Moodmusic: Cities have kind surprises when you know where to walk
Today's memories and soundbites
Tooooooo much city travel and in a car! Birmingham city center is always frantic of course, but there is a lot of quiet history to take in too. Victoria Square was redeveloped as a result of the Birmingham Victorian Society protesting against the proposed demolition of the General Post Office building in the late 1970's. This led to an extended campaign to save and redevelop this part of the city. The whole area, once a busy traffic junction around the massive neo-classical Town Hall modeled on the Temple of Castor in the Forum Rome, and the Council Buildings built in the form of a Venetian palace from 1874 (after all Birmingham has more canals than Venice!), was redeveloped through the end of the 1980's and reopened by Diana Princess of Wales as a pedestrian heart to the city in 1994. The square is now the point from which all distances are measured within and to the metropolis. The General Post Office is still there with a modern extension, and a namesake bar The Post Office Vaults .... check them!
After Birmingham, Bristol, and after that bottles in bed! Time to sleep and bring the journeys to an end.
Drinks
BrewDog, Punk IPA (5.6%)
Reactions
Emotional:
Critical: It's taken me ages to get round to drinking this, goodness only knows why! It is a great ale, no wonder BrewDog have met with such success. Grown up flavours, lots of complicated bitterness. Strong on hops, with some spicy resin and a little bit of cloves in the background. Tatstes bitter, dry and sharp with a finish that leaves an interesting biscuit flavour and a desire for more!
Goose Island, 312 Urban Wheat Beer (4.2%)
Reactions
Emotional: Very nice - damn surprising!
Critical: Complexity of flavours which are unexpected. This is a far less sweet proposition than Hoegaarden or other wiess beers. This tastes more like a beer than not, and has some complicated bitterness weaving through the drink, with a deeper malt behind the spicy citrus. Carbonation creates small bubbles which produce a velvety texture. Brewed in Chicago and bottle conditioned. it tastes
Bateman's, Victory Ale (6%)
Reactions
Emotional: Mmmmmm ..... easy drinking
Critical: This is a great red-amber colour. Nice medium body not too thick for this kind of strength. Tastes like a session ale. Has deep caramel, hint of orange, cereal, hoppy depth.
Wells and Young, Kirin Ichiban, Premium Press (5%)
Reaction
Emotional: Foreign - and worth a go???
Critical: Brewed as a franchise in Britain. Tastes like a good quality euro-larger. Not too bad overall. Clean finish.
Birmingham view
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| Hope! |
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| "Floozie in the Jacuzzi", aka "The River" |
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| Victoria Square shapes |
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| Aaaah ..... beer ..... and exciting ones in bottles to take away and everything. Pinfold Street. |
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| Town Hall Birmingham, ridiculously impressive |
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