Cold Ale - The Blokes' Thread!

[prendrelemick]

As a teenager I fancied every presentable female that hove into view. Top of the Pops was the most fertile ground with Suzy Quattro, The Three Degrees and the petite dark one in Pans People deserving special mention.

Kim Wilde was exceptionally gorgeous - but I was happily married by then - so obviously she had no affect.


T'other night on't telly Sally Carr was on again, who was a goddess to my 13 year old self.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZjTrBkBIqw

[MarkBastable]

As a teenager I fancied every presentable female that hove into view. Top of the Pops was the most fertile ground

....so many Biblical and cultural allusions there, waiting to be transmuted into off-colour gags, that I'm paralysed by the extent of the possibilities.

T'other night on't telly Sally Carr was on again, who was a goddess to my 13 year old self.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZjTrBkBIqw

Even at 13, there's no excuse for that.

Sally James, on the other hand....

[prendrelemick]

^Mmm, proving that Sallys are a little thin on the ground when it comes to glamour.

Does anyone remember the classy Shirley

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

...Does anyone remember the classy Shirley

edit - Mick, which Shirley is that? I had a second thought and googled images of MacLain and don't see the ones you posted. The hair is different but the eys and eyebrows looked similar. Either way, she would have done fine by me.

original post...
My first and lasting association with Shirley MacLain is from her role in Alred Hitchcock's The Trouble With Harry, a humorous piece of dark comedy, however, she was not among the cast of my youthful fantasies. Had I seen the images above, she would have been given the part... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3eWgbVvqNY

If you would indulge me for a brief sidestep from the current train of thought, what are your impressions regarding "Boddington's Pub Ale"?. I recently made an entirely random purchase of Boddington's consisting of a four pack in cans. Very smooth, nice color and plenty of head. Thanks in advance, now back to the ladies of our youth.

.

[prendrelemick]

My Shirley is Shirley Anne Field - a minor starlet who was probably too gorgeous to be taken seriously. Shirley Maclain on the other hand, like most hurricanes, was always taken seriously.


More importantly a cold "Boddie" at the end of the hard, hot day hits the spot as well as anything else.
It used to be known as "The Cream of Manchester, but it's multi-national owner moved production and for what ever reason the flavour of the beer altered (probably something in the water.) It's still a half decent beer, but tastes more watery that it used to.

[MarkBastable]

My Shirley is Shirley Anne Field - a minor starlet who was probably too gorgeous to be taken seriously. Shirley Maclain on the other hand, like most hurricanes, was always taken seriously.

One of my favourite Hollywood quotes, from Shirley MacLaine...

"I've played a hooker so often that they don't pay my agent any more. They just leave the money on the dresser."

[MystyrMystyry]

Old Boddie's sounds yum!

Has anyone tried the William Stones Bitter Draught Sheffield [this is what's emblazoned on the replacement pint glass] (and I'm sure a few of you have!). A google took me to the Wikipaedia, but apart from discovering it was once the most popular brew in Britain I couldn't find an actual review. I've yet to check whether they export.


Incidentally I pegged you both as Shirley MacLean blokes...

[prendrelemick]

Boddies, Stones and John Smiths are very similar apart from their signature coloured cans (Yellow Orange and Green respectively.) Tetley's (blue can) is slightly superior. Bitter of any sort is becoming scarce on the supermarket shelves these days - even here in the beer swilling north. Lager now accounts for about 80% of shelf space, and cider is the latest fad. Where once they dominated, the mass produced bitters are now tucked away with the specialist stuff like Black Sheep and Hobgoblin.

Shirley MacLean is more admirable than fanciable for me.

[MystyrMystyry]

So only as good as new Boddies? I was thinking of ordering some, but maybe I'll stick to local. Actually I've gone off bitter myself lately, because Cooper's Vintage is just about the best I've ever tasted ever - it's got the creamy aspect, but you could almost start comparing it to wine with it's slight sarsparilla bouquet and chocolatey nose.

I can taste the wonderment. I can taste the excitement. I can taste your jealousy.

[prendrelemick]

I cannot be jealous of a Newcastle Brown virgin.

I may have mentioned before that I do enjoy the odd glass of Newcastle Brown Ale. However sometimes you just need something to quench your thirst, and those bottled beers are a pit pricey and not as slakey. That's where your cans of Stones, Boddies and John Smiths come in. OK they might not be wine-like in their subtleties but they are good beers, not as gassy as lager and a lot better than the really cheap stuff. I like to chop and change between them, but I can't say which is best. Boddington's used to be best, but it aint what it was. Tetley's is better, it is very smooth and creamy, it goes down easily, the flavour is deep rather than strong. After your first one you'll want another. For a high volume mass produced beer it is exceptional.

The specialist and small brewery ales are ok, they have their own distictive flavours much like wine, but in that price range I prefer my superior Newkie Brown every time.

[Paulclem]

Newkie Brown. I haven't had one in years. Distinctive flavour. I used to drink Tetleys quite a lot in my youth, but, as Mick says, the others are fine.

I tend to have a spiced rum in the coffee down the allotment more than anything else exept in summer when there's nothing like a cool pint.

[prendrelemick]

Is your local Tetleys as good as that of your youth Paul? I only ask because some beers don't travel well. I was in Leamington Spa a while ago and went to a pub across from the municiple bowling greens. The landlord recognised my accent - to within about 10 miles - because they got alot of bowlers in from "up north". "I've just the thing for you" he said, then pointed out the Timothy Taylor's Landlord he had on tap, which is brewed in Keighley and usually very nice. He proudly pulled me a lovely looking pint and with several locals looking on I took a sip. It was disgusting. However I looked into the landlord's eager face and felt that telling him so would be like kicking a puppy. "Mmmm that's grand." I said.

[Paulclem]

Now you've set me a task. I'll have to invest a little time to answer. I can still taste the first sup of Tetleys I used to have in good old Wakey. Very distinctive.

[MystyrMystyry]

Slake's the operative there actually - Vintage creates a thirst. I defy anyone, boozer or no, to stop at just one. So Newc's and Coop's are probably similar - going by a few boutique ales I've tasted - but again I'm not really a drunk (though I've certainly had my moments of glory), a pint usually lasts me half an hour to an hour (unless we're talking party, in which event who tracks time?)

I've discovered a pub that serves only imported beer, with a huge ornately chalked blackboard displaying their offerings. Newc's on there and Boddies too, though don't remember seeing a Tetley's, but perhaps they do.

Unfortunately it's a city hotel with no garden, and that generally means I'm not likely going to hang around, and also it has the air of an up-market bistro rather than a place you'd want to spend the day in - with a view to tasting everything in one sitting - but it could be fun to try

(After about the third I'd guess)

[Paulclem]

I haven't had that Tetley's yet. There's a festival over in Earlsdon on Monday - (Earlsdon is a part of Coventry which has been referred to as the muesli belt). I think they put a lot into the street party - it's the kind of place that has committees for everything. Perhaps I'll get to have the Tetley's there.

By the way, did I tell you that I've been invited onto the allotment committee? Out of seven, there were three, and so they're just making up the numbers. Now I get to help out in the shop. I think I'll be carrying compost bags out of the store as a start.