CHRISTMAS PARTY – 8^th JANUARY 2011

It has been a strange year for our Brewing Group. A year which brought personal conflicts to many members – from a near fatal stabbing to an emergency hernia operation; from two members leaving, one for health reasons and the other for personal reasons; and from one member spending the majority of the year in a country where beer is barred, if you’ll forgive the pun!

Despite all this we got through it and met up for our Christmas Party. I am pleased to report that both ‘leavers,’ Big Ritchie and Tommo, were there and it is hoped that they may continue coming even if they don’t brew anymore. Both invalids were in attendance, Jacko and Little Ritchie, as was our man from Dubai – me (Trevor)!

The Christmas Party. Dictionary definition: A Brewing Group get together where we can let our hair down and even invite WAGs.

This year it is held at Pete’s bar, home of Mithril Ales. Pete lives in the country so us townies have to travel by minibus. The weather hasn’t been kind to us as we have just had snow, followed by rain, followed by a freeze – but it is winter, after all. On the bus is Our Glorious Leader - John, Big Ritchie, Big John, Jacko and myself. We go to pick up Rob who is carrying a holdall full of beer (I’ll tell you why later). Then it’s off to the farm to pick up Little Ritchie and his missus. They are not ready so we wait, and wait.. then take odds on which one of them will slip on the ice. We wait a bit longer then decide Big Ritchie has to brave the Arctic conditions and knock on the door. Out he gets just as the Little Ritchie’s emerge. Rob is particularly upset as no one slipped on the Ice.

So we have arrived at Pete’s. There to meet us is our newest recruit, Mark and his missus, and Tommo and his missus, plus Pete of course and his missus. Stuart and  his missus arrives later, having driven from Hartlepool. Nothing puts our Stuart off, not even Arctic conditions.

Four beers on offer tonight and not one of them brewed by Peter. To be fair, there is one of Pete’s beers available which is a throwback from his last ‘do’ – Wassail. Wassail is, as many of you know, any mulled plonk. I had a pint which wasn’t bad but not good as a food accompaniment. Back to the four beers on offer. Two of the four are up for Beer of the Year; Black Diamond and Skiers Delight. Black Diamond, brewed by Jacko, is an old favourite with the group and as its name suggests is a dark beer with an a.b.v. of 5.2%. Skiers Delight is a contract brew from its originator Big Ritchie who isn’t brewing at the moment. Rob volunteered to make it for him.

Keeping the two finalist beers company are 8^th Anniversary, a light lager beer coming in at  4.7% and Mild Autumn at 4.2%, both brewed by Big John. The voting is taking place at the end of the evening. Oh, and there’s some winey stuff for the WAGs.

Followers of the Brewing Group’s reviews may remember that Pete’s bar has a lounge attached and it is in this room where all the food is spread out. Eager eyes see that the famous Corned Beef Pie (all bow) made by our Glorious Leader is about to be sliced so in time-honoured tradition there is a stampede. That devoured it is on to the rest of the buffet – sausages, pies, ....oh, you’ve been to a festive get-together, so you’ll know what’s here. I feel a Dickensian moment coming on.....

Here, by my own admission, I make a faux pas by innocently, and no malice aforethought, close the otherwise open dividing glass partitioned door between the bar and the aforesaid mentioned lounge, which happens to be many degrees warmer than the temperature in the bar; and so it should be as three convector radiators serve to keep its occupants in a comfortable heat not experienced by others in the party, who, by their very nature jeer the dwellers of the warm saloon; an action I and my fellow occupiers ignore regardless of how vigorous their taunting and mocking, and we continue conversing in a merry way until that dreaded hinged entrance, and exit, is finally flung open and we get another pint!   .....Dickensian moment over.

The lounge plays an important part in this next paragraph. Everyone is, by this time, in the bar with the exception of our Glorious Leader (John) and Mrs Little Ritchie. Again the door is shut so we can’t make out what the conversation is about. All we see is John’s arms violently swinging about like a manic baboon on rush-hour traffic duty. Speculation is running high although it is soon over and both she and the baboon come into the bar. I think you have to be here to appreciate how funny it looked.

Now is the time for voting. At this point Rob usually throws his hand up at least twice – not quite grasping the fact that we only have one vote each. He’s only been a member for about seven years, so will someone explain it to him? Firstly, we vote for Beer of the Year. In the running, if you remember, are Black Diamond and Skiers Delight ....... and the winner is ......... Black Diamond. Yes indeed, Jacko wins the trophy for a second year in succession. Usual thanks from Jacko to our Glorious Leader (John) for imparting so much knowledge. All pose for photographs before we vote for Beer of the Night. This is awarded to Big John for his 8^th Anniversary Ale. Well done to both guys.

Well, it’s almost time to go. Tommo announces his 60^th birthday is looming and having a bash to celebrate so all members are invited, but that’s in May. Our Glorious Leader leads the way to the mini bus.

Strange, isn’t it? A Christmas Party without crackers, paper hats, tinsel or tree; no games; not even a mention of Christmas in any conversation. But what we did have was good food, good beer and good mates. Despite all that had gone on in the past year we were still able to meet up with one common interest – brewing. Why not raise a glass to the Darlington Traditional Brewing Group. Cheers

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