Beer!

Christmas is coming, and in recognition of the fact that Brij, my son-in-law, Jamie, my stepson, and the rest of the Scott family will be visiting us over the festive season, we have stocked up on beer.

Well, I say beer. In fact, it's lager (waits for Jennie to throw her hands up in despair). In other words, it isn't real beer, it's mass-produced stuff that people are willing to substitute for real beer.

Now I do have to admit that I do drink lager - proper lager, from places like the Czech Republic - if the mood strikes. But, like a good many Liberal Democrats of my acquaintance, I drink real ale whenever the opportunity permits. And so, having filled the utility room with lager (still in the can), I felt the need to stock up on something for me to drink.

Ros, being amenable to a drive, offered to drive to St Peter South Elmham, out near the Norfolk border (but still south of the Waveney) to allow me to stock up on the finest products of the St Peter's brewery, and I was only too pleased to take her up on it, having rather enjoyed my first visit - a brewery tour organised to mark St Valentine's Day.

It was a pleasant enough drive, if a rather indirect one - the Elmhams are out in 'bow and arrow country', but we eventually arrived and I hit the brewery shop. And so, what do I have?

It being Christmas, I have a case of their Christmas Ale, rich and warm, 7.0% and, being a sensible shopper, I have a case of the India Pale Ale, badly labelled and thus rather cheaper than is the norm, and a mixed case of their greatest hits, including a bottle of Suffolk Smokey, which has a peat finish, rather like that of a good malt whisky. Unfortunately for visitors, I can testify to this because I drank it, and fascinating it was too.

So, at one per day, I have beer to take me through to the New Year and beyond, which is a good thing, I'd suggest. All I need now is cheese...