Thursday, November 28, 2013

Annual Sunday picnic concert at Nederburg

The very  generous picnic basket - superb value at R360 for 2.
It  contains two of everything: a good charcuterie plate with cheese and cold meats, a feta, roasted butternut and beetroot salad; chicken kebabs and small meat balls, a brie, bacon and mushroom quiches, a ciabatta and a slice of chocolate and date cake
A view of the stage in front of the manor house from the picnic lawn
The South African Sopranos delighted us with their singing of classic and popular songs
Nederburg wines were on sale from the fridge
 Soft drinks were available
 if you walked across the lawn
 Coffee on tap
Shadows lengthened as the evening wore on
Children played while we listened to the music
Sterling EQ enjoy their music so much
And have a lot of fun while playing it
A lovely way to spend a lazy Saturday
And chairs and tables are allowed
Paarl Valley at sunset with lots and lots of green everywhere after this year's long wet winter
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2013

Craft beer festival at Hamiltons

Hamiltons Rugby Club, the venue for the Festival of Beer
Some brands and beers we know well, others were new
 This new hop developed by South African Breweries is known only by its serial number, J-17-63 has excited the craft brewers because of its unique flavour properties
A beer called Delirium with a pink elephant on the label had lots of alcohol
 Johan Mönnig of Wild Clover Brewing
  Shaun Standeaven, Craft brewer from The Standeaven Brewery in Natal, with his father
Clever  T-shirts abounded

Prices for the weekend

 Wolfgang Koedel, Brewmaster of the Cape Brewing Company at Spice Route in Paarl; he was Brewmaster at the late, lamented Paulaner micro brewery in the V&A Waterfront
 John Collins distributes Belgian beers imported by Den Anker

 Moritz Kallmeyer, owner of Drayman's Brewery in Pretoria, flew in to be a judge
Triggerfish had 2 to taste
Chatting with Lakeside brewer
To braai, to tweet, to braai, to tweet....

You can see the Black Market caravan at the Biscuit Mill most Saturdays

Good beer-friendly things to eat
 Robson's Beer from Durban
 Nick MacNair, Apprentice brewer, Saggy Stone Brewery

 The girls from the country's biggest brewer, intent on the social media



 Alastair Gillespie, Assistant brewer, Devil's Peak Brewing Company with a craft brewing judge from the USA
 Gary Pnematicos of Citizen Beer
Bearded lady?
and a good time was had by all...
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2013