retiredmartin

I’ve still got a handful of this year’s Cheshire Beer Guide entries to do, so my trip to Knutsford last night wasn’t just for the pleasure of John Clarke‘s tutored beer tasting at Dexter & Jones, but that event certainly helped get Mrs RM involved. I enjoyed John’s session on IPAs at the Manchester Beer Fest, and Belgian beers need little excuse.

Knutsford itself was also a draw.  I’ve been there a few times, but it still felt unexplored.  Mrs RM will tell about our first trip there in 1992, the month before our wedding, when we bought a DIY loudspeaker kit.  Her ability to rustle up a working pair of KEFs in a week was a key part of our enduring marriage agreement (they were quickly replaced by NAIM SBLs though).

That trip took in the Industrial Estate; Knutsford itself is rather prettier, and impressed me both for the quaint little alleys between the main streets, and some superb heathland right on the edge of the town centre.

Dexter & Jones won’t be getting in the Beer Guide either (no cask), but it’s an excellent venue with one of the best bottled selections I’ve seen in the UK, and a decent keg selection on tap. Even better, no Prosecco, but an enterprising gin selection rather made up for that in Mrs RM’s eyes. Leaving the other offies to flog wine to Premiership footballers seems a good plan.

As you’ll know, it’s best to work up the strengths, so we warmed up with the 9% Cloudwater IPA. I’m sure the Cloudwater fad will die soon, but not while they make beer as good as this.

We really enjoyed John’s exploration of Belgian beer styles, which took in Brugges Zot, De la Senne, Orval, Oud Beersel, a St Feuillien Saison and a St Bernadus 12 to finish off Mrs RM.  I’m not very beery, I’d only seen the Zot and Orval before. The rest of the group seemed similarly novice-like, though the chap to my left staked an early claim to any undrunk St Bernadus at the start of the evening.

There were sixteen of us, and it was a good social, with more chat about pubs in Everton and Marouane Fellaini’s new haircut (may be connected) than beer if I’m honest. But there were plenty of good questions, none about Stella.

Personally I drank in moderation, but did finish off the Saison for the rest of the group, which divided opinion. Leaving beer, or the excellent cheese and ham buffet, is a crime I’m not willing to be associated with.