Steam Illuminations on the Watercress Line

 3/1/25

As a volunteer on the Watercress Line (34 years if you care), I was offered a Black Friday offer of one free ticket fo a Steam Illuminations service. I chose one after Christmas to avoid kids and Xmas music.

Upon arrival my email reservation barcode was scanned and I was given my ticket.

and a guide 

Even some goods wagons were lit up.

 A video of the train arriving.

More photos at Alton.

 On board the train.

I brought my own refreshments

 You also get a free wristband light

And finally some views at Alresford station.

The music was from the 1960s to 2000s. A very enjoyable trip. 

I would highly reccomend this to everyone.

A Few Pubs in Chichester

 21/12/24

My first visit to Chichester. Inspired by a friend posting about some of the pubs on Facebook a few months ago. 

A walk fron the station, through the town centre, took me to my first pub, the Bell Inn.

Next was the Chichester Inn

Then the Escapist

The Little Monster Tap

Hole In The Wall

And finally the Crafty Bishop

Here are the beers I had:

Hop Back Brewery	Fuggle Stone	4.0	The Bell Inn	Draft
Palmers Brewery	Copper	3.7	The Chichester Inn	Draft
Escapist Brew Co	Oh Mandy	4.8	The Escapist	Draft
Vault City Brewing	Last Christmas	4.1	The Escapist	Draft
Escapist Brew Co	Tourist	6.2	The Escapist	Cask
Little Monster Brewing Co	Koh	4.0	The Little Monster Tap	Draft
Little Monster Brewing Co	Gaga	5.0	The Little Monster Tap	Draft
Only With Love	Bongo Tropic IPA	4.5	The Little Monster Tap	Draft
Staggeringly Good	BRU 3	6.5	The Little Monster Tap	Draft
360° Brewing Company	Mustang Mountain IPA	5.2	The Hole in the Wall	Draft
Portsmouth Brewing Co.	Chimes Lager	4.5	Crafty Bishop	Draft
Pretty Decent Beer Co	Midas the Cat	4.7	Crafty Bishop	Draft
Lost Pier Brewing	Juicy Buoy	4.8	Crafty Bishop	Cask
Lost Pier Brewing	Fruit Machine JACKPOT NE DIPA	7.77	Crafty Bishop	Cask

Collabageddon 2024

 16/11/24

A trip to the Borough Beer House in Farnham for this event organised by Elusive Brewing.

 The pubs beer board

 the 2 cask beer pumpclips

The beer descriptions:

Bluntrock Brewery X Neighbourhood Brew Co: Shapes (8.0%) DIPA:
Deep pale straw colour with a thick haze and a creamy white foam. Strong aroma of apricot and peaches. The taste is peach, fresh pine spruce and a robust bitterness.

Burning Sky X Otherworld Brewing: The Wrong Door (6.0%) Euro IPA:
A European inspired IPA brewed with Extra Pale malt and a portion of Spelt for a crisp finish. Hopped with fresh UK Target hops, Spalter Select from Germany and a small portion of Nelson Sauvin for a subtle lift. Peppery, with aromas of cut grass, gooseberry and grape.

Duality X Elusive Brewing: Bright Lights, Big City (6.0%) Bright IPA:
Low in bitterness but bright in appearance and flavour, with a punchy aroma. We used lots of fresh Citra in the whirlpool before dry hopping with Citra Cryo, Idaho-7 Cryo and farm fresh 2024 crop Nelson Sauvin from Eggers Hops.

Elusive X Mysterious Brewing: Anthemis (4.8%) Belgian-style Blonde Ale:
A Belgian-style Blonde Ale made with fresh orange peel and whole chamomile flowers to add delicate top notes and Amarillo hops for a modern twist.

Indie Rabble Brewing Company X Round Corner Brewing: The Magician (6.0%) Black IPA:
Dry hopped with Cascade, Amarillo, and Simcoe - this dark coloured IPA brings notes of citrus, stone fruit and pine to just the lightest touch of roastiness.

Lost Cause Brewing Co X Burning Sky: Foil Top (6.0%) Belgian Cherry Porter:
Rich and velvety, this porter is packed with decadent chocolate flavours balanced by subtle Belgian yeast esters. Hints of peppercorn, bubblegum, and light spice complement the tart burst of sour cherry, creating a complex yet perfectly balanced brew.

Mysterious X New Bristol Brewery: Ken Spruce (6.6%) West Coast Spruce IPA:
A bold 6.6% West Coast IPA, infused with hand-picked Sitka spruce tips from the forests of Scotland. This collaboration delivers a unique beer, built on a balanced malt foundation of light crystal and Munich malts.

Neighbourhood Brew Co X Duality Brew Co: Between the Lines (5.0%) DDH Pale:
Brewed using El Dorado, Strata and Strata CGX at a pale base recipe to bring about tropical and wafting cannabis notes on the nose. We really dialled up the dosage rates for this guy so expect lashings of tropical fruit, gummies, pineapple and lots of dankness.

New Bristol Brewery X Bluntrock Brewery: Cornish Blackberry Crumble and Clotted Cream Sour (6.0%):
This Autumnal sour is packed with juicy Cornish blackberries and cosy crumble tones Creamy & Thick is an understatement.

Otherworld Brewing X Indie Rabble: Kilauea (4.0%) Tropical Stout:
A dry and roasty stout fermented with Kviek and pineapple juice for fruity tropical tart and juicy flavours, then dry hopped with Sabro to match coconut notes to the cocoa and coffee from the malt.

Roosters Brewing Co X Lost Cause Brewing Co: Bill Berry Sour (4.2%):
A lip-smacking kettle sour infused with bilberries

Round Corner Brewing X Roosters Brewing Co: Field Day (5.5%) Red Rye IPA:
A deep amber-red colour beer, bringing aromas of citrus, tropical and stone fruits from the use of American Hops balanced with a spicy, bready rye malt backbone. On the palate expect a smooth mouthfeel with a clean, crisp finish that leaves lingering hop bitterness and subtle rye warmth. Balanced, bold, yet refreshing.

I had all 12 beers and the table below is from my Untaapd checkins and includes my rating score.

Brewery	Beer	ABV	Dispense	My Score (out of 5)
Elusive Brewing	Anthemis	4.8	Cask	3.0
Duality Brew Co	Bright Lights, Big City	6.0	Cask	4.0
Otherworld Brewing	Kilauea	4.0	Draft	3.5
Lost Cause Brewing Co	Foil Top	6.0	Draft	3.5
Rooster's Brewing Co	Bill Berry	4.2	Draft	3.5
New Bristol Brewery	Cornish Blackberry Crumble & Clotted Cream Sour	6.0	Draft	4.0
Round Corner Brewing	Field Day	5.5	Draft	3.5
Neighbourhood Brew Co.	Between the Lines	5.0	Draft	3.5
Indie Rabble	The Magician	6.0	Draft	4.0
Burning Sky Brewery	The Wrong Door	6.0	Draft	4.0
Mysterious Brewing Co.	Ken Spruce	6.6	Draft	4.0
Bluntrock Brewery	Shapes	8.0	Draft	4.0

Spa Valley Railway Beer Festival 2024

 19/10/24

By train to Tunbridge Wels station, then a 15 minutes walk via The Pantiles to Tunbridge Wells West station.

 

The beer festival prior to opening

Tunbridge Wells West platform

Eridge station

The Oxted unit ticking over

Groombridge station

On the way home I stopped at the Nelson Arms in Tonbridge.

And finaly the beers wot I drunk:

Goody Ales	Goodness Gracious Me	4.8	Spa Valley Railway Real Ale & Cider Festival	Tunbridge Wells	Cask
Terra Tempo Brewing	SUNRISE 2024	5.7	Spa Valley Railway Real Ale & Cider Festival	Tunbridge Wells	Draft
Wear Beer	Pale Ale	3.8	Spa Valley Railway Real Ale & Cider Festival	Tunbridge Wells	Cask
The Craft Beer Man	CBM4 Best Bitter	4.1	Spa Valley Railway Real Ale & Cider Festival	Tunbridge Wells	Cask
The Craft Beer Man	CBM3 Kentish Pale Ale	4.0	Spa Valley Railway Real Ale & Cider Festival	Tunbridge Wells	Cask
Twice Brewed Brewing Co.	Tiny European Cars	2.7	Spa Valley Railway Real Ale & Cider Festival	Tunbridge Wells	Cask
Not That California Brewing Company	Crush	4.4	Spa Valley Railway Real Ale & Cider Festival	Tunbridge Wells	Cask
Burning Sky Brewery	Compass Points South	5.5	Spa Valley Railway Real Ale & Cider Festival	Tunbridge Wells	Draft
Rother Valley Brewing Company	Ebulem	4.5	Nelson Arms	Tonbridge	Cask
Duration Brewing	Big Pyramid	3.8	Nelson Arms	Tonbridge	Draft
Good Chemistry Brewing	Gyle 600	4.0	Nelson Arms	Tonbridge	Draft