Minutes of Committee Meeting, Oddbins Stock Room, Sunday 20th November 2022
In attendance: Tom Stoddart, of the Albert public house, Lark Lane, and Michael Stoddart, of Oddbins, Wine Merchants of Repute, Allerton Road
Purpose of meeting: to evaluate Great Balls of Fire, a new beer from Carnival Brewery inspired by Fireball Whisky.
Appearance: An oddly inviting golden-yellow cloud, with no head or froth. The look of it reminded me of an orange wine I tried recently, although my judgement of the wine was a lot less accommodating.
Nose: Cinnamon, with a touch of ginger, becoming more fulsome with time in the glass. Spicy, without inviting the overused word "autumnal," thank God - the weather at this point was not something by which one might define a luxury beverage...
Palate: Definitely a sour! Tom likes a sour, but I'm a little reserved about them possibly because the first one I had was something like "Peanut Butter and Artichoke," and it tasted like an accident. In fact, the sour road remained closed to me thereafter, but we agreed that this was a cone-shifting treat. The whisky element was tuned to perfection; there was just a suggestion of fizz, and there was a touch of orange peel amid the cinnamon. On the whole it was more warming than refreshing, and it may have thanked us for a leather armchair and an open fire. It kept giving as well - the flavours opened out after a short time in the glass, developing a little more fire and an altogether more rounded palate. A heartening brew!
Me: I'll tell you what though, son, it doesn't seem to have much on the finish. Or am I trying to judge it like I would wine?
Tom: It's not the beer, dad, it's you. Behave yourself, you big wine ponce!
Submitted by Mike Stoddart, 23-11-22
unedited
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