hung on the wall. Chin chin!
- The Radcliffe Road End -
To cricketing matters where Warwickshire's capitulation at the hands of Essex last week had left them still needing a handful of points to ensure Championship Division One safety. Trent Bridge played host to the Bears' final fixture of the season with Stephen and I heading across to Nottingham to see the third day unfold. Notts had amassed a healthy 324/6 during a rain-interrupted first couple of days and had yet to guarantee their own survival, although much would depend on how Lancashire got on in their match at Worcester. Hopeful but perhaps a little apprehensive, Mr B and I took up a perch in the Hound Road Upper Tier to watch on...
- The Lunchtime Score -
Despite a couple of welcome wickets for part time off spinner Rob Yates, Nottinghamshire had the better of the morning session in reaching 440/9 aided by their South African wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne's imperious unbeaten century. Nottingham Forest were due to play Fulham at home later that afternoon so the Trent Bridge Inn and other surroundings pubs were heaving come lunchtime, and the queue outside the chip shop would have required untold levels of patience too. The afternoon action saw Notts progress to 487 all out (Verreynne 148 not out) before the Warwickshire openers were dismissed cheaply. At 6/2 the alarm bells were ringing!
- Hain Holds Firm -
Thankfully the combination of Will Rhodes and Sam Hain rode to the rescue, quietening the jitters as news filtered through that Lancashire were struggling over at New Road. Even when young Farhan Ahmed started to weave his magic - accounting for Rhodes (37) and Mousley (a duck) within the same over - we suspected that Warwickshire were going to be clear of the relegation mire, if only by the skins of their teeth. The strains of Mull of Kintyre emanating from the City Ground informed us that the Forest match was underway, Fulham going on to win that thanks to a Raul Jimenez penalty kick.
- Cheers to Championship Survival -
After a belated meal in the Trent Bridge Inn once the football fans had dispersed, we settled in the Radcliffe Road Stand to watch what for us would be our last session of live 2024 cricket. The 'Hain Train' was latterly joined by Ed Barnard for a relatively serene partnership in the late afternoon sunshine, meaning Warwickshire were poised on 143/4 when stumps was declared circa quarter to six. In terms of this particular match that meant a deficit of nearly 350 runs, but confirmation of Lancashire's relegation had us breathing huge sighs of relief all the way home to Wolverhampton. Let's hope the 2025 season will bring more Warwickshire wins - Cheers!
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