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You are what you eat

This week saw the start of Lent and as usual both my wife and I gave up something we both like to eat or drink. My wife voluntarily gives up wine each year, which I think is admirable. I (am forced to) give up chocolate and sweets. Now I know this is good for me, and as a diabetic I shouldn’t be eating chocolate and sweets, but I have to tell you after 72 hours I am starting to suffer withdrawal symptoms!

At least I wasn’t made to give up beer!

In a recent interview I was asked what beer did I have in my fridge. When I looked in my fridge I realised it said a lot about me as I have Saint Patrick’s Best, Barelegs Brew, Felinfoel’s Double Dragon and Magners Pear Cider!

If you read last week’s blog you will have seen that one of the reasons for starting Strangford Lough Brewing Company was the fact I found that Guinness wasn’t for me and there were not too many alternatives. I like each of the beers we make, it reminds me of the old joke about the beer being passed by the management, but we won’t go into that lavatory humour. Our beers all taste very different from each other, so whatever your mode or taste preference there should be something to suit you! By the way the St. Patrick’s just finish brewed by High Falls Brewing Company in Rochester is awesome. We took the alcohol content in the beer to 4.2% to avoid being called a light beer and the result is great. Our Irish beer will follow suit from 3.8% very shortly.

Felinfoel is from the country of my birth and the brewery in West Wales has a tradition of brewing fine crafted beers. Double Dragon is described on the Felinfoel site as “The full drinking premium Welsh ale, malty and subtly hopped with a rich colour and smooth balanced character, developed by the brewing expertise of five generations of the founding family.” - Double Dragon - “The National Ale of Wales”. Double Dragon is one to try if you ever see it, I get mine delivered from the brewery!

Double Dragon is now at 4.2%, but I remember a time when Felinfoel pushed the ABV to 6.0% - 7.0% or even more. I had a pint of DD in Leicester and went back to get another when the barman asked me was I driving. I replied no and asked why he was interested. His reply “Leicestershire police are concerned that anyone drinking two pints of DD would be over the limit to drive”. Fortunately I was on the train that day and three pints went down very well!

Why Magners Pear Cider I hear you ask. I’ve taken a taste for cider since Magners started supporting the Rugby Union league Ulster play and gave us free product at a number of the games. They now brought out a Pear Cider, maybe because sales of Apple Cider are dropping so fast, and I found I like the nice crisp dry taste. Gaymers Pear Cider is probably my favourite, but the local stores don’t always have it, maybe I’m buying too much.

So my fridge tells you who I am now, where I come from and something about my social activity. It doesn’t tell you about my love for Chocolate, well at least not for another 6 weeks! I read something this morning I’d like to leave with you “perhaps Lent should be about taking up things rather than giving them up, how about we are all much nicer to each other?”

Until the next time, may the craic be with you!