And we’re back. Though we’re not quite as back as we intended. This happens to us, sometimes. George has been abnormally busy, post-holiday — though often with new-puppy-related duties about which he’s not remotely about to complain — and I was diverted, in the actual around-Beervana-itself days, by ingloriously falling off my bike.¹ But at last, we’re back. Much (though by no means all) of the conversation was looking-ahead to events now past, but we’re presenting them here mostly unvarnished and uncorrected so you can test how prescient and/or very-very-wrong we were. More generally, we ponder beer in cans (and drink one) and the burgeoning (but still finding-its-feet) world of the beer documentary.

As always, a direct download is available, there’s a podcast-specific RSS feed, and you should be able to get us on iTunes. George and myself can also both be reached on the Twitterthing, or you can leave comments here or on the Bookface; feedback is absolutely always welcome. Cheers!

— Show notes:

• (1.05) Whoop-ass always makes me think of Maya Angelou, strangely.
• (1.35) Beer in cans (and the Usual Disclaimer), launching off from Beer of the Week #1: Boundary Road ‘Mumbo Jumbo’. By ‘New Yorker poster’, I mean the View of the World from 9th Avenue. I saw re-launched cans of Leigh Sawmill at Beervana, and spied the re-branded Harrington’s bottles in the supermarket (beside the old ones, which now rank highly on the list of Starkest Contrasts, Ever), but am still eagerly awaiting a Hot Water Brewing can (but he is brewing, now). Churchkey is so fucking hipster, but also utterly, utterly gorgeous (but is from the US, not the UK). I had great fun with Maui’s porter and IPA. The Monteith’s black bottle, I must admit, looked really cool — but they couldn’t non-absurdly promote it, given their premise (a point to which we return). Meanwhile, Mumbo Jumbo turns out to be pants.
• (10.10) George is keen to point out — after near-interminable school-age forced re-watchings of Hypothermia: Such a Stupid Way to Die — that you’re not supposed to take alcohol camping. </PSA>
• (12.30) There is only one i in Aluminum (see footnote 3).
• (13.00) My BrewDog / Boundary Road (/ Batman reference) rant is here, if you need it.
• (15.00) Beer of the Week #2: Townshend ‘Last of the Summer Ale’; ESB, but weirdified, and in a much-sexier new bottle, speaking of judging a beer by its label.
• (22.30) Outmoded previews, for the West Coast IPA Challenge and ¬Matariki. My post-match for the latter should be up later this week, just to pile on the skewed timing.
• (24.50) pre-Beervana speculation, including the Lion sponsorship announcement and the tricky issue of disclosure. I’ll have to have my full-on debrief very soon, but it’s going to be a doozy… Choice Beer Week also felt happily felt like more of “a thing”.
• (29.00) Beer documentaries (which the a certain part of my brain really wants to call “malty-media”). Hashigo actually showed the new Beer Hunter film, rather than the original TV series. Both are totally worthy of your time, though the great modern nonfiction beer epic is still waiting to be made: Beer Wars and Beertickers are both seriously flawed and recommended viewing. But seriously, Scratch shows how the ‘sub-culture’ genre is done (though King of Kong is a contender for runner-up, too, though with a conflict — rather than history and/or overview — focus).
• (36.40) Beer of the Week #3: Emerson’s ‘Deafinition’ Old Ale. Which is utterly pun-tastic and gorgeous and fun and goes a long way towards allaying the fears / quiet bits of reserve / healthy skepticism expressed in the post-buyout podcast episode, unless it’s all a double-bluff. (The wire cage, by the way, is apparently a muselet.)
• (49.20) Boundary Road’s ‘Blind Taste Test’, just to depress myself again, since looking back at the can unexpectedly reminded me. Sexy need not be sexist.
• (51.20) Recommendations: Croucher Ethiopean Coffee Stout (at Hop Garden, or indeed anywhere else), and Schipper’s ‘Scallywag’ (likewise), which puts George in mind of Peabody’s Improbable History. Tuatara ‘Blacklight’, the only fault in which is the boozier-than-is-evident punch — and the UV-reference isn’t obvious enough to count as a warning. Liberty ‘Darkest Day’, as well, and ParrotDog ‘Otis’ since I bloody loves oatmeal stout, I do — #oatsforawesome! Garage Project L’il Red Rye gets the non-conflicted nod from George, too (but is all gone, sorry).
• (1.02.20) On the Beer List — ironically, as it turns out — Tom Scott. Not the local one, the London one; who is on the YouTube, the Twitters, and the General Internets. George loaded up a bottle of Yeastie Boys ‘Digital IPA’ (which felt appropriate) into his luggage, and I emailed Tom to tell him it was on its way if he would like a beer from the Antipodes. He seemed genuinely chuffed, but it turns out he doesn’t drink. So the Beer List’s streak of Incompletes continues — and if anyone else finds themselves in a position to buy Tom something else as a replacement, please do so on my behalf; he’s more than earned it. For a damn good start, I most-heartily recommend his pieces on gender-neutral pronouns, a scary-brilliant demonstration of modern privacy — and his digital-age pondering of beloved stuff.
• (1.06.50) Cue the music: ‘Shopping for Explosives’, by The Coconut Monkeyrocket. Audio editing done in Audacity. Habitual thanks to both.
• (1.07.14) Has anyone noticed these post-credits Easter Eggs George manages to find on the cutting-room floor? Because that’s probably the best one yet.

1: More proximately, I meant to get this posted (at last) last night (and did get all the show notes done, at least), but was rendered less productive than usual by Engelbert Pumpernickel — so some tiny-tiny fraction of the blame lies with Stu and Matt and Mike. ↑