Hanging out at Christmas

When you work in a bottle shop, it is inevitable that your Christmas 'do' will involve booze, kicking off at The Durham Castle Arms.

Next stop was the BentSpoke brewing and canning facility at Mitchell, where Richard Watkins and Tracey Margrain showed us around their shiny bling factory while we drank a couple of cans.

Richard pouring out crankshaft fresh from the tank

A view from the bridge

We continued to dinner at The Old Canberra Inn

  

For Him Outdoors' real birthday, he went out with some friends. I met them after work and it looked like they had been having a good time.

Friends celebrating Him Outdoors' birthday

Despite a massive hailstorm (with hailstones so large they cracked my windscreen as I drove home from work), the weather cleared to be bright and beautiful on Christmas Day.

We were very kindly invited round to friends' for Christmas dinner.

Dinner with The Luminosity and family

This is the Big Tiger fighting the Fire Dragon, apparently

Christmas Day visitors

Back at home in the evening we bothered the cat and read our Christmas books.

Battle of the Brewers and Birds

Several pubs have started holding 'Battle of the Brewers' where a couple of breweries take over the taps for the night and the punters try several of their beers, head to head against each other and vote for their favourite. I think this is a great idea, as one gets to try similar styles with slight differences, and can make informed judgments about one's preferences. This weekend it was the turn of The Old Canberra Inn to host Nomad and Modus, both from Northern Sydney.

Head to head beers

Tap Takeover at The Old Canberra Inn

Beers on offer

My favourite of the evening was the Barrel-Aged Couch Stout from Nomad, which was soft and stout and altogether pleasing. The addition of oatmeal brings a slight sweetness and a full mouthfeel, and the malt is gently roasted and full of comforting cocoa goodness.

And because there were so many decisions to make, the pub appeared to pose an extra toiletry dilemma - over or under? (Always over, in case you're wondering)

While out running, I came across a frozen Tawny Frogmouth. I don't think I've ever seen a live one, although I might have and not been aware of it, as they have amazing camouflaged plumage. 

 

These beautiful birds are mainly nocturnal and they mate for life. During the colder moths they don't hibernate but enter a state of torpor, which results in energy conservation by significantly slowing down heart-rate and metabolism and lowering their body temperature. They often roost closely together on the same branch for warmth in winter.

I was devastated to think that this little bird had left a cold and lonely partner in a tree somewhere. Winter can be very cruel.

Leisure Time

Calamity Sue and I had a day off together and spent it wisely, by going for lunch at Poachers Pantry.

Calamity Sue at Poachers Pantry

After we'd eaten a fine selection of meats and cheeses, we walked around the vegetable patch. That's a balanced diet, you know.

Spiky cucumber and spotted ladybird

 

Calamity Sue: she knows her onions. And her leeks. And her runner beans.

Red hot chili peppers

Purple beans

Red earth

 

 

Dandelion sculptures by Al Phemister

 

The next day I cycled around the neighbourhood, getting to know it a little better by checking out the cul-de-sacs and bus-stops.

And then met up with Calamity Sue again and went out to Adore Tea. They do lovely pots of tea, but also tea-inspired cocktails. I had a White Peach G & Tea (gin; tonic; white peach tea syrup), while Calamity Sue had a Turkish Apple Schmapple (vodka; Turksh apple chunky tea syrup; lemonade; fresh apple).

Calamity Sue at Adore Tea

Later in the week I had a Very Important Visitor - Nephew Aidan was on a school trip to Canberra (seeing Parliament, the National Gallery of Australia, Museums, Archives and his aunty!). The school has a packed itinerary of events for them to attend, but they also had a free evening, so I took him to Guild.

They do finger food (pizza; antipasti; arancini balls; etc.) so that you can play board games uninterrupted. They have a great selection and cater for all ages. The staff are helpful and knowledgeable and the 'guild masters' will recommend new games and explain the rules so there really is something for everyone. 

I had a lovely evening, playing games and chatting to Nephew Aidan, and we went for ice-cream afterwards.

Nephew Aidan at Guild, playing Mr Jack

At the weekend, the Old Canberra Inn was holding a Battle of the Brewers between 3 Ravens Brewery and Van Dieman Brewing. They contrasted five beers from each brewery and punters voted for their favourite in each round and the winner overall. 

The Samurai Catfish is a most peculiar beverage, based on a dry-hopped gose style (salty, sour German wheat beer) and including ingredients such as Yuzu (Japanese citrus), wasabi, katsuobushi (dries, fermented and smoked skipjack tuna), komb (kelp) and shiitake mushrooms.  Did I mention it was odd? It was also very tasty, perhaps surprisingly so.

Round Two of the Battle of the Brewers