I had a rubbish nights sleep. Not sure why, because the bed is comfy, the van is warm, I was relaxed, I played a little Andy Williams tune or two, and the neighbours played soothing Doppler sounds occasionally. Well, police and ambulance sirens passing by at speed. At least they were passing by!
Anyway, it was time to rise at the crack of 9am so the roof went up on the van, so I can stand, wash & dress and reset the layout to ‘day van’ from ‘boudoir’ mode.
Clean & as presentable I’m likely to be, I lowered the roof, left and locked up and headed a few doors down to The Old Firestation. It’s a Salford University led bakery and brewery! And the food is very good!
I headed back, passing Jim and Jazz on their way to pick up the orders for the early arrivals. I had had two poached eggs on a really nice sourdough base bread with a decent cup of black Americano.
I’d arrived back to Hemsley sated, as did Jim and Jazz with food. That was generous enough, but Mark in the kitchen (who works his cahoonas off, with his team) then served up a load of bacon butties on rolls, accommodating to allergies in a unexpected and random group). There was no way I wasn’t going to have more bacon butties! It happened.
So, after readying ourselves for the next session and being as organised as ever, the doors opened.
From the other side, it’s brilliant to watch all of a sudden a lot of people come piling in, try and bag their spaces and tables which is the only frantic rush that you’ll see.
After which everyone settles down, has an excitable conversation with their mates about what their first beer will be and then they head to the bar. I love watching that bit. It’s ace.
Then there’s a phase of ‘not to style’ or ‘missing body’ stuff. And then. And then…
It settles. It just becomes something else. Beyond a beer festival, in my humble opinion. It’s folks around tables. Who have different views about what’s good and bad and they talk and discuss. There is respect for a difference opinion. A debate where facts are thrown around to substantiate. It’s a nice place to be. Hope it catches on.
So, whilst we’re doing our ‘supping thing’, some people aren’t.
I mentioned I now know a load of people through this. And whilst it’s unfair of me to pick people out. I do think that there are two people in particular that help make the ‘vibe’ on both sides of the bars.
Like two mischievous nephews of Jim, Chris and Tim both put their all into making this the best beer festival in the world but all the while winding Jim up as much as possible. It’s an honourable role that they fulfil with gusto! Happens they are really, really nice people as well.
We supped. We enjoyed. We also decanted after the session to The New Oxford, down the road. No particularly a shock, but as we walked in we did see a few others from the lunchtime #ISBFX session.
Eventually, sometime after 8pm, we all headed off on our various ways home. Mine being back to the van, via the Co-op (bread, butter, eggs, bacon) in the hope that I would have the bother to make my own breakfast in the van in the morning. Spoiler alert. It didn’t happen. I did take some light reading back to the ‘Van though.
So, on to Saturday!
I had (always 3rds) more beers than last night but that’s because it’s my last as a punter. I can’t wait for tomorrow as I’ve missed being behind the bar.