Variety is the spice of life

I went to the Belmont Cinema last night with the better half to see Pearl Jam Twenty. And a damn fine film it was too. En route we had some time to kill so popped in past the Aberdeen BrewDog pub for a quick drink (or two).

I do love BrewDog. I was somewhat obsessed with them a couple of years back. They helped get me into beer and appreciate small companies striving to do something different. Everyone loves an underdog after all (no pun intended). Increasingly when in their pub however, I find myself drawn towards their guest offerings on draught.

I used to love the old recipe Punk IPA (I was devastated when they changed it), that was the foundation of my BrewDog journey. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy some of their other beers in equal measure too; namely their one off brews, 77 lager, Alice Porter and Zeitgeist. New Punk IPA I just cannot get into, each to their own though.

None of these beers were on draught last night so I plumped for a couple of guest treats. I love sipping on a new beer, trying something new and different. One observation I do have is the spiralling cost of these guest beers in recent months however. I understand they must cost a pretty penny to import but last time I was in there I can't remember a half of Stone IPA costing £3.50! Crikey. Similarly, they have a cracking selection of guest bottled beers, which unfortunately suffer the same fate. I do enjoy heading in with some friends to share a few exotic bottles occasionally (read: pay day), but for the vast majority of the punters these treats will be quite simply out of reach.

The BrewDog beers themselves on draught are very reasonably priced though, so all is not lost for the students and skinflints (myself midway through the month).

Where am I going with this? To the cinema! No, variety. That's what I'm meant to be talking about. Not just variety of drinks on offer, variety of pubs.

My other regular haunt in Aberdeen is the Snug Bar in Ma Camerons on Little Belmont Street. A proper old mans pub, awesome. This is where I go to watch the football, to speak to old mannies about football, to retire to after watching Aberdeen lose at football. I don't go here to drink over priced guest beers or indeed for top quality beers (I'll happily admit I don't mind a pint of Belhaven IPA at all though). I go here for the atmosphere and conversation/banter with friends, regulars and staff, and partly through habit. I love the place.

Do I find BrewDog bar has this same atmosphere? No, it can be full of complete tools, the staff are always top notch though and really make the place. Do they serve great beer, a resounding yes! I guess that is the beauty of drinking in different establishments. I love that BrewDog have no TV's (that way I can't see news filtering through regarding Aberdeen's latest defeat at the hands of some no-mark second division team). I also love that I can sit there, play Jenga for hours and sample a range of beers on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

I don't really know where I was going with this post, but felt the need to write it down. I'm looking forward to visiting the Snug bar on Saturday afternoon. I may even pop in past BrewDog on the way home.... well it IS on the way.

#BrewBake

Friday night. Pissing down with rain (I love summer, or is it autumn now?). What's this in my beer cupboard? A bottle of BrewDog Riptide that is approaching its best before date. And it just so happens BrewDog are having a little cooking contest! Good job I'm a budding Masterchef (chortle).

From Twitter: It's The Great BrewDog Cook Off. Yes, you cook something using a BrewDog beer & the top 5 will win a batch of the beer they used! #BrewBake

Looking round the kitchen.... what do I have: some flour, sugar, fruit and spices. I have little option. It's going to be some cakes for this cooking extravaganza, muffins I think. A little internet research later and I've cobbled together a recipe (of sorts) for BrewDog Riptide fruit muffins with flaked almonds:

Ingredients:

1 banana
Dried strawberries
Dried blueberries
Dried cranberries
250g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
80g of butter
Flaked almonds
Icing sugar to dust
1 bottle BrewDog Riptide

Method:

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PLENTY OF BEER TO DRINK TO KEEP YOU ENTERTAINED WHEN COOKING! FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS 'EXPERIMENT' I USED BrewDog 77 Lager.

Pre-heat oven to around 190C.

Melt butter in a pan and allow to cooooooool.

Put all the dried fruit in a bowl, and mash the living daylights out of the banana.

In yet another bowl sift in the flour, sugar, spices and other fun dried ingredients and give them a massive stir.

NOTE: I just found a bottle of hardcore IPA in the fridge.... these muffins could turn out horrific... onwards!

Where is the melted butter? Ah, in the sink. Add the eggs and Riptide and mix it all together then fire all the fruit in there, and have a little taste....

Gradually add the beer/fruit/butter/egg mix into the dry ingredients, and stir until mixed thoroughly.

I only have 1 muffin tray so had to make in 2 batches. Lightly butter the tray and fill up each compartment until almost full.

Bake for 20 odd mins. I tested them with a knife, if it comes out clean you are good to go.

Get them cooled. Sprinkle with flaked almonds and icing sugar and get stuck in.

This recipe made 12 of these. I don't really eat cakes.

Anyone for a muffin and a beer? I think I'll try them again with Alice Porter!

I'm a bit pissed.