Bier-Traveller

 At £19.00 a night for a massive room containing a king sized double bed, the Travelodge provided Hector with an excellent night’s sleep.  Lord Clive had suggested an 11.00 rendezvous, at 10.55 there was a phonecall postponing this madness. [Stan.TB] lived up to his current Moniker and dragged Hector downstairs at 11.10.  The so-called Shortcut into town was a twenty minute walk but it took Hector straight to Tavistock St, the heartland of Bedford Curry.  What was a man to do?

The Banker’s Draft is where I caught up with [Stan.TB], Lord Clive and Lady Maggie.  Howard and Tracey, who apparently were on this trip had found their own Wetherspoons.  Why does a pint of Orange and Soda cost more than an Ale?  Clive and Maggie were too late for Breakfast so ordered the All-day Brunch. They were able to swop the Chips for Hash Browns and so ended up with the Breakfast minus Black Pudding.  It wouldn’t have been Stornoway anyway.

There was a phonecall, the others were communicating.  ‘The Bier Fest again? But we did that yesterday.’  I am sure there was a happy facial expression to accompany the acceptance of our resolve to return.  Was this not why we were in Bedford?

On arrival at the Corn Exchange the Don Bosco Musikanten was already in full swing.  We sat in a side room.  German Pils is something Hector drinks on the rarest of occasions.  The Pyraser version is one I do not shun, how could Pyraser make a bad Bier.  Keesmann Pils?  It was still to early to challenge the full might of the Schlenkerla Eiche.

The Keesmann Pils wasn’t as perfumed as many of this ilk, quite enjoyable but Keesmann do make much better Bier than this.  The Spezial was up next, it still tasted lifeless, who knows what they had done to it.  As the afternoon passed away the Schlenkerla Eiche was once again called for.  Howard had reached the same decision at  the same point.  Lady Maggie was drinking half pints.  Tracey had moved on to Fruhli.  [Stan.TB] as usual had something different.  Clive had the Fässla Pils and considered it a lesser Bier to the Keesmann.  Ganz normal.

The Schlenkerla vom Fass ran out, nothing for it but to move on to the Rauch proper.  All Bottled Bier was the same price so when Clive was offered the choice of Marzen or Urbock … Urbock at this time of year?  The label said this Bier was bound for Australia, poor Ozzies,  Clive realised there was now a reason to visit Australia, there must be at least one decent Bier Outlet.

By 19.00 there was a consensus, we should leave, we did.

The Cricketers Arms was a ten minute walk.  On entering Hector spotted Brains, a Welsh Ale.  ‘Oh they have that Welsh stuff.’ somebody announced.   There was a hush, Doris behind the bar looked at the Commentator, this was a Welsh Bar, and yes it was the Hector who had not spotted Dragons, Flags, Memorabilia, S4C on the TV.  I made my excuses and left.

Actually I did not, I explained Robin’s disgust at Welsh Ale and hence my comments.  Doris was proud to offer us an Ale at 2.8% for only £3.00.  When I asked what the price of a sensible Bier was Doris realised that I was not giving up.  She joined in the banter. By the time we left she had spent some considerable time with us and even posed for a special photo which has to be dedicated to Robin.  Next year we shall go to the Corn Exchange and send Robin here.  He can watch the rugby.  Rugby?

The Cricketers had nothing above 3.8% it appeared.  Midsummer Ale (Concrete Cow, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire) was a pleasant change to the onslaught on the tastebuds at the Corn Exchange.

The Devonshire Arms was at least another ten minute walk, ironically in the direction where Hector was convinced the Travelodge was located.  Passing the Cricket Ground, Eagle IPA at lowly 3.6%  from the local Wells Brewery was advertised.  It was a sign, so this is what most of us had. This Amber Ale was decidedly thin but was not bland, it was OK.
The approach to the pub was eerie.  Walking down a purely residential street there was not a sound, not even a curtain moved.  Where was everyone?

The answer was simple, they were all in the Devonshire Arms.  It is a fact that England is blessed with hundreds of superb pubs, if only they all sold Ale at a decent strength.  Bedford appears to specialise in the 3.8%, is this why they have to have a Bamberg Bier Fest?

A taxi took us for a below average Curry.  The taxi driver was wrong, the Curry Houses of Bedford are not all much of a muchness.

[Stan.TB] had not come for the Curry so we we made our rendezvous, the others went home and we went to the Wellington.  There was a dozen Ales to choose from, a Chap told me that I should have the Cocker-Less Four at 4.5% (Wisbech, Cambridgeshire) if I wanted something with Hops and Citrus.  How did he know?  I do not recall saying anything, for once.

Doris behind the Bar with her multicoloured hairdo was great value. She could not believe we were down from Glasgow for the Bierfest.  She had lost a fair number of her customers to it.  The Helpful Chap joined us and we exchanged Bier information.  I now have a list of recommended pubs for my trip to Chester in October.  We gave him precise details on how to get to Eschenbrau in Berlin.  Time will tell who did who the bigger favour.

Hector was last out.  It was written.  A great Pub and good company.
The walk back up the Shortcut Path was Hell.  Just how steep was the hill?

The Bier Festival and Pubs Visited today:

The Bedford Corn Exchange  –  Saint Paul’s Square,  Bedford, MK40 1SL

The Cricketers Arms  –  35 Goldington Road  Bedford, MK40 3LH

The Devonshire Arms  – 32 Dudley St,  Bedford, MK40 3TB

The Wellington Arms  – 40-42 Wellington Street, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 2JX

When Lord Clive of Crawley  informed the Glasgow Brethren that there is now an annual Bedford : Bamberg Bier Festival we took note.  When he assured us that the price of the Bedford Travelodge  and flights to/from Glasgow to Luton were within acceptable parameters we were hooked.

Howard and Tracey managed to get an afternoon flight down south, so by the time Hector was underway the Bier List was known.  Meanwhile [Stan.TB] was in St Alban’s on other business whilst Clive and Maggie negotiated the perils of crossing That London when all the train signals were out.

Four of us arrived at Bedford Train Station within minutes of each other; three of us grabbed a taxi and went up the hill to check-in.  [Stan.TB] went to rendezvous with H&T.  I never did find out if he did as by the time we arrived at The Corn Exchange, H&T were on their way out after a four hour stint.  Amateurs.

Twelve Biers vom Fass were on offer, only six of these were actually from Bamberg and two of these were the dreaded Pils.  The remainder of the Draught Bier was from München, nothing outstanding here on offer.  Fässla’s Zwergla (6%) was available on Draught – usually this is in bottles at The Source, this had to kick the night off.  It was OK, not outstanding.  This Bier can be demanding, the palate had not woken up.

Across the road from Fässla lies Spezial, perhaps the lesser of Bamberg’s famous Rauchbier sources but an excellent Bier in its own right.  Sadly the Bier was flat despite being taken from the Barrel under pressure.  Perhaps they should have used gravity dispensers.  Hector was not doing too well.   It was Bamberg’s most distinctive Brewery which came to the rescue: Schlenkelra’s Eiche was first experienced by The Chaps at this year’s Manchester Winter Festival.  Hector has tasted a solitary Bottle at The Alison Arms (Glasgow).  At 8% verging on the ridiculous.  Urbock this Doppelbock is not, it is an Amber colour but still packs the Schlenkerla smoky flavours – it was superb.  It became the Bier of choice for the remainder of the evening.  Thought of tomorrow and this time next year were already being mooted.

Meanwhile we marvelled at the performing Band from Bamberg – Don Bosco Musikanten – we hoped to meet Don Bosco’s Sister…

Then there was the issue of Lord Clive and his Beard.  This had been grown in the latter part of his trip to India with Lady Maggie – very strange. Even stranger than Spock’s Beard.

By the time the hall stated to clear a bit we found ourselves at the front.  ‘Sierra Madre?’  I    asked a Doris in the front row of the Band.  Her opposite Doris was subsequently asked for Rosamunde.  She was engaging.  There was no joy with the musical requests – no music – but when the band completed their set, Doris #2 came down to chat.

Meanwhile [Stan.TB]’s polo-shirt had attracted attention.  This was from a Brewery just outside Bamberg where one of the Band was from.  The final stretch was spent chatting in a combination of Deutsch and English.  This is why we were here.

There was no Curry-Heute!