Merry Christmas Everybody

The title says it all and the video of Slade with their excellent song is shown  below.

I hope you all have a wonderful time with friends and family, I will be with some of my family on the Hampshire coast.

This has got me thinking, so I put my thoughts into writing for a change. This is what blogs are supposed to be about. The main reason I set up this blog was to share my photos of all the different places and people I meet along the way.

My office is closed over the holiday period, so got lots planned. Got a reference document for MHR Guards to complete. One or two Guard and station turns on MHR. I will also be doing some rules assessing of Guards. A trip to London pubs as I've not been there for a couple of weeks.  Will also be drinking in a few pubs in Winchester for a change one day as well.

Anyway back to Christmas thoughts.
I can be a bit grumpy at times (shock) but at Christmas I make an exception. I will be extra grumpy this time. Only joking, or am I ?
Favourite Christmas's recently have involved my niece and 2 nephews who seem to be growing up far too fast, but kids love Christmas and seeing their happy smiling faces makes it impossible to be grumpy. 

Christmas means lots of different things to us all and whatever you do I hope you enjoy it.

Don't eat and drink too much - thats my job.

 Some of you may know I like Sylvester the Cat. In fact all the Warner Bros Looney Tunes were excellent.

 

The image below has been my facebook profile pic for a while....

Time to finish now, however. Maybe I should do a blog post about Looney Tunes next year. Different from my normal stuff about pubs, trains, buses. Hmmmm.

Blimey, lots of different things on here. Normal service will be resumed shortly.

Kissingate Brewery

Saturday 24th November

This was a coach trip from Surbiton organised as a helpers trip for those who worked at the 2012 Kingston Beer Festival.

First stop was the Kissingate Brewery near Horsham. 6 beers were provided for us to sample including a marvelous 6% Stout Extreme brewed 4 months previously. Lunch was also had here. They have converted a barn into a modern brewery with a mezzanine lounge overlooking the brewing vessels. Gary the brewer particularly enjoys brewing and drinking dark ales. I enjoyed drinking them.

Photos of the brewery are below.

The mini brewing plant

The main brewing plant

Malt store

The view from above

beer ready for drinking

upstairs

And a group photo was taken. Yes I am there hiding at the back.

All too soon it was time say goodbye and head off to a couple of pubs on the way home.

First stop was the Hare & Hounds at Cowfold for a pint of Harveys Best.

lovely real fire

Decision time!

And the final stop of the trip was at the White Horse in Maplehurst for a couple of pints of Downlands Truleigh Gold.

Finally, thanks to Adrian for organising the trip.