Blod is back! Blod is back! (Gary Glitter eat your heart out.) After all the excitement of the beer festival we're back to normal.

Normal? What is normal? Whoa! there Blod, let's not get into this philosophy crap. Let's get straight on with our next tippy toeing step into 'The Wonderful World of Beer' (that sounds good doesn't it? Possibly title for a TV series - any agents reading?).

Following on from last time, I'm now going to explain exactly what real ale is. Here's the novices guide..

Real ale is a living beer. When the beer is put into the barrel, it is still fermenting and undergoes what is known as secondary fermentation. Carbon dioxide is produced, preventing air reaching the beer, which would otherwise go off.

Real ale is usually dispensed through a hand pump - that long stiff thing at the bar (no, don't titter!). When the beer is pulled through the hand pump, the beer will have a natural head which stays with the beer to the end of the glass.

The subject of the head can be very controversial, since generally in the north of the country a large head is favoured on their beers, while in the south they prefer their beer with less of a head (or even no head at all). Whatever your own preference, the beer should really be presented to the customer as the brewer intended.

Another factor that should be considered is the temperature that the beer is served. If the beer is stored in a cellar there is not normally a problem, although the temperature can also be down to personal preference. I like the beer at just below room temperature, where some like it quite a bit cooler than this, but certainly not as cold as the "amber nectar".

The temperature of the beer does in fact affect the taste of the beer, hence the fact that artificially cooled lagers taste like cold cat pee (not that I've tasted that, of course!).

The fact remains that providing the person looking after your beer within your public house has had the necessary training and realises he or she is dealing with a living entity (sounds like a sci-fi overload coming on), you should never be served with a bad pint of beer.

To your benefit, the tastes and permutations of a pint of bitter alone are endless. Yes, you may get a flavour, as with everything, that is not so appealing to your taste, but wouldn't life be boring if we all liked the same thing?

Next part I will talk about the new threat to real ale 'nitrokeg' - bet you can hardly wait. Well, you're gonna have to, since I'm now off the screen and halfway across the table!

See you later snout nosed, multi-toothed, reptilian inhabitant of the Everglades. (Alligator to you young 'uns.)

Blod Out.

Jul. '97

Part 1
Part 2
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Blod's plod aroond Aberdeen